It’s been 30C for the last week in Toronto… which means this dressing in light airy fabrics as much as possible.
This backless Tatyana frock did just that for me and was worn many times this summer!
It doesn’t hurt that there are orange flamingos all over a navy blue background either. 😉
As I’ve gotten older Ive noticed that being out in the sun really has a negative effect on me. So wearing hats are a must on really hot, sunny days. I picked up this wicker newsie boy cap from Public Butter for $12.
This little wicker flamingo purse had been rescued from my massive closet cleanup that seems to be never ending. How I could let such a lovely item go unused for so long, I don’t know.
Speaking of flamingos, ready for episode 3 of The Hilarious Adventures of Fil Mango?
We’re in the homestretch of this weeks’ special Spring Double Feature with Cassie from Style Cassentials.
Together, we’ve been exploring and putting our own twists on several Spring trends.
And today we’re talking about…
Spring Trend: Citron Chartreuse Is chartreuse a yellow or a green?
I love both of these colours equally, as they both look fantastic with my skin tone. After a bit of research, it turns out that chartreuse is about halfway between the two.
So, when you’re looking for a chartreuse-lime top, half of the time, you’ll find it in a search for yellow and half the time you’ll find it in a search for green.
I am loving the bright, tropical, greenish yellow hue.
I started seeing a bit of this last summer…but in my shopping efforts to get ready for this Spring Collaboration I’ve been seeing this trend everywhere!!!
Even if yellow-green isn’t quite your thing as a colour to wear ….
Simply adding an accessory or two (I’m talking a handbag, a scarf, a belt, a pair of gloves) in a cheerful yellow, or a tropical green will really give your springtime outfit that edgy warmth. While allowing you to dip your baby toe in for this seasonal trend. 😉
Chartreuse Citron Clothing – I’m Digging It!! ❤
How I Got The Look: Chartreuse top, Winners; Zebra envelope clutch, AlterEgo Clothing; Pants, Old Navy; Grey glossy pumps, Ivanka Trump
Photo credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography
Cassie is rocking a cute little knive-pleat citron dress + colourful pumps. ❤
Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on how Cassie has styled the trends. Or visit her Facebook page here and her Instagram here.
Cassie of Style Cassentals, rocking citron
See how we put our own twists on Spring trends…all week long. In case you missed any… click here, here, and here.
Curious about our previous collaborations? Click here for the Fall Series and here for the Holiday Series. 😉
EVERYDAY THIS WEEK Cassie from Style Cassentials and Iare exploring and putting our own twists on several Spring trends!
Today’s Spring Trend: Stripe Storm
Be they Horizontal, Vertical, Asymmetrical …
Every which way there is a stripe storm ahead for Spring and Summer this year!!!
Photo Credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography
This stripped linen dress is lightly lined, with vertical and horizontal stripes AND buttons all down the front could possibly be the trifecta of plus-sized *DON’TS* according to “Style Rules” for the Curvy/Plus/Full-Figured/Fat Babe that some people out there subscribe to.
Photo Credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography
I have been on the hunt for the last few months and nothing has really woo’ed me enough to spend my hard-earned money on.
But Old Navy has really stepped up their game this season…and I’ve found lots of luck in their straight sizes.
Just look at it!!! It’s fantastic!!! 🙂
I couldn’t help myself – this Boho/70s/cowgirl western vibe isn’t for everyone. But I’m a fan!!! ❤
Fringe was also a big trend at New York’s Fashion Week (Spring 2016)!!! And I don’t just mean accessories. These stylishly-slashed-edges are lining skirts, dresses and jackets in addition to bags, shoes and earrings that started appearing everywhere last Fall..
Yes, any way you slice it, fringe is in.
I kinda boarded this fringe-train this past Fall, introducing just little elements of it … like purses +tassels. But knowing that this trend is gonna be everywhere this Spring, I was on the hunt to find that perfect piece that suits my vibe.
And then I found this brown suede vest….and was finally able to introduce the shredded hemlines into an outfit! 😀
How I Got The Look: Fringed suede vest, Winners; Stripped dress, Old Navy; Hat, Reitmans; Bracelets, Forever21; Platform sandals and Toupe booties, NineWest; Blown-glass necklace, old.
Cassie went for colourful stripes and a sweet off-the-shoulder black top. Adorbz!
Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on how Cassie has styled the trends. Or visit her Facebook page here and her Instagram here.
Cassie from Style Cassentials, Stripe Storming
Have you missed any of our Spring Trends posts this week? Click here and here … just in case.
Curious about our previous collaborations? Click here for the Fall Series and here for the Holiday Series. 😉
NOTHING worn in this post is from a “plus-sized store”!
I found such luck at the following shops: H&M, Winners and The Gap recently. And here are my finds from these spots into one complete outfit post!
