I feel a little like Audrey Hepburn... but it may just be the turtleneck.

Day 3 brought about a whole bunch of unworn pieces! And I got so many compliments :) This cardigan was bought and worn maybe once or twice, don't ask why. The blouse used to be a go-to for dancing with some blinging jewelery, but once I realised how gigantic it made my chest look, I stopped wearing it. The skirt was a purchase a couple months back and never made it into my rotation for some reason.
It's amazing what a little bit of red will do to brighten someone's day!

cardigan - Costa Blanca (2008)
blouse - Guess (2007)
skirt - Jacob (2010)
flats - F21 (2008)

Cropped Vesty Goodness

No fancy, long winded stories today, just some pictures! Today I'm showcasing this lovely cropped knit vest. The proportions are kind of odd, and my boobies are kind of large and it has no closures, so I never think to wear it. That and it serves no real purpose except to be a decorative layering piece. But it's cute, so I can never bring myself to give it away!

vest - Old Navy (2008)
tee - Dynamite (2007)
pants - Gap (2010)
wedges - Aldo (2010)
necklace - Spring (2010)

And lookie what came in the mail today!

Are they keepers?
I dunno... I think i ordered them a size too big and they don't carry them in stores to test them out. Pro? Real leather and super cute! Con? $150, and kind of slouchy... is anyone else seeing the bunching in the leather or is that just my critical eye?

And it begins!

So today is the first day of my Challenge! The first item I'm remixing is this tank top. I bought it AGES ago when I decided I wanted to girly-up my image. I used to skateboard a bit in high school and my style really reflected that - baggy jeans, tees with clever sayings, skate shoes - but about half way through college, and long after I'd given up my board, I decided I wanted to branch out and give the feminine thing a try. It was still a long time before I became partial to skirts, but this dressy tank was a good starting point. It's a black silky material and has gold and silver big embroidered flowers all over it. (I now wish I had a better picture, but perhaps I'll update this post later.)
It's been unworn for the LONGEST time because while I still like looking feminine, I hated the cut. It always showed way too much boobage and has a bubble hem... which kinda makes me look chubs. So to remix & remedy I added another tank underneath and tucked it into a high waisted skirt to get rid of the bubbling.

cardigan - Zara (summer 2010)
tank - Dynamite (2005)
pencil skirt - Smart Set (summer 2010)
mary janes - (spring 2010)
lariat - Dynamite (summer 2010)

Sunday's my Fun-Day, My I Don't Have to Run-Day

Posting the last few outfits before I begin my Challenge...
Not gonna lie, I may have to dip into some donation bags to make it through the week... I've only got about 3 pieces that will be weather appropriate (the majority are fancy knits reserved for the holiday season) so we'll see how this goes.

button down - Smart Set (summer 2010)
cropped trousers - Mexx (summer 2010)
heels - Aldo (summer 2010)

top - Joe Fresh (summer 2010)
skinny jeans - Smart Set (summer 2010)
heels - Spring (summer 2010)

Hope you're all having a fabulous and relaxing weekend!

I'm up to the Challenge!

So the weather channel predicted 27C and sunny today... yeah.. not gonna happen. Way to get my hopes up Mr. Weather Man!
Either way I'm thankful it's Friday. While I'm glad I've been busy, I could definitely use a break and a sleep-in.
Also! I've taken your advice, and next week will be my "Loved & Forgotten Challenge!" I'll be styling outfits around pieces that I fell in love with when I bought, but have been sitting in the back of the closet unworn, and despite my many purges, couldn't bear to part with them (I hope I have enough pieces!). So this weekend I'll catch up with the rest of my outfits from this week and start fresh Monday.
I have to say, I'm pretty excited! Would anyone care to join me in this challenge?

tank - Dynamite (summer 2010)
cardigan - Suzy Shier (2008)
skinnies - Gap (summer 2010)
heels - Spring (summer 2010)

It's also Friend Friday courtesy of ModlyChic!

1. What do you think are some of the top fashion don’ts? Birkenstocks and socks! It took me a while, and I have come to admire the socks/strappy sandals combo and those brave enough to wear it, but please not with your birks.
Also, leggings/tights with tight shirts or tops that don't cover your hips/butt.... it's about proportion.. and honestly, I don't want to see your wedgies & camel toes.

2. What previous fashion don’t do you now wear with pride? Similar to ModlyChic, I love rocking the black and brown! White after labour day, and that whole "blue & green should never be seen"... blue and green look GREAT together!

3. Do you think there is a universal fashion do? Yes, universally flattering is playing with proportion: a fuller skirt, a slimmer top; skinny jeans, somethign with more volume/longer on top. Not everyone looks good in all baggy or all super fitted... unless of course you're a size 0. Then you can wear whatever you want.

