favorite ensembles of 2011.

Happy Almost New Years everyone! I thought I would do a few year-in-review posts filled with my some of my faves. So in honor of 2011 almost being over, here are 11 of my favorite ensembles. Let's go back in time:

Winter

This winter has been full of velvet, lace, loafers and tote bags. Some highlights have included: winning Swedish Hasbeens Unisex contest, Jb & I exploring the creepiest hotel ever, and finding the best secret photo spot. My bangs are almost grown out (finally!) and I've enjoyed working at the lovely Old Faithful Shop over the holidays.

Autumn

During autumn I rediscovered my love for pants (mostly due to the fact that I was riding my new bike a whole lot); also silky blouses, oxfords and nerdy glasses. I began another crazy yet rewarding semester of school and I also started to wear my hair in its natural curly state a lot more (mostly out of sheer laziness/loss of free time).

Summer

 Summer might be my favorite time of the year, fashion-wise. Although I love dressing up and layering, I feel most comfortable in simple and casual vintage ensembles. This past summer I pretty much lived in high-waisted jean shorts, straw hats and slouchy backpacks. Highlights included: our trip to Montreal and getting a new tattoo in honor of my Granny.

Spring

Spring was a time of comfy midi skirts and awkward bangs. I found it challenging to dress for the chilly Vancouver weather, but midi skirts and tights helped a lot. Spring was a difficult time for me as I lost my lovely Granny in April, but I found it very healing to look through old photos and channel her classic vintage style (the above dress was one of hers!).

Hope you've enjoyed this past year of LHV! It has truly been a beautiful one. I've loved meeting new readers and bloggers, as well as growing as a blogger myself. I'm so excited for what 2012 has in store!

More 2011 review posts to come...

xoxo.

over the holidays...

This was Jb and my first Christmas spent together - usually he goes back home to Ontario for the holidays. I'm so thankful for our time together... can you tell by my huge grins in these pictures?? ^_^ These outfit pictures go out to my buddy Amanda, who shares my love for turtlenecks. Ya! Turtle that neck!

Hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season... For New Years I'm thinking of compiling a few "review" posts of the past year. Any requests?

skirt: vintage & thrifted
turtleneck: vintage & thrifted
shoes: vintage from Rebel Rebel in Victoria
knitted headband: Hendrik Lou from Nouvelle Nouvelle
scarf: American Apparel
mittens: knitted by my Momma
coat: vintage & thrifted

Happy Holidays everyone!

xoxo.

the empress hotel.

Old hotels are some of the most hauntingly beautiful buildings. As Jb and I wandered the hallways of Victoria's Empress Hotel we pondered the question: how can a place that holds so much seem so empty?

crushed velvet dress: vintage from Heart's Content Vintage in Victoria, B.C.
oxfords: vintage from Front & Co.
hat: vintage from Hunter Gatherer in Victoria, B.C.
coat: vintage
locket: vintage from Sally Ann

xoxo.

guest posting at a fine day for sailing!

Hey everyone!

Today I'm guest posting over at Islabell at A Fine Day for Sailing while she's away, so feel free to check out the post for christmas-y goodness, outfit details and lots of gushing about velvet dresses. Yipee!

Also I recommend browsing through Islabell's recent posts, she is definitely one of my favorite bloggers as of late! Always such a fantastic mixture of casual charm, boyish pieces and cute vintage dresses - I get a lot of inspiration from her.

Hope your holidays are going swell!

xoxo.

yuletide light.

The other night Jb and I decided we wanted to capture the creepiness and the magic of Christmas lights. There are a lot of houses in our neighbourhood that are decked out and every time I walk by them at night I feel this deep sense of excitement lingering from my childhood. Like the glow of Christmas lights might just make something unexpected happen. Waking up early and walking into a room lit my Christmas lights gives me that same magical, nervous anticipation.

Do you have any touchstones of holiday inspiration?

xoxo.

peach lace.

Hey there every-buddy!

Here is a dress I've been excited to show you all. I found it over a year ago in a discount bin at one of my favorite local vintage shops, Burcu's Angels. The material just jumped out at me: it's a very thick and sturdy peach lace. How amazing is that? But the dress needed a lot of work - the neckline was very unflattering (a high circular disaster that made my chest look unflatteringly huge) and the hemline was also pretty awkward. That was probably what landed it in the discount bin to begin with. But with a lower price I could justify doing a bunch of work on it. I took it to my local seamstress and she adjusted the hem and necklines... only she made the neckline too wide! Unless I wanted to show off some serious bra-strap, the dress was unwearable. I was pretty bummed. BUT... the other day I tried my hand at adjusting the neckline and covering the fold with some old leather buttons I had collected on my travels in South Africa. Voila!

These shoes have also been lifesavers on numerous occasions. I definitely recommend that every vintage-lover has at least one pair of comfortable, black t-strap heels. These little buddies are actually dancer's shoes so they're extra comfy - and the strap has a snap button so it's super easy to remove! That'll be handy when I get older and arthritic... hope these beauties last that long. ^_^

dress: Burcu's Angels on 16th & Main
t-strap heels: Annex Vintage
purse: vintage, thrifted
fleece-lined stockings: Vincent Park on Main (such a useful winter purchase!)
velvet bow: dollar store

Do you have some reliable vintage staples in your wardrobe? Or items that you've cherished for years?

xoxo.