Stripes

Time to replenish my stripes collection.

Samuji Sunny Shirt

Armor Lux Mariniere Sweater

Wood Wood Adrien Top

Armor Lux Passarelle

Here's to a happier 2014!

Back to Work!

Time for an early lunch break.

Sale goodies at Conifer
Rachel Comey Mars boots in Whiskey, $275
Ace & Jig Button Up, $92
Demylee cashmere Stripe Alexa pullover, $192
UPSTATE Kimono, $121

I'm thinking about ordering this Gloverall Monty Duffle, which has been marked down to $270. My coat collection still lacks a duffle, and a few of my workhorses are starting to look shabby. I tried on a few different Gloveralls at Gravity Pope. Sizing is seems to depend on the style. I'm a 32 in the slim fit and a 30 or Small in the original fit. The sleeves are a bit too long, but I like that they keep my hands covered.

Winter Break

Black Crane Square Shirt

Grades are submitted, presents have been purchased, and it looks like we might finally have a white Christmas after 10 years of waiting. I'm looking forward to seeing a movie or two (Her and American Hustle) and baking cookies with the boys. Maybe even sledding and ice skating.

I've been shopping so much at J.Crew lately. The quality is iffy, but the sales have been too good to resist. I do wish there were a Muji or Uniqlo in Toronto. Also, sometimes I forget that there are nice basics like Black Crane at relatively affordable prices. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. If you're on break, don't forget to take the time to do something completely frivolous. I have spent the past 10 years skipping family celebrations and daily pleasures in order to scan books and edit essays. (Almost) everything was placed on the back burner in pursuit of something I thought was attainable. I'm done with this ascetic lifestyle. There has to be a better way, I'm just not sure what it is.

The boys.

It's that time of the year when you have to go through hundreds of photographs in order to put together the holiday card. Here are a few of my favorites that didn't make the final cut.

checking in, december edition

My final lecture of the semester is today, and then there are papers and an exam to grade in the next two weeks. I'm looking forward to a few days off in between various other December deadlines. I'm lucky I only have to teach two courses next semester. I hope there will be job interviews, but I'm preparing for the worst.

I've been continuing to focus on relatively boring wardrobe-building for the past month. I bought a pair of Cole Haan Monroe penny loafers in October after many months of hesitation. Of course they're half a size too big after stretching out, for some reason I didn't anticipate this inevitability. I'm destined to live in Birkenstocks, I have terrible luck with real shoes! I also stumbled upon an Isabel Marant for H&M blouse, which has worked equally well for teaching and going out.

Last night I decided to order the shirt-tail mini in boulevard green from J.Crew. I haven't worn skirts on a regular basis in many years, but I'm hoping this one will be a dependable workhorse this season. J.Crew quality is so iffy, but I always wait for sales and additional discounts. I have no expectations of these pieces lasting more than a season or two.

I hope everyone had a restful Thanksgiving. Maybe it's because I haven't been online much these days, but I've been enjoying a slower pace of life. We buy groceries, draw pictures, clean, and fold laundry. I'm trying hard to be content with the current situation. If I stop to think about what may happen in the next few months, I fall apart. There's a character in A.S. Byatt's The Children Book who chooses to live lightly on the surface because the alternative is too troubling. In times like these, that's the best advice I can offer myself and those in a similar situation. For all of you on the market, here's hoping for interviews and campus visits...and contracts.

Knits

Micaela Greg Cream Nile Cardigan

 

 

Micaela Greg Grey Diagonals Cardigan

Ilana Kohn Green Spades Mara Dress

A rough few weeks spent over-worked and sick. It's stress and everything piling up with deadlines, grading, and mid-semester exhaustion. These Micaela Greg's knits are mesmerizing and soothing with their complex patterns.

Sweater leggings: Micaela Greg

Micaela Greg Fragment leggings at Myth + Symbol

I'm the kind of person who buys sweater leggings in fairisle patterns while in the Christmas mood only to return them three days later. I have several issues with wearing patterned bottoms, especially leggings that are in a thick knit, and one of them is that they often resemble sleepwear. However, these Fragment leggings by Micaela Greg look like they might be suited to both work and play. I can see them pairing nicely with an oversized pullover post-holiday feasting as well as with a silk or linen tunic for office hours.

october chill

Studio Nicholson Ines Coat

Steven Alan Delphine Coat

Steven Alan floral print Martine top

J. Crew Silk Ruffle Top in Beanstalk Stripe

I'm at the point where I need to donate a few of my coats, but I'm not sure I need to replace any. If I knew I were spending the next 5 - 10 years in a cold climate, I would love something in a rich color as well as a snuggly soft coat like Steven Alan's Delphine. I've found myself grabbing for my Etoile Isabel Marant Baki more and more these days because it's so soft and unstructured.

