Pix-Elated

I'm in Vancouver for a medical appointment and when I finished at the doctor's I stopped in at Zara for some try-ons. Thought I'd show you! I did not purchase anything but am debating on the first set. 

Outfit 1-6 is a short vest, pants co-ord in very lightweight linen-cotton. The quality is actually quite nice! The fabric is thin but not see through and very comfortable. Vest is cotton lined. Pants have a really cool shape -- sort of a tuck at the bottom, a bit like Janet's Nili Lotan's...but these are drapier. They are a bit long on me with my flattest shoes but would work with my higher sneakers and sandals. Zara calls them mid-rise but on me they were ultra high rise! 

The vest would need at least a tank under it for me to feel comfy in it because the armholes are just a bit low (I think). I could also wear it with a shirt underneath or a tee. I just tried it with the top I happened to be wearing as my first option.

Thoughts? It's very comfy. Definitely a summer item. Items could be mixed and matched. The vest worked with my Dries pants, which I was wearing -- but I forgot to snap a pic. 

The next set was great in theory -- not so much in real life. Vest is fitted but the body is too long for me (same problem Janet often has) and darts are in the wrong place. You can see from photo 8. It could be adjusted but the quality of the item is not worth it in my opinion -- the fabric is a bit scratchy, there were a lot of loose threads, there was a colour imperfection on the front of this vest, and I didn't like the pants as much as the other pair, either.

Also, OMG those little buttons!! SO cute but such a hassle to do up and undo every time!! It's a woven item so you can't just pull it on!

But I do like the idea of a high necked vest and/or a fitted vest so might keep experimenting with that. 

Open to your thoughts! 

Just. quick snap of me in my horseshoe jeans from the blog. What I said there: I have a pair in the splotchy blue “cloud” wash (naturally). Note: the fabric content of these is not 100% cotton. (Here’s the breakdown: Cotton 59%, TENCEL™ Viscose 36%, Recycled Cotton 5%). I don’t know if the other washes differ — they may. Also, what Angie says about the rise is accurate. Recall, I have a long rise. But I am relatively short. I almost never buy petite pants because of the rise issue, but because of the baggy nature of these I thought I would give petite a try, for the length. In the end, I a actually sized UP in petites, because for me the rise was a bit short in my regular size — the extra room in the waist helped with the rise length.

I got mine on super sale. I see they are back to full price on the Canadian site -- I am tempted by the pink or the off white but will wait to consider if they go on sale. 

FWIW. 

Not really "styled" here -- just what I threw on for a walk in our neighbourhood. 

I was vowing to buy only Canadian but did break down to buy these. Mea culpa. 

I'm back from my trip to London and Vienna. We had a wonderful time. It did not hurt that the weather was sensational in London. We had one day of cool and cloudy skies but no real rain and the rest of the week the skies were clear and bright and the temperatures warm. 

I was not able to snap photos of people on the streets/ tube etc. but I did keep my eyes open. Of course, for parts of each day we were in very touristy areas, and so clothing is not terribly representative. But I saw a surprising number of skinny jeans on women of all ages. Trainers on almost everybody, with the odd pair of sandals on the warmest days. Lots of black, of course, but also lots of light neutrals and plenty of light denim. Lots of printed, boho-lite or light neutral summery dresses on the weekend. Shop windows were full of handkerchief hems on skirts and dresses (they seem to be enjoying a resurgence), along with many tiny squarish bags in the Bond Street and Regent Street shops. 

In Vienna, the weather was uncharacteristically much cooler and cloudier than in London. We basically got London weather in Austria. However, the shop windows -- and the people -- were generally dressed more colourfully. Lots of beautiful coloured shoes! Mostly flat loafers in the windows but people were also wearing a lot of trainers. Many people wearing blazers in lovely lightweight tweeds and linen on work days. More business dress, less athleisure on the streets and in the tram except on teens and 20-somethings and tourists. 

As for me, I wore the heck out of my clothes and felt comfortable and appropriate in all my outfits. MVPs included my thrifted Paul Smith blazer (so much love for this jacket), my very wide leg lightweight wool BR pants (soooo easy to dress up and down, denim jacket, Theory vest and pants, and my Cole Haan platform oxfords. 

Here's a link to my capsule. Apart from my skirt and two dressy sleeveless tops, I wore everything at least once, including my white jeans, which got two wears. I had planned to wear my skirt and one sleeveless top to the opera  and another dressy sleeveless top to a nicer dinner or to the theatre if it was warm enough but weather did not cooperate, so I was glad to have an alternative prepared. 

We saw three plays (including one musical -- Hamilton -- for our kid, who was over the moon about going), and in Vienna Mr. Suz and I went to the opera (Tosca!) and to a concert -- Vienna Philharmonic and a huge chorus conducted by Riccardo Muti playing Mozart's Jupiter symphony. In both cases we were sitting more or less in the rafters but the sound and the settings were amazing. We saw so many galleries/ museums I swear I have eye strain and will need months to process it all. So now it is time for laundry! 

I apologize for the quality of the photos. 

1 and 2 -- the Paul Smith in action in two different outfits. 

3- 7. -- arcade and shop windows around Piccadilly/ Bond St., Regent St. 

8-11  shop windows in Vienna. 

12  Pastries -- as pretty as the shoes!

13-15  at the opera. 

The buildings are magnificent and a bit overwhelming (the scale is hard to convey in photos) but I may put some pics of these in the off-topic section in the next few days. :) 

Mr. Suz and the adult child and I are heading to London tomorrow. The kid will be with us for 5 days and then they are going off to visit a friend in Ireland and from there to Paris -- their first trip to Europe. Mr. Suz and I will stay on in London a few more days and then go to Vienna to visit his older daughter. 

My travel capsule is very much like last year's, with a few extra items since the trip is a few days longer. I am probably bringing too much, but so be it. :)  We have a washer but no dryer so I probably won't wash bottoms -- since they could take too long to dry.  Hence, I am bringing multiple options. https://youlookfab.com/finds/c.....tion=14938

We will be going to galleries, theatres, opera (in Vienna), eating out, maybe taking in some other concerts, and walking walking walking. Forecast is excellent. Warm, and (so far) no rain predicted! 

The burgundy "dress" in the photo is actually a blouse now -- it works well with the Dries pants for a relaxed but polished dinner outfit or even theatre on a warmer day. 

Last year I brought my Mary Janes but did not end up wearing them -- so I don't think I will bother with them this year. They are cute but not the best for long hours on my feet. 
 
Posting for those who like packing posts. Clearly, this is not going to fit in a carry on. :)

So, I felt like a bit of a change, and I've dyed my hair! 

Not completely, of course. Actually I've just highlighted it with blue and lowlighted with a bit of charcoal, and just in the front. Here is the result. 

I'm also wearing new sunnies. Last week I went through a panic, thinking I'd lost my old ones and went out and bought two new pair, only to find my old beloved pair -- so I returned one option and kept one, because it's always fun to have something different and always important to have a backup!