From Day to Night with J

I'm sitting here burning my favourite Dusk candle of the moment (Kenitra, for, you know, posterity's sake), recovering from my whirlwind trip to the city, where I was visiting my very lovely boyfriend, R. I just had to start out this post with a picture of the too-cute-for-words tiramisu puppy dog cake I bought for R's best friend and roommate (W), in order to celebrate his birthday. W has a more than mild obsession with all cute creatures (except cats; he fucking hates cats), so it was more than fitting. It was $25 from Breadtop (and probably the most amazing thing I ate all week). We FaceTime'd W's mother in Dubai just to show her how utterly adorable his birthday cake was.

I wanted to talk quickly about the amazing day I spent with one of my closest friends in the world, J, on Wednesday (and, importantly, how I put together an outfit to take me from day to night). J recently returned from backpacking around Europe and we hadn't had enough time to catch up the last time I was in town, so we made plans to meet for coffee and catch ups on Queen Street, near J's workplace. 

When J and I make plans to meet, we both subconciously clear out our entire schedule for the rest of the day. So, coffee turned into shopping (though miraculously, I didn't buy a single thing). Shopping turned into a trek through the food markets outside the casino, but it was so hot that soon enough we found ourselves heading inside the casino and seeking out Blackjack's Buffet, about which I have heard rave reviews. 

J is a serious foodie - about which I will never complain - and inevitably admitted that she didn't want to pay upwards of thirty dollars for a buffet meal, no matter how good. (Honestly, neither did I - especially not a buffet meal that didn't come with a complementary cocktail.) Instead, we headed to Sushi Sushi, an alleyway sushi bar, for a quick bite and to meet up with our friend Z while we planned our travels to Asia in November. (More on that later!)

Z wanted to visit the menswear department at David Jones, which we did, not realising that shopping with Z is pretty much the most horrifying experience a person can undertake, ever. I have never seen someone deliberate over two identical pairs of navy chino pants for so long. 

After inflicting that pain on ourselves, J and I were sorely in need of alcohol, so we headed to Bavarian Bier Cafe for a half-liter each, and then to our favourite basement bar (Dragonfly) to share all-you-can-eat dim sum - for the bargain price of $18.95 - and a fishbowl. Before we knew it, we were in danger of missing a late night catch up at Freestyle with Z et al and booking it across town on an express bus. Thankfully Z cancelled, leaving J and I free to catch Zed's Dead at Bowler Bar, my new favourite nighttime destination after Press Club. (Conviently, they're both on the same street.) 

Number of hours J and I spent with each other after planning a one hour coffee catch up: 12

I think everyone has a friend like J. In fact, I know I have several. That's why, when I dress for a meeting with J, I dress knowing that my outfit will have to take me from day to night. Here's how I achieved the perfect day-to-night outfit on Wednesday: 

I took a simple black singlet dress (from Supre) and threw a sheer jacket over the top (which is from Millers, and was stolen from my mother's closet!). Then I accessorized with my favourite tan handbag and statement necklace (from Portmans) and my new nude boots from Wittner, which are absolutely perfect for summer and an essential accessory for taking an outfit from day to night. What I love even more about this outfit is that you need only throw on a pair of tights and it can take you from warm weather to cold. 

Now that I'm travelling more I'm starting to realize how important it is to have versatile pieces in your wardrobe and to value the importance of dressing to suit all occasions instead of one specific occasion. I've also started to look more at the pieces I constantly reach for in my wardrobe; this is sure to help with Resolution #3. (Detox and streamline my wardrobe.) 

xo, CK