Category :Looks

Tuck That Right In

Cardi – Old Navy
Dress – Trashy Diva
Shoes – Payless
Earrings & Necklace – c/o/ This Enchanted Pixie

I’ve got some really great friends! We had an impromptu Snakes&Lattes meet up. *For everyone, Snakes&Lattes is a cafe where you pay a small cover then play every and any board game imaginable – it’s nerd heaven….so it’s my heaven!*  Fun games and even met two new people that I’ll maybe see again at another meet up.  And I’ve got an epic BSG game planned for Saturday March 31st…with both expansions.   Okay, is my nerd showing?  Oops, I think it’s peeking out the hem of my dress.  Let’s just tuck that right back in there. 

p.s. yes, this is the same cardi as in this post.  I re-wear stuff.  I’ve only got one closet…for now. *insert evil laugh here*

True Story:
Baby’s developed a serious obsession with grapefruits.  
She eats one to one and a half per day.  
But don’t try to give her an orange instead.  
She’ll “Neo!” and shake her head to set you straight.

At Home

Sweater & Leaf Necklace – F21
Birdcage Necklace – c/o This Enchanted Pixie
Boots – Locale
Dress – From Ruche (sold out). Similar from Lace Affair.

I sometimes long for that perfect uniform that defines me, finding something that is the perfect expression of who I am and how I wish to be perceived.  I’ve written before about how I feel like a wild swinging pendulum in that respect, but I’ve also realized that I do have an outfit, or combination, where I feel most comfortable.  It’s boots and a dress.  A great dress and a comfortable, and cool, pair of boots are when I feel most myself and most relaxed.  I think it’s the femininity and softness of a dress, combined with the laid-back ease of boots that appeals.  That’s where I feel most at home.
Jeans and a t-shirt come no where close to making me feel this comfortable.  
I’d love to hear what combo makes you feel at home?
Quote of Today:
“She’s a touch OCD about the Cheerios.”

Man o’ Bear

Dress & Boots – Threadsence
Belt, Socks, Necklace & Hat – F21
I’m a bit obsessed with the show Man vs Wild right now, and this week I’m grieving the loss of Bear Grylls as the shows lead.  Contract negotiations caused Discovery and Bear to go their separate way and I’m really sad because to me, he totally made the show.  But on a bright note, I still have several seasons of Bear to watch on Netflix.  Also, recently Andrew has gotten into it as well.  I think it’s because I may have said something about Bear being my current crush…maybe.
Quote of Today:
“Smack Mommy’s bum bum!”

A Mess

Top – Wallis from The Bay
Jeans – Gap
Socks – CK
Shoes – Payless
Earrings – Threadsence
Since having a baby I’ve become a total wreck. Honestly, just ask Andrew.  We were watching an old episode of Numbers and it was about a little girl who’s kidnapped and held for ransom. Well, in the middle of the episode I started crying just thinking about the feeling of losing my baby or not being able to protect her.  I was crying so hard that Andrew had to stop the show and comfort me.   I wish I could say that this was a one time occurrence but it isn’t.  I’m just a mess!

p.s. I’d love it if you could take two minutes to vote for ModaMama here – no sign-ups or logins required.  Thank you so much!

True Story:  
Baby climbed into our laundry hamper, sat down and closed the lid on herself.  
Ok, sure.

Fringe And Photo Shows

Earrings – ?; Necklace – F21; Sweater & Top – HUH; Pants – Gap; Boots – Feet First.

I nabbed these two tops from local Toronto designer boutique HUH.  She makes all her own clothes and everything is one of a kind.  So if you’re in Toronto, get your butts over to Queen St. West and nab some stuff during their huge winter sale before it’s all gone! 

And while we’re on the subject of sartorial treasures, can I say that I never thought I would love skinny velvet jeans, but I do!  I love these pants.  They seem to go with everything and I really like that they add this rich texture to everything.  It just makes every outfit feel just a little bit more special.  They were a sale nab as well.  Bonus!

