Jewellery Organization for the Scrambled at Heart

I haven't posted in a while, and thought what a better way to start the new year off then with new ways to get organized? This new year I told myself (much like I have multiple other years) that this will be the year I get my shit together. Well, the difference this year is that I'm slowly, but surely, actually following through, starting with my jewellery. Perhaps not life shattering, but hey, you gotta start somewhere right?

So to start the new year right, I started by using a Christmas gift. If you're thinking "how efficient", you're thinking wrong. We're talking a Christmas gift not from this Christmas, but the one prior. Yes, Christmas of 2012. The fact that it took me a full year to make use of this should give you an indication to my level of organization. This gift was a hanger necklace/jewellery organizer. It's a hanger with various loops and pockets to keep you organized and tangle free. Another plus is that its already hanging in your closet, thus making outfit planning a breeze.

Alright, necklaces and bracelets down. Now onto earrings. I don't know about you, but my earrings are always a mess. First of all, they come in pairs, which complicates things off the bat. You have not one, but two things to try and keep track of. I have this box that I usually just throw all of my earrings in, but it is by no means a fast or efficient system. I travel a lot and therefore needed something that not only kept things organized, but was portable too. I bought these craft storage boxes at Dollarama and couldn't be more pleased with the results. I organized my earrings by categories, and through this process I was also able to pair them up and figure out who was missing their twin. Two birds, one stone. I even used one of the compartments specifically for ones that were missing their mates. It's not uncommon for me to find the missing earring weeks, or even months or years, later, only to find that I have then misplaced their previously "found" partner. Of course. I also used various compartments for earring backs, as well as safety pins. These craft storage boxes cost me only a dollar each and have saved me more than I'll ever know. Instead of constantly buying new earrings because I (permanently or temporarily) lost one, or worse, both, I now know where they all are, at all times.

As far as traveling goes, life has never been better. These small craft boxes take  up less space then my previous box and keep everything organized in the process. They also allow me to bring all of my earrings, instead of segregating the ones I think I'll wear (wrong choices are always made in such circumstances). Less space, more variety, plus travel friendly. Voila.

This is the best life hack I have seen for ladies in quite some time.

You're welcome.

(Little) Black (Dress) Friday

It's been a while since I've written a post, let alone a fashion one, so what better time to do so than on the shopping holiday du jour (literally) Black Friday?

I have mixed emotions about Black Friday. Emotions that range on extremities, actually.  It's a deadly combination of two of the things I feel strongest about…amazing deals and aggravating crowds. I'm sure you can figure out which I love and which I loathe. Therefore Black Friday is somewhat of an emotional roller coaster for me.

This year I stumbled upon the perfect plan, accidentally. I found myself in the mall on Thursday evening, where all of the pre-Black Friday sales (basically just the actual sales starting early) were happening. Same deals, empty mall? Don't mind if I do!

What did I get? Well, I managed to get not one, but two LBDs. One can never have too many, right? Wrong. I do have too many, and a heck of a lot more than two too many. I did, however, justify these purchases.

This LBD that borders on conservative is from Dynamite, and I justified it because 1) it is such a classic design that can easily take me from day to night, work to weekend, 2) it fits me like a glove. Not to toot my own horn but I daresay it fits me better than the model in the photo (god bless curves). The reason I do have so many LBDs is because this is usually such a problem. None fit perfectly, and if you lose or gain 5 pounds all goes to hell. This one surprisingly fits not one, but all of my curves, and it's stretchy to boot (thus ensuring it'll fit even with the 5 pound fluctuation). 

This second dress is from Forever 21, and well, it was 9 bucks. 

I'm thinking it'll be my holiday party staple this year. 

Two LBDs, two different styles. How many LBDs do you think are too many? 

On a completely unrelated note, the word nerd in me came out in full force this pre-Black Friday. (Black Thursday?) I had bought one of these mugs a few weeks back, and have been coveting the rest ever since. Yesterday they had a fateful #B3G4 (buy 3 get 4) sale and well, I caved. 

