i give emma stone an easy A

golden globes 2011 

a recap of my favorite get-ups

it's not very often that i am wowed by angie's choice of red-carpet outfits.  this year she chose to wear an emerald green versace gown, and i don't know if it's the 7th baby glow or what... angelina was looking fabulous.  i personally love gowns with sleeves, so that was the icing on the cake for me.

again, sleeves + open back = ✓

anne hathaway rarely makes a red-carpet mistake, and

this armani privé gown is no exception. simple, yet so flattering.

here is my favorite outfit of the night.  not only am i obsessed with sleeves and open backs, but i can't get enough of the simplicity of calvin klein. emma stone's faux glow (and blonde locks!!!) against the peachy fabric is just so - for lack of a better word - perfect.

olivia wilde is such a bombshell.  when she stepped onto the stage, all that was running through my mind was - MARCHESA MARCHESA MARCHESA.  kudos to her stylist for not overdoing jewelry or hair, because olivia looks absolutely beautiful, with the focus on her dress (and new bangs)! 

i also really loved sandra bullock's jenny packham gown.  she really looks very natural and comfortable with the choice of dress, and it's nice to get away from the edgy look and see bullock in something sort of... whimsical and romantic.

i will see you there, or i will see you on another time

loving anything minimalistic + leather right now. stockholm street style captures some amazing street style on a daily basis, and i really enjoy scrolling through and creeping all kinds of cool outfits. i wish i could see the same things on the streets of my own city. 

a sample of proenza schouler's spring 2011 ad campaign. sexy! 

one of my current loves is a well-known style blogger & stylist from vancouver: alicia quan of www.aliciafashionista.com. she just got back from mexico and posted this adorable shot of her in a dress from barefoot contessa! check out her blog if you haven't already. alicia has an infectious smile, and always looks so put together. she really inspires me to work harder to achieve my goals. also! miss fashionista is writing a series of guest blogger posts on vitaminwater canada's blog! see her latest post - interviewing a closet organizer - HERE!

 

ordered these joseph marc glasses on clearlycontacts.ca. although i know i can rock whatever style i am comfortable with, they are a bit big for my face (thanks to some lovely facebook friends for pointing that out!) - so i'm going to exchange them. maybe i'll test out some cat-eye frames?

also from stockholm street style... can't help but feel like this lovely lady has been dropped into 2011 from another, much more sophisticated decade. absolutely stunning.  

h&m is debuting their first collaboration with a blogger!  elin kling for h&m will be available later this year (unfortunately only in sweden), but - what an exciting venture for her! i've been following elin's blog for over a year, and she has evolved before my eyes into quite the star. that is going to be one fabulous collection!

sea of shoes' jane aldridge always looks so eccentric and ethereal, but in this particular post titled "noir", she looks especially amazing in a vintage sweater and comme des garcons skirt.  look at that figure!

adore this photo: denni of chicmuse, anna dello russo, editor-at-large of vogue japan, and bryan of bryanboy. so much glamour crammed into one photograph!

came across this old picture of anna wintour.  funny how this outfit could still be relevant decades later...

denni (chicmuse) in her amazing miu miu f/w 2010 shoes & bell bottoms! how cool are those?

leigh lezark in viktor & rolf. phil oh on what's happening in the background: "if only the tourist in the lawnchair knew what view she was missing out on."

also from streetpeeper: alexa chung in everything louis vuitton. i wish i could have such a nonchalant, but stylish haircut.

this is where i plan to be in 5 month's time. i have never been to europe but i feel like i need to see italy first, to feed my soul (and belly!) and to feast on the awe-inspiring sights i have only seen in photographs.

these woven leather prada heels have been popping up in january editorials galore. they are so fresh and colourful!

infatuated. no other word to describe how i feel for james franco. see more from franco's shoot with photographer andreas laszlo konrath at wmagazine.com.

leaked! february's vogue cover featuring the awkward but charming kristen stewart - in proenza schouler, no less.

spring in my step.

i put together this mood board to represent my overall feel for spring fashion. structured, feminine, classic. longer skirt lengths, quality fabrics, simple pieces that can be put together to create elegant lines & an polished look. colour is warmly welcomed, and patterns are still encouraged, but my idea is to tone down the clutter, and bring a sense of "cultivated beauty" to the forefront. i want to emphasize the fact that while my examples may be high-end labels ($$$!), there are more reasonable and wallet-friendly alternatives.

