YYZ-LHR

LHR: Moving Day

2009-06-21T06:37:00.003-04:00

Hello Readers!

Yes, I'm talking to all 5 of you. We're moving house. You can now find us over here (www.fashionisdanger.wordpress.com) at our new home which is still undergoing some renovations but hope you like it better.

See you on Wordpress!

LHR and YYZ

YYZ: Summer Lovin'

2009-06-20T09:35:00.012-04:00

Today was the last day of the 2008-2009 school year.

Finally.

Hello, SUMMER!

Long meeting, followed by the always-lovely Garden Party (where I ate 4 fried shrimp and they were goooooooood!), then a series of errands, then haircut, then out for a date with my honey at the Royal Ontario Museum, then a stop in Kensington Market to pick up "Big Fat Burritos" (more on that in a future post...) = a very long day.

My feet were tired and achy, but it was a good test for my shoes!

A test that resulted in my buying a comfier pair....

I hate this dress: because it is cheap, it GROWS; by lunchtime it no longer fits and I just feel frumpy and wrinkled in it.

But, once again, I needed to wear the shoes, so.....

Shoes: Liz Claiborne

Full-skirted shirt dress: Smart Set

Vintage brooch and belt: Mum and Grama, respectively

Shades: Ardene

YYZ: Dante's Inferno

2009-06-18T14:36:00.016-04:00

I considered not posting this outfit, as it is not at all attractive or interesting, but then I remembered LHR giving me heck for not posting when I wore something blah.

"This blog is about the good, the bad and the ugly," she said.

Or something like that.

So, although LHR is not posting

AT ALL,

I have been brow-beaten into posting anyway.

Ahem.

Today, I sat in the world's most boring meetings (hence the nod to Dante) all day,

so I needed to be comfy.

I also needed to wear these shoes again.

I remembered these trousers and thought they might work (right length) with the shoes.

The rest of the look had to tie in the black and gold of the shoes, thus the gold accessories.

The best part of the outfit is the Paris reference in the earrings which I wore because I had to wear gold to go with the shoes I am working in for Paris.

It is totally hokey to wear Paris earrings, I realize, but these are sooooo tiny that only I know I am wearing them, as they are hidden by my hair.

I love their teeniness and their delicate little scraps of silk ribbon.

As I say, aside from the sweet earrings, I do not like the outfit; I did not feel good in it.

But, it's a blah, rainy day so this blah outfit is, actually, perfectly appropriate.

Shoes: Liz Claiborne

Trousers & Cuff: H&M

Belt: Ardene

T-shirt: Smart Set

Cardigan: (because it's freezing!) Jacob

Earrings: Anthropologie

(a gift from my mummy! Thanks, Mum!)

YYZ: It's Raining, It's Pouring...

2009-06-17T19:21:00.018-04:00

...but these are my new shoes for Paris and I need to work them in and I am not allowed to wear jeans

(the only cozy thing with which I could wear them)

to work.....

So, I had to wear the outfit I planned last night, even though the weather today called for something snugglier.

Working these shoes in is critical, as we are at P-minus-10-days at the moment.

Staff meeting this morning in chilly cafeteria, grade group meeting, Staff Appreciation Lunch, then our departmental get-together at my boss' gorgeous Rosedale mansion called for something girly, but with a layer for warmth.

Plus, I just really wanted to wear this, my new favourite dress.

Which cost me all of

NINE DOLLARS AND NINETY CENTS!

Yeah, baby.

I felt cute all day in this outfit.

(So please don't disabuse me if I am wrong!)

I am hoping that these shoes will work out for Paris; they are a bit loosey-goosey because there is no support in the heel area.

But I luuuuuuuuuurrrrrve them

(despite their gold accent-- not usually my thang...),

so I will work hard over the next ten days to make them comfortable.

Shoes: Liz Claiborne, on sale for $35 at The Shoe Company

Dress: H&M

(Did I mention that it cost NINE DOLLARS & NINETY CENTS?!)

Shrug: Smart Set

Cuff: H&M

Earrings: Meg

YYZ: Pomp & Circumstance

2009-06-16T17:19:00.012-04:00

Graduation ceremony today.

Which required the wearing of something suitably formal, but also cool: we wear academic robes (with a heavy polyester component!) and hoods and sit inside a huge plastic tent on plastic chairs for three very long hours.

No one sees our clothes, so we COULD just wear our 'jammies, but for some reason, we wear appropriately graduation-y clothes.

The latter need to be cool enough to keep us from expiring in the suffocating and claustrophobic environment, so I try to wear a sundress so that I can take off my cardigan (a la Jennifer Beals, under my academic gown-- luckily NO ONE is looking at the teachers and I can do this unnoticed....).

I also try to wear wedge heels, as they are better for walking across the grass than are stilettos.

The sunglasses are in case I get seated in a spot where the sun is shining in my eyes, under the sides of the tent.

Also, one could have a snooze behind her glasses if she wanted ... I have never done so, but I know several of my colleagues wear sunnies for just that purpose!

Shoes: Target

Dress: Gap

(It stretched oddly in the wash-- I am NOT amused by the poochy thing it is now doing as a result. Will dry it in the dryer next time to see if that helps...)

Shrug: Smart Set

Cuff: H&M

Earrings & Shades: Ardene

Purse: Suzy Shier

YYZ: The Least Wonderful Day of the Year

2009-06-16T17:11:00.006-04:00

Exam Take-Up Day.

(Interestingly,-- well, okay, I think it's interesting!-- as part of my CBC habit, I was listening to Rex Murphy talking about linguistics and it turns out that "taking up a test/exam" is an Ontario thing. People in other parts of the country, apparently, do not know what that means. Rex certainly didn't. It means, in case you are in the dark with Rex {THERE'S a thought!} to go over the test with the class and to find out what the right answers were.)

Anyway, Exam Take-Up Day is not my favourite day. Thus, I needed to be comfortable.

The outfit I ended up in was cobbled together at the last second because the one I had planned involved the same trousers, shoes and belt, but the top I had chosen was too short and just looked wrong.

This is not my favourite outfit (appropriate, then, that I wore it on not-my-favourite-day), but it got me through the Exam Take-Up portion of the festivities as well as a marathon 3 1/2 hour sewing club final session in the afternoon.

Shoes: 9 West

Trousers & long silk shirt: H&M

T-shirt: Smart Set

Belt: Um, Winners?

Earrings: Sirens

YYZ: Hippy-Hippie Shake

2009-06-14T15:43:00.008-04:00

Running errands on a Sunday.

Love these jeans and liked this top when I bought it, but have since changed my mind...

Sadly, I had removed the tags prior to deciding that the top is unflattering.

Oh, well-- it works for a run to the garden centre.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Jackie O: giant sunglasses make going out wearing no more make-up than just a slick of lipgloss much more glamourous than it would otherwise be.

Also, they take a bit of the hippie out of this outfit (though they can't take the hippy out of it!).

Glasses: Ardene (2 fer $5!)

Top: Jacob

Jeans: Macy's, Boston (no idea what brand)

Shoes: DSW, San Francisco (the very best DSW ever!)

Cuff: H&M

YYZ: Working for the Weekend

2009-06-14T14:59:00.008-04:00

On Friday, we had our inaugural back yard BBQ and the weather cooperated by being just warm enough. These two lovelies showed up looking summery and fresh.

I admire the style of both these women.

G has two of the most amazing collections and I am green with envy about both of them: she has stunning necklaces and she also has the most interesting, versatile and chic t-shirts I have ever seen. The necklace thing I get: G is a Brit and there are so many cool sources of funky, artisanal jewelry in the UK that it only makes sense that she has so many great pieces. Necklaces are her signature and they always make a statement. The other collection is more mystifying to me. G's tops are incredible because they are a magical combination of simple and clean-lined but they always feature some really great detail like the incredible pleating around the neckline of the one she is wearing above. Every time I ask her where her wonderful top is from, she invariably says, "Oh, I got it at Target," or, "It's a Mossimo," or something similar. In other words, she has a knack for finding the cutest tops (I am completely unskilled in this area) but she does not get them anywhere mysterious at all. She just has an eye for spotting the truly cool t-shirt.... Again, this skill means that G is always truly effortlessly stylish.

[Aside: one day, I promise to get a photo of G's turquoise silk pumps. To. Die. For.]

I also admire J's style. She has a ton of cool vintage stuff and is the queen of shopping at thrift stores and turning up designer gems. The outfit above is typical of her polished, put-together look. Her clothes always have a great story behind them (J, I never did get the story of that sweet dress!); the shoes she is wearing above are very cool and, of course, she got them at some crazy sale of Italian footwear. They are so unusual and interesting and they just really work well with the dress, I think. From what I can tell, J's mum taught her to be stylish and to love beautiful, well-made things. J and I share a birthday and, weirdly, we also both love old stuff, particularly fashion and homewares. We love the history and the craftsmanship. I love that J finds ways to work amazing vintage pieces into pretty much every single outfit I have ever seen her wear in the three years I've known her.

What I admire about these women's approach to fashion is that neither is a slave to fashion, but they are among the most stylish people I know. Their styles, while very different from each other, are confident and suit their personalities completely. I think that is the key to being chic: be confident and know who you are.

I always feel like I am trying way too hard, but these girls always look effortlessly great.

Blank-ing Blogger cuts off the right-hand side of the photo.

AGAIN.

Grr.

YYZ: Longing for a Time Machine. Again.

2009-06-14T09:44:00.021-04:00

If I were The Doctor's Companion (a dream of mine, as you know-- well, okay, only if The Doctor were still David Tennant. But seriously, if they picked Catherine Tate, why not me? I'm not as funny as she is--no one is!-- but still....Le sigh.)... anyway, if I were The Doctor's Companion, I would insist that the TARDIS take us to 1950s Earth.

Because, of course, of the clothes.

In my teens, I was all about the mid-60s: does anyone remember my white lipstick phase? My black cigarette pants? Or the fantastic pink ones with the amazing little floral blouse, both of which I purchased for a total of $6.00 in a general store somewhere near Minden while on a day off work with my visiting dad?

(They still had their original price tags on them from the 60s-- the pants were $3.00 and the top was $1.47 or something crazy. WHY did I get rid of them???)

Anyway, now that I am une femme d'un certaine age, I prefer the looks of the 50s and all their accompanying structure (and their longer skirts-- I do not have LHR's legs!). I was always a fan of the big, crinoline-filled skirts and tiny waists, but it is only recently, in viewing old footage & new on youtube that I realize that, in part, the secret to those tiny waists WAS the crinoline! (The other part of the secret was, of course, the armour-like undergarments. Oh, I long for the days of corsetry and girdles, girls!)

I also love the wiggle dress and can't believe I ever got rid of the black and orange silk one I used to wear under a gigantic, black men's sweater.... Oh, dear.

Two more (the final two) of my vintage 50s sewing patterns arrived on Friday, care of my wonderful Pattern Mule (who is not amused when girly-looking packages arrive on his desk at work-- the mailroom is beginning to wonder about him...). I had forgotten there were still two to come; I had thought there was only one more, so I was delighted to see two! I had, upon ordering the patterns, grand designs to mix and match bodices and skirts, but I will first have to make each dress on its own to be sure I know what I am doing.

This time, I will make notes about any alterations I make.

One of the patterns is not a printed pattern. This means that, instead of nice, easy-to-follow printed outlines of each pattern piece, there is a complicated series of holes punched in the paper and I will have to learn to read those holes before I do anything else. Thankfully, the kind woman who sold me the pattern also sent me a link to some instructions for using unprinted patterns.

Still, it's all a bit nerve-wracking.

I will, of course, post about the process, but in the meantime, enjoy

(despite the malapostrophication in "1950's"--- WHY do people DO that? )

this little number I found in the sidebar over at Queens of Vintage.

YYZ: Eating my Words

2009-06-12T08:49:00.021-04:00

Pretty much immediately following my (contentious and controversial) diatribe against the public wearing of sweats, what do I encounter on one of my favourite French blogs? See below for English translation of the funky and glamourous and Parisienne (!) Garance Dore's blog entry about SWEATPANTS.

dIy dAy !

It all started because of my Marant jogging pants which have now become an international catastrophe. From Paris to New York, seven hours on Air France’s seat 456A stuck between two babies slobbering all over me, I still haven’t taken them off, and all my friends are saying I look cooler than cool and so I’m really never going to take them off. I’m blissful in my comfort and the cool attitude that comes with ‘em. And what was my life goal? Be cool, not a fool!

This was a miracle that I just needed to keep on giving, and then the most ingenious idea popped into my head one morning. Without a second wasted, not at all awake yet, on the way to go get a coffee, I took a quick detour into AmApp where I found the perfect grey jogging pants, nice and tight. Then I got back home in double time and right in front of the aghast faces of Scott and Tracy, I cut my new pants right straight across, just above the knee, no pomp and circumstance.

