Don't Give Up On Us, Baby

Sweater, Tommy Hilfiger. Skirt, Banana Republic. Headband, Forever 21. Belt and necklace (worn as a bracelet), vintage+mom's. Tights, Hue. Pumps, Nine West.


I've had this silk skirt since the fall of 2004 and even though it is stained beyond repair, I refuse to give up on it. Yeah, I'm fiercely loyal. I also believe that someday I will come across a dry-cleaner with a magic solution and the skirt and I will live happily ever after (not that we're not happy now, we are, but she gets embarrassed going out in public sometimes and then we end up in counseling again).

Welcome Back

Blouse and skirt, Banana Republic. Belt, Eddie Bauer. Tights, from my sister. Flats, Browns.


Phew! I'm glad everyone's back from gobbling turkey because frankly, it was getting quite lonely out here in the blogosphere. Don't get me wrong - I'm happy you guys had fun, but I really missed you. At first it was worry and then worry turned to paranoia and I imagined you cheating! Yes, cheating. Complimenting another 5'6'' preppy girl, telling her she's remixing well. Is she better than I or just... newer? I know relationships have their ups and downs and I didn't expect us to be in the first flush forever, but I'm the jealous type. Now you know. Welcome back!

15/30: A Retrospective

The following are my first 15 outfits out of 30, assembled to the best of my ability (in my defense, technology doesn't like me, not the other way around). Favorites include but are not limited to numbers 3, 6, 8, and 13. Which do you like best?

Here's To You, Mrs. Havisham

 

 Cardigan, J.Crew. Shorts & blouse, Banana Republic. Beret, Joe Fresh. Gloves, vintage macrame by one of my aunts. Tights, Hue. Flats, Geox.

Even when wilted, these blue mop-head hydrangeas adorn the outside of my apartment building with just a soupcon of blue! And so I paired them with these (also decaying) macrame gloves that my aunt made before I was born. Much too old-fashioned (and rust-stained : what up with that?), they are also one of a kind and always attract the right sort of attention. You know the sort - when your look generates compliments from women as opposed to leers from men. Success!

You Can Skip This One

 

 Dress, BCBGirls. Cardigan, J.Crew. Beads, thrifted (one by one!). Flats, Browns.

 

Confession: in these photographs, I was prancing on a football field and it hadn't snowed yet only days ago. Now I'm wearing men's sweatpants, size LARGE, and eating chips with three different kinds of dip. What can I say? A girl needs some insulation for the winter.

All Abuzz

Cardigan and skirt, J.Crew. Beret, Forever 21. Sash, from another skirt. Gloves, Winners. Tights, Hue. Pumps, Nine West.


I had planned a gloriously bright photo-shoot in light of the sunny forecast, but these audacious flurries got in the way. All day long! Naturally, I reached for my trusty leather gloves and set out to murder the weatherman, but when I slid them on, something happened. I went from angry to sassy in sixty seconds and changed out of my latex catsuit and into this waspy attire. Murder averted! (which is a relief, because I don't even know how to reach the offices of www.theweathernetwork.com). Does that ever happen to you? You work yourself into a flurry of panic and misdirected anger and shamefully realize it's just a caffeine buzz? 

Spreading Cheer

 

Blazer, Club Monaco. Dress, J.Crew. Scarf, Icici. Tights, Hue. Wellies, Hunter.

Christmas is a month away, but I thought I'd send my cards out early. You're welcome! On another note, I've been (self)diagnosed with severe weather envy. Some days I don't even leave the house because when I see Kendi's fall-appropriate outfits with the occasional bare leg, I want to cry. It was -7 degrees Celsius in Vancouver today, which made it that much harder to get all decked out for the outdoor photo-shoot. Enter: the red bow, i.e. instant cheer. Also helping? Receiving J.Crew's December Catalogue in the mail today.

 http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/catalog.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474395184598&bmUID=1290565702511&index=1

 The night it snowed.

The Andy Bernard Factor

Sweater, Tommy Hilfiger. Scarf, H&M. Capri pants, J.Crew. Flats, Geox. Sunglasses, street vendor.


