Ultra feminine look

I have to admit it: sometimes I buy new.

My latest look is girly chic and I love it: a stretch lace top found at a Mendocino outlet for $38. I'm wearing it here under my Theory blazer thrifted for $6.99.

It's a sexy look, yet one I can pull off at work.

I'm wearing the lacy top with another item I bought new by Forest Hill artisan Joan Kreitzer (sorry no webite). Joan makes beautiful necklaces with crystal and semi-precious stones and retails in some Toronto shops like French Connection on Eglinton Ave. West near Avenue Rd.

I love the combo of the lace and the lace-like work of the necklace.

I'm wearing the top with a vest for a romantic dinner, and just happened to dig up a pair of off-white DIM nylons with pretty tone-on-tone flowers over top that go with the top exactly. Believe it or not the look is not lace overkill, just feminine all the way.

It feels good to sometimes buy new things, especially when they're artisan crafted and you know you have an original. And when the piece is a staple - this lace top will see me through holiday functions and can serve as a nice little wardrobe basic - then I don't mind paying more than I normally would.

Happy Saturday! I have to do a shopping column but I may do some thrifting on the way!

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Grunge Queen in Toronto Star Weekend Living today!

I love Rita Zekas from the Toronto Star newspaper - she writes a quirky shopping column (like moi) called Store Gazing (makes sense; she was the Star's former entertainment writer) and another fab decor column called DecoRita.

I pitched Rita on a fun concept: Men don't bring me flowers; they bring me trash!

Check out the link below for Rita's visit to the apartment of yours truly (and no, my cat's name is not Bag - it's Dag, though come to think of it, Bag is kinda cute ... I suppose the name would make a certain amount of sense given my trashy tendencies and shopping!), and thanks to Rita for a really fun afternoon:


http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/article/727121

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My new fall statement piece blazer

I was going to continue yesterday's post but I had to interrupt regularly scheduled programming to tell you how happy I am (can't you tell?) about the blazer I found in Parkdale, Toronto yesterday afternoon at the Sally Ann there.

My heart started beating a little faster when I saw it as it's got a boho look to it. It's a Tara Jarmon blazer, made in France, and it fits me perfectly.

I'm wearing it here with a Neiman Marcus cashmere sweater my honey gave me; a pashmina scarf I snagged on major sale; a pair of thrifted Bongo jeans for less than $20; and a red faux croc tote I got years ago as a gift-with-purchase at the Elizabeth Arden counter.


I have a definite thing for statement piece blazers. This one would go with everything from jeans, as you see here, to a long wool skirt with boots and perhaps a chunky sweater.

Statement piece jackets, especially in the fall, have been a theme of mine the past few years. Come to think of it the man I'm dating is wild for them as well (though his aren't of the thrifted kind), and when I met him I was wearing the second blazer you see here - gee I wonder if that's partly the reason for his asking me out???? Thrift and romance: it's happened before.

I also picked up a black stretch A.X.L blazer, again with a perfect fit, for $9.99.

Have more to show from one of T.O.'s best and well-priced vintage stores - stay tuned!

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Trash Finds

Reader, I couldn't just leave it there. It was lying by the side of the road flopped on its back, its legs practically flailing in the cool spring wind - it would be just too heartless to leave it there to perish a slow death in the landfill.


So I commandeered a passing gent (kinda cute) and had him carry it with me to my apartment floor (I offered him cash but the gent refused - see my post on men, trash and romance from January).

It's a 1960s vinyl couch in pretty good condition. I love the lines though I'm not too hot on the brown, bit it's a break from all my blues and greens.

I like the way the retro painting looks over it, but I'm not fully satisfied with the arrangement. I'm considering it temporary.

It may end up on the balcony soon enough as I discovered as I was washing it that it reeks of ciggy smoke - washing it must have released whatever junk was trapped inside the vinyl. Here's hoping it'll come out.

By the way, the baskets you see under the sofa were just sitting on a mattress left curbside on my street one night. Serendipity as far as I'm concerned as I saw similar beat up baskets in country decorating magazines and I liked their look. These will do for paper recycling and files for now.


My street is a veritable haven for good trash finds. Sure there's lots of junk but in two years I've found this sofa, a white leather (ette?) chair, a brass table from Florence, Italy, three modern chrome chairs from a dining room set, and a big dresser I'm using as a sideboard!

And that's not counting the rest of Toronto!

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Dumpster Love

He came to me bearing Barrymore loveseats on his back, pulled from a dumpster around the corner. They had this funky Peacock pattern on them (below). Yup, if you want to win my heart, bring me junk from the trash. This same man brought me a custom-made bookshelf (so large it's still in Ottawa, alas), and he tracked down a lamp I admired in a thrift shop window after it had been bought by someone else!

BARRYMORE LOVESEAT (SLIPCOVERED) PULLED OUT OF THE TRASH BY A FORMER LOVE


Alas, those loveseats came and went on my guy's back several times as our relationship ebbed and flowed - every time we were in troubles he'd haul them out; when we made up he'd haul them back. Though we broke up, he kindly left them with me - and I'll love 'em forever!

Other stuff men have brought me from the trash, the height of romance for me: a fully functional (and much needed) vacuum; a retro wood dining table that has the funkiest fold-up panel to extend the table; a couple wood dressers; a filing cabinet ... all very useful and needed - and still used.

Keep 'em coming, gents.

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