122714 Crisp Black & White
Black and white are my fail safe choices when getting dressed. They're made even better here with this crisp white Comme des Garçons shirt and these pleated front cropped pants from Aritzia. A minimal outfit calls for minimal accessories and I chose my patent leather Chanel moccasin loafers and tortoise shell 3.1 Phillip Lim glasses. Keeping it simple where it counts.
122614 Acne Studios Cleo Sneakers
Wearing my new Acne patent leather Cleo high tops out to one of my favourite locations.
I'M WEARING: Aritzia coat and tank | Oak & Fort oversized knit cardigan | Mackage leather leggings | Acne Patent Leather High Top Sneakers | Alexander Wang tan leather Primsa biker bag | Roots hat | 3.1 Phillip Lim glasses | Lisbeth necklace
122212 The Faux Leather Sweatpant
I got a little surprise package from Oak + Fort recently that included these faux leather sweatpants and their super soft Fara scarf.
These faux leather trousers have an elastic waistband and a baggy fit - basically your typical sweatpant with a faux leather matte finish making it the ultimate sports-luxe look. The length on these is rather long for me so I rolled them up to show a bit of ankle.
I enjoy mixing casual pieces with dressier accessories so I paired the pants with my pointed 3.1 Phillip Lim ankle boots and Alexander Wang patent leather trifold bag.
The scarf is super cozy, soft and warm. Depending on what I'm wearing I like to either wrap it around my neck or just let it drape down. The be honest, I hate having a cold neck so I always find myself grabbing a scarf when I'm going out and when I'm at home. Comfort in the cold weather is key.
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I'M WEARING : Oak + Fort faux leather pant 5038 and Fara scarf in gray | Armani sunglasses | Aritzia coat | Jcrew turtleneck | 3.1 Phillip Lim patent leather ankle boot | Alexander Wang Trifold bag in textured patent leather
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