The Frock Doc

The Boden Amy Dress! :) 

Which colour for me?

Despite the rough arrival of my Boden package, the quality and the make of the garments is fabulous - even the dreaded Rayon dress (I had no idea what to expect of it) is super comfy! I slept -in it- on call on a couch, and had someone ask how I look so good all the time after it!

I went back to the Boden clearance rack and their dresses and made a few purchases. Their price point is relatively high, so I think I'll be on a shopping fast for the next little bit!

But I just wanted to post to show off my new (on their way) goodies and blame Angie in the nicest way possible for showing me this delightful new store! And dresses, with sleeves!!! :3

I was hoping that someone would be able to chime in to share their experiences with quality at Boden?

I love their designs and omg, dresses with sleeves that are long enough for work - totally qualities I'd spend a little bit more on, especially if I don't have to import from the UK.

I noticed a lot of their dresses are made with RAYON and my experience with rayon is $10 t-shirts from high school that pilled when you so much as sneezed on them. Is there some type of high end rayon that wears beautifully that I don't know about? :)

Also, in terms of Boden Preview items, how do I know the sizes of them? The regular store has measurements of the garment itself so I know how it will fit, but this seems to be absent for the new fall items? Do you know where I can find this info?

ETA - The Angie Influence: I bit and ordered a bunch of sale and clearance items from their fall line last year (because I don't like buying things that are regular price, ever... unless it's that dress in #1, because I want it!), and we'll see how they work out! :) Canucks have to order from the UK, so if I get nailed with a huge duty, I'll be out of the Boden game, but there's so many pretty things I love! 

For your preview pleasure... My four clearance selections (pictures 2 to 5); with details of #2/3 (pictures 6 to 8) and details of #5 (pictures 9 to 12)! Can't wait to post a K/R!

There's a new aggressive advertisement campaign in my city from a store that sells upscale ladies clothing that tells you on the radio that YOU CAN advance in your career and don't let people think that you have no ambition by what you wear!!!

They sell some name brands that I do recognize, but they have a very modern-chic-tailored approach to their clothing, and they are offering $2000 shopping credit for graduates that you pay back in increments.

I thought it'd be nuts for anyone to go into debt by buying clothes to "hope" to do better for themselves. I am not really sure what career types that they are appealing to, but I think under Angie's expert tutelage I've never been tempted to shop at price points that are beyond my means and I don't think my career has suffered because of it.

My staff mentor told me that I should consider shopping at a place like this because I could afford to do so. I guess I can, but I don't like that aesthetic. I like my fit and flare and that whole store is probably about as anti-fit-and-flare as anything. But they do have $800 rain jackets.

I have only received (ever) positive feedback about what I wear to work - except this suggestion from a male mentor to go to buy aspirational clothing. Should I interpret this as - "You can afford expensive, professional clothes now" or that I should wear $800 rain jackets and go on $2000 shopping sprees to communicate to my higher-ups that I am "serious" about my job? (Haha, slightly tongue in cheek here, I'd never financially compromise myself to buy clothes)

BONUS PICTURE OF A PUG. Because they are awesome.

Last year, I had purchased a beautiful cognac leather coat (seriously best purchase almost ever - thanks Danier) - and I had to put my Kate Spade bag  away (brownish roan red) because I thought that colours clashed. I still use the bag when I do not wear the leather coat, which isn't really that often - so my poor bag gets to stay in my closet.

Now that I'm looking to purchase another bag, the one that I like is cobalt blue. What do you ladies think of the combination of cobalt and cognac? 

It'd be silly of me to purchase another bag that doesn't go with my jacket! Thank you for your thoughts! :)

1. Kate Spade - Cobble Hill Little Minka (Atlantic Blue)
2. Alternative View
3. Kate Spade - Brighton Park Sloan 

Hi YLF!

Just popping in after a rather hazardous drive home (usually takes about 4 hrs and today it took more like 8 because of the road conditions) and just taking a break and enjoying everyone's company before I have to rush off to do something else ...

I gave a presentation at my conference, and although I didn't win, I did get a bunch of interesting questions afterwards about my topic! I think that the senior's staff recognition of the "Lyn brand" is more important than winning the big prize (which usually goes to senior residents anyway). One of the senior staff said it was too bad I didn't win - and I thought that was worth a lot more than actually winning, because he's a big shot and I admire his work a lot :) 

I was recognized (second time?) from YLF - so that was an interesting experience. I -was- wearing my glasses dress which I suppose is rather memorable. 

Also, someone asked if I was of First Nations heritage. They didn't seem to believe me very much when I said that I was Asian. :p

That being said, I still received an honorarium-like for my presentation and with the extra 40% off clearance at Danier, I ordered two jackets. The first (Willa textured leather and faux fur jacket) I will call "Jon Snow" - as well, it reminds me of something you'd wear on the Wall (where I don't want to go, thanks). I wear my brown one a lot, and sometimes it's just not quite warm enough, so I hope that this one will fill in those days where it's too warm to wear a parka. 

