In which Serena ponders falling pianos, tackiness, and the unknowability of the infinite answer of being. Okay, the first two, not that last one.

I'm up to my old tricks again, this time procrastinating working on my resume. You see, I figure if I don't send any resumes out then I don't risk rejection. Simple as that! Oh dear. But really, it's a combination of fear of failure and plain laziness.

Today, all I wanted to do was wander the city and take pictures and maybe indulge in a little vintage shopping, floating from store to store and just enjoying the sunshine. It's been so beautiful lately. You know when life is so great that you fear a piano will fall on your head... you know, to kind of even things out? That's what the weather has been like. And I wanted to be out there, frolicking and wandering without a care in the world. But I have many cares these days...

Stop.

Enough about sadbad things! Fashion! Today I played with patterns, mixing a crazy bright floral with ladylike houndstooth to a pleasing effect, if I do say so myself. I topped it all off with my saffron yellow toque (not in the pictures). A mid-life crisis white dude driving an SUV with the windows down blaring the oh-so-gangster rap tunes turned all the way around in his seat to watch me as he drove by. I shudder to think that his taste and my taste somehow overlap, that he actually liked my outfit. Rather, I will ignore this aberration and contend that I looked good. This is a fashion dilemma I've never encountered before. Does it hurt my style cred that a conspicuously tacky fellow checked me out? This needs pondering.

finalement, la mode

I finally found a good place to take outfit pictures. I'd been doing them in the hallway by the bathroom door - decidedly less than picturesque. Of course, now that I've discovered said wonderful picture-taking spot, there are dudes working directly outside my window and I feel very odd running back and forth from the spot to my camera, setting the timer and then scurrying back to pose. Ah, well.

This is what I wore on Friday the 13th to get supplies for Valentine's dinner. Actually, I just ended up buying booze (ingredients for kir royale - yum!) and didn't end up following through on the elaborate dinner I was going to make. Instead, we drank kir royale and had a simple creamy pasta.

Abrupt change of subject: I like that I've finally found a place to take outfit photos but I feel like this blog might actually take a turn in a different direction. I'm only working part time at a cafe right now and I really need to find a job but with this recession looming over all our heads, the job market is looking icy and forbidding. I might start documenting my job search (hopefully in a funny/sarcastic way rather than a sad/depressing way). Would that be too boring? Should I do this on a separate blog, or would you like to hear my plaintive cries of, "But I have a degree... why aren't I employed?"?

Let me know what you think!

amping it up

I recently got a new job at a great consignment boutique here in Vancouver called Changes. I've really had to amp up my styling of my own outfits as well as learning about other body types and what shapes flatter them, not to mention learning what colours look good with different people's skin! It's a lot to learn but it's so fun and so exactly what I want to be doing now that I'm almost done my degree. Not only is consigning clothing a form of recycling, but this store is so woman-positive and so committed to local, national and global charities. It's basically perfect. The only thing is that it's very challenging and I've never working in retail before. But I figure this is the best place to learn!

Anyways, here's what I wore on my first day...

Wilfred jacket, Aquatalia sandals, cotton dress

I accessorized with a necklace made of big wooden beads, but it was still a pretty simple outfit. Well, simple doesn't always cut it so I tried some new things with today's outfit. I layered two skirts and cinched it in with a nicely textured vest.

Thrifted skirts, thrifted boots, Sisley vest, vintage shoe charm worn as broach

Wishful Dressing and Childhoods Spent on Mountain Tops

I wish it was warm enough out to wear this...


Sandals: Aquatalia, Dress: Winners, Beret: Urban Outfitters

However, it is cold and windy and I'm staying inside to write my final paper, the final paper that is so late that my prof called me on my cell to ask where my essay is. Not my finest moment, and I am now petrified of this woman. I'm so close to being done this blasted degree, it almost itches. I guess I'm suffering from 'major burn out,' as the young academics say these days. Anyways, because the weather is nasty, this is what I'm actually wearing today:


Sandals: Aquatalia, Sweater: deeply discounted Aritzia

And yes, I realize I've committed the heinous atrocity known as 'Socks and Sandals' but in my defense a) it is freaking cold in my apartment and b) sometimes I'm really drawn to ugly chic. But you can't blame me, because I grew up in the forest on top of a mountain. It's not my fault. I come by it honestly. Et pour toi, a close-up of the atrocity:

Alice in Wonderland

Apologies for the boob-shot. Fortunately, at this point I'm pretty sure my only reader is my boyfriend, so they're no news to him. Anyways, as you can imagine, my outfit is sort of my version of Alice in Wonderland if Alice was half-Chinese and horrifyingly busty on film. I wore an old fashioned undershirt (I refuse to call them 'beaters' for political reasons) under my creamy polka dot dress from Edun, a Zara cardigan and thrifted red platforms.

Usually when I'm in feverish paper-writing mode, I go to my local adorable French cafe Coco et Olive (owned and operated by real French people, no less!) and sit with my notebook and write up a storm before going home to type it all out. However, today I was not very productive so I must end this post and cease procrastinating!

When writing papers that are already late...

...always dress your best. I've found over the last five years in university that the main thing I've learned is how to be a terrible student. In first year, I began writing my essays a month before they were due. Now? I don't start them until after the due date. My two main strategies of procrastination are: taking forever to get dressed and making overly complicated and yummy food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Both strategies were implemented today. First, the cute outfit comprised of sky-high heels, comfy-cute dress and warm grandpa style cardigan all cinched in with my favourite belt.

Next step: prepare elaborate and delicious meal. My lunch today was a salad with grilled pumpkin seed-encrusted goat cheese medallions and grilled artichoke hearts. It was accompanied by this crazy Korean 'yoghurt flavoured' drink that I used to love as a child.

Yum! Incidentally, I was actually able to get work done, just not as much as I should have. The funny thing is, I don't care! I had a great day!

Detail

Here is a detail shot of what I wore the other day. The outfit consisted of a zip-up mini-dress from Zara, a Cowichan-style sweater from Aritzia and my army jacket from Soia and Kyo, plus tights and boots. I really liked this picture because my ring figures so prominently and I love my ring. It was given to me by my wonderful boyfriend who has great taste in jewelry as well as girlfriends. Har-har.

He's also a super-smarty pants, as evidenced by his blog.