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

Woodland in the City

Without further ado, here is the look I told you about yesterday! I absolutely love this faux fur vest I got from Zara during Boxing Day sales & was quite excited to do a 'look of the day' shoot with it. I've got a million combinations for it rolling around my head so you can probably expect to see it again sooner or later. It makes me feel like a cosy little bear when I wear it, which is probably what provoked me to pair it with a rich forest green & the owl necklace. A simple look for a simple day - and hey, it certainly kept me warm! :)

In terms of footwear, I know you're as sick of my small collection as I am. Before moving here this past September I had a closet dedicated solely to my shoes; but sadly only a few pairs would cram into my suitcase limit. Hopefully 2012 will bring me many beautiful new pairs (I have a very strong inclination towards these at the moment :)

Life is all work & rain at the moment, but I'm feeling peculiarly optimistic in spite of it all. What kind of start is your week off to? And please, let me know what you think of this look! <3 

I was wearing:

Faux fur vest - Zara

Winter green batwing jumper - ASOS

Tiered black skirt - Aritzia (old)

Owl necklace - Sale bin somewhere!

Paloma wedges - Dolce Vita

Sneak Peek // Faux Fur

Hello lovelies! Here is a preview of my latest 'look of the day'; complete with winter green, faux fur, & a darling little owl. Quickly snapped on this gloomy afternoon, I was glad to get it in at all considering my crazy work schedule & looming to-do list. As much as I want to hide in bed & wish it all away, I know it'll all get done if I take it piece by piece.

I went out walking in the rain this morning before settling down to an attempt at productivity. For a misty Sunday the city was unusually alive. From delightful pigeons trying to avoid the rain, to a man on a bicycle whispering me crude things; between endless snobby sales girls, & a toothy smiling homeless man, a million thoughts passed through my head. Life is interesting.

On that note I'm off to conduct an apartment cleaning spree, conquer my German homework, & catch up on my blog reading. Be sure to check back tomorrow for my full outfit post :)

Velvet & Leo

This look was quickly put together as something to wear to work on a rainy day. I love the richness of the navy velvet skirt paired with this vintage white shirt. For a little pop of pattern I added the leopard print peep-toe wedges. When it comes to outfits like these which are a little on the plain side, it's the details that always count. In this case, I just love the buttons & ruching details on the shirt, as well as the multi-strand chain necklace. Let me know what you think! 

I know my balcony isn't the most picturesque of backdrops, but it just has to do on rainy days! And now I'm rushing off to work as per usual, for what promises to be a busy sale day. Wishing you a fabulous day & thank you so much for reading! <3 

I was wearing:

White shirt - vintage, Ports International

Navy velvet skirt - American Apparel

Leopard print wedges - Forever 21

Multi-chain necklace - Forever 21

A New Year

Happy 2012 everyone! I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year's Eve & a relaxing day today. I myself worked both days, but had a lovely time nonetheless. It was so nice to see some of my favourite people at work again, revel in everyone's New Years giddiness, & wear my new velvet dress. 


Along with each new year comes the mandatory list of resolutions. Last year I wrote a somewhat over-ambitious list of 100+ resolutions from the grandiose to the miniscule. Long lost, I don't how many of those resolutions I actually fulfilled; but this year I'm starting small & sharing them with you so I'll have a little more motivation. Besides the usual 'keep in better touch with friends', 'exercise more', & 'just be happy' here are my 5 main goals for 2012:

1. Stop biting my nails

I attempt this one every year, but so far have only managed a few months without crumbling. It's a terrible habit, but 2012 is the year! Pretty manicure inspiration required. 

2. Finish my school courses by April.

Which means procrastinating less & being much more productive than I have been lately. German & Microbiology I will conquer you. 

3. Save money & travel more. 

Although it may mean a reduction in my wardrobe budget, I hold travel higher than anything else - & this year I'm looking forward to a long & delightful trip (perhaps even a relocation!)

4. Take better care of my skin & hair.

I'm the queen of falling asleep with my makeup on. No more! I'm also going to spend more time experimenting with my makeup & hair. I'll let you know how it goes ;) 

5. Evolve my blog.

For me this means gaining more of you lovely followers, posting more often, & hopefully working on some collaborations. I'm really looking forward to the future growth of this site & sharing my year with you!

I'd love to know what resolutions you've made for 2012 so please let me know! I have the next 3 days off so you can expect several new outfit posts this week (oh look, #5 ;). Until then, have a fantastic evening everyone! <3 

Whirlwind

Life has indeed been a whirlwind lately, between working full-time, 2 distance university courses, & attempting to keep an eye on the blog/fashion world. Yet again I'm off to work (in literally minutes) - so here is a quick post to let you know that yes, I am still alive :)


Above is a sneak peek of what I'm wearing today. I ordered these dotted tights from ASOS last week & they finally arrived in the mail this morning.... so of course I had to wear them instantly. They are so much fun! Not very ''Banana Republic'' attire, so I'm curious to see how this one goes over at work. Regardless, I love it; it's so ''me''. More photos to come tomorrow! 

