Toronto Vintage Society’s KITSCHMAS CABIN!

10849868_1501533426796396_1296356340448560908_nEarlier this month the Toronto Vintage Society gathered together to celebrate all things MERRY, KITSCHY and BRIGHT by turning the Cadillac Lounge into a winter cabin!

But what the heck do we mean by “Kitschy”?  Good question!

“Kitsch”, according to Wikipedia, is;  (/ˈkɪ/; loanword from German) is a low-brow style of mass-produced art or design using popular or cultural icons. Kitsch generally includes unsubstantial or gaudy works or decoration, or works that are calculated to have popular appeal.  Click here to read and see more about exactly what this means 🙂

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The Event:

$5 at the Door got you entertainment galore!!  40s/50s themed decor and suggested dress code with Best (and kitschiest) Dressed prizes to be won!  Along with vintage cocktails flowing all night and home made treats, handmade kitsch and vintage chachkas for sale!

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The Cadillac Lounge transformed into our Kitschmas Cabin

The Toronto Vintage Society never does anything half-assed …. always FULL ass! 😛

Not only were we able to transform the Cadillac Lounge into a wintery holiday cabin, there was all kinds of fun entertainment all night long to get everyone into the festive spirit no matter what your ‘thing’ was.  There was even a Nail Artist: Strawberry LIPs n TIPs creating one-of-a-kind holiday art one nail at a time!!

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Loving my amazing Rudolph nail art – outstanding!!!

This party was non-stop entertainment which included…vintage vinyl and holidays classic movies played all night long by our very own DJ Tarana Pete…

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DJ Tarana-Pete spinning vintage vinyl & holiday movie classics

PLUS Performances by ELVIS and his burlesquing alter ego – Blue Suede Sue.  Then the adorable Miss Kitten Monroe.

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Me with the talented Tia Brazda and delightful Kitten Monroe

AND performances by the Tia Brazda Swing Band with her hit song Christmas in Mexico!! Take a listen and get yourself a copy… Tis’ the season for this catchy toe-tapper of a tune 🙂

Ooooh…and there was plenty of swing dancing too!!!

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Me with my skirt all a-twirl!

As you can see…..We PACKED the place!  It was a spectacular night!!!

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I’m pretty sure I managed to sell raffle tickets to every single person in here!

And to top it all off…..we even had an amazing Winter Wonderland of a photo booth setup with SANTA!

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Click here for the full TVS Photo Booth album — each picture just jumps off the screen with happiness and joy!

If you didn’t make it out to the event, you can relive the fun – prepare to smile your faces off 🙂15863724779_c6e16886d9_k

Dancing went on until the wee hours of the morning …. AND there was even karaoke in the backroom!!!

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Collage-o-Fun captured by my iPhone …

I’m not gonna lie, due to all the liquid courage (who knew apple cider and rum would be such a delicious combination) I may have gotten up on stage to belt a tune or two.  There is evidence of this on someone’s phone…dun dun dunnnn 😮

 What I Wore: 

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Photo Credit: Val Soo

I picked up this Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress during Tatyana‘s BOGO event – yup…Buy One, Get One FREE!!!  This dress comes in a variety of solid colours that are just as lovely.  But I really, really, really loved this black, white and red polka-dot pattern.  And was determined to xmas-ify for THIS holiday event!

With an amazing lattice style around neckline and sleeves you really don’t need any accessories to jazz this frock up! The waist features a bow at the center that leads to its full circle skirt. There’s a three-eye-hook closures above the back zipper…which requires a buddy’s help, at least in my case 🙂

The Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress
The Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress WITH crinoline

The dress on its own is quite lovely with the full circle skirt.  But it gets even for amazing with a puffy red crinoline underneath! Plus, it hides any additional lumps & bumps that may have resulted due to vintage cookie eating the weeks before….click here to see what I mean. 😉

And I’m happy to say that EVERYTHING I’m wearing in this post came from Tatyana Boutique on West Queen West, in Toronto.  To read more about Tatyana’s new Toronto location click here.

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Red Crinoline,  Harlow Heel red shoes and Audrey red purse  courtesy of Tatyana Boutique – Toronto.
The Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress
Photo Credit: Val Soo

As lovely as everything looked all together,  my outfit was incomplete.  It was missing the much needed “Kitschy” factor.

