Shades of Grey

Not 50 shades of grey, just several shades of grey.

Grey is one of my favourite colours to wear. I could probably put together an entire lookbook of stony monochromatic outfits. I have grey trousers, denim, sweaters, silk blouses, shoes, gloves, hats, scarves, purses, lingerie, makeup, etc. For Halloween I should probably go out as a very chic Tin Man, or perhaps a sartorially-inclined storm cloud?

Ok, on to the important part of this post. My deep love for this HAT. And a deep love for any inanimate object does not come without a story…

So I had my eye on this Kate Spade hot pink pom-pom wonder. I lovingly visited the website over and over, until one day I finally bought it. The Canadian dollar was lower than a snake’s ankles, and my eyes nearly fell out of my head when I saw how much the total was…but it was mine.
Until it wasn’t. A few days later, I got an email from Kate Spade informing me that the hat was actually sold out and they wouldn’t be charging my credit card after all. I was devastated! Where else was I going to find a wool cap with a plush fur pom-pom right on top? Nowhere! I mourned my pom-pom hat, and a part of me is still sad.

While in Montreal, my little brother asked me to pop into Simon’s to pick up his favourite t-shirts. We don’t have Simon’s in Toronto, which is a shame! As I was leaving I actually saw the hat I’m wearing in this post, sitting alone on a pile of scarves. There were no others. Could it be? A wool cap with a plush pom-pom right on top? ALSO, this hat is made in Canada, and it was under $100 CANADIAN. WHAT. My only qualm is that it is not hot pink, but I love it anyway. I love it.

The Kate Spade hat is back in stock though. So should I give my current pom-pom hat a friend? 🙂

Hat – Simon’s / Sweater – Banana Republic / Vest – Old Navy / Skirt – Gap / Tights – The Bay / Shoes – Gap / Bag – Alexander Wang / Watch – Titan

I Prefer Pearls

Pearls are effortlessly chic. They are easy to wear both casually, and with finery. I love the way they feel when I first drape them around my neck – cool against my skin. By the time I take them off at the end of the day, they are warm to the touch, and more luminous.

My favourite movie scenes with pearls – Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn, wearing the infamous “B” necklace with 3 teardrops, Grace Kelly with a choker in Rear Window, and perhaps my favourite: Carrie Bradshaw wearing a string of pearls to bed.

These pearls are a gift from my Auntie Helen. They are absolutely stunning, and I feel as glamorous as Grace whenever I wear them. In this outfit, I styled them with a tweed jacket and the perfect ballerina flats. I don’t usually like to wear outfits that are so precious…but every once in awhile it’s fun to feel like I’m in costume.

More about my Montreal trip, coming soon!

Jacket – J.Crew / Top – Banana Republic / Pants – Gap / Ballerinas – J.Crew / Bag – Alexander Wang / Pearls – a lovely gift

xo

Ready for Mockingjay

I am a huge Hunger Games fan. After much convincing from my younger friends, I tried reading the trilogy and was instantly hooked. I adore Katniss Everdeen, and was fascinated by the strange world of Panem. The movies are just as exciting for me – mainly because I can see all the sartorial descriptions brought to life. My favourite on-screen character is obviously Effie. But there was one clothing item in Hunger Games: Catching Fire, that I couldn’t stop thinking about…

The Huntress Cowl. Or, Katniss’ badass sweater thingy. I saw it, and I had to have it. Luckily for me, my mom is a knitting guru. As in, she’s a better knitter than Katniss is an archer. Ok. I’m going to stop with the movie references now.

I am convinced my mom can knit pretty much anything. And the best part? She loooves a good challenge. I showed her The Huntress Cowl, and after a bit of googling and wool shopping, she figured it out. How GORGEOUS is this sweater? It’s such a statement piece, and although its asymmetrical shape may make it seem impractical, it’s actually quite warm. I love it!

And just in time for the final Huger Games: Mockingjay II!! I will be there on opening day, maybe wearing this sweater and a cool side braid?

xo

The Huntress Cowl – Studio Lillian (aka my mom) / Top – Joe Fresh / Skirt – Aritzia / Boots – Victoria’s Secret / Lippie – Deborah Lippman “True Blood”

Love Story

I love these pants.

