They were a big Christmas/Birthday present from my mom (my Birthday is in Early Feb.) They are warm and cosy, but also tough, resiliant and kick ass. With a warm pair of socks, they pretty much stomp on the heads of those (admittedly practical, but sorta fugly) sorels that everyone’s been wearing this year. And they’re going to last forever and look more and more amazing as they get broken in. As a bonus I feel like a superhero in the things.
It was also a Christmas present (we found it for mega sale at Winners!). It is exactly what I wanted and I was surprised to stumble across it for such a reasonable price. It is a warm little wrapper of a coat that looks like sophisticated trench on the outside, but is actually kinda sporty and functional on the inside. Best of both worlds! It’s even pretty aptly named – If you enjoy swanning about in a moody, foggy, pre-war, noir-ish fashion. And I do.
After a summer spent walking and swimming whenever possible, I pretty much lazed around all fall, and I felt icky for it. When both my sister and my brother’s girlfriend got Wii fitness games for Christmas, I started seriously considering the possibilities of using that cute little white box as a legitimate fitness tool. So I did a little research and decided to make Liam take me out and buy me my Birthday present early – in the form of these two games.
So, are they a real workout?
Yes, Definitely.
I am sore in all the right places after playing them, especially the EA game. While the resistance band that comes with the game is a little wimpy, as are the warmups, I am definitely feeling the burn, as it were. You don’t get too bored, as there’s a different balanced workout everyday. You can set it to whatever level of activity you feel you’re able to handle, and it’s not judgey (unlike the Wii Fit), just encouraging. Which is really the best part. It makes it really easy to set up a schedule, and follow through with working out everyday.
It is, however, still working out. You will sweat. You will get sore. You will not forget that you’re working out. It’s fun, yeah, but not as much fun as playing a traditional video game. Although you do get to do it from the comfort of your own home.
Gold’s Gym is just a fun cardio boxing game that’s a good addition to Sports Active when you’re getting bored with the more traditional workout it offers. Punching stuff is fun. Period.
A slowcooker.
My mom got this slowcooker magazine/cookbook for Christmas in her stocking and I drooled all over it. We didn’t have a slowcooker, but thankfully they are cheap things to own. We found a cute one for 25 bucks, bought our own copy of the cookbook and have cooked our way through the thing, and every dish has been delish. Seriously, I have seldom used a cookbook so thoroughly, and I have a HUGE cookbook collection. Highly, highly recommended. Plus, I am totally won over by this whole “slowcooker” thing. It’s so cozy to have yumminess stewing in the house all day during these long, cold days.
Yeah, this is just a cheap drugstore lotion. But it is also MAGIC. My skin went insane this winter with this crazy eczema thing, and nothing, NOTHING made it feel better. It was literally like wearing tight leather gloves made of my own skin on top of my hands and it was peely and bumpy, and euuuuuuuuughhhhh sooooooo gross and uncomfortable. I tried EVERYTHING. Mostly organic and natural remedies.
I finally got a sample of this stuff in a magazine, and thought why not? Things couldn’t possibly get any worse. Things didn’t get worse. They got better. My ouchies magically went away. Poof!
So I ran out and got a bottle and things have been hunky dory and super soft ever since.
Yesterday, we took a little wedding related day-trip. We went to Guelph to visit the Biltmore hat company – one of the last places in North America still making gentlemen’s hats the old fashioned way, and have been doing so since World War One.
We went to the factory outlet there, and got a pretty good deal on a beautiful little pork-pie for Liam’s wedding ensemble. In case you were wondering (and I just know you were) Liam is a 7 and 1/8 hat size.
While we were there we also tried on various fedoras, trilbys, bowlers, ten-gallons, newsboys, and boaters! Fun!
I wanted something a little more nerdy, but also sophisticated, and I think I achieved that.
I went all the way to the crazy, gigantic, asian mall here (also known as Pacific Mall) to find them, as I heard from a fellow blogger that there was a good little glasses kiosk there.
