lights black heads bang you're my drug we live it

it snowed today. and with snow, comes my favourite holiday of the year: christmas.
christmas is not simply a single day. no, it's far more than that. it's a season, and a state of mind. a time speckled with peppermint hot chocolate and ornately wrapped gifts. the faint hum of warm fireplaces and wet snowflakes floating in the air. nights where you're buzzed from three too many glasses of eggnog, with a sleepy smile plastered on your face. cold walks home, smoking our finger-and-breath pretend cigarettes.

it's my absolute favourite.
this is a list of things i would want for christmas. it is, after all, the season of giving !

and i'm not one to object to that.

x

jessica

come doused in mud soaked in bleach

jumblejumblejumble.

a gallimaufry, if you will.

it's a compilation of new (read: from july to now) stuff. marc jacobs daisy solid perfume ring.

my diy rodarte tights, done mainly during économie class.

+ red with white stripes toque, highwaisted flare and skinny jeans, baroque pattern tights, the tackiest tshirt ever (it has 'born2reign' emblazoned across the chest, surrounded by eagles and dump trucks), blue triblend american american romper, black blazer, american apparel pink halter bodysuit, lace tights, red beret, and a fauxfur jacket.

x

jessica

wild thing, you make my heart sing

i (finally finally finally) got some floral fishnet tights.

i've been meaning to buy some for a while, but i could never find some that cost a legitimate price, considering crumbling bank account. in the end, i got them at the bargain price of five big ones.

these babies will probably be on heavy rotation when it comes to my upcoming autumn ensembles. other items i cannot get enough of for fall ...

• berets.
• leggings have yet to get old. generic black are ever-present and i've been meaning to purchase some matte, zipper and thick heather grey varieties.
• those drapey scarf-meets-cardigan things ? soft and luxurious, in creme, namely.
• i need more oversized tees. no, scratch that, i need more good quality oversized tees. preferably white and barely sheer.
• semi-highwaisted skinnies. i'm on the lookout for the perfect pair.
• the circular scarf from aa in fuchsia is a top priority ! check all the ways you can wear it here.
• pretty bow flats à la ferragamo.
• i'd kill for opi nail polish in suzy says da.
• and most importantly, new winter boots and a new winter coat. i'm in dire need of both, i swear ! and thing is, living in the glacial cold (read: canada) for five months on end prevents me from making choices that are completely fashion-oriented - i'd prefer not to lose my toes to frostbite. i may try my hand at the grunge-chic parka, but i know that i'll be really picky when it comes to selection. as for boots, uggs would keep my toesies warm and snuggly, but really, how old are those ? but again, i'm looking for practicality. this whole outerwear & footwear business could take up an entire post in itself, so i'll drop it now before i start rambling.
  
  music i'm listening to:
  chariot by page france; i'm in the band by the hellacopters; the town that you live in by sherwood; right me up by state radio; your rocky spine by great lake swimmers; the nosebleed section by the hilltop hoods.

happy saturday everybody

zoë

west coast coconut records young baby

six random things about me

my friend tells me i'm "the only gingerkid she likes"

i was born in 1993

i always try to make a race out of everything

i can spend insanely copious amounts of time on a computer

my memory's abililty to recall seemingly insignificant things is ridiculously sharp

i love all animals, especially dogs, elephants, and penguins

six random things i like

nyc

tea, lots and lots of tea

making lists

dancing like a fool to non-dance music

humphrey bogart

cool autumn days spent in the city parks & dark night drives

six random things i don't like
kfc

being cold, which i coincidentally always happen to be

rude people

chipped nail polish

breathing people in, which is why when i'm really close to strangers i take really shallow breaths and face downwards

kidnappers

after being tagged by the spectacular olivia (thanks lovie !) , i am supposed to tag six other people.
but gosh, i am terrible at tagging.
so uh, well, abby &stevie & everyone else who feels like it.

x

jessica

ps; ohmygodohmygodohmygod my camera works again !!

shake to escape.

what to do in ottawa, ontario.

