Unexpected Fun

I love to play with style. If theres something that I feel like most people will shy away from, it instantly makes me want to try to wear it, and wear it well. I love playing with different elements, colors, fabrics, styles, etc. Below are a few of my recent favs!

You'd think this picture would be referring to my bright green jeans, but false. This amazing native themed sleeveless shirt from Wild Fox is actually my 'daring' piece. Wild Fox is a brand we carry at work (for Ladies) but I fell in love with this shirt as soon as it came in. Threw on a size Large and ta-da! Will be perfect for summer on it's own or even under a casual blazer!

SO excited about these loafers. I haven't even wore them yet. I found them on www.aldoshoes.com on sale & fell in love instantly. SO good. Suede, 2 toned loafers. SHUT. UP.

Arm parties have become super popular for ladies. Men have been sporting them as well. I think they are great to add a little spice to your look. Switching them up as well to mix and match is always fun!

Bright. Orange. Pants. I love these!!!!  I'm on a huge 'colored pants' kick right now. Orange, Red, Green, Blue, etc.

Don't be afraid to try out new styles, new colors, & new shapes. It will make getting dressed WAY more fun!

lifeSTYLE

My outfits determine my mood for the whole day. Sometimes they make me feel like I could take on the world. When you look good, you feel fabulous, confident, & special. That's important. Why not create these feelings everyday? Along with style comes your lifestyle. The sun definitely helps out with this. Example, last night after work I had plans to go to a Stella & Dot jewelry party with a couple of my girlfriends. The sun was out all day, patios were opening, we were all dressed to impress, & it was amazing. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at a great organic restaurant, The Wooden Monkey. We attended the party together, enjoyed wine, other friends, great accessories etc. It was a perfect day :)

>> Picture curtesy of Meghan from www.fashioneasthalifax.tumblr.com <<

This was my outfit for the day. I loved the breezy feel it had. Light, fun colors, suede loafers & a pair of Ray Bans...  

 Everyone loves a good selfy! I was in anticipation of the work day ending so I could dig into the great meal I knew we'd be having!

A gorgeous dinner with gorgeous friends!

Even when taking a cab there are always photo-ops! Fashion doesn't wait!

Although Stella & Dot makes women's jewelry, it sure didn't stop me from having some fun by adding some of the samples to my own Arm Party! Over the top? Of course. Amazing? DUH!

Today's conclusion: Throw on your most fabulous outfit, grab a few of your best friends, & make today AMAZING!

Style, style, style!

Nothing excites me more than creating a look. Ok I lied. Creating MULTIPLE looks excites me more. At work, obviously the accessories and clothing items I have to work with are limited. As much as I would love to have unlimited possibilities, it actually makes it fun. A challenge. It forces me to be more creative. To mix and match even more. Here are a few of my favorite looks I've played with recently:

I'm in love with this floor length Elie Tahari dress. So Simple, but unexpected, but amazing. The collar, the details on the pockets, the color. Everything about it. A simple gold locket ( House of Harlow) & a great cuff (Dannijo) are the perfect finishing touches!

James Perse created this amazing little dress & I just could not go on any longer without giving it a 'moment'. It's a gorgeous color, a simple but elegant style, and would fit perfectly into anyone's closet. This House of Harlow Sunburst necklace was a perfect match. The center was a very similar taupe color which complimented the look amazingly, but still kept the look safe. I paired this with a gorgeous Dannijo bracelet. The Subtle punch of teal & peach added the right amount of accent to this look.

I love a look that is casual, but super chic. I can't get enough of these Python JBrands. Why doesn't every woman have these? A simple striped Vince tee & this edgey House of Harlow necklace pull it all together. With flats, a wedge, or pumps in any color from black, to metallic, fluorescent etc. and ta-da!

Bring on the sun!

I love nothing more than warm weather. Today the sun was shining and so I figured I might as well break out my favorite denim cut offs. I made these last year out of a pair of rarely worn jeans I had and they quickly turned into my go-to shorts for all types of outfits. Cuffing the bottoms cleaned them up a little rather than a fringed finish that would make them much more casual. I can already tell they'll make many appearances this summer!