AND THEN THIS HAPPENED…..a fabulous Poinsettia fascinator!!!    Hand-made by the crafty curator of TVS, Miss Jacquie – isn’t it amazing?  Totally helped perfect my look for the evening’s event! 🙂

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Handmade Kitschy Poinsettia Fascinator …. I’m told that there are some available for sale at Damzel’s East location, FYI 😉

 

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Earrings from Your Big Sister’s Closet; Hair flower made by Jacquie Jeffery

And ….TA-DAH!  My vintage kitschmas look was complete!

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IMG_6001 Blurry end-of-the-night selfie

Extra Bonus to those reading this right now!!!  Tatyana Boutique will happily give you 15% off until December 31st by mentioning this blogpost friends >>>>

Merry Kitschmas to you!!!  Ho! Ho! Ho!

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Holiday Double Feature: Casual Cocktails


Here we go – the very last outfit post of our week-long Holiday Double Feature collaboration series with Cassie of Style Cassentials.  

We’ve been discussing and putting our own unique twists to some Holiday trends ALL week. Hope you’ve been enjoying it.  If you missed any of my previous posts I’ll list them at the end of this one…so you can get yourself caught up and festive ready! 🙂

There’s bound to be a few dress-down weekend holiday house parties you’re gonna have to hit – and that’s what we’re focusing on with this last post we’re calling: Casual Cocktails!

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I picked this soft pink lace trim top on sale from Penningtons a few months ago.  It totally caught my eye with its mix-media textures, this top would go well with a skirt or dress pants, to the office on weekdays and totally works with jeans on the weekend.

The lovely lace trim and cool colour-blocking over soft pink sheer front and cotton back just makes this top oh-so unique.

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Since this top has lots of interest to it, I was easily able to tone down the vibe of my outfit while still looking a bit ‘holiday fancy’ for a festive house party at the neighbours or whatever last min invites that may come your way for boozy egg nog and Christmas cookies 🙂

Faux fur bag from Aldo Accessories

How I Got The Look:  Sheer & cotton laced top from Penningtons; Navy tuxedo striped pixie pants from Old Navy; Brown suede booties from Reitmans; Faux fur bag from Aldo Accessories; Bow-tie earrings were gifted.

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Cassie’s off-the-shoulder winter white sweater with lace skirt combo is oh-so romantic for the holidays.  Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on how Cassie has styled the trends.  Or visit her Facebook page here.

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Cassie of Style Cassentials

And just in case….if you’ve missed a few from the special Holiday Double Feature?  Not to fear…

1.  Red & Green

2. Office Party (before 5p vs. after 5p)

3. Sparkle & Shine

4. Tuxedo Glam

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Holiday Double Feature: Tuxedo Glam

Here we are – 2nd last outfit post in our special Holiday Double Feature collaboration with Cassie of Style Cassentials.

The female tuxedo was seen on various designer runways,  it’s also a look that’s been adopted by many celebrities on the red carpet.  It is a great alternative to the cocktail dress for evening-wear.

Today we’re focusing on Tuxedo Glam!  🙂

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Photo credit: Val Soo

 

By total fluke, turns out I had silver stud earrings that totally matched the studs down the lapel of this blazer!  This cute little top-hat fascinator was a fabulous find at this year’s BIGDeal Toronto Blogger Consignment Sale.

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Photo credit: Val Soo

 

I’ve had this tuxedo blazer for a year now, and have only worn it a handful of times for fear of spilling food on it and the dreaded dry cleaning bill it would result in.  My sparkle heels added a touch of feminine glamour to the monochrome colour palette of this tuxedo look.  It would be extra sleek if I went black on black or white on white tuxedo.  But I really like the classic black n’ white combo.

When looking at how to wear tuxedo trend clothing, go for slim cut trousers and fitted blazers.  Making sure your pieces are fitted to give you that tailored look when trying to pull off tuxedo glam. 🙂

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How I Got The Look:  Jessica Simpson bone n’ black lapel jacket + Thrifted black taffeta dress + Guess sparkle heels + sheer black hosiery + Top hat fascinator from BIGDeal Toronto Sale

 

Cassie’s floral pants make me crazy with floral envy!!! Loving the ivory tuxedo top & black tuxedo jacket.  Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on Cassie’s look  or visit her Facebook page here.

