Inspiring

This photo inspires me so much lately. I'm charmed by the layering: hiking boots over thick socks over tights, tank dress over Tori's signature fitted long-sleeved scoopneck tee. It captures the rugged and capable, ready-to-play femininity she embodies.

Terra New York raincoats

As of tomorrow, I will have lived in Vancouver for four months. You can imagine that I spend some of my commutes fantasizing and brainstorming (ha ha) about the perfect raincoat. This is dominated by a desirous mental tug-of-war between a super technical coat and a super funky, stylish one. It always wraps up in a wish for a combination of both.

I won't declare Terra New York's Lower East Side as this sought-after holy grail of form and function, but it's definitely the latest fascinating candidate.


TNY's coats are waterproof and translucent, with heat-sealed seams and mesh armpit panels. Drawstring sleeves, hood, waist, and bottom hem make this jacket's fit insanely adjustable and fun. I think the translucency balances the voluminousness of the shape - you can see a bit of your figure in there. The entire line is designed to be cyclist-friendly, and this hood fits over a helmet. (YES!) I like it in 'nude', although let's just say it's on the olive-y side of nude for my complexion... But nude is like mint; the associated hue is nothing like the real one...


Here is a rad video for it, exhibiting both colours:


Their two other current coats are beautiful as well:


I seriously love the dress-like a-line of the 'tribeca' trench coat, as well as all its other details. Is there any other raincoat out there that could be dressed up as well as it? And I can imagine the 'nolita' cape being quite useful for mobility. Plus it looks badass and sneaky. Very Bond-girl, methinks.

Reddit cat

NEW ilia spring 2012 colours!

I'm one of the lucky girls who knows about ilia beauty. Newly born in Vancouver, it began with a line of tinted lip conditioners in six colours that are comprised of mostly nourishing organic oils and waxes. They are even spiked with a little jasmine and orange oil that makes my eyes roll a bit every time I use my colour, shell shock:


It's way brighter than that in person, I'd daresay fluorescent. So, obviously, I have to wait until the new colours hit shelves to really judge them. But colours aren't the only new things ilia has concocted for spring - there are a few new products, first and foremost a proper coverage lipstick. I definitely look to ilia as lip colour, so this is most exciting for me, but its creator Sasha also has a lip conditioner & exfoliator duo, a multi-stick, and skin illuminators on the way.

I want to share the colours I'm most excited for. First, a limited edition tinted lip conditioner: Crimson & Clover, a "true red - with a kick!"


It looks to be on the orangey side of things, which for my skin's sake I hope is the case.

Next, two lipstick colours: Funnel of Love:


and Femme Fatale:


Funnel of Love looks promising as a rich, pinkish nude. Like it could impress and exceed my expectations the way Butter London's 'tea with the queen' did. I dream of finding a good nude lip colour, but have looked zombified in every single one I've tried.

As for Femme Fatale - dark lip colours look awesome on me, and I've been craving something plummy to replace my fluorescent pink during Vancouver's sunless winter. (it's always good to brighten up dreary weather, but when it's literally every day, the effect just becomes childlike.) Everyone raves about the Arabian Knights lip conditioner tint, but on me the colour - while gorgeous - would just ooze into the cracks of my lips in a freaky way. So, hopefully this lipstick formulation will deliver good coverage.

It's worth mentioning the other limited edition tinted lip conditioner - In Paradise - which looks a lot like Funnel of Love. It will be interesting to compare the two in person.

If you haven't tried this line, now's the time to!

Fortnight Lingerie

This lingerie designer duo is based in Toronto, my birth town.

MADE IN CANADA from FORTNIGHT LINGERIE on Vimeo.

Despite working two blocks away from her, I haven't yet made the pilgrimage out to Lynn Steven's gastown shop since she began carrying them. I spent my bra budget while visiting Calgary, my growing-up town.

Super Sexy Abdominal Thrust from FORTNIGHT LINGERIE on Vimeo.

But after this video, I think I've waited long enough. It can't hurt just to touch, right...

Super Sexy CPR from FORTNIGHT LINGERIE on Vimeo.

Gaia Conceptions' Faux Wrap Pants

You may think I have no life after this fourth post tonight, but you'd be wrong: I'm actually expected to show up to work bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 8am tomorrow morning. This morning? Oh dear.


There is a very wrinkled mass of silky red rayon in a suitcase in my closet that used to be my favourite pants. They were wrap pants, and their life was long and noble and drawn out until my lady bits were a little too visible through the worn thighs. The one lamentation I had about them was the bulk of their ties on my belly and above my butt. Clearly Andrea of Gaia Conceptions is on the same page as me, and came up with these clever, oh-so-wearable pull-ons.


From how much I adore her business and products, you'd be surprised I have no Gaia Conceptions in my closet. I'm just too queasy about buying clothing I haven't tried on, even if it's custom-made. It's likely these will be my first dip in the water! If you're not familiar, Andrea lives in North Carolina and works a lot with organic cottons that are local to her there. She drafts the patterns for her seasonal collections, cuts em out, sews them up then dyes them by hand. And she is venturing into natural dyeing: other than Maiwa, Gaia Conceptions is my only source for super cool naturally-dyed clothing. (Not to say there isn't more out there - in fact, please pass on any leads you have!) It's all very homegrown and grassroots and wholesome, having begun on Etsy.

Someone's gonna buy these and they're too new to be on her domain shop, so if you want to, just visit her live Etsy shop.

New yarns

From the Silk Weaving Studio. The baby skeins are offered as colour samples, and I picked these guys up as totems of colourway ideas that are floating around in my head. Behold duvet-backgrounded cameraphone photo:


My intent is a snood or, as those who are hip are calling them nowadays, an infinity scarf? I'm kind of bored of long scarves right now, as all that extra length seems superfluous and I simply circle them around my neck until I run out of length anyway. I wanted to make a wool one so it can double as a hat but I don't think silk will do that well in the rain, plus I am considering returning to the weaving studio for a hat very reminiscent of a dear, old, lost one...