July comings and goings

What came in - 9

• 2 dresses from my mom
• Coach wallet - a surprise gift from my husband =)
• Denim shorts
• Ivory skinny belt - I LOVE this piece, easily a new wardrobe staple and favourite
• Black crop top - not super short though!
• 2 non-iron blouses
• 1 short-sleeved blouse

What went out - 8

• 1 pink collared shirt with argyle patterns - I started to feel kiddish in it
• 1 black blouse - the material just made it very hot to wear
• 1 ivory sleeveless top - I love it but this time when I wore it, it seemed like an item that needed a lot of fussing, which I didn't love. I am sad to part with it
• 1 gray hoodie - I think over time I have been shrinking it in the wash, as well as outgrowing it =S x 2 (although that is one less hoodie I own! A category I've been wanting to downsize)
• 1 olive skirt - too big now
• 1 pair of shoes - sadly, a pair of my Cole Haans
• 1 collared shirt
• 1 dress

Getting better at wearing blazers

I own three blazers - standard black, gray with pinstripes, and tan with white trim. All three are pretty standard and season appropriate to take me throughout the year. Except for at least THREE years, I had trouble wearing the last two, and to be honest, wasn't even that good at wearing the black one, which should just be easy!

This year, since I have been working so hard to curate my closet, decided to work really hard at incorporating them into my wardrobe, before making the decision of whether or not to let them go. 

Since it's summer, I started with the tan one and just really, haphazardly put it on, on the way out the door. It worked! Now, instead of a cardigan, I grab this blazer, and I've been able to wear it regularly since - without having to strain my brain on how to make it look good.

This gray pinstripe one was actually purchased before the tan one and it sat in my closet waiting to be worn. That day finally came a couple weeks ago when I, for whatever reason, I don't know, decided to throw it on. And it also worked!

I think in order for me to make blazers work, I have to actually give it NO THOUGHT whatsoever, and treat them as outerwear instead of something that is supposed to match. I mean, it should match what you're wearing but I think because the idea of a blazer having matching bottoms was so ingrained in my head, I tried TOO hard, to make it match what I was wearing on the bottom, even though I purposely didn't buy a matching bottom.  That idea was just acting like a roadblock and once I kicked it to the curb, found many occasions to wear it. 

I also don't think I'm one to wear a matching pant/skirt & jacket suit, with the exception of black (but only because of necessity).

That said, I don't recommend buying a black pant/skirt & jacket separately because the shades have to be just right. I didn't buy my black blazer with matching bottoms and now regret this. I have been searching for the perfect set. 

Something that I thought was a good suggestion - I read somewhere that you should always take you blazer and bottoms to be dry-cleaned at the same time so the black can always fade at the same time.

I'm sorry we couldn't make it work

One of the most difficult things I find about perfecting my wardrobe is letting go of an item from one of my favourite brands, that I love and had high hopes for, but is just not working out. 

One such item is my mirror-finish Cole Haan peep-toe wedge sandals. 

I purchased these several years ago to wear as my summer go-to shoes - I envisioned wonderful outfits ranging from office appropriate, to 'fun in the sun', casual cool.  I tried the shoes on in the store, and they looked fantastic and felt comfortable - being an avid fan of Cole Haan shoes, I expected no less. I brought them home with me, giddy with excitement to wear them the next day. 

Within 10 minutes of its debut, I stepped on a part of the sidewalk that was slightly unfinished and gouged a chunk of the sole's finish out. I cried. I consoled myself by telling myself that it was on the inside and that it was going to be OK. 

As I continued on my not-so merry way, I noticed that there were very obvious crease marks where my toes bent - the mirror-finish is stiffer than most finishes so the creases look very deep and just horrible. I was further crushed and very disappointed. 

At the end of the day, I put them back in their box and held on to them. Over the next several years, I took them out on a few occasions (those that required very little walking) - each time, they suffered greater and greater damage. More gouges, scratches, and creases - it got to a point where I was tip-toeing in them in hopes they wouldn't touch the ground.

This year, I said to myself: "to hell with it, I'm going to wear these babies to the ground!" Sadly, it seems they beat me to it - with each step, they got squeakier and squeakier, and the soles keep getting louder and louder against the pavement. They've made me loathe them. 

I'm sorry, but we have to part ways, and it pains me - I tried to love you but you're not making it easy for me. I would have loved to share many memories with you. I hope you find a new owner that can make it work. Good bye =(

Don't buy mirror-finish shoes, they will break your heart.

