On Airports & Goodbyes

I'm writing to you lovelies from YVR Airport... boarding in about 15 minutes. I just wanted to quickly share a few photos with you of my last few days here in Vancouver.

Had a lovely last day with Kris yesterday. We shopped, we ate, we talked non-stop. I'll show you my new purchases as soon as I get things unpacked in NL (so excited about each new piece! Think Spring + Pastels ;) We stopped by Mucho Burrito on Davie to say goodbye to one of the nicest guys in the world (I frequent the place tri-weekly) & get one last amazing Shawna-approved burrito. And just when we thought the day was over, we ended up talking for 2 hours straight over tea. It was perfect :)

The amazing Kris! One of the nicest, most amazing girls I've ever been lucky enough to meet - I am going to miss you so much! And something I'm dying to mention: Kris actually just began her own fashion blog Back Alleys & Boulevards which I would love for you all to check out! :)

A delightful goodbye present from Kris - a bag of vegan chocolate goodies from Karmavore :)

Tea with Miss Sabrina! We completely lost track of time & talked non-stop for hours. You're amazing girl - can't wait to see you again!

The most amazing dessert ever. Vegan apple crisp with Tofulatti icecream on top. So good I went back two nights in a row for it.... I kid you not. 

And last but not least, a new clutch which just arrived from ASOS! It's cute & fun & I adore the colours. Excited to see what I can pair it with. Thoughts?

Okay, boarding has begun & I'm in a huge rush. Will post tomorrow when I've settled! Hope you're all having an amazing week & thank you for reading! :)

Neon & Peplum

A little neon there, a little peplum here. This will be my last outfit post from Vancouver, so I had to make it special. I'm anticipating a lot more heavy winter clothes once I hit the East Coast so I wanted to be as Spring-y as possible while I could. That being said, Vancouver seems to be prepping me for the upcoming climate change by mixing the pleasant sunshine with bitter cold. It couldn't have been above 1 degree so our photo shoot was cut a little short, & filled with laughter over my red nose (most apparent in the last of these photos) & incredulous looks from bundled-up passers-by. 


I showed you this neon yellow jersey pencil skirt (à la ASOS) in my last post & was delighted by the positive feedback I got from you guys. Trust me, I love it too. I decided to pair it with my 'Scuba-esque' peplum top from H&M (also fairly new) & my Steve Madden peep-toe heels. I really liked the resulting look & chose to wear it for my last day of work at BR. The only thing I'd like to change about it would be the addition of a little arm party. My Michael Kors watch is looking a little lonely there by itself. And no, that pesky hair elastic that I unfortunately overlooked does not count. 


So there you have it; one last Vancouver look. Tomorrow I fly across the country. Today? Well I have yet to pack a single thing but that's beside the point. I've got an irresistible urge to go shopping, the sun is shining, & Kris & I are going to have one last friend date. It's going to be lovely :)

I was wearing:

Neon yellow jersey pencil skirt - ASOS

Black Peplum top - H&M

Peep-toe Heels - Steve Madden

Gold Chronograph Watch - Michael Kors

Necklace - Forever 21

Nail polish - OPI Mermaid's Tears

Newness & Change

Finally something new! I know it has only been a few days since I last posted, but it has seemed an eternity to me. I've got some recent purchases to show you & some 'life updates' to share! First off, some new additions to my wardrobe/beauty/book collection:

My new neon yellow pencil skirt from ASOS which I'm completely enamoured with - can't wait to show you the outfit I have planned for it! :)

Sephora is a rabbit hole. Seriously. I stopped by this morning on my way to a coffee date & ended up getting a few items. The Dior Rosy Glow blush you may recognize from my 'Beauty Edition' post last week. The visiting Dior rep who did my make-up used this on me & I've been lusting over it ever since. Today I finally gave in & picked it up. It's 001 Petal & although it looks like a scary bright pink, it's formulated to blend with any skin tone. I also got a Bobbi Brown concealer/corrector to aid in the ongoing battle against my dark under-eye circles. 'Porcelain Peach' is the colour I went with.

Then I decided my lips needed some loving too. So I picked up this amazing new lip exfoliant by Bite. It smells & tastes amazing; like wild cherry. I've read good reviews so I'm excited to try this one out. I then chose the Too Faced Lip Insurance lip primer because keeping my lipstick on & decent looking is always a challenge for me. I decided to pick this product up after reading this lovely post by Tess.

Post-Sephora I stopped by the drugstore, as I had some credit to spend from points accumulated. I needed a new facial exfoliant so I picked up this one from Soap & Glory, which I've heard good things about. I also picked up this Revlon lip stain upon a friend's recommendation. I just tried it out & am not sure how I feel about the colour, as it's a little too plain. I think it'll be perfect for quick & easy use on busy days though. 

