Outfits for Work & Interviews: Dressy

When school ended and I continued the task of finding a summer job, I went to multiple interviews for a variety of different places (everything from summer camps to government positions). Even though I was overdressed for most of them, I still recommend dressing up to make a good first impression. Whether you're looking for your next job or in a position that requires a professional look, here are some ideas for dressing for success.

Blouse: Tommy Hilfiger (at Hudson's Bay)
Tank top: Garage
Pants: American Eagle
Necklace: Ardene

My go-to dressy look always starts with a good button-down shirt. I love rolling up the sleeves so I can move around, take notes, or type on the computer better. It's hard to see in the picture, but the pants are navy blue, skinny, and cuffed at the bottom. These pants are soft, comfortable, and a great alternative to basic dress pants.

Blouse: Tommy Hilfiger
Pants: Eclipse
Necklace: Ardene

You can sense a theme here...I do like Tommy Hilfiger shirts. Another great place for basic blouses is H&M- they're only $20! The other theme here is the statement necklaces- I liked wearing them in the winter with sweaters, but they're great to dress up a blouse in the summer. Paired with that I have some basic black dress pants.

T-shirt: Target
Cardigan: Justice
Pants: Smart Set
Necklace: gift

I got creative with this last outfit- I thought it would be good in the event of an interview for a creative place, or an intern in a magazine. And yes, the cardigan is from a store for teen girls (that I worked at for two years). I also like how bright these pants are for summer.

What are your favourite work outfits?

September Outfits

I have a few different outfits to show you all from the past few weeks that I've been back at school. The weather has been all over the place- one day it was 25 and the next it was 15! I accommodated appropriately (except for the one day the temperature went down during the day...like really?) Anyways, here they are! :)

Shirt & Shorts both American Eagle

I wore this outfit on the first day of classes. I had an intimidating fourth year seminar, so I wanted to look classy, but at the same time, it was so warm out! I didn't accessorize; I only added some pretty brown-ish gold sandals to complete the look. 

Blouse: Eclipse

Camisole: Target

Cardigan: American Eagle

Jeans: American Eagle

Bracelets (if you can see them): handmade

And I'm back to wearing my favourite floral prints, of course :) I love this blouse because it is nice and flowing without drowning me in shapeless fabric (like chiffon tends to do)- the tie at the bottom helps with that. I finished off the look with some pink flats. 

Tunic: Dynamite

Camisole: Urban Behaviour

Leggings: Garage

Bangles: gift

In my attempt to try more prints and colours other than pink and blue, I bought this tunic as part of my back to school shopping. It didn't come with the belt, so I just took a ribbon from one of my blouses and added it on to define my waist. I didn't wear the bangles to school because that would be a bit uncomfortable while taking notes, but they would be nice for a day-to-night transition. I wore pink flats again, and a burgundy coloured jacket because it was freezing by the end of the day!

Shirt: Target

Cardigan: American Eagle

Jeans: American Eagle

Bracelet: gift

I've been meaning to try leopard print for a while, so you can imagine how excited I was when I found this top on the sale rack at Target ($6)! I paired it with some wide leg jeans this time to further vary things (since I'm always in skinny jeans), and some formal black shoes. 

T-shirt: Garage

Cardigan: special order from my school, but it's from American Apparel

Jeans: American Eagle

Scarf: Aeropostale

What do I love about fall fashion? Scarves. I have a drawer full of scarves just waiting to dress up a plain t-shirt and complete my outfit while keeping me warm. I remember seeing this scarf online at Aeropostale last fall, but I could not find it in store; then one day...it was there!!! :) That wasn't a very exciting story but you get the idea. I love scarves. 

Blouse: Bluenotes

Blazer: Eclipse

Pants: Eclipse

Scarf: gift

Necklace: gift

If you can believe it, last week I already had a presentation for one of my classes! I had to give a news report in French, and it was pretty nerve-wracking! This outfit was my attempt at colour-blocking- I love royal blue and mint together! And these pants are so comfortable- they're like knit jeggings; different from leggings in that they do have some structure, pockets, and buttons, but they're so soft that it does feel like wearing leggings. 

So that's it for now! What do you like about fall fashion?

Spring Shopping Haul & Body Issues

I had a chance to go shopping this week! Well, it was mainly for New York, but these pieces will definitely work their way into my spring and summer wardrobe!

Tank tops: Garage Clothing

Skirt: Target

Bikini: Target

Dress: Eclipse

First of all, I know what you're thinking: that skirt is crazy!!! Yes, I agree. But it's actually really pretty, and there are so many colours in it that makes it very versatile! At the start of this year, I made some New Year's Resolutions, and one of them was to incorporate more patterns into my wardrobe, so I decided to take the risk and buy it. Looking at it yesterday with the rest of my clothes, it goes with a lot of things! You will definitely be seeing outfits with this skirt this summer!

