WIW during a week of wandering around beautiful Vancouver BC - YouLookFab Forum

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WIW during a week of wandering around beautiful Vancouver BC

Vix

Veteran

A special hello to our Canadian members who are so lucky to claim such a gorgeous, exciting city as Vancouver for their own (if they so desire...).

Well, I thought my summer vacation would never get here, but it did and wow was it worth the wait.

As a PNW person I was a *little* jaded by some things (the city's lushness, coffee shops/independent stores, hipsters) but I barely made a dent in exploring all the city had to offer and would love to go back!

In going through my trip photos + Mr Vix's rare shots of me for my blog I did some "YLF selects." You may notice I am all about the hats and yes-8-hours-of-walking heels, though I make footwear exceptions for grueling hikes.

[You may also notice my outfit photographer doesn't tell me to straighten my clothes, especially when cherries are distracting his attention.]

BTW, I tried to make use of our rental's mirror wall but the lighting wasn't much better than at home and I forgot my tripod. Credit for trying?

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* Photo 3 is the large scarf-as-dress or tunic overlay I posted about in this thread:
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ic-overlay

The trip version got progressively more pink sack-like as the hours of walking wore on, but I loved wearing it and figured the tile made up for the extra blousiness, ha.

* Photo 4 and 6: Mr Vix in his version of vacation wear (Tshirt-centric) + dressed up a bit for black dress/splurge dinner night (and post-dinner art installation lounging)

* Photo 9: 13 y.o. spiderweb wool black dress worn on its own (as in #5) and as underlayer for blouse (#1)

* Photo 10: Close-up of the wool overlay and black underlayer because maybe someone else out there is as excited about this as I continue to be

* Photo 11: Evidence that I am a multiples person (shoes + bag) and when traveling by car will exploit that!

This bag shape has been with me on several city trips now and I love it. Wish I liked crossbody styles for myself but no can deal!

The somewhat leg enstumpening wedges are super-comfortable on my wider, high-arched, swells-in-heat foot -- they were all-day walking shoes for me. They're Clarks Sky Pocomo espadrilles (yet more victims of my DIY metallic leather shoe creams)

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32 replies

Latest reply was from Janet

Traci

Veteran

Gorgeous! Every single picture is stunning. I love your use of accessories, especially those pewter sandals.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

VIx, THANK you for sharing these stunning photos with us! You are such an inspiration. These are so compositionally clever and the colours are so lovely. And oh, I continue to love your wardrobe!! You are very clever with layering over plain dresses, I see. The LBD is also the L BLUE dress and various others.

ETA: And I still love the pattern of your two piece outfit in the early pic. It reminds me of the inside of book covers.

Those sandals really do look perfect. I wonder if they are still available. So clever of you to dye a pair. I just picked up a pair of Clarks wedge sandals on sale and wore them yesterday for a long day of walking in the heat and was THRILLED. My feet are shaped like yours, I suspect.

Your pictures make me homesick for Vancouver. Sigh.....It WAS home for 3 years.....

Vix

Veteran

Traci and Suz --

Thank you! Vancouver is a very photographic city, no question. I've started blogging the trip-trip photos but snuck a few of the clothing ones in there.

Traci, I'm all about metallic and skin-tone sandals in the summer (so much that a friend was shocked I'd bought red ones...clearly I am a little too predictable!). I bought the metallic shoe cream several years ago and have made liberal use of it when I run into a right shoe/wrong (lightish) color issue.

Suz, you lucky thing to live in Vancouver for those years. I was trying to decide which neighborhood I'd pick but ran out of time. And yes, the Pocomo style is still online, hopefully in your size.

[Shop around because after buying the 1st pair locally I got the second at a good discount online. They run TTS but I did buy the local pair 1/2 size up because it was all they had, and didn't have any pain during all the walking from doing so.]

ETA: Yes, I feel the same way about that marbled print! That's what I said about a custom halter top I had made a few years ago, too, and in researching I found some amazing vintage end papers and book covers. That blog post is here, if you're interested:

http://buildingacolorfullife.w.....alter-top/

anne

Veteran

Vix, thanks so much for sharing your stunning outfits and for letting us into your holiday a little!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, VIx - that is helpful. I am also really happy to have the reminder that you dyed yours. I remember that tutorial from last year. Putting it together with Claire's messages about all her dyed bags, and Rae's, plus Sarah's recent dye job, I am feeling much more hopeful about footwear in general. Often I'll find a style I like but not in a colour I want. Especially if it's bought on sale, why NOT try to dye it? Makes a lot of sense.

Thanks again for the rich inspiration.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Thank you for posting these gorgeous pictures! I love your hats and you have wonderful mix of color and texture in your clothes. Beautiful!

qpswan

LOVE you photos - you made our city look beautiful with your stunning outfits!

You remind me of a better time when people took the time to dress for holidays...

DeclawedJaguar

Veteran

Vix, your outfits are gorgeous! It's also nice to see you put some very cute hats to work. I love hats, but haven't been able to wear them since getting a pixie cut, because now hats make me look like a silly boy. So I envy a little your ability to look so effortlessly chic in a hat.

