Live Music! Plays and Performances! Dancing! Sailing! Spas!Shopping!
Outdoor movies! Cultural Festivals! Foods from around the world!
Annnnnnd all of these things are usually FREE and are walking distance from each other! No car required! ❤
Combo Royale performing under the Harbourfront Bandshell
There have been many wonderful fun-filled days this summer – but the most memorable was an unexpected Saturday afternoon that turned into a full day-o-fun!!!
It began with a play – an interactive dark comedy – THE WEDDING – put on by an independant theatre company: The Lighthouse Troupe. As audience members aka the wedding guests, we were encouraged to dress nicely, sign-in at a guest registry, find their table, and interact with the various members of the wedding party, much like a real reception. You know me – any reason to get dressed up is my kind of event! 🙂
After the show… we walked into Harbourfront for their Spicy Food Festival and found a free jazz concert which naturally led to impromptu lindyhopping on grass!
A Large Lady Lindy Hopping – yup! That’s me! 🙂
After that we walked along Queens Quay to Sugar Beach for Sail-in Cinema’s screening of The Princess Bride …
❤ My most favourite movie ❤
Since we arrived kinda late … we found a patch of sand for our blankets way in the back sadly, making the Sail-in screen teeny-tiny.
Plus, it seems we were too late for the courtesy popcorn and back-rests that many around us seemed to have nabbed.
Le sigh…
Our sad seats on the sand, way in the back of Sugar Beach…before the win~INCONCEIVABLE! 😉
THEN….the event announcer asked for a family-of-4 who would/could potentially win a fabulous prize for answering a single movie trivia question.
When they failed…we managed to flag him down and I provided the CORRECT answer… which won us seats on a sail boat to watch the movie!!!
And there were handsome sailors too! #bonus 😛
Knowing useless Princess Bride trivia won us seats on Canada’s Fastest Sail boat! Boom!!!
THIS was our view for the movie … just waiting for the sun to set so that the movie could start!!!
Floating around on Canada’s fastest sail boat, eating popcorn with sailors and watching the greatest movie ever …
A perfect ending to a wonderfully unexpected summer day!
Curious about what I’m wearing?
How I Got The Look:
Dress and crop-top from Forever21+; Shoes from Winners
How would you describe THE Perfect Summer Day? What would it include? What would you do? What would you wear?
Tell me about it in the comments section below. 🙂
Special thanks to Ellie for capturing those dancing pictures! And to Five for the pictures on the boat!
NOTHING worn in this post is from a “plus-sized store”!
I found such luck at the following shops: H&M, Winners and The Gap recently. And here are my finds from these spots into one complete outfit post!
Me trying hard to show you the back of this top. I just love how the hi-low hemline gives this tunic top a dramatic look from behind.
Let’s talk about this hi-low tunic I found at Winners! For us petite (short) babes, the hi-low look isn’t always easy to pull off. But luckily once I washed this top it shrunk-up just enough that it was no longer touching the ground!
Originally, i found this top a bit ‘blah’ as the length of the ‘low’ part of the shirt fell past my waist and made me look frumpy.
Soo I did a lil’ sewing-fix myself creating a bit of a rise at one side of the top in the front – voila! Perfect-For-Moi! ❤
And now… my bottom half 😉 I don’t wear pants often. I’m more of a skirts and dresses kinda girl.
I do enjoy leggings, especially during winter as they help keep my cute summer dresses in closet rotation. But I never really wear then as ‘pants’.
That was until I found these great ankle zip point leggings from The Gap!!!
The fabric is made of: 4% Spandex, 38% Modal, 58% Cotton. Which makes these leggings oh so comfortable, while looking perfectly fitted and rich.
I’m wearing an XL – I was thrilled that all of my ample booty fit into them. 😛
And it actually hit me just at the ankles and sat above my waist perfectly!
