Shoes

I was recently going through my collection of shoes, and realized something. With the exception of maybe five pairs, I don't really wear the other ones. Now, I'm really not the kind of person to give things away, so I guess i'll just have to try and find more places to wear these shoes. I'm the same way with clothes. I have literally closets and closets full of beautiful vintage pieces, and most days I wear the same five things. Not that I'm all about simplicity, but sometimes it's just hard to take that plunge and wear something a little outrageous. 

Vancouver seems to have a pretty straight forward dress code featuring some local designers, which might sound neat, but it's really not. As follows:

The Venues:

Aritizia is a boutique found in Kits, and can now be found cross Canada, and even in the USA. They carry their own brand, a sportswear brand, business/dress brand, as well as other middle to high end brands. Most of the clothes are actually really nice, and I have quite a few pieces from Aritzia. The prices are a bit high though, and you do end up looking like a clone.

Lululemon is probably the bane of my existence. At least Aritzia has a few redeeming qualities. Lululemon got it's name from some guy who was trying to make it hard for Asian people to say the name, just so they would buy from it. Doesn't make any sense, but it sure has taken off. It's all yoga all the time. I've been in the store a handful times, and I just don't see the appeal. The clothes are really expensive for what they are and what they should be used for. 

Forever 21 is a newcomer to Vancouver, and I don't think that there is any problem with it, but until recently most of my compliments went like this: 

Me: I LOVE that shirt/jacket/dress/ring/necklace! Where did you get it? Is it vintage? I have never seen anything like that before!

You: Oh I got it from Forever 21 in the states! It was (ridiculously cheap price)!

Me: Oh fuck you.

Forever 21 used to mean you would never have the same thing as someone else, and everyone would hate you for it. Now that we have one, not so much, but I guess it's all about the way you put it together. 

Bebe has really amazing designs for a decent price. Not a place I would shop all the time, but everytime I step in there, I feel a little less bad about not having a Balmain blazer, and thinking, if I really did want one, I could buy one here for about $200, and seeing how I haven't means I probably don't want one. Amazing party dresses.

The Aldo Groupe is one damn amazing company. Founded in Montreal by Aldo Bensadoun, it now has over 1000 stores world wide. They provide amazing customer service, and beautiful shoes at a reasonable price. More often than not you'll find that luxury brand coveted shoe at Aldo for a fraction of the price, but still made mostly of leather/suede. And I'm not just saying that because I work for them...

The Players:

1) LG/ Yoga mom

This one is the most disturbing as it crosses about three generations. I have seen 6 year olds and 60 year olds dressed the same. You can sub Lululemon yoga pants for TNA ones, but the visual is the same. Usually it's someone who DOESN'T do yoga or sports, therefore should defintley not be wearing really tight stretchy pants. Then you get a tank top, sometimes long, more often than not, way too short, topped with a status hoodie. TNA & Lululemon both have brand symbols plastered all over their sweaters so everyone knows exactly where you got it. It's also the on the pants, but it's usually overshadowed by a big crack... 

Did I mention the SIX YEAR OLDS and SIXTY YEAR OLDS rocking this look? I once saw a daugher, a mom and a GRANDMOTHER, all in matching TNA suits. It disgusts me. 

The worst offenders are LG's, which are middle school/young highschool girls who think it's hot when their pooch sticks out, and wack you in the hallway with their obsencly large yoga bags (what teenager does YOGA? None of them!), get their sticky MAC lipgloss all over you and text on their razors, which have now been replaced with blackberrys. Don't get me started on why a 13 year old needs a blackberry.

2) "Indie kids"

This category has two sub categories. Both are hard to spot without actually being Indie, but I think I can describe it alright.

Actual Indie: 

They haven't shopped in a real store in years, frequent Value Village and thrift stores, and generally think they're too cool to talk to you. Usually have decent style, poor hygene. 

Fake Indie:

Haven't stepped into a Value Village, maybe once, bought a hat, and thought it pretty badass. They love American Apparel, and have fake glasses. Generally think they're too cool to talk to you. Usually have pretty generic style, good hygene. 

Vancouver Bitches

I find myself more and more dressing like this all the time, because it has that Vancouver asthetic of being warm and easy while still looking okay. Mostly consists of Wilfred pieces, bought at Aritzia for obsene amounts of money, and knocked off at Urban Behaivour for cheap. Most of us Vancouver bitches have stretchy pencil skirts, white v-neck tshirts, and big drapey cardigans. Usually rocked with a long scarf and flat boots/flats, depending on the season. It's a decent uniform, and I much prefer it to the yoga suit, but after passing six girls dressed EXACTLY like you, it can make you feel pretty weird about your style. 

And they don't call them bitches for nothing. I don't know if it's something in the water, but if you DON'T have the entire Wilfred line, you seem to be a lesser being. I don't know why that is, because most of it is shapeless, overpriced and in really drab colors. I'd rather shop at places like Urban Behaivour, H&M, or Forever 21 and buy something outrageous for cheap that's going to brighten my day. 

Sometimes you just have to ignore the haters, and focus on the fact that, for better or worse, I most defintley have a WAY better shoe collection than they could hope to have...