Stella & Dot

Last night my friend Whitney brought me out to a Stella & Dot trunk show that her friend Kim was hosting. It was such a nice time and the jewelry was so gorgeous, it was a real struggle to not buy more than I did. I went in with a definite budget, but after a glass of wine and some sweet potato chips and artichoke dip, I was telling myself that spending three times my budget wasn't such a bad idea.


In the end, I was good, I stuck to the budget and got this really interesting gold plated brass necklace that reminds me of the Pen Necklace Joan wears on Mad Men. I can't wait to get it!


For those who haven't heard of Stella & Dot, it's a really interesting company, founded a few years ago by a mother who was looking to create career alternatives for today's busy woman. It kind of runs on the same premise as Avon, where the product is only offered through Stella & Dot "Stylists". The stylists bring samples of the goods and make a percentage of the sales orders from the trunk shows. The host of the trunk show also gets a little kickback, in the form of free or discounted jewelry.

The necklace on the far right is the one I bought!

It also gives you the sense that you're helping out a smaller cause, while a lot of the Stella & Dot pieces are clearly inspired by larger department store costume jewelry, (one ring in particular looked EXACTLY like one BCBG was selling back in 2010) you get the sense that you are shopping in a more intimate setting, and that your money may be better spent because you actually get to hear the story, and meet the sales person.  Plus it didn't hurt that most of the pieces were things that I would want to buy regardless of who was selling it to me.

If you're interested to learn more about Stella and Dot, contact the faaaaabulous Catherine DeJong, she's the Stella and Dot Stylist that was putting the trunk show on, check out her page at www.stelladot.com/catherinedejong

Casual Cool

Waah the weekend is over! But summer is just off to the best start. Looking forward to making some positive, exciting changes. And doing some really FUN things. :)


I'm really trying to stick to basics lately. Simple, luxurious looking items are really in for me these days. Casual Cool is the name of the game. 

Weekend Warrior

I am starting tor relish the weekends more and more. Trying to jam as much fun into them as possible! Every day is a fashion show in my own mind. And my Friday-Sunday are usually filled with at least 6 outfit changes.


This look would be great for just takin' a stroll and shopping or something.

Ditto for this one, in the summer, I live in cutoffs, pairing them with a bright blazer and hints of snakeskin looks so chic and effortless.

Charles' band (Right by Midnight, check them out! They're really good!) is playing a show on Saturday downtown. An outfit like this would be perfect, a cool graphic tee with some fun accessories, great look for a show. 

As is such with the gorgeous weather, a night on the town is more than just sprinting from cab to club as fast as you can. Let your outfit reflect that. I love the pattern on this dress and aren't those heels to die for!?

Last weekend was such a blast, it's gunna be tough to top it this weekend, but by golly, we can try! What are you guys up to this weekend?

(All outfits created by Me using the Stylebook app for iPhone, Clothes are from Net-A-Porter, Mulberry, Michael Kors, Aritzia and Shopbop)

Smacker

OK you guys. I wanna talk about something REALLY serious now. I'm gonna lay down some real hard hitting journalism-type stuff and I'm sorry if some of you don't agree with me. But it's something that just needs to be said...ok, here goes. 


I LOVE Dr. Pepper lip smacker.

While going to Sephora and picking out tons of big girl makeup is fun and in my opinion, being able to buy good quality makeup is part of being a a sophisticated woman; I will NEVER be able to give up my Doctor Pep. I buy them in bulk, every time I find myself in a Shoppers Drugmart, I always have an excuse to sashay my way to the Bonne Bell section and grab at least three or four Dr. Pepper lip smackers. (by the way am I the ONLY one who just realized it was BONNE bell not BONNIE bell???) My apartment is literally a graveyard of lost Lip Smackers. I'll find them in old coats, unused purses, drawers, under the couch, in pants that I don't wear often enough...no matter where I go or what I do, a Dr. Pepper lip chap is not far behind me. And that's the way I like it. If I lose my Dr. Pepper lip smacker I am literally lost, "I can't find it....CHARLES!!!! Have you seen my lip chap??? Where is it?!?! Oh my god, I can't find it....oh, wait here it is...NEVERMIND! I FOUND IT!!"

Dakota is DEAD SERIOUS about Dr. Pepper lip chap.

