Closet series- Step 1: The big clean up

I'm the kinda girl who never know what to wear with a full closet. Why ? Because it's full of clothes I don't wear ! Yes it's that simple. If when you open your closet and all you see it thing you won't wear (for whatever reason) you might miss out of all your closet potential.

Mine needed a complete overhall. Why ? Because in the last couple years, I've had two pregnancys (and yes baby's), my size got up and down as a result, and I've never really got rid of clothes (you know, just in case). When I started my maternity leave, 11 month agp, I put all my clothes in storage. In a month I'm going back to work and want a fresh start, a professionnal yet stylish wardrobe, all on a budget.

First let me tell you that Kendi did a fabulous series on how to create a workable closet (read it HERE ) and this series is inspired by hers. But I changed it up to fit my needs, switched some steps, added some... so what you will read here it my quest for my stylish and workable closet. So please read Kendi's posts, and mine, and take away what works best for you !

First I got all my clothes in one place (my bed) . I suggest (if you want to do this yourself), to get into clothes you can easily get off (tank top and leggins for me) and be ready for some serious dessing and undressing (a full lenght mirror might help too).

Then I sorted the clothes into 5 piles:

1. To keep
2. To tailor
3. To give away
4. To sell
5. To trow away

First I decide what to keep (keeping in mind that I will do a second clean up later, so a maybe goes in that pile). If it's damage, doesn't fit anymore and if I just don't want to wear it anymore, it goes.

There are some pieces that I kept but that needed to be tailored. As an example, I had two suits that I bought after my first son was born that are now too big. They are of good qualities, are in excellent conditions and are expensive pieces to buy back. Even if I spend 50$ at the tailor, it's still less expensive than to buy new ones. And let's face it, I'm a lawyer, I need suits !!!

What is not in good condition goes in the trash, and the rest, I gave away to charity (I actually gave 6 full garbage bags !!!). There are some pieces that I kept to sell (that will go in my closet sale soon, stay tuned). As an example, I have a beautiful BCBG dress I bought as a going away dress at my wedding, can't wear it anymore (there's tons of evidence of me wearing it) and it's stunning.

Next week, it will be organizing and remixing what's left in my closet (and doing a second clean up at the same time). After that I will be able to asses my needs (helped by some style inspiration). And finally, the fun part, I will go shopping, on a budget and with some important rules in mind.

And that's the road I will take to a work wardrobe that will be stylish and fun. Come back next wednesday for the next step !

All in the details

Bag: Mulberry

Watch: Michael Kors

Bracelet: Vintage

First, I want to thank all of you for your support yesterday. It's good to know we all have those days ! You guys made my day !

As one of my lovely reader suggested, I'm preparing a series on how to rework your wardrobe on a budget. You see I have a ton of clothes I accumulated over the years and I have to clean it all up in order to be ready for going back to work in a month. I want to create for myself a stylish, wearable and working closet. The first part of the series will go live tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Because I'm so busy and all today I just trew on whatever (and it's not posting worthy) but I did put on my favorite accessories (and most precious possessions), to make an ordinary outfit, extraordinary !

Friends friday - Blogging changed my life

We all have our personnal reasons for starting blogging. I actually started over 5 years ago as a creative outlet for my artwork and crafts (I still uptate that blog weekly HERE). Late last year, I discovered the amazing world of fashion blogging I foud it to be the source of inspiration I was looking for. But back to this week topic, how blogging as changed my outlook on fashion.

1.      Since you began blogging do you notice a change in the types of things you gravitate towards while shopping?

(via Rotten Tomatoes-

I actually started to shop my closet wich is huge. I was the kind of girl who never had something to wear with a full closet. I was always wearing the same pieces together and not remixing the ones I already had to makes new outfits.

Now, I go for more versatile pieces and I don't settle for a piece that is just okay. I'm also more daring than before as far as color, shapes and patterns goes.

2.      Do you find, as a fashion blogger, that you dress differently from your family and friends? Do they comment on that?

I don't have a very fashionable life and that was getting me from trying new things. My family and friends are very casual, and since I'm a lawyer, my co-workers are more on the conservative side (in fact, most of them are mens). So I would say that I dress differently since I'm a fashion bloggers. I decided that life is too short not to have fun with style.

3.      What’s the weirdest fashion that you secretly like, even if you aren’t bold enough to wear it?

Bold pattern mixing ! I will definitely try it, the real question is am I gonna leave the house !!!!

4.      Looking at current trends – what would you like to try but need to build up the courage to do?

I love color blocking, but I never did it with two very bright colors, like fushia and orange, or bright green and yellow.

