i've been really into the diy lately, cutomizing things with studs, shortening thrifting buys etc. and today's outfit is no excepton. these jeans i found in a thrift store a few weeks ago for 7.99$. i don't normally buy jeans in thrift stores unless i'm lucky to find some great fitting vintage or a premium denim pair like these sevens. they weren't perfect and needed some work to make them into something i'd wear. first i removed all the horrid crystals they had on their pockets and then i had to redo all the pocket stitching. today i decided they needed to be skinnys and i took in the legs. i think i may end up ripping the knees too but i'm going to live with them like this for a while. i also made the bracelets i'm wearing. i just used stretchy clear string and tied the beads closed so they were super simple to do but i love the black and metallic beads, they're so pretty. finally, i wore my plaid jacket that i took in about 8 sizes and cropped. all together, quite the creative look. this outfit also proved how versatile my lace bodysuit truly is as it provided the perfect amount of coverage and support for my open back tee. both items are on sale on the urban website right now so go buy them! they are great, easy and summery pieces.
6.30.2008
super diy sunday
my belated jumper
this is an outfit from one week ago. i took these pictures with kevin's camera and then he left for nashville with them so the look is a little belated. the jumper i'm wearing is a favourite thrifting find. i love that it's a 90's rayon piece but that it's a plaid not a floral. it's from northern reflections, a store that sold sweatshirts with cats on them and other 1990's suburban mom gear. it also had a children's store that sold these ub anywhere sweatsuits that all the cool girls in my 4th grade class would wear. two girls in particular, who were best friends, would always wear matching sweatsuits and pretend they didn't call each other the night before to plan their outfits, so mean girls plastic. i saved all my birthday money that year so i could get my back to school wardrobe from that store. my favourite piece was a long sleeved cotton floral babydoll dress that i would wear with docs, very cool.
6.28.2008
three hearts
it's pretty clear that i enjoy a high waisted skirt and a graphic tee so here are three versions that create an ideal outfit just by adding three amazing accessories. we have a sass and bide tee with an etro skirt, a luella fox tee with a see by chloe skirt and a sass and bide heart tee with my topshop nautical skirt. my key accessories are a studded etro gladiators and vest, plus a mulberry roxanne. perfect summer looks.
6.27.2008
dumbo brook lyn
going into forever 21 is not as common for me as it is for most bloggers out there. i don't know if the quality of selection is really that different in canada compared to the states but i tend to find their stuff poorly made and cheap looking. when my aunt was visiting we went in and i was surprised to find this adorable summer weight plaid dress. i love that the waist had some definition and was not completely empire. i loved the gathered pockets and the hook and eye detail. most of all i loved the fabric and it seemed well put together. i wore it here with my moccs and my madewell cardi that i folded under to create a cropped sweater as i felt it accentuated the dress' waist more. after working all night in the humidity all i wanted to do was take it off but i couldn't (sometimes i hate work rules). i added a long strap to my mulberry brooke, a la alexa chung and her roxanne, and now it is so wearable. i've always loved the bag but after extended carrying the chain strap can be uncomfortable on your shoulder. this remedies the situation and makes the bag more casual for everyday wear. i also wore my elephant yesterday and i find people love him. they always ask where to buy my elephant necklaces and i wonder if it's the exotic or the childlike connotations that appeal to people. this guy is solid metal so he's very heavy but he looks great. well, i've got to head to ikea before kevin gets home so i'm off, happy weekend.
6.26.2008
starry eyed
another auction ended and another had to have it piece bought. i've always been a star girl. a few years ago i'd buy anything with star details, clothes, home decor, anything. i even got a star tattoo back in 2003, it's pink and on my foot. so when i saw this pic of alexa chung rocking this amazing star dress i loved it. not only was it an affordable version of the amazing chanel pieces karl had just done but it was probably the outfit that launched alexa into a fashion it girl. the piece was from topshop so i didn't think i'd have much luck getting it, but there it was on ebay and today it is mine. i'm not sure if the piece i won is the exact cut of alexa's because mine is a tunic and not a dress, but it's the same fabric. so now there's only one auction left and it's for the best piece so hopefully my luck will continue.
