The Life of a Dress

January 19, 2015January 19, 201513 Comments

I have such a hard time feeling okay about buying clothes that are not vintage or thrifted (this excludes independent designers). I’m not sure why – maybe they just don’t feel special…maybe I don’t like the idea of fast fashion – whatever it is, I actually feel like I have something against new clothes. Recently Forever 21 opened a location really close to my house and I thought, “okay, cool, I can take a peek, maybe they’ll have some cute things.” But the second I tried them on, I didn’t want any of them. It just didn’t feel like me. But say I were to find that same item in a thrift store and I liked it, I would probably buy it. Maybe hunting for clothes is part of my love for vintage and thrifting.

So it’s odd for me to say, but the only thing that is vintage in this entire look is my hat. This dress may look vintage – what with it’s 50s shape and fun novelty print – but it is indeed new. And it had me wondering…will I love this dress? Why shouldn’t I love this dress? I mean, when I saw it online, I fell for it almost immediately. But as soon as I knew a ton of others could purchase it, or that it doesn’t have an interesting past, it’s like my brain tried to sabotage my initial like for this dress, as if it was less special because it hadn’t been worn by another. But I’m glad I do own it. I am very fond of this dress. I no longer have any dresses with this silhouette in my closet – I sold all my 50s dresses with a similar silhouette long ago because I’m not really a 50s kind of girl (usually). But the length of this dress feels very 60s and it can act as a pinafore, which we all know I love. It may not have a history, but I’m the first home along it’s journey. I hope one day it will make some others girls happy. After all, all those vintage clothes I love so much now started out as new.

Hold do you feel about buying new vs old? Do you even care? I’d love to hear.

Dress c/o Larmoni
Blouse: H&M (old)
Socks: UO
Hat: vintage via Common Sort
Boots: Samantha Pleet x Wolverine

Red Valentino Pre-Fall 2015

January 16, 20152 Comments

There is no surprise at this point that I am a big fan of Red Valentino – I’ve shared countless collections of theirs by now. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite season, but this one might just be it (maybe). It is distinctly influenced by the late 60s to 70s, what with it’s vibrant psychedelic patterns, sweet peter pan collars and shift shapes, but it still has the classic, ultra girly feel that every Red Valentino collection upholds. And how about those lace Edwardian-style collars tied with a bow? I need one asap!

View the whole collection here.

Epilogue

January 15, 20159 Comments

“In a nightmare, I am falling from the ceiling into bed beside you.
You’re asleep, I’m screaming, shoving you trying to wake you up.
And like before, you’ve got no interest in the life you live when you’re awake.
Your dreams still follow storylines, like fictions you would make.” – Epilogue by The Antlers

Dressing gown: thrifted vintage

Belle Vie / 31

January 14, 20159 Comments

1. Old books.
2. My new-to-me pink 1950s flour, sugar, coffee and tea canisters.
3. iPhones are addictive, guys…especially when you have two.
4. We finally got curtains for our livingroom. Ryan decided to put his polar bear figurines (Ryan has loved polar bears since he was young) on the windowsill, on top of the curtain, to create a snowy scene for the bear…ya, I dunno either.
5. I see a pattern here…another 1950s pink kitchen item…this time a mixing bowl, with a happy little pineapple inside (we also got a juicer recently, so we have fruits galore).
6. We are looking after Ryan’s family dog, Beans, for the next few weeks. Aren’t they cute together? Like salt and pepper. (iphone)
7. Our livingroom is kind of filled with guitars and guitar amps. I’m still trying to figure out how to make the livingroom feel equal parts me and equal parts Ryan…it’s very Ryan right now.
8. A sleeping cloud baby.
9. We need to fix the frame on this picture so Bob Dylan can find a home on the wall. Also, maybe I should paint it a better colour.
10. Messy bed, that I’d very much like to be in right about now. (iphone)

Family by Arden Wray

January 13, 2015January 13, 20154 Comments

I mean it when I say I have been anticipating the release of this photo story for a long while. If memory serves me right, I got a sneak peak of the goodness over one year ago through instagram (I follow all these amazing women, plus the photographer Arden). There is something so special about Arden’s photography. It has such an honesty about it, which is a rare ability, but is my absolute favourite thing to find in a photographer. She truly captures the authentic beauty of every subject she photographs, which is for the most part, people. As much as I like photographs of landscapes and still lifes (if done right), portraits will always be my favourite. People are just so interesting, and she couldn’t have found a better group of women to make these scenes from an imagined-film come to life. If you’d like to see the whole thing (which you do, I know it), you can find it here.