Canadians know how to make sure they squeeze out as much summer as they possibly can – cuz Winter is Coming and will last 8+ months of the year! š¦
That’s why we gotta make the most of the August Long Weekend!!!!
This was the first time I stayed in town. Ā The streets of Toronto are filled with loads of party people and tons of Americans who come up for CaraibannaĀ ! Ā The weekend is dedicated toĀ TONS of parties happening everywhere and the weather is usually picture perfect!
I was lucky enough to have some RMT benefit dollars to burn – so I grabbed a gf and we drove to Caldeon, ON to spend the day luxuriating at a day spa!
The Millcroft Inn & SpaĀ hadĀ an outdoor terrace, indoor and outdoor pools, an indoor whirlpool, an Infrared Sauna, private men’s and women’s locker facilities with herbal steams rooms and showers.
It was the greatest!!!
Plus, they’ve got an award winning resturant – where we had lunch overlooking this gorgeous pond + waterfall. ā¤
This was the 2nd summer in my life where I have come to peace with my body insecurities and donned a bikini (aka fatkini)! š
Did ya read the latest in O, The Oprah Magazine? š Who else is tired of being told what they can and cannot wear? If you want to wear a crop top — WEAR A CROP TOP. If you like it, wear it. Life is too short. Live your life and stop waiting on your weight! Be happy in your clothes and with your body just as you are NOW. ā¤ ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤ #effyourbeautystandards #rockthecroptop #freethebelly #bodypositive
SPRING IS FINALLY HERE…with weather that matches. Ā Finally!!!!
Now I know florals for spring isn’t a new concept or new fashion trend this year or any other year. š
So, I tried doing the floral trend by mixing it up:
I’ve been trying my hand at mixing patterns more. Ā Taking this floral dress and pairing it with a striped black and white cropped blazer really amped up this look, right?! Ā I’m really digging the contrast.
In an effort to keep this outfit ‘work-wear’, I wore dark stockings along with my black suede booties. Ā This was the outfit I wore to the office for my first day back from my big Asian Adventure (I’m working on those posts friends…stay tuned).
Both these pieces were thrifted finds as last year’s BIGDeal Toronto SaleĀ (and the first time I’m wearing this dress ever). Ā Ā I’m not the biggest fan of floral patterns — but I really liked these colours on this white background of this dress.
Plus, being a peplum skirt itĀ creates hourglass-come-hither style hitting the curves in all the right places …. that always gets a BIG thumbs up from moi!
How I Got The Look: Floral peplum dress & Stripped cropped blazer from Forever21; Black suede booties from NineWest
Dunno what sort of plan y’all might have this long weekend, but this might be a good Easter weekend outfit inspiration, hmm? š
What do you think of this look and the pattern mixing? Ā Would love to know your thoughts in the Comments section below.
For other looks with this striped blazer click here and here.
Throughout history the first-lady has influenced fashion trends, however, none have had as much of an impact as Michelle Obama. Her clothing choices can result in stock prices for the clothing companies to rise as much as 2ā3% for up to 3 weeks after she wears an outfit. Her fashion appeals to the people as she mixes more affordable brands like Gap and Target with high end pieces.
I personally really enjoy Michelle’s style choices. Ā Try incorporating some of the first ladyās fashion into your own wardrobe. From exposed zippers to statement necklacesāMichelle Obama has championed many of todayās popular fashion trends making her a style icon.
What are your thoughts on the First-Lady’s style? Ā Are you able to use any of the above tips and tricks in your own personal style? Ā Let me know in the Comments section š
I dunno about you friends, but January is officially Little Black Dress month for me. Ā There has been WAYYY too much eating over the festive season … and this holiday weight is making me choose blacks over other fun colours in my wardrobe these days.
