What I wore for Christmas Day (only, you know, two months after the fact :D)

Outfit details

C. 1930s/40s burgundy felt hat with netting: Garb-Oh Vintage
Garnet and gold toned earrings: Claire's (in late November, so they might still be in stock there)
1940s style burgundy winter coat: Thrifted (Jones New York brand)
1980s does 1940s Laura Ashley plaid dress: Lola Vintage
C. 1950s frosted clear Austrian glass berry brooch: eBay
C. 1950s white gloves: Unknown, had for ages (possibly a gift)
Gold tone bangle bracelets: Payless
C. 1950s/60s navy blue handbag: Frugal Frocks
Black seamed nude vintage style stockings: eBay
Navy blue faux patent leather pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Partyline



Photography by Tony Cangiano

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The sharing of said ensemble, not the wearing, that is. :)

If you're a regular follower of this blog, then I won't head into broken record territory too much, but chances are you know that I've been computer-less this month. While I was fortunate to have several blog posts penned and ready to go live throughout February prior to that happening, only a couple of them were outfit posts and as such, I kept pushing their post dates up further and further, as one week turned into the next and I was still sans laptop.

The new one is expected to arrive any day now (yippee!), so I thought I'd take the plunge and share these fun snaps from late December with all of you here today, before we head into March and my thoughts turn far more to loveiversary (the day that Tony I first meet back in 2004) and Easter season outfits, instead of what I was sporting while jolly old St. Nicolas was still in town. :)

This past Christmas was a marvelous one for myself and my family. On the one hand, it was a lowkey event (just the way I typically like holidays of all sorts to be), but on the other, it was delightfully unique - for us at least. The reason for such was that the year before(on Christmas Day 2014, to be exact), my mom had decided, so very sweetly, that she wanted to hold an Italian Christmas feast, instead of the more traditional North American/British style one, in honour of Tony and his homeland.

Thus we both set to work shopping, cooking and baking up a storm for the meal, which saw a handful of close relatives gather around the table - heady, scrumptious scents aplenty wafting up from it - on Christmas Eve and Day alike - and dig into an Italian feast that could easily have fed over twenty. What are the holidays though, without ample food and lots of great leftovers to tuck into for days to come!

It was a fun, delicious departure from our usual winter holiday eats and one that Tony, as well as the rest of us, all enjoyed and appreciated. While we won't be going the Italian meal route each Christmas, given what a smash hit this one was, I sense we will repeat it again periodically as the years roll on.

What was on our plates might have been Italian in nature, but we didn't take the theme quite to the level of national dress or Italian flag only hues (though they are literally the same palette as Christmas, so the latter wouldn't have been too tricky to do at all). I woke up on Christmas morn, fresh snow falling atop of the thick blanket that already lay on the ground around town and felt instantly pulled towards both plaid and the colour burgundy.

Enter, this thoroughly lovely 1980s does 1940s style Laura Ashley dress that I've had for absolutely ages. Though it looks the wool part, it is not, but it is nearly as warm as though it were. This dress is incredibly comfortable and rife with classic styling (from the puffed sleeves to the matching belt to the white collar), and as it hadn't appeared here on the blog before, Christmas seemed like the ideal time to debut

Ditto for this vintage appropriate reefer style burgundy coat from the brand Jones of New York, which I thrifted for less than $10 two or three winters ago from a tiny charity run thrift shop on Main Street right here in Penticton.

To these yesteryear inspired pieces, I added my endlessly beloved 1930s/40s burgundy felt hat, a vintage navy blue purse and (modern) shoes, white mid-century gloves, and a smattering of new and old jewelry (including one of my treasured c. 1950s Austrian glass fruit brooches).

It was a fun, festive, and very cozy outfit that suited the laid back, fun filled nature of Christmas Day spend at my mom and step-dad's house (where these snaps were captured on their deck) perfectly.

Looking back now, two months and a day later, it seems both like these photos were taken just yesterday and also as though they happened eons ago.

A lot has already transpired in the first couple of months of 2016. Some good, some heartbreaking, some exciting, some stressful, and lots that simply makes up the minutia of life. Through it all, the optimism that I felt about this year as we entered into it, has scarcely wavered and I remain hopeful that the positive will far outweigh the negative when all is said and done, and I pose for next Christmas' outfit shoot.

We've got nearly ten months to go before that point however, during which time I'll soon be enjoying my new laptop and continuing to bring you scores more "what I wore" (and other types of) posts to fill the pages of this blog throughout the year. I can hardly wait, especially with springtime (and all of its gorgeous vintage fashions) just around the corner!

