Moda Mama

Chase You?

August 10, 2015
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4 COMMENTS

Remember the chase? That whole chase between men and women. The whole dance of he moves, and you either move with him or shut it down. I like that chase.

I know it’s not cool to say, but I like being chased. I like being wooed. I like when a man pursues and a woman agrees. Here’s the key of course, it’s a dance, that means two. That means in the chase, the woman consents and agrees to the chase. It’s mutual. Consent. So with that firmly stated….I like the chase.

I like it when a man reaches for you. I like it when he moves to close the distance. Perhaps because I’m so strong and in charge in my life, I like it when a man can reach the same pace as me. When he can be strong and in charge, and I can let go.

‘Course sometimes it’s fun to be in charge too. Don’t get me wrong.
Just saying, I appreciate the chase.

Dress – Lace Affair // Earrings & Shoes – I forget // Bag – Target

A Millions Things….

July 30, 2015
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Guess-Maxi-Dress-Fedora-womens-boho-fashion

…go wrong. Everyday. You wake up with a certain expectation of the day, at least I do, and everyday it turns out different. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, and sometimes just different.

So how do we deal with it? Get angry that the day didn’t turn out as we wanted? Yeah, sometimes I do that. I wish I didn’t though. I wish I didn’t put expectations on a day. But that the curse of humanity isn’t it? A desire to control what is impossible to control. I’m trying, emphasis on ‘trying’, to take the day as it comes. Still have goals, but realize that the unexpected and the beautiful can intrude on those days. Can intercede and either cause wonder or frustration.

I’m trying to be okay with that.

Dress – Guess *veeery old* // Hat – ThreadSence // Sunnies – F21 // Necklace & Rings – various shops that I forget, sorry.

Eat Your Heart Out, Boys.

July 27, 2015
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That’s right. Look at that poise, and grace.
Hot. I tell ya.
With a capital ‘H.’

With all seriousness, I love to make funny faces for the camera, and relish the use of a good prop. These glasses. Man these glasses are awesome. So ill fitting and ridiculous. And I usually have something equally ridiculous in my purse.

It comes in handy. For example, sitting at coffee with two friends who started talking all serious and I knew they would probably just bum each other out. I listened to them, then casually reached in and silently put on the glasses. No one noticed for a few seconds, but once they did. Laughs. And the serious mood was forgotten.

Plus, like I said: hot.

Dress – Ruche *old* // Boots – Aldo // Necklace – ThreadSence // Sunnies – F21

The Dress I Wore

July 22, 2015
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4 COMMENTS

On pins and needles, I know. You’ve been eagerly awaiting the follow up post to this one. Well, here’s the dress I did actually wear. This one didn’t move anywhere on it’s own, it only moved with me.

That’s one of my requirements for a good dancing dress: that it doesn’t move of it’s own accord, so that I don’t have to spend the evening yanking and adjusting.

My other requirements:

1. Comfort. Stretchy or loose it has to be comfortable.
2. Breathable. Too much material and you heat up pretty fast. Then you’re a sweaty mess, and not in the good way.
3. Not too intricate. To many holes, loops, or architectural details, and someone at some point in the even is going to get caught in it, and something’s going to tear.

And my last requirement: that it makes me smile. That I look at it and something about it makes me energized and happy. ‘Cause a sad dancing dress? That would be baaaad.

Dress – Zara // Boots – I forget *old* // Purse – ThreadSence // Flash tattoos – eBay

Mind Games

July 15, 2015
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2 COMMENTS

A friend and I were talking briefly about mind games. Mainly how people seem to play them a lot. And we both agreed that this is part of the reason we have such difficulty navigating the world sometimes – because I hate mind games. I don’t get it. I don’t like it. And I by nature do not engage in them. I usually take people at face value. But I’ve learned to reign in that instinct, because I’ve been burned.

But at the same time, mind games take up so much energy and are frankly, draining. Often, we spend hours obsessing over something – say a crush – instead of just saying, “Hey, this is how I feel, how ’bout it?” That takes waaaaay less energy and is not confusing at all.

So raise a toast to the folks who don’t engage in mind games. To the ladies, like myself, who are a ‘what you see, is what you get’ kind of gal.

Now let’s go dance.

Dress – Sheinside // Necklace – Gypsy Love Store // Shoes – Payless // Bralette – F21

Are You Sexy?

July 8, 2015
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9 COMMENTS

Sexy. That’s always been a hard one for me. I’ll admit it. I had this idea of what a sexy woman was, and frankly, I imagined it as far removed from me as the sun is from Pluto….so veeeeery far. I know that logically, this is silly. We’re all humans, therefore sexual beings, therefore sexy. But I ain’t talkin’ ’bout logic here. I’m talking feelings and self-image.

Cute. That was how I have always been described, and how I always think of myself. Cute. Smart. Girl next door. All good things, and I never had an issue with them. Just as you can tell, not sexy. Frankly, it has always confounded me.

But now, I’m sexy! No I’m totally kidding you. I still don’t really think of myself that way. I still think of myself as dorky, smart, cute, and well frankly awkward *Who’s got a talent for putting her foot in her mouth? ME!* But now, I think I’m accepting things a bit more, like I mentioned in this post about being past thirty.