6.25.2008
sun fun
today i headed out to ward's island and spent the afternoon getting some sun, with sunscreen on of course, and reading at the beach. it's so nice to be just a short ferry ride away from a island oasis. ward's is like being up in muskoka but instead of driving 2-3 hours it takes 10 minutes to get there. i wore my new yellow striped bikini and finished my island adventure off with a burger and a ceaser at the cafe. kevin called today too to tell me about nashville and that he's coming back a week early, yeah! i spent the night continuing the big organizing clean up of the apartment and watching old taped episodes of heartbreak high.
sunglasses: vintage rayban wayferer ii
love and swallow
i pretty much have to buy anything with a swallow on it now that i got my chuck. so when i saw this tee on sale i quickly snatched it up. i loved the sailor jerry old school tattoo vibe and the embelishment. i paired it with my black high waisted jersey skirt, a skinny belt and red accessories. i like the look of graphic tee's peeking out of high waists. you get a slightly distorted image that is kind of interesting. i just wish that these flats would stay on my feet as they have streched out and now flap around when i walk down stairs.
6.24.2008
ebay knock out
i'm ebay hunting right now and yesterday i had three auctions going when i left for work. leaving potentioally winning bids and then seeing what happens is just as exciting as bidding at the very end of an auction. as long as it's not for an item you can't live without because you usually end up losing. when i got home and anxiously checked ebay i saw i won one of the auctions and it was the item i thought for sure i wouldn't get. i've been lusting for this skirt ever since i saw these topshop ads. i know it is a knock off of a miu miu dress but i like the way topshop styled their version as it really shows its classic nautical vibe and the skirt's versitility. so now i just sit and wait for my lovely stripey skirt to arrive to spend the summer with me. i heart ebay.i just hope i'm as lucky as this with my other auctions coming up because there are some goodies.
6.22.2008
shades of grey
yesterday i spent the day with my mom and my aunt as my aunt leaves for portugal tommorow. we walked around downtown, had tea and took some photos. for the occasion i wore my clinton street bakery outfit. this look with forever remind me of that friday in nyc when we went to clinton's and headed over the bridge to brooklyn. saturday's outfit did vary slightly from the nyc one as it has a different grey tank and peep toe oxfords instead or boots. i can't wait to get to nyc again. well i got to head to work in an hour and tomorrow is an early morning to take kevin to the airport so that's it for now.
zipped up
the other day kevin and i were running around doing errands, grabbing stuff for the house and for his trip to nashville. we made a pit stop at the mall and i bought this outfit during the sales. the jeans i've been wanting for weeks, my lollabridges and a great zipper top. cool details and great fit are all you need to make a killer outfit. zipped into these tight jeans and wearing my wood platforms made me feel confidant and sexy. it's amazing how clothes can completely change your mood or attitude. these are definitely "you want it but you can't have it" jeans and just a bit bitchy.
6.21.2008
she's got the look
i love this look. easy pieces, most of which seem to be from american apparel, that are put together with great accessories to create an effortless cool outfit. i love the skinny belt and the splash of colour. i put this pic by my bed as a source of inspiration and to remind me to take that extra minute to add those little things to my outfits that transform ordinary dressing into having an interesting personal style.
6.20.2008
handbag wishlist
i'm obsessed with mulberry right now. i've been trying to track down some bags but holts no longer carries them and that is where i got my mulberry brooke. so all that leaves is the mulberry website and ebay. i refuse to buy a bag on ebay because i got a mulberry wallet on it the other week and it was a fake! i couldn't even leave bad feedback because the seller is no longer registered. the good thing was i didn't spend too much on it. the mulberry site has the bags i want but they are in pounds and super pricy. i here that they have great sales but only twice a year so maybe i'll have to wait until then or until i make it to the states again. i love the classic bayswater and the fold over jody in the larger size. but the one i really want is the roxanne. i think it's a little of alexa chung's influence because she has the best mulberry collection fueling my already huge love of the brand. it's so british and it has an understated coolness because of the lack of logos. while at holts today trying to track down bags i also fell for the new calista bag by jill stuart in the florecent yellow. i love the chain details on it and the square closures. it also wasn't too expensive. i considered just getting it but then i saw the amazing sale items upstairs and bought the yves twenty8twelve leather jacket in black i've wanted for months at over half off. it's the most amazing jacket and now i can finally end my search for a bikerstyle leather coat.
