Early September back to school outfit diary

Hi everyone!

Had a lot of fun today putting together a few outfits for back to school. At my university, most people dress quite casually so the outfits you will soon see are casual but thought out :). In Toronto, early September is pretty hot, about 20-30 degrees. Therefore all my outfits today are paired with shorts. Without further a due, let's bring out outfit 1!

Here I paired a bright and fun top from Topshop with a pair of light coloured jean cut offs from American eagle. I would pair this outfit with a pair of flat simple sandals. If cold, I would wear a light grey cardigan. 

The second outfit is a girly and soft look that is slightly more fancy than the first, but still class appropriate. I like tieing the bottom of sheer blouses so that they are the right length when paired with shorts. The blouse is from Miss selfridge, and the lace shorts from Urban outfitters. 

This third outfit is cute and casual, perfect for the hotter days. The top has exposed shoulders and is a flowly top so it can keep you cool on those extra hot days. I love the easiness of this outfit but it still looks thought out and sweet. The top is from Urban outfitters (currently in the sale for $19!) and the shorts are the same pair from outfit one.

The last outfit is very simple, I paired a basic white v-neck tee (Banana Republic) with a pair of darker wash denim cutoffs (A&F kids). I also included a dark brown leather braided belt (A&F kids). For this outfit, I would make it more personalized by adding accessories. My favourite accessory which I think adds a bit of personality are chunky bracelets. Here are 2 of my favourites: 

(Michael Kors)

(Uno de 50)

For necklaces, I like to keep things simple with delicate pieces such as this favourite:

(Tiffany&Co)

And that concludes my back to school post!
Thank you so much for reading,

Rebecca xx

Heels Collection!

Hi Everyone!

After watching FleurdeForce's heels collection video on youtube, I was inspired to blog about my heel collection as well. I'm kind of a shoe addict! My shoe size hasn't changed in about the last 8 years so some of these shoes go a while back! I try to purchase my shoes for their quality and comfort, rather than for simply trendiness. 

1. BCBGeneration ivory pointed toe heels

I wore these when I was at my grade 6 graduation! So long ago but they fit well and dress up any pair of jeans. I also like little heels, I think they look very nice as long as you dress them with the right outfit. 

2. Alfani black round toe heels

I bought these about 4 years ago for my high school shoes. At my high school we were only allowed to wear black closed toe shoes and I chose these because they had a bit of a heel. 

3. Lace-up bootie style heels from H&M

These are so comfortable! They feel quite sturdy and were a very good price. They are great going out shoes.

4. BCBG Satin Evening Sandal 

I bought these for prom, and they were extremely uncomfortable. They look absolutely beautiful however, and I hope to have more fancy occasions to wear them to. 

5. Michael Kors Berkley T-strap sandals

I got these pair of heels in the sale and they are easy to walk in and are comfortable. Highly recommend! They are a very versatile pair of heels. 

6. Flats from Browns shoes

These are the only pair of flats I own. I purchased them at Brown's shoes and they are very comfortable and cute! I love the pearl and ruffle details. 

7. Michael Kors Xaria Wedge

Love love these. They are super flattering on the foot and are very comfortable to walk in. These make me feel so tall! :)

8. J.crew striped Evie pumps

These are my favourite shoes that I currently own. They are seriously adorable and I only wear them on special occasion. The inside of the shoe is a buttery leather while the outside is canvas. I got these for an amazing sale price :) 

Hope you all found this interesting and thanks so much for reading,
Rebecca xx

Indulge.

Hey everyone,

Today I thought I would post about something a little bit different. Summer's coming to an end and whether you are prepping for school, or perhaps a new work season, it's really time to treat yourself.
One of my favourite things to indulge in are drinks. Whether it's a hot moccacino or a fizzy drink, it always helps lighten my mood.
In the picture I share some drinks I've had this summer. Starting from the top left is a moccacino, dark chocolate frapp, mocha frapp, freshly squeezed watermelon juice, strawberries&cream frapp, and a bellini. 

What do you treat yourself to?

Thanks for reading,
Rebecca xx

Everyday makeup

Hello!

I thought this might be interesting to some of you- my everyday makeup for the summer. 
-UD Naked 1 palette
-Mac eyeshadow in Naked Lunch
-Annabelle brow pencil
-Burberry Sheer summer glow
-L'oreal carbon black eyeliner
-L'oreal carbon black voluminous mascara
-Nyx lipgloss in Beige
-L'oreal minerals powder foundation in Light Ivory
-Lancome effacernes under eye concealer

All of these products I am currently in love with. And I just noticed that I use quite a few L'oreal products!

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca xx 

This week's obsession

Hi there!

Just thought I would share things I am currently loving and lusting for. 

