To be totally honest, as a pair of overstimulated elitist New Yorkers, my boyfriend and I were somewhat underwhelmed by Montréal; while it had its charms and scenery and our hotel was totally amazing and peaceful, overall… maybe it was just a little too peaceful. I feel like a horrible person admitting this, but it just seemed… not quite busy enough. Not stressed out enough, not fast enough, not dark enough, not snooty enough, not ‘modern’ enough, not big enough, not sexy enoguh, not dirty enough… so you know, basically just not New-York-enough. I fail. Sigh.
Vague disappointments aside, I was totally enamoured of the Montréal-and-Toronto based boutique + line Preloved, one of the better things we ran across on Boulevard St-Laurent. The eco-friendly line, which claims fans including Daria Werbowy and Kate Hudson, creates actually really fashion-y and cute pieces using old/thrifted/vintage clothing as a fabric source. Styles include colorblock shirts made from old sweaters in varying colours and patterns, high-waisted pleated skirts with bow belts in mixed wool tweeds, sleeveless shirtdresses made from old trench coats, mod panelled miniskirts in 70’s coloured corduroy, cuffed shorts in mixed pinstripe, plaid, and tweed, and a convertible ruffled one-shouldered asymmetrical top made from old men’s pinpoint oxford button-downs that I picked up in dark grey and have already worn twice.
