A Venetian in Vancouver

Outfit details

Grey felt beret: eBay
Black circular shaped rhinestone earrings: Either Payless or Claire's
C. 1930s/1940s dark cream faux pearl multi-strand necklace: Thrifted (Value Village - similar necklaces currently available in my Etsy shop)
Vintage style black rosette trimmed knit top: Thrifted
C. 1950s white gloves: Unknown, had for years (possibly a gift or from eBay)
C. 1980s does 1950s caramel brown wide belt: Thrifted (Value Village)
Vintage bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
1950s Venetian novelty print skirt: Awesome gift from a dear friend
C. 1950s grey kiss lock handbag: Running Rabbits Studio
Opaque black tights: Ardene
White faux leather pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Tony Cangiano

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A 1950s Venetian novelty print skirt, that is. :)

Throughout the course of my life I have lived in places with populations as large as a multiple millions and as tiny as just a few hundred. Most, not surprisingly, have fallen in between. Fittingly, then one might say, I have always felt like I was both a city girl and a country lass. I can make my home almost equally happy in either place, but when I'm away from one for a while, I do start to miss it strongly and pounce at the chance to return, if only for a few days.

As many of you know, Tony and I had a chance to do just that on a business trip to Vancouver at the end of this past fall. Most days Tony was one busy chap, putting in 10 - 12+ hour workdays, which left little time to explore together and, given the time of the year, no daylight during those wonderful times we did have.

On two days however, we were able to get in a decent amount of bopping about the city together during daylight hours and this is the second of the two (see the first here) outfit shoots that we were able to do while in The Big Smoke, as this stunning oceanfront city is sometimes called.

One thing that has struck me in the years since I first became a fashion blogger is just what an incredible wealth of phosholos (aka, photo shoot locations) there is to be had in large cities. I know that might sound glaring obvious, and it in many respects it is, but when you live in a relatively small town in an area with only a couple locations in the whole region of 100,000 or more people, you almost forget just what a staggering wealth of possible photo shot spots a larger city dishes up day in and day out.

As I - and some days, we - explored Vancouver's bustling, vibrant streets and myriad diverse neighborhoods, I was struck by how I could live in that city for a hundred lifetimes, vintage fashion blogging through all of them (natch! :)), and likely never exhaust all the possible places to take photos in. The same, no doubt, is true of most large cities the world over, especially if, as many in Canada are, they're mere moments away from breathtaking natural landscapes as well.

Tony is a huge fan of urban fashion photography, however the types of mid-century ensembles I typically wear rarely lend themselves particularly well to such, especially if the buildings and other sights in the background are glaringly modern.

So, when a chance to shot in such a setting arises, understandably, he pounces on the opportunity - and if we can find a location that meets his desire for gritty, energetic city backdrops and mine for ones that still look at least vaguely old school, we both come out as very happy campers.

We hit upon just that in the cement clad back alley behind our hotel one nippy, but delightfully sunny, afternoon. There was nothing exceptional about this back alley, save for the fact that it was situated in the heart of downtown Vancouver, which in and of itself, made it quite exciting for folks like us who presently reside in an Okanagan town of about 30,000 people and far fewer such urban backdrops.

The temperature was right around freezing that day (though the sunlight helped it to feel a touch toastier), so warm clothes were a must.

I opted for this truly fantastic 1950s Venetian novelty print skirt, which a treasured vintage loving friend gave me a while back (as she knows I'm always on the hunt for Italian themed vintage clothing to sport in a fashionable nod to Tony's homeland), as it is made from a thick, almost flannel like material that suits fall and winter superbly (not to mention the fact that it depicts one of the most famous cities in the world and thus seems especially fitting to sport while shooting in another stunning metropolis).

With it I paired a vintage style scoop neck black knit top with delight fabric rosettes around the neckline, as well as one of my favourite c. 1980s does 1950s belts, black opaque tights (for warmth), a classic grey beret, white vintage gloves, my sweet little grey 50s handbag, white pumps (court shoes), and jewelry (a blend of old and vintage appropriate modern) that pulled from the colours in my novelty print skirt.

On top of being nice and cozy, this outfit was wonderfully comfortable for a day of sightseeing, shopping, and general inner city exploring.

