Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag

So … the title is kinda self-explanatory but, yes, I got a new bag — a vintage, 2-series Chanel maxi single flap bag, to be exact — and I couldn’t be happier. Those of you who remember my reservations about my old Chanel bag might be surprised. After much careful consideration, I realized that my biggest issue with it was its size; it was simply too small for my everyday needs. The timing of my decision to sell it was fortuitous, since it meant that I was able to buy this larger version when I came across it in a local vintage shop (Swish boutique, Manulife Place). The size of this vintage maxi is perfect, as is the slightly longer chain strap length; I also rather like the larger double C lock closure. My only initial hesitation had to do with the colour, as I wasn’t sure if this caramel shade would be as versatile as black. I’m glad I got it anyway, because I do think I’ll get lots of use of out it — certainly more than my previous Chanel.

For its inaugural wear, I paired it with one of my favourite dresses, worn here as a skirt. I love throwing on a plain black sweater over a dress, because it’s a simple but effective outfit and it doubles the versatility of the dress. I also added some brooch bling, because that is how this magpie rolls. I found the larger of the two pieces at Goodwill, and it’s precisely the sort of rhinestone extravaganza I cannot resist. There is something about aurora borealis rhinestones, in particular, that just gets me every time. The smaller piece is actually a clip earring. I was originally going to use a safety pin to attach it to my sweater, but ultimately decided to just clip it to the edge instead; I liked the resulting placement better. I’m always looking for new and fun ways to get more use out of all my vintage pieces, so if you have some ideas, hit me up in the comments.

In Wonderland 

Dress, Allison Wonderland (thrifted)
Dress, Allison Wonderland (thrifted)
I know I am by no means unique in this, but I have been low-key obsessed with Alice in Wonderland for many years. I am not precisely sure why. When I was little, it was my fiercest wish to have long, blonde hair; paired with my fondness for Alice’s sartorial choices (that blue dress is on point, is all I’m saying) and admiration for her undefatigable curiosity, perhaps that explains the obsession. Perhaps not. That is actually neither here nor there; the point is that I was instantly sold on this dress because the brand label said Allison Wonderland.

To be fair, the dress itsef is aces.

blazer, J. Crew Factory; bag, YSL
blazer, J. Crew Factory; bag, YSL
I blazered up for work (as you can see), but I’m going to post a bazillion blazer-less photos because this dress is worth admiring. It fits like a dream, which is actually a fairly tall order when you consider its silhouette; scratch that. It doesn’t just fit like a dream, it flatters like a dream too. I assure you, I’m not wasp-waisted. This dress makes it look like I am, while at the same time being insanely comfortable to wear. It’s practically magic!

i call it ... the optical illusion dress
i call it … the optical illusion dress

looks good from the back too
looks good from the back too
I almost feel guilty telling you that I paid a whopping $8 for this dress … but well, I am anyway. Edmonton peeps, this is what your thrift scene has to offer — get out there and check it out, you won’t regret it. In this case, I got a beautiful, made-in-Canada dress … and I discovered a new designer, Allison Smith (the woman behind Allison Wonderland and sister brand Pillar — thanks, Google!) According to her website, her clothes are made in Vancouver in collaboration with local small businesses, and the (retail) price points are very reasonable for “slow fashion”. Based on how much I love this dress, I plan to keep an eye on her IG for future collections.

every angle is a good angle in this dress
every angle is a good angle in this dress

no, really -- see?
no, really — see?

one more for the road
one more for the road

What I Wore: November 2016

Can you guys believe that the year is almost over? Let’s face it, nobody is going to be sad to see the end of 2016 (worst year ever, yes?) but it’s still surprising how quickly it seems to have gone by. I think this has been the first year when I found myself thinking, “I need time to slow down”. My kids are now 3 and 5, which are amazing ages, and I want to hold on to their preciousness with all my might, even though I know it’s futile. That saying, “the days are long, but the years are short?” I lived the first part of that when the kids were babies (and, boy, were the days ever long then), and now I’m starting to realize the truth of the second part.

Enough mushiness, let’s get to the outfits:

one, two, three
one, two, three

four, five, six
four, five, six

seven, eight, nine
seven, eight, nine

ten, eleven, twelve
ten, eleven, twelve

thirteen, fourteen, fifteen
thirteen, fourteen, fifteen

sixteen, seventeen, eighteen
sixteen, seventeen, eighteen

nineteen, twenty
nineteen, twenty
I played along with Nicole‘s Minimalist Closet Game this past month, and it was a lot of fun. Not only because it helped me de-clutter my closet (working on a post about that), but because I loved seeing all the participants’ interpretation of the daily prompts. It made me think that doing an IG remixing challenge would be a lot of fun too. Anyone interested in playing along?

As for the rest of the year, my non-work goals are to survive the planning of my office Christmas Party (less than a week away, eek!) and to finish the edits on A Temporary Engagement. Most of my Christmas shopping is done, and we are not planning to host any major get-togethers at our house, so the holidays should be pleasantly low-key and relaxing (work gods willing!). A nice way to end a troublesome year — and welcome a hopefully much more promising one.