A Tripping Breaker Causes a Trip (A Story Inspired by the Vivienne Files)

Janice at The Vivienne Files recently did a story about an imaginary heroine venturing out on a not-too-formal business trip, inspired by the painting The Visit by Marie Laurencin.

I  thought, "I could do something pretty close to that." Maybe a bit more casual.

So here's my story. It's made-up too, in case you wondered.

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Her first word, according to her parents, was "plug-in." And she grew up to be an electrician.

While she and her partner haven't completely been staring at four walls this year, they're feeling way overdue for a short change of scenery. But what would even be available right now?

Then the email comes. Their friends' cottage has been having some electrical issues over the summer, and while they won't be up there much this fall themselves, they'd like to get it taken care of before winter. They know her spouse is also quite handy at gardening. Could they be talked into checking out the situation and maybe doing some small repairs and cleanup, in exchange for a week's free rental? Oh, could they...

When she looks at the Vivienne Files wardrobe, she's struck by that blue turtleneck sweater. She has a thrifted cotton sweater dress that she has been intending to shorten into something she can wear with pants, and this is her motivation to get it out, chop off the bottom, and sew a new hem. (She's versatile like that.) And while the sewing machine is out, she might as well make a couple extra of those things she'll need when they go into town to buy coffee or parts. Right.

She pulls together an outfit for the drive up: grey jeans (technically they're black); grey fleece cardigan, pink long-sleeved top, pink earrings, a scarf, a  bag, and her Allbirds Mizzles. Since she doesn't have pink shoes like the Vivienne Files wardrobe, she lets her bag have some colour instead.

What's in her suitcase? Another pair of grey pants, and a grey skirt. A blue short-sleeved t-shirt, her DIY blue turtleneck top, a pink shirt, and a grey long-sleeved pullover. Another scarf. Extra shoes (not shown). 

She forgot to put the pink shirt in the big photograph.

Some fun socks, and a pair of warm tights.

Socks: Dollarama

Three more pairs of earrings, and two necklaces. She is especially fond of jewelry that resembles wires.

She also puts in a warm jacket, a hat, and work gloves, just in case. And her toolbox.

She copies out some of the outfits shown on The Vivienne Files.

Grey pants, grey cardigan, blue turtleneck, earrings, socks, running shoes, a scarf.

The Vivienne Files showed an outfit with grey jeans or the other pair of pants, grey pullover, pink shirt, earrings, necklace,and grey shoes. Because her pullover has a loose cowlneck instead of a crew or V-neck, she brings along a pink tank top to wear under it instead of the shirt.

She also tries out the other pullover-pants outfit from the Vivienne Files.

Grey skirt, grey cardigan, blue t-shirt, scarf, earrings.

The photograph shows pumps, but for this trip she thinks her Arcopedico shoes would be more practical..

Grey skirt, grey pullover, earrings, scarf. Ditto on the pumps.

Grey pants, blue turtleneck, scarf, running shoes, earrings. She adds the backpack in the hopes they could do a bit of not-too-strenuous hiking.

When she looks at the size of the Vivienne Files wardrobe, she realizes that she might need a few extra tops, since they're staying for the whole week. So she picks out some that work with the other clothes.

(Should I have included a cable-knit sweater instead?)

If anyone asks why she likes her job, she quotes George Carlin: "Electricity is really just organized lightning."

Fall Clothes: From the Ground Up

 Season(s) covered: September through November 2020

The planning process: I posted earlier about starting to think about fall clothes, here and here. Along with many other people, I am looking at a fall with few opportunities for trips, outings, or occasions. At this point, even a casual run into the public library is a no-go, and eating inside a restaurant seems to be reserved for the brave. The outfits shown here are as my-real-life as I can make them.

Where I'm shopping: Most of the clothes were thrifted unless otherwise noted (because we are able to access thrift stores).  Some of the accessories and jewelry came from antiques malls or markets (because ditto).

Would I really wear a skirt to Food Basics? Yes, I would. Next?

Colour Inspirations:

This scarf (from the antiques market)

And these apatite-bead bracelets (from Fierce Lynx Designs in New Brunswick)

Read the rest of the page here.

The Intentional Thrifter: An Autumn Story in July

(A story in the style of The Vivienne Files)

She finds it hard to pin down her favourite colour.  Sometimes it's blue. Sometimes it's green. Sometimes it's rose pink, plum, or even magenta.

But at least she knows that all those colours go pretty well with grey. Also navy, but she's putting her fall efforts into grey. So she pulls out last year's clothes, and uses what she's learned from The Vivienne Files to put a basic group of neutral things together.

Grey t-shirt, off-white shirt, jean-style Tencel shirt; blue jeans, grey pinstriped jeans, grey denim skirt

Short-sleeved grey sweater, off-white t-shirt, grey t-shirt dress, striped t-shirt, grey cords, grey fleece cardigan

Revolve dress from Encircled.ca

It seems she has enough to cover her back, but that there are some extra things that could help these clothes out. A pair of grey pants that aren't jeans or cords; a plain-ish, grey sweater that isn't a t-shirt. And maybe a pullover in a different colour.

