STORIES.

Via Pinterest*

Some stories stay with us forever.
We learn this from a young age, whether it's something we read in a book.
Or a movie we watched and fell in love with.
Or, as we get older, it's a story we've experienced.
Something that's happened in our life.
Something we'll never forget.

Some stories you wish you could forget, but they just haunt you. After so many years, I wonder if it'll be forever.

*I can't figure out the original source for this photo - if anyone knows please let me know.

MALL SHOT.

Christmas shopping made comfortable.
Yes I took these photos at the mall.
Don't judge me. I got enough judgement taking them.

So... who still needs to buy Christmas gifts??

Winter repeats.

Vero Moda top (via The Bay); American Apparel leggings; Forever 21 shoes; Aldo scarf

This is pretty much a repeat outfit from last year with different shoes and a different scarf.
What can I say, it's a favourite. It's simple. It's cozy with a bit of cute. It's the perfect way to keep warm.

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES: PART I.

FESTIVITY #1: DATE NIGHT

A girlfriend & I had a Christmas date night a couple weekends ago. It was fantastic.

We went to town. in Ottawa, and got the ricotta stuffed meatballs and rosemary potatoes. 

Basically the most heavenly thing I'd eaten in months. 

Paired with a couple Townie cocktails each, dinner was fantastic.

So was the show. We got placed at the chef's bar, so we got to watch the food being prepped.

It was fun guessing what everything was. 

The care that goes into each plate? Man. Fascinating.

FESTIVITY #2: WORK CHRISTMAS PARTY

We had our workplace Christmas party at the War Museum last weekend.

It was such an awesome venue - I was really excited when we got to pose with the tanks!

Also, this dress was a huge hit and got many compliments. Thank you, eShakti!

It was a good night. We were dancing on chairs. It was that good.

Also it was a mini celebration for me... I got the promotion that I was working for.

Thank you for your luck everyone! It definitely worked!!!

To be continued....

OLIVE + CHAMBRAY.

Just clearing out the old photos. Making way for some of the new ones.
Right now I'm missing the days when there wasn't snow on the ground. And my legs weren't frost-bitten from waiting for the bus and walking the few blocks home (biiiiiig baby).

Happy weekend everyone!

INDIGO.

Winners sweater; Dynamite jegging; Forever 21 shoes; Call it Spring scarf

I was on a mission to find high-waisted, indigo jeggings. I hate wearing a belt and I just wanted some pants that required no fuss. With a gift card and cash from my birthday, I was ready to drop some serious $$ on a great pair of designer jeans. Well, I tried a bunch on, and none were quite "right".

Defeated, I walked into Dynamite and saw these high-waisted pants. I thought to myself, there's no way.... But alas, they were perfect. The real test was how they'd hold up after a few wears.

Three outfits later and no washing, I can say they STILL hold up above my hips without a belt. Even though they have a generous stretch (giving them that jegging feel), the waist hasn't bagged out. Hallelujah! Now, not sure how these will wash since I haven't tried yet, but for about 1/4 of the price of designer jeans, I'm pretty satisfied so far :)

Also these shots are a couple weeks old.. It is now a winter wonderland and there's no way my bare ankles would survive!

LIFE LATELY.

My life lately has been...

AN EXPERIMENT
I've always had cystic acne on my chin. It's been mild, maybe 1-3 zits at a time. Until about 5 months ago when it was basically an explosion on my face. I had 15 at one point. I have no idea what caused it. Very little had changed in terms of my diet, product use, stress, etc.. According to the internets, acne in this area of the chin is hormonal. For the last 5 months I've made some lifestyle changes to try and figure it out. I've gone basically dairy-free, which has resulted in much lusting over ANYTHING cheesy. I've increased my intake of fruits & veggies, and seriously reduced my intake of refined sugar. I've started replacing my beauty products with natural alternatives. I've been keeping up with workouts as well, since they help manage hormone levels. There have been some improvements, but my skin is basically back to where it has always been. Still mild cystic acne, but now with discolouration (battle scars) from the episode.
I'm still working on figuring it out.