There’s a fake construct of sexy in my head created by the world I live in, and there’s a self-perception of myself created by me growing up in said world. And I’m recognizing the two for what they are. Doesn’t mean they’ve changed or gone away, just means that hopefully their power over me is a little diminished.

It’s made me start to consciously reframe what ‘sexy’ means to me. I’m trying to/starting to see it as an energetic sucking the marrow out of life, combined with a playfullness, and comfortable acceptance of ones physical self. It’s also made me look at the people in my life with this eye and it’s made me realize that damn! I’ve got a lot of sexy friends.

Dress – Spell Designs // Necklace & Sandals – ThreadSence // Belt – F21

I Lost a Friend…(An Ode to My Friends)

July 6, 2015
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4 COMMENTS

….a year ago. She didn’t pass, she just decided to stop being friends with me. I haven’t spoken on this site about it at all because there is privacy which I like to retain once in a while. And I’m not really going to speak on it here, except as context.

She was my best friend. She was someone I considered a sister, and her abrupt and complete departure from my life shocked me, betrayed me, and left me with a hole. Not wanting sympathy here, just giving you context.

Since then.

Since then, I’ve organically gone outside myself. The many times I would’ve spent with her, I have started spending reaching out and getting to know others. Over the last year and a half, I’ve forged real and strong relationships with a variety of people. I’ve come to know a great many wonderful persons, who each bring something different into my life and who each excite me in a variety of ways.

I write this now, because I realized today that I’ve been stretched beyond my energy this week. How have I been stretched? In the most wonderful of ways. By the beautiful people I know who have reached out to me to spend time together. And I’ve realized that there is no longer a hole. There is only a blessing. I am blessed to have so many people that make me laugh, that touch my heart, and that accept and love me as I am, and want to spend time with me.

To any of you who’ve been dancing with me, rehearsed with me, played games with me, or had a drink with me: Gratitude. You are not taken for granted. You are appreciated.

“My cup runneth over.”

Dress – Arnhem // Sandals – c/o Easy Spirit // Necklace – Fair Trade and made in Bolivia.

The Cost of Personal Style (Or The $9 Dress)

July 2, 2015
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4 COMMENTS

Urban-Outfitters-dress-backless-long-hair-brunette

Style doesn’t have to cost much. Actually it can cost about nine dollars and a little time. Take this dress. It was bought at a fifty percent off sale items sale. I paid a whopping nine dollars for it. I knew the second I slipped it on that it fit my trifecta of sartorial love: it allowed ease of movement, it was light, and it had some great visual interest.

The only hitch was that for some reason, the way it was made the top was a touch see-through. This wouldn’t be a big deal except that you can’t exactly wear something under a backless dress like this. But none of that dissuaded me. I bought it.

Then I took an old navy liner from a skirt that had been torn beyond repair, and turned on Netflix. At the end of the episode, I had hand stitched in a little shelf bra/liner. Problem solved.

Moral of the story? Two actually.

1. Personal style is made from what you love, and not what is on trend *this dress was on sale because no one else wanted it* or what is expensive.

2. Just because an item isn’t perfect in store, doesn’t mean that a little tailoring or imagination can’t turn it into a piece you’ll love for a long time.

Dress – UO // Sandals – FreePeople // Sunnies – F21

Days of Contentment

June 29, 2015
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5 COMMENTS

The last few days, I danced for probably seven hours combined. It’s incredible how much energy and emotion is released into the world by the simple act of dance. I’ve been saying it for years, “Dance it out.” And I always understood Meredith’s *from Grey’s Anatomy* need to have a 30 second dance party. There’s always a good time to dance.

But more than that, I spent the weekend with the most wonderful people. Friends, and peers, who despite everyone’s flaws, accept and respect each other. No judgement and no expectations, except for the desire to ‘suck the marrow out of life.’

Dress – Spell Designs // Boots – F21 // Bracelet & Small gold ring – ThreadSence // Large Gem ring – small fair trade company // Flash Tattoos – eBay

Dance Like Everyone’s Watching, And No One Cares

June 22, 2015
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2 COMMENTS

Spell-Designs-Shirt-Dress-Fedora-Ankle-Boots

There’s this thing you can do here in Toronto. It’s called dance. I know what you’re thinking, “You can dance anywhere Jo.” But this isn’t regular dance. It’s a drug free, alcohol free, no talking, no judgement kind of dance. It’s called Ecstatic Dance. And for about two hours you dance.

You move. You feel the beat. No one is there to ‘pick-up.’ You don’t have to worry about creepers. There’s no club wear, just comfy clothing you can move in. People dance in silly ways. However they want, and it’s all great. Some do contact improv. Some, like me, just dance. Just get out of their heads, into their bodies, and enjoy the rhythm of the music as it flows through their body. It’s like Grey’s Anatomy where they dance it out – just for two hours.

And it’s glorious.

Shirts Dress – Spell Designs // Hat & my left hand ring – ThreadSence // Boots – Aldo // Belt – hand me down // Bracelet – eBay // Sunnies – F21 // Necklace – Vanessa Mooney // Rings *my right hand* – from my Babcia

Category :Dresses