Insane in the Membrane

So you know how last week I mentioned I had a cold? Yeah well, turns out it was pneumonia. Yes, pneumonia in the middle of summer when I haven't been near a hospital or a seriously ill person in... I don't know how long. Thankfully I'm now on antibiotics and in another week and a half things should be all cleared up, and it won't feel like I'm breathing soup anymore.

Camisole - No idea, had it for years

Dress as skirt - Giant Tiger

Sandals - Aldo

This is me being uber casual. I threw this outfit on a while back when I thought I was going to be heading out with a friend. Then I changed my mind and canceled (because it's okay to do that) and figured since I was dressed I may as well take photos. Considering how few outfits I've documented this month, it's probably a good thing I did. The skirt is actually a little halter-tie dress, I just stuffed the ties inside and wore it as a skirt here. Yay for multi-use items!

My hair and I are still in a love-hate relationship. It seems that most days where it's actually cool enough to wear it down, it decides to misbehave, and then when it looks gorgeous and marvy, it's hot and humid and I've no choice but to stick it up in a bun or a clip lest it get all sweaty and stick to me like a damp towel. Not. Cool. I also find it funny that for all the years I've been shaving my legs, I still continuously nick myself at the back of my left ankle. Always the left one. So odd!

My world feels so upside down right now. I only wound up going to work for one day last week what with being sick with pneumonia and all. Everything is tinged with slight unreality. I could compare the feeling of it to that masked ballroom scene in Labyrinth. Wonder, confusion, awe, fright... and the nagging feeling that there's something important going on that I'm forgetting about. Speaking of Labyrinth... I had my super-awesome artistic friend Nicole make me another custom piece of artwork. Behold!

All unattended children will be given to the Goblin King. Awwwwe yeah. I've got it hanging in my kitchen. Nicole is the same friend who painted my flower-haired Jim Morrison. I'm starting to collect quite a few friend-made pieces of art in my apartment now and it's great. I'll never understand people with so little imagination or personality that they can be happy with sticking up Ikea prints on their walls and not feeling like they're living inside a boring cookie-cutter catalogue house. (The only 'art' I've seen at Ikea that sparked any interest for me is this huge picture of a jungle rope bridge, now that is awesome, mostly due to size and perspective.)

Then again, I know very few people whose homes look anything at all like mine, so perhaps I'm the lunatic for not being content with mass-produced photos of pebbles and nondescript foggy beach scenes? ....Nah! Maybe once I actually get my place cleaned up (it's been too damn hot for housework) I could take some photos of my lair and share it with you all here. Everybody who visits expresses delight and interest in my decor and various knick-knackery so may you would too.

It's barely past 10AM now and my brain already feels like it's turning to sludge and about to ooze out my ears. Two more weeks in this place and then I can finally escape be free. It's going to be a test of my character and personal strength staying here so long, silly as it may seem. Just being here this morning made me want to cry and scream and throw things. It's just wrong I tell ya. I hope you're all doing better than I am right now - which isn't difficult - and that you're all having a good Monday. Cheers!

Mane Musings

If this outfit looks oddly familiar, it's because I wore the skirt and shirt together styled quite differently back in February. The first time around, I knotted the blouse and wore the skirt higher up so it would hit me roughly knee-length. This time I wore the pieces to give a longer silhouette. The belt was necessary or else I would have just been wearing a giant flowing sac!

 Shirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Belt - From Heather

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Shoes - Lulu's

Not too long ago I contemplated hennaing my hair a crazy red. The urge passed (mostly because I don't think hazel eyes and red hair jive). Then this morning I read Kate's post about buzzing her hair, and it got me wanting to cut my own. Short. Very short. Which it used to be, in my mid-teens. Now with summer coming, I'm not looking forward to all this hair being heavy and humid and hot on my skin. Last summer I spent most days with my hair up in a tight bun because I couldn't stand having it down, it was just too hot and sticky. Short would be nice and refreshing.

Not that I don't love my long hair. I wouldn't have worn it this way for so many years if I didn't! But while cutting bangs in December spiced things up, I'm itching for another change. While I don't do a lot to my hair other than wash and comb it, it's still pretty demanding. It knots easily, frizzes up in humid weather and takes ages to air-dry! I'm constantly brushing it during the day. Maybe I'm just super extra lazy, but I'd like to be able to go out on a windy day without worrying about being blinded by my hair. Or whether or not my hair will fall over my shoulders and into open flame / food / someone's mouth.

Not to mention I look frazzled and disheveled most of the time. My hair may as well be styled in a way that plays that up instead of it just making me look well... frazzled and disheveled. I've spent a few hours going through tons of photos and I've settled on two looks I'm considering if I do take this hair chopping plunge. The first is shorter, and can be worn fussed up or smooth.The second is slightly longer but again is messy and cute. I'm leaning toward the second... it looks like something that would take half a minute's worth of fussing and a handful of hair mousse to fix up in the morning, which is right up my alley.

Some people might go halfway first and cut their hair to shoulder or chin length... But that's not how I do things. It's all the way or no way, so far as I'm concerned. I just know it would drive me mad to have hair flipping around my shoulders and it not being long enough to tie up, and long enough to tie is just still too long to even consider it worth cutting. If that makes sense. And my hair is so thin anyway, it's not really meant to be this long. Anywho. Hair rambles. I hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

The Power of the Dress

For something so simple, dresses are such versatile things. The two dresses I'm wearing in this outfit are a perfect example of just how multipurpose a dress can be. Since I'm not comfortable wearing the black dress by itself at work, I layered it over my snake-print shirt dress. I got modesty with a fun print!

