Look at this cutie, she totally capitalized on one of the first sunny days this year. I love the simplicity of this look, as well as the stitching detail of the bustier she’s wearing. This is also a great example of balance. The pants are a looser, casual fit, but matched with heeled wedge booties, a sheer top, and a chunky rose gold watch – her look is well pulled off. Love it!
real life
Bill Cunningham, New York
Tonight I watched the documentary, Bill Cunnimham, New York. You need to watch this film, it definitely gets my recommendation. I wanted to post about this, because it’s about a fashion photographer who doesn’t care about fame, celebrity, or money. He only actually cares about the clothes people choose to wear to express themselves. He is such a nice man, and is literally smiling almost the entire documentary. He is unlike any other fashion photographer I know of, and he’s over 80 years old. Watch it! You’ll really like it.
“Those who are looking for beauty, will find it.”
mixing patterns and colours
Look at this colour palette! It’s gorgeous, and I love the mix of patterns here too, it’s just right and not overdone. Doesn’t she look great? Scarf is Anthropologie, gorgeous knit poncho is from Plenty, crochet cuff henley is Free People, patterned skinnies are Free People as well, boots are Frye and the bag is Betsey Johnson! The inspiration piece for this outfit was definitely the great Free People pants, every colour is well represented somewhere else in this outfit. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns, as long as you work out a good palette.
add some colour
love this look. Zena is wearing a long cardi and bright yellow scarf from Plenty, fringe bag from H&M, slacks from Aritzia, and little booties from Plenty. I believe the top is Free People. This is exactly how to look casual and put together. Zena is work appropriate, stylish, and can wear this outfit if she meets the gals for drinks later! Once again, throw away those god awful crocs, comfy casual does not mean lazy sloppy. 
tweed & lace
Blazer: 2 years ago, Cartonnier for Anthropologie
Tunics (both) Free People – get them from the website today!
Tights by Ribbon for Plenty
Boots are Aldo
Bag (purchased a year and a half ago) from Anthropologie
*prices aren’t included because many pieces were purchased at least two seasons ago!
Pin ItHappy Canadian Thanksgiving
Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! What was on my menu? Not a turkey, that’s something I’m not willing to tackle just yet. Slow roasted sirloin, with green beans, carrots, onion, mushrooms, celery, and potatoes. Yorkshire puddings (recipe from Jamie Oliver), homemade gravy, orzo with broccoli, mushroom, and parmesan cheese (modified recipe from my friend Kelly), homemade gravy of course, and greek salad. There was also a lovely cheese plate with fruit, and some yummy Russian Mule cocktails. Pie to top it off, though it wasn’t my own, courtesy of Krauss Farms.
MinkPink Tunic and tights from Plenty, Snakeskin booties (Aldo), statement necklace (Anthropologie).
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spring floral into fall
Scarf, handbag and pullover: Anthropologie
Floral skinnies: Free People
Side slit booties: from a boutique in Paris
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Kelly
How much do you love Kelly’s fresh look? This stylish gal is a pro at layering. The tunic is a gorgeous number I own too, by Free People and I love that you can see a peak of the peach tank underneath, both items were purchased from Plenty. The scarf adds some neutral and a little bright to add some depth and interest, the wrap around belt was a sale purchase from Club Monaco! Matched with the sweet little Miz Mooz clogs, and the boho Free People woven handbag, this look is perfectly balanced. The bracelets are a mixture of American Eagle finds, Free People, and most of them are actually handmade by Kelly and myself, using precious stones. These will be up for purchase on my site soon since we literally get stopped on the street by gals who want a set! The rose gold watch is from Endless, and the rad jeans were under $50 by Joe Fresh! Love this look! See detailed item list and website links below.
