Monday, November 29, 2010

Love and Other Influences

I'm the first to admit it; I'm susceptible to signage. I fall victim to commercials. I love new branding. In short, I am an advertiser's dream. This love of marketing often extends into other cultural media -- it only took a few showings of An Education and a couple seasons of Mad Men to completely convince me to wear vintage brooches and kill my hair backcombing it. I bought two new shades of lipstick after rewatching My So Called Life. And, a few days ago, when I saw Anne Hathaway's perfectly nostalgic early 90s wardrobe in Love and Other Drugs, I knew I had to recreate it.
A variation on buffalo plaid, Doc Marten's with tights, and curly hair? I feel like I should be discussing the Clinton sex scandal and listening to Oasis. Also, my mom decorated the tree, and I was really into the Christmas decorations and the fireplace. I think we all expected that I would pose with the tree, fireplace, and stockings. I'm sure it will happen again.

I didn't have any jean shorts, which I really wanted to complete the look, but I was going to a family party, so the skirt helped to dress the outfit up a bit, and the high waist grounded it in 2010.
The shirt is a few sizes too big, so I liked the idea of wearing it open. Having a solid-color tshirt also helped the outfit not look too blue. Wearing blue and denim is always a bit of a risk in my book. The feminine necklace seemed like a lovely contrast to the more masculine plaid shirt and boots.
Shirt: Thrifted, Value Village, Vancouver
Skirt: Thrifted by Erin, Salvation Army, Kerrisdale, Vancouver
Tights: Kohl's
Boots: Gifted, Mom and Dad, Doc Marten's
Necklace: Gifted, AlyWebb
And of course, my Doc Marten-clad feet taking it easy by the fireplace. xoxo Anna Rae

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Miss Nelson is Missing

On Friday I got to play substitute teacher for the lovely Jenna. Since she warned me that her class was a rowdy bunch, I wore my best "literature is good for you" glasses, "what do you mean you don't know what a thesis is" boots, and "shut up, sit down and try to participate" blazer.
Despite my discipline and punish intent, my outfit still had lots of lovely detail: frayed edges and velvet trim on the blazer, crystal sparkle, and silk pleats. I love the look of a non-tailored top with a tailored blazer for contrast.

Miss Viola Swamp was definitely in town.

Blazer: Vintage Banana Republic, Etsy
Blouse: Joe Fresh, Real Canadian Superstore
Jeans: Gap
Boots: Zara
Necklace: Thrifted, The Salvation Army Kerrisdale

Despite my apparent glee at being the meanest substitute teacher in the whole world, I stepped in for an important reason. Jenna, my photographer extraordinaire, is having very serious surgery next week. So if you know her, and even if you don't, please send good thoughts or prayers or even wishes for the perfect pair of shoes on sale her way. Thank you.





Friday, November 26, 2010

Dress your turkey, dress yourself

Happy Thanksgiving, readers! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays: amazing food, relaxed schedule, and the beginning of holiday cheer. I started today drinking champagne with the family while admiring the turkey and ended it with iced wine and Miracle on 34th Street. My outfit, then, needed to be presentable -- it is a holiday after all -- but also comfortable, since most of the day was spent laying around and eating a lot.
I love this dress. Although it was a bit more than what I normally spend, it was well worth it. I've worn it for all kinds of special occasions - an interview, first day of class, an alumni dinner, and now Thanksgiving. The dress is the perfect combination of fall colors for my favorite fall holiday, so I wanted to compliment the color palette with similar tones.
I liked the idea of wearing the cardigan unbuttoned and wearing my casual flats because it was a holiday spent at home. The belt added a nice shape to the outfit and helped keep the cardigan from looking disheveled -- something I always fear with unbuttoned cardigans. Because all of the colors I added were neutrals, I wanted to add interest with texture and layers, contrasting the feminine embellishments of the cardigan with the bold, warrior princess belt. The gold locket was a simple touch that complimented the neckline of the dress.
Dress: Anthropologie
Cardigan: New York and Co.
Belt: Thrifted, Value Village, Vancouver
Shoes: Thrifted, Alabaster Attic, Greensburg
Necklace: Gifted, Mom and Dad

My brother asked if I was dressed like a pilgrim, but I think I look more like a vegetable casserole. xoxo Anna Rae

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

She Didn't Go to Smith

Today, I feel like I could be going to one of the Seven Sisters Colleges in 1945. Instead of running around my backyard, I feel like I could be running to classes at Wellsley or Vassar.
The skirt and the sweater really help with the old-fashioned academic vibe. The skirt is actually a dress, but I love the looks from the F10 lines so much, and I felt like my time to wear them was slipping away. Without a long wool skirt in my closet, I had to improvise.

