1-3. Ryan and I went to his friend’s/coworker’s wedding last Friday evening. And while I didn’t know a single person there (hadn’t even met the bride and groom), it was such a beautiful night. It was held in The Distillery District, and it was evening filled with drinks (too many), tasty snacks (cheese wrapped in syrup!!!), beautiful speeches (I cried), dancing and nice conversation with new faces.
4. This has become Gus’ blanket. For some reason it pleases me so to see him curled up in a comfy spot that isn’t on my lap. I like when he shows me even a shred of independence.
5-8. On Sunday Ryan and I went back to the Distillery because he had never actually been there before the wedding, but mostly I wanted a different setting for some photos. It’s a beautiful spot in the city, and one of the very few places that has maintained it’s rich history.
9. I’ve had Gus going on 4 years now. It pains me that I never had Gertie for that amount of time. I’m so happy to still have my wee Gussy, but I miss Gertie so. I thought I would have her with me for years to come, but you just never know what life will bring you.
10. Ryan so often wants Gus to be a rough and tumble kind of dog…but look at him, just a teddy bear. I mean, don’t get me wrong, he holds his own in the dog park with those big dogs, but all he really wants in this world is a snuggle and a belly rub. And to spy on the neighbours. Nothing bothers Gus more than suspicious (allegedly) movement outside our window.
Tag: Toronto
Overall Apearance
Sometimes the thrifting gods shine down on you and you find a piece that is in brand spanking new condition and fits you almost perfectly. That’s what this overalls/pinafore/jumper was for me. I generally thrift only for the shop, but when I find a piece that is not vintage but suits my taste, I pick it up for myself. And save for the few times it needed adjusting while out and about (pinafores tend not to stay in one place, and the skirt likes to hike up a bit – eep!), it’s one of my favourite things in my closet right now. After Gertie’s passing, I’m going to be honest, it was hard for me to care even slightly about the way I looked. I left the house very little, and when I did it was a ‘no make up, normcore’ situation. Which is fine on others, but it’s just not for me. One of the best things I could do for myself was do my usual makeup routine and wear things that made me feel good, and leave the house, even if it was for a short period of time. Clothing has a way of making you feel better, a way of making you feel like everything is normal. And during times of grieving, life can often feel like you are just passing through it, completely unmindful. But clothes can make you feel a part of it all – “I feel like shit, but gosh, you would never know, cause I’m wearing this sassy pinafore and my shoes are RED, and we are discussing the relationship between Beyonce and Jay-Z, which I normally wouldn’t care about, but it is a mindless subject” But I digress… I won’t pretend every day gets easier when you lose someone you love. Everyday is just different – some harder than others. Keeping my mind focused on my art, on the loves in my life that are still here, and on the clothes that bring a smile to my face are just a few of the ways I keep myself feeling like me.
On a separate note, Ryan and I are looking for a new place to live. My wee bachelor is just not enough space for the two of us, and it pains me to leave this place that has been my home for almost 3 years now, but this year has been about changes. I don’t know how many of my readers are Torontonians, but if you come across a cool place, let a girl know! We found a dream place, but it got snatched away from us quite quickly. So we are still on the lookout.
*photos by Ryan
Pinafore & tote: thrifted
Dress worn as shirt: H&M
Shoes: Seychelles
Into It, Intimates / Bully Boy Lingerie
It’s always pretty exciting to find designers based out of Toronto. I’m often proud to say I’m a Torontonian (by choice) because there is so much talent living in this big city, I feel lucky to be surrounded by it. It’s all the more exciting when I come across Toronto-based lingerie designers. Enter Bully Boy Lingerie. Designer Vanessa Warrack – who is also co-designer of the ever popular Minnow Bathers – creates pieces that are simple in design but stand out with interesting details – v shapes, horizontal and vertical panels covering lady bits. Depending on your style, you could argue that some of these pieces could be worn on a night out with a pair of high waisted shorts/skirt/pants (I know I have seen similar things worn by AA enthusiasts). And why not make lingerie pieces that aren’t totally inappropriate for everyday wear? The more you can wear them,the better, in my opinion. It seems Vanessa has not released any new designs in awhile (correct me if I’m wrong), I’m sure most of her focus is going toward Minnow Bathers, which is becoming more and more popular. But if she does decide to release new designs, well, I will welcome them with open arms.
My favourites: Sheer Mesh High Waisted Panties, Sheer Striped Bra & Panties, Floral Sheer High Waist shorts, Ultra High Waist Panties, Sheer Black Mesh Soft Bra
Belle Vie / 14
1. I was trying to take some silly photos for my birthday when Ryan walked in the door with some gifts for me and then decided he wanted to be in front of the camera. I let him be a weirdo for a moment, and then joined him. It would be nice to have more photos together I think.
2. I love love love the outdoors and I love being near water, but I’m actually pretty terrified of swimming in lakes/oceans. I don’t like the idea of not knowing what’s beneath my feet. It always takes a bit of self-encouragement before I get into water with lil’ fishes in it.
3. Ryan and our friend Oskar got really into soccer during the World Cup. They’d watch a game and then head to a soccer field to kick the ball around for a few hours.
4. Before sitting on the beach for the day on Saturday, we strolled around the paths on Ward’s Island, checking out the houses and wishing we lived in them. We found this one home with a giant boat hanging in a tree.
5. Jiggly Balls! I don’t know if that’s an actual name, or if Ryan made it up, but Ryan filled 3 balloons with sand at the beach and started to juggle and then tried to teach me. I don’t think I will ever get the hang of juggling.
6. We turned the Jiggly Balls into smiling fish, or smiling tadpoles, or smiling sperms (inappropriate)?
7. Boats!
8. He’s just like really handsome, and he shaved his head!
Styling / Audrey Kitching
As I mentioned in my previous post, I spent the majority of Friday styling Audrey Kitching. Gerald found out he would be shooting her about one week and half before, so he got his regular team together (me and Leesa) and quickly planned a concept that ended up being so awesome! Audrey was a dream to style. Not only is she absolutely gorgeous, but she is so sweet and down to earth. I kept the whole thing a secret from everyone (except Meaghan and Ryan) until the day of the shoot, and it was pretty hilarious to see how excited some of my old pals from high school were about me getting to meet and work with her. She was a pretty big deal for scene kids back in the day and I had a ton of friends who loved her. She is obviously still very popular and I feel really and truly lucky to be able to say I got to put her in some of my gorgeous Larkspur garments and a darling floral matching set from Rosehound Apparel that I pulled from the lovely gals at Victoire (thanks ladies!). It was a beautiful day and perfect for shooting. I can’t wait until the photos are released. As you can see the concept was aviation and Gerald pulled out all the stops for it – including a giant model plane, a wicked airplane headpiece, flying bikes and an actual parachute from Leesa’s dad’s army days. This series is going to be a killer one, so keep a lookout for it!
okay andie 