It’s damp and grey in Toronto today and I felt like being equally as muted. The Alberta Ferretti top I’m wearing in today’s pictures is actually from my mom’s closet. I ‘borrowed’ it, sort of speak, without her knowing…you think she’ll notice? Considering that she is on the site five times a day and is probably my ‘biggest fan’ I doubt it will get by her 
. The top has stunning brooch design in the front and is made of the softest cashmere ever – I couldn’t resist.
Nude tights
Muted Neutrality
That Big Scrumptious Apple
I went picture crazy when I was in Manhattan. I thought to warn you in advance because I wouldn’t want anyone to have a ‘Lida’s face’ overdose by the end of the post . There might be moments when you think that I repeated the same pics a few times but I assure you that they are all if fact somehow different. You might also notice that the outfit only slightly varies with yesterday’s look-of-the-day. I had to repeat an outfit two days in a row due to a packing miscalculation…what a painful confession. However, my beloved cashmere blanket (my dear aunt Laura knitted) played such a central role in today’s look that I hope it almost makes up for the repetition. New York was a bit chilly so the blanky kept me warm and cozy. No matter how I wrapped or hung it over my body it just seemed to work in the context of Manhattan – that big, scrumptious apple is just magical.
Moonlit Philly
And so my fleeting love afair with Philly continues. The grad school open-house finished by 5 and we were free to explore a different aspect of what the city had to offer. I guess you could call this the “lifestyle portion” of our ‘research.’ After we got back to the hotel, I quickly changed into something a little more…informal. The semi-classic coat was replaced with a dusted suede jacket and the cream fitted dress with a hooded short dress. I was now ready for any combination of site seeing, tasting, and indulging in the ‘yet untried.’ Considering the multitude of activities I planned to jam into the one night, I wore my Uggs for any parts involving prolonged walking. I brought my trusty Guillaume Hinfrays with me for restaurants and lounges. This is where having a large purse definitely comes in handy and the whole switching-footwear-maneuver allows the flexibility to go from comfortable to fabulous in seconds.
So Far So Good! :)
Today’s look-of-the-day is of what I wore last night to a show at the Factory Theatre. I loved the silhouette produced by the crinoline Zac Posen blouse when paired with a form-fitting tank. It highlights the outlines of the figure in a subtle, understated way. To finish the look, I threw the Proenza Schouler jacket on top of the blouse and mini – in keeping with the blue/white colour pallet and the vertical checks. The Cole Haan flap clutch picks up the colour of the mini while (in texture) conforming to the cubic tenor in the main garments.
Happy Valley
As part of this road-trip, the second school to visit on our agenda was located in State College, Pennsylvania. The town is economically and demographically dominated by the presence of the main campus of the Penn State University. The disproportionate presence of young people manifestly dictates its general atmosphere in every regard. As I was looking out the window on our drive through the town it felt almost surreal. It’s like I was in some twilight zone run by jocks and girls in booty shorts (the weather was beautiful). While I’m sure the experience of living there is enjoyable in its own way, I personally couldn’t imagine it for myself. The more exposed I am to the lifestyles of different people the more convinced I become of my inherently metropolitan nature…at least for now.
