Year: 2019

Cucumber Smash Picnic Throw by Calica

i got: Cucumber Smash Picnic Blanket by Calica Studios

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I’m not going to lie, Instagram definitely influences my purchases. Case in point, the woven blanket. I discovered American companies like Slowdown Studio and BFGF. Slowdown Studios collaborates with artists to “create living, breathing works of art that are both functional and beautiful” while BFGF is the work of solo artist, Lilian Martinez. Both companies make beautiful woven throws and other textile based products. Out of the two, BFGF is my favourite as Lilian often features black and brown women in her designs. Money prevented me from purchasing anything. Shipping costs and the exchange rate would push these throws close to $300 CAD. Luckily, I discovered a beautiful Canadian alternative. Calica is a collaborative textile studio based in Toronto and Halifax. They sell a small collections of throws and scarves. I can’t remember exactly what Instagram account introduced me to Calica, but I was now obsessed with their throws that are woven in North Carolina. I didn’t order the throw online, I made a trip to the One of a Kind show last December. I …

#ggAtShopify - Nov 15, 2016

#ggatShopify – November 15, 2016: Classic Black & White

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So, it’s my 2nd day at Shopify and I went with a classic black and white outfit. Actually, I really love this outfit and I feel good and put together every time I put it on. It’s a classic pairing in my wardrobe (tight top with a full skirt). It’s something I wore often when I wasn’t playing the #ggatShopify game. Art is a big part of Shopify offices, it’s everywhere and one of the wonderful things that make the place special. I lost my shit the first time I saw the cat wall. These are my people, I thought. It only made sense that I’d use the cat wall as the backdrop to my second #ggatShopify post. Okay, let’s break down this outfit. The skirt is is from Rebecca Taylor who isn’t Canadian unfortunately. I hosted a fashion show at The Hudson’s Bay at Yorkdale several years ago (before Shopify) and I received a gift certificate as payment. I purchased this skirt and a couple other things. It’s faux leather, which isn’t something I …

#ggatShopify - Nov 14, 2016

#ggatShopify – November 14, 2016: Jumpsuits in Camo

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It’s November 14, 2016 and my first day at Shopify. I was so excited and nervous. This wasn’t the Bank and I didn’t know what it would be like working at a company that wasn’t over 50,000 people anymore.  This is the date the #ggatShopify experiment began.  I spent a lot of time deciding what to wear on the first day. It was like it was Toronto Fashion Week. I can’t remember the reasons why I chose this particular outfit outside of jumpsuits being cool and that’s enough for me. This is Shopify’s rooftop and my favourite place in the office. There are a few #ggatShopify shots taken on this roof, especially in the summer. Thinking about it makes me smile. Okay, let’s break down this outfit. The jumpsuit is by Mercy, a Canadian womenswear brand from the owners of Gaspard in Toronto. I love camo and military inspired clothing. The fit of this jumpsuit is perfect, it’s more streamline than baggy. The belt is hard to see in the photo but it’s black cowhide …

#ggatShopify - Nov 14, 2016

ggatShopify — A Sartorial Battle Royale

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Leaving RBC and my 14-year Quality Assurance career for the possibilities that an Engineer Storyteller role at Shopify was a massive leap into the unknown. There was so much self-examination going on in my head. I was stepping away from the software pipeline and wouldn’t be part of software development leaving behind a whole pile of feelings: anxiety, the absolute joy of breakthroughs, pride of a job well done, the rush of adrenaline, and frustration (of course). I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it later (spoiler alert, no regrets). Shopify doesn’t have a dress code so I could wear whatever I want. Thinking about the things I couldn’t wear at RBC that were now fair game made me take a good look at the enormity of my closet and how much of it wasn’t worn often. I decided I would wear something different from my closet every day I went into the to the office. There were some rules. I didn’t have enough foundational pieces like shoes, denim, jewellery, outerwear, cardigans, and handbags to …

The Sari Series

geekigirl’s gallimaurfy: The Sari Series

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The Sari Series is a beautiful digital anthology documenting India’s regional sari drapes. There are 83 different sari drapes in the anthology plus some additional videos providing sari folding basics so you can have the foundation to try out these beautiful styles. After discovering this site, I was very angry with myself for not purchasing a sari when I was in India. I see a trip to Little India in my future (after I do a little more research on what to look for). There is something magical about how you can take several meters of fabric and wrap it around your body in a way that is practical, functional and beautiful. I’m amazed that a combination of knotting, pleating, folding and draping keeps everything in place. It’s not unusual that I’d feel a love for the sari, after all my motto is the higher the yardage numbers, the closer to god. There are 83 beautiful sari drapes in the Sari Series anthology and I’m still working through watching all of them. However, I’ve seen …