Grunge Queen

Here comes the bride and groom

2012-01-12T19:46:00.002-05:00

I was married to my dear hubby two weeks ago today - here's an artsy shot of me reflected in the window, with the sparkly relfection from my brooch dancing on my neck. Pretty artsy isn't it?

The entire day was just so beautiful. The wedding was small and intimate, not one of those billion dollar weddings, and just the way we wanted it. Perfect for the Grunge Queen! Though there was nothing grungy about it, more like pure elegance.

We weren't near a mistletoe, but we did get married in front of the Christmas Tree!

He's wearing Hugo Boss; I'm wearing a fab (and reasonably-priced) convertable dress by Henkaa, a Toronto business.

A Brit, my man wanted to get a snap of us out in the snow, to show his pals back in Jolly Old! They don't get snow like we do here in Ottawa ....

I look a little dumpy here, but doesn't my husband look hunky? I love saying "my husband." Does that thrill ever wear off, I wonder? Hope not.

So I am now, happily, Mrs. Jackson. Kelly Jackson. Has quite a good ring to it, doesn't it?

It was just such a magical day, and I wasn't at all a Bridezilla (do all brides say that, regardless of whether or not it's true?). I will always cherish it as the most special memory. Here's to more good ones!

PHOTOS BY SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY

Jontue perfume necklace - so cool!

2011-12-14T18:38:00.000-05:00

I bought this necklace a few weeks ago at the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club Sale - for a mere eight bucks. A friend from the club pointed it out and thought it would be good for me, and she was right. It's not just the simplicity of it that attracted me.

The petal disc is quite thick - that's because when you pop the top off, you'll find a thick solid circular slab of perfume - in perfect unused condition - called Jontue, a real 1970s classic. It may have gone off a bit but I won't actually wear the stuff - I just loved the retroness of it all. As you can see from the back, it looks like it was even made in my hometown, Ottawa. Perhaps this was meant as some cosmic welcome home pressie as I prepare for my wedding!!

A new chapter begins, my thrifting friends

2011-12-10T11:17:00.001-05:00

Dah-lings, it's been ages. Here I am at a party pour moi, with my dear pal Nadia, wearing my M. Kors booties (look how big my feet are compared to hers!), a 1970s vintage skirt, my vintage fur coat (it's the warmest thing I have), thrifted 1970s shades and vintage beret made in England that I nabbed off Nadia when we had our pop-up shop. Nadia in turn is wearing thrifted booties and I coat I have her, which I had thrifted.

We're celebrating. As you may have guessed from my lack of posts these past few months (and my sincerest apologies for those of you who visit regularly to find nothing new), things have been rather crazy for me. It will be a sad moment, yet for the happiest of occasions, that will see me leaving Toronto tomorrow after starting a wonderful new life here 6.5 years ago: I have left the new dream job I started a few months ago, I have left my apartment, I have gotten rid of all my stuff, and as of tomorrow, I will leave Toronto behind, to marry my dear British man and move to be with him in the UK! (The vintage Danish pewter pendant I am wearing here is a wedding gift from a dear person at the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club).

Here's my gorg Brit mannnie - dear reader, he is truly the most wonderful of men, and I look forward to starting a new life with him, in Jolly Old England!! I am not sure what this blog will turn into, or even if I will keep it up; I'm afraid I won't know until my journey in England begins. I have a feeling there are good vintage deals to be had at the car boot sales! Please check in from time to time. I appreciate your readership over the years. All the best to you in the meantime!!

Vintage costume jewellery sale - tomorrow in Toronto

2011-11-26T19:57:00.000-05:00

It's time for the annual pilgrimage to the Leaside Memorial Gardens for the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club show & Sale. It's tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1073 Millwood Rd.

Am I selling any of my fab vintage costume bling? No. Will I be shopping there? Likely.

Maybe I'll see you there.

Fall chair, among the leaves

2011-11-06T19:56:00.001-05:00

It was an absolutely gorg day here in Toronto, more like September than November, wonderfully warm, with lots of leaves still on the trees. One of those days when you're happy to just stroll around and frolic. On my way to meet a pal, I came across tios chair right on the corner of someone's lot. It looked as though there was an open house going on, and I guess this velvety wonder was deemed inappropriate for the function.

But I thought it looked like a work of art nestled there among the leaves, it matched them so perfectly. If I didn't already have a kajillion chairs at home I may have tried to get it home somehow. Wonder if it's still sitting there or if some passerby admired it as much as I did?

Hello, my blogging friends

2011-11-01T07:30:00.000-04:00

I apologize if you've been visiting regularly and finding no new posts here. I have been MIA as life has hit me with a huge change - all good, really good, but it's left no time or gumption to blog, my dear blogger pals. Not sure how long GQ will continue. Bear with me for now.

Here is a lovely bracelet I picked up recently for a song. Can't place its era, but I just love it.

Bling that makes me think Brit

2011-10-15T08:59:00.000-04:00

Well, maybe that's a bit misleading. I bought this ring with my English man in Canadian Thrift the day he flew home in September after a lovely visit. It was only a few bucks and has this foil under the facets that appears to shift in colour depending how you angle the ring. Now it reminds me of him! (Though he's in no way shifty).

Remember this? Another Brit bling connection. It's the 1970s Avon pendant and chain I saw in Portobello Market in London but didn't buy as I got my mega statement piece Trifari instead. Well I found this baby at my new fave vintage bling shop, Used House of Vintage on Queen - and let's say it was waaaay less pricier than its London counterpart! Anyway, I call that vintage synery, don't you? It's a bit anachronistic but now it reminds me of my trip to England this past summer!!

See ya later, Alligator

2011-10-10T19:01:00.000-04:00

In spite of the tag inside that proclaims, or at the very least strongly suggests, that the clutch is "Alligator", it doesn't (thankfully) seem that it is. But I loved the simple, classic shape and it was in perfect condition.

I didn't really have a chance to wear it as I sold it before doing so. I have a lot of vintage clutches and such that I never really use, so it was ok to say goodbye to this one. May it find a happy home.

Turtle love

2011-10-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

Aren't they cute? Wee turtles kissing (or hugging?) eachother, wrapped around this 1970s bracelet.

I've been meaning to show you this for some time - my dear gal pal Nadia bought it for me at Stretch Thrift as she knew I loved it. What a sweeatheart. I do love it.

Golden rose a la 1980s

2011-09-29T20:31:00.001-04:00

I have to restrain myself from going into a new shop close to where I work, the Used House of Vintage at 489 Queen St. W (just west of Spadina).

The vintage bling pickings are so good that I could easily get me a little pick-me-up every day!

This 1980s-esque choker with big rose detailing stopped me in my tracks. Prices aren't bad - this baby was $28.

Who woulda thought mustard silk would look so good?

2011-09-27T19:57:00.000-04:00

Maybe I have a wee cat-that-ate-the-canary look here (ew, what an awful expression!) - but how was I to know this thrifted silk dress ($4.99) would work out so well for me?

It was 'new' - ie: never worn, still with a Winners tag on it - and I thought I'd give it a whirl as it was so feminine. It totally worked with my Michael Kors boots (NOT thrifted but purchased years ago), vintage carpet bag and vintage belt.

I accessorized with crochet tights, a thrifted wool J Crew blazer and a thrifted designer scarf.

Voila! I am so in love with this outfit - love how the flowers in the bag complement the dress, and love how the bag is large enough to accommodate all kinds of stuff - most of the vintage carpet bags I've found are small and old-fashioned in size.

Pop-up shop success

2011-09-25T23:00:00.000-04:00

Well, it was a pop-up shop success. Here's my pal Nadia at the beginning of the day, yesterday, with all our vintage goodies for sale.

The traffic ebbed and flowed, but we met so many great peeps in the hood, and I had the chance to connect with a dedicated reader, Darlene, who made the trek to meet me and take a gander. Wish I had snapped a pic of her!

Daina from Continuum Moderin Vintage popped by too, and bagged two glorious purses, one a vintage Coach and the other a vintage clutch.

Dear readers, I tried not to shop, but I did walk away with this vintage Kangol beret made in England, and this fab carpet bag. J'adore!

Ok, by day's end I also had these designer jeans (tight!). I'm wearing the silk scarf as the sun was burning my ears.

This is how I will look when I'm 80, like some Babushka with her head scarf, hopefully still sipping some vino!

It was such a fine day - thanks to all who came out and Tweeted about the event. There will be more - I have piles more of goodies to get rid of - so stay tuned!

This is an example of what I am selling today

2011-09-24T07:37:00.000-04:00

At a pop-up shop sale I'm doing with my pal Nadia at 983 Pape Ave. (Pape just a few streets north of Mortimer, north of the Danforth/Greektown). Starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 or 6 but I may not be there after 2. Stop by and get great deals on clothing (some vintage), jewellery and accessories!

Pop-up tomorrow with Nadia & Grunge Queen

2011-09-23T08:44:00.001-04:00

ATTENTION GLAM QUEENS: My best gal pal Nadia and I are hosting a pop-up shop tomorrow, Saturday Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to end of day at 983 Pape Ave (near Floyd, practically across the street from Stretch Thrift).

Nadia has some great vintage/noveau pieces, dresses to coats (she's tiny, fyi, smaller than me and I'm a size six), and she also has great handbags and accessories. I'll be bringing jewellery, handbags and accessories and maybe some clothes.

The sale is inside so even if the weather's crap, we'll be there! Please drop in - we're cleaning out the style coffers and there will be good stuff!

1970s knit dress and sassy legs

2011-09-20T20:59:00.000-04:00

I bought this 1970s knit dress a while back and thought it was pretty sexy. Teamed it up with some thrifted Carlos Santana shoes - who knew there was a line of shoes etc by Carlos Santana? - and some purple fishnets (I love fishnets, anything but black - they're comfy, never run, and make you look and feel super sexy). I'm wearing vintage 1970s Napier around my neck. A true 70s queen! Too bad you can't see the handmade handbag I scored that goes with the outfit.

Actually, it's sitting on the floor there, can you see it? Will have to give you a better peep next time. Even my wine matches my dress! Talk about tone on tone dressing!

Saturday afternoon outfit

2011-09-18T12:55:00.000-04:00

Ahh, gorgeous fall days spent wandering in Toronto's Greektown, having coffee, visiting with a dear gal pal and generally having all sorts of adventures that a Gemini and a Sag can get into!!

I threw this Saturday afternoon outfit together in a hurry but I like the look: everything but the statement piece Anthropologie scarf (which a man even commented on yesterday!) is thrifted.

Angel jeans, $5.99; sweater, thrifted but I've had for years; bag and boots from CTS and Coach shades from Canadian Thrift, both in Toronto. And the major score: Alfani pink sheeny leather crop jacket in mint condition - a mere $6.50 at a recent Stretch Thrift 50 percent off sale.

Love it how thrifting can allow you to experiment with looks you never would if you had to buy the pieces for full price. I never would have purchased this jacket for the retail, even the sale retail, price.

