Take My Time

Last night brought about one of the most frustrating and, eventually, rewarding experiences of my life: putting together a seemingly impossible television console, the instructions of which were no doubt devised by one of the most sadistic individuals the furniture-building public at large has ever seen.
There were moments of terror at it crumbling before our eyes, moments of euphoria at our extremely infrequent and small success, moments of wanting to set it ablaze when the aforementioned successes turned out to be entirely wrong (meaning, of course, that the whole thing had to be taken apart...again) and consequently moments of crushing defeat which consisted of a few large glasses of wine and laying on the floor with my head between my elbows for a little while.

Alas, the project was an eventual success...albeit not until 2:30 a.m. As such, waking up ten minutes prior to groggily walking through the doors of my workplace for the day didn't result in my most magical or impressive day aesthetically speaking. I do, however, find it extraordinarily useful to have big men's sweaters and comfy trousers on hand for days like this because, as much as I often loathe wearing pants, there's really no beating the comfort and utilitarianism of a pair like these.
Excuse me while I go pop another Advil for the massive bump on my head (currently hiding underneath my bangs) which was incurred while attempting to screw useless and evil planks of wood together last night. But what's good DIY fun without a couple of scratches and bruises, right?

Wearing

T-shirt: Club Monaco

Sweater: H&M Men's
Plaid trousers: Urban Planet

Shoes: thrifted

Purse: vintage

Come In, Come Out Tonight.

In today's outfit I really feel as though I am a fictional character out of an early 19th century novel who has an extremely distinguished royal title and a stable full of the horses and such. Alas, this is obviously not the case, but it is sometimes good fun to play dress up and live out certain silly fantasies like the aforementioned one.
The Pink Tartan blazer I'm wearing is a recent purchase and one which I do not regret in the slightest. Everything about it is absolute perfection - the fit, the cut, the texture, the colour, the weight. I feel as though I'll be getting some proper mileage out of a piece like this in the coming winter months. The skirt, on the other hand, has been sitting in my closet for longer than I care to recall. It's not that I don't love it (I do, hence the reason it hasn't gone to consignment or the bin yet), it's more that I can't actually walk with my normal gait in it. The weird, fishtail-like hem on this skirt, while flattering, is shockingly restricting at the knees and as such is just not something I can manage to tolerate for longer than a few hours at a time - my upcoming closet reorganization extravaganza just may be its final death knell.
Speaking of restricting garments, I most definitely won't be wearing anything of the sort this upcoming weekend, as I have a billion and one things to do (figuratively speaking of course) and only 48 hours to do them. First on my agenda is a direly needed hair appointment tomorrow morning, meaning Monday morning's photos won't feature my unsightly re-growth, which is always a plus in my books.On that note, G and I have some really exciting stuff planned for next week's photos (including the Colour Challenge 08) which I honestly can't wait for all of you to see. It'll be a very conceptual week, which we have not done yet on Modern Guilt, so be sure to check back bright and early on Monday to see what we have in store.

Wishing everyone a wonderful, happy and of course chic weekend!

Wearing

Blazer: Pink Tartan

Skirt: Club Monaco

Shoes: Aldo

The Coldest Heart

I've been wearing a properly massive amount of black in recent history, as I seem to do from time to time. But as it gets more and more chilly with each passing day here, I expect that the black clothing is an early indication of what to expect from me throughout the winter months. While I quite obviously go really eccentrically bohemian with my taste in the summertime, but for me it just feels like poor taste to do so in the winter unless, of course, you're Rachel Zoe and possess gigantic and warm vintage Dior furs and the like.
With no histrionics or exaggeration I can firmly state that I loathe winter with a fiery passion in my heart. But at the same time I see no reason why it should result in anyone dressing really infinitely poorly. Of course there will be the occasional day of taking no heed of form and instead focusing entirely on the function of not freezing to death or getting slush in your socks - one would have to be insane to not take such things into consideration...which, come to think of it, means I have seen a veritable ton of insane people in this city.
Nonetheless, a slip on the sidewalk ice here or there is a small price to pay to not look like the Michelin Man (seriously, what is up with those ridiculous floor-length puffer coats that people wear?! Can they really even be that warm?!)
Okay, I've officially gone off on a tangent, and as such I'm certain that those of my readers who live in wonderful perpetual sunny and warm places have no idea what I'm on about...and for that I sorely envy them. And, since there's no use in getting preemptively upset about the inevitable, I suppose I should just enjoy light-jacket-and-boots weather while we still have it.
So on another note, in regards to the recent nail polish inquiries I've received: it's called Just Groovy, made by O.P.I., and I'm seriously considering making it my signature colour. It's weirdly awesome because it's obviously quite distinctive, but at the same time seems to match and/or clash in an interesting way with most everything I own.

Wearing
Jacket: Urban Planet (it's an addiction, and it needs to stop - the salespeople may currently be under the impression that I'm stalking them with how much I go in there)
T-shirt: Uniqlo
Leggings: Aritzia
Boots: Urban Planet
Backpack: vintage

