on the road again...

Some of you may have noticed my recent lack of blogging, and so please consider this post my way of apologizing... You see, dear reader, I have been in the process of relocating from my beautiful island city of Victoria all the way to Edmonton, Alberta... So after weeks of cleaning, sorting and packing, Mr. AIF and I tearfully (well, on my part at least!) said goodbye to our friends and family before making the epic 14 hour drive to our new home. With only a few minor blips along the way (mainly, arriving to our new place at 10 pm only to find that the electricity had been turned off!), we have been busy easing in to our new surroundings, which seem pretty amazing so far... And with daily jaunts to Ikea and the like taking up most of my time, I never dreamed that moving could be so fun! Thank you for all your patience, and believe me when I say that AIF will be back on track soon... pinky swear!

blue lagoon...

Outfit details: Top- Jones New York (my moms!); Shorts and belt- Vintage; Heart tights- American Apparel; Oxfords- Aldo; Necklace- Erica Weiner; Watch- French Connection

word up...

LOVE it...

Image courtesy of Stockholm Streetstyle

on the streets: Victoria, BC

Melissa Page rocking Raybans, a Zara blazer, floral flats, and some seriously rad accessories...

karma chameleon...

Can you tell where the pavement ends and my shoes begin?

Ballet flats by Guess

on the streets: Victoria, BC

Patti Kowalski wearing THE MOST amazing boots/sandals I've ever seen... perhaps I should say bandles? Or maybe blip-blops? Whatever word you use to describe them, fierce should definitely top the list...

rainbow bright...

So after weeks of trying, I finally penned (not penciled- much more permanent!) a time with my fabulous photographer friend Adria to take some photos for AIF. As an extremely busy, successful young woman planning her upcoming nuptials, you can imagine how difficult this task truly was. Anyway, we finally set a date, and I set to work planning different looks and concepts... With three outfits, countless accessories and a spring in my step, I set off to meet Adria on what I hoped would be a lovely August day. Unfortunately for us, the elements were not exactly in support of our little venture.

The rain that fateful day resembled something closer to a torrential downpour than a light summer shower, and our big day (and my perfectly styled hair) was cut short. Seeking refuge under a bridge, we did however manage to take advantage of the fabulous graffiti adorning the cement walls (art that Adria herself actually helped create in high school no less!) and snapped up some hasty shots before the weather, and my increasingly frizzing locks, wrapped things up. Long story short, we had an amazing time, and although it didn't turn out quite as planned, I hope you all enjoy the end result!

Outfit details: Top- Winners; Shorts- Joe Fresh Style; Shoes- Aldo; Bag- Vintage Liz Claiborne; Bangles and Necklace- Vintage; Ring- Gifted

Photos by Adria Lipsett

adventures in thrifting...

As my Twitter followers already know, I was fortunate enough to score BIG TIME during my last thrifting adventure. Luckily for me, my local Value Village is a serious goldmine, and is conveniently located a mere two blocks from my place of employment... can you guess how I spend my lunch breaks? Anyway, after a particularly frustrating day at work, I decided to blow off some steam with a light shopping session. To say that the experience was cathartic would be a gross understatement, for the moment I spotted this little beauty, all my sorrows simply melted away... I'm a huuuuge lover of accessories, and I collect far more bags, belts and jewels than I can ever seem to store, so you can imagine my excitement in finding a Moschino Junior leather belt in pristine condition for a mere $5.99! I practically skipped around the store, reveling in my good fortune as the thrift store Gods smiled down upon me. Talk about retail therapy...

the Chung...

Oh Alexa, how are you so freaking cool?

Image courtesy of Knight Cat

outfit envy...

I'm sorry, but how truly amazing is this outfit? Seriously... That crisp white shirt tucked into her on trend trousers looks super chic, plus her brown leather belt and grey hat perfectly accent her look. Considered as a whole, this outfit conjures images of seductive Parisiennes dressed to androgynous perfection in my mind- a look far sexier in it's modesty and simplicity than any revealing little number could ever dream of... In a word, perfection.

Images courtesy of Hanneli

swan lake...

Outfit details: Dress- Decapolis; Shoes- Feet First (lame, but oh so comfy!); Belt- Vintage; Necklace- Pyrrha "Love Conquers All" Crest; Bracelet- Vintage

outfit envy...

Who knew yellow on yellow could look so good?

Image courtesy of Face Hunter

I die...

What I wouldn't give for these little beauties... well, if I wanted them badly enough, I suppose $1,150! Sorry Mr. Kirkwood; as nice as your booties are, that price tag is simply too rich for my blood.

For shopping info, check out my Polyvore page

on the streets: Victoria, BC

Chairman of the Board's uber stylish Iain Russell... Loving the shorts/tie combo, plus those glasses of his are beyond cool. AIF loves you, Iain!

photo of the day...

Image courtesy of tfs via Stardust and Sequins

my first love...

A long time lover of fashion, I haven't always been open to the idea of thrifting... It wasn't until one fateful day in my early twenties when a friend of mine (an avid thrifter from, well, birth) convinced me to accompany her to our local Salvation Army. It was there near a deep, dingy bin of miscellaneous goods that I fell in love... sifting through countless castoffs, I finally spotted a leather clutch that actually looked to be in good condition. After appraising the item hesitantly, I was amazed to discover that the clutch was a YSL piece from the 70's... The best part? It was in near perfect condition with an asking price of $4! Cha-ching! And although I now only wear my beloved clutch on occasion, it will forever remain close to my heart as the purse that started it all...

perfection...

There's nothing I don't absolutely love about this outfit... The simplicity of each piece in terms of design and palate, paired with her amazingly luxe yet understated accessories, equals sheer outfit genius. In short, I'm in love...

Image courtesy of Stockholm Street Style