Late Bloomer

Late Bloomer | Sophster-Toaster

Being in Canada, it seems like I’m always the last girl in the world to get my spring flowers. My Instagram feed is flooded with beautiful new pictures of trees, meadows and gardens teeming with blooms, meanwhile, I’m staring at bare trees and brown gardens. By the time my spring flowers finally arrive, everyone else is moving on to summer. I feel like I’m always one step behind; I’m a slow starter and a late bloomer.

I was digging through some older pictures I took for my shop over the weekend and I was stunned by how much my style and photography aesthetics have evolved and aligned over time. I’ve noticed the same thing happening in my life since turning 30. I feel so much more sure of myself, my style and my creative pursuits; I know what I want and I’m confident in my choices. It’s like my life, until now, has been spent germinating beneath the snow and now I’m finally ready to bloom.

Late Bloomer | Sophster-Toaster

Umbrella Pearls and Pockets
Glasses Warby Parker
Skirt Steady Clothing

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Photos by me and Matt.

Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit

Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog

I love this skirt because it matches almost everything. The pink gingham flannel fabric can be dressed up or down and it works for at least part of every season. I get the least wear out of it in the summer but today was cool and rainy, so my eyes lit up when I saw it hanging clean and ironed in my closet. I paired it with one of my favourite old t-shirts and a matching pink gingham hair barrette to make one of my favourite tonal outfits.

Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog

I’ve always dreamt about being one of those people who can pull off all black everything, but it never works for me. The closest I can come is the effortlessly put together look of the tonal outfit. It’s an easy way to look like you’ve put a lot of thought into your outfit when all you’ve really done is layered the same colours again and again. It’s also a great way to get a timeless look without really trying, since women have been falling back on this trick for at least as long as we’ve being recording images of them. Bonus points for nails already painted to match!

Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Top Bluenotes
Skirt ModCloth
Shoes ModCloth
Barrette Got it Made/Oh Hello Bug

Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog Matchy Matchy Tonal Outfit | Sophster-Toaster Blog

All photos by me.

May Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers

May Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers - Sophster-Toaster Blog

It feels like I haven’t blogged in forever. I’ve been so busy getting ready for my biggest market of the spring/ summer season, the Spring HandMade Market, that I haven’t had time for much else. It doesn’t help that it rained for days and days and days after a fairly calm early spring. A friend told me over the weekend that we passed the average rainfall amounts for the month of May in the first two days of the month.

I don’t think I’ve ever done a rainy day outfit, actually shot in the rain, before. So at the end of a week so rainy we had a road bridge guardrail collapse and both of our piers by the beach flood over, I decided to rectify this and use the gloomy weather to challenge myself to take some photos in less than ideal conditions. Plus, I couldn’t risk waiting another day and letting those beautiful crab apple blossoms go to waste!

May Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers - Sophster-Toaster Blog May Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers - Sophster-Toaster Blog May Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers - Sophster-Toaster Blog May Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers - Sophster-Toaster BlogMay Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers - Sophster-Toaster Blog May Showers and Apple Blossom Flowers - Sophster-Toaster Blog

Dress GAP
Sweater H&M
Stockings ModCloth
Necklace street vendor in Panama
Ring Blue Ridge Notions
Shoes ModCloth
Umbrella Amazon

All photos by me.