Pleats and Fleets

Tags

advertising, fashion, vintage

Last week, I took a break from treasure-hunting at thrift stores, and allowed myself to splurge at the incredible White Elephant vintage dress sale. It was a beautiful collection of dresses from four different vintage boutiques. Racks were packed with tafetta, sparkles, and all the trimmings of old-school evening wear. Since I won’t be getting remarried or going to a ball any time soon, I opted for something simpler, but every bit as fun. I bought this uh-mazing 1960′s a-line shift. It’s so pink! And so mod! I want to wear it EVERY SINGLE DAY.

A good vintage dress almost begs for some kind of Mad Men tribute, but I’ve sort of done that already. While I love Joan, this isn’t her style, and I don’t have the, erm, assets to pay tribute to her (hint: assets = tatas). This dress doesn’t call out any of the fictional Mad Women, but rather one real-life Mad Woman by the name of Mary Wells Laurence. Who is Mary Wells? A badass, that’s who. Basically, she’s the real-life Peggy Olson and Donald Draper, without all the bitterness and infidelity.

I thought of Mary while watching one of my favourite flicks, Art & Copy, last week. Art & Copy is a fantastic documentary that examines advertising’s creative revolution in the 1960s, and goes on to explore some of the more memorable American ad campaigns of the last five decades. It’s fascinating stuff. It features Mary briefly, and honours the work she created in 60s and 70s. She dominated the male-driven ad industry as female copywriter, dreaming up some of the most iconic ad campaigns of our time (like “I Love New York”). She eventually founded her own successful agency. This dress is a tribute to Mary, and specifically is the work she did for Braniff Airlines in the 60s.

Mary came up with the “The End of the Plain Plane” campaign for Braniff. Elements of the campaign included painting all Baniff’s airplanes pink, orange, yellow, blue, and every other colour under the sun. Stewardesses were outfitted brightly-hued Emilio Pucci uniforms, Alexander Girard designed furniture and textiles for every plane, modern art adorned all the walls. Mary brought fun back to flying. These days, we get all excited about brightly-coloured iPhone cases, but this chick got them the paint a whole fleet of planes rainbow colours. Like I said: badass.

When I wear this dress, I feel like I’m embodying some of the fun and whimsy of Mary’s vision. Heck, I even feel a bit like a Braniff stewardess myself. While being a stewardess in the 60s was likely a life of harassment and objectification, they sure had the aesthetics done right. I’m grateful for trailblazers like Mary who recognize the power of adding some colour and sass once and a while. She brought it to a fleet of planes, I’m bringing it to my pleats of pink. Cheers to you, Mad Mary, and the end of the plain pleats!

International Relations

Tags

fashion, grand rapids, thrifting, travels

I have a complex relationship with my neighbours. No, I don’t mean my fellow condo dwellers or even the angry man across the street who yells at me from his balcony. I’m referring to my friends in the south: The United States of America. It’s complex in that I’ve got some American blood in me, but I spent many childhood years raggin’ on the Red, White and Blue. You see, my Dad is an American, and he’s pretty wonderful. But bi-annual visits to the USA as a kid meant I had to develop an extensive list as to why Canada is the superior nation. I had to convince my American cousins I was right and they were wrong. Kid logic. These conversations usually began with me and my siblings adamantly denying living in igloos.

Of course, I’ve moved beyond list-making and igloo-denying. In fact, Canada and America have more in common than they don’t. However, if I were still score-keeping, America the Brave just scored a few very major points this weekend. Most of them come from this dress.

This dress cost me ONE DOLLAR. I’m going to give you some time to let that settle in.

(…Settling time…)

Again, if you didn’t hear me the first time: ONE DOLLAR.

This one-dollar miracle came from the Salvation Army in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, Planet Earth. I spent last weekend in good ol’ GR, visiting my sister-in-law Magdalyn and her husband. The Salvation Army decided to throw a Cinco De Mayo sale, and declare all clothing 5/5$. This is just one of the two vintage dresses that made their way into my bag, along with some other goodies for my sister-in-law. I didn’t really realize this sale was on until we walked up to the cash register. If I had clued in sooner, I would have spent every last loonie in that store. While I still love my country dearly, this one-dollar dress has me reluctantly granting the USA a win in thrifting category. And that’s a big deal.

