Love Lockdown

Happy February everyone!  It's snowy, but hey-at least it's short!  I'll likely be hitting up some Winterlude activities this weekend, joining the packs of skaters on the canal and standing in a 30 minute lineup for ho-cho and a beaver tail.  Mmmm, get in my bel-ly!

Oh yeah, and mid-month is EVERYONE's fave non-holiday!  St. Valentine's Day....statistically one of the most dreaded (and lucrative) days of the year.  And yet...I HEART IT!  I do, I really do!  As far back as I can remember, I loved the red and pink and white and all the Valentine cards and all the heart shaped candies.  As I got older, I loved going to the Valentine's Day dances at my high school and hoping for that boy to ask me to go, and still not even caring so much when he didn't (and believe me, he NEVER did) because then I could just spend the night with my girlfriends.  My best friends and I would send each other at least 10 Cupid-grams each, filled with inside jokes and just burst out laughing in the middle of our respective first periods when they were delivered, and then tell each other all about our reactions when we saw each other next (because we didn't have cell phones yet and so we actually had to SEE EACH OTHER to tell the latest news rather than instantly sending a text...oh how did we ever survive?).  It was always so fun!  I had this great shirt that I wore all the time, but that I especially liked to wear on Valentine's Day because it had all these little multicoloured hearts printed all over it.  I can't even remember what happened to that shirt...what a shame, since I would still wear it now. 

I think what I always liked about Valentine's Day was that while I was growing up, it wasn't about being in a couple-not at all.  Obviously in elementary school it wasn't, but honestly even through high school I still didn't feel like I was left out because I was single.  Eventually, when I finally did lock down a boyfriend, I failed to really subscribe to the idea that he was going to make the day all that more magical...it already was!  I still brought Valentines for all of my friends (not the whole class like in grade 3, since that would have been insanely difficult), and dressed up in the colours and just totally loved the entire day! 

Now, as an adult, after a few more relationships, I still really look forward to celebrating the day of Love.  I send my girls messages and give out cards, and wear red or pink (yes, right down to my underwear), and enjoy planning a nice evening.  This year my bf and I are going to see The Importance of Being Earnest, a play by Oscar Wilde, performed at The Gladstone Theatre.  I've been meaning to go and see a show there for a long time now, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to fulfill my wish! 

I miiiiight have made a big deal about Valentine's Day the first year my present bf and I were together (I won't go into detail on the scene), but in subsequent years I have realised that I had it right all along when I was growing up...it's not about the dinner and the flowers and the presents...it's honestly about making an effort to spend time with and to tell the people you care about how much you love them.  Oh, and having an excuse to buy more lingerie.  Wink wink.

Speaking of which...enjoy these cute numbers:

Agent Provocateur http://www.agentprovocateur.com/

Victoria's Secret http://www.victoriassecret.com/

For your footsies:

Aldo-on sale right now!

Don't worry, I'll be wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day on the 14th as well, but I figured I could help get everyone in the mood ;)

Love Always,

xo Amber



Good things come to those who wear awesome hats

Remember this hat?

 

Hat from Young Janes, coat from Simons, sunglasses: Ray Ban

 

 I posted about it back in November when I was putting together a list of things to like about winter in Ottawa.  I haven't worn it much this season...in fact, I think I have worn it only once before, despite how excited I was to do so when the winter season began.  I think I just felt that with my fur trimmed hood, that wearing a fur hat seemed excessive.  Slightly.  Like I would be trying to make a statement that was beyond stylish...more like "LOOK AT ALL MY FUR!  I AM A FUR ENTHUSIAST, CAN YOU TELL, WORLD?  DO YOU SEE ALL THIS FUR THAT I OWN AND WEAR ALL AT ONCE?  SEE MY VEST?  MADE WITH REAL GORILLA CHEST!" and then I would risk being thrown over some one's shoulder and worn like a mink stole like in Ace Ventura 2.  With all this - infinity Celsius weather we've been having, I've been pretty strictly wearing the parka to walk to and from work, etc.  Today's balmy -5 C allowed me to wear my black pea coat instead and as a pick-me-up I wore my fun heart-printed tights and then threw on my fuzzy wuzzy hat too.

I arrived at work and went to a "breakfast meeting" with a group of assistants.  It turns out that a newspaper is doing a little piece on Parliament Hill staff members.  The photographer saw my hat when I came in and before I knew it, I was chosen as one of the featured individuals and was photographed with an interview to follow in a few days.  Just goes to show that it pays to stand out.  And wear vintage fur-part of the three R's people!  I'll post the article when it has been published, even though it technically has nothing to do with fashion, I'd like to think the hat made the sell on this one.

THEN, I returned to my office to check my email and get to work, and an online magazine has asked for an interview as well-this time as a feature on my fashion designs!  So fun!  I'll post that as well when it is finished and published on their site. 