4. What items lately, either recently in style or coming in now, do you think should never make it off the retail shelves? I'm actually partial to a lot of the fall trends. But you can see my above comment for my hate of people wearing tights as pants. NOT PANTS!

5. In your opinion, is there any blogger, fashion icon, celebrity who some how manages to pull off some fashion don’ts and still look good? Julia @ SongoftheExile can wear ANYTHING and look good. I swear, if you handed her an old tablecloth she'd find a way to rock it.

Lacking Enthusiasm

I've been feeling very uninspired lately. I definitely don't need to shop more, my closet is over stuffed enough as it is... but I'm getting bored of getting dressed in the mornings... I need something to spice it up... any ideas?

cardigan - BCBG (fall 2009)
dress - Smart Set (summer 2010)
mary janes - Spring (gift, xmas 2009)


Also, has anyone (not living in the US) tried that myUS.com package service? The department stores are so much better, and some designers only ship to US addresses... if it works it could be quite handy :)

Busy, Busy!

I'm finally swamped at work and it feels amazing! I actually get to use the accounting I went to school for and am being CHALLENGED! It's quite wonderful. The morning flew by, and I'm sure I will be able to say the same for the afternoon. Yes, this is because the books are a mess, but I do love a puzzle!

Anyways, I'm almost caught up with my outfit posts! These were worn last Friday and Saturday.
We get to go casual and wear jeans to the office on Friday's (yay!) and a good jean deserves some plaid.
Saturday I went to the zoo, so my outfit was based on comfort and not getting muddy.

plaid shirt - Smart Set (summer 2010)
belt - Smart Set (summer 2010)
skinny jeans - Smart Set (summer 2010)
heels - Spring (summer 2010)

knit vest - Dynamite (spring 2009)
tee - Made by Me (summer 2010)
bf jeans - Guess (summer 2010)
sneakers - Converse (summer 2008)

I don't know what's wrong with the color in this last pic... I guess if I'm not taking outfit photos at 7 in the morning I have no idea what camera settings to use!

Hope everyone's having a good week so far! Looking forward to some Cougar Town tonight!

Too Much TV & My Weekly Money Check-Up!

It's premiere week! I'm such a TV junkie it's ridiculous. While my favorites are all the reality tv shows, I have a weakness for sitcoms... but can you blame me? I'm a child of the 90s! I can't wait for Cougar Town and Modern Family, and those boys from the Big Bang Theory always make me giggle.
Last night though was dancing with the stars. I love how varied the cast is this season. Everyone from Florence Henderson of Brady Bunch fame to The Situation from Jersey Shore. Brandy was absolutely fabulous, and Kyle Massey from the Disney Channel definitely surprised me. Did anyone else notice though how pigeon toed The Situation seems?

Does anyone else have any favorites they're looking forward to?

cardigan - Smart Set (winter 2010)
tank - Dynamite (summer 2010)
cropped trousers - Mexx (summer 2010)
wedges - Aldo (gift, bday 2010)

And since I missed My Pretty Pennies' Weekly Money Check Up Yesterday:

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on a plaid shirt from Smart Set for $30.

2. Today I feel great about money. It's pay day and I got a raise! Go team me!

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was go to the Papanack Zoo with my best friend from high school, Tara & her friends for her 24th bday.

4. I will consider this week a success if I master the new job I'm being assigned at work. Finally a little more of a challenge!

5. The thing I am most looking forward to about this autumn is going to a pumpkin patch and grabbing a few to carve. I've NEVER been, but I think it's a super cute idea.

6. Other frivolous spending I did this week was on the cutest socks ever from Garage for $5, and 2 pairs of shoes from myspringshoes.com for $27, which are both being returned.

Knee Boots to the Office... a Faut Pas?

So I'm not entirely sure how appropriate this outfit is. I couldn't help but whip out the winter boots last week when it was rainy and cold, and these are by far my favorites, but are they a little too sexy for the office? I tried to keep it demure on top to balance it out, but I'm not entirely sure how else to wear these knee high boots. To me they don't look quite right under dress pants, for those I much prefer a heel. What's your verdict?

cardigan - Zara (gift, bday 2010)
sweater - BCBG (summer 2008)
black skinnies - Gap (summer 2010)
boots - Franco Sarto (winter 2009)

I'll be back later with my weekly money check-up!

Girly Men's Wear

This outfit was worn last weekend to do some shopping with my mom. The weather in Ottawa definitely can't make up its mind. It varies from 8C to 28C, which has kind of been making getting dressed a pain in the butt. This was one of those days which was unbearably hot, so the jeans ended up being a bad choice, but oh well. Had I known I definitely would have pulled out some summer favorites, but I'm kind of glad I got to wear this men's shirt I thrifted again. The cinched waist definitely feminizes it, and I like the contrast.

men's shirt - Banana Republic (thrifted 2009)
belt - thrifted (??)
jeans - Smart Set (summer 2010)
heels - Spring (summer 2010)
bag - Aldo (summer 2010)

Friend Friday: Work vs. Blog Wear

Friend Friday from ModlyChic is always an enjoyable read, so I thought I would participate from now on...

