outfit of the day

Since summer is nearly done (can you believe it's September already?!) I thought I would share my outfit of the days from the last few months to end off the season.

summer nights

Although it's very close, summer is not quite over, and there's still plenty of time to take advantage of the weather and fun activities. I find people (including myself) sometimes find it stressful to dress up for nights out in the hotter months, as you want to dress light and fun, but not look too day-timey. Usually accessories and especially shoes and bags, can help you dress up an outfit, but also don't be afraid to wear something a bit darker and heavier, if it is for a more formal occasion.

Towards the end of the summer I tend to wear lots of light colours, since I know I won't be able to in about a month's time, but I also don't wear a lot of bright colours because I usually reserve those for the high summer. I love this outfit for a semi-dressy evening out for dinner, perhaps for a celebration. The dress itself could go either way (casual or dressy) depending how you accessorize, so for this particular look I opted for fancy accessories in a gold tone.

Dress: Chicwish

Necklace: Jane Norman

Bag: Saint Laurent

Pumps: Jimmy Choo

This summer I tried very hard to not wear as much black, and while I definitely didn't cut the colour out completely, I was pretty successful. For an outfit like this, I would've typically worn the romper with black shoes and a purse, but I love the look without black as well, especially for a night out in the summer. If you're worried about it being too much pink, the shoes are more of a beige and so they act as a neutral, which just makes the romper pop even more. But you could always do a light grey or white shoe and accessories if you prefer. You could wear this type of outfit with a white blazer for a dressier night as well, but throw on a denim jacket and you could also wear it for a more casual dinner or movie. (As you can probably tell, denim jackets are my go-to cover up in summer!)

Romper: Nelly

Earrings: Colette Hayman

Rings: Accessorize

Bag: Kate Spade

Sandals: H&M

As much as I love dresses and rompers and all things flowy in the summer, there are nights when I want to dress up and stick with pants. I tend to go for white jeans this time of year because they are lighter and give out a more summery vibe. I find white jeans are the black jeans of summer; they still go with everything, and you can dress them up or down. If you want to really dress up your white denim, go for an all-white look, with black and silver accessories. The colour palette is so classic and chic. I just added pink pumps and lipstick for that extra bit of summer colour, but neutral would also work.

Top: Coast Stores

Jeans: Tory Burch

Necklace: Style Moi

Bracelets: Guess

Clutch: Whistles

Pumps: Christian Louboutin

Lipstick: Clinique Chubby Stick

As much as I talk about not wearing black in the summer, black is classic, and you shouldn't be afraid to rock it in the warmer weather. A black jumpsuit is perfect for a summer night; go for a style like this for an event, or a just a jersey one with thin straps and a denim jacket for something a bit more laid back.

Jumpsuit: Stella McCartney

Necklace: Robert Rose

Ring: Effy Jewelry

Bag: Saint Laurent

Shoes: New Look

toronto island

Last week my sister and I took a little trip over to Toronto Island via ferry just to spend some time outdoors, away from the busyness of the city. Little did we know there was going to be a heat wave that day (I rarely check the temperature before I leave the house in the summer; all I know is it's hot and sunny and therefore I'm wearing shorts and skirts), and although we were a bit dehydrated and almost got heat stroke, it was still such a fun day spent with each other and revisiting the place we used to go to so often as little kids.

classic summer prints

It seems every season we invest in brand new trendy pieces that we always say we'll wear again and again, but somehow only last us through the season. However, in reality, a lot of trends and prints come back in style year after year, with a subtle twist. So I'm going to show you some classic summer prints that you should invest in, and if you already own these prints, you should break them out of your closet and put a 2015 spin on them.

weekend highlights

This weekend was one of the most eventful and fun weekends I've had in a very long while. I usually don't do much on weekends other than work and see a movie every once in a while, but this weekend was so amazing.

cool spring day

Amongst all the hot and humid days we've had over the last week or so, the day I went to the Mamma Mia X Inglot launch it really cooled down. The sky was grey, it was a tad windy, and let's just say I had to make some tweaks to the outfit I had planned. In the end, I'm happy it was a little cooler, and that it's been cooling off this week as well. I feel like we skipped right over spring this year and headed into summer weather, and as I've said many times before, spring is one of my favourite seasons for fashion. Not quite shorts and tank season yet, spring weather lets you wear jean jackets and flowy pants without getting overheated. But I did want to share with you the outfit I wore to the Inglot event.