What a great Friday!  Going to meet some girls tonight and celebrate.  Maybe I'll wear the hat.  Or my gorilla chest vest.  Kidding!  I'd overheat in that thing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

xo Amber



Baby, it's cold outside...

The temperatures are dropping and with snow on Halloween, the prognosis is a long, grim winter.  I personally enjoy the cold and the snow until about January 15th and then I'm done...and there's another minimum of 2 months left before we can start taking off the layers again.

So, in the spirit of remaining sane and even excited for the snowy season, because we live in the great white North and there's not a single thing we can do to avoid it, I've compiled a list of things that make me excited for this winter season:

1-Boots.  I have 5 pairs.  Just bought the 5th this past weekend.  In no particular order, they are: my well-worn riding boots, my black and red checked Sorels, my black laceups I got last year in the guys' section of Winners...I call them my sh*tkickers because they make me feel badass, my brown leather wedge heeled pair, which I bought it in the most memorable moment of retailtherapy, and finally the ones I just bought...which are a perfect mix of 70s shearling and ghetto-fabulousness.   Will get a photo soon when I find the perfect outfit to wear with them.

2-My russian fur hat I bought last year at Young Janes on Dalhousie...LOVE that store.  Can't go in without buying something.  You NEED to go!

3-Ice skating on the canal...followed by hot chocolate.  Mmmmmmm.

4-Layers.  I love piling on the tanks and knitted sweaters and scarves, mixing textures.  It's really what Canadians do best and I think we have made it fashionable.

5-Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.  The ultimate love/hate relationship every girl has with that show just adds to its attraction.  Why do I want to look at half naked women who have been in hair and makeup for 24 hours and work out FOR A LIVING?  Because I have other girlfriends to watch it with...we make egg nog and rum drinks and yell at Heidi Klum for having another perfect baby and then yell about how long all the damn legs are and then point out how high their heels are and the wonders of self-tanner at creating abs and the magic of hair weaves for making the girls' long locks look so great and then feel better about ourselves, because all things considered we look pretty damn good for working a normal job, getting to the gym only fairly regularly and not travelling with our own personal lighting team.  Cheers!

6-Cancun.  OK, I'm cheating a bit and going South for a week over NYE.  I know.  I'm a big, fat cheater.  I figure I can get it out of my system and be ready to get back in the snowsuit!  Right?  That's how it works, yes?

7-Party dresses.  So many parties for the holidays!  Who doesn't love a ruffly, feminine party dress?  WHO?  Oh, and I guess that goes with the holidays in general.

8-My best friend's baby.  She's super duper pregnant right now and the baby is due mid-December.  I tear up every time just thinking about how amazing it will be when the little boy or girl is finally here  Just saw her this past weekend when my other bff and I joined forces to throw a baby shower!  Oh how time has flown :)

9-Seasonal cafe beverages.  Dessert in a cup.  Conveniently portable and equally convenient to forget the calories contained in such a pretty, cozy, liquid package.  Goes well with #1 through 5, and not so well with #6.

10-Giving.  Thought I'd end this one with a warm-hearted and selfless point.  I love giving presents!  I love making presents!  Between Christmas, birthdays and Valentine's there is just so much opportunity for giving.  This year brings even MORE giving with #8 on the way!  Nothing better than watching a person open a gift that you put time and thought and love into choosing or making and seeing them love it as much as you hoped!

Hope this post can remind us of the things that keep us warm until the snow melts away.  Then again, talk to me in the dead of January...I may be singing a different tune.  Or boot shopping.

xo Amber

Cheer up, look down!

Today I woke up to the intrusive sound of my phone alarm and the thought of getting up and having to go to work today seemed about as exciting as the inside of my fridge-a solid 2/10.  So, I decided the only way to get over it and crawl out of my dark hole that so many 9-5ers face every morning, was to wear something that made me less crank-tastic.  And behold:

tights- H&M (man, I've plugged those guys a lot lately, wow), shoes-Steve Madden from Winners

Don't worry, I'm wearing clothing too. 

I find at my job there's not very much excitement in the way of style.  I can count on one hand the people I see on a regular basis who look like they've put any thought into what they're wearing.  Most throw on the black suit, often ill-fitting and treat their work clothes like a uniform.  I can appreciate that...it's easy, there's no thinking involved (and as a non-morning person, I truly understand).  I just think the work day can be sterile and bland enough....why not shake things up a little?  Honestly, all it takes to take your average outfit and make it into a memorable look is one single addition:  Shoes, jewellery, headband...or my favourite-a fun pair of tights!

I'm still not the happiest camper as I stare begrudgingly at my screen, but the tights have helped.  Every time I look down, I smile. I know that sounds superficial...but honestly it's the small things in life that can bring happiness.  Now if I could just get my hands on a tea latte without having to leave the building...

xo Amber