Pink Skirts and Pink Stripes

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the long delay in posts. Its been a while and an incredibly busy month. Full or change and some exciting news (If you are following on Facebook & Instagram you will already know, but there will be a post coming soon about my big plans!) I've been moving and have realized that I have too much stuff, and it needs to be slimmed down. I'm approaching life with a minimalist attitude and it really makes me question why I have so much stuff that collects mountains of dust. Yeah, it's not helping my allergies either. 

Come Saturday I'll be leaving my apartment, and it's been a great 4 years there! It will be greatly missed, but for my next adventure it sadly cannot come with me. Since the move it almost done this means time for more posts! YAY! 

It's already the end of August. Where did the summer go? Yesterday was a cool and rainy day so I thought I would post something fall-esq to inspire a flirty attitude as we go into colder temperatures. The location is a favourite of mine in the city, and was originally known as "Beaulieu", the French meaning "beautiful place" those who recognize it will know it as Lougheed House. My thought was that the pink of the boiled wool skirt, very warm by the way, would balance the long trench and add some colour to an otherwise muted pallet. I really like neutrals and black & white, but adding colour cheers a person up when you realize summer is coming to an end. 

  Jacket: H&M (similar) // Shirt: Pink Tartan // Skirt: Pink Tartan // Shoes: Zara (similar)

Pale Blue + Stripes + School Steps

It was a gorgeous day on Tuesday so I decided to take some photos outside of Hillhurst School. It's only a few blocks away from my apartment and the building has so much character. If only all schools could look like this still.

Continuing my love of pale blue is this crop air knit tee from Pink Tartan that has the feeling of scuba material like what you might have seen in skirts the past few seasons. It has great structure and stretch for comfort. I've paired it with my favourite skirt and shoes from Zara. Those shoes have been worn to so many events lately and I've only had them for a month!

Top: Pink Tartan // Skirt (similar): Zara // Shoes: Zara // Sunglasses (similar): H&M

p.s. the Pink Tartan top is part of the Washable Collection so no need for dry cleaning!

Sequin Jacket: Kate Moss x Topshop

This post is kind of a celebration of the snap of warmth we have finally been having and when wearing open back dresses are appropriate. Took a few snaps in Riley Park and being silly in my new Kate Moss x Topshop sequin jacket. I've already worn it twice, once to work and once to a charity event last week. The collection came out April 30th. If you're lucky there may be some pieces still available in store and online. I looked through the entire collection before the media pre-shop so I could get this jacket since each store only carries one of each size and Calgary only has 1 Topshop, it was a must have!

This is the second and the final collection Kate Moss will be doing for Topshop, and the pieces are simply amazing and incredibly detailed. So better act quick and get a piece of history!

Sequin Jacket: Kate Moss x Topshop // Dress: Urban Outfitters // Shoes: Rag & Bone - Harrow

Heart Truth Red Dresses with KaaDiki

In this second part of my interviews for the Heart Truth Calgary Fashion Show I stopped by Haithem Elkadiki's studio and got a look at his designs under his label KaaDiki for Lisa Longball and Lisa Bowes. As one of the designer had to drop out, Haithem took the task of creating two dresses that will be going down the runway. Two dresses and two Lisa's. Fun!  

Lisa Bowes has been recognized across Canada for her work as a sports reporter, live host, anchor, play by play announcer and producer. She is currently based in Calgary at CTV and freelances for TSN. She is also a Gemini nominee, children's book writer, and volunteers with the Calgary Board of Education to name a few things. 

Lisa Longball is currently ranked top 4 in the World in Ladies Long Drive. She has won 7 consecutive National Long Drive Championship titles, is an LDA Tour Champion and a Nike sponsored athlete. In addition to her competitive career, Lisa is a golf journalist for several publications including Inside Golf Magazine and has had her own column in Golf Digest Canada and Back9Network.

What inspired your creation?

I am inspired by my amazing models Lisa Bowes and Lisa Longball. Lisa Bowes's dress was inspired by Formula One racing and Lisa Longball's look was inspired by the Italian movie "THE GREAT BEAUTY".

What made you want to create a design for the event?

 

I wanted to create designs for The Heart Truth Fashion Show Calgary because it is a great cause that is close to my heart.