I'm going to need to revisit your post on tying a scarf as a dress, because it's such a beautiful look. Thank you for sharing your photos!

JR

Veteran

Boy, can I see why you're excited about that dress.

All in all, a very successful trip. I love your outfits.

I never realized that wedges could be used for walking shoes. I will have to try that. But first I'll have to buy a pair of wedges... LOL!

Claudia

Veteran

Vix, I too adore the city of Vancouver, BC and the whole geographic location. So beautiful! I also adore your style and photos.

Astrid

Veteran

What great pictures! Fabulous outfits too. I love the composition of the images #2 and #3.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Vix, the thread always opens too slow when I see that you've posted - I just know we're in for the visual feast every time and can't wait to browse through even before I read all the descriptions. I could swear I have the shots at the same spots as your as 1 and 7! I adore Vancouver, I can only imagine how it had changed in the 20 years since I visited it.

You look noting short of amazing. Of course. That photo #2 with the cherries is gorgeous, the richness of the fruit color, your dress, its texture as opposed to the shiny fruit. And I love the black textures in #10 too, I can see why you'd be excited about it.

It's also nice to see the scarf dress "in action".

You draw pleasures from ever detail about your garments, which is wonderful and inspiring.

ETA: Yes, you get A+ for trying. Such a sport

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

Beth Ann

Veteran

As a kid, I went to Vancouver, and I'd love to visit again. Looks like you had a marvelous time! I notice that you gave packing space to fabulous shoes! I can relate! The shoes really add flair to your wonderful outfits. The hats are a great touch, too.

Vix

Veteran

Qpswan --

Hello to a Vancouverite! Thank you so much; I love that this thread is turning into quite a lovefest for your city -- so deserved. Every local we had a chance to chat with was so welcoming.

As long as my clothes/shoes let me move I'm good being a little more dressed up than, say, my beloved. It's a total cheat because I do sporty-casual so badly! [I think I've improved a little since watching all the YLFers who excel at it, but....]

Anne, Shevia, DeclawedJaguar, JR, Claudia, Astrid, and Ornella --

Thank you all so much for the kind words. I think many of you know I obsess over textures and colors in the environment, and it's nice to have a closet that finally shares some of those qualities!

It's also nice to have some photos that illustrate my comments on YLF about how a limited color palette makes my life easier and lets me mix new and older pieces without too much thought. So I have to thank my photographer for help getting them vs "forcing" me to do self-portraits.

Glad to see some hat love, too. I look better in hats than without (benefit of having a big head and a "five-head") so have er...several...for summer and winter style + function.

[DJag, maybe you just need a more petite hat to perch on your pixie...a fedora or newsboy?]

ps Ornella, I bet a lot of us have similar background shots! Queen Elizabeth Park for #1 and Prospect Point/Stanley Park for #7 for you too?

Anonymous

You look wonderful, Vix, you are such a stylish traveler! And oh, how I love Vancouver. So beautiful, such fantastic restaurants! I've been watching too many police dramas, though -- I'm waiting for someone to come draw chalk outlines around you guys in photos 5 and 6! ha

velvetychocolate

Veteran

You look fabulous in Vancouver! Wow. I just love the backgrounds and textures, especially QE Park, with the flowers in the background, the cherries at Commercial Drive (love that print on your dress), and the marble/blue - beautiful!

I miss Vancouver too - and one of these days I'm going back. It has always been 'home' - just that I'm not living there now. I'm very homesick.

Did you get a chance to get further into Stanley Park? That's where I got married - at the Teahouse - a 4pm wedding, appetizers, champagne, dinner, then a gorgeous sunset.

Meanwhile, you have me convinced to try some hats - they look so stylish and pretty on you. That and the amazing idea that you can be a bit dressier and still be very comfortable. I'm so glad you posted these, because it's shown me that traipsing around and sightseeing can be very glamourous. What fabulous inspiration!

Vix

Veteran

TShannon, Beth Ann, and Alicat --

Thank you! We did have an amazing time. The only downside to staying in a rental and having about half our meals in was less chance to eat at the million appealing-looking restaurants we saw.

Beth Ann I am so not a shoe person (I cop to being a hat person, ha) so I appreciate the compliment.

Alicat, too funny about the crime scene...I read mystery/murder-centric novels throughout my romantic vacation and thought the same thing when I saw the the evening shots on the lounges. I call them the Weegee shots.

ETA for VChocolate --

Just saw your note and understand why you are homesick!

We did get further into Stanley Park and spent several hours on the trails there as well as walking along the seawall on a different day. I got a few looks on the trails wearing #7 but those trails are so well-kept and flat it's easier than concrete!

The park is so serene and lovely -- lucky you to get married there. [Pics of some moments/scenery when I get to part 3 of my Vancouver blog post. Bad Vancouver for being so inspiring!]