1. When it comes to outfit posts on your own blog, be honest are they what you actually wore that day?
Oh yes. Well... usually a day or two earlier as I'm always behind, but definitely worn. That's why they're always so conservative! haha.

2. For a fashion blogger, working in a corporate environment can be tricky. How do you mesh your day job with your personal style choices?
Good question. I love the more artsy-boho-adventurous fashion blogs, but really, it's not me. This corporate classic I wear on an almost daily basis is what feels most "me," so I don't have much of a problem with it. I DO always make sure I'm wearing fabulous heels though. It's the one area I can be somewhat adventurous :)

3. When you get dressed in the morning, do you think what should I wear to work or what should I wear for the blog?
Both. I always have to ask myself, "is this really office appropriate?," but also, "is this interesting enough to post?" Somedays I slack and put somethign very basic together, but most days I like to make sure I cover all my bases, shoes, hair, make up, accessories, so that it remains interesting to the reader.

4. Do professionals you interact with ever make comments about your clothing choices?
Yes, but mostly good things. I work in an office with a lot of older (than me, but not OLD! I love 'em!) ladies and they like to tell me how wonderful my choices are and how it reminds them of things they used to own. Quite a few of them are pretty stylish themselves, and great shoppers, so we're always comparing notes!

5. Some bloggers openly admit to wearing outfits only for the blog post. What's your opinion on that?
Kind of a cheat... I mean, I feel your clothing choices reveal a lot about who you are (call me shallow if you must!) and if you're portraying one person online and another to the public, I feel like you're lying to people who have grown attached to you.
On the other hand, if you reveal you're playing dress up, or you're doing it for a purpose (i.e. a vintage shop or what not, or experimenting bc you're trying to branch out your own style), it's totally justified.

A Conundrum

Another dreary day here in Ottawa. All this rain gives me the notion that it will be a snowy winter. It figures though, we were definitely spoiled last year... I think there were all of three times we recieved substantial snow.
Anyhoo, last night I had a blast shopping with my step mum and cousin Teresa. We went into a couple of stores I'd never ventured into and I purchased a few shirts, but nothing too crazy. My step mum ended up getting the most fabulous suede ankle boots though. Kinda jealous.
This wasn't worn yesterday, but a few days ago.

button down - YDE (spring 2010)
skirt - Mavi (2004)
belt - Thrifted (??)
wedges - Aldo "Mignona" (bday 2010)

This cold weather has me fantasizing about my own new winter boots. I ADORE BOOTS! If you've been following me since last winter, you know I have quite the collection (SO necessary in Canada!), so this winter I've decided I should only be allowed to buy ONE pair... at least only one pair before 2011 :) I don't own either a decent pair of ankle boots (the Dior's don't count as their wearability is minimal, unfortunately, and the other pair was given to me for free), or a pair of over the knee boots... and since OTK's are a little racy for the office, I've settled on ankle boots.... but now to choose!!!

MERCKLING - PHIINMENA - SANDIDGE

EYLENJA - CAMPAGNE - LECAROS

A tough decision, right? So I obviously need your help!

This Cardigan Makes Me Feel Like I Should Go Sailing...

I forgot my lunch at home today which makes me a sad panda (points if you get that reference!). On the positive side though, it gives me lots of time to blog lol.... not that I have anything super interesting going on to blog about. Uhm... OH YES! My Dior suede ankle boots came in the mail yesterday! I won them off ebay and they're soooo pretty! They look like they're probably from the 70's and they're this beautiful shade of emerald green. Unfortunately though they were marked a size 6-6.5, they're a *tad* too small :( But they're DIOR so I'll probably wear them once or twice and then save them for my future daughter.... or pass on the love and sell them. Who knows.

Anyways, here are a few outfits from Thursday/Friday last week... I have some catching up to do, I know!

cardigan - Urban Behaviour (spring 2010)
tee - Smart Set (summer 2010)
jeans - Smart Set (2008)
wedges - Steven by Steve Madden (2009)

tee - Smart Set (summer 2010)
pencil skirt (summer 2010)
heels - Spring (spring 2010)
belt - thrifted (??)
bag - Aldo (summer 2010)
bracelet - Juicy Couture (???)

Happy Hump Day!

Making the Summer Last

I'm trying to get the last bit of wear out of my pretty summer clothes before the weather takes a turn for the worst. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly excited for tights, scarves and stylish new coats, but I'll be sad to pack away a few of my lovelies.

dress - Ella Moss (mine since early spring 2010)
belt - Smart Set (summer 2010)
heels - Aldo (summer 2010)

On another note, I've just been informed that someone has dropped out of J's company golf tournament this weekend, so our trip to Montreal will be postponed yet again. While I'm a little upset, I do realise that this will probably be one of the last times he gets out onto the green this year, so I'm wishing him the best of luck!