McArthurGlen Outlet, Vancouver, BC - Canada's first designer outlet mall

 

On July 9th, Vancouver and Canada opened its first designer outlet mall - the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport. On its first day, it attracted so much attention that it actually caused flight delays (of course, that may be due to some poor infrastructure and planning, but that's probably for another type of blog). 

I managed to check it out last Friday after work, and this was my experience - 

I left downtown Vancouver at approximately 7:30 p.m. via the Canada Line from Waterfront Station, and it took me about 25 minutes. The outlet is advertised as being 'across the street' from Templeton Station but that is sort of mis-leading (at least for me) - as you're riding the SkyTrain in anticipation to see this new outlet at the train's destination, you see the outlet AS you're riding the train, and then watch as is slowly gets smaller in the distance as the train keeps moving. When  you finally stop, you think "OK, I see what they mean by across the street..." BUT, it's actually the parking lot of the outlet that you're across the street from. From a marketing standpoint (and I know marketing and real estate quite well), I can see how they're spinning it. Now you're set to walk across the parking lot, which is about 5-7 minutes away. (Don't me wrong, it's not a big deal but just not what I expected)

Across the street from Templeton Station

Distance to outlet from 'across the street' of Templeton Station

Your guide to the outlet

The design of the outlet is really, really nice. Compared to everything in Vancouver it's unique and the outdoor feel is really refreshing. I was SO pleased to see that there is a Cole Haan shop as those are my favourite shoes, and of course, as expected, a massive line outside of Coach. You will hear the planes and they fly quite low, making it super loud, but you know, I don't mind it so much, I think it's kind of neat =)

This is just the opening of Phase I so there are still more stores to come, including a Gucci outlet! Hurray! Currently though, I am a bit disappointed by their 'deals'. I only had time to visit 5 stores - Banana Republic, GAP, Ecco, Cole Haan, and Coach (yes, I stood in that line) and nothing impressed me that much in terms of style or pricing. In Cole Haan, their deals were 50% off regular price, but their regular prices started at $300-$350 - this is vastly different from the deals I see in the States. In Banana Republic and GAP, there were deals ranging from 40%-70% off regular price and no clearance section (maybe it's too new to have one yet). Ecco was relatively reasonable but I didn't like any of their styles. Coach, similar to what I see now in the States only had made for factory items, no section for boutique items, and the quality was poor.

I'm willing to give the outlet another shot and look forward to the opening of more stores, and also taking more time to see the ones I missed, but I don't think I'll be back any time soon. It definitely is a great alternative to having to drive to the States, but if their variety and 'deal's continue to be like this, I rather make the trip because even with the poor exchange rate, gas money, and time, I still feel like I'm getting a better deal, if not a better range in variety.  

Ever feel judged for your purchases?

As I mentioned before, I am part of a wonderful online community that celebrates fashion and loves to indulge in the fanciest of items. Not only that, the threads that I am part of are full of wonderful women who not only support each other's purchases and fashion choices, but also share in the ups and downs of life. Why does it seem like that is so hard to find in real life? 

Sometimes when I'm in the real world, or happen to stumble across a less than friendly thread, I go back to my group of 'close forum friends' and I thank them for being the wonderful people that they are. I find that it's hard to find that in real life. I LOVE fashion. I LOVE designer items. Some people may find these things superficial, but nonetheless, these are my hobbies. These aren't my only hobbies, but they're definitely on the top of the list. I get sad when I can't share any of this with my real life friends. I don't even say anything, but I can feel their eyes scrutinizing my clothes (and trust me, as most of you on here know, despite these hobbies, it's very hard for me to put together outfits that I love to be in) so it just makes me feel even more judged for my items. I have a friend who literally looks my bags up and down for a good 10 seconds and doesn't say a word. I can't share - they don't get excited, and if they do, it's feigned excitement. I have a few friends who do get excited but I worry about dragging on the conversation for too long because I can get very enthused and long-winded about some of my finds, beloved items, and my current wants. 

My co-worker N is one of the few people who I can talk fashion with, but I only see her momentarily at work (sometimes not at all, for weeks) =( She doesn't judge and provides honest opinions. She's my real life fashion buddy! xoxo to you, N!

I keep everything low-key and just go shopping by myself. It seems easier that way, but it does make me very sad.