east coast meets west coast (fwk engineered garments)

every time lauren posts outfits at arrow & arrow, i feel like i've found the promised land of outfits. i've now spent 10 years east of the Sierra Nevada, and i consider my clothing choices informed just as much by east coast prep and pragmatism. the second outfit also confirms my deep-seated belief that there's nothing wrong with me that can't be fixed by a freshly washed white button-up shirt.

no snow today!

ace & jig turnaround top at conifer shop

it's a good day when it doesn't snow and there's only 9 days left in march.

Playing dress up

Steven Alan Julien jacket
J.Crew Tilda oxford top
J.Crew Pinwheel eyelet pencil skirt of course it's on sale right after i wear it!
Club Monaco Riley merino crewneck
Rachel Comey Mars boots
J.Crew enamel bangle

Serendipitous finds

My never-ending quest to be better organized has met its match. A pouch found at bookhou on Dundas with a zippered compartment for coins and cards and a slot sized just right for my phone. I'm always switching bags depending on work or Elias-duty, so it's helpful to have my essentials in an easily transferrable pouch. Maybe the next time I'm on Dundas I'll pick up this large pouch in waxed canvas and rain print.

everlane in canada

looks like everlane is going to have a couple of pop-up shops in toronto this week. i'm excited to go to their launch party thursday evening. i wish i had been able to order their light gray cashmere crewneck for my interview, but instead made do with the riley merino crewneck from club monaco that was on sale for $59.

the campus visit

on my way by ahistoryofarchitecture featuring a merino sweater

heading to the airport in 2 hours...
a few quick thoughts on the outfit

there are a lot of different opinions about the campus visit outfit, and if i owned a lovely suit, i would probably wear it. however, i am more comfortable in a skirt and blazer, so that's what i decided on. i wanted something that was more cheerful and upbeat after this long and difficult winter. a graphic eyelet skirt in navy paired with a light gray crewneck sweater--these are neutral colors that i associate with the tail end of winter. as for the j.crew tilda top with its bedazzled ruffle collar....what can i say but that i have a weakness for stand-up ruffle collars and shiny sparkly objects! i'm hoping that the Steven Alan julien jacket and Rachel Comey mars boots in black will impart some amount of polish and professionalism to the outfit.

at the end of the day, outfits are fun to obsess over, but hopefully won't be the deciding factor.

Dear Reader

I bought them.

hurry up, spring!

suno drawstring jumper dress

collars

zara basic cotton shirt

club monaco bernice shirt

my j.crew order arrived, and i'm having second thoughts about the silk collar tee. i think the short sleeves are too casual, but the collar is oddly small in proportion to the rest of the shirt, which cardigans and blazers only accentuate.

so, now what?
i could get a chambray shirt, which would probably be a useful addition to my wardrobe. but i'm not sure how i feel about chambray and a navy eyelet pencil skirt.

or i could get a simple button-up shirt. zara would work, although i'm drawn to the collar detail on the bernice shirt at club monaco.

oh, and i'm pretty sure i need a pair of black ankle boots. flats don't look quite right with the skirt. i may have to go back to gravity pope and get the rachel comey mars. i'm also thinking of trying on the rag & bone newbury boots, which are apparently very comfortable. as someone who doesn't wear heels, i'm a bit of a skeptic.

edited: just noticed that the bernice is rayon. oof, not such a fan. 

Breaking up with winter

I'm done with snow boots and long underwear. Even with 17 degree windchill, I don't care anymore!

So here's to transitional outfits...
Etoile Isabel marant denim dress
Primoeza cardigan
No. 6 buckle ankle boots
Falke tights

Advice please!

I bought what I thought were the Mars boots on Yoox for $250, but they're a slightly different style with a double stacked sole. I am not sure about the sole, I've stepped on the lip a few times, and I have to admit I prefer the clean lines of the Mars.

