Irrational Fear

I saw this humorous little picture on Pinterest the other day and it totally rang true to me! Anyone else? Anyone? I hope so! I’ve already shared that I am a serious outfit planner, but this adds another element to it all...

You know when you've just bought a new outfit or a new piece of clothing and you're so excited to wear it! But you don't wear it just yet, because the right opportunity hasn't presented itself: the opportunity where you will be with a few of your peers, or in a public place, or a special occasion of sorts? Well this happens to me more often then I'd like to admit. In addition to this picture someone on a TV show recently mentioned this fear, and I laughed at how silly the fear is BUT also how I definitely experience it. Does anyone else "save" their outfits so that they can be premiered appropriately? I can't imagine I'm alone on this one! I think part of the fear comes from how excellent it actually feels when you DO wear a fabulous outfit to the perfect occasion!

I've noticed a lot of people are making it a resolution to shop at stores less and shop their own closet more - I'm hoping to do this as well - I happen to think that will help the issue some by getting those great outfits into circulation more. Hopefully... :)

2013 SAG Awards Fashion

The SAG Awards took place on Sunday and since I didn't watch them I did my usual Monday morning online fashion recap! I've got to say, I was MUCH MORE impressed with the fashion here then I was with the Golden Globes fashion. Definitely more favourites to choose from. I can only hope it's a sign that the Oscar fashions will be off the charts!

My take away from these awards were that blue and anything sparkly/metallic were big! My top two looks from last night were Marion Cotillard in Dior, followed by Amanda Seyfried in Zac Posen. It took me awhile to figure out my #2 spot, because as much as i love Amanda's dress, I wasn't so sure about her giant necklace she accessorized it with. After much thought, I decided I loved that dress enough to make her the runner-up. 

Here are a few more favourites worth sharing:

Nicole Kidman, Claire Danes, Nina Dobrev, Jordin Sparks

Who topped your list?

It's My Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me! I'm not one of those people that's obsessed with their own birthday but come on, they are fun! Today is a pretty regular day - I will be at work as usual but then later tonight I will be going out for a super delicious dinner with my parents. 

Hope you all had a good weekend!

This is from my birthday last year. One of my favourite things in the world is balloons - better than flowers!

  

Celebratory Weekend!

This lovely weekend we are about to embark on, also happens to be the weekend my birthday is being celebrated! I did a family celebration earlier this week, and will be doing something with my parents on Monday (the actual anniversary of my birth), so this weekend is the friend installment! There will great friends. There will be cocktails. There will likely be dancing. There will definitely be good times. I'm quite looking forward to it!

I wanted to leave this post by setting a certain tone which I thought would be best relayed using the medium of music! But I couldn't decide specifically which song to share so I choose two. First, a great song by Ellie Goulding that will help suggest that "anything can happen" this weekend. I also included Scream & Shout in order to help get everyone (myself included of course) pumped up! 

Happy Friday! :)

 

Oscar Challenge

It is EXACTLY one month until the Oscars and I've decided to give myself a challenge between now and then - watch every movie nominated for best picture. I've noticed on Facebook that there are a couple of people who are doing this, and that inspired me to give it a go. I mean, I love movies so why not!? Quite a few of them are on my "to-see" list anyway. 

So, can I do it? What will be my favourite? Only time will tell. For anyone who doesn't know, here is the full list of movies nominated for Best Picture:

I've never done this before and I have no idea how successful I will be, mostly because I don't even know if a few of these are still in theaters, but I will give it a shot! As I see them I'll be sure to review as I like to do, and most of all, share whether or not I think they're Oscar worthy! 

Have you seen any? Where to begin...

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Style Icon(s): Jennifer & Justin

Imagine this: you're married to Brad Pitt. Then imagine, he leaves you for Angelina Jolie and they go on to have a humongous perfect beautiful family. Pretty hard to top right? Not as hard as you might think. How does one top Brad Pitt? With the much more manly, much more handsome, Justin Theroux. 

I am going to go ahead and assume that everyone knows who Jennifer Aniston is.  She really is one of America's Sweethearts. It's hard not to love her. And going back to her Brad-breakup, if there was ever a girl who knows what "looking better after breakup" is all about, it is her. She is coming up to her 44th birthday and has never looked more awesome! In my opinion she's always been fashionable head-to-toe... literally! Remember "the Rachel" hair cut? She also has the ultimate accessory now in Justin, that equally stylish finance of hers! I think they are just the cutest couple, and SO NYC chic with their classic black duds. When it comes to her man and her style, if you ask me, Jen has won both rounds!

