Hot Hot Heat

It has finally been getting hot in Vancouver and on Monday the only thing I could stand to wear was a thin cotton dress. I got this dress for my trip to Mexico in the spring knowing that I could always wear it in Vancouver once the weather got warm. I hope I get a lot of use of out it.

Dress: H&M
Belt: Found
Bag: Gift from my friend Sarah
Sandals: Roxy
Earrings: Gift from my friend Dylan

How are you beating the heat?

Oh Canada!

I love my country as much as I love my city! I also love any reason to dress up so here are my two Canada Outfits!
Outfit 1:

Dress: Vintage. Was long but I shortened it.
Shoes: Aldo
Ring: Grad Ring from High School

I wore this outfit during the day to take myself out to breakfast at this great place near our house, Save-on Meats. It used to be a butcher shop and now one side is an old school diner with home-style food and the other side is a great butcher shop. You should really check it out.

Tank: H&M
Skirt: Vintage, one of my friend's found it at Value Village but didn't her so I inherited it.
Shoes: Winners
Clutch: Salvation Army, thrifted

I wore this at night out to dinner at Rodney's Oyster House. with a group of our friends. I love this skirt so so much and I really should try to wear it more often. I quickly snapped these pictures before rushing out the doors so the shots are not great. I just wanted to you see the amazing red leather skirt!

Hope everyone had a great Canada Day!!

Inspiration: Lucky Magazine

Today's outfit was taken from a small article in Lucky Magazine. The style question was "How do you dress up shorts?" Well right now in Vancouver it is grey almost everyday but it is warm and muggy. Dressing up shorts is exactly what I need to be doing.



When I first saw this outfit I loved it instantly. I don't really have any of these pieces but I knew I could make something work. This is what I came up with.

Blazer: Sample Sale, Tank: Thrifted, Shorts: Urban Planet, Shoes: Winners, Ring: Gift

I think it is cute and I will totally wear it again but I also think I will be finally purchasing a black boyfriend blazer. I would have loved my version even more if I had had one.

Lakeside Baby!

What a great weekend we had! We got home from our camping weekend last night and we were beat, even the dog. Still it was a great weekend spent visiting the family lakeside at Great Central Lake.

The view from the boat launch at 7:30 am Sunday morning.



I didn't get to go wakeboarding but I did jump off the dock with my niece, who is 9, and let me tell you the water was freezing cold! The things Aunts will do for their nieces/nephew is crazy sometimes. Mostly we spent our time around the campfire chatting and having a great time. We even made smores!

Boating to the other side of the lake.

The weather cooperated enough to not rain on us all weekend. Of course it was hot and sunny yesterday as we were getting ready to head back to the ferry and home. We did get in a boat ride to the other end of the lake, where you could see snow. I have been coming to this lake for a few years now with my family and there is not usually snow on the mountains at the end of June. I really hope July is hot and sunny everyday!

The Man in his Mexico sunglasses.

 

I don't know about you guys but camping isn't about making a fashion statement to me. Its about campfires, good conversation, friends, family, puppies, fishing off the dock, long walks, smores, eating more than you should, and so much more. I don't have any outfit photos because I didn't take any. Maybe I should have but I was busy. Sorry guys!

Sunnies!

 

I had such a great weekend and I can't wait for all the other exciting plans my man and I have for this summer and I will try to get outfit photos for those. They'll probably be more exciting than my one sweater from this trip.

What kind of summer plans do you have?

Camping!

This weekend my man and I are heading over to Vancouver Island to go camping with my folks at Great Central Lake. The weather is not looking great but I have  my fingers crossed for sunshine! All I want to do is jump off the dock into the water at least once. On top of that things I am looking forward to for this weekend are:

-campfires! (mostly for roasting marshmallows)
-wakeboarding, I have been wakingboarding for a few years now and I quite enjoy it.
-riding bikes. My man is a super mountain biker, I plan to try to keep up.
-seeing my mom, we laugh a lot together.
-being away. I love my city and I love hustle and bustle but everyone needs some quiet sometimes.

Usually when I travel I am a terrible over packer but this time I have packed the smallest amount of items possible. I am after all going camping.

-one pair of shorts
-one pair of jeans
-2 tanks
-2 tees
-a long sleeve tee
-a sweater
-3 bathing suits
-a pair of flipflops
-pjs
-undies/bra

All tossed into the beautiful bag my man got me for my birthday. I think the reason I normally over pack is because I never know what I am going to want to wear or what we plan on doing. Camping takes out all the thoughts of  "Maybe I need a pair of heels?" or "Do I need a fancy going out dress?". No one at a campsite thinks "She wore that same sweater last night." You're too busy eating snacks, playing game, drinks beers, and laughing. So here's to a weekend of non fashion, every fashionista needs one!

The Branch: Pop Up Shop

Awhile ago I wrote a post about how I was trying to over haul my closet. I had completed step one of getting rid of all the things that were worn out, I didn't wear or that I shouldn't wear. I had found some holes and I was trying to fill them. Thing is I am on a budget, I can't just go out and buy everything I need or want all at one time. So the refilling my closet has been slow going and slightly frustrating.

Yesterday I headed out to Main St Car Free day with the hopes of finding a new day dress. I have almost none and I really want some dresses to wear during the day, not just fancy dress up ones.

Luck would have it that I see this great dress on a bust form outside of a new pop up shop, The Branch. The dress was only $58 dollars which is totally in my budget range. I am willing to spend up to about $100 on dress because I read that you should be willing to spend the amount on a dress that is equal to the amount of a pair of pant and a top. It make sense since the dress covers your whole body.

Dress: Chico $58 (belt included), Shoes: Nine West(used) $28, Clutch: H&M $16

I tried the dress on and it is love! It can be dressed up or down which is perfect for those summer days  that lead straight into summer nights. Then I notice everything in the store is an extra 20% off because of Car Free Day. Bonus! And just when you think it can't get better it does! In the one corner of the store they have gently used items and I spot a pair of Nine West Heels that have clearly never been worn for $28 dollars, and the go perfectly with the dress. Whole outfit costs me $77 dollars.What a find!

Lets just say I'll be back there for sure! They will be at 3731 Main St till the end of summer so go check them out for yourself and maybe you will just as lucky as me!

Today is the day!

Tonight Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals will be played in Vancouver and I am excited/nervous. As a long time fan of the Vancouver Canucks I just want them to win so bad! I don't know what this city will do if they lose which is actually a little scary since I live across the street from the arena.

So here we goes boys, bring home that cup so the whole city can breathe easy again!

Things that make me happy!

Last night my man's friend came over for dinner and some hang out time. Our apartment is finally together and it is great to have friends over for food and some drinks. My man cooked up some pork chops with a very tasty orange garlic sauce and sauteed spinach. There is nothing better than a man who loves food and can cook. Here are 5 other things that make me happy.

Fresh flowers in red. I love the color red and I find that I almost always buy red flowers. I rarely treat myself to flowers but once and a while they are nice to have around.

New magazines! I love opening my mailbox and getting a magazine. Its better than getting a bill and I love sinking into the couch and reading it from cover to cover.

The "raybans" my man got me when we were in Mexico. I want real ones just like these but I kill sunglasses so these are even better! Bonus every time I wear them I think about our fun trip!

Our Puggle, Rusty. How could face make you anything other than happy? Rusty is my man's dog and now that my man and I are living together it is my duty to walk this little man every morning. Something I quite enjoy.

THE CANUCKS GOING TO THE STANLEY CUP FINALS!! Enough said!

Inspiration: Sienna Miller

I send a lot of time reading magazine, tearing out ideas from magazines, reading blogs and hunting for the perfect pieces for my closets. But the thing I love most is when I see something that inspires me to use things I already have. You know that "I have those pieces and I could do that" moment. This morning I put together an outfit fully inspire by a picture I saw of Sienna Miller in Instyle Magazine, using only pieces I already own.

Shirt: Le Chateau
Pants: H&M
Boots: Le Chateau
Belt: From a photoshoot
Nail Polish: Chincilly  by Essie

All these pieces have been bought slowly over the years. When I saw the picture I near right away I knew that I had almost all those pieces and I couldn't wait to wear it.Side note: I am not a huge fan of how my hands look in picture, they are small and I have "fat" knuckles but I love this colour of nail polish. I just got it and I think it is so chic and goes with almost everything.

What inspires you?

LOVE!

I have to have these shoes. I will get rid of two other pairs of shoes if I can just have these ones!