day after christmas shopping

my dear upstairs neighbors decided to have a party at 2.30 am. after trying to go back to sleep for a few hours, i gave up and started ordering things from stella mccartney kids. it seems the only thing i can buy these days is kids clothing. i still can't make up my mind about a maternity-friendly winter coat or new boots, so i'm wearing a ratty patagonia fleece under a down coat that no longer fits around the middle and a pair of 13-year old uggs that look their age.

holt renfrews was a zoo on boxing day, and i couldn't deal with the crowds. i ended up buying a few pairs of oeuf alpaca leggings for baby and leon at kolkid on queen street west. i was desperate to go to gaspard, which looks beautiful, but it interfered with leon's lunch and nap. maybe this afternoon if i finish my syllabus and make a head start on a cover letter. it was so nice having 4 days off to loaf around, read 'persuasion' and 'a moveable feast,' and bake sugar cookies.

p.s. i'm in love with these punto pigro boots that stephanie posted at unruly things.why is it so hard to find slush-appropriate boots that are relatively nice-looking, light-weight with a flexible sole? the ice from last night's snowfall is making me anxious.

steven alan dresses

aside from the fact that very little i covet will fit me, i have been dreaming up shopping lists for nyc. the agnes dress reminds me of my catholic school jumper. it would be so sweet paired with a thin cashmere sweater, wool tights, and oxfords. i'm still in love with the vivian dress in the floral print. next to rachel comey, steven alan makes my favorite prints.

anyone else out there pregnant this fall and winter and feeling frustrated by the fitted waistlines this season? i need to invest in a pair of j brand maternity jeans and a down parka, but am at a loss when it comes to everything else. dressing for a long winter can be daunting, especially as every additional layer adds to your discomfort.

lovelies at anaise

aside from the fact that renee's blog is a source of inspiration, her shop anaise is a perfectly curated collection of nearly everything i could desire without feeling overwhelmed.

i don't wear heels, but the a detacher huxley buckle clogs are fun to look at anyway. i ordered these more practical clogs after seeing them on stephanie's svpply. they have yet to arrive, but hopefully they'll fit.

it's finally cold enough in toronto for knit tights. i've been wearing the same pair of kunerts for the past 10 years (the most comfortable waistband i have ever found), but a pair of alpaca tights sounds heavenly. 

i'm slightly regretting my mociun wrap linen dress. it's a bit too tight in the shoulders and isn't really working as a maternity dress. i should probably just keep it because the print is awesome, and it's from the last collection. i'm still kicking myself for not having bought more of her men's tees because matthew lives in them. i probably would have been better off with a mociun blouse, but i can't have everything.

future*perfect blog update

since google reader won't allow you to add a private blog, i've decided to make future*perfect public....i can't possibly have 'that' many stalkers--or can i?

we are in this together

i saw lorena siminovich (petit collage)'s "we are in this together" collage on doe's website a couple of years back, and it really resonated with me. well, i just found out that there's a print version available.

i think it'll be perfect for welcoming the baby (in the next week, we hope!)....

craving color--new psling

orla kiely dress

i'm with anabela on this one...i can't get enough of purples with grey undertones. you know it's mid-february when all you crave is color.

my new psling arrived the other day. his due date is still 1.5 weeks from now, but i am so excited to try out this sling with him. it's an avant linen sling in the sumile colorway. thank goodness for sample sales, these slings certainly are pricey!

the little dress that could

here we are at shower #2, and my poor annelore dress is stretched to its limit.
in a moment of weakness, i bought another 'favorite' tank top at j.crew because they're super long and stretchy. but in general, i'm just biding my time until the spring collections arrive. for instance, when will the new mociun lookbook be available? i hope i (we) can go to nyc in late march when it's warmer.

the old stand-bys

still in not-quite-ready-for-the-baby mode. hence the carseat and exercise ball crowding my living room.

i basically have 6 things i can wear now. this has been a good time for me to take another hard look at my closet. i've learned to really appreciate the workhorses, such as this j.crew striped sweater and a.p.c. corduroy dress. hopefully once i'm ready to start buying clothing again, i'll make smarter choices. even though the a.p.c. dress is relatively old, every time i put it on it seems new and different to me.



is it just me, or is there something menacing about the calf's expression?

i guess i'm on maternity leave now, since i'm not allowed to teach this semester. the last exam was graded this week, and now it's all about dissertation writing and being a mom. speaking of, matthew's friends are throwing us another baby shower tomorrow. i love that architecture students use the laser cutter for pretty much anything.