The lighting in these photos - despite looking as though it could easily have been created with a Photoshop action or two - is completely natural. It was soft and hazy and still had the faintest feeling of autumn to it (back home in Penticton, nearly five hours north of Vancouver, we had already parted ways with such gentle, warm light by that point in the year).

A back alley might not seem like the most exciting place to shoot in, but with the symphony of urban sounds tickling our ears from every direction and this sublime sunlight radiating down as we stood surrounded by towering city buildings, it was precisely that and we both agreed that shoot was one of our favourites in a long time.

I’m not sure when I'll get back to Vancouver - or any major city, for that matter - again, but I truly love knowing that whenever it happens, there will a million and one wonderful photo shoot locations just waiting for Tony and I to point our lens at them.

Wearing My Ultimate Unicorn of a Vintage Novelty Print Skirt

Outfit details

1950s green hair scarf (it's more grass green in real life than the bright sun makes it look here): Probably thrifted
White faux pearl stud earrings: Probably Claire's or eBay
1950s confetti lucite and real maple leaf brooch: Either a gift or from eBay, if memory serves me right
Black off-the-shoulder boat neck shirt: Joe Fresh
C. 1980s - 90s Brown leather and faux reptile skin belt: Thrifted
Gorgeous 1950s style Canadian novelty print skirt: Handmade gift from an incredible friend ♥
Red lace trimmed crinoline: Pettiskirt Style
Plastic bangle bracelets: Forever 21 & assorted sources
Vintage wood bangle bracelets: Thrifted
1940s/50s style brown leather wedge sandals: Yard sale find
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Nail colour: Essie Red Nouveau


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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First and foremost I fully acknowledge that, yes, Squinty McSquinterton has returned again in full force and that she was accompanied by Weird Wind Face McGee this time around, too. Le sigh!!!

No matter though, this incredible 1950s style novelty print skirt had to be photographed while the temperature for single layered outfits was still accommodating and that trumped strong winds and harsh light. It could have been raining frogs on me that day and I would have still posted these photos! :)

For you see, in them I am wearing what is, really and truly, hands down my ultimate, dream, fantasy, holy grail of a novelty print skirt: one that entirely Canadian themed!!!

Ever since my teen years I have scoured countless shops online and off nearly obsessively for a vintage Canadian novelty print skirt from the 40s or 50s (assuming that such had even existed in the first place). I informed scores of vintage sellers I knew of my hunt and was willing to pay a premium to land such a skirt, but none was forthcoming.

A very dear online friend of mine, and fellow vintage novelty print lover, was aware of my search and had done her best to track one down for me as well (this lady has mad skills when it comes to sourcing elusive vintage items), but we both continued to come up empty handed.

Unlike myself, she is sewer - and a very talented one at that, may I add. Last year as incredible Christmas present, she knocked the socks clean off of me when she surprised me with the gift of the incredibly lovely, immensely mid-century vintage looking Canadian print novelty skirt that I am sporting in these photos.

Time was not on our side on the busy day when Tony and I quickly grabbed these shots up Carmi Mountain here in Penticton, so hence the harsh sunlight (aka, we couldn't shot earlier or later in the day, when it would have been kinder and more flattering), epic squinting and weird faces at work here, but again, I simply could not go any long without sharing this skirt with all of you. It is a dream come true for a proud, patriotic vintage loving canuck like myself and I simply had to shout about it from the highest rooftop - or in this case, Mountain peak! :)

I cannot begin to thank my treasured friend enough for the gift of this awesome Mountie on horseback, canoe, First Nations and Inuit, wood grain, evergreen tree, and dog sled print skirt. It is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, my favourite novelty print garment I've ever owned and I still have a hard time (months after receiving it) wrapping my head around the fact that it is actually, really and truly, mine.

From the bottom of my heart, sweet friend, thank you for giving this vintage Canadian gal her unicorn 1950s garment. There are no words to adequately describe how much I love it! Please don't let my windswept face fool you, I was smiling up a storm, both on with my actual lips and in my heart as I posed for these photos atop that beautiful hill and let the dry, dusty green landscape highlight the phenomenal-ness of your amazing gift.

