Saturday, October 31, 2009

Daily Outift

31 Oct 09
Detail- 31 Oct 09
Happy Hallowe'en!
I had no time to think of a costume this year, so I straightened my hair and went as the movie version of Bonnie Parker. I'm off to watch It Came from Hollywood and reread The Castle of Otranto.

Sweater: thrifted
Skirt: vintage
Belt: vintage
Scarf: vintage
Beret: dollar store
Shoes: Kenzie

Thursday, October 29, 2009

An Education


Like everyone else who saw the trailer, I couldn't wait for An Education to come out (because period movies are the best for wardrobe inspiration fun). Normally I tend to wait for the reviews to come out before deciding whether to pay to see a movie in the theatre or to wait until the library gets the DVD (Canada doesn't get Netflix). But since it was offered at the Film Festival I toddled off to see it.
I wasn't disappointed by the costumes. So many wonderful dresses I wanted to steal and the hair was realistic and correct for 1960. And the sets were fantastic, especially the suburban house that Jenny lives in -so dull and ordinary, and yet elegant at the same time. And I wanted to live in Miss Stubbs' apartment with its postcards, mismatched dishes and lilac walls (she was also wearing a wonderful pair of cigarette pants with a slide slit).

As for the acting and plot bits, it was pretty good too. Peter Sarsgaard's accent hardly ever slipped and he was sympathetic up to a point and a bounder throughout. Carey "Sally Sparrow" Mulligan did a fine job as Jenny and effortlessly built up the character into an actual person. But, I thought that her accent was a tad modern at times and someone kept trying to dress her as AH in Charade (which didn't fit the character).
I did have some problems with the plot (I know that it's based on a true story). I just couldn't believe that a 16 year old girl wouldn't have picked up on the caddish behaviour of David. Yes, he's charming, knows the best clubs and concerts, but he does pick up school girls at bus stops, steal paintings off walls and has a trunk full of typewriters and booze and still Jenny doesn't think that he has something to hide. But other than that aspect, the story has a natural rhythm.
I really liked the performances of the supporting characters. Especially Alfred Molina as the strict, clueless darling father (for not picking up that if a couple goes away for the weekend, they are going to sleep together). And Rosamund Pike as the beautiful but dumb as a box of hair Helen (she kept that vacant look on her face the entire time) And Emma Thompson was as fantastic as ever as the incredibly anti-Semitic headmistress with some wonderful fur-trimmed suits.

If you get the chance do go see it, it's really quite a lovely film.




Daily Outfit

29 Oct 09
Sweater: vintage
Skirt: vintage
Belt: thrifted
Shoes: Kenzie

Friday, October 23, 2009

Shop Update



What-ho dear readers. Thank you for your lovely comments!
Just to let anyone who's interested know, I've updated my shop with some iPod cosies, embroidered wall art and the above Subversive Doily.
Have a fantastic weekend.

Daily Outfit

23 Oct 09
Skirt: Plum (sorry about the wrinkles)
Scarf: vintage
Scarf Clip: vintage via Etsy
Shoes: Kenzie
Belt: thrifted


Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Daily Outfit

21 Oct 09
Blouse: vintage (80's does 40's)
Skirt: vintage
Belt: thrifted
Shoes: Kenzie


The Marine Building




The Marine Building is my favourite building ever in Vancouver. It makes me happy just to walk past the doors and marvel at its uniqueness and attention to detail.


The Marine Building was built for $2.3 million by McCarter & Nairne as an office building and upon opening in 1930 it was the tallest building in the Empire (briefly). According to the architects, it was intended to evoke "some great crag rising from the sea, clinging with sea flora and fauna, tinted in sea-green, touched with gold". Originally there was an observation deck too, but that was closed during the Depression and has never been reopened since. Although it no longer dominates the downtown skyline (most unfortunate) the outside and lobby have been refurbished recently.
Hopefully it will become internationally famous when the silly Olympics come in 113 days. Considering how many movies and TV shows are shot in Vancouver, I'm surprised that it's not featured much. Although, it was briefly shown in The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnasus (such a stupendously wondrous film!).
Walking into the lobby feels like walking into a cathedral dedicated to Art Deco.





The five elevators have brass doors, shiny buttons and originally were operated by girls in sailor suits.


The insides have 12 types of local hardwood



There's just so much attention to beautiful details, you have to see it for yourself. And unlike today's modern glass office buildings, one can tell that people actually made this.








Just to show how much the downtown skyline has changed since the Marine Building was built:

1. View from the Nine O'Clock Gun in Stanley Park during the War (from the Library Archives)


2. One that I took from the same place last Saturday

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Travels with my Coat

My Favourite Coat

As the autumn weather is slowly turning towards the nippy and wet, my favourite time of year comes: heavy coat weather. This will be my third winter wearing my favourite coat. I bought my vintage muskrat coat at a thrift store on Main Street for $45 during Winter Term in my second year. I was motivated to start wearing fur coats because I was taking two evening classes and at the time, there was only one bus that served my college and it only came every half hour at night, ignoring us poor students left to face the Canadian winter. But now that I had a fur coat, I was warm and cosy without having to bundle up in the morning and overheat in the afternoon in preparation for the freezing trek home at night. I now look forward to winter when I can take out my coat and wear it for as long as possible and I swear that owning a fur coat in no way influence my decision to go to a university on top of a mountain (okay, maybe a bit).
Naturally I was curious to see what the reaction would be from strangers as to my wearing fur, but disappointingly the reactions all tend to be to same few questions/comments and in the following order of popularity:

1. Have you ever had been attacked by animal rights people? (No)
2. Are you from Vancouver? (Yes)
3. That coat looks great on you!
4. Can I touch it? (Certainly)
5. My grandmother had one of those.
6. Are you Russian? (a small part)
7. You must be really warm.

I have only received one negative comment in three years. I was waiting at the bus stop when a school girl on her way to Starbucks said "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?". No I'm not, because I'm not the one wearing $200 jeans made by children. If any people actually do react negatively to my wearing fur coats, my response to them would be to ask them how much oil went into making their coat and did they buy it second-hand.
During last year's month of snow I was able to continue wearing skirts everyday and not freeze to death like people who had proper winter gear were.
I see no reason why people should not wear vintage fur coats. It would support local charities or businesses and it saves them from being sent to landfills and they look fantastic with all vintage outfits.
Last year when I got one of those government cheques meant to encourage people to follow a greener lifestyle, I did my bit. I bought a shorter fur coat for $45 at a vintage store Downtown that was having a moving sale. I now have two fur coats for less than the cost of one new synthetic winter coat and by doing so I saved the environment all by myself and I'm able to wear a piece of history.
But what do you think about fur coats and would you ever wear one?

Short Fur Coat