Zip me up...twice

My new Dolce Vita boots have arrived! I love my tall boots, my over-the-knee boots, my booties, etc., but these are the perfect mix of height and hardware. They aren't platform, a detail I usually prefer, but they are comfortable. Hope you enjoy my homage to 13-year-old girl-mirror-self portraits. :P

(Deena and Ozzy beret)

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For the love of the games

My weekend was filled with my favourite games: hockey and shopping, both involving maneuvering through crowds and great attentiveness. I saw the Ottawa 67s play on Friday, watched the Senators play the NY Rangers from my company's suite on Saturday and elbowed my way through shoppers at the large-scale vintage sale at Chateau Laurier, an annual event that raises funds for charity. Sellers came from Toronto, Quebec and all over Ontario, some were private and others advertised their small boutiques. All items were from the 1900s to 1970s and ranged from 1950s Christmas ornaments, 1900s lace gowns, delicate chain maille purses, cases of brooches and rings, fur hats, coats and other antique knick-knacks.

Scrounging for deals and rare pieces can become difficult as everything begins to gel together in a monotonous heap of clothing and accessories. It's really to the advantage of the shopper because the better pieces will stand out from the rest more clearly...with patience and a skillful eye! I had no idea what I was looking for and let myself discover whatever pieces spoke to me.

I fell in love with his ring immediately and purchased it for $20. It reminds me of the Chrysler Building in NY because of its lines and shape. The bracelet was also $20 and made of bone. Below are pieces from YSL, Gucci and Emilio Pucci (yellow jersey dress). I also found a cashmere carmel Celine trench, made in Paris from around 1940 at $400. The rink shot is the view from the suite at Scotiabank Place. Intense over-time game where NY overtook us. :P

Love

From Tyler Shields....

Swedish Ski Bunny

Ski by Kimmy401 on Polyvore.com

From the UK brand Barts, this faux fur trapper hat (tribe bomber) with embroidered detailing was recently purchased for me by my wonderful mom. Initially, she thought the colourful designs looked Native, but to me they look more Scandinavian. I won't be sporting a golden tan, but I'll have the blonde hair. It reminds me of something Galliano would put on his models paired with the Dior moon boots. I really love it and it will definitely come in handy battling the Canadian winter...or enjoying a pleasant skate on the world's largest rink! (aka Rideau Canal). My dad and brother have authentic trapper hats they wear for ice fishing and hunting. I love when practical clothing influences high end fashion, especially when the translation is so apparent and the original inspiration isn't altered very much. As Canadians, I think the colder season generates creativity in our outerwear as well as what we conceal underneath those puffy parkas. Our climate, landscape and culture is inspiration for many designers; example DSquared's camping themed spring/summer 2010 collection (below). This hat is incredibly warm and I promise to post a photo of myself wearing it in the snow! I love how I turned this into something Canadian when I intended to say how much I love Scandinavian culture!

Closet Inspirations

Inspired from my closet by Kimmy401 featuring Ray

Items in this set:
Silence & Noise jacket, $148
Urbanoutfitters.com boots, $428
Ray-Ban sunglasses, $139
Swarovski-crystallized.com ring, $115
American Apparel tights, $42

This is my favourite outfit from my closet of the moment. Some of these pieces are in my possession, while others are very similar in style to what's actually in my closet. I paired the outfit with an over-sized charcoal TNA t-shirt, american apparel leggings and moto studded jacket. My over-the-knee boots are similar but black suede and vintage from Spain. The chunky scarf I have is white and knit myself, sewing the ends together to create a unity scarf. My antique ring is gold studded with 50 diamonds and was my grandmother's. I wear my Ray Bans a lot. Despite how huge of a trend they were summers past, they're a classic icon like James Dean who popularized the frame. MAC lipstick in Ruby Woo (matte) is my pick for the perfect red hue. I use it as a stain sometimes and then cover it with a gloss, but the matte finish is incredible and moisturizing! It's nice to have a pop of colour among the black and bring attention to the face. I haven't tried the hair bun yet, but I've noticed many European bloggers sporting the 'do.

Formal Favourites

dsfsagadbadaadvdbvda by Kimmy401 featuring Yves Saint Laurent shoes

Items in this set:
Marchesa dress, $1,656
Alexander Wang dress, 625 EUR
3.1 Phillip Lim dress, 545 GBP
Kirnazabete.com dress, $375
Rachel Pally dress, $251

I finally dived into the Polyvore world, which is highly addicting. I had to create this fantasy collage of evening dresses I would wear on a special evening out. As you can tell, I'm a lover of maxi dresses channeling roman elements because I find them romantic and effortless. Marchesa's gold embellishments are more elegant than Rachel Pally's very similar maxi dress, however it's important to show a less dramatic option. Pally's dress could be worn anywhere, in a casual atmosphere or dressed up with a chunky necklace and cuffs. The YSL heels are dangerously high and scandalously thin. I love simple black pumps with short dresses, however I do like to spice it up with a more vibrant and glamourous shoe. To really appreciate the detailing on the Pucci and Elise Overland cocktail dresses, I think a sleek, simple, classic heel truly shows the craftsmanship off. Conversely, the crazy gold studded heels work beautifully with the simplicity of the Alexander Wang mini dress.