Lida Baday - My Final Hurrah

The clock has struck midnight and my last post featuring Carriage Trade is now. It has been great featuring amazing clothing that highlights my best features while hiding others. That is what clothing should do - make us fabulous. I enjoy shopping at Carriage Trade because I am visiting friends who are honest with me and know my figure. They are not there to make the quick sale but build clients for life. That's what retail should be.

For my final post I will be wearing a dress by Lida Baday - a Toronto based fashion designer. Just a quick blurb from her website :

The daughter of a dressmaker, Lida was fascinated by the intricacies of her mother’s work - keenly learning the novel ways in which luxurious materials could be molded and sculpted into simple, yet expressive clothing; pieces in which the interior finishing was as important as the exterior details.

“Simplicity demands great focus on the fit and quality of fabrics, the workmanship and the finishing. That’s what fascinates me most - the technical side of design,” says Baday. “Our attention to detail is meticulous, though in the end the detail itself may be virtually indiscernible.”

Without further adieu dress from Lida Baday...

There is just something about a dress that has pockets.

Thank you Carriage Trade and a special thanks to Kathleen, Kit and Nori (owner and amazing woman).

Dress - Lida Baday

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Silk Blouse + Python = Date Night Or Girls Night Out

Carriage Trade is helping me get my pretty on. Blouses are everywhere and so are the price points and fabrications. To be quite honest, nothing says "woman" like a beautiful blouse, Joie did an amazing job of showcasing well cut and versatile blouses for women. Whether you are looking for brights or neutrals Joie did it - and in silk! Now silk is not for the kids nor is it a good idea to apply body lotion then touch a silk blouse (learned two hard lessons - both pieces ended in the garbage) but it is for grown ups and grown up things like work, date night or dinner with friends. So I had to pick this blouse and then I saw these jeans in dark PYTHON!

I have to be honest the light python pants scare me, too many possibilities of dimpling showing. I hate dimpling, now this python is dark and hides everything. Moreover, these pants have a higher rise. You all know why I love a higher rise (for those who don't four kids equals skin stretching) and these pants hit the sweet spot and make me look good. Carriage Trade is one of the few boutiques I know that is carrying this brand - CJ by Cookie Johnson. I love them.

Love the studding on this purse, plus it has lots of slots inside for all your cards. No need for your wallet. The purse also has enough room for a cell phone and a lipstick. Once my son is out of diapers I may need to downsize my over sized purses for something smaller.

Outfit sourced from Carriage Trade.

Blouse - Joie

Denim - CJ by Cookie Johnson

Necklace - Ellie Phont

Bracelets - CC Skye

Purse - Rebecca Minkoff

Watch - Michael Kors

Shoes - Jimmy Choo

Vince Vest - Official Canadian Women's Fall Outfit

The title is what would happen in my fantasy world, if we could all wear what I said. Come on admit it, most of you agree with me. I just think this screams Canadian Fall Perfection and it looks amazing. Carriage Trade can do no wrong for me.

Can we all agree that the shoes add some fun to this outfit? I have leopard print flats that would be just as great. Black flats or boots would be a great basic look as well.

I am also linking up with Transatlantic Blonde for the What I Wore Wednesday Blog Hop. Check out some other great fashion blogs.

Entire outfit (except for shoes & Watch) sourced from Carriage Trade:

Shearling Vest - Vince

Denim - J Brand

Top - Majestic

Handbag - Rebecca Minkoff

Jewelry - CC Skye

Watch - Michael Kors

Shoes - Stuart Weitzman

Vince Blazer - Leather is Back!

I love leather, I have been in love with it since I was 13. Yes 13, it was when I got my first leather jacket. Now leather is huge again!! So here I am featuring a leather Vince blazer, paired with dark purple J Brand jeans and a Tilo scarf. Kathleen from Carriage Trade styled me up and I think she did a great job.

Above is how I tied the scarf, below is how Kathleen did it. I need to take some lessons from Kathleen.

Coloured Denim is not going anywhere soon - YEAH! If you don't want to do anything crazy try a dark purple or wine coloured pair. It will give you that hit of colour without making you feel uncomfortable. This dark pair of purple/wine J Brand denim looks great paired with taupe, nude, brown, black or any mauve colour.

All clothing and accessories and clothing sourced from Carriage Trade.

Blazer - Vince

Denim - J Brand

Scarf - Tilo

Bracelets - CC Skye

Shoes - Cole Haan

Smythe Blazer

Today is the first of five posts showcasing some of my favourite looks from Carriage Trade Boutique. Why do I love Carriage Trade? The obvious reason is the clothing - great selection of fashionable clothing. The best reason is the service, the sales staff is all about service. They can outfit you for a casual dinner with friends or power lunch for work. Since we know the only power lunch I take is with my two and a half year old I am focusing on casual looks. Some of these pieces can be added to your work wardrobe and make it more versatile. If had had more disposable income I'd be disposing of it at Carriage Trade!

I love Smythe blazers, to me they are epitome of what blazers should do for you - make you look fabulous. Such a simple answer, the reason they are so wonderful is because they are cut to enhance a woman's frame and the fabrics they use are durable and lay perfectly. They are an investment piece - with prices starting at $500. I promise they are worth every penny. Did I forget to mention that Smythe is Canadian? It really is craftsmanship you are paying for.

I am wearing J Brand pants that are made out of a scuba like material. Way too much fun to wear!

This jacket is cut like a riding coat, comes in at the waist and covers the bum. Please remember ladies that this blazer is not meant to be tight around your waist - Why you may ask? This blazer should last you into winter. Hear me out, you can put a nice sweater (Autumn Cashmere or any cashmere, knit etc) under this blazer and wear it during those cold times. I am not saying you'll be walking around the neighbourhood but what about when you going to the mall? Who wants to wear their winter coat? Smythe blazer and sweater works much better, you will not be over-heated and carrying the winter coat (plus all your kids stuff) around. That's how I wore mine last winter.

