Champagne and Rock & Roll.

I sat down to do some homework, so naturally my thoughts wondered to things I would rather be doing...like drinking mimosas. I wore the look below to the most fabulous brunch. It was fabulous, not just because of the mimosas, but because my sister and her family surprised my husband and I - coming all the way from Texas! Combine that with my hair and outfit being on point, and you have the makings of a wonderful day :) But back to the outfit. As I experiment with fashion, and different looks, I believe I am getting closer and closer to defining my own style. This outfit is definitely something that resonates with my consistent love of mixing styles and vibes. I scored this Marciano pencil skirt at a local thrift store. I was drawn to the print (ginhgam, so hot for spring/summer 2017) and the classic shape. It totally appeals to the preppy little part of my fashion heart. The structured print and shape of the skirt begged me to pair it with something...wilder(?) like a vintage band T. The red in the lips of the shirt was the perfect accent to this classic colour palette but the print made it so fun! Add some more fun accessories in the form of canvas runners and an emoji sprinkled, sporty clutch and you pretty much have 'me' represented in one outfit. Red lipstick...just made sense - it's a classic colour but  when you combine it with a slightly smoky, bronzy eye, you get a totally different vibe.  It was also a cute way to echo the print on the shirt and the lip pin emoji.  I hope that this post sparked some inspo to mix it up with your next brunch outfit - now let's go get a mimosa! Cheers :)

Skirt: Thrifted (this is cute). Tank top: Sirens (also cute). Shoes: Converse. Purse: Chapters Indigo (this alternative is so cute, I might need it too) (if you don't wanna buy the pins separately). Pins: Ardene's (so.many.pins). Glasses: Unkown (also cute). 

Maui Fever

Oh man. It's been a minute since I last blogged! School and work have been keeping me busy, but my husband and I were able to get away to Maui in April for the most wonderful family vacation. I had never been to Maui (or Hawaii) before, but I left with a deep love of the tropical scenery and laid back island vibes. I was crazy inspired by all the lush greenery and bright flowers - it really re-ignited my passion for photography. I was really feelin' the porch of the beach house we rented and I knew I had to shoot a blog post out on it. It had a jungle-esque vibe so I reached for my khaki skirt to start. I love pairing khaki with my striped button up so that was an obvious choice for me - the lightweight cotton did great in the heat and kept my arms and shoulders free from sunburns. I paired the look with a simple pair of flat, black sandals for comfort and ease. The fringed, black and white clutch was the perfect accessory - it was fun and detailed but still had an earthy texture. I wore this outfit out to breakfast with the family where I enjoyed my 50 millionth smoothie bowl of the trip. Haha. Just writing about it makes me wanna go back sooooo bad! I'm hooked. I might have to do another blog post featuring the rest of my Maui pics just to relive the memories. Thoughts? Would you like to see more pics from my trip? Lemme know in the comments below :)

Skirt: H&M (similar) // Button-up: Smart Set (similar) // Sandals: Forever21 (similar) (also cute) // Clutch: Mango (cute) // Sunglasses: Can't remember (cute) (also cute) // Necklace: Sam Moon (similar) // Ring: Stella & Dot

Desert Rose.

Guys! I've been sitting on this post for weeeeeeeks. Unfortunately, school has totally got in the way. Ugh. But slowly and surely I plugged away at it and now I can share one of my favourite posts to date. I've always wanted to shoot pictures in the desert. There is just something about that landscape that I find so beautiful and inspiring. So my dream location combined with one of my favourite trends of the moment is obviously going to equal my fave post everrrrr. To say that I am obsessed with the sheer lace trend this season is only a mild exaggeration. Back in the summer I was lucky enough to snag this lacy, embroidered top from Value Village for a steal and boy am I glad now. My Pinterest feed is teeming with see-through lace or mesh tops AND I LOVE IT. I even had to go out and get a lace body suit with long sleeves. You heard me...HAD to. I get that this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if the look intrigues you and you want to try it out, here are two tips that I hope will make it easier to wear.

1. You need the right bra. I think that anything underwire/push up-y would just be too much on top of the sheerness of the top. I definitely think this look calls for a soft fabric or lace bra or bralette, the prettier the better - it will be on display! Another option I am totally into is a barely noticeable, nude bra for a really provoking naked-esque look.