BTW, I am wearing my thrifted booties with everything from dresses to jeans - did a quick cuff roll on the fly yesterday and thought it looked pretty cool!

I kid you not: the dollar store

2011-09-15T21:41:00.000-04:00

I found this, new, at Dollorama for a couple bucks. Sure, it may be riddled with some toxic sludge for all I know, but it's so heavy and substantial it looks like something you'd buy in a boutique shop.

I got this one too. Not as substantial and bordering on semi-cheap looking, but I thought it was kinda pretty.

Who would have thought?

Big bling

2011-09-11T10:11:00.000-04:00

Here's a recent find from Canadian Thrift - I just love it. It was only $2.99.

The pendant part is pretty big, but that's my bling bent this days: big statement pieces (cheap helps too).

Fall look, thrifted

2011-09-07T20:16:00.000-04:00

Yeeks we went from 40 degrees with the humidity this last weekend to mornings of 11 degrees C and cool days! I love fall, but when you go from wearing sundresses to jackets methinks it'll take a while to get my fall fashion legs on, if you know what I mean. Here's my first attempt:

Thrifted designer Angel jeans out of L.A. ($5.99 if memory serves but perhaps less) and a thrifted mass market style jacket (a couple bucks). The scarf (Anthropologie) was new and expensive but worth every penny, and the C'est Moi top was new and I actually paid full price!

My latest and greatest find I know I am going to wear with absolutely EVERYTHING this fall: these leather booties, picked up used for $34.99 (high price pour moi but je love) at CTS on Queen St. W at Spadina Ave. in Toronto. They have this cowboy-boot feel crossed with a semi-Victorian feel and a wee bit of 1990s thrown in, what with those tassels and all.

I also picked up this leather bag at CTS for about 20 bucks. I love the colour and it's so soft (not telling what kind of leather it is) - plus the long strap, as you can see in the pic, means I can wear it diagonally across my body. Think this will be my casual bag du jour this fall season .....

Redeemed: orange velvety

2011-09-03T09:52:00.001-04:00

Ok, so I missed my chance with the red velvet couch I saw in the trash last weekend. But the very next night on my way home, I spotted this baby: orange velvety.

He was sitting on the sidewalk with a "FREE" sign on it. I stood there looking at him, wondering how I'd get him home, when I heard a voice from the bedroom window of the house it was in front of.

Turns out, the family had bought the chair years ago for 20 bucks at a garage sale, and they were getting rid of it only because they had bought new furniture and had no room.

As the lady and her daughter came down to the sidewalk and started chatting with me, it became clear that there was a whole family history woven around this chair, funny and beautiful moments of children barfing while in the chair but not actually hitting the chair, of grandfather sitting in it - I'm telling you, I almost teared up on the sidewalk.

The lady of the house called him "orange velvety," which I thought was so cute. They offered to drive him to my apartment as they knew I loved him. Before they did so, we snapped a pic of Mom and her teenage daughter on the chair.

And so that's the tale of orange velvety. It's a much nicer story than red velvety, don't you think? Just goes to show, when one trashing door closes, another opens.

Someone stole MY couch

2011-08-29T21:11:00.000-04:00

Wah! Someone stole my couch! I spied it from my balcony in the trash on Saturday night and was certain it was red velvet (and you know by now my near-obsession with velvet). When it was still there the next morning on my way to coffee with a pal (and I affirmed that it was, in fact, red velvet, and gorgeous at that), I felt quite sure in my bones that it was mine, that the trashing Gods had deemed it mine, that it would still be there upon my return from coffee.

Well, the very moment I was mentally rearranging my apartment coming back from coffee, the garbage Gods struck me down for my presumption! I rounded the corner expecting to see my sofa waiting for me (I knew I could work my charm and get some helpful soul to carry it up to my apartment with me) --- and it was gone.

Alas, the red velvet, the good bones, the lovely shape - all these wondrous traits obviously did not go unnoticed by some fellow style diva or duke in my 'hood. I have learned, alas, never to be too smug in my trash karma. May red velvety (there is a story behind this verbiage, just you wait as I redeemed myself the next night) rest in peace in its new abode.

Sunday morning and a new cuppa

2011-08-28T10:08:00.000-04:00

I love Japanese stoneware - its simplicity yet elegance of design. Recently I found a trio of retro Mikasa cups, plus creamer, at my local thrift shop, Stretch Thrift, for 99 cents each. Way nicer than the cheap dollar store mugs I have that are now going in the 'donate' pile.

They complement the bronze ironstone cups by Primastone that I thrifted a few years ago - similar in shape and the colours work. Now I'll just have to have a cappuccino party!

Yesterday, Phoebe; today, Mad Men

2011-08-25T23:06:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I am a blogger who's just discovered that her camera has an auto shoot. I prop it against a planter on my balcony table and hit the button ... and you can see the mediocre results. But that's beside the point: here's the story on my outfit:

Mad men with a twist, is what I say. Another look I have never really done: a short tight skirt, like this 1980s yellow acetate skirt, found at Goodwill at a 50 percent off sale (I love it how thrifting can lead you to a place of exploration, a wardrobe adventure, if you will). Ditto for the sweater (Goodwill find) - isn't it cute? The skinny belt was a gift. I love the wacky Day Glo colour combo -- maybe the wackiness is more a tribute to Phoebe after all!

My 1990s Phoebe from "Friends" look

2011-08-24T21:29:00.001-04:00

I can't believe I like this outfit - but I really do! The look, 100 % thrifted, is tres 1990s a la Phoebe from the sitcom "Friends" (the character would wear this type of dress, which was big in the 1990s). Key to the look is the drop-waist jumper-style dress (made in Canada) that I thrifted for less than four bucks (Stretch Thrift).

I'm wearing it with a thrifted white crop tee - again, so retro 1980s and 90s! (Stretch Thrift), a thrifted jean jacket (a few bucks at Canadian Thrift), and a thrifted costume jewellery pendant (by Miracle, an England maker) found at Goodwill last summer for six bucks.

Is it creepy I am so digging a look that I typically hate? I'm not a big fan of 1990s tent-dress style. But I felt good in this garb, and it was so - gasp - COMFY. Jeepers this is a sign I'm getting old! But I don't care - a colleague gave me such a compliment the day I wore it (you're so stylish, she said) that it can't be a complete fashion disaster!

Babushka, Babushka

2011-08-23T19:47:00.000-04:00

Don't you love her? My sister had a Babushka, a set of Russian nesting dolls, when we were growing up in the 1970s. I always loved them.

I have a gal pal, a close friend and reader of this blog, who I call "Babushka" - not because she's an old Russian lady, the meaning of the word! It's def a term of endearment. When I saw these in (you know where!) I knew she had to have them!

OMG, bottom tag says USSR, pretty wild eh? There's a piece of history for ya.

My pal loves them, as I knew she would. Who says you can't find a meaningful gift in the thrift shop? Heck, can you even find these things new these days? Certainly not with the USSR tag!

Cocktail party at my fave vintage shop

2011-08-22T21:11:00.002-04:00

Ah, who has cocktail parties any more - real, live cocktail parties where you actually dress? My gal pal Daina, who owns Continuum Modern Vintage - that's who.

Daina was celebrating her shop's year-and-a-half anniversary. She dressed the part, and more, in this gorg emerald green silk taffeta cocktail dress from the 1950s.

Not having a proper cocktail dress (other than one that looks good on me only when I have a tan), I decided to wear this royal blue Lauren, by Ralph Lauren microfibre drop-waist frock I thrifted for $24.99 at Value Village - pricey in my books but the dress was brand new and would have retailed at several hundred bucks. And I do look rather smashing in this shade of blue.

I wore the dress with gold-tone strappy wedgies (thrifted of course!) and my Trifari necklace found in London's Portobello Market. Just look at the way the dress swishes when I twirl - je love!

Any one out there gone to a cocktail party lately? What did you wear?

Thrifting adventures this week

2011-08-20T09:35:00.001-04:00

It's been super busy, so here are some highlights from this past week's thrifting adventures!

Here's my gal pal and fellow thrift/vintage style maven, Nadia, at the 50 percent off Stretch Thrift sale yesterday (sale continues today). Nadia struck an oh-so-chic pose in this crazy hat with basket to match! We laughed so hard ... Nadia and I always seem to go crazy in that store. I think we provide comic relief to the customers!

I picked up this little guy - a lama "piggy" bank, of all things, for 99 cents at the sale. Every time I look at it, I smile. What personality! I saw it a week ago and had a pal hid it under piles of stuff so no one would buy it and also so I could get it at the 50-off sale.

It wasn't that I didn't want to pay full price for it - I'm thrifty, not a cheapskate! - but I was in the shop with Nadia, and we were in such a silly mood that we thought it'd be a hoot to hide the little guy and come back for it later. I think our partner in crime, the person who did the hiding (who shall not be named) had fun too, so the shenanigan was def worth a good chuckle.

Last night after snapping the pic of Nadia and picking up the lama, we left the shop and saw this across the street - a retro 1970s car (I'm a chick, so don't ask me what make), replete with faux wood paneling and semi-grotesque 1970s colour! Love it!!

Know anything about Vendome costume jewellery?

2011-08-16T22:04:00.000-04:00

I can't figure out this piece I thrifted for a song recently. It is signed "Vendome", which I know to be a highly collectible line of costume bling that replaced Corocraft, Coro's high-end line, in the mid-1940s. But Vendome is known for its rhinestones and glass beads and lovely designs, not this 1980s-esque look.

So is this a fake Vendome, or am I missing something about Vendome? Any one know?

In love with Liberty

2011-08-15T23:59:00.001-04:00

Mmm. Not the best pic to showcase my Liberty of London silk scarf collection, but you get the idea. Liberty is famous for its lovely prints, and though I have never found, say, a Liberty dress (my twin sis had one in high school that we lost track of over the years, for shame, as it was gorg), I have always been able to dig up the lovely (hand-rolled, I am quite sure) 100% silk scarves in the thrift shops.

I love the pretty colours and pattern on this one. I can't recall where I found it but it wasn't expensive. When I wore it one day at my former job, a colleague told me she had one just like it that she had acquired in maybe the 1970s, go figure!

The red one that was the first in the lineup was a gift from my sis, and it bears a cloth tag with the Liberty name on it. But more often than not, the ones I have found have the Liberty mark printed right on them - I am not sure if that indicates they are older or more contemporary, but I suspect the latter - anyone know? This one was a gift - in fact it used to belong to dear Minnie, who I have told you about in this little blog.

I found this one, a fave with gorgeous peacocks and flowers all over it - for maybe a buck at a junk store. It's in mint condtion though it lacks the registered copyright symbol - so is it a fake, I wonder? It doesn't have the same hand-rolled look to the edges, which makes me wonder ... but still, I love it.

