Fall 2015 Fashion Inspiration

I came to a bit of a sad revelation while browsing Pinterest the other day... I realized I had subconsciously started to pin fall clothes to my Fall/Winter Inspiration board. Is it really that time of year already??

It's funny, because I used to be 100% a summer fashion gal, but over the last few years, I've changed my tune, and have now come to love the layers, chunky knits and cozy scarves that come with fall weather. Below, I've collected some of my favourite fall outfit inspiration that I will definitely be drawing from when shopping for fall fashions and switching over my closet from summer to fall/winter.

Must-haves on my list for fall are suede booties, more blanket scarves (you can never have enough!), waterproof boots, and a camel coat. Ok, really, I'm dreaming of everything on the inspiration board below... What's on your wishlist?

Left to right, top to bottom: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

What to Wear in a Heat Wave

We've been experiencing one heat wave after another this summer, and unlike the babes from the beaches of California, I don't handle the sun and heat all that well, so I've had to make some adjustments to my summer apparel to keep cool.

I hate wearing shorts in a heat wave - dresses are more my thing - but my even my cute summer dresses weren't making the cut in this heat. Anything remotely tight wasn't comfortable and made sweating even worse, so I went on the hunt for dresses that were super breathable and free-flowing.

I came across these 3 backless dresses from Tobi, and ordered them all right away!  The left one is for lounging at home, the middle I chose for casual gatherings, and the far right is for a night out. They all fit perfectly and are keeping me calm and cool in this crazy heat! 

Left to Right: Chiara Backless Mini Dress, Drop Low Shift Dress, Cut Me Loose Dress

Not sure what to wear underneath all these backless dresses? I cannot say enough good things about the strapless/backless Nudi Bra I bought from Ever New at Pacific Centre in Vancouver. The stickiness inside the cups even regenerates once you wash them, so you can re-use it over and over again without the adhesive breaking down! This is seriously the best strapless bra I've ever owned.

How are you handling the heat wave?

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Rainy Summer Outfit

Even though we've had a stellar summer so far, there have been a couple spotty days of rain lately that had given us the opportunity to wear something a little more spring-like again, and it's been a refreshing change!

I love the nautical style from combining this striped navy shift dress and orange drawstring jacket. Navy stripes look great with a nice bright pop of colour like red, yellow, pink or orange. And of course, lots of gold accessories! I will always love my heels, but it's always nice to switch them out for some cute and comfy sneakers (especially these Converse Fancy's, which are my absolute favourite!).

I also plan to get as much wear out of my bright lipsticks during the summer months as I can, so I whipped out my Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick in Tulip: a beautiful shade of orange that matches nicely with my favourite nail polish of the season, Essie's Sunday Funday nail lacquer. 

Jacket - H&M | Dress - The Gap (thrifted via Value Village) | Shoes - Converse All Star Fancy (similar) | Necklace - Nobis & Grey | Bracelets - c/o Nobis & Grey: XII Bangle & IIX Bangle | Rings - Hart + Stone: Twisted Stacking Ring & Hammered Stacking Ring  | Purse - my mom's!

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Beauty Review: Jergens In-Shower Moisturizer

A few bad sun burns later (oops!), so I'm all for a little TLC for my poor skin...

Luckily, at the recent London Drugs Beauty Event, I had a chance to connect with Jergens and find out about their brand new in-shower moisturizer ($9.99 at London Drugs) that locks in moisture when skin is most receptive- when it's wet! It comes in two soothing options : green tea oil or coconut oil. To match the green tea bottle I received, Jergens paired it perfectly with a Organic Silk Dragon Jasmine green tea from David's tea! The tea fanatic in me was thrilled!

Once you'd taken your shower, before drying off, pump some of Jergens' Moisturizer for Wet Skin  into your hand, distribute all over just as you would any other body lotion...and then pat dry with a towel. It absorbs super quick and doesn't feel greasy (which I'm very picky about usually). My skin feels super soft and hydrated, and is especially soothed in those areas that are - ahem - a little red right now thanks to the summer sun.

I can see this being particularly awesome when the cooler whether hits this fall, and dry skin starts to creep in. If you're looking for a new way to keep your skin supple and hydrated, give this one a try!