Cold Roses

As you can see in the included photos, yesterday I went with what I consider to be the most fail-safe autumnal outfit of all time. As it became colder later in the day I added a thin-knit grey sweater under the blazer and a little hat, which is, bottom line, the beauty of wearing jeans and a blazer - there are so many different ways to style the look, but the basis of the look is so solid that I would imagine it to be quite difficult to go wrong. As such, expect to see many variations on this theme in the upcoming months.
So I definitely caved yesterday and did in fact stop by Urban Planet to pick up a pair of flat moto ankle boots. They're obviously not the most quality item in the world, but to be honest do the job really nicely for very little money spent. And yes, I know that it was just yesterday morning when I ranted about having too much junk in my crazy mess of a wardrobe, but what can I say...I have very little self-restraint when it comes to spending money, which I'm certain the friendly folks over at Visa absolutely adore about me.The fun did not stop at unnecessarily purchasing things yesterday, because G and I then made our way over to a friend's recording studio to muck about and create some electro-house tracks just for kicks. And yes, I'm being entirely serious. Mostly I'm just amused by the various effect controls with which I can make things sound like they came from outer space - a word of warning, never trust me to produce anything unless you're entirely willing to be continuously told that it doesn't sound spacey enough.
Mind you my obsession with making vast space noises amongst other people's actual producing skills took until 3 a.m. to complete, and as such I don't feel quite up to my usual energy level yet - nothing a Grande Bold and a brisk walk won't fix, which I'm off to get and do now.

Wearing

Blazer: Perry Ellis (boys), thrifted

Tank: Chinatown...'tis not a label, but a place

Jeans: Urban Planet (duh)

Boots: Isaac Mizrahi for Target (these have been going strong for two years now - surprisingly durable!)

Bracelets: Birks & Swarovski

Robot Models?!

Considering my fascination with both fashion and artificial intelligence/robotic technology, I'm really surprised that I didn't think of this possibility sooner.

Last week is was announced that a research institute in western Japan has developed a 'fashion robot' of sorts: a mechanical being who "can assume human-like postures by simultaneous control of its 16 joints used for limbs, neck, waist and other body parts". It is hoped that this robot "will be used for fashion and other promotional events after its metal frame is furnished with polyethylene sheets to give it a human-like look". (n.b. The picture to the left is not of the fashion model robot, but of an equally creepy fembot showcased at a robotics convention a couple of years ago.)

This is a really interesting situation (to me, but I also think that '2001: A Space Odyssey' is one of the best books ever written...), because it really makes me wonder what it is that makes any model a good model to begin with, and if they have any significance whatsoever in the grand scheme of the fashion industry? Are they not merely blank canvasses, and do the designers and editorial stylists not direct every aspect of the way by which their work is presented anyways? Prada, for example, has been insistent upon a monochromatic, robot-like retinue of models for both their advertisements and runway shows for years now - who's to say that Sasha and the rest of the Eastern Europeans teenagers won't be phased out as quickly as you can attempt to pronounce their last names?

This being said, I'm still unsure as to how easily real, live models will be usurped by their new machinated counterparts.

Since I can't seem to make up my mind here, I'm really curious as to what your thoughts on this are, readers!

Photo credits: Fembot from gizmodo.com, Prada ad from fashionista.com

Keep On Trippin On

The awful weather is not by any means going to ruin my day today, but it has somewhat ruined my outfit plans.  Rainstorms are not particularly conducive to dresses and platform shoes now, are they?I can't say I'm unhappy with today's outfit of choice though - I am wearing what is probably my favorite t-shirt; it was purchased earlier this year at the Verve's Toronto show (where G and I met Nick McCabe, OMFG indeed), and the fact that they are one of my favorite bands combined with the ridiculous perfect thinness and softness of the actual t-shirt makes it one of those items I just can't understand how I ever got by without. Also, these are probably the one pair of jeans I can tolerate wearing for more than an hour at a time.

A Chinese food lunch with one of my favorite people in the world, thrifting and balcony lounging are on the agenda, so I must be off. I don't want to be a bore, but I just want to quickly add that I am so appreciative to all of you for the really, really amazing visits and comments and we've been receiving this week! Have an amazing Sunday, and see you all tomorrow!

Wearing:

T-shirt: The Verve (the manufacturer is beyond me)

Jeans: Lux

Shores: Converse

Hi-Skies.

I'm finding it quite strange that mid-July is feeling like autumn, save for a few brief poolside reprieves. It is perhaps the fact that I am not able to enjoy summer in the same way as I did when I was younger, considering I now spend the majority of my summer days in an air-conditioned office. So perhaps it just feels less summery...maybe, maybe not.

Regardless, I've been making use of the autumn-esque summer weather as much as humanly possible. Yesterday the result of this was prancing about some scaffolding in an alley downtown - lots of fun was had, though I did have to don some leggings for the occasion.

Wearing:

Tank: Forever 21

Vest: vintage

Leggings: Aritzia (the only place I can find reasonably-priced leggings that don't go revealingly sheer after a couple of washes - if you live in the Toronto area and know of another place I can find these, pray tell in the comments!)

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Carga Lust

"The Carga Collection is based on the desire to use contruction techniques in unexpected ways. The nature of the materials along with the individually numbered disc emphasize the unique character of each bag"

I have been looking for a unique, unpretentious bag which maintains my interest in its form and and meets my requirements in functionality for what seems like eternity. Not only are the Carga bags unusually visually stunning, they're also designed and crafted to basically never break or stain - which, considering that I routinely manage to ruin every bag I own within the span of a month or so of regular usage, is an excellent thing.

I impulsively know that I require a Carga as soon as possible. The only issues I may encounter with this are as follows:

1. Monetary potential - why, why, why do they not sell Carga at Holt Renfrew? Of course it has to be this way: the one time I am actually willing to shell out on a luxury product and have a gift certificate from my birthday with which to do so, the one thing I want is only available elsewhere in Toronto. Sometimes I really hate the entire concept of money...but I know that's only because I don't have it.

2. Decisions, decisions - The L2 in industrial wool felt or vegetable dyed leather? Preferably both obviously, but as per item 1 and my aforementioned poverty, I am going to have to take a firm stand on this one.

Photo credits: www.cargabags.com