121814 Choosing Favourites
These cheapie distressed denim from The Free Island have become such a favourite of mine. I wear them whenever I'm feeling blah about an outfit and want to spice things up.
Of course silver shoes are always a good idea. It's funny because I was hesitant to buy these originally thinking I wouldn't be able to wear them often. But it's the in fact the opposite. These loafers have become one of my favourites and I find they go with pretty much everything.
Another favourite is this Mackage leather jacket. I got it a year ago now and I use it more than I ever would have imagined. It has a cropped style which suits my petite frame nicely and has an awesome collar that pops up and gives the jacket a really strong silhouette.
To prevent my uber casual outfits from becoming boring, I focus on statement shoes, bags, jackets and hats to make them pop. It’s part of my personal style to always have an item stand out so don’t be afraid to put on silver shoes!
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I'M WEARING: Mackage leather jacket & white Novaki bag | The Free Island black skinny jeans with busted knees (exact above) | Free People tank | Lisbeth Jewelry necklaces | 3.1 Phillip Lim Quinn silver loafers in gunmetal | Topshop hat | Derek Cardigan glasses #7015 from ClearlyContacts.ca
121614 | LACC Beauty Vegan Nail Polish Review
Last year a friend and I were having a conversation about vegan nail polishes and how they suck. You guys probably know by now that I’m obsessed with natural skincare products but vegan nail polish wasn't something I cared for until a few bottles of LACC Beauty nail lacquers landed in my mailbox. The lovely team at Lotus Leaf Communications sent them to me along with a nail challenge – show us your festive nails!
Up for the challenge I searched Pinterest for some inspo and landed on a pic of these adorable penguin nails. Easy peasy, cute and festive. Done!
I used the flat black polish as my base. The first coat was surprisingly opaque and went on smooth and dried quickly. I did one more coat for even coverage and waited a few minutes as I watched Pretty Little Liars before moving on to the next step.
Using the white polish I carefully traced a smaller version of my nail shape. It went on surprisingly opaque, even on top of black polish. Not many polishes have that strong coverage and this one is vegan! One more pass of the white and I let it dry before painting on the penguins!
Using one of those nail tools with a small metal tip – I dipped it into the black polish and dotted little eyes onto the whites of my nails. Then I wiped it off and dipped the metal end into the red and drew on a little red line for the beak. Finally I used the brush of the red nail polish and carefully drew on “feet” on the end of my nails. It dried quick enough considering how much polish I had used. I sealed it with Dior’s Gel Coat to make sure my nails would last for my holiday party 4 days later.
THE VERDICT: Lacc Beauty’s Nail Lacquers are quick drying and have excellent opaque coverage. While I did use a top coat, as I usually do, my manicure lasted a few days without chipping. My first small chip showed up at day 4. Bonus, Lacc is vegan friendly and is free of animal by-products, paraben, gluten and formaldehyde. I much prefer it to Essie and OPI.
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121314 Black Onyx
Totally loving these beautiful delicate necklaces from Lisbeth Jewelry. The pieces are made of 14k gold fill with beautiful black onyx stone. They're excellent for wearing alone or being layered together. The bracelets are from Birds Of A Feather and are affordably priced at $20, great for stacking up on arm candy. Both lines are owned by the talented Sophie Alden, a Canadian designer who just relocated back to Toronto.
I styled the gold statement ring from BOAF with my neutral coloured Alexander Wang Prisma biker bag. Some people are fickle about mixing golds and silvers, but I love mixing metals. The shape of the ring and edges of the bag bring the pieces together to make it seamless.
While I'm wearing primarily black and white, I choose a tanned coloured bag to break up to the entire outfit.
A slightly transparent deep v white t-shirt is the perfect backdrop for the delicate gold necklaces.
Layers seem to be the theme with this outfit - in how I wore my jewelry but also my clothes. I can't help wearing my favourite leather jacket all year round and in the winter time I layer it underneath my coat.
Thank you Sophie for these beautiful pieces!
