Fashion – Page 23

Swing Dancing

You may have read about how broken hearted I’ve been since my BollyFuze classes were no longer offered downtown. And although Yoga has filled the void of group exercise in my life, I still wanted more DANCING!

Since hanging out with Toronto Vintage Society peeps and being invited to judge ‘Best Dressed’ at various Electro Swing events, I have been itching to learn how to Lindy Hop and Charston …. I wanna be a Swing Kid! (minus all the sad bits of the movie, of course. I’ve yet to see the flick – it’s on my To-Do list!)

I’ve signed up for the 2-month “Crash Course” of Beginner Lessons to Swing Dance at Lindy Hop Revolution – eek!

My first lesson was a ton of fun! The instructors were Natalia and Luis – both from Spain, both encouraging, fun and funny. Best part — you don’t need a partner to learn how to Swing Dance!!! It’s a social dance….which means we swap partners throughout the class. I came alone, but after the hour I got to know Barbra, Donald, and two more delightful dudes (who’s names escape me) as they were the Leads with whom I got to boogie with.

My arms do not want to cooperate what-so-ever. And this constant ‘bouncing’ that is required doesn’t seem to keep the beat in my feet as it should. Buuuuuut, I had a grand ol’ time and can’t wait for next week! Although my footwork was a hot mess – my outfit was on point!

Here’s what I wore:

I picked up this cute swing dress from Winners – for $25!!! Just loved the dainty lil’ black n’ white flower pattern and capped sleeves. I had hoped to wear my tan moto leather jacket with it…But since winter windchill won’t leave Toronto, wearing the dress solo was not gonna cut it.

Ended up wearing my two-toned pink & tan cardi …..since it was lightweight enough to get me from A to B under a fall jacket. (I refuse to wear my winter coat any longer – it’s April for christ sake!

Stay tuned for my updates on how I’m progressing in my journey to becoming a Swing Kid …and to see what I wear to class every week! 🙂

How I Got The Look:

Shoes and Dress both from Winners — see more deets on the shoes here

Two-toned cardi from Target

#OOTD: April Showers

I just realized that I haven’t actually blogged about this particular outfit that I posted to Instagram a few weeks ago. Figured I’d do a ‘rainy-day’ outfit post seeing as we’re in April….and you know what they say, “April showers, bring May flowers”…

Toronto sure could use some springtime flowers already! Sigh…

I have the best pair of galoshes!!! These pink paisley rubber boots basically screamed “Irene” when I scored them a million years ago from Wal-Mart. They are still in great shape and continue to keep their waterproofy-ness…although I have noticed that I can’t wear them for too long, as they make my feet extremely warm. These boots have been my go-to for those early morning and last evening Dog-Walks, but I’ve worn them as part of an all-day outfit occasionally.

These pics were taken as I was getting ready to see a Saturday Mirvish matinée performance – fashionable & functional seeing as it was raining cats & dogs that afternoon. So I went for light, bright colours like this Robin’s egg blue card with this ‘hello yellow’ tank with solid navy w/Tuxedo stripe pants. The look was very plain, so I added this amazing springtime scarf I picked up at Winner’s to really tie everything together…in a bow 🙂

Did you like my rainy day look?

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What looks to you find challenging to put together? What would you to read about on PetitePlus, Meow?

Use the comments section and let me know 🙂

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

How I Got The Look:

Springtime colourful scarf from Winners; Yellow tank from Reitmans

Robin’s egg blue cardi + Navy Diva pants from Old Navy

Paisley galoshes from Wal-Mart and vintage yellow swirl earrings from a #tvs friend

Herringbone jacket from Forever21+, seen here

#OOTD: Pink, Pearls & Perkins!

Between my recent vintage shopping and new pieces I’ve picked up here and there over the past few months, there are a ton of NEW (+ new-to me) accessories that I haven’t integrated into an outfit from my closet as yet. So, I was determined to adorn myself with newness in my office outfit(s) this week.