To complement that, though, I did fall back on my usual lace-and-floral pattern with this dress. How many lace dresses do I have now? A lot :P But this one is adorable. I saw it on line and could not wait to try it on in store! I'm bringing both the dress and skirt to New York to be styled elegantly (hopefully!) for my evenings at the theatre! 

I don't have much to say about the tank tops, because, well, they're tank tops...and they were $5! Hello, deals!

Lastly, I did buy a bikini. And no, I don't suppose there's anything special about that either. Except for the fact that I've been wanting to buy one every summer for the past four years at least. So why did it take me that long you ask? I'll give you a simple answer: body issues.

Which isn't a very simple answer when you think about it. I, like millions of other women (and men) out there, have body issues. The truth is that I am very uncomfortable with the way I look. I have been for years, and it's what has been making me stick to one piece swimsuits for the past years (okay, that and the fact that I was on the swim team in high school, but that's besides the point). Now, I'm not saying that because I finally bought this swimsuit that all my body issues are over and done with, or that I now love my body. I don't. I'm just hoping that the fact that I was able to buy it without hating myself was a step towards eventually accepting the body I have and not going to extreme lengths to try and change it.
It goes without saying that being uncomfortable with your body is a problem in our society. I've seen it in the fashion magazines, TV ads and shows, and even at clothing stores- the negative influence subtly urging people to be a smaller size by promoting weight loss, perfect looking models, and not enough larger sizes. Urging even the people who may not need to lose weight to think twice about how they look.
I'm not saying it's all the media's fault for this, because they have been getting better with promoting acceptance and body peace. It may be the media, it may be a comment from someone you know or don't know, or it may be your own obsessive thoughts pointing out your flaws. What I am saying is that we need to stop hating ourselves for how we look, treat ourselves the way we would like to be treated (would you call your best friend fat? Then why say it to yourself?), and learn to accept ourselves the way we are.

Thanks for reading, as always :)

P.S. Go get that bikini, summer dress, shorts, whatever you've been putting off buying because of your insecurities. I promise you'll feel a little better about yourself afterwards. 

Florals all week

In honour of Valentine's Day I decided to dress girly pretty much all week. Here are two of my outfits (the rest of the week looked pretty similar- you know me and my florals :P)

Top: Garage Clothing

Tank top: Forever 21

Cardigan: Old Navy

Jeans: American Eagle

Bobby pin: Forever 21

Bracelet: Forever 21

Blouse: Zara

Tank top: Urban Behaviour

Cardigan: Urban Behaviour

Jeans: American Eagle

Bracelet: gift

Eyeshadow: Maybelline Expertwear Eyeshadow quad in Designer Chocolates (I only used the rose-coloured shade)

Lipstick: Loreal Colour Riche Lip Balm in Blushing Sequin

One of My Favourites

As you probably guessed from the title, this outfit is one of my favourites! I put it together back when I was in grade 12, and I still love it today!

Shirt: Garage

Cardigan: Aeropostale

Jeans: American Eagle

Necklace: gift

Since high school, I've swapped the medium blue jean for a darker, sleeker wash, and changed up my jewellery- sometimes I wear pearls, sometimes I wear something more interesting like this much worn music necklace I got from a friend a year ago. I wear the blouse tucked in, and I have a sturdy medium sized brown belt that I purchased in the fall. I also love the letting the floral pattern peek out from the sleeves of the cardigan (you know me and my florals)! Hope this outfit inspires you! :)

Outfits of the Week #2

This past week was a little bit warmer, so I can show you my all-time go-to outfit of skinny jeans, a basic t-shirt, and a cardigan. This coming week is going to be much colder though, so I'll be breaking out my warm sweaters and fleece-lined leggings once again.
I only have a few outfits (my best ones of the week, haha) because this post would be a lot longer if I had photos from every day.



T-shirt: Target
Cardigan: Urban Behaviour
Tank top: Urban Behaviour
Jeans: American Eagle
Necklace: Garage

This is as basic as my outfit gets. When I have no idea whatsoever what to wear, I can always revert back to the jeans-tee-cardigan uniform. I have way too many plain t-shirts and cardigans to count, so the options are endless!

I also added this really pretty jewelled necklace to complete the outfit. I've been into necklaces lately, short, long, gold, silver, you name it. I remember buying this necklace ages ago- it came with another strand that had a key on it, and I didn't like that so I used tiny pliers to remove it (random side note...).

Top: Eddie Bauer (recent!)
Tank top: Garage
Jeans: American Eagle
Bracelet: gift

My next outfit isn't much different; I just substituted the cardigan for a long sleeved top. I got this top for Christmas and I absolutely love it- it's a waffle knit, so it's warmer than a regular shirt.