I cuffed ‘em, and right away tossed on a pair of orange heels, a stripped t-shirt, a blazer and waited for my thunderous applause, arms up in the air with a V for victory.

30 seconds flat. My coffee was still hot.

And then I was off to do my own parade of “I’m the greatest” : I went to the Alexander Wang resort show where Kate told me that I was supercuuute in my sweatpants, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that Alex had anticipated me doing this and copied me ahead of time. A few days later, Tracy, who had asked beforehand for authorization to copy the idea in due form (I gave her the green light with pride), she arrived with what she was calling the G-sweatpants, a pair of heals and a checkered shirt.

This was too much: I was struck by the most furious lighting strike of pride. The same way Gaultier must have felt when he saw his cone-shaped bras, even if it was out there, for God’s sake, it worked!

I know. In a few months, I’ll wonder what possessed me to wear these. They’ll become part of my collection of pajamas to be ashamed of, the ones you only wear on Sundays to go get magazines you’re ashamed to be reading with a hairstyle sticking up every which way that you’re ashamed to have. In the meantime, and already now, I beseech you, I give you all the green light to go out and copy. And don’t just say “Merci,” noooon. Say: Merci G!

Apparently the look is already catching on in NYC, where Garance committed her act of sweatpant audacity. The cute-as-a-twenty-something-button Jessica Schroeder posted the blurb below on her blog, What I Wore.

On the Lookout:

What I Wore: I’m on the look out for a pair of chic heather gray sweatpants. On Tuesday, one of the Lucky Editors was wearing a pair with a black tee and black high heels. She was tres chic. I mean, tres tres chic. So I’m looking for something a little more harem than yoga pant. Any advice?

Right, so I have to go now-- even though Garance acknowledges that this whole phenomenon will only end in grief and shame, I have some words to eat. :) (And some age-appropriate experiments to do with my own American Apparel so-comfy-they-are-basically-pyjamas sweats...)

YYZ: Don't You Forget About Me

2009-06-11T16:22:00.047-04:00

Today's post is about the shoot some colleagues and I were asked to do for the "clubs" page of this year's yearbook, the theme of which was Hollywood. One of the things the girls did was to re-create iconic movie posters (some from as far back as the 80s--talk about ANTIQUE!) using teachers as the subjects. This is the one for which BMad, our pal T and I were tapped.

Initially, the girls had wanted to do a different pose, one involving leaning on lockers, but the four of us who are of Breakfast Club vintage convinced them that THIS

is the iconic pose and should be the one we recreated.

Talk about Simple Minds:

What is odd is that we were each chosen either for our persona (as perceived by teenaged girls) or for (as in my case and that of the Ally Sheedy stand-in, L) our hair colour/style. But the photo is in black and white, so you cannot see our hair colour or appreciate all the work we put in to getting our costumes right. I was all worried because Molly Ringwald's skirt was actually a paisely wrap and I was in a brown suede A-line. I must say, the rest of my outfit was PERFECT, as was everyone's. When we all caught sight of each other in full costume, we burst out laughing because we were such total geeks about the whole procedure and had made sure to recreate our character's looks as closely as possible.

The girls were WILDLY impressed.

Anyway, it is too bad that we are not in colour, because the only thing Molly and I share (other than our birth year) is hair colour; in the yearbook photo, I just look like an angry convict, rather than like someone pretending to be Ms. Ringwald.

Viewer discretion is advised: the following is a gratuitous youtube video, totally unnecessary for the content of this post, but included here for LHR's viewing pleasure.

LHR: Fashion in 2000 AD

2009-06-10T07:42:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back, I attended the Stephen Jones Hat exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum. I plan on writing an entire post dedicated to that exhibit. (I bought a book so I have some content as cameras were not permitted).

At the exhibit, which was amazingly curated and artfully displayed, there were little snippets of the Fashion Television of the 1930s and 1940s. It was called Pathetone Weekly. I loved the old footage, the announcer with the voice (eat your heart out Jeanne Beker) and of course the hats. Then, by coincidence my sister-in-law, sent me this video from the same producer and vintage. I knew it was perfect for our YYZ-LHR. In fact, so did she that's why she sent it. Thanks J!.

This video takes the bold step and asks fashion designers back in the day what fashion will look like in 2000. Now that we are 9 years in to the naughties, what do you think? I love the cantilevered shoes. I also like the absurdity of a mesh top -- it'll never happen!

YYZ: Channeling Jordan Baker

2009-06-09T20:42:00.006-04:00

Doesn't THIS look like fun?

If I am ever in the neighbourhood, I will be sure to be at the Governor's Island Jazz Age Lawn Party!

(more photos at The Sartorialist link in our sidebar, to the right.)

YYZ: Catatonic

2009-06-09T20:10:00.004-04:00

So, after several MONTHS of not going to the Sufferin' Mall, last week I had to venture over in a) a fit of exam-marking procrastination,

b) search of a cheap white cardi-type item to take with me to Paris.

First stop?

Well, of course it was my go-to source for cheap cardis:

Smart Set.

IT WAS

GONE.

You read correctly:

GONE!

In fact, the entire mall has been made over into an ever-so-slightly upscale version of itself. Read: younger.

Much younger.

Even I , with my propensity for mutton-dressed-as-lamb, cheap mall fare, was shocked and stricken.

What will I wear????

I am still in virtually catatonic mourning for my old pal, Smart Set.

Hilariously (and disturbingly), several of the tackier stores seem to have proliferated in my absence.

For example, there are now TWO Ardenes and a regular Costa Blanca, plus a SALE outlet Costa Blanca?

Why do we need a sale outlet for a store that sells nothing costing more than $30?

In a bizarre anti-recessionary twist, I also noticed that all the great sale racks

(for instance, the Le Chateau sale accessories section, home of the $3 belt and $2 earrings) have disappeared.

I may have to start shopping and dressing like a grown-up, Interweb.

I am not sure I am ready for all this responsibility.

YYZ: A Dress So Nice I made It TWICE!

2009-06-08T17:00:00.014-04:00

My friend S turned 30 on Saturday.

She planned and organized a fun party, complete with live band.

I planned and organized

(not very well, as it turns out)

a new/old dress.

This is the second dress I have made from one of my vintage patterns;

this time I made it with the circle skirt, in some lovely oldey-timey fabric my wonderful mum bought for me.

I forgot, however, that the first time I made the dress, I altered the bodice because those 50s girls were wearing armour-style underwear that gave them

TEENY waists

and

ENORMOUS boobs,

proportions that are completely reversed on me.

The dress turned out great.

The zipper, if I say so myself, looked completely professional,

as did the lining in the bodice

(the fabric is very fine and sheer, so I had to line the bodice-- essentially, that meant sewing the bodice twice).

I tried it on.

The boob section was ENORMOUS.

I had to do it all over again.

Luckily, my clever mum pointed out that I had plenty of fabric, so rather than taking apart the bodice, I could just make new one.

Which I did.

But not before I very very very carefully removed the first one from the skirt-- delicate fabric made for dicey work!

I reattached the new bodice, but the zipper doesn't look 1/100th as good as the first version did.

Of course.

Now all I need is a fabulous crinoline to really make this dress work!

(and to make my waist look smaller!)

Here I am, on my way out to S's Birthday Bash:

Dress: Vintage Butterick Pattern

Belt: Grama

Earrings: Meg

Cuff: H&M

Shoes: (surprise!) 9 West

Clutch: Danier

Thanks, Mum!

LHR: Think Pink

2009-06-04T15:40:00.004-04:00

A few weeks back J and I went to a Cowboy-themed party. It was so themed because a friend of mine was moving to Austin, Texas. Thus the theme. I had a hat but had to visit the local Oxfam for the rest of the outfit. My goal was to find a shirt that worked for the cowgirl look. I succeeded and in fact I kept that shirt and gave it a whirl yesterday for my Think Pink Look.

Once again, this outfit (similar to Seasons in the Sun) consists of nothing new except my tank top (vintage 2009). The rest of the get-up spans back a number of summers. I find with summer clothes that I'm rarely true to trends as I have a real issue purging. You'll notice that in my outfits over the next few weeks.

Here goes my Think Pink theme:

I love the pink racing stripe on the trousers.

Details:
Shirt: Pink Gingham Shirt (Oxfam, Dalston High Street, London)
Tank: White Tank (Forever21, New York)
Trousers: TBD, Queen Street West, Toronto (at least 6 years old)
Brooch: Vintage Flower Brooch -- again from the Gramma/Aunt Ruth Salon
Shoes: Silver Ballet Slippers, Venise, London
Ring: square silver band - can not remember where I got it.

YYZ: Test Anxiety

2009-06-03T17:09:00.008-04:00

Another glamourous and soignee exam-marking look today.

(Note the evolving horror that is my bed-head... Stylin'!)

This one involves a sports bra, a Joe Fresh $9 t-shirt and faux-yoga pants from Smart Set.

I also went for a walk this morning, thus the multi-purpose get-up.

Which brings me to the IMPORTANT topic of sweats and yoga wear.

These items, as is cleverly denoted in their monikers, are to be worn in public

ONLY

for sweating and/or doing yoga

(or otherwise exercising).

(What we do at home in them is our own business, right?)

The following is a list of inappropriate public places or occasions for wearing sweats or yoga wear:

EVERYWHERE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

If you are leaving the house, for purposes that are other than sweating or doing yoga,

please wear proper clothes.

NOT with flip-flops.

Don't get me started on flip-flops.

Ever wonder why French women are known for their style and chicness?

Ever seen one out in public in sweats or flip-flops?

I rest my case.

I mean, really, ladies, let's all just have a little self-respect.

LHR: These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

2009-06-03T15:01:00.006-04:00

I am going to apologize for my poor photography right up front because this outfit and Emilie were smokin'. My shots just don't do it justice.

First off Emilie is French which explains how she easily paired a funky colourful dress, hip-slung belt and white cowboy boots. As you can see, she looked fabulous.

Emilie tells me that the dress was designed and sewn by a friend of hers. Now that makes it even more interesting. In particular, I love the combination of the streety dress and the cowboy boots with leopard skin detail on the boots. As YYZ often says the French just throw it together and make it work. Emilie is a perfect example of that style.

YYZ: Glamourati

2009-06-02T19:20:00.004-04:00

Marking exams is, truly, glamourous work.

A word of caution:

this look only works when it involves paint-spattered sweats

(acquired years ago in ill-advised 2-fer purchase at COSTCO. Ew.)

and, of course,

bed-head.

Not for the faint of heart, ladies.

LHR: Seasons in the Sun

2009-06-02T17:10:00.009-04:00

Seasons in the Sun? Yes, all these babies have seen at least 2, 3 and in some cases 6 or more Seasons in the Sun.

The dress is extremely comfortable and acts as a perfect "throw it on quickly" number. I believe most of this outfit is from New York and as I'm off to New York this weekend, let's call it a tip to weekends in NYC past .

The dress was bought while on a girls weekend with Val and the Commerce 92 chix at least 6 years ago. I don't recall where it was bought it but I do remember there was matching thigh-length jacket that I left behind. I believe I felt the that the dress and jacket were too trendy to last more than a season or two. Little did I know that I would keep wearing the dress year in and year out quite comfortably.

The Details:
Earrings: Vintage (originally, from one of the Rodwell - Gramma or Aunt Ruth probably)
Dress: Baby Blue Line, NYC
Bracelet: Plastic Majong Bracelet, NYC Street Vendor
Shoes: Muxart Mules, London

YYZ:Gobsmacked!

2009-06-01T18:26:00.004-04:00

This woman, whose blog is linked to this one, BOUGHT MY SHOES!

The NERVE.

I am gutted.

And beyond jealous.

Wear them well, Homerunballerina, you lucky, lucky girl.

YYZ: A Walk in the Clouds

2009-05-31T18:44:00.008-04:00

How is it that I did not already know about this movie? I mean, I have a vague memory of it from back in the day, but I guess I never saw it due to my aversion to Keanu (marathon, repeated viewings of Speed in Manta with Tanja and Eric aside-- here, Eric would want me to mention that his friend went out with Sandra Bullock and she dumped him to focus on her career and that was when she was cast in Speed.... I digress.).

Anyway, the movie is sure to be bad, but, OH! The CLOTHES! I am in love! Add this to my list of faves-- I don't CARE what it's about or anything.

(Later: it IS a bad movie, but I forgive it. Because of the CLOTHES!)

All I care about is the CLOTHES!

In particular, Debra Messing's fantastic 1940s undies, complete with full girdle/garter belt are just gorgeous. Later in the film, the heroine's filmy silk nighties are divine.

