• black friday sales

    Haul | 2022 Black Friday and Holiday Sales

    December 8, 2022

    Hi everyone!

    Today, I’m sharing what I got from Black Friday and Holiday sales! In the past two years, it seems like I do the most damage in October and November because I just can’t resist a Black Friday sale!

    I’m not going to put the prices up because I’d rather not see the grand total of what I spent during the sales, but I will include the discount.

    Sephora – 20% off

    • First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA
    • bareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF15 in Light

    Shiseido – 30% off when you spend $200

    • Eyelash Curler (comes with replacement pad)
    • 2 x Eyelash Curler Pads (2 replacement pads per pack, so I got 4 in total lol)
    • Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Concealer in 202 Light
    • Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Concealer in 203 Light
    • Overnight Wrinkle Resisting Cream (for my mom)

    Kiehl’s – 25% off

    • Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser
    • 2 x Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
    Bottom left is Blondo, middle is Skechers

    Mejuri – 20% off when you spend $150 (I believe this is the only sale they have throughout the year)

    • Twist Ring in 14k White Gold
    • 2x Single Mini Hoop in 14k White Gold

    Last year, I bought the Single Mini Hoops and I’ve been wearing them ever since. I decided to get 2 more for my second piercings. To bump it up to $150, I also got the Twist ring. Last year, I got the Braided ring. I haven’t worn it much though, because it looked a bit plain on its own. So now I have the twist one to stack. Their diamond huggies are super cute too.

    Old Navy – 50% off code for being a Navyist Rewards Member

    • Creaseless Hair Clips 4-pack (Tortoise shell/Coral pink)
    • Dynamic Fleece Pullover Hoodie in Icelandic Mineral
    • Vintage Long-Sleeve Sweatshirt in Inkwell
    • Printed Flannel Pajama Pants in Red Fair Isle

    La Vie En Rose – 2 for 1

    • Soft plush Robe in Lilac Cloud
    • Soft Plush Robe in Black Buffalo Plaid

    Naturalizer – 30% off

    • Blondo Skylar Waterproof Combat Boot in Black Suede (wide)

    I have wide feet unfortunately and I’ve realized it’s ridiculous to put bandaids on my pinky toes when I wear my winter boots. I was on the hunt for a nice pair. I got these Blondo boots in wide. I read a few reviews, but it’s hard to decide based on a few website reviews, so I just decided to try them. They were definitely not wide. I know Blondo is known for having a narrow fit, but I thought maybe these would be okay. These were probably what would be considered a regular fit for other brands. I was wearing regular, thin socks and while my foot fit into them, they would be super uncomfortable. You could also see the shape of my foot in the boot and it just didn’t look nice. Unfortunately, they only accept returns online which means they charge $8 to ship it back to them (taking it off your refund).

    The Shoe Company – 30% off?

    • Skechers On-The-Go Glacial Ultra-Woodlands Wide Winter Boot in Black Suede

    Skechers is a brand that I own quite a few running shoes from. Even with their regular fit, they’re very comfortable. I recently purchased a wide fit sneaker and they are super comfy for me. So I got these knowing that Skechers is a brand that I like.

    Spanx – 20% off for regular priced items, I think. I got something from the sale section, so it was 50% off

    • Spotlight on Lace Regular Waist Brief in Vintage Rose
    Clockwise from top left (gray): ribbed cotton, cotton cable lace, pointelle high cut, cotton eyelash lace, period underwear

    Aerie online order – 30% off sale or something

    • AerieREAL Period Underwear (I will be posting a review on this once I’ve tried it out)
    • AF Super Cropped Scoop Neck Cami in Black
    • Wrap One Piece Swimsuit in Black
    • High Neck Henley Tank Top in White

    I bought the swimsuit because I realized I sold all of my swimsuits on Poshmark. Even though I haven’t gone swimming/to the beach in 6 years lol, I thought it’d be good to have one just in case. I was disappointed when I tried it on and ended up returning it. I don’t think I have a particularly long torso, but the body was so short (it was cutting into my butt). I can’t imagine a taller person wearing it. Even though you can adjust the straps to make it a bit longer, it would make the bust lower and the wrap part just wasn’t flattering to begin with…It wasn’t giving any lift to the girls. When I was thinking about buying it, I was a bit worried about whether it would stretch from wrapping it all the time, but I wanted to try it anyway since they have free returns. Back to the drawing board for this one. 

    Aerie in-store purchase – 10 for $40

    • Pointelle High Cut Bikini Underwear (high cut, peek of cheek)
    • Cotton Cable Lace Boybrief Underwear (regular rise, no cheek peek)
    • Cotton Eyelash Lace Boybrief Underwear (low rise, no cheek peek)
    • Ribbed Cotton Boybrief Underwear (low rise, no cheek peek)

    I have previously purchased Aerie underwear a few years back and the boybrief underwear were really stretchy and too big. I got the same size in all of the underwear I bought and it just didn’t fit right. I’ve had time to try all of the underwear I bought and they all fit nicely. The Cotton Cable Lace ones are my favourite. A lot of my underwear are low rise and I’ve realized how much I like a regular rise.

    With all of the online orders, I managed to get about $20 cashback from Rakuten.

    (not sponsored or anything, but this is a referral link to sign up. You get $30 if you use the link and I will too).

    Did you pick up anything during the Black Friday sales?

    Love,

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  • h&m style democracy warehouse sale

    Style Democracy H&M Online Warehouse Sale Review & Haul?

    July 28, 2021

    Hi Everyone!

    I was scrolling through Instagram and the Style Democracy H&M Online Warehouse Sale came up. I took a look and ordered some things.

    Originally, this post was supposed to be a haul, but it has turned into more of a review…keep reading to find out why.

    I wanted to buy some loungewear because my current loungewear consists of old gym shorts and old volunteer t-shirts that I’ve received over the years. I was hoping to find some tshirts, sweatshirts and maybe some shorts or pants. I was excited because the sweatshirts looked cozy. I was also going to buy a belt for my mom, but the only ones available were thicker belts that are more for style than function. There were a few cute dresses on sale too, but

    1) I have no use for them

    2) I have too many clothes that I’ve never worn

    3) they weren’t available in my size anyway

    Here’s what I ended up ordering:

    The total was about $85 which isn’t too bad for 7 items. Only the sweatshirt dress and the black sweatshirt with zippers were over $10. I know I only chose basic colours, but I’m plain/neutral when it comes to my style. My closet mostly consists of black and dark blue. It said it would take 10-14 business days to process…

    July 16th (13 business days later) – My friend received a shipping notification for her order. She made her order on the same day as I did. 

    I decided that I would wait until the 15th or 16th day before sending them an email to ask for an update on my order.

    July 21st (16 business days later) – I sent them an email asking for an update.

    July 26th (almost a month placing the order) – I receive an email saying that my order has been cancelled and a full refund has been issued. See below

    July 30th – Paypal refund is still pending. I’ve read it could take up to a month for a Paypal refund? Also, I have yet to receive the discount coupon/free shipping for the H&M site.

    Aug 4th – received full refund, but have not received the ‘discount coupon/free shipping.’

