Cherry Velvet Plus

Lindyworks 2014!

Lindyworks is Toronto Lindy Hop’s annual weekend of workshop wonderfulness! It’s all about Lindy Hop and Vernacular Jazz dancing. Having only begun my own Swing Dancing love affair (began this past spring, click here for that)…. this was my first workshop ever! I was uber nervous about being surrounded by actual dancers for an entire weekend (three days) of solid dance instruction to challenge and inspire dancers during the day and to practice your newly acquired skills at evening parties that feature the best LIVE swing bands.

THE WORKSHOPS:

The organizers of Lindyworks 2014, along with our fantastic guest instructors: Evita Arce & Michael Jagger AND Sylwia Bielec & Alain Fragman Photo credit: KHPhotography

10380575_10152495933878392_4840689755558176843_o — From NYC, Evita Arce & Michael Jagger

10358978_10152495937648392_2291017049027731490_o — Evita Arce & Michael Jagger

1529982_10152495936143392_85710616048455447_o — From Montreal, Sylwia Bielec & Alain Fragman

Moi… in sweaty-workshop-mode … learning new moves and improving on technique

10710548_10152495934848392_6482043646179483170_n — Photo credit: KHPhotography

Not quite sure what I’m doing looking at the ceiling … perhaps that’s my own ‘personal styling’ of a dance move…

Love this one…. “I saw you…with her… Wag our finger in unison”... STOMP OFF! 🙂

10648328_10152495936473392_3783599186581861487_o — Photo credit: KHPhotography

Thank goodness for KHPhotograpy for capturing these moments – all I had to show at the end of workshop day 1, was the following Facebook post:

Screen Shot 2014-09-28 at 6.09.11 PM — Sweaty Workshop Selfie vs. Douvercout House Ready Selfie

Lucky for me and for PPMeow! readers that Kahlil Heslop (of KHPhotography), friend and fellow Lindy Hopper, captured the evening and events perfectly!!!

Here are a few perfect snaps that just make my heart oh-so happy with memories of a fantastic 3-days of Workshops, Competitions, Performances and Social Dancing.

THE COMPETITIONS:

10694225_10152495922738392_9190570128261616255_o — Photo credit: KHPhotography

Check out my gf Erin and her partner Luis (our instructor at Lindy Hop Revolution). She began in Beginner Lessons with me…and now here she is competing in her FIRST competition!!! I’m soooo proud of her!!

10662184_10152495922633392_1685239887962739980_o — Photo credit: KHPhotography

They TIED for 3rd place I’m told! Woot! Woot! I may have been an extremely vocal cheering section – She is my hero! 🙂

10003630_10152495922618392_2524301440749902596_o — Check out the hip action on my instructor Luis…He’s Spanish – his hips don’t lie 😉 Photo credit: KHPhotography

ROUND #1

ROUND #2

PERFORMANCES BY ALAIN & SYLWIA:

FOLLOWED BY PERFORMANCES BY MICHAEL & EVITA:

I just love the look on everyones faces! Still can’t believe I got to social dance with Michael (Mic) Jagger – ha! He’s oh-so-very-fantastically! **swoon**

Lindy Hop – the most fun you can have with your clothes on. 😉

For Kahlil’s full photo album of Lindyworks 2014 shots click here.

Click here for JT Photography’s photo album for Toronto Lindy Hop

Now that you’ve seen “What I Did”….let’s talk about “What I Wore” to the Saturday Night Lindyworks Dance at The Douvercourt House – hosted by Toronto Lindy Hop .

This lovely dress was on sale at the time I was looking for my the perfect dress for Tiki Lani Lanai with TVS.

If you look really closely at the pattern of this dress, you’ll notice they are little chat bubbles/text bubbles.

Plus giant buttons and a lil’ collar…..Too cute, right?

How I Got The Look: Dress from Cherry Velvet Plus; Belt & Shoes from Winners -these were not wore whilst dancing 😉 – and the 50s vintage sweater was thrifted from Goodwill.

Outfit photo credit: Lawrence Kerr of LawrenceKerrPhotography.com

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Tiki Lani Lanai with TVS and Ginger

Bands. Vinal. Videos. Burlesque. Hula Dancers. Signature Cocktails. Door Prizes. The Limbo. Swimsuit Contest. What more could you ask for at Toronto Vintage Society‘s 2nd annual sensational-end-of-summer tiki party.

