Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

Blog about Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle, Shopping, and Everything That is Stylish

  • Home
  • About
  • Featured In
  • Beauty
  • Events
  • Travel
  • What I Wore
  • Links

Discover CHANEL: CHANEL Handbag Factory

7 April, 2015 Nelia

chanel-making-of-the-iconic-handbag-tweed-how-chanel-bags-are-made-factory
On the final day of the Discover CHANEL program, my fellow bloggers and I were whisked away to a super-duper secret location outside of Paris to visit the CHANEL Handbag Workshop…aka the place where the brand produces their timeless bags. It was the very first time that CHANEL had invited bloggers to visit this workshop, and I can’t explain just how lucky and grateful I felt to be able to see and experience the step-by-step process from development to quality control.

chanel-handbag-factory-visit-how-bags-are-made-12
After being greeted by a giant CHANEL bag installation in the lobby, we were ushered into the room where the development phase takes place. With prototype bags lining the walls, sketches and photographs strewn across a table, we were told that this was the first step in creating a bag. Sketches come to life as prototype bags, before it’s decided whether they’ll actually be produced. With 6 collections per year, this is a busy place, where a bag can go from sketch to production in days.

Moving on, we stopped by the raw materials and hardware rooms. One was full of various skins, leather, and signature chains, while the other had trays of iconic CHANEL bag closures that are put through stringent testing, along with chains and leather, to ensure the highest quality and durability. Being in the raw materials room was so tempting…I was dying to create my own bag out of all the components on hand.

chanel-handbag-factory-visit-how-bags-are-made-2
Next, we popped into a room where leathers like lambskin, calfskin, and others are carefully inspected under special lights that mimic daylight. Each piece has to look and feel perfect before it’s allowed to continue on to production. There’s zero tolerance for imperfections, as expected.

After the hardware and the leather have been thoroughly checked and tested, the next stage of production is cutting. There are three different ways that CHANEL bag patterns are cut: by hand, digitally, or using special metal plates. We watched various methods at work, fascinated by the amount of accuracy it takes to cut those patterns. When dealing with hand-cut exotic skins, precision is even more important, to ensure a symmetric end result, and zero imperfections.

chanel-making-of-the-iconic-handbag-tweed-how-chanel-bags-are-made-factory-2
The most fascinating room of all was the assembly/production room, where CHANEL craftspeople split leather (to make it thinner and smoother), assembled bags, stitched and hammered. It takes 4 to 5 years for each specialist on the site to learn how to perfectly master the techniques necessary for the manufacture. Those working with exotic skins wear masks and gloves to ensure that no droplets mark the delicate surface, even going so far as to use plastic wrap on top of skins to protect them further.

What I learned in the assembly room is that CHANEL bags are actually put together using one of two methods: inside-out, and molded techniques. Most iconic bags are made using the inside-out method, where all of the components of the bag are stitched inside-out like a Ready-to-Wear piece, so that the stitches are on the inside when the bag is turned the right side out. The body and base are brought together with the “bag in bag” technique: the interior bag is mounted inside the exterior bag, assembled by hand, and ensuring a luxurious finish inside and out.

When working with more delicate materials like alligator, and turning the bag inside-out is not an option, the moulding method is used. The outer part of a bag is put together around a mould, and hand-stitched, before the inner flap can be dropped in and stitched together with the outer flap.

chanel-making-of-the-iconic-handbag-tweed-how-chanel-bags-are-made-factory-3
All in all, it takes over 180 manufacturing operations to create one iconic bag, with 80% of the total production time spent on the assembly table. Once the bag is finished, it is then sent to the quality control room, where a team of testers painstakingly check each bag by hand. But thanks to the attention paid in all the other parts of the manufacturing process, the success rate is very high, and most bags that reach this phase of production meet the CHANEL standard.

This room was amazing, as we were faced with rows upon rows of finished CHANEL handbags everywhere – what fashion dreams are made of! And just like that, our magical tour was over. Talking to the passionate craftspeople, seeing the extensive step-by-step process, and learning just how much work and intricacy goes into each and every CHANEL bag made me appreciate the few bags that I do own that much more…and fuelled my desire to run to the nearest CHANEL boutique right after our visit. These bags are truly investment pieces that never go out of style, and knowing that they are made with so much love and attention to detail makes them that much more special.

