Feeling Tribal

I have slowly been packing away my winter clothes and replacing them with pieces I bought last summer. I was so excited to rediscover this fun tribal print top from Forever 21 that I had bought last July and then tucked away in October... There are so many great colours in this print that I can pair with almost any of my bright coloured denim. I went right for my purple jeans for this ensemble and a black blazer because it is still rather chilly! I love how a print like this makes me feel like summer is right around the corner, yet it is totally appropriate and wearable right now... I found these 3 tribal print tops from forever21.com for $17.80 each! Are you a fan of the tribal trend too?

        
                 Check out these links to find these 3 tops from Forever 21 ~

http://canada.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=top&ProductID=2000039648

http://canada.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=top&ProductID=2062097462

http://canada.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=top&ProductID=2000018898


          

Sexton In The City ~ What I Wore

I hope you were able to catch my Sexton In The City segment with Kate Carnegie last night! We talked about the iconic Audrey pants and my top 10 best beauty buys under $10 ... Lately I have received some amazing messages from readers and it makes me so happy to know that I am helping women look and feel better about themselves... And I hope you are all enjoying the tv segments too, I'm having a ball!! Yesterday I wore a black and white polka dot dress that I bought last week at Forever 21 for $23.80, I love polka dots and this dress has such a retro vibe. It reminded me of something that Zooey Deschanel would wear and I adore her style! I had to pair my red patent pumps with it for a pop of colour and of course red lipstick (Essence lipstick in Red $2.99) to complete the look... Are you a polka dot fan too?

Forever 21 Self Tie Polka Dot Dress $23.80

April's Top 10 Beauty Buys Under $10

Don't you just love a deal?! I know I certainly do, this is a list of "beautiful" bargains for us gals who want to have fabulous products without breaking the bank... I will be posting a list of my favourite ten beauty buys for under $10 at the end of every month, I hope you enjoy these budget friendly products just as much as I do... All of the pictured beauty buys are available at Shoppers Drug Mart ( Essence, Yes To, Quo and Gosh are exclusive to Shoppers) and Joe Fresh Beauty available at local Fortinos in Hamilton and you can check joefresh.ca for your closest store. I would really love your feedback on any of these products that you try... Ladies, I wish you a guilt-free shopping spree!!

Top 10 Beauty Buys Under $10 ~

Makeup ~

1. Lips - Essence Lipstick $2.99. There are 10 beautiful shades available and the creamy texture will leave your lips feeling moisturized and looking fabulous. My personal favourite is Red!

2. Lipgloss - Essence Stay With Me Long Lasting Lipgloss $2.99. This pretty gloss is rich in colour and very creamy without feeling sticky. Six gorgeous colours available, I love and have them all!

3. Bronzer - Joe Fresh in Golden $8. This is a universally flattering bronzer that will give you just the right sun-kissed glow with a hint of shimmer. You can wear this now and right through the summer, try dusting this bronzer along your collar bone when your wearing a strapless dress for a subtle sexy glow!

4. Mascara  - Joe Fresh Black Lash Plump Mascara $8. This clump free mascara will leave your lashes looking full and natural, the wand is easy to use and gets every last lash. Use two coats on the top and one coat on the bottom for a perfectly polished look day or night!

Hair  ~

5. Hair Protector - Gosh - Some Like It Hot! Thermal Hair Spray $9.99. You can use this on wet or dry hair, this spray is designed to protect your hair from the damage caused by hot styling tools while providing hold, control and texture. An absolute must have for any gal with a straightener for a smooth finish!

6. Leave-In Treatment - Gosh -Treat Me! Leave In Conditioner $9.99. This is an amazing treatment that contains shea butter and panthenol. It will hydrate, detangle and protect your hair and leave it soft and shiny. Use it once or twice a week after shampooing to rehydrate and restore your hair's natural lustre!


Nails ~

7. Nail Polish - Joe Fresh Nail Polish $4 each or 3 for $10.  With so many amazing shades to choose from Joe Fresh makes it easy to stock up on their fun polish colours at this price. They range from soft pink for the classic manicure to bright green for the fun summer pedicure!

8. Manicure Kit - Quo Spring Circle Manicure Set $10. The perfect 6 piece mini tool kit to keep your nails healthy and gorgeous and for such a great price it is a must have!


Skin Care ~

9.  For The Face - Yes To Cucumbers Facial Towelettes 30/$9.99. These are so gentle on the skin and easily remove dirt and makeup without needing to rinse. They are all natural and biodegradable and the skin softening cucumber and aloe vera will leave you glowing. These are great for all skin types and perfect for a gal on the go!