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Cassie of Style Cassentials

What do you think of the tuxedo trend? Do you have any tips for how to wear the tuxedo trend? Let me know in the Comment section below

And just in case….if you’ve missed a few from the special Holiday Double Feature?  Not to fear…

1.  Red & Green

2. Office Party (before 5p vs. after 5p)

3. Sparkle & Shine

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Photo credit: Val Soo

 

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Holiday Double Feature: Sparkle & Shine

We’re mid-week in our special Holiday Double Feature collaboration with Cassie of Style Cassentials.

What holiday series would be complete without talking about Sparkle & Shine?  That’s exactly what we’re gonna focus on today. 🙂

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Photo credit: Val Soo

There is A LOT of sequins in holiday wear this year.  Don’t get me wrong…I love me some sequins!!! But everyone else is gonna be wearing it right now, and I would rather do something different this time around.

Knowing HOW to wear sequins can be a bit tricky.  I’ve done a previous blogpost on How To Wear Sequins & Shine earlier this year, if you’re interested 😉

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Photo credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography

For this holiday look, I decided to let the sparkle and shine show in my accessories, rather an my entire frock.

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Photo credit: Val Soo

I found this peplum dress last year from AdditionElle and have come up with many uses for it, like say THE South Asian Princess Leia…. click here to see what I mean 😉

There is just something about wearing crisp winter whites that really steps up the glamour of an outfit. I wanted to use the ‘sparkle and shine’ factor sparingly for this holiday look.

This amazing sliver-gold-jewelled belt was found in a lovely boutique on West Queen West called Fashion Crimes (NOTE: this shop has recently closed it’s doors and will be reopening as a bespoke boutique elsewhere in Toronto in 2015).

I matched it up with this jewelled bracelet (Aldo Accessories) and gold drop earrings (Your Big Sister’s Closet) to jazz up this holiday outfit.  And lastly, I decided to keep the heels a simple nude pump (Payless), to not distract from the rest of the look.

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Photo credit: Val Soo

Cassie dazzles in her boyfriend jeans, black glitter heels, ivory camisole and black sequin jacket!  Loving the statement necklace too!  Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on Cassie’s holiday outfit.  Or visit her Facebook page here.

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And just in case….if you’ve missed a few from the special Holiday Double Feature?  Not to fear…

1.  Red & Green

2. Office Party (before vs. after 5pm)

Photo credit: Val Soo
Photo credit: Val Soo

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Holiday Double Feature: Office Party


We began the week with a special  Holiday Double Feature collaboration with  Cassie of Style Cassentials yesterday.  If you missed our first post, no worries – click here  🙂

Today we’re we focusing on getting Office Party ready for both before & after 5pm!

Before 5pm…

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To get through the workday, I chose a black collared shirt with a gold faux belt attachment (Reitmans) to go with my gold & black brocade pencil skirt (Lane Bryant).  Keeping the shoes a simple beige pump (Payless) with sheer black hose (Dollarama).

IMG_5889For the party portion of the day, I’d lose the blazer and put on one piece of awesome jewelry: like this amazing black n’ gold statement necklace (SexyPlus Clothing)!  Click here and here to see it in other looks.  IMG_5893

Jewelry has been the most successful fashion conversation starter at networking events, or so I’ve found. Both women and men feel comfortable complimenting or commenting on a piece of jewelry. It’s considered in the safe zone —  Statement Jewellery May Help You Network.

Are you more of an earrings girl? Go For It!   You can wear a big bracelet or put that vintage embellished hair clip in your do.   Just stick to one eye catching piece of jewelry….try not to over do it.

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Now, to elevate my look After 5pm…

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I got rid of the collared shirt, and went with the mock-neck peplum top with a sheer peek-a-boo neckline (Forever21+)
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I didn’t want to add anything more to the neckline of this top, so I opted for bling’d out earrings instead (Your Big Sister’s Closet)…
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I also swapped shoes for these edgy gold spiked pumps (Torrid, click here and here) with a purse to match (Danier Leather, click here) and put my hair up.