This was the last day of the Discover CHANEL program – three unforgettable days spent with my favourite luxury brand in my favourite city. From the fitting at ave Montaigne, to the breakfast at Brasserie Gabrielle, to Mademoiselle’s apartment, to the CHANEL handbag factory outside of Paris…it’s definitely one experience I will never forget. And I truly hope that my recaps of the program gave you a fun little glimpse into the beautiful world of CHANEL, so that you could discover it along with me. Thanks for reading, and share your thoughts in the comments!

chanel-handbag-factory-visit-how-bags-are-made-15
More images after the jump!
[Read more…]

Art, Fashion, Shopping, Travel Art, Bagaholicboy, Beckerman Sisters, Chanel, CHANEL 11.12 Bag, CHANEL Exotic Skin Bag, CHANEL Factory, CHANEL Girl Bag, CHANEL Iconic Bag, CHANEL Iconic Handbag, Columbine Smille, Discover CHANEL, How CHANEL Bags Are Made, Making of a CHANEL Bag, Paris, Shopping, Travel

What I Wore: Something Borrowed, Something CHANEL

25 March, 2015 Nelia

discover-chanel-what-i-wore-7
When CHANEL offered to dress me for their Fall 2015 runway show, I couldn’t believe my luck. Feeling like Cinderella for the day, I picked out this stunning tweed and lace blazer, paired with a patent red cross-body bag, matching pearl cuffs, and of course, my recent fave CHANEL ankle booties. There were lots more options at our fitting, but sadly, as someone who’s no longer a size 2, fitting into samples presented a bit of a challenge. Where is the fairy godmother to shrink one a size or three, when you really need her?!

But no matter, I still loved the outfit I ended up choosing, and happily wore it to the show, to visit Coco Chanel’s apartment, at Cafe Marly, and back at the rue Cambon boutique, giddily running around Paris in CHANEL. I paired the blazer with my fave top from the Canadian brand Pink Tartan, because even during Paris Fashion Week, it felt right to #WearCanada.

At the end of the three-day Discover CHANEL program, I had to hand over the borrowed things, feeling a little sad to say good-bye to the beautiful pieces I had a chance to wear. Regardless, I was still so happy that I got to have a bit of a celeb experience…on a much smaller scale, of course, but still…borrowed clothes or not, the memories are forever.

discover-chanel-what-i-wore-6discover-chanel-brasserie-gabrielle-show-0discover-chanel-brasserie-gabrielle-show-18discover-chanel-what-i-wore-4
I Wore: Jacket, Bag, Shoes, Cuffs, Earrings – CHANEL; Top – Pink Tartan; Pants – Zara; Sunglasses – Dior

Fashion, Organic Style, Travel, What I Wore Brasserie Gabrielle, Canadian, Chanel, Dior, Discover CHANEL, Organic Style, Paris, Paris Fashion Week, Pink Tartan, Travel, What I Wore, Zara

Discover CHANEL: 51 avenue Montaigne

22 March, 2015 Nelia

discover-chanel-fitting
It’s hard to describe the feeling of a dream coming true, but I will do my best. As I was getting ready for my long-awaited trip to Morocco, I received the most amazing news – not only was I invited to attend the CHANEL Fall-Winter 2015/16 show, but I was also among the 5 bloggers selected to participate in the Discover CHANEL program that was to be held over three days in Paris. I think after the initial shock wore off, doubt set in, and I spent the next couple of weeks in a state of disbelief, sure that somehow I was dreaming this entire scenario up, and that I would soon wake up to realize that it was all the result of my fevered imagination. Spoiler alert…it was not a dream, but it was certainly a dream come true.

chanel-avenue-montaigne-store-2
On Day 1 of Discover CHANEL, I arrived at 51 avenue Montaigne, ready for the tour of the beautiful boutique and a private fitting (!!!!!!!). At the boutique, I met Alvin and Columbine, bloggers from Singapore and Sweden, and got to hang out with fellow Canadians – the Beckerman sisters Cailli and Sam. We were a rowdy bunch, and after checking out the impressive avenue Montaigne boutique (opened in 2012, inspired by Coco Chanel’s apartment, and designed by Peter Marino), we rushed into the VIP room to rummage through racks and tables of clothing, accessories, and jewelry prepared for us by the amazing CHANEL team.

