Hippie Casual

Before I say anything else - lets talk about how working at Forever 21 has changed multiple aspects of my life.  First, I never have any time to take outfit photos anymore because I am always inside working while it's light outside.  Second, there is a noticeable difference in my outfit deets in that most everything is now from Forever. Third, I am wearing pants a lot more often.  I have to bend down a lot and dresses aren't always conducive to that kind of movement.  I suspect when the weather turns cooler again I will be returning to dresses and tights even for work but for now I am kind of loving the casual chic look that only a good pant can offer.

Lastly, I have been buying and wearing a lot of basics lately.  Basics were always the one thing missing from my wardrobe though I am only realizing this in hindsight.  Most of my life my shopping has been done primarily at thrift stores and I never found myself being interested in basic pieces there.  It's always the different or exciting pieces I find myself buying. Even when I would walk into a regular retail establishment I would always be drawn to patterns and fun dresses or the different pieces.  I am able to see the utility in basics now, even though they are less exciting than an amazing floral dress they offer more remixing possibilities and allow me to wear my fun and exciting pieces in new ways. Plus, $2.80 tanks are kind of hard to resist.     

Yesterday was my first day off in about a week and, really, it will be my only day off for awhile now so I enjoyed the day with Dale.  We are in the midst of finally selling our house so things are completely chaotic on the home front.  We're moving into the new house really soon and while I am excited for all of the new decorating possibilities I am also so sad.  I still haven't thought too much about saying bye to this house.  I don't know how.  I told Dale that when we are rich one day we have to buy it back. 

outfit deets: shoes - crocs // jeans - Forever 21 // tank - Forever 21 // tee - Forever 21 // headband - Forever 21 // bangles - vintage/thrift // bracelets - Forever 21/Ardene/vintage

Lets put aside the fact that I have talked A LOT already in this post and talk about my actual outfit.  It's kind of a crazy cross between a boho/hippy look and a basic casual chic look.  I dig it though, I'll probably be repeating this outfit so don't judge me.

I hope to be posting again soon! I have missed all of you guys so much and feel like I have missed a lot. I want to know how you guys are! Let me know, drop me a line or send me a note.

Talk soon lovelies!

xo Robyn 

Summer Uniform

Hello lovelies! It has been awhile, hasn't it? I've been working like a dog since the store opened so I haven't had much time to post.  To tell you the truth, I think I needed the break from personal style blogging.  To take a step back and create my outfits without having how it will photograph in mind.  It's been nice but now I am ready to get back into it at least once or twice a week!

As you may have noticed The Wardrobe Challenge was a bit of a failure. Julia and I just really didn't have the time to carry on with it. I hate not finishing things but it just wasn't meant to be for right now so I am going to carry on as if I was normal. In the very least, it was a great learning experience. I now know the extent to which my closet needs to be paired down and tomorrow I am going to donate even more stuff and start packing for my big move in a month!

After ceasing the Wardrobe Challenge I started to take on a bit of a summer uniform on the days when I don't work.  This button up is a key component of said uniform as the get-up mainly consists of a simple dress with a little light button up tied round my waist.  It's cute and comfy and keeps me cool so I think that is all that matters for the summer. It's not the most fashion forward but when it is nearly 40 (104 fahrenheit) degrees out I can't be bothered. Also, these crocs flats have been a foot saver whilst working on the floor all day.  Now I'm down to minimal pain when before it was almost unbearable. 

My summer uniform also calls for untamed wild curly hair.  I am trying to let it grow out and not straightening it is allowing it to grow super fast! I want to have real long curly hair. 

outfit deets: dress - Forever 21 // button-up - H&M // shoes - crocs

Said summer uniform is great for lounging around the pool with a bathing suit underneath and then taking walks through the park with the boyfriend whilst sipping on Tim Hortons Strawberry Banana Smoothies.  Yum.  I wish summer could last forever.  

xo Robyn 

Day Nine: Breakfast at Tiffany's

Day Nine of the Wardrobe Challenge is upon us! How sweet it is.  PLUS - it's Friday.  *happy dance*  ALSO, two posts in one day! Eegads.  I really am playing catch- up here.  I have been waiting and waiting to wear this shirt since I got it right before the challenge started!  Finally, I wore it to work.  I took on the themed tee by painting my nails Tiffany blue and throwing on some similarly coloured bangles.

I love Breakfast at Tiffany's.  I wrote a research essay about the music in it last semester. I really loved every minute of listening to Moon River over and over! It's such a silly little movie on the surface but Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn, of course) is so wonderful in it and I found that she really has some meaningful and insightful lines. 

My favourite line comes up in a conversation between Holly and Paul:  

Holly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?
Paul: Sure.
Holly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name! 