- go to chapters. grab at least a dozen magazines, some overly expensive ones you know you will never purchase (think, clear) some trashy & entertaining (think, cosmogirl) and some just entertaining (think glamour uk). hit up the adjoining starbucks for oriental noodles & a frapuccino. find a corner free of bookworms & seat yourself comfortably. stay put until you've flipped through the final pages of us weekly. leave magazines hidden beneath french cookbooks covered in dust. catch a bus home.


- visit parliament. as nerdy as it sounds, you'll feel extremely enriched by the time you exit. take note of the architecture, the details, & the excessive amount of tourists. chat up the pair of timid security guards. don't forget the gift shop.


- check out the national art gallery. it will barely cost you anything, and you'll be thoroughly entertained. make sure to get the audio guide, preferably the children's version, for interesting facts on all the pieces you're seeing, with cute music softly playing in the background. and again, don't miss the gift shop.


- spend way too much time sitting pretty in your bedroom. switch up the advertisements taped to the wall. play loud music. try on different outfits & dance around in between. clean, clean, & clean some more. organize. read. check the time every seven minutes.


- go outside. x-country ski. that air you smell, it's fresh. who cares if the only actual outerwear you own can't repel water? snow seeping into your behind is infinitely better than a day spent doing, well, nothing. call up some friends & head out in your family's beat up suv. nature awaits.


- go shopping. our two finest shopping centres are rideau & bayshore. rideau: aritzia, american apparel, old navy, banana republic, gap, club monaco, aldo & aldo accessories, payless, transit, town shoes, bcbg, lechateau, athlete's world, sirens, suzy shier, the bay, mac, inglot, soon-to-be sephora, american eagle outfitters, bluenotes, shepherd's, tim hortons. bayshore: i barely ever go, but i do know they too have an american eagle, bluenotes, lechateau & aldo, aswell as boathouse & winners.

i'm sure there's more than that, i just can't think right now.

zoë.

keep waiting on the party days.

(im)patiently awaiting the warmth of the sun to return.

alexander wang's ripped denim shorts, the row paper-thin tshirts, tiffany blue nail lacquer, luella floral dresses, the ankle boots, baby pink nail lacquer, soft slouchy bag, patent shoe boots, oversized men's suit jacket, pretty ivory bag, heart-shaped sunnies, bird & eiffel tower print scarf, sailor's necklace, oversized men's watch, bangles, trilby, nars the multiple in st. barth's, cheap monday high waisted light jeans, american apparel double-u dress in purple & silver, american apparel lightweight triblend raglan in grey & orchid, skater skirt, american apparel cotton interlock bra, american apparel sheer white tank blouse, grey triblend racerback tank, red cardigan, teal tbar sandals.

summer can't come quickly enough.

x.
jh

angels wanna wear my red shoes.

another year over, a new one just begun.

my most prevalent memories of new year's eve are of watching air farce & this hour has twenty-two minutes, and mistaking champagne for ginger ale at the age of 6. new years eve for me usually entailed sitting on the couch watching annual countdowns of the best & worst with my family. nothing overly special or glamorous.
this year, things were different.
by no means did i attend any swank parties or posh soirées.
more accurately, it was spent dressing up in costumes and parading throughout the neighbourhood. with, of course, a healthy dose of guitar hero thrown into the mix.

one tradition i did follow though, was making new year resolutions.

- put more effort into my everyday outfit.
- exercise or relax for at least 20 minutes each day.
- save up 730 dollars by next year by putting away two dollars everyday.

let's see if i'll keep them.

& once more, happy new year !


x.
jh

ps i'll post detailed pictures of the christian lacroix evian bottle soon.

shake it up now.

And ... I'm already back with the lists. This time around, it's 2007's most stylish couples. In no particular order.

