Sunday 29 June 2014

Trend Report - Summer Silver


Silver is the colour (or rather, metallic) of the season - I've been seeing it everywhere in small and large doses. It's a fun and edgy way of amping up any outfit. I find this trend is best done with a pop either in your accessories or with a statement piece. I've been searching high and low for what Toronto has to offer this trend. Below are my top picks!





From left to right, top to bottom: purse BCBG Max Azria, shoes Aldo, shoes Nine West, skirt Top Shop, shoes Brian Atwood, jewelry 424 Fifth, purse Capezio, shoes Joe Fresh

Be sure to check "Summer Silver" on Pinterest by Britton Diaries for more finds.

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Thursday 26 June 2014

Growing Up Female

Yesterday I went to see the Jays and Yankees play. I've never been to a baseball game and I can't say  really saw much of it.



I've hesitate to put this into words for a number of reasons, namely: a) the internet can be a cruel place b) whatever you say someone will always find you wrong, or wanting c) once you hit "send" it's out there forever.

I have become more and more aware of how badly I interact with men, and how much I abhor male attention. It has gotten to the point where if I'm walking down the street and a man so much as looks at me I feel violated. I feel like those eyes are hands and no amount of "No" will make them stop.

What frustrates me the most is that I don't know how to formulate a good response to these attentions. I frown, I make comments under my breath, I sometimes call the perps out right then and there but how is this helping me, or helping other women? I just get so frustrated, so outraged and so angered that I let myself get carried away. But are these emotions justified? Even if I were to be hit on by a charming, attractive guy I would still freeze up and feel threatened.

I am beginning to view every man as a threat, as someone who will disregard my own wishes to fulfill their own. Is this fair? No. But I've been in too many situations where simple friendliness is taken as interest, where I have to belong to someone else to no longer be on someone's radar, where I have absolutely no autonomy of my own.

The reasons for this sort of reaction don't exactly add up. I think what is is that I feel devalued and that I believe men perceive my value or worth as correlative to my sexual easiness. I suppose I feel as though I need to constantly justify myself by playing the prude, which is, in a way, exactly what society has raised me to do. Boys don't like girls who are easy, right?  But you see I don't believe that sexual exploits dictate someone's worth as I am inherently against the entire concept of "slut," so why should this colour my perception? I would hate for anyone to speak of me in these terms, or as if I were some sort of conquest, but maybe it's not up to me to hold anyone accountable.

I know this feeling...this unease is tainted by years of harassment - the special sort you get in the hospitality industry - but I so wish to be able to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I long to feel free of this resentment which my anxiety has been making a constant.

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Tuesday 24 June 2014

LFFG Inspo - Pentos

Pentos was one of the Valyrian colonies in western Essos. When the Doom destroyed the empire four centuries ago, Pentos became an independent city state. Pentos is a large port city, more populous than Astapor on Slaver's Bay, and may be one of the most populous of the Free Cities. It lies on the Bay of Pentos off the narrow sea, with the Flatlands plains and Velvet Hills to the east. In Pentos wealth equals power. The city is ruled over by a prince with a council of magisters, although the prince has a mostly ceremonial function while the rich magisters rule.

View more posts inspired by Pentos on Little Finds for GoT

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Source
Maester_Aeron. "Pentos." A Wiki of Ice and Fire. Westeros.org, 23 June 2014. Web. 24 June 2014. <http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Pentos>

Monday 23 June 2014

Top 5 - The Stylish Academic


5 favourite recent posts from The Stylish Academic:


Banana Buckwheat Waffles with Blue-barb Syrup via dollyandoatmeal

Hartwell House Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire via wasbella102

Whitehaven Beach via flowersgardenlove

Dining room, Texan antique modern home via Home Interior Designs

Crown braid up-do via Plum Pretty Sugar 

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A New Chapter

Last Monday I graduated from the University of Toronto.


The last five years were not only gruelling, but life-altering. I was by all accounts ordinary when I left high school. I didn't know the meaning of hard work and I allowed others to dictate my beliefs. I worked my butt off, met wonderful people, and challenged myself internally. It was hardly easy, and I'm not just talking about the schoolwork, but I wouldn't trade any of the joy, grief and ecstasy for anything. I certainly have a great deal of growing ahead of me and yet, finally, I feel like I'm beginning to know myself. And I am the sum of my experiences.




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