Hipster Musings?

My Beautiful New Bright Pink Boots

2012-01-30T16:38:00.001-05:00

After the slew of balmy days in December/January, Old Man Winter likesto playfully remind you of his presence by shoving his steel-toed boot up yourarse, cackling “Honey, I’m home!” Whenever this happens, I am usually stoppeddead in my tracks, forced to wander around for the next few months like a deerin the headlights, wearing an insufficient pair of slippery-soled Doc Martens(they’re secondhand, okay?) I haven’t owned a pair of half decent winter bootssince my pride and joy broke on me in 2009 and since then each winter I’ve been making do with ill-fitting substitutespurchased from a thrift store for no more than $10.

But this time, I’m going to laugh right back in Old ManWinter’s face when he comes a-creeping. That’s because I bought a pair of real(capital-w) Winter boots. They are bright pink Sorel monstrosities, and I knewI had to own them when the only pair in the store was my size. They were $90at discount depot Winners, usually Sorels will set you back around $130 so Iconsider them a minor deal.

Now, not only will my feet be able to withstand slush andsubzero temperatures but the colour will beat away those winter blues. I likebeing the girl wearing tacky bright pink boots when everyone else is swathed inblack, just waiting for the cold weather to subside. I know some people willshake their heads at me in disapproval, but if I can make just a few peoplesmile then it’ll be ok.

Born Again Blonde

2012-01-25T17:14:00.003-05:00

(Dress: Gift from The Stylish Wanderer, Black Milk leggings, John Fluevog boots)

I was fed-up with being a boring brunette, so I decided to reject my former views on Tumblr and join the legions of "fashion girls" all around the world with ombre blonde hair. This is the most exciting thing I've done with my appearance since I shaved half of my hair off last April and proceeded to embrace the hippie lifestyle and spent a month camping in BC. I absolutely LOVE how it looks, and if anyone ever tells you that you'll look weird or they just "can't imagine you" with blonde hair, please ignore them full-stop and do your own thing.

This is me looking sultry at the webcam with blonde hair!

This is me taking a Myspace picture while winking at you with blonde hair!

This is me lounging in a chair with blonde hair!

Sorry for diverting your attention from the outfit picture to go on a rant about my hair. These brand-new John Fluevog shoes are probably the most badass (and definitely most expensive) shoes I have ever owned. They've got the nerdy aspect of being clogs, but they're black leather bitch boots with five-inch heels and buckle hardware. Plus, the square toe is all Vivienne Westwood. BEHOLD.

Julia Butterfly Hill

2012-01-22T23:01:00.001-05:00

It is hard to imagine loving someone whose convictions are so strong that they are willing to live and die according to their beliefs. There aren't too many Joan of Arcs walking around these days, so you can forget that convictions so strong do exist until you realize that Julia Butterfly Hill lived in a tree called Luna for 738 days. She first climbed Luna, a thousand year old Redwood tree near Stafford, California in December 1997 and did not come down until 1999, when Pacific Lumber Co. agreed to preserve the tree and all others within a 200 foot buffer zone.

Julia describes what it is like to live on a small platform 180 feet above the ground in her book, The Legacy of Luna, and not to wreck the book for you, but its absolutely terrifying. The lumber company tried to starve her out of the tree and she nearly died in the violent windstorms which are very different when you are not planted safely on the ground. Throughout it all, she fielded a media wildfire making her the poster child of the environmental movement for years to come. Not only is she a beautiful woman whose strong convictions make her unique, she has a beautiful heart whose perseverance and dedication knows no bounds. We could all take a lesson in finding our passion and purpose in life from Julia Butterfly Hill.

The Purp-etrator

2012-01-12T23:28:00.002-05:00

This is photographic evidence that I own and wore purple leather pants on the day of January 11th, 2012. Nothing more, nothing less.

Worn with my gumshoe wedges, because flats just don't cut it when you're goin' grape.

Reducto

2012-01-06T22:38:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning with a groove in my heart and so I decided that I care about being fashionable again. This is a bit like my old Miss Cross outfit, updated with a sprinkle of Scarlett O'Hara thrown in, mostly because this skirt spectacularly resembles a curtain. Then I decided I didn't look quite frumpy enough and paired the skirt with argyle tights and crocodile Doc Martens. Frumptasticness achieved!

Also, I know I've posted it before but whenever I put this coat on it's like a stick of dynamite goes off and BOOM! instant glamour is achieved. The leopard (maybe ocelot?) fur paired with a dark lipstick makes me feel like an Old Hollywood movie star who wears pin curls and smokes and says "dahhh-ling." Also, how cute is the bottom of the curtain skirt peeking out beneath the coat like a petticoat? Adorable.

I think it's only appropriate to replace the lyrics of Elton John's Crocodile Rock to "crocodile Docs," don't you?

Good Morning 2012

2012-01-05T14:12:00.000-05:00

My inspiration wall, including cats, flowers, dandy chipmunks and quotes.

A lot has happened since I wrote my last post on the distasteful state of the fashion blogosphere! It seems to have resonated quite a bit with many people, as I am surprised and flattered by the outpour of support regarding such a critical post on the state of the fashion industry and 'independent' media. When you see something wrong, speak up don't shut up! My original post was edited and then reposted on the Toronto Standard, which led to my first paid writing gig ever.

First of all, on December 28th, I had a birthday! If you really must know, I'm 22.

Then, I was named one of the top stylemakers in Toronto of 2011 by the inimitable Sarah Nicole Prickett, also on the Toronto Standard.

New Years is a really weird time of year because you're supposed to be reflecting on the year that passed making all of these plans, ahem, "resolutions" for the year to come. This year I have decided to bypass all superstition and refuse to make any resolutions. New Years Eve itself was a strange occasion, as it is doomed to be when you're spending it in the small town you waited your whole life to escape. Somehow nights that are prescribed to be "fun" never live up to expectations, but I had the most marvelous day of December 31st with my best friend, the talented artist Shelby Seu.

We spent the day recreating a traditional British Afternoon Tea, with scones and jam and finger sandwiches on a cake tray using fancy china teacups. We did the same thing last year after she had just come home from an exchange term in London (England, duh) which I guess makes it an annual tradition!

Then we made an insane gingerbread house that was loosely based on Hagrid's hut, complete with a Forbidden Forest and red food colouring for Ron Weasley's hair. This is probably one of those "you had to be there" moments, but there was nowhere else I'd rather be.

I'll be spending the rest of the year with my nose deep in books like this one (Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty) on fashion, art and nature. It's my last year of university, which means that in my program I get to write a THESIS and it is haunting my dreams already. Good thing I picked an awesome topic I really care about, or else those dreams would most certainly be nightmares.

"Hello, I Love You" or "Why Fashion Blogging Smells Like Raw Fish"

2011-12-23T14:55:00.000-05:00

Do you remember that scene in Wayne’s World when Mike Myers pulls out a Coke and says “product placement?” At the time it was funny because it was 1992 and seemed so gauche and obvious. But advertising is tricky, because it’s not always that blatant. Advertising only works when you’re not aware of it, precisely because you’re not aware of it. If you think advertising doesn’t affect you because you are able to “tune it out,” you are wrong. Product placement isn’t always as clear-cut as it is in Wayne’s World. It isn’t just billboards and commercials on tv, it’s logos, brand names and the blogs you love.

Once you start to look at the world through a critical lens, things that previously seemed innocuous morph into full-blown manifestations of corporate control. It pains me to say this, but the vast majority of fashion blogs have become little more than glorified advertisements for online shops and products like Jeffrey Campbell Lita boots.

If you can imagine the world in 2007, before blogging was a job, some people had little buttons they posted proudly on the sidebar of their blogs. These buttons featured a cute little owl and read “Ad-Free Blog.” Personally, I got pretty attached to that owl and it featured prominently on this blog for years. I barely even noticed when the market started changing and people started getting paid to write certain words and feature links to improve the SEO of other websites. For a long time, I thought that refusing every single offer of payment was the best way to maintain the integrity of my site. I simply wasn’t interested in having a hand in advertising products I didn’t care about.

I first started to ‘advertise’ after receiving lot of sweet e-mails from Etsy sellers or online retailers who loved my blog and wanted me to pick out something to wear from their shop. There was no talk of compensation; writing about them was simply seen as a “thank-you” from me to them for sending me the dress. Then things got a little murkier. These simple exchanges were now referred to as “product reviews” and I started getting more and more offers from companies to hold giveaways for their product. Sure, a giveaway is a nice way to treat your blog readers, but when you really think about it, having to post about some product that I will never get to see or use and have no way of making sure my readers actually received the item reeks of utter dishonesty. I’m not getting a sample of the product for myself to see if it actually works, and only one person gets to win the product while your entire readership has to read a post about a specific product they have that chance to win. . I’m not being selfish here in my desire to not give back to my readers, I just can’t stand the idea of being used as a vessel of advertising, used to raise profit margins I will never have a stake in.

Some bloggers are out there chasing sponsors, treating their blogs like a full-time job. These days, I never solicit advertising, but whenever I get an e-mail and feel like having a little extra cash in my pocket I don’t refuse. Still, this sponsored content seems to stick out like a sore thumb amongst my eclectic sea of babble about 1990s music, kitschy laughs and downright strange outfits.

I am not an entrepreneur, just a regular person with a savant-like obsession with fashion. It distresses me that I have not learned to compete in this market, where the Sartorialist is hiring a Digital Ad Sales Director and I still haven’t come to terms with the fact that some people make an income off their blogs alone. It embitters me that I am stuck working in retail when I know I am a talented and passionate writer (oh, I mean “content producer”), just simply lacking in business sense.

Social media is no longer just a way to express yourself, it is now a tool for companies to promote and connect their brand with consumers. But as social media becomes increasingly the territory of big business, it becomes less and less appealing to the tech-savvy early adopters who helped to pioneer the medium.

A few weeks ago, I read a great blog post written by Danielle of Final Fashion about how being an insider in the fashion industry might be good for your career but is completely toxic to your creativity level. This truly resonated with me, because perhaps the reason why I continue to do new things and experiment with styles after six years blogging and it remains fun is because I’ve never “made it.” I started blogging before Susie Bubble, before Tavi Gevinson, before Bryan Boy and I have never achieved insider status or anything close to it. For example, in October 2011, FLARE Fashion created a slideshow asking 22 Canadian fashion bloggers to wear something from a Canadian designer. Picture after picture featured a blandly “fashionable” aesthetic that appeals to people with too much money, not enough taste and a charge account at Holt Renfrew. While I am being painfully honest here: I’m really self-conscious, sensitive and it hurt to be excluded. But even after the initial sting, I was embittered that none of the creative Canadian fashion blogs that I read and love (Nice and Shiny, Pull Teeth and Calur Villade) were included either. Whoever is creating this content was clearly going for mass appeal over unique perspectives.

But you don’t get anywhere in fashion by being a follower. The people who made the biggest impact in fashion, Isabella Blow, Alexander McQueen, Kate Moss etc. were the people who didn’t quite fit in but kept doing their thing and never let it bother them. I’m still as weird as ever, but unfortunately, I do care. Funnily enough, Danielle was the first fellow blogger that I ever met in person. She was a little older, and inspiring and funny and I told her that I would never “sell out.” Whatever that means, I have stayed true to myself to a fault, and never created anything I felt uncomfortable with. I’m proud to think that I haven’t “sold out” but I feel like simply by presenting myself as a fashion blogger, my irrelevance and inadequacy is highlighted.

