What I Get Up To...

It's been a little while since my last post and a lot of things have happened since then. For one, I reconnected with one of my old high-school best friends, Lisa and it's been really great catching up and hanging out. It's always nice to have those friends who have been with you since you were knee-high to a grasshopper (Lisa and I met in public school). We went for dinner at one of her favourite spots in Peterborough The Favourite Greek. I hadn't been there before but I absolutely loved it! Save for the grape leaf wrapped rice, the food was fantastic.

Lots of Lux | Essie Nail Lacquer

Glitter and/or textured nail polish can either be a dream come true or the bane of your existence...

Check Out | LookBookStore.co

Ah. Online Shopping. What can I say? I don’t like crowds, long lines or leaving the comfort of my own home in the -28 degree weather we’ve been having...

Style Icon | Phoebe-Lettice Thompson

Photographer and and Made in Chelsea star Phoebe Lettice Thompson has been part of the influence behind some of my style changes lately...

Winter Purchases - Cardy and Boots

I saw this hilarious photograph on 9gag.com of us white girls during the colder seasons, and I was going to take the time to describe it to you, but then I got lazy. And to be honest no series of descriptive words would do this justice...

As sad and true as this is, I'm not ashamed to admit I fall into this category. In fact, I think that is me second from left, the thin one with lovely blonde hair. Moving along, I have been wearing the same boots for the last three years and have completely exhausted their durability and needed to buy new ones. In an effort to venture somewhat outside of my comfort zone I bought a pair of black ankle boots to wear with tights or skinny jeans. BUT, just incase I wasn't feeling that adventurous, I made sure to purchase a new pair of brown "white girl" boots too :). At a fraction of the price I paid for my last pair, the new ones are a darker "pleather" and obviously not of the same quality, but they'll do.

I knew I wanted ankle boots but deciding how high of a heel I wanted (if any) was my main debate. I tend to slip and fall my way through winter but I figure if I just take baby steps I can be safe AND stylish, no?

Ankle Boots from Target - $25

Oooooh.....festive.

Boots from Beyond The Rack (beyondtherack.com) - $30

Cardigan from American Eagle - $49.99

This cardigan I bought just at the beginning of October from American Eagle. I believe they came in navy as well but the majority of my attire is dark colours so I tried to keep this neutral to lighten things up. It fits great when you first put it on out of the wash but like jeans, after about 4 hours it starts to loosen so if you're looking at these, maybe buy a size smaller than you normally do.

London Fashion Week: Dusty Rose & Sheer Fabrics

With the conclusion of London Fashion Week, there were a number of trends showcased for Spring / Summer 2014, from dusty rose hues to sheer fabrics and some interesting takes on the iconic little black dress. In any form of art and design, the artists work is an extension of their soul and we saw some amazing examples of this displayed by the designers at this years events. They get their inspiration from a variety of obscure and abstract places and to it all come to life is truly beautiful. There are simply too many notable trends to list them all but this a collection of a few of the ones I personally loved.

Dusty rose hues were a huge part of the catwalk which can be seen in collections from Zoe Jordan, Antipodium, Jean-Pierre Braganza and Burberry Prorsum, to name a few. 

Sheer fabrics had their fare share of attention on the runway as well and were done in a variety of ways from completely sheer tops, to more subtle accents such as sheer sleeves, leggings and skirts as shown above. This can be a tricky one to pull off but I thought the above designers were able to create styles that were ready-to-wear and not overly exposing.

Not one of the main trends but still one of my favourite looks were these elegant white dresses with cut-outs in some unexpected places. Of these three, I personally thought that OSMAN did a great job with showcasing a clean-cut look with geometrical lines.

Finally, no fashion week isn't complete without a unique spin on the iconic little black dress, originated by none other than Coco Chanel dating back to the 1920's. From elaborate designs to more conventional takes on the dress, we saw a huge variance amongst the designers but all expressing some unity in terms of sexiness and class.

- Lyssa

Photos: catwalking.com, londonfashionweek.co.uk

London Fashion Week | Day 1-3 SS14

London Fashion week is upon us and with it comes some gorgeous designs from the leading innovators in the fashion industry. Despite the rain and cold, days 1-3 have presented us with a palette of neutral and soft pink shades for the Spring / Summer 2014 collections, and quite a few of those from Zoe Jordan.

