Thursday, October 27, 2011

Bought: Sweatshirt/blazer hybrid

Bought: Sweatshirt/blazer hybrid

Where: Vero Moda courtesy of The Bay

Price: $40ish

I talk a lot of shit, so its common that this shit comes back and bites me in the ass.

Example: When everybody started wearing fuzzy boots six years ago, I bashed them pretty hard. Then I bought a pair and wore them each and every day until the spring thaw.

But no, I did not learn my lesson and start reserving judgement. I did the same thing with cotton blazers - talk about how they were maybe a step above a pyjama jacket.

Then I bought this:


It's cotton-polyester. It's a sweatshirt. I will wear this to work. 

Sunday, October 9, 2011

I can't decorate, but I can copy

I survived what I thought was an impossible, painful, fruitless apartment search. Now that I've calmed down a bit (and started to settle in to my new place!), I realize this is probably what most apartment searches are like. I was dealing with somewhat of a perfect storm:

- Looking for three bedrooms (non-existent)
- Parking (good luck)
- Fun and safe area (2 possible streets in Toronto)
- For September 1 (competing with students who are willing to live without air conditioning. Or heating.)

BUT - we found something! Two days before we had to be out of our old place. We're in an older building now, but we have a lot more room. So - its decor time!

In my previous apartment, decor was easy. I had floor-to-ceiling windows for 2/4 walls in my bedroom. But now that I have walls, I can hang some of the many prints and posters I've collected.

Here is the inspiration for the wall opposite my bed:

Wall in the back room at Le Select Bistro (Toronto.)
Le Select is a cute restaurant in the King/Wellington West area of Toronto. Highly recommend it - so much so that I hosted my sister's bridal shower there. The back room has an 20 foot ceiling, with one wall plastered with posters from gallery collections, art shows, and operas. The above photo is about 1/5 of the wall (and doesn't include the incredible The Magic Flute poster which I've been trying to track down.)

So, with the one clear wall in my room - which doesn't have a 20 foot ceiling, but I will make it work - I decided to do the same. Flipping through the posters and prints I've collected, I realized that I have more of an Asian-influenced theme going on. I love realizing that I have an interest or preference - or style, I guess - once I've already started the collection.

So here is what I'm starting with:

A Madama Butterfly posted I scored for $5, and a print of The Great Wave at Kanagawa that I scored for free by being tricky.

So, along with a few smaller prints, this should be done within the next three months. Hopefully with minimal structural damage to my building.


Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Bought: Flats, without looking four

What: BDG Skimmer Flats

Where: Urban Outfitters

Price: 10 dolla (sale!)

Here is a new discovery, for me.

Rounded toe flats = I look four. I feel like I'm toddling around, do de do de doooo. But - COMFIEZ.

Slightly pointed toe flats (see figure 1) = I look older (maybe 14.) And I'm walking, not toddling. And still, comfiez are to be had.

And for $10, you know I'm happy. My only slight issues are:

1. You have to shovel through Urban Outfitters merchandise to get what you want. Even if they're full price (and therefore not in the back bottom corner of some sales bin in that nasty, hot sales area), they're in a crate, on the floor. Have fun.

2. What does "skimmer" mean? If it means that they are cut very low on your foot, which they are, then skimmer also means "shoe likely to be inadvertently kicked off your foot, and will then slide across the concourse of your office building causing you to hop over to it."


Monday, January 17, 2011

Bought: Shoes I Can't Wear

What: Aldo Allday shearling lace-up booties + Aldo Norkus open-toe lace-up booties

Where: Aldo

Price: Out the door with both for less that $160
For boots called Allday, you really should be able to wear them longer than 3 hours. The 3 hours I wore them involved 7 inches of snow, and snow + stilletto + beige suede does not equal a practical fashion choice. My parents picked me up, and when my dad saw me stumbling through the snow, he called me a schiminita, which is a word used by my Italian side of the family (likely made up) to describe a vain princess-type. And I deserved it.


Now, if I were to wear these on say, a fall day, with crisp leaves underfoot and a slight breeze, they would be perfect. They are surprisingly comfortable if you are on dry, level land.


BUT, would you believe that the second pair I bought were even LESS pratical? Less practical than beige suede stiletto winter boots, yes.






I love them, but they are open toe, and they take twenty minutes to put on and take off, and they will make my feet hot in summer and cold in winter. I was 100% inspired by Maegan of lovemaegan.com, who wears these adorable Sam Edelman open toe booties. She lives in California. I live in Canada.


But I did get these purchases vetted before I walked out the door. I BBMed a stylish friend the following:



Laura:

Tell me I should buy two pairs of shoes.

Styling Friend:

You should buy two pairs of shoes.