I haven't washed or pressed this one as it's a recent buy, and it is the most costly Liberty scarf to date - $19.99 - but I loved the colours so much that I couldn't resist. Truly, it's not in the best shape as my others, but I have never seen a Liberty pattern quite like this (except recently, after I bought this one, on a fellow blogger's site, I did see some shorts in the same pattern!). I don't wear my Liberty scarves that often but I can see myself donning this one often as I AM a bit of a purple queen, doncha know ....

The Rock

2011-08-14T18:32:00.000-04:00

... or is it an ice cube? What do you think?

Whatever it is, it's my fave new piece of 1970s bling and I have been wearing it every day for a two weeks. Apt ring for the hot summer we've been having!

I snagged it practically before it had the chance to get on the selling floor at Continuum Modern Vintage on Pape at Danforth in Greektown.

Je love it! Rock on!

Caught on camera ... latest thrilling finds

2011-08-11T20:46:00.000-04:00

My beau snapped this pic of me on Skype the other day (which explains why it's a bit blurry). What IS that rock hanging off my finger? A most delightful chunk of 1970s costume bling that I'll show you this weekend, when I have recovered from a busy week and snapped a decent pic of it!

Who's that girl in the spanky jacket? And is that jacket 'new'? What about the skirt? Looks like raw silk.

Both are thrifted gems ... stay tuned!

Upcycled ring: glam

2011-08-08T22:43:00.000-04:00

Isn't this the neatest ring? I bought it from a gal who upcycles old jewellery with various bits and bobs from jewellery castoffs. The original setting is the lavender-hued glass piece in the middle. You can't see it here, but the setting is very traditional on the side. But the creator has jazzed it up with stones (garnet on the upper right) and other wee bobs from various jewellery pieces.

You can find the creator at Eco Finery. I'm pretty sure she sells on the weekends at a new artisan market in Leslieville, Toronto. Some of her pendants are pretty cool - many are too busy for my style but I did see the neatest one with a large hoop earring as the centre piece, with pretty doo-dads hanging in the centre of the hoop.

I wish I had this talent for re-mixing old bling as I am so attracted to those jewellery-piece grab-bags at Value Village that cost a few bucks and you never know what you're getting inside! But this gal does it!

Pretty mystery pendant

2011-08-07T19:46:00.000-04:00

Here I am sporting my new summer do - I've decided to go shorter again as it's so hot and besides, I think it looks better on me. Hopefully my beau doesn't think I look like an alien (that's what the cheeky-pants said when he saw a pic of me from a few years ago with quite short hair). Anyway that's not the subject of this post: this thrifted silver-tone pendant and chain is!

I thought it was so pretty, almost like a medal, but with a feminine twist. The chain has three tiny chains entwined, to give it extra girl-power oomph. Not surprisingly, I found it at my friendly neighbourhood thrift shop where I dig up a lot of my jewellery, Canadian Thrift.

It's stamped "NR" on the back, which would be so fab if it stood for Nina Ricci. But my guess is it's an Avon piece. Apparently some such pieces were stamped "NR" to signal one of the manufacturers that produced for the company. Whatever it is, I love the piece and as usual I got it for a steal!

1980s High Fashion

2011-08-04T07:15:00.000-04:00

I just love the shape of this bag I dug up for under five bucks at Stretch Thrift. It's a 1980s or 90s shape for sure, made in Canada by Toronto company High Fashion, which I'm pretty sure is still around and still has annual sales, so I've heard.

You know I'm a fan of neat hardware on bags. Just look at the clasp in this baby!

Love the triangle motif attached to each zipper!

Remember this fancy little lady?

2011-08-02T20:55:00.000-04:00

I had a smaller version while a kid in the late 1970s, except she had a pink dress (of course, this one has an ORANGE one - orange seems to be confronting me at every thrifting turn these days). Hopefully my little gal didn't end up in a landfill. If my memory serves, I'm pretty sure Mom donated our plaything castoffs to school sales and whatnot.

I didn't buy her. Sometimes the thrift shop can be the place of sweet memories. Oh how I loved my little doll like this, in the hot pink dress and hat (I can still remember the pattern!).

Sondra Roberts bags, thrifted vs. sample sale

2011-08-01T18:28:00.001-04:00

When I saw this bag at the thrift shop, I fell in love. The hardware, the leather, the ruching down the front: divine. Especially when the price tag was under 5 bucks. The bag is by Sondra Roberts
New York, an affordable luxury brand - which seems like a bit of a paradox to me, but that's what the website says and hey, I'll buy that - even better when thrifted!.

SR bags range in price from $100 or so (USD) to $500, depending on what they're made of. I'm guessing this one, being leather, would have retailed for $400+.

The olive greenish colour makes it a neutral in my books, and game for pairing with just about anything. I just have to figure out how to clean the black dirt off the strap. I'm assuming a leather cream cleaner will do the trick.

After my thrift buy, I realized that I had another SR bag, under the SR Squared label, which I bought last summer at a sample sale for 50% off (about $60). It's a reversible thick (weather-proofed?) canvas tote. Note the amazing hardware, just like my thrifted bag. This is my go-everywhere-summer-bag. The other borders on all-season.

It doesn't happen often, but sometimes the thrifting and the not-quite-retail worlds intersect!

P.S.: These bags rock. I don't want this to sound like an ad, but I've had the blue one for over a year and it hasn't worn A WHIT. Quality matters to a thrifting grunger like me!

My thrifty balcony

2011-07-31T11:04:00.000-04:00

It's the long-weekend in Canada so today's post is going to be about thrifty leisure spaces - namely my wee patio. You know my penchant for orange these days. I found this gorg linen tablecloth (plus nappies) for $5.99 at my local thrift shop, Stretch Thrift.

The big handpainted, slightly cracked pot that's holding the lavender was found curbside, while the white pot was thrifted for a few bucks. The English jug was a gift from my best pal, and the wee glass tea light holder was also a present, from a family friend. The rose glass tea light holder was thrifted for $1.99.

I found the retro wrought iron patio set for $40 at a garage sale a few years ago; ditto for the seat cushions. I've had the stripy pillows for years, bought new at The Bay department store when I worked there eons ago.

The flower box was a gift (found by an ex in the trash - nice to know I inspire this kind of gifting!), as was the lovely cut-out ball (given to me by a friend - it used to be a lamp but it wasn't functioning so I cut off the cord - I could put a tea light in this if I wanted to but the piece can stand on its own). The stool is pretty ugly - I thrifted it for a few bucks and always meant to jazz it up - but one of my kitties loves sitting on it while outside, so I leave it like that for her.

Happy weekend!

All-American pendant

2011-07-28T07:10:00.000-04:00

I'm not an American, but I was so drawn to this pendant necklace I found in Toronto's Continuum Modern Vintage, a lovely vintage-esque shop on Pape at Danforth. The pendant reminds me of one of those bead counting toys (can never remember the name) that kids learn to count with.

As you may be able to see by the tag, it's a Sarah Coventry piece. SC jewellery is pretty easy to find, quite collectible though not worth tons of bucks. I don't care as I love the SC bling from the 1960s and 70s.

Though I sometimes wear this shade of blue, I don't wear these colours, really (and who, other than an American patriot, would wear them all together?), so I'm still not sure what I'll wear this with. But don't you worry, I will find my way with it!

Disco bag, repurposed

2011-07-27T06:55:00.000-04:00

As you may know, I started a new job a few weeks ago. Since I now work in hip downtown Toronto, I figured my scraggy plastic lunch bag just wouldn't do. I needed a hip bag into which I could toss lunch, a water bottle, an umbrella, etc and tote around in addition to my purse.

In a vintage shop around the corner from where I work, I found the answer for under $20: a 1970s gold tote bag that can fold into a clutch (you can see the buttons where you can clip it closed as a clutch).

So this is now my lunch bag/everything bag. It's simple, chic and goes with everything, and big enough to fit my water bottle, insulated lunch bag and a extra stuff if I need it to.

At the end of the day, when my lunch is done, the bag gets smaller and I can fold it into the clutch style. That's my nifty vintage solution!

Sometimes it pays to go back

2011-07-26T06:57:00.000-04:00

I tried this ethnic-esque pendany necklace on at Canadian Thrift last week, and left it there as I didn't think it was my style.

But then I couldn't stop thinking about it. Jeepers, it was only 6 bucks and I left it there!

I went back a couple days later and dug around, but couldn't find it. Two days later, I went back again, not expecting it to be there. But it was! Someone had put it on hold and never returned, so back to the case it went!

I'd like to think this episode was a prime example of what I call my Thrifting Karma, but perhaps it demonstrates only that I'm tenacious to the max when it comes to bling! And I'm pretty sure the piece is vintage - just look at how well the chain is constructed. I really love it, and I hope it forgives me for abandoning it on first sight!

Call me crazy

2011-07-25T07:36:00.000-04:00

Well here we are still in the middle of a heat wave in Toronto, and I'm buying myself a wool blanket.

It's on the end of my bed as we speak, and I've actually pulled it up over myself the last few nights when the sheet I've been using as a blanket isn't quite enough against the fan that has been constantly blowing on me.

It was only $4.99 at my local thrift shop, Canadian Thrift, and it's not stained, smelly or moth-eaten. These blankets are are to find in good shape, and Lord knows I'll need it when the icebox temps come our way in the winter, sigh.

The blanket (which happens to match the underside of my duvet, also thrifted) was made for Eaton's, a now defunct Canadian department store. I love that I have a bit of Canadian retail history on my bed!

Am I going tribal?

2011-07-21T22:40:00.000-04:00

Yeeks, I think today's outfit matched the pillow from yesterday's post!

It's the end of the day, I'm on my balcony, and it's been a real stinker today - about 50 degrees C with the Humidex - so I'm looking a bit wilted, granted. My soul is a wee bit wilted too, as I have just returned from an industry event full of 20 and 30-somethings in chic downtown garb. I felt like a semi-frumpish aging boho hipster. But hey, I gotta be me, right?

I guess when I think of it, it's rather apt I donned a tribal-esque frock today, given the gruesomely oven-like temps in the Big Smoke. I don't often do looks of this sort, but the dress, which you can't see in its entirety here alas, is long and straight, with a darling empire waist and these cute ruched cap sleeves. The pattern isn't something I'd typically wear, but hey - it's ORANGE and therefore fitting into my aesthetic of late.

Plus it was a whopping $5.99 at my local thrift shop, Canadian thrift!!

There's a great thrifting lesson behind the ethnic-looking pendant I just thrifted at the same shop, too. Will take better pics of it and reveal the deets very soon.

I have no shame

2011-07-20T22:18:00.000-04:00

Being a thrifter means you have to be an opportunist person to certain extent. So when I saw this wool pillow on the front lawn of a home in the neighbourhood one day - you know, one of those 'take what we don't want so it doesn't go in the landfill' type things - I stopped about 50 yards later and thought.

I thought, "Shall I go and pluck that used pillow off the sidewalk like some shameless second-hand hussie? Who is going to judge me? No one is on the street anyway [it was really, really hot outside]."

