overcaffeinated

How Overcaffeinated Got Her Grove Back

2011-11-06T15:03:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

trench - H&M, blouse - Joe Fresh, jeggings - Forever 21, shoes - Joe Fresh, scarf - H&M, ring - H&M, bag - Rebecca Minkoff, sunglasses - Ray Bans

Ignore the ghostly hand peeking out from behind my head. It's a remnant of Maya's halloween artwork that I have yet to take down.

Howdy there! I know it's been a long time, but I have an honestly and 100% truly good reason for my absence.

I'm a little over 14 weeks pregnant.

And basically weeks 5 to 12, I spent in some kind of coma. I pretty much made it through my days in some kind of zombie haze where I would drop into bed exhausted by 9pm every night, and sleep right through (well, except for the 2-3 bathroom trips) until 7:30am. To top that off, my body expanded and I went through the nothing-fits-me-and-I-feel-fat-and-ugly-in-everything. Not the best mindset, and not one that I felt compelled to share with the blogging world.

It's sad, but clothing really does affect my self-esteem that much. After feeling like a frump in a daily uniform of leggings and a loose top, I finally asked myself... is this really how I wanted to spend the next 9 months (okay maybe 6 months by that point)? Or did I want to take inspiration from all the stylish pregnant bloggers out there, and the effortlessly chic celebrity moms and embrace my changing body? I chose the latter, and am determined to be a pregnant mom with style.

After two months of not shopping (and me being an admitted shopaholic, that's how yucky I felt), I finally felt motivated to find clothes that fit and flattered me last week.

So here's to day 1 of trying. I feel pretty good in this outfit -- comfy, casual yet chic. The three c's I hereby swear to live by. And bonus, you can (kinda) see my face in the pics!

I am wearing jeggings that I was shamefully, super excited to find at Forever 21. They have an elastic waist, and are pretty much leggings made of lightweight denim. With the hideous elastic waist hidden, I think they look pretty cute. And while I don't have much hope that they'll last me the entire pregnancy, I am hoping that I'll get good mileage over the next two months or so. They were a mere $10.50 each so I might have went overboard and bought four pairs.

I haven't bought any shoes lately, but one pair I have been pining over is the Rachel Comey Mars boots. Unfortunately, my style sense and my wallet sometimes have a hard time co-existing, and the RC boots are way out of my price range. Imagine how happy I was to discover that Joe Fresh had an almost knock-off at $69 ($79 - $10 promo coupon). The leather is surprisingly nice, the shoes are very comfy and I am in LOVE. If they ever make a tan pair, I'll be the first in line!

21 Day Challenge: Day 18 - Statement jewelry

2011-09-01T10:14:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Old Navy, cardigan - H&M, necklace - J.Crew bubble necklace, shoes - Dolce Vita Pela

Let's face it. I am a girl who loves her statement necklaces. Is obsessed with them actually. I love how they can elevate the most basic jeans and tee outfit, or can add edge to a girly one. So when I had the chance to own the grey version of the J.Crew bubble necklace that came out several years ago, I had to bite. I already own it in black, but I often find it too harsh to pair with a lot of outfits.

I picked up this dress recently from Old Navy, and thought it was the perfect companion for the grey bubble necklace.

21 Day Challenge: Day 17 - Repair it and wear it

2011-08-31T18:22:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Target, shoes - Expressions (The Bay), necklaces - vintage and Forever 21

Back in the day, before Maya was born when I used to work in an office, I practically lived in my wrap dresses. Now they sit sad and forlorn in my closet, waiting for the day when I no longer have the luxury of doing what I do from home.

This Target dress is one of my less "work-ish" ones and has the potential for being worn on a daily basis. The problem lies with the length. Even back in my office days, I thought the hemline bordered on frump city and has been sitting in my sewing pile to be hemmed. Then this challenge came, and I was suddenly forced to go actually tackle something from that pile... so 15 minutes later... voila!

Still a little too work looking for my taste, so I switched over to flats before leaving the house. Hmm, still not sold. Any ideas how to make this more fun and less work-like? A cardi maybe?

21 Day Challenge: Day 16 - Menswear

2011-08-31T13:18:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Old Navy, skirt - Winners, shoes - Joe Fresh, belt - Costa Blanca, necklaces - Forever 21

The Menswear challenge had me excited. I recently bought a pair of oxfords, and I have been dying DYING to wear them. I think they are the perfect alternative to ballet flats, and add a little quirkiness to just about any outfit.

I decided to pair them with this skirt that is made of a traditional menswear pinstripe shirting. The style is totally girly though, and I love how you can wear the skirt "bustled" or unbustled.

21 Day Challenge: Day 15 - New Hair-do

2011-08-31T13:10:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Old Navy, necklace - vintage

So we're on day 15 of the challenge, and I've officially hit a road block. Here's the situation -- I have the thinnest, flattest hair in the world, and anytime I wear it back, it looks sad and lifeless. I toyed with skipping this challenge completely, but the stubborn part of me refused to give up. So in the end you get this. By best attempt at doing something different with my hair.

Oh well. At least I tried right?

21 Day Challenge: Day 14 - Be a copycat

2011-08-29T13:47:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Joe Fresh, skirt - Anthropologie Apothecary skirt, necklace - Ann Tayloft Loft, shoes - Banana Republic

One of the great joys I get from reading other people's fashion and style blogs is the inspiration I draw from them. I think I'm a decent dresser, but there are some out there, that hands down, I have to say I'm not worthy!

One of those bloggers is Lisa from Respect the Shoes. I admire how funny and candid she is with her readers, and she is a fabulous dresser. Day 14's prompt was to recreate someone else's outfit. No surprise, I decided to copy one of Lisa's outfits.

21 Day Challenge: Day 13 - Neutral with a pop

2011-08-29T13:27:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Joe Fresh, skirt - Anthropologie Circle the Globe, necklace - Joe Fresh, shoes - Steve Madden

Neutral outfit with a pair of red shoes... hmm, have I done this before recently?

Sorry about the lack of creativity with this prompt. Weekends are often jam packed with errands and events, and this weekend even more so than usual. So, as I often tell Maya, you get what you get and you don't get upset.

21 day Challenge: Day 12 - Jazz up your jeans

2011-08-26T10:06:00.003-04:00

Outfit Details:

top and bracelet - H&M, jeans - Gap, belt - Banana Republic, shoes - Joie

The resurgence of wide legs and flared jeans over the spring, and for the fall season have me super happy. I have quite a few blouses that pair up nicely with them, and after being tucked into skirts and worn under dresses, they are begging to be paired with wide legs for a 70s inspired look.

* I realize that these jeans might need to be hemmed just a tad. I put on my tallest heels to compensate, but these jeans still skim the ground. Either back to the shoe closet (I *might* have an even taller pair of sandals somewhere near the back) or to the sewing machine.

** Um, apparently, I need to break out the iron too.

In other news, Jess over at Consume or Consumed is having a Shabby Apple giveaway. I've had my eye on their website for a while, and they have the most delightful dresses. The mariposa dress that the winner would receive is no exception. So head over to Jess' site for details on how to enter!

21 Day Challenge: Day 11 - Wear a dress or skirt

2011-08-25T15:38:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Zac Posen for Target, belt - unknown?, necklaces - Forever 21, shoes - J.Crew

Today's challenge is to wear a dress or skirt. This was a toughie. Yup, really tough... I think I broke into a sweat trying to find something that would meet the requirements.

Or maybe not!

If you follow my blog, you have realized that I wear skirts and dresses more often than not. In fact, probably about 90% of the time. So I decided to make this "Wear a dress or skirt closet orphan" day. I picked up this skirt years ago during the Zac Posen for Target collaboration. Unfortunately, I bought the dress too big all over. After sitting in my closet for eons, I finally decided to shrink it in the wash. After all, what difference does it make to potentially ruin a dress that you weren't wearing anyways? Result? It's still a touch big, but nothing a belt can't help.

Ah belts. They can fix anything...

21 day Challenge: Day 10 - Closet Orphan

2011-08-25T15:14:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - Gap outlet, tank - Forever 21, skirt - Anne Klein, shoes - Joie, necklaces - Forever 21

Today's challenge was to wear a closet orphan. I picked up this skirt for just $9 during Winners' huge clearance sale over the winter. And like many clearance items I've picked up, I've sadly never worn it. I loved the panelling that goes down each side, and it seems like it would be a great basic... except...

I have absolutely no need for a tweed pencil skirt. Something about tweed + pencil skirts says office to me. I work from home, so my daily attempts at being somewhat stylish are more for me than anything else. I find that I'm much more productive when I feel good about my appearance. I also never seem to reach for my pencil skirts in general. They seem a bit constrictive and impractical for my daily life. (Although strangely, it doesn't seem like 4" heels are!)

So this poor skirt sat alone languishing in my closet until this challenge came along. It's not as constrictive as I thought it would feel, being more straight lined pencil than curve hugging. I'll bet it would pair well with a casual tee or boots for the winter too.

You'll notice that this fox shirt from day 1 has been remixed. Woot! Just one more remix to go.

21 day Challenge: Day 9 - Go Monochrome

2011-08-23T10:54:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Old Navy, skirt - Zara, shoes - Nine West, necklace - vintage

Yesterday's outfit would have been perfect for today's monochromatic challenge. I considered saving it, but knew that there were plenty of other items in my closet ready for the challenge. This skirt (a Zara find from 7 or 8 years ago) has been begging to be taken out for a twirl. I'm not courageous enough to go super-bold on my monochrome looks, so you won't find me in bright red, pink, coral or purple. Gray, green or blue however, are right up my alley.

What I'm pining for from Anthropologie

2011-08-23T00:07:00.000-04:00

After all, my birthday is coming up. I'm talking to you DH!

My Anthropologie Wish List by overcaffeinated featuring a pleated dress

Cotton dress
$148 - anthropologie.com

Pleated dress
$158 - anthropologie.com

Lace shift dress
$128 - anthropologie.com

Vintage day dress
$168 - anthropologie.com

Bow blouse
$118 - anthropologie.com

Floral sweater
$118 - anthropologie.com

Blouse
$168 - anthropologie.com

Cotton pencil skirt
$118 - anthropologie.com

Metal necklace
$28 - anthropologie.com

21 Day Challenge: Day 8 - Mix casual and dressy

2011-08-22T10:54:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - J.Crew, skirt - Larry Levine (Winners find), necklace - Joe Fresh, shoes - Expression (The Bay)

When I woke up this morning, I was hit by the urge to pull this underused skirt out of my closet. A good thing too because it made the perfect basis to build today's challenge outfit around. I decided to go monochrome with the casual tank, to allow the dainty necklace to pop just a little bit. Then I added my Tiffany blue pumps to break up the grey.

21 Day Challenge: Day 7 - Layer accessories

2011-08-22T10:23:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, cardigan - Old Navy, necklaces - Tiffany and vintage, shoes - Seychelles

So today I gave up thinking outside of the box. Instead of doing something different from my usual (layering belts or scarves or bracelets), I went with layered necklaces. Something I do a couple times a week at least.

Hey, if it ain't broke!

21 Day Challenge: Day 6 - Unconventional

2011-08-22T10:16:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

skirt as dress - Anne Klein, cardigan - Joe Fresh, belt - H&M, necklace - Jacob, shoes - Joe Fresh

Day 6's challenge was to wear an item in an unconventional way. This one had me stumped. I spent nearly an hour hauling stuff out of my closet trying to come up with an outfit that hadn't been done before in the bloggy world, and yet would still be something that I would be caught out of the house in.

In the end, after trying endless ways of wrapping my scarves, playing around with bathing suits in lieu of body suits (posting a picture of me in a bathing? Not gonna happen!), belts as necklaces, necklaces as belts, I finally gave up an settled on wearing my longest skirt (a midi) as a dress.

I thought I looked okay, but I've fooled myself before. I walked out of the bedroom and passed DH in the hallway who did a double take and said "You look niiiice!"

DH couldn't tell that this dress was actually a skirt and on top of that, one of his fave outfits on me of the summer! Homerun!

