Dream Closet

I love my closet. The heaps of vintage sequins, the dresses that caused me super guilt when I splurged on them and the vintage finds that have made me dance in Goodwill. My closet is my happy place. However, there is one person I would do a closet switch with. My friend S from London. Her world travels, combined with her instincts for great deals and her slight lack of self control (denial is the first symptom) have resulted in a rather awesome collection, especially in dresses. Prada, Marc Jacobs fight for space with vintage DvF and Amanda Wakeley and I can only dream. Happily, we are the same size (wise friend choices I make) and she is generous (an even wiser choice) so when we go out and play, I may choose what I want to borrow. It's weird, this time, I skipped the silks and designer labels and went straight for some good old polyester. Apparently, this dress was S's mom from the 70's and I felt a little like a Charlie's Angel. My only mission? To have fun (that was a cheesy line...).

Dress? vintage, borrowed from S
Belt? Michael Kors, Winners
Shoes? Steve Madden , DSW



S2's rolled silk and leather Amanda Wakely pumps. So pretty. When I pet them, they purred.

C asking if she should wear earrings... I voted no. Her shirt (hard to see) had awesome, massive shoulder pads. Seriously massive. Like there were dutchie donuts stuffed into each shoulder (and for those Tim Horton's followers, I'm talking about the dutchies pre 2002, before everything came frozen and premade from the donut factory.) I'm rambling but the point of the story is that her shoulders were so great, no earrings were necessary.

We clean up ok.

I've been in Holland for almost a week already but I did a London post to try and keep things chronological despite the limited posting. I need to catch up big time back at home...

London was Dope

I've been missing this blogger thing... First it was too hectic, then there was no internet and now my camera won't upload to the computer I'm using. If you're reading this, I suppose it's been fixed... Good stuff...

Jacket? indentify, Winners
Jean shorts? Abercrombie, Winners
Tee? Mossimo, Target
Purse? Winners
Sandals? Hushpuppies, Style Sense

So, London was crazy fun, I'm in Holland now, safely tucked away from any hustle bustle in a country cottage, so my mind and wallet can recharge. But it was so good to see my old university friends (um, they're not old actually) and spend some quality time. Love those kids...

Three impressions of London

1. Two and a half days are not long enough in London. Yes, we wasted some time shopping and napping (and they were great) but every corner reveals something new to be discovered and since there are a lot of corners... this may take a while. Oh yeah, and take an extra liver, these tend to get damaged as there really is a pub on every corner.

2. The V&A Museum is a great date. There is so much to see (I only checked the fashion and jewelry exhibits and there was sooo much more to be seen) and it's free. And taking a date to a museum is very cultural, chicks dig it.

I forget who is on the left but the right is some hot Halston.

3. London is expensive, very expensive but mostly worth it. Even though the pound is weak right now, you have to remember to double the price of everything to get the Canadian equilvalent. The worst example is that we paid 15 pounds for a water, vodka, lime at a upscale, but really not that impressive, establishment. I fully realize my $2.50 drink days of university are behind me and I'm fine with paying $5-10 for a drink. I'll even pay $15 if you make my drink pretty, with fruit garnishes and fancy plastic animals... That way I can play with the plastic toys while I'm waiting for service. But $30 for some vodka in tap water is crazy! Ok, end rant!

All said and done, I can't wait to go back though. But for now some R&R in the Dutch boonies for me...

A Plane Outfit

Ruffle shirt? Gap

Cargo shorts? Diesel, inherited from Linda

Shoes? thrifted, haha, total grandpa shoes...

Belt? Michael Kors, Winners

Bag? Roots, thrifted

It's embarrassing to admit how much thought I put into my travelling outfit. I wanted to be stylish, comfy and ready for hot or colder weather. Then I kinda realized that I'm going to look really tired, no matter what, when I land in London, so I put anything fabulous away. Despite that, I like how this outfit worked together. I look like I might be doing more than gossipping, shopping and partying with some old university friends, kinda like I have my life figured out. Funny! I might have worn a dress but I'm flying Ghetto Airlines (really, that's their name) and leg room is at a premium. Sitting like a lady will be secondary to comfort.

So, I'm off! I do hope to post, though it may be more sporadic...

Love you Matt! See you next Tuesday in the homeland(on our anniversary!) xo

Guest Post

I spent most of the day sewing, packing, making lists and stressing out in my house which is a bit like a sauna now. I wore no make-up, didn't do my hair and in my lowest moment even walked to the corner store with visible panty lines because I was so desperate for a Diet Coke. So there was no fabulousness happening over here. I'm letting Stella have this outfit post. He wore his favourite outfit for this photo, even spent the morning cleaning it. But then it got too hot and so he just posed it out for me. Poor guy, he's probably boiling but he still looks handsome.