DIY Denim Shorts : H&M Shirt : Ray Ban Sunglasses : Spring Shoes

Loving life!

I wake up everyday excited about what I will wear & also what I can style at work. What type of feel I can create. But yesterday I woke up extremely motivated and excited for fashion. The sun was shining, I got to wear my favorite red suede loafers (with tassles, obviously) and I loved the looks I created. I want to share it all!!!

Sucker for Seersucker 

I had so much fun with my outfit yesterday. I had forgotten about an amazing pair of Seersucker pants I had bought last year at Simons in Montreal. Pairing them with a few of my favorite pieces (Gap shirt, Aldo loafers, Club Monaco belt, & Forever 21 Sunglasses) I created the perfect 'Hamptons' look ;) SO good.

I love creating 'over-the-top' looks, but sometimes a very simple look just makes me smile. I paired this subtle leopard print Current/Elliot denim with a super simple Vince tank & House of Harlow locket to create the ultimate go-to look for everyday life. A pair of wedges, flats, oxfords etc could be the finishing touch to this great look!

ShaZam. Show stopper. Python JBrands with this AMAZE hot pink Naven crop top and stunning House of Harlow necklace = the reason I get up in the morning. I'm dying over this look. STATEMENT. EDGE. SEXY. that's it.

Rag & Bone knew what they were doing when they created this blouse. Unreal details. Great color combo. R&B + Gold jewels = BFF's (or at least in my eyes anyway). These 2 LowLuv necklaces & House of Harlow bangles complete this look 10 fold. 

Vintage Sweetheart. That sums up this look for me. Below is a play by play of this unreal outfit.

Top left: Full on beauty. Top right: INCRED Naven blouse. Sheer, polka dots, ruffled neck. HELLO.

Bottom left: gold, gold & more gold. LowLuv necklace + bracelet, House of Harlow bangles. Bottom right: Most adorable pair of Naven shorts. LOVE this color. Amen.

Get inspired. Start with your own look, and just have fun!

Inspiration

When it comes to my own personal style, I get inspired by everything around me. New trends, people I see on the streets, items in my house, the world outside, etc. Getting dressed in the morning isn't just about putting on clothes. It's about the feeling I want to present that day, the colors in my closet that catch my eye, the weather, what hair style I want to try out and so on. It is art. The same goes for how I choose what to display on the mannequins at work. Below is an example of where I was inspired by my own outfit. A 'His & Hers'.

Mixing denims is a super hot trend right now. Here I mixed a light denim H&M shirt with a pair of darker Levi's Skinnys. It's always great to add another element when mixing multiple denims such as a simple white tee. I decided to be daring & threw a great Neon yellow American Apparel v-neck under it.  Ta-da! The perfect on trend outfit!

 After getting to work that day and began re-styling the mannequins, I used myself as inspiration. I paired this amazing neon Equipment blouse with an incredible pair of light wash bell-bottoms. The perfect His & Her combo!

Styles for everyone..

Not everyone has the same style, but everyone CAN be fashionable. Whether you're a trend setter, a trend follower, love to put on a show (with your clothes) or like to keep it simple, THERE IS FASHION FOR YOU! Below are 4 very easy looks, and all very different.

Color Block

There are many ways to color block, but one of the easiest is to go for an AMAZING blouse like this one, made by Alice + Olivia. Separating the bold colors with a neutral gets the point across in an effortless way. By adding a stellar necklace, such as this one made by Dannijo, it gives the look an extra added touch of glamor. Throw on a pair of skinnies & you're set!

The Flirt

    

Sticking to blush tones, romantic prints, & soft fabrics allows you to stay fun, young, and stylish all at the same time. These peach colored JBrand jeans paired with this great Wild Fox knitted sweater (similar styles worn by many celebs) gives you the perfect look without trying too hard. All you need is a great pair of oxfords and your look is complete!