The sweater is from a vintage store in New Hope, PA, and it's lined! I love it so much. It's a neutral tone with such amazing details. The key necklace seemed very college girl to me.
I loved having my mustard socks as a small pop of color. Although I'm in love with the socks with dress shoes trend, but I know a lot of people aren't on board. I really feel that with this skirt, especially with a retro liberal arts college inspiration, the socks and oxfords are perfect.
Dress (as skirt): Joe Fresh, Real Canadian Super Store, bought by Erin
Shirt: Charlotte Russe
Cardigan: Vintage, Love Saves the Day, New Hope, PA
Socks: Target
Shoes: Gifted, Mom and Dad, Zappo's, Bass
Neckalce: Gifted, Mom and Dad, Tiffany's
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American readers! I bought myself a new camera as a Thanksgiving present, so I'm glad to be back to blogging. xoxo Anna Rae

Monday, November 22, 2010

Comfort and Detail

I was distracted by these tights on a Christmas decoration shopping trip to Zellers and had to add them to my legwear wardrobe. I loved their black lace print on a very opaque grey background-- they manage to be both subtle and interesting.
To stay warm during our unseasonable cold snap, I paired the tights with a black merino sweater dress. This outfit is really about texture rather than colour, detailing that sadly doesn't come through in the photos (depite the wonderful camerawork!). The pattern on the tights seems embroidered, and the dress has a ruffled placket and pockets and a small rib knit on the top.
Dress: Laundry by Design, Ebay
Tights: Wonderbra, Zellers
Coat: Tulle, Shine
Scarf: Club Monaco
Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction, Joneve


Friday, November 19, 2010

Earning My Stripes

Purple. Zebra Print. Wedges. What's not to love? Bonus points because this dress is comfy, stretchy cotton so I was able to look professional and unwrinkled (I had an evening staff meeting at work) after a day of writing and errands.

Simple accessories were all I needed. I will admit to having three black beaded necklaces (all varying lengths and sizes) because they are just that versatile. Plus even cheap plastic ones can approximate jet! Let's give a shout out to these amazing mary jane wedges. I wear them often because they are pleather with a rubber wedge, making them super rain-resistant and keep my feet dry. Expect to see them a lot this winter!
Dress: Moon Sample, Turnabout Consignment (both Turnabout and Front consignment stores sell new but deeply discounted sample garments)
Cardigan: JCrew, Ebay
Necklace: LeChateau
Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction, Joneve South Grandville



Saturday, November 13, 2010

"I really don't care that much about Beauties.

What I really like are Talkers." - Andy WarholToday I went to the Andy Warhol museum for my cousin Elana's birthday to see the Marilyn exhibit and, of course, revisit my favorite Andy Warhol pieces. The museum is bright and fun and at times a little crazy, and I wanted my outfit to reflect that. Somewhere along the line, I lost the idea of bright, but I think the rest of it works as fun and a little out there. I really wanted to wear this denim blazer because I think it's one of my coolest pieces and it feels a bit 60s and 70s rock'n'roll to me, like Nico or the Stones, artists strongly affiliated with Warhol. Underneath the jacket, since it was a neutral, was where I challenged myself to wear something different, something a bit strange.
Mostly I wanted to go crazy with the pattern mixing. I wore my polka-dot dress as a skirt and paired it with my striped tshirt and floral fishnet tights. To add a bit of color and some instant edge, I wore my purple Doc Marten's. I matched my bag to the purple in the shoes and the floral of the tights. Finally, I added some silver jewelry, including my key necklace, for a bit of glamour, since it was a Marilyn exhibit.
Art: Self Portrait Wallpaper, Andy Warhol

Jacket: Thrifted, Alabaster's Attic, Greensburg
Dress (worn as skirt): St. Mary's Hospital Thrift Store, Sechelt, hemmed
Shirt: Target
Tights: Miley Cyrus, Walmart
Neckalce: Tiffany's, Gifted, Mom and Dad
Earrings: Gifted, AlyWebb
Shoes: Doc Marten's, Gifted, Mom and Dad
Purse: Gifted, Aunt Angie

One of the docents (or someone with a similar job) at the museum complimented my outfit, which encourages the thought that I was really in the true Warhol spirit. Thanks Lauren for snapping the pictures! xoxo Anna Rae



Stripes Ahoy!

Why do I look so happy? It's not raining and I'm wearing black and white and a blouse with a peplum!.

