What It's Like To Road Trip With Me

Here's what a road trip with me looks like:

Hold It Close

Languorous stretching.
Laziness.
Breathing deeply.
Smiling.
Soaking in the heat.

On the Road Again

On my bike that is.  My bicycle is tuned up and on the road. I know, I know, some people continue riding all year 'round. I admire those people.....those crazy people. Me? I like to ride my bike when it's warm - ride all around the city - but not when it's cold. So there's this moment in Spring that occurs when the days are reliably warm enough that me and my bike are traipsing about town getting errands done.

It's also really cool to be able to do that first 30 km ride and be totally fine afterwards.  Here's to cycle season!

Kimono - Arnhem  //  Romper - Ruche  //  Fedora - ThreadSence  //  Boots - Aldo  //  Necklace - FreePeople  //  Sunnies c/o Woodzee

Staying Chic in the Winter with Maxi Skirts and Dresses

Skirt & Cardigan - Ruche  //  Top - UO  //  Belt - I forget  //  Boots - ThreadSence  //  Bag - thrifted  //  Metallic tattoo - eBay

Sometimes I think I'm completely crazy.  On this day, on one of the coldest Februarys on record, I took off all my layers and posed for the camera to grab outfit shots.  Yup, completely certifiable.

But seriously, maxi skirts and dresses are a great way to stay chic during the colder months because they look great but also allow for leggings and thigh high wool socks underneath....which you can bet that I had on!  It's all about the layers and layers I tell ya.

What's awesome is that right now, I'm in Miami.  Enjoying the much warmer temps.  See you in a few days and expect some much warmer and funner pictures.  Ones where I'm not wondernig if I've gotten frostbite on my clavicle.

merci
xoxo

Downtime and I'm "Top 50"

Lace Romper - Ruche  //  Lace Jacket - SheInside  //  Boots - DIYed  //  Red Bracelet, Bralette & Red Necklace - Threadsence  //  Sunnies & Yellow Bracelet - F21  //  Leaf Bracelet - I forget  //  Backpack - Stela 9

Sometimes a stroll through the park with my girl is the only downtime I get.  Just this day I've been working at my desk with photos, and also setting up and trying out some new gear.  It's pretty much go-go-go the entire day, except for the 45 minutes it takes us to do our daily walk around the pond.

Then I can meander and do nothing more than avoid the goose poo on the ground.  And hiss at them when I go by...hey, they start it.  They always hiss at me, so I right back, "Hissss, I'm bigger than you!"  I look super cool when I do it.  Really.  No really.  Okay, maybe not.

P.S. Guess what?  You're reading one of the Top 50 Style Blogs according to Mom.Me right now.  Getting awards is a wonderful thing.  I feel honored and humbled. I love it!  Thank you so very much.

The Blackest of Shades

Maxi Dress - c/o Sheinside  //  Shoes - ModCloth (old)  //  Necklace - Threadsence  //  Bag - UO  //  Sweater - Yumi via Trove in Toronto  //  Sunnies - F21

I know black isn't traditionally part of a summer palette, but it is part of mine especially in this lovely maxi form.  There was a time when it was a bit of a joke how much black I wore  *think New Yorker black, not Marilyn Manson black*  and how little color there was in my wardrobe.  People would feign amazement when I wore gray, exclaiming that I'm adding color to my wardrobe.  These days, as you are aware, color graces my wardrobe in all it's glory, but there is still a special place in my heart for that darkest of all shades.

*link to braided faux hawk tutorial*
*linking up with Trend Spin, and Style Sessions*

Lack of Concern For Execution

Dress -Sweet Rain  //  Sandals & Jacket - F21  //  Sunnies - Lace Affair

A casual day spent at my mom's house means that my uniform is a dress and easy denim jacket.  It also means that my humid wracked hair is up and away from my face without concern for the style or beauty of it's execution.  Which would be fine, were I not a person to chronicle everything I wear.  

There you have it folks. Some days were you to stop by my house you would find my hair a veritable braided rats nest.  C'est la vie.

p.s. Make sure you guys check out my Gracie B giveaway.  It's pretty kick ass.

Fringe in February

Sweater- C'est Moi via Trixie  //  Dress - 8000 Nerves via ModCloth  //  Tights - HUE  //  Boots - Feet First

Necklace - Threadsence  //  Belt - thrifted

So two things have happened.  One, I've gotten tired of February keeping me in pants with long johns or tights underneath.  And two, I finally got up the nerve to wear my ModCloth stylish surprise dress and in the middle of a frostbiting blustery day.  And I nearly froze my fingers off again taking these pictures.  So I guess that's three things.

Pardon the wrinkled nature of the dress.  I did have it on all day with the babe, through the ordeal of forgetting items and running back to the house then back to the bus, and a test shoot with a very lovely lady.  While we're on the subject of the dress, I love it.  It's one of those pieces I never would've chosen myself but now it seems to fit seamlessly into the shifting aesthetic of my style. 

