A cute flamingo headscarf, vintage velour pedal pushers, and Canada Day camping fun

Outfit details

Vintage style square flamingo print head scarf: c/o Inkabilly
Black enamel coated metal hoop earrings: Unknown, had since I was a teenager (possibly Claire's)
Coral pink and white polka dot sleeveless button front shirt: Thrifted
Black thin knit cropped shrug: Fairweather
1960s green plastic and gold tone metal flower brooch: Clockwork Zoo
White 50s style stretch belt: Hell Bunny (via, if memory serves me right, Retro Glam)
1950s/1960s black velour pedal pushers: Frugal Frocks
1950s/1960s white tile purse: Running Rabbit Studio
Green plastic bangle bracelet: Forever 21
Assorted vintage plastic bangle bracelets: Various sorted (mostly thrifted)
Coral faux patent leather peep toe pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Partyline
Finger and toe nail colour: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Pink Punk
Photography by Tony Cangiano (with photos of us two together taken by my mom)

{Please forgive the various little fuzzy "dots" in these photos, we were inundated with no-see-um bugs while taking these pictures and they photobombed us big time that night!}   

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Before launching into the heart of today's fun new vintage outfit post, I want to take a moment to sincerely, wholeheartedly thank each and every one of you bestowed happy birthday wishes on me over the past few days. Whether here on my blog, Facebook, Instagram, via email, snail mail, or anywhere else, I was super touched by your beautiful wishes and can't convey how much they helped to make my 32nd b-day all the more fabulous!

While - to no one's surprise here locally - we had scads of rain on my birthday, for the Canada Day long weekend at the start of July, we were treated to a bit of sunshine and tons of wind! It was then that we snapped the photos seen here today.

My folks took their camper trailer down to a beautiful campground in the nearby little town of Osoyoos, which is located on the British Columbia side of the BC/Washington state border. A large campground with, I'd estimate, a few hundred camping spots for RVs, campers, trailers, and tents, located on a picturesque lake, this park always teams with Okanagan locals and tourists alike during the summer months.

I've been past it many times, but this was my first time visiting that park. As I've blogged about before over the years (such as in this 2012 post), I'm a massive fan of camping and while the more rugged version is, sadly, out of the question for me these days due to my health, I'll still jump at the chance to go glamping anytime I can and that's just what Tony and I did when my mom and step-dad (pictured below) invited us to spend time with them on the Canada Day long weakened.




For a day of outdoor fun, I knew that I wanted a comfy, festive outfit and started with a fabulous new vintage style flamingo print headscarf that I recently received as a review gift from a great British vintage/rockabilly/pinup inspired housewares and fashion company called Inkabilly.

This scarf is wonderful! Unlike many contemporary vintage style headscarves, this one is a proper square, not a long, skinny shape (nothing against that style - I love it, too, and own several, it's just extra handy to have a square shaped one sometimes) and can - depending on your head and/or hair size - be worn WW2 worker style or folded to various widths, as I've done here.

At just £6.99, this vibrant flamingo print headscarf (which is also available in a purple version; this being the aqua one) is refreshingly budget-friendly, especially for those in the UK.

It is is well made from sturdy, soft 100% cotton. The colours are crisp, the design clear, and the size a very versatile 54cm X 54cm. I really adore this scarf and want to sincerely thank Inkabilly - who I will be teaming up with, and sharing more about, here on my multiple times again in the second half of 2016 - for this handy, stylish vintage inspired accessory.

As many a fellow hourglass and/or pear shaped lady will tell you, finding pants that fit both your hips and your waist can be trickier than tracking down that proverbial needle in a haystack, and this pair of 1950s/1960s black velour pedal pushers is no exception. But that's okay - with the help of a big safety pin and a Hell Bunny stretch belt, it's fairly easy to wrangle the excess inches in the waist, and no one who sees me fully dressed is the wiser.

I picked these classic pedal pushers up two or three years ago from my favourite vintage store in the Okanagan, Frugal Frocks. This is the first time they've appeared here on my blog though, and I'm delighted that I finally got the chance to share them with all of you. Though a very summery garment, the fact that these pants are made from black velour makes them a great choice for balmy spring and autumn days as well (you could even layer them over tights, if need be, for added warmth).

I own very few pairs of pants and of those, not many are genuine vintage, so this pair - even if they're too big in the waist - are a firm favourite. They're super comfy and go with a zillion different tops, including this vintage appropriate punchy pink and white sleeveless button front skirt.