But why do I have such an attachment to what is perceived as a little girls pre-cursor to real makeup? I'll tell you, most lip glosses or lip sticks make my lips feel suffocated. While I like wearing makeup on a regular basis, I don't enjoy feeling like my face is hiding behind some mask of product. Dr. Pepper lip smacker is the perfect combination of moisture and colour. It gives your lips a nice healthy sheen, without being too glossy, and provides a nice pinky colour that doesn't look harsh or fake. 


I remember reading in a magazine a long time ago that some makeup company was creating a lipstick that was EXACTLY the shade of Natalie Portman's lips. It said the designer or whatever thought the colour of her lips was so beautiful, they wanted it immortalized in a lipstick. I also read that Natalie was really excited about this lipstick in the shade of herself, and I always thought it was hilarious to think of Natalie Portman wearing 'Natalie Portman' lipstick. But that's how I feel about Bonne Bell Dr. Pepper lip smacker. It was MADE for me. 

Funshine

After a weekend of hiking and biking, I jumped at the opportunity to get dressed up. Even if it was for an impromptu trip to Gatineau to pick up some burgers and corn on the cob. I am obsessed with these Nine West sandals I bought last week. They are the perfect wedge height and so simple and classic!

Long Weekend in Instagram

I hope you all are having as nice a weekend as I am! The weather has been perfect! We've gone biking and hiking and walking and eating and drinking! It has been fabulous!

On Saturday, Justyna from Chameleonic took some street style photos in Chinatown, (Keep an eye out!) then Charles and I went for a nice long bike ride around town, that ended in a yummy dinner and beer at the Mill St Brewery. 

Today was even more beautiful (if possible) but my legs were a little too sore to go biking again. So instead we went to Gatineau park and took a hike. It was GORGEOUS. So much fun, I can't even believe that we still have tomorrow too!

I'm going to need a long weekend to recover after this long weekend!

1. Beer tasting at Mill St. Brewery! My Favourite is the Lemon Tea Beer. So refreshing!
2. Is that  VIEW or what?? The crazy hike was well worth the view from the top. You could literally see all the way to Kanata!
3. A lot of our hike today consisted of this amazing all-green canopy. It was like a different world! 
4. A Charles and Jen hike wouldn't be a hike if we didn't stop to take some silly photos.

1. Silly poses galore!
2. I'm the only girl in Gatineau today hiking in a silk BCBG blouse and gladiator sandals. Not practical, but I don't think I've ever been a practical one.
3. Check out my mussels! har har
4. These are my hiking boots...for real.

That's my weekend so far! I hope you guys are having just as much fun!

The weekend is almost HERE!

I hope you all have a fabulous, fierce, colourful, nostalgic long weekend! 

xo


(all photos from pinterest)

A bike ride in instagram

I love our weekend bike rides. In my opinion Ottawa is at its finest when you're riding through the paths and streets on a bike. There are so many great locations that just make your heart swell. I'm so glad to live in such a gorgeous city. Ottawa is known for being a bit of a sleepy town, but I feel like the city is what you make it. And while we're biking around I feel anything but sleepy.


Although I will say that biking is not the best opportunity to showcase your fashionista side: most of the time I can't manage anything more exciting than some Keds and cutoffs. But some days are meant for experiences, not fashion. (note: that will be the ONLY time you ever hear me say that!) :)

Waterfall overlooking the Ottawa River, don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure  they filmed Project Runway Canada around here...again, do not quote me. I may have made that up.

Just across the river is Quebec, in case you didn't know. This is the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Gorgeous building, and FYI, you can actually book weddings here...WINK WINK

Ottawa is full of little secret gardens. Such a nice little area to stop for a rest and...

Admire the Tulips! The Tulip Festival is going on right now, the city is literally blooming. 

So many bike paths run literally 2 feet away from the river. So scenic!

Bike Riding Uniform: Cutoffs, Keds, Sunnies, Men's shirt from Value Village

Due to my bike riding uniform and subsequent make-up application, I was dead against having my picture taken. But look at that view! That may or may not be the Mill St Brew Pub, which happens to be on my list of restaurants to go to this summer...

So that was part of my weekend, and I look forward to spending many weekends to come doing the exact same thing!!

8 Simple Things...

I know you all are like me, rabid with thoughts of swimsuits and shorts and sandals. Just WAITING for the summer. But as some of you know, I'm going back to school in the fall, so this is my last summer for a little while with a full-time-job paycheque. I've been really thinking about buying things that are the most bang for your buck (be able to wear them all year round). So I put together a list of 8 things that I think are perfect for right now (aka spring/summer) but will also transition perfectly into fall.