The frames I found are by SALT – which is apparently a very trendy california company whose styles are worn by all the celebrities. I just liked that they were a sturdy, classic design, made of a funky, gradated, grey plastic (I’m a sucker for flashy, layered plastics).
I went to a costume sale last weekend where a bunch of vintage clothing sellers, and movie costumers were selling off old stock. I expected to find a few wedding related bargains, and boy, did I ever!
I came home with a lovely old antique kimono that I’m going to wear when I get ready – vintage boudoir style! It is bright green, with pink lotus flowers painted on it, and a bright pink silk trim on the inside, that coyly peeks out (it doesn’t seem to photograph so well, unfortunately – at least not with my crappy little iPhone camera!). It’s much brighter than I originally pictured, but I’m a pretty bright person, and it matches my bedroom – so I think I could probably hang it up in there as art when I’m not wearing it (double score!).
It was – get this – 30 bucks! And it’s real, direct from Japan! The idea of vintage clothing – clothing someone else wore once – sometimes creeps me out a little, but I love the idea that some little Japanese girl once wore my kimono – maybe to a happy picnic under cherry blossoms!
I still need to figure out some sort of belt for it – I was thinking of going a non traditional route and buying one of those metallic bow belts from American Apparel. But if I find an more appropriate obi-like solution, I might go in that direction too.
I bought the May 2006 issue of British Vogue while I was stuck at the airport during a particularly nasty lightning storm, waiting for my mother in law to arrive. I used to read British Vogue all the time, as it’s editorial attitude was much more fun than American Vogues (that changed soon after – now they’re largely the same, unfortunately).
But this issue.
I picked it up particularly for a certain photo-shoot inside:
It drew me in. It captivated me. I loved it. I had to have it (even for rather expensive import magazine price of ten dollars!).
A few days ago a fellow blogger posted a few scans of it online (click through the image to see more) and I was reminded of it’s vibrant beauty – and realized that some percentage of the inspiration for my wedding was sublimated somehow from it – even though I had forgotten about it. That whimsical, faded, colorful, thirties thing? Well that could certainly also describe my wedding.
And it’s made me decide, that I think I’m going to need to have balloons, certainly.
I was worried they’d look a bit like a kids birthday party, but this has proved to me that the can instead look quite, well… couture.
I’ve been meaning to post a review of my lovely Moop bag for, pretty much ever (I even took pictures – note the Christmas tree in the background).
After a (literally) lifetime long search for the perfect bag, I think I finally found it. It’s the “tote” from Moop.
Most bags these days are way too big, shoddily made, ridiculously bedazzled, horrifying coloured, and slide right off your shoulder. Darn females and their eschewing practicality for fashion!
Anyways, this bag is none of these things. It’s pretty much perfect. Well made, functional and design – as opposed to fashion – oriented. Because it’s practical instead of trendy, I think I’m going to be able to use it for years to come. But it’s stylish too, I think, in a industrial, utilitarian kinda way.
Best of all, it has all these wonderful little organizational pockets on the inside – one for your wallet, one for your cellphone, one for a pen, one for a book, one for a notebook, and a little ring to clip your keys on.
The attention to detail is really quite amazing – all the seams are reinforced, all the hardware is coordinated, the cell phone pocket even fits my iPhone like a glove!
The added practicality of having tote straps in a addition to an over the shoulder strap – well, it’s genius, really. It makes grabbing it on the go super simple, but taking it out for a hike or long day on public transportion just as do-able.
My only recommendation would be that if you get something in the corded canvas, it picks up a bit of cat hair. I got black, and I have kitties with white fur – I should have gotten gray, but I’m digging black these days. So I’ve resigned myself to a lifetime of lint rolling.
Other than that, it’s held up pretty darn well to regular use for the past few months. It still looks brand new (minus the cat hair).
At this point, being the person that I am, I’ve pretty much thought out every detail of the wedding (if not outright planned it all). We could pretty much have the wedding next month, if we wanted to (and we don’t – February is not a particularly pleasant time of year).
LIam, on the other hand, is not as organized (some might say: crazy) about these things, so I decided to get going on a file full of pretty images to inspire his celebratory attire. We both kinda know what we want, but needed a good starting place to get the ball rolling.