Just a side note: Apparently Maya is better at the unconventional challenge than I am. While I've been sitting here writing this post, she took my necklace which I'd left on the table and placed it on her head like a crown. I gotta say, it works!

Terrible after-thought photo of the skirt worn as a skirt

21 Day Challenge: Day 5 - Belt it

2011-08-19T09:46:00.004-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Forever 21, belt - Costa Blanca, shoes - J.Crew, necklace - Forever 21

If the pictures in yesterday's post looked particularly nice, you can thank my wonderful husband who took the photos for me with his fancy shmancy Nikon DSLR. (See honey? I'm giving you credit!) Today, I'm making do with my Canon PowerShot and the self-timer. Still, it's got to be an improvement over my usual iPhone + mirror photos.

So here's something I need to remember to do -- shop in my closet. This outfit is a perfect example of re-discovering old favourites you had forgotten about. (The belt is the only thing bought recently.) It's funny about having a closet that is overflowing with clothes. Depending on my mood, it can simultaneously bring me joy yay, look at all the lovely things I have to choose from! to distress oh my, there's way to many things to choose from!

Today's 21 Day Challenge prompt is to belt it. I know I didn't try to think out of the box too much on this one. In my defence, it's the end of the work week, and my front driveway and walkway are getting ripped up (home reno) by a crew of four burly guys. Oh wait, I was trying to get sympathy right?

21 Day Challenge: Day 4 - Colour Blocking

2011-08-18T10:25:00.032-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - J.Crew, skirt - Joe Fresh, shoes - Expression (The Bay), necklace - Anthropologie, clutch - Aldo

With the theme from the first three days of the 21 Day Challenge, I feel like I didn't have to reach much. I can attribute most of that to reading other fashion blogs. Seeing others be truly fierce with their style empowers me to be just a bit bolder with my own. Remixing, tucking in and pattern mixing has become pretty much second nature to me.

But I still have my weaknesses. I don't think I'm particularly good at is mixing unexpected colours. I admire other bloggers like Kendi and Rosa who are able to pair unexpected colours flawlessly.

So today's colour blocking challenge left me both excited, yet also a little apprehensive. It's a trend that I love, but have been a bit intimidated to fully embrace in my own style. I could've taken the easy route and gone for one of my colour blocked dresses, but I wanted to push myself. After all, this is supposed to be a challenge!

Colour blocking silhouettes tend to be very clean lined and minimalist, so I decided that I wanted to build an outfit around this skirt. I yanked out about a dozen tops from my closet and started pairing them up -- shades of green, blue, pink, etc. before finally settling on this coral one. I liked the way the colours were similar in tone, but still had a definite contrast. Together, they created the unexpected combination I was craving. The bag, being colour blocked itself, was a no-brainer. As for shoes, I took a cue from the bag and went totally opposite end of the colour wheel.

To pat myself on my own back, I think I did pretty well with this one. (Hopefully, I'm not being delusional.) Bring on the next challenge!

21 Day Challenge: Day 3 - Mix patterns

2011-08-17T09:27:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - H&M, skirt - Anthropologie Apothecary skirt, bracelet - Locale, shoes - Connie

I came up with this outfit a few nights ago when choosing yesterday's tuck it in look. I was sorely tempted to use it for the day 2 challenge, but loved the mix of patterns so much that I had to save it for day 3.

Normally, I have a hard time tucking in anything blouse-y with a full skirt. I think this works because the skirt is high waisted and has that thick waistband. It tames the volume on top like a high waisted pencil skirt would (that's what I tell myself anyway).

21 Day Challenge - Day 2: Tuck it

2011-08-16T10:26:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

top and skirt - Old Navy, bracelet - H&M, shoes - Poetic License

Today's challenge is to tuck it. A few years ago, this would have been challenging for me, but these day's I find myself tucking in just about everything.

I enjoy wearing bold colours and patterns, but tend to shy away from anything in the bright pink (or pink of any shade to be honest) realm. I love how other bloggers like Rosa are able to fearlessly work it into their wardrobe. But for me, I find it's a little bit of a stretch (especially the hot pink blazers and dresses of the colour blocking trend this season) in my suburban hood. So I decided that this tucking in challenge was ideal to challenge me to "tuck in" this underused blouse.

In other news, has anyone seem the sale at Anthropologie yet? There are so many items on my wish list that hit sale today, and I am so badly over budget this month that I need to be good. I will resist, but the temptation is killing me!

21 Day Challenge - Day 1: Remix

2011-08-15T11:57:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - J.Crew, tank - Forever 21, skirt - Old Navy, necklace - J.Crew, shoes - Talbots

The first day of the 21 Day Challenge is to choose something to remix three times over the course of the challenge. I'm not going to lie, I spent a good part of yesterday deciding on what I was going to remix (oh the woes of having too many clothes). This being summertime limited me to choose something that I was comfortable wearing in the hot weather, so that meant no long-sleeves or pants. I decided I wanted to choose something that had the potential to be remixed in totally different ways, so I went with this b&w fox print tank. Today's outfit is pretty simple and reflects my overall daily style. I'll see how far I can push the envelope with remixing and still feel like me.

The 21 Day Challenge

2011-08-12T13:40:00.001-04:00

The thought of blogger challenges like Kendi's famous 30 for 30 have always intrigued me. However, the thought of going through my closet and picking out just 30 items to sustain me for 30 days is just a little overwhelming. (We're talking about a closet stacked with clothes. Yes, I'm overdue for a closet overhaul).

So when I came across Freckle's in April's 21 Day Challenge, it seemed like something I could manage. The idea is that there will be a prompt (which I believe would be akin to an idea or theme) and you build your outfit of the day based on that. For someone with a closet full of clothes, it seems like just the right challenge for me.

Care to join? Just click the badge:

Paging all Canucks, paging all Canucks

2011-08-12T10:29:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

tee - Joe Fresh, skirt - H&M, belt - Costa Blanca, shoes - Seychelles, bracelet - Locale

If you are a Canadian and you have a Superstore (or Joe Fresh store) in your area, run, I repeat run, to your nearest store.

Yesterday, I stopped by Superstore to innocently do a little grocery shopping... and maybe try and find the adorable tees that Carly has been sporting recently. I had no luck with her tees, but they did have racks and racks of clearance items. I made out like a bandit, including two silk dresses that I adore and look way more expensive than they were.

I also picked up this cute little top, and paired it up with two of the oldest items in my closet (skirt circa 2004, shoes circa 2005). Don't you just love mixing new stuff with old?

What do you do when you can't think of anything to write about?

2011-08-11T14:51:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Joe Fresh, skirt - Gap, necklace - H&M, shoes - Bettye Muller

Lands End Canvas $30 for $60 deal

2011-08-10T14:37:00.002-04:00

Did you hear that there's a deal on livingsocial.com today which will give you $60 worth of Lands End Canvas clothes for just $30? I couldn't resist getting in on the deal... I own a shirtdress and skirt from LEC and I absolutely love both.

Check it out if you're interested! https://livingsocial.com/deals/40489?ref=conf-jp&rpi=22104317

(This is an online offer, so anyone can get it on it!)

It's raining, it's pouring

2011-08-09T11:43:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - H&M, skirt - H&M, lace blouse - Forever 21, necklace - Locale, shoes - Banana Republic

Normally, rain in the summer makes me scowl and wistful for a sunny day. But despite the cold fall-ish spring, it's been an unusually hot and dry summer. The grass around us is patchy and brown, the trees are wilting, and all we can do find relief in the air conditioned indoor or take dips in the pool of our good friends next door.

So when I awoke this morning to a torrential downpour of rain, I jumped out of bed and did a little fist pump.

Today is Everybody Everywhere Mixed Prints day. Since I happened to be pattern mixing (in the sense of textures and print), I figured it was a good day to submit my first entry. The cool weather inspired me to pull together a palatte of fall colours. While I'm not ready for the cold weather just yet, the rain is a welcome visitor today. Let's just hope he doesn't make himself a permanent houseguest.

While taking a quick snap of the necklace I'm wearing, I figured I'd share one of my favourite furniture pieces in the house. Don't you just love the panelled wood, the little knot holes and imperfections of the table. The graceful columns are in perfect contrast to the heaviness of the table, and add the right touch of femininity. It's funny. When shopping for fashion, it's all I can do to reign myself in and not buy everything I love on the spot. With clothes, you have the opportunity to wear different clothes everyday and all those fabulous pieces will be worn. But when it comes to decor, there are only so many pieces you can showcase in your home so each one has to be absolutely perfect.

Let's go to the movies

2011-08-08T11:35:00.003-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M (aka the Michelle Obama dress), necklace - Forever 21, belt - Costa Blanca, shoes - Joe Fresh

Maya had her first movie-theatre-movie experience this weekend. We took her to the new Winnie the Pooh movie. She was so excited, from the moment we entered the theatre to getting her popcorn to finding our seats. She sat happily in her seat, with her blue slushie and kid sized popcorn, and I don't believe she blinked for the whole show. While the 1 hr movie length was perfect for her... it was just a tad too long for mommy and daddy. Every other kids movie (ie: Cars, Toy Story, Shrek, etc) has something funny and redeeming to keep the parents interested, but this movie was D.U.L.L. DH even fell asleep as some point. Still, Maya had a ball and declared it the best movie she'd ever seen.

That morning, I wasn't in the mood to think about choosing my outfit for the matinee, so I opened my closet door and asked Maya to pick something. She zoomed right in on this floaty polka-dot dress, and the "little girl" necklace. Since the movie was for 2pm in the afternoon, I didn't want to look too dressed up. So I swapped out the bright tangerine sash for a more subtle cognac belt. The outfit probably could've used a touch of colour, but overall, I was pretty happy with the look. Maybe I should let Maya pick out my clothes more often!

Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue... or Brooklyn

2011-08-05T12:13:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - H&M, skirt - Anthropologie Apothecary skirt, necklace - Forever 21, shoes - Nine West

Hello hello! Sorry for the horrendous lack of posting. I was on vacation for a nice week and a half long stretch. The vacation was a much needed and appreciated break. The last time I took a week off from work was back in November, so it was nice to unplug, especially considering I work in computers.

We spent the first half of the vacation visiting NYC, and more specifically, our group of BFFs in Brooklyn. It's only been 2 1/2 years since we moved away from our little hood of Cobble Hill Brooklyn to the suburbs of Toronto, but so much has changed since we were gone! I forget that everything moves faster there, and changes which would take 10 years anywhere else happen in just 1 or 2 years there.

We left NY with our pockets considerably lighter (c'mon who doesn't shop while in NYC?) DH picked up the MacBook Air he'd been lusting after along with some new threads from Brooklyn Industries. Maya made her inagural the American Girl store and walked out with a mini version of her and some outfits for the mini-Maya. And I made a trip to Anthropologie. Okay, so maybe it's just a little lame that I went to a store that we have an hour away here. But here's my logic -- how awesome is it to buy something that I love which will forever remind me of our pilgrimage back to NYC and Brooklyn? I knew you guys would understand!

While we were gone, DH's uncle flew down to stay with my in-laws on a spur of the moment visit, so we returned to a whirlwind of family events. Then we took off again for a couple days of R&R in Muskoka (cottage country) which was just lovely. We spent our days swimming, canoeing, jet skiing (and oh my, that was exhilarating!) and just watching the scenery.

Rockefellar Anthropologie mini-haul by overcaffeinated featuring print dresses

Print dress
$138 - anthropologie.com

Apothecary Skirt
blogspot.com

By George, I think I've got it!

2011-07-20T10:48:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - H&M, skirt - Gap, necklace - H&M, bracelet - J.Crew Outlet, shoes - Joe Fresh, clutch - Aldo

Back when this skirt first appeared in stores and on the website, I kinda went gaga for it. The colour, the pleats, the oh-so-girly bow. I felt that I had to have it. I managed to snag a 40% off Wednesday coupon booklet (does Gap still give these out?) and decided that it was time to purchase the skirt. At home, I wasn't so sure about it. The knife pleats and bow added weight to my middle. Something that I need no help whatsoever doing. After much deliberation, back it went to the store.

Until the really big sales started, and somehow, this skirt was marked down to something like $14.

I bit.

