It’s what’s on the outside…

February 23, 20159 Comments

Until very recently, it felt like I hadn’t been thrifting in ages. I used to thrift at least once a week for my shop, but I’ve sort of put shop updates on the back-burner for a bit while I try to find a better schedule for photographing items and figuring out the overall aesthetic of my shop – do I use a dress form? do I continue modelling the items? should I just hang them?…I digress…all this to say, my thrift store hiatus ended recently because in preparation for a new designers first lookbook I styled and modelled for this past weekend, I headed to a few thrift shops last week to pick up some accessories for the shoot, and of course I found myself getting side tracked and looking for things I’d like to purchase for myself (I’m so bad for this). Sometimes you go thrifting and come away with nothing, and other times it feels like a gold mine. This time around it was a gold mine. I found this vintage houndstooth coat and these shoes (not very weather appropriate, but we weren’t going far and they matched my tights…so sue me) for what felt like mere pennies. It may seem silly to be buying coats this late in the winter game, but I almost never ever say no to a coat if I love it, no matter the season. I truly believe when you live in a climate like this, where it’s cold more often than not, one can never have too many coat options. Since my coat normally covers my outfit, I’d like for my outer layer to speak for itself and reflect my personal style as best it can…and wearing the same thing everyday gets boring, so, coats!!!

What items can you never say no to? What articles of clothing feel like essentials where you live?

*photos by Ryan
Coat: thrifted vintage
Sweater, hat, purse, tights: H&M
Skirt: Common Sort
Blouse: vintage via Penny Arcade
Shoes & scarf: thrifted

Belle Vie / 33

February 18, 2015February 18, 20154 Comments

1. While shooting some content for the blog, Gus decided to join in and when I went to edit the images I almost cried laughing from how hilarious he looks in this shot.
2. Lately I’ve been trying to eat a bit healthier since I am a junk food nut. In replace of eating an entire bag of peanut butter m&ms I’ve been having almonds, dried cranberries and just a few dark chocolate chips.
3. A mountain man and his baby.
4. Maybe I’m a bit late jumping on the bandwagon, but I’ve become a huge fan of avocado toast, only this recipe is a bit more interesting – seedy bread, a little mayo dijon topped with mashed avocado and a hard-boiled egg. If you’ve never tried this before, do it!! So tasty!
5. My new Zoeva makeup brushes that I am in love with and my Falconwright clutch (unfortunately Falconwright is no longer.)
6. Always blending in to everything white.
7. My house was freezing over the weekend, so I went over to the mall and picked up some $3 slippers for my hooves – how I went without slippers for so long, I am not sure.
8. Last week I was quite ill, and for 3 days this is what my life looked like.
9. I’m modelling for and styling a lookbook this coming weekend and the designer wanted a sort of French new wave film vibe, so I picked up these Anna Karina inspired glasses…my eyesight is superb, which I shouldn’t complain about, but I sometimes wish I needed glasses so I could wear fun ones like these.

Everly

February 17, 20152 Comments

Have you guys heard of the online shop Everly? It’s a darling place filled with antique and vintage treasures, run by the beauteous Hannah Hayes. I have been following Hannah online for quite a few years now, and while she doesn’t blog as much as she used to, I’m always excited to see an update from her because her photography is stunning and she always, always finds the most adorable antique treasures. To me, it felt like a natural progression for her to start up her own shop so she could combine her love of photographing vintage knick knacks with her ability to find the cutest curiosities and be able to share them with us folks who are not as lucky or as keen when searching for those special vintage goodies.

Suit Yourself

February 16, 201514 Comments

With temperatures under -30C it would be ridiculous to even fathom the idea of heading outside to take photos, which is just as well, because I don’t think I could do this outfit justice under layers of scarves and coats. This 70s suit jacket is one of those articles of clothing I bought just because of it’s print and cut, but I did not give much thought to what would pair well with it, so up until very recently it had been collecting dust in my closet. I had very close to forgotten about it when I spied it with what felt like fresh eyes, and I instantly thought of pieces that would look perfect with it. There are not many things in my closet I have trouble styling, this jacket was one of the few that stumped me time and again. I guess when I had bought it I just didn’t own anything that looked right with it. I know a ton of bloggers suggest not buying something unless you can think of several ways to wear it, but I’m of the mind that if I feel the piece is special and unique (and fits me right), then I will buy it and find a way to make it work. I’d rather have my closet full of pieces that are dear to my heart and make me think outside the box in terms of styling instead of just playing it safe.

What about you guys? Do you have a set of rules for yourself when purchasing new pieces? Do you just pick whatever feels right and go with the flow?
Suit jacket: vintage via Public Butter
Blouse: thrifted
Skirt: vintage via Odd Finds General Store
Socks: H&M
Shoes: Seychelles

Light of My Life

February 14, 20157 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day dear friends! Valentine’s Day is not one of my favourite holidays, but I am a blogger, and bloggers (for the most part) love to do holiday-inspired posts, however they choose to interpret them. So I felt I may as well pay homage to the holiday in my own way – no real fuss, just one of my favourite dresses that feels very appropriate for this love-filled day, what with it’s romantic length, red and frillyness.

—

Love, in all it’s forms, is incredibly important to me. Love is what drives me, always. In the past, present and future I have always imagined my life full of intense love, something I now realize is one of my greatest weaknesses and strengths. This desire for love, in all aspects of my life, in it’s purest of purest form, is unattainable. When something is that important to you, it will undoubtedly let you down – the expectations are just too high. That kind of love, the one I am talking about, is fleeting. It exists momentarily in our lives, magnificent and bright, but it fades to dull, eventually. All this may sound sad, depressing even, but I don’t mean for it to be. Quite the opposite. To allow love, of any kind, to come to you is to be brave and open. To acknowledge the extent to which it can carry you, but also drop you, and to just say, “I don’t give a fuck. I’m giving it my all”, is one of my favourite qualities in a person. It means fear does not limit you. My expectations may be too high, it may be the reason for much sadness, but I’m glad that love is what drives me…good things have always come from love, not love masked as fear, but real, pure love.

All I’m really trying to say on this Hallmark holiday is to let love into your lives everyday…whether that be love for yourself (super important), your family, friends, partner, art, animals, objects, religion…whatever it may be, be in love with it every single day. You’ll quickly see how beautiful this complex world is in all it’s simplicity.Dress: vintage via Public Butter