Easter Weekend, and kicking off the sunblock season!

I know I haven't been posting here regularly!  I've just finished my exams and then was very busy with Easter.  Between Good Friday and today, I've spent about 6 hours in Church.  I am a firm Roman Catholic, and I do like Mass and find it inspiring and comforting in a lot of ways, but I must say after this weekend I'm all churched out.

So I guess it's sort of good (I feel bad for saying this) that on Tuesday I'll be heading to China, where there are just no Catholic churches and attendance is not an option.  Why am I going there?  My brother lives there with his wife and their beee-eautiful baby girl, Rachel.  I'm so excited to see them all!  I'll try to keep up my posting while I'm there, but I'm afraid my outfits won't normally be very much fun, my brother disapproves of "flashy" dressing and since I don't get to see him all the time I try to avoid fights.

Anyway, the point of this is to show my Easter outfits!  The first one here is from last night's Easter Vigil Mass, and I also wore it to cast my ballot for the Canadian election:

 This dress is Isaac Mizrahi for Target, so already a bargain, but I went two better and found it in a thift shop, AND on 50% off day.  So it was about $5.  Win!  Also: it's the start of sunblock season!  I use a moisturizer with sunblock year-round, but in the summer I go a little crazy.  Tanning is not only unhealthy, but for me it's just plain impossible.  I burn like crazy!  Good thing I've learned to embrace my paleness.

And on Easter Sunday itself, I thought I'd go a bit brighter and busted out the first of my sundresses.  Needed a cardigan for Mass, of course, but I'm so excited that it's finally warm enough to even consider getting out the thin cotton things.

 Maybe the outfit could have used a belt...I'm not sure what colour though.  Black or brown might be too harsh against the girly floral.

Shoeper Shoe Challenge #13!  I've actually worn these before, also to Sunday Mass, but this is the first time they lasted the whole day as part of the outfit.  Somehow I never wear these anywhere except Church, maybe it's because they're so ladylike?

Shoe Challenge #12

It's a warm day so I'm wearing lace!  I'm pleased that it's "in fashion" this season. I don't typically follow fashion trends, other than the most macro-level ones (shape of jeans, skirt lengths, etc) but I am generally pleased to note that something I would wear anyway is also fashionable at the moment.

As you may recall I've been having a bit of a crisis because taking photos of my outfits has alerted me to the fact that most of my skirts are shorter than I was really aware of.  This one I found in the kids' section of a thrift store (cheaper than cheap!).  It fits fine at the waist although it's a slight struggle to pull it over my hips, and it does count as a miniskirt on me.  I think the length is balanced out by wearing it with flats: I'll save my heels for longer skirts or pants.

I'm afraid my life is very boring at the moment.  This outfit is only for studying and a casual dinner out with several friends later on.  I promise, it gets more exciting!  In fact, I have a hard time studying because in two weeks exactly I'm going to China to see my brother, sister-in-law, and niece for three weeks, after that to New Jersey to visit my relatives, and then to France for my summer course!  How can I focus on American politics with such a wonderful line-up ahead of me?

I know I've already posted about the happy face nails, but they're really winning nails as far as I'm concerned!

These are some winning nails

I don't think I'm the first person to do this, but:

I definitely needed some exam-time cheering up!  Yellow nail polish and a black permanent marker!  The left hand drawing can be a bit tricky but I don't think I did a terrible job and really the little things always make me happy.  :D  For anyone else in the middle of exams, my sympathies!  Good luck, virtual friends!

Political rally, and Shoeper Challenge #11

I know it's Frocking Friday and I'm in a skirt, but a) it's my newest thrift store acquisition (along with a black skirt and a white lace skirt, both of which I adore, ahem) and b) I was going to an occasion that a dress seemed OTT for.

Now it's not my intention to make this a political blog but if I'm going to show you the day's outfit and events, it's already clear that I'm putting my support behind the current Conservative Prime Minister, Mr. Stephen Harper, for our coming federal election.  Today I attended a rally with my dad and my friend John in my area and even got a photo with Prime Minister Harper! I will post it when John sends it to me.  The event was very exciting, especially to see so many TV personalities present.  I always encourage people my age to get engaged in politics, whichever party or candidate they choose to support, even if it's no more than reading a newspaper and casting a ballot.  So many young people (and older people too, for that matter) are disillusioned with politicians but my view is that it's always better to participate and potentially have some control over the game than to just give up altogether.

 The blue badge shows my support for the Conservative candidate in my constituency.

These are Shoes #11, something like a combination between Oxfords and Mary Janes?  I wore them to death in Mexico before Christmas, so much that as soon as I got home I bought a second pair for later!  They already show how much I love them, so good thing about it too, and for something like $17, I won't complain.  They are super comfortable, versatile and match-with-anything, and yet interesting.  I love them!

Faking it

So you might as well know, I'm not a "real" style blogger.  I'm just a student and fashion fan, who's only pretending.  A wannabe, really.

You know how I know?

I spent so long struggling with my $100 camera to get a good photo in a spot in the house I hadn't already used - because I don't want to bore my readers and it's cold and raining outside!  I don't have the proper equipment either, just a tiny handheld camera from 2007.

A real style blogger would have a tripod, a remote control, and a whole list of possible photograph spots.  She would not be searching the house for places that are well-lit and have a convenient spot to balance the camera for the 10-second timer.  Plus, a real style blogger would brave the cold and rain - her photos would not make her look like she's freezing, and her hair would magically not get wet and frizzy.

The pictures would all be of pristine quality.

A real style blogger would never have resorted to Photobooth on her Mac, with a background of the kitchen sink and various dishes.

The secret's out.  Hopefully you'll stick around anyway?