And then I did not wear.

$14 or not, the dilemma of whether the skirt was flattering on me was still there!

Last night, I was sorting through my closet and came across the skirt. No matter what it did to my shape, I was still in love with it. Determined to make it work, I started pairing tops with it until I came up with a combination that worked. The peplum on the shirt carves out a waistline, hides the most unflattering part of the skirt, and still shows off the adorable pleats and awesome colour. I'm extremely pleased with how it came out.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy

2011-07-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Forever 21, necklace - Forever 21, shoes - Joe Fresh, belt - H&M

When I first saw this dress on Lisa, I made it my quest to find it. The full skirt and high waist (perfect for short waisted me) has a lovely 50s ladylike feel, while the hem length and bold stripes add the perfect modern tough. I was fortunate enough to find it on a quick trip to Forever 21, and happily snatched it up. That was probably two months ago and it's been sitting in my closet ever since.

Ruh roh Shaggy.

This is most likely a sign that I have too much stuff in my closet! And of course, what did I go ahead and do yesterday? Order a crap load of shoes from Talbots. Yes, I'm rhetorically smacking myself on the head here. But... I do love the shoes I hauled. The heel strap on the back of the blush and blue pair had me swooning in front of my computer. I can see them being styled with a floaty ballerina style skirt, and the peep toes would be a great addition to my shoe closet for cool summer and warm spring/fall days.

Okay purchase justified! I will stop hitting myself on the head now.

Childhood memories

2011-07-12T14:23:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, necklace - Etsy (gift), shoes - Matt Bernson, belt - H&M

When I was little, maybe around 6 years old, I had a sundress in the exact same print as this. It was my summer favourite and I wore it constantly, despite getting grass stains on the skirt and spilling a small amount of nail polish near the hemline... which of course, I tried to hide from my mother without success. It was also the first of many nail polish incidents in my life. Lesson to parents: do not let your little kid put on her own nail polish because she will do things like spill it on her clothes, her desk and her pale yellow carpet although the carpet incident wasn't my fault (but yes, I was an accessory to the crime).

Whenever I picture my 6 year old self in that dress, I see her on the swing set of my parent's backyard with her hair in pigtails. Oh to be that young again, playing outside where the summer days seemed to stretch out forever.

The nostalgia of that memory was enough to send me rushing to the cash register. And whenever I put on this newer grown-up version, it brings back just a touch of that endless, lazy, yet chock of I-can-do-anything-possibilities, feel of my childhood summers.

It's Friday Friday... gotta get down on Friday!

2011-07-08T09:41:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Anthropologie Skylight tee, skirt - Anthropologie Nouveau Rose skirt, necklace - Forever 21, shoes - American Eagle

Every Friday, at some point I seem to get Rebecca Black's song stuck in my head. To be totally honest, I actually like the song despite making fun of how bad and cheesy it was when it first came out. Well okay, "Party and party and YEAH! FUN FUN FUN FUN" is pretty cheesy. And let's not forget my favourite part "Tomorrow is Saturday and then Sunday comes afterwards..." GENIUS I tell you! But the cast of Glee sang it on their show and don't forget Stephen Colbert's rendition, so that must justify it as one of the most awesome cheesy songs ever! It's become a bit of an anthem on Friday's in our house with Maya singing it right along with me.

And for the haters out there... I'll bet you have the song stuck in your head now don't you? *evil laugh* Happy Friday everyone!

California Dreams

2011-07-07T14:32:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Anthropologie Sudden Downpour top, jacket - Forever 21, jeans - Gap, shoes - Dolce Vita Pela, necklace - Joe Fresh

Last Thursday, a friend of ours scored his company's executive suite (box) for the Katy Perry concert in Toronto. They took their two daughters who invited two friends each, and also a couple of their own friends (parents of the kids invited). Since DH would rather die a slow and torturous death than go to the Katy Perry concert, he stayed home with Maya while I went.

I must say that I enjoyed it... a lot! It was quite a performance with fireworks, cirque de soleil style acrobatics and Katy Perry floating to the middle of the audience on a fluffy cotton candy cloud. Plus, we ordered a couple bottles of wine for the adult non-designated drivers...

I did stress the evening before on what I should wear. (Ya, I don't get out much). I wanted something that was fun and didn't scream "given-up soccer mom", but also didn't come across as "I'm trying to look like a teen and failing miserably". So something that looked cute, effortless, yet sophisticated and modern. In the end I went with my awesome Dolce Vita pela wedges (heart these so much), skinny jeans, a fun top and the striped blazer I'd been dying to break out.

Hot with a side of humidity

2011-06-28T13:51:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Joe Fresh, belt - Old Navy, bracelet - H&M, sandals - Matt Bernson

Today's a scorcher and uncomfortably humid, so it was the perfect time to wear this crochet-neck dress that I picked up recently from Joe Fresh (line found in the Canadian grocery store Superstore). I tell you... those Joe Fresh people are savvy! Who can resist throwing in an inexpensive top or dress or necklace with your groceries?

This top equals no-brainer dressing. It's loose, comfortable and jersey means it remains wrinkle free no matter how humid it is. Throw on a belt, bracelet and sandals, and you are good to go!

Come sail away

2011-06-23T13:32:00.005-04:00

Outfit Details:

tee - H&M, skirt - Lands End Canvas, shoes - Banana Republic, necklace - Forever 21

Shopping in Canada definitely has it's drawbacks. We are deprived of some of my favourite American stores like J.Crew, Ann Taylor, Lands End Canvas, Piperlime, US Amazon... I could go on and on. Of the stores that do ship across the border, the extra costs can be insanely expensive and I hate the "unknown" of not knowing how much customs will slap on as duties/taxes/etc. Not to mention, there's the extra hassle of returning if the item doesn't work out. But once in a while, sometime comes up that I'd really love to have at a price I don't mind paying. In that case, I ship to my top secret connection (shh... that means my friends and relatives who live in the US and will bring back or ship to me) and take a leap of faith.

Case in point, this skirt for Lands End Canvas. It was the first item that I ever ordered from them. I had the page bookmarked forever, stalking prices and pouring over the sizing reviews. But the risk of ordering something that didn't work for me scared me away. When this skirt hit their "classifieds" page during the fall for $7.50, who could resist hitting the submit button?

Well, it turned into one of my favourite purchases for the season. Not a huge surprise since it has so many of my favourite elements.

Nautical? check
Whimsical? check
Full-skirted? check

Basically, it is awesomeness in skirt form.

So maybe it was a sign when I decided to pull out this skirt today because not long after, I found myself deliberating on whether or not I should order from the Leifsdottir sale. (DH will attest that I spend way too much energy shopping or thinking about shopping). The prices points were irresistible and made my trigger finger itch. But spending money on a great deal that doesn't work for me is not a deal at all. I finally decided that the shape, print and price point of this dress...

Leifsdottir dress (clipped to polyvore.com)

was enough to put me over the edge. It'll soon be on it's way to my uncle's place in Las Vegas. I probably won't see it until August (boo). Hope it's worth the wait!

Sir yes sir!

2011-06-22T13:26:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

tee - Gap, tank - Anthropologie Maryam tank, jeans - Gap, shoes - Steve Madden, necklace - Ann Taylor Loft

I woke up this morning thinking it was Thursday. It took a few moments before I realized that I was wrong and it's actually never-ends-day (aka Wednesday). Oh well, it could be worse... could've been Monday!

So I feel just the tiniest bit sore this morning. Last night, I joined some friends of mine for an unofficial bootcamp run by my friend's co-worker. I thought it would just about kill me, but surprisingly, I actually made it the full hour! And even more surprisingly, I actually kept up with the workout. That's killer squats, planks, jumping squats, push-ups, sit-ups, light weights, stairs, jogging, etc. I'm pretty happy with myself, and am amazed that I'm in better shape than I thought I'd be. *fist pump*

I'm doing it all over again tomorrow evening. Wish me luck!

Oakville Anthropologie? Yes please!

2011-06-21T10:18:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Gap, skirt - Anthropologie Circle the Globe skirt, shoes - Joe Fresh, necklaces - H&M (kids) and Tiffany

As an Anthropologie addict and a working mom of a preschooler, it's almost painful for me to have an Anthropologie in the Toronto area, yet it's still an hour's drive away (more in traffic). So close, and yet so far and inconvenient to get to. Why oh why did they put both Anthro's on the east side of Toronto? Obviously, I live on the west side. Such a tease...

Well, here's a juicy bit of news for any fellow GTA west siders. During my last Anthropologie visit, the SA who was helping me asked where I drove up from. This was in response to me apologizing for bringing two dozen articles of clothing to the dressing room by professing my love of Anthro, and how it's such a drive that I need to make every visit count.

"Did you know that Oakville is getting an Anthropologie?"

OMG OMG OMG. (Not what I said, but what I was thinking). Uh oh, this could be dangerous!

So yes indeed. Oakville will be getting it's very own Anthropologie. She said the location is still a secret, but they will likely open in early 2012. Happy dance!

Kindergarten graduation

2011-06-17T14:09:00.003-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Anthropologie Tied Down dress, necklace - Banana Republic, belt - H&M, shoes - Joe Fresh, bag - Rebecca Minkoff

This morning, my little girl graduated from JK (junior kindergarten). The kids in her combined JK/SK class put on a charming concert for the parents. Afterwards, the diplomas were awarded along with a tidbit about each graduate's favourite thing about school (Maya's favourite thing is playing with all her friends). The concert/ceremony was followed by a backyard lemonade and cookies social, while the kids played.

Awww, my little girl is growing up. The good news is we get to do it all again when she graduates from JK for the second time next spring. LOL

In our school system, your start is determined the calendar year you were born. Maya was born in early 2007, so technically she should start JK next September. But since we needed childcare and thought she'd do better in school than daycare, her montessori put her in the JK class a year early. And she's kept up just fine.

I decided this was the perfect opportunity to break out my new Tied Down dress from last week's Anthropologie visit. I love this dress. It's so comfortable and so versatile. For anyone interested, I sized down one from my normal Anthropologie sizing.

One of my favourite bloggers, Lisa from http://respecttheshoes.blogpot.com is having a giveaway to celebrate 1.5 years of blogging. If you haven't checked out her blog, you should... and enter her fabulous giveaway as well.

Crazy like a fox

2011-06-09T14:59:00.012-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Forever 21, cardigan - Forever 21, jeans - Gap, shoes - Gucci, necklace - H&M

After my little spree at Anthropologie, you'd think my thrist for shopping would be quenched. Let me guide you through my logic little grasshopper.

I found myself at Forever 21 with the intention of doing a quick return. However, anyone who knows me well (or let's face it, at all), knows that it's hard for me to resist browsing once I'm in a store. And browsing oft leads to shopping.

BUT look how cute this top is? I mean, it's nice and drapey, and it's covered with little foxes. Honestly, who could resist? The little sweater paired so well with it, and an outfit was born.

And I might just have taken a few more things home with me as well.

You might notice a trend. Many of the items I gravitate towards tend to be whimsical, and just a little Anthro-esque. So when I find an item that tugs at my love at Anthropologie, but without the price tag, I simply must get it. It saves me money you see?

Yes, I'm crazy... LIKE A FOX!

Forever 21 haul June 9 2011 by overcaffeinated featuring a ribbed cardigan

Forever21 polka dot top
$18 - forever21.com

Forever21 a line top
$18 - forever21.com

Forever21 ribbed cardigan
$20 - forever21.com

Forever21.com - Outerwear - Career & Blazer - 2064787247
29 EUR - forever21.com

Whimsical Girl Necklace
$2.80 - forever21.com

Casual OOTD + Anthropologie sale haul

2011-06-08T11:05:00.001-04:00

Outfit Detail:

top - American Eagle, shorts - American Eagle, shoes - Matt Bernson, necklace - Tiffany, bracelet - gift

Normally, I'm not a huge American Eagle fan, but I went into the store to pick up a few things for DH. While DH shopped, I found myself wandering around the women's side and fell in love with this top:

ETA: I must've been blind when I clipped this because it's a slightly different top. Same style though. Wow, I should start going to bed before midnight!