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Vix, yes, those are the places

morethanbeige

Veteran

Thanks for sharing! You look so fabulous. Love the high heels, hats, and large sunnies. Wow on the scarf dress. It is so cool. You are one fashionable lady.

JR

Veteran

I've tried your scarf-dress method with some narrower, fringed pashminas, and it makes for a very cool, draped vest without a belt. I'll have to wear it in the real world when the weather cools a bit.

catgirl

Veteran

Love it all - the outfits, the scenery, the photography, the attitude... Those metallic sandals steal the show!

Vancouver is SUCH a cool city. We didn't want to come back.

Vix

Veteran

Morethanbeige and Alaskagirl --

Thank you both so much!

MtB, I stole the scarf-as-dress look off a store mannequin but I have to say it's been a fun thing to wear -- and different from usual uniform of pencil skirts/bootcut work trousers.

AG -- This thread has turned up a lot of Vancouver lovers. We were like you -- not ready to leave! Glad you like the sandals along with everything else (they sure are super-shiny in that night photo, ha). I think Mr Vix is worried I'm going to use the metallic shoe cream to DIY the cats silver.

Hi again JR --

The scarf-as-vest sounds like what AJ posted a while back (you can search for her posts, and she linked to her experiments on my scarf post). With the weather changing, sounds like you'd better get your pashmina ready to go!

jayne

Veteran

what a great set of outfits. Your photographer is fantastic and I just had to go take a look at your website. You are hilarious! Love your writing!

Scarlet

Veteran

Wow, these are so elegant and gorgeous! I had no idea Vancouver was so cool. I am still quite enamored of the big scarf and I love seeing your Missoni wear.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

You have a distinctive and beautiful style Vix, this is the first time I've seen so many WIWs in one place from you. I love the photo combinations you created for us. I am in awe of how that scarf-tunic wears. I would stop in my tracks and admire someone wearing it. It's not conventionally figure flattering yet it is beautiful, in the same way that the Korean national costume is not figure flattering yet women look spectacular wearing those dramatic robes.

The black dress is another unique find and I love that it's over 10 years old. This is a great example that not everything from the 90s was an embarrassment.

Now I am off to look up those Clark espadrilles as I'm always on the lookout for comfortable heels and wedges. They look fantastic and not stumpifying. The way they follow the curve of the ankle is so pretty.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Vancouver is fabulous and right on our doorstep! Tell Mr. Vix that he did a great job with the photos. You look splendid in all of them, Princess Heels

Vix

Veteran

All --

I will make sure to tell Mr Vix his portraits of me are appreciated!

Luckily he doesn't mind that I art direct him for portraits ("please take a photo of me by A and try to get B in the frame") as long as we are done in 2 minutes or less. That's better than when I'm trying to get his photo, as he thinks one "say cheese" is enough, ha!

He's much more patient when I stop to take photos of our surroundings....

Jayne --

Thanks so much for the ego boost; I know my writing is an acquired taste. After hitting a comedy club on our visit, I continue to think I may be part Canadian.

Scarlet --

Oh, Vancouver is very cool and full of creative energy; I think you would love it. A lot of things aren't that novel to me because of my experiences/places I've lived, but the scope and scale are impressive.

Glad you continue to share my love for the Missoni-by-the-yard creations (and the newer scarf!).

Coco --

Love the scarf :: Korean national costume analogy, and thank you! I know you are all over the waist surrendering styles lately; I dabble there and/or in volume-heavy styles because they really call to me on some level. Plus there's such a rich fashion history of said styles. [Mr Vix gets extra credit for photographing the scarf-as-dress so nicely given his dislike of "that pink sack."]

I feel I am always spamming threads with groupings of my assorted photos but in reading your comment I realized I don't start many WIW threads. So glad you liked the variety of outfit shots here. In looking at the shots after we got back, I think I managed to indulge my Minimalist Magpie, Persnickety Bohemian, AND Contrarian Classicist style personas on the trip.

No wonder I felt so good.

And yes, check out the Clarks Indigo Pocomo. I compromised a bit on the high vamp thing because of the shoe's comfort (you wear the style so much better, truly!) but the straps do create a V that flatters more than many other styles I've tried.

BTW, the 13 y.o. black dress originally had a higher neckline and hit mid-calf but I had it altered about 5/6 years ago. Had I left it it would have been trendy today, ha!

Angie --

Thank you! You Seattle folks are so lucky to be so close to Vancouver; I admit I'm envious. I was a bit bummed that most of the indie boutiques I popped into were trying to offload summer clothes (I resisted!) but my wallet thanked me. Fall clothing will probably be all over those shops in 2 weeks, sigh. If YLF folks do a Vancouver meet up I will definitely be sitting here with popcorn as I read along!

Aziraphale

Veteran

Wow, I don't know how I missed this thread! Thank you for all the lovely comments about my beloved city. I'm so glad you enjoyed your holiday here. You looked fabulous, of course, and I'm very impressed that you managed 8-hour walking days in high heels! I especially dig those pewter sandals.

Where are you in pic 7?

ETA if there's ever going to be a YLF Vancouver meet-up, I'm in.

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