Blogging Break.

I'm going to be taking a little break from blogging. Little because it shouldn't be too long - in fact, I'll be back next month. The reason is because I'm living in a little bit of a chaotic transition stage right now. I don't have my own place; many of my things are packed away in boxes; I'm still getting used to my new life here in Vancouver; I'm working, volunteering, and trying to finish a Master's degree; and I'm just plain lacking on time. I plan on taking this month to take lots of photos of all the things I love to do/eat/wear/buy to get ahead on future posts, because right now I just don't have the time to do all that! See you soon, friends! xo Caroline

Pattern Mixing.

This is my version of a little bit of pattern mixing. I scored this J. Crew striped shirt about a month ago for only $10 and fell in love with it right away. It's the perfect layering piece. In fact, all stripes are! These pants are also a new addition to my wardrobe. I love the feel and quality of them and they are beyond comfortable. Stripes + tweed is my new favourite combo!!

RIP Amanda Todd.

Photo taken from this Facebook page

Wow. Last night I watched the news and found out that local teen Amanda Todd committed suicide on Wednesday as a result of being repeatedly bullied, teased, made fun of, marginalized, dismissed, dehumanized, alienated, and surely much more. Her story speaks to me not only because I, like she, once felt completely alone and misunderstood (and stupid, ugly, and worthless, among other things), but also because it reveals the degree to which patriarchal attitudes are still around today. What I mean to say is that it's not necessarily just the individual 'bullies' that I blame (girl or boy) but rather it's the naturalized ideas about girls (as sex objects, for example) that the 'bullies' are conveying that I blame. And I go to bed at night and I wonder why the hell more people don't see a problem with these ideas. Don't speak up about them. Don't want to understand, aren't open to understanding, they're transparency, their historical and social construction, their falseness.

Traditions.

Everyone seems to be posting about apple picking these days, and now so am I! Jimmy and I went to an apple orchard/pumpkin patch on Saturday to pick up some festive treats for Thanksgiving, including apples for an apple pie I made for our Sunday turkey dinner. I was WAY over dressed for our outing (a sweater, boots, and pants + mid-day sun beating down on me) so, unfortunately, we didn't last long amongst the trees. But it was fun nonetheless! It has now become kind of a tradition for us (thanks to my pushing, let's be honest), which makes me realize how much the little things in life matter to me - apple picking and pumpkin choosing, for example, and even mundane activities such as home-made apple pie and intimate chit chat. I don't know, I guess the more and more I adjust to "adult" life, the more and more I realize how precious life is ... which is both scary and relieving.

Happy Thanksgiving.

The Flea Market.

I went to a local flea market last Sunday and it was such an adventure! When I first arrived I was so overwhelmed with the amount of used, new, antique, and vintage items but the feeling turned out to be a nice change. You should have seen me; I was rushing about from booth to booth trying to make sure I got a good look at everything. I didn't want to miss even one deal! Luckily, Jimmy was there to capture my movements on camera.

Black & Navy.

One of my favourite colour combinations is black and navy. Perhaps because for so long I thought I couldn't mix the two, though I'm not sure why. Now that I've begun to experiment with fashion more, I feel more confident about doing it. I wore this fancy-ish number two weekends ago when Jimmy took me out for a belated Birthday dinner (if you remember, I wasn't with him on my actual Birthday). We went to a restaurant in Kitsilano called the Kitsilano Daily Kitchen and tried their 6-course "culinary adventure." It was delicious and so much fun! We didn't know what any of the 6 courses would be when they came out so it was very exciting - and I got to try a variety of new foods, which is always fun for me.

New In: Cashmere Sweater.

Kelowna Snapshots.

These are some random snapshots I took during my quick little trip to Kelowna (the one I mentioned here), as well as some lookbook photos that Jimmy took while in Kelowna. 

Fat.

I don't know about you, but my body and I have been on a long journey. When I was an adolescent, I felt fat and ugly. I remember looking in the mirror at my 'fat' stomach and flat chest. I even remember asking a babysitter if I would ever have larger breasts and a flatter stomach, instead of the other way around. I was desperate yet hopeful. I was 10. Already I knew that my value came from my appearance. When I was 14, I read a book whose protagonist drank only a glass of orange juice for breakfast. I was determined to do the same - wasn't that 'normal', 'healthy'?