10. For The Body - Yes To Carrots Daily Moisture Body Lotion $8.99. This lotion will leave your skin feeling hydrated and nourished. A medley of orange veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin) provide a natural source of vitamin A and beta carotene which help restore your skin's natural glow while leaving your skin protected. And the bonus, it smells wonderful!

Stripe Envy

It is no secret that I adore Olivia Palermo's style, she is able to mix classic pieces with trendy ones with such ease... Like Olivia I also share a fondness for stripes so I was totally inspired by these pics of her when I put this ensemble together. I bought this navy and white striped top from the Forever 21 "basics" line for $12.80, I also bought one in yellow and white and one in pink and white! (I always buy great basics in multiples)... I paired my stripes with an a-line chambray skirt that I've had forever (seriously!) and my leopard wedges which were totally influenced by Olivia's leopard flats. And voila, instantly chic! Is there a celebrity that you look to for fashion inspiration?

The Icon and The Pants

   In my opinion there is no woman past or present who can hold a candle to the ever classic and sophisticated Audrey Hepburn... Her style was effortless and she made the most practical pieces look impossibly chic, she sparked fashion trends that have never left us. One of my favourite "Audrey" pieces that every woman should have in her wardrobe is a pair of black cigarette pants, they should be slim fitting but have some stretch in them so you can move and sit comfortably and they should hit at the ankle or just above... You can pair them with cute flats and a striped t-shirt for day or a pretty blouse and heels for work, then take them into the fall with booties and a simple turtleneck. We can all emulate Audrey in these pants and they are practical for every woman in any lifestyle! I found my slim cropped black pants at The Gap for $59.50 (well worth the investment), they offer sizes 00 to 16 (also in petite and tall) and they are 95% cotton and 5% spandex... I wanted to show you 4 ways to wear these pants from day to night, this is a key piece to add to your closet today... I promise you will wear them again and again!!

1. Fashionista Out For Dinner ~ Add a fun top, a cropped blazer and your go-to pumps for a dinner date ~

2. Stylish At Work ~ They are perfect paired with a floaty top and peep toe heels for the office ~

3. The Weekend Uniform ~ A classic striped top with a printed scarf are the ideal pairing! ~

 

           4. Gal On The Go ~ Cute flats and a bright knit for running errands in ~

                                            The Slim Cropped Pant from The Gap $59.50
                                              ( I am wearing these pants in all my pics)

Teal~ing Groovy!

I am going to start off this post with a confession... I have this dress in 5 colours... Yes, I know... But it was on sale for $13 at Forever 21 at the end of the winter and it really is such an adorable cut and fit, I have it in black, grey, red, pink and I'm wearing my favourite colour of all teal! After posting about what to wear to a wedding last week I started thinking about what would I wear to the bridal showers I'm invited to? While "shopping my closet" I came up with this ensemble, I love the coral accessories they are the perfect accents... You want to look chic and classy at a bridal shower, a sweet dress or a floaty top and skirt are the perfect outfit, you will look stylish and not over the top. For hair and makeup I went for an unfussy ponytail and a pop of colour on the lips, you want a simple and sophisticated daytime look... What would you wear to a bridal shower?

Cheerfully Cold

First off let me say, "Brrrrr!!"... It is quite cold today in Hamilton, and apparently we're in for this for the next few days! Since I have no control over this miserable weather I figure I can at least dress in fun bright spring colours and really, is there any colour more cheerful than yellow? I have been having a lot of fun lately with pairing contrasting colours together and I love the way my yellow scarf and purple jeans look together, this is such a great colour combo... Hopefully we won't have to "bundle up" for spring for much longer! What do you wear when the weather is crummy? Do you choose brighter colours to cheer yourself up too?

Sexton In The City ~ What I Wore

 I always have such a great time doing my Sexton In The City segment with Kate Carnegie, this week we talked about what to wear to a wedding and how to create a pretty gold eye and pink lip... I love that I get to talk about all the things I am passionate about (I could go on and on, seriously) and I hope you are all enjoying the segments too! I wore a dress I bought a few months ago from H&M, it is actually on sale right now for $15 right now... Although it was only $20 when I bought it in pink houndstooth, black and white houndstooth and plain black (what can I say, when I like something I buy in multiples!)... With the dress being a bold print I kept everything else neutral and wore a black skinny belt, black tights and cute black suede pumps... And of course my new favourite lip colour, matte "Fuchsia" lipstick by Joe Fresh I'm on a bit of a pink kick right now, do you have a colour you are wearing alot of these days too?

Wigging Out

Instead of posting pics of my beautiful brides this week I thought I would share some pics from a recent photo shoot that I worked on with the very talented photographer Tyson Dore ~ Light Republic... This was a two day shoot for a wig catalogue and we had a great time, I even tried on a few wigs for fun ( I definitely won't be getting a perm or going blonde anytime soon!!) The group of models were absolutely stunning and a pleasure to work with... I was able to really have fun with the makeup and play up their eyes and lips for lots of drama... I hope you enjoy the pics!