    This would’ve been my first clothing purchase in a year. I haven’t bought any new clothes, I’ve only been selling my old clothes (check out my poshmark blog post). I’m not trying to complain about it since I did get a full refund, but it is disappointing that I had to wait almost a month until I got any information on my order. I know Style Democracy runs a ton of warehouse sales in collaboration with other brands, so I don’t know if it was because this was H&M’s first warehouse sale. I feel like they should have some idea of how much inventory they have. I ordered seven items and I didn’t even get a single item shipped.

    When it comes to warehouse sales, it’s probably best to go to the in-person ones. As long as you’re making sure to follow all the safety protocols in place. For me, it seems like the only warehouse sales that I have had a good experience are beauty ones. I’ve been to a Nordstrom Sale and I purchased a few items. From what I remember, that was before Nordstrom was in Canada (we might’ve had a few Nordstrom Rack stores in Ontario). I’ve also been to the Designer Shoe Sale in Markham (in 2019) and also popped into a Puma one that was there too. The MAC/Estée Lauder and Shiseido Warehouse Sales were the best.

    Love,

    *Pictures were taken from the Style Democracy website.

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  • Black-owned Brands

    Black-owned brands

    July 13, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    I’ve started a page to share Black-owned brands (bookmark the page because I will be updating the page instead of this blog post as I find more brands). The brands are listed alphabetically. At the bottom, I’ve also included other categories like apparel, accessories, home, etc. I hope to add more international brands. Right now, they are mostly American with some from Canada and the UK.

    **There are no affiliate/ambassador links below. I am not affiliated with any of the brands.**

    **Any AdSense generated from this page will go towards purchases from Black-owned brands to review on this blog.**

    A

    B

    C

    D

    E

    F

    G

    H

    I

    J

    K

    L

    M

    N

    O

    P

    Q

    R

    S

    T

    U

    V

    W

    #

    Non-beauty brands

    Clothing & Shoes

    Accessories

    Baby

    Home/Miscellaneous

    Cakes

    Love,

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  • Poshmark Canada

    Selling on Poshmark Canada

    April 10, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m going to talk about selling clothes on Poshmark.

    I started selling in late August. I’ve only sold items that are from my own closet and my family’s. Most items are/were gently used. There are/were a few items that still have tags. If an item is still in good condition, list it! It doesn’t cost anything to list on Poshmark. I’ve sold a number of Forever 21 items that I didn’t think anyone would want. It’s great to give your clothes a second life and they’re going to a new home where they will be worn. Especially if you were planning to donate them, why not make a few dollars?

    I live in Canada which unfortunately means that we don’t have access to free boxes from UPS. Also, if you’re a buyer on Poshmark, you have to pay $12.99 for the tracked shipping. Luckily, my mom hoarded all the boxes from my online purchases so I haven’t needed to buy any boxes yet.

    Ask family and friends if they have clothes to sell or if they have boxes that they don’t need. If you do ask others if they have clothes to sell, make sure to talk to them in advance about how you will split the earnings. Whether it’s 50/50, 70/30 or 100/0, it’s best to come to an agreement first.

    As a seller, if you sell something for $25, you don’t earn $25 because you have to pay taxes on it and Poshmark takes a commission. You’ll earn just over $19 if you haven’t offered any shipping discounts to the buyer. If a sale is under $20, Poshmark takes a flat rate fee of $3.95. Any sale over $20, they take 20% commission. If you offer a discount on shipping to the buyer, you will earn even less.

    As a seller, you should:

    • Have boxes or polymailers, a printer (to print out the pre-paid mailing label), packing tape, tissue paper, scotch tape, bubble wrap or those air pillows to pad anything that’s fragile
    • Share your own listings
    • Share other people’s listings and follow other people daily
    • Add new listings at least once a week. If you’re just starting out, don’t add everything all at once. Add them gradually.
    • If you’ve had a listing up for a while and nothing is happening, delete it and re-list the item. Maybe you need to add more to your description or lower the price a bit.

    For your listings:

    • Make sure to inspect your clothes thoroughly and write any flaws in the description. BE HONEST because you’re less likely to get a complaint. There are still people out there who might make a complaint even if it’s in your description, but that’s not on you.
    • Steam your clothes (This isn’t a must, but it does look nicer when your clothes aren’t wrinkly. It shows that you care)
    • Use natural lighting or lighting that isn’t too cool or too warm so that the colours are accurate.
    • Write good descriptions – If your item is still available from where you bought it, use the pictures and descriptions from the store’s website.
    • List your items at a slightly higher price than you expect to sell for. Also, remember the Poshmark fees. If you want $20 for something, you’ll have to list it for $25 or more. 
    • Don’t forget that the buyer has to pay for $12.99 shipping. Say you have a pair of jeans with the tag on. You paid $100 for them. Don’t expect to get that $100 back because 1) You’d have to list them for over $100 because of the Poshmark fees 2) The buyer isn’t going to pay $100+ and $12.99 shipping on top of that. Especially if the jeans are still available in stores.

    Optional:

    • Own a clothes steamer or iron
    • I like to store my clothes with dryer sheets so that the clothes smell nice and fresh
    • Buy a fabric shaver. These are great even if you’re not selling clothes. They can make old sweaters look good again. It won’t always make clothes look brand new, but they do work! They have cheaper ones on Amazon, but I just recently bought the House of Wonderful Wonder Lint which is great. It reminds me of a hand mixer for baking. It’s not quite as big, but it’s still bigger than the 1st fabric defuzzer I bought which was $10. The $10 works great as well, but if you want to cover more surface area, the Wonder Lint one is bigger than the usual battery-operated ones.

    Congrats, you’ve made a sale!

    • Package them up nicely (I use tissue paper) and when necessary, I will add brown paper or bubble wrap to pad the items.
    • Add a little thank you note for the buyer. It doesn’t have to be a fancy ‘Thank You’ note. You could make your own cards or even use blank index cards to thank the buyer for choosing your closet.

    At this time, I’ve put my closet on a vacation hold. I would say I’ve been getting at least 5 sales every month since I started selling. It wouldn’t be social distancing if I go out to the post office for a non-essential business. I made the decision to do this, but I understand that many people (especially full-time sellers) are continuing to sell because it’s their main source of income. I had several reasons why I put my closet on a vacation hold:

    Just because I’m not selling at the moment doesn’t mean I’m not on Poshmark every day. I still make an effort to share other closet’s listings and follow people. This is the perfect time to continue taking pictures of inventory and writing descriptions for listings to be added. It’s also a great time to go through old listings and re-take pictures if needed.

    Some of you may have questions about income taxes in Canada. It’s best to consult with a professional as I am not an expert on the topic. I don’t want to misinform anyone.

    If you are thinking of starting a Poshmark closet, you can sign up with my invite code JENC26 and you’ll earn $15 CAD for your first purchase! Once you’ve made the purchase, I will also receive $15 credit for a purchase of my own 🙂

    Check out my Poshmark closet!

    Follow my Instagram account for my Poshmark Closet!

    If you have any questions, feel free to message me on Instagram or fill out the contact form.

    Love,

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  • Haul | 2018 Black Friday

    November 28, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    I did a bit of spending on Friday and Saturday. I bought quite a few things, but none were huge purchases (didn’t buy a coat or TV or something). Here’s what I purchased during the Black Friday Sale!

