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.

wishlist no. 1: cable knit sweater in winter white

a.p.c. wool irish pullover, $415

l.l. bean cotton fisherman sweater, $99

vanessa bruno athe alpaca folk sweater at anaise, $271

i've been looking for a white cable-knit sweater for a long while now. i go back and forth on whether it needs to be wool, cotton, or a wool blend. choosing the right fit is the most challenging part, though. do i want something that is more traditional, short and bulky, or something that is more figure-skimming but still connotes warmth and coziness? j.crew is an option, but i tend to stay away from their knits.

any other thoughts or leads on the perfect white cable knit sweater? should i look in vintage shops?

in other news, i'm thrilled that uniqlo finally opened a webshop.

the hat

BillyKirk women's wide brim hat

as a general rule, i would not buy a hat without trying it on. but this BillyKirk one at Bow+Arrow is pretty much what i'm looking for. the price is just about right, too.

autumn

acne cynthia long cardigan at la garconne

i'm in the midst of job applications and barely have time to come up for air these days. all the while i'm longing to watch 'The Master.' i'm not sure how i feel about burgundy as the ubiquitous fall color--i much prefer deep forest greens--but this acne cynthia cardigan seems like the perfect complement to the beautiful foliage in toronto.

off topic

what my life looks like these days

Annette and Julien

A few nights ago I was up much too late and was surprised to see the SA Annette blazer from last winter in my size at Saks for $170. I had seen it on sale a long while ago, but at some point it was completely sold out. I couldn't resist, so I ordered it (middle image). I still want the Julien in black as well as the Danny pant for interviews. The reality of applying for jobs is finally hitting me, and my closet lacks the building blocks of a solid work wardrobe.

The question on my mind is whether the Danny pants in red would be appropriate for an interview or campus visit. I can already tell that I'm going to need a lot of help with outfit ideas this winter!

the small details

Acne New Snow Coat at Steven Alan

okay, i admit it. i'm a sucker for pink. i also love that the down filled liner is detachable. i can't wait to try out my thomas sires coat this winter. it's plenty warm without the liner, so i'm expecting great things from it come -15F windchill!

broken record

demylee jonathan pullover at conifer

maybe it's because i'm getting older, but i sound like a broken record. as the mother of two small boys, i find it challenging to dress them in anything but stripes. but maybe that's because all i wear are stripes.

i have a demylee striped boatneck sweater from ages ago, and if their cashmere quality hasn't changed, i would say this jonathan pullover is an excellent investment.

work jacket

i'm sorry i haven't been able to post frequently this summer, but i was watching both kids full-time, researching, and had to rely on my not-so-trusty phone for basic emailing and news browsing. although i am not teaching this fall, the cold weather in toronto goes well into spring, so i'm hoping to justify finally purchasing a work jacket.

while in LA we stopped by the steven alan store on abbot kinney, where i was able to try on the new julien jacket. i was in a rush, so i tried on the 4, which was a little tight in the arms. currently i'm between a 6 and an 8, and i think the 6 would be the best fit for me. maybe others who have tried it on can chime in, but i suspect it runs true to size to slightly big.

anyway, as much as i dislike black (cat hair magnet), i think i would prefer it to the dark grey multi fabric because it's much softer and cozier (70% wool, 30% polyamide). i'm hoping to find it on sale in january, but we'll see how that goes! i did try on the jcrew schoolboy blazer, but it fit so oddly in the shoulders. the store didn't have the hacking jacket, but maybe that would be a better alternative?

aside from a jacket, the only other thing on my list is a pair of shearling lined l.l. bean boots. last year i learned the hard way that you need to order them before winter, otherwise they're on backorder!

San Francisco

Finally reunited with my phone after three weeks. I've been in SF since Wednesday visiting a college friend. Mostly we walk and eat and eat and play with Elias. Goodness I love the weather here!