So, my dear readers, I went back, tucked that pillow under my arm, made plans to wash it [full disclosure: I haven't washed it yet], and it is now reposing on my thrifted green velvet chair.

I've picked up some great pieces in the trash over the years, so my advice is this: if you have the guts, go for it. If not, someone else likely will!

1970s handmade maxi dress, thrifted

2011-07-19T21:44:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm working in the hip section of downtown, I am feeling rather free to dress the part - the part being a semi-cool vintage bohemian hipster. And I can also shop at one of my fav vintage second-hand shops, CTS at 394 Queen Street West, just west of Spadina.

The lovely and infectious Nadia reigns supreme at CTS, her dominion being vintage glam at great prices. Not thrift shop prices, mind, but low, under $40. This 1970s maxi dress (handmade I'm pretty sure) made of highly flammable fabric, fit me like a glove and was $19.99. I'm wearing it with a 1970s necklace thrifted at Value Village for under 10 bucks. Perfect for the heat wave we've been having here in Toronto!

Portobello Market, place of vintage bling

2011-07-18T21:49:00.000-04:00

This is part deux to last night's post, featuring a vintage 1970s Trifari statement piece necklace I bought in Portobello Market in Notting Hill, and a dress my beau bought me in a West Palm Beach vintage shop.

Here we are in Notting Hill on the edge of the market. I wish we had more time to hang here. We had just completed a 4-hour whirlwind tour of London via a jam-packed tube, and we were cranky and exhausted.

On the cusp of the market, which is, of course, on Portobello Road.

Once we hit the street, we did one of two things, respectively: he went for a beer; I went shopping.

In truth I didn't want my dear man to get too bored so I limited myself to one shop. The bling outside of 69 Portobello Road, where Linda Jackson Vintage Jewellery sets up on Saturdays, was too good to ignore.

Outside on the table, pins galore.

Enough vintage earrings to sink a ship.

Necklaces luring me in like a fish to bait - 10 pound each.

Inside is where the really good stuff is - collectible, original, different pieces from the 1950s to 70s, mostly.

Vintage fishie pendants from the 1960s ....

Heaps of huge statement piece pendants. I almost bought this silver and black one by Avon but thought my Trifari packed more of a style wallop.

All those huge owl pendants you're seeing in the mass market places in the mall aren't sudden inventions: they were a hit in the 1970s, when makers like Sarah Coventry (which I'm suspecting this is but I didn't check) were putting them out there.

It was sad to leave Portobello Road (in a traditional London taxi). There were so many vintage places, and around the corner, an Oxfam shop that looked really good! Maybe next time my man and I will spend a whole day there - that is, if we can find something interesting for him to do!

I've been MIA, but I've been vintage stylish!

2011-07-17T21:34:00.000-04:00

I've been MIA as I started a new job last week! Happy and excited but tired. Here I am (wearing the vintage 1070s dress my hunny bought me in West Palm Beach) at the send-off party my former colleagues gave me late last week. It was a fab, fun night and I wanted to look the part.

I finally get to show you the wonderful piece of vintage bling I picked up in Portobello Market in Notting Hill, London on my holiday. It's a 1960s-70s Trifari gold-tone necklace with this indescribable pendant - it's a real style zinger in my humble opin, a super-dooper statement piece!

I'll tell and show you more about where I bought it tomorrow ....

Orange, thrifted

2011-07-13T22:12:00.000-04:00

I'm really into orange these days (see my post from last week, "A Look at a nook"). I bought this sundress (new, but only $20) before my holidays and never wore it as it was so cold in England, alas.

It's been so fab weather-wise in Toronto that I wore the dress today with these Espadrilles I thrifted for $7.99 this past weekend. They're by Nine West, they're satin and they're in mint condition!

You know, normally I don't go for the whole matchy-matchy thing, but I liked the orange on orange look of my outfit today. And, with a painful broken foot of late, the shoes cover my vulnerable toes so they don't get crunched as I bustle about my day. Plus, they're surprisingly comfy.

Orange. It's happy. If you want to wear a particular colour and it doesn't look all that hot on you, you can still get your colour groove on by experimenting with accessories, or wearing the hue on the lower half of your body so it's not too close to your face.

Meet my Judy

2011-07-12T23:42:00.001-04:00

This is Judy, and she's a 'Judy', a term for a dressmaker's body form. I bought her new, years ago, at The Bombay Company on sale. I used to dress her up in one of my special vintage coats, but I found the coat just got too dusty. Plus it's nice to change things up every once in a while. Now Judy is an accessories junkie.

I just love these belts. I haven't had the chance to wear any of them yet as they're 'new' to me. The retro gold one used to be owned by dear Minnie, the lady I have told you about in recent posts.

The others came from my man's Mum in England, an accessories maven in her own right. I just love all the jeweled dangling bits. So boho chic!

The scarf, Perry Ellis, was thrifted for a couple bucks (you can't quite see but it has a bunch of birdies on it). The heavy duty necklace - vintage Nina Ricci, I'm told, by jewellery designer Rita Tesolin, who added these cute stone hearts to it - is so heavy it cuts little designs in the back of my neck, but I love it anyway. The shorter chunky colourful necklace is circa 1980s (Lucite?).

This wee pink purse is so darling - it was a B-day gift from my sis that she picked up in the market in Aix en Provence. It's from Italy, but hey, now I have the best of France and Italy! I'm not really a little bag person but it did prove useful while holidaying in England and also for weekend jaunt-abouts.

The thrifted version of the above purse: a tiny purse handmade in the Philippines, which I've had for so long I can't quite recall how much I paid for it - but I know it was under $5 as I have a certain 'thrift threshold' rule I enact when I find beautiful things that don't wholly fit into my life, and this was one of them. I don't wear it much, but when I do I pair it with a pink dress and feel incredibly chic.

Peonies & punch at Nathalie-Roze & Co. 5th anniversary do

2011-07-10T21:57:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I popped into Nathalie-Roze & Co for its 5th B-day bash. Owned by Nathalie-Roze Fischer, the Leslieville, Toronto indie boutique features accessories and clothing by local artists. There's also this darling canopied and gated-in terrace where they have events and sell what I hear is the best ice-cream in town.

Nathalie-Roze and crew had the place all decked out yesterday for the festivities. These fragrant pink peonies, reposing beside N-R's famous mango and rose-water punch, remind me of growing up.

Back to the shop, a gorg green-walled eco-sanctuary of lovely hand-crafed jewellery displayed on teacup saucers and cool indie fashion labels. At the after-hours do last night, the change rooms and shop environs overflowed with hipster young women in their 30s (ok, some of us weren't 30!).

You know I'm a jewellery nut. This designer found a way to break and sand down teacups and fashion the bits into beautiful pendants.

And this one - a spoon! How brilliant!

Of course, my pics aren't doing justice to the breadth of what's in store - it was just too hard to get decent snaps of the clothing. Trust me when I say everything is recycled, upcycled or refashioned into a new stylish life.

Hair barrettes and head pieces of old ties! Do you know how many old ties I see when thrift shopping that are made of the best fabrics and patterns?

The lady of the evening wouldn't let me snap a pic of her, for shame, so I will wish a Happy Anniversary to the floating and very peony-like paper puff balls - Happy 5th!

You can find the shop at 1015 Queen St. E in Leslieville, Toronto. Look out for N-R's roster of events on her FB page or Twitter - pretty sure there's a clothing swap coming up.

Made in Morocco dress, Goodwill

2011-07-09T10:44:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to show you this amazing cotton-rayon dress found at Goodwill for $6.99 a few months ago. The label is Soussan Designs Le Monde International and it was made in Morocco. It's so elegant; I just love it.

It's a heavy dress to wear. As you can see, it has an uber full skirt times two layers.

I'm wearing it with gold-tone BCBG sandals (thrifted for $4.99) and a Made in Canada necklace pendant by Raphael from the 1970s.

I can even flip the top layer over my shoulders and change the look of the dress - how cool is that?

The really amazing thing: there was a white one in the exact same style right beside it on the rack in Goodwill! So dear readers, I bought two gorg dresses for $6.99 each! Must be a bronzed babe when I wear the white one or else I'll look like a dead fish ... self-tanner here I come! (P.S. I love wearing pink these days, especially after reading it makes you look younger -- in the pink, you know??).

Minnie's purse

2011-07-06T22:12:00.001-04:00

You may remember the story of Minnie, the lady I wrote about who passed away recently. Well, her dear friend contacted me before I went on vacation, asking me if I wouldn't like a few of Minnie's vintage pieces. What a tremendous compliment and honour. This purse was one of Minnie's pieces that is now mine - don't you just love it?

The horsie detail is just too darling. And the strap is long enough that I can wear the bag across my body, which I did the other day.

I still have to photograph the other pieces, but I promise I will soon as some are really special.

A look at a nook

2011-07-05T21:29:00.001-04:00

I still have to snap a pic of the vintage jewellery piece I bought in Notting Hill, but until then I'll show you a bit of the apartment re-org I did before I left on holidays.

I love this little corner nook that I refreshed by adding pops of orange: the paisley pillow found at a massive church sale for a buck; the Made in Canada retro glass vase on the top of the bookshelf (thrifted for about $10 if memory serves); the not so thrifty Anthropologie lampshade that I fell in love with when the store first opened in Toronto.

I found the beautiful framed mini picture hanging over the chair - handpainted flowers on black velvet - for 99 cents at a thrift shop. On the back there's a label that reads, "Mrs. D. M. Gowing, 77 Stubbington Avenue, Portsmouth, Hampshire" and then a postal code and phone number. Isn't it just wonderful that this little treasure made its way from England and across the pond to me and my grungy little home?

The silver glass lamp was $5 at a lamp sale; and the wrought iron chair was part of a set I thrifted at Sally Ann years ago, one of my first major thrift purchases in fact. I spray-painted them silver and covered the seats with a tablecloth I cut up, bought at the dollar store. There's grungy style for ya.

English charity shops

2011-07-04T14:42:00.002-04:00

Well I'm back from lovely England and I'm a bit blue missing my hunnie, but I'm armed with heaps of fab memories and interesting cultural and fashion observations! On the fashion front, I didn't get to wear any of my lovely frocks as the weather was too chill - so I had to shop, natch!! Here I am, in front of a traditional English red phone booth in the lovely town of Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire county, sporting a semi-thrifted outfit from a charity shop in the area: the Pepe London jeans (killer expensive new) were seven-pound-fifty (12 Canadian dollars), and the hippie top for 4 pounds (just over $6 CND).

If you cast your mind back to my blog posts from September 2010 when I first went to England, you'll remember that I commented on the general low, mass-market quality of thrift shop clothing there - but that was in a wee town in the north. The charity shops in the southern and quite posh area of Beaconsfield and surrounding area are an entirely different matter: good quality labels, though not a ton of vintage as far as I could tell.

Still, I'm impressed with the calibre of the charity shops in England - the ones I shopped were hyper-clean, immaculately merchandised and well organized - in other words, leagues above the chaotic, stinky and dirty shops here.

