Yule, Yuletide, Christmastide, Christmastime

Seeing I am decorated in festive colours, I felt it appropriate to cast this outfit on the backdrop of our merry home. I hadn't intended to coincide the colours of my outfit with the holiday season, but I have been known to enjoy finding reasons to match my attire to a season or holiday in the past, and, I especially love dressing in costume. 

As we are less than 2 days away from December, most are starting to embrace the arrival of the Christmas season. 

Many big corporation and/or department stores politely allow Hallowe'en to pass before unveiling their Christmas 'look' for the year.  In my corner of the world, Costco decided to break that trend this year, and apparently set up their Christmas garb in October! In addition, Shoppers Drug Mart started playing Christmas music in early November, but due to large volumes of complaints, they obliged with customers' disdain for the premature instrumental sashay into the season.

This begs the question, When is too early to delve into the Christmas season? Present culture usually welcomes the season with lucrative motives. At the same time, when chatting with friends, I've learned that many of them embrace the season quite early in November by choice, not corporate influence. Their underlying reasons are simply "I love Christmas," and "Let's celebrate for as long as possible." 

When I started this post, I originally set out to determine why red and green are Christmas colours. (I eventually answered that question..perhaps another post now though!) As internet surfing often spiderwebs (no pun intended), this lead to reading about the original pagan germanic Yule festival (which was eventually absorbed by Christmas). It was a 12 day festival, thus our modern 12 days of Christmas. Yuletide refers to the time between December 24, and January 6.  There were even specific terms used for the month before Yule and the month after Yule. We just call November 'November', and January 'January'; it'd be like November being called "Before Christmas" and January "After Christmas," if you follow my drift. This may not quite be etymologically accurate, but it tells me that its a time of year that has been enthusiastically embraced for extended periods of time for centuries upon centuries. And since people seem to be in happier spirits during this time, perhaps its not so precocious to start celebrating as early as November 1st after all. 

What do you think?

Outfit details: jacket Holster, jeans Le Chateau, shirt Giant Tiger, scarf Winners, clogs by Dansko, earrings Hand crafted (I don't recall the artisan's name, unfortunately)

The uniform.

Many fashion bloggers describe and exhibit what might be articulated as their "uniform," from time to time. This tends to entail intermittent posts exemplifying a pattern of sorts, whether it be a particular style or silhouette, or a theme of certain colours and/or pieces.

Cardi and jeans: thrifted

Personally, my "uniform" is apt to pop up when I plain and simple cannot decide what to wear.  Almost subconsciously, it pieces itself together, and it comes so naturally that it is almost effortless. (Instant relief from what-to-wear block).  

Which leads me to - What is my "uniform"?

I really didn't start to define my style until after high school. I guess this makes sense as most of us just try to stay afloat in the "fitting in" fashion pool, during that stage of our lives. Anyway, after high school my fashion took a dip down the bohemian aisle, of only thrift stores, specifically. This look started to transform, (or perhaps 'mature' - as my mother would likely say) around 6 or 7 years ago. I like to think the influence of the boho look can still be seen, although subtle. I have been caught saying: "If dread-locks were professional, I'd likely still have them!"

More specifically, the Kim-uniform is a combination of fall colours: always a brown, often with green and the more than occasional splash of orange. Wooden jewelries are first in line for accessory potentials, and when the scarf trend hit in ~2007 here, I adopted that as part of the ensemble as well. In fact, today I started with the scarf and built the outfit up from there. 

Necklace: little store in Forio, Ischia, Italy

Even on days where the entirety of the uniform hasn't manifested, cardigans are probably the most prominent item in my wardrobe. 

The cardigans

*I just counted, and there are over 20 of them!

Earrings: Ten Thousand Villages

Scarf: outside the Duomo in Florence Italy

This scarf has a funny story, actually. I had to purchase it when we went to the Duomo, as mentioned in the caption. Not thinking, I wore shorts and a sleeveless top that day. Correction: I was half thinking, as I brought one scarf with me in my day's belongings to cover up my shoulders for entrance into the Duomo. I failed to realize I'd need something to transform my bottom half into something more conservative as well. Luckily, I found something close by, at a good price, that is even deemed "uniform" worthy!

After mentioning Italy and especially the Duomo, I am unable to resist the urge to sneak a couple photos into this post. 

Shopping in Florence

Duomo at night

Duomo by day, view from the Bell Tower

Inside, floor level

Well worth the 463 spiral steps to the top!

Confession of a shopaholic.

Okay. So I have a confession to make. 

Great restraint only goes so far, and I have already suffered a setback in my 'recovery' from being a shopaholic. 

