Never Ending Snow

Just when I thought the brink of Spring was upon us, it turned into a blizzard. An outfit of the day was out of the question, so I decided to embrace the weather, go outside in the snow, & pretend I'm about 5 years old. It's pretty perfect snow man / snow ball weather... not to mention a silly afternoon study break. Nothing says "safety first" like a pair of 5 inch platform heels (green suede; sadly they were enveloped in snow & unphotographed). Paired with my Soia & Kyo houndstooth coat & my oh so furry white mittens from H&M (acquired during the Versace for H&M event to prevent near frostbite). 

Headed out for a mother-daughter supper + movie date. Have a lovely weekend everyone, & here's hoping your current version of "Spring" isn't quite like this one! 

Spring in Winterland

I'm so envious of seemingly everyone else in the world who isn't living in the midst of Winter this March 25th. I woke up this morning with an enthusiastic plan to take a nice Spring outfit photo. That's when I noticed it was a complete blizzard outside. Fortunately it cleared up this afternoon so I braved the below freezing temperature & attempted to create a Spring-esque look that was still somewhat weather appropriate (don't let the silly smile fool you; I was beyond freezing). 

Bright colours were an obvious choice, pairing red with fluorescent orange (layered over a cream lace bodysuit). My House of Holland suspender tights were a clear necessity, so I chose black lace up boots & a black vintage cross-body bag to tie things together. Otherwise I accessorized fairly plainly, with a cream + gold bangle from H&M & my Chantilly Lace earrings by Stella & Dot. 

I have two exams coming up this Tuesday & Wednesday so you can expect something new the second those are out of the way. Until then I'll be attaching myself wholly to my text books & language CDs... oh the excitement ;)

Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend - thank you so much for reading! 

I was wearing:

Red belted shorts - Dolce Vita

Orange fluoro oversized tee - H&M (old)

Cream lace bodysuit - American Apparel (here)

Suspender tights - House of Holland

Chantilly Lace earrings - c/o Stella & Dot (here)

Lace-up boots - F21 (old)

Cream & Gold bangle - H&M

Cross-body bag - Vintage

Ponies & Snow Flurries

At long last, I'm well & back on my feet again! The weather is also out in full force... wind & snow & ice & cold.... the whole nine yards. So while I couldn't get in a decent outfit photo shoot this morning, Mom was kind enough to snap a couple pictures on my way out the door; this time bundled sufficiently (having learned my lesson after last weeks poor preparation). As the title suggests, there are also ponies involved. While Vancouver "study breaks" extended to mini shopping trips, here they involve teasing my poor ponies with carrot treats in order to lure them into posing for photos. Fairly wholesome entertainment as you can imagine... cheaper too! ;) 

First things first though; what am I wearing? At the prospect of -10 this morning I chose the warmest coat I own: my houndstooth Soïa & Kyo beauty from a couple years back. It's a little too big for me which is why it's been in storage here in NL (also there was really no need during Vancouver's "winter"); but now it's out, weighs about a tonne, & is keeping me feeling warm & stylish at the same time. My favourite thing about Soïa & Kyo coats are the gorgeous & unique detailing. What drew me to this one in particular is the structured neckline, which can be either folded or funnelled; & the huge "hubcap" buttons, which are in actuality almost the size of my palm. I paired the coat with my favourite indigo jeans ("Legging" cut) from Banana Republic, brown lace-up boots borrowed from dear Mom, & my fluorescent pink Cambridge Satchel for a good dose of colour.   

Enveloped in snow flurries! 

"Hubcap" buttons

Lookie here! I'm wearing appropriate footwear for once ;)

Angel & Ginger, Christmas presents of my childhood & the funniest of creatures :)

Thank you for reading lovelies! Hope your week is off to a wonderful start! <3 

Snowy Atlas Mountains

However much I abhor the cold, I can't help but love the scenery I'm currently surrounded by. I definitely don't consider this an outfit post, just a little "this is my life currently & this is what I happen to be wearing" sort of thing. For those of you who follow me regularly, the pants & satchel are both recent purchases, from H&M. I envisioned the fun purple pants (which definitely need to be paired with heels as you can tell by the excess length) more so paired with white mary-jane wedges & a summery top, but Newfoundland is a far cry from Spring still. Please forgive my lack of smiles & red nose, as it was truly excruciatingly cold!

