But baby, you'll freeze out there

Scarf-ection perfection, on thesartorialist.blogspot.com

 Rag&Bone, $115 on netaporter.com

My $20 homemade creation- two-ply is always better than one

There are few things that make me happier than being so cold my eyeballs ache. Sense the sarcasm? Well, in this climate (A balmy and tropical -31 this week) nothing combines practical, warm, and insanely chic like a big, drapey scarf. When the snow thaws in spring there are only two things I miss- wearing scarves, and seeing little pets walk down the street with itty-bitty coats on. (So cute, no?) 

And I get over it.

But although scarves are my winter security blanket, it can be tough to find ones long or bulky enough. After a few wears, most pashmina blends, cottons, wool or synthetics lose that fluffy quality, and who likes a limp stringy scarf flung around their neck ... nobody, that's who. So I did two things. First I went to fabricville and bought two yards of pale aqua stretch cotton jersey, and made a scarf identical to the great unfinished-edge jersey ones at American Apparel. Then, I bought two of the same cheapy (2 for $20) Ardene's scarf, times three. (That's six, people) and doubled up. Once two are sewn together, it's long, drapey ... scarf for days.

My homemade leopard scarf - $20

Yves Saint Lauren wool/cashmere leopard scarf, $995, netaporter.com

I wish I knew how , your eyes are like starlight now, 'cause baby it's cold outside.

S.

Sweet Pantomime

Love these @ Lanvin 

Androgynous, menswear-inspired pants aren't as challenging to pull off as they are hard to find on a budget. Sure, Lanvin, Burberry Prorsum and  and 3.1 Phillip Lim make perfectly modern, $795 versions, but chain retailers- and even most local higher-end boutiques- just never quite get it right, do they? 

But it's an intriguing and effortlessly glamourous aesthetic when taken to the extreme, and often vintage shops are the spot to go to find these silhouettes- and truly trouser-y trousers. 

New Wu- Jason Wu for SS2011

My vintage cobalt blue merino wool trouser-$2, and vintage houndstooth wool trouser- $14

my very own toonie tuesday?

I'm in mad-die-love with some high-waisted, baggy trousers. Yes, they can work for every body type, trust and prove, people. The key is to try different levels of high-waisted rises, fuller or slimmer leg volumes depending on your preference, harem-esque tight at the ankles, shorter, longer, loose or tight in the hips. I''m enamored with the feeling of these two vintage pairs (above) I bought a while ago. They're a risk, yes- I'm never sure they're fully understood- but with a high patent ankle-boot, white fitted beater or cropped swingy tee and bulky, drapey scarf they work. I wore the cobalt blue pair with lace-up wedge combat boots to meet my dad for a drink and bite at downtown's Rockbottom Brewery one night and he just shook his head. That's a good sign, point for the pants y'all. But, when I told him they were $2- yes, $2, this make him have big big smile. So everyone wins.

I might be contumacious when it comes to fashion boundaries- but, eh, at least I'm financially responsible.
S.

The last day of our acquaintance

With B at Rick's Cafe, Negril, Jamaica 

Montego Bay Jamaica- view from our balcony

 May 24th, 2009...This Bob Marley tee I got last month at Rock Candy Boutique on Prince Street reminds me of the last day I spent with my best friend and cousin B when we were in Jamaica.

One Love tee for $29.99 at Rock Candy Boutique

Nothing wrong with reminiscing on a cold January day about feeling so free under the sun, and nothing compares to a little Bob to take me right back to that day.

Blumarine SS2010, cotton cropped sweater $435, blumarine.com

 Louboutin designed these just for drinking  Jamaican rum, perhaps. Christian Louboutins- $865.  

Ms. Jay-Z in a Mr. Marley tank

Listening to this and wearing my one love tee, missing B.
S.

My texture, the best fur

            "Yes sir, I'm cut from a different cloth. My texture, is the best fur, of chinchilla"- Jay-Z

Fur the remix- the 2011fur trend alludes to ease, has an edge, and remains laidback. 

Furs are no longer the coat your grandmother tucked away in moth-ball land for 11 months of the year until a formal event came along that called for her finest.

Nope.

Chanel for F/W 2010

From left- Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, and Thakoon do fur for FW 2010 

This season fur is best as the cherry on top of a more casual, edgy look. Think denim, leather, metallics, plus fur. Combine and stir, and don't think too hard about it. It's not your Grandma's heirloom. 

Whether you're a friend or foe of fur -or faux-, everyone can appreciate the warmth of an amazing fur jacket. They are truly the warmest things you can wear- trust me, I live in a damn cold climate. My upper body remains completely toasty in my vintage chinchilla bomber -- seen below. 

A pile of my favourite furs and baubles. Bottom left- white rabbit fur bomber I bought when I was 17, Far Right- my vintage chinchilla bomber, $86 at Lost and Found, Top left- faux-fur cropped shrug, $34.50 at Forever21.com

Now my lower half, on the other hand...leather leggings and 5-inch stilettos aren't so forgiving during frostbite inducing Canadian winters. Brrr

Fur for day a la M.K. and A

Elizabeth Taylor exemplified timeless glamour in a fur stole

"Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze."- Carolyn Gold Heilbrun.


S.

Princess Peach

Vintage crepe dress, $18, Lost and Found

"Just one glance and she stole my heart, the kinda girl you wanna teach, she's a peach"- Prince.