I'm a sucker for a good quote and a good cup o' tea, so it's no wonder temptation struck and did it ever strike hard. I felt like each and every single one of these mugs spoke to me. I now own 5 of these bad boys and it is ridiculous how happy they make me. One was even fit for the Eternal Optimist with a quote of "The glass is always half full". 

We couldn't of said it better. Happy shopping!

A Change Would Do You Good

I have been neglecting my poor little blog big time lately. There has just been so much going on so quickly that I can barely keep up myself, let alone keep you guys filled in. So, I deemed it an appropriate time to put my blog through a little revamping and rebranding. Don't worry, the fashion stuff will stick around (couldn't kick the fashionista out of me even if I wanted to) but the direction will change a bit to better reflect what is going on in my life.

Change can be a really, really scary thing. One of the biggest lessons I have learned in my 20 odd years on this planet is how to adapt to it. Change is going to happen no matter what, regardless of whether you run from it or embrace it, so why not just go with the flow? You can't conquer anything that you don't accept, right?

So on the subject, I'm interested to know how often do you change? How often do you update your blog, website etc, or rebrand? Have you gone through a makeover of any kind recently? What have been your results? (a.k.a what do I have to look forward to?)

Fill me in! And stay tuned to find out what changes I will be implementing, in both my life and my blog. It's exciting, it's scary, which also means it should be interesting.

Here's to hoping those changes will do me good! 

#GoBillings = Go Shopping!

If you have been anywhere near Twitter or Instagram over the past few days, then this hashtag probably rings a bell. The little local mall, Billings Bridge, has literally taken over the social networks this week with their Instagram contest and party. This afternoon I dropped by Billings for the first time ever to join in on the fun.

Upon arriving I was greeting by the lovely Samantha of Starfish Events, where she proceeded to snap a few pics with me and even allow me the honour of being interviewed about myself and my blog, so stay tuned for that. At the festivities were tasty treats for your sweet tooth (my favourite kinds...cookies and candy), a deejay pumping the beats and an Instagram wall filled with the photos from the contest. Billings did an awesome job of making us normal folk feel like minor celebrities for a day, with our handicraft up on display awaiting our autographs.

Before I proceed with spilling the details of my shopping haul, I'll let you in on a little secret. One of the best perks of Billings? Free Wifi! Oh yes. This is a cherished item for our generation, and sadly isn't given out very often. The perks of this? I am actually bringing this blog post to you live from Billings' adorable little food court. Nothing like on the spot reporting, eh? I am constantly baffled by the beauties of technology these days. Call me fuddy duddy but back in my youthful days this was most definitely not possible, let alone a "thing".

Alright, alright, so what did I buy? I settled on two statement necklaces from Le Chateau, a pair of coral polka dot jeans from Smart Set (on sale for 25$) and well, underwear was on for 3/10$ at La Senza so naturally I couldn't turn that down!

Another perk, running into Emily of Tinfoil Tiaras! She snagged some fantastic necklaces I was eyeing over at Smart Set, but thanks to her suggestion I decided to mozy on over to Le Chateau where I found some other stunning statement necklaces. Check out her blog to see what she found at Billings, she is an accessory addict so expect many pretty pieces (and check out her clothing room, it is to die for!)

Did you guys attend? What do you think of my finds? What is your favourite store at Billings? The contest runs until Sunday so you still have a few hours to get snapping!

Va Va Vintage - Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show

Just as spring finally began to sprung here in the 613, the city also preps for one of my most  favourite events held in our national capital, The Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show. Vintage, clothing, and my city ALL in the same sentence? Yes please!

There is just something about vintage clothing. That "je ne sais quoi", a certain va va voom factor that can't be acquired through modern day attire. Maybe it has to do with the fact that each unique item holds its own sassy story, or that that particular piece has stood the test of time. Whatever it is about vintage, I adore it. I also think it has something to do with fit. Vintage clothes are made for a woman's figure, which is not so much the case in 2013. I have curves, many of them actually and I love that vintage clothing allows me to embrace them, rather then curse them like current garments make me do. Viva la va va voom curves! 