Alexa Chung (can do no wrong) & Alex Turner (of the Arctic Monkeys):


Sienna Miller (has her ups & downs) & Jamie Burke (rock & roll sex god):


Kirtsen Dunst (is adorable) & Johnny Borrell (knows how to dress, at least):


Marc Jacobs & Jason Preston. What an unlikely combination. And okay, they're not that 'stylish', but they had to make this list:


Rachel Bilson & Adam Brody. Unfortunately, that didn't last all the way through 07. I think the problem was that Adam was just too hip for Rachel. Dommage.


Then, later, Rachel Bilson & Hayden Christensen. Apparently she likes them slightly nerdy & perfect.


David & Vikki Beckham are the first on the list to actually be married. I'm going to be honest, I don't really mind the fact that he has a weird hat collection and that she dresses so provocatively.


Diane Kruger & Joshua Jackson. Ahh, perfection.


Mary Kate Olsen & Nate Lowman (artist, graduate from NYU). They're new & they probably won't last, but they're still on my radar.


Jessica Stam & DJ AM. What he's lacking in physique, she makes up with amazingness.


Amy Winehouse and Blake Fielder-Civil. They may be crazy, but damn do they know how to dress.


And that makes eleven.

Zoë.

baby, i was born on a train.

today was the season's first snowfall. i awoke around seven to see a luminous bright light leap out at me from the windowsill. i leapt out of bed, as did the rest of the household, and slipped my feet into my favourite aspen-style slippers. i was disheveled & my bedtime uniform - a pair of heather gray sweatpants & a transparent scoop-neck tank - wasn't the most appropriate attire for an impromptu race downstairs and out the front door. for a few seconds, i simply stood there, and happily let it all soak in. frankly, i thought it would never come. the privilege of donning a warm winter coat or a thick knit scarf had yet to be a reality. as i stood on my front porch, looking like tara reid on a bad day, i had newly regained faith that winter would soon arrive after all.

but maybe i'm making this out to be a much bigger deal than it actually was. i assure you, this was not a broadway musical, with my surrounding neighbours breaking out into a song & dance number. if anything, my good old neighborly pals were glaring at me for being so pleased.

throughout this entire endeavor, my poor limbs had begun to freeze. still smiling, i made my way back inside. it would have been a great day to pull an ashley olsen circa '06, by slipping on some uggs and heading out to the nearest starbucks for a sweet gingerbread latte. just think, they even have their holiday cups out! but, unfortunately, i don't own any uggs, nor do i live anywhere near a starbucks. a thirty minute trek could bring me to a corner store which, with any luck, just may sell package-made coffee. but come on, i wasn't that desperate.

just thinking about the upcoming season makes me giddy. candy canes, reindeer, eggnog, argyle, thick socks, snow angels, sledding, gingerbread houses, holiday clearance sales, skiing, christmas cookies, earmuffs, carolers, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, red&green, happy new year, santa claus, layering, knits, toggle coats, school's out for two weeks, the classic "all i want for christmas" courtesy of none other than mariah carey, nice turtlenecks, turkey, ribbed tights, christmas parties & holiday joy.

but i must admit, there's this thing about the holidays - all the gifts, all the money being thrown out the window (okay, one could argue that dior ultra gloss in raffia orange really is a necessity, but let's be honest here) - that makes me just a little more greedy than i am in, say, march. suddenly, i'm longing for a bmw suv to replace my family's suburb-mobile (aka, the van), every shade of pink opi has to offer, hermes playing cards worth hundreds, a tiffany charm bracelet & the entirety of holt renfrew's fragrance department. i know, i know, i'm terrible - and most of all, terribly unrealistic. but i just can't help it. elle features their list of (extremely pricey) favourite gifts. oprah gives away a fridge worth five grand on her acclaimed 'favourite things' episode. there's just no way to escape luxury gifting. as frustrating as it is, i suppose it also represents a slight glimmer of hope that maybe, one day, i'll be able to treat myself to a pair of four hundred dollar sheepskin slippers.

