Vancouver Fashion Week FW 2015: Opening Gala

The most highly anticipated fashion event in Vancouver is back again for a 25th season! The opening gala of Vancouver Fashion Week is an opportunity to get a sneak peek at 1 look from each designer's collection: the energy under the tent is always the most intense on this first night, and you can't help but get wrapped up in it!

I was even more excited for the rest of the week after seeing the amazing designs from Kate's Couture, Grandi's Atelier, Noe Bernacelli, Nadia + Zehra hit the runway.

Such an event called for an extra special outfit, and this dress from Asos I just had to order. I really love how popular scuba material has become; it creates such awesome volume, and in this case it just makes the peplum even more dramatic!

This week during fashion week, I'm working on a video that will cover my experiences runway-side and backstage, rather than just shooting my usual blog images. I can't wait to share it with you!

The Style By Fire power duo, Aurora Chan (left) and Miranda Sam (right). Both are wearing Blanche Macdonald fashion grad Shin Yi Chi's neoprene designs.

With designer & blogger, Kassinka. She designed the dress she's wearing here!

Thanks to Aziz Dhamani for the photo

Dress designed by 15 year old Kate Miles of Kate Couture!

Design by twins Nadia + Zehra

Outfit: Dress - Asos | Purse - Aldo (thrifted at Value Village) | Ear cuff - Nobis & Grey

Makeup: Lipstick - NYX Matte Lipstick in Whipped Caviar

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

ThirdLove Lingerie: Everyday Parisian-Style Luxury

I've always admired Parisian style: the way the women dress simple and elegant. Effortlessly chic is their middle name. Even on a casual Sunday afternoon, they are perfectly put together. Sexy but understated, like a lace bra peeking from a minimalist blouse.

I wanted to re-create this style, and thanks to ThirdLove, I'm very happy with the results! I strolled the streets of Granville Island in what is definitely one of my more casual outfits, but all the while felt extra chic thanks to a little something lacy underneath....

ThirdLove is a lingerie brand that is not only considered luxurious and afforable, but it prides itself on a 100% fit guarantee- and for good reason. Their revolutionary iPhone app will pinpoint your perfect bra size with just two quick, private snapshots. Too good to be true? I gave it a test run, and let me tell you, I was very impressed! I've been sized professionally before, and the app managed to match my size exactly. Oh, and ever heard of half sizes for bras? Yes, they have those too. Seriously this is the holy grail of bra sizing. And when it arrived in the mail? It fit absolutely perfectly (not to mention it looked fabulous)!

I decided to style my Sunday-chic outfit with a casual linen blouse from Old Navy, and infused some of that Parisian style inspiration by wearing my brand new ThirdLove Lace Balconette 2.0 bra underneath. Just a teeny bit of lace detailing and the small bow peeked out. 

[ photography by Christian Nambayan ]

Outfit: Lingerie: c/o ThirdLove Bra in Violet Berry | Coat - Joe Fresh (thrifted from Value Village) | Shirt - Old Navy | Bracelet - Nobis & Grey | Earrings - Nobis & Grey | Sunglasses - Target | Jeans - Winners | Purse - JustFab Fairmont | Shoes - Call It Spring (thrifted from Value Village)

Makeup: Lipstick - NYX Extra Creamy Round in Fig (via London Drugs) mixed with NYX Butter in Hubba Bubba (via London Drugs) | Nailpolish - Sally Hansen Salon Manicure in Pink Pong (via London Drugs)

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Soft Spring Colours: A Kassinka Design

Sometimes you just want to wear a pretty skirt and twirl around in it!

Kassandra Poleshuk of Kassinka designed the beautiful pastel maxi skirt I'm wearing in the video and photos below, and I must say, I was completely taken by it! If you can fall in love with an item of clothing, I just did.

We shot the video and snapped some photos in Fort Langley, the perfect spot for a sweet spring photoshoot. The skirt flows so beautifully in the wind, and I positively loved the cute bow on the back that tied it all together. 

Outfit: Top - H&M Divided | Skirt - Kassinka | Earrings - Nobis & Grey | Necklace - Nobis & Grey | Purse - Vintage

Beauty: Nails - Revlon Top Speed in Jaded | Lipstick - NYX Extra Creamy Round | Lise Watier - Feline Eyeliner HD

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

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