Cottage Style Diary
It's back to reality after going on our week long cottage holiday. My hubby and I stayed at my in-laws beautiful lake view home. We woke up late on most mornings, sunbathed while drinking cocktails on the private beach, and at the end of the night, we watched the shooting stars across the clear night sky. It was exactly what I needed to recharge my creative batteries. Oh, and did I mention we celebrated our 8th year wedding anniversary?! Yay! :)
I only brought up a few pieces on my holiday, like my One Teaspoon cutoffs that are perfect with a bikini top or a cute muscle tee. My designer bags stayed at home and instead I opted for my MBMJ tote bag to carry my laptop, iPad and other necessities. I also packed a couple of bandanas because I can't seem to get enough of them these days and really, I was just too lazy to do my hair.
Now that I'm back home and I'm not fully back into the swing of work life just yet so please forgive my tardiness on getting my next series of fashion posts up on the blog. In the meanwhile, I hope you'll enjoy my cottage style diary.
Trending: Bold Orange Makeup & The Best Macarons in Toronto
After watching a makeup tutorial on my favourite Youtube channel, KathleenLights, I got it in my head that I needed orange eyeshadow in my life asap! Just watch her tutorial here and tell me you're not convinced! A quick trip to the States happily coincided with my new makeup obsession and a trip to Ulta was all I needed to take my look from summer to fall. Before you read on, I have to tell you guys that this is not a sponsored post. Everything here happens to be from NYX because I genuinely love the brand and also, the price points are too good to pass up, especially when you're buying into the bold makeup trend.
Top row: NYX Prismatic Eye Shadows in Fireball (an orange-rose metallic shade) and Girl Talk (a pale pink metallic shade, perfect for highlighting when used lightly).
Bottom row: NYX Hot Singles Eye Shadows in LOL (matte orange) and Showgirl (metallic rusty orange).
I went to Ulta looking for an orange shade but ended up grabbing three since I feel they're all different enough from each other. I also thought about getting a gold eye shadow to use as a highlighter, but I already have one in my Dream Catcher Palette, so instead I went for a light pink metallic shadow (Girl Talk).
I'll start off with the Prismatic Shadows. These shadows are INTENSE! The colour pay off on these is AMAZING and they feel super high-end and luxurious. Even without a primer, they have awesome staying power, which is surprising since I have oily skin and eye shadows tend to crease on me. The Hot Singles Shadows are different from the Prismatic in that they're buildable shades so you can get a subtle wash of colour or a more intense look, depending on what you want. I really like the LOL (matte orange) shade a lot, but I also find it annoying that it takes so long to build up to the intensity of what's in colour pot. Even though Showgirl (metallic rusty orange) is in the same collection, I find the colour applies much better than LOL. Either way at their price point ($4.50 - $6 USD), I can't complain. I'll probably go back for that gold shadow and a couple of brown shades on my next trip.
Since I was on my orange "high", I felt I needed a new blush to go with my eye shadows. I picked up the NYX Rouge Cream Blush in the appropriately named, Orange. I haven't used a cream blush in a long time but I used to LOVE them. I just don't know what changed. Anyway, this one gives my cheeks a nice flush of colour and pulls together the orange eyes without being overwhelming. I use a bronzer first and then apply a light touch of this blush. Lastly I needed a new lipstick to finish off my look. You guys know I love my corals and reds, but considering I'm now wearing orange on my eyelids, I felt a subtle lip was best. I picked up the Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Daiquiri - a pink coral shade that reads almost like a nude with my olive skin. Even without a lip liner, the formula wears beautifully and it's quickly become my new favourite shade. (PS - Sorry I don't have colour swatches. I'll post them soon so stay tuned for an edit!)
Special shoutout to my friends at Butter Avenue in Toronto for making the BEST french macrons in the city. Their pastries are equally as delicious and present beautifully in pictures and in person. How could I not use them as props for my makeup story? ;)
Target in Canada used to carry NYX but they're gone now (RIP). Stop by Rexall to get your NYX fix.
