Crop Star

When it comes to fashion, there are some trends I bypass entirely (ie. culottes), and some I latch on to right away (ie. crop tops). This little white top from last summer made a return appearance for our trip to Cuba, this time paired with one of my favourite skirts ever, a midi/maxi (mixi?) I picked up in a post-Christmas Anthro sale. I love long skirts but I often find it tricky to decide what to wear them with -- so often, a tucked-in t-shirt can look kind of awkward when it bunches up around the waist, I find. So thank God for crop tops! And I love that this plain white one is the perfect backdrop for a big, statement necklace.

Crop top - H&M

Necklace - Aldo

Skirt - Anthropologie

Bag - Kate Spade

Sandals - J. Crew

Sunglasses - Forever 21

Lipstick - Posh Pink (Lancôme)

Coat Weather

While Vancouver never gets that cold, I'm glad that it gets just chilly enough to be able to wear coats for a few months of the year. What I love about a good, statement winter coat is that you can just throw it on as you head out the door and instantly look put-together (no matter how scruffy your outfit underneath is). Ditto these over-the-knee boots -- I'm actually wearing a ridiculously laddered pair of tights with them, but as long as the damage doesn't show, no one's the wiser ;)

Coat - Jacob

Hat - Topshop

Boots - Aldo

Grey lace skirt - Jacob

Gloves - Accessorize

Lip balm - Hibiscus (Burt's Bees)

Plaiditude

For someone who had to wear a kilt every day throughout high school (and even at one of my jobs for a whole summer), you'd think I'd be sick to death of all things tartan by now. But nope, not me! My love for this cosy classic is still going strong, and has only increased over the past few months, what with the plenitude of plaid-inspired pieces around. While plaid shirts have always been an autumn/winter staple, it seems that this year, more than ever, the design has found its way onto everything from skirts to scarves and trousers to coats. 

While the only tartan I currently have in my wardrobe is this shirt (I love the lace detailing on the shoulders), I'm on the look-out for the perfect plaid scarf...and I wouldn't be averse to a skirt, either. The hunt is on! 

What are your thoughts on this tartan trend? Love it, hate it, indifferent to it?

Plaid shirt - Winners

Leather skirt - Forever 21

Necklace - Aldo

Boots - Steve Madden

Lipstick - Ruby Woo (MAC)

Slouch City

In this post, I mentioned my love for my new sweater/dress from H&M...now, here she is in action! For me, I find there's no happy medium when it comes to wearing new clothes -- I either wear them to death or not at all (case in point: while I've easily worn this sweater maybe 25 times since I bought it a month and a half ago, I've yet to wear the white shirt I bought on the same day even once. Oops). 

It may not be the most flattering thing I own (it's a far cry from my favoured fitted waist look), but because it's so delightfully comfy I'm willing to overlook the fact that it kind of makes me look pregnant (and handless).

Sweater dress - H&M

Leather trousers - H&M

Hat - Topshop

Boots - Steve Madden

Bag - Chapters/Indigo

Necklace - Aldo

Lipstick - Pinkberry (Estée Lauder)

Autumn Wedding

A few weeks ago, Maria, one of my best friends from high school, got married in Calgary and I was delighted to attend her beautiful wedding. I hadn't been back to Calgary since I left it 10 years ago, so it was so weird being in the city again -- a lot had changed but so much was still the exact same. And even though I hadn't seen my old classmates for a decade, it was like no time had passed at all -- it just felt like we were all back at school again! So surreal. 

Aaanyway, I knew I wanted to wear something suitably...autumnal...and this dress, with its dark floral pattern, sheer polka dot overlay, and fit and flare shape was ideal! (Thanks, Claud, for helping me find it!). As I had no idea what the weather would be like (Calgary's climate is notoriously unpredictable -- just a few weeks prior they'd had an epic snowstorm), I brought along my trusty old brocade coat, but as it turned out, I didn't even need it, as the day couldn't have been more sunny and perfect. (I did need it, however, for this little photo shoot today -- it's gotten so chilly here in Vancouver! I'm loving it ;).

Dress - Eliza J at Nordstrom

Coat - Penneys/Primark

Clutch - Aldo

Shoes - Penneys/Primark

Earrings - vintage clip-ons

Lipstick - mix of Sweet Violet (Burt's Bees) and Rebel (MAC)

Nail Polish - La Moss (Butter)

Floral Farewell

Well, first of all, let me apologize for the bad quality of these photos -- I guess having a photo shoot at night wasn't the greatest idea. The darkness just seems to creep up so quickly these evenings! I always have slightly mixed feelings this time of year (and I say slightly because fall is my favourite season), but there's something about summer coming to a close that's bittersweet. And for me, it always ensues a slight panic as I try to cram in as many wears of my bright, summer-only clothes -- like this skirt -- before packing them away for 6 months.

Shirt - Forever 21

Skirt - Banana Republic

Bag - Kate Spade

Ring - Aldo

Tights - DIM

Shoes - J. Crew

Lipstick - Schiap, NARS

Little Black Summer Dress

I've been trying to wean myself off wearing too much black (because, to be honest, it has a tendency to wash me out), but when I saw this dress on sale at J. Crew for 65% off the sale price (!!!), I just couldn't resist. Combining eyelet and a trumpet-flare hem--two of my favourite style features--it was a winning combination. While I'm planning on getting as many wears out of it as I can while the weather is warm, I think it will transition well into autumn--I'll exchange bare legs for tights and hot pink lipstick for berry.