Camping isn't the time for a ton of accessories or delicate pieces, but that doesn't mean I skip jewelry or pretty shoes (I also had black flats in my purse that day for walking on rougher terrain) when the Coleman stove and sleeping bags come out.

Classic black hoop earrings, various bangle bracelets, the aforementioned white stretch belt, my beloved 50s/60s white tile purse, and a pair of recently thrifted (this past spring) coral peep toe pumps (plus a black cropped shrug) round out the mix - and helped to keep the wind at bay.

We had a wonderful holiday long weekend - eating al fresco, soaking up the moments of sun we did receive, and filling our lungs with fresh air. Relaxing and thoroughly welcome after a rocky June, it was also a ton of fun - just like this outfit itself - and hopefully it will be one of many sunny days we'll get, interspersed amongst the rain, as summer continues to unfold.

No matter what Mother Nature gets up to though, there's always vivid colours and tropical themes like the flamingos on this lovely Inkabilly headscarf to keep one in the summertime spirit, and that is well worth cheering about as well.

Vintage snow day!

{Come the freezing cold days of winter, which we're all very well acquainted with by now (in the Western Hemisphere), one of my favourite ways to keep my ears nice and warm (or at least not entirely frostbitten!) is by employee the classic use of a headscarf like this 1960s red, white and green charmer. Neutral hues are fine, but an extra jolt of colour always helps to brighten my mood and serve a reminder that even the longest winter has to end sometime! Vintage scarf measures 20 inches/50.8 cm on all sides. $14.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Headscarves not your thing or not particularly well suited to a specific outfit you have in mind? How about this delightfully cool pair of deadstock band-less mid-century vintage earmuffs instead? $12.00 from Stag Vintage Goods.}




{I have three pair of snowflake earrings and wear them practically to death during the winter! They're sweet, fun, festive and great way to dress with the season. This absolutely charming vintage screw back pair included pale blue rhinestones and would be especially awesome for your next ski trip (while you're relaxing in the lodge at least! :)). $18.00 from Blue Sparrow Vintage.}




{You might as well put lip chap on the food pyramid for me come winter. I have dry lips (and skin) all year round, but in the winter it's a 24/7 battle for me to keep my lips from cracking and bleeding, so I always have a tube (or five!) of high quality lip balm at the ready. I haven't tried the offerings from this particular brand, but given their all-natural formula, they sound like one that I'd have good luck with - plus the name of this particular product, Snowflakes Vanilla Mint Lip Balm, really appeals to me. $4.00 for a 0.15 ounce tube from Lippincott Soap Co.}




{It doesn't get much more classic than this on the winter scarf front! Red and black combine to create a timeless tartan pattern on this wool blend 1950s scarf that will never, ever go out of style or fail to help keep you warm. 58" scarf, $20.00 from Transmigration.}




{How on earth I managed to list this delightfully classic red and black 1960s sweater and not tuck it away in my wardrobe the moment I found it, is beyond me! :) I have indeed recently listed it though and now you can bring it home with you, if you’d like. Fits up to a 36" bust/28" waist (unstretched). $30.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Fancy yourself quite the skiing expert? Love lounging in the lodge with a steaming cup of cocoa? Just want to sport a darling winter sport themed pin? Whatever the case, this uber cute, very reasonably priced vintage ski bunny brooch is for you! $10.95 from Granny Bean's Boutique.}




{It's scarcely a secret that I'm wild for dresses and skirts, but sometimes, especially when the mercury plummets, pants are the first thing I reach for in the morning. I own three pairs of Heyday's fantastic swing trousers and they all see wear during this icicle bedecked time of the year. I really like that Heyday offers a variety of colours and fabrics, so that you can coordinate them with your favourite winter coats, sweaters and jackets. A great pair to start with (or add to) your own collection is Black Swing Trousers (available, at the time of writing, in UK ladies sizes 10 to 20) that will serve you awesomely as the bottom half of countless cold and warm weather ensembles alike. £55.00 from Heyday.}




{Classic, sturdy, and easy to style in an array of directions (vintage, punk, goth, contemporary, etc), these Finejo brand women's black lace up faux leather boots are sure to help make getting through the long months of winter more bearable. Plus, they're a massive bargain to - fittingly - boot! :) Available in modern ladies sizes 6 to 11. $21.99 from Amazon.}

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At the start of this week Penticton was hit by a snowstorm that resulted in the single largest snowfall this town has seen in decades. Coupled with the abundance of flakes that had already fallen on the weekend, come Tuesday morning, there was well over a foot of the white stuff everywhere the eye could see.