Something is off, I can feel it. People no longer blog because they have the desire to share their unique perspectives with the world. Every single fashion blog is starting to look the same. That old quote “you are unique, just like everybody else” is starting to feel uncomfortable accurate. I don’t want to be a fashion blogger if that means (once again) being that loser girl with no friends who just doesn’t fit in compared to the glossy DSLR photos of girls with sleek hair wearing Celine. I still shop at thrift stores, will never be able to afford Celine and that’s totally okay. But I can’t compete with that because it’s just not my arena. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still interested in sharing my writing, my style and ultimately myself with the world but I would like to diversify and step outside of my comfort zone.

I understand that my relationship to blogging is similar to the relationship a musician would have with his or her own music. Each song is something they created, nurtured and worked really hard on; it is a part of them. But over time you change as a person, and that is always reflected in the music you write and the message it conveys. Your fans grow up, lose touch, start listening to something else. Sometimes the music industry as a whole changes and you become irrelevant, that is, unless you start making dubstep. But I hate the idea of clinging onto the music until it becomes progressively crappier and crappier and everyone hates you for not letting go when it was still good. It’s why tv shows that were only around for one season (Freaks and Geeks) are the best, because their message was perfectly preserved, cut short before they even had the chance to go downhill.

It kills me to think that this is “the end” of blogging, and I will not guarantee that this is the last blog entry I ever post. But it is undoubtedly the end of an era, and I thank you all for reading.

I will leave you off with pictures of me and my friends partying it up at the Alternatives Journal 40th Anniversary Party.

Infinite Jest

2011-12-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

[Me at the Kingston Train Station, attempting to maintain some semblance of sanity while my train is delayed for 2 hours]

These green riding pants are the first new things I've bought since I started hating my entire wardrobe like 3 months ago. I decided to buy the riding pants in green because I've wanted green pants for a while and these are the only pants that actually fit me and don't have gross crotch wrinkles. (Seriously, what is with those gross crotch wrinkles?)

Lately I've become obsessed with fuzzy things. Like, really obsessed. I ended up exchanging the amazing turquoise 1960s coat for an even more beautiful white mohair coat with a leopard fur collar. Overall, it's warmer, fuzzier, involves leopard print and just totally screams "ME" (because I'm a needy bitch like that).

Another fuzzy thing that has entered my life recently is this black angora cardigan. It's vintage (obviously), I paid $20 for it and it is kind of a cross between something Kurt Cobain and a 50s sex kitten would wear. Someday I'm going to wake up and realize I've transformed into a teddy bear overnight.

Inspiration Log vol. 248

2011-12-14T10:47:00.002-05:00

This is a visual record of how I want to dress. It's kinda girly, kinda severe but most of all like a grown-up woman who is ready for anything the world is going to throw her way.

Photos from: Tumblr, Tobi Vail/tumblr, Rookie Mag, I forget, Liebemarlene Vintage, The Cherry Blossom Girl, Loveship, random eBay auction, tumblr.

Now I Wanna Sell Some Stuff

2011-12-09T12:00:00.001-05:00

Not sniff some glue. Anyways, have you ever noticed how badly Christmas time makes you want to go shopping? Just me? Ok well, I'm clearing out some old stuff in my closet to make room for the new, so let's take a trip down Isabel's Outfit Memory Lane. All of this stuff is for sale so if you wanna buy, just send me an email: isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com. I'm too lazy to list it all on Etsy.

~~American Apparel Disco Pants, Black, size Small, $20, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~American Apparel Disco Pants, Navy, size Small, $20, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~American Apparel Riding Pants, Tan, size Small, $20, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~Kurt and Courtney "Classy" t-shirt, ladies size Small, $13, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~Vintage ruffle blouse, size S-M, $10, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~Burnout cherry red Doc Martens heels, size UK 6 (US 8), $40, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

Ziggy Stardust Knee-High Hooker boots, size US 7.5 or 8, $35, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.

~~Vintage Swiss Dots Party Dress, size Small, $15, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~American Apparel, high waisted shorts, Hunter Green, size 24/25 (about an XS), $20,inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~Lolita Peter Pan Collar button-down shirt, cream, size Small, $10, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~Leopard print mini skirt, nice and swingy, size XS, $10, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

~~Salvatore Ferragamo spectator pumps, 1.5 inch heel, size 8 AA (super narrow), $10, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.~~

American Apparel cream lace leggings, size Small, $15, inquire to isabel.slone(at)gmail(dot)com about shipping costs.

Weirdo Sauce

2011-12-08T17:36:00.001-05:00

"Yesterday's outfit"

When life fails at sending you natural outfit inspiration, wear tuxedo pants. Preferably with brown Doc Martens oxfords, a marching band sweater and matching animal print socks. I was super into wearing these pants with these shoes after spying this totally 90s Esprit ad where the girl is wearing jaunty ankle-length tux pants with a big pair of clunkers & a jean jacket. Necessary.

"Today's outfit" aka "I'm lazy."

The laziest of outfits for the laziest of days. This outfit actually consists of Helly Hansen thermal leggings that hardcore outdoors people often wear camping with an oversize Ralph Lauren linen button-down, tiger print socks and classy suede ankle boots. The dappled knit sweater found me the same day as my Chloe dress, and it reminds me of the light snowfall on the ground that will melt away soon. I just want there to be lots of snow and for the holidays to get here soon so I can chill at home eating cookies and stuff.

This is your friendly neighbourhood reminder to pick up your copy of PLANT magazine before Christmas time. Look at how cute Anna looks with her copy of issue #2! She brought it with her on a field trip to a national park, can you tell? Think of all this places you can take PLANT: to the aquarium, to the shopping mall, on the subway, to an Ethiopian restaurant. The possibilities are endless!

Gin Toddies

2011-12-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

I'm amped up on holiday spirit even though it's been raining for days. All it take is candy cane ice cream, fair isle, cozy socks and hot apple cider. Also, I am not to cool to admit that Dookie is an amazingly catchy album that just reeks of memorable teen nostalgia.

Fashion Sweatpants

2011-11-30T10:34:00.001-05:00

Hi, welcome to the new and improved fashion blog of Isabel B. Slone. I rarely wear make-up or bras and I've started wearing sweatpants outside the house. I must admit, blogging these days feels a bit like documenting a train wreck. Look at me, I'm wearing fashion sweatpants. I believe Alexander Wang pioneered the high fashion sweatpants look a few years ago, making it socially acceptable for women to leave the house looking like the sartorial equivalent of a flipbook: fancy top half, slobby bottom half.

I was originally in the market for these Lululemon pants, but their Christmas pop-up shop came up sadly short. I scoured the rest of the uptown block, visiting at least four other stores and getting consecutively more frustrated by each one's lack of heathered grey comfy yet stylish sweats. The last store I visited was American Apparel, who (surprise, surprise) had exactly what I was looking for: tri-blend leisure pants, for a fraction of the cost of wretched "Lulus."

Do I look like I'm wearing pajama pants? Yes. But so do half of the fashion editors on Jak and Jil that wear too much jewelry and pair their spiky heels and blazers with baggy grey pants. Just because I'm dancing to the Dum Dum Girls in my room and reading about video games in this ensemble instead of going to a Dior show doesn't mean that I'm any less with it.

Ok, I have to go to work now. Guess its time to put on some real pants.

There Is A Light

2011-11-29T00:28:00.001-05:00

I've never really considered my self a vintage girl. You know what I mean, those girls think they were born in the wrong era who like rockabilly and do their hair in pin curls and idolize pin up girls and stuff. My "healthy" appreciation for 90s fashion/music/culture may border on obsessive, but underneath it all I'm an internet-obsessed 21st century girl.

That said, one of my favourite stores to shop at is Patina Vintage in uptown Waterloo. The owner Donna is really fun to talk to because she knows the story behind each piece of clothing. The prices are super affordable, I'm talking like $20 for a really awesome blouse. I went shopping there last week to do a little "research" for my school newspaper column and came out with this perfect 1960s turquoise swing coat with huge buttons and this magnificent gold brocade crop top. The blouse was only $18 (!!!) and reminds me of the curved shoulders from Balenciaga

This lovely charm bracelet was a gift sent to me by Miss Ashley Peach of Cutey. Cutey, indeed! I never wear jewelry except for my Timex indiglo watch (which totally doesn't count, it's more like outfit furniture) but this is a friendly addition to my sad, decrepit jewelry box.

Also, mega thank-you to Meagan of Naturally Dapper for taking a picture of her shrine to PLANT magazine, complete with dolls and girly tiaras! It's perfect and I couldn't be more flattered. If you're interested in a PLANT shrine of your own, then giddy up cowboy because I added more packages of PLANT issue #1 and #2 to my Etsy shop. There are only 15 available, and this is the last time PLANT #1 will ever be printed so bring some cyber-pepper spray to beat out your competitors. Ok, just kidding. But if you're looking for a Christmas gift, give ideas instead of stuff. Give PLANT magazine.

Body of Work

2011-11-23T11:55:00.001-05:00

It was super awkward taking pictures yesterday because the landlord is doing doing some owrk on the house, so I decided to take full advantage of the awkwardness and ham it up in full "schoolgirl skank" uniform. I bought the bobbly sweater on a recent trip to Value Village. It was a shoulderpad nightmare when I first spotted it, but I had to purchase it due to its uncanny resemblance to the Jeremy Laing bubble sweater I was obsessed with ages ago. My boyfriend thinks the bubbles look like balls of human hair. Gross! Overall, I think I look like the kind of preppy dresser that my mom might've been during her fashion career heyday in the 1980s.

Tabi Cat

2011-11-22T19:27:00.001-05:00

My desire for a pair of Maison Martin Margiela tabi boots is unparalleled and unending. Their chunky circular heel and split toe haunt my dreams with their utter perfection. My boyfriend think they're weird. He's right, but I love them anyways.

"No Shave November"

2011-11-19T21:06:00.001-05:00

Illustration by Katy.

If you're not a fan of dudes with facial hair, then Movember is not the month for you. Bristles sprout from manly upper lips like tulips in the spring, all to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer. Fortunately, you don't have to be a man to get in on all that hairy fun. My friend and potentially genius schoolmate Ryley Kornelsen is wearing a different mustache-themed outfit for each day in November. I can't think of a cuter way for ladies to show their support. Here are some of my favourite outfits, nabbed from her Twitpic.

Frumptastic

2011-11-18T09:27:00.001-05:00

So I went to Value Village in search of some pants that didn't make me feel like a total frump, and ended leaving with with possibly the frumpiest pair of 90s Gap jeans in the store. It's a little funny how the jeans that make me feel the most confident aren't the ones that are trendy or sexy, its the ones that actually just fit me comfortably. Pants that fit: what a revelation. I decided to wear it with my Cape Cod fisherman pullover for that perfect "L.L. Bean catalogue" look.

Also, have you got your copy of PLANT magazine issue #2 yet? Because Kevin did, and it looks rad with his Supreme toque. Kevin wrote an article on the evil empire of Apple and their censorship of Phone Story, an app game criticizing the environmental footprint of smartphones. Can't handle the heat? Then get outta the kitchen!