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To Embrace or Not to Embrace

The wedge sneaker.

The first time I saw this style of shoe I couldn't help but laugh. I mean, look how silly they look! A wedge sneaker? Isn't that kind of like the high-heeled sneaker that we all laughed at and then quickly disappeared? Well, the wedge sneaker has stuck around months longer than I thought and I've got to admit, I don't laugh when I see them anymore (unless they're SUPER silly looking, but if ANYTHING is super silly looking I laugh). Like any shoe or style, I know what I like, and when it comes to the wedge sneaker I don't mind the ones pictured for example. I like them because they're colourful so they're definitely playing towards the fun, sneaker side as opposed to trying disguise itself as a real shoe or a hybrid shoe. They also to me, look well made and high quality, which they are - these are Ash sneakers that go for a not-so-modest $240. Like any trend, the question is how long will it last. That always helps me personally decide whether or not to invest in it. 

Shall I embrace it or not? I think I have my personal answer to that question: I will embrace others rocking the trend, but will not rock it myself. I am NOT and NEVER have been a running shoe kind of gal. I wear running shoes at the gym. Aside from that I have one pair of Chuck Taylor's that I wear maybe two or three times a year. My ideal casual shoe is a wedge sandal/shoe/boot or an interesting flat, so investing in a pair of wedge sneakers wouldn't make sense for me - I'd likely never wear them! 

So now I ask, what do you think of the wedge sneaker trend?  

Creativity

Happy Monday everyone! Let's take on this week letting our intelligence have some fun and amp up those creative juices!

It's a Shoe! It's a Chair! It's a Shoe Chair!

I am not normally one to show off presents that I receive, but this one is WAY TO COOL not to share quite frankly! After Christmas dinner my family all gathers together and the presents get passed out to the appropriate people, then we all open together. Pretty standard stuff. Until this GIANT present lands at my feet - so big in fact, it's wrapped very carefully (and creatively) with a red table cloth! It's from my Gramma. First, it's huge. Second, it's kind of triangular in shape so I don't even bother with guessing! 

When I start opening it, it's wrapped in cellophane so it's still hard to see but I can make out what I think is leopard print... yup, it's leopard... it's a chair... that is shaped... like a... shoe? It's a shoe chair! How cool is this?! Apparently she found it in the summer and immediately thought of me. It's pretty perfect! And it fits in really well with the overall decor I've got going on at my house! (My house is not what's pictured - that's still at my parents.) Shortly after Christmas a few girlfriends and I got together for a snacks and games night, and as a joke and a way to show off my new present, I pulled the shoes chair up to the table while we played. No joke, that thing is incredibly comfortable! I couldn't believe it! Anyway, like I said, I couldn't help but share my latest and greatest addition to my home. 

Thanks to my Gramma, my passion for shoes has now been translated into the most unique and fun piece of furniture ever! :) 

The Healthiest (Banana) Pankcakes in Town!

That's right! Not only did I find the healthiest pancakes in town, I made them too!

This past weekend and this week so far I have been battling a really bad cold. What that usually means for me is the desire for sleep and comfort food. What's more comforting than pancakes?! As we all know, pancakes are not the healthiest food... or are they? Enter: the above mentioned pancakes. No flour. No butter. No added sugar. No dairy. High protein. High potassium. Low calories. What more could you ask for?!
 
Ingredients? Two things: a banana and an egg. That's right, those two things right there, on their own, will make you a delicious, fluffy pancake. I did add a couple of other ingredients for my toppings: I used 5 sliced strawberries and some light maple syrup. Shall we get started? Here's how to make them:

1. Put the full banana (but in pieces) into a bowl
2. Mash the banana with a fork
3. Put the egg in the bowl with the mashed banana
4. Stir together and further mash the mixture
5. Put half the mixture in a sprayed frying pan
6. Flip carefully and quickly once the first side is browned
7. Repeat with rest of mixture
8. Put desired toppings on pancakes
9. Eat

Do you like how I made it into so many steps? It's probably only about 3 steps but I gave the illusion there's work involved! :)    

I made these for the first time last night (mmmm, breakfast for dinner) and I really didn't know what to expect. I thought I might taste a lot of eggs, or the banana would be overwhelming. Neither was the case! It tasted like a real-life full of flour and butter pancake! Pleasantly fluffy, and super delicious. Not to mention LIGHT! I find sometimes after eating a couple of pancakes your stomach can feel heavy, which was totally not the case with these. And check out the ingredients - these puppies are healthy! 