IMG_5898Cassie green leopard dress is amazing….!  With blazer or without it’s perfect for office party mode, don’t you think?
Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on how Cassie has styled the trends.  Or visit her Facebook page here.

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Cassie of Style Cassentials

 What do you think about these look?  What have you worn to your work’s holiday party?  Tell me in the comments section…

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Holiday Double Feature: Red & Green

Your holiday calendar is likely packed with tons of parties and get-togethers over the next couple weeks.   You’re gonna need a festive frock or two for this super-social season.

Not to fear friends, me & Cassie of Style Cassentials, are gonna be giving you some inspiration when it comes to outfits, accessories and all that jazz ALL WEEK with our special Holiday Double Feature collaboration!

We’re kicking off the series talking about the classic christmas combo colours of Red and Green 🙂

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Photo credit: Val Soo

When I’m feeling festive, it’s hard for me not to over do it with the reds and the greens.  For holiday parties, pick one to avoid looking like a christmas ornament 🙂

This green fanny midi skirt is pretty great – so great in fact, that I even bought it in a wine red too! Click here to see that.  To make it holiday and winter ready I paired it up with a simple black sweater and jazzed it up with jewellery.

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Photo credit: Val Soo

The details on the neckline and arms of this black sweater were really pretty, and to draw attention to them I kept the jewellery minimal & matching in a deep red-gold combo to give my overall outfit the festive feeling I was after.

How I Got The Look:  Fanny midi skirt from Tatyana Boutique;  Black sweater from Reitmans; Maryjane shoes from NineWest; Purse from Danier Leather; Red cuff and necklace from Celo, Gold on red belt from Fashion Crimes

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Photo credit: Val Soo

I wore this outfit (slightly modified) recently, to Your Big Sister’s Closet store’s holiday bash  — since it was a mild evening I wore a simple black corp top (Forever21+, click here), my faux fur bag (Aldo, click here) and black suede booties (Nine West, click here) instead.

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While I went green, Cassie did the opposite showcasing a red dress with sheer panel at the hem of the skirt, with green nail polish to add to her festive look.  Her crisp white blazer can take this look to the office …and beyond!  Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on how Cassie has styled her holiday look below.  Or visit her Facebook page here. 🙂

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Cassie of Style Cassentials

What do you think about these looks?  How are you going to be rocking the festive red & green this holiday season?  Tell me in the comments section…

Stay tuned tomorrow as we continue with this special Holiday Double Feature Collaboration!!!!

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fanny midi skirt
Photo Credit: Val Soo



 

“Ugly” Christmas Sweater

Ok, so Ugly Xmas Sweaters are everywhere!!

Truth is, I prefer ‘cute’ over ‘ugly’ …. so, I picked up this Giant Rudolph sweater from Ardene ($20) to meet this need in my life 🙂

Kinda perfect for just throwing over a dress, and viola!  Instantly you’re festive ready outfit is complete.

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This is one of my favourite dresses I picked up from Forever21+ earlier this year.  It’s perfect for swing dancing too …keeping the ‘girls’ locked n’ loaded AND covered up for close dancing … plus the criss-cross back cutouts are helpful for cooling down between dances.  To see it in other looks, click here.

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Photo credit: Rebecca Northcott

 

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Wore these cute silver bow earrings I recently picked up at a vintage sale
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Colin Firth **swoon** as Mark Darcy in Love Actually, in his classic xmas jumper

When I saw this sweater … it totally made me think of the handsome and adorable Colin Firth, in my favourite holiday movie: Love Actually…
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The hope was to wear this sweater and attend The Gladstone Hotel’s 12 BEERS of Christmas! Sadly, tickets were soldout at the door…so a few of us ended up drinking and dining elsewhere in the area before returning for live music and swing dancing.

If you’re looking for an excuse to wear an ‘ugly xmas sweater’ yourself, click here to see a listing of fun ideas of how to incorporate this fun theme into your holiday plans!

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Holiday Happenings: The Ugly Xmas Sweater Party

Screen Shot 2014-12-09 at 6.19.04 PMNow that we’re firmly in the middle of December, there’s bound to be a “cheesy”, “ugly” “holiday/xmas/Christmas sweater party in your future.