EXHAUSTING
I know we all go through this, but things are just that much harder when you get home from work and it's dark out. Basically motivating yourself is impossible. I only work an 8.5 hour day, but during that entire time I don't turn my brain off. The private sector is go-go-go, and since I'm hourly and can't work overtime, there's a lot of stuff I need to get done. I'm not complaining, I LOVE being busy. It's why I went into the private sector in the first place. I like a challenge. But recently it's fried my brain and when I get home, all I want to do is snuggle into my bed with Netflix. The lack of sun and a fresh blanket of snow isn't helping, either.

REWARDING
With all this craziness at work, some opportunities have come up. I've been working hard for something, and it looks like Monday will be the "make it or break it" day. Wish me luck, because my success with this basically decides my future. Dun dun dunnnn.

EXCITING
My cousin from Denmark is coming to Canada for Christmas!!! I haven't seen her in TWO years! I am so incredibly excited to spend a few weeks with her. Although I have a grown-up job now, I was able to swing a day off so I can cram in some serious family time and cousin lovin' (not in a weird way, you weirdos). Can't wait to see you, Line!

INSPIRATION: NEUTRALS.

These days I find myself drawn to blacks and greys. Colour? Nahh. But that beautiful, heathered grey? Yes. I'm lusting for that. I don't know if it's the cool weather, or just a shift in my preferences, but I keep reaching for those dark neutrals. Here are some favourite outfits I found on Pinterest:

Via Pinterest (can't find original source, if you know, let me know)

Via Stella Harasek

Via Emerson Fry

Via Glitter and Grace

Via Could I Have That?

Do you find yourself reaching to darker colours this season?

Follow along on my Pinteresting adventures here!

QUOTE OF THE DAY.

via

Doesn't this quote basically sum up life? 

We live day in and day out, doing basically the same thing.

But the world is constantly evolving; you are constantly growing. 

Life can feel stagnant, but behind the scenes things are changing. 

Slowly, perhaps... but they're changing. 

And you're changing with them. 

HOLIDAY DRESSES.

c/o eShakti dress

It's that time of year again. Lovely ladies everywhere are looking for that perfect holiday dress. Whether you've got a Christmas party, New Years party, or even just a family get together, a beautiful dress is a must.

When eShakti contacted me to review one of their products, I chose this dress with my work's Christmas party in mind. I had gotten another dress from H&M, but I didn't think it'd be fancy enough, so I returned it. This? I can work with this...

The best thing about eShakti is you can customize. For this dress, I removed the pockets because I didn't want anymore fabric added to my hips. I also customized the length by choosing "above the knee". Technically, I would consider this knee-length. I expected about an inch or two shorter, but it's still pretty as it is. And it's better to be too long than too short, since it's for a work function.

Anyways, I'm totally excited to style this for my work party! The lace overlay is SO delicate and the hemline is gorgeous. I encourage you to stop by eShakti to check out their dresses because today the entire site is 35% off! That's a mega deal.

Happy weekend to everyone!

* This dress was provided by eShakti for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE.

See? So much cold, and so much snow.

So I made some soup.

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup to be exact.

I recommend it. It fights cold.

CASUAL DRESS.

Old Navy dress; Call it Spring scarf; Payless boots

I wore this to work the other day, and my boss goes "Oh... Why are you wearing a dress?".
I guess I don't wear dresses often. Somehow this outfit was a shock to him.

Should I wear dresses more often?

I just really like pants...

BASICALLY PYJAMAS.

This look is basically pyjamas for me.
Nothing cozier than warming up in my large, comfy poncho.

Happy Monday!

GOOD-BYE FALL.

I took this photo a number of weeks ago, when the trees were changing colours and the grass was starting to lose it's lustre. 

As I sit here, large snowflakes are tumbling past my window. I can't see the ground from this angle, but I imagine it's much different than this. 

Today I start playing Christmas music. It only seems fitting with the first snowfall of the year. The holiday season is starting. 

But I feel alone. 

It's an odd feeling. Like I should be experiencing this time with someone else - family, friends, anybody. 

But I'm sitting by myself in my apartment staring out the window. There's nothing wrong with being by myself, except this feels like a sort-of-magical-moment and I wish I didn't have to experience it alone. 

