I got to spend even more time with my silks family on Wednesday as many of us headed down to the Grand Chapiteau and enjoy the Cirque de Soleil show, Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities. What a wild ride! I've been to many Cirque shows and this had to be one of my favourites. Everything was so whimsicical. They actually had a Tea Party on the Ceiling! Also, going to see professionals perform is such an amazing and inspirational experience! I am totally ready to jump into my training with two feet and challenge myself more and more in the coming weeks!
One of my favourite fashion friends was with us on Wednesday night. Lara has to be one of the most fashionable folks that I know. I love to see what she's up to and what she's wearing! She did not disappoint on Wednesday. Her orangey-red, super-wide legged pants were amazing! Paired with a great striped crop, she was on fire! Then, what did she do once the temperature dipped? She brought out a black fringed poncho that I had to touch! So soft. So swingy. So much fun! I was certainly jealous of her look that night and also took some inspiration from it!
Finding the balance between work-appropriate apparel and every day fashion has been tough for me over the years. I enjoy a daring look. I don't mind showing a bit of skin. Obviously this doesn't fly in front of my grade 4 class though. So, how does someone like myself balance work wear, casual wear and my budget?
My favourite store of the moment has to be Aritzia. I love their clothing. Everything is so chic. Their trend pieces are not over-the-top. The quality is fantastic. Putting together an outfit from Aritzia has never been an issue for me. Pricing can be a challenge though. Many of their pieces cost over $100 and I can't always afford this price point. When I am feeling light in the wallet, I head to my favourite secondhand stores. I am not talking about the Salvation Army Thrift Store or Value Village. I am talking about great higher-end used clothing stores like The Kind Exchange and Common Sort.
If you haven't been to either of these stores, go now! Kind Exchange has many locations around Toronto. Selection varies from location to location. My suggestion is to travel to a location near a wealthy neighbourhood. I live near the Beach in Toronto, and there is never a shortage of my favourite brands there. Recently, I bought a beautiful Wilfred dress at The Kind Exchange in the Beach that retailed for $165 at Aritizia for only $30! Not too shabby.
Common Sort, located in Parkdale and Riverdale here in Toronto, tends to carry more higher end, curated items. Their selection process is very picky. I went "back-to-school" shopping at Common Sort in August and spent close to $200 on a variety of items ranging from purses to pants. If I had been so inclined, I could have purchased a beautiful, no lustworthy, Rebecca Minkoff purse for a mere $170. The rich burgundy leather and gold chain shoulder strap almost lured me in, but I couldn't. I didn't. I did however score a black silk Wilfred hoodie. It's amazing. Now that the weather is cooling down in the evenings, I look forward to wearing it often!
I paired a few of these "new-to-me" items with some of my own to create fun, back-to-school outfits. Nothing too drastic. I have to introduce myself gently to this new community. Wear to do like to shop? What are your money-saving fashion tips? Don't keep fashion secrets! Share them with us. We need to know!
Finally, I will apologize for the selfies. I hate selfies. I hate that you can see my yucky kitchen in the background. I will work hard to not take anymore selfies! I promise that my fashion picks will be nicer in the future!
Cheers, Jackie
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| Friday's outfit. Wilfred T (purchased new, $40) and pants (purchased at Common Sort, $25). |
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| Thursday's outfit. Wilfred top (purchased new, $50) and Citizen's of Humanity jeans (purchased new, $125) |
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| Tuesday's Outfit. Gap tank (purchased new, $16) and Wilfred Skirt (purchased at Common Sort, $22) |