Me personally, I’ve got three separate invites and opportunity to wear one all happening THIS week!!!  Knowing this, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect one…and I think I found just that ========> Ta-Dah!!!
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A Xmas Sweater of Scottie Dogs WEARING Xmas Sweaters!!! OMG! Right!??

Not only is this sweater a convenient cardi …. the details of this knit are pretty amazing:

Those little red specs are actually knit HEARTS.  And the BUTTONS!!!!  Just look at these buttons!!!!!

AND I found it on FACEBOOK being sold for $10!!!!!  BOOM!

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LOOK AT THE BUTTONS!!!!! Little Scottie Dogs — seriously!?!?  The cutest things ever!

How I Got The Look: I’ve had this Dorothy Perkins mini dress for a while now –  I don’t often wear it on its own as it’s uber short and clingy.  I typically wear it as a top to show off the amazing shoulder pleats of this dress.  But this Christmas red dress paired with this “ugly” holiday sweater, over-the-knee boots (AdditionElle) and sheer black hosiery just seems to work, don’t you think?IMG_5945

Now, for the office party this week — I’m gonna swap the sheer hose for thick black leggings.  Ideally, I’d like to wear it with my plaid leggings to add more length to this skirt…if I can find them :).

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So, waddya think of this “Ugly” Christmas Sweater look? I DARE you to call it “ugly”…...I DOUBLE-DOG-DARE YA!!!!  😉   Classic line from my fav holiday movie A Christmas Story AND I’ve got double dogs on this sweater… I’m freakin’ hilarious!!!christmas-story-dare

Do you have any such holiday happenings to attend in your future?

If you’re looking for an excuse to wear one yourself, here’s a listing of fun ideas of how to incorporate this fun theme into your holiday plans!

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Blast From The Past Vintage Prom

On November 28th, Rosie The Rebel – a retailer of retro and alternative clothing – hosted a fantastically themed party at The Great Hall, in Toronto:

Blast From the Past Vintage Prom: For Those Born in the Wrong Era

 Think back to the prom scenes in classic movies like “Back To The Future” and “Grease” —> **swoon**  What a terrific idea to recreate a ‘perfect night’ to live out your Vintage Prom Fantasy!

For those of us who were born in the wrong era, Vintage Prom gave us an opportunity to live out THAT fantasy Prom night!

10679654_399161893568606_5570889937119207890_oThe Toronto Vintage Society was on hand to help decorate and set-up the place with a Winter Wonderland theme.  There was live music from the GreaseMarks with Rock and Roll hits from the 50s and 60s, followed by tunes by DJ Dr. Velvet.

Live Music from the GreaseMarks
Live Music from the GreaseMarks

There were Vendors vending, Single Hearts ready for pinning, Ballot casting for Prom King & Queen ….. and there were even a bunch of Swing Dancers on the floor that night – myself included!IMG_5873

PLUS a special performance from Miss Kitten Monroe:

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Me with Miss Kitten Monroe

And there was even a Photo Booth set up to capture your cheesy Prom moments!!! Photos below by Eye Candee Visuals/Ashley Gillick:

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Photo Booth pic of Monika & I wearing our ‘single hearts’ …donning repurposed bridesmaid dresses of our past
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Toronto Vintage Society – aren’t we a good looking’ group? 🙂

What I Wore:

How lucky was I to have been a bridesmaid earlier this year to already have a perfectly matching aqua coloured dress at-the-ready for this Winter Wonderland themed event!  Sadly, it got terribly wrinkled throughout the night… not cute, sigh…

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Rocker boots under my prom dress a la “My-So-Called-Life”….
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Halter bridesmaid dress from David’s Bridal; Rocker boots from Aldo; Feather hair piece was gifted; Jewellery from Panache (worn on MY actual Prom Night)

Oh, the memories!  🙂

Did YOU go to your Prom? What did you wear?
IF you got the chance to do it all over again, and create ‘a perfect night’, would you?

Come make some more fun-filled memories This Weekend (TODAY Saturday December 6th) It’s the Toronto Vintage Society’s Kitschmas Cabin party!!  $5 gets you entertainment galore all starting at 8pm tonight!  Hope to see you there!!!