So far most of the people who have bought PLANT #2 are repeat customers, so it would be awesome to get the message out there to some fresh blood/young talent. Also, I hear that more people would be interested in purchasing a combo package of issue #1 and issue #2 if I printed more copies so leave me a comment or shoot me an email if yr interested.

Creating a Meaningful Wardrobe

2011-11-14T08:45:00.001-05:00

It is easy to flop around life aimlessly, hoping that thingssuddenly present themselves to you in a neat, tidy and sensible fashion. Butwhen you’ve floundered so long that you can barely breathe, instead you mustgrasp on to all the sense you can, sewing together some meaning out of somefishing line and the utterly random patchwork of jagged edges that comprise yourlife.

Depression, at least for me, is like swimming in a wavepool. You feel calm for a couple of minutes and learn how to breathe againuntil a wave crashes over you from out of nowhere and you can’t see or hear orbreathe and you think you’re going to die or possibly explode. It doesn’talways matter what kind of bathing suit you’re wearing because it’s not goingto stop the waves from crashing all around (Gang Gang Dance, anyone?) butclothing is your scales, fur, exoskeleton, whatever. Clothing is the firstlayer of armor you present to the world. What you wear is the version ofyourself you want everyone else to see, though there have been more than a fewtimes I could barely muster the energy to put on socks let alone do some colourblocking. Your clothes already provide some sort of narrative about yourselffor others to read, so it seems natural that each item of clothing should haveits own narrative, some unique story that makes it a special piece whether itsa vintage gem or an impulse buy that changed your life.

Lately, I’ve become obsessed with the concept of creating ameaningful wardrobe. Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of clothes buthave nothing to wear. It’s the age-old dilemma: water, water everywhere but nota drop to drink. As a thrift store queen, I’ve accumulated a vast array ofwonderful, strange and unique items of clothing but not all of them areparticularly suited to my lifestyle or aesthetic sensibilities during thistransitionary period of my life. When I first started thrifting at age 14, Ibought just about anything that looked cool. But as I got more experienced, Ipracticed a discerning eye and learned to hone in on the qualities that made apiece unique. Later still, I learned to purchase for both comfort and styleinstead of just the latter. The amount of money I’ve spent on thrift storeshoes that just don’t fit is probably ghastly.

Day after day, I look at the same clothing surrounding meand find myself less drawn to a good chunk of things I once loved and found identityin. I have accumulated a large collection of similar novelty sweaters, sequinsand ruffled blouses, most of which I longer have any use for. Yet this doesn’tmake my collection of black ankle boots any less special, because each pair hasa different quality that I bought it and wear it for. The more kitschy, noveltyitems in my closet have been put into storage temporarily, in the hopes I willsift through them at a later date and fall in love with them once again,understanding why I purchased them in the first place.

Other items will be leaving my closet permanently, soldonline for cheap. These are things in which I have grown out of literally andfiguratively, relics from an unfulfilling full-time retail job that no longercover my slowly swelling frame. I am no longer a size extra-small, and that isperfectly fine. Instead, I need to find well-made, flattering pieces that arebuilt to last and will grow with me instead of restrict my breathing.

Overall, I find the most pleasure in wearing clothing thathas a story: a sweater that I knit by myself, a skirt which once belonged to mymother or the first pair properly-fitting of pants I bought in over four years.Some things people have sent me as gifts, which imbues them with the narrativeof friendship. Still, some of these gifts have less resonance with my own stylethan the things I purchase for myself, because I know my own taste inside andout. As I learn how to become a better editor of my writing, I strive to becomea better editor of my wardrobe as well, picking out only the pieces with theability to make me smile, laugh and most of all, think.

Tearaway Tuesdays

2011-11-10T10:10:00.001-05:00

Judging by my last post, it seems I've delved into a seriously weird phase involving retro athletic wear? These striped Everlast leggings are certainly not the most flattering things I've ever worn on my body, but they juxtapose so deliciously with my crisp Paul & Joe (for Tarjay) button-down shirt that I couldn't resist.

My timing seems to have coincided with my discovery of this tumblr-tastic Etsy shop called "Yard Sale 666" which appears to specialize in bad wigs, Spice Girl platforms and tearaway pants.

Speaking of tearaway pants, I wrote a column about Tearaway Tuesdays for the school newspaper. It's kind of funny. Click to enlarge and read it!

PLANT #2 is here!

2011-11-04T16:43:00.000-04:00

I absolutely adore this neon cyclist shirt, every time I wear it I feel like a saucy alien. Today I paired it with a rather normal looking black miniskirt and my Pra-duh boots to make this outfit more "fashion" and less Tour de France. There's just something about wearing pointy witch boots that makes me want to kick up my heels at the camera! I don't post multiple pictures of the same outfit too often (hello, having a fashion blog is narcissistic enough) but today's outfit deserves a 360 degree view.

Just in case you were a little curious about the title of this post, issue #2 of my feminist fashion zine PLANT is finally available for sale on Etsy. They're 5 bucks a pop, with 8 more pages than the last issue had along with 4 full colour pages. Thank you to everyone who voted for me in the WhoInspiresU? video contest for making this happen!

Or if you're a bargain hunter who hasn't bought PLANT #1, get a copy of each for only $8!

You're Fired!

2011-11-02T12:24:00.001-04:00

So I'm starting to get my weirdo groove back after this long period of stasis. I didn't realize how much this t-shirt looks like Marilyn Manson's creepy eyes are staring directly into your soul, eek! Also, my roommate who like to play Magic: The Gathering said the blue tights reminded him of the Nav'ii people from Avatar. I'm like a sci-fi goth Scarlett O'Hara (the skirt is definitely made out of an old curtain) today. Freak out!

Emotional

2011-10-28T12:53:00.000-04:00

So I haven't blogged in a while because I had a lot of homework and my camera was malfunctioning and life kind of got in the way. But I hope everyone read the final installment of my LG Fashion Week coverage! Everything I'm doing here at University is starting to have an air of finality to it. I had to present my undergraduate thesis proposal as well as get graduation photos taken this week and it made me feel so old and tired and wasted. I have pretty serious goals but I'm not sure how I'll be able to achieve them when I'm always so worried about money. Anyways, thanks to the winnings of the WhoInspiresU video contest I was able to afford a new camera, so this blog isn't dead yet.

I've been trying to look a little fancy (read: adult) lately, always wearing heels and black pants and a scowl. But today I felt compelled to dress up a little more youthful than usual, seasonal appropriateness be damned. As always, thanks for reading my blog. You really have no idea how much it means to me that some people actually read this and kind of care about what I have to say. Mad love to everyone.

My life is charmed.

2011-10-24T12:21:00.000-04:00

Oh, the thrift gods smile upon my once again! For some odd reason, my spidey senses were just tingling today so I decided to head to the consignment shop down my street that generally specializes in old lady blazers and Ann Taylor Loft pantsuits. But, knowing that I've struck gold (er, silver) there before I figured it was worth a shot. Damn son, within the first five minutes of scouring the racks I came across this indescribably beautiful Chloé dress...for a mere $80. You best believe I RAN to the change room with the dresses clenched as tightly as possible, lest some middle aged woman try to snatch it away!

I got lipstick on it in the change room and thought all was lost, luckily the friendly counter girls used their magic stain remover and now it is mine, all mine!! *Cue evil laughter*

I think I need to go back to bed.

2011-10-22T10:39:00.001-04:00

Day 3

Day 4

Wellll, fashion week has finally come to an end. I had a funking amazing time but I'm quite glad to be back, so that I can lounge around in sweat clothes instead of having to put "effort" into my appearance. A special thank you to all the Wornettes who were kind enough to take my outfit photos each day!

On Day 3, I wore my thrifted Comme des Garcons top from Beacon's Closet (NYC, baby!) with an American Apparel skirt and what I kindly refer to as my "fashion week boots." I bought them especially for this week because I didn't own any suitable high heels for wearing all day.

On Day 4, I finally figured out how to wear my special Balenciaga dress without looking like a matronly office worker - pair it with weird tights, a flannel shirt and 90s square toe boots. Words to live by, people!

Everyone seemed to want to take pictures of my leopard print coat, I seem to have been featured on both the Toronto Standard and Toronto Life wearing it! By the end of the week I my almost wished I wasn't wearing it because I felt like a loser who only had one "outfit." But it's been my perfect Autumn weather jacket and my most prized possession ever since I bought it six years ago, so it's not going anywhere. I guess it'll be my signature look 'til the day I die. Or possibly get a better coat, but that seems unlikely.

You can read my post on the first few days of fashion week at the Worn Fashion Journal blog, and my next post will be up soon!

#LGFW

2011-10-19T09:34:00.002-04:00

Well, hello there! Here I am, blogging live from the office of WORN Fashion Journal! I don't really know what's going on with this outfit, it's kind of twee-goth who loves candy and creepers? Anyways, I'm here to attend some of the fashion shows as a part of LG Fashion Week and blog about them for WORN. Even though I’ve been blogging since 2006 (we call this measureof ancient time BSB or “Before Susie Bubble”) I’ve never once been invited to afashion show. Sometimes it makes me sad, but then I remember that:
1) I’ve neverlived in a “fashion capital” or even a “big city” before
2) My blog is moreabout what I’M wearing rather than about what models get paid to wear.

But times are a-changin’, and the Editor-in-Chief Serah-Marie McMahon was kind enough not only to forward all of her personal invitations over to me, but also to let me stay with her throughout the week. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the kindness of people in this world!

My first post will be up on the WORN blog in a day or two (I still have to write it, oops), but in the meantime, enjoy this hilarious photobooth picture!

In the sponsor tents there is a booth that "accessorizes" you, then takes your picture and prints it out. Whatta keepsake, thanks for the memories LGFW!

Repulsive Costume Ideas

2011-10-15T09:27:00.000-04:00

Hallowe'een, Hallowe'en, the most magical time of the year! A time for unabashed sugar consumption (check), outrageous outfits often called "costumes," decorative gourds and parties galore.

I thought that I had my Hallowe'en costume for this year under control. I planned it almost a year in advance and all I needed to do was purchase a used Insane Clown Posse t-shirt from eBay, face paint then I would be totally set and ready to be a JUGGALO.

However, I dropped the ball and totally forgot about the eBay part. Now it's too late for me to order a t-shirt because it won't arrive in time for All Hallow's Eve! Last night I was racking my brains to come up with an equally repulsive costume idea, and then it came to me... TOMMY WISEAU!

If you haven't seen The Room, then you haven't lived. All I need is to wear black and find a long scraggly black wig, sunglasses and run around yelling "YOU'RE TEARING ME APART, LISAAA!!!!!

PS - Next week I'm in Toronto covering Fashion Week for Worn Fashion Journal! I will be attending most of the shows promise to think of clever, witty things to say about them for your reading pleasure.

Hurry Up Harry

2011-10-10T16:32:00.000-04:00

So while I was away for the weekend, chilling with my parents and getting weirded out by this unseasonable summery weather, I managed to get out of the house for a mandatory small-town thrift binge. I managed two totally solid finds.

I feel like Anne Frank (but not really, because that's kind of offensive) with these wispy pigtails, Hebrew charm necklace and 1980s lace collar dress that is totally pretending its from the 1940s. The dress is long, fancy, perfect and reminds me of the Winona Ryder dress that Sunshine was kind enough to gift me earlier this year.

