The Dinner Dandies

I’ve mentioned this before but a small group of friends and I are members of a loose collective that meets once a month or so for dinner out (we’ve batted a few names back and forth and have recently moving away from terming ourselves “The Supper Club” to “The Dinner Dandies” – I know, we’re a real pack of winners). Sometimes we check out new restaurants that just opened or just trendy/well reviewed spots that we’ve never visited before; other times we go to old favourites. We typically rotate among members in terms of who gets to make the pick for the month and recently it was my helpmeet’s turn. He picked IHOP you guys. And he was really insistent about and could not be dissuaded. And, because the Dinner Dandies supports its members, we all dutifully assembled at an IHOP on a snowy cold night recently for a 7 pm breakfast feast. And I wore this…because you need to keep it classy for a fancy night at IHOP.

dress: Zara / vest: Tom Tailor

All the Frills: Awkward Areas

My house is sort of oddly laid out. When you enter it, whether from the front door or the garage, you find yourself in a long, narrow hallway that’s actually a floor unto itself – at one end there’s a staircase leading to the basement and at the other there’s one leading upstairs to the main living area and also to a further staircase leading to the bedrooms on the top floor. Anyways, the entryway level is not really large enough to have any furniture on it, per se, but I also wanted it to not be just a grubby place for shoe storage. So I tried to make it both functional (with shoe racks, shoe storage, and a place for coats) and inviting (with a few decorative items). What I’d really love to do is find a way to fit a narrow shoe bench or something down here…

Weekend Reading 

• Meet my new hero.
  
• I know we’re past Valentine’s Day now but this is a short and interesting piece on its origins.
  
• So this art installation calls out the hypocrisy and general disgustingness of male legislators when it comes to women’s bodies…and it’s awesome.
  
• Ain’t no burn like a Golden Girls burn.
  
• This article on the history of the tampon is a really interesting read.

Winter Vacation

Once a month I have to attend a meeting for work that starts at 6 pm and can run as long as over three hours. Considering that I arrive at the office a bit after 8 am, it makes for a very long day (especially so because the meetings fall on Mondays, basically the last day of the week you want to be working for 12+ hours). I wore this on one such Monday because I desperately wanted to be as comfortable as possible and an oversized sweater kicked up a notch with a truly obnoxious and sparkly statement necklace really checked that box for me.

In other news, as I wrote this I was in British Columbia, where I ran off to the mountains for a few days with a group of friends to ski, ride alpine gondolas, eat delicious resort food, and generally just have a relaxing few days of winter vacation. I gotta say, the break did me good!

leggings: ASOS / sweater: Joe Fresh / boots: Aldo / necklace: Banana Republic

I've Got 2017 In the Bag

Remember when I mentioned I was going to make 2017 the year I wore more green? Well, look me, actualizing my goals.

And, speaking of actualizing my goals, I received my book proofs a few days ago....which means I'm one final, yet through, edit away from being totally wrapped with this project.

top: BB Dakota / blazer: H&M / pants: RW and Co / necklace: Simons / shoes: Primark / bag: Stella and Dot

All the Frills: Deer, Deer, and More Deer

I am fully aware that I really don’t need anymore deer themed home décor accessories. And yet I really can’t help myself.

Weekend Reading:

• Anyone want to live in Grey Gardens?
  
• A friend of mine is in this movie (and that’s HUGE and I am beyond happy for him) but it also legitimately seems bad. Really bad. He's aware ... and I hope he gets crazy famous as a result of being in it.
  
• This piece concerning people’s antiquated opinions about women taking a spouse’s name is depressing.
  
• An awful but important read concerning the reporting of rape in Canada.
  
• This article on the ordinary Americans who committed inhumane acts in the enforcement of Trump’s Executive Order concerning travel is a good read.
  
• The gendered constraints of hair removal.

I Hope Winter Never Ends!

As you can see, we were still mired in all the glory of winter here (it's gotten considerably warmer recently...and I have, of course, shed a few tears). Despite my use of “mired” I was actually pretty happy about it. I love winter, snow, and even cold temperatures. If nothing else it’s a chance for me to wear various winter jackets.

dress: Contemporaine / booties: Primark / jacket: ASOS / sweater: New Look / necklace: Stella and Dot

Starry Eyed

I am so pleased with the amazing constellation print on this dress. So much so that, in preparation for wearing it, I actually bought a special shade of nail polish. Definitely one of my better choices.

Dress: Twik / jacket: Joseph Ribkoff / necklace: Stella and Dot

Work Wear

This blouse was a very much appreciated Festivus gift – it’s perfect for work and I love the blue and white contrasting stripes down the front. And while blush is not really a tone I wear all that often, I do have a few pieces in that shade in my closet and they get a reasonable amount of wear – it’s a neutral that works for me. I also enjoy the boxy cut, it feel more relaxed when I wear it but I can also just toss on a fitted blazer to give things a bit more shape.

In other news, I'm gearing up for an intensely busy few weeks at work, coupled with a few days spent in the mountains with a group of friends - a trip I am immensely looking forward to. It will both give me a much need respite from the hectic nature of the rest of the month at my office and provides me the perfect chance to get caught up on some reading (several volumes about British history) that I was gifted for Festives but haven't had a chance to dive into yet.

pants: the Bay / blouse: ModCloth / necklace: Stella and Dot / blazer: Calvin Klein via Value Village

All the Frills: Black Beauty

I’m something of a bibliophile and always on the lookout to add various volumes to my collection. A nice copy of a childhood favourite, Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty (which, to this day, makes me sob when I read it) has been on my hit list for a while so I was pretty pleased to recently find this edition on one of semi-regular excursions to some local second-hand book shops. Does anyone else collect books?

Weekend Reading:

• This piece about cultural appropriation is well worth a read.
  
• Some of these accidental Google searches are just perfection.
  
• Well, at least I can breathe a sigh of relief about one thing, the future of gin is secure.
  
• I hope no one falls for Megyn Kelly’s attempt to whitewash her past with Fox. The woman is a menace.
  
• It’s always nice to read about some good in the world.

Shawl Dances and Other Such Nonsense

I am just a few minutes away of starting to do some insane shawl dances in this plaid number. Can you blame me?

dress: ModCloth / shawl: ModCloth

Elizabethan

There’s something about the faux fur trim on this vest that is very reminiscent of a sort of modern take on Elizabethan clothing to me.

That basically translated to me absolutely having (like in a compulsive way) to add it to my closet just prior to Christmas.

leggings: Simons / shoes: ASOS / tunic: ModCloth / vest: Tom Tailor

All the Frills: Feeding My Addiction

I am seriously such a sucker for a ridiculous statement necklace…I really can’t help myself.

Weekend Reading

• Who doesn’t love a good Amazon review?
  
• I’m bummed that the Charterhouse wasn’t open to the public the last time I was in London – I guess now I’ll just have to add it to my “must visit” list for the next trip (which I’m hoping will be around this time next year, at the tail end of a couple of weeks in the York area).
  
• I love Courtney Love. For reals. And I love that she did this.
  
• So this cliff structure is just nutty – and insanely cool.
  
• I’m obsessed with this Elie Saab gown.

I Have a New Staple Cardigan

I plan to be wearing this sweater a lot in 2017. It’s beyond cozy and I do love me a good plaid.

jeans: Kensie / booties: Camper / shirt: Zara / cardigan: ModCloth / necklace: Stella and Dot / ring: Stella and Dot