5.      Toot someone’s horn – what fashion blogger out there inspires you with her bold fashion choices?

I'm always so excited when Bree from Atlantic Pacific is posting, she's amazing ! She can take classic pieces and mix them up in a fresh and modern way. I'm re-building a work wardrobe right now and I am really inspired by her glamourous and put together look.

(via Atlantic Pacific)

It's your turn my lovelies, how has blogging change your input on fashion ?

Photo by Robert Zuckerman/Touchstone Pictures

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Product review - Sally Hansen Salon Effect

Sorry for the lack of outfit post this week, I have the worse case of flu ever. Let me tell you, what I wore this week is not outfit post material. But I'll get back on track next week. In the meantime, I decided to do a little review of a product I tried this week.

(via Sally Hansen website)

Here's the deal. I love nail polish but I rarely have the time to put it on. And unless I got my nails professionnaly done, my manucure rarely last more than a few days (and yes, I put on a base and top coat, I'm just a very manual person and they often get scratched). So this new product by Sally Hansen was very appealing to me.

What is it ? It's a stip of real nail polish that you just put on top of your nails. It promises to last up to 10 days and can be removed with nail polish remover.

What I got ? Even if it comes in cute patterns, I went with the hue "It girl" that is a bright hot pink. I had a special occasion and wanted my toe nails to match and I went with a regular nail polish for them.

My review. Application is totally mess free. It's a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it after a few nails, it's really easy and fast too ! Just be careful not to stretch the polish strip when getting the wrappping off (wich I guess is even more important with the patterned ones), it makes it harder to apply.  I've had it on for 3 days now (and I took the picture today) and there's still no chipping in sight (wich for me is really good) so I'm guessing it's pretty durable too. I messed one up during application (the first one) so I had to take it off with nail polish remover and it was as easy as with regular polish. The finish product is pretty close to a professional one, it's glossy and really look like regular nail polish.

The only con for me is the price (I paid around 9$ at Walmart). With one box you can only do one sets of nails. Shure it's less expensive than professionnaly done nails, but it's more expensive than regular nail polish. Depending on how long it lasts, the price might be worth it for me (I'll let you know).

I will definitely buy that product again and next time, I will try the cute patterned ones. If you decide to try them on for yourself, let me know what you think !

P.S. This review has not been paid or sponsored and is representative of my honest opinion.  Hope you enjoyed it !

Vacations, vacations !

I've been back from Cuba for a week now and I already miss it. It's so beautiful there. Here are the highlights.

Lovely readers, here's husband, husband, readers. Now that the presentations are made, let's move on (he's an hottie don't you think !!!)

This is the resort where we were staying, with all the beautiful palm trees.

 We could hang out by the pool when it was to windy at the beach.

 Here is the lovely gardener that was getting me a coconut so I can drink from it.

 We took a little break from the beach to do a little flea market shopping

Oh yes, the best part of Cuba is definitely the beach !

 And at night it was showtime with the beautiful cuban dancers.



And even if we didn't get out of the resort much (since the point of these vacations was to relax), we got to see the villages near by on the bus tour on our way to the airport to get back home.

So here you go, a little taste of my vacations. Next time, we promise ourself to bring the kids, but even if I missed them a lot, it was good to spend time on our own.

P.S.  Once again I want to thank Ramsey and Cee for guest blogging.

30x30 day 3 and a little adventure !

Top: Zara

Jeggins: Smart Set

Shoes: Seyshelles via Winners

Watch: Yes the Michael Kors again !

Necklace: Le Chateau

Sunnies: Ray Band

This morning, I was prepared to go the the mall to do a little "I'm going back to work in a month" shopping. After two pregnancy's in the past 4 years, let met tell you there's not a lot of my clothes that still fits. So I hopped in my car to find out, the AC doesn't work, and it's about a thousand degrees out there. So instead, I went to my car dealership (my car is only 2 years old, this shouldn't happend, right !)

Now I'm off to paint my nails this lovely color I picked at the drugstore yesterday (the color is Turquoise & caicos from Essie). I think my nails should always look like some kind of ice cream color in the summer.

What is your favorite nail polish color this summer ?

P.S. My pictures are improving don't you think !

Outfit post - Date night on vacation

Dress: Forever 21

Watch: Michael Kors

Sunnies: Ray Band

Until I sort out my million of vacation pictures, I decided to show you one outfit I wore to dinner while on vacation. I fell in love with that dress, the detailing on the top and the ruffle on the bottoms are so girly and feminine.

My husband is not really photographer material. I was so happy to finally have someone to take my pictures. I asked him for an head to toe shot and for some reason he tought that shoes were not to be included in the shot. But I promise, I promise you, shoes were involved in that outfit.