They also scored major culinary points on my visit. We went to a restaurant that serves nothing but breakfast. Forty different kinds of breakfast, each more delicious than the last. This is such a brilliant idea, I’ve concluded all restaurants everywhere should serve only breakfast for every meal. Wait, I revise my answer: all restaurants should just serve breakfast and hotdogs. Why? Because another big boost in points can be attributed to the restaurant that put chili, cheese, and potato chips on my hotdog. It was the stuff of dreams (wait, final answer: restaurants can serve whatever they want, so long as they put potato chips on top).

But don’t worry, my mild-mannered Canadian friends. I won’t be pledging my allegiance to Old Glory any time soon. They may have perfected thrifting and hotdogs, but we still have way prettier money, more lakes, and a shit-tonne of gold medals. Our fellow countrymen are people like Margaret Atwood, Christopher Plummer and Bryan Adams. Even our fictional peeps are pretty awesome: Anne of Green Gables, Scott Pilgrim and Robin Scherbatsky all call Canada home.

And one more point for Canada: have you ever tried listing the fifty states? People, that’s too many states. Canada has ten provinces and three territories. Much more manageable.

In the end, it really doesn’t matter if you’re an America, Canadian, or something else all together. They’re all pretty great. Plus, we can all rally behind shared interests – you share with me your cheap  dresses, and I share with you Justin Bieber. Here in Canada, that might be called a win-win…eh?

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

Tags

#HamOnt, fashion, Hamilton, thrifting

Alright, before you can say it: I know I jumped the gun a little on this outfit. It’s too early for sailor shorts and sleeveless tops.This is an outfit better suited for a July long weekend with a humidex of 41 degrees celcius (sorry American friends, I keep my temperatures Canadian). But when I saw the 26 degree forecast for Thursday, there was no stopping me. Plus, my recently thrifted blouse ($4.99) and Guess flats ($7.99) went so well with my not-so-recently thrifted shorts ($11.99) it would be a crime not put them all together ASAP.

Anyways, this is the kind of outfit that makes me want to get involved in some rollicking 1960s summer adventure. Maybe with a bike, some soda from a glass bottle, and at least three other quirky companions (and yes, I am describing Now & Then). While I’m too old for seances in the graveyard and stuffing my bra with pudding (the bras do that for you now!) that doesn’t mean I can’t get up to a few little adventures of my own.

Not long after we took these photos, I stuffed that leather backpack full of wine and tostitos, and took a walk down the street to my friend Sandra’s for an impromptu potluck. It was lovely. Spring and Summer not only bring back sailor shorts and tank tops, but patios and evening walks as well. It brings the city of Hamilton back to life. While Hamilton possesses a different sort of beauty in the winter,  the warmer months are so much more conducive to urban living. I feel as though I can finally take full advantage of this little city once again!

My friends and and family will tell you I’m quite the advocate for Steel City. Since committing to Hamilton a few years ago, it gives me new reasons to sing it’s praises every day. It’s a welcoming and inspiring community to be a part of. Since you can’t all partake in my tostito and merlot adventures, I thought I’d share with you a few of my favourite Hamilton-based blogs to paint a picture of why I can’t wait to get outside again. Together, they perfectly illustrate the diverse and creative people that make Hamilton a city worth exploring.

Love it a lot: If you google “Hamilton” after reading this post, you’ll undoubtedly come across articles on the transformation of James Street North. To make a long story offensively short, in the early 2000s, artists from all over the map flocked to James Street North due to an abundance of cheap studio space. That influx was the catalyst for a district renewal. James Street is now the home of Hamilton’s monthly Art Crawl, the yearly Super Crawl festival, and many unique and creative independent businesses. White Elephant, for example, is a “delicately curated handmade and vintage shop”, and the ladies behind this store are the bloggers behind  Love it a lot. This blog not only gives you a sneak peak into the store, but provides glimpses into the lives of these ladies, and the beauty they encounter in this city. Plus, they are hosting a vintage dress sale next week. Weee!

