progress.

After ordering a Beachbody fitness program, they encourage you to submit before and after photos to be entered for weekly and monthly prizes. I'll spare you all from seeing mine in this public space, but I do want to share a different type of photo with you.

For the record, I have always hated shopping for pants. Three reasons: my short stature, lack of hips and butt, yet proportionally curvier thighs and calves.

About two Decembers ago, I walked into Urban Outfitters to buy a new pair of jeans. I started buying jeans from Urban Outfitters because the BDG Grazer style jeans were the perfect length for me. On this particular shopping trip, they did not have a pair that would fit me. Stubbornly, I left the store with a pair of jeans two sizes too small: a pair that I would have fit into two years prior.

I hung the too-small jeans up in my room to guilt myself into working out. It didn't work.

As mentioned in my previous post, it took a bit of nudging and an accountability group for me to really get moving.

In January, I finally mustered up the courage to put on The Jeans. They were still a little snug, but there was no fear of ripping the seams if I sat down. Two weeks ago, I actually had to use a belt.

There is still room for improvement. I still have some extra body fat I'd like to lose, but I won't lie about how happy I felt to be able to fit into The Jeans.

 

PS: I no longer shop at Urban Outfitters, as I do not agree with their business practices (i.e. blatantly ripping off designs without credit nor compensation).

snow day.

Today is a great day to wear my new "Be You" toque (or 'beanie' to non-Canadians) from charlavail!*

How are you keeping warm during Vancouver's extra-cold December?

*Unfortunately, all toques are now sold out, but she will be restocking in the new year!

style spied... sort of.

My friend Adriana recently started contributing to the Girl of the Week feature on The Style Spy (congrats, Adri!). Before she got the gig, she asked me to pose for a sample shot, so here it is: an actual outfit photo of yours truly.

Moon shirt, vintage necklace, H&M belt, Topshop jeans, Deena & Ozzy purse, heels from Army & Navy shoe sale

I'm growing my hair out to donate and it's taking a lot longer than I'd thought it would! An Instagram/Twitter friend suggested fish oil. Does anyone else have any good tips?

summer prints.

h&m haul in april: i couldn't wear those sandals 'til two days ago!

It all started with one blazer (pictured above) and now I find myself wanting to add more prints to my wardrobe. I'm not talking dainty flower pastel prints; I'm talking big, bold, your crazy high school counsellor prints. Examples:

all from zara

Admittedly, I have some reservations about the pants. I'd probably have to do some crazy seven-days-a-week pilates again to have model-esque legs for those. Oh, and, you know... magically grow seven inches. Even Hermione Granger couldn't assist me in that department.

wedding season.

After entering (and passing) my mid-twenties, I found there were more and more weddings to attend each year. Luckily, I haven't run into the problem of not having enough dresses to wear (yet), simply by making sure I do not wear the same dress in the presence of the same guest list more than once.

just a small sampling: h&m / urban behaviour / supré / h&m / sharinio / buffalo shop

There are a few other cardinal rules I go by when it comes to weddings, and these are really just the anal retentive traits in me shining through:

• Don't wear a significant amount of black. It's a wedding - a celebration of two people's love (or whatever) for one another - not a funeral. I love black, but there's an appropriate time and place.
• Don't wear a significant amount of white. The bride might cut you, is all I'm saying. Unless the bride is not choosing the standard white gown, then by all means, go white!
• Leave the in-your-face cleavage for the club. Cover that shit up! This is a family affair. (Vegas wedding? Okay, whole other ballpark.)
• Forget the mega-watt makeup. You're not the center of attention today, so try not to detract from the bride (and groom). Look ravishing, but not too ravishing.
• Wear something that reflects your style and personality. Abiding by all of the above rules doesn't mean you have to lose yourself. Shoes and accessories are important!

Of course, the most important rule is to not act like a fool. Looking nice is super important, but learning not to get shit-faced at the open bar is an entirely different beast to tackle.

 

P.S. Don't wear jeans! Or t-shirts. Or baseball caps. Spleesh!

P.P.S. I am so anal that I would probably enforce a dress code if I ever had a wedding. I'm picturing a bouncer at the door...

leather and denim.

Guess what I bought...


these babies!


I've been a bit whiny about a (seemingly) lack of interesting shoes lately (past two or three months), so seeing these at Zara was a breath of fresh air for me.

