I am getting ready to go away and all I am taking is one carry on bag. I have never traveled for this long with this little luggage and the thought of it is daunting. Which is why I haven't packed yet and I leave in 12 hrs. 

my Lug puddle jumper.
Perfect for a weekend, but a week? 

It really shouldn't be that hard because every time I travel I take too much, tops and bottoms that don't even get worn so why can't I figure out what to pack. Part of the problem is that it is -7°C here and +20° at my destination, Katy, TX.  


Spending the day in the airport and in the sky I want to be comfy but I am tired of wearing yoga pants on my travel day. I really don't know how people stay stylin' on travel day, but I am going to give it my best shot. 

I am going to try and wear my "impossible to pack" pieces on travel. Landing in Houston, of course I've got to wear my boots. Well I don't know what I will pack for the week but I like what I pulled together for travel day. I better go get packing. 

Jacket from the Gap, I snagged last fall in TO during the buying trip for the shop; boots from Cavender's Boot City, Houston, TX; and I love this scarf from Pseudio - it's new and I can't wait to wear it; the turquoise nails go with just about any outfit. 

I am so tired of my wardrobe lately. My closet needs a complete makeover. It has no identity. With a large section dedicated to running clothes and another for the clothes that don't fit anymore that leaves only a couple of dresses, 2 or 3 tops and a few sweaters. Sadly, I can't put much of it together and make it work. 

one of the few outfits I can pull out of my closet.

It's the bleak of winter so I don't feel like investing a whole lot and will make due with what I have got until the grass begins to appear. 














Until then, I have been having fun on Polyvore creating storyboards and pulling ideas together. Now if I can just find these pieces my wardrobe will be fresh for spring and summer. This may prove to be difficult to do locally, I may have to resort to a few favorite online shops. 

Cole Haan shoes are on order with Urban Shoe Myth. Can't wait.

I love lace.

This could very well be one of my favorite combos. 

My clothes are in need of replacing and with spring just around the corner I decided to do a little browsing online and see what my options are. Now I am down to a size where I can shop in regular sized clothing stores and I don’t have to rely so heavily on specialty shops. I may have dropped 4 dress sizes but I still have to deal with my curves. 

So, while doing a little online window shopping, I stumbled across ModCloth and fell in love. 1000’s of dresses in all sorts of colours. I was drawn to the 1960’s style mostly. I have to admit I got a little shopper’s high when I typed in my credit card number. Of course my mind was whirling … I’m going to need new shoes, and a purse, and a hat - I wish I had bought that hat at Banana Republic - it would look perfect. It's still bitterly cold outside so I have a few months to pull this outfit together.  

My Contradictionary World.

  Last night I went on a mission to find a lite weight jacket that I could wear running outdoors - to break the wind and keep warm on the cooler days (wish I'd had one yesterday). I had a criteria for this jacket: it couldn't stick to my sweaty arms and body and I didn't want it to cook me like I were in a sauna, like the Columbia jacket I bought years ago but never wear because it does feel like a sauna suit. So, I went into every sports store on the east side, seeking the help of the sales people. The only jacket that met the criteria was ... a NorthFace jacket. Unbelievable. I told the salesgirl I couldn't buy it because I openly ridicule women who wear their jackets. To which I received a funny look. So I left, finished my errands and went back and got the jacket.

I have mocked many women (and men too) who wear clothing that's designed for a specific purpose yet they have not, nor will they ever use the clothing for the designed purpose ie: NorthFace jackets on people who are not active nor adventurers, but hey they look great when picking up the kids at school or getting the groceries.
So then I started thinking about it and I was already a hypocrite, way before NorthFace. I wear LuluLemon yet I don't do yoga, I wear birks yet I am not much of a free spirit. Both companies I have scoffed for becoming huge name brands. And those traveler friends of mine (that's pretty much most of my friends)... I have said I don't need to travel - I have everything I need right here and yet I find I am searching for new trips hours after I have landed. Yes, a big time hypocrite - head hanging low.
I have become a name branded wanderlust. Oh the shame.
As for the traveling, I get why so many Canadians get away. The sun, the sand, the culture,  the idea of escaping reality even if it is only for a week or two. In the words of Dr. Seuss "Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.". The travel - it seeps into your veins and the more you do, the more you want.

