Boyfriend Jeans + Florals

Here's a new outfit post for you all, finally! It's a casual Summer evening look with my new boyfriend jeans. I attempted to stay awake & enjoy the gorgeous day as long as possible after my 4AM shift... So if I'm looking somewhat sleepy-eyed I've got a good excuse. My 60 hour work week is certainly taking it's toll. It's just the beginning & I'm already wondering how I"m going to make it through the Summer in one piece!

A few words on the outfit: I re-attached the pussy-bow tie to my floral Zara blouse to mix things up & threw on my new favourite jeans (if you're interested in buying them they run a little big I think; these are a 0 & a bit too big around the waist for me). Ever-simple with the accessories, I wore some simple pointy-toed black heels, my standard MK watch, & my favourite MK bag.

Speaking of which... my Michael Kors Vanilla Hamilton bag tragically fell prey to my carelessness & a pair of indigo jeans on Monday. After only 20 minutes of rushing to work, about a fifth of the back was bright blue. I was pretty much traumatized. Thankfully the girls at Michael Kors Metrotown very sweetly attempted some damage control for me. It's still there, but is now more of a faded blue than horrifyingly bright. Lesson learned. 

Don't mind the crazy hair static.... 

Last but not least: I'm currently working on answering all your lovely comments every spare chance I get! Please have patience with me, I'm honing my time management skills ;)  Until then, hope you're all having a fabulous week! 

I was wearing:

Boyfriend Jeans - Gap (here)

Floral pussybow blouse - Zara

Gold Chronograph watch - Michael Kors (here in USD)

Hamilton Tote - Michael Kors (here in USD)

Every Which Direction

While not a lot of exam-revision happened yesterday, a lot of lovely friend time did. I knew I would be trekking around the city all afternoon & evening so not surprisingly I tried on about 10 outfits before I struck on the right one. Pretty clothing aside, the item I spent most of my time wearing is an oversized men's tee of some sort, for lounging at home. Pretty much 99% of my blog posts have been brought to you while wearing one. So I thought why not style one to wear out? 


I ended up pairing a forest green soft wash men's t-shirt from Banana Republic with my well-worn (& eternally wrinkled) salmon-coloured high-waisted Zara trousers. Pop on a statement necklace, some classic sunnies, & a pair of platforms... good to go. Thankfully my Michael Kors Hamilton tote coordinated well because it's one of my few bags large enough to fit my camera & other city-trekking essentials. Really must add a new one to the (never-ending) wish list.

Lovely Kris in her pastel pink jeans from the Gap, dutifully holding Sabrina's birthday cupcakes for me.

In the afternoon I met up with Kris (of Back Alleys & Boulevards) for a little vegan lunch + shopping. It was my first time at Karmavore & I absolutely loved it! Later we roamed the beach & Seawall soaking up some sun. We were stopped by Ben of VanStreet who snapped us for his street style blog (I look totally awkward, but because I know hope you'll still like me, here's the link). After some misadventures resulting from my awful sense of direction, we finally made it to a party for Miss Sabrina's birthday. It was so nice to see everyone I haven't seen since February, I really didn't want to leave! 

With the lovely birthday girl herself (pardon the flash!)

Two of my favourites from BR. Alex appears to be my #1 blog fan so I thought he'd like to see this here ;) 

On one last note, I know I've been mentioning my upcoming German exam a lot lately. Thankfully this is probably the second last time you will have to hear about it, as the terrifying thing is happening on Tuesday. In a divine effort to study non-stop I won't be posting again until it's over & done with. This also means I won't be getting back to most of your emails until Tuesday evening. I just wanted to let you all know I haven't forgotten about your amazing blogs, I just need a couple days to focus! So with that said, thank you so much for reading & I'll be back in action soon! :)

I was wearing:

Men's soft wash t-shirt - Banana Republic (here)

High-waisted trousers - Zara (old)

Hamilton Tote - Michael Kors (here in USD)

Nude Suede Foxy Platform - Jeffrey Campbell

Necklace - Zara

Wayfarers - Ray Ban (here)

Prints for a Rainy Day

Super messy ponytail, glasses, & jeans. Not my usual, but it was raining & I was a bit pressed for time. I certainly didn't intend to photograph the look, but the rain ceased for about 5 minutes, so I gave it a shot. I showed you a look with this striped cape last week, but the majority of my things are packed for my flight tomorrow, so spare me. I went for prints, both as an anti-rain tactic & in response to the fact that I missed Mary Katrantzou at The Room in Vancouver last night (Kris was lucky enough to attend; hope she posts about the event soon! hint hint ;) Mom commented that the blocked stripes & florals made me look like I was disoriented while dressing... don't think print-blocking has caught on in NL quite yet haha. 

