CITY & COTTAGE SHOES
As much as I complain about our harsh winters, one of the perks of living in Canada is the diversity of our weather; rainy spring days, hot summers, colourful autumns and snowy winters. Fashion translation: more options for footwear!
I spent some time at the cottage recently and of course, I had to bring more than one pair of shoes - my Dolce Vita lace-up sandals and my Sam Edelman slip-ons. Both are incredibly comfortable and can be found at Town Shoes. They're suitable for the city and cottage but for this trip I was partial to the slip-ons since they're great for boating.
What are your go-to shoes this season and where will you be wearing them?
xo, Nathalie
*Nathalie is this years brand ambassador for Town Shoes and this post is sponsored by them. All opinions and photos are her own.
FIRST SUMMER OUTFIT OF THE SEASON!
It's the first long weekend of the season and it finally feels like summer. I busted out the bronzer and my favourite denim cutoffs to pair with this graphic star blouse that I got from Sincerely Jules' shop. I love how to top is so feminine and flowy, perfect for the warm weather but I know it'll transition well into winter as well. It's not often I buy clothes but when I do, I always make sure they're versatile and transition from season to season. Shorts obviously don't fall in that category and I only own about 3 pairs.
As for accessories, I went for my Isabel Marant Jaeryn sandals. I've wanted these shoes for well over a year now and when I scored the last pair, I was thrilled. Sadly they need some breaking in and after our hour-long walk around the neighbourhood, I was limping back to the house.
The jacket was my first ever Mackage piece and still my favourite leather jacket. It's got a shrunken fit that I love.
Enjoy the long weekend and the beautiful weather. I'll be headed to the cottage with some friends for the first time in a while and I can't wait.
xo, Nathalie
ANTI-AGING TIPS FROM A 35 YEAR OLD
Sleep is really important to me and so is getting ready for bed. I'm religious about my night time "get ready" routine and I always find the time to take off my makeup and moisturize after a long day. This past week I've been so exhausted that I've been crawling into bed after brushing my teeth without washing my face. *Gasp! Gross! I know. Judge away but I have been comatose-tired and washing up was the last thing on my mind.
We hear it constantly - washing your face before bed, moisturizing and using an SPF is the best thing we could do for anti aging. I'm 35 years old guys and I get told over and over again that I don't look my age (hallelujah!). I can easily sum it up to years of taking care of my skin and protecting it from the sun.
So let's say you have some catching up to do and you want to start taking care of your skin now in your 30's or 40's or 60's. It's never too late in my opinion. Invest in some quality moisturizers and serums, like Nivea's Q10 Plus line, because hydrated, glowing skin looks beautiful at every age. Moisturize every part of your body, I'm not even kidding. Décolletage, boobs, hands, lips, your feet, all of it. I keep Nivea's Anti-Aging hand cream in my car because I'm constantly reapplying it. I slather Nivea Creme on my feet before going to bed so I can wake up with cute crusty-free feet and then of course, I moisturize my face religiously, day and night. In fact, I've drilled into Geoff's head that he needs to start taking care of his skin too and you know what, it's working!
Today's lesson, moisturize, wash your face and use an SPF. Your beautiful radiant skin will thank you!
xo, Nathalie
In collaboration with Nivea. All opinions and photographs are my own.
STRAIGHT TO THE POINT WITH L'OREAL PROFESSIONNEL STEAMPOD 2.0
Written by: Diana Aldea
Photography by: Nathalie Martin
As I write this, it's been a couple of weeks since the release of Beyonce's Lemonade and everyone is losing their mind, hating on "Becky with the good hair". While I won't get into the politics behind the phrase (dangerous territory), it made me ask myself the question, "what is good hair?"
After putting a lot of though into it, I don't think good hair can be placed into a singular category. However, I think the assessment can be simplified - a 'do that flatters your features and makes you feel good is damn good hair. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Cue the L'Oréal Professionnel Steam Pod 2.0.
People are freaking out about the new and improved version of the original Steam Pod, which has impressive ratings on MakeupAlley.
Why are people so obsessed?
- Better for your hair - it uses a combination of steam and pro-keratin technology
- Conquers almost any hair texture, leaving it silky smooth
- Multiple heat settings allowing you to customize for your hair type
- Results last days and days
After testing the L'Oréal Professionnel Steam Pod 2.0, all of this proved to be true. However, I'd advise that those with very fine hair use the lowest temperature setting. This tool is incredibly powerful, and putting it at a high setting on fine hair would likely leave it looking limp. It's ideal for those with very thick hair, and it will cut down the time of styling significantly.
Having good hair is achievable - whether you're Becky or not.
GIVEAWAY ALERT!
Now's your turn. I've teamed up with the brand to give away 1 Steam Pod 2.0 to a lucky reader. To enter simply comment below or go on Twitter and retweet my post! Winner will be announced in a couple of weeks. Good luck!
[Diana Aldea is WoahStyle.com's Contributing Beauty Editor]
The L'Oréal Professionnel Steam Pod was gifted to WoahStyle.
All opinions and photos are our own.
WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES
This past Thursday I joined some of the other Town Shoes brand ambassadors, Alexander Liang, Chloe Zhang and Jonathan Cavaliere for Toronto's Walk A Mile In Her Shoes - a fundraiser set to help end violence against women and promote gender equality. Men got into the spirit of the things by walking in heels for the mile long walk around the financial district. I wore my comfortable Sam Edelman slip ons and felt proud to walk with the Town Shoes team. It's not everyday that a brand asks us to get involved in an event that's for a good cause, so I have to say I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Thanks so much for having us!
Walk A Mile came close to its goal, having raised $127.8k of the $175k. Well done Toronto!
xo, Nathalie
THE ACT OF KINDNESS
This past weekend Geoff and I set up for an afternoon of cafe hopping and shooting content uptown around the Yonge and Lawrence area. If you guys are familiar with the neighbourhood you'll know it's an affluent area, so when a woman in her late 40's driving an Audi Q7 SUV drove up next to us and almost ran me over, we were seriously caught off guard! Turns she had a problem where I was sitting on the sidewalk because it's the exact area she wanted to park. I would have moved but there was ample parking around us, including directly in front of the building she was going to. It wasn't necessary for me to move and she knew it, but this woman was for a fight.
After she parked she came raging out of her car yelling obscenities at us at the top of her lungs, all while her 10 year old boy sat from the passenger seat watching his mum go postal on us with his windows rolled down. Yes, mum was fully audible to the kid and when I pointed it out to her she screamed "I DON'T F***ING CARE!!!" Can you imagine being the child who sees his mother go mental on total strangers for something as trivial as a parking? It's sad to think about and I don't even want to go into the details of it but it's so completely unnecessary. Chances are she was having a crap day from the start and was just taking it out on us.
It makes me realize that sometimes it's easier to be vile and rude than it is to be nice. I'm proposing that you guys do something nice and unexpected that will brighten someones day. It's easier than you think. :)
As for the angry woman in the parking lot, the whole exchange ended with Geoff saying "have a nice day" and her yelling at us that she hopes we get runs over.
Stay happy, friendly and smiling dear friends.
xo, Nathalie
Shoes by Sam Edelman from Town Shoes available here.
CLASSICS
It seems that no matter where trends take us each season, there will always be a place for the classics. Sure, I love a pink sparkly boot as much as Dorothy loves her red Mary Janes, but I'm also a sucker for a good black pump and a button down shirt.
If you guys follow me on Snapchat (@woahstyle), you would have seen my unboxing video and commentary on Frank & Eileen- a brand that has mastered the art of the button down shirt for both men and women. I've worn a few of their tops now and have my fair share of faves each season, but this cut I'm wearing here, called the Eileen, is hands down my new favourite! It's oversized and comfy- perfect for the weekend and running errands around the city. I love how it looks with these distressed jeans and I can't wait to wear it with cutoffs during the summer. I already know that this classic shirt will stick around in my closet for a long time!
Now I want to hear from you; how do you keep your classic pieces looking updated each season and what's your must have? Is it a plain white button down shirt or a pair of loafers? Leave a comment below. ;)
xo, Nathalie
Special thanks to Frank & Eileen for keeping my wardrobe timeless.
All opinions and photos are my own.
LUXE SKINCARE FROM DARPHIN PARIS
I want to start this article by telling you that I've been testing these Darphin products for the last couple of months and comparing them to other products in my beauty drawer - everything from drugstore, to mid-level to natural skincare because I wanted to give you guys a fair assessment of Darphin Paris and answer, "is it really worth the money?".
Just a quick overview before we dive in, Darphin is a Parisian skincare brand that launched in 1958. When I say they're luxe, I mean it. Starting at $36 pimple cream (It's called blemish clearing gel btw) to $235 for Wrinkle Repair Serum, the brand prides themselves in quality ingredients made with the finest botanicals, most which come packaged in beautiful glass bottles and jars. If an entire line of skincare that targets specific troubled-skin isn't enough, you can always swing by the Darphin Vendôme Insitute in Paris for a luxurious spa experience. I know I'm crossing my fingers that I can visit one day!
I used everything from makeup remover to serums, moisturizer and micellar water from Darphin. Now that I'm in my 30's I find my skin is more sensitive and a bit textured on the surface. When I use Darphin, my skin is more hydrated and feels smoother. Makeup applies better and stays on longer too. I also find their products to be really calming and soothing since they smell heavenly- best described as a spa retreat mixed with fresh air and a subtle hint of flowers. They apply very silky on the skin as well so it's fair to say the brand offers are a true sensory experience.
So, is the price worth it? Yes absolutely!
I'm aware the price point on most of these products is high, but if I could recommend 5 must-have items from Darphin they would be:
Hydraskin Light All Day Skin Hydrating Cream Gel, $75
If there's only one Darphin product you can buy, make it this one. My skin feels and looks so good whenever I use it. I'd even go as far to say it's my new favourite moisturizer.Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood, $45
Warm up a bit of this solid cleanser between your fingers before massaging it onto your face to remove makeup and then rinse away with water. I usually use a micellar water after to make sure all traces of makeup are gone but then again, I do that with every cleanser. I love how this one is gentle on the skin and leaves it moisturized.Micro-Refining Smoothing Fluid for Combination Skin, $90
If you have textured combination skin like me, you're going to love this serum. While doesn't get rid of my texture completely, I find it helps calm my skin A LOT.Dark Circles Relief and De-Puffing Eye Serum, $100
I love using this serum to prep my dark under eyes before my eye cream. I makes me look more awake and it feels really good.Exquisâge Beauty Revealing Eye and Lip Contour Cream, $118
This eye and lip cream firms and feels really soothing. I dab it on my under eyes after the serum and dab a bit on my lips before applying lip balm.
If you guys are convinced you need Darphin in your life, you can find it at Sephora online and in select stores.
This post is in collaboration with Darphin Paris. All opinions and photos are my own.
HELLO JIMMY CHOO!
Okay, okay. So the shoes aren't Jimmy Choos but the handbag is. I borrowed it from Love That Bag because I've worked with them in the past and I wanted to do something different for this spring time post.
I was drawn to this tote for obvious reason - stars!!! If you guys don't know, I love anything with stars - sweaters, necklaces, boots, I freakin' love them! This bag is dripping in star shaped studs and finished in black patent leather. It's easy to wear and super convenient for summer. Think picnics, beach time or toting your laptop to the office. Alternatively, it could be a pretty cool gym bag. (The exact bag in this post is listed for sale here!)
As I already mentioned, I worked with Love That Bag last year and we've maintained a mutual relationship/ appreciation for one another. I'm in the midst of doing a bit of spring cleaning and I'll be putting some pieces up for consignment. Watch out for bags from Alexander Wang and Phillip Lim from my personal collection. Wether you're looking to buy or sell, go have a peek at Love That Bag for drool worthy, Instagram ready bags! ;)
xo, Nathalie
This post is in collaboration with Love That Bag. All opinions and photos are my own.