Friday, December 05, 2014

Clash of the Tartans

 I have enough plaid to do this every day in December, and probably well into the new year. See what happens when you marry a Scotsman?
To the uninitiated, the outfits look similar. They're not, but I acknowledge that it looks like I am wearing a uniform of sorts. As uniforms go, you could do a whole hell of a lot worse than plaid.
 This is the other, Shiny Bright Christmas Corsage.
 They seem like such an obvious idea, I'm surprised they didn't stay popular. It wouldn't take more than a glue gun and some cheap decorations to make your own. There's still time, if you feel inspired. These are nice, almost tasteful. Maybe I need to create one...that isn't. I have a glue gun and a .99 cent store up the street.
The back is very plain (and fragile). That's only a foil covered paper. I'm still amazed it has survived this long.
Speaking of crafts-Danny used his molecule set to make a reindeer. A two-headed reindeer, but hey. Molecular Reindeer would be a great name for an alternative Icelandic band.
Most days, I wear an apron around the house because I'm a slob. Sometimes, I forget I'm wearing the apron, and run out to the library, only noticing my mistake when I get home. They must think I'm the strangest person in the city (I may well be). At least it was a seasonal apron. We won't talk about my leaving the house only to discover I'm still wearing slippers.

*Robot Voice*
"Phase-One Christmas Candy Operation Completed."

That translates to sixteen pounds of salted caramels in non-robot speak. I feel like a robot though. Still, I'm glad that's out of the way early, and tomorrow it will be handed around at bird banding, and to the wonderful people that work at Aksarben aquarium. We are fortunate enough to have really great people in our lives, and it is the happiest sort of work crafting sweets for people you appreciate. The library volunteers are getting spritz cookies this year because I have an awesome vintage Swedish cookie press that doesn't get used as much as it ought to. I keep forgetting I have it!
I bought Mr. ETB an e-reader today. He was surprised, and he likes it, but has no idea he's getting the electronic TLS subscription for Christmas (he doesn't read the blog). It was such an incredibly good deal, and it came with all manner of freebies. I couldn't face Best Buy or one of the similarly horrible places, so I went to Office Depot where I dealt with the same employee I always deal with (he's been there forever) and they have a hassle-free return policy. I was out of there in under ten minutes, got what I wanted, at the price I wanted, and didn't feel like I'd just endured some dehumanising retail experience. I don't do much adventuring in the world of retail, but I have to say I am consistently impressed with the way the office supply store operates. They're not paying me or compensating me in any way to say that.

Outfit Particulars:

Clash of the Tartans-I

Christmas blouse-Goodwill .99 cents
Esprit 80's velvet (nearly threadbare) waistcoat-bought it new at an Esprit boutique in Chicago, mid-80's
Tartan skirt-K Mart
Tights-Assets
Poinsettia brooch-K Mart
Ornament earrings-Big Lots
Rhinestone hair combs-Sally's
Fragrance-Emeraude
Back-of-the-head-shot...impressive, no? The grey is coming in nicely in back-I hadn't noticed until I saw this photo.


Clash of the Tartans-II

1970's Act III velvet jacket (part of a suit)-Goodwill
Shiny Bright Christmas Corsage II-Thrift World
1980's Land's End wool tartan-Salvation Army
Black poloneck-Gordman's
Vintage Christmas apron-Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-Tabu (which I still don't love, but it smells spicy in a Christmas sort of way)

I bought myself a few fragrance decants yesterday. I'm so excited for them to arrive. I've wanted to smell Guerlain's Djedi but it is so hard to find. I ordered a very tiny decant, just so I can have the experience of smelling something that's described as being too weird for words. That's my kind of perfume. I also ordered the Vintage Guerlain Oeillet, Vetiver, and a decant of vintage Coty Chypre. I aslo ordered a small decant of vintage Jicky to see if I hate it as much as the contemporary version. I suspect I dislike the artificial civet in the modern formulation, so I'm curious to see if the older one smelled less abrasive. Anyway, .25 ML is hardly a commitment if I decide I can't be in the same room with it. This weekend, I'm going to the Hot Shops open house where the woman who sold me the vintage Tweed is going to have a sale in her studio space. I doubt I'll be finding Djedi or Chypre sitting around on a table, but I am expecting to find something. It should be interesting. Now, if I can just get out of there without buying any pottery or blown glass, everything will be great!

I hope you have a great weekend, and that St. Nicholas leaves you a shoe full of candy Saturday. I'd settle for a shoe full of perfume decants, but the kid expects candy. *Shrug*



10 comments:

Sue said...

Better to leave the house wearing an apron than leave the house with your skirt tucked into the back of your undies! You haven't done that have you??? I like tartan but after wearing a kilt for 4 years at high school I cannot face it, tartan, kilts, etc. So Mr ETB is a Scot. TOF is an Irish man which explains ALOT!!!

Goody said...

I DID do that once. I was waiting to board a plane when a woman kindly came and told me about it. It must have been like that for a good long while, but no one else said anything!

Bibi said...

I wonder if the Djedi you've purchased is the original 1927 version or the 1996 re release?
Either way I've always wanted to try it too!
Apparently George Lucas named the Jedi force in Star Wars after the 'Djedi' an ancient order of Egyptian priest/warriors who wore hooded robes, carried a staff of power and guarded the pharaoh.
I'm mad for plaid but every time I've wear it I hear my mom screaming "PLAID MAKES YOU LOOK FAT!!!" (She would scream similar pleasantries about corduroy, overalls, & straight legged trousers.)

Goody said...

@Bibi

I ordered the original 1926 from Perfumed Court, which is why it was so $$$. The reissue isn't exactly cheap either, but I wanted to smell the original. If you're looking for it, I'd hop over there and order a decant before it is gone-this stuff isn't available too often.

I got the, "You look fat" nonsense too. Obviously. Duh. Still wear the plaid ;)

Jayne H said...

I love those Shiny Bright corsages and very impressed as it looks like you managed to get the back of the head shot all by yourself

Joanna said...

Festive lady! Love the corsage. I can quite imagine the yummy smells of delicious dishes you are making this holiday season. I bought a lovely apron at an antique market this summer and they are pretty cheap. I also bought a couple more over the internet but I'm thinking I like to see them better in person because aprons get worn out a lot from the washing of them. Yours is just lovely!

Autumn said...

I could swear I caught a whiff of Tabu reading this post ;-)

Propagatrix said...

Your apron = my lab coat. I am a slob, so I opt for full coverage while cooking. Plain lab coats are super cheap at the uniform store, and I just found a "CORONER" patch to put on one of them.

Mim said...

I'll be interested to hear round you got on with the vintage Jicky. I didn't like the stuff I sampled at a department story, finding it very odd at the top, but when I bought my husband a backup bottle of Habit Rouge it, and my new Shalimar, had the same note - and the old bottle of Habit Rouge definitely didn't. So I suspect the synthetic civet is deffo the culprit.

Goody said...

@Propagatrix

Did you embroider, "Dr. Dinner" on

it? I'd be tempted.

@Joanna
Mine don't last long, as I use them too.

@Mim
The synthetic civet is a (wait for it) different animal (sorry, had to).
I haven't smelled Habit Rouge in ages, but I don't think I could convince Mr. ETB to wear it. I should buy it for myself. I'll let you know about the Jicky. I can't imagine people really wear it in the present version. *Shudder*