Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Mid January Blahs

When the only thing to look forward to this time of year is the auto show you know you're in a slump. Oh sure, there's our annual Burns Night supper, but otherwise this time of year is a bit uninspiring. My outfits are reflecting this state of whateverness as evidenced by my wearing a brocade skirt with my husband's fleece sweatshirt. He doesn't wear it, so no sense letting a perfectly good item of clothing go to waste. The fabric defies photography but this close-up is a better sense of the colour.
 There's even a matching vest/waistcoat.
Anyway, everything feels a bit much post-holidays, so I went with the fleece. 
Outfit Particulars:
Vintage skirt-Goodwill
Vintage tote bag-Goodwill
Boots-K Mart
Blue nylons-Target
Sweatshirt-Mr. ETB's
Copper pendant necklace-can't remember
Fragrance-Incognito
Poorly named as you will be anything but incognito wearing this very potent fragrance. That said, I rather like it. 
 Again, I've turned to black on top, but this time I've worn a bright, colorful silky pleated skirt by DaRue of California. They do make lovely pleated skirts (I own three).
Pale legs alert. I am wearing tan tights-clearly not helping!
Outfit Particulars:
Skirt-Goodwill
Top-K Mart
Necklace-Goodwill
Boots-Goodwill
Belt-Goodwill
Fragrance-Bijan
I have both the older and newer versions. Most of the time I wear a combination of both. I also have a stash of vintage minis I'm working my way through. I am seriously allergic to this one (I suspect it is the narcissus) but that hasn't stopped me wearing it. Like the ad says, "I can quit anything...except Bijan." God, I love this fragrance. Over-the-top in the best possible way.
 Here, I'm back to lack-of-imagination dressing again. 80's does 50's jacket, 70's knit skirt, Liberty scarf. Just. Not. Feeling it.

Fragrance-Shulton Friendship Garden. Pleasant in a very youthful way. It seems more appropriate for a tween than a woman my age. Basically, carnation and aldehydes-both in quantity. I like that in L'Air du Temps, but here it doesn't pack the same punch. Maybe my bottle lost something over the years.
I recently purchased this massive, vintage sewing basket for $3.99 I am pleased as can be, though I've been accumulating several of these baskets which would be fine if I ever did any sewing. Sigh. They're good for holding gloves and hankies too.
 We've been enjoying dining away from home now that Danny is cleared of food allergy concerns. This is a "Clown Sundae" from Petrow's. I don't know why it is called that...it didn't taste funny. It did have both chocolate and vanilla ice cream, marshmallow cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry on top. Delicious. The Chicagoan in me sees nothing strange in going out for ice cream in sub-zero weather.
We ordered some vegetables to keep it healthy. Don't onions have some sort of antioxidant property? Those looked better than they were, so I only had one. Now I'm going to be lacking in antioxidants...but not vitamin C...


 I have a few pounds of sweet, Meyer lemons and I thought about using them for marmalade, but they really are too mild to use in place of lemons.
And let's be honest, the only marmalade I like is Seville orange. See, I'm wearing my duffel coat and holding marmalade. Please take care of this blogger. Anyway, I'm probably going to help Danny make a batch of orange marmalade for the fair, but with Moros instead of Sevilles (we can't get them).
I did bake some lemon bars with a few of the Meyer lemons. Not sour enough for my taste, but everyone else loved them.
I spotted this on Yahoo's mail sidebar. I'm confident that's not Fast Eddie😊
Running this time of year is a drag. Ice, snow, sub-zero tempos. I can't even manage a short sprint around the block without worrying about breaking a hip. Until about March, I'll be indoors doing my best impersonation of a hamster on a wheel. I did 12 miles today and it was so fucking boring. We've had so much ice this year, it really is treacherous stepping outdoors. Cardio is cardio, but my brain needs a bit of exercise too. I've been reading Winship's translation of the Journey of Coronado with Danny, which is more interesting than I expected it to be. Explorers, political intrigue, 16th Century gossip-all the things that make for a good read. Anyway, between history and chemistry we have a rather full semester.
 I'm finding my faux furs are warmer than the real thing. This 70's coat is so heavy, I have sore shoulders after a day of wearing it.
Outfit Particulars:
wide pleated chiffon trousers-Goodwill
Beaded silk coat-New Life Thrift
90's wool scarf-can't remember where I bought it
Boots- K Mart
Vintage bag-Antique mall
Fragrance-Incanto Heaven, Ferragamo
I blind-bought a gigantic bottle of it and don't love it. I'm trying to tolerate it, but it depends on the day. It is better in cold weather than hot. There's a whiff of disinfectant about it, but overall it just isn't very interesting.
I'll leave you with a peek at my new handbag. There's a cord top plug in your phone and use the working handset-isn't that fun?


  • I hope your January has been more interesting than mine. I'm sure I'll feel more myself once I get past the cabin fever of being trapped at home in bad weather. 






10 comments:

Bibi Maizoon said...

Fast Eddie sure looks a lot like Mary Tyler Moore did in the 70's.
January is my least favorite month of the year- drab & dreary & gathering all the crap to do my taxes. I am loving your wintry ensembles though.
Meyer lemons make nice lemon curd.
Love your retro phone handbag in glittery pink- will the youngsters of today even know that's a phone?

Alli Duncan said...

You may be feeling blue but you still look a lot better than most of the people I see daily!

