Summer Outfits | Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

What I Wore: In Living Colour

12 June, 2015 Nelia Leave a Comment

Springtime is the best time to bust our your most colourful, most eclectic, most funtabulous pieces, and I think this lovely CHANEL Multicolor Jersey Flap bag totally qualifies. It elevates the most basic of outfits, adding a touch of whimsy and excitement.

I wore this outfit to work the other day and someone literally exclaimed “YOUR EARRINGS ARE GREEN!” with her eyes wide as saucers…I mean, yes, they are green…and yes, I work in an industry where green earrings raise eyebrows. Le sigh.

In case you didn’t know, CHANEL is currently having a summer sale, so for those of you who’d like to snag a little of that CC goodness, make your way to your nearest store and enjoy the deals. There are some really cool shoes available up to 50% off…jewelry and clothes too! It’s a dangerous place to be right now, but oh-so-good too! Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Happy Friday, lovelies!

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What I Wore: Toronto Tourism Magazine

2 March, 2015 Nelia 2 Comments

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Last September, when I first went platinum, I had an amazing opportunity to participate in a photoshoot for Toronto Tourism Magazine. Alongside 3 other stylish Torontonians, I was invited to wear one of my fave outfits and talk about my style…and so I did.

Now, nearly 6 months after the shoot, the magazine is finally out, and it feels a little surreal. The mag is available for an entire year at various Toronto locations, and I take up a full page! Sorry for bragging, but this is kind of amazing. You can see the virtual copy of the magazine HERE, and check out the other stylish Torontonians featured.

I Wore: Dress – Lanvin; Clutch – Prada; Cuff – H&M

Photo Credits: Angela Lewis

What I Wore: Miami Ice

17 February, 2015 Nelia 1 Comment

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I don’t know about you, but I am officially sick and tired of winter. This past weekend (Valentine’s Day and Family Day long weekend) was so frigid (felt like -40!!!), that going outside felt like an act of bravery. Le bf and I did manage to go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day, and I did make it to the gym one morning, but the rest of my long weekend was spent on the couch, wrapped in a fluffy blanket, drinking hot tea, and watching movies. Hybernation is the only way to survive, y’all. Which is why we haven’t shot any new outfit posts lately…and also why I am trotting out my last What I Wore post from our long-ago trip to Miami.

I didn’t post it originally because we didn’t take a lot of photos that day, but beggars can’t be choosers, so here it is now…a couple of months later…all sunshine and pretty colours. Makes me want to get away again! Luckily, our next trip is coming soon, but not soon enough!

So tell me, how are you surviving winter? Wherever you are…

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What I Wore: South Beach

13 January, 2015 Nelia 2 Comments

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It feels like -27 outside, and I am questioning all of my life choices that brought me here, to Toronto where the air hurts my face on a daily basis. So if you need me, I’ll be here, daydreaming about Miami, and the South Beach, and sunshine, and warm sand, and anything but snow and extreme cold alerts. Stay warm out there, Toronto.

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What I Wore: Wynwood Walls

23 December, 2014 Nelia 2 Comments

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One of the things I was most looking forward to in Miami was a visit to The Wynwood Walls. After seeing dozens of photos of beautiful murals, painted doors, and even flower walls, I knew it was going to be a very special place, and that we couldn’t miss it. Of course, being a fashion blogger, I had to pose in front of several of my favourite walls, as one does. But there were so many more that le bf and I got to admire, wondering why Toronto’s graffiti alley isn’t as well-known. Although, no offence to our graffiti alley, the murals we got to see in Miami were definitely not your usual street art – those were intricate, interesting, and expertly-painted murals, not your run of the mill “tags”.

We saw murals painted by Kashink, Lakwena, Maya Hayuk, and of course, the infamous flower wall by Fafi – all women artists, who kick ass at street art, which has primarily been a boys club until not too long ago. Inspiring and so very cool to see.

After exploring street art of Miami, we hit up Miami’s new Design District for a delicious lunch at Mandolin, where we sipped unsweetened iced-tea, and nibbled on delicious cheese saganaki, bulghur salad, and kefte, on their lovely patio. One of our most memorable meals in Miami to be sure.

Post-lunch, we climbed into a cab, driven by a crazy woman (she literally drove us crazy), and returned to South Beach to relax by the pool at our hotel. Just another day in paradise.

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What I Wore: Welcome to Miami

19 December, 2014 Nelia 1 Comment

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It’s Friday, and I’m going to keep it light and indulge in a little #FBF on the site today. This outfit post is from day 1 of our little Miami getaway last week. Yup, just last week, I got to wear a summery dress and shades on a sandy beach. Just last week, I didn’t have to wear tights, or a jacket, or gloves. It was glorious.

On our first day in Miami, le bf and I didn’t do much, except for a little exploring around our hotel, which included a walk on the beach at sunset, window-shopping on Collins Ave, and a dip in our hotel’s rooftop pool at night. It wasn’t very eventful, but we were happy to take it easy after a few hectic weeks at work, and just enjoy each other and this new city that we’ve never visited before. Today, as flurries swirl outside my office window, I am dreaming of warmer days, bare shoulders, and sun in my eyes. I think I need another getaway.

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What I Wore: On The Street

10 October, 2014 Nelia 1 Comment

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One day during NYFW, I was walking down the street, giddy from my delicious Shake Shack lunch date, when a man stopped me on the street and asked me whether I was a blogger. Since we were quite a ways away from Lincoln Centre, I was a bit taken aback when he asked me for a photo, but nevertheless obliged. I think you can actually see the apprehension in my eyes…but I’m really glad I stopped to chat with this man.

His name is Mangue Banzima and he’s a street style photographer. By now, I’ve spent a ton of time going through his site and Instagram, looking at the beautiful photos of people on the street. He has a very warm and approachable personality, and it’s reflected on his subjects’ faces…well, except mine that is. Hopefully, we can have a re-do another time, Mangue. Sorry for the bitchface in some pics.

This post is also the very first time I’m posting a photo of myself with my newly-ish silver/grey/platinum hair. It’s actually been nearly a month since I dyed my locks, and it’s decidedly less grey and more blonde now. But thanks to Mangue, I have it captured in all its silver fox glory. Stay tuned for my hair story about entering the Khaleesi/Gandalf hair territory. Happy Friday!

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I Wore: Dress – Finders Keepers (eLUXE); Leather Vest – Urban Outfitters; Boots – Saint Laurent (Winners); Bag – CHANEL; Earrings, Cuff – H&M

Photo Credit: Mangue Banzima

What I Wore: Saint-Paul de Vence

18 September, 2014 Nelia 2 Comments

I am so hopelessly behind on posts, that even though I don’t even look like the photo above, I still have a few of these to go. And while it’s currently 13 degrees in Toronto, this post is all about summer heat and vacation glow. Seeing these pics makes me want to pack up my bags and hightail it out of Canada for a destination much warmer than Toronto. Alas, I just got back from New York, and as a 9-5er, vacation days are a precious, precious commodity not to be trifled with…so, I suppose fall is inevitable.

These photos were taken while on a day trip to Saint-Paul de Vence, one of the oldest medieval towns in the French Riviera. There were beautiful art shops on every corner, delicious honeys and jams sold at charming little shops…The sun was scalding that day, so we made a pit stop at a small gelato shop, watching a local wedding at the nearby church. Happy faces, delicious ice-cream, honking limo, and lots of bougainvillea bushes is what I remember the most from that day. We walked up and down the winding cobblestone streets, completely charmed by this tiny town, and all of a sudden, the lengthy bus ride from Nice seemed really worth the hassle. If you’re ever in the area, try to stop by Saint-Paul de Vence. It won’t take very long to see, but you’ll be glad you did.

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What I Wore: Let Them Eat Cake

30 July, 2014 Nelia 5 Comments

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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.

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What I Wore: Easy Does It

10 June, 2014 Nelia 1 Comment

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One of my favourite things about summer (other than endless sunshine, BBQs, beach days, and ice-cream) is dresses. I wouldn’t call myself a girlie-girl, but once summer rolls around, dresses is all I want to wear. I’m sure I’ve blogged about that before, but here I go again. This one in particular is from Zara, and it was love at first sight. I bought it when it was still wintery and snowy outside, daydreaming of those warm afternoons when I would be able to throw it on, tie those faux sleeves around my waist and go – so easy and comfy.

I wore this on a neighbourhood discovery walk I took with le bf recently. Since we bought our house a year ago, we haven’t really had the chance to explore our new hood, and now that it’s summer again, we are making an effort to discover the cool things about the place we call home…like this amazing park we stumbled upon – with a stunning ravine, fun splash pad, and this beautifully-painted wall. Definitely a gem that we’ll keep in our regular rotation.

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