I also noticed that I need a jacket that is warm but I can go out for dinner comfortably with too - so I ordered #2 (Chelsea wool & quilted leather coat). The quilting reminds me of Natalie's quilted purse, but the cut of this jacket reminds me of one of my very elegant senior residents - so this jacket will be "Maryana" - the only concern I have is with the wool, so I will have to try. Sometimes wool makes me itchy.

And including shipping, I have hopefully invested my honorarium into something I love! I only went $1.59 over, I am sure I can afford that splurge ;)

I am very fond of this dress, but I can't figure out where I can wear it as is... I don't really want to invest in it unless I can find a reasonable amount of places I can wear it to. The colours are very neutral so I can pair it with a whole bunch of colours and footwear, so I'm not too worried about that.

• Work - I'd have to wear something under it - maybe a collared shirt, or a pussy-bow top; or a camisole underneath it. I can't flip it around because the back is also low cut. Or a cropped sweater overtop.

• Play - Is this too low cut to wear out on a date? To meet his folks?

So... there may be an occasion for me to wear a red dress coming up, as is the cultural norm. I don't really wear red in my closet and I've been subtly trying to sneak in a little bit more red to see what YLF would say about it. 

I think most of the comments have been relatively positive, but red really isn't a colour I wear. I think it washes me out.

I'd imagine that asian people have a range of skin tones, but there are a bunch that have my colouring - if we're supposed to wear red to happy occasions but it just doesn't look good on us, what are we supposed to do?

• Is there a shade of red out there for me?
• Is it that wrong in today's modern day and age to NOT keep to cultural norms?

Side Note: I had a "red dress" in my 2014 budget - I wanted to keep it under $100; but I found the Kate Spade Selita dress - and I have been stalking eBay for a long time for one, but at almost $670 CDN (http://www.neimanmarcus.com/en.....45280273/p), I didn't think I would be able to keep it under $100. Long story short - I found one for $45!!! IN MY SIZE. AHHHH! I am so excited for it to come! So pretty with tights and bare legs too. *drool*

I have an itching to go to my fabulous Danier outlet tomorrow and I was hoping to find a leather jacket that would work with various capsules - but most likely my travel and date night one - and will play nicely with dresses.

I would imagine that length would be a consideration; I think I would be looking at a waist-length one, because my skirt would just flare underneath it. 

• Any suggestions for jacket styling? A moto jacket? 
• Any suggestions for colour? Black is versatile but boring, no?

I tried to scour Pinterest for some ideas before bothering you nice ladies, but I couldn't really find an answer to my questions. 

Thanks in advance :)

PS: I realize that these are all black motos - I guess they are very popular for bloggers! :)

ETA: My mom is making fun of me - because this is exactly how she used to wear her leather jacket when she was my age! And midi-skirts were in! She had a pleather jacket, but really wanted a leather one - and my dad's first gift to her was a beautiful grey leather jacket with a short trench style (she still wears it and refuses to give it to me)!

Bah, being a grown up is no fun, is it? :P I took a look at my closet today, and there's just way too much stuff in there - a lot of it accumulated over the last two or three years (aka post YLF). With all the style experimentation that occurs when you want to explore and find your own new style, I suppose it is understandable. 

I find a lot of my purges are the "oh, but this is only $30!" type - and I get bitten with the sales bug a lot; so hopefully this budget (thank you, Mo for your inspiration) will help rein me in a little bit. I didn't think I could afford a nicer parka, but after getting frostbite this year x2 (very minor), the boy was like, I don't care, you need a better one! GRRRR. $700 later....

I think the other thing that helps is I don't feel like I have to "keep up" anymore at work - I have enough street cred built in right now that I'm not just one of the "faceless junior residents" - and I think I can afford to cruise and hone my personal style a little bit now, knowing that it is mostly work appropriate.

My style budget (#2) - I broke it down into different seasons. A lot of the things I need are replacements and repairs. My nude pumps were beyond repair x2 pairs; and now I really really am desperate for a replacement, but I am also pretty picky (you'll notice I want the Naturalizer Lennox ones) - and I also want a pair of pretty date night shoes. $2600 a year is definitely doable for me for enduring pieces - I probably spent about double this this year ... *ugh* I don't know how that happened.

I also want to have more "signature" pieces - the ones that when people see on other people, it becomes, "Oh, Lyn has that." - and I'm willing to invest in those things, as well as my versatile neutral (navy) which also happens to be boy's favourite colour.

New needs - a date night capsule. So far I just usually make do with things I wear to work, but I think I may want to expand on this. I don't think it will be fancy things (we usually go for burgers and pub fare, and we prefer to do that then really fancy things anyway), so it might mean t-shirts and jeans! But definitely a new part of my wardrobe, regardless!

Also - GOOD NEWS. MY KATE SPADE HAS ARRIVED. #3/4. I guess that call to customer service between crying/begging/yelling that my poor bag had been oversold ended up in a bag in the similar style but a different colour - I had initially ordered oxblood red, but they only had brown left (they would substitute, and is that okay?) - I guess it's okay (secretly overjoyed, I think this one will be more versatile!)