I’ve been waiting patiently for Spring to officially get here already to wear these pieces I picked up from Your Big Sister’s Closet

On Monday I finally unveiled them to the office, along with my new Dorothy Perkins pencil skirt with my mint-toed nude pumps and lacy shoulder pink 3/4 top. I have this top in mint seen here, but I recently re-discovered that I had it also in pink (hidden in the deepest corners of a drawer). Hooray for buying things you in multiples once they’ve stolen your heart completely! 🙂

I also wore these behind-the-ear cuffs I picked up from the Steampunk Fair a few weeks ago. Thought it might be too edgy of the office, but I wrote them anyways anticipating less than positive reactions from colleagues. Between the necklace and the skirt, this unique piece of jewellery got oh-so-many compliments! Thrilled that the ones I picked up – the clock-arms – there weren’t too many for sale that looked quite like them. 🙂

Putting all the above pieces together….and TA-DA! A more exciting Office ready Monday. Waddya think? Belt? No Belt? You Likee?

How I got The Look:

Mint-toed nude pumps from HBC, Eaton Ctr

Checkered pencil skirt from Dorothy Perkins, HBC (Yonge/Bloor)

Pink lace shoulder top from Forever21+, Eaton Ctr.

Spring Weekend: Shawl + Hat

It finally happened! Toronto got an actual SPRING weather weekend! Hooray!

So this Sunday I ditched my winter coat for a belted shawl + hat look instead.

I was invited to a photoshoot at High Park…and was asked to wear pastel colours for makeup. I’m not a big makeup kinda girl in the first place, but I was a bit intimidated of how to make pastels work for my darker complexion. With the help of Google and with Rimmel having a sale at Shoppers….here’s my attempt at pastel eyes and lips for the day.

Waddya think?

In hindsight, the light grey lacy-back sweatshirt and silk scarf I wore under the houndstooth shawl did not keep me warm enough….especially after 7pm once the sun went down. But, fashion before function, right? Right!

How I Got The Look:

Outter: Shawl from Reitmans; Cobalt pants from Old Navy; Rhinestone nude flats from Payless; Black belt from Lane Bryant; Hat from Vintage Clothing Show

Inner: Grey lace sweatshirt from Pennington’s; Oriental printed scarf from Vintage Clothing Show;

Yoga Deal for PPMeow! Followers

Since I’ve rediscovered how great the practice of yoga is for mind, body and spirit, I have noticed that despite its growth in popularity over the last year years, yoga sill intimidates people.

So I set up a PPMeow! poll asking: What would make YOU Try Yoga?

The results were as follows:

An amazing Deal/Pricepoint (36%+)
If classes had modified poses/movements for larger bodies
Other* (This was a free-form field…sadly, nothing was entered /captured within)
Location
Not having to go alone

Keeping all of these results and feedback in mind PetitePlus, Meow! has teamed up with Jess & co. from Studio Blue Yoga & Fitness …and we’ve cooked up a special $30-for-5 yoga sessions just for my readers/followers!

This is a phenomenal deal – considering typically one yoga session is around $22! We hoped that this price point would give you the courage and confidence to try out group exercise amongst a group of non-traditional yoga bodies, at a studio that’s easy to get to with supportive, playful classes. Invite a friend to come along … at this price point invite two! 🙂

How the Deal Works:

The PPMeow! $30 Pass can only be purchased at Studio Blue location and is EXCLUSIVE to PPMeow! reader/follower. Therefore, you’ll need PROVE it to them, i.e. Showing them on your phone/device that you’ve LIKE’d PPMeow’s Facebook Page. WordPress followers … You will need to show them that you’re subscribed to my blog using your phone/device (might be easiest for y’all to LIKE the FB page too, if you haven’t already…*wink wink*).
The 5-sessions can be booked for whatever class you like, as your life allows! Use their schedule and class description to select the ones you like best. Try all of them. Entirely up to you!
Once you have the pass, you’ll then be able to book via their online booking tool for the rest of your sessions – uber convenient!
The PPMeow! $30 Pass expires 90-days from its purchase date. Limited one per person.