All in all though, we had a lovely afternoon. Driving among the endless snow-capped mountains, listening to Elton John & Regina Spektor with dear Mom; stopping every five minutes for photos. I must say however, no photo can do it justice. You're constantly surrounded by mountains & ocean & frosted trees. I don't know about you, but being in the midst of something so tranquil & naturally beautiful really makes me feel glad to be alive. 

Bottle Cove itself, one of my favourite spots in the world. You can't really encompass the entire thing, as I was shooting with a zoom lens, but it's truly amazing. The beach is lovely in the summer time; as are dare-devil antics of climbing out among the cliffs.

"All you need is love" .... And perhaps a pair of socks?

**One last note: I've gotten a bit of feedback over the past week stating that some readers have been unable to post comments on my blog recently. It's something that I'll be looking into over the next few days, as it's an incredibly frustrating issue. In the meantime, if you do experience problems with my comment box I'd really appreciate an email letting me know (serpentinestreets@gmail.com). Thank you for your patience & thank you for reading! :)

Winter Textures

While the below freezing temperatures here in Newfoundland really make me want to curl up & hibernate in bed, the show must go on. I stubbornly refuse to dress practically; no snow boots or bland bundling for me. Thankfully today the sun is shining gorgeously so I was able to get away with some mild layering, infused with a variety of winter-appropriate textures.

This amber yellow feather vest from Club Monaco was one of my early Christmas presents to myself (last seen here). It's unbelievably warm & cosy. Every time I wear it I've come to expect random people petting me haha. Velvet was something I was tiring of in the Spring weather of Vancouver; but snowy Newfoundland has revived my interest a little. It is the perfect Winter texture afterall. The third texture I incorporated into this look is lace (Vero Moda lace-back cardigan), for some added feminity. Granny-style grey lace-up boots, jewelled owl pendant, & wayfarer sunnies complete this simple Wintery look.

To make the most of this gorgeous day Mom & I are going for a drive down the coast, to my favourite place in the world - Bottle Cove. The scenery there is stunning in both Winter & Summer; so expect lots of photos tomorrow :)

I was wearing:

Feather vest - Club Monaco

Lace-back cardigan - Vero Moda

Navy velvet skirt - American Apparel

Grey silky tee - Lush (old)

Grey lace-up boots - Forever 21 (old)

Jennyfleur Loves on the East Coast

Presenting my first 'look of the day' shot here in Newfoundland! Despite the generally picturesque surroundings, it's unbelievably complicated to find a good place to take photos. Snowbanks which are storeys high block the view; the roads themselves are muddy. On top of that it's been swinging between -10 & - 26; needless to say I wasn't as picky with photos as I normally would be. Dear Mom was obliging enough to take these; she's just begun a photography course & seems enthusiastic to have me as her guinea pig ;) 

Now, more about the outfit! Recall this post from January, when I visited the fabulous Jennyfleur Loves boutique in Vancouver? Well the three lovely items I purchased that day are the basic components of this outfit (shorts, blouse, sunnies). Simple & comfortable, with a pop of polka dot print, & my favourite vibrant red shorts. The sunnies, albeit tortoise mismatching,  were absolutely necessary - the snow makes things incredibly bright & hard on the eyes. A pair of black Prada Baroque sunnies are definitely a must on my current 'wish list'. The bag is quite the oldie, a purchase from Calgary in 2006 (the perks of returning home to a second closet).

My mind is lusting for Spring & missing the warmth of Vancouver. Perhaps I subconsciously chose this outfit of primarily Vancouver-bought pieces? Either way, I shan't be on the East Coast for that much longer, so I'll make the best of it! I'll show you some gorgeous Newfoundland scenery in the next day of two, as soon as a get a chance to do some exploring around :)

I was wearing:

Red pleated shorts + belt - Dolce Vita (Jennyfleur Loves)
Cut-out shoulder polkadot blouse - Moon Collection (Jennyfleur Loves)
Number Six Round Sunnies - Karen Walker (Jennyfleur Loves)
Black Paloma Wedges - Dolce Vita
Collar Necklace - F21
Bag - Lammle's Western Wear (Calgary)

True Winter & Notions of 'Home'

First of all - my apologies for the terribly rushed last post! It was written at the airport so speedily that I instantly forgot what I wrote & worried over poor content & the possibility of grammar mistakes my entire flight. As far as I can tell I merely missed out on telling you half of what I wanted to, & used the word 'amazing' far too many times haha. 

