To be blonde or not to be blonde... nah, to be blonde!

It’s only Monday and I’m already counting down the seconds until the end of the week. I know, there are a lot of people out there who do that on a weekly basis. I’m happy to say that I’m lucky to not be one of those people (the only thing I really ever count down are the minutes left on a treadmill). I love my job and due to the fact that I am always beyond busy, the weeks tend to move along fast enough.

But this week is different. First (the obvious), is that St. Patrick’s Day is this Saturday! I just had to say it. It’s a fantastic occasion when such a glorious celebration falls on a Saturday. I’ve already purchased a flouncy, green shirt for the grand event and hit up the dollar store for some tacky, yet necessary and awesome, accessories. The true reason as to why I am cannot wait for the end of the week (specifically Thursday evening) is because it is then that I am going blonde!

“What?! Blonde?! That’s what you’re excited about?! That’s it?! Wow, you need a life!”

If any of the aforementioned popped into your head, well then this blog session is not for you (or maybe you want to continue reading because you think I’m an idiot and are curious to see where my ranting leads – either way, allow me to continue).

I’ve always been the kind of gal who loves to play with her hair. I’ve been dying is since I was about 14. Any and every colour out there, I have done it! I’ve had the standard hair colours (black, red, brown, blonde – this isn’t my first time going blonde) and I’ve had the not so standard hair colours (green, blue, pink, multi-colour, purple, unidentifiable colours). All in all, I think dying ones hair is a form of self-expression, identity, fashion and style. Changing the colour of your hair can make you feel fabulous and beautiful (unless you’ve had a botch hair dye job, in which case you probably feel hideous – I’ve been there, I know the traumatic effect it can have on a gal). But, for the most part, dying your hair is uber fun!!

So, blonde it is! Allow me to take a few moments to highlight some of the amazing blondes (or have-been-blondes) that are out there. Let’s call this My Fair Blondes!

What can one say about Drew Barrymore? She's always had the ability to make everyone look at her and notice her. When it comes to fashion, Drew is not afraid to express herself and take a step in the opposite direction. She's been seen in everything from a tailored suit to a hippy-inspired ensemble. Regardless, she always makes it look good!

While Drew has always experimented with hair colour, I feel that blonde is best for her. Her fair skin and subtle waves make her blonde do oh so desirable. She's also always able to pull off fantastically bright colours and patterns; her signature blonde hair compliments it so well.

Elisha Cuthbert in my books is so super cool! First off, her latest role on Happy Endings is beyond hilarious and I highly recommend that EVERYONE checks it out, and if you already are watching it, good for you!
She's cute and her style is cute. I really don't have a whole lot to say about Elisha other than I love her hair and she makes me laugh on a weekly basis. Thank you, Elisha!!

I have already written an entire blog post about the amazing, Gwen Stefani. For now I think I will simply state that she is awesome in every single way and her platinum blonde hair is something I strived to achieve all throughout my teenage years. She definitely has the most perfect blond hair EVER! 

Oh, Michelle Williams! How adorable you are! Always a blonde, I really wasn't drawn to her hair until she started sporting her awesome pixie cuts! As a short-haired gal myself, it's great to see some of the ladies in Hollywood sporting a short do, making the statement that you can feel gorgeous with short hair (okay, maybe it was only me who felt kind of un-girly with short hair). Regardless, Michelle Williams has such sophistication and splendor that it's hard not to love her blonde, pixie hair, no matter how she's wearing it or what she's wearing with it. She's a true fashion icon (at least in my books) and has moved the latest fashion trends forward. A world without Michelle Williams wouldn't be much of a world at all!

Once I am officially a blonde I will report back on the experience. I am getting my hair done professionally this time around, so the blonde will actually turn out (versus me trying to colour my hair on my own and ending up with blotchy hair that is, somehow, four different colours). I have a feeling I will feel lighter on my feet once I've transitioned over to the blonde side. Not to say blondes have more fun, but I have a feeling that a newly blonde might have a bit more fun (don't worry, the novelty will eventually wear off).

Dear "Dress" Shirt, I love you

I am officially in love with the “dress” shirt! I stumbled upon it recently during one of my perusals through one of the many, many magazines lying around my apartment (I really need a better organization system…). I locked eyes with this beauty and that was it. I knew it was meant to be. It really was love at first sight.

This style has been popping up in a number of designer’s repertoire as of late. It’s simple, crisp and clean. It’s beyond versatile – think of what you can do with it! Perhaps your “dress” skirt is less of a dress and more of a long shirt – try pairing it with a short skirt (a bold colour would be great) and leave the shirt un-tucked (any reason for me not to tuck my shirt it is a wonderful innovation!). When that “dress” shirt is dress length you are the proud owner of a delicious outfit! A white “shirt” dress with a pair of bright coloured wedges with some chunky bracelets – yes please! Oooh, and add a belt to that too. This outfit just keeps getting better and better!