The marketing of organizations like the British Heart Foundation, where I picked up the Pepe jeans, are well-thought out - as you see here, an 'urgent appeal' bag, containing a bag for me to put my donation in, accompanied my BHF purchase.

My humble opin is that charity shops in England are run more like corporations (such as Value Village in Canada, which is not a charitable organization but rather part of the Savers corporation in the US). I'm not bashing charity thrift shops here as I rather like their grottiness - but what accounts for the diff between them and their nicer UK counterparts, I wonder?

Boho bling, not yet worn

2011-06-28T08:38:00.001-04:00

I'm supposed to be hanging around the Blackpool Tower today, but alas, the Holiday Gods want to give me more nesting time with my Brit mannie, who has not only been looking after me and my broken foot, but is as of this morning flaked out on the couch after an emergency tooth-pulling episode.

Aren't we a pair of sad sacks.

So, in honour of the Glastonbury Festival that just wrapped up in England (which is the new millennium version of Woodstock, I'm gathering) I'm showing you a fab piece of boho-inspired bling I bought the day I left Canada for England (which I haven't had a chance to wear here yet as I've been living in yoga pants).

I loved it on sight when I plucked it out of the case at my fave neighbourhood thrift shop, Canadian Thrift in Toronto, as the chunky, rough-hewn chain reminds me of the 1970s pendant necklaces designed by Raphael. The large disc pendant also has a distinctly boho vibe to it, and you know my penchant for bohemian chic. Not sure if it's vintage - what do you think?

It's quite large, which could be a style challenge as all I'm seeing in my mind's eye is some Woodstock hippie dude from the 1960s wearing it with super wide leg jeans ... and nothing else --- but perhaps it's the painkillers.

On that note, back to the couch.

Thoughts on Brit fashion mags, as I convalesce

2011-06-27T08:50:00.001-04:00

I wish I could show you a pic of moi frolicking in the northern English countryside - today is the first warm, rain-free day we've had in the last six days. Alas, the Grunge Queen is sitting on her butt reading mags and a Nick Hornby novel (set in northern England, of course) as she broke her toe/foot yesterday - the same one she breaks on an annual basis just by looking at it the wrong way.

Wah.

But my mannie is looking after me, never you fear.

What I love about some of the chick mags here is you get free stuff with them - in this case a (rather toxic) liquid and pencil eyeliner duo and a (very nice) metallic pewter mineral powder eye shadow. (Last year my Brit mannie boought me one with a lip gloss - if you think I didn't love him before that you can bet I did after!).

I'm not a huge magazine buyer anymore, but I'm pretty sure we don't have the free-makeup-with-magazines phenom in Canada.

I actually like Brit fashion mags way better than the North American kind. They're cheekier (usually there's a funny he-said-she-said dual column where a male and female columnist give their perspectives on a particular gender or sex topic); less celebrity-obsessed; and contain lighthearted features (like the one in the cute, book-size Marie Claire, about a group of college grads 10 years on, a "Where are they now?" type thing); as well as neat fashion spreads (like what bloggers are wearing to the Glastonbury fest - which is essentially the Woodstock of the UK); and finally more serious features about female political figures.

In North America, the ethic of fashion mags seems more hyper-obsessive insecure. Generally, I hate them. So I am finding UK mags rather refreshing, like a breath of (cool, northernly English) fresh air.

Look, my mannie got some too - but all he got was a free magazine with one.

Scrag-about England outfit

2011-06-26T10:58:00.001-04:00

I wanted to show you all the fab outfits I had planned for my holidays. Alas, the weather has been so chill in northern England that I've been living in my scraggies. No matter. It has been rather nice to put the Blackberry-toting glam girl in me on hold and just hang, sans makeup, with my British mannie.

My scrag-about outfit, though, is pretty thrifty. The jeans, by Angel Jeans, were $3.99, if memory serves, at a Toronto thrift shop. They look like premium denim to me although I can't find much info on the California-based company as all the links I find are dead.

Both tops are thrifted and the Kenneth Cole ballet flats were picked up at the $2 Sale in Toronto. The sunnies are vintage 1970s made in Italy and were about $30.

Made in England vintage bag thrifted in - guess where?

2011-06-23T15:12:00.000-04:00

Wimbledon (on the tube). Wine. Rain. Cold. Marks and Spencer Simply Food. This is some of the verbiage and experiences surrounding my first few days in England, which- don't get me wrong - have been glorious.

Today while my hunny and I were running around, I dragged him into a second-hand charity shop (they're all over the place in Jolly Old) called Barnardos. I was bloody freezing (having packed sexy warm summer togs), so I found a cute fleece for about four pounds. There's not a heap of vintage in the second-hand shops here, so my spidey senses started tingling when I saw this vintage gold lamé handbag.

Let's go in for a closer look. Just look at the patterned fabric on this baby. And the clasp. Bloody gorg, I say (tee hee, am talking like a Brit, no?). And it was only a pound forty-nine. That's about two dollars and thirty-three cents in Canuck bucks.

The clasp is so pretty too, isn't it? All the little rhinestones are intact too.

Even better that the purse is made in England as it'll be a true vintage souvenir for the Grunge Queen. I actually have a vintage purse at home that I thrifted (which you haven't yet seen) with the same label as this, but it's a pretty quilted silver one. This gold one will be a happy companion piece.

They're new, but they're fabulous

2011-06-20T12:29:00.000-04:00

This is my Birthday Suit ha ha. A new 1970s-style pantsuit bought with my Birthday money proceeds. I'm wearing it with my 1970s necklace I featured the other day as the pantsuit is so low cut.

I liked it so well that I bought a second one in a smaller size and a different pattern. Psychedelic bay-bee! And hey, I did have some Birthday money left! Thanks sis, for the pressies!

More 1970s bling

2011-06-17T07:35:00.001-04:00

I found another one of these 1970s mosiac-inspired pendant necklaces at the thrift shop the other day. I liked it way better than the plain oval one I found a while back, so I bought this one and sold the other one at my recent garage sale.

I can't make out what the design is but it reminds me of Native Canadian art.

Strategically placed (vintage) jewellery

2011-06-15T22:08:00.001-04:00

Eeks. You're always catching me at the end of the day, when I'm tired looking and have missed my chance to have some photog snap me in all my vintage thrifty glory.

So I snapped this pic of myself alone on my balcony tonight after I got home. I'm wearing this darling linen peplum-style blazer with crochet detail that I picked up at a consignment shop a couple years ago.

The issue is, it's a wee bit too low-cut for the office, and added to that I have a rather unsightly scar on my chest that interferes, shall we say, with the aesthetics of a low cut top (and in normal circumstances, I have no problems showing said scar, really, but I tend towards the conservative approach when in the workplace).

My catch-all solution these days: hide whatever "cleavage" I have plus said scar with, well, a bit o' bling.

I found this 1970s piece at Toronto's Sunday Antique Market for about $35 a year or so ago - expensive by Grunge Queen standards, but it was so different (I have only ever seen one other piece like it, in a fellow vintage maven's collection) that it warrented the investment. You can't see the entire piece here as it's hidden in the folds of my jacket, but it extends way down to cover my scar.

It's not an every-day piece, by any means, so I haul it out when the occasion warrants it. And, because it is so long, it serves the very practical function of letting me show more, and less, at the same time!

Vintage lovers have garage sale

2011-06-14T08:18:00.005-04:00

My gal pal Marsha and I had a blast this weekend. We decided, practically at the last minute, to have a garage sale. Here she is showing off some of the vintage 1980s bling she was selling that day.

Here I am with an odd lamp that someone gave me, which ended up going in the donate pile at the end of the day.

My $5 jewellery table was a huge success - and there's still heaps left so stay tuned and I will tell you about the next sale!

I REALLY wanted to shop Marsha's table with my proceeds. This leather handbag made in Spain was so gorg (and not $5!), and it was calling to me, bigtime. But Marsha, a true friend, refused to let me buy it! She knew I needed my cash for other things!

The one thing I bought: this mod serving tray, $2. I thought it would be a cool way to display and organize my thrift store and vintage jewellery - what do you think?

I really love this idea. It's almost as though it IS a food tray, and every morning I get to pluck out some yummy delicacy to go with my outfit, as though the glinting pieces are luscious gum drops!

I must confess: I traded one of my $5 necklaces with Marsha for this pretty pin (signed, but I can't make it out). Marsha knows me well as she had a feeling I'd like this one.

See? Here are all my pretty vintage rings, all in one place.

More garage sale wisdom: I didn't have time to price every thing, so pretty much everything was $5. Easy peasy. I also kept my mind open to possibilities: someone wanted to buy the pink hard shell suitcase that I used to transport my dresses in and had no intention of selling. Sold, for 10 bucks!!

The Dress, Veronica Slater, et moi: bloggers bond

2011-06-10T08:08:00.002-04:00

Remember this dress? Fellow blogger Veronica of Veronica Slater Presents found the same style of Pucci-esque print silk dress in a thrift shop that I also thrifted. Doesn't she look fabulous in it? I love the chunky necklace accessory.

Veronica and I met yesterday, in the flesh, for the first time, after commenting on and following eachother's respective blogs for months and months. Not surprisingly, we got along like old friends. Look, we even look like kindred spirits here, with out short dos, oversize sunglasses and bracelets!

I love this photo of us. I hope I didn't freak Veronica out too much as I found myself opening up to her about all kinds of things going on in my life. Just goes to show that if you bond in the blogosphere, chances are you'll bond in 'real' life. I find thrift bloggers are of a certain ilk, to be sure - but Veronica, just so you know, doesn't just blog about her FAB vintage purse collection.

As you'll see from her blog and website Veronica Slater Presents, Veronica blogs about living better (in three languages to boot), and all the wonderful stuff that comes along with that. She shares her ideas for gifting, giving and living better weekly on the Boreal Express, a CBC Radio-Canada chaine premiere show. Here she is sporting a spunky jumpsuit and a wonderful belt from the 1990s. Quelle style!

Veronica was kind enough to snap a pic of me wearing a Franco Mirabelli dress I thrifted for about ten bucks, made of this gorg fabric which is the Toronto designer's signature.

Here's Veronica again in her lovely thrifted dress. Veronica, I had such a great time with you. I sure hope we hang out again (and maybe do some thifting too?)!

More orange

2011-06-09T08:43:00.000-04:00

I'm really digging the orange shades I showed you in my last post. They happen to go with my thrifted Matt& Natt handbag, which you see here, and this "new" orange hippie style sundress (only $21). The white cotton jacket was found for $5 at a clearance centre years ago.

Colour my world, bigtime

2011-06-07T22:24:00.000-04:00

Today I saw the world through orange-coloured sunnies, literally. Quite the experience. Don't try this if you have a headache as I bet it will hurt. Aren't these 1970s shades super funky? I found 'em for $1.99 at my favourite local thrift shop, Canadian Thrift.

