If you’re going to eat your feelings, go with Gelato! via Vogue Italia

My day started off kind of crappy.  So to rid myself of the blues, I put on my most flowy floral, maxi skirt printed with flowers and tigers, an opulent gilded, pair of braided gladiators and my sunglasses.  Then I got into my car (Habeeba), opened my sunroof and hit Queen West West for some retail therapy.

High ROC (return on compliment): Maeve Banda Skirt from Anthropologie

Though I live downtown, I haven’t been on a proper stroll to pop into the cute boutiques — there are so many new ones which is fun, exciting and most of all, dangereuse (dangerous in French).

Here were some of my faves:

Zumel & Co (863 Queen St. West) – Filled with racks of colourful blouses, dresses and feminine separates, I think this would be a good place to find a lovely outfit for a daytime cocktail or a unique piece for your work wardrobe.

Cabaret (672 Queen St. West) – This is an oldie but a goodie.  A family owned vintage shop specializing in 1920-1970’s clothing.  Nothing cheers me up like going into the basement of a vintage store, trying on random retro outfits and digging for hidden treasure.  Nothing.  I got my besties’ bday present there – an elaborate, Art Deco black beaded headdress which they died over.  Plus, the shopgirls were sooo nice and loved my gypsy jetset outfit. PS. I love you.

Wildfox Couture Pop-Up Shop (711 Queen St. West) – Vintage inspired casual wear for dreamers.  Based out of LA, this brand is all about distressed terry cloths, soft slub t-shirts, relaxed sweaters and Malibu-inspired beachwear.  A fave brand of celebs this pop-up will be here at least until the end of Summer.  I could not resist the cute quotient of a Koala pullover because obviously, koala is my power animal.

Taylor Swift in her Love Potion No. 9 Wildfox pullover

SJP makes you look from all angles. Love the styling, the Oscar de la Renta dress, to the shape of the hair to the opera gloves.

Darlings, this post is like a library book…way past overdue. And I’m not going to address the elevator scandal overshadowing the fashion because I’ve heard about the Beygency.  The theme of this year’s Met Gala 2014, was a tribute to Charles James, who according to WWD is “America’s best-known couturier.” This being the case, you would expect a lot of classic, opulent and elegant ball gowns of the socialite variety.

An iconic image of Charles James gowns, photographed by Cecil Beaton 1948

While I don’t know if they necessarily evoke the theme of this year’s event, these are my faves.  There are a lot of crop top combinations and slinky silhouettes which is très 90’s.  Enjoy!

Crop top! Emma Stone rocks a side braid and pink on pink Thakoon.

I have been championing the maxi length and crop top/bustier combo for a while now. I think it’s going to hit mainstream this year. (fashion prediction) TRUST.

Rihanna shows off her enviable abs in a white Stella McCartney ensemble.

Risqué Nicole Richie in Donna Karan. She kind of looks like Elsa from Frozen, non?

A kaleidoscope of D’Orsay flats from Jenni Kayne

You know how you see women wearing running shoes en route to work, then changing to high heels?  Promise me, you’ll never be that woman.  God invented ballet flats for a reason.  And this season, the D’Orsay flat is hitting the mainstream.

Bonjour sexy! D’Orsay High Heel in a suede colour block

This style of shoe is named after Count Alfred d’Orsay, a 19th Century gentleman about town and an artist friend of Lord Byron. The cut-out sides were introduced to accommodate wider feet but this style has been widely adopted in women’s footwear.  Made with a vamp that curves around closely to the foot, exposing the instep (ahem shoe porn). While we see this a lot in high heels, last season Jenni Kayne‘s version of the D’Orsay flat has made this one beloved look to watch!

She’s a fan: Jessica Alba is often spotted wearing various colours of the JK D’Orsay flat. Jalouse.

I’m partial to the texture of these Jeffrey Campbell In Love Flats

I never gave up on the romper. I love a good romper/gladiator sandal combo. That’s my drinks on a patio outfit. Loving the cool blues on this Dolce Vita Romper

A girl needs to dream.  A girl needs to dream about a bright sunshine-y day without rain or sleet or snow.  A day without salt stained boots and static-y flyaway hair.  Of turquoise waters and itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny bikinis.  Having gone on a warm December vacation, my hopes were high for a quick segue way into Spring.  Since that hasn’t been the case, I’ll settle for Summer Beach Dreams.

I have already planned out my travels for the next year (because a girl has got to see the world).  Well, if you’re a follower of the LC, you know how I feel about a gypset wardrobe. If it were tropical here, I would be wearing a caftan walking down the sidewalk.  Some summer loves to keep you daydreaming… *lesigh

Bright bikini babes in H&M Swimwear

Psychedelic dreamers: I really need more Mara Hoffman Resort in my life right now.

Vix St. Marten caftan because you know how I like to channel Morocco.

Daria in Gucci Macramé. I actually read this copy of Elle Spain while in Salamanca. Fun fact.

I love the dramatic retro `60s cat eyeliner and pale lipstick

I blame my friend S for my ruin.  She gently twisted my arm and we bought stellar tickets to Beyoncé.  She only gets reallyx3 good tickets to concerts.  She wants to see them up close and personal.  She wants to see them sweat.  But now that I’ve been spoiled, I can’t go backwards and every time I get tickets to something, I need to be right up in the action.  Slippery slope and it’s what I like to call a shame spiral.

Of all the bands and artists I have yet to see, I put it out there that I would like to see Lana Del Rey.  Lo and behold, the universe delivered in the form of a Live Nation alert.  So I bit the bullet and I’m going to see her do her gangster-Nancy Sinatra thing in the Spring (a rhyme).

Here is a playlist of my faves on repeat…  She will be releasing a new album in 2014 Ultraviolence

1. Summer Wine – with James Barrie O`Neill (cover of Nancy Sinatra = fun!)
2. Ride
3. Yayo
4. Blue Velvet
5. Ridin`- with ASAP Rocky
6. Bel Air
7. Bonus: Link to her short film Tropico

Head tilt: Lana del Rey for H&M

Lana Del Rey in Vogue Italia

Quintessential Lana Del Rey is a dramatic eye. I like it when they also style her hair with waves via Vogue Japan

Toro! She collaborated with Baz Luhrman on Young & Beautiful for the Great Gatsby soundtrack. She’s channelling a bullfighter non?

Jared Leto winning his Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club. He got his looks from his mama.

Besides daisies, plaid and 90’s nostalgia becoming all the rage, everyone is all about Jared Leto and his lustrous manlocks.  For those of us who are  old young enough to remember, his claim to fame was starring as Jordan Catalano on my So-Called Life.  He was the quintessential aloof pretty boy leaning on walls, distracted, being reallyx3 attractive from all angles, object of Angela Chase’s unrequited love and the bad boy of our collective dreams.  He had a few years where he pursued his music with 30 Seconds to Mars and we all forgot what a sexy babe he is.

But he’s been drinking the blood of innocents and that’s what you look like when you’ve made a pact with Beelzebub.  Some of his memorable looks today and yesterday.  Enjoy!

Jordan Catalano: “You could, have sex with me though…” {Angela laughs} “…if you really want to help.” {Angela gets up, laughing} “I guess that’s a ‘no’?”

Rockstar commitment: Not long ago, Jared had a pink Mohawk. Here he is performing in Wales with 30 Second to Mars circa 2010.

Real men wear buns, not of the ballerinka variety. Jared chez the Golden Globes

Dress it up or dress it down…it still look fiiiiine. Jared as beachbum Jesus rocker. Whoever is conditioning his hair right now, “BRAVO”

You’re welcome.