Ooh how I know the reds! Holly is saying so much here, I could write a whole paper just on this quote! Alas, I will refrain!

outfit deets: shoes - c/o Big Buddha // jeans - American Eagle // tee - Forever 21 // bangles -vintage // bracelets - Forever 21

Have any of you lovelies seen Breakfast at Tiffany's? No? JEEZ! What are you doing with yourself? Go out and watch it right now. It's 50 years old this year - I think that makes it OK to go download it! Do  movies work that way? I don't think so.  In any case, it is most certainly a  must see. 

Happy Friday!!

xo Robyn 

p.s. did this post show up in your google reader/blogger dashboard? I have been having troubles with that lately and am unsure of what the problem is!

Day Eight: Camera Woes & Floral Shorts

Julia is right! The wardrobe challenge really is rushing by at an accelerated pace.  I hope you guys are still with us.  I know it's a lot to take in everyday but hopefully you guys are finding it interesting!

Do any of you gals take your outfit pictures with an SLR and a self-timer? I can't figure out how to get the focus working properly when I am not behind the camera and so my full outfit photos are not up to the kind of quality I would like! I'm still a noob with this whole SLR thing so any advice would be muchly appreciated!

outfit deets: shoes - c/o Big Buddha // tights - We Love Colors // jumper - Forever 21 // tee - H&M // jacket - Bicyclette

I actually loved this little outfit! I picked this jumper up at Forever 21 a little while ago because I was so in love with the shorts and cute little floral print.  Plus, I don't really have many jumpers - you can't see the top of it because I am wearing a tee over it but it's kind of a little floral pair of overalls.  So cute! It was a little chilly so I threw on the jacket and it was a great outfit for running around doing errands.  

I hope you guys are all doing well! Happy Weekend lovelies.

xo Robyn 

Day Seven: Maroon & Summer White

I love white for the summer and spring.  There is something so fresh and crisp about a clean white shirt.  That is, if you can keep it clean for the whole day.  I am not so great at keeping white things white for extended periods!  Although I did OK with this shirt when I wore it.  Right now Forever 21 is stocked full of cute white shirts and dresses and I have been lusting over so many of them.  Alas, I am still not allowed to buy anything for a few weeks.  Eek! This is a shirt I have had for many many moons.  My mom bought it for me a long time ago and I didn't like it at all when she first presented it to me.  Now I cannot get enough it with it's cute little ruffled collar.

This was my first go at using Dale's Nikon D90 to do solo outfit photos with the tripod.  It worked out OK but spent too long trying to get the effect I wanted to no avail.  I must practice a lot more with it! It is much more complicated than my regular ol' Canon SX110. 

I'm still playing catch-up with these blog posts for the wardrobe challenge! So far the challenge hasn't been about wearing something new everyday but rather about taking photos and making a blog post everyday. 

outfit deets: sandals - Payless // skirt - Forever 21 // top - Vintage // belt - vintage // bag - vintage

Talk tomorrow lovelies!

xo Robyn

Day 6: Blue Stripes & Green Grass

Hello all of you wonderful people! Sorry for slacking with blogging this weekend.  I had a bit of a crazy time of it.  Saturday night I went to see Jonathan Coulton with Dale and it was a fantastic concert.  The crowd was super geeky and awesome. If you haven't heard Jonathan Coulton I highly recommend you  listen to this song.  I think you'll probably be hooked after hearing it. I know I was.  We got Poutine at Poutini's after the show (om nom nom) and ran into Nat!

  As some of you may know, I have been in the process of preparing our house to move out of and sell for quite some time now.  We are getting into the home stretch so the rest of my weekend was spent working on cleaning and getting rid of A LOT of things.  I donated four garbage bags full of clothes.  FOUR.  I would really like to pare down my belongings because I really have too many things.  It has been OK up until now because I live in such a big old house but the kind of house we are looking to buy is definitely of the much smaller variety.  It is just so hard to let some things go, haha!

I went for a bit of a nautical look again today.  This seashell scarf is a favourite of mine.   I love pairing it with navy and stripes.  This look is a little out of place in the middle of a field, I know.  Let's just pretend that my boat got sucked into whatever exists in the Bermuda Triangle and shot me out into a lush field.  I then preceded to prance around and play with the dandelion seed heads.  Makes so much sense. 

outfit deets:  shoes - c/o Big Buddha // jeans - American Eagle // top - H&M  // scarf - thrifted vintage

I imagine Julia will be around soon with her Day Six outfit.  Talk very soon for now lovelies!

xo Robyn

Day Five!

Oi! So if you can't tell - today was not a good day for pictures, at all! I probably just shouldn't have told you and let you assume I meant for the pictures to look this way, but I really didn't.  There's at least one thing I hope for in the pictures I post to this blog and that is some semblance of uniformity in lighting and colour and texture but I am not getting that at all in these photos.

