153/ WHAT I WORE TO THE OTTAWA VINTAGE SHOW

I attended the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show last weekend with my best friend, Laura, and our good friend, Michael. Unfortunately I didn't come home with any goodies this time around, but we still had blast!

It took me forever to get dressed that day. I'm usually the kind of person to throw something on in a hurry so if you give me a little bit of wiggle room to try to put thought into an outfit, it's going to take a life time.

142/ WISH YOU WERE HERE

I'm writing out this post on a balcony in central Florida. 

Laura, Lisa and I have been planning this getaway for what seems like forever now and I'm thrilled that we finally made it. We're here for two weeks and I'm sorry if you follow any of us on social media because we're going to be extremely annoying. There was a point where it really seemed like this trip wasn't going to happen, but we're here. I still can't believe that we're here. 

We want to make every second count.

My mobility is nowhere near 100% - I had an accident where I severely sprained both of my ankles about two weeks ago - but my worries are floating away. I'm unable to do a lot of the activities that I had originally planned on doing, and that does break my heart a little, but being constantly surrounded by palm trees helps to lift my spirits.

My summer wardrobe is out in full force here. I've been rocking crop tops, cropped pants, dresses and even a bikini. I'm infamous for staying indoors all. the. time. but I've been loving spending time in the pool and hot tub. I'm even sporting a bit of a sun tan! 

I'm excited to see what the rest of our trip has in store for us. I'll keep you all posted over on my social media (I'm pretty much @rosiexwaugh everywhere) and be sure to keep your eyes out for some more vacation outfits over here on the blog!! #shamelesselfpromotion

TOP/ Forever 21+ PANTS/ H&M+ HANDBAG/ Milly

 Photos by Laura Kidd

131/ GREEN CHRISTMAS

This is a look that I've been wearing a lot lately. It has been unseasonably warm where I live; although it is a bit off putting (and a bit frightening... cough global warming) I have been taking advantage of the mild temperatures because I know in my heart that winter is coming.

Believe it or not, these pictures were taken on Christmas Day, the first green Christmas I have ever experienced. This holiday season was a bit strange for me in a bunch of different ways but all-in-all it has been great. I'm truly #blessed for everyone and everything in my life.

My brother, who lives out west, came home for a few days so we went on a handful of adventures together. Pretty much everything in Ottawa is closed on Christmas Day so we just grabbed brunch at one of the only diners open downtown and he took a few pictures of some Ottawa landmarks to remind him of home.

It was warm enough to head outside in a light jacket so I threw on my coated denim moto jacket from Eileen Fisher. I almost passed on this piece when I first saw it in store but I'm glad that I finally decided to buy it. Eileen Fisher is one of my all time favourite brands but the price point is out of reach for me at this stage in my life, so I try to lookout for the brand in different consignment shops around the city. This jacket feels so luxe when I wear it and it instantly makes me feel like a rockstar - two things that I definitely look for in a piece of clothing.

There was still a bit of a chill in the air so I threw on a blanket scarf. It has been extremely rare to see me without a blanket scarf lately, and although I've built up a bit of a collection for myself recently, the one pictured below is my absolute favourite. I bought it on a whim from H&M and I haven't been able to take it off since.

If you know me, you know how lazy I am when it comes to dressing. For the rest of the outfit I threw on a shapeless high-low dress that I found on the clearance rack of H&M for $10 and the ASOS Curve shiny leggings that I wear just about every day.

I could write an entire blog post on the boots that I'm wearing - I was eyeing the black ones in this style at H&M for ages but I couldn't justify the $60 price point. They eventually went down to $25 - but they only had my size in the burgundy. I bought them, I haven't taken them off since, and the rest is history.

