Six Take: A Tale of Six Cities (Toronto)

Hey everyone!

Sorry it's been so long since my last post! I've been working on this epic six-take featuring city-inspired style. Since I am from Toronto, and it's such a diverse city (both in population and in terms of its architecture and things to do, I couldn't just take pictures of one place and outfit, so I took inspiration from a number of different locations across Toronto. I've been putting together the outfits and shooting them for over a week! I hope you like it!

Toronto is situated on Lake Ontario, one of the 5 great lakes. The lake is a big part of Toronto culture and recreation, with residents and visitors flocking towards it on hot days. There are loads of beautiful yachts docked along the shore, as boating is a favourite pass-time of Torontonians. I interpreted Toronto's love of the lake with this nautical look.

Hat, Purse, Earrings, Necklace, and some of the Bracelets - Thrifted/Shoes - Penneys (Ireland)/Skirt and Camisole- Ricki's/Tunic - Forever 21+

Another really amazing part of the city is Kensington Market. It's crazy colourful community with lots to see and do. Since it is a market community, there are loads of vendors selling everything from fresh fruit to linens, meat and fish, chocolate, baked goods, and clothing. It is a very socially conscious neighbourhood, so you find a lot of vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, organic, and fair trade options there. There is a street in the community that consists mostly of eco-friendly fashions (more organic and fair trade, and of course, vintage), and I absolutely love getting lost in it on a Sunday afternoon. I interpreted this neighbourhood in my outfit as sort of nouveau-hippie/bohemian chic. 

This car is a project called the "Community Car Reclamation Project." It's an old car that has been totally gutted and has been reclaimed as a street garden. It's permanently "parked" in a municipal parking spot, but the city would never dare to try to remove it because of its significance to the community (not to mention the logistical difficulties of such an undertaking).

Earrings, Purse, and Skirt - Thrifted/Necklace - Dollarama/Top - Dots/Scarf - Costa Blanca/Shoes - Target/Sunglasses - gifted from Kmart/Hat - Domino Dollhouse

Another important part of Toronto that I wanted to highlight (probably because I am there so much) is the University of Toronto. It's my Alma Mater, so I couldn't resist! Many of the buildings on campus have been around since the 1800s, and it's one of the best preserved parts of early Toronto as there were a couple of massive fires around the turn of the century here. It's a beautiful place for a walk, especially on a hot day, since there are loads of shady trees to sit under. These pictures were taken in front of Hart House, which functions sort of like a student centre for U of T students. I interpreted U of T style as sort of preppy - the summer scholar...

Jacket - Thrifted/Shoes - Dorothy Perkins/Purse - a gift from my Dad (tag says Esprit)/Shorts - Dots/Camisole - Forever 21+/Bracelet - Dollarama/Necklace - Gifted from Charming Charlie

St. Lawrence Market is another really fun part of Toronto. The building that houses the market used to be Toronto's city hall (way back when Toronto was still called York). It also functioned as a jail for much of the late 1800s. Today, it is where Torontonians go to get their produce at the Saturday farmer's market and all of their spices, seasonings, meat and fish during the week. On Sundays, it even hosts antique vendors. I interpreted this Toronto site by wearing a fruit themed outfit. I kind of feel like I'm channelling Carmen Miranda a bit here!

Scarf and Clutch - Thrifted/Shorts - Dots/Top - Forever 21/Shoes - Target/Sunglasses - ASOS/Earrings - Etsy store called Bonjour Button

And the last area of Toronto of which I did a style interpretation is the Distillery District. The buildings in this district are some of the best-preserved examples of Victorian-era industrial architecture in the world, and as a result, have been the backdrop for quite a few films set in this era, including Cinderella Man and Chicago. The plant in this area was owned by William Gooderham and James Worts and produced rye-whiskey. In the 1920s, after the decline of the (short lived here in Canada) prohibition, the company was purchased by Harry C. Hatch and was renamed Hiram Walker (who still make Canadian Club). The rye-whiskey was produced at this site until 1990, after which it was converted into "the distillery district" which is now home to loads of trendy restaurants and boutiques, a excellent theatre, and functions as the backdrop to many important art exhibits (including Nuit Blanche). I interpreted this area of Toronto into my style by trying to emulate the style of the roaring twenties, just after the distillery was purchased by Harry Hatch and prohibition had ended.

Dress - Penningtons - Shoes - Redress NYC via Target/Purse - Gifted from Jessica at Chic in Every City (she's awesome) by Simply Be/Hat - Thrifted/Necklace - Garage Sale

So, lovelies, what do you think of my city and my style?

Make sure to visit all the other wonderful bloggers participating in this take of six cities!

Jessica - Too Many Sequins - Australia

Sarah - Queen Sized Flava - Montreal, Canada

Rikke - Sticky Sweet Danish - Copenhagen, Denmark

Yoli - Diva in Deep Thought - Baltimore, USA

Jessica - Chic in Every City - Philadelphia, USA

Conference Day Two Outfit

Hey Guys!