Last season was my first time attending. Myself and a bunch of other fabulous fashion bloggers got together for brunch (some of them it was my first time actually meeting in person, its so great to finally be able to put a face to a twitter handle!) and afterwards we hit up the vintage show to see what stylish scores we could dig up. I personally found a great Burberry bag for a steal of a price. I am very, very pleased to announce that this year we are continuing the tradition. We are holding our bloggers brunch in the morn, will eat some breaky and indulge in a mimosa or two, and then hit up the show!

Check out my pics from last season! Burberry Bag, Bloggers Brunch, Emily, Laura & Marcia at the show

Now that I can (kind of) call myself a vintage show veteran, here are a few tips if you plan on attending: 

Wear your eyewear! If you need glasses or contacts, wear them when you go to the show! Vintage clothing is usually all about the details and you don't want to miss a single one. 

Bring cash $$$! Many vendors only accept cash, and the last thing you want to do is have to run out of the show and miss precious vintage scouring time, plus you don't want to deal with ATM fees! Better to save your hard earned dough for your vintage finds!

Layer up!  And dress comfortably. Raiding the racks among hundreds of other vintage hungry women is almost an extreme sport. Come prepared for the battle, and for "in the moment" try ones. Leggings are a good layering piece that works with shirts, dresses, anything!

Cut your coupons! If you thought the Vintage Show couldn't get more wonderful, you are so very wrong my friend. They offer a two dollar off coupon that they will send you via email a few days before the show here: Discount Coupon. They really have thought of everything. 

My last comment (before the show, don't worry I will have plenty more to say afterwards) is a huge kudos to the organizers for listening to the people. Today the Vintage Show's Facebook page posted a location change, and the reasons behind it are due to an overwhelming response from attendees about a few issues. The Vintage Show took it all in with ears wide open, and not only listened but delivered.  Last year the sun was a huge issue (we may not encounter this problem this year) and you almost needed sunglasses just to view the vendors. Heck, I was almost to the point of buying a pair just to be able to see what was going on. Also, the vendors booths were very crammed. There was not a lot of space to search and rescue pieces, and many people (myself included) just simple skipped booths to avoid the crowd. The organizers have addressed and acknowledged BOTH of these issues and are  giving the people what they want. Awesome customer service if you ask me. I cannot wait to see these improvements as well as all the show has to offer. 

So, all I have left to say is...will I see you there? If you see myself or any of the other bloggers attending feel free to come up and say hi and show us the treasures you found at the show! The show is this Sunday, April 28th.

You can find the show on Twitter: @613vintageshow and don't forget to use the hashtag #OVSfind!

H&M's Flower Power

For someone who calls them-self a fashion blogger, I don't do many outfit or OOTD posts. Maybe I can chalk it up to the winter and usually not wearing outfits worthy of photographing, or not having a tripod (or boyfriend around) to take pics. Whatever the reason, today I decided to give it a shot. It is finally starting to warm up outside, my boyfriend is visiting (a.k.a playing photographer) and I had a class presentation this morning so I had every excuse in the book to dress up. Oh, AND I had a new pair of pants. These are my very first pair of patterned pants. Last spring I invested in my first ever pair of pastel pants, and thought I would give be adventurous again this spring. Spring is for new things, right? Printed pants have always terrified me, even more than pastel ones. I feel like its just a magnifying glass on the worst parts of my body. I think these pants worked relatively well because 1) the print isn't too big or too small and 2) the black background makes it a little more neural. I picked up these pants, the bow bangle and the black t shirt with lace detail at H&M in Quebec City over the Easter weekend, which brings me to the second point of this blog post...

H&M IS COMING TO OTTAWA! YES IT IS TRUE!

This morning Bayshore shopping mall confirmed that an H&M will be opening in fall of 2013 and all I can say is it is about time! 

Are you excited about the new H&M in our nation's capital? What do you think of my printed pants?

Beauty Buys from a Non-Beauty Blogger

Everyone has their happy place. That one store that speaks to them, where they can always count on being satisfied. Your go-to place when all else fails. That one place that you just KNOW you will walk out of happy.

