Be My Valentine: The Heart Stopper

Thanks for checking out the final look in my #BeMyValentine mini-series. I had a lot of fun collaborating with local boutiques and designers to bring you outfit ideas for Valentine's Day.

If you're in for a surprise Valentine date, I suggest going for The Heart Stopper. No matter where you're going, you will look glamorous and not feel out of place (unless it's paintballing, in that case, I'm sorry).

This stunning skirt is by Sarah Donofrio Designs. It can be worn with or without a belt, but I thought it added more of a girly touch. I absolutely love how simple it is, but completely makes the outfit because of the pop of pink on black.

Sarah Donofrio Designs can be found at Fitzroy Boutique. If you saw my outfit for Be My Valentine: Out On The Town and were impressed, you must check out this boutique in a lovely nook inside BYOB Cocktail Emporium. They carry amazing brands.

Necklace and earrings are from MoonRox Jewellery. Looking for a unique and jaw-dropping statement necklace? MoonRox is your spot. I was so happy with this look because of how good the necklace looked with everything else.

The ring is from 3Shahs, another local jewelry and accessories line, but it's known internationally and by celebrities too. Founder and designer Shah Emily Noaman thinks very creatively about each piece she makes, and also specializes in custom orders for people who are particular about what they want. You can't see the detailing of the ring in these photos, but it actually has many pearls glued together with a dainty flower as the main piece. Check out some of their "cocktail bling" here!

Photography: Emanuel Pires, PiresPhotography.ca

Makeup and Hair: Kristen Foote

   

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I'd love your feedback on this mini-series (should I do more or never again? hehe) so please comment below, tweet or e-mail me.

Be My Valentine: Demure Date

This is the third look in #BeMyValentine mini-series, where I have collaborated with local talent (designers and boutiques) to help you find the perfect outfit for Valentine's Day!

de·mure

1. (of a women or her behaviour) Reserved, modest, and shy.
2. (of clothing) lending such an appearance.

When going to an art gallery, showing, play or exhibit, I think of dressing up in more reserved, yet stylish and timeless attire. This outfit is ideal if you're going on a Demure Date.

My favourite part about this look is obviously the skirt by Studio Fresh. Designer Connie Meyer makes innovative pieces that are trendsetters on their own! Made for all sizes, this wraparound skirt relies on Velcro with no additional buttons for closure. I love the asymmetrical look and the fact that there is a conveniently large pocket in the front! Hello, women need pockets too. ;)

The comfortable black top is made by Nude Clothes, a clothing line designed by Rita Di Cesare, that focuses on chic office wear. This top can be worn two different ways: you can either wear the basic side (like the one photographed; ideal if you'll be wearing it with a statement necklace) OR you can choose the other side with a draped neckline.

Necklace and earrings are by Elemental Jewellery Design, owned and designed by Kelly Kan (I actually met her a week ago at the Fresh Collective + Dainty Girl Fashion & Beauty Night, she is LOVELY). All of her pieces are stunning and I love how she plays with colour. Kelly and I have something in common: we both have a thing for pearls. ;)

Studio Fresh, Nude Clothes and Elemental Jewellery Design can all be found at Fresh Collective. I recently found out about this boutique that carries unique clothing, jewelry and shoes all from local designers and I'm a little more than obsessed. It doesn't help that they have three locations, all easy to get to. Since I practically work, live, eat and breathe on Queen Street West, that's the one I go to the most.

My ring is from Butterfly Beads, one of my favourite spots to pick out jewelry and accessories. They always carry the latest and trendiest pieces. I'm also looking into creating some of my own jewelry from scratch and their wide selection of {everything} is astonishing.

Photography: Emanuel Pires, PiresPhotography.ca

Makeup and Hair: Kristen Foote

  

Come back tomorrow because the last outfit will be revealed!

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I'd love your feedback on this mini-series (should I do more or never again? hehe) so please comment below, tweet or e-mail me.

Be My Valentine: Out On The Town

Welcome back to the second day of #BeMyValentine week-long series! I have collaborated with designers and local boutiques to help you find the perfect outfit for Valentine's Day.

Many people still believe Valentine's Day is only to be celebrated between couples or if you have a date, but let me tell you, that is a myth. You may avoid treating yourself to dinner at a restaurant, but why not gather a group of girlfriends and go Out On The Town? Begin your evening with a fancy meal and extend the night by going bar-hopping or to a nice lounge and dance to your favourite music.

I often stress about what to wear when I'm going out, but a good reminder is the age-old saying: It's better to be overdressed, than under-dressed. If you are ever unsure, choose your favourite pair of heels and work your way up - similar to this look.

Leather shorts and skirts are really in, but they can be tricky; depending on how you style them, they can either make the outfit or throw it off completely (in other words, sexy/classy vs. trashy/skanky). I decided to go with the sexy/classy route and paired these amazing BB Dakota leather shorts with leggings. If you've never heard of BB Dakota, I highly suggest you check out the website. Designed by mother-daughter team, Gloria and Katharine Brandes, this line focuses on quality fabrics and construction while offering trend-driven apparel (picture Forever 21 but with excellent quality).

To play more on the Valentine's Day theme, I picked a red sweater by Wish, another clothing line that primarily focuses on e-commerce and can be found in some boutiques. Designer Annette Cannock's passion for fashion started at a very young age, since her mother also owned a boutique. She has worked in the fashion industry for many years and finds inspiration everywhere. She loves colour and incorporates it as much as she can in her stylish and wearable collections.

Don't feel like shopping online? Fitzroy Boutique in Toronto carries pieces from BB Dakota and Wish. Owned by Angela and Julie, this lovely shop is located inside of BYOB Cocktail Emporium, where both ladies carefully pick all of the items they think are trendy and will do well in the city. They also have an online store.

For jewelry, I chose gold pieces with hints of black and white. The necklace and earrings are by MoonRox Jewellery, a Toronto-based jewelry and accessories shop. Monique Chan, owner and designer, handcrafts and sells unique pieces ranging from simple to delicate to bold and dazzling.

The bracelets and ring are from Butterfly Beads, a jewelry outlet with the hottest pieces at extremely affordable prices. They sell ready-made jewelry and accessories, as well as supplies for you to create your own (including authentic Swarovski crystals, real pearls, sterling silver chains and more).

Photography: Emanuel Pires, PiresPhotography.ca

Makeup and Hair: Kristen Foote

  

Look out for Be My Valentine Outfit #3 tomorrow!

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I'd love your feedback on this mini-series (should I do more or never again? hehe) so please comment below, tweet or e-mail me.

Be My Valentine: A Cozy Night In

We have all been there; nervous for date night and unsure of  what to wear or how to keep it casual and comfortable but still look chic as ever. In celebration of Valentine's Day coming up next week, I have collaborated with local boutiques and designers on a week-long series to help you out a little!

As much as I love fast-fashion and trendy pieces like the next girl, it's time to ditch the easily-accessible H&M and Zara, and go for something unique for Valentine's Day... after all, it only comes once a year.

The first of this series features an outfit idea for A Cozy Night In. This look is perfect if you're planning to stay in for the evening; perhaps rent a movie, order some Chinese food (or better, prepare a meal together), cuddle by the fire and enjoy each others company.

A tunic can be styled for daytime, and easily accessorized for the evening as well. Paired with your favourite tights and booties, it could make for the most comfortable outfit. If you're looking for one with a unique print and flattering fit, check out Monikova, a Toronto-based clothing line by Monika Francikova. This designer has an eye for femininity; her collections are timeless and work well for all seasons.

Monikova tunics and blouses can be found at the boutique-chain Fresh Collective, which features stylish and unique clothing, jewelry, accessories and shoes (all few of a kind) from local designers at an affordable price. If you don't live in or around Toronto, you can still shop from their online store!

Photography: Emanuel Pires, PiresPhotography.ca

Makeup and Hair: Kristen Foote

  

Look out for Be My Valentine Outfit #2 tomorrow!

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I'd love your feedback on this mini-series (should I do more or never again? hehe) so please comment below, tweet or e-mail me.

What Happened to the Snow?

 

(Photos by Maria)  

Outfit Details: Sweater (Velvet), Pants (Mendocino), Handbag (Nella Bella), Boots (local boutique), Hat (H&M), Accessories (Forever 21)

Just a couple of weeks ago I was having fun making snowmen and planning snowboarding trips, but what happened? Looks like the snow didn't really want to say. I can't complain much because I'm looking at all the Spring arrivals and they are getting me so excited for warm weather!

I bought the sweater photographed above (as well as my Whitney Eve skirt from the last post) from HAUTELOOK. It's interesting that people are just finding out about this website now, because I've been shopping on it for YEARS and highly recommend it to all of my friends; so here I am recommending it to you. To begin, all you have to do is register here and you can also witness the glorious designer deals that occur there on the daily. Today I'm noticing Tory Burch clothing, handbags and shoes; the sale started yesterday so most of the items are sold out but you can get an idea of what I mean by AMAZING designer deals.

Check out this fun photo of the outfit - doesn't remind you of some of the ridiculous challenges that America's Next Top Model usually has? I love it though, I think it describes my energetic personality perfectly.

Happy Wednesday! Hope you are all having a wonderful week.

Black and Blue

 

(Photos by Maria)

Outfit Details: Lace Top (Anthropologie), Checkered Skirt (H&M), Boots (Vianni Collection), Crossbody Bag (Etienne Aigner), Bracelet + Necklace + Flower Ring (Forever 21), Watch (Calvin Klein)

I think skirts are my favourite clothing item, especially the bodycon type because they're so easy to dress up or down. You can also choose to tuck your shirt in or leave it out like I did above.

If you look closely at this outfit, you'll see this weird obsession that I have - matching accessories to my handbag. If the bag is lined with a gold zipper or buttons, I try my best to wear gold. In this case my crossbody bag is black and silver, so naturally my accessories are silver. I'm not sure why I do this, and sometimes when I can't match them together (it happens), the entire outfit throws me off.

Tell me: Do you have any weird clothing obsessions or pet peeves? I'd love to know!

Workcation in Barbados

Outfit Details: High-Low Dress (Sirens), Feather Earrings (Aldo Accessories), Pearl Bracelet Set (Joe Fresh)

I'm cheating a little today. This isn't really a style post, but I wanted to share photos from my week-long Barbados trip. It's a beautiful place and the weather was INCREDIBLE. I'm definitely sad about coming back to cold Toronto.

The reason behind this trip was to attend and teach a 3-day seminar on Search Engine Optimization and Social Media, held by the company I work for. We stayed at The Crane Residential Resort, which was a fantastic experience all on its own. The restaurants served great food, the swimming pools were fun, and the beach was amazing. Our seminar went really well; the people who attended seemed to have enjoyed it and provided us with good feedback.

Overall the workcation was great. I got to bond with my co-workers and met a lot of people (including our clients, as well as other professionals). However, I think my favourite part was going for a swim every day and actually being able to sleep in!

Enough talking, I mean…writing - here are some photos of the resort!

 

This was the view from my bedroom window. Amazing, right?

 

Here is a glimpse of the room I had at The Crane. I miss it already!

 

My bathroom was almost as big as my room.

 

Here is the beach!

I took this photo during one of my daily walks to the village area at The Crane. The pathways are surrounded by big, beautiful trees.

This is the patio of D'Onofrio's Trattoria, one of the four restaurants at The Crane.

 Loved Bar 1887, it was a nice place to relax and enjoy a drink or two.

The Crane has a lot of these cave-like tunnels with a stunning view.

Hope you enjoyed the photos. If you're feeling sad about the cold weather, just come back here again and it will make you feel better! :) As for a style post, I will try to have one up before the end of the week.

ShesConnected Conference 2012

(Photos by Maria)

Outfit Details: Peplum Top + Pearl Bracelet Set + Leggings + Black Bodycon Skirt (H&M), Black Booties (Aldo), Black Clutch (Vintage), Earrings (Butterfly Beads), Diamond Ring (LuShae Jewelry)

How lovely is fall? I adore this outfit, not only because of the peplum top from H&M, but because of how well it contrasts with the background. Look at all the pretty colours and leaves on the ground; absolutely beautiful! I wore this outfit on the first day of the ShesConnected Conference 2012 (#SCCTO) that I went to this past weekend (Oct 19-20, 2012).

The conference was great overall. I met quite a few people that I admire in the blogosphere, but also caught up with some of my Twitter friends. If you want to read my full review, you can check it out here.

One of the coolest parts of SCCTO was the Molson Lounge and all the fun activities they had set up there. Attendees were able to write a customized sign and get a creative photo done by holding it up. My friend Raymi and I had this idea of writing "WINNERS OF THE INTERNET" and making it look like we had just won a race. The photo is so fabulous that I had to share it!

Isn't that amazing? Check out her blog for more photos and other fun things.

I instagram'd pretty much the whole time I was there. If you missed the photos, here is a small recap:

(Details from left to right; horizontally)

1. Rockstar Blogger Panel at SCCTO featuring a couple of my favourite Toronto bloggers
2. Got a photo taken with Marta Tryshak who writes WithLoveGabrielle.com
3. Finally met my Twitter friend and bloggerista Raymitheminx
4. The McCafe Lounge was so nice, you could enjoy a complimentary drink while getting a manicure or a massage
5. A photo of my 2-day attendee pass and t-shirt with my Twitter handle on it
6. During one of the breaks, I was able to go to the iLash.me booth and get a pair of mink eyelashes

Hope you liked all the photos. If you're still curious about the LUSH Cosmetics event I went to last week, you can read all about it here.

Have a fantastic week! Come back next week to see coverage from World MasterCard Fashion Week (Toronto).

Business Casual

(Photos by Maria)

Outfit Details: Linen Blazer (Forever 21), Flared Jeans (MANGO), Leopard-print Top (H&M), Handbag (gift from Pakistan), Beige Pumps (SPRING Shoes), Accessories (Butterfly Beads)

The one thing I love about autumn is that you can dress in layers and take them off or put more on depending on how warm or cold it is. Lately in Toronto the weather has been constantly changing through out the day -- it is usually -2 degrees (celsius) in the early morning and by noon it will go up to 20 degrees, then get chilly again in the evening. Layers are necessary, and what better way to layer than to throw on a blazer over your outfit? They look good on anyone!

This is a timeless look for me. We all know that animal print never really goes out of style, and while I'm not a huge fan of it, I like it when it's subtle or feminine. Unfortunately you won't be able to find the handbag anywhere, as it was a present from one of my cousins in Pakistan, but if you are planning on recreating this look, try this satchel from Ruche or a similar structured bag, they are everywhere right now.

What is your favourite thing about autumn? Comment or tweet me @summerxskin, maybe we have more in common than you think!