Work wardrobe...From basics to fun accessories!

Dressing for work can be difficult. Trying to balance work appropriate with fun while showing your personality. But just because your dressing for work doesn't mean it has to be boring. By creating a work wardrobe with some great basics that are still stylish and fashionable you have the perfect starting point for your 9 to 5 wear. Here is a great wardrobe to start off from that includes great neutral tones and some fabulous fit! Pencil skirts in neutral colours may seem understated but nothing looks better than a great fitting skirt. Make sure this form fitting beauty is not too tight or too short. Just above the knee or below would be perfect for the office. Every woman knows that a great staple in your wardrobe is a classic pair of black slacks. Look for a straight leg (and again not too tight) this will keep the slacks modern and versatile. Shoes...your basic wardrobe should have a couple pairs of neutral shoes. I think they are perfect for that day when your running out of the house. Grab a pair of these and they will always match your outfit. Basic black pumps are not only a great staple but are forever classic! Nude heels will not only elongate your legs but are so effortlessly perfect. Last a comfortable pair of flats. Don't go too casual here, there are so many options with flats your bound to find the perfect pair that are both comfortable and dressy. 

The ever classic button down top. A crisp white button down is a long time basic and perfect for any working girl! Add a little flair to the classic style buy wearing a flowy fabric in a neutral tone. Also another great option for the button down is a pull over. Taking the beloved classic up a notch. 

Lastly a great fitting black blazer. Not only will this never go out of style it is a working wardrobe must! (in my eyes) 

A fun and simple way to add some fun and colour to your wardrobe is by incorporating bright blazers! Choose your outfit and add a bright or patterned blazer. Instantly with one simple addition your outfit has a whole new look and feel!

Once you have your basics for your work wardrobe you can play with the look and add tons of interest and dimension by playing with jewelry and accessories. Add a pop of colour with your shoes, bracelets, earrings or purse. An outfit can instantly be transformed into something completely new by just adding a few accessories. 

Much Love!

all photos via polyvore. 

Conquered my struggles and weight gain! Outfit Post

With this blog I have been somewhat hesitant to share too much personal information. Partially to keep some of my life private as well as unsure that people would really want to know. That being said this is a little more personal than usual but I am so happy and to be honest quite proud of myself.

After my mom passed away in April of 2010 I began a hard battle with a horrible bout of depression. It honestly seemed as though myself and my life were ripping apart at the seams and I couldn't hold it together. I new I needed help and with that I sought help from my family doctor who referred me to some others. I was however put on a strong dose of anti-depressants as well as sleeping aids as nighttime seemed to be the worst. I talked through my problems and issues and brought back up many things from the past. It seemed though that things would never go back to the way they were.

While dealing with the depression and being on the medication I gained weight. I guess its a well known fact that many anti-depressants have this terrible side effect but I could not afford to be off the medication as it was helping me through my struggles. The weight gain became its own struggle in and of itself. I was horrified that I had become the biggest I have ever been and I hated it.

Eventually I was able to lower the medication and stop taking the sleep aids. (The sleep aids were also another form of anti-depressants and are one of the worst for weight gain) I slowly started to regain my shape again. It looked as though my body was bloated with water. I hated getting dressed and looking at my clothes that no longer fit.

The jeans that I am wearing in this photo I have not been able to wear since June or July of 2010. I have not even attempted to try them on in the past 2 years as I knew they would not fit. They are the smallest pair of jeans I own and I kept them as a push to regain the body I had and lose the weight I had gained. Today for some reason I decided to try them on and was amazed as I slid them past my butt and was able to actually do them up.

So I can finally say I kicked the weights ass and have lost the weight I gained in about 5 months. I am so happy to finally be where I was (although maybe a tiny tiny bit bigger). I am going to try and lose a little more and putting those jeans on was the push to make me do so!

What I'm wearing:

Sunglasses - RayBan Wayfarer. Find them here.
Top - Flowy white tank by Vivienne Tam.
Jeans - American Eagle skinny jeans. Find similar here.
Bag - American Eagle Deux Lux grey purse. (purchased the other day from Winners so I couldn't find it online.
Shoes - Turquoise platform stilettos by Qupid.
Jewelry - 3 piece studded ring set from Forever21, Gold cross ring from Forever21.
Watch - Nixon in Small Player. Find it here.

Much Love!

Epitome of a girly home! Friday Love...

Stark white, pops of bright colour, girly and all with a little eclectic mix thrown in. I came across this beautiful home tour via Style at Home and I had to share it with you. The owner of this adorable, stunning space is Marlie Waks, sister of the design editor of Style at Home Jessica Waks. The two paired up and designed a space that would be perfectly in tune with Marlies personality. They also wanted to reflect Marlies love of white rooms and furniture. Throwing in loads of colour to contrast the neutral pallet this condo is the epitome of a girly home. I adore the colours, pink and orange with pops of yellow. What girl wouldn't love to live here? And those Chanel prints above her couch? Love! 

Much Love and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Nude and Coral manicure....Tutorial...

