The Pencil Skirt

Pencil skirts seem to be the most appropriate skirt to wear to an office or professional job. You wouldn't want to go much shorter than a pencil skirt, and longer tends to feel either too casual or too fancy, depending on the fit. So if you are going to wear a skirt to the office, which is a very suitable and stylish option, then the safest bet is to stick to pencil skirts. Following this basic guideline on how to wear pencil skirts will ensure you always look great in a professional setting.

 

There are 3 basic pencil skirts every professional woman should own: Neutral, patterned, and bright. Once you have these 3 options in your closet, it should be a breeze when it comes to finding something to wear each day for work. Below are some visual ideas and a few tips on how to best style the classic pencil skirt.

 

 

The Neutral Pencil Skirt 

       Tips:

• Grey or black are your best neutral options because they are the easiest to match and to keep looking clean.
• Having a variety of coloured camisoles will help you have many outfit options. Cover with a cardigan to finish the look.
• Because it is a professional look, it is best to keep jewelry to a minimum; a watch and necklace or earrings and a ring.

 

 

 

 

 

 The Patterned Pencil Skirt

         Tips:

• Don't go for patterns that have a wild design; stick to something a bit more subtle. The pencil skirt is meant to be classic, and when you wear crazy patterns or colours, it kind of defeats the purpose of the skirt.
• If you are wearing tweed, pair with some modern looking jewelry (see below) to keep the outfit from looking to old fashioned.
• Don't wear a top that is also patterned. While wearing two patterns at once does indeed look great in many ways (when done properly) it is just too busy for the office.

 

 

 

The Bright Pencil Skirt

        Tips:

• Pair with a crisp white collared shirt, for the easiest professional look.
• Break up two solid pieces with a belt.
• If pairing with boots (see below) stick to a fitted boot rather than a slouchy boot to match the form-hugging shape of a pencil skirt.
• A traditional pencil skirt will taper just above your knee, so if you are going to pair them with boots, opt for a pair that hits you just below your knee. This will provide a suitable balance by showing a little knee, and prevent your lower half from looking too bulky or over-dressed.

 

 

 

 

 



 



 

Fall Favourites: Footwear

The best thing about fall footwear is that pretty much anything goes. You can wear flats or boots and it usually suits the weather perfectly. Above, I have put together some of my favourite styles for fall. One pair of shoes in each of these categories would keep you looking great all season and work excellent with a variety of outfits.

1) C Label Hudson/ Black  $29.00 {I love the mix of the black and snake skin! These stylish flats would be perfect to wear to the office, shopping or the movies.}

2) Steve Madden Extraa $99.00 {Super cool studded flats! Wear day or night.}

3) Arlen loafer $175.00 {I love loafers for fall. They are super comfortable and have enough coverage you can wear them outside right up until the first snowfall. I am loving this leopard print, they are suitable for any office job and are perfect for spicing up any casual outfit!}

4) Bronwyn Black Faux Pony Heel $94.00 {I am obsessed with this heel! It is sexy, sophisticated and so versatile! Dress them down with black leggings and an over sized knit, or dress them up, pairing with a dress or black tights and a pencil skirt.}

5) Rag & Bone Harrow Booties $490.00 {Pretty pricey, but definitely worth it. Wear these casual booties with a great pair of skinny jeans, rolled up boyfriend jeans, or a casual fall dress!}

6) Zara Studded Cowboy Ankle Boot $130.00 {To-die-for ankle boot! I love the light color and the studs give them a cool vibe. These booties would add a sexy rocker chic vibe to any casual outfit.}

7) Navy Suede Floral Shoe (no price found) {This shoe is perfect for Fall 2012 because it mixes suede, floral and a dark navy. Would work great with many looks, such as skinnys and a blouse, skirts and dresses with tights, or a solid black get up.}

8) Alexander Wang Sabine Pumps $480.00 {I cannot express how much I love this heel. The color and the material (suede and mesh) scream fall, the style is very classy and the ankle strap is adorable. I would wear these heels for a night out on the town, work or just out for dinner!}

9) Casadei 2501 Pump $650.00 {This shoe is obviously expensive, but you could find a similar pair for much less, I'm sure. This color is all the rage this fall and will be beautiful in winter as well. Wear for a special occasion, a night out, or even a lunch date! Pair these shoes with jewel tones, black on black or white on white!}

10) Fergie Lattitude Too $180.00 {These boots are perfect for fall and winter. They are cool and comfortable and would look great with any casual outfit. These would work with jeans, leggings, or tights and an over sized sweater or long shirt!}

11) Lina Suedette Heeled Knee High Boots $79.00 {Every women should own a pair of these boots. They are super versatile, you can pair them with skinnys, wide leg pants, skirts and dresses. Plus, they are affordable and they are black so they will never go out of style.}

12) Steve Madden Zellie Boot $89.95 {The perfect riding boot. They are tall, sleek and chic, plus basic enough that they can be worn season after season!}

Mango Frozen Yogurt

We just came back from a wonderful camping trip with friends. We really only had one sunny day, but it was a good time nonetheless.  We hung out on the beach, rode horses, golfed, hiked, played card games around the fire and best of all, ate. Non stop. It was great. I equally enjoyed not having to cook for 4 days.  Don't get me wrong, I love to cook! It is probably my favourite thing to do, but I do not enjoy cooking while camping. I don't know why. I just find it frustrating, and not very thrilling. Needless to say, I have been craving some kitchen time!  Summer is coming to an end, so I have been wanting to make some more "summery" things before I start swooning over every "fall" type recipe I find.

