Winter Woes

Photos by Kyler Kelly

Restoration Hardware faux fur hat/F21 sweater/Primark jeans/Zara booties

Winter blahs. Need I say more? I'm deep into the winter semester and wouldn't you know it? Every day I have class just happens to be -20 with a nipping wind. Just great. I wish I had more time for blogging, but between work and school, it's hard enough to even put together a little punchy outfit let alone take some pics. But I'm taking a cue from Debbie and throwing on a statement hat. And along with my go-to remedy for any drab outfit (a red lip for the win!), I'm feeling 40 degrees warmer already.

                                                                                    

The New Club Monaco!

This week, Bouquet of Frocks attended a special private event to celebrate the grand opening of the new Club Monaco store in Montreal. The store, previously located a block away, has undergone a major facelift. The space, the apparel and the merchandising was absolutely stunning. If you haven't visited the new location yet, it's definitely worth checking out! 

Bagage Perdu

I don't know about you, but I always watch those carousels anxiously, praying to the globe-trotting gods that my purple pack or green valise or whatever I happened to lug on this journey or that, will round that corner and make its slow way into my arms after hours of restlessness in that big ol' metal tube in the sky.

Up until now, my prayers had always been answered. 

On a recent sojourn of mine, a company that shall remain nameless (but rhymes with MAir MIndia) failed to deliver to me the goods that I had deemed quite necessary to my comfort and continued style on a trek many thousands of kilometers from home. What was even more disheartening was the callous way they treated my dilemma, ignoring phone calls and attempts to gather information, failing to offer any kind of compensation or sympathy, and after finally locating my things, refusing to deliver them to me. Needless to say, threats were made, arguments were had, and a week later, I was reunited with my purple companion and all was well. 

*Before I get to the point of this post, I would like to just sincerely warn anyone from using said company. I was hesitant to go with them from the beginning and they have just proven me right. There were four people in their office to file a complaint about missing things including me, and that's just how many I was witness to. Their customer service is non-existent and they clearly do not prioritize organization, customer satisfaction or any kind of minimal standard for delivering a pretty common service. Oh and by the way, a couple of weeks ago, they "forgot" to schedule several pilots and passengers were stranded at Heathrow for 12 hours. Yeah.

Anyway, rant over. My point is, I really wanted to share with you guys what I managed to whip up in my dire time of no change of underwear. Turns out, it's pretty easy to go anything-clean-will-do shopping when the prices are about a tenth of what you're used to and the aesthetic is bold colours and floral prints. Yeah, exactly, right up my alley! I may have had to wear this tunic for three days in a row and also sleep in it, but damn, did I feel pretty. And the trousers had a handy zipped pocket at the waist that was the perfect built-in fanny pack. All in all, it could have been worse. At least I have a few fun additions to the old wardrobe and a story.

                                                           

New Year, New Makeup

Ok this is going to be a quickie post cause I'm pretty busy with a new semester starting again and all but I've been meaning to give a serious shout-out to some newly-discovered products that I am in love with. Full disclosure, Marcelle cosmetics gifted us some products a little while ago, but they are not paying me to write this. I was actually pleasantly surprised by two of the products they gave us and had to tell you guys about it.

First up is the Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-Pro Slanted Waterproof Pencil + Tinted Gel. Say that five times fast. I LOVE this brow pencil. The shape of the pencil is actually a sort of flat rectangle with a slanted edge and I find this to be much more conducive to soft brow shape than a pencil-shaped pencil, which can result in some pretty "drawn on" brows. This is pretty perfect for just filling in the patchy parts and giving a bit of definition. It also comes with a tinted gel and who doesn't love a good ol' two-in-one product? My only con is that I wish the colour "dark" were a bit darker. It's a deep brown that doesn't look bad on me but I think a slightly darker hue would look better on us raven-haired ladies.

And next up, I wanted to tell you about the Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen, another two in one product, with a brush tip on one end and a felt tip on the other. I have to say the pigmentation could be better, the black isn't the blackest I've seen, but the staying power is UNBELIEVABLE. And trust me, I have tried several waterproof, super stay, 12-hour wear liquid liners and they always, always smudge, leaving an unsightly black line right in my crease. I'm talking everything from the budget brands to Kat Von D's tattoo liner, my previous fav. It's not their fault really, I just have oily lids. But for some reason, the Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen stays put! And I really don't know why because other Marcelle products smudge on me like all the others. So if you suffer from oily eyelids like me, I highly recommend this eyeliner pen!

                                             

Sneaker Chic

Coat: Primark / Sweater and hat: F21 / Leggings: Joe Fresh / Shoes: Nike via The Bay

Yo girls! I'm here today to tell you about my recent obsession with sneakers. For a long time, I simply avoided any type of athletic looking shoe and felt no place for them in my life. But suddenly, in the past couple of years, I've noticed that sneakers are really making a come back in a chic way. Adding your favourite sneakers to a fashionable outfit can add that perfect element of "effortless chic" that every girl strives for. And who can complain about that, they're comfortable!
The Nikes above are my most recent purchase and I got them on boxing day at The Bay for a sweet deal! A black and white pair is a good place to start because it's extra easy to incorporate. I know we aren't quite in ideal sneaker-wearing weather right now but I couldn't resist. Totally embracing this new sneaker love!

A Russian Winter

Smart Set top/vintage boots and hat/coat and skirt from China/infinity scarf as muff from Hong Kong

It's official. We are in the heart of winter and my favourite coat is still going strong! Like I've always said, accessories really make the outfit. Just compare a bold and elegant look like this to the understated class of my previous post and you can hardly believe it's the same coat. I paired this vintage hat with a similar faux fur infinity scarf I picked up in Hong Kong last year, but instead of putting it around my neck, I decided to really go all the way and turn it into a muff. I mean, if you're gonna brave the winter like this you gotta go all the way. And just to keep it interesting, I added a few pops of colour and the transformation is complete. I feel like I just stepped out of a Tolstoy novel or something!

Here's to bringing new life to old coats!
                                                          

The Winter Romper

Romper: Target / Boots: Zara / Headband: vintage / Necklace: Expression via The Bay

Just like the winter dress, there also exists a winter version of the romper. It's not super visible but the bottom part of this outfit is actually loose shorts. A darker colour and a longer sleeve is all you need to rock a romper throughout the colder months. It can be easily matched with your favourite pair of boots and tights and you're all set. I recently picked this one up at Target for an embarrassingly low price and was stunned at how well it fit. It's my first winter romper and I'm definitely sold on this look!