I sat pining for days over these loafer heals from Marais. They are currently 50% off, and I have a weakness for both brogues/oxfords/loafers and the like, and a good deal. I would have bought them had it not been for the exorbitantly steep shipping charges attached to special deliveries north of the US border. $40, to be precise! It was just enough to put on the breaks and instead of clicking checkout, I let them sit open in my browser, taunting...tempting... torturing me, for the next 4 or 5 days.

I closed the browser window yesterday, finally. However, the real confession I have to make is the purchase that did materialize: sitting in a neighboring browser next to this suppressed obsession, sat something a smidgen more practical. The root of the problem lies in my neglect to define rules for this undertaking. The original statement described a "clothes diet"; technically speaking, this precludes shoes, jewelry, bags, scarves and other accessories. (An additional matter of contention was my previously agreed upon plans with my best friend to co-host a Stella and Dot party. We made these plans in August, so really I couldn't go back on my word with that one. I'll return to this in a bit).

The confession: I hear by admit to purchasing some cheap skinny belts, and a pair of black dress shoes.

In all honestly, my black flats at present are more than 7 years old, and are literally starting to fall to pieces. Really, they can only still be called shoes by definition of what they appear to be, and not by the service they provide (or lack thereof). To successfully remix my clothes for an entire year, I really did need a pair of versatile black shoes. I explained this to my husband and he chuckled. I stand by my rationalization though! I bought some basic coloured skinny belts for the same reason; to mix and match I am going to need some of the accessories I have been brushing aside in lieu of spending all budgeted personal spending pennies on clothes!

So here it is. The Doctrine of a Non-shopping Year:

Thou shalt refrain from purchasing new and used articles of clothing, outdoor footwear, accessories of which include hats, hair accessories, scarves, belts, tights and anything else that might purpose itself in 'completing a look.'

*Caveat: if an item that is used frequently, that is also of great value to providing variety in remixing, were to break or rip or become nonfunctional due to something incidental (ie run in the tights), the original item may be replaced, so long as it approximates the essence of the original item.

Permitted are undergarments and socks as needed, pajamas, and with regard to the Stella and Dot party: remuneration may be accepted, and thereafter, the Non-Shopping Year begins. 

Kapeesh?

---

Kapeesh.

Swift as a fox

Cardigan, Ricki's

This dress just arrived in the mail yesterday. It was definitely love at first (web)site, but it wasn't purchased on a whim - I watched it completely sell out, went through nonbuyer's remorse, and was subsequently ecstatic to see it return to stock. (And then, on a second whim, into my cart it dropped, quite swiftly). 

It is heavenly comfortable for a dress, and equal parts charming -to please my young (appearing) self, and professional: I can easily assemble a polished look for work with it.  It was the last purchase I made after which I decided to go on my year long "clothes diet". (Perhaps I sensed a loss of control, what with how swiftly it went from not mine, to mine?)  

'Brick your place' earrings, via ModCloth

 These also arrived with the dress, as you must not waste any space in a parcel you are paying to have shipped to you. 

#unspoken rule of online shopping

As a child, I was a tetris mastermind: none of my siblings, friends, nor siblings friends came close to
matching my record score! So, you can see why these were a must-buy.

In addition to nostalgic reasons, I liked these because of the asymmetry. I have always had a penchant
 for asymmetric articles of fashion.

Belt, Le Chateau

'Foxtail and Fern' dress via ModCloth

Brown eyed girl

Blouse, thrifted

One reason behind the title chosen for my blog is that my favourite colour to wear is brown. I think I can trace it back to a few repeated 'in store,' clerk delivered compliments received a couple years after high school, when my tastes started to neutralize. So often we receive compliments from store clerks that we really don't give their word much credit. But when you start to hear something more than once, the convincing unravels a little. I don't believe that I  base my shopping patterns off of what others, particularly strangers, say to me at time of try on; discovering what colours work (or don't work) for you is a process that others will often observe with you. And, when I can tell that a clerk's compliment was rooted in their gut reaction to my emergence from the dressing room, a compliment from a stranger can feel that much more flattering than one from say, your best friend.

I chose to leave the cereal box in this picture, it's amusing, no?

orange beaded gold earrings

loafers from Green's Shoes

Cardigan back detail, thrifted 

brass coloured beaded bracelet, a favourite

This happened when I tried to take a self-timed picture.
Looks like we froze a little there, Mac

After I snapped outfit photos I descended into the
 basement for a workout. Then I realized I hadn't
caught this blouse sans cardigan. This may have to be an
 intentional location for a future post!

Let it snow!

