It could be the influx of flawless summer weather we’ve been having lately, or that I’ve recently taken up the sport, but my fascination for baseball caps has certainly matured in recent weeks. Avoiding the beer, golf or car branded variations – and of course, any semblance of a trucker hat – a small category of simple, two-tone styles are fit for a Sunday stroll or a casual drink. Reminiscent of those peewee soccer days, a cap with minimalist tendencies brings an unlikely pair – sports and fashion – to new heights. Similar to the recent revamp of the sneaker wedge (which I also can’t get enough of), it’s finally time for us unqualified (heels-digging-in-grass) sports groupies to get a little taste of the playing field. And on that note…take me out to the ball game?
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Take Me Out
Moving Forward
Pardon me? It’s been one exact month since my last post? How ironic. That was not planned. But now that I think about it, maybe it was just what I needed to gain a little perspective. Just like most things in life, guilt is so often apart of my blogging journey. I’m constantly pondering whether that post was as good as it could have been, or berating myself for disregarding any sort of posting schedule or routine. It seems however, that I’ve forgotten the precise beauty of what my blog is, which is a quaint space of my own where not one deadline or directive will guide me, where I am free to express everything from big thoughts to small purchases. I’ve learnt that guilt will get you nowhere, and coming to terms with the fact that things won’t always materialize just as you flawlessly planned, is essential.
These past few weeks have been nothing short of mayhem. Between living in a new city, starting a new job in an ultra-fast-paced industry, moving from one apartment to the next, and attempting to maintain contact with loved ones, I have had little to no time to reflect on it all. I’m so thrilled to finally be settled into a place of my own, where I have plenty of thinking space and much more time to devote to this darling space of mine. A fresh turn of the calendar, with so much potential.
Punch
There’s no doubt that investing in a few colourful blouses and chinos will uplift your dressing drill. But sometimes a little piece of bright exuberance in the form of jewels will take things even further. As this photo from NYFW illustrates, nothing illuminates a look like accessories in vivid colours. When gold, silver and copper have gotten the best of you, it’s clear that your wardrobe is starving for the cerulean, orange, azure and lime shades that have enchanted the accessory world as of late. I know mine is. There’s nothing more invigorating than owning a little piece of vibrance, possessing the power to transform any dull ensemble you find yourself in. Rather than hunting down a kaleidoscope of colours to reinvigorate your wardrobe, consider the potential of these brilliant pieces …it may just be the punch your garments are thirsty for.
1. Emilio Pucci gold-plated plexiglass cuff
2. Venessa Arizaga salty lime silver-plated bib necklace
3. Oscar de la Renta beaded tassel clip earrings
4. Kate Spade gumpdrop stud earrings
5. Tom Binns aqua neon necklace
6. Yves Saint Laurent arty gold-plated glass ring
7. Etro color-block rubber bangle
Strangest of Places
Ever since my teenage years at summer camp, my favourite lyric has been Grateful Dead’s “once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right”. It’s a beautiful line that means so many things, while conveying one fundamental message all at once. Finding the positive in any situation, seeing past someone’s words to their feelings, and noticing beauty in – as the Grateful Dead so poetically puts it – the strangest of places. These are all instances where the perceptions we chose to cogitate will cause very different outcomes, and where we can easily forget to seek out hidden meaning. Changing the way we grasp a situation by looking past the surface can alter our takeaway immensely. Artist Andreas Amador, the brain behind sand paintings, seems to understand this concept of reinvention, looking beyond the surface, by applying this rule to his work everyday.
Amador maximizes on the enchantment of a beach, by using a plain old rake and his imagination to deliver this picturesque artwork. Rather than applying his artistic talents to a canvas or wall, he’s chosen to befriend the most unruly of surfaces, an idea that has not served him wrong. As they say, art imitates life – there’s no reason we shouldn’t be rethinking the ways we act, live or dress, continually looking to those strange and unknown places, where, who knows, we may just find a sparkle of light..
Lighten Up
While Mother Nature seems to be undergoing a season-long mid-life crisis, I can definitively say that the extra hours of sunshine and a restored urge to walk everywhere, have surged a certain Spring flavour into my everyday routine. In place of heavy, salt-stained boots, I’ve come to enjoy the company of new sorbet pink ballerina flats. Weighty wool and cashmere have been set aside to make room for light knits in soft, neutral tones. Red, plum and navy shades are no longer desirable, only pastels and brights will get nail time from now on. Most expected of all, Hydrangeas have entered my home, care of mom, to brighten a lonely surface and bring Spring’s best blooming qualities inside. Unfortunately one of my favourite seasons (after Fall) brings with it a slight hot/cold rollercoaster. Perhaps it’s a small price to pay for our climate’s preparation to bring us warmth for the next few months. Think of this time as your last days with the brisk cold, make use of your most loved beanie and take pleasure in infusing certain new-season elements into the wardrobe you’ve come to know all too well throughout Winter. Most of all, day dream of stowing away your coats, boots and cold-weather accessories, and letting your skin enjoy some Vitamin D for a change. It’s all just around the corner, but for now…lighten things up with choices that keep you warm, but certainly breath much-needed vibrancy into your routine.
Photos by Kaylee Paré, NonStopStyle.