Free people Rose garden dress. This dress is totally something I would wear- its girly, flouncy, and lacy. If I could own this dress I would probably pick up either the cream or navy. I love the fit n' flair type dresses, they are very figure flattering for people without a lot of curves. The price is a little hefty, at $126.

Second thing I'm obsessed with are over-the-knee socks. I know this look isn't for everyone but for the past 2 years, I have been loving this look. It's cute and something different, and also helps to enlongate your legs. I love the first pair, the oatmeal argyle print is so cozy and I think these would look super cute paired under tall leather boots. I actually own the second pair and these are definitely a more fun option. In the winter I wear sheer black hosiery underneath. They look nice paired with simple dresses. Both socks are from Free People. 

Thanks so much for reading,

Rebecca xx

Pics from here, here, and here 

HAUL!

Hey everyone,

This post is yet another haul, because let's be real here. Who doesn't like hauls?

I went to Topshop this weekend and picked up 2 things. If you are a student, don't forget to apply your 10% discount :) 

First thing I got is this bright blue dress. The material has a sheen to it that causes the dress to appear fancier. The skirt is made of a lot of material and comes to about a few inches above the knee. This dress instantly caught my eye in the store and after looking at the price tag, I decided to try it on. It is $48, which isn't bad at all for Topshop, usually their dresses are about $80. The body of the dress is very fitted and the zipper isn't the best quality so be sure not to pick a size too small, or the zipper may break. Overall, I absolutely love this dress and have already worn it twice (within a week!). 

Second thing I got is this black peplem top. It's a cotton material and is very tight fitting, I actually took a size up in this top. I've been looking for a simple black peplem top for a while now, and this is perfect. Its casual enough to wear with jeans but can be dressed up with a skirt and worn to work. Very versatile and comfy! The only downside is that on a windy day, the peplem bit tends to blow up, and there isn't another layer underneath :P 

Hope you all enjoyed this little haul,

Rebecca xx  

My Luxury Dream List

Hi there,

Today was a relaxing day where I spent the entire day organizing and unpacking from my vacation. I decided to write a different type of post today, rather than post about things that I already own, I thought it would be fun to post about things I could probably never own, but can only dream to own. 

Sometimes when I'm bored I go on all the online shopping sites and make dream lists and add all these expensive items into my online shopping cart. This is fun for me LOL! I'm sure I can't be the only one who does this. 

I've compiled a list of amazing goodies that I wish I could own, but are way out of my budget, especially as I am currently an unemployed uni student.

1. The medium/large classic Chanel flap bag in caviar leather
This bag is stunning. It's so sad that every year the price goes up TT

 Retails for $4400, image is from here

2. The Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM (at a slightly more realistic price than the Chanel, you could buy 5 of these and it STILL wouldn't equal one Chanel bag). The quality of LV bags is amazing. I have a small LV clutch that's lasted me 5-6 years and it is still in great condition.

Retails for $850, image is from here

3. Anya Hindmarch Bespoke Two-way journal (this journal is customizable and their prices range from $400-600) I cannot believe how anyone could bear to spend so much on a journal, this is a true luxury item.

And there you have my luxury dream list! 

Feel free to share your own dream list and thanks for reading,

Rebecca

Small closet shoe organization

Hey Everyone,

Just thought I would do a quick post on small closet shoe organization. 

For those of you with small closets- I completely understand how you feel. This is a picture of the bottom of my closet and where I store my nicer shoes. This isn't my entire shoe collection, I keep my flip flops and sandals by the front door, and my Ugg winter boots in the hallway closets. For my heels or shoes I don't wear as often, I keep them in my closet. I've found that one way you can store more shoes without looking cluttered is putting some in shoe boxes and then placing other pairs of shoes on top of those boxes. I think I can stack 3 more shoe boxes into this closet and on top of that, have one more spot for a pair of shoes beside the cream pointy-toed heels. I tend to put my nicer shoes in the shoe boxes so they won't collect dust as easily. 

Hope you found this helpful :) 
Rebecca

LA haul!

Hi there ! 

I decided to do a haul from my trip to LA. Me and my family took the greyhound from San Francisco to L.A. and it was a pretty smooth and peaceful ride. I read reviews about the LA bus station being very sketchy but it's not bad if you just grab your luggage and get a taxi or have a friend pick you up :)

First thing I got is this gorgeous dress from the BP section in Nordstrom. It's true mint colour isn't showing very well in this picture but it is a lovely dress that you can wear out grabbing coffee with friends or even dress it up and wear it to a summer wedding. 

Next are some miscellaneous items from Ulta. 

 I got my favourite L'oreal powder foundation in Light ivory (the lightest shade), two Nyx glosses in Beige and Tea rose, and Katy Perry lashes in Sweetie pie. I love the Beige colour, it is a very flattering soft pink shade and tea rose is a subtle medium rose-y pink colour. 

