Peachy Keen

I'm really enjoying all of the bright and pastel colours out there right now, and for someone who used to only really wear black, navy, grey and brown to the office, am amazed at how much colour I now have in my work wardrobe.

(Photos by Yvonne Ho)

Blouse - Club Monaco; Skirt - Zara; Pumps - Franco Sarto (The Bay); Necklace - Garbo (The Bay); Bracelets - Holt Renfrew; Watch - Michael Kors; Ring - Gift

I fell in love with this peach blouse the minute I laid eyes on it an immediately began running through my head the different items of clothing that I could wear with it. This is something that I do often, to justify spending a little more on an article of clothing. The deal breaker usually is whether I can wear the item both to work as well as outside of work. After a few minutes I realized that I can do that no problem with this blouse. I have already worn it out on the town, paired with some skinny jeans and nude pumps. For the office I have paired it with a black tulip skirt, which is a nice change from the usual pencil skirt.

Comfy Cozy

Leggings are undoubtedly one of the most comfortable items of clothing out there so it's only natural to want to wear them to work. 

 

(Photos by Yvonne Ho)

Leggings - Club Monaco; Cardigan - Jacob; Cami- RW&Co; Boots - Aldo; Belt - The Bay; Cuff - Club Monaco; Earrings & Bracelet - Rox on by Karina Miller

 This is completely fine but please remember my few simple rules here. Also, please don't wear Lulu Lemon yoga pants as leggings. Lulu's have a specific texture, not to mention that little circular logo that distinguishes them as workout wear and therefore not appropriate work attire. What you should do is invest in a few different styles of leggings. You don't have to limit yourselves to just black. There are a variety of colours and styles out right now including ones with the always trendy side stripe. Complete your comfy look with a sweater and throw in a bright colour to liven things up!

 

 

 

30 Years of Fashion

I mentioned in a previous post that for my 30th birthday my family put together a collection of pictures showing the evolution of my style throughout the years.  I only recently became aware of the fact that I am really into fashion so its interesting to see that this fashion sense was somehow imbedded in me subconsciously during my younger years. Here is a sample of those pictures. Enjoy!

I was rocking the maxi skirt way before I even knew it was in style!

I seriously debated whether to include this one but decided it was okay, solely for comedic purposes.

'Vogue-ing'





Third Time's a Charm

I may have an obsession with red pants (see previous posts here and here) and wearing them on a casual Friday is no exception.

(Photos by Dee Jay Bee)

Sweater - Anna Catherine (Beyond the Rack); Jeggings - Material Girl (The Bay); Blouse - Jacob; Boots - H&M; Ring - Silpada; Necklaces - Tiffany & Swarowski

I've mentioned before that skinny coloured jeans should only be worn to the office on casual Friday and that things should be kept professional up top with a neutral coloured blazer or cardigan. I decided to push my boundaries a little by wearing this grey cardigan sweater with leather sleeves. I say I pushed my boundaries a  "little" because I wasn't sure if this look was too rocker for the office.  It turned out okay for me as my office is pretty laid back when it comes to dress code. Leather sleeves have been popping up all over the place, on jackets, sweaters and even t-shirts. This cardigan would also look great with a pencil skirt or skinny pants.  What do you think? Are leather sleeves appropriate for the office?

The Midi Dress

I only recently discovered that 'Midi Dress' is the official term for dresses that finish somewhere between the bottom of the kneecap and the bottom of the calf. Regardless of what they are called though, I am really digging them for work!

(Photos by Yonne Ho)

Dress - French Connection (Winners); Blazer - H&M; Belt - Fossil (The Bay); Shoes - Franco Sarto (The Bay); Necklace and black/gold bangles - The Bay; Yellow bangles - Holt Renfrew; Watch - Michael Kors; Rings - gifted and Aldo

Not to be confused with the 'Mini Dress', these longer hemmed dresses are ideal for the office as they are classy and versatile. If they are on the more snug side, like the one i'm wearing, I would suggest pairing them with a structured blazer or cardigan. I've worn this dress with a black blazer to work but think that it looks much better paired with a coloured top.  I also especially love the grey and pink colour combination.  Be careful with horizontal stripes though, as they have a bad rep for making women look wider (I'm not completely sure I agree with it though).  I completed the outfit with a neutral belt cinched at the smallest part of the waist and some neutral pumps.  

 

 

 

 

 

Casual in Cobalt

I'm trying to get as much wear out of my coloured jeans as possible before this fad is over, and will always use casual Friday's as an excuse to wear them.   

(Photos by Yvonne Ho)

Jeans - Flying Monkey; Cardigan and top underneath - Jacob; Pumps - Nine West; Necklace - Garbo; Watch - Michael Kors; Bracelets - Holt Renfrew; Rings - Aldo and gift 

I've mentioned this before, and I'll probably keep mentioning it because its important. If you wear coloured denim to the office, ensure that the top half of your outfit is professional. A nice cardigan, structured blazer or blouse will do the trick nicely. Also, stick with neutral colours up top. Colour blocking is great, don't get me wrong but not the most appropriate at the office. One loud colour will make your outfit pop but two bright colours may be too overpowering for work. I paired these cobalt skinny's with a cute peplum cardigan and black pumps.

 

 
 
 
 

   

Pink is the New Black

For the longest time, black was the colour of choice for women's blazers and pumps. Nowadays, there are a plethora of colours to choose from for these two staple work wardrobe items.

(Photos by Dee Jay Bee)

Blazer - H&M; Skirt - Club Monaco; Floral Tank - Unknown: Tights - The Bay; Pumps - Le Chateau; Watch - Michael Kors; Serpent Bracelet - Stella & Dot; Ring & Earrings - Gifted; Necklace - Aldo

Instead of pairing a skirt or pants with the typical black blazer and pumps, try pink or any other bright colour. You'll have no problem  finding the perfect hue for yourself, as the stores are filled with brights and pastels right now. I'm a huge fan of the matching shoe and jacket look but if you don't feel comfortable wearing both items in a bright colour, just pick one and go with that. I typically prefer wearing nicely fitted blazers but decided to switch things up with an over sized boyfriend blazer instead. I was a little self conscious about it looking frumpy but quickly realized that anything in a bright colour like this looks far from that.  What do you think??

WCFW Review - Day 2

Day two for me of Western Canada Fashion Week was exceptionally great, filled with music, dancing singing and fashion of course!

The show began with a collection designed by Lisa-Marie Sciroli.  It was comprised of deep hues, satin, lace and paisley.  

Next up - designs by Trisha Pasnak, whose collection focused on florals, stripes and red.

Patience Soyege followed with neutral coloured designs that are perfectly suited for the office. 

Leather was the theme for Calgary based designer Bano eeMee.

WCFW is not complete without a music and dance segment midway through the show.

And then this happened...

The show finished off with a bridal collection by Melany Rowe.

I also managed to get some snaps of my girlfriends who graciously attended the show with me. 

You know you're a big deal when you have a hand written place card front row :P!

All in all it was a great two days! If I wasn't so busy that week I would have definitely attended more shows. As you can see there's never a dull moment at wcfw. I encourage everyone to go to at least one show next season which is set to be in September!

(All photos by yours truly)