Go West!

Yes! Finally! Boys and girls, I'm about to embark on a little trip and I just can't wait!

Y'all know I'm at my absolute finest when I'm travelling.  And I'm at my equal, yet different, finest when I'm hanging out with my family.  And this coming week I'm combining the two!

The whole family is heading out West to be with my sister and her husband for Easter.  First, though, my brother and I are sight-seeing in Vancouver and spending some time with my sister in Victoria before my parents arrive.  When my parents get there (from their own little trip in Arizona), we'll be heading to a cabin on Salt Spring Island tout en famille (plus an extra aunt and some of my sister's oldest friends).

Despite throwing my knee out at work yesterday, I'm super excited.  I've twisted my knee pretty bad a few times before, so I know the protocol of constant icing, wearing a brace, and hobbling about.  I'm pretty bummed that I won't be able to take hikes with the family, but I should be ok to take walks around the city.  My brother even said that we could rent a tandem bike in Stanley Park and that I could just come along for the ride.  I can already tell it's going to be a memorable trip!

Just a few of the (too many) things I'm packing

Jean Shirt - H&M
Lace Shirt - Forever 21
Striped Circle Scarf - American Apparel
Green Sweater - Thrifted
Silk Scarf - Thrifted

Apparently the weather out there is only going to be a smidge warmer than here, but that's ok with me!  The knee brace I've got is a bit of a monstrosity, so better for me to be able to cover it up with pants and leggings than have it's black and red glaring against my alabaster legs.

Seriously thought dudes.  I've only ever seen mountains from the Alberta side, and I was six so it doesn't count.  I've NEVER seen the Pacific Ocean.  I. AM. SO. EXCITED.

I'll send postcards!

Love,

Your friend Lina 

Stepping Outside

This outfit marks the first day of truly pleasant outdoor photo weather, boys and girls!

However, it's also a little bit of a step outside of the box for my fine self.  Not only am I a little hesitant towards high-waisted pants (on myself, I love it generally), but super bright colours also are a challenge for this little raincloud.  But I have made it my spring time mission to wear more colours, starting with corals and pinks.  I've never tended towards them, but I've decided that they will look nice with my eyes.   And will match my sunny disposition!  Something that my constant blacks and navy blues never do ;)

Don't worry though.  I kept it very me by sporting my trusty boots, leopard-print cardigan, and green coat.  So really, two things outlandish, three things comforting.  Baby steps, boys and girls, baby steps.

Coat - Forever 21
Cardigan - H&M
Tank - Primark
Pants - American Apparel
Boots - H&M
Necklace - Forever 21

It has now returned to misty March meteorology, hovering around zero and raining.  Seems more appropriate for the time of year, but the sky sure ain't blue anymore boys and girls.  That's ok though, time for accessorizing around umbrellas!

Enjoy your weekend!

Love,

Your friend Lina

Twist and Shout

What is a hair-down gal to do when she's got to wear it up at work, boys and girls?

Why, mooch ideas off her friends and compatriots, of course!  My friend April was rocking this braid-up-the-back bun last time we hung out, and I was quite taken by it.  What a charming way to dress up what is otherwise a pretty hum-drum style for me (as I keep my hair in a bun for work day in and day out, boys and girls).

It really is pretty simple, and takes no more than a minute or two longer than your standard high bun.

Here's what you do:
- Flip your hair upside down, and starting up the bottom, french braid up the back to the crown of your head.  Secure in place (I used a clip because I always like to have something to anchor my bun around).
- Wrap your hair (keeping it pretty flat, I wanted a sort of Victorian thing) and then pin with one million bobby pins (maybe fewer if you don't have the length or thickness that I'm working with).
- Organize any other weird poky bits with another army of bobby pins, and (hair)spray spray spray spray spray! (Again, I was using this style for work so it had to stay in place for a windy walk and then eight hours of pure food service hygiene.)

And there you have it!  A pretty little way to break out of your bun rut.

(Which sounds a bit rude, doesn't it? ;) )

Keep cheeky, boys and girls!