Saying good bye to Vancouver Island all over again

Outfit details

1940s/1950s black hat with red fabric rosettes: Etsy (the shop that I got it from is no longer in business)
Red plastic rose earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Fitted black cotton blazer: Banana Republic
Fitted red top: Urban Planet (I think - bought it years ago)
Black cotton cami: Real Canadian Superstore
c. 1940s plastic novelty binoculars brooch: eBay
1950s seashell novelty print skirt: eBay
Black cinch belt: Hip Hop 50s Style
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
Vintage bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
Black crocheted purse: Thrifted (Value Village)
Black seamed nude stockings: eBay
Black pumps: Payless Shoes
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Photography by Tony Cangiano  

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By complete and total coincidence, today marks exactly five months since these photos were taken on the very last day of our awesome two week long trip to Vancouver Island. It's genuinely hard to believe that so much time has passed since then. It feels like mere moments ago that I was standing out there on the deck of the ferry, wee rain drops dancing around us as icy winds blew over the Pacific and rippled my skin with goose bumps.

As with most final days of vacations that you've adored, this one had a note of bitter sweetness to it. Tony and I both enjoyed our time on the Island immensely and I personally found a certain kinship with it that I've almost rarely discovered elsewhere in my travels. Yet, we were starting to miss our comfortable bed at home, having more than one bathroom, and most of all, our darling pets. Thus, with misty eyes we said goodbye with love in our hearts for this stunning part of Canada, vowing to return again as soon as possible.

The weather wasn't in any kind of mood to cooperate, so we didn't get a lot of photos that day (and it was impossible for me not to squint up a storm in those that we did due to the wind), but thankfully we have a few to remember it by.

I'd purchased this darling 1950s novelty skirt on eBay a few months prior, once it was locked down for certain that our 2014 holiday destination was going to be Vancouver Island, which floats merrily in the Pacific. I didn't get a chance to wear it earlier in the trip, so I made sure to sport it on the last day - not knowing when I'd be anywhere in the vicinity of an honest-to-goodness ocean again next.

Its smile-inducingly sweet pattern of shells, seaweed and triangles is super fun and stands amongst one of my favourite novelty prints in my whole wardrobe. It will definitely be coming with me on future trips to the sea (and the beaches here in the Okanagan).




I've said it before and I'll say it here again today, we had an amazing, action packed time on Vancouver Island. From the charming little private mid-century house (pictured above) that we rented on Airbnb to stay in, to the many fabulous experiences (several of which, such as going whale watching and feeding a little herd of seals, were complete firsts for both of us), to simply getting away from the daily grind for a while, this vacation stands as one of the most memorable and enjoyable of my life.

Though I was knackered to the nth degree by the end (I can so see it in my face here), I was also deeply happy and filled with that certain nameless sense of deeply rooted contentment that comes from getting to experience a truly fantastic - and much needed - holiday for a few days.

As things stand now, Tony and I don't have any set plans in place for a trip in 2015. Given our shared passion for traveling though, it's highly likely that we will be hitting the highway (or high seas!) again, if only for a weekend or two here and there as this year progresses, the weather improves, and our wanderlust reaches a tipping point.

I truly loved sharing about our trip both during the fact (on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) and here on my blog in the weeks and now months since we’ve returned home. Wherever we venture next, you can rest assured that we'll have a camera in hand and that there will be lots more fun travel related posts to follow. I can hardly wait!

The softest top ever from Grace, a fab 1950s novelty print skirt, and the return of summer weather

Outfit details

Sparkly gold plastic sunglasses: Canadian Tire (bought the very same day these snaps were taken - perfect timing or what!!!)
1950s aqua nylon (chiffon) scarf: Gift from a dear online friend ♥
Pink sparkly bow earrings: Payless
Grey top with grey lace collar: Grace
Wide pink belt: Clothing store in Scarborough, Ontario that shut down years ago
1950s Middle Eastern scene novelty print skirt: Gift from a dear online friend ♥
White lace trimmed crinoline: Pettiskirt Style
Vintage bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
Vintage Saks Fifth Avenue black patent purse: etsy seller MK Retro
Black eyelet slingback sandal flats: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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What is Grace? How do you personally define it? If we turn to Webster's, we find that even there it has quite a multitude of meanings and possible uses in the context of applying it to a human trait and that each one fits the bill and yet feels like it still needs more. I think that grace is a certain sense of ingrained strength and composure. It is loveliness in the face of adversity and a gentle spirit when the world is mean and ugly. Grace is patient and sweet, loving and emblematic of many women over the centuries who we continue to look up to this very day.

