Dress, Vanessa Bruno (via consignment); jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted); shoes, Sam Edelman (thrifted); turtleneck, Club Monaco; bag, MbMJ (via eBay)
Ahh, spring: the great unshackling from the grip of my winter footwear and outerwear. It’s a game changer, folks. I can wear cute outfits to places other than work again! Like, say, the ballet. It’s hard to dress fancy when you have to take into account boots and/or a big coat; conversely, it’s much easier when you can wear a pair of heels and let your actual outfit shine. In fact, this was the perfect opportunity to finally wear the Vanessa Bruno dress I got from Mine & Yours in Vancouver a year ago. It’s whimsical in an unexpected way, which seemed a good fit for Alice in Wonderland (the aforementioned ballet). The hairband was a given, in the circumstances. Sparkly nails also seemed fitting somehow, although technically, sparkly nails need no excuse.
ring, Swarovskisans jacket
I added my trusty leather jacket instead of a dressier coat because I liked the juxtaposition with the elegant dress. This jacket is really good at juxtapositions. I never thought I could become so devoted to a casual topper, but here we are. Although I am loath to dictate must-have closet items — being a firm believer that there is no one-size-fits-all answer — I would strongly encourage everyone to consider a leather jacket. It doesn’t even have to be real leather; mine isn’t, but looks great anyway. Actually, I love mine so much, I nearly bought a back-up when I recently came across a similar jacket (also by Joe Fresh) at Red Pony. Cue the sad trombone: it was the wrong size. Thankfully, my current version shows no signs of wear yet, so I am sure I can get a few more years out of it before the need for a replacement becomes critical. However, much like denim jackets, leather jackets are tricky — they’re not all created equal, and fit can make or break the right jacket. Which is to say: if you find your magical unicorn, don’t hesitate to take it home, immediately.
P.S. The ballet was great. This was my second year getting season tickets, and I have loved the experience so far. I am a hardcore home-body, so it was nice to have the extra push to get out of the house once in a while, and the Alberta Ballet has never disappointed. I’m excited for next season … maybe I’ll see you there.
non-mime black & whitesparkly headband? checkbiker-ballet chic?
As you guys know by now, I wear this dress pretty much any time I have a big public (work) event to attend. It’s not too over-the-top flamboyant, but still different enough to make a quiet impression. Pairing it with this bold yellow jacket meant that people would have no trouble spotting me in the crowd. In this case, that was a good thing. Feeling confident, as I have practically trained myself to feel in this dress, was also a good thing. Everything, including schmoozing, is much easier to do when you’re feeling confident.
funky earrings for the win
I did change my shoes for the work event, in part to “tone down” the outfit, but more importantly in order to be able to stand around for 6 hours straight. These J. Crew leopard pumps have a 2 hour limit, tops. I wore my most comfortable plain black pumps, but even so, by the end of the night, I was thiiiiiiiis close to getting into the cab home barefoot. Wedges it will be, next time.
It seems impossible somehow, but this year marked the 10th (TENTH!) anniversary of my annual clothing swap. I started hosting these parties when they were barely a blip on the ethical fashion radar — indeed, when ethical fashion itself wasn’t yet a “thing”. I can’t recall now how I heard about the idea of clothing swaps, but I was immediately drawn to it. Free clothes? A fun afternoon/evening with friends? Yes, please. At the party this year, I joked that my clothing swap is one of my longest running relationships; I started dating my husband a year after the first swap. All joking aside, the swaps have been a lovely way to, most of all, stay connected with friends I don’t get the chance to see often, and make new friends along the way. I was really excited this year when 3 new peeps were able to join the “swap sorority”, including Nicole. You can read her post on the swap here.
red, white and black
Every year, I choose a “theme” for the party. I am usually inspired by whatever decorations I have lying around the house, but this year my theme came to me in a different way. A while back, I noticed that one of the booths at the antique mall used playing cards to display vintage earrings and brooches, and I thought the idea was super neat. I decided to use it as a springboard for my party decorations, which then evolved into a red, black & white theme. As it turns out, I never did end up using the playing cards to display the available jewelry because I only had bracelets and necklace to swap. Oh well. The fruit-and-marshmallow kebabs, “garnished” with Oreos, looked lovely next to the red roses in their milk glass vases.
milk glass & roses
I am especially proud of this arrangement, which utilized an old piece of that green spongy stuff that real florists use in their arrangements — salvaged from a bouquet I received last year. Yep, I collect all kinds of trash — some of which even comes in handy. (By the way, if anyone knows what that stuff is called and where I can buy more of it, I would be forever grateful.) I thought it was a neat way to use one of the newest additions to my milk glass collection. I love roses, but I hate displaying them in their long-stemmed state, so I’m always looking for clever ways to showcase them.
the other grub
I tried to continue the theme with the food — hence the bocconcini and tomato skewers — but I quickly gave up. Cheese and meats (or, if you want to be fancy, charcuterie) is where it’s at, theme or no theme. I can’t make them look artistic and Instagram-worthy, but believe me when I say that they were delicious. Mmm, prosciutto.
Moving on … oh, look who made me take a selfie. Only for you, friend. Only for you.
well, hello
Being the dedicated blogger that I am, I forgot to take photos of the pile of clothes I contributed to the swap. Let’s just say that there were 3 enormous bags … and a half dozen pairs of shoes … and a couple of bags … and some jewelry. Oh, and nail polish too. Combined with the goodies that the other lovely ladies brought, we assembled a veritable Mount Everest in my living room. And that was just the rejects! (Everything that was left over after everyone had their picks was donated.) I did manage to take snaps of the things I ended up choosing and keeping.
Clockwise from top left: Anthropologie, Ted Baker, Anthropologie, Daniel Rainn
The white popover and sweatshirt jacket are both Anthro brand, and both destined for my casual/loungewear capsule. The black Ted Baker jacket and Daniel Rainn vest are going to mix up my casual summer wardrobe.
left: Milla; right: Lululemon
The long vest on the left was a more experimental selection; we’ll see how it works as a casual summer topper. The Lululemons will be house pants. I foresee many hours of happy Netflix-ing in our future.
Left, Anthropologie; right, Coach
My two favourite pieces are probably this Anthro-brand skirt (from Nicole!) and this Coach tote. The skirt’s green colour is not in my wardrobe palette, but the silhouette is right up my alley — it’s a gorgeous midi pencil style. Styling it might prove to be a challenge, but I’m definitely up for it. The Coach bag has been in heavy use already. I’m not a fan of the monogram print and wish it was a solid colour, but the overall colour scheme is nice and versatile. The size and organization of the bag, on the other hand, is perfect for a work tote. I LOVE that it has not one, but two outside pockets (for easy access), as well as a zippered main compartment, and two sets of handles. The only issue I’ve discovered is that the handles start hurting a bit if you weigh the bag down with stuff, and carry it on your shoulder for a while. It’s not a huge issue for me, because my commute is not that long. I might just start looking for this style on eBay, in a different finish/colour.
I forgot to take pictures, but I also took home a lovely Linea Pelle bag, some nail polish (I’m fresh out, you guys!), and a couple of pieces for my mom — including some Manolo Blahnik shoes! A special thanks, and shout-out, to my friend L, who donated those. (My mom loves them.)
All in all, I think it’s safe to say that the clothing swap was a “jackpot” for all of us who attended. Here’s to another 10 fun years!
