Have you guys seen Crimson Peak? I loved it. I loved Guillermo del Toro’s vision (and the inspiration behind it) and the gothic campy-ness of it all. I also loved that it’s a movie with two strong female characters at the heart of it; the boys are just window dressing. It’s neither a horror movie, nor a romantic movie, so keep that in mind if you’re deciding whether to see it. Which you should.

The film’s only weakness, in my opinion, was the predictability of the central plot twist; I kept waiting to have the rug pulled out from under my expectations, and that never happened. It was still a really, really fun movie … and it gave me an idea for how to tweak a story I’ve been toying with for years – plot for my next book, I think. Sigh. Too bad I’m still toiling away on the first, which may never be finished at the rate I’m going.

Anyway, this is what I wore to the office the day I went to see CP, after work, with a colleague. Not a patch on the phenomenal costumes in the movie but … a little bit gothic, a little bit romantic.

Total mommy uniform, right? But if it’s a dress – a thrifted, cheapie dress that the kids have my blessing to destroy with their invariably sticky hands (well, don’t try TOO hard, kids) – I feel a lot … prettier, somehow. Strange, huh? It must be all that extra swish in my step.

Speaking of thrifted things, I needed a pair of knock-about black boots and, being notoriously cheap about practical things (like boots and coats), I decided to have a look at Value Village. I have never had any luck with boots there before – not that I’ve looked particularly hard – but these Bandolinos don’t look half bad. Other than one small knick in the (real!) leather on the instep, they look pretty much new. For $14, I’m happy. I’m rough on my boots, and winter around these parts isn’t kind either, so I’m glad to have a pair I can abuse without feeling wasteful. Obviously, they’re not the “walking three miles in the snow” kind of boots, but … let’s face it, I’m not about to do that in any case. There’s lots of room for extra thick socks, so they’ll do just fine for my commuting needs.

Ok, one last twirl!

This grey Joe Fresh dress is one of my fave fall 2015 purchases, and one of my current fave things to wear. It’s so easy to dress up or down, and the heathered grey colour is perfect for a fall palette. Last I heard, you could still find this dress online (on sale!), and I would definitely recommend it. Size up if you don’t want the fit to be too body-con (I did). I’ve also seen what looks to be a ruched version of it in stores right now; that might be a good option for anyone concerned that this is too shapeless. Me, I love a good tube dress/potato sack – the remixing possibilities are endless, and it’s perfect for the holidays. Call it the dress version of Joey Tribbiani’s stretchy Thanksgiving pants.