All posts tagged: trends

Lilac

Since the spring/summer 2018, Lilac has become the colour of the season. We’re all aware that pastel hues have enjoyed the newfound popularity for some time, but none have been more pervasive than lilac. It may have been a shade of your eye shadow in middle school, but this pale incarnation of purple was revived at Victoria Beckham in the form of suits, as well as at Tibi with midi-length, loose-fitting dresses. To many of us, lilac is perceived as more summer-friendly, but undoubtedly it can also serve well as a pop of color in the cooler weathers.

Pretty in White

It’s always been a love-hate relationship with the shade white, because although it brightens every look and brings a youthful vibe, it just gets stained so easily. But that’s OK, I’ll just have to be extra careful :). Here I have my favorite chic cape-blazer from Zara matched with culottes of the same texture (don’t you just love the black ribbons for the contrast it brings about?). I’ve also added some neutrals and golds throughout the look without taking away too much from the outfit.

Lazy Chic

Not sure if lazy chic is an actual thing but it certainly is in my book. As much as I like to look good, I’d also like it very very much if my skin could breathe – so a lot of times that comes down to non-suffocating clothes with comfortable material. And being able to spin that with style is what I’d like to think a personal achievement :). There can be many variations to lazy chic, between lazy and chic you can try anywhere from a 60/40 to a 40/60 split. Some lazy elements in a wardrobe include: loose, cotton, pockets, uncoordinated colors, sneakers / platforms, etc.; some chic elements include: clothing sets, crop tops, hair and makeup that took time, heels, appropriate accentuation of your figure, etc. This outfit I have here has a good balance of both elements, but I’d say it sits at 60 chic and 40 lazy at first impression. 

Shades of Grey

Not everything in life is black and white, and often times we end up in the ominous grey areas. Whether it’s work or relationships, lack of definition tend to usually bring about confusion and complicate situations. Subsequently what makes it worse is that rather than seeking clarity, we like to be safe and stay where we are, and end up getting comfortable in the grey areas. Sometimes, a little bravery is all it takes to change things. While grey areas aren’t always perceived positively, they can be a great outfit choice. Over here I’m throwing together shades of grey of various fabric to create a coherent outfit that has both dimension and definition. In case you weren’t aware, neutrals head-to-toe has always been best recipe for a chic look.

Lace & Hollows

I ventured to Europe a couple weeks ago and visited London and Paris. I have to say it’s the best vacation I’ve taken yet. Not only did I get to walk amidst living history and remarkable architecture, I also got to experience different cultures by playing local – eat street food, attend carnivals/events in the city, take public transit everywhere, hang at a cafe and converse with strangers. I can go on forever about the trip but perhaps I’ll talk about it in a separate blog post and just stay on topic here…(: Below is a snippet of my stay in Paris, the shoot was done at Palais Royal which was one of my absolute favorite sites in Paris. This beautiful place radiates positive energy and intriguingly a calming atmosphere, all of which complimented by an hint of romance. To go with it all I’m wearing a exquisite white top consisted of flattering patterns of lace and hollows. I matched it with a neutral tone bubble shorts belted by a scarf to further augment femininity.

Back to Basics

I don’t know about you but I’ve certainly had enough of winter. Despite the positive elements of this season such as the aesthetically pleasing snow and fun winter sports, I find it limiting when it comes to fashion and blogging – often times I’m forced to choose between style and warmth (yes, my creativity runs out once in a while in trying to achieve the best of both worlds) and my blog posts have also been quite monochrome since this is a season with a lack of colour. But! Spring is around the corner, and here I bring you an outfit consisted of simple basics which can strike a powerful impression. Here I wore my white turtleneck sweater and tucked it inside a pair of bright blue jeans for a warm and eye-catching look, then threw on a collared cardigan blazer to add some professional vibe into the casual mix. I added a hat and some red lipstick to complete the look but those are totally optional. I also followed my “have no more than 3 colours in an outfit” rule religiously, as you can …

Embroidery

Whether it is to stand out on the streets, or to feel youthful, embroidery and patches has become the hottest go-to for the younger generations today. Women’s dress shirts and denim bomber jackets are where embroideries or patches are most commonly seen.  And this sunny LA afternoon is no exception. In an earlier post, I’ve demonstrated the rebellious and trendy look of patches on denim bomber, and here I took a different spin on the trend, which touches deeper of the oriental roots. The origins of embroidery can be traced back to Ancient China, where people would sew and capture the beauty of nature (i.e. flowers) and animals (i.e. dragons) on garments as decorations. Because they’re often patched onto silk garments, it was considered a luxury and only the wealthy had the privilege. When I spotted this jacket from Zara, I was instantly drawn to that very combination nostalgically presented on a modern bomber. 

Styling Waterfall Coat

Christmas and new years in Toronto are always so cold that I find myself constantly shopping for outerwear during this season. I fell in love with this waterfall coat the moment I saw it on sale on Shein.com. I adored the neutral tone and the ankled length – making it a classic timeless piece. In general waterfall coats are versatile, in winter it’s best matched with turtle necks and jeans whereas in spring and fall you can rock it with a simple tee or tank. This coat is medium in thickness so it’s even more flexible and seasons friendly, remember to always wear some pumps for additional sass and flare and let the coat fall beautifully at your ankles. ❤ P.S. Happy new year everyone! I had a great 2016 and I welcome 2017 with open arms 🙂 As a fashion new year resolution, I plan to be more adventurous and open to experiment with new styles, I’m optimistic that pleasant surprises await me 🙂 Outfit Details: Jacket – Shein | Jeans – Zara | Shoes – Aldo | Sweater – Boutique Thank you for reading lovelies, what …

Day Out With Florals

As part of my LA trip, I prepared many outfits to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, and so I bring you a summer outfit in the middle of winter! If you follow my blog you’ll know I love off-the-shoulder anything; It’s feminine and simply impossible to mess up. I went for a casual day out vibe and matched my floral off-the-shoulder top with shorts and sneakers (Shoes matter! you’d change the vibe to “sexy” by just wearing some strapped heels). Florals and warm toned accessories together is a match made in heaven, so I wore some dainty gold accessories and made sure they’re subtle so they don’t add onto the busy-ness, including this beautiful minimal choker from Lucky Jerks – an accessory e-shop with everything hand made in Paris! I’ve always been a fan of gold coloured accessories, it’s versatile and timeless. In comparison, gold also offers a wider range of options i.e. white gold, rose gold, etc. while silver accessories tend to make a bolder statement – so depends on how you feel that day, accessorize accordingly. 🙂 Thanks …

Thigh High Boots

Lovelies! I know it’s been weeks since I blogged, but I’ve got some really good excuses – life has been keeping me ultra busy! I do have exciting updates to make up for it though 🙂 In the past 3 weeks, I vacationed to Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. I took lots of photos in LA so expect a series of outfit posts! I think I’m going to name it the “Val goes to Cali” series. I’ve also been occupied with paperwork…because I’ll be starting my a new job next week, who’s excited with me?! 🙂 Without deviating any further from the subject – here I have a recent favorite outfit to share featuring my newly purchased thigh-high boots! I’ve been a non-believer of thigh-highs for as long as I can remember, but this season I decided to give this trend a chance, annnnnnd I LOVE them! Whether in leather or suede, flat or platformed, these shoes are statement pieces that are surprisingly functional in cold weather. Pull them over skinny jeans/leggings, with an oversized sweater, or with a cute & …