on my own…but just for a little while

“Husbands and wives should have separate interests, cultivate different sets of friends and not impose on the other. You can’t spend a lifetime breathing down each other’s necks. We are very, very different people and yet somehow we fed off those varied differences and instead of separating us, it has made the whole bond a lot stronger.” - Paul Newman

BHLDN posted this quote on Facebook today, with a link to some great photos of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Will left on vacation last night (he’s visiting a friend from university in Frankfurt but also going on jaunts to Copenhagen, Istanbul, and various places around Germany, wherever he can reach by rail pass in a day); I’ve been left to my own devices until October 30, but I think I’ll be just fine. It’s very important for both of us to have time to ourselves, so I’ll be enjoying having the condo to myself while he’s in Europe. People keep asking me why I didn’t go like there’s something TERRIBLY WRONG with that. I just say I don’t think we need to be attached at the hip all the time, and that’s healthy.

I’m taking tomorrow off so it’ll be comfy clothes all weekend (let’s hear it for elastic waistbands), but here’s a “real” outfit I wore to work this week.

Anthro Drape & Twist Tee (Postmark) | J.Crew Jenna’s Cardigan | ayala bar necklace | Anthro Liquid Acres Skirt (Tabitha) | Wolford Satin Opaque tights | Michael Kors heels

I initially thought that this skirt would be hard to wear because of the pattern, but with all the colours, it’s an easy remix. I’m looking forward to wearing it a lot this fall.

what I fancy

Anthro Instant Classic Tee, Stripes (Bailey 44) | Anthro Acting Out Skirt (Cartonnier) | Matsu necklace | Miss Sixty Tracy Shoes

Bailey 44 is a brand I came across in my pre-Anthropologie days, and it’s a brand I keep coming back to, despite the high cost for what are essentially cotton basics. Yes, this is just a thin cotton striped T-shirt. Maybe it’s just in my head, maybe it’s just my brand snobbery talking, but I’m pretty sure that a cheap thin cotton striped T-shirt would not look this good on me. I don’t know how they do it, but I don’t want them to stop.

Antho puts it best in their brand spotlight feature:

I have a few Bailey 44 pieces, including the Daily Gathering Dress, which is my LGD (little grey dress). And then there’s the Slung Sash Tee (which I keep wanting to call the Sash Slung Tee).

I love the detail, the colour, and the fabric. It didn’t hurt how great it looks on Roxy too. I have tried it on and I didn’t find it to be work-inappropriate, but that’s just me (I’ve seen a LOT of cleavage at my office). It’s a basic with a twist, exactly what I look for. This will probably come home with me soon.

Anthropologie catalogue: October 2007

Every week I take a look back at past Anthropologie catalogues and what I loved from then. (Thanks to Natalie for posting all the links.) I used to think that it’s impossible to find these pieces again, but thanks to Roxy’s trade market and eBay, anything is possible.

October 2007 – the first half of October 2011 was actually warm enough to wear this.

shimmering mary janes, city beautiful flats, embroidered tweed slip-ons, brocade ballerinas – so many gorgeous ballet flats

gold tone loafers, crownhall jacket, concourse heels, whisper of trees mary janes – I love the strap on those mary janes and the green tights

piazza peony blouse, lace medallions skirt, two-town mary janes – I WANT that blouse

reflections necklace, marguerite medallion, eleven teardrops – I love jewellery

violetta cutout heels – and red heels

champagne cocktail dress, big-night-out slingbacks

tandie boots

It’s surprisingly easy being green

I was going to do an awkward and awesome post today, but for one, I forgot it was Thursday today. That’s what happens when it’s a four-day week. Second, I don’t feel like the awkward today. And that’s good. I’ve been in a bit of a funk over the past few weeks (not sure why, it just happens sometimes), eaten too much ice cream and put on some weight, but I'm slowly starting to pull myself together. I feel more like myself again.