1. in one of my previous posts, i showed you a pair of ralph lauren velvet loafers i found at a consignment store in my neighborhood. the ones i've given as an example are also RL, but similar versions are sure to be found at thrift stores. ladies, don't ignore the men's shoe sections... there are many styles of loafers or flats that are perfectly acceptable to wear yourselves.

 

2. i am loving this A.L.C. pleated satin skirt right now. it can be dressed up with some platform heels and a romantic blouse, or dressed down with a jean jacket and some flats. maxi doesn't always equal muumuu.

3. this michael kors shift dress is beautiful, as well as the leather chloe dress, also pictured. classic shapes, rich colours, and - bonus points for sleeves! i love sleeves. everything about these dresses is classy. i imagine them paired with some mary jane pumps and a string of pearls.

4. pearlized polish is obviously a big thing for spring... these three shades debuted on the runway last year for chanel's spring 2011 collection. i like these colours, and although they are unique to chanel, i'm thinking cheaper alternatives could definitely be found, especially in the peachy-pearl shade.

5. i am so into structured hats right now, similar to the ones pictured above. my favorite thing to do is pin on a sparkly brooch (see #9) to jazz my look up. bad hair days are reason alone to wear something on one's head, but i think hats add an element of refinement to an outfit.

6. the nautical trend may be fading out, but i still think a great striped sweater or tee can add a simple but classic touch to a skirt or trousers. the example given is a joseph sailor cashmere sweater, but i have one very similar from zara, and i think it cost me something like $40 - a small price to pay for an important piece for one's wardrobe.

7. i hate bras. not so much wearing them (because i DO need to wear them), but the look of them underneath my clothes. i try to wear bras that look cool if they peek out from under my shirts. this is what i love about these bandage bras that have been so popular as of late. i know alexander wang & philip lim make some bras that look similar to a crop top/sports bra(?), and this VPL bra pictured costs around $95. the cost is fairly steep, but if you wear your bra like you'd wear any other piece of clothing, i'd say it's worth it.

 

8. these thakoon cigarette pants are beautiful, but this is also a piece that can be easily found at a lower-end store or thrift shop for cheap. i have a pair from h&m that cost no more than $30, and they are such a great alternative to jeans. i am feeling more like a lady at my ripe age of 23, and want to dress as one. cigarette pants are classy and create a really polished look.

9. i love to embellish my clothing with a pretty brooch, whether it be a hat (see above), or a lapel on your blazer. i do believe less is more, so when i wear a brooch, i tone down the jewelry elsewhere.

10. full skirts are so glamourous, and as much as i love showing off my legs in mini skirts, i feel so fantastic in a full skirt that accentuates my waist. the length is tricky... you don't want a fuller skirt to cut you off at the knee. try different skirts on, and play with the lengths so you know what is right for your body structure.

11. these prada platform heels are so pretty. i am very much feeling the emergence of classy, refined footwear, and the mary-jane style is fabulous to incorporate into your shoe collection.

 

12. the now infamous céline "classic" sac... photographed on fashion editors, models, and critics alike. this bag screams structure, and is so versatile. the good thing for us is the availability of similar bags in consignment shops, or lookalikes at stores such as zara or h&m.

candy-coated queens

amazing!

candy, "the world's first transversal style magazine", has featured anna wintour, grace coddington, and tavi gevinson-lookalikes in their newest issue. i love this!

"now the 21st century is truly underway, there’s no need to justify ourselves, only the ability and need to celebrate the diversity of lifestyles and options, the freedom to choose on every level. "

                                                     

                                  - candy website

i am a big supporter of individual rights, different forms of expression & lifestyles.  
more needs to be done to make being "different" okay, especially for the youth of tomorrow! 
 let's do what we can to make 2011 a better year for those 
who may be bullied or tormented for being "different".

check out the website to see where you can get a copy of candy.

celebstyle: people's choice awards 2011

with all the buzz about black swan, i was expecting more from mila kunis.  j. mendel's pre-fall 2011 dress is beautiful, don't get me wrong. i wasn't thrilled with the way this outfit was finished.

 

as biased as i am regarding taylor swift, i do adore this j. mendel dress on her. although it was already featured on the cover of vogue, swifty makes it her own. love the simple nude heels and pretty up-do.

kristen stewart's red-carpet looks are definitely improving, this time with a reem acra mini and some dark pumps. she is less gothic & greasy, and more polished and confident, plus she really knows how to show off her gorgeous legs!

natalie portman looked flawless in january's vogue. she has since announced her pregnancy, and yes! pregnant women are beautiful, but that doesn't give her an excuse to wear a sack* for the remaining 8 months...

