Not that thrifty a post, but happy, tired one

I apologize for my late-in-the-day posts this week. It has been a busy, exhausting week - as exhausting as I look in this photo, taken after work today. This post isn't really about thrift, but for the record I'm wearing my new Value Village jacket ($7.99), thrifted retro specs for $3.99, and a Lauren Moffat silk dress thrifted at VV for I can't recall what, def under $20.

I was thinking a lot about family today. It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and for various reasons, I didn't think I'd be able to go home. Thanksgiving is big in Canada, a major holiday. I really, really wanted to go home and see everyone.

Me taken 10 mins ago. Tired and slightly harried, but happy: I have my ticket, and I'm going home. (and fyi I am wearing a thrifted tee!).

Here's my uber worn leather tote thrifted for $3.99 that I have just tossed some stuff into. Soo tired. So happy to be going home. If you are in Canada, happy Thanksgiving weekend. If not, well, happy weekend to you too, and happy thrifting!

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Blue suede pants, one year later

THEN: I thrifted these uber high-waisted pants last October ($19.99 at Goodwill) and vividly remember wearing them last Halloween, when this photo was taken. It wasn't meant to be a costume!

Ick. I thought I looked pretty hot then. But now I see how style can evolve. The horsy-horsy look was just too contrived. The teal scarf too matchy-matchy. And highlighting the high-waisted pants? A bit too much, methinks.

NOW: I much prefer the look I came up with two days ago. The strategy was similar yet funkified: this time the cashmere sweater was longer and hanging out, and the hue almost matched the pants perfectly. Brown boots, yes, but this time shorter ankle booties. I kept the thick belt but changed the colour and put it outside the tunic. Then I added a Teenflo blazer and leather bag (both thrifted) and voila!

What do you think? Which look do you like best? Or are they both fugly in your opinion?

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Blogger interview turned thrift dig

It was just supposed to be a blogger interview at Value Village on DIY Halloween costumes (which I will be working on this weekend and posting next week, fyi).

But then, you see, I saw this jacket.

Purple, as you may know, is very BIG this season. But I really hate the shade that's out there: it's kinda cloying 1980s harsh for me. A more subdued grape bordering on heather, on the other hand, has a totally different effect.

And when it's a matter of a perfectly adorable retro all-wool jacket with three-quarter sleeves and fitted cropped bodice, made under a charming and rather long-winded label "The Best of London by Jules for Progress, Montreal" for a mere $7.99, well how can a blogger who's just finished a thrift interview resist?

OK I admit it: I arrived a few minutes early and started shopping before the interview even began! The first place I went: the jewellery case. This Sarah Coventry ring popped right at out me. I've only purchased one of her rings before but I know their look: largish 1950s-60s looking cocktail rings that usually have an adjustable band that wraps around in a very artful way at the back. And it's signed.

Here's a closer look. Isn't it pretty? There are tiny faceted glass pieces on each layer of the flower, FYI. Sarah Coventry costume jewellery is somewhat collectible but not worth tons as there is lots of it out there. The first ring I bought at a Mount Pleasant Rd. boutique was $15 and this one was $12.99. I was half reassured half perturbed at the price as it means that the VV pricing Gods are getting better at pricing vintage pieces! Speaking of vintage costume bling mark your calendars: the next Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Sale is Sunday, November 28. More deets coming soon.

Here's the final look. Interestingly, most of this outfit is NOT thrift, for shame. The sassy Michael Kors lace-up booties I bought for half off a few years ago; they still cost me part of my rent but I love 'em and they're fab with skinny jeans.

The top: wool ballerina top bought at Club Monaco that I love but am SO unhappy with. It keeps tearing and falling apart. Am going to call the manager and see what can be done. Most definitely bolsters my argument for buying quality vintage pieces! As for the jeans, new at a Riverside shop, but the shop carries some vintage too so there ya go. Scarf was new but loved it so. Necklace: def 1970s vintage and I paid too much for it a year ago, enough said.

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Bloggin' about talkin' about bloggin'

Ahem. I'd like some quiet please.

Joke! As you can see by the pic here, my speaking style is, well, somewhat expressioned, shall we say.

I was invited to speak at an I Tweet, You Tweet conference for small biz in Toronto this morning, held by PR pro Parmjit Parmar of Montana Ridge Enterprises and Lisa Kember of Constant Contact email and social media solutions.

