July LustListt

I know I'm pushing it a little bit late here with the LustListt for this month, but better late than never right? I've been feeling a little bit sporty chic this month with comfortable but fashionable pieces. I'm loving all of the boxy silhouettes and sexy cutouts in unexpected places. The vibrant pops of color against a clean white slate makes the designs stand out against a fresh palette.

1. Textured Weave Top (H&M) - $39.95
   This textured crop top would look great with a pair of loose silk shorts. Oh what's that, do we spot a super cute pairing below? If shorts aren't your thing, try a neoprene flared midi skirt for a feminine silhouette.
   
2. Decker Hat (Aritzia) - $35.00
   Baseball hats are popular again, but to stay ahead of the league (no pun intended haha), try rocking a leather version.
   
3. Montrouge Shorts (Aritzia) - $42.50
   I've been dying to get my hands on a pair of these silk crepe shorts and if I could snatch the textured weave top pictured above it, it would make the perfect outfit.
   
4. Short Floral Print Blazer (Zara) - $49.99
   The linen construction of the blazer makes it the perfect boxy cut over slinky tank. Pair it with matching shorts for a more office appropriate look or baggy shorts for a street chic style.
   
5. Cut-out Back Top (H&M) - $29.95
   A giant keyhole cutout in the back would be perfect way to display a sneak peek of a cute sports bra. Take a cue from #7.
   
6. Crêpe Top (H&M) - $39.95
   The contrasting piping adds a sleek touch to this simple but feminine white to. Paired together with a pair of black shorts and baseball cap and you'll be ready for a perfect summer's day.
7. Rasa Bra (Aritzia) - $30.00
   I've had this bra on my radar for the longest time ever. If only I didn't have the ittiest bittiest titties then it would fit me perfectly. But hey, a girl can lust right?
8. Poppin' Signature Pen (Chapters) - $14.00
   Okay, yes, this isn't fashion but I do write a lifestyle blog. Writing utensils are essential to a blogger when planning out posts and creating content so I couldn't leave out this cute white pens.

Cozy Travel Wear

I promised to do a post related to what I purchased at the H&M pre-launch party, but with midterm season weighing down heavily on my back, a meager outfit post will have to suffice (I hope).

Last week, I took my bi-annual trip down to Toronto during my fall reading week in search of a change of environment. I find that traveling every once in awhile refreshes my mind since my day-to-day lifestyle can be very routine. Although Ottawa is rapidly expanding, I find that Toronto never fails to offer new and interesting things to try. With restaurants open till 4 AM, outlet malls and any thing that I can dream up of within a 30 minute walking distance of my living arrangements, I could definitely make a trip down to Toronto and never return.

My constant travels to Toronto have taught me how to dress wisely in order to stylishly maximize comfort. And this becomes much easier when the weather transitions to sweater season. As a passenger of a 5 hour drive, I always ensure that I am able to keep myself warm against the air conditioning, yet cool enough to not sit in a pool of sweat. I love the fact that this sweater has a thick yet loose knit so body heat can escape but I don't get a draft through the stitching. The loose fit also allows me to strategically sit in different and odd positions in the seat of the car, I'm flexible don't blame me.

Although I have a serious passion for sweaters (my recent H&M haul almost completely consisted of sweaters), I hate admitting that winter is coming and that the temperature is dropping. So instead of sporting sweatpants or dark denim, I decided to get one last outfit out of my light washed polka dot jeans. The adorable dots never fail to brighten my mood and erase the realization that my daylight hours are waning.

I also wanted to take my leopard loafers out for one last spin before they're packed away for the season. I love how easy it is for me to slip in and out of these shoes in between curling up in the seat and picking up food at rest-stops. So with this passing week, I bid my loafers adieu and welcome back my combat boots and knee-highs.

H&M - Bayshore: VIP Pre-Opening Party

Earlier this week, I had the chance to attend the H&M VIP Pre-Opening Party to shop and welcome it's ever store to Ottawa at Bayshore Shopping Centre. Among a list of 600 other fellow invitees, we were given a chance to pre-shop the store before it's official grand opening on the 17th of October. With a whopping floor plan of 23, 000 square feet, the store includes fashion ranges for men, women and children.

 

Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency 

 Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency

While the event was scheduled to start at 7:00 PM, a line-up quickly queued up at around 6:30 PM. Even though the line up multiplied by the minute, everyone was quickly ushered in and we weren't left waiting for too long. Each guest got a quick chance at a photo-op by the lounging area and then proceeded to enter the every elusive store.

Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency

 Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency

Not only we were greeted with flutes of champagne, but h'or d'oeuvres were served as we browsed the racks upon racks of clothes. And this was not a quiet affair. The electric pop group, Oh Land, provided us with a live performance for a majority of the night and kept us all entertained while we lounged, socialized and shopped. A shopaholic's dream come true!

Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency

 Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency

Because we were graciously provided with a 25% off discount for the night, I couldn't help but pick up a couple pieces for myself. I'm such a sweater addict that out of the ten items I chose, nine turned out to be a knit of some sort. We were also allowed to bring a plus one to the event, so of course I brought along the mister, who is also a loyal H&M fan.

Shopping complete, we lounged around by the couches and socialized with other shoppers and fashionable personalities. We got in a few photos of the festivities and then were handed some great swag bags as we left.

Top and Skirt - H&M | Heels - Zara

What did we end up getting? That will be revealed in the next few days! We're currently out of town, vacationing in Toronto, so I didn't quite get a chance to snap any photos of our purchases, but I can say that I was very satisfied with my loot. I'm even more satisfied to say that I now no longer need to save up to shop in Toronto (even though I'm here as we speak).

Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency

Photo courtesy of ZOI Agency

isabel marant x h&m

Earlier this year, H&M announced a collaboration with Isabel Marant. I know the entire blogisphere blew up with anticipation over the collection since no pictures were released. Yesterday the entire collection was released online and it's safe to say that I'll definitely be there in the morning lined up for a couple of items!

I've included a couple of my favorite pieces, but if you want to see the full collection, skip over to Vogue for womens, mens and juniors!

You can easily see how my style revolves mainly around basics, neutrals and fine prints, through my selection of the collection. Fear not though, there is a piece appropriate for everyone!

September LustListt

With Fall just around the corner, my tendency in September is to pull for lots of leathers and jewel tones. Evidently with the grand opening of Target across Ottawa tomorrow morning, featured on my LustListt this month is the 3.1 Phillip Lim Satchel. Much like the shape of his coveted Mini Pashli Satchel that retails for $650 CAD, this retails for $34.99. At such a steal, I can't help but NEED this in my closet. It's about time I expand my purse collection beyond the neutrals anyways. I had the chance today to see in person up close the quality of the entire 3.1 Phillip Lim collection and the price points are literally on point. Although the purse is not constructed of leather, the polyurethane is thick and buttery soft. The warm mustard tone personifies the colors of fallen leaves which further pulls that Fall feeling into my wardrobe. Now to set my alarm clock for 5 AM in order to wake up on time for the Blogger Breakfast and line-up for my satchel!

1. Felt Cap - H&M | $14.95
2. Leather Pointed Ankle Boot - Zara | $99.00
3. Wilfred Coquette Scarf - Aritzia | $85.00
4. 3.1 Phillip Lim Yellow Mini Satchel - Target | $34.99
5. Leather Gloves - H&M | $29.99
6. Knitted Headband - H&M | $7.95
7. Rouge Noir Le Vernis - Chanel | $27.00
8. Mackage Kenya Jacket - Aritzia | $575.00
9. Imitation Leather Skirt - H&M | $34.95