    Tarte Maracuja Oil (supersize) – purchased online

    I love the Maracuja Oil, and it’s much cheaper to buy the super size version. It’s twice the size, but only $20 more! It’s an especially good deal when it’s on sale!!

    Mighty Mug Go Stainlesss Steel (Blue & Red) – purchased online

    The mugs were Buy 1 Get 1 Free

    UPDATE (Jan 15/19): I still haven’t received the Mighty Mugs! I’ve emailed them twice and got a reply saying there was a delay with DHL. Stay tuned for second reply (if it comes).

    2nd UPDATE (Jan 18/19): I was issued a full refund, they also offered to give me the BOGO deal if I wanted to repurchase in the future. They mentioned that Canadians could be charged duties upon arrival, so if you’re Canadian, don’t order from them.

    The first travel mug that doesn’t fall over is now available in Stainless Steel. This vacuum-insulated, spill-free travel mug truly stands up to all others. Using Smartgrip Technology, this mug takes hold on any flat surface and won’t knock over if bumped into making it ideal for car trips and on-the-go coffee sips.

    Sephora – purchased in-store

    Smashbox Holidaze Photo Finish Primer Mini Trio

    • The Original Photo Finish Smooth + Blur Primer
    • Photo Finish Primerizer
    • Photo Finish Primer Water

    I split the set with my friend; she took the smooth + blur primer. I haven’t tried the primerizer or the primer water, so I will write a review once I’ve tested them out.

    Steve Madden Elouise Slip-on Sneakers – purchased in-store

    I’ve always liked the slip-on sneakers and I found one that I liked.

    For an easy-breezy sneaker, look no further than ELOUISE! A perforated upper provides this classic slip-on with fresh surface interest, as well as comfortable ventilation.

    Reitmans- purchased in-store

    A striped Cashmere blend sweater and a striped midi dress

    Hollister – purchased online

    Ribbed Sweater Dress, Faux Leather Skirt, Low-Rise Jeggings (in black and denim) and a PJ set

    I returned the Faux Leather Skirt because it didn’t sit right on my hips – there was too much material where I could fold it over to fit me better. I also returned the denim jeggings because for some reason they were really tight (even though they were the same size as the black ones). I went in store to try on a larger size and even went up a few sizes, and they still felt super tight. So, maybe that’s how those ones fit, but I didn’t want something so tight.

    What did you get during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales?

    Love,

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  • clothing declutter

    My Rules for Decluttering | Clothing Edition

    August 24, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Similar to my Makeup Goals and Style Goals, I thought I’d set some rules for when I declutter beauty products and clothing. This post will focus on clothing and if you missed the beauty edition (click here)!

    I feel like I have a bigger attachment to clothes and accessories than makeup and skincare. Unless makeup or skincare is discontinued, I can always pick it up again if I need to, but for clothes and accessories, they might not sell it anymore. I’m a bit of a hoarder that way because I always think, “I might need this for a Hallowe’en costume or something.”

    If the clothes/accessories are still in good condition, I’ll donate them (unless it’s underwear). I’ll ask the following questions before decluttering anything:

    Where did I buy it from? 

    Any jewellery that I’ve bought from Claire’s, Forever21 and other similar stores, I’ve decided to donate them. If you read my Style Goals post, you’ll know that I am only going to buy better quality jewellery.

    Does it still fit?

    Obviously if it doesn’t fit anymore, I will probably get rid of it, but sometimes I’ll think, “maybe I’ll fit into it again.”

    Is it too young for me?

    I know I’m still young, but there are certain things I probably should stop wearing because they look too girly and cutesy. For example, my prom dress still fits me, but I don’t know if I’d ever wear it again unless I got it altered. It’s a light chiffon material which looks kind of girly and feminine. It’s pleated and it has a design at the bottom that makes it look like it has tiers which is what makes it more girly. It hits above the knee and has an empire waist. I think, for me, unless it’s a summer dress or made of a thicker material than chiffon, I should get dresses that are knee, midi or maxi length.

    The very left pic is my prom dress (it looks so much shorter on the very tall model, it’s just above the knee on me) and the second one is a dress that I think is too young for me because it’s mid-thigh, chiffon and the way that it flares. I think the window of opportunity for wearing the black dress would’ve been ages 15-20. I don’t think I own any dresses that are fit and flare and mid-thigh length. Any dresses that are mid-thigh are form-fitting so there’s lower risk of seeing underwear when leaning over. The two dresses on the right are ones I think are more appropriate. The maroon dress is above the knee, but it’s a cotton material which has more weight to it, so it’s not as flirty. Also, the way it flares isn’t as dramatic as the black dress because it’s still form-fitting and won’t make me look hippy. The blue dress on the right is at the knee which makes it more grown up.

    How long have I had it? Is it in good condition?

    Have I had it for longer than a year? Is it in good condition still? For me, I don’t usually have to ask myself if it’s in style because I choose more classic pieces. But every now and then, I decide to wear certain clothes as loungewear instead of wearing out of the house. For example, baby doll shirts were really in style when I was in high school and I have a few of those. They’re great for hiding those food babies!

    I usually go through my clothes every year or so to see what I want to donate. I have more clothes than I have closet space. I think my goal is to have all my clothes comfortably fit in my dresser, closet and shelves without overflowing. Like I said before, I’m a hoarder. For some reason, I have a lot of Forever21 activewear and I also have a lot of t-shirts from volunteering. I think it’s time to donate those and just get a few better quality pieces because I don’t need more than 2 or 3 outfits.

    I was curious to see if there were articles on how often you should throw out underwear and bras. I found out that you’re supposed to throw out your underwear after a year and replace bras every 6-8 months.

    For underwear, I used to buy new ones at least once a year, but I wouldn’t be throwing out old ones as quickly. I have a whole drawer full of bras and underwear and I probably only wear 1/3 of them. A lot are lacy and pretty and not that comfortable, so I don’t wear them that often. I just keep wearing the same ones over and over.

    For bras, it was the same; I’d buy some on sale every year, but still wear the same non-lacy, t-shirt bras on a daily basis. For a while, I had like 30 bras and then I was at La Senza (lingerie store) and the lady measured me and it turns out I was a band size lower and a cup higher. I was wearing the sister size to my bra (i.e. 34A is the sister size to 32B). So, I had a ton of bras in the ‘wrong size,’ they still fit, but the new ones definitely worked better. At first when she said I was wearing the wrong size, I was like pshh! She just wants me to buy new bras, but I went to try them on in the new size and I was like “oh, damnit, she’s right, this fits way better!” Get fitted for your size, people! You might be wearing a size that doesn’t fit you. I was wearing a 34 band size and when I used a tape measure, I was like 31 or 32 when I measured under the bust. I would always wear it on the smallest hook of the three. I’ve learned that you’re supposed to be hooking the last one (loosest hook) and then as you wear the bra more and it stretches, you start to wear it on the middle and tightest hooks. Makes so much sense!

    I think I might try that tip where you put everything in your closet with the hanger facing the other way and then when you wear something, you turn it the other way. That way, after a year, you can see what you haven’t worn and decide if you want to keep it.

    How often do you declutter your clothes?

