What about sandals? Are there rules on summer footwear for a flowy maxi at the office?
Well, earlier this week I did it. I took an easy-peasy, light n’ airy, double-side-slit maxi dress to the office for a business casual look.
I’m a rebel. Living’ on the edge. It’s true. 😛
This dress is almost too long…but the loose belt helps me mange the length a bit.
I recently had to return an online item I ordered from Forever21…and exchanged it in-store for this bold abstract printed maxi dress.
The fab braided, strappy back design is really what sold me. Being petite (short), maxi anything is always a challenge for moi. I haven’t been wearing heels very much this year. And there’s just something oh-so-cool and sophisticated about wearing a flowy long dress with a pair of flat sandals.
I recently bought myself some aqua thong’d Birkenstocks that have quickly become my go-to-shoe for the summer — showing off my orange polished pedicured feet 🙂
Another nice effect to this dress is the 21cm long side-slits! Totally ready for summer beach strolls and weekend brunch.
Buuuuuuut, is it office appropriate? Things that make you go hmmmm…..
I dunno if you’re like me, but when I buy something new, I like wearing it out immediately! So it was gonna happen!
Blazers cover up a number of clothing sins and boosts the level of professionalism and sophistication to nearly any outfit. This blush pink open Dorothy Perkins blazer has come in handy to do just that for me in both Fall and Spring. It’s a bit warm for Summer wear (due to lining), but it did the trick.
I tried balancing out the length of the dress’ slits with covered up arms – the 3/4 sleeves cuz its summer. Alternatively, I could also put a button down shirt over a maxi dress and belt it for a different office-appropriate effect.
On its own, NO! This dress is not office appropriate.
Maxis are tricky ones! This one had a nice modest neckline, not too tight. But look at those high slits for a leg peep-show and the boho pattern. Maybe it was TOO beachy, too light, and read more like a nightgown …. but I wore it with confidence and took it to the office anyways! 😛
I even got to catch some Vitamin D at lunchtime “networking” with a coworker WITHOUT the blazer. Oh yeah!!!
How I Got The Look: Blush blazer, Dorothy Perkins; Maxi dress, Forever21+, Aqua sandals, Birkenstock, Aqua purse, Aldo Accessories
Summer in the city! Gotta keep that wardrobe versatile to go easily from 9a-5p and beyond 😉
Ladies, sound off — are maxi dresses or maxi skirts ever appropriate for the office, or have I committed a terrible fashion faux pas?
Oh, and if they’re ok…. which are the proper shoes to wear with them? Assuming that my aqua Birks were deemed inappropriate for the office too … told ya, I’m a rebel. 😛
Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below!
Suzy Shier is a Canadian retailer of women’s fashion with over 140 stores across the country.
When I was a teen, I remember shopping there as an in-betweenie size 15, I would be able to find a rare gem at a price I could afford on my minimum wage salary at the time. But, in my adult years I haven’t stepped a foot into one of their stores until the recent news: Suzy Shier was launching a plus size line! 😀
HAZZA! It’s about freakin’ time, right!?
There happens to be a Suzy Shier close to my office in downtown Toronto … so, I stopped by at lunch to peruse their offerings. I’ve got to say, the prints and patterns I was seeing were lovely, bright and fresh. Perfect for summer!! Thrilled, I began looking for my sizes – plus sizes.
Only to discover that there were none to be found. 😦
Some of the Regular Size options currently available online (www.suzysheir.com)A shopgirl informed me that only a select few locations carry the larger sizes, and that the downtown core wasn’t one of them. She did, however, let me know that some of the more ‘popular’ styles I see on the floor for regular sizes will be made in the plus sizes!
Feeling less inconvenienced by this news … I returned to my desk to launch their website to see what lovely fashions could be mine and where I needed to get them from.
As you can see from these two images => offerings for regular sizes vs. plus sizes aren’t nearly as “fun” for summer.
PLUS SIZE selection – mostly black and white….le sighNonetheless, I thought I should visit a location and see the plus size options up close and personally, as often you never really get a good feel for an item until you’ve actually tried it on yourself.
Using the handy-dandy store locator I discovered this: of the 140 stores – 3 are located in Toronto (First Canadian Place, Gerrard Square and Duffrin Mall) – and of those only 1 carries the plus size line. Grrrrr… Lucky for me, The Duffrin Mall is in my hood so getting to there isn’t a big deal.
Suzy Shier @ The Duffrin Mall
At first glance to the very back corner of the store seems dedicated to the plus size options – that looks colourful and plentiful. And as you can see … the prices are just right!