American Eagle outfitter (clipped to Polyvore.com)

It reminded me a bit of Anthropologie's Reed dress, and the fabric is light and soft. I couldn't resist, and grabbed a pair of jorts to try on with them -- partly to be silly (who me? jorts?) and partly because I secretly liked them. Surprise, surprise... I loved both items and bought them. Together they made one of my weekend OOTDs above.

As many of you Anthro fans are well aware, the third set of markdowns for Anthropologie's bi-annual tag sale started yesterday. And an unexpected bonus was an extra 25% markdown on all sale apparel. Well, that was enough for me to rush down to the store after work (after batting my lashes at DH to pull some babysitting duty). I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I brought at least 16 items into the fitting room with me. I'm actually pretty sure that count was much higher, but the nice SA wrote 16 on the door which I'm guessing is the official cutoff. LOL Despite my try-on extravaganza, I didn't find as many must-have items as I thought I would. However, I did come home with these babies, plus a mystery top that I can't find an online picture of:

Anthropologie haul Jun 7 2011 by overcaffeinated featuring silk tops

Seeing your imagination

2011-06-02T12:31:00.003-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Thakoon for Target, necklace - Jacob, belt - Costa Blanca, shoes - Joe Fresh

Last night, Maya woke up in the middle of the night disoriented and half asleep.

"Look Mommy, do you see it?"

What?

"The flying thing over there!" and she reached out to grab it (which would be air).

The next morning, she woke and asked me again if I saw it. I told her that she must've been dreaming because there was nothing.

"I woke up, and I could see my imagination. It was a flying machine, and it was medium-sized and it was brown and made pooting noises (Mommy LOL here). I felt it and it felt like nothing! Then it disappeared, and I closed my eyes so that I could wake up for the next day... which is today! Did you see it Mommy?"

It must've been so vivid to leave an impression like that, and I believe this may be the first dream that Maya actively remembers. I wish I could see too.

"It's so cool. I didn't know it was my imagination in the beginning. I thought it was real life!"

Peanut buttery goodness

2011-06-01T18:07:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, cardigan - Old Navy, flats - Banana Republic, necklace - H&M

I just discovered these yummy peanut butter filled pretzels when I stopped by Superstore for a quick grocery shop this morning. Over the course of the day, I have already inhaled 1/2 the container. Uh oh... this could be dangerous.

Ah choo!

2011-05-31T11:06:00.004-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, necklace - H&M, belt - H&M, shoes - Joe Fresh

After complaining about the cold weather and rain for months on end (which must've gotten annoying... sorry!), summer has decided to arrive early today with 32C/90F weather. I'm debating skipping Maya's soccer today because the heat index is supposed to be 40C and I'm sure she'd much rather be in a pool today. Hmm, does that make me a big fail as a "soccer mom"?

Still, despite the sticky weather, I'll take it since it also comes with sunny skies and no rain. However, I could do without the allergies. I woke up in a fit of sneezing today. Thank goodness someone invented anti-histamines!

Here comes the... rain?

2011-05-27T14:54:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Calvin Klein, jeans - Gap, necklace - H&M, shoes - Gucci, jacket - H&M

After several days of warm weather and sunshine, I think I've been spoiled. Today's colder temps and overcast skies just about caught me by surprise. I never realized how much the weather affected my family's mood until recently. During our unusually cold and rainy spring, DH and I were pretty much snapping at each other over the most ridiculous things. But over the beautiful days of the last week, we've been acting like newlyweds with stolen kisses and lots of smiles. Maybe it's a sign that we need to move South.

This is a new jacket that I picked up at H&M today. I like that it's a slightly girlier take on the military jacket/anorak trend. Also, the slight puffed shoulder and high waistline flatter my rectangular shape. The fact that it was marked down to $20 sealed the deal. I pretty much think a jacket you like that's in the $20 range (or less) is something that needs to be taken home... regardless of how many jackets are already in your closet. I probably won't feel this way during my next closet purge, but we'll deal with that when the time comes.

Kid Logic

2011-05-26T13:24:00.003-04:00

Outfit Details:

tee - Joe Fresh, skirt - Winners, belt - H&M, shoes - Joe Fresh, necklace - gifted

Yesterday, I told Maya that I wanted to be a kid because kids have so much cool stuff.

"Then you shouldn't eat anything" she replied.

Why?

"Because eating makes you grow big and tall. So if you don't eat, then you'll grow smaller like a kid!"

Kid logic...

I found this skirt in the dead of winter marked down to $11. Seriously just $11. I was so thrilled that I just might have given a little happy dance in the store (just a subtle one). And who wouldn't? Stripes, full skirt, paper bag waist (we'll ignore the fact that it might make me look just a lil bit wide), cool asymmetrical details? WINNING!

I later discovered a ribbon tie on the inside part of the skirt (right below that flap pocket) and a button near the waistline. If you button the ribbon, it makes the skirt hem the same length all around rather than asymmetrical, and causes a funky bustle effect. EPIC WINNING!

This anchor tee that I bought from Joe Fresh reminds me a lot of the whimsical tees that Anthropologie sells. It came in both this blue on cream colour, as well as a pink on navy colour. I couldn't resist buying both of them, although I justify the purchases because I bought one fitted and one big for a slouchier fit. Hmmm, I see where Maya just might have gotten her brand of logic from.

Outfit of the day: Old Navy shirt dress + bird belt

2011-05-25T10:37:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

shirt dress - Old Navy, bird belt - Costa Blanca, shoes - Faryl Robin, bag - Rebecca Minkoff MAC

Hi all, I feel like I'm just pulling my head out of a whirlwind of activity and just getting my footing again. With the guests, family reunion meet-ups, work, and everyday life, things have been pretty busy around here. The last of my relatives left on early Tuesday morning (and I mean EARLY as in 1am flight) and I am just starting to decompress again.

While I loved having my relatives here, and Maya loved having a cousin to play with, as well as the constant attention of many aunties and uncles, having a house full of people certainly makes you appreciate a little peace and quiet, and time to do nothing. (Well okay, maybe the time to do nothing is what I penciled in from 9-10pm today. Here's hoping it happens!)

Now if only I could appreciate how my clothes are feeling. TIGHT! The side-effect of too many good eats from home cooking (my aunts) and lots of restaurant lunch/dinner family gatherings. Hmm, I wonder if I can talk DH into BBQing fish instead of burgers for dinner.

Outfit of the day: H&M colour block dress

2011-05-11T13:37:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, shoes - Mia, necklace - H&M

Life is crazy hectic at the moment. I have relatives flying in tonight to stay with us for a wedding/family reunion. It should be fun once they get here, but for now, I'm stressing myself out (yes, self-inflicted stress) trying to make the house spotless, the guest room and bathroom pretty and comfortable... as well as working full-time and being a mommy.

Breathe.

Ah, that's better.

For days like this, nothing makes dressing easier than a comfortable and stylish dress. One piece dressing at its finest. (Three if you include the shoes and necklace).

Wings, lamb and bacon burgers... oh my!

2011-05-10T10:49:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

blazer and jeans - Gap, top - H&M, shoes - Gucci

So after all the cold weather, and anticipation for spring, it has finally arrived. And practically overnight! We had a fantastic Mother's Day weekend with lots of sun, backyard BBQing and even some swimming (thanks to our friends/neighbours next door and their heated pool).

Unfortunately backyard BBQing also means the beginning of summer weight gain. Unlike most people, I end up gaining weight in summer and not winter thanks to a DH who loves to cook outside. Let's see, the weekend meals were made up principally of hot dots, wings, a leg of lamb on the rotisserie and bacon burgers. When I say bacon burgers... I literally mean that DH put bacon in the food processor and mixed it with ground beef to make 1/2 bacon 1/2 ground beef burgers (with a little bit of breadcrumbs and an egg thrown in). I guess I shouldn't have been shocked when I weighed myself yesterday and the scale measured 5 pounds heavier than last week. Some of that must be water weight right?!

Mother's Day tea

2011-05-04T12:52:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - Charlotte Russe (worn before here)
jeans - Gap
necklace - Ann Taylor Loft (worn before here and here)
wedges - Target, bag - Cole Haan

This morning, Maya's class invited the mother's to stay for their annual "Mother's Day Tea". It was a real treat which included the kids pouring tea for their mom (turned out to be iced tea... of course LOL), serving cookies which they baked and then performing a mother's day concert. I loved seeing Maya interacting with the other kids, as well as meeting some of the moms.

Since I was hobnobbing with other moms today, I decided to dress more casual and forgo my usual skirts and dresses in favour of jeans. Still, I couldn't help but jazz it up with lace and a statement necklace because, well y'know, I gotta be true to me.

Outfit of the day: Gap dress

2011-05-03T14:09:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Gap, cardigan - Winners, necklace - Costa Blanca, shoes - Aerosoles (via Winners), tights - Joe Fresh

So two things:

1) It's May and I am still wearing tights and boots daily. Does this seem wrong to you?

2) I'm wearing purple tights. Purple tights!

The purple tights are just a wee bit out of my comfort zone, and to be completely honest, I was not trying to push any boundaries when I pulled them on today. I was running really really late and after rooting around in my tights drawer, I realized that all my navy, brown and grey tights were in the laundry hamper. It was either smurfy blue, black (didn't feel right with this outfit) or purple. I gave it maybe 2 seconds of thought before thinking... okay, purple it is. Have confidence, you can rock them!

These shoes are a recent bargain find from Winners. I'm hoping they fulfill my lust for the Aldo Equia:

and Seychelles Veronica:

that I missed out on from seasons past.

Kids say the darndest things!

2011-05-02T13:33:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

sweater dress - Winners, necklace - J.Crew, shoes - Target

We have family staying for a visit next week, and among our guests is Maya's 2 1/2 year old cousin. I asked her if she was going to be a good "big sister" to him while he was here, and share her toys, etc. etc. Her reply:

"I am going to take good care of him, and teach him things. And he can play with all my toys, and I'll let him do anything he wants even if he wants to do something wrong."

Preschool Diva

2011-04-29T12:28:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - H&M, tee - H&M, skirt - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye, necklace - H&M, belt - Joe Fresh

When I first left the house in this outfit, I was jewelry-less and belt-less. Sometimes time just dictates that the accessories are an afterthought. Still, I was feeling just a little bit bare so as soon as I had a spare moment, I slapped on a necklace and belt. Ahhh, much better.

The irony is that I ran late due to my little diva's (aka Maya) last minute wardrobe changes. Apparently, the shirt and jeans she originally wore wasn't pretty enough, and was replaced by a fluffy skirt and pink hello kitty tee. Even more hilarious is that she remembered to accessorize even if I didn't... with her red and white heart necklace.

Inspiration

2011-04-27T10:12:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - U-Knit, top - Old Navy, skirt - Gap, boots - Frye, jacket - Gap

So I just might have ~~stolen~~ gotten inspiration for this outfit from Kendi Everyday. When I saw her wearing her combination a few weeks ago, I thought "Perfect! Love it... and will totally be ~~stealing~~ borrowing this". And then I filed it away for when it would be warm enough to wear bare legs and sandals.

Well people, guess what? We are at the end of April and it's still tights weather! I give up already... boots and tights instead of sandals it is.

I've had this sweater for years and bought it at a sample sale for about $15. Still, the cost per wear hasn't been great because the cardigan is too close to my skin tone and has the tendency to wash me out. It has been tossed into the donate pile on more than one occasion, but continually gets pulled out at the last minute. I love that it has structure, yet is still a comfy knit. I think that wearing a white top underneath negates the wash out effect (that and a lot of blusher), so you'll likely be seeing this cardigan a lot more in the future.

Little Red Riding Hood

2011-04-21T13:16:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share a funny scene from a few days ago:

For some unknown reason, Maya decided to fashion a red bonnet out of tape and crumbled red tissue paper (from an early Easter present). She placed it on her head just so, and proclaimed herself Little Red Riding Hood.

She wandered around the house pretend playing, all the while re-adjusting her bonnet (are all preschoolers just a little bit OCD?). Surprise surprise when it eventually ripped itself beyond repair sending Maya into a crying fit.