Makes me want to wander around vineyards in my underthings, flapping makeshift silk wings...

YYZ: Here Comes the Bride

2009-05-31T09:19:00.011-04:00

As you all know, the only reason I can really think of to get married is

the dress.

I am not at all interested in the stress and drama of wedding planning; I know lots of women really love it, but it just makes me tense and anxious. Since tense and anxious are pretty much my usual state of being, I think it is best (for everyone!) not to heighten that in any way.

But for the right dress, I'd do it.

Thus, earlier this week, when the dress of my dreams

mysteriously disappeared from the display window of the shop who swore they would never sell it, (I suspect that they just meant they would never sell it to ME-- it's that kind of shop. Grr.), I was (AM, really) brokenhearted. I am trying to be strong about it, so I tried to think, "Well, okay, no worries. Not like I am getting married anyway and now there's no reason to, as I have nothing to wear..."

But my brave words are all just a sham.

I know I will never fully recover.

But,while it does not come CLOSE to my perfect, darling, gorgeous dress-of-my-dreams, this little number just might be thawing my frozen, shattered heart:

Click on over here to see the details (blogger cuts off the first photo, alas), including a photo of the lining!

The workmanship is truly incredible-- I'd want to wear it inside out sometimes, just so people could appreciate the skill of the dressmaker.

Awe-inspiring.

YYZ: Tiptoe through the Tulips

2009-05-30T10:12:00.005-04:00

Yes, PLEASE!

I am in love with this fascinator (and almost everything else!) made by the talented Bailey Tomlin.

LHR: Flouncy Skirt Friday

2009-05-30T02:42:00.011-04:00

It wasn't my last day of classes, but we did have an exciting day as it finally felt like the first day of summer. Yay!

Here's the back story of my cute flouncy skirt day.

Last night I started to unpack my summer clothes and what did I find but a skirt with green polka-dots that would PERFECTLY match the green shoes. I had forgotten about this skirt because it has been tucked away all winter. Now I had a perfect match. Oh dear, what to wear up top.

This morning's play by play:

White shirt. Pulls on white shirt and realizes the skirt is oh-so-off white. Definitely can not get away with it.
Looks for navy stretchy tee. Remembers she threw it out last season due to over-wearing
Starts to panic. Decides to iron skirt and contemplate about what to do about the lack of top
Ironing takes an aweful long time as she realizes beaded bits are a bitch to iron
Tries to iron from the inside. Nothing works -- should have steamed skirt.
Time running out.
Hmmm. shirt? Finds another blue shirt. [commentator: Is this colour called Cerulean or teal or what?] She decides to go with it. It isn't exactly the same blue as in the skirt, but feels it works.
Finds a big bobble green necklace (thinks she nabbed it from her Mother's jewellery box years ago) and throws it on.
The outfit seems to work but she remembers that in typical LHR style she has yet to alter the skirt. Used a safety pin instead.
She runs out the door without a coat and realizes that when the sun goes down she'll regret it. So she grabs a wool (yes wool) kelly green cardigan from the 50s. Similar to the skirt the cardigan had lots of embellishments - beads, sequins and pearls. Talk about matchy, but figures it'll work for warmth.
Ta-Dah!

Back to the first person... Later that day, when it was getting cool on the terrace at work, I threw on the crazily vintage cardie. The reaction (at least by one) was -- "oh i like the outfit so much better with the cardigan." Hmmm.

Anyway, I think the skirt is a perfect match for the shoes and the bounciness of the skirt makes me feel rather cute. Take a look for yourself.

Artie shot where all the imperfections disappear.

This was the outfit I wore all day. Realizing I need to do some crunches immediately.

With cardigan

End of day relax.

The details again:
Shoes: KG - way more details in this post, Liberty's
Skirt: Eucalyptus, Some shop in London (I think)
Shirt: Smart Set :)
Necklace: Green Bobble Necklace -Mom's jewellery box (30years ago or so)
Cardigan: Huppert, 64 Regent Street London (that's what the label says) - Vintage. I can not remember where and when I bought it

YYZ: Back in Black

2009-05-29T18:25:00.013-04:00

TGI the last day of classes!

Today's outfit was driven (as is often the case with me) by my desire to wear a pair of shoes I just love.

Why do I love them so?

Well, I think it is partly because they are very high, but not too uncomfortable. But the main reasons I love them are that 1) they were a total bargain! 2) they really are very accurate in their classic vintage espadrille details, from the rope soles and platform wedge heels, to the crocheted toe-covers.

When I wear them, I feel like I should be riding an old-fashioned bicycle down a cobbled street in France or a winding laneway in Tuscany.

Wait-- shouldn't I be doing those things, regardless of what I'm wearing???!

Since the dress with which I normally wear them is far too mutton-dressed-as-lamb, particularly with my new 'do, I had to find something else to wear with them.

What else to choose on a Friday morning?

Black.

Of course.

I was thrilled to rediscover my silly white polka-dotted red hoop earrings and baubly red bracelet: they remind me of Carmen Miranda!

So do these shoes, now that I think of it.

Shoes: Mossimo for Target (I told you they were a bargain!)

Dress: The Gap (same as this one)

Shrug: Smart Set

Bracelet: H&M

Hoop Earrings: Ardene

LHR: Dressing for YYZ

2009-05-28T15:08:00.006-04:00

Today, a few of my colleagues asked me "what are you doing tonight?". I embarrassingly answered *nothing actually*. They followed up immediately with "oh, who are you meeting?", again I embarrassingly said *no-one*. Perplexed looks all around. I quickly moved the conversation on.

Why all these questions and these rather uninspiring answers? It must have been as a result of today's choice of a rather formal (at least for the dotcom in East London world) outfit combined with the fact there was no apparant rationale for it. That is at least something I would admit publicly. Yes, it is true I couldn't bear to do another post wearing the the same Dish jeans again. I already had brilliantly solved the same issue earlier this week by posting J's new TEE.

Today, I admit I dressed for YYZ. Sadly, I didn't manage to get one photo of the entire outfit. You'll have to use your imagination and stich these photos together. In addition, I waited to shoot the outfit at the end day. Bad decision when wearing a linen-blend (only 64% linen) skirt which wrinkles and crumples easily. Again, use your imagination to remove the rather crumpled look I acquired through a day of back-to-back meetings topped with a bike-ride home.

Finally - the outfit: I actually think this outfit is a bit formal or too stiff or too *put-together* for me. It isn't really my natural style. I felt like I was playing dress-up. It made me loook and feel rather grown-up (which I am so glad I'm not in real life) like a high powered lawyer or banker (which I definitely am not). It was fun to pretend for the day.

The Details (from the top):
Brown Knit Tank: More & More, Munich
Brass Asymmetrical Circle Necklace: NY Street Vendor
Black Tie Linen/Blend Skirt: Zara Woman bought at random European airport (2-3 years ago)
Salmon Coloured Bobble Shoes**: Richard Tyler, Toronto at Winners with YYZ

** I believe YYZ has a pair of black babies exactly like these ones

YYZ: (Bubble) Skirting the Issue

2009-05-28T13:19:00.009-04:00

I read somewhere last year that the bubble skirt was SOOOOO last Tuesday, so I slavishly filed this dress away, vowing not to wear it again.

For some reason, it escaped being relegated to the Value Village bag.

Thus, this morning, when I was completely frantic about finding something to wear, I dragged it out, thinking, "Trends be damned-- I'm desperate!"

I also convinced myself that bubble skirts are twice-retro:

1950s AND 1980s,

two of my favourite fashion eras!

Yay!

(go here for a fellow blogger's post in which she roundly maligns the bubble skirt and posts photos of some as visual evidence to support her arguments)

In the past, I wore this with leggings (gasp!), but even though the hotly-contested and much-debated Great Legging Ban of 2008 has been frequently flouted by many of my colleagues this year, I am just not ready to die on that particular hill.

Yet.

I don't like this dress anymore, but I am out of options, so I had to fall back on it.

Green Slingbacks with Kitten Heels (by far the best part of the outfit-- they are lined in green with white polka dots!): Sirens (I know!)

Dress & Cuff: H&M

Necklace: Cobbled together from bits and bobs in my jewelry stash

(Bad hair day. I hate damp weather.)

YYZ: Green Day

2009-05-27T12:19:00.012-04:00

Took photos in a rush this morning after too little sleep last night (Photography Assistant troubles...:( ), so I actually took a few shots forgetting to put on either lipstick or accessories! Whoops!

Happily, there were a couple of "complete" shots, too.

And this one, in which I try to replicate LHR's patented "skinny pose" and just end up looking like I am taking a photo of my boobs.

Had to do photos in a.m. because

1. it is POURING today and my hair would be a frizz ball by the end of the day,

2. skirt is linen = looks like I slept in it five minutes after I put it on.

3. skirt is one of those mysterious Filth Magnet items: it does not matter when or where or how I wear it, I get something on it.

Something conspicuous, like salad dressing all down the front (true story).

Sure enough, today I spilled WATER on it and it left a mark. WATER!!!!

Sheesh.

Shoes: Steve Madden

Skirt: Zara

Belt: still can't remember

T-shirt & Cuff: H&M

Earrings: Ardene

Question:

When do you know that what you wear is a "signature" and when do you acknowledge that maybe you are just boring?

(I am thinking here of my accessories.)

I think, sadly for me, it has to do with quality.

As in, if your "signature" is some fabulous vintage brooch, you're safe,

but if (as in my case) you wear the same cheap,

crappy,

mass-produced,

plastic

mall junk

all the time,

you are in trouble...

LHR: It's a boy!

2009-05-26T18:29:00.004-04:00

Today I more-or-less wore a repeat of this outfit but with a slight twist on accessories (different belt, necklace and shoes). As a result, it didn't really warrant a post; instead I found another who I could feature.

Today's poster is a boy. In fact, it's J. It was a big day for J as he launched his new documentary website AND also received his newly designed Tees which he is using to support his film.

Here is J in his new tee. The T-shirt is chocolate brown and cream. It features a recreation of a vintage taxi which took Alfred and Jakobine around the world for 4 years in the 1950s.

As it says on the Tee, if you want to support J, he's flogging miles on www.alfredandjakobine-movie.com. (you can get your very own tee if you buy 4 miles). Otherwise, hold tight as he will soon be selling similar tees on the site.

YYZ: World View

2009-05-26T14:48:00.018-04:00

One of the drawbacks/advantages (depends on the day) of being gobsmackingly immature AND a Scorpio, to boot, is that I often have a very black and white view of the world.

Is it any surprise then that this colour scheme permeates our home and my wardrobe?

(I even choose black and white flowers for my garden! I tried colour one year and it just made me edgy and irritated every time I was out in the backyard. Who can relax and enjoy a glass of wine in the evening when the flowers are bugging her???)

Shoes: Target

White denim capris: The sale rack at the Gap several years ago-- a worthwhile purchase!

Empire waist t-shirt: Smart Set

Oddly unseasonable (like the temperature today) cardigan: Costa Blanca

Cuff: H&M

Earrings: Ardene

(This outfit is [yet] another paen to the MALL.... Which is where I can afford to shop, so I should just get over it, already. Sigh.)

YYZ: Yesterday

2009-05-26T14:43:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was a bit of a sprint, from the time the alarm went off at 5:45 a.m. until I fell into bed at 11 p.m., so I did not have time to post.

(I am sure that makes LHR feel better!)

Here is what I wore, chosen for comfort on a loooong day and for the fact that I sort of wanted to channel a 60s flats-with-skirt-and-blouse vibe. I don't think I managed it (skirt and belt too low on waist), but I sure was comfy!

Shoes: Payless

Skirt: The late, lamented Caban

Belt: from a Costa Blanca blouse

Blouse: Club Monaco

Earrings: Gift from LHR

YYZ: Vivienne Worship

2009-05-26T11:25:00.011-04:00

Long have I worshipped at the altar of la Westwood and, one day, I WILL own me one of her fantastic, sculpted and structural pieces.

She is the Queen of Punk but her stuff works for the real world, too.

I adore the paradox of Vivienne Westwood: her own look is utterly individualistic in a totally age-inappropriate way (and yet she makes it seem completely RIGHT), but her clothes are totally proper and strict and punk, and perfectly age-appropriate for ladies of my vintage, all at the same time.

Best of all, she is a proper couturiere, and takes her metier seriously in a way few (relatively) accessibly-priced designers still seem to do.

The woman is part-goddess, part-genius, ALL style icon.

And these shoes may just be the clincher in my love affair with the Divine Ms. W:

Melissa
Vivienne Westwood + Lady Dragon Blue with Heart" border="0">

YYZ: But it IS easy being Green!