 

Vintage lime green for Halloween and a darling new necklace from Gleeful Peacock

Outfit details

Halloween novelty print skinny scarf: Dollar Tree
Brown plastic hair clip: Goody
Orange plastic rose stud earrings: Claire's
Hand painted brass witch's hat charm necklace: c/o Gleeful Peacock
Lime green 1980s does 1950s shirtwaist dress: eBay (I think; had for years)
Orange faux leather skinny belt: eBay
Purple, black and white plastic bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
C. 1950s Saks Fifth Avenue black patent purse: MK Retro
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Black 1940s style round toe faux suede pumps: Wal-Mart
Lip colour: MAC Made With Love
Nail colour: Essie Roarrrrange


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Everything about this shoot - and outfit - was fun! We grabbed these snaps very recently at a small, beautiful little lake about 25 minutes outside of town called Trout Lake (a hot spot with local anglers), which has homes right near the shoreline in various spots. As we were shooting, two young (I'd guess about ages 6 and 9 - 10) and their mom came out on their deck to watch us. We all waved at each other and they seemed like very nice, friendly folks. The two girls were having a blast and kept taking photos (or perhaps even video) of us with their phone and tablet.

I'm used to having people stop and watch us for a little while when we shoot in public, but this was one of the first times in all the years we've been taking snaps for my blog that we'd had an audience for the whole process. It was enjoyable and I kept wondering what the youngsters must have been thinking not only of the strangers in their nature filled backyard taking pictures, but also of the auburn haired lady dressed in vintage styles. I know that I would have been over-the-moon elated to have witnessed something like that when I was little. :)

With Halloween just two days away (*happiness squeal*), I couldn't wait a moment longer to share this charmingly pretty necklace that I recently received as review gift from the wonderful US handmade jewelry company Gleeful Peacock with all of you.

The design team there involved me directly with the production of this fabulous hand painted brass witch's hat and spell book (aka, grimoire), as they approached me to ask if they could make a custom necklace for me which would then be offered in a very limited production run on their website.

I was truly honoured by this beautiful offer and suggested a Halloween piece, given the season. They were on board with that and in matter of weeks, I had this elegant, festive, completely Halloween perfect necklace - which, much to my delight, is nickel-free - dangling from my neck.

I don't own a lot of pendant necklaces (in no small part because of my nickel allergy) and am thrilled to grow my collection with this All Hallows' Eve perfect offering. It's lightweight, very comfortable, and could certainly be worn, if so desired, at other times of the year, especially if one is a witch/Wiccan/Pagan, a fan of Halloween, or into goth styles.

Though Gleeful Peacock's offerings are not full on vintage reproduction pieces, many can easily be integrated into yesteryear looks thanks to their timeless design, hand painted detailing, and soft, often muted colour palettes that have such an appealingly lovely age worn look to them.

I adore this sweet, wonderful necklace and can't thank the company enough both for this gift and for involving me with the design process. It was a splendid experience and a true honour!

What I'm sporting in the photos above is not my Halloween costume (I'll be sharing that here on the blog next week and quite possibly on social media come the big night itself), but there was no way I could let this week go by without sharing one of the many outfits I've been wearing lately that completely channels the spirit of this awesome holiday.

As a general rule, lime and neon green are not shades that are kind to my colouring (they tend to give it an unflattering yellowish cast), but luckily this cute 1980s does 1950s shirtwaist dress is an exception there. I've had it for years, but have not shared it here on my blog yet.

I love weaving hits of green and purple into my Halloween decor and outfits, so I decided to make lime green the star colour of this look and was inspired to do so by the little hits of it in this adorable scarf (worn on my head) that I picked up just a few days ago at our local Dollar Tree store.

From that same scarf, I pulled orange for my earrings and skinny belt, as well as black, white and purple, for my purse, shoes and bangle bracelet choices. I really like how this whole ensemble came together and love that I had the ideal necklace, care of Gleeful Peacock, to partner with such a festive look.

In just two days time, my favourite holiday will be upon us again and I can hardly wait!!! Our costumes are all set, the decor is out in full force, I've started cooking and preparing for the family Halloween party we host at our place each October 31st, and I've been watching my favourite Halloween movies and TV shows like there's no tomorrow. This week (and really, whole month) always puts me in the best mood and this one is no exception.

I hope that you're having a marvelous tail end of October, too, whether you celebrate Halloween or not, and can hardly wait to share my actual costume itself with all of you in just a few days time!

