Forest City Fashionista

Coming Up Roses...

2012-02-28T22:10:00.002-05:00

At least on my head, if not yet on the ground. I was heading out to the Farmers' Market when I asked my friend to take a photo of my outfit, which I rather liked. The flowered headband was a last minute addition, inspired by fellow bloggers Sarah, of Misfits Vintage, and Desiree of Pull Your Sox Up. I was glad I wore them as a number of people commented that they liked my flowers. Just doing my bit to hurry Spring along!

I'm wearing: flowered headpiece - some tween-accessory store, Gap turtleneck, necklace from the University Hospital gift shop, dress/vest by European clothing label Akela Key purchased at the From Mars winter sale, over black jeans and my trusty Doc Martens.

The Sports & Rec Show Part 2: Cowboys, Dragonboat Racers and J-Lo

2012-02-26T15:01:00.001-05:00

This guy in his cowboy gear was working at the booth for the Texas Longhorn Ranch.

This is the ranch. Funny, I thought that being from Texas, it would be bigger...

These awesome women are members of the Rowbust Dragonboat Racing Team. Founded in 2000, the team now has close to 50 members, all breast cancer survivors, and promotes physical and mental well-being for those living with breast cancer. For more information, go to their website.

This is J-Lo, a 13 year old quarter horse, who was the most lovely, patient horse I've ever met (not that I've met a lot of horses). She's done the show circuit a lot (like her namesake) which accounts for her tranquil nature, given the amount of noise that was going on around her, including the sounds of paintball guns.

J-Lo's equally lovely and informative handler gave us a demonstration of the horse's fancy footwork. Apparently, it is very difficult for a horse to keep it's body facing front while sidestepping, and it is only after a lot of patient training is it able to do so.

I also learned a surprising amount about horse's teeth, and that the set at the front (so winningly modeled by J-Lo above--yikes, talk about tartar buildup!) are for pulling grass into their mouth, and then the teeth at the back of their mouth is used for chewing. There is a sizeable space between the two sets of teeth, which allows for the placement of a bit in their mouth without hurting their teeth.

Ziplining, Horses & Derby Girls...

2012-02-25T17:51:00.001-05:00

And the answer to where you would find all three of these items this weekend is: The annual Sports and Recreation Show at the Agriplex at the Western Fairgrounds. "But", you say, "you are the least interested in sports of any person I know", and I would reply, "true, dat" (I've been watching season two of Treme). However, I purchased a ticket to support the Forest City Derby Girls, who have a booth at the show, and along with my pal Heather, we thought we'd see what kind of fun we could have for our $5. The thing we were both excited to try was the Zip-line. For the uninitiated, a Zip-line is a pulley, mounted on a cable that is on an incline, and allows the user to get from one place to another using gravity. I am not a big fan of heights, but I thought the zip-line at the Show would be a good place to start before trying one that is strung over a gorge full of raging rapids. So, first you have to suit up:

Harness, check, Helmet, check, gloves, check

I was getting into the gear while Heather zipped, so I missed it. This is another woman who went later.

and of course, the adventure would not be complete without a souvenir photo. Yes, that is me, giddy from the adrenaline rush. Later in the day, it got quite busy and there were a lot of kids trying it (you have to be 8 and over). For me, it was the most bang for my buck (it's free!)

As to be expected at a such a show, there was a LOT of golf stuff - including a mini driving range

I could not figure out what was up with this guy's hair. He was working at one of the golf booths, and then I saw another guy with the same look and realized it was some sort of furry wig-attachment to his golf visor.

Goodlife Fitness has some demo fitness classes going on, and to my delight, there was local musician Pete Tangredi, (The Cool Mothers) sweating in a spin class

Part two of this post will be up tomorrow, featuring the nicest horse ever, and some very Row-bust women. In the meantime, the Sports and Recreation Show continues tomorrow, from 9 am - 5 pm at the Western Fairgrounds. Admission is $5.

Therapeutic Dressing

2012-02-22T11:52:00.000-05:00

I found this gorgeous scarf and checked skirt (with pockets!) at Mesh the other day, and knew there was an outfit in the making. These days it seems like I've abandoned all other colours save for red, black and a bit of white. To me they are strong, no-nonsense colours, and this time of year I'll take any kind of positive energy I can get, even if it's from a scarf and a sweater (although I still look a bit "pinched", but that seems to be my go-to expression these days).

red cardigan - Holt Renfrew via consignment store in Toronto, skirt and scarf - Mesh, men's vintage lace-ups - the Manhattan Vintage Show

Mix-Master

2012-02-20T22:11:00.001-05:00

Paul is always extremely well-dressed, and is one of the few men I know who will fearlessly mix patterns in shirts and ties. I thought he looked incredibly sharp this particular day, in his combination of stripes, solids and plaid (see detail below).

