My new look, thanks to the Queen

I look like I have balloons growing out my head, but I had to show you the wig I donned (along with every one else in the bar) while celebrating the Queen's Jubilee last night (note: red, white and blue pendant from previous post not pictured here as I left it at home!).

The pointy hat isn't growing from my head, either. But the point is, all my new pals and my hubby were so amazed over how good this wig looked good on me that they were snapping pictures like mad. Frankly, I quite like it. I look so different! Hubby now wants me to grow my hair, lol!

Mmm. I had hair like this a few years ago, and I don`t recall hubby going bonkers about it at the time. Maybe it`s just the pretty colours. Maybe I`ll try it again, for a change. Or just buy a wig for some fun fun.

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That 70s Show

I've morphed from an urban-dwelling Canadian magazine editor wearing oh-so-chic vintage/thrifty ensembles to work every day to an unemployed, jean-clad gal living in a small yet picturesque UK town with my lovely new hubby. My style these days, though still thrifty, simply reflects my life of long walks, yoga and hanging with hubby when he's not flying - and as a result I find myself living in jeans. I hope this isn't too boring for you guys. I shall make a supreme effort to play dress up more often and show you some of my pretty thrifty frocks and such.

I feel like I've morphed from the set of That 70s Show, a TV show I used to love watching, in this outfit: the wide-legged (thrifted) Levis; the wedgie boots in tan (Kenneth Cole Reaction, thrifted at Value Village in Canada and STILL my fave even though they've been beat up over the years -- they just get better, tee hee); the cropped Parasuco jean jacket ($10 at a consignment store sale); the thrifted emerald green knit hoodie (turtleneck underneath, new, but bought at Winners on sale).

What feels really 70s: this thrifted suede bag with boho embroidery on the front and fuzzy interior, by Canadian bag designer Jeanne Lottie. Ironic thing is, I tried to give this bag away multiple times before I moved overseas. Now it appears to be one of my few bags that made it overseas; my vintage purses are, sadly, missing in action (but hopefully just lost  in my Mom's basement somewhere). I'm glad I ended up keeping it.

I love this ring. I initially saw it last fall at the Third World Bazaar in Manotick, Canada, but didn't want to spend $50 on it, though it was a good price. Then I saw it with my Mom shopping in Ottawa in a bling store, for $100 - but it was 50% off! So I ended up getting the ring, natch. As you can see by my outfit, I'm really attracted by emerald green these days. I love how one's relationship with colour changes over time. I probably haven't worn this colour since the 80s, when gem tones were all the rage!

Not sure if you can see, but I also bought the pendant that matched the ring, since it was also on sale! Wearing a pendant and chain over a turtleneck is so 1970s, isn't it?

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Pretty mystery pendant

Here I am sporting my new summer do - I've decided to go shorter again as it's so hot and besides, I think it looks better on me. Hopefully my beau doesn't think I look like an alien (that's what the cheeky-pants said when he saw a pic of me from a few years ago with quite short hair). Anyway that's not the subject of this post: this thrifted silver-tone pendant and chain is!

I thought it was so pretty, almost like a medal, but with a feminine twist. The chain has three tiny chains entwined, to give it extra girl-power oomph. Not surprisingly, I found it at my friendly neighbourhood thrift shop where I dig up a lot of my jewellery, Canadian Thrift.

It's stamped "NR" on the back, which would be so fab if it stood for Nina Ricci. But my guess is it's an Avon piece. Apparently some such pieces were stamped "NR" to signal one of the manufacturers that produced for the company. Whatever it is, I love the piece and as usual I got it for a steal!

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I'm to sexy for my (vintage Franco Mirabelli) shorts

My thighs look like tree trunks but I'm trying to ignore that for all these fab reasons:

1). I was modeling second-hand duds found at and styled by the vintage goddesses at Common Sort in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood. Owner Nicole Babin buys, sells and trades second-hand and vintage clothing and accessories, and she has this amazing blog where she posts pics of her customers modeling her wares. Fun eh? She's multi-talented as she's also a fashion photog and snapped the photo of me, above, and all the pics on her blog.

2). The shorts are by one of my fave Toronto designers, Franco Mirabelli, who has been making gorg women's styles for 25 years (found in specialty boutiques across North America and in his three Toronto boutiques, Mirabelli). His clothing is to die for (see that lime green tee in my header? That's by him) and he sources most of his fabrics from Italy AND he manufactures in Toronto AND he's just an all round nice guy.

So how could I resist when Nicole (left) brought me her lovely stylist (pictured right, whose name I can't remember), who in turn brought me these (1990s?) shorts? Well, dear reader, I couldn't. And I was having so much fun with the Common Sort gals (see post from last week, below, on my Common Sort adventure with gal pal Marsha), that it was all for the fun of it any way! For a run down on the rest of the outfit, all second-hand, follow the Common Sort link at the top of this post.

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Hair cuts, hi & low

Excuse the crap Blackberry photo, but it's all I had with me to snap my new do, $25.

I've been growing my mop for months and months from its uber short style, and yesterday reached the boiling point: my hair was truly looking like a mop, with no shape, too much hair, and an icky texture (probably helped along by icky dollar store shampoo).

