Boo! Happy Halloween

I'll be honest,  Frockers. When I was first invited to a Star Wars halloween party, I was rather dismayed at my costume options. I wasn't really feeling robes or hairy aliens. But I managed to whip up a look that I quite enjoy, cause what's dress-up without a bunch of glitter?

Have a spooky Halloween everyone!

 

 

                                                    

I'm All About That Cardi

Thrifted handkerchief and boots
Levi Strauss belt
H&M cardigan
Vintage American Apparel skirt

I would definitely say that cardigans are a wardrobe must-have. I myself have several in my collection because nothing helps you hang onto your summer garb long after summer is over than a good ol' cardi. I'm dressing it up with loads of accessories in this look to add a bit more interest to an otherwise plain cardigan from H&M. By the way, for all you short girls out there, I find that accentuating the waist with a belt is a great way to make your short legs look....well not long but not even shorter in those longer skirts. Anyway, back to cardis....I like to round out my collection with neutral colours that go with everything, with one or two textured or fun-coloured design. What can I say? Cardigans are like jeans to me.
                                                         

Marc Cain: The New Man in Town

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the Marc Cain showroom, a repurposed industrial space now housing the brands head-office and latest collections. A quick look around and the first thing you notice is the pristine, white appearance of the space, a theme that is consistent within the brand's image worldwide. Just to present a little background, Marc Cain is an upscale German women's fashion brand that has recently entered the Canadian market. They recently opened a free standing store at our very own Carrefour Laval and I'm sure we will see more shops popping up in the near future. The price point is of course a little higher (think JCrew) but the quality and high end fabrics reflect this also.

Now, about the collection...GORGEOUS. On showcase was the brand's Spring/Summer 2016 collection which features everything from sporty casual apparel to trendy formalwear. We saw everything from floral prints to fish prints to denim to fringe and finally, a lil white romantic crochet (my favourite) for good measure. The collection is so immense that it covered many of what you might call our favourite fashion themes: Nautical, Boho, Lightweight Romantic, Sneaker Chic, they had it all. 

Just check out this showroom. A vast collection and a feast for the eyes.

This next section is perhaps one of my favourites. Those lightweight romantic gowns at the front with such elegant beading, very beautiful indeed. And then the perfect little clutch to go with...

And here, you get a glimpse (on the right) of my other favourite theme, that's right: The Citrus Fruit Print! The print and these colours conjure up fantasies of lemonade drinking somewhere in Hawaii... Amirite?

THIS DRESS: nuff said. 

Okay next, just a quick example of the brand's Sport collection, some trendy fitted joggers with yes, those are indeed tiny palm trees *sigh*

And finally, throwing in a few examples of footwear. Again, showcasing the collection's breadth, a sexy strappy sandal and a floral slip-on sneaker. The sneaker chic trend definitely lives on.

All in all, the collection was lovely and really in tune with the BOF aesthetic.

Can't wait to see what they come up with next!

You can visit their online shop here: https://www.marc-cain.com

Fall Favourites

I'm finally getting into the swing of things and embracing fall to its fullest potential. And by that I, of course, am talking about switching out my corals and bright pinks for some fall beauty favourites (both new and rediscovered!) Here are some of my fall must-haves this season:

Sally Hansen Insta-dri nail polish in 370 Show Steel-er

I've never really delved into greys in my beauty routine before, but it has been really speaking to me lately. In general I tend to stay away from cool-toned anything because I just don't think it compliments my skin tone as well as the warmer hues. But this shade of grey polish is not too blue or dark on me. I just love it!

OPI nail lacquer in Got The Blues for Red

What's fall without a collection of rich burgundies and oxblood? This OPI polish is a classic. It's so rich and deep yet vibrant. This is one I will continue to repurchase again and again.

Annabelle blushon in Rosebud

This was part of the spring collection from this year, but I haven't whipped it out 'til now because re: cool-tones = not my thing. Or so I thought! Just goes to show you how our pre-conceived notions could be wrong and everything is worth a try. I am IN LOVE with this blush for fall. For some reason, it gives me the perfect pink flush to compliment my rotation of lip products. Maybe because I'm starting to get paler so the peaches and corals that made me look perfectly sunkissed in the summer and complimented my orange and pink lipsticks, aren't working so well now.

ELF blush palette in Dark

This is a new product for me and it is not disappointing. I picked this palette up in the states in August and the hues are perfect for fall. They have the same versatile combo of warm-toned, cool-toned and neutral blushes as the Light version of this palette, but they are much deeper and richer. I especially love the blush on the right bottom corner. It's such a beautiful berry colour that appears much lighter on your cheeks than how it looks in the pan. It reminds me of the beautiful flush you get when you've been walking outside in the cold.

NYX matte lipstick in Alabama

Another new addition to my collection is this gorgeous burgundy matte lipstick. I had been on the hunt for a burgundy that was more brown-based than purple or pink and not too dark. It took me a while to find the perfect shade, as I can be quite picky about these things. But this lippy does not disappoint. It's just a little vampy without being over the top. My only criticism is the packaging. It's a bit flimsy for my tastes but for a drugstore lipstick, I really can't complain!

Kat Von D everlasting liquid lipstick in Lolita

This is also a new product for me, and honestly, the biggest surprise of the season, in a season of quite a few surprise loves. I know the deep purple/grey 90s colour is all the rage this year, but I have never been a huge fan of that tone of lipstick. It just feels so muddy and gothy to me. But this shade from Kat Von D seems to have just enough brown and pink in it that I'm kinda diggin' it. And it's not too dark either, which can look a bit grungy in my opinion. I can see why this lipstick is so popular!

NYX prismatic shadow in Jaded

Olive and army greens scream fall to me, but instead of a boring matte, a shimmery shade of eye shadow can add so much interest to a look. Just check out this NYX shadow I picked up recently. In the pan, it looks like a true army green shimmer but in a particular light, it can read more blue or grey. A smokey green eye with a nude lip is one of my favourite looks for fall!

L'oreal infallible eye shadow in Goldmine

And lastly, this is a new discovery for me as well. I had never been into gold eyeshadows before but I am in love with this pigment from L'oreal. It's the perfect lid colour for a classic brown smokey eye and goes with all the shades of red lipstick you could possibly have. These shadows from L'oreal have a crazy amount of pigment and shimmer to them. A must-have, in my opinion!

                                                   

Saying Goodbye to Summer

I've finally accepting that fall is here (less willing to accept that it means winter is coming), but I've embraced a new colour palette full of oranges, browns, blacks and burgundies. Hey, if it takes some nail polish or makeup to ease me into a new season, I don't think that's a bad thing. I've put away all the coral lipstick and bright pink polish and I've rediscovered neutrals and darker hues. I just have to keep reminding myself of the caramel apple spices, beautiful fall colours and the fact that there will be much fewer bugs and spiders in the coming months and I can practically embrace the autumn. 

Almost.