Movers and Shakers

It being POP Montreal, I want to tell you about Charlotte Cornfield, one of my favorite musicians in the city.

CHARLOTTE CORNFIELD - Arc Blues from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.

"And then it was four am, in a city of four million, and somehow I ran into him, on a quiet street."This line evokes such vivid emotion in me! I imagine walking down Bright Street in Toronto, feeling restless and drunk and unsettled, because there is someone out there who is on my mind, and that someone makes me feel both heartbroken and hopeful at the same time.


Bright street found on etmll's flickr

There is a neat article about Charlotte from Found in the Margins where she explains "I recently wrote my first song that was a narrative--like, a story from beginning to end, but I think the most important thing about reading is the exposure to words and what can be done with them. Good stories with good characters are a powerful form [of communication], especially when people can relate to them. It's the same way in songs, particularly in autobiographical song writing." Each of Charlottes songs have the power to grip and hold me with one word, or one melody. Especially Arc Blues.

She is also a dear friend of mine, and having had the chance to get to know her better throughout the past...five years, I have had the pleasure to witness her talent, humor, self reliance and kindness! Charlotte's music fosters the kind of community that POP Montreal is all about, and she is always playing shows around Montreal and the rest of Canada! So check out her myspace for dates!

Tonight (Thursday) Charlotte is playing a free show in the basement of Phonoplis record store on Parc and Fairmount from 5pm-8pm with Shotgun Jimmie, Dog Day and and Baby Eagle. On October 2nd Charlotte will also be playing at Le Cagibi on St Laurent and St. Viateur with Philemon Chante Show starts at 9.

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DIY Designer: Kate Sylvester

I want my blog to be about fashion (real fashion, not just Jenny fashion) but I think its boring and isolating to post photo after photo of beautiful gaunt models on the catwalk or in a fashion spread. This is fashion made me funky, not fashion made them funky haha.

So, lets begin with my spin on Kate Sylvestors collection from this past spring.


The photo above is my inspiration (found on Fashion Review), but to get a whole feel for this breezy sweet collection, I highly recommend watching the fashion show

Kate Sylvester SS 2010/2011 from Wayne Conway on Vimeo.

. How sweet is the music? And the collection! I'm going to my first fashion show tomorrow night, affiliated with Pop Montreal. If you are in Montreal COME, We will have a time and a half.





The bow on my neck was made out on a thin cotton twin bed-sheet. I used a generous amount of fabric - about the length of my body to my neck, and almost as wide as me. My makeup is pinker and softer than normal. I used Rimmel "In Vogue" lipstick on my lips and cheeks. Damn I forgot to wear mascara. Next time.




I kept the tag on because I plan to return these pants. They were 67 dollars from Zara and I feel like I will stumble upon a similar color of trousers at a thrift store - or at least I will try! The pants came with the belt, which I folded the way Kate does (were on a first name basis now). Then I attached a gold chain I had lying around with elastic bands. And socks and sandals to complete the look!

Youtube video to accompany post: VCR by the XX playing over a Chloé catwalk promo.

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Burlesquecapades

Today I wore my first lady/pin up skirt to a burlsque drawing class.

I found it this weekend at the Vintage POP showcase in the discount bin (five dollars!)


If you can believe it, I went to the drawing class for my first assignment in school. Its for my sexuality and cinema class, where my professor had us go out on the town and do an analysis of a sexy place or event happening in the city. Instead of going to a strip club like everyone else in my class, my friend and I decided to draw Bonbon Bombay, the winner of last years Montreal International Burlesque Festival.

She came out in three elaborate costumes, striking poses and daintily undressing while the crowd drew away. I especially loved drawing her first costume, which she is wearing (and taking off) in the video above!

Song to accompany: Coin Operated Boy by the Dresdon Dolls

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The Dateless Wonder

One of the things I love about the blogger Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere is that she always seems so polished and together. Organized. Never a hair out of place, its as if she rolls out of bed with a new shade of lipstick on and designer heels strapped to her feet. I love going to her blog because it feels like dropping in on some sort of fantasy life where I can think "my life will be like that one day".