2009-05-23T09:47:00.016-04:00

Right, LHR, you industrious triple-poster! Here are some ideas further to the ones I left in the comment box with respect to the drool-worthy Kelly Green Kurt Geigers. (KG squared!)

Under the heading "So crazy it just might work!":

Think of green as a neutral.

This sounds odd, I know, but it does work; you'll be surprised.

Also, it is a sneaky trick for making people think your whole outfit is fantastic: in my experience, the most boring outfit gets the most rhapsodizing compliments when paired with my green shoes...

(Dang! My secret is out!)

Check out homerun ballerina-- she is MUCH younger than we are, so some of her outfits are just not age-appropriate for the likes of us, but she is the Queen of coloured shoes and her outfits can serve as inspiration: a few age-appropriate tweaks here and there is all it would take! Also, surf on over to Anthropologie (there is one here now, but I will wait until you come so we can visit together!) and snoop around in their catalogue and look books-- their looks really suit your style and you will find some awesome inspiration.

When I was having a near-meltdown of desire in, of all places, Club Monaco (!) in March, I fell HARD for Kelly Green mixed with pale grey, royal blue, black and white. I am desperate for a belt in the green, as I feel it will be a great pop of colour added into my summer (and winter!) wardrobe. Sadly, one of my pairs of Kelly Green shoes (yes, I have two) is suede, so I cannot wear those ones in the summer-- what is great about your KG-squareds is that you can wear them all year long! Well shopped!

Finally, when all else fails, stick to neutrals and let your

fabulous shoes

do all the work!

(Hmm. The colour of the shoes in my photos is not really "true": they are greener in person....)

PS: Speaking of Liberty, The Workroom just got in a slew of Liberty fabrics and it is taking ALL my self-control not to race over and buy miles of it for use with my vintage patterns!

On my year off, I am going to treat myself to this from Liberty (well, actually, the notebook, not the address book, but they don't have one on their website at the moment).

LHR: Girl With a Watering Can

2009-05-23T07:18:00.012-04:00

Yesterday was a really crappy day. I don't think I've felt that badly in a long time. When I returned home, the realization that once again I had not captured what I wore added to the crapiness. J felt badly for me and shot my look while I was watering our plants. That's why I have chosen this title - more to do with the activity than the outfit.

The title is in fact the name of a song. I found it when I searched on Last.fm for songs with the word "watering". I have no idea what the song sounds like as I have yet to upgrade to subscriber status. I really should try to listen to it to see if it in any way matches my mood or the outfit. Now to the actual outfit.

Yesterday's outfit is just a variation of what I've worn almost every day over the last two weeks (see you missed nothing dear YYZ). This is my formula. While YYZ generally wears beautiful, flirty dresses, belts, cuffs and corsages, I wear jeans, jeans and more jeans. Usually, I throw on a necklace or bracelet and matching heels. As you can see yesterday was no different.
I typically match my shoes with a top and in this case tank top. It is my usual trick to pull colours together. Perhaps it is a bit matchy but I feel better having the colour of my shoes also on my bod somewhere. My boss has commented on it a few times so it must be something I do fairly regularly.
My necklace is one of my old-time favourites. This choker is a textured silver rope wrapped around itself. I purchased it probably 6 years ago (maybe more) on a trip to Paris (when I was still at eBay). YYZ knows the chain as she has also bought from them. My memory fails me again (YYZ?).

My gray top is from a cute lingerie shop just off Regent's Park road called Miss Lala's Boudoir (sadly no direct website). J always accuses me of wearing a little girl's dress, but rest assured it is in fact for a full-grown girl like me. In fact, it is a bit roomy and I have been meaning to take it in since I've bought it but alas I have not (thus, this feeling of inadequacy strikes again).
This shot is not so flattering but you get a shot of the wedge heel. These shoes were bought at Beatrix Ong's shop which was then located on Regent's Park Road too. [update: turns out they are not Beatrix's shoes, but only purchased at her shop. They are Karoline] Hmm. There is definitely a Primrose connection in this post.

OK, I feel I have redeemed myself. Now I'm back to the shed to get out my spring clothes. Yippee!

LHR: Keeping Up with the YYZes

2009-05-23T06:56:00.007-04:00

After posting It's Not Easy Being Green, I scrolled down to my previous post and after 5 minutes or more I found it. I think that YYZ had written 14 posts in the meantime. At this point I look like a guest blogger not a co-blogger. As always I am in awe and a bit jealous (I am a scorpio) of YYZ's productivity, not to mention her wardrobe. In fact most of the time I feel inadequate on the amount I get done in my life when I see YYZ's amazing output (sewing, decorating, gardening, blogging and more).

However, today this feeling has actually pushed me to post immediately after my earlier post just to legitimize my LHR moniker which is an equal part of our blog name.

The question is how do I keep that going. I see three solutions:

I need to blog more (not likely)
I need to buy more clothing in order to post (not a good idea)
YYZ might slow down a bit to keep me from feeling quite so inadequate

I vote for 3 :)

LHR: It's Not Easy Being Green

2009-05-23T04:28:00.017-04:00

A few weeks back my friend Boris from Prague was visiting us in London. He is a sucker for a well designed shop and unique finds. So, we felt it was a necessity to show him Liberty's one of the essential landmarks of London. Every nook and cranny of Liberty's is lovingly curated. I want to hug it I love it so much.

photo by: lbphotos

Photo: lludovic

In fact, every time I step in to the wooden door's of this department store my heart starts to race sort of like seeing an old boyfriend looking particularly hot (like I ever see any of my old boyfriends -- but you get my the idea). In the case of shopping, my heart only reacts this way when I see the red letters S-A-L-E. But this beauty doesn't have to do anything special, it just needs to be. Ahhh. Liberty's (here it is in its Christmas glory). OK enough about Liberty's - I'll save that for another post. What I want to share is the rather spontaneous purchase I made on the recent excursion to the Mecca of style.

Here goes...

I stumbled (literally I missed the step down) in to the sale section of the shoe section. I expected that even on sale all the shoes featured in Liberty's would be priced for the Upper Crusties and Well-Heeled (not this girl living in Dalston). Well, as it turned out there were a few within my reach. Most I attempted to try on were no longer available in my size (the curse of the girl who wears the average size). I started to get desperate. Would I leave Liberty's AND a S-A-L-E with nothing. Don't say it!

Finally, i found a pair that fit and that fit my pocketbook. Whoohoo! My first clothing purchase from Liberty's (all I've bought before was Christmas decorations)

Here they are in their GREEN GLAMOUR. Now my dilema, what the hell do I wear with green? So, here is your challenge YYZ an YVR and whoever else is lurking. Please either post a post (not a comment) featuring green shoes OR provide links to some shots of good get ups wearing something similar.

Today is the first real day of Spring and these little guys want to be worn. As you'll see from the shot below they are basically Kelly Green (strange choice but remember the circumstances). So, I am looking for inspiration.
It's not easy being green.

(by the way, the shoes are KG by Kurt Geiger)

YYZ: Not-so-Freaky Friday

2009-05-22T16:12:00.016-04:00

Friday + early morning meeting + stop at gas station + lunch duty = today's outfit had to be simple and I had to be able to wear flats with it.

Yesterday I was inspired by Couture Allure's reflections on the genius of the shirtwaist dress and, while this is not exactly a shirtwaist, it is a shirt dress.

I thought it would be a good, quick, easy look I could pair with my silver gladiator-esque sandals.

I am too short to wear REAL gladiators successfully, so these are a happy compromise-- I have had them for years, long before gladiators became all the rage [again]; suddenly, I get all kinds of compliments on them, though I have been wearing them for a good five or six years! Funny!

It's not terribly flattering

(puffed sleeves may have worked on Anne, but they never work on a Jarvis....)

and it's pretty boring, but it sure was comfy all day

(though it seems to suffer from the same baggy-bum syndrome this dress had, so I will be treating it to some alterations in the near future).

Dress: H&M

Belt: came with a blouse from Costa Blanca

Shoes: $10! Payless

Shades: Smart Set

Silver cuffs from Mexico: gifts from my mum and my MIL

YYZ: They Call Me Mellow Yellow

2009-05-20T19:20:00.018-04:00

(Just giving YVR a minute to recover from her faint and to get up off the floor.....)

Okay-- better, YVR?

One night, after some particularly difficult er, family dynamics, in a small hotel room in Athens, Greece, over a shared bottle of cheap wine (swigged, I believe, directly from said bottle, though perhaps my memory has romanticized that detail...), YVR and I, in between bouts of what M calls "cackling", promised each other that when we each got married (ha!), neither of us would make the other wear either mauve or yellow as bridesmaids.

Then, we got nicely tiddly and went to bed, though we were, sadly, not tiddly enough to be able to sleep well in what is surely the noisiest city on the planet.

Thus, she will be/is horrified by the title of this post.

But you see, ever since I made these,

I have found myself utterly seduced by the pale yellow ones.

I have nothing to go with YELLOW: wearing yellow makes me LOOK yellow.

I am a Celt: we do NOT do well in yellow, believe me.

But, I've been desperate to wear one.

Then, at my friend S's behest, I headed to the Gap (of all places) last week in search of relatively inexpensive sundresses for the pending trips to Paris and NYC.

I picked up two. Well, one, really, but in two different colours.

When one is financially-challenged, one's sartorial purchases need to be versatile, so I chose black and white. I was not sure I'd keep them-- I may still reverse shop the black one.

But then I figured out a way to wear one of my yellow flowers, in a look incorporating my white sundress and more comfortable shoes than I wore yesterday.

Still a tad concerned that I may be channeling a bumble bee-- what do you think?

Shoes: Steve Madden (at Heel Boy)

Dress: The Gap

Shrug: Smart Set

Flower: handmade by me

Cuff: H&M

{Post script: this outfit garnered many enthusiastic compliments today, so I guess it worked out okay. It was cool and comfy, too, so now I am considering keeping the black version of the dress!)

YYZ: Cheap Trick

2009-05-20T09:11:00.010-04:00

Today's outfit, much like most of my outfits, is a tribute to bargain mall shopping.

In fact, as both LHR and YVR know, I am pretty much addicted to this kind of cheap thrill shopping. It is completely age-inappropriate and, like many addicts, I repeatedly swear off it only to fall off the wagon the very next time I find myself inside the evil environment known as

THE MALL.

As an alcoholic must avoid going into bars, so must I avoid the temptations of malls....

Sad, but true.

It is supposed to go up to 28 C today and I have sewing club after school and a ton of errands to run, so I needed to wear something that would get me through all of that without looking too hot and bothered.

(Always a challenge for me: I get rumpled and sweaty-looking at the drop of a hat.)

Here is what I decided would do the (cheap) trick:

(Sorry about the even-worse-than-usual photo quality: late arrival home = no time to take better photos. Above is one I took before leaving for work.)

Shoes: Report

(They hurt-- I admit it. They are entirely man-made and so they are not getting "worked in" and rub my toe something fierce.)

Skirt: Zara

Belt: The same one I always wear and yet can't remember where I got it.

T-shirt & Black Peony Corsage: H&M

Earrings: Gift from LHR

G & I were wearing matching outfits today!

YYZ: Stitch In Time

2009-05-19T10:56:00.020-04:00

You have seen today's outfit before, so I thought I would post about how I spent a large portion of my weekend.

I was so excited to get my vintage sewing patterns

(thanks to my Pattern Mule!) on Friday so that I could start working with my bargain fabrics.

The sizes of the patterns are too small, so I thought I would have to learn how to enlarge patterns-- thank goodness for the internet and this fantastically helpful link. But when I took the first pattern out of the envelope, it looked like, despite the discrepancy between the measurements listed on the package and my own, the pattern would fit me.

So, I started out by making a muslin-- a mock-up of the dress made, in this case, out of an old sheet, so that I could see where I'd need to make any adjustments.

After shortening the bodice a bit, the thing fit, so I went ahead.

I started with the halter "wiggle" dress because I had a small amount of fabric-- too small for the enormous circle skirt on the other version of the dress.

In the end, it was a pretty easy pattern, once I figured out the somewhat complicated neck facing-- sewn by hand-- and shortened the FAR TOO LONG zipper I'd bought. I did get the bodice a bit too short, so for the next one, I will lengthen it a little bit. (There is probably a happy medium between the original and my shortened version.)

Overall, though, I am pretty happy with the final product:

Late 5os/Early 60s Vintage Butterick Dress Pattern ($20 USD)

Fabric: remnant, $3 per metre = $7

Belt: can't remember, but probably Winners

Shoes: 9 West

Stay tuned for more projects made from vintage patterns!

I'm doing the circle skirt version in the old-fashioned rose pattern next.

