HOW TO ROCK BOOTS IN THE SUMMER
Sometimes a badass pair of boots is all you need to make a summer outfit more cool and effortless. I'm wondering why I haven't worn these Giuseppe Zanotti's sooner considering they were my go-to's for months. (I blame the gold Gucci's) They'd look super cute with a printed mini dress and obviously they go well with tiny shorts and an oversized top. The boots say "I don't give a f---" and yet they're comfortable enough to wear all day long.
I'm almost tempted to retire my sandals for the rest of the summer. Almost.
xo, Nathalie
An oversized top by Frank & Eileen (called the Eileen) balances off the look of short shorts. It's made of Italian linen so it keeps you cool on those hot summer days. The fit of it is oversized so be sure you grab your true size when buying it. I'm wearing an XS.
Show off some leg! Ankle boots during the summer look best with mini dresses and short shorts.
PHOTOGRAPHY by: Vincent Ko @ vincent-ko.com
Thanks to the lovely team at Frank & Eileen for supplying me with beautiful linen shirts each season. I can't thank you enough!
HOSTING A GIRLS NIGHT IN WITH PALM BAY
When Palm Bay approached me about hosting a girls night in, I thought “alright let’s do this”. But then my day to day life got really busy and hosting a night with the girls seemed like the last thing on my mind.
Thing is, I was making a big deal out of nothing and forgot the big picture. I’m seriously blessed with the greatest friends ever and when we get together it’s like time hasn’t passed. Hosting a night in for my girls is super easy. All we need is some good food and drinks and before we know it, we’re laughing so hard we’re about to pee our pants (ok not really). I’m lucky this all came together when it did because my girls and I vowed to make more time for each other and turn this into a monthly thing.
xo, Nathalie
This post was sponsored by Palm Bay. All photos and opinions are my own.
Special thanks to my girls, Janet and Diana for helping my girls night in come to life!
HOW TO USE FACE BRONZERS & SELF TANNERS
Getting your bronzer on and faking a tan is easier than you think, especially when you're using makeup. I've put together few of my favourite methods to fake a flawless tan.
MAKEUP
For an quick fake tan I like to use a tinted moisturizer in a shade or two darker than my skin tone. The trick to making it look natural is to bring the tinted moisturized down to the neck so the colour appears seamless. If you don't want to buy a darker moisturizer or foundation, Make Up For Ever makes an awesome brown liquid pigment that will adjust your makeup colour in a couple of drops. Remember, water and oil don't mix so be sure to pick up the pigment formulation that's right for the makeup you're going to be mixing it with.
LIQUID BRONZER
Benefit launched the liquid version of their famous Hoola a couple of months ago called Dew The Hoola. I prefer to use it in place of a tinted moisturized and apply it on top of my SPF. (Sun protection is key people!) It gives me a natural tanned glow that I really like for the summer, kinda like the no-makeup makeup. If you're looking for more coverage, just mix a pump of liquid Hoola to your existing makeup and voila! (I personally think the colour of Hoola is perfect for my medium olive skin tone but I can't see it making a difference on anyone who's medium-dark. Benefit needs to release it in a darker shade so that everyone can try it's awesome bronzing powers.)
POWDER BRONZER
I'd be lost without powder bronzer. Benefit's Hoola is my all time fave for contour. To warm up my face I like shimmery bronzers like Edward Bess and Rimmel. Just use a big fluffy brush and blend the powder around the perimeter of the face - forehead, cheeks, jawline and chin. With a clean brush go back in and blend away any harsh lines so the bronzer looks natural. I've recently been to a couple of events where girls have used so much bronzer and contour that I can literally spot it in a crowded room. Not cute. Blending is your BFF when it comes to bronzing so take your time.
SELF TANNER
For those who don't want to be mixing foundations and liquid bronzers daily (and trust me, it's super easy), then self tanners are for you. Vita Liberata sent me their Self-Tanning Anti Aging Serum to try and it is awesome! Every time I use it, people I haven't seen in a while ask me where I've been on vacation. Just add a drop or two to your moisturizer and that's it! At $63, it's not cheap but trust me when I say you will get a natural flawless tan. This stuff doesn't stink and won't turn your skin orange.