Because of the blouse's nautical 1940s styling, I wore it with wide leg sailor pants that my Mom scored for me at the Scottsdale Arizona Ross (for $2.99!) after listening to me whine about my search for long enough sailor pants for many years. Of all the decades I take style cues from, the 1940s suits me best because although I am curvy, I am also tall and broad shouldered. Plus I love platform and wedge shoes! This recent article about picking a fashion decade based on body type is great.

I was pretty pleased with layering of the detail of the buttons on the pants and the pleated peplum and hook-and-eye closure of the blouse, which add interest to a pretty much monochromatic look.

Also sporting a textured monochromatic look is my lovely photographer Jenna. She wears skirts with lovely details beautifully and always looks polished and simply chic!
Top: Nanette Lepore, Ebay
Pants: Ross Dress for Less
Cardigan: Banana Republic
Flats: Sam Edelman, Winners
Necklace: Joe Fresh, Real Canadian Superstore



Thursday, November 11, 2010

The LBD with the X-Z

Tonight, I took my friend Molly out for her birthday -- the perfect excuse to wear my favorite Little Black Dress. Now, everyone knows you should have an LBD in your closet at all times, but what some people fail to mention is just how many you should have. I say three: one for formal occassions, say a wedding, one for summer fun, and one that can be worn for dinners, dates, and other events where you want to look fun, put together, and fashionable, but not over-dressed.
This form-fitting dress reminds me of one of my favorite style icons -- Joan Holloway. From the front, the dress seems pretty plain, but the back is where most of the interest lies: a deep V and an exposed zipper! Although exposed zippers are quite on trend for the moment, I think the cut and style of this dress is classic and plain enough that even when the trend dies down, this exposed zipper will be the perfect piece of interest for the dress. I plan on keeping this one in my closet for a while.
The simplicity of the dress allowed me to play up the accessories, which obviously included some blingy jewlery. This necklace, a new staple to my wardrobe, worked well with the dress's high, broad necklace. The headband, one of my more low-key ones, is a great way to add interest to a very plain, very straight hair style. I love how thin the actual band is; it makes it seem like the stones have been placed onto my hair in a complicated fashion. The allusion of effort is almost always better than effort itself.
The jewelry also went well with the shoes. I thought a plain dress was a perfect occassion to wear my sassy leopard print flats. The boldness of the shoe also worked well with the bold back of the dress. Contrasting this are the delicate polka dots on my tights. I love these tights, but they're so sheer they never seem to last longer than a few wears. I am not kind to sheer black pantyhose, even when they feature an adorable detail like these do.
Dress: BB Dakota, Courtney, Kerrisdale, Vancouver
Shoes: Gifted, Mom and Dad, Zappos, FS NY
Headband: Gifted, Elana
Necklace: Gifted, Erin
Tights: George, Walmart
And the perfect accessory for a night out? The birthday girl (and photographer!), of course. xoxo Anna Rae




Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Little House on the Austrian Prairie

This outfit is, in the best way possible, a little bit Ingalls, a little bit Von Trapp. I love this dress and wanted to continue wearing it now that summer is over. Although it's a lovely cream, the dress has a lot of grey, a color I picked up on to help winterize it. Grey winter socks, black boots, and a black belt help to make this outfit seem a bit more winter appropriate.
The style and the pattern of the dress makes me feel like one of Maria's charges. I feel like I could bike through the countryside or dance in a gazebo or harmonize with my musically-gifted siblings. The high-collared shirt, one of my favorites, worked well under the dress. The high collar doesn't complicated the dress's neckline, and the ruffles worked well with the sweet, feminine dress. My thin gold chains subtlety complimented the shirt's gold buttons and, like the belt and boots, helped to ground the outfit in the now. You don't want to teach a class actually looking like Laura Ingalls Von Trapp.
I think I need to invest in some more thick winter socks because I am in love with these! I bought them over winter break last year, and they were given the same high priority in my wardrobe. I love so much that I'm wearing them with jeans and my Doc Martens right now.
Dress: Thrifted, Value Village, Reitman's
Shirt: Thrifted, St. Vincent de Paul, Latrobe, buttons from Dress Sew, Vancouver
Belt: Gifted, Erin
Necklace: Joe Fresh, Real Canadian Superstore
Socks: Target
Boots: Gifted, Mom and Dad, Zappo's, Chinese Laundry

I'll let you go listen to "Edelweiss" while reading By the Shores of the Silver Lake. xoxo Anna Rae

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Little Red Raining Hood

The Pacific Northwest was typically drizzly and dreary today so I thought a shot of red was what it needed.
Despite its generous hood, the coat is woollen with cropped sleeves, making it somewhat impractical for heavy rain but workable for showers with the addition of long gloves.

