Christmas Wish: Next Generation

It's almost time for Christmas. It's almost time to sit around and have laughs with family.

Annie Hall, or Menswear

Yes, I love my flowy, boho, ruffles, with crochet, and fringe. We all know that far, far too well.
But sometimes even I am drawn to the clean lines of a great button up, vest, and tie.

Truly The Best Gift

An evening spent with two friends.
Both of whom respect me, accept me, and love me.
With dancing. And Wine.
Truly that is the best thing I could ask for...

Without A Care...

....I dance.

Splendor in the Leaves

Don't worry, I haven't been to an asylum or lost the love of my life *Splendor in the Grass reference not withstanding*

Hot Pink TIFF Party Dress

TIFF parties have been rampant, and I've gone to my fair share. Wish I could've shared all the outfits with you, but sometimes the day just got overwhelming.

Don't Text, Call.

 I used to hate the phone.  I hated it because you couldn't see the person when you talked to them.
I love those moments when you sit - coffee shop, park, whatever - and a silence falls.

Here's To Our Friendship Flaws

I have very imperfect friends. Some overshare, some drink too much sometimes, some say stupid things at the most inopportune moments, some can be harsh ...basically they make mistakes and have flaws, and are human.

All of them are well meaning, and caring, and accepting, and honest.

I can tolerate a lot as long those things are present. Tolerate isn't the right word. A lot of things don't bother me because of the presence of the others - that's a better way to put it. In fact, I count on my friends being imperfect, because that means that they'll hopefully be forgiving of my own imperfections. Of which I have many, and I try to surround myself with people who will forgive me when I say/do something stupid at the most inopportune of moments knowing that I probably don't mean it, because I'd like to think I'm well meaning, caring, accepting, and honest.

Tee - Thrifted  //  Kimono - Arnhem  //  Shorts - Spell  //  Boots - Aldo  //  Bag - Target  //  Sunnies - I forget

Takin' It All In Stride.

Saturday: my girl's birthday party.
Saturday eve: our games night.
Saturday middle of the night: Carbon monoxide detector goes off and we spend a total of two hours outside while the fire department comes, checks our house, concludes it's a malfunction and false alarm, and leaves.
Sunday: coffee.

Sunday after coffee: if this is the problem I'm dealing with right now, life's pretty okay. People are being persecuted and hunted around the world just for being alive. Which is right up there with me losing a couple hours sleep right? *that was sarcasm in case you missed it*

Here's to perspective. Happy week everyone.

Pants & Shoes - ThreadSence  //  Tee & Cardigan - UO  //  Necklace - Homegrown Boutique

Price of Admission to Jamaica

First real day in Jamaica.  It was an exciting one let me tell you.  First I discovered that my external hard drive had been stolen from my checked suitcase, then I fell and broke the glass top of a table in my room, paid for it, and decided to head to the beach where nothing could happen to me.

Until I got in the water and got stung by a jellyfish in the first three minutes.

Seriously right?! Honestly, I just had to laugh, because to have all this happen in a span of hours was a little ridiculous. Hilarious and ridiculous. I breathed, had a little moment, then moved on. Things happen and there's nothing you can do about it.

After treating the sting, I went back to swim for an hour, and decided to just focus on my beautiful surroundings. Just chalked it all up to the price of being in stunning Jamaica.

Plus, how can anything be wrong when you're surrounded by pink buildings!

Jumpsuit - Arnhem // Sandals - I forget  //  Necklace - F21  //  Sunnies - Lace Affair

One Woman Dance Party

You know when you're driving and you pull up to a red light alongside other cars, and in the car beside you you see that person?  There's that person who is blasting music, bobbing their head, drumming their hands, and is clearly singing as loud as possible.  Either unaware or not caring that people are watching them, they make faces, act out all the bits of the song, and wait with anticipation for the guitar or drum solo acting it out on their steering wheel.

That person is me.

Janis Joplin, Rolling Stones, '70s hits, and Queen. Yup.

For the record, my driving is superbly precise - I just do it while having a one woman dance party.

Kaftan - Arnhem  //  Pants - Lululemon  //  Boots - Aldo  //  Necklace - Gypsy Love Store  //  Turquoise Bracelet & Hat  - ThreadSence  //  Turquoise and Red Bracelet - eBay  //  Rings & Sunnies - F21

*linking up with Honest Mom*

Jennifer Fukushima Promo Code!

I'm a little OCD when it comes to care of my clothing, and generally possessions of worth. Not because I've got some strange attachment to them but because I'm very frugal.  If you care for it, it will last a long time right?  I still have clothes from high school.  I know, right?

But a classic red dress never goes out of style. So I've kept it. Same with this Jennifer Fukushima cardigan - or the one in green. It's one of those pieces that can stand the test of time because it's a classic. Plus, Toronto made, with a focus on sustainability and renewable resources? Yes please!