chanel-avenue-montaigne-store
Not being a sample size girl, I still managed to find several things that fit me, and in the end, selected a timeless chevron-print tweed blazer, red patent leather crossbody bag, and two pearl cuffs to wear to the next day’s show, as well as a cashmere cardigan and a tweed chainlink necklace to wear on the last day of the tour. With a shopping bag full of CHANEL goodies, I went back to our Airbnb and just stared at it all for a bit…trying to soak up the feeling of having so many CHANEL pieces at my disposal. Not going to lie…it felt pretty amazing. Almost as amazing as knowing that next day, CHANEL’s Fall 2015 show awaited… (to be continued)

discover-chanel-day-6
More photos after the jump!
[Read more…]

Fashion, Shopping, Travel 51 avenue Montaigne, Bagaholicboy, Beckerman Sisters, Chanel, CHANEL Fall 2015, Columbine Smille, Discover CHANEL, France, Mademoiselle Prive, Paris, Shopping

Rewind 2014: A Year in Photos

2 January, 2015 Nelia

style-blog-2014
It’s official…2014 is out, 2015 is in! But before we move on to all things new and exciting, I wanted to do a little revisiting, in part to look back on the wonderful year that 2014 was, and in part to have this post for posterity, and in case I ever need a reminder of some awesome things I did last year. If you hate those “me, me, me” posts, then this one may not be for you. Sorry (not really).

IMG_7708 (1)
2014 started out pretty well for me, unlike 2013 (credit card fraud galore!), I kicked off the year with a brand new video segment I created in partnership with Yorkdale and Max Kopanygin, called Styled By Nelia. Since January, we shot 9 segments, with 9 amazing retailers, and plan to shoot lots more in 2015. Since I truly hate to be on video, this was a huge challenge for me, but I got more and more comfortable with every episode we shot…and hope to get a little better with each video going forward.

eluxe-nelia-belkova-spring-lookbook-2014
In February, I had the pleasure of participating in a photoshoot for eLUXE’s Spring 2014 lookbook, featuring Canadian bloggers. And as I will find out later, this will not be the last collab with eLUXE that I would shoot in 2014.


At the beginning of 2014, I also go to test out the Olay Regenerist Luminous skincare line, with beautiful results. Freckles, be gone!
More after the jump!
[Read more…]

Beauty, Celebrity Fashion, Events, Fashion, Fashion Week, La Vie, Organic Style, Travel, What I Wore Chanel, Coca Cola, coco chanel, Coco Rocha, eLUXE, Holt Renfrew, Lucille Javier, Mark Ruffalo, Miami, Minnie Mouse, MoroccanOil, Nice, Olay, Paris, Retrospective, Smythe, Styled By Nelia, The Room, Thom Browne, TIFF, TIFF 2014, Travel, Vogue Italia, Yorkdale, Zac Posen

Shopping: La Vallee Village Outlets Near Paris

30 September, 2014 Nelia

la-vallee-village-designer-outlets-paris-8

For a shopaholic like myself, a visit to Paris is never complete without a shopping spree or two. But you really don’t have to spend a fortune in order to get something memorable to commemorate your trip, there’s always La Vallee Village to help you get the most bang for your euros. What’s La Vallee Village, you ask? Well, it’s a designer outlet mall, located a quick jaunt away from Central Paris, and just a skip and a hop from Disneyland Paris, and last June, I had the pleasure of shopping there!

la-vallee-village-designer-outlets-paris-2

GETTING THERE

From Disneyland

Since we were staying at Disneyland, getting to La Vallee Village was a breeze! Direct shuttles are available from each Disneyland hotel, you just need to request one at the concierge desk. However, on our trip, we opted to take the RER instead. We got off at Val d’Europe/Serris Montévrain station, before walking through Les Terrasses shopping mall that carries all the usual suspects from H&M to Zara, as well as a few European brands that have yet to make their way to North America. Entrance to La Vallee Village awaited just outside Les Terrasses – super quick and easy.

From Central Paris

RER is a great option if you want to visit from Central Paris (destination station Val d’Europe/Serris Montévrain). The trip will take around 40 minutes, depending on where you board. But if you want to ride in style and comfort, then La Vallee Village Shopping Express is your best bet! This daily bus departs from Central Paris (near Louvre) and takes around 30 minutes. If you plan on buying a lot of things, I would highly recommend this shuttle. We took it at the end of our shopping day and loved everything about it. And the best part is, it’ll only cost you EUR22 both ways. Can’t beat that!

