Fashionista Talk » Modern Vintage

life is like a box of chocolates

lida — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:02:23 +0000

Lately life has been full of pleasant surprises. Aesthetically, I’ve been gravitating towards pointy-toe heels and form fitting silhouettes. I feel like my life is too exciting for anything A-line at the moment.

What I’m wearing:

Silk jacket by ETRO
Bracelet by Burberry
Linen shorts by Marciano
Silk top by Rory Beca
Shoes by Modern Vintage
Suede fringe clutch by Linea Pelle

the season of cashmere

lida — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:32:55 +0000

As it starts getting cooler outside, life gets cozier and cozier. These are my visions for upcoming looks this fall: (1) merging of feminine and polished sensibility with the ease of a favourite cardigan and (2) pleated chiffon skirts peeked out from hearty sweater dresses. Ummm…can’t wait!

What I’m wearing:

Cashmere dress by iisli (last seen here)
Cashmere cardigan by Julie & Jack (last seen here)
Silver multi-strand bracelet (last seen here)
Suede gloves by Alberta Ferretti (last seen here)
Heels by Modern Vintage (last seen here)
Leather bag by BERGE (as seen in here)

one down…two to go

lida — Sat, 14 May 2011 21:16:58 +0000

My first year of law school is officially a wrap! I can hardly believe it. It has definitely been ‘an experience’ and I don’t think I’ll ever be the same after this emotional roller coaster of a year. Today is going to be about getting my apartment in order, laundry, putting the books away, and packing. Time to start my next adventure .

What I’m wearing:

Silk dress by LAmade
Chain ring by Luc Kieffer (last seen in Mar. 12’11)
Heels by Modern Vintage
Necklace by Ben-Amun

midnight silver

lida — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:28:33 +0000

Ever since my last post I’ve been doing a lot of celebrating; the end of the first semester, the beginning of the winter break, friends visiting from Toronto, warm days, rainy days – they all seem like worthy occasions. The next bunch of posts will probably reflect this temporary trend so stay tuned. I wore this Nicole Miller dress with silver flowers for drinks with a few friends from T.O. It’s a little tight for dancing so we kept the night cocktail oriented.

What do you guys think about this picture format? What do you prefer scrolling or clicking?

What I’m wearing:

Silk dress by Nicole Miller
Pumps by Modern Vintage (last seen in May 15’10)
Long Chill Scarf necklace by Swarovski (last seen in Aug. 20’10)
Silver crystal encrusted bracelet (last seen in Dec. 29’09)
Silver topaz bracelet (last seen in Dec. 29’09)

in light of…

lida — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:12:09 +0000

My finals are coming up in a few weeks so, as you can imagine, my life is pretty much dominated by four main subjects: (1) criminal law, (2) torts, (3) contracts, and (4) civil procedure. Yum! Anyway, this is one of my looks from Cuba which, in light of the present one-sidedness of my life, remind me of the days when I had the luxury of entertaining thoughts of aesthetics, visual harmony, and all that good stuff. I can’t wait for that luxury again!

What I’m wearing:

Chiffon dress by Marciano
Necklace made by my mom
Crystal/gold necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane
Shoes by Modern Vintage
Chunky chain ring by Luc Kieffer (last seen in Sept. 19’10)

now and then clothing

lida — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:03:12 +0000

I came across an exciting new vintage fashion boutique in the Danforth and Broadview area called Tabula Rasa. It’s owner, Jennifer Park, personally chooses all the vintage pieces for the store but vintage is not all that it has to offer. There are also some interesting new clothes from independent lines of NYC and Australia. Their overall aesthetic comes from the combination of ‘timeless treasures paired in a modernized way,” which is what I tried to do in today’s look. I bought this silk vintage top at Tabula Rasa on the way to the the bank a few days ago, and I couldn’t wait to put it to use. When we decided to go for brunch at Starving Artist (on Lansdowne) over the weekend, its time had finally come.

In this relaxed outfit I wanted the loose vintage top to be the central element, so I paired it with relatively simple, “filler” pieces. I layered the top over belted linen shorts, and in order to give it some shape, I removed the belt from the shorts and wore it over the top (around the hip area). The necklace and vintage-inspired shoes just kind of fell into place after that.

Tabula Rasa in itself is a cute little find of a boutique, so you never know…your favourite vintage find might be impatiently waiting for you there. And in case you were wondering, Tabula Rasa means “clean slate” in Latin.

What I’m wearing:

Silk vintage top from “TABULA RASA”
Long fold necklace by “Pellini Italy” (last seen in Mar. 16’10)
High-waisted, belted, linen shots by “Marciano”
Suede heels by “Modern Vintage” (last seen in Feb. 2’10)
Sunglasses by “MARNI” (last seen in Jan. 11’10)

Alberta Ferretti at Idomeneo

lida — Sat, 15 May 2010 18:16:00 +0000

A few days ago I paid another visit to the Four Seasons Centre to see Idomeneo – an opera I knew nothing about. To me, its most memorable features were the emotional intimacy and grandeur of the music (I guess they call it Mozart’s masterpiece for a reason), the mythological plot, and the powerful cast. I didn’t have time to even glance at the program because the lights were already dimming as we frantically rushed to our seats (no matter how much I try to prevent this, we tend to be “fashionably late” to these things, which is pretty “unfashionable” when it comes to theatre considering that half of the row needs to get up to let you through). Anyway, after seeing enough operas their plots become pretty predictable and you know what to expect of the endings - someone is going to die a horrible, miserable death. But apparently not in Idomeneo. It was so surprising and refreshing that every character not only survived the course of the opera but was happier by the end of it. And it was based on Greek mythology – go figure…I guess those vicious gods took it easy for once.