Suzy Shier+ section of the Duffrin Mall locationBut upon closer inspection, the pieces available on the floor didn’t really grab my attention – most were not my taste and most did not quite fit my body right. And I found that I needed to try on all three sizes (1x, 2x and 3x) as the sizing really changed from one item to the next.
My top two coveted items I had hoped to find in store from their website were the following:
Ok, before we get into all the pieces I tried on — let’s talk about the change-room situation at this location. Yikes!
They are pretty narrow, with one sad hook. Which ultimately forces you to make a decision: do you hang up your beloved purse and the clothes you are wearing OR the clothes you’d like to try on currently on hangers?
Oh! And to top it all off: no mirrors inside the wee room. Which means you must step out of the room, and strategically position its door while making sure it doesn’t lock you out of the room that now houses all your stuff, all in an effort to see your reflection on a mirror that hangs on THE BACK of your change-rooms door. #brutal
And what’s a girl to do in those moments when the outfit-tried-on is a complete disaster and you’d prefer not sharing the embarrassing moment with others by stepping outside of that room for a glance at that mirror? I can only imaging the number of unpurchased items simply because ladies wanted to avoid stepping out of the change-rooms in questionably fitting try-ons.
I had the added obstacle of having to compete with a rack of returns that cluttered up the narrow hallway between change-rooms in order to catch a glimpse of my reflection as I emerged from my change-room. Le sigh…
Here’s what caught my attention enough to want to try on:
Faux wrap aztek printed dress – I’m wearing a 3x …way too big on me and am clearly not impressed by the baggy boob situation. LOL!This navy scuba dress with beige lace wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t making me excited about it either… Meh! I dunno…
Scuba sheath dress with lace – I’m wearing a 3x – $30l did find the dress I was spotted online. It was on the sale rack (woot! woot!) but sadly it had a few pulled threads and only sizes 1x and 2x remained.
I would have liked to try on the 3x to see if it fit me a bit better – I’m not a fan of the boob-mashing-situation going on below.
Diamond print jacquard skater dress — I’m wearing 2x – $30Overall, I was a bit disappointed – especially because the shopgirl assured me that the plus sizes would be the same prints and styles shown in their regular line.
Which was not the case at all. And then to find out that the only Toronto location had cramped quarters for trying on items AND that they didn’t have all the sizes and styles as their website displayed for the plus line. Le sigh… 😦
What I Bought!
On my way out, I did find a size 2x in the faux wrap aztec printed dress. But the thought of having to go back into those cramped change-rooms AGAIN…. ew. No Thanks.
I guesstimated that I’d be safer to purchase this item a size smaller, and if worst case scenario… I’d simply return it if it didn’t fit right once I got it home. Right? Right!
BIG FYI #1:Suzy Shier has a strict Exchange Only policy (14-days). Absolutely zero Returns for cash back. **insert eye-roll emoji here**
BIG FYI #2: If you are hoping to do an exchange, know that you can ONLY exchange plus sized items to Suzy Shier stores with plus size options.
Yup. So, before you decide to spend your cold hard cash on a piece from this retailer, make sure you REALLY want it and that you like the way it fits, cuz there is no turning back once you fork out the $$. And with the sizing being so different from one piece to the next, ordering online without trying anything on IS NOT A WISE CHOICE here, don’t ya think?
Lucky for me, the 2x I purchased without trying on, fit like a dream! Even the exposed long zip down the back even lays flat from the top of neck to tail of hip! Very exciting news for my curvy self.
The neckline was still a bit big…or rather more revealing than I’d like. Thank goodness for safety pins for a quick fix 😉
Have any of you shopped Suzy Shier+ yet? Have you had much luck with fit, selection and style available to you? What are your thoughts on the pieces I tried on? Did I make the right choice?
Let me know in the comments section below.
I wore this number out this past weekend for BuzzontheBridge, part of 100in1Day event in Toronto –>
What a perfect sunny Saturday to be dancing Lindy Hop on the Wallace Bridge, followed by soaking up the rays with mimosas and Caesars on a patio! 🙂
Last year, I had the good fortune to have met Miss Tierra Sedgemore, the delightful woman behind the brand Size Sexy – click here to for that story 🙂
Early this May, Tierra hosted a fantastic evening of entertainment and curvy fashion entitled: Get Your Sexy On at The Uptown Lofts in Toronto.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA!!! I just arrived at the venue (donning my uber short haircut out-out for the first time). Here I’m getting the inside scoop on how the event was gonna unfold. Chatting with the dynamic duo – Tierra & her hubsThese events are always a great opportunity to catchup with the lovelies of the plus-sized communities in the city. As well as seeing all the gorgeous fashion-forward creations of independent designers up close and personally.