And finally, if you prefer the luxury of riding solo, then Chauffeur Drive might be for you. I am not exactly sure how much that service costs, but you can definitely inquire here.

la-vallee-village-designer-outlets-paris-7

DESIGNERS

For all the brand obsessives out there, La Vallee Village has a seriously great selection of designers on offer – from Armani, to Burberry, to Celine, to Valentino – if you’re looking for designer deals, this is your place. The day I was visiting, I saw great deals on Celine leather totes, Carven dresses, Kenzo leather jackets, and Marni necklaces. They even had Valentino rockstud flats in fun colours, but limited sizes. After spending what felt like an eternity deciding between a dozen cool Marni necklaces, I finally settled on just one (even though I wanted them all), while my friend picked up a travel bag from Longchamp for a steal! To refuel, we stopped by Natalie’s Cafe for some delicious lunch, before heading out again to do some more shopping.

la-vallee-village-designer-outlets-paris-5

If you’re wondering whether the deals are worth the trek, in my experience they were, but it really depends. As with other outlet malls, selection can fluctuate, and depending on the month/week/day, you can either leave with bags of loot, or with only a couple of things. Prices of certain goods aren’t necessarily cheaper for North American shoppers (don’t go expecting to buy Ralph Lauren wares for less than in the US), but a lot of European brands are. Just like with my much-adored Florence outlets, La Vallee Village is now part of my must-visit spots in Europe…and I can’t wait to come back!

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Fashion, Shopping, Travel La Vallee Village, La Vallee Village Outlets, Paris, Paris Designer Outlets, Shopping, Travel

What I Wore: From Odette to Colette

20 August, 2014 Nelia

joe-fresh-shorts-7

While I usually tend to avoid the touristy Latin Quarter in Paris, this year, it was on my “to go” list. Why? Odette. After seeing countless photos of those photogenic French puffs on Instagram, I knew I had to try them. So after a leisurely stroll from our Airbnb apartment, we found ourselves in front of Odette. The place was tiny with limited seating, so we grabbed some petit-choux, and began to devour them right on the street. My verdict – they were ok. The coffee ones were my fave, but in general, I found them way too soggy and not as good as the ones from Nadege in Toronto. Nadege offers petit-choux that are light, fresh, decidedly not soggy, and so very flavourful. They may not be quite as pretty as Odette’s, but in my opinion, they are way superior in all other aspects.

After our petit disappointment, we walked back towards our Parisian apartment, exploring rue Saint Honoré. As some of you may know, rue Saint Honoré is home to one of the coolest shops in Paris – Colette, so of course, that’s exactly where we ended up. We nosed through the store’s trendy book selection, picked up some souvenir postcards, featuring Anna Wintour and other fashion notables playing soccer (it was World Cup season after all), and gawked at the gorgeous clothes displayed on the second floor – designs from Christopher Kane, Carven, Kenzo, Mary Katrantzou, Comme des Garcon, and so much more. There wasn’t a huge breadth of items available, but the curated pieces were enough to set my heart aflutter.

Sadly, I limited myself to postcards, and a fragrant melon that I picked up at a fruit stand nearby. The melon was sweet and the postcards were adorable, and even if I didn’t buy any fab clothes, my day was still quite perfect. As cliche as this may sound…I don’t need much when I’m in Paris…a walk through its charming streets is all it requires to make me realize just how freaking lucky I am.

joe-fresh-shorts-8

paris-france-odette

joe-fresh-shorts-2

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Fashion, Organic Style, Travel, What I Wore Chanel, Colette, converse, Forever21, H&M, HBC, HBC Converse, Joe Fresh, Marni, Marni at H&M, Odette, Organic Style, Paris, PETER PILOTTO, PETER PILOTTO for Target, Target, Travel, What I Wore

Inside Coco Chanel’s 31 Rue Cambon Apartment

31 July, 2014 Nelia

coco-chanel-apartment-31-rue-cambon-staircase-4

Coco Chanel – designer, muse, visionary – was one of the world’s most complex and enigmatic fashion powerhouses. One whose life and life’s work still transfix and inspire hordes of fashion lovers (myself included) decades after her passing. So when I received an invitation to sneak a rare glimpse at Mademoiselle’s private apartment on rue Cambon in Paris, I may or may not have done a few cartwheels around my living room to celebrate.

On the morning of my appointment, I stopped to enjoy the anticipation of the big moment by grabbing a coffee and some viennoiserie at the nearby café, watching the rushing passerby, completely oblivious of my big day. The enormous grin on my face did nothing to conceal my joy.