Also, Look at these boots! Not only are they the pentultimate 1990s boots with their square toe and chunky heel, they are also snakeskin! SNAKE SKIN. Not the actual skin of a snake, but a real snakeskin print. Can you dig it?

Votin' Day

2011-10-06T10:08:00.001-04:00

Busted out some bitchin' business-goth jams yesterday and wore black lipstick for the first time since Hallowe'en 2009! Unfortunately it was a short-lived experiment since black lipstick seems to smear all over my face after 15 minutes. Better invest in some eye, ummm, I mean lipliner! I'm wearing an American Apparel gingham button down with a pair of thrifted Club Monaco slacks that I altered to be skinny. They kind of look like Audrey Hepburn pants, right? Just me? Ok.

Worn with the most perfect vintage shoes in the history of the universe.

A big thanks to all the wonderful folks who I did zine swaps with! Angry Violinist is for string players who like their music abrasive not gentle, Sweat (the hairy leg zine) is a great zine by fellow blogger Jess and Victoria made a zine about the genius of John Hughes teen movies called If You Were Here. And it's pink! Double whammy!

It's Election Day in Ontario AND Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada, so I'm on the train home to vote and spend some time with my parents. I made myself a little playlist to listen to on the lengthy train ride home. Enjoy!

No Church in the Wild

2011-10-05T00:17:00.002-04:00

This is what I wear when I just don't give a crap: thrifted Polo Ralph Lauren button-down shirt, a pilly camel cardigan from American Apparel, new Gap jeans that I'm "breaking in" (aka I've been wearing them for 4 days straight) and the Most Comfortable Boots in the World, Blundstones. Unfortunately, neither school or fashion has been particularly enthralling lately. I mean, Kanye, why did your collection have to stink so royally? You could have paid anyone to do an awesome job for you and it still looks like an awkward mash-up between Balmain and Bebe. Eww.

However, let's get all jazzed up because I've designed the cover for issue #2 of PLANT magazine. WHEEEEE, I love it! There's going to be wicked articles on everything from Harry Potter to iPhone apps to Lady Gaga vs. Marilyn Manson plus so much more. Here's hoping it'll be available for sale by November 1st!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-10-02T13:08:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the shit hits the fan, and you decide that you really need new pants. I woke up yesterday frightfully disillusioned by all my leg coverings and decided that it was imperative that I to go to the mall and find a pair of tight yet comfortable black skinny pants. This sounds simple enough, but is actually a Herculean task when you don't have a standard body type. BODY, Y U NO FIT PANTS? It seems to me everyone has a pretty difficult time trying to find a great pair of pants. Is it some sort of retail conspiracy against big-hipped women? Luckily, these Gap skinnies fit the bill and were on sale to boot(y).

Also, it's rather entertaining that I'm wearing not one, but two designer Target collaborations! The cardigan is Rodarte for Target and the shirt is Paul & Joe for Target, which I magically thrifted.

My Take on TOMS

2011-09-28T12:42:00.001-04:00

This semester, I decided that in order to build up my credibility as a "fashion writer," I should write a fashion column for the University of Waterloo student newspaper, The Imprint. Little did the Imprint staff know, now that I'm the self-proclaimed fash-expert on campus, I am free to hurl gleeful insults at the plebes whose lack of fashion sense offends my visual sensibilities! Ok, not really. But my first article was about I think TOMS shoes are dreadfully ugly. Read on.

Tiger Woods

2011-09-26T23:35:00.001-04:00

On Sunday I finally dragged my big, cookie-eating butt out of the house, onto the Greyhound and into Toronto for the Word on the Street Festival. As a magazine culture junkie, the idea of entering a park where loads of awesome magazines are being sold for ridiculously cheap prices is akin to going on a week long coke bender. I got 3 issues of Shameless for $5 and a subscription to Maisonneuve (which is hands down one of Canada's best magazines) for $20 and that is really all that matters in life right now. Plus, I got to hang out with the awesome ladies of Worn Fashion Journal and listen to a panel on "Diversity in Fashion Magazines" (necessary) and meet the coolest cat, my favourite writer-lady Chandler Levack! All this excitement was almost to much to handle! Better than a week long coke bender!

Oh yeah, clothes. I guess I decided to cover the top half of my body in light colours and dark colours on the bottom half. I'm not really partial to sports teams but the image of a shark biting a hockey stick clean in half over a backdrop visually screaming "ATTACK!" is enough to make me a San Jose Sharks fan for life.

Soul Windows

2011-09-24T09:39:00.002-04:00

For some odd reason, I decided it would be okay to dress up like a total colour freak last Wednesday. I thought I looked like a tumblr wet dream in my floral leggings, chunky 90s loafers and huge glasses frames but instead I ran into a friend who said "Isabel, you're wearing Christmas sweaters ALREADY??" Sorry dude. Yes, the sad truth is - Christmas sweaters are an inescapable fact of my life when the weather gets chilly.

I GOT 3RD PLACE IN THE WHOINSPIRESU VIDEO CONTEST AKA $500 buckeroos to print issue #2 of PLANT magazine with. Hurrah and my deepest thanks to everyone who voted!

Camp Suds

2011-09-16T14:55:00.000-04:00

If I look suspiciously outdoorsy today, that's because I'm leaving the concrete to go camping with my friends this weekend. Goodbye cruel world! It's going to be freezing at night so layering is crucial; thermal socks, Michigan sweater, winter leggings and my toque's first appearance of the season!

A huge bear hug to everyone who has been voting for me in the WhoInspiresU video contest! Today is the last day to vote so if you want to read a fashion magazine with brains, get your vote in my midnight. It's been an amazing ride and I'm excited to see where it takes me!

Time of the Season

2011-09-15T13:10:00.000-04:00

I ordered these Black Milk leggings in the mail halfway through the summer and finally got the chance to wear them on this freakishly chilly day. Tomorrow I might even have to wear gloves! All hail the return of Fall season!! This is kind of the pentultimate Fall outfit because it combines my "schoolgirl skank" style direction with lat year's mega-goth jams. The peter pan collar dress, creepers and skeleton leggings are sending off some seriously spooky Wednesday Addams vibes to scare off everyone in my 8:30am class.

VERY IMPORTANT NEWS: Tomorrow is the very last day to vote for my feminist fashion magazine idea in the WhoInspiresU video contest!! Creating PLANT magazine was probably the most gratifying thing I've done with my life so far and I want to be able to continue creating independent, feminist media for a very long time, so funding is necessary. If you've already voted, vote again! It's easy! Thank you so very much.

Cash for Ads

2011-09-12T11:24:00.000-04:00

It's the last first day of back to school for me... ever! This is probably the first year EVER that I didn't have a cute back-to-school outfit planned out the night before, instead I just let the Rei Kawakubo goth jams wash over me this morning while I picked out this polka-dotted poet's blouse, mullet maxi skirt and creepers.

The skirt is a recent DIY of mine, I just picked out a plain black cotton maxi dress from the thrift store, cut it up, sewed the hem and voila! a whole new silhouette. We'll have to see if my last year of school has a whole new silhouette soon enough...

Also, this is the last week to vote for me every day in the WhoInspiresU video contest!! I'm fighting for my life here in the top three so every vote I get is absolutely crucial. If you love fashion, feminism and smartass critiques of pop culture than you would love PLANT magazine. Get in on it!

99 Problems

2011-09-09T17:55:00.000-04:00

This outfit definitely reflects that I've been spending a bit TOO much time studying my September issue of Vogue this year. I went thrifting yesterday and found a snakeskin print skirt, chunky loafers and a chartreuse shirt - so why not show them off all at once!

Snakeskin was all over just about every page of the September issue and though I've always been partial to leopard print, I figured that as long as the print still fits into the Animal Kingdom then it isn't to far out of my comfort zone. The shirt is some weird neon athletic bicycle shirt, but I thought that it had potential so I'm looking forward to styling it in new ways.

Chunky loafers are legit.

I'm starting my final year of University on Monday and there is only ONE WEEK LEFT to vote for me in the WhoInspiresU video contest!! I'm only in third place right now and the voting is really tight so help me hold my spot in the top 3 by voting every day! I really want this feminist fashion magazine to happen and we need this cash to make it happen. Also, spread the word! Tell your momma, poppa, grandmomma to log on to the interwebs and vote for Isabel.

To all my new readers who found me via Style Rookie, I LOVE YOU ALL.

Portrait of a Generation: The Love Parade Family Book

2011-09-01T12:02:00.001-04:00

I first read about the book "Portrait of a Generation: The Love Parade Family Book" over on James' blog Swallow Glitter, and I knew just from the hilariously clueless images he posted that I just HAD TO BUY this book. It celebrate the glory days of The Love Parade in the mid-1990s, back when it was this crazy festival that happened every year in Germany, where freaks would descend to the city of Berlin en masse and just dress really weird, get stoned and dance to techno music. Sounds like fun!

Photographer Alfred Steffen captured hundreds of kids at the Love Parade but only the most unique got published in the book. The overall aesthetic of most of the subjects is heavily dated to the 1990s raver scene, but some of the outfits are just so plain bizarre that I had to share. VIVE LA RAVE!

PS - You voted for Isabel yet today? Giddy up 'n' get going!

Nail Beds

2011-08-29T15:11:00.000-04:00

I was way excited to find this vintage Marilyn Manson t-shirt on eBay - I've been going on a total Marilyn Manson kick lately. His old music videos are so theatric and fun to watch - Lady Gaga can bite Manson's dust! The shirt came all the way from Italy and is really faded and worn-in. It must be pretty old because it's got lyrics from the Portrait of an American Family (Marilyn Manson's very first album!) on the back. Spooky stuff.

Worn with a thrifted plaid pencil skirt, and leopard sneakers from H&M, special clover pin from my boyfriend

It's a total treat to be able to send out packages of my zine to far-off places in the world, like Sweden, Germany, Australia and Poland. An eternal thank you to all the special people who have bought a copy of PLANT magazine so far. Someday we're going to get a magazine about feminism, fashion, art, politics, nature and news on the newsstands, and it's not going to tell you "20 WAYS TO PLEASE YOUR MAN" because I can guarantee that mushed banana in your hoo-ha is going to be weird, not sexy.

You can get a copy of PLANT here, and if you're looking forward to a next issue, vote here for "Isabel" (aka me) so I can get funding towards printing/distribution costs!

Spanakopita

2011-08-26T15:02:00.000-04:00

Hi, today I'm a creepily unrecognizeable cross between adult and child! I was originally wearing a plain jane outfit (pretty much this outfit, but summer-ized) but then decided that I have to "Carpe Summer" and actually wear some colour before the weather starts getting chillier than an Ice Capp.

This vintage silk dress was gifted to me a long time ago by The Stylish Wanderer and I love it, but wear it infrequently because it's...pink. I always feel so strange wearing pink, but I decided to play up the girly factor by braiding my hair, adding pink floral socks and mary-jane dance shoes. I look sweeter than cotton candy and deep-fried Mars Bars (which I was privilege enough to sample one for the bargain price of $6 -hahaha- and are DELICIOUS by the way).

