Little White Pleated Dress

As anyone who follows me on Pinterest knows, I'm a big fan of white dresses (I have a board solely dedicated to images of perfect LWDs). The ubiquitous little black dress, while a classic for obvious reason, can easily veer into funereal/frumpy/lacklustre territory, in my opinion, but the little white dress, in all its iterations, always seems so fresh. 

This pleated J. Crew dress, a sales-score from last summer, is incredibly versatile -- I love changing up the vibe of it by pairing it with different accessories and jackets. If I want to enhance its preppy vibe, I'll wear it with a blazer, while tossing on my leather jacket instantly edges it up. 

Which are you more a fan of -- the LBD or the LWD? 

Dress - J. Crew

Necklace - Forever 21
Sunglasses - Forever 21
Shoes - Forever 21
Bag - Kate Spade
Lipstick - All Fired Up by MAC

Neon Peach

I scored this vibrant little number in the post-Christmas sales last year, and it's easily become my favourite coat to wear once Christmas is over and the new year has begun. It's even more highlighter-esque in real life, if you can believe it, and I find it to be the perfect transitional item for this dreary time of year: warm enough to keep the chill at bay but bright enough to feel fresh and springlike. Some people are convinced it's a pinkish colour, but I consider it a part of the orange family -- a neon peach if you will. To tone it down, I wear it with basic pieces in neutral shades...but I can't resist the addition of a punchy orange lip. 

Wool coat - J. Crew

Sweater - Dynamite

Jeans - Dittos via The Bay

Shoes - Forever 21

Sunglasses - Ray-Ban

Lipstick - So Chaud by MAC

Festively Nautical

While I'm fond of the classic nautical-inspired combination of blue, red, and white, there's something just so intrinsically summery about those colours together that it puts me off wearing them this time of year. However, if you exchange the blue and red for navy and burgundy (and add a dash of sparkle somewhere), you've got yourself a look that's decidedly more festive and wintry. And hey, I'm even getting a head start on 2015 with my marsala-coloured jeans ;)

Sequin-collared Breton tee - Banana Republic

Blazer - Dynamite

Coated jeans - H&M

Boots - Steve Madden

Silver cuff bracelet - Forever 21

Nail polish - La Moss by Butter

Lipstick - mix of Rebel (MAC) and Majella (NARS)

Lipstick of the Week: MAC Ruby Woo

You've probably heard of this week's lipstick, Ruby Woo -- it's definitely a cult classic, and it's not hard to see why. It's just such a classic red red that looks good on every skin colour (though it's especially great for those with cool undertones, as it's a very blue-based red). 

Ruby Woo is definitely one of my all-time favourite lipsticks now, but it wasn't always that way... When I first started wearing it, I didn't realize that you need to wear some sort of primer underneath, so after a few hours, I'd be left with really flaky, chalky lips. Thankfully, I know better now, and always apply a thin layer of clear balm underneath (any basic chapstick will do as long as it's untinted).

And as for what to wear it with? Well, pretty much everything, but I especially love it with light, sugary shades -- mint, powder blue, blush. If you don't already have Ruby Woo in your lipstick arsenal, I highly recommend you get it -- ask Santa! (It's also a fantastic present to give to someone, if you're looking for ideas). 

 

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)

Lipstick of the Week: MAC Heroine

Happy Halloween from me and my fake fringe, guys! In honour of the day, I thought I'd share the, uh, scariest lipstick I own: MAC's Heroine. It's a very purple purple, and let's just say that it isn't exactly one of my go-tos (I love it, but it's pretty intense). I have to be in the right (read: brave) mindset to wear it, but when I do, I'm always glad that I did -- it's more fun than berry, more unexpected than pink, and it definitely livens up an otherwise drab outfit. 

Lipstick of the Week: MAC Rebel

Let me introduce you to one of my all-time favourite lipsticks for autumn: MAC's Rebel. While it's a slightly intimidating looking dark purple colour in the tube, it's not actually that scary when it's on, I promise! It's a beautiful rich wine shade in a Satin finish, and it's my go-to colour when the weather starts turning autumnal (it's become a little ritual of sorts that I wear it on the first cold day in September). 

I love it with all the usual suspects: navy, midnight blue, grey, and camel (and occasionally black, although that combination can look a little bit intense for day), but my new favourite colour to wear it with is orange! 

Are you a fan of the berry lip?! Any favourite lipsticks in this shade?