She starts browsing a bit online, but can't seem to find the right things, right size, right price. A lot of things are out of stock. She does wonder, somewhat grumpily, why she's bothering. Her lifestyle was already pretty casual, but with all that's going on this year, her reasons to dress up now are pretty much zilch. Her clothes budget is also small, because she's decided to put some money into a good pair of shoes.

But one hot afternoon she puts on the accoutrements one currently needs to go shopping, and drops into a thrift store. Unfortunately, these days she can't try anything on, so it's all about estimating what will fit. The best thing about this store is that the prices are pretty low, so if she makes a mistake it's not a huge deal.

First, the pants rack. Narrowing it down by size, then colour and style, leaves only a couple of maybes. She goes with a dark grey pair that are a size up from her normal, but it's a forgiving sort of style, so she crosses her fingers and puts them in the cart.

Now to hunt for grey sweaters. She finds one she likes, with all its tags missing, including the fabric label; her best guess is that it's mostly cotton. It looks like it would work well with the pants.

Hey, what's that? An Ann Taylor Loft cardigan, and it definitely looks like it would fit.  Too good to pass up.

There's a pullover sweater in a bluish teal that will go with a scarf she recently acquired. It will be a good replacement for a red one she had that was a similar style, but that was shedding little balls of fur everywhere.

She's also been thinking about blouses, so she has a quick look along the long-sleeved-tops rack. This catches her eye: a cowl-neck cotton tunic in magenta, with sort of a pattern in the fabric that you miss at first glance. It's something that could be dressed up or down. Size Large, but it could still work.

Her thrifting instincts say "That's enough." She buys the five items for about the same price as one blouse she had looked at online. And she is very pleased.

Coming soon: Adding colour and making outfits.

Imaginary Vacation Wardrobe, Copied Shamelessly

So here's the story.

I have been reading The Vivienne Files website and its imagined travel wardrobes for a few years now; I've used them for inspiration as well as entertainment. But yesterday's post was the first time I ever thought, "I have most of those clothes, in the same colours."

So I thought I'd put my clothes out in the same way Janice did, just for fun, as if I were going away with Mr. Fixit for a few days. Maybe to that place up north we stayed at almost thirty years ago.

But first I'd have to do something about those off-white wide-leg not-so-cropped pants. You remember those? They've been hanging unworn because I did not want to risk maiming them. 

Today I thought, time to fish or cut bait. So I found some directions online, measured, cut, pressed, pinned, and sewed. They are now a reasonable length, and I can now put together the  Anniversary Vacation Variations.

Janice started with two scarves featuring pink and/or teal, so that's what I did too. (Both from Ten Thousand Villages)

Then she found tops, jewelry, and shoes in those colours. I don't have any pink or green shoes, but the other things came close. (Most of the clothes are thrifted. The pink t-shirt is new from Northern Reflections.)

Teal t-shirt, teal tank top, teal earrings, necklaces, scarf, navy shoes

Pink t-shirt, pink lacy top, earrings, necklace, scarf, white sneakers. I have a dark pink longer tank which could have been the second top here, but I decided to go with the dressier one. Anniversaries are supposed to be romantic.

Off-white cardigan, beige cocoon wrap, off-white wide-leg pants, bone pants, brown shorts (I don't have white ones); bone shoes which are not great for walking but that will make it through, say, a church service; and a pair of striped flats

From here on the photos are copies of the outfits that Janice came up with.

[Pink t-shirt, brown shorts]

[Pink t-shirt, cardigan, pants; and then the other cardigan and pants]

[Teal tank top, pants]

[Teal tank top, shorts]

[Teal t-shirt, pants]

[Teal t-shirt, shorts]

[Pink top, cardigan, pants, tote bag, shoes; I didn't take a picture with the shorts]

Some of the things shown above are fairly new, like the beige cocoon sweater and the brown shorts which are recent thrift store finds. I also found this print top, which looks black here but has deep teal and pink flowers and bits of brown, so it  goes well with just about everything up there.

What else would I add to Janice's list? I discovered that my teal Chrysalis Cardi is a good match for the top. Here it's playing a skirt, but it could also work as a wrap or a jacket. Or an extra dress.

Maybe a hat, a summery purse, and a bright pink/magenta cardigan.

Either a white lacy sweater, or just a t-shirt.

I also have a tank dress that goes well with the cocoon sweater.

Probably a pair of jeans, and a sturdier pair of running shoes in case we went walking somewhere bumpy/dirty. And a jean jacket or something like that in case things cooled off.

I think that would do it.

Summer Clothes: Botanically Brighter

As it often does here, the warm weather has come on full force, with only a flick of the hand at spring. Time for a changeover.

A few months ago I used our Rosina Wachtmeister poster as inspiration for a grey/pink winter wardrobe. It makes sense to start with the art or other things in your own home, doesn't it?--because you probably enjoy having those things around you. This print we thrifted about a year ago has a good mix of shapes and colours for summer clothes.

Two scarves from Ten Thousand Villages. Thrifted shirt.

Most of what I'll be wearing for the warm season isn't that different from the Briars and Brambles post from the end of March, and the outfits here. It's not like I've had the chance to go shopping much lately anyway. I did order two t-shirts almost a month ago...maybe they'll arrive soon.

So...no numbers, just some photos. I might do something more detailed later in the season.

Read the rest of the page here.