How I Got The Look: Ankle-zip leggings, The Gap ($25); Hi-low tunic top, Winners($30); Purse, The Shoe Co.($60).; Pumps, Nine West($50); Scarf, H&M($20)
As usual, now that you know What I Wore... let me tell you about What I Didwhile wearing this outfit…
Not only was it I able to wear this casual look to the office, but it let me do double-duty into a night of dancing too!
But I’ve recently started to explore other types of partner dancing. Have you heard of Fusion Dancing?
It is where dancers from a mix of different dance backgrounds come together – to create a fusion of partnered social dance!!!
Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience. This means…Zoukers, Bluesers, Swingers (you know what we mean), Improvers, Contemporaries, Salseros, Kizombies, Tangueros … this is a place for everyone to come together and play on a dance-floor. Visit Dance Alchemy’s new FB page for more deets if you’re interested!
Here are a few snaps of me….getting my Fusion on in my OOTD above 😉
Photo credit: Kevin SueChueLam
What did you think of my outfit?
Would you ever try out partnered social dancing like Fusion?
Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.
Suzy Shier is a Canadian retailer of women’s fashion with over 140 stores across the country.
When I was a teen, I remember shopping there as an in-betweenie size 15, I would be able to find a rare gem at a price I could afford on my minimum wage salary at the time. But, in my adult years I haven’t stepped a foot into one of their stores until the recent news: Suzy Shier was launching a plus size line! 😀
HAZZA! It’s about freakin’ time, right!?
There happens to be a Suzy Shier close to my office in downtown Toronto … so, I stopped by at lunch to peruse their offerings. I’ve got to say, the prints and patterns I was seeing were lovely, bright and fresh. Perfect for summer!! Thrilled, I began looking for my sizes – plus sizes.
Only to discover that there were none to be found. 😦
Some of the Regular Size options currently available online (www.suzysheir.com)A shopgirl informed me that only a select few locations carry the larger sizes, and that the downtown core wasn’t one of them. She did, however, let me know that some of the more ‘popular’ styles I see on the floor for regular sizes will be made in the plus sizes!
Feeling less inconvenienced by this news … I returned to my desk to launch their website to see what lovely fashions could be mine and where I needed to get them from.
As you can see from these two images => offerings for regular sizes vs. plus sizes aren’t nearly as “fun” for summer.
PLUS SIZE selection – mostly black and white….le sighNonetheless, I thought I should visit a location and see the plus size options up close and personally, as often you never really get a good feel for an item until you’ve actually tried it on yourself.
Using the handy-dandy store locator I discovered this: of the 140 stores – 3 are located in Toronto (First Canadian Place, Gerrard Square and Duffrin Mall) – and of those only 1 carries the plus size line. Grrrrr… Lucky for me, The Duffrin Mall is in my hood so getting to there isn’t a big deal.
Suzy Shier @ The Duffrin Mall
At first glance to the very back corner of the store seems dedicated to the plus size options – that looks colourful and plentiful. And as you can see … the prices are just right!
Suzy Shier+ section of the Duffrin Mall locationBut upon closer inspection, the pieces available on the floor didn’t really grab my attention – most were not my taste and most did not quite fit my body right. And I found that I needed to try on all three sizes (1x, 2x and 3x) as the sizing really changed from one item to the next.
My top two coveted items I had hoped to find in store from their website were the following:
Ok, before we get into all the pieces I tried on — let’s talk about the change-room situation at this location. Yikes!
They are pretty narrow, with one sad hook. Which ultimately forces you to make a decision: do you hang up your beloved purse and the clothes you are wearing OR the clothes you’d like to try on currently on hangers?
Oh! And to top it all off: no mirrors inside the wee room. Which means you must step out of the room, and strategically position its door while making sure it doesn’t lock you out of the room that now houses all your stuff, all in an effort to see your reflection on a mirror that hangs on THE BACK of your change-rooms door. #brutal
And what’s a girl to do in those moments when the outfit-tried-on is a complete disaster and you’d prefer not sharing the embarrassing moment with others by stepping outside of that room for a glance at that mirror? I can only imaging the number of unpurchased items simply because ladies wanted to avoid stepping out of the change-rooms in questionably fitting try-ons.