6.19.2008
bangs
introducing my new bangs... after much debate and over a year of indecision i went for the chop. charlotte did a great job as usual and it's just what i wanted but i'm still getting used to the look. i thing it needs a week of growing out and then i'll love it as right now it feels a little too new and perfect. kevin says i look like a hipster but that is to be expected as this is the typical hipster hairdo. i think chuck approves too.
strawberry shortcake
tuesday was busy. in the morning i checked out the thrift stores and got a cropped tiny jean jacket that i studded out when i got home. then i went and got my hair cut, say goodbye to sweepy fringe for a while. finally, i met up with my mom and aunt and we went to some bead stores, grabbed lunch, checked out some clothes and the farmer's market. i got some organic ontario strawberries and some cute stuff during the aritzia pre sale. yes sale time has arrived, in fact today i picked up my much lusted over lollabridge jeans from 18th amendment for over 50% off. good thing i held out a few months because i saved over 100$. as for my outfit, it is a little scandalous. but i tried to balanced the shorty shorts with my wellingtons and a flannel. i layered my new green tank with my lace bodysuit as the tank is low cut and the lace adds a nice detail plus adds a bit of modesty.
easy like monday morning
monday morning rolled around with a sudden desire to chop my bangs. it must have been all the alexa chung photos i've been looking at lately. unfortunatly, work was super busy and i wasn't able to sneak out to make an appointment for when i was done so it had to wait until tuesday. instead i spent the early evening shopping and eating chippy's. i got the aforementioned aa tanks and a t-shirt dress from urban with stars and an eagle on it plus a cool guy's photo print wolf tee that i just had to have. i think i might modify it a bit to make the fit cooler but it was cheep and i loved the graphic. monday reminded me that nothing is better then a sun shower and walking through the park with good food and british elle. i wore this layered look to work. it's very cozy with an over sized tee, knit vest, leggings and moccs. sometimes you feel like staying in your pjs all day and this is as close to that as you can get while still looking like you put some effort in.
sugar sweet
it's been a busy couple of days. i've been working, visiting with my aunt whose leaving to go home to portugal on monday, helping kevin prepare for his trip to nashville, playing baseball and i got my haircut. thus, the blog is a little behind plus it didn't help that my camera battery died too. that's all fixed now and i'm back so on with the looks. this outfit was from sunday and it includes a sweet new cardigan i got thrifting. i love the pale pink, the boxy retro fit, the cable knit and the adorable horse buttons. unfortunately i wore it to work during a weekend in which our ac was on the fritz so i sweated for my fashion statement. i also wore the iconic jersey tank that aa just got in a variety of new colours and that i had to go purchase in navy and green on monday. adding the converse and the torn skinny's toughen up the outfit and turn my pony buttons into stallions. p.s. the cudas won their baseball game again tonight and were going for the championship next week, go cudas!
6.16.2008
canadiana
this is a perfect example of the canadiana style i like to embody. you got a bit of plaid, tooled leather, some moccasins and fall colours. all in all, this is a perfect outfit. a funny thing about this outfit is all the major pieces i'm wearing i've had for at least 3 years, so it really is an outfit of favourite things.
6.14.2008
get into the groove
i love h&m's organic line. they use great colors and create garments with interesting shapes. it's so hard to find nice looking organic items at a regular price point so i applaud them for their efforts. this pink top is from the line and i love the pocket detail and the tone of the pink, it's very retro. plus, when you go up a size you don't have to worry about shrinkage and you get that slouchy, expensive fit. I went out for lunch in the shorts outfit and had amazing french toast with real ontario strawberries, first of the season! for work i decided to through on some jeans as it was a little chilly and i can't wear sandels so my trusty moccs subbed in. unfortunately, i wore them last night too and there was a huge storm and now they are sitting stuffed with paper towels in an attempt to hopefully dry them out. this jacket has a cute story. i fell in love with the fabric so i bought it at a thrift store even though it was gigantic. i had to take in the sleeves, armholes, side seams and length, basically take the thing apart to get it to fit. i think it looks pretty good considering i didn't put my best sewing skills into it, sometimes i'm impatient.
6.12.2008
perfection.. i want it all
alexa chung... luella fall 09 dress... adorable black satchel (possibly a new version of the mulberry brooke?)= perfection. i wish it could all be mine. i think london's calling.
6.11.2008
shopping with wolves
i'm obsessed with this canvas skirt. i love the stiffness of it and the way it can be dressed up or down. i actually thinking i may get it in black too. i mean look how different the same top i sported the other day looks tucked into it, very nice. I had to lung around a portfolio today so i got to wear my wolfy bag. it's the perfect size for large papers and i wish i had it in university as it would have made carrying art pads and giant rulers on the go train much easier. it's also great for grocery shopping. you can get them online but i found mine in the market. it's a little hipster, i know, but it's also very canadiana so that overrules the williamsburg undertones. i spent the day out and about doing some h&m shopping, researching phones and winning baseball games. in fact, today i even participated in two plays and got people out, yes. it's got to be the new cleats, they're pink.
jacket: vintage, fame wear