Often the notion of grace goes hand-in-hand with a gentle demure and a quiet strength, as well as being something that a great many of us aspire to, and a percentage already embody. Grace can be amassed or lost, but never forgotten and it is an important characteristic which I personally feel the world would benefit from significantly if more people, women and men alike, strove to embody it to a greater degree.

In addition to being one of the loveliest traits a person can posses, Grace is also the name of an absolutely charming clothing brand from the UK that specializes in women's tops, camisoles, skirts and dresses in sizes ranging from 6 to 24, as well as scarves and collars. Earlier this year I was contacted by a representative from Grace and asked if I'd like to receive and review one of their beautiful offerings.

After educating myself more on the brand, I was happy to say yes and shortly thereafter, I received the strikingly lovely grey PP Jersey & Lace Shirt, which retails for £79.00. I sincerely appreciate this review gift from Grace and am delighted to share more about it all of you here today.

It is made of some of the softest, most skin friendly fabric (I have very sensitive and highly reactive skin, and therefore there's no such thing as too soft a fabric for me), which is a blend of ultra gentle organic cotton and bamboo. As well as being the gentlest feeling fabric I've ever slipped into, this long sleeved shirt has the versatility of being worn as either a top or a cardigan, thanks to the fact that it buttons all the way up the front.

This is a quality top through and through. The lace is detailed and very good quality, the garment forms well to the body, and it has the ability to be dressed up or down to your heart's content. I own relatively few blouses with none-pointy collars, so this top was also a very welcome breath of fresh air in my wardrobe. On the recent day when these photos were taken at Manitou Beach in Naramata, I opted to dress the top up a fair bit, thanks to this awesome 1950s Middle Eastern novelty print skirt (a gift from one of my dearest friends in the world), but you could just as easily partner it with jeans, shorts, overalls, or on the even more formal side of things, under a suit jacket or blazer.

I've also worn (but not yet photographed) it with my 1950s navy blue pencil skirt and that combination - to borrow, fittingly, an expression from the fine folks in the UK - works a treat in creating a very, very office/professional looking ensemble, especially when you add in stockings, pumps, and a classic, ladylike handbag.

It was at least 30 degrees out when we took these photos, but even though this Grace top has long sleeves, I wasn't swelteringly warm in it all. In addition to its fabulous qualities mentioned above, it is also gorgeously breathable and light as a feather. I would have no qualms packing this top with me if I was headed to the Sahara Desert. The fabric is supple and relatively thin, but not in a negative way at all. It's thin and sturdy at the same time, which is becoming an increasingly rare combination to find in clothing these days.

In addition, though Grace Clothing is not a dedicated vintage reproduction brand, this top, as well as some of their other offerings, has an alluringly lovely vintage appropriate look to it that would make it at home in any mid-century fashion fan's closet. When I wear it with a pencil skirt, it takes on more of a 1940s feel, whereas hear with my Aladdin worthy vintage circle skirt, it's fifties through and through. I suspect it could easily be styled in 1930s and 60s directions as well, in addition to obviously working wonderfully with more contemporary styles, too.

Grace's products are made with organic and fair trade fabrics, attention to detail, ethical manifesting processes, and an awareness of their impact on the environment. The company believes that "one happy day design integrity will become mainstream", a statement which, on top of hoping really does return to being true once more, seems to embody the word "grace" itself rather fittingly.

At £79.00, this top, especially for those like myself who do not live in the UK, is a bit of an investment piece for sure, I readily acknowledge that, but I can say with 100% sincerely that I feel its more than worth it. I've never worn a softer or more comfortable button front cotton shirt before and sense that this garment will last me for many, many years to come. I sincerely hope so, as it's a cinch to style up or down, timelessly pretty, and truly does have a certain unmistakable air of grace to it that suits the nature of my wardrobe to a tee.