Today everything seems really static-y. Weird.

As I mentioned in my last post, on Friday Claudia and I went down to the Fashion Exchange building to check out some sample sales. It was a last minute trip that I was more then happy to take part in! The Fashion Exchange building (better known as the FX Building) is a place where you can check out over 100 different agencies that each carry different lines. Buyers for clothing companies go down there to check out the new lines each season to buy/order what they are going to carry in their stores. The FX building isn’t the ONLY place buyers can go but it is one of the main ones in Vancouver. Our company goes down there almost on a bi-weekly basis to check out different agents and different lines. I’m not sure if the public can go to the FX building, I mean you can physically get in, but I don’t think you can meet with any of the agents unless you are with a company or have previous contact with them. The one time in which the public is able to go in is when the agents have their sample sales. Not all of them participate but there are a bunch that do.

Anyways, Claudia and I went down to look at one line in particular, one that is too expensive for our store to carry, but they have some great pieces that her and I love. The point of the sale was to pick up anything we wanted personally and to see if there was any interesting new trends that we wanted to pick up on for our stores. The boss met us down there and we started going through all the racks of clothes. Since I was the extra pair of eyes and hands, they got me to try on a bunch of stuff that they were interested in to see how it fit and how it hung on the body. Most of the pieces I tried on were things I would never wear. Big drapy knits with little form, unstructured pieces that floated away from the body, and pieces that I had no idea which was up or down.

While trying everything on the Boss was stunned as to how good I looked it everything. She said to me,

 ”I know you would never wear any of this stuff but it looks SO good on you, you have the perfect body for it. We need to get you out of your Skater Girl look and turn you into a fashionista!”

First I was taken aback by such a compliment, considering I truly never would wear any of the pieces I was trying on, and second I was surprised that the Boss recognized my skater girl look. I don’t really know WHY I was surprised by it considering I basically wear checkered Vans to work every day, but I guess because shes never really said anything to me about my apparel, other then to compliment something, I’ve never really clued in to her noticing me in that way. I really took what she said to heart, in a good way.

I always figured because I had such a tiny body with very little curves, that I would get lost in big flowy things. I really had no idea how to wear them and unless something was skin tight I most likely shied away from it. But with this new insight, and help from two professionals, I spent the rest of the afternoon looking for pieces that reflected the ones I tried on.

While there weren’t many like those that I originally tried on, there were a few I kept an open mind too and were different from pieces I would normally try on. We weren’t told exactly how much the samples cost but we were assured they would be ‘cheap’. I went ‘wild’ and ended up pick out 5 things. Claudia didn’t even get any. I put the pieces I wanted on a rack and then we left.

On the way back to the office I started to panic, realizing that I had just blindly picked out 5 tops with out any thought as to how much they cost and whether or not I REALLY needed them. I was just so excited over the fact that I had the opportunity to buy them and so excited over this new found ‘freedom’ I had for clothing that I went nuts. I started to regret my excitement. I asked Claudia how much she thought the clothes would come to, she suggested $200. $200 for 5 tops! I was nuts. I mean yea, that was probably a good deal for these normally pricey items but I just felt guilty for being so care free about it all.

Yesterday the clothing arrived and I sifted through the box to find my items. This was where I would have to face the total cost of my frivolous purchase. The Boss told me to take the price that was on the tag and cut it in half. In half eh, this is already looking up for me. So what did the total ACTUALLY come to?? A whole $80! 80 bucks! I was more then happy to pay that! There were also 4 other samples I was waiting to purchase from the warehouse so I tallied up the totals of those as well -$50! Sweet Tonad! This is my day!

9 Samples for 130 bucks, and 2 FREE ones on top of that!

So what did I learn from this experience…

1. Try on different clothes that you might not normally buy and if you are unsure ask someone who actually IS a fashionista.
2. Always, ALWAYS go to and purchase many things from Sample Sales!

Some how today has gone by a lot quicker then yesterday did and I pretty much have the exact same work load. Funny how that happens. I will say however, that I am friggin tired of having a crappy work load. Going on one month of bits of work here and there and long days that drag out. Its so frustrating. Can we please start working on Fall already??? I will say however, that I’ve seen the stuff we are buying for Fall and it is to die for!