JACKET/ Eileen Fisher DRESS/ H&M+ LEGGINGS/ ASOS Curve

SCARF/ H&M BAG/ Madewell et Sezane BOOTS/ H&M WATCH/ Michael Kors

Photos by Derek Waugh

ELEVEN/ mccqueen skull scarf

I'm currently suffering from the worst case of writers block I've had in years, so please bear with me. In this post I'm wearing mostly clothing from mall stores; a bit of Old Navy here, Addition Elle there and Tom shoes. It all seems very bland and generic, even the pictures are void of any colour. I think all of these boring elements help draw attention to what really matters in this post - my Alexander McQueen skull scarf.
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With my skull scarf being just about one of the only designer items I own, I'm very afraid to wear it around. If you've ever felt one, you'd know that it feels like nothing - it's so light and airy. It's so delicate. I have been lusting over them for years now and now that I finally own one I'm not letting anything happen to it. It's like my child, seriously. I can't afford to replace it anyway. If you know me in real life or follow me on Tumblr, you'd know just how much I love skulls. If it has a skull on it, I need to have it. I also adore Alexander McQueen. I live for his gothic style, hauntingly beautiful pieces, and his runways were like nothing I've ever seen before. It just makes sense that I needed this scarf in my life. The scarves became sort of an obsession with me. I told my mother about it, and I would talk to her about them every single day.
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When opening presents on Christmas of 2011 she wrapped a fake skull patterned scarf in a box for me as a joke. I looked at it, laughed and put it on the ground on top of the box and then I noticed something else in the box. My heart nearly stopped as I reached over to investigate and I, no word of a lie, almost passed out. There it was: my very own Alexander McQueen skull scarf. It was one of the biggest/best surprises of my entire life.
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 I'll be the first to admit, I'm very spoiled. But I'm also very thankful. 

JACKET/ Old Navy SCARF/ Alexander McQueen JEANS/ Old Navy

SHIRT/ Addition Elle SHOES/ Toms
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All pictures were taken by Jessie Larabie, Michael Tundo and Laura and Lisa Kidd.

NINE/ size doesn't count

If you love the way you look in something, rock it no matter what. Some of the best shopping advice I have ever received was to try everything on, no matter the size on the label says. Every style and every cut of clothing is made differently so it's very likely a size 12 women's top is not the same fit as a size 12 women's top at the next store over. A lot has to do with different materials used as well. For example, a jersey fabric will be a lot more forgiving than a structured blouse. This advice is best used in a secondhand shop because all of the brands are different and usually from different eras, so sizing will rarely be consistent. You should really look in every size area and try everything on that catches your eye. I'm not saying wear clothes that are extremely tight and ill-fitting - what I'm saying is don't limit yourself to a certain size, every article fits differently.

The top and the jacket I'm wearing in this post are borrowed from two different friends of mine. Neither of my friends are anywhere close to being my size but I took the pieces and I wore them how I felt comfortable. The size on the tag of the dress is either a 10 or a 12, which I'm definitely not, and it's actually meant to be worn as a dress but I love the way it fits me. It's just long enough on me that I can wear it with leggings and it fits perfectly around my stomach and chest. The leather jacket is a men's medium and doesn't actually zip up, but I feel like a rockstar when I wear it and it fits well when it is unzipped.

DRESS/ H&M* SHOES/ Spring* LEGGINGS/ Giant Tiger ACCESSORIES/ Various places 

PURSE/ H&M COAT/ Thrifted* WATCH/ Michael Kors

* - Borrowed

All pictures were taken by Michael Tundo and Laura Kidd.

EIGHT/ denim cutoffs

I am one of the luckiest people alive.
I'm constantly surrounded by such amazing and inspiring people, I don't even know where to start... My friends and family have been so supportive and helpful when it comes to this blog. Many of them have taken pictures, showed their own families and friends, driven me to different locations to shoot and even helped style some of these outfits. I could not be more grateful for everything these people are doing for me and I'm overwhelmed by the response I'm getting about this blog. All of the likes, replies, comments, reblogs, follows, tweets and asks... it's all so amazing. So I would like to thank you all for everything, truly.
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On Monday my friends and I decided to just dick around this vast open area in South Keys. Although it is still extremely cold in Ottawa, Monday was like a preview into what summer would be like for me. It was just so careless and limitless. That area, Conroy Pit, is of course where we took the outfit pictures as well.
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I feel as though the outfit in this post is something I will be wearing a lot of this summer as well. I have to admit: I am in love with cut offs. I only have two pairs at the moment, but they are probably my two favourite pieces of clothing I own. They're just so effortless and look amazing paired with tights. I also love the complete control you have while making them. I feel as though shorts, especially for bigger ladies, are either way too long or incredibly short. When you make your own, you can decide the length and you can also add your own one of a kind touches like studs or lace. This crop top is a great lightweight material and is a great way to keep cool during the summer heat.

SHORTS/ F21 (diy cut offs) TOP/ Addition Elle WATCH/ Michael Kors TIGHTS/ Addition Elle

NECKLACE/ Borrowed from Lisa BOOTS/ Dr. Martens (thrifted)

All pictures were taken by Michael Tundo.

SEVEN/ orange scarf

This week has been so amazing, I really don't know how to describe it.
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For starters, I've been working a lot — meaning I'm making more money for summer festivals, trips and of course a summer wardrobe. I also took a day trip last Friday down to Montreal with my best friend to see one of our favourite bands, Death Cab For Cutie. We saw them perform in Montreal last August but this time left me breathless. They performed in a large ornate Catholic church, probably the oldest church I've ever been to. I felt a little uncomfortable being in a church, seeing as I'm not the least bit religious but I suddenly felt at home when they began to play. Their performance was flawless and they were even backed by an orchestra. The day after was record store day and unfortunately I had to work but that didn't stop me from getting a record. My amazing friends found me Alexisonfire's (my favourite band) RSD release - it's a record with the first three songs they've ever recorded, with a written letter from my favourite member. They only produced a thousand copies and I now own one. I am beyond happy with how this week is going and I hope this luck continues throughout the summer. 
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As for my look, I'm wearing my black jeggings from American Eagle. I love how stretchy these "jeans" are and how the hit me right at the ankle, but they do not stay up! I have to wear a belt with them... so I really don't wear them all too often. The weather here has been crazy lately and even though it's the end of April, Ottawa woke up to a fresh blanket of snow this morning. I had to haul out my winter coat from storage! I really don't mind though, this just means I can keep wearing my Dr. Martens for a couple of more weeks and I can slack off on buying summer clothing just a littttttle bit longer.

JEGGINGS/ American Eagle TOP/ Old Navy SCARF/ Rikochet Resale BOOTS/ Dr. Martens (thrifted) 

PURSE/ H&M COAT/ Addition Elle

All pictures were taken by Laura Kidd.

SIX/ allblackeverything

Everybody has a go-to outfit. It's that look you throw together when you just can't find something flattering or interesting enough to wear, and it's made up of your absolute favourite pieces. It's that outfit that you know will always look good. 

This is mine.

I am completely obsessed with this black dress. I bought this dress years ago from mark. by Avon. I love how effortless it is! It has a stretchy material to it and the lace adds a bit of a romantic touch. My favourite part is that you can totally dress it up or down. In this look I decided to dress it up a bit by adding a fascinator, a watch and a blazer to the look. These are the shoes that I wear most of the time; they're in awful condition and weren't necessarily that nice looking to begin with but they're SO comfortable. My feet are very cut up right now from breaking in a couple pairs of new shoes and these are the only shoes I can legitimately walk in right now.

The blazer is also one of my favourite pieces. Although it is originally from Walmart, I spruced it up a bit by adding a bronze button that I found off another jacket from Value Village. The button itself is an amazing find, I love the little Union Jack on it!

And of course, no look is complete without lipstick. I feel naked without it!

This is definitely a look that I wear more than I should. What does your go-to look consist of?

DRESS/ mark. WATCH/ DKNY BLAZER/ Walmart (I changed the button) LEGGINGS/ American Apparel ACCESSORIES/ F21 + gifted FASCINATOR/ Gifted CLUTCH/ My mom's closet SHOES/ Gifted

All pictures were taken by Laura and Lisa Kidd.

FIVE/ introducing my docs

Yesterday I spent the morning running around the ByWard Market with Talin. It was really neat to experience the shops, crowds, vendors and everything in the daylight. For those of you that don't know, the ByWard Market is a place in Ottawa with a ton of street vendors selling everything from maple syrup to clothing, and it is filled with cute shops and restaurants as well. It also has a ton of bars and clubs so it really does come alive in the nighttime as well. 

Seeing as I was born and raised here, I never really take the time to look around there. I know which stores I need to go to (or which bar), I get what I need and I get out. It's really a shame because it's such a beautiful area. I truly felt like a tourist yesterday walking around with my camera and experiencing some cute shops and cafes for the very first time.

