Grief

For the longest time, I've debated whether I should broach the subject of the recent death of a dear friend on the blog. To see one of my favourite bloggers, The Epicurean Dealmaker, do so so eloquently on his has given me the strength to attempt to begin to find closure through the blog.

It is not the first time I've talked about death on the blog. Way back in the spring 2011, I touched upon briefly how the post had been inspired by the passing of my grandfather then due to old age. This time round however, marks the first time that somebody I have known might have passed due to foul play. We still do not know why or how yet. The results from the autopsy were inconclusive. Police investigations are still ongoing. My dear friend shall remain nameless here as her death has already been thoroughly dissected, discussed and scrutinized more than enough times by the public. The reason why I wanted to acknowledge her on the blog, is because is it through this very blog you are reading that I got to meet her.

It started out with a few comments back and forth, which resulted in a series of exchanges of tweets, e-mails and Facebook messages. This all culminated in the most illuminating and rewarding four hour long chat in a coffee shop downtown Vancouver last year. This blog has succeeded above and beyond by allowing me to connect with wonderful likeminded souls, such as my friend. I count myself as one of the fortunate few who had the privilege of knowing her during her tragically short life.

I have spent the past weekend in utter shock. Surely they've misidentified her body? Perhaps they've gotten the wrong picture? All her e-mails and messages from when we last spoke are still there. I could almost will myself to imagine that she would be there to respond back to my messages. It is only now that news of her death – the brutal finality of it – has begun to sink in. If you are reading this from above (or anywhere for that matter) dear friend, know that you are sorely missed by friends and family alike. Rest in peace.

Please excuse my absence from the blog for the time being. I will return soon.

I am Not a Minimalist

Recently I have been linked to a group of bloggers under the label of "minimalism" largely due to my constant promotion of the virtues of curating your wardrobe. I am extremely flattered to be considered on the same level as some of my curating cohorts, however I would like to go on record saying that I am not a minimalist. What is the point of making such a distinction?

First it is easy to see why people view those who curate their wardrobe as minimalist by default. The ideas surrounding the process of curation is conducive to the simple modes of living that is encouraged by minimalism. There is nothing wrong with living simply. In fact, it's great. However, by pigeonholing all those that curate under the umbrella of minimalism, it does harm in discouraging those who are attracted to the idea of curating but otherwise don't necessarily consider themselves as minimalists. This also restricts the number of reasons why people should curate if they can. For me, it was an idea borrowed from menswear. For others it could be environmental reasons and others, financial budgeting issues. Curating is essentially a means to an end, not an end in itself. It is a tool that anybody can employ to achieve any goals they set for themselves, whether that falls under minimalism or not.

Secondly, by calling me a minimalist, it would most definitely muddy the name of minimalism and those who practice it. I do not know anything about minimalism per se, except for maybe getting rid of the excess. Less is more type of stuff. If I had any minimalistic inclinations, it would be through Buddhism understood through traditional Chinese culture growing up (a heady mix of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism) to eliminate desire and attachment to material objects. It's definitely appealing on a philosophical basis, however I have yet to putting his teachings to practice. I am still kind of a pack rat. I've stopped collecting trinkets but I have yet to be able to bear the thought of throwing sentimental things, like snail mail from Jada, away.

This all sums up exactly why I am such a strong advocate for curating. It's not a “lifestyle choice”– it's a way to save yourself time, money and trouble, along with whatever objective you may have. You can be minimalist, but you most certainly don't have to be.

+ PHOTO: THE COLLECTIONS BY TOM ALLEN FOR UK HARPER'S BAZAAR FEB 2013

A Wardrobe of Staples

Lumpy oatmeal sweaters. Washed out jeans. Worn out duck boots. A neutral warm palette. Inspired by Miss Sophie, this post features more or less what I wear nowadays. Even though I have the most wonderful navy pea coat, I still find myself gravitating towards my trusty old heavy duty G-STAR Raw coat. It's partially because I am so used to wearing it but also because it's so easy to clean and maintain. The pea coat is much less hardy and not at all suited for harsh winter storms (especially as of late).

It's been surprisingly difficult to identify what are my wardrobe staples this season per se post-curation, now that every item is indispensable and is regularly worn on a rotating basis. There are no extra leftover statement pieces that I wear only for the one event now and then. Interestingly, I guess this is how you know you've got the basics down pat that each piece of clothing becomes a true workhorse.