A Look Back at July

Sometimes you need to go through all your photos to realize what a great month you actually had.  I know sometimes I get bogged down with sad emotions or have bad days, but doing these recaps make me really grateful and appreciative of my life.  We all have things to be grateful for and that brings us joy.  July was an amazing month and even more so now that I look back at it.

In July I went boating with friends, visited a friend's new home where we popped champagne and made gluten-free protein crepes.  I bought a new pair of gym shoes--exciting!--and DIY'ed a mesh overlay skirt.  I made my sister a maternity maxi dress to wear to her shower and hung out at a rooftop pool.

I hosted a baby shower for my sister with mom--where she wore said dress--made the most of weekend nights by dressing up in clothes I can't wear to work (ie. those leather shorts) and conquered box jumps at the gym!

My boyfriend took me to see my second Cirque du Soleil show and gave me an iPad mini.  I bought these single-sole heels I was covetting for months and got my hair done.

What is your best trait in your relationship?

I think if I asked my boyfriend this question about me, he would likely say how nice I am or how giving I am.  He's said those things before and also said I'm just, 'so nice'.  Hmph (too nice, perhaps?).  

Although I can say I'm a pretty nice person, I don't feel like I'm that nice; I mean, we all have our negative qualities, right?   But, then again, we are almost always our toughest critic.

I think it's hard to think about what my best trait in my relationship is as it feels weird honing up to it and putting it out there so...publicly.  And then there's the part where maybe he doesn't feel that way and reads this and goes, 'Uhhh, backspace, delete, rewind!'.  Additionally, it really depends on the person you are with as sometimes someone will bring out a trait in you that is so good that you didn't have before or couldn't have before.

I think my best quality is that I give a lot of love.  I try my best to make my partner feel loved and that goes in various ways; physical affection, doing something nice for them, sending sweet texts or giving them their space to do their own thing too.  

I think I'll stop there because this feels weird writing it out!  I can't help it, you guys, it's a little awkward putting this out there.  Please don't leave me hanging, comment below & join in on the discussion.

* Thanks Katrina for a similar suggestion to this topic & please leave your Let's Chat topic suggestions below.

Asos 'Hong Kong' Single Sole Sandals / Heels

Asos, Hong Kong heeled sandals, $80.73

New shoes!  I love sharing my purchases on here with you guys because (a) it's fun, and (b) it's a great way for me to keep track of when I bought something and to always link back to this where you can find the link to purchase it yourself.

I had my eye on these heels for months and saw I Am Khatu & Rosie wearing theirs--in nude--when I finally decided to pull the trigger...and I'm so glad I did.

When I first purchased these, as I mentioned in my haul video, I thought they were going to be uber uncomfortable as they don't have a lot of give; I was wrong.  They are quite comfortable and I can walk for a long time in them.  The only qualm is they might be a tad big.  I ordered a 10 and maybe could have sized down to a 9.5.  It's not tragic, my foot just flops a bit when I walk, but the ankle strap keeps it in my place anyways.

Speaking of the ankle strap, it should be noted it's slightly roomier than I'd expect.  I'd say my ankles are average--and I definitely don't have cankles--but the strap is quite loose.  I like the look, but for sturdiness, it's just a bit looser.  Nothing to prevent one from ordering them though, I absolutely love these shoes!

See me wearing them in an outfit post HERE.

VLOG | July 25 - 28, 2013

I put together a new type of vlog for you guys today, let me know if you like this type of video.  This vlog includes a bunch of stuff like a dinner party, outfits, a rooftop pool with friends + more.

Things I mentioned:

Claire Marshall's YouTube Channel.

Find my most recent Summer Wear video I talked about here HERE.

I also vlog for my local mall; Check out my videos on their channel HERE.

Connect with me!

Twitter  |   Instagram  |  Keek (short 36 second videos)  | YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Email

Weekend Recap: iPhone Snaps

I started my weekend on Friday night with a workout, which is so unlike me for a Friday night.  That said, other than playing beach volleyball on Thursday night, I totally slacked off and didn't get to the gym once all week.  So this weekend I made sure to go Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday morning after the gym, my boyfriend and I went to breakfast at our fave winter spot (haven't been in months!).  I wanted to go somewhere else but by the time we finished at the gym it was almost 1pm and everything else wouldn't be serving breakfast anymore.

Saturday.

Outfit deets:  Billabong top, Boathouse shorts, Bamboo gladiators (old), Christian Siriano cross-body bag & Le Chateau necklace.

 Saturday afternoon was spent at a rooftop pool (totally forgot to take a shot of the view) with a bunch of friends.

Outfit deets:  Ardene bikini top.

Saturday night I went to a (different) rooftop BBQ party which ended up being quite calm and low key but still a lot of fun.