Tunic: Free People
Tank: Plenty
Jeans: Joe Fresh
Clogs: Miz Mooz purchased from Endless
Bag: Free People
Belt: Club Monaco
Watch: Endless
Bracelets: handmade, American Eagle, and Free People
Pin Itneon and pale pink
Cotton Tank, Brandy Melville $20
Cropped Floral Bra, Free People $38
Electric Vines Skirt, Anthropologie $118
Original Still Life Bag, Anthropologie $398 check for assorted styles
Metallic Sandals, Aldo $40
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in bloom
I had a friend visiting this week, and although I love to eat and shop, it’s not always enough to fill the day! I love Vancouver for the fact that (when it’s not raining) there is so much to do. You have to visit VanDusen Gardens if you’re in this neck of the woods this summer. The flowers are beautiful, there’s a fun maze, and my personal favourite was the rose garden…stunning! There are a couple of restaurants and a cute little gift shoppe, and I should mention it’s only $11 to get in and you could stay all day enjoying the bright sights. 
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Bon Iver
Gotta love Vancouver in the spring and summer! Last year we got to see the Decemberists at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park and this year Bon Iver at Deer Lake Park (in Burnaby). Outdoor concerts are so beautiful, the people watching alone is a good time and nothing beats the unified sound of everyone singing along to their favourite songs, so therapeutic. This what I heard, saw, smelled, and felt:
I heard music (obvy!), cheering, laughing, whistling, talking.
I saw vivid prints on blankets, sunlight everywhere, floral dresses, maxi dresses, cutoff shorts, popcorn, flip flops, iPhones, couples holding hands, friends talking, dancing, pony tails, friends hugging, people meeting, and so much laughter – everyone was having a great time.
The smell of perfume was in the air, along with aromas from the food vendors, mostly popcorn and donairs! I was okay with that!
I could feel the good vibes, it was a beautiful sunny day, and the whole thing was just….well….amazing.
What I wore:
Comfy minnetonkas, oversized shades, my newest beaded and glittered Free People tank top, and my very House of Harlow inspired necklace (from Aldo, currently sold out online). Oh yeah, I also wore pants in case you were wondering, just some skinnies obviously! I also brought along my quilted Aritzia anorak for some cozy warmth when the sun went down.
day-glo
hmmmm, what to pair with bright skinnies, how about an ivory free people tunic $130, a jean jacket, and a fedora? The whistle necklace actually works! It’s from Plenty, along with the hat – $26 and $28 respectively. Skinnies are from Free People too, $70. Sandals are from Browns, 2 years ago though! Happy hunting for those bright day-glo colours, you’ll need them for summer.
Montmartre, Paris
If you’re in Paris, make sure you visit the Montmartre area, the cobble stone roads up to the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur, the big and beautiful church at the top of the hill. The walk up there at night is gorgeous, you’ll see the Eiffel Tower across the city and when it’s lit up at night, it’s unreal. The Boulevard de Clichy is one of the main roads, take Rue Lepic from there. Nearby is the Moulin Rouge, which many people say the area is a bit seedy, but it’s not – it’s just a bit busy. Get passed that, walk up to the church, and try one of the little restaurants, and it’s a great time. We went to Le Petit Parisien, and it was so delicious.
Paris Street-wear Do and Don’t
DO!
Classic trench, scarf, simple flats. Classic cross-body bag, and a fun, printed scarf. Still comfortable and put together, gold star for you stranger! Not sure about the socks with the flats, but hey – overall, good call.
DON’T!
Yikes, that is WAYYYYYY too much animal print, and this girl could barely enjoy herself wearing those heels. I’m all about the fun footwear but maybe not at the Eiffel tower and more importantly, not with this George of the Jungle dress. Very cute girl, but bad dress….I think by Babyphat….enough said.
London day 5, Paris day 1
London day 5 was actually Paris day 1 since we had to catch the train pretty early in the morning. At this point I am still dealing with jet lag, which is so irritating because I am literally sleep walking, falling asleep…as a I walk….during the day. I am someone who is and has always been affected by sleep or lack there of, so on this day when we arrived in Paris in the a.m. I was somewhat awake, but then after a lot of walking and getting on the city tour bus I was out. In fact I missed most of the bus tour, ok all of it.
