Where in the World has CanadianPrep Been?

It has been a shamefully long time since my last post.  To say that I fell off the blogger bandwagon would be a gross understatement.  The last year+ has been quite the whirlwind as I made the transition from student to young professional,  moved cities, and struggled to find out who I was and who I wanted to become.  As someone who has always had plans for everything, had checklists for life, and found uncertainty debilitatingly frightening (still do!), the last year has been life-changing in so many ways.  So what have I, CanadianPrep, been up to since last year?

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I lost a job before I even started - The summer I worked as an intern for The Emily Post Institute was one of the best summers of my life.  When I graduated I had an opportunity to return to work in Sales/Marketing.  However, due to immigration issues, working in the US was not feasible.  It was devastating to have to pass on that job. 

Doesn't my old desk look lonely?  I miss my little Emily Post corner and everyone with whom I worked. Thankfully, one of my fellow interns moved to Canada and has quickly grown to become one of my best friends! Having her so near me has been such a blessing.  

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I moved back home to Ottawa - Moving back in with my parents after  so many years of independence was slightly painful.  I have Polish parents. Strict Polish parents. Independence and autonomy are not in their vocabulary.  To suddenly have someone commenting on the fact that I was up working until 2am, drinking too many cups of coffee a day, or  not wearing enough layers on a cold day ate away at me.  I love my parents, but I am not meant to live with them ever again.  But that experience of moving back home was the push I needed to finally find a job in another city.

I started an internship in sports marketing - I'm not a big sports fan. I love rowing and horseback riding and always will. I differ from the Canadian stereotype by not being a diehard hockey fan.  But here I was, working in marketing consulting for sport organizations and sporting goods companies. And yet, it was a great experience!  My responsibilities started with research, but quickly piled on to the point where I was writing final reports for clients, conducting analysis on different markets, and coming up with strategic plans for a sport's 50th anniversary (note the ringette game photo above!).  My inner nerd was not only challenged and let loose, but it was also revered.  I loved it! It also led to a new full-time opportunity in....

Toronto! - I moved to Toronto in the new year, and am beyond thrilled to have settled into the fashion district of Canada's largest city.  Since moving I have reconnected with so many friends from school, expanded into non-profit sponsorship consulting through my job, became a vegetarian (thanks to my ever-fickle digestive system),

enjoyed the cultural offerings of my new city (like TIFF in the Park!) 

and Friday night parties at the Royal Ontario Museum (yes, I've been partying with dinosaurs!!),

went blonde after years of debating the change,

started dragon-boating (and won my first race!),

and attended my first fashion show!  Actually, I attended three, and it was a spectacular experience.  I love fashion. I have since I first wore my gap kids pleated corduroy skirt in elementary school.  I was in awe by what some fabric could do to change the way I felt about myself, my day, and the world around me. Getting to sit in the second row of three shows was a dream come true. 

So here I lounge on a long overdue vacation in Miami, a twenty-something with a new hair color, renewed confidence, and a better idea of who she is and wants to be.   I may not be able to post daily, but I am recommitting to blogging, my followers, and to fellow bloggers.  Join me as I continue to overcome any quarter-life crises thrown my way and  enjoy my new CanadianPrep life in Toronto.

Now to catch up on all that I've missed in everyone else's lives!

xoxo,

Designing a Kate Spade Store

It's very rarely that I'll read one of the oodles of architecture, construction, and urban design magazines my parents leave lying around the house (they're both architects), but my mom flagged one especially for me. I was very pleasantly surprised to find an article in Contract magazine about designing the Kate Spade flagship store in Japan!  First my brother mails me J Crew articles, and now my mom is flagging tidbits about Kate Spade! I'm so grateful for everyone thinking of me!

I don't have a scanner, so hopefully these pictures are readable.  Just click on the image to see the enlarged version.  Enjoy!

xoxo,

Special Guest Post: Lilly Pulitzer for the Home

I've got a treat for you all today - a special guest post about Lilly for the home!  I have loved the Lilly home lines since rumors of Lilly's foray into furniture and bedding initially popped up on the blogosphere.  Now please excuse me as I swoon over the images in the following post and daydream about my future home...


Hi, everyone, I’m Susi and I write as a guest blogger for DesignShuffle.com, a fabulous social media site that promotes interior designers and their work from around the world. My writing focuses on things I'm passionate about: interior design, decorating ideas, home furnishings, gardening, travel and art. I get to look at gorgeous things all day and write about them. I'm a very lucky girl!

I feel very lucky to be visiting Canadian Prep today and writing about Lilly Pulitzer pretties for the home. Any Lilly fan worth her weight in pink and green will be excited about new launches from Lee Jofa and Lilly Home, now available through Horchow and Neiman Marcus, and sales of Lilly Pulitzer linens at Garnet Hill. Classic preppy colors and patterns for the home designed by Lilly, what's not to love? Hope you enjoy! ~Susi

Kravet via

Lee Jofa debuted their collection of Lilly Pulitzer fabrics from the home earlier this year. Love the blue and white gingham on the walls and the preppy classic combination of kelly green and true pink. Typically Lilly, this room bursts with cheerful color and feminine prints.

Horchow via

The white bamboo-look Minzer bench and the Sara sofa both have traditional lines with pink, feminine colors. White painted bamboo furniture screams Palm Beach chic, don't you think?