P.S. I will start my 30x30 tomorrow, since all my clothes are in the laundry. That's the part I hate about getting back from vacations, all the unpacking. But it's all worth it !

I'm back !!!!!!!!

Vacations are officially over and I'm back to my blog. Thanks to all who came and visit my guest bloggers Ramsey and Cee (I still can't believe they said yes, love you girls !!!).

So here's what's the plan for the following weeks.

Kendi's 30x30 challenges is starting tomorrow and this time again I'm gonna be remixing some carefully picked pieces out of my closet. I added a tab under the banner where you're gonna be able to see all the outfits and pieces included in the challenge. I will update the page as I go.

You can also expect a vacation post with cute outfits and a little review from my trip to Cuba.

See you there !

P.S. I almost forgot to say hello to my new followers. I'm so glad you're here and thank you so much, your support means the world to me.

Gotta love the square !

When I go on a beach vacation, I never leave without a silk square. It takes virtually no place in my luggage and I will get tons of use out of it.

The classic silk square is definitely the Hermes scarf. And with every purchase, Hermes give you the knotting cards that gives you options on how to tie the scarf.

(via Maitai's Picture Book)

You can download all the 21 knotting cards HERE. And if this was not enough there are other options too, see this little video tutorial HERE. Why not an other tutorial HERE.

You can't stomack the pricetag of an original Hermes scarf (neither do I) any square scarf big enough will do. I've got two, one I got at Forever21 for 7$ and an other one for 20$ at American Apparel.

So here you go. wether you want to hide a case of bad beach hair, protect yourself from the sun or need a beach cover up, the suqare scarf is your beachy best friend !

Guest blogger - Cee from Coco and Vera

Hi! I'm Cee from Coco and Vera. Marie-Eve asked me to do a guest post for her while she's away in sunny Cuba. (So envious!)

We haven't had anything like summer weather here in Vancouver yet, but in honour of Marie-Eve's summer getaway, I wanted to share some of my favourite spring/summer trends with all of you.

Brights!

(via Dandelion Daydreamer on Etsy)

I'm a well-known neutral-lover- I have a black version of almost every piece of clothing I own- but this season I've really enjoyed bringing some excitement to my wardrobe with bright pops of colour. I especially love blue and yellow shades. (I'm still working up the courage to try orange.)

Florals

(via Dandelion Daydreamer on Etsy)

My grandma has always been my style icon, and I love the idea of stepping back into her closet, but adding a modern twist. Florals are the easiest way. A great print is romantic, feminine and, in the right piece of clothing, absolutely timeless.

Neutral Duos

(via Dandelion Daydeamer on Etsy)

I might be a late-comer to this trend, but lately I've been admiring girls who can effortlessly pair colours that don't traditionally "go together", like black, brown and white, or black and navy.

Sparkle

(via Dandelion Daydreamer on Etsy)

I have a serious soft spot for sequins and glitter in any season, but summer is a time when anything goes- what better opportunity to embrace your inner girly-girl and choose an over-the-top sparkly dress?

Thanks for reading, lovelies, and thanks to Marie-Eve for inviting me to write a post for her while she's enjoying the beach in Cuba. I'd love it if you all stopped by my blog and said hello!

Guest blogger - Ramsey from Love, Ramsey

Today were talking to one of my favorite bloggers, Ramsey from Love, Ramsey. She's been nice enough to answer some questions to get to know her better.

Hey y'all!

My name is Ramsey, from Love, Ramsey.  Sounds repetitive, no?  Anywho, I am a North Florida native living in the deep South where it is NICE and hot this time of year.  And by Nice and hot, I mean fry an egg on the concrete in June hot.  Aren't ya jealous!?

Why did you start blogging ?

My blog started out as a little craft blog a long, long time ago.  Well not that long, but you get it.  And then it went into a period of hiatus for awhile because I had NO time for crafting.  And thhheeen it evolved again but this time as a fashion/life {but mostly life} blog called Love, Ramsey.  And we're pretty happy right here.
How would you describe your style:  I would say my style is pretty classic with a little fun juice thrown into the mix.  Dusty {boy} calls it "go-juice" and I think that would be an aptly descriptive term.

What is your favorite spring trend ?

The fedora.  It is perfect for hiding second or third day hair.  Not that I don't wash and style my hair everyday.  Because that would be wrong.  But hypothetically, if I didn't, the fedora would be perfect for covering this up.   I definitely don't know this because I wear one all weekend every weekend when my lazy hits and I just don't style my hair.  Nope.  Not me.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe ?

Denim button-up.  It's versitile.  I would wear it to work or for working in the yard.  To the farmer's market or a partaaay.  On a bus or on a train.  Wait, that's green eggs and ham.  But really, I love this guy.  And I love that it's blue.  So that's a nice plus.

