Success!!

This has been an incredibly wonderful weekend! Let me just take a few seconds to be proudly Canadian and congratulate our boys! They had us scared for a second there, but following in the footsteps of our super-talented ladies, we won the Gold :) GO CANADA GO!

And to follow up with more good news, our fundraiser last night was a great success (considering all the competition!). Food was delicious, dancing was fun, and I even had the chance to meet our new district governor for Circle K. Good Times.

Worn: Sat, Feb. 27th:
Where: running around town like a mad woman

cardigan - the Wal (2009)
tee - Smart Set (2008)
skinnies - F21 (2009)
belt - Value Village (2010)
boots - GMa's (mine since 2009)

There's a milo kitten in my window... he was trying to hide. For some reason he's terrified of the camera flash... that's my special boy!
Anyhoo, i LOVE this sweater. Every time I wear it I can't help but think of Archie Andrews or Danny Zucko at the end of grease... the only thing that would make it more perfect is if it were an "R" for Riverdale or Rydell :)

And what I wore that night:

Where: Cocktails for a Cause

dress - Smart Set (2009)
hair poof - gift from sis (xmas 09)
tights - Sirens (2010)
heels - BCBG (2009)

And the lovely ladies who helped organize this event, Jess and McKensi!
Thanks to everyone who came out! Much Love!

Finally Winding Down...

This week has been CRAZY! So many midterms and assignments... And of course our Circle K event tonight! That's actually pretty exciting. We'll be able to see if our hard work has actually paid off... and I've put a LOT of work into this one! Even as we speak I'm taking a break from baking mini-cheesecakes for tonight.

So lets play a little bit of catch up while I have some downtime!

Worn Tues, Feb. 23rd:

knit top: Dynamite (2010)

skirt: Urban Behaviour (2009)
tights: Ardene, Sirens (2009)
boots: Thrifted @ Sympathy for the Rebel (2010)
L2R: Gift from J('09), Dynamite('07), Charlotte Russe ('09), ???

Worn Thurs, Feb. 25th:

bracelet/earrings: African Gifts from J (2009)
cropped knit: H&M (2009)
burnout tee: made by me (2008)
jeans: Silver (2006)
brogues: Spring (2010)

I'm really looking forward to getting all fancy tonight too! Should make for a pretty post in the near future!

my shoe addiction... (OTK boots)

I have more than enough pairs of shoes... I know. I have a different pair of boots for every day of the week and then some, but when I saw the clearance price, I couldn't resist.

Spring OTK Boot "Aubel" $25

I snatched up the last pair in black, but this gorgeous purple and a flashy red are still available!
Now hurry up Mr. Postman! I can't wait to bust these babies out!

everybody lets take off our fancy pants tonight

Today is the last day of my last reading week ever. Kinda sad. And how to i get to "celebrate"? With a group meeting. As you could probably guess after my last post, i am not so impressed.
Ah well. I will be sure that when I get home I will spoil myself with a nice hot bubble bath, some homemade raisin cookies, and a cheesy, girly movie like Toothfairy (oh Dwayne Johnson, I secretly find you incredibly sexy, even if you will be wearing wings and sparkles).

Worn Fri, Feb. 19th:

necklace - ebay lot (2008)
cardigan - H&M (2008)
belt - Spring (2009)
skinny jeans - F21 (2009)
shoes - Spring (2007)

I have no idea why these photos turned out so dark, but no matter how much i fiddled with photoshop they just kinda looked... worse. lol.
Fortunately it decided to behave itself the next time I brought it out.

Worn Sun, Feb. 21st:

asymmetrical sweater - Dynamite (2008)
red belt - Costa Blanca (2006)
pants - Michael Kors (formerly Song of the Exile's)
heels - BCBG (2009)

I LOVE these pants! SO simple and classic, and fit my bum like a glove. There are so many pretty used pieces on her blog, you definitely need to check out Shop Exile Style.
I'm trying to determine whether or not I want to shorten these that extra inch (I folded them under in the pics). I like the cropped look, and I think it suits these pants cause they're a lil roomy in the leg. What do we think?

title courtesy of Fancy Pants by Lady Gaga

RANT!

I absolutely love my program at Trent. Being a business major at a small liberal arts college has given me the opportunity to study aspects that I'm sure don't get as much attention in other schools, and lots of one on one time with world recognizable profs... the downside? The HR/Team building focus in EVERY CLASS! It's not that I don't like working in groups, I think the various points of view based on personal experience is incredibly necessary to come to a solid decision, I just hate FORCED groups. You know the ones... where it's required for some project or another and there are maybe one or two of you who are ready to get down to business, but everyone else is only there cause they have to be? Yeah. Those.
This brings me to my second complaint about the business world... the double standard of the leadership position. I can't help myself, when a situation looks like a baby-carriage stalled on the railroad tracks, I have to take charge. Blame my virgo-ness, blame my OCD, but these things need a plan, and i like to be the one making sure everyone is doing their part. Unfortunately, no one else likes it.
I've been in groups with male "leaders" who have been praised for their no-nonsense tactics and the way they "control" the kids who don't want to be there... but me? I've been shunt. lol.
It's just ridiculous to me that when a girl starts to show a bit of strength, and can stand up to others, the males get all... for lack of a better word, scared. They form clusters and conspire. Resort to things like rumors and name calling... so childish. And why? It doesn't help the group.... it sure doesn't help the project. Just admit that you were wrong, own up to it, and make things right from that point forward. That's how you earn respect.
I hope in the "real world" people are a little more adult.

