The Final Destination

As I write this blog post, sunlight is streaming through my living room windows. I'm letting the sun warm my back as I sip on a blackberry smoothie and listen to "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande. Despite dealing with a sore throat and the coughs, I'm overcome with a feeling of peace and happiness. I want to crystallize this moment - right here, right now - as a reminder of why the past five years of my undergrad have been so memorable. For the umpteenth time, I am ever grateful for the opportunity to study away from home and pursue my goals.

Today was an especially good day because I went out to explore the city one last time. I had brunch with a friend, discovered a quaint maze-like bookshop, and revisited our local farmer's market. My friend felt tired afterwards, so I found myself with a free afternoon. I decided to top off my day with a trip to the mall for a final window shopping experience in this city. Here's what I tried on:

Banana Republic

Metallic Boyfriend Cardigan

To start off casual, we begin with a Banana Republic metallic cardigan. Oversized cardigans are becoming a bit of a trend lately, but I was lucky enough to already be on top of things a year ago with two oversized cardigans I found in my mom's closet. While I don't really need a cardigan right now, I wanted to try on this metallic knit version from Banana Republic. Sadly, after putting it on, I learned it had an unflattering rectangular shape, and the metallic knit was very rough against the skin.

Forever 21

Faux Suede Shorts

Suede is a popular fabric these days, so I thought I'd give it a go in the form of shorts. The faux suede on these Forever 21 shorts were buttery soft to the touch, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it fit. I liked the length of the shorts and the slight high waist, as they make for a relatively more modest take on summer shorts. But of course, being Forever 21, there were quality issues. The zipper on the back was close to breaking, so I predict these shorts have only a couple washes worth of life.

Ribbed Lace-Up Bodycon Dress

Yup. I gave in to the lace-up trend. Ribbed lace-up dress - you can't get more on trend than that. As I've said, I actually do enjoy lace-up and think it's sexy, so I did like how the lacing looked across the chest. The ribbed fabric was awfully thin though, so the bottom half of the dress was a disaster. I also wasn't entirely fond of the awkward length of the sleeves.

Cutout Midi Dress

I picked this dress up for fun because I noticed it had such little fabric around the torso area with its backless cutout, and was curious to see how it would actually fit on the body. As I expected, the chest area was too loose, but what I didn't expect was how the skirt zipped up snuggly around the hips. Nonetheless, the fabric was once again very thin, and I would've preferred a maxi length instead of a midi length to balance out the revealing upper half (the front also has a deep V-neck). Would not recommend unless you want to try something on for the laughs.

Contemporary Belted Mini Dress

Continuing on my track of testing trends, I tried out exposed shoulders. I've been seeing a lot of off-shoulder tops lately, but since I've never liked fully exposed shoulders (no strapless tops or dresses for me!), I thought the open shoulder sleeves on this Forever 21 mini dress would be an appropriate compromise. While the overall concept is good, I found the sleeves to be too low and baggy. The dress looked like it was about to fall apart. If the cutouts were tightened up, I could see this being a good look.

Guess

Lace-Up Top

What's this? Yet another lace-up top? Yes. I thought the gold hardware detailing on this Guess top was so unique I just had to try it on. Nevertheless, yet another design concept good in theory, but poor in execution. The gold pieces weren't all consistently flat against the chest, and they ended up disrupting the criss-crossing shape of the lace-up, which is arguably what makes lace-up so alluring in the first place.

Galena Sleeveless Dress

I love floral anything. So much so I have been known to wear floral pants to the office. Therefore, no surprise the pretty watercolour floral on this Guess dress caught my eye. The placement and colour of the flowers were impeccable, although I wish the dress didn't come in a sleeveless high neckline. I know it's a contemporary look, but something more classic would have been great.

BCBG Max Azria

Fabiana Long Sleeve Prairie Dress

I find prairie dresses to be endearing in their modesty, even though I clearly don't have the body type to pull them off. I thought the corset-like waist would help give me some shape, but the rest of the dress was still too overwhelming and matronly on my frame. Funnily enough, despite my preference for elegant covered up pieces, my body shape is the type that does best with more revealing, body-con silhouettes.

