Pretending I’m 18 again.

For something completely different, here’s a Friday casual outfit (that’s probably too casual, but I didn’t really care) that came primarily from Aritzia.

• Wilfred top, from Aritzia
• Talula knit miniskirt, from Aritzia
• Jenna’s Cardigan from J.Crew
• Anthropologie necklace
• Havaiana flip-flops

I haven’t shopped at Aritzia since I was in university; it’s very trendy, very hipster, very skinny (VERY skinny!), and very young, and quite honestly, it scares me a lot of the time.  They’re also responsible for that stupid TNA line (every time I see one of those fugly branded bags I want to rip it off the girl’s shoulder and stomp on it) but it’s a Canadian store (even though most of the brands they carry are not Canadian), so I feel like I should go in every now and then.  I also happened to be shopping at lunch with my 22-year-old co-worker (and friend) Ashley, who buys a lot of her clothes there.  She bought a tank and a button-down shirt.  I bought the top and miniskirt.  One of which is from the line for “younger girls who want to be with the trends” (the Talula miniskirt).  Great.  I turned 32 on Saturday, so I’m feeling a little “mutton dressed as lamb.” 

At least I can still pass for 25.

Two outfits, two pencil skirts.

This week I decided to go a little bit more corporate, a little bit more professional, a little bit less “look at me”, but without going boring. Pencil skirts and interesting tops help.

• Banana Republic top (2008)
• Jacob pencil skirt (2007)
• FeetFirst wedges (2009)
• Matsu necklace (2007)

I think that green top is one of my favourites of all-time. As Tim Gunn might say, it’s a soul-stirrer.

• Deletta Rare Bloom tee, from Anthropologie
• Jacob pencil skirt (2008)
• FeetFirst wedges (2009)

Sometimes I think I try too hard when it comes to clothes. This was my attempt to simplify. I think I succeeded.

I’m getting old and I need something to rely on.

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So, tell me when you gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
     – Keane, “Somewhere Only We Know”

I had a conversation today with a co-worker (who’s also a friend) about being high-maintenance.  He says I’m definitely high-maintenance.  As much as I’d like to think I’m low-key, it’s true, I’m high-maintenance.  But we also agreed that I’m not a diva.  The engagement ring I picked out is not a solitaire, and at $1200 I think it’s too expensive. I take pride in my appearance and I love clothes and makeup and hair, but if it takes me longer than 15 minutes to get ready in the morning, there’s something wrong. 

On weekdays, I dress up to go to work (and probably over-dress, quite frankly), I always wear skirts/dresses and nice shoes, but as soon as I get home, it’s straight into comfy clothes.  I leave for work before Will gets out of bed and I’ve changed by the time he comes home, so he’s never seen half my wardrobe.  (It makes it really easy to hide new pieces in my closet, I just tell him I’ve had them for ages and he hasn’t noticed!)

Case in point: on my birthday (which was Saturday, June 19, when I turned the ripe old age of 32), this is what I wore:

• Pure & Good basic V-neck t-shirt, from Anthropologie (on sale!)
• lululemon groove crops
• Havaiana flip-flops, bought at Club Monaco

Of course, even on a casual day, I’m still wearing Anthro, Club Monaco, and expensive lululemon.  But I was comfortable, and it was completely appropriate for birthday pho (my favourite meal, hands-down) on a patio on Ossington, and everything still fits and is still somewhat flattering (although the jury may still be out on the crops).

Going back to that engagement ring… I’m not getting married any time soon, but it’s always nice to have these things picked out.

This is a local design by Matsu Jewellery (so local that their studio is a block away from my apartment, and when I walk by I see them making the jewellery through the window).  But it’s only the bottom band, not the oval solitaire (I tried Photoshopping the top ring out, but it just looked stupid), in white gold with a few diamonds. It’s not traditional, but it’s very me.

Anthro, you’re killing me…

Just when I think I’m done with Anthro and I’m not interested in anything new, they send me this email:

I. LOVE. THIS. TOP.

I have no idea if it’ll work on me, the boobs might get in the way, but I don’t care.  MUST.  HAVE.

laughing is the best calorie burner

Good, because I like to laugh a lot. 

I love Anthropologie, but you have to admit that they have a lot of ugly crap.  When a friend sent me a link to this, I literally laughed out loud (LLOL?):

I mean, come on. $198 for a “beach find bottle” with a starfish stuck in it? 

But wait! There’s a whole series of them!

     

The barnacle is $278.  But that’s not the worst, the coral is $598.

Sure, they look pretty all together when they’re styled and photographed:

But if I were to buy all 7 of those “one-of-a-kind” pieces, it would cost me $1966.

I have nothing else to say.

Restoration Hardware Bath Linens = happiness

My birthday isn’t for another 11 days, but I got an early birthday gift of two sets of Restoration Hardware Turkish Towels in the mail yesterday.  At first I was perplexed by the gigantic box that showed up via UPS to my door, especially since I couldn’t figure out who it was from; I swore up and down to Will (boyfriend) that I wasn’t doing any crazy online shopping, but eventually we figured out it was from my sister.  The card said “Happy Birthday…random gift, I know, but everyone needs awesome towels.”  She’s so right.