I would definitely recommend playing with the extra ingredients to make them your own - the original recipe I saw called for blueberries to be cooked right in, but I don't much care for blueberries so I opted for the strawberries. You could also try peaches, or chocolate chips - the world is your oyster! 

Best Moments from the 2013 Globes

By "best" moments, I really also mean funniest moments! If you're like me and you did not see all or most of the Golden Globes on Sunday, you were probably online trying to get brought up to speed with what went down. The majority of research was probably dedicated to who actually took home the awards, but knowing that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were hosting, I knew I was looking for the laughs that I missed! I was not disappointed. In addition to their awesome opening monologue, I also found another share-worthy clip from the awards with two of my favourite people, Will Ferrell and Kristin Wiig, presenting an award. If you haven't seen either clip, this is what today's post is for! They are not to be missed. Enjoy!

2013 Golden Globe Red Carpet Winners

Last night was the 2013 Golden Globes. Just like the People's Choice awards, I did not watch the show, but first thing this morning I went online to check out the red carpet fashions and pick my favourites! Normally I like to watch the Red Carpet specials before the show, but football took priority last night. 

After sorting though the fashions I realized that I sadly didn't really have many "WOW" moments. The top two that did stand out to me were definitely Kerry Washington (in Miu Miu) and Jessica Alba (in Oscar de la Renta). Their outfits were VERY different from one another but I thought both looked elegant and absolutely stunning! Along with their looks I've posted a few other favourites below. 

Who were your standouts from last nights show?

Must See TV: Girls

One of my newest favourite shows is premiering this weekend for it's Season 2! The show (if you haven't guessed already) is Girls. If you have not seen the show yet, you've likely heard about it. Girls is an HBO show that kind of popped up out of nowhere (another show recommendation from my mom) and I just think it's so great. To describe this show it would be easy to first think of Sex and the City, but that's probably because it's about 4 very different girls living in New York City. Other than that, it is a very different show. The girls are younger and they deal with very different, very realistic problems. Like Sex and they City, you have your favourites but you can't help but root for all of them. Each character is brilliant and unique. This includes the guys too! There are some brilliant actors playing some interesting characters on this show. The writing is unreal too. Mostly funny, but also serious, dramatic, heart-wrenching - all of it! The shows creator and writer, also happens to be the shows star, Lena Dunham who plays Hannah. What talent.


Needless to say, I'm pretty excited for it to be back. And if you've not seen it for yourself, I recommend you do!

Bonus: Only if you like Girls AND indie movies do I recommend the film Tiny Furniture. It, like Girls, is written and directed by - and staring - Lena Dunham. I saw it not too long ago and loved it! Very her. Very brilliant.

My Choice for the 2013 People's Choice

There were lots of great looks last night at the 2013 People's Choice awards - and lots of sexy, daring looks too! I wanted to share my top 2 - Taylor Swift in a Ralph Lauren collection gown (after yesterday's post you KNOW it's the outfit and NOT her, haha), and Lea Michele in an Elie Saab mini. Geez Louise I would wear either of these in a heart beat! You know, if I had somewhere to wear them and a larger disposable income :)

I think it's a little bit funny too that after my style resolution a few months ago to accessorize myself, both of these looks have little-to-no accessorizing. It's perfect though! Keeps the looks classic. It's also helping to inspire me for my birthday look which is later this month. Already thinking about wearing a white Alice + Olivia mini-dress, perhaps I will pair it with some pink shoes!? Kind of combining these looks and creating a real-world, more practical ensemble. 