What's (vintage) black and white and red all over?

Outfit details

1940s/50s cream lace hat: Gift from a dear friend ♥
Gold tone and clear rhinestone bow earrings: Either Payless or Claire's
Red cropped cardigan: Fairweather
1940s/1950s gold tone metal bow brooch: Probably thrifted or eBay (had for years) 1980s does 1940s/50s black and white floral print dress: eBay
1940s black felt purse with brass clasp: Gift from a dear friend ♥
Gold tone bangle bracelets: Payless
C. 1940s cream gloves with crochet detailing: Unknown, had for years (possibly eBay)
Black seamed nude stockings: eBay
Red patent pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red


Photography by Tony Cangiano  

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You guys, I so knew that it was just a matter of time until I eventually penned a post with this title - I love puns and riddles both far too much to let the opportunity to reference the classic newspaper riddle go to waste. :)
 
Realistically though, this post could just as easily be called, "Wearing my winter colour palette in the summer", because really and truly, that's what I'm doing here. Red, my signature colour, is one that I reach for all year round, but I'm especially drawn to it during the icy cold Canadian winters, when no doubt the visual sense of fiery heat it imparts is a good chunk of the reason this Canadian lass is drawn to it so much.
 
With red, in winter's snow clad months, I most often pair black, grey and/or white (see posts such as this one and this one for two cold weather examples of such). This palette is classic, elegant, and often glamorous, but it can be cozy and sweet, too, especially, I find, if grey enters the picture.
 
So in love with this combo am I, that a couple of winters ago, I got so hooked on wearing it, I had to make a mental note to sport other colours, least folks started thinking those were the only hues in my closet. I can't help it though, winter after winter after winter, I reach for red and black, tossing in a little grey or white usually for good measure, and highly suspect that I always will (after all, when something works, it works!).
 
Yet sometimes I can't wait that long or an occasion really calls for these hues or I'm simply in the mood for them, and no matter the season, out they come to play. These particular photos were taken in late May and feature the delightful - and slightly more springtime-y - inclusion of some cream, care of this truly gorgeous 1940s/1950s hat, that was an awesome Christmas gift last year from a lovely online friend and fellow vintage blogger.
 
This is the first time I've sported it here on my blog, but certainly not the first before or since these photos were taken. This hat balances sophistication and curtness sublimely and speaks to me on so many vintage loving levels. It's made from stiffened lace, is fairly wide brimmed, weighs next to nothing, featuring a stunning dark crimson velvet ribbon with bows and long, trailing ends, and is in very good shape for its venerable age.
 
The classic and very pretty 1940s purse in this ensemble was also a gift from another completely dear friend and was the one I carried last year when attending the Victoria Vintage Expo. It too is very sweet and timeless, in nice condition still and a true favourite of mine.
 
In addition to those two near-to-my-heart accessories, today's black, white, red and cream ensemble features a lovely 1980s does 1940s/50s dress (that buttons up the back) with matching belt, a vintage appropriate red cropped cardi, c. 1940s cream gloves, 1940s/50s gold tone bow brooch, classic looking modern rhinestone bow shaped earrings, as well my beloved (modern) red patent pumps.
 
It occurred to me and Tony on the day when these photos were taken, that we hadn't done a shot in the wee wisp of an open front yard that we have in ages - as in, I don't recall any happening there last year (save for our Halloween photos) and very few the year before either in comparison to 2012's numbers. Thus, as the afternoon was starting to fade, we decided to remedy that, as it really is a handy little spot, when the weather and light are in a cooperative mood.
 
While Tony was waiting for me to finish getting dressed before going out, he turned the camera on our dog, Annie, who is usually too high energy to sit still for anything but the blurriest of images (so hence why to date, she and I have not shared a full on photo shoot - one day though, I sincerely hope!). However, that afternoon he nabbed a few in our perpetually low natural light condo (so hence the grain from the ISO here) and the one below was a favourite for both of us.





Clearly, as you can see, Miss Annie has the white and black thing down to a tee as well! (Plus her current collar is hot pink, which isn't very far from red - like human "mother", like canine dog-ter :D)
 
Favourite colour combos, like beloved single hues themselves, can - and should - be sported anytime your heart desires. Just because this palette is my -25C staple, doesn't mean I can't rock it - sans a few layers - when it's +35C as well. In fact, so much of the fun of highly adored colours and pairings is the enjoyable challenge of coming up with new outfits in which to rock them season after season, year after year.
 
