Just a quick post today to wish you guys a happy Easter. Hope you're enjoying the holiday and that you're eating tons of mini eggs. Or if not at least that you're enjoying the weekend xx
Pinterest
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Let Their Be Chocolate
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Dwindling Jacket Weather
As we get closer and closer to reaching consistent high temps, the kind where nothing but jeans and a t-shirt are necessary, we inevitably suffer through high highs and low lows. The days where those sun rays caress your face, begging you to take your lunch from your desk to the park bench, make us weak in the knees, as giddy as a kid on the eve of their birthday. They remind us that it is indeed good to be alive and that things are actually going to be okay.
Unfortunately, the weeks sandwiched between mid-March and early May play with our feelings. A lot. Almost more than bad boy Jake from high school math class. This is a period that is punctuated with days so gloomy and unnecessarily chilly, they make us want to crawl back into hibernation without giving things a second thought. And if you're north of the border, well, let's just say they have it way worse.
In the end, I've always believed that
In the meantime, something as banal as an open coat and going sans chapeau can be so special. Life-altering, even.
Details:
Leather trench - Vintage (similar)
Shirt - Ralph Lauren Purple Label (similar)
Jeans - J Brand (similar)
Boots - Rag & Bone (similar color)
Clutch - J.Crew (similar)
Sunglasses - Ray-Ban
Necklace - Dogeared
Click to shop:
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Let's Meet On Summer's Eve
Confession: I've got summer on the brain -- surely, I am not alone. Confashion (see what I did there?): I have a soft spot for ethereal maxi dresses. I know, seems out of character, right? But I do believe that the right kind of attitude makes for the perfect juxtaposition with a flowy feminine number like this. Tousled bed head, a bare face, the hat tipped back and a slight oversized fit on the dress: all things that make it nothing short of a winning summer ensemble. Who's with me?
Clockwise from top left:
ASOS hat - Joie Maruceka dress - Deborah Lippmann nail polish in Tip Toe Through the Tulips - Luv Aj Petite Band Ring Set - Awapui Wild Ginger Sea Spray - Lumo Aztec Cuff - Ancient Greek Sandals - Raen Optics sunglasses - Mansur Gavriel bucket bag
Clockwise from top left:
ASOS hat - Joie Maruceka dress - Deborah Lippmann nail polish in Tip Toe Through the Tulips - Luv Aj Petite Band Ring Set - Awapui Wild Ginger Sea Spray - Lumo Aztec Cuff - Ancient Greek Sandals - Raen Optics sunglasses - Mansur Gavriel bucket bag
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Friday Inspo
The excitement that comes with the end of the week approaching is almost palpable in every office environment. The thought of taking time for yourself and being free of obligations for two days can only be described as sublime. So whether you plan on taking it easy or have a few crazy things on the books, the time is yours and whatever you partake in during those days off is entirely at your whim. My baby brother (who is not such a baby anymore at 26) is here with his beautiful girlfriend for the weekend and we have many a fun options at our finger tips to make it a truly memorable one. Enjoy your break you guys, here's a mood board with a springtime feel to inspire your way into it xx
[style.com, elin kling, tfs, pinterest, wolfclub]
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Summer Color
It's, like, really difficult to attain the perfect blond. My fellow blondies will attest to that fact without hesitation. SO. HARD. There are so many shades, so many techniques, so many varying factors, such as your hair's natural color pigment, your skin tone and your desired end result. It's also all about finding the perfect colorist, which is probably the most crucial determining factor in your hair color's outcome. The relationship you embark in with the person in charge of every single variation in your locks' lifespan is paramount.
In fact, it is possibly one of the most important partnerships you'll embark in throughout your life: you need to get to know each other, feel comfortable with one another, become a pro at communication, not be afraid to voice your feelings, be faithful, and, if shit hits the fan, part ways with a slew of emotions, accompanied by a great sense of regret and loss. And lest we forget being in an immense overwhelmed state when having to start the search over.
I have no doubt that being a faux brunette has its own brand of complexity but I assure you, blondes take the cake in terms of difficulty level. Finding the right colorist is everything, one who will be patient, listen to you and who will understand your vision. That perfect image you have in your head, which you're so desperately trying to describe with words like "honey""golden""bright" or "flaxen", but that will most likely never accurately convey the image you're picturing. The right colorist will know what you mean anyway, or he'll give you what you didn't even know you wanted.
I've been seeing my colorist for two years now and it's the best hair relationship I've ever had. Say hello to my brighter summer hair!
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Le Frick C'est Chic!
It goes without saying that living in New York City comes with tons of perks, one of them being the abundance of culture at our fingertips. On the downside, having so many options at the ready often makes you put things off knowing that you can visit the sights any time you please, which usually means never ending up seeing certain things due to getting caught up in life stuff. Another perk (which can actually be a drawback at times, but let's stay focused) is that everyone you know will want to come visit you and take advantage of all this culture you take for granted as a blasé city dweller, thus forcing you to finally revel and marvel in what makes this place truly unparalleled.
Case in point: having my brother over this past weekend meant exploring new haunts and touring things I hardly ever get to see. I was finally able to check the Frick Collection off of my never-ending NYC to-do list. This place did not disappoint and was every bit the fascinating, interesting, beautiful exhibit I hoped it would be -- I highly recommend it if you ever find yourself if those necks (far better than the Guggenheim - oh yes I did).
It was a perfect spring day, the kind that doesn't allow you to be grumpy, and dressing adequately for gallery hopping and Central Park strolling was of utmost importance. Casual, practical and dare I say cute. How obsessed are we with this Beyonce-approved Suburban Riot sweatshirt, by the way? More on that another time...
Details:
Kale sweater - Suburban Riot
Jeans - Zara (similar)
Leather jacket - ASOS (similar)
Shoes - Sandro (similar)
Bag - Zara (similar)
Ring - Saint Laurent
Sunnies - Ray-Ban
Click to shop:
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Friday Inspo
YOU GUYS, we're in MAY. Can you believe it?! It's been a bit of a crazy week and I'll be happy to unwind on this first weekend of one of the most beautiful months of the year. Not to mention that April showers have held on tight until the very end. With all the insane torrential downpour we got this week, those May flowers better be concocting for a serious invasion very soon. Have a great weekend everyone xx
[elin kling, style.com, pinterest, into the gloss, tfs, the coveteur, harper's bazaar]
[elin kling, style.com, pinterest, into the gloss, tfs, the coveteur, harper's bazaar]
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With a Cherry on Top
A little selfie chronicle on this beautiful Cinco de Mayo Monday! Yes, I am in a fitting room (bonus points if you can figure out where) but that is besides the point... any full-length mirror is a great excuse to document daily wear, is it not? How else am I supposed to project an image of authenticity? Right? RIGHT? This is the perfect display of me, existing on a daily basis.
Now onto the subject at hand: do you sometimes put together an outfit that just feels like it needs that little something extra in order to feel complete? Exibit A: this casual daytime stripe-heavy ensemble felt great on its own -- it was comfortable and a good breton always feels right. But despite the sentiments of inner-approval, my instincts kept whispering at me that something was missing, leading me to reach for my favorite lid. The cherry on top of the sundae!
Details:
Striped shirt - Uniqlo (similar)
Pants - Tibi (similar)
Shoes - Chucks
Trench - Zara (similar)
Hat - Bailey of Hollywood from Salmagundi Boston
Ring - Hysteric Co. (similar)
Bag (in the back on the bench) - Bottega Veneta
Click to shop:
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All I Want For Summer Is You
The ultimate wish list, I'm sure you all have one. On this list are items you would get in a heartbeat if we lived in a world where money was no object, if budgeting wasn't part of life and if your impulses had no consequences. These items are currently on mine.
Clockwise from top left (click links to shop, if you happen to live in that world I mentioned up there):
Zimmermann romper - Rag & Bone dress - T by Alexander Wang leather cami - Max Mara coat - Givenchy bracelet - Altuzarra skirt - Kate Moss for Topshop suede jacket - Proenza Schouler bag - Common Projects sandals - Isabel Marant top
Clockwise from top left (click links to shop, if you happen to live in that world I mentioned up there):
Zimmermann romper - Rag & Bone dress - T by Alexander Wang leather cami - Max Mara coat - Givenchy bracelet - Altuzarra skirt - Kate Moss for Topshop suede jacket - Proenza Schouler bag - Common Projects sandals - Isabel Marant top
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Pinstripe Bandit
I wasn't going to post these horrendous quality photos for many reasons, but in the end, I felt that not doing so would be a missed opportunity to discuss something that I am very passionate about:
With that I ask: who hasn't had the burning desire to join the pinstripe party this season? I certainly have. And one day, when I sauntered over to my husband's closet to reach for my/his favorite plaid shirt, there it was, staring right at me and whispering sweet nothings: a velvet pinstripe blazer with my name written all.over.it. I'd never actually seen my darling mister wearing this item in all of our years of communal existence (thank god) and I wasted no time yanking it right off of its hanger, immediately forgetting the initial reason for my rifling through his stuff in the first place (ah yes, that plaid...).
The thing did look kind of on the larger side of cool, but I didn't flinch and slipped it on expecting nothing less than greatness. Alas, this kind of oversized was bordering on the frumpy costume look and less on the "oh this old thing? One of my latest super-effortless-finds!", if you catch my drift. But I was determined: this pinstripe velvet blazer needed to happen and I was going to find a way to pull it off. Alarm bells were sounding everywhere in my frontal lobe: Could I close it with buttons? Should I have it tailored? Maybe wear it over something bulky? Would it look good belted? I was still trying to come up with solutions as I started sifting through my belts.
A thin berry velour waist-definer triggered a eureka moment: velour on velour, well OF COURSE! There I was, making good use of an otherwise unwearable piece (after finding this blazer and declaring it a gem for myself, I also asserted that no male should ever wear shoulder-padded, velvet-made anything unless they're Hugh Hefner or a cast member of Sleep No More and made sure my husband knew that meant not him), which now makes it the latest addition to my own roster of stolen goods. I was even more convinced when I took it out for a spin at last month's Ann Taylor event, where it garnered much praise from the mega babes you see in the pic below (and yes, that is the Kelly from the Glamourai and her lovely sister Erin. And yes, they're both genuinely the bomb).
With that is all the proof you need to be convinced to go treasure-hunting in your sig-other's wardrobe... or your brother's, or your father's.
Details:
Pinstripe blazer - Stolen from my husband (similar)
Belt - Joe Fresh (similar)
Turtleneck - Splendid
Jeans - ASOS
Boots - Pour la Victoire
Bag - Bottega Veneta
Ring - Saint Laurent
Click to shop:
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Friday Inspo
Well into the most beautiful month of the year now, we're gearing up for some weather that cannot help but put a smile on the grumpiest ones out there. If the sunshine isn't enough for you, let this mood board of pretty things elevate you to an inspired state. Have a great weekend!
[tfs, pinterest, camille over the rainbow, tibi, zara, arty filles]
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Wit Weddings
Just a quick unusual Saturday post to promote myself shamelessly: head over to Wit Weddings for a cute feature on this blogger and for some advice on wedding-wear (guests, not brides).
Photo by Ian Rusiana
Photo by Ian Rusiana
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Hug Your Mom
On this beautiful Sunday in May, where moms are being celebrated everywhere in North America, I'd like to take the opportunity to give a big shoutout to my most faithful reader: my amazing mom.
Never once did she ever tell me that something was impossible, nor did she push me into things I seemed to have no interest or affinity for. She has never once questioned my choices, my path, my decisions, my ambitions. It has been just the opposite: she has unconditionally rallied behind me and supported every single one of my undertakings without hesitating for one second. Her unmitigated endorsements have made her the bearer of comfort, a pillar of strength to draw from, the vehicle that has propelled me froward and the most paramount barometer of validation. Everyone loves their mom. I personally don't know what I would have done, nor what I would do, to this day, without mine.
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Ask FOR #7: My Space, Part I (My Favorite Things)
I got an email back in the winter from a reader (hello Melissa!) who was inquiring about lifestyle and home decor. She was curious to know if my love of aesthetics went beyond fashion or it it flowed in other areas of my life, like interior design, asking for tips on the matter. Well, the answer is as simple as can be: my keen style eye (wink!) reverberates in my house wares as well, and to that I will add that my penchant for style permeates all areas of my existence, from clothes, to home decor, to beauty, to travel, to food. I am never not thinking about how something is presented, if it's a reflection of me, if it's the best it could possibly be, or look.
And with that in mind, I decided this: why not just show you? In the first of a 5 part series, I invite you in my home, showing you a few of my favorite things, as well as how I stay comfy-chic when I'm indoors. First up, I am sharing some of my favorite items, fashion or other, which include shoes (duh!) and a few home accents, like nostalgic framed prints, mason jars as vases, fresh flowers, vintage gold plated votives and fun things like a mirrored tray and a Turkish rug.
When it comes to making my home feel like one, I try to stick to a certain approach, which I've learned from experience. The following guidelines offer a fail proof way to make your abode beyond humble:
- To develop your taste and to get a more specific idea of what you're looking for, or which style you want to try to emulate, source as much inspiration as you can from magazines and Pinterest. Having concrete visuals offers tremendous help and it's the most efficient way to convert an abstract idea into something tangible. The more references you have, the better.
- Try to think outside the box when it comes to certain items. If you like a vintage piece but don't necessarily have any use for its original function, there is definitely a way to find an alternate purpose for it. For example, we had an old wooden pool ball holder that I absolutely loved, but I wasn't too keen on the idea of having pool balls hanging on my wall, so I turned it into a DIY photo tree (see it here).
- If you have access to someone handy, whether it's yourself, your boyfriend, husband, wife, sister, brother, father, neighbor, whoever -- make good use of them. Have them strip an old chair or dresser, build some DIY shelving out of reclaimed wood, put together a custom closet to maximize space. Make them a big meal with lots of wine for their trouble and everyone wins.
- If you fall in love with a piece of furniture that you simply must have but is geared toward the 1%, don't give up. The affordable version exists somewhere, guaranteed. Or see previous option of using someone handy.
- Lastly, i try to stick with the three following mottos: 1) the more pillows on the couch, the better: it's such an easy way to add more spirit to a room and nothing looks more inviting than a couch full of extra padding. 2) Rugs are everything -- I like an area rug in, well, every single area. It dresses the room and makes everything feel more homey. 3) Personalization is the icing on the cake: I'm a big believer that home is where the heart is and scattering photos of loved ones on your walls or coffee table is the perfect individual touch. Go one step further an frame a print or quote that holds a special meaning to you. It's important that your space be a reflection of you in order for it to be a comfortable living nook!
Some of my favorite places to shop for home goods are One Kings Lane, ABC Home, Resoration Hardware, West Elm, Anthropologie, and, of course, flea markets. My home is filled with treasures that have been unearthed in the most obscure flea markets and from antique dealers. It pretty much guarantees your interior style some unique flare. I also like to pick up things at John Derian, Michele Varian and Love Adorned in NYC, and online at Etsy, Amazon and Society6.
This vintage ballerina sequence print (similar) is one of those things I knew needed to be in my home when I saw it: I am obsessed with ballet and this old photograph has something so goofy and nostalgic about it. The mercury candle holders (similar) and the mirrored tray are the perfect example of simple things making a space more beautiful. They're all from One Kings Lane.
When I'm home, I cannot be bare feet -- I must have slippers on at all times because my feet always get so cold, even in the summer. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I have a little collection of house shoes. These dog slippers (similar), no matter how silly they are, hold a special place in my heart. I bought them at a cheap store in Brooklyn when I still lived in Montreal for my best friend to keep at his house, that way I wouldn't have to travel with slippers every time I would come visit. When I eventually moved to New York, we ended up living together and I still have the slippers. It's a little token I like to hold on to.
The necklace I'm wearing is from Forever 21 (similar) and it's also dear to my heart because of how it came to be mine. My amazing friend Stephanie was the first person to come visit me in Brooklyn in the summer of 2011 and she had just scored this necklace at her local F21. I fell in love with its surfer-chick-meets-navajo vibe and was completely floored to learn that it was from Forecver 21, as it looked way more expensive than that. We went on a man hunt, but alas, none of the NYC stores carried this necklace. A couple of weeks after we left each other, I got a care package in the mail: she had tracked it down back home and secured one for me. She's the best. I will love that necklace forever (21) - ha!
My jeans (similar) and top (similar) are both from Zara. My rings are Chic Peek (here and here) and my bangle is by Coordinates (similar).
Two of my favorite beauty products (also well-documented on this blog: the YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils mascara and the NARS Multiple. And two necklaces that I love and definitely should wear more (similar).
I used to only wear high heels, 4 inches being my sweet spot. However, my lifestyle has changed dramatically in the past couple of years and I now spend the majority of my time in flats. I never thought this would happen. Some favorites here, from left to right: Adidas, J.Crew, Sandro (similar), Chanel (similar) and Alexander Wang.
This chair is a doozy. It's a vintage piece that my husband's aunt wanted to have reupholstered, so she brought it in to be stripped by this master carpenter in the New Paltz region. He did some incredible work refurbishing it, but before she could pick out some new material, she decided that she was moving and no longer had use for this chair. Needless to say, we snatched it up and kept it raw and bare. (similar one here)
The hat is by Bailey of Hollywood from Salmagundi Boston (similar), the most amazing hat store I've ever stepped foot in. The boots are extra special to me because they were my gift to myself when I graduated university. They're Alaïa.
This J.Crew leopard pouch (similar) is a favorite, it goes with me everywhere since it holds all my little trinkets in my bag. It was one of my Christmas gifts from the hubs. The ring is also very special: he gave it to me for our first marriage anniversary. It's the Saint Laurent Arty ring, in case you're not familiar. The shoes are Louboutin (clearly) and definitely in my top three.
Photos by Ian Rusiana.
Do you have any home decor tips? Let's hear them!
Shop my favorite things:
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The Perfect One-Piece
Now that summer is (almost) here, it might be time to invest in new poolside attire. Like most women, I've been on the bikini wagon ever since I was old enough to wear one. And truth be told, I am just not a swimwear person. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I am from the Great White White north, the land where beaches are more sparse than foliage in the desert. But I also just don't like the water.
Some people live for the ocean, that first cannon ball of the season in the pool, or the ultimate dream: diving in the Great Barrier Reef. All of those things are pretty much what my nightmares consist of. I hate getting wet, the sheer process of entering cold water is agonizing, and any unclear large water mass (lakes, rivers, the non-tropical part of the ocean) gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Some girls I know own literally 20 bathing suits. I, on the other hand, would only have one or two, which I would keep for 10 years at a time, while only really being used about once a year (and that's not in water). On top of it all, I can't say that I really feel all that comfortable in a swimsuit. Maybe it's an extension of me not feeling comfortable in swimwear-wearing milieu, but we all have our hangups, don't we?
