The Gold Hatted Lovers SS ’14

December 19, 20142 Comments

While I am freezing my buns off taking outfit pictures for this blog, the southern hemisphere is enjoying warm days and releasing Spring/Summer collections for us in the northern hemisphere to cry over because those warm days are far, far away from us now. I’ve been anticipating the release of The Gold Hatted Lovers first handmade collection, knowing full well that anything couple and designers Katie-Louise Ford and Tim Nicol create together would be amazing. They themselves look like they come straight from eras past, which is almost too cute and perfect to be real, but now they are sharing their love of by-gone eras by releasing a wonderful handmade collection of pieces that echo 1930s leisure wear and teleport you back to a time when you weren’t even alive but wish you damn-well were. The collection is full of frill, glamour and in a sense, simplicity. I love every single piece and the lookbook is so excellent and feels quintessentially 1930s.

Shop Update

December 18, 2014Leave a comment

1960s Purple Plaid Pinafore/Jumper (S/M)

It has been a good while since I have done a shop update. I’m still working out the kinks in my new apartment for shop photos (lighting, location), but that will come with time. It started out nice and bright, and then some really weird shadows started happening nearing the end. I’ve just got to find the perfect hour when the sun is flowing through the windows and my body isn’t making weird Peter Pan shadows on the wall.

Anyways, the shop update! I’ve got three – quite lovely – pinafores/jumpers (whatever you would like to call them) listed. They are excellent layering pieces and the type of item that’s fun to have in your closet because they are so versatile. I’ve got quite a few of my own, as you probably already know. There is a sweet mini skirt as well, that if it fit me, I would have kept it. And the blouse I paired it with is also for sale…I think they go quite nicely together, to be honest. The black slinky dress is such a fun one, but hard to photograph (I hate photographing black). It’s hard to see, but it has a weaved waffle detailing on the bust and sleeves – upping the little black dress game. And last but not least, the camel wool skirt. Now that I look at it, I should have steamed it (eep!), but regardless of the odd crease, it’s an excellent piece for the cold months, and not to toot my own horn, but I like the way it makes my bod look from behind – shapes the bum quite splendidly and I only point that out because I am not that curvy of a woman, so this skirt is like a magic bum enhancing skirt.

1960s Pumpkin Corduroy Pinafore (S/M)

1990s Grey Plaid Jumper/Pinafore (S/M)

1990s Striped High Waisted Mini Skirt (M) AND 1960s Chocolate Brown Floral Button Up

1970s Black and Chocolate Slinky Dress (S/M)

1950s Camel High Waisted Wool Skirt (S)

Belle Vie / 28

December 16, 2014Leave a comment

1. On Friday I was lucky enough to have a couple gals from Style Kick film me at Cabaret Vintage for a little video that I’ll hopefully be able to share with you in the near future! (from instagram)
2. If only I had this many hats! And this couch…although maybe in a different colour. (instagram)
3. I wouldn’t mind living inside 3 Speed – it has become our go-to brunch spot of late.
4. And look how cool their ceiling is!
5. My handsome, bearded man – he plans to grow that thing for the rest of winter. (instagram)
6. The National Ballet School – I talked a bit about that time in my life here. (instagram)
7. Our empty changeroom before our dance show – the calm before the storm.
8. Makeup less and the first one to arrive, as usual.
9. Ally getting ready for the show – Ally is one of the most genuine, wonderful people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. She’s a real gem, and a true artist in all that she does.
10. What our dressing tables look like when we are getting ready – makeup and electronics.
11. My beautiful, amazing Armando – he never fails to make me laugh and he never ceases to amaze when I watch him dance. I get all kinds of shivers and feels when he is doing his thing.
12. Esie took this picture of me dancing at our tech rehearsal on Friday night…I quite like it.
13. One of the amazing headpieces by Heather from Heart of Gold Designs – I’m so excited to photograph and style this beauty! (instagram)

Solace

December 15, 20148 Comments

I apologize for being sort of absent last week – I had such a nutty, busy week. I can’t complain though, often times I feel really lucky to be so busy doing all the things I love most. Our dance production, Choices, took up most of my time this past week, and thank goodness for that because I don’t think our two performances would have been as wonderful as they were without everyones hard work and time. I don’t talk about dance much on here – it’s just a thing you guys know I do – but dance is a huge part of who I am. It’s hard to explain without it sounding so cheesy and non-sensical, but my solo in the show entitled Solace, was a piece that was very personal to Shameka (the choreographer) and me. It was a story about her and at the same time, it felt like a story about me. So many people said such wonderful things about my piece – about the way I danced it, about how captivating it was – such kind words that all I could really muster was simple thank yous, which feels so insincere, but really there were no words for how grateful I was feeling during this time. When you are really able to just let go of your inhibitions and just be who you are on stage, well it is unlike any feeling I can articulate. And having people feel with you, even though they are sitting in seats many feet away, unable to really understand the inner workings of your mind at that very moment, it is again a feeling I will never be able to articulate. But it is special, and will always be special to me. That’s all I want to do as a dancer and as an artist – I want to feel with intention and I want others to feel with me. I came away from this show realizing that our bodies and our minds can be painfully connected, sometimes they fight each other when we are not at ease, but when we allow ourselves to just be, the two can work so harmoniously together, if only for a moment, we can find solace.

Coat: vintage via Tabula Rasa
Blouse: vintage
Skirt: Club Monaco via Common Sort
Cardigan: thrifted
Shoes: Topshop
Scarf: H&M
Beret: vintage
Tights: old paid of ballet tights
Bow tie: handmade

Sur Ma Tête / The Dottie

December 11, 2014December 11, 2014Leave a comment

Dottie is the most recent piece added to my collection. I had been scouring etsy for a long time trying to find a vintage bow headband, and thanks to Victory Mills, I found this darling dear. She’s a layered bow headband made of velvet and silk – the loveliest of lovely fabrics, in my opinion. I’ve decided she’s like my party hat – if any outfit needs a little dressing up, she’s your girl. For some reason bows always feel like the ultimate girly accessory, so I really enjoy how feminine she makes me feel when I put her on.

Name: Dottie
Age: 60-65yrs (1950s)
Talents: she’s the sugar in your tea, her soft exterior makes it near impossible to take your hands off her, she’s like the star on your Christmas tree…the cake topper – the thing that just pulls it all together