Project 333 for the Office - Fall/Winter Edition

Hi everyone! Here is my capsule wardrobe for the office for the months of December, January, and February. I extended my last capsule wardrobe for almost a month since we had such a warm November... I was also procrastinating because I knew I wouldn't be 100% happy with my fall/winter capsule. This one will be a work in progress and I will be tweaking it a little throughout the next few months.

This video contains a recap of my last office capsule as well as my next office capsule beginning at this time stamp: 4:19

I hope you are all doing well. x

On my spreadsheet:
- Items highlighted in green are new to my current capsule but from my existing wardrobe
- Items highlighted in blue are new to my wardrobe
- Items not highlighted are being carried forward from my previous capsule

4 Fall Outfits + Balenciaga Pompon Update

Project 333 for the Office

Some of you know may know that I've been wanting to try Project 333 for a long time, but I've been overwhelmed by how much I still have in my wardrobe despite having gone through many rounds of decluttering. I love variety and looking different all the time so it makes me feel a little anxious when I think about wearing the same 33 pieces for 3 months. Instead, I took a look at my lifestyle and I realized I already dress using a capsule wardrobe to a certain extent when I go to work. I have a conservative desk job so I find I am constantly repeating outfits and dressing with a similar "uniform" every day:

In the spring, summer, and fall months, you will typically find me in a:
- Pencil skirt with a top (tucked in)
- A-line skirt with a top (tucked in)
- Sheath dress
- A-line dress

In the winter, I almost always wear:
- Pants with a top (not tucked in)

Since I already have an informal capsule wardrobe for work, I decided to try Project 333 for the office in May, June, and July of this year. In this video, I talk a little bit about the project and also show my 33 pieces:



And here is how I did!



I enjoyed my first capsule wardrobe so much, I decided to do another for August, September, and October. I replaced one item (light grey cardigan) with something very similar, kept approximately half the pieces from the first round, rotated in a number pieces currently in my wardrobe, and purchased a few items to fill a few "gaps" in my office wardrobe. Here are the pieces I chose for my summer/fall office capsule:



So far, I am really enjoying my current office capsule! One day, I may decide to branch out and try Project 333 for my non-work wardrobe, but for now, I think I will continue to enjoy the variety.

The Roaring Twenties

I haven't done a food post in a while but my bestie and I have been continuing our tradition of trying a new restaurant every month. This past weekend, we went for dinner at Patria. This restaurant serves "authentic Spanish food" and is the brainchild of the same duo who brought us Weslodge. Patria is only a few steps away from Weslodge but it is a little difficult to find. Look for a red parking sign just west of Weslodge and walk down the driveway to the restaurant.

Patria has an extensive list of Spanish wine including quite a large selection of cava. The food is very flavourful and the service is friendly. My friend and I shared 3 tapas style dishes and barely had room left for the huge seafood paella that followed... there is a 45 minute wait for the paella so you have plenty of time to try a few glasses of cava! We also shared some churros with dulce de leche for dinner but forgot to take photos. While I wasn't too impressed by Weslodge, I would definitely make a return visit to Patria.

Manchego croquettes:



Some potato, tomato, and fried egg dish (sorry, I'm not describing these dishes very eloquently)... should have taken a photo of the menu:



Octopus:



Seafood paella (YUMMY!):



We are still doing themed dress-up dinners and it was my friend's turn to come up with the theme. She chose 1920s cinema and this was my flapper-inspired look.




Happy Monday!