Okay, so I am to get why these brands are so popular and have stood the test of time. The birks (as ugly as I think they are) are just the most comfortable thing my feet have ever worn. The lululemon - well again comfort is top of the list, but breathable, washable and fitted to compliment a women's curves. Then there is the NorthFace jacket. Why was it so special (aside from the fact it was 25% off)? Most of the brands the local sports stores carry are either designed for extreme weather making them too heavy and not very comfortable for running or they do not have a proper lining inside the body & sleeves making the nylon fabric stick to you like wet glue. Not a great feeling when you are at km no.4. The jacket I came home with met all my criteria and looked great to boot.
So now what? Well, I am currently investigating a girl's getaway, a romantic getaway and a family getaway all spanning the next 18months. I will find a new brand to scoff until it too can prove me wrong. Hey have you heard of Bench? My world is definitely becoming a contradiction.

Essentials

School is out. I decided to pack an overnight bag, the laptop and lil' g and I hit the road to go visit my folks for a couple of days. Yes, I had to bring my laptop. It's one of the freedoms of being able to just take off at a moments notice and still get work done. Because it was a quick decision to make the trip I packed lightly, but their were a few essentials that had to make it in my bag. You know, the kinda things you don't leave home without. I'm sure you essentials would look quite different from mine. But I had to make sure I packed:

Calvin Klein T's. This tee is actually part of the Essentials collection by Calvin Klein . There you have it, they agree with me that this tee is an essential. giggle. Actually they are sleepwear but so comfy I wear them as day wear and no one is the wiser. So soft and comfortable. Most tees look to sporty for me but these just seem to have a little more style. I love that we carry them at the Girls Bra Shop. Tammy and I always anticipate the next season's colour.

Ultra soft and comfortable. Made of the natural and luxurious modal fabric.

Exercise Bands. Oh I packed my running shorts, sneakers, sports bra and ipod. But I like to get my strength training in too. So I plan to do some planks, downward facing dog, willow tree and a several arm curls. I love these bands. The are so easy to pack in an over night kit and they offer just the right amount of resistance. And by bringing them with me it keeps me from making excuses.



 a great way to workout while you travel or add variety to your usual routine.

LLBean Boat and Tote. When we were in Freeport a couple of years ago, I grabbed a couple of these amazing totes. The most durable canvas. You can carry up to 500lbs. That's crazy. I have suitcases for my business trips but for hob knobbing about, to the lake, or evening to the city market these tote carry everything.  

Fabulous Finds

I love to shop but I don't like to shop for clothes. Why? Because I am a unique shape and size from head to toe. I typically buy one or two pieces each season to spruce my closet up. I have a few name brands but not just to say I have a name brand but because it fits, it looks good and I like it, And, let's face it, most designer labels are not made for curvy woman. Typically, I can only find clothes at Ricki's to fit my curves but lately their styles are not working for my hourglass. Their tops are made for women who want to hide their waist and that's the asset I need to show off. Cardigans and sweaters are always too short for my long torso. Strapless tops were always a "no" until I found the perfect strapless bra at The Girls Bra Shop. Shoes are always a challenge. I can never find a cute or trendy size 11 and typically my options are limited to a classic, more mature style. While my friend always grabs the Franco Sartos I am stuck with Clarks. (Clarks are great for comfort but it would be nice to have something a little hip and stylish). Usually when I go out with the mission to find a top, pant or shoes I come home with more stuff for the house and nothing for my closet. Imagine my surprise to find the perfect pieces when I wasn't looking for them at all.

Steve Madden Wedge Peep Toe - Winner's $49

While Shopping for a pair of shoes for my daughter, I decided to stroll a few aisles over to see what/ if anything existed in my size. Surprise, Surprise. I found the cutest summer nude wedges. In my size! And when lil' g saw my shoes shes squealed "you got Steve Madden shoes?"





Denver Hayes Cardigan with Rosettes - $19 Sale/ $39 Reg.

 Just this weekend, we were in Sussex picking up a few things for the lake and Big G decided to take a look in Mark's Work Wearhouse for jeans and work pants. I strolled through the mall while waiting. That took 10 mins. so I browsed the women's section of Mark's while waiting for Grant to finish up. Again, I was surprised when I saw the cutest cardigan with rosettes around the neckline. I tried it on and it fit perfect. The bonus: it was on sale for $19.99.



Exposed Envy Bra Straps Available at The Girls Bra Shop.


A month ago I received an email from my biz partner that I had to check out these new straps, she had met the rep and loved them and bought a pair immediately. Who would have thought the rep would come to the store the very next day to check us out. Tammy was right, I loved them and bought the pair shown above. They go great with almost everything I own in a strapless or sleeveless style. And so inexpensive, all the styles we carry are under $40.