it's great to learn, cause knowledge is power! (menswear inspired shoes)

I have always been a lover of menswear inspired shoes and clothing. There's just something incredibly empowering about perfectly tailored pieces and the casual elegance of a man's dress shoe.
While always drawn to the style, I've never really bothered to research the lingo, and when people started mentioning brogues, oxfords and spectators, I wondered what the official difference was.
So for anyone else who didn't know, here are my findings:

Brogueing refers to the punched out hole detailing you find on menswear shoes, often in the "w" wingtip design. Brogues are then shoes that embody this detailing, and are laced.

brogues- Spring (2010)

Oxfords are a menswear shoe that are both laced, have stitched detailing, and usually a toe cap. If they have the punched out detailing, they're brogued oxfords. crazy.

oxfords - Steve Madden (2008)

And lastly, spectators can refer to any style of brogue OR oxford, as long as its patterned in two contrasting colors.

spectators - Fahrenheit (2007)

Hope you all enjoyed my mini-lesson (and i wasn't the only one this was all new to!) and the small peek into my shoe closet!

post title courtesy of school house rock.

his legend will live on...

AP Associated Press PARIS – Alexander McQueen's namesake label will continue despite the death of the designer, the parent company PPR SA said Thursday.

Robert Polet, chief of the Gucci Group subsidiary, said the collection McQueen was working on before his death will be shown at Paris fashion week next month.

A week after the designer's death, found hanged in his wardrobe, PPR CEO Francois-Henri Pinault and Polet paid homage to McQueen. Pinault called him a genius, a poet and a friend.

The designer rose to fame in the 1990s, and was known for his daring and edgy style and skillful tailoring. He is credited with helping to revive the once-moribund British fashion industry.

McQueen's label belongs to PPR's Gucci Group subsidiary, which comprises luxury fashion and leather brands.

Robert Polet, who heads the group, said he spoke with McQueen a few weeks ago when the two men decided that "we have transitioned from being the name of a designer to putting in place the building blocks of a brand."

"That means that will be my legacy," McQueen had said, according to Polet. "That's something I will always leave behind."

The Gucci group will use its combined resources to ensure the label continues, he said.

"Lee is of course irreplaceable," Polet said, referring to McQueen's first name, dropped from his professional moniker.

He said the team that had been preparing the collection with McQueen would unveil it during the Paris fashion week on March 3-11.

A British coroner's inquest said Wednesday that the fashion designer, grieving from the death of his mother, died by asphyxiation and hanging, leaving a note behind. He was 40.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, which came just ahead of the funeral of McQueen's mother, who died Feb. 2.

McQueen's death has cast a shadow over London Fashion Week, which opens on Friday. A tribute to the designer was to be held.

McQueen was named British Designer of the Year four times and awarded the title of CBE — Commander of the Order of the British Empire — by Queen Elizabeth II.

His stunning pieces never sold in great numbers, but he became one of fashion's best-known brands.

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Happy-Super-Belated-Valentines-Day!

This weekend also happened to mark the beginning of my very last reading week ever! Kind of a sad thought some to think of it! Now I'll have to plan to take time off.... oh real-world, am I ever not looking forward to you....

BUT ANYWAYS, with a little bit of time off, J and I decided to head to Ottawa to visit my fam for a few days, see a few sights, and take advantage of the fabulous restaurants for our first v-day together.

We ended up going to Stella Osteria, a classy lil' place in the Byward Market. The food was excellent (my meat was so tender and delicious!), and up until it was time to leave, the service was wonderful... it was only when we went to retrieve our coats that we were ignored for a good 10 minutes by the hostess who was too busy counting out tips. if there was a smiley with a "gr" face i'd be using it right now. for a classy place.. that was probably the least classy thing someone could do.

We also ended up going to see Valentines Day last Saturday night. Despite the bad reviews, I actually really enjoyed it... and even though I called who Julia Roberts' character was going to see halfway through the movie... it made me tear up like a lil girl. But I WILL agree that it was character over load, and the Taylors could have been very easily cut out... (it doesnt help that im anti-swift to begin with either!)

All in all it was a wonderful weekend... and now for the only outfit i managed to photograph in four days:

Worn Sun, Feb 14th:

blouse - Dynamite (2010)
"pearls" - Ardene (2006)
skirt - H&M (2009)
tights - Ardene (2009)
heels - BCBG (2009)

today, we mourn the death of a creative genius...

Rest in Peace Alexander McQueen


Source (s)

a cure to my typing ADD?

