Feel Me, Read Me, Eat Me, Drink Me

I'm sure Donald Trump would pop a vein over this!  Love my bank!

Ah, what a busy week it's been and what chores, festivities, and what-not await.  But there's always something to check out online.

I loved this recent post on Radical Farmwives (really love this blog in general).  Let's take back what "radical" and "extreme" mean and understand that it's not inextricably linked to terrorism.

My love of bourbon is pretty well-documented, and I'm always happy to learn more.  This piece about the foundational role Jews played in the history of bourbon is fascinating.  Heaven Hill, which is mentioned in the article, is the only distillery my father and I made it to on our bike trip, and I got one of the best tasting bourbons I've experienced there.

Sharing my love of bourbon is beer, and this list of the best beers of 2015 is like a to-do list for me.  Hah!

Was referred to this link about Karl Lagerfeld coming under fire for copying knitters' designs from a comment in a Fringe Association post; I mean, c'mon!  Isn't that what you're supposed to do?  Design?  Instead, your copying from knitters on Fair Isle (the actual name of the island and not just the style of knitting)?  Blech!

Since I'm talking about Fringe Association, I found her recent post on Wardrobe Planning both timely and helpful since I'm getting ready to eschew shopping for clothing in 2016.  I've also just signed up for the Craftsy class Sewing Bras:  Construction & Fit.  It's a bonus that the woman teaching the class has a shop on Ottawa Street here in Hamilton where I can get all my supplies.

Enjoy the weekend and whatever festivities come your way!

John Oliver & Fashion

A student sent me a link to this John Oliver segment on fast fashion.  It's both informative and hilarious.

Feel Me, Read Me, Eat Me, Make Me

Thursday is the new Friday, at least for this week.  Lots of fun and exciting things to share.

Firstly is the new blog Carefully Worn, a project by Amanda Farquharson, which she envisions as a resource for people who care about making sound decisions around clothing.  As she wrote in her blog post introducing the new site, "By mending what we have, buying things second-hand, making our own clothes and purchasing new items from sustainable and ethical companies, we can be the voice of change and cause governments and companies to listen and adapt. We can also BE the change, by treating our garments as treasures, not as disposable discount items, and reducing our own carbon footprints as well."

I'm so excited about this, and I think I love her!

Secondly, readers of this blog (hi, Dad!) know that I have a thing for Alabama Chanin.  They're starting a Build a Wardrobe subscription/program, which will focus on finessing garment fit and construction as one builds their wardrobe (Can you hear my little heart sing?  Can you feel my panic over not having enough time to make & craft as it is?! No matter.)  Four times a year they'll send you an exclusive pattern, directions, fabric to complete it, and all the notions.

Next up, I'm totally loving this hat and am wondering if I can squeeze making one into the already-packed schedule (see panic note above).   It's a pattern from the Seamen's Church Institute's Christmas at Sea program (is there a Hannukah on Land program somewhere?). I'd love to think my hat was sailing the seas on the head of some lucky mariner, and I'm sure I have the yarn for it.

Onions au gratin are sounding pretty yummy to me, and I think I may be able to fit them into one of my holiday menus.  As well as the Desmond Mince Pies (I used to always make fruitcake, and it's fallen off the radar the past few years - sigh) and Lebkuchen, which I'm totally going to make for my parents and the boy when they come up for New Year's.

Finally, the latest podcast from Woolful is up.  I just listened to the previous episode, which featured the fabulous Pam Allen, and found myself a little teary-eyed because it makes me happy to hear the conversations "fiber folk," as Ashley Yousling, the woman behind Woolful, calls us, have.  Little things mean a lot.

We're getting our tree tomorrow!  Yay!  The ladyfriend really wants to go all out on the decorations this year (as though we haven't before).  Stay tuned!

What I'm Wearing to Teach Today: Tidings of Comfort & Joy

It's the last day of classes for the term.  Huzzah!

Hmm, how much can I actually get done over the break?

Dress: J. Morgan Puett
Skirt:  Junya Watanabe
Tights: Hue
Boots:  La Naturalista

Another New Combination from the Post-Purge Closet

Okay, this features the same sweater that is in the first post, and it features the same designer, Dries Van Noten.  Let me say this - that dress and this skirt are the only two Dries Van Noten pieces I (still) own (there's a DvN sweater from the purge in a bin for a friend).  Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that the sweater goes with both.

I really should have a less cluttered background, but the mirror is in my closet.

The skirt has two layers, which I've illustrated with this image here.  Frankly, I thought this skirt wouldn't make the cut.  It hadn't been in my actual closet for years (yes, years), but I guess it sparked joy when I touched it, and look at it now.

What I'm Wearing to Teach Today: Halfway Between Sporty Spice and Dressy Bessy

Dress:  Ibex
Tights: Wolford
Boots:  Aquaitalia

What I'm Wearing to Teach Today: 7-Day Challenge is Over But Black Still Reigns Supreme

Turtleneck:  Neiman Marcus
Skirt:  Comme des Garcons
Tights:  Wolford
Boots:  Aquaitalia

I'll See Your Sweater Song and Raise You One

Karen of Day In & Day Out posted the video for Meryn Cadell's song The Sweater.  So I thought I'd return the favour and offer another sweater song.

Days 5 & 6: Still Working It!

 So Day 5 was a simple turtleneck over the dress and some black leggings underneath.  I play hockey on Sundays, and while I frequently am wearing skirts or dresses, they're in what I call the "Sporty Spice" category.  No one said anything at hockey; that's probably because any dress is a weird thing to wear, and they're no longer surprised by my outfits.

Two details not seen (or barely glimpsed) above:  I'm wearing teal tights that match my sweater (which I knit), and the sweater itself has an open lacework back (there's an image somewhere on this blog...).  And that's my new Brompton, which is indeed worthy of doting upon.

Yes, I'm finding it challenging to come up with a different outfit everyday (which, frankly, was not a condition of the challenge but is my own issue), and it can be hard to make the outfit work for the various environments I find myself in.  Plus, I don't really like having to take a photo of myself everyday.