Being the good mommy who hates to see her child sad, I took her hand and went to find her a replacement -- a large green chain-link pattered scarf tied under her chin ala Marilyn Monroe… or stylish grannies. At any rate, she didn't really resemble Little Red Riding Hood, but I hoped her imagination was better than mine.

"Look" I said. "Now you're little green riding hood."

"Okay" Maya wandered over to the mirror to look. "I look like an old lady!" and burst into tears.

It took all my willpower not to laugh.

The solution now… distract distract DISTRACT. One basket of pretend food and one stuffed dog… I mean wolf… later, and I had a happy 4 year old. Whew!

Outfit Details:

top - Joe Fresh, skirt - H&M, belt - Anthropologie, boots - Frye

Not much to say about my outfit today besides the fact that it obviously has nothing to do with my little red riding hood story, and it's practically devoid of jewelry (except my wedding set) which makes me feel just a little bare. Sometimes I'm just in too much of a rush during the morning and the little things get overlooked.

Note to self: include jewelry in nightly preplanning of outfit.

This isn't normal is it?

2011-04-20T10:47:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan, necklace and belt - Joe Fresh, skirt, and top - Old Navy, shoes - Connie

It's April 20th, and it is 5C outside, and we are still getting flurries and it even snowed over the weekend. Doesn't spring weather usually accompany the arrival of spring (which officially began a month ago)?

There haven't been any postings this week because I've been in bed for the last two days with the stomach flu. Luckily (*knocks on wood*), I'm the only one in our household who seems to have caught it, and after two days of being knocked out on Nyquil, I'm finally coming out of it. The good news is I might have lost a few pounds from being sick. The bad news is I think I've already gained it back. Whenever I recover from a cold or flu, my appetite is insatiable and I end up eating like a teenage hockey player.

Feeling Groovy

2011-04-14T09:57:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

top and skirt - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye, necklace - Urban Outfitters

Maya was singing Feeling Groovy on the drive to school, and consequently, I'm feeling groovy myself. The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and a bunny even hopped through my backyard. Hopefully, the good vibes will last throughout the day, and it'll be a pretty groovy Thursday.

When I saw Lisa wearing this amazing outfit, it brought to mind a similar tee (this one with a built-in crochet neckline) from the Joe Fresh line at Superstore. I had considered it twice before (once at full price and once on the sale rack), but when I finally tried it on, the shirt had an odd fit at the shoulder line. I was disappointed, but told myself that it was fate telling me "Stop adding so many darned striped shirts to your closet!"

However, after seeing Lisa's outfit (and going back to the post daily like a stalker LOL), I couldn't resist but run down to Superstore and see if it was still there. The navy version was sold out, but lo and behold there was one taupe shirt left in my size. I tried it on, and… no weird fit! (On retrospect, I think the one I tried on might just have been stretched out). Seeing that I have a ton of navy and white stripes already, the taupe stripes are a nice change of pace. Plus, it gives me good justification to add another striped shirt to my repertoire.

Outfit of the day: Field game cardigan k/o

2011-04-13T10:05:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

ruffle tee - Joe Fresh, cardigan - Marshalls, jeans - Gap, shoes - Gucci, necklace - Joe Fresh

When it comes to Anthropologie goodies, my wish list is often a mile long, and due to a limited budget, I am forced to pare it down to an "essentials list". Oftentimes, I'll have to let an item go only to pine after it months later. This is especially the case when I see an item show up time and time again on the outfits of other bloggers, and I see how fabulous they look, how versatile said item is and how much I want it in my wardrobe!

One such item was the Anthropologie Field Game cardigan. I thought I missed the boat on this one, until I read reports of it showing up at Marshalls. I put out an SOS and an interweb friend of mine tracked it down for me. If you're reading this, thanks again Amanda!

Outfit of the day: Anthropologie Maryam tank + stripes

2011-04-12T13:42:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Joe Fresh, tank - Anthropologie, jeans - Gap, shoes - Connie, necklace - Ann Taylor Loft

When the Maryam tank first showed up at Anthropologie, I didn't pay much attention. It seemed like tiers along the hipline was something I really probably shouldn't do. Then I noticed how lovely it looked on S and Bella, and it slowly grew on me until it reached my mental wish list. When it finally hit the sale pages last week, I couldn't help but take the plunge, although I wasn't entirely sold on it for myself.

I.love.it.

The tiers are so pretty without being over-the-top. It can elevate a simple outfit and transform it from tomboy/nautical/basic to girly and fun. While it's still probably not the best silhouette for me (especially with stripes... natch!), I don't care. Sometimes, an item enters our wardrobe not being it is flattering, but because it speaks of our personality, and the image we want to convey so well.

Plus, it is just so darn PRETTY!

Outfit of the day: Anthropologie Precious Particulars blouse + wide-leg jeans

2011-04-06T12:41:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - Anthropologie Precious Particulars, jeans - Citizens of Humanity, bracelet - Banana Republic, shoes - Connie

One of the biggest trends of the spring is the return of the wide-leg and flared jeans. While I might have only just embraced skinny jeans in the last 12 months or so, I'm still overjoyed that we have different silhouettes to choose from again. Since wide-legs and flares were big several years ago, it also means that I can join in the trend without buying new jeans.

That's not to say that I haven't been buying them... a new pair of wide-leg trouser jeans from Gap just might have made its way into my closet recently. Hey, just being true to my spring wish list.

I love to be blue

2011-04-05T16:48:00.004-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - H&M, skirt - Anthropologie, belt - Forever 21, shoes - Aldo, scarf - Stylesense

I'm sure it's apparent from my blog, but my favourite colour to wear is blue. If presented with two colour choices, a shade of blue and otherwise, I will almost always gravitate towards blue. I find the colour to be serene and calming and happy (brings to mind blue skies, oceans, my birthstone). I actually struggle against filling my wardrobe with so much blue.

That said, I also love to dress in tone on tone outfits. It's a brainless way to look effortlessly chic. Besides neutrals like black, grey, taupe/brown (blah on me), white (makes me feel like a chunky monkey)... blue is one of the easiest to pull off.

On the other hand, scarves are something that I find truly difficult to wear. I like them, but I tend to reach for statement necklaces to complete my outfits. I was drawn to this scarf because of its softness and pretty pattern. It also garnered a rare compliment from DH the first time I wore it.

Not sure if I'm loving the shoe choice, but these babies have 4 buckles and I was too lazy to put forth the effort to change my shoes.

Gasp, oh no! A giant ant!!!

2011-04-01T15:01:00.007-04:00

Outfit Details:

tank - Old Navy, cardigan - J.Crew, skirt - Forever 21, shoes - Joie, necklaces - H&M and "vintage" Avon

Well well well, what do we have here? Pictures taken with a regular camera as opposed to crappy iPhone photos? Hallelujah!

Usually I only have time in my day to take a couple quick shots with my iPhone camera in front of the coat closet mirror. Today I realized that it was too sunny for good pictures in my usual spot. Rainbows and sparkles and patterns were coming in through the partial stain glass windows we have set into the front doors, and it was completely messing with the lighting. Darn you sun for being so bright and filled with sunshine today! So I had a choice to either wait until the afternoon when the sun moved over and behind my house, or to drag out the old tripod and point-and-shoot camera.

I must admit that the pictures do come out better the "old-fashioned" way. I may see if I can set aside a few minutes to do this everyday. We shall see…

This morning Maya woke me up, her voice filled with urgency. "Mommy, where's Daddy? He needs to help me get the big toy ant from my shelf!"

"I can do that for you", I replied.

"No you can't! Because it's April Fools Day, and the teachers said to get something scary out like a toy dinosaur, or bug or spider and put it on the floor and try to scary your Mommy in the morning. So I need Daddy to get the ant so I can scare you with it!"

Hmm, I don't think Maya quite gets how to perform an April Fools joke yet. But I did my very best to scream and act surprised when she placed the giant toy ant by my foot.

The Versatile Blogger Award

2011-03-31T19:05:00.002-04:00

A huge thank you to Carly from Strawberry Heels Forever and Jess from What Jess Likes for awarding me the Versatile Blogger Award. Both of them are such talented and stylish ladies, and I'm forever inspired by their outfits. I'm also so flattered to be in the company of some of my favourite blogs by winning this award!

When you get the Versatile Blogger Award:

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog in your post. Tell seven things about yourself and award seven recently discovered bloggers and contact the bloggers to let them know they received the Versatile Blogger Award.

1) I played the piano for 8 years, and stopped short of my grade 8 exam for the Royal Conservatory of Music. I'm embarrassed to say that I don't play regularly anymore, and when I do, I cringe at how badly I play. Seriously, one step above chopsticks.

2) Growing up, the last thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a computer geek. I wanted to be a writer/doctor/teacher/astronaut/lawyer. Today, I'm a computer geek.

3) Whenever I stare into the mirror too long, I start searching for white or grey hairs. If I find one, I have to pull it out. This probably means I need to dye my hair at some point, otherwise, my OCD tendency will leave me bald.

4) I love to write fiction. I wish I could make a living out of it, but unfortunately, I'm not very good.

5) I am really affected by Armageddon/end-of-the-world/disaster movies. They stick with me, and I think about them for days or even weeks -- like what would I do if "such-and-such-scenario" happened. I always tell everyone that I think my survival instinct is really poor, and I would probably be one of the first to go if something terrible happened.

6) When I was little, my parents didn't put any limits on what movies my brother and I could watch. Parents take note: do not let your little one watch Alien at age 7. The scene where the alien bursts out of John Hurt's stomach had me running to my room and left me scarred. It was a good two months before I'd touch anything with tomato sauce on it. (I have no idea what meal they were having in that scene, but I thought he was eating spaghetti when it happened). To this day, I still cannot watch Alien in its entirety.

7) I was totally grunge in college. Yup, doc martens, baggy jeans, flannel shirts and the occasional concert tee. Hard to believe isn't it?

Seven of my favourite blogs which I've come across in the past few months are:

Blue Paper Lanterns

Best in Shop

Required2BeInsipred

A Silly Little Blog
To Brighten My Day

My Closet Travels

Lyziologie

Outfit of the day: black skinny jeans

2011-03-31T12:55:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Winners, cardigan - Old Navy, jeans - Gap, shoes - Connie, necklace - H&M

Considering my lifestyle as a WAHM, you would think that I would dress in jeans most of the time. If you follow my blog, you know that the reverse is actually true. My hairdresser commented recently on how nicely I always dress, especially considering that I work from home. She was surprised to find out that I work far into geek territory (IT developer), and had thought that I was in a creative field like writer or artist. I found that extremely flattering since, in my opinion, I am the furthest from a creative type.

Still, I suppose it is pretty common to dress down if you can. When DH worked from home, he was found solidly in jeans, t-shirts and was rarely found clean-shaven. He can work like that, I can't. When I do the XX chromosome equivelent, I find that I am extremely unproductive. When I look pulled together, then I work that way as well. Not to say you can't look pulled together in jeans, yoga pants or tees. But I personally just don't feel that way when I do.

So this is about the most casual that I get when I'm working from home. I feel good, and confident, and pretty, and most importantly... productive.

My little decision maker

2011-03-30T09:59:00.003-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, cardigan - Tocca, necklace - Anthropologie, boots - Frye

I am a very indecisive person in just about everything. Because of this, I tend to be boring with my choices at times. If I'm in Starbucks and I can't decide on a drink, I'll default to a grande non-fat latte. If I'm at the drugstore and can't decide on which magazine I want to buy, I'll default to InStyle or Lucky (although that magazine has been disappointingly dull and thin lately. I like my magazines to have heft!)

When it comes to dressing, if I can't decide on an outfit, I'll play eeny meeny miney mo, or I'll flip a coin. Or sometimes I'll assign the outfits as even or odd, and last digit in the time will determine what I wear that day.

Nowadays, I have Maya.

I'll lay out my choices on the bed and ask her to choose. She'll pause, purse her lips just a little, then smile and point "That one! It's so pretty!"

Of course, she's also very predictable. She will always... always choose the girliest outfit with the most ruffles or a floral print. And always a dress or skirt over pants or jeans.

I probably don't need to add that she chose this outfit for me today, do I?

