Rain Walks

Worn in the rain on an excursion to Fort Edmonton Park (my favourite place in the city…costumed historical “interpreters” notwithstanding – the bane of living history museums in my reckoning).

leggings: ASOS / tunic: H&M / jacket: Forever 21 / necklace: Wedgwood / purse: ASOS / boots: Kamik

All the Frills: Home Accents

I have a small collection of these little accent tables spread around one of the stairways in my home – one at the base, one on the landing, and a third at the top. I’ve made them sort of little visual center pieces for pictures, the odd knick knack, etc. The idea continues to evolve…

Weekend Reading:

• Yeah, this is why I didn’t aggressively pursue a traditional academic career, notwithstanding the PhD and post doc/temporary job offers and all.
  
• Oh Yale, you do not come out looking good in this. And you should be ashamed of yourselves.
  
• This article, about the woman who served as model for all sorts of public statues in NYC and her semi-tragic life, is really fascinating.
  
• This piece on female circumcision is really interesting.
  
• Why are people such assholes? Also, I am totally stoked for this Ghostbusters reboot!

Under the Wire

I snuck in one last wear of this shirt before it got far too warm here to wear it. I love the detailing on the shoulders, that and that it’s grey (which I have far too little of in my closet). Hmmm, I may have to make getting more grey things into my closet a summer project.

shirt: Zara / pants: Simons / necklace: Forever 21 / shoes: ASOS

Anchored

Worn to work….and then worn to drinks – the pants are basically the anchor here. That and the accessories!

pants: Joe Fresh / shirt(s): BB Dakota and Simons / shoes: ModCloth and Toms / blazer: Calvin Klein, thrifted from Value Village / cardigan: Pins + Needles / ring: watch: from my grandmother / necklace: Monserat de Lucca / sunglasses: Aldo

All the Frills: The Midas Touch

You guys, I have absolutely insane gold shoes (via ModCloth)! I cannot tell you how happy I am wearing these things on the commute to my office. They just light everything up.

Weekend Reading:

• The Toast, one of my favourite online haunts, is no more. To honor all their stellar work, I’m posting one of my favourite pieces, about The Simpson’s Martin Prince. This one always struck a chord with me because my best friend and I refer to each other as Martin Prince and Ralph Wiggum (I’m Martin in this equation), and this piece completely nailed his character for me.
  
• I fully realize that most people may not find this all that funny but I loved it.
  
• Well, this is depressing as hell. I‘d never really thought about it before but I guess it makes sense that there would be a higher incidence of birth defects among a population group like this.
  
• So the same Florentines who were rich in the fifteenth century are still rich. There’s something sort of depressing about that.
  
• This article on dress codes is really interesting.

Decisions, Decisions

I’m on the fence about this shirt. I don’t wear it very frequently but I do genuinely like it and feel good in it….decisions, totally unimportant decisions…

Making decisions is further complicated this week because I am just totally drained after my week away at a training course in university management last week. It was all kinds of intense. A solid week of 8 am to 8 pm days, sessions after session on administrative law, fair process, budgeting, duty to accommodate, good governance practices, etc - not to mention the breakout group work sessions (I spent 4 hours in a small room with strangers doing an incredibly complex budgeting exercise before we had to present to our group of 70). It was nutty and I am still exhausted and recovering.

shirt: Sheinside / pants: H&M / necklace: Aldo

All the Frills: Finished Bedroom

Guys, it's finally done.

Our bedroom redecoration is officially done because we recently finished adding a few final touches – some new lamps (they match our pendant lightening in the kitchen), an accent pillow that draws on the little touches of gold in another corner of the room, and a recently acquired deer head that has become the pride and joy of my deer head collection (yeah, that’s right, I have a collection). Oh, and a new chandelier. We moved the existing light fixture into the other bedroom so now they both have fancy pants lights. We also did some bathroom lighting!

Weekend Reading: 

• There is absolutely no way I could fit into my prom dress now…and don’t even get me started on my wedding dress.
• Granted, I’m a Yale alum so I’m supposed to intrinsically hate Harvard, but seriously?
• And this is why I don’t regret declining the post doc offers I got.
• Don’t even get me started on the way our society treats pregnancy, and pregnant women, for that matter.
• Ooooh, a Saks 5th Avenue outlet is coming to my neck of the woods.
   
• I guess this house is pretty old…

New Favourites

Worn to work recently – this skirt, paired with a faux leather shirt, may be my current favourite thing in the world. I mean, look at it!

shirt: F21 / skirt: Old Navy / shoes: Camper / cardigan: Target

I Can't Complain About the Weather

Just when the weather was warming up here we got hit with a few days of winds and a bit of rain. I'm in Banff now for a week on a work trip so I have no clue is the weather back home has "improved" but I was pretty happy with the few days of chilly temperatures because you know I love me some colder weather and a chance to wear a nice jacket.

dress: Simons / boots: Camper / jacket: Century 21

All the Frills: Courtney Love Knows Shoes

So, say what you will about Courtney Love, but these shoes from her recent collaboration with Nasty Gal are my new favourite thing in the whole world.

Weekend Reading:

• Ooooh, a new translation of one of my favourite books, The Handmaid’s Tale.
  
  
• I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: academia is damn depressing.
  
  
• I might actually be in love with this dress.
  
  
• Speaking of crazy TV shows that I will totally be watching, this one is basically a dream come true for me.
  
  
• The Met Gala this year did not disappoint.

Operatic

I wore this out for drinks with friends after another friend and I attended a production of the opera Maria Stuarda, which (Tudor historian that I am) I quite enjoyed – the costumes alone were amazing!

While I am sad to be on the cusp of summer again, one plus is that I can bust out my sandals and open toed shoes again. I'm going to keep on looking for those silver linings...

leggings: ASOS / shoes: Modcloth / top: Primark / necklace: Jenners / jacket: Wilfred

I'm Not Ready to Part With Jackets!

I am totally smitten with this jacket from Forever 21 – I bought it on a whim at the same as the accessories I featured recently on All the Frills. The quality seems pretty good and it’s a great weight for spring/fall.

Needless to say, it’s been getting a lot of mileage lately. Although we just got hit with some really warm weather here so I have not been wearing in the last few days.

pants: RW and Co / boots: Steve Madden / shirt: Target / jacket: F21 / necklace: Aldo