Whether your style is boho like mine, vintage, classic, minimal - whatever - this fits right in.  But can we please just talk about the incredible texture on it?  Can we? Okay.

Look at all the delicate and detailed pattern shifts and changes. Amazing.  It's also really soft and light.  When I picked it, I was kind of expecting a slightly stiffer tweed like material, but this just bends and moves and sways in the wind.  Plus, I kind of think of blue as a neutral - mostly 'cause I have so much of it, that a classic blue just goes with anything I own.  I'm totally wearing this as a light layer over summer dresses in the next few months....sometimes a great little cardi is the perfect alternative to a kimono on those days you just want something light, or you're, you know, not as obsessed with kimonos as me, and actually prefer to look very put together.  Whatever.

And hey, guess what?  Jennifer has kindly extended a 30% off discount code to ModaMama readers for the month of May!  OMG!!!!  Yeah, get on this.  Use code "MODAMAMA30" 

Tweed Cardigan - c/o Jennifer Fukushima  //  Top - Ruche  //  Cords - Gap  //  Boots & Turquoise Bracelet - ThreadSence  //  Silver cuffs - gifts  //  Long necklace - TopShop  //  Turquoise necklace - bought in Europe

*This is a sponsored post. 

Thanks for checking out the fabulous 

folks that support ModaMama. 
Linking up with WIW*

Breezy Arnhem Maxi Dress

The sun is shining, the temperature is up and the breeze is blowing through my dress.

Walking around I finally felt that beautiful thing that is the breeze blowing through your dress, and the sun caressing the back of your neck. It was warm - well warmer - than it has been for a long time. This deliciously light, soft, and breezy dress has been in my closet for a little while. It was calling, nay screaming, out for the barometer to rise. A long and light dress with floral prints epitomizes Spring to me. There's something about that feeling when you're walking down the street and can feel sun, material, and a warm breeze on you at the same time. It's a calming feeling, a soothing feeling, a moment that makes you breathe and love life

Dress - Arnhem  //  Necklace - Gypsy Love Store  //  Ring - F21  //  Bag - Target  // Socks - I forget *old*  //  Boots - Aldo

*linking up with Style Sessions, and Trend Spin*

Class It Up A Bit With A Floral Fit and Flare

Dress - ModCloth  //  Shoes -  Locale  //  Purse - H&M  // Earrings - I forget *old*  // Tights - Hansel from Basel

Sometimes.  Occasionally.  Once in a while.  From time to time, I can class it up a bit.  You know pretend that I've got a touch of the lady in me.  I went to a film premiere and decided that this night I would do just that.  I also decided to do this because before the film a new trailer of another film I'm in that's in post-production would be revealed.  And in this film I play one half of a swinging couple....so I thought I should at least be a lady in person for a bit...since on screen.  Well, let's just say there was a moment I was certainly blushing.  Thank goodness it's dark in the theatre!

Fashion Week and the Persistence of Black Clothing Everywhere: A Call To Arms

Kimono - Arnhem  //  Top - UO  //  Jeans - Dittos via UO  //  Boots - Locale  //  Necklace - bought in Spain  //  Rings - F21 & misc

This week has been  all about Toronto Fashion week - or World Mastercard Fashion Week.  What I've found most interesting in attending the shows is that while the clothing on the runway is fascinating and creative, this isn't the case in the fashion industry attendees. *before anyone gets up in arms, I'm not talking about every single person - I'm talking about numbers here. The vast majority* 

The shows are vibrant and unique, and though they aren't all things I personally would wear or I personally love, they are all interesting to look at.  I'm sorry to criticize or rub people the wrong way, but the persistence of a sea of black at fashion week is to me unacceptable.  I'm not saying that wearing black is uninspired.  It's that the black outfit is interesting if it's the only one.  But when the same outfit - you know, the black tight pants, black heels and a variety of 'urban chic' blazer/top - is multiplied by five hundred it becomes banal.

The attendees of fashion week are those in the industry. The leaders, the representatives, the lovers. This is where we should all be showing our own personal style.  Where colors, textures and patterns should come alive.

I'm not talking about peacocking *that fad of wearing ridiculous clothes to be photographed by the press at these events*  I'm talking about every attendee celebrating the freedom of expression and joy of design that I feel fashion affords.  But no,  I walk in and see twenty black pleather leggings, ten thousand black pumps, and a vast ocean of black with a very occasional dot of color.

Is it wrong for me to make a call to arms for us, the industry representatives, to celebrate what's beautiful about fashion - self expression and personal style?  If so I don't want to be right.

I'll be that non pleather-legging-flat-booted-bright-colored-messy-haired pariah, and it's okay that I stand alone.  I'm an introvert anyway.