For easy access, I added a 'WhoInspiresU video contest' button at the very top of my sidebar so you can "vote for Isabel" every day! It ain't over 'till the fat lady sings, on September 16th so please help a sister out and VOTE! I would put all of the winnings towards starting a fashion magazine that encourages critical thinking, feminism and ecological awareness over blind consumerism.

Majesty

2011-08-23T20:49:00.000-04:00

Look at me, so skillfully promoting PLANT magazine by holding up an issue in this outfit picture! I should be teaching Marketing 101 in no time! This outfit is rad (well, anything involving galaxy print leggings is pretty rad) but apparently "summer" isn't over yet and I can't wear leggings, long-sleeve shirts and closed-toe shoes without getting drenched in sweat. So I subsequently went home, changed into this and got catcalled like 8 times, ugh.

More importantly, I experienced what is potentially the most successful thrift haul of my life last weekend. I somehow managed to spend $100 that I really shouldn't have. The best finds of the bunch were:

Polo Ralph Lauren button-down

Snakeskin button down (totally PRA-DUH)

CAPS-LOCK WORTHY DAVID BOWIE GLITTER HOOKER PLATFORMS

[WE INTERRUPT THIS POST WITH A BRIEF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Have you voted for Isabel yet today in the WhoInspiresU video contest? Because women and girls deserve better from fashion magazines and vote for Isabel is a vote for feminism, fashion and independent media.)

Also, mega-thanks to my friend Lauren for finding this perfect fuzzy, glittery bow sweater that I will undoubtedly live in this Winter! Bam!

Stars

2011-08-19T12:47:00.004-04:00

Ok I admit it, sometimes I pretend I'm on the cover of i-D magazine while taking blog photos! Since I've been living the semi-unemployed life, it's fun to go stomping around like a mean boss in the most gothic outfits this summer can handle. The weird lace body-skirt I'm wearing was thrifted from the lingerie section while I was in high school and is one of those freaky pieces that I wear once every two years but still can't get rid of it. I should probably just send it to Tavi already, who would wear it better than me but it's just so much fun to wear. Plus, the sleeveless turtleneck dress underneath is so 90s and I'm wearing it to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon of undetermined length. It doesn't get much more perfect than that.

I'm entering the last year of my undergraduate degree and am figuring out exactly what I want to do. So far the list of super-duper meaningful activities I'd like to engage in includes:

1. Make more zines, sell advertising
2. Do yoga
3. Volunteer with Food Not Bombs
4. Write a fashion column in the school newspaper
5. Attend LG Fashion Week
6. Dumpster dive
7. Write some more

Drumroll, please!

2011-08-16T19:35:00.000-04:00

This is it, the moment you've all been waiting for... My zine is finally finished and up for sale!!! It's been a slog doing all that writing, editing and compiling of materials but I had the most fun of my life working on it and I can't wait to get started on issue #2 of PLANT magazine!

I even took a picture wearing different glasses to be extra-convincing! It's jam packed with thoughtful and hilarious commentary, including my thoughts on the SlutWalk (not so hilarious), a style profile of the lovely Sarah of Silence Sweetheart, wicked fashion photos and even an article called "Can Tea Flavours Be Sexist?" Only I am crazy enough to write that article, and I wrote the heck out of it.

I've got it for sale on Etsy in Black and White and Colour. The colour one has four pages printed in colour, the rest is black and white. It's a wee bit more expensive, but that's because colour photocopies are almost $1 per page. Damn Kinko's...

Also, has everyone been voting for me every day in the WhoInspiresU video contest?? If I win, I promise the next issue of PLANT will be bigger, better and brighter. The contest runs until September 16th and even Kurt and Courtney are voting so you should too...

Mother Nature's Son

2011-08-10T10:24:00.001-04:00

This entire outfit was thrifted in the magnificent secondhand stores of Belleville, Ont. for a mere $13. People way underestimate the quality of thrifted goods in crappy, small towns - it's always better than you think! I like how the skirt actually looks like it was made out of a curtain. The weird length and uneven hem on this thing is golden!!!

I also thrifted an amazing new pair of witch boots for Fall, which is great since my last pair pinched my toes a little too enthusiastically. The grand total? $2.50.

Do you guys remember that silly little video of me awkwardly describing my life's ambition to create a fashion magazine that encourages free thinking rather than conspicuous consumption? A magazine that treats women intelligent women with love and respect while challenging the conventions of the "fashion" industry?

It appears I am a finalist in the contest so if you think that might be a magazine you would be interested in reading, please click here to vote for me!! The voting period lasts until September 16th and you can vote once every day, so please exercise your democratic capabilities and vote for me (or whoever you think has the best idea). I love you all!

Creepy Crawly

2011-08-05T20:50:00.000-04:00

Completely exhausted after a long day at the Art Gallery of Ontario with an old friend (Hi Patrick!), but I am now the proud owner of a beautiful pair of black suede creepers!! It's kind of sad that I needed these so badly that they were haunting my dreams and I had to take a Greyhound to the closest big city to get my hands on them but they are MINE ALL MINE NOW.

In other excellent news, I think I've figured out my style direction for Fall! It's all about "schoolgirl skank" aka wearing clunky shoes, awkward school uniform socks and button-down shirts with real sexy pencil skirts. Like that fast kind of girl who brings a change of clothes in her backpack every day so she can dress to impress...

Kool Thing

2011-08-02T22:50:00.003-04:00

Apathy about summer dressing and fashion in general is actually doing something for me. I couldn't be bothered to put on anything more complicated or interesting than this black racerback tank dress, but this is probably my favourite outfit I've worn in a while. I'm all about the weird socks and clunky, thick-soled shoes and things don't need to get much more complicated than that.

My outfit described by miscellaneous objects: evil eyes, Wedgwood china and fruity Mentos.

Also, my reclaimed inspiration could very well have to do with my incessant viewing of the Sonic Youth music video for Kool Thing.

View a range of stylish ladies jeans at www.ellos.co.uk/ with free UK delivery and the option to buy now and pay later. Visit Ellos.co.uk today for ladies, mens and kids fashion.

Boring Outfit

2011-07-31T11:45:00.000-04:00

Cut me a break, dudes.

Movie Review: Dig!

2011-07-31T11:44:00.001-04:00

On a Tumblr recommendation from Kaye, I watched the Brian Jonestown Massacre/Dandy Warhols documentary Dig!, detailing the friendship, rivalry and fallout of the two bands. I have been a massive Dandy Warhols fan since high school so I jumped at the chance to watch a film about them but ended up getting totally sucked into the dark world of the Brian Jonestown Massacre.

Anton Newcombe of the BJM is a totally fucked-up weirdo who writes really good music and also dresses like a prophet.

Joel Gion is a hilarious man whose collection of bizarre sunglasses I totally envy.

Jeff Davies wears rad barrettes and I'm totally jealous of his hair.

...and of course, I would never leave out the magnificent Dandy Warhols!!

Zia McCabe is my spirit animal

Kelley Deal from the Breeders makes a cameo appearance!!

Dude, can I have that shirt??

Damn good stuff. Off to listen to Give It Back and Thank God for Mental Illness, over and out.

Storm Princess

2011-07-29T12:47:00.000-04:00

...and continuing on with the "summer of not giving a shit," I quit my job. It kind of feels good, but would be better if I didn't have to find a new one. I think I want to dye my hair a dark blonde. Would that be weird?? It's something I've never done before so I'm itching to give it a try. Neophilia at its finest.

Also, I'm going crazy thinking of all the wicked outfits I would be putting together IF ONLY I had this pair of creepers. I'm desirous of anything with a thick platform sole, really.

Silent Rager

2011-07-27T19:28:00.000-04:00

I've found myself increasingly interested in dressing, well, like an ADULT lately. Sorry fashun blog, but I'm 21, independent, perpetually grumpy and just not in the mood for anything that doesn't involve my partner or my career.

This outfit is kind of channeling the 1950s, a decade I've never been particularly interested. Yet I find myself drawn to the feminine power espoused by tight pencil skirts, high heels and pearls. But of course, I couldn't wear a stuffy, plain string of pearls. This evil eye fake pearl necklace courtesy of China Originality is much more up my alley.

The 1970s platforms are an auspicious shoe. The woman who ran the vintage store I bought them at (Patina Vintage) told me they used to belong to the editor of Chatelaine Magazine back in the day, so I call them my Editor Shoes. They are also really loud, and people can hear me clip-clopping along from metres away. AREN'T THEY BOSS??

Food for Thought

2011-07-25T22:45:00.002-04:00

Severe Anarchy/Black and White/Food for Thought

Teen Movies from 1999

2011-07-19T22:15:00.001-04:00

It is basically too hot to move, think or do anything requiring even the most basic intellectual capacity. Needless to say, I've spent most of my free time shamelessly indulging in the guiltiest of pleasures: the 1990s teen movie. The 'teen movie' is an art in itself, requiring the perfect combination of "weirdo alterna-girl main character," "awkward prom scene" and "unlikely love interest." The year 1999 was a high point in the canon of teen movies, and I've documented some of my favourites with screenshots for your viewing pleasure.

Jawbreaker is probably the most disturbing film of the bunch. It stars Rose McGowan as a hot yet remorseless teenage murderer and features a freaky sex cameo from Marilyn Manson! Almost like an unfunny, brutalistic Mean Girls?

Completely obsessed with nerd girl Fern Mayo, who is totally played by the same actress as Kitty from Arrested Development!

Does Marilyn Manson have a better cameo in Jawbreaker or Party Monster? The jury is still out!

Best prom scene ever.

Never Been Kissed, starring 90s hero Drew Barrymore as a journalist who goes back to high school to infiltrate the popular crowd and falls in love with a hot teacher along the way.

Leelee Sobieski is the cute math nerd with awesome barrettes, floral shirts and glasses.

Costume-themed prom!!

Look at these two adorable ones!!

She's All That is the quintessential 'teen' movie, which really means that it got its guts ripped out by Not Another Teen Movie. Rachel Leigh Cook's Lainey Boggs is totally the vanilla high school version of Winona Ryder in Reality Bites. She plays an adorable arty girl who is ignored in school until the "popular guy" hinges a bet on turning her into the prom queen.

Performance art.

Clunky heels + no glasses = the seminal "transformation."

10 Things I Hate About You is apparently based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, with Julia Stiles playing an antisocial teen feminist named Kat (aka me in high school). If you don't watch it for Kat's sassy quips, watch it because Heath Ledger is really, really sexy.

Teenage Bedroom porn.

Tie-dye riot grrrl.

Dude, I NEED her shirt.

Paintball makeouts.

Moldy Voldy

2011-07-17T22:10:00.001-04:00

I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 on Saturday, and dressed up like a true fan. The lace cape, large frames and eyeliner scar are a weird combination of Bellatrix Lestrange, Sybil Trelawney and Harry himself. Of course, I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone but 2 hours felt too short! Like a true addict, I just cannot get enough Harry Potter. It's so tragic to have grown up with the series, and now experience it coming to an end.

Look at how adorable these kids used to be.

Now, HOT DAMN!!

Jesus Fever

2011-07-15T10:26:00.003-04:00

I'm wearing Birkenstocks again and I'm too lazy to wash my hair so I put it in a messy side braid and it still manages to look ok. Thanks Summer, for setting the bar ridiculously low in terms of the amount of effort I need to put into my appearance. In other news, Jesus Fever by Kurt Vile may in fact be the most perfect song ever recorded, and it's been making me deliriously happy on repeat for days.

