010115 A New Year
I’ve never cared much for New Year’s day until recently.
2013 was a horrible year and it felt like when things were bad, they got worse. My husband and I dealt with a house fire, three car accidents (one which involved a neighbour driving his car into our driveway and hitting our parked car!), job loss and the death of two grandparents. With the approach of the new year I thought, “Fuck it. Shit happens and you have to keep moving forward”.
I was hesitant at first but with the encouragement and support of my hubby and friends, I launched WoahStyle in March 2014 and began blogging. I finally found an outlet for my love of fashion. Aside from my family and friends, fashion is something that has been very important to me my whole life. It’s a way of expression, it’s an art form and it can make a monotonous day more exciting.
The response that I received is like nothing I could have ever expected and the connections I’ve made this year have been truly remarkable. The people I connect with are the ones that inspire me so much more than fashion magazines ever did because they’re real people going after what they want with no boundaries stopping them. I’m also very fortunate to have worked with some amazing brands in 2014 who believe in my personal style and aesthetic as a stylist. Thank you.
For all of the successes that I’ve had this past year, it’s because I know that I’ve worked hard to get there. My ideas never stop and before I have one idea executed and posted, another five are waiting in the queue of my notebook and two more are popping into my head. I guess what I’m trying to say is, work hard and anything is possible in this life. Get out there and make it happen.
Thank you all for helping me make 2014 a great year. I’m looking forward to 2015 and bringing you new and exciting things on WoahStyle and improving my craft as a blogger.
Happy New Year!
xo, Nathalie
123014 December Favourites: Fashion & Accessories
Thanks to everyone who read part one of my December favourites. Part two consists of my fave clothing and accessories items for the month.
PATENT LEATHER
A couple of years ago I read in a magazine that patent leather was out. I didn’t care then and I don’t care now. My love for patent leather has prevailed and in December it’s been all about my 3.1 Phillip Lim ankle boots and these adorable Acne Cleo hi-tops that my husband gave me for my bday. My shoe collection is up to 6 pairs of glossy black shoes now!
NAILS & THINGS
Sure, this should technically fall under beauty but it’s been my favourite accessory this month! I’ve been all about dark and bold colours like black, navy and white. Top protect my manicure I always use Dior Gel Coat, which is a heaven sent from the nail polish gods and helps my manicure last a week!
I’m also loving the Lady Sheffield Watch by Daniel Wellington this month. The black and white combo compliment my nails perfectly and as do these adorable bracelets by Bird of a Feather. I’ve been wearing them loads and I swear they go with everything!
JOURNALS
I’ve always been traditional in the sense that I love notebooks and writing to do lists. Since I started blogging earlier this year, being organized has never been more important and I’m lucky that my BFF hooked me up with some pretty amazing necessities. This notebook by Ogami is made of stone paper meaning it’s 100% tree free and therefore waterproof and never tears. My gold leather 2015 agenda helps me plan blog posts and keeps track of upcoming events while this large washable paper pouch by Hoi Bo stores my notebooks and my iPad comfortably. Thanks BFF! You sure are awesome!
CLOTHING
It seems like I was wearing these Mackage leather leggings a little too often this month but I don’t care because I love them! They make everything I wear look better including my patent leather shoes. Sadly I don’t think Mackage makes these anymore but I’m sure you can find something similar elsewhere. Another thing I can’t stop wearing is my grey Fara scarf by Oak + Fort. It’s ridiculously soft, super warm and goes so well with my mainly black wardrobe.
So there you have it, my December faves. I hope you enjoyed it!
xo, Nathalie
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122914 December Favourites: Beauty
I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube makeup tutorial’s lately and I was inspired by the monthly favourites that some of the girls do. Here are my very own faves, a la WoahStyle.
LIPS
These two lipsticks by Givenchy are on high rotation for winter, Mandarine Bolero and Fruity Orange. Mandarine Bolero #304 is a matte velvety orangey red that isn’t overly orange nor overly red. I’m not sure how to describe it but I swear it’s the perfect day time red.
Fruity Orange #14 is more on the orangey side but still very wearable and very flattering to my olive skin. It’s slightly sheer and slightly glossy. I consider this one to be more subtle.
I always use a nude lipliner under my lipstick to give it more staying power and two of my current faves are #03 by The Face Shop (about $4, the perfect coral nude) and Givenchy Beige #3, which is a peachy beige.
BRUSHES
I'm crazy obsessed with makeup brushes these days and I picked up this five piece Sonia Kashuk set at Target recently for about $16. It has some good brushes that I was missing - foundation brush, blending brush, and 3 other brushes that I use for eyeshadows and contouring.
I also love the cheap and reliable powder brush by The Face Shop ($12) and this amazing concealer brush #57 by Sephora that helps blend away my dark under eye circles in the morning. Another one I can't do without is my eyebrow angled /spooley brush which fills in my sparse brows.
CHEEKS
I’m fairly new to using Benefit’s Hoola and now I can’t go a day without bronzer. Another one that really like is Dessert Sun by Edward Bess. Unlike Hoola, which is a flat colour, EB has a nice shimmer. Don’t get me wrong, both are brilliant for adding definition to the face and I swear my makeup has never looked better!
After applying bronzer to my cheekbones and forehead, I bust out the blush. My favourite all time blushes (yes plural!) are Stila Custom Colour Blush in Coral and Chanel #70 Tweed Brun Rose. I use Tweed first and then layer Coral on for blushy glow. Then take a clean blending brush and sweep it across the cheeks to make sure it’s all blending well.
FACE
For the winter I’m still loving my Hourglass Liquid Powder Foundation in Light Beige. It has a nice light-medium coverage that helps bring my skin to life during this time of year. I use NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer to hide my under eye circles and even out my skin tone. Finally to brighten up my face, I use Benefit’s Watt’s Up highlighter, another Benefit first in my life that I don’t know how I did without!
SKIN & HAIR
I prefer natural body and skin care and right now I’m loving the Peppermint Shampoo & Conditioner from Seabuckthorn. The peppermint feels great and it soothes my scalp in the winter. I wash my face with their Cleansing Bar which has seabuckthorn seed and fruit oils and use a little nose brush by Miisha to help clean on the corners of my nose to prevent blackheads.
To take off my makeup, I love the Camomile Cleansing Oil by The Body Shop. I use it on my damp face it to easily get rid of everything.
I’ve switched to a richer face moisturizer for winter and I’m loving the Cocoa Skin Cream by Meow Meow Tweet. It’s organic and vegan and only has four ingredients - cocoa butter, shea butter, virgin coconut oil and hempseed oil. I also use it as eye cream and lip balm.
Oh - and to keep away the stinks and sweats I’m using a natural deodorant - also by MMT with lavender. I like to take the natural skin care thing as far as I can!
I hope you enjoyed my first Monthly Favourites. I’ll post a second part to this on my favourite clothes and accessories of the month! Thanks for reading!
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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