I got there early to help my TVS Sistas set up the Cadillac Lounge into a Heavenly Tiki Patio…then I ran home to change before the could fun begin…

Me along side a few of the lovelies of the TVS Events Team

Me in my tiki-taskti dress, my wicker aqua clutch (Aldo), simple brown ankle-strap sandals (Payless), aqua drop earrings (Reitmans) and my too-tiny-to-notice hair flower (Forever21)…..

Y’all know I’m not a big make-up wearer …. but I tried my hand at bright eyes and loud lips with Almay’s intense-i-colour trio for greens and Rimmel’s In Vouge lipstick

Clearly a dress like this needed a much more substantial hair flower! Lucky for me the lovely and talented Shermy of Shermette was on hand selling her Fruits of Bali.

14958_10154459929635184_8451421278491510801_n — You can follow Shermy and her lovely hair flowers on Instagram: @miss_shermette

She’s got an etsy shop: Frutis of Bali by Shermette … just sayin’ 😉

Want more pictures of the TVS Tiki Party … click here

Now….let’s talk about MY DRESS!!!! 🙂

I was introduced to world of Cherry Velvet last year via Damzels store on Roncy in Toronto…and since have picked up two lovely dresses that fit my measurements (size 0X) like a glove flattering my curves with different, unique necklines. And best of all: your bra straps will always be covered and your hands, phone and lipgloss will always have a home in the convenient pockets in ALL of their dresses!

Click here and here for details on the above Cherry Velvet Dresses.

I’ve been coveting this tropical number for months….drooling over their Instagram post this amazing Tropical Taupe number that would be PERFECT Tiki Party attire for Toronto Vintage Society’s TIKI LANI LANANI.

Sadly I never found this in store…so it seemed this frock was only going to become a apart of my life and wardrobe if I bought it online. Now, I’m not 100% comfortable buying something I’ve not tried on before, especially when it comes to spending at these particular price points ($100+ per dress). Sigh…

But, since I own two already I felt fairly confident that my measurements and their sizing chart would make any online purchases a ‘success story’ 🙂

Truth be told that, outside of a German Beer Girl halloween costume (stay tuned for a reappearance of this getup as I just bought tickets to Toronto’s Oktoberfest – woot! woot!) I have never purchased clothing online before. My biggest concern or deterrent from online shopping: Returns and Exchanges if something doesn’t fit right —- aka “The Shipping-Back Hassle”.

I tried to push Ginger (the name of the dress) outta my mind and continue living my life…to find an alternative Tiki outfit for this event. But I just couldn’t. I was in love! Upon revisiting their site last week, turns out Ginger was on sale, a clear signs from the shopping-gods…and the ADD TO CART button was clicked and she was on her way to me 🙂

I ordered via http://www.cherryvelvet.com on August 1st and by August 8th a Canada Post deliver arrived with my name on it!!!!! Clearly I was excited as you can see from my Facebook post below…

Seemingly in my zeal to bring Ginger home to me, I ordered a size 1X, instead of the needed 0X…and instantly my “Shipping-Back-Hassle” fears were realized. Lesson Learned folks: double check, and triple check sizes you selcted and return/exchange policies before clicking ‘checkout’ … le sigh.

Lucky for me, minor alterations were needed to make this dress wearable for the big event were made, without having to send this beauty back to Vancouver (that’s where Cherry Velvet is based), allowing Ginger & I to have a fabulous time at TVS’s TIKI LANI LANANI Party!

Are you thinking to yourself…. “But Irene, there are TWO lovely new dresses that hang in your closet… tell me more about the other cutie-pie frock?”

Stay tuned for that friends, in an upcoming blogpost 😉 xoxo

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Doll Factory by Damzels

This past Christmas, I was fortunate enough to have gotten invited to a number of Holiday Happenings around the city. One of which I attended was A Merry Scotch-mas – the launch party for Doll Factory by Damzels, a rock ‘n’ roll retail shop on Roncesvalles.

Me and a few Toronto Vintage Society Sistas braved the cold for discounts on fashionable vintage recreations and all the Scotch cocktails we could handle!

I fell in love with many pieces that night…but managed to limit my purchase to a single dress: this lovely three-quarter length sleeved black n’ white spotted number – complete with pockets and peek-a-boo boobie bow!