Rayah Sequin-Embroidered Draped-Back Gown

Now for the grand finale. I tried on this gorgeous white gown from BCBG. It is the kind of gown I would seriously consider as a wedding dress if it were custom fit. I've never been a fan of typical wedding dresses, and have always envisioned myself walking down the aisle in a chiffon, Grecian dress with long fluttering sleeves extending from the shoulders. The winning feature of this gown, however, is the sequined back. I actually felt like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight when I had to take the dress off and return to the commoner's attire of jeans and a cardigan...

Trend Alert

With only about a month left before I complete my undergrad, I am determined to make the most of my final days in the beloved university environment (my working friends are telling me they miss the campus life, so I may as well breathe it all in while I still can). Of course, besides taking up kickboxing and catching up with friends, part of enjoying my final year includes going to the mall with my roommate. We went two Saturdays in a row because she was getting her boots re-heeled, so I did what I do best: window shop. Here are a couple of observations from my two trips:

The Latest Trends (ie. things that are everywhere)

Ankle Boots + Gold Metal
Remember when metal tips were in style? Well nowadays, the hardware is taking a backseat by adorning the heels. I am a huge fan of this trend, and have a feeling it was influenced by Alexander Wang's cutout heel. While gold heels are seen on flats too, golden accents are most prevalent on ankle boots. As for the boots themselves, I notice they tend to be either chunky heeled (possibly with buckles and cutouts), or flat and streamlined.



Lace-up
This trend has been going strong for a while (especially on Instagram), although lately there seems to be an increase in the number of lace-up shoes and tops as the warmer season approaches. Seen most distinctively in Givenchy's Spring 2015 collection and popularized by the Kardashians, lacing has reached mainstream retail. I don't inherently dislike the trend - I think lacing is sexy and fun - but as is with all trends, I fear it will become overdone.

The Sixties & Seventies
We're having a blast to the past (as usual) with a '60s and '70s hippie/boho revival. I've been seeing a lot of suede, bell sleeves, fringe, button-up skirts, wide-leg sailor pants, and off-shoulder tops. It's an aesthetic I didn't think would be so popular with young girls (being a '90s kid, zip-up hoodies, flared jeans and skater shoes were the extent of how fashionable we were), but in some ways it's nice to see the newer generations have more fun with fashion.

Pendant Jewellery
This trend makes me laugh. It so explicitly demonstrates how easily trends come and go. Not too long ago, statement necklaces were all the rage. Big, bold and colourful. Now, we've scaled back immensely, and simple pendant jewellery is the sign of a modern woman. However, women are often still layering multiple pieces for a fuller look. I remember disliking my minimal jewellery years ago and wishing I had more eye-catching pieces. Guess I better make use of this current trend wave and give my jewellery collection some mileage!

Shrunken Bags
I'm not sure if I would classify shrunken bags as a trend, although it is something I have noticed. I call them 'shrunken bags' instead of 'mini-bags' because I find the designs more typical of medium-sized bags: structured with top handles. I've mentioned this phenomenon to my shopping companions to see whether I'm just delusional and imagining up trends, but they seem to understand where I'm coming from.

Long and Loose Coat

Even though I may struggle to pull off this trend with my shorter stature, I do like the look of it. I've come across a number of long coats and loose trenches, and adore the stylishly languid silhouette. These coats are a fantastic layering piece and would create great movement as you walk.

Interesting Products

Kate Spade New York Makenzie Aviators
My roommate and I got caught up in the Hudson's Bay eyewear section, and I came across this pair of Kate Spade aviators. I've tried Kate Spade eyewear once before and loved it - once again, I was pleasantly surprised! My face shape does tend to suit aviators better, although I often have trouble finding ones that fit. Kate Spade, again, fit my face nice and snug. You can't see in this photo, but the gold rim of the frame is slightly shimmery, which I loved. The gold and pink combo is so chic, and I like the sleekness of the gold arms. My only complaint is the thicker transparent pink frame, which looks a little cheap from the front. If it were slimmer, these sunnies would be perfect.

Banana Republic Blue Lace Button-Up
I have a soft spot for lace, but wasn't expecting to see it in this form. My roommate and I were coincidentally conversing on the topic of how conservative business attire is when we saw this button-up. I'm torn. I think the thick lace would make this a very difficult piece to wear, yet at the same time, I appreciate that it's different and would welcome the challenge to style it (my mindset is how can I wear this, not I can't wear this). Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend wearing this in a business setting, as much as I would love to shake up the world of traditional officewear.