I had the added obstacle of having to compete with a rack of returns that cluttered up the narrow hallway between change-rooms in order to catch a glimpse of my reflection as I emerged from my change-room. Le sigh…
Here’s what caught my attention enough to want to try on:
Faux wrap aztek printed dress – I’m wearing a 3x …way too big on me and am clearly not impressed by the baggy boob situation. LOL!This navy scuba dress with beige lace wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t making me excited about it either… Meh! I dunno…
Scuba sheath dress with lace – I’m wearing a 3x – $30l did find the dress I was spotted online. It was on the sale rack (woot! woot!) but sadly it had a few pulled threads and only sizes 1x and 2x remained.
I would have liked to try on the 3x to see if it fit me a bit better – I’m not a fan of the boob-mashing-situation going on below.
Diamond print jacquard skater dress — I’m wearing 2x – $30Overall, I was a bit disappointed – especially because the shopgirl assured me that the plus sizes would be the same prints and styles shown in their regular line.
Which was not the case at all. And then to find out that the only Toronto location had cramped quarters for trying on items AND that they didn’t have all the sizes and styles as their website displayed for the plus line. Le sigh… 😦
What I Bought!
On my way out, I did find a size 2x in the faux wrap aztec printed dress. But the thought of having to go back into those cramped change-rooms AGAIN…. ew. No Thanks.
I guesstimated that I’d be safer to purchase this item a size smaller, and if worst case scenario… I’d simply return it if it didn’t fit right once I got it home. Right? Right!
BIG FYI #1:Suzy Shier has a strict Exchange Only policy (14-days). Absolutely zero Returns for cash back. **insert eye-roll emoji here**
BIG FYI #2: If you are hoping to do an exchange, know that you can ONLY exchange plus sized items to Suzy Shier stores with plus size options.
Yup. So, before you decide to spend your cold hard cash on a piece from this retailer, make sure you REALLY want it and that you like the way it fits, cuz there is no turning back once you fork out the $$. And with the sizing being so different from one piece to the next, ordering online without trying anything on IS NOT A WISE CHOICE here, don’t ya think?
Lucky for me, the 2x I purchased without trying on, fit like a dream! Even the exposed long zip down the back even lays flat from the top of neck to tail of hip! Very exciting news for my curvy self.
The neckline was still a bit big…or rather more revealing than I’d like. Thank goodness for safety pins for a quick fix 😉
Have any of you shopped Suzy Shier+ yet? Have you had much luck with fit, selection and style available to you? What are your thoughts on the pieces I tried on? Did I make the right choice?
Let me know in the comments section below.
I wore this number out this past weekend for BuzzontheBridge, part of 100in1Day event in Toronto –>
What a perfect sunny Saturday to be dancing Lindy Hop on the Wallace Bridge, followed by soaking up the rays with mimosas and Caesars on a patio! 🙂
Here we go. The last instalment of PPMeow’s Asian Adventure. (Sorry it’s taken me so long to post)
The last of the three cities I visited was Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
I left Toronto, Canada with weather of -11 degrees Friday, February 27th…. to arrive in KL to +38 degrees on Sunday evening, March 1st! 😮
It was so hot ALL-THE-TIME there!
The crowded streets of Chinatown in KL
KL is the capital and most populous city in Malaysia. And was the ‘home-base’ for my 3-week trip to South-East Asia, as my friend Dee lives there.
With the weather being oh-so hot, it was difficult to get motivated enough to leave air-conditioned quarters to venture out into the crowded city for exploring.
Also, it was in this city that I totally got hooked on Game of Thrones – and managed to binge-watch all 4-seasons during this trip. Yup! I did it. And I’m not at all sorry. 😛
But, as compelling as Jon Snow is, I did manage to see and do things in this fashionable city…
The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers, are twin skyscrapers in Kuala LumpurThe towers at night…magical!