Do you have any colours or pairings that you generally turn to in one season, but also enjoy donning at other times, too?

Thoughts on who I am as I turn 30

Outfit details

1950s nylon (chiffon) scarf: Gift from a dear online friend ♥
White plastic rose stud earrings: Claire's
Navy blue knit shrug: Sears
1980s does 1950s blue and purple floral print dress: Mr. Idaho’s Vintage 
Pine green skinny belt: eBay
Green vintage Prystal bangle bracelet: Last year’s annual Rutland Antiques & Collectibles show All other bangles: Assorted sources
Vintage purple purse: Yard sale find
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Navy blue faux patent leather pumps: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace
Nail Colour: Essie Lilacism

Photography by Tony Cangiano  

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The internet can can be, and is, a blank canvas of sorts, a medium the likes of which the world had never quite seen prior to its invention and subsequent large scale adoption from the 1990s onward. What started out as an unsettled, unknown barren wilderness is now a city so crowded it makes places like Hong Kong, Mumbai and New York seem like quaint, quiet little villages nestled in some far off woods.

Online, unless somebody is already famous in the real world, and even then to some extent, one can if they so desire, create whatever sort of persona they desire. Not of course, that we all do such. Many strive to be as much like themselves online as they are off, but by the very nature of the fact that our interactions on the web are not the same as those had face-to-face with others in our daily lives, we often end up only sharing or intentionally divulging certain aspects of the whole, much more rounded and/or interesting person that we are.

The truth is incredibly important to me and I've never knowingly or intentionally misrepresented who I am online, but like most people, I value my privacy and as much I am working diligently at getting better at sharing more about myself, there are certain things that I will likely never say or share in the public sphere.

However, the longer the blog, the more I find myself thinking about how there are certain sides to me that I feel rarely, if ever come out in my writing here, as well as certain facts that I've reached a point where I no longer feel like I must hold them fiercely close to my chest, shielding them from the world.

In my daily life, I am - humbly - a very funny person. I crack jokes, make puns, delight in world play, and have a wicked sense of humour. Many people over the years have described me as the funniest woman they've ever known, and yet, oddly or interestingly, depending on how you opt to look at it, my personal brand of humour rarely shines through too brightly in my vintage related writing, perhaps because I'm not penning posts about topics that are inherently funny. I like to slip in a good pun or witty remark every now and then, but that's about the extent of it for the most part here (though every now and then I do love to write an intentionally humour post, such as this year's The real truth behind 15 Canadian stereotypes or 2009's look at Five items I would always/never wear).

Following in the same vein, I also love watching TV shows like Family Guy, American Dad, The Simpsons, The Daily Show, Peep Show (from the UK), How I Meet Your Mother, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Tosh.0, Impractical Jokers, and World's Dumbest. And while we're on the subject of TV, I've never sat through a full episode of any soap opera, am rarely a fan of talk shows, can't stand "real housewives" type of reality shows (which are anything but, in true reality), have a voracious passion for dramas and 80s and 90s sitcoms and have seen every single episode of Sex in the City.

Some people set out, when they begin blogging, making Youtube videos, growing a following on Instagram, or what have you, to craft and shape a specific type of persona. This is not something I did in the slightest, as I believe in sharing the real me with the world, but again, sometimes by the very nature of the web and its complex relationship with privacy, we don't end up letting people see all our good sides, or certain traits that we might not be too fond of end up being magnified in ways we never expected.

For example, I love to write at length on various topics and to be very thorough (there's no such things as being too thorough in most cases, in my books), partner that with the fact that my speech is sometimes more akin to that of Charles Dickens than Gnarls Barkley and it can become all too easy for some people to perhaps view me as being pretentious, or arguably worse, a know-it-all. Good grief! Nothing could be further than from the truth. I loath pretentiousness, which was a trait in a certain family member that I could not stand as a child and swore I would never embody it when I grew up. Much like Socrates and Plato, I know one thing: that I know nothing.

Of course that isn't literally the case, but the sentiment certainly rings true and is something that all lovers of knowledge should ascribe to because there is no shortage of topics to learn and expand our body of knowhow on throughout the - in the greater scheme of all of time - very short time we're fortunate enough to be on this planet.

I am incredibly shy, and yet, at times I can be so brazenly bold that when I later look back at certain actions, I can scarcely believe that I myself carried them out. I am a homebody who also loves to travel, with a wicked sense of wanderlust. I love to sell, always have, always will (so it was only natural that I'd open an Etsy shop one day, as I did this year). I have a complex relationship with money and was, at one point in my life, a stress spender (though thankfully, with help that I will always be truly grateful for from my husband, this is no longer something I frequently find myself in recent years), but have always been great at saving, too, and making sure my true financial priorities were taken care of first and foremost.