My task: speak about my experiences developing a social media profile through blogging.

I"m not a social media expert by any means, but I am an expert on me and what I do, and I do 'interface' with small businesses through various social media platforms. I babbled on in my typical manner, so I sure hope what I said was useful to the audience.

One of the things I spoke about in terms of blogging was using it to share specialized content so that you can establish yourself as an expert in your field. If you are a fellow thrift blogger out there, you are part of that larger community, but you also know that community is relatively small. I've been approached by two thrift stores from the States, which have stores in Canada too, to write and blog about them - call it blogger outreach, and a little sign I have something to contribute. Bring it on, I say, I love it!

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New coat, new do, new tunic - a la thrift

I have a new and much-needed hair-do ($20; a lady I know works from her home and gives me the best cuts for cheap), so I'm celebrating with a new look, a la thrift, natch!

I love my latest thrift acquisition, a Made in Canada coat, found for $14.99 at my local thrift shop in the east end, Stretch Thrift. It has leather accents and these cool zippy details on the sleeve. The boots are new, picked up a couple years ago for only $40 at an end-of-line retailer. The leather bag was bought a couple years ago in a Newmarket, Ontario consignment shop for $30.The brown crochet tights were part of a warehouse sale by DIM, 5 pair for $20!

I'm calling this look Twiggy-inspired, with a boho twist. This is the first time I've worn this wool tunic I thrifted at Goodwill for $6.99. It's by April Cornell and I am groovin' on the grape hue and slouchy-sloppy neck (I can wear it with leggings too, if I dare: see 1980s blazer post below). The jewellery is vintage 1970s Raphael and it was free free free - and it just happens to match the tunic perfectly.

Amazing what a new haircut can do to inspire a sassy new look eh? Have you had similar experiences?

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Goodwill green

Sure wish I could show you this coat in its entirety; I swear I will when I can nab a photog as it's just too wonderful. Let this post serve as a sneak peak!

I've had a definite thing for green lately, either Kelly green (see the dress from a few days ago) or bottle green, like this coat. I was just about to give up entirely on a Goodwill dig when I did a second pass and lo and behold, there this coat was, just hanging on the rack.

Simply put, the coat had everything: it's green suede, impeccably made (in the town of Inca on the Spanish Island of Mallorca, known for its leather goods - I betcha it's handmade). A classic trench cut with fab covered bulb buttons, and not in any way stinky. And it was only $9.99!

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Big, boxy blazers from the 1980s

It's big. It's boxy. It's the 1980s Blazer -- in this case courtesy of the good ole' thrift shop.

These types of blazers abound in thrift stores, and you can make them work for you if you find the look attractive.

My tips for wearing the 1980s thrifted boxy blazer:

- Don't go for any blazer. There are tons of tapestry shoulder-padded nightmares out there. Go for a style that can still be styled into a somewhat current trend or look. In this case, this wool navy blazer with the big gold buttons made me think nautical and preppy. Here I prepped it out with jeans and a yellow turtleneck; I could just as easily have worn a striped red and white or navy and white fitted top.

- Consider proportion. As you can see, this is one big blazer. It would look ridiculous with the kind of jeans I normally favour, which are wide-leg long lean pants. Skinny jeans, or a short fitted skirt, would create the most pleasing silouette and proportion. A long full skirt or even a long straight skirt would make me look like someone from the 1990s, or Olive Oil, respectively.

I really hate to give a list of "don'ts", because I like to encourage creativity and don't think we should slot ourselves into little impenetrable style boxes. But having said that ....

- Think seriously before you don leggings or jeggings with a blazer as if they were a pair of pants. Actually if you're not 20 or not caught in a 1980s time warp, seriously rethink wearing leggings as pants - period. Unless, of course, you have amazing legs and rear-end - in which case I say kudos to you! Ok I'm being silly here;it's the end of a long busy week! A big oversize blazer like this may be just the piece to pair with leggings because it will cover your butt and look a little less like you're wearing tights for pants. It's all about your comfort zone.

- I'd be leery of wearing a blazer such as this if you aren't on the average to tall side. Again we're back to the proportion thing. If you are quite short, the blazer will look like you've shrunk. A fitted shorter blazer would better suit your proportions. If you're larger, a  blazer such as this may look rather tent-like on you. Again, though, you have to wear what makes you comfy, and if it's a big blazer, then it's a big blazer.

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