(Fabric a gift from my mum! xx)

YYZ: Pease Pudding & Saveloys

2009-05-18T10:50:00.016-04:00

No outfit today-- it's a holiday and I am savouring some snuggles with my purring best friend next to me (perfectly positioned for maximum Belly Rubs), surfing around the web, reluctant to get up and leave said purrzly guy.

Which led me to find this.

I know it is wrong for someone my age and of my hobbity proportions to want to dress like a cross between Eliza Doolittle (pre-'Enry 'Iggins makeover)

and the Artful Dodger,

but these clothes are sooooooo tempting and the photos are so gorgeously styled!

YYZ: Getting Sorted II

2009-05-15T20:26:00.005-04:00

Occasionally I surf on over to coco&kelley, where I found this envy-making post about organizing a closet.

LHR and I know what it is to live in old houses (83 years, in my case, 100+ in LHR's case) and, while I am not really a "new construction" kinda girl, I do envy my sisters who live in recently-built houses with their de rigueur walk-in closets.

In our house, for example, my shoes live in the basement (not at all convenient),

I have hanging stuff in a teeny closet

(in 1926, people had one good outfit, one for working around the house and one or two for everyday wear),

plus I have a gigantic, not-terribly-functional or space-appropriate wardrobe thing shoved in the corner of the bedroom with (literally) piles of pjs, undies, socks and t-shirts stuffed willy-nilly inside.

Sigh.

LHR does not have a ton of storage space, either, but she has some pretty sexy built-in wardrobes, an ingenious necklace storage idea, plus an open rolling rack and some groovy built-ins, with her shoes in (amazing!) plexiglass boxes.

{Perhaps she will do a post in which she shows us her storage solutions. Hint.}

Both of us are proponents of the vintage steamer trunk school of extra storage.

Here in YYZ land, the room that was, originally, going to become my walk-in closet (swoon!)

is going to remain our (minuscule) bathroom

(because the room that was going to be the bathroom has become our home office),

so I have had to come to terms with the lack of adequate closet space in our house.

(Maybe M could just keep his stuff in bins under the bed and then I could have HIS tiny closet, too....? Honey?)

So, while I have no real sympathy for the poor reader who is wondering how to make better use of her walk-in (!) closet, there are some good ideas and some inspiring photos in this story.

YYZ: Take it to the Limit

2009-05-15T12:03:00.018-04:00

(The title of this post is also the name of my Uncle Glenn's favourite Eagles song. Given how much he loves the Eagles, it is kind of amazing that he can narrow it down to one favourite. I think it might be mine, too.)

So, taking a precious few hours last weekend, I did some mending and some altering (including what I think is a pretty awesome job of repairing the inside pocket of M's trousers -- it looked like a rat had chewed the bottom 1/3 of the pocket completely away. Apparently it was a car-key related mishap.). In the pile of mending was this dress.

Having this blog, I get a much better sense of how my clothes really look and fit than I ever got just looking in the mirror.

(I know the idea of taking a photo to get a real sense of how something looks is not a new idea, but I am the quintessential late-adopter. Witness: this blog.)

And the photos of this dress made me see that what I had previously thought was a bad fit noticeable only to me was actually something much more dire: a bad fit that bagged and sagged, particularly in the posterior, and only made the dress look cheap (which it is) and me look frumpy. (Horrors!)

So, (or should I say, "sew"?), I decided that I could either just walk away, send the offending rag to Value Village or I could take action and alter the darn thing. There's a recession on, after all.

In the end, I took it in FOUR INCHES!

No wonder it didn't fit!!!

What the heck was I thinking, buying a dress FOUR INCHES too big????!!!!

Okay, I do know what I was thinking.

I was thinking:

"It fits up top and no one will notice the too-bigness in the hips-- it will just look like a full skirt."

Yeah, right.

(and no, LHR, I have not lost weight: it fit like that since Day One.)

Do not kid yourselves, Gentle Readers:

wearing clothes that are too big does NOT make you look smaller.

Quite the opposite, in fact. I know we (okay, I) sometimes want to think,

"Oh, look at tiny little me-- this just SWIMS on me!"

but wearing something that swims on us only makes us look lumpy.

I speak from (too much) experience.

(Don't believe me? Consider the rear view.... Take a photo if you need to.)

Clothes that fit are the most flattering on any figure. A difficult but important lesson for those of us who grew up wearing gigantic men's shirts in the 80s and calling it fashion.

Remember, Ladies: Fashion IS Danger.

Here is the dress again, all altered. I hope it looks better! It certainly FEELS better, and that, really, is the main thing.

Shoes: 9 West

Huge surprise.

I love these because of the basket-weave tops and the groovy inverted wedge heel.

Dress: Le Chateau

Belt: Borrowed from another dress, Femme de Carriere

Cardi (not shown): Jacob

Earrings: Gift from LHR

YYZ: Getting Sorted

2009-05-14T21:07:00.004-04:00

I found this little tutorial from the quirkly Mademoiselle Robot to be quite entertaining and, also, to be very sound advice. Of utmost importance is her admonition to make sure you are feeling happy and confident: part of my current summer wardrobe crisis may, in fact, be due to having done a purge in the wrong frame of mind...

Enjoy!

(LHR-- consider this post to be my surrogate, since you know I love you too much to EVER go through a purge with you! :) )

Bisous!

YYZ: Shout!

2009-05-14T14:12:00.007-04:00

No outfit post today: it is House Shout day and so I had to wear my "House" colours. What are they? Orange and royal blue.

Lovely.

Actually, I like them separately, and in some cases they are good together, just not in an OUTFIT kind of way....

The whole point is to look crazy and wild, so I planned to have BMad take some shots of me in my oversized, star-shaped sunglasses and Flashdance-ified T-shirt, etc., but things are not altogether great for my poor sewing assistant, so I left at the end of my classes so that I could take him to the vet.

Thus, no outfit post.

I will try to find a photo of the glasses for you, though.

Believe me, they are something.

This shot is from a few years back-- hence the hairdo.

YYZ: Jolie-Laide

2009-05-13T17:16:00.002-04:00

This dress has been an ongoing project since I bought it a few weeks ago.

I think the stench has been removed, so that there will not be a repeat of the

Smelly Skirt Incident.

What appealed to me about the dress is its exuberantly jolie-laide print: it is so ugly that it is actually cute. Even M likes it, though he points out that it is better in person than in the photos. I like the way it so perfectly captures an era-- the wide collar, the groovy off-centre patch pockets, the garish polyester fabric.... I feel like my glamourous mum at a crazy house party in the glamourous 70s (which is weird because I actually remember the 70s and they weren't all that glamourous in our town...).

Also, it cost $10, so I knew that even if the alterations didn't work

(read: because my screwing them up was a very real possibility),

it would not be a tragedy.

The dress was a maxi-dress, direct from the 70s.

Better still, it was home-made-- the lacy seam-binding, carefully cut-out notches on the seams, covered buttons and hand-sewn domes were evidence of some home sewing maven's handiwork. It reminded me of my mum who, back in the disco decade, sewed a lot of her own clothes, most of mine and my brother's and a whole wardrobe for my Crissy doll.

Yeah, you remember Crissy and her weird belly-button, don't you?

I digress.

This dress was so long (should have taken a photo wearing it) that it could easily have fit me and LHR together, with one of us sitting on the other's shoulders. I cut off about 24", in the end, and had to take it apart at the waist in order to shorten the bodice to fit my hobbit-like proportions.

During the alterations, I had some help:

Here it is, all finished.

What do you think?

I think I need a different belt-- this one felt wrong all day long...

(I didn't wear the cardigan, in the end-- it was too sausage-y 'round the middle.)

Shoes: Report

Dress: Rozaneh

Cardi: Jacob

Belt: ??

Earrings: Ardene. Yeah, I know.

Cuff: H&M

YYZ: Chairman of the Bored

2009-05-12T18:17:00.011-04:00

Today I knew I would be standing outside in the chilly morning air for 40 minutes, so the outfit I had planned would just not work: dress, bare arms, bare legs, bare feet in sandals. No go.

Thus, another boring look.

Can anyone tell me how to dress with flair in the summer? I have just realized that, while I love summer, I hate summer clothes. I feel too exposed in them. And I can't figure out how to add a bit of flair or to make them interesting. I can't wear boho-chic due to aforementioned hobbit-like proportions and, let's face it, summer clothes are NOT designed for those of us with more to hide than to share. Summer is a skinny, fit, young person's game. It's just plain depressing, frankly. Also, in the summer, I miss being able to wear silk and tights and boots and funky accessories. It would be fine if I could just live in my (imaginary) 1930s cottage on Lake Erie all summer, wandering about barefoot & tanned and windswept in shorts or floaty skirts and tank tops, but getting dressed for WORK is just no fun at all in the summer.

Anywho, here I am in my dull outfit-- a phrase which could easily describe any of my spring outfits so far, with the possible exception of the smelly skirt.

Shoes: you can't see them, but they are the Olive Oyl ones from 9 West

Trousers: H&M

T-shirt: Smart Set

Cuff: gift from my mum

Necklace: I have no idea... Maybe Suzy Shier

or somewhere similarly mall-y and cheap.

Here I am at work, as BMad (you can see him waving!) tries to sort out the camera's focus issues.

(I am not making a face.

That IS my face.

Apparently my mother was right: my face did freeze like that!)

YYZ: I Want Candy!

2009-05-11T16:54:00.017-04:00

Once again, overly matchy-matcherson.

Some habits, forged in the crucible of 80s fashion sensibility, die hard.

I feel like this outfit is a tribute to one of my (many) favourite candies:

licorice allsorts!

It ended up not being as warm as I had anticipated today, so I had to wear a cardi all day at work, which was a bit sad because what is cute about this t-shirt is its sleeve detail.

At least the shoes were still visible and, as always when I wear them, they sparked a whole lotta "I LOVE YOUR SHOES!"

I love these silly shoes, too.

So did Mel, who also "bourght" a pair!

Shoes: Mia

T-shirt: Smart Set

(bought in vain attempt to match the ill-fated boots)

Skirt: the late, lamented Caban

Cuff: H&M

Earrings: Oh, gawd, I think they're from Ardene. How embarassing.

YYZ: Purple Haze

2009-05-08T12:04:00.013-04:00

Hot out today.

Legs: not self-tanned enough, but there is no way I can get away with tights when the temperature is in the mid-20s.

Outfit: overly preppy and pretty dull.

Once again, trying to work with what I have to remain work-suitable and weather-friendly. Getting harder all the time.

Dinner tonight at our place with M's parents means I will not likely have time to post this until tomorrow.

(I can tell all three readers are devastated by this news..... ahem.)

Shoes: Report

Skirt: Jacob

Belt: Gift from my mum;

Brave Beltworks

T-shirt: Smart Set

Earrings: Gift from LHR

Mexican Silver Cuffs:

Geometric pattern- gift from my MIL;

Rope-trim pattern- gift from my mum

YYZ: It's a thin line...

2009-05-07T16:41:00.011-04:00

...between love and hate.

Today I am wearing my blue wide-leg trousers in the usual combination, one which makes me think I love the trousers, unlike last time, when I hated them by the end of the day...

This outfit is one I wear quite a lot when the weather is warmish.

I like the trousers better when my tummy is covered-- girls with guts

(okay, you two Readers, I know neither of you can relate to this problem,

so consider this an education)

end up with EXTRA fabric below said guts when wearing trousers

= NOT attractive.

This long top covers a multitude of sins and, even though it accentuates my football player-esque shoulders, I think it makes my bustline look quite good.

Strangely, given the long cowl and all that volume on the top layer, up close it miraculously makes my waist look small.

Shoes: Antonio Melani; gift from my mother

Trousers: Holt Renfrew Private Label

(I caught my heel in the cuff of one leg when I got home tonight = need to do some repair work. Grr.)

Top: I have NO idea-- some cheap, crappy mall store, no doubt

Earrings: As above, though maybe the bargain rack at Le Chateau

Cuff: H&M

LHR: The Paper Bag Princess

2009-05-06T16:01:00.005-04:00

You'll see that I am missing the crucial shot today i.e. the full monty or actually the opposite of the full monty. Well, those shots just didn't look good. (is that telling me something?)

Today I wanted to throw on something quickly as I had to run to work early (was there by 7.00am). So that meant a dress. If ever anyone tells you that anything is quicker, I think both YYZ and I would definitely sit on the opposite side in that debate. I spied this old number in my closet and as I always have been since I bought it (oh so many years ago) I was attracted to it. Why? Here they are in order of importance

It doesn't need to be ironed. It is SUPPOSED to be crinkly and paper bag-like
It hides my tummy (except in today's photos that is why you don't see a full length view)
It only needs one or two accessories and then you are done
Super-duper comfy as no binding waistbands, thus no. 2

Ok, here it is:
Dress: Ca va de soi (based on their clothing here, this dress is no longer in the line-up)
Shoes: United Nude (read more about my other pair here)
Bangle: Broadway Market, market stall
Earrings: As worn here, New York Street Vendor

You can adjust the hem of this dress. As it is (oh I don't know) many years old, it is not exactly the hemline of the season (what is that anyway YYZ?). So you can adjust slightly by retieing the bows at the left leg. I quite like this feature of the dress. You?