1. A casual, mens inspired blouse. Looks great with jeans or tucked into shorts and skirts. During the hot summer months, an oversized, breezy blouse is great for the sweating situation. And in the fall would still look great under a blazer or leather jacket. 


2. Leather shorts. May not be the best choice for those summer bike rides, but would look totally killer for hot summer nights. In the fall and winter, leather shorts would be great under tights with some heels or boots. Tuck your casual mens inspired blouse into them for great contrast.


3. Summer boots. Blog readers will know that I actually have these boots. I think they're the best purchase I've made in 2012 so far. They look great with jeans, dresses and shorts. In the fall they'll work with pretty much everything, but save them for the nicer fall days, 'cause these puppies are suede!


4. A bright blazer. While brights are associated with summer, I think some of them can be transitioned into fall nicely, shades like royal blue and purple will still look great in the fall.


5. A structured day-wear dress. A dress like this would be swell in the summer, when it's too warm to really put much effort into your outfit. And in the fall you can slap on some tights and a leather jacket and it's still swell.


6. JEANS. Again you guys, I'm obsessed with these jeans. I want them so bad! Even though it's hot in the summer, and usually we want to show off our killer tans, there are some days when it's a bit windy or chilly or rainy. Thats where the perfect jeans come in. And obviously they work in the fall too. Hopefully by the time I hit college again I'll be living in these suckers.


7. Jewel toned silk shorts. In the summer, on bare legs, with a simple tee or crop top, these shorts would be great. And just like the leather shorts, in the fall put some tights on underneath. When it's cold out, I am ALL ABOUT wearing shorts with tights. 


8. Scarves. For those days where it's too warm for a jacket, but too cold for a tank top, scarves are king!  Likewise in the fall, I love wearing scarves to add some dimension to what I'm wearing.

on a day like today..

Charles and I went for a little drive in the Gatineaus today. Such a lovely day! AND. IT'S FRIDAY!!

I got this dress at NormL yesterday and I really like it. It's so soft and comfy. It's by a company called Against Nudity (www.againstnudity.com) which is a really cool company to shop from. They promote integrity and honesty in fashion in terms of pricing and quality. A bunch of things that I think are pretty badass!

It's days like this when I really love our little city. It's so wonderful to have such a gorgeous park literally 15 minutes away from home and the city. So great! Can't wait for more days like today you guys!!

Appropriately Dressed

Last night's Met Gala obviously triggered a wave of best and worst dressed lists all over the world today. And while I may have an opinion or two about the different looks that we saw during that stressful yet hilarious live feed, ("SOMEBODY HELP DEBRA UP THE STAIRS!!!!!") right now I'm only really interested in the outfit that I thought perfectly embodied the entire event. 


I'm talking about Coco Rocha and her much publicized Elizabeth Taylor Givenchy vintage suit. (wine stain included) To me, the Canadian model picked the perfect thing to wear to an event like the Met Gala. It's an event that celebrates the history of fashion and costumes, so why not wear a piece fashion history?


A lot of the dresses I was seeing last night seemed like a total snoozefest to me. In my opinion, the Met Gala is an event you bring your A-game to. You're hanging out in a museum, celebrating the works of pioneers and legends in the fashion industry. In other words, it is not the time to bust out a boring strapless gown. Spruce it up a bit! Have fun with it! If you really love fashion, take a page out of Coco Rocha's book and literally wear a piece of history. 

Image from http://stylefrizz.com/page/2/

Don't get me wrong, most of the dresses were superb, but I found myself sometimes thinking that I was watching the Academy Awards red carpet, rather than one of the biggest fashion events of the year. I wanted to see more avant-garde looks or outfits that had meaning. That's why, in my opinion, Coco Rocha took the cake, her look was youthful and fun, while being appropriate for the event and a great homage to Elizabeth Taylor.

What were your favourite looks from last night's Met Gala?

Sick day.

There's about 10,000 amazing things about living with the boy you love: spiders get killed, broken things get fixed, heavy stuff gets lifted. And the obvious one, having someone in your life to share things with and build a home together. It's great for sure. But one thing that is not great is the sharing of the closets. Try curating your half of the closet while trying to respect the other person's side. It's hard. I don't want to make it sound like I have this miniscule closet and Charles takes up all the space, that's not how it is at all, but since moving in together we've purchased bins to store the items we don't wear as much, which to me is a new concept. I'm used to having the whole closet (Plus some rolling racks) in plain view for me to look at and admire at all times.