Alas, I had to make due because of the nature of this challenge! An outfit everyday.  This dress is probably too short, but I wore it anyway for bumming around the house and neighborhood.  The stripe/plaid combo worked out nicely and was a welcome change from the oft repeated stripe/floral combo.  

outfit deets: shoes - c/o Big Buddha // tights - c/o We Love Colors // dress - Urban Outfitters // sweater - Forever 21

Have you guys meet my little robot friend pictured below? It was love at first sight when I saw him at Forever 21 - he stuck out from all the other little robot necklaces they have there right now. With his little jewel heart and funny little stick arms and legs - too cute! 

Julia is currently having some camera troubles so I might have to put together a post of her day four, five and maybe six later.  For now though, at least you have me! hehe.

Talk soon lovelies!

xo Robyn 

Day Four: High-Waisted Short Shorts

Sorry this post is up late guys! These pictures are from yesterday but I worked late and I didn't have time to get the post up at a decent hour. Oh well, at least there will be two posts for you today! Wahoo. haha!

Outfit deets: shoes - c/o big buddha // tights - Silks // shorts - vintage // top - vintage // blouse // vintage // rings - H&M and Ardene // bracelets - thrift/Forever 21

I love these shorts! They are so ultra comfy and a great alternative to a skirt.  Forever 21 has so many short denim shorts right now so this is a great outfit to wear to work at the moment.  

Julia's pics will be up shortly so look forward to those as well as another post this evening.  Ahhh busy busy!

xo Robyn 

Day Three: Black Bloc & Bold Legs

Julia and I are totally eating off different fashion plates today.  While she's off figuratively protesting the G20 summit, I'm sailing a boat? Maybe? Anyway point is,  two very different outfits from us today. 

Julia's outfit deets: Jeans - Bluenotes // Tee - H&M // Hoodie - American Apparel //Jacket - F21 // Shoes - Converse/Chuck Taylor high-tops (bought at Planet Rock (I think that was the name of the store), Chicoutimi, QC) // Scarf - Ukrainian Versace knock-off // Hat - H&M 

Someone told me today that I looked really 'radical' (if you know me, you almost certainly know who this person was) today. This made me laugh and it's totally the inspiration for these pics. Day 3 is all about covering your face Black Bloc styles (second pic), then changing into civilian gear and carrying on your protest (first pic). On a fashion note, I really like these jeans, too. I'm usually not a fan of whiskering (that distressed detailing at the crotch/hips) but I think it looks cool on this pair. Plus, they were like 10 bucks and fit really well.
DISCLAIMER: I do not support wonton destruction of property, but the G20 did really suck.

-Julia Bee

My outfit deets: shoes - payless // pants - H&M (3 or so years ago) // top - H&M

I bought this top awhile ago and despite it's simplicity I had trouble actually styling it up.  I finally found the perfect match for this top in the pants and loved the way the look turned out (minus the wrinkles and the fact that I think I ought to finally hem them).  Either way it was a cute look for the day. 

See ya tomorrow lovelies!

xo Robyn 

Day Two: Lace & Lengths

outfit deets: shoes -Payless // skirt - thrifted vintage // top - Bicyclette // bracelet - vintage

Hey lovelies! Julia's Day Two outfit should be up sometime tonight or tomorrow but I thought for now I would just share mine. Two things I am coveting for spring and summer are lace and longer lengths! I love the way the midi lengths fall on me so I think I am partial to sporting midi rather than maxi but if I find the right maxi I might end up falling in love.

When I found this skirt while thrifting awhile back I was unsure of it at first but once I put it on I knew I had to have it. The texture is so unique and it fits me like a dream. After these 30 days it is most certainly going to get some use, especially into the Fall I think.

I started work at Forever 21 today and so far it seems like so much fun. As you all know, I am quite the fan of that place so working there seemed like the perfect fit. I am still going to keep Rhitbee Anne Vintage going into the summer but for now I am just going to settle into my new job and then start working on my shop!

Look forward to Julia's outfit coming up.

See ya guys tomorrow for day three!

xo Robyn

Wardrobe Challenge: Day One

Wardrobe Challenge Day One has arrived! If you missed it, I introduced the challenge in my last post. Today will most likely be the easiest of all the days because we can wear anything in our closets. From here on in, though, the challenge will start to present itself. For the next 30 days I will not be able to wear this dress or cardigan again and Julia will not get to wear those jeans or that tee again. However, we will be able to repeat shoes, accessories, jackets and hosiery. Here's to the start of a month where we won't have to do too much laundry. Wahoo!!

Rhitbee's Day One Outfit:

outfit deets: shoes - c/o Big Buddha // dress - F21 // cardigan - too old to remember // rings - H&M/thrifted // belt - vintage

I love this dress, it is going to be difficult to part with for the next month. The cardigan is a new old friend of mine. I found it in the depths of my closet last week and have been wearing it a lot since. Alas, it must sit on the side-lines for a bit so that my other cardigans can get a chance to see the world!

