December 31, 2012

au revoir 2012




Velvet dress (vintage, Lost & Found Vintage, Royal Oak, MI. $35). Necklace (Zara). Shoes (Joe Fresh last seen here). Fur jacket (vintage, Value Village Thrift, Windsor, On $65).  Clutch (Rebecca Minkoff). Bracelets (Club Monaco). Ring (Aldo). 












Photos A Mingay

December 30, 2012

my grandmother the centenarian


Age 17


 Age 23

Imagine what it must be like to live 100 years.  To see both World Wars, The Great Depression, the invention of the television, the first man landing on the moon.  Pretty spectacular events for a farm girl with a grade 8 education.  My grandmother who turns 100 today has lived a very modest life. She often tells stories of passing on a cup of coffee to save the 10 cents and sewing all of her own clothes, boasting that she could make a dress for work for $5.  She worked hard all her life, working in factories and eventually a few department stores in Detroit in the 60's.  Some of my most memorable outfits as a child were those dresses and faux furs coats that she would find and bring home for me.  She never drove, opting to accept the lengthy bus rides from her home in Windsor across the border to Detroit to work everyday.  Into her 80's she still made trips to the US by bus to go shopping.  She always said that she got better deals there, but deals or not, the trip (one I made with her only once) was brutal.  We spent way more time on the bus that day than we actually did shopping.  Soon after I was able to convince her to let me drive.  She sold her house where she had live for 65 years, at the age of 98 to move into a retirement home, where today she waits for my visit.  So I must go get dressed into something smart, not too short, not too tight to spend the afternoon with my sweetheart.  Happy Birthday Gram, xo


When my grandmother sold her house, this letter was the one thing that I asked her for.  She is very proud of it and still had it in the original envelope carefully tucked away in her drawer.  


Yep, that's my soother being dunked into beer and my cousin looking on in horror!


Gram at 100

December 29, 2012

artist spotlight-infinity cuffs


Custom cuff, inspired by my current love of Western wear.


WHO: Sue Stephens, artist behind Infinity Cuffs

WHAT: Handmade and hand tooled leather cuffs

WHERE: shop here


In the workshop


Photos A Mingay, S Mingay

December 25, 2012

seasons greeting from nyc part 2


L to R
1. Brunch and cocktails.  2. The bar at Isola Trattoria, Mondrian Soho (more pics here). With its greenhouse inspired roof, you are able to enjoy the natural sunlight all year long.  3. On our way to Williamsburg.  4.  Street trees on Bedford.  5. Dinner at Macao (order here), where the flashlight app came in handy.  6. Handsome Dan's Candy Store, two scorpion suckers, check!  7. The Market NYC (see more here), featuring the work of local artists and designers.  Great stuff.  8. Beacon's Closet,  I could have spent an afternoon in that place but only had a few minutes.  I did manage to nab a great jacket that I can't wait to share in an upcoming post.  9.  The three amigos.  It looks like a beautiful spring day in this pic.  Aside from a little bit of rain the morning we spent at the MET, the weather was absolutely beautiful.  It felt more like October  than late December. Thank you for a great holiday New York.  See you soon.

Photos taken with iPhone

December 24, 2012

seasons greetings from nyc part 1


L to R 
1. "Too much of a good thing can be truly wonderful", Mae West.  Words to live by.  2. The view from the 15th floor, Mondrian Soho.  3.  The rink at Rockefeller Center.  4.  A morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  5.  A little love on Bleecker St.  6.  Christmas shopping at the Cookies N Cream mobile truck shop here.  7. Forehead wars.  8.  For those days when you can't make up your mind.  9.  One of the windows at Bergdorf Goodman.

Photos taken with iPhone.

December 18, 2012

shall we dance?




A holiday lunch (+wine) with friends today kinda made me feel like dancing.  Between myself and my photographer, I'm not sure who was laughing harder...

Denim Shirt (Winners). Beaver fur vest (vintage, Penny Jane's Vintage , Windsor, ON. $20 last seen here). Skirt (Mango). Snakeskin boots (vintage, 69 Vintage, Toronto, ON. $100). Custom leather cuff (Infinity Cuffs contact here). Bracelet (Me & Ro). Rings (Aldo).


















Photos A Mingay

December 16, 2012

city of roses




Anne Hobbs for Connections dress (vintage, Regeneration, Pleasant Ridge, MI. $13). Belt (Dynamite). Necklace (H&M). Suede clutch (vintage, Jones & Company, Windsor, ON. $ $34).  Boots (Hugo Boss). Watch (Michael Kors). Rings (Aldo, F21).
















Photos A Mingay

December 11, 2012

gloves fit for a superhero



Possibly the most bad ass gloves I have ever laid eyes on. 

Fownes leather gloves, Made in France (vintage, Penny Jane's Vintage, Windsor, ON $65). Beaver fur vest (vintage, Penny Jane's Vintage, Windsor, ON $20). Leather jacket (vintage, gift from Sanja, free; last seen here). Blouse (Club Monaco). Jeans (Gap). Booties (Stuart Weitzman for Scoop, NYC). Purse (Aldo). 
















Photos A Mingay

December 08, 2012

jacket makeover




Sometimes something that is not quite perfect just needs to come in contact with a razor blade!  This fur vest was a coat last week.  After being inspired by a vintage find (that I didn't purchase), I paid a visit three visits to my seamstress who refused the work because she said that I could do it myself!  After her third refusal and a little instruction, I went to work.  First taking a razor to the lining in the sleeves, then to the fur.  She recommended a razor vs scissors to avoid actually cutting through the fur.  Good tip! I also removed the GIANT shoulder pads. I then hand sewed a binding (made from the removed lining) to the body of the jacket, rolled the edge and hand sewed the lining of the jacket to the binding using a blind stitch (as per my instructor).  Voila, $50 in alterations costs saved.  Not to worry, I keep my seamstress very busy, she can afford to push back every once in a while.


Rabbit fur (vintage, Value Village Thrift, Windsor, ON $25). Leather jacket (Zara). Beaded dress (H&M). Booties (Topshop). Cuffs (H&M). Personalized 'belongs to ghrlunltd' perspex clear clutch (MNO logie; buy it here). 





Photos A Mingay