Best Brownie Recipe.

These are the best brownies I've ever had. And that's very serious matter, people. I posted a photo of them on Instagram about a month ago when I made them and I got a few requests to share the recipe. Well, here it is! Unfortunately, I can take no credit for the recipe because I followed Smitten Kitchen's "My Favourite Brownies" recipe exactly. They really have become my favourite brownie recipe though. They're both decadently fudgy and chocolatey yet not overly sweet. Using unsweetened chocolate is crucial for the perfect chocolate intensity of these brownies.

Monochromatic Blue.

 This is the last outfit of the "Colour Challenge" I'm doing with Anais! As you can see, I'm wearing the colour blue. I went with a monochromatic royal blue look. I love this skirt I found at Vintage Wear in Almonte a couple of weeks ago. It's the perfect tweed skirt. I paired it with a similar-toned blue blouse from Club Monaco (which did not look this wrinkled when I put it on!), my favourite blue snakeskin clutch, and kept everything else minimal. 

Emerald.

This is my green outfit for the "Colour Challenge" I am doing with Anais from The Time is Grey. Although  my blouse may not look green in these photos (it looks more turquoise compared to the trees in the background),  I assure you it is. It is a lovely emerald green - one of my favourite colours for fall. 

Today I'm not writing much here because I'm busy busy. We got back from Kelowna late last night and I have a ton of catching up to do - including finding employment and a volunteer position asap!

Little Black Dress.

 This is my third outfit for the "Colour Challenge" I'm doing with Anais from The Time is Grey. My aunt gave me this dress a couple of months ago. She used to wear it all the time for work-related events but no longer does. I think she bought it back in the 80's. I was honoured that she gave it to me and love the fact that I can take a part of her with me wherever and whenever I wear it. In fact, that's one of the reasons why I love all vintage items so much. There's a history behind them. Or rather, a herstory.  And that's no spelling mistake, Blogger. Now I get to wear my aunt's story. 

Although I'm not usually not one for beading, I love it on this dress. Maybe because it's so subtle, especially in black. This is definitely my new little black dress!

Statement White.

 Here is "Colour Challenge" (see more about that here) outfit number two: the white outfit! I decided to style a bulky white sweater I bought at a vintage store in Budapest as the main/ statement component of my outfit. I paired it with boyfriend-style skinny jeans, a pair of heeled Nine West loafers that I bought in New York last year, and my latest investment: a new Michael Kors purse!

On another note, I'm heading to Kelowna today for the quickest getaway ever! Jimmy and I are driving 4 hours to Kelowna, checking into a hotel, going out for dinner, and then tomorrow I plan on spending the day alone in Kelowna while he attends a few meetings! I'm pretty excited, despite that it might feel a bit rushed!

A Little Bit of Red.

I chose to style my red look for the "Colour Challenge" I'm doing this week with Anais from The Time is Grey (see more about that here) very subtly. I went with a bright-hued red leather skirt (which I thrifted, if you can believe it), a military jacket, and black accessories. Oh, and a red lip! I hope you like it!

Colour Challenge: Collaboration with Anais from The Time is Grey.

I'm so excited to announce that I will be doing a sequence of collaborative posts this coming week with Anais from The Time is Grey! The Time is Grey is one of my all-time favourite blogs. I so admire the beautiful Anais and her unique sense of style - she brilliantly combines an array of beautiful vintage pieces in fun, modern, and classic ways. Her photographs and her blog posts are equally as brilliant as her sense-of-style. She uses a kind of poetic language to describe her outfit posts and her photos. And, as you can see, they are stunning!

Anais and I have collaborated and come up with what we've called a "Colour Challenge". Starting tomorrow, we will be posting outfits on each of our respective blogs based on one colour. Monday will be red, Tuesday white, Wednesday black, Thursday green, and Friday blue. Of course, we've styled different outfits in different ways. I hope you'll stay tuned to see what both of us have come up with for each colour!

