The Must-Have Spring Blouse

There are some clear trends this spring when it comes to shirts: off-the-shoulder, bell-sleeves, and tie-sleeves couldn't be hotter right now. Some people aren't crazy about off-the-shoulder tops because they can be somewhat uncomfortable, and bell-sleeves can be a bit too over-the-top for some. Of all three trends, the tie-sleeves is definitely the easiest to wear, which is why I wanted to share this particular style with you today.

I wanted to share with you where I got this particular tie-blouse, because let me tell you, it's not somewhere I ever would have gone looking for this shirt! I was recently at a shopping event for Coquitlam Centre hosted by some blogger friends Bree of The Urban Umbrella and Krystin Tysire of Girl in Betsy. They had curated some awesome capsule collections which were on display for everyone to peruse, featuring clothing and accessories found at stores in the Coquitlam Centre mall! There were quite a few cute items that caught my eye, including an adorable pink rain coat and my favourite Brunette the Label sweatshirts (I need the 'Blonde' sweatshirt in my life). Turns out, all those items just happened to be from Below the Belt! Do any of you remember Below the Belt?? I remember it being a popular store for teens back in the late 90's and early 2000's, but haven't really heard of it since then. I certainly never thought of them as a place to go for on-trend styles for a mid-20-something like me.

I ended up going to Below the Belt after the event, to check out the rest of what the store had, and that's when I found this sweet blouse with the ties! It even has a row of buttons down the back for extra detail. It pairs great with jeans for a more casual vibe like you'll see below, or you can dress it up for work with dress pants and pumps.

So the next time you're at the mall, and if there's a Below the Belt on the directory, give it a browse! They might just surprise you.

PS. I've been wearing these sunglasses for three weeks straight - aren't they cool?? I love that they're 100% mirrored, and the wire frame is pretty eye-catching. I've been seeing them all over Instagram since I got them. If you want your own pair of Double Crossbar Metal Pantos Aviator Sunglasses, you can use the code vogue20 for 20% off at Ilymix!

Shirt - Below the Belt | Sunglasses - Ilymix | Necklace - c/o Nobis & Grey | Jeans - Rachel Roy via Winners | Purse - Gap (thrifted via Value Village) | Shoes - Adidas Stan Smith (via Need Supply)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Mother's Day Mini Spa Day at Home

Still trying to figure out how to wow mom and spend some quality time together for Mother's Day? Keep on reading! I love doing mini spa days on any given weekend: it's a nice way to decompress and take some 'me time' from the comfort of my home. So I thought hey, why not fancy it up a bit and do something similar for Mother's Day? After all, I bet mom could use some R&R too.

Want to do your own mini spa day for Mother's Day, here's some things to have on-hand:

1. Mimosas
2. Loose leaf tea (I love TWG Tea's Tea Party)
3. Set of tea cups & tea pot
4. A stack of the latest magazines
5. Macarons, earl grey scones & cucumber sandwiches 
6. Sheet masks (try For Beloved One or From Beloved Girl)
7. Small rolled towels
8. Toe Spacers
9. A selection of nail polish colours and top coat

I thought it would be fun to do afternoon tea-inspired drinks and eats for a Mother's Day spa day. Cute little macarons from Laduree, some homemade earl grey scones, and of course the best tea. I really love TWG Tea's Tea Party, it's a favourite alongside Little White House Co.'s Cream of Earl Grey. If you want some ideas of cute and fashionable eats, you can also check out this post and this post to see some of my past afternoon-tea inspired parties. Also, have a selection of nail polishes on hand to choose from, some magazines to peruse (and commentate on vocally, of course).

It wouldn't be a spa day without some face masks too! I've been using For Beloved One's Hyaluronic Acid GHK-Cu Moisturizing Bio-Cellulose Masks and For Beloved Girl Extreme Moisture Mineral Cloud-Silk Masks on some of my weekend at-home spa days, and they're great! The Bio-Cellulose mask has the strangest (read: coolest) texture I've ever seen in a mask. It's not the usual fabric feel: it's very hard to explain - you need to try it to see what I mean! Unlike regular sheet masks, it's made of nano-scale organic fibres produced by compound microorganism bacteria fermentation. Sounds intriguing right?? So cool. I really liked how it felt when I took the mask off too, it doesn't leave too much residue behind, and skin feels super hydrated and supple. I've never used that word before seriously, but it's exactly how my skin felt! If you want something a little more familiar, the Cloud-Silk masks would be a good choice for your spa day. They have that thin woven fabric-feel that a lot of sheet masks have. I like this one better than most though; it's super thin, so that it barely feels like it's on your face! It's definitely the most comfortable face mask I've tried.

