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?

Oh So Nautical

This was one of the outfit shoots I did at the cottage a few weeks ago. I knew we had a beautiful dock to work with and that I would be able to take pictures right by the lake, and so I wanted to do something that fit in really well with water. And what better for that than a blue and white striped dress with splashed of red (and the life ring!)?

A few years ago when the nautical trend was really starting to make its way into fashion, I learned that a very effective way to pull off the trend was to pair blue and white striped pieces with hints of red or yellow. Those colours really do seem to look the best with stripes, and I have continued to keep that trick in mind even until now. I also heard that adding a brown braided belt with a nautical outfit is reminiscent of ropes on a sail boat, and so that is always a really good thing to add to an outfit like this as well. So for this nautical look I added splashes of red in my clutch and lipstick, and a brown belt and chunky heels. Enjoy! P.S. Can you tell this is one of my favourite purses? (I've now featured it in 3 outfits posts!)

Dress: H&M

Hat: Urban Heritage

Clutch: JNB via Marshall Rousso

Shoes: target

Lipstick: MAC Cockney

Photographer: Elana Emer

White Hot

One of the biggest colour trends this summer has been head-to-toe white. And i am absolutely obsessed. It just looks so unbelievably chic, and especially in the summer with a great tan, the all-white look is super easy to pull off.

There are a few ways to do the white look this summer. First, you can do a beautiful white sundress, or a top-and-skirt/pants combo. If you don't want too much plain white, opt for a textured piece or one with a light pattern or graphic (look #3 below). Once you have the the base of the outfit down, you have three options for finishing it off. You can add jewelry, shoes, and a bag in one of the following colours. I've made the background colour of the outfit pictures purple, so you could better see the white outfits.

1. White
If you really want to commit to the all white, keep it going with your accessories too.

Dress: Rachel Rachel Roy

Necklace: Topshop

Bag: River Island

Heels: Style And Co.

2. Colourful
If you want your accessories to stand out, then choosing ones that pop next to a white outfit is the perfect option. Keep all your accessories to one hue, like blue, or the same intensity, like neon yellow, neon pink, and neon orange.

Top: H&M

Trousers: Zara

Necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane

Tote: ASOS

Flats: Frye

3. Neutral
If you don't want to go colourful, but also don't want to go all-out white, try neutral accessories in colours like black, nude, grey, gold, or silver.

Blouse: Alice + Olivia

Shorts: Paul & Joe Sister

Blazer: Theory

Belt: Mango

Bag: Charles & Keith

Heels: Daily Look

4. Combination
Don't want to be limited to just one of the above looks? Try a neutral shoe, white bag and bright jewelry!

Sweater: Estraudeur

Skirt: Planet

Necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane

Bangle: Oliver Bonas

Sandals: Hunter

Clutch: New Look

How are you wearing the all-white trend?

Cottage Essentials

The girls in my family are doing a small cottage trip this week, so while getting my stuff together I got to thinking about the absolute essentials to bring with. I'm the kind of girl who tends to overpack for any trip, no matter how long ( I always need options), but going to a cottage with a few girls for 3 days really doesn't require options, or anything overly nice for that matter. I'm actually very excited to not have to think about making outfits and accessorizing and everything; as much as I love it, it can be very exhausting (although I am planning to do a photoshoot or two of outfits because of the scenery, so I'll be sharing those with you hopefully soon!).

You want to bring only the absolute essentials, that will fit in a somewhat small bag (like the one below), as you will probably be driving up in a car with numerous people and so space may be limited. They key to light cottage packing is to bring basic items in basic colours that you can mix and match with each other.

Bag: American Apparel

For bottoms, I would go with one dark and one light pair of denim shorts, as well as one pair of sweatpant material shorts. Then I would also suggest leggings and sweatpants for night, since it tends to get pretty cold up north and help you to keep from getting too many bug bites.

1. H&M

2. Talula

3. Style & Co.

4. William Rast

5. Roots

For tops I would bring 3-4, and a mix of t-shirts and tanks. Again, very plain basic colours that would match well with any pair of bottoms. I would also bring some heavier long sleeves or sweatshirts for nighttime; whether you're hanging out outside drinking beers or it's cooler inside when you're going to bed.

1. Twenty Easy by Kaos

2. American Eagle Outfitters

3. Old Navy

4. Joe Fresh

5. Etsy

For footwear I would stick to slip on sandals and then something a bit nicer for heading into town. You can also throw in sneakers or running shoes if you have to walk somewhere (like going on a hike) or need closed-toe shoes. In terms of purses I would just bring a cross-body bag in a neutral colour (so it will match with any outfit you wear). You won't need much room so a small one will do.

1. Converse

2. Aldo

3. Calvin Klein

4. Birkenstock

For swimwear, two tops and two bottoms should do it (depending on how long you're going for). Choose ones that you can easily mix and match with each other. If you're going for 3-4 days, two tops and bottoms will give you four different bathing suit sets to choose from!

1. Pink

2. La Vie En Rose Aqua

3. Target

4. Oakley

If you think you might go into town one night to a bar or for dinner, bring something a bit nicer than just sweats, but don't feel the need to get too dressed up, as the locals in cottage country generally don't either. Try a nice tank with jeans and wedge sandals (yes, even at the cottage I do need some height on me!). You can also bring a simple necklace if you feel the need to accessorize (don't worry, I do too), but I wouldn't bring anything too fancy or expensive in case it gets lost or ruined. Pair the outfit with the nicer sandals and simple purse.

Top: Topshop

Jeans: Moto

Necklace: Kenneth Cole New York

This kind of packing also works well for a weekend spent at the beach! How do you pack for a few days up north? See you at the end of the week readers!