I’m often yoga-buddy-less, so if you wanna get your personal yoga journey started but are buddy-less also, I’d love to have you join me! So far, the class that best works for me, my life and yoga goals is the Tuesday 6:30pm Foundations Flow – a beginner friendly and comprehensive class with a focus on anatomy. Includes Sun Salutations, Downward Dog flows and other fundamental postures that is suitable for all levels.

Now gentlemen readers – know that YOU TOO can take advantage of this deal! Would love, love, love to have you participate. Of course, the same above rules apply in order to get the PPMeow! $30 Deal.

Everyone’s fitness/yoga goals naturally will be unique to you.

My personal yoga goals are: to better my breathing through every movement, becoming more aware of what my body is telling me and focus on being more present in order to relax.

I’ve only been to a handful of yoga classes and already I can see how much yoga has improved my life in terms of sleeping better, feeling stronger, managing my anxiety and I want everyone to experience its benefits – especially my PPMeow! supporters!

Note: Studio Blue’s First Class Free offer ends March 31st, 2014….. in case you wanted to check them out before purchasing the PPMeow! $30 Pass.

#OOTD: Anchors Away!

I’ve gone overboard for Anchors!

You maybe remember me going on and on about this cutie red anchor sweater in a recent post.

Well I found this fab lil’ navy pencil skirt with red anchor print from Old Navy too – it was on sale for $17 (Reg. #25…still a steal!). I’ve already worn it so much, I just haven’t posted about it. So here I go!

Mostly I’ve worn this skirt in a more dressed down weekend look – like below with this lacy-back sweatshirt I picked up on sale from Pennington’s around Boxing Day Sales time.

Pennington’s MBLM line seems to size things very generously – I was very excited to find out that I was a size 0 in this sweatshirt that I had to Intsagram about it immediately from the change-room!

To take this cutie-pie skirt to the office, I decided to mix patterns pairing the anchors with a collared blue pinstriped shirt (DressBarn ages ago).

I belted it and wore my red pumps (from Aldo) and my cherry accessory set to complete the office-day look.

I really love how it turned out! What do you think?

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#TVS: Toronto Vintage Clothing Show

The Toronto Vintage Society got a booth at last Sunday’s Toronto Vintage Clothing Show – a ONE day only event at the Metro Convention Center – North Building. The show is a fantastic opportunity to discover hand-picked vintage and retro clothing, accessories and jewellery from top independent vintage fashion vendors. Vendors from Owen Sound, Montreal, East Garafraxa, Collingwood, Freelton, Kakabeka Falls, Ottawa, Hamilton, Straffordville and many others – all under one roof!

The #TVS booth was our way to reach vintage lovers in the GTA. We were selling our “Make do and Mend” sewing kits (THE cutest things ever!), buttons and other fun like an iPad showcasing a photo side-show of all the fun-filled events TVS attended the previous year. All TVS booth visitors were informed and encouraged to sign-up for our new website/blog, pay their TVS Meetup fees, to oooh-and-ahhhh at each other’s purchases from other vendor booths…and of course singing the praises of all things Vintage!

These cutie-pie kits were handmade by the fabulous TVS members who braved the sudden non-stop snow of yet another blizzard, the day after Toronto got a teaser +10 degree weather day. With scissors, glue sticks, mason jars and other crafty necessities were toted and assembled, over gossiping, storytelling and beer.

The TVS booth also had a raffle giving away this fab prize: an amazing train case of vintage goodies in TVS approved colour scheme …even a lil’ something for those dapper dudes: suspenders+cufflinks+tie combo!

Since I live closest to MTCC and have an elevator, I was tasked with carting all our supplies for our booth home and would be there bright and early, with Liz + her hubs + her car to set up. Then we – TVS admin team – would simply rotate on manning our booth whist the others could peruse all the goodies up for sale at the show and Facebook our finds through the Toronto Vintage Society page!

