In My Bag: Canada Day Weekend 2014

Swimsuit: Wildfox Earrings: Dreamboat Lucy Tank: Joe Fresh Shorts: American Eagle Surf Spray: Bumble and Bumble Sunglasses: The Row Bag: Bop Basics Sunscreen: Shiseido Shoes: Old Navy Lip Gloss: eos

It's hard to believe we're almost at the end of June. I for one am extremely, unbelieveably excited and it's not just because of the upcoming Canada Day festivities. If you've looked at my sidebar countdown lately, you'll have noticed that my upcoming trip to Switzerland is almost upon me, I fly out a week from today! This has pretty much become my constant state of being.

But to keep me distracted, I've been planning Canada Day festivities with my lovely sister and her family, much of which will be spent in and on the Bay of Quinte, so I thought I'd share a few of my essentials for a fabulous Canada Day weekend beach bag.

Due to the typical Canada Day crowds and heat, I plan to keep it simple with a basic tote, a pair of comfy dark denim jean shorts and a (subtly) festive tank top. With swimming in the mix, a low-key surf-spritzed hairstyle is a must.  And if I'm doing lots of walking around and enjoying the sunshine, comfortable but cute shoes are key, as is lots of water (hydration!), sunglasses and, most importantly sunscreen to protect my pasty skin. Last but not least? A nod to my east coast home - a lobster-printed one piece suit, ideal for swims in the lake.

What are your long weekend essentials? 

Stylelist-ing

If you're wondering what I've been up to lately, check out two of my recent articles for Stylelist Canada, featuring favourite summery polish colours and top picks for curve-friendly swimwear, here and here.

Happy Birthday Stylelist!

I can hardly believe it's been a year since the launch of Stylelist Canada. It's been an absolute blast working with so many talented ladies, putting together content, interviewing designers. I can't wait to see what year two will bring!  Check out favourite looks from the past year, featuring yours truly along with the other stylish members of the Style Council. 

Here's to an equally fantastic year two!

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Cozy Chic: Accessorize

On this blustery, snowy, wintry Sunday, all I want to wear is the coziest, warmest, wooliest things I can find. If you're looking for ways to stay warm yet stylish - a constant problem in the Canadian winter, let's be honest! click through to check out these and some other fun, fashionable and functional winter accessory picks in one of my recent pieces for Stylelist Canada!

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Hint of Sparkle

What's that? A flower growing out of my head? That's right. Ha. I forgot to move that little fella pre-photo, or at least the first one. This week for Stylelist Canada our assignment was to style a sparkly look for every day, and I admit, while I had grand aspirations of doing a lovely wintry outfit post outside, the consistent temperature of -20 here in Ottawa had me completely chickening out, and going for an indoor option instead. 

So what is my sparkly pick? I admit, I'm a bit of a sucker for a sequin, or really anything that glitters, let's be honest. As soon as I saw this Smart Set tank on their website a few months ago, I knew it had to be mine. I love a peter pan collar = always, and a sequin-emblazoned one? Must-have. I love that it's just a hint of sparkle, a little understated, but definitely still glimmering brightly. And I also love that the modesty of this top makes it perfect for work, but that the sparkling sequins take it from day to night.

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Style Resolutions: Bright Lip

Joe Fresh: Orange Nars: Schiap Joe Fresh: Neon Red

In the days following Christmas I always begin to think about the next year - goals and changes, and of course, the requisite resolutions. For 2014, one of my first resolutions is to be a bit more adventurous in terms of style and beauty. As far as beauty goes, usually I keep my look very simple with a natural face, a bit of coral blush, mascara and clear gloss. But I see people wearing bright lipstick in reds and pinks and I intend to embark upon the bright lip trend. 

I found a couple of perfect reds in Joe Fresh's Neon Red & Poppy, and also got their orange, more for a laugh than for serious wear I admit.  My new favourite though? I just (as in this week) picked up Schiap from Nars, which I'd been wanting for ages - I considered it a Christmas gift to myself! I haven't been brave enough to wear it out anywhere yet, although I look forward to doing so in the new year. Perhaps at a sparkly New Year's Eve celebration? We shall see!

What are some of your style and beauty resolutions for 2014?

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Another Grey Day

Sweater: Smart Set Jeans: Old Navy Boots: Joe Fresh

This week over at Stylelist Canada we're talking about how to wear grey, and as I said in a recent post, it's pretty much the definitive November colour. This sweater from Smart Set has become an instant favourite for me (can you tell I shop there a lot?), not only because it is super comfortable, but also because of the pretty little beaded adornments. If there is a bead, ruffle, sparkle or feminine detail to be had on any garment, I generally always love it, and this sweater is no exception. 

Keep your eyes peeled in the next few days to see how all the other members of the Stylelist Style Council are wearing grey on these late November days.

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The Birds of Fall

I have been a huge fan of Montreal label Birds of North America ever since I discovered it at Ottawa Fashion Week a few years ago. Just got a peek at some Fall 2013 looks and there are quite a few I'm excited about, but these four are a few of my favourites. I love that the designs are so timeless, I feel like these are garments I'd be keeping in my closet for a long time to come!

I recently chatted with designer Hayley Gibson about her label for a Stylelist Canada piece! I'd love for you to check it out - have a look here!

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Lot 65 x Nancy Thomas Photography - Stripes & Stylelist

Blazer: Smart Set Tank: Smart Set Necklace: H&M Jeans: Old Navy "Rockstar" Heels: Pure Alfred Sung

I am so pleased and excited to share today's post with you all! Firstly, because I always love a collab with one of my favourite Island photographers, Nancy Thomas. We took these photos before I left for Ottawa, and spent an enjoyable afternoon wandering Downtown Charlottetown finding fun spots to shoot. We always have a great time brainstorming blog post ideas, and Nancy is a pro at making me look (and feel!) my best - so thanks lovely!

The feature item in this look is a favourite one of mine - this striped blazer from Smart Set. I love it so much that I got it in both colours (you would have seen my navy version here not too long ago!), navy and mint. For my first post as contributor to a project I've been so excited about, we were asked to showcase something we couldn't live without. Since I always feel like a great blazer can tie together a look like nothing else, it was a no-brainer to select this current favourite to illustrate just that!

What is this special project you might be wondering? I was asked to be a contributor to a brand new fashion and beauty focused site, Stylelist Canada which has finally launched today! I'll be contributing as part of their Style Council along with so many talented and fashionable ladies, and I couldn't be more excited. If you're looking for great fashion and beauty picks, style inspiration and more, keep an eye on Stylelist - there is so much goodness yet to come!

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