The overall look we’re going could best be described as collegiate dandy: Think nineteen-thirties Ivy League or Oxford student attending a summer dance.
It is a nod to our love of period literature and movies (particularly of the inter-war period), as well as Liam’s general enthusiasm for fashions of the dapper, but manly variety. We’re planning on using some vintage pieces, but trying to do it all in a modern way – so as to not look too costumey.
(from left to right)
Vintage 30’s haberdashery illustration
Via: the Fedora lounge. Which is pretty much what it sounds like – a message board for vintage, golden-age, fashion-geeks and fedora-enthusiasts.
Specifically, one Bertie Wooster as portrayed by one Hugh Laurie.
Wodehouse is one of our favourite authors, Bertie is one of our favourite characters, and Laurie (along with a certain Mr. S. Fry) is one of our favourite actors. Liam and I have even named our X-Box live accounts after Wodehouse characters (Gus Finknottle, and Bobby Wickham, respectively).
You would not believe how hard it is to find a good sweater vest in this day and age.
Of course, when looking for duds of a snazzy variety, Ben Sherman is always a good place to look, they seem to always have a few teddy boy inspired selections. I think something like this will look quite nice under a summer weight jacket, over a vintage tie.
The aforementioned Mr. Bass of Gossip Girl. He dresses well for a young lad, no?
Beyond being quite stylish, he is a similar height, build, and colouring to Liam, so rather handily, fashions that look good on him will likely look good on Liam…
Though maybe a little less pink and purple. I think dear Chuck is the only male on the planet who can carry those particular colours.
I’m pretty sure an ensemble like this requires some sort of hat – preferably worn jauntily. Pork pies are a little too nefarious, and proper fedoras are a little too slick. A slouchy fedora is the perfect combination of nonchalance with a touch of rakishness.
Biltmore makes brand new, vintage style hats, in lots of colours and styles. Best of all? They’re made relatively locally (in Guelph, actually). This is a major score.
Liam’s very worried that, whatever ring he gets, he will either lose it, or ruin it. This makes titanium a good option in either case – titanium rings are virtually indestructible, and relatively inexpensive.
I like that this ring has a touch of rose gold in it to reference my ring – and of course, it’s an etsy find, which I also like.
Shoe option #1: Cute, hi-top, boot-like sneakers are both stylish and practical – they’ll be really comfortable on the big day and once that’s done with Liam can keep wearing them. They’re made by a company that has been around since the thirties, and reissues their old styles so they’ve got that old fashioned look to them – but the idea of sneakers at a wedding is totally fresh and modern.
I’ve been thinking of working a vintage look – something thirties era – at the wedding. It’s been a really long time since I played around with makeup, and I figure this is as good excuse as any to get back on the bandwagon.
It’s pretty much as tricky as it looks, so I’ve started practicing already – liquid liner swoops and perfect, ruby-red, bow lips are not exactly for the feint of heart!
Thankfully, I ran across these handy little video tutorials – this one is especially appropriate for the look I’m going for – but there’s one for every era and occasion, from Marie Antoinette to flapper. They’re super cute, and the makeup artist has this sweet and soothing Aussie accent – she makes it all sound easy!
P.S. I’m thinking in investing in some of these swanky, vintage inspired cosmetics by Besame. Aren’t they perfect!
So, you know my favourite designer? The one I can’t afford, but drooled over at the flagship store in Covent Garden? Orla Kiely?
One word:
Target.
It may be more melamine plates and acrylic mugs than fair-isle sweaters and leather messenger bags, but it’s something (my fingers are double-crossed for a future GO International collaboration, though).
Weddings seem to be all about lace and pearls and all manner of frippery, and for those of us who weren’t all that into the girly stuff to begin with, it can start to feel pretty suffocating:
Frankly, drowned in a sea of pink roses and satin ruffles is not exactly the way I want to go out.
What about the kind of girl who prefers typography over calligraphy, functional over fussy, prosecco over champagne, thank you very much? For the unfussy, design minded bride, it can seem like there aren’t a lot of options.