I've got a million & one things to get done today, but I'm feeling a tad Zombie-esque. Here's hoping my tea date this afternoon will give me the energy I need to finish everything before tomorrow! Hope you all have the loveliest of weekends <3 

I was wearing:

Floral blouse - Zara

Rose striped cape - H&M (Autumn 2011)

Gold Chronograph Watch - Michael Kors

Boots - Mom's, from Naturalizer

Glasses - Ray Ban

Totem

In a massive effort to procrastinate last minute exam cramming, here is the outfit I wore yesterday! Basically all I had to do was study & go to a few appointments, so I opted for something fairly casual & added some heels. It was a peculiar day, with cloud vs sun in constant battle, & eerily quiet where we shot these photos. 'Hectic' is an understatement for this week (final exam, packing endless suitcases, appointments galore) so to enjoy the sun in near silence was a nice break. 

[ I have an absolute abhorrence for wrinkly clothes, so I feel the need to explain away these wrinkly trousers. I always press them before wearing them, but they're a tad too big so the excess material keeps bunching & wrinkling every time I sit. It drives me crazy, but I love them so I wear them regardless. ] Excuses aside, I paired them with this ruffle-laden purple transparent top (an oldie from ASOS), a simple pair of pointy-toed black heels, my Vanilla Michael Kors Hamilton bag, & some gold accessories. Nails painted in Lily by Revlon.

3 more days here in NL & so much to get done before I leave. With any luck I'll be able to get in one more outfit shoot with my dearest obliging Mom beforehand. Until then, hope everyone is having a fabulous week! :)

I was wearing:

Purple ruffle top -  ASOS (old)

Trousers - Zara (old)

Necklace - F21 (old)

Heels - Spring (old)

Watch & Bag - Michael Kors

Nail polish - Lily 610 Revlon

April Flowers

Slowly but surely the snow here in NL is melting & the temperature increasing. Unfortunately that was not the case on Easter Sunday, when my festive outfit (centred around a peach chiffon dress) was considered too weather-inappropriate to be borne. Perhaps May will better suit it, & it shall end up here on the blog after all.


This morning before my German lessons, I decided to photograph the outfit I did wear for Easter: florals to make up for the lack of actual flowers blooming; my faux fur Gorilla jacket to keep me toasty warm & add some texture. Paired with an old pair of salmon-coloured Zara trousers, brown/black crossbody bag, Michael Kors ballet flats, & accessorized simply with my Michael Kors Gold Chronograph watch. Comfortable, but still stylish; & perfect for a family supper.


My Easter comprised of a too-early morning (I was childishly excited for Easter treats), then an afternoon of cooking/baking some vegan dishes with dear Mom. In the evening we had a family supper of 17 crammed around a long-but-not-long-enough table, while entertainment was provided by my favourite inexhaustible 3 year old singing Christmas carols & "playing Halloween" (her self-appointed "costume" being my Gorilla jacket). On the whole, the day was nice & simple. 


This week I'm back to my vigorous study schedule, trying to cram in as much as possible before heading off to Nova Scotia next week. As long as the weather cooperates I'll get in a few more outfit shoots before I go. Until then, I'd love to know what you think of this look! Your heart-felt comments are what keeps this blog going after all :)

I was wearing:

Floral blouse - Zara

Trousers - Zara (old)

Faux fur jacket - Banana Republic

Ballet Flats - Michael Kors

Gold Chronograph Watch - Michael Kors

Casual Saturday

I am not now, nor have I ever been (nor I suspect will ever be) a Jeans kinda girl. Jeans are what I wear when I can't stand the dead of winter cold, or on lazy days when I want to haul on something in 2 seconds flat. To be outrightly honest the reason for my jean-dread is they make me horribly self-conscious about my legs (we all have that one thing we dislike about ourselves; that one is mine). But there comes a point when you have to say, the hell with it; this is me, I'll wear what I wear, & be happy about it. So while light-wash jeans & bold lace accentuation might be a strange choice for a self-conscious girl I couldn't help but loving this pair of Silvers. I've only worn them a couple times, but with a cheery mood (ABBA-fueled) & some errands to run, they were what I chose this morning to go with my favourite scuba-esque peplum top.