I originally saw this frozen yogurt on "Jaime's Meals in Minutes" (love Jaime Oliver)  but I made some minor changes to it.  It is creamy and rich and has just the right balance of sweet and tangy.  It made the perfect treat on a hot summer afternoon.

 

 

Mango Frozen Yogurt:

 

Ingredients:

 

1 500 gram bag of frozen mango chunks

1 250 gram tub of natural yogurt

2 Tbsp honey

Zest of 1 lime

3-4 fresh mint leaves

Good quality dark chocolate (for garnish)

 

Directions:

 

1) Whiz up mango chunks in food processor until they are half the size.

2) Add yogurt, honey, lime and mint and whiz up until smooth.

3) Spoon into a previously frozen dish, smooth out and pop in freezer for about 10 minutes, or if you want it extra firm (like me), use an ice cream maker.

4) Scoop into ice cream cones or individual bowls, garnish with chocolate shavings, and serve!

Fast Forward to Fall- Part 2

Beauty Trend-spotting

 

 

 

 

{Perfect Ponys- sleek and precise!}

 

 

 

{Retro Bouffants- the bigger, the better!}

 

 

{Faux-bobs- cute, girly and modern!}

 

 

{Twists- little sections or complete updos, twist it up!}

 

 

{Low volume- laid back and simple!}

 

 

{Hair accessories- jewels, pins and headbands!}

 

 

{Blunt bang- straight and sexy}

 

 

 

{Brown smokey eyes- copper, bronze, shimmer, smokey!}

 

 

{Dark red lip- very goth like!}

 

 

{Colorful eye makeup- bright, bold, multicolored!}

 

 

{Dramatic cat eye- like before, but bigger!}

 

 

{Geometric eyeliner- strategically placed dots, graphic shapes and boxy corners!} 

 

{Fall nail colors- all shades of grey, jewel tones, navy, and deep dark reds!}

 

Tips to wearing trends:

 

1) Wear no more than 2 trends at one time

(e.i. wear either a dark red lip or a thick cat eye, wearing too many trends at once looks desperate)

 

2) Don't force trends

(e.i. if something does not suit you, either the shape or the color, whatever it may be, don't force it just because you really love the trend. It is better to wear pieces that are the most flattering for you, rather than wearing something just because it is "in"

 

3) Wear in the right context

(e.i. Just because something is very of-the-moment, does not mean it will work in all places. You probably don't want to rock your bright blue eyeliner at the office Monday morning. Instead, try it on for a night out with the girls!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 



Fast Forward to Fall- Part One

As sad as I am to see summer soon coming to an end, I am equally as thrilled to welcome Autumn.  I seriously adore all things fall, from the colourful leaves, Halloween, pumpkin flavoured
EVERYTHING, and most of all...the fashion! I openly embrace the crisp fall weather because it means transitioning my closet from sundresses and cutoffs to cosy sweaters, fun tights and rich colours.  Everything I have been seeing in magazines, online etc...from New York Fall Fashion Week, looks incredible and I can't wait to see the stores filling up with all that to-die-for runway inspiration!  Here are some of my favourite fall 2012 catwalk trends that are sure to be all the hype this coming season.

Black & Blue:  The Hottest new colour combo

{Ohne Titel}

 {DKNY}

Winter White: Head to Toe

{Cushnie et Ochs}

{Derek Lam}

Wine Colours: burgundy, oxblood, scarlet

{Rag & Bone}

{Nanette Lepore}

Ladylike Leather

{Michael Kors}

{Derek Lam}

Modern Military

{Victoria Beckham}

{Victoria Beckham}

Novel Knits:

{Balenciaga}

{Proenza Schouler}

Hunter/ Fisher

{Rodarte}

{Michael Kors}

Global Aristocrat

{Sophie Theallet}

{Rag & Bone}

Tweed:

{Tory Burch}

{Tory Burch}

Here are a few of the other runway trends from New York fashion week that I am not such a fan of:

Waxy Finish:

 {Fendi}

Renaissance:

 {Dolce & Gabanna}

Colourful Fur:

 

 {Peter Som}

More Fall Fashion Trends:

Floral and lace (together, and yes, still!)

Floral from head to toe

Lace dresses (with sleeves)

Over sized knit sweaters and coats

Blanket stripes

Bomber jackets

Embroidery

Fur accents

Wide crop pants

Reptile Skin

Sheer

Animal sweaters

Collars

Black & Jewels

Velvet

Printed pants

Come back soon for the latest takes on fall shoes and fall beauty! Plus, ways to take these awesome fall trends from runway to real way!