Hunting Season

Jacket? Ralph Lauren, thrifted Plaid shirt? Ali & Kris, Winners Jeans? J Brand, Lovestory, Winners (here for lots more money but they are great jeans!) Bracelets? Thrifted and from the crazy lady at The Ex Hat? Maria Paola Culugi, Style Sense Purse? Filene's Basement

I'm a big fan of my new hat. It's a hat made for the city. The faux fur pom is so ridiculously over sized that I could get mistaken for wildlife in the country and one hike during the hunting season would be the end of me. These pictures may look like they were taken in a forest (one with wooden fences, of course) but rest assured that I was safely in an inner city park.

I hope you had an nice Halloween weekend. I didn't do too much but I watched my instagram feed (yes, I caved and joined instagram... find me at myeditblog if you want to see a lot of cat pictures) clog with Halloween costumes all weekend and I felt a little left out. Until I realised that I was wearing the best costume of all. With this hat I'm clearly Dick Cheney's hunting partner on that fateful day in 2006...

*thanks to my little friend Elisha for taking my pics. I liked so many I broke my own rule of having 6 pics absolute maximum...

Thrift That Trend

These collared necklaces are all the rage with the cool kids nowadays. I know this because I've read it in A Magazine and everyone knows, if it's in print, it's true. Also, Krystal wore one and she's a stylish cat...
If you want to join in on the trend, you can buy this really pretty one... or you can thrift one for $3. I did. If you want to be even smarter, check your mom and grandmother's jewelry box first... Borrowing something for life is even better than thrifting and it's rare that I think something is better than thrifting.
But trust me, if you can't borrow one permanently, thrifting has your back.

A Good Week

Pants? Mark and James, Badgley Mischka, Winners Cape? Joe Fresh Bag? Roots Boots? Modern Vintage, Winners Sweater? Joe Fresh

I need to rewind for a minute. I briefly mentioned it on the blog and on my twitters but last week was a pretty big deal for our family. My one brother and his wife welcomed a baby boy; my parents' first grandchild, another brother passed his dissertation defense and I wore wool, silver lace pants. Big things happened, I tell you...
The dissertation defense was scheduled months ago and went ahead as planned. It was my new nephew who decided to skip past his due date and cause havoc. My parents have been in Holland since the wedding waiting for their first grandchild to make his appearance and he. just. stayed. put. At the last minute my parents pushed their flight back home up a few days, my sister-in-law got induced and now my mom has become that person who shows you 53 pictures of a baby in one sitting. With their flights changed, my parents flew back to Canada last Tuesday and then went straight from Toronto airport to Grand Rapids, Michigan. They arrived in Grand Rapids at 3 a.m., just in time for the dissertation that same morning. It's a busy life when you have 5 kids, right Mom and Dad?


It was really cool to see my brother do his dissertation. I didn't understand a lot about his thesis topic but he looked sharp in his wedding suit and that got my approval. He also got his professors' approval and that got him a PhD to put behind of his name.
I hope to see my new nephew in the new year, I suspect he's probably as excited to meet me and my lace pants as I am to meet him. I'm wondering if holding him will turn me into that person who show you 53 pictures of a baby in one sitting too...?

She Thrifted

Meet Amanda from Off of Broadway. This time of year, about 46% of her twitter feed is a foreign language (ie. football talk) but I forgive her because she cuts her own hair and thrifts like a champion. When I thrift, it is mostly out of gluttony but Amanda gets to thrift to keep her little bricks and mortar store full of good things. She might be living the dream...
And she's looking great in her thrifted pants and shirt while doing it...

Stripes and Dots

Sweater? Gap (online here, but way more than I paid) Shirt? Brinn and Em, Winners Skirt? Loft, thrifted Shoes? I.D. Browns Cowhide clutch? Thrifted Necklaces? Thrifted

This sweater seems to photograph more as a yellow than neon. But it's more 90's than bumble bee, I promise.
I'm glad neon is back... The last time I wanted neon clothes, I was 6 years old and we had just immigrated to Canada. I had a bowl cut, I wore my brothers' sturdy leather, hand-me-down sandals and I would have been OK with all of that... if only my mom had let me wear some awesome neon bicycle shorts too. But she didn't. And I survived and I even made friends, friends that stuck around even when I added giant pink glasses to the bowl cut and sturdy footwear in Grade 2.
I think it was a bit of latent rebellion that drew me to the neon striped sweater at Gap this weekend. Or it was the fact that all clearance items were an extra 50% off...making this sweater $16. I make my life decisions based on teenage rebellion and sale racks.

This Week I Thrifted...

