Here are 2 Ways To Style The Geneva T-Shirt Dress from Universal Standard
On its own, Geneva is the perfect t-shirt dress. That angled asymmetrical hem. The soft and stretchy fabric that bounces back. Sure, it’s just a cotton t-shirt dress, but even on its own, I’ve had strangers come up to me and ask where it’s from. She’s a real stunner, that Geneva.
Have you heard of Universal Standard before? This badass clothing company makes a gorgeous collection of basics in sizes 6 up to 40! To make these wardrobe essentials available to women in such an array of sizes is absolutely refreshing. Some of the items on their site even show the piece on-body in each and every available size, how awesome is that?!
As mentioned, I’ve worn this t-shirt dress plenty of times on its own, but as we’re a few weeks into fall now, I wanted to continue getting some mileage out of this little black dress. I styled it up two different ways, let me know which one is your favourite!
What’s new, what’s new? Well, summer is over and so is my writing slump. I’ve actually been to a few workout classes after an indulgent and rather lazy few months. I’ve been feeling cozy with the seasonal shift and did the big closet switchover from S/S to F/W last weekend and am so happy with the results. Purging and simplifying my wardrobe over the last year has finally paid off, the process was efficient and relatively seamless. I’ll have to take some pictures of it tomorrow and do a post on my streamlined wardrobe.
I’d also like to properly introduce you to the bracelet that I cannot stop wearing. It’s the Monica Vinader Signature Thin Bangle in rose gold. I was gifted this beauty at Nordstrom and was even able to get it engraved! I went for the Latin phrase ad maiora, which means towards greater things (or so Pinterest tells me). Feels like an appropriate sentiment to carry around with me on the daily. Also, I know this look is a tad summery, but things have warmed up here in Vancouver and if I don’t post it now, it’ll just end up in the photo abyss of things I never got around to sharing. Which would just be sad, don’t you think?
Anyway, glad to be back and hope you are all well. Can’t wait for all the fall content!
A car accident of sorts, bachelorette fun, epic Chicago views, and so much food!
THURSDAY
My journey to Chicago started off well. I was, for once, pleasantly surprised to be sitting in an exit row with extra legroom and next to a very handsome young man. The plane was small but brand new and I was feeling relatively okay about flying that day (I’m a recovering nervous flyer). Seems ideal, right? Not quite. We got all settled in and buckled up, only to sit at the gate for nearly two hours, without communication from the pilots. I wasn’t too bothered by it, but people around me were losing their minds and it was bringing out the worst in everyone. The handsome guy sitting next to me? He turned out to be a super whiny jerk about the situation because “he had PLANS, you know!” I tried my best to stay zen with all the chaos around me, but it definitely was a trying start.
I was on this new but surprisingly small plane to Chicago to attend a bachelorette for my sister-in-law to be. Anya is marrying Adam’s youngest brother, Ben, this October. You can read a bit more about them in my recap of our visit last summer. Once the plane was en route, I binge watched HBO’s Barry, which was most enjoyable and almost distracted me from all the in-flight tension. If you like a dark comedy and/or Bill Hader, you should check it out. When we finally landed, later than expected, Ben and Anya texted that they were ordering Thai food for dinner and my desperation to get to their place increased. Nothing can soothe a weary traveler like Pad Thai.
