minty fresh perspective

So, one of the first (and easiest) changes I have made to the types of products I use is directly related to my smell. I've never been a big perfume person, so I haven't had to worry about finding a replacement for a signature scent, which can be a difficult task! However, I have and forever will be a lover of body lotions/butters/salves. Realizing that using pretty much any of the lotions I own is equivalent to slathering chemicals directly onto my skin was rough. This included deodorant. I've been using a vanilla-scented antiperspirant (I know, bad me) for ages, but it took me no more than five minutes of serious thought to realize that I was not okay with using a product that not only alters a natural function of my body but has nasty things it that are being absorbed directly into my bloodstream.

On a quest, I went to one of the larger organic food/beauty stores in Toronto - The Big Carrot - looking for the Crawford Street Lemon Deodorant Cream. They didn't have it in stock, so this is what I ended up with:

Peppymint Tea Creamy Deodorant - Poofy Organics

This product smells great, the ingredient list is minimal and easy to understand, my pits have never been so smooth and all I want to do is put all over my body! (What can I say, I love peppermint scent)

The downside is that, functionally, it actually doesn't work that fantastically as a long-lasting deodorizer. I don't sweat much, so I can get away with this deodorant for the most part but about half-way through the day, if I give my underarms a good sniff, I mostly smell my natural scent. So, if you're someone who sweats a lot, I wouldn't recommend this for you. If you're like me, and maybe don't even mind reapplying throughout the day - the jar is tiny and purse appropriate - this is a pretty decent product. Where I bought it, it was retailing for $14.99 CDN.

Next time, I hope to be able to try the Crawford Street deodorant and see if it holds up any better. Its scent is more mild but it has gotten some pretty great reviews.

Look for future posts where I will be talking more about my foray into organic body lotions!

Times they are a changin'

I used to abhor watches as I hated styling them with outfits, got rashes from certain types of straps and all around viewed them as constricting to my wrist.

Thankfully, I have smartened up over the years and found a style of watch that suits me. I can acknowledge that some of the most beautiful watches I've seen have leather or material straps but because those are a no-go for me I have turned to antique & antique-style cuff watches. They are timeless, unique, and eye-catching. The detail on many is phenomenal. I keep my eyes open for pieces like this one:

etsy.com user: BitsandPiecesEtc

The one's I wear on regular basis actually came from a shop local to my hometown in Nova Scotia. I also love buying from Etsy. I'm a recent graduate so it's not realistic for me to go spending hundreds of dollars on "vintage-inspired" designer watches. Also, buying local is always a good idea as it helps support the community you call home.

Changing my life through actions and words

I'm currently in a period of transition. I've graduated university. I have a (not so) tiny apartment with a man I love endlessly. My job is less than ideal but I have more than enough to eat.

I've lived out of home for the past four years, so I am no stranger to independence and all associated risks/joys/annoyances. However, this is the first time I feel truly like an adult. I am taking a year off to work and save money for law school. During this time I hope to make a transition to using only organic beauty/hygiene products & making organic food my first choice, not an occasional option.

My love for fashion already fits into the way I want to live my life. Primarily, I shop at thrift stores or local/small stores. I avoid chain stores whenever I can but believe me, it's not easy.

This blog is going to transition with me. I need to be held accountable for my life choices. I will still post about fashion but there will also be posts about other things I like/love/maybe don't love but view as necessary.

So here goes.

oh, hey.

random life update. heck yes.


classy tova.
(dress: le chateau $50 - sale)


webcam tova.
(shirt: stolen from friend)


baby tova.


going out tova. (+ friends)
(top: gift; la senza?
skirt: stitches $3)


goofy/realistic tova.
(jacket: le chateau $70ish
sweater: ?
vest: H&M; thrifted $3.50
tank: ?)

my life is bizarre. therefore, i do not even know where to start. i depart for sweden in 9 days. i'm thrilled to bask in the fashion & culture.

why yes, the end of the universe was rather interesting, thank you for asking.

I'm baaaack.
And so, I thought, what better way to celebrate than to provide a condensed picture-story of how my fashion/hair has progressed.
The pink was the result of a brief bout of immense boredom.
Now I sport blunt bangs, and walk around sans glasses.
Contacts just make life so much easier, and now I have one more accessory to play around with.
SUNGLASSES. Oh yum.

I'd like to say I will be starting to post frequently again.
But who knows.
I work almost non-stop, and I've been so darned frustrated with my clothes as of late.
So we'll see.

Ciao bellas.

purple blazer; secondhand, bill blass
sunglasses; ardene's
black see-through shirt; joe fresh
necklace; northern sun [local]

glitter mixed with a little bit of rock & roll

i realize that these pictures just scream "myspace",
but i was so in love with these boots that i simply had to have an in-room, unplanned photo shoot right then & there.
as an added bonus, there's even a story attached to these boots.
&i adore being able to tell it everytime someone asks about these heavy-duty beauties.

storytime!;
my dear old papa is in the military, & as a young teenager i often complained about his inability to get me a pair of combat boots. i'd long since forgotten about my persistent request, but he hadn't.
when he was home for the holidays, he pulled these out of his closet & said "i know it took me awhile, but i came through!"
&these are even better than the real thing.
they were given to him by a friend who brought them over with her from england in the late 80's, early 90's.
they're so deliciously brit-punk.
<3

boots; demonia, i imagine around £70-£100.
shirt; gift
scarf; $1-$2
jeans; joe fresh $20

(my apologies for the text-heavy post.)

holiday class.

ah, family christmas get-togethers.
the perfect excuse to dress up, with a little added bling.
note; both the skirt & tank belonged to my mother at one point.
props to hand-me-downs.
: )

p.s. yes, these photos are a couple weeks old.
i'm catching up.
give me a break.

tank; mom's
skirt; 80's, piaf, mom's
pearls; grandmother's & claire's
belt; oh, $1? $2?