Beaux Mondes: Hamilton rarely looks more stylish than when it’s behind the lens of these two. Seriously. They paint an incredible picture of the city. They’re very selective in their focus, writing only about the things that truly inspire them. Their elegant photography and diverse mix of people, products, and places create a sophisticated magazine of Hamilton life.

Crackers: Whenever I get all high-and-mighty about giving up the mall, I head over toCrackers, and it totally cuts me back down to size. This blog tells the tale of a Hamilton-area family who broke up with the Super Market, which is way more work. It reminds me that the walk to Hamilton’s Farmers’ Market is one I need to make more often.

My Edit: I’m sure all my readers have heard of Jentine before. She’s the thrift-champion of the world! She also happens to live not ten minutes away from me. Jen not only proves that you can dress fabulously without leaving the city, but if you look past her stylish ways, you’ll noticed the diversity and beauty in her outfit photo locations. Her blog is a a portfolio of stylish looks and Hamilton locales. Plus, I’ve met her in person – and she’s all kinds of awesome. She’s also a landscaper, so she’s paid to make this city more beautiful.

Love Elycia: If people Like Elycia call Hamilton home, how can it not be amazing? Elycia is crafty and quirky, and her blog is a testament to her creative and colourful outlook on life. It’s a journal of all the little adventures she has every day. She’s artistic, industrious, and incredibly funny. And she loves cats as much as I do. Hamilton is lucky to have her.

While this isn’t a comprehensive list, I hope it’s given you a small taste of the city I love. This is a city worth exploring, with or without a bike and some soda pop. I’ve already far exceeded my self-imposed word count on this bog, so here are a few more #HamOnt blogs to check out:

Happening Hamilton: A blog about culture and community in Hamilton | Spotted Gazette: A Hamilton Photo and DIY Blog  | Needlework: The blog of a boutique fabric shop on James North | The Beehhive: An urban craft collective out of Hamilton | This Must Be the Place: A blog from a girl who fell in love with Hamilton

If you’re in Hamilton, I look forward to more adventures with you this summer. If you’re not, I hope you take the chance to look around your city or town, and learn to love your home as much as I do mine. Happy travels!

 

Just Don’t Call Me Mrs. V.

Tags

DIY, fashion, life, teaching, thrifting, vintage, vocation

If thrifting were my homework, this denim shirt would get me an A+. For months, I’d seethe with jealously as friends paraded around in sweet new denim digs from Joe Fresh, Mark’s, H&M, etc. I started to think finding a classic denim shirt at a thrift store just couldn’t be done. I was so tempted to make some teeny-tiny exception from my No-Mall rule, but I stayed strong. And wouldn’t you know it – I finally found one.

Speaking of homework, I feel a bit like an art teacher in this outfit. The shirt is old and oversized, and would make a fantastic smock. Additionally, the shoes are the closest thing to a craft project I’ve done – I painted them red with some leftover screen printing ink last night. So, when I paired these funky items with my formal vintage red skirt, I suddenly had the urge to start telling juvenile delinquents about Andy Warhol and Sister Wendy. I never wanted to teach, but if I did, I’d wear this. The students would admire my DIYed shoes and my trendy denim, yet respect my professional skirt and stern teacher-glasses. Everyday, we’d bond over art and literature, laugh, cry, then stand on chairs and get all Dead-Poets-Society (without the sad ending).

Silly day dreams aside, I never really wanted any of the teaching life. In fact, it was quite the opposite. But for many years, everyone assumed I’d end up at the chalkboard. Reflecting those years reminded me of a very simple lesson – don’t do something just because every thinks you should. You know how I learned that? I’ll tell you. Come on over to my side of the fence, Cory Matthews. I’m about to go Mr. Feeny all over this blog.