It takes a little time and effort (although if you’ve ever spent a day kerning letters that’s not really a problem for you) but options, they can be found. So thank your lucky stars for Etsy, and the fact that, going for the unexpected and original is massively, makes you spit your celebratory prosecco out, affordable.
These little wooden dolls are adorable cake toppers – personal, but modern, in a clean-lined Scandinavian sort of way.
Even though wedding toppers are perhaps, a little old-fashioned, and a bit of a silly indulgence, I really love them because I think personal ones are an awesome keepsake to remember your day. A little statue of you and your boy in your finest sitting on the mantle is a much more unique than the ubiquitous, over-sized, wedding portrait.
This dress is just plain gorgeous and that’s the bottom line. A wedding custom dress, in your size, for that price? Even more amazing.
It’s white and it’s satin, and it’s got ruffles – so no ones’ going to think you’re a guest at your own wedding – but it does all of those things in a way which is fresh, clean, modern and just a little unconventional. It’s a dress that does everything the best graphic design should do – it expresses itself in a precise but intriguing way.
If you’re a designer, you probably find it a lot of fun to play around with, and subvert cliches, and the pearl necklace at the wedding certainly is one.
This handmade piece brings a certain, unexpected, industrial, edge to the old-standby, and I love it.
This is by the gal who did my engagement ring (and wedding band), and can I say?
Genius.
If I were a little more gutsy, I totally would have gone for something like this. It’s completely the opposite of what’s expected (a black diamond? Up-side down? Whaaaaat?) but gorgeous. Your friends will work themselves into a tizzy when the see it (PS: Black diamonds are dirt cheap, so you can rock something the size of a babies fist for the same price as somebody else’s boringly tasteful ring).
P.S. I avoided the whole invitations quagmire, because I’m thinking this bride has already got that down. This bride’s already got a signature typeface and monogram picked out, and knows her cardstock will be a pale blue Strathmore watercolour paper, and could also tell you the paper weight and envelope size, if asked. She does not need help with graphic design projects.
I tend to swoon over adorable, high-end childrens magazines. This one is free and on the internet, so I don’t have to feel weird about paying money for a magazine about something I don’t have (yet).
And really, I would wear every last outfit in there if they made it adult sizes. There is some gorgeous, swoon-worthy stuff. Check it out.
It’s a pumpkiny season, and there is a bumper crop of squashes out there to be scooped up at discounted prices, so a New York Times collection of pumpkin based recipes is pretty timely. Plus, pumpkins are delicous.
Ombre is pretty. Crafts are fun. These pretty and fun ombre crafts live in that unique Martha Stewart universe where crafty projects end up looking high end, and elegant. You know, as opposed our own dimension where the words “Crafty” and “Elegant” are often mutually exclusive.
Karen over at Say It With Pie has long sung the praises of these hand made, artisinal undies. They went on sale, so I finally broke down and bought a set – a days of the weeks set, to be specific – because who doesn’t love an adorable days of the weeks set of underwear? And they’re typographic underwear, no less! Monday is Cooper Black!
Karen says, on top of being really cute, they last forever, and are super comfy. So far I’ve already found the latter to be inordinately true. These things are heaven. Plus, I am strongly behind any operation that simply does not believe in thongs. Sing it, sister.
A great sounding mineral makeup company. Vegan, enviromentally friendly, super inexpensive, safe for sensitive skin, tons of colours, cute packaging… Need I say more? Oh, ok then, there are free samples to be had (free! I know!). Go. Run. Get some.
An amazing sounding diner cooking hardcore American comfort foods – but always with a twist. There are over 900 menu items! This place sounds like priority number one for when we finally make it to NYC. The cookbook sounds amazing too.
I’ve been looking for a cute bag for a long time, and I’ve finally narrowed it down to a Moop duffel in black. The bag is sturdy, has lots of pockets and is water resistant, the companies run by an awesome lady, and everything is environmentally friendly, handmade and designed from scratch. What can’t you find on Etsy?