A few snaps of the TVS booth all set up and read to go:

Truth be told, I don’t actually own too many genuine vintage outfits (or pieces of my own for that matter). However, since hanging with the chicks of TVS I have been exposed to the world of “vintage inspired reproduction” dresses. So my Outfit of the Day to represent and man the TVS booth was this dress from Doll Factory by Damzels, a rock ‘n’ roll retail shop on Roncesvalles. (It may look familiar to you as I’ve previously posted about this dress.) This easy-peasy-curvy-body-flattering dress has pockets which makes it that much easier to cart around an iPhone, money and other necessities like that without needing a purse. Knowing the day was going to be busy with setting-up and running around, I went with flats instead heels for footwear. Plus, I wanted to be able to quickly try on any fabulous-finds from booth to booth … heels do not help in making one nimble.

I’m not as dedicated to vintage hair as some of my TVS sistas are, those who patiently created pin-curls and wrapped their hair overnight to create the glamorous hairstyles of the beloved eras. My baby fine hair just never wants to cooperate. But I did manage to get a lil’ vintage-flare in my do for the clothing show. Check out how HIGH I got the bump in my hair! And it lasted all day….Hooray!

Since there was a solid possy of four of us to man the TVS booth (me, Lisa, Larissa and Liz….ooooh L to the power of 3), there was lots of opportunities to check out some of the other vendor booths and do a little shopping myself.

One of my immediate purchases was from Treasure Chicks Vintage from Pickering – these amazing ‘new vintage’ shoes. This shop got 500 pairs of never-before-worn Celebrity shoes for sale friends, complete with their vintage shoeboxes – FYI. I fell in love with these two-toned leather taupe nail-hammered heels the moment I set eyes on them (they fit small, I’m usually an 8.5 buuuut had to buy these in a size 10 for a comfortable fit) and this spectacular red scarf….which I immediately had them tie into my hair to add some MEOW to my #ootd!

Now, this may come as a surprise to some of you reading….but I’m a bit of a diva! I like NEW – so the idea of buying and wearing clothes someone else has worn half a CENTURY ago really needs to be special before I’m willing to spend my cold hard cash on it. This being my first real vintage shopping experience, and being the nerd that I am, I did a bit of research before hand. I found WikiHow’s tips helpful in this Top 10 list for How To Shop For Vintage.

Shopping for vintage plus size clothing is a challenge and a half – no doubt! With all the many vendor booths to peruse, it was an overwhelming task – also, I learnt that I’m easily distracted by shiny/sparkly things – talk about sensory overload all day! Some things I personally kept in mind when looking for clothing/items to buy were:

Odors and Stains … these are very iffy because they’ll probably have been on there for ages. Scarves seemed to have this issue the most from what I saw. I had to ask myself: Would it matter if you scrubbed at it but it didn’t come off? Is it so glaring as to render the piece unwearable?
Try on EVERYTHING! I was surprised at the number of pieces I passed over because it “looked” too small, but upon trying on fit quite well. If it doesn’t feel right or look good when you tried it on, then it probably isn’t the piece for you is the basic rule of thumb when shopping vintage clothing. Sadly, the change room situation at MTCC wasn’t all that private – so I ended up trying on dresses OVERTOP of my dress. Figured if it fit and looked good on me like that, it was def gonna look great when I wore it properly! Silly? Maybe. But that was my try-on technique for the day…and it worked out well. (Ps: the pics of all the below were taken during a post-vintage-clothing-show Irene-fashion-shows as soon as I got home with all my haul).

Check out this long pink & brown floral 1940s day dress I scooped up from www.retrouver.biz Notice the silver rhinestone ornament on the collar! I really loved all the buttons down the front too, plus the thin shiny belt can totally be worn with other things in my closet. It’s a bit long…so it will need a hem…so I managed to talk the price down to $25!

Upon round two of vendor shopping, I found Barbra – an independent vintage dealer who doesn’t have a storefront proper, but has created a name for herself among many of the TVS members. (Her Facebook page is Booth 311 Roadshow Antiques Pickering.) She put me into this lovely light green number. Brand new! The fabric still felt stiff and unworn. The only real giveaway to this dress being pre-loved was the belt holes – one was used more than all the others. Although this dress is pretty simple, I really loved the pleated neckline with the large buttons down the front – and the length was perfect!

