Cents for Style

Can you tell who this is? It’s Martha Stewart! Yup. These...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:00:20 -0400

Can you tell who this is? It’s Martha Stewart! Yup. These are some beautiful shots taken from her modeling portfolio. I have to say that her cheek bones make me envious.

Take a peek at her other lovely pictures here: http://bit.ly/14IODBu

We could all learn something about style from Archie comics.

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:56:43 -0500

We could all learn something about style from Archie comics. :

This classic comic also shows some classic and relevant fashion trends. It proves that some looks never go out of style. Seriously, take a look:

A new year. A new look.

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:11:00 -0500

As an avid thrift shopper and lover of a rare find and a good deal, I noticed that my secondhand treasures were starting to overflow in my small Toronto apartment. A self-proclaimed shopping addict, stores like Value Village (or VV Boutique) was the cheap crack that helped fulfill a more expensive cocaine habit. Anyways, my mom finally asked me to clean out my two closets and dresser, which were occupying her spare room. As I rummaged through my once prized treasures, the pile marked keep was starting to grow much bigger than the one marked give away. I had a mild “freak out” because I realized that the growing pile was the gateway to a much nastier problem—hoarding. And yes, I do love reality TV, but I would NEVER want to be a sad story for A&E. Imagine, a girl that was buried alive under a pile of 80’s polyester sweaters…

So if I pull on my psychologist jacket, (which I earned from the university of Intervention,) I would say that my addiction for thrifting stems from rush and utter happiness that comes from finding a good deal. Also, I love the creativity that comes from giving a used item a second chance. As I looked down at my trophies that accumulated dust, I knew it was time to recycle the recycled clothes. Knowing me, I still wanted my wardrobe to be unique without visiting VV Boutique every other week. Using my talents with Google keywords, I stumbled on a course at The Make Den called Mending & Alterations.

Having little sewing experience (seriously I made a pair of pajama pants once in high school and my teacher did most of the work) I decided to give this sewing thing another try. The Mending & Alterations class is perfect, since it’s a beginner’s course developed especially for fashionistas that want to alter their vintage duds to a more modern silhouette. Honestly, I have fallen HARD for sewing. It’s super relaxing and very creative.

I can’t wait to share all my DIY alteration projects. It’s my hope that once I become good enough that I can start doing alterations on the side for people. Anyways, I plan to update my blog more often and not leave it on the back burner. More importantly, I can’t wait to see what my wardrobe looks like in the next few months!

I saw this clip, and I had to POST it! Also, I know I have been...

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:12:47 -0400

I saw this clip, and I had to POST it! Also, I know I have been neglecting my blog, but I promise to bring it back to life.

I love Florence Welch. I find that she is a modern day Stevie...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:26:36 -0500

Florence Welch

I love Florence Welch. I find that she is a modern day Stevie Nicks. I saw this picture of her in an amazing 50’s inspired bikini. With her flaming red hair and milk skin, could this be anymore flattering. I love it.

The Golden Globes were filled with nude dresses (and in my...

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:06:08 -0500

Michelle Williams in Jason Wu

Laura Dern in Andrew Gn

My absolute favorite, Tilda Swinton

The Golden Globes were filled with nude dresses (and in my opinion, I’m so over it.) However, these three brought some much needed colour & texture to the awards show. Well done, ladies!

What designers in the 1930’s predicted fashion to look...

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:06:10 -0500

What designers in the 1930’s predicted fashion to look like. I think it is very GaGa.

Why Alicia Silverstone only shops secondhand.

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:38:36 -0500

Why Alicia Silverstone only shops secondhand.

My mom, came back from LA recently, and brought me back this...

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:19:53 -0500

Think it looks pretty rad

A little closer view

My mom, came back from LA recently, and brought me back this awesome decorative tapestry that she found hanging up in a vintage shop. It is probably the coolest souvenir anyone has ever brought back to me. I decided to hang it over my bed as a wall piece, and I think it looks fantastic!

Thanks Mom xo

Something I wrote a little while back, but thought I should share

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:14:59 -0500

Something I wrote a little while back, but thought I should share

A blast from the past! I feel like I am walking in a dream.