I’m pretty proud that I was one of the first people to discover it, way back in the spring of oh-seven when it premiered on AMC (before that if you count me salivating over the ads). To be fair, a show made by the classic movie channel set in an early sixties advertising firm surrounded by vintage office equipment, mid-century furniture, fabulous fashions, saturated colours, excellent writing, and some very good actors (including former cast members of pretty much all my favourite TV shows and movies, ever) combines ALL of my favourite things in the universe into one beautiful little package – wrapped up in ribbons and bows like a present just for me.
I just added him as a flickr friend. He’s so web 2.0!
I would also like an Obama 08 t-shirt at some point, because I think his campaign logo (you know, the O with the swoop?) is some of the sexiest logo design I have ever seen. I like this version, in particular (but for the record, I also like this one, which has nothing to do with politics, it’s just super cute).
Gah. I wish I was American so I could vote in their exciting, history making election instead of our boring, boring, boring and depressing one.
Stephen and Stephane’s respective charisma combined couldn’t match the charisma found in Obama’s left pinkie.
Well, we’re still pretty busy ’round here, especially since we are leaving for a bit of vacation soon (nothing too exciting, just returning to Liam’s hometown for a week to attend one of his oldest friend’s wedding).
We spent the other night on the set of a TV show, which was pretty cool. Even cooler was seeing a good friend, an old friend, take charge and kick ass like the awesome producer she is.
Sometimes it seems like just yesterday that I was just a kid, and now my friends are lawyers, and producers and doctors. It’s weird to know real, live, important grown ups. It means I must be one myself (scary).
Anyway, I might try apprenticing on set in the art department – which has always been one of my (admittedly many) dreams. I even took a course or two in set design.
Talk turned to the completely unglamorous work that goes on behind the scenes of these things, and it was mentioned that one should be prepared to get covered in all manner of messes at this particular shoot.
Of course, only I would turn that conversation into an opportunity to wear a cute outfit… But of course I did.
People are always surprised to find that I have no fear of getting messy – but you can’t do things like art or cooking or gardening without getting a little dirt under your nails, a little flour on your collar and a little paint in your hair.
You just have to prepare yourself for a mess – and that includes wearing proper attire.
So at the moment, I’m dreaming of cute kerchiefs and cuffed coveralls, worn Rosie the Riveter style. Something like this gorgeous little pic from this months Marie Claire (found via Jezebel, of course):
Which is probably more the route I’ll take. Particularly the scrounging thrift and surplus stores for a deal part – because I’d rather not get cement, and mud, and wood glue, and paint all over something I paid more than twenty bucks for. It’s kinda the point of wearing coveralls in the first place.
This is the best outfit I have ever seen on a celebrity (Lily Allen, BTW).
Pink!
Turquoise!
Sparkles!
Bambi!
Who’s her stylist? Hello Kitty?
It’s all sooooo cute! If i had gotten married at the age of 11, I probably would have worn exactly that, pink hair and all. Actually, I will probably still wear something like that when I do get married in the next couple years. I just can’t help it, when I see vibrant pastels like that all in one place, it just makes me happy. It must take me back to some childhood place where Rainbow Brite and Jem and the Holograms still scamper about.
Also adorable: the apology she put on her blog for gettting drunk that night
And I Quote:
“Last time I wrote here, I was defending my honor and dignity, explaining my innocence and also outrage at the press for insinuating my behaviour was embarrassing. This time I’m putting my hands up, I got very drunk last night, too drunk. It’s not cool getting that drunk, I feel awful and I have to thank my little brother Alf for getting me home safely.
Kids, drink responsibly or you’ll end up looking like this, not pretty! Was quite fun though, from what I can remember. Need fry up now.”
I’ve been looking for a new bag for pretty much ever. The one I use all the time right now is an army surplus looking messenger I got from the mens department at the gap for four bucks 7 years ago (that’s pre Liam).
I like it cause it’s rugged, but minimalist and it’s ballistic nylon stands up to anything and is neutral enough to go with most outfits – but it also is rough and eats into (and ruins) my t-shirts, has no pockets on the inside, and no zipper or proper closure at the top (which is imperative when traveling to pick-pockety tourist areas – which I would like to do from time time).
