Cacti & raspberries...

I'm not going to lie... becoming a member of the Flock Together ladies definitely has it's perks! Getting to style new outfits without actually buying new items? Brilliant! It's especially fun when you get to try out styles that are out of your comfort zone.  When I spotted this top from Dus, I had to try it out. It was just so fun! Well, let me tell you, it was torture sending it back. I'm regretting that I didn't buy it from her fair trade shop, Mitla Moda.  It's so breezy! It would be amazing on hot days with a nice breeze. 

top: Dus from Cuddly Cacti

skirt: Ruche

hat: le chateau

belt: Forever 21

shoes: Swedish Hasbeens via Amazon

When I styled this outfit and looked in the mirror, I immediately thought of a lady gardening, or shopping for flowers. Hence the photos in our raspberry bushes. They're finally starting to bud.  Spring is so late here this year, with the long winter we had.  And as you can spot in the background, Dominic has been a busy bee the last few weeks.  We purchased that parcel of land in January. It used to be filled with trees and shrubs, but he's been working hard to clear it out so it will become more useful for us.  I'm definitely looking forward to an extended backyard.  We'll eventually hang some hammocks, and make it a relaxing place to be! 

glamming it up...

Some days call for a more glamorous feel and look.  Yesterday was one of those such days.  With a business dinner after work, I couldn't very well wear a pie dress, and wearing something 'business' didn't feel appropriate for a dinner. So I opted for a dressier, glam feel.  I've worn this dress several different ways, but with beige pumps and this coat, it just added an air of sophistication that I didn't get with the red accessories paired with it.  I felt quite 60s glam.

 

     coat: lulu's
     dress: heartbreaker fashion, dress 911
     shoes, purse: ruche
     belt: forever 21

a new twist on an old faithful...

 it's no secret that this dress is one of my favourites. i bought it from ruche a few years ago, and i have definitely gotten my money's worth out of it.  i've worn it so many times (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... that's a lot of posts with this dress!), and styled it quite a few different ways. it's hard to tell from the photos, but there's actually a very slight polka-dot pattern to it.  being so neutral, it's so easy to style it differently and try new colours.  today is a first: purple tights.

i've actually styled it with this same belt and shoes, but with forest green tights... and felt very much like robin hood in that outfit.  purple tights gave the rest of this outfit an entirely different feel, and i love it.

     dress, shoes, earrings and belt: ruche (old)
     tights: h&m

work with me...

 

i felt it was about time to showcase my work with me dress from modcloth.  they've carried this dress for some time, in a variety of colours and patterns.  the reviews on each of the dresses are amazing. everyone just seems to love this dress. and if you look at the photos, people style it so many ways. so i figured i should take the plunge and order one. easy to dress up for events or down for work.  i debated between the black and the red for weeks, and finally decided i needed the red. good choice, in my opinion.  i get complimented every time i wear it. and the best part? it's super comfortable. (since when did i get practical and care about comfort??) i like to pair it with a lace jacket. it's dresses it up a bit for work, and covers my tattoos when i want them covered.

 

 

next is a little confession time. i'm not sure about all bloggers, but i have to admit, most of what i wear in my pictures isn't what i wear all day.  the dress, yes. and i know i've admitted to wearing tights and cardigans almost every day to work, and sometimes i'll take them off for my blog photos...  but the shoes? most of the time, no. i have an office job, so i'm sitting at my desk for the better part of the day. heels at work? sure. on days where i figure i won't be running around too much, i'll opt for higher ones, like i did today. but in reality, i don't wear them to/from work. or on errands. or if i was to stop for groceries. etc. above you'll see my work/blog shoes vs. my to and from shoes. minnetonkas. can you beat them?? they are the most comfortable thing. and i know they don't really go with my outfit, but they're just so amazing.

     dress: modcloth
     shoes/lace jacket: ruche
     watch: guess

mother's day happenings...

 yesterday was mother's day... and celebrate it we did. with a visit to my grandmother first, then off to dinner with my parents.  while i try to make certain both of my parents always know how appreciated they are, i do like having a day that's set aside to make them feel extra special and pampered.