Miscellaneous Stuff That Caught My Eye...

2012-02-19T10:54:00.000-05:00

I really liked this guy's hair cut. He had thick bangs that curved upwards slightly, and the rest of his outfit was very cool (dogtag necklace, 60's style "Beatle boots"), but I couldn't get a clear shot of him because his girlfriend was in the way.

Adorable "Owl" purse in the window of A Gift of Art on Richmond Street.

From Mars is starting to get in their new shoes for spring, and the colours are sooooo pretty. These metallic blue ones are from Fly London.

Bubble gum pink sandals from Fly London. Love the criss-cross straps, wish I could wear shoes like these, but alas, the bunions on my feet have other ideas (my 20 year old self would have been appalled to know that I would some day I would have to say that).

The setting sun turned the ice on the rink at Covent Garden Market to gold as a lone skater took advantage of the freezing temperatures.

Fending Off the Winter Blues in Red & Black, Pt. 2

2012-02-16T20:29:00.001-05:00

Even though we have had a very mild winter, I have found myself lamenting the lack of sunlight, and making a more concerted effort to put together outfits that give my spirit a lift. Again, red and black is my go-to colour combination when I'm feeling a bit low, and what could be more smile-inducing than stripes and a flirty, swirly circle skirt? I found the hand knit skirt at Mesh; the puffed sleeve jacket came from a vintage store in Toronto, and the ceramic and metal necklace from The Sentimentalist.

I'm a huge fan of clothing that moves with your body, and this skirt just begs for a twirl!

Personalized Colour Palette

2012-02-14T21:46:00.000-05:00

As it was Valentine's Day, I thought it appropriate to post a photo with someone wearing something red. This man has no fear of colour and patterns, and his usual outfit consists of a pair of pants in a saturated colour, topped with a shirt in an bold and bright print. He dyes the pants himself in order to get the rich saturated hue he prefers, and is teaching himself to sew in order to make his own shirts; an admirable commitment to creating a personal style!

Sunday Afternoon at the Roller Rink

2012-02-12T22:32:00.001-05:00

I decided to go roller skating on Sunday afternoon as there are not as many people as there are on Wednesdays, and us "inexperienced" skaters have less chance of being taken out by some daredevil on four wheels. Aside from a dorky expression, I'm wearing a dress from Mesh with a belt from The Sentimentalist over a t-shirt and striped leggings, accessorized with knee pads and wrist guards. There were some other noteworthy outfits on the rink today:

How adorable is this little girl in her polka dots with orange and pink! I'm sure she is inspired by the outfits her Mom wears when she plays on the Thames Fatales Roller Derby team

The young lady in the yellow tights was celebrating her 13th birthday with an 80's themed roller-skating party, and she and her friends piled on the bright colours and the leg-warmers for the occasion. I thought their outfits were so cool, I had to get a group photo.

A Feather in Her Cap

2012-02-11T10:39:00.001-05:00

I had asked my friend Heather to take a couple of photos of my outfit for my blog, and she caught this one, in which I look rather blissed out (which is definitely not my usual state), and I rather liked it. I was happy to have taken the new hat out for its debut. I saw this little wool felt cap complete with velvet bows and curly feathers at Mesh, and it obviously needed a good home.

vintage hat and dress - Mesh, scarf - Winners, sweater - From Mars,

leggings - H&M, boots - From Mars

Anchors Aweigh!

2012-02-07T20:20:00.002-05:00

I found these flowy gaucho pants (split skirt, cullottes, whatever you choose to call them) made by the German company Mondi at Value Village. From the label and style it's most likely they're from the 80's. I fell in love with the sailor-style placket and gold button closure, and the multiple pleats that make them swish every which way when I walk. When paired with a striped shirt and a ceramic, metal and silk cord necklace from The Sentimentalist they created an outfit that made me feel rather nautical.

It's a skirt! It's a pair of pants!
thanks to Karen for her patience and photography skills

The Artist and Her Tribe

2012-02-05T12:39:00.001-05:00

After a long week of dealing with students, faculty and staff, the last thing I want to do on a Friday night is go out and mingle with crowds of people, but Andrew at Strand Fine Art had told me about an exhibit that was opening at their gallery this past Friday, and my curiousity got the better of me. I'm so glad it did, as both the art, and the artist, were great fun.