Enjoying the leather patches on the arms and shoulder. 

Another trend that is still strong is lace - expect to see it for skirts and dresses again.

This outfit would work with flats or a great pair of riding boots. Honestly all I would need is some stables and I would be the perfect "English Lady".

This entire outfit (except for shoes) was sourced from Carriage Trade.

Blazer - Smythe

Pants - J Brand

Blouse - Joie

Necklace - Carriage Trade (name not available at this time)

Shoes - Jimmy Choo

10 Year Anniversary

10 years sounds like a long time, for a marriage it sometimes feels like an eternity, however, ten years has gone by quickly. Life is funny like that.  When I think about where I thought I would be in our marriage I smile, that knowing smile of how life throws so many things at you and screws up all your plans. I was going to be a working mother - I was going to have it all, a high powered career (director/manager role at the very least, I went to university for nothing less), I would have two children with a possibility of a third, fast cars, big home and all the trappings.

Most of you know how things have changed - I'm a stay at home mom of four - one girl and three boys (I'm still trying to get domestic goddess to stick as an appropriate job description), our house is becoming small with all these kids running around, I drive a minivan (and I refuse to give it up for anything), I decorate my home in the current style of "Boys are crazy and break everything" and I spend the majority of my shopping life in Costco. Life is never a straight line and sometimes what we thought we wanted changes. There are so many variables and so many possible outcomes...Costco never seemed like one of them to me.

What I can say with conviction is that I am happy and loved. I found a partner and a supporter, someone to carry me when I can't go on and vice versa, because with marriage there are times you can't do it all or any of it. It's never 50/50 and that's okay. Marriage is about compromise, getting your way, love, anger, fear, awe, sex, quiet, laughter, disagreement, noise, children or not, exhaustion, achievement, and change...there are so many other descriptors but the only constant in marriage is "us". So today I celebrate us, our union and our love. It is imperfect, but it is ours. To my wonderful husband I say thank you and I love you, and I pray we get at least another 10 years.

Enough of the mushy stuff, last Saturday we went to Niagara-on-the-Lake to celebrate our 10th anniversary and here are our pictures...not my typical fashion post...

Below is a picture of the historic town.

Ivan and I enjoyed massages then headed to Queen's Landing for some lunch...

I love to read and it's a running joke that I will read my books anywhere, no matter the occasion. There was a lull in our conversation...so I read...Ivan was not happy...

We visited two wineries, the first Inniskillin, is internationally renowned for its ice wine.

We did an ice wine tasting and both of us enjoyed the Riesling, we bought a bottle to commemorate the occasion.

The second winery, Jackson-Triggs, is the biggest in Niagara-on-the-Lake, we also did a tour of the estate.

Party Shorts & Khaki Shorts - Final Hurrah

Next week I am featuring Fall Fashion from one of my favourite boutiques Carriage Trade. For Canadians fall is actually the season we spend the majority of our clothing dollars on.  With that being said I'm pulling out my khaki shorts and dressy shorts and doing one last post about them. Just a day and night thing, then I'm putting them away for next year (at least that is the plan).

T-Shirt - James Perse (old)

Shorts - Ann Taylor

Belt - Cassis (old)

Sandals - Michael Kors

Bracelets - The Bay

 Blazer & Tank - Cassis (old)

Shorts - Ann Taylor

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Clutch - Coach (old)

Watch - Michael Kors

Necklace - Forever 21

Bracelets - Forever 21, The Bay

Cool Down - Tanks & Cropped Denim

I can feel it cooling down, so can the rest of the city and I'm a little sad. There are only two months of summer here in Toronto and I'm greedy when it comes to summer weather. I don't want a single second of it to be affected by any funny business, no weird wind change that brings us cold weather or the ocean floors deciding they also want to mess up my summer. Fall is inevitable I still try to ignore the signs.

So what do I do, I wear my yellow jeans - there take that. I'm wearing the sun. These pants just make me happy, clothing should have that affect on us, it should make us feel happy/empowered/sexy/pretty/preppy. If your clothing is making you feel ugly/frumpy (work uniforms are excluded)/sad (unless there are sad times)/old - take it all off and burn it. I mean it, burn it all.

This outfit is so easy, I wore it to Costco, shopping, banking and for my lunch date with my friend Ana. I received more compliments wearing this ensemble then anything else I can remember this summer.

I really enjoy the necklace with the yellow accent stones. It looks great with the coloured denim, but not too much try. Just a bit of thought. Plus I love the leopard accent belt, I know I've been wearing it to death but don't care.

Denim - Ann Taylor

Tank - Cassis (old)

Sandals & Watch - Michael Kors (old)

Necklaces - Banana Republic

Bracelets - Forever 21, Stella & Dot

Lace + Pencil Skirt + Python Belt = Fun

I have been a bad blogger...summer does that to us. Especially the times when your kids are not around and you are free...free to clean the basement, organize their rooms and go to the bank. Doing all the things you can't do when kids are there begging for your attention and proclaiming they are bored. So this post is just fun and gives me a chance to experiment with my closet. That is FUN for me.

Lace tops are showing up in fall as well and they have cute little sleeves, this look will be easy to transition into the fall season.

Love this belt because it falls away from the body allowing you to breathe if you ate too much and covers that area after a big meal. That's versatility.

Top & Skirt - Banana Republic

Belt - BCBG

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Necklace - Old

Bracelets - Stella & Dot

Watch - Michael Kors