Also, I tried on a pair of Sam Edelman Zoe boots yesterday. Sadly, they're not for me. I found the sole a bit too slippery and sticking grip soles on them feels wrong somehow (the sole has "Sam Edelman" stamped all over it in different fonts). If you are a size 6 though, they are priced down at Gia on Robson 'cause it's the display shoe. (Buckles are a tiny bit damaged.)

apt descriptions: maybe not my forte.

last thursday, i went to yuk yuks 'cause i'd won tickets from filling in a comment card the last time i was there. i laughed 'til my gut hurt and my eyes watered up! the mc for the night was adam pateman and seriously, his bits on hipsters, love, and canadian heritage had me practically rolling on the floor.

anyway, i wanted to document this outfit mostly because i've been wearing these vintage slouch boots for two months now, but never posted photos of them:




i had tweeted that they "fit like a glove" - which is an extremely weird description... feet gloves? ..socks? (a little late on the promise, but fulfilling your request for photos, kelsey!) they can also be worn unfolded - very pirate-y.

the inspiration behind the layout and photo colouring are the marc by / marc jacobs ads photographed by juergen teller. his photos are generally softer in lighting but i like the contrast of the grittier photos against a clean layout.


source: marc jacobs

it's not a cape, edna, and i'm no superhero.

i am guilty of sitting on these outfit photos for a while. they are from the last weekend of september; what i wore for dinner at the edge.




i had no idea how japanese-influenced this outfit was 'til i started this post...

the cardigan with giant sleeves was purchased over the summer from my friend's aunt who runs a clothing factory in asia. i do not know the label as all the clothes are sold in japan only.

i am also wearing a camisole purchased from a japanese store in melbourne (white tank worn underneath is h&m organic), black skinny jeans from uniqlo japan, and arnold churgin boots.

---

if there is any doubt as to what the title of this post refers to, why it's to the incredibles and edna mode's aversion to capes!

as an aside, the characters in the images have no connection to the "japanese-ness" of my outfit - they are actually titles of chinese songs that i was listening to while photoshopping. (i sometimes feel the need to clarify such things.)

half bday.

don't let the title fool you, we are still in catch-up mode!

i celebrated my half birthday at the beginning of the month with some close friends. it was very last minute, so it was officially titled "quelle's half-assed half bday" where the theme was halves. (yes, i am huge on party themes!)

my outfit:


(serious credit to susie of style bubble for the belted dress-on-dress idea! [...can you find my gushing comment?])

a few of my friends dressed up too!


i did promise a prize for best costume, but have not created/purchased/re-wrapped(? heh) said prize yet. nor have i chosen a winner! perhaps, i'll let you, my readers choose the winner! it should be noted that not pictured is one friend who decided she didn't need to dress up because she is half fijian and half italian. haha cast your vote in the comments!

we interrupt your regularly scheduled program...

let us briefly veer off the catch-up path because i am bursting to share two things!

one: i went to the warehouse shoe sale at pne rollerland* (thanks for the vip night email, teresa!) and scored some arnold churgin boots that are, for me, the perfect knee-high, lace-front, leather hybrid.


the shaft height and the heel remind me of the triple-lace ann demeulemeester boots from fall '08 (okay, so it's not a wicked talon heel, but still stacked) while the tiny laces and detailing remind me of the prada spring '06 peep-toe boots (that i almost managed to get off ebay.. *sigh*), so you see, really the best of both worlds! and without the giganto price tag! now i feel less sad for not being able to buy those prada boots. (i guess the links make it seem like i'm a huge jane aldridge/sea of shoes worshipper... maybe i am. or maybe she's the first hit on google when i type in my search! but i digress...)

my second item of news is...

i cut my hair again on monday, and...




yes, super short! (sorry for the crap photos, but rest assured there'll be more photos in the weeks to come!) i haven't had hair this short since i was about one. i've considered having short hair on and off for a few years, but with the encouragement of my hairstylist extraordinaire, sue (at aveda academy), i took the plunge. i knew if i was going to cut, i'd cut it shorter than what i had last fall and the other option was to grow it out, which didn't excite me too much (mostly because i am super impatient).

anyway, ramble, bamble... thus concludes our detour!