Vickie Easton McClung (seen in the photo above, with one of her doll sculptures) is a Port Dover-based artist who works in various mediums including collage, painting, drawing, and sewn sculpture. For the past three years she has been creating art that was inspired by the acquisition of a broken antique doll from her mother-in-law's vast doll collection. Easton McClung created an entire narrative based on this doll, and created a body of work that is infused with a sharp wit, and blends elements of folk art and popular culture.

"Toy Boy"

Included in the exhibit were mixed media drawings that used her original antique doll as a model.

"The Snatcher"

Easton McClung's collages, mounted on rough board, incorporate images from old Eaton's catalogues, photos of antique doll heads, pencil drawing and doll body parts, all set in backgrounds of 1950's domesticity.

"The Offering"

Easton McClung moved from two-dimensional works to sculpture, creating new dolls using parts of 30 neglected and well-used dolls from the 50's and 60's. In addition to cut up parts of dolls, the sculptures include found objects, fabrics, and gourds.

"Get Your Motor Running"

The exhibition catalogue mentions that Easton MClung was not a doll lover as a child; she found the lack of anatomical correctness or unusual facial features too dull for her liking. My favourite works in the exhibit were what the artist refers to as her "tribal dolls" - colourful, quirky sculptures of male and female figures (with obvious and colourful genitalia sewn on) infused with humour and a lot of attitude. Her "tribe" was created by a combination of hand-sewing and the use of a toy sewing machine given to her by her daughter. Easton McClung told me she would love to be able to make clothes, and if they had the same sensibility as her soft sculptured figures, I would definitely wear them!

"Hoochie Coochie Girls"

This figure, titled "So What", was my personal favourite for her sassy hand-on-hip attitude and jingle-bell adorned breasts, but alas, she was already sold by the time I got to the show, as were many of the other sculptures.

I did stake my claim on these two, titled, "The Confidant"

Of course, I had to get an outfit photo in here somewhere....these two sisters, friends of the artist, were wearing ultra-soft and very pretty jackets made by Paula Lishman, who creates beautiful garments knit or woven from fur. I had a wonderful conversation with the woman in the red jacket about Paula, whom I had not heard of, and Paula's husband Bill Lishman, an inventor, artist and ultralight aircraft enthusiast who was featured in the film "Fly Away Home".

The Exhibit "My Tribe" by Vicki Easton McClung continues at Strand Fine Art Services, located at 1161 Florence Street, Unit 4, until February 25th. The Gallery is open Tuesday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm and Saturdays 10 am - 1 pm.

Knit Wit

2012-02-02T21:53:00.000-05:00

This young woman's sense of humour is evident in the quirky and cute details of her outfit - heart-shaped buttons, the articulated owl necklace, coloured shoelaces and knit beret.

Be Vewy, Vewy Quiet.....

2012-01-31T19:26:00.001-05:00

If you're a fan of the classic Warner Bros. cartoons, I'm sure you'll get the reference. There are some hats that reflect the wearer's personality, some that inspire the wearer to express aspects of their personality they never knew existed, and some that are just a whole lot of fun to try on. Nothing like a classic plaid hunting cap to bring out your inner Elmer Fudd! It was actually quite cozy and fit really well, and Melinda at The Sentimentalist tried to convince me that it looked rather cute.

What do you think, is it fwattewing or just plain widiculous?

SQUEEEEE!

2012-01-31T10:19:00.001-05:00

When I checked my blog statistics this morning, I was stunned to see that Forest City Fashionista had 10,001 hits (so far) for the month of January - almost 2,000 more than December, and 4,000 more than November. I realize that many people who land on my blog are often looking for something else, but it is obvious that a number of them like what they find and are returning. Much of the credit for this increase in traffic goes to the other awesome bloggers out there who have directed their readers to me, and their support is appreciated more than I can say. Thank you to Vix, Sarah, Judith, Jean and Valerie, Phronk, Dan, and all the other bloggers who have put in a good word for me.(and I promise I will be catching up with everyone soon). A huge Thank You as well to The Sentimentalist, Mesh, From Mars, Weezi, and Lovesick for promoting my blog to their customers, and of course, to my followers, who continue to stop me on the street to tell me how much they enjoy what I do. Mutual support of each other's creative endeavours is what helps to create a community, and I am delighted to have found mine.