The rest of my shopping consisted of accessories. I picked up a delightful wicker purse (also from www.retrouver.biz) and this fantastic black petit point 1960s purse and a giant cream brimmed hat (both from The Vintage Domain).

Check out how I combined a few of my pieces together with each dress.

Here are a few shots of the rest of my purchases from Primetime Antiques & Collectables:

When I finally returned to the TVS booth – I found a swing dance party had broken out! Oooooo! I can’t wait ’til it’s MY skirt that be a-twril with mad Lindy Hop skillz! Yup! With a Z!

The rest of the afternoon was spent chatting up visitors who stopped by our booth and meeting some of the newer TVS members:

Vintage clothing shopping is exciting and enjoyable so long as you come with a good attitude and patience. Finding items that nobody else has is the biggest appeal for me, plus you’re being eco-friendly with the added thrill of bargaining for a deal.

Here’s a summary shot of just the accessories that came home with me from the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show. Can’t wait to do it all again this Fall! Weeeeeeeeeeee!

#TVS: Electro Swing TO with Good Co.

We were at it again folks – Toronto Vintage Society was invited to judge the Best Dressed at Electro Swing TO’s March event this past Friday! And that meant I got to get all dressed up in 1920s inspired look to mingle with fabulously dressed people and dance the night away to big band electro swing vibes with my friend Liz, a fellow TVS member and blogger at The Vintage Inn.

Here’s all the pieces of my 1920s inspired look for Friday night’s Electro Swing party:

I finally got a chance to see the remake of The Great Gatsby flick …. and totally fell in love with that glam and glitter of all the dresses and headpieces.

In fact, I’ve been playing around to see how I could incorporate more headscarves into my wardrobe. And then on one of “window shopping only” walks home from the office … I saw the most gorgeous headchain in the window of this little shop specializing in ladies accessories in the P.A.T.H. of Commerce Court downtown. Needless to say it came home with me … and this Electro Swing party was the perfect reason to wear it…FINALLY!

Richard aka MedicineMan, Revival Bar’s event organizer, met us at the door, we pow-wowed quickly about how the event would roll out, how the contest and prizing would work. And then the fun began with Charleston lessons by Lindy Hop Revolution. Believe it or not, I kicked up my heels pretty good for a first timer – I was lucky to have a strong lead partner.

Check out Liz doing her thang. Oooooo….. I can’t wait to start taking lessons!

And so we mingled and schmoozed around the room with the fabulous attendees to chat up what Toronto Vintage Society was all about and how they could join/get involved AND of course, tapping those who were on our short-list of BEST DRESSED for the night! I even bumped into a few familiar faces I met at the last Electro Swing shindig 🙂

Here are a few colloages of all the fun that was had …

Dashing Doll went to Loryn and Dapper Dude went to Teddy … both were winners of a $50 gift certificate from Doll Factors by Damzels!

Good Co. was the fantastic Electro Swing Band that came all the way from Seattle to party with us at Revival, keeping the crowd dancing with their own renditions of Macklemore’s hit and The Four Season’s “Beggin'” tune were my personal faves of the night! Their performance ended with each member of the band climbing up onto the bar and toasting with shots – divinely outrageous!

I was fortunate enough to bump into them in Revival’s green room as I was leaving and they were kind enough to take a few ‘Ellen-inspired’ selfies with me. Weeeee!

Be sure to visit the Electo Swing TO’s FB page in the next few days, where professional shots of last night’s event can be found, taken by D.Tom … his camera & skills totally trumps my iPhone. 🙂

How I got The Look:

Layered dress from DressBarn + Black sueade Mary-Janes from Payless

Accessories: Black diamond cocktail ring from Jaipur, India; Necklace gift; Earrings from Swarovski; Headchain from…I forget the name of the shop (will find out and update soonest)

Studio Blue Yoga

Since my BollyFuze classes ended in Fall, I’ve been missing group exercise. And with spring around the corner, I wanted to try something new. So when I came across another GroupOn deal for yoga classes in my hood, thought I’d check it out.