What? A lot of vintage jewelry...:)
Where? Salvation Army, 28th Street, Grand Rapids
How Much? Various prices but the most expensive was the sterling mini perfume necklace for $7. Not too shabby...
Why? I went down to Grand Rapids this week to watch one of my brothers do his dissertation defense and while I was there, I made sure my priorities were in order and I did some thrifting as well. I didn't thrift alone; after 2.5 years of online love, I finally met Brianne in person (she's real and very pretty... I stared at her a lot... I like to keep it creepy) and we made thrift magic. I always check Brianne's blog because she must have the best vintage jewelry collection, so it was extremely fitting that the Salvation Army near my hotel was having their annual jewelry sale on the day we went thrifting. Call that great timing or just, freaking amazing. There were tables and tables of jewelry and it was so overwhelming that we went twice just to make sure we caught all the good stuff. I bought 6 necklaces and 2 pairs of earrings... I could have bought so much more but I was trying to exercise self control in front of my new friend.

Seriously, how cute (a word usually reserved for puppies, kitties and an occasional baby) is this vintage perfume pendant? And yes, the patterned dress? It's a brand new, silk, Banana Republic dress that I found at a thrift store in Grand Rapids too...

What did you thrift this week?

Evolution

Trench? Mackage, Winners Shoes? Ash, Style Sense (thanks for the tips on making them fit better!) Jeans? Gap Silk shirt? Thrifted Clutch? Thrifted Necklace? Banana Republic

I think trench coats are stressful. Especially this one. They just get filthy far too quickly. Thanks to the end of season sales (cue choir music singing angelic melodies) a few years ago, I got this trench with fancy leather accents for a great price. Now I have this beautiful trench coat and I'm afraid to wear it because if I do get it dirty, it's going to cost a scary amount to dry cleaning because of said fancy leather details.
Worst of all, when I do wear the trench, I get a sore neck because I don't want my face spackle to rub all over the wide collar. So I keep my neck as high as I can... like a giraffe. As I intend to keep wearing both the trench and the face spackle, I expect my kids will be born with long necks. Survival of the fittest or something like that... They'll thank me when they are looking to get the leaves on the top of the trees.

New Shoes

Dress? Thrifted Clutch and bangles? Thrifted Shoes? Ash, Style Sense Bomber? Costa Blanca

As I explained in the last post, my feet are a little big. So, it is very rare that I actually buy shoes that are too big, usually I do the 'grin and bear it' until the leather of the shoe stretches perfectly to my feet. And by 'grin and bear it', I mean, complain and ask Matt to stop at a variety store for some Corn Nuts (sooo off topic but I just discovered Ranch Corn Nuts and my life is changed...).

But these shoes are a smidgen to big, especially the left one. Please tell me your feet are different sizes too, so we can hold hands and feel special together... I put insoles in the shoes but it wasn't enough and the left shoe kept flipping off leaving me to walk like a new kid. We were at a restaurant with a bunch of friends for my birthday and in order to stay mobile, I shoved some napkins into the toe... That's when I ruined the pedicure I just got an hour earlier. Seriously, being a lady is hard... high heels, pedicures and Corn nuts... it's a lot to handle at once.

Thrift Debate: Shoes

Brown boots (l to r): some Dutch brand?, Charles David and Cole Haan, all thrifted

I find it hard to thrift shoes. I mean, I have had some luck over the years, especially in the brown boot category, but it's a day worth celebrating when I find a good pair of shoes second hand. I blame the lack of thrifted shoes on my genetic superiority, which requires the weight of my huge brain (and ego?) to be evenly distributed across the expanse of my size 10 feet. I always do seem to find the best shoes and boots in tiny size 7's though... And while the discrepancy between my foot and a size 7 is great, I'm still tempted to buy them because it's hard to leave good stuff behind at a thrift store. I imagine I'll go around to all my friends and try to Cinderella a perfect match between them and the thrifted shoes.
I know some people have an aversion to thrifting shoes... and I can understand that... especially as I am not a huge fan of other people's bare feet myself. I get over it pretty fast when I see a pair of Cole Haan boots though. Besides, most of the shoes I have thrifted have had very little wear...

Do you have good luck thrifting shoes? Or do you think thrifted footwear is the equivalent of stealing the last seat from both the old lady AND the pregnant lady on the bus?... it's just so wrong?... Also, most importantly, are you one of those special people with size 7 feet?

Birthday Pants and Big Dreams

Pink velvet pants? French Connection Denim shirt? Gap Boots? Winners Necklace? h&m (6 years old but still a favourite)

I woke up this morning and it was my birthday. Another year gone by. Last year on my birthday we got a new house, so I had high expectations for this year. Admittedly, it's hard to top a new home but I just looked around in case Matt's heart thawed out and he decided to bring a fourth cat into our lives as the ultimate birthday present. I didn't find any more cats hiding under the couch or tucked in the corner of my closet; just plenty of cat hair tumbleweeds and a few stray bobby pins. I'll keep those bobby pins, their value increases dramatically in the event of hair spray. And there will be hairspray, it is afterall, my birthday weekend.