Lastly is an update, I actually exchanged the Tory Burch boots (mentioned in the previous post) for a black pair. I knew that black would be much easier to maintain than the asphalt shade and in the end, is a more practical colour. Here is a picture of them: 

 I found the image from here

Thanks for reading,
Rebecca

Haul from San Francisco!

Hello from San Francisco!

I am currently taking a vacation in San Francisco and I love it here. The weather is perfect- chilly but sunny and never rainy (about 15-20 degrees each day). There is a crazy amount of shopping around my hotel and I decided to pick up a few lovely things (2 to be exact, haha). 

First is the silk Blythe blouse from J.Crew.

I was looking at this blouse over the last couple of days and after some consideration decided to get it. I like how the grey polka dots are more subtle rather than if they were black. The material is 100% silk and I love the two front pockets. Don't forget J.Crew accepts 15% off for students! 

Second is my big purchase for this trip. Here's a preview:

 This is my first purchase from Tory Burch. I have been looking for a pair of tall, good quality leather boots for the last few years and have found the perfect ones. These seem very good quality (leather is a firm texture and the hardware is a solid heavy metal. Also the bottoms are lined nicely with a decently thick platform). Originally I was looking for a pair of black leather boots but I loved the greyish-brown leather colour so much- I decided to just get these ones and take SERIOUS care of them. These did come in black but I didn't think they looked as nice. Also, I love how the TB logo isn't huge. Some of the other styles had ginormous TB logos which I find a bit too flashy for my taste :)

Thanks very much for reading! 
Rebecca 

Travel Makeup.

Hey Everyone, 
Just thought I would update you on a list of what makeup I bring with me on my vacation to San Francisco and LA.

-Laura Mercier Trio Eyeshadow (purchased a long time ago therefore it isn't available anymore)
-Nars blush in Deep Throat
-Mini Urban Decay eyeshadow primer potion
-2 Elf brushes
-Revlon lip butter in Strawberry Shortcake
-Tweezerman eyelash curler
-Stila Kajul eyeliner in Tiger eyes
-Maybelline Falsies mascara
-NYC sunny bronzer
-mini sample of Burberry lip mist in Feather pink
-L'oreal Carbon black liquid eyeliner
-Lancome Effacernes under-eye concealer in Light Bisque (not shown)
-Skin 79 Super BB cream (not shown)

Travel Skincare and Mini Review !

Hi There! Tomorrow I am leaving on a vacation to San Fransisco and Los Angeles with my family. Thought I would post what I bring on vacation with me in terms of skincare. 

Starting with skincare I will be bringing my Vichy Aqualia thermal Mineral Balm which is seriously amazing. I think I've gone through more than 5 bottles. My skin can be very dry all season and this balm moisturizes the driest of skin and doesn't feel greasy to me. It's consistency is a thick-watery gel which feels very soothing on dry skin. Arguably it is quite heavy for summer but I only apply a little bit at night to dry areas of my skin. It's a shame there isn't that much product in each container but I've never found anything like it before so it remains my all time favourite moisturizer. 


I will also bring my La Roche Posay eyecream- to be honest I can't tell if this product is good or not, I don't notice a difference but I like to hydrate the skin around my eyes. Also bringing a mini travel size eye makeup remover by La Roche Posay as well.

On hot days, my makeup starts to not look as fresh and I find a quick spritz of Evian spray helps a lot. It's just water and it's not groundbreaking, but I find it very refreshing and it helps to lightly set my makeup. 


Next up is the Skin79 super BB cream which I absolutely love. I will definitely repurchase- it evens out my skin and doesn't cause breakouts. It also looks very natural. To wash off my makeup I will be using Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser which is wonderful at removing even the most stubborn makeup. For the days where I don't want to wash my face, I decided to bring a mini Bioderma which is also great at removing makeup. 


Lastly for hair, I am not a picky person when it comeCs to shampoos but I find using Johnston's Baby shampoo very good for sensitive skin. A lot of the time shampoos contain harsh chemicals which may react to the sides of my face and cause a breakout. The baby shampoo is very refreshing and does its job. For conditioner I use my favourite Tsubaki hair treatment which is supposed to be a deep treatment-conditioner but I find using it just as an every day conditioner very good. It keeps my hair very moisturized and tangle-free.


Lastly is my new favourite hand cream ! This is cake beauty's lemon chiffon hand cream. It smells yummy and keeps my hands very moisturized.


Thanks for reading, 


Rebecca

Products that didn't work for me

Hi There!


Today I'm going to talk about beauty products that did not work for me. There aren't too many because I usually research what I would like to buy beforehand and am rarely disappointed. 