Through different seasons I always end up finding my new favourite colour for that time of year. At the beginning of Spring this year I came across a nude polish by Loreal titled Walk on the beach. I cannot begin to describe how much I adore this shade. The polish itself is so great, its not too thin so two coats is perfect coverage and it dries fairly quickly with the perfect amount of shine. I have a feeling I will be wearing this polish throughout the entire year. Another colour that I am obsessed with this summer is titled Club Havana  by Wet n' Wild. I cannot believe the quality of this polish after spending less than $3 for it. The polish is very pigmented so with skill one coat would be sufficient. The colour is a beautiful mix of coral and a subtle orange. I do not think I would ever be daring enough to slap on an orange polish but this one is perfectly in between.

Last night I got my nails filed and ready for a fresh coat of polish and it seems I am always torn between these two shades I have trouble deciding which one to go with. Both! So the only thing I could do was wear both shades in a French manicure style and I adore the two shades together just as much as apart.

Much Love and Happy Friday!!

Laughter captured in a photo....Outfit post outtakes...

Summer, how much I love it I could honestly not even begin to describe. This year has been absolutely amazing so far. With so much time spent with friends and family in this beautiful weather I could not ask for anything more. Also I feel like such a little kid right now as I am counting down the days to my birthday, even know getting older is sometimes a little scary (mind you Im not that old lol) I enjoy my birthday each year. Not only is it usually a fun celebration but its a time to get together with the ones I love and have a blast! This being said 11 days til the big day. 

When going through the photos and editing I always find myself laughing at a lot of the photos that were taken. "What the heck am I doing there?" I try not to pose to much in my photos, I tend to feel more comfortable to just moving and walking around. When I pose, they look posed and I end up looking ridiculous. When I am just being myself they turn out so much better. (mind you not all) As you will see from these photos they also capture my true silly personality. It seems everytime I head out to take photos I end up laughing hysterically at something. So here are a few outtakes, and some that made it from previous outfit posts. 

See....What is going on in the above picture? I love being able to laugh at myself. (I think this may have been the aftermath of a huge bug landing on me)

Much Love...and Happy Friday!

DIY Cap Toe Pumps...

For this project I chose to use Martha Stewart Crafts multi surface acrylic paints. A regular white for the base coat as I wanted the green to really pop. The main colour I used the same Martha Stewart multi surface in Sea Glass. I love this almost sea foam, mint green colour! Against the dark brown of my shoes it really pops! 

1. Tape off the toe of the shoe pressing down the tape firmly so you do not get any bleeding. If there is a noticeable sole (or even a small one in my case) tape that as well to make it easier to paint without any slips. 

2. Paint each toe with a coat of white paint for the base coat. I did not worry about it being perfect I just wanted to make sure there was enough coverage.

3. Add two coats of your colour of choice and remove the tape before it dries. And voila! Your very own personalized cap toe shoes. How easy was that? I had a little bit of bleeding onto the sole of the shoe but with a little nail polish remover and a Qtip it comes off so easily.

Much Love...

It's empty in the valley of your heart. The sun, it rises slowly as you walk. (outfit post)

What Im wearing:

Sunglasses - A great go to pair of vogue oldies.
Top - Vivienne Tam white tank.
Bottoms - Coral skinny jeans. I bought these jeans this weekend and am in love with the colour of them!
Shoes - Colour splotch pumps by Naughty Monkey. I adore these heels, I love the bright colours and the little leather bow on the back.
Belt - My beloved brown leather belt by Tommy Hilfiger.
Bag - Black leather envelope clutch. I made this bag today and am so pleased at how it turned out. I have never made a bag before, nor have I sewn with leather so I was nervous. Pleasantly surprised at the end result.
Jewelry - Necklace - Gold leaf from Forever21. Ring - gold bauble from H&M.

Title lyrics - Mumford and Sons - The Cave.

Much Love...

Black suit jacket number two...Outfit Post

Keeping in tune with my post yesterday, I mentioned wearing 5 different outfits this week while showcasing one main item of clothing. A little black suit jacket. Here is number two in serious of outfit posts. Keeping a blog and showcasing your clothing really makes you notice what items you tend to gravitate to more often, what colours you wear more and I knew this already but somehow seeing it in photos makes it more apparent how much I wear white. (Also how stark white my legs are! So happy the rest of this weeks forecast is sunny skies and warm weather. Hopefully get these legs a tan...)

What I am wearing:

Sunglasses - Vogue oldies (there seems to be a trend of opting for these this Spring/Summer)
Jacket - Black cropped sleeve suit jacket from Dynamite
Top - White basic tank from Vivienne Tam.
Belt - Brown leather with silver buckle by Tommy Hilfiger (best leather belt seriously my everyday belt for the past 5 years its amazing!) Find a similar style here.
Shorts - Light grey casual short from Gap
Shoes - Grey braided leather with cork wedge by Charles Albert.
Jewelry - This is one of my favourite simple necklaces, it was my moms and I adore it : ). Various bracelets and rings.
Purse - Coral clutch with gold buckle
Nail Polish - Wet n' Wild in Club Havana. (Find it here) I am loving this nail polish more than I thought I would when I first applied it the other day, its such a great shade between orange and coral.