Obviously there are more designers than what I have showcased here, but these are some of my personal favourites from the first few days. I’m really drawn towards the House of Holland and DAKS collections, I find they both have incorporated solids, prints and textures in a way that’s not just stylish – but functional. DAKS featured a mixture of straight clean cuts with a more fitted style and on the opposite end of the spectrum, loose fits and light flowing materials which made for a fabulous combination.

Also following in the direction of loose fit and light materials was Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. I didn’t post anything from the collection, but I absolutely love this lineup of dresses. The soft colours and light-weight materials made for an effortless style that still screams class and is perfect for hot summer nights.

For more LFW highlights click here.

Stay tuned for more from London Fashion Week!

- Alyssa-

Photos: catwalking.com, londonfashionweek.co.uk

Fall Fashion: The Perfect Parka

With Fall just around the corner I've been pro-actively seeking my next jacket purchase. Every year, I buy new outerwear items but I have to admit, recent years have proven unsuccessful with buttons, stitching and spontaneous purchases failing me. In any case, I've ended up wearing my black winter jacket that I used while working for our local radio stations for the last four Winters. 

Sadly, I can no longer continue to don this much loved item as I've pretty well exhausted it's durability and the fluff on the inside is coming out of the seams. This makes me sound a lot less fortunate than I actually am, but I've really just been dealing with some separation anxiety when trying to get rid of it. This leads me to Parkas. I've been searching around in-store and online at various shops to find an exact replica of what I see in my minds eye and I've found quite a few. From ASOS to Canada Goose, the price structure varies but here are some of my favourite styles for this season.

 ASOS Fur Hooded Detachable Lined Parka

Price: $133.75

Available: Online at us.asos.com

In my personal opinion, U.K fashion is far more advanced than American and Canadian designs. ASOS, and us.asos.com is the primary online outlet for Primark and North American bound shipping. For $133 it's hard to beat this price considering your average winter coat of any decent quality is upwards of $200 here in Canada. This is going to be this fall's purchase. To be frank, I've never actually owned any jacket that came equipped with a fur hood before. In fact, I used to detest this look when I was younger. Now, theres something so appealing and comforting about this that I love. It’s casual meets functional and I'm really feeling the neutral colour scheme lately.

ASOS Knitted Hood Parka With PU Trim

Price: $133.75

Available: Online at us.asos.com

Another cozy piece available from the ASOS Collection is this Knitted Hood Parka. Available in Khaki and retailing for slightly over $100 Canadian dollars, this is a great option for anyone looking for a warm and fitted look. Featuring a cable knitted hood with fleece lining and draw strings, deep pockets and draw string at waist, it's super versatile and a great alternative for those not seeking a fur trimmed hood. 

Canada Goose: The Montebello Parka 

Price: Upwards of $400

Available: Authorized Resellers only

The Mack Daddy, Big Cheese and Head Honcho of Parkaland - the Canada Goose brand. The Montebello has been my most coveted item for the last couple years. I had an opportunity to try on this exact one while visiting family out in New Brunswick and it's comfort and warmth is dubious.This hip length, fitted parka will bombard you with utility pocket after utility pocket, making it's functionality nearly unbeatable. Rightfully so, since Canada Goose markets these jackets as the be-all and end-all of "rugged luxury" which is yours for the taking if you're willing to shell out the cash.

Stick To 3 Colours

On a less serious note from yesterdays post, I want to start sharing some of my go-to outfits for a simpler means of fashion. Referring back to the "minimalist" approach, I'm constantly looking for simple pieces that tie in nicely with one another and dressed up with a few statement pieces. Since my office does not have a strict business dress code, I normally opt for a more business-casual look. Something that says I put in some effort to look nice, but not too much effort. There is a fine line between trying, and trying too hard, which I have definitely fell victim too on more than one occasion.

This first outfit is one of my favourites. Black and gold work so well together in a nearly effortless classic look. The best part about black is that it goes well with almost any colour, and I love the coral tee with the black and gold. I would have to say anything more than 3 colours in one outfit might be a little too much for my personal taste, so I try to keep it near that range. 

Rummaging through my closet, I noticed that the majority of my clothes are black. It's certainly an easy colour to work with but also incredibly slimming. WARNING: Be mindful of the amount of black you are wearing in one outfit, especially for you ladies who have dark hair and fair skin like myself. You could find yourself slowly morphing into Morticia Addams (Exhibit A).