After I got a handle on my sleeping pattern, Paris was great. Basically the first day was just to explore a bit, buy some metro passes, and make some plans. We used airbnb to book an apartment instead of a hotel. That was a great idea, half the price of a hotel for a great place in a good area.
That’s it for now, no pics on this day unless you want to see me dozing off on the train, dozing off on the tour bus, and dozing off while walking the sidewalks of Paris. I bet you would wouldn’t you?
Bye for now,
Jo
London, day 3
Wow, there was a HUGE gap between London day 2 and day 3. Sorry about that, WiFi isn’t always so accessible when traveling. Hmm, ok so where was I? yes, right day 3 in London! How about some cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery?!! So you know my two FAVE cookbooks of all time Cake Days, and Hummingbird? Well they are based on the actual bakery on Portobello Rd in Notting Hill, London. I have been told, or rather, I have read that cupcakes are out of style?! Wait…what? How can something so delicious go out of style? I mean, it’s not as if we’re talking about slouch socks or stone washed denim, which sadly are being employed by ultra cool hipsters these days….but cupcakes? out of style? I don’t buy it! What I will buy, and gladly pay for are two deliciously delicious cupcakes from a world famous bakery, well Shane bought…but you catch my drift. Yum, yum, yummy!
So it sounds like all we did on day 3 was eat cupcakes doesn’t it? hah! Well besides that, we did a lot of walking in Notting Hill and that was amazing, definitely one of my favourite areas in London, if you come here for a visit make a point to get to this location. There’s a market that is on Saturdays and it’s worth checking out, beautiful jewerly, scarves, and goodies! Can you believe I didn’t buy anything?! Well, my biggest priority was the cupcake of course. I also walked into Sienna Miller’s Twenty Eight Twelve shoppe. Very cute, small (as expected) and a bit overpriced. Love her style though, and it was neat to see in person.
Bye for now,
Jo
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London, day 2
To sum it up for you: sleep in, italian, selfridges, hyde park, holland park, pub, ice-cream
Well, today was a great day. The sun came out and we got to see a lot of the city, it was beautiful. Though this isn’t my first time in London, the last time I was here I was so sick I do not have too much recollection of my experience, so this time I felt fully aware of my surroundings, especially when we walked though the very beautiful Hyde park.
First, the sleep in. I do enjoy a vacation sleep in, there’s nothing better than waking up without an alarm going off in your ear, it was perfect (I did wake up at 5 am) but soon after my early morning blog post, I fell right back to sleep.
So after a good sleep in, some breakfast and coffee at the home-base, we were off. First stop was to run an important errand at the Eurostar ticketing centre, which was located at St.Pancras train station, which was great because by the time we were done we were ready for lunch, and upstairs was a great little Italian place called Carluccio’s. I am craving proper Italian food like you wouldn’t believe, I haven’t been so lucky in Vancouver in the realm of amazing pasta dishes.
What do you do after a delicious Italian meal? You walk it off at Selfridges, and believe me you will need some energy when you visit this wonderland of consumerism. I could have spent 2 hours alone in the shoe department, um..er. excuse me…the “shoe galleries”. I could barely step away from the dinnerware section, completely distracted by the beautiful tea cups I had to stay focused…shoes: today’s focus, another day could be dedicated to dinnerware.
The Shoe Galleries were pretty much a dream, a whole floor dedicated to shoes, and not just any shoes, model shoes, the ones you see in magazines, the ones that buy for yourself after getting that big raise, for your wedding, or just because you saw them on the feet of an actress! I was unleashed in a sea of beautiful footware, and I intend to go back because I put a pair of Allsaints pumps on hold, a guaranteed excuse to get back to Selfridges 
Look closely at this window display, it’s made out of pots and pot lids!
And another giant shoe.
Regular sized shoes, but still pretty damn cute!