Lucky for me, I’ve got a lil’ Collection of LBDs that don’t nearly get enough of my attention all year round. Ā So why not use this month to let them shine š
LBD #1: Ā Forever21+Ā
Truth be told, I bought this dress as a HalloweenĀ Costume one year, when a girlfriend and I dressed as Robert Palmer girls. Ā The best (and easiest) costume to pull off I tell ya.
What sold me about this dress was the different textures of fabric used. Ā The top is this shiny poly-blend with a sweet little twist to the neckline which leads to off the shoulder sleeves, and the skirt portion is a ribbed cotton.
There is beauty in simplicity. Ā I tried sticking to a head-to-to black … keeping the hoseĀ and heels black too. Ā But in the end, I needed more — and that’s when this red blazer just kicked it up a notch.This giant pearlĀ necklace is my absolute favourite (Your Big Sister’s Closet) –Ā it just adds the perfect punch of sophistication to this entire outfit.
Do you have aĀ favourite Little Black Dress? Ā Where’s it from and how to you style it? Tell me your tips and tricks by leaving a comment below.
How I Got The Look: Ā LBD from Forever21+; Red blazer from Jessica, Sears; Glossy black pumps from Payless; Sheer hosiery from Dollarama; Necklace from Your Big Sister’s Closet;Ā Gold earrings from Ardene
Here we are….the last day of 2014! Ā And thus concludes my first year of blogging! Yay!!! š
Thank you for reading, following and commenting. Ā If you’ve got feedback or ideas you’d like me to explore/review in the new year … let me know in the comment section and I’ll do my very best to tackle them as blogposts in the New Year!
There have been 170 blogposts, not bad for the first year! Ā I only really got the hang of publishing and alerting various social media channels towards the later part of the year, so I thought I’d pick out a few of my favourite posts that were maybe missed, or hidden by Facebook at the time.
Go Canada Go!Ā Ā The biggest news worthy thing I remember happening in 2014 isĀ Team Canada winning gold, beating Sweden 3-0 in menās Olympic hockey! Ā Canada dominated moving into the finals! And at 6am on this Sunday in February bars everywhereĀ opened their doors to die-hard CanadiansĀ whoĀ support our athletes by drinking beers and cheering at big screen TVs with complete strangers in unison. Ā And to join the hoopla I dedicated an Outfit Of the Day to the win š
Although I often write about fashion – What I Wore – I try to also focus on lifestyle too – What I Did while wearing it. Ā Just as seeing someone who more resembles your body shape wearing an outfit you never thought to try yourself, Ā I write about my adventures at trying something new in hopes that YOU might try it for yourself as well. Ā There have been several specific LIFESTYLE posts around activities I’ve tried such as:
BollyFuze – Now What?Ā Ā a Bollywood dance based workout designed to get you up and moving! Each class runs an hour-long, blendingĀ together elements of Indian Classical, Modern Bollywood & Folk dance with main stream fitness techniquesĀ that gives you a full body workout. Best part ā BollyFuze is designed for all levels, ages & abilitiesĀ ā¦and with the energetic beats of Bollywood you totally trick your body intoĀ getting fitĀ with hip-shaking-fun!
YogaĀ Ā I personally hadnāt practiced yoga in nearly two years before I found Studio Blue.Ā Ā I was super nervous to go back into the classroom with Ā a bunch ofĀ wafer thin bun-headed girls, wearing nothing but LuLuLemon pants and sport bras that matched with zero sweat on their perfectly manicured eyebrows and likely full make-up faces (Why are People Afraid to Try Yoga?) Ā But once I got over the initial ‘scare’ it yield a ton of benefits …. AND I even arranged for aĀ Ā PPMeow! $30 PassĀ Ā EXCLUSIVEĀ to YOU – my blog’sĀ readers & followers š
Swing DancingĀ I officially got bit by the swing fever bug at my first Rockabillie Concert… I signed up for classes the very next day. Ā I’ve blogged about myĀ very first swing lessonĀ ā describing myself as a hot mess. Ā It was tricky at first, but week after week I felt more and more confident of the steps, felt myself improving and I couldnāt for class to learn the next big move. And now, honestly I dunno what I did without this fun dancing outlet in my life!!! Ā There have been a number of different blogpost related to swing dancing … I love it so… simply type the words “swing dancing” into the search bar within the blog and you’ll find them all friends š
There have been a ton of outfit posts so I’veĀ created my first Flipagram to capture my faves ….it’s even set to my personal theme song: Ā Golden by Jill Scott š
Thank you again for reading, commenting, following and supporting Petite Plus, Meow! Ā There are some exciting things in store for me and the blog in the upcoming months – as I’m declaring 2015 to be THE YEAR OF TRAVEL in my life. Ā Stay tuned friends.