From a young age, I would sit at my kitchen table, cutting and pasting, drawing and scribbling. I always knew I wanted an artistic career, but I figured out early on that didn’t include teaching for me. My parents were always supportive of my alternative-creative-career-callings, but that can’t be said for everyone else I encountered. The closer I got to university, the more predictable the reactions became: “Oh, you’re arty? So…you’ll be teaching then?”. It only got worse when I chose a small Christian university, and paired my Art major with an English major. The resounding chorus became “Wait…you’re not teaching? What the heck else do you expect to do with that?”

Well, to all the naysayers from the days of my youth – I’m not teaching. In fact, I’ve carved out a rewarding career for myself that exists entirely outside a classroom. And you know what else? When I look at my fellow art classmates, they did too – one is a phenomenal wedding photographer, another is a photo journalist in NYC. Heck, one of my good friends went on to start her own Snow Cone business! The rest of the class is rounded out with account managers, designers, and art therapists. That’s pretty darn diverse.

In addition to all of that, a handful of my fellow alum became teachers – amazing teachers, actually. You know why? They wanted it. They didn’t land on it because they had no other choice, they didn’t default to it because everyone told them they should. They’re teaching because that’s what they were dreaming of at the kitchen table. I’ll tell you right now: If I had fallen victim to the assumptions of those around me, I would have ended up stinkin’ lousy teacher. I’d be aiming for Miss Honey and end up Ms. Krabappel. Teaching is best left to those who actually have the the passion (and the patience) for the classroom. Like these guys!

What’s the point in all this? Don’t choose a career because it’s what’s expected. You want to teach? Teach your heart out! You don’t? Don’t! Instead, choose a career that reflects your passions, not someones’ assumptions. We can’t all be Mr. Holland.

Sure, it might be a tough few years, and you might have to combat your fair share of stereotypes, but at the end of the day, the teachers will teach, and you’ll end up in something that feels comfortable. Hopefully as comfortable as my new denim shirt.

Party Like It’s 1999

Tags

1999, fashion, nostalgia, thrifting

Let’s talk about this dress. It’s pretty nice, huh? It was $12, it’s a French label, and it’s comfy. Putting all of that aside, you know the first thing I thought when I saw this peaking out from a rack at Talize?

“HEY! BUTTERFLIES! AWESOME!”

Not five seconds after I uttered those words, I had to stop myself:

“…Did I just think that? Butterflies? Really? Is it 1999? Is She’s All That still in theatres?”

After I regained my composure and paid the cashier, my mind went back to the butterflies. I spent the last ten years fairly confident I’d never get excited about butterflies again. That scene was played right out in 1999, and I made the most of it. I had butterfly shoes, butterfly shorts, and way too many butterfly hair clips. Butterflies were IT (I still know all the words to Crazy Town’s Butterfly. My dad can recite whole Coleridge poems and I can recite Hey sugar momma, come and dance with me / The smartest thing you ever did was take a chance with me. Terrible song.)

Anyhoo, the butterfly comeback got me thinking: what else from 1999 is on it’s way back? What’s already here? What never left?  While I welcome the return of the butterfly from its millennial cocoon, there a few trends that should probably stay buried with my Soul Decision CDs. If you are uninterested in platforms and sticky lip gloss, hop off this bus right now, because it’s headed straight down Memory Lane, accompanied by a wicked soundtrack of All Saints and Robbie Williams.

First up:

Body Glitter. Or face glitter. Or hair glitter. Or glitter of any kind actually. I vividly remember slathering my eye lids with gooey, sparkly gunk. Every time I blinked the dried goop would pull on my taught skin. Not a pleasant feeling. Plus I’d have to spend extra time removing sparkle crusties from my eye lashes at bedtime, followed by the intense burn of my Oxy Acne Wash.

Is it coming back? I don’t think so. I really hope not. Kesha’s doing her darndest to make it happen. But I think we’ve become immune to her powers. Although I just thrifted earring on account of their overall…sparkliness! Uh-oh. Curse you Kesha! You wily sphinx!

Inflatable furniture: I remember thinking getting an inflatable chair would be the BEST THING EVER. The problem was they were intensely uncomfortable, and a real pain to keep inflated. I had to force myself to sit in it, as I read Ella Enchanted and blasted my sister’s Sixpence None the Richer CD (most late-90s memory ever).