*okay, i know it's hard for jason wu to create anything resembling a sack, but in this circumstance, that's exactly what comes to mind.

apparently this lovely lady - and leighton meester's doppleganger - is esquire's sexiest woman alive. minka kelly rocked a beautiful nude lace vivienne westwood dress along with some brian atwood pumps.

featured blogger: no guru

via noguru 

so delighted to be no guru's guest blogger this week! 

new year's eve, please!

in my wildest of fantasies, this would be the outfit i'd wear while ringing in the new year.

merry christmas to all of my loved ones and friends, and have a safe and positive holiday.

i've got to hand it to you...

__________________

vintage gloves, circa 1950's.

while starting to clean out my grandma's house, my mom came across these beautiful gloves & brought them home for me.  each pair is different, some with lace, or an embroidered detail. they are still in perfect condition, and so tiny! when i was in saskatchewan on the weekend, i discovered some old pictures of my grandma, all in which she was looking so glamourous. porcelain skin, tall and slim, immaculate style. i made a mental note to scan and frame the photos.

flat fever

 found these beauties at the consignment store a couple of weeks ago.

i was reading vogue uk on the weekend and i came across a feature solely (no pun intended) on gentleman's loafers; how to wear them, where to buy them... i guess i'm ahead of everyone around here.

oh, brother.

i suppose i should be feeling a skip in my step, now that the first of december has come and gone. christmas parties! gift-giving! holiday baking! (side-note: my dear friends know i have my fair share of sweets and treats year-round... so i'm trying to keep it to a minimum this holiday season.) 


the truth is, i have yet to feel excited about the holiday season this year.    


i wish that there wasn't such a stigma attached to the enjoyment that the holiday season *must* bring. i say that with experience, having already received sour looks after mentioning my state of indifference.  i have my reasons.  some people don't have the basic necessities to enjoy a christmas dinner with their families.  even worse, some don't have their family to enjoy a dinner with.  many are affected by depression, loneliness, poor health, and addiction, among other very hard things to overcome at this time of the year. i am so lucky to be living with a roof over my head, ample sources of food and clothing, and a family to celebrate with.  people need to realize that our lives - normal people's lives - aren't like the canadian tire christmas commercials we have inundating our television programming.  pep and cheer only go so far. one must have the strength to face the commercialization for the entire months of november & december. i know i'd rather do my shopping safely behind my computer screen than battling the throngs of sweaty, frustrated consumers.


when i hear a familiar tune accompanied by the words, "jingle bells, batman smells..." while i work, i feel compelled to turn my nose up at the very thought of christmas.  holiday ads were on TV before we had a chance to recognize fallen soldiers on remembrance day.  how can i not feel a bit like this holiday has turned into nothing but a money-making scheme? 

"look charlie, let's face it. we all know that christmas is a big commercial racket. it's run by a big eastern syndicate, you know."

-lucy, a charlie brown christmas

i have no time for the barenaked ladies singing distasteful carols, but i will always have a soft spot for schroeder's "beethoven christmas music". a charlie brown christmas is my favorite christmas movie, and most often, the only one i will watch. i have been brought up in a household that has always put emphasis on the true meaning of christmas. we have had the same faux tree since, well - before 1987.  we hang the same ornaments, the same multi-coloured lights, the same topper.  it isn't stylish, or trendy, and that's the way we do it at our place. in recent years, we have made it a tradition to serve christmas dinner to others that may be less fortunate or alone for christmas. and traditionally, when joy to the world would close christmas eve mass at sacred heart church, my grandpa would be peering down the pew to make sure the whole cotter clan was joining in. our "charlie brown" tree, serving christmas dinner, memories of joy to the world - these things make christmas truly special for me.


this post must sound angsty and negative.  in fact, i am the opposite.  i try to be a positive person on a day-to-day basis.  you won't catch me without a grin very often.  but this christmas, much like the last, is different for me, as i am coming to realize, and identify with, the struggles many have during the holiday season.  i didn't write this for sympathy, please don't get me wrong. what i want is for my readers to take a moment and think about what makes christmas, or hanukkah, special for them.  with the hustle and bustle of shopping, entertaining, cleaning, baking, and other -ings, those moments of solitude and reflection are easily lost.


i wish all of you a very safe and joyful holiday season.  try to surround yourself with people you love, and keep an eye out for others who are struggling with this time of year.  a small gesture, such as an understanding smile, may go a long way.