Wishing you a fantastic New Year’s Eve tonight, and may 2015 be our best year yet! xo
Earlier this monthĀ the Toronto Vintage Society gathered together to celebrate all things MERRY, KITSCHY and BRIGHT by turning the Cadillac Lounge into a winter cabin!
But what the heck do we mean by “Kitschy”? Ā Good question!
“Kitsch”, according to Wikipedia, is;Ā Ā (/ĖkÉŖtŹ/;Ā loanwordĀ fromĀ German) is aĀ low-browĀ style of mass-produced art or design using popular orĀ cultural icons. Kitsch generally includes unsubstantial or gaudy works or decoration, or works that are calculated to have popular appeal. Ā Click here to read and see more about exactly what this means š
The Event:
$5 at the Door got you entertainment galore!! Ā 40s/50s themed decor and suggested dress code with Best (and kitschiest) Dressed prizes to be won! Ā Along with vintage cocktails flowing all night and home made treats, handmade kitsch and vintage chachkas for sale!
The Cadillac Lounge transformed into our Kitschmas Cabin
The Toronto Vintage Society never does anything half-assed …. always FULL ass! š
Not only were we able to transform the Cadillac Lounge into a wintery holiday cabin, there was all kinds of fun entertainment all night long to get everyone into the festive spirit no matter what your ‘thing’ was. Ā There was even aĀ Nail Artist: Strawberry LIPs n TIPsĀ creating one-of-a-kind holiday art one nail at a time!!
Loving myĀ amazing Rudolph nail art – outstanding!!!
This party was non-stop entertainment which included…vintage vinyl and holidays classic movies played all night long by our very own DJ Tarana Pete…
DJ Tarana-Pete spinning vintage vinyl & holiday movie classics
PLUS Performances by ELVIS and his burlesquing alter ego – Blue Suede Sue. Ā Then the adorable Miss Kitten Monroe.
Me with the talented Tia Brazda and delightful Kitten Monroe
AND performances by theĀ Tia BrazdaĀ Swing Band with her hit song Christmas in Mexico!! Take a listen and get yourself a copy… Tis’ the season for this catchy toe-tapper of a tune š
Ooooh…and there was plenty of swing dancing too!!!
Me with my skirt all a-twirl!
As you can see…..We PACKED the place! Ā It was a spectacular night!!!
I’m pretty sure I managed to sell raffle tickets to every single person in here!
And to top it all off…..we even had an amazing Winter Wonderland of a photo booth setup with SANTA!
Click here for the full TVS Photo Booth albumĀ — each picture just jumps off the screen with happiness and joy!
If you didn’t make it out to the event, you can relive the fun – prepare to smile your faces off š
Dancing went on until the wee hours of the morning …. AND there was even karaoke in the backroom!!!
Collage-o-Fun captured by my iPhone …
I’m not gonna lie, due to all the liquid courage (who knew apple cider and rum would be such a delicious combination) I may have gotten up on stage to belt a tune or two. Ā There is evidence of this on someone’s phone…dun dun dunnnn š®
Ā What I Wore:Ā
Photo Credit: Val Soo
I picked up this Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress during Tatyana‘s BOGO event – yup…BuyOne, GetOne FREE!!! Ā This dress comes in a variety of solid colours that are just as lovely. Ā But I really, really, really loved this black, white and red polka-dot pattern. Ā And was determined to xmas-ify for THIS holiday event!
