Outfit deets:
* Forever 21 jacket which you've seen when I posted the #PDOpinupgirls contest photoshoot results (really love this outfit).
* Dynamite lace top which you've seen with olive pants, on the weekend for a date (love this look), and in my Fall Fashion vlog (fun fact: I picked up this top during the shop-off on the day I won the Place d'Orleans vlogger contest!).
* Zara heels which I'm still loving so much and wear every three days or so; I'd wear them more but try to give my other shoes a chance. Have I mentioned how ridiculously comfortable they are?
As I ran out the door on this day I went to grab a jacket and would normally reach for something neutral, my grey or cognac coloured jackets but I decided to try this one and ended up loving the two purple-ish tones together. Would you wear two colours from the same family?
2 comments
Outfit deets:
* Dynamite jacket (old) which you've seen many times, but a favourite outfit post with waxed denim almost two years ago.
* Joe Fresh sweater dress.
* Sirens leggings.
* Bumper booties (old) which you have seen with skinnies, an all grey outfit, and (my favourite) a skirt + leather jacket combo.
* Accessories: OASAP clutch (c/o), Ardene pashmina & gifted square bangle.
Christmas is quickly approaching (hello, less than a month away!) and I'm becoming frantic. I need to take a breath. I have started my shopping, but it feels like there is still so much to do; I haven't even decorated my place yet. Now I know it's not December yet, but, I always say November 20th is the 'go-ahead' day for all things Christmas, for me at least.
Last year at this time, my apartment was pretty ugly. I was using hand-me-down furniture (from the 90's) as we were waiting for our house to sell (and in turn, keeping the house staged). And in all honesty, I felt a little depressed that I couldn't decorate for the holidays.
Well, I could have decorated.
I just felt it was kind of pointless, considering the furniture and coldness of the place. Still though, it didn't feel Christmasy and I was happy to spend several days at my parent's place surrounded by a beautiful tree, tiny ornaments, garland-laced railings, festive lights, a fire place, and more.
This year is different though. My apartment feels like home as I have my furniture and have created a space for myself that feels like myself. Additionally, there is no longer an eye sore that is my living room (ha!). Ish. I am so excited for Christmas that, although I really shouldn't be bringing more stuff into my apartment (it's already quite full), I went to my parent's house a few weeks back and picked up a big chunk of my Christmas decor. I love decorating with reindeer and trees, and tend towards larger pieces. The stuff has been sitting in a corner of my dining room, but this week I am determined to decorate. Let's get this Christmas party started!
Do you decorate for Christmas? Do you have a theme?
*** I have been listening to a local radio station that plays Christmas music 24/7 now, it makes me so happy. #thelittlethings
Outfit deets:
* Dynamite jacket which you've seen with skinnies, waxed denim (a favourite post), with leggings and booties & once upon a time I belted it (which I would never do anymore).
* Winners top.
* Vigoss jeans (via Alloy) that I love because they come in a 37" inseam & last seen almost three years ago with a classic trench.
* Aldo wedges.
* Accessories: Club Monaco scarf & Aldo clutch.
(This outfit is actually from early spring last year and I never used it, I'd totally rock this look for fall though).
I love living in the city. It's been just over a year since I moved out of the suburbs and into an urban area and it's been great. I love being close to work, downtown, shops and stores and how easy it is to get together with my other city-living friends.
So while taking a walk on my lunch break the other day, around the neighbouring neighbourhoods, I was shocked when I felt a little sad about no longer living in suburbia. Surely I couldn't be pining for a lawn and garden to keep up with, not to mention all that extra space a house holds that needs to be kept clean? But yet I was and I envisioned back to what life was like with a yard, and space, and multiple rooms (a far cry from the one-bedroom apartment I now call home).
Then a moment of anxiety set in: will I grow tired of city living before my new condo is ready? Will I wish I was moving back to the quiet subdivisions I always knew and loved?
Nah.
And the moment was dashed because I know one day, when I'm ready, I will eventually move back to the outskirts of the city, where there is still bustle, but is is less congested and where I will have more space, and a lawn, and a garden and separate living rooms... and besides, I really hate gardening anyways.
Okay, I've hit my shopping limit for the next little while. During a stint at Winners the other night I came across this mint green Maison Scotch leather jacket (the colouring is off in the photo), and they only had two left, different sizes. The larger size fit me perfectly and I did a little squeel and happy dance in the fitting room.
