Shop Toronto!

So, if you are like me, its time to grow up.  Time to put aside the university wardrobe for a more professional, sophisticated look. 

I thought I had already done this, but three very different jobs requiring very different wardrobes have happened since I first graduated in 2005.  When I first graduated, I took off for Japan to teach ESL.  This required very formal attire consisting of collared shirts, dresspants, knee-length or longer skirts, blazers and (ugh) nylons.  I rebelled against the nylons, despite my supervisor’s constant reminders.  The next year brought slightly more freedom in some areas, but was completly stifiling in others.  I worked at the Gap, which was all about wearing what you want, as long as it was from the Gap or “Gap-like”.  This was ok, I could work with the Gap.  The clothes were half-price, reasonably priced and went on sale every time I turned around.  A shopper’s dream it would seem.  However, the low wage and lack of regular full-time hours quickly sent me looking for another job to supplement my income.  Chapters came around just in time to save me from complete and utter financial dependence on my boyfriend and parents.  I took the two jobs, worked 50-60 hours a week and was stylish, financially independent, well-read and miserable.  I went home and cried myself to sleep many a night.  All my years of school weren’t paying off (literally).  So when Chapters offered me full-time, Monday to Friday hours, I jumped on the chance.  Before I started working full-time, I hadn’t really noticed the stifling wardrobe, but 5 days of black, grey or brown dresspants combined with white, navy or black tops with collars was rough.  There was no room for a stripe or even a logo.  Even on the shoes.  Seriously, if you had white on your sneakers, you were expected to cover over it with black marker.  No kidding. People did this.  And I’m not even getting into the vest.  Just because its from Roots, doesnt mean its classic.  When I finally packed it in at Chapters, I made a goal to never be so stifiled in a wardrobe again.  Luckly my summer job teaching esl gave me the freedom to go back to my pseudo surfer-girl/trendy/classic look that I worked so hard to develop in university.

Back to my current situation.  I am done another year of school and ready to start a professional path that hopefully leads me to the job of my dreams where I hopefully go to work feeling challenged and happy.  But what to wear?  I am interning at a mid-range educational publisher in Toronto starting next week.  I am very excited and thrilled for the opportunity.  When I went for my interview, after checking out the building, I started to look at what people were wearing.  It was a mix of business casual and classic looks, which I think I can fit right into without feeling like I am being stifled.

Back to Shopping: 

If you are reading this and looking for some internship clothing, I have some advice.  As anyone who knows me knows, I love to shop.  It’s my favorite thing to do, possibly in life.  And I love a deal.  So here are my pics this week for shops with sales on things you can wear for the transition to the professional world.  Remember, dress for the job you want!

1. Sterling Shoes, The Eaton Center – Sterling has all of their sale shoes marked down at 1/2 off the sale price.  This sale is not well advertised, so there are lots of shoes and sizes left.  They had everything from hot red pumps to beautiful flats and a pair of white leather flat boots that I may be going back for.  The sale prices are between $25-$50 and are marked down from $70-$200 and are from a variety of great name brands like Steve Madden, Guess, Jessica Simpson (I don’t actually hate her shoes as much as her music!), Puma, Nine West and many more.

2. The Gap, Bloor, Eaton Center and Queen West – The Gap has put the first of their spring line on sale.  There are lots of button-down shirts in a multitude of colours, lots of cute dresses, some dress pants, skirts, sweaters and many other essentials that are great for starting that professional wardrobe.  There are lots of basics that can be mixed with fun pieces to create a look thats all your own.  I am very partial to this dress http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=7870&pid=498502&scid=498502002 (unfortunatly not on sale).  I think it could go to work with a cardigan and flats to an evening out on a patio with friends after work. The print is so cute.

3. Esprit, Eaton Center – Esprit has some great stuff and is also a great place for basics, especially suiting.  They also have lots of great things on sale right now including lots of light sweaters and shirts.

Doggone dogs…..

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dogs.  All I ever end up writing about is dogs.  I guess its probably because I have a dog and I ended up doing a major part of my work this semester about dogs.  Not that I’m complaining, dogs are great.  Especially mine.  She does great things and my boyfriend and are are very proud parents.  She does some tricks that we taught her, goes to the bathroom outside most of the time (usually when shes upset, when we rock her world in some way like taking her on vacation we may end up with a mistake), and is generally quite chill.  We both love the fact that she has taken on our laid back lifestyle in a way we never imagined.  She gangsta-leans (see attached picture), plays with her friends, loves to eat all the things we do and even shares my love of clothes (but thankfully not shoes).  She does things that really let us know how smart she is, like hiding her toys when her BFF Ellie come to visit so she wont ruin her bones,  snuggles under the blankets when its cold, slowly edges Matt out of the bed when hes too tired to force her to the end of the bed, and brings us her sweater when shes chilly.  Recently she met Charlie Ewart, a tiny black and white pekinese/shitzu mix.  They played and played and it made me a little sad because Sushi has grown up so quickly.  She tried to show Charlie how to play fetch, didn’t snap when she playfully nipped at her face and calmed down when she got tired.  Part of me would like to get another dog to keep her company, but I worry that we wouldn’t be so lucky the next time around.  Sushi, you are a pretty good dog.