Studio Blue Yoga (located on Dundas St. West, just before Duffrin) conveniently has a their class schedule and descriptions available online, where you can BOOK your session. And they offer their first class for FREE! So before I cash in my GroupOn voucher, I could check them out before committing.

I personally haven’t practiced yoga in nearly two years. At one point I got pretty good with my breathing and balance work, and even got to be a pretty flexible girl. But, two years is a looooong time and this chick ain’t as bendy as she used to be. I was super nervous to go back into the classroom with a bunch of wafer thin bun-headed girls, wearing nothing but LuLuLemon pants and sport bras that matched with zero sweat on their perfectly manicured eyebrows and likely full make-up faces. Meanwhile, I would be drenched in sweat gasping for air in the corner, whist doing my rendition of downward dog pose, or worse… I imagined.

I started to do some digging for reviews on this place. Wanted to know what other people thought of the studio, the instructors, the clientele. And I discovered that this studio was brand spankin’ new… 5-weeks old in fact. Their website is simple and friendly. There I found the little helpful reminders section (see image above) that helped me shake that scardy-cat voice in the back of my head. The location is amazing, walking distance from my place. The classes offered variety and options on various days of the week. And I didn’t have to commit cash until I tried it out first. SOLD! I searched my storage unit for my lime green yoga mat and I booked my first class!

The complimentary class I chose was a Tuesday evening class called: Foundations Flow — A beginner friendly and comprehensive class with a focus on anatomy. Includes Sun Salutations, Downward Dog flows and other fundamental postures. Suitable for all levels. I got to the studio a bit early in hopes to chat with the owner and checkout the space for this blog review. The bright, welcoming logo painted directly onto their walls can be seen from across Dundas St West, which was much appreciated for this first-timer looking for the location. I was greeted by Jess, a yoga instructor and the owner of Studio Blue and she gave me a tour of the facilities and how everything worked … plus a mug of ginger tea.

Once you’ve checked in and signed their health & safety waiver, there is a long hallway filled with original artwork that was all photographed in their fancy space. Sliding pocket-doors lead you into a lovely large space that is toasty warm.

The entire yoga studio space has been fitted with ceiling heaters that warm up the objects in the room, so much so that I mistakenly thought the floors were heated. Patrons need to bring their own yoga mats, towels and bottles of water as none of that is provided there. However, there are yoga blocks available to help support you if you need them – they came in super handy for me as I relearn how to perform all the yoga poses. There’s even a raised stage area at the front of the room for the instructor of the class, which I thought was a brilliant idea.

Towards the back of the studio there are separate change rooms for men and women, complete with benches, cubbies for your stuff and showers within each. Unisex washrooms and a water-fountain station to refill bottles are back there too. Super handy and convenient for those of us rushing to class after work.

The 75-min Tuesday night class was a mixed group of 6 people, where we focused on breathing and balance in our movements and poses. Since we were a small, but mighty few we got to do some exercises against the wall that really allowed the body to stretch completely by way of a half-moon pose. My balance and breathing needs a lot of work. But by the end of the class I found myself seriously relaxed, my whole body felt like butta and I floated home in a peaceful yoga bubble. I had the most sound sleep that night that I’ve had in a long time. I think there’s something to this yoga thang!

I’ve always had a hard time spending money on ‘name brand’ gym clothes – so most of what I wear when working out are tops that have been demoted from my regular wardrobe and yoga pants when on sale from various retailers. Usually a Target or Wamart and occasionally a Reitmans or Old Navy. Here’s what I wore to my first yoga class at Studio Blue:

Tops: demoted pink button-up Tee from Old Navy, long-sleeve activewear from Puma (on sale at Winners)

Bottoms: Yogalife black capri pants from Reitmans

In hindsight, wearing a top with buttons for anything exercise related is a total no-no for me. With all the different poses involved, twists and body movements those buttons did not want to say buttoned. The ‘girls’ got in the way of some of the poses done while on the mat, to be expected. Next time, I will have to consider wearing a tight-fitting tank underneath instead, to avoid “t-shirt creep”.