I've also been experiencing a mall-induced fashion crisis. So many photo floral prints at the mall, but I'm not sure it's really my kind of look. However, I did pick up this J.Crew silk top with a floral stripe pattern that has worked well as a teaching top. The Steven Alan Martine floral print seems like another nice variation on the theme, but I can't decide if I really need more than one of this type.

Two Blue Dresses

Lauren Moffatt Uma Snap Dress

Steven Alan Thalia Dress

I own more black now than I ever did, but my heart belongs to the blues. Navy, cobalt, turquoise. Is it any surprise that my school uniform was dark and light blue?

slouchy basics for work and maybe the weekend, too

apiece apart marina draped pants and lauren manoogian's wedge cardigan at mille.

it's always fun to do a bit of imaginary shopping on payday before the realities of the month ahead hit. i love early fall weather, but it's been heartbreaking to see the moth damage on my knit collection. i'm still holding onto a few pieces for sentimental reasons, but i had to throw out nearly half. sadness.

the almost good enough work pants: J.Crew Eaton boy trouser

In case you couldn't tell, work started again...I keep meaning to post, but I barely have time to eat, let alone go online these days.

I did, however, want to mention that I've found an almost good enough work pant at J.Crew. Normally their pants fit me atrociously. The Eaton boy trouser in stretch wool are mid-rise so you can tuck in dress shirts, but the side pockets flare open and the seat bags out pretty quickly.

I tried skinny black dress pants at Zara and Topshop but they were impossible on me. I'm not sure I could do any better in the $100-150 range. Any thoughts?

dream work pants

 Rachel Comey Indium Pants at Mohawk General Store.

oregon and california

alsea falls

wear now, wear later

Steven Alan Martine top in crepe de chine

Hope New trousers in cotton

Having just weeded out almost half of my clothing, I'm keeping an eye out for simple pieces for the fall.

new apartment / downsizing

We just spent the past week moving to an apartment two blocks away from our old place. It was important for us to stay in the neighborhood, and after four frustrating weeks of pounding the pavement and submitting countless applications, we finally found something. It's quite a bit smaller (590 sq. ft. versus 1100 sq. ft.), and the storage isn't so great, but we're only staying here for a year. One thing we're trying hard to do is economize since my employment is in flux. Housing is our largest expense, it far exceeds the recommended amount. Toronto, like Boston, is an expensive city, but we're trying to be creative and practical about making this apartment work. The hardest part is the lack of closets. Even with the purchase of two wardrobes, I had to throw out or donate so many pretty things that I don't wear. Sometimes you have to be ruthless and let go of the person you think you are or used to be.


So long, spacious living room.

Summer shirtdresses

Steven Alan Genevieve Shirtdress

I have such a fondness for sleeveless shirtdresses. Here's another one by Steven Alan, this time with a narrower skirt. All I need is this dress, my Saltwaters, and a new prescription for my sunglasses.

It's been boring J.Crew for me these days. There's something about summer where I wilt and give in to 3" chino shorts and short-sleeve button up shirts.

Three more at Myth + Symbol that I would happily add to my collection
Ilana Kohn Ladder Eibel Dress
Dusen Dusen Curves Collared Dress
Steven Alan Eloise Dress

what i've been doing

the Ballast book bag by Book/Shop

i spent four weeks looking for an apartment. 

it rained and rained. our laneway turned into a river.

we're moving in nine days.

i'm going to see this man in two weeks.



aside from that, i've been keeping to myself these days. i've been finding it slow-going climbing out of this well i'm in.

poplin button-up shirts at everlane

Source

Looking forward to these new Everlane poplin shirts (long-sleeved, short-sleeved, and sleeveless). Silk is lovely, but I prefer cotton.

I knew a guy in college who spent a year wearing only Levi's 501s, a white undershirt, and black sneakers. His room was devoid of decorations except for a dictionary. I'm feeling a bit like that these days.

the monogram necklace: k. kane

A belated Mother's Day/Anniversary gift from Matthew.
From K. Kane Jewelry.

Lucky number seven

Before Etsy/blogs became a big thing, weddings were both easier (fewer options) and more difficult (fewer options) to plan. I found my birdcage veil at Bride's Head Revisited, where I paid an embarrassingly large amount of money for something that I probably could have made myself. I also bought two wedding dresses. The first was supposed to be dramatically altered based on a favorite dress featured in Martha Stewart Weddings (my bible and telephone directory). After realizing it was impossible, I grudgingly bought a second dress. My favorite thing was our stationary, which was done by a friend of a friend. The photography was less successful. I know they're just images, but....well, these are the more successful ones. This experience convinced me to be more careful about choosing a photographer for our family photographs in 2011.

Seven years later. I'm still an old grouch, but somehow it's working out anyway!