Summer Style: Acne Studios High Tops
My hubs got me these patent leather Acne Studios Cleo high tops for my birthday last year. I was so excited that I wore them for about two weeks straight and then just stopped because these shoes are an absolute pain in the ass to get on. With the help of a shoe horn it takes me a few minutes to squeeze my foot in and then another few minutes to lace them up. Getting them off is equally treacherous and the scenerio goes a little something like this: I sit on the stairs and hold on to the banister as Geoff pries the shoe off bit by bit. I become impatient and curse a lot and break out in a sweat until they're finally off my feet. I don't think this is typical for high tops but I've had comments on IG that these Acne's are notoriously difficult to get on. So with that, I hate to tell you guys that I wouldn't recommend the Cleo's unless you have the patience of a saint. Lucky for me I actually love the look of these high tops and I'm willing to put up with the insanity that comes with owning them. Also, they go awesome with denim shorts!
Bandana, Aritzia. | Sunglasses, Armani. | Men's t-shirt (worn backwards), Joe Fresh. | Denim boyfriend shorts, Free People. | Bag, Givenchy small leather black Pandora. | Sneakers, Acne Studios patent leather Cleo high tops.
Pre-Fall
I hate to say it but fall is just around the corner and the truth is that I’ve barely started to think about what I’m going to wear this season. For the first time in my life I’m not following trends in fashion magazines like I used to and instead I’m relying on street style inspiration from the wonderful world of Instagram. Some faves are currently @lornaluxe, @brandonduvall, @dustincarrington and @jetsetjustine. Mainly though, I’m relying more on what I want to wear and not necessarily what’s trending. What I want to wear right now is what the boys are wearing - slim pants, white sneakers (like Brandon) and button up shirts done up half way (a la Dustin). With these stylish men in mind I threw together my leather Mackage pants and my favourite Brandy Melville muscle tee. I wrapped my denim jacket around my waist to break up all of the black and add in some texture. My boots are Isabel Marant, from last year and they’re probably one of my best scores from Ssense. The bag is Alexander Wang and it’s called the Trifold. When The Outnet stocked it in patent leather, I didn’t think twice about clicking the buy button. All of the pieces I’m wearing were bought in the last couple of years, illustrating exactly why it’s so important to buy for your personal style vs. some shitty trend that will just come and go. So with that, perhaps I’m more ready for fall than I thought. With a little bit of inspo I can have a new perspective on my current wardrobe and make it feel new(ish).
Glasses, Armani | Necklaces, both from Lisbeth Jewelry | Muscle tee, Brandy Melville | Leather pants, Package | Boots, Isabel Marant | Bag, Alexander Wang | Bandana, Aritzia | Snake ring, Jenny Bird | Denim Jacket, Urban Outfitters
Kate Moss x Topshop
These Kate Moss x Topshop shorts instantly caught my eye on the sales rack of Topshop with their glittery embroidered detail and $5.00 price tag! That's right, $5!!! I thought - "perfect! It falls into my no-shopping-diet", where in my sick mind only very frugal shopping is allowed. Bonus, they totally have that Isabel Marant aesthetic I love so much but at a Value Village price point.
I paired my shorts with my Kate Moss x Matisse Charlotte boots. I mean, why not marry the two Kate's together in one amazing, heavy metal outfit? Throw in an Alexander Wang Rocco bag with rose gold hardware and I'm set! I'll admit that my hubby did give me a once over when he saw the outfit for the first time, and for a sec I wondered if my shorts where too short. (I've concluded they are but I'm owning it!) I think he was just not expecting so much bling everywhere. Then again, he should know better by now. I'd like to think it's a good thing that my outfit's still surprise the man I've been married to for almost 8 years now. Fashion: brings communities together and keeps marriages strong. Ok, they're just shorts I know!
xo, Nathalie
Shorts, Kate Moss x Topshop | Shirt, Lush Clothing | Necklace & Snake Ring, Jenny Bird (exact) | Bag, Alexander Wang Rocco | Black Ankle Boots, Kate Bosworth x Matisse, The Charlotte | Bracelet, The Peach Box (exact) | Watch, Cluse (exact) | Glasses, Dior | Gold ring on index finger, Dean Davidson
Sailing With Lacoste
These images are from a series of live-posts from Insta, and I'm blogging a few days after the fact - don't judge. Let's rewind to last Friday when Lacoste took me and 5 other Toronto bloggers sailing on Lake Ontario. Yes, it was as perfect as it sounds!
The Lacoste team had handpicked shoes for each of us based on our personal style so naturally I was thrilled when I got these gold toned court sneakers. (Metallic shoes? Yes please!) I often talk about building my outfits from the ground up, starting with the shoes. My first instinct was to put together an all white ensemble but instead I went for a different kind of nautical. I paired my navy lace-up Tibi shell with a pair of high waisted Jbrand jeans for versatility - sailing in the morning and office in the afternoon. For future wears I can see these kicks going well with black distressed denim and a deep V white t-shirt. Classic.
On the boat we chatted about shoes and got a sneak peak at AW15, which looks both on-trend and comfortable with knee high leather boots and glossy patent leather oxfords. We also got a sneak peak at SS16 which had all of us really excited about what's to come - white high tops, perforated sandals and slip on sneakers. Trust me when I say I want it all! #shoehoarder
xo, Nathalie
Lacoste Sneak Peek: SS2015
Front to back, left to right: Me, Sasha (sosasha.com), Alyssa (randomactsofpastel.com), Deanne (myfashavenue.com) Stephanie (stephaniesterjovski.com), Colby with Lacoste and Jodi (jodiblk.com).
How To Style It: Straight Cut Jeans
The weather this week has been just chilly enough to finally get me thinking about fall. I just got these new pale grey jeans from Fidelity Denim that sit really low on the hips and have a straight cut leg. They're definitely not the skin tight skinnies that I'm used to and when I tried them on for the first time I thought "oh no, I should have sized down." The truth is, it feels nice to have my legs breathe a little with a looser fitting jean.
The challenge from there was how would I style these straight leg denims? With a lower waistline than I'm used to, I chose a bold belt to accentuate that feature. This particular one is a men's belt from the Gap that I got on sale for $3 when I was in high school. Truth is that I don't wear much but I've never been able to part with it. For some reason it reminds of the of kinda belt a biker dude might wear. So with that, I felt the need to offset the tough with the pretty. Enter, the silk blouse. This one almost has a 70s' secretary vibe with the sheer silk fabric, the necktie and the keyhole opening on the bust. A floppy wool hat, my trusty Armani sunglasses and a suede black pump was all I needed to finish the look. It's fall ready, reminiscent of That 70s' Show but with a contemporary vibe. Oh, but let's not forget about my Givenchy Pandora. This is the kinda bag that goes with any type of jeans, including straight cut. ;)
Special thanks to Dean Davidson for sending me some beautiful rings that just happened to style beautifully with this post. I'm wearing the Plaza Ring in green onyx and the Pyramid Stacking ring here. As for the nails, I used Chanel in Frenzy.
Jeans, Fidelity Denim
Blouse, Zara (A/W 2014)
Belt, Gap
Pumps, Jcrew
Rings, Dean Davidson
Hat, Target
Bag, Givenchy Small Pandora
Glasses, Armani
Olive & Black Leather
Just before the sun started going down we caught this outfit at the cutest little greenhouse in Oakville. I have yet to go in as it's usually open while I'm at work but the exterior is just right for an #ootd back drop or pretending I'm in L.A. Hope you're all having an excellent weekend so far! xo, Nathalie
Alexander Wang Heels & Distressed Denim
Sometimes I feel like I should dress more girly and wear heels but at the core I always favour flats, jeans and a t-shirt. What kind of fashion blogger am I?! >_< Regardless I busted my favourite Alexander Wang heels along with my A.W. Tina Zip Clutch (circa 2010) to go along with my cheapie jeans and white tank. While the shoe and bag are both designer, the clothes are only about $70. Gotta love Forever 21 and Zara for good finds! As for dressing girly, I'll reserve it for special occasions and stick to my rock and roll style. ;)
Alex & Ani Energy bracelet
Birds Of A Feather necklace
Armani sunglasses
Alexander Wang Antonia sandals & Tina zip clutch
Zara jeans
Forever 21 Tank