The day of the opera I was busy working on the blog, kind of lost track of time, and started getting ready only about 15 minutes before leaving. For moments such as these I usually pick out a dress that is embellished enough for me not to have to worry about accessorizing. This Alberta Ferretti dress did the trick. Its elaborately designed jewelled front and silver-threaded pattern is sufficiently glamorous for minimal fuss on my part. I simply paired it with vintage inspired silver shoes, and finished the look with a crystal hair-pin on my braid. That’s the beauty of strong statement garments like this dress – they work for you.

* I know that some of you are having difficulties leaving comments on the site. Thank you so much for brining it to my attention and for your patience. We will be making some major changes to the site tomorrow and the commenting system will be changed or fixed in the process.

* Along with Wednesday’s pictures, I’ve included some pics of how I wore this dress in the past. The last picture is of Marisa Tomei wearing a similar Alberta Ferretti dress from the same collection.

What I’m wearing:

Dress by “Alberta Ferretti” (last seen in Beaded Dresses)
Pumps by “Modern Vintage” (last seen in Beaded Dresses)
Hair-pin from “Club Monaco”
Clutch by “Sondra Roberts” (last seen in Feb. 3’10)

Leather Pants

lida — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:03:04 +0000

I had been looking for a well-fitting pair of skinny leather pants and yesterday I finally found them at Club Monaco. I knew the moment had finally come as soon as I finished squeezing into them in the change room and looked in the mirror . The sales girl assured me that they would stretch to fit my body and considering that I have zero experience with faux leather I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. As you may have noticed, I’m a strong supporter of natural fabrics but I am willing to make a compromise for these babies. So far I’m satisfied (but them again, I’ve only worn them for a total of an hour).

In general I’ve observed that Club Monaco collections have significantly improved over the years. Their style has evolved from a realm of mere conservatism and minimalism to that of fashion-forward chicness and even tasteful glam. Apparently a team of new designers is responsible for this monumental shift and I applaud them for it.

This twenty8twelve blouse

What I’m wearing:

Faux leather pants by “Club Monaco”
Silk blouse by “twenty8twelve”
3 large crystal-encrusted bracelets by “Club Monaco”
Leather shoes by “Modern Vintage”
Simple headband by “H&M”
Purse by “Chloe” (as seen in Jan. 26′10, Feb. 14’10, Feb. 26’10)

They Call me Mellow Yellow

lida — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:29:25 +0000

When everything gets blah and mundane often the only way to get yourself out of the rut is by taking measures into your own hands. According to studies on psychological effects of colour, yellow stimulates the brain to be more alert, decisive, and even energetic. It is thought to be a happy and uplifting colour that “builds self-confidence and encourages optimism.” Those who consider fashion to be a superficial pursuit fail to remember a simple fact. Internal and external beauty are interdependent and this example of colour illustrates this on the most basic level. If a yellow dress can make you more confident how can aesthetics be irrelevant to how you feel. The saying that “looks aren’t important, it’s what’s on the inside that counts” is not just a cliche but a dangerous fallacy because it perpetuates the same belief that the external and the internal and somehow separate and even conflicting. When you don’t look healthy and taken care of it’s pretty difficult to feel any different than that. If colour can be uplifting than incorporate it into your looks when you need that lift; take it upon yourself to brighten the world around you.

What I’m wearing:

Silk top by “Alexander Wang”
Zipper leggings by “LNA”
Shoes by “Modern Vintage”
2 necklaces by “Ben-Amun” (as seen in Nov. 28’09)
Chunky ring bought in Cuba (made out of fishbone)

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Cozy Monday

lida — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:53:05 +0000

One of my favourite things about the winter season is being able to feel truly cozy. The extreme discomfort of being outside in the snowstorm or freezing-rain is offset by the satisfying feeling of getting out of this dreadful weather. As I’m enjoying my summer, the thoughts of impermanence creep into my mind with the reminder of the inevitable winter to come. It is precisely this notion of “coziness” that dispels some of the negativity associated with the memory of winter. Sipping hot-chocolate by the fire as the snowflakes dance in the window may be corny in theory but is “delightful” in practice . And certain natural fabrics only intensify the feeling of warmth and comfort. As they envelop our bodies with love and care, fabrics like cashmere and wool remind us of the joys of winter. Appreciate even the itchiest of wools as you layer them into your looks this season. They don’t only keep you warm but possess immense aesthetic potential.

What I’m wearing:

Wool high-waisted skirt by “Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti”
Cashmere top by “Club Monaco” (as seen in Dec. 9)
Silver bracelet with topaz stones
Multi-strand silver bracelet (as seen in Dec. 20, Beaded Dresses, Opera, Dec. 7)
Silk/Cashmere blend cardigan by “Central Park West”
Silver crystal encrusted bracelet
Chunky silver ring with a large crystal
Long silver necklace with crystals
Shoes by “Modern Vintage” (as seen in Beaded Dresses)
Tights by “Givenchy”