Okay, I have been dying to show you these pics that Bethany took in Abbotsford. We absolutely parked where we weren’t supposed to and trespassed on private property for these beautiful views. I was mostly terrified of a snake popping out of the greenery to say hello/murder us. No wildlife sightings though, so I’d say it was all worth it! Really as much as I’m a city girl (who’s afraid of garden snakes), I have a soft spot in my heart for the countryside. My dream would be to one day have a place in the city as well as a cottage in order to live both lives. Definitely #goals.
I also wanted to make sure my fellow Canadians knew that for the rest of today and tomorrow until midnight PST, there’s 20% OFF site wide at REVOLVE! That means you could snag this Lovers + Friends ‘Dream Vacay’ dress on SALE, perhaps these summer fave RAYE heels (that have finally been restocked), or any other full price, sale, or pre-order items!
Anyone else all about minimal makeup? Especially for daytime, when things are often active, I like to keep my makeup as low maintenance as possible. I am doing my research though and trying out new products and techniques. I think it’s important to be able to hone in on these skills when I want to experiment with a new look! Or, to hide the fact that I am extremely tired or that my skin simply isn’t cooperating. But, more on that as I learn.
For today, I had so much fun trying out a daytime version of Charlotte Tilbury’s ‘Sophisticate’ look! It’s all very natural and a great summer makeup option. Charlotte herself came here to Vancouver to show us her tips/tricks and she incredibly charming and fabulous. I’ve tested out a number of her products and narrowed down two of my current favourites that are in my everyday makeup rotation:
I never really got into heavy contouring or any of that, but I do a little cheek highlight/contour with this set and it is everything! Just gives me that extra glow that makes me feel slightly more done up.
Well, well, well. Look who has to eat their words. I can’t believe how organized I felt going into this week and how quickly that crumbled. The good news is, that I got to spend tons of time with my friends from out of town and shoot a bunch of awesome content with Alex. The bad news, is that I am immensely behind on work, exercise, and organization. That elusive idea of ‘balance’ seems to always be floating further and further away. As soon as I have a moment where I feel my schedule slightly at peace, the pendulum swings so far the other way and there’s no way of catching up to it. Anyway, living and learning over here.
The real story today is that I actually finally re-wore my wedding shoes!!! I mean, they cost me an arm and a leg, so it’s about time I dusted them off (just kidding, I still haven’t cleaned them) and let them see the light of day! Their slingback and relatively low heel really make them a versatile everyday shoe. They looked perfectly matched to my wedding dress, and yet I also love them paired with Mavi jeans and a more casual look. Really quite pleased with them!
I had a couple people inquire about this dress, so I definitely wanted to make sure that I linked to it here it in today’s post. I was going to really highlight it and go for more of a garden party theme, but this leather jacket/black boot pairing happened accidentally and I’m digging it. Love when I don’t overthink things and a style just happens organically! As you can already imagine, I adore this Tularosa x REVOLVE ‘Gloria’ dress. Favourite features are the forgiving waistline with a hidden zipper closure. That did work against me though, as I unknowingly left the side zipper gaping open after trying some clothes on in Austin. Luckily the sales associate pointed it out to me before I stepped outside with my entire left side showing! So embarrassing, so classically me. Anyway, I also love how much room there is in the bust, the hidden buttons don’t gape at all! The only trouble I have with the hidden button closures are that they’re getting a bit loose and keep coming undone. I will likely sew the bottom 3 closed to be safe. Otherwise, this dress is the perfect fit and is even more versatile than I’d originally thought. I’m such a sucker for a pretty pink frock!
Now that I’m back from a sunny holiday, all I seem to be shopping for is vacay ready styles. Isn’t that just always the way?! Since it’s all I keep bookmarking, thought I’d put together three must-have looks for your next trip, just hover over each piece for the links to purchase! Happy shopping 🙂
This January was a pivotal moment in my life. I switched gears to take this blog on full time. I’ve been working really hard to make my mental and physical health a priority. I also decided to say ‘YES’ to as many new and exciting opportunities as possible, with a big focus on travel. I just so happen to also be turning 30 this year. Which, isn’t meant to be seen as a negative thing, I’m quite excited to enter a new decade. No, it’s more that I wanted to really end my twenties with a BANG! I keep chasing that bright light that travel sparks inside of me. I want to look back at this time in my life and smile because I really LIVED it. What a rare and beautiful path to be on at the moment, I want to make sure I am making the most of every single second of it!
That brings us to Ireland. Alex had raved about it and it was a perfect pairing with our London trip. We played around with dates and settled on a 6 day Ireland adventure. We squeezed in as much as possible including Dublin, a fabulous stay in Galway, a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher, a lovely visit in Cork, and a Paddywagon Tour to Dingle. I think back to it all and just can’t believe we were there. That I was able to see bits of such a glorious part of the earth with my very own eyes!
We arrived in Dublin on a Monday morning and Alex‘s friend Amanda met us at the Gibson. The second we opened that door and she came barrelling in for a big hug, I knew right away that we’d be fast friends. The three of us travelled incredibly well together, the triple A trio just worked. Luckily for us, Amanda has lived in Ireland for over 5 years and was the perfect tour guide. I’ve never eaten so well! She’s a vegetarian too, which was a huge bonus, and she knew where all the best food was!
I’ll have a detailed itinerary and recommendations up soon, but for now I wanted to share a little video of our adventures and my brief thoughts on each location below. Enjoy!
This off the shoulder trend is just too good! I am very self conscious about that bubbly bit between my armpit and bust (do you ladies have this problem as well?) and LOVE that an off the shoulder look hides it but remains subtly sexy. It feels so comfortable to be covered up enough to move freely, but also show off the décolletage! I have a real soft spot for a cotton eyelet too, so this Tularosa Odessa blouse from REVOLVE has been a real delight. As for fit, I’d say it’s true to size (I’m wearing a Large) and just an FYI to anyone purchasing an elastic top off the shoulder piece, you do have to pull it down from time to time. It’s just natural for elastic to ride up and have a bit of a mind of its own! I paired it with my skinny dark denim, though I also love wearing this top with flared denim for a 70’s look.
Super excited to also be showing you the first few pictures from my day at the Abbotsford Tulip Festival with Alex and Bethany! If you didn’t catch our adventure that day on snapchat, I’ll have the hilarious recap of our day on the blog soon. Let’s just say, travel days never seem to go as planned, but the trick is to just pivot and go with it!
Just kidding. I’ve only ever made 3 video blogs. The title stems from my attempts at a little something called “consistency” and “keeping a schedule” and “gaining some control over my content”. I love creating videos and now every Tuesday, I will be posting a VLOG for your viewing pleasures! It’s just too much fun not to continue doing!
This latest VLOG episode is from our last 2 days in Austin, Texas. I may or may not have convinced Adam that we need to make the 3 hour round-trip drive to Waco, because my obsession with Fixer Upper reached peak levels. Check it out for yourself below, and don’t forget to give the thumbs up/subscribe!
I recently stopped by my local Mavi store to browse their spring/summer collection and I never would have dreamed that I’d leave that place with anything other than new ultra loose/comfortable boyfriend jeans! The button down denim skirt is a style that I’d really written off as not a viable option for my curves, but here we are, thanks to the magic of stretch denim and Mavi’s impeccable fits. And this wasn’t just one of those seems like a good idea in the moment kind of buys, I have been wearing it a ton! In fact, you’ll be seeing this denim skirt again in tomorrow’s episode of the VLOG!