I feel like I need to make some profound statement upon turning 28... but all I can think to say is that pink velvet pants are a great addition to one's wardrobe and a leather maple leaf belt makes any outfit 47% more autumnal. The truth is, I'm probably afraid to make a profound statement, afraid to admit that I need to make a few big changes this year and take some chances. If you know me in real life, you'll know that I hate change; I prefer to keep things slow and steady. But 28 is the year I kick my own butt into gear... with my favourite pair of brown boots, of course.

Snark Control

Skirt? Thrifted Wool vest? Thrifted Sweatshirt? Joe Fresh Boots? Winners

This last weekend was fabulous. Yes, fabulous and I do not use that word lightly (maybe I do but in this case I am not). It was Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada and we booked a cottage up in Blue Mountain area with Matt's side of the family for a few days. I took my little brother along as well because my parents are still in Holland eagerly awaiting the birth of their first grandchild, and I felt sorry for him. It was a pity invite. Nah, I'm kidding, I love my little brother and I knew he would fit in just fine. The love of beer and a hot tub on a long weekend is common ground for everyone.

The company was great, the weather was perfect and the autumn colour show was at its peak. I told you... fabulous.

On the 3 hour drive home, Matt and I took the meandering, scenic route along the back roads. I think we were silent for much of the drive as we took in the sun-soaked autumn splendour. I mentioned last year that the fall has a way of knocking the sarcasm out of me and it stands true this year again. I look at the kaleidiscope of autumn colour and not a snarky thing crosses my mind. And that's a good thing because sometimes (full, though not shocking, disclosure), I think pretty bitchy things.

Classic

Pants? Joe Fresh Jacket? Thrifted Tee? h&m Shoes? Zara

Sometimes I'll have a fantastic outfit idea in my head and then, when I try it on, it's all kinds of wrong. I then give myself a little pat on the head and a cluck under the chin and tell myself 'better luck next time sweetie'. But I just knew that this one was going to be good. After all, a vintage wool red jacket and gold jeans are pretty much classic.
That said, the word classic can refer to a crazy wide range of options. Some call macaroni and cheese, classic and others call cranberry focaccia with turkey, pear, brie and a fine Dijon mustard, classic. Classic is in the eye of the beholder. And I beholden this to be classic. And I am also making up words...
I should take a moment to thank my little brother for taking these pictures. I found this location a few weeks ago and I've already used it 3 times. This time I spotted the security camera (behind me in picture 2), so I was rushing him. Between me hurrying him along and him losing interest and taking pictures of his car instead, I still think we got a few good pictures. I'll keep him on the family tree for now...

This Week I Thrifted...

Cape? Ann Taylor, thrifted Belt? Thrifted Blouse? I.D., Winners

What? Ann Taylor cape
Where? Bibles for Misson Thrift Store
How much? $5
Why? In the last two weeks I have spent 8 minutes thrifting. It was not time wasted, as evidenced by this great little cape I found.
With Halloween around the corner, I have been avoiding the bigger thrift stores. I get that a thrift store may be a good place to find a cheap and original costume but I don't get why thrift stores get all sexy, cheap and polyester in October. I mean,I understand it, it's all about the bottom line but I can't handle the crowds and sparkly angle wings so I take my thrift elsewhere.
I love the Bibles For Mission store because it's always clean and I usually see a couple ladies from my church who volunteer there. I think they get a kick out of seeing me buy a bright pink skirt and wear it to church with a sweatshirt. However, because the store is run by volunteers, they don't stay open late. I got to the store at 4:43p.m. and the store closed at 5p.m.. By 4:51p.m. I was at the cash with this cape (brand new, heck yes!) and a charming but horribly hand-knit mustard sweater. I'd say it was a little skill and a little luck...

What did you thrift this week?

Making Memories

Jacket? Vintage, thrifted Jeans? super old Citizens of Humanity Shirt? Winners Boots? Charles David, thrifted Beret? Joe Fresh The cat Stella? The streets

This vintage coat is pretty perfect. It has a great little swing shape and it is the best leopard print... ever. Yeah, that's a challenge, find me a prettier cat print and I shall... do something really exciting, like paint my foyer white instead of mocha. I am crazy like that.

The saddest thing about this jacket is that it's slowly falling apart. I tried to put my phone in my pocket and it dropped to the ground because there isn't lot of pocket left. It seems that lately I am on a mission to break my phone... I also dropped it off my parents' roof 1.5 times last weekend as I was trying to help re-shingle the roof. It's really not fair, I think I want to break my phone so I can justify an upgrade (spoiled?) and it just isn't happening. And my beautiful jacket? I want to keep it forever but it's breaking down. I'm just going to have to appreciate every beautiful memory I have a chance to make with my leopard swing jacket. I should make a scrapbook...