Love,

Your friend Lina

My Excuse

Leave it to Oscar Wilde to come up with my raison d'etre, boys and girls!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Love,

Your friend Lina

First Signs of Spring

Three blades of grass poking out of ice constitutes hope, right boys and girls?

I think, really, that they're just left over from our plus-ten degrees we had the other day, but now that the temperature is back down in the more seasonally-appropriate minuses spring still might take a little while to exert itself

Which is fine.  I'm still very much a winter gal.  But that doesn't mean I won't dress seasonally-inappropriately!  So shorts and not enough in the way of a coat it is.  But, you know, a scarf to keep me warm.  Sorted.

Blazer - Forever 21
Scarf - American Apparel
Shirt - American Apparel
Shorts - Old
Tights - American Apparel
Boots - H&M
Purse - Thrifted
Sunglasses - H&M

The day I took these photos, the temperature had plummeted by the evening, and it was snowing.  And they tell me tomorrow will be fifteen degrees.  So getting all snazzy is definitely going to be a trick and a half in the coming season!

Shivering and/or sweating, 

Love,

Your friend Lina

My Housefit

You would think, wouldn't you boys and girls, that a person like myself would seize their non-work-shirt-wearing days by the shoulders and shake the style out of them eh?

Well, you would (sometimes) be incorrect in that line of thought.  Every once and a while I don't pop off to Montreal for twenty-four hours - like I did last week - and just stay home.  Take today, for example.  I slept late, had breakfast with my mother while she was home for lunch, finally finished watching Downton Abbey, and did a bit of light reading.  And on days like that,  I don't want to be putting on anything other than my housefit.

This housefit comes in many forms, but the standard outlines are leggings (don't tell anyone!), comfy shirt, big ol' sweater, nice warm slippers, and mane tamed.  This incarnation is particularly lovely as the shirt is very baggy and very soft and the sweater I've had forever and is absolutely perfectly worn in.

Just add couch, foxy neck pillow, book, and a lamp and you have the recipe for a very successful lazy day off!

Much along the lines of A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson moves through the rooms of the house to give a quite charming history of how and why the home is what we have today

This lil' guy also has one of them magic bags in him, so you can microwave your fox for added comfort, haha

I got a new eye-shadow palette, which is perfect for when you wanna wear makeup but don't wanna look like you're wearing make-up.  Oftentimes, being a lady is silly.

Room with a View: postcards from the Imperial War Museum in London and postcards from Bristol, dried roses from years ago and a messy, messy closet

Sweater - thrifted ages ago
Shirt - H&M
Leggings - hand-me-down American Apparel
Slippers - Forever 21
Neck Pillow - one of those weird gifts adults give to each other
Book - borrowed from my mother's collection

But worry not!  I only do this on my days off.  And when I get home from work.  And when it's raining.  And probably I should wash all these clothes. . . .

Happy vegging!

Love,

Your friend Lina  

Getting Ready

Now that I know I'll soon be back into the academic swing of things, it's time to reboot my brain, boys and girls!

This year off has been marrrrvelous - and as I was telling a friend last night, I'm going to make the next six months of hedonism COUNT - but I think my brain has gotten a little soft in the meantime.  So I'm going to try and spend good chunks of my free time refreshing my knowledge of basic Canadian history.  I know a lot about a very little amount of material (which is inevitable the more and more one specialises), but if I'm going to TA I'll have to have the larger picture down pat.

Luckily, my mom got me this book for Christmas a few years back!  It was written by a professor at McGill who I have heard nothing but good things about.  This, combined with the notes from my summer course on Canada since Confederation (I still swoon over our dreamboat professor) will hopefully get the old mind grapes juicy again!

Scarf - American Apparel 
Sweater - American Apparel

This is also the perfect pursuit for a day like today!  Way to stick to your "in like a lion, out like a lamb" guns, March.

Love,

Your friend Lina

P.S.: Ten points for whoever gets the mind grapes reference ;)