Risk Taker

Mixing patterns, such as florals & stripes as seen on this Elizabeth and James flowy (is that a word?) tank is all you need to show the world that you aren't afraid to play with your fashion! Piling on bracelets (like the Dannijo ones above), and layers of amazing necklaces in different lengths & styles like the 2 LowLuv's pictured, also gives that fashion forward effect.

Casual Chic

 
Being stylish/well dressed doesn't always have to mean fancy dresses, high heels, and in-your-face patterns. This amazing sweater from the 10 Crosby Derek Lam line is not only comfortable, but is a great mix of textures and colors. Seen here with the Lemon JBrand skinny jeans & a simple but interesting LowLuv necklace, it not only emulates style, but also comfort, which is key to looking great.

Military Madness

Creating an outfit, is like creating art. Every time you get dressed, it builds an image which everyone around you sees. Being able to switch up my style from very preppy, to edgier, to military inspired etc. allows me to recreate myself whenever I want. The same goes for you! Just because you normally dress in a certain style, doesn't mean you can't try something new. With a few fun pieces, great accessories, and even hair styles, you can project a new confidence, attitude, or lifestyle in the blink of an eye!
I have a pair of amazing vintage military inspire boots which I love to throw on to give a little edge to any outfit. Wearing olive tones, greens, browns and distressed blacks always gives a good military feel as well.

Using very minimal accents, and a few little tweaks (tucking pants into boots) I was able to create a military look out of a basic white top & simple black skinnies. 

Once again, I created a military feel with sticking to certain colors and tones such as olives, browns, creams etc. Throwing on a great vintage jacket with epaulettes and a few button accents is always a great touch as well.

With the help of some vintage boots, a darker tee & a simple belt, I was able to transform a pair of summery pants (previously used to create a very nautical look) into an edgier, military look with a twist.

Window Displays

I love doing visuals. Styling mannequins and doing window displays is almost as fun as styling real people. Doing the windows at work gives me a chance to work with a blank canvas & create looks that will be eye catching, inspiring, and also draw people into the store to explore what other amazing pieces and looks we have to offer. Here are the 2 most recent window displays I did at work. Two completely different styles, with completely cohesive looks & feels in each. The first, a more bohemian chic, everyday look for every age. The second, I wanted to really showcase the amazing colored denim we have right now so used 3 very different white tops and styles to be able to reach out to a wide variety of clientele.

 Rag & Bone dress : 10 Crosby Derek Lam Tank : Current/Elliot Jeans : Brandy Melville Sweater & Skirt : House of Harlow & LowLuv accessories

JBrand jeans : Elizabeth and James & Rebecca Taylor blouses : Vince sweater : House of Harlow & LowLuv necklaces

Mix, Match & Accessorize

One of my all time favorite things to do is to create statement looks, whether simple or bold. I love mixing colors, patterns, textures, & brands. Piecing items together and seeing the amazing look & feel they create as a whole. I love accessories. I love the way they can transform an average outfit into a total show stopper. Below are a few of the looks I have styled:

Rachel Zoe Blazer : Equipment Blouse : House of Harlow necklaces & gold bangles : Dannjio & LowLuv bracelets 

 Helmut Lang tank : Mint JBrand jeans : House Of Harlow necklace

 10 Crosby by Derek Lam Tank : Aqua JBrand jeans : Dannijo necklace

  Rag & Bone tank : Lilac JBrand jeans : Dannijo Bib necklace

 Theory Blazer : Vince tee : LowLuv & Dannijo accessories

Theory sweater :  House of Harlow necklace & bangles : LowLuv bracelets

Anchors Aweigh!

For anyone that knows me, knows of my OBSESSION for anything Nautical. I love anchors, stripes, any combination of Navy and White with accents of Gold & Red. Here are a few examples of two of my 'Nautical' inspired outfits over the past few weeks along with a collage of amazing items we carry at my work, Foreign Affair, that add the perfect nautical touch.

  Banana Republic Sweater : Zara shirt : Mexx Jeans : Aldo shoes : H&M socks 

  Original Penguin shirt : Gap pants : Aldo loafers 

Smythe : Vince : Citizens Of Humanity : Rebecca Minkoff : Tibi