 

She got me two sets in Espresso, the darkest colour.  4 bath sheets, 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels, and two washcloths.  So incredibly soft, absorbent, and luxurious.  My apartment isn’t good enough for these towels.  We’ll have to buy a condo to match.

Having low expectations means they’ll always be met.

Last night I went to see Sex and the City 2 with a friend from Vancouver.  We both enjoyed the show, saw the first movie and were okay with it, but weren’t sure if we wanted to see #2 because of everything we read about it.  But after shopping at Anthropologie (we had to, she doesn’t have one in Vancouver) and healthy vegetarian food, we decided to go, but specifically for the purpose of snarking.  And there was a lot of it.

So, it was everything the scathing reviews said it would be.  Badly written (Every time they made a quip like “Abu Dhabi Do!” or “Bedouin, bath and beyond!” I turned to my friend and said “who wrote this crap???”  Did they name the busty Irish nanny Erin just so they could fit in the obligatory “Erin-go-braless” joke?), badly acted (in the actors’ defence, they didn’t really have anything to work with), culturally insensitive or outright racist, and incredibly classist. Okay, so it’s supposed to be an escapist fantasy, but in times of economic hardship, it seems downright insulting.  Sorry, I can’t feel any sympathy for rich women with fabulous expensive wardrobes.  No wait.  That’s not true, I can totally relate!  When I make cupcakes with bright red icing with my daughters I wear white!  Especially white vintage Valentino!  When I cuddle at home with my boyfriend on the couch watching TV, I totally wear a designer ruffled gown with a train (a train!) and sky-high designer heels!  It’s just so damn comfy!

Seriously, I feel sorry for the people who are really into SATC without a hint of snark. 

But in a 2.5-hour movie full of product placement, I did find something I do want:

 

 
HP 210 Butterfly Lovers Digital Clutch by Vivienne Tam

How freakin’ cute is that?  If I needed a new laptop (and sadly, I don’t), I would buy this in a heartbeat.

another month, another Anthropologie catalogue

I finally had the chance to sit down with the latest Anthropologie catalogue.  As usual, I was taken in by the photography and styling.  I know, I know, that’s what the catalogue is meant to do, make clothes look better than they actually are and make you want to buy them (and they do that very successfully), but I always feel slightly angry that I’ve been so manipulated.

See?  She looks lovely.  But I’d never look like that even if I tried.  Because I have boobs and hips that get in the way.

Again, lovely.  But that colour on me?  Bleaahh.  And the actual top?  Not so much.

This dress looks so chic on the model:
  
But on the dressform?  Ugh.

 
I’ve seen this in person and have no desire to even try it on.  Little House on the Prairie calico over my chest?  No thanks.  But the model makes it seem almost conceivable.

I pass on most of it.  Well, except for maybe the Plucked Berry Tote:


 

At $268, it’s a steal compared to the Gucci bag and the Kate Spade bag.  But I shouldn’t.  Should I?  I shouldn’t.

Colour my life with the chaos of trouble

It gets cold in Canada.  Not all the time, but summer only lasts for 2-3 months, and I like to make the most of it, with bright colours and summer dresses.  I know it’s only early June, but I was still shocked by all the black I saw on the subway this morning.

• Maeve Height of Summer dress, at Anthropologie
• Club Monaco cardigan (I’m afraid it might fall apart, I wear it so often)
• Cole Haan sandals
• necklace I made by taking apart an existing necklace

I love colour.  I love teal.  (This dress doesn’t get great reviews because of the quality, fit, and price, but I happily paid full price just for the colour.)  I spend fall and winter in black and grey.  On a subway car full of grumpy, black-clad people, I definitely stood out.  Sometimes I forget how conservative this city is sometimes.  I probably didn’t look like I was going to work, but my office is not very formal.  And considering how low-cut my boss’s dress was today (I spent a 15-minute with her staring at her chest—her exposed bra was very distracting), I felt like a nun in comparison.

Clothing memories

While some pieces in my wardrobe hold little or no significance to me (some pieces I don’t even remember buying—which is bad, I know), some pieces are extremely meaningful.  The dress I wore today, one of my favourite summer dresses that I will probably wear until it falls off my body, is one of those memorable pieces.

 

• Club Monaco dress
• Club Monaco cardigan
• Tory Burch flats
• Hilary Druxman necklace

I bought this Club Monaco dress in February or March 2009, long before the weather was warm enough to wear it.  I wore it multiple times last summer and already this summer.  But the most memorable was Thursday, July 2, 2009, when I wore it to my 10-year anniversary dinner with my boyfriend at Tojo’s in Vancouver, after an afternoon at the Vancouver Aquarium:

• Gap cardigan
• Nike ballet flats (comfy for walking in Vancouver)
• Mimi & Marge bag

Unfortunately, I don’t remember what I wore to our one-year anniversary dinner, but I’ll always remember this.