These photos barely scratched the surface of the amount of shoes that were there. They are not called the “shoe galleries” for nothin’! Ok, so on to some other departments in Selfridges. The candy department, you ask? Well, it didn’t disappoint. I especially loved the giant jellybean man.
Yes, he’s made out of jelly beans, no seriously.
How pretty are these mini cakes? I love them!
So after Selfridges, I worked up quite a sweat of excitement. We walked through Hyde Park then Holland Park to cool off before we hit the pub.
Take a look:
The sun came out today, it was a lovely day in London with great company. What better to end the day on even a higher note? Enjoying a bowl of ice-cream as we speak, talk tomorrow…
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shellac
I decided to get the shellac done again before our trip to Europe in two days! My friend D did this cute colour called “romantic” with the sparkles just on the ring finger nail, love it! The ladies sitting next to me in the salon also approved, and got the exact same set “didn’t you know that painting your ring finger nail a different colour is all the rage?” I asked the mid 50′s woman that didn’t want any other colour but “clear”. Thank God I got that woman out of her comfort zone, she’s probably been eating dry bologna sandwiches for the last ten years….anyway, it’s just nail polish ladies, it only lasts two weeks, so have fun with it! I guess we’ll see how long this shellac set lasts, I’ll take pictures along the way and keep you all updated!
kathryn
Love the look!
Blazer: Aritzia | Tank top: Minkpink from Plenty | Shoes: Ross ($15!! Who doesn’t love a good deal!?)
mini, midi, or maxi?
In my “garden love” post for Style Nine to Five, I showcased this lovely crochet and floral dress from Free People ($118), and I loved it so much well, er, I ordered it online. It’s so bright, painterly, and feminine. It goes perfectly with my floral crown and the locket that I bought ages ago. The dress comes in a pretty yellow and mauve version too! The handbag is old Anthro, but there are several places to get a bright bag these days, just make sure you don’t take a short cut, a good quality bag is noticeably good quality, go to Winners and you might be lucky and find something great for a good price, look for good stitching and try to stay away from hardware that is overly shiny. You can barely see my nail polish, but I’m wearing Mint Sorbet by Sally Hansen and it’s my must-have nail colour this season!
First, identify what your plans are this summer, then find the perfect dress to match your lifestyle. Are you going to a lot of weddings? Are you planning on going on a lot of hot dates ? Or, are you planning on long walks by the water? If all of the above sound good, well then girl you got some shopping to do Keep in mind your height when shopping for specific lengths of dresses, if you’re petite you can wear a maxi, but make sure you’re wearing a cute pair of heeled wedges. You long-legged gals be careful with the mini dress, don’t wear too high of a pump. Keep it classy, ladies!
Happy hunting for your favourite summer dress this year!
i know, i know…
Dear readers:
I know you’re upset that I haven’t posted anything in 5 days, and I’m sorry! This gal has been busy, no not too busy for you (well, maybe a little). Anyway the week is coming to a close, which I’m ok with. I don’t know where you are in the world, but today the sun is out and it’s beautiful. Wear something bright, attract positive energy, and have a great weekend everyone!
Crochet top, Anthropologie (sale) $69.95 | Skinny jeans, Big Blue (Plenty) $79 | Peep toe heels, B.Makowski (last year) | Sunglasses and bag, Aldo Accessories $12 and $25
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, HAPPY HUNTING…for whatever it is you’re looking for
floral, lace, and snakeskin (you read that right)!
I found this embroidered floral treasure at Front and Company, though I’m not sure what era it’s from it’s definitely vintage inspired. The black lace bell-sleeve blouse was a sale purchase from Anthropologie, the black Big Blue skinnies are from Plenty, they are my FAVOURITE skinnies right now, and you know my love for skinny jeans – these ones make the tush look good y’all! Do you think the shoes are Jeffrey Campbell? They are an Aldo knock off, on sale for $50, and they are so comfy – ok and before I get any emails, obviously they are not as comfy as your worn in running shoes – but if you wore running shoes with skinnies (actually anywhere but the gym for that matter) you have some life choices to reconsider. So no you can’t run a marathon in these shoes, but you can walk in them comfortably and confidently for hours! My collection of bracelets are a mix of real jewellery and costume jewellery. The gold bangles are real, and are special to me because they’re truly vintage (from my wonderful mom), purchased from Lebanon years ago! I love incorporating my mediterranean heritage in some ways with the gold accessories I’ve collected over the years, and they will never go out of style. The handbag was a $16 find, again at Front and Company here in Vancouver, and that’s all folks. I hope you’re inspired to be adventurous with your style.