It might be a good idea to have a few choices of face masks on-hand, so mom can choose the one she likes best (unless you already know which one that is!). Once you've decided on a face mask you want to use, follow the directions for applying it, then sit back, relax, pick up your mimosas and cheers!

Take a look below for a closer look at the face masks, and everything else for your mini spa day at home. Hope you all enjoy your Mother's Day with the fabulous and inspirational women in your life!

For Beloved Girl Extreme Moisture Mineral Cloud-Silk Mask

For Beloved One Hyaluronic Acid GHK-Cu Moisturizing Bio-Cellulose Mask

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Eco Fashion Week: 81 Pound Challenge

My favourite part of Eco Fashion Week is always the Value Village runway shows. Their 81 Pound Challenge aims to bring awareness to the amount of clothing waste we make each year, and shows just what can be done with that waste through upcycling! Every year, the average person throws away 81 pounds of textiles. That's a massive amount! The really concerning part is that just a few years ago, it used to be called the 68 Pound Challenge, but new statistics have been released since then showing that number has continued to rise.

Evan Biddell, the winner of Project Runway Canada Season 1 was the designer tasked with creating an entire runway show from the 81 pounds of clothes this year. Take a look below to see his incredible eco-friendly creations! I've included photos from the Toronto Women's Fashion Week runway show from earlier this year, since Vancouver's showcase did not include a full runway show of Evan's collection. Instead, Eco Fashion Week displayed the 81 Pound Challenge in a unique setting at the Museum of Vancouver, which allowed guests to get up close and personal with each piece, to see how it was constructed! Isn't it inspiring to see what he was able to create with all those old garments?

While at Eco Fashion Week this year, I was very grateful to have the opportunity to share my eco-friendly thrifting hacks with ET Canada's host Erin Cebula, as part of their coverage of Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver. Click to watch the video below, and maybe you'll pick up a few tips for the next time you're thrifting at Value Village!

Again, I also wanted to show my Eco Fashion Week outfit, entired thrifted from my favourite thrift stores, Value Village and Salvation Army. All the details are below!

Coat - Zara $39.99 (via Salvation Army)

Jumpsuit - Zara $13.99 (via Salvation Army)

Blouse - Loft 82 $8.99 (via Value Village)

Heels - Call It Spring $12.99 (via Value Village)

              Purse - Aldo $12.99 (via Value Village)            

Total = $88.95

[ runway photos by Jonathan Hooper ]

Happy (Eco) Styling! xo

~ Britta

The Lazy Girl's Favourite Shampoo

It's funny, ask me about any category of beauty from nail polish to blush to serum, and I can rattle off my all-time favourite, but I realized recently that there was one category that I hadn't yet found my dream product: shampoo!

I remember the last time I was out shopping for a new shampoo and conditioner (which I'm used to buying separately), and I just kind of stood in the aisle, walking aimlessly back and forth for at least 20 minutes. I honestly had no interest in any particular brand, and really couldn't make a decision. I ended up choosing Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Biotin+ Volume Shampoo and their corresponding conditioner. The wasn't anything wrong with it, it worked pretty much the same as any other shampoo I've used, but it wasn't anything special either. The smell was meh, and the formula didn't really do anything for my hair.

But that all changed last month, when I had the chance to try Joico for the first time! It was a bottle of their new Co+ Wash Moisture, which is a whipped cleansing conditioner. It's called Co+ Wash because it's actually shampoo and conditioner combined. It's funny because usually when I think of shampoo and conditioner combined, it's usually indicative of a relatively cheap shampoo, or as I recently made fun of my boyfriend over a "3-in-1" shampoo, it's pretty typical for guys' shampoo because apparently they're too lazy (and cheap) for multiple hair products. But I thought hey, I'll give it a shot. I'm lazy too. If it makes my hair heavy and wilted, I'll go back to my separate shampoo and conditioner again.

What I first found really cool about this shampoo, and yes I know it's super surface level, is the texture. It's dispensed as an aerated cream, just like a mousse! I'm not going to lie, it's a pretty awesome novelty. You just dispense into your hand (you only need about half as much as a usual 2-in-1 shampoo), and then run it through your wet hair. It doesn't foam up like regular shampoo, which feels weird at first, but when you rinse it out your hair feels super clean and silky (even without a separate conditioner!). I've been showering daily lately because I've started a new workout routine, so it's actually been quite handy to skip that extra step usually involved in washing my hair (especially on arm day when my poor muscles can't stay above my head for more than a minute...). My hair has felt pretty dry and brittle between seasons, so I've been counting on this stuff to keep my strands looking healthy right now, with the formula's rich oils and butters. After drying with a hairdryer, it feels so light and fluffy!