Outfit deets:  Walmart sweatshirt (new!), Abercrombie denim mini (old), Vince Camuto sandals & Limite necklace.

Sunday shopping day.

Outfit deets:  BCBGeneration top, Urban Planet skirt, Sam Edelman wedges & Ardene cross-body bag.

Sunday night dinner: butter chicken made at home (..from a jar).

Working on this blog post on Sunday night :)

A Life Update: My Condo + Thoughts

Hey guys, just thought I was pop in and do a life update chat-type post where I just ramble a little.

It's amazing how sometimes I have so much blog content swirling around in my head and in the background and other times I let a day or two pass before I post.  I hate not posting on Monday through Friday, but sometimes I just can't come up with anything relevant or worth sharing.

So I just found out that the condo I purchased a year ago--see this video for how excited I was, and still am--has been pushed back, unfortunately.  I guess they have not sold enough units yet so instead of being ready in November 2014, it is now June 2015.  Ugh.  That is two more years that I really didn't anticipate staying living where I'm living now. 

While I love my apartment and the location, it is lacking a few things, namely a dishwasher and in-unit laundry.  I can deal with having shoes scattered in all areas and that fact that half of my dining room is actually part closet, but I'm getting really sick of doing dishes by hand and lugging laundry down to the basement.  I know, I know, #firstworldproblems.

When I was condo hunting last Spring/Summer, I almost bought a condo without a dishwasher.  What a mistake that would have been.  I really hate doing dishes and since I've been doing them by hand for almost two years now, my patience is wearing thin.  I know this may seem trivial to some, and you may wonder how many dishes can one person make?  A lot.  That's how many, a lot.  I cook at home all the time, and in turn produce tons of dishes, add that to lunch travel dishes and shaker cups and Magic Bullet canisters and lids... it's a lot you guys.  It's annoying.

So I'm in a transition period in my mind.  Do I pull out of the condo and look for something else?  I'm not even sure I can, I have to read my terms and conditions to be certain.  If I can, do I look for a condo that's ready?  When I purchased my car five months ago, I was kind of on a two-year plan to pay it off before I moved to be more financial secure (which means I'm literally paying out the ass for it every month, but, I love it and it was a sacrafice I was willing to make).  That would change things if I moved and I would like to own something as I've been renting for almost two years and while it's fine, am I going to continue to do so when I could be building equity instead with the means I have?  And on that note, perhaps I should just leave my deposit in the condo and sell it when it's finally ready and hopefully make some money... but on the flip side, am unable to purchase anything else as my money is tied up.

All thoughts just swirling in my head right now and while I'm not quite ready to make a decision, or a move--literally--I'm thinking about it, the future and various other factors and things. 

That's pretty much it for now; as always, thanks for reading <3>

Do you expose your toes at work?

I have never given a second thought as to exposing my toes at work, despite knowing it used to be a faux pas. 

I personally think that it is completely acceptable now in a business casual environment.  What made me think twice about this was seeing a woman's gross looking, unpolished toes in the bathroom stall next to me the other day.  Ick.

I think there is something to be said about feet that aren't taken care of and in my personal opinion, those feet and toes should not be exposed.  Ain't nobody got time--or the stomach--for that (at work).

Agree or disagree?  What are your thoughts?

All of the photos above are outfits and shoes I've worn to work.  I noticed recently that I actually own more toe-exposing shoes than not... This was of course noticed on a day where my feet were not up to par and I need to keep them hidden until I had time to give myself a pedi!

Thanks for your comments & suggestions for Let's Chat, I'm going to keep the series and would love use your suggestions in the coming weeks.  If you have a topic suggestion, please leave it below.  Thanks for reading and your support, love you guys!

50 Facts About Me

I screwed up!  I thought I had 50 facts and ended up with 47...?!  What tha whaaaaaaa.  Ugh.  Sorry about that guys but I didn't want to get re-dressed and film and import and edit, and blah, blah, blah!

Here are two more facts:  

* I love milk & recently switched over to Almond Milk exclusively.  

* I'm going to be an aunt any day now for the first time! :D

I also vlog for my local mall.  Check out my videos on their channel HERE.

Spotted Pastel

Outfit deets:

* Jacob cardigan (old).

* H&M strappy tank (old) which you've seen with a pencil skirt & circle vest.

* Smart Set cami underneath.

* Guess denim pants (last summer) which you've seen one summer night last year.

* Asos 'Hong Kong' heels which I'm obsessed with & showed in my last haul video.  They aren't as comfy/soft as my Zara ones, but they aren't too bad. 

* Accessories:  Michael Kors watch, Le Chateau cuff, F21 necklace & Gucci shades.

Happy Tuesday everyone!  How is your week going?

