Tops and Bottoms

Top: Aritzia (similar), Pants: Aritzia (similar here and here); Heels: Zara (now on sale!); Necklace: Gap (love this one); Clutch and Bracelet: Banana Republic

 

I find that the key to a great outfit is often balance and unity. To go with these billowy, printed silk pants, I chose neutral, strappy sandals for my feet and an eye-catching statement necklace to divert attention upwards, so that the focus of the outfit was not solely on my legs. I also chose a simple pastel top in a similar fabric of the pants to keep the look cohesive - not to mention unbelievably comfortable. Similarly, if I had a loose shirt on top, I would pair it with a pencil skirt or skinny jeans and a chunkier sandal or boot.

Hope your week is off to a good start so far!

Rainy Day Dilemma

Top: H&M (similar in a dark wash for fall); Cropped Trench: Banana Republic; Skirt: Forever 21; Boots: Hunter; Belt: H&M (recent); Umbrella: Gap (cute version here)

 

I find that people normally do one of two things when the weather is wet and gloomy.

1) Reach for the dark colours of their closet - charcoal grey, black, navy, etc - for a look like this.
2) Go polar opposite with a full on ensemble of bright, cheery colours, in hopes of counteracting the sombre mood that rain tends to bring on.

Yesterday it rained on and off, with peaks of sunshine popping out every so often, so I settled on a combination of these two styles. Grabbing my trusty black trench and Hunters, and offsetting them with a sleeveless chambray top, neon belt, and bright floral umbrella, I felt ready for a day of unpredictable weather. Aside from the the fact that I love the combination of chambray and floral, I also liked the way this colour scheme was subtle enough to easily transition throughout the day. What are your go-to looks for rainy-days?

Feels like Fall

The past week has been a very busy, slightly stressful, but also incredibly exciting one. I celebrated a birthday over the weekend, researched a number of potential wedding venues, and saving the best for last: found a new home for Steve and I in Toronto. Our move-in date is still over a month away, but thoughts of organized closet space and floor plans seem to have crowded my attention span lately.

Now that I'm back in the swing of things, I'm looking at my calendar and realizing that it's not even August yet, but for some reason feels like fall is just around the corner. I tend to feel this way every year right after my birthday and I annually have to remind myself not to automatically start packing up summery clothes, and instead simply start thinking about a transitional wardrobe of layering thicker fabrics and textures. Here is some Fall / "Transition" inspiration for you if you're feeling the same way:

Fall is undeniably my favorite season - both weather and fashion-wise - so I'm enjoying seeing the new collections seep into stores right now. What trends are you most excited for next season?

Re-inventing the Classics

Top: Urban Outfitters; Peplum Skirt: Urban Outfitters; Heels: Banana Republic; Watch: Michael Kors; Sunglasses: Ray-Ban; Necklace: Urban Outfitters (recent, but not shown online); Purse: Michael Kors; Nail Polish: Sephora by OPI "What Aura Gonna Wear?"

Combining black and white pieces always makes for a classic and timeless style palette, but to keep the look fresh and fun I chose contrasting patterns and then added neutral accessories and a bright nail polish for a single pop of colour.

Country Living

Boyfriend Shirt: Gap (this one is cute!); Head-Wrap: Forever 21 (similar here and here); Denim Shorts: American Eagle; Belt: Gap

The days seem to be flying by this summer! My family and I spent the past few days in Sutton - a small town on the outskirts of Montreal, Quebec - where my grandmother has a beautiful, old farm house, completely secluded and surrounded only by a pond and acres and acres of forest. Internet connection there is sparse (hence the lack of posts) and our general time-passing activities included card games, reading on the veranda, slack-lining, and playing catch with the dogs. However, we did venture into town on Saturday, where we browsed a local flea market and sifted through old records, hand-made jewelry and clothing, fresh flowers, and other trinkets.

Sometimes a short break from cyberspace is the perfect refresher, but I'm glad to be back in the city now with the Twitosphere and Pinterest easily accessible. And on that note, keep Liking my Facebook page - I'm half way to 100 Likes! :)

Currently Craving: Peplum Hem

While I'm by no means growing tired of peplum tops and dresses that flare out at the waist, I'm finding the emergence of peplum-hemmed dresses and skirts to be such a nice, and refreshing take on the trend. Now to find the perfect style...

Soft Pastel & Bright Neon

Skirt: H&M (recent); Tank: Gap (similar); Heels: Zara (now on sale!); Necklace: H&M; Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Remember when I said I was craving a skirt like this? Well, I spotted this one at H&M over the weekend and picked it up lickity-split. I especially love that the bottom three quarters of it is sheer and airy - perfect for hot summer days.

Periwinkle Ruffles

Dress: Banana Republic (love this retro style); Cardigan: Gap (similar); Hat: Gap (similar); Heels: Zara (similar); Necklaces: Urban Outfitters and Banana Repiblic; Watch: Michael Kors; Bracelet: Madewell

Sometimes it's just fun to be a girly-girl in a ruffled dress. Happy Friday!

Bright Print, Minimal Accessories

Dress: Winners (recent); Belt: H&M (love this pink version); Flats: Banana Republic (similar); Sunglasses: Ray-Ban; Bracelet: Madewell; Wallet: Banana Republic

This past weekend this dress doubled as my bathing suit cover-up and easy-to-throw-on dress for popping into town for ice cream. I kept my accessories minimal so that the print could take center-stage, but couldn't resist adding a slim, braided, neon belt. I was originally drawn to this dress because of the longer hemline at the back, which helps it easily transition from day-time casual with flats, to night-time polished with a fun pair of heels.

Long Weekend Ended

Top: Gap (similar); Shorts: Gap; Belt: Also Gap; Flats: Banana Republic (these are cute); Bracelet: Madewell; Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Another Canada Day long weekend has come and gone. We spent the last few days up north in cottage country, enjoying the warm weather, barbequing, exploring Lake Muskoka by boat, watching fireworks from the dock, and catching up with friends and family. If you remember from my post on Friday, these shorts were on my list of favorite cottage essentials and I must say that they held up to my expectations - so comfortable and fun.

And now it's Tuesday, and although it's always difficult to get back into the working groove after a long weekend, there is one redeeming quality: it’s a short work-week! Hope your Tuesday is going well so far, and to friends across the boarder, happy 4th of July tomorrow!