Andy Bernard - more stylish than Blair Waldorf and Betty Draper combined. Whenever I feel uninspired, the Nard Dog is a reliable muse of wacky ties, pants with embroidered critters, and an overall bold palette. Hilarious, musically inclined, and a modern-day Emily Post:

"You give me a gift? *BAM* Thank you note! You invite me somewhere? *POW* RSVP! You do me a favor? *WHAM* Favor returned! Do not test my politeness." (Double Date, 2009)

 Andy tears his scrotum on his car keys in "Niagara"

 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpcx1CjXkHju4lrYD2v5wFLDsBSliwemiPCKG-Os4s6WuFAzXEGtlLcEbvUxTAnzTdTdCj19ghjf0afJAA6hMKAO1YEmv1y-MftD9Jyq0VkYJclNqHZlISVak9ilSPZBspd0taaT28i4i/s320/Andy+Bernard+Splis.jpg

Ignore Everybody

http://gapingvoid.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ie222jpeg1.jpg

Jessica Quirk of What I Wore recommended Hugh MacLeod`s Ignore Everybody And 39 Other Ways To Creativity a few posts ago here and lo and behold, I took her advice and read it! I usually get my books based on what the editors of Vogue (sophisticated) and The Wall Street Journal (serious) choose to review and I have yet to be disappointed. Ignore Everybody was a wonderful surprise, however, and I finished the 176 pages in an hour at Chapters. I know what you`re thinking, but you`re wrong. First of all, the book is made up of succinct parts interspersed with cartoons on a 6.06 x 8.12 x 0.69 inch format for the hardcover, so you might read it even faster. Secondly, I am a faithful customer of Chapters which explains why I sometimes read an entire book there without actually purchasing it. I do this with the utmost care, never dog-ear, and the one time I spilled coffee on Superfreakonomics, I immediately informed the cashier and had him ring it up.

THE GOOD: MacLeod`s tone is straightforward and casual, which only improves the reader`s focus. Along those same lines, the aforementioned brevity and illustrations are ideal for the short attention span of our generation. Nevertheless, the format is only deceptively simple - this is a book you will go back to, time and time again. Why? Because even though some of the advice given will generate the occasional Duh! along the way (see: Put The Hours In OR Write From The Heart), it's exactly this kind of common-sense stuff that people often forget.

THE BAD: I'm not sure if this classifies as "bad," but when you're one of I-don't-even-want-to-know-how-many female style bloggers who only started a few months ago, reading chapter 11 may make you question your entire blog and and quit:

"11. Don’t try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.
Your plan for getting your work out there has to be as original as the actual work, perhaps even more so. The work has to create a totally new market. There’s no point trying to do the same thing as 250,000 other young hopefuls, waiting for a miracle. All existing business models are wrong. Find a new one."

(This excerpt and more can be found on MacLeod's own website: http://gapingvoid.com/books/)

THE BOTTOM LINE: Purchase and read it, fellow creative souls (As for me, I will take the more unconventional read-purchase-reread route).

Irish Heather

 

Dress, BCBGirls. Cardigan, Tommy Hilfiger. Scarf, Brooks Brothers. Pumps, Nine West.

This is one of my four LBDs: henley/polo shirt on top, draped Grecian on the bottom (kind of like a mullet, but far classier). The best part about it? It will stretch to accommodate whatever one eats, like say, a medium rare sirloin with salsa verde and fries at Gastown favorite Irish Heather. If you find this hard to believe, it's because the photos were taken before dinner (aka pre-bloat). I still looked chic in my mullet dress afterward, but in a When Are You Due? kind of way, which was fine and dandy until I tried to order a Guinness as I waddled past the bar. I'm kidding, y'all! Guinness is too manly, I sipped a Caesar instead.

What A Novel Idea!

 Sweater, Tommy Hilfiger. Scarf and jeans, Banana Republic. Flats, Geox.