Upon arriving at 31 rue Cambon, I was treated to a private walkthrough of the Parisian flagship boutique, where one could find an impressively extensive selection of Chanel pieces. Looking for that rare bag? Boutiques on rue Cambon and rue Montaigne are your two best bets. However, word to the wise – it’s ridiculously easy to get distracted from your original mission and end up overspending. It’s all just too tempting, and as I mentioned, the selection is amazing. Proceed at your own risk.

After having the boutique all to myself (crazy, I know), I was warmly welcomed and taken up the winding mirrored staircase on the chicest tour of my life.

chanel-couture-salon-4

On the second floor above the Rue Cambon boutique, I was guided into the Haute Couture salon floor with its large sitting room, several salons, and piece-de-resistance – the haute couture closet. Hanging inside was the spring 2014 Haute Couture collection, worn by the likes of Keira Knightley, Diane Kruger, and Rihanna. And since those exquisite pieces are one-of-a-kind, I actually got to touch the exact outfits that those beautiful celebs got to wear. Don’t be fooled by Rihanna’s seemingly curvy bod, that purple dress she wore to the fall 2014 show was definitely an XS or smaller.

Seeing the actual haute couture pieces inside the closet was pretty surreal. I got to see just how intricate every detail is on each and every single piece, and how dazzling haute couture is in real life. Oh, to one day be able to wear one of those dresses…what a dream!

Before I could embarrass myself by asking to try on one of the dreamy haute couture gowns, I decided that it was time for the main event – The Apartment. One more flight of stairs later, I found myself sitting on the exact step Coco used to favour while her collections were presented below, silently observing reactions of the attendees – the mirrors weren’t there for aesthetics alone. After several photos on said step, we proceeded to the entrance door, ready to walk into the heart and soul of Chanel.

coco-chanel-apartment-31-rue-cambon-paris-4

Right away, I was transfixed by the abundance of patterns, textures, and colours –  ornate lacquered Chinese screens attached to walls like super fancy (and expensive) wallpaper, golden baroque mirror in the shape of both Place Vendome and the infamous Chanel no. 5 bottle stopper, a pair of Venetian Blackamoors (Coco’s “friends”) welcoming all guests, mixed with decidedly modern sand-coloured carpet. “I take refuge in beige because it is natural, and red because it is the colour of blood”, Chanel said once, and that’s precisely what I remembered, standing in that entrance hall.

coco-chanel-apartment-31-rue-cambon-paris

Highly superstitious, fond of crystals, camellias, stars, lions (she was a Leo after all), and other animals (always in pairs), Chanel filled her apartment with a myriad of knick-knacks – symbolic treasures that she collected over the years, and that inspired her. She designed the crystal chandelier in her living room, also full of important Chanel symbols – interlocking Cs, W for Westminster, number 5, camellia flowers (makes for a fun game of I Spy!). And that suede beige sofa that could easily belong in a modern living room – also Chanel’s custom design – one that inspired the iconic quilted bags.

coco-chanel-apartment-31-rue-cambon-paris-3

As the tour went on, I learned many fascinating tidbits from Chanel’s life, about her childhood, her lovers, her friends, her work…nearly every piece in that apartment had a story to tell. Virtually untouched, the east-meets-west apartment still serves as a place of inspiration for Chanel’s designers and staff, and no wonder – even though she’s been gone for over three decades now, Mademoiselle’s presence is still felt inside the ornately decorated rooms. And every bit and bob from the apartment could pop up unexpectedly in a bag, a clasp, a garment print, or even influence an entire collection, as some have in the past.

At the end of the tour, standing in the now familiar entrance hall, I was invited to sit down in the infamous Horst chair. I tried to look pensive as Chanel had in the iconic photo, but all my face could do was smile…awed and happy.

coco-chanel-apartment-31-rue-cambon-paris-22

And while the apartment may not be open to the public, I recently learned that Sam Taylor-Johnson’s photographic exhibition of the private apartment of Mademoiselle Chanel, “Second Floor”, will open at Saatchi Gallery in London this September. The series of 45 photographs captures the private rooms of Mademoiselle Chanel at 31 rue Cambon in Paris, giving visitors a glimpse at Coco’s fascinating life. “Shooting at Coco Chanel’s apartment was an unexpectedly absorbing experience,” says Taylor-Johnson. “The essence of Chanel is firmly rooted there in all of her possessions and I truly believe that her spirit and soul still inhabit the second floor.” I couldn’t agree more.