weekend

trying to make the used ikea gulliver crib more presentable
researching mattresses (coconut fiber? mohair? who knew)
browsing toast's archive sale (up to 85% off)
grading exams
waiting

running out of options

clu shirt dress
ingrid and isabel leggings
rachel comey belt

the belt is a little too tight, so i'm not sure i'll be able to wear it for much longer. maybe something from jcrew is in order. the dress is short in front to begin with, so soon it will be scandalously short. the leggings are the only thing i feel comfortable wearing nowadays. i broke down last night and ordered a pair of maternity jeans, (GOOGLE15 for 15%). and just this morning i realized that i could drive up to portsmouth and try them on in order to avoid exchanging them by mail if they don't fit.

i've had a good run these past 30 weeks, but now i'm starting to feel the wardrobe pinch. at least i'm done with teaching so i no longer need to look super presentable, but it's depressing to think that even my t-shirts aren't long enough anymore.

baby shower

last saturday a dear friend hosted a baby shower at her home. i wore my new mayle Eniko dress, which i ordered from the shop a few weeks ago when they were having their sale. it just barely fits, but i'm glad it made it to the shower. more photos on future*perfect....

barbour bedale jacket

collar up, collar down


i guess my new englander transformation is finally complete (or it will be once i buy l.l.bean boots). in a fit of frustration yesterday (my ben sherman parka zipper broke), i went down to newbury street to try on barbour wax cotton jackets.

naturally, i left the store 30 minutes later $450 poorer. i wanted something that was waterproof, relatively windproof, and could accommodate a zip-in warm liner. the women's jackets do not work with the liners, so even though the fit is slimmer, i decided to go with a unisex design. i tried on the beaufort, which is about 33 inches long, but found that the cut was too bulky around the shoulders and back. i also didn't care for the internal velcro sleeve cuffs. apparently it comes in a slimmer cut, but i didn't see it at this particular shop.

i bought the bedale in sage (very dark green, almost black in some lighting conditions), which is shorter (about 31 inches) but fits more snugly in the back shoulders, has a sweater sleeve cuff and side vents (key for bicycling). i also purchased a quilted zip-in liner, but passed on an attachable hood because i felt like i was spending too much money. when i arrived home, i immediately searched online to see if i could buy the same thing for less. and of course, i did.

the details:
size 34 (US women's equivalent 4, but it fit me (4-6) perfectly with room to spare in the waist (also key!). a 36 fits just as well, but i wanted a slimmer silhouette.

bedale jacket in sage, list price $345
quilted fleece liner, list price $105
hood (not purchased), list price $45
total: $458

ordered from Gifts for Fishing (UK site, free shipping to US, tax and duties if applicable will be refunded):
bedale jacket in sage, $265
warm pile lining, $ 75 (list price $95)
hood, $34
total: $374

two new blogs

for the past two years, i've tried to keep this blog as focused as possible on clothing, shopping, and design. i've decided to start two other blogs, one which is devoted to the baby, and the second which will be a space for giving away neglected clothing and shoes.

blog no. 1, future*perfect will be open to invited readers only. i don't feel like inundating everyone with pregnancy and baby related news (some people find it boring, sometimes it bores me, too), and considering i am pretty easy to find online if you're one of my students or on a job search/fellowship committee (yikes!), it's probably better for me to know who is reading it. email me if you'd like to be included. hopefully this doesn't come off sounding exclusionary. obviously you don't have to know me in real life before i let you look at endless photos of the baby or pregnant me, i just don't want completely random people to have access to personal stuff.

blog no. 2--still working on a name--will be open to everyone who is interested in giving away or swapping clothing and accessories online. my only rule is that if you'd like to participate, all you can request for compensation is a small amount to cover shipping and handling ($5-25ish), plus a nominal amount if it's something that was ridiculously expensive. if you would like to post several items over time, i can add you as a team member so i don't have to spend too much time uploading your photographs and descriptions. anyone else can email me their postings, but obviously my life will be a lot easier if i don't have to become the sole site adminstrator. it should hopefully work on its own, more or less.