 

I got a close-up of the lace detailing on the top because it's so pretty! I love lace, as you probably already know. I usually find that thermal tops can look a little pyjama-y, but the lace definitely moves this top out of that zone!

Top: Eclipse (recent!)
Tank Top: Urban Behaviour
Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger
Bracelet: Forever 21 (recent!)

This next outfit is a little bit different than what I would normally wear, but my New Year's Resolutions included wanting to wear more patterns, so that's where this top comes in! I also like to dress up more than usual when I go to teach flute. I'm not a big fan of stripes, but the diagonal ones on this top are much more flattering than plain horizontal.

I have to do a little rant about these jeans though. I thought they were pretty nice the first few times I wore them (I got them in the summer), but now I find them really baggy, but still hard to take off (skinny jeans problems right here...). And then I looked at the tag- they are 99% cotton. So my advice: always buy jeans with a bit of spandex- it makes a difference!

And once again, I had to make the outfit girly with pearls. I was surprised at the quality of this bracelet, considering it was $6.50- it came in a set with two others.

So those are some of the outfits I wore this week! I have so many more ideas for posts, so until my next one, stay stylish!

Spring Trends 2012

The post you've all been waiting for (well, I have in any case)...

One year ago, I started this blog as an assignment for my grade 12 writer's craft course, and I really enjoyed making posts about fashion (and beauty) so I continued it and here I am a year later with nearly 30 posts and almost 400 page views! Thank you so much to my subscribers and anyone else who happens to stumble across  my blog on a random Google search! I have many ideas for my blog so hopefully this year will be as exciting as the last! And now on to the latest trends for spring!

Floral
I am not surprised that floral print is back for another year. Who doesn't love wearing a small floral print to be girly or a bright colourful one to be bold? It is definitely my favourite trend of all time. Here are some ideas to build a garden...in your closet.

Lace

Also back again this year are the sweet and girly lace edges and necklines in tops, skirts, and dresses. A variation of this trend are eyelets, sort of like a hole punch pattern, but cuter, and also crochet, which is like lace, but with more detail. As well, this year lace comes in all different colours, not just white! Notice that the top pictured above combines floral and lace! So cute!!!

Bright Pants

This trend is hard to miss. Skinny jeans and jeggings are available in every colour of the rainbow this year, paired either with neutral  or brightly coloured tops to create fun outfits that you can literally see from a mile away.  Here are some outfit ideas from DailyLook. Notice that this trend can carry on into the middle of summer with brightly coloured shorts. I don't have too many ideas for this one, but you can check out American Eagle, Garage, and Aeropostale for more looks with bright jeans and shorts. 

Wild Prints
If you're headed to the jungle, you'll blend right in with animal prints, tribal patterns, and earth tones.  Silhouettes include shirt dresses, wrap skirts, cargo pants, and cross-body bags.

The Colour Palette and Accessories

Colours that are in this season include water colours such as turquoise, aqua, indigo, and sea green; bright colours especially in the red-orange area (think tangerine, a deep orange), and, of course, pastels such as light pink, mint green, soft yellow, and sky blue. 

These colours will be seen mainly in jewellery and other accessories, as well as makeup (especially pastel nail polish, which I absolutely love). Set the trend with dangling earrings, tangerine coloured lipstick, pastel nail polish, or stacks of multicoloured bracelets. 

Enjoy looking fabulous this spring!

Photo Credits

AEO Floral Scarf, $19.43, http://www.ae.com

Daisy Dolman Top, $12.25, http://www.aeropostale.com

AE Floral Corset Dress, $39.36,  http://www.ae.com

Floral Boatneck Tee with lace inserts, $24.90, http://www.garage.ca

Cooperative Mixed Media Bag, $39.99, http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

Solid Eyelet Woven Dress, $20.00, http://www.aeropostale.com

AE Lace Panel Tee, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

AE Paneled Lace Tee, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

Belted Eyelet Skirt, $22.25, http://www.aeropostale.com 

AE Crochet Detail Top, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

See http://www.dailylook.com for the three looks with bright bottoms. 

Geometric Contrast Dress, $17.90, http://canada.forever21.com

Sparkle and Fade Roll-Tab Shirtdress, $59.00, http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

Truly Madly Deeply Slouchy Printed Tunic in brown and black & white, $34.00, http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

AE Artisan Dolman Sweater, $39.93, http://www.ae.com

AEO Suede Fringe Cross-body bag, $29.46, http://www.ae.com

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipcolour, drugstores and http://www.maybelline.ca 

Maybelline Eye Studio Colour Plush Silk eyeshadow, drugstores and http://www.maybelline.ca

Sun Medallion Earrings, $6.80, http://canada.forever21.com

AEO Beaded Turquoise and Pink bracelets, $15.48 each, http://www.ae.com