Is it coming back? I’m going to say no. I think that one has run its course. Unless you have a pool.

Centre parted bangs. Okay, this one is a little more subtle. Let me paint the scene: You’re just about ready go over to your friends house, where you will do nothing but read embarrassing moment stories in Seventeen magazine. You put your hair in a quick pony tail. You throw on your Sketchers. You’re almost ready to go. But wait! Your hair! It’s not quite done. You need to make sure you loosen your centre-parted bangs, and let them hang down the sides of your face, separate from your pony. NOW you look awesome. Let’s go to Bootlegger. Still not visualizing it? Who better to illustrate the dominance of this style than my two favourite ladies from 10 Things I Hate About You?

Is it coming back? Meh, I’m not too worried either way. 1999 hairdos weren’t nearly as offensive as stuff from the 80s, so we’ll see where it goes.

Celebrities with three word names: Jennifer Love Hewitt. Freddie Prinze Jr. Joseph Gordon Levitt. Rachael Leigh Cook. Sarah Michelle Gellar. You weren’t anybody unless your name was at least five syllables and had two spaces in between.

Is it coming back? Three words: Carly Rae Jepsen.

There are just a few more things worth mentioning before we close the book on 1999 again. And I’m talking about dudes. Turns out we were pretty on the money when it came to the hunks. I don’t need to ask if they are coming back, because they never left! Someone over at Buzzfeed scanned in some amazing pics from 1999 teen magazines. To all my fellow ’99 teenagers, high-five for good taste! Our crushes have aged like fine wine! Also, they call Joseph Gordon Levitt “Joey”. Cute.

Oh…with a few exceptions:

Yuck.

Still though, even Fred Durst’s stupid hat and Kid Rock’s unwashed hair can’t sully the legacy of 1999. It was a simpler time, when everything tasted like vanilla icing and Claire’s was a plastic paradise; a time without bald Britney or American Idol. And you know what? If butterflies mean a little more of ’99 sneaking back in style, I’ll welcome it with open arms, covered in temporary tattoos and WWJD bracelets.

If you’re still hankering for more ’99 trends, some blessed soul uploaded an entire 1999 Delia’s catalog. It’s bursting with camouflage, cargo pants, jelly sandals, Hawaiian shorts and so much more. Recommended musical accompaniment: This song. Unlike Crazytown, I still think it’s amazing. You’re welcome.

Spring Fling

Tags

fashion, spring, thrifting

Can we all just take a minute and reflect on the wonder that is spring time? The mornings are crisp and cool, the afternoons are warm and breezy, and beautiful buds all over the place are emerging from their winter sleep. It’s also the one season that allows me to wear this outfit without discomfort or peculiar glances. You see, this outfit is from two worlds. The top is a summery, sheer blouse. The bottom is a heavy, wintery wool. These two star-crossed lovers only get to hang out in the short, sweet months of spring. What a romance!

If I had worn this blouse two months ago, I’d get corny jokes about not checking the weather report. If I wear this skirt two months from now, well, frankly it wouldn’t be very comfortable. This is an outfit that can exist solely in these perfect months between winter and summer, like daffodils, or May sweeps TV!

So, it’s warm enough for a Hawaiian luau on the top, but cool enough for a Joan Holloway Christmas party on the bottom. Here are a few other springtime benefits:

• It’s warm enough to enjoy the blooming magnolias, but cool enough that I don’t have address the garbage left over from a feisty raccoon attack, currently covered up by a whack of soggy leaves.
• It’s warm enough that I don’t have to wear nylons, but cool enough that I don’t have to shave higher than my knee (oh, who am I kidding, do I ever?).
• It’s warm enough that I might actually go for a run, but cool enough to avoid looking like a sweaty dog 10 minutes in. However, this could also be perceived as a negative , as my “poor weather – can’t exercise” line may no longer work. Although I swear my “bad ankle” is acting up these days – I blame it on the rain.