And speaking of stress, I am the polar opposite of a stress eater, in fact, I have a hard time swallowing a single bite if I feel consumed by stress, worry, guilt, grief, sadness, or any other strong negative emotion.

Like all of us, I am a product of my past, my present and my dreams about tomorrow. As I sit here this morning on the cusp of my 30th birthday tomorrow, a very substantial part of me feels like I could write for hours about things you don't know about me or which I've only touched on vaguely in the course of my blog's life so far. I want to share more and grow more as a person, both two things that I've been actively working on ever since the rather life altering and affirming experience that our trip to Calgary last September turned out to be for me (a point that I talked about at length in this post).

I am not the same person I was a decade ago on this very same morning. Not by a long shot. Some elements are the same of course, but a billion things have changed. From certain priorities to various hopes. I have far more wrinkles, but way less of my real hair (not sure what I'm talking about there? See this post). I've grown stronger and weaker in different ways. My health, a true shambles since I first became chronically ill at the age of just 18, is, and will - baring major medical breakthroughs - always be a train wreck and constant source of stress and problems, but it doesn't have a complete hold on me. I've learned to make a life for myself in spite of it and to use the lessons it has taught me to become a better, braver, wiser person.

If I could go back in time and speak to myself on the last day of when I was 19, I am sure there are encyclopedia volumes of information that I would tell my young self, but I don't think, if I could do the last decade over again, that I would ultimately want to. I fought those fights, cried those tears, rejoiced in those smiles, won those victories, and learned those lessons once and that is more than enough. The path wasn't always perfect, but it was my road, and I walked it as best I could in the moment, with the tools and love and ingrained sense of hope that I had right then, right there, when I needed it.
 
There were times in the last decade where it didn't look like I'd make it through to my thirties because of my health, but thankfully, miraculously even, I am still here. Sorry, chronic illnesses (and certain doctors who don't begin to deserve the degrees they hold), I'm still here. This ol' body of mine hasn't won quite yet and I have no plans of letting it do so any time soon.

I left home - a world filled with horrible dysfunction, abuse, sickening lies, manipulation, and endless problems at the tender age of 16, and instantly began making a life for myself from that moment onward (a topic that I'm going to be delving into a bit more in my next post on Friday). I have never given up or given in to people or things that tried to change me. I'd had more than my fair share of that as a child. I grew up far too early and in ways no one should ever have to. I've known poverty and hardship, hunger and the most brutal and vile sides of human nature. I have also never lost my inner child, the glee that I find in cute things, animals, and dressing in feminine styles.

My soft spoken-ness and typically very gentle nature often makes people think that they can walk all over me, but what they don't know is that this seemingly quiet and unassuming kitten has claws (and knows how to use them!). I always know when someone is trying to play me and they'll quickly learn, they aren't about to get away with it on my watch. I have an almost crippling fear of confrontation when it comes to myself, yet I am fiercely protective of those I love and will fight to the death for my dearest and dearest, no matter who I have to go up against.

So much has changed over the past decade. At times it feels like I have lived a lifetime in the span of each of those years. So many were fraught with uncertainty and challenges that at first seemed insurmountable, but which were ultimately tackled or at at least woven in the tapestry of the bigger picture and able to be dealt with in various ways. There were great, sometimes even amazing, points as well and the older I get, the more I not only like, but love who I have, and who I continue to, become.

I have my quirks and my shortcomings, my flaws and my failures, we all do, but I don't let them rule or worry me - for the most part at least - nearly as much as they did ten, seven, five or even two years ago. I am wiser, but still have much to learn and will always continue to do so. The good of the last decade will carry on with me into the next, the bad I've buried in the past. It is not worthy of my time or anguish any longer. I have a new day to experience, a new chapter to begin, and new set of challenges ahead of me.

There will always be elements of who I am that you may not fully know, but I hope that in this post and many more to come, I will show you further sides of who this vintage loving, resilient, bookworm, history buff, happily married, proud pet parent, chronic illness fighting, determined, optimistically realistic, joke cracking, gluten-free, travel adoring, shy, spirited, creative, passion Canadian woman is as I embark on, and embrace, my thirties.

Buckle up and keep the camera at hand, I can already tell it's going to be on heck of an exciting ride - and I wouldn't want it any other way.