Exhibit A

More to come soon!

- Lyss

Fashion | A Minimalist Approach

It goes without saying that I (like a lot of woman) spend a remarkable amount of time in the morning getting ready for the days excursions. There’s a lot finessing that goes into getting your hair, outfit and makeup perfect all in one go.  I wake up roughly 3 hours before I need to leave the house. This gives me time to do the following in this particular order:

Shower

Drink my coffee

Check Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Dry my hair

Curl / Straighten my hair

Start my makeup

Check Facebook again

Clean my apartment

Finish my makeup

Find an outfit.

Switch that outfit

Begin the household hunt for my car keys

Leave for work

In contrast, here is what it takes a man to get ready for work:

Wake up 10 minute prior to leaving the house

Shower

Dress

Done

For the past 9 months I’ve listened to my boyfriend express his opinion on how I take too long to get ready and care too much about what others think of me. As usual, I objected with the average excuses like “I just like taking my time” or “It just takes so long to dry my hair that’s the only reason”. After many of these discussions, I’ve come to a terrible realization - he was right. It should not take me 3 outfit changes before deciding something looks good on me, not when I’ve worn that exact outfit before and thought I looked hotter than Beyonce’s booty. This is why I’ve decided to embark on a new journey in terms of my fashion choices - a minimalist approach.

Simple. Elegant.

Nothing is more simple and elegant than the little black dress, a staple in every girl’s wardrobe. Hell, any dress could be a winner in this category. Save for the bra and panties, there are few things you need to dress yourself and look presentable. Since my job does not require a strict business dress code, I’ve opted for mostly black skinny jeans and a plain coloured v-neck the past couple of weeks as a test run. I bought v-necks in purple, bright coral, mint and navy, which I’ve paired with a black/gold belt and neutral coloured purse.

Now I’m not saying this is going to last. I’m the type that gets bored easily and needs to change things up; this is merely a test pilot. The next few updates I post will hopefully showcase some of my minimalist fashion choices in hopes of inspiring more women to carpe diem and simply be happy with their selves. The only competition you have is improving from who you were yesterday.

DENIM DENIM DENIM...DENIM DENIM DENIM

It’s made a surprisingly quick comeback in the recent months. As much as I love this look when paired with white or black leggings, I find myself reminiscing. Oh, the days when my mother would wear one of these shirts while crafting or painting.  At that age it was never a bright idea to go to school dressed in denim on any part of your body other than your legs. Now – it’s completely acceptable to don an entire Levi’s commercial.

The Fall 2013 collection from Levi’s Vintage Clothing brings us a mix of dark, medium and light washes with a western feel. The Orange Tab - 1960’s Chambray Shirt demonstrates that with two chest pockets and sewn together with just one signature orange thread. The 1970’s Denim Shirt is a great option if you’re looking for something to throw on over a few layers. The slit on the side makes this shirt fit more like a jacket – perfect for the Fall.

Levi’s (being the original and iconic denim company they are known to be) however, are not the only ones to produce such a wide spread pandemic of denim shirts. Banana Republic, Topshop, Forever 21, Primark and Target all retail their own unique take on this classic.

Always a safe bet - match any wash of denim shirt with either black or white skinny leggings. If you're the bold type - try pairing it with a patterned short like Julianne for a fun, casual look with a tinge of flare. 

The denim look can be pulled off in more ways than just a shirt and/or jeans. Accessories hold a large share of the denim market and they’re popping up all over the place. Raw denim known for its crisp, clean look and durability has become a great use for accessories. Camera straps, iPad/iPhone covers, aprons, handbags- you name there is probably a denim version of it.  

My must have look - Jenni Kayne’s denim D’Orsay flat which look immaculate with a pair of leggings or skinny jeans.  Retailing at $425, this might not be in you’re budget for a pair of flats. The patterned denim fabric reminds me a lot of any pair of TOMS, but much more sophisticated. What I love about these little things? The open sides of the flat that expose more of your foot, is a perfect addition to nearly any summer or fall number. An alternative to the price tag is Breckelle's DOLLEY-03 Sideless Pointed Toe Flat available at zooshoee.com for just $22.

Jenni Kayne denim D’Orsay flat

Breckelle's DOLLEY-03 Sideless Pointed Toe Flat

- Lyss