Take a look at who I bumped into that night:
Me among the glamazons like the gorgeous Sarah Taylor, Miss Plus Canada 2014/2015 & Plus Size ModelIt’s me … sandwiched in-between the blush laced & turbaned Karen Ward, owner of Your Big Sister’s Closet AND the maxi-bolero wearing Stefanie Augusteijn, owner SexyPlus Clothing. Aren’t they just dazzling! ❤Me with the sweetie behind the camera, Rebecca Northcott (a la iPhone selfie)Miss Carmen of CNLDesigns — click here to revisit what this sewing genius created for ME last year 😉 (taken with my iPhone)Me with THE hostest-with-the-mostest, Miss Tierra …. Seems I didn’t a gift bag upon arrival, hence my kissy/poutty-face on the left. LOL!Good thing I made that poutty-face, or I’d have missed out on these lovely bracelets 😉 “Thank-For-Coming” gifts created by Maryanne of MyBeadedDesigns, click here for more on her.OK! Back to the event!!!
Along side a team of professionals, friends and supporters, Tierra’s show presented a designer (MiniMaxiMidi), a boutique (SexyPlus) and her new line of SizeSexy Clothing.
MiniMaxiMidi
MidiMaxiMini will be officially launching in 2015. They are an apparel company with a direct focus on Midi, Maxi and Mini Skirts. Check them out on Facebook here.
SexyPlus Clothing
All styles shown below are available at http://www.sexyplusclothing.com, in store at 5100 Maingate Drive, Unit 14 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Proud owner, Stef and her hubs, capturing moments of the runway magic (taken with my iPhone)
SizeSexy Clothing
To purchase SIZE SEXY Clothing, visit the new website www.sizesexy.ca. Follow SIZE SEXY on Facebook here, on Twitter here and on Instagram here.
Support the movement by wearing the message and #getyoursexyon 😉
THE DREAM TEAM behind the GetYourSexyOn Fashion Show that evening! From L to R: Stefanie, SexyPlus Clothing; Tierra, creator of SizeSexy, Ophilia, fashion show coordinator and SizeSexy brand ambassador; and Carmen, of CNLDesigns.
IF you’re following me on Instagram … then you can and have already been able to view some video clips of the runway!! Follow me there friends! 🙂
“If you want to go fast, go alone. if you want to go far, go together.” – by Robin Jones GunnThank you so much Tierra, for the invitation to a fantastic upscale Sunday evening in the city.
Looking forward to seeing this brand continue making its mark in plus-size fashion. Loved all I saw that night. Bravo! ❤
What I Wore: Stripped layered dress from Forever21+; Cobalt wedges from Payless; Bianca tassel necklace from Stella & Dot; Gold bracelet watch from Michael Kors
A few weeks ago I pieced together an outfit on Instagram – follow me 😉 – for an upcoming date night outfit … with pieces in my current closet (as I’m totally broke a$$ since returning from my magical PPMeowAsianAdvenure)
Let me give you a run down of the items I selected.
How I Got The Look:
Seaform hi-low sheer top (Your Big Sister’s Closet) ; High-waisted stripped black n’ white pencil skirt (Winners); Peep-toed black pumps (Nine West); Multi-strand necklace (Stella & Dot); Anchor clutch (Aldo Accessories)
This sheer seafoam hi-low top I picked up last year from Your Big Sister’s Closet, it’s a piece that has worn well and continues to get tons of compliments and comments every time I don it.
First dates are always tricky when it comes to ‘the girls’ – you want to look alluring and highlight certain ‘assets’ without giving it all away. A difficult fine line when you’re a busty gal like moi.
This top works perfectly to give that allure … being sheer, giving you the illusion you can see everything….but having a high-enough neckline to let you have a sit-down dinner without having ‘the girls’ take over the meal.
Love the black lace detail down the front of this to too. Really just ties in all the other pieces of my outfit and helps dress-up this otherwise simple outfit.
It seems I’m a big fan of Nautical Inspired looks – click here, here, here and here to see what i mean 😉
What do you think of this as a first date outfit? Do you approve? What would you do differently? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Here we go. The last instalment of PPMeow’s Asian Adventure. (Sorry it’s taken me so long to post)
The last of the three cities I visited was Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
I left Toronto, Canada with weather of -11 degrees Friday, February 27th…. to arrive in KL to +38 degrees on Sunday evening, March 1st! 😮
It was so hot ALL-THE-TIME there!
