LCS - In Search of the Ruffle

LCS.  The acronym for Last Chance Salon.  Yes, I loved Jean's play on words so much that I tweaked my title for this November series.  Thank you, Jean.

I was going out on a lunch date and being brave and fearless as I am, I wore another of my wardrobe "challenges". 

A white ruffle blouse which I've had for about 15 years and I can't think of a time I've ever worn it. See, yet another example of how I defiantly pooh-pooh the "if you haven't worn it for (insert any period from 6 months to 2 years but definitely not 15 years!) then chuck it out"  approach.

I think I've taken it out periodically over the years, washed it, intended to give it another try ...  and it never happened.

With my ruffles I wore a chunky cardi.  I think it was my first ever Woolovers order so that dates it about 5 years +.

As well as hoarding clothes, I hoard inspos.  This one came from the first ever blogger I found, Lady of Style.  The lovely Annette posted something similar very early on and I kept a photo of it but it's on my old laptop, so sorry I can't share.  Just take my word for it, this outfit is in the spirit of Annette's.

When I first saw the idea and tried it out a few years ago, The Photographer With Fashion Views declared it "messy" and pooh-poohed it (this household seems to have a propensity to pooh!).

When I sported pretty much the same outfit again here, no pooh-poohing occurred.  I think his views have softened.  Or maybe ennui has set in ...

Moving on, I took this outfit out to lunch and the extra layer of the shawl was just right for the temperature, which is cooling :-(.  We met a friend at La Grande Mare.  I do have yummy photos but I'll refrain from posting them as some of you virtuous ladies may be on a pre-Christmas diet.  But suffice to say, 3 fabulous courses, £12.50.  One cannot possibly argue with that, eh?  We are towards the end of this year's Tennerfest and a shout out to my Guernsey readers, the LGM's is absolutely the best Tennerfest meal, as always.

I got home and thought "Hey, don't waste an outfit by wearing it just the one way, leverage it!"

So I tried out a look I'd been hoarding for a few weeks, found on Pinterest.

I searched around for ruffles to achieve the Pinterest look and found these items at M&S.  But as often happens, before I clicked "buy" my searching revealed that I have similar in my stash, so I ear-marked them for the look.

I didn't have the fancy belt but this was a start, I felt.

The jacket is from M&S, ca. 1995, so it's getting some 2nd lovin'.

It's a tux and I used to slip it over evening dresses for a light outerwear layer.

I have never before worn it with anything other than evening dresses.

It sort of felt funky this way.  Edgy.  Lady Leoprint.

Masculine tailoring meets frilly feminine.

So the day was a day of mega achievements

I tried out looks I've been hoarding for weeks and even years.

I wore my 1995 tux, 2017-style.  A15 year old blouse I don't think I've ever worn before has been put on the LCS programme and it has achieved 2 out 3 of the 3-ways-to-wear discipline I'm applying to new and old items in my wardrobe.

What can I say?  This was a good day.

You know, I'm quite excited about trying the tux and ruffles look in the real world. I feel just a little edgy in this outfit.  Is this a look you fancy trying?  Or perhaps have already tried?

And have you been giving anything from your wardrobe a Last Chance?

Oh, and just before you go - I'm a bit stumped on a third way to style my ruffles.  Can you help?  Can you come up with any ideas?  I'd be so grateful if you can so please pop in your ideas in the comments box below.

(And Vronni, hope you like my work with the photo sizes!)

A la perchoine.