Wednesday, February 29, 2012

grey winter morning cardi









the look:

shirt, tie and skirt - old h&m
vest - american apparel
cardi - gap
hat - lillie & cohoe
boots - ixos
coat - from a local arts and crafts import shop
scarf - old
gloves - h&m

the tale:

it was a grey, gloomy, wet, damp day.  i spent some time travelling underground to get to and from an appointment.  it somehow felt appropriate to be underground.  it was also windy today.  for the better part of the day, as I sat at my desk at work, i could hear the wind howling outdoors.  it was distressing.  why is it distressing to be indoors hearing the wind howling outdoors?  i spent the day on autopilot.  i have been doing what i do for long enough now that i can function on autopilot.  when i come off autopilot, i start to dream, to wish, that some things were other than what they are.  not necessarily better, just different.  grey day, grey mind-set, grey clothes.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

new grandpa cardi





the look:

pullover - old jacob
cardi - from a local arts and crafts import shop
skirt - old gap
hat - lillie & cohoe
boots - ixos
coat - old uo
scarf - old
gloves - h&m

the tale:

i am starting to understand what things work and don't work for me on the clothing front.  some shared this knowledge with me months ago, but i refused to believe it.  now i believe it.  of course, believing it doesn't mean that i am going to act on it.  change has been afoot.  and i expect further change.  but some things will be harder to let go of than other things.

Monday, February 27, 2012

zip front jacket







the look:

pullover - old jacob
dress - american apparel
jacket - from a local arts and crafts import shop
hat - lillie & cohoe
boots - fiorentini and baker
coat - old uo
scarf - old
bag - old lululemon

the tale:

it may not have been a terrible, miserable winter (so far) in my home city, but some twenty-five or so days  away from the first day of spring, i have tired of winter.  as much as i love layering, i don't want to need to layer any longer.  i need a break away from layering.  but no break away from layering is forthcoming.  and i will need to layer just a little longer.  so i will just have to deal with it.  and i will.  somehow.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

everything about it is big sweater





the look:

jersey turtleneck - old gap
dress and wool turtleneck - american apparel
hand warmers - h&m
hat - lillie & cohoe
boots - old
coat - from a local arts and crafts import shop
scarf - old

the tale:

the other day, i was at a local arts and crafts import shop purchasing some black tops.  another shopper, who happened to be at the counter at the same time as i was completing my purchase transaction, complimented my purchases and remarked, "But all black.  Why all black?"  Why is it that some people react this way to a tendency/desire/whatever to wear all black?

Friday, February 24, 2012

long wait jacket





the look:

pullover - old jacob
dress - american apparel
belt - old uo
jacket - zara
hand warmers - h&m
shoes - old doc martens
coat - from a local arts and crafts import shop
hat - lillie & cohoe
scarf - old

the tale:

for a couple of weeks now, i have been wanting a rolling clothing rack.  i have shopped for one, but i haven't gotten one.  i am not sure what has been stopping me from getting one.  having one would certainly bring some order to my bedroom: the clothing that is normally strewn about the bedroom might actually find itself hung.  i should just get one already.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

dinner jacket









the look:

shirt, jacket and hand warmers - h&m
vest and suspenders - old h&m
tie - old gap
skirt - old eddie bauer
shoes - old doc martens
hat - lillie & cohoe
coat - from a local arts and crafts import shop
scarf - old

the tale:

yesterday had a moment of joy: a slew of new vogs.  i don't think that i could possibly select a favourite pair.  who am i kidding.  at the moment, without a doubt, my favourite pair is the swordfish.  coming soon!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

new bag



the look:

coat - from a local arts and crafts import shop
hand warmers - h&m
hat - lillie & cohoe
boots - old doc martens
scarf - old
bag - m0851

the tale:

my latest acquisition:  the bag.  i have been aware of the maker of the bag -- m0851 -- for many year.  but, for the past few years, it was sort of off my radar.  this past fall, the retail shop in my home city switched locations.  it ended up in the middle of my path to work.  a few weeks ago, a deep brown version of the bag showed up in its windows.  every  work day since then, i have been walking by the shop and peering in the window at the deep brown version of the bag.  at some point, i started wondering if a black version of the bag existed.  finally, i went in the shop and made inquiries ... and walked out with the bag.  i love it.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

warm wool dress







the look:

dress - from a local arts and craft import shop
hat - lillie & cohoe
boots - doc martens
coat - old uo
scarf - old
gloves - h&m

the tale:

i am quickly getting to be known as someone who prefers black clothing.  it happened yesterday, when i was checking out a black knapsack and the shop clerk remarked that it suited me dressed as i was in head to toe black.  and it happened today, when a shop clerk told me, unsolicited, that the orange dress that i was carrying around in my hand to try on while continuing to browse the shop was also available in black.  it seems strange, being so identified, when i have only recently returned to wearing black clothing.  not everyone is pleased with my style regression.  for the record, i didn't wear head to toe black today.  i threw in some charcoal grey.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

skinny column dress









the look:

pullover - old jacob
dress - american apparel
belt - old uo
cardi - jcrew factory
hand warmers - h&m
shoes - old doc martens
hat - lillie & cohoe
coat - old uo
scarf - old
bag - coach

the tale:

i have been having some tough days lately.  so, after work today, i thought that i would head to the nearest shops and look at some pretty clothes.  i was particularly interested in looking at some comme des garcons clothes.  i was disappointed.  i went to a particular shop expecting it to carry comme des garcons.  last time that i went to the shop -- admittedly, about a year ago -- it carried comme des garcons.  it turns out the shop no longer carries comme des garcons.  by the time i got to the shop, scoured its racks in search of comme des garcons and realized that the shop no longer carries comme des garcons, it was too late to try another shop that might carry the label.  so no comme des garcons remedy for my feeling stressed, tired and generally crappy.  what's worse: i wasn't even looking to buy anything.  I was just looking to look!