Oh. It’s been a while since I got really braggy about my cheaper-than-cheap finds, so I need to tell you the most expensive thing I’m wearing is the $6 shoes. Everything else was $3.50 or less. That’s how we do. This outfit may come and go, but I’ll be going hot n’ heavy with those prices for life.

Zack Attack

Tags

consignment, fashion, saved by the bell, thrifting

WordPress informed me that I’ve now published 30 posts. It used an exclamation mark to tell me this, so I’m assuming it’s a pretty big deal. Now that I’m 30 posts into this little endeavour, a style is starting to take shape. As you can tell, I don’t post everything I wear. This is partly because I don’t have that many clothes, and partly because I only write about an outfit if triggers a post-worthy idea. Sometimes what I wear prompts a reflection on a childhood memory, other times it recalls a favourite artist of mine, and still other times the clothing itself tells an interesting enough story.

However, there are other times when I find something I love, and want to write about it, but have nothing of real value to say. That’s what’s happened here today. See, I found this lovely Talbots dress at a beautiful consignment shop in Belleville, Ontario. It was half-price, so at $25 it was my splurge for the month. I also bought this neon scarf for $3 at the same store. I wore this dress on a particularly sunny day last week, so it was accompanied by these sunglasses.

I wore it, I loved it, and I waited for the story to arrive so I could put it on the blog. Well,   other than the fact that I think this is a fabulous dress and makes me feel like the editor of a women’s magazine, nothing was coming up to the surface. So, I started thinking on the accessories with this outfit: There’s the neon scarf, and the sunglasses. The first time I wore these sunglasses, Matt called them Risky Business glasses, then called me Tom Cruise for the rest of the day. So, let’s review: I have a nice dress, some neon, and Risky Business. Thinking…thinking…

And  all the sudden, like a vision in orange and blue, I knew the answer. This is what you get when you mix neon and Risky Business:

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Unfortunately, this video had little to do with my outfit. And yet upon viewing I completely abandoned by blog and got sucked into the rabbit hole that is classic Saved by the Bell moments. And so I present to you the results of my research:

Remember when Kelly dumped Zack for Jeff? Man, that was sooo low. She looks so pretty in her Juliet dress though. You know, after watching this with fresh eyes, Zack doesn’t really seem all the bummed. He’s like “no bigs, wanna dance?”

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Or how about when the gang took off to Malibu for several episodes? It was always such a treat when TV shows went on vacation (like when the Full House gang went to Disney Land and DJ thought Steve was Indiana Jones, classic!). Anyways, back to Saved by the Bell: look at the chemistry between Zack and Stacy. They were formative in my understanding of TV relationships: If you argue enough, you’ll probably end up makin’ out.  It’s a fact. I call it the Pacey n’ Joey paradox, or the Seth n’ Summer phenomenon. For those of you born after 1990, you’ll recognize it as the Dan n’ Blair complex.

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Last, but most certainly not least, one cannot walk down Bayside memory lane without this treasure:

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That was enough to scare me off caffeine pills FOR LIFE. And gray sweatshirts too. Seriously though, that Zack Morris knows how to hug a girl. There there, Jessie. I’m sure a promising career awaits you. Who knows, maybe you’ll even do a movie!

Ordinarily, at this time in the post, I neatly tie back my tangent to my outfit, and post a few more pictures. I could remark on how even when dressed like a magazine editor, all I want to do is YouTube stuff, and maybe try to BS that into something profound about our generation. But I’ve strayed so far already, all I really want to do is talk more about Saved by the Bell.

Did you enjoy the Zack and Kelly Wedding Special, or did it leave you wanting? Did you also avoid wearing leather jackets for years because you were worried it would make you look like Tori? Should I do an entire clothing series where I pay homage to different Saved by the Bell characters?

…Don’t answer that. I’ve already made up my mind. Class dismissed!

