Montreal Street Style

Calvin Klein coat

Winners sweater dress

Simons collared shirt and mittens

F21 necklace

Kate Spade handbag

Michael Kors boots

It's been a while, Frockers! Between hibernating, work and personal projects, it's been tough to post as often as I used to. Here's a bit of street style featuring basically my winter uniform....the beloved sweater dress. I've been living in this thing pretty much all winter! It's so comfy and easy to layer with accessories, shirts and scarves to completely change the look.

What are some of your winter go-to pieces?

                                                              

Winter Finally Caught Up To Us

Calvin Klein coat
Aldo hat
Simons mittens
Hush Puppies boots
F21 jeans

Winter was a bit of a no-show at the end of 2015, but we weren't really complaining. I'm assuming it was all to do with the fact that I finally replaced my old down winter coat after like 5 years and my equally old snow boots with the hole in it. I prepared for a long, cold winter so it decided not to come. You're welcome Montreal. But alas, all good things must come to an end. Winter is here....but at least I'm ready!

                                                          

Even More Street Style

Photos by Kyler Kelly

Kate Spade handbag/Michael Kors boots/Restoration Hardware scarf/coat from China

                                                  

The Perpetual Montreal Winter

Photos by Kyler Kelly

Aldo headband/RW&Co coat/Simons shirt and mittens/F21 cardigan and skirt/Winners leg warmers/Spring boots/Kate Spade handbag

I know, I know, you're all tired of all this WINTER-WOE-IS-ME!! thing.....believe me, so am I.

What can I say? It's getting really hard to ignore how awful it is in Montreal right now. It's the end of February and still -30, with a fresh pile of snow on the ground. It's as if the weather report is just taunting us. I always check that 14-day forecast and near the end of the two weeks, they always say the temperature is going to creep up there to the single digits below 0, but as the days pass, the numbers drop and they renew their 2-week promise, never to be fulfilled....

Those bastards.

You would think I'd get used to these long, hard winters here but no, not me. Every February is brutal because it's the coldest month and the month when you're the most sick of winter. You would be hard-pressed to find me at home (if I don't have to leave the house) in anything other than my cozy PJs and robe, wrapped up in a blanket. When I do venture out, you'll find me bundled up in my go-to down coat from RW&Co, my favourite wool mittens from Simons and cause I just can't pass up the opportunity to mismatch my prints, my fair isle leg warmers and houndstooth snow boots.

A new addition this winter for me is this lovely beaded headband from Aldo! It's so warm and snug with just a touch of flair. If you're looking for a fun, modern alternative to a plain old winter hat, I highly recommend a wool headband. I mean it will never rival a floral sundress in my heart, but I gotta say, it does soften that cruel, cruel winter punch in the gut.

                                                                               

A Russian Winter

Smart Set top/vintage boots and hat/coat and skirt from China/infinity scarf as muff from Hong Kong

It's official. We are in the heart of winter and my favourite coat is still going strong! Like I've always said, accessories really make the outfit. Just compare a bold and elegant look like this to the understated class of my previous post and you can hardly believe it's the same coat. I paired this vintage hat with a similar faux fur infinity scarf I picked up in Hong Kong last year, but instead of putting it around my neck, I decided to really go all the way and turn it into a muff. I mean, if you're gonna brave the winter like this you gotta go all the way. And just to keep it interesting, I added a few pops of colour and the transformation is complete. I feel like I just stepped out of a Tolstoy novel or something!

Here's to bringing new life to old coats!
                                                          

The British Isles

F21 hat/Le Chateau gloves/vintage boots/coat and scarf from China

My favourite winter coat is a keeper for a reason. You too can achieve countless cute looks with something so classic and versatile. If you're like me and don't really have a few extra hundred bucks lying around to buy new coats every winter, you end up repeating a lot of looks with the same coat. But what's so great about your classic coats is, you can build around the main piece with accessories. Not only do they add that extra bit of warmth you so desperately need in the dead of winter, but they can really diversify your wardrobe in a way to make you feel like you practically got a new coat without forking much dough!

And ever since my trip to Scotland this past summer, I've been kind of obsessed with tartan. It's so colourful! And it's a print that's pretty timeless and easy to pull off. You really can't go wrong with a plaid skirt or scarf in the chillier months. Throw in a neutral wool hat, brown tweed gloves and some lace-up boots and you're ready to frolic in the snow. I just love the "British" feel to this look! It's so simple, but all class with none of the drab.

Stay tuned on the blog for another globe-trotting winter look with my favourite camel coat!
                                                               

Falling For Some Autumn Trends

Photos by Kyler Kelly

F21 hat, skirt, rings, belt/old shirt, tights/Lightinthebox vest/Michael Kors boots

I guess you could call this, my autumn-summary look. I didn't realize it until I started writing this post, but I was really going all out in the autumn trends for this look. The faux fur, the black, the burgundy wide-brimmed fedora, the dark mani, the knee-high boots.... Admittedly a bit much, even for me. But fashion and making a statement has always synonymous. After the initial shock of the dropping temperatures and wilting flowers, it's time to embrace the brighter side of autumn!

***CALLING ALL FROCKERS***

We are in the running for Made In Blog's Best Blog Awards in two different categories: Fashion and Beauty.

If you've enjoyed our blog, please take a moment to vote for us by November 26th 2014. You can vote once in each category by clicking on the icons below.

 
                                                                

Pumpkin Spice

Photos by Kyler Kelly

American Eagle jean/Vintage vest and boots/Blouse from Korea

It's official. Fall is here! How do I know? There's a nip in the air, I had my first caramel apple spice from Starbucks yesterday and Atwater Market is awash with pumpkins. Some are so tiny they could fit in the palm of my hand, Some are so large, I'm pretty sure they weigh more than three of me combined. Oh yeah, and students are cramming for midterms.

But I took a break from the books to stroll through the market recently and collect some small pumpkins for my doorway, an annual October tradition. They sit, waiting patiently for about a week or so before Halloween when I bring them in, carve them out, bake their seeds and display their scary visages for all the neighbourhood kids to see. For this casual fall outing, I donned a polka dot chiffon blouse I picked up when I was in Seoul last year, dark skinny jeans, and vintage vest and boots. Fall never felt so good!
                                                                      

Embellish Me

Photos by Kyler Kelly

Lightinthebox sweater/Michael Kors boots/lia sophia necklace/old leggings

Who doesn't love a piece that can multi-task? Every woman should own a couple of good ol' fashioned embellished tops. They aren't just tops, they aren't just jewelry, they're both! One of my go-tos is this Lightinthebox number, which instantly turns what could be a plain sweater dress into a knock-out number. Pairing an brown sweater dress with black leggings and sleek leather boots could potentially make this look take a somber turn, but the jewels and beading are the perfect feminine rocker touch to really elevate the ensemble from boring to bold. 

And the cherry on top in this happily eclectic marriage is this hardcore pearl necklace gifted to us by the jewelry company lia sophia, soon to be celebrating their 5th anniversary. I have a soft spot for pearls and this young, edgy, stylized version of a typical pearl necklace really speaks to my love of blending looks for a more intriguing outcome. Some daring combos are better left in the closet than on the streets (I'm sorry, but very few people can pull off the electric blue eye shadow, fuchsia lipstick and leopard-print bodysuit) but I really love the romantic edginess this look embodies. Fashion is a fine line...a squiggly line that goes all over the place, but fine nonetheless!