For me, that place is, always has been, and probably always will be, Shopper's Drug Mart. An odd choice, you may think, but hear me out before judging. It is THE perfect balance of frivolous and function, I can go there to buy my necessities, and not so necessities as well, which totally justifies each and every purchase (at least that is what I tell myself). But in all seriousness, it is the basically the best place ever. They sell all of my most necessary and favourite things: food, hair colour, foot therapy accessories, makeup and travel sized items (how can you resist them, they are just so small and cute!)

Needless to say, I never walk out of there empty handed, or without some racked up Optimum points. Did I mention it is the perfect place for that self indulgent shopping trip? I mean really, if you are having a fat day, do you really want to go try something tight on that you can't zip up or that shows every crook and cranny? Heck no. Shoppers has the solution...makeup, a new hair colour or nail polish... all are quick fixes that don't have a size.

I don't do many beauty posts because well, I don't really consider myself an expert in the field. Clothes, I know, clothes and I are tight, but make up and I are not so close. We aren't frenemies or anything like that, more like acquaintances. We recognize each other, are at peace with one another, but always keep that friendly distance. I figure if I'm so clueless, I must not be alone right? K, well, here's my attempt at a beauty post..and of course it starts at our beloved Shopper's Drug Mart.

I went in today to pick up a new concealer, and walked out with a bag full of goodies, of course. So lets play "What's in the bag?"

1. The concealer, obviously. At the very least I got what I went for. I was recommended this concealer and am giving it a shot for the first time. I don't use a full face foundation, I just find it too much, but definitely need something to hide bags and breakout zones. I do like Benefit's quirky names of their products, so hopefully their makeup will be just as fun. This one is called "Boi-ing". Has anyone tried it?

2. The tried and true mascara. For years I used the iconic Diorshow by Christian Dior mascara, loved it, but then woke up and realized "Hey, you are a starving student, in what world do you think you can afford $30 dollar mascara?!" Diorshow was great, and if you have the funds, by all means go for it. My sole issue with it was that it was kind of difficult to take off. I knew there had to be a decent, cheaper option out their and once I found it, I never turned back (but do treat myself to Diorshow on occasion). The winner? Covergirl Lashblast, the orange tube. (Maybe this is why I fail at beauty posts...I refer to my makeup as "the blue one" or "the orange one"). They might of changed the name? I don't remember it, but now there is a "Volume" added on the end so it is "Lashblast Volume". Anyways, it is fantastic. And I actually always get complimented on my eyelashes for it. People always ask me what mascara I use, maybe even more often than when I used Diorshow! This baby was on sale, so I took the opportunity to grab it before I ran out of my current one.

3. The perfect shade of pink polish. I am not a nail girl. It might have something to do with the fact that I can't wear polish to work, but I have never been nuts about doing my nails. It might also have something to do with my lack of hand eye coordination and clumsy nature, but that's another story. Nails have never been my thing. The odd time I DO paint my nails, I almost always opt for a shade of soft pink. Mind you, within the pink palette I am all kinds of crazy. From blush pink to rose hues, it gets pretty wild. I figure since I use it so much, I could do to invest in a quality bottle. This shade spoke to me, quite literally, because it was called "Eternal Optimist". How could I NOT get it? Plus, it made for the perfect Instagram subject.

4. The perfect shade of pink lipstick. My go-to look for a night out is ruby red lipstick. I love the classic look it gives and it always takes my outfit to the next level. I have been trying, quite unsuccesfully, to find a pretty shade of pink for more casual affairs and I think this one may be it. It is by Covergirl and the shade is called "Heavenly Paradisiaque". To be honest, I have never heard the word paradisiaque in my life, but heavenly is always good, right?