flowers for spring
leather bomber jacket: Anthropologie (last year)
statement necklace: Anthropologie: $48
free people tunic, purchased from Plenty: $140
floral skinny pants, thrifted: $20
peep toe wedges, Sterling: $50
Pin Itwhat to wear on a stroll to powell’s books, portland
It was a little chilly in Portland, nothing I’m not used to since the weather was very similar to that of Vancouver. Layers are key, and I kept nice and cozy with my multicolour beanie from American Eagle $20, and my bedouin scarf from Allsaints $90 (purchased over a year ago). My bomber jacket is a staple in my closet, purchased from Aritzia for $150, boots (also in previous post), are Aldo $60, black skinny jeans are Big Blue purchased from Plenty $79, and the leather studded handbag is an old purchase from Anthropologie, $50.
Did you know that Powell’s books is one of the largest bookstores in the world? It was fun being inside, all sections were color-coded, and if you go to Portland make sure you take all your old books with you because they will buy them, and you get to use a store credit to buy new ones, what an amazing idea!
Pin Itgoing out for dinner in Portland
Packing enough items when you travel is always hard for me, so I always make sure I take versatile pieces. I got so much wear out of my trusted denim jacket (anthropologie), and my Rachel Comey knock off booties (aldo). ALWAYS take items that work dressed up or dressed down, and if you think a denim jacket is only to be worn casually, I’m here to tell you that’s not true!
lace dress: plenty $45 | long cardi: free people $99 | statement necklace: anthropologie $58 | lace up boots: aldo $60
Pin Itbe mine
cropped cardi: thrifted $26 | dress: plenty $55 | tights: hue $9 | belt: gap $30 | heels: winners $70 | necklace: anthropologie $48
Pin Itwide-leg denim
If you’re petite and you think you can’t wear wide leg denim, think again! Just make sure you wear them with a pair of heels or wedges, and pairing them with a tailored cropped jacket adds height too. I love this time of year because it’s still cool enough to layer, but warm enough to wear your favourite sandals. Ring in spring with texture, and colour. What are you favourite pair of jeans this season, are you into floral or bell-bottom, can’t seem to get away from the skinnies? Let me know what you find, happy hunting!
casual day
It can be so easy to take a casual outfit to the next level, with the right accessories. I bought this cute knit sweater on sale at American Eagle, $40! Instead of jeans, I wanted to kick it up a notch with a pair of green skinny pants, from Zara also $40. The Michael Kors boots are a few years old now, purchased at Holt Renfrew, the Theodora and Callum scarf is from Anthropologie, on sale for $80. For me it’s all about the details, and combining texture with colour makes your look more interesting. Casual doesn’t need to mean baggy jeans and a hoodie, putting yourself together and looking good will make you feel good! You can ditch the heels if you want, this outfit would be equally as cute with a pair of riding boots, or ballet flats.