I'm not one to spend a lot on one item, I prefer to spread my money out on several items but I justified this one as it's:
* real leather
* fits like a glove
* butter-cream soft
* a beautiful colour
* I don't own a jacket in this colour
The price was $120 but I found a 'flaw' (the main zipper pulley is missing) so they discounted it to $105 and I walked away a very happy girl! I had never heard of the brand but after some google-ing, found out it's sold on Revolve Clothing, ShopBop, Neiman's, etc. The most similar one I could find is on Asos for originally $582, aka, mine was a major score. Love that!
* Gap denim jacket (thrifted & DIY'ed), Mexx dress & Suzy necklace
(this outfit is from the day I went to get my hair coloured)
* Old Navy top, Sirens jeans, Aldo wedges & H&M belt (full outfit post)
* Sirens cardigan, Old Navy top, Vigoss jeans & Aldo wedges
* Joe Fresh sweater & tank underneath, H&M jeans & Aldo wedges
* Gap denim jacket (thrifted & DIY'ed), Mexx dress, Givenchy fishnets & Urban Original boots (same as above)
* Garage denim jacket, Sirens tee, Garage skirt, unknown tights, Bamboo boots & Le Chateau necklace
* Smart Set denim jacket, F21 tank, Bongo pants, Aldo wedges & Mexx necklace (full outfit post)
* F21 top, Sirens jeans & Joe Fresh necklaces
* Dynamite blazer (one of my favourite outfit posts ever), Winners top, Sirens jeans, Bumper booties & Mark necklace
* Joe Fresh dress & unknown tights (full outfit post)
* American Eagle cardigan, Winners top, Joe Fresh skirt, Bumper booties & H&M necklace
* Dynamite blazer, F21 top, Sirens dress pants, Joe Fresh belt & Suzy necklace
* Old Navy button-down, Sirens jeans & H&M belt (same as above/full outfit post)
* Joe Fresh jacket, Urban Behaviour top, Foxy jeans, Aldo wedges, Auslini bangle & Bijoux Terner necklace
* A.Co Designs top, H&M pants & Suzy necklace
* F21 top, Stitches lace top, Urban Behaviour skirt, Aldo wedges & Suzy necklace
* Dynamite faux-leather blazer, H&M dress (worn as a top), Stitches skirt & Suzy necklace (full outfit post)
* Alainn Bella sweater (won), H&M pants & Mexx necklace
* Alainn Bella sweater (won), H&M pants & Mexx necklace
* F21 sequined top, H&M tank underneath, F21 pants, Aldo flats & H&M necklace
* Dynamite jacket, Le Chateau pashmina, H&M pants, Gucci shades & Urban Expressions bag
* H&M jacket (thrifted), Dollarama ring & Urban Expressions bag
Outfit deets:
* Calvin Klein dress (from Ross) that was a birthday gift from my parents (that I picked out). First time wearing this!
* Dynamite faux leather, perforated blazer (a Christmas gift from my parents). Seen with a ruffled top and navy.
* Payless heels (new!). Love these and saw my mom rocking them and had to get a pair for myself (that's a first!). They have a snake-skin print to them and a lower heel, which is nice for those days where you want a heel but don't want 4+ inches. These are also super comfortable and when I went shopping with my girlfriend to get them, she picked up a pair for herself!
* Accessories: H&M necklace, Pandora bracelet, Suzy rings & Jacob bangle
Monday is here already! My weekend went by fairly slow, and I did quite a bit so I can't complain too much. That and with the weather getting warmer, it's getting lighter earlier in the mornings and the sun is staying out past 7pm making getting up for work on Monday not so bad (I'm grateful to have a job also, as there have been many lay offs recently and it's just awful).
Friday night I went for a massage after work at a new spot and it was amazing. The girl really knew her stuff and gave my muscles a good work out. Afterwards it was home to get ready and out to dinner. Saturday ended up being a totally impromptu shopping day with one of my besties and I finally got to check out the new Marshalls that just opened up here; and you guys, I picked up some killer finds (video coming) that I'm extra excited about. That evening was a birthday celebration for my grandpa (85!) and I hung out with some girlfriends afterwards. Sunday ended up being totally lazy (well, I did go for a 'quick' 2km run, which is pretty impressive since I never workout on the weekend) and while I felt a little unproductive and bored at times, meh, sometimes you need that on the weekend.
