stepping out

Dress- W Times Square Hotel Boutique (Gifted from my man); Shoes-, Belt & Ring Thrifted with DIY embellishments; Flower Headband- Blue Eyes Bridal

As some of you may know I work full-time for a charitable organization called Dress for Success that provides disadvantaged women the services they need to thrive both personally and professionally (including a suiting program, a mock interview program and a Professional Women's Group).  A couple of weeks ago we held our annual fundraising event called Stepping Out which was all about wearing your funkiest shoes.  So of course I decided to DIY my shoes by bejewelling them with dollar store gems, mirrors & flowers.  Also in attendance was the beautiful A Fine Balance (who helped me at the registration desk) & Twenty York Street (who was one of the fabulous shoe judges!)

{Linking up to Verbal Melange: Bloggers Take the Town}

This dress is my go-to frock for special occasions, bought for me by my man on our first trip to New York together.  The picture below was taken in Central Park, two years ago when my hair was barbie-blonde (there's just something about this dress that inevitably leads me to twirling around like a whirling dervish!)

A-

Shorts- Jacob; Blouse- Thrifted; Sandals- Payless Shoes; Necklace & Sunglasses- Aldo; Earrings- Smart Set; Nail Polish- e-nuf is e-nuf by Essie

We all have characteristics about ourselves that we wish we could change.  Mine are that I'm a high-strung and anxious individual who over-commits.  One of my New Year's Eve resolutions was to take more downtime (or Emily time as I like to call it), unwind and not put so much unnecessary pressure on myself.  I am proud to say that I am no longer a type A+ personality, I've downgraded (or upgraded, depending on how you look at it) to an A- (speaking of A-, that was also my GPA in University, just sayin'!) I give myself at least an hour (much more when I'm feeling indulgent) each weekday evening to relax and I make sure to shut the computer off for at least half a day on the weekend.  This past weekend we headed up to a friend's cottage and spent Sunday afternoon eating yummy food, swimming, chatting and playing an intensely competitive game of Settlers of Catan.

{Vegan tempeh & edamame hummus baguette with fresh fruits and veggies (and some mango rum punch on the side)}

{Rupert, 1/2 of my friends' pugs}

{Someone must have lost their temper...}

"Tension is who you think you should be.  Relaxation is who you are."  (Chinese Proverb)

home depot chic

Dress (worn as skirt)- Dynamite; Vest, Tank, Tee, Shoes, Bracelet & Earrings- Thrifted; Ring- Sears; Necklace- RW&CO; Sunglasses- Coach c/o Marshalls;Nail Polish- e-nuf is e-nuf by Essie

"You can never be overdressed or overeducated." (Oscar Wilde)

Even though I decided a Masters degree program wasn't for me (therefore not qualifying as overeducated), I am certainly someone who likes to dress up, even if it's just for a Saturday afternoon trip to my local Home Depot (hey you never know who you're going to meet, Ty Pennington could be hanging out in the lumber section!)

My man and I now own a house (pic below) and we have a week to get our condo ready for sale so it's been baseboard cleaning, blind dusting, closet door painting & elbow greasing galore!

{The belt buckle x 2 appeal} 

{Our new house- it has two great outdoor spaces, perfect for entertaining!}

We got the strangest looks when taking these photos in the Home Depot parking lot but after almost 2 years of outfit photos, it doesn't faze me anymore!

tulle

Skirt- Spoof (Boutique in Toronto); Blazer, Shoes, Belt, Purse & Jewellery- Thrifted; Sparkly Tank- Ann Taylor Loft; Striped Tank- Gap

There's something about tulle that makes me feel like a ballerina and what little girl doesn't fantasize about twirling on her toes? (My dream ended when my ballet teacher's toes were bleeding from her pointe class and I was a soccer girl from then on!)

I bought this skirt in blue (worn like this, this & this) and cream (worn like this) for only $7 each at a small boutique in Toronto called Spoof and whenever I don't know what to wear, I pull one of them on for instant chic (now I'm wishing I had bought one in every colour of the rainbow for a ballerina bonanza!)

I get as excited as a toddler when I see a chipmunk (I'm so used to the cat-sized creatures that are Ontario squirrels, these guys are like a cuter, miniature version!)

Early morning pictures before work are convenient but reveal my ever present under-eye bags and sleepy face!

{A year ago I also wore a cream coloured skirt: source}

consignment

Dress & Ring- AMH Style; Shoes- Rikochet Resale; Jean Jacket, Clutch & Belt- Thrifted; Necklace- RW&CO; Brooch-Vintage

 Thanks to everyone for your supportive comments on yesterday's homeowner post- it's a very exciting stage of life but also quite overwhelming and it's going to be a hectic summer (we still need to sell our condo before we move into the house!)

House issues aside, let's talk fashion.  Y'all know I'm a thriftaholic but did you know my second love is consignment shopping? I love how it allows you to be a sustainable shopper by purchasing high quality, modern pieces for a fraction of the retail price (I even styled a photoshoot, and acted as an impromptu model using consigned clothing!) I picked up this fun purple snakeskin dress for less than $15 last week and these silver sandals for only $10 a couple of summers ago at local consignment shops. 

In between cleaning, packing and purging, my man and I squeezed in a dinner & movie date night this past weekend and this is what I wore.  I'm someone who likes to dress up for the movies, even if it's just to see The Avengers (I finally understand the allure of Robert Downey Jr!)

Do you prefer consignment shopping, thrifting or buying retail?

 {Exactly a year ago today, I also wore a snakeskin printed dress. Source}

homeowner

Pants- Gap; Blazer, Blouse, Shoes & Belt- Thrifted; Yellow Ring & Necklace- Smart Set; Flower Ring- Hawaii; Headpiece- Blue Eyes Bridal; Nail Polish- Ah-a! Moment by Sephora OPI

No Emily-time or relaxation this weekend, it was pure housework.  Cleaning, packing, purging, home repairs and more cleaning.  My man and I have outgrown our 1 bedroom condo so we are putting it on the market next week and have bought a 3 bedroom house! The home inspection is tomorrow so I don't want to jinx it but I couldn't wait any longer to share the news! I will share photos once it's 'official' but there's a lofty space which will be used as my walk-in closet room, enough said!

I found these loafers at my local thrift store for $9.99 and couldn't resist.  Besides the colour explosion, they are also the most comfortable things I have ever worn (which after last week's breaking in shoes & blister pain, is much welcome!)

I feel like a Real Housewife of Ottawa, ready to tackle the household chores while wearing my (faux) pearls, flower sock bun & preppy ensemble! Now all I need is a mini van (although I much prefer my Audi) & 2 kids (do cats count?)

vintage

Pants, Shoes, Purse & Bracelet- Thrifted; Blouse- Vintage & Handmade (Gifted)

I love my red jeans (worn previously like this, this & this) but when I saw these red cropped pants (for 50% off at my local thrift store), I thought they'd be perfect for more dressier ensembles like this colourful outfit I wore house hunting last weekend.  This blouse is one of a kind, gifted to me by a volunteer I work with, and it's handmade by one of her friends who is now in her 90s.  It's amazing how everything comes back in style, like pussybow blouses and large floral prints (but even if it wasn't on trend, I'd still sport it because for me, style is about wearing what you love, even if it's not the latest fashion craze!)

 I thought it would be fun to showcase 'this is what I wore at this time last year' so here is feature #1!

 {source}

 Monday is a holiday so I am looking forward to a long weekend filled with a clothing swap, drinks with friends, games night, cooking some vegan goodies, bike-riding and indulging in some Emily time! 

Avoir un bon week-end tout le monde!