Alicia and I went to the basement to take photos again. Shocking really. I was only suppose to take a few of her new ‘do but then she pushed me in front of the camera so I gave her my best homeless look. Is it weird that the first picture remind me either of a Native Indian or Anthony Kiedis, or both?

This is pretty much my all time favorite outfit. Bright T shirt, Hoodie, Jeans, Vans. A far cry from the fashionista I am suppose to be. Its Friday for the love of God. Its funny because Alicia showed up today in a beautiful black dress, stockings, high heels, and a crazy necklace. Can you say opposites much? Maybe I should have been a skate boarder or something, I mean I basically spent all of University pretending I was. However, I did get to spend my clothing allowance today and the bulk of purchases were skirts. See, that’s girly.

I think you would puke if you found out how much free shit I get and what it would cost someone to buy it retail. I guess it gives me a reason to stick around. I pretty much HAVE to work in the fashion industry because Chad doesn’t have a ‘Clothing’ category in his budget which means I would never have the opportunity to buy anything. Bloody budget. I need to buy high heels. There Chad, I am warning you now. MAKE ROOM.

I will *TRY* to do a mini photo shoot of everything I bought tomorrow. Every time I attempt to do one it never works out. Here’s hoping.

There is not much to blog about this side of the computer screen. My stomach has been acting up the past few days and right now I am just trying not to move so it will calm down and digest and not get mad with me.

I organized the closet and drawers on Saturday. I had a bag full of clothes to give away and a bag of clothes that I do not wear anymore but have chosen to keep for memento purposes that I will store at my parents house and fondly reminisce about 5 years from now. I have realized that clothing and fashion has become disposable to me because I have the opportunity to purchase really fashionable pieces each season, basically for free, so I wear them a lot and then get tired of them quickly. Because I know that I got these things for free I have no problem pushing them to the wayside. While that seems to happen more and more these days, I will have to say that the majority of clothing I have gotten from work I still have and its slowly helping me  figuring out where I fit in this whole world of fashion. Yes, I still haven’t figured where I fit in, but the purchasing of some classic pieces is guiding me, FINALLY, to my spot. I guess it also doesn’t help that I change looks every few years. I think I have finally gotten rid of all my Punk/Skater clothes.

I bought $70 worth of candles at Ikea on Sunday. Hopefully that will last us a few months. Actually it should last us longer now that the days are getting longer. We can not get enough of candle light.

Screw fluorescent lighting.

I woke up this morning at 2:30 because Chads cell was beeping like crazy trying to tell me it was dying and of course Chad would never get up to turn it off so I had to. I went back to bed and tossed and turned for half an hour as my stomach was paining me. I finally got up and thought that a trip to the bathroom might do me some good. It did except I had one of those moments where you are there and then all of a sudden you have to puke so you have to whip around. I know, not a pretty sight. But that is exactly what happened to me. Most strangly. I barley even puked but I guess going through the motions made my stomach happy. So strange. I then woke up at 5 because Chad got up to go to the bathroom too (such a bizzare night) and I was over heating and sweating and I couldn’t cool down so I had to get up and get something to drink. Such a restless sleep. Chad said he didn’t fall alseep until 4am and we went to bed at 11.

Chad thinks I need rest and relaxation because I’ve been feeling sick but going mental around the house trying to clean up dry wall dust and stucco messes. Its true, I have been going mental. It just seems like all of a sudden there is SO much to do. I’ve given up on working from home. It’s stressing me out and it’s not worth it. Tonight I think I will force myself to hang out on the couch and not try and do a million things at once.

Marlee I am going to make the Bacon Spinich Dip and Potato Skins for Thursday, just so you know. Thursday is another Hocky Night at the Ciavarros.

Tonight is Stir Fry Night. It’s been a while.

I live for food.

I’ve planned out all my dinners for the week.

I rule!

It’s hard to imagine how cold it is outside right now because my window is acting like a green house and I am quite toasty. Chads probably going to read that and curse me because he keeps complaining about -10 degree weather in the wack. At least he comes home tonight and can cuddle up next to someone warm, ie. ME.