{what i wore} patio night

this outfit was really out of my comfort zone. i never wear short skirts and i never wear this much colour all at once! this was the night of one of my themed dinners with my friend - and our theme was colour! no black, white, brown, or grey allowed in any part of the outfit. this is the outfit i came up with - would you believe my friend was wearing almost the exact same colours!? great minds think alike. :)


song: all the world by jenny mayhem (creative commons license)

- coral lace bandeau (urban outfitters)
- maroon tank top (h&m)
- red-coral skirt (zara)
- purple flats (walmart)
- oversize clutch (zara)

{on my face}

- bronze smokey eye with coastal scents mirage palette
- hard candy fox in a box blush in skinny dipping
- milani baked blush in bellissimo bronze
- hard candy so baked bronzer in tiki
- revlon lip butter in peach parfait
- mac cremesheen lipstick in ravishing
- sula lipgloss in i'm so lucky

{on my nails}

- opi stranger tides
- accent nails with julep portia

i got so many compliments on this hairstyle and i couldn't stop playing with the braid all night (or in this video apparently)! :) thanks to beyondbeautystar for the double fishtail braid tutorial. i took the below photo in the morning when i was "trying out" the hairstyle.



{what we ate}

we went to mambo lounge for summerlicious dinner. it was a beautiful night on the patio and a family of raccoons peered down at us as we ate.



we both had the tropical salad to start - seasonal mixed greens, tomato, avocado, and fresh mango tossed in a sweet mango-balsamic dressing. i'm not a huge fan of salad but this one was so fresh and tasty. i love avocado and mango.



for her main course, my friend had the mero antártico - filet of sea bass served with coconut rice and salsa tropical with vegetables.



i had the confit de canard - slow cooked duck leg served with mashed potatoes and roasted root vegetables. the duck was cooked to perfection but i could have used more sauce / seasoning.



my friend had crème brulée for dessert - rich & creamy custard with a crispy sugar top. i loved hearing her crack her spoon through the top layer of caramelized sugar.



i had the flan de coco - cuban crème caramel with coconut. this was so fabulous, i probably could have eaten two more servings.



we washed our meal down with mojitos and pina coladas. it was the perfect patio night.

{what i wore} dinner and a movie

just a quick outfit of the day post since i haven't done one in a little while. i'm definitely not very creative with my outfits... i prefer to stick to my standard formula with slight variations. :) anyway, i wore this last weekend to watch the avengers with my hubby. i wore the same outfit later in the evening for dinner with my friend but i added a delicate rose gold chain, MK rose gold watch, and a few bracelets.





- coral lace bandeau (urban outfitters)
- maroon tank top (h&m)
- oversize cashmere cardigan (thrifted) - not shown in photo
- mid length accordion skirt (american apparel)
- brown skinny belt (h&m)
- flat t-strap sandals (gift from sisters)
- candies sunglasses (old)
- balenciaga twiggy bag in sahara (beyond the rack)

{on my face}

- milani baked blush in bellissimo bronze
- annabelle blush in pronto
- hard candy so baked bronzer in tiki
- mac frost lipstick in costa chic
- clear lip gloss from bonne bell lip playset

{on my nails}

- revlon top speed nail lacquer in vintage
- butter london nail lacquer in disco biscuit

{what we ate}

my friend and i went to union for dinner. the food was amazing and i can't wait to go back.



we shared the elk sliders - mirin galangal glaze & pickle on challah:



my friend had the sticky ribs - charcoal-smoked and braised back ribs in home made BBQ sauce. i tried a piece and it was soooo goooood.



i had the parpardelle - the menu changes regularly (except for a few favourites like the elk sliders) and i can't remember the details for my delicious parpardelle but there was pork in it (and lots of it):



the portion sizes for the main dishes were generous and we were stuffed so we skipped dessert. however, we did find room to grab some gelato and sorbet afterward! :)

{what i wore} sock bun weekend

happy may, everyone! i absolutely love this month. not only is it my birth-month, it is also the month that the weather starts looking up in toronto. i'm a spring & summer junkie! i've usually finished my seasonal clothing rotation by the first weekend in may so i feel extra motivated to get dressed in the morning. here are a couple outfits i wore this weekend... note, skirts & dresses are pretty much de rigueur for me when the weather is warm so you will be seeing tons upon tons of skirts & dresses over the next few months!

