One Poncho, Three Ways

I've secretly wanted a poncho for a long time and recently one just happened to find it's way to me. Turns out ponchos are quite the versatile piece of clothing. Not only do they double as a blanket on a long flight but I played around with it and you can wear it different ways for completely different looks.

You can belt it and bunch it to wear it almost as a sweater. Pair this version with jeans and ankle booties for a casual look.

Of course, there is the traditional poncho, worn loose with the longer sides in center front and back. This was how I wore it on the plane. Pair with leggings and warm boots for the comfiest outfit that is not pajamas.

poncho {sample sale} - dark denim skinnies {Flying Monkey via Century 21} - black booties {Topshop} - brown belt {Jacob} - 

black leggings {Aritzia} - knitted boots {Winners} - black dress {Jacob} - nude pumps {Madden Girl via DSW}

Lastly, I wanted to dress it up a bit so I wore it over a black dress with nude pumps. I turned the poncho so the longest points were at my sides and used a skinny belt to add a bit of waist definition.

Did anyone else notice the background transition in these three photos? The first one was taken yesterday when Calgary had basically no snow and green grass. Overnight turned the city into a Winter wonderland, as seen in photo number two. And with the snow not letting up all day (and still no sign of that happening), I chickened out and took the third photo inside.

j.

Snow Suit Sunday

Happy Weekend Friends! I hope you had a great one. Weekends are somewhat insignificant to me right now. What with being unemployed and all. Everyday is my weekend. Please don't hate because that's all going to change in the new year. I wish I could tell you all the amazing things I did this weekend. Like, witnessing a train being derailed, surfing on the Hawaiian coast and busting an international drug ring. But that would be confusing all the television and movies I've been watching with reality lying.

grey down parka {Jacob} - black denim skinnies {Old Navy} - black winter boots {Locale}

One thing I actually did this weekend was go shopping (shocking, I know). I've gone a little lot soft living on the West Coast for the past 8 years. So I freeze at any temperature lower than 5 degrees celsius. It's sad, really. I'm a bit embarrassed to call myself Canadian. Anyways, disturbing as this next sentence may be, it is the truth. Out of the 40+ shoes and 20+ jackets I currently own, none of them sufficed in this substance people are calling snow. Rumor has it, this substance can survive in New York too. Gross, right? That's what I thought. Needless to say, a shopping excursion was a must. I am now the proud owner of a down parka with a faux fur hood and water-proof, fleece-lined winter boots (that I don't slip in). Hooray! I also love me a good deal. And this jacket was a down-right steal! Originally priced at $290. Mine for $120. Jacob was having a 40% off sale. Then I noticed a little red damaged tag on this gem that read: "20% off, frayed". I inspected the jacket. Front and back, inside and out. You know the bungee cord on the inside that makes the waist cinch in? The end of one of the cords was frayed a wee bit. Bungee still works though. Easy fix. I confirmed with a sales associate that the 20% damage discount would be combined with the 40% discount. My heart started to sing. As of that wasn't good enough, at the register I was given a coupon that was scanned for the chance of winning an instant prize. Guess what? Another $25 off! My heart started doing the rumba right there in my chest.

I call this get-up the fashionable adult version of a snow suit. Remember snow suits? I do. Unfortunately. Growing up in Calgary and having a brother who ski raced, we spent most winter weekends in the mountains. I inherited most of my snow suits from my older cousin. At the time, I thought they were the bee's knees. I should have know better, considering the two suits I recall most vividly prompted my brother to come up with the following two nicknames for me: Banana on Skis and Pepto-Bismol.

Not the most creative nicknames, mind you, but they were certainly descriptive. I'll the leave the mental images to your own imagination.

Do you remember your snow suits from when you were a kid?

j.