Category :Ruffles

Eat Your Heart Out, Boys.

Ruche-Sailboat-Dress

That’s right.  Look at that poise, and grace.
Hot. I tell ya.
With a capital ‘H.’

With all seriousness, I love to make funny faces for the camera, and relish the use of a good prop. These glasses. Man these glasses are awesome.  So ill fitting and ridiculous.  And I usually have something equally ridiculous in my purse.

It comes in handy. For example, sitting at coffee with two friends who started talking all serious and I knew they would probably just bum each other out. I listened to them, then casually reached in and silently put on the glasses.  No one noticed for a few seconds, but once they did.  Laughs. And the serious mood was forgotten.

Plus, like I said: hot.

Ruche-Sailboat-Dress

Ruche-Sailboat-Dress

Ruche-Sailboat-Dress

Dress – Ruche *old*  //  Boots – Aldo  //  Necklace – ThreadSence  //  Sunnies – F21

Days of Contentment

Spell-Designs-Backless-Dress
The last few days, I danced for probably seven hours combined.  It’s incredible how much energy and emotion is released into the world by the simple act of dance.  I’ve been saying it for years, “Dance it out.” And I always understood Meredith’s *from Grey’s Anatomy* need to have a 30 second dance party. There’s always a good time to dance. 
But more than that, I spent the weekend with the most wonderful people.  Friends, and peers, who despite everyone’s flaws, accept and respect each other. No judgement and no expectations, except for the desire to ‘suck the marrow out of life.’ 
Spell-Designs-Backless-Dress

Spell-Designs-Backless-Dress

Spell-Designs-Backless-Dress

Spell-Designs-Backless-Dress

Spell-Designs-Backless-Dress
Dress – Spell Designs  //  Boots – F21  //  Bracelet & Small gold ring – ThreadSence  //  Large Gem ring – small fair trade company  //  Flash Tattoos – eBay

Free Spirited and Willful Child

Tiered-dress-classic-khaki-vest

I love that my girl is strong willed and free spirited. But does she have to be soooo strong willed and free spirited?  About bed time? And about food?  And about, oh well, everything??? It’s like corralling sheep where the sheep are baring their teeth, not listening, have spikes on their hides, and laser beams shooting at you from their heads.  It’s just like that.

She’s freakin’ cute and sweet as hell, but when that other side comes out, watch out! Plus, you know there’s only so many questions a woman can answer in a day before that questioning inflection at the end of a sentence makes your brains explode.

Obviously, I love that she’s very inquisitive, but dear Lord do I breathe a sigh of relief once she goes to bed and I have no more questions being pelted at me in rapid fire succession.

Pass the wine.

Tiered-dress-classic-khaki-vest

Tiered-dress-classic-khaki-vest

Tiered-dress-classic-khaki-vest

Vest – H&M  //  Cardi – Old Navy  //  Dress – Ruche  //  Boots – Aldo  //  Socks – F21  //  Necklace – FreePeople

Ruffled and Backless Dress

Spell-Designs-ruffle-backless-dress

It was so warm and lovely and I was frankly really excited to finally wear all my lovely new Spell purchases.  It’s been so cold, and I was just itching to get a chance to wear all this pretty stuff.

Honestly, what’s more perfect than a backless ruffled dress for a day spent at the beach and the pool?  Nothing.  Except maybe one of those delicious mojitos they offered.  Those were amazing.  As were the Jamaican patties…

…wait, why did I come back again?

Spell-Designs-ruffle-backless-dress

Spell-Designs-ruffle-backless-dress

Spell-Designs-ruffle-backless-dress

Dress – Spell Designs  //  Bag – Jamaican vendor  //  Sandals – I forget *old*  //  Sunnies – Lace Affair

How To BAM and Winterize an Outfit

avenle-maxi-dress
avenle-maxi-dress

avenle-maxi-dress

avenle-maxi-dress

Dress – Avenle  //  Sweater – thrifted  //  Necklaces – Ruche  //  Belt – came with dress  //  Boots – Locale

 
My distaste for putting summer clothes away at the end of summer is well documented – especially ’cause the awesome deals appear right as the weather gets colder and who wants to wait a whole year to wear the pretty things!  Not me.  Avenle was a store I stumbled upon on Instagram and when I went to the site, I discovered a plethora of vintage-esque and boho-chic clothing.  It’s all really well priced and they have great deals for newsletter subscribers.

So when I nabbed this cute dress for an insanely ridiculous low price, I definitely didn’t wait.  Enter, layering.  I’ve expounded on the wonders of layering *it’s the only thing that gets me through these harsh Winters* and I will continue to do so.  A tank top, thick tights, thigh high socks, knee high boots, and a sweater over the dress, and BAM! The outfit is winterized.

It’s all about the layering people.
And the BAM!
You gotta have the BAM!

Gratitude Greta

Tiered-Dress-Wool_Fedora-Boho-Chic

Tiered-Dress-Wool_Fedora-Boho-Chic

Tiered-Dress-Wool_Fedora-Boho-Chic

Tiered-Dress-Wool_Fedora-Boho-Chic

Tiered-Dress-Wool_Fedora-Boho-Chic

Tiered Dress – Ruche  //  Thermal Top & Thigh High Socks – FreePeople  //  Boots – Aldo  //  Fedora – I forget  //  Jacket – F21  //  Bag – Urban Outfitters  //  Sweater – ThreadSence  // Chevron Necklace – I Forget

 Following up on yesterday’s post.  The mental and emotional journey was staggering over the last month.  I spent a lot of time crying, and feeling sad.  I was terrified that it would be a chronic or long term condition which had me really blue because all I saw were the things that I wouldn’t get to do.  