A Matter of Opinion

OPINION ALERT! Inspired by the recent tragic news that Taylor Swift has broken up with her latest boyfriend (tear) I wanted to review something that happened online before the holidays. Ken Baker of E! News did a little comparison and sent out the following tweet:

The link lead to a picture on his Instagram (below) that compares Miley Cyrus to Taylor Swift - comparing how they are perceived and presented in the media, vs actual truth. Total disclaimer here before I get into the opinion part: I do not particularly like either girl (I know someone out there is letting out a gasp), in fact I kind of dislike both, so this is not biased. I thought that this point, this comparison, was REALLY interesting. What's going on here? Is the media a bully? Well of course they are, that's no surprise. But why is there such a huge disconnect between the perception and reality? Taylor Swift really does have a boyfriend every other week. Miley has had a few boyfriends in the past, but been with her current one for years and is now engaged to him! I think a lot of those adjectives used for each girl has a lot to do with how they present themselves. Certainly Miley has a harsh way about her. She's got a tough, deep, raspy voice and her everyday dialogue is (casually) sprinkled with swear words. That's not reason enough for name calling though is it? And Taylor. She's got the doe eyed, innocent thing going on which explains her descriptors, but as stated below she - for lack of better words - gets around. I'm not saying they should switch those descriptors, but more wondering why one is getting accused of what the other essentially is (minus the b* word of course)? Talk about the short end of the stick. Miley actually thanked Ken for this tweet and comparison. 

Now that I've completed my little rant I'm not really sure what the moral of the story is here, but thought that this was a little eye opener. Perhaps something to make you think about what you say about others, and more so, not to invest in what you HEAR about others! Also, let's just be kind to one another, okay? :)

Style Icon: Kate Beckinsale

I think she is beautiful. In my opinion she has one of the most rockin' bodies in Hollywood (New Years fitness motivation anyone?). She is best friends with another of my style icons, Victoria Beckham. And she has impeccable taste. It was only a matter of time before I added Kate Beckinsale to my list of style icons!

I have to admit, although she's an actress, I tend to think of Kate because of her fashion first.  Of COURSE I know her from Serendipity (what a classic chick flick), another old time favourite Brokedown Palace, and am aware of her most recent work, but it's definitely her style on the red carpet or around town that catches my eye. She is always pulled together and looks "done" which is something I aspire to (not that I leave the house in sweatpants... often, haha). Also her style choices are always bang on! Sometimes daring, sometimes trendy, sometimes classic - she can't lose. And that pink jumper below? Enough said!

Waking up... on a Monday

I came across this cute quote from Zooey Deschanel and I couldn't help but share it... especially on a Monday! I can certainly relate to this from time to time. More so in the cold winter months. The only thing I might amend is hugs before 10am, or the second cup of coffee, whichever comes first! :)

Kir Royale

This New Years Eve I had the ultimate champagne cocktail that I simply must share! It's called a Kir Royale. I first heard about it when my boss told me about it last year. She raved about how amazing (and strong) it was. Well, since I had never tried it, this year for Christmas she got me the ingredients along with a little scroll with the recipe - how sweet, right?! I will start of by stating that I am not one for sugary drinks - this does NOT fall in that category. I also tend to be super picky when it comes to drinking champagne or sparkling wine. BUT this drink is genius! Ingredients are simple: you need champagne (or more likely sparkling wine) and Creme de Cassis. That's it! Before trying this cocktail, and before it was gifted to me, I had no idea what Creme de Cassis was. For those out there like me, it is "a sweet red blackcurrant flavored liqueur". It's delish. 

So here are the instructions: 

• 1 Part Creme de Cassis
• 5 Parts Champagne/Sparkling Wine

Ta da! You're done. 

I still have some Creme de Cassis leftover and I already can't wait to have another one - but I will save it for a special occassion. Lucky for me my birthday is at the end of the month! :)

Enjoy! (responsibly of course)   

Be in love with your life!

In the spirit of the New Year (my theme for this week so far if you couldn't tell...) here's something to follow! A resolution perhaps? It's your life and it's precious, why NOT be in LOVE with it? :)

Back to Reality

It was bound to happen. It had to happen. The holidays are over and I am back to life, back to reality! As much as I wish I had more time (like the rest of the week) to relax and do nothing, it does feel kind of good to be back to routine. It's fortunate that I like what I do, but I know this first day back will likely exhaust me and result in me curling up in sweats the second I get home! 

Overall the Christmas Holidays and New Years were exactly what I'd hoped. Lots of relaxing and good times with friends and family. That being said, I can't believe we are already embarking on a new year! Here's to 2013 and having it be the best year yet!