Summer Highlights

Now that I'm finally getting back into the school year swing of things, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this awesome summer. Even though I'm not going back to school this September (which will be a bit weird), things are definitely going to be different than they were these past few months. And as excited as I am to start this new year, I am going to really miss this summer and some of the wonderful experiences I got to enjoy during it. So here were my summer highlights.

Robyn Styles turned 1!

Started as a fashion contributor for My City Gossip

Lots of birthday celebrations with great friends

Completed my fashion styling program

Attended super cool fashion events

Saw some amazing concerts

Had a girl's cottage getaway

Actually got to spend some time outdoors

And finally...

Ended off the summer with my favourite event of the year...

Fanexpo!

I hope you all had an amazing summer too, and here's to a great Fall! Visit my Instagram for even more pics from the summer!

Bohemian Girl

This was the other outfit shoot I did at the cottage, oh about a month and a half ago. There were just other posts I kept working on to post and this one kind of got pushed to the bottom of the list. But it's finally done! And even though it's now September (can you believe it?!), because of the fabrics (suede) and colours (brown) used in an outfit like this, it can still be worn into Autumn. It may be too cold for shorts though, so trade them in for baggy distressed denim, or switch out the lightweight kimono for a slouchy knit cardigan!

The first outfit post from the cottage, Oh So Nautical, I chose my outfit based on the location (in this case, the lake). But the path from the cottage to the dock and lake is very woodsy, and the deck and stairs are beautiful and made of wood, and so I also chose an outfit based on that location to shoot. I felt the wood and and trees gave off a bohemian vibe, and so that is what this outfit is based off. I kept the look very slouchy and relaxed, and used a lot of earth tones and neutral colours. Enjoy!

Top: Joe Fresh

Kimono: H&M

Shorts: Forever 21

Sunglasses: Aldo

Flower Headband: H&M

Boots: Top Shop

Purse: Urban Outfitters

Photographer: Elana Emer

Summer Must-Do's

As September draws closer and closer, I keep thinking about how my summer has been so far and if I've been enjoying it. Sometimes it's hard to tell when you're so busy and constantly doing things, and you just need to take a minute, step back, and reflect. And even though I have been working non-stop (not that I'm complaining), I am doing other things that make me happy, and I have come to the conclusion that yes, I am having an amazing summer. Even if you live and breathe work and barely get a day to yourself, be sure and take a day off once in a while and do at least a few of the things on my summer must-do list.

1. Go to a concert

I generally go see live music all-year round, but there's just something about an outdoor concert in the summer. What's better than listening to your favourite band live outside when the weather is beautiful?

2. Sit by the water

For me it doesn't get any better than lying in my backyard with a good book and getting some colour (I am extremely pale and so any chance I get I am putting on the tanning oil and sitting outside). But there is no better feeling than taking a break from the sun rays and going for a quick dip in the pool, lake, or ocean.

3. Stay in

Some weeks I work almost every day, and since I'm on my feet the whole time, when I do get a day off I love just being off my feet, staying in bed or on the couch and just reading or watching movies. It really gives my feet a well-deserved break! Especially if you've been spending your summer going crazy with partying and going out, it's good to give yourself (and your body) a break once in a while.

4. Go out

Once you've had that day to relax, it's time to go out! Whether for a friend's birthday, to celebrate a special event, or just because, take advantage of what I call no-coat-check season, and dance the night away.

5. Create your own summer cocktail

Something about the summer always makes me want to sip cold, fruity, alcohol-infused drinks out of a cute cocktail glass. I'm not one to stick with conventional cocktails (and I never have the right ingredients in my house), so I usually just end up mixing a bunch of random things together and it always ends up tasting good.