Dynamite blazer, H&M dress (worn as a top & last seen here), Stitches skirt, unknown tights, Aldo booties (last seen here), Suzy necklace, Pandora, Dynamite & F21 bracelets
First off, thank you all so much for the amazing comments, yet again, on yesterday's post. You all brought a big smile to my face; your compassion and empathy, your kindness and sweet words all mean so much. Thank you.
So in other news, I am so excited: I just booked my flight to Florida! Ya! I wasn't planning on going down this year (financially it just wasn't feasible) but things have changed and I am going! Yipee! I'm so excited to spend a week and a day on the beach, wearing sandals, eating at my favourite US restaurant (Chili's) and spending some QT with my parents (they go every year and rent the same condo).
I packed a couple weeks ago and sent a suitcase down with my parents (they drive) so I wouldn't have to (a) lug a big suitcase through the airports (simply a carry-on now), and (b) have to pay additional fees to check my baggage. Not having to think about packing in itself is a stress reliever (more on what I packed later).
However, the one thing I am 'stressed' (if you can even call it that) about is reading material. I love to read (especially on the beach) and am currently reading a book, but not obsessed with it (obsessed in the I-will-finish-this-in-a-few-
I packed a couple weeks ago and sent a suitcase down with my parents (they drive) so I wouldn't have to (a) lug a big suitcase through the airports (simply a carry-on now), and (b) have to pay additional fees to check my baggage. Not having to think about packing in itself is a stress reliever (more on what I packed later).
However, the one thing I am 'stressed' (if you can even call it that) about is reading material. I love to read (especially on the beach) and am currently reading a book, but not obsessed with it (obsessed in the I-will-finish-this-in-a-few-
I wanted to share this photo to give you guys a sneak peak into my new apartment (finding space for my shoes is a work in progress!), plus I kinda liked the photo.
Related posts:
Jessica Simpson blazer (last seen here). H&M dress, Sirens leggings, Aldo booties (last seen here), Pandora, Dynamite & F21 bracelets, Dollarama ring & Walmart multi-'A' necklace
I'm anxious.
Okay.
Well.
Here's why:
I have a hair appointment on Thursday with my old colorist...the same girl that did Mike's hair for many, many years. Years before she ever did my hair. Basically, I ruined my hair with a box colour once, prompting it to turn goldfish orange, and she saved my life... er... hair. And ever since then, we've been living in perfect-hair-colour harmony. Until Mike and I split. And then I figured, 'I can't go back there...it's his hair stylist...what will I say?!' (she came to our wedding!). Even after Mike told me he doesn't go to her anymore, and I went somewhere else that was ridiculously over-priced and the girl turned my hair grey, I still didn't want to go.
However, I bit the bullet.
I called and made an appointment last week.
My appointment is this Thursday.
I'm very anxious.
The reason I'm going back to her though, is because she's amazing. AH. MAY. ZING. She gives me the perfect colour blonde, the price is great and I know what to expect (and she knows what I like).
I haven't coloured my hair since September and my roots are killing me. With a potential seaside vaycay in my near future, I'm determined not to go down south with these roots because while I love the ombré look, I feel like I've missed that bandwagon and I hate jumping on after it's been a trend for over a year (with my luck, I'd likely 'jump on' only for it to be really dated in a month from now). Plus, I simply love love love being blonde.
Would a situation like this make you feel anxious? Am I crazy? Any tips?
Okay.
Well.
Here's why:
I have a hair appointment on Thursday with my old colorist...the same girl that did Mike's hair for many, many years. Years before she ever did my hair. Basically, I ruined my hair with a box colour once, prompting it to turn goldfish orange, and she saved my life... er... hair. And ever since then, we've been living in perfect-hair-colour harmony. Until Mike and I split. And then I figured, 'I can't go back there...it's his hair stylist...what will I say?!' (she came to our wedding!). Even after Mike told me he doesn't go to her anymore, and I went somewhere else that was ridiculously over-priced and the girl turned my hair grey, I still didn't want to go.
However, I bit the bullet.
I called and made an appointment last week.
My appointment is this Thursday.
I'm very anxious.
The reason I'm going back to her though, is because she's amazing. AH. MAY. ZING. She gives me the perfect colour blonde, the price is great and I know what to expect (and she knows what I like).