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:29:06 -0400

So this weekend, I headed home to the burbs for T-giving. My good friend and I, having access to an automobile for the weekend, took complete advantage of visiting our favorite Value Villages.

What happend next must have been a serious Turkey miracle. Sitting in the shoe section of VV boutique was a pair of old school, LA Gear, kicks that have never been worn (tags still on them). That’s right, a perfect pair of sneakers completely designed for the aerobics lover (I’m sure Jane Fonda had a pair herself).

I remember my first pair of LA G’s. They were turquoise with bright lights that flashed when you walked. They were incredible with the curly shoelaces. To this day, they are one of my ultimate favorite pair of kicks that I have ever owned. For real, pure nostalgia when I saw them sitting on the shelf. I would have been full of regret if I had left them there.

So if you want a little blast from the past, I suggest taking a pick at their website. It will remind you of the time when your wardrobe consisted of bicycle shorts and windbreakers.

HAVE FUN,

Cate

I’ve written about my friend Meg before and her amazing...

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:41:42 -0400

I’ve written about my friend Meg before and her amazing sense of style, so it’s not surprising that I would feature her again! She recently moved into a new pad and is on the verge of decorating it. Ever detail is looked at with the utmost detail, including the light fixtures. She decided to hit up Value Village to find something that would match her room. She found two potentials costing her 2 bucks each. She decided to go with the 2nd version and will use the other one to as a utensil holder. I love her creativity!

Check out this article I wrote for this new fashion and design publication called The Genteel.

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:33:00 -0400

Check out this article I wrote for this new fashion and design publication called The Genteel.

My amazing friend, Kajsa, in Stockholm. She is rocking this...

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:01:45 -0400

My amazing friend, Kajsa, in Stockholm. She is rocking this amazing retro jacket that she bought earlier that day from Beyond Retro. I love it, but more importantly, I am loving how she is pulling it off.

Watch how style has evolved in the last century! Absolutely...

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:37:02 -0400

Watch how style has evolved in the last century! Absolutely fantastic video.

From Sweden, with Love. One of the reasons I have been MIA is...

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:03:25 -0400

From Sweden, with Love.

One of the reasons I have been MIA is because I have been traveling Europe. One of my favorite stops was of course, Stockholm, Sweden. Many people arn’t aware that Scandinavia is a mecca for current fashion. We all think of Milan, London and Paris, when we think of European style, however, the real treasure lies in Northern Europe.

One of my favorite thrift stores in Stockholm is called Beyond Retro. With beautifully hand picked clothing, organized by decades, it makes shopping fun & easy. I was super impressed how they took pieces from the past and displayed them as current outfits you could wear today.

I have to admit that Scandinavia is fairly expensive, so you might find these vintage pieces more of a splurge. However, even if you’re on a tight budget, I suggest visiting anyways. Why? Because it like revisiting your childhood while playing dress-up for a few hours.

xo Cate

My baggage is on display for the world to see. Like every girl...

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:09:19 -0400

My baggage is on display for the world to see.

Like every girl (well most of them) I love purses. Some arm bling always brightens up my day. In fact, I love bags so much that I totally forgot that before my trip I had no room to store my bags. When I came home from my vacation and opened my closest to show my brand new bags their home, I realized that I had no room left. Some of my bags found shelter on the floor (terribly thing to do to leather.) So I decided that I wanted to have my bags on display. Why not, I am pretty proud of these finds. I would love to display them as trophies (hehe). So I found this great coat rack at Ikea and realized that this would do the trick! I am pretty happy with the end result.

Tip: If you find yourself lacking closest space for your treasures, ask yourself if there a creative way to display it or to make it part of your decor.

I'm Back

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:59:43 -0400

Hey everyone,

I just got back from a wonderful vacation abroad! I experienced some of the most amazing travel this month. I can’t wait to share with you some of the vintage treasures that I found abroad. So stay tuned.

xo Cate

http://www.monki.com/

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:16:00 -0400

http://www.monki.com/

I saw this outside one of my favorite vintage shops, Cabaret, in...

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:42:57 -0400

I saw this outside one of my favorite vintage shops, Cabaret, in Toronto. Doesn’t it look like something that Betty Draper would wear? Just so lovely.