90's Heartthrobs

Pants? Gucci, Holt Renfrew Last Call Silk shirt? Thrifted Clutch? Likely thrifted Shoes? Ralph Lauren, DSW

I'm worried that I might actually enjoy worrying. I do it all the time. I wake Matt up at 1:32 a.m., worried that we haven't paid a bill. I leave the house and I worry that I left my straightening iron on. But mostly I worry that fashion blogging is going to kill the bright pants trend too quickly. And that would be a shame because I splurged for these Gucci pants, paying $70 for them last fall (at almost 94% off...) and it hasn't been until now that they fit comfortably.

Here in Hamilton (Ontario, Canada...), I have seen one girl wear a pair of bright pants and it was just last weekend. Yet I feel like I have seen them much more because they are everywhere in the alternate universe that is fashion blogging. And you know what happens when there is too much of a good thing. Just look at cupcakes and Justin Beiber... they got replaced by macaroons and Andrew Keegan. Right?

Ha... raise your hand if you grew up loving Andrew Keegan too. Now raise both hands if you think that that coloured pants should not just be a trend but a permanent treatment to wardrobe boredom. If you are over bright pants, just raise your other hand for Jonathan Taylor Thomas instead. It's OK... he was cute. Not as cute as my blue pants though.

Bona Fide Trespass

Linen dress? Thrifted Leather clutch? Thrifted and gifted (I think) Shoes? French Connection Bangle? Thrifted

This weekend we hosted a dinner with 8 mystery guests (it was part of an event organized through our church...), so we cleaned the fine layer of cat hair that had settled over our house during the last few busy weeks and I threw myself into setting a pretty table and actually making some good food. I had a big, ol' vision of how I wanted it all to look and when I sent Matt out to get some pretty serviettes and he came back with 500 BBQ style napkins, I threw a mini fit. I went downstairs to our storage area to check the box of party supplies (ugh... throwing a napkin fit and having a box of party supplies? I am such a treat.) to see if I could scrounge something together and I just so happened to find this purse when I was down there. I think my parents might have given it to me or maybe I thrifted it, and then let it sit in the dark hole of our basement to be rediscovered in the midst of a breakdown. And I didn't find any nice napkins and we dealt with the plain ones and no one noticed at all. But some did notice my clutch, which makes me realize that Matt was supposed to buy ugly napkins, just so I could find this perfectly matched clutch again. I knew the world revolved around fashion blogging.

And now on to the question of the weekend... Who is more shocked?

Yeahhhhhhh.... we took these pictures in an empty industrial area, likely trespassing but keeping it polite... or so we thought. Until the door right behind me (!) opened and Matt actually caught the awkward meeting on camera. How do you explain outfit pictures to a guy who made a cute little home (from the glance I cast inside... in a non creepy way...) in a 100% industrial zone? We didn't. He was nice about it. Probably as confused as we were. We just apologized 17 times and wished him a good day. Though perhaps the question of the weekend should be, who was trespassing the most?

Thrift Day. The Route.

Every time I go to Talize, I make my way around the store in the exact same way. If I am with a friend and they go off course (do they know who I am?), I always have to part with them and check through my route first. In little thrift stores I tend to scour the whole place but if I go to a department size store, it's good to have some direction.
While I won't punish you too heavily if you veer off my route, I do think my system has a little bit of thrifting wisdom to impart. First things first... put on your game face...

Whoops, not my game face... just a chance to flaunt the cuteness that is Kyle asleep in my underwear drawer this winter. Yes, the bedroom is a mess and he is actually not allowed to sleep there but for that one time... he was too precious. OK, back in the thrift game, let's do this...

