JUMP AROUND | 3 Ways to Wear a One-Piece

Lara Stone does city girl chic in her white overalls. via H&M

Originally posted in The CLOSET

There's dressing for men and then there's dressing for ourselves. My husband's list of fashion 'likes' reads like a Victoria's Secret catalogue, and it goes a little something like this: 

• Things that lace up = good
• Things that tie up = good
• Tight workout pants = good
• Tops that "accidentally" fall off shoulders = good
• Cleavage = good 

Predictable, right? But he's not alone. I've met few straight men who would pick SJP over Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth over Gisele, Maggie Gyllenhaal over Megan Fox. Meanwhile, fashion girls collectively lose their minds when Emma Stone, Tilda Swinton or Cate Blanchett hit the red carpet because they dress for the love of clothes, not for the cleavage they can bust out. 

I'm perpetually torn between the two camps. I hold this sexpot superhero power over my bae when I throw on strappy heels, a little black dress and bombshell waves. Kachow! He has no idea why but suddenly he goes all zombie-like, holding doors open for me and offering to make me caipirinhas. Still, I love dressing up like Jenna Lyons with my buttoned-up men's shirt, culottes & New Balance kicks. Girls love it. Guys literally walk right past me. Except when I put on a pair of big geek glasses. Then it turns into a hot teacher/librarian thing. Guys like that. 

The one-piece jumpsuit is inherently divisive. While most women would love to try out overalls or a denim jumpsuit, they avoid them because they know how much men hate them. So, I've put together 3 one-piece looks for you to try out this spring anyway. Fitted black overalls worn with a tee or white blouse and heels is undeniably cute. An Emma Stone-like evening jumpsuit is unpredictably sexy. And as for the denim jumpsuit? Not sure about men (okay fine, pretty sure they'll hate it) but I can guarantee that fellow fashion girls will swoon. And here's the thing: sometimes a girl's just gotta look after #1. 

SEE THE LOOKS HERE:

VALENTINE'S 2015 | Day-to-Night Date Looks

via ELLE

Originally posted in The CLOSET

I have a little problem with you, Valentine's Day. It's not that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do here. I get that you just want us to love and eat candy. I like love and I also like candy. I totally get what you're selling. It's just that I don't like being forced into a heart-shaped box where romance starts after 7pm.

My favourite idea of love is the all day kind. The kind that starts early in the morning when my husband makes me a cappuccino with a heart-like pattern in the foam. He claims it's something much more inappropriate, but I'm a romantic so I like to believe it's a heart. Love shows itself throughout the day when my 4 year-old son gives me a Lego spaceship he built with a little Lego 'mommy' in the back toting a giant spacegun and a little Lego 'him' in the front wearing a bikini from my daughter's Lego Friends beach set. It doesn't make any sense but love rarely does. So I give him a kiss and tell him I love it, because I do. The rest of the day will be filled with signs that I'm loved - squeaky toys dropped at my feet by our ever-loyal Westie, random emails from my mom and sister, texts from my best friend and an exhausted kiss goodnight and subsequent zzzzz from my husband after hours of trying to get our kids to bed. Love, it turns out, has more layers than any long-stemmed rose.

Whether you're single, attached or somewhere in between, let this Valentine's be a day to celebrate all the love in your life. And if you happen to be annoyed by everyone in your life at the moment, at the very least you can always love clothes. I've put together 3 adorable outfits that will take you oh-so-sweetly from breakfast to dinner this Valentine's Day. I'm not suggesting that you wear all 3 outfits, but you know that I wouldn't discourage it either. They say that above all, you should love yourself first, right?

SEE ALL 3 LOOKS HERE...

JET SET | How to Pack Like a Pro

via Victoria's Secret

Originally posted in The CLOSET

February always brings about a collective desire to escape the Canadian cold. Months of snow, sleet and frozen feet - been there, done with all that, right? Whether you're just talking about a last-minute trip or have already booked your dream beach vacay, a perfectly packed suitcase makes any getaway that much more dreamy. I've pulled together 20 perfect packables to help you make your great escape in style. Bon voyage, indeed.

READ MORE...

Happily Ever Après

via Vogue Australia

Originally posted in The CLOSET

I started skiing at Chicopee Ski Club as a tween, and it was all downhill from there; I experimented with powder, drank too much, and I'll admit that at one point, I even turned a few tricks.  Looking back, I blame it on the fact that there just wasn't much else to do in Kitchener back then, especially in the long cold months of winter.   As soon as school was over and pretty much every weekend, my friends and I would get dropped off at Mount St. Chicopee where we'd hit the slopes (okay, fine, it wasn't exactly powder) until our cute, snowpant-clad selves couldn't handle the cold anymore, at which point we'd hit the chalet for some hardcore hot chocolate and serious boy-watching. 

I still ski today but I'll admit that one of my favourite parts of the experience remains the 'après' - the part where poutine is not only available but encouraged, where I get to catch up with my favourites by the fire, and where ski bunny style is embraced in all its cozy glory.

Luckily, you don't  have to know how to step into a pair of bindings to score that coveted après-ski style this winter. From chunky knit sweaters and headbands to the best wind-burn simulating bronzer, every self-respecting ski bunny knows that when faced with a big hill on a cold day (or not), looking good really is half the battle...

SEE MY CHALET-READY PICKS HERE...

STYLE | 15 Resolutions to Keep in 2015

via Bionda Castana

Originally posted in The CLOSET

There's nothing like a brand new year to make us rethink the way we do everything. From getting fit to starting fresh with our family, the hope of change can motivate us to do some amazing things. Luckily, January doesn't have to mean a complete overhaul of the way you run your life. I personally like to keep my resolutions stylish, streamlined and sometimes sparkly. I like getting rid of excess baggage, both metaphorically and physically. Like, I seriously have so many bags to give away to Goodwill. And while a new necklace or pair of shoes isn't going to turn me into the best possible me, I know they'll make me stand taller and slightly shift my point of view. 

Let's all resolve to be a little more stylish this year, shall we? It might be a small thing but you'll be amazed by how 15 pieces will change your 2015 (or at least your 2015 closet) for the better. As for budget, let's just ignore that resolution for the moment. Oh, come on, it's January - it's the best time for dreaming big, don't you think?

SEE MY 15 STYLISH PICKS HERE...