Instead I've made plans with my step-mother to hit up the mall tomorrow night, so I'll have to get the shopping but out of my system then. I've made a list of what I'm allowed to spend my money on though, so I won't go nuts. I'll let you know how I make out!

A Lazy Weekend & Tryign to Remain Accountable!

So no Montreal this past weekend. :( The boy had to work on Saturday so we decided to reschedule it to the following weekend, so at least it wasn't cancelled completely! Instead we spent a very lazy weekend at home playing video games, watching movies, and ordering in a pizza.

cardigan - Jacob (gift - xmas 2006)
tee - Smart Set (summer 2010)
black skinnies - GAP (this past weekend! see below!)
wedges - Aldo (gift - bday 2010)

I've come across a way to help me remain accountable to my spending. The questions are ones I should be asking myself every week, so I was pretty thrilled to find it. Questions 1-4 are the same every week, #5 is one created by the check-up's original author, and #6 is one I added for myself. So without further ado:

Weekly Money Check Up via My Pretty Pennies

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on: Pizza for the family ($50), but clothing-wise, super skinny black pants from Gap ($45).

2. Today I feel cheap towards money: i feel broke even though I'm not.... but I know I'll spend a lot next weekend so I'm trying to save!

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was accompany my mother saturday afternoon while she looked for new coffee and end tables. We didn't find anything, but parental bonding is always good times.

4. I will consider this week a success if I don't spend any money frivolously until my potential Montreal trip on the weekend.

5. One of my most memorable birthdays was when I turned 21 which I thought would be uneventful, but my good friends surprised me with 21 cupcakes made into a colorful caterpillar and my best friend who was supposed to be out of town came in unexpectedly to join us for the festivities.

6. Other frivolous spending this week consisted of: 3 tubes of DuWop lipstick on clearance for $5 a piece.

Laced

A photo from last weekend... Went to see a girlfriend I haven't seen since grad back in June. We had an amazing morning with brunch at Cora's and lots of catching up. I don't know what took us so long to get together, especially since she's one of the few that moved back to Ottawa as well. Hopefully it won't be that long before we get back together again.

Also, I LOVE these shoes! I know a lot of people don't like Spring, but how can you beat their clearance prices on trendy pieces? These shoes cost only $13. So what if they only last a season or 2? The trend won't last forever, so who cares if they don't either?

blazer - Ricki's (2009)
sweater - Dynamite (2010)
skinny jeans - Smart Set (2010)
shoes - Spring (2010)
bag - BCBGeneration (2010)

In My Shoes: Guess? Pink Heels

I ended up purchasing these shoes while on vacation with my best friend in Niagara Falls. We randomly wandered into some hole in the wall shoe store and they were the first thing I noticed as soon as I walked in. Who could resist this girly shade of pink? Of course I snatched them up right away, and for $25 they've definitely paid their dues over the years.
Lovingly I've dubbed them my "Barbie Shoes."

Outfits They've Been Worn With...

Hair Rut.

I can't seem to stop yawning today! I'm being such a lazy girl... If only work had a napping area. What a great way to spend a lunch break! Maybe I should start a petition... hmmm.

Anyhoo, I appear to be in a hair rut. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the last hair cut I got. Finding a new stylist sucks after going to someone who knows what your hair can and can't do forever. If I don't end up going to Montreal this weekend with J (as is the plan.. but who knows with his work schedule!) I may find a random spa and take another stab at a perm as I previously mentionned. I mean... how hard is it to screw that up? It just kind of flounces around when it's done.... and it sure beats braiding wet hair a couple nights a week.

lace tee - Suzy Shier (Sum. 2010)
belt - thrifted (2009)
drapey thingie - Winners (Spring 2010)
pants - Gap (Sum. 2010)
nude heels - Aldo (Sum. 2010)

Anyone know of any good salons in Ottawa?

a *meh* kinda outfit

This outfit photo was actually taken before the last one, hence the childish drawings still on my door... I finally covered them last weekend as I find my background incredibly distracting and I live in a neighborhood with too many nosy people to brave outside photoshoots. I know, I'm a huge wuss.

I seriously debated on posting this outfit. Looking back I'm not really a fan, but I figured hey, why not? This blog is to chronicle, the good, the bad AND the ugly. I don't like the way the lining and the top look together, and overall its kind of a bore.. but meh. I DO get to showcase my fab Moos Shoes yet again.

blazer - Ricki's bf blazer (2009)
printed tank - Dynamite (Sum. 2010)
skinny jeans - Smart Set (Sum. 2010)
heels - Aldo (Sum. 2010)

Please ignore the exploding night stand :)