NINETIES BABY | 3 Throwback Summer Trends We're Totally Feeling

via Tendances de Mode

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

I won't tell you how old I am but let's just say that I remember the '90s. I remember them well. And I recall that for me, my sister's closet played a starring role. She was four years older, and I was old enough to know better - but that didn't stop me from devising 007-worthy tactics to raid her closet. She had the BEST wardrobe. I'm talking denim distressed in all the right places, perfectly worn leather belts, baggy boyfriend shirts & super soft tees, oversized blazers & body-hugging bodysuits that I had absolutely no chance of filling out (sadly). She had a job and I didn't, so she bought her own clothes while I had to make do with very uncool hand-me-downs. That first time I wore one of her jackets to school, let's just say that she wasn't super stoked to find it lying crumpled up on my bedroom floor. And the time after, once she'd put a sister-proof lock on her bedroom door which I figured out how to bypass with a bobbypin, she was even less stoked.

My obsession with my sister's '90s closet taught me two important lessons: 1) Never, ever touch your older sister's stuff. Definitely not worth it. I should know. and 2) If the opportunity ever presents itself to score an epic '90s wardrobe once you can actually afford to buy your own things, take it.

Luckily, some of my fave obsessions from the '90s are back and I can't wait to live in them this summer. Slinky slipdresses can go from sexy for date nights to playful by adding a little white tee underneath.  Sleek bodysuits are amazing for taking the frump-factor out of this season's high-waisted pants & shorts. And long blazers (either floral kimono-style or boss-babe businessy), look great with jogger-style pants (as shown below) or with distressed pale denim shorts (see above). Scroll down for some '90s summer outfit inspo, courtesy of my perenially cool sis (who has hopefully forgiven me by now) ;)

GET YOUR '90s SUMMER STYLE INSPO HERE...

DRESSED TO CHILL | 4 Off-Duty Looks to Try Out This Summer

via ALDO

Originally posted in The CLOSET

We wait and we wait and then, we wait some more. Canadians are SO good at waiting. But when July finally hits, make no mistake: we want summer. We want the feeling of the sun on our shoulders and an icy cold glass in our hands. And when it comes to fashion, we want to make the absolute most of our little window of warmth to look as cute as possible. 

So let's not wait a second longer. Let's push our basic shorts and tees aside and get a little cray. Let's rock little white dresses with cool silver accessories and head somewhere sunny for an epic weekend brunch. Let's book that girls night, even though it might seem impossible to fit in, and rock cool girl black from head-to-toe for the best night out ever. Instead of passing that patio, let's grab a seat right in the middle and stay there all day in distressed denim, a fun tee and a cute baseball cap. And for those oh-so-necessary date nights, let's rock sexy lace with playful floral sneakers to make the absolute most of it. 

Happy July, y'all. Let's do this...

SUMMER OUTFIT INSPO THIS WAY...

MOM'S THE WORD | My Dream Mother's Day Brunch with Ann Taylor

1. Bandana Statement Earrings | 2. Pleated Block Print Skirt | 3. Square Fringe Scarf | 4. Foldover Straw Clutch | 5. Honor Suede Heeled Sandal | 6. Halter Midi Dress | 7. Wide Leg Marina Pant | 8. Seersucker Fluted Sleeve Top. 

I don't want anything for Mother's Day. Honestly, I don't. Oh, except for brunch. I would like brunch please. I know I'm lucky to be a mom and I wouldn't trade my littles for all of the brunches in the world. But still...when I scroll through my Insta feed every weekend and see my kidless friends drinking, laughing, eating their way through gorgeous brunch after brunch, I feel the FOMO. The more I say brunch, the more I want brunch. 

So, just now, it's been settled. Cute husband has booked us into our new local hotspot, The Walper Hotel, for Mother's Day tea. It's not brunch, because literally ALL of the brunch spots are already booked (naturally), but this is close. So now, I'm into outfit planning mode with a little help from Ann Taylor. 

The new collection is so on-point for spring and it absolutely screams 'Perfect Brunch/Tea Where Nothing Goes Wrong and Your Kids Don't Destroy the Place and You Actually Get to Finish Your Mimosa'. Doesn't it? The citrus hues (that yellow dress!) and the pretty blues will help me enjoy this Mother's Day in epic style with my favourite people in the world. In my dream, nobody is complaining and they are all wearing white with no blobs of strawberry jam in sight. Stop laughing, it's my dream. Check out Ann Taylor's lovely love letter to moms below. The days may be long but the time really is much too short. Happy Mother's Day x

BABY YOU'RE SO CLASSIC | The Freshest Ways to Wear Your Old Favourites This Spring

Cutest. Shirt. Ever. via H&M

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Like a great old friend, classics are the best. You can part ways for awhile and do your own thing, but when you come back together, it feels like no time has passed at all. You share a history that's hard to replicate. You get each other.  Somehow it always just feels right.  Like people, classics evolve in their own small ways but they tend to stay true to what made them so great in the first place.

This spring, your old stand-bys have come back to play, only this time, they're updated to feel totes 2017. Here are some of our fave classic go-tos:

1. CULOTTES | Culottes keep coming back but now, they're available in loads of interesting fabrics and textures like pinstripes and faux leather, and are amazingly versatile - work to weekend is as simple as a shoe change.  Cropped, wide-leg jeans give off a similar vibe and are perfect for wearing with ankle boots while you wait for the warm weather to get here already. 

2. THE WHITE SHIRT | There isn't another piece more universally-flattering, more wardrobe-elevating and more go-with-everything than a great white shirt.  This season, the white shirt stays true to its roots but adds a decidedly 2017 twist with statement sleeves. 

3. STRIPES | Every single spring, you can count on stripes to be on every top trend list. While one usually thinks of nautical when shopping for stripes, this year, it's time to go for something a little less obvious. If you read between the lines (which I hope you do), I'm talking multi-toned striped dresses, vertical striped wide leg pants and flowy striped statement tunics that look more landlubbing than seafaring. 

4. GINGHAM | Gingham screams picnics and pretty weather and the innocence of youth. While I'll never say no to a pair of cute checked pants, I'm especially tempted by some of the fresh gingham finds I'm seeing in stores now. This spring, try a fun patchwork gingham shirt or a flirty cold-shoulder dress - pretty sure they'll be your new BFF's ;)

Happy, happy spring! Serious outfit inspo below...

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LIKE A BOSS | 12 Spring Upgrades Your Work Wardrobe Will Love

via whatweworeblog on Instagram

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

Girl bosses used to dress like men to get the respect they deserved, often with mixed results. Pants. Obviously yes. Shoulder pads? Mmmmnot so much.  As a proud girl boss, let me say that I have managed to build my own business, work on my own terms and continue to set goals that my 7 year-old self would have been proud of, and I've done it all in pink. This spring, a killer work wardrobe is all about harnessing your fashion power to make your 9-to-5 grind more fun. It's about taking charge of the season's top trends and making them work for you. And of course, it's about shoe shopping because let's face it: when is it not about shoe shopping? 

Read on for 12 spring upgrades your work wardrobe is going to love. Now all you've gotta do is werk it...

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