*the warehouse shoe sale at pne rollerland goes from thursday, september 24 - sunday, september 27. hours are 10am - 9pm, thursday and friday; 10am - 6pm, saturday and sunday. happy shopping!

still playing catch-up, part whatever.

i love getting stuff in the mail. when a package arrives, it's like christmas! (except it's more like christmas presents i bought for myself.)

i was pretty surprised to receive this particular package from camille only days after purchasing:


what did i buy?


a wool blazer and a rogan for target tee!

i love them both. they fit perfectly and are super comfy.

my kitty decided to visit in my room all morning and hang about while i opened and photographed the package of clothes:


i love his white paws:

fulfilling some requests.

liv of it's a beautiful life had asked to see a close up of the vintage gold necklace i've worn in some previous posts, so i am (finally) obliging.


i have no idea where this necklace came from. i only know that it's been part of our (myself and my sister's) jewelry collection for as long as i can remember.



kelsey of the anthology managed to snag a vintage expo 86 tee last month which reminded me of the two i have kicking around in my own closet. they aren't the same style as kelsey's, but i did promise to share some photos:


the red version is a youth size. the blue one is still in its package, yes, though barely. after all these years of being tossed into the back of many wardrobes and closets, it's really fighting its way out of the bag. i doubt i will ever wear it.



this last item is by no means a request. i just wanted to share this failed attempt at capturing a stunningly orange sun from last week. i'm kind of liking how the photo turned out. happy mistakes!


here's to hoping the sun makes a full return soon!

red lips and irony.

last week, i came across this photo of mary-kate on fashion canvas (a good source for bits of daily inspiration) and was instantly reminded that i own a tube of red lipstick that gets way too little use.

remembering the concealer tip from this xsparkage tutorial, i proceeded to paint my lips red, but the finishing touches were really the "ironic" glasses from asos.





wearing: vintage men's shirt with an assortment of jewelry (more deets below).



clockwise from top left:
- spitfire sunglasses
- forever21 ring
- sterling silver "pisces" ring my friend gave me in highschool
- silver ring my grandfather made for my sister when she was a toddler (i wear it on my pinky)
- h&m necklace (hacked; large oval plate removed)
- vintage shell necklace
- vintage sterling silver ring

uber geek alert.

remember how i wrote about wanting to be bellatrix lestrange for the harry potter and the half-blood prince midnight showing? clearly i would never look as awesome as helena bonham carter, but my own interpretation wouldn't hurt. actually, i didn't really end up being bellatrix - more like a cross between a slytherin and a wannabe-death eater.



watch out! that might be the aveda kedavra curse i am about to perform... (i evidently have too much fun dressing up.)

the eye makeup was actually what was left after crying--- um, i won't spoil it for those who have not read the book or seen the movie.


an impromptu review...

i generally far prefer a book to its movie counterpart, but i still get excited to see a live-action interpretation of literature. what i enjoyed most about the half-blood prince was tom felton's portrayal of a tormented draco malfoy. the extra focus on his part of the story for the movie was quite flawlessly done and i think, a sound addition.

i am usually wary of actors being cast for roles that don't entirely fit the characters' descriptions, but i enjoyed jim broadbent as professor slughorn very much - he is a great actor and always a positive addition to a cast. jessie cave as lavender brown was fantastic as well. i'm also happy the director/writers chose to throw in an extra scene for luna lovegood - evanna lynch portrays her so well.

my biggest gripe of the movie was how much the 'blooming love' story arc was played up and how awkward it was. it just felt a tad too forced. there was also a superfluous scene or two here and there, which i thought could have been scrapped to focus on certain parts of the book that are rather significant - or at the very least quite interesting.

but, all in all, i did enjoy the movie. it's not my favourite of the franchise, but certainly a step up from the previous one. (i'm not sure why i disliked the order of the phoenix so much... it has just been my least favourite of the lot so far.) i await the last (two) installments eagerly and impatiently!

hp-geek signing out!



ps - i don't love slytherins; i just think the "dark" characters are always more fun to dress up as than the overtly goody-goody. truth be told, i was sorted to hufflepuff in "a more accurate harry potter sorting quiz" (as opposed to the "less accurate" one that used to be on the harry potter site, i suppose.. which sorted me to gryffindor and i think i agree with the hufflepuff sorting more than gryffindor.)