Accessories- Just by the way that my local favourite thrift store is set up, I start my shopping experience at the display cases, check the jewelry, peruse the shoes and finally on to the purses with a pinch of belts and scarves. It brings me around in a neat little loop. If I only have 5 minutes to shop, these are the places I go first. Accessories are fun, cheap and don't require change rooms, so if you are a novice thrifter and are unsure where to start, the accessories loop is a good way to go. There are always some fun jewelry, belts or purses to be found! These items are also easy to clean and hence sit low on the hypothetical ick factor chart. I know that some of you have an aversion to thrifting shoes. I can respect that... though I do often find brand new shoes... just saying...

Favourites- I admit I don't need anymore dresses... or skirts, for that matter. But they are my favourite and if I have time and don't check the racks for these, I would feel as if I could have potentially left my next DvF vintage dress for someone else to snag. That would not be good, we call it thrifting, not kindergarten, sharing is not important.
I kid... mostly. But if I hadn't checked the dress section the last time I went thrifting, I would not have a vintage lace Victor Costa dress hanging in my closet... the perfect dress for my brother's wedding this September.
Dresses and skirts might not be your favourite thing to wear; maybe you fall hard for blouses with bow-ties or acid wash jeans (together?) but whatever is your clothing of choice, make sure you give that area a quick scan.

Trends- Some of you may have time to check every section in the thrift store but I don't. I am too busy frittering my time away on the Internet for that kind of craziness. So after I check the accessories and look through the racks of dresses and skirts, I look for trends that have recently caught my eye. Bright pants, faux fur vests and my latest addiction (I needed a new one after I quit Diet Coke... more than 3 weeks baby!), silk shirts, are all crucial parts of a fashion blogger's rite of passage and can easily be found second hand. Get inspired before you go to the thrift store! This way, the 80's pleated skirt is suddenly a prized possession waiting for a golden sunset, a camera and some likes on Weardrobe. Don't laugh but I am seriously on the lookout for a pair of denim overalls. I want them to be not crazy baggy, like the ones that were cool in Grade 6 and not crazy tight, like the ones that were cool in Grade 9. Somewhere in between. So far no luck. Mostly due to my height and fitting issues in the crotchular area. But it's going to happen, I can feel it... after I find silk shirt #9 and #10.

Do you have a thrift route or do you need some thrifting GPS?

Real Estate

Jacket? Thrifted Shorts? Gap (current... very comfy but not sure I am liking the denim sausageness of them...meh) Shoes? Frye, Winners Top? Larsen Grey, Winners Necklaces? longer one from The Last Hurrah, shorter one from Banana Republic Bag? Roots, thrifted

We went to go visit my university friend, Linda* and her husband, Paul this weekend. I took advantage of the fact that he is profesh and all and asked him to take some outfit pictures. We ended up just shooting them at the model homes in the area... you know, put your hand confidently on the railing and pretend you own it. I feared the awkward moment would arise when a sales person would come out of the home and ask if we needed any help. We decided if that happened, I would be the acting real estate agent for Linda, Paul and Matt (?). Smrt move, make the girl in the denim cut-offs and the yellow jacket be the real estate agent... very professional.

However, if I were a real estate agent and my 90's jacket was my biggest flaw, then I think we could overlook that. Our real estate agent last year was a peach but I have heard many horror stories. The best one yet was the representative who told my friend and her sister that they weren't fit to make any sound real estate decisions, as they were both pregnant. Part of me thinks that story is funny, part of me thinks that story is sad... and the rest of me wants to sell you a house while wearing a yellow jacket.

*Yes, the Linda who made the Ride to Conquer Cancer necklaces... to all those who supported, a heartfelt thank you. And a kiss too.

Field of Weeds

Dress? Handmade, vintage, White Elephant Shoes? Frye, Winners Purse? Thrifted Belt? Roots, thrifted

I need another vintage dress like Paris Hilton needs another reality show. And we all know how that is going to end, so I just caved and bought this pretty blue number from White Elephant during the Art Crawl this month. The ladies at White Elephant had kitties from a local rescue agency in their window that night but I came too late and missed the opportunity to take home my fourth cat. So I took home the dress instead. Matt was relieved.

