Alicia, Author at Alicia Fashionista

Style

A Chic IG Takeover

July 29, 2016

Happy Friday, my loves! What a glorious weekend it’s going to be!

Did you catch my McArthurGlen Vancouver takeover on Instagram this week?! If not, you should hop on over to their IG and give them a big follow! That way, you can check out all the looks I styled up for them, as well as a chance to WIN a $100 gift card to do some designer outlet shopping!

I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to check out McArthurGlen Designer Outlet yet, but it really is such a fun experience. The entire place has a very European feel and is basically an Instagram dream! I’ve had a lot of success avoiding crowds by heading there first thing in the morning, and on a clear day, the planes fly RIGHT over you to the YVR landing spot across the road. And I mean RIGHT over you, to the point where it kind of feels like they might land on you. It’s scary, exciting, and unique all at the same time. Besides the atmosphere, I really enjoy the stores at McArthurGlen Vancouver as well! It was truly a great experience tapping into that fashion stylist brain again and picking out 4 summer looks for the IG takeover!

Below are a two of my favourite looks. All items and prices were found at McArthurGlen last week, so availability is not guaranteed. Which I guess is kind of the beauty of outlet shopping! Anyway, if they’re already gone, or you’re not based here, I also included the online links to these pieces. Which outfit was your favourite?!

Style

Simple Summer

July 26, 2016

Back in the spring, all I wanted was a summer dress that mimicked the grown up boho/beachy look that I am so crazy about in home decor. I just wanted to match our apartment a little bit? I don’t have a dog or a kid, so this oddly makes the most sense. I stumbled upon this h&m beauty via Instagram and just HAD to have it. Yes, it’s really pretty, but turns out, it’s not quite what I’d wanted. Now that I’m not in the moment of impulse purchase, I have browsed similar styles online that have the tassel tie detail and some who also have embroidery and I slightly regret things. I think my biggest problem with this one I ended up with is how tight it is in the top on me and the fact that they opted for a puffy sleeve. It makes me feel more like I’m on my way to yodel than to enjoy a summer’s day at the beach. You live and you learn though, and this one is still cute, I just don’t think I’ll be wearing it as much as I’d hoped. Lucky for you, I found improved versions of this dress online, which I’ve linked here below. Sometimes, I need a reminder that just because a dress seemed to look great on IG, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to work for me!

SHOP SIMILAR STYLES HERE:

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Life Vancouver

Everything You Need To Know About Diner en Blanc

July 25, 2016

You should have seen us the first time we went to Diner en Blanc. We had absolutely NO idea what to expect and I made all sorts of avoidable mistakes. We overpacked (as in I brought charger plates AND a glass cake stand – eek) and I spent WAY too much money on new items. We made enough food for at least 10 people and then had to drag it back home. We didn’t think of an efficient system for transporting our items, and, I may or may not have consumed an entire bottle of Sauv Blanc to myself, got high school drunk, and was off white wine for 6 months afterwards. But, that’s neither here nor there.

I recently had a few people request that I put together my tips for DeB, so that’s exactly what I’ve done! If you’re wondering what the heck happens when you arrive, what you should wear, how you should pack, and what I’d recommend for food, then please, read on! Hope this helps, and as always, if you have any questions, leave them in the comments below:

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Style

Little White Dress

July 21, 2016

I was just browsing ASOS for white dresses for Diner en Blanc and was incredibly impressed with their selection! Couldn’t believe how many options there were for under $125 CAD. Below are just a few of my favourites, hover over the image and click the black square icon to link to each dress. These fresh white frocks are perfect for brides to be, an all-white attire themed event, or hey, just because! Which one is your favourite? I’m honestly minutes away from just going for it and ordering the one in the bottom right! Happy Shopping xo

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Style

The Cobalt Blues

July 20, 2016

This outfit screams fall (and a slight attitude, but I blame that on the sunglasses). Which, might seem strange in the middle of summertime, it’s not quite so here in Vancouver. We’ve had non stop chilly, overcast days that feel much more like October than July. I haven’t minded though, I quite like autumn and a bit of rain. The heat and uninterrupted sunshine always comes back again (in fact, it’s already here). I’m sure we can all use our imagination with this look, because if you ditch the leather jacket and swap out the booties for sandals, it’s still a functional summer ensemble. Actually, this might be the perfect seasonal transition outfit. Is it too early to be posting this? Andddd now I’m questioning everything! Oh well, enough small talk about the weather.