If you haven't noticed ModaMama is moving ever so subtly away from sweet dressing and more into a boho style lately.  Maybe I shouldn't say it outright, maybe that's some bloggers faux pas, but I find myself drawing away from certain sweet items like Peter Pan collars in favor of fringe and loose fitting soft materials.  Who knows.  One thing I love about fashion is it's ever evolving reflection of the changing nature of our selves. 

Contestant on ANTM

Cardi - Yumi

Top - Anthropologie

Jeans - Gap

Shoes - Threadsence

Earrings - c/o This Enchanted Pixie

Necklace - F21

Ring - Ruche

I finally got my hair cut.  And I hate it.  I asked for one thing and got a totally different thing.  It looks fine when it's all curled and such, but when it's straight it's exactly what I didn't want.  Yes, I shed some tears.  No, I'm not going back to get it fixed because I would need to lose about five inches to get what I want, and I'm not willing to do that.  

Now, I realize that there are bigger things in the world like people dying, children starving,  and I'm in no way saying that my terrible haircut holds a candle to that. I have perspective.  All I'm saying is   I'm upset that I asked for one thing, and instead have what she thought I should have.  And it sucks.  It really sucks. 

I feel like that contestant on America's Next Top Model.  You know the one I'm talking about.

This whole post was brought to you by one pouting woman who assumes that you care about my hair, which you probably don't, and that's okay. 

I'm Not Here

Necklace & Sunnies - F21

Dress - from Ruche

Shoes - Payless

Bag - Matt by Matt&Nat

This week I'm away in B.C. for my friend Emily's wedding.  I'm taking pictures and making more CoffeeTalk vids and I'll share all that with you when I return *I'm working on the assumption that you guys enjoy that sort of stuff. If you don't, well...sorry I got nothing*  

The magic of pictures and falling way behind on outfit posts due to giveaways and the two linkys that I've ever done (please see below) is that I get to share these nuggets with you while I'm still away!  Neat huh?  Okay, maybe not that neat. 

Maybe I'm just easily amused.

True Story:

Seeing Baby Girl's little bum wiggle as she runs for the pool and the ruffles on her bathing suit sway in time is perhaps the cutest thing I've seen all month.

*Re: Linkys - this will not be a common thing - so please don't expect it - tomorrow is a linky that will run once every two months and that's the only one I plan to do. Sorry, but linkys on ModaMama is not what I'm about.  It's nothing personal against those who run them.  I enjoy them on other blogs.  It just doesn't ring true to me.  Thank you for your understanding.*

A New Kind Of DIY

Sunnies & Hat - F21
Dress - Ruche

Went to the wading pool with Baby.  Technically we weren't allowed in the pool, but who's going to listen to "technically" on such a beautiful day.  It was all fine and dandy until she slipped face first into the water and came up screaming from the fear.  She immediately lunged into my arms and I held a scared, shocked, and soaking wet toddler to me until she calmed down. 

In other DIY news, to cool down immediately hold a scared, shocked, and soaking wet toddler to yourself until she calms down.  Your whole front will be wet and cool for the next foreseeable future.

p.s. clearly the fall didn't leave a lasting impression since all these photos were taken afterwards and there's still a fierce wading pool determination in her. 

I Swear I'm Not Naked!

Dress - Threadsence

Cardi - Yumi

Shoes - Payless

Sunnies - Lace Affair

Bracelet/Necklace - c/o TwillyPop

Sometimes you don't really notice what you look like until you see a picture.  Now, I would like to think that had I had a full length mirror, I would've noticed that I look totally naked underneath this dress.  I assure you, I was not!  I had on a nude colored bra, and skin tight, nude booty shorts.  But despite my covering up underneath, the sheerness and the silhouette created do indeed project that image and therefore I find it indecent.  A half slip is being purchased as we speak.  

However a misfortune this incident was, I have to share how much I'm adoring this necklace.   It's gorgeous! And I think it walks the line of simple and chic while still being a stand out item.  What's great about it is that it's so flexible you can do whatever you like with it.  I often get a rebel-without-a-cause satisfaction out of wearing things the way they're not 'supposed' to be worn.  That, coupled with the fact that it was so humid I couldn't bear to have anything on my neck for more than 15 minutes, resulted in the move of this piece to my wrist and my wearing it as a bracelet for the rest of the day.  It's gorgeous, and not only did I get compliments on the dress, I got more than a few complimentary looks at my wrist.  

True Story:

Baby spilled something.  

She went around to the other side of the bed to get a kleenex to wipe it up.  

On the way back, she was distracted by something Andrew said to her.  

Once done, she looked back in the direction she had been originally going and stood there. 

She had totally forgotten her determined and resolute mission.  S

he stood there for several moments clearly trying hard to recall what it was she had been so focused on.  Then she dropped the Kleenex, did a 180 and walked away. 

Her mission aborted.