1. Cole Haan Air ballet flats
2. Knits by Banana Republic and Anthropologie
3. Essie Cocktail Bling (also on nails), Essie A Cut Above, Revlon Chic
Sorbet
Somehow, another season is upon us, and we are thrust into that length of time when closet cravings are at their peak. Although the prospect of a fresh, warm season is thrilling, it also makes the styling process that much more daunting. Suddenly we are inclined to add pops of colour to every look, showing a bit more skin with each Celsius incline and all the while patiently sifting out the warm wools for the light linens.
Of course, last year’s stock of Spring pieces never quite seem good enough for us this time around. So begins the cycle…what does my wardrobe need this season?
The best part about Spring – other than the lively weather and the newfound urge we all have to sit on patios and go for walks – is the colour. Some years, the shade on everybody’s lips is coral, others it’s yellow, more recently it’s been colour blocking that has everyone’s attention, and more often that not, pastel colours are a must-have. This year, a refreshing take on traditional pastels has arisen – denoting flavours of mint, apricot, raspberry and lemon. Blouses, loafers, skirts and tanks are delicious in these shades, making my cravings turn from ice cream cones to silk sorbet. A new-found adoration that holds no hidden calories, but only implicates a small dent on your credit card – which is worse?
1. Repetto BB woven raffia ballet flats
2. Chloé Marci mini leather shoulder bag
3. Topshop Knitted chunky stitch jumper in mint
4. Topshop High waisted hotpants in apricot
5. Essie Cocktail Bling
6. 3.1 Phillip Lim Racer-back silk-crepe tank
Sleeping Beauty
On Thursday I sat in the second row among a sea of captivated spectators to revel in three acts of The National Ballet’s rendition of Sleeping Beauty. My girlfriend and I scurried into the grand theatre with two minutes to spare before the lift of the curtains, only to discover we were being seated directly in front of the orchestra, where the sounds of pointe shoes thumping, dancer’s exhaling and pirouettes spinning the surrounding air, act as accompaniment to Tchaikovsky’s impeccable score. Sounds like these remind those lucky enough to hear them, that these are actually human beings performing – a fact that can be easily forgotten when dancing that flawless is being performed with such ease.
Like so many little girls, I had my ballerina moments growing up, even performing in The Nutracker for several years. My mother, the veteran dancer in my family, still practices ballet to this day, after spending many years of her adolescence training professionally. Thus, knowing how much effort goes into each arabesque, every elevation on pointe, and all of those piqué turns, I was mesmerized and continually in shock throughout each act. I’m told that Sleeping Beauty is a show that’s rarely produced because so many dancers are involved in each scene – and even after several minutes, I knew this fact to be true. Throughout the show, fifty ballerinas would surround the stage at one time, all the while keeping in form and making the scene look uncluttered and completely in sync. I can only imagine the nightmares this show’s choreographer must have had throughout rehearsals (and likely even as the show is performed).
Aside from the brilliant dancing and overflowing stage, the costumes were absolutely jaw-dropping. In tutus, gowns and capes that echoed a couture show in Paris, the garments adorning each ballerina seemed to become one more character in the fairy-tale – depicting luxury and intricacy in their truest forms. It’s as though ‘costume’ is an inappropriate term for this type of mastery in dressmaking.
It was incredibly refreshing to take in a show that projected such talent, when I so often find myself watching hopeless talent shows on TV, where ability and expertise are unfortunately, few and far between. It’s also a serious reminder of what can come about when people follow their dreams. It’s obvious that these dancers have dedicated their lives to this work. The blood-encrusted pointe shoes, bruises and aches, are all – I would imagine – worth the opportunity to showcase one’s technique in such a classic ballet. If the cliché lesson that Sleeping Beauty itself gives us isn’t moral enough, I can surely say that the efforts of ballerinas in the National Ballet are lesson enough of what dedication and sweat can get you in this world – exactly what you’ve always wished for.
St. Party’s Day
Wishes
This week has been mildly hectic (sarcasm). I have not had one moment to breathe…and I’m not one of those people who constantly complains of their manic lives, fully exaggerating and making themselves seem wildly popular (hate that). My week, no matter how fast-paced, was also incredibly fabulous and memorable. I attended two fashion shows at Toronto Fashion Week, absorbed all the Canadiana fashion and enjoyed the hype of a big event. I was also fortunate enough to sit in the second row at the National Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty. Everything from the costumes, the symphony, the arabesques and all the magical choreography, left me incredibly inspired. I can’t wait to spend Sunday furiously typing away and recounting the events of this week, because there’s just so much to say and so much to share. For now, I leave you with a wish for some relaxation this weekend, and maybe (if you need it) a couple hours to yourself, enjoying only the things you love to do alone, whether it’s treating yourself or just lazing about with not a care in the world. After all, what else are weekends for?
Maximum Impact
The Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2012 finale certainly didn’t lack drama. With billowing layers of rose, black and fuschia organza overwhelming each model, the show exhibited a theatrical, feminine twist on modernity. Designer Sarah Burton describes the collection as, “a kind of soft futurism. Not cold and structured, but optimistic and forward-looking.” In an industry where the future is so often summed up by high-tech nuances, extreme sculptures and harsh silhouettes, it’s refreshing to see a designer forage for an optimistic execution. Mirrored eye shields, slick hair and overbearing shapes surely denote futurism, but add to that, feathery textures and echos of floral petals and you’re left with a new definition for progressive fashion …and, lest we forget, a whole collection of options for the likes of Anna Della Russo, Daphne Guinness and Gaga.
NonStopStyle 