My plan was to Uber to their apartment, but in classic O’Hare fashion, a bunch of flights had all landed at the same time because of earlier thunderstorms. Prices had surged and I was unsure of where to catch the Uber. I decided to be basic and hop in a cab instead. I was in no state to be making decisions, I just wanted noodles! We sat in traffic for what felt like a lifetime and the driver and I passed the time chatting. I was also starting to feel slightly motion sick, so when we hit another patch of traffic near the end of the ride, I was like, “are you freaking kidding me?” Turns out Ben and Anya’s new place is right by Wrigley Field and a Cubs game was just getting out, so there were hundreds of pedestrians and cars in this one concentrated area. We spent like 15 minutes just trying to travel a few blocks. I told him I’d just walk, but he said it he was stuck anyway and determined to deliver me to their front door as intended. At last, we made a left turn, stopped in a line of cars and he pointed to their building. I thanked him and paid, threw my backpack on and reminded him that I needed to grab my suitcase from the trunk. In what I can only describe as a total fluke accident and something that would, of course, totally happen to me, as I opened the door and started to exit the car, the driver tried to throw the car into park, except he accidentally accelerated instead of braking. The car launched forward at great speed and the force of it flung me out the car door and started to drag me. I let out an uncontrollable scream and was, for a brief second, convinced that this was probably it. I managed to let go of the door handle, bounced off the pavement, and landed on my back in a daze. Thank goodness I had put my backpack on, or I’d have seriously injured my back and head. Once I realized that I was alive and relatively unscathed, I was overcome with immense gratitude to have survived and jumped to my feet with joy. People around flocked and were asking if I was okay and I said yes, but could also see that I was bleeding and already felt sore. I walked the 4 or 5 car lengths towards the cab (I know it was an accident, but how do you accelerate THAT hard and that far?) and the driver was absolutely distraught. I’m pretty sure he must have thought he’d killed me. Wasn’t my time though, and we both made sure we were okay and he asked my name and we hugged. It felt like we’d been through a lot together, you know? I now had my suitcase in tow and hoards of drunk baseball fans still crowded the streets. Being in shock but trying to act like I wasn’t just thrown from a moving vehicle, I decided to call Adam before going to Ben and Anya’s, as I was on the verge of tears and quite shaken up.
It’s kind of funny now to think of how Ben and Anya must have felt opening the door to find me bleeding. I had to tend to my wounds, wash my jeans, ice my elbows and knee and put a bunch of bandages on, but I was, at last, able to enjoy my comforting Thai stirfry – I’d earned it! I’ll spare the internet a photo of the giant black bruise on my bottom that took up my entire left cheek. Instead, you can see my bruised arms below, though this was 3 days later, so cuts looked much better. The human body is quite resilient!
Is it just me, or do Australians have the best style?! I’m always looking for great clothing brands from down under and was beyond excited when Mister Zimi reached out. A gorgeous collection of versatile, quality pieces in fun colours and patterns, their clothing is full of classic statement pieces that everyone needs in a wardrobe.
I opted for this Berber Agnus frock that is just as comfortable as it looks. I wore it to my friend Saschie’s wedding and it was such a perfect wedding guest dress. Saschie didn’t have any bridesmaids, so she had a colour palette for wedding guests to reference for their attire. It turned out so beautiful, look at this shot of me and my friends from Fake Book Club:
I’m sad to report that this exact dress JUST sold out (ugh, why did I take so long to post this? Total blogger fail), but they do have a couple of sizes left in the Boujad Agnes Dress. They also have other styles in this beautiful pattern, including this adorable jumpsuit! Their styles fit true to size, but there’s more detail below.
This is just an excuse to post a wedding photo, 3 years later 😉
Last year when I wrote a little something about what a frustrating time we were going through in our marriage, it struck a chord with a lot of people. Healthy conflict within relationships isn’t necessarily widely shared, and I think it was a sigh of relief for a lot of people, like, “Oh, they have problems too!” Our second year of marriage was definitely the toughest within our 11+ years together and I’m glad I opened up to share that with you.
If you’re looking for an update, we’re still married! It took a ton of work on ourselves and our relationship, but things are much different and vastly improved compared to last year. And thank goodness we’d done the work because we’ve endured some tragedy and grieving over the last year and I’m not sure our relationship would have been okay without a strong foundation.
I’ve been doing a lot of reflection on the past year and wanted to share three big lessons that I’ve learned in our marriage. This list is not really surface level “laugh every day and don’t go to bed angry” kind of advice, so it might not be your thing. But, if you want to get in the nitty gritty inner workings of things, then here you go!
You Have To Work On Yourself
I’m not talking about going to the gym and consumerism self-care like bath bombs and reading books (though, all lovely and welcome activities). Let me lay it out for you. Adam and I were both in denial, especially of our emotions, stressed about everything, and hit total burn out in our careers and life. The first step was acknowledging this, but the next was seeking outside support. We both go to individual counselling (still haven’t been together, though I’m sure it’ll inevitably happen one day) and have committed to this practice for life. I cannot even tell you how incredible the outside emotional support has been and I cannot recommend it enough!
