The Long And The Short Of It

Shorts - Zara; Blouse - Mendocino; Boots - Expression; Necklace - J Crew; Bracelets - Gifted and Stella & Dot; Ring - Market in Paris; Earrings - Gifted

I really like the look of shorts and a long sleeved blouse but feel like the weather has to be perfect in order to pull this off. If its too hot, you end up sweating and being uncomfortable up top and if its too cold, you are cursed with purple knees and perma goosebumps (well I am anyway). But once in a blue moon (like this particular day) the weather is just right. Overcast yet humid and mild. These were taken in the French resort town of Biarritz. Stay tuned for more Basque adventures later this week!

Also, for those of you back home, happy Canada Day!

Green Dress x 2

Dress - Jacob; Pumps - NineWest; Belt - Loft 82; Bracelet and Earrings - Gifted; Watch - Bulova

There is no need for a person to have 2 green dresses, but for some reason I do. You can see me in the other one here. This dress is a couple of years old from a Canadian retailer called Jacob, which I just recently found out is going out of business. It makes me sad as this was one of my go to stores for business and casual attire. I will now have to find another clothing store to spend my lunch hour perusing!

Brussels

The only other time we were in Belgium was on a bus ride through it on our way to Amsterdam. Our time is winding down in Europe so we decided to take advantage of the quick and cheap (10 euros each!) bus ride and spend a few days in Brussels. We debated about going to Bruges, but I decided I didn't want to hear DJB's Colin Farrell impression for hours on end. 

Brussels is surprisingly multicultural and to be honest there isn't that much to see compared to other European capitals. One could easily see the main sites in a day (which is what we did). For me, the best thing about Brussels is the food, beer, and relaxed attitude. We also had a giant room in an old mansion so that also adds to the experience. 

The main square is beautiful, and the old town is certainly worth a stroll.

Our B&B was a 30 minute walk to the centre. It was a cute little area with a large Arab community. 

For some reason there were knitted pole covers everywhere in our neighbourhood.

 Of course you can't go to Brussels without seeing something Tin Tin related!

And eating waffles! There is no such thing as a Belgian waffle in Belgium. If you're eating a waffle in Brussels it's either a Brussels waffle or Liege waffle. We had both, but I prefer the Liege waffle. This is a Brussels waffle.

This is a savoury waffle that I'm sure only tourists eat. Nonetheless, it was delicious!

 Belgium is also famous for their Fries (don't call them French fries, they get angry).

 ...and of course....there is the beer. Belgium produces all kinds of different beer, but the most unique is the Lambic beer. It is a beer made from naturally occurring yeast. It is VERY different from any other beer that you've tried.

We even went to a Lambic beer brewery. It stunk, but the beer was good (although like I said, very unique).

Of course the best part of these tours is always the tasting.

This was one of the most unique restaurants we've ever eaten at. Not to mention it may be the best seafood I've ever had. When we left a tip, the entire staff broke out into a song. You can tell they are cheerful by the way the waiter is cheering in this picture.

And we arrived back in Paris just in time to unpack and pack again for the Basque Country tomorrow.

Les Tropeziennes

A couple of weeks ago, when the strap on my sandals broke, I thought it would be the perfect time to invest in some new ones that I have been eyeing (both on Parisians and in store windows) for quite some time now. This shoe brand was started by Mark "The Tropeziennes" Belarbi in none other than St. Tropez, as the name suggests. These sandals are real leather, extremely comfortable and come in all kinds of colours and styles. You can view the official website here. I'm always looking for that next great French brand and this is no exception! 

Cut-Offs

Cut-off shorts - Pimkie; Blouse - Jacob; Blazer - H&M; Boots - Aldo; Clutch - NineWest; Cuff - Club Monaco; Earrings - Gifted

I decided to try something that I never have before and also something that I have been seeing a lot in magazines and shop windows lately. The distressed cut-off + professional blazer look. However, I feel that in order to make the cut-off denim work look, you need to be more conservative on top with either a longer blazer or a loose sweater or blouse. I did the opposite balancing  act here with a sheer lace top paired with some side striped cigarette pants. I'd like to think that I always follow my rules but I will admit that's that not always the case! :P