i don't think there will ever be an easy solution to online swaps, so i'm going to encourage members to do random giveaways instead. if you want to do a swap, that's up to you. it's a pretty simple thing, no? if you're a recipient, it's always nice to offer up something as a giveaway or swap in return. obviously, everything should be gently worn and in wearable/usable condition. it's a place for people to give away neglected but lovely things that deserve better than the goodwill racks but can't be sold for whatever reason on ebay (plus i hate ebay's fees and rules). it should be like a craigslist, but based on trust and not really for profit or self-promotion. if you're new to the blog, be sure to introduce yourself so we don't feel like we're giving things away to total strangers who may turn around and sell it.

i love buying clothes, and i probably spend too much time and money on it. i started this blog hoping to curtail my spending habits--obviously it hasn't been successful! it has, however, taught me to be more careful about what i buy. being able to give away some things is another way of reminding myself both to be cautious about future purchases and to be happy that someone else is going to enjoy something that didn't work out for me. i suspect that others are in the same boat as me, so maybe we can use this new blog to do justice to our unworn or neglected sweaters, necklaces, bags, and boots.

hopefully i'll have the site up and running in the next few weeks, maybe after the election madness blows over. email me if you're interested in being a team member.

salut sophie!

sophie the giraffe arrived this week all the way from france. i know sara intended it as a gift for the baby, but during these days of high anxiety, there is nothing like squeezing a cheerful squeaky toy to make you feel a little better about the world.

un grand merci à sara!

tiptoeing toward things to come

(an utterly crummy photo. i'll post better when the sun is out and i'm less sick and cranky)

my mayle Galina jacket came yesterday, and needless to say, i'm in love. having never seen it in person, i didn't realize just how soft the herringbone fabric was. it's almost sweater-like, which is exactly what i'm craving during these early fall days. its generous shape will also work during the months to come. matthew thinks it's a little too fancy for daywear (the ruffles! the sparkles! oh my!). i think i'll debut it on friday at the ICA.





i know i said 'never again' to skinny jeans, but this pair by Martin is everything i ever wanted in a pair of denim. of course i'll have to hem them since i can't pull off a 35" inseam, but otherwise, the fit is perfect. the extra bit of stretch doesn't hurt, either. i ordered a size up, which was a good idea because 1. i can wear these low-rise jeans buttoned (for now) and 2. skintight skinny isn't really my thing, anyway.

Anne Albert Johnston's capsule collection is like a grown-up version of A.P.C. not that i'm ready to give up my Touitou-love, but there are some days when i crave really simple, really versatile pieces that are readily folded into my existing wardrobe. i love margiela, but this line is 'slightly' more affordable for impulse buys.

so much awesomeness

i was just floored by this gift from stephanie of even*cleveland. our wedding invitations incorporated the sputnik and bucky fuller dome, so it is only fitting that our latest endeavor is named 'baby sputnik.'

as a bicoastal girl, i have been so humbled by the amount of awesomeness located in the middle west: jenny, hannah, stephanie, elly, and martha.

a.p.c. plaid cape

i went to stel's intending to buy the yellow peacoat and left with the plaid cape instead. the peacoat is wonderful, but it wouldn't get me very far this winter. plus, i already have a peacoat from lyell. still, if you couldn't ask for a nicer peacoat. the fabric is light and softer than your favorite sweater, which is such a welcome respite from the stiff wool typical of most peacoats.

anyway, this cape seemed (at the time) to be more practical. i think it'll look quite darling on my bicycle rides this autumn.

*off to california for the next week!

humanoid dress + rachel comey belt

having never worn a belt before, this will take some getting used to. but i can see how it will be very helpful in the coming months.

the dress is so light and comfortable, i'll probably wear it as long as the weather allows. i think i'll save the creative draping for the day when i no longer have a jolly round belly to contend with.

target skirt

i've always been a bit envious of people who fill their beautiful wardrobes with affordable clothing from target, h&m, gap, zara, and forever 21. granted, i have a love-hate relationship with cheap clothing (manufacturing conditions, quality, fit), especially since i lack the sewing skills to alter less than perfect finds. but still, i'm secretly annoyed with myself for spending way too much money on clothing, especially when i don't end up giving certain pieces the attention they deserve.

martha of uniform-studio recently did a flickr set of how she incorporates target clothing and accessories within her unique sense of style. i noticed a particularly nice dark skirt with a subtle sheen in one of her photographs. apparently it's from target's liz lange maternity line. hannah and sally also have this skirt.

today i went to target and found it for $10. unlike these other stylish women, however, i actually need this skirt to function as intended.