I have done so much soul searching over the last year, it has been…exhausting. Every day feels like an emotional rollercoaster and it’s the toughest struggle I’ve ever endured. Honestly? I’m already so much happier for it. It’s messy and uncomfortable work, but I know that the long-term effects are going to be incredible.
On the day of a blood moon and lunar eclipse, Mercury went into retrograde, and I went to the salon and chopped all my hair off. Okay, technically it’s still long, but 4+ inches of my hair is in the trash somewhere, which is a dramatic change for me. I had a moment a few weeks ago where I suddenly hated my hairstyle more than anything in this world and if given the option at that moment, I fear that I would have shaved my head completely. It was as though my hair no longer belonged to me, and so it must be gone.
My super long mermaid mane was fun while it lasted and really, my hair grows like a weed so it could be the same length again in a few months. Truthfully, it served its part as a visual distraction and way to hide in a very weird season of my life. Behind that long and luscious mane, I was grappling with anxiety and depression and an entire spiritual revolution/identity crisis. I’ve hit a new point in the journey where I am feeling more and more like myself again and needed my ‘do to reflect that. So yeah, it’s great to no longer be Cousin Itt and to actually be able to see and be seen. Slowly but surely gaining confidence back.
For locals or visitors alike, here are some fun things to do in Vancouver this summer!
All winter long and throughout our soggy spring, Vancouverites wait for the days with even the tiniest bit of sunshine to get out and enjoy the city! There’s still (at least) 2 months of summer ahead of us, and Adam and I have been on a mission to live this season to the fullest. Beyond the touristy things and obvious beach, pool, or patio hangs, I wanted to share some summertime activities that you might want to check out. Hope you enjoy!
A weeknight sunset beach picnic
After we’ve both been cooped up indoors on computers all day, Adam and I love to make a Hello Fresh meal or grab some take-out (depending on the kind of day we’ve had LOL) and head to the beach to watch the sunset. It really deters us from sitting in front of the television all night and getting out there to soak up the sun. Despite his expression in this photo, Reggie loves our evening picnics too, I swear!
P.S. If you want to try out Hello Fresh (because it’s so amazing), then sign up here with the Promo Code: HELLOALICIA for $40 off your first box!
Pixar Exhibit @ Telus World Of Science
I’d tell you this is just for kids, but it’s 100% for adults too. I absolutely loved checking out the Science Behind Pixar exhibit at the Telus World Of Science. It is an interactive, educational, and super interesting way to spend an afternoon. Would be a great way to escape the rain or heat and there’s plenty to do and see around the dome!
Science Behind Pixar runs until January 6th, 2019
Bard On The Beach
I have spent years saying that I wanted to check out Bard On The Beach and I am SO happy to report that I finally went and that it was a blast! It’s the perfect way to spend a summer evening. My brother and I saw their playful twist on Shakespeare’s As You Like It, that takes place in 1960’s Vancouver and includes all Beatles music. Sounds crazy, but it totally works and is really entertaining!
Bard On The Beach runs until September 22nd, 2018.
I cannot believe that this month is almost over. My concept of time has been skewed by these beautiful long days and relentless heat. I also haven’t had a drop of coffee since last Tuesday, so I’m probably just sleepwalking at this point.
I feel rather lost in terms of summertime styling, but items like this adorable round straw bag and vintage looking sunglasses certainly help make a statement. That’s kind of my strategy so far this season. To rock basics and jazz them up with an accessory or two. Although in the current heat, my approach is more like how can I be semi-comfortable without looking like a slob, while wearing as little as possible so that I don’t melt like the Wicked Witch of the West?!
In April, I had back to back beach vacations and it was such a dream come true. Winter had only just ended, so my skin hadn’t had sun exposure for at least 6 months. And though it was wonderful to live in a bikini for 3 weeks and feel the heat of the sun, I came home with painful razor burn, in-grown hairs, and tan, but extremely dry and flaky skin. It’s a lot for your skin to handle increased shaving, the chemicals in pool water, and daily sunscreen application, and truthfully, I didn’t do much at the time to help combat the effects of that.
There were some tough lessons to learn, but I have since implemented really subtle changes to my shaving regime and my skin has never looked or felt better post-shave!
In partnership with Schick and AVEENO, I’m sharing a few of these newly discovered tips and tricks, as well as my favourite tools to achieve a better shave and healthier skin. All just in time for summer!