I wish I could show you the sassy outfit I wore them with, but alas, I have no dedicated camera person to snap my looks. But you can see I matched the shades with my purse, a thrifted Matt & Natt beaut that's just perfect for the summer that we are now finally enjoying!

Very special vintage coat, for a very special occasion

2011-06-06T22:32:00.000-04:00

I haven't worn this vintage coat for years - as you can see, it's pretty special: a 1930s style (wool) with these gorg embroidered sleeves. I bought it when I was 19 (over 20 years ago!) for just under $200. I remember I had to borrow the cash from my sis, who always saved her bucks (no big surprise I was always shopping, eh?).

I had the opportunity to wear it this past weekend, to a party given in honour of a lovely lady who recently passed away, who I was lucky enough to meet and write about the month before she died. She was 104 years old and had lots of pluck and a great story - and I think she would have appreciated this vintage coat.

I've accessorized the coat with a vintage bag I found at Value Village for $5.99, and some thrifted Nine West slingbacks in excellent shape found for around $8.99 at my local thrift shop, Stretch Thrift. The scarf is vintage silk Liberty of London, a couple bucks at a junk shop.

The day wasn't about me, but I wanted my outfit to do justice to a wonderful lady who led a great life. It felt good to be pulling out all of my really special items that I never wear, for one day - some vintage pieces are for just that, and in this case, the occasion certainly warranted it.

Here's to Minnie. Rest in peace.

Thrifted frock that changed my life inspired another thrift stylista!!

2011-06-05T09:21:00.001-04:00

I've shown you this thrifted silk dress with an Italian label before, but I'm featuring it again as it was exactly one year ago that I wore it, and met my dream man in it. The dress, apparently, influenced the way he thought about me - let's just put it that way!! This is me at a recent party, in THE DRESS.

This was me a year ago, with faux tan, just before jetting off to the place where I happened to meet my gorg Brit mannie.

A spin-off of an already great story about a thrifted dress is this: there's a reader of this blog, a lovely lady whose equally lovely blog, Veronica Slater Presents, I also follow. The story goes that Veronica saw this dress on Grunge Queen and loved it so well, and the story behind it, that she searched high and low in the thrift shops before finding her own dress, exactly like this one!

Love it! Veronica, you will have to think about sharing a photo of you in your frock!

I dedicate this post to Veronica, and to my lovely man - both of whom know quality when they see it, tee hee!!

Can you really let go of nostalgiac stuff, even if you never wear it?

2011-06-02T22:45:00.000-04:00

As you look at this rather freakish close-up, that is the question I'm pondering tonight. I bought this 1970s?-esque pendant at a church sale years ago for a couple bucks at most. I have worn it - once. It doesn't really fit into my life or style, but I still love it.

I love it because it reminds me of those 1970s Christmas Tree ornaments we used to hang on the tree while growing up - you know, the cut-out balls with the foiled concave insides. It is just special, even though I never wear it.

But the agony sets in as I'm in the process of saying goodbye to some material things in my life, and this baby has gone in the sell pile, then out, then in, and is now in limbo. So the question is, do you get rid of pieces that rank high on the emotional resonance scale, or do you favour practicality, and pass it on to someone else? That, dear readers, is the existential question for tonight!

I'm to sexy for my (vintage Franco Mirabelli) shorts

2011-06-01T22:44:00.000-04:00

My thighs look like tree trunks but I'm trying to ignore that for all these fab reasons:

1). I was modeling second-hand duds found at and styled by the vintage goddesses at Common Sort in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood. Owner Nicole Babin buys, sells and trades second-hand and vintage clothing and accessories, and she has this amazing blog where she posts pics of her customers modeling her wares. Fun eh? She's multi-talented as she's also a fashion photog and snapped the photo of me, above, and all the pics on her blog.

2). The shorts are by one of my fave Toronto designers, Franco Mirabelli, who has been making gorg women's styles for 25 years (found in specialty boutiques across North America and in his three Toronto boutiques, Mirabelli). His clothing is to die for (see that lime green tee in my header? That's by him) and he sources most of his fabrics from Italy AND he manufactures in Toronto AND he's just an all round nice guy.

So how could I resist when Nicole (left) brought me her lovely stylist (pictured right, whose name I can't remember), who in turn brought me these (1990s?) shorts? Well, dear reader, I couldn't. And I was having so much fun with the Common Sort gals (see post from last week, below, on my Common Sort adventure with gal pal Marsha), that it was all for the fun of it any way! For a run down on the rest of the outfit, all second-hand, follow the Common Sort link at the top of this post.

BCBG dress 20 years old, $5.99

2011-05-31T22:59:00.000-04:00

Notice: hips in this picture appear larger than they actually are.

Joke. Well, the pattern does make one look bigger. But I do love the mosaic print of this cute BCBG dress, found for $5.99 at Canadian Thrift. I wore it with a hot pink knit bolero and sassy strappy heels.

The neat thing: I work in Toronto's design district on Wingold Ave., where all the fashion brands wholesale to retailers. I walked into a cafe for lunch today and a woman said, "That's BCBG. I sold that dress to stores in 1992."

Who would have thought? The dress is in such great shape, and so stylishly applicable, that I thought it was somewhat current. Wonder if the BCBG brand is so timeless and as good a quality today?

Peep show

2011-05-30T23:24:00.000-04:00

I kinda like these semi-lame, semi sexy shots in which I snap pics of myself in the mirror (not having a photog that follows me around all day, alas): they're somewhat illicit in my opin, a snapshot, if you will, into a life that's glanced at from behind.

There's nothing especially thrifty about my outfit here. The skirt was a dress, purchased in a West Palm Beach gift shop, that I've pulled down and used as a skirt as the elastic is going, and the tank was a cheapie new purchase. The 70s belt is vintage, natch.

What I really wanted to show you is this gorg crystal pendant. It was supposed to be a gift for a friend, but then I found something more appropriate and kept it, which really worked out as I love it! The crystal is suspended on a long gold-tone chain. I hauled out the magnifying glass when I got home and could barely make out, in tiny tiny print on the clasp loop, a Birks signature. Looks like the piece may be gold or gold-plated too - I can't quite make it out, though. I can't tell if this piece is vintage - what do you think?

Found at one of my fave shops, Continuum Modern Vintage on Pape Avenue at Danforth Ave. in Toronto.

Like, groovy shades, man

2011-05-29T22:35:00.000-04:00

Peace, fellow groovy hipsters. I'm here with my $1.99 thrifted 1960s (70s?) shades to spread the word of harmony and happiness through thrifting. It, like, saves the world, man - I mean woman! I'm an equal opportunity thrifter! And I've been working all weekend so I'm in a bit of a silly mood - can you tell? And what do you think of my shades, btw?

Just beat the 99-cent bling deal

2011-05-26T22:57:00.001-04:00

Two words: 49 cents.

This 1970s gold-tone pendant reminds me of that retro Coke TV commercial with a bunch of people singing "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony" - there's a Christmas tree involved, too, but I can't recall if it's the people who form the tree or if there's an actual tree in the picture. Anyway, this pendant is like a Christmas tree and just evoked that memory in me.

I didn't have a chain to put it on, but then I realized I had this vintage signed gold-tone chain I never really wear as it's too plain pour moi.

Mmm.

Add a jump ring and we may just have a Grunge Queen special!

We went; we modeled; we shopped!

2011-05-25T21:29:00.001-04:00

Oh, the fun we had. My gal pal Marsha (pictured here in this lovely vintage dress and matching summer hat) and I had so much fun this past weekend at Toronto's Common Sort, a veritable treasure trove of second-hand and vintage clothing and accessories (with locations on Queen Street East AND West).

Owner Nicole Babin has it bang on: not only can you shop like a crazed deal diva in her stores (the Parkdale Queen West location is larger and packed with good stuff), but you can also bring in your stylish duds and if Nicole likes 'em, she'll let you trade them in for other stuff in the form of a store credit (think she can give you cash too - but hey, once you get there you'll want to shop til you drop).

Also a fashion photog, Nicole does this really cool thing where customers come in and model her wares, and the pics are posted to her website blog. In return the happy model gets a store credit - and as you can see, Marsha put hers to work right away with this gorg vintage blue drop waist dress (on the sale rack for five bucks!) and matching shoes that she took home with her! Doesn't she look stunning?

Using my credit and then a bit more, I went home with most of this outfit: Paige denim capris ($34 and they fit me like a second skin); Juicy Couture tie-dye tank ($18) and darling Banana Republic scarf with animal print motif ($14). The gold ballet flats, Kenneth Cole, were found for a twoonie at the $2 Sale in Toronto, and the vintage John Hort bag isn't mine but I may have to go back for it!!

The 'reveal' post with Marsha and I modeling the Common Sort duds picked out by the resident stylist - coming!!

99-cent thrifting streak??

2011-05-24T22:11:00.001-04:00

Nothing could beat the find featured in yesterday's post, but I have to show you another 99 cent find I dug up this weekend in the most unexpected of places: a bead and craft shop selling mostly imports from the Philippines, largely jewellery making supplies.

But there's a section of vintage bibs and bobs in the store, mostly broken, that you're supposed to do something crafty with. Since I am not at all crafty, but rather a vintage bauble junkie, I sat on my butt on the floor for a good half hour rifling through the stuff, eventually unearthing this modernist style pendant - completely intact! For 99 cents to boot.

Totally my style. Maybe I'm on a 99-cent spending streak!!

Danish modern pendant for ... guess how much?

2011-05-23T22:49:00.000-04:00

I saw this pendant hanging from a bunch of chains and baubles in a thrift shop, but it stood out amidst the junky stuff. I thought it was glass at first until I noticed its smokiness - definitely a stone. There was a signature on the back but all I could make out was "Sterling." I really liked the design, so I asked the gal how much it was.

She said, "Two dollars." Poker face response on my side. Then in a heartbeat she said, "Ninety-nine cents!." I guess she mistook my lack of response for dissatisfaction with two bucks. But in truth I was amazed she'd let go of it for a mere twoonie.

Of course, dear readers, I bought it.

Got it home, took a peep under the glass, and see this is a piece signed AE From, otherwise known as Nils Erik From, a Danish jeweller born in 1908 who developed his own jewellery line. This would be a piece from the 1960s or so. The jewellery is no longer in production.

Did a quick search on Ebay and there's a lot of From pieces out there, but they're not cheap. An identical pendant on Ebay but with Rose Quartz was listed at $500. Granted, online listings don't always represent the true value of a piece, but lots of other From pieces were priced at several hundred dollars.

Anyway, I really like it and after seeing other From pieces online, I'm going to look out for them! Not bad for 99 cents!

Look at the tag, I say

2011-05-19T23:47:00.001-04:00

When thrifting, I follow these rules: feel the fabric, look for colour, style and tag, in that order. An item has to be in a colour and style that rocks on me, but if it's a crap fabric, I won't touch it. If all those points are met, I take a peep at the tag, and my thrifting spidey senses are normally rewarded.