                                                

                                                  

'Tis Wedding Season

'Tis the season ladies! It is the perfect time to buy a new dress or shoes or jewellery or all 3! I know the big question that comes to mind for me when we receive a wedding invite is "Ooh, what will I wear?!" I definitely think a dress is always appropriate for this occasion and it is an easy piece to have fun with... Of course there are a few things to keep in mind when you are choosing your ensemble... Is it an indoor or outdoor venue? Is it casual or formal? Is it a day or evening wedding? A few rules to follow as well are to keep your outfit chic and classic avoid anything too tight or too short and remember white is for the bride only! Keeping all of these factors in mind I have come up with some great options to help you choose your best look... I created all of these looks from dresses I already have in my closet, sometimes by simply adding a new necklace or fun heels or a belt or wearing a pretty pashmina as a shawl can change the look of your dress altogether. It's great when you can "shop your own closet" ... I used one of my favourite fashion icons Reese Witherspoon as inspiration for all of my looks. She always looks radiant, on trend and totally chic on and off the red carpet... Using these looks I've styled I hope I can help inspire your wedding attire this summer and save you time and money too!


 

Option 1 ~ The Little Black Dress ~ We all have a black go-to dress in our closet (or we should!) that can easily be played up with fun shoes and bright or bold accessories... Try it paired with hot pink or bright yellow heels and a matching clutch, this look works for any type of wedding day or night and black is always chic and sophisticated. Pull your hair up into a cute topknot and try a punchy spring lip colour, I love Joe Fresh Matte lipstick in Fuchsia or Melon!

Option 2 ~ The Print Dress ~ You don't want to be too casual at a wedding so choose a print in a pretty style that highlights your waist and choose a floaty chiffon or taffeta fabric... Opt for cheery pretty prints, this is a celebration after all! This is a great look for an outdoor ceremony and can be worn with metallic flat sandals or fun wedge heels which will both work if you are going to be in the grass. Just avoid flip-flops and lightweight cotton or jersey fabrics, they'll come off looking like beachwear not wedding attire. You can play up your makeup with pretty pastels and keep your hair soft and wavy or pull it up for a simple and classic look which is also fantastic for a hot day at an outdoor ceremony!

Option 3 ~ The Classic Sheath In Colour ~ A classic sheath dress should be slim and close fitting (not tight) and a back slit or pleat keeps it walkable but most importantly danceable! They also look great with a simple skinny belt or ribbon around your waist with that being the focal point of the dress, this is a flattering silhouette for all women... Have fun with this look and choose a bright colour sheath to play up the simplicity of the dress, try a pair of satin or metallic heels for a touch of sexy... This is a perfect dress to take you from afternoon ceremony to evening celebration and the bonus... it is the dress you will wear again and again! Go for bouncy curls and a pretty pink lipgloss with this look, it has a subdued bombshell vibe!

Option 4 ~ The Glam Dress ~ Go for a notice me dress but keep your look elegant, showing too much skin or too much sparkle just looks tacky... One shoulder styles are right on trend along with pleats and strapless styles. Satin, jacquard and silk are fabulous fabrics for these frocks. Go for simple and classic accessories and let the dress be the standout piece, an elegant unfussy updo or tousled waves and bold lips are the must have finishing touches. This is the perfect look for a formal evening wedding, you'll look polished and beautiful!

Golden~Eye

I have always been a fan of metallic eye makeup, it can be worn soft and sheer or fierce and bold depending on the look you are going for... Golds are so versatile and a great alternative to the smokey eye, they warm up every skin tone and are so pretty to wear during the spring and summer months. I am going to teach you to do a pretty gold eye in 5 easy steps that you can wear to work or out on the weekend. The eye makeup I used is by GOSH (which I absolutely love!) available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart and the prices are phenomenal!

Use your foundation to even out your skin and sweep a shimmery peach blush along the apples of your cheeks
Apply a pretty pink lip gloss to your lips

Now for the eyes~
1. Pick your favourite bronze or copper eye shadow
2. Apply to the top lid from your lash line to the crease
3. Highlight the brow bone and the inner corners with gold eye shadow pigment (you can use this product wet or dry)
4. Apply dark brown eyeliner to the top lash line and apply along the bottom lash line and blend with a q-tip
5. Apply 2 coats of mascara to top and bottom lashes


Makeup pictured that I used to create my look~



GOSH Mineral Colour Pigments in 02 Gold, $12
GOSH Mono Eye Shadow in 009 Copper, $12
GOSH Volume Lip Shine in 01 Soft Coral, $15
GOSH Show Me Volume Mascara in Carbon Black, $15