I loved the class! I’m definitely cashing in my voucher and going again! This time I might try one of their more high-energy classes…soooo many to choose from…excited! If only there was a Cuddle Pose + nap time to end every class with…hummmm. I’ll make that suggestion at my next class and see what I can do friends 😉

How many of y’all practice Yoga? How many of you have thought about it, but feel a little intimidated to try? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the ‘comments’…let’s start a discussion!

St. Paddy’s Day!

O’ St. Paddy’s Day! An excuse to drink in excess and claim you’re Irish! It’s great! I’m a big fan of any excuse to drink beers in the afternoon or all day among friends, whilst the bar spontaneously breaks out into song and the occasional jig with fiddle solo. In previous years, the shenanigans would begin by getting ourselves down to an Irish Pub for breakfast-brunch around 11am to secure fantastic seats/section for the rest of the day to comfortably letting the beers flow, as groups of friends and friends-of-friends joined our table-o-fun throughout the day. See pics below of all previous shenanigans of St. Paddy’s of my past.

So I was seriously bummed that St. Paddy’s Day fell on a Monday this year. Plus, with nearly all my peeps coupled off, moved far, far away from the city, start having babies…trying to round-up the troops for early celebrations on the weekend wasn’t working out. 😦

But then a Facebook invite lifted my hopes: Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It: Retro Road Show’s St. Patty’s Bash @ The Dovercourt House! 80s/90s music with nominal cover charge and in my neighbourhood. Perrrrfect!

Now…what to wear?

I picked up this fabulous dress at an event in Guelph last summer called Consign Your Curves. Where curvy women opened up their closets and sell their never/barely worn garments before hauling it all away to Goodwill or storage lockers abyss. Sadly, in all the time I’ve owned this piece I haven’t found an opportunity to wear it….until THIS weekend, I thought!

But that evening I didn’t feel it was GREEN enough. In fact, I realized how little items of green I own. Instead I ended up wearing 2-piece illusion dress (sheer green/black skirt) from Forever21+. With a few green pre-cocktails at a friends place we headed to Dovercourt House where we danced between two floors of video dance party goodness. There was even a photobooth with props…which we clearly enjoyed!

Now, since Monday is really St. Paddy’s Day…I couldn’t attend meetings in the office without bringing a touch of the Irish with me 🙂 Originally I put together the below for an office appropriate St. Paddy’s approved Outfit of the Day.

Buuuuut, over the weekend when I was killing time before the Mirvish show: Arrabal at The Panasonic Theatre (a surprisingly good show told all in dance!), I found myself in The Hudson Bay Company poking around the Dorothy Perkins section (my fav)… I discovered their UK clothing line called Billie & Blossom. Typically UK sizes are about two sizes smaller than stated, i.e. a UK 16 is really a size 12/14 in Canadian sizes. But this delightful butterfly patterned pleated coral dress seemed to fit as it should on moi at a UK18! Plus, the sleeves were just right and I love the neckline. And this morning I had-had-had to wear it instead… with my Kelly Green blazer, of course to give it a touch of the Irish! 🙂

I had hoped to convince a bunch for Folleauges (friends who are colleagues) out for a few green beers after work today and maximize my outfit to double duty – nobody likes wasting a good outfit on an insignificant day. But the afternoon had got away from me, and when I next looked up it was already after 5pm, Irish pubs near the office had line-ups growing since before 3pm and my office was a ghost-town. Sigh..

How did you celebrate St. Paddy’s Day? What did you wear? Share in the comments section…or better yet, post pictures on the Facebook page. I’m dying to see what y’all got up to 🙂

xo, Irene

How I got The Look:

Saturday Night: Blue-green dress from Asos + Rocker-chick buckle&zlip booties from Aldo

Monday March 17 – Office Day: White-Pink-Orange dress from DressBarn (original choice); Butterfly patterned pleated coral dress by Billie&Blossom (Hudsons Bay Co). + Kelly Green blazer from INC, Hundson Bay Co. + Black leather pumps from Guess

Accessories: Earrings & necklace were both gifts from wayyy back & St. Paddy’s Day headband from Old Navy many many moons ago