Oh ya and I just want to take a minute to talk about my favourite bracelets.

I've collected these over the last two years at The Ex. The Ex is kind of a big carnival in Toronto with gross amounts of food, live acts, booths, rides... you know the deal. Like a local fair but way bigger.... In the craft barn there was a stand with handmade jewelry and I think the name was The Painted Lady. I googled it and I found some randomness and obviously, a burlesque club. Not quite what I was looking for... Anyways, the lady who run the booth and makes the jewelry is slightly eccentric but really passionate about her creations (which she should be, eat your heart out Forever 21). Her story is that she inherited a factory full of all the jewelry components and then she makes all kinds of stuff, which she sells at a few boutiques and at The Ex. The paste stones are vintage and they are excellent quality and so pretty.
I asked if she would sell me some stones. She said no. Her daughters or grand-daughters were going to inherit them. I asked if she would adopt me. She said no. Bummer, I think I'm totally adoptable.
The first year I paid $20 per bracelet but a friend who went a few days later got hers for $10. Last year I went back for some more and I told her I was building a collection and she immediately gave them to me for $10. My favourite bracelet is the horse one. Unfortunately, one horse head has fallen off. The lady told me she would bring an extra horse head to The Ex this year but I can't make it, as an ocean will separate us. Soooo... local readers, I have a very far-fetched request... If one of you lovelies happens to go and gorge yourselves on cotton candy at The Ex and stumble upon the booth of awesomeness, please ask if she has any extra horse heads and if you would also buy me a bracelet to add to my collection, I would be thrilled and pay you back in cold, hard cash and warm, fuzzy karma. Holy run on sentence... Please! Have I told you lately that I love you? xo yen

Wrong Way Right

Dress? handmade (I think), thrifted
Belt? Roots, thrifted
Shoes? Derek Lam
Eelskin clutch? thrifted
Necklaces? thrifted and Cuba
Sunglasses? Iceberg, Winners
Earrings? vintage from parents

I think I'm wearing this dress the proper way. My mom says no. She thinks the buttoned flap side is the front. The design details don't really give a definite answer and there is no shaping for the bust, so it's any one's guess. All I know, is that with my glam glasses and vintage clutch, I felt a little old Hollywood and if I had worn this dress the other way around, I would have felt like a 12 year-old school girl.
I wore this crush of necklaces earlier this week when I deemed that a shirt I had on was showing too much cleavage for a Wednesday night. Might it have been different if it was Friday night...? Anyways, I threw on every necklace I could to disguise my tarty ways, and since then, I've been putting them with everything. Like my belt, you might say, as it once again makes an appearance...

Havana Nights

Tank? Alice and Olivia, Filene's Basement
Shorts? fcuk, Winners
Sandals? Dollhouse, Winners
Headband? Winners
Earrings? h&m
Bangles? assorted


I should start a weather blog as I seem to talk about it a lot... I wrote of how we had a pleasant summer weekend a while back but now we're actually having heat wave. And even though my house has no AC and when I was working on Linda's wedding dress, it literally was a sweatshop up in herrrrreee... I'll take it.

Shorty shorts and tanks are pretty much a teenage uniform and I am no longer a teenager. But when the weather is this hot, you let it slide. Besides there are three things that set me apart from the teenage crowd...

1. The deep wisdom in my eyes.

2. This tank ain't no Abercrombie, it's a pretty little silk number with the sweetest pleats that I need to wear more... (note to self...)

3. I thought I was pretty clever in referencing a fellow Dutchy, Piet Mondrian, with the choice of primary yellow, blue and red in my outfit. Yes, nothing like a little art history to class up an outfit.


The McDonald's fries decided to join me in the pictures because they matched and they were delicious.

4 Out of 5

Skirt? Coco, thrifted
Button-up? Ralph Lauren, thrifted
Belt? Roots, thrifted
Shoes? Jeffrey Campbell, Style Sense
Leather clutch? thrifted
Bracelets? craft booth at the Ex.