Of course, it goes without saying the piece de resistance is the heel on these shoes. Oh. I've had them for years. J, Aline and I bought them in Paris in 2003 and still feel like they are catwalk material.

I definitely recommend the PaperBag Princess life.

YYZ: Every Day is Hallowe'en

2009-05-05T20:59:00.016-04:00

Note: I wrote this post last night, in an attempt to save time on this very busy day.

Then I ended up with everything I own on the floor of our room this morning because my plan from last night did not work and the outfit was all wrong.

So I ended up having to rewrite the whole thing. That'll teach me to plan ahead.

Which, come to think of it, could be the theme of my whole day today....

A nod to the band, more than the song, in the title of today's post.

Why?

Because, today we are being

INSPECTED

by the

MINISTRY.

Yep, Ontario is sending out its finest bureaucrat to torture my colleagues and I.

(Well, really she's been torturing to us for months, what with all the build-up to this day.)

Things have been in a frenzy for weeks leading up to this.

For some, the frenzy is one of JOY at the prospect of meaningless Ministry-speak and volumes upon volumes of dry, opaque "prose" outlining course expectations, each one with its own special coded designation. Oh, the thrill of it all! Rubrics! Expectations! Achievement charts! Exemplars! An intoxicating whirl of bureaucracy, created by people who have never seen an actual teenager in person. What a thrill!

For others, the frenzy is one of anxiety and stress as they are required to jump through arbitrary hoops while simultaneously going about the real-world job of actually teaching. Even BMad is in a tizzy about it, anxious and frantic in ways he is seldom seen to be in reality.

Anyway, to get back to the point: today's outfit.

I have been wondering what, exactly to wear on this BIG DAY. On which it is VERY IMPORTANT to be VERY IMPRESSIVE. (Oddly, the inspection has nothing to do with actual teaching or what we do in the classroom-- it is about the documents we write that SAY what we do and about the instruments we use to assess student progress. To be fair, that last one is pretty important.)

You see, the date is May 6th, so the weather could be chilly, warm, wet, dry or some combo of all of the above.

Add to the pressure of conjuring up weather-appropriate gear, I also had to dream up something

IMPRESSIVE

and

PROFESSIONAL.

Not to mention

IMPRESSIVELY PROFESSIONAL.

In my book, that calls for very high heels and maybe a pair of glasses.

But my glasses are scratched (sniff!), so the heels would have to suffice today.

Thus, I planned on this:

Blouse & belt: (it shames me to admit it, but) Costa Blanca. Ahem.

Trousers: Theory

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Earrings: Gift from LHR

(sort of apt, given the source of the blouse, non?)

But then, the above just looked like crap.

I tried again.

And again.

Our bedroom looks like a bomb made of my cheap, crappy clothes that do not work together in any way went off in there.

So, I ended up in this:

Blouse: Anthropologie

Lace-trimmed cami: Smart Set

Trousers: Theory

Shoes: 9 West

Bracelet: Gift from my mother

(How did the INSPECTION go?

Awful. I was sooo well-prepared but she did not know her stuff and cared

only about the numbers on the expectations-- we'd been assured we did not need to have them-- and she expected me to be able to cite them.

Am going out for dinner, where I will drink copiously-- though not so copiously as to affect my meeting in the morning with a parent.)

LHR: OH Canada!

2009-05-05T16:28:00.014-04:00

I was stuck for a title and wanted to keep to the music theme. So, I added in this arty shot of me on a Pink Pantone chip on our wall to work in the theme. My outfit (other than my handbag was not actually pink).

As you can see I've changed the title of the post to Oh! Canada. Thanks to YYZ for pointing out the glaringly obvious:

I'm wearing white and red - duh! Canadian colours
Everything I'm wearing is Canadian save the necklace and bag which are French (one of the founding countries of Canada)
So... Oh Canada! is a much better title for this post

Today, was the first day I got to wear my new jacket I had purchased at a UK Designer Sale back in late March. It was a transitional outfit as you'll see. I paired it with jeans, a tank and some sandals.
The jacket by DSQUARED is white, 3-quartered sleeves embellished with Native American inspired embroidery.

What I like the most about this jacket is the structure in the collar and around the sleeves and the unfinished seams. If you look at a few past posts, you'll see I love structure (not in my life but in my clothing). See I liked it here in a collar and here in a skirt. This shot shows a bit more detail ...

I paired the jacket with a red tank from Forever 21 ($2.50 - what a deal!), a multi-coloured beaded necklace I picked up in Paris with Aline, jeans and some vintage red sandals.

One more time with feeling:
Jacket: DSQUARED
Jeans: Dish
Sandals: from my Mom's closet - The Right House
Necklace: Paris ?
Handbag: Anna Kaszer from Paris

YYZ: M-I-C-K-E-Y.....

2009-05-05T10:22:00.019-04:00

Right, so was feeling pretty good about this one today.

I've been dying to wear this $20 vintage find!

It's fun, it makes me feel glam, I like these shoes and have not yet been able to wear the belt, so I am excited to finally wear it.

I leave the house and the day begins with me feeling like I look okay.

I arrive at work. I get plenty of compliments.

Then, I am getting myself some of our (foul) coffee and one of the admin assistants says to me, "You look like Minnie Mouse today!"

Um, is that a compliment?

Or what?

Right, one final thing:

this skirt

STINKS.

I have aired it out for days, I have put it in the dryer with bounce sheets for what seems like hours, I have sealed it in a bag with an open can of ground coffee, I have had it dry-cleaned, I have sprayed it with various forms of (alleged) odour-destroyers.

Nothing worked.

I thought it was better after having hung outside in the breeze and the sunshine for hours on the weekend, but now that I am wearing it, I see (SMELL, really) that I was mistaken.

Badly mistaken.

And so, all day, the smell has worsened and I am mortified.

Shoes: (yawn!) 9 West

T-shirt, corsage and cuff: H&M

Belt: Le Chateau

Vintage 50s quilted circle skirt: Rozaneh

(a.k.a. a store masquerading as an ashtray! Yuck.)

Post script:

Know what?

I wore the skirt all day-- pong and all.

It seems that I really do value form over all else, even my own olfactory health and that of my colleagues....

THAT is a love of fashion, kids.

YYZ: Take me out to the Ball Game

2009-05-04T10:08:00.015-04:00

Yep, totally struck out today.

I had this idea yesterday -- I would get to wear my new stockings and also my new(ish) ankle boots. The latter are turning out to have been a

very bad purchase:

I have NOTHING with which to wear them, since I do not work someplace where I can wear jeans... And even if I did, the longer I have these boots, the more I realize that they just don't work with anything I own.

Have you ever bought something and then spent weeks/months/years trying to find something to wear with it? I do it all the time, usually because, as is the case here, the item was some kind of bargain. In reality, the bargain ends up becoming the epitome of "false economy" as I spend and spend and spend in vain attempts to fit the supposed bargain into my wardrobe.

Le sigh.

Back to the situation at hand.

Today's problem:

I had a t-shirt, shoes and socks, but no trousers or skirts.

So I thought I could use a favourite old skirt-- it is faded and I really need a new one, but I can't find a decent replacement.

(Quick aside: Have decided to try overdying it-- will lay in supplies this week and see if I can't give it a new lease on life.)

I put it all on and:

Yuck.

Double yuck.

Silhouette worked, but colour of skirt was horrid.

Stockings and boots? Great!

Stockings, boots and t-shirt? Great!

All of the above with faded black skirt?

Hideous.

Wrong. All wrong.

Now I had an emergency on my hands:

7 minutes to departure time if I was to make it to work on time = no time to be creative.

Legs not ready to be bared (thank you, grocery store cashier for NOT packing the self-tanner I PAID FOR, instead leaving it beside the cash-- good thing I did not notice THAT until I got home!) = must wear stockings.

No time to iron = choices limited to those things not requiring ironing.

(In the end, this one was really the deciding factor.)

Thus, I ended up in this bizarre combo that is both too matchy and yet, strangely, not at all coordinated. You can see that I have tried to distract from the horror with a bow-detail necklace and my sweet new stockings in the vain hope that these things will keep people from looking below my neck and above my knee.

But you can also see that this whole thing really just hits a wrong note.

I look prissy.

I look confused about what GOES together and what does not.

I look like I do not have a clue about what looks good.

Oh, well, as Scarlett O'Hara would say, "Tomorrow is another day."

Wish me luck. Clearly, I need it.

Shoes: Go ahead, guess.... Yep, 9 West

Stockings: Philippe Matignon

Flamenco-ruffled dress & rose cami: Smart Set

Necklace: Oh, geez, I dunno. Maybe Le Chateau?

(Looking at the list of scary/cheap mall shops above, I suddenly realize that it is NO WONDER I look like crap....)

YYZ: Thrills me more than any ghoul could ever dare try

2009-05-02T20:13:00.054-04:00

A thrilling Saturday evening chez nous, watching

13 Going On 30,

one of my favourite movies. Why do I love it so?

Well, besides the groovy 80s fashions, here are a few reasons

(including the fashion memories they inspire in me!):

And, of course, one for LHR.

(1. MJ won't let us embed his stuff from youtube.

2. Does anyone else remember the weird "I don't believe in the occult" disclaimer from back in the day? I feel like I don't remember it AT ALL,

but now that I think way, waaaay back, it does seem

familiar. And totally bizarre.)

But, in addition to the music, I think it is the

HILARIOUS

sartorial statements from the opening segment,

when Jenna is 13, that I LOOOOOOVE.

Now, YYZ & LHR were older than 13 in the year

in which the film is set,

but I definitely remember these outfits.

I think with particular clarity of Chelsea B. doing an

air-guitar performance as Belinda Carlisle,

wearing a royal blue scoop-neck, puffed sleeve t-shirt

(3/4 lengthsleeves, of course!)

with a royal blue and white striped tiered "mini"

(I believe it came to-- gasp!-- just above her knee...).

While LHR and I were attempting to be

edgier

at this point in the 80s,

my good pals C & D were

VERY

Jenna-esque in their hair and clothes,

so all of the clothes in the early section

of the movie are very, very familiar.

So, while the 80s music and clothes

depicted in the movie

are not really about our 80s,

the 80s it depicts were all around us and are,

in retrospect,

sorta charming.

And, because it is a movie whose protagonist

(how great is

Jennifer Garner

at convincing us she really IS 13??!)

works at a women's magazine,

there is a lot of fashion in it.

Thus, it is the perfect subject matter for YYZ-LHR.

I leave you with one final, crucial piece of advice:

Love Is A Battlefield.

YYZ: When will I ever learn?

2009-05-01T12:27:00.017-04:00

First of all, let me clarify: only three posts were song titles (two were nods to David Bowie), but now I feel pressured to keep it up, given LHR's enthusiastic exaggeration that "ALL" my post titles were song titles....

I have copped on today's two, however: both are merely song lyrics because I could not dig any appropriate titles out of my noggin...

So.

Once again, I am attempting trousers.

Sigh.

I took the photos before leaving the house this morning because these trousers are linen and I knew they would not be looking their best after a full day of sitting, walking, driving, yadda-yadda.

Turns out, it was a good decision: this morning was damp and my hair now looks like a Brillo pad of frizz.

Silk wrap top: FCUK

Pale grey cami: Smart Set

Cuff, Wide-leg linen trousers: H&M

(linen is one of the things that H&M actually builds to last and I cannot recommend it enough: it's cheap but it looks just as good as the stuff that costs a bundle.)

Necklace: Pushan Designs

Shoes: 9 West

YYZ: She's got LEGS!

2009-05-01T12:11:00.003-04:00

I will DEFINITELY be doing this project.

The sooner, the better!

(Also, try not to drool when you get a load of the shoes....!)

Go here for instructions, in case, like me, you are chomping at the bit to get started.

LHR: Red Red Wine

2009-05-01T01:11:00.011-04:00

I know it might shock you (given I do have a pop culture blindspot), but YYZ had to point out that all her titles were song titles. So, when I couldn't think of a title today, I thought I'd take a tip from her.

Now it looks like both YYZ and I went for a simple look today. As a result, I only have a few shots as there is not much to detail. As you can see, I wore a colourful (blues, greens and black) jersey dress that I purchased on ... yes, you-guessed it: vente-privee. It's Mexx and is reminiscent of a man's top from the 70s. Imagine that baby with a pair of cream polyester tight ones.