I love everything about them. I love that they’re named “The Love Story“, I love that they’re a deep, dark green, I love that they’re corduroy, and I LOVE that they’re bellbottoms! Whew, that’s a lot of love.

If you know me, you know that I don’t shy away from making a statement. So in full 70’s theme, I donned a wide-brimmed hat and groovy vest. I wore this outfit to brunch, or because I’m in Montreal, “Le Brunch”. The nice thing about Montreal is that nobody really looked twice at my somewhat over-the-top outfit. But I just know that if I wore this out in Toronto, even on Queen West or Ossington, I’d get a few weird stares!

Happy Monday, and stay tuned for more travel posts soon! I am properly eating my way through Montreal…

Hat- Madewell / Vest – bought in France / Turtleneck – Joe Fresh / Pants – J.Brand / Clutch – American Apparel

Suit Up

Sometimes it’s fun to borrow from the boys! I’m surrounded by men in suits 5 days a week, so I suppose their uniforms have influenced me a little. Some women say they feel more powerful in a suit – but that’s definitely not the case for me…
A good pair of shoes though? Like a really good pair of shoes? They can empower me to Beyoncé status. Yaaaasssss.

So in today’s outfit I donned a suit, with the most gorgeous shoes in my closet. I got super fun compliments like, “I saw your shoes before I saw you!” and “You have a punk rock chic thing going on with those hot pink shoes and black suit!” – the latter came from an old man, which made me even happier. It’s so funny to me, when grandpas care about fashion!

We took these photos right outside the ROM, pictured above. My photographer didn’t like the backdrop with my outfit because he said I looked like a tour guide with my suit and little scarf. I was totally ok with that though, because one of my dreams has always been to become a tour guide! In fact, I think I’d be quite good at it!

xo

Jacket – Club Monaco / Pants – Banana Republic / Top – Zara / Scarf – vintage Christian Dior / Shoes – Christian Dior / Bag – Alexander Wang / Rings – Foe and Dear / Nail polish – “Marnie” by Deborah Lippman for the GIRLS collection

I get by with a little help from my friends

Boy, do I have a treat for you today! My boyfriend photographer is amazing. Truly, a patient and wonderful person, without whom this blog would suffer. And though he is talented, he is learning. Just like me! We are both young grasshoppers in need of guidance – photography guidance, not Kung Fu guidance.

Luckily for me, my friend Justine is a photography queen! Justine is beautiful, hilarious, whip-smart, and her winged eyeliner is so sharp it’s #blessed. I have never used that colloquialism before, and never will again, but her wings can be described no other way.
She was kind enough to do a little photoshoot with me this past weekend. The weather was gorgeous, the light was perfect (or perhaps she just made it so), and I came away with SO many photos to choose from! Teach us your ways, Justine!! I don’t believe you learned it all from YouTube!! Check out some of her gorgeous photos, here.

Another lovely person who had a hand in putting this outfit together, is my fellow Toronto fashion blogger: Sarah of Stella and the City. I love the Toronto blogging community! Everyone is so kind, and supportive. Sarah was sweet enough to mail me this awesome clutch, after I complimented the same one she was wearing in a gorgeous outfit! How generous is that? She styled hers way better than I ever could – her fashion sense is ON POINT. Check out her instagram and follow her 🙂

And finally, some outfit details: I love the (faux) leather sleeves on this blazer! It’s such a fun touch, and makes this blazer feel more like outerwear. I added a cashmere scarf for warmth, not that I needed it this weekend, but it was a good test drive. My favourite part of this outfit? Probably a toss up between the fabulous earrings or the “Lip Maestro” by Giorgi Armani. Wowza! This red was fun to wear. I have very dry lips, and was wary of trying out a liquid lipstick. However, this isn’t a “matte” formula, and I found it was actually very hydrating and didn’t slip around at all. It was like red velvet. Winner.