 It was -25 degrees celcius outside when  I did these shots. And I did it just for you!  You see I wore this outfit to a recent photo exhibit by Joshua MacDonald
opening in which I was one of the models, but since I headed out in the
evening, I couldn’t get good outfit shots.  So I put this on a few days
later for some shots, and then immediately jumped back inside and into
warmer clothes. 

Posters for the show on the way in.

This is one of the nine photos on exhibit – and do you recognize the model???

Joshua is really talented.  One of his photos won a prestigious award in Ontario and he only just recently graduated!  He’s going to take the photography world by storm, and I’m so pleased that I got a chance to shoot with him.  This is one person I would work with any day of the week and twice on Sunday!

p.s. I’d love it if you checked out my latest photo shoot here.  Thanks a bunch!
p.p.s.  I had to turn on word verification on the blog. I was getting a lot of spam!  Sorry!

True Story:
Yup, she did that.  
Twice.

Saturday Smiles: Growth

 

Top – Trove; Pants – Le Chateau; Necklace – Lulus; Boots – Locale; Bag – hand me down.

Okay, time for another Saturday Smiles.  These are going to be challenges for me, because to be perfectly frank I’m a realist verging on the pessimist.  That means the glass is either half empty, or it’s just there regardless of your interpretation.  But in the spirit of change, and in the desire to have a more positive vibe around me I’m going to do this all year in the hopes that every time it’ll be easier and easier to find 3-5 things I’m thankful for or that made me smile.  And who knows, maybe soon I’ll have trouble keeping it down to ten!   Here it is, Saturday Smiles.

  1. Hope and change – without which I would be forever stagnant. 
  2. This skirt – the bow just made me grin!
  3. Chocolate – honestly, I think I may have to ban this one from the list soon…it’s kind of a given.
  4. My treadmill – running keeps me sane!
  5. Katie’s comment on my Funny Face post where she says I’ve been reminding her of Audrey Hepburn.
True Story:
Standing in the tub, Baby tries to find her belly button.   
She leans so far forward she face plants straight into the tub of water.  
Cue shocked baby face, “Uh-oh!”

*link yours up*

Toddler Gym 2000

Dress – ASOS; Belt & Earrings – F21; Boots – boutique in Roma.

Husband away?  No one there to cover you for your regular solo workout?  Well fret no more!  The Toddler Gym 2000 is here!  It’s fast. It’s easy. And it’s loads of fun!  *actually it’s neither fast nor easy, just the last one*  Core work is done in a flash with a toddler on your back as you hold the plank for three minutes.  The added weight will make your workout super efficient, and the wiggling babe will work your muscles from a variety of angles!

Need an upper body workout?  Old pushups are tossed to the side when you have a toddler straddling your bum for that extra added bonus challenge, and once that toddler migrates to underneath you the sloppy kisses will keep you coming down then up for more!

Forget those old boring lunges and squats.  Toddler Gym 2000 lets you get double the workout while you hold your babe in your arms and bounce her up and down with the movement of your body.  Her growing weight will give you buns of steel in no time, and the added challenge of holding her and moving her up and down will tone your biceps and triceps in 20 minutes or less!  And it doubles as a toddler entertainment center – Jolly Jumper for the sophisticated babe!

Act now, and for an unlimited time the Toddler Gym 2000 comes with your very own set of laughs and giggles that not only make the time fun, but give you and your toddler an added core workout.

True Story:
*see above*

Windy And Animated

 

Skirt – c/o Emerging Thoughts; Top – hand me down; Cardi – Tulle from Ruche; Hair Bow – Ruche; Belt – F21; Tights – Hue; Boots – Locale.

Have you guys checked out Emerging Thoughts? This store has some seriously cool stuff there like this Tapestry Coat that I’m totally drooling over, or the Reality Bites Dress!  I want that dress just because it reminds me of the seminal film of my youth, you know what I’m talking about all you Ethan Hawke fans.  And for all us Canadian shoppers, they have really affordable shipping.  Bonus!

