Outfit of the Day - The Boho Chic Teacher

Yep, you guessed it! Another teaching outfit... Kmart sent me this beautiful dress as a part of my sample package and I absolutely adore it! As soon as I saw it, I knew it would pair well with the faux-fur coat that I got at a nearby Goodwill on a cold day for an autumnal bohemian look. I added my ever-present (but favourite) tassel bag and my over the knee torrid boots to complete the outfit, as well as some gold accessories. Peter said that I look like a Russian princess. Not sure if he meant it as a compliment or not, lol! My sister in law saw me in this and was petting me, lol! Well, it is nice and cozy and functions well as a warm blanket for when I am napping on the bus on the way in in the morning! What do you guys think?

Coat and belt- Thrifted/Dress - Courtesy of Kmart LYS/Boots - Courtesy of Torrid/Purse - CBX/Necklace - Courtesy of Penningtons/Earrings - Hand-me-downs from my mom

So what do you guys think? Are you partaking in the Faux-Fur trend this season? Do you like my outfit?

Outfit of the Day- The Movies

Hey Guys,

A little while back I went out on a date with Peter to go see a movie. I'd been really wanting to see Woody Allen's new film Midnight in Paris, but I just hadn't gotten around to it. When I noticed it was playing at my local cheap cinema (like $3 a ticket), I decided that I had to go see it before it goes to DVD (especially now that Blockbusters are closing down and there are next to no independent movie rental stores in Mississauga). I'm not sure how I am going to rent the obscure things I like to watch now. They're likely not going to make it onto Rogers On-Demand (please ignore this if you have no idea what I'm talking about - basically it's just a way to order your movies direct to your TV through your cable provider). So I might have to go to an independent rental store in Toronto if there's something that's particularly rare or under-appreciated I want to see. Do any of you Torontonians have suggestions on where I should go?

So anyways, even though we were only going to the movies, I felt like putting on something nice for our little "date night." I always either wear or bring a cardigan with me to the movies because every time I go it's like sub-zero temperatures in there! There are brown patches on the elbows of the sweater that you can't see in these pictures, and which make it look very professorial, which I love in a playful, ironic way.

Cardigan and Necklace- Courtesy of Penningtons/Camisole, Bracelets, and Skirt - Forever 21+/Clutch - Thrifted/Shoes - From Redress NYC (but originally from Target)/Earrings - A gift from my sister (she brought them back for me from her honeymoon in Greece)

Another day at the mall... Browsing again!

Hey Everyone!

So I checked out the Zara in Square One that I was telling you about in the last post. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. Since it was their opening weekend, the store was very busy, and it was virtually impossible to find someone to help me find stuff. Once I did, they weren't very helpful. I explained that I was a blogger interested in trying to find some of the items that they stock that go up to XXL. The employees were not able to identify these garments, and said that if I had the item number, they could look it up in the computer to see if they stock it. It would be great if they could just have a little section of the items that offer extended sizes so that it would be easier for the plus size customer to shop. The shop attendants didn't seem very interested in serving me, although I suppose, in their defence, since it was the opening weekend, it was rather busy. I realized that if I was going to find some or even just one of these elusive garments I was going to have to hunt it down myself. I broke out my handy iPhone and went on Zara's website and filtered down to XXL in the shop by size section. My search for dresses returned four results. Out of the four dresses I looked for, I found only one of the styles (shocking for such a large store), and their largest size was a large. Urgh! It was a frustrating experience to say the least, and if Zara doesn't want my business (or yours), then that's fine. I won't be back unless they make some significant changes. Zara has recently begun offering online shopping for US customers (hopefully they'll extend this courtesy to Canada soon), and perhaps the online shopping experience will be better. I'd love to hear from any of you who have purchased something from them online. I'm not sure I feel comfortable shopping with a retailer who only offers their plus sizes online, though. What, am I not good enough to shop in your store? Can't have the fatties ruining your image, right? What if a skinny shopper sees them?! The horror! If a store is able to produce these garments in these sizes, then they should also extend the same privileges to those who would buy them that they offer to their straight size customers - to actually see, touch, and try on their potential purchases. Sorry if this is rant-y. I was just really excited by the idea that a retailer was actually going to include us for once. Nope... Oh well... Here's the outfit I wore to the mall...

