Over easy

Olive T-shirt dress c/o Tobi / Ivory sweater dress c/o Tobi / Black lace bandeau from H&M / Wearing NYX Deep Purple lipstick

I was talking to a coworker the other day about how she was agonizing over what to wear for an office event and how easy it must be for guys to just pick a suit and go each day. This is one of those situations where she was looking for someone to listen to her rant, instead of offering solid advice, so I agreed.

But in reality, no. Looking put together can be super quick and effortless as a woman. Throwing on a dress? That's even easier than putting on a suit! So that's why I've lined my closet with mostly versatile pieces that look casual and comfy on their own, but can always be dressed up with a blazer and a good pair of heels. When I know that all my pieces go together, it's hard to ever be poorly dressed.

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Consider covering these costs for your bridesmaids

Becoming a bridesmaid is kind of an emotional roller coaster. It starts off with being super excited for your bestie, gushing over all the gorgeous details you'll help her plan, then a bit of a crushing sinking feeling when you realize that the cost of being a bridesmaid is more than you spend on rent. So to make your special day a little easier on your bridal party, here are a few costs that you should cover:

Dresses

The bridesmaid’s dresses are probably one of the main things that a bride will usually purchase. Since it’s unlikely that many bridesmaids will be wearing their dress again after the big day – unless, of course, you opt for a style of dress that they’ll be able to re-wear for a range of other occasions- it can often seem a little unfair to ask bridesmaids to buy their own dresses when you’ve asked them to be a part of your bridal party. If you’re hoping to save money on bridesmaid’s dresses, there are plenty of ways to do this, from dress rental to second-hand dresses or even choosing different styles for each girl.

Travel Expenses

If your wedding ceremony is being held some distance away from home or perhaps you are even getting married abroad, it’s often nice to pay all or at least some of the travel expenses for your bridesmaids. If you’re unable to afford to pay for plane tickets or other transportation for all of your bridesmaids, you may want to come to a compromise by giving all of them a set amount of cash to put towards their tickets, for example if you pay half for them. However, this isn’t an expense that you always have to cover – have a talk with your bridesmaids first, as you may find that they’re perfectly ok with getting themselves to your wedding.

Hair and Makeup

If you want your girls to look their best for the big day and want them to have their hair and makeup professionally done, it’s a good idea to pay for this yourself as some bridesmaids might think that it’s a little bit much to ask them to pay for it, especially if they wouldn’t have booked themselves in at a salon if you hadn’t requested it. If you don’t have enough in your budget to pay for your bridesmaids to visit a salon on the big day, you should make sure that they know that it’s optional. If you want UK wedding savings, online shopping and directories are a must to scoop the best deal.

Working out what and what not to pay for your bridesmaids can be tricky, but by talking with them, it can be easier than you think to figure it out.

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Work to weekend

Cobalt blue blazer from H&M / Mustard yellow shorts from Forever 21 / Floral dress (as a top) from Shein / Peeptoe booties from Guess

Every weekday, I'm cooped up in corporate clothes, sometimes wondering if the extra half-inch of my shoulder I'm bearing is too much for my conservative office. When Friday evening comes, I welcome to this opportunity to show off some leg. When I know I'm going straight from work to a social event, I just want to change quickly, without the hassle of having to lug around my change of clothes after. So, I came up with a way to incorporate my Casual Friday outfit into my Friday night out.

It's simple - I just tucked the dress into my shorts. Okay, it's a little bulky, but with some loose fitted boyfriend shorts, there was room to spare anyway. It's quick, easy, and I don't have to worry about something falling into the toilet while I change in a bathroom stall. 

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A free ride when you've already paid

Cobalt blue blazer from H&M / Striped dress from Vero Moda / Thin black tie (aka. a thick piece of ribbon)

I'm basically a walking Alanis Morissette song. Many things in life are uncertain, but the one thing I can always count on is "irony". 

The other day, I was at my boyfriend's place, rummaging through the cabinets for a snack. The only thing I found was a box of half-eaten expired crackers. Ignoring his warning not to eat expired food, I proceeded to tell a story about how I bought a box of expired crackers right off the shelf last week by accident, and everything was tasty and fine. Two crackers into the current box, I notice a little brown spot on my cracker. Then I noticed its legs. 

It happens with bigger things too. Like, I'm in the communications industry but I don't actually like talking to people. Or purging all my old clothes, only to have the 90s/early 00s come back into style. 

But that's all probably a little too wordy to put into a song though. 

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How to: Wear a maxi dress

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Maxi dresses are dresses that typically reach all the way to the floor. They can come in different shapes, patterns, and colours, but they can be notoriously hard to style for some people. Some people naturally throw on any maxi dress and incredible, while others need to put a little more thought into things. Here’s what you should know to pull off a maxi dress:

Keep Things versatile With Layering

You don’t have to wear a maxi dress by itself every time. You can keep things nice and versatile by layering your dress up in different ways. You can wear a turtleneck underneath a v neck dress for warmth and interest. Adding jackets and different things will always make your outfits look more interesting.

Add Edgy Accessories

Edgy accessories will give your dress more personality and character. Why not wear your dress with a cool hat, or some statement bangles? You can play around with different accessories you like to see what works best for you. Adding accessories like this will give your dress the wow factor! You can’t go wrong with a black maxi dress. You can pair anything with it and it’ll still look great.

Structured Pieces Make Them Great For Work

Think you can’t wear a maxi dress for work? Think again! Structured pieces make them great for work, so add a nice blazer or jacket to smarten up your look. Although maxi dresses are a good casual piece, this doesn’t mean you can’t find ways of dressing them up. You can wear them any time!

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White Sneakers Make The Perfect Casual Shoe

So many people would have you believe that there are only certain types of shoe you should wear with your maxi dress. Sandals and wedges do look great with maxi dresses. Platforms can look great too. However, white sneakers make the perfect casual shoe. Converse or vans will add a casual element and make your dress more wearable for day to day. Many people wear flip flops with these dresses as a way of keeping things casual, but adding a white sneaker could be a cool way to change it up.

Wear The Right One For Your Shape

Knowing your body shape and what suits it is important when you want to wear something like the maxi dress. They aren’t all created equal. Some are great for straight up and down girls who want to create curves, while others will make pear shaped girls more proportionate. Know what kind you need to look for to enhance your shape and you’ll look a million dollars. You don’t always need to stick to these ‘rules’, but they can flatter you if that’s what you want!

I hope these tips have helped give you an idea of how you can pull off that maxi dress you’ve been eyeing. Remember, wearing anything and pulling it off is about having the confidence to do so. These tips will help, but you need to channel the confidence too. Have fun!

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Unfit resolutions

Damask dress c/o CNDirect | Boyfriend blazer from H&M / Knee-high boots from Le Chateau

I've got some beef with New Year's resolutions. I'm glad that resolutions have shifted from "lose weight to look better!" to "get fit to feel better!" but we're not quite there yet. Still, we found ourselves bombarded with cereal commercials and yoga studio promos telling us that getting fit is the key to your new year happiness. But guess what? Going to the gym doesn't fix everything. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for promoting health. But don't let the guise of inner beauty fool you into believing that these companies aren't obsessing over vanity.

Where are the commercials for makeup for that girl who wants the illusion of a thinner nose? Or the number for a cosmetic surgeon for the guy who thinks the scar on his shoulder is unsightly? It sounds ridiculous and we can't target every person's veiled insecurities. So let's focus on something else: Acceptance. Instead of messages about having to love every part of your body, I want messages that say "Hey, we all have our crap to deal with. And that's cool. As long as you don't let it run your life". There's nothing wrong with being aware that you dislike something about yourself.

But that's a lot harder to sell, isn't it?

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Kinda corporate

Custom drop waist zipper dress c/o Lurap / Black boyfriend blazer from H&M / Heeled boots from Le Chateau

It's been unseasonably warm this winter and I've started a new job - all the more reason to smile in this post, which is a rarity. But before you get excited, I'm smiling because these photos were taken on the weekend when I don't have to deal with the mundane banalities of corporate culture. 

I used to work in a super relaxed environment. I used to go to work in sweatpants. I used to wear whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Gonna be honest, I spent a good week sulking over my wardrobe because the majority of what I own is now deemed inappropriate for work. Like this brand new dress from Lurap. I love the zipper details, but I should have gone with the custom option to make this dress longer because it's definitely too short for work. So unfortunately, it will be banished to weekend wear only. 

Worst of all is the realization that the corporate world is exactly like you see on TV, and exactly like high school. But instead of Abercrombie, people walk around in Armani. I bought a pair of oxfords to bring some androgynous menswear (and comfort) to my days, but the lack of click-clacking coming from my high heel-less feet was actually kind of unnerving. When you're supposed to dress for the job you want in a highly corporate world, where does that leave room for individuality? 

Oh, and wearing bold necklaces doesn't count because everyone does that. When everyone does it, suddenly no one is special. 

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Ramblings of a bridesmaid

Maybe I'm not mature enough to understand the idea of willingly spending a ton of time and money on a friend's wedding, but I've got a bone to pick about being a bridesmaid. What's the deal with the custom where a bride chooses the dress, hair, and makeup for the bridesmaids, but doesn't pay for it? I get that the bride has her plate full with buying dinner for 200 guests and such, but the bridesmaids are supposed to adhere to appearance standards, help out with wedding tasks, throw a bridal shower, and they have to cover all those costs? 

Weddings can be a serious strain on the wallet if you're a bridesmaid. Hey brides, please do everyone a favour and pick dresses that can actually be worn again. That being said, just because it's a short dress, doesn't mean it can be worn again. Satin dresses that are bedazzled with jewels are probably too eye-catching to reuse as a guest at another wedding. And that bright lime green colour? It may look good for your wedding, but once lime green is out of season/style, it's just not functional. 

 Soft pink halter dress /Asymmetrical chiffon dress / A-line short chiffon dress / Lace bridesmaid dress

Brides, your bridesmaids want some flexibility! Instead of forcing your girls to buy the same dress at a high-end store for an upwards of $150, let them explore other options like finding a bridesmaid dress online.

If you're worried about sizing from an online store, I figured that even if I needed a few alterations, it would still be cheaper than paying regular retail price. Anyway, I think I've ranted enough. I've included some snaps from the bridal shower I co-hosted. And a few dresses that I'd be happy to wear as a bridesmaid. Simplicity? Timeless colours? Ability to dress down the dress? Yes please.

*Also, last few days to enter my giveaway for a custom teeth whitening kit, so get your entries in now!

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How to: Wear a summer dress in the fall

Green overcoat / Combat boots / Cream sweater / Shoulder bag / Dress / Tassel necklace

Since this summer has been so chilly, I planned to do a nice little post today on what to wear for the early fall. But we finally had one of the hottest days of the season today, so now I'm a little conflicted. A summery day is wonderful, but I was already getting excited for layers and chunky pieces.

My point was that instead of packing up those pretty summer dresses already, you could squeeze a bit more life out of them by styling them for the fall weather. One of my favourite things to do lately is to throw on a dress and then lazily slap a sweater over it. I'm also a fan of contrasting a dainty dress with heavy combat boots, which is also great because combat boots are super functional for dreary rainy days. For colder days, I'd pair the look with a bold coat. Patterned and coloured outerwear make the season more vibrant in a sea of black leather jackets and green military jackets (yeah, you know the one I'm talking about!). I prefer this deep rich green, which is still subtle enough to be worn with anything. But for now, I guess I'll enjoy this freak heatwave. And remind me not to complain about melting and sweating because I just remembered that I absolutely hate the cold of Canadian weather. This cute layered look only lasts for about a month before I give up and bundle myself up like an abominable snowman. I'll be grudgingly counting down with an oversized watch this season in the meantime. 

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Everything in transit

Floral dress c/o Lovely Wholesale / Scalloped bag from asos / Lace sneakers from H&M

Ever get so nostalgic that you forget where you are? It's my first summer away from Ottawa in three years. Toronto is nice and all, but there's nothing quite like living close to a river while still being within walking distance to downtown. Luckily, I've found Dundas (a western suburb of Hamilton). Downtown is lined with unique little shops and food places tucked into cute small town architecture. Strolling through the streets, it reminds me so much of Ottawa's Glebe. Sometimes, I'll have glimpses of "whoa wait, where am I again?" In a good way. It's the feeling of familiarity. Hopefully, getting a chance to visit familiar surroundings will help with distracting forms of nostalgia. Like when I'm at work and a song from an Ottawa-area band comes on. Then I find myself staring off into the distance reminiscing, which is probably not good for productivity. Hopefully to my coworkers, I just look like I'm deep in thought...

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Espresso

Colorblock dress c/o Lovely Wholesale / Black and cream bag from Tacicco

What's the point of buying shorts and cute skirts anymore when I can only wear them 2 days out of the week? With a steady work schedule now, I've been trying to only buy dresses that are work-appropriate. This dress is my new favourite work dress, even though it's a bit too tight at the bust. Which is highly unusual since my dresses are usually drooping down at the chest because of my lack of...area there.

In other news, I was out with the boyfriend the other night and I had a rather interesting interaction with the waitress. She only looked at me to take my order. Every other time, whether it was greeting us, taking our drink order, checking to see how to meal is, and handing us the bill, she never addressed me. So was this some old school thing where she only assured that the guy would get a good experience because he's the one that would be paying? Or is my face seriously that mean and unwelcoming that even a waitress, who is paid to be pleasant, doesn't want to break the ice? Either way, I'm kind of amused by the situation, but it doesn't look good for me.

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Cool summer

Blue sweater from Smart Set / Vero Moda striped dress from Surfdome / Platform shoes from Ami Clubwear

Technically it's not summer yet, but by now, it should feel a lot warmer than it has been. Instead of spending time frolicking outdoors with ice cream, I spent my long weekend curled up under a blanket watching Netflix. And the days that I did go out, it rained on my parade. Literally. Well, it rained...I didn't have a parade. So while I optimistically wore a dress, the reality was that I need to cozy up by plopping a sweater over myself. It's relaxed, it's lazy, but it still works.

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