So this is the outfit I wore on conference day two. People were still talking about my paper in sessions this day, which I was really happy about. I hadn't realized exactly how well it had gone until this happened, because it means my paper was memorable. I was so happy. When I look at the pictures of this outfit, it seems like something just didn't translate in the pictures... I think it looks like I needed a bit more colour. It looked better in person, though. I got like 5 compliments on this outfit. It seems like people in the US are like, a bit more outgoing, or something. People would just start conversations with me in a restaurant or store. Kinda cool. I changed shoes later in the day to a pair of teal sandals, which I think worked a bit better. It was so hot in Kalamazoo. It was like 30 degrees this day, with a humidex of 40! And it was always raining. There was even a tornado shelter in the building I was presenting in. It was a great conference with so many wonderful papers. I had a great time. I have pictures of one more outfit from the conference, which I will post in the next couple of days. What do you guys think?

Dress - Dots/Shoes - Torrid/Purse - Costa Blanca/Headband - Forever 21/Earrings - Etsy store called Bonjour Button/Bracelet - Dollarama/Necklace - Ardene

Swimsuit Season

Hey Everyone!

Since Spring is around the corner, I thought I would write a bit about the swimsuit, the plus-girl's most dreaded nemesis! Shopping for a swimsuit after months of wearing less-fitted winter wear can send anyone screaming out of the changeroom, but with a few tips and tricks, the experience doesn't have to be so harrowing! A number of manufacturers have discovered that the plus swimsuit doesn't need to have an attached knee length skirt (thank god) so there are a number of options available now that won't make you look like you're 70. So lose those hideous beach wraps and swim skirts in favour of these more fashionable options!

A suit with ruching/shirring down the sides will usually be very flattering for most women because (as opposed to a smooth, tight fabric) it helps to hide any bumps or bulges around the tummy aread that you don't want to highlight. One good example of a suit like this is Lane Bryant's Retro Polka Dot Shirred Swimsuit:

This suit comes in black, passion flower (purple), and polka dot (shown above). The black and purple colours are $99.95 and the polka dot pattern suit is $119.95. Another example of a ruched suit is Addition Elle's One Piece Control With Ruching:

It's a little less exciting than Lane Bryant's, which has a retro appeal to it, but if you're not interested in cross-border shopping trips, and you want to try your suit on before you buy it (especially since swimwear is typically final sale), this one from Addition Elle is a good alternative. It retails for $99.99.

For those who have larger hips (like myself) it can help to choose a suit that draws attention upwards (no, not like that! The right sort of attention...) So picking a suit that has most of its detail at the top will flatter you. One example of this is this stunning swimwear piece by Monif C.

The exposed shoulder and the ruffle draws the attention upwards and the adjustable ties with gold beads at the leg allow you to control how much coverage you get. This suit also has a removable strap for the left shoulder in case you fear a wardrobe malfunction while in the water! This suit also comes in black. Either colour costs $118.00

If you're looking for a bit of youthful flair in the form of cool patterns with a good fit, look no further than Torrid's swim collection. Ranging from $34 (for swimwear bottoms) to $78 (for their most expensive one-piece) their swimwear pieces are more affordable than the other options I've featured above. Their collection this season seems to feature a lot of halters. Here are a couple of their best suits:

 

Zebra One Piece Halter with Skirt - $68

Paisley One Piece Halter - $68

A very under-represented swimsuit in the Plus Size fashion world is the bikini. Yes, you read that correctly - the bikini. The bikini can be worn by the plus size woman, and worn well - you just need to find the right one! There are a number of retro inspired bikinis out there available in plus sizes for the more daring consumer - and they are designed to flatter. Here's one I found that can be made to measure. The bottoms are high waisted so you get more coverage, but still get to show off some skin!

 

This one's a little pricier than the others I've posted at $150, but since it can be made to order, you know the fit will be perfect and it's a beautiful choice! This suit is available to order online from Revamp.

Retro (1950s-ish) swimsuits are often a good option for plus size women because they provide plenty of coverage (if you want it) and they make a bold fashion statement. The website Etsy has so many beautiful plus size vintage inspired suits, because all of their items are handmade and some can even be custom-ordered. Here are a couple of my favourites:

 

Available at Etsy for $85

Available at Etsy for $150

I can't wait for the weather to get warmer so I can get out there in the sun! Happy swimsuit shopping!

UPDATE: Monif C. has a new line of plus size swimsuits that has just come out. Lola and Gigi in Toronto are planning on carrying a selection of them. I just love the hot pink one! ASOS Curve also has a small selection of suits that are very reasonably priced. (Please remember that ASOS Curve is a UK retailer - and they offer FREE shipping to Canada, which is awesome, but you have to order 4 sizes larger than you would at a North American retailer, as a Canadian size 16 is a British 20). Their sale section is also fantabulous. Check these out!