Blizzies, Blossoms, Bracelets & Belts

Tags

fashion, thrifting, vintage

A few weeks back, I was an enjoying a dinner with some good friends. Over dinner, the conversation turned to ice cream (this is a common occurrence when you hang out with me).  Specifically, my friends expressed their delight at being members of the Dairy Queen Blizzard Fan Club. Every couple of months, they receive coupons for free Blizzards. All this time, DQ had been handing out free ice cream I’d been paying full price like a chump! Not long after we parted ways, I too signed up for the DQ Blizzard Club. Over the past few weeks, my husband has signed up, my sisters have signed up, and if it were allowed I’d get my cat to sign up too. I’ve now become accustomed to a weekly Blizzard, with or without coupons. It’s crossed over to that dangerous place when I eat an item of food so much I give it an obnoxious nickname. Observe:

It’s pretty obvious – I’ve got a Blizzie problem, and I’ve got it bad. A snack-sized Blizzard hovers around the $3 mark. $3 is a small price to pay for a good 10 minutes of Reese peanut butter deliciousness. However, I wore a collection of items the other day that might be the wake-up call I need to kick this habit. Most of the items I’m wearing in this post also cost me $3. That belt? $3. That vintage camera case reborn as a purse? $3. That yellow and green bracelet? 3 Cuban pesos. The final kicker? That rainbow, floral explosion skirt was $3 as well (and had a tag from a previous vintage dealer that deemed it a $39.99 skirt). These items didn’t melt. These items didn’t leave me with a bloated dairy belly, and these items will be in my closet for the rest of my days.

All four pieces amounted to $12. $12 could get me a Reese Blizzard, a Skor Blizzard, and a Cookie Dough Blizzard for Matt. But my closet wouldn’t be nearly as colourful, I’d have to go back to using an actual purse, and my arm party would be bereft of its most colourful attendee. What kind of a life would that be?!

The next time the scarlet Queen tries to tempt me with her hot eats and cool treats, I’ll look back on this post to remind myself how much further those $3 can go. Get behind me Blizzies!

PS: When ever I was stumped for paper titles in my university days, I’d just go way over board with alliteration. Looks like I stillll got it.

Easter Bunnies & Copy Cats

Tags

fashion, polka dots, thrifting

We’re quickly approaching Easter. The Easters of my youth bring back memories of Lenten feasting, warm Sundays, faithful celebration, and loads of sugary confection. It’s a beautiful, joyful holiday. As a kid, the icing on the chocolate bunny was that it, like every major holiday, corresponded with colouring-contest season.

What a time that was. Every holiday, the local paper, grocery store, or realtor’s office would release themed scenes for children ages 12 and under to colour. During my illustrious colouring contest career, I racked up awesome prizes like gift baskets, a piggy bank shaped like Mufasa’s head, and an 18-SPEED MOUNTAIN BIKE! (still my best score). From time to time, I still relive these moments of victory, recalling the sweet feeling of Laurentian pencil crayons in my fingers. However, when I think back to my rise to fame, there remains a dark cloud over the origins of my success…

…I was a copy-cat.

Is there any worse accusation to hear or make as a kid? That’s a pretty slanderous term to throw around, reserved for only the meanest bullies and least creative children. And yet, my first colouring-contest victory made me guilty of this most-heinous crime.

The story: I was just a little runt at the time, all of 7 years old. There I sat at the dining room table, working feverishly on the Easter scene at hand. My older sister Robyn was working on the same contest. Robyn was 11, and a much more skillful colourer. I marvelled at the artistic direction she took with her Easter bunny. She slowly, carefully, patterned the whole bunny in thin rainbow lines. It was beautiful! Like any obnoxious kid sister, I stole that idea faster than you could say Cadbury Creme Egg.

To be fair, I didn’t consciously steal – I just thought hers looked so awesome that I  threw a whole crap load of rainbow on my bunny too. The problem was my messy, sloppy attempt at a rainbow rabbit was more endearing to the judges, so I took away the prize, while my sister’s careful colouring was left unrewarded. So, now’s as good of time as any to admit it – Robyn: I’m sorry I stole your rainbow. If I could take it back…Well, I probably wouldn’t, but I’m still sorry you didn’t win, too. Plus, we all know it wasn’t long before little sister Laura entered the colouring contest scene, starting stealing all the good prizes right from under me, and brought my career to an end – painful justice!