Birthday Snapshots.

Last weekend I celebrated my 24th Birthday. It was an unexpectedly lovely day. I tried not to set the bar too high for this Birthday, only because in the past when I've done that I've found myself let down. I wanted to take the day as it came - both the good and the bad. I did, and I was happily surprised! I just spent the day with my family and it was so needed, especially because I move to Vancouver this weekend. My mom and I went to two of my favourite places in downtown Ottawa: The Sassy Bead Company to make a necklace tutorial I found here and then the Fairmont Chateau Laurier for - brace yourselves - high tea!!! I love high tea! It was delicious and everything I needed.

In the evening we made dinner, drank wine, ate delicious Stubbe chocolate cake, opened gifts, and finished of the night with a game of pool. Not too mention, I got some lovely new things including a purse I'd been eyeing, the Guess watch I've been wanting (see here), and a Lauren Elan bracelet, as you'll see below!

Grey & White.

Although we've all heard the feared "don't wear white after labour day" warning, I think it's totally acceptable to do so - at least for me. Why not? Isn't a part of the fun of fashion playing with and adjusting some of the "rules"? Isn't that how you create your own (always changing, in my opinion) fashion style? Although this can be kind of scary and intimidating for me, I think it's totally important. Do you?

Music Mondays: The Lumineers.

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Oh my gosh is this band ever good! The Lumineers have become my latest music obsession. Only by listening to them did I realize how much I love contemporary folk music. From Bon Iver (who I'll be seeing tonight at the Ottawa Folk Festival!!) to The Weepies to Joshua Radin to, as of late, The Lumineers. Oh my. The Lumineers are a mix between the rhythms and sounds of Fleetwood Mac and Momford & Son and the sultry ballads of Ryan Adams. Their music is uplifting yet at the same time poignantly honest and real. It contains both tinges of hope and remnants of sadness. This makes for such beautiful combination, one that they so brilliantly execute.

This quote from the biography page on The Lumineers' website perfectly describes them:

"They’re drawn by the live Lumineers experience—a coming-together in musical solidarity against isolation, adversity, and despair."

A Day on My Own.

I visited a lovely nearby town on Sunday and had such a nice time! I was feeling restless and sort of lonely Sunday morning, sitting at home with not much to do. (Literally! I'd been so busy taking care of things all week that I wound up with spare time--something I do not come by often!) Anyway, most of my friends and even my boyfriend weren't in town but I didn't let that stop me. I thought: well, why not do a little bit of shopping/wandering/eating by myself? Right? Who says you can't enjoy time alone--in public? I'd driven through this specific town the night before and only then realized how nice it is there. And I'm so glad I chose to go back!

In-between.

These photos were taken with my old non-digital DSLR camera so I'm not as pleased with the results. However, they will have to do because I love this outfit. I just felt so great in it! I picked up the slouchy sparkly top from Club Monaco a couple of weeks ago on sale and I love it. I was initially hesitant to buy it because I never thought I could pull off the slouchy cropped look (although I have tried) but this version I think actually works on me. AND it's perfect for both fall and summer. This whole outfit, actually, was meant to be a transition outfit from summer (and the heat that still persists in these parts of Canada) to fall. With the more neutral colour palette and the mix between covered up and still easy breezy, I think it works! 

Fall Fashion Lust List.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Ottawa Snapshots.

Here are some snapshots of last weekend's time spent in Ottawa playing tourist with my dear friend  who was visiting from Calgary. We had a lovely weekend meandering through the city, soaking up the hot weather, enjoying the sights, sharing stories, eating yummy foods (include one of my favourites: charcuterie!), patio-sitting, and people watching (a couple of weddings in particular)!

Capitol Pride 2012.

My friend Emma (who was visiting from Calgary last weekend) and I watched Capitol Pride in Ottawa last Sunday. It was my first time going to a Pride Parade (surprisingly, actually!) but I loved it! I had so much fun. It was so empowering to see all the love that was around. People were uniting in both small and big groups. Happiness and music filled the air. Smiles were everywhere. Feet and arms were moving, embracing everyone. I'm so not used to seeing people unite in such a way (I can name on one hand the other time's I've experienced something similar: the Olympics, the Stanley Cup, natural disasters (?????), so seeing this ... wow, it just made me realize how amazing and important it is when groups of different people unite. In my opinion, it needs to happen more!