So today I'm sick, I'm sneezing, coughing, sore throat-ing, the works. But that didn't stop me from going through the bins and finding things that I haven't worn in ages, and that maybe, I'd like to wear again. It's almost like shopping because you are kind of getting new things.


Now to add another dynamic to this thrilling tale of lost items being returned to their former glory; a lot of the things I originally put in the bins, were put there to keep me from getting depressed. As I gained weight over the past year or two, a lot of my old skirts and tops just didn't fit me anymore. So taking them out today also served as an experiment to see how well I was doing in my weight-loss adventure.


The results were GOOD. A lot of the skirts fit me, and I could even pull up my size 2 Gap dress pants from two summers ago! (Zippering them up is a different story) But still...YES!

This time last year, this skirt wouldn't even make it up my legs! Winning!!

This week I found myself thinking that I should buy some graphic tees to wear under blazers...Lo and behold. The bins deliver. Also should mention that I got this necklace at the Jenny Bird trunk sale that took place at Viens Avec Moi last weekend. Jenny Bird is honestly the sweetest woman ever, and this necklace is my new favourite. I haven't taken it off all week.

My dear friend Braeden gave me this sweater. It's by a clothing company owned by his friend. It's a little short on me, but with high waisted stuff it's great. I'm glad to have it back!!

I also forgot how much I love this vest from BCBG. Its such a great layering piece for spring!

This Jenny Bird necklace is also a really cool layering necklace, here I'm wearing it with a House of Harlow piece. Loving all this new jewelry.

I also got some lovely bracelets at the trunk show last week. The gold one closes with a magnet! The awesome thing about Jenny Bird stuff is that it almost looks better when you pile it on with more jewelry. It's just effortless and cool. Definitely check out Viens Avec Moi in Westboro for more from her!

And since I got to take glamour shots on the balcony today, I thought Charles' precious Road King could too. Apparently this rusted, "Rescue bike" (He found it in a trash can in Southern Ontario) is the best riding bike you will ever have the pleasure to sit on. I haven't had the chance yet, so I can't confirm, but isn't it a pretty colour!

Tavi

When teenage Rookie style blogger, Tavi Gevinson first popped on the scene three years ago, and the fashion industry went wild over her, I actually did the opposite. Who was this tiny kid (who looked like a little old lady) sitting front row at NYFW? What was so special about her?

 

Marc Jacobs lanyard round her neck...just your average 13 year old kid.

I'll admit, I was a hater, I didn't even bother checking out the blog that was garnering her so much attention. To me, she was a kid, not even worth my time. What could I learn about fashion from a 13 year old girl with grey hair? Nothing. I scoffed and scoffed and eventually forgot all about her. That is, until recently. I don't know what prompted me, a whim of some sort, but I started reading Rookie.

You know those times when something becomes popular, and since you weren't the first one to realize it was cool, you want to ignore it and proclaim it "un-cool". But secretly you want to gush about it and like it, but it's too late since you've already made it clear that you want nothing to do with it...Welp, this is one of those times where I am going to bite my tongue, take back my hateration and proclaim my love for this quirky teenager. I am so late to the game on this one, but it's aiite, cause I'm here now!

After reading her blog, Rookie, I've decided that this is a website that all teenage girls need to be aware of. If I had such a website when I was in high school, I think things would have been a lot more tolerable. To know that girls around the world, think and feel the same way I did when I was that age, and sometimes do now. I think she is incredibly inspiring to be so self aware at her age. The things that Tavi and her self-proclaimed "John Waters gang of outcasts" write are things that I would have appreciated hearing from girls my age when I was that age. 

Her posts range from, how to do a two minute beehive for those "greasy hair" days, to how to love yourself. And how to properly make a shrine or what to do about getting unwanted stares from boys and how to clutterize your room with thrifted trinkets and make your space your own. 

Adolescence 

Sometimes in posts, one of the girls will make a reference to say, the first grade, and be like, "You know, back in 2003, grade one", and I'll shudder to know what I was up to in 2003. But despite the age difference, these girls are posting about real girl topics in a worldly sense, not just the slop that teen magazines want to sell you. Being a teenage girl can be a very weird and scary time, finding your place in the world can be confusing and painful, and I wish I would have had a site like this to help me get through it. 

I don't know much about being a 16 year old girl in 2012, but I know my 16 year old self would have absolutely adored Tavi and her gang, I know this because my 20-some odd self is really digging it too!

If you were once a teenage girl, or if anyone you know was once a teenage girl. I suggest you take a peek at Rookie and maybe get a glimpse of what it was really all about.