Its 4:30 pm on Friday and I am still wearing my pajamas and drinking a bottle of pop that has gone flat from sitting out all night. I am so not that girl. And I'm trying to be okay with that.

I'm thinking about this now in particular because I am newly single, and many of my favorite bloggers have boyfriends (a "guy behind the camera".) Often these boyfriends go unnamed, are wickedly attractive, and work in some form of media entertainment (MTV, Band, Professional Photographer). Though I'm a hopeless romantic, and think love is a most wonderful thing, I'm also learning now that my self worth should not and cannot be based on whether or not someone wants to be with me. Perhaps one day, I will have a wickedly attractive musician photographer art media guru boyfriend who takes beautiful pictures of my polished bad ass self, but until then, I'm just gonna do my thing and take pictures on my makeshift tripod. All the single girls are doing it.

My mom says I'm going to be okay, I "just need to take a shower." haha!

Song to Accompany: Michael Buble "Haven't Met You Yet"
What a hottie! hahaha

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Running the Show

My dear friend Jenni is an intern for Montreal based fashion designer Eve Gravel. For the past two months, she has been organizing a wicked promotion with five incredibly succesful blogger in the United States, A Thought is the Blossom, Sally Jane Vintage, Selective Potential, Lulu Letty and before the week is done, there will be a post from one of the ladies who inspired me to start a blog in the first place Liebe Marlene!



Since I'm all about winning free stuff, visit these blogger sites for a chance to win one of the Eve Gravel pieces. AND hop onto the Eve Gravel website for a chance to win a 100 dollar gift card.

Congrats to Jenni for rocking this promotion with grace (you are a fashion force - WATCH OUT!) and to the bloggers for styling the edgy, yet feminine pieces in an interesting way. I like how all of the photos have a similar feel, using golden light and middle of nowhere chic to express Eve Gravel's style. Liebe Marlene just posted her eerie photos, so you can still go on her site to try and win the magnificent dress!

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Connected

I've been without internet for three weeks and have felt very unconnected to the world at large! It helped to have this blog going, though my posts were either made at the library (SHHHHHH) at a cafe ($$$$) or on Concordia's wifi (made my bag so HEAVY).

Now that I can connect from the comfort of my couch, I don't know what to do first...watch the pilot of the highly anticipated Boardwalk Empire, begin the fourth season of Mad Men, figure out the schedule for the POP Montreal music festival, or skype my mom!!!!!

Wore this outfit to a party and later a dancy thing on Friday night. My friend very sweetly gave me this sweater and it is just right for Autumn in Montreal. Worn with a floral skirt my friend Jenni lent me, a black American Apparel body suit, Value Village leather belt, and Pierre Hardy for GAP platforms. (Seeing them on Tavi Gevinson in her latest post sent a shiver down my very spine) You see, the Internet really does connect me to it all.

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Comfort in Stripes

I have recently come to understand the mass appeal of stripes.

So simple and stylish! So casual yet chic!

I had never sought out stripes in the past, and I still won't spend a lot of money on the style - I'm talking about you 35 dollar striped crop top from American Apparel - but this shirt landed in my hands and begged to be worn everyday! Becomming stripe-er was a chance occurrence, really. I pulled a top out of a bin at Buy the Pound in Toronto, and probably paid about 50 cents for it.

The awkward but cozy thing, is that a lot of other people are wearing stripes, and I find myself matching with at least one of my friends everyday.
The other day Mat and I were like awkward kiddies on twin day - both wearing thick cream sweaters, navy and white stripes with a tan leather belt, trouser pants and pointy ass kicking boots. It was kind of awesome and weird, and I swear not planned!

(A warning on Buy the Pound - call this number - Goodwill Industries of Toronto Tel: 416-362-4711 - for the address as they have recently moved locations (from 35 Emblem Court in Scarborough to what I think it 250 Progress Road but I'm not positive.) So call just to be safe!)

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In N' Out Of My Head

I am sitting in the university cafe and they are playing Hot Chip WAY too loud! Not the best atmosphere to report my lost credit card! (I failed the security test.) I'm conflicted because it could be safely tucked away in my trench coat pocket at home, OR it could be in the hands of a dirty thief! What's a girl to do?

Eat Campbell's soup!