I've been spending almost all of my free time devoted to working diligently on my magazine. There's going to be so much good stuff in it, you guys!! Do you think I should start a Kickstarter project for it to raise funds?

Also, I've been experimenting with different ways of recording my outfits, which somehow seem more authentic than a full-body pic.

Check out ellos great range of birkenstocks, visit the site now to see the full range and browse the rest of their amazing affordable fashion lines all available on buy now pay later.

Webcam Mutha

2011-07-14T12:17:00.000-04:00

Fiiiinally got my copy of Sophie's Cam Girls zine in the mail after the Great Canadian Postal Strike of 2011/Biggest Pain in the Ass Ever. It's marvelous and features the grainy webcam photos of all yr favourite mysterious Tumblr girls, including yours truly.

Keeping with the spirit of things, here are some webcam photos of what I wear on the days I don't do outfit posts.

Bills, Bills, Bills

2011-07-12T09:14:00.002-04:00

I’ve been in a real style rut these days, not wanting to blog or anything. I can’t afford to buy new clothes, and not that money = style by any means, I just haven’t come up with NEW, FASCINATING outfit ideas in a while.

My feet got really torn up and blistered over the weekend, so all I can wear on my feet are Birkenstocks. I got my first and only pair of Birkenstocks four years ago and they're the only pair of sandals I own. But its not so bad because Birkenstocks are hip now! The proof is in the pudding. Just look at this goddess woman, giving you an icy staredown for ever having thought orthopedic sandals were uncool. Yeah, that's right.

If you are feeling financial strain at the moment, visit ellos where you can buy now and pay installments, ellos has a huge collection of women and mens fashion all at very good prices.

Baby was a black sheep.

2011-07-07T11:02:00.000-04:00

The breezy simplicity of crop tops paired with blue jeans has come to define my summer uniform as of late. It's too hot to put exacting thought into what I wear but the simple combination always seems to work. This outfit puts a certain kind of swagger in my step, I feel super confident and on top of the world in my lace crop top, ripped Levis and vintage brogues.

Just a thought: are high-waisted jeans still considered a 'trend'? I ditched my low-riders years ago, because they reminded me of the glitter bell-bottom flares of my adolescence. I think there's about one pair of low-waisted pants remaining in my wardrobe and I never wear them anymore because they feel weird.

I'm currently engrossed in the book Just Kids by Patti Smith. It was suggested to me by my best friend, and is hands down the best book I've read all year. It's beautifully written and it reads like a novel, except that it's real life! Patti was my absolute favourite back when I was in high school and her life stories are compelling, fascinating and inspiring. Total recommended reading.

Pride Toronto 2011

2011-07-04T18:25:00.000-04:00

To all my LGBTTIQQ2SA readers;
1. I love, love you
2. Damn you know how to throw a party!

For those in the know, last week was Pride week and Sunday marked the Annual Pride Parade in Toronto which is a huge attraction to the city. The almost certainly homophobic Mayor of Toronto Rob Ford was not in attendance, but I most certainly was, marching in the parade and pumping up the crowds with the University of Waterloo contingent. It was a surreal people-watching experience, the crowds were massive and I haven't seen that many people gathered in one place since I saw an American college football game. Overall, there was such an atmosphere of acceptance, self-love and general positive vibes that it more than sucks to recognize that there are folks who still suffer as victims of hate crimes just because of their sexuality. One might criticize Pride for its mainstream co-optation of underground gay culture, but all in all I was just happy to be there.

Massive crowds

Where is Rob Ford?

Eatin' an apple in Allan Gardens

Check my Bikini Kill lyrics flag: "I believe in the radical possibilities of pleasure, babe."

Deua and Marlon takin' it in on Church St.

Post-parade, pre-sunstroke relaxation times

SUPER DUPER PRIDE FASHION INSPIRATION

Elton John, is dat u?

Their matching Willy Wonka-esque coupledom was so cute!! The boots killed me.

The shoe game here is unreal!!

Happy Canada Day!

2011-07-01T08:06:00.000-04:00

Its Canada Day, hurray! Let's burn down Parliament and start a Canadian riot - Vancouver started the celebrating early! Just kidding, I love Canada! Anyways, sorry I look like a nerdy professor, but I'm preoccupied by pretending that it's 1967 and Canada is celebrating its Centennial rather than its boring old 142nd anniversary. Nobody pays attention to 142! However, Kate and William are in Ottawa for the weekend and I am devastated to be missing out on my slice of the Royal action!!

On a completely unrelated note, my new 90s girlcrush spirit animal woman ins LISA LOEB. Does anyone remember her song? No? Well that's because it sucks. But if you watch the video without sound she is so adorable and bespectacled and her aesthetic defines my life. THE END.

Dark Fantasy

2011-06-29T19:08:00.000-04:00

Hel-looks, Mermaid Hair, Everyday Inspiration, Kay Kasparhauser Goldberg's Pixies tattoo, Alison #1 by Shelby Seu, Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg from Sea of Shoes

Creed lives by the quarry.

2011-06-27T20:03:00.000-04:00

I managed to do some super serious epic thrifting this weekend, and emerged from Value Village unscathed with a few solid gold finds. Also, I apologize to any and all manifestations of summer for my complete and utter inability to wear colour.

1. Navy 'Modrobes' skirt, which is size Large and so huge on me that it makes a tulip shape when I adjust the best buckle waistband. It's a total throwback to 1999, when pretty much every kid in public school owned a pair of crayola-coloured Modrobes hospital pants. I conducted a short lived nostalgic experiment involving a thrifted pair of purple Modrobes in first-year University, but I think this skirt is here to stay.

2. 1990s throwback platform sandals. I've been scouring eBay for a pair of dark brown Kork Ease sandals in my size, but to no avail - not that it would matter with this bloody Canada Post strike. Anyways, these squishy platforms are almost exactly what I've been looking for. I wore them yesterday (with jeans) and they felt like walking on marshmallows, but today they chewed up my feet and spit them out.

3. The ORIGINAL Royal Wedding mug, with Charles and Diana. I was so excited to find this piece of retro Royalty kitsch, until my friend shot me down by saying; "Isabel, that mug is making me sad because they got divorced and now she's dead."

Leopard vs. Cheetah

2011-06-25T10:26:00.000-04:00

What is the difference between leopard print an cheetah print? I often hear the terms 'leopard' and 'cheetah' used interchangeably to describe my outfits on multiple occasions. But don't get lazy and fall into the trap of animal nonrecognition!

Leopards have uneven rosette-shaped spots.

Cheetahs have solid colour polka dot spots.

People who get it wrong time after time make me feel like this.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask this guy.

Bands I Like Enough To Own T-Shirts Of

2011-06-24T14:04:00.000-04:00

These band shirts are sort of like a time capsule of my musical tastes. They're all bands I was super into in high school and early University, back in the days when I still bought and wore t-shirts on a regular basis. It's like, where is my Smiths t-shirt? Oh yeah, I didn't really listen to them when I was in my band shirt phase. Now I don't wear t-shirts very much anymore unless I'm feeling super lazy.

Pixies shirt from eBay

Black Flag shirt from eBay

David Bowie shirt, thrifted and cut into a crop top by moi.

Joy Division, also from eBay

There is an entire section of my closet devoted to Nirvana t-shirts, and funnily enough they were all gifts. This one was given to me by one of my high school friends, Jerrica.

The vintage 'Come As You Are' Nirvana tee was a gift from Elizabeth. It is super beat up and full of holes and is my favourite t-shirt of all time.

The Kurtney tee was a gift from Heartsrevolution.

I did a post a long time ago entitled 'In which I discuss life-defining music'. Everything I wrote back in 2009 still resonates with me today. In terms of blogging I think it is one of my finest works.

T-shirts absent from this photo session: PJ Harvey, Minor Threat, KMFDM.

Spill Everywhere

2011-06-22T17:57:00.001-04:00

I finally am in possession of a rad new pair of spectacles, after the tragic demise of my former pair of frames. I am currently busy rejoicing in a state of utter ecstasy over this fact. Having to wear really ugly glasses that I couldn't even see out of properly was brutal!

I wanted to debut them with the least cat-lady outfit possible, because when I wear them with my usual granny style, lets just say I'm prepared to have legions of feral tabbies clawing at my door in search of affection. So instead I'm wearing them with this really trash bag outfit because its summer and I'm lazy. I probably look like an extra from the cast of This Is England, but the American Apparel mom jeans are the most perfect/awkward pantaloons that have ever graced my body. Crop tops with high-waisted pants are my favourite, even though they pose the (not really problematic) issue of PEEKABOO TATTOO!

Deal with it.

Fashion in the Wilderness

2011-06-19T15:06:00.000-04:00

When you're living out of a backpack for longer than a month, you start to come up with some pretty crazy combinations for the 6 clothing items you brought with you. All of a sudden, Halloween socks were socially acceptable in the middle of May and it was more than natural to pair them with a thrift store Phoenix sweater and Adidas shorts. I wanted to share some of the photos from my time in British Columbia with you all, not only for the beautiful natural scenery but also for my hilarious getups! I swear that for the rest of my days, I won't be able to wear my Black Flag shirt without remembering backpacking in Valhalla Provincial Park.

I was known for wearing tie-dye...all the time. I was always wearing either my tie-dye shirt or my tie-dye leggings, and everyone kept urging me to wear them together!! The tie-dye suit never materialized (I do have some shreds of dignity still clinging to my ego) but I will henceforth refer to all tie-dye outfits as a "camping tuxedo." Like a Canadian tuxedo but weirder.

The Emancipation of My Former Frames

2011-06-16T17:46:00.000-04:00

Notice anything different? The crop top, Doc Martens and floral skirt are standard issue - its the glasses that aren't quite right. A few weeks ago, my wonderful glasses had a run-in with an errant foot and came out defeated. My dad patched them up but they were bound to break again and now I'm stuck wearing these awful glasses that not only are a tragic reminder of my high school days, but aren't even the right prescription!

Tragedy strikes!

Picked myself out a pair of subtle cat eyes that I'll be rocking soon enough!

Hazards of Love

2011-06-13T13:41:00.000-04:00

Just like the clothing I wear, the way I choose to decorate my bedroom is undeniably an extension of my personality. I'm absolutely obsessed with Teenage Bedroom, and seeing how other people decorate their rooms! Minimalism is cool and all, but I don't feel at home unless my walls are covered in a busy array of colours and shapes. The theme of my new room is maps! I've got a world map, Medieval England map, Southern California map and Western Canada map and they make me feel at home.

Thankfully, I'm no longer living in a dingy basement (which I nicknamed the Bat Cave) so I'll have to think a little bit harder about what to name my room this time. Perhaps, the Tiger Lily is more suitable?

Just above my bed: Medieval England, Kurt Cobain, witch card, Vagina Monologues poster, Vogue editorial and PJ Harvey.

My homage to the Queen, clothing, The Smiths and Minor Threat.

Work Space: World map, National Geographic California map, shoe organizer. And what is behind the shoe organizer, you may ask?

A walk-in closet, I do declare!!
BEST ROOM EVER.