what i want the most for christmas:

- Kodak Easyshare digital camera in black.
- Subscription to Teen Vogue magazine.
- Nike/iPod running system.
- Marc Jacobs Spring Splash/Rain perfume.
- Dior Addict ultra gloss in raffia orange.
- Go Smile five senses toothpaste kit.
- American Apparel unisex flex-fleece vneck sweatshirt in forest.
- Chapters gift certficate.
- American Eagle (aerie) boxers.
- Aritzia gift certificates.
- Roots Original elasticized sweatpants in charcoal. (S)
- Subscription to Seventeen magazine.
- Shopper’s Drug Mart gift certificate.
- Frederic Fekkai Coif perfecteur anti-frizz silkening crème.

i also want polaroid film for my camera.

happy holidays,
zoë.

ps: tara reid on a bad day:

You want it, she's got it.

Everybody knows how devastating it is to feel sick. You start thinking of all the things that could have been done in a day's time, and then realize that you're unable to function, hence them not being done. I have never been satisfied with a sick day, and today is no different. So I told myself, at the very least, I'll post something on the blog. Then I started brainstorming, which I often do. It's an easy way to compile a list of ideas, of things you wish to acomplish, of items you hope to purchase, of anything, really. This very list is entitled, Necessities.

1. This black bag, from Forever21. It looks like it would last a lifetime & fit anything I need. It's simplicity doesn't take away from the fact that it's fashionable.


2. I haven't talked about American Apparel for a while. I suppose its basics needn't be mentioned in most cases. But in this case, the zip-up hoodie in forest green is undeniably a necessity. The colour strays from 'vibrant hipster kid', and leans instead towards a more mature, but still happy palette. Who knew a dark, rich green could match with just about anything in your wardrobe? It should also be said that I'm dying to finally purchase a pair of super-long black leggings, because I never did get around to that back in '06 when pairing them with distressed denim minis was de rigueur.


3. A nice, simple, cosy grey scarf. There's nothing better to wrap around your neck, especially this season, since monochromatic hues are so big.


4. Mocassin booties aren't winter boots, but they're a Fall staple. Tiny & slipper-like they can look amazing paired with dark-wash jeans, or even with tights & a tiny dress. I love them because they're not all-out mocassins, with pom-poms & feathers & pieces of animal skin hanging off them. They're earthy but still feminine.
or

5. Anything studded, really.
, .

Well, I'm off to sip on some green tea & nibble on non-salted soda crackers. All the while dreaming of all these beautiful, necessary things.

Zoë.

Loafers burnt red like toasters.

I've fallen into a bit of a rut. All I ever wear are my denim cutoffs [which I bought at Wetseal, not at UO, but cutoffs are cutoffs, in my opinion.] paired with the rest of my boring crap that constitutes my wardrobe. The only thing that jazzes my outfit up is my black sequined purse that falls around my waist & sometimes glisten when the sun hits it at the right spot. Aside from that, it's tees & Havaianas for me, thanks. Which is really quite unfortunate. And which is also why I must find a bunch of things that can be worn no any day of the week, for any occasion, as basics that stand out more than they blend in.


This fake ostrich YSL bag is quite glamorous, yet it's black & it's simple & it would fit pretty much anything. It's the kind of carryall I could envision myself wearing on the streets, with jeans & a tee, aswell as at a restaurant or out shopping. Quite the quintessential fashion purchase, no?


Flashy & cute & very girly, these shoes are made for walkin'.


A thick stretch fabric heandband will keep bad hair days away, plus with my thick bangs they're an easy substitute for the 'bobby-pin-bonanza-to-keep-your-bangs-up' look. Definite keeper.


Okay, sticking a bra in the list of things to wear to stand out may be a tad confusing, but it's because I really do need a bra, and when you're wearing a comfy bra that goes with everything, the options are endless with what top can be paired, or dress, or blouse, or neckerchief worn as a shirt, whatever.