Were there any special elements that went into your design?

 

There are several elements and special design details that went into each creation. Lisa Bowes's dress is all about the racing stripes that are carefully stitched on the entire garment + the Ferrari Red color choice. Lisa Longball's look is all about Romance and La Dolce Vita which meant that to achieve that look I applied ruffles, tulle and Gross Grain Ribbon to the garment.

Did you take in account the person wearing your design? was there collaboration?

 

Collaboration is essential to the design/ creating process after all it is all about my models and not me the designer. It is about delivering creations that Lisa and Lisa will feel good about wearing.

How long did it take to construct? What was the most difficult part?

 

I did not keep track of time too busy enjoying the process and having a great time with Lisa B and Lisa L. The creating process for me is about the flow of good energy and to treat any difficulties as blessings.

What was your favourite part of creating the dress?

 

The best part is definitely meeting and working with two inspiring, fun and incredible ladies and working with the amazing team of the HEART TRUTH FASHION SHOW CALGARY

  

You can help support this cause by purchasing tickets or donating here.

Heart Truth Red Dress with NRT

The Heart Truth Fashion Show is a successful awareness campaign for women that raises funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. It has been annually held in Calgary for 2 years and in Toronto for six. It features some of Canada’s finest celebrities and public figures who will walk the runway wearing red coloured designs by local designers. I had the privilege to go into the designers studios and take a look at the making of the outfits and do a little Q&A. This will be a two part post and this first one I'm checking out is NRT who is creating a dress for Jari Love, fitness trainer and the creator of the Get Ripped series. She has been featured in magazines such as Fitness, Oprah, Shape and New York Times. The photos are to give you a feel for the design. I will show you the completed dress after the event... Don't want to ruin the surprise!

What inspired your creation?

The inspiration behind my creation was an actual human heart. I wanted to create something that was structural and eye catching. I used a darker red lace as my fabric to mimic human blood. 

What made you want to create a design for the event?

I think it is such a great cause and I really appreciate events that mix fashion and promote awareness for a health benefit.

Were there any special elements that went into your design?

I wanted to create a dress that was going to fit to Jari's (my celebrity) shape as well as stick to my gothic couture style. I used shoulder pads for a strong shoulder and the mermaid cut for the bottom. 

Did you take in account the person wearing your design? was there collaboration?

I designed a dress I thought would fit Jari's body type but keeping with my style and I sent Jari my sketch and she was on board! 

How long did it take to construct? What was the most difficult part?

I have worked on constructing the dress for a few weeks on and off, the most difficult part is making sure to keep into consideration comfort but keeping with an avant guard style! 

What was your favourite part of creating the dress?

My favourite part of creating the dress has been just that creating something for the runway that can be whatever i want! Now patiently waiting to see it come to life on the runway !!!! 

You can help support this cause by purchasing tickets or donating here.

Kate Moss X Topshop

It's been 7 years since the first Kate Moss for Topshop collection came out and a lot has changed. Mostly the fact that us Canadians have a local Topshop to get our favorite high street products from and that we are also going to get Kate's latest pieces at a price that wont break the bank. I'm sure there are many women out there that are dying to recreate her looks and we will all get a chance starting April 30th at the Chinook Centre location.

The pieces this time around look more glamorous, slinky, and striking. The collection has tailored items like tuxedo jackets and multiple beaded pieces. Of course there will be some signature western inspired pieces that boast fringe and suede. I also enjoyed the comfy pieces that look like pajamas in fun paisley print which are perfect for relaxing in. You can view the entire collection at Vogue UK. Here are a few of my favourite items:

 

Happy Holidays with Tiffany & Co.

This years Tiffany and Co. held a holiday gathering in the intimate settings of the Christine Klassen Gallery filled with beautiful landscape art and iconic jewelry. Sorry for the fuzzy images. I ran from work, to my apartment, and to the event. Of course forgetting my camera. 

One section of the gallery showcased some brilliant pieces that included this huge ring. With a price tag of $22,000 I was most definitely eyed by security the entire time trying it on.

 Always need a few photos with fellow blogger and incredibly stylish ladies!

Photo taken by Daniela Emanuela. With the lovely Karolina, Rupi, Anneke, Becky, Kara, me, and Joyce

The humming bird through the magnifying glass is one of my favorite pieces from the gallery. There were a few others that had butterflies.

