Secondhand Savannah

This dress is one of my favourite thrift store finds-- not only is it incredibly comfortable and versatile, it represents one of the minority players in the animal print world. Giraffes might not have as much style cache as leopards, zebras, or even snakes, but I think they are due for a starring spot at the fashion watering hole.

I kept the dress the focus with a black cashmere/modal cardi-wrap, tights, and boots. It is worth noting that this dress came with linebacker rivaling shoulderpads, but some quick snips removed it from Dynasty territory.

Perfect for some rainy day hunting!

Dress: Thrifted, The Salvation Army Kerrisdale

Cardigan: Line, Hills of Kerrisdale (Line is a fantastic Canadian Knitwear brand also available at Holt Renfrew)

Tights: Hue

Boots: Steven by Steve Madden

Style Challenge: Gifted

OMG! Look at my enormous and crazy brooch!

My aunt Donna bought me this brooch for my birthday, and, even before I unwrapped the present, apologized for how big it was, insisting that if I didn't like it, that'd be okay, because she thought it was a little over the top. Clearly, I love it, and decided to base my going out for a lazy Sunday birthday dinner with said aunt outfit around it.
Like Libby said in the last post, I'm rejoicing over the return of tights with shorts weather. I chose these tights as a tonal complement to bold maroon and lilac in the brooch. Because of its size, I knew that if I wore the brooch on one side of my outfit, I would look lopsided. I was thinking belt buckle at first, and still am a little, but once I put on this blouse, I loved the idea of having the brooch in the center of both it's tie and the cardigan's button. Could it be anymore of a focal point?
And, finally, a close up of the tights, with their crazy design. Like the brooch, these tights are bold and maybe a little over the top. All the best things are.
Brooch: Gifted, Aunt Donna, Avon

Blouse: Thrifted, Alabaster's Attic, Greensburg

Shorts: Thrifted, Value Village, Vancovuer

Shoes: Thrifted, Alabaster's Attic, Greensburg

Cardigan: Thrifted, St. Vincent de Paul, Latrobe, Zara's

Belt: Target

My apologies for being a lackluster blogger this week. The Lit GREs are tomorrow, so I've been trying to limit my time spent on things that discouraged me from learning to tell the difference between a Spenserian stanza and Rhyme Royal. xoxo Anna Rae

A SHORT Post, Ha

Sorry for the grainy pictures, but that's what happens when it's raining outside and kitchen bulbs is the best lighting. Wah wah. It was super cold out this day - once again, from a couple of days ago, so the jacket was necessary.
The same sentiments are echoed from the last post about transitioning through different seasons with clothes, and dressing for class and whatnot. I love these shorts, love these boots and love the jacket. Pretty comfortable outfit, overall a success I like to think.

Until tomorrow. Libby

Boots: Michael Kors

Tights: Macy's

Shorts: BCBG

Top: Express

Jacket: Forever 21

Those pics are Tight(s)!

Hi everyone! I know it's been awhile (again) since I've posted, but I've just become lazy with my picture taking. These pictures are actually from last week, whoops! Last week when it was cold and miserable outside.
I love being able to take shorts, pair them with tights, and have the clothes transition to fall and winter. It's nice to be able to get more wear out of articles of clothing. And sometimes I like to dress nicely for class, it helps me act more studious. Act is the important word in that sentence.
Hey look! My shoes match my nail polish! These are my most favorite heels - such a comfortable height that I could wear them forever.

Until tomorrow. Libby

Shoes: Steve Madden

Tights: Macy's

Shorts BCBG

Top: Bluefly, Gifted from Michael and Amanda

Sweater: Express

Belt: Nordstrom

Bag: Nine West, DSW

Girls who wear glasses

My new nerdy persona sadly did not live up to her eyewear and neglected the proper care and feeding of her electronics (specifically camera batteries). Luckily the lovely Jenna stepped in with her iPhone to take these outfit posts featuring my latest optical accessories, a new requirement for long hours spent squinting at blurry 300 year old print.

I'm wearing one of my favourite blouses with grey jeans and a cardigan for colour. I like the contrast they provide to the black top, something that my usual dark wash denim does not. The shoes are a wonderful nubby wool houndstooth with bows. Houndstooth, like polka dots, stripes, and animal prints, is a pattern that plays with with almost any others and can be blown up for drama (as in this post) or minimised for subtlety. Plus the fact that it is usually black and white gives it mad street cred in my closet.

Glasses: Factory Optical

Blouse: Tara Jarmon, Winners

Jeans: Paige Premium, Zappos.com
Cardigan: Talbots (home to some surprisingly wonderful things!)

Flats: Gap

Wedding by the Water

This weekend, I attended my cousin Brian and his adorable bride Katy's wedding in Annapolis, MD. The wedding was a nighttime wedding on the bay, a perfect occasion to rewear the dress from Nick and Emily's rehearsal dinner.

As soon as I saw this dress on ModCloth, I immediately knew I loved it, and who wouldn't? What other dress has a large bow, sweetheart necklace, and an overlay filled with sparkle and whimsy? It reminds me of one of the dresses worn in White Christmas, one of my all-time favorite fashion movies.
I tried to keep the rest of my outfit as vintage-inspired as the dress, and wanted the accessories to stay simple. I worn silver sandals (with heels!) and carried my grandma's grey clutch, one of my favorite pieces.

I found this ring at Target and knew it was perfect! This neckline needs no necklace, but my beehived hair was craving oversized pearls, and the ring was an excellent complement.

This jacket was my last-minute addition for the beside the water breeze. Although it's not the most practical of outwear, I always feel a little like Jackie O when wearing this adorable, almost cape-like jacket. It may be a misplaced association and I may be mixing my vintage inspirations, but I loved how fun the outfit felt.

Dress: Modcloth

Shoes: Life Stride

Jacket: Old Navy

Cluth: Inherited, Grandma's

Earrings: Costume Jewelry

Ring: Target

The wedding, like outfit, was a great success. And a special thanks to Aunt Donna for taking these pictures twice, since they were all in sepia tone the first time. xoxo Anna Rae

Under my Umberella

This pictures are a bit sad, but it's been so rainy the past few days that any attemps of photographing my outfits were complete disasters. I really liked this outfit, it was a perfect one for teaching and cooler climates, so I decided to do a garage photo shoot, posing with the umberella that has been my go-to accessory for the past few days.

I think I mostly like this outfit because I find these tights are hard to match. I think they worked best here because they offset the pastels that dominated the rest of the outfit and I stayed clear of any other green in the ensemble.
The oxfords were a necessary addition for the rain, but I think they worked well with the high-collar sweater vest combination, a very scholarly look.

I wore gold bow earrings to add a little whimsy to the romantic colors and to match the gold buttons on the shirt and the Gina Tricott decal on the sweater vest.

Shirt: Thrifted, St. Vincent de Paul thrift store, Latrobe, buttons replaced with ones from Dress Sew

Vest: Gina Tricott, Stockholm

Skirt: Thrifted, Alabaster's Attic, Greensburg

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Thrifted, St. Mary's Hospital Thrift Store, Sechelt

Earrings: Gifted, Erin

Umbrella - Umbrella Store, Granville Island

And now I'll stare off into the distance, thinking of my return to outdoor photos. xoxo Anna Rae