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2012-04-30

Weekend Summary

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Dress? Thrifted (similar (with sequins!) skirt here) Jacket? Scotch and Soda (finally found a reasonably priced version here) Shoes? Ash (here on sale) Necklaces? J. Crew (similar here) and thrifted (the longer one)
Belt? Michael Kors

This weekend I finally saw the Hunger Games, I tried green wine, I had a long nap, I found a new favourite wall for outfit pictures and I accidentally might have caused my friend's daughter to fall off a kids' picnic table... We were goofing around and I was pretending to pick her nose (yes, this story just gets better and better...) and she giggled and moved away from me; rolling herself off the little picnic table. And because she is completely fine and still seems to think I'm pretty cool, we can count this weekend as a success.
No teenagers in the theatre during the showing of the Hunger Games helped contribute to the overall success of the weekend as well. I like crowds of teenagers about as much as my friend's daughter likes picnic tables right now...

2012-04-28

They Thrifted

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(picture by B. Skeen)

This is one of my favourite pictures taken way back during the Texas Style Council. It's Juanette, Kendi, Reiko and I discussing the origin of 'the dingo ate my baby' and other topics one would expect a bunch of style bloggers to tackle.

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Meet Juanette and Reiko. Reiko thrifted both of these jackets but don't worry, Juanette does her own dirty work too. I wish I could actually introduce you to these ladies, instead of just introducing you to their blogs. Both times I have been at the Texas Style Council, I have left thinking I could totally hang out with these ladies on the regular. I mean, they are ridiculously stylish, always on the lookout for good thrift finds and startlingly tall shoes, but they are also outspoken, hilarious and sassy as can be. You know how you meet someone, who is very nice and lovely but all you can talk about is the weather and then you are kinda left grasping for conversation threads, wondering how someone can be so similar to you and yet you have nothing to say to them? Well, it's the opposite with these two... I don't think there was a moment of silence.
They need to come to Canada soon... Keep thrifting and save your pennies for the flight up here!

2012-04-25

Avocado and Pleats

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Skirt? c/o Jacob (hereBlouse? Dana Buchman, thrifted Shoes? Cole Haan, consigned
 Purse? Borrowed (perhaps permantly..:)) from a friend

Once again... I don't know what to say about the weather. One day I am ready for a picnic in the park (a.k.a. eating some takeout on a public bench) and the next day I am wearing my fuzzy blanket around the house, begging Matt to turn up the heat. Obviously it was a pleasant day when I decided to bust out this little beige and yellow pleated action.
And while I didn't have a picnic on this particular day, I did eat a lot of avocado and I managed to spill it all down myself. This skirt deserves more respect but I can't help myself around avocado. I think I have lived without avocado for almost 25 years (obviously my parents screwed up in raising me), so now I get so excited around avocado, I spill it everywhere. Such is life...

2012-04-24

Snapped. Beverages.

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(clockwise from top left)

1. This is my special cup. My friends gave it to me as a joke at my bachlorette party nearly six years ago. This is Dollar Store merchandise at its finest. I still always use this cup, even when the table is set in all its napkins matching centrepieces finery... Nothing says classy like a pink plastic cup...
2. I splurged and bought heart ice cube trays from Winners for $5. Good investment. They make every drink prettier.
3. Speaking of pretty drinks... a s'more martini. I kept Matt company on one of his travel intensive work days and I was rewarded with fancy drinks. Sadly, this drink scored higher in Instagram-ability than drink-abilty. What a pity...
4. Every holiday weekend we always end up on our friends' backyard patio nearby. It is somehow always spontaneous and yet, it is also a tradition. Not sure how that makes sense... Last time there was no regular ice left, so I used the coloured ice cubes I found in the freezer. Turns out the ice cubes were meant to entertain the kids in the bath tub... A new low; stealing from children to keep my drinks cold. Or is that a new high?

(follow me on Instagram at myeditblog if you care to see more of this drivel...)

