right on.

dress & sunglasses from forever 21 // purse, bangles, belt + necklace c/o plum // old navy sandals

i have a love/hate relationship with this dress. i saw it at forever 21 and had to have it. didn't try it on, bought it anyway. got home, put it on and hated it. planned to return it and somehow didn't make it back to metrotown for 30 days. couldn't bring it back any more and figured i'd give it away. put it on again a few months later with this brown belt and loved it all over again. i'm just happy that i'm getting wear out of it. a maxi dress really is the perfect thing to throw on, especially on the weekends. speaking of which, it's almost the long weekend. what does everyone have planned? i'm going on a full fledged staycation. pretty pumped.

happy friday :)

the sheepdogs – right on

you'll be on my mind, until i kiss you next time

i am suffering from a serious case of blog neglect. file this one under pathetic love struck female, but i seemed to lose my desire to blog when adam left town. i almost felt like taking a mini blog vacation while he was on vacation in spain with his brothers. since he is my main outfit photographer, i also didn’t have many other options for pictures. tripods and i are not very well acquainted. instead, i packed the last two weeks full of time with family and friends and left my camera at home. there was lots of shopping involved, coffee dates, sangria, and crazy long phone conversations.

not to worry though, i am well rested and adam is back after two long weeks away. i’m in the process of convincing him to do a guest post on this blog with some photos and stories from spain. he has some great pics, he sure has learned his way with a camera! i also have some outfit posts coming up and a weeklong fashion feature next week (let’s keep that a surprise).

hope you all had a great week and check back tomorrow for a new outfit post xo

rachael yamagata - 1963

Pinkberry Canada Launch at Park Royal

I apologize to those of you who have a weakness for frozen yogurt, because Pinkberry has officially opened their very first Canada location! The famous froyo chain launched their first Canadian store at The Village at Park Royal in West Vancouver. And a Pinkberry party means free frozen yogurt, some champage, and a lot of Cory Monteith. His band, Bonnie Dune, played a great set for a crowd of screaming girls (not that I was one of them or anything :P)




(Photo Credit to RF Productions via the Pinkberry Canada Facebook Page)







For my very first Pinkberry experience, I opted for a mango frozen yogurt with fresh strawberries, kiwi, and shaved milk chocolate. It’s understandable that Pinkberry is so popular. It was the perfect dessert, very light and full of flavour. Dessert for dinner is okay, right?

My date for the evening was the biggest Pinkberry fan I know, Danielle of smellydanielly.com. I drove Melissa of miss-melissa.com as well, but we got lost and ended up on a 45 minute detour. That’s a whole other story though, let’s not focus on my poor navigation skills! Also in attendance was Jen of prairiegirlinthecity.com, Lisa of sololisa.com, Alexandra of tovogueorbust.com, Jen of herwaisechoice.com, and Chloe of thisgirlscity.com. It’s always so great to see these ladies, if you don’t know their blogs already go check them out asap!

A big thanks to Lisa Kwong for the invite to such a wonderful event. I can’t wait to head back to Pinkberry to try their other flavours.

Be sure to "Like" their Facebook Page and follow them on Twitter for Pinkberry updates. Happy Friday friends xo

honeywild giveaway! - CLOSED!

You deserve a new pair of earrings, don't you think? Especially when they are handmade with love! This pair of honeywild earrings are made with sterling silver earwires (good for sensitive ears), Czech glass crystal teardrops, and metal components. I was instantly drawn to their shape and of course, the emerald green. Love me some emerald green.

I personally have my eye on the Dark Seas necklace. Do you think it's frowned upon to enter your own contest? Juuust kidding ;)

TO ENTER:

Hop on over to the honeywild etsy shop and browse around. Leave me a comment on this post or the Alicia Fashionista Facebook Page about which honeywild piece is your favourite...that's it!

Also, I'll give you a bonus entry if you "Like" the honeywild Facebook Page.

Will ship to anywhere, so this contest is open to ALL readers.
Contest ends Thursday July 28th, 2011 at 6 pm PST. A maximum of two entries per person.

Honeywild was kind enough to offer aliciafashionista readers a 15% OFF coupon! If you see something you like on the honeywild shop, just enter the code FASHIONISTA15 to get your discount. Happy shopping & good luck with the giveaway xo

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY!

a summer shower

my best friend since first grade is getting married this november and this weekend marked the beginning of the festivities. despite the actual showers outside and the power going out for the entire afternoon, bridal shower number one went fairly smoothly! everything and everyone looked great and the lunch was delicious. it was an emotional day, but ultimately so much fun. i'm throwing the next shower with the other bridesmaids, so i'll have lots of diy decorations to share! thought i'd share a couple pictures from the afternoon, enjoy :)

denim three ways

When these 'Jimi' TEXTILE Elizabeth & James jeans arrived, I was admittedly nervous. I hadn't worn a pair of form fitting light wash denim since the 6th grade (and trust me, they weren't flattering back then either). But hey, I love a good challenge, especially when it comes to styling. So instead of putting just one outfit together, I styled three completely different looks! Turns out that playing around with proportion and colour can help minimize trouble areas. I actually quite like the light denim for a change, especially in the summer. I am no longer scared of you light washed denim...so ha!



I styled this with Mary-Kate and Ashley in mind, inspired by their boho chic grunge days. The look isn't complete without messy hair, sunglasses, and bright lipstick!

Tank, Bangles & Purse c/o Plum // Blazer from H&M // Necklace from Forever 21

Though it may not look like it at the moment, it is actually July. Floral prints and floppy hats add a carefree summer attitude to an outfit. Paired with a delightful short sleeve blazer and a vintage purse.