Plus, it’s wicked old, and I’m kinda sick of it.
So, I’ve been searching, and searching, and searching… It seems everything out there is either ridiculously oversized and impractical, covered in patent leather tassels, or just plain butch and sporty.
I would like to have a choice other than Carrie Bradshaw, Harajuku Girl and Soccer Mom, please and thank you – normal human being who has to carry stuff around when she goes out would be nice.
I was leaning towards this little baby. It’s just old fashioned and rustic enough for my tastes. It’s kind of Indiana Jones meets Gossip Girl.
But then. I stumbled upon these little wonders (a bag AND shoes that match).
I (as previously discussed) hate purple, but I will make an exception for these beautiful little babies (I will probably end up wussing out and getting them in neutral brown instead though).
The bag can be found here. The shoes can be found here.
They are both made by relatively small companies. The bag is even made by a company that has a commitment to being green, and not sending things out to sweatshops. Yay to that, and it’s neat, guitar-strap strap.
The shoes (even though I was not looking for them) are a particularly good find I think. I feel like they’re the kind of thing that Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby would have worn. They’re totally a 1920’s version of sporty sneakers (you know, with super-practical platform heels and shantung silk).
This colour co-ordination happened mostly by accident.
Although (as lame as I know it is to be matchy-matchy in this day and age) it makes me kinda happy when my wellies match my clutch, if you know what I’m saying (who do I think I am, the queen?).
By the way, this picture also pretty much encapsulates everything I love about spring.
Ok, so I don’t normally talk about this sorta thing here but:
a) She might belong to a cult, but did Katie Holmes not look smokingly gorgeous here? Yes. I believe she did.
b) Would I not (with my admittedly chunkier build, but exact same texture and colour of hair) look similarly smokingly gorgeous in a similar haircut? Yes, I think so too.
If you like Wes Anderson you will love it. If you consider yourself to be a student of cinema and literature you will love it’s depth and elegance (although if Hollywood movies and best-selling books are more your thing you might not). If you’re looking for a bit of a visual boost, some eye candy to jangle your creativity, it’s perfect too. If you’re looking for inspiration for decorating your home, then this is the movie to see this season.
The India depicted is (like in most Anderson movies) not so much of the present, or even of the past, but one of dreams captured cinematically. The set pieces and locales are astonishing – everything is drenched in a vibrant, fairy-tale exoticism. However, it’s not quite as much of a fashion flick as other Wes Anderson movies have been – despite the help of Mark Jacobs and a large set of absolutely divine Louis Vuiton luggage.
I found this poster for it, and it’s a bit of a odd find as it depicts only Natalie Portman and a tiger. While both are certainly in the movie, they do not appear as more than spoken-of-mirages, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos. But I do absolutely love it’s retro illustrative style, reminiscent of mid-sixties movie posters. It certainly hints to the mystery and style of the movie.
Script-wise, Anderson is back to form – recalling his first (and most critically acclaimed) film: Bottle Rocket.
Anderson’s trio of brothers are, though a return to a familiar subject of disaffected families, one of his most emotionally interesting depictions. Although he does receive a lot of help from his always impeccable casting.
Brody? Schwartzman? Wilson? You can’t go wrong
I’m really hoping that he never collaborates with that Noah Baumbach ever again. I actually quite like Roman Coppola (his CQ was entirely underrated) so I think he was a much better choice as a collaborator than that other guy. They certainly share a certain retro, new-wave, colour-drenched sensibility. I could tell he added a lot of sparkle and elegance to the cinematography and script – but then again, it’s well established that I have a thing for the Coppola family.
Speaking of which, Jason Schwartzman is also quite effective here – I think it’s his sense of humour which most comes out in both his performance and the script (which he also co-wrote), bringing levity to Wes Andersons darker inclinations. .
Here’s also hoping Owen Wilson never succeeds in his recently publicized attempts, because he is a woefully wonderful actor who adds so much undertones and depth to a performance – but damned if doesn’t ever get to show it except for in Wes Anderson movies.
the Sis on 