I'm never disappointed when I find the gorg microfibre dresses made by Toronto label Bionic Women. New, these frocks sell for $150 and up, a price I can't afford even though I love the make.

Used, I have found them from $9.99-$19.99, screaming deals for locally made wrap dresses with simple yet exquisite styling. Here I am in warmer days in one of my faves, with a fake tan.

Here's another one, this time with white legs.

I can't find the pic of my sis in the Bionic Women dress I bought for her. But the black dress pictured above is one she bought for herself while thrifting with me.

I feel partly guilty, partly jazzed when I find well-made locally-produced clothing in the thrift shop, as I know I should be supporting these micro designers by buying new. But the fact is, I often can't afford it (ok I did buy ONE Bionic dress new, at 50 percent off. No pic though). Can anyone relate?

Ugliest, most perplexing thrift shop find to date

2011-05-18T21:17:00.000-04:00

It may not be the most disturbing of thrift shop finds - creepy porcelain clown figurines, a raccoon head fur hat, underwear, and retro electronic sex devices beat this one out by far in the ICK department - but I must say that this plastic stool, replete with faux plastic roses and unexplainable plastic overlay, sure ranks number one for the ugliest of decor pieces I've spotted in a thrift shop to date. It was $6.99 - a deal! - at Canadian Thrift.

It got worse, if you can believe it: there was a little switch on the bottom. Yup, if you plugged the stool in, parts of it (behind the roses, perhaps?) lit up - who knows? Perhaps it vibrated too. A love stool?

What was disturbing, though, was strolling along Queen St West this past weekend and finding the exact same stool in a moth-ball smelling junk shop.

I pride myself on being a style diplomatico, but I have to wonder: who, in his or her right mind, would have made something like this? Worse still, who would have bought and actually proudly displayed this in a living room? I'm not sure I want to picture that living room, go there in my head.

What's the freakiest, ugliest or most disturbing item you've seen while thrifting?

Wool trench, Goodwill

2011-05-17T23:11:00.000-04:00

It's been raining like crazy this spring - good thing I have a warm wool trench to get me through! I found this deep blue wool trench by Evan Picone at Goodwill for less than 10 bucks. I love it. Every time I wear it - which is frequent these days - I feel like I'm in France.

I'm wearing it here with thrifted suede booties made in Italy ($14.99); this funky round leather purse made in Vancouver and found at Value Village for $12.99; vintage blue shades made in Italy found in a vintage shop; and my Anthropologie scarf - bought new but so worth it based on the compliments I get every time I wear it!

I wanna be a cowgirl

2011-05-16T21:50:00.001-04:00

Well, you always see me tired, at the end of the day, with circles under my eyes, but I had to show you the cowgirl earrings I bought for $2 on the way home - yeehaw!

I never wear earrings anymore, really. Perhaps it was because I recently interviewed a gal who is part of a Cowgirl Choir in Toronto - but hipster cowgirl style has been on my mind of late.

They're silver and super light - see? A horseshoe, horse head and saddle dangling from - you guessed it! - a cowgirl hat to boot!

I have no idea what era they're from but I'm guessing 1990s - just seems to fit, in my opin.

Have you ever thrifted something that made you rethink a style choice (in my case, earrings) that you thought was long past?

Hipster nuts n' bolts pendant necklace - really

2011-05-15T19:47:00.001-04:00

When I first saw this pendant necklace in the case at Goodwill, I thought, "Oh, that reminds me a bit of a Raphael", a Toronto-based jewelllery designer who was big in the 1970s and whose pieces are quite collectible.

Well of course I knew it wasn't a Raphael - his look is very distinctive and I'll show you the pendant I have by him sometime - but this piece is similar in tone as it has a rough-hewn, industrial look to it.

More so than I thought 'cos when I took a closer look I saw that it was made of screws and bolt-type thing-a-ma-jigs. It's actually really well made, and a statement piece to boot!

Sexy orange skirt (thrifted) inspires 100% thrifted outfit

2011-05-13T18:59:00.001-04:00

Now that Blogger is working again, somewhat at least (it looks like they have deleted comments from Wednesday), I am going to show you today's outfit, 100 percent thrifted (excuse bad, flat hair).

It all began with the tight sexy Femme Carriere skirt I thrifted at Goodwill for $4.99. I typically look straight as Olive Oil in this style of skirt but this one actually makes me look like I have some curves.

The grey microfibre top by luxury retailer Holt Renfew was thrifted for a few dollars. Matt & Nat orange (vegan) handbag, thrifted for maybe five dollars. Shoes by Gerard Darel, found at a ten dollar sale at a local consignment shop. Blazer (tag cut out) a few bucks, and disco "Wonder Woman" belt found at a vintage store for $15 - def the most expensive thing here.

Even the ring was thrifted - 50 cents - as was the necklace (can't see it so I'll show you later).

1980s necklace that will present a fun challenge!

2011-05-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

I've admitted that I find 1980s plastic bib style necklaces oddly attractive, and that even though I am drawn to them I have mixed feelings about wearing them. Ditto for this 1980s necklace with painted blue, yellow, peach and gold detail, $4.99 at Canadian Thrift.

Not sure what I'll do with it but I'll try to snap a pic when I figure it out!

Steal of a boho ring

2011-05-10T22:12:00.000-04:00

Thrifted vintage costume jewellery can be such an inexpensive way of not just getting that retail thrill on but also expressing the essential you. Perhaps that's why I'm such an addict: a ring bought at the thrift shop, such as this $5.99 vintage mega cocktail ring, allows me to express my burgeoning boho style ethic in a cheap, yet forever chic, way.

I'm really pleased that places like Value Village over price the mass market stuff and under price vintage finds such as this ring - perhaps they know the masses go for all the mediocre sterling stuff and contemporary costume bling in the case, and realize there's only a niche sort of customer that would find this ring attractive.

But if H&M suddenly decided to knock off this ring, it'd suddenly become all the rage. Do I sound cynical? Perhaps. But the pricing system of these places, generally, benefits me and feeds my particular style whims in a way that's wholly conducive to my budget. So how can I complain?

What gems do you find in the thrift shops that tend to be, in your opin, woefully under priced?

Million dollar life I could have with these thrifted vintage earrings

2011-05-09T20:05:00.000-04:00

Dah-lings! I'm so busy leading a fascinating life in my new thrifted earrings that I can barely stand still for you to seeee them!!

Yah right. The look says it all, my thrifty pals. And though I am no longer an earrings person - I reserve all my bling thrifting exploits for pendants and the occasional brooch - I simply could NOT resist these absolutely GORG vintage earrings I found in the Value Village showcase for - wait for it - $5.99!!

Deal!

Does it matter I don't lead the kind of life these earrings (not clip on but the screw on kind) surely merit?

Not really. I could play dress up with them in my apartment, introduce them to all the lovely glam thrifted dresses I never get a chance to wear ....

Mmm. Let me think. Or I could somehow manufacture a glam Grace Kelly type life, and jaunt around the French Riveria in some flashy sports car convertible with the top down - with the earrings, of course.

Only thing is, I'd need to make a million dollar life for myself, all because of these $5.99 thrifted vintage earrings.

Perhaps I'll see if I can integrate them into my existing life and wardrobe before doing anything too drastic?

What do you think? Hi-low dressing has been all the rage for years now - do you think I could mix them up with skinny jeans, or perhaps some wide leg pants?

Pretty vintage pin for my mommie

2011-05-08T10:24:00.000-04:00

I always seem to pick up pretty vintage pins for my Mom, this gorg purple floral cluster pin being no exception. My Mom actually wears the pins I give her too, so I hope she'll find a way of integrating this one into her wardrobe as it is just such a beaut; I couldn't leave it behind.

It isn't signed, but all the stones are intact and they're prong-set. I just loved the purply hues and the design of the piece, and I think she will too!

Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there!

How I wore my 'new' thrifted rocker bracelet

2011-05-05T22:52:00.000-04:00

I show you heaps of bling but rarely document how I wear it! Here's me wearing one of my most recent thrifty acquisitions: the chain bracelet with the big black stone. I rocked it out, as you can see, with some skinny jeans (new but cheap at Costa Blanca), booties (Nine West, thrifted), tunic (gift), tank (new) and rocker necklace (gift).

Coro pendant and an inspired blogging solution

2011-05-04T21:22:00.000-04:00

This pendant isn't really my style but I loved it on sight and thrifted it for literally a couple bucks. I was really attracted to the blue. Got it home and flipped it over and saw it is signed Coro piece. Initially I was going to find a gold chain and rig it up, but then I Googled "Coro blue stone pendant" or some such thing and came across this lovely blog, Oriental-Rose.

Can't believe my haphazard Google skills found the very same piece! Now if you scroll down from the original link, you'll see that the designer fashioned a lovely pearl and gem-like necklace for the pendant.

Mmmm. That got me thinking. I took a rummage through my Tickle Trunk and dug up one of my first costume jewellery finds from my university days, a sturdy 'pearl' necklace I don't really wear anymore as it's too staid for my style. I actually almost got rid of it recently but some sixth sense - or perhaps my semi-hoarding instincts when it comes to bling - made me hang onto it.

Well, hell. What's the use of reading blogs if you can't take some inspiration from them? I'll have to find a jump ring or something, but that's all the pendant needs to transform it into a true statement piece!

I'm just so thrilled about the idea - now hopefully it won't take me five months to find the ring. The cool thing is the pearls can be worn long or wound around the neck twice for a choker effect. The strand does the Coro piece true poetic justice - so much better than a boring old gold chain, don't you think?

Warm weather is coming so (thrifted) dresses on the mind

2011-05-03T22:44:00.000-04:00

Ever blow-dried a "new" dress with your blow dryer just so you could wear it out, clean? That's just what I did with this thrifted dress Friday night, found at Value Village. It's a heavy microfibre dress made in the USA (becoming a rare tag, just as the Made in Canada tag is), which in my mind indicates good quality.

I wasn't sure about it at first as it fits loosely around the waist - and I do look a bit shapeless here - but it is a classic shirtwaist without the waist, in colours I like that look good on me. Plus summer is coming and I need to prep myself for dress season - it will come!

PICS snapped by pal Parmjit Parmar of Montana Ridge Enterprises.

Church rummage sale booty

2011-05-01T13:52:00.003-04:00

I'm writing an article on rummage sales in midtown Toronto for one of the magazines I write for, so my gal pal Marsha and I set off bright and early yesterday to hit the hallowed halls.

Marsha got some pretty good booty. Thank God I was too busy interviewing and snapping pics of people; you and I know I don't really need anything.

Of course, even while working I simply could not not check out the jewellery table. I hit the bling table immediately, along with piles of others. People always go for the bling straight off and the jewellery table is typically a madhouse. I didn't find any real loves, but this carved sandalwood piece with green stone won my heart for a whopping 50 cents. I strung it on a leather cord to max out the boho effect.