    Love,

    jen

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  • My Rules for Decluttering | Beauty Edition

    August 22, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Similar to my Makeup Goals and Style Goals, I thought I’d set some rules for when I declutter beauty products and clothing. This post will focus on beauty and Friday’s post will be clothing. I will be posting my first Declutter post next week because I decluttered a lot of beauty products this month. I plan to go through my clothing and accessories soon too. I’ve already gotten rid of some things when I was reorganizing my room, but I need to actually take things out of my closet and dresser and go through them properly.

    To prevent wasting too much money, I’ve decided to come up with some ground rules before I declutter any products I have. I’ll ask myself the following questions before I go through with decluttering anything:

    How much was it?

    Did I buy it or get it for free? Was it over $25? If it was under $10 and I don’t use it very often, I’ll probably declutter, but if it was over $25, then I’ll ask myself the next question.

    How long have I had it? Is it expired?

    Unless I broke out from using it or had some bad reaction, I’m going to say that I have to have had it in my collection for at least 3 months before I can declutter it. If I’ve had it for that long and haven’t used it much, then I probably don’t love it enough to kep it.

    Did I give it a proper trial? Can I use it in another way?

    Did I give it a fair shot? If it was something like a foundation, did I try it in different ways- different primers and moisturizers? Unless I received a foundation for free or picked it up from Winners for less than $10, I don’t usually buy foundations unless I’ve tried multiple samples and done a thorough wear test.

    Is it a highlighter that’s too chunky/glittery? Can I use it as an eyeshadow? Is it a face cream? Can I use it on my hands or something?

    How much have I used? Can I give it away to a family member, friend or donate it?

    How much have I used? Is it worth giving to my mom/sister/friend or donating it?

    Do you have any rules for decluttering? 

    Love,

    jen

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  • Style Goals | A Classic Wardrobe

    July 25, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Continuing with “Goals” posts, I thought I’d one on style. For both the makeup and style goals, they aren’t just for 2019, but they are goals I’m setting myself going forward.

    Check out my Makeup Goals!

    Ever since my interest in makeup went up, my clothes buying went down because I gotta save somewhere! So, I don’t think I will need to be instituting an annual budget for clothes. Unlike my makeup buying habits, I wouldn’t say I’m as impulsive with clothes because it’s different. Yes, I’ve bought clothes I didn’t necessarily need, but with clothes, you can try them on and make sure they fit right and for the most part, you can return them. With makeup (especially drugstore makeup that doesn’t have a tester), you’re just buying it based on what you may have read or heard.

    GOAL #1 | Buy more colours and patterns

    If you looked into my closet, you’d see darkness because most of my wardrobe consists of dark blue or black with a touch of colour. Some day, my wish is to have a walk-in closet and it would be really boring to just see walls of black and blue.

    GOAL #2 | Buy better quality

    This doesn’t necessarily mean ‘buy more expensive’ because I can still buy good quality clothes for less at places like Winners and Marshalls. My style is fairly classic and plain, so it’s not like I need the latest jeans or blouses- I’m fine with jeans that were released in 2015.

    Buying better quality is especially important for buying jewellery for me now. A lot of things I’ve bought from Forever21 or Ardene/Claire’s have tarnished. I think I may have gotten an allergic reaction from a ring that I always used to wear. You can definitely tell the difference in appearance- better quality looks super shiny and actually looks silver/gold/rose gold. I love my pieces from Stella & Dot (check out my post).

    I think it’s time to buy better quality bras too. A lot of the time, I got to La Senza to buy bras that are on sale for less than $15. Most of the time when I’m getting dressed, I reach for the same ones. I might as well spend a bit more on an everyday bra and have fewer instead of having 30 bras where I don’t wear 20.

    GOAL #3 | No more shopping at stores like Forever21

    This goes with buying better quality clothes, it’s time to shop my age. Once I passed my 21st birthday and after graduating university, I felt like I should stop buying clothes at Forever21. I already stopped doing this a few years ago when my mom kept telling me to buy better quality clothes. Unless I’m making a DIY Hallowe’en costume, I won’t be stepping foot into a Forever21 store while shopping for myself from now on.

    GOAL #4 | Declutter

    I was reorganizing my room and went through my jewellery to declutter/donate. I am a hoarder; I keep a lot of things because I think, “what if I need this later?” I have a whole dresser full of loungewear and pajamas. I think it’s time I go through some clothes and donate the ones I don’t wear.

    GOAL #5 | Build a Classic Wardrobe with Pops of Colour

    I’ve read numerous articles on building capsule wardrobes and classic wardrobes. I love clothes, shoes, bags and makeup. I don’t think I could ever have a minimalist collection of anything. The items in the Minimalist collections are great starting points, but I want more. For the different articles on building a classic/capsule wardrobe, I own most of the ones they have, i.e. little black dress, knee-high boots, trench coat, dark jeans, black sweater, etc.

    Items I want to add to my wardrobe:

    • Plain white t-shirt (I don’t know why I don’t have any)
    • A coloured blazer (maybe red or blue)
    • Watch (I like Rosefield watches)
    • Patent nude pointed toe pump
    • Wrap/waterfall coat (in black, blue or maybe even bordeaux)- waterfall style is like that drape-y type of coat
    • Classic trench coat (I have a classic beige/tan trench, but it’s a thinner material, it’s not like a water-resistant ones from Burberry/Coach)
    • Comfortable flat ankle boots
      • my cousins wear the Blundstone Chelsea ankle boots, but I don’t think I could pull those off
    • Black riding boots
      • I know ‘comfort brands’ are known for being kind of old lady-ish (i.e. Clarks), but when I was working at Hudson’s Bay, I saw a lot of nice riding boots by brands like Naturalizer and Rockport
    • Designer bag & wallet (maybe a Michael Kors or Tory Burch wallet, and I dream of a YSL crossbody bag, but those are like $3000)
      • I don’t think it’s unreasonable to spend a few hundred on a nice bag and wallet. I take good care of my things, so they’ll last a long time. I have a Longchamp tote that I’ve had for 4 or 5 years and it’s in pristine condition. I’ve used it as my main purse for 2 years now. I love my Longchamp tote, but it’d be nice to get a bag with a shoulder strap so I don’t have to worry about it falling off my shoulder
    • Some day, I would love to own a pair of Gianvito Rossi pumps (Kate Middleton wears these), Christian Louboutins and Jimmy Choos. Also dreaming about the Patent Nude Valentino Rockstuds, but we’ll see if those go out of style since they’re trendy. They’re very expensive, but I’ve heard multiple ladies call them ‘the most comfortable pump they’ve owned’

    What are your style goals?

    Love,

    jen

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  • Perfect Mother’s Day Gift! | Stella & Dot Engravable Jewelry

    May 2, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    As you might remember from last year, I am an affiliate for Stella & Dot. They are having an awesome sale just in time for Mother’s Day! For a limited time, it’s 20% off Engravable Jewelry.

    CaptureefdfSilver Bar Necklace

    CapturesedxRose Gold Signature Engravable Bangle

    CapturessDelicate Gold Personalized Wishing Bracelet

    You can personalize the jewelry with dates, names, geographic locations, whatever you want! You can choose from different fonts and styles. It’s a great Mother’s Day gift or Bridesmaid gift for your besties! My mom doesn’t personally wear jewelry, but I would love to get one of these gorgeous engravables for my friends one day.