I haven't coloured my hair since September and my roots are killing me. With a potential seaside vaycay in my near future, I'm determined not to go down south with these roots because while I love the ombré look, I feel like I've missed that bandwagon and I hate jumping on after it's been a trend for over a year (with my luck, I'd likely 'jump on' only for it to be really dated in a month from now). Plus, I simply love love love being blonde.
Would a situation like this make you feel anxious? Am I crazy? Any tips?
Dynamite jacket (last seen here), La Senza tank, American Eagle sweater, Foxy jeans (last seen here),
Last night I had one of my closest friend's over to celebrate her birthday. I told her that I would bake whatever she wanted for her birthday dessert and she chose a chocolate mousse cake. Something I've never made. Turns out, chocolate mousse cake can be pretty darn overwhelming, however, I did it! It feels like such an accomplishment because while I enjoy being experimental with cooking, baking is more my sister's hat and something altogether different. I will be posting the pictures and the recipe in the next few days as it turned out really good (at least everyone said it was really good...).
Today is her official birthday and we are celebrating today by going for a morning break at the cafeteria at work. Happy Birthday J!
Ashley B Jacket (last seen here), Stitches sweater, Old Navy button down, Dynamite skirt (last seen here), Glaze booties (last seen here), A.Co Designs wool & leather scarf (last seen here), Suzy belt & Auslini bangle
As I sit here and type this I feel happy. My life is (somewhat) in order, my laundry is done, my belly is full, my place is (somewhat) tidy and I feel good. Things are falling into place and it feels good.
I had a Skype date with my BBFF the other night. Always good to catch up with that girl, and although thousands of miles apart, it's almost as if it isn't... almost.
And in other exciting news, I got a new laptop. Yay! My old one konked out on me after over six years and I have finally entered the twenty-first century. It's nice to have some speed and have something that doesn't take 12 minutes to shut down. It's also super pretty too.
Finally, can you believe Christmas is less than two months away? Love it! The stores are putting out their holiday products, seasonal music is streaming through the speakers, and there is no sign of any (icky) snow yet. It's like a dream. I've even already started my shopping, slowly but surely. When will you start?
Ashley B jacket (last seen here), Old Navy
tank, Jacob skirt, Aldo booties,
Joe Fresh necklace, H&M bangle, Bay ring & Gucci shades
The weekend is here! After a long week at the office, which included
moving offices, I'm completely exhausted and in need of a good sleep in.
Can't wait to do so tomorrow morning and enjoy the fall weather coming
our way this weekend. What do you have planned?
La Classe Couture jacket (last seen here), Old Navy dress, Aldo boots, Suzy belt, Le Chateau pashmina,
Sirens necklace & Auslini bangle
The other day while at work, a same-floor coworker exclaimed to me,
'You look just like my friend Laura!' turning to her friend the,
'Doesn't she look just like Laura?' We'd never spoken before, and so I
laughed and made a joke, 'Well I hope that's a.. good thing?' Of course
it was, she exclaimed. She now calls me Laura every time she sees me.
About a year ago another same-floor coworker, a man this time, noticed a
sparkly red (decorative) shoe I keep in my office atop a filing cabinet
(you know I love shoes). He started calling me Dorothy (as in the
Wizard of Oz) and it kinda just stuck. Over the months he'd call out to
me in passing, 'Hey Dorothy!' until one day I was in the (very large)
cafeteria at work in line at Tim Hortons. I spotted him a couple people
ahead of me, and when he was leaving, he saw me and shouted out, 'See
you later Dorothy!' When my turn came to order, I approach the cashier,
ordered and then he said, 'Do you prefer Dora or Dorothy?' I laughed
and finally said, 'Amanda'. He looked confused, with purpose, and I
explained it was a long story.
Last summer while leaving work one day, one of the security guards
asked me if my mother still works here? I must have looked puzzeled
because the other security guard chimmed in that it wasn't me, but this
girl Laura that works here (hey, waitaminute...). I guess
people were getting her mixed up with me too because we sort of know
each other and got to discussing it one day. Now we laugh and tend to
amicably call each other, 'Twin' when we see one another (as in, 'Hey
Twin, how are you?').
Regardless of how laughable the experiences are above, I'm never
phased or insulted when someone says I look like someone they know, or
makes up a cute nickname for me. Actually, in all honesty, I'm often
intriguied by the unknown person they are talking about. Could I really
have a 'twin' in the city? Have you ever been told you look like
someone? What about a celebrity? Apparently she is mine.
