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What I Wore: New Faves

4 March, 2016 Nelia

Even though I wore this outfit in February, this is definitely more of a spring look if you ignore the fat snowflakes all around me. I’ll be wearing a variation of this a lot once the weather warms up in Toronto. I finally got my hands on the coveted Acne moto jacket, and I want to wear it ALL THE TIME. The leather is so buttery soft, and even though it’s a bit heavy, I feel like it elevates everything I wear. The dress is from H&M, and it’s also a fave – super comfy and cute…with or without tights. Finally, the shoes are surprisingly winter-friendly. When I was wandering the slushy streets of NYC, the platforms kept my feet from freezing and my ankles away from the snow and sleet. They also have a great amount of grip, so I didn’t slip and slide like I sometimes do when wearing heels. And I don’t know about you, but I totally used to wear similar flatforms when I was in high-school, as inspired by the Spice Girls. Circle of life?

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What I Wore: What Not To Wear…in February

29 February, 2016 Nelia

Here’s another outfit I wore in NYC during NYFW…in February. Yup, a breezy dress, paired with a leather jacket, and sunglasses, of course. Was I cold while these photos were being taken? Freezing. Should I have worn a parka instead? YES. Was it worth it? Probably not. But don’t worry, I wasn’t completely insane – there are several layers that you can’t see. Like the two sweaters underneath the dress – 1 cashmere and 1 wool, and two pairs of tights. And even with all those layers, I still felt like an icicle. Thank goodness for the abundance of cabs in NYC…because as soon as these photos were taken, I jumped into one and stayed indoors for the remainder of the day.

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NYFW: KAELEN Fall 2016 Collection

23 February, 2016 Nelia

I’ve been smitten with KAELEN’s designs for a while now, so when I heard that this Canadian-born, New York-based designer was presenting during NYFW, I jumped at the chance to see her Fall 2016 collection in person, and I am so glad that I did! Sticking to her elegant minimalist aesthetic, the fall collection consisted of the classic modern woman essentials like trench coat, shirt dress, work trousers, and pencil skirt, but executed in eye-catching patterns, with unexpected details like button-down slits, pleated bell sleeves, and exaggerated bows. Styling showed versatility of the collection, with mixed prints, dresses worn over pants, and a shiny evening gown layered over a turtleneck. And though I had a serious crush on more than half of the collection, the shirt dress with pleated bell sleeves was definitely a favourite. The pleats looked beautiful in motion, and the floral trim was such a lovely touch. Honestly, I just hope that the Canadian dollar is not so crappy by the time this collection is available for purchase. Because I want so many pieces!

What do you think of KAELEN Fall 2016 collection? Share in the comments.

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What I Wore: Bad Decisions

23 February, 2016 Nelia

If I’m being honest, I wasn’t really prepared for NYFW this season. The mild winter we’ve been having has completely screwed up my judgement, and so instead of a parka, I packed a bunch of leather jackets for a February trip to New York. Crazy, I know. My winning strategy was to stay in cabs as much as possible…and layer the crap out of my outfits.

This was probably one of the warmest looks I packed – a wool midi skirt worn over fleece tights, and a turtleneck sweater under a leather jacket. By the end of the week, I caved and bought a packable down jacket from Uniqlo to wear under my leather jackets. In hindsight, I probably should’ve done that at the beginning of the week, because as I type this, I am nursing a major cold. But whatever…Bill Cunningham took my picture that day, so being a little cold was totally worth it.

I Wore: Jacket – DKNY; Sweater, Boots – Zara; Skirt – Oak and Fort; Bag – ela handbags; Sunglasses – Fendi
Photo Credits: Chris Smart

NYFW: Banana Republic Fall 2016 Collection

22 February, 2016 Nelia

While runway shows of the high-fashion brands are certainly fun to watch, I love attending fashion week presentations of brands I can actually afford. Last week, I got to stop by and check out the Banana Republic Fall 2016 presentation, and it was awesome! Not only was it full of chic office separates and weekend staples, but the styling gave me a ton of ideas for putting together my own outfits.

My favourite pieces included the white shearling peacoat (that I’ll be stalking next fall because it’s perfect), the floral maxi dress (both fun and versatile), adorable scalloped hem pencil skirt, classic velvet ankle booties, and that amazing red pant-suit. And the best part is that I will be able to afford these pieces when they hit the stores! What are your favourite pieces from this collection? Share in the comments!

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NYFW: BCBG Max Azria Fall 2016 Collection

22 February, 2016 Nelia

If you were wondering if it’s too late to jump on the culotte train, BCBG Max Azria’s answer is a resounding no. The cropped wide-leg pants were ever present during the brand’s Fall 2016 presentation, shown in a wide selection of fabrics, both as covet-worthy pants and jumpsuits.

Other than the de rigueur pant silhouette, BCBG Max Azria Fall 2016 collection consisted of an enviable selection of outerwear (with exaggerated sleeves and fur accents), colourful lurex, quilted leather, and cozy knits. With the Bowie soundtrack blaring, the models walked the runway in their skilfully layered outfits, lurex sparkling under the spotlights, and I loved it all!

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NYFW: LACOSTE Fall 2016 Collection

22 February, 2016 Nelia

If all you associate LACOSTE with is polo shirts and tennis shoes, think again, for Fall 2016, the brand presented a runway collection inspired by the heritage outfits created for the French Ski Team in the late 60s. And even though the clothes were inspired by retro chalet chic, I felt that they were a better fit for the Upper East Side than the slopes.

As someone who adores all things colourful, I was delighted by the pops of orange and pink, bright stripes, and fun pixelated prints. Outerwear was the star of the show, with glam PVC trench coats, coolest reversible shearling jackets, and printed parkas. One of each, please and merci! On that blistering cold day, details such as extra-long sleeves, zip-off mittens, and knee-high boots were especially welcome. Perhaps next season of NYFW would be slightly warmer for many of the attendees, with extra chic outerwear and warm accessories like the ones spied at LACOSTE.

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NYFW: J.Crew Fall 2016 Collection

19 February, 2016 Nelia

Even before previewing the J.Crew Fall 2016 presentation at Spring Studios, I knew that my day was off to a great start. As I walked out of the elevator, I nearly stumbled right into Anna Wintour in her signature shades and a leopard coat. Greeted by Jenna Lyons and Somsack Sikhounmuong, J.Crew’s new head of women’s design (and a fellow Canadian!), Anna walked through the room spending some time to explore the collection. After a few minutes of star-struck stupor, I finally looked up at the row of beautiful models, and promptly fell in love with the entire collection – menswear and womenswear combined.

There was just so much to love – plush faux fur coats in cotton candy pink and dove grey, Anna-worthy leopard print pieces, coolest strappy shoes, colourful culottes, pajamas styled as daywear, a mirepoix of prints, bold toppers, and so much more. Unsurprisingly, it was all impeccably-styled, with chic neck scarves, artful layering, and braided ponytails. I spent a crazy amount of time looking at each outfit, but when I inevitably came back to take another look at my favourites, I would notice more cool details that I had somehow missed earlier. On top of it, thanks to one of the coldest winter days in New York, I really wanted to borrow a few of the cozy cable-knit sweaters and a fluffy coat or two and wear it all right then and there.

Needless to say, I adored J.Crew Fall 2016 collection and will certainly be on the lookout for my favourite pieces next fall. What do you think of this collection? Share in the comments!

“The advantage of having been with J.Crew for more than 15 years is knowing what feels right/what doesn’t, what is natural to J.Crew versus what feels unnatural…striking the right balance between what is new and what is timeless. Designing the collection almost feels instinctual.” — Somsack Sikhounmuong, women’s design team

“This season we focused on the inherent DNA of J.Crew with an emphasis on reinvigorating time honored classics with a modern, whimsical twist. Unexpected colors in traditional men’s tailoring – the playful mash-up of vibrant prints – the embracing of pleated pants and wide wale cord. Those are some of my most favorite moments in the collection. In addition, this season will be Somsack’s first in his new position as head of women’s design. Having Somsack back on the team has been like rereading your favorite book and discovering all over again the reasons you loved it the first time. He brings a fresh and spirited take to the women’s collection with a deep understanding of its core tenants. Most importantly – the magic is in the mix.” — Jenna Lyons, creative director and president

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What I Wore: Pink on Pink

7 October, 2015 Nelia

Even though it was only a few weeks ago, it feels like it’s been ages since our trip to New York for NYFW. And while the trip itself was mostly for work, we still managed to grab a few outfit pics to share on the site. I am especially happy to share them because of my new-ish rainbow hair colour, which sadly looks very faded at the moment.

The cool thing about having unicorn hair is being able to make any outfit stand out. I can choose to wear all-black-everything, or go all out and rock the most vibrant things I can find in my wardrobe, and no matter what – it all looks exciting with my pink/purple/blue/yellow locks. Makes getting dressed a lot more fun!

This outfit is quite obviously not all-black, and I love the way the pink and purple stripes go so well with my hair…even le bf grudgingly admitted that he liked this look, which NEVER HAPPENS! So in my books that’s a triple win…even if I did have to suck in my stomach all day long. Please remind me to never buy any more bodycon dresses, no matter how cute!

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A Closer Look at Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2015

21 September, 2015 Nelia

Back in July, CHANEL Haute Couture Fall 2015 “Le Cercle Privé” collection was presented at the Grand Palais in Paris, and just last week I actually got to take a closer look at the extraordinary creations at the CHANEL showroom in New York. What is this life?!

I arrived at the showroom feeling like a kid on Christmas morning – the excitement officially kicking in. In front of me were rows of stunning couture ready to be explored. First on the agenda – a close look at the infamous CHANEL 3D pieces – jackets that appeared quilted at a glance were actually entirely created using 3D Technology without any stitching whatsoever. Once the jacket’s “cage” was ready, embroidery was artfully applied, including pearls, sequins, beads, braiding, and even paint. One of the jackets had crystals gilding the inside of the “cage”, while another had sequins peeking through the quilting, giving both substantial weight, but making them irresistibly mesmerizing to the eye.

After exploring the futuristic details, we moved on to the frothier looks, practically drooling over the light pink feather gown with bow detailing, obsessing over the delicacy of the gold leather and lace confection, and admiring the intricacy of the sequin beading on several magnificent LBDs. My head was starting to spin from too much excitement. Luckily, one could take a fainting spell break at one of the casino-like tables set up at the showroom. Instead of cards, chips and dice, I found buttons, measuring tape, thread, scissors, and embellishments – tools of the trade used to create the unforgettable glamour of couture.

At the end of the visit, I was asked to choose my favourite piece to take home. I WISH! That didn’t happen, but I was asked which piece was my favourite…and after much hemming and hawing I went with this dress. As impressed as I was with 3D pieces, the black pearl creation was insanely beautiful in person – a dress one could have in their closet for decades and wear for any occasion. If I could only have one, that’s the one I would buy.

So now I’m going to ask you! If I told you that you could have one piece from CHANEL Haute Couture Fall 2015, which piece would you choose and why? There’s no right answer, but I am curious about your answers. Share in the comments.

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What I Wore: New Faves

What I Wore: What Not To Wear…in February

NYFW: KAELEN Fall 2016 Collection

What I Wore: Bad Decisions

NYFW: Banana Republic Fall 2016 Collection

NYFW: BCBG Max Azria Fall 2016 Collection

NYFW: LACOSTE Fall 2016 Collection

NYFW: J.Crew Fall 2016 Collection

What I Wore: Pink on Pink

A Closer Look at Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2015

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