Why on earth have I rambled on about something that happened way too long ago? Well, I fear I’ve committed this same crime yet again, and instead of letting the wound fester for the next 20 years, I’m coming clean straight away.

This other story starts with some cargo pants. Recently, I thrifted cargos (not skinny trendy ones, these are outdated J.Lo ones). Af first, I fretted: how could I style these without looking like I just walked off military base or TLC video? Luckily, I had a light bulb moment: I’d wear these pants with my thrifted sheer polka-dotted blouse! Why, that would the perfect contrast of casual and formal – what a delightfully unexpected pairing! What a stylish juxtaposition! Go me! But before I could even put on the outfit, I remembered I didn’t really come up with this combo at all. That wizard of style, Kendi, wore it weeks ago, and I think I even pinned it. That’s how the combo landed in my brain.

So, Kendi, I’m straight-up copying you today. I don’t think I’ll win any sweet Lion King piggy banks for this one, but if I do, I promise I’ll share the loot. Luckily, in the age of style blogging, we’re all granted the opportunity to play copy-cat when our own inspiration well runs dry. Kendi reveals she first saw this pairing on Pinterest. A quick Pinterest search proves I’m neither the first nor the last person to pair these two textures together. It’s the circle of life, people! That’s probably what Elton John was singing about all this time. Oh, Elton, wise beyond your years.

clockwise: source | source | source | source

So what should we all take away from this? I don’t really know – something about acknowledging your sources? The need for adult colouring contests? Or this scarring image of Elton John as a Easter egg? While you all chew on that, I’m going to call it a day and chew on the plentiful amount of chocolate easter eggs these cargo pockets can hold. Happy Easter!

P.S.: Observe my nude peep toes. Liz Claiborne. $5.99. Salvation Army. I’m so happy I’m part of this club now.

P.P.S. (or P.S.S?): My mom is currently trying to dig up the photo of me receiving my 18-speed bike in a Tim Hortons looking like I’m about to cry. I’m probably wearing a turtle neck. It’s fantastic.

Out of My Suitcase

Tags

fashion, thrifting, vacation

Ola, my friends! I have returned from the coast of Cuba at last. What a wonderful, relaxing week. When I tell people about it, it’s a very short story: I sat by a pool and read. Then I ate. Then I slept. Then I repeated that for 6 more days. While my days were full of sloth, I did manage to rally for dinner on most nights. I loved getting out of the sun in the late afternoon, washing up, and taking my time getting dressed for the rest of the evening. Here’s a look at some of the items in action from my last post. (Note: I left the big camera at home, but my iphone stepped up as an understudy)

The first night, I celebrated my transition to vacation mode with my much-discussed Betsey Johnson dress. It felt so good to finally wear this baby! There’s such an ease with vacation style – I didn’t blowdry or flatiron my hair, or fuss around with heavy makeup. The only accessory this dress needed was mojito. Or four.

I also wore many-a-maxi during my time in Cuba. I love of the loosened rules of vacation style – it I were wearing the outfit below back home, I’d fuss over the straps of the dress showing under the tank-top, but here it works just fine.

The vintage scarves I told you about also added some flare (oh man, flare – that’s one lame word) to my basic black swimsuit. I paired another with my sailor shorts for a more casual evening outfit.

I found myself adopting a simpler approach to dressing all week. Up until recently, I found it difficult to decide what to wear with my snakeskin sandals. But with a limited closet, it made perfect sense to wear one animal print with another:

The same goes for the vintage crochet top my mom found found. I wasn’t sure how I’d wear this one – jean shorts? Bathing suit coverup? But when the time came to put it on, I decided the best compliment to crochet was…more crochet. Rocket science! And wouldn’t you know it, this became my favourite ensemble of the trip:

Last, but surely not least, one more loving shout-out to my faithful jean jacket. It was the perfect way to tone down this coral, embellished maxi dress:

So there you go! Seven different outfits from several different pieces, none of which cost more than seven dollars each to start. Now all I need it for that heat wave to return, a few more mojitos, and I’ll be wearing all of these again soon.