Just call me Laura Dorothy Laura.
Cavalini jacket (last seen here), Merona cardigan, Mexx top (last seen here) & fur snood (last seen here),
H&M pants, Glaze booties (last seen here) & Joe Fresh necklace
I have a major sweet tooth. Ask me what my favourite dessert is and I'll shout out, 'Pie!' in 1.6 seconds flat. Offer me some chocolate? Don't waste time with words, hand it over. Ice cream sundae? I'm in. I struggle constantly with my sweet tooth. Seriously. If it would be healthy (and I wouldn't gain weight), I would probably eat desserts and treats 24/7, I just love sweets so much. However, it doesn't work like that (duh) and I have come up with a few ways to curb my cravings.
Chew gum.
I chew gum for obvious reasons: fresh breath, taste, and of course, to stave off cravings (and prevent snacking). The later doesn't always work though, after the flavour is gone I'm searching for something tasty, and another piece of gum doesn't usually cut it, but it helps, in the interim.
Brush your teeth.
I find this the most effective, however, I'll sometimes resist from doing this because I know it will work (how silly is that?!). Once you get that clean, minty taste and feeling in your mouth, cravings are often abolished.
Snack on something healthy.
If you are legitimately hungry, or need to snack, grab something healthy. I like the combination of apples with cheese, Kashi cereal (GoLean Crunch is my fave). almonds, or (the semi-indulgent) a banana with Nutella.
Give in.
If you absolutely cannot get rid of your craving, give into it. Have a small piece of chocolate, or that pie that is calling your from your kitchen. Just do it. And then tomorrow, don't give in. See what you just did there? Give and take. Err, take and give?
I find this the most effective, however, I'll sometimes resist from doing this because I know it will work (how silly is that?!). Once you get that clean, minty taste and feeling in your mouth, cravings are often abolished.
Snack on something healthy.
If you are legitimately hungry, or need to snack, grab something healthy. I like the combination of apples with cheese, Kashi cereal (GoLean Crunch is my fave). almonds, or (the semi-indulgent) a banana with Nutella.
Give in.
If you absolutely cannot get rid of your craving, give into it. Have a small piece of chocolate, or that pie that is calling your from your kitchen. Just do it. And then tomorrow, don't give in. See what you just did there? Give and take. Err, take and give?
Lapis jacket (last seen here), Joe Fresh top, Smart Set cami, H&M jeans, Aldo wedges (last seen here),
Vieta bag, F21 necklace & bangle, gifted Auslini bangle & BCBG beaded bracelet & Swarovski bangle
So I know I mentioned at some point before that I was going to consign some of my clothes. I've never really done much of this before, I always just donate my clothes to the GoodWill or Salvation Army (of course I let my girlfriends go through the stuff beforehand if they want), but this time I thought I'd try my hand at it. There is a chic consignment store I like in an 'up-and-coming' (or perhaps 'already up') neighbourhood that takes items that would actually be in my closet (aka non-designer) but still have slightly higher standards than your average consignment shop. I dropped off close to 40 items in March and knew they'd be on the floor, for sale, for two months. I called the other day to see what my account balance was at and... I made $140! What a score! I was ecstatic. I went to the store, checked out their inventory and eventually cashed out. I'm a true consignment believer now and plan to always do this. Have you ever consigned anything? Are you strictly a donater? I'd love to hear.
Cavalini jacket, Steve Madden top (last seen here), Forever 21 pants, Club Monaco scarf, Joe Fresh flats, Liliana wedges (last seen here), Gucci sunnies, Mexican, A.Co Designs & F21 bangles & BCBG bracelet
Oh hello completely unedited photos. I don't normally do too much to my photos, a little shading here, some cropping there, but not this time. The main computer has been infested with viruses for months and I have been forced to blog from my laptop since last summer (pain in the butt). However, the software to edit my photos was on the big computer (and still working) so for every post I'd be editing photos on that computer, transferring the images to a USB stick and plugging into my laptop to actually blog (just writing about it is tiring let alone...). However, the big computer is now fixed and I can blog from it again (woohoo, mouse power) but the software I used to edit my photos is gone (gone, gone)... hence the unedited photos (did you even notice? I didn't think so).
The switch: heels to flats in 5 seconds flat. (get it? Flat? Ha? Ha...)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)