Give me your eyes, I need sunshine

February 2, 20159 Comments

For a little while I felt like I had lost myself with taking my outfit photos, specifically when it came to taking outdoor shots. It started to become an okay let’s just get this done situation (probably because it’s been so cold), and I really started to feel like the quality of my images had suffered, and ultimately, didn’t feel like me. For one reason or another – and I think I have said this before – the actual feeling and artistry of the images I share is just as important to me as showcasing the outfit, maybe even more so. I mean, I’m not saying I’m making waves in the blogging world or even producing the best possible photographs (I’m still a newbie) or doing something that different or new, but it’s incredibly important to me to stay true to who I am. I’ll probably never be one of those bloggers that enjoys taking my outfit photos in front of a solid backdrop, which is strange, because some of my favorite bloggers do just that and I love it. I think it all comes down to my personality type, I have a hard time letting anything just be simple. Everything I do, in all aspects of my life, needs to feel important, and full of passion and creativity, and I am almost never satisfied (and clearly I am incredibly dramatic. get over yourself Alex!). I guess it goes without saying (but I will say it) that my brain (and my life, to be honest) has been in a tumultuous state of sorts lately. But taking these photographs and being able to share them with you feels incredibly therapeutic because these images feel the most like me out of any photographs I have taken in a long while. They remind me that even if my world feels like it’s falling apart, I can create something beautiful all by myself that makes me feel good, and it’s as simple as that.

Blouse: vintage via Public Butter
Skirt: vintage via Common Sort
Tights: old pair of ballet tights
Boots: Samantha Pleet x Wolverine

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

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

A Lesson in Plaid

January 12, 201518 Comments

I’ve acquired quite a collection of plaid/tartan skirts at this point, but I think this one is my first “new” plaid skirt. I guess it’s pretty obvious at this point that I only buy vintage and thrifted clothes as a general rule, but every once in awhile I stumble across some vintage-inspired pieces on the internet and cannot pass them up – this vibrant plaid skirt being one of them. One could argue that you don’t need 5 different tartan/plaid skirts that reach about the same length, but if you know what you like and what suits your taste (and there are just so many different colour variations and styles!!!), then why not own an assortment? (says the clothing hoarder). What about you guys? Is there an article or style of clothing you are constantly drawn to?

A fun little fact – to tell the difference between a tartan and a plaid (yes, there is a difference) you look to the pattern running vertically and horizontally. If the pattern running vertically is exactly duplicated on the horizontal axis, then we are in tartan territory. You will notice that the skirt I am wearing is indeed a plaid and not a tartan, as the pattern, colour and size are not the same in both directions. Anyways, I’m sure some of you already knew this, but I didn’t for the longest time and thought it would be nice to share the knowledge. Knowledge is power. (said a curly, ginger-haired animation from the 1970s)

Button-down & cardigan: thrifted
Skirt c/o Larmoni
Boots: Samantha Pleet x Wolverine
Tights: old pair of ballet tights

Belle Vie / 29

January 2, 2015Leave a comment

1-2. The sparkly Christmas tree at Ryan’s dad’s place.
3-5. Ryan opening his Christmas presents from me, and Gus can obviously never live a minute of his life without sitting on someones lap.
6. My new, beautiful Samantha Pleet x Wolverine Arc Boots – they were a gift from Ryan.
7-9. I very badly would like the couch in Ryan’s dad’s office…but I mostly posted these pictures because Gus is adorable.
10. My equally beautiful clutch from Falconwright – another gift from Ryan.
11. If you are ever feeling down, put Gus in a bag.
12-13. I realized I had never shared these illustrations of me by Sara Rocha (only on my instagram), a lovely girl I met through instagram, who is super sweet and has a knack for illustrating fashion bloggers in the most adorable way. She’s so talented, so please check out her work. You may recognize these illustrations were inspired by these photographs… 1, 2.