Wednesday 16 January 2013

OOTD: Broken Hearts and Polka Dots

This necklace is the first, and thus far only, piece of clothing or jewelry I have bought over the internet.  I don't own much jewelry (really!), but the moment I saw this piece made by the now defunct Paraphernalia, I knew I had to have it.  Wearing it is a weird confidence booster for me, so naturally I wore it to a certain infamous (in my eyes) grad school interview a couple years ago, where, long story short, it broke.  And long story shorter, I didn't fix it until a couple weeks ago.  But now my baby is back, and I'm going to wear her all the time.  Because I'm cool like that.

This outfit totally reminds me of my earlier high school days, when I wore a lot of black clothing.  That's probably mostly because I actually thrifted this skirt around that time, though it looked pretty different back then.  Inspired by the high-low gothic skirts I was seeing in shops like Silver Cross and Sirens (for all my Toronto readers; how's that for a flashback? Before Queen West was a strip mall!), I altered this skirt for a similar vibe.  Turns out I was about 7 years early on that trend, but it's cool, my patience paid off, and I have always loved the hem of this skirt.  Makes me remember learning how to so (mostly by trial and error).
The Deets:
Top: Hand-me-down (Bubbie)
Bustier: Danier, hand-me-down (Step-Mom)
Belt: Anthropologie
Skirt: Thrifted, altered by me
Tights: a billion years old
Boots: Leone (not sure of the brand, oops!)
Bag: Hand-me-down (Step-Mom)   Makeover story here
Necklace: Paraphernalia (no longer open)

We took these pictures in a back alley after a very pleasant afternoon out shopping.  I picked up a gift for my little sister's birthday next month (she loves the Big Bang Theory and I am determined to make her into a real nerd, not just someone who thinks nerds are fun to laugh at), and a quick trip to the comic book store Ephraim and I both prefer.  I should do a dedicated post on them some time, but if you're in Toronto and you've never been to The Beguiling on Markham street, your life is sad and empty and you should fix that (stop by the Victory Cafe afterward! Yummy!)
For some back alley shots, the lighting in these sure was pretty.  Also we look like such hipster scum in these portraits.  I kind of love the shot of Ephraim especially.  One of the things I've been wanting to work more on in my photos is lighting, especially getting the hang of lens flare (which I did VERY successfully in some of my 365 challenge, as you'll see in this post.  That's not a filter!), and I think the lighting coming through the fence and branches in that shot is just so lovely.  Plus I like his face.  So there you have it!


--Erin

10 comments:

  1. I love everything about this outfit! That skirt is absolutely beautiful, and that top looks amazing on you! It kind of reminds me of my teenage style as well, or a better version of what I wore as a teenager xo

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    1. Haha I'd say this is ALSO a more refined version of what teenager me wore... because I am not wearing bondage pants... or an Emily The Strange t-shirt :P. I'd like to think I've grown up a LITTLE!!

      --Erin

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  2. Aww you guys are so cute! I also love how you source your clothing from your closet and the closets of your loved ones. Some of my favorite pieces are things I've snagged from my Mom.

    How have you not jumped on the internet shopping bandwagon!?!

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    1. I am THE hand-me-down girl in my family, and it is awesome!! Largely because I get given items that I couldn't normally afford, and I have the know-how to alter them into something that really fits into my style. Win win!

      Living in Canada is at fault for that! Long shipping times and duty charges are a real detractor for wanting to buy online. I just can't justify having to pay tax TWICE (and wait 3-4 weeks!). Plus, I feel weird not being able to try something on! I'd love to order a couple things from ModCloth, but I am so afraid I'll end up having to return most of what I get, and still have it cost me a load of money. Sigh.

      --Erin

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  3. I'm just dying over that belt! It's so cute I may have to see if they have it online or something.

    The whole ensemble is very well put together and the pics look great!

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  4. That necklace is super adorable!

    Becky
    xx

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  5. Oh, that necklace is beautiful <3 I'm seriously week in the knees for anatomical shaped jewellery, especially if heart necklaces. Also, I love the outfit. Everything goes so well together!

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  6. Ha! Sirens. I think that place might still exist. Ick.

    I love this outfit and that necklace is to die for. I'm stoked you fixed it. I look forward to seeing how you style it in future posts.

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  7. "Hipster scum" made me laugh aloud, you know.

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  8. Wow- you were super cutting edge on the high/low skirt trend! I love this look- black, red, and white always look so good together and you really punched it up with some fun details. How cool is that necklace??

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