Thrifty Thursday: Business Attire

This week, I wanted to show you how you can dress for work on a tight budget, while still staying trend-savvy. One of my favourite sections of the thrift store is the blazers section, and I regularly find all kinds of expensive fitted blazers. There's always hundreds of dress pants too, many of them never worn or almost-new.

Being in public relations, I can have a little more fun with my wardrobe than some office workers, so whenever I find some fun coloured work pants like these ones, I get super excited! I promise you there are less 'loud' options too though, like the grey pants at the bottom of the post:

Store: Value Village
Brand: Cynthia Steffe
Store Section: Women's Pants
What I Paid: $7.99
What it Costs New: ?

I swear I find at least one awesome blazer every single time I go thrifting. There's always something different! Black, charcoal, bright colours, interesting embellishments, leather panelling, silk lapels...the choices are endless!

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: Zara Basic
Store Section: Blazers
What I Paid: $7.99
What it Costs New: ~ $99


Now here's a pair of work pants that are a little more conservative than the ones above, but just as chic. I've always loved the fit of Banana Republic pants, and these are straight cut, which is key - no flares here!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Banana Republic
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $7.99
What it Costs New: ~ $124


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Beauty Spotlight: Vegan Makeup from Emani Cosmetics

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the founder of Emani Cosmetics, Michelle Doan, to talk about vegan cosmetics and sensitive skin. Growing up with acne problems myself in my teens, I completely understood Michelle's own personal struggle with cystic acne and the difficulties of wearing makeup with irritable skin. It was her own frustrations that inspired her to seek out a beauty alternative that didn't cause her sensitive skin to break out. The solution? Working one-on-one with world-renowned chemists, Michelle developed a line of clean, glamorous makeup that is free of skin-irritants and harmful ingredients such as petrochemicals, nano-particles, artificial dyes, parabens, or fillers. In fact, all Emani products are cruelty-free and composed entirely of vegan ingredients!

Listen in to see what else Michelle taught me about her cosmetics line:



I was really impressed with the level of coverage the Emani products we tested offer. Most often, you're caught in a choice between covering up your blemishes with cakey makeup, or trying to let it heal with no makeup at all. Michelle said she wants women to take off their Emani makeup at the end of the day and have even more beautiful skin than before they put it on in the morning. Every girl's dream! The ingredients (like you'll see in the Perfect 10 Primer in the video) are meant to nourish your skin, while Emani's range of foundations and concealers nourish and let you create buildable coverage that doesn't look cakey!

You can now find Emani Cosmetics at London Drugs, so check it out for yourself!


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday

One of the easiest ways to look chic and comfortable at the same time is with long, flowing pieces that drape on you just right. Here's a few of my favourites from Value Village & Salvation Army:

Maxi skirts are an easy way to upgrade from sweatpants around the house. You can throw on a cozy sweater or half tuck in a t-shirt and it'll look a million times more chic than sweats. Whenever I find these in the thrift store, I always get excited; why not have one in every colour??

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: Seduction
Store Section: Skirts
What I Paid: $2.99
What it Costs New: ?

Long, flowing blouses (tunics) are an easy chic look when paired with leggings and some tall boots. It can also go from casual to work-appropriate when tucked in with a pair of dress pants. Love finding these.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: H&M
Store Section: Short Sleeve Blouse
What I Paid: $6.99
What it Costs New: ?


I don't know if this qualifies as a 'LBD' as it's not that little, but this black maxi dress adds some serious va-voom in a flash. It seems so simple, but the deep scooping back and high slit definitely make it eye-catching!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Venus
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $12.99
What it Costs New: ~ $40


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Spring Wardrobe Refresh with Panty By Post!

Spring isn't far off now, and I find myself peering into my wardrobe and thinking "it's time for some serious spring cleaning!"

I usually start by cleaning out my closet, picking out things I didn't end up wearing over the previous season, and throwing them in a pile for donation. One of the things I haven't thought to refresh during my spring cleaning in the past though, is my lingerie drawer!

So when Panty By Post offered to let me take some of their fancy panties for a spin, I was thrilled to infuse some new love into that part of my wardrobe. What's really interesting about Panty By Post is that they not only sell individual panties (and some bras as well), but also offer a monthly mailing service! Starting at $15/month, they will send you a surprise panty every month, from either their Everyday Basics, Premium Luxe, or Signature Line (depending on which subscription you choose).

As I get into my mid-20's, I've begun to start upgrading things from my younger years: mismatched to stainless steel pots and pans, body sprays to perfumes, and now I can see it's high time to upgrade from '5 for $25' cotton panties to something a bit more luxurious. Seriously, Panty By Post sends out brands like Blush, Change, Santolina...and they are infinitely better than anything else in my lingerie drawer.

Below, I'll share with you a few pieces from each of Panty By Post's 3 collections, and show you how I'm planning to refresh my wardrobe for spring!

This is how I started off my spring wardrobe refresh: with my first surprise panty package! Loving the adorable Parisian-style wrapping. This is what you would receive each month as part of their subscription service.