So proud. Almost my whole outfit is thrifted, except for my bracelets and shoes. Though on a technicality, I feel like I could almost count my bracelets as thrifted because they are assembled from vintage paste stones.
Linda found this skirt when I chaperoned her on her first truly successful thrifting trip. I thought it was kinda cute on the hanger, I thought it was a bit better when I felt that it was cotton, the adorable factor jumped again when Linda showed me the pockets and then I finally tried it on and I fell in love. There were at least six of these skirts throughout the racks at Talize (all brand new, with tags), so I got a black one and a white one and Linda got a brown one. Once again, my smrt girl student discount took 10% off, so they were $4.50 each.
I went for a little contrast, so I paired the rather sensible shirt and belt with the playful skirt. Is it bragging if I say that I love how this turned out? The colours, the shape...love, love, love... Well, didn't love the fact that my right eye was still swollen from my incident with the killer bees, but thick-rimmed glasses did a great camouflage job. And yes, this belt is getting a lot of play, I've worn it for 4 of the last 5 outfit posts. I have to wean myself off...slowly.

Hurray for Fools

(yes, the pictures are huge, just wanted you to appreciate the details! And they do still need to be cleaned...)

My parents came over last week after garage saling with a surprise for me... I love those surprises, please feel free to come over when ever you want, Mom and Dad. If you could, please bring that fabulous oversized, vintage clutch with the Lucite closure. That would be great. Yup, thanks! Anyways, they didn't bring me the clutch but they brought a whole basket full of advertising etchings/prints (?) from Grafton's. These would be used to print advertisements, notice how they look backwards and how they left room for wording, so that the base of the ad was the same but the message could be different?

So many reason's to love them... I love that each etching has a fashion illustration (I have about 15-20 assorted etchings!). I enjoyed illustration class in university immensely and while the camera rules the industry now, I still love the glamour evoked by fashion illustration.

I love that these were probably used over and over again. They are definitely from a time when the fashion trend was slow and silhouettes stayed similar for a few years. Sometimes, I think that trends come and go too quick, it's a constant 100 metre dash to stay currant. I love studs (preferably unmarried and in firefighter garb..) but then Forever 21 loved studs and now I'm already sick of them. That's tiring.

I love that I feel like I have a part of local history. As far as I know, it's a Canadian company and now is affiliated with Tip Top Tailors (that right, Linda?). Back in the day, lots of people probably got these ads and now I have the originals.

I mostly love the foolish lady who sold the whole basket of these for $10. Sometimes, you find something while thrifting, and you pity the fool who let that fabulousness slide through their fingers. I hope she spends her $10 wisely, perhaps a Subway lunch or downtown parking? I know I'm going to hang on to these babies, so no, don't expect them up on eBay anytime soon. Oh ya, and I have to remember to pay back my parents $10...

Pump up the Volume

Plaid shirt? Zara
Jeans? People's Liberation, Holt's LC
Shoes? Jeffrey Campbell, Winners
Purse? Kate Spade, thrifted
Earrings? Erickson Beamon for Target
Cuff? Birch bark DIY

You know that your weekend is going to be awesome when you start Friday morning off by meandering into a wasps' nest and only getting 8 stings. Hey, when I saw size of the nest after the whole incident, I was really glad I only got 8! That said, wasps suck. I never saw it coming and they swarmed my face and arms and I ran out of the bushes screaming bloody murder. I like to think I'm pretty tough about crying (well, I'm an emotional wimp but I'm pretty good with pain...), but I bawled like a baby because it hurt so bad. AND I said a lot of bad words... very loudly. I thought I wouldn't have outfit pictures cause those suckers got me under and over my right eye but Benadryll works wonders and I looked normal enough to go out last night... It's weird though, yesterday I looked normal but today, even though I'm still taking Benadryll, I'm very itchy and swollen. My right eye is an unusual shape. Lovely.
Anyways, I survived and I even have an outfit post. I got this shirt two years ago and I've worn it .5 times (just one evening). I had some issues with the shape and I was convinced that the neckline made my butt look fat. Pretty sure that makes no sense... But I finally put it on again yesterday and fell back in love with the light chiffon, the odd coloured plaid and the ruffles. I think it deserves to be back in regular rotation. Sometimes it takes a while to fall in love...

A Very Random 7

A beach outfit...

T-shirt dress? Blue Life, Winners
Sandals? Hushpuppies, Style Sense
Hat? Target
Belt? Roots, thrifted
Bangles? thrifted, Cuba and gifted

Kansas Couture nominated me for Creative Blogger award (yes, I changed the spelling, Kreativ was driving me nuts...) which is great; first blog award and from someone as cool as Katy... So, here are 7 very random facts about me...

1. Despite the husband and the high heels, I am a crazy cat lady at heart.

2. I was born in South Korea.

3. I love brown leather... I own quite a few brown leather boots, bags and belts. Yes, I have worn this belt in the last 3 outfit posts, you got a problem with that?

4. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up... but I don't stress about it as much anymore. Which is good.