Maybe it's the Christmas music making me emotional.

Or maybe it's the snow.

Or maybe it's that I still don't have snow boots and I need to go get groceries.

Damn. 

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE: SHOP LOCAL.

Isn't Christmas gift shopping basically impossible? Or am I the only one who feels this way? These days it can be hard to find something personal for people. At least at the mall. Sometimes you need to look elsewhere.

This year I'm shopping local, keeping my business inside Ottawa for Christmas gifts. Why? Well, along with the unique-ness of the gifts, I also get to support entrepreneurs from my region and give back a bit to my community. What better way to spread Christmas cheer?

If you're in Ottawa (or even if you're not, and you like to explore new and unique shops), here are a few really great places to pick up gift ideas:

1) Castellammare Jewellery.

Castellammare Jewellery Sparkle Ribbon Bow Necklace in rose gold

I haven't stopped talking about Ottawa-based jewellery company Castellammare Jewellery for a reason. For that jewellery loving friend/wife/girlfriend/mom, this could be your one-stop-shop. Quality product at a great price. And so much rose gold. You are guaranteed to find something for everyone. Check out the regular shop here, and their Etsy shop here. Sometimes they have a slightly different selection on both sites.

2) Purple Urchin.

Purple Urchin was started a few years back in Sault Ste. Marie and Ottawa, Ontario. Basically they make soap and other skin/beauty products with no chemicals. Most of their products are 100% vegan-friendly and all are 100% vegetarian friendly and biodegradable. I was at Terra20 this weekend and picked up a few of their products, including their lip balm, chocolate face mask, and lemon meringue hand balm (all pictured above), as gifts. They've got an online store too, which is a bonus!

3) Locally-Owned Restaurants.

(Pictured: Grilled Octapus @ Town. Kelly & Jenna, I knew this photo would come in handy one day!)

Who's tired of Lonestar, East Side Mario's and Boston Pizza, raise their hand. *raises hand*. If you're going to take your friend, family or significant other out for a great meal, treat them to a local hot-spot.  Something native to the area. Over the last few years, Ottawa has developed a unique array of original restaurants. One of my recent favourites is Town. Focusing on locally sourced food, they say every dish is a story about the great region we live in. Personally, I love their ricotta stuffed meatballs and their grilled octapus is delish. I've got a Christmas dinner date with a girlfriend, and I'm excited to try something else fantastically tasty.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There's much more to choose from, if you look hard enough :)

Now, I wish you luck with the rest of your Christmas shopping. Please wish me luck, too, cause I'm not done just yet...

THAT'S A WRAP.

Costco wrap sweater; American Eagle jeans and plaid top; Payless boots 

I bet this post title has been done about a million times before, and probably even a couple times by me. But how else am I supposed to draw you to my awesome super comfortable wrap sweater? I basically live in this thing. It's fantastic.

I bet you're all tired of these boots. They're my fall go-to's. Since it's been getting cooler outside, I need all the leg coverage I can get. Unfortunately, after three years under my ownership, they're falling apart. There's a hole in them, and the material is starting to peel (yay for not-real-leather shoes!!!). Time to replace them? Or wait for clearance prices in a couple months? Guess which one I pick...

RETURN OF: THE COFFEE DATE.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Well mostly ladies.

Do you remember our coffee dates? Well, last time we had one was back here when I made all you jealous of my Easter candy stash (I just made myself jealous looking back).

Well, now that the cold weather has returned, I can start drinking coffee again without getting the sweats. For reals.

This means, return of the coffee date!

Actually today I'm drinking tea. It's called Alpine Punch from David's Tea. It's part of their winter collection, but I'm lucky I still had some left-over from last winter. It's a rooibos tea with apples, almond flakes and some coconut. Sounds wacky, but I think it tastes pretty fruity and awesome. I put in a bit of maple syrup as a sweetner and it's good to go!

Yesterday I got my hair chopped off. You'll still see a few outfit photos in the queue where it's longer, but soon, my friends... Yeah okay, maybe 3-4 inches isn't a big deal but it's cray for me. It's above my boobs now! Oh god, I just said boobs on my blog... Moving on.