The sweater dress (tunic?) is super cosy cashmere so it feels like loungewear while looking out-of-the-house worthy. Plus I once wore it to see the Spice Girls in concert, so if that memory doesn't brighten up a day I don't know what does.
Coat: Joe Fresh, Real Canadian Superstore
Sweater Dress: Design History, Winners
Rainboots: Kate Spade, eBay
Leggings: Lululemon
Necklace: BCBG, BCBG Outlet


A Crisp, Clean Start

What's fresher and cripser looking than a men's button-down? Not much, I'd say.
I paired this very masculine look with pearls and one of my favorite skirts. The skirt is very feminine with its large bow and the shirt brought out its pale blues. The pale blues, defined waist, and pearls reminded me of Betty Draper.
This shirt is about two sizes too big for me -- I often belt it and wear it over jeans for a simple, casual look. Tucking it in to such a high-waisted skirt and rolling the sleeves helped to make the shirt work well with this outfit.
To add some extra interest to my pearls, I clasped them together with my brooch. Who doesn't want to always add an extra sparkle to their outfits? Not picture in these outfit photos are my shoes -- I snagged my pantyhose while taking these pictures, and couldn't get a shot that didn't show the runs in my stockings. If anyone has a tip on how to make tights last, I'd gladly accept it.
Shirt: Thrifted, Value Village
Skirt: Purr, South Granville
Pearl necklace: Claire's
Brooch: Vintage, Arterie, Montreal
Speaking of a fresh clean start, you may have noticed the new look of the blog. I'm so excited for how amazing it looks, and would like to thank Erin for her talent with design. The vintage stocking ads fit the blog so well! xoxo Anna Rae

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Things that rhyme with purple

Of all my coloured coats, my purple one gets the most wear, likely because it manages to be striking but not overpowering (Anna also has a beautiful purple coat, shown here). My yellow cardigan is another item that both Anna and I own. I love yellow with grey, black, leopard print, denim.... the list is practically endless. My favourite thing about this cardigan is the delicate chiffon ruffles, even if they do make laundry day complicated. The blouse's high neck and ruffles have a schoolmarmy vibe that I love in a blouse (plus I actually am a schoolmarm) but an abstracted leopard-looking heart print keeps it current.

I finished off the look with my new silver flats. I have had to replace silver flats in my wardrobe multiple time over the past 6 years of so because they are just that versatile. My newest pair was a bit more of an investment, but one I'm hoping will pay off in longevity. I consider one pair of metallic flats (gold, silver, pewter or even bronze) to be a necessity you might want to consider adding to your wardrobe.
Coat: Tulle, Hill's of Kerrisdale
Jeans: Hudson, Fab Kerrisdale
Blouse and Cardigan: J Crew
Flats: Tory Burch, Ebay

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Winter Romps

I just can't seem to stop remixing my old summer favorites into new Fall (Winter?! It is snowing!) pieces. Today: the romper.
I know what you're saying: the pattern mixing, the layers, the tights: Anna's signature outfits are back. I was really happy about the way this came together, but there is a lot going on so let's break it down, top to bottom.I started by wearing the romper over this long-sleeved tshirt with a thicker belt, but I liked the look of the thinner belt once I added the vest and the idea of matching the nautical stripes with the small florals obviously delighted me.
The Tiffany's key necklace is amazing and can work with almost any outfit, but I try to not wear it too much, as I want to keep it a special treat. The romper, though covered, really represents summer fun and whimsy, and what's more whimsical than a key necklace? Not much.
The bottom of this outfit is by far the best. Again, the wool vest over the romper worked really well, and I matched it to my thick grey winter socks, a great addition under the boots and a nice way to contrast the color of the tights. The tights! These are actually my plaid tights wore inside out, and I have to say, they're a great solid color. Power blue!
Finally, the boots! The last of my birthday splurge on Zappos. I love these boots; they're so comfortable, but also adorable. The best part is that I can fold down the top for when I'm not wearing them with pants (or high socks).

Romper and Socks: Target
Shirt: Old Navy
Vest: Gabes
Tights: Kohl's
Shoes: Gifted, Mom and Dad, Zappo's, Chinese Laundry
Necklace: Gifted, Mom and Dad
Belt: Vintage, Came with dress, Eons, Pittsburgh

And now, an adorable picture of me with my eyes closed, trying to hide from the cold. xoxo Anna Rae