Necklace and Cardigan - Courtesy of Penningtons (I love the elbow patches on it!)/Top - New Look/Jeans - Forever 21+/Shoes - Dorothy Perkins/Bag and Scarf - Thrifted/Earrings - Hand-me-downs from my mom

   

Six Take: Film and Television - Mad Men!

Hey Guys,

It's time for my September six-take post! This month, my fellow bloggers and I decided to interpret the style from each of our favourite fashionable films and television shows. Come on, you knew I was going to pick Mad Men. I absolutely adore the style from Mad Men. The women are so beautiful, and each has their own unique and individual style. While January Jones' character Betty Draper is my favourite, donning indulgent, beautifully full dresses with fitted bodices atop amazingly pouffy petticoats, Christina Hendricks' character Joan Holloway also has amazing style and such voluptuous curves! Her fitted dresses and combination of pencil skirts and colourful blouses give her an enviable style - no wonder she ended up working at Hermes after leaving Stirling Cooper! Elizabeth Moss' character Peggy Olson also has a few outfits that are nice (but, unfortunately, just as many that are awful - I don't think the writers meant for her to be especially fashionable). Even many of the secondary characters, such as Pete's wife Trudy, are the epitome of late 50s and early 60s style, looking absolutely stunning and historically accurate to boot. Janie Bryant, the show's costume designer, is doing a remarkable job ensuring that the women look wonderful and that their style is representative of the era.

Elizabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

Hat and Purse - Thrifted/Dress - Courtesy of Penningtons/Shoes - Penney's (Ireland)/Necklace - Laura/Bangles - Forever 21

 

 

 

 

January Jones as Betty Draper

Dress - Thrifted (I also lopped off the sleeves and added the white trim - it made a world of difference!)/Earrings and Necklace - Thrifted/Shoes - Payless/Bangles - Forever 21/Belt - Taken off a top I got from Dots

Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway

You guys might remember this picture from awhile back, but I felt like it was very Joan Holloway-esque, and thus, re-post worthy. Top - Thrifted/Skirt and Necklace - Forever 21+/Tights - Hue brand from The Bay/Shoes - Dorothy Perkins/Ring - given to my by my mom

Same with this one... It was taken at Lola and Gigi when I visited and showcased their store. This dress is an Anna Scholz

I absolutely adore 1950s and 1960s fashion! So what do you guys think? Do you watch the show? Did I capture Mad Men's style?

Make sure you visit the other lovely six take bloggers to see interpretations of their favourite television series and films!

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

Lane Bryant's New T3 Technology Denim

Hey Guys,

Lane Bryant recently rolled out a new denim collection called T3 (the 3 Ts stand for Tighter Tummy Technology) and they kindly sent me a pair to review! I was super psyched to receive them, since Lane Bryant announced their release at their blogger conference during Full Figured Fashion Week, (which I wrote posts about here, here, here, and here).

I was amazed to find out that the waistband was elastic. You would never be able to tell just from looking at them! On the inside in the front, there is a stretchy black fabric to tame your wobbly bits (should you wish them to appear tamed). A lot of thought and effort has gone into the design of the jeans (trust me, I met the designer and he explained everything), and if you're like me and you have trouble with gaping at the back of the waist, you won't have that in these.

They are a lovely, dark wash, denim, and they are very comfortable. I am about 5'4", and the length of the jeans would be perfect for heels, but I would need to hem them if I wanted to wear flats. They have a nice stretch to them and they keep their shape really well in between washes. The rise of the jean is very high. I guess this helps keep the waist from gaping and with tummy-taming, and rise is totally an issue of preference. I kind of like the high rise because I don't already have a pair of high rise jeans, and it's kind of a fun style to wear with a tucked in blouse and a big belt.

Overall, I think the jeans are great, and they have quickly become a wardrobe staple. I would love to have pairs in different washes (or even black) and also in a lower-cut waist. I hope Lane Bryant continues working on stuff like this. T3 is fantastic. I think Lane Bryant will be sending me a couple of items from their new Cacique Body line (lotions, fragrances, etc) in the next month or so, so keep checking back for a review of that! Also - great news - Lane Bryant will begin shipping internationally in September, so you can get a pair of T3 even if you're not based out of the US!

