beware the elastic waistband

I think I’m getting the hang of this not working thing.  While I’m feeling a little isolated, I’m starting to enjoy this time to myself and this time away from work.  I might as well enjoy it while I can, right?

But I have to be aware of the downfalls, namely elastic waistbands.

James Perse tank top | Club Monaco cardigan | American Apparel leggings | Duo Hawthorn Boots

I’m slowly becoming a couch potato (I forced myself to go for a walk this afternoon just to get my butt off the couch), and I’m consuming more macarons than is probably healthy, so weight gain is a concern.  And with the elastic waistband of the leggings that are my daily wear, I won’t be able to tell. 

I need to force myself to get dressed in real clothes every day, even if I’m just going around the corner to the grocery store, just to make sure I go down that slippery slope into slubwear all the time.

I haven’t posted photos of the view from my condo in a while, so here are a few. 

Purple sky

I’m never going to get tired of this view.

However, people will get tired of endless pictures of the view, so I will stop soon.

Running out of steam

It’s been just over a week since Will and I moved into our new condo, and it’s sloowly coming together.

The boxes are hidden out of camera range.  After the initial flurry of unpacking and organizing, we’re both losing our enthusiasm.  But there’s still a sense of satisfaction when another box is unpacked and the floorspace reclaimed.

These recycled glass bottles from west elm are in my favourite colour palette.

 
I love books, and I especially love pretty books.

Speaking of pretty, how about this view from our balcony?

 

I have to gather up all my energy and find the enthusiasm to finish the rest of the boxes, and then I’ll breathe easy.  Back to fashion, shopping, and daily outfits soon.

home sweet home

I've been missing lately because I've had a really busy few days. Will and I moved into our condo on Saturday, and it's been awesome.



This is the only good photo so far, since the rest of the condo is covered in boxes. I feel like I'm living in an episode of Hoarders.

Of course, the first thing I did was unpack and organize my closet.


I have my priorities.

It's been crazy and overwhelming because I've had work stress (a huge rollercoaster of emotions in the past few weeks) on top of moving stress. I have so much to do I don't know where to begin, I just stand in the middle of boxes and stare at everything. Sometimes I'm so overwhelmed I want to sit down among the boxes and cry.

But really, compared to what's happening in Japan, does it really matter? I'm safe, my family and friends are safe. I sleep in my warm bed and night and my life is still intact. I can't imagine what the thousands of people are going through.

Here's how to help in Canada.

In a quiet corner

It's Friday, and I've had quite the week (we're in the condo–yay! but I may be out of a job at the end of the month–oh no!). I have a week of 30 for 30 outfits (nearing the end) to catch up on, but no time just yet. My evenings have been spent cleaning the condo and taping in preparation for painting this weekend.





That was last night; I crawled around on the floor taping up the baseboards, and for some reason Will found me sitting cross-legged in a corner with a roll of tape and an edging tool extremely adorable. Go figure. ;)

I ❤ west elm

As much as I love Anthropologie, I’m not a huge fan of their home decor.  It’s a little too vintage-y/antique-y for my taste; I prefer a much more modern, streamlined, contemporary look.  So, enter west elm.

We bought the two biggest pieces of furniture for our new condo elsewhere, but west elm has furnished everything else: bedding, curtains, and accessories.  We seem to be making weekly trips there too.

It started with this cushion…
 
 
bull's eye silk pillow cover

The blue motif pillow is basically the colour scheme for our condo.   But we did also buy the covers for the red ones, in case we wanted to switch them up.

 
ruffled-circle quilt

We bought this in slate, a dark grey.  Surprisingly not too girly for Will.

cotton canvas window panel | stripe shower curtain

The canvas drapes were a steal, and we’re extending the blue colour theme with the striped shower curtain.

recycled spanish-glass vases | recycled spanish-glass bud vases

Normally we don’t do knick-knacks, but I couldn’t resist these gorgeous glass vases.

Grownups

This week has marked a milestone in my life, Will’s life, and our relationship: we have become homeowners. And therefore we are now grownups.

The deal on our condo closed successfully on Wednesday, and this is what I was wearing:

  
Anthropologie Daily Gathering Dress (Bailey 44) | Anthro Oolite Necklace | Club Monaco cardigan | Wolford Satin Opaque tights | Cole Haan Air Tali Mary Jane Ballet flats

Perhaps not the most memorable of outfits (although I do love that necklace), but there it is, history has been written, and that’s what I was wearing when I officially became a grownup.

And here’s what I wore in the past three days I’ve been a grownup:

Jacob sleeveless top | Club Monaco cardigan | Anthro Oolite necklace | Anthro Circle the Globe Skirt (Edme & Esyllte) | Wolford Satin Opaque tights | Michael Kors heels

(I wear a lot of black, so I wanted to punch it up with a little colour.)

Anthropologie Craft & Creation Top (Deletta) | Club Monaco cardigan | Hilary Druxman necklace | J. Brand 901 Jean Legging | Miz Mooz Gayle high-heel boots

Anthropologie Graceful Drape Top (Bailey 44) | Club Monaco cardigan | J. Brand 901 Jean Legging | Duo Hawthorn Boots

(Head turned because I hated my bangs this morning.  Also, those are sheets thrown over a drying rack in the background.)

But who do I kid, I’ll never truly be a grownup.  I’ll always be slightly irresponsible and immature.  However, I hope I don’t grow up and become too serious.  That would be sad.

Focus on furniture

Will and I are a few steps closer to owning our first condo.  It’s been crazy and stressful and frustrating (especially with our lawyer who doesn’t return calls or emails—listen, I realize that our small purchase may be small potatoes to you, but try to remember it’s hugely important to us), and at the same time really exciting.  I’m almost a really-truly-for-real grownup!  No more living in student digs!  But once that mortgage is in place, I’ll never shop or travel again (sob).

So I’m not supposed to be shopping this month, and I’m not buying clothes or shoes or makeup this month, but does buying furniture count as breaking the no-shopping rule?

Soia & Kyo coat | American Apparel leggings | Geox boots | United Colours of Benetton wool gloves | Marc by Marc Jacobs Hexi Lafayette Hobo | west elm upholstered tulip chair

I’m a little bit (okay a lot) in love with west elm’s aesthetic.  I love this upholstered tulip chair.  But we didn’t buy it because we don’t know if it will fit, and what we really need is a new couch and a storage bed (the bedroom in the condo is so small there’s no room for a dresser).

west elm lorimer sectional

west elm storage bed frame + storage bed headboard + storage bed nightstand + square-tuck duvet and shams in blue sage

But we didn’t buy either at west elm.  Instead we bought this bed, which was half the price of the west elm one.

Elite Design Furniture Gramercy Queen Storage Bed

And this couch, which is more expensive than the west elm sectional, but it’s also a sofabed.  Most important thing I’ve learned about condo living: every piece of furniture must somehow double as something else, if possible.

The couch is from The Chesterfield Shop, a Toronto institution.  We ordered it in a dark charcoal grey.

There is still a chance that we won’t get the condo (offer has been accepted, conditional on financing), but we decided to go ahead and buy the couch and bed because they would work in our apartment anyway.  The condo is going to happen though.  I might cry if it doesn’t.