Outfit of the day: Birds and lace

2011-03-29T16:47:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - Sears (Attitude), skirt - H&M, boots - Miss Sixty

My apologies for the unplanned hiatus I took. Whenever things get crazy around here, the blog is the first to fall to the wayside. (If only I could figure out a way to make money planning outfits and blogging about it!) Don't worry, you didn't miss anything. My outfits tend to lack creativity whenever I get super busy. Either I fallback to tried and true outfits that I love. Or I default to jeans and a shirt, jeans and a sweater, jeans, top and cardi... well, you get the picture.

This skirt, which I found many moons ago at H&M, is very reminiscent of the Tracy Reese Spinning Lace dress. I love that it's a skirt which I find so much more versatile, and easily downplayed for everyday life than the Spinning Lace dress. Surprisingly, I found this blouse at Sears(!) of all places. I love the whimsical bird print, and the blouson sleeves. I wasn't sure if I preferred the shirt tucked or untucked with this outfit, so I tried it both way. In the end, I settled for tucked because I thought it de-emphasized my non-existent torso a touch better. But which way do you prefer?

Looking at these OOTD pictures, I'm not sure why my colour palatte has been so muted lately. I suppose its me dressing like the weather again. We had about 8 inches of snow dumped on us last week and it's veeery sloooowly melting away. I'm sure that I'll dress brighter and "funner" once the warm weather arrives.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T13:54:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

top - Calvin Klein (via Winners), skirt - Zara, boots - Frye, necklace - Forever 21

Although I haven't had the opportunity to partake in St. Patrick's day since... oh, before I was pregnant with Maya over 5 years ago... it hasn't stopped me from dressing the part today.

This brocade skirt from Zara is an oldie but a goodie. I've had it for at least 7 years, and I love it still as much as the day I first tried it on. DH maintains that it looks like a curtain, but what do boys know about style anyway?

The top is a recent steal from my epic Winners haul of last month. It cost $3! I almost picked it up for full-price a few months ago, so it was a nice surprise to come across it for less than a latte at Starbucks. You might say the luck of the Irish* on was my side that day!

* Sorry. Super cheesy, but I couldn't resist!

Outfit of the day: Gap tie dye dress

2011-03-16T11:42:00.001-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Gap, cardigan - PURE by Alfred Sung (Zellers), tights - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye, necklace - Forever 21

If you've been following my blog, you probably know what a Gap fan girl I became over the fall and winter seasons. The reason is a two-fer:

1) I think Gap has totally stepped up their style, and a lot of their items have been resonating with me.

2) Their sales have been epic the last several months. EPIC. They might be spoiling me for all other sales (40% off? meh... that's no bargain), but as long as they keep it up, I'll be a life long customer.

So I was a bit surprised when I realized that I hadn't made a purchase from there in well over 2 1/2 months. I have a few things on my wish list (like wideleg jeans), but no item or sale was enticing me into the store. Until this weekend that is. Their new mobile campaign brought me into the store despite a cold and a preschooler in tow.

One of the items that followed me home is this tie dye print dress. I think it has kind of an abstract snake print, but done in a girly-fied way (flutter sleeves and flowy cotton fabric). I paired it with a bold necklace (amazing find from my first in-store Forever 21 trip in 3 years) and cognac accessories.

Outfit of the day: blue floral and army green

2011-03-15T16:01:00.000-04:00

Outfit Details:

shirt - Old Navy, skirt - H&M, tights - Joe Fresh, shoes - Target

I don't know why I do this. I procrastinate (for no good reason, just because I am by nature, a procrastinator) going in for a haircut until I reach the point where I cannot pass get through one single day without mentally screaming at my hair in frustration. I finally make an appointment where my genius of a hair dresser makes my hair look amazing, and I can now get through the next month or two feeling pretty darn good about my appearance.

Yeah, my hair looks awesome, and I am experiencing that post-afterglow of a great cut. Too bad I cut my heads out of the pictures or I would share it with you. I guess you'll just have to take my word for it!

And in other news, my car has been freed with brute force (thanks to DH). Of course, the door is unusable at the moment, but the repair guy is coming in two days. The car is living on the driveway temporarily, but at least I'm mobile again.

Trapped!

2011-03-14T16:56:00.002-04:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, cardigan - Old Navy, shoes - Connie

So guess what? I am trapped in my own house today with a crazy preschooler!

Okay, so maybe that's an exaggeration. But my car is trapped in the garage, and the automatic garage door opener is stuck. It opens the door about one inch before it jams, and stops. I tried cleaning off the sensors of the lovely dead bugs and spider webs that have accumulated over the winter (ugh). Nothing. I pulled the manual release, which slammed the garage door to the ground (and scared the hebejebes out of Maya who ran into the house in terror), and not even my freakishly strong muscles (sarcasm alert) could budge it open more than an inch or two. To top it off, this week is March break, so I was supposed to drop Maya at my MILs house while I worked from home. *sigh* Where are ten burly men when I need them to lift our SUV off the ground and move it to DH's side of the garage where the door is working perfectly?!

Oh well, we managed. I kept Maya amused for a couple hours with our pretend version of an indoor beach and lots of toys... and some cookies... and maybe some candy. (Like, I said, we managed!)

Outfit of the day: polka dot blouse and lace skirt

2011-03-10T10:31:00.002-05:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - H&M, cardigan - Old Navy, skirt - Larry Levine (via Winners), shoes - Steve Madden, necklace - Target

I don't know what's the matter with me. For the past 2-3 weeks, I have been unable to sleep more than 6 1/2 hours a night, even on the weekends. I wake up feeling exhausted, but can only doze until I finally rouse myself out of bed. It's not insomnia because I have no trouble falling asleep... the problem is staying asleep after I've had the minimum number of hours my body needs to function. Too much on my mind I suppose. Unsurprisingly, I woke up early and exhausted again... and I do believe I'm fighting a cold (sore throat, foggy brain).

I needed something to pick me up this morning, so I choose an outfit that made me feel especially pretty. (By the way, am I the only one who does things like that? DH dresses like a slob when he's tired or down or stressed. I'm the total opposite and dress in an effort to improve my mood.) I paired it with a black lace pencil skirt and pale pink cardigan that would compliment the softness of the blouse without overpowering it. I pulled out these shoes that I love, but which for no good reason, I haven't worn at all this season.

About 30 minutes into my work day, I was surprised to hear the doorbell ring. It was my good friend and neighbour from next door. She stopped for coffee this morning, and thought to bring me one just because. Very sweet of her, and just the pick me up I needed on this dreary morning (both weather and soul).

Winter winter go away

2011-03-09T12:19:00.002-05:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - Liz Claiborne (thrifted), sweater - Joe Fresh, skirt - Gap, boots - Miss Sixty

Old man winter sure likes to mess with our heads. One day it's warm and everything is melting. The next day is rainy and windy. And the next day the snow and cold temperatures are back. I am so done with winter. DH and I have been day dreaming about a retirement place in Florida, which is a great thought until I remember that we have about 20-30 years left of our working career before we hit retirement. Hmm, there's always the lottery I suppose.

After seeing all the great polka dotted outfits on everyone yesterday inspired me to break out some of my own. While its too late to participate in the challenge, wearing this under-utilized top makes me smile.

Outfit of the day: winterizing the Reed dress

2011-03-08T16:00:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Anthropologie, sweater - Costa Blanca, belt - Forever 21, boots - Frye

I have a soft spot in my heart for shirt dresses with full skirts. They make me feel simultaneously put together, pretty, girly and low maintenance. If they have snack pockets, that's a major bonus!

My Anthropologie Reed dress doesn't get nearly enough wear during the cold weather months because the material is so thin and floaty that it feels spring. The print however says all seasons to me, so I set out (or inside my closet) with the goal of winterizing the dress. I'm happy with the combination that I came up with. The short sleeved cardigan lets the print on the sleeves show, while the belt cinches in my waist. And bonus... double set of snack pockets! Before you judge me and my need for four(*) pockets, let me remind you that I am also keeping a preschooler's appetite satisfied too.

* Make that five pockets... forgot to count the chest pocket on the Reed dress.

Another cup of joe please!

2011-03-05T15:30:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - J.Crew, blouse - Gap, skirt - Old Navy, shoes - Connie, necklace - Tiffany

On the weekends, we tend to be more lax about schedules and bedtime in general. Instead of rushing Maya to bed at 8:30pm, we'll let her stay up an extra hour and justify to ourselves that she'll sleep in the next day. Then, we'll stay up a little later than usual ourselves, justifying that everyone can sleep in the next day.

Except Maya almost never sleeps in.

And every Saturday morning, I'm woken up by a preschooler before I'm ready to face the day, and it's a struggle to stay awake, and I'm begging someone to hook me up to an IV drip of coffee. Why oh why do I keep doing this to myself?

I need to teach Maya how to work the remote control so she can wake up, go downstairs and watch her shows. Oh, I'll need to teach her how to pour her own bowl of cereal too. Hey, that's what me and my bother used to do on Saturday mornings!

Outfit of the day: Lands End Canvas shirt dress

2011-03-03T14:13:00.002-05:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Lands End Canvas, belt - H&M, boots - Frye

It's official. Scrolling through my outfit posts, I wear these boots way too often. I actually didn't realize how much I would love them, or what work horses they would turn out to be when I ordered them as my Christmas present from DH. (Yes, I buy my own gifts and DH wraps them... that's how we roll and it works for us!) I love when that happens... and I probably need to make sure that happens with the majority of items in my closet.

This shirt dress from Lands End Canvas is another example. Every time I wear this dress, I feel amazing in it. I don't think I ever owned a dress that fit me so well. I went very minimal with the accessories because I think this dress stands on its own.

In other news: I bought a black trench from H&M today. This makes three items in three days. This is bad. Must. Shop... erm I mean... Stop!

New purchases: H&M blouse, Anthropologie Precious Particulars blouse

2011-03-03T00:37:00.002-05:00

In an effort to keep my shopping in check, both in price and quantity, I am attempting to blog about all my fashion related purchases. A much needed check considering that it's only the 2nd day of March and I've already bought two new tops to add to my closet.

First up is this H&M blouse. The polka dots, flutter sleeves and tie neck all appeal to my girly vintage nature. The material is a very soft and flowy cotton. It's a little thin, which isn't a bad thing for spring, but not to the point where I would need a cami underneath. It has an elastic waistline that I'm not entirely happy with, as it limits the blouse to tuck-in only outfits. I'm considering altering the top to remove the elastic and increase its versatility. But we'll see how long it takes for me to get to this project. (My alteration/mending pile is about a mile high at the moment). On the plus side, the elastic does keep the blouse from untucking. At just under $20 duck dollars (aka Canadian), the top is a steal and makes me want to go back and hunt the racks at H&M for more treasures.

And just look at how well it goes with my outfit of the day!

My second March purchase is the Anthro's Precious Particulars blouse, which made my spring wish list last month. When it went on sale today, how could I not pull the trigger? I can't wait to pair it with flares, platform sandals and a pair of oversize sunglasses for a 70s spring look. Since this was the only item that caught my eye this sales cycle, I opted to have the blouse shipped to me rather than treking to the store. With the ridiculous gas prices, it's actually cheaper for me to pay $7 for shipping than pay $12-14 for gas*.

(*) Wow, seeing that number print just made my stomach turn. My next car is definitely going to be a hybrid or electric

Outfit of the day: florals, tweed, studs and lace

2011-03-02T10:51:00.004-05:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - J.Crew, top - Winners, skirt - H&M, shoes - Connie, necklaces - Tiffany initial necklace and Avon locket

Mixing patterns is a bit out of my comfort zone, and I feel like its hard to nail it down perfectly. But eureka! I do believe I got it right today.

When I was growing up, my mother was our neighbourhood Avon lady. As such, I got a lot of cool stuff including lipstick samples which I used on my Barbie-ish makeup/hairstyle head... and more importantly, some cute jewellery which I still occasionally break out today. Now if only I could find that reindeer pendant I used to wear during the holidays. It even had a tiny bell around its neck!

Do you have any jewellery that you used to wear as a child?

