3rd Trimester Style Inspiration

Photo: sourced via Wikifashion

As insurance for the days when I know I'm going to feel blah in the coming months, here are some snapshots of Russian Freelance writer, Miroslava Duma, during her pregnancy summer/fall of 2010. She had a baby boy in October of that year.

I may not be able to relate to her wardrobe budget, but at least I can relate to her petite-ness. She's my height and I can look to her style savviness as inspiration to make it through the 3rd trimester.

P.S. I hope everyone had a sweet holiday season spending time your loved ones sharing lots of laughter and glorious gluttony!

Photo: sourced via Wikifashion

Maternity jeans - my new best friend(s)

COH Avedon skinny mat jeans
Avail at NAP for $122 on sale

After a almost a month of wearing my pantalons undone, I had to cave in or face the prospect of 4 more months of not being able to wear jeans. Well, ones that stayed up anyhow. I do have a denim addiction- it would be a bad mix of hormones and withdrawal. Absolute crisis! I had to entertain the idea of maternity jeans.

I swore that I would not buy maternity clothes... but when I tried on these funny-looking jeans with big belly panels, I was impressed. So comfortable and no more belly stabbing by hardware! And they look unbelievably normal below the panel. I retract my oath. Being the thrifty shopper, I found that Net-A-Porter was having a sale that included a few maternity styles by Citizens of Humanity. I decided on the COH Ava straight legs in size 27 (they do tell you to go up a couple sizes) and there was one size, 24, left of the COH Avedon black skinnies (with a sale, I can gamble, right?)

I ordered online on late Saturday night and voilà, they arrived on our doorstep at 6 pm today- a mere 2 business days later. Did I tell you I love NAP?!?  Both fit, both pass all the denim try-on tests, and I love them. I've already warned dear hubby to never mind me if I wear the same pants every day until the spring... :)

In Vogue: The Editor's Eye

Now is one of those rare times when I actually want to have cable - or an active TV! On December 6, 2012, HBO will premiere its documentary In Vogue: The Editor's Eye. If will feature the past and present Vogue editors who, through their influence and creativity, have cemented this publication as a fashion 'bible'. To this day, Anna Wintour is still the formidable master and commander. And no, the devil wears a lot more than Prada!

I definitely would like to be enlightened by the women who held what I would consider one of my dream jobs.

Do check out the preview at Vogue.com and set your PVR for December 6, 2012. Enjoy!

Sneak peek  and other Vogue Diaries segments are available at Vogue.com

Yearning for Isabel Marant

Isabel Marant SS 2013
Photo: Monica Feudi/Feudiguaineri.com
via Style.com

Since I've been a little obsessed with these Isabel Marant Jenny boots lately, I checked out IM's spring summer 2013 collection to see what we have to look forward too once the trees bloom again. The runway was an explosion of tropical/western prints in black, white, and red. The cuts had the very traditional Isabel Marant flair with bohemian embelishment, lace and a slight edginess with studs. Very skimpy and slim pieces that would jive more in Southern Cali or a place where a woman's BMI is 18 or less.

Isabel Marant SS 2013
Photo: Monica Feudi/Feudiguaineri.com
via Style.com

I look forward to see these in the IM boutique when we are in Paris next year. Maybe just for kicks, I'll try to see if I can get one leg in the red studded pants. :)

Isabel Marant SS 2013
Photo: Monica Feudi/Feudiguaineri.com
via Style.com

Beauty commercial parody

I often get into this debate with people as it is sometimes assumed that when a woman looks through a magazine, she sees photos and ads of models and celebrities she wants to look like- thereby setting unrealistic expectations for herself to strive to be super skinny, blemish-free, wrinkle -free... and making her feel unworthy and need to buy things to look like "that".

I can't speak for anyone else, but I take offence to this argument because I view magazines for ideas of whats new in fashion, who's making what, how clothes are styled, how street wear is combined, and what story an editorial is trying to convey. I truly appreciate the beauty and glam of the models/actresses but I take them for what they are: mannequins and entertainers. It's their job to look they way they do and the final product we see on paper and digital format is almost always edited and commercially retouched. I hope most women are aware of this fact.

That is why this video written and directed by Jesse Rosten is so funny true! As the creator's caption states: 'This commercial isn't real, neither are society's standards of beauty."  

Wish listed book

Since I can't make it to any of the exhibits... the book is available at Amazon!

Simon's scope out results

Ichi faux leather skirt
Available/Photo from Nelly.com 

Just a little update on an earlier post this month about Quebec retailer, Simon's, that had opened in Edmonton.

We had the chance to check out the mammoth, well lit store and it excites me to share that they did bring in the high end goods! I really did not expect that they would. Ladies (and gents), there is a little back section that houses Balmain, Chloe, Missoni, etc for your perusal. I fell completely in love with a Dries Van Noten top from F/W 2012 RTW that I tried on. But that top would have meant two and not four winter tires this year.. so I ended up having to face reality and went home with some more budget friendly items like a Yumi knitted winter dress and an Ichi faux leather skirt. Both on sale- not bad for first visit!

Yumi knitted dress
Available/Photo from Oasis