Me trying hard to show you the back of this top. I just love how the hi-low hemline gives this tunic top a dramatic look from behind.
Let’s talk about this hi-low tunic I found at Winners! For us petite (short) babes, the hi-low look isn’t always easy to pull off. But luckily once I washed this top it shrunk-up just enough that it was no longer touching the ground!
Originally, i found this top a bit ‘blah’ as the length of the ‘low’ part of the shirt fell past my waist and made me look frumpy.
Soo I did a lil’ sewing-fix myself creating a bit of a rise at one side of the top in the front – voila! Perfect-For-Moi! ❤
And now… my bottom half 😉 I don’t wear pants often. I’m more of a skirts and dresses kinda girl.
I do enjoy leggings, especially during winter as they help keep my cute summer dresses in closet rotation. But I never really wear then as ‘pants’.
That was until I found these great ankle zip point leggings from The Gap!!!
The fabric is made of: 4% Spandex, 38% Modal, 58% Cotton. Which makes these leggings oh so comfortable, while looking perfectly fitted and rich.
I’m wearing an XL – I was thrilled that all of my ample booty fit into them. 😛
And it actually hit me just at the ankles and sat above my waist perfectly!
How I Got The Look: Ankle-zip leggings, The Gap ($25); Hi-low tunic top, Winners($30); Purse, The Shoe Co.($60).; Pumps, Nine West($50); Scarf, H&M($20)
As usual, now that you know What I Wore... let me tell you about What I Didwhile wearing this outfit…
Not only was it I able to wear this casual look to the office, but it let me do double-duty into a night of dancing too!
But I’ve recently started to explore other types of partner dancing. Have you heard of Fusion Dancing?
It is where dancers from a mix of different dance backgrounds come together – to create a fusion of partnered social dance!!!
Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience. This means…Zoukers, Bluesers, Swingers (you know what we mean), Improvers, Contemporaries, Salseros, Kizombies, Tangueros … this is a place for everyone to come together and play on a dance-floor. Visit Dance Alchemy’s new FB page for more deets if you’re interested!
Here are a few snaps of me….getting my Fusion on in my OOTD above 😉
Photo credit: Kevin SueChueLam
What did you think of my outfit?
Would you ever try out partnered social dancing like Fusion?
Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.
The last day of February, already ….. oh, it’s A Leap Year!
Let’s recap the fun-filled adventures that took place in the Life and Times of Moi this past month….
What I Did, What I Wore, and What I Cooked 🙂
Cabin Fever – Winter Edition
Over Valentine’s/Family Day long weekend, me and some lindyhopping friends made the long drive out to Algonquin Park to Wolf Den Lodge for a Winter Cabin Adventure!!!
It was THE COLDEST WEEKEND of the year. -38C degrees …so cold your nose hairs froze and your glasses not just fogged over, but frosted over instantly!!!
In-between communal cooking, snowy hiking, colouring and games, dancing and singing. There. Was. Drinking. 😮
Scotch vs. Bourbon vs. Rye? Do you know the difference? Neither did I. Find out more here. **hiccup**
I needed to get myself some proper waterproof winter boots and snow pants for the trip!
With end of season sales everywhere, finding boots wasn’t too difficult. I bought these Sorrel’s online – had them delivered right to my door.
Boots were easy to find…and on super sale with the winter season coming to an end. These grey-blue fur-trimmed Sorrel’s were $85
Finding plus size snow pants was a bit more of a challenge. But those Facebook Groups for plus size sales & swaps helped me find these waterproof omni-heat bad boys from Columbia.
Sadly, I didn’t end up taking too many photos this weekend – but did manage to capture these few…of winter-cottage outdoor glory!
Fashion in February
Bah! So I admit, I haven’t been very good about photographing my outfits and making them into blogposts for you.
But if you’re following my Instagram Channel – then you’ll be able to see my Outfits of the Day as they happen.
Here’s a few quick snaps of some of the looks I rocked over the month.
Ok!!! This Cognac brown “Indiana Jones” vibe hat was a whopping $5 buy (Reitmans)!!! Paired with brown booties and a new cross-body hassle purse (The Shoe Company). Bird dress was custom for moi in Vietnam, grey leggings from Old Navy and the long white sweater, is also from Reitmans.
OK! Remember when I was trying to get to University’s Alumni Day this past Fall? And how I never made it cuz there was a crazy, bonkers, blow-out sale at Tatyanna Boutique on WQW? Well…that’s where I picked up with ruffley, frilly frock for only $8!!! Yup!!! $8!!! You can’t even buy the material for that price! I added a touch of turquoise with the skinny belt and drop earrings…to pull out the colours from the polka-dots. I unveiled this outfit at February’s Vintage Spectacular Dance at The Great Hall to see the GTA Swing Band for a night of dancing with LindyHop Revolution ❤
OK!! I finally got myself some “Cold Shoulder” action when I found this dress at Forever 21+. Got me looking like a 90s Fly Girl from In Living Colour… for a night of ‘clubbing’. Turns out, I am NOT a clubbing-type-girl. Ew.
February Recipe: Spaghetti Squash
Ok! I just recently discovered this vegetable… and it has quickly become a new favourite!!! Spaghetti Squash might be the easiest thing to cook, and just one will yield a ton of food!
THIS is a spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled, steamed, and/or microwaved. It can be served with or without sauce, as a substitute for pasta. And the seeds can be roasted, similar to pumpkin seeds.
Here’s how I cooked it….
STEP 1: Cut the sucker in half. Scrap out all the seeds and guts…just like you would a pumpkin.
STEP 2: Salt n’ Pepper to taste, and pop half of it into the microwave on High for 11-minutes. Then let it sit and cool for about 3-5-mins until you can handle it.
STEP 3: Use a fork and scrape away!!! ….ooo look at those pretty strands. ❤
That’s basically it! You can totally dig in and get to eating 🙂
But if you wanna get a bit fancier…. you can sauté some onions, garlic, parsley, chilli flakes, etc. in a bit of butter….
STEP 4: Getting Fancy… sauté up some onions, garlic, chilli flakes in butter…and add some protein even (like shrimp, tuna, leftover anything)
VOILA!!! Fancy sautéed Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
Waddya think of this recipe? Think you’re gonna try it out yourself? Super easy right! 🙂
I cooked up the other half of the spaghetti squash and served it up with some left over salmon from early that week (see image below) – just as delicious!
Sooooo I recently celebrated yet another birthday 🙂
This year it fell on a FriYAY! Which meant, this chick wasn’t gonna stay at home…and I definitely wasn’t gonna cook for myself.
AND of course, I needed a new birthday outfit. Here’s what I came up with:
It wasn’t a milestone birthday or anything. Plus its tough trying to round-up the troops after a long work-week to celebrate on a Friday night.
So the plans were simple Triple-D: Dinner – Dessert – Dancing! 🙂
Which meant, I wanted to keep my new bday outfit simple too:
BOTH the Jacket and Floral dress were from Old Navy! Booties are last season from Reitmans.This was a fairly cool evening, so the sweatshirt material of this jacket was just enough warmth. And with minimal accessories with hair pulled back – it would be easy to dance in too!
This dress was super discounted. I really liked the key-hole button up in the back. And it had an interesting dropped waist situation too. I belted it to help break up the floral pattern a bit. Plus, it ties in nicely with my brown booties.
Special Thanksto the handsome owners of NighOwl Toronto who treated the entire table to a round of free drinks … and this birthday girl to post-dinner libations too –> SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS! 😉
AND to the lovelies of Bean & Baker Malt Shop who stayed open extra late for this rowdy gaggle of hooligans I call friends. And for the extra special cake surprise – it was DELICIOUS!!!
AND to Lindy Hop Revolution for all the ‘birthday girl’ paraphernalia, glow sticks, wine and BIRTHDAY JAM. 😛
And to all of my friends who showed up to dinner – stayed for ice cream – continued on to swing dancing – and karaoke/car-eokee late night. You guys are the greatest! And sure know how to make this girl feel special and loved! xo
Now, that we’re in the depths of January – a pop of hot pink colour is a sure-fire way to lift my mood and spring in my step.
Wore this dress to the office the other day. I simply threw on a warm, extra furry, black and white cowl-neck sweater (a gift I got for Xmas) over top of the dress … belted it … and voila! Winterized and office ready! Boom!
Belts can make everything better. Either a skinny belt over a top, sweater or a sash on a wool coat; having something there to define where your waist is makes you look shapelier. I really am pleased with how it transformed this furry sweater overtop of this dress.
I often pick out my outfits the night before – especially for those days I’m headed into the office. I cannot tell you how many times I used to not bother, then be in a rush in the morning and just put on the first thing I could find in a hurry. With a bit of pre-planning you’ll pick something practical, stylish and feel great, rather than rushing and feeling like a hot mess all day!
Plus it gives you time to pick out your accessories — which I had a habit of running out without when I would pick it out in the morning! I feel naked without earrings and hate looking for the time only to stare at my bare wrist. **grumble grumble**
A little planning the night before is totally worth the effort friends. 😉
How I Got The Look: Acid pink swing dress, AdditionElle; Black n’ white furry sweater, LauraPetites; Sliver buckle belt, Reitmans; Booties, Nine West Outlet
What tricks have you been using to keep warm, cozy and cute during the winter months that help you make the most of your current closet offerings? Tell me about them in the Comments Section below.