Irresistible

I didn't buy this vintage peach dress-it bought me. ($18). I tried it on once a few months ago but didn't get it- the proportions of it are really crazy-waist/ribcage band is XXS and bust and hips are about a S or M. I was thinking I might have trouble breathing in it, so I left it. When I went back last week, it was still hanging there looking as deliciously feminine as I remembered- I found out I had been the only person who tried it and fit into it. Cinderella's glass slipper it's not, but the prince was hers, and the princess peach dress came home with me before the stroke of midnight. Hmm... I hope I get invited to an outdoor wedding in spring so I can wear it with some camel espadrille wedges and a turquoise ring.

OneVintage, $2,020, netaporter.com

Kate covers Elle in peach lace 

Only a Georgia peach could be as sweet

Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee- Olivia Newton John in Grease

Sometimes you just have to let the clothes pick you,

S.

I've got the golden ticket

"Midas is king and he holds me so tight. And turns me to gold in the sunlight". -Florence and the Machine.

Silence is...

Vintage Versace- $5,500

My new gold off-shoulder cropped shirt, $14, and gold mini-dress, $20.

Greek myth says everything King Midas touched turned golden, but what about the things that were already gold, like this gold lamé off-shoulder loose cropped top and glistening gold 70's long-sleeved, high-neck sheer dress? When I found these recent 24-karat second-hand treasures -- goldmine. 

Michael Kors metallic gold sweater- $100, netaporter.com

Marilyn in gold will never grow old

Gold is intensity, value, rarity, joy...

and when it's under $20 it's a vice that's twice as nice.

I've been searching for a heart of you-know-what,

S.

Hello, cowgirl in the sand

Admittedly I never stopped loving the 60's and 70's. Folk rock, James Taylor, high-waisted denim, wide-leg, turquoise, feathers in the hair loving hippie-at-heart. I love the sun, being laid-back, and sporatically sticking bits of foliage in my hair... if I had to choose one era of clothing to reach into the past and grab, the 60's and 70's would be it. My beautiful mama, why didn't you save those long slinky dresses and diaphanous silk blouses for your one-day-daughter (me) ? I forgive you, if only because I found this hand-made macrame vest a while back, and just the other day, a pair of high waisted vintage levi's denim shorts for $2.

Mix-in hand macramed vest- $9.99,Value village. high-waisted vintage Levi's denim short- $2, lost and found. 

Macrame I?

French Vogue covers cowgirl

Ippolita turquoise drop earrings, $1,095, netaporter.com

Kate Moss for TopShop macrame vest.

Sweet dreams and flying machines;
S.

sail away with me, honey.

My new nautical knit cropped sweater, $16, and $12 shades- at Lost and Found

I was inspired to dip my toes in the nautical waters once again this season- and this red, white and blue cable knit cropped anchor-bearing sweater I found for $16 at Lost and Found (one of my favourite vintage boutiques) is a more-than-viable replacement for the (also adorable) $245 Diane Von Furstenburg one below.

DianeVon Furstenburg knit sweater- $245-netaporter.com

Coco Chanel started the nautical trend in the '20s

Chanel Resort Collection 2010

Carrie's first day in Paris

 Staying afloat upon the sails of the simple pleasure of living life;

S.

"For Health and Vitality"

Fruit is good for you.

From left- Stella McCartney, Wunderkind(x2) and Prada for SS11

Stella McCartney, Wunderkind, and Prada said so.
Whether tart citrus at Stella, sweet cherries at Wunderkind, or b-a-n-a-n-a-s at Prada, I couldn't help myself. I love me some fruit-organic, couture, vintage, whatever. But Miuccia's potassium-laden pieces aren't going to be peeling their way into my budget anytime soon. No big disaster- found this vintage fruity floral shrunken blazer at Lost and Found on Thursday...

Printed shrunken blazer- $18 at Lost and Found

Yum. It's kind of more floral than fruit- but it brings back sweet nostalgia of a pretty lil' dress I had when I was 7. I loved that dress...Here I am wearing it on a cruise in 1993, disregard haircut please. The point is, fruit on fabric truly never goes out of season. 

Me, 7, in my fruit dress

S.

Look who followed me home: Vintage Halston edition

Pucci silk scarf, Jean Paul Gaultier top, Halston envelope clutch , all at Elsie's.

Researching for a story on halifax's second-hand treasures for the upcoming issue of the newspaper I'm writing for. If you want to call it research. But what happened was...I went into Elsie's on Queen- colourfully feels like you've stepped into a giant tickle trunk a-la-Mr. Dress-Up- stayed for at least an hour. FOUND: vintage Jean Paul Gaultier tribal print mesh long-sleeved tunic, (I'm guessing circa early-to-mid-90's...I was watching aforementioned children's programming on PBS during said era ) ..A vintage silk pucci scarf, gorgeous nameless sand-coloured and white woven poncho-felt like it was made of burlap almost, vintage Ferragamo white leather stacked-heel sandal- itty bitty bit small, calling size 6 1/2 or 7's? Click the pic for a closer look.

And then...my favourite...the Buttercream croc leather over-sized vintage Halston envelope clutch. (Whoa, that was a mouthful. And, a handful.) It's big, which I love, and I couldn't leave without it. After chatting with store owner Maureen Court for a few minutes about the lethal concoction of my story research skills mixed with my weak will power, I headed off into the freezing afternoon with my new treasures in hand. Warm feeling ensued. Ah, it's love. 

Mildly intoxicated off finely aged couture... 

S.