To that I am adding that after giving swimwear more thought than I have in, well, probably my entire life, I hereby declare that my next maillot purchase will be a one-piece. And this is the P E R F E C T one. Never have I lusted after a piece of lycra clothing, but there is a first for everything, right? Right.
Get it in black here and in navy here.
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Friday Inspo
It's the weekend! It also happens to be my birthday weekend, which is leaving me feeling a little bit ambivalent. I am reaching a "milestone" that I am not sure I am quite ready for. In quotation marks because, well, that's what they call it. But my parents are visiting, which is great and we're having a blast.
This week's mood board is heavy in black and white, most likely a result of my subconscious mirroring my dubiousness with the lack of color. Hope you enjoy the inspo as well as the 2-day break XX.
[le 21e, viktoria+woods, the coveteur, etsy, wolfclub, club monaco, pinterst, tfs]
This week's mood board is heavy in black and white, most likely a result of my subconscious mirroring my dubiousness with the lack of color. Hope you enjoy the inspo as well as the 2-day break XX.
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It's My Birthday!
That is all. I'm not really happy about it but I'm not unhappy enough to not tell you guys.
Enjoy your Sunday, I'm off to have my cake (and it too)!
Enjoy your Sunday, I'm off to have my cake (and it too)!
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A Weekend in May
Happy Monday everyone!
Thanks for all the lovely birthday wishes, they really mean so much to me, you guys are amazing. In spite of May being the month of my birthday, which I am not too keen on, it happens to be one of my favorites for the same reason I revel in the month of September: that transitional weather that provokes excitement and creates butterflies in the pit of the stomach. The thought of the present moment being a transformative one that will lead to things that you imagine being greater than anything you've hoped, while being fully aware that you are also drowning in joy from everything happening in the immediate.
That is how this weekend could be described. It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday, the eve of my birthday, and I was in the best company possible -- my wonderful family and friends. Every single element contributed to a seriously perfect day. It was glorious.
Details:
Top - Joe Fresh (similar)
Shorts - Refind Denim (similar)
Sandals - H&M (similar)
Trench - Zara (similar)
Sunglasses - Ray-Ban
Earrings - Lauren Wolf
Click to shop:
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Just Peachy
I tend to be quite seasonless with my clothes, with the exception of sundresses, shorts, chunky knits and other unthinkables in the wrong season. So, really, the only thing I meant by seasonless is pastels all year round. I don't care that my legs match the snow: my white denim will be worn in mid-February. I don't mind that my peers revel in jewel-toned dresses the second December hits: I have no qualms about making an arrival in head-to-toe powder pink at a holiday event.
That aside, there is definitely something to be said about wearing your dusty hues come springtime. The arrival of the warm weather and the powerful sun rays do tend to kick the whole charade up a notch or two. While I may subconsciously wear monochromatic baby blue outfits in the dead of winter to cheer myself up and forget that there are only 3 months left to go before we start seeing buds, donning my favorite soft peach silk tee during the mercury's first 80 degree peak (that's 27C) undoubtedly comes with an extra large cup o' joy.
Details:
Silk top - T by Alexander Wang (similar)
Skirt - Club Monaco (similar)
Sandals - Vince
Tote - Suburban Riot
Sunnies - Ray-Ban
Earrings - Lauren Wolf
Lips - NARS Pure Matte lipstick in Carthage
Click to shop:
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Friday Inspo
I can feel it already: this summer is going to go by in a hot second. I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but it's already Memorial Day weekend, which means that before we know it, October will be here. I am so excited about this weekend, the holiday that marks the unofficial beginning of summer here in the US, the representative kick-off to the season, if you will. I have tons of plans in store to make sure this one goes down in history, and starting things off with a long weekend escape from the city to our cabin upstate with our friends can only be foreshadowing for the months ahead, right?
[domaine, tfs, pinterest, elin kling, columbine smille, style.com, into the gloss, maja wyh, the blab, camille over the rainbow]
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