Madewell skinny overalls

I picked up a pair of the new skinny fit overalls in the Adriatic wash at Madewell when I was in Boston two weeks ago, and I've been wearing them nonstop. I sized down to XS, but possibly could have gone smaller because the denim is very stretchy. From the back they fit like a nice pair of high rise jeans. I cannot recommend these enough!

So far I've been wearing them with Uniqlo heat tech long underwear, a flannel button down shirt, 

and a blazer. The extra fabric over my core really helps keep me warm. I would love a pair in black if they ever offer it--preferably without all the distressing.

A word abut fit. I'm 5'4" and 115 lbs with a long torso, and I've lengthened the straps as far as they'll go. Also, size down if you want them close fitting. I thought the size small made me look wide. It was only due to the persistence of the very helpful shop girl that I was convinced to try on other sizes.

Never be cold again: Woolpower

I've decided enough with being cold here in Toronto. I know there are colder places in Canada, but this city is plenty cold for a native Californian.

So the one thing I really dislike is long underwear, but I've finally come to terms that if I want to be warm while walking outside for over two hours, I need to be completely cocooned in warm wool.

I first noticed Woolpower at Westerlind and thought it looked intriguing. Last week I went to the Canadian Outdoor Equipment store in Mississauga, which has an astonishing range of axes for sale, and spent a bit of time trying on different sizes and styles before settling on a zip turtleneck in green and longies in black. I don't think I've ever worn such warm yet lightweight wool thermals before. The knit is flat on the outside and terry-loop on the insides, which gives it a lofty or spongy feel. For sizing, I went with XS for both top and bottom (normally a size 4-6). The crewneck top seemed to be longer in the torso than the zip-neck, but both styles are plenty long for preventing gaps when moving around. My one complaint is that the long underwear isn't skintight (nor should it be for heat retention), so I have to layer with boyfriend jeans.

Yesterday it was a sunny 22 degrees Fahrenheit. I wore a Uniqlo Heattech tanktop, Woolpower top and longies, Steven Alan cotton overalls in white, Steven Alan flannel reverse seam shirt, Patagonia down vest, and Patagonia Torrentshell in golden amber for wind protection. I also bought Woolpower insoles for my Blundstones, and my feet are heaps warmer. I walked along the rail line on the north side of Toronto and was quite cozy for the hour-long jaunt.

thirty five

I'm thirty five today. I love it when my birthday coincides with the Martin Luther King Jr. observed holiday, even if I'm no longer living in the US.

It's freezing and I'm dressed in plaid flannel and wool linen, but I'm dreaming of Julia's new dress, the Islington in hot pink linen.

Extra 25% at Steven Alan

Lauren Manoogian Taper Coat $272 after discount

Correll Correll We Stripe Dress, $168 after discount

Steven Alan Blanket Coat, $262 after discount

Edith A. Miller Striped Boyfriend T-Shirt Dress, $90 after discount

"NEWYEAR25"

Deep Freeze: Woolrich Arctic Parka

I bought a Woolrich Arctic Parka at Due West in early November. January is giving me plenty of opportunities to test it out, and I'm pleased to say that it was worth every penny. I wanted a down-filled parka with a sturdy, water-resistant exterior, and this coat has a Teflon finish that works beautifully. I also wanted lined chest pockets similar to my Barbour Bedale because it's always nice to have pockets for my hands and pockets for my stuff. The length of the Arctic Parka is mid-thigh for me (5'4"), and this is a solid compromise between warmth and mobility. My bum is warm, but I also have the option of hopping on a bicycle or going skating. Finally, I wanted removable fur so I can wash the coat at home. I would say the coat runs true to size. I took a small, which gives me enough room to layer a thick wool sweater underneath. When it's negative 36 Celsius windchill, you definitely need extra layers to supplement the parka.

I also caved in and bought a pair of Blundstones in black. They're a bit clunky, but I find them to be charming. Plus, I don't mind getting them dirty, and slip-on Chelsea boots have really streamlined getting out the door in the mornings.