Happy Monday xo

Blazer – Zara / Scarf – Banana Republic / Jeans – Citizens of Humanity / Shoes – Zara / Earrings – J.Crew / Clutch – Forever21 courtesy of the beautiful Stella and the City / Sunnies – Le Specs / Lippie – Giorgio Armani

Photos by Justine Chiu 

Blanket Scarf

For me, scarves are not just an Autum/Winter staple – I wear them all year round. But there are a few scarves that are just too warm to put on unless there’s a crispness to the air…and when it gets so cold I can’t feel my face. This blanket scarf falls into that category. It’s the perfect layering piece for Autumn, when a jacket’s not yet necessary. And it’s an absolute staple in the dead of winter (I don’t want to think about that yet. The slush. The SLUSH!!)

I’m only slightly embarrassed to admit that I have this scarf in TWO colours.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead, filled with pumpkin spice everything and cableknit sweaters 🙂 I am dedicating a fair chunk of my Sunday to switching my Summer closet to my Autumn one. Wahoo!

Scarf – Wilfred by Aritzia / Blazer – Banana Republic / Camisole – Wilfred by Aritzia / Jeans – Citzens of Humanity / Shoes – Anthropologie / Clutch – American Apparel / Glasses – Prada

Layered Lace

My trick to looking put together while dressing casually: make the clothes work for you! This shirt has a layer built in, so it looks like I put some effort into getting dressed…but I really just threw on a top with jeans.

Also adding a little heel helps! These ankle boots are so comfortable, and they’ve taken me all over the world! I originally bought them as “bar boots” before I moved away for my semester abroad. You know what I mean, right? They’re the boots/heels you can wear to dive bars and not worry about how much beer gets spilled on them 🙂 But they’ve really lasted a lot longer than I thought.

I had a very busy weekend, filled with tasty treats, fabric shopping, patio weather, spending wonderful time with close friends, and ubering around like a maniac. Follow me on instagram to keep up! xox

Top – Anthropologie / Jeans – Citizens of Humanity / Boots – H&M / – Scarf – J.Crew / Watch – Titan / Bag – J.Crew

All Black Everything

Fall is now upon us, and I can wear leather pants and an abundance of black without feeling like it’s overkill. Well, maybe you still think it’s overkill, but to that I say “I’ll stop wearing black when they invent a darker colour.”

I love shirts like this, which do all the layering work for me. It’s such an interesting piece, and makes getting dressed so easy! My only problem with it is that it’s almost tunic-length on me. I have long legs and a short torso, and I like to play that up most of the time. Tunic-length shirts just aren’t the most flattering for my body type, but for unique pieces like this I can make an exception.

I hope you’re all having a great week so far! I’ve had a busy schedule with after work socials, and tomorrow I’m going to see a play with my parents! We’re going to Hart House theatre, on UofT campus. I’d definitely like to feature Hart House on my blog, because it’s one of Toronto’s best gems.

xox

Shirt – Banana Republic (on sale and extra 40% off) / Leather Leggings – Aritzia / Bag – Banana Republic / Shoes – Sophia Webster for J.Crew / Earrings – Vintage

Wedding Attire

I love weddings! They are beautiful, and such a perfect occasion to play dress up. What other opportunity would I have to  channel a 50’s housewife, and not look out of place? Mad Men convention? Vintage tea party? Next time you get invited to one of those, please bring me as your plus-one :).

Admittedly, I did stick out a little, only because all the other women had donned INCREDIBLE saris and Indian outfits. I could write a whole post about that fashion entirely.

But let’s stick to this outfit: my dress was a lucky grab on sale from Anthropologie last winter. I actually bought it ONLINE – I couldn’t believe how perfectly it fit. Thank god for my fellow online shoppers who also write product reviews! I knew this dress would fit well on me when another reviewer wrote “I feel like I have a flat stomach in the morning, but by lunch I can look three months pregnant. This is the only fit and flare dress which completely hides it!” YES! You’d think fit and flare dresses hide the love handles, but depending on where they “flare” they can make the situation worse. This dress was a winner.

I also wanted to add little vintage-inspired details like the ankle strap on these Burberry python pumps. Sleek, yet feminine! And I absolutely love wearing a single strand of pearls. Allow me to quote the impeccable Grace Kelly: “I favor pearls on screen and in my private life“. Me too, Grace, me too.

Dress – Anthropologie / Clutch – Vintage / Shoes – Burberry