Layering 101

2012-01-29T14:01:00.001-05:00

I dropped in on the half price sale at The Sentimentalist on Friday night, thinking there would be some interesting folks there to photograph. I love running into people I've photographed before, especially if it's been a long time since I shot them, and in the case of the young woman in the photo above, it had been a couple of years since she appeared on my blog here. I had picked up the plaid shirt she is wearing to show her, and she tried it on, and it worked perfectly with what she was wearing. Apparently she is known amongst her friends for her fondness for multiple layering and this outfit was a perfect example of how layering solids and patterns in different shapes makes a practical and funky look.

Fending Off the Blues in Red and Black

2012-01-26T20:28:00.000-05:00

Between trying to fend off whatever bug is taking down my friends and co-workers, not sleeping much, and stressing about work, I haven't been out with my camera this week, so I'm afraid all I have at the moment is a photo of me from last week. I will be out this weekend with my camera, looking for other people, I promise. Anyway, enough about me, and on to the outfit. I have quite a mix of decades going on, from the "Grease" era neck-scarf (the Sentimentalist), an 80's-ish leather and knit top (Value Village), red jeans from the most recent decade (The Sentimentalist) and my trusty thick-soled docs acquired in the 90's. Red and black is a colour combination I go to if I'm feeling kind of blah, as it makes me feel like I can handle whatever the day is gonna throw at me. Other people go for bright colours if they are feeling a bit blue, but for me, give me black with just a bit of bright, and my Docs, of course.

Roller Girl

2012-01-22T21:10:00.001-05:00

*Disclaimer - I try to make a point of getting the best possible photograph of my subjects, given the lighting and situation, and avoid posting blurry, poorly lit photos. Well, I'm about to break my own rules*

I used to roller skate when I was a teenager, but it's been a lot of years since I laced up a pair of boots on four wheels. If you have followed my blog for a while, you know that I am a fan of women's Roller Derby and regularly attend the home games played by our own Thames Fatales and Luscious Lunch Ladies. A good friend of mine, who recently joined the Forest City Derby Girls, offered to help me re-learn to skate, so on Wednesday nights you can find us at the North London Community Centre Adult Roller Skate night, with a bunch of other men and women of various ages and skating abilities. Most of the skaters are in the 50+ age range, and it is pretty darn cool to watch people who have obviously kept their skating chops in fine form over the years show off their speed and fancy footwork. And of course, there's music, courtesy of a DJ, and on a Wednesday night you might hear Adele, Prince or Yaz (who remembers Yaz!) Most bring their own skates but you can rent a pair for just $2.75. I've been going for almost two months, and am doing better than I thought I would, but stopping, and doing cross-overs are beyond my current skill set. I have a much greater fear of falling than I did when I was a teenager, so wrist guards and knee pads are part of my regular outfit. Most skaters favour jeans and t-shirts but there are a few of us who enjoy any excuse to dress up. On the night the photo above was taken, I decided to break out the knit circle skirt I had picked up at Mesh. Paired with an argyle sweater and red knee socks, I was ready to roll. The woman in the photo below, who skates with the London Loco Derby league also has a unique and fun approach to dressing for the roller rink. I love how she has coordinated her outfit with her skates.

Photos taken by Heather, using the crappy cameras on our respective smartphones. For more information about roller skating at the North London Community Centre, go here.

Minimalist

2012-01-20T20:14:00.000-05:00

This is my friend Judy, who lives in Toronto. I had taken this photo when I last saw her in October and kept forgetting to post it (sorry Judy). Her style is very chic and lady-like, and she is almost always wearing a dress and heels. She has been honing her style for years, and knows what colours complement her gray hair, and that simple, well-cut pieces are best for her body shape. The outfit she was wearing that day was a perfect example of her minimalist aesthetic - grey dress layered over black, topped with a bold red architecturally shaped coat, and one piece of statement jewellery. Judy is as much of a devotee to shoes as I am, so we had to stop by the Fluevog shoe store on Queen Street to do a bit of drooling. Their shoes are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but fortunately, for me, don't fit my feet. Judy has no such problem, and came away with the sleek heeled oxfords in the photo below:

The shoes looked perfect with what she was wearing, so of course she put them on right away. Even though they were one of the more subdued styles for the brand, the unique details that Fluevog is known for are there--the sculptured heel, the mixing of textures, and the beautiful design on the suede upper. Elegant, but with a modern, funky edge, just like Judy herself.

Dark Victory

2012-01-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

This woman is demonstrating the way to do head to toe black (actually her boots are taupe...) without looking like Sid Vicious or an undertaker. There needs to be at least one dash of colour, strong shapes and different textures. The pants she's wearing are awesome (she said she got them in a store in Cherryhill Mall) and she's balanced them with a fitted jacket. Add the knit scarf, small cross-body bag, and a bold red lip, and she looks incredibly chic. Another woman who does the all-black thing very well, and favours the same proportions of a fitted top and wide leg bottoms is Jean of the Idiosyncratic Fashionistas. Jean usually accessorizes with pieces of colourful bakelite jewellery from her huge collection and a marvelous hat. Both of these women prove that you can wear head to toe black and be anything but drab.