It has been bitterly cold in Toronto. So keeping warm and cozy has been more important than ever. Which means a perfect excuse to adorn oneself in faux furs!!!
Regular hosiery options just wasn’t warm enough under this light Fall dress. So I’m wearing thick leggings with tall boots instead. Cover up as much of that skin as you can ladies. Instead of going bare-legged, consider wearing tights or thermal leggings beneath your skirt or dress. Not only does it look more climate-appropriate in formal situations, your legs will remain softer since they won’t be as exposed to the elements. Just like scarves, leggings and tights come in many different varieties, so it is nearly impossible not find a pair that will work with your outfit and mesh with your personality 😉
How I Got The Look: LBD from SexyPlus Clothing; Grey fur scarf from Indigo; Black boots from Payless; Black leggings and earrings from Old Navy.
Do you have a favourite Little Black Dress? Where’s it from and how to you style it? Tell me your tips and tricks by leaving a comment below.
WANNA see the other LBD’s I’ve talked about so far – click here and here.
Earlier this month 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”? Good question!
“Kitsch”, according to Wikipedia, is; (/ˈkɪtʃ/; loanword from German) is a low-brow style of mass-produced art or design using popular or cultural icons. Kitsch generally includes unsubstantial or gaudy works or decoration, or works that are calculated to have popular appeal. Click here to read and see more about exactly what this means 🙂
The Event:
$5 at the Door got you entertainment galore!! 40s/50s themed decor and suggested dress code with Best (and kitschiest) Dressed prizes to be won! 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! 😛
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. There was even a Nail Artist: Strawberry LIPs n TIPs creating one-of-a-kind holiday art one nail at a time!!
Loving my 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. Then the adorable Miss Kitten Monroe.
Me with the talented Tia Brazda and delightful Kitten Monroe
AND performances by the Tia Brazda 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 🙂
Ooooh…and there was plenty of swing dancing too!!!
Me with my skirt all a-twirl!
As you can see…..We PACKED the place! 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 album — 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 🙂
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. There is evidence of this on someone’s phone…dun dun dunnnn 😮
What I Wore:
Photo Credit: Val Soo
I picked up this Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress during Tatyana‘s BOGO event – yup…BuyOne, GetOne FREE!!! This dress comes in a variety of solid colours that are just as lovely. But I really, really, really loved this black, white and red polka-dot pattern. 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 🙂
The Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress WITH crinoline
The dress on its own is quite lovely with the full circle skirt. 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. 😉
And I’m happy to say that EVERYTHING I’m wearing in this post came from Tatyana Boutique on West Queen West, in Toronto. To read more about Tatyana’s new Toronto location click here.
As lovely as everything looked all together, my outfit was incomplete. It was missing the much needed “Kitschy” factor.
AND THEN THIS HAPPENED…..a fabulous Poinsettia fascinator!!! Hand-made by the crafty curator of TVS, Miss Jacquie – isn’t it amazing? Totally helped perfect my look for the evening’s event! 🙂
Handmade Kitschy Poinsettia Fascinator …. I’m told that there are some available for sale at Damzel’s East location, FYI 😉
Earrings from Your Big Sister’s Closet; Hair flower made by Jacquie Jeffery
And ….TA-DAH! My vintage kitschmas look was complete!
Blurry end-of-the-night selfie
Extra Bonus to those reading this right now!!! Tatyana Boutique will happily give you 15% off until December 31st by mentioning this blogpost friends >>>>
Here we are – 2nd last outfit post in our special Holiday DoubleFeaturecollaborationwith Cassie of Style Cassentials.
The female tuxedo was seen on various designer runways, it’s also a look that’s been adopted by many celebrities on the red carpet. It is a great alternative to the cocktail dress for evening-wear.
Today we’re focusing on Tuxedo Glam! 🙂
Photo credit: Val Soo
By total fluke, turns out I had silver stud earrings that totally matched the studs down the lapel of this blazer! 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. My sparkle heels added a touch of feminine glamour to the monochrome colour palette of this tuxedo look. It would be extra sleek if I went black on black or white on white tuxedo. 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. Making sure your pieces are fitted to give you that tailored look when trying to pull off tuxedo glam. 🙂
How I Got The Look: Jessica Simpson bone n’ black lapel jacket + Thrifted black taffeta dress + Guess sparkle heels + sheer black hosiery + Top hat fascinator from BIGDeal Toronto Sale
Cassie’s floral pants make me crazy with floral envy!!! Loving the ivory tuxedo top & black tuxedo jacket. Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on Cassie’s look or visit her Facebook page 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 case….if you’ve missed a few from thespecial Holiday Double Feature? Not to fear…
It has been bitterly cold in Toronto. So keeping warm and cozy has been more important than ever. Which means a perfect excuse to adorn oneself in faux furs!!!
Blurry end-of-the-night selfie
PPMeow! 