2012-04-23

Strong Ankles, Weak Shoes

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Dress? Thrifted Blazer? Braemar, thrifted Clutch? Thrifted Bracelet? Thrifted (similar silver and neon)
Shoes? Calvin Klein, hand-me down (similar here)
I'm wearing heels. Nothing unusual about that. But there was a tiny moment this weekend when I thought that heels were going to be out of the question for a while..
You see, I was out with some ladies (or ladiezzzzzz as we like to say on a Friday night) and it started to rain, so we ran to take cover. When these grip less shoes met a wet grate, I hurtled to the ground. I say 'hurtled' because that is the best description I can think of. I was running and then I made contact with the grate. I went down and flew across the the huge grate like it was a slip and slide. In the second as I was crashing down, I had time to worry about my ankles, because I need them to be sturdy for landscaping, and about the fact that I was wearing a shorter dress so I needed to clamp my legs together for modesty. My falling action pretty much burst into a big crowd of smokers and security standing outside. People came to my rescue immediately and once they saw that only my shoe and my pride were damaged, we could all have a big laugh... at my expense. For the rest of the night, I was the girl who fell.
On the positive side, my ankles are fine, I got a good story and... free drinks. Pity beverages, really...



2012-04-20

Alter

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Dress? Thrifted Shoes? DvF, Style Sense (here in purple... kinda expensive but these shoes are so comfy and unexpectedly sexy) Jacket? Costa Blanca Clutch? Thrifted

I think it is time to get this dress made into a skirt. I love the unusual print but I have a hard time working around the collared halter top. If a collared halter top sounds awkward, that is because it is. I end up tucking the collar under and out of sight and pinning the front to try and keep it all in place. If the dress were a high waisted skirt, I would wear it a lot more. I might even get brave one day and wear the high waisted skirt with a crop top. Exposing a sliver of midriff? This feels like highschool... Except now I won't end up in detention with a wardrobe infraction.

2012-04-19

Thrift Deal Breakers

As I explained in my last post, I have been having some writer's block. I've been wanting to write about thrift deal breakers for a while but I can't seem to get it together. On top of that, whenever I think of the words 'deal breaker', I automatically start singing Mariah Carey's 'Heartbreaker'. And then I get carried away and think of the video, where evil, miniskirted, dark-haired Mariah and sweet, blond, buxom Mariah tussle on the bathroom floor... (let that be a lesson for you, evil arrives with dark hair and a mini skirt). Then I remember that Jerry O'Connell is in that video and is he still married? Remember when his brother was The Bachelor? I don't remember, I never watch or tweet about that crap, ever... Liar. And Jay-Z... have you seen his baby? That's a lot of hair...
Basically, I end up in the Bermuda Triangle of pop culture. But I survived to tell you about it... and better yet, to write about deal breakers in the thrift store.

My thrift store deal breakers are a list of items I avoid buying, even though it hurts my heart to do so. Life experience has taught me that these things are just never worth it, no matter how much they try to win me over with their charms. If I were to compare thrift store deal breakers to romantic relationship deal breakers, it would as if Matt, with his sense of humour, patience and dimples, turned out to be allergic to cats. Game over, my love, game over...

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Missing embellishments.
As you can imagine, this is a hard deal breaker for me to abide by. When I see something sparkly (especially if it's silk), I want to buy it and give it a nice home in my closet. In the past, I would notice that some sequins were missing or a few rhinestones had come loose but with eternal optimism, I would convince myself that I could replace those beads or those paillettes. The problem is finding the exact matching embellishment and replicating the technique to apply the replacements without having it look sloppy or 'home-made'. Also, once one area of embellishment starts to unravel or come loose, it usually sets the trend for the rest of the item. I know it is hard to leave the sparkly behind but if it is not complete, it really isn't worth the effort. And yes, it hurts for me to admit that...

