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Forever & Ever? Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:30 PM

Rarely do I venture beyond the accessories section in Forever 21. Whenever I pick up their clothing it feels like it will disintegrate in my hands. However, occassionally I take a peek at their clothing online. Somehow their clothes always looks better on my monitor and I've taken a liking to these two dresses.

Maybe I will go look at them in store. I'm not holding my breath though. If it's like all the other times, the actual item won't live up to its screen image.

Comments (5) | tags: dresses forever 21

Thanks to the super cold weather outside, I decided to stay home and pile on the clothing to stay warm.

Gray turtleneck: Old Navy. Black leggings: Joe Fresh Style. Cardigan: H&M. Scarf: H&M. Fingerless mitts: Urban Outfitters. Slippers: Old Navy.

Starting with a turtleneck and leggings for base, I put on a thick cardigan, wrapped a scarf around my neck, added some fingerless mitts, and dug out my trusty ol' slippers.

These days, I adapt the same sort of idea when I head out; I throw on every article of clothing I can dig out of my closet so I don't freeze. That's the problem with Canadian winters. It's hard to be creative when it's so cold and I always wind up in a rut.

Comments (2) | tags: daily wear h&m joe fresh style old navy urban outfitters winter

It's been a while since I last went thrifting (October 2007 to be more precise) so this afternoon I took a gander at my nearest Value Village.

This time out, I was mostly impressed with the selection of teacups and saucers, but without a place to call my own I set each one back down on the shelf.

Instead I left a store with a $2.99 perfect-for-summer purse and a $3.99 pale yellow dress similar to some I've been staring at lately on eBay.

The dress needs a little bit of work -- the mini shoulder pads have to go. My shoulders are quite straight and broad as it is. Also, I want to see if I can shorten the dress to my knees without ruining the hem.

Comments (11) | tags: bags dresses thrifting value village vintage

Recently I was asked which five magazines I regularly read and which five I wish to read regularly.

After some thought, my answer for the five I regularly read is as follows.

Fashion
I think this one is the best of the mainstream Canadian fashion magazines.

Lula
I run around town searching high and low for every new issue of Lula. Not all the bookstores carry it or sometimes they'll carry one issue, but not the next.

Nylon
I have a subscription so it's hard to not read it regularly!

Teen Vogue
I left my teens many years ago, but I love looking at the styling. Plus it's cheap at $3.50 CAD a pop.

Vogue
Well, they call this the Bible. In all honesty, I prefer the European ones, but this one is the most accessible being in North America (and one of two editions I can actually read).

As for the magazines I wish I read regularly; there's a ton. Many of them are foreign magazines (which I can't read, but like to admire the photos) so they're either hard to find or they're super expensive (Vogue Italia costs $30 CAD). I can only spend so much on magazines a month before my wallet starts crying.

What do you read? Is there anything I should add to my reading list?

Comments (13) | tags: fashion magazine lula magazines nylon vogue

A few things I like from H&M...

I've been trying to locate the yellow cardigan in my size since the end of December, but so far no luck with any of my local H&M stores that carry the trend line.

Comments (6) | tags: h&m spring

Barely a month into winter and already the stores have me thinking about spring clothing.

White tank: Old Navy Kids. Blush tank: Club Monaco. Skirt: H&M. Bow necklace: Forever 21. Pear watch pendant: Marc by Marc Jacobs. Black blouse: Club Monaco. Wide leg jeans: Old Navy.

No shoes in the photos because I want to go sandal shopping. I also need a hair cut.

I wish I was able to keep that blush tank in a medium. It was big enough to be baggy in a good way. Sadly, there was a hole in it and only a size small (pictured above) was left on the rack when I went to exchange it.

Comments (8) | tags: club monaco forever 21 h&m marc by marc jacobs old navy spring

They can look a little creepy, but I love the delicate nature of Stephanie Simek's eyelash necklaces. My favourite is the version with a pair of eyelashes (pictured above), which I've added to my ever growing wish list of things to buy when I have a surplus in funds.

You can visit her etsy shop here: stephaniesimek.etsy.com

Comments (2) | tags: accessories etsy jewellery

Pretty slips have been my obsession ever since watching Blair Waldorf strip down to hers on Gossip Girl.

