Longest Night

Much gratitude for several recent blog mentions - I'm honoured to be linked to by Jean of Dross Into Gold, Suzanne Carillo Style Files, and Sally McGraw's Already Pretty. Thank you kindly! 

green scarf: Lupita's (Harlingen, TX), worn here
blue wool/synthetic blend turtleneck sweater with flared sleeves: Tommy Hilfiger Denim, local discount / overstock store
black tank top: Vanderbilt, Zellers, 7+ yrs. old
silk recycled sari skirt: Alchemy Eco-fashions, The Circle Game, worn here (another favourite outfit)
amazing bottle-green boots: Fluevog Radio Ard

I'm returning the favour by telling about three holiday-themed posts that I found especially moving for their focus on reverent connection rather than consumerism: 

Mascha's Buch: Solstice

Kiki and the Gypsy: Christmas Tale

and Project Minima: The Yellow Skirt at Sunrise … and Mom

vintage grey leather coat: Derbers Voco Leather-Fashions, Netty Vintage, worn in excellent light here

Apologies for these dark photos as we head into longer days. I felt quite festive in this outfit, exposing the skirt's nearly secret bits of blue and green. I'll say more about this latest celebratory footwear next time - better-lit pics are already lined up!

I wish my fellow North Americans safe passage through the storm. I awoke to a goodbye this morning: our beloved ancient plum tree, featured as it burst into glorious bloom in my own Travelling Yellow Skirt Freak Show post, collapsed under the weight of the ice.

With its heart cracked open and steaming yet, we wait for spring, harbouring a tiny bit of hope that it may still sprout from the centre and someday spread again.

Always Greener

Hi ho, hi ho … or after the last couple posts, I should maybe say ho hum, ho hum with this regular work outfit. But it's perfectly comfortable and serviceable, it'll do!

green scarf: Lupita's (Harlingen, TX), worn here
corduroy blazer: Urban Behaviour, thrifted for ~$2, couple of years ago
black leather obi belt: Elizabeth Kelly London, etsy, worn here
shark-bite hem tank top: Bellini, Winners, and
black / ivory sofa-print skirt: Triangle, Winners (7+ years ago) also worn together here (3rd outfit, with red obi)

In the early 2000s, the Winners dressing room was my natural habitat. I thought the Winners store built last spring in the next town over could be a trap, so I avoided it for months. The one time I went there (in my ongoing search for a new office wall clock) was so dismal that it laid my worry to rest. Same as the vast majority of regular retail these days - low quality, high homogeneity, zero interest. 

jointed leaf necklace: Tradewinds (local shop), worn here
all the lint: blogger's own
green Slap watch: Cactus Flower
silver OM bracelet: Lollapalooza vendor, early '90s
leather and silver "hands" bracelet: AGO, precious gift 1994, replaced 2005
rubber O-ring
green-soled shoes: Arche Gayal, worn here for twirling and a goodbye to a sweet hen

Fortunately, the clothes I already have will last me a long, long, long time.
And now, to the grindstone! Which is always, always the paperwork and never, ever the people. Perhaps it's good that I have neither windows nor clock to watch.

And Its Heart So Savage

Further to the theme of "had to have it," it's high time to take my favourite special event ensemble over to Gracey's Fashion for Giants for the latest episode of Literary Stylings  - check out the book-inspired looks!

mythical critter-print maxi dress: La Casita de Wendy, ModCloth
red leather obi belt: Elizabeth Kelly London, etsy, worn here (3rd outfit)

My sister taught me to read when I was 3, and ever since the nights of Nancy Drew and dwindling flashlight batteries I've had to be reading in order to fall asleep. Nowadays, together with a hand-me-down e-reader pre-loaded with extremely terrible vampire novels, there are usually several books stashed between my pillows (and woe betide anyone who tries to turn off my little light or ease the pages from my sleepy clutches).  

source

An exceptional read this fall was Savage Love by highly esteemed Canadian author and my friend Douglas Glover. In contrast to the aforementioned extremely terrible yet effectively soporific vampire novels, the stories in Savage Love more easily encourage a deliciously unsettling insomnia as they tend to stick to the ribs, or in many cases between them, being keen-edged with interpersonal horror, levity, and relentless skewering. 

Savage Love is enjoying sustained attention; it has been widely reviewed and recommended. Among its stories, I have a soft spot for The Ice Age, and the opening of Uncle Boris Up in a Tree is a gem. My personal favourite is The Sun Lord & The Royal Child for its painfully accurate send-up of our shared home region's local culture, ancient history, and geography. 

vintage clip-on sea monster earrings with jewelled dingle-dangles: Netty Vintage
stupendous olive green ankle boots: Fluevog Surrealist Pizza, worn here
all the wrist business: detailed here as well
antique amber ring: a gift from my mother, close-up here
giant red carnelian ring (seen below): El Disco Super Centre (Progreso, Mexico), closer look here

Douglas Glover is also the publisher and editor of the online magazine Numéro Cinq, where earlier this year he published a series of my tobacco-farming poems. It was doubly an honour that he liked them well enough to include an excerpt of his own memoir alongside. *** EDITED TO ADD: I've created a "Writings and Such" page via a tab up top to collect and make available my published works and celebrate recent developments. Thank you so much for reading!***

Today's post title comes from this song: 

I'm excited to catch up with other unique voices at some forthcoming gatherings, including Shoe Shine hosted by Bella of The Citizen Rosebud, and Share-in-Style: Christmas at Mis Papelicos, and, of course, Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. See you there! 

Emotional Baggage

 Well, sometimes I just have to have things.

brown wool hat: Parkhurst Basque beret, Netty Vintage
long green-gold velveteen jacket: Della Spiga, Winners (~2005), previously worn belted with two of my favourite outfits here and here
suitcase, sticker, and key print dress: Myrtlewood of California, ModCloth
crinoline underneath: Netty Vintage, worn here and here
brown wrap belt: Netty Vintage, worn here
olive green ankle boots: Fluevog Swordfish Surrealist Pizza

wrist doo-dads, from top: rubber O-ring
yellow vegetable turquoise bracelet (Gabii's, Progreso, TX, worn here)
leather and silver hands bracelet (AGO, precious gift 1994, replaced 2005)
silver OM (Lollapalooza vendor, early '90s)
Swiss Army Cavalry watch (beloved gift, 1994)

Given my line of work (look here too) and sense of humour, how in the world could I resist a dress printed all over with baggage? And with my love of Fluevog Swordfish shoes abiding 20+ years (you've seen two of my three "homegrown vintage" pairs: Tara T-straps and oxblood Chelsea boots), what was I to do when Fluevog brought the Swordfish family back? 

glasses: Oakley
silver earrings: Lollapalooza vendor, early '90s
brown, silver, and hematite bead necklace: jewelry booth ~20 years ago, worn here

Despite the altered state of shopping known semi-affectionately around here as the "Aw, DAMMIT" I remain completely allergic to paying full price. Being that "Aw, DAMMIT" is very different from "I actually need it" plus I am blissfully immune to giving a hoot about trends, I lie in wait for substantial coupon codes, and / or sometimes let several seasons pass while prices come down (see red clogs, Tom Ford sunglasses). 

In the case of these boots, as the stock in my size dwindled alarmingly, I used a chunk of store credit I'd been hoarding for half a year. And it was my birthday.  For many years now, I have been celebrating milestones, events, and goal accomplishments with shoes. :) 

I'm marching on over to Style Crone for the amazing Judith's Hat Attack #5, and wonderful Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. Do come with, and see all the fabulous headwear and outfits!