“Second Floor” Exhibit
Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ King’s Road
Friday September 12th, 2014 until Monday September 22nd, 2014
London, SW3 4RY
Free admission

More photos after the jump!

[Read more…]

Fashion, Travel 31 Rue Cambon, Chanel, Chanel Apartment, Chanel Apartment Paris, Chanel Flat, Chanel Haute Couture, Chanel Rue Cambon Apartment, coco chanel, Coco Chanel Apartment, Coco Chanel Flat, Coco Chanel's Apartment, Discover CHANEL, France, Haute Couture, Paris, Rue Cambon, Saatchi, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Second Floor, Travel

What I Wore: Let Them Eat Cake

30 July, 2014 Nelia

versailles-france-what-i-wore-15

The Palace of Versailles has always been a place I wanted to visit eventually…what with all the drama, intrigue, excess, and history surrounding this royal château, I knew it would be worth the trek. The only reason that I have avoided visiting Versailles for so long is the fear of endless line-ups and tourists. Usually, with the exception of the Eiffel Tower, we try to stay away from crowded and touristy places, but this time around, we decided to just go for it.

As expected, the place was teeming with people…SO.MANY.PEOPLE! But not to worry, after about 30 minutes of waiting for our tickets, and then lining up to get in, we were finally inside Marie Antoinette’s stomping grounds! The palace was definitely very impressive, with rooms full of beautiful art, ornate doors (and ceilings, and floors), and of course, plenty of historic tidbits to glimpse and learn – totally worth it the wait.

But as cool as it was to see the Hall of Mirrors and the grand apartment de la reine in person, the gardens were a highlight for me. After hours of frolicking around, lying in the grass, sipping iced chocolate on Angelina’s terrace, and taking way too many photographs, I don’t think we covered even half of the massive grounds. I guess another trip to Versailles is in order…maybe next year!

Have you ever visited Versailles? What was your favourite spot? Share in the comments.

versailles-france-what-i-wore-19

versailles-france-what-i-wore-4

versailles-france-what-i-wore-18

versailles-france-what-i-wore-8

versailles-france-what-i-wore-angelina

versailles-france-what-i-wore-12

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Fashion, Organic Style, Travel, What I Wore Aldo, Chanel, dresses, Forever21, H&M, Organic Style, Paris, Summer Outfits, Travel, Versailles, What I Wore, Zara

What I Wore: Eye See Paris, Eye See France

18 July, 2014 Nelia

zara-eye-dress-paris-7

As you can see I am stretching my vacay posts out…mostly because I want to relive those fun moments over and over again, and that’s what these blog posts help me do. So, I hope you don’t mind too terribly.

This dress is one of my absolute faves. It was love at first sight, and after a quick alteration (it used to have a mock turtleneck), it was perfect – eye-catching and fun. I wore it in Paris to celebrate my friend Al’s birthday (Gemini sistahs), and after yet another visit to the Eye-ffel Tower, we spent the rest of the day in a leisurely state of bliss – enjoying a delicious lunch with a perfect view at Frame, grabbing a dessert at Laduree, hiding from the rain at CHANEL on Rue Montaigne, enjoying the scenery at Les Invalides, after hours of wandering around the city. It’s so easy to just do nothing in Paris. Every street oozes with charm, and every streetside cafe beckons you to seat down and take in everything and everyone around you. The city makes you both speed up and slow down, and I couldn’t love it more.

zara-eye-dress-paris-2

zara-eye-dress-paris

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Fashion, Organic Style, Travel, What I Wore Aldo, Chanel, Eiffel Tower, France, H&M, Organic Style, Paris, Travel, What I Wore, Zara

What I Wore: This is 30

30 June, 2014 Nelia

paris-birthday-trip-sarah-stevenson-dress-30

First of all, I apologize for the million photos in this post. Most of them feature my love affair with the Eiffel Tower from various angles and I just couldn’t narrow them down. Sorry (not sorry). With that said, this is what I wore on my first day of being thirty.