    I have a silver sparkle bangle that they used to sell (see below). It looks like the plain silver bangle on one side and on the front, it has crystals. Inside, it says “SHINE BRIGHT” which is so cute. I will definitely be purchasing a plain engraved one once I figure out what I want it to say.

    20180429_174949.jpg

    Stella & Dot jewelry is absolutely beautiful, especially the sparkly ones!

    Check out my haul!

    Have you tried Stella & Dot Jewelry?

    Love,

    jen

    *I was compensated for this post and this post also contains affiliate links.

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  • stella & dot jewellery

    Worth It? | Stella & Dot Jewellery

    April 12, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Stella & Dot offers gorgeous jewellery pieces and other accessories (bags, tops, sunglasses, scarves, etc.) and they just released a collaboration with Rebecca Minkoff. So far the collaboration is just jewellery, I’m hoping that they might come out with some nice tops.

    Worth It? Absolutely! The pieces are gorgeous and so sparkly!

    Here is a haul of the gorgeous pieces purchased by my family, friends and me:

    TITLES JC(3)
    Clockwise from Top-Left: Pave Triangle Path Ear Climbers, Celestial Choker, Stellar Pave Ring, Tilley Ear Studs, The Wishing Necklace, Claudia Stackable Rings

    Celestial Choker – My cousin ordered this necklace in gold and I got the same one for free for my birthday (free with a $40 purchase). I got the silver one. In the display pictures on the Stella & Dot website, they paired this with The Wishing Necklace. It’s really cute alone or layered with other dainty necklaces.

    Pave Triangle Path Ear Climbers – I love ear climbers, they give you an edgy look without having to pierce your ears all the way up. I have two piercings in each ear and that’s enough for me. My sister got these and they are really cute. They start from the biggest triangle at the base of your lobe and get smaller as it goes up.

    Tilley Ear Studs – My friend ordered these and they are really cute, dainty earrings.

    Claudia Stackable Rings – I ordered these for myself and I love that you can mix and match the rings. You can wear just one, two or all three.

    Stellar Pave Ring – This is a really pretty sparkly ring. I got this for a friend and I was even considering getting one for myself, but I already have a few rings that look similar.

    The Wishing Necklace – My sister ordered this and from what I can tell from pictures, it’s a really cute, delicate necklace that you can wear alone or layer it with other dainty necklaces.

    TITLES JC(2)

    Pave Triangle Ear Jackets (no longer available) – I love that these are 6-in-1. You can wear the triangles alone or with the ear jackets (pave side or non-pave side) and then you can wear the pave bars alone or with the ear jackets (pave side or non-pave side). I loved the triangles and pave bar earrings, but I wasn’t sure how well the ear jackets would fit on my ears. But they are really cute on and I love that it has different levels, I use the lowest level on the jackets because otherwise you see a gap between the jackets and my ear lobe. It’s also great because you can wear the jackets with other earrings too.

    Sparkle Inspiration Bangle (no longer available) – This is a beautiful bangle and it’s engraved on the inside, it says “SHINE BRIGHT.” I wish my wrist was a bit bigger because it flops around, but I can just wear other bracelets with it to keep it in place.

    Seine Ring (no longer available) – I got this for my friend and it’s great because you can adjust the size if you need to. It is quite tall so if you have short fingers, you might have trouble bending your finger.

    TITLES JC.png

    Tessa Top in Berry – My mom ordered this and it’s a really pretty raspberry chiffon top. It’s a high-low top where it’s slightly longer in the back as you can see in the picture.

    Hideaway Pouch in Navy Stripe – My mom, sister and I all got this pouch for free for making a purchase during my trunk show (we had a choice of four different pouches and we all liked this one). This pouch is a lot bigger than you would think. I thought it was a makeup pouch, but it’s a travel pouch (make sure to look at the dimensions).

    Thoughts: I absolutely love all the jewellery I bought. They’re even more sparkly and beautiful in person and the little gift boxes they come in are so cute and unique. It’s hard to choose a favourite, but I think I have to choose my Claudia Stackable Rings and the Pave Triangle Ear Jackets.

    Have you heard of Stella & Dot before? What are you fave pieces?

    Love,

    jen

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  • knix sport seamless panties

    Review | Knix Seamless Underwear

    April 10, 2018

    **This is not a sponsored post, I just thought I’d write an informative post about it since I’ve tried some of their products**

    **Since writing this post, they have obviously updated their products. They no longer have the Everyday line and they now offer bras, lacy underwear, swimwear, loungewear**

    Hi Everyone!

    I first heard of Knix a few years ago and in 2016 when my sister was getting married, I wanted to get a seamless underwear so I wouldn’t be showing any panty lines! Both of my dresses were made of chiffon and lined, but when I wore regular underwear underneath, you could definitely see the seams.

    Trying to figure out which underwear to buy? Let me help you! I’ve gone through their website and gathered some information to differentiate all the different types. I was a bit overwhelmed myself when trying to decide which ones to choose from.

    This is going to be a long post, if you want to read about my opinions, it’s in the first part, if you want to read about the different categories and styles, then scroll down!

    So, are these seamless underwear worth it?

    Absolutely! I wouldn’t have written this post if they weren’t! They are especially great for weddings (whether you’re the bride or part of the bridal party!)

    I’ve bought several pairs over the past few years and I have several different types: Everyday Leakproof Boy Shorts, Athletic Cheeky and Athletic Bikini. I think the Everyday Leakproof Boy Shorts and the Athletic Bikini that I have are a bit older and they have since changed the gusset. Now they have a quick dry gusset, but the ones I have are regular 100% cotton gussets.

    I’m not going to lie, Knix underwear is expensive, but they are super comfy and will last you a long time (especially if you only wear them if you have to). I don’t see my self wearing my Everyday Boy Shorts underneath a pair of jeans. I’ll be saving it for whenever I have a special event or something. The Athletic ones are a different story- I’ve bought them in bulk and they didn’t cost me $25. I’ve only bought the Athletic underwear on sale, I bought the Everyday ones for my sister’s wedding and it’s not like I could anticipate when they’d go on sale. Back in 2016, they didn’t even have knix.ca, so I could only buy them from Hudson’s Bay. I got two Athletic Bikinis from Hudson’s Bay (before they stopped selling them). They were on sale for $9 or something.

    I also have a few pairs of No Show Cheeky Panties from Hollister’s Gilly Hicks line. They’re on sale right now (at a 1/3 of the price of a Knix underwear) and they are also super comfortable. In the past few years, a lot of other brands have come up with their own seamless underwear, but it seems like they’re all thicker and similar to the Athletic line. I haven’t seen a lot that are seamless and thinner like the Everyday line.

    Athletic underwear- Cheeky in the purple, Bikini in beige (Left pic- Back, Right pic- Front). Cheeky is a lower rise underwear than the bikini.