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Knits that pill.
I often think it is much wiser to buy sweaters and knits from the thrift store. Not only is it cheaper but because the item has been pre-owned, you get a good idea of what you are buying. So many stores in the mall have these wonderful displays of sweaters; neatly folded, organized by colour and so tempting that you walk out with a bag full. Two washes in, the sweaters are the wrong shape and have some major pilling happening around the arms. And the cycle continues because the next pretty sweater display you see, sucks you in again.
If a sweater in the thrift store has few signs of wear, it is usually a good indication of quality. While a fancy dress may only get worn once and may be in perfect condition at the thrift store, sweaters and knits are usually in high closet rotation. So, if they have been pre-loved and still look nice, that is a good thing.  On the other hand, if a sweater is already starting to pill, it needs to be left behind. You can shave off the pills but it will start again.


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Disintegrating Fabric.
The problem with disintegrating fabric is that it often doesn't look so bad to start with, but once it starts to wear down, it goes fast. You need to take the little clues seriously.
The dress above (which was hard to photograph as nicely as I would have wanted) is simultaneously one of my best and one of my worst thrift purchases. It is a vintage dress made of this amazing metallic fabric. It has a great hourglass shape, with a nipped-in waist and the hips are emphasized, in a strangely flattering way, with pockets. The standing collar and sleeves get a thumbs up as well... I love this dress and because I love this dress, I was willing to overlook the fact that the fabric was starting to separate on part of the skirt. I figured I could just fuse the back and wear it very carefully. You know... wear it on a day where I won't be telling any exciting stories that require arm movement.
Then I started to handle the dress and I noticed the beginnings of tiny tears everywhere. The thread weaving through the metallic just gave up and the dress is fraying in multiple areas. Holes along the seam are easily repaired but holes in the body of garment are something to be wary of. Sometimes they can be fixed but especially with vintage garments, the fabric has a lifespan and once it starts to breakdown a little bit, it is a sign that the whole garment is compromised.
And it's sad but I should have left this dress. Now it just reminds me of how awesome it could have been, every time I see it. Maybe I will copy the pattern and make myself a dress in this silhouette, but no one should hold their breathe for that.

These are the hard lessons I learned about falling in and out of love in the thrift store.

What are your deal breakers?

2012-04-17

No Pain, No Gain

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Skirt? Thrifted (similar here or one with a check pattern here)  Jean Jacket? Taluha, thrifted Tee? Joe Fresh Shoes? Derek Lam Earrings? Bebe (similar here)

I wanted to write a thrift post today. I had the subject matter decided upon and the pictures ready but the words can't seem to come out right now. It's like I have thrift writer's block... or would it be writer's thrift block? Either way, I am coming up short; a frustrating feeling indeed.
And so we have an outfit post instead. Only problem is that I can't think of much to write for that either. I might as well point out that this $4 skirt has served me very well over the last two years as I have worn it many times (here, here, here or may favourite here). But beyond that, I have nothing of interest to add. 
Unlessssss...
... you find it interesting that I decided yesterday I was going to become one of those people who, like, go running and stuff. So I bought pink running shoes and ran my little heart out until my Robyn tracklist was exhausted. Today I am so sore that I had a hard time climbing those church steps for outfit pictures. Is that interesting? You find my pain interesting?
What's wrong with you....

2012-04-16

Big Hair, Bright Shirt

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Tee? Michaels Jeans? Seven for all Mankind, Winners (here) Pumps? Joe Fresh (similar here or whoa here
Jacket? Vince, thrifted Bracelets? Thrifted, gifted and booth at The Ex

Roar. My hair is rather lion-like.
I think my hair knew that, in frustration, I was ready to give it a drastic cut and so, it suddenly performed with some big curls on an airdry. Add to it 3 minutes with the curling iron to define the shape and I had myself a little mane. I went to the hairdresser and apologized because I had made it sound like I was ready for something crazy and fun but then I just decide to get a boring trim. This is the hair I always wanted in the 90's, except then I wanted those perfect bangs to go with it as well...

And speaking of the 90's, I got this neon shirt from Michaels, the Arts and Craft Superstore. Yup. I walked in for some spray paint and walked out with two neon shirts. This is the shirt I always wanted in the 90's, except then I wanted some puffy paints to go with it as well...

