Sea Togs

Remember how in the end of Clueless, Dionne describes her nautical themed wedding, where all the bridesmaids would wear sailor hats? And we laughed, because themed weddings are kind of funny, but secretly we thought it was a cute idea? That's because the sailor look is always a cute idea. Or maybe I was raised to think that since my mom sported a raw silk dress with a sailor collar in her engagement photos and dressed us in nautical wear for family pictures. Either way, I've stocked up our corner at Penny Arcade with nautical numbers like these for spring, each only $15. Ship ahoy! (Mmm, Chips ahoy...)


Here is a picture of Madeline also enjoying this style:

Glad 2 B Chosen

If you are in the Toronto area next weekend (March 25- 27) be sure to come to 107 Shaw for The Chosen Ones vintage sale, where we'll have a whole rack of Filly and Foal up (we're not on the poster, but I promise it'll be there)! There's so much new and cute stuff * -- nautical dresses and jumpers, perfectly worn jeans, floral prints, spring coats, overalls... and so much more that I can't even remember right now! There are also a ton of other awesome adult vendors, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun! Exclamation marks!

But, if you just can't make it, luckily you can still find us at Penny Arcade ♥

* from NB - 12 yrs

Now & Then

I came across this photographer Irina Werning (via Bleubird Vintage), and I am obsessed with her "Back to the Future" series. The attention to detail is amazing. My sisters and I have been talking about doing something like this for years, especially with these pictures of our parents and their brothers and sisters:


I'm sure they would all be thrilled to help out with such a project.

Puppy Love

Here are some scans from one of my vintage book finds, Dogs We Love. I originally picked it up for its hilarious cover, but it's turned out to be one of Madeline's favourite books to pull out and look at. Maddie's still pretty timid around the real life variety, but pictures of pooches (especially the ones where they are with kids or other animals) are right up her alley. "Doggyyyy!"













Adelaide and Ubu, this song goes out to you:

P.S. Is Donny Osmond the Beebs of the 1970s? Discuss.

Uncle Brad Reading Hitchcock, 1972

We just installed a carbon monoxide detector in our house-- something I asked my mom to do because everyone in the house has been having crazy dreams lately. Ever since I heard a Halloween episode of This American Life about a family that thinks their house is haunted (but they are actually experiencing the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning) I've been convinced there is a gas leak every time I hear a creak.

I know it's still nine months until Halloween, but I've been thinking a lot lately about being scared and how I used to love it. I read so many R.L. Stine books, and watched shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark. It seems so weird to me, because I actually hate being scared now. I can't watch horror movies, I get freaked out seeing people dressed up for those zombie walks, and I still refuse to look into a mirror with the lights out. But I feel weirdly nostalgic about being scared as a kid. I guess when you're little it's fun to be scared by ghosts, and now that I'm a grown-up I don't enjoy it. Maybe there are too many other things to be worried about, like carbon monoxide. (Seriously guys, that's how Weird Al's parents died!)
Madeline pushed a button on the detector the other day, causing it to make a painfully loud noise. She burst into tears and I had to cuddle her for a good minute or so before she calmed down. The poor girl was freaked out by the very thing that makes me feel safe.


Anyway, this whole spiel was inspired by this photo I came across of my Uncle Brad reading a Hitchcock book. I love the flood pants, the glasses, the posture. He's wearing a suit, so I bet it's a sunday. Just reading some scary stories after church. It's one of my favourite kid pictures of all time.
Also, does anyone remember this creepy Disney movie, The Watcher in the Woods? "Narek"!

Tough Cookies

A lot of my favourite books growing up were about kids who lived during the Depression and WWII, like To Kill a Mockingbird, or The Sky is Falling. The kids in these books always seemed so brave, so tough, and wise beyond their years; yet somehow still children. Fittingly, the kids in these photos really seem to evoke all those qualities. Especially the pre-teen with the finger curls in the first picture, no?

These beautiful photographs and more can be found in an archive from the 1930s and 40s on flickr.

Meet the Fillies

A few weeks ago Jes and I attempted to do a photo shoot with our girls, Adelaide and Madeline, wearing some of the more pint-sized pieces from Filly and Foal. Maddie seemed to demonstrate the versatility of her outfits, while poor Ada demonstrated the versatility of her emotions. I know I am a little biased, but I'm going to go ahead and say it: CUTEST. BABES. EVER.