Winspiration board: My Favorite 90's Movies

I've been feeling very nostalgic lately. Maybe it's because Summer's almost over, when were near the end we always somehow crave the beginning. Maybe it's because growing up, the end of Summer usually meant you have to make the most of the last couple of weeks before school starts, so theres more memories to remember. I also found a Selena CD at my nearest thrift store and have been listening to it NON-STOP, so that's probably another reason why I've been feeling nostalgic. I've always wanted to make an inspiration board based on some of my all time favorite 90's movies. The movies I've chosen are movies I can literally watch over and over again and never get sick of it. These are the movies where you'd randomly get a flashback of a scene and suddenly want to watch it or find yourself subconsiously shopping for outfits that are similar to the outfits worn in the film. Here are some  boards and items I've chosen based on the film's style:



  Crybaby
Johnny Depp was probably my first badass crush.I remember watching this movie for the first time on MuchMoreMusic and thinking how weird it was due to Hatchet Face's funny expressions, and wondering if Ricki Lake was pregnant or just fat (There's nothing wrong with that BTW). After a couple more years and some replays I started to really appreciate the film, it's comedic timing, and rockabilly expression. Everytime I vist Retro Row in Long Beach California I can't help but think of this film, even strolling through Kensington Market I get 'Crybaby' vibes.




  Jurassic Park
Need I say more? This is a movie I personally believe is fashionably underrated because everyone's too caught up in the dinosaurs, which is understandable..I mean c'mon it's dinosaurs. This movie also made me want to become an archeologist, just to wear those cool hats, and the abundance of earth toned clothing. I recently purchased an olive green military vest, which is a great layering piece and perfect for Autumn and would come in handy should I ever want to try my hand in archeology (just kidding). Another thing to keep an eye out for this season is camo jackets, I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect cameo jacket. It's not only super versatile but it looks great when paired with bright lips.



and lastly my all time favorite film


 
 Selena
'Anything for Selenas' This movie has so many quotable lines, and the outfits my god! I remember watching this movie in the theatres with my mom and in awe of J.lo's beauty. The sequined bustiers, the evening gowns, and the bold matte lipcolours, made me want to grow up quick, to the day I would be allowed to wear makeup. To this day I am still obsessed with this movie and can pretty much quote it from beginning to end.Whenever I see a sequin bra I can't help but smile because all I can hear in my mind is 'busti ca-ca'.

BB Cream : where have you been all my life

Hey lovelies,
as you know I've been contributing to Sweetcheaptoronto.ca check out my latest post by simply clicking the pic to my my somewhat sonnet to bb creams ;)

Pop-up shops & then some

This past week has been a blur, NXNE happened..enough said. I didn't get to check out as much shows as I did last year but it was eventful regardless. On Saturday June 16th, OTMzine & Songs and Cigarettes joined forces to host an outdoor vintage pop up shop. Some local Toronto faves including Dalston Grey, Tomorrow never knows, White Tiger and yours truly reppin Pretty Freedom were part of the retailers involved. Overall it was a cute little event that brought vintage lovers together, great deals with one of a kind pieces of clothing, popcicles, lemonaid and bubble machine included.

Check out a short cheeky video I made to give you a sense of what you probably missed or were lucky enough to be part of ;) 

A Modern Man's Shopping Guide

I love shopping, my friends and family always ask me where to get what, and what would give them an extra "omph" in their clothes. Now I've always believed the saying "clothes don't make a man" but first impressions do and sometimes when a guy looks sloppy or wears those god awful mirrored oakley dad shades as bad as this may sound I'm judging you. So I wasn't surprised when one of my guy friends asked me what items of clothing should he buy without looking like an average 'American Eagle' kind of guy. This sparked a lightbulb and then a flash of all the guys I've ever known from coworkers, to my cousins, and then my dad, it suddenly made me realize that the average man (the ones I know) do not know how to dress themselves. I mean I'm sure they do but men tend to just settle for the basics, the classic ' if it's comfortable I'll wear it' and now this mentality does not apply to all men..just suburban ones. SO when my guy friend told me that majority of the time when he goes shopping he does not know what the hell he's doing and that he ends up just going to the cafeteria and eating. I've decided to make him a shopping guide, that he could print and bring along with him whenever he feels overwhelmed but in need of new clothes. Then I decided to test the waters and post this on facebook to my surprise I got a good mix of responses from both men and women SO I present to you my 10 picks on awesome basics for the modern man! ( Feel Free to right click, save & print ;)

1. An olive green 'military' jacket :  is a good investment not only will it add some colour to an outfit, this jacket literally goes good with anything! A bonus is that it could double as a spring and autumn jacket and it's light enough to carry around.