Another bohemian type necklace pendant for a few bucks. Marsha picked this one up for me and she was right about it being my style.

This chunky modernist ring: a buck.

A pendant of Queen Elizabeth I: only a twoonie ($2). People may be going ga-ga over Kate, but I'm a fan of this daughter of Henry VIII.

Jewellery tables at rummage sales are pretty brutal. You need to decide which type of shopper you're going to be: the pushy elbowing type, or the stealthy type with long arms and fingers that can slide in between gaps and and pick up what you want. Guess which type I am?

This silver-tone pendant (which I strung on a long box link sterling chain I've had forever) is a bit odd, but sometimes it's the oddballs I'm attracted to the most. It actually looks good worn low on a long chain. Would rock with jeans and a simple white tee.

All in all, not bad for $7.50.

Over the rainbow with 70s dress

2011-04-29T07:14:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I didn't buy this 1970s striped polyester cowl neck dress at first. It was $6.99 at my local thrift store, Stretch Thrift, and then it was 50 percent off that! I loved the colours but wasn't sure if I had the guts to pull off, well, a 1970s striped polyester cowl neck dress!

But reader, I went back the same day and tried it on. It was a bit loose but I figured I could cinch it in with a belt (as I have here, with a vintage velvet elasticized belt I found for about $10 in a vintage shop). So I bagged it for $3.49!

I'm wearing it here with a pair of Stuart Weitzman platforms I thrifted in mint condition for under $10 at Goodwill.

Cost of total outfit: under $20! Chic can, indeed, be cheap!

Crochet & vintage 70s necklace to match

2011-04-28T08:19:00.000-04:00

Remember these crochet sweaters? Crochet was big in the 70s, of course, but I remember having a bunch of crochet cardis in the 90s. Well they're back. This glittery turquoise bolero style cardi was sort of granny-anny crossed with a boho vibe, so I picked it up on sale.

It goes perfectly with my new bling, a 1970s pendant and necklace.

I love the shape, the heavy chain, the colour - its semi rough hewn look. It reminds me a bit of the 70s jewellery designer Raphael. Perfect for Spring-a-ding-ding!

Corner nook

2011-04-27T08:06:00.000-04:00

I'm showing you the rest of my apartment redo. Like I said a few posts ago, I split the room into chunks and rejigged each area (like this corner) as a little room unto itself - if you're intimidated by the process of redecorating or even refreshing a bit, this strategy can make that process less daunting.

I relocated these huge thrifted glass lamp (with ruby red shade bought for a song at Consumers Lighting in Toronto) to the large teak hutch (thrifted over a decade ago for $80) as it was so large and the scale looked off in its former home, on the dining room table. I added some vintage bags to the end of the hutch and piled other books in a haphazard way.

A red pilllow case hides a stain on the teak and defines the lamp.

I like having a sense of humour when I decorate. This painting, by my very talented sister, features the profile of a man on a beach as he stares off into the distance. I positioned the black statuette beside it (thrifted for a few dollars) so that she was looking the same way too. The Star Trek-type decanter was given to me by my best friend and was in her family when she was growing up.

Thrift style a la spring

2011-04-26T08:02:00.000-04:00

More pretty spring-inspired tableaus from my apartment ....

Think purple as a unifying colour, and a bit of whimsy in a teddy bear piggy bank.

Toss in a lovely hand-painted velvet picture made in England (thrifted for 99 cents), a thrifted flower pot and fresh new purple tulips, and a heavy gold mirror (thrifted for $3.99), propped up on a heavy wooden dresser found in the trash.

Funny? Psycho? Bunny cake home made by Mom

2011-04-24T11:59:00.000-04:00

Ok, he didn't look like much to start. But my Mom had high hopes for the bunny cake. She started off with two circular cake pans. Dad - the engineer - was able to cut the head from one of the circles (Mom and I could never have managed that). The ears, legs and arms were made from the scraps.

Here's the boiled icing my mother boiled over the stove for, like, 20 hours. Ok. Maybe not that long. Who has ever heard of boiled icing? Apparently it was the only kind for Mr. Bunny as we (Mom) wanted it to spread smoothly over the parts of the cake that had been cut to make the head etc. Gotcha.

Then there was the arduous task of icing the bunny - not easy with boiled icing, let me tell you. The thing with boiled icing is it doesn't stay very liquid-y for long. Plus it's sticky as hell. So you need to spread fast before it solidifies into one big mass of sugary goop.

Kitty was pretty freaked out too. Or awe-inspired? Hard to tell!

Yes, the bunny looked pretty damn strange - let's admit it: scary - with all the white shiny icing on it. Like it had been dropped in a huge vat of Vaseline - or worse, boiled icing.

Thank God! Bunny is looking, well, more bunny-ish, thanks to some pink ears, jelly eyes and nose, and liquorice whiskers and claws!

Whew. The bunny's not funny or psycho. Just a cute big white bunny made with boiled icing, liqcorice and jelly tots! Love the home made thing; sorry I doubted you Mom! (not that I really did).

BTW, Mom tells me her mother used to make cakes "on the farm" with boiled icing as boiled icing could be made with all the ingredients you'd have on hand (ie: did not require icing sugar). Too bad the old-fashioned way took so long, but I guess they always do, no?

Happy Easter every one! In case you're wondering, the bunny was yummy, boiled icing and all.

More 'Easter' bling

2011-04-22T10:30:00.003-04:00

Picked up for a song at Canadian Thrift. I thought this brass pendant was just so boho!

It didn't come with a chain but I just fixed it up on one I had. My philosophy with bling is the same with all my other accessories, including lamps and pillows: just change things up! Alternate chains and pendants as you would lampshades with different lamp bases!

Don't give me eggs, just rings

2011-04-21T06:44:00.000-04:00

Well, the centre of this 1970s style ring does sort of look like an egg, no?

This ring is so my style. Actually the round green piece in the middle is shaped like a marble. I love the textured gold-tone detail around the ring. Bought it at the hair cutting place that sells the vintage bling!

Sexy 70s necklace by Avon

2011-04-19T20:54:00.000-04:00

OMG, I still have more pretty spring decorating to show you but I can't go without showing you more bling! I am like a junkie: I need my fix! Just look at the sturdy pendant with turq 'stone' (plastic) on this Avon necklace pendant.

Take a peep at the back. I love well-made sturdiness and weight in costume jewellery. It tells me it's old-ish.

The coolest feature: you can wear it the semi ho-hum way, with the chain doubled.

Or you can sex it up and wear it comme ca. J'adore this look. I really should be wearing some glammed up disco outfit set for partying, but such is not my life.

How to do pretty: light & whimsy

2011-04-18T22:03:00.000-04:00

Want to do pretty in your pad as spring approaches? Simply do what I did when I re-jigged my apartment this past weekend: change up the accessories. Away went the deep jewel-toned pillows and out came my pretty pillow ditties.

They lightened up the dark sofa, as you can see. Blue velvet, you may know, is a bit of a thing for me. And when the months turn warmer I need to inject a bit of light n' bright, just so it doesn't look like some dreary 18th century novel!

A wee bit of whimsy helps in a case such as this worn blue velvet chair found curbside. This handmade floral pillow thrifted for a few bucks perfectly balanced out the - shall we say austerity? - of this piece.

There was a general theme to my redo that kept the entire place looking somewhat cohesive: I created little vignettes by separating the room into areas and then incorporated the elements that inspired me in the original vignette I showed you yesterday: florals, soft, muted colours, basically anything in my closet or stashed away that said "pretty" or whimsy. (Like this Liberty of London scarf tossed over a pedestal table).

Or these jewellery baubles (recently thrifted - but that's another post) in this pretty pedestal bowl.

Pretty spring makeover: start with one tableau

2011-04-17T21:09:00.001-04:00

Spring has come to my apartment even though there were flurries for most of the day in Toronto, eeps.

I haven't posted on decor in so long as, truth be told, I have been uninspired in my space and haven't re-jigged it for months. Then, with a gal pal coming over for dinner last night, I looked around at all the (dust) and Persian carpets on the floor and dark colours and thought, "UG. I simply cannot make dinner until this palce has a fresh new look."

A whirlwindish afternoon of vacuuming and cleaning and tweaking set in. The final look is pretty. My inspiration: I tossed this piece of Ralph Lauren fabric that I've had (and meant to do something with) for years over the table and voila, there was my new spring tablecloth!

Then I added pretty bric-a-brac like a white cornucopia vase, a crystal tealight holder (both thrifted), a bamboo vase with bamboo in it (a gift) and a lovely chintz jug by Lord Nelson Ware of England (given to me when my best friend's mother moved out of her home to an apartment).

Of course, tossing some of my fave flowers, orangy roses (that smell: do you know most roses these days don't?) into a thrifted silver vase was the ultimate way to create a pretty springtime look.

I kept the lamp base (which I thrifted at Sally Ann for under $10) the same but changed up the shade (thrifted for a few dollars and in mint condition) to a deep blue one, for contrast. The dark wood lacquer mirror was relocated from my desk and also provided a bit of grounded-ness to this pretty vignette.

This dark floral cushion, thrifted for $3.99 and actually from an old and now defunct Toronto store, is pretty yet provides important contrast too against the distressed silver wrought iron chair (found as a set of four for $20 years ago in a thrift shop and spray painted silver, by moi, years ago as well - like how the silver is getting that chipped beat-up look now).

This older tableau was fine for the winter, but I'm loving my new spring look.

This table area was actually the inspiration for re-jigging the rest of my apartment into a prettier look more akin to lighter spring weather. This week I'll show you how I did it!

1970s polyester + great styles

2011-04-16T09:34:00.003-04:00

The 70s style influences are back in a big way - but sometimes the **originals** are even more stylish than the cheapie contemporary knock-offs in the malls. Take these hyper-flammable wide leg pants (mix of nylon and polyester) in wild colours. On the rack they may have looked ridiculous but I saw their style potential. Aren't they swish?? Fab with a halter style top and 70s-inspired wedgie sandals.

The handkerchief skirt or dress is also back with a vengeance this season. I picked up an authentic one last summer in Toronto, seen here in Niagara Falls, Canada. You know, many of today's fast fashions are made with polyester, so I have absolutely no problems wearing the retro stuff.

Maybe the older fabric is even nicer? It's thicker and has weight to it and won't snag like the disposable type fabrics out there these days. What do you think? Regardless, in terms of style, sometimes the authentic 70s styles rock way more than the contemporary retakes of them - at least in the case of this dress. Just look at that back, those teeny spaghetti straps and low back.

Another 70s dress found in West Palm Beach, US, my most recent acquisition. Just love the style. My sweetheart beau bought it for me. Again, it's a thick polyester and the style is just fab. Long flowy wide skirt and an almost halter style bodice with darts that accentuate my barely there bust. They sure were teeny in the 70s - the waists on both of these dresses are wee wee. Then again, it's nice to be able to wear a dress that isn't bagging out in the boob area!