5. The foot stuff. Ever since April of 2011, when I fractured my heel, I have never been so damn aware of my feet. I mean, they are essential pieces of our day to day life, we rely heavily on them, but they are just kinda always...there. I never really paid attention to them before, but boy, now are we ever up close and personal. I have no choice but to take a lot better care of my feet now. I have been left unable to wear high heels (basically the bane of my existence) and need to live life vicariously in flats. I have some flats that are just well, too flat, so I figure getting a pair of insoles will give them another chance to work their way into my wardrobe. I also picked up this thingamajic. I have never seen anything like it in my life (other than the toe separator thingys you walk out of a pedicure with) but it actually was exactly what I needed. You see, the toes on my bad foot have been left rather, clawed. It is not as bad, or ugly as it sounds, but my toes are definitely nowhere near as straight as the other foot. The bottoms do not even touch the ground. So I've been thinking of buying some tape and just taping them up for a few hours a night and see if that does the trick to straighten em out. Little did I know, there was actually a device for this! The "Flex-tastic". Apparently its the secret to healthier feet. I think its actually made for ladies who wear pointed toe high heels too often, or as the box calls it "dress-shoe fatigue", but it is supposed to "straighten and realign problem toes". I tried it out this evening, and to be honest I think it is actually working. I feel like I worked out my entire leg! Obviously my toes are not perfectly straight again already, but I think if i use it on a daily basis they will be soon.

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

Joe Fresh & Spring Stripes

Alright guys, the snow is so, so, slowly, but surely, melting, yesterday we sprung ahead an hour and all the little kiddies are on March break...all of these signs can only point to one thing, and that thing is SPRING! (When I'm happy I rhyme, so sue me.) 

As a born and bread Canadian, I am obviously mildly obsessed with the weather. Whether you are 9 or 90, it comes with the territory. Probably because we are one of the countries that actually experience 4 distinct seasons (or if you ask me there is winter, worse winter, warmer winter and summer). Regardless, we love to chat about the weather and we particularly love to chat about the weather when it is warming up, probably because it is such a rare occurrence. 

One of the things I am most excited about for spring is to break out of my horrible winter uniform of layers, Lululemon pants and leggings, and wear things I actually LIKE! (cough cough dresses)

I recently visited the brand spanking new Joe Fresh store here in Ottawa and picked up a cute cotton dress that I am so excited to wear. It is striped and simple, but the colors and different gradients of the stripes add interest to an otherwise blah outfit. I have been looking for a striped shift dress in this style for quite some time now and have been frustratingly unsuccessful. Since it is such a basic, I checked stores like Old Navy (had some but the shape did not fit my body at all) and Forever 21 (shape actually fit, but it was inappropriately too short, would be extremely dangerous to bend over in) to no avail. I was deliriously happy to find the perfect one at Joe Fresh that met all of my criteria. 1) fit my shape 2) was long enough 3) was striped 4) was comfortable and 5) was affordable. Check, check, check, check and ringing in at $19 plus an additional 20% off, CHECK! I have a funny feeling this dress will become my new spring go-to outfit, and I am a-ok with that! (It beats the socks off of my winter go-to outfit at least)

 Amazing price!

Made in Cambodia!

While at Joe Fresh, I also picked up this chunky gold chain linked necklace, which is also an item I have been searching high and low for. Notice the nautical theme? Another thing (other then the weather) that I am more than just mildly obsessed with is anything and everything nautical. If you know me, you are well aware I adore anything with a stripe, anchor (I even have a tattoo of one) or sailor inspired. I took my new necklace for a test drive last weekend for my friend Katherine's birthday and paired it with a striped (surprise, surprise) ensemble. Red striped peplum tee was picked up on the same shopping trip at Dynamite for only $15.

 

This was the first time I experimented with stripe on stripe, think I was able to pull it off?

How-to Guide: Fur

If you have been on Pinterest, Facebook or even just outside of your house lately, you are probably well aware that the fur vest has been a huge trend throughout this fall/winter season. And if you are anything like myself, you have been coveting one as well.

The problem is, seeing these trends look fabulous on someone else is one thing, but what I (and I think all of you ladies as well) want to know is...ok, that is all fine and dandy but how would this work on ME?

I am a pear shape. There, I said it. I have a love/hate relationship with this fact, but I have (somewhat) come to terms with it. This means that my lower half is significantly larger than my upper body (think of a pear) and I carry most of my weight below my waist. I have learned over the years that the looks that work best for me are ones that highlight my tiny waist.