The fields of dandelions everywhere are an effect of the tightened pesticides regulations in Ontario these past few years. While homeowners stand on their property line guarding against interlopers from the city fields, I did what any self-respecting fashion blogger would do... I frolicked in the dandelion field whimsically (as frolicking should always be done in a whimsical manner). Dandelions are the new carnations, mark my words.

A Cause

My university bestie, Linda, is selling these necklaces to raise money for cancer research. If you followed my blog way back in the young years, you may remember her; she used to blog too (Struggles of a Creative Mind)...
Linda's uncle passed away from cancer just over a year ago. It had been his intention to ride in a local fundraiser, Ride to Conquer Cancer, but he passed away 2 months before he had the chance. In his place, family and friends rode. Last year Linda made these necklaces and sold them to assist in raising money. This year she made 300 more.
I know there are so many worthy charities and causes that need our financial support. I also know that cancer is disease that touches all of our lives. I don't think there is anyone who hasn't seen a loved one battle with the disease. Please consider purchasing a necklace and in doing so, support cancer research. All proceeds go to support the Go Joe Go team as they Ride to Conquer Cancer this June again.

It's easy to wear the necklace because it's cute. But personally, I wear the necklace as a reminder to appreciate my health. I know that's a cheesy thing to say, and I like to stay away from cheesy, unless it involves my cats or a sandwich... but it is 100% true. Complaining about rainy weather and the resulting mediocre outfit pictures is a luxury. Complaining about being uninspired in what I am wearing is a luxury. Complaining about losing a twitter follower is a luxury (though, seriously, how dare you?). My health is a blessing, and when it is so easy to get caught up in silly business, it is a good thing to be reminded of.
Click here to read Linda's post or here to buy the necklace.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Making Wine Out of Lemons

Pants? Joe Fresh Silk shirt? Thrifted Sweater? Gap, thrifted Shoes? Aldo, thrifted Jacket? Danier Hat? UO

Apparently it is actually going to stop raining tomorrow. This is good news. We were working on a new ark but the allen key got lost. It's also good news for picture taking; looking at the rain streaks in the pictures above is a little depressing. But the point is, I am getting dressed, even in this cold, miserable rain. No, I didn't think I would be wearing layers and cords in mid-May (I was picturing dresses and maybe a skort... hmmm.. good idea, I should thrift a skort) but the weather has a mind of its own; it doesn't even listen to tweets. But you know the saying, when life hands you lemons... you whine about it.

In the interview I did with Cubicle Chic about my job, I said one of the keys to success in the landscape industry was not whining. This week I have been whining. It's true. It's hard to remember why you like your job and why you always step up to defend it, when you can't feel your hands and you need a 45 minute hot shower to warm up after work. We work through the cold in early spring and late fall but somehow, it just seems so much more cruel in May. If it doesn't warm up soon, I am just going to continue whining... which will inevitably lead to wining.

A Slice of Real Life

Dress? Lida Baday, thrifted Silk shirt? Liz Claibourne, thrifted Shoes? Frye, Winners Belt and clutch? Thrifted Earrings? F21

I dressed nice all weekend. It rained all weekend.
But I was determined to get outfit pictures today because in my mind, your world will crumble without a new post from myself... and I really liked what I was wearing. So, instead of checking my ego at the door, we drove down to the harbour and searched for an interesting location with some shelter from the wind and rain. We went to this little covered entry way to the docks and just sat in the truck; working up the courage to take pictures in the crap weather. A security guard came through the gates and Matt took a picture. He wanted me to know that he could sit in the comfort of the vehicle and still take pictures of me doing my thing.



That wasn't enough for me. I didn't hire him for his long distance paparazzi skills; if I suffer, he suffers. So we sat in the truck a while longer. Finally, Matt says that we have to make some decisions. I agree but we continue to sit in the truck, waiting... Then Matt farted and that forces the decision. We run out, quickly realizing that the entry way really gives no shelter. We take pictures. Let's pretend that the rain drops on the lens are artistic...
This is what I have for you today; a good outfit, rain soaked, mediocre pictures and an over share story.