The main religion there is Islam, with significant Buddhist, Hindu and Christian minorities. And such a wide variety of fashionable people out and about all the time from each of these religious groups. I was very tempted to take random shots of people’s outfits to show you what I mean … buuuuuut I wasn’t sure that would go over so well with the locals, so sadly I have no proof to show in this post. But believe me – some highly fashionable folks out there friends!
On the Rapid Lite Rail headed into downtown KL
The subway system there is pretty great – so long as your destination is close to a subway station. Otherwise, the streets of KL can be a real challenge to maneuver alone. Roads on a map have been compared to ‘spaghetti noodles’ – not at all like the convenient grid system of Toronto streets I’ve come to know and love.
Selfie with Soup Bowls
I arrived shortly after the celebration of Chinese New Year … so many of the cityscapes and shopping centres still had decorations and lanterns hung…
THE FOOD!!!
Lucky for me, Dee had a long-list of delicious meals I HAD TO TRY while I was visiting… and everything I ate while in Malaysia was amazeballs!!!!
The dish on the left (below) is Laksa soup. There are two basic types of laksa: curry laksa and asam laksa. Curry laksa is a coconut curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour fish soup with noodles. The one I had was curry laksa, I’m pretty sure. 🙂
The dish on the right (above) is Nasi lemak, the national dish of Malaysia. It is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. Basic simple nasi lemak typically comes with with an egg, anchovies, cucumber, and sambal belacan. This dish is so popular and tasty that people sometimes eat it for all three meals of the day.
My first oyster eating experience of my life! Slimey….but tasty!My first coconut of the entire trip!!! mmmmm….coconut!
THE SHOPPING
There are so many shopping malls in KL! All with the A/C blasting to give everyone a bit of relief from the blazing heat, I’m assuming. IT’S SO HOT THERE!!!
The Central Market is an award-winning tourist attraction and shopping destination, while preserving the significance in showcasing the nation’s arts, culture and heritage.
Some of the cute fascinators and headbands on display …. I really had to control my impulsive shopping habit while I was out and about.
For this reason, I was strict with keeping my purchase limited to super unique and unlikely to find anywhere else 😉
In that same store I found this lovely lightweight navy & green hibiscus floral patterned fabric … that didn’t look like much when I unfolded it…. but then when worn it was the coolest soft pant ever!!! Can’t wait to rock this for summer in Toronto (if the weather cooperates, that is).
For my fellow 80s kids out there…. do you remember those jellybean shoes of your youth? Well guess what I found in the shops of KL? YUP!!! Jellies for Adults!
I couldn’t decide which pair I liked more….so I bought both! 🙂
When it comes to accessories … there are so many adorable things. I just couldn’t decide. But lucky for me that Dee picked these up for me – THANKS DEE!!! They have quickly become my favourite go-to pair of earrings.
Suddenly I moustache you a question… 😀
The last piece of uniqueness for my closet was this uber soft, reversible vest-scarf-hoodie thing.
At first glance the pattern of this garment drew me in, dark and light grey patterns. But upon closer inspection, it was so interesting and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, that it had to be mine. 🙂
It’s already gotten many ooh’s and ahh’s when I debuted it to the office last month.
And in true tourist fashion, I hit up a local grocery store to pick up some hot sauces and tea as souvenirs for my folks. PS: That TomYum paste yields delicious soup – check & follow my Instagram for proof friends 😉
SWING DANCING FOR ST PADDY’S DAY
Last, but certainly not least, was KL’s Swing Dancing scene!!! I was lucky enough to check out two dances while I was visiting… and got to celebrate St. Paddy’s day in my newly tailor-made gingham dress from Vietnam.
Did I mention it was motherlovin’ HOT in this country! The moment you step outside you are sweaty-kins …. so lindy hopping in this heat was madness that made your EYEBALLS sweat.
KL Swing peeps…pointing West to Canada 🙂
Here’s a few silly, sweaty-glowing faces of the KL Swing Gang who were totally welcoming and oh-so fun to dance with.
