If I had to decide what my ultimate clothing staple was, it would likely be a white/cream blouse, which is blatantly apparent when you look through my closet; I own a whole slew of them. That might seem a bit excessive, but each one is different, giving me a multitude of options for styling. For me, a white blouse goes with pretty much anything and everything; long and short skirts, layered under a pinafore or sleeveless dress, trousers and shorts, under a sweater, untucked, tucked in, dressed up, casual…the list goes on. White blouses are romantic and timeless, and a really great one is something I will always fall for. The sleeves and neckline of this little number had me at hello and I quickly knew it would be a new favourite. With an air of nobility, I figured I should wear my hair in pseudo-crown (read: milkmaid braids) and photograph it in the most monarch-worthy garden I could find in my fair city. I think this whole look would have been punched up a bit with a floor length skirt, but it was bloody hot and I’ll do a lot of things for fashion, but overheating is not one of them. I often think my British ancestry still very much lives on inside me; I’m generally displeased with the heat and the cold, leaving only those short periods of mild temperatures during the year where I am completely content, which is a constant reminder that I live in the wrong part of the world…but I digress. White blouses, forever.
Blouse c/o Larmoni
Skirt: F21 (similar)
Belt: thrifted
Shoes: Sylvie and Shimmy
Category: My Outfits
Outfit / Dungaree Dilemma
Dungarees can be one of the trickiest articles of clothing to find and have it fit the body properly. I have tried on dozens of dungarees – although, mostly second hand or vintage – and have only found one I feel fits me nicely, and it’s not even this dress. This dress seemingly looks nice from the front, but when you take a look at the back, it gapes at back waistband, making it look pretty silly. It has a rather untraditional look from behind, something more similar to a pinafore in style, giving you the option to cross or uncross the straps. However, if I don’t cross the straps then they have a tendency to fall off my shoulders, so in return for a more fitted look, it creates the dreaded gaping situation I so loathe. I guess you can’t win ’em all in the dungaree game. I’m still a fan of this dress however (clearly, since I’m wearing it), and for a mere $5 for a dress that seemed to have never been worn, it felt worth my money, even with it’s design flaws.
Do you guys have any articles of clothing that feel like they could have been designed a bit better? Or are you smarter than me and don’t waste your pennies if the fit isn’t perfect?
Dungarees & flats: thrifted
Blouse: F21
Clutch: Falconwright (which is sadly no more)
*photos by Ryan
Sail Away
By now I know my camera pretty well and the ideal times of day to use it, but sometimes I enjoy playing around with settings, especially when I decide to shoot right smack dab in the middle of the day, in front of water reflecting so much light it becomes so backlit you just look like a black silhouette. Such was the case this day, so I had to adjust my settings quite a bit which resulted in grainy photos. But, I kind of like it. They have a very nostalgic quality to them that only analog cameras seem to capture. A fitting vibe for an outfit I feel like would be worn by an old timey gondolier in Venice…although I guess I don’t have the stripes to make it a true rendition, but the colour combination, plus the boater hat are quite reminiscent of the whole look and that’s the whole fun of getting dressed anyways- it is what you make of it, which I guess is true for photography as well…you find inspiration, take what you are given and make it your own.
Blouse: boutique in MTL (can’t remember the name…sorry!)
Skirt, hat, shoes: thrifted vintage
Sound and Vision
I own a lot of dresses that are quite special to me. Most of them are vintage (which I’m sure is easy to figure out why a vintage dress would be special) but a few of them are new. Within that lot are two dresses from Family Affairs, one of which – the Sound and Vision dress – I recently received and quickly knew would be just as well loved as my previous dress from them. Family Affairs has been one of my favourite independent labels for years now, before I even started this blog. There is something special to be found in every piece designed by Nina. Whether that be an adorable illustrated print, a forward thinking cut, subtle yet smart detailing, there is no piece you will receive that won’t feel wholly unique.
Every summer Nina and the Family Affairs gang hold the Midsummer Dream Treats sale, an annual sale where each day they offer a surprise style at a reduced price. Starting today until July 29th you will find something awesome at a low cost so you can get your little mitts on them without making your pockets cry (can pockets cry?!). I’m happy to kick off the sale with the Sound and Vision dress, which is now 40% off it’s current reduced price. To receive your discount enter the code midsummerdreamtreat1 at checkout. Be sure to keep a look out on Family Affairs insta, FB and Twitter so you can stay up to date on the daily sales presented by some pretty stellar people.
Dress c/o Family Affairs
Clutch: Aldo
Shoes: Seychelles
Headband: F21
*photos by Ryan
Genus, humanus…Alice
I had some definite troubles picking an outfit on this day (don’t you hate when that happens?!), but finally when I came to a decision, it only felt appropriate to adorn myself in a floral dress while surrounded by the beautiful flower gardens at Scadding Cabin. It’s hard to believe this cabin -with a rich history dating back to 1794 – is within the city and just a hop skip and a jump away from Lake Shore Blvd (an arterial road in Toronto). While I love the city for all it’s metropolitan glamour, my favourite spots are always the ones that are surrounded by nature, which is why a lot of my photographs end up being in the more natural spots of Toronto…spots you probably wouldn’t even recognize as Toronto. Although, I will be honest, I do get sick of all the green-ness (the actual colour green, not greenery, I could never get sick of greenery irl) in my photographs, so it’s always good to switch it up a bit and shoot in the more urban spots of my beloved city. But today, we’ve got a whole lot of green (and blue).
Do you live in a big city? Where are your favourite spots to escape the hustle and bustle?
Dress, hat, shoes: vintage
Socks: Target
okay andie 