A buckle belt with an edgy buckle. I have a red one with a gold rose as the buckle, and it looks nicer than it sounds. They're quite practical because you can wear them to keep your pants up or to squeeze in your waist. Either way, it revamps a basic outfit.

And if all else fails, I can just become Charlotte Casiraghi. She never blends in, now does she?


Zoë

So what's it going to take, silver shadow believer?

What I want for my birthday which is, to remind you, in two days;

Fashion Now 2.


Subscription to i-D magazine.


Ceramic straightening iron.


Cha Cha's House of Ill Repute fedora.


Unisex Flex Fleece V-Neck Sweatshirt.


This tee from NormL in Ottawa.


& money.
& a boy that doesn't wear too much American Apparel but that can still pull off a unique look.

Zoë

This one goes out to all the reds & yellows & blues.

I went shopping with my friend Sarah today. And boy did it feel good. It's not that I hadn't been in such a long time [which I hadn't], it's simply that it was a very successful day. As successful as it could be for me heading out with zero dollars to my name. How is that even possible? Well, I shopped. And I shopped, and I shopped, and I shopped. No, I didn't happen to purchase anything, but I truly analyzed & scavenged the whole mall. And here are the items I loved the most:

Old Navy was surprisingly amazing. I find the prices are rising there, but so is the quality, and with that comes an excelent array of clothing styles that simply cannot be matched. I mean, who else who come up with a short sleeved bright blue cardigan held together by two thick buttons right below the chest? I say, Old Navy is the place to go for ideas, and, well, basics. I like these;

Old Navy Sateen Trenchcoats, about fifty dollars Canadian.

Old Navy button-down shirt.

Old Navy Collegiate Sweatpants.

Then came Payless Shoe Source. How specatcular my visit there was! The best part is that the Abaeté collection wasn't really worth all the hype, it's just the other pieces that won me over. All of their heels are quite sturdy & classic, revamping looks such as the maryjane or the t-strap. Pretty much all the shoes are simply phenomenal, especially the following;

Booties, which I prefer in gray, since I own a very similar pair in black.

The new & improved maryjane.

The very [maybe too] high riding-esque boots.

Bright red t-straps.

And very classic suede booties.

Next stop, Urban Behavior, which was kind of in my bad books since the appearance of lace-trimmed camis & everything leopard pring on their racks. But now they've regained my trust since removing their men's line [What kind of man relies on Urban Behaviour to supply their clothing, really?] which added a lot of space to store things like metallic mini dresses & electric blue jeans. Unfortunately they don't have pictures of said items on the site, but I liked these too;

Gold sailor shorts.

A nice riding jacket for Fall.

High waisted black shorts to be worn with... anything.

Also, American Apparel, nicknamed A², was stupendous. I mean, everytime I go in there it's like a plethora of colours leaping towards me, and some amazing song playing in the background [I really must find out who manages their music playlist, it is phenomenal. Makes me happy everytime.] Plus they have the most adorable salespeople, one of which is a young boy who wears his skinny jeans like no other. Anyways, today's favourites were, drumroll please;

The very pretty raglan cardigan.

And anything, I mean ANYTHING v-neck.

And last but not least, MAC cosmetics. I always like everything in there, really. But this time around, I set my eyes on one specific item, the pigment.

It is perfect. It is, a miracle.

Zoë

PS: Every single one of Ottawa's cute boys were on the prowl today, I swear. What, did you guys all tell yourselves, let's meet at Rideau & make girls stare? Because really, that's what happened. You had the kids on their BMX bikes with their Volcom hats & insanely vibrant graphic tees. You had the boys who don't try that hard, wearing simple striped shorts, but still look amazing. You had the guys with the most amazing shoes - ever. The blondes [a lot of blondes actually], the brunettes, the flamingly red heads. And even one particular gorgeous doctor [or nurse? he was in scrubs, to say the least] running to catch the bus. Anyways, it was quite the treat for the eyes, I must say.