Here are a couple of pictures of me wearing my Lane Bryant T3 jeans over the past couple of weeks. What do you think?

Jeans - Courtesy of Lane Bryant/Shoes - American Eagle from Payless/Purse - Costa Blanca/Camisole - Forever 21+/Crochet Vest - Dots/Necklace - Dollarama

Jeans - Courtesy of Lane Bryant/Top - Old Navy/Shoes - Target/Earrings and Purse - Thrifted

A Coffee Date with Sarah from Garters and Stockings!

Hey Guys,

I've been a very bad blogger lately! I'm so sorry it's been so long. Peter is on vacation and I'm sort of just in relaxation mode...

Recently, Sarah from the blog Garters and Stockings (formerly La Grande Fille) and I went out for a coffee date. We had a great chat about all sorts of stuff, from fashion to body positivity to blogging and everything in between. It was a great time. We were both also at an event on Sunday hosted by Addition Elle (along with Alison from Round Raglan Road who I featured on here a while back). It was a great event and it involved a bunch of Toronto fashion (both skinny and fat) bloggers styling models with two looks using Addition Elle garments. All of the looks turned out fantastic, but I'm not allowed to share with you until mid-Septemberish. There will be a facebook contest where you vote for your favourite outfit, and the people at Addition Elle want us to wait to reveal our looks because they have to design a facebook app first that will support the contest. I can't wait for you all to see what I put together. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised with what was available for me to work with. Their flagship store on Yonge Street in Toronto is amazing. All I can say is that my looks involved red cheetah, aubergine, and a hooded jacket that will knock your socks off.

Without further ado, here are a few pictures of our coffee date. Stay tuned for a review of a new denim technology offered by Lane Bryant (who will begin offering international shipping in September) in the next couple of days. =D

Pants - Lane Bryant Icon Line by way of Redress NYC/Shoes - Target by way of Redress NYC/Top - Necessary Objects by way of Redress NYC/Bandeau - Dots/Necklace - Forever 21/Earrings, Bracelet, and Purse - Thrifted

OOTD and N: A Really Beautiful Wedding (and what I actually wore to it!)

Hey Everyone!

This past Saturday, Peter and I were invited to the wedding of one of my closest friends! It was such a beautiful wedding. It was held at the Toronto Hunt, and the ceremony was stunning. It was an outdoor ceremony with loads of flowers and it was right in front of the lake. There were a couple of butterflies flying around too. The weather was absolutely perfect for the outdoor ceremony, because it was lovely and warm, but not too sunny, and there was a nice cool breeze coming in off the lake. They had a classical trio playing music before and during the ceremony, and the music was so pretty. Peter and I got the musicians' business card, lol. The officiant was also really great! Sometimes the officiants can rush through ceremonies, but I really felt like all of her words were totally heartfelt and that she was enjoying what she was doing. Fantastic! When the bride, my friend Suzana, came out, she was absolutely breathtaking. She looked totally fantastic. She and her husband Jon are away on their honeymoon enjoying their first day in Paris today! Enjoy, you guys!

For this wedding, I decided to wear a IGIGI dress that's sheer black with a lavender layer underneath. I paired it with some chandelier earrings and a set of shiny black beads. I wore my (relatively comfortable) black heels and carried a vintage hand beaded black clutch which I think is from the 1940s. I decided to wear my hair up, since I always tear up the dance floor and get so hot that I just end up throwing my hair in a messy pony tail anyway... I thought a red lip would go really nicely with the luxurious look of the lace on the dress and the beaded clutch. What do you guys think?

Dress - IGIGI/Necklace - Ardene/Earrings - Forever 21/Shoes - Torrid/Clutch - Thrifted Vintage

Doesn't Peter look handsome? He let me pick out his outfit! I wanted to do his hair too, but he wouldn't let me :(

This is one of my new favourite pictures of the Peter and I. I think it might be frame-worthy!

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