Worthwhile

Thank you for your comments the other day, they really meant a great deal to me.

I picked up this little reminder bracelet by Mai Lin today at a new shop in my neighborhood, Small Goods. Toronto is starting to feel more like home to me. I spent the morning in Kensington Market buying bread, cheese, and salami. We're going to a New Year's Eve skate night at the local rink, and then hiking and dim sum tomorrow morning. I like to start the new year outdoors bright and early, even if it's freezing.

I hope everyone has a joyful beginning to the new year!

Hold On To Your Friends

Well, the year is nearly over. It seems I've been hiding from everyone lately. There came a point where I just couldn't talk anymore, at least not to my friends. The narrative I would like to construct about my life doesn't have room for my recent thoughts and actions. And so, I went silent. I couldn't bear to tell my friends what was happening because it would somehow make real the sense of failure and feelings of anxiety that seem to have overwhelmed me these past two months. If you've known me for a while, you know that I've been thrown a series of curve balls. Not a single one was impossible to catch, but they kept coming one after another...and I reached my breaking point this fall.

I have a tendency to hide when I feel inundated. Also, at major turning points, I have a tendency to shed my old life altogether. Looking back, I would say that I do this out of sense of embarrassment. I don't want to let my friends and loved ones down, so I run away instead.

Someone recently told me in times of crisis, I need to lean on my friends. To try not to worry about being a disappointment. So here I am, standing in the memory of a dazzlingly bright summer day at the tide pools, feeling anxious about the coming months, unaware of just how far I would move away from my life, for better or for worse. 

Philly!

I went to Philly the other day to chair a conference session. I also met up with Jennifer F. It's always amazing to find people through blogs who also share similar real-life research interests. We had excellent pho at Viet Huong in South Philly, and then we hopped over to Old City, where I've never been. We checked out the goodies at Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction and found the Black Crane wide culottes in navy on sale at Vagabond. I learned that Sven clogs are more comfortable than No. 6, and that my proper size is 38. I also got a Black Crane wide crew tee in olive. The Stellapop sweaters were ridiculously soft, like snuggling with a dozen angora rabbits.

I'll post photos soon of my new black quilt pants from Mille, which now need to be washed because I wore them so much. They are fantastically comfortable yet look great rolled up with ankle boots. I probably should have stuck with a small because they're too loose in the leg, but I don't mind.

It's official, I'm addicted to Black Crane....

Work in Progress: The Entryway {UPDATE}

I used to think the shoe cabinet was a ridiculous object. That's what closets are for!

Then we moved into our new space. Now I feel like my life has been improved tenfold. Putting it together was a pain, but that's on par for Ikea.

I'm still on the lookout for a high-traffic rug and possibly a different blanket for the bench. I'll post photos of the new living room rug so you can get a better sense of the colors. I'm thinking I should stick with white furniture whenever possible since I'm not re-painting the walls.

Here's the entryway in its previous disheveled state while we were moving things around this past summer. 

A rug for the entryway

Just the perfect thing for an entryway
At Covet + Lou

Fall sweater

At the recommendation of Stephanie, I got the Texturework sweater at Madewell in August. The fit is surprisingly good, with a longer back hem and ribbing at the drop shoulder. So far I've hand washed it twice, and there's been less pilling than I would have expected for cotton/viscose/nylon blend. I would recommend sizing down (I got an xs) because it stretched out a bit horizontally. It's very soft and looks great over a collared shirt.

The egyptian gold color is more mustard brown than yellow in real life, but that's the one that I have.
I also loved the marled sage, but pretty much all of the colors are great.

Right now the sweater is on sale for $69 plus an additional 30% off (PINCHME).

Black Crane Quilt Pants

I ended up ordering these pants in black after originally planning on the navy. It looks like the black is a bit muted, which may work better with my tops. If the olive version is re-stocked at Mille, I think I would like a pair of those as well. I went with a size medium for a slouchier fit. I'll post a report once they arrive!