And apparently, myself is green. I must be channelling Sarah. ;)

Anthro Hip-Cinched Blouse (Maeve) | J.Crew featherweight cashmere cardigan in heather algae | Anthro Acting Out Skirt (Cartonnier) | Miss Sixty Tracy shoes

I look slightly demented in these pictures, yes? I really need to work on taking good pictures again, but you know, sometimes it just happens easily, and sometimes it takes 25 photos and this is the best I get.

bare-legged in October

I should start keeping track; I don’t remember when I couldn’t go bare-legged anymore last year. But it seems late this year, I don’t remember a Canadian Thanksgiving weekend that got to 30C. It wasn’t exactly turkey weather, but we managed.

As lovely as the warm weather this weekend was (Will and I went to Port Credit to walk along the lake shore and enjoy the sunshine—it was almost too hot, even), I’m still wondering where the heck fall is. Sure, we’ve had tastes of it (like on October 1 for Nuit Blanche, the all-night arts festival in Toronto, when we froze our asses off—why couldn’t it have been 30C then?), but summer is lingering. Thanks, global warming. I shouldn’t be complaining, because soon enough we’ll be knee-deep in snowdrifts and complaining about that, but I’m Canadian, that’s what I do.

And in the meantime, I’ll wear my favourite summer shoes (I don’t wear them in the winter, I’m not comfortable wearing open-toed shoes with tights, I’m never sure if that’s a fashion faux-pas or not), and look like a deer in headlights. I was desperately trying not to blink.

Jacob sleeveless top | J.Crew Jenna’s cardigan | tsunami designs necklace | Jacob pencil skirt | Bos & Co heels

Anthropologie catalogue: Fall 2006

Every week I take a look back at past Anthropologie catalogues and what I loved from then. (Thanks to Natalie for posting all the links.) I used to think that it’s impossible to find these pieces again, but thanks to Roxy’s trade market and eBay, anything is possible.

Fall 2006

frankie a-line, twinkle slippers – easy on-the-go outfit

street scene slingbacks, funnelneck cardigan, smart aleck skirt, pop shop blouse; bookworm boots; keyhole tunic, corduroy highwaters – I don’t know if I could pull them off, but those green boots are gorgeous

scoopneck in blue, miss congeniality boots – I like the Siamese cat

drama queen boots – a little Dr. Seuss-like?

west end blouse, cropped blacksmith pants – I wish I didn’t have giant hips so I could pull off pants like this

brushwood boots, paddington peeptoes – those boots are crazy, and the plaid peeptoes are pretty awesome

new wave sweater dress, mystere slims, brushwood boots – I like, but I don’t think I could pull them off

various shelves and a tree growing out of the wheat penny carryall

various prints, cleo chair

striped sweater leggings, linnaeus booties – Alice in Wonderland

portrait jacket, blue cult elite trousers, ephemera flats

Sweatsuit alternative

In recent years, my quest to develop my personal style has led me to do a lot of research. By research, I mean watching a lot of “What Not To Wear” and reading various books on fashion/personal style, including Trinny and Susannah’s What You Wear Can Change Your Life and The Survival Guide, Clinton and Stacy’s Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That’s Right for Your Body, Nina Garcia’s The Little Black Book of Style and Tim Gunn’s A Guide To Quality, Taste & Style. Sometimes I ended up being more confused than when I started; I got bogged down in “rules.” Eventually I learned to take everything I read as a guide and not as gospel. I still don’t own a lot of pieces that are on the “top ten essential items” lists (basic dress pants, a blazer, and a button-down shirt, for instance), and I don’t think my wardrobe is going to fall apart tomorrow.

I think Tim Gunn’s book is my favourite, especially if you read it in his voice—his top ten essential items list is pretty spot-on for me, actually. I take his advice on the sweatsuit alternative to heart:

“There is something appealing about pretending we live lives that require prim little suits during the day and only the most challenging vintage Balenciaga by night. Even if that is your life, isn’t it safe to assume that every so often you just need to be comfortable and enjoy some easy, unrestricted movement?”

It was a sweatsuit week for me. I had a cold and a sprained wrist and I did not feel like getting dressed; I could have happily worn yoga pants or leggings to work all week. But I didn’t, because I have a little black stretchy-knit elastic-waistband pencil skirt that I picked up form Club Monaco a few weeks ago. I’ve worn it for the past four days.