While in my early twenties, thirty-somethings seemed practically ancient to my silly young self, but I am happy to report that I don’t feel different, even though I am no longer the youngest person in the room. I also didn’t suffer too much anxiety over the big 3-0…after all, I consider myself extremely lucky to have a wonderful husband, supportive family, great friends, and of course, this little blog. Growing up, I used to make those “before 30” lists, which included “swim with the dolphins” (done!), “skydive” (nope), “graduate” (yup), “get MBA” (not yet), “open an RRSP account” (check!), “visit the Amalfi Coast” (3 times), among many other cool/cliche/silly/important/unimportant tasks. And while I definitely haven’t checked off every item off those lists, I don’t feel like I let myself down because I didn’t complete them by the time I left my twenties. That just means I’ll have fun accomplishing them in my thirties.

Having said all that, entering a new decade wasn’t a daunting prospect for me. Back home, each new decade is welcomed with lots of fanfare and celebration, and so in that tradition, I also made quite a big deal about my birthday this year (according to le bf) and decided to jet off to Paris and the South of France to celebrate. And while I’ll have more travel posts coming, this is what I wore on my actual birthday.

That day, le bf and I wandered aimlessly around Paris (mostly around the Eiffel Tower, as you can see), enjoying the views, stopping in at random cafes for a drink, savouring a delightful lunch at Laduree, and a delicious dinner at Shangri-La Paris, wrapping up our night with an impressive Disney Dreams! show at Disneyland Paris. It was a sticky hot day, we walked so much, our feet were buzzing, my hair and makeup were a huge mess by the time dinner time rolled around, but we didn’t care – nothing could spoil this imperfectly perfect day. That night, I went to bed with a huge grin on my face…yes, I may be getting older, but the adventures along the way make it totally worth a wrinkle or ten. Bring it on, thirties!

paris-birthday-trip-sarah-stevenson-dress-10

paris-birthday-trip-sarah-stevenson-dress

paris-birthday-trip-laduree

paris-birthday-trip-sarah-stevenson-dress-8

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Fashion, La Vie, Organic Style, Travel, What I Wore Aldo, Canadian, Disneyland Paris, Eiffel Tower, France, H&M, Ladurée, Organic Style, Paris, Sarah Stevenson, Sarah Stevenson for Target, Shangri-La Paris, Travel, What I Wore, Zara

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

SEARCH

Daily Dose of Style

Enter your email address to subscribe to Style Blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Popular

** What I Wore **

** Canadian **

** Shopping **

ADVERTISEMENT

Popular

** Lookbooks **

** Giveaways **

** Wishlist **

As Seen In

** FLARE Magazine **

** FASHION Magazine **

** Holts Muse **

Archives

Advertisement

Send me some love!

Got questions, concerns, or suggestions? Send them over to Nelia at styleblog.ca@gmail.com!

Categories

  • Art
  • Beauty
  • Celebrity Fashion
  • Events
  • Fashion
  • Fashion Week
  • Faux Pas
  • Foodie
  • Freebies
  • Gadgets
  • Hot Men
  • La Vie
  • Organic Style
  • Random
  • Shopping
  • Style Shop
  • Stylish Staples
  • Travel
  • Trends
  • What I Wore

Tags

Ads Aldo Beauty Canadian Celebrity Fashion Chanel Contests Diane Kruger dresses Elizabeth and James Events Events Fashion Week Foodie Forever21 Freebies Gap Giveaways H&M Holidays Holt Renfrew Joe Fresh Lookbooks Organic Style Prada Ray Ban Shoes ShopBop Shopping Spring 2010 Spring 2012 Street Style Style Days of Christmas Style Fille Summer Outfits The Bay The Room Toronto Travel Trends What I Wore Wishlist Yorkdale YSL Zara

Daily Dose of Style

Enter your email address to subscribe to Style Blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Popular

** What I Wore **

** Canadian **

** Shopping **

Popular

** Lookbooks **

** Giveaways **

** Wishlist **

As Seen In

** FLARE Magazine **

** FASHION Magazine **

** Holts Muse **

Archives

Send me some love!

Got questions, concerns, or suggestions? Send them over to Nelia at styleblog.ca@gmail.com!

Categories

  • Art
  • Beauty
  • Celebrity Fashion
  • Events
  • Fashion
  • Fashion Week
  • Faux Pas
  • Foodie
  • Freebies
  • Gadgets
  • Hot Men
  • La Vie
  • Organic Style
  • Random
  • Shopping
  • Style Shop
  • Stylish Staples
  • Travel
  • Trends
  • What I Wore

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…

LET’S GET SOCIAL!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2023 · Daily Dish Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in