One Day You're In. And the Next Day, You're Out.

A couple of weekend's ago, I had to work. Between prep-work for the upcoming week and freelance work that I'd picked up my weekend hours were filled with research, spreadsheets and lots of twitter (speaking of which, have you joined the conversation?). To keep myself from going insane, I decided to play Project Runway in the background. But not the current season, I went retro and re-watched Season Six.

And good thing I did! Because I never would have been inspired to throw this ensemble together after seeing Carol Hannah wear something similar.

It was like my very own Inspiration Saturday!

This was also one of the first really cold days in Ottawa. Sigh, winter's definitely on it's way.

But, if it means I get to wear more ensembles like this...

Sweater - H&M; Jeans - Mavi; Boots & Necklace - Aldo
Nails - Sally Hansen Slick Slate and Disco Ball.

Than, I say bring it on winter!

Everybody, Everywear

Today, I'm linking up (for the first time) with the Everybody, Everywear challenge, which this month is coloured tights.

My first instinct was to wear all black, to make the tights pop; but then I figured I'd mix it up with a touch of grey and a little bit of purple.

Sweater, Dress, TIghts - H&M; Shoes - Nine West (Thrifted)
Nail Polish - Sally Hansen Slick Slate

Check out the rest of the other entries at Everybody Everywear. Looking forward to the November challenge!

Secretary Style

I've been on the search for basic button down shirts for forever now. But being a petite, there's always something wrong with them: too baggy, too long, too baggy and too long... the list goes on and on.

So, you can imagine my joy when I came across a rack of them at Jacob on my recent shopping adventure. Not only did they fit well, they were relatively inexpensive - a win-win!

To debut this piece, I chose to go for the secretary look.

I'm not going to lie, I am a huge fan of the secretary look.

Sophisticated, put together, yet sexy.

What's not too love?!

And, that's exactly how I felt about this look. It was the perfect combination of sophisticated and put together, but with the right amount of sexy - for the office at least. I am a working girl, just not a "working girl" - don't want to be giving anyone the wrong impression.

Shirt - Jacob; Skirt - Jacob; Pumps - Aldo; Watch - Fossil

I know that this piece will definitely be making many appearances over the next few weeks, so stay tuned...

How would you style this basic, yet not-so-basic piece?

Mixing Prints Rd. Two

A couple of weeks back I received some of the greatest news any working girl could ever ask for: I was getting a raise. But it gets better; not only was I getting a raise, but I was overdue for one, so retro-pay was coming my way!

On that news, I did what any good fashion loving lady would do - I went shopping! Who doesn't love spending money you don't yet have. The next couple of posts will feature some of my newest pieces.

I wore this outfit at the beginning of a very busy week, one that included a visit to Emilia Torabi's showroom with the lovely Twenty York Street, an IABC Ottawa event and finished off with Ottawa Fashion Week SS12 (I was so enthralled by the clothes walking the runway - especially the David McCaffery show which actually gave me goosebumps - that I took no useable photos, but if you check out Lot 65, Marcia B Creative, Twenty York Street, Sincerely Sabrina, The Taste of Fashion, or Moose Photography you can get caught up on all the sartorial action).

To start off my busy week, I thought I would do so with a bang, and mix some prints. This was my second attempt at mixing prints petite-style (my first attempt can be seen here). I was much more adventurous this time around pairing a bolder paisley print on top with a more subtle print in the pants.

There's something about this outfit that made me feel very polished, but not.

And, I loved it!

In all honesty, I bought this shirt on a whim. I was drawn to the patterned but didn't pick it up right away; instead, I circled around it four or five times before I actually added it to my pile. Even as I put it on that morning I wasn't sold on it, but after strutting down Metcalfe, I realized it brought the perfect amount of punch to an otherwise dreary day.

Top - Jacob; Pants - Off The Wall - Shoes - Aldo

And, I loved it! 

Love Hurts

I love this shirt.

I love the colour (I'm calling it melon even though that might be ridiculously wrong). And, I love the pattern.

I love the underlay with the scalloped edge.

And I love that you can cinch it in to define the waist - always key for us Petites.

However, I do NOT love that the underlay is not attached to the waist cincher thing.

It hangs far too low. So low that it no longer looks like cute layering, but like I'm wearing a WAY too long shirt underneath.

Shirt - Mexx; Tank & Cuff - SmartSet; Skirt - Jacob

It was purchased at Mexx not long ago during their fabulous 50% off sale. And I really do love it. So I'm going to try and try and try again until I can figure out how to wear this shirt.

Sometimes, Love Hurts.

Royal Visit

Now, I'm not sure if you heard, but a couple of weeks back Will and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were in Ottawa.

Photo Courtesy of Flare.com

I know! Craaaazy.

Photo Courtesy of Flare.com

The only chance I had of casually bumping into the Royals was after a staff lunch at the NAC. Our route back to the office just happened to pass by the War Memorial just as the Cambridges' (wait, is it Windsors... Middleton-Windsors? Mountbatten? What IS their last name... let's just stick with Kate and Will for sanity's sake) were set to arrive. So I thought, if I had the chance to meet them I'd be stupid not to greet them in the colour of royalty.

The skirt is on heavy rotation as part of my work week wardrobe (try saying THAT three times fast!) but this was the shirt's debut - and what a debut it was! 

It was exactly the outfit I was hoping it would be on such a hot and humid day... especially one offering up the chance of bumping into a bona fide Princess.

Top & Tank - SmartSet; Skirt - Jacob; Shoes & Earrings - Aldo

Paired with peacock feather earrings - because feathers are all the rage right now - it was the perfect purple pairing (alliteration!)

Kate must have had the same idea because she wore this just moments later...

Photo Courtesy of Flare.com

Okay, so it was a day later, minor detail. Regardless, I guess what they say is true: Great minds (with great names) think alike!

In the end, I didn't end up meeting the Duchess - I didn't even come close - although I know if we had met we would have been bosom friends... Anne of Green Gables reference... see, we're totally like one in the same... Okay, maybe not so much, but a Petite can dream can't she!


This Friday, Petite Adventures catches up with Malorie Bertrand, Editor-in-Chief of Ef Magazine, Ottawa's Sustainable Style Guide. Learn what it takes to be eco-chic!