Idyllia

2011-06-11T10:17:00.000-04:00

A new day, a new picture-taking spot. As you probably suspect, I moved out of the Bat Cave into a new house (the 3rd house in 3 years) and have been taking my time decorating the place. I should probably stressed but I'm not. Maybe its the Decemberists on repeat, the day-long electricity outage or the inner peace, but life after camping is idyllic as can be.

Just taking the time to actually enjoy the summer weather right now by enjoying the simple things, like drinking Sidral Mundet apple-flavoured soda and hanging out with rusty-winged Promethea moths.

Living With Less

2011-06-07T15:16:00.000-04:00

Or, "I went camping in British Columbia for five weeks and all I got was this lousy armpit hair."

So I'm kind of going through a major transition phase right now. In case you couldn't tell, about 95% of the blog posts I made in the last month were scheduled posts I wrote before leaving because I didn't want to go camping and come back to a blog filled with tumbleweeds, reader population: zero. But the truth is, does it even really matter?

For the past five weeks, I lived out of a 65L backpack with about 6 articles of clothing and 2 pairs of shoes, sleeping outside in tents, falling asleep at dark and rising with the sun. I stopped shaving my armpits and peed in the woods and campground outhouses. Not very glamorous, I know, but it was hands down one of the best experiences of my adult life. I am no longer rotting from the inside out, and feel more in tune with the wondrous beauty of nature. There is an indescribably affinity, a little bit of myself within the peeling bark of Arbutus trees and the pockmarks of salt-eroded rock that I will never let go of.

I ended up bringing one 'city' outfit for when we were in Vancouver. It was this semi-creepy thrift store polka dot dress with a peter pan collar and it came in really handy for those days when I got sick of wearing Adidas track pants for days on end.

Tomorrow I'm taking the plane home back to Ontario. Back to work, back to life, back to responsibilities, financial woes and Twitter updates. Not that I'm complaining at all - there's a lot of people, places and things that I love back in Ontario, I'm simply ready to look at life with a new level of self-awareness.

I've decided that my ecofeminist-themed magazine is a go regardless of funding, and I plan to start creating content for it as soon as I have regular internet access once more.
Now all I have to do is re-shave my head, move into my new house, buy a new camera to replace my crappy old one that broke on the trip, and receive some cool pieces in the mail from Egocloset and I am a new woman.

Courtney Love in The People vs Larry Flynt

2011-06-02T13:01:00.000-04:00

My boyfriend gave me a copy of The People vs. Larry Flynt to watch about a month ago because he knows I'm a Courtney fan, and I took about a trillion screencaps of all her amazing stripper-esque outfits. It's awesome how Courtney's character Althea morphs from a stripper with a heart of gold to a bondage fetish dope junkie who looks like she belongs on VampireFreaks.com throughout the course of the movie.For your viewing pleasure:

Knight Bus

2011-05-28T20:23:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the real big city of Vancouver, BC! In my absence from the internet, I wore only tie-dye for two weeks, paddled a canoe for five days, ate way too much hummus and fell in love with Hazards of Love by The Decemberists. This ridiculous outfit was thrifted entirely in the Okanagan Valley, more specifically Penticton, BC. The old ladies running the store went wild when they saw me trying on the shirt, they absolutely loved it and used the word "zazzy." According to the label its an original "Western Collection Styles" and I like to imagine the previous owner travelled around in horse shows and excelled at barrel jumping in this lacey fringe number.

Let me tell you, West Coast thrifting is damn good. I have a few unbelievably ridiculous finds that I will reveal at a later date!

All my fellow Potter-ites will be excited to hear that I rode the Knight bus to downtown Vancouver. Need photographic evidence? Look no further.

Ravers and Geeks

2011-05-24T11:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the stark underbelly of the internet can unearth some shocking discoveries. Like how a picture of 90s club kids in New York City bears an uncanny resemblance to this promotional cast photo of everybody`s favourite 'cancelled-after-one-season' tv show Freaks and Geeks! Am I right, people??

Kim Kelly is getting awfully chummy with pajama-clad Neal Schweiber here. And Bill without glasses is almost unrecognizeable!

Inspiration: Odd Girls

2011-05-18T13:04:00.000-04:00

Any girl who is strange, weird or just a little bit 'off' according to the rest of the world. To me, they're just awesome.

Kay Kasparhauser Goldberg, RISD fashion design student

Allison Harvard, artist and America's Next Top Model contestant

Wednesday Addams

Enid Coleslaw

All members of Hole, past and present

Liza Thorn, lead singer of BRIDEZ

Ginger and Brigitte of Ginger Snaps

PJ Harvey, Queen of my World

Unshowered Masses

2011-05-14T00:34:00.000-04:00

In a stroke of incredible luck, I found this colourful embroidered poncho in one of the rooms of the hippie lodge I'm currently staying at in BC. The embroidery is so intricate and beautiful that I just had to get a picture of myself wearing it, even though its not mine to keep. It made me want to prance outside in the natural world.

Speaking of prancing, I spent the last week rocking the unshowered look while camping in Valhalla Provincial Park. At the beginning of the trip carrying the weight of a massive backpack made me want to blow up things, but by the end, I was a tough as a mountain goat, displaying agility on those precarious rocky trails! Soon we're moving on to the Okanagan Valley, see you on the flip side.

In the Company of Moms

2011-05-11T15:01:00.000-04:00

I definitely get a lot of weird looks every time I step out into the streets wearing mom jeans. Luckily, I haven`t received any death threats, but it seems like not too many people appreciate the high-waisted, pancake-ass chic. We need to start a revolution for worldwide tolerance of mom jeans right now! Just look at all the amazing ladies who agree with me:

Julia Dunstall!

Paula Yates, mother of wee Peaches Geldof in the Minnie Mouse dress!

Some angry-ass random model!

Courtney Love!!! (With underboob slightly visible in that scandalous crop top)

WINONA RYDER!!

Nelson, BC

2011-05-08T00:34:00.000-04:00

We finally got out of the wilderness for a bit and spent the day hanging around Nelson, BC. It's a pretty small city but the downtown is this amazingly vibrant hippie haven. Someone should seriously start a "Nelson Street Style" blog and just take pictures of all the gnarly hippies wearing lace pants, tabi boots and ponchos. I tried and failed to fit in by wearing my ridiculous thrifted tie-dye long sleeve shirt but had lots of fun just soaking in the Nelson 'culture' by visiting the huge food co-op and eating at a vegetarian restaurant. I was so excited to see a wall painted with different musicals, especially my childhood favourite The Wizard of Oz and figured it was the perfect outfit photo-op!

My new favourite book.

Beautiful British Columbia

2011-05-04T16:19:00.000-04:00

No Shooting!

This post is coming to you LIVE from 'Beautiful British Columbia', or so the license plates would leave you to believe. There's something a little...intoxicating about waking up facing a huge mountain covered in lush trees, because that's not something that ever happens in Ontario. Or should I say, 'Onterrible'? Anyways, I packed as light as possible which is really messing with my fashion game, but yesterday I wore my Black Flag shirt with tie-dye leggings and thrifted Keds knockoffs on a brief morning walk, where we encountered this genius 'No Shooting' rock.

Just an example of the scenery...

My fabulously creative and artistically gifted name tag...

Brand New Life

2011-05-02T07:19:00.002-04:00

So its May 2nd, which means ELECTION DAY if you're a resident of that bounteous nation where maple syrup flows free. I mean Canada, duh. I tend to have pretty strong political opinions, and so here is a public service announcement to fight apathy. Vote! Please! Preferably not for Stephen Harper! It would be dumb to deny yourself the opportunity to participate in democratic society so as long as you're eligible, take the ten minutes out of your day and go vote! Even if you don't consider yourself 'well-educated' on the issues at hands, just go with your gut instinct.

Today is also the day I board a plane Westward to British Columbia, to embark on my latest travel adventure. I'm backpacking for five weeks and can't wait to be surrounded by the natural beauty of the Rockies. I'll be leaving behind regular internet connectivity and all semblances of fashion for longer than I feel comfortable with, but it's all about pushing boundaries your own, right? I mean I'm really pushing the boundaries of fashion with these hiking boots (thrifted, $13). The phoenix sweater will be there to be my spirit guide every step of the way.

So see you on the flip side! In the meantime, check out my weird girl mug in the latest and greatest video blog I made!! It's an entry for the Whoinspiresu.ca contest sponsored by TriCylen-Lo and I have the chance to win a whopping ten grand if my video gets chosen. Send me positive brainwaves!

Menno Simons

2011-04-29T17:15:00.000-04:00

Its a well-known fact that the Kitchener-Waterloo region has a pretty substantial Mennonite population. Last week I saw a Mennonite woman wearing an awkward-length floral dress with puffy shoulders with heavy work boots and it came across as more riot grrrl than religious minority. Anyways, this outfit is minimally inspired by some of the Mennonites I see around town while running errands. The skirt might be a bit scandalous but everything else looks I just finished up my farm chores. So maybe I dress more like a Mennonite than I care to admit, but that's okay.

April 29th: The Royal Wedding Day

2011-04-26T16:52:00.001-04:00

EDIT: I should have known that coming from a fierce line of Royalists, I would be dragged out of bed at 5am by my giddy mother to watch the nuptials of Prince William to Kate Middleton. It was probably good that I had low expectations because when Kate emerged in that frothy Alexander McQueen dress I was completely blown away. Alexander McQueen has a tendency to do that I guess. Anyways, she looked completely amazing and I have nothing but positive vibes for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

For anyone who has been reading this blog for a long time, you will know that I have a long-standing enthusiasm for the British Royal Family. It has nothing to do with politics, mostly just an aesthetic appreciation for everything ostentatious. Seeing Queen Elizabeth II in the flesh last summer was the single greatest excitement of my adult life (tied with seeing The Pixies live), so it would be safe to assume I’m really excited about this Royal Wedding razzamatazz, right? Wrong.

Why is this? It’s because Kate Middleton is boring! I would never criticize Prince William’s choice of partner and I’m sure she’s a nice girl and all, but that’s exactly the problem. Kate always plays it safe in the wardrobe department, and literally everything she wears is the visual equivalent of Ambien. I don’t care what she wears to the wedding because its going to be ‘pretty’, and ‘classic’ and….yawn. Wait, did I just fall asleep writing that sentence? Oh God.

Princess Diana was a rad lady with unreal charisma who really pulled out all the stops with that 25 foot train on her wedding dress. They had a horse and carriage, making her the real version Cinderella. And did I mention she was only twenty at the time of he marriage in 1981? I’m pretty sure Princess Diana was entirely responsible for my childhood aspirations of Princess-hood.

Needless to say, I will not be staying up until 3am to watch this blathering event that will only disappoint me anyways.

Pretty Things

2011-04-25T21:02:00.000-04:00

Photos from tumblr, Beckerman Bite Plate, Elena Kanagy-Loux on Stylelikeu, Bryan Lewis Saunders' self-portrait painted while under the influence of crystal meth, screenshot from The Weather Underground, screenshot from There Is No Authority But Yourself

Mirage Son

2011-04-23T17:28:00.001-04:00

I was all ready to go out wearing an entirely different outfit, but decided I had to run in and change because this perfect Spring weather is deserving of a perfect Spring coat. It's a vintage Burberry trench that I found in my Grandma's closet years ago, and I pretty much never wear it. The yellow is so vibrant that I almost want to wear it out on Halloween in tribute to the Bluth Banana Stand from Arrested Development, but I've already decided to go as a Juggalo. Also, it would be great if I didn't look so miserable in this picture but I happen to suffer from the affliction of chronic bitchface.