And finally, new books! (so not fashion related but the arrival of new books makes me incredibly happy. I've mentioned before that I have a slight obsession with travel guides... well Rick Steves' books are my favourites... his dry sense of humour suits me to a tee)

Hello new favourite hairstyle! I've always adored the fishtail braid but shamefully never learned how to do one. Fortunately I discovered a great how-to video through L is for Lois' blog last week. I've done my hair like this the past 4 out of 5 days hehe. Although I'm pretty slow at it, & still in the 'practice makes perfect' stage, it's a great idea for other-wise bad hair days or busy days out & about. And I must say I've gotten so many compliments on it!

And now, the big-ish news. I'll actually be leaving Vancouver this coming Tuesday (so soon I know!). I'll be spending the next 2 months with my family on the other side of the country. Not only can you expect a big change of scenery, but a definite change in clothes as my mother informs me they are in the midst of several feet of snow. I'm not a fan of the snow & cold at all & to be honest I'm on a huge summer clothes, summer colours kick at the moment. It'll be interesting to see how I cope with the climate change. 

I've also been trying to cram in as much eating out as possible. Whatever picturesque points Newfoundland may score, shawna-friendly dining is not one of them. I've already said goodbye to my favourite burrito place folks, & intend to visit as many of my favourite restaurants as possible over the next few days. A little shopping on the side may also be in order.... though with the prospect of 3 overweight suitcases this may not be the smartest move on my part. 

In the meantime, I have one day of work left & a tonne of goodbye visits to fit in. Coffee dates, strolls, rushed farewells at work. I'm not very good at articulating emotional goodbyes though... I always like to believe I'll cross paths with the people that matter at some point in the future. I am feeling a little blue about leaving Vancouver, but as I always believe, everything happens for a reason. It'll be nice to be around my family, to have my mom baby me for awhile, & to see my favourite rambunctious 3 year old again. It'll be a good opportunity for me to actually focus on my German coursework. I'll also have more time to blog & take photos as I won't be working. See, there is always a silver lining! :)

Hope you all have the loveliest of weekends :) Mine will certainly be a busy one! 

Mint Punch

Mint & burgundy & faux fur make for an interesting mix. This is what I wore on my extremely casual day off yesterday. I didn't intend for a 'look of the day' shoot to ensue, but I thought I'd show you these anyhow. I was in the exact mood for mint & somehow this is the outfit that grew out of that. The burgundy cropped sweater is my go-to item for a lazy day, or one spent studying in a cozy spot. The faux fur was a definite necessity as it was, grudgingly, freezing outside. I've got a million & one summer outfits planned already... now if only the weather would cooperate! 

Outfits aside, life has been more than a little crazy lately. Big changes are in the air, some of which I'll share with you very soon. I've been asked if they're 'good' changes. The ever-positive side of me likes to think that all changes are good ones, no matter type of situation they arise from. As a result though, I'm a little behind on responding to comments & keeping up with the numerous blogs I follow. Hopefully you'll all bear with me, because your support & feedback is what keeps this blog going & me smiling! 

I was wearing:

Mint shorts - American Apparel (here)

Faux Fur vest - Zara

Burgundy cropped sweater - Urban Outfitters

Lace bodysuit - American Apparel (here)

Black Paloma Wedges - Dolce Vita

Bracelets - H&M/The Black Market, Halifax

Style Crush: Elle Fanning

It's impossible not to be charmed by Elle Fanning. She's poised, down-to-earth, full of energy and life—and one of the sunniest people you'll ever meet. She is also one of the best dressed. "Is it weird that I'm obsessed with a thirteen-year-old?" Alexa Chung once asked me. Among Elle's fashion admirers are Marc Jacobs (she starred in his fall Marc by Marc Jacobs campaign), Karl Lagerfeld (who hosted Elle, her father, and her grandma in Paris last summer for her very first fashion show, Chanel couture, bien sur), and Rodarte (with whom she's collaborated on a short film and whose dreamy clothes she wears to both school and bar mitzvahs as well as on the red carpet). 

