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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

skinny leatherette jeans

the look:

blouse - american apparel
dress and jacket - old h&m
open cardi - old lululemon
pants and hand warmers - h&m
boots - doc martens
parka - old canada goose
scarf - old h&m
hat - lillie & cohoe

the tale:

when some labels try to mess with their tried and true products, the result is, well, disastrous.  i love the original doc martens, but i think some of the new doc martens are just bang on.  like these heels.  there are also some monochromatic boots, new for spring, that i am loving.  it is nice to return to an old standby label and find some new standby footwear.

forget the green dress dress

the look:

shirt - h&m
dress - gap
vest - american apparel
tie - old gap
jacket - old h&m
hand warmers - h&m
boots - doc martens
parka - old canada goose
scarf - old h&m
hat - lillie & cohoe

the tale:

i think that it was in september (or early october) that i splurged and bought a fluorescent green satchel.  little did i know when i did so that months later i would be stepping completely out of my comfort zone and buying a mate for it -- a fluorescent lime green dress.  come spring, i want to bring the two together paired with some black tights, black boots (i am thinking the doc martens that i wore today) and a black cropped jacket.  and while i am on the subject of green and black, this black dress is the one that made me get over my desire for the green dress from jcrew.  letting go of that green dress was so right.  not only because of the black dress but also because of the (in my opinion at least) much cooler fluorescent lime green dress that came my way today.  if i am going to wear green, the fluorescent lime green dress is the way to go (at least i think so).

split back pullover

the look:

blouse - american apparel
dress - old h&m
pullover - zara
socks - old ck
hat - lillie & cohoe
parka - old canada goose
scarf - old h&m
gloves - h&m
boots - old sorels

the tale:

so excited about some new doc martens that i got today.  there was a sale going on at the doc martens shop in my home city, something that i wasn't aware of until i got to the shop.  i went to the shop in search of a particular style of doc martens, found them on sale and snagged the last pair in my size.  usually i am not so fortunate, so i can only conclude that i was meant to have this pair of boots.  after silently celebrating getting the sought after doc martens, i eyed another pair that sort of interested me when i saw them online yesterday.  there was only one pair left of these in my size.  i tried them on and, since they were also on sale, looked nothing like the first pair and could easily fit into the style that i am currently playing with, i decided to go crazy and get them as well.  bonus:  both pairs will work in snow and slush.

for two or three of me cardigan

the look:

tshirt - old gap
dress - old h&m
cardi - old jacob
vest - american apparel
hand warmers - h&m
socks - old ck
beret - old
boots - old bogs
scarf - old h&m
parka - old canada goose

the tale:

today, i went to american apparel, where i learned that they were having an "in honour of" valentine's day sale.  i don't think that i have ever shopped an "in honour of" valentine's day clothing sale.  i bought some stuff, not because there was an "in honour of" valentine's day sale, but because i always buy clothes after getting a haircut and, today, i got a haircut.  however, i did buy leggings, and one more pair than i ordinarily would have, because of the "in honour of" valentine's day sale.