The past weekend was assembling massive amounts of Ikea furniture. It makes such a huge difference to have proper spaces for things like shoes. Now all we need to do is tidy up and rearrange a few things to make the place more presentable. 

Basic black ankle boots

I love my Rachel Comey Mars boots. They're beautiful and relatively comfortable as long as I stay indoors or in a car. Hah. So I wear them at conferences, and that's pretty much it.

If my classrooms were in the same building as my office, I would be ok with wearing them, but I have to walk 10-15 minutes each way twice a week. I'm a wimp, I can't handle the heel. Stephanie recommended Loeffler Randall's Felix boot, which looks great. I was thinking maybe the Madewell Hayes boot would work. The price is right with their current sale (20% off $100+ and 30% off $200+ WINWIN), but I don't know if they're comfortable enough. Has anyone tried them on? I need something that's sleek even with a flat heel. I don't need forever shoes, just something to get me through the fall and spring. Winter means nothing but tall UGG Adirondacks.

Madewell Hayes boot, $228

Loeffler Randall Felix boot, $395

Back again

I'm here.

For now let's bracket the less than delightful and focus on my favorite season. I adore pretty much everything at Steven Alan. Would it be ridiculous to wear what is essentially fancy pajamas to work?

Black Crane High Neck Top and Quilt Pants

I have a few home improvement projects to share including a new rug for the living room. It's slowly coming together....

extra 25% Steven Alan Sale

Tsuyumi Cotton Sun Hat

Hope Law Trouser

Steven Alan is taking an extra 25% off sale items with "MIDSUMMER25"

My Tsuyumi hat never arrived from my previous order, and it turns out they're sold out. No worries, I've ordered the blue cotton version for $47. Unfortunately, I'll have to pay another $12 for shipping, but at least I'll get my hat finally!

If I were smart about my fall teaching wardrobe, I would also order these Hope Law Trousers, which are still available in many sizes and only $173 before discount. But of course I'm not thinking ahead because it's almost vacation time and all I want are sandals and tees.

Work in Progress: The Kitchen

The kitchen is our most problematic space. As with many families, it's also where we spend our time. It's an odd space because it's spacious but not particularly functional. There aren't even drawers in the cabinets. That seems nuts to me! We've considered buying and installing our own, but I'm not sure if they would be worth the time and effort. The dining space does triple duty as the center for eating, arts and crafts, and recycling. The countertops, as you can see, are very crowded. There's about 3 feet linear space. We don't have a lot of appliances, but clearly stuff needs to be moved elsewhere or organized differently. I've included a photo of a typical meal prep. Dishes piled high because we never seem to have time to tidy up before or after meals. Mornings are slow because bedtime is much too late...because we pick the boys up at 6 pm....so everything gets pushed back, and then we're exhausted. Between meltdowns, fights, and general crankiness, the place deteriorates rapidly. You have to be extremely disciplined in a small space, and sometimes all you want to do is collapse on the couch instead of very very quietly washing dishes at 10 pm.

Projects to tackle in the kitchen include:

• A shelf in the living room for the speaker
• Relocate the charging station elsewhere
• Install shelves on the tiled wall? I'm not sure this would be allowed in a rental.
• A smaller dish rack might force me to deal with the dishes in a more efficient manner. This would also free up counter space
• An absorbent dish drying mat that can be rolled up and put away when not in use
• A nicer looking compost bin
• Uniform clear bins in the dining space for art supplies

The nicest thing about the kitchen is that it's wide enough for everyone during our hectic evenings. But it isn't wide enough to add a narrow kitchen island next to the pantry niche. How would you deal with minimal counter space, a tiny sink, and the busy messiness of family life with two parents working 9-6?

Work in Progress: Bedroom / Playroom / Storage Room

The boys' room is one of our trickiest spaces. Both bedrooms are equal in size, but this one has the apartment's only closet. It's also a tricky space because our sleeping arrangement is...complicated. For those of you who've followed our sleep trials with Leon, things are both better and mostly the same. Elias stays in the crib until around 4am, at which point he sleeps in a bed with me. We either sleep on the twin bed in his room, or we switch to the other bedroom, where Leon sleeps on a full bed.