The crowded streets of Chinatown in KL
KL is the capital and most populous city in Malaysia. And was the ‘home-base’ for my 3-week trip to South-East Asia, as my friend Dee lives there.
With the weather being oh-so hot, it was difficult to get motivated enough to leave air-conditioned quarters to venture out into the crowded city for exploring.
Also, it was in this city that I totally got hooked on Game of Thrones – and managed to binge-watch all 4-seasons during this trip. Yup! I did it. And I’m not at all sorry. 😛
But, as compelling as Jon Snow is, I did manage to see and do things in this fashionable city…
The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers, are twin skyscrapers in Kuala LumpurThe towers at night…magical!
The main religion there is Islam, with significant Buddhist, Hindu and Christian minorities. And such a wide variety of fashionable people out and about all the time from each of these religious groups. I was very tempted to take random shots of people’s outfits to show you what I mean … buuuuuut I wasn’t sure that would go over so well with the locals, so sadly I have no proof to show in this post. But believe me – some highly fashionable folks out there friends!
On the Rapid Lite Rail headed into downtown KL
The subway system there is pretty great – so long as your destination is close to a subway station. Otherwise, the streets of KL can be a real challenge to maneuver alone. Roads on a map have been compared to ‘spaghetti noodles’ – not at all like the convenient grid system of Toronto streets I’ve come to know and love.
Selfie with Soup Bowls
I arrived shortly after the celebration of Chinese New Year … so many of the cityscapes and shopping centres still had decorations and lanterns hung…
THE FOOD!!!
Lucky for me, Dee had a long-list of delicious meals I HAD TO TRY while I was visiting… and everything I ate while in Malaysia was amazeballs!!!!
The dish on the left (below) is Laksa soup. There are two basic types of laksa: curry laksa and asam laksa. Curry laksa is a coconut curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour fish soup with noodles. The one I had was curry laksa, I’m pretty sure. 🙂
The dish on the right (above) is Nasi lemak, the national dish of Malaysia. It is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. Basic simple nasi lemak typically comes with with an egg, anchovies, cucumber, and sambal belacan. This dish is so popular and tasty that people sometimes eat it for all three meals of the day.
My first oyster eating experience of my life! Slimey….but tasty!My first coconut of the entire trip!!! mmmmm….coconut!
THE SHOPPING
There are so many shopping malls in KL! All with the A/C blasting to give everyone a bit of relief from the blazing heat, I’m assuming. IT’S SO HOT THERE!!!
The Central Market is an award-winning tourist attraction and shopping destination, while preserving the significance in showcasing the nation’s arts, culture and heritage.
Some of the cute fascinators and headbands on display …. I really had to control my impulsive shopping habit while I was out and about.
For this reason, I was strict with keeping my purchase limited to super unique and unlikely to find anywhere else 😉
In that same store I found this lovely lightweight navy & green hibiscus floral patterned fabric … that didn’t look like much when I unfolded it…. but then when worn it was the coolest soft pant ever!!! Can’t wait to rock this for summer in Toronto (if the weather cooperates, that is).
For my fellow 80s kids out there…. do you remember those jellybean shoes of your youth? Well guess what I found in the shops of KL? YUP!!! Jellies for Adults!
I couldn’t decide which pair I liked more….so I bought both! 🙂
When it comes to accessories … there are so many adorable things. I just couldn’t decide. But lucky for me that Dee picked these up for me – THANKS DEE!!! They have quickly become my favourite go-to pair of earrings.
Suddenly I moustache you a question… 😀
The last piece of uniqueness for my closet was this uber soft, reversible vest-scarf-hoodie thing.
At first glance the pattern of this garment drew me in, dark and light grey patterns. But upon closer inspection, it was so interesting and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, that it had to be mine. 🙂
It’s already gotten many ooh’s and ahh’s when I debuted it to the office last month.
And in true tourist fashion, I hit up a local grocery store to pick up some hot sauces and tea as souvenirs for my folks. PS: That TomYum paste yields delicious soup – check & follow my Instagram for proof friends 😉
SWING DANCING FOR ST PADDY’S DAY
Last, but certainly not least, was KL’s Swing Dancing scene!!! I was lucky enough to check out two dances while I was visiting… and got to celebrate St. Paddy’s day in my newly tailor-made gingham dress from Vietnam.
Did I mention it was motherlovin’ HOT in this country! The moment you step outside you are sweaty-kins …. so lindy hopping in this heat was madness that made your EYEBALLS sweat.