Lipstick of the Week: MAC So Chaud

Back when I featured Morange, I mentioned its not-so-neon but still orange sister, So Chaud. One of my year-round favourites, So Chaud is a rich, orangey red with a matte finish. If you've been thinking you'd like to test out orange lipstick but want to play it safe, I would definitely recommend it! I particularly love it with all shades of blue: navy, cobalt, cornflower, ice...it plays well with them all, and is a bit more unexpected than a classic red. Oh, and surprise! I cut my hair!*

 

*Just kidding, it's a faux bob...fob?!

Lipstick of the Week: MAC Dubonnet

I've been in Victoria for these past few days, which means my selection of lipstick options has doubled thanks to having access to both my sister Claudia's and my mum's collections ;-) Dubonnet -- a rich, claret red in an Amplified finish -- is one of Claudia's particularly covetable lipsticks, and while such a deep colour can feel a bit heavy in the summer, it's perfect for this time of the year. Obviously, it goes well with the typical autumnal colours, but I love it with something a bit less obvious, like cornflower blue--it just feels more fresh and unexpected. 

Autumn Uniform

Autumn seemed to creep up so quickly this year--this time last week we were dying of heat exhaustion here in Vancouver, and now here we are shivering on the first day of September. Not that I'm complaining though! Fall is my favourite season, and I way prefer dressing for colder weather. I find I gravitate towards a uniform of sorts this time of year, and in the spirit of all things back to school, here's a little equation: jacket + patterned top + skirt + tights + boots = the perfect outfit combination for early autumn!

How about you? Do you veer towards certain clothes this time of year? Let me know in the comments! 

Leather jacket - River Island

Top - French Connection

Tweed skirt - Banana Republic

Boots - Steve Madden

Tights - Express

Pearl earrings (clip-ons) - Claire's

Lipstick - Ruby Woo, MAC

Lipstick of the Week: MAC Impassioned

For our final post in August, I thought it fitting to bring out the last of my summer lipsticks: MAC's Impassioned. (That's not to say I won't be wearing it come September, but it is more of a warm weather favourite). It's a bright, corally pink colour, and unlike my other favourite hot pink lipstick, Schiap (featured here), it's definitely got warm, as opposed to blue-based, undertones. Thanks to its Amplified finish, it's got a nice, creamy, non-drying texture. And as for what to wear it with? I think it can go both ways: either to liven up a neutral outfit of greys/creams/navies, or paired with fellow bright shades, like my citrus sweater. 

{Ugh that freaking tendril. Please pretend it doesn't exist; I'm not intentionally going for a '90s prom look here}

Lipstick of the Week: MAC Morange

Everyone has their make-up product obsession: for some it's eyeliner, others mascara...for me, it's definitely lipstick. Because I’m pale (and my lips are naturally a drab mauve-ish colour), I find I need some form of lip colour to brighten my face and keep me from looking washed-out. From hot pinks to classic reds and chalky pastels to vampy berries, I love experimenting with different shades, and I’ve amassed a fairly substantial collection over the years. For this new series, I’ll be sharing a favourite lipstick of my mine each week…from new discoveries to old go-tos. Hope you enjoy! 

Lipstick Essentials

Some people are extremely meticulous when applying lipstick—carefully outlining with lipliner, then applying a coat, then blotting, then applying again, etc, etc. I am not one of those people. Ain't nobody got time for that! Most of the time, I apply it straight from the tube, but there are three little necessities that I always have on hand:

• Q-Tips/cotton swabs: You know how you’re supposed to swirl your finger your mouth around to remove excess lipstick (so that it doesn’t get on your teeth)? Well, instead of my finger, I use a Q-Tip (much less messy), and then I use the ends to touch up the edges.

• Blotting paper: In general, I prefer a more matte look, so I use these to mop up any excess shine (and of course, they can do double duty on the rest of your face, too).

• Non-tinted lip balm:  Lipstick can be drying, so I’ll sometimes apply a layer of lip balm on first.

This week's lipstick: MAC Morange

The orange lip has been one of the most talked-about beauty trends of the season, and it was one I wanted in on. So summery, so '70s (I love the '70s, so that's a good thing in my books), so J. Crew catalogue...I needed to try it out. I'd had my eye on MAC's Morange for quite some time, so eventually bit the (lipstick) bullet and bought it. I'm not gonna lie, it's a pretty intimidating-looking colour at first glance, and can have a neon-like appearance in some lights. But once applied, it's thankfully not garish, although it is bright! If you're looking for a more subdued shade, I'd suggest MAC's So Chaud (which will be getting its own post soon).

It actually turned out pretty reddish in these photos, but in real life, it's definitely more of a true orange. As it's got an Amplified Creme finish, there's a bit of a shine to it, but this can be adjusted with some blotting should you want.

What do you think of bright orange lips? Is it a trend you want to try out or pass on? Let me know in the comments!