Hearts and Apples and Retro Amusements

Garage top/Primark shorts/vintage headscarf/Aldo sunnies/Sammydress handbag/old wedges

Nothing is quite like an ode to summertime quite like a pair of denim shorts. I always struggled with buying shorts. Apparently my proportions are really weird, cause if I found a pair that fit me around the hips, the leg openings would be too big. And of course, if I found a pair that was flattering to my gams, it would be impossible to zip it up. Sigh.

Enter this darling high-waisted number that hugged all my curves and bumps just right. Sometimes it just takes a bit of hunting! For this look, I paired it with a stripped crop top, retro do and headband, heart-shaped sunnies and old wedges. Perfect for a retro vibe on a golden summer day at the amusement park!

P.S. Candied apples are the greatest!!
                                                                         

Best of 2013

As another year comes to a close and we look back at all the adventures we had, the laughs we shared and the fashion we enjoyed, 2013 definitely goes into the history books as one of the best years ever. This was the year Bouquet of Frocks was born!

Here's a look back at some of our favourite fashion moments of 2013.

                                                                

Jackie's Adventures In (Jean) Wonderland

Photos by Kyler Kelly

Once upon a time, I had been obsessed with getting a high-waisted, wide-legged pair of jeans for a good two years or so, ever since I received a visitor from out West with the most retro-chic pair of jeans I had ever seen.  It was one weekend after a photoshoot in the Plateau Mont-Royal that I decided to make the trek to Jeans Jeans Jeans (yes that's a store name) for the first time. I had heard the legends of this jean wonderland, but had never ventured there due to my lack of wheels and living near the other side of town.

Ladies and gents, I am here to report, the legends are true! I have never been in a store that ran quite so much like a well-oiled machine. At first when you step through the door, it's a bit overwhelming, as the floor is packed with racks and racks of jeans with even the walls filled to the ceiling with apparel. I browsed around for a few minutes without being hassled by a single sales person (I hate that!) and when I was ready for help, I approached an employee and described the jeans I was looking for: "high-waisted and wide-legged."

He immediately steered me to a rack in the middle of the floor and asked what size I was. I put my hands up and shrugged, "oh I'm not sure..." Not 1 second later, after just glancing at my waistline, he said matter-of-factly, "probably a 24 or 25" before proceeding to grab several pairs of jeans off the rack, throwing them in my arms and disappearing into the sea of denim to help another customer.

I tried on all the jeans he recommended and fell in love with this J Brand pair. It was 75% off the regular price to boot (good thing I love styles that no one else does...) and to top it all off, they hemmed it for me on the spot in less than 10 minutes. I left not only with the afterglow of finding that amazing deal on an amazing product, but wide-eyed with awe and amazement at this denim dreamland.

And they all lived happily every after.

                                                         

I Just Can't Let Go Of Summer

Photos by Kyler Kelly

                 

The change from summer into autumn is always a shock to the system. I find that I start sleeping a lot longer on the weekends and a 20-degree day going into fall is somehow jacket weather while a 20-degree day going from winter into spring is shorts and T-shirt weather!

Although we may be starting to put away the sandals and bikinis, some of our most-loved summer pieces can for sure transition into fall looks. My favourite yellow floral skirt for example, can easily be introduced in fall, even using the same mixed-print concept as my summer look from Summer Days Are Drifting Away.

Instead of a short-sleeved crop top, I pulled out a 3/4-sleeve favourite and paired the look with a neat up-do, nude pumps and leather gloves. Longer lengths and accessories are key in this transitional period, as well as of course layering and light jackets (more on that later!)

For now, this is my way of hanging onto those golden days of summer...
                                                               

Last Year's Romance

Last year's romance is the navy floral skirt you see in the pictures above. Last summer, I just couldn't get enough of this skirt, wearing it once or even twice a week. This year, I seem to have forgotten about it, like an old summer fling. Unlike some of my other skirts that are able to transition through the different seasons, this skirt is exclusive to summer. I finally wore it out this week for a cute little workday outfit. C'est simple, c'est beau!

F21 skirt, bag and crochet top / Thrifted Naturalizer sandals

Summer Days Are Drifting Away...

 ...but that's not going to stop Debbie and I from living out the final golden days of summer with our take on nautical resortwear. Forget the sailor pants and stripes with red, our version is all about light, airy and pretty! And personally, I can't let an outfit go without a hit of colour.

 Photos by Kyler Kelly

Jackie - Garage striped crop top/Modcloth skirt/Globo wedges

Debbie - White Forever 21 dress/thrifted belt/Ray Ban sunnies/Espadrilles from Les Ailes de la Mode.

                                              

Festival Mode & Design: Day 4

 

 

Outfits: Jackie - F21 floppy hat/Garage crop top/thrifted maxi skirt/thrifted sandals/Costa Blanca bucket bag

Debbie - Gap jeans/Topshop top/Wedges from Winners/thrifted Liz Claiborne hat

Shows: Ice Cream, Sweet Lemonade - Barila

Ice Cream, Sweet Lemonade - UNTTLD

Les Montreal(ER) In Fashion du Festival

Highlights: The whole festival was a lot of fun! We met some interesting vendors and bloggers, saw some amazing fashion and of course got to be models for a day. And considering the price tag of all these shows (free!) we really couldn't have asked for a better week of fashion...except maybe less wind and rain!