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

i got my hurr did over the xmas break.
bye-bye ginger, hello natural hair colour!
the plus side; no more roots & no more getting kicked on 'kick a ginger day'. : )
downside; gingers really do have the most fun & vibrant hair excites me. : (

p.s.
formal dress-age due to my old high school's winter formal!
haha, yea.
i'm cool.

dress; vintage

ringin' in the new year.

a new year has always meant a time for change,
&as i'm not one for new year's resolutions i tend to focus all that change into my wardrobe.
i forsee many a cozy sweater/cardigans, skinny jeans & high boots, bright colours to make my days less drab & yummy scarves to wrap myself up in.
once again, polyvore has allowed the mish-mash of fashion floating around in my mind to find it's way onto the internet.

winter flirt

this dress had been lost in the depths of my closet for ages.
upon returning home, i couldn't wait to wear it.
however, the weather had to be taken into account.
and voila! my uber comfy,over-sized sweater, paired with a summer dress & jeans is the result.

sweater; weekenders $50
jeans; seduction, maybe? $25
boots; $9
dress;$20

lingerie & men's t-shirts

i decided that for a day of lazing around my friend's house,
simply throwing on an over-sized mens shirt was not enough.
thus, the bustier that i am so very much in lust with became my peek-a-boo lingerie piece for the day.
nothing like a little scandal to liven up the day.
meow.
; )

bustier; gifted
men's shirt; my grandfather's
jeans; bongo. $20
motorcycle boots; are ancient, $30?
belt; thrifted. for like, $1

p.s. désolé for the awkward photo sizing. i'm being lazy.

excuse me while i fall in love

Erin Kleinberg has managed to win my heart by combining my two of my favourite things.
fashion & degrassi: the next generation.
[even though Shenae has moved on]

i strongly recommend checking this magnificence out,
so those double-breasted cardigans & floaty tees can set your heart all a-flutter too.
: )

the fashion jedi strikes back?

with her most unfashionable post yet.
: )

this is how one dresses pre-exams,
with no sleep to be had in the last 24hrs.
enjoy.







head scarf; giftie
black scarf; thrifted from somewhere
sweater; grandmother's
leggings; urban planet? bluenotes? $12
peter pan boots; urban planet $25

Beachin' It

yes, those are jeans. and yes, i am at the beach. this is the kind of thing someone like me does. why be practical and go for the swimming suit? it's not like the pants stopped me from traipsing through the water.

apologies for the blur spots. some sand chose to be a pain and jumped into my camera, refusing to be shook free.
oh, and those sunglasses aren't mine. but they should be. i just happen to be blind as bat whilst wearing anything besides my prescreption glasses.

p.s. my friend is such a cutie. i love her shirt. "knowledge IS power"

glasses; $10, stitches/bluenotes.
short-sleeved blue hoodie; $40? weekenders
jeans; oh, about $30 from sirens.
gladiators; transit!

Tried And True

these are the kind of shirts i live for.
a far cry from the '2SEXI4U' shirts that many adolescents sport.
witty phrases emblazoned on a t-shirt is so classic.
i love it.
especially when it's one of those inside joke things.
then someone else gets it.
that's a great feeling.
=)

i plan on purchasing these shirts.
<3

I Have Neglected Thee For Far Too Long

it has been forever and a day since i updated this business.
my passion didn't go away, and i'm just as thrilled by fashion as i ever was.
however, reality has come into play.
i work a lot, and when i get home i want to do nothingg.
but, i shall try to get back into the swing of things.
if even just for my own benefit.
=)

so i thought i'd kick things off with some photos of my prom dress.
it made me feel so lovely.
<3

dress; all dressed up, $500

final note; i tried on a second-hand oscar de la renta summer dress that fit me perfectly everywhere save for my chest area. it made me want to cry. it was so gorgeous. if only the dress didn't give my chest wings.

Sass With A Touch Of Class

these shirts always put such a naughty little smile on my face. they're so amazingly embroidered & look so very delicate. then, upon closer inspection, one is blown away by a saucy quote stuck in there somewhere. i think it's a very clever idea. i drool over these shirts. however, they're still slightly too basic for me to justify whipping out $100 [when all expenses are taken into account] for one of these babies.
these are my two favourites, but there's many more. i'll admit, some verging on tasteless. but really, everyone should check this site out at least once. even if only for a chuckle.
www.lochers.com

It's All About The Accessories

WARNING: super duper photo-heavy post.

these are all my most recently acquired summer accessories [note the gladiators! eeee!]
i feel accessories make an outfit, therefore i deemed it necessary to give 'em a taste of the limelight.
sorry about my face. feel free to ignore it. stare at the absolute gorge-y scarfs instead.
these pieces were all bought either while in cuba or just prior to leaving for cuba. <3

scarves; 2 for 5 CUC [around $6]
ché tote; 15 CUC [around $16.50]
purse; lancome, thrifted $2
gladiators; spring, $40
mary janes; american eagle, $32