Now, that is why this trend scared me. A lot. Love the look, but worried that I would look like a round hairball that came out of a Garfield sized cat's throat. (Visualize this please, it ain't pretty!) This trend did all the wrong things for me, it added bulk to the last place that I needed it.

Did this stop me from lusting over a fur vest? Of course not. Did I buy one? Of course not. What I DID do was find an alternative that actually worked for my body shape.

Ladies, meet the fur scarf. This beauty gives the look of the fur vest without adding the volume in all the wrong places. I love this take on this trend because not only is it a wearable version for pear shapes, but for someone like myself who gets the chills when the house is below 24 degrees Celsius, the fur at the neck help keep you toasty no matter where you are. I got this fur scarf at RW&CO on a recent shopping trip with my mom (more to come on what else I picked up there later on so stay tuned!)

A few pics of how I did this trend. Since the fur scarf was such a statement piece I paired it with a simple cotton long sleeved tee, some leggings with leather like detail, kick ass over the knee black boots and simple gold/pearl combination jewelery.

If you are lucky enough to not be pear shaped and want to give the vest style a try, here is one I quite enjoy from Club Monaco.

***I would also like to add that when I talk fur, I clearly am talking faux! Real fur is luscious and luxurious, but I don't support harming animals in any way, shape or form. No critters will ever be harmed in the making of my closet or blog :)

What are some trends that you have altered to fit your body shape? 

What is your take on the fur trend?

Fabulously Fashionable StartUp Weekend Ottawa

When I strolled into Shopify last Friday for the first day of Startup Weekend Ottawa I expected to come out of this adventure with many things. I expected to meet some cool techy people, to learn a heck of a lot in a small time frame, and to further my start-up idea. What I did NOT expect was to walk away from this experience with was a blog post.

 If you are reading this right now you are probably well aware of the usual content of my blog. It is a fashion/style based blog, and although that is a large part of who I am, I didn't think it would have anything to do with my experience at Startup Weekend. To my pleasant surprise, two of the final projects were actually fashion related. I predict that Trade Avenu will be the new go-to guide for personal shopping. This startup was the creation of Van Tran, and their motive was to connect people who love to shop with people who hate it. Upon entering the website you have the chance to choose whether you love to shop, or whether you hate it. If you are a shopaholic like myself, you may have just found your very own little piece of heaven-shopping with other people's money while making money! Sounds fab to me! If you are a guy who would actually rather sit back and relax and pay the extra few bucks to have someone do the shopping for you, this site is for you as well. Trade Avenu even recruited their very first customer before the weekend was over! Mentor Andrew Draper actually took Trade Avenu for a test drive and recruited Van to pick up a hoodie for him.

My Style Guide was the brain child of Aqeela Somani. It is basically an interactive online closet where you can put outfits together, find inspiration and receive suggestions on what to wear. Users can search for specific items, looks or even just ideas.

Other non-fashion ideas to be on the look out for, including the winner of the whole event, Tattoo Hero, are: CounterBuy, PreggoPager and And...Perfect!.

Overall, Startup weekend was a fantastic and surprisingly stylish event. The girl to guy ratio was not as low as expected, the food was delectable and the venue perfect. Teams were formed, ideas turned into realities, and memories were made.

 

 

Flowers from the bf the next day. Awwww 

I could sit here and spill every detail of the weekend, but in all honesty, I'm tired. We just worked for 54 hours and now I'm suffering post Startup Weekend withdrawal. The best advice I can give is to just go and participate in one. Startup Weekends are held around the globe so you have no excuse. This type of experience can't be relived, retold or recreated. You have to experience it for yourself and I promise you won't regret it. Yes, even you fashionistas. Any doubts you have in your mind, get rid of them. There is no room for that at Startup Weekend. No matter who you are, there IS a place for you. The experience is invaluable if not solely for the networking opportunities. I met people, developers, designers, etc who I usually would NEVER meet. Not because they aren't good people, but simply due to the fact that our paths don't cross. After this weekend, I really hope our paths cross a little more often. 

I leave you all with just one word: #hustle