shopping show-and-tell.

i had put myself on a shopping ban for the month of june, but i never shared that i'd accomplished it!

for the month of july, i decided to set a spending budget on clothes and accessories (including make-up) and i challenged myself to only buy sale items. so far, so good!

sharing what i've bought:



clockwise from top right:
- asos leather buckle detail high front slingback
- spitfire vintage dylan/roy orbison sunglasses
- asos wet look mini skirt

the shoes i'd ordered two weeks ago and arrived on friday. they are actually rather cushioned and much comfier than i expected.

i was eyeing the sunglasses a few days ago, but decided last night that i had to order them. they are what my friend would call "ironic glasses." and while i was snooping the '10 pounds and under' sale section, i also found the skirt.

i really like asos's extensive catalogue of affordable and designer items, and their mailing list emails. most stores send you the typical "we got new stock" or "we're having a sale" emails, but the asos emails are similiar to a mini newsletter with how-to-wear ideas. (i also really like their order confirmation emails; very nicely designed. clean, informative, but also personable.)

the big sale at asos ends this week and shipping to canada is super affordable - just under $7US - and it only took about 10 working days to receive my last order!

/plug (wish i got commissioned for all that positive press. ha!)

valentino: the last emperor.

finally, finally - a week later... what i wore to the valentino screening.

i got lazy halfway through the layout, so scrapped the other half of it:



h&m pleather jacket / necessary objects dress / aldo shoes / bueno clutch-purse (removable chain) / vintage necklace / f21 ring

my "bat dress" makes another appearance! (i looked at the label finally and found out it's by necessary objects.) this is also only the second time i've worn these aldo shoes. i need to find more excuses to strut around in fiercely studded leather heels.


regarding the film:

firstly, can i just say how charming matt tyrnauer is? if i had anything remotely interesting to say, i would have approached him at the cocktail party. alas, i am not one for having insightful questions and i'm also prone to making an ass of myself whenever i am near people i admire - even if they are only a teensy bit famous. (although last time i talked to isaac hanson, i was able to carry on a decent conversatiton - even if my heart was racing - so maybe things are looking up!)

there is quite a bit of hype surrounding valentino, and even though i hate to fall into the "hype trap," i may just have to fuel it. it really was very enjoyable... a wonderful glimpse into the life of the extravagantly wealthy; the strong relationship between life and work partners; and the lavish world of haute couture. i can't decide which i enjoyed more: the process of valentino dreaming up a dress all the way to its appearance on the runway, or the wonderfully funny bits of dialogue between valentino and giancarlo giammetti.

i forget how many hours of footage was filmed in total, but the initial cut of the film was seven hours long. i will proudly admit that i am one of the fashion fanatics who would love to see this seven-hour cut. haha but before that monstrous gem is released, if you live in and around vancouver, you can head to tinseltown to catch the 96-minute cut. (other cities now showing or screening soon can be found via the movie's website: valentinomovie.com.)

---

i did not go the alice festival as i ended up with dinner plans while the urgent web project was still undone. i am now also fighting off a cold (still in the "kicking in" stage nearly 30 hours later)...

but! i will be seeing harry potter and the half blood prince at midnight! i was hoping to dress up (would be my first time for a midnight viewing and dressing up), but still haven't decided on what, though i am so very tempted to be bellatrix lestrange. if i could raid mary-kate olsen's closet, my costume would be instantly complete! seriously.. witness:



and



and



ok, in this case, i'd steal ashley's dress but mk's caftan/robe/dress is still awesome:



and



all of the shorter skirts featured above could be layered with this maxi skirt:



images from various sources... sorry, saved over a few years; hard to keep track

and thus concludes my visual evidence that mk could totally dress up as bellatrix lestrange. /potterhead + mk&a mashup; woah.

status meeting.

okay, i cheated. i wanted to wear these bcbg paris shoes, but wasn't going to ruin them by walking in them 9 blocks each way for a short status meeting (company's logo is finally getting somewhere). i actually wore this outfit with my blue wrap sweater and white havaianas. i quite love this top i bought from a japanese shop called "shibuya" in melbourne last year (worn over a cotton h&m spaghetti strap dress).