* Product c/o of Jergens at the London Drugs Beauty Event for review. All opinions are my own!

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Aston Hill Tea with British Pacific Properties

British Pacific Properties invited us for an afternoon-tea inspired lunch at the beautiful Aston Hill residences in West Vancouver recently. The event featured yummy delights curated by local food enthusiast Erin Ireland, and speaker & CEO Narges Nirumvala of ExecutiveSpeak, who share inspiring words about female leaders and the challenges and opportunities we face; it was a wonderful way to spend a Friday afternoon!

The view from the patio was absolutely unreal; we could see a stunning view of Vancouver and the water below. And the patio itself, decorated by Taffete Designs, gave the outing a beautiful touch of summer sophistication. I was in love with the white drapes!! I am 100% trying this when I have a patio like this...one day!

For such a lovely, sophistocated afternoon, I opted for a polished high bun, and crop top - pencil skirt combo. If you're wary of the whole crop top trend, or want to wear it in a more modest setting, a high-neck crop top paired with a high waisted skirt is a great option. You won't show off too much tummy, but the contrast of hip-hugging skirt and looser crop top will define your waist nicely. 

British Pacific Properties' Geoff Croll shares his excitement about the new Aston Hill community

Narges Nirumvala inspires the group that "we are limitless"! 

Erin Ireland from It's to Die For with Juno Kim Catering: the creators of the event's delectable eats!

Our limo ride to and from the British Properties...all aboard!

A sparkly little treat from Olive + Piper: their ever-popular Lucy necklace!

Thanks to Sunny Chiu from Dunn PR for many of the photos!

Outfit: Top - Forever 21 | Sunglasses - Target | Necklace - c/o Nobis & Grey | Earrings - c/o Nobis & Grey | Skirt - Thrifted via Salvation Army | Purse - Just Fab | Heels - Darnetta via Just Fab

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Beauty Review: Summer Sun care

This summer has been one record-breaking heat wave after another, and a few burns later, I have finally decided it's time to upgrade my sun care routine. It can be frustrating, because I'm usually too lazy to re-apply sunscreen all the time, I hate the greasiness, and the feeling of being sweaty all the time is really not appealing. But, I know protecting my skin is more important than my own laziness, so I went on the hunt for the best sun care products and picked up these...

RoC Soleil Protexion Plus Lip Balm

I'd never had the pleasure of burning my lips until this summer, and let me tell you, having your lips constantly peeling is not a pretty sight. After that little snafu, I went out and got myself an SPF lip balm to avoid a repeat. At the reasonable price of $10.00 from London Drugs I got a great quality lip balm from RoC, their Soleil Protexion Plus, which has SPF 30. It's been moisturizing enough to get my peeling lips back on track, in combination with my e.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Exfoliator ($3.99 at London Drugs), and the SPF will protect them from burning again.

Vichy Capital Soleil Sunscreen Mist

I've always tended towards sunscreen sprays, but this summer I decided to upgrade from my usual cheap spray to more of a luxury brand. This Vichy Sunscreen Mist ($31.95 at London Drugs) is by far the best sunscreen spray I've come across. It has a nice, non-sunscreen smell (yay!), and after letting absorb into the skin for a few minutes, doesn't feel as greasy as other sprays I've tried. I will always feel like it's not completely comfortable, but hey, it's the best yet!

Lise Watier Sun Smart UV Shield

Now this is one SPF product I'm really excited about! I was chatting with the Beauty Advisor in London Drugs about how I needed to find something with SPF to prevent my face from burning (I don't like facial sunscreens), and she recommended this amazing Sun Smart UV Shield from Lise Watier ($39.00 from London Drugs). I was willing to give it a shot, and when I tested it on my hand, I couldn't believe that not only did it not smell like sunscreen, but it had the beautiful feathery soft texture of a primer! Fabulous! I would actually use this year round, as I seriously love it as a primer as much as I love it for its SPF. It went on like a dream under my BB cream! Plus, it's chemical free, if that's something you're looking for in a sunscreen.

And of course, when in doubt, and nice wide-brimmed hat and some sunglasses will always help too!

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta