MAF - Vichy utilitaire

Sugar Shack

Turkey Travels

Row, Row, Row Your Boat!

Neutral Cable-Knit

Weather Woes

Autumn Textures

Casual Pearls

Water Blues

It is uncharacteristically cold for May. Even though much of the region is flooded, the forecast was calling for snow... Go figure! I figured it would be wise to wear a sweater and do a bit of layering, just in case it really was that cold. Turns out, it was. Seeing as I am more in springtime outfit mode and am not thinking of colder weather looks, I let myself be inspired by a recent outfit worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. I happen to have the exact same brown Zara jeans, so I figured that was a good place to start. She had also layered a printed blouse under a navy sweater, so I grabbed a striped blouse and a periwinkle sweater for my look. I added a leopard headband and metallic flats to make it my own. I like finding inspiration and seeing how others styled the same pieces I have. This was almost more of a copy than an inspiration, but I was happy to have it in the back of my mind when it came time to getting dressed this morning...

Jeans: Zara | Shirt: H&M | Sweater: Old Navy | Earrings: Aldo | Headband: J. Crew Factory | Flats: Me Too New York

Cold Shoulder

Just because it's winter, doesn't mean you can't set your shoulders free every now and then. We are having slightly milder temperatures lately, so I decided to wear my really old ivory off-the-shoulder sweater. The massive neck can be worn so many ways! It can be worn as a cowl neck, off one shoulder or off both! Choose whatever suits your mood. I really love this sweater because it keeps me nice and warm, but the open neckline really helps when you get just a little too warm. I also just wrap it around my neck under my coat when I go outside and doubles as a scarf. It's a really awesome sweater, no wonder I've hung onto it for all these years...

Jeans: Zara | Sweater: Dynamite (old) | Earrings: Smart Set | Coat: Esprit | Boots: Henri Pierre

Metallic Moto

At first glance, I feel this outfit clashed a little, but after looking at it a bit longer I enjoy the hardness of the motto jeans with the softness of the metallic lilac sweater. They complement one another well. I added a lighter lilac camisole under the sweater for extra warmth and extra interest! The sweater is a tad shorter, and I like to make sure I stay covered in the winter time! There is nothing worse than your shirt riding up underneath your coat and having a gust of chilly wind on your exposed mid-section! Layering really helps with that! I also added my good ol' brown boots. It is officially cold enough to revert to only wearing real winter boots. So, I apologize in advance for the repeats. I actually have more pairs than the average canuck, but still have a limited selection. Quality winter boots are an investment, so I intend to wear them as much as I can!

Jeans: Zara | Camisole: Smart Set | Sweater: Banana Republic | Earrings: (gift) | Scarf: Aldo | Headband: Aldo | Coat: Lululemon | Boots: Henri Pierre

Blushing Olive

So, I figured sweater weather was here to stay, therefore I wore jeans and a sweater today. Turns out I was wrong, it was way too hot for a sweater, never mind the winter outdoor accessories... I was dressed for -12 when in reality it was 12 degrees! It would appear the forecast is very mild this week, unusual for this time of year. I guess I won't complain, seeing as the entire roof of my house is being replaced this week. I'm happy Mother Nature is throwing us a bone! I'll just be sure to check the weather before automatically piling on the winter gear. Even though I was a bit on the warm side, I'm loving this combination of blush pink and olive. It's sweet, yet unexpected!

Jeans: Zara | Sweater: Old Navy | Earrings: Zara | Scarf: Old Navy | Coat: Reitmans | Tuque: Dynamite | Mittens: Dynamite | Booties: Very Volatile

Perfect Layer

It was back to the daily grind for me today... Staycation is over! My day started with a dentist appointment and ended with my usual tap class. It was a long day back for my first one. I decided to wear comfortable clothing and to layer, as it is bound to be colder by the time I get home. I decided on wearing my rubber boots, because the forecast was calling for rain. This open front cardigan is the best sweater. It is long, warm, cozy and burgundy! It's the perfect laying piece for the colder months, as it is long enough to cover the bum, which I like when waiting for buses in the cold. I predict I will be getting a lot of wear out of this piece this season.

Jeans: Zara | Shirt: Smart Set | Sweater: BP. (Nordstrom) | Necklace: Dynamite | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: Pandora | Earrings: (old) | Scarf: Zara | Boots: Giant Tiger

Proper Layer

I am beyond relieved that this monogrammed cape survived the flames. It was draped over my dress form, which was directly in front of the window of one of the worst-affected rooms. This was not an expensive cape, but it is a perfect dupe for the Burberry Prorsum colourblock cape from Fall 2014. I added the monogramming myself and it looks uncanny! This was a one in a million find and knew it would be irreplaceable. The fashion angels sure had my back on this save! This just goes to prove that its not the value of my lost clothing that upsets me, but rather the uniqueness of those special finds such as this one. A specially curated wardrobe is built over time. At least time is on my side for the rebuild. 

Jeans: Zara | Sweater: Banana Republic | Earrings: Anarchy Gallery | Watch: Fossil | Headband: J.Crew Factory | Cape: Dynamite | Pumps: Banana Republic

All Sun and Games

So the forecast for our fun little getaway was not great. It rained pretty much all day on the Saturday, at least until around 5 p.m. As much as I was prepared for that and enjoyed coulouring in the gazebo, I was hoping to do some of the activities the place had to offer. As soon as the skies cleared, I put on my swimsuit and tried my hand at paddle-boarding. I'd been wanting to give this a go for a long time and the opportunity finally presented itself. Turns out I was ok at it and didn't fall off, which means success in my book! We then were lucky enough to go on a sunset air-boat ride, during which we saw a rainbow and a bald eagle in flight. It was awesome! You really feel like you're flying! Afterwards, we enjoyed some pizza and headed for a couple rounds in the sauna, hot tub and cowboy shower. Once I was refreshed, it was time for a big campfire and homemade strawberry rhubarb pie! The day might have started out a little gloomy but, in the end, we made the most of our weekend!

I ended up wearing a few different outfits, but repeated many items. I try to keep things simple when packing for a small weekend getaways. There is no need to over pack and repeating items is the way to go! I wore the first look for lunch at the chip stand and a couple errands in town. The second was obviously to take part in all the water-related activities and the last look was worn for the campfire. A little sweater is great for when the sun goes down and pants and long sleeves are a must to keep the bug at bay!

P.S. Sorry for the frizzy hair, I had forgotten to take outfit pics on the day of, because I was in the moment, and taking them at the end of day means my hair was in contact with the humidity and went crazy.


Look 1 - In Town
Jeans: Zara | T-shirt: Banana Republic | Necklace: Dynamite | Earrings: Banana Republic | Scarf: Saachi | Flip Flops: Old Navy

Look 2 - Lakeside Activities
Swimsuit: Zara | Necklace: Dynamite | Earrings: Banana Republic | Flip Flops: Old Navy

Look 3 - Campfire Hangs
Jeans: Zara | Tank: Old Navy | Earrings: Banana Republic | Scarf: Saachi | Sweater: Jacob | Flats: Old Navy

Whimsical Biker

Casual Tuesday is a thing in my book, sometimes. I decided on brown biker jeans with a light polka dot shirt and fuchsia flats for an easy look. I had a full day of work, appointments and date night, so I wanted an outfit that would take me from one place to the other seamlessly. I wanted to be comfortable and practice, hence the flat footwear! The longer pants took me from day to night and the pop of colour matched my purse, so it was a win-win! 

Jeans: Zara | Camisole: Smart Set | Blouse: Old Navy | Earrings: Aldo (gift) | Purse: H & S Collection | Purse Pompom: Garage | Shoes: Qupid