Black on Black: Leather & Satin
I love the subtlety of mixing textures when I'm wearing black and for the most part, I don't even think about it when I'm getting dressed. Here I'm wearing my leather Mackage shorts that have that amazing sports luxe aesthetic. I paired it with this brilliant 'Shoe Addict' t-shirt from Doll Memories that has the Valentino Rockstud and Manolo Blahnik shoe illustrated on it. To accessorize, I went with my new fave gladiator sandals along with my satin baseball cap that is summer staple. The Saint Laurent Baby Sac De Jour adds a pop of colour and keeps the black feeling modern. How do you like to mix textures and do you dare wear all black in the summer?
(More on how to wear black in the summer here.)
TOP 3 TIPS: HOW TO WEAR BLACK IN THE SUMMER
The little black dress is one of those pieces that has been discussed a million times over - it's a piece that every woman needs, it should be flattering your body shape, it should be good quality, yada yada, yada. Instead of telling you what you already know, let's talk about how to wear black in the summer. You guys know know how much I love black but I lately I've been feeling like head to toe black is too heavy for the warm sunny weather. I mean, my mood feels lighter in the summer so shouldn't my clothes reflect that? Read on for my Top 3 Tips on how to wear black in the summer (and not look like a goth).
3. BREAK IT UP
Sure we're talking about head to toe black but don't be afraid to break it up with a bit of colour through your handbag, shoe or jewelry. In this case I chose my Gucci Boston Bag with the heritage stripe and neautral brown canvas. I like how the bag adds warmth to the otherwise sleek black outfit.
2. INTO THE LIGHT
Sheer fabrics, eyelet details and lace are a great way of making black feel light and airy. Earlier this week I posted an outfit wearing a black lace crop top that is epitome of summer and even if I wore it with black jeans, it would still feel just as ethereal as white. (Well, maybe like 90% ethereal.) In this post my dress is solid black but my gladiator sandals have a lightness to them that show skin. Think outside of the box as to how you can make your outfit feel lighter.
1. SHOW SOME SKIN
Okay girls and boys, summer is the time to show off your best assets so don't hold back! I'm petite with a slender frame so I can pull off mini skirts without looking like a ho. At the same time, it's all about the balancing act. For example the sleeveless mini dress I'm wearing has a high neckline so it doesn't feel like I'm showing too much skin. Go ahead and bare it, just don't go overboard and keep it classy and tasteful.
Bag, Gucci Small Boston
Sunglasses, Quay Australia
Black mini dress, Mendocino
Gladiator Sandals, Zara
Moody Spring Layers
From bright and sunny in my previous post to dark and moody in this post. Spring in Toronto is all about unpredictable weather and I actually really enjoy how it changes from day to day. Chiller temps mean layers and these One Teaspoon jeans are spring/ summer appropriate but still keep my legs covered on the cooler days. The black tank is from Mendocino's house brand, OYOO, and is such a good staple piece but with a twist - it has a deep V neckline in the front and back and has what I call a reverse high-low hemline that features a longer front and shorter back. It's the perfect piece for layering with this beaded Free People jacket that has been in my closet for many years now. I don't know about you guys but I love spring layers. It almost makes me wish the weather was like this all year round.
Jeans and black tank, Mendocino
Beaded jacket, Free People
Black leather gladiator sandals, Zara
RETRO VIBES: High Waisted Denim Shorts
I don't know what it is about the summer weather but I always seem to gravitate towards the same shade of denim. I find the medium wash is versatile and goes with everything from bright colour to classic black. These high waisted One Teaspoons shorts are very flattering and have that cute retro feel that I'm loving so much right now. The lace crop top is the perfect pairing for these shorts and the entire outfit is ready for the long weekend.
Gladiator sandals, Zara (exact)
Black bag, Givenchy Small Studded Pandora
Brass palm cuff, Jenny Bird (exact)
New Classics Mini Post
First off, I have to apologize for this teeny tiny post. Somehow, a majority of my pictures from this series were deleted and this is what's left. Let's look at it this way, this shoot is as mini as the Saint Laurent Sac De Jour bag I'm carrying. Eh, eh? : D
White button up shirt, New Classics (exact)
Denim flares, Jbrand
Shoes, Converse x Comme Des Garçons (exact)
Bag, Saint Laurent Paris Baby Sac De Jour
How To Style It: Dress Over Jeans
Breaking the rules by wearing a LBD over my flared jeans. The lace jacket is actually a shirt worn backwards and I love the versatility of it. I accessorized with a nude pair of sandals and this cute pale pink box clutch from Zara (it's last seasons). The metal heart shaped sunglasses have a lace frame that brings it back to the jacket. How awesome are they? Breaking the rules just works sometimes don't you think?