last night, while going through bags and bags of old clothes to donate, i came across some clothes my sister wore in the early 90s. some of the stuff i wouldn't have touched with a 10-foot pole even a couple years ago, but now i think they're seriously amazing! i'll try to share some photos soon.

sunday night.

went out to see the faint and ladytron put on a fantastic show last night at the commodore!

the faint
photo by bill sitzman, courtesy press here

ladytron
photo by mike sharpe, courtesy nettwerk music

i'd seen ladytron live before, and they were great as usual, but i was really pleasantly surprised by the faint.
a highlight of the night was the awesome backdrop visuals. both bands were actually backlit with little to no spotlights and that really made the performances visually stunning.

here's what i wore:

h&m dress, kismet jacket, joe fresh style tights, "dkny" purse (was my aunt's, probably a knockoff considering the shape it's in), not shown: black converse chuck taylors
and veggie poutine from fritz is the perfect way to finish the night!

some awesome images from the faint's upcoming album...



all images courtesy press here
sorry, i wanted to put these under a cut, but the cut tag's completely effed up!!!!!!! so DON'T click on "cliquez ici..." even though it shows up at the end of this post (it's messing up my other posts too! grrr...). it's late, so i will have to figure this shit out tomorrow. (i hate you, blogger!)

weekend menswear.

it was so nice out yesterday - high of over 18°C in my neighbourhood! it's finally feeling like spring!


what i'm wearing:

• mens shirt: i've had it for at least 10 years; a really old hand-me-down from either my dad or uncle
• jeans: uniqlo (japan)
• belt: from a market in china
• shades: old stock from previous owner of grocery store my parents bought in '88
  
• shoes: roxy (i bought these on sale in fall of '07 and have never come across another pair like it! they are so soft and comfortable, but are ready to retire. if anyone can point me in the direction of similar flats, please let me know!)

x-posted to fabsugar lookbook


and speaking of fabsugar lookbooks, my vancouver fashion week outfit was on looks of the week! thanks to everyone who viewed and to fab for the feature! (my vfw recap here.)

---

i've been tagged by cari at financial services is not fashion! survey after the cut.

Rules

1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.
2. Tag eight other un-tagged people.

Questions

What is your current obsession?
caged/cut-out/lace-up heels
What is your weirdest obsession?
i'm not sure.. i obsess over things quite easily. haha i guess people would think my love for hanson is a weird obsession.
What are you wearing today?
haven't decided yet... still in my pjs lol
Why is today special?
it's so nice out again!
What would you like to learn to do?
play the guitar and drums
What’s for dinner today?
not sure yet!
What’s the last thing you bought?
a cropped bomber-style jacket that came up to just over $8 after tax!
What are you listening to right now?
shake it off by mariah carey (itunes on random)
What is your favorite weather?
mid twenties with a light breeze
What is your most challenging goal right now?
getting my company off the ground
What do you think about the person who tagged you?
very cute style! we'd probably chat forever about 2 of our loves ;)
If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
parrriiiissssssss!
Favorite vacation spot?
so far, japan!
What would you like to have in your hands right now?
a plane ticket to paris, rome, athens, tokyo, hong kong, sydney, new york, or cairo... okay, almost anywhere really!
What would you like to get rid of?
my eczema
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
does that mean i only get to stay there for an hour? um... seattle's pike place
Which language do you want to learn?
so many! i'll start with japanese
What's a must-play on your dance playlist?
anything 80s!
Who do you want to meet in person?
mavis fan
One thing that you would snitch out of someone’s closet, with no regrets?
ashley olsen's vintage croc fendi tote (so in love!)
What’s the favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?
right now my balmain-like grey jacket
What is your dream job?
art director for a big-name fashion magazine? maybe.. not sure! somehow integrating my communications design with illustration and fashion i guess. ha!
Favorite style steal tv/movie right now:
antm cycle 12. i love the way celia and london dress.
A bad habit of yours:
always falling for guys who resemble musicians i have major crushes on


i'm sorry if you've already been tagged!!! (and no guilt trips.. you don't have to do it. hehe)

1. liv at it's a beautiful life


2. robynne at fashion on edge


3. lobelia at fashion folder


4. karen at a cup of vogue


5. amanda at a cup of vogue


6. emz at cuz i'm crazy


7. kay at stitched


8. victoria at chic heroin