Team Work

These are still some of my favourite pictures from my weekend in NYC. I'd like to think of them as a group effort. Morgan dressed herself reaaal nice (in my head I am saying that with Kendi's southern accent), Merl provided the jewls and the stellar photography and I was art director. That is, if an art director holds an arm's worth of bags and coats behind the scene and yell things like 'Jimminy crickets, that shot is beautiful!!!!'.

If you wanna to see a smack load more pictures of Morgi and her pretty pink skirt, click here.
If you wanna buy some of Merl's wares (I just bought the necklace/harness pictured... can't hardly wait), click here.
If you wanna be mildly entertained on a Saturday night, pour yourself a mason jar full of wine and scroll through my archives. OK, maybe you should just go out...

Happy Saturday night!

Thrift Day. In Praise of Silk Shirts

Silk button-up shirts broke through my writer's block. I feel so inspired, I could write a thesis for my masters on why silk shirts are awesome. I will spare you and give you the I Should be in Bed version instead.
Silk shirts are awesome because they feel great.
Silk shirts are awesome because they look great.

I have worn them tucked into a high waisted skirt.

I have worn them layered with a crop top.

I have worn them in a colour explosion.

But most often I wear them with my Gap jeans and an interesting piece of jewelry. My go-to outfit. We never get pictures because if the moment requires a go-to outfit, I am undoubtedly running late already. I always roll the cuffs and unbutton the first 2, maybe 3, buttons at the neck. In the world post-Lady Gaga, 2 buttons undone have lost their shock value, so I am currently pushing the boundaries at 3 buttons.
You can get yourself a beautiful silk shirt for a few hundred dollars or you can get yourself a beautiful silk shirt for a few dollars. It's your choice, I am not going to tell you how to live your life (I leave that in the capable hands of Tyra Banks) but I am going to tell you that thrift stores are full of silk blouses. Silk blouses that are ready to move on from their memory of being a choir shirt and start a new fashionable adventure. Since I have started my little silk shirt collection, I have rarely gone to a thrift store (be it big city or small town) without finding a few to try on. Though I already have at least 5 silk shirts, I wear them so much that I am actively looking to add more colours to my little slice of the rainbow. They breathe, skim the body in a flattering way without sticking to your tricky bits and tuck in rather cleanly.
The key to finding them in a thrift store starts with label reading but once you get the idea of what silk looks and feels like, they can quickly be spotted on the rack. It's hard to put in words exactly how silk feels different from polyester, but I always describe silk as feeling cool and smooth. Your fingers don't stick to the fabric and it you crumple a part of the shirt in your hand, it will leave a wrinkle.
Try different sizes of shirts on as well. A larger drapey style can fall of the shoulder a bit (scandalous) or a smaller size can tuck into something high waisted. Often clothes that are way too big can hide your figure but a larger silk shirt still hangs in a flattering way. Silk blouses skim the body but they will never cling to the body. That should be their tag line. Unfortunately if they are available for $4 at thrift stores everywhere, there isn't enough of a price mark-up to cover my cost as marketing director. Which is a pity because I would love to write a post encouraging people to buy silk button up shirts at the thrift store... but I just can't do it unless I get paid.

More Pictures, Less Words

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Dress? Thrifted Belt? Michael Kors, Winners Shoes? Ralph Lauren, DSW Ponyhair clutch? Thrifted Necklace? h&m

This isn't the first time that I have mixed a vintage floral dress with the leopard belt.

It is however, the first time on this blog that I can think of absolutely nothing to write. NOTHING. I might as well test the waters and see if I can become one of the fashion bloggers who just posts pictures and adds little text. If I never had to write for a post again, I would have so much free time I could probably clean the grout between the bathroom tiles with a toothbrush. Perhaps for your sake but mostly for Matt's toothbrush's sake, I hope this writer's block clears up tomorrow.