// saturday //

my hubby and i brought lulu to the drake hotel spring market. there was a really cute and interesting assortment of accessories and knick knacks for sale! the market was smaller than i expected so we didn't spend a lot of time there. instead, we walked to kensington market and bought spicy beef patties on coco bread. then we sat outside courage my love and gobbled them up.



- black lace bandeau (urban outfitters)
- black tank top (h&m)
- brown "cardigan" (old)
- floral skirt (thrifted)
- black flats with white polka dots (walmart)
- rose gold chain (found object)
- olive green oversized studs (thrifted)
- candies sunglasses (old)
- badgley mischka brown hobo bag (the bay)

{what's on my face}

- pure + simple blush in soleil
- wet n wild blush silk finish blush in threesome
- annabelle blush in pronto
- covergirl blast flipstick lipcolor in stunner
- essence stay with me longlasting lipgloss in candy bar

// sunday //

you may notice in the second outfit that i'm sporting the same hairstyle (but messier). this is the same sock bun i wore the previous day. as in, i came home yesterday, slept on my sock bun, woke up, got ready, and left the condo without re-doing my sock bun. how's that for lazy? a few pieces started falling out towards the middle of the day but i just tucked them back in and the sock bun held up very nicely otherwise.

my dear friend christina bought me the clutch pictured in the below photos. she works at a thrift store in london (england) and she brought it back for me when she came to visit in late april. what a perfect gift! it is totally my style and i love love love it.



- strapless maxi dress (old)
- denim jacket (old navy)
- black flats (walmart)
- candies sunglasses (old)
- vintage clutch (thank you chris!)

{what's on my face}

- pure + simple blush in soleil
- wet n wild blush silk finish blush in threesome
- annabelle blush in pronto
- covergirl blast flipstick lipcolor in stunner - gold side only
- bonne bell lip play set

p.s. i am loving the cheeky monkey nail polish in party whore! the super vibrant red-coral screams summer.

{what i wore} beauty board

i completely forgot to publish the corresponding blog post to go with this video... until i was reminded by elaine's recent outfit post! so here is what i wore to the beauty board.





- black tank top (winners)
- kimono style cover up (h&m)
- indigo blue jeggings (winners)
- black slouchy boots (walmart)
- balenciaga city bag in outremer
- dangly earrings (old)
- rosegold chain necklace (found object)
- sparkly cocktail ring (ebay)
- michael kors rose gold runway watch (redeemed using air miles)
- braided hair headband (dollarama)
- oversized navy blue trench coat (thrifted) - not shown in video

{what's on my face}

- nyc blushable creme stick in big apple blush
- urban decay afterglow glide-on cheek tint in indecent
- annabelle blush in pronto
- revlon lip butter in strawberry shortcake
- essence xxxl shine lip gloss in sparkling papaya

{what i wore} menswear inspired

another monthly dinner! starting with march, my friend and i decided we were going to try to come up with a theme for our outfits - just to change things up and make it a little more challenging. this month's theme was menswear inspired. here is my interpretation!





here is what i wore:

- denim jacket (old navy)
- calvin klein slim fit tie (borrowed from hubby)
- black halter top (h&m)
- fitted black vest (old)
- spanx black pencil skirt (talize)
- leopard pumps (sam edelman)
- balenciaga city bag
- oversized shell studs (hawaii)
- michael kors rose gold runway watch (redeemed using air miles)

{what's on my face}

- two faced smoky eye palette
- nyc blushable creme stick in big apple blush
- urban decay afterglow glide-on cheek tint in indecent
- annabelle blush in pronto
- revlon lip butter in creamsicle
- stila lip glaze in apricot



my friend and i went to black hoof for dinner and i found the food to be delicious! black hoof is a share-plate type dining experience but we decided to just order our own dish. my friend had the duck & black bean. i tried a piece of the cabbage (i loooove cabbage) and it was delectably pickled - i could have eaten an entire plate of it as i love pickled vegetables. my friend liked her dish but found the flavours to be too strong/competing so she likely would not order it again. oh, and her mustache necklace (above photo) is sooo cute!