2. Leather oxford shoes :  preferably a tan or brown, or whatever color really. Not only could this shoe transition well from day to night, one can wear it casually to work, a date or even a meeting.

3. Fitted black jeans : baggy jeans were so 90's and frankly I'm tired of looking at random butt cracks and boxers. What's awesome about fitted black jeans is again you can wear it with anything.

One male model friend once told me that black pants elongate the legs so that's an added bonus.

4. Denim Shirts:  think the good, the bad, and the ugly but most importantly think rugged, girls love rugged men! Also it pairs well with basically anything just don't do denim on denim. 

5. A good quality sleek watch:  I've told almost every guy in my life that every man needs a good watch. Not only is it a nice accessory but it also looks sharp to have, added bonus you'll always know what time it is. 

6. A knit cardigan/sweater :  this can also be applied to a plain hoodie. None of that silk screened campus hoodies which should only be for the gym especially if you graduated 3 years ago. A good sweater/cardigan is good to have for those chilli nights besides other than your coat or blazer it looks good around your girl's shoulders

7. Clean sneakers:  Men's shoes are pretty limited let's be real, but not so clean sneakers especially men's sneakers can seriously stink bad so keep a fresh pair that you can wear on casual occasions other than the gym. 

8. A quality tailored suit: I can speak for all women because we all agree that theres nothing hotter than a man in suit. Think Don Draper minus the womanizing and mysterious past, the ladies love Don. It's also a good investment for special occasions like weddings, corporate events, etc. 

9. A leather Jacket: (preferably a bomber or moto jacket and none of that steven segall shit google for reference) Think Fonzie, Danny Zuko, Marlon Brando and James Dean...enough said. Added bonus they're a good investment and will go with all of the items listed

10. A clean crisp white t-shirt: this does not only apply to men but to everyone it's just good to have for any outfit besides it looks hot paired with a leather jacket ;) 

Vintage's Night Out

As fashion week wraps up here in Toronto I had the awesome opportunity to take part in some of the week's festivities. One of the events that happened during the week was Plaid Magazine's very first Vintage's Night Out, Pretty Freedom took part in this exciting event, and served up sweet treats, and awesome sales! I met a lot of awesome people along the way, and of course alot of beautiful people, I almost felt like a misfit.

fashionable people:

check out the rest of the photos here!

and lastly a short video I made to highlight the night

Life as an interninja

As many of you know or at least I assume you do my current occupation is social media interninja for Pretty Freedom, and for the past 7 months or so I've taken in everything like a sponge. I've learned sooo much in those 7 months than I have in one full year of university. I've met alot of people, a lot of important people that create the pretty freedom community, and alot of good looking people. So as an intern you do your best to make your mark, I try to do this with every job experience I embark on. Conan was right cynicism doesn't take you anywhere, work hard and be nice. Anyways, being creative is literally a full time job some people think it's easy, and yes it is easy, somewhat to have okay ideas but its hard producing great ideas. One of the things I'm proud of and has gotten a good response was my comparison shopping featurette on Pretty Freedom called "This x That" which is basicaly a play on words from the black sheep hip hop classic the choice is yours. I don't consider myself a ~fashionista, but I do love fashion and I would say I'm quite aware on whats going on in the fashion atmosphere, and everytime I go thrift/vintage shopping I find myself always looking for a certain item, and always comparing them to expensive fashion pieces I drool over on net-a-porter. SO I put the two and two together and compare expensive pieces with Pretty Freedom's version and the choice is yours. Anyways I'm not going to ramble on but here's my latest comparisson, feel free to comment, like or tweet me what you think and which items I should compare next!!

Check out the rest here on Pretty Freedom's facebook page

My favorite Places and Spaces

The pros about being a commuter is the ability to observe your surroundings without the burden of keeping your eyes on the road and watching out for traffic lights and minding your speed limit. Often times commuting gives you the freedom for the introverted self to let loose. Anyways my point is throughout my years of commuting I've passed by many interesting streets, local shops and behind the windows of the street car, bus, train, and of course the windows of my face ( my eyes). I've seen and analyzed various cultures, and consumer goods from the distant window displays, sidewalks, and if time was fortunate to me I would explore my surroundings and indulge in a new experience. Walking downtown you take in your environment from the smells, to the name of streets, to the people around you, it all contributes to fragments of memories. Since spring is on the verge of emerging and that usually means the abundance of sales I've compiled a list of some of my favorite places around Toronto specifically Queen Street West/Spadina to Streetsville.