Good evening! I would offer you a cup of tea if you would so kindly choose to join me in our little snow-ridden backyard...  

Here are some snaps of what I wore to work today. First day back in 6 days -- that were well spent re-coop'ing from surgery. I had a septoplasty done if you might be so nosy :^). There are no changes seen to my button outwardly, but its the inside that counts, of course.

Peter Pan collared dress; Dear Creatures via ModCloth

I wanted to capture this beautiful blue colour against the crisp blanket of snow we have been so kindly gifted with recently. It was challenging catching much post-able material considering I have moved on up to the self-timer of 'photo booth' on my Mac (if you recall, I utilized my iPhone in my first post ever!) So, this is only a sliver of improvement in technique: 3 seconds to wade through snow to a distance far enough to capture all parts of the outfit is just not enough time! Especially with my inexperience in finding the 'I'm not awkward, really, I'm not' pose.

Sweater from Smart Set

Boots: Miz-Mooz

The first snowfall each year really is beautiful. A pristine blanket for the world to hide under, what couldn't be more comforting? Especially in the cool air that visually reminds you with every exhale that you're breathing.  I adore the shapes it falls into on top of your various outdoor furnishings... geometric, symmetrical, silently still coverings that preserve the essence of what lies underneath, and couldn't have been carved to greater perfection. 

Deck furniture entering hibernation

First snowfall of 2012, Edmonton Global News

Tired eyes after gettin' back to the grind. It's a good grind, at least.

Big little favour

November 11 being Remembrance Day, and falling on a Sunday, means that many in my neck of the woods enjoy the following Monday off. I was comfortably enjoying my morning in oblivion when my day abruptly swung into action: my husband called from work (he is not one of those many), requesting I deliver him some highly necessary, forgotten keys. As a good wife, I of course obliged. This is what I threw on, quite literally, and thus will be my first outfit post. As I've started outfit posting before I am actually prepared to (camera-wise), these are taken on my i-Phone (a little disappointingly, I know). Be patient though. I just did the big apartment to house move (huzzah!) and some things have not unpacked themselves yet. Instead of trying to hide the lack of a self-timer function, I just embraced it. (And for the record, keys were delivered first, photos snapped upon return home!)

Striped shirt thrifted

Sweater from Dots

Hat from Herbergers

I haven't worn this sweater in a very, very long time. It sat in my mending pile for months on end, as I felt it needed some taking in on the sides. One thing that has unpacked itself is the mending pile, and I decided to give this one a second go without taking it in. I think I am satisfied with that decision upon seeing it in the still picture as opposed to the mirror.

Resolution: Nov '12

The idea of blogging has appealed to me increasingly over the last few weeks and months. Beyond having your own free parking spot in cyber-space, with no parking tickets for expressing yourself wherever and however you might, here are some of the reasons for finally initiating an idea that's been percolating a good 83 days... at least.

Accountability. I wish to increase the frequency with which I .. do stuff. Really, just about anything. Life can easily grow mundane once working a full-time schedule in the grown-up, I-now-have-a-career world. My little aspirations really range and vary, and in and of themselves are nothing earth shattering. But, this aside, I feel myself growing a wee bit bored and frustrated with myself. If I have a window from which to display some of my accomplishments (perhaps better articulated as 'life happenings'), and the freedom of reflection (no pun intended), I may at least have the perception of achieving more of the little things that intrigue me, and really, bring me great pleasure.

Reflection. As just mentioned. I'd like to get inside myself a little more. Create a log of my thoughts. See what direction they are going (or growing), what are some of my thought-themes? Find answers to my questions. Be able to return to them tangibly.

I have managed to avoid my main premise upon which I finally decided to build this blog. So, the grande finale? The final inspiring factor? I'm afraid it may seem a touch shallow, but it does return to the notion of accountability. Recently, as of November 1/2012, I decided I'd like to go on a clothes diet. Since graduating university, and having extra spending pennies, I trade most of them away for sartorial items. I am a little unsettled by my own behavior, especially considering there was a time in my life when I refused to purchase anything other than second-hand items. Thus, a cleanse is in order.

And, specifically, why is a blog necessary for this?

I have been reading a few fashion blogs as of late (outfit inspiration!) and I read something today that perfectly aligned with my year long commitment. Rebecca Stice, of The Clothes Horse, does a weekly post on the remixing of particular items in her closet. She mentions now and again the idea of wearing pieces over and over again, but never styling them the same way twice: creativity necessary.

Thus, here begins a year of remixing. Follow me along the way to observe my nongrowing, growing wardrobe; I think, hope, and declare, it will be fun!

=)