I love them so much that I stocked up on some pieces for Christmas.
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I'M WEARING: Target wool hat | Mackage leather jacket | *Lisbeth Jewelry necklaces - Ellery, Kara and Imogen (exact above) | Urban Outfitters white tshirt | Aritzia Jacoby coat | Rag & Bone black zippered skinny jeans | Alexander Wang black ankle boots & tan Prisma biker bag | *Birds Of A Feather bracelets and ring
ILLUSTRATION in frame by my talented brother German Shible
121014 Dressing For The Holidays
Holiday parties can be stressful especially if you don’t know what to wear. Before you head off to buy something you’re only gonna use once, have a look in your closet to see if there’s anything you could reinvent.
This year my holiday attire consists of the black suit. I had bought it with the intention of wearing it as separates but also having the option to wear it as a suit. The blazer has a slight tuxedo cut and the pant has a feminine pleated waist. The ankle length also works well for showing off a beautiful shoe and I went with a simple black suede pointed toe pump. A low cut basic black tank underneath the blazer provides just the right amount of sex appeal without being too flashy.
I accessorized with a delicate gold necklace and a fabulous faux fur stole that has been in my closet, unworn for too many years now. The fur adds glamour to the outfit but I also have the option of being minimal by ditching it. A large cocktail ring, my Bambi clutch and statement purple Chanel frames add subtle colour, fun and creativity to the whole look.
Keep your personal style in mind when getting dressed this holiday season to feel your absolute best. Embrace your style and elevate it and be true to who you are. That confidence will come out at the holiday parties and you’ll shine regardless of what you’re wearing.
STYLE TIP: I love the look of heels but they’re not exactly my comfort zone. I keep my heels at a comfortable height of 3.5” or lower and add an insole to my shoes to stay comfortable for the night.
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I'M WEARING: Chanel glasses | Lisbeth necklace* (exact mentioned above) | Aritzia Babaton Dominick Jacket, Cohen Pant & Wool Cocoon Coat (all exact mentioned above) | Madewell basic tank (exact mentioned above) | Jcrew Everly pumps | Givenchy Antigona Bambi pouch | Kelly Wearstler ring | H&M Faux Fur stole
120814 Makeup Essentials
Totally obsessed with these fab makeup essentials these days.
HOURGLASS LIQUID POWDER FOUNDATION
This liquid foundation gives medium coverage and turns into a powder finish meaning you can skip the powder. It's velvety and lasts all day on my oily/ combo skin. It can look a bit heavy if you don't prep your skin so make sure you exfoliate (I use my Clarisonic a couple of times a week) and moisturize well (I use an organic Cocoa Skin Cream by Meow Meow Tweet. Stay tuned for a review.)
BENEFIT WATT'S UP HIGHLIGHTER
I just discovered this amazing champagne coloured highlighter. I chose this one over High Beam because it’s a warmer base, and comes in a tube which means easy application when in a rush. I never thought of a highlighter as an essential until now. It really makes a difference subtly lights up the face and give it more definition. I use Watt's Up when I’m done my makeup along the tops of my cheekbones, underneath the outer brow line, along the centre of my nose and a bit in the center of my forehead, applying straight from the tube and blending with my fingers.
BEAUTY TIP: Dab Watt's Up on the centre of your lips overtop of your lipstick to get more definition.
BENEFIT HOOLA BRONZING POWDER*
This bronzer is flat and has no shimmer which makes it the perfect contouring shade for most skin types. I like to use it in the hallows of my cheek bones, a bit on my temples, along the top of my hair line and a bit down my nose. I keep daily contouring very light and just to my cheeks and temples and I apply it with the flat brush that comes with it.
STILA CUSTOM BLUSH IN CORAL
What makes this powder custom is that it's pH-based which means that colour will customize to your skin tone. I love it so much that I've been using it for over a year now. I dab it on the apples of my cheeks using a big flat top brush that gives me better application control. Then I take a clean powder brush and run over my cheeks to make sure it's all nicely blended into Hoola and the rest of my skin.