I've paired it with a pair of boots I have had for years and years. In fact, I've had these boots so long that I used to think they were really high. I used to only wear them as 'receiving boots'. As they say, I've come a long way baby. I can now wear these boots all day without pain.

The fact the boots no longer hurt my feet makes me slightly worried. I'm sure the fact that I'm reading Snow Flower & the Secret Fan (where foot-binding and foot breaking is a rather large component of the story) has added to my concern. I know - conversational pinball.
Back to the boots. These boots by Un Matin D'é té are olive green and completely man-made. They have a square toe and heel (obviously, not of the moment), but I thought the colour was perfect for the dress. The only thing that perhaps wasn't perfect was the height of the boot. They hit the skirt just below the hem. I would have preferred them to disappear under the dress. Not a biggie but room for improvement.

Did you notice, my new earrings? I bought them from a street vendor on Broadway in Soho on my recent trip to NYC. I am trying to increase my quotient of gold coloured jewellery as I'm a silver chick normally.

I really am on to something on this angle. I think I will continue to add a shot like this for the sheer excitement of the twig factor. Maybe this is how tall people see the world.

YYZ: A Little Help From My Friend

2009-04-30T17:29:00.020-04:00

As you can see, my Photography Assistant was very involved today and insisted on either being in several shots or on batting dangerously at the camera, causing it to sway and teeter alarmingly while I was 7 feet away, on the other side of the room.

It seems it's true what they say about working with children and animals...

I am ambivalent about this dress-- it is not terribly flattering, but I adore the pattern of sort of naively-drawn roses. It looks like a 10 year-old drew them with oil pastels.

(I love oil pastels!)

Once again, it is a wrap dress, one of my stalwart regular choices. What I used to love about this outfit was the pairing of the floral dress with the leopard print pumps, trimmed with rosy velvet ribbons. It used to seem like a daring mix, but I must admit that I find it a little tired these days.

So, not the most inspired look ever, but it did the trick of being seasonally appropriate and consisting of some pieces I quite like. (Earrings-- LOVE! Shoes-- should really retire them, as they are looking a bit worn, but they are like old friends now....)

LHR and I are committed to finding out how to take less grainy shots, dear Reader

I will enlist BMad for (yet another) "how the hell do I use my camera anyway?" crash course.

Dress: Girl Friday

Fishnet stay-ups: ? (my tights stash)

Shoes: Chinese Laundry (Winners)

Earrings: Somewhere on Sherbrooke St. in Montreal

LHR: Dressing Like YYZ Today

2009-04-29T15:43:00.011-04:00

After the chastizing from YYZ, I knew I had to get my act together and post an actual outfit. Plus, I needed to be quick as I had a dentist appointment at 9am and could not be late. So, I thought to myself "what would YYZ do?" I ended up with these 5 steps:

Start with the dress
Add colour through tights
Grab some Mary Janes or a Peak-a-boo toe shoes - or both :)
Thread it together with matching colourful accessories
Ta-dah, I'm done!

I tried this approach. However, now that I see the photos I'm thinking I went too far with the tights and as a result my matching accessories were not so matching. Oh well, next time.

Here's the elements and photographic evidence. I think some of it works and some could be improved but that is the point of the blog (at least for me).

1. Start with the dress.
What better dress to choose than one that was a castoff by YYZ herself. This little brown wool number is from Zara. I love the fact that it looks good with and without a belt and I never feel fat in it. Thanks YYZ!

Here's another shot - gratuitous I know. I just had to put this shot in as I discovered if you shoot yourself from above, on an angle and suck in at the same time, it makes you look like a twig. [Can everyone please look at me from above on an angle through a camera from now on?]

2. Add colour through tights
I was going to pick pink, but then was inspired by YYZ's blue tights. So I went with blue [plus I couldn't find my pink ones]
I'm not sure the blue tights and belt work. It is important to note that I believe my tights are brighter in these photos due to flash, but they are definitely royal blue and the belt as you see below is a dark dark blue almost black.

3. Grab some Mary Janes or a Peak-a-boo toe shoes I grabbed these cowboy inspired wedges that blend nicely with the brown flecked wool of my dress. I've had these babies for some time. They're by Seychelles (whoever?). I believe (YYZ correct me please) that I bought them at Winners with YYZ. Have you noticed a theme in my posts? All I have to say is thank Godess for YYZ.
4. Thread it together with matching colourful accessories
I chose this belt trying to be a bit French (not matchy matchy), but I think the navy and the royal just clash. However, the tortoise shell/bakelite buckle and bangle at least connect those elements.

The belt I bought on Ossington at I MISS YOU with you guessed it -YYZ. The bangle I picked up for £5 ($10 Cdn) which I thought was a good price at a stall in Broadway Market a month or so back.
The earrings may have been that extra accessory too many are hand-threaded discs that I bought with BMAD in NYC at a small jewellery shop in Tribeca back in '07.

There you go. Done. Wow, that took a lot of effort. All I want to know is if YYZ has any new castaways for me? I do love this dress.

PS. I just thought that perhaps someone out there who doesn't know us will fall upon this blog and pronounce my Best Friend why-why-zee, but please don't she is why-why-zed.

YYZ: THAT'S better!

2009-04-29T10:37:00.008-04:00

Okay, last night I was hit by a brainwave involving my pretty new tights.

As a result, I feel better about today's look than I did about yesterday's.

(Aside: do you feel better when you wear something new than when you wear stuff you've had for ages?)

It is still a bit chilly here today, so this outfit is an attempt to bridge the cool temperatures and the calendar date.

Shoes: 9 West

Tights: Philippe Matignon

Skirt & Cardigan: Jacob

Polka-dot silk camisole: Joe Fresh

Earrings: Gift from LHR

(they are new earrings, made from vintage jewelry)

LHR: Illustrating Something Better

2009-04-28T15:22:00.007-04:00

This morning I caught up on our blog and realized I am not holding up my end of the bargain. So, I promised myself that I would post tonight. That put a lot of pressure to put on a decent ensemble.

So let's see it...
I ended up with something that I thought was a bit Ellen inspired i.e. tuxedo trousers (MEXX) that bags a bit at the ankle (perhaps they aren't supposed to but I kind of like the look) Then I paired it with a cyan blue cotton jersey. This is where I went wrong. In fact I asked J what he thought and he said "booooring". Now J is the master of jeans and t-shirt. He also dresses rather monocromatically so this was a bit of a concern. However, I was frustrated and couldn't go for another look. I threw on a vintage 3-strand beaded necklace brought to me by my gramma and Aunt Ruth and my saddle shoe-inspired flats.

Did it work? No. I looked chubby and the shirt material was a bit too casual for the trousers and I'm sure YYZ would shake her head to herself. I'm feeling a bit depressed.

So since I wanted to share something today. I thought I would share some beautiful 'outfit' illustration by Tania Howells. I found this on her blog and she kindly let me use it for my homework. Interestingly the pattern in the tunic was styled after bricks in an illustration she did. If you know Tania, you know how cute this would look on her. I personally love the socks.

YYZ: Golden Years

2009-04-28T14:21:00.007-04:00

So not feelin' it today.

I did like this outfit when I first wore it a few weeks ago; foray into light-shoes-dark-tights felt pretty good.

But:

Hate hair-- have "repair" appointment booked for tomorrow.

(I HAVE TO GO ANOTHER WHOLE DAY WITH DOG EARS!

Nothing can be done about the colour until next time, but I did choose this one, so....)

Hate having to wear layers & feeling bulky (it's 10 degrees out there today).

Top & Skirt: Club Monaco

Cami: Smart Set

Belt: Vintage; thank you, Grama!

Tights: Secret

Shoes: 9 West

Earrings: Meg

Cuff: H&M

YYZ: Rebel Rebel

2009-04-27T12:41:00.006-04:00

This is my friend and colleague K. She is one of those people who is so cool that merely being in her presence calls into high relief all my own nerdiness and geekiness. But she is so cool that she would never deliberately make anyone feel nerdy or geeky, a fact which only serves to heighten her coolness.

We all know people like this.

K is an artist and her fashion sense is that of an artist.

K tells it like it is, but not in confrontational way.

She does not play by the rules, she makes her own.

She loves clothes and shoes and never blends into the scenery in her entirely original, spirited and colourful outfits, each of which is emblematic of her personality and her artistic talent.

She is also an amazing teacher: you cannot believe the work she gets her students to produce.

The woman is a force of nature.

Today's ensemble breaks all the dress code rules: yoga wear and leggings!

As you can see, she looks smashing and does it without following anyone-- instead, she blazes the trail.

Go, girl!

YYZ: Re-run

2009-04-27T09:24:00.009-04:00

Today when I left the house, I was wearing a coat and gloves. But the temperature is supposed to go up to 27 degrees Celsius.... How does one dress?

Well, once again I turned to footless tights as the solution: a nod to summery weather, but still keeping my scary-pale legs out of the public eye.

Get used to this dress: my summer work wardrobe is very limited because I only need summery work clothes for a very short time each year. What I wear every day in summer at home is very different from what I wear to work, largely because of the dress code restrictions/basic professionalism by which I must abide for the few weeks each year when work and summer overlap.

So, same old, same old: standy-by wrap dress with pop of spring colour provided in the form of electric (80s!) blue.

Dress: H&M

Cami: Smart Set

Tights: Nordstrom

Shoes: 9 West

Cuff & earrings: H&M, I think.

YYZ: If I Were a Boy

2009-04-24T13:03:00.029-04:00

This being the second consecutive Friday on which I have worn trousers, I thought people would be inured to the shock of it, but lots of people still expressed surprise to see me in something other than a skirt or dress.

Hmm.

"Menswear-inspired" is a buzzword floating around the fashion ether these days.

It's a trend I admire, but from afar:

It is a trend geared toward the tall and willowy among us, thus not suitable for the likes of me. Menswear looks generally involve lots of volume on top (NOT good on me) and a certain squareness of shape (also NOT good on me, given that square is pretty much my natural shape-- no point in accentuating it).

If I try to do menswear, I end up looking like a Hobbit.

Today, however, I thought I'd give it a whirl.

I love these trousers, though I am never sure how to wear them. So I opted for volume on the bottom in my swishy, wide-legged trousers, but went with a more fitted, feminine top that still gives a nod to the spirit of menswear: cuffs (but loosely pleated and sort of romantic), collar, front placket (but ruched for fit and girliness).

Frankly, I think the photo above is a pretty good indicator of why the whole menswear thing is not for me.

Short, roundish types should avoid trousers, it seems.

To be fair, these ones are actually quite gorgeous, but I spent the afternoon sitting in a stuffy room, on a plastic chair, getting my trousers all rumpled and shapeless while contemplating how much more fun it would be to be shoving bamboo shoots under my fingernails... Thus, the trousers are not looking their best, I must admit. They looked pretty chic when I left the house this morning, but you'll just have to take my word for it.

Anyway, they cost the earth and, as long as I don't have to see what I look like in them, I'll keep wearing them, but on the whole, I think I'll leave the whole trouser thing to LHR, who looks FANTASTIC in them.

Top: H&M

Belt: Brave

(Check them out: not only do they make gorgeous belts,

they have a great company philosophy, too!)

Trousers: Holt Renfrew Private Label

(R.I.P.-- I still can't believe they discontinued this line!)

Stiletto T-straps: Tahari

Earrings: gift from LHR

Shoes visible here.

YYZ: Serendipity?

2009-04-23T19:32:00.003-04:00

Right, while writing today's outfit post, I wandered around to find the web address for the place I'd bought my groovy top hat. I was, I admit, kind of surprised that the place even HAD a web presence-- if you've ever shopped there and met Marilyn, you'll know why. She is like a character in a movie or, better still, a novel. Gravelly-voiced, chainsmoking, and a bit kooky, she runs a store whose wares run the gamut from garbage to truly divine and amazing vintage.... well, everything. The place looks like a bomb went off, spewing an array of moth-eaten junk and real treasures. It smells like an ashtray.

(When you look up "chainsmoking" in the dictionary, you will find Marilyn's photo.)

Anyway, after drafting up the post, I clicked through to be sure the link worked. It did. And it took me to a notice saying that the store was going to close! The rent had been raised and she was clearing the place "to the walls".

I was distraught!

And thrilled: DEALS!

There were DEALS to be had!

So, a quick prayer of thanks to Serendipity and I was off like a shot after work. I managed to last about 45 minutes before the smoke drove me out.

In that time, I flirted with a navy and white silk polka dot faux Victorian number (moth-eaten = NO WAY am I bringing that into our house!),

a 60s organza/stripe sundress,

several delicious fur-collared coats,

a 1920s handpainted silk skirt (too long and un-alterable, so not meant to be...),

a 1930s straw hat that actually quite suits me,

two linen pillowcases,

a string of pearls and crystals

and several handbags.