6. Spend time outdoors

Even if you're working a lot, even if you hate being outside, even if you'd rather be doing something else, take some time and spend it outside in this gorgeous summer weather (it won't last for much longer). There are tons of shops and patios down on Queen and King West; there are various parks and conservation areas in the city if you want to take a picnic or a book to read; and there are free movies being shown in various parks around Toronto all summer.

7. Be a tourist

Do something different that this beautiful city has to offer. In Toronto you can go to the Distillery District, Ripley's Aquarium, Centre Island, the zoo, and many other things. And other cities have similar, awesome things to try!

8. Do something that makes you happy

That something may have been listed above, but if not (or even if it is), just do whatever comes to mind when you think about being happy. Being the geek that I am, for me this is going to Fan Expo, a Toronto convention (think Comic Con) at the end of the summer. Going with my best friend (my sister), it's always the perfect way to end my summer.

What's on your summer to-do list?

Transitions

To me fall is all about transitions. We’re transitioning from warmer to cooler weather and from summer to back-to-school. And if you’ve just graduated, like me, you’re transitioning from one point in your life to another. So since this is a fashion and style blog, I thought I’d make a post about transitioning your summer fashion to fall. Just because I have my fall wardrobe ready and raring to go, I know most people like to hold on to their summer styles for as long as they can, before it’s absolutely necessary to bundle up.

A good way to wear your summer brights and neons into the fall is to pair them with a darker colour, either a neutral or a paler shade of the same colour as the statement piece.

You could pair this neon pink blouse from Style Says Shop with these khaki green cargo pants from H&M. I also love this look because the trousers give the outfit an edgier, more masculine feel while the blouse makes it feel more feminine. Alternatively, pair the blouse with pale pink trousers, like these from Gap. The cords also give the outfit more of a fall feel. Throw a black blazer on top of either outfit to complete the look.

Another way to style a bright colour for the autumn would be to wear it in a shoe or accessory, like a statement necklace. The rest of the outfit can be warmer colours or neutrals. The picture below is from Liliaki’s blog, and the necklace is styled perfectly for autumn (snake skin is very in for fall 2013).

As mentioned in my previous post, fall must haves, you can wear shorts in the fall, in fabrics like tweed or leather, by layering them over thick tights. But if you want to transition some of your summer shorts in lighter fabrics into the early autumn, just pair them with a thinner nylon in a translucent shade.

You probably don’t want to do floral or lace, since it might look too contrasted with the nylons, so a black or beige in a light summer material would be perfect. Even denim looks great with this look, including short overalls, like these ones from House of Fraser.

Neutrals

Summer inspires people to wear bright pops of colour, whether a statement piece or a colour-blocked outfit. But don't be afraid to tame your summer instincts, especially this summer when neutrals are one of the hottest trends.

Pair a neutral bottom (white, light taupe, dusty rose) with a top of a different neutral. You can do any two (or even three) colours together; since they’re all neutral, they all match!

If you're feeling daring, do an all white outfit (see below). Even though it's a very simple and innocent colour, the delicate crochet top contrasts nicely with the ripped boyfriend jeans to create a daring combination.

If you feel too naked you can always add a black or darker colour on the bottom (like I did below), or even just as a belt or accessory. 

How are you wearing the neutral trend this summer?

Top: H&M

Boyfriend jeans: American Eagle Oufitters

Blazer: H&M

Shorts: H&M

Necklace: H&M

Clutch: H&M

Graduation

So I’ve finally graduated from University! I am now the proud owner of a business degree from Ryerson University.  These past four years have been amazing, and I feel so accomplished to have graduated.  I definitely recommend doing a post-secondary degree; it gives you a great background in whatever field you’re interested in (or even a general program if you’re still not sure what path you’re on), as well as gives you some time after high school to decide what exactly you want to do with your life.  I know I’ve really grown as a person these last four years, and figured out what I’m in to. 

In terms of outfit, I decided on a lovely coral dress with a tulip skirt- I found the colour to be very inspiring for summer.  I paired it with nude wedges and a floral clutch.  Luckily it was a beautiful summer day, and I had a blast.

Dress: Honey

Shoes: Aldo

Clutch: Aldo