Outfits: Crazy & Flirty Skirts

It's been a while since I've posted here, mainly because a lot has happened in the past month, including the fact that I now have my full driver's license!!! (Finally!) My summer course ends on Thursday, which will leave me the whole month of August to blog :)
Today I have a few outfits that I wore to work last week / would wear to work. Sadly, I cannot wear my usual t-shirt and cut-off shorts to give flute lessons or work at a children's clothing store (and if you do either of these, you shouldn't be wearing that either). So here are some more appropriate options that also agree with the warmer weather.

Blouse: Urban Behaviour

Skirt: Simons

In my hurry to change out of my usual summer attire, I forgot to accessorize...but really, you can add anything to this. Personally, I would recommend a statement necklace, either silver or gold, or maybe some bangles. The blouse is sheer, so I added a cami underneath (which you can't see here). 

T-shirt: Target

Skirt: Target

Cardigan: Old Navy

Necklace: Forever 21

My crazy skirt is back again! :P I actually wore it to work with a plain white tee, but realized that black is also a good option! This skirt has so many colours that it goes with anything, like a pale pink, navy, or orange. 

Blouse: Bluenotes

Skirt: Target

The Target skirt makes another appearance! I just wanted to show another cool way to wear it- kind of like colour-blocking. For jewellery I would most likely go with gold here (either a dainty necklace or bracelet, nothing too over the top because the focus is on the skirt) to complement the skirt. 

What do you wear to work (you know, if you don't have a uniform)? Let me know! :)

Book Review: Last Summer by Holly Chamberlin

Last Summer by Holly Chamberlin tells the story of two families who have lived next door to each other for as long as they can remember. They have been there for each other through deaths, divorce, and the ups and downs of life. Their fourteen year old daughters have also grown up together and have become best friends over the years. All that changes during the girls' ninth grade year. 

Under the pressure of seeing her best friend bullied and not wanting to speak up and possibly become a victim, Meg betrays Rosie, who then suffers an emotional breakdown in the latter part of the school year. This book traces the course of events that occur the summer following the girls' freshman year, as they try to forgive and test their friendship once more. 

The story has four different perspectives: Jane (Rosie's mother), Frannie (Meg's mother), Rosie, and Meg; as well as diary entries from Rosie that tell the depth of the bullying she went through, by others and herself. Each perspective gives the reader a chance to get to know each character and identify with their thoughts, feelings, and emotions as the summer wears on. 

I loved this book. Any novel that addresses the issue of bullying hits me hard, and this one was no exception. I identified the most with Rosie's diary entries, as they became more helpless and empty as the year wore on. This may sound a bit too cliche, but the entries were heartbreaking. Reading Meg's perspective gave me insight on her longing to be forgiven by Rosie. I also enjoyed both mothers' points of view, as they not only wanted to help their daughters, but also rekindle their own friendship. 

All in all this book is a must read for the summer. It's a tear-jerker, but definitely worth it. 

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day! by mariathefashionista featuring a fedora hat

Equipment sleeveless shirt
equipmentfr.com

Monki skater skirt
$34 - monki.com

Strappy sandals
$6.85 - chiarafashion.co.uk

Urban Expressions crossbody handbag
dsw.com

Ann Taylor black sunglasses
anntaylor.com

Sole Society fedora hat
solesociety.com

Coppertone sun care
casa.com

Beach towel
amazon.com

Train Like A Girl Water Bottle
tillys.com

Music Festival Style

I recently had the pleasure of attending Bluesfest, and while I saw some awesome bands (okay, my favourite band, Fun., was playing, no big deal or anything :P) I also noticed people with awesome style. I didn't really know there was a certain style showcased at a music festival, but as the afternoon and evening wore on, I noticed some repeated outfits and items of clothing that I thought would be of interest to the rest of the fashion world. So if you're planning on attending a music festival this summer, here are some outfits and style ideas to kindle your inner hipster-rock-bohemian side.