Matt and I went for sushi last night at the little place across the street from the apt. I swear if Chad actually liked Japanese food we would be there every weekend. Its so good and not expensive so we always stuff ourselves silly. The place is owned by this Japanese family and my brother and I went to school with their kids. My friend was actually working last night so she came up to say Hi. I hadn’t seen her in 6 years (my God I graduated Highschool 6 years ago) so we chatted about life and everything. We hung out in with the same group of friends in grade 11 and 12 but both of us drifted away from everyone when we graduated. I did mainly because the group was made up of all my ex-boyfriends friends and that’s how I was connected to them, so when we broke up I was out of there. She is the cuttest little Japanese girl in the whole world though and every time she sees my mom they chat and it seems like even though her and I haven’t seen each other in so long our other family members constantly run into each other. I’m pretty sure my brother hangs out with hers quite a bit. Just before we left she brought out free green tea ice cream for us to have. It was so sweet of her.

After we consumed copious amounts of sushi and tofu and noodles and everything Japanese we headed over to Metrotown where I picked up my much anticipated Plaid Shirt from Aritzia. It is so beautiful, but then again I am bias to plaid. The one thing that bugs me about plaid tops though is that no matter how much I love them I always feel like I look like a boy in them. Mainly because the ones I have bought in the past were too big on me and I got lost in them and DID look like a boy. I made sure to get one that was as tight as I could get it so it would showed off the lack of curves that I have. I then began to think that it totally depends what you pair with a plaid shirt that makes it either look more boyish or more girlish; if you have your hair up or down, if you wear flats or sneakers. I then realized I was probably over thinking the hell out of how I should wear a plaid shirt.

After the plaid decision we made a pit stop to Lush where I ogled over all the delicious bath bombs and soaps and yummi smelling treats. Since I was unable to shower for the first half of my recovery I took many baths and it totally turned me onto the whole bath experience. I had a gift basket from L’Occtaine that a friend had gotten me ages a go but I never opened it. I finally did last week and it unwrapped my desire to create amazing baths. I didn’t buy anything at Lush I just wanted to see what they had since I had never been in there. I am so going back and blowing tons of money on bath bits. If you wanted to get me a present now you know where to go. After the pit stop we went to our final destination to get fresh cinnamon buns. Oh sweet Jesus that was the perfect ending to the evening. We brought them back to the apartment and ate them while watching the early showing of Letterman. Perfection.

Chad just messaged me and I think he is actually almost home which throws things off because I wasn’t expecting him home until after dinner and so I have nothing planned or pulled out for dinner for him, just for me. Humm, I am in a bit of a pickle. Oh well, at least I’ve got him back! Score one for Team Ciavarro.

We are going to another hockey game tonight. I feel like a complete hockey snob.

“What are we doing tonight dear? Oh, another hockey game…”

Such a snob.

Tonight’s game will be a Giants game and not a Canucks game however. We are heading out with the crew and a bunch of the family. I think we have a little section all to ourselves or something. My Aunt organized it all for us.

I ripped a hang nail on my thumb so much so that it started bleeding and is so frickin sore. So I have yet another band-aid on my hand. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me.

I have nothing interesting to say. I’ve spent a lot of time in the warehouse the past few days. The big wigs have gone off to LA to do some buying. Work is slow and I am actually running out of desk jobs to do, everything that’s left to be done involves warehouse work.

I bought a bunch of things from work on Friday. 85% of the articles of clothing were grey. Ha. I’m sorry but I just love grey and I can’t help but constantly buy grey clothing. I am a nut case. I did however, broaden my horizons and purchased the orange sweater above. I think that is the farthest away from grey you can get. But I did get it in grey too. And mint green. SO CUTE.

I have taken over the lead position as “employee who buys the most stuff in the warehouse on a monthly basis”. You should see my Holds rack right now. I partially blame this on Claudia for going away to Chile and not beating me in the compition which she usually does.

SO.MANY.CUTE.CLOTHES.AHHHH