Natalie
I love Natalie’s look today. The high-waisted jeans, the skinny belt, bright cropped blazer, and platform wedge shoes, Nat knows what’s up! I appreciate that underneath the wide pant leg and above the hot shoes, is a secret little anklet that matches the statement necklace no less. All these pieces are affordable, the jeans and shoes are from urban outfitters, and the blazer is from H&M. Nat’s basic black long-sleeve tee is from Plenty. Hunt for those pieces that will make you look like a million bucks, not like you spent a million bucks!
ready for spring
I am so ready for spring! All items I’m wearing are from last spring, except for the butterfly blouse (jessica simpson at the Bay, $59), and the beaded necklace, which was a sale purchase recently from American Eagle. This goes to show that a good pair of white jeans goes a long way. I always like to go up a size with white jeans, because I feel like tight when wearing white just isn’t right! Did you like that one?! haha, and if you cuff them and wear with a pair of hot wedges, then you’re golden.
orange and turquoise: an unexpected pair
I love my new tunic from Aritzia, originally priced at $225 – it went on sale for $75! The burnt orange colour, with the turquoise and gold jewellery looks so regal. The charm necklace was a purchase during my last trip to Lebanon, I actually chose all the charms myself and had the goldsmith attach them all (it’s actually a charm bracelet attached to another chain to make it into a necklace). The gold bracelets are my favourite, they are a gift from my little mama – she’s had them for more than 20 yrs and gave two bangles to me and two to my sis. I love them, not only because they’re beautiful, but because when I was small I always knew when my mom was home because I could hear the clinking of her gold bangles! Thanks, Mom! The belt is a purchase from a trade show a few years ago, and it’s handmade out of reused leather. The cropped blazer is from Anthropologie 2009, and the wedge sandals are from Aldo for $25! The earrings (bottom right) are used often in my outfits, so much so that one of the jewels fell out! I still love the soft, daintiness of them, and love the colour palette – they go with everything, I bought them from Artworks in Edmonton.
pretty and pleated
street fashion
I found Chalitta, and her stylish self, browsing Robson street and looking oh so fab! I just HAD to take a picture of her put-together self, down to the black stud earrings, the badass stiletto booties, and the Balenciaga bag – she looks quite adorable indeed. I do hope that Chalitta’s style (she’s from Calgary) will inspire our Vancouverites to wear less athletic pants, Uggs and hoodies, and more skinny chords, and heeled booties!
a crisp january day
I love cold mornings when you can see your breath in the air and the weather is cold enough to wear a cozy sweater, but warm enough to not have to cover it up with a parka! Moving from a snowy city to a rainy one has it’s ups and downs for sure, but as I said to a coworker today: when it’s not raining – Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and I love that in January a jean jacket over a pretty sweater is just warm enough. A cozy sweater doesn’t have to be worn casually, in fact I always love pairing casual with dressy, it’s a good way to create balance in your outfit. The beautiful open-closure sweater I’m wearing below is from Plenty, the dress is an old purchase but if you like my look you can find similar dresses at modcloth. The cropped denim jacket, necklace, and leather gloves are from Anthropologie last year, the cut out metallic corset belt was a gift (from BCBG last year), handbag is vintage, and my favourite boots are swedish hasbeens from Umeboshi on main!
my NYE outfit
Have a wonderful, safe, and happy new year everyone! This is my outfit of choice. I was inspired by the hand crocheted vintage gloves that used to be my mom’s. I just love them, and tonight is the perfect excuse to wear them. The dress was a gift from S, last Christmas, and the coat is from Anthropologie. Have the best 2012!
walnut and honey loaf
Another recipe from Cake Days for my quest to actually make everyday special (as noted by the tagline of the book). This one was a hit with the family, and it was thoroughly enjoyed with a cup of coffee on Christmas morning. I was very grateful for my lovely new stainless steel measuring cups, among other treasures that I was gifted with this year. Good measuring cups to a recipe, is like having proper undergarments to your outfit…haha, it’s true! You need a good foundation or the end result might turn out a bit sloppy. In case you are wondering, I did very well in the analogy portion of all my exams in grade school and university.
1. preheat oven to 325° F, grease loaf tin and lightly dust with flour.
2. cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, using an electric whisk. Break in eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
3. sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add to batter in two stages (mix on low speed). Mix in yoghurt, vanilla, and half the honey, then stir in walnuts by hand.
4. pour batter into prepared loaf tin, and bake for 50-60 minutes.
