Gingham, polka dots, lots of peach, and my favourite kitty necklace

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Outfit details
Prescription eyeglasses: (frames) Venus Eye Design V-12 Gingham headscarf: eBay Peach pearl earrings: Claire's Adorable sterling silver and Swarovski crystal kitty necklace: gift from Tony ♥ Grey shrug: Fairweather Peachy-pink peasant style top: Thrifted Black bangle bracelets: Claire's Peach rose bangle: Forever 21 (I think) Grey bangle: etsy seller RecycleBuyVintage Vintage black velour pencil skirt: etsy seller Lady Kitschener's Vintage Emporium Polka dot purse: Payless Nude and black seamed stockings: eBay Black pumps: Payless Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano                                         ♥ ♥ ♥

Last month I showed you a part of my parent's lush, gorgeous garden, and today you get to see the deck that overlooks said verdant backyard oasis. Much like the garden itself, my parents built their home themselves (my parents run a reno business) from the ground up a few years ago. It had been a longstanding dream of theirs to do so, and they did a terrific job of creating a cozy home that's just perfect for the two of them (with room for the many friends and relatives who love to come and visit).

Though our condo is two floors, we don't have a deck (as is quite common with condos), so I just love spending time on my parent's. The view looks down over part of Penticton, as well as a neighbouring tree covered hill - and of course down on their lovely garden, which was especially green when these photos were taken earlier in the season.

Interestingly, it occurs to me as I'm writing this that I was wearing my beloved Swarovski crystal kitty necklace in the last set of photos taken at their house, too. This wasn't intentional, but it's not surprising either, as I simply adore that necklace (a gift from Tony) and slip it on almost as often as my equally cherished strand of pearls.

Perhaps it's the influence of my 80s childhood (when this colour combo was quite popular), but I've always loved black and pink together, or in this case black and sweet peach with a touch of charcoal grey thrown in for good measure. It can be elegant or fun, youthful or deeply chic, just depending on the pieces and how you style your overall look, and is a combination I reach for often.

I like mixing patterns in the same outfit, but usually try to ensure that they match or are similar in some capacity. In this case my polka dot purse and gingham headscarf share the same two classic colours, so they work harmoniously together (and, I think, add a fun dose of cuteness to this look).

Way back at the start of the year in January I talked a bit about some of the issues I have with my hair. Though I did get it cut shortly there after (and have maintained, more or less, that length ever since), the other concerns remain, chief amongst which is the ongoing (it started when I was 14) thinning issue I have. The problem is getting worse and at times it's getting trickier to hide or mask the problem (especially since I have more thinning happening on the top of my head than on the bottom areas).

Not that I really mind (loving these pieces as I do), but I've been wearing more headbands, headscarves, kerchiefs, and hats this year to try and hid some of the thinnest areas, while still trying to maintain some semblance of volume on the bottom (which isn’t very thick thick these days either).

It's a losing battle, I fully know - a point I've made about as much peace with as I can. A wig (or wigs - why stop at just one?) is in my future for sure, but for the time being I'll just keep making the best of what remains on my head (and hope you'll forgive the sparse patches that appear in some photos of my hair).

On a more upbeat note, let's chat about this black vintage pencil skirt. It's a definite cornerstone piece in my wardrobe and one that I reach for all the time. Given it's hue and shape, it's about as versatile as a skirt can be, especially since it also hits at a great below-the-knee length that I just adore (if it looks familiar, that's likely because you're remembering it from posts such as this and this one).

In my opinion, so long as you enjoy wearing skirts, a skirt like this is one that every gal needs in her wardrobe (trust me you'll get a massive amount of mileage out of it).

Though these photos were snapped a few weeks ago, with autumn on the horizon, it won't be long before all that greenery in the background at my parent’s house starts to take on a gorgeous rust, gold, and scarlet tinge once more. As a result I'll soon have a whole new colour palette to (hopefully) model against in the coming weeks. How exciting!

 

Wearing dusty rose to sweeten a rainy summer day

 


 








  


Outfit details

Floral print vintage cotton scarf: etsy seller I Love Vintage Stuff  Pink cupcake earrings: Claire's Pink bow sweater: eBay Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore Vintage style side button jeans: Freddies of Pinewood Pink and white argyle pattern socks: Ralph Lauren bought at Winners (aside from perfume, the only Ralph Lauren item I've owned to date) Lip colour: Covergirl Outlast Lipstain in 440 (Wild Berry Wink)

Photography by Antonio Cangiano 

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Don't get me wrong, by and large, I'm actually quite fond of a rainy day or two (unless, of course, it's raining when I want to go out thrifting on the weekend!). They can inject a breather into a hectic week, month or even season and help you slow down for a touch - or at least focus more on getting indoor activities completed. Rainy days often mean cooler temps, gentle light, and the need for slightly heavier garments, often even during the summertime.

This spring and summer have seen their fair share of rainy days so far - not monsoon level by any means, but certainly more than during many years in my younger days spent in this neck of the Okanagan woods.

On days when the sun is nowhere in sight and it's clear that the temps won't climb above 20C, I find myself feeling a bit happy because I know it means I can easily wear a lightweight sweater without the risk of wilting like a lettuce leaf under a heat lamp, before summer's sweltering temperatures return in a day or two.

It's a scarcely a secret that pink is my favourite colour, but did you know that my very favourite shade of this feminine hue is dusty rose? It's true, for as far back as I can recall, this delicate, soulful pink has been my most beloved colour, and I'm always on the prowl for vintage or vintage appropriate wardrobe pieces in it to add to my closet.

This darling little sweater - with it's super cute bow - is a relatively recent purchase, picked up last winter along with a few other pieces from eBay seller Glamshell Store, who sell an array of reasonably priced vintage/pinup girl inspired garments (chiefly sweaters, shirts, and bustiers). It quickly became one of my most frequently worn knit tops and I'd been missing it since the mercury shot up, so it was with great delight that I slipped into it again not too long ago for a lovely little photo shoot out out on our front deck.

We were not entirely alone as the camera snapped away. A moth with beautiful earthy hued wings, who lived on our deck for at least a week, and which I named Marvin the Moth, hung out with us, as did a small, spindly legged spider. I love how verdant the grass looks here thanks to the rain, as well as that you can see our hanging flower basket (our first ever - a gift from my paternal grandparents) in the background in some shots.

I've been more than a little obsessed with headscarves and using scarves as headbands since about May onward (though I've always loved them and worn them often over the years), and have been wearing a scarf or two in my hair several times a week for the past couple of months (with no sign of that trend halting any time soon).

I adore how cool they help my head feel when the sun is blaring down, as well as the endless array of fun ways you can style them. This particular vintage scarf, which features flowers in hues of pink and burgundy is my favourite scarf in my modest sized collection, and the one that I sport most often - especially when wearing this dusty rose sweater, as I really like how well the two compliment one another.

Given that we're only a third of the way through July (tomorrow is my birthday, yay!), summer is certainly not at any risk of coming to an end for quite some time still, and these unseasonably grey days probably won't stick around too much longer. Or at least I'm hoping so, because though I do love a tranquil, damp afternoon periodically, I really need my sizzling hot summer fix while I can still get it!