THIS POST FEATURES BUYERS REMORSE
Remember that buyers remorse I was talking about in yesterday's Fancy For Cheap post? Well today's outfit is the perfect example. I picked up this cute off the shoulder top from Aritzia for 20% off during their Clientele Private sale. (BTW-Why does Aritzia still do that whole final sale on their sale items bullshit? They really need to get rid of that policy. Store credit would suffice, thank you very much.) Anyway, I learned after wearing this top on a hot sunny day that it's not breathable. Nope! The exterior is made of thick synthetic fabric and it's unnecessarily lined with an additional layer of synthetic fabric, trapping in more body heat inside. To top it off (pun intended), something is up with the shoulders because my shirt refuses to stay in place and keeps wanting to roll up on top of my shoulders. Don't get my wrong, the shirt is beautiful but it's such a drag when you bring something home only to find it's not the easiest to wear.
What's your most recent buyers remorse? Where you able to return it or did you get trapped into final sale like me?
xo, Nathalie
SHOP MY LOOK
THE GRADUAL SELF TANNER
It's day 2 of Faux Tanning Week and today I want to talk about gradual self tanners. I like to use these in the start of the season when I'm prepping my pasty white legs to see the light of day after being covered up all winter long. I'm going to be taking about two products here, Bioderma's Photoderm Autobronzant, which technically isn't a gradual self tanner but it should be because it's very subtle and buildable. The second is Jergens Natural Glow. I've been a fan of Jergens for years now and in the past I've used it for a few weeks until I'm ready to go barelegged.
The beauty of gradual self tanners is that they're much more forgiving to apply than the average self tanner since they are, well, gradual. I like how the colour of both Jergens the Bioderma are pretty natural looking. I say "pretty natural" though because I learned through trail and error that it's important to take a break from self tanning otherwise you run the risk of looking orange. So ideally, once you achieve your desired colour, three days off and 1 day on in terms of product application. I disregarded the instructions on the labels and started using it daily in hopes of getting more bronzed but I just got more orange. What can I say, follow the instructions people!
WHO IT'S FOR
Gradual self tanners are great if you're low maintenance since they're easy to apply and hard to fuck up.
SCENT
I noticed the Jergens scent more as the day went on and it did start to annoy me, but not enough to stop using it. Bioderma claims to be scent free but I swear I smell something.
COLOUR
Both give a natural subtle tan when used as directed. (Don't over apply like I did or you will look orange.)
BIODERMA VS. JERGENS
Bioderma is easier to apply since it's a fine mist spray. With that being said, I used up my can in no time and at $20 a bottle, that can get expensive fast. On the other hand, the fine mist means it's easy to get hard to reach areas like the back. Even if the can is held upside down, the nozzle sprays seamlessly from every angle. The downside of this is that it will get everywhere - the floor, shower curtain, bath mat so be careful.
As for Jergens, I just think you get more bang for your buck. Like I said, I've been using it for years and one tube will last me all summer long and it's well priced at $13. Jergens applies like a lotion and blends easily so overall, the application is seamless. Downside, orange skin when overused and that darned subtle self tanner smell.
APPLICATION TIPS & TRICKS
Exfoliate! It's the best thing you can do to give your self tanner a smooth base to glide over and as a result, the colour will look more natural and even overall.
Moisturize your feet, knees and elbows before and after applying self tanner to make the colour appear more natural since these areas seem to absorb colour more.
Use an SPF when you head out doors. Just because your skin looks tanned it doesn't mean the sun's rays won't harm your skin. I like the Ombrelle line from Garnier. They make ones for the body and face so they literally have you covered.
For an even healthier glow, I like using a body oil on my arms and legs like the one from Sahajan. It smells amazing and the brand is all natural and based in Toronto.
FANCY FOR CHEAP: HOW TO SHOP DESIGNER SALES
I remember an article on Yvette's blog (aka, Ms. YoLee) a while back where she was talking about the thrill of "the hunt". The shopping hunt that is. It made me realize that I've subconsciously shopping like this for as long as I can remember. Sure, I have a small wish list of non-sale items I want to add to my closet but I feel like it's rare that I actually pay full price. For the most part, I'm a sale shopper and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
From spending too much time shopping (online & IRL) I learned that most designer items will go on sale if you wait. It's a bit of a gamble because sometimes things sell out and it's not always easy to pin point which piece will be the "it" item of the season before it's gone. For example, last year I really wanted Isabel Marant's Jaeryn sandals. They sold out while I was waiting for them to go on sale and I was really upset. The same thing almost happened this year and in fact they had sold out but I found a returned pair on Ssense.com late one night while I was browsing their site. Considering the limited availability of the sandal I didn't mind paying full price too much, but I still cringed when I saw my total at the checkout.
Aside from buying that rare full priced item here and there, I much prefer shopping the sale section. It might be a little ghetto or taboo to admit out loud but like I tell my hubby, I like to think of it as smart shopping and investing well. For example, if I buy a designer bag for half off and use it for a season or two, I can later sell it on consignment and get my money back if I get tired of it. Plus I never know what sale goodies are going to come my way, hence thrill of "the hunt". I bought my pink Saint Laurent glitter boots on sale and I had been wanting them forever. I swear my heart skipped a beat when I found them for $300 brand new! Givenchy, Isabel Marant, Jil Sander and Valentino are other designers I've picked up on sale and came across them when I was least expecting it.
So there you have it. A little shopping secret from me to you. Keep your eyes open and be patient because those Valentino Rockstuds you always wanted could be yours for half off! ;)
xo, Nathalie
Word to the wise: Shopping sales can be tempting so only buy what you love. There's nothing more annoying than buyers remorse especially on final sales.
Be sure to shop sales through a reputable place. I prefer high end department stores and the end of season sales on SSENSE.
MY SALE SCORES:
Gold criss cross sandals, Gucci, 50% off, Holts
Skinny jeans, 3x1, 80% off, Marshalls
Falabella denim star bag, Stella McCartney, 45% off, Holts
Silk top (in blue here), Elizabeth & James, 50% off, SAKS
Sunnies, Salvatore Ferragamo, gifted (similar here)
Necklaces, Lisbeth Jewelry, gifted
Larsson & Jennings Norse watch, sponsored/gift
LWD
I love me a little white dress and in fact, I love little dresses of any sort. I picked up this one from Zara a few weeks ago and loved it for the fact it's easy and breezy for the hot humid weather. The little frills around the skirt can make the dress easily look too young which is why I paired it with some of my favourite sophisticated accessories. Plus the accessories suddenly take it from being just a white dress to making it more me.
First, up - gold slippers. These are the quintessential shoe for the summer and I swear the gold leather goes with everything. I think they're supremely comfortable and since I bought them I've been wearing them almost everyday.
I felt compelled to tie a black bandana around the handle of my bag. I think it makes my overall outfit less precious and more rebellious.
I'm always mixing metals- gold shoes, silver hardware on my bag a rhodium plated and silver earrings. I'm also wearing layered gold necklaces from Vancouver born, Toronto based designer, Lisbeth Jewelry. If you haven't checked out her collection yet, make sure you do.
Will you be wearing a little white dress this summer and if so, how will you be accessorizing?
xo, Nathalie
FAUX TANNING WEEK: THE TRIED, TESTED & TRUE
Faux Tanning Week is finally here and I'm super excited to dive into this series! I've been working on this story for the last month, testing every single product that you guys see here. There's a mix of items that were sent to me alongside some items that I purchased myself so that I could talk to many different products on the market right now because I really wanted to be as diverse as possible for you guys!
Throughout the week I'll be giving you tips on the best application, how to prep the skin properly to get an even tan as well as which products look most natural and are least scented. For those who are reluctant to commit to using a self tanner, fear not because I'll also be talking about how to use bronzers in order to achieve that bronzed goddess glow that you can rinse off in the shower at the end of the day.
Check back daily because there's 5 days worth of content starting tomorrow!
xo, Nathalie