                         - Jane Keltner de Valle for Teen Vogue

I'm with Alexa on this one. When I saw that particular quote back in January I immediately thought "I can relate to that." Although I'm always trying to break free of my overly girly style of the past, I can't help but admire Elle Fanning. Give me a feminine cut dress & a pair of mary-janes & I'm pretty much sold. It truly is a testament to my back-and-forth "see-saw" style. One day I'm lusting over spiked accessories & leopard print, the next it's whimsical braided hair & romantic pastels. Today is obviously of the latter category... ankle-strap-adorned white wedges, a pastel purple midi skirt, & lace thrown in for good measure... that's my dream outfit of the day. Blame it on the emerging Spring, but I'm filled with fanciful notions of fields of sunshine, quiet mornings in the garden back home, & reading novels in the hammock. I'm certainly aware it's not everyone's cup of tea, but for today, a little Elle inspiration suits this mood of mine just fine ;) 

Images via Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, & Pinterest

Beauty Edition // New In

There is a reason I'm a style blogger & not a beauty one. This reason being: I'm practically clueless. Make-up is seriously not my forté, though my interest is definitely peaking thanks to some great beauty bloggers & one of my fabulous stylist coworkers. ''Uh-oh'' thinks my mom while reading this, ''she's discovered the world of beauty products, another huge outlet for her shopping addiction''. Sorry mom, but it's true...

Admittedly my skin has been in shambles lately so I took my morning off to rectify that. My biggest issue right now is hydration. My skin is the driest it's ever been & it's impossible to put on foundation without feeling like a lizard (yes this sounds harsh, but it's the best way to describe how much I abhor it). First stop, Clinique. I've heard good reviews of their Moisture Surge product, so that's what I picked up; in the intense version of course haha. I use Clinique's All About Eyes product & it feels like heaven, so hopefully this new product will work wonders as well. I also set up an appointment to get my make-up done there (at their Sears outlet) during their March event. I haven't really tried any of their make-up products yet, so I'm curious to test those out.

Next up, Chanel at The Bay. Remember my resolution to stop biting my nails? Check! They are doing fabulously so I decided to reward myself with some Chanel nail polish. I've been lusting over their June colour for quite awhile now, which can best be described as "creamsicle". The salesgirls were incredibly friendly, though of course tried to sell me on some lipgloss & other items as well... NOPE JUST THE POLISH PLEASE. In & out, successfully. 

My last stop was Sephora... out of which I did not make it so successfully, at least from a financial standpoint. I generally try to make a list of the exact items I want so I don't waste money on things I don't need & am able to get the ones I do. On my list for Sephora was powder foundation, an under-eye concealer, bronzer/blush, & a foundation brush. Let's just say I made it out with none of these. The salesgirl I ended up with picked out my skin problems in about 2 seconds, which was good. She was all about the Dior & after a 10 minute lecture on the Dior Hydra Life Facial & Eye cremes she was trying to win me over by doing my make-up. She used all Dior products (surprise, surprise); the two I bought are shown above. She began with the Hydra Life facial creme, then the Diorskin Nude (010 Ivory), Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen (001 Rose Glow), & Rosy Glow blush (001 Petal). I quickly took the 2 photos below just to show you what it turned out like. The moisturizer did appear to work well, though having just bought the Clinique product (& at a lower price point) I decided to keep it on my 'maybe next time' list. I really liked the liquid foundation; the colour & coverage was just what I wanted. As for the blush, I absolutely loved it & am thinking I should add it to my beauty wish-list. On the palette it is a ridiculously bright shade of candyfloss pink, but I think it looks great on & suits my skin tone well. She suggested using the highlighter pen instead of a thicker under eye concealer so that's what I went with, though am now having second thoughts. As Kris says, I can be a bit of a pushover. I'm thinking another brand/type might suit me better, & at a lower price. If you girls have any suggestions please let me know! 

And that was my morning! Not overly exhilarating, but relaxing & girly & fun. I only wish I had somewhere to go to show off my make-up hehe. Instead I'll be cleaning the apartment & finishing up my latest German assignment. Not quite as glamourous. Ah well, at least I can look at my lovely new products ;)

Chanel & Clinique & Dior - oh my! 

Pink & Florals

Good morning everyone! This will be a fairly quick post just to share this little leftover Valentine's Day look: what I wore to work yesterday/on a pre-work wander. It's girly, it's pink, it's matchy matchy. Admittedly I tend to get in those modes during holiday occasions. Humorously enough I'm pretty sure I was the only one wearing pink out & about, & certainly the only one at work. Is it really just me who likes to colour coordinate with holidays? 

Other than the obvious excessive use of pink I really liked this outfit; I'm a huge fan of high-waisted pants & I really liked these paired with the vintage pink belt. The ditsy floral top is a bit of an oldie... purchased in Dublin in 2010. I don't wear it very often so I was glad to incorporate it in my Valentine's Day look. As for the Cambridge Satchel, it really is a head-turner. I've yet to go somewhere without having people stop me to pass a comment. It's such a vibrant, fun piece :)

What did you wear this Valentine's Day? 

I was wearing:

High-waisted pants - American Apparel (here)

Ditsy Floral top - Zara (old)

Neon pink satchel - Cambridge Satchel Company

Gold Chronograph Watch - Michael Kors (here)

Loafers - Michael Kors

Pink belt - vintage