Do you have a favourite LBD? Or do you think it's one those "closet essentials" that's a bit overrated?! Let me know in the comments!

Dress - J. Crew

Patent flats - J. Crew

Rings - Aldo and Topshop

Sunglasses - Aldo

Black nail polish - Licorice, Essie

Lipstick - Schiap, NARS

Top of the Crops

While I'd been intending on trying out the crop top trend since early spring, it wasn't until recently that I actually managed to acquire one. White, affordable, and with some sort of sleeves were my only requirements...but somehow that trifecta proved difficult to find. But just when I thought my summer was going to be crop top-less after all, I happened upon this little white one on mega sale at H&M for under $5. White may not be the most practical colour (knowing me, it'll be stained within 2 seconds of putting it on), but it's the most flattering if you're fair: it makes even the ghostliest skin look (kind of) tanned.

Crop top - H&M

Maxi skirt - Topshop

Sandals - J. Crew

Sunglasses - Aldo

Lipstick - Rimmel Kate Moss #08

White nail polish (fingers) - Loft

Blue nail polish (toes) - Barry M Cobalt Blue

A Teal Tale

Teal is a colour I rarely gravitate towards when it comes to clothes (for no good reason other than being put off by the Aer Lingus vibe the shade evokes). But after happening upon this little dress in Vicky's wardrobe, I began to see the appeal of this most versatile hue, which pairs beautifully with gold jewellery, hot pink lipstick, and lilac nail polish (or so I choose to believe!)

Teal dress - Forever 21

Gold spiky necklace - River Island

Owl ring - Aldo Accessories

Black tights - Express

Black heels - my Fergalicious Louboutins

Lipstick - "Schiap" by NARS

Nail polish - "Lilacism" by Essie

Anna Karenin-spired

Vicky recently had a Banana Republic work event to launch the store's Anna Karenina-themed Holiday collection, and, naturally, the dress code for the evening was "Russian." And, more specifically, black with touches of grey or red. A touch of fur, dash of red lipstick, and strand of pearls did the job nicely, giving a basic black outfit a winter-glam vibe.

Black dress - Kensie via The Bay

Black, fur-collared cardigan - Forever 21

Red belt - Aldo Accessories

Red earrings - Aldo Accessories

Pearl necklace - borrowed from our mum

Silver watch - Seksi

Black heels - Call It Spring

Black tights - Express

Lipstick - "Ruby Woo" by MAC

Nail polish - "My Italian Love Affair" by OPI

Flexible Lace

Layering a jumper/sweater over a dress is a simple way of getting more use out of your dresses and prolonging their wear right into the cooler months. It's also a great way of making a dress more daytime-appropriate, as Vicky demonstrates here. What appears to be a white lace skirt is actually a dress with long sleeves and a high neckline - a bit dressy for a 9am lecture, but instantly more casual when worn with a jumper and scarf.

Mint jumper - H&M

Melon scarf - BCBG

White lace dress, worn as skirt - Zara

Black tights - Express

Brown leather boots - Aldo

Earrings - Forever 21

Lipstick - "Candy Pink" by Revlon

Wild Horses

Printed shirts have been kicking around for a while, but their charm seems to have increased as of late with the absolutely adorable designs we've been seeing in shops this season. In addition to the ubiquitous plaid and gingham, our hearts have been stolen by shirts strewn with owls, polka dots, apples, elephants...and horses, as Vicky models. Whether you wear your shirt loud and proud, or take a more subtle approach by having it peek out from a jumper or cardigan, this is an easy way of adding a dose of cute to an otherwise staid outfit.

Horse print shirt - H&M

Grey knit jumper - Gap

Black leggings - H&M

Tan leather boots - Aldo

Lipstick - "Nude Attitude" by Revlon

Nail polish - "Blue Moon" by Barry M and "Cloudless Sky" by George at Asda

Mint Floral

Floral print has been popular for quite a few seasons, but it has only recently made its way into jean territory. While the prospect of flower-bedecked legs may seem somewhat daunting, it can actually be quite a wearable look, when balanced with a casual, loose-fitting top. Vicky paired her jeans with a sheer, mint-coloured shirt to create an outfit that's perfect for this transitional time of year, when it's not quite warm enough for shorts but still officially summer. 

Sheer mint green shirt (worn with top underneath) - Primark

Floral print jeans - Primark

White canvas wedges - Aldo

Lip gloss -  Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Balm in "London" by Bare Escentuals

Nail polish - "Pedal Faster Suzi" by OPI (Holland Collection)

Chain Chain Chain

Chain print has been cropping up everywhere this past year, no longer relegated to scarfs, grannies, and the '80s, and is a fantastic way of channelling a luxe vibe in your dressing. It's actually quite a seasonally versatile print, as it looks equally good paired with crisp whites and brights in spring and summer as it does with rich, leather accessories in autumn and winter. Whether your medium of choice is a skirt, blouse, dress, scarf, or even a jacket or trousers for the very brave, there is a chain print option out there for everyone!

Robin's egg blue blazer - Oasis

White sequin top - Old Navy

Chain print skirt - Jules & Leopold via Winners

Pale pink tights - Penneys

Cobalt blue ankle boots - Feet First

Necklace - Aldo

Bracelets - New Look

Watch - River Island

Pink hair bow - Penneys

Lipstick - "Saint Germain" by MAC

Nail polish - "Flirty Bikini" by Jacob