This shirt received it's share of compliments from my patternmaking students today. It reminds me quite a bit of another shirt I wore earlier in the year, also a hand-me-down from my great aunt. As you can see, the waist-length shirts of the 60's don't quite work with the low rise pants of today, so I had to bridge the gap with a tube top (worn here as a waist cincher) from Hot Topic.

Moments before this picture was snapped, I got heckled by a car of passing teenagers. I guess it is somewhat funny to see someone posing in front of a freeway on ramp. Though you can't see it too well, this coat is from H&M by way of the Oxfam shop on the Ormeau Road. I haven't been to that particular shop in many years, so I'm not sure if this is still the case, but one used to be able to buy all sorts of H&M seconds there. In fact, until a few years ago it was the only place in Belfast to buy H&M clothing (nowadays I question why that would be exciting, but back in 2003 it was a big deal). This coat is a bit of an anomaly, it's long and shaped like heavy Winter wear, but the material is actually quite lightweight. It did not serve me very well in the UK where they have proper seasons, but it has come into it's own in Southern California (where we like to dress up for the Winters, but don't actually need to).