i am not into mushrooms, fois gras, sweetbreads, tongue, tripe, etc.; however, i do love tartare so i ordered that. this is the second time i've had horse tartare and black hoof's version was spicy and mixed with hickory sticks... mmm, yummy!



we shared a dessert - if i remember correctly, it was olive oil cake with meyer lemon foam, mini meringues, toasted pistachio, and freeze dried raspberries. something along those lines. it was super duper delicious. i couldn't get over it.



after dinner, we snapped a few quick photos and my friend said we should make funny faces. she loves to make silly faces because she is very good at them. i, on the other hand, totally suck. my funny faces always end up looking like this... bleh.



to close off, i had a lovely youtube subscriber ask me recently for some tips on how to make friends. maybe i'll do a best friend tag to this effect but, in the meantime, i wanted to mention that i am definitely not an expert with this. now that i'm older, i think being yourself goes a long way. basically, it is important to realize that there are some people in this world you will click with, some you like as acquaintances but don't want to be good friends with, and some that don't click with you at all. there may even be some that you wish you clicked with or vice versa but somehow the friendship never blossoms. it's important to be true to yourself and not force anything. i find that my closest friendships developed over time, slowly but surely. when you meet someone you click with - whether it be at school, at work, through family or friends, or at an extracurricular activity or class - be open, honest, reliable, and trustworthy... and i think the rest will fall into place. i know that's a little brief but i hope it helps somewhat! :)

{what i wore} conservative lunch

there is something fantastically wonderful about having a day off in the middle of the week. it's like a walk on the wild side. last tuesday, i had a bunch of appointments so i took the day off work. my hubby happened to have been scheduled for an evening shift at his workplace so we had a rare morning and afternoon off together. we decided to finally visit toca by tom brodi for a nice lunch.



before i get into the food, i have to recommend the non-alcoholic cucumber ginseng "temperance cocktail" - containing cucumber, basil, ginseng, and ginger beer! it was so delicious and refreshing that i had to hold back from chugging it. instead i sipped it like a lady. a really really thirsty lady. we also ordered a pink shampagne - sparkling cranberry, apple cider, elderflower - it was just alright.

the food was incredible but the portions were gi-normous. yes, the prices are high but i think i still would have preferred slightly smaller portions. i would have enjoyed my meal more and i wouldn't have felt mentally defeated by not being able to finish my food. it's not often that food beats me.

to start, we shared a huge order of fancy fish and chips - mill street beer battered yarmouth lobster with frites & espelette tartar. the beer batter is so light that it is extra deadly because the fullness doesn't hit you until you are nearly bursting. the lobster nearly melted in your mouth - wow!



the dish is served with kennebec frites sprinkled with a little thunder oak gouda. i didn't know this before but kennebec potatoes are favoured by some restaurants. these might well be some of the best fries i've ever had - the texture and flavour were divine.



my hubby ordered the braised lamb shank - prairie grains, almonds, and drunken raisins. i'm not a huge fan of lamb so i didn't try it but my hubby said it was yummy. plus i was distracted by my meal...



when my main dish came, my eyes widened like saucers. i ordered the pie - nova scotia lobster & turkey - holy crapola, the pot pie was the size of my head! there's a photo embedded in the video below if you wish to see proof. there was so much pastry and i tried to eat it all but it beat me. i also left the mushrooms (dislike) and a few peas (didn't have the energy to pick them out among the mushrooms). all i wanted to do after i finished eating was roll over and go to bed.



the photo of me with my pot pie is in the screen capture below. do you see how i already look beat? it's like i'm scared of the darn thing!



i'm not hugely crazy about how this outfit turned out but here is what i wore:

- black express t-shirt top (ross)
- thrifted black & burgundy check shirt (talize)
- black tights (old)
- black patent leather heels (guess)
- lv bag (old)
- "crystal" stud earrings (h&m)
- necklace with heart charm (gift from hubby)
- starfish bracelet (galapagos)

in the first photo (below), i'm thinking, "is that a chair behind me? i want to go to sleep."