A snow warning was in effect and very rarely for Canada, a snow day was even issued schools in the area. Looking back to my own years as a student, I can only remember two times when that ever happened. Snow is a fact of life in this country and needs to be pretty serious and substantial before schools shut their doors.

It wasn't just classrooms that were empty though, the streets, slicked with immensely dangerous black ice, were near ghost towns and sadly many who did venture out found themselves either getting stuck or slowly colliding on their sides into one another as if they were playing a citywide game of bumper cars.

Tony and I didn't risk going out on Monday and I had to move one of my routine doctor's appointments up a few days because of it. For all the trouble such weather can cause (and goodness knows, things can always be worse on the blizzard front - as far as I heard, the power didn't even go down here in town because of it), there is also a certain resplendent beauty to it that will always speak to my winter serenity loving soul.

While I have been yearning for a solid snow cover to take some vintage outfit photos in, it's rather tricky (and certainly not very safe) do so in the midst of a snow storm, so this week the camera stayed in its padded bag and instead I decided to deck out this month's stylish Vintage Friday Fashionista in the kind of garb one needs when faced with such a snowy environment.

While my own hunt for a matching two-piece (or one-piece zip up) vintage ski or snow suit still continues, living in the northerly nation that I do, I do have numerous cold weather and fun winter themed items (such as the snowflake shaped earrings I mentioned above) that I wear frequently from October/November through to March or April, just depending on when Old Man Winter decides to vacate the premise. Many of which are similar those featured here today.

Though things have slowed down on the snowfall front as the week progressed, we're still up to our eyebrows in ski hill perfect powder and it's safe to say that we'll be reaching for the winter boats, extra heavy scarves, and wool garments long after Monday's official snow day (this being Canada after all!!!).

I hope that you're all staying warm and safe, and enjoying a fantastic start of January, my dear friends!

A beloved vintage shirtwaist dress for those in between seasons days

Outfit details

1950s floral print scarf: Not sure, had for years (possibly a gift or thrifted)
Floral metal and faux pearl earrings: Save On Foods
Teal-cerulean blue 1980s does 1950s shirtwaist dress: eBay
Vintage gold tone metal and rhinestone floral brooch: eBay (similar style available in my Etsy shop)
Skinny light blue belt: eBay
Gold toned metal bangle bracelets: Payless
Vintage woven raffia handbag: Yard sale find
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace
Nail colour: Sally Hansen Rogue Rush over Essie Pink Diamond


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Of all the shirtwaist dresses in my closet, this cheerful 1980s does 1950s teal meets cerulean blue number gets the most amount of wear, bar none. It's seen me through road trips, attended lengthy antiques auctions, been guised up for the holidays, worn for walks at the beach, visited hundreds of yard sales, done more hours of housework in than I can begin to count, hugged plenty of relatives at family get-togethers, and is a frequent first choice when running errands or bopping around seeing the local sites (and indeed, it appeared here over two years in a post on that very topic called The Intrepid Urban Explorer).

It is also an extremely useful piece to have on hand as one season starts to shift into the next, be it spring into summer or summer into fall, as is the case now that we've celebrated Labour Day and are heading, mighty quickly, towards the return of my favourite time of the year: autumn.

More so this year than for any other in recent memory, I'm keen to hold onto summer. To savour and indulge in each glistening moment of warmth and amber hued sunshine. As August wound down, I felt much like a little kid again, trying, ultimately unsuccessfully, to hold onto the heat of summer and make it last all the that much longer. Time waits for no one though and can't be harnessed on a whim - for better or worse - so I've made peace with the fact that all too soon, the days of beaches and fresh peaches, the ability to comfortably go bear foot, and the need to consume copious amounts of ice cream to stay adequately refreshed will be behind us again.

We're not quite there, but I can sense the heat draining from the days like like the last ounce of toothpaste being squeezed from the tube. Before it does though, you can bet your bottom dollar that you'll find me, and my trusty turquoise shirtwaist dress out and about, posing with flowers (as I did with this delightful cart that is parked out front of our local Art Knapp's nursery), sitting in the sun (with sunscreen and a hat on, of course), savoring all the local fruit and veg I possibly can, and reflecting back on what has been, hands down, one of the busiest and most action packed summers I've enjoyed in a very long time.