2. You need a high waisted bottom. Now this is just my own personal fashion opinion, but I think that if you leave your belly button uncovered it looks more like an outfit suited for the bedroom. The high waisted denim shorts I have on here were thrifted for me by my amazing sister. I can't thank her enough, they are the most perfect pair of 90's Levi heaven! And they probably cost her about $1.75...USD...$2.30 for us Canadians. To top it all off, I even got a day of fall sunshine in Osoyoos to wear them once before they have to be put away for next summer (*crosses fingers and hopes high waists are still in*).

PS. This lip colour...If you are totally into this 90's/grunge/greige/cool toned lip of the moment...this metallic purple grey is amazing. Link below :)

Top: Forever21- thrifted (similar). Bottoms: Levi - thrifted (similar). Belt: H&M. Bra: Forever21 (similar). Boots: Aldo (old) (similar). Jacket: H&M (old) (similar). Lips: Hard Candy Metallic Mousse in Smoke & Mirrors

Becoming me.

When there’s a lot I want to say in a blog post, I get overwhelmed. The more information I want to put down, the more intimidated I get to write it down. I’ve been sitting on these photos for a few weeks and I feel like a part of the delay in posting them was me putting off writing about them. I often ‘fantasize’ about getting rid of the writing in my blog, and only posting photos and links. I tell myself that this will ease my procrastinating about the blog, and in turn I will be more willing to post and increase my output. Every time I have this particular fantasy, I think about a yoga quote, “the places where you have the most resistance are actually the places that are going to be the areas of the greatest liberation.” I won’t deny it’s immediately perceived hokey-ness…but I also can’t deny it’s truth. It’s here in the writing where I struggle the most, but it’s also where I find such satisfying achievements. Sure, the blog is a great motivator for improving my photography and to push my fashion creativity, but these things do no scare me as much as putting myself and thoughts out there in writing. And if I didn’t feel the need to get personal beyond the images, then that would be fine too and I wouldn’t…but when I look at these pictures, I have so much I want to say about them. A small, nagging, doubting voice in my head whispers, “people don’t come here to listen to you wax poetic about something as silly as fashion” but it’s more than that and that’s what I really want to share. 

First, the new hair! What do you think? I LOVE IT! So, happy I pulled the trigger at the hair dressers. I was super nervous, my heart was pounding while I sat in the chair with all the bleach on my hair. I couldn’t be happier though. I really wanted it done before my birthday. It was kind of a celebration of the more confident person that I am becoming, and I really wanted it to show on such a milestone occasion. Birthdays are such great times to reflect on your past and get excited about the future. I have never felt as good as I do at this time in my life. I contribute it to a combination of better physical and mental health, largely aided by a daily yoga practice (or so I think). It’s fun to look back (in life and on the blog) and see how far I’ve come, but what’s more exciting is to look to the future and to anticipate where this upward trend will take me. I hope it will see me mastering more of my yoga and photography. Which leads me to the second thing I wish to share, I got a new camera lens for my birthday. It was a gift from family members, and I couldn’t be more thankful. Not only for such a generous gift, but more importantly for the show of love and encouragement towards my passion for photography. It’s such a great feeling when loved ones encourage your passion and growth. I loved how the photos turned out with the new lens and I can't wait to shoot more blogs and pictures with it. 

Well this blog has been a little long winded, so if you made it this far… thank you! And now for the super cute birthday outfit I rocked! PS. the cashier at Sephora said I looked, “hipster…but you know…in a good way.” I laughed because I had the exact same thought when I looked at myself in the mirror that morning. All joking aside, I am in love with this hat - hipster or not. I saw it at Dynamite and I allllllmost walked out without it. Thankfully, I had a moment where I told myself I would probably regret it if I didn’t get it. Oh man, I was so right. 

Hat: Dynamite (on sale!). Top: Forever21 (also on sale!). Jean shorts: Opening Ceremony (thrifted) (similar). Shoes: Spring (similar). Purse: vintage (thrifted)(similar). Sunglasses: Urban Planet (cute).

Art of the mix.

Nothing makes me happier than mixing prints, and really pulling them off. I know I pulled this one off when my husband looked at me and said, in shock, "That weirdly works". I feel like I earned a real fashionista badge of honour when I mixed plaid with leopard and stripes! This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I sure love it. Another thing I am in love with...my new hair! I've never been this blonde before, it's fun. I love it with the dark root, and also with the darker brows. It looks great with a red lip - my fave!

Jacket: J.Crew (old) (also cute). Dress: Alfred Sung (omg soooooo old, we're talking 8 years) (similar). Striped mock neck: H&M (similar + similar). Shoes: Forever21 (old) (very cute). Purse: Kate Spade (similar). Faux fur keychain: Dynamite (similar).