OK, so I know that this outfit is not exactly original, but you may be surprised to learn that it landed me several compliments (and only a couple of those were backhanded) when I debuted it at work last spring. I believe one guy even called me original, suggesting that I'd somehow invented pink and green. Together. Obviously this man had never been golfing, or anywhere in New England, or noticed Andy Bernard's wardrobe on The Office. But who was I to teach him about the preps and the wasps? Besides, it's not like making such an outrageous claim was beneath me. Back in high-school, I terrorized my little sister with the Kelly Green and Lavender combination. "Soooo me," "no one else thought of it," and "I should patent this," were heard leaving my lips. And although I like to think I've matured since then, my sister won't let me forget it. Undeserved flattery from a coworker instead of warranted mockery from a family member? Yes, please! 

Not Entirely Afraid Of Greatness

Dress, H&M. Blouse, Banana Republic. Jacket, RW&Co. Belt, vintage (mom's). Tights, Hue. Pumps, Nine West.


I didn't dress up this past Halloween and haven't done so since my celebrated Jerri Blank get-up of 2005 (not to brag, but I was on fire that night!). This five-year momentum has led me to purchase yellow tights and bring out my inner Malvolio, the most entertaining villain of all. Of course, he was ridiculed; I, however, hope to be ridiculed less. So, have I succeeded? Or are you all trying to quickly come up with quips about a liver condition?

Special Times

Dress, Banana Republic. Cardigan, J.Crew. Scarf (worn as a belt), Brooks Brothers. Tights, Hue. Flats, Browns.


I was in a festive mood when I wore this. Earlier that day, I had ooh-ed and aah-ed at the sight of Holt Renfrew's holiday displays, had been handed free candy canes at Banana Republic, and had sung along to Celine Dion's Christmas CD, These Are The Special Times. Ok, that last part is a lie - I haven't whipped that baby out since 2000 or 2001 or 2005. The point is, I was craving red and stripes and although I would've preferred to become a human candy cane, this is the best I came up with using my 30 for 30 selections. More costume-y looks shall be unleashed once this challenge is over - the wilder garb resides in the back of my closet, growling for attention.

Rubik's Cube

Skirt, Modern Amusement. Sweater, Tommy Hilfiger. Blouse, Banana Republic. Tights, Hue. Flats, Browns.


Last year around the holidays, my sister and I were strolling through the food court of a mall when an Asian-Canadian guy approached us, looked at me and said: "You're a teacher, aren't you?" My sister instinctively rolled her eyes, but I was slow on the uptake and made the mistake of asking why. "I could just tell by the way you're dressed." You can imagine how the rest of the conversation went and no, I did not give him my number. What was I wearing, you ask? A merino wool L.B.D. with tights, a cardigan, and ballet flats. If that screams teacher, what does this skirt say about me? Rubik's Cube aficionado? Too obvious. That I'm a  colorimetry major? Not a very clever one, that's for sure. Aggressive scourer of the clearance rack at Holt Renfrew in January? You have puzzled me out, Food Court Guy.

Photos of me by Seda U.

Casual Friday

Sweater, J.Crew. Shorts & blouse, Banana Republic. Tights, Hue. Wellies, Hunter.


It's hard out there for a blogger. After picking out an outfit and grooming and styling myself to perfection (my back won't shave itself, you know), I have to find a nice, secluded area for a mini photo-shoot. This is where Mother Nature comes at me with rain and fog and Man throws in Daylight Saving Time. So every day, I've got until 4:30 pm to grab my photographer and get 'er done.

In retrospect, I should have worn more color. A gray outfit on a gray day is a travesty, a far cry from the Hawaiian shirts (in)famously worn on Casual Fridays. I propose that Vancouver stores be banned from selling gray apparel on account of frequent condensation and precipitation. From now on, Vancouverites should aim at combating the weather by strutting around in red raincoats, wisteria wellies, and ultramarine umbrellas. Furthermore, the only Rain City residents allowed to blend into the background via a gray uniform should be soldiers, for improved efficiency. Of course, burglars might follow their example, then sleazy men looking to grope and dash and before you can say How dare you?, camouflaged pooches will be carelessly pooping all over town. All right, gray stays.