{what's on my face}

- nyx nude on nude palette
- nyc blushable creme stick in big apple blush
- urban decay afterglow glide-on cheek tint in indecent
- annabelle blush in pronto
- revlon lip butter in fig jam
- mark. glossy lip stain in bella

tgif!

{what i wore} modern plaid shirt

i am absolutely loving outfits inspired by masculine details. this outfit includes a thrifted shirt that reminds me of a modernized plaid pattern, black cowboy boots, and a black motorcycle bag. i counter balanced these masculine elements with delicate silver jewellery and bright fuchsia nails. hope you enjoy the outfit!





here's the list of what i wore:

- black tank top (winners or ross)
- guess modernized plaid shirt (vintage depot)
- black tights (lululemon)
- black cowboy boots (thrifted)
- black balenciaga city bag (ebay)
- oversized "crystal" stud earrings (h&m)
- nameplate necklace (london)
- silver necklace with horse charm (bungalow)
- starfish bracelet (galapagos)
- revlon topspeed in vintage



{what's on my face}

- nyx nude on nude palette
- nyc blushable creme stick in big apple blush
- annabelle blush in pronto
- revlon lip butter in creamsicle
- sula lip gloss in beautiful stranger

{what i wore} accordion skirt

weekend brunch is fun as it is. a fancy monthly dress-up brunch is even better!





here is what i wore:

- white t-shirt (walmart)
- mid-length accordion skirt (american apparel)
- black braided belt (winners)
- black tights (walmart)
- black flats (walmart)
- vintage clutch (courage my love)
- oversized "crystal" stud earrings (h&m)
- gold ring with crystal detailing (the bay)
- delicate rose gold chain (found object)
- 3 tier gold chain (thrifted)
- stacked bangle bracelets (thrifted)
- wraparound bracelet (purchased in kenya)
- opi nail lacquer in wooden shoe like to know
- julep nail vernis in oscar
- essie luxeffects in a cut above

yes, this is considered to be dressed-up for me. normally i'm in tights and slouchy boots or jeans and runners. :)




{what's on my face}

- eye shadows by nyx and pari beauty
- annabelle blush in pronto
- revlon lip butter in candy apple

{what i wore} thrift blouse & classic flap

for my hubby's birthday, we celebrated with a lovely dinner at bymark during winterlicious. three words: duck confit poutine. gaaaaaaahhhh!





here is what i wore:

- pale yellow blouse (talize)
- black pencil skirt (braemar)
- black tights
- black suede wedge booties (adrienne vittadini)
- chanel m/l classic flap in beige caviar
- oversized "crystal" stud earrings (h&m)
- gold ring with crystal detailing (the bay)
- revlon sheer translucide nail enamel in sheer blossom
- l'oreal paris pro manicure in smell the roses

after recording the video, i added a black belt for a more polished look and to further cinch my waist (see middle photo).

{what's on my face}

- nyx nude on nude palette
- annabelle blush in pronto
- revlon lip butter in candy apple

for the month of february, i learned to create loose beachy waves with my flat iron. i really love waves (i used to braid my hair to achieve the look) and this is probably one of my favourite styles so far.

hope you enjoyed the look! :)

{what i wore} black & blush

i often lament that i never dress up anymore. it's so easy and comfortable (both physically and mentally) to wear casual clothing and flat shoes. so when i went out with my bestie to celebrate christmas, we decided that we would hold dress up dinners at least once a month for all of 2012. here is what i wore to the first dinner:



yes, it's not overly dressy but - waaaaddup - i wore heels. this is a rarity for me these days. i used to wear heels almost every day... well, i still wear heels every day at work but it's not the same thing.


three different photos and yet my expression is the same in all of them. this frightens me.