Outfit of the day: Chambray shirt

2011-02-28T10:05:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

top - Winners, skirt and belt - Anthropologie, boots - Frye

After seeing so many bloggers rocking the chambray shirt, I've been dying to try the look myself. When I came across this top for $3 from my bountiful Winners trip last week, it was a no-brainer that I should bring it home with me.

If the picture looks especially grainy today, it's because its rainy and windy out. I'm not complaining though because rain = onset of spring right?

A grey kind of day

2011-02-25T12:39:00.003-05:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - Old Navy, tee - Old Navy, skirt - Winners, tights - Winners, boots - Miss Sixty, necklace - Tiffany

My outfit matches the weather (*). We are not winter people, so tend to spend the wintry days hibernating inside. I am overdue for sunshine, warmth, BBQs and kicking back on the patio. I cannot wait for spring.

I ran into Winners yesterday for what I intended to be a quick 5-minute trip returning a top. Well, it turned into a somewhat less quick 45-minute jaunt as I realized that their winter final clearance was in its last days. Digging through the racks turned up quite a few bargain priced gems including this skirt. It was just $3. Yes, three dollars! I found the same skirt in black and bought that too, blatantly disregarding my new year's resolution to stop buying duplicates! Oh well, can you blame me?

* Looking at this picture is making me want to run to my closet and throw on a colourful cardi. Black is wonderful, grey is wonderful, but then so is colour.

Anthropologie... without the Anthropologie

2011-02-24T11:27:00.002-05:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Target, cardigan - Winners, necklace - Anthropologie, tights - Old Navy, belt - H&M, boots - Frye

One of my goals that is always in the back of my mind when shopping, is to try and discover Anthropologie-esque pieces without the hefty price tag. I was in such a funk over the stress that I've been feeling lately, that I decided to make a quick shopping trip last week over my lunch. (Yes, I know that stress shopping is NOT a good thing and that I should find other activities to relieve my stress. But I enjoy shopping, it does make me feel better... and hey, it's cheaper than therapy right?)

Since I've spent most of my February budget, I decided to make a quick run to Winners. Winners is the closet Canadian equivalent to a TJ Maxx or Marshalls, so if I'm in the right mood to dig through the racks, my jaunts are usually cheap and satisfying. The quick trip turned up a few inexpensive goodies including this sweet, ruffly, cropped cardigan which inspired this Anthropologie without the Anthropologie(*) outfit.

* So maybe I lied. The necklace is from Anthropologie, but everything else is not. Promise!

Stop the world... I want to get off

2011-02-18T12:27:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

sweater - Joe Fresh, jeans - Gap, necklace - H&M, wedges - Gucci

Ever have a terrible TERRIBLE day at work? I'm having one of those. And it's only noon.

It's got to get better right?

sigh

Keep calm and carry on

2011-02-17T15:51:00.007-05:00

Outfit Details:

tunic - Winners, leggings - Hue, boots - Frye

I feel like this outfit is missing a big ole statement necklace to complete it. Hmm...

The phrase "Keep Calm and Carry On" has become my mantra over the last few weeks, and in particular, the last few days. I feel like I'm constantly running, but not getting anywhere... just running in place like a hamster on a wheel. Of course, if I slowed down and tried to relax, I'd probably fall right off the wheel and chaos would ensue.

Work has been busy, and I'm jugging a number of tasks at once. Home is home as usual... meaning grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry and all those mundane tasks that fill my non-working time. To top it off, Maya is going through a rough patch at school. She has one close friend at school who has recently been wanting to play with other friends and not Maya. Poor Maya is feeling hurt and excluded. It's hard to explain to a 4 year old that if your friend suddenly doesn't want to play with you, while it isn't very nice, there's not much you can do except go find another little friend to play with. And that there are lots of other nice kids just waiting to be your friend.

I know it's something that she's going to encounter again (probably several times) in her life. But it still breaks my heart.

Outfit of the Day: Anthropologie Field skirt and Joe Fresh military skirt

2011-02-10T10:24:00.004-05:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - Joe Fresh, skirt - Anthropologie Field skirt, boots - Frye, tights - Joe Fresh, necklace - Forever 21, belt - H&M

These are two new purchases that I've been very excited about breaking out. In fact, I just received the Field skirt on Monday evening, and of course, had to plan my Tuesday outfit around it. The top is one of my first Joe Fresh finds from two years ago, and was a steal at... hmm, I want to say it was $6 or $7 as most. Sorry for the terrible picture. The winter lighting was not my friend that day, and my iPhone only takes half-decent pictures as it is. (Note to self: find time to take decent pictures already!)

Outfit Details:

shirt - J.Crew, skirt - Joe Fresh, tights - Old Navy, boots - Frye

One of the reasons I love to do my grocery shopping at Superstore, is the great line of clothing they have. I've had my eye on this military skirt and oogled it every time I walked into the store, but I had never actually picked it up nor tried it on. I thought that the double breasted-ness of the skirt wouldn't be flattering on my hips and make me look wider. When I saw a few skirts left on my rack marked down to $20, I decided that this would be the day I try it on. Surprise, surprise... I really liked it!

I paired it with this several seasons old J.Crew button-down shirt to both play up the masculine military vibe, while the ruffles on the collar and skirt add a bit of a girly vibe. I tried to add my initial pendant to lend a delicate feel to the outfit, but I discovered that the chain is completely tangled. I must've put it away improperly last time. Grrr!

My oh my what a wonderful day

2011-02-08T16:21:00.000-05:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - Gap, tank - Simply Vera (Kohls), skirt - Anthropologie Circle The Globe skirt, belt - ?, tights - Nine West, boots - Frye

This is outfit #2 from my closet cleaning session. The cardigan is super old (6 years according to the Gap style tag), and the tank is a find from my one and only trip to Kohls 2 1/2 years ago. I have a hard time figuring out how to wear this tank because its so tent-like. I think tucking it in harnesses the volume well, while still allowing the pretty pattern and trim to show through.

Do you ever have times when you feel so blah and unmotivated to put much effort into getting dressed? And other times when you can't stop putting outfits together in your head? I'm currently going through the latter. Maybe it's the idea that spring will be arriving soon (I hope), but I feel so inspired and am having so much fun getting dressed these days.

Weekend wear: girly tomboy

2011-02-07T22:01:00.003-05:00

Outfit Details:

shirt - Joe Fresh, skirt - Old Navy, belt - Costa Blanca, boots - Frye

I'll admit that I am pretty much a girly girl to the core. Shocker considering my last post was a crazy obsessive ode to Anthropologie. LOL But I do tend to harness the "frou" and "fluff" and "ruffles" on the weekends since the day will likely be spent playing with Maya, running errands, watching football (boo, the season is over... withdrawl) and casually hanging out with friends and family.

Even so, it seems almost impossible to take all the girl out of me. Case in point, what I wore on Saturday. This is me being all casual and tomboy. Notice the skirt and wide belt to girly it up? Of course, otherwise it just wouldn't be me.

My love affair with Anthropologie

2011-02-05T21:27:00.008-05:00

Anthropologie haul Feb 3 2011 by overcaffeinated

Je Ne Sais Scarf Tee - Anthropologie.com
$58 - anthropologie.com
Printed tees »

White Noise Skirt - Anthropologie.com
50 CAD - anthropologie.com
White knee length skirt »

Field Skirt - Anthropologie (Gold)
$78 - anthropologie.com
Pockets skirt »

Laced With Grace Dress
reviews.anthropologie.com
Dresses »

Knits & Tees - Clothes - Anthropologie.com
anthropologie.eu
Knit tops »

Anthropologie - Craftsmanship Capelet customer reviews - product...
reviews.anthropologie.com

If shopping is one of my favourite ~~addictions~~ pastimes, than you could say that shopping at Anthropologie is my double rainbow. DH knows that all too well and despite his inability to fully understand my fascination with Anthropologie, he gave me a huge Anthropologie gift card as one of my Christmas presents. Kudos to DH for finding a present that I would LOVE!

Now Anthropologie is definitely my favourite store and more importantly, my favourite shopping experience. But I have often left deflated in the past because things are always priced so far out of reach. Let's face it, it's hard to justify buying a day dress (albeit beautiful and swoon-worthy) for $300. So I usually would leave with just one or two more reasonably priced items, and dream of all the rest that were left behind.

Then more recently, I discovered the power of the Anthropologie blogging community. These Anthropologie lovers (like Roxy) report on when the markdowns happen and what items. Given the fact that I had this uber-generous gift card from DH, I have been watching the weekly sales post religiously. So when several items on my wish list were marked down last week, I braved the traffic (1 hour each way) to make my pilgrimage to the Don Mills Anthropologie. It would be the first time I'd had the opportunity to step into an Anthropologie in well over 3 1/2 years.

As I entered, the familiar fragrance of Anthropologie brought me right back to my love of that store. (Must figure out how to make my home smell like that!) I skipped about the racks of floaty blouses, soft knits and silky dresses. Then I came across the sales section and joyfully discovered that all but one item on my wish list was waiting for me. (And ahem, that last item is on store send from the Yorkville Anthro at this very moment. Yay!) I'm a little embarassed to admit that I brought 22 items into the change room with me! Must be a personal record.

After I returned home, I explained to DH what its like for me to shop at Anthro. Imagine my normal method of shopping. I walk into a store, look around and find only a relatively small set of the items appeal to me enough to consider. From there, I try them on, and based on fit, quality, etc. that number gets reduced to a few I would consider. Maybe even none. In Anthro, at least half the store appeals to my aesthetic. Weeding out my favourites might reduce that to about 15% of the store. Once I narrow down what works based on try ons, I am now choosing from a group of items that I love, fit me, flatter me and work for my lifestyle. Basically, I am choosing from the best of the best.

The trip left me more satisfied than my Gap online orders (not that I'll give it up with their EPIC sales this season), my jaunts to Winners or my mallrat runs. I think I need to make it a priority to set aside a portion of my budget for Anthropologie outings.

It's an experience that feels as decadent as a dark, rich chocolate souffle, as indulgent as a day at the spa, and as transporting as a stroll through a European market.

Longing for spring

2011-02-04T17:10:00.005-05:00

What I want for spring by overcaffeinated

Precious Particulars Blouse, $98
Gathering Blossoms Top, $118
Gap Wide leg trouser jeans (dark wash), $70
Neo-Refinement Pullover, $88
City Touring Dress - Anthropologie.com
Peep toe Super High - Swedish Hasbeens

With the epic amount of snow we've received, it should be no surprise that I've been daydreaming of springtime. With that comes daydreams of spring purchases! One of the hottest trends for spring is a modern interpretation of the 70s. I am completely on-board as I love the silhouettes of wide-legs and flares, blowsy tops and sleeves, and wedges.

While this is my wish list, I will be looking through my closet first. I've got several pairs of espadrilles and wedges from past seasons which could substitute for the Swedish Hasbeens, if they don't happen to fit into my budget. I also have a pair of wide-leg trouser jeans by COH (one of my all-time favourite pairs of jeans ever!) from a few years ago that I will happily be pulling out.

No wish list would be complete without a dress. This one looks sweet without being fussy, and classic enough to last more than a few seasons. Hmm, it would go perfectly with those Swedish Hasbeens don't you think?

As for the tops... well, I don't believe I have anything that could substitute, so I suppose one or two (or three) of them might make their way into my closet...

Closet cleaning

2011-02-04T09:55:00.003-05:00

Last night, I had some time to myself, so I decided that I should tackle organizing my closet. My goal was not a closet purge, although I did organize with the thought that I would, as a side goal, try and create a donate and mend/alter pile as well. I was pretty successful with the alteration pile, but my donate pile was pathetically small. Just three pieces... FAIL!

As I organized, I examined each item that wasn't in my regular rotation and asked myself why I wasn't wearing it. Most of the time, the reason was because it just hadn't struck my fancy lately (but I still liked it), or it had fallen off the radar. If I wanted to keep it, I challenged myself to come up with a cute outfit that I would wear today, with my current style and life. It was actually a lot of fun, and I came up with several new outfits that I'm excited to wear. I need to shop in my closet more often!