I have yet to add this fantastic piece to my wardrobe, but I know it’s only a matter of time. I can already picture myself in one! These are two that I am particularly fond of:

DKNY - it even has an asymmetrical skirt! Love it!!

Lauren by Ralph Lauren - adorable for the spring/summer months. Throw on a cardigan and you're ready to go!

I could go on and on about the "dress" shirt, but I will leave you to fantasize about all the possibilities that are out there for this to-die-for necessity to any gals closet!

Feel free to Splurge… I know I do

Sometimes I long to live in a big city again, with easy access to designer clothing and accessories everywhere you turn. I sometimes long for the busy streets and the bumper to bumper traffic (umm, wait, I don’t miss the traffic). So, where does a girl go in a smaller city to find these high fashion looks?

There are fantastic boutiques all throughout Halifax, Nova Scotia (it’s in Canada for those of you who might be reading this from beyond the Canadian borders). The discoveries I have made at some of these shops has brought a tear to my eye (in the best way possible!). You’re can always find something unique and one-of-a-kind at some of these stores around here.

There is one boutique in particular that has special place in my heart. Let me share with you the wonder that is Splurge Handbags. Located in downtown Halifax, the first time I walked through their doors it was love at first sight. Undeniably stellar fashion and accessories that you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere, Splurge is always supplying the latest of latest styles trending from the fashion capitals of the world. 

At Splurge you can find the perfect couture-styled dress, handbags to die for, accessories to match, hairbands galore and the fanciest of fancy hats (who doesn’t love a great hat?). I remember one time I found the most fantastic pair of yellow sunglasses at Splurge! It was the highlight of my summer. Thanks to Splurge’s existence I was able to spend a few blissfully beautiful months with those yellow sunglasses (unfortunately, since then I have lost them… that was a hard day… it’s still hard to think about…).

Even beyond the scope of their fashion amazement, the ambiance that Splurge has created when you walk through their doors is wonderful. They have a vintage feel combined with, what I can only describe as, a hint of royalty (the pink “throne-like” chairs in their new location are something I dream about every night), making anyone who walks into their store feel special and unique. Not to mention some of the awesome hats they have there are definitely fit for a royal wedding!

If you live in Halifax or are ever in the “hood”, be sure to visit Splurge Handbags. They have everything a girl could ask for and more!

Thank you, Splurge. You truly know how to make a gal happy.   

Looking for some more info?? Check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Splurge-Handbags-Ltd/155927397809970                                       

A hem to die for

In a few months I am heading to Punta Cana for a friend's wedding. It's my first trip down south, so I am a bit in the dark when it comes to do deciding what to wear to this wedding. Well, worry not for I am no longer in the dark!

I found myself a fantastic floral dress with a hem line to die for at a local Halifax store called Biscuit General Store. The asymmetrical hemline is flirty, fun and wedding-appropriate. I love a good , long, flowing dress/skirt, but sometimes that can result in a pair of fantastic shoes being hidden (we all know that can be a crime sometimes). Well, my friends, not with this dress! The shorter length in the front (and longer in the back) shows a bit if leg, and more importantly, will allow my adorable shoes to be on display! OK, so I don't have these adorable shoes yet, but I know myself well enough to know that my shoes will be awesome!!

Thank you, Biscuit, for always having amazing styles that are always one of a kind!

You're So Foxy

I think it’s only right that I address a matter that’s very dear to my heart. Well, no really a “matter”, but rather a person. This person is someone whom I’ve looked up to and admired since I was 10 years old (that’s 19 years!). They’ve been in my life longer than most of the people I know today. Without this person, I would not be who I am today. That wonderful person is Gwen Stefani.

Okay, so you were probably expecting this person to be someone I actually know (on February 14^th, 2000 I did meet Gwen and the rest of No Doubt and was lucky enough talk to them and get both my arms autographed by everyone in the band – it was AMAZING!).



Gwen's autograph (bottom) and Tony Kanal's autograph (top)
February 14, 2000

 

Tom Dumont (top) and Adrian Young (bottom)
February 14, 2000



Okay, so I don’t personally know Gwen, or rather, Gwen doesn’t personally know me since I am the one with the Gwen-diction (see what I did there… Gwen-diction… do you think that term will trend?). Anyways, the point of my ramblings is that since I was a little girl I have admired and looked up to Gwen Stefani. She was always, still is today and will be forever, my idol in every sense of the word.

So, without further ado, let’s get down to it!

Gwen is a fashion icon and beyond. First and foremost is her formidable platinum blonde hair and red, matte lips. Highly recognizable and desirable, when you think platinum blonde, Gwen Stefani is one of the first to come to mind. I was only able to achieve perfect “Gwen” hair once. I am currently on the path to becoming a full-blown blonde, but I’m taking it slow this time around.

Gwen’s style is a masterpiece to desire. Her designs and innovations in fashion are unique, bold and enchanting. It’s everything a girl could want. I love looking back at Gwen during No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom era (and even earlier with No Doubt and Beacon Street Collection) and remember how I worshiped everything about her (actually, to this day, I still do!).

