La Grande Noirceur

Goodness gracious, Ovate's new collection is pure gold in black dulcet tones/layers. I want every single piece that doesn't have leather in it. After creating the most perfect hoodie ever AND the most perfect tank top ever (which sadly sold out just when I decided I needed a back-up one!), it looks like Audrey is on a roll with what might possibly be the most perfect one-shoulder dress ever (I never thought I'd say those words) AND the most perfect hooded vest ever (methinks this is a pumped up version of the sleeveless Valhalla?). Not to mention those floor-length dresses. And to think that just yesterday I was complaining to my man that no one ever designs things I'm interested in anymore. Audrey, please post these beauties in the shop soon so I can rework my school-year budget. Sigh.

(Photography by April Lea; modelling by Mathilde Jobin and Brett Wagg)

Edit: Doh! That is not a hooded vest, but a wool jacket with leather sleeves. Commence the Charlie Brown song here. At least I was right about it having the same cut as the Valhalla. Sigh.

ValhallA(waits Me)

I would like to take a moment to reiterate the fact that the Valhalla Hoodie by Audrey Cantwell's Ovate is the greatest hoodie ever. Mine actually doubled as quite a fantastic rain jacket the other day when I decided to take the 45-minute walk home rather than a free 5-minute ride because I "like walking." Not that it's waterproof, but the huge hood does what all hoods should, and the fabric somehow never got completely soaked. Dried overnight too, without getting stiff.

And now, the menfolk can get a hold of their own Valhalla Hoodie too. I was expecting the difference to be just the sizing, but the mens' actually has just a straight (ribbed) hem, and ribbed cuffs. One of my favorite features of the original Valhalla is that the shorter length in the back and pointed hem in the front magically creates a lovely silhouette and returns to you your waistline, which other hoodies have thoughtlessly stolen. It makes sense to remove this feature for the mens' version (though I'm sure some men, particularly ones with dreads, could pull off the more pixie-ish womens' version). Nonetheless, my second back-up Valhalla will be the original version. That way, my man won't steal it from me.

Mare Frigoris

Move over complexgeometries: Audrey Cantwell is the new authority on Canadian-made avant-garde-ish jersey (and sheer) basics. The new Ovate collection, entitled 'Mare Frigoris' (translation, or mine anyway: Sea of Cold), has just been posted on Etsy, and it is glorious. All hail the fishtail skirt, racerbacks, hoods, and sheer everything! And, sorry cg, but my vote is in part informed by the fact that your Stifler/Strangler hoodie has failed me, whilst my Ovate Valhalla hoodie is the 2nd most wonderful hoodie ever made (the first being my marriage hoodie). So, with there now being a sleeveless version of the Valhalla, my mind is made up. Pretty spectacular for a label that's merely one year old!

mea gaudia narret,/dicetur si quis non habuisse sua.

In case you've been wondering, a whole slew of things have been both improving my week and keeping me away from my blog and the blogosphere in general. My favorite distractions are as follows:

1) Music from Satyagraha. The videos I can find on the YouTubes are from the earlier Met production of the same opera. So Gandhi is played by someone else, and I think that the music is slightly faster (even though Philip Glass said that they sped it up a bit this time around). Nonetheless, I find the repetitive music and (Sanskrit) lyrics quite relaxing.

2) American Gods (The Tenth Anniversary Edition). I got a signed copy of this last time I was in NY when I saw Neil Gaiman at 92nd Street Y (eek!), but just got around to reading it now (seeing as my David Foster Wallace obsession has plateaued for a bit). This is my third or fourth time through the book, but, bless my bad memory, I can't yet tell where the added bits are (as it's 12,000 words longer than the original version). It's wonderful.

3) Homemade mulled cider. Yum.

4) My research. If things don't work out in the job world, my next move is to finally go back to school. And so, I have been planning out a thesis for the last couple months, which has quite quickly developed into something wonderfully exciting and possibly groundbreaking (and/or controversial), at least to the handful of scholars that actually care about this topic. And really, even if I don't go back to school for one reason or another, I'm planning on continuing my studies and writing as an independent researcher. This topic has been in the back of my head since I graduated with my BA in 2007, and it hasn't left me alone since. So I figured it's finally time to give it a go and get everything down on paper and out into the world. Expect to hear updates on the whole thing right here (whether you want to or not...).

5) Hoodies. I used to wear at least one hoodie a day, but with my work attire, that section of my wardrobe has been sorely neglected. Now, after seeing that beautiful one by Boris Bidjan Saberi and entering into the long dark winter, my eyes have been catching on every hoodie with potential. And this one from Audrey Cantwell's Ovate has lots of potential. Previous to the unorthodox complexgeometries stifler hoodie adopted from my man, I would only wear ones with zippers. I am now ready to wear a closure-less hoodie. I even have some funds in my PayPal account to help me make this next step in my growth as a hoodie connoisseur.

Spanish Caravan

This weekend marks my first real long weekend in about three and a half years. It also marks the beginning of what will be known as the Endless Gilmore Girls Marathon (i.e. my man did not know what he was doing when he chose my birthday present this year). To celebrate, the Internets has provided me some lovely eye candy to share with you. These are works by Montreal-based knitwear designer Maude Nibelungen (found via NJAL). Maude is actually responsible for the knit pieces in the premier collection of Audrey Cantwell's new label, Ovate, so we've already been introduced to her 'unorthodox and progressive techniques'. I, however, still need to figure out how to get myself one of these pieces. I'm not allowed to wear hoodies at work, you see, and so I've discovered that all of my warm layers are now strictly weekend wear. Sigh.

You are currently online.

It seems as though I always want to spend the most money when I have none to spend. Sigh. Anyway, I'll pass on my current wishlist (of sorts) to you in the event that the Internet gods hear and send these lovely items my way.

1) I saw a couple different colours of wool crepe fabric sitting on Lauren's work table when I was there in June, but don't recall asking what would be made with it. But the Internets have revealed that what I saw are new colours for the much-loved mydearthing Opening Dress. I love the new (4-ply) bronze colour, but am also tempted by the (2-ply) navy option.

2) Queen Michelle's post this morning led me to a new-to-me label called Factory by Erik Hart, whose new pieces are available at I Don't Like Mondays. I'm not sure where the pieces are produced, but I quite like the fact that the leather used in the jacket and the dress is actually vegan. I'm not one of those vegetarians that likes eating fake meat products, and I don't know if I'd want to pretend that I'm wearing animal skin either. But it's nice to see an alternative provided for those who do like the look of leather.

3) Now that I'm a fan of that lace-up pointy toed shoe style, I kinda sorta like these Melissa oxfords (also available on IDLM). However, I can't help but think that plastic would make my feet revolt (and/or revolting). 

4) You may remember my post from a while back on Audrey Cantwell's new label, Ovate. I just had a second look at that post this morning and discovered that Audrey has just put up an e-shop for the first Ovate collection. I didn't know that those lovely looking loose knit pieces all contain leather (sigh), but I also hadn't noticed that the sheer chiffon pieces have a vertical print down the centre that is a line of poetry in Rune script. Those felted high waist leggings are pretty sweet too.

Ovate

Though this afternoon I finally got outside to enjoy the spring weather and melting river, a Fall/Winter collection is what is catching my eye today. The newest from Audrey Cantwell of Black Market Baby, in fact, who now has a new label named Ovate. I particularly love those loose knits, which are perfect for layering with, say, a mesh dress or a retro bathing suit, such as this one by Toronto-based label Minnow Bathers. But please, winter, stay far far away.