With an amazing lattice style around neckline and sleeves you really don’t need any accessories to jazz this frock up! The waist features a bow at the center that leads to its full circle skirt. There’s a three-eye-hook closures above the back zipper…which requires a buddy’s help, at least in my case š
The Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress WITH crinoline
The dress on its own is quite lovely with the full circle skirt. Ā But it gets even for amazing with a puffy red crinoline underneath! Plus, it hides any additional lumps & bumps that may have resulted due to vintage cookie eating the weeks before….click here to see what I mean. š
And I’m happy to say that EVERYTHING I’m wearing in this post came from Tatyana Boutique on West Queen West, in Toronto. Ā To read more about Tatyana’s new Toronto location click here.
As lovely as everything looked all together, Ā my outfit was incomplete. Ā It was missing the muchĀ needed “Kitschy” factor.
AND THEN THIS HAPPENED…..aĀ fabulous Poinsettia fascinator!!! Ā Ā Hand-made by the crafty curator of TVS, Miss Jacquie – isn’t it amazing? Ā Totally helped perfect my look for the evening’s event! š
Handmade Kitschy Poinsettia Fascinator …. I’m told that there are some available for sale at Damzel’s East location, FYI š
Earrings from Your Big Sister’s Closet; Hair flower made by Jacquie Jeffery
And ….TA-DAH! Ā My vintage kitschmas look was complete!
Blurry end-of-the-night selfie
Extra Bonus to those reading this right now!!! Ā Tatyana Boutique will happily give you 15% off until December 31st by mentioning this blogpost friends >>>>
Merry Kitschmas to you!!! Ā Ho! Ho! Ho!
Ā Ā Have you LIKEād theĀ Petite Plus, MeowāsĀ Facebook PageĀ yet?
Here we are – 2nd last outfit post in our specialĀ HolidayĀ DoubleĀ FeatureĀ collaborationĀ withĀ Cassie ofĀ Style Cassentials.
The female tuxedo was seen on various designer runways,Ā Ā itās also a look thatās been adopted by many celebrities on the red carpet. Ā It is a great alternative to the cocktail dress for evening-wear.
Today we’re focusing on Tuxedo Glam!Ā Ā š
Photo credit: Val Soo
By total fluke, turns outĀ I hadĀ silver stud earrings that totally matched the studs down the lapel of this blazer! Ā This cute little top-hat fascinator was a fabulous find at this year’s BIGDeal Toronto Blogger Consignment Sale.
Photo credit: Val Soo
I’ve had this tuxedo blazer for a year now, and have only worn it a handful of times for fear of spilling food on it and the dreaded dry cleaning bill it would result in. Ā My sparkle heels added a touch of feminine glamour to the monochrome colour palette of this tuxedo look. Ā It would be extra sleek if I went black on black orĀ white on white tuxedo. Ā But I really like the classic black n’ white combo.
When looking at how to wear tuxedo trend clothing, go for slim cut trousers and fitted blazers. Ā Making sure your pieces are fitted to give you that tailored look when trying to pull off tuxedo glam. š
How I Got The Look: Ā Jessica Simpson bone nā black lapel jacket + Thrifted blackĀ taffeta dress + Guess sparkle heels + sheer black hosiery + Top hat fascinator from BIGDeal Toronto Sale
Cassie’sĀ floral pants make me crazy with floral envy!!! Loving the ivory tuxedo top & black tuxedo jacket. Ā Head over toĀ Style CassentialsĀ for all the details on Cassie’s look Ā or visit her Facebook pageĀ here.