If your basics are in need of a pick-me-up, Panty By Post has some seriously adorable panties that are anything but beige and boring! They are luxuriously silky and soft, but comfy enough for lounging around the house on a Sunday (with a cup of early grey in hand, of course!). The stripes and polka dots are just so pretty and sweet!

Panties - c/o Panty By Post | Teacup - Little White House Co. | Nail polish - Revlon (via London Drugs) | Earrings - Nobis & Grey

Beautiful lingerie, even if it's hidden away under your jeans, can give you a whole other level of confidence! I love how the Premium Luxe collection is a little cheeky, with panels of sheer nylon and spandex. Just the right amount of sassy and sweet. I'd finish the look off with a bold statement necklace and bright lips for a fresh spring look.

Panties - c/o Panty By Post | Necklace - Nobis & Grey | Lipgloss - Covergirl Colorlicious  | Lipstick - NYX Matte in Shocking Pink

Panties - c/o Panty By Post | Necklace - Stella & Dot | Lipstick - Estee Lauder | Nail Polish - Essie in Strut Your Stuff

These are definitely the most playful and sexy of the Panty By Post bunch! I love the level of detail: can you see the little ombre flower on the orange ones? And these panties are fully lace, meaning they're even cheekier (haha) than the Premium Luxe panties. Perfect for a spring date night, paired with my new 'grown up' perfume and some of my spring beauty favourites!

Panties - c/o Panty By Post | Perfume - Lancome La Vie Est Belle | Necklace - Stella & Dot | Nail Polish - Essie in Sunday Funday, Lipstick - NYX Butter in Hubba Bubba

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday: Bright New Colours

We've been wearing dark fall colours for quite a while now, so I can't help but start looking for brighter colours in the thrift store. Time to lighten things up!

I always run my fingers over the clothes as I go through the aisles, looking for interesting textures. The bright orange was awesome enough, but I really like how the dress also has an interesting texture to it. It's not quite sweater material, but definitely thicker than you'd expect.

Store: Value Village
Brand: unknown (no tags)
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $6.99
What it Costs New: ?


Just because the blazer is a little big, doesn't mean it's a a reject! If it's about 2 sizes bigger, it should fit nicely as a boyfriend blazer! Just roll up the sleeves and it pairs well with pretty much anything.

Store: Value Village
Brand: H&M
Store Section: Blazers
What I Paid: $8.99
What it Costs New: $29.95


Oh yeah, that's right: purple jeans! Coloured pants seem to be a big fashion risk for a lot of people, but they're an easy (and comfortable) way to inject some colour into your outfit. Just throw on a white tee and you're all set!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Tobi
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $8.99
What it Costs New: $29.99


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Look of the Week: Pantone Colour of the Year Marsala

As I'm sure you already know, Marsala is the colour of the year, as announced by Pantone. I'm pretty happy about this, as this has been one of my favourite colours for fall/winter over the past couple years. It pairs so perfectly with browns/bieges such as camel and cognac (see my shoes below), and looks great with the mauve lipsticks that have been especially hot this season.

Of course, I always infuse a solid dose of girliness into what I wear, so when I saw this dress in Value Village with gorgeous box pleats, I had to snatch it up! I am a huge fan of box pleats, as they give skirts and dresses a ton of volume. The little leather trim gives the dress just a touch of edginess, which is an added bonus. Unfortunately, there were no tags inside, so I have no idea who created this lovely dress, but it's a winner in my books!

Have you tried wearing Marsala yet?

Outfit: Jacket - Zara Trafaluc (thrifted) | Dress - thrifted |  Earrings - Forever 21 - Necklace - Nobis & Grey (c/o) |Shoes - Mei Xi (thrifted)

Makeup: Eyeliner - Lise Watier Feline | Mascara - Covergirl Clump Crusher | Lipstick - NYX Matte Lipstick in Whipper Caviar

 Lip Liner - NYX Pencil in Mauve | Nailpolish - Revlon Gel Envy in High Stakes

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Thrifty Thursday: More Pretty Dresses

My favourite section of the thrift store is always the dress section! I find my luck is better there than anywhere else on a regular basis. If you only have a few minutes to see what's in store, the dress section is your best bet. That or the blazers section.

This dress is a good combination of comfortable and fashionable! The faux leather, open back, and laser cut detailing are all nice touchs, and I could wear this all night long.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: Tobi
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $9.99
What it Costs New: ?


Here's a quick tip when it comes to sizing: don't always trust the tags! I find that with 'younger' brands like H&M and Zara, the sizes run very small, but when I try on dresses for a slightly older demographic, like Max Studio, I find I can fit into much smaller sizes. This XS (which was in the Size 1-2 section) is actually surprisingly roomy, which I only discovered after trying it on. When in doubt, give it a try before passing it over!

Store: Value Village
Brand: Max Studio
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $17.99
What it Costs New: ~ $250


Even though it's been a while since the Gatsby style phenomenon took over, I still get  pretty excited when I find beaded dresses like this. I love that opulence they have! No styling necessary, just throw this on and you're good to go.

Store: Salvation Army
Brand: H&M
Store Section: Dresses
What I Paid: $9.99
What it Costs New: ?


Happy Styling! xo

~Britta