GIVENCHY LE ROUGE #304 MANDARINE BOLERO
This matte orange red lipstick has changed my life! I used to combine 3-4 different reds just to get this exact shade. My daily routine now includes dabbing this lipstick on, without a liner for a relaxed day time red. For evening, I use a liner and apply it with a lip brush. The matte formula isn't too drying or heavy and has excellent lasting power. The case reminds of my Givenchy Pandora with a cool leather sleeve and silver studs. The packaging alone is perfection.
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My skin type: Oily/ Combination. Skin tone: Olive.
120614 | The Perfect Saturday
Strolling the Christmas Market at The Distillery District.
Sipping hot chocolate with Geoff.
Daniel Wellington watches.
The perfect Saturday.
The Perfect Holiday Gift
Get 15% off on all items on DanielWellington.com with promotional discount code Holiday_woahstyle and get free worldwide shipping. Gift wrapping is available with a purchase of an extra strap.
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On Nathalie: Daniel Wellington Classic Sheffield Lady in rose gold* | Roots pom pom beanie | Chanel glasses | Oak + Fort scarf* | Acne Studios Ruth Pineapple cotton sweater | Aritzia Cocoon coat | Rag & Bone zippered jeans | Alexander Wang black ankle boots | Givenchy black leather small Pandora bag with studs
On Geoff: Danie Wellington Classic Bristol men's watch in rose gold* | Fjällräven jacket
12214 Holiday Gift Guide For Her
I composed this gift guide with all of the ladies in mind - for mum, the BFF, the co-worker, and every girl in between. The list contains some of my top fave items of the year and they're things that I'm very excited about gifting.
THE $20 GIFT - THE BRACELET
These adorable bracelets from Birds Of A Feather have gotten me a ton of compliments which is why it's the perfect small budget gift. The local Toronto jewellery line consists of cheap & cheerful fashionable pieces that are suitable for every age and style. With free shipping over $50 (within Canada), it's good to stock up on a few of these!
Gift To: Coworkers, sisters, cousins, nieces, BFF and yourself.
THE TASTY GIFT FOR EVERYONE
Just looking at pics of macarons on Instagram has me foaming at the mouth! Butter Avenue is a local Toronto pâtisserie & café that makes the most divine macarons I've ever had. Macarons make a delightful, unexpected and tasty gift for pretty much anyone on your list. With new holiday flavours like Candy Cane, Gingerbread and Mont Blanc, you'll be tempted to eat them before handing them over. Oh, and their little yellow boxes are elegant, adorable and fun to open!
Gift To: Host, boss, coworkers, parents, siblings, relatives, BFF... pretty much everyone.
THE UNDER $50 GIFT - THE BEAUTY ESSENTIALS
Don't let the adorable package fool you, the cosmetics in this metal keepsake tin are 100% sophisticated. Benefit Cosmetics have released their special Holiday Gift Sets that range from $25-$120. The Sugarglam Fairies set (above) contains some of my favourite Benefit products that I believe no girl should do without -
They’re Real! Mascara (full sized), The POREfessional (full sized) , Hoola (full sized) and Benetint (medium sized). The products are absolute staples for every girl's makeup bag and universal with so many skin tones.
Gift To: The makeup junkie in your life including your BFF, sister, mum and yourself!
THE GIFT FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTHING
Every year with my husband and I it's the same question, "What do we get your grandmother?". If you're unsure what to get her, think about a luxurious and functional gift that she needs anyway. This year it's the L'Occitane Hand Cream Set that contains some of the most beautifully scented and formulated hand creams out there. This set has the versatility of being gifted as is or broken up between a few people. Trust me, this is not the kind of gift that will leave her thinking "WTF".
Gift To: Grandmother, mother, aunt, mother-in-law, hostess, coworker and your kids teacher.
