January in pictures

Normally I find that time flies by and I’m always saying “I can’t believe it’s [insert month/year/major holiday] already.” But not this month. January was interminable. It also felt like there was about 3 different seasons in there too, with the thaw and the deep freeze and then the rain. Anyway, glad it’s February tomorrow (mostly because I’m in Boston for a long weekend starting tomorrow night), and this is what I took pictures of in January.

the last of the Christmas decoractoins, and I’m not scared // a solar-bowered bobbling ninja joins my Spanish cactus (Jesus Alejandro) at work // cute maternity stripes (not for me!!) // at Wvrst sausage and beer hall // duck fat fries and chicken sausage with peppers at Wvrst // Hello Kitty cupcakes // oh hell no // I’m trying // yes, I will

store doggie doesn’t care that I’m in her store, she just wants to sleep // making meatballs // this is why basics are a good idea (at Club Monaco) // purple booties to protect paws from the ice and snow // Alice in Wonderland at Anthro // Wuthering Heights // mmm, pho // mmmm, Stubbe chocolates // hipster beer at Bellwoods Brewery

And this is what I bought (and kept) this month:

MAC Deeply Dashing Pressed Pigment (a little sparkle in a pot) // benefit creaseless creme eyeshadow in busy signal (amazing) // MAC Tinted Lip Balm in Rosy Romance

Mixing the fun and the basic

Last week during the deep freeze (which was really nothing in Toronto compared to Ottawa where it was –40 with the windchill and the dog was waking my mom up at 3 a.m. to go outside) when I was hibernating, I spent some time going through my closet, putting some old no-longer-worn items aside for donating and contemplating the general state of affairs.

I realized that I may have built my closet backwards, in my obsession with wearing clothes that are “different.” I got all the fun stuff first, and neglected the basics, because I thought the basics were boring. (I still think they are on their own, but there’s still a reason why I should own more of them.)

It’s partly the fault of that damn bubble necklace which I wear all the time now; can’t wear too much with it, or I just end up looking loopy.

Club Monaco T-shirt // knockoff J.Crew bubble necklace // Anthro Acting Out Skirt (Cartonnier)

Plain, unadorned t-shirts are my new best friends. I can have the fun stuff if I balance it out with something more simple. Simplicity and balance, my new mottos.

My next quest: the perfect LBD…

Simplicity

In keeping with my style resolution to keep it simple, here’s as simple as I can get. Just a knit top, pencil skirt, tights, and heels.

Club Monaco top // J.Crew Vivid Jade No. 2 Pencil Skirt // Wolford Satin Opaque tights // Michael Kors heels

I feel good – comfortable, and unfussed. No extra embellishments required today.

Turquoise on teal with teal

What can I say? I like teal and turquoise. I can’t help it. ;)

Anthro Graceful Drape Top (Bailey 44) // knockoff J.Crew bubble necklace // lululemon wunder under leggings // J.Crew leather iPhone 5 case in turquoise

Past the point of no return

A couple of posts on EA have me thinking about my shopping habits. I have to admit, I make a lot of returns. I make mistakes, I change my mind, I decide that I already have too many of whatever I just bought, I decide it’s too expensive, I realize the piece doesn’t work as well in my closet as I thought, etc. So I certainly appreciate a liberal return policy, and I take advantage of one when it exists.

But sometimes I wonder if I would be better off if I bought things I knew I wouldn’t be able to return. It would result in a lot less impulsive and careless spending (although I cut way back on that last year) if I had to think very carefully before I bought.

Since it’s the new year, here’s another resolution to follow: commit to purchases, and no returns.

Er, starting now.

I ended up returning this Club Monaco striped top and this Anthro necklace. No, I didn’t wear the top out, I took it off after the picture made me realize the stripes were too skinny and making me dizzy to look at. I did wear the necklace for half a day, but I took it off midday because I found it too heavy (literally, it gave me a sore neck). No questions asked on either return, and I feel that it was fine to return the necklace even after I’d worn it because it is still in perfectly sellable condition. But maybe someone wouldn’t want to buy a necklace knowing that someone had worn it for a while. I don’t know. At any rate, I should really remember to put things on hold and think about them for at least a day. When I do that and still go back, I likely won’t return.

(And since I’m reliving my days as a musical theatre junkie thanks to the Les Miserables movie, here’s a sort-of relevant video from that other 80s super-musical, Phantom of the Opera.)

New year, new me

So a new year is always about resolutions and pledging to do better than last year, right? And it often doesn’t pan out? I was just musing on why that was, when I had a bit of a lightbulb moment over Carol’s post from earlier this week.

The story I tell about myself, mostly to myself but sometimes to other people, isn’t great. I’m messy and disorganized. I’m lazy and I procrastinate all the time. I have no willpower and I can’t stick to a healthy eating plan, even when eating badly means I don’t feel well all the time. I’m irresponsible and impulsive and I’m terrible with money. It’s partly self-deprecating, partly a result of what I’ve heard from my parents, but the truth is the more I say these things to myself, the more they become a self-fulfilling prophecy. And then things don’t change.

So what if I were neat and organized, didn’t procrastinate, took care of myself, and financially responsible? Strange. That doesn’t sound like me. Sounds kinda boring and virtuous too. But maybe it’d be better all around if that person were me.

I’ve started already, small things like keeping the condo tidier and doing things right away instead of saying “I’ll just do it tomorrow.” I’m serious about this change!

And see, look how serious I am:

Club Monaco t-shirt // J.Crew Jenna’s cardigan // Hilary Druxman necklace // Anthro Sumukhwa Skirt (Maeve) // Wolford tights // Michael Kors heels

Just kidding, I can’t stay that serious for very long.

It may be a little early in the year, but I’m saying it anyway…this year is gonna to be different.

Bring it on, 2013

2013 already, and 5 days in at that? Bring it on!

But first, help me through my holiday withdrawal. It's back to austerity measures, no more indulging, and time to look ahead. I'm struggling a little to be optimistic right now (I hope 2013 is a great year, but what if it isn't?), but I don't want to fall into the trap of pessimism because that's one deep, dark hole.

In 2013, this is what I want to accomplish:

• Stick to my healthy eating plan. I really wish I could eat whatever I want without any health consequences, but unfortunately I can't. So I have to accept that and move on.
• Continue to be financially responsible (it's an ongoing resolution).
• Stop procrastinating (it's my worst habit).
• Stay optimistic!

On the more frivolous side, here are my style resolutions:

• Wear neutrals, wear black and grey, wear colour. In other words, wear anything I want.
• Wear only what I love. And buy only what I love.
• Wear trendy pieces if I love them, leave them if I don't.
• Keep things simple.

 
Anthro Tartlet Burst Top (Deletta) // Anthro Alluring Sway Skirt (Cartonnier) // Wolford Satin Opaque tights in Admiral // Nine West heels