Stripes and Studs

Dress? c/o Zamrie (here) Cape? Vintage Belt? Vintage Boots? Nine West Clutch? Hilary Radley

I can't believe I am saying this but I was looking through posts from this time last year and maybe I do prefer this crazy winter over last year's mild one. Blasphemy, I know. But last year the pictures were all grey and dreary looking and this year, the bright snow makes for a much more appealing back drop. 

I am also probably almost OK with this winter because this is the first year I am not getting phone calls at 2:31 a.m. to go out snow clearing... If I were on snow duty this year, I would have a lot of unpleasant words to utter right now.

Anyways, moving on from the dull weather talk, we should talk about this dress...this rather fabulous dress, sent to me by the lovely folk at Zamrie.

For a few reasons I am a bit lazy on blog collaborations* but I always take a second look at independent designers, especially when they produce in Canada or the States. In another life (a.k.a. university..) I thought I would be a designer myself and knowing how crazy and difficult the industry is makes me have deep respect for those making their designer dreams a reality. Not only that, the current Zamrie lookbook features their spring line shot in 4 ways. The same clothes are modeled by professional models for a more high fashion look, by some local Chicago ladies for an everyday casual look, styled as work appropriate wear and  lastly, transitioned over into fall. Clothing produced in Canada or the States is going to come as more of an investment so I love that Zamrie showed examples on how to make each piece work in a variety of ways. 

Might I add that the stripe matching on the seams of the dress is impeccable?

And might I also add that this dress actually came in a totally work appropriate length but I threw a temporary hem in there to keep the cape hemline and the dress hemline apart. And because I am a chronic hemmer...  

*I don't say that ungratefully. I am thankful for the opportunities this blog has provided but it's always been a struggle for me personally to get comfortable in the business of blogging. I  know many people who can balance the personal and professional part of blogging beautifully but it has  caused me ridiculously disproportionate amounts of stress in the past. Five years in, I am here to have fun with fashion and if it feels right and I have the time, I might go for things here and there. Ground breaking  approach, right? I'm a slow learner;)