I'm not going to lie, I will never, ever, ever, get bored of reading blog after blog of all of your creative outfits, ideas, and random stories, but when it comes to writing a blog of my own, my ADD kicks in hard-core. Fortunately for me my ever-wonderful boyfriend, J., is a whiz at computers and managed to get me this fancy voice recognition program and I really don't have to type much at all! I do, however, have to over enunciate everything, and say annoying things like comma, over and over again. But it is super useful for writing 20 page politics papers. You basically just spew your opinion for a little while, and then go back and mass edit, which for me, is much easier than trying to organize my thoughts on paper.

Anyways, this week has been insanely busy trying to get midterm assignment out of the way, and at the same time trying to keep in touch with multiple small business owners in hopes of coercing them to donate to our cocktails for a cause event at the end of the month. Not that I'm complaining, I'm starting to think this may be my calling. Micro managing the details and coordinating various vendors and venues is actually a lot more fun than I would've thought. My OCD seems to come in handy when it comes to event planning. Who would have thought?

And now a few outfits for ya!

Worn Mon, Feb. 8th:

knit cap - H&M (2009)
long sleeved tee - F21 (2009)
silver bangles - Ardene (2006)
knee socks - Ardene (2009)
mary janes - Spring (2009)

Worn Tues, Feb. 9th:

cropped cardigan - Dynamite (2007)
green tee - Dynamite (2008)
necklace - ebay (2008)
jeans - F21 (2009)
boots - Lime Light (2009)

No matter how much i fiddle around with this digital camera, I can't seem to get it to consistently take decent pictures. Oh SLR. How I lust after you.

happy monday!

I figured it was time for some more outfit posts real quick before I head out to class, otherwise I will never catch up!

Worn Mon, Feb. 1st:

blazer - Ricki's (2009)
studded tee - Dynamite (2009)
skinnies - F21 (2009)
boots - Franco Sarto (2009)

This outfit could have used a necklace of some sort.... but i think i look funny in short necklaces... maybe I just need something that's less of a statement and more of a subtle sparkle?

Worn Wed, Feb 3rd:

tee - H&M (2009)
belt - Spring (2009)
necklace - Ebay (2008)
silk skirt - Sympathy for the Rebel ($10, 2010)
cowboy boots- Sympathy for the Rebel (2010)

The majority of this outfit was thrifted and pretty cheap. I have to say I am loving my new found skill, and am super grateful to an abundance of stylish ladies in this online community for showing me how stylish pieces i may never have glanced twice at before can be.
This old time-y bike brooch/pendant came in a random lot of jewelry I bought off ebay ages ago. I definitely learned my lesson though... it was one of maybe 2 nice pieces in a 10 piece set :(

Worn Fri, Feb. 5th:

top - Dynamite (2009)
knit vest - yde (2009)
chandelier necklace - Smart Set (2009)
skinny pants - H&M (2008)
booties - Aldo (2008)

Go Red For Women!
And sadly, this is the only red top I own! I know, I know, colour should be my friend...
but sometimes it scares me! deep jewel tones are about as adventurous as i get most days...

Anyhoo, time for 6 hours of redundant computer systems classes.
At least it gives me time to catch up on my latest gossip mag :)

winter blahs

I've been kind of in a funk lately (and no, not because of Fall Out Boy! lol). I'm sure its a combination of the gray weather, the million projects, and the minor annoyances I've recently had to deal with, and therefore should pass soon... but I would like to speed up the process a bit.

I'm too broke to go shopping anymore, so I've been making some new things lately in hopes of that cheering me up... so we'll see how that turns out!

Worn Sat, Jan 30th:

cardigan-like thing - Costa Blanca (2009)
3/4 tee - Dynamite (2008)
belt - Thrifted (2010)
jeans - Smart Set (2009)

I've decided to start including the year my items were purchased, (which i totally stole from Orchids in Buttonholes!), because i want to keep track of things like how long i own items for, was the purchase worth the price, and all that kinda jazz. A sorta self-study if you will. I try to restrain my nerdiness... I really do.

Oh! and here's what I've been working on so far:

I've been coveting a vintage-feely lace dress for some time now, but the thrift stores in peterborough really don't have the selection those in a larger city might, and anything i find retail-wise is waaaaaay out of my budget. So here's my attempt. I only hope it turns out half as well as Cut & Sew's recent lace number did. I'm STILL lusting after it!

Worn Sun, Jan. 31st:

plaid shirt - yde (2009)
long sleeved tee - F21 (2009)
jeans - Silver (2007)
boots - Thrifted (2008)

And this is just a random outfit from last Sunday when my to-dos involved sewing, sleeping, and hiding from real work.

On a side note, I recently signed up for flickr, as i like the way the photos look a lot better once they've been uploaded... and have no idea how to use the darn thing. I would be grateful for any form of advice!

R.I.P. F.O.B.

An outfit post is coming later, but i needed a place to vent.
Pete Wentz, i am henceforth renouncing my love for you and have conversely decided that I wish you would DIAF you selfish, egotistical, bastard.
The harsh words are not for the fact that you are "bored" with the band and have chosen to leave, but more for the fact that you're an attention seeking whiner and have done so in an incredibly unprofessional manner.
Good day to you sir.

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