So my amazing hairdresser gave me what I asked for: a shorter blunt cut, tapered at the front and shorter at the back (that's how my layers were growing out so it made sense).

Cost, $25 plus tip.

I've discovered, the hard way over the years, that spending $100+ on a do often gives you the same or even a lesser cut than the cheaper varieties. Truth is I'm so happy with my $25 cut (and the good cuts my gal has given me over the years), that I have no inclination to torment myself looking for the 'perfect' hairdresser.

I'm thrilled with my own look, and before you ask: I'm sorry, but this is one find I can't share with you, not out of selfish reasons but for consideration for the stylist. My advice: there are plenty of peeps who work from home and supplement their incomes this way; you just gotta find 'em. But if you check out my Twitter feed to the right, I hear the Mrvel Beauty School in Yorkville charges $10 for a cut.

On the not so cheap note: I did have to equip myself at the drugmart after my cut with the necessary brush, (decent) shampoo and styling product - and images of me morphing into 'a high maintenance babe', as the women in my fam jokingly call it, flashed through my mind. We'll just see how it pans out, but I don't mind paying $40 for the accoutrements of style especially since the do was such a good deal!

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New coat, new do, new tunic - a la thrift

I have a new and much-needed hair-do ($20; a lady I know works from her home and gives me the best cuts for cheap), so I'm celebrating with a new look, a la thrift, natch!

I love my latest thrift acquisition, a Made in Canada coat, found for $14.99 at my local thrift shop in the east end, Stretch Thrift. It has leather accents and these cool zippy details on the sleeve. The boots are new, picked up a couple years ago for only $40 at an end-of-line retailer. The leather bag was bought a couple years ago in a Newmarket, Ontario consignment shop for $30.The brown crochet tights were part of a warehouse sale by DIM, 5 pair for $20!

I'm calling this look Twiggy-inspired, with a boho twist. This is the first time I've worn this wool tunic I thrifted at Goodwill for $6.99. It's by April Cornell and I am groovin' on the grape hue and slouchy-sloppy neck (I can wear it with leggings too, if I dare: see 1980s blazer post below). The jewellery is vintage 1970s Raphael and it was free free free - and it just happens to match the tunic perfectly.

Amazing what a new haircut can do to inspire a sassy new look eh? Have you had similar experiences?

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New York, New York

This is my Rich Bitch New York look, created for the vintage costume jewellery shoot last weekend.

Putting this together was a blast. I found the pink silky jacket at Goodwill for 50 percent off, meaning it was 10 bucks! It's in perfect condition save for a tiny hole at the back. The tag reads "Helft's Statler Hilton Los Angeles" so it must have been a line created for the hotel.

I'm wearing it over a thrifted Teenflo dress (found for under $10 at Goodwill), my retro Canadian bag thrifted for a few bucks, retro shades found for $3.99 in an east end hardware store, and a 1970s gold elacticized belt picked up at a Junction vintage shop.

The absolutely amazing glass 1950s necklace is not my own; it's from the collection of one of the members of the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club.

The 1980s clip on earrings are hers too.

I don't normally do pink but I really dig the look here. It's so spring like!








If you're local and love vintage and retro bling, handbags and other baubles mark your calender: Saturday, April 24 is the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club Show and Sale.

It runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Leaside Memorial Gardens at 1073 Millwood Rd. Just grab a bus from the Don Mills station and you'll be there in a jiff!

Photos by Joey Cee

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My style blogger look

This is my The Sartorialist inspired shot, a style blog I'm absolutely hooked on (along with thousands of others).

It's been a busy week but the other night I spent hours scrolling through the artsy, individualist and just plan different street fashion photos posted there.

Sometimes when it's cold outside (as it is in Toronto, brr) it's easier to get into a bit of a style rut where you're not as inspired about what you're wearing. Let's just say this blog was the perfect antidote to my wardrobe malaise.

I didn't think too hard about this ensemble - I just internalized the confidence and the vibe of The Sartorialist and voila, boho Euro chic!

Of course, the entire outfit is second-hand thrift, with the exception of the new leather belt picked up for $2 at the dollar store!

American Eagle Outfitters wool houndstooth blazer, under $10 at Stretch Thrift.

Underneath, sheer MEXX top with sweater cuffs and cowl neck, $3.99 at Stretch Thrift.

Bongo skinny jeans, $14.99 from Value Village in Ottawa.

Purple booties, around $14.99 at Value Village.


I was joking with friend and fellow reporter Christopher Reynolds, who graciously took these pics, that this particular shot really is my The Sartorialist shot ....

I was poking fun at the "chicness" of some of the people featured in the shots on that blog as invariably they're walking with a cell phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other (especially the London, Paris and Milan shots), looking tres nonchalant.

So here I am looking nonchalant, holding my Blackberry.

I've never advocated ciggies as a style motif but I hate to admit it some of these people do look very chic holding their smokes. Sure the look would be different if they actually were sucking on the things ....

Happy weekend! If you're in TO and driving this blizzardly morning, drive safely!

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