Snake-print dress - Thrifted from Value Village

Black dress - Sears sale, 2008

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village
Belt - Ardene's

Tights - No idea

Both dresses have been worn many different ways. The black one (originally purchased for my college graduation) was actually the sea backdrop in my Halloween costume. Here's another old outfit with it from nearly a year ago. The shirt-dress has been worn several different ways too. I've worn it as a dress and layered more than once as a top.

Also of note is that this is an outfit I am wearing as I write this. An actual outfit being worn on the day of its posting! That however is only because I took the photos last evening while trying it on. This is also why the shirt buttons are all done up, which I decided today looks better with the top one undone.

I've had these shoes over a year but they're actually horribly uncomfortable for doing much else but sitting. The upper part of the shoe is very stiff and digs right into the top of my foot directly behind my toes every time I take a step. At least they're cute?

It's snowing like mad outside again. And it's not even a pleasant snow, it's the icy kind that stings your face and eyes. Did I ever mention how much I hate winter? Because I really hate winter. I'm supposed to go to my grandparents' for supper after work this evening but if this keeps up - they're calling for freezing rain - we may have to cancel. Once again, I hope the weather is treating you better than me. Cheers!

My Favourite Top

Hey everybody! I hope your week is moving along smoothly. I had an absolutely wonderful evening yesterday with my grandfather and more of the family. He hadn't seen me since I was quite literally still a baby in a high chair. Blood is definitely thicker than water, and I felt very welcomed and very loved. Speaking of loved... That's how I feel every time I wear this top!

Top - Gift from Heather

Dress - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Belt - Ardene's

Shoes - Spring

I mentioned in my post about the package she sent me, that I believed the items were imbued with her love. And it's true! Wearing this colourful zigzaggy top is like wearing a loving hug all day. Plus, everywhere I went wearing this, people were smiling at me. I guess bright colours cheer folks up eh?

I'm going to try my hand at making one of those secret-compartment book-box thingers this evening, as a gift to a friend of mine. I read a couple DIY's on how to do it and it looks pretty easy. Hopefully I don't bungle it! It should be fun either way though. Wee! Crafts!

And unbelievably, this top is SO versatile. With all those colours, it's like a mix-and-match bonanza! I've got more photos involving my red maxi from Friday's post, and plan to style it with black and pink as focal colours eventually too. But lime green demanded to be first pick. If only this dress weren't such a pain to walk in... I hope you're all having a groovy Tuesday! Cheers!

One-Time Deal

While I don't dislike this outfit, I will not be wearing it again. For one thing, that black skirt is way too big on me now (which I only discovered too late while getting dressed that morning) and now hangs around my hip-bones. The belt did a passable job keeping the skirt up, but there was so much excess bunched up fabric around my waist, and the skirt kept escaping and it was all very awkward. Not worth going through again for an outfit I wasn't all that crazy about.

Dress as blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Socks - Fancy Sox

Shoes - Spring

I wore my snake-print shirt-dress as a blouse again. It's funny, because when I bought it, I never figured it would be such a staple in my wardrobe. But turns out, I actually wear it a lot, even if I don't post the outfits since they're usually re-wears. A large part of why I'm posting less the last few months is just because I'm re-wearing the same outfits over and over and it would bore you all to death to see them that often.

It was warm enough to get away with just wearing my leather jacket back at the end of October when I took these photos, but not anymore. I'm layering a thick hoodie under my jacket now, which helps keep me nice and toasty. I prefer layering this time of year just because it helps me regulate more easily if I do happen to get too warm. I'm hoping to find a mid-season winter coat and boots soon though. Gaps in my outerwear must be filled!

Another reason I'm not a huge fan of this outfit is just the lack of colour. While I don't mind it, I am usually just happier wearing colours. A wonderful lady said that bright colours suit me better anyway and I very much have to agree.

I hope you're all having a good week so far! Cheers!

Hello Mister Sun

It's supposed to be a lovely sunny day tomorrow, and I'm hoping so. I really want to go swimming again. Gotta get as much swimming in as possible before it gets too cool, which it will be soon enough. I've had to start wearing a jacket or a sweater to walk to work in the mornings.

Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Tank top - Smartset

Dress (as skirt) - Thrifted from Value Village

Flats - Ardene's

Necklace - Gifted

You can see what the dress looks like being worn as a dress in this old post from nearly a year ago. I can't believe in a little under a month, my blog will be a year old! That's saying a lot with me... I rarely stick to anything for more than 3-4 months. Apparently blogging really is my thing.

I was contemplating ridding myself of this dress, because I dislike wearing it by itself, but it does a pretty good job being a skirt and now with cool weather approaching (sad to say as it is) I'll be able to layer it over long-sleeved shirts again. Guess it's going to do another rotation in my wardrobe after all.

My outfits are officially out of sync, since I wore this particular outfit back on Monday last week. And I've got a bunch piled up ahead of it waiting to be posted. But I think I actually prefer this. So out of sync outfits is how it's gonna be.

There's a bunch of things I NEED to do this weekend, so annoyingly I won't get to doddle and dilly dally as much as I'd like to. Like every other weekend, I hope to get lots of sleep. And I have a feeling, like every other weekend, I'll get the bare minimum and sludge my way through to Monday like always. Silly me, I just can't help being a night owl.

Have you got anything fun planned? I know school has started for some of you, weekends will probably involve homework now. Whatever you're all doing, I hope you have a good one. Cheers!