My parents got me some new fuzzy socks for my birthday. I've been wearing them all weekend. They're better than slippers, I swear. It's like walking on clouds when they're new!

Yesterday I went to the mall with a plan and a list. I had a bunch of things to buy for myself that I've put off (oh hello winter, yes I will need snow boots soon, I am aware). But you know what? I only completed about half my list. Half! That's pathetic. And I didn't even find winter boots. Why are they all so gosh darn expensive?! Worst part is, the longer I leave it, the busier Christmas shopping is gonna get, and THEN I'm fighting people.  :\ 

Happy Sunday, hope you're all having a relaxing weekend!

FRIDAY SHMIDAY.

H&M top; American Apparel leggings; Payless boots; Castellammare Jewellery necklace

Ya that's right. I'm mad at Friday.
On Wednesday it felt like Friday. It wasn't, so I was upset.
On Thursday it felt like Friday. It wasn't, so I was even more upset.
And now that Friday has come around, I'm just annoyed with it.
Seriously. Why couldn't it be there when I needed it on Wednesday?
Ugh. So by-the-book, Friday is.

FEATURE: BABES & GENTS CLOTHING.

Can I just say I love Ottawa? I'm so lucky to have grown up near such a great city, and moving downtown was the best decision I made. But part of what's awesome about Ottawa is the budding entrepreneurship. As you all know, I've been working with Castellammare Jewellery, an Ottawa-based online jewellery store. And today I get to introduce you to Babes & Gents Clothing, a new streetwear brand from Ottawa. 

I had the chance to interview Amir, owner of Babes & Gents Clothing, to learn more about the brand and clothing line. Also, these awesome shots? From their lookbook - check it!

What made you decide to start your own clothing line?

I come from a visual art background (acrylic paintings) but I never could connect with my customers, so after a friend suggested to put my art on tees and sell them, a spark went off.

I love how closely Babes & Gents is tied into art. Why did you make this a focus?

The focus of the brand is changing for the next spring/summer collection, but art will always be part of the brand, since it’s a big part of me. And to answer your question, I got into this business because of the art, and now I’ve realized that I got to treat it more as a business, simply because the best art doesn’t necessarily always sell!

Your brand generously donates 10% of its profits to UNICEF. What inspired this decision?

I’ve been taught to always give back from what I make to people who need it the most, and also because I believe people (especially children) are a lot more important than dogs or the environment.

Where do you draw inspiration for your shirt designs?

This first collection was based on all my art aspirations, and I wanted to give a taste of what is to come in the next 5 years. Each design will become its own collection in the near future.
Back to your question though, these works all have different inspirations behind them, and those inspirations come to life a little bit more with the feel that one might get by looking at the look-book (check out the look-book here).

If you could get Babes & Gents on any celebrity in the world, who would you chose to show off your clothing?

I would have to go with Kanye West. He is my idol in every way, especially on the creativity front. 

There you have it folks!

Check out Babes & Gents here.

Personally, I've got my eye on the cute love birds crop tank. 

You can follow along on twitter here.

*Photos courtesy of Babes & Gents lookbook. 

ON TURNING 24.

Forever 21 sweater; Gap jeans; Call it spring boots; Joe Fresh jacket; 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target purse

So yesterday was my birthday. I turned 24. And you know, I don't feel any different.
I guess that's what happens when you're the baby. You're born late in the year, when everyone else around you has already hit that age. You're the last one, so it doesn't feel new.

I didn't do too much this year, but I saw some of the people that I love.
I went for brunch with Marianna on Saturday. We went to Art Is In Bakery, and I've explained my love for this place already here. This is where she took these outfit shots for me. Thank you!!!

Then in the evening I went for dinner with another friend, and we went back to her place, opened a bottle of wine and hung out. What else do girls do best?

On Sunday, I went for dinner with my family and then came home and had some pretty great berry flan dessert. Flan. The word flan will forever be funny to me.

I might be 24, but I never said I was mature. :)

INSTAGRAM ME VOL. 2

My favourite blanket // Leaves have fallen

Charles // My boss gave me fake fangs, so I used 'em

OOTD // ditto

Running and gym accomplished // First "holiday" drink of the season

Time for scarves // Blast from the past