If money was no object, what would you buy?

I would buy my entire wardrobe from J.Crew and probably wear nothing else for the rest of forever.  I seriously have to keep a cloth by my computer to wipe the drool away after looking at their site.  Gross much?

Best fashion moment

I'm not sure.  It's hard to judge myself on that one.  Some days ya just feel like ya got it, you know?  More than other days.  I love when I feel comfortable and like I look good all wrapped up in one nice little package.  I guess you could say those days are my best fashion moment.

What is your best style advice

Dress you for you.  If you don't look good in skinny jeans and Ray Bans, wear wide-leg trousers and aviators.  If you would kill yourself in sky skraper heels, wear wedges.  You don't have to wear anything because someone else does.  You should feel good about you.  That's what really matters.  See question #6.  One thing I would say is invest in a few key pieces that make you feel gosh darn beautiful.  A nice little black dress, some good-fittin' jeans, and some killer pumps can go a long way in a wardrobe.  And make you feel like hott stuff!  'Cause you certainly are.

Where do you get your inspiration from ?

Blogs, catalogues, store windows.  The usual offenders, I suppose.  Sometimes, when I'm feeling uninspired, I go for an online virtual shopping spree.  Not to buy, but to re-evaluate what I already have.  That sounded sort of deep.  It wasn't, but it makes me feel a bit intellectual all the same.

Who are your favorite fashion bloggers ?

My favorites are constantly evolving, so it's hard to pin down a few.  I love just exploring different sites.  Everyone's style is so unique.  And I spend my fair share of time on design and home blogs as well.  Love me some interior decorating. 

If you could steal someone wardrobe, who would that be ?

In some ways, I would love a larger, better, prettier wardrobe.  In other ways, I think it is less about looking at what others have and more about making the most of what you have.  My wardrobe is certainly lacking in some areas, but I have pretty much everything that I need.  And I think it's a nice challenge to use what ya got in creative new ways.

What is your favorite beauty product ?

Burt's Bees chapstick.  I would probably die without this stuff.  Probably.  And Falsies mascara.  This is a magical little purple tube.  It. will.  Change your life.  They do not lie when they put falsies on the side.

What is your best beauty advice ?

Feel good about what you wear.  Be confident and smile.  If you feel beautiful, people will see you as beautiful. 

Thank you so much for inviting me to post!  Hope to see y'all again soon!
Love,
Ramsey

(all pictures via Love, Ramsey)

Go check out her fabulous blog HERE.

Vacation time !!!

Well hello my lovely readers !

Right now I'm on my way to the airport for a much needed vacation with my husband. We are leaving for Santa Clara in Cuba for a week and I coudn't be more excited. I haven't seen the sea in a long time. So when I come back you can expect a lot of pictures and pretty outfits.

In the meantime, I'm not leaving you alone. My blog is actually going to be unusually busy this week. Here are some hints. On monday, you'll be able to discover one of my favorite fashion bloggers, on wednesday I have an other of my faves guest blogging, and I have a special beach-vacation post prepared for friday.

What a fabulous week it's gonna be, can't wait to read all of your lovelies comments when I get back. And to show you all the pictures I will take !

Have a very nice week !

Friends friday - Packing !

That's so funny that today's topic is packing for summer vacations because that's exacly what I'm doing right now, but more about that tomorrow.

(Print via Gallery 32 Etsy Store)

1.      When it comes to packing for vacation what’s your mantra?

Less is more. I'm trying very hard to apply it, but I'm not very good at it.

2.      What are your must packs?

Summer dresses. They take very little place in a suitcase, most of them do not wrinkle, and they can take you from the beach to dinner in an instant.

A pair of flat sandals that are comfortable to walk in.

3 bathing suits. Why ? Because you can wash them in the sink at the hotel and there will always be one that is dry (I hate putting on a wet bathing suit).

Sunglasses, hat and sunscreen (for obvious reasons)

And a silk scarf (to know why you'll have to come back next friday !!!).

3.      What are you happy to leave behind?

Anything I might wear to work.

4.      Any packing secrets that help you get everything into one suitcase?

Roll your clothes. It takes less place and they will be less wrinkle once you get them out. And never bring more than 1 pair of heel, it takes too much space.

Or hide your clothes in the husband suitcase. Yep ! That might do the trick !

5.      Beach reading… what are you taking with you to read in the sand?

Anything not work related.

This year it's gonna be Dead in the Family from Charlaine Harris (I'm a little behind on my Sookie litterature) and The Gallows Bird from Camilla Lackberg.

(pictures via Amazon.com)

Have a nice friday and come back tomorrow for some amazing news !