What do you think??

two outfits for two days in march {J.Crew 20% discount code}

interview no. 2 by ahistoryofarchitecture

interview no. 2, day 2 by ahistoryofarchitecture

ETA: try the code INSIDER for 20% off and free shipping at J.Crew. i just checked it, and it seems to be working!
 
i've been spending far too much time coming up with outfits....when i really should be working.

after waffling on the Rachel Comey Mars boots, i've decided against them for now. the loose heel and tight toe box make me nervous about spending so much money for what will most likely be uncomfortable after a few hours wear. at this point i've decided to work with what i have, adding two new pieces (the j.crew pinwheel eyelet pencil skirt in navy and silk peter pan collar top). i picked up a pair of cece flats in boulevard green over the holidays for $47, and pretty much everything else was purchased well over five years ago.

unsurprisingly, i gravitate toward j.crew when it comes to interview clothing. i wish i could get a new bag, maybe in a dark gray or black. i have a small LV damier bag that my mom gave me, but i always feel strange carrying it. also, it isn't very practical because of its size.

the only two 'imaginary outfit' pieces are the pyrrha necklace ("in lumine luce") and satomi kawakita diamon disc earrings, neither of which will be accompanying me. if all goes well, maybe they'll end up in my jewelry box later this year...?

impatience

Rachel Comey Wren Dress at Steven Alan

Been spending too much time looking at Mars boots online...and now I want a dress to go with them.

Long story short, the 8s are too small, the 9s are a little too big (an insole works), but I'd rather go a little big rather than try to track down 8.5s from a previous season. I ordered what I thought were heavily reduced Mars boots from Yoox, returned the 8s to Gravity Pope (we exchanged them for a pair of shoes for Matthew), and am now deciding what to do next.

I can order them in the US and have a friend mail them to me (hopefully they would arrive with time to spare so I can break them in for a few days before the 13th). Or I can swallow my pride and pay an extra $70 to have them right now. The funny part is that I was able to pay the full Canadian price this weekend while in the store, but now that I'm shoe-less and at home, I've become stubborn and peeved about the markup.

Hard morning

Some mornings it takes forever to get out the door. One boy has mastered the stalling technique. The other has a teething fever. Thank goodness for a Mociun dress hand me down to cheer my morning.

more thoughts on the interview outfit

did you see this of a kind / fieldguided giveaway? i've been obsessed with the iacoli & mcallister spica light, which i first saw at thomas sires. i'm sorely tempted to order this necklace as part of my interview outfit. i think there's more leeway for creative pieces during this stage of the interview process.

the weather is the trickiest variable in my outfit planning. it may rain, or there could be snow in mid-march. sturdy shoes that offer some protection from muddy or wet ground are a good idea. i'm thinking of ordering the frye carson lace-ups in either dark brown or black. if only i still lived in the US, i would order them from bliss boutique in a heartbeat. a dressier option that may be more appropriate would be the rachel comey mars boots.

at this point i'm leaning toward a pencil skirt, maybe in a fun spring color, plus a cardigan and my trench.

The Interview Outfit

My NYC trip was a success, although I think I spent more time traveling than in the city. Now I need another outfit for mid-March. Just for fun, let's build an outfit around this top. Shoes that can withstand 8 hours on my feet, and something that works with my trench. Since this is all hypothetical, let's look for a necklace, too. If only the interview were as much fun as imaginary outfits!

nyc for 26 hours

pre-spring samuji at jumelle

is it already valentine's day? and leon is turning 4 on the 22nd.

my birthday came and went. matthew got me the etoile isabel marant ouda pullover, which has kept me warm this past month.

ever since julia posted her new samuji dress, i've been hoping to check out the line in person. well, it looks like jumelle is having a sample sale that starts while i'm in nyc for 26 hours. maybe i'll be lucky and find something nice.

if you were in nyc for work and only had 7 free hours before catching your flight, where would you go, what would you do? i can't decide if it's worth going to jumelle if i'm in midtown and need to be at La Guardia by 5.30.

MHL love

Been wearing this sweater nonstop since I picked it up on sale at Robber. The color is gorgeous, and I love the shorter boxier fit. There's an x-small and medium on sale at La Garconne ($121) and a large at Robber ($125). I went with the small, but even the large seemed to be fine if you want a more over-sized look.

Isabel marant etoile pullovers on sale

ETA:
Looks like both sold out pretty quickly. If you ended up buying it, I'd love to hear what you think!


Both are at Jonathan + Olivia. The Ouda Wyoming is $175, and Gladys mohair jacquard is, I think, $195.

Sizing wise, I can fit into the 40 but am more comfortable with the 42. The Ouda is a shorter boxier cut, whereas the Gladys is a slim cut. Both are very warm. The Gladys is also pretty fuzzy and has a looser, more open knit (danger cats!).

http://jonathanandolivia.com/OUDA-WYOMING-KNIT.html
http://jonathanandolivia.com/GLADYS-MOHAIR-JACQUARD-SWEATER.html

Rain in January

New winter boots that a friend found on steep markdown. Plus leggings and my trusty old Mociun tunic for this crazy warm weather today.

Ugg Adirondack boots in Obsidian

end of year

fwk 19th century BD shirt

fwk chambray work shirt

fwk round collar shirt in polka dot flannel

 i'm sorry for being so absent...my trip to chicago was really wonderful. my friend and i stayed up into the wee hours singing songs from les miserables and watching silly music videos. thanks to jade for recommending fat rice, which was so delicious. my favorite was the fat rice noodle (each noodle is rolled up, making for a tasty bite), and we also had a lamb dish whose name i can no longer remember. i highly recommend drinks at longman and eagle (i tried the high west rendezvous rye and an old favorite, eagle rare 10 year) followed by lots of hot and spicy macanese food.

two weeks ago, unfortunately, my laptop died. it was a long time coming, but that doesn't make me feel any better about its loss. so, my hard drive is now plugged in to an ancient laptop whose screen hinges are coming apart. that plus serious anxiety about employment next fall is making me less and less inclined to do anything but hide from the world.

but, the end of year also means amazing sales (including a $5 sample sale at goat-milk, which makes the best baby and small kid undergarments).

there are also fwk by engineered garments shirts on sale at mohawk general store that i am pining away for right now. they aren't exactly work-appropriate, but i could definitely get used to wearing flannel button-downs on a regular basis.

evergreen

winter is well on its way, and the grey skies have me longing for evergreens. i didn't mind the grey as much when i was living in seattle, and it was more often cold and bright in cambridge than not, but toronto's grey winter has been tough for me.

i bought two things last week while on my green kick. the first is a dress from aritzia, a ubiquitous canadian shop that i usually avoid because of the loud music and frantic atmosphere. i also bought a pair of matchstick cords from j.crew. i'm still not quite back to my usual size, but these will do for now.

i'm leaving for a two-day holiday without babies on saturday. i can't wait to be back in chicago again. when not soaking up chicago's modern architecture, i'll probably spend most of my time here.

skyfall

I'll take one of each. Howlin' by Morrison Babs Pullover.

not too long ago stephanie clued me in on the amazingness that is Mill Mercantile. i've been thinking about the rich saturated hues of Howlin' by Morrison's lambswool sweaters after feeling defeated by a few recent forays to Zara and J.Crew. why do people think it's ok to pay $80-150 for a sweater comprised mainly of synthetic fibers? maybe i'm getting cranky, but that seems like a lot of money for acrylic and nylon.

anyway, the other day i saw 'skyfall,' and was struck by the vividness of the wool sweaters worn by Bond and Kincade, his groundskeeper. the contrast with the muted greys and browns of the landscape was gorgeous.

steven alan sample sale

uh oh, here comes trouble!

Favorites:

JULIEN JACKET - Steven Alan

 Boyfriend Shirt - Steven Alan 

 REVERSE SEAM SHIRT - Steven Alan 

 LEOPARD BUTTON UP - Steven Alan

 DANNY PANT - Steven Alan

Ordered:
Julien Jacket in black and Danny Pant in red. They were already sold out in the black pant, but I'm sure I can find another pair easily if I need a proper interview outfit. I went with the red instead of the grey because I didn't like the wool/polyester blend when I was at the Venice Beach Steven Alan. In contrast, the wool/polyamide blend in the black and red colorways is super soft and cozy. I don't own anything in red, but I thought the pants would be festive and cheering this winter season.

L.L. Bean fisherman sweater

It's soft, fits perfectly (kid's medium). The sleeves are a little short, but I like them that way. It seems like it might pill a lot, though. For $40, I can't complain!

The J Crew Ankle Matchstick Jeans are a bust. The zipper is off-center by nearly an inch in the golden sunflower color. I hope they'll let me return it even though it was a final sale.

a mini shopping spree

thanks to emmaclaire and jennifer for their suggestions. i ordered the l.l. bean kids' fisherman sweater in a medium (hopefully it will fit based on comments i read on other blogs). at $40, i couldn't really say no!

i also bought a pair of jcrew toothpick jeans. i've never owned colored-jeans before, and i'm very late to that bandwagon, but hopefully they will cheer me up during this long winter. i like the idea of a cream colored sweater with yellow bottoms, but i'm not sure how it will look on me. jcrew is having a 25% discount on orders over $150, so i decided to buy a few things for leon as well.

in other news, i am feeling extra anxious as this election season FINALLY comes to a close.