Lemon Drop Jeans

I know I'm preaching to the converted, but there really is nothing like a little shopping to brighten a grey day. Especially when that shopping involves neon yellow jeans. That's right. Newest addition to my wardrobe & it wasn't very practical at all. Who cares? I love them to pieces & I can't stop smiling.

I was wearing this striped top from Banana Republic when I tried them on, and liked it so much I decided to wear it just so. The shirt is admittedly ill-fitted, but it was the smallest size & at the time I had to have it anyways. Because it was a cooler day I paired it with a black blazer (somewhat fearful of looking bumble-bee esque, but it was my only feasible option). Steve Madden peep-toe heels to dress up the jeans a little, neutral coloured bag, & classic Ray Ban wayfarers. Which is where a story comes in....

It's not often I share random personal stories on the blog, but here is one for the books: I, at the ripe old age of 22, have developed a new phobia of birds. I could go into great detail but basically a few days ago I was attacked by a crow TWICE in one hour. As in out of nowhere it pitched on my head and started attacking me. After googling I discovered it's fledgling season, when mama crows are teaching their young to fly. This makes them protectively aggressive to passers-by. They also have great facial recognition, hence why I've been wearing sunglasses on grey days, feeling as if I'm hiding from particularly threatening paparazzi. If you live in Vancouver I suggest you steer clear of Hornby Street & other tree-dense areas (crow territory/the sight of the crime) until July.

Last but not least, my hair is pulled back for once! I'm not a huge fan of having my hair up (unless I'm at home where it's in a constant messy bun) so this is one of few times you'll see it this way. I did a little french braid in the front to make it a little less plain. The main reason it is up though is because I finally tested out the Wella conditioner I received in my April Glossybox (here). I should have known better. It made my hair (which is very fine) disgustingly greasy, & of course I was short on time so there was no fixing it. Some days ponytails really are warranted. 

I was wearing:

Yellow jeans - Gap (here)

Striped tee - Banana Republic

Necklace - F21 (old)

Peep-toe heels - Steve Madden (old)

Gold Chronograph watch - Michael Kors (here)

Vanilla Hamilton Bag - Michael Kors (here)

Colour Experiment

When I saw that today's forecasted rain was a no-show, I decided to celebrate with some colour experimentation. Orange & purple isn't an every day combination of mine, but I tried it, I liked it, I wore it. They're actually my two favourite colours this Spring; so why not pair them up? 

There's nothing more comfortable for summer than an oversized batwing shirt. More importantly, they are incredibly versatile. You can pair them with denim cut-offs, a pencil skirt, jeans, or in this case colourful trousers! This orange batwing top c/o Oasap is one of my ever-growing collection. The pastel purple trousers have some pretty unique detailing which makes me love them even more (squared pocket seam, zippers in the front of each leg, & slight ruching). My nails were already painted in Lily 610 by Revlon, so I was unintentionally a little matchy-matchy. 

To avoid looking too colour-crazy I accessorized fairly neutrally. Jewellery wise it was pretty difficult to match anything with the vibrant orange top (gold blended, others clashed too much), so I opted for a vintage white + black costume necklace & simple bangle. I also attempted to break in my new JC Pizan wedges. I managed 4 blocks, but admittedly came out with some war wounds. All shoes give me issues the first couple times, so I'm still in the optimistic zone with these beauties ;) 

On one last note: I'd like to thank you all for the overwhelming amount of comments I've received lately. I respond to each & every one of them, though it may take me a day or two (I'm a busy gal!). Keep them coming - they're so very appreciated! 

I was wearing:

Orange batwing top - c/o OASAP 

Pastel purple trousers - H&M

Necklace - Vintage (Grandmother's)

Cream+Gold Bangle - H&M

White Pizan Wedges - Jeffrey Campbell via Nastygal (here)

Spring in Winterland

I'm so envious of seemingly everyone else in the world who isn't living in the midst of Winter this March 25th. I woke up this morning with an enthusiastic plan to take a nice Spring outfit photo. That's when I noticed it was a complete blizzard outside. Fortunately it cleared up this afternoon so I braved the below freezing temperature & attempted to create a Spring-esque look that was still somewhat weather appropriate (don't let the silly smile fool you; I was beyond freezing). 