From adding clothing and handbags to my Etsy shop to launching my YouTube channel, trying my hand at selling vintage in person, traversing the Okanagan from top to bottom, spending time with family, celebrating birthdays (including my 30th back on July 10th) and anniversaries, my second ever blogger meet-up, and oodles more, this summer has been a constant go-go-go for me! And you know what, knackered as I was at times, and hard as such a demanding pace can be on my health, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I love what I've accomplished, set into motion, and have begun planning for the remainder of the year and beyond.

After all, one can always top their most frequently worn shirtwaist dress with a chunky cardigan and put their feet up - for a few minutes at least - once Old Man Winter is here again and we're up to our bumper bangs in bone chilling snow. For the moment though, I'm going to keep on reveling in summer, gearing up for fall, and being thankful for what an awesome, fun filled, productive season this one has been for me.

Serenity sought, and found, while wearing my beloved Freddies jeans, at Yellow Lake

Outfit details

Royal blue floral print scarf: eBay
White rose stud earrings: Claire's
Emerald green camisole: Ricki's
Mustard yellow cardigan: Loft by Ann Taylor (bought on eBay)
Pink rhinestone rose brooch: eBay
Bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
1940s style side button jeans: Freddies of Pinewood
1950s corduroy bucket purse: etsy seller Rue 23 Vintage Clothing
1940s style black shoes: Thrifted (Salvation Army)
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Relatively few of us live out in the wilds of nature any more. Most, it's fair to say, return home to an address that is either located smack, dab inside of a town or city, or which can reach one in a matter of minutes. Even those who have opted to live far further from the hustle and bustle of a community are rarely without at least a few of signs, stresses, and sounds of modern city life (such as visible traffic, telephone poles, and airplanes flying overhead).

I love city and town living, don't get me wrong. In fact, given the option between living in the backwoods or on the main street of a pulsating metropolis, the city option will nearly always win out for me (I was born a stone's throw away from Vancouver and have adored big cities since the youngest of ages), but sometimes one needs - really and truly needs in the pit of their soul to head as far away from an urban center as possible.

As awesome as a week in the country may be, if that's not in the cards (and it rarely is!), I'm grateful to have a few locations around our part of the province where I can retreat and quietly collect my thoughts, skip some of my worries out into the water along with smooth rocks, and breath in hearty lungfuls of pure, fresh, glorious Canadian air.

Three Mile Beach in Naramata, which I blogged about last summer is one such spot, another is Yellow Lake, located between Penticton and the small community of Keremeos (which houses Bear's Farm produce market). Though a leg of British Columbia Highway 3A runs directly past it, with cars buzzing all the while, there is still a tremendous sense of tranquility to this small, beautiful lake.

In the summer, Tony adores heading here after work or on the weekends to cast his line and whittle away the hours, and I'm fond of visiting it not only to accompany him while he fishes, but to simply decompress and be at one with nature. Something that we all, at times desperately, need to do far more often than we're prone to. An hour or two spent outdoors probably won't erase all of your troubles, but it can usually help send at least a couple packing and give you a renewed sense of energy to help tackle many of the others.

For this overcast afternoon of wilderness zen seeking, I opted to wear my massively adored Freddies vintage style side button jeans and mustard yellow Loft by Ann Taylor cardigan (last seen here), an emerald green lace trimmed camisole, a beautiful floral print scarf in shades of royal blue, green, yellow, pink and white; a sparkling pink rhinestone rose brooch, a stack of bangles, and my trusty 1950s corduroy bucket bag to create a casual, colourful chilly weather ensemble.

In the warmer months, one sees tiny turtles swimming in the water, fish leaping out (especially in the very early morning hours), along with myriad birds soaring overhead or resting amongst the tall grass of the shoreline. Shimmering winged dragonflies rest leisurely on the lake's surface, an occasional fox darts out of the woods, and even a snake or two - hopefully of the non-rattle tailed variety - can be spotted every now and then. It's a slice of the woods, of mother nature's backyard, and of calmness that takes less than half an hour to reach and which never fails to sooth and rejuvenate weary spirits.

With spring not that terribly far off, I'm sure we'll soon start heading down that way more often again, be it for fishing, settling frazzled nerves, or simply sitting on a wooden dock and basking in the sunshine. For while I do love cities and towns, there's a part of me that will always crave the great outdoors as well, especially when my mind needs to unwind and get away from the daily grind for a spell.