There you have it friends! You’ve relived my entire PPMeow Asian Adventurewith me!!
Thank you for reading, following and commenting throughout my travels. Hope you enjoyed these recap posts. OH, and in case you’ve missed any previous ones….you can find them all below.
PPMeow Asian Adventure includes:
Asia: What to Know Before you Go – click here for blogpost
SWING OUT TO VICTORY! is an annual dinner-dance held at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. You don’t need to be a dancer! There are tons who come out just go to absorb the experience in a great museum setting with people dressed in their vintage finery.
The superb Toronto All-Star Big Band performed nostalgic tunes from the 1930s and 40s all night underneath the famous Avro Lancaster (last in Canada) – the main focus of the event.
This was going to be my first ‘away’ dance … and I was excited to get all decked out in ALL of my 1940s gear!
Finding vintage plus-sized pieces hasn’t been too easy. But I did have some luck at this Spring’s Toronto Vintage Clothing Show, where I picked up this floral belted day-dress, along with these new-vintage (i.e. never been worn) Celebrity bow-tie heels. The white gloves are from 69Vintage, and the purse was a vintage gift (thanks JJ!). The only non-vintage piece was my fascinator, which I picked up from the Your Big Sisters Closet.
In an effort to make this dress more ‘1940s evening appropriate’ … I was on the hunt for a fur stole. Lucky for me, my vintage loving friends (thanks Erin & Joy) discovered that The Public Butter (a vintage shop on WQW) had a ton of them for sale!
I picked up this beautiful mink fur with a patterned, in perfect condition, lining for only $40!
The beautiful vintage mink fur stole I picked up – in mint condition from The Public Butter, $40!
The hair is always my biggest challenge. Liz, of The Vintage Inn, gave me a great easy tip and I was able to create this vintage back-roll…which held up pretty well all night!
A gaggle of us carpooled our way just outside of Hamilton, in our 40s finest …. stopping to have dinner at Swiss Chalet, we be Klassly like dat….yup – classy with a ‘k’. And then we were off to dance among the planes with uniformed men 🙂
Lovely 1940s fashions, airplanes and furs with some fabulous ladies! Special thanks to Erin for bringing along her camera to capture some of these fab snaps!A little sweaty faced after all the dancing
At some point in the middle of the fantastic night, a delightful lady handed me a card and said I was her choice for “Best Dressed” of the evening…and would be called up on stage for the competition! Woot! Woot!
Geez…check out my Best Dress competition – 7 ft tall goddess with perfect pin-up hair…Best Dress Contestants were me, 7ft pin-up goddess and Winston Churchill
2nd prize winner of a giant basket of goodies for the Best Dressed Contest!Moi – a la 1940s. Photo credit: Shermette … click the link to see her blogpost recap on this event.
Is there a panda behind my head? “I always feel like somebody’s watching me”….Toronto Vintage Society ladies totally ambushed this uniformed crewmen into this shot. He doesn’t seem to mind too much though 🙂
Dancing to the always magically big band music of Toronto All Star Big Band, surrounded by the planes at The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, among veterans and friends dressed in vintage finery and WINNING 2nd place in the best dressed contest ….. what a fantastic night!!! Can’t wait for next year! 🙂
The easiest way to make your Summer pieces more Fall appropriate isn’t to ditch them altogether, but to come up with new ways to wear them.
Here are a few simple ways to stretch your wardrobe and make all your old favorites work until Winter.
This simple short-sleeved navy geometric patterned, faux wrap cotton summer dress has been in my Summer-outfit-rotation for a few years now. I picked it up from the GAP in LA…and even though it’s starting to fad, I just can’t part with it. It’s kinda perfect for Lindy Hop lessons – that’s where I was off to in this outfit. 😉
To make it work for Fall weather I simply added tights. If you’re not into tights, try leggings (like I’m doing in these pics). They’re perfect to wear under your summery dresses for more coverage and warmth, while still staying fashion-forward. I chose a loud colour to help break up the other darker colours of this outfit.