Anthropologie Winged Victory Top (Odille) | Anthro Bette Cardigan (Sparrow) | Hilary Druxman necklace | Club Monaco Celia Skirt | Wolford Satin Opaque tights | Michael Kors heels | tensor bandage courtesy of the medical centre at work

This is a recycled outfit, just with a different skirt, tights, and shoes. Not only did I not want to get dressed, I didn’t want to have to think about putting together new interesting outfits either. It also looked a lot better a few months ago; I’ve definitely put on weight (working to stop that now). They’re not the most flattering pictures in the world, but it’s how I looked this week.

But on the upside, I’m not wearing the bandage anymore, and my wrist feels a lot better.

Anthropologie catalogue: October 2011

I always look forward to the beginning of the month and a new Anthro catalogue. But oh dear, it’s another one that hasn’t captured my interest. Some gorgeous photos, but I’m not buying anything.

Also, I was a little mind-boggled by the price on some items (for some reason more so this month than in previous months), so fair warning, lots of exclamation points ahead.

October 2007 – popham peacoat, veiled alder dress, pointelle sweater tights, athabaskan booties ($448!!!)

sweaterknit strand, vinalhaven cardigan, button belted dress, pointelle sweater tights, letterhead wedges ($498!!!); harrington cowlneck, pin gleam belt, consonant wide-legs, red heron heels – I think I like the setting more than the clothes.

dromedary dress, threaded bangle ($238!!!), pointelle sweater tights, bow buckled flats – I like the colours, and the setting again (I love the trunk), but I would not wear a dress with camels on it.

to autumn hat ($348!!!!), ruffled demi turtleneck, tsuga skirt, dusted tights, athabaskan booties – I like the overall effect, even if it is a bit pumpkin. I would never pay that much for a hat though.

veiled alder dress, threaded bangle, opaque tights – this dress is lovely. It seems a little bridal to me though.

ruched marigold coat, AG denim leggings, blackwatch slingbacks ($348!!!) – the shoes are really cute, even for that price.

penobscot poncho ($348!!!), ruled boatneck, AG denim leggings, cabled socks ($148!!!) – I love this photo and if I ever went fishing I would totally wear this.

hallowell cowlneck, tarpan buttondown, goban pencil skirt – okay I lied, I would buy this skirt, but in black.

welkin dotted scarf, multiburst sweater dress, buckled paddock boots; neo-jacquard pullow, iamb wide-legs

soft chevrons pullover, monhegan wide-legs – I love this shot

welkin dotted scarf, melba dress, opaque tights; in clouds blouse, snaffle belt, gamay sweater skirt, athabaskan booties – love the bright colours.

cropped fairisle pullover, artful layering tank, effortless corduroy skirt, praline cuff; strung coins necklace, frosted boucle pullover, monhegan wide-legs – I want to be wherever they are.

belted plaid cape, glimmer graph shell, colloquium trousers, athabaskan booties; molded metals necklace, unconditional osier dress, dusted tights – I like, but I find the colour palette a bit too dull.

umbered houndstooth coat – it’s $298, so it may be worthy of !!!!, but a higher price for a coat doesn’t seem to mind-boggle me as much. A good coat costs money.

bow buckle flats – love

melded metals necklace, fragmented earth bib necklace, sky stacks necklace – love

cotswold bench ottoman, landscape ($1698!!) – I know Anthro furniture is expensive. I love this and would buy it if I won the lottery tomorrow. Too bad I don’t play.

pinched corners mugs, pinched corners tea bowls; seawater espresso mugs, seawater tall espresso mugs, least resistance tea pot; twisting koi candelabra ($598!!), experimental glaze platter, experimental glaze side plate, experimental glaze dinner plate, twisting koi taper holder – I love these photos.

sure footed base ($498!!), celluloid dream base ($498!!), 8mm lamp ensemble ($598!!), industrial stitching base ($328!!) – again, if I won the lottery tomorrow…

adscript chair ($980!), olmo chair ($980!), hathor armchair ($2400!) – I’m a sucker for anything teal.