I may go back for the some of the above...

What I DID leave with:

an unbelievable quilted 1950s circle skirt-- looks like it has never been worn;

pale lemon-coloured gauntlet-style gloves from the 40s;

a 70s maxi-dress in a crazy floral.

No photos yet because all has been whisked into a bag and sealed up for a trip to the dry cleaners; it smells so terribly smoky that it is unwearable in its current state.

But once I get it all cleaned up, and get the maxi-dress shortened, I will show you here.

In the meantime, cross your fingers that the hat and the pearls will still be there when I go back tomorrow with more cash!

LHR: Layered for Heat

2009-04-23T14:59:00.009-04:00

The99% conference hosted their Friday night drinks from the Penthouse at Thompson LES. What a treat!
As you can see blue skies were all around and the mercury soared on this April day. In fact, it warmed up to a toasty 21°C (or 77°F). So, my challenge for the day was dressing for the warmer weather with clothes that I brought with me which were geared for the late winter. I went for a look that allowed me *to strip down* when the sun heated up.

Here is how it panned out.

Wide-legged Black Trousers by Cop-Copine - (sadly, they kind of accentuate my spare tire)
Black tank top by some mall shop (pick any one)
Gray cotton jacket by INfo with sculpting neck (amazing deal at £15/$25)
Black patent (hardly) leather flats (£6 - some cheapola store in Dalston)
Earrings: Gray baubles, bought in Harrogate as part of wedding fiasco

You'll also notice I have my oversized beaded black ring from Paris on my left hand.

The one thing I would like to improve is my choice of shoes. (they were only £6 so what do you expect?)
Suggestions on what I should get to make this better. Perhaps the shoes aren't the issue. Perhaps it is the cropped length of the jacket and the low-waisted trousers?

YYZ? Your HONEST thoughts.

YYZ: So NOT French, helas!

2009-04-23T14:31:00.006-04:00

Yep, it's official:

To my everlasting dismay and anguish, I will never be French.

I am all matchy-matcherson today-- I hate it, but I have a hard time breaking the habit.

Here is what the sublimely stylish Garance Dore has to say on the matter.

It's nice to know that even Parisiennes struggle with this difficult sartorial dilemma.

YYZ: Spring is in the Air!

2009-04-23T13:39:00.018-04:00

Today was a BIG day at work: every year on this day we go to church.

(Long story.)

Well, last week, a former employee told us that staff were once required to wear hats to the service.

OF COURSE I was all over that!

I started a campaign to get the women staff to wear hats! I planned my own hat extravaganza!

(Conveniently forgetting that: I. Do. Not. Look. Good. In. Hats....)

Anyway, I have this fabulous vintage top hat (I know!), circa early 1900s, and I have never had the chutzpah to wear it. I bought it back when doing so meant going without dinner for a week, but it was totally worth it! Today seemed like the ideal day to give my top hat an outing. A couple of silk corsages added to the brim and it would match my sweet little aqua & black summer dress with the dear scalloped hem-- all set!

Well, the Universe had other plans. Some unwell kitty cats this morning put a bit of a wrench in the works and I ended up not even going to church because I was waiting to hear from the vet. It spared me having to wear the hat in public (chicken that I am!), but I would much rather have worn it and looked like an escapee from Cabaret than have had sick pets.

Cardigan: Yes, again. Jacob

Dress: Champagne & Cupcakes

Belt: Winners

Aqua Fishnet Stockings: Monoprix

Shoes: Nine West

(Vintage Top Hat: Rozaneh

Silk corsages: H&M)

More...

YYZ: Blooper

2009-04-22T19:14:00.006-04:00

A new pose!, originally uploaded by OblioZen.

Ever have one of those days when you leave the house thinking, "Yeah, I got it together today! This look works!" but by the end of the day you can't wait to RIP OFF that same outfit because it makes you feel ugly and frumpy? I had that day today. This outfit is a transitional re-mix: strapless dress and cardi for warmth. Different stockings and shoes than I usually wear with it. I left home thinking, "Ooh! Why haven't I put this together before??"

(Short/partial answer: I did not own these shoes last spring, I bought them during a mad spree with LHR in NYC in the fall...)

But the thing is, I should have gotten rid of this dress ages ago.

It has never really fit properly and, to make matters worse, the hip/butt area starts off the day a bit too big, but it just GROWS over the day as the cotton relaxes and stretches. I know this about it and I always think to myself, "Self, get rid of this cheap-ass dress that does not fit well." But then, when I am not wearing it, I am always seduced anew by the sweet toile-inspired pattern (fountains and birds!) in my favourite cream/black colour scheme. I forget about/decide I can live with the bad fit.

By the end of the day, the dress, much like the Grinch's heart, had grown three sizes.

And I felt frumpy.

When I walked, the cotton of the dress stuck to my stockings, causing it to ride up in stiff, bunchy lumps around my middle.

Ugh.

Taking these photos today confirmed it all: NOT a flattering look, regardless of how much I liked it all when I put it together this morning.

So, I have decided: I will take in the hips/bum region of the dress and give it one more chance. If it does not make me happy the next time I wear it, off to Goodwill it goes.

I swear.

Or maybe I will make it into something new....

Shoes: Chocolat Blu

Stockings: Secret

Dress: Le Chateau

(why am I surprised that it does not fit properly?)

Belt: Femme de Carriere, remixed from another dress

Cardigan: Jacob

Earrings: Gift from LHR

More...

YYZ: Snore Pie...

2009-04-21T17:26:00.006-04:00

April 21st, originally uploaded by OblioZen.

... with Yawn Sauce, as Tania would say.

Another wrap dress, though this time with a flirty, flamenco-esque ruffle down the front and around the hem.

Dress & Belt: Winners
Tights: my tights stash
Shoes: Report
Earrings: H&M

You may be able to see the ruffle better here.

YYZ: Headgear

2009-04-20T19:24:00.014-04:00

April 20th, originally uploaded by OblioZen.

Today I sported what M not-so-fondly refers to as The Cabbage, a darling, oversized felt rose on a narrow headband. When I saw it first, I tried it on for a lark, but it turns out I fell in love with it.

Makes me feel like a flapper.

Consider it my homage to Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Today's look works that post-WWI, early-1920s vibe:

silk wrap blouse,

long (not intentionally-- I'm just short and it's too hard to hem) skirt,

round-toed pumps.

(Sorry the pics are so grainy... can't seem to get it sorted out...)

Cabbage, tights: Anthropologie

Silk wrap blouse: FCUK

Camisole: Smart Set

Bracelet: Le Chateau

Skirt: Comrags

Shoes: 9 West

More...

YYZ: Shocker

2009-04-17T11:27:00.020-04:00

Today I lost count of the number of people who said something along the lines of,

"You're wearing PANTS! You NEVER wear PANTS!"

(no, not British pants- those I do wear every day)

I also got one shocked, "You're wearing COLOUR!"

(Which I resent: I wear colour every day.

With black.

Or grey.

Which IS a colour, btw.)

But it's true. I don't wear trousers to work very often. This stems partly from my own insecurities about my midsection and the dearth of trousers that effectively camouflage it, and partly from the fact that I am short. The latter means that shoes/hem lengths can be problematic-- once I hem a pair of trousers to work with a specific pair of shoes, then I can only wear those trousers with those shoes, thereby limiting the versatility of trousers. It is easier for me to mix it up if I wear skirts or even dresses.

Today, I am wearing my fierce, fabulous black trousers from Theory-- a major splash-out as part of a binge for the Big Birthday in NYC (thanks, M!)-- and my new ode-to-spring top.

It's supposed to be 20 degrees today!

The trousers were a "must buy" because I find it so hard to find ones the right shape: these are perfect and they are 3-season fabric (a very light wool blend). They are, however, still too long, so I can only wear them with these (very very very high) shoes. I thought I should get a wear in now, before it gets too warm to wear these shoes. The cardigan does not really work that well with the look, but given the low morning temperature, it was a necessity.

Also, I am a big fan of covering my arms. The top was overpriced, but I loved it and can imagine wearing it in a gazillion ways.

(Does it remind LHR of the one I made in Home Ec in Grade 9?and wore with my knee-length denim, overpleated, not-quite gauchos/not-quite knickers? Gawd....)

Top: Club Monaco

Cardigan: Jacob

Trousers: Theory

Shoes: Yeah, you know which ones they are.

(Hard to believe I have as many pairs as I do: I keep wearing the same ones... Lazy.)

Later, we are going to friends' for dinner and I will wear the top and cardi with skinny jeans and either

OR...

You know where to go to see more.

YYZ: I have no idea what to wear tomorrow.

2009-04-16T20:11:00.001-04:00

I hate having ZERO inspiration.

It's supposed to go up to 20 degrees tomorrow-- my legs aren't ready.

I have lunch duty, so shoes need to be flat and I feel frumpy in flats.

Maybe we'll get a snow day and I won't have to think up something to wear....

LHR: In NYC: I wear black

2009-04-16T19:05:00.004-04:00

OK, I'm running late for the cocktail party post the conference I attended today. This will be short. Today, I felt the stress of getting dressed. I was in New York, attending a creative conference and not knowing whether everyone would just wear jeans or whether they would be more formal. In the end most were casual, but I felt good in my black outfit.

Like YYZ, I wore a pair of shoes to add some colour. Here it is:

I'm staying in this very cool hotel - Thompson LES. Notice the pattern co-ordination of my tights and the light behind my bed. This was not planned

I love the built in corsages in this shirt by Tofu which I bought in London at an amazing sale in Covent Garden. I've worn it today tucked in, but it can be worn over a pair of extremely tight jeans. I mention they should be tight otherwise the old question "is she pregnant" might come to mind. Not good for LHR who typically has a couple inches to spare around the tummy.

Here is the back view of my skirt by Preen. I love the gathers that run across the bum. For my flat bum it gives some definition.

And finally the splash of colour - my red shoes which are in desperate need of a polish. I love these babies especially the heels.

Jeez... now I'm super late for the party. Ahhh. Fashion is Danger.

YYZ: "A bold step"

2009-04-16T17:29:00.006-04:00

"A bold step", originally uploaded by OblioZen.

Yesterday, when I was thinking about today's outfit, I gave myself permission to wear my Lazy Dress. (Oddly, I always seem to wear it on the days I teach Grade 11-- those poor kids must be bored silly by this look...) It is a cheapie and it is a wrap dress, a.k.a. every woman's secret weapon. Why? Because a wrap dress is effortless stylishness = a brilliant invention.

Thank you, Diane von Furstenberg!

My little number is from H&M (don't you just love the way Brits, regardless of class, say "Haitch and Em"?)-- thus, much more affordable than a Diane. I turn to it when I just can't be bothered thinking up anything cleverer. I thought the pop of green made it a bit more interesting and a bit springier, even if it is still not quite no-tights weather yet.

What do you think?

My pal at work (he who always knows the right thing to say) said,

"That is a bold step and it WORKS!"

I told you he always knows the right thing to say! And he has great taste, so I trust his opinion. (No, I am not just sucking up to you now that you are a reader!) Also, I feel that his reaction supports my "it's all about the shoes" approach to smoke & mirrors dressing:

any outfit looks better if you have great shoes.

Dress: H&M

Tights: Secret

Shoes: 9 West

Necklace: some now-defunct store in the "Sufferin' Mall"

More?

YYZ: Fashion IS Danger--Footless Tights

2009-04-15T18:08:00.013-04:00

Centre your photos much?, originally uploaded by OblioZen.

Right, so last year at work, much to my consternation (as you, dear two readers, know), we were forbidden to wear leggings. The hideous thing about this prohibition is that leggings are the ideal transitional piece: a girl can wear her peep-toes or sandals and a pair of leggings with a light tunic or under a skirt or dress and she looks perfectly seasonally appropriate without being too chilly on these not-yet-too-warm spring days. Added bonus? Ugly, pasty, vein-y winter legs are hidden from view. Everyone wins.

I balked at the ban, but I abided.

This year, I have found the solution:

FOOTLESS TIGHTS.

Yes, you heard it. They make my inner 80s chick happy, they are NOT banned in the Draconian Dress Code, and they share many of the attributes that make leggings so appealing.

Today, I opted to mix up some plum and silver (with my traditional, snooze-worthy neutrals) and was rewarded with a "You look too hot to be real!" from my reliable gay friend when I arrived at work. He always knows the right thing to say.

Shoes: Seychelles

Tights: Nordstrom

Skirt: Jacob

(I wear it weekly = I must be less ambivalent about it, right?)

Cami: Smart Set

Cardigan: Girl Friday

Belt: H&M

Earrings: H&M (I think)

You know where to go for more.