5. while the cake is cooking, place the remaining honey in a small saucepan with 50ml of water, and bring to a boil, allowing the syrup to reduce by about half. Pour the warm syrup over the cake when it comes out of the oven, then leave to cool in the tin for a while before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. enjoy with family and a pot of coffee, yummy!
everyday glam
I love sparkly things, in small doses of course. Today I chose to mix old with new, the blazer is a purchase from last winter, and I’m so happy I bought it – gold sequins on a black blazer is quite the glam look. I think what I like most about the blazer is that it can be worn casually, and I mixed it with my favourite Levi skinnies, herringbone gloves, a subtle turquoise necklace, and my new bag and boots!
How cute are these lace ups? I got them on sale for $56 from $110, at Little Burgundy! Get them online, here.
The stacked heel adds extra comfort, I walked around in them all day.
The gorgeous bag from Club Monaco was a recent sale purchase (in stores only), originally retailing for $300, it was marked down to $199 with an additional 40% off, so I got it at about $120, and I love the colour combo. This bag is the right shade for all seasons. Sometimes I feel like my dark chocolate browns and mahoganies are only appropriate for fall/winter, but this lovely little catch will be my arm candy all year long.
Ways to relieve holiday stress.
I want to know from my lovely readers, are you boxing day shoppers? Do you enjoy the crowds, and do you feel excited when you get a good deal?
This is all just a segway into what I’m about to say next, the second that the clock strikes midnight and christmas day turns into boxing day, I dread the frenzy that is sure to ensue. Here’s the thing, being in the retail industry, I worked many a boxing day and I actually don’t mind that because the energy is high and the day flies by, but from a shopping perspective I just can’t handle walking into Zara and seeing a mountain (literally) of ghosts from seasons past, all the sad and damaged apparel that didn’t make it into someone’s home. You better believe that with the frenzy of shopping, comes angry drivers, line budding, elbowing, needless arguing, and bad manners. This season can be hard for me, especially because shopping can sometimes be a way to relieve stress, so when the shopping itself becomes stressful, here are a few things I do.
Today wasn’t my best day, no…can you tell? I’m a little flustered, and so the first thing I do to calm my nerves always is to call my sister, where she offers reasonable and helpful advice, and the next thing that follows is in the list below.
1. baking: it helps me focus on something other than the stressful day I just had, and at the end of it you have a delicious treat.
2. a hot bath: I mean real hot, like almost uncomfortable, and adding some bath salts (lavender for a sense of calm) is a good idea!
3. Billy Madison: I don’t need to explain this one do I?
4. Peppermint tea: hot, and calming…you can’t go wrong.
5. Chocolate of course: might sound typical, but really – some chocolate is always soothing, dark chocolate and a glass of wine, superb!
At the end of it all, if you want to relieve stress, don’t allow yourself to reach that point in the first place…remember to:
let things go | laugh it off | do better next time | don’t be hard on yourself | forget about it!
if you’re a lover of cats…
Have you seen these hilarious Jeffrey Campbell shoes? Aren’t they cute? Yes, they’re cats. The motif is adorable and honestly I didn’t even realize they were cats until I took a good look at them. A few of the lovely gals I work with are cat-obsessed, so it was quite fitting when Emma walked in with these in her shopping bag – I say good purchase! Just don’t wear a detachable tail please, and thank you. Oh and Jyll, if you’re reading this, I wonder if you want a pair of these? If any of my fashionista readers are interested, you can buy the Jeffrey Campbell platforms in cat tapestry at Sole Struck (free shipping world wide), or stroll over to Little Burgundy and take a look at them in person. How cute would they be with pinstripe skinnies?
my first real christmas tree
I really wanted a real tree this year, I love the smell and they are just so pretty. We went to a nursery outside of Vancouver and chose the perfect fir tree to bring home.
How pretty is this holly? It’s beautiful for decorating for the holiday season.
Here it is, my lovely little tree with all my favourite ornaments – including the gorgeous vintage ones my mom bought me from the antique store last year.
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