So if you're feeling kind of 'meh' about your shampoo choices lately, definitely give this one a try! I can say 100% that I will be buying a new bottle as soon as this one runs out.

You might have already seen this photo below from my recent post on NYX Cosmetics - I washed my hair with Joico Moisture Co+Wash right beforehand, and look how clean and volumized it is! I used a dash of Joico's Flip Turn Volumizing Finishing Spray and Hair Shake Finishing Texturizer Spray too, for an extra boost.

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Disclaimer: Joico provided the above product for review. As always, opinions are my own!

Eco Fashion Week: Chic Sheets Challenge

Over the last few years, Eco Fashion Week has become a highlight of my annual fashion calendar. Back in the day, before I'd ever been to Eco Fashion Week, I had already discovered the joys of thrifting. It was an easy way for me to keep up with my fashion obsession without breaking the bank as a student. But it wasn't until I attended Eco Fashion Week that I really started to understand the environmental benefits of thrift shopping versus shopping new. It certainly made my shopping even more guilt free! I've also come to love Eco Fashion Week, as it not only inspires me to shop eco-friendly, but it's bringing awareness to a larger audience about the benefits of eco-fashion and thrifting.

Today, I wanted to share with you Eco Fashion Week's Chic Sheets Challenge. It's one of my favourite shows, and features some incredible designs from local talent. The show challenges fashion students from LaSalle College in Vancouver to design creative fashion pieces from old sheets provided by the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. The concept is meant to show how beautiful clothing can be created by upcycling - something we should all consider doing more of, even on a small scale. To celebrate Canada's 150th birthday this year, the theme of this year's Chic Sheets Challenge was "What does Canada mean to you?"

Which one of the below designs is your favourite? Personally, I fell in love with the floor length blue gown by Christina Granneman, but they all had unique features that made them beautiful pieces of fashion art. I first saw the back of the blue dress, which incorporated 3-D scale-like detailing all the way up the back in a silhouette form that really accentuated the curves. Then I saw the front and fell in love with it even more! The neckline was stunning and very well structured.

I also wanted to share with you what I wore to see the Eco Fashion Week shows! I styled a fully-thrifted outfit, which I've given a cost breakdown for below. I hope it'll help show how affordable and easy it can be to look polished in thrifted clothes (no grandpa sweaters here!):

Cost breakdown of my thrifted spring outfit:

Shirt - Meiling $4.99 (via Salvation Army)

Skirt - Choies $5.99 (via Value Village)

Shoes - H&M $19.99 (via Value Village)

Total = $30.97

Ana Lisboa - Inspired by the untitled painting of Canadian artist Lawren Harris, founding member of the Group of Seven. According to the Hammer Museum, Harris "...scenes of a cold and empty northland, isolated peaks, and expanses of dark water beyond barren shorelines remain for many Canadians and non-Canadians the essential images of the country."

Christa Granneman - Inspired by her hometown Port Alberni, the salmon capital of the world, and its importance to the indigenous people of the west coast.

Hailey Yoon - Inspired by Canada's multicultural diversity. Each pleat with different colours represents the diverse cultures in Canada. When the model walks, these pleats are uniform, showing how these different ethnicities are able to live together in harmony.

Jaspreet Kaur - Inspired by the mountains and natural landscape of Canada. The look reflects her personal style: feminine, casual and simple.

Jinju Ha (winner of the $1000 prize, chosen by a panel of eco-fashion industry experts) - Inspired by the northern lights. Only a few countries in the world are privileged enough to view the aurora borealis. The dress shows the beauty of Canada's northern lights, and conveys how we need to protect this beautiful environment. 

Rodica Goreea - Inspired by the history of the First Nations and the book "The Last of the Mohicans". Mohicans were a tribe that lived in lower Canada. They were honest and decent but defenseless. The dress is a Goddess, Uncas, who is the interpretation of the nature, mountains (the silhouette of the dress) and the indigenous (the colours of the dress). She protects the history and reminds us to care about the environment in order to have a future.

Ryan Li - Inspired by the midribs of the maple leaves that branch into veins, and the veins continue to brand into small netted veins. It reminds Ryan of how Canada is made up of people from all over the world, and how it is essential for the citizens to be united, peaceful and tolerant of people from different races: exactly what the maple leaf represents as a recognized symbol of Canada.

Yan Tong - Inspired by the diversity of Canada's population, this dress combines elements of Asian culture with details from European fashion history: namely the ruff. The ties that surround the circles symbolize how Canada connects all the different cultures together in harmony. This is further reflected with the colours of Canada's flag.

[runway photos by Peter Jensen]

Happy (Eco) Styling! xo

~ Britta