Debbie and the Dogs

Photos by Kyler Kelly

Dress: Zara / Jacket: F21 / Booties: thrifted / Hat: American Apparel

Every year, as soon as the weather cools down to a crisp 15 degrees, that black beret is stuck to my head like glue. I can't help it, I've been wearing this same beret for about five years now and I never tire of it. A good hat will always add interest to any outfit and the beret in particular, will go with just about anything I wear. Here, I've paired it with this classic, floral knee-length dress and a more edgy, faux-leather biker jacket. Such a contrast, yes, but the look remains quite girlish, just the way I like it!   

I'd also just like to take a moment to admire the impressive horticultural sculptures behind me.  If you haven't gone to see the sculptures yet at the Botanical Gardens, get on over there before it's too late!

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.

                                                         

September Wedding

Dress: Costa Blanca / Hat: Parkhurst / Shoes: Zara / Jacket: F21 / Purse: Thrifted

Alright Frockers, I have to admit it, I was a little rushed while getting myself ready for this wedding and the reason is, well...I was working on the blog! Luckily, the first thing I tried on passed the test and I went with it. The result is the simple outfit you see above. I guess you can never really go wrong with a black, white and red color combination. Stick to the classics and you won't be sorry!

Punk For A Day

 

Photos by Michael Vesia

As mentioned in an earlier post this week, we recently collaborated with talented urban photographer, Michael Vesia, and the results were fantastic. Although Vesia's usual subjects are cityscapes, he was eager to collaborate with a couple of fashionites and the feeling was mutual! He had a specific location in mind while we were struggling with how to get into one of the major trends this fall and it all came together to create an urban punk concept.

As you may have guessed, Debbie and I aren't super into the whole punk look. Give us some floral prints and lace dresses any day of the week, but spikes and studs...not so much. But that got us thinking...there are easy ways to enjoy a look without going all in! I'm donning a classic leather jacket paired with a black lace top and coral skinny jeans, while Debbie opted for a pleated leather skirt, cream Peter Pan-collared blouse and floppy hat. There are many ways to make a style your own and sometimes the best way to embrace a look you're not sure about is just to incorporate small parts, or have one key piece and work around it. Never be afraid to make trends your own, and always be true to your personal style.
                                                        

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...
                                                               

Dressed To The Nines

Once in a blue moon, we like to cut loose with our coworkers away from our computers, files, deadlines and instant messengers. One such coworker, Miss Khanh (pictured above as the third Charlie's Angel), was actually the reason this blog came to pass. She even sent us an outlook appointment so we couldn't back out of it!

We convened with several other company cohorts at the recent RAW Art Show to support another coworker of ours, Michael Vesia (to be featured on the blog as the guest photographer in an upcoming post)! We also took this opportunity to feature the man behind the camera for most of our shoots, Mr. Kyler Kelly, looking dapper in a polka dot bow tie combo (ahem, courtesy of yours truly, Jackie the GF). 

All in all, it was an evening of fine dining, fine arts and fine attire to remember!

Jackie in H&M cocktail dress and earrings/thrifted shoes and clutch

Debbie in Michael Kors cocktail dress/Zara shoes

Khanh in Marciana top and bottoms/Mexx tank/Stuart Weitzman heels/Coach handbag

Kyler in Mexx shirt/Simons bowtie