Wear ass-kicking boots.

And try feeling generally bad ass.

High waisted pants from American Apparel, Purple sheer shirt from Goodwill (originally from Old Navy) and I found the orange cardigan in a give away box on the street earlier this month. I think bright orange is a perfect color for fall, and I've been wearing it every day this week!

Have a fun weekend!

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Glam Pop

On Friday, I went out to see Dirty Beaches and ended up crushing seriously hard on the tunes of Jef Barbara.

Fun fact: this video was shot at La Brique, where I danced the night away on Friday! We danced in a circle around Jef, and at one point my friend looked at me and said something like "Hold on to these moments, they will soon be our greatest memories" :) I thought in that moment it was very true.

I wore these pants that I got from a little second hand store in the suburbs. I probably tried on about 30 pairs of pants that day. 29 looked hideous on me but then I threw on these pants and felt attractive again. They are worn high with a Value Village leather belt. The shirt is one of the oldest pieces in my wardrobe, bought at Abercrombie and Fitch on a family trip to the states. RACY for age 12! Velvet heels are from Salvation Army.

This has been a killer weekend! I'm paying for it today, with a lazy hangover and general feeling of uselessness. Have a good week!

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Election Fraud

I have never been one to watch a lot of TV. Until this summer, where Buffy the Vampire Slayer kept me company. Where an episode (or two or three) of How I Met Your Mother helped me to fall asleep at night. I even experimented with a Sabrina the Teenage Witch kick (It didn't last). But I don't need television to numb my thoughts anymore! I want to be inspired! And there is one show that still fulfills this need for me.

Mad Men!!! Plus, Donald Draper is a SEXY DREAMBOAT BABE.
I was truly hooked right after watching a video that Sally Jane Vintage posted, of Mad Men stylist and designer Janie Bryant taking us through the wardrobe for Season Four. The video has since been removed due to copyright (I would have loved to post it here!) but if you are interested in the show, and love vintage threads, I highly recommend hopping over to this link to watch it!

Banana Republic has teamed up with Mad Men for a casting call, giving fans an opportunity to appear on the show as an extra. I'm rooting for Hannah from Aesthetic Feast, a fellow Canadian blogger, with soem dashing photographs! She had 6,000 votes when I first saw the photo a few weeks ago. But there was some cheating going on in the competition, with very undeserving candidates getting 12,000 votes. But those folks have been booted, and now she has a fighting chance in the lead (with 10,500 votes). Click HERE, once, twice, or three times thrice if you like what you see!

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Summer Forever

I'm at the library in Mile End now, its my seventh day without internet and I've already finished the third season of Mad Men I downloaded! EEEk. Its the first day of school for me (I've got Gender and Journalism tonight at six) and I feel so ambivalent about it! Up until last year, I was always excited for my first day - I would have a giddy sleep the night before school, my hair would be washed, and maybe an outfit picked out. It just feels different this year perhaps b'cause it's my last year of university and you know, a well rounded year to me looks like blogging and having pals over for australian pies, throwing in some courses for good measure.


I'm also reflecting on the summer which had its ups and downs, but mostly, I can't believe its over! But the good thing is that in the past the beginning of school also signified the beginning of stress. I want this year to be different. Summer ForEVER!
At the cottage, wearing a tank from Buy The Pound or a purple polka dot shirt from Old Navy (bought second hand) and shorts from Target (bathing suit section). Hayley is wearing a knit cardigan from Buy the Pound and a skirt worn as a dress from Fripe Prix in Montreal. Nars Heat Wave lippy on the both of us!

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Expand with Spandex

I recently had a thought about spandex shorts. In high school they intimidated me because the best volleyball players wore them on the team. The weakest links (me) wore sweats. But I saw a post on Fashion Scrapbook, where the blogger was wearing "cycling shorts" under a flowy short dress and I thought it looked really classy. Another blogger I really like Cupcakes and Cashmere is vibing on leather shorts, which I love! But I feel like it will be a while until I find some that fit and am also unsure about the fabric since I like my shorts to BREATH! Enter spandex.

Wearing Buy the Pound striped top, thrifted bow belt, Value Village shorts, vintage shoes and a little lady harmonica necklace.

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