Life Lately: Fashion edition

A few snapshots of the fashions I've been wearing in the past few weeks.

Dress & Clutch - Le Chateau; Trench - H&M;
Wedges & Necklace - Aldo; Ring - Old Navy

Sweater - Joe Fresh; Blouse & Skirt - Jacob;
Purse - Aldo; Espadrilles - Aritzia; Sunglasses - American Eagle

Blazer - H&M; Dress - Aritzia; Heels - Aldo; Watch - Fossil

Blouse - Jacob; Skirt - Aritzia; Purse - Aldo; Sunglasses - American Eagle

Blazers - H&M; Dress - Banana Republic

Blazer - H&M; Dress - Banana Republic; Purse & Shoes - Aldo

Blazer - H&M; Dress - Banana Republic; Purse - Aldo

Blouse & Pants - Jacob; Sunglasses - Ray-Ban

Blouse - Jacob; Camisole - Smart Set; Trousers - Talula via Artizia;
Purse - Aldo

Blouse - Old Navy; Trousers & Belt - Joe Fresh;
Heels - Michael Kors;

Blouse - Zara; Jeans - Forever 21; Flats - Blowfish

Cozy and Cute

Growing up on an island on the West Coast, real winters (with, like, snow and blizzards, and the likes) were like unicorns: you heard about them, saw photos, but other than that there was no actual proof that they existed. So, when I moved out to Ottawa for university I was in for a real shock. I had no clue how to dress to avoid losing a digit. 

Now, eight hears later, I have it down to a science, which is why I was able to withstand the -14C (-21C with the windchill) for over five hours at WinterBrewed this past weekend. So, here are my tips for staying cozy and cute this winter.

1. Start with a base.

2. Add a layer of thick, wooly socks.

3. Top these deliciously unattractive socks with a wind resistant boot.

4. Accessorize!

5. Top with a coat.

6. And, add sunglasses for the finishing touch of cool.

Now, you're ready to head out and enjoy the sunshine!

Sweater - H&M; Jeans - Mavi; Boots - Hunter via the Bay; Coat - Talula Babaton
Toque & Scarf - Le Chateau; Mitts - Aritzia; Sunglasses - Joe Fresh

What are you tips for staying cozy and cute this winter?

Casual Thursday

Shirt - Joe Fresh; Sweater Dress - Le Chateau;
Leggings - TNA; Boots - Aldo

Last week our office was empty. With all of the directors attending a conference in the states, and many people out sick, there was no one to enforce the office dress code, so I decided that casual Friday should start on Thursday.

Sweater dress, leggings and over-the-knee boots - perfect for casual Thursday.

(Unfortunately, my camera died after four photos and this was the only usable one.)

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Neutral Love

Lately, I've been all about neutrals.

Blouse - Jacob; Dress - Le Chateau; Belt - Joe Fresh; Sandals - Aldo; Watch - Fossil

I'm also all about these sandals at the moment; the more I wear them, the more I fall in love with them. They're ridiculously stylish, they go with everything, and they're wildly comfortable. I really can't ask for more from my footwear.

It's love. One that will last all summer long.

Despite my love for these sandals, they didn't see much action over the weekend. I was a petite on a mission; a mission to get as much done as possible before heading to Toronto on Wednesday. If you follow me on instagram (code name: @petiteadventure) you'll already be familiar with the the detailed To Do list I had for the weekend.

It was a long list full of vital pre-travel-for-work-tasks.

By the end of the Saturday I had managed to cross all but three things off my list and it felt great; great, but exhausting. After eight loads of laundry (aka: 32 trips up and down three flights of stairs) I was one tired petite. But it was worth it because Sunday I was able to lounge about, read and drink coffee, and meet up with friends. 

Because I was so disciplined all weekend long, now the only thing I have left to do pre-Toronto is pack, but that might be my biggest challenge yet. I'm so bad at predicting what I'm going to want to wear over the course of a week. What if I get a sudden urge to wear something that I haven't brought?! Do I bring certain items just in case?! These are the dilemmas I face when it comes to packing.

I think to make things easy on myself each morning (where the wake up times are disgustingly early) my strategy will be sticking with neutral colours, and packing lots of separates, making it easy to mix and match throughout the week. I guess it's time to make another list.

How was your weekend?

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One of Those Days

I was having one of those days.

I woke up late and threw on the first things I could find. I then scrunched some mousse in my hair and let it go au-naturel (I swear, when I looked in the mirror it looked like beachy-waves; however, the photos argue otherwise. I'm clearly going blind).  And, with that I was out the door. By the time I got to work (it's an eight minute walk) my hair had transformed itself into an 80s style, Flashdance-esque mess - not flattering.

Then, to top it off, I got a text from my ex-boyfriend asking if he'd seen me that morning on my walk to work - thankfully after I vaguely described my look, it turned out he hadn't, because that messy mane was something I could never live down.

Unlike my hair, the outfit I had just thrown on was perfect - monochromatic and sophisticated. It definitely made up for the monstrosity that had taken over my head.

The lesson I learned from all of this - mirrors lie when you haven't had morning coffee... and when in doubt, monochromatic is always the way to go!

Shirt - Joe Fresh; Dress - Le Chateau; TIghts - H&M; Boots - Aldo; Watch - Fossil

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Flaunt Ottawa

Ottawa's most fabulous and fashionable were out in full force on Friday night to support Kania, Ovarian Cancer Canada and FLAUNT what they've got!



When I walked into the Trillium Ballroom at the Ottawa Convention Centre I was blown away! FLAUNT was described as an Escape to Indulgence and it more than delivered on it's promise.

With mini-boutiques of fabulous jewellery and clothing designers set up throughout the ballroom, and DJs Select and Magnificent playing the hottest beats, I happily shopped the night away with my delicious FLAUNTini in one hand and my bag of candy, courtesy of HCM Works and Sugar Mountain, in the other - okay, there were three bags.

When it became too much for me to hold my martini glass, I strutted my way over to the Thann Skincare table and indulged in a wonderful hand treatment. Never have my hands felt so soft; seriously, I spent a good portion of the night rubbing my hand against my cheek. Yes, I realize it's weird, but they were so soft, I just couldn't stop myself. (PA's Note: They're still so soft, I'm rubbing one against my cheek as I type.)

In addition to the fantastic shopping, The Loft and Murale were on hand providing free blowouts and makeup touch-ups, and Maria Threading Zone was there making sure everyone's brows were polished. Had the lines not been wrapping around the room, I would have totally scored myself a touch-up; but alas, it wasn't meant to be. I have to say that I was mighty jealous of everyone who did get touched-up - they looked fabulous!


Although I perused all of the racks several times, I only came away with one piece - a cute dress from Paper Planes, courtesy of Milk Shop's mini-boutique. But, this wasn't for lack of options. More than a few things caught my eye, but by the time I got my petite hands on the hangers, my size had been snatched up. I'm taking this as a sign from the universe that it wasn't meant to be. sigh.


Just as I was finishing up my shopping Boom 99.7 DJ Kim Sullivan called everyone to the dance floor as the Kania Fashion Show was about to begin!


 


After a quick presentation, the models mingled throughout the ballroom wearing the gorgeous Kania dresses, jumpsuits, and feathered head pieces in the most vibrant colours. Everything that the models were wearing was up for auction with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Ovarian Cancer Canada. And, one didn't have to worry if they weren't model sized; the designs would be customized to fit the winners. Customized couture for a good cause - what more could you ask for?!


 


I'm not going to lie, I was obsessed with the headpieces. I don't know what I would do with one, or where I would wear it, but I am seriously coveting them. And the more I think about it, the more confident I am that I would be able to rock one - and think of how tall I'd look!


The outfit

I was having one of those days; okay, I was having one of those weeks. Nothing was working for me, and nothing in my closet seemed Flaunt-worthy. So, with four hours left before the party, I was running around Rideau Centre like the crazy petite that I am, frantically searching for the right dress. After four stores I found what I was looking for: modern elegance.

 

I don't normally gravitate towards the mullet dress, but Flaunt wasn't any normal event.

Dress - Old Navy; Belt - Jacob;
Clutch - Le Chateau; Boots, Necklace - Aldo; Watch - Fossil

Flaunt was an absolutely fabulous event! Thank you to Stacey Bafi-Yeboa, the creative genius behind Kania, for organizing such an amazing night! I'm already counting down the days until I can FLAUNT it again next year.

Thanks to Marcia B. Creative for being such an amazing shopping partner!

Thank you to all of the sponsors for providing delcious drinks, yummy treats, great entertainment and so much more: ARC The Hotel, Boom 99.7, Boston Pizza Orleans, Cherry Blossom Pole Dance Studio, Glow Magazine, HCM Works, The Loft, Moksha Yoga Ottawa, Murale, Ottawa Magazine, Responsible Choice, Star Motors Mercedes Benz, Sugar Mountain, SynSue, Via Rail, Voulez Vous Boudoir Photography, and the always fabulous Twenty York Street.


Also a huge thank you to everyone involved, Aleksandra Jewellery, Demu Label, Desperately Different, Dj Magnificent, Dj Select, Dylan Ribkoff, frAsh, iStyle Originals, Karamea, Leah Bazian, Love Headmistress, MAFIA Jewellery, Miz Dragonfly, Moxy Maus, Pish Posh Jewellery, Rachel Sin, Rimanchik, Shibang Designs, Susana Erazo, Thann Skincare, The Milk, and Tresnormale.

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Black, White and Lace

Lace is one of the biggest trends this season, and it's something that I don't own. So, you can imagine my joy when I came across these lace-esque tights at Zellers for a mere $5. As soon as I saw them, I knew I would be stupid not to pick up a pair.

To keep the lace tights as a focal point of the outfit, I kept the rest of the outfit very monochromatic.

As the weather has turned in the last few weeks, and it's definitely fall now here in Ottawa, I decided to throw on this Joe Fresh cashmere sweater to keep warm throughout the day.

Sweater - Joe Fresh; Top & Skirt - H&M (also seen here); Tights - Jules and James; Boots - le Chateau