Last night I was super productive and got my laundry done and some dishes, I photographed this outfit, edited the photos, filmed a video and edited it and relaxed.  Definitely a needed me-night to get some stuff done after a busy and fun weekend.

I'm already counting the days to this coming weekend--do you guys do that too?--as there is a big party on Saturday night happening which should be a great time.  I'm debating if I should try to make ice cream with my ice cream maker... but then again, would that really be a good party food?

I also wanted to ask you guys if we should continue with the Let's Chat posts?  I didn't put one up last week and no one asked, and we've done so many I'm having a hard time coming up with some.  If you have any suggestions I would love to hear 'em!

Hope you have a great day.

 Everyone asks me about this iPhone 5 case, touches it and tells me, 'That thing is like a weapon!'.  I bought mine on eBay and you can get your own HERE (cheaper than I paid, too!).  I also showed this case--and three others--in my iPhone 5 Case Haul video.

Weekend Recap: iPhone Snaps

This weekend was so wonderful; I took Friday off to make it a long weekend--sorry for the radio silence--ate great food, hung out with friends, slept in, got my hair done, saw Cirque du Soleil and more! Since this is a lengthy recap I'm going to put the majority of the pictures after the jump further below...

Thursday evening driving home from work; sunlight and the start to my weekend.

My new MacBook Pro sleeve/case arrived in the mail so I gave it a try; a perfect fit!  I'm pretty excited as now I can take my laptop with me when I go somewhere.  This is an 'Incase' sleeve, like the ones they sell at the Apple store but I purchased mine off eBay, brand new, for half the price.  It was shipping from the US so it took less than a week to arrive, which was awesome.



On Friday morning I put my culinary skills to the test and whipped up this awesome breakfast inspired by LoveMaegan's breakfast post. 

This was my first time making poached eggs and they turned out pretty well.  I also substituted asparagus and threw in some turkey bacon & whole grain toast (this is my boyfriend's plate, I only had half of a slice of toast; read about my Gluten-free diet/lifestyle ish HERE).

On Friday afternoon the man and I hit the gym and I did box jumps for the first time. 

Scary and difficult but I loved how I felt afterwards; proud and accomplished!

Lots more photos after the jump...

Tina Tee / DIY Gym Shirt

I went on the hunt last week on my lunch hour for an oversized graphic tee for this DIY.  I'd seen a few variations around the web and wanted to make something different than I'd made before.  After seeing a cool Jamaica-logo-emblazed top at Winners for $17, I knew I could find something cheaper--and better?--at the thrift store.

After searching for a good 15 minutes in the men's section, I came up emtpy handed and discouraged.  I was about to leave when I forced myself to take one more look through the women's section and that's when I spotted this beauty.  It turned out to be exactly what I was looking for, and the fit is slightly oversized but still skims the body and for $1.99, it was right on budget.

I started by cutting off the sleeves and then the neckline.  The braid up the back is fancy and slightly more challenging so check out this DIY video to see how I did that, sort of.

Weekend Recap coming up!

My Summer 2013 Playlist

I'm a big fan of using Soundcloud to stream my favourite music so I figured there must be a way to create a playlist that is separate from my favourites...and whadyaknow, there is!  

I've compiled a bunch of tracks that I currently have on repeat and that have been pumping since the warm weather arrived.  Some I'm almost sick of because I tend to kill tracks and some simply remind me of this season already.  Hope you enjoy.

Haul - Asos, F21, Urban Planet, Apple & more

Another haul video with a bunch of stuff from Asos (eep!), Forever 21, Urban Planet, Winners & more.  I filmed this haul and it ended up being much longer than eight minutes is because I included a bunch of home decor items I've recently purchased. Since it was too long, I cut that stuff out and will upload it in a separate video :)

Forever 21:

* Peplum top 

* Lace dress 

* Peplum skirt (sale!) 

* Cage back bustier/bra top 

* High-low chiffon top (on sale now!  Lucky you, grrr for me!) 

Asos

* Hong Kong heeled sandals 

A few more things I mentioned...

DIY Sweatshirt  |  DIY Denim Cut-Offs  |  Close-Up of Denim Cut-Offs | Me Waring the Denim Cut-Offs

Find my most recent Summer Wear video I talked about here HERE.

I also vlog for my local mall? Check out my videos on their channel HERE.

Connect with me!

Twitter  |   Instagram  |  Keek (short 36 second videos)  | YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Email

Eyelet Peplum

 Outfit deets:
* Imaginary Voyage top (from Winners, new!).  I picked this top up last week during my lunch hour while shopping.  I saw the top, loved it and bought it without trying it on--something I never, ever do--and it worked out.  I might take the darts in at the front a tad as it's a littler roomier there than I hoped, but in these photos it doesn't show.
* H&M skirt (old) which you've seen with a few summers back with pink & my favourite gladiators.
* Diva Lounge wedges (old) which were my go-to shoe last summer (along with my Sophie Low's) and you've seen them with my 'Nurse' dress, an Easter outfit, in Florida for my 28th birthday, and with a pretty white dress.  
* Accessories: gifted circles bracelet, American Eagle open bangle, Swarovski bangle, Claire's necklace & Gucci shades.