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Holiday Happenings: Vintage Cookie Exchange

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Ok…the holiday season is upon us and I’m sure you’ve got 101 places to be as invitations start filling up your calendar.   I aim to write not only about What I Wore …. but rather What I Did while wearing it.

So get ready for a flurry of Holiday Happening posts from me throughout the month of December friends 🙂

One of the first invitations was to a Vintage Cookie Exchange!

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If you’ve been following the blog, you know that there is a group of special friends in my life from all my involvement with the Toronto Vintage Society.  Among them are the crafty, kitchy, artsy, put-Martha-Stewart-to-shame few who’ve really helped me expand and discover new skills I never knew I had.  And this invitation was one of those moments of discovery!!!!

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The Mission:  Bake 8 dozen holiday inspired cookies to give away to the others who were coming to this shindig, plus a few to be plated, shared and enjoyed at the party.

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Now, for a chick (moi) who doesn’t bake, my immediate thoughts were …. DUN DUN DUNNNNN…Run Away! Run Away! in a Monty Python spirited way.

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But then I bought this amazing fanny midi skirt, which would be perfect for the get-to-gether …and so I decided I’d make an effort by trying my hand at baking! 😉

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I picked up this lovely skirt from Tatyana Boutique’s newest location on West Queen West during their BOGO deal.  Yup – Buy One, Get One FREE!!!  Naturally I had to scoop up this midi in both colours: wine and green.  Needless to say that these two skirts will be making multiple appearances over the holidays (stay tuned to the blog for that!) 🙂

Best part about these skirts: THE POCKETS!! Perfect for iPhone, cab fare and lip gloss … you know, the essentials!

redskirt2In an effort to step my up holiday glam, I decided to wear festive accessories like my gold xmas bows set I picked up from Target a few years ago.  Still kicking myself for not picking them up in the other metallic xmas colours they had at the time.  Sigh…xmas earrings accessories

How I Got The Look:  Black n’ white polka dot 3/4 length top from Reitmans; Fanny midi skirt from Tatyana Boutique; Xmas bows accessory set from Target; and shoes were thrifted

fanny skirt by Tatyana Boutique
Outfit Photo Credit: Val Soo

As for my baking effort and contribution … I’ve been told that peanut butter cookies are the easiest of all the cookies to make.  And with the help of Pintrest, I found the following recipe and added my own holiday twist and TRIPLED it!

Ingredients (needed for approx 3doz cookies):

  • 1/2 c. butter (unsalted is best, but salted works fine)
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. peanut butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 c. flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Un-wrapped Hershey Kisses, 1 for each cookie

I’ve even documented my efforts step-by-step for y’all 🙂

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Step 1: In the bowl cream together butter, both sugars and peanut butter. Add egg and vanilla. Step 2: Then combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mix to butter mix. Step 3: Refrigerate dough in bowl for 30 minutes.
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Step 4: While dough is in fridge, preheat oven to 375C, line your cookie sheets and  unwrap all your Hershey’s Kisses. I went with Hugs instead…the swirls looked more ‘holiday-like’ 🙂
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Step 5: Form into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.
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Step 6: Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are just a little brown.
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Step 7: Discard all the burnt ones – lol. This was my very first batch…seems the recommended use of parchment paper was of critical importance. Sigh…
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Step 8: Remove from oven, and press a Kiss/Hug into each cookie. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then move cookies to cooling racks (or plate).
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Step 9: Put a dozen of them into individual festive baggies to give away at your Vintage Holiday Cookie Exchange!  I call these cookies: Christmas Hugs!!
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Step 10: Become Cookie Monsters with your cookie baking friends and eat as many as you can in a violently horrific manner!! #nomnomnom

This was my first cookie exchange ever – first time baking cookies ever, in fact.  And with relatively little work and preparation I’m now am able to offer a variety of lovely baked goods to family & friends at upcoming holiday festivities and gifting.  HAZZA! 🙂

Between all the shopping, parties, wrapping, decorating, and travel this time of year, most of us would put “more time” as the number one item on our holiday wish lists. So this year, why not kill two turtledoves with one stone by hosting a cookie exchange party?

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