The Beret is Having a Moment

For me, the beret is not a trend I need to jump on. Why? Because I've already been a fan of berets for years!! But hey, no biggie if you're just coming around to them this season. You'll likely spot them all over right now, so it won't be hard to find one.

I've always loved Parisian style, so it's no surprise why I've been wearing berets for so long. They're just so chic! And they're such an easy accessory to add to your look. This red one was actually given to me by my Nana; she used to wear it when she lived in Montreal (it's also made in Canada!). This one is a lot more floppy than most of the more sturdy ones you'll find out there, but just search around until you find the right colour and style for you. I've linked up a few others I really like below, including some pretty pastel ones that are perfect for spring.

Here, I've styled my beret in a cutesy Parisian way, with an adorable Eiffel Tower print blouse that I recently found at Winners. Especially with the bell sleeves, it was just too cute to pass up! I added the black bow necktie to dress it up a bit more. Then I stuck with my tried and true favourite colour scheme: black, white and red. Another Parisian-inspired choice. That being said, don't feel that you have to wear your beret with a uniformly Parisian outfit. In fact, why not switch it up a bit, and add it to your more casual outfits? Or as a nice hat to wear with a cute co-ord outfit (matching top and skirt)? There are also lots of fun colours to try. These days, you can pretty much find one in any colour under the rainbow, so have some fun with choosing a colour that will go great with the rest of your outfits.

That's it for today! Just an easy, chic add-on for any of your outfits. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom for all my outfit details. Au revoir!

Hat - From my Nana! (similar) | Shirt - Just Living via Winners (similar, similar) | Pants - Calvin Klein via Saks Off 5th | Bag - Florence Leather Market | Heels - Also (thrifted)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Travel Style Diary: Paris Part 3

Paris had lots in store for us, even during the last leg of our time there. By this point, temperatures had dipped quite a bit, so it was time to bundle up in boots, scarves and cozy knits before heading out for our daily adventures. My camel cape was the perfect warm yet chic piece of outerwear to wear over top - yes, it definitely weighed down my suitcase dragging all my coats around, but considering your outwear is what gets seen the most when on a fall/winter trip, I think it's worthwhile taking on the extra suitcase weight.

During the next part of our time in Paris, we did a self-guided walking tour in the area of  Ile de la Cité and Le Marais, where we made a stop for a photo op at Notre Dame, and Shakespeare and Company. Going to Shakespeare and Company had been on the bucket list for a few of us, and since the new Harry Potter script for The Cursed Child had just come out not that long ago, we wanted to buy our copies there and have them stamped with the Shakespeare and Co. stamp! A special momento from the trip. We wandered past a couple more landmarks on our walking tour before getting sidetracked by other sights...it's hard not to in Paris! We stumbled upon Hotel de Ville, where the outfit photos below were taken.

Two more activities that were on our must-do list were having lunch/dinner along the Seine, and trying absinthe for the first time at La Fée Verte. Our dinner on the Seine was a perfect evening; we found some delicious paninis nearby, grabbed a few bottles of wine, and sat along the water after the sun had gone down. La Fée Verte was an equally good night; we picked our absinthe from a long list of choices, and had it served with the large water dropper, sugar cubes and absinthe spoons. It was quite the contraption! But essentially, you dilute your absinthe as the water drips from the reservoir, over the sugar cube and into the glass. Fair warning though if you don't like the taste of black licorice, the flavour is anise - something my friends weren't crazy about, but I didn't mind at all! Traditionally, it was a drink consumed by Parisian artists and writers in 19th and early 20th-century France. A fun dose of history!

Finally, we couldn't leave Paris without seeing the best view of the Eiffel Tower from Le Trocadero! We grabbed some champagne and sat on a bench along the fountains, watching the twinkling lights on the Eiffel Tower at the top of the hour. Perfection. 

Photography by Chantale Tyers

Cape - Topshop | Scarf - thrifted | Hat - (similar) | Sweater - Neiman Marcus (thrifted via Salvation Army) | Earrings - Forever 21 (similar) | Jeans - Urban Planet | Boots - Miss Smart | Purse - Florence Leather Market

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Travel Style Diary: Paris Part 2

I swear, every day in Paris just got dreamier. During the second part of our time in Paris, we decided to start out with a stroll down the Champs-Élysées. We actually ended up getting sidetracked after coming out of the metro and seeing the Pont d'Alexandre, which was worth checking out for the photo op and a view of the Eiffel Tower.

Afterwards, we meandered down the Champs-Élysées, where we stopped in a few clothing shops and popped into the Publicis Drugstore (which was actually far fancier than it sounds) to find an easy snack. Inside, they had a Pierre Hermé macaron boutique, where I obviously had to pick up some to taste. When in Paris, binge on macarons, am I right? Of course, I had to check out the iconic Laduree on the Champs-Élysées as well. It was quite dark inside, but I was happily overwhelmed by the selection of treats, and definitely enjoyed the rush of ordering my Ladurée in french for a change (can't do that in Vancouver!). One of my must-buy items on the trip was a special key chain from Laduree, and I was so giddy to find they had them in stock. I don't even know if I'll ever be willing to take it out of its adorable box! If you're a real lover of Ladurée, don't forget to stop by the Sephora on the Champs Elysee too: it's the ONLY location in Paris where you can find Ladurée makeup! I bought their gorgeous cameo blush - you can see my post on that here.

One of only two clothing items I purchased on the trip was on the Champs-Élysées. It was a perfect little black dress with lace sleeves from Morgan de Toi (you can see a peek of it on my Instagram here). The prices were super reasonable considering it was such a touristy spot. The second of the two clothing items I ended up purchasing at Les Galleries LaFayette, from Molly Bracken. Shocker, it was another little black dress! It's bow and scallops were just impossible to resist, and seriously it was almost the only store I could afford there. The rest of the time was glorious window shopping. Very glorious indeed, especially during the holidays. I ended up wearing that dress over Christmas, you can see photos here!

Hope you enjoy the outfit photos below! This was definitely my favourite shoot in Paris, in terms of locations, and it was certainly one of my favourite outfits of the whole trip.

Photography by Chantale Tyers

Coat - Zara (similar) | Shirt - Simons | Earrings - c/o Nobis & Grey | Pants - Zara (in navy, light camel) | Shoes - Nine West (via Amazon) | Purse - Florence Leather Market | Umbrella - Little White House Co.

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

How to Dress for a Boating Trip: Breezy Summer Fashion

Summer means excursions and trips to enjoy the outdoors and get some sun; it's a great time of year, but sometimes I struggle to find fashionable outfits that are casual enough for these types of activities. My goal when toning down my looks is to keep the outfit simple, while adding special details which keep it looking chic. For day 1 of our recent boating excursion up the BC coast, I opted for a Parisian-inspired look with a simple striped tank and jeans. I dressed it up with my new Olivia Bib necklace from Stella & Dot to give it that pop of colour and 'chicness', and a straw fedora to give it a breezy summer feel. As you've seen from my Summer Colour Inspiration post, you'll know what goes great with this: mint! So I finished off the look with a mint cardigan to keep things looking light and fresh, yet cozy, since the weather was still not that warm.

So what's the key to looking chic yet casual this summer? Keep your clothes simple and accessorize to give your outfit that extra pop that will make it stand out!

Sweater-H&M(thrifted),Shirt-Active(via Winners), Jeans-Urban Planet, Hat-The Hatter Company, Necklace-Olivia Bib(via Stella&Dot)

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Happy Styling! xo
~Britta