Reply All

2011-04-21T17:14:00.000-04:00

Third year University has finally wrapped up and I'm currently nestled at home, recovering from caffeine withdrawal and missing my loved one(s) terribly. But the great thing about coming home (besides free food) is that my mom has started pawning off all of her old clothing on me. This 'popcorn stitch' sweater was something she knit for herself when she was around my age and its been sitting in a drawer for 20+ years. I'm also stoked to add this fancy pants necklace to my evil eye necklace collection, courtesy of China Originality. They must've know about my evil eye obsession when they offered it to me. I got an earring too, because badass haircuts require badass earrings to match.

Rad House

2011-04-16T16:43:00.000-04:00

So I went to Toronto last week to do bloggy-blog stuff and stumbled upon the most utterly perfect, life-defining dress at Zara. I couldn't afford it but OOPS had to buy it anyway, because it is literally everything I have ever wanted in a dress.

You get to look at two picture of me and my silly new haircut just because I love this dress so much. I've been wearing it with my H&M cropped cardigan sweater which I basically wear every day because the cut is great and it has elbow patches. I've always been a huge sucker for elbow patches even though that's never been reflected in my wardrobe before.

Also, a huge thank you to the Houndstooth Bunny for drawing such a cute picture of me wearing this outfit! Its super cute and I love it and I hope you keep drawing!

Act Your Age

2011-04-12T16:45:00.000-04:00

Getting a drastic haircut is something that should be on every alternative college kid's bucket list of things to do before they graduate. No really, it says so right here on Chandler Levack's twitter! So I took the plunge and went for the Alice Dellal-inspired undercut. I think it only qualifies as a semi-drastic haircut because its pretty tame right now but I might get my friend to shave some more off this weekend. Sorry, mom and dad!

Doll Parts

2011-04-11T11:22:00.000-04:00

Today I feel like a schoolmarm in this wide collar dress, smart brogues and hair held tightly in a bun. I bought the dress when Cheapskate Chic was selling a few choice items. Its so proper, and yet naughty at the same time because its so transparent that I have to wear this lacy vintage slip with it.

School is almost finished and I couldn't be more pleased! Also, I will be in British Columbia for five weeks starting in May doing this hippie social justice/ecology-based field school called the Redfish School of Change. Afterwards I'm looking to spend a few days in either Vancouver or Victoria so if your home base is the West Coast I would really appreciate some travel tips on cool things I can see/do in those two cities while I'm there!

Funny Face

2011-04-09T14:29:00.000-04:00

Yowza. There's just something about Spring that inspires me to let my freak flag fly. It might have something to do with being able to wear my granny floral shoes without having to worry about trudging through ankle deep snow! Even though I'm just bumming around writing take-home exams today, I felt the unexplainable urge to wear flounces and florals, so I pulled out my Rodarte for Target cardigan and paired it with my Comme des Garcons shirt to successfully transform from my pyjama-clad self to my fabulous self! The skirt and tights are American Apparel and the granny tapestry shoes are awesome. I mean, thrifted.

Life is good, yeah.

Champs Elysee

2011-04-07T11:16:00.000-04:00

I decided to dress like a hip lumberjack today, because looking comfortably decent is the only way I'm going to make it through exams at this rate. Blech! The buffalo plaid shirt is thrifted, worn with American Apparel riding pants and suede ankle boots. It would be nice if the boots didn't look like black garbage bags encircling my feet in this picture, because they're really quite sleek and Margiela-esque in real life. By Margiela-esque, I mean they look like these:

Gossip Gossip

2011-04-03T22:23:00.001-04:00

You learn something new about yourself almost every day. Apparently I am a huge hip hop fan, because I cannot stop listening to Kanye West's new album. After a lifetime loyalty to punk/indie rock, this is kind of weird yet totally refreshing. Monster is my ultimate jam song of the moment, it's so catchy I can't even! I even found this great article called "Is Nicki Minaj a Feminist Icon?" that deconstructs her verse in Monster line by line. Definitely recommended reading.

Cities in Dust

2011-03-31T11:24:00.001-04:00

This is what I mean by my new Spring style direction: "Lolita Goes to Church". The pink shirt and striped miniskirt are both really cute and feminine, but also kinda wrinkly which suggests everything is not as it initially seems. The dark hidden reality underneath a candy shell exterior, CAN YOU HANDLE IT? Wow, I really need to translate that into a theme song.

Anyways, some of you may have seen this already but I wrote an article for Shameless Magazine entitled "Batman, Pass Me My Man Repellent Spray!" It's my take on the inherent internalized misogyny of constantly referring to your clothing in the context of male sexual attraction. I'm not trying to be a "hater", just providing a critical analysis of some inherent feminist problems with the blog. Also, its kind of funny so go read it now!

These Days

2011-03-29T16:53:00.001-04:00

Sunday's outfit: super duper grandpa pants, hand-knit sweater and brown oxford brogues. Come to think of it, it's almost identical to this outfit I wore way back in November 2009 except with less awkward hair and classier shoes. It seems there is something about this sweater that really makes me want to break out the weird jewelery combinations. These necklaces are like Carrie Bradshaw if she were a superstitious grunge fan?

Also, I've been wearing the same outfit for two days now but the ruffled peter pan collar is definitely worth a mention. My style direction for Spring is moving from "Goth Jams" to "Lolita goes to Church."

Got yr boyfriend feelin' like a groupie.

2011-03-26T14:33:00.000-04:00

For what can only be explained as biological reasons, I've been feeling the urge to dress up like its Spring even though the presence of snow suggests that it is clearly still WINTER for all intents and purposes. (Blame Canada!) I just want to bum around in colourful tie-dye and too-tight jeans in the most perfect shade of sugar Peeps yellow. The delightful presence of pastel colours has even coaxed my bellybutton out of hiding!

Speaking of sugar Peeps and candy in general, I just realized that the Hershey's Kisses I've been eating match this outfit perfectly.

Oh! And a friendly reminder to all the Earth-conscious out there to participate in Earth Hour by turning off your lights and appliances at 8:30pm, regardless of time zone. I'll be celebrating Earth Hour by participating in candlelight yoga. If you can't think of anything to do then just take a nap! Or start drinking, it is Saturday night after all.

Give 'Em Whiplash

2011-03-23T11:50:00.000-04:00

So after a week of lovely Spring weather, Mother Nature Satan Beast has cursed the Waterloo region once again with subzero temperatures and snowy blizzards that don't come from Dairy Queen. Of course, I had completely forgotten how to dress for winter in that intermittent period of sun. I put on my oversize forest green cocoon sweater and was unhappy with how it looked until I had the genius idea of pairing it with... leopard print! There is just something about shirts with collars and jazzy prints that turn gross slobby outfits into things of beauty.

Also, I got a new pair of frames courtesy of American Apparel. What do you think? I'm not sure they'll replace my Burberry frames as everyday glasses but they sure are awesome for 1960s dress-up parties, and whenever I want to feel like a vintage postcard.

Holding Me Up

2011-03-20T15:31:00.000-04:00

Brushed out my curls, feelin' like a free-flowing hippie in an orange paisley minidress. I was originally going to pair it with nude tights, but then decided to jungle-fy the outfit with leopard tights. The tights are already awesome because they are leopard print, but the fact that they are SPARKLY is just too good to be true. Worn with omnipresent black ankle boots. Usually I wear my Blundstones, but I'm fancy today because these ones have heels and are made of nice suede.

Also, the Dandy Warhols are the greatest. That is all.

Snakes + Ireland

2011-03-17T20:26:00.000-04:00

Happy carousing to everyone on this marvelous St. Patrick's Day! The weather is unbelievably warm/sunny and I don't have a million assignments due (that's in two weeks) so I am celebrating the crap out of it. I figured this t-shirt was perfect to wear because it is green and beer-themed, and couldn't help but pair it with offensively matching tights.

My neighbours are having a porch kegger and definitely have been celebrating since noon. Eating green cupcakes like its my job, natch.

Who knows where today will lead? Maybe over the rainbow to a pot of gold! Hee hee!

Pumped Up Kicks

2011-03-16T17:58:00.000-04:00

Bought this cheap dress during a retail therapy session at H&M yesterday. I probably have three similar ones already but I guess you can't help what you're drawn to. Simple cotton black dresses are perfect for pairing with the wacky tights I so adore, like these Black Milk nebula numbers - definitely a staple in my wardrobe.

Wore both of my evil eye necklaces today, because I could really use the extra protection.

Also, I saw there was a 'Mendhi Fundraiser' in the student commons on campus today so I thought; "why the hell not?"

The Model

2011-03-14T12:04:00.000-04:00

As subtle as they are, I based today's outfit around the frill ankle socks I am wearing on my feet. But I didn't want to look like I got lost in Candyland (aka Katy Perry's awful video for California Gurls, pardon the repulsive intentional misspelling) so I wore it with my goth jams sequin ribcage dress. Rodarte for Target has got me covered in the 'weird' department, I can clarify that.

I've been obsessively listening to Big Black for the past little while. Steve Albini has done the sound engineering for some of my favourite bands ever (Pixies, Nirvana, PJ Harvey) so its kind of shocking that I hadn't really heard his music before. I like my music to have the intensity of a noise apocalypse and Big Black's drum-machine hardcore sound certainly delivers. Plus, there is no better album title on Earth than 'Songs About Fucking'.

Real Life Dementor

2011-03-13T21:39:00.000-04:00

Full disclosure: You know when you're a kid and you have to run up the stairs really fast without looking back because you're afraid monsters are chasing you? When I was younger, I was afraid that Marilyn Manson was chasing me, with his creepy eye make-up and stringy hair. Eventually that primal fear turned to admiration and last night I spent a fair amount of time last night reconnecting with my inner pissed off 15-year-old by watching Marilyn Manson videos. I got to thinking about not only what a cultural icon he is, but also how much of a fly dresser he is.

Wedding dress in the Sweet Dreams video.

The Beautiful People watches just like a demented Tim Walker fantasy fashion editorial. Manson's use of white make-up, shadowy figures and stilts helps him to appear literally larger than life.

Capes and sparkly lingerie in mObscene.

Literally EVERYTHING about the Dope Show.

Colombian Necktie

2011-03-11T20:37:00.000-05:00

I had to work today, so I'm wearing all American Apparel except for the floral cardigan which was thrifted. It took me a really long time to warm up to this "camel" colour, which is generally referred to less fondly as "beige" but I actually quite enjoy it now. I call them my "Tim Hortons pants" because their loose shape and beige colour kind of resembles the awful uniform worn by Canadian coffee purveyors all across this Great Land.

Also, I am just a wee bit obsessed with the kitschy jewelery over at Eccentric Accessories (an Etsy shop name that I personally identify with). I love that Ruth makes jewelery out of simple, ubiquitous items like keyboard pieces and dominoes but my absolute favourites are the necklaces made out of Monopoly pieces. Too cute! I have wonderfully fond memories of playing Monopoly with my best friend Shelby and laughing so hard I almost peed.