    All of the fits are comfortable – it feels like you’re not wearing anything. I think I prefer the boy shorts or bikini. I like the cheeky underwear too, but because the bum coverage isn’t as good, it does that thing like when you wear bandeaus. Let me explain…when your bandeau is tight (because you don’t want it to slip down) and you get the dreaded ‘quad boob’ look aka your bra cuts into your boobs and then it looks like you have four boobs. It’s the same with the cheeky underwear if you’re standing a certain way- you get a ‘quad bum.’ They have it as a ‘quad ass’ on Urban Dictionary, but I’m trying to make it sound nicer. Since the underwear is a bit tighter so that it can create a seamless look against your body, and it’s cheeky, it gives you the illusion of having four butt cheeks. It’s fine if you’re standing with your bum sticking out (no one stands like that normally though), but if you lean to one side, then you get that effect. For this reason, I think the boy short, bikini, high rise or thong is the best bet.

    UPDATE: It’s been about a year since I’ve started wearing them more regularly. I’ve noticed that one of the Athletic pairs have stretched a bit. Comparing them to others, the waistband is almost half an inch longer than one of my newer pairs. I think it’s because of the Lycra material.

    Which Do I Choose? Athletic or Everyday?

    The following are my opinions on which underwear you should get depending on what you plan to wear them for, of course you don’t have to take my advice, but these are my suggestions:

    Knix Underwear

    Everyday (left in the 1st pic, 2nd pic), Athletic (right in the 1st pic, 3rd pic)- You can tell that the Everyday underwear are more sheer and pinky and you can see my hand under the Everyday, but not the Athletic

    • Choose Everyday line if you want a seamless underwear to wear under a dress, skirt or pair of pants.
    • Choose Athletic if you plan to exercise in them.

    Whether you choose regular or leakproof is up to you. I bought an Everyday Leakproof Boy Short because it was on sale at Hudson’s Bay. If I had the choice, I think I would’ve chosen regular because there is a built-in panty liner which makes the gusset a bit  thicker than the non-leakproof underwear and the gusset is also wider than my regular underwear from La Senza.

    When I built a set to get 5 pairs on Black Friday, I was given a random selection of colours. I assume that they bring out different colours as limited edition. I was sent the following 5 colours: Black, Grey Heather, Reptile, Bourdeaux and Gravity.

    The care instructions for all of the underwear: machine wash cold with mild detergent, do not bleach, lay flat to dry.

    They all have a Quick Dry Gusset- Dries 2-3 times faster than regular cotton and carbon cotton fights odor.

    Knix has different categories: Athletic & Everyday and Regular & Leakproof. Then each offer different styles: Bikini and Boyshort are available for all and then there are Thong, Cheeky and High Rise. Check out my table below to see which styles are available in the different categories:

      Bikini Boyshort Thong Cheeky High Rise
    Athletic x x x x  
    Everyday Performance x x x   x
    Athletic Leakproof x x x    
    Everyday Leakproof x x     x

    Athletic & Athletic Leakproof will relax a bit more than the Everyday line because of the stretch tech which means that the Everyday & Everyday Leakproof underwear hugs more snugly than the Athletic line.

    They also have a long underwear called the Thigh Saver Short. It looks similar to Spanx, but it’s made from a thinner material. They use the same material as the Everyday Performance Underwear. It’s worn to wick away sweat, create a seamless look and eliminate chafing. These are not shaping underwear.

    Bikini- A classic mid rise silhouette with medium coverage through the hip and bum.

    Boyshort- Extra coverage through the hip and bum, and sit slightly higher than our bikini silhouette.

    Cheeky- The cheeky is our lowest rise with light coverage through the bum.

    Thong- Our thong provides a mid rise silhouette with minimal coverage.

    High Rise- Our high rise sit at the natural waist and provide medium coverage through the bum.

    Thigh Saver- The thigh saver sits just below the natural waist and provide coverage down to the mid thigh.

    The Selection of Underwear

    Athletic

    Our moisture-wicking performance underwear maximize movement and comfort during your most intense workouts. And seamless technology means no panty lines will ever distract you from kicking butt.

    Body: 77% nylon, 23% LYCRA®

    Gusset liner: 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon

    • Bikini- $22 USD
    • Boyshort- $23 USD
    • Cheeky- $23 USD
    • Thong- $20 USD

    Athletic Leakproof

    High-performance underwear with an ultra thin, built-in panty liner. Absorbs up to 3 tsp of moisture (approx. 2 tampons), great for light bladder leaks and as back-up period protection.

    Body: 77% nylon, 23% LYCRA®

    Gusset Liner: 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon

    Gusset: Fresh Fix Technology®

    • Bikini- $25 USD
    • Boyshort- $25 USD
    • Thong- $25 USD

    Everyday Performance

    Our desert-island underwear. Light-as-air fabric gives you that naked-but-better feel, while seamless, bonded construction and soft velvet flocking hug your curves and vanish under clothes.

    Body- 65% nylon, 35% spandex

    Gusset Liner- 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon

    • Bikini- $23 USD
    • Boyshorts- $23 USD
    • High Rise- $28 USD
    • Thong- $20 USD

    Everyday Leakproof

    Essential, go-anywhere underwear with an ultra thin, built-in panty liner. Absorbs up to 3 tsp of moisture (approx. 2 tampons), great for light bladder leaks and as back-up period protection.

    Body: 65% nylon, 35% Spandex

    Gusset Liner: 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon

    Gusset: Fresh Fix Technology®

    • Bikini- $25 USD
    • Boyshorts- $25 USD
    • High Rise- $30 USD

    Thigh Saver Short– $38 USD

    Our seamless long leg underwear wick away sweat for silky smooth comfort that eliminates chafing. We love these invisible, forget-they’re-there shorts under our favorite summer dresses.

    Body: 65% nylon, 35% Spandex

    Gusset: 100% cotton

    **UPDATE**

    There’s also a Knixteen which sells period underwear for teens (similar to the leakproof underwear for adults). The underwear is cheaper, but you’ll have to figure out your sizing because they’re sized for teens’ bodies. Some people said they just ordered a size up from the usual, but others said the fit of the underwear didn’t work with their bodies.

    I’ve ordered Knixteen underwear in a size Medium (I’m a small in Knix) and they fit well. They started out a bit tight, but they’ve relaxed a bit and fit well.

    Do you wear Knix? What seamless undies do you buy?

    Love,

    jen

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  • My Makeup Desk Reveal!

    January 4, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    I finally got around to cleaning up my makeup desk so that I could take pictures of it to show you. My room now looks like an IKEA catalog (Every large piece of furniture except my bed, a bookcase and chair is from IKEA).

    I have two desks in my room, the Micke Desk that I originally bought as my makeup desk is now my ‘office’ desk and I am using my old desk (tabletop and two legs plus drawer unit on one side) from school as my makeup desk. It’s also better that I use my old desk that’s already scratched up because I don’t have any glass to protect the tabletop and I would keep having to wipe the Micke desk to keep it pristine and white. My old tabletop already has scratches and marks. I originally got the Micke desk because it had the two drawers, but I needed more room and the Alex 5-drawer unit was on sale and, my dad made the mistake of asking me if I wanted it. Like any other makeup lover, I just had to have it for my makeup desk! I would’ve loved it even more if I could’ve gotten two (one for each side), but I can always buy it in the future.