Furry and Tasseled

2012-01-15T22:57:00.001-05:00

Yes, this is a lousy Photoshop job - I was trying to get rid of the camera on the right side of the photo in a hurry, and it just wasn't going well. However, let's focus on the fluffy and tasseled awesomeness that is the hat. I found it at Mesh and it was so beautiful, and incredibly lush and soft that I had to take it home with me. I haven't found exactly the right outfit to wear it with yet, as it is a statement maker on it's own, and I'm not quite sure how to balance it out. If I never wear it, I could always keep it on the end of my bed and pretend it's a pet!

Even the lining is beautiful, and it was handmade here in Canada for "Eaton" (I don't know if that's a spelling mistake, or if it is because it was made in Quebec (which is possible since French is listed first on the label)

*Update* - Kim from Lovesick informed me that it was National Hat Day on January 15th (who knew there was such a thing?) so my post was perfectly timed!

Does Size Really Matter?

2012-01-14T13:36:00.001-05:00

So, to look at Pauline wearing this clingy dress by Italian label "Save the Queen!" you would think she's probably a size small, or, maybe medium because of her height. Then she showed me the size label in the back of the dress. The size said "XL". There is no way in anyone's world that this woman is an Extra Large. Except apparently, in the world of that particular Italian label. There have been lots of articles and blog posts written about the tyranny of sizing in women's clothing, so I'm not going to add another rant to the mix, but I will say that I have found that the only way I can shop is to pay less attention to the size on the label, and just find something that fits, whether that means I'm a size Small at The Gap, a Large in a small boutique store, or a size 12 in a vintage 70's dress. This also means that I am constantly aware that if women like Pauline and I have to go to a size Large to get something to fit, how do women who have more curves that we do find stylish clothing that fits? Do you have a favourite store that carries cool clothes is real world sizes for women?

All Natural

2012-01-09T20:11:00.003-05:00

fibres, that is....and all second hand. Fur coat from The May Court consignment store, 80's leather pants from Etsy, wool felt hat from The Sentimentalist, Palladium boots, and scarf from a New York street vendor. Photo by Heather, to whom I'm grateful for her patience and her photography skills.

She's Lovesick

2012-01-07T10:19:00.000-05:00

I had been meaning to post a photo of Kim for some time, and as it happened on this particular day she was wearing a rabbit fur vest that had a former life as a lining of a coat, and her cool platform ankle boots she had purchased online at Modcloth, so it was definitely time for her blog moment.

Kim Petrie opened her store, Lovesick, in Wortley Village 4 years ago. It was a little slice of vintage heaven (and I do mean little) where you were assured of finding a treasure amongst the stock of women's clothing, purses, shoes, belts, jewellery, all in excellent condition and reasonably priced. The only downside was that you couldn't have more than 3 customers in the store at the same time before everyone started feeling claustrophobic. She solved that problem by moving her store to its current location at 723 Richmond Street, near Piccadilly, which is not only bright and spacious, but on a number of major bus routes, making it easier for people to find. Speaking for myself, it's a bit too easy, as it's on my way home from work, and the contents of my closet have expanded considerably since her relocation. She also has a facebook fan page for her store, on which she posts links to cool style-related articles and videos.

Every Girl's Crazy for a Sharp-Dressed Man

2012-01-05T22:57:00.001-05:00

And there's a story behind this photo of a very sharp dressed man. I had stopped by Lovesick after work to say hello to Kim, and was walking south on Richmond Street towards the railroad tracks when I saw a man and woman walking towards me. She was very attractive, and dressed nicely, but my attention was drawn to the guy, with his great hair, sleek overcoat, gloves, etc. (we all know how few men dress well in London), and I was thinking that if it hadn't been dark outside, I would have stopped him to take his photo. They passed me and I kept walking. I hadn't gone more than a few steps when I heard running footsteps, and a woman's voice behind me say, "Excuse me, but aren't you the Forest City Fashionista?". I turned around to see the same woman who had just passed me a few minutes ago. She was looking for Lovesick, which they had seen on my blog, and wondered if it was close by. I took her and her companion back to the store and then told him that I would like to take his photo, which I then did in the store. I was delighted to meet two of my blog fans in person and introduce them to one of my favourite stores. Good vibes all around!