THE UNDER $100 GIFT - THE CANDLE
There's something so special about receiving a luxurious candle as a gift and the iconic Jo Malone packaging is almost as good as what's inside. I went for the Wild Bluebell, a light clean floral scent, for my BFF. She's extremely picky and has everything she needs but a luxury candle (from either Jo Malone or Diptyque) always leaves her feeling appreciated. Granted a candle might not be the ideal gift for everyone so make sure it's the kinda thing she would appreciate. I would have preferred it to the bluetooth clock radio my husband got me last year! *LOL*
Gift To: Grandmother, mother, aunt, mother-in-law and BFF.
Consider the travel size candle as a thoughtful hostess gift.
THE $250 GIFT - CASHMERE
This luxe gift should be given to that special lady in your life. It's something every woman will appreciate and not always something she would get herself. Zara has come out with a beautiful cashmere cold weather set just in time for the holidays. The scarf and beanie gift set comes in a colour choice of pale pink and classic tan, packaged in a pretty gift box ready to give. Consider cashmere when wanting to impress.
Gift To: Girlfriend, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother.
In the last few years my friends, family, husband and I have all taken a lighter approach to gift giving. It's more about having fun with smaller budgets and being thoughtful and creative with what we give each other and that's what inspired me to put the above gift guide together. I hope it helps inspire your gift giving this Christmas and makes shopping easier.
** Birds Of A Feather, Butter Avenue & Benefit Cosmetics are PR samples but I offer these suggestions here because I truly love them.
xo, Nathalie
113014 New Classics
I simply adore a classic white button up shirt and have about 5-6 very different styles in my closet. This particular shirt by STUDY-NY is sustainably made in the U.S. from hemp and organic cotton. The texture on this top is so soft that it's almost silky.
The boxy cut on this shirt reminds me of cool refined french women which is why I opted to button it up all of the way to the top and accessorize with a hat.
I paired the white button down shirt with my Mackage leather leggings to add some contrast between the shiny black leather and white sheer top.
Chanel moccasin loafers with a patent leather finish furthers the subtle contrast in the black and white outfit and keeps it from becoming boring.
STYLE TIP: With monochromatic dressing, always consider the textures between each piece. An all cotton black outfit with a matte leather shoes can look dullsville. An all black outfit with patent leather, faux fur and silk thrown in the mix can look fab. Even if shiny shoes and fur is not your jam, consider playing with your textures!
Finally, shout outs to The New Classics for launching their ethical and sustainable online shop! I was notified that my order allowed for them to plant their first tree in Alberta, something they'll be continuing to do. Now how awesome is that for eco fashion?!
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112714 Holiday Gift Guide: His & Hers
Over the next couple of weeks I'll be taking the time to bring you some gift guides based on my favourite items. My first gift guide is the perfect gift for him and her- the Daniel Wellington watch.
My earliest memory of receiving a watch as a gift when was when I was 14 years old. On Christmas day I opened up this little box that contained the most perfect watch I’d ever seen. It was men’s inspired with a navy face, silver bezel and a blue leather strap. My father, who never shops without my mum, had picked it out. I had such a strong sentimental attachment to this watch that I wore it every day, changing the band whenever it broke or just to change the look, until nearly a decade later my boyfriend, now husband, gave me a small silver watch for my birthday. Let's face it, watches are just meant to be gifted don't you think?
The generous folks at DW (thank you Erik and Isabelle) sent my husband and I a lovely little gift – the Classic Bristol watch for him and the Classic Sheffield Lady pour moi. I also received an extra band so the look can be changed without having to buy a whole other watch. Daniel Wellington is all about classic, timeless, modern and elegant. It's the perfect accessory for holiday outfits, office attire and weekend wear.
I’m also happy to share the discount code Holiday_woahstyle, that entitles you to 15% off on all DW products on their site. Bonus - they’re also offering free worldwide shipping and will be delivering in time for the holidays!
On Geoff: Classic Bristol Men's Watch with Rose Gold
On Nathalie: Classic Sheffield Lady Women's Watch with Rose Gold.
Necklace from Lisbeth Jewelry. Bracelet and Ring from Birds Of A Feather.