From Fall To Summer

One of my absolute favourite colours this season is by far, cobalt blue. There was a very similar colour in style back in the fall, and the fact that it has lasted through the weather change and can now also be a "summer" colour really makes me happy. It looks good on pretty much everyone, and you can pair it with just about any colour (pink, yellow, light green, and of course the beiges, greys, blacks, and whites, and countless other colours). I have shorts, pants, tops, and tons of accessories in this colour and I don't see myself stopping wearing them anytime soon. I find pairing maxi skirts with crop tops very effective in balancing out the different lengths.

As well, one of my favourite pieces this season is the big hat. Not necessarily a beach hat (you know, straw coloured and woven), but a wool hat that you usually see for fall (albeit, a light wool for the hot summer weather). It looks amazing for a bohemian look, which is my favourite, with a kimono and boots (check out my Instagram to see how I wore it here), but also goes well with numerous other outfits. So here is my cool summer look utilizing fall colours and pieces; it just goes to show how versatile fashion can be!

Top: Dynamite

Skirt, Shoes: Old Navy

Hat: H&M

Cuff: Smart Set

Minimalism

If you know me, you know that I love clothing and accessories, and the more layers and additions to my outfit, the better. But lately I've been seriously digging the minimalist approach and there is definitely something to be said for simple, minimalist fashion. Minimalism in fashion means different things to different people (and in different areas of design); to some it is minimal layers of clothing; to others it is accessorizing sparsely (possibly just a thin bangle or ring); to others still it is dressing simply in black and white. That's the beauty of the fashion industry; you can define almost anything anyway you like, and still be on trend and in style.

The way I like to picture minimalism is clean, simple, geometric lines, with not too much colour. When there are curves, they are very soft and natural, like the blue skirt below. When there is colour (also like the skirt below), try pairing the piece with crisp tops in black or white. I also believe in sparse accessories, in colours like gold, silver, black, or white, and those should also be in simple shapes. Slim fitting trousers or jeans with no rips are also very minimalist, and go well with any top. Try them in simple and solid colours.

1. Tote Bag: Derek Alexander

2. Dress: Alice + Olivia

3. Pencil Skirt: Love

4. Necklace: Material Girl

5. Watch: Movado Bold

6. Top: H&M

7. Oxfords: Rachel Zoe

8. Blazer: Zara

9. Jeans: Moto

10. Sunglasses: Aldo

Tropical Prints: Pineapples

In relation to my post the other day about tropical floral prints, there is another tropical print that I have been seeing basically everywhere, and it is just too cute. It seems (at least to me) that every summer a different fruit print comes into style (strawberries, watermelons, lemons, etc.), and this year it looks like it is the pineapple's turn.

I feel like pineapples are very underrated, and most people overlook them when talking about their favourite fruit. Plus they are adorable to look at, especially on garments and accessories this summer. Fruit prints are awesome to wear. because you can mix and match them and make your outfit into a little fruit salad, or leave the print to one part of your outfit (for example, shorts) and do a solid colour  on the top (for example, a green tank). Colours that look good with the pineapple print are pink, green, and baby blue, as they just make it feel so tropical and beachy, but feel free to go colour crazy with your pineapples!

1. Sunglasses: Boohoo

2. Bikini: Zara

3. Bracelet: Alex and Ani

4. Dress: J. Crew

5. Sweater: Topshop

6. Shoes: ASOS

7. Tank: Dorothy Perkins

8. Clutch: Klear Klutch

Investments

One of my favourite items to add to an outfit as of late, is a vest. I feel they just complete an outfit (in certain situations, of course), and are a great summer alternative to a jacket or blazer. Sleeveless blazers are so sleek and chic and can dress up any outfit; cargo vests are super cute for a laid-back weekend running errands; denim vests are great to throw on top of a flowy maxi dress; and leather (or pleather) vests add just the right amount of badassery if you're going for the biker-chic look!

I'm very short and have a short torso so the cropped vests definitely suit me better. So for ones like a sleeveless blazer that really only come in longer styles, I need to keep what I'm wearing underneath slim-fitting and either shorter than the vest or much longer (like long pants, not just an inch or two longer than the vest). Even something like a moto vest that you might think is not fit for summer, can still definitely be worn in the right colour and material. You can even throw on a white leather vest for a night out.

1. American Eagle Outfitters

2. Laveer

3. Mexx

4. Target

5. Vince Camuto

6. Target

Tropical Prints: Flowers

I feel like florals are a very obvious trend for spring (cue The Devil Wears Prada quote), and so I wasn't really planning on making a post about the floral trend. That is not to say that I don't love florals, that I don't wear them, or that I think they should stop showing them for spring (because that is not the case at all). But a fairly new trend we've been seeing is not just a floral pattern, but a tropical floral pattern. And that is something I can definitely get behind and make a post about.

Probably one of my favourite things about tropical floral print is the use of bold colours, like turquoise, pink, and yellow. Another thing I love about it is that the flowers are usually abstract, with other shapes in the print (like lines and squiggles), and that just adds to the uniqueness and beauty of the item, because every one is so different.

1. Skirt: Rebecca Minkoff

2. Scarf: Vince Camuto

3. Jumpsuit: Topshop

4. Bikini Set: Pink

5. Dress: Precis

6. Knapsack: Herschel

7. Top: Zara

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

Neons

One of my favourite fashion trends this summer is neon. Almost any store you go into definitely has some sort of neon; whether skirts, shorts, tops, accessories, etc. I personally love the neon yellow and pink, they’re just so fun for summer and hot weather!

If you’re feeling bold, you can pair your neon with another neon piece, or another vibrant colour.  If you’d prefer to keep it subtle, maybe for the office or for night, anchor the brightness down with black or a neutral tone, and add accessories.

Skirts: H&M

Blouse: H&M

Blue top: Forever 21

Left necklace: Old Navy

Right necklace: H&M