Breakfast at Tartine, dinner at Burma Superstar and Nick's Crispy Tacos, lunch at Ippuku...we're heading back to the OC tonight. What else to eat before we leave?!?

Oh, and this Wren shirtdress is on sale at Conifer. I tried on the medium and the large and would go with the smaller size. I'm between a 6 and 8 and it was perfect in the shoulders with a little room in the waist. Nice airy cotton that's super soft. I think it would be super cute with a belt and cardigan for teaching. Hmm, I have a little time left to make up my mind...

and we're off!

super bright shorts from jcrew=traffic cone visibility

elias's awesome bloomers made by julia

well, i think everything is packed and ready except for leon's toys. whenever i pack for a long trip i start to question my clothing purchases. but at the end of the day, it's still important to have a collection of fancy things, even if i haven't worn most of them in over three years. or so i keep telling myself!

*oh, and i highly recommend dry-cleaning ilana's silk clothing. i made the mistake of hand-washing. nothing disastrous, but let's just say the top is no longer in pristine condition. it may just be an issue with the green print. i'm still going to wear the top at every opportunity, but this was a good lesson in why sometimes 'dry clean only' means just that!*

most days are tough but good. these two guys are starting to look a lot more like brothers to me. one thing i know is true: when leon is near, elias only has eyes for him.

right back where i started from

photos of corona del mar from 2007, a million years ago

this saturday leon, elias, and i are going back to southern california for the rest of summer (FIVE whole weeks!). i'm hoping to make it up to the bay area to visit a few friends and do a little research, as well as finish an article and a book proposal. there are so many places i want to see in LA, but it gets harder and harder to make the trip from south orange county with two squirmy littles. somehow we always end up riding the carousel at south coast plaza or going to disneyland instead of exploring the city.

i've flown with leon, but this will be my first time alone with two children. if i'm lucky i'll be able to go to myrtle, mohawk general store, steven alan, and what else??

Ilana Kohn Daryl shirt

Just received my Daryl shirt, and I'm in love! I wanted the dress, but I figured I would get more use out of a top. It doesn't disappoint. The silk is amazing on a 90+ day, and it's beautifully made. I though it might be too boxy, but it drapes nicely and the longer back helps even things out. Michelle from pretty mommy was as helpful as always in my decision making. I plan on wearing it all summer with cutoffs and then tucked into skirts and highwaisted pants this fall.

By the way, I'm on instagram far more frequently than here these days. If you don't mind endless photos of babies, head on over!

happy fourth of july!

margaret howell naval top

apc catalonian dress

apc beach blue dress

creatures of comfort sale. half off.

it just isn't the same when you aren't living in america, but i think we'll have hot dogs for dinner tonight to celebrate.

pretty mommy shop sale

michelle can correct me if i'm mistaken, but it looks like the 25% coupon code (STRIPES til sunday) on orders over $200 applies to all designers including ermie and ilana kohn at pretty mommy.

the perfect summer dress {ilana kohn}

i was at robber on saturday (happy canada day!) and was finally able to try on ilana's abby dress in the green leaf print. i was hesitant about the color and fit and thought maybe i would like the magenta rose print, but reds are tricky for me. it just didn't work with my playground tan. anyway, i seem to be on a brights kick because i instantly fell in love with the green...plus the leaf print is pretty amazing. if you're on the fence about this dress, i say go for it! the crepe de chine is light as air yet doesn't feel flimsy. my favorite thing about the dress is how it drapes and flutters when you walk. perfect for catching a breeze. if i had any casual weddings to go to this summer, i would love wearing this dress. as for the fit, the medium fit me perfectly, but i would want to go with a large for a slouchier look. i'm still about ten pounds from my pre-pregnancy self, so maybe i would be better off with a medium in the long run. it's hard to say when i'll be back in my old clothes, so for now i'm in a holding pattern when it comes to shopping. but i can't help but add my enthusiasm for ilana's clothing, especially now that i've seen the abby dress in person!