here is what i wore:

- butter london nail lacquer in yummy mummy
- sally hansen xtreme wear nail polish in strobe light - layered over the butter london on some nails
- pink clutch (mango)
- black lace racer back tank top (walmart)
- blush pink loose tank top (h&m)
- black belt (thrifted)
- black harem pants (h&m)
- black patent leather tuxedo heels (guess)
- oversized "crystal" stud earrings (h&m)
- silver link necklace (thrifted)
- black chain necklace (chain from canadian tire)
- black oversized bracelet (walmart)

oh, and i did end up wearing black trouser socks because i didn't want to expose my foot skin to the elements.

{what's on my face}

- nyx nude on nude palette
- hard candy so baked bronzer in heat wave
- rms beauty lip shine in bloom

this is also the hair style i learned for the month of january per my 2012 goals! i used my new flat iron to create loose bouncy waves. the look still isn't as clean or polished as i would like but i think it's decent for my first try. :)

and here we are together! we went to ocho for dinner and it was pretty good. i loved the bread and the soup but my main course was just ok. the ambiance, vibe, and decor made up for it. plus the $7 wine by the glass was a huge bonus!



hope you enjoyed the look!

{what i wore} new year's eve

happy 2012!!! i hope you are all having a happy and safe start to the new year.

just wanted to share my outfit for new year's eve. it is an eclectic look - nothing really matches - but i really loved the way it came together.





here is what i wore:

- american apparel nail lacquer in mount royal
- crazy disco clutch from a tacky store in las vegas (i think it was one sale, 2 for $14, or something like that. i also got a smaller all black clutch... which was very classy. too classy for new year's eve, haha!)
- sequined rose print tank top (urban outfitters)
- black lace racer back tank top (walmart)
- black tights (lululemon)
- black ankle booties (walmart)
- oversized gold stud earrings (h&m)
- black & gold chain necklace - tucked into lace tank top (walmart)
- bracelets (talize & dollarama)

not shown in video:

- black h&m boyfriend blazer (h&m)
- wrap coat (anthropologie)

ok, there are a lot of items from walmart on the above list but i swear that is not the main place i shop for clothing! however, i am proud to say that this is probably one of the least expensive outfits i've ever put together... lululemon tights and anthropologie coat notwithstanding.

anyway, i hope my haphazard outfit was not too hard on the eyes. it was definitely fun to pull out all the bling to bring in the new year. :)

beyond the rack review & what to wear with statement heels

christmas is around the corner and i'm a wee bit worried. i've been regularly purchasing from beyond the rack (btr) for almost 2 years now but i usually do not order gifts... especially with only 4 weeks until the date i need said gifts. i made an exception this time because i found the perfect present for my dad (or rather, i think it's the perfect gift... he's a little picky and unpredictable on that front). i took the chance because btr's website indicated guaranteed delivery by christmas.

but still i worry. there are only 10 days left until christmas.

you see, btr is known for very slow delivery times. some of my purchases have arrived within 2 weeks but most took 3 to 4 weeks and some took over 5 weeks. despite this, i shop there frequently because the convenience, price, and selection are right. plus usually i don't need my stuff right away so it's like a surprise when it eventually shows up. :)

in this video, i provide a review of btr. this review is for canadian viewers as i do not have any experience with btr outside of canada. i've included my thoughts on the vintage chanel and lv pieces that are increasingly offered for sale on the site... note that this is just my opinion! i know some people have been very happy with their vintage purchases from btr.


(music credit: sound jay)

along with the review, i also wanted to share with you a recent purchase from btr... super sky high, super hot statement heels! ohmygoshilovetheseshoes!






i wanted to try a range of different looks so i ended up doing essentially 5 pairings, which you will find below, along with a few variations. the only pairing i dislike is the last one... my pear shape is way too prevalent so i will need to adjust the look before wearing it out... but i wanted to show it anyway. yikes!






happy hump day!