Gwen's style has grown, yet it still maintains an identity that cannot be duplicated and is undoubtedly hers.

 Her L.A.M.B collection is one of my favourite! And, I could not be more excited for Gwen's Fall 2012 collection. Inspired by styles of the 1960s, Gwen's ideal customer is a fashion-forward girl: "My ideal customer is a fashion-forward girl, an individual who needs her clothes to perform like classic sportswear. She enjoys her fashion, loves her style, likes to express herself and not look like everyone else. Her clothes should cruise along with everything else that she loves in her life and not be difficult or restricting to wear." Visit http://www.l-a-m-b.com/ to see this collection and more. 

All in all, Gwen is a force to be reckoned with. She's an unstoppable beauty and an inspiration. Thank you, Gwen - for all that you've done and all that you've yet to do!

Shoes... what are they good for? Absolutely EVERYTHING!

Well, it happened again. I tried to stop it, but it was inevitable. It’s a common occurrence; a problematic symptom of an imaginative “disease” that I’ve convinced myself exists (perhaps in an ideological, yet conceded world). A desire, nay, a need, to try to be the absolute best I can be in my own mind; a reflection of what I perceive to be the best in the eyes of the fashion world. Today, I purchased a new pair of shoes.

It wasn’t my intention – I swear. I was simply spending a lovely day with my mom. I was showing her around a constantly developing strip mall that I can’t help but frequent on a weekly basis (even though I am the marketing manager for a shopping centre and spend my days in a mall).  I started out the day with the conviction that I would not spend a dime. I survived a trip through a clothing outlet (that was a difficult one); and another through a lingerie store (they were the lucky recipients of my money last weekend). But, then it happened – a shoe store was on the horizon. We stepped in through their “helm” (umm, okay, their entrance… perhaps I’m being a bit too dramatic), and it was then that I was powerless against the command of the shoe.

I swear I never had the intention of purchasing anything. I was simply wandering up and down the aisles admiring the stunning bright colours of the spring and summer styles that will eventually be parading up and down the streets of Halifax once we escape the winter weather. But, then it happened. I came across a pair of wedge shoes. They were nothing too fancy or extravagant – they were simply grey and suede. They had a small shoe lace that secured them to you foot. Nothing too spectacular, but as soon as I saw them I knew there were destine to be mine. So, I did what you should never do when you see something you want yet know you shouldn’t purchase – I tried them on. Then it happened… I saw how the wedge heel made my feet look so petite and my legs so long. I saw how cute my feet looked and I felt how happy they made me feel and I felt how I needed to bring these dear shoes home with me.

The usual “no, I shouldn’t” and the “I really shouldn’t” occurred. I put them back, I picked them up again. I walked around the store carrying the shoes, pondering if we should have a life together. Finally, I made my way to the checkout. I pulled out my wallet, and the rest, as they say, was history.

I am now the proud owner of a high-fashion bootie. We are extremely happy together and there is no regret that this relationship was forged!

Curious to know what shoe I purchase? Here is a photo of my new shoes: 

So, what do you think??

Can a purse be considered a part of the family? And other thoughts...

Pleae, go easy on me, this is my first time... blogging, that is...

Ok, so where to start? How about with the obvious... I love fashion and shopping and anything that goes along with it - as many girls, women and some men (though, not so much boys) do. So, why write a blog? Excellent question. Unfortunately, I can't seem to come up with any other answer other than I just wanted to. So, here it is! My attempt to create something that resembles a fashion blog. Beware - addiction and insanity will ensue...

How to get the ball rolling? Oh, I know...

Many people have dreams and goals in life - a family, a house, a car - whatever floats your boat. I have a lot of career goals, and it would be nice to own a house someday, but currently my dream and goal in life is to be the proud owner of a Coach purse. I would take it on walks, I would make sure it's always full, I would keep it dry in the rain and I would protect it. Wow, when you put it in writing like that, apparently I would care for a Coach purse as you would a child. That can't be good... anyways, I digress...

Hello, my precious

 I know there are so many other designer purses out there that would make wonderful companions, but I'm working my way there (there's a big difference between $400 and $4,000). I figure, let's start out small! I see so many people strolling by with a Coach purse happily placed on their arm (its forever home), fulfilling its purse destiny. I think to myself, "someday, that will be me!" But, that day has yet to come. And, the fact that I am now writing about this is somewhat alarming... so let’s move on.

And now, a pointless thought to consider:

The sneaker is back! And I couldn't be more excited! As I kid I loved sneakers (especially the Velcro ones). So, knowing that this season is “high-top heaven" is fantastic. With spring and summer on its way, there's nothing better than throwing on a pair of sneakers and heading out the door. Sure, I love my heels, but sometimes it’s a wonderful feeling being in sneakers. So, why not give it a whirl? Here's some more info on the return of the sneaker: The Sneaker Trend   

Cheers,

Katie