When I got this Uncle Phuncle skirt in the mail I was so excited to wear it because it has so many wonderful elements working for it.  It’s a clean simple grey color *and you know, that’s my ‘black’* it has a cute little bow, but it’s not too big, and it has a bit of a pouf but again, just the right amount.  Actually, that’s the first two things people said about – that it’s classic and poufy but just the right amount.   I have to say that I’m a big fan. My suggestion?  Hop your butts over to Emerging Thoughts and get yourself some of their sweet stuff.

Oh and what do you think of the animation?  It’s the first time I’ve used it, and it won’t become a regular feature, but for some reason it felt appropriate for the two photos used.  It was just a crazy photo taking moment with the wild wind and Baby chatting away, some movement had to be involved in this post!

True Story:
Baby has just discovered that when she closes her eyes 
and covers them with her hands she’s, “Gone! Gone!”
Don’t worry, she can come back. 
She just takes her hands off her eyes.

Funny Face?

Top – Jacob; Sweater & Earrings – F21; Velvet Pants – Le Chateau; Socks – Calvin Klein; Shoes – Payless.

The movie Funny Face has been on my mind, so much so that I felt compelled to echo the spirit of Audrey Hepburn from the beatnik cafe scene.  She’s such an iconic figure in terms of beauty and fashion, but what I always think about is that she broke the mold of the time. She was a former ballerina with a very boyish figure in a time when every woman was aspiring to the curves of Monroe.  Hepburn’s beauty was not in chic, she was elfish and boyish, but her appeal was undeniable.

When I consider things like fashion trends, and standards of beauty I think of her and how her confidence and unique beauty shone through despite the critiques of her contemporaries and she became an icon for generations.  So I always think that though it may not be in ‘chic’, who knows who the next Hepburn will be. 

True Story:
Last night I worked a night shift hosting Movieola, so I needed coffee. 
I stood in front of the automated espresso machine at work and pushed the ‘on’ button.  
It asked me to push another button.  I did.  And another.  And another.  
Six buttons later, I’m begging the machine to please stop messing with me and just give me my espresso! It’s so high-maintenance and demanding.  
I just want my espresso.
Please.
Pretty please?

First Solo Mission

Sweater – swapped; Dress – Ruche; Tights – Hue; Boots – Locale.

So you know how yesterday I said that I tackled my first sewing project with my brand new sewing machine?  Well, this is the result of what I did. 

As I mentioned, I felt the dress was a tad too short for my comfort, so I wanted to let down the hem.  It wasn’t as easy as it sounded.  See that top horizontal pleat?  Well, it was completely attached to the dress, so first I had to remove the whole thing.  Then open it making it a double horizontal pleat, and iron it.  Then I had to attached it back onto the dress, with a finished stitch so it doesn’t fray.  And lastly, I had to fold the hem and finish the new hem of the dress.  

It just looks like there were meant to be two double pleats now.  And I felt so great wearing it: proud and finally comfortable with the length! It’s amazing what three inches can do.   I think I did pretty well for my first solo mission. What do you think?

On a totally separate note…

I really, really need to find a martial arts school to study at.  I’ve been out of the studio for far too long and there’s only so much that self-motivation can do.  But my problem is two-fold.  One, I can’t find a place that I really like.  I’ve looked at probably a dozen schools all over Toronto to find an art that I really want to study.  I’ve tried Muay Thai, BJJ, Karate, Tai Kwon Do, MMA, Krav Maga, and various blends of these, and I have yet to find something that I love as much as Kung Fu.  So that’s my first and major dilemma.  Two, it has to be affordable.  I’m not rolling in wads of dollars, so the place I go to has to be affordable.  But the issue of fees is really secondary to finding something that I truly love.

You know what you want to do, and that you love doing it, but you’re having trouble finding a place that reflects you.  Have you ever felt that way?

Quote of Today:
“It’s amazing what three inches can do.”  
*Oh Lordy Lord! Sometimes I don’t realize what I’m saying until it’s too late*
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