Image Source: Lyst,Chaos-Mag, Trends.Jewelry, RhymeandReason, FashionAgony, MyLifeInPink, Zara, LeFashion, Bloomingdales

Boxing Day Breakdown

In Canada, December 26 is Boxing Day, a day of year-end sales and buying frenzy. Realistically through, nowadays Boxing Day is more like Boxing Week and the sales are quite meager. With the weak economy and rise of online shopping, the malls are hardly as packed as they once were. Nonetheless, going out on Boxing Day is almost a family ritual for me even though we often leave empty-handed. For our shopping trip this year, I tried on a number of dresses, but found nothing I wholeheartedly wanted. Along the way, I came across a couple of pieces I found interesting - some of which I tried on (and bought!), some of which I simply admired.

Self-Portrait High-Neck Column Dress

Let's start off with something bold! I saw this Self-Portrait dress in Holt Renfrew, and was impressed by the quality of the thick teal lace overlay. At first I thought it was entirely see-through and meant to be used as a layering piece, but then noticed the bandeau and skirt inner. This is clearly a daring dress, but I like the plentiful display of skin juxtaposed against the midi-length and high-neck silhouette.

French Connection Slick Chain Mini Dress

Hudson's Bay was one of the stores this year that had fairly good sales. My mom found this French Connection chain dress discounted to around $40. What I found really unique about this dress was the string of chains across the chest and along the hem. The dress fit me perfectly, but as usual, I felt uncomfortable with the way the arm holes cut in. Shame!

Banana Republic Chiffon-Fringe Blazer

I saw this chiffon-fringe blazer hung up on display and thought it was a great update to a wardrobe basic. I would style the blazer differently than shown here to make it classier and draw focus onto the fringe, but I would have to try it on to really determine if it's as good as it looks on the rack. I did notice the fringe tended to stick to whatever is underneath, so it could be a nightmare trying to keep the strips nice and aligned.

Burberry Kensington Trenchcoat

At long last, I have tried on a Burberry trenchcoat! My mom picked up one of Burberry's classic Kensington trenchcoats in my size, and I was surprised by how well it fit. I always thought I was too short to pull off a trench, but the impeccable tailoring of the world's most famous trenchcoat maker balanced out the length perfectly. One day, if I ever buy a trenchcoat, I know there's only one place I'll get it from.

Banana Republic Red Full Skirt

At last! The only thing I bought during my trip. I have always wanted a full skirt because I think it is a staple for the sophisticated woman. I tried on this Banana Republic skirt I found on sale for around $20 (and in size 00P!). Not only did the skirt fit well, I liked the sturdiness of the thicker fabric and the standout shade. I practically made a split-second decision to buy it (I am rarely such an impulse buyer), and only realized once I got home that the skirt comes with the added bonus of pockets!

Banana Republic Shirred Drop-Waist Skirt

This is another skirt from Banana Republic I would have bought if it came in my size. I generally don't think I look that good in looser, shorter skirts, but the fitted waistband above the ruffled drop-waist helped create a more flattering shape on my frame. The skirt was short, but not too short for my comfort zone. I absolutely adored the soft pink colour and lightweight fabric - it made the skirt pretty and feminine, but also flirty.

H&M Glittery Skirt

I've always wanted a sequin skirt because it can add such great texture to an outfit, but it's difficult finding a unique design in both good quality and price. I found this sequin skirt from H&M in a cool iridescent shade on sale for only $10, so I thought I'd give it a try. While it fit pretty well, the quality was too obviously lacking. As you can see in the photo, the inner lining is actually shorter than the skirt, leaving a portion of the hem a little sheer. Even though I like the concept, the execution does not pull through on a skirt of such cheap quality. The sheer edge emphasized the thin material and the hem easily puckered into a wave in the back. An example of why I always shop with a discerning eye in fast fashion stores - sometimes quality can be cheated, sometimes it's just too obvious. 

Gucci Fur-Lined Slingback Pump

We started with something bold, now let's end with something bold. These Gucci fur-lined slingbacks are absolutely crazy! These are shoes that keep on giving - first the red leather, then the kangaroo fur, then the gold heel, then the two large crystals behind the heel. It's sensory overload, and although I initially thought it was a bit much, I've seen some brave ladies sporting these in street style pictures, and they look like the ultimate fashionistas.

Image Source: ASOS, Revolve Clothing, Drez, WhoWhatWear, Lyst, H&M, Gucci