Urban Outfitters currently has a nice selection of pretty slips. I think I will have to brave the snowy conditions and make a trip down to the store. As much as I would like to stay in my nice warm house and have the guy in the brown uniform show up at my door, the UPS brokerage fee from customs is not worth it.

Comments (9) | tags: gossip girl teevee undergarments urban outfitters

Last night I finished editing a last minute shoot I did with my friend, Tennille, who was home for the holidays in December. She's an actor looking to expand her modeling portfolio. We didn't have a proper concept let alone a stylist or MUA, but I think they came out okay considering the circumstances.

Comments (0) | tags: photo shoots photography

a) I love Kirsten Dunst (though I seem to know a lot of girls who don't).
b) I love the photography of Mert & Marcus.
c) I love the spring collection for Miu Miu.

It's safe to conclude that I love the new Miu Miu ad campaign photographed by Mert & Marcus featuring Kirsten Dunst. More can be seen on the campaign page at the Miu Miu website.

Comments (5) | tags: kirsten dunst mert & marcus miu miu photography

About a year ago, my grandmother promised me her collection of qipaos when she found them. I was excited to receive this piece of family history. My mom told me that when my grandmother lived in Hong Kong the qipao was standard daily wear for her.

When my grandpa was purging all her stuff (see previous post), he luckily didn't get to her trunk until this past week. Inside that trunk were the real gems; clothes ranging from at least the 1960s through to 1988 when she moved to Canada. Now I'm in possession of twenty-one custom-made qipaos by a Shanghainese tailor including five with matching jackets.

Also in that trunk were a couple of cardigans, a blazer, a cashmere blue & black houndstooth coat, and a leather jacket from my grandparents' European travels in the '70s.

I tried on all twenty-one qipaos in one go. Who knew it would be such a work out!

Comments (2) | tags: grandma qipao vintage

Several weeks ago, during one of my weekly lunch dates with my grandpa, he told me he'd just thrown away one of my grandmother's purses similar to the vintage one I was carrying that day.

My heart broke a little upon hearing that and even moreso after he told me he donated eight or nine bags to Salvation Army (a lucky thrifter is now in possession of some Bally shoes). Until then I hadn't realized my grandpa had begun the task of sorting through her belongings after her passing in the spring. I said to him that he should've asked me to be the filter between him and the Salvation Army -- not simply for the material goods, but I wanted bits and pieces of my grandmother.

The following week when I went to his house, he had a present for me.

A Dior clutch my grandpa managed to salvage. After scouring through various hand bag forums, I've managed to conclude it's from the late '70s to early '80s.

Below are two bags my grandmother passed down to me several years ago.

A beat-up Gucci bag that survived a pick pocket knife slashing attempt on the bus when she lived in Hong Kong.

Made in Italy by Lamberti. I can't find any information on the maker. It seems well made though.

I haven't been able to make use of these since I'm a labels on the inside or in a discreet spot kind of person and all three are bags are wallpapered in logos. I carried one once and I felt like a fraud. They live in my closet and I pull them out once in a while because they're pretty to look at.

Comments (3) | tags: bags dior grandma gucci lamberti vintage

While re-watching Funny Face, I was reminded that Richard Avedon had done a fair bit of fashion photography. I'm mostly familiar with his portraiture work -- the black and white full-frame images against a stark white background.

As the end credits began to roll, I googled him. Still in a 1957 mood, I was primarily interested in viewing his earlier work. The photographs above and below range from 1946 - 1965.

I would've liked to see more of his colour work, but could only find two images.

Comments (2) | tags: film photography richard avedon

So...first post. I've never been good at writing a first post or introductory post. Instead I will talk about this photo (the same as the one in the header).

This photo was taken in New York (2005) when I went to visit a friend. While she was at work I played dress-up with her shoe closet. These are her fabulous yellow terry pumps.

When I was a little girl I used to do the same with my mammy's shoes. I guess some things never change.

I know there are a million and one fashion and style related blogs out there. I'm not expecting to contribute anything new -- there are many well-written and well-researched blogs. This is just a place for my (little) thoughts on things I see and hear and stumble across.

Hello and welcome :)

Comments (3) | tags: childhood little thoughts shoes travel

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