I present to you the first outfit from my re-org. The skirt is actually one that I made about 1 1/2 years ago when I was first getting into sewing. I really love the shape, but I haven't broken it out for at least a year. The bird tee is something that I was so excited about when I first bought it, but then it languished hidden at the bottom of my extremely large pile of jersey shirts and tees. (Okay, so maybe I should tackle an actual purge now that my closet looks organized).

Outfit Details:

bird tee - Jacob, cardigan - Old Navy, tights and belt - H&M, skirt - DIY, boots - Frye

Almost colour blind

2011-01-27T12:40:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

turtleneck - J.Crew, dress - H&M, tights - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye, bag - Rachel Nasvik

I try and pick out my clothes the night before to avoid running around like a chicken sans head the next morning. So last night, I picked out this jumper dress which I was very excited to purchase recently. I see a ton of remix opportunities for this one. I decided to go with a simple mod look and picked out a black turtleneck and tights to wear with it.

Or so I thought.

In the light of day, what I actually picked out was a navy turtleneck and grey tights. A clear indicator that I am either becoming colour blind, or I need to fix the terrible lighting in my closet.

In a rush, I decided to go with it, and paired the outfit with brown boots and bag.

Now let's talk about the bag. I love Rachel Nasvik's vintage inspired designs and her leather is so yummy. I'd been hankering for a new bag for a couple months now, so imagine my unexpected delight at being gifted this bag (filled with goodies) from an online friend of mine. I can't think you enough SneakyPete for the extremely generous gift. I LOVE x 10000000000000 it!

If you haven't discovered the blog already Confessions of a Call Center Gal is one of the recent additions to my blog reader. She's having a fabulous ShopBop giveaway so head over there and enter!

Stop the presses

2011-01-21T10:07:00.003-05:00

Output Details:

dress - H&M, necklace - The Bay, tights - Old Navy, boots - Frye, belt - can't recall

Despite the fact that I love clothing, shopping, getting dressed and all things fashion related, DH has little appreciation for my outfits. In fact, if all I wore were jeans, hiking boots and hoodies, DH would probably say that I looked great, and I'm finally dressing practically for my life (WAHM living in the suburbs).

So imagine my surprise when I received a rare compliment* from DH on what I'm wearing today. I think my jaw might have dropped. Hmmm, I wonder what the secret element to today's outfit is vs what I normally wear.

Or maybe he just finally opened his eyes and is thinking "HEY... my wife looks great, is great, and I'm a lucky guy!" Uh-huh, that must be it! LOL

* To his credit, he says that reason he doesn't dole out the compliments is because I always look great and it gets weird to compliment someone daily about the same thing. Of course, I disagree with that!

Shhh... don't tell

2011-01-20T09:34:00.003-05:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - Charlotte Russe, jeans - Gap, necklace - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye

I'm really wearing uggs today, but I couldn't bear to ruin the outfit picture with them. So let's just pretend that I'm wearing the Frye boots pictured outside instead.

Down to earth

2011-01-19T10:16:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

cardigan - Gap, camisole - Old Navy, skirt - Old Navy, tights - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye

Until about 3 years ago, I used to be all about earth tones. I rarely wore black and I found brown (especially cognac) much more versatile and interesting than other neutrals, and less harsh than black. Then I discovered grey and slowly segued into the world of black, where surprisingly I received compliments that black suited my colouring very well.

This skirt (which is 6 or 7 years old... love that!) was a workhorse of my closet once upon a time.

(Oh, and it's hard to tell, but these tights have a similar subtle plaid texture that compliments the plaid in the skirt.)

The older the better

2011-01-18T12:22:00.010-05:00

Outfit Details:

sweater - Banana Republic, skirt - Gap, tights - Winners, shoes - Joie, necklace - Joe Fresh

I love that clothing from Gap Inc. always (at least within the last 10 years) includes the year and season the item came from. I have this habit of checking the tag before I wear any Gap, Banana Republic, or Old Navy clothing. The older the item, the happier it makes me. It sort of solidifies that this _fill_in_the_blank_ was a good buy.

This particular sweater is one of the older pieces in my wardrobe and came from "FALL | 05" -- so a good five+ years ago. The sweater is a great classic, but the details -- blouson sleeves and sweetheart-ish neckline -- make it interesting. I'm sure this sweater will be in rotation for a good number of years.

Il fait froid

2011-01-13T15:05:00.004-05:00

Outfit Details:

dress - J.Crew, cami - Old Navy, belt - H&M, tights - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye

Maya just learned this phrase in school yesterday, and could not stop repeating during the drive home. Considering the pile of snow we're buried under and the cold temps, I must agree. Although the sledding outings are just as fun as I remember from my childhood.

Love my Fryes

2011-01-11T11:15:00.006-05:00

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, cardi - Winners, belt - can't recall, boots - Frye

I've decided that I want to be buried in these boots. Since receiving them for Christmas from DH (a present where I hunted down these boots for a steal and put them on my CC, thanks for the effort hon! LOL), I've been wearing these boots almost non-stop. Well, non-stop for me meaning at least three times a week since I do have quite a big shoe closet.

I have about five pairs of Frye boots, and I must admit that I have no regrets buying any of them. They are all classic, always in rotation and hold up well year after year. They are probably amongst my best and smartest buys. Now if only I could feel that way about everything in my closet.

Do you have any brands you are loyal to, and never let you down?

I'm a big fan of fellow Canadian blogger Twenty York Street. She's having a fantastic giveaway of a Banana Republic statement necklace on her blog! Enter by January 18th... good luck!

Another one of my blog girl crushes Kathryn and Carol are giving away a children's book Shoe-La-La (even if I don't win, Maya will be getting this book) and a Zappos gift card. Enter here! Good luck!

Don't be a hater gator

2011-01-07T09:40:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:

cardi - Gap outlet (many moons ago), tank - Winners, jeans - Gap, necklace - Cleo, boots - Ugg

Last night it finally snowed and stuck. Maya is ecstatic, while DH and I (who have to shovel the snow)... not so much. So while to many people uggs = fashion fail, I am at least warm and cozy to go out in the snow, run my errands and enjoy the beautiful white snow before it falls victim to slush and mud.

Psst. For the haters out there. Have you ever tried Uggs on? They feel seriously like walking on pillows.

Four hugs a day

2011-01-06T10:09:00.003-05:00

Outfit Details:

dress - Forever 21, cardigan - Old Navy, belt - Forever 21, tights - Joe Fresh, boots - Frye

One of Maya's songs from the holiday concert is "Four Hugs a Day" and I never tire of hearing her little voice singing it at home. Her lyrics, while cute, sounded a little nonsensical to me so I began to wonder what the actual lyrics were. Guess what? She did get some of the words wrong, but you know what? I like "Maya's version" better.

Original:

Nobody gets enough hugs a day
'Cause the minimum number is four
Now if you haven't got Four Hugs today
Then you better get some more

Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, not the maximum. 
Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, not the maximum.

Step One, look them right in the eye
Step Two, nose to nose
Step Three, reach your arms
Step Four, you can't do any harm with...

Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, not the maximum. 
Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, not the maximum.

Maya:

Nobody gets enough hugs a day
'Cause the minimum number is four
Now if you didn't get Four Hugs today
Then you better ask for more

Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, now the maximum.
Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, now the maximum.

Step One, look the ride in the eye
Step Two, nose to nose
Step Three, reach your arms
Step Four, you can't do any more...

Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, now the maximum.
Four Hugs a day, that's the minimum
Four Hugs a day, now the maximum.

I asked her what "look the ride in the eye" means. She said it means that you look at them like you have a pretend roller coaster in your eye and it makes you feel like you are spinning round and around and around.

I don't think I've pulled this dress out of my closet in at least three or four years. If you were part of MakeUpAlley in the years gone by, you might remember this as the Forever 21 frenzy dress.

It very nearly made the donate bag because it looked a little long and frumpy. Still, the floaty material, polka dots (who doesn't love those?), ruffles, and not to mention nostalgia, made me pull it out of the pile. Instead, I decided to shorten it. The waistline was a little too long on my short torso, and cutting and hemming the chiffon intimidated me. So I ended up pulling the extra material up at the waist (instead of the hem) to shorten and at the same time, pull the waistline up. The end result doesn't look bad at all, and everything is hidden under my belt in any case.

Everyone's dancing merrily in a new old fashioned way

2010-12-17T13:02:00.002-05:00

Outfit Details:

top and leggings - H&M, cardigan - Gap, watch - Kenneth Cole, boots - Frye

This morning Maya sang in her first holiday concert with all her classmates. It was adorable, hilarious and made me smile and laugh so hard that I had tears in my eyes. They sang their little hearts out, and you can tell that they'd been practicing very hard. For a bunch of 3 to 5 year olds, I was so impressed by how many songs they sang, the variety (everything from Rudolph to "O Canada" to "This Little Heart of Mine") and their focus.

All in all, one of my best memories to date. I feel extremely lucky to have Maya in this school. There are less than 30 kids in her school (12 in her class) and 4 teachers. And you can tell all the teachers enjoy and love their job so much.

For the past year, I'd been hankering for an oversize round men's style watch. I considered buying the Michael Kors version, but hesitated over spending so much on a trend item. While the watch itself is classic, I doubt that I would wear it once the trend was over. I am just not a watch person.

Then a few weeks ago, we re-did our den and I came across DH's old Kenneth Cole watch. It was perfect. P.E.R.F.E.C.T. I love the gunmetal, the oversize face and clean design. I asked if I could have it, and DH (knowing he was saving our household the cost of an MK watch) happily agreed. I took it last weekend to get resized and a new battery put in, and we've been inseparable ever since.

Mauvelous

2010-12-09T15:01:00.003-05:00

Outfit Details:

sweater and necklace - Joe Fresh, cami and skirt - Old Navy, tights - Roots, boots - Fraco Sarto

I spotted this recently on the Old Navy sale rack when I was buying some fleece lined pants for Maya to wear to school. I actually own the gray/black version of this from last year, and get a ton of compliments on them. When I saw that Old Navy had the mauve version... on sale... in my size... for under $10. Well, 'nuff said.

My boyfriend's back

2010-12-03T09:42:00.006-05:00

Outfit Details:

shirt - Lapis (via Winners), skirt - H&M, belt - Forever 21, boots - Fraco Sarto, necklace - Joe Fresh

This season, I've been loving the look of the silky boyfriend shirt. I spotted this one in the clearance rack of Winners while I was hunting for stuff for the home. (I also found a slipper chair for our bedroom, and a gorgeous cabinet for our main floor hallway. I did good... holla!) I loved the metallic sheen and the loose, drapey fit, and I can see it tucked into a pencil skirt or belted over skinny jeans -- definitely a versatile addition to the closet.

Unearthed from my closet

2010-12-02T14:19:00.005-05:00

Outfit Details:

blouse - Filene's Basement, skirt - H&M, sweater - Banana Republic, boots - Frye

Todays outfit is composed of three items which haven't seen the light of day for years. I purchased each of the pieces approximately 6-7 years ago, and threw them into the back of my closet shortly after having Maya. (Read: I was depressed that my favourite work horses of my wardrobe were too small for my post-baby weight.)

Last night, I was leafing through my skirts and this one caught my eye. I grabbed the blouse and sweater, and voila... instant outfit with almost no effort or thought.

And I like it.

And I feel good in it.

And I did it through shopping in my closet.

Don't you just LOVE that?

Sales sales everywhere

2010-11-24T14:42:00.005-05:00

Lately I feel like everything is on sale, to the point where my wallet and closet can't take much more saturation. (I'm talking about YOU Gap and your 40% off promotions). I've gotten to the point where I need to force myself to second guess purchases I would've jumped on a few months ago.

Case in point, this dress. I spotted this recently on the H&M sale rack and spent a good 10 minutes debating if it should come home with me. I adore the fit, and you couldn't do wrong with the price (hello... $10!). Yet I stood there in the changing room thinking, "Yay, nay? Is the print cute or fug?"

Finally I snapped myself out of it and took it home with me. I'm glad I did.

Outfit Details:

dress - H&M, necklace - J.Crew, tights - Roots, shoes - Connie