Jeans, Dress and lace top - All Mendocino. Contact jessica@mendocino.ca to buy.
Heart shaped sunglasses - $6 at Urban Planet
Pink Box Bag - Zara, AW 2014
Nude Suede Sandals - Givenchy
Best Ever Korean Skincare Haul
My BFF Diana is the first one who opened my eyes to Korean skincare and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you really should be on this bandwagon by now. After recently reading about the super popular I'm From Honey Mask, I knew I had to try it so I placed an order through Ms. Apothecary, along with a few other goodies in hopes of obtaining beautiful poreless skin like so many Korean actors.
I'M FROM HONEY MASK
It's loved by beauty editors everywhere and it temporarily sold out earlier this year. That’s good enough for me! This mask contains 38.7% real honey harvested in Korea and is supposed to be the best hydrating mask out there. Is that a big claim? I don't know and I don't care. I love it. (Full review TBD.)
SKINMISO PORE BEAUTY NOSE PACK
A 3 step process for removing blackheads that is supposed to be more effective and less painful than Biore strips and kinder on the skin. I have yet to try these but I'm really excited.
SKINMISO PORE COREST SERUM
This serum promises to shrink pores in order to achieve “poreless” skin. I'm just putting my faith into the fact that every Korean skincare product that I've ever tried has delivered on its promise therefore, this can't fail. Right? Right?!
COSRX SILK FINGER BALLS
This one is kinda gross because it's actually real silk cocoons that have been emptied of the worms. It acts as an exfoliator and is excellent for removing blackheads. Watch this video and prepared to be impressed/ grossed out.
HONEY & ROYAL JELLY MASK
Royal Jelly (which comes from bees) is known to be a good anti-aging product that plumps the skin. I don't know what else this mask is supposed to do but I'll let you guys know later if I look 10 years younger. ;)
Again, I ordered all of these products through Ms. Apothecary and got free shipping. My order took a bit longer to arrive than I would have liked but overall, I think the prices were fair and the selection is decent. If you're looking for more, head on over to Wish Trend, which is where MS ships from. Also, stay tuned for a more detailed review on these products later on.
The High/ Low Mash-Up
This post is a true testament to mixing high end and low end. I got this Rag & Bone t-shirt last year and I'm embarrassed to say that it was very pricey for it being just a t-shirt, but I really love the bold stripes and I swear they're not as easy to find as you would think. The jeans are a recent Zara acquisition for $50 and the sunglasses are $6 from Urban Planet - one of those very inexpensive stores that I never fully understood until this moment. The blue Alexander Wang Antonia sandals are one of shoes that I knew I needed and I paid full price for them in the dead of winter and waited months until I could finally wear them. This is my second year owning them and I still love them. Every woman needs at least one luxury handbag and I had been coveting over this Givenchy Pandora for many years until I finally got this one. The buttery soft leather is durable and the bag it's self is light weight and comfortable to carry. Between wearing high and low pieces, new and old, this outfit doesn't break the bank and it shows that it's so important to buy what you love and not just what's trending.
Sunglasses, Urban Planet
Watch, Daniel Wellington
Bracelets, Birds Of A Feather
Lipstick, MAC's Chilli
Striped t-shirt, Rag & Bone/JEAN
Jeans, Zara (exact)
Shoes, Alexander Wang Antonia heels
Bag, small black Givenchy Pandora
Trending: The Mini Bags
Earlier this spring I was mad craving tote bags and graphic patterns of all sorts but more than a month later, I'm wanting the teeny tiny mini bags of the moment. Here are my some of my faves.
The Mansur Gavriel mini mini bucket bag is #1 on my wish list and is back in stock on May 14th!
Fendi, Saint Laurent and Marc Jacobs - these tiny bags double as clutches and cross body's and have an elegant flare. (Click to shop)
I have a crazy love for cross body bags and these ones here are top trending and some of my faves from Givenchy, Chloe and Saint Laurent Paris.
A good top handle bag with the cross body option is sophisticated and timeless. The Fendi Mini Peekaboo comes in many delicious colours and a smaller Nano option. These ones by Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent are equally as desirable.