Boots are an autumn staple! They make all of your summer outfits warmer and more functional. Easy Peasy!
You can find booties on the cheap and wear them with your favorite skirt and cardigan/sweater combo like I’ve done in this Outfit of the Day. Boots are an ideal item to stretch your wardrobe — I highly suggest you getting a couple of pairs in different heights. 😉
How I Got The Look: Navy geometric patterned dress from GAP; Ooh-la-la sweater, Navy & gold earrings and tights from Old Navy;Guess purse
So waddya think of the tips in this post? Will they help YOU transition some of your Summer pieces into the Fall? Use the Comments section and let me know.
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.
Here’s the only snap I took during the entire 3-day workshop. Clearly, I was too busy dancing my feet off… 🙂
THE WORKSHOPS:
The organizers of Lindyworks 2014, along with our fantastic guest instructors: Evita Arce & Michael Jagger AND Sylwia Bielec & Alain Fragman Photo credit: KHPhotographyFrom NYC, Evita Arce & Michael JaggerEvita Arce & Michael JaggerFrom Montreal, Sylwia Bielec & Alain Fragman
Moi… in sweaty-workshop-mode … learning new moves and improving on technique
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…
“Please, Lindy gods, make this room a little cooler…” 😉 Photo credit: KHPhotographyPhoto credit: KHPhotography
Love this one…. “I saw you…with her… Wag our finger in unison”... STOMP OFF! 🙂
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:
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:
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!!
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! 🙂
Check out the hip action on my instructor Luis…He’s Spanish – his hips don’t lie 😉 Photo credit: KHPhotography
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.
If you’ve been following PPMeow! for sometime now, you’ll know that I’ve fallen head-over-heels for Lindy Hop and Swing Dancing! So much so that all summer I’ve tried to attend as many free, outdoor swing event around the city (click here & here), and nearly every Saturday (since the completion of my lessons with Lindy Hop Revolution), I’ve been at The Dovercourt House where Toronto Lindy Hop hosts weekly live bands and dances (with lessons).
Well friends, the last Saturday of every month, Toronto Lindy Hop has a fantastic theme night – and August’s was: SWING PROM!
Which means, this chick had an excuse to get extra all dolled up in vintage-esk duds AND dance the night away in a tiara – duh!
I picked up this teal dress from a Plus Size Consignment Sale I participated in last year — its an ASOS dress — and this is the first time I’ve ever worn it. The long strand pearls were picked up from the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show a earlier this year and shoes (from Naturalizer) and tiara were from my wedding. Thrilled to finally have an excuse to wear this prettiness out again!
To my surprise….making these corsages and boutonnieres were uber simple.
All you need are some love faux flowers and leaves, a bit of felt adhere the flowers down to, elastic to secure it to your wrists and a hot glue gun to stick everything down into place. Easy. Peasy. Lemon. Squeezy. 🙂
These were the ones I created!!! I’m not at all crafty…and was thrilled and how great these turned out! Yay me!Tah-Dah! Corsages totally make these prom dresses….don’t you think?Swing dancing in poofy frocks just makes your heart happy…. at least it does mine. 🙂Gentlemen readers … if you’re looking to meet beautiful chicks in the city…clearly SWING DANCING is where you’ll find them! Meow indeed! 😉The Pre-Prom Crafty Team … 50s, 60s and 80s themes represented
Miranda Priestley’s famed catty retort from The Devil Wears Pradamay live on in infamy, but truth be told I’m not the biggest fan of floral prints. And I’m seemingly late to the party with this trend this year….with summer in full bloom and all (see what I did there 😉 …)
These pink hibiscus earrings I picked up at last year’s Toronto Vintage Society‘s Tiki Party — were the inspiration for my outfit of the day.
