Ruffled.

My love of the ruffle skirt started when Blair of Atlantic-Pacific rocked hers, a bold red-on-red  ensemble that was genius (as is everything she does, in my humble opinion). After that, one of my other instagram favorites, Pretttylittlelayers, was also killing me with her ruffled, gingham number. So, when I saw this beauty on the sale rack at J. Crew...I almost ran to it! Seriously. It was definitely a fast walk. I paired the embroidered lace top with it, channeling some Dolce & Gabbana vibes, and I couldn't be happier how it turned out! Thanks to my boo, Jenna, of The Nourished Vibe for snapping some pics for me as I twirled around Fort Langley. Thanks girl! Now I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled for inspo from other fashionistas, and see what other outfits I can dream up with this skirt.  Tell me, what would you pair with this skirt??

 Skirt: J. Crew (also cute). Top: Forever21 (thrifted) (similar, cute). Shoes: GoJane (so many cute alternatives! one, two, three, and these would have been cute too!). Purse: Vintage (similar, this would be cute too). Sunglasses: random market purchase (similar).

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