    0175275_pe328652_s5.jpg
    Linnmon Table top | White | $9.99

    adils-leg__0136756_pe294561_s4-e1515077166167.jpg
    Adils legs x 4 | Silver | $5 each ($20 total, but if you use the Alex drawer unit on one side, you only need two)

    0087723_PE217289_S5
    Alex Drawer unit (5 drawers) | White | $80 (it was on sale for $69)

    Valspar-Gravity-4005-1B.png

    For my wall colour, I chose Valspar’s Gravity. My room has been a sky blue ever since I was a kid and it was time to choose a more sophisticated colour. I went with a light gray because my room has a regular-sized window that doesn’t let a lot of light in and I needed my room to be bright enough to do my makeup. If my window was bigger, I would’ve chosen a darker gray. In pictures, it doesn’t look like my wall colour has changed and to be honest, in person, it doesn’t look a whole lot different from the blue.

    It took me a while to find a chair I liked. Some were too high and others too low for my desk. I considered benches, stools, and shorter bar stools. I finally settled on a metal-framed chair with armrests from Structube. Sometimes when I’m sitting, I’m only sitting on the ledge of the chair, I’m not fully sitting in it. Because of this, it sometimes makes a creaking noise when I move because my weight isn’t distributed evenly on the chair. I bought the white shag rug for the floor, but I like having it over my chair like a blanket, plus if I had put it on the floor, I think I would accidentally get makeup on it.

    004225_eiffel_chair_90121410_ang_1500dpi_00-90.12.14.10
    Eiffel Chair | White | $49

    tejn-rug-white__0146820_PE305815_S4.JPG
    Tejn Rug | $14.99

    index.jpg
    TRLYC Rose Gold and Silver Reversible Mermaid Sequin Pillow Case | $12.56 (I got mine for $11.99)

    I’ve always loved mermaid sequined things; the ones where you can run your hand across it one way and it’s one colour and you go the opposite way and the sequins are a different colour on the underside. I got a custom-size version of a mermaid sequin pillow case (I had a 14×14 pillow, but they sell 16×16). If you want a custom one, you just need to contact the seller. The underside of the sequins aren’t silver, they’re white (in flash pictures or some angles, it appears silver, but they are definitely rose gold and white).

    I specifically bought a tall bookcase to display my shoes. To put a spin on the regular shoe display, I added some foil art and clutches to add some colour and metallics since my shoes are mostly black or nude. I would’ve loved to get the Billy Bookcase, but I had to save money somewhere. The bookcase I bought was a deal at $29, but it comes with non-adjustable shelves and a backing that was folded into three so you can see the three lines (the display picture is misleading, it has a cardboard-like backing that was folded into three parts when I was taking it out of the box).

    gersby-bookcase-white__0251910_PE390723_S4.JPG
    Gersby Bookcase | $29

    media-201711032222.jpg

    I bought Ribba picture ledges to display my nail polish. They no longer sell the Ribba ones, but they sell ones that are wider for the same price as I got mine ($9.99). I’m glad I was able to get the Ribba ones because the new ones are almost twice as wide and it would be a waste not to display a second row of nail polish bottles, but then it wouldn’t look as clean and organized unless you have a lot of the same brand of nail polish. I have a lot more nail polish than what I have on the shelves, but I displayed my OPIs because I have more of those and it gives it a more uniform look. I also decided to put my perfume on the top shelf instead of having two rows of nail polish and I added a framed piece of DIY art that I made from perfume sample cards.

    c63b67c82490071a0720059df031248f.jpg
    Mosslanda Picture ledge (55cm) | White | $9.99

    I bought a countertop light for above my mirror. I attached it to an L-Shaped piece of wood that my dad made from two wood scraps. The light had several components to it:

    omlopp-led-countertop-light-gray__0372808_pe551888_s4.jpg
    Omlopp LED countertop light 24″ | White | $42
    Ansluta Power Supply Cord| $5.99
    Ansluta Electronic Transformer | $14
    Ansluta Remote Control | $16.99 (optional)

    The first three parts are required, you obviously need the light, but then you need the power cord and electronic transformer for the light to be plugged in. The remote control was extra, but I thought it was cool and also be more handy to turn the light on than having to find the cord every time I put my makeup on.

    In the corner, between the wall and my desk, I have a utility cart (that I got for free from my sister- if I had bought one, I would’ve gotten white or something lighter) to hold the rest of my products: skincare, more nail polish, hair stuff. The Alex drawer holds my makeup and hair tools. I took off the wheels because with the wheels, it’s taller than my desk and I didn’t like that.

    raskog-utility-cart-black__0439240_PE591989_S4.JPG
    Raskog Utility cart | black | $34.99

    BEFORE

    This was my original makeup setup (I don’t have any shots of it from afar). I had my makeup displayed on top of a bookcase where I sat on a stool. All I had for light was the mirror’s (my ceiling light was behind me so I would always be doing my makeup in dim lighting. My large mirror was on the adjacent wall.

    Capturex

    The next picture is a few months into redecorating. It was after I knew the general layout of how I wanted things, but before I got a new chair, switched my desks and added the light on top. I took away the necklace hooks and I might put them on the adjacent wall, I still haven’t decided yet.

    IMG-20170402-WA0007 (2)

    AFTER

    media-20180104fddd
    If you’re wondering why my reflection isn’t visible, it’s because I’m kneeling down to take the picture…despite my sleeping habits, I’m not a vampire.

    media-20180104-e1515077942655.jpg

    What does your dream makeup desk/vanity look like?

    Love,

    jen

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  • amazon fashion haul

    I Bought Two Skirts from Amazon

    June 11, 2017

    Hi Everyone!

    I bought two skirts from Amazon.ca and it wasn’t a disaster! I’m not talking about the brand name clothes like Adrianna Papell or Calvin Klein on Amazon, I bought two skirts that were shipped from Asia. To my surprise, both were well made and looked exactly like the pictures.

    Buying clothes from any store online is a gamble because you may not know what size you are. Even though there is a sizing chart to help you figure out what size you are, you could be between sizes or the measurements are off. I’ve ordered several pairs of ankle pants from different stores, but none of the pants have fit nicely and I had to return them to the stores. Luckily, I chose stores that I can easily return the pants: Old Navy, Hudson’s Bay and Abercrombie & Fitch. Unless you know exactly what size you are, it’s best to try them on in-store first if you plan to buy them online (if anyone else is a sucker for ebates, like me, you know that you can get some cash back if you order online and now they offer in-store ebates too…yay!).

    For both skirts I ordered on Amazon.ca, I wish they came in an XS because I think that would fit me better, but given the dimensions in the size chart, I knew they might be a bit big. They both fit at my hips, but based on the pictures for both skirts, they’re supposed to sit a little higher. I wanted to find a midi pleated skirt, but didn’t have any luck with finding one that I liked or was the price I was willing to pay. So, I bought a ponte midi full skater skirt by Star Vixen in black, size small and a flowy maxi skirt with a side slit by Urban CoCo in black, also size small. They no longer offer the Urban CoCo skirt I got in black, but they still have red and some sizes in a teal colour that they call blue. Both skirts were about $40 with tax. I liked that the Star Vixen skirt had free returns because I wasn’t sure if it would be too hippy, but it turned out fine.

    The Star Vixen skirt is very thick and made in USA. Even though the description says its ponte, I wasn’t sure if it would be exactly as described. Ponte knit is a thicker fabric than jersey. This skirt will be great for fall, paired with some pointed toe pumps, I personally love the look of the skirt with my blue pumps by Louise et Cie.

    20170523_1054413.pngI was expecting the flowy skirt to be a chiffon-looking material, but it has a bit of a sheen to it, which I think makes it more of a night-time, party skirt than a typical maxi skirt that you could wear everyday or to a daytime party. I have an H&M maxi skirt with side slits on both sides that would work at a party because it’s chiffon. The flowy maxi skirt is very long, and since it should go higher up, I adjusted it by folding the waist at the back and sewing together. There’s a part that overlaps now and sort of creates a pleat at the top, but since the skirt is so flowy, you can’t tell it’s been altered unless you look really closely. The zipper is a bit harder to zip up now since there’s more material near it, but I didn’t want to pay to get the skirt taken in or have the length altered professionally. Before I altered it, the skirt would stop just above my hips, but since the material is so thin, the waist wouldn’t lie flat against my body. I think the zipper is almost too heavy for the material, so the part of the skirt with the zipper would sort of stick out.

    Both skirts would look good with a Portofino shirt from Express, or any button up shirt that’s a chiffon material or a loose-fitting tank that can create a blouson dress look (where the dress has an elastic waist or belt and then the material above hangs over the waist).

    Love,

    jen

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  • Parents of the Bride/Groom- Attire

    May 3, 2017

    Hi Everyone!

    I realized that I wrote multiple posts on what I wore to my sister’s wedding, but I forgot to tell you what my parents wore to the wedding and what we got for my grandma for the reception.

    We already knew which styles my mom liked because of Pinterest. Last summer, we started looking around in stores and my mom tried on some dresses. We narrowed it down to the exact style that she likes. We realized that sequins were too much for her, but lace is too plain…so we went with a morph of the two: lace with some beading. She tried on Tadashi Shoji dresses, but she didn’t like the style on her. So, we ended up with two dresses by Adrianna Papell.

    I ordered them from Nordstrom online which was a bit of a gamble but we bought one dress in her regular size and the other we ordered a size up in petite (that’s all they had in stock). Adrianna Papell dresses are beautiful for bridesmaids and mothers of the bride/groom.

    I think Adrianna Papell will be my mom’s go-to designer for whenever she needs a nice dress. She also got a blue lace shift dress by Adrianna Papell that she wore to the wedding shower in October. They are affordable and have a bit of sparkle. She ended up wearing the one on the right to both the wedding in Mauritius and the reception in Toronto. The one on the left was the one that we ordered a size larger, but in a petite and my mom felt it was a bit too short because it ended a bit higher up than the other one.

    For shoes, she got a pair of Nine West Austin pumps in Gunmetal. These are interesting because depending on the lighting, they look gold or silver or a mix of both (as you can see on the left and right, these are the same colour, but the lighting has changed its appearance).

    For my dad’s suit, we knew we were going to get a navy blue suit (contemporary fit) because my soon-to-be brother-in-law was wearing a dark gray suit and my dad didn’t want to match. My dad tried on several suits: Canali, Hugo Boss, Harry Rosen’s brand, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, etc. He ended up with a dark blue one from Harry Rosen by Z Zegna (I think it’s this one). He wore it with a plain white button up shirt and a blue chevron tie. There was some deal at Harry Rosen (spend a certain amount and get an accessory $100 off or something so the tie was basically free). He wore his classic Florsheim leather wingtips in Black (which I believe are older than me). I don’t really think there’s a need to post pics for these because suits are kind of all the same and they don’t even sell the Florsheim shoes anymore. The reason I post pics of M’s dresses are to help Mothers of the Bride/Groom who are in search of an outfit.

    For my grandma, we knew what style she wanted: flowy skirt, not too fitted with beading…lots of beading. My grandma loves her bling. So, I ordered her two dresses from Nordstrom as well. Two embellished gowns by Pisarro Nights.

    She liked the black one better and returned the blue one because it didn’t fit quite right (otherwise, she probably would’ve kept it for the next grandchild’s wedding). I don’t know what shoes she wore, but they were black pointed toe kitten heels. On IG, after Christmas, I posted a pic of a jacket (see below) that we got grandma from Mendocino that’s black and beaded. She wore it ON TOP of her black and beaded dress when she got cold. Coincidentally, they matched even though they are different brands (the jacket is by Velvet, you can see a full-length view: here). We also had to order one dress in regular size and another in petite (but one size up). The smaller size didn’t quite fit, but the petite one that was one size up fit perfectly.

    When ordering dresses online, you need to remember that the Petite sizes aren’t just shorter, but the measurements for the bust/waist/hips are smaller as well (even when ordering a size up). For example, a 4 Petite still has slightly smaller measurements than a 2 Regular. See the table below:

    2 Petite 2 Regular 4 Petite
    Bust 32.25″ 33.5″ 33.25″
    Waist 25″ 26″ 26″
    Hips 33.75″ 35.5″ 34.75″

    My mom and grandma seem to be quite lucky when ordering online. I haven’t been so lucky, it’s either a hit or a miss. Recently, I’ve had to return several pairs of pants because they didn’t fit quite right.

    Love,

    jen

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  • Carry-On Travel Essentials

    December 27, 2016

    Hi Everyone!

    I thought I would share a list of travel essentials to pack in your carry-on for long flights. Since I haven’t travelled a whole lot, I searched what other people suggested to pack in their carry-ons and most of the items were things I usually carry in my purse every day. For my carry-on, I bought a mini backpack from Forever21. I would suggest getting a backpack that has a zipper closure so that when it’s underneath the seat, the flap doesn’t accidentally open and nothing falls out. If you prefer RFID blocking bags and anti-theft bags, Travelon sells bags that don’t look old ladyish (like some anti-theft bags out there). Both M and C have a Travelon crossbody bag and I just recently purchased a small one as well.

    • earphones (even though they may provide earphones, those obviously aren’t the best quality and they tend to fall out of my ears)
    • iPod/tablet (for reading ebooks) or a book
    • lip balm
    • travel-size hand cream/moisturizer
    • tissues
    • chewing gum
    • toothbrush with a travel-size toothpaste or mouthwash (these Slim Sonic Electric Toothbrushes by Violife are super cute and you can buy replacement heads for them!)
    • facial wipes (and maybe feminine wipes depending on how long you’re travelling)
    • black/blue pen (for filling out those landing cards!)
    • Tylenol or Advil
    • Gravol
    • nail file (emery boards can be bought in packs and won’t get confiscated like metal nail files)
    • phone charger and a travel adapter
    • travel pillow
    • cozy blanket scarf!! I bought mine from Old Navy and I would’ve preferred it to be thicker for the plane. Luckily, on British Airways, they supplied blankets for all four flights we took to get to Mauritius (we chose layovers in London instead of Paris). If you don’t want to use the free ones that the airlines provide or pay to use one, a blanket scarf will keep you super cozy.

    I made the mistake of buying a white and black one and then I wore all black on the plane. My pants, sweater and my hair was covered in white fluff by the end of the flight!

    And obviously, don’t forget your passport and boarding pass!!

    Love,

    jen

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