1. Kensington Market

Independant, colourfully cultured, strong identity and loyal to the local community are only some of the things I can describe Kensington Market. I've garnered alot of inspiration and ideas just walking along the market, and each shop not only has it's own identity and story but also alot of goods you don't find in your city malls.

2. Fraiche 348 Queen St W

This petite boutique is packed with alot of figure flattering dresses that are one of a kind. Once you enter you're greeted with the in house dress maker, who makes the dresses by way of Montreal. Each item of clothing and trust me I've browsed through them all is not only feminine and pretty but they're also body conscience friendly they cover what needs to be covered and flatter what needs to be flattered, for a reasonable price!

3. Durumi & Chocolate Shoes 416 Queen St W

This boutique is filled with alot of pretty things from Korea although they're two seperate shops in one boutique it's a joint abundance of unique finds. They have decent sales but one of my favorite go to spots in the shop is the accesories section here you'll find one of a kind jewlery pieces at a very decent price.

4. Swirls Cupcakes Streetsville, Mississauga

I've been a Swirls advocate since at least 2006. I literally have no words on how awesome Swirls cupcakes is and have some of the fondest memories. From the gelatos to the seasonal red velvet cupcakes and the light but tasteful icings and cakes.

Springtime Trends

I felt inspired to make a fashion post on things that I am currently loving, trends I've been noticing on the streets, and well some items of clothing I've been itching to try and get my hands on. Because I can't necessarily afford $1948278.00 on clothes or accessories I try to keep an eye out for things I can easily D.I.Y. or buy second hand or as my internship coins it "pre-loved". Anyways let me know if you agree or disagree with my picks :)

Embroided collars: Miu Miu did it first with their detachable collars sometime around 2009-2010ish I remember being 21 and wanting one verrrry badly but was not keen on dishing out hundreds for something I could easily make for $10.00. Lately I've noticed that more collars are taking the spotlight with subtle embroidery and even color blocking an entire shirt!

Intense Platform Heels: Platform has and will always be around the benefits of wearing these giant shoes is you get to reach your desired height and the comfort of the platform for the first half hour is well worth it. Not to mention they no pun intended boost an outfit.

Patterns, Patterns, and more Patterns: This season the influx of bright patterns mixed with minimalism is going to be a hit, it not only distracts from problem areas but it's also flattering, with the minimalist approach a lot of girls are opting for a more natural look but with a touch of pop out colour.

Orange: from the lips, nails, bags and clothes this season should just be renamed clementine, it's bold and refreshing but also really stands out with any color you place it with, it's also flattering to any skin tone.

I'm super excited to see what else this season has in store but if I could describe the mix of styles I've been seeing on the streets to the pages of my fashion zines it'd be Betty Draper meets Andy Warhol!

I leave you with the song of the post Don Drummond: Freedom Sounds

First World Problems and Sundays

Disclaimer: This specific entry is about first world problems, and basically a semi whine post on wanting something more with monetary issues and what not..if you dont give a shit proceed to read.

I bought a gift for myself, which in my opinion is well deserved. I've been soo good all year, somewhat and with my birthday in 2 weeks and the recent black friday sales..a good deal is a good deal. But alas we always want more, and are never content. For years I've always wanted a

DSLR, specifically a Canon Rebel, I'm always settling for the safe route. Bills suck butt but thank god I don't really have serious ones just yet, such as mortgage and what not. Last night I settled for a Nikon L-120 digital camera, because I was itching and impulsive for a new camera, specifically for this blog and for recording the adventures of my young adult years to come. I've been using my crappy old sony cybershot brick for about 10 years now and it was well about time I upgraded. Upon buying it my initial feeling was cool...but that was just it. I wanted more and will probably buy my dream camera..the thing is, I know I can afford it it's just a matter of well if I buy this, I won't be going out for a bit and with Christmas around the corner it's going to be a little hard to save. Also with future plans to move out within a year or two I really needed to get my shit together. The other part of me is like well shit you're working really hard and since this new job I havnt really treated myself other than that one $20 manicure I got at the mall. Life is short and we encounter random investments be it emotionally, our physical investments such as going to a gym, or dating, to buying a home. I feel as if as I'm getting older I'm starting to understand this growing up thing, and the leaping of faith. In order to fufill a certain level of contentment it's really all about making the jump, winning and losing some.

Anyways point is I think im exchanging this digital camera into an DSLR....happy birthday to me!