Then came a point where I suddenly saw my old life (what came before this illness) and what I had, and was incredibly grateful for that.  I had so much life, so much freedom, and so much to be grateful for.  All I wanted was to get back to that.  So once I started to feel better, I was excited that I would get that old life back.

And now, for all intents and purposes, I do.  So that makes me happy.  I have so much freedom to do what I love and have amazing experiences.  But I do feel moments where the old downer thoughts – that I’m not booking enough as an actor or photographer – and the doubts – that I’m not good enough as a person, actor, photographer – try to creep back in.  It’s hard.  We all have a “Negative Nancy” as my naturopath calls her.  And I know we all have our ways of managing her.  I’m just trying to figure out a way to hang on to those feelings of gratitude and appreciation, rather than allowing Negative Nancy a megaphone.

How do you stay grateful?  And what things do you use to keep Negative Nancy at bay?

My Ass Is Twitching

Embroidered-Velvet-Jacket-peplum-tank-Tribal-Boho

Embroidered-Velvet-Jacket-peplum-tank-Tribal-Boho

Embroidered-Velvet-Jacket-peplum-tank-Tribal-Boho

Embroidered-Velvet-Jacket-peplum-tank-Tribal-Boho
Embroidered Velvet Jacket – Flying Tomato  //  Tribal Peplum Tank – F21  //  Jeans – Gap  //  Backpack – Stela 9  //  Boots – Aldo  //  Necklace – TopShop  //  Headband – UO

In the movie “French Kiss” with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline there’s these two scenes where they discuss the fact that he’s not a fan of people and not a very ‘happy’ person. Part of the reason is that he doesn’t express his feelings. Now I do express my feelings – just ask anyone.  I’m pretty open about how I feel at the moment and how I feel about a person. Which makes it easier for people to know where they stand with me, I’d like to think.

But I’m not an extrovert. So in a similar way to Kevin Kline I’m not a huge fan of people and not what you would classify as a ‘happy’ person. You know, cheerful, positive, energetic, bouncy….’happy.’ I’m sarcastic, acerbic, intelligent, quirky, with a dry wit. I’d like to think I’m kind, but I’m also awkward and aloof.  Hey, that’s me, what can you do?

This is all to say, that I’m going to be “One of those grumpy old [people] sitting in the back of the cafe going, *said in French accent* ‘My ass is twitching. You people make my ass twitch‘”

Watch the movie, you’ll get it.

Full Heat Languish

White-Ruffle-Dress-Arnhem-Kimono

White-Ruffle-Dress-Arnhem-Kimono

White-Ruffle-Dress-Arnhem-Kimono

White-Ruffle-Dress-Arnhem-Kimono

White-Ruffle-Dress-Arnhem-Kimono
White Dress – Lace Affair  //  Kimono – Arnhem  //  Boots – DIYed by me  //  Bracelets – F21  //  Necklace – old, I honestly don’t remember

It’s all about loose flowy dresses and kimonos.  With my own aesthetic towards loose and, dare I say, boho clothing I find that summer is really the time to shine in terms of style.  First off, not only does my body adore the heat, loving temperatures that others abhor, but I love to shed layers upon layers of clothing.

I often find myself envying the bloggers that live in regions more warm than that of my Toronto.  When Fall rolls around and they’re rejoicing in the fact that they can add sweaters to their layering regimen, I’m already tired of wearing my parka and mitts.

So while the summer is still here, and I spend hours biking gloriously around our fair city,  I’m going to languish in the full heat and rays of the sun.  Languish and hopefully freeze this moment in time.

Weakness For Boats, and Other Sartorial Elements

Sailboat-Ruffle-Dress-Braids

Sailboat-Ruffle-Dress-Braids

Sailboat-Ruffle-Dress-Braids

Sailboat-Ruffle-Dress-Braids
Sailboat dress – Ruche // Necklace – F21  //  Cardigan – Old Navy

As a preteen and teen I spent a lot of time on the water, sailing.  It was the thing that I would do practically every weekend in decent weather.  I studied knots, and techniques, and radio regulations, etc. etc.  While I don’t do that now, I do have a severe weakness for a good boat print.  When it’s a sailboat print on a blue dress with ruffles, it’s pretty much three weaknesses in one.

*linking up with WIWW*

The Dress That Goes Everywhere

Bohemian-Spanish-Dress

Bohemian-Spanish-Dress

Bohemian-Spanish-Dress

Bohemian-Spanish-Dress
Dress – Bershka  //  Shoes – Payless  //  Arrow Necklace – Threadsence  //  Sunnies – Lace Affair

As I’ve mentioned before this dress has traveled with me everywhere since I bought it about six or seven years ago in Spain.  It’s probably the best purchase I’ve ever made in that respect.  I love it – it’s loose and comfy, and I’ve never gotten tired of the ruffles and the fun print.  It will continue to travel with me everywhere – accruing a menagerie of memories along the years.

Do you guys have pieces like that?  I’d love to hear the stories if you don’t mind sharing.

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