Dolled Up

Alright. I know I'm not a fashion blogger. But I do like putting together these posts. (Oh if my pinterest were my closet!) 

We recently had the first Forever 21 open on the island, and I have to say, I'm pretty excited. Like, I think I wore a Forever 21 top to work every day this week. I do have to say that some of the stuff looks pretty icky-quality wise, but if you hunt around and read labels, there are some AMAZING finds. Everything I purchased has been great quality

and is super comfortable.

We're having an H&M and a Joe Fresh as well as a Target (!!) opening this year... so Victoria shopping is definitely improving (but still has an awesome downtown core of local businesses.. it's a great compromise.)

The only sad thing is there is this awesome area called Market Square that is a double-decker, opened courtyard area that used to be full of businesses. An iconic fudge place called Fat Phege's Fudge Factory closed down last year. Apparently the rents are too high and they are trying to attract a "higher" clientele. Boo I say! It could be such an amazing area if only the shops could survive! Keep the exclusive stores in the new complexes, and keep downtown local, handmade and awesome, please and thank you! <<steps off soapbox>>

I'm sure Victoria shopping isn't very interesting for non-locals.... so here's the outfit! 

The outfit:

I really want one of these Cowichan sweaters. I'm allergic to wool (like, I tried on this adorable army green sweater at Forever 21, did a dance and knew within a second that it had wool in it) so it's pretty hard to track down a decent cotton/acrylic one.

Peter pan collars just make everything look cheerful, and I absolutely love this olivey-green colour.

There's nothing cozier than a nice pair of moccasins.... I have a pair that almost looked like that until my parent's dog decided it was a badger (he's a dachshund) and tried to eat it.

Anyways, that's it folks! Have a great weekend!  

Dolled Up

"Dolled Up"  is an outfit feature where I put together cute and quirky outfits. I enjoy designing the patterns and styles for the dolls I make, so I decided to include people clothes that inspire me! 

So, I haven't quite decided on a day when I will post these, so expect them to appear sporadically. ^_^

I love Mario. I'm not much of video game person (and I'm fairly terrible at them) but I love the characters. Everything is cute: goombas, toadstools, the landscapes, even the star you are sometimes seeking. I have the Nintendo 64 for my DS (yes, it's pink) and I had so much fun playing it. Sadly, my skills (and the ex boyfriend from high school that helped me when I got stuck) are lacking... so I never beat it (I think I'm at 88 stars.) I also feel like I'm having a heart attack each time I fall off the edge (which is often) so I've decided to find calm-er hobbies.... (laughs nervously but I still admire the cuteness of Mario, his friends, enemies (especially boo) and their cute little world (even with the monster-flowers).

I'm pretty excited about this outfit. The long sleeves and the dark jeans make it perfect for autumn. I also have a life-long love of combat boots, and the earrings just tie it all together in the cutest way. This is nerdy-girl chic and I'm in love.

Thanks for reading. Are you a Mario Fan? What games is your favourite?

Dolled Up

It's been so hot out lately. My west-facing apartment is an oven right now. I know that it's almost 40 degrees in parts of the states, and it's only 25+ here right now, but I am so not used to the heat. The weather has been so crappy this summer-- mostly rain and and comparatively cold. I enjoyed sitting on my bed, propped up with pillows, knitting dollies and watching TV shows on my laptop, while listening to the rain. It's hard to be productive when you're sticky, hot, and feel like you're suffocating. 

The clothes in the autumn and winter are much cuter too. I bought a few cardigans, a few blouses, and dress pants for job interviews-- I feel like a real grown up now. Haha. It definitely feels good to dress up a bit. Victoria is a REALLY laid back city. Jeans+Hoodies+Yoga pants are the norm. Here's a cute little outfit I came up with for this week's Dolled Up.

 I love this outfit. It's a little bit dorky and quite quirky. The fair-isle socks, the sweater with a work shirt underneath, cropped jeans, cute little Oxfords, and an adorable little fox bag.

Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend (where applicable!) It's BC day here. ^_^

Dolled Up

As I mentioned before, I'm going up to Parksville this weekend -- so excited! 

Parksville is a little town up island where the swimming is absolutely amazing. It is the warmest waters north of California! It is extremely sandy, and the heat of the sand warms the super shallow water to make it toasty warm. Last year was my first time going up there, and I was so amazed! I had never swam in the ocean before (the waters of the Pacific Ocean are ice water all year round here) so I was delighted to spend the day floating along sand drifts and playing in the water. I decided to give this week's Dolled up a nautical, beachy theme. I wish I had a cute outfit like this for this weekend, but I did get two adorable tankinis, so I feel pretty set to soak up some sun!