I have a hard time finding a good lipstick/gloss that actually appears PINK once applied to my lips. This RIMMEL LONDON Stay Glossy Lip Gloss – Jewel In The Crown is actually perfect…and has become by go-to summer colour.
This outfit of the day had to do double-duty as a office appropriate work-outfit AND comfortable enough to Lindy Hop in immediately after work with SWING TORONTO in front of the Gazebo of St. James Park (King/Jarvis Sts)!
For dancing in the park….the heels had to go. Sooooo these navy flat peep-toes (Payless) worked out perfectly….
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As you can see, dancing in St. James Park isn’t the easiest thing to do…..the grounds are pretty beat up and kinda tricky for dancing on. Not like that stopped us or anything. Check me out friends!!! 🙂
Special thanks to Liz for taking this perfect shot 🙂
Turns out Old Town Toronto took a bunch of pictures too. Check out a few during the swing lesson by Swing Toronto before the band went on…..click here for their full photo album of this event.
Swing Toronto’s lesson before the Band went on….Photo courtesy of Old Town Toronto
Love that this city has soooooo many outdoor music & dancing opportunities….
Photo courtesy of Old Town TorontoPhoto courtesy of Old Town Toronto
Floral pencil skirt from H&M; Navy top from Reitmans; Navy flat peep-toes from Payless; Pink heels from MTNY; Purse from Your Big Sister’s Closet
Have you made it out to any outdoor music and dancing events in Toronto this summer? Which ones? Tell me all about the in the comments section friends!
9-weeks ago…. I began Lindy Hop Swing Dancing Lessons with the lovely instructors, Luis & Natalia of Lindy Hop Revolution. And I can proudly say that they’ve officially turned me into a solid Beginner Level Swing Dancer!!!
I blogged about my very first swing lesson – describing myself as a hot mess. My arms did not want to cooperate what-so-ever. And the constant ‘bouncing’ that is required didn’t seem to keep the beat in my feet as it should.
It was tricky at first, but week after week I felt more and more confident of the steps, felt myself improving and I couldn’t wait for class to learn the next big move. 🙂
I couldn’t get enough! In addition to my weekly scheduled lesson, I found myself showing up at the weekly LHR ‘social dances’ …dancing with swing dancers from all over Toronto …. dancers with varying skill-levels! These drop-in socials I think were key to my overall improvement and confidence in becoming a better Follower – and just have fun with it! 🙂
LHR threw a ‘End of Year’ Party last week — as this cute couple is taking summer off to tie the knot in Spain!!! (Congratulations again you two, xoxo!) Giving all the students, new and old, an opportunity to swing, swing, swing until the wee hours of the AM potluck style.
Being silly with the fab LHR Instructors: Luis & Natalia
Erin, fellow blogger of Delovely has been in the Beginner classes with me for the last two months….she’s terrific! We met up on a patio before the party to get some liquid courage in us before the party began. 😉
Check out the lovely crafty contribution to the potluck she brought, complete with punny-humor: Try a Lindy Pop! Isn’t she clever? 🙂 Definitely check out her blog for more creative crafts friends.
Natalia & I making silly Lindy Hop faces
Wanna see what 9-weeks of Lindy Hop Lessons looks like? Check out my debut swing dancing vid below!
Special Thank You to Erin for your steady hand in filming and to Donald for being my patient go-to dance partner 🙂
It’s official: Swing Dancing is my happy drug!!!
Can’t wait to continue with lessons into the Fall, and beyond with Lindy Hop Revolution!
As for What I Wore … turns out I wore the same dress from my very first lesson – minus the cardi & tights. Click here for details on that outfit 🙂
So, waddya think of me and my Lindy Hop moves? If I can learn it…anyone can friends. Would you ever try lessons yourself? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
For my fellow 80s kids out there…. do you remember those jellybean shoes of your youth? Well guess what I found in the shops of KL? YUP!!! Jellies for Adults!
If you look really closely at the pattern of this dress, you’ll notice they are little chat bubbles/text bubbles. 
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I blogged about my 
PPMeow! 