First up is the Coastal Scents 88 Neutrals palette. I bought this last year and was very excited to receive it after hearing good reviews. I was pretty disappointed because all though the swatches look pigmented, once i blended them onto my eyes they appeared muddy and the shimmers or sparkles weren't pronounced like those in the Urban Decay palettes. I did make good use of this palette and used it almost for the entire school year but I'll definitely not be reaching for this palette now that I have the UD Naked palette!


Second is the Maybelline age rewind foundation. I've heard good reviews about this on youtube and was excited to try it. I had such a horrible experience with this, the consistency was very oily and it emphasized/created dry spots! I tried this a few times making sure my skin was very hydrated and tried applying it with my fingers and a brush. Really disappointed and will be giving it away to a friend who loves it more than I do. 


Next up is the Tarte lipsurgence lip stain. I love the colour and scent of this product and it does last a good amount of time on the lips. My only problem is how dry this product makes my lips after application! 


Lastly, Benefit's High beam. I have a tiny bottle of this from the mini trio of Benefit's Benetint, Posietint, and high beam that I purchased at Sephora. This is way too frosty on me and does not look natural! I much prefer other highlighters such as Dior Amber Diamond and Burberry Sheer Summer Glow. 


Thank you so much for reading!


Rebecca

Haul of recent beauty purchases/gifts

Hi Beauties ! 
I am bringing you a haul and mini review of beauty items I have purchased and received as gifts throughout the last 3 months. (Warning: During the school year I hardly buy any products so when summer comes around, I tend to go a bit crazy!) 

Beauty items include the Naked palette, Stila Kajul Eyeliner in Tiger Eyes, Lancome Effacernes concealer, NYC Sunny Bronzer, Burberry Sheer Summer Glow, Mac eyeshadow in Naked Lunch, Nyx lipgloss in Candy Shop, Nyx round lipstick in Heather.


Beginning with the Naked palette, I'm sure all of you have heard enough about the Naked palette but I finally got my hands on it (as a lovely gift) and it is great. I feel like I won't have to buy eyeshadows for a long time because I usually only wear neutrals and all of the colours in the Naked palette are gorgeous. 

The Burberry highlighter/bronzer was quite a recent purchase, where I decided to treat myself after doing well on my OAT exam. It is ridiculously expensive ($73) and is the most expensive beauty item I own. There are 4 shades a light beige, a darker beige, a baby pink, and a cream colour highlighter. Swirled together these shades deliver an absolutely stunning glow to the face. I am quite fair and I am able to use the darker shades as a bronzer and to contour my face. At the Burberry counter I tried a few of their lip mists on my hand and the rosey-nude shades were completely up my alley. I don't know when I will purchase a Burberry lipstick- I've been trying to think of a special occasion to treat myself- perhaps my birthday which is in 7 months!

The NYC Sunny bronzer (~$3): I purchased this bronzer to use as an every day bronzer I can pack in my bag and not worry about ruining. I am leaving on vacation soon and I will definitely not be packing my Burberry highlighter (in fear of it smashing!) The sunny bronzer delivers a very light bronze that works perfect for my fair skin and is not orange at all. 


Mac eyeshadow in Naked Lunch (~$18): Amazing eyeshadow. Originally when I purchased this shadow I thought it was too sheer and that it didn't show up well on my skin. After a few uses I grew to love how it gave a sheer sheen and I now use this shadow just all over the lids for a minimal makeup effect. I highly recommend this shadow and I would repurchase this if i ran out.

Nyx Lipgloss in Candy shop and Nyx Lipstick in Heather (~$7, ~$6): I love the Nyx lipgloss formulation but I find this colour to be just okay, I haven't been reaching for it very often. I also don't really like the smell so hopefully it will grow on me so I can get more use out of this gloss. The Nyx lipstick in Heather is lovely, the formula is so creamy and pigmented and it is a beautiful deep rose colour which I think will be perfect for fall and winter. 

Stila Kajul Eyeliner (~$30): This eyeliner is amazing! I've read reviews where girls claim the eyeliner smudges horribly on them but the whole concept around this eyeliner IS smudging! I only apply a teeny tiny bit under my eyes and I use my finger to smudge it out for a less defined look. If you do not smudge it out, the product will most likely smudge itself and look terrible. 


Lancome Effacernes under-eye concealer (~$30): My holy grail concealer! This stuff is amazing, I've just purchased my second bottle- my first one lasted 2 years! A little goes a long way and its not only for under the eye, I use it to cover up redness around my nose, redness on my cheeks, and the occasional spot. It blends very well and never looks cakey. Highly recommend! 


Hope you found this post helpful and please feel free to leave me a comment


Rebecca 
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First blog post of 2012 !

Hello!
It's been a full year since my last post as I have had an extremely busy year at school and then studying for my OAT exams. Finally enjoying the last month of summer and decided to test the waters of the blog world once again. Can't wait to start blogging about all things beauty, fashion, food, and life.

Talk to you soon,

Rebecca