Blouse and Sunnies from Barefoot Contessa // Blazer from Forever 21 // Purse from Front & Co. // Hat from American Apparel

One of my favourite things to do is mix retro and modern. I kept this look minimal, with just a few strong pieces. The sheer peter pan collar blouse is my new favourite, you'll be seeing a lot more of this one!

Bardot Blouse from a Sample Sale // Barefoot Contessa Sunglasses // Plum Belt // Matt & Nat Clutch // Faryl Robin Shoes

You can read more in my interview for 'We Love Bloggers' feature on these jeans in Style Republic Magazine, as well as how Sonia of Runway Hippie and Erin of Apartment 34 styled their TEXTILE Elizabeth & James Denim!

a lesson in coralation

many people are afraid to buy clothes in bright hues. what you may not realize, is that purchasing a piece in a colour can actually give you just as much mileage, if not more, than a neutral. different accessories can completely change the look of an item. it's all about being creative!

the basis of this outfit was the coral skirt. this coral maxi is obviously a big statement and the main attraction. in order to let it shine, i paired it with a simple white tank top that is form fitting to balance out my proportions and highlight my smallest point; my waist. my trick to breaking up two contrasting colours is to bring them together with a longer necklace. this particular charm necklace has some hints of colour in it, and i played with that by adding more brights in the bangles. for additional interest, i threw on a surprise turquoise and brown shoe, with a coordinating brown structured over the shoulder bag.

it's summer, have fun with it! nothing has to doesn't have to match perfectly. colours just need to compliment your look! next time, try opting for a bright colour and mixing it with pieces you have already! you just never know what kind of beautiful outfit you might come up with :)

aritzia tank // modcloth 'always play flare skirt' // urban outfitters necklace // river island bangles // front & co. purse // kelsi dagger sandals

HortyGirl Giveaway - Now CLOSED

Attention all you green thumbs! I've got a handmade HortyGirl creation up for grabs. If you want a great new centrepiece, something to spice up your bookshelf, or just a new conversation starting plant, then a zebra cactus is for you! This adorable cactus also enjoys long walks on the beach and spending hours lost in a good book. What a catch!

How to enter:

Step 1: You must live in the lower mainland because I will be personally delivering our little cactus friend to you.

Step 2: Go ahead and "LIKE" the HortyGirl Facebook page.

Step 3: Comment on this post or on the Alicia Fashionista Facebook page
informing me that you followed Step 2. That's it :)

Contest ends Friday July 15th, 2011 at 1 pm PST.
GOOD LUCK xo

thankful

dress vintage aritzia (2008ish?) // jacket and purse from plum // faryl robbin shoes // urban outfitters necklace // house of harlow key ring // front & co. ring

photos by danielle

i had to fill out some questions for a website (more on that later) and i was stuck on question number six: "how has your blog changed your life?" it was almost impossible to formulate an answer. where would i even begin? i can't remember what life was like before my blog. it's my biggest creative outlet and has led to so many amazing opportunities. and of course, my favourite part of all of this has been getting to know all of you!

just wanted to take a break from my super exciting saturday night (and by super exciting, i mean ice cream and a sex and the city marathon) to say thank you. thanks for reading, commenting, following, supporting, all of it! you're all amazing, and i really mean that xo

you're invited to: adorned creation

When: Tuesday July 12, doors at 6:30pm, show at 7:30pm

Where: Performance Works – 1218 Cartwright on Granville Island

Why: Net proceeds from the show go to Looking Glass Foundation, a Vancouver-based charity which is dedicated to aiding the recovery of individuals and families suffering from eating disorders.

Tickets: $20 in advance from JCI (220 Cambie), $15 for JCI students (with valid student ID) or $25 at the door

FOR MORE INFO: Check out Adorned Creation on Facebook or follow them on Twitter

all images from tumblr.

calculations and asian peace signs

Romper & Necklace from Urban Outfitters // Blazer from H&M // Purse c/o Plum // Aldo Wedges // Adam's Sunglasses





it's 7 am and i just inhaled and choked on my coffee while staring out the window, obviously spacing out, wondering what the hell to write (don't worry, i coughed it out..just down the wrong tube). i think lately i've been trying to write posts "like everyone else" (this is all relative, since i have a fashion blog as do hundreds of thousands of others). my posts have turned into nonsensical chatter and mundane questions. but i'm a story teller and lately, i haven't told you any stories at all. and i mean, how many times can one bring up the weather or tell a tale about an item one is wearing. i promise, i don't hang out with friends and compare recent shopping stories (unless it comes up of course, and then i have a ton to contribute).

last thursday night before a crazy girl's weekend in whistler (didn't sleep all weekend like a true rockstar and i say this with great maturity) i had a little hermie night to myself and i spent it flipping between hgtv and keeping up with the kardashians. so this show comes on called candice olson tells all and it's essentially candice olson (who's interior design work i love to bits) tells all her design secrets to viewers. she speaks about proportions and focal points, mixing colours and patterns, and lighting. she explains how design is all about calculations and the wheels in my brain start turning and i think about how styling is a similar calculation to interior decorating. it has taken me years to figure out these formulas, but i hadn't put it all together until this moment of epiphany that they were even thought out formulas. i just stare at people in amazement when they pick up a cardigan and ask me how to wear it (it's a sweater people...you just put it over anything, there's really no secret there).

and so, instead of keeping this precious information to myself, i decided i will lay it all out over the summer and share what i know about the styling formula. and hopefully i can save some people who are wandering around stores still buying uggs and wearing tights as pants and that will be my big contribution to the world (like someone who saves lives, i will save people's unflattering ensembles) but probably not because those people wouldn't read this. who knows, i've written more than i have in a long time, i'm not sure if any of you are still reading this. okay, cappucino is finished and so is this post. enjoy your tuesday my loves!