Here's some evidence of trying on various pieces. These are from the Atlas collection which is also in a previous post.

Our little gift to take home. I was anticipating a crystal ornament as is usual from the past Tiffany events around the holidays. But, we were all happily surprised with something wearable.

Sequin Holiday Dress Guide 2013

The holidays are the only time of year that sequins and more specifically sequin dresses are running through my mind. It's the perfect moment to be more adventurous and really have some fun at Christmas parties and New Years celebrations. Who wouldn't love to be sipping champagne and ringing in 2014 in a gorgeous twinkling number? And with so many choices out there to fit anyone's style I hope to see more of you ladies slipping one on!

 

Dress 1 |  Dress 2  |  Dress 3

Solid colours are my go-to sequin dress. I love how versatile and easy it can be to wear the dress again and again. Also if you want to wear it to work (depending on how strict the dress code is at your work, maybe not if you're a lawyer) but with a cute blazer and you can go from day to night with it!

    

Dress 1 |  Dress 2  |  Dress 3 

Above are some style that have been brought back from films like The Great Gatsby and Midnight in Paris. The flapper and vintage inspired frocks are asking for you to start doing the Charleston or have a retro night in London circa 1960 with Twiggy and the whole gang. Now wouldn't that be fun?     

Dress 1 |  Dress 2  |  Dress 3  

Pattern is another style that I love. You can be both feminine and sexy with a variety of styles like the first one which is more muted and pretty while and the second one is a pop if the Aztec print that is incredibly popular. As for the gold number, that one screams Beyonce to me and some major Sasha Fierce attitude. 

 

Dress 1 |  Dress 2  |  Dress 3  

Lastly but not lacking in adorable are some flirty and girlie options. These dresses are for the feminine ones and who like to do a little twirl when the right song comes on. I've found that a bit of scalloped detail really adds something Parisian and if you are a fan of The Cherry Blossom Girl then these are the perfect choice.

Winter Collaborations

Prior to the release of the Isabel Marant x H&M launch I received this scarf in the mail along with a great tote bag. I unfortunately didn't make it for the early Thursday launch and my budget is tight with Christmas shopping and vacation saving so it was a good thing for my budget and beauty sleep. I am totally loving the scarf as it has bits of blue and purple/mauve and those colours seem to be working well with my Adidas snow boots and new H&M navy coat.

Scarf || Isabel Marant Pour H&M - Jacket || H&M || Leather look jeans || Gap - Shoes || Zara

Siting Still

It was truly cold winter day when these photos were taken last week. It's a good thing we quickly took the outdoor shots and both agreed that the above should be done in some warmth. We are without a doubt going through a cold snap here in Canada and I am overjoyed with the promise of Christmas baking and crafting.. not so excited about frozen toes but there's no use in complaining.  

Silk blouse || Maison Scotch - Hat || Forever 21 - Dress || H&M Trend

Photos by Jaclyn Brown @ JBPhotograph.ca

PARKLUXE 2013 Recap

When science and fashion are brought together well, I'm in! and this years PARKLUXE did not disappoint. The designers showing were all brilliant and my favourites of the night were Malorie Urbanovitch her knit skirts looked so comfy and Tanya Taylor, her graphic prints and handbags were unique and fresh. I was covering for Calgary Fashion and The Mavric that night so you can check out more photos on the CF instagram @Calgary_Fashion. The only thing that made me disappointed was that the exhibits were closed off to attendees. I have yet to visit the science centre since its relocation so it will need to be revisited sans fashion show very soon.

From left to right: Deb from Holt Renfrew, fashion designer Tanya Taylor, interior designer Erin Cook

Stylist Leah Van Loon and friend

 Nicole Campre designs

 Tourism Calgary and Daniela Codreanu

 Details on Tanya Taylor dress

 

You can't tell from the image above but the handbag is a circular metal with cutouts showing the pattern of the fabric behind it. It has a useful handle that is convenient not only for easy carrying, but you can also use it as a weapon if you ever get mugged. 

 Finale walk for Tanya Taylor

Coat detail from Lauren Bagliore coat

For more images go to Calgary Fashion's instagram and my own Linlemon