it's also nice as a fur-mama. i know, it's not the same as having a child, nor do i pretend that it is.  but these little fur kids still rely on us to take care of them, to love them and shelter them.  i feel especially grateful to have all three of my fur kids to love this year, after having a scare with chloe this past winter.

yesterday at dinner was the first time a stranger (our waitress) was inside my personal bubble due to my tattoos.  it's something i've witnessed happening to dominic lots of times, as he has a lot of tattoos.  i've had comments on them, or friends take my arm and look at it.  but a stranger, who i've never seen before, took my arm, pushed up my sleeve, and commented on it.  while she did like the tattoo, she said that if she had her camera, she would take a photo of it.  what people seem to forget is that a tattoo is on a person, and you still need to respect that person's space and privacy. i now understand dominic's frustration when it happens to him.

    on me:                                                 

     dress/shoes: ruche, cardigan: pseudio, bandana: etsy, belt: forever 21

on my mama:

top/skirt: rw&co, watch: michael kors, shoes: seychelles

 two of my three furkids wanted to wish everyone a happy fur-mama's day as well :) 

mint and peach comeback...

straight hair is something you'll rarely see me with.  i'm much more of a wavy/curly/messy hair kind of girl.  straight hair usually means one of three things: 1. i didn't have time to curl it; 2. i did curl it, and the weather (usually extreme windiness) caused the curls to fall; or in the case of yesterday's photos, 3. i went to the hair dresser.

i'm still leaving my hair long, although i do keep having an urge to cut it above the shoulders, so a trip to the hair dresser means a trim. what we like to call a 'dusting'. just the very ends, and a bang trim/reshape.  

this is the first time i'm blogging this top, even though i've worn it several times.  i absolutely love it.  i ordered it with the thought that it's great for summer on the bike.  it's sheer, and sleeveless, so that means when we stop and i take off my jacket, its still very me, girly and vintagey but it'll be great to cool down in with the hot sunny days.

 i've been having a hard time finding an outfit to wear it with aside from jeans.  if you've been reading my blog for some time, you might remember that last year i realized how great mint and peach look when worn together.  i wasn't as confident pairing the top with this skirt, because the flowers are very pink-toned, not peachy. pairing it with this skirt was a desperate attempt to dress it up, but it actually ended up working! my intentions are to eventually (hopefully sooner than later) order this skirt to pair it with. but for the time being, i'm happy i found a temporary, pretty solution.

i even managed to go an extra notch and pair it with burgundy tights! i kept looking at the top, trying to find a brown or gray shade that i could match with tights, as i'm so matchy-matchy.  i was running out of time, so i grabbed these and thought, 'they might work'. and they did! this may end up being a new favourite outfit.

     top, pin, tights: modcloth
     shoes: b.a.i.t. footwear
     skirt: ruche
     caridgan: american eagle

bows and aprons...

 i ordered this pretty bow from etsy a couple of weeks ago on a whim.  i've recently started following new blogs, including kate and marisa, who always have fun hair with daring accessories.  i thought 'maybe i can pull that off too.'  so, here i am, with this new bow.

my first question was, do i wear it in the front?

 or in the back? (which made me think of 'business in the front and party in the back', the old mullet motto)... 

so i opted for the front. for these photos anyhow.  i haven't actually worn it out yet, i feel i need to test the waters casually, on the weekend, around the house... 

i also made a fun discovery.  the colours of the flowers in the bow are very similar to the flowers on a vintage apron i thrifted a few weeks ago!!

 i just *had* to put the apron on for some photos.  honestly, this outfit makes me want to invite a bunch of gal pals over to bake, just so i can wear this outfit.

 or at the very least, i'll bake up some treats for dominic while wearing this, and at least feel cute doing so.

     bow: etsy shop worldly delight
     dress: ruche
     belt: from another dress
     tights: american apparel
     shoes: hand me downs from melissa (originally from aldo)
     apron: thrifted
     lipstick: clinique colour surge butter shine lipstick in adore you