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Beauty

How To: Half Up Braids

July 13, 2016

I’m constantly browsing Pinterest looking for new hairstyles to try. Even though I’ve freshened things up with a lighter summer colour, it’s now time to start mixing up my go-to styles! I enlisted the help of my friend Nadia Bullock to make a fun half up ‘do that I could easily try again on my own. I can totally picture this hairstyle at all sorts of events this season! Going to recreate this for a summer wedding or bbq for sure, sometimes it’s nice to just get your hair out of your face and not have to fuss.

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Style

City Views

July 12, 2016

At the moment, our ground floor apartment has an amazing west facing view of…the building next to us. Not quite that rooftop cityscape I’ve always dreamed of, that’s for sure. I’ve already decided that our next place is going to have so much natural light and a killer view. Oh, and a fireplace. Turns out, I might have to win the lottery for us to ever be able to afford to move!

Even though I’ve been enjoying the process of redecorating our current one bedroom apartment, I still look at the MLS every day for a potential 2 bedroom spot. If you’re not from here, the Vancouver/Lower Mainland market has gone absolutely insane! Prices are sky high and 2/3 bedroom places are tough to come by. Which, is why I’m not quite sure why I torture myself by checking it daily?! I suppose it’s fun to imagine finding a deal and renovating. I’m a dreamer, what can I say? I do hope to be able to remain in beautiful Vancouver and raise a family here. Might have to mean adjusting expectations and thinking outside the box, but we’ll do what we can to stay.

PS If you’re not following me on Twitter, then you definitely should consider it. Tomorrow I have THE most amazing/hilarious giveaway of all time. Not to hype it up too much, but you’re going to love it.

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Wedding

My Wedding Decor Secrets

July 7, 2016

I like nice things and I don’t have any money. What can I say? It’s kind of the story of my life. This all meant that the #WinnettWedding had to be somewhat of a compromise between what I actually wanted and what was realistic. Once we’d landed the venue, photographers, caterer, day of coordinators, videographer, music, dress, suit, hair, makeup, transportation, and accommodation, there wasn’t as much left for my decor as I would have liked. Thankfully, my friends had some really great pieces of wedding decorating advice that I’d like to pass on to you.

When all is said and done, weddings are freaking SO expensive. I feel ya on that one. Below you’ll find a few ways I was able to get that high end look I wanted, but for less! We all can get a bit weird about money and I know everyone is working with different budgets/priorities, which is why I’m quite transparent about pricing where I could be. Hope this helps – happy planning!

If you’re new around here, be sure to catch up on my posts about the rehearsal dinner, our full wedding day recap, and my 15 favourite wedding moments!

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Health

Not A Fitness Model

July 6, 2016

I know, I know, you’re like hey, is that a Sports Illustrated bikini model?! No, silly, it’s just me! Someone who always thought that because I wasn’t 5’9″ and size minus 4 that there was NO way I could look nice in workout gear. The QUEEN of oversized tees and multipack leggings, I have learned over the last few years that it actually IS possible to look good/feel good even while you’re exercising! Cannot do anything about sweaty red face though, that hot mess look just means that you’re working hard.

As soon as I prioritized health and included fitness as a part of my life (attempted, anyway), I started discovering that there’s a ton of stinkin’ cute workout wear! Take this Public Myth outfit for example. I’m wearing a sports bra…in public…that doesn’t scream grandma! There’s mesh cutouts on my legs and that doesn’t even scare me! All this from the girl who rocked a human repelling silk corset “sports bra” for too long, and who JUST threw out my Lulu yoga flares from 15 years ago. I feel like a new woman. I feel like I am only now discovering why everyday fitness wear is an epidemic here on the West Coast!

So, how can you step up your workout wear? My biggest tip is that comfort and functionality are still most important. I like to buy updated pieces that are still basic (not quite at the point of bright printed leggings, ya know?) but throw in a standout and/or trendy piece or two. If you’ve got a similar shape, I recommend starting at a pair of high waisted black leggings and build from there. They’ll help hide sins and *hopefully* won’t slide down mid-run. When choosing athletic pieces, I would suggest quality over quantity. I have probably 3 mix and match outfits that I rock all the time and I just remix and wash those as needed. As for summer workouts, I’ve been loving outdoor running, yoga in the park, Body Balance classes, and tennis. I’m all about getting outside (for FREE, thank you Mother Nature) and then strengthening at the gym or in the classroom.

What do you like to do to work up a sweat in the summertime? Would love to hear in the comments below!

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