Holiday Sparkle: Shoes

Retailers are already putting out their Christmas merchandise, and Holiday themed display windows are popping up as well. When I think of Christmas, besides the standard green and red, I also think of colours such as gold and silver. Likewise, SEQUINS and GLITTER soon follow! There is nothing better than adding some shimmer to your Holiday outfit, so in the Holiday Sparkle series I will post for you glitter-covered ideas to help inspire your Holiday ensembles!

1. The classic pump, but with a twist - finding shoes with cap toes in a metallic finish will instantly add glam to your outfit. I love the pointed toes with gold caps. When I spotted these Christian Louboutin's online, I definitely thought of Christmas! However, Louboutin isn't the only one creating these capped pumps. You can find them in almost any shoe store for a fraction of the cost!

2. Glitter oxfords & smoking slippers (not pictured, but you can find them in this post). I have seen these EVERYWHERE this fall! From Aldo & Spring to Browns & Holt Renfrew, you will have no problem finding these trendy shoes in glittery finishes. Plus, you may even be able to save them for spring!

3. Glitter flats - One thing I love about flats is how you can find them in any colour, pattern, and texture. They are less dangerous in snow than their higher counterparts, the stiletto, but your feet will still look Holiday pretty while being comfortable, too! It is a winning combination. Like the glitter oxfords & smoking slippers, sparkly flats have been in numerous stores throughout the fall season. I recently spotted a dusty gold pair at Winners with very fine grains of glitter to polish them off. I would highly recommend checking out your favourite shoe store for glitter flats; you are bound to find them!

4. Glitter heels - Tall, small, kitten heels, booties, you name it. Heels glitter heels are a festive and fun addition to your Holiday outfit. You can find them in many colours, and the glitter itself can be found in a variety of textures. Personally, I would like to find a lower glitter heel to keep it work & school appropriate. As much as I love towering stilettos, the practical girl inside is telling me no!

Are you a pointed toe heels, flats, or oxfords kind of gal?

Images found from Weheartit, The Glitter Guide & Tumblr

Holiday Sparkle: The Outfit

 

Deciding on the perfect Holiday dress or outfit can be one of the most difficult tasks a girl can have if she's looking to impress at a Holiday party. Employers often have Christmas parties, and it's important to look festive and classy, especially if you are going as a guest. Here are a few of my picks to make a great impression during the Holidays.

1. Jacob Lace Corset Dress ($99). This lovely dress also comes in red. The great thing about a little black dress is you can wear it again, and again! It is a classic investment piece, and fortunately this one won't break the bank! I would pair this with minimal accessories (maybe a delicate bracelet & diamond earrings) and a pair of glitter heels.

2. Delicate fabrics - Delicate fabrics such as silk look so pretty with some extra sequins. If you are not feeling a totally sequined shirt, I would wear one with minimal sparkle but still lots of details (think bows and nice draping & pin tucking). Having a piece in a simple color such as blush, white, or even black is still kept Holiday appropriate with the correct accessories. Plus, it is ultra feminine and transcends into future seasons.

3. Marc Jacobs Draped Black Tube Dress. Okay, so this one isn't as budget friendly as the Jacob dress (#1), so check your local Holt Renfrew or other luxury department stores for their price. My guess is at the very least, $1000.00. What I love about this dress is that you can make it as glamorous or as simple as you wish. A Breakfast at Tiffany's style necklace (lots of pearls) and a swirled bun on the top of your head would look classic and chic, or you could pair it with a deep red lip, great shoes & diamonds for a look that is ultra-glam!

4. The Olsen Twins - take a look at the clothing that these iconic twins wear day to day. I love the lace detailing on the sleeves of Mary Kate's black dress. It adds texture, and lace is definitely appropriate for the Holidays. Similarly, a printed dress like Ashley's allows you to focus more on your hair and make up rather than accessories. Prints certainly speak for themselves! Their bold lip is wonderful, too.

5. Last but not least, sequin overload! I have been seeing skirts in several stores that are fixed with sequins of all shapes and sizes. If you have a big Holiday party coming up (such as a girls' night or a casual Holiday dinner with friends & family), feel free to be more adventurous. Royal blue and ink blue especially are a lovely contrast against the usual reds & greens of the Holiday season. However, when you have such a flashy & fun dress, you can keep your accessories and shoes simple. You want to avoid looking like a Christmas tree (as pretty as some of them are)!

What is your go-to Holiday outfit this Christmas?

Photos from Weheartit, Tumblr, Jacob & Style.com

Happiness

 

 Well, I am finally settled in my apartment. School is half way through, midterms are almost finished (retail buying on Monday & then they are all done), internship has begun, and soon a seasonal job opportunity at Holt Renfrew will begin! It has been a whirlwind of excitement for me lately, starting with my internship. I came across the opportunity from teachers at school, and soon I found myself in one of the meeting rooms on the 4th floor of Holt Renfrew's flagship store in Vancouver at the orientation. Next, I met for one on one interviews with women's wear and marketing, and the next day I got the call to become part of the marketing and events team! It has been amazing, to say the least, and the fact that I am able to network and meet others through this is going to be an incredible journey. Isn't it crazy what life throws at you sometimes?

I decided to post some pictures of what has been happening lately. From buying my first pair of Hunter boots and the view from Thursday yoga classes at school, to going back to the island & celebrating a friends birthday (and all the fun stuff in between). Last week Brandon came over to visit and move furniture over, so we went to IHOP - fun fact: it stands for International House of Pancakes. Were we late the to the party & the last to know of this?! I was amazed! I enjoyed some delicious whole wheat with walnut pancakes topped with blueberries and whipped cream. I was barely in three bites before I was full! Brandon said, "I will do anything for you if you finish those!" However, I just couldn't do it. I ate the top pancake with all the good stuff on it, then slowly picked the walnuts out of the rest. I'm sure the server appreciated the mess after I was finished - you're welcome!

I am thinking about doing a video post soon, so stay tuned for that! Hope life is beautiful for you all!

What is making you happy today?

Sequin City

Okay, I'm pretty much caught up on all the outfits now. I'm not even dressed for work, so I figured I wouldn't share that outfit. It's boring anyway considering I'm at the restaurant today. Anyway, in the last few pictures I was trying to decide how to do my hair. I ended up forgoing the pulled back style - does it look like I have pig tails or what? Not exactly into that look on myself!

I'm wearing: Sequin top from H&M, Pashu skinny jeans via Winners, black moccasin flats (not pictured) from Old Navy, wet hair c/o moi!

Note: I threw in a couple of yesterday's eats as well. I haven't had eggs in FOREVER. Usually I stick to oatmeal with whatever fixings I'm feeling + peanut butter (mmm I love me some PB!), but I felt like a change after yesterday morning's run. SO! I came up with this. One egg on whole wheat toast with spinach and ketchup. Oh yeah, and I squeezed some more ketchup into my life when I munched on some homemade sweet potato fries for dinner. Haven't had those in forