French Connection 2015 Fall/Winter Preview

 

Yesterday, I had a chance to take a quick peek at the French Connection Fall/Winter 2015 line and although I gotta say, I have barely begun to explore Spring and Summer, a few pieces from their collections really caught my eye.

The themes of the day were the usual suspects: lots of patterns, blacks, grunge, punk rock and retro styles, with some pop of colours like bright yellow and tomato red. There were also plenty of oversized sweaters and coats, with faux fur collars and capes (which you all know I adore!) But the pieces that really caught my eye were the party looks for Christmas and New Years, not to mention how they incorporated the same kinds of details in more casual pieces as well. It was all about the embellishments and little details. Tons of fringe hems, feathers, sequins and beading! There were so many fun party pieces that really made me rethink my whole winter hibernation habit. I gotta start finding more parties to go to...
                                   

F21, Our BFF

F21 jeans, jacket/Restoration Hardware faux fur scarf/Zara booties/Louis Vuitton handbag

It's every frugal fashionite's best-kept secret that's actually not so secret. I'm talking Forever 21 y'all! Along with Zara, H&M and a slew of other designer-inspired discount boutiques, F21 offers basic and trendy garb for much less. Is the quality the best there is? No, and I don't think anyone shopping there is under that impression. It's a place to take some fashion chances without the guilt of spending your entire shopping budget on a single shirt. Go ahead and experiment with the peplum silhouette, crop tops and floppy fedoras. F21 is the place to do it.

I'm a strong believer that despite the fashion industry's elitist and exclusionary undertones, there's no reason why average Joes and Janes can't partake in making some style magic, simply because they can't afford $1000 shirts. Forget $1000 shirts....I don't even have the stomach or the means to drop a hundred bucks on a single top, no matter how many angels spun the threads from golden looms. The guilt would just keep me up at night....

Don't get me wrong. If we can afford it, there's something to be said for supporting our local designers and boutiques. They are attempting something I would never have the balls to do and supporting a principle is something that's worth a few extra bucks. But for those of us who can't, we are pretty glad we still have some options.
                                                                   

Even More Street Style

Photos by Kyler Kelly

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

                                                  

This is the End

Scarf: Joe Fresh / Coat: Zara / Pants: Smart Set / Booties: Target / Hat: Thrifted

...Or at least I hope this is the end! For now, I'm wearing my favourite white coat from Zara, it is so light compared to most of my winter coats and so it literally feels like the weight of winter has been lifted when I wear it. Luckily, we are starting to see some warmer weather in the forecast so hopefully we can start fresh with some vibrant spring attire. I just can't wait! 

White on White

Jacket: Naf Naf (thrifted) / Boots: Michael Kors / Scarf: Joe Fresh / Headband & Gloves: vintage / Handbag: F21 / Tights: Smart Sert

Hey Frockers! I'm finally back with a new outfit post today. The past few weeks have been brutal since the cold here has been relentless and my fashion sense seems so far away from me. Not to worry, I pulled myself together for you guys and brought out one of my most recent thrifted jackets. Such a great find, obviously could not resist those puffed three quarter sleeves, right? I also happened to take these shots on one of the coldest days of the year so, as you can see, my poor little wrists suffered a bit but otherwise I'm bundled up nicely in a combination of furs. I'd like to point out that the scarf is actually 100% faux but it's absolutely one of the best looking faux furs I've ever seen. Ok, I love my winter accessories and all but...Is it too early to start a spring countdown?

Winter Woes

Photos by Kyler Kelly

Restoration Hardware faux fur hat/F21 sweater/Primark jeans/Zara booties

Winter blahs. Need I say more? I'm deep into the winter semester and wouldn't you know it? Every day I have class just happens to be -20 with a nipping wind. Just great. I wish I had more time for blogging, but between work and school, it's hard enough to even put together a little punchy outfit let alone take some pics. But I'm taking a cue from Debbie and throwing on a statement hat. And along with my go-to remedy for any drab outfit (a red lip for the win!), I'm feeling 40 degrees warmer already.

                                                                                    

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!
                                                          

Cozy Sweater Season

Sweater, hat and scarf: Joe Fresh / Pants: H&M

It's definitely that time of year in Montreal...sweater season! I always love to brighten up my winter wardrobe with a few bright sweaters and this Joe Fresh pink number has been one of my favourites as of late. As you may have noticed, I'm a big fan of Joe and why wouldn't I be? The quality/price ratio is some of the best I've seen and sometimes the convenience of picking up a cute top while you are grocery shopping is the most heavenly combination of two worlds: food and fashion. Peace out, frockers.

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***

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