In the interest of transparency and…interest, I knew I’d have to share these at some point.  I figure since I’m pretty well at the height of disorder (I hope), that today would be the day.

Ever since I moved into this house, we’ve been renovating it.  It was built in 1977, the same year as my husband, hereby referred to as Mr. Dreamy.  It’s not big and it’s not small.  It is by no means architecturally interesting, but it holds a certain charm for me.  Maybe because when I first came over, I hadn’t even started dating Mr. Dreamy officially, and he ushered me into this squeaky clean painfully decorated bachelor pad.  We watched a movie on his 80′s furniture and I made him dinner in his hideous kitchen.  We had our first kiss in the living room.  Clearly, I have some great memories here

Since then we’ve been painting, replacing the flooring, re-modeling the bathroom (pics soon!), replacing windows…he’s even crawled into the attic to replace all the insulation.  This house has been in a constant state of chaos since I moved in.  Soon we’re having the kitchen re-done with new cabinets, countertops, paint, flooring and backsplash.  After that it’s mouldings, the guestroom, a few tweeks and we’re done!  Until that time, it’s painful.  My dresses are everywhere, there are mannequins and dressforms that sometimes cause people to yelp because they’re mistaken for people, the kitchen table is in the living room…well, here are some pictures to give you a better idea.  If your house is even a little more orderly than this, you have my permission to use these pictures to make yourself feel better about your life.  For now

 My current home office: the kitchen table which has now found a home in the living room.  Note the dresses and skirts resting comfortably on the couch and bench, and hanging on the bookshelf.  Also note the duvet airing out on the chairs by the window in the first picture, because little Miss Stella (last picture) decided to pee on it the other night just before bed.  Aww

 Here’s the kitchen, clearly in desperate need of a make-under.  The house was a rental before Mr. Dreamy bought it, and the previous tennants obviously thought the orange and brown A&W style decor was tres chic.  I however, do not think of it as chic, but more as a large needle that pokes me in the eye every time I walk in the front door.  Yes, sadly, this is the view on entry.  I’m currently using the open space to take some dress pitures with my mannequin. She will be displaced shortly when the wall sanding begins.  Last picture: Stella can always be found under something, chewing something.  This is her toy, so she didn’t get yelled at for this.

And here’s me, in the bathroom that’s almost done.  I still need new towels, but after that I’ll give you a full picture tour.  Mr. Dreamy worked very hard on this, and I think he did a bang-up job!

I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been watching the September Issue too much or the impending fall and winter seasons, but I’m really into dressing stuff up with fur collars lately.  I found detachable ones (above) on etsy that are super cool, all affordable, and can really dress up a cardigan, dress or plain coat.  The first one is kind of shawl collar, the second would go perfectly with a v-neck, and the third is purple-hued for a little extra something.  Most of these in vintage are lined in satin, so they slip nicely over whatever you put them on!

Then there’s the fur-trimmed suits.  Oh man, I’ve been eyeing this grey one for over a month now.  They look so perfectly ladylike and glamorous at the same time.  I’m looking for one with fur on the bottom of the skirt, but so far no luck.

Coats are the classic fur-trimmed item.  You could do a swing coat like in the first picture, a bold red one like on the second picture, or a classic belted trench like in the third.

Some style inspirations:

There, I said it.  I like you (at least for now) and I don’t care who knows it.  I want all of you that I can get; I want to stay in with you, I want to go out with you…I just want you.

MUSTARD COLOURED EVERYTHING.  I don’t even know why.  I never liked you before, but I’m drawn to you now like a moth to a mustard-coloured lightbulb.  I want you in cardigans, shoes, bags and even dresses.  Silk tops!  Oh my.  I love the way you make teal, purple and grey look.  I love your warmth.  You will be mine in so many ways this season…

THICK NON-STRETCHY BELTS.  I want to put you over dresses, coats, and work tops.  You make me look good, and I like that about you!  I love how you look good all the way around, not just in the front.  I like you in black, red, white, beige, and whatever other colour you want to throw at me.  I sometime use your skinny cousins, but don’t be jealous!  I always come back to you.

INTERESTING MARY-JANES.  I used to judge you for your plainness, and you reminded me too much of elementary school.  But now I see how you’re really just retro and misunderstood, and have been misused and designed poorly by shoe designers who didn’t understand you.  You’re actually very thoughtful, and very sexy.  Sexy in your complexity, one could say.  You make my feet look like they travelled in a DeLorean back to 1944, and that’s important to me.

LONG COATS.  You and I have been together a long time, and it just keeps getting better.  I like it when you surprise me with a bright colour or some unexpected detail.  You keep me warm and safe, you make me look chic.  You complete me.

So that’s it, I confessed.  I will be stalking these items like a champion all Fall…what’s on YOUR crush list?

The hubby and I have been way too busy lately with renovations, jobs, side jobs, business trips and the like to hang out together (we sleep next to each other, but I don’t count that as quality time because we’re both unconcious).  So last week we took a day off from everything and had a mental health day a deux.  We went out to the beatnik part of town and perused old book stores.  We went into some record stores too, but that’s not what this blog is about.  And we had lunch at a place I’ve been meaning to for ages and ages but it never works out, and this time, it DID, and I had the most delicious po’boy and yam fries I have ever tasted, and he had a burger and it was just heaven, and I mean that. 

So back to the books.

It was really nice to just look at books for much of the day.  I don’t think most of us give ourselves enough time to read, but it’s important.  Reading different kinds of books is important, it exercises your brain.  Learning is important.  Smart people are sexy!  So whatever you wear this season, take a book with you so you can slip in some escape reading.  You might meet someone interesting that way…like maybe you?

PS-I bought a “medical” book by Kellogg the crazy masterbator-hater cornflakes doctor, and a book on undertaking because lately I’ve been thinking that would be a great career for me…I’ll let you know you about both books soon!

Or a newspaper, a newspaper will do.  Don’t forget the red lipstick!

How about a book and some ringlets?  Romantic!

Book an’ a Birka?

And my favourite: book and a pink flower with a saucy look on your face.  This one’s fierce, don’t mess!