When I do wear jeans I always like to dress them up a little, particularly with a pair of simple heels. Lately I've been favouring the pointy-toe; ever since digging up several such pairs in my old closet here in NL. As for other accessories, I went with my Vanilla Hamilton Michael Kors bag, gold Chronograph watch by the same, & a fun pastel statement necklace I bought at Zara on my last day in Vancouver. Black Zara military-style jacket to top it off, though with the temperature hovering around 0°C & very little wind, I was actually not freezing without it (desperate Spring hopes of an Atlantic Canadian). 

Celebrating Easter with the fam tomorrow & I'm looking forward to Easter presents, baking some pastel-coloured vegan goodies, & of course the very Easter-esque outfit I have set out. 

How are you spending your Easter weekend? :)

I was wearing:

Lace rip jeans - Silver Jeans

Black peplum top - H&M

Pastel Necklace - Zara

Hamilton Bag - Michael Kors

Gold Chronograph Watch - Michael Kors

Black pointy-toe heels - Spring (old)

Study Dates & Vintage Purses

Apologies for my sporadic posting the past few weeks; I've been on a terrific roll with my online/distance coursework. I'm hoping to get it done as fast as I possibly can so I have more time for the wonderful world of blogging :) 


That being said, I thought I'd show you a more casual look, the type I'm apt to wear when leaving the house to study. Whether it be the library, a coffee shop, or visiting my German tutor, I'm always a fan of dressing up a little while maintaining a level of comfortability. This particular evening I chose a blue chiffon American Apparel skirt & oversized top from Zara (with sleeves rolled up). When choosing an outfit to study in I don't tend to wear much dangly jewellery, as it drives me crazy when trying to focus. Instead I wore my favourite nerdy Ray Ban glasses (they make me feel smart and help me see, win win ;), a vintage silver sequin/beaded shoulder bag from my Grandmother, & an older pair of pointy-toe heels I recently dug out of the depths of my closet. Not a full-fledged outfit shoot by any means, just a couple quick shots on a study break! 

Hope everyone's week is going well! Thanks for reading :)

Snowy Atlas Mountains

However much I abhor the cold, I can't help but love the scenery I'm currently surrounded by. I definitely don't consider this an outfit post, just a little "this is my life currently & this is what I happen to be wearing" sort of thing. For those of you who follow me regularly, the pants & satchel are both recent purchases, from H&M. I envisioned the fun purple pants (which definitely need to be paired with heels as you can tell by the excess length) more so paired with white mary-jane wedges & a summery top, but Newfoundland is a far cry from Spring still. Please forgive my lack of smiles & red nose, as it was truly excruciatingly cold!

All in all though, we had a lovely afternoon. Driving among the endless snow-capped mountains, listening to Elton John & Regina Spektor with dear Mom; stopping every five minutes for photos. I must say however, no photo can do it justice. You're constantly surrounded by mountains & ocean & frosted trees. I don't know about you, but being in the midst of something so tranquil & naturally beautiful really makes me feel glad to be alive. 

Bottle Cove itself, one of my favourite spots in the world. You can't really encompass the entire thing, as I was shooting with a zoom lens, but it's truly amazing. The beach is lovely in the summer time; as are dare-devil antics of climbing out among the cliffs.

"All you need is love" .... And perhaps a pair of socks?

**One last note: I've gotten a bit of feedback over the past week stating that some readers have been unable to post comments on my blog recently. It's something that I'll be looking into over the next few days, as it's an incredibly frustrating issue. In the meantime, if you do experience problems with my comment box I'd really appreciate an email letting me know (serpentinestreets@gmail.com). Thank you for your patience & thank you for reading! :)

Spring Things

Floral pussybow blouse, Zara

In a winter world you have to get your Spring fix somewhere. For me, it's these lovely bright & pastel pieces, purchased on my last day in Vancouver.

A pastel yellow mini satchel, H&M 

Multi-colour statement necklace, Zara

Pastel purple trousers from H&M which I love to pieces! Skinny bottoms with zipper detail too :) 

And this straight-cut pocket detail which I adore as well!

There was another item bought with this set, a pretty cream & gold bangle from H&M. It's currently missing in action sadly. I figured it might simply be lost in the depths of my multiple suitcases, but I was rather disheartened after today's unpacking marathon. I've still a couple cases to go through, so fingers crossed it shows up. 

So those are my lovely new Spring items! Now my only challenge is to incorporate these pretty pastels & florals into a winter appropriate look which also keeps me warm. As long as the gorgeous sunshine continues to cooperate I'll be getting in a photo shoot tomorrow, so stay tuned :)

***One last camera-related note: Many of you have asked me about the camera I generally use. Prior to my last post (aka Vancouver time) all my photos have been taken with a Nikon D7000 (which I love to pieces). For the next couple of months I'll be borrowing my Mom's Canon Rebel T2i. Admittedly I'm a Nikon girl & I have a bit of an aversion to this new Canon; however I do have a tonne of lenses to play with, so it should be a great learning experience none the less! 

True Winter & Notions of 'Home'

First of all - my apologies for the terribly rushed last post! It was written at the airport so speedily that I instantly forgot what I wrote & worried over poor content & the possibility of grammar mistakes my entire flight. As far as I can tell I merely missed out on telling you half of what I wanted to, & used the word 'amazing' far too many times haha. 

But that was days ago. Today I'm settling in, unpacking things at a glacial pace & taking everything in. The snow, the familiar people & places, the prospect of this big change in general. Despite all efforts to stay positive, my second thoughts kicked in the minute I hit Toronto. The plane arrived in Newfoundland to a balmy - 24ºC.... how delightful! I've been in some state of freezing ever since, combating the cold with layering on as much clothing as possible (key example above). Kitten lita's unfortunately aren't the best of snow gear (key example below). Today was gorgeously sunny however, so my highly enthusiastic mom & I decided to drive about looking for photo op's. Unfortunately the roads were so bad & the snow banks so high that we didn't exactly get what we were looking for. Perhaps another day! 

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of 'home' recently. The city pictured above is the place I first called 'home' but I hesitate to apply that term to it now. It's been 5 years since I lived here permanently & 'home' has been between Nova Scotia, Ireland, & Vancouver; wherever I was living at the time. I've always considered myself a bit of a nomad & don't think I've found the perfect place quite yet. Maybe it doesn't even exist. The 'home' that's on my mind mostly is a quaint flat in London or Vienna. Hopefully it'll materialize sooner rather than later ;) 

For now I'm substituting the snow of NL for the rain of Vancouver; the winter scenery for the shopping; the basic foods for the organic ones. I'm missing the incredible people I left behind in Vancouver most of all. Hopefully I shall see them all again soon! Until then I'm taking comfort in a constantly filled fridge, my big cosy bed with fleece sheets, & a chauffeur + magically gas-refilling car ;) Last night I had a fabulous catch-up with an old friend over dinner & wine, & surprised my grandparents with a visit. Today I was treated to a dance performance by my favourite 3 year old & revelled in the adorable antics of my much-missed kitty. Things could be much worse! Tonight I intend to bake a delicious casserole, then curl up & watch the third season of Californication in bed. Hopefully tomorrow the jetlag will be over & I can get focused on my German coursework! I sense some serious productivity coming my way. After all what else is there to do on a glacial day?

Questioning my sanity for being outside in such cold! I layered my black military style coat with my faux fur vest (both from Zara) & paired it with my kitten lita's (my winter-worthy footwear being pretty limited... will definitely be investing in some new shoes asap!) & Karen Walker sunnies. Thick winter pants are also lacking in my wardrobe currently; so I settled on these ancient bellbottom pants. Hopefully this cold snap will end soon so I can brave the outside sans coat for photos!

Tomorrow I'll share my lovely new Spring purchases with you! 

Expect some serious contrast from the wintery photos above ;)