New clothes and old habits

Outfit details

C. 1950s brown felt hat with wooden toggle: Purchased from a fellow vintage blogger
Faux pearl stud earrings: Claire’s
Mustard yellow button front shirt: Thrifted (originally from Ricki's)
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Burgundy cardigan: Mexx
C. 1950s/1960s brown wooden circle brooch: Thrifted
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Super store
Burgundy plastic beaded stretch bracelet: Thrifted (Value Village)
1950s/1960s mustard yellow and pink paisley circle skirt: Red Light Vintage
Lace trimmed white crinoline (not visible): Petticoat Style 1950s taupe gloves: Unknown, had for years (probably eBay)
C. 1970s - 80s wooden beaded handbag: Thrifted (Value Village)
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Burgundy faux suede pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Party Line
Photography by Tony Cangiano  

♥ ♥ ♥

Before launching into today's post, I must give credit to Tony, whose photography skills shone especially brightly on the day these images were taken. You might not sense if fully from the photos here, but the wind and light that day were flat out bonkers! This shoot now ranks amongst the top three windiest we've ever done and the light was the sort where it changes ever few seconds. Even with this potential impediments from Mother Nature in place, Tony still managed to capture a slew of beautiful photos and I sincerely thank him for that.

Occasionally over the years I've spoken here - and on YouTube - about the fact that I have rather bad teeth. They're massive crowded and crocked (some of which is hidden by my lips, especially on the bottom row), unattractive looking, and four back ones are missing (pulled in my youth because things like root canals could not be afforded). I was teased mercilessly throughout school because of them, know for a fact that they didn't help my dating life when I was single, and continue to feel the various negative ways in which they impact me to this day.

I'm not here to delve into all that again really (and certainly am not pitying myself), but it warrants saying because today, for only the second time ever (as far as I can recall) in my blog's 6.5 years of life, I am not only showing you my teeth (or at least how they look when I try to smile with them showing - I say "try" because I genuinely don't know how to naturally smile with them flashing, as I have spent my whole life trying to cover them up as much as possible, including by usually smiling with my lips closed), but doing so intentionally.

It struck me a while ago that I was already doing just this on YouTube when I speak there, so why keep my mouth closed on camera, too? Why? There are so many reasons for me, some of which I've just touched on, but ultimately, I have accepted this is who I am and how I look. I hope with every fiber of my being to have the financial means to give my mouth a serious overhaul one day, but thus far in my 31 years of life that that hasn't been possible (and likely won’t be for a while to come still).

The older I get, the more I continue to work on building my self-confidence and making peace with the present. As such, I wanted to be brave and smile with my teeth showing in this shoot - and who knows - perhaps in other photos as time goes on as well. Is it a beautiful smile? Goodness, no, but it's the only one I've got and that certainly counts for something.

Now, on to the new - clothes that is!!! Though not intentionally planned, it occurred to me as I was sorting through these photos that vast majority of what I'm wearing in them has been purchased throughout 2015.

This gorgeous 1950s/1960s mustard yellow, pink and burgundy circle skirt is the most recent acquisition, picked up from Etsy seller Red Light Vintage during a recent sale in that shop. The colours in it are amongst my favourite ever and I knew that my first outfit featuring this skirt needed to pull from them.

The yellow button front shirt (which is sleeveless and great for spring - early fall) was a thrifted find back around the start of July. The delightful little 50s felt pillbox-esque hat was purchased a few months ago from a fellow vintage blogger, and the shoes were bought new from Payless this past August (I'd wanted a classic pair of pumps in burgundy for...well...ever! And was elated to score these this year).

The other elements of this ensemble - the jewelry, gloves, beaded handbag, stockings, and burgundy cardigan are all older, but no less important to the over all look here and I must say, I just adore how this colour palette came together. It is so rich, feminine, and ideally suited to the very month that we're in: October.





We took these (very wind blown!) snaps on one of our favourite streets in (the nearby city of) Kelowna, which happens to have some historic homes on it, so naturally I couldn't help but pose in front of one of the most beautiful. This elegant abode is called the J.W. Jones House and is currently used by a law office. Isn't it a stunner? The wrap around front porch slays me every time I see it.

It's great when new and old can collide like that to create something wonderful like this outfit - or, in the case of my teeth, help one continue to grow and better accept themselves, even when doing so is quite the personal challenge.

So while you might not see me flashing my crocked pearly whites in every photos shoot hence forth, don't be surprised if they pop up every now and then. Old habits - like not smiling with them showing - might die hard, but they can indeed be laid to rest and it is my sincere hope that this post will help me do just that when it comes working up the nerve to smile in front of the lens.