Finally purchased my Christmas cards for this year! The cutest little Kate Spade set, as well as some festive generic ones. Also got a Christmas-tree scented candle to give the apartment a little holiday touch. It is so delightful to wake up to that scent every morning!

I'm off to work - hope you all have a fantastic day! :)

A little inspiration

With 5 long days in a row of work behind me I am one exhausted girl! I'm really looking forward to my next 2 days off, & am starting tonight with some relaxing classic movies like Casablanca, Sabrina, & The African Queen - delightful! :) As per the usual fatigued mind, inspiration is key. So I'd like to share with you, my lovely readers, some photos which have been particularly inspiring to me recently! 

Ankle cuffs - probably my favourite trend right now! This photo via Tuula Vintage.

The stunning Kristina of Kayture.  

Via Stockholm Streetstyle

Gorgeous details by Paula of Apple Blosson and The City.

Velvet wedges I'd just about die for....

How brilliant is this polka dot dress?! One of many lovely looks by Daniella of LellaVictoria.

Precisely my dream hair, a la Valentino.

More striking polka dots adorn this unqiue Stella McCartney jumpsuit. Worn by Valentina of Factory Style.

And that's that! What has been inspiring you lately & where have you found it? Please share, I'd love to know! :)

They build buildings so tall these days

Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in the hustle & bustle of everyday life. The past few days of non-stop work, & (shameful) neglect of proper sleep/nutrition have left me exhausted & a little out of it. Thankfully my work is wonderfully understanding & I was able to go home sick from work today. 


What ensued was some much-needed wholesome food (delicious delicacies from Gorilla Food raw vegan cafe), some fresh air on a beautiful day, & some well-appointed laughter from seeing the latest Muppets movie. We also quickly popped into the quaintest used bookstore I've ever seen, MacLeod's (on the corner of Richards & West Pender). The very definition of organized chaos, this place is my idea of heaven - books floor to ceiling; shelves upon shelves; random stacks higher than me, just threatening to topple at any given moment…. delightful! 

Now I'm home & happily preparing for bed before 9pm. Thank goodness for the littlest things that make you feel so much better. 

I was wearing:

Military-style jacket - Zara

Peach cropped sweater - Vintage

Navy velvet skirt - American Apparel (new)

Lace-up oxfords - F21

Earmuffs - Burberry

Bag - H&M

It feels so good to finally get a new post in, however fashion-less it may seem. I've got some lovely new things to show you over the next few days & am also looking forward to getting in several outfit photoshoots - stay tuned :)

<3 Shawna

Banana Republic x Vitamin Daily present ''Holiday Style in the City''

1. A fairly thick crowd on the women's floor

2. Make-up & manicures by Beauty Mark

3. Miniature cupcakes a la "Cupcakes by Heather & Lori"

4. Mannequins beautifully dressed by the bloggers of the night.

5. Holiday clothing & accessories in sequins, sparkle, & faux fur! 

6. A festive red polka dot top I've had my eye on recently

7. A beautiful cream-coloured rosette skirt that I've also been contemplating... 

8. Sequin, glitter, leopard faux fur, & velvet - 4 huge holiday trends all on one shelf! (Although difficult to discern, the black velvet top on the far right is the exact one I purchased last week!)

9. A bold centre-piece surrounded by cute shrugs & glittering clutches

10. More mannequins styled by the featured bloggers

11. Petra from Style Lounge certainly made my night when she picked me out of the crowd. She was an absolute delight to talk to, & I only wish I had had more time to do so! Thank you once again for all your positive feedback Petra :)

12. The cashmere corner

13. A gorgeous array of holiday glitz to dress up any outfit!

14. Holiday heels

15. I've been coveting one of these cute mini-cross bodies for awhile now - what do you think?

16. The event coming to a close

Although I was technically working at last night's ''Holiday Style in the City'' event, I did manage to do a little socializing & photo-documenting while on break. I also ran into some lovely ladies who follow my blog, as well as Becky from Champagne Weaknesses (who I had the pleasure of meeting last weekend at the H&M x Versace event).

Complete with cupcakes, cocktails, DJ, makeup & manicure bar, & some great shopping discounts, the event was quite a success. Bloggers Anya Georgijevic (I'm The It Girl) & Kelsey Dundon (The Anthology) were also on hand to provide style & gifting tips. From an employee point of view the women's floor was pure chaos, in terms of maintaining neatness & navigating through the crowd. That being said however, everyone was extremely friendly & patient; something that was greatly appreciated! 

Today I'm off work & really contemplating braving the rain to do a little shopping. I've got my eyes on a faux fur vest & some Betsey Johnson jewellery, so we'll see what happens. One last thing of mention before I go - I was pleasantly surprised (okay, admittedly ecstatic) to have been tweeted as 'Blog of the Day' by London online magazine ''The Upcoming''. Thank you so much for that! And a huge thank you to all of you for reading & following my blog - I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate & enjoy your comments & support :)  

<3 Shawna