KL Swing peeps…pointing West to Canada 🙂
Here’s a few silly, sweaty-glowing faces of the KL Swing Gang who were totally welcoming and oh-so fun to dance with.
There you have it friends! You’ve relived my entire PPMeow Asian Adventurewith me!!
Thank you for reading, following and commenting throughout my travels. Hope you enjoyed these recap posts. OH, and in case you’ve missed any previous ones….you can find them all below.
PPMeow Asian Adventure includes:
Asia: What to Know Before you Go – click here for blogpost
Oh friends! I’m sorry I’ve been so absent with outfit posts.
I am getting up everyday and wearing clothes and going out and about … I promise. 🙂
I just haven’t been very good about photographing. And truth be told, been feeling kinda blue these days and not in the mood to write about clothes, shoes, etc.
Just been feeling ‘meh’.
But enough about that…..here’s my April Springtime in PINK recap:
Follow me on INSTAGRAM … as I often post OOTDs there as they happen 🙂
Pink Lace
I recently hit The Duffrin Mall for a much-needed eyebrow clean up appointment…and somehow this lovely frock followed me home 🙂
I’ve noticed that the styles of Forever21+ online are very different from what they’ve got in the store. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this one. (PS: Great plus size selection at the Duffrin Mall location by the way ;))
Since it’s been a wintery-like Spring for much of this month, I paired it with a long-sleeved cardi with diamond-like sparkle buttons (Mark’s Work Wearhouse)
Hot Pink Shortie Cardi
Oook! Remember my tailor-made-just-for-me Birdy Dress from Vietnam? Well, I took it to the office by wearing this hot pink shortie cardi overtop (Old Navy) and this bright printed circle scarf (Ardene) to keep the cleavage work appropriate.
And last but not least,
Colour Me Pink with the Fanny Midi Skirt:
I picked up this amazing green Fanny Midi Skirt from Tatyana Boutique last fall during their BOGO event. Happy to note it’s still currently available here.
It is a pricey piece…so I’m thrilled to be able to make it work for springtime too!
I wore it last weekend to a fun Rockabilly Brunch in my hood, with a long-sleeve laced shoulder shirt from Forever21+ that I picked up ages ago, and the striped purse is Kate Spade (click here for more purse).
OH, click here to see how I wore it this past Winter, and where I went.
Hoped you enjoyed this quick and dirty recap of my April Springtime looks.
Got a favourite? Which do you like the best? Tell me in the comments section.
Although much of the trip was spent dancing with VLX …. I was able to check out a few sites, ate some amazing meals and even got to visit a tailor to get some custom threads made!!!
A few noteworthy things to mention if you are planning on visiting Vietnam:
There is a VISA requirement for this country. From my earlier post, What to Know Before you Go, many Asian countries issue visas free of charge on arrival at major airports and land-boarders. Vietnam is NOT one of these countries. There are a few online service providers that will help get you started with the Vietnam Visa process, we used: http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/ The application process is simple enough – just go online and apply. But the cost has gone up unfortunately — the online processing fee is $20 (just remember to select Canadian dollars).
Make sure the name you put in is exactly as your passport, that your passport number is correct, and that you put your arrival date correctly. If any of these are incorrect, you might have to pay a heavy fine upon arrival. This takes about 2-3 days to process and they will email you a letter – which you will need to print and bring along with $45 USD in cash exactly, to be paid with CRISP bills – no joke. If your bills are wrinkled or ripped, even slightly, your money will be rejected at the counter and Visa denied.
The Japanese Bridge – Hoi An
In addition to this letter, you will be required to fill out a form at the counter that you will have to frantically fill out before they will take your money. Some online service providers send out this form with the letter. Our service didn’t. FYI.
Oh, you also need passport photos – which you might want to get while you’re overseas travelling – as North American passport photos are usually highly overpriced.
The currency used is the Vietnamese DONG – maybe the best currency ever, by name alone 😉 Everyone is a Millionaire there, as $100CAD translates to $1.7Million Dong! It took me the entire 4-days to get used to the giant bills to pay for anything correctly there.
If you’re not already following me on Instagram … Here are a few snaps from my adventures in Hoi An …
THE FOOD!!!
I’m a huge fan of asian cuisine … but the amounts of delicious foods that were eaten my short time in Hoi An was magical – and sooooo cheap!!!!!
VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE (CAFE SUA DA) – This is oh-so delicious. Made with Vietnamese coffee press + Sweetened condensed milk filling a tall glass filled with ice to its brim!
AND then these BLOSSOMS – Hoi An fried wontons are covered in a salsa-like topping of vegetables and sweet and sour shrimp or pork …. they are crispy, mouth-watering works of art.
VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE (CAFE SUA DA) HOI AN FRIED WONTON BLOSSOMS
OK! The below dish is called Cao lầu – it is a regional Vietnamese dish made with noodles, pork, and local greens, and is onlyfound in the town of Hội An.
Naturally, I ate as much of this as I could while I was there.
Cao lầu and Larue Beer – genuine Hoi An street-must-eats!
WHAT I BOUGHT
In terms of souvenirs I behaved myself. My purchases included: two medium-sized fabric lanterns (for my balcony), coconut bowls, Viet snacks for coworkers AND the most delicious coffee ever + metal coffee distiller!
My biggest excitement …and spending … took place with the custom-made clothes!!! 😀
Everyone who had visited Vietnam before, had told me how great the tailors were out there. I was loosing my mind trying to narrow down my choices of what items I wanted to get made.
The tailor I used — visited them a few times to get the following pieces perfect for moi!
Before leaving for my trip, I picked pieces that I’d been coveting that didn’t come in plus sizes at the vintage/reproduction boutiques I frequent. And found my TOP FOUR items I wanted to get made:
1. Hello, Yellow two-piece midi-crop top set2. Green Gingham3. The bow-tie dress shirt & 4. overall skirt with pockets
Buuuuut there were TONS of cool ideas and dress designs hanging all around me at this little shop. And I’ve got a problem and weakness for pretty frocks.
In the end …. SEVEN new pieces actually came home with me! And when all was said and done, each item cost me approx. $42 CAD.
Which is pretty awesome, considering I selected premium fabrics + lining, got to add my own ‘design’ ideas such as adding POCKETS to everything …. and each piece is unique to fit me perfectly.
Nobody in Toronto is gonna be wearing my outfit. Huge Bonus 🙂
Stay tuned for upcoming blogpost highlighting each of these outfits specifically!!! Thanks for reading! xo
Ban hay khong? [bahn nay khom?] – Would you like to dance?
Hoi An, Vietnam!
Of all the places on my travel agenda for this trip – this destination was for the shortest stay. We flew out just for the weekend from KL, Malaysia to Danang, Vietnam ….a 30min drive from Hoi An, specifically for VLX – Vietnam’s Lindyhop Exchange weekend!
What is a lindy hop exchange you ask?
A lindy exchange is a gathering of lindy hop dancers in one city for several days to do the same dance at other venues, showcase ones own talent to the local community, and to dance with visitors and locals alike.
This was my first time swing dancing outside of Canada!
If you remember from my previous post, there was a pie chart highlighting the various nationalities that would be at this dance exchange – I’m proud to say that me and Dee (my travel mate) added to the 7% Canadian slice who were in attendance 🙂
Where We Stayed
We signed ourselves up for the full weekend – which meant we did’t have to do a thing when it came to booking hotels and transportation to/from airport – VLX took care of us as soon as we landed!
The glorious Hotel Royal Hoi An, MGallery Collection– we had breakfast around this lovely pool every morning!THIS was our fantabulous suite —- These Beds! These Pillows! These amazing fluffy robes!!! This place was divine!!!
The Dances
We were on a tight dance-filled agenda which began with a Welcome dance our first night at theHoi An Historic Hotel ….
The theme that night was “East Meets West” … here’s what I wore:
Dee and I found these lovely batik printed skirts from The Central Market in KL, and went twinsy for the evening complete with flower in hair and vintage bangs.
Batik skirts with fanny prints + tanks + vintage hair flowers + bumper bangs = East Meets WestCaught in the lindyhop act. (Thanks Jason & Sheila)
AND we were caught on camera and made the News in Nam!!! See if you can spot ME in the news clip friends 😉
While other VLXers woke up super early for a bike ride to explore Hoi An (after dancing ’til 3:30am the night before) …
me and a few other deep-sleepers chose to enjoy the day in the pool instead – until the next afternoon dance of course 🙂
Isn’t this a great picture? I borrowed this hat from a VLX Cowboy …and he snapped this photo complete with cartoon Asian sworded companion. 🙂
Beach Afternoon – An Bang Beach, Hoi An
On Sunday afternoon we were shuttled to An Bang Beach’s Soul Kitchen and took over a lovely little section of sun and shade …in between DANCING, of course!!!
Day drinking + relax-o in between barefoot lindy hopping = Paradise!Me among the beauties representing Malaysia at the VLX 🙂
And then the barefoot Lindy Hopping began!
The VLXers of 2015…. such a great group of people!!!