Bright colours were an obvious choice, pairing red with fluorescent orange (layered over a cream lace bodysuit). My House of Holland suspender tights were a clear necessity, so I chose black lace up boots & a black vintage cross-body bag to tie things together. Otherwise I accessorized fairly plainly, with a cream + gold bangle from H&M & my Chantilly Lace earrings by Stella & Dot. 

I have two exams coming up this Tuesday & Wednesday so you can expect something new the second those are out of the way. Until then I'll be attaching myself wholly to my text books & language CDs... oh the excitement ;)

Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend - thank you so much for reading! 

I was wearing:

Red belted shorts - Dolce Vita

Orange fluoro oversized tee - H&M (old)

Cream lace bodysuit - American Apparel (here)

Suspender tights - House of Holland

Chantilly Lace earrings - c/o Stella & Dot (here)

Lace-up boots - F21 (old)

Cream & Gold bangle - H&M

Cross-body bag - Vintage

Frühlingszeit

Sunshine, melting snow, Camera Obscura, Springtime: Pretty much the main things which influenced this outfit of mine from yesterday. It made for the perfect opportunity to wear my new orange batwing jumper c/o OASAP which I received last week. I was looking for some interesting contrasts so I paired it with blues & red. You've seen these blue pleated palazzo pants once before (here), but I have to say it again: these are so much fun. Especially on a windy day like yesterday; they're blowing every which way & I can't help but smile over them. Definitely need to find a second pair of these soon. 


Despite the fact that our house is still in the heart of winter, I wore my peep-toe Foxy platforms; deeming it safer uptown where there was significantly less snow. Accessory-wise I wore 2 vintage necklaces + red rosette stud earrings passed down from my Grandmother, & a printed navy clutch with wooden handle. I bought this clutch when I was fifteen for $5 at Old Navy... & this is actually the first time I've ever used it believe it or not. I'm not quite sure how to describe, or sum up the outfit style, but I can tell you I loved it. Definitely put me in the mood for Springtime/Frühlingszeit (been working on my German all week; my head is a mess of vocabulary & a headache of foreign pronunciations)!


As lovely as yesterday's brilliant sunshine was, it was not exactly conducive to great photography. So while it looks like I did godawful things with the saturation/exposure, seriously just blame the sun (what you see is unedited; fixing these was beyond my skill haha). And if you're wondering why I look cold, it's because I was cold freezing. Wish I could teleport to a warmer climate right about now! One more month...

I was wearing:

Orange Batwing top - c/o OASAP (here)

Blue pleated palazzo pants - ASOS (old)

Navy patterned Clutch - Old Navy (old)

Necklaces - Vintage

Rosette Earrings - Vintage

Nude suede Foxy Platform - Jeffrey Campbell

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?

Spring Musings // Nail Inspiration

Some nail colours I'm dying to put into action this Spring + a little bedside reading for sick day numéro deux

You'd think waking up to vehement snow flurries (in Vancouver of all places) would put a damper on my Spring enthusiasm. Well as it turns out, that's hardly the case. I can't get Spring/Summer off my mind! I've been dreaming of bright neon beauties, colour blocking, & wavy beach hair all day from the comfort of my cosy bed (perks of a sick day). I'm so excited to start planning & assembling my new Spring wardrobe. 

I'm also excited to actually have nails to paint lovely bright colours this season. As you may recall one of my New Year's resolutions was to finally stop biting my nails. At the moment it's not going the greatest so I thought a little 'Nail Inspiration' was in order. When it comes to nail art I admittedly lean more toward the plain jane side of things. Here are some simple nail looks that I admire: 

Images via Tumblr, Cupcakes & Cashmere, & Glitter Guide

What are your thoughts on the Spring 2012 line of Chanel polishes (April, May, June - seen here)? As added motivation I think I'll treat myself once my nails get a little better! :)

Have a fabulous evening! <3