I just lost my mind when I saw your telephone handbag. I have only ever seen one in Australia before and it was in a museum (and it was black, not an amazing colour like yours). What amazing items you can pick up - you always brighten my day :D

Alli, Australia

Mim said...

Aaaah! That's like that suit of Joan Crawford's that I loved in Feud! And when you showed that pink bag on IG I thought it looked awesome. No harm in buying new if it's something you really, really love.

Maybe the clown sundae has its name because the cherry looks like a clown's nose?

January is bobbins, made worse as the anniversary of the MIL's death is coming up so poor old Pete is really down right now. I'm hanging on for India. And Pete got so fed up he booked a holiday to Seville. Tho I don't think the oranges will be ripe in September...

bahnwärterin said...

have cabin fever too - but i try to kill some time with sewing. and heating the oven with coals - and dragging them, and wood, in from the shed is a good exercise every day.... ;-)
fab outfits - the hippy-esque is unusual for you but suits you very well.
isn´t that phone bag by a famous designer?!
xxxx

Beth Waltz said...

Numb, I'm feeling numb and cannot decide if that is due to the continuing sub-zero temps or my usual post-holiday blahs. Red lipstick is the answer! You wear it well in that close-up in the faux-fur, Goody. (Wore the vintage chubby yesterday and several ladies petted it.)

The liberty scarf is a beautiful blend with the jacket. Somehow a silky scarf makes the woolies appear less itchy. But the *wow* ensemble is the beaded silk coat over the loose trousers, under the fur. Whatever the Burns dinner is, unless it's a wiener-roast in the woods, this is THE outfit to wear.

Propagatrix said...

Hey, there’s your Borgazia coat that matches mine! You seriously are my sister from another mister. Also, the phone bag is to die for.

Why not try making some Moroccan salt-preserved Meyer lemons? http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/02/salt-preserved-meyer-lemons.html

Polyester Princess said...

January is always a blah month for me, and this year especially so. I try to cheer myself up through my clothes. The brocade skirt is fabulous, but I can sort of understand your need to dress it down with the fleece top. I'm loving the colourful pleated skirt - almost as bright as the lemons - and the beaded silk coat worn over the chiffon trousers. The ice cream does look delicious. Being know as the slowest ice cream eater in the universe, I'm not sure I'd be able to finish it. These outings must be a real treat for Danny! You left the best for last: I now want a telephone bag too! xxx

Anonymous said...

I love that 'phone bag. I have a watering can handbag and a teapot handbag and -good grief, I am 72! I used to have a little travel trunk one too but I gave it to an actual child! A friend in Mt Prospect still has a wall hung 'phone. One day her daughter's friend ( in High School) asked if she could call home. It was in the days before every teen had a 'phone. In a few moments she came to tell them that she hadn't a clue how to use that 'phone! JanF

Goody said...

@Bibi
Yeah, I wonder was Lemmy Rhoda in the alternate universe? Lemon curd is wonderful-and it freezes. Thanks for the suggestion.

@Alli
Thank you, what a sweet thing to say. It brightens my day hearing from you!

@Mim
The first few years after the death of a parent is hard, and there isn't much to do other than mourn and remember the good times. I'm getting close to the age my mum was when she died and it is a strange mix of sadness and guilt.
I shouldn't tell you (but I will) the bag is Betsey Johnson and she has a robot handbag
https://www.amazon.com/Betsey-Johnson-Love-Machine-Gold/dp/B075H4SFZ4/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1516330493&sr=1-1-fkmr0&nodeID=7141123011&psd=1&keywords=betsey+johnson+robot+purse

I thought of you when I saw it.

@Beate
Dragging wood and coals is indeed a workout. The bag is Betsey Johnson. I'm crazy for her bags and shoes.

@Beth
You too, huh? I don't know what it is but you had the right idea wrapping up in fur. Our Burns Night supper (in honour of the poet Robert Burns) consists of drinking too much whisky, and reciting poetry to a (vegetarian) haggis. I married a Scotsman, etc. His mother's side is Pennsylvania Dutch so I should be thankful he doesn't want me to cook him pig knuckles ;)

@Propagatrix
I have the feeling our wardrobes would be rather interchangeable. I already have 3 jars of preserved lemons ;) I am thinking of trying an Indian pickle with them. I made some lemonade today, but iot almost seemed too mild.

@Ann
I've never been deterred from eating ice cream quickly by the threat of "brain freeze" headaches...which probably explains why I'm so strange! Danny is enjoying the local doughnut shop. We go on Sunday afternoon and get three doughnuts we can all cut into 3rds and share. It satisfies the desire to try more than one at a time without eating several. Having not eaten away from home for ten years I didn't realise how expensive it became. $30.00 for a pizza that didn't even have meat? It was a very nice pizza but...

@Jan
I can just imagine the look on the kid's face trying to use the phone! I still have a rotary phone packed away somewhere. It was heavy! Don't know how we didn't all sprain our wrists holding the receivers.

Vronni's Style Meanderings said...

I think January is definitely a 'blah' month. It's the after Christmas feeling and the poor weather combined, I think. I am sorry your running outside is so restricted, it is a bummer. I wanted to go walking with my daughter today but it's snowed, rained and sleeted all day!

Some fab garments and outfits here. I love, love, love the beaded jacket and I think I had similar pleated chiffon pants (in white) but gave them away as they were see through. I love your faux fur and your hair is wonderfully elegant when you wear it up. Loved your lippie too but I'd never heard of any of the perfumes...

Never mind, Goody, spring is on it's way!