Okay, now on to my outfit! I have been lusting over Dr. Martens for YEARS now. I'm really not sure why I didn't go to the store and just buy them... I've always just waited. One of my best friends owns a pair and I used to borrow them every chance I got because they're just the most comfortable boot imaginable. Well I finally got them. For fifteen dollars, none the less. One of my friends was shopping at Value Village when he spotted them in my size. When he told me I just about had a heart attack. He snatched them up for me and I could not be happier. I finally have a pair of docs to call my own. Don't I have the greatest friends?

This shirt is probably one of my favourites too. I ordered it online from F21+ and it fits like a dream. The rust colour is just so perfect and I love the rhinestones. I've worn it countless amounts of times now and it is still in perfect shape, which is kind of weird for F21 - especially with a material so sheer and delicate like this one. I love the way it dips in the back too because I wear a lot of leggings and I don't have to worry about my bum showing. 

SHIRT/ F21 SKIRT/ Thrifted BAG/ Winners (not sure which brand) ACCESSORIES/ Talin Design BOOTS/ Dr. Martens (thrifted) COAT/ Old Navy SCARF/ American Apparel

 

All photos were taken by Talin Hagopian Waugh of Talin Design.

THREE/ yellow coat

The header of my blog says "Secondhand Rose" and in my first post I stated that all I wear is allblackeverything. My posts must be soo misleading because so far they are just of me wearing colourful clothes from mall stores. I swear I'm not a liar, I've just been finding such awesome deals at the mall lately that I can't pass up! I found this yellow coat on the clearance rack at Old Navy for $12 marked down from $80 - tell me who in the right mind wouldn't snatch that up?

All of these bright colours are also getting me so excited for summer. I can't wait for margaritas on patios, late nights and music festivals. One of the only things I'm more passionate about than fashion is music (specifically live music). The lineup for Osheaga was released about two weeks ago and I have to say - I'm in LOVE. I can't wait to see The Black Keys, Bloc Party, Brand New, Feist, Florence + The Machine and tons of other artists. This summer I will also be seeing Radiohead live in Toronto, which is seriously a dream come true for me. With saying that, I really need to start shopping for summer - I need more shorts, skirts and short sleeved tops. I've been on a blouse buying binge lately but I need to find appropriate clothes for 30+ weather. 

Maybe I'll do a wish-list post soon? I'm currently drooling over everything that Forever 21 (what else is new) and New Look have in stock! 

SHOES/ Aldo PURSE/ H&M SCARF/ American Apparel COAT/ Old Navy JEANS/ American Eagle 

All photos were taken by Lisa Kidd.

TWO/ big blue love

I bought this jacket at Old Navy a couple of years ago and I'm still as in love with it now as I was the day I bought it. The colour is just so perfect and I find that the shape really compliments my body type. The dress I am wearing is also from Old Navy, I picked it up about a week ago and it was $4.97 on clearance. You really can't beat that price!! It's such an eye catching colour too - I'm in love!

DRESS + COAT/ Old Navy LEGGINGS/ American Apparel BRACELET + SCARF/ H&M BOOTS/ Thrifted NECKLACE/ Gifted PURSE/ F21

All photos were taken by Laura Kidd.

ONE/ my first post

Hi, my name is Rosemary.

I have been sitting at this computer for what feels like hours trying to write the perfect introduction. The truth is, I'm horrible at explaining myself. I could write pages and pages about how my favourite spring trend is neons + neutrals or how I believe that Sarah Burton is doing amazing work as the creative director for Alexander McQueen... but to write a paragraph about myself? That's next to impossible.

I guess I'll start by saying that I'm twenty years old and that I currently live in Ottawa. Different fashions have always been my ideal way of expressing myself; I have a love for designer pieces that are well out of my price range, vintage finds and Forever 21. My main goal with this blog is to get out of my allblackeverything comfort zone and incorporate some colour into my wardrobe! I also hope to expose the Ottawa fashion scene a little bit more and hopefully overcome some plus-size stereotypes. I truly hope you enjoy my posts as much as I'll enjoy making them.

Until next time,

Rosie.

TOP/ Silhouettes SHORTS/ F21+ DIY SHOES/ T.U.K. BAG/ Thrifted TIGHTS/ Addition Elle

All pictures were taken by Laura Kidd.