5. I realize my hair is really ugh lately but I have to decide whether I'm cutting it short again or growing it long (big decisions, I know) AND my hairdresser is on vacation. Have fun but come home soon!

6. I'm going to Europe very soon. First to London (by myself) to see some university friends, then to Holland, the motherland, because my brother is getting married!!!!! and then to Paris because Matt and I are in lurve...xxxooo

7. My favourite fact ever... I just realized this yesterday. Our wedding day, almost three years ago, was the last time my whole family has been together (mama, papa, four brothers and me). Since then, two of my brothers have been gallivanting (or studying, working...) around the world and though we've all gone to visit them individually and they've come home, we haven't ALL been together at once. We will, the Lord willing, all meet at the airport in Amsterdam on Matt and I's anniversary and, exactly, three years to date that we were all together for our wedding, we will be reunited again. Crazy, eh? It just worked out like that! And I can't wait!

I'm supposed to tag 7 other bloggers but I think this award has made the rounds and it is maybe time to put it to rest? Yes, I was the one in elementary school getting seven years of bad luck for not sending out those chain letters. Anyways, all you fashion bloggers are fabulous and thanks for inspiring me daily!!!!xo

oh ya! Anything you think I NEEEED! to see in Paris, please comment and let me know!

A Summer in A Weekend

So... when I've been talking about how bad the weather is this summer, I'm not just trying to make polite conversation. Last weekend ( a long weekend!) was probably the only weekend all summer that was sunny and held temperatures above 20 degrees (I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit...). We've been so starved for a little sunshine and good times that I think we tried to cram an entire summer into a weekend. Ice cream on fresh, home-made waffle cones, bbq, bad tan lines (Matt burned the outline of his camping chair into his back), bbq, beach, scooping up the last adult sized beach towels at Walmart, bbq, walk along the pier, ice cream on pre-packaged cones, trying to find parking at the beach... you get the idea. Yes, three bbqs in three days! Sometimes you need a weekend to recover from a weekend... This was definitely Matt's idea of a great time...

Barbecue

Bocce and Beer.

I love this picture, I know it's a little cut-off but it's totally candid and Matt (right) and Paul (Linda's husband almost) look like they are in a boy band because they are so in sync... or is it 'N Sync? Hey Matt! It's your debut on my blog!!!

Babes in Bikinis...

...or not. Haha, no picture but my bikini top did have sequins on it. In a good way, I promise, not like Mariah Carey's scary sparkly bathing suit plus belly chain beach get-ups...

One of the bbqs was a get together with Linda and Paul for their upcoming wedding, and the whole wedding party just got to relax and eat too much food together. Clearly, Lin and I snuck off to get some outfit snaps by the maintenance tractor...

Sweater? h&m
Navy dress? James Perse, Holt's LC
Belt? Roots, thrifted
Sandals? an Indian import
Necklace as bracelet? Mom's (?)

Jersey dress? Joe Fresh
Plaid ruffle button-down? Ben Sherman, from work

Necklace +bracelet as necklace? from Paul
I think...

It was a great night only marred by a SPECTACULAR fall by moi, narrowly missing the food table. This was not a drunken stumble, this was a waxed floors combined with leather soles full-on wipe-out. You know when you get so embarrassed, you just want to cry but you can't, cause that will make it worse? Yep, that's how I felt. It's ok, my wrists and ego were a little bruised but nothing that some s'mores couldn't soothe later that evening...

Fashion Fixes

Tube top? Jacob
Embroidered skirt? nafnaf, Winners
Bag? Kate Spade, newly thrifted with a little TLC from me
Belt? Roots, newly thrifted
Sandals? an Indian import
Necklaces? Cuba (thanks dad for fixing them)
Bracelet? thrifted

This tube top was from the super clearance rack at Jacob for $5. I liked the mustard colour and thought it would be a good colour addition to my wardrobe but I didn't try it on. At home I tried it on and realized that the elastic around the top was a little tight and cut into my body, making my armpits look...well...fat. As if any woman needs another body part to lament over... I'm too busy reprimanding my thighs for getting all up in each other's grill, so I don't have time to pick apart and hate my armpits. The tube top was one small step away from the donation pile, but with nothing to lose, I stretched the top over the back of a kitchen chair and left it for a week. It was a slightly ghetto fix but it actually worked, the elastic definitely stretched! Yet while I do love this outfit and the colours look so right (my humble opinion), I don't think knit tube tops are going to be a staple in my daily wear. The next time this piece will be worn is likely come fall, as a layering piece. But for today, the mustard tube top served its purpose and earned its $5 keep.