#4!

1+3+6+7+9+2

Some people have commented that a capsule wardrobe seems like a lot of work. Not true I say. In fact it's the opposite. It may take a bit of pre-planning (which admittedly sucks...weekly meal plans and saving for a pair of shoes? boring...) but after that ground work, your outfits are laid out for the week. The only downside is, you can't change your mind. Today I wouldn't have minded switching it up a little. Not that overly ripped jeans (sorry Mom and Dad), plaid and sweatshirts aren't a perfect solution for being casually chic... I just did not try on this outfit beforehand and the sweatshirt has a bit of stretch in it, which kept pulling at the plaid shirt and making it lie funny. And after my big spiel two days ago about 'owning your look', I spent far too much time today tugging my shirt into place and fussing with the layers. Not my favourite look of the week...
Today I went for coffee with the sisters who run The Last Hurrah. Too much fun to talk clothes, cats and blogs. It's weird to discuss blogging in real life. I talk about it with Linda obviously and it does come up in conversation with other friends but sometimes my blog talk seems really...shallow...compared to what others are going through. What's more important? Blogging or the # of months a baby should be breastfed? That's a rhetorical question, I know the answer. Blogging trumps all.

The close-up pic of this outfit may have bored you, so I'm subjecting you to the cuteness that is Stella. I don't think he was too thrilled to be included but after saving his life, feeding him his special food, scooping his litter and loving him to pieces, you'd think he'd at least pretend to care.

Bored of the Kitchen Door on the Third Day of the Wardrobe Challenge

Am I really that stupid? I graduated from Fashion Design, I even have fancy Latin words behind my degree and yet I made the dumbest mistake ever... Hide them but DO NOT cut any threads hanging off your tights! Above is the result of that stupidity... By the time the thread was cut and the hole extended to be over an inch, I was emotionally invested in these tights and I wore them anyways. The flash of the camera seems to lessen the visual impact of the run in my tights, so I spent my day doing my thing, while flashing my camera and moving like lightning, so people couldn't see the proof of my error. The worst part is I really, really liked these tights and I don't know if I can replace them because I found them in some 99 cent bin. Boo urns...

1+5+3+*

I thought these tights gave my outfit a funkier edge. So, while I wore this dress on Monday (scroll down, way too lazy to link... you can also see my choices for the Wardobe Capsule Challenge two posts ago) in a more classic way, I decided to go for a mod look today and I temporarily hiked up the hem a couple inches. Ah, the magic that 10 minutes and a needle and thread can make... I remember buying this dress at a sale that the University had from their fashion archives about 5 years ago. Back then I thought it was pretty short; it seems I've gotten more scandalous in my old age.
I spent a few seconds feeling guilty over my scarf because I get some extra options for the capsule wardrobe as I live in the great North but I got over it pretty fast. Yesterday I showed some ankle and I froze (though I put on my brave face) and then I see Adored Austin's post and she is showing shoulder. Shoulder!?! Yup, I deserve my gloves and scarf!

The Second Day

I had to share the above picture with the stupid tea towel prop and my kitty Stella (undoubtedly he just knocked something off the table to get my attention).

2+4+6+8+10+Stella again

I guess I never got the memo that one shouldn't wear a sequined shrug over a leather bomber. Meh, it's a wardrobe challenge, I need to be creative... I mean, yes, it isn't the most practical look but the weather network said 0% chance of precipitation, so I figured why not? I have had this shrug for years. I bought it at UO for $10 or $20 (it's Betsey Johnson!) during one of their epic clearances and I put it away for future wear. You see, I'm a total snob and at the time I bought it every girl was running around with one of those crochet shrugs with iridescent sequins on it. I did not want to be part of the crowd so I bought it because I loved the colour and texture (with the paillettes and sequins it looks almost furry...maybe just me) and I knew I would wear it later. Almost five years later, here it is...
Some people have recently asked some advice on wearing sequins during the daytime (someone even said I was their 'sequinspiration', which made my day). I'm not really an expert...oh who am I kidding? What false modesty... if it's shiny, I wear it. Here are my two best tips for rocking a sparkly look during the day...

1. Always pair the sparkle with something casual or rough. Put sequins with satin and you are holiday party ready, but put sequins with distressed denim, some leather or a crisp cotton and you look like you know what you are doing. At least that's what I tell myself...

2. Commit to it. If you have decided to wear something with mega-watt shine and you have made your first step out of the house, commit to the look 100%. I don't think my look today is super crazy but for an afternoon grocery shopping trip in Hamilton, Ontario, it's unusual. I realize this. Wearing my heels makes me the tallest person in the grocery store and wearing my Olympic bronze medal shrug will garner looks. Some people give me cut-eye and think I dressed up in order to pick up their man at the grocery store. Not true, I dress up wherever I go and I don't want your man, he has 7 Hungry Man frozen dinners in his cart, I'll pass... OK, seriously for a second, sometimes I can feel people scrutinizing me but I never let them know that it affects me. I have committed to my sparkly shrug and if I get self-conscious and pick at my vest or try to cover it up, it's obvious that I'm uncomfortable. I have fun dressing up. It's that simple and it's that attitude that lets one get away with wearing what they want.

Wardrobe Challenge -Day 1

I'm participating in the Spring 2010 Wardrobe Challenge issued by The Small Fabric of My Life. Basically participants need to re-mix 10 articles of clothing and 5 accessories into 5 outfits this week. I bet you're excited...yes, this means I will try my bestest to blog 5 days in a row! Shocking! I will also be taking my own pictures like a big girl this week; just me, my kitchen door, and some magazines and a tea towel to perfectly nestle my camera in the right spot in order to take self-timed pictures.
I thought this was a good challenge because I can be that girl, surrounded by a plethora of clothing, having a tantrum, yelling 'I have nothing to wear!'. Which is complete bullshit, I have lots to wear. I've never done daily style on this blog (lots of what I wear but not an everyday account), mostly because I'm usually wearing rather unglamourous work clothes but I admire ladies like Kyla and Elaine who post daily, giving readers constant inspiration for remixing. So, for a week, I will post daily and remix like it's nobody's business... I have a lot of crazy pieces in my closet but to be functional in this challenge I chose a lot of basics plus a little sparkle to keep it sassy. My goal is to create really different looks but keep it wearable. Here's the breakdown of what I chose...



10 articles of clothing (pink #s, 'cause I'm fancy like that)
1. Gap biker boots
2. Jeffrey Campbell brown suede booties
3. Seven $ All Mankind ripped denim
4. Gap highwaisted zipper skinnies
5. Vintage Holt Renfrew wool dress
6. Brown Danier bomber
7. F21 sweatshirt
8. Thrifted striped turtleneck
9. Blue plaid shirt
10. Sequined Betsey Johnson shrug

5 Accessories (teal #s)
1. UO hat
2. Leather fringe bag
3. h&m necklace
4. Banana Republic patent belt
5. Thrifted Roots belt

AND because it's still cold up here I get to add (purple stars) a pair of functional shoes (Kenneth Cole boots), a pashmina, gloves and my ear warmers. If it gets colder I'll bust out my parka but I hope to make do with just the bomber...

Day 1

5+9+2+3+5

+Old Navy tights+ Kenneth Cole boots

And may I just give a high five to all those peeps who take their own pictures! This is hard!