Guest Post: Cee from Coco and Vera.

Hello friends! Today's post is a guest post by Cee from Coco and Vera. Cee is is just one of the lovely people I've met through blogging, and I'm thrilled that I did! She's a lovely woman - friendly, kind, down-to-earth and, best of all, incredibly chic! 

I'm Cee from Coco and Vera! I'm very excited to be writing for The Feminista Journals today; Caroline and I share many passions, including travel, feminism and, of course, fashion.

I started blogging two years ago, and my style has evolved over time to encompass so many things that inspire me - my teenaged love of punk rock, an obsession with Chanel and all things Parisian. At the end of the day, I'm just a modern girl who loves clothes. A lot.

Recently, I embarked on a huge adventure and realised a lifelong dream - moving to Paris! I'm setting up camp in le Marais right now, documenting everything as I go. I'd love it if you stopped by my blog to say hello and see what I'm up to in the French capital!

Stripes.

[ dress c/o Oasap // American Apparel sheer top // Nanushka belt // Aldo shoes (old) // Vintage Coach purse // Chloe Ammi sunglasses // O My Heart! bracelet ]

I received this striped dress from Oasap last week and was wonderfully surprised. I love it! I love the quality of cotton and the fit--it's perfect. Although it's great for summer, I'm also looking forward to wearing it in the fall with a chunky sweater and ankle boots or flats. I love this transition period from fall to summer, mostly because I love fall fashion so much (and I'm getting really tired of wearing the same shorts on repeat). These new Chloe sunglasses will transition perfectly from summer to fall as well. They are definitely my favourite Beyond the Rack find and I am very happy with them. It feels so good to find good quality and designer pieces at a fraction of the cost. Is it weird to admit that I'm proud of this find? Well, I am! Have a great week friends! xo Caroline

Make-up: Yay or Nay?

1. 2. 3. 4.

I recently bought a few new Estée Lauder make-up products. It's been since Christmas since I invested in some new make-up, and it felt so nice to treat myself (and I received the lipstick for free!). That being said, I also wondered if buying make-up is a treat for other women? I've known various women who don't enjoy purchasing and playing with make-up the same way I do, or who don't wear make-up at all. I can see why, to be honest--like fashion, it involves participating in consumerism and femininity--two things which, I imagine, a lot of women don't identify with. On top of that, a lot of it is also loaded with chemicals and toxins (one reason why a lot of the make-up I buy is all-natural). Do you use make-up, and if so why or why not? Do you think using make-up can be trivial and pointless or do you enjoy applying it, buying it, and collecting it--or both? Sometimes I feel torn, so I'd love to hear what others think. Happy Friday! xo Caroline

Patterned.

[ Mac & Jac dress via Winners // J. Cew belt // Guess heels // Vintage Koret clutch // Vintage earrings ]

What gal doesn't get all dressed up and prance around their neighbourhood? I know I do! I'm sure many of you bloggers know what I'm talking about (and your photographers!). Well, this is exactly what I did a couple of weeks ago with my friend, who shot these photos of me in one of my favourite dresses. I love its ombre-inspired and almost-geometric pattern, the perfect fit, and of course the sky blue colour. I kept it basic with a skinny belt and nude shoes. Have a lovely day friends! xo Caroline

DIY Printed Pants.

It's Monday morning! And I'm sitting in a coffee shop right now, trying to work on my thesis, but of course people watching and blogging are stopping me. Here's a few snapshots of a pair of palazzo-type pants that my mom and I made together last week following this A Pair and A Spare tutorial. Even though they are easy to make, I suggest only trying it if you have at least minimal sewing experience (or want to learn the basics of sewing on a sewing machine first). I did not. My lovely mother ended up doing most of the sewing-related stuff. Good thing because I just don't have the patience to learn (at this point in my life at least ... maybe one day). But I made tea. Fair, right? Have a great day lovelies! xo Caroline