Garnet Hill via

The “Catching Z's” needlepoint pillows in daiquiri pink or seaweed green zebra pattern are currently on sale at Garnet Hill. Grab them before they sell out.

Garnet Hill via

Lilly bed linens, bath linens and rugs add cheer and Palm Beach style to bathroom and bedroom designs. Sunny tropical colorways of blues, greens, pinks and yellows are classic Lilly.

Garnet Hill via

Preppy navy and white with splashes of bright pink and lime green is another classic Lilly color combination. Mixed with tons of whites, these intense colors feel crisp and fresh.

Horchow via

A new line of Lilly Pulitzer furniture is launching at Horchow. Fine upholstery and traditional styles meet with Lilly's preppy sensibility. The Paramount daybed will certainly become a classic.

KFI via

The Wentworth chair is covered in a preppy light green with aqua trim. The Deborah sofa is covered in Heritage floral. Love the Sea Fan and Shell We pillows on the chair and sofa. Lovely interior design ideas.

Horchow via

The Aster vanity, in white with gold tone hardware, looks fabulous paired with the Boulevard armchair in hot pink. The Boulevard chair has great Chinese Chippendale style.

This content is provided by Design Shuffle, where you can find and share talented interior designs from from New York interior designers, Los Angeles interior designers, and more, check out the latest at Design Shuffle.

Thank you so much to Susi from Design Shuffle for taking the time to add a little more Lilly loveliness to our day!


xoxo,

Don't You Step on My Blue Suede Shoes

I am overjoyed by the plethora of loafer choices available for fall. From animal print to studded, needlepoint to sequined, loafers are everywhere (especially in September magazine issues)! 

Loafers (aka "slippers") are even known to be a signature of Joe Mimram, founder of Joe Fresh and Club Monaco.  His Barbie doll look-a-like even sports them!  

Joe in his signature "slippers"

Of course  Louboutin makes a fierce pair of embellished calf hair loafers:

Stubbs & Wootton is a classic choice with an incredible selection, which gets even bigger if you choose to indulge in the customizable options:

You can bet your bottom dollar that Ralph Lauren will capitalize on the resurgence of a classic shoe:

Leave it to RL to modernize a classic and make it stand out from the rest!

This purple suede, jewel-encrusted shoe is positively regal!

  

But my favorite loafer find?  This pair of blue suede tassel loafers from Topshop, of all places!  

And at $100 (if you're lucky enough to live in the US), they're a surprisingly affordable way to embrace a trend, while still displaying a perfect mix of whimsy and tradition.

Just don't you step on my blue suede shoes!

xoxo,

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

The recent increase in summer storms has sent me jonesing for a new umbrella. I seem to have misplaced my trusty Monet umbrella, so I'm stuck with dripping hair and soaked clothing when caught in a storm.  I must admit I'm a bit picky when buying umbrellas, mainly because few have been able to withstand the heavy winds of Kingston.  So if anyone has found a sturdy, stylish, and affordable umbrella, or has tried one of the following umbrellas, please do tell!

Compact Umbrellas:
I love that compact umbrellas can be stuffed easily into a tote or backpack, but every compact umbrella I've ever used has been quickly inverted, bent, or torn apart. However, since I'm now living in Ottawa, which doesn't get such absurd wind speeds, I may be safe with something a little less sturdy.

Of course this Lilly Pulitzer umbrella is cute as a button and exudes happiness.  Pink and petite, it would easily go with the myriad of pink pieces in my closet and brighten up a rainy day.  

This mini Degas' Dancers umbrella will surely satisfy the art historian in me.  Degas was also the first artist I distinctly remember loving as a child.  I blame it on the stereotypical young girl dream of becoming a ballerina.

Leave it to MoMA to sell a color-changing umbrella with the NYC skyline.  The simple black and white design reminds me of the Kate Space City Lights Lillith Skirt.

 Stick Umbrellas:
I've recently fallen in love with stick umbrellas, even though they can be a little cumbersome at times.  Perhaps it's the flashback I get to Gene Kelly singing and dancing with his stick umbrella in Singing in the Rain, but I feel that they are a smidgen glamorous and old-fashioned.

I've been coveting this umbrella since I first laid eyes on it in Matchbook Magazine. Featuring Scalamandre's iconic zebra print, it's a classic umbrella that would pair well with both black and tan trench coats and be an appropriate choice for this burgeoning professional.

This iconic Burberry umbrella sends be daydreaming about walking hand-in-hand with a dashing young gentleman along the streets of London.  Unfortunately, for over $200,  both the umbrella and the accompanying dream are currently unattainable.

Carried by both Charlotte York and Blair Waldorf, the clear umbrella seems to be a clever solution to a fashionista's desire to be protected from the rain and yet still have her outfit on full display. Being accident-prone, perhaps this umbrella will be just the ticket.  I assume finally being able to see telephone poles, people, and parking meters will keep me from running into them. I would hope.  

I'm mesmerized by this Color Wheel Stick Umbrella from MoMA.  I can picture myself twirling it around and watching all the pretty colors merge together. Plus it will coordinate well with everything.

What do you think?  Which umbrella do you think would be appropriate for a young professional, but still exude oodles of personality? Do you have any suggestions for other great umbrellas?

xoxo,