2012-04-13

Pose


Skirt? Thrifted Sweater? F21 (similar here) Shoes? ID Browns (similar here)
Cuffs? Auction (similar hereClutch? Thrifted

This skirt is handmade. I like whoever made it. Anyone who sews a hot pink, snakeskin print, leather skirt is a friend of mine.
And speaking of friends of mine... my buddy on the wall is rocking his dapper suit. In the first picture it almost looks like we are having a posing competition. That is clearly untrue... no one would enter a pose-off with a fashion blogger. If there is one thing we know how to do, it is to pose... am I right?



2012-04-11

First Place

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Sweater? Zara (similar here, expensive here) Pants? Scotch and Soda (similar khaki version on sale here)
Blouse? Thrifted Cape thing? Thrifted Shoes? Coach (very similar here
Necklaces? J. Crew (on sale here) and thrifted

It might not look like it at first glance, but this is a falafel making outfit. This weekend we had a family cook-off with a Middle Eastern theme and this is what I wore. These family cook-offs have become serious business; a theme is chosen, puns are exchanged, boasts are uttered, bribes are offered, votes are cast and a winner are crowned. The winner gets to choose the theme for the next cook-off and the trash talk begins all over again.
On a day to day basis, I like to keep dinner expectations low. Sometimes I make dinner, sometimes Matt makes dinner and sometimes Subway makes dinner. But for cook-offs I get a little competitive. Mostly because I like the bragging rights. I made falafel, which isn't exactly original considering the theme but I've been eating a lot of falafel lately, so I might as well learn how to make it myself. From the experience, I learned that falafel making is a workout without a food processor. I also learned that when the deep fryer boils over (yes, it was frightening at the time... kinda funny now), your pants need to come off. That way you won't ruin your beloved, slightly odd, super comfortable pants with oil stains.
And let's not be modest. I should add that I won the cook-off. I mean, I can admit that there were 4 recipes tied for first (big family, high participation) and my name was drawn as the winner out of those 4 but it sounds so much better if I just say, that I was the champion.

2012-04-10

Snapped: Knees and Toes

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Headless outfit pictures are the future.  Mark my words... (clockwise from top left)

1. Shorts and my tall work boots on a beautiful fall day. I much prefer my short work boots with my shorts because the tan line isn't quite so frightening but sometimes you just get crazy and take wild chances...
2. The truth is... I wear Crocs around the house. Even worse, they are Matt's... I made fun of him so much when he bought these and now here I stand, a total hypocrite. I hate not wearing slippers inside. When my last pair of slippers broke, I never bought a replacement (probably because I got distracted by cats and sparkles) and just took over Matt's Crocs. They are ugly, they are way too big and they are still ridiculously comfortable.
3. Gold denim got me through the winter. Well, gold denim and the lack of a real winter got me through the winter but that's getting technical. I love my gold jeans; end of story.
4. Contemplated buying these shockingly pink shoes when I was in Texas. I didn't buy them but Kendi did. Which is good news because we both have the same size of boat-like feet, but bad news, because she lives in Texas. Somebody convince Matt we need to go to Texas... to borrow pink shoes...

2012-04-09

Love for Sale

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Skirt?  Solitaire (similar here or longer hem hereSweater? Old Navy (here) Shoes? Dumond Blazer? Banana Republic, thrifted Clutch? Saks, Winners Bracelets? Thrifted and a booth at The Ex
A few years ago there was this heavy lace skirt (worn here by Monkeyface) that was making its way around fashion blogs like the tomcat in my neighbourhood. I loved it but never bought it and it has been on my mind since. It turns out, thanks to highschool, I am an expert at unrequited love...
Then when I was at Winners a few weeks ago, I saw a similar skirt and all my feelings of love came rushing back over me. And so I bought the skirt. Now I know that love can be bought and it comes in the form of a pretty lace skirt. This knowledge could have made my highschool years so much less complicated and angsty...