This room is also a primary play space, although the living room is unsurprisingly more popular. But we store most of the toys here. I finally bought a toy bench from Ikea, and it has been a godsend. I call it the black hole because it holds so much including oversized items.

Finally, the room is our storage area. We added two new shelving units for stuff that belongs in a closet: linens, tools, bicycle stuff, important files, and overflow clothing. As you can see, a stroller, bike pump, and vacuum, are often shoved in the corner as well. The closet holds even more unsightly stuff as well as winter coats.

Soon we're going to get a full bed for this room because Leon, Elias, and I will sleep here while my mom takes over the other room. I've spent hours playing with the layout, which Matthew drew up in Rhino.

These are the projects I need to tackle:

• Storage boxes need to be more uniform or complementary with the rest of the space
• The dresser was a Craigslist bargain. I can't stand the color, so we'll either repaint or buy something else
• A different curtain, shorter in length, or a roller blind
• Too much blue! I swear it wasn't intentional.
• I don't like the Poang, but it's great for getting Elias to fall asleep. I would love to replace it with a more attractive high-backed armchair.

If only! Dwell Studio Hans Chair (leather or fabric)

How have you dealt with multi-functional rooms? Do you try to keep the zones separate, or do you focus on a unifying or harmonizing scheme?

Work in Progress: More thoughts on the entryway

Image source

Image source

Image source

I like the idea of the locker or cubby entryway, but I'd also like to keep this area as open as possible. The locker aesthetic seems to skew either "school" or "cottage," which is fine, but my larger concern is unifying the entryway with the living room.

Living in a cold climate, we need the entryway to function as a mudroom and repository for bulky winter clothing as well as the usual school and household related stuff. I like the addition of the metal mailboxes in the third image, as well as the little table with a drawer and open bin for junk mail.

Although it would be a pain to drill all those holes, I also think it would be good to have painted knobs at different heights for the boys. Last winter their outerwear bin was out of control, and often jackets and mittens would be left on the floor. Let's hope we can adopt better habits this time around.

Work in Progress: The Entryway and Livingroom

Our apartment may be small and lacks storage space, but it gets a lot of light and has an open living room kitchen plan. Bedrooms are also conveniently located at either end. That said, not even 600 sq ft is challenging for a family of four plus a cat.

The first thing we did was move the bicycle from the entryway into the basement. I don't think we're technically allowed to do this, but there are other bicycles downstairs. We also brought down our sled and a large humidifer. Basically everything else we own is in the apartment.

The entryway is currently a staging ground for moving stuff either into the car or into my office. At some point we're going to have to decide on the following:

• Two benches or one bench plus baskets and stools?
• More wall hooks. Should we go with more of the same (Ikea Leksvik) or something exciting?
• A high traffic runner
• A new area rug
• The wall behind the couch doesn't look right to me
• Maybe another shelf on the divider wall for our wireless speaker

I've spent too many hours on Apartment Therapy. Now I've learned that we need a more efficient landing strip. We're constantly forgetting hats and extra towels for daycare because they're never corralled together. We also don't have a place for mail, so the little table ends up overflowing with paper.

How have you handled entry spaces? Is there a system that works for you?

Steven Alan Sample Sale

UPDATE:
They forgot to include the hat in my package and there aren't any left in stock :(


Something for him, something for me

These are being sent to California, so I won't get to try out the hat until August. I waffled on buying the one with the ochre band (it sold out pretty quickly), but the black banded version at half off will do just as nicely.

If you haven't received an email from Steven Alan and would like early access to the sample sale, I think you will need to sign up for an account. I nearly bought an Ace and Jig surf dress and then I worried that it wasn't actually reversible. I've tried on the Diamond print version, which I want, and the inside print is Agave. Based on the photos, it looks like Agave's inside print is Diamond, but is it actually reversible?? I'm guessing no.

Ace&Jig Surf Dress in Agave, now $128 I would go with a medium, even the large fits on top

This is the one that I want, in the Diamond print.