I'm so excited to finally post some outfit photos; I've been slacking lately but my point-and-shoot kind of died on me too.  Secondly, I'm slowly learning how to work with a DSLR which is so exciting but difficult to use with a self-timer.  Any Nikon pros out there that can offer some tips on shooting yourself?

This wall is convenient for me to shoot at so you might be seeing more of it in the future; hope you don't mind but I think it makes for a cool backdrop.

Do you guys Keek?  I joined about a month ago and love sharing random clips of my life on there, including outfits that never see the light of day on my blog.  If you don't know what Keek is, it's short, 36 second video clips; just long enough to share something cool but short enough you don't get bored.  Find me @acoest1984.

Fashion Vlogger Video #16: What to Wear to Summer Music Festivals, Picnics & Around the Pool

I'm so excited to share my 16th video as the Place d'Orleans Fashion Vlogger with you all because it's my best video yet, by far, mainly because I used my new MacBook Pro and Photoshop Premiere Elements to edit this baby.  I'm so proud of this and put 15 hours of love (ie. blood, sweat and tears!) into it.  Don't ever let anyone tell you video editing--and filming--is easy, it's very time consuming but such a labour of love for me.  I love working with PDO and getting to produce these for you all to see.

In this video I'm showing you several fun trends for summer time, specifically things to wear to music festivals, picnics or around the pool.  I hope you enjoy the video!

Stay tuned for more videos (specifically on the Place d'Orleans Facebook page). 

Other videos: 
* Fall Fashion (video #1)
* Wardrobe Classics (video #2) 
* Bundling Up for Winter (video #3) 
* How-to Style a Sequin Skirt (video #4)
* What to Wear for New Years Eve (video #5)
* New Year, New You! (video #6) 
* Accessories & a Hair Tutorial (video #7) 
* What to Wear on a Date (video #8) 
* Dreaming of Summer (video #9) 
* How-To Turn Your Maxi Dress into a Maxi Skirt (video #10)
* DIY Kiss Printed Jacket (video #11)
* Spring Trends (video #12) 
* Biggest Spring Trends (video #13)
* Summer Event Wear (video #14)

* How-To Transform Your Look: Day to Night (video #15)

Weekend Recap: iPhone Snaps

Friday outfit for work, dinner & running errands (good thing I wore flats!).

Outfit deets:  W118 by Walter Baker top & Skirt, Ardene flats, Sirens necklace & Joe Fresh and F21 bangles.

On Friday night, I met my family for dinner at Score's.  If you're not familiar with the chain, it's a soup-salad bar restaurant with main courses to order.  This was my helping from the salad bar: cucumbers, cottage cheese, beats & mushrooms.

Saturday was the day my Mom & I threw my little sister a baby shower.  I wore my new dress from Forever 21 & a necklace from The Bay.

We worked so hard to put together a beautiful (pinterest-inspired) table-scape for the party.  The invitation (seen above in the frame) was in chocolate brown and green so we colour coordinated in those shades.  We used green/white polka dot napkins, ribbons & balloons along with plain green cups and plates.  We tied ribbon the sweets cups (which were filled with green jube-jubes & chocolate covered almonds) and used a green table cloth which worked perfectly with my Mom's chocolate brown curtains in behind the table.  The diaper cake was my Mom's creation and in the same colours and turned out great.  We topped the cupcakes with little green/white polka dot butterfly scrapbook shapes that we stuck onto toothpicks.  And of course the watermelon carriage filled with fruit and a nectarine with a face drawn on it to resemble a baby.

My sister is due on July 24th but (did you know) is already full term.  It could be any day that I get to meet my (first!) nephew.

Saturday night I went to a cottage (party) which was totally impromptu and last minute.  I honestly just wanted to have a quiet evening, but my boyfriend convinced me this was going to be a ton of fun...and it was.  Can you believe this is the only picture I captured of the evening?  Haha, it was that much fun.

The next day we left just before noon to head back to the city.

Outfit deets (hardly worthy):  Maison Scotch tee, Joshua Perets pants & American Eagle for Payless flip flops.

My man convinced me to hit the gym on Sunday evening (after a incredibly needed nap, which was unfortunate because I slept away a beautiful day #wahwah) which ended up being a really great workout.

We were starving after so grabbed protein shakes at the gym and take-out on the way home.  I had a chicken ceasar salad with half dressing and omitted the croutons.

HAPPY MONDAY!