Dale's pool is open for the summer! Let's hope I can get just a teensy bit of a tan on my legs this year.

Julia-Bee's Day One Outfit:

outfit deets: Jeans - Levi's 2010 San Fransisco collection // T-shirt - Old Navy // Jacket - Bluenotes sample // Shoes - Vans (bought at Groovy) // Buttons: Quasi (bought at Up Records online), WonderWoman (gift from San Diego Comic Con 2007)

Julia called this outfit, "Ode to the Early 2000's Hipster". haha! I tend to agree. The outfit is a perfect long weekend casual outfit and I love the bright tee. Lets all congratulate Julia on doing a stellar job of taking her first solo outfit photos! Good job, lady.

Alright lovelies, look forward to Day Two tomorrow. I officially start work tomorrow so wish me luck!

xo Robyn

The Wardrobe Challenge

Hello lovelies! I have big news today so I am just going to jump right in. Do you guys ever find yourself staring at a closet full of clothes feeling like you have nothing to wear? I know I do. ALL of the time. A lot of the time that feeling is the one that sends me running to the thrift store, online shop, or mall in search of new things to wear. Truth is though, I have tonnes to wear - I have a whole (giant) closet full of clothes to wear and yet I regularly wear probably less than 40 percent of it.

With all of this in mind I naturally accepted when my friend Julia came to me with her wardrobe challenge idea. Her idea involves really testing the limits of our closets by trying to not repeat any single item of clothing for 30 days. Once an item is worn within that 30 days, I can't wear it again! This is going to be especially hard for me because I have some new favourite items that have been in real heavy rotation for the past weeks (ex. high-waisted jeans and floral blazer). However, it is going to allow those items in my wardrobe that haven't seen much daylight to get some much needed fresh air and more importantly it will to give me the opportunity to exercise my creativity and really get innovative with my outfits. For a whole month I will be unable to rely on go-to outfits or old stand-bys! No shopping for the 30 days either. We'll get more in to the official rules on day one, for now though I think I really ought to introduce my partner in crime and the brain behind this project - Meet Julia Bee! (Just so you know, her writing will always be in italics)

Hi Rhitbee Readers! As Robyn has written above, this is going to be a 30 day challenge and collaboration between two friends. Now, you’ve gotten to know Robyn pretty well over the past little while, but who am I and what are my connections to Robyn, this particular challenge, and even to fashion itself? Good questions, readers, good questions.

My name’s Julia and me and Robyn, we go way back. At this point, she’s my fam. I thought of this project recently while looking through my closet on a rather routine cleaning day. During my bout of sweater folding I had a passing thought: “Man, I have a lot of shit, I bet I could go a whole month without repeating a single article in here if I tried.” As I considered it in greater detail, I realized that there could be more to my passing thought. It could be used as a launching pad for a much bigger creative and political statement: “Let’s use our imaginations instead of our wallets to express ourselves through fashion!”

Julia's outfit deets: shoes - Nikes // jeans - UO // cardi/shirt - bluenotes

When this idea came to mind, so did Robyn as the person to visually explore it with. Besides the obvious factor of her already having an established fashion blog, she also has a different personal style than I do and would interpret the challenge in a totally interesting and unique way. Lastly, she’s just super fun to talk clothes with! If I had to sum up our styles, I would say Robyn’s is about flowers, lace and those pointy oxfords she always wears, where as I’m for loud colours, raw denim and sneakers. It’s going to be an interesting month.

Anyways, that’s my spiel, but I hope you guys will stick around to see where this project takes us and maybe even participate in it yourselves. I’m stoked for this challenge, and look forward to seeing what outfits Robyn and I come up with! Hope you like it and happy blogging!

- Julia Bee

Awesome! Thanks Julia. Alright so now that you have met Julia we can get this thing going. Day 1 starts this Monday May 23rd. Both Julia and I's outfits are going to be featured here every day for the next 30 days if it all goes according to plan. If any of you guys want to join in, let me know, that would be so awesome! Basic rules are: no repeating items of clothing within the 30 days and no shopping. I am a huge fan of remixing and Kendi Everyday's 30 for 30 and so this is going to follow the same format a little bit but just with totally different rules. No remixing and no repeating! It's going to be hard, I know - but I'm pretty sure we can do it!

My outfit deets: shoes - c/o Big Buddha // skirt - H&M // shirt - vintage // sweater - H&M

It was fun to take outfit pictures with Julia today. I'm used to standing in front of the camera by my lonesome most of the time. Expect us to take our outfit photos together at least once a week for the next 30 days. I'm looking forward to it!

Alright loves, thanks so much for reading through this lengthy post. There was a lot to be said.

I hope you will follow along or maybe even join in. I am so excited!!

Talk soon and see you guys on Monday for day 1!

xo Robyn