Cassie of Style Cassentials
What do you think of the tuxedo trend? Do you have any tips for how to wear the tuxedo trend? Let me know in the Comment section below
And just in caseā¦.if youāve missed a few from theĀ specialĀ HolidayĀ Double Feature? Ā Not to fearā¦
We began the week with a special Ā HolidayĀ DoubleĀ FeatureĀ collaboration withĀ Cassie ofĀ Style CassentialsĀ yesterday. Ā If you missed our first post, no worries – click here Ā š
TodayĀ we’reĀ we focusing on getting Office Party ready for both before & after 5pm!
Before 5pm…
To get through the workday, I chose a black collared shirt with a gold faux belt attachment (Reitmans) to go with my gold & black brocadeĀ pencil skirt (Lane Bryant). Ā Keeping the shoes a simple beige pump (Payless) with sheer black hose (Dollarama).
For the party portion of the day, I’dĀ lose the blazer and put on one piece of awesome jewelry: like this amazing black n’ goldĀ statement necklace (SexyPlus Clothing)! Ā Click here and here to see it in other looks. Ā
Jewelry has been the most successful fashion conversation starter at networking events, or so Iāve found. Both women and men feel comfortable complimenting or commenting on a piece of jewelry. Itās considered in the safe zone — Ā Statement Jewellery May Help You Network.
Are you more of anĀ earrings girl? Go For It! Ā Ā You can wear aĀ big braceletĀ or put that vintage embellished hair clip in your do. Ā Just stick to one eye catching piece of jewelry….try not to over do it.
Now, toĀ elevate my look After 5pm…
I got rid of the collared shirt, and went with the mock-neck peplum top with a sheer peek-a-boo neckline (Forever21+)
I didn’t want to add anything more to the neckline of this top, so I opted for bling’d out earrings instead (Your Big Sister’s Closet)…
I also swapped shoes for these edgy gold spiked pumpsĀ (Torrid, click here and here) with a purse to match (Danier Leather, click here) and put my hair up.
Cassie green leopard dress is amazing….! Ā With blazer or without it’s perfect for office party mode, don’t you think? Head over toĀ Style CassentialsĀ for all the details on how Cassie has styled the trends. Ā Or visit her Facebook pageĀ here.
Cassie of Style Cassentials
Ā What do you think about these look? Ā What have you worn to your work’s holiday party? Ā Tell me in the comments sectionā¦
Ok friends….seems like Fall came and went in a blink of an eye and we’ve already been thrown into Winter weather. Ā I thought before we start focusing on winter wear, we’d take a look at some of the trending colours and vibes in Fall fashion on the blog.
Here’s a roundup Ā of a few I personally have embraced over the last few months of blogposts. Ā Each image is linked to this individual post, just click on it for more details on the look š
The Classic Combo: Black n’ WhiteAcid PinkBlue Hues
Fall (and Winter) is perfect for Ā ‘Sweater Weather’ …. so here are a few looks incorporating just that – sweater glamour:
Sweater Dress GlamourSporty ChicTransition Summer into Fall with sweater love
The big patterns I noticed and loved the most this Fall have been BLOOMS ON BLACK and PLAID!
Blooms on BlackMad for Plaid IMad for Plaid IIMad for Plaid III
and last, but not least….is LEATHER!! Ā It was everywhere:
Loving the leather at the hems and shoulders of this Newsprint Navy frockWarming up my leather moto with a black n’ white plaid ponchoWearing a leather jacket as a blazer to take a jumpsuit to the officeLeatherette panels and collar for some edgy office wearAdding leather to dark florals
And of course a combination of everything above to transition a maxi skirt for sweater weather and leather — a little teaser of an upcoming blogpost friends š
Transitioning Maxi into Fall/Winter wear
Waddya Ā think of this Ā Farewell to Fall roundup? Ā Think there’s potential to take some well into the Winter months too.
Any stand out as your personal favourites? Leave a comment and tell me your thoughts!
Blurry end-of-the-night selfie
D&G PRODUCTIONS 
