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.

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)

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

Updon’t

December 1, 2014December 1, 2014Leave a comment

My hair being worn in any way other than down is a rare sight. If I’m being honest, I don’t much like the way I look with my hair up, but that feeling flip-flops. When I had short hair I didn’t mind having an exposed neck, and quite often when I was growing it out I would just throw my hair into a top-knot and go about my day (the top-knot was way better than the weird length it was at). But now that my hair is long it has become a pseudo-invisibility cloak of sorts. It hides all the things I am a bit self-conscious about (forehead, ears…), silly things really, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way sometimes. The other reason that my hair often stays down (or in a side braid) is that my hair is thick. When I’m at dance rehearsals I won’t even bother trying to put my hair up and out of my face because inevitably it will fall out after 2 minutes of moving around. The only way to ensure my hair will stay put in a bun or pony tail is a whole lot of hairspray and bobby pins galore. So what’s with the low bun in these photos then?! Well, sometimes after I take photos I realize my hair was covering some interesting and pretty details of my outfit. I really didn’t want that to be the case with this cardigan. I’ve been wanting to photograph this vintage dream for awhile and I originally thought I wouldn’t do so until around Christmas time…but well it’s close enough now, and there is no rule saying I can’t dress it up with a fancier holiday-inspired outfit later on like I intended. I’m still unsure how I feel about this low bun – although it’s still sort of on the safe side since it’s covering the things I always try to hide – I doubt it will become a go-to hairstyle for me, but I’m really glad my giant mane was not in the way of getting some nice photographs of the beautiful bead-work on this 1950s mohair cardigan.

*photos by Ryan

Cardigan: vintage via Carousel Antiques
Blouse: thrifted
Skirt: vintage
Coat: Vintage via Gisela and Zoe Vintage
Shoes: Sylvie and Shimmy
Scarf: H&M
Purse: vintage via Public Butter
Tights: old ballet tights

If The Shoe Fits

October 27, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

Shoes are another item I don’t buy often. I own a lot of shoes, but most of them don’t get worn on a regular basis (and were bought years and years ago when I used to buy things just for the sake of buying something). In some respects, I am a hoarder of shoes. I have a very hard time letting go of them, so the huge shoe rack I have filled is mostly made up of shoes that I keep solely for “what if one day…” or for photo shoots I’m styling. I have the same few shoes in rotation on a day to day basis, and you see those on here quite often. Those shoes are the ones that I sought out after I saw them floating around the internet and fell totally in love (that’s sort of how I buy shoes now, I must be riveted by them first). The same goes for this pair I’m wearing. I follow a lot of local shops on instagram, one being Sylvie and Shimmy, a quaint boutique located in my old neighbourhood, Parkdale. I saw these shoes, (and another pair I ended up buying) on their instagram and knew I had to pop by. I was in luck that day. They had one pair left of each shoe, and both were my size, so I guess it was fate, or something like it. I now pretty well only by shoes I know will get a lot of wear, and slowly but surely I will hopefully start to let go of (or sell) the pairs that are collecting dust.

*photos by Meaghan

Blouse: H&M
Skirt: vintage via Public Butter
Coat: vintage via Gisela & Zoe
Shoes: Sylvie and Shimmy
Tote: H&M
Socks: Target

Lykke Wullf

October 23, 2014November 11, 20144 Comments

Have you guys heard of Lykke Wullf? I had not, until recently, through Skunkboy Blog. Well, it was more like in the Summer, but it wasn’t until I started following them on instagram that I really took a look at their garments and became quite fond of the brand. Their styling and aesthetic feels a bit gypsy-boho-punk (that’s a mouthful) at times, but I look at these pieces, and very much see someone like myself being able to wear them with a totally different vibe. I’m especially fond of their denim overalls. They have a distinct 70s feel to them which I obviously like. You’d be hard pressed to find an actual pair of vintage overalls that are not totally unflattering (baggy 90s overalls, i”m looking at you), so it’s nice to come across brands that offer something vintage-inspired that is not already totally over-saturated in the vintage market. And how about that eye print!? Obviously not a new idea, I’ve seen plenty of brands coming out with novelty eye prints, but that doesn’t stop me from liking every single one of them. This print is especially interesting because it reminds me of the pen and sharpie drawings my best friend and I would doodle on our tattered denim jeans and shoes when we were bored in high school. However, it didn’t look nearly as nice as these. I’ve always been a terrible drawer.