MORE Dancing Nights …
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ve likely already seen a few of these pic and can watch a few vid clips too.
Every evening there was a dinner and a dance planned for us. Here are a few shots of all the fun:
This evening’s dress code was “Extreme Opposites”. I had no idea what that meant … and so I went as Batman!
I’M BATMAN! 😉
Our last night in Hoi An, we had a farewell dinner at Green Mango ….with a dress code of “Modern Vintage”
Dinner our last night there…le sigh.
After dinner our last night of dancing in Hoi An….we took the Lindy Hopping to the streets…
My dress is from the Canadian designer Cherry Velvet Plus, click here for outfit deets.
Dancing in the Streets! Loved it!!!
Of all the places I visited this trip, THIS is the city I wish I had spent more time in….sigh. Guess this just means I’ve gotta make another visit sometime soon ❤
Although much of the trip was spent dancing …. I was able to check out a few sites, ate some amazing meals and even got to visit a tailor to get some custom threads made!!! 7 new pieces came home with me!
Stay tuned for the next blogpost highlighting these things specifically!!! Thanks for reading! xo
In case you’ve missed any… PPMeow’sAsian Adventure includes:
April showers, bring May flowers…. or so they say.
You know what that means? Closet purge and spring cleaning!!! And just look what I found in the back of mine:
Kinda thrilled this dress I picked up a few summers ago from GAP in LA (size XXL) still fits!! What’s more exciting is that 2015’s springtime trend of sheer fabrics!
Seems like sheer fabrics are never going away and thank goodness for that! Not only do they jazz up tops and dresses but they make us feel like we’re wearing nothing at all. Keeping it light and airy…it’s a lovely feeling. 😉
Something NEW … picked these babies up for only $3.99!
In an effort to keep it springtime cute, yet weather appropriate (yes, it’s still pretty chilly in Toronto friends) I paired this cutie-pie green & yellow frock with a simple beige v-neck cropped cardi from Old Navy. And stepped up the dazzle with these new dangly earrings from Forever21, keeping the footwear simple and warm with my suede booties from Reitmans.
But I felt something was missing. So I tried a belt.
For years now, I’ve heard the rumours of how beautiful the beaches of The Philippines are. So Boracay Island was one of the MUST-SEE spots on my travel agenda while I was in South-East Asia last month.
Hello, Kalibo – Philippines!
Now, getting to these beautiful beaches takes a bit of effort which included a 35-min LRT ride to Kuala Lumpur Airport, a 4-hour flight to Kalibo, Philippines.
Then a 2-hour bus ride to the edge of the sea to board a questionable mini-ferry boat for a 15-min ride to Boracay Island.
Followed by a 30-min shuttle bus AND a 10-min walk with luggage to our resort bungalow ….
The white sand beaches of Boracay is split up into three boat stations: Stn 1 known to be the ‘party spot’, Stn 2 and Stn 3. Since accommodations can be pricy we chose to stay at a more modest resort for the first 5-nights.
The jungle-like garden walkway toward the bungalows of The Boracay Island Beach Resort
The beachfront location of Stn 1 & 2 is always busy and bustling with activity.
Our little bungalow was a welcomed and lovely quiet respite from the island’s bustling party scene, but close enough to its heart for two single gals on vacation who wanted the complete Boracay experience. 😉
Our private bungalow in the jungle
Added bonus to staying at this resort: it’s fully WIFI accessible …. even on this little jungle porch! Which was perfect starting off our day with fresh fruit shakes & delicious breakfasts and for our evenings of impromptu name-that-tune challenges and Facebook updates to make family and friends back home jelly 😉
The only downside to staying in these bungalows was the window AC units were very loud. So night-time was kept cool and tropical with just the fan mode. Plus, earplugs make everything better.
Our quaint relaxing porch ….where we were served delicious breakfasts every morning and enjoyed cheapy beers every evening. Sigh… how I miss it so 😦
For our last two-nights we checked out of our sweet little bungalow and stayed at this upscale, splurge-o hotel: Henann Garden Resort
The fancy Henann Garden Resort —- Sadly, the pool was the most noteworthy thing about this hotel.
Sadly, the pool was the most noteworthy thing about this hotel…. which couldn’t be enjoyed as there weren’t any ‘children only areas’. Which meant children were everywhere running amuck, often without parental supervision! Sigh….
The other disappointments of Henann Garden Resort: it cost us nearly DOUBLE what our 5-night stay cost which got us a “deluxe room” ….. which had zero view, no balcony or access to any private outdoor space and no WiFi. In fact, the entire splashy resort only offered WiFi access in their lobby…which was always crowded for this reason.
“Deluxe” …pfft!!!!
Thank goodness the bulk of our stay was at The Boracay Beach Resort ... how I miss it so! *sniff sniff*
WHAT WE DID
Both of our hotels were located along the White Beach between Stn 1 and the island’s newest center, D’Mall. There are tons of shops and restaurants within this area…which we explored daily.
Boracay Island is a water sport enthusiasts mecca!
Sadly, as I’m a non-swimmer (for more facts you didn’t know about moi, click here), I spent my days being a beach-bum working on my tan (ha!), eating, drinking and exploring the beach.
Like the day where we noticed a grouping of rocks off in the distance towards the end of Stn 1.
According to the map this was known as Willy’s Rock. I thought maybe it had something to do with the classic 80s flick GOONIES one-eyed-Willy … but upon closer inspection turns out this point of interest is actual a Christian shrine – notice the statue.
Willy’s Rock …. at Stn1 of Boracay White Sand Beach. My gf/travel mate ventured onto the rock. 🙂
We actually walked to it from shore and you can swim to and around it, as the water was quite shallow around it.
My Outfit: Dress, Tommy Hilfiger; Sunnies, NineWest; Hat, picked up on my travels from a lil’ shop outside of KLCC
We also came across this giant Gorilla after lunch one day … kinda random, right?
Monkeying around on the white sand beach of Boracay
There was a lot of time spend lazing around on the beach and on the hammock of our bungalow’s veranda reading my book: Gone Girl. (Really, really enjoyed it. Sadly, it wasn’t one of the movie offerings on any of my flights back…le sigh.)Watching the sailboats at sunset never got old…
Toward the end of the week, I wandered over to the end of Stn 3 and noticed that the clear blue waters were keeping covered in thick green grossness. Apparently at this time of year this algae seems to take over the shores. It wasn’t THIS bad by where we staying, thankfully. And once you’ve managed to walked past all the greenness, the water was perfect!
The intense algae situation at Stn 3
And People-Watching was always entertaining…
We got pretty chatty with one of the below table of dancers/hireable companions… so much so, that by the end of the evening one asked to touch my boobs 😮
True Story!!!! LOL!!!
This table of ladies were a combination of dancers and um, hireable companions for the night or week.
Nightly entertainment along the beach included live cover bands and fire-dancers. Visit my Instagram for vid clips of these performances 🙂
Fire-Dancers!!!Roof-top cover band performing along the white sand beach
Oh! And I even donned my first bikini ever beachside and poolside! Woot!
My Outfit: Jellyfish Aqua Bikini from the GabiFresh line by Swimsuitsforall.com
WHAT I BOUGHT
Now y’all know I’m a hardcore shopper. But this year I’m really focused on spending money on ‘experiences’ rather than things…. and I have to say that there wasn’t anything particularly fabulous that I needed to purchase from Boracay Island.
I did come across this young artist on the beach, who was making personalized jewellery out of surgical steel wire. Earrings, necklaces and rings.
As you can see, I got myself one …complete with butterfly motif and pink beads…which worked out to be a whopping $6 CAD 🙂
We also found a caricaturist along the beach – THIS was not at all the pose we picked to be drawn.
LOLOL!! I’m pretty sure they thought we were apart of a lesbian commune. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 😉
Also, seems I’m white in caricature, while my gf is part of the big-titty-committee. LOLOL!!! Too funny!
LOL! Even the crab on the shores of Boracay knows of our love. 🙂
I have to admit, there wasn’t anything AMAZING that I had to bring home with me from Boracay. OH!!! I did discover that full body massages along the beach and (if you preferred, in private air-conditioned lofts) worked out to $10 CAD for an hour!!! Naturally, I had one every day I was there!!! Paradise just got better!
All that returned to the T-dot with me was a bottle of Red Horse Beer that I couldn’t finish the eve of our departure and these chocolate covered mangos I picked up at the airport. Both are delicious!
My only souvenirs from Boracay
So there you have it friends. Hope you enjoyed reliving destination 1 of 3 in my 22-day Asian Adventure with me. Stay tuned for the next instalment. xo
Thinking about travelling to Asia yourself?
In case you’ve missed any… PPMeow’sAsian Adventure includes:
Asia: What to Know Before you Go – click here for blogpost
For my fellow 80s kids out there…. do you remember those jellybean shoes of your youth? Well guess what I found in the shops of KL? YUP!!! Jellies for Adults!
Watching the sailboats at sunset never got old…
PPMeow! 