The first thing I noticed was a lot of floral print. As you know, I am obsessed with anything floral, so you can imagine my delight when I saw people sporting floral dresses, blouses, shorts, and accessories! What can I say, floral print is just timeless and can be worn for any occasion! In this outfit I paired a floral bustier dress with some flat braided sandals. Sandals may not be the best choice for a music festival (especially when if it's supposed to rain!) but I thought these were a great alternative to sneakers. :)

Next, I noticed many people wearing denim shorts, whether they were ripped, high-waisted, or detailed in another way (such as the ones above with a crochet hemline). Denim shorts are easy, casual, and can be paired with pretty much anything.

Now, this might have been due to the fact that Hunter Hayes was playing the day I went, but I saw a lot of plaid shirts, whether they were worn open over a plain cami, or tied up like the one in the outfit above.  Paired with denim shorts and cowboy boots, this is a great laid-back look for a music festival (especially if your favourite country singer is playing :P).

Printed tank tops were also a major piece of clothing that I saw at the festival. The different designs and sayings are perfect for showing off your quirky side! In the last outfit I paired a tribal printed crop top with high-waisted shorts and Converse.

As you can see from the outfits, there are some simple accessories that you should bring with you- a cross-body bag, sunglasses, and hat. These not only complete your laid-back look but are just...really practical when you think about it.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Until my next one, stay stylish! :)

My Summer Anthem

My Summer Anthem by mariathefashionista featuring sam edelman shoes

Abercrombie Fitch floral print dress
$78 - abercrombie.com

Red Hook Pool Series (five) - limited edition giclee print 24/100
$35 - etsy.com

Sam edelman shoes
$77 - coggles.com

Soul Cal Deluxe Love & Peace T-Shirt
£16 - republic.co.uk

Heaven PRINT ONLY - poppy flowers photography, pastel pink...
$15 - etsy.com

Fashion Behind the Scenes

First of all, I'M BACK! And I have four whole months to report the latest trends and fashion news to all of you. Over the past few weeks, University robbed me of my fashion sense, and left me in sweatpants, hoodies, and yoga pants. (*Cringe.*) Now that it is summer vacation and I have a job at a cute new clothing store though, my fashion sense is back on track. Promise.
Segue into what I want to blog about today. I'm working at a new store for tween girls, and it opened last week. It was a lot of work setting up the store, but so much fun (especially since one of my best friends is a co-worker). A store doesn't put itself together magically (if only we were all witches and wizards and could wave a wand so that everything would be set up in a day); it takes long hours filled with unpacking, sensoring, folding or hanging, and arranging merchandise to look perfect. The store is filled with everything girly, cute, pink, sparkly, and neon.
I guess it must be the band geek in me, but something about putting together the store was so exciting, just like practicing and setting up for a performance was fun. I felt as though I was part of something big, and by the time the store was ready to open I could not wait to see the girls faces as they try on and squeal over cute clothes (as I had already done); and on my first shift, that's exactly what happened. The store also has a ton of accessories, from headbands to makeup, bags to pillows and other cool things for your room. I won't say the name of the store just to keep private, but it is US based and has only ten other locations in Canada, if I'm not mistaken. I've wanted to work at a clothing store for as long as I can remember, so I was so excited when I got this job!
Now that I know all the work and hours that are put into the set up and maintenance of a store, I'm going to take extra precautions when shopping myself, and here are my tips for you.
First of all, if you don't like something, don't just throw it back on the table. It ruins the display that took longer than you may think to arrange. :P Next, be nice to the salespeople. I know sometimes they are in your face, asking what you need and what you're looking for when all you want to do is browse, but it's their job to help you, so if you do have a question, ask, and if you don't, they will be happy to let you browse until you do need something. And lastly (this ties into the second point) if you do have a question about sizes, sales, or which clothes go together, don't be shy to ask. The salespeople know their stuff about what the store carries (because they stocked it!) and will be happy to help you make an outfit because it's more exciting than just standing around.
Stay stylish! :)

My Style...Part 2(?)

Hey fashionistas! So I was just playing around on http://www.polyvore.com/ and I found that there were many different templates to use if you're looking for inspiration. Here are some of the templates I used to create different looks: