Bits & Pieces // New In

Commonly know as 'The Gorilla' amongst our BR staff, this amazingly fun piece is now part of my wardrobe! It's definitely a statement piece (seriously, wait until you see it on!) but I couldn't resist when I saw it on sale. My only qualm is the sleeve length is rather short & it falls just above the hip, which can make the body look rather wide. I'm honestly all smiles over it though & am so excited to wear it out & about. I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to style it yet - I would love any suggestions you may have! :)

A new replenishment pot of my favourite shampoo, "Big" by Lush Handmade Cosmetics & some sample conditioner ("Veganese") to test out! That's definitely one of my favourite things about shopping at Lush; they are so wonderful with samples & suggestions :) Have any of you tried these products?

A rather random shot of my upper closet, admittedly not in it's finest state. I do love how vibrant & colourful all my clothes look though! Do you see any familiar pieces? ;) This shot was taken with our oldie Nikon D100, which just got taken out & dusted off yesterday. I had quite the time trying to remember all it's functions & how to actually use them. Although I really adore it, I certainly know enough to be thankful for advancing technology! 

And finally, the fog rolling in just as I arrived home from work this evening. You can usually see the water & the mountains from our balcony, but this rare heavy fog was nice for a change :)

So a bit of a random post, but I just had to show you my new faux fur beauty. Hoping to get in a little photoshoot tomorrow before work, so check back soon!

Spring|Summer '12 Wish List

While I will grudgingly admit a closet full of statement pieces does not a wardrobe make, I can't help but fall in love time & time again. The vibrant colours, unique designs, & beautiful fabrications are just a delight to behold. An approaching season & prospective new wardrobe is always exciting. As per usual my wish list for this coming season is rather extensive, so I've decided to share with you just a small portion of it - neatly categorized for your viewing purposes into Bags/Shoes & Beauty/Accessories! ;)

SS'12 - Bags & Shoes by shawnahynes featuring party shoes

Notice any trends? ;) My love for satchels has been ongoing for quite awhile now. Add to that a little colour-blocking here, a little plastic there & you've pretty much covered off my SS'12 bag wish list. My shoe lusts are much the same. I'm loving brightly coloured footwear; particularly neon + neutral combinations like the Jil Sander brogues. My other latest shoe obsession is the ankle strap - this cute detail will definitely be a determining factor in regard to which shoes enter my closet first this season. 

Beauty & Accessories Wishlist SS12 by shawnahynes featuring chain jewelry

Next up is Beauty! Admittedly I've never been huge on beauty product shopping, but my interest is certainly becoming more keen this season. Of the products above the only one I've used is the Lush 'Big' shampoo (which I swear by, by the way). All the others I've read good reviews on, & am looking forward to trying out soon. I'd love to hear recommendations from any of you beauty bloggers reading this! If any of you can suggest a good brand of foundation I'd be particularly delighted as finding a decent one for my pale & dreadfully dry skin has become a bit of a nightmare. 


Last but not least is my whittled down accessories wish list. Aside from wanting brightly coloured belts, earrings, & bracelets galore the major item I want to infuse my closet with is the statement necklace. My number one choice? The hand-painted crystal necklace by Spike The Punch - in any colour I can possibly get my hands on! Coveted by style bloggers, these beauties are seriously difficult to come by (the last set available sold out in 4 minutes). I swear I've been stalking their Etsy shop. Hopefully with a little persistence & positive thinking one of these will come my way soon! 


And there you have it: a little insight into the items & trends I am most looking forward to for Spring/Summer 2012. Thoughts, comments? What items are on your wish list this season?

Christmas Cheer // New In

I hope each & every one of you had a fantastic Christmas - here are some bits & pieces of mine :)

Christmas doggies :)

Delicious tofurkey! 

And here are some of the lovely little gifts I received:

                                                   

A Zara faux fur vest I've had my eye on for awhile - can't wait to wear this one!

So much velvet! 

This was the first Christmas away from my family, so there were many changes & admittedly, much homesickness. I called my Mom about 10 times, & skyped with my entire family; so that certainly helped. All the same, I did have a lovely time. So much delicious vegan food, delightful gifts, & (at my demand) plenty of christmas movies :) 

Tomorrow is our last day in Ottawa; then back to Vancouver & 'real life'. Between obligations & cold weather we have been very poor tourists in this city, so tomorrow I am really hoping for a solid day of exploring downtown & the Parliament buildings. 

For now however, I'm off to curl up with a blanket & a good movie. Have a wonderful evening! <3 

What's In My Bag?

   

The bag: my dear 14" Cambridge Satchel in fluorescent pink, with my initials embossed in gold! Every time I wear this thing people stop me in the street just to comment. Pretty amusing, pretty bright.

My beloved Blackberry 

Comb, bobby pins, & my work name tag, on top of the most important thing of all - my Planner! I prefer to write things out rather than put it in my blackberry. I actually would not be able to function without this thing, so it obviously comes with me everywhere. 

My favourite lipgloss in the cutest little floral ball; a USB drive for those 'just in case' times; & a lucky penny... it's a little weird I guess, but I keep one in all my bags (& suitcases when travelling) for good luck haha :) 

The best moisturizer ever (Cosmetic Lad, Lush) & a lipstick, which I always have on hand in some colour or another. This particular one is Elizabeth Arden, Fiesta. 

My handy dandy Ray Ban glasses, without which I would not be able to survive. I shamefully don't wear them as often as I'm supposed to (that being all the time...oops). They are super fun though, & I love them dearly!

My favourite wallet: It's a Matt & Nat item with pyramid stud detailing. Matt & Nat is an amazing Canadian line of vegan & eco-friendly handbags & wallets - if you haven't heard of them definitely check them out! 

My neon yellow makeup pouch from H&M + my basic retouching makeup: L'Oreal Paris True Match foundation in N2 Classic Ivory; Bonnebell eyeliner in Black Ink; & Garnier Nutritioniste Anti-Dark Circle Roller.

Organic trail mix... I go literally nowhere without a bag of this on hand.

My cute bejewelled compact mirror & a pair of earrings I always keep in my bag just in case I forget to put in a pair before leaving home. 

And this is the gorgeous weather I woke up to this morning :)

So there you have it - that is what's in my bag! This was actually a pretty fun post to create, so hopefully you guys enjoyed it as well :) After a very hectic few days at work, I have the next 4 days off & am pretty excited as you can imagine! I'm really looking forward to getting in several outfit photoshoots, & spicing up the blog a little.

I really want to thank all you lovely readers for taking the time to read my blog. Please feel free to comment & leave your own personal blog address, as I visit each & every one. And if you enjoy my blog please consider following on Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin' :) 

<3 Shawna