It’s my favourite time of year and my brain is positively thrumming with excitement. It’s been many years since I experienced the thrill of la rentrée, the return to school, typically, though not limited to the feeling one gets post labour day with the onset of fashion month, the end of summer break, etc.
I apologize for my absence this past month. I was deeply enjoying my summer and frankly felt like re-wearing things I’d already written about and avoiding the endless consumption cycle that is social media (as much as I could…I have to put food on the table. I was hanging out with my friends.
AND, in further news, my boyfriend and I began the exciting and sometimes uncomfortable process of moving in together. We’re feeling the adjustment - we both have lots of things and are by no means minimalists, both sentimentally attached to various tchotchkes that take up a shocking amount of space. And I have an obscene amount of clothing. So please bear with me as I navigate that, my own personal rentrée.
I’ve also been avoiding writing because I’m grappling with this existential crisis that we become less cool when we quit our full time jobs. I was talking about this with my friend Mimi (the irony that we both create content is not lost on us, don’t worry). Most of our favourite people to follow are those who have careers, hobbies, and interests other than what they’re wearing (and they’re often working cool jobs for interesting brands…I’m not talking about your regular run-of-the-mill CEO). This makes me nostalgic for when I was first starting on Instagram, hauling outfits and a tripod to shoot after my corporate 9-5.
Sometimes I feel like being forced to think inside a box proliferates creativity.
What makes these people interesting is that they’re doing things, getting out and about and expanding beyond the realms of “here’s what I’m wearing as of late”. They’re not just invested in themselves, their world extends beyond that. They’re building something, are deeply interested in design and the world around them, and they happen to have great style. It’s not abnormal for them to be wearing the same outfit over and over, but it’s a good one. They get out and do things.
Here are my favourite people to follow right now:
Yvette de Pauw: head of brand at Heaven Mayhem. I love her tiktok.
Michelle Ngatimin: social media at Monica Vinader
Nicole Adalina: designer at Oddli
Irene Kim: a lawyer-turned-writer who has a prolific substack that I enjoy reading!
Mackenzie White: an interior designer with impeccable taste
Misha Lasoff: a dear friend who dreams and executes the iconic events at Saie
I am interested in people who possess a wealth of knowledge in whatever niches that may attract them, people who decentre the trope of the insular self as it exists typically in social media (the self within the self - i.e. the home, personal property, in a silo) in favour of the self within the world. They’re immersed in wherever they may be, often have great book recommendations, and you can just tell they’re great company to have at a dinner (Something I’m prone to thinking about, as I’m constantly trying to think of my next dinner). As a result, all of these people have great style and a distinct eye for good taste.
When it comes to my own work as a creative, I try to reconcile my work with this ethos by prioritizing the notion that life extends beyond my work (getting dressed, predominantly). I find this results in a more holistic approach to my sense of self: what am I reading, what am I consuming, what am I getting out and doing? In a city like Toronto we’re all so tempted to stay at home, but that is so boring to me.
Recently I got on a train to Montreal for a girl’s weekend.
Doing things!
My years at McGill contain some of my most treasured memories. What a dream it was to return to Montreal for a work job and arrive a few days early to enjoy the city with a friend who had never been. It’s rare that we get to play tourist.
We stayed at the W Montreal, which I wouldn’t recommend for decor or aesthetic, but it is very convenient for proximity to the train station (good for me!). I would recommend William Gray, Four Seasons Montreal, or Hotel Place d’Armes instead, but the selection is pretty slim. The nice thing is that you’ll never spend much time at the hotel.
After a mandatory Ice Capp from Tim Hortons (a required inaugural itinerary item for all my American friends visiting, whether they like it or not), we walked all the way from downtown to the mile end on our first afternoon. We passed through McGill campus and moseyed to the stretch of Boul. Saint Laurent around Fairmount that touts my favourite stretch of boulangeries and boutiques.
We spent most of our time in Les Étoffes, a gorgeous boutique where I’ll never forget making my first distinctly adult purchase after graduating from college: a pair of Aeyde boots that I wore to death. Their curation and decor is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and I felt more like I was in Paris than anything. I particularly loved their curation of Korean, Japanese, and Australian brands, and I wish they sold the lighting.
I ended up purchasing a blazer and oversized pants from a New Zealand-based brand called Marle - I was so drawn to the oversized mother-of-pearl button and subtle jacquard print. I also bought a new sweater, because it was colder than I’d expected in Montreal and I came unprepared. Plus, what’s life without a little colour!
We also popped into Seconde vintage, and though I was simply done with spending by that point, they had a gorgeous pouf in the front entry way that I cannot stop thinking about. And I especially enjoyed the gorgeous items at Au Papier Japonais.
We also stopped by Ruse (curated consignment) and made our way to In.édité, another vintage store, but didn’t get there in time for closing. Saved to the list for next time. An early, casual dinner at Épicerie Pumpui had us positively stuffed, our bellies full of pad Thai and hearts full of excitement for the day we’d had. Another hour long walk back to the hotel and my feet were throbbing, but I fell into a deep sleep quickly.
The next morning we walked west towards Atwater market, where they have some of my favourite cheeses in the world. I recommend taking the longer route along the canal for a weekend stroll.
Brunch culture in Montreal is very serious - legendary institutions like Beauty’s will always have my heart. We tried to go to September café in St. Henri, but the line was multiple blocks long. We ended up having a quick coffee at Mina Mina cafe by Atwater market before hopping on le Metro back to the Mile End, where we had a delicious and casual lunch at Au Coin.
Honourable mention for our pre-lunch stop at Paris Montreal, where the pieces were heavenly and very reasonably priced, and the store design was exceptional.
Our legs were so tired from walking all day that we took a siesta before heading to dinner at Lemeac, a Montreal classic that I’ve had on my list for ages. Steak frites and an indulgent chocolate cake with popcorn flavoured ice cream amidst a monsoon-like downpour felt like the sex of life. We walked home like two giddy girls still in college, and the sun came out for a gorgeous sunset as we walked along Parc Jeanne Mance.
The next day we were on set for a full eleven hours, clinging to the delight that was the past weekend to get us through a long (albeit very fun!) day.
For our final meal in Montreal we went to Fleurs et Cadeaux, a sweet little gift-shop-turned-Japanese-inspired-restaurant-and-bar and ordered a good chunk of the menu. I highly recommend both noodle dishes, the sashimi, and the agedashi tofu. And their wine list.
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