But that was days ago. Today I'm settling in, unpacking things at a glacial pace & taking everything in. The snow, the familiar people & places, the prospect of this big change in general. Despite all efforts to stay positive, my second thoughts kicked in the minute I hit Toronto. The plane arrived in Newfoundland to a balmy - 24ºC.... how delightful! I've been in some state of freezing ever since, combating the cold with layering on as much clothing as possible (key example above). Kitten lita's unfortunately aren't the best of snow gear (key example below). Today was gorgeously sunny however, so my highly enthusiastic mom & I decided to drive about looking for photo op's. Unfortunately the roads were so bad & the snow banks so high that we didn't exactly get what we were looking for. Perhaps another day! 

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of 'home' recently. The city pictured above is the place I first called 'home' but I hesitate to apply that term to it now. It's been 5 years since I lived here permanently & 'home' has been between Nova Scotia, Ireland, & Vancouver; wherever I was living at the time. I've always considered myself a bit of a nomad & don't think I've found the perfect place quite yet. Maybe it doesn't even exist. The 'home' that's on my mind mostly is a quaint flat in London or Vienna. Hopefully it'll materialize sooner rather than later ;) 

For now I'm substituting the snow of NL for the rain of Vancouver; the winter scenery for the shopping; the basic foods for the organic ones. I'm missing the incredible people I left behind in Vancouver most of all. Hopefully I shall see them all again soon! Until then I'm taking comfort in a constantly filled fridge, my big cosy bed with fleece sheets, & a chauffeur + magically gas-refilling car ;) Last night I had a fabulous catch-up with an old friend over dinner & wine, & surprised my grandparents with a visit. Today I was treated to a dance performance by my favourite 3 year old & revelled in the adorable antics of my much-missed kitty. Things could be much worse! Tonight I intend to bake a delicious casserole, then curl up & watch the third season of Californication in bed. Hopefully tomorrow the jetlag will be over & I can get focused on my German coursework! I sense some serious productivity coming my way. After all what else is there to do on a glacial day?

Questioning my sanity for being outside in such cold! I layered my black military style coat with my faux fur vest (both from Zara) & paired it with my kitten lita's (my winter-worthy footwear being pretty limited... will definitely be investing in some new shoes asap!) & Karen Walker sunnies. Thick winter pants are also lacking in my wardrobe currently; so I settled on these ancient bellbottom pants. Hopefully this cold snap will end soon so I can brave the outside sans coat for photos!

Tomorrow I'll share my lovely new Spring purchases with you! 

Expect some serious contrast from the wintery photos above ;)

Woodland in the City

Without further ado, here is the look I told you about yesterday! I absolutely love this faux fur vest I got from Zara during Boxing Day sales & was quite excited to do a 'look of the day' shoot with it. I've got a million combinations for it rolling around my head so you can probably expect to see it again sooner or later. It makes me feel like a cosy little bear when I wear it, which is probably what provoked me to pair it with a rich forest green & the owl necklace. A simple look for a simple day - and hey, it certainly kept me warm! :)

In terms of footwear, I know you're as sick of my small collection as I am. Before moving here this past September I had a closet dedicated solely to my shoes; but sadly only a few pairs would cram into my suitcase limit. Hopefully 2012 will bring me many beautiful new pairs (I have a very strong inclination towards these at the moment :)

Life is all work & rain at the moment, but I'm feeling peculiarly optimistic in spite of it all. What kind of start is your week off to? And please, let me know what you think of this look! <3 

I was wearing:

Faux fur vest - Zara

Winter green batwing jumper - ASOS

Tiered black skirt - Aritzia (old)

Owl necklace - Sale bin somewhere!

Paloma wedges - Dolce Vita

Winter Florals

With the weather more like that of early Spring, why not add some florals into the mix? Today we spent simply relaxing & this is what I wore/am currently wearing. This floral dress is very dainty & summery, but I decided to pair it with my cosy grey knit from Banana Republic to make it winter-wearable. Simple & comfortable :)

I was wearing:

Grey knit jumper - Banana Republic, Heritage Collection

Floral dress - Jasmine London

Paloma wedges - Dolce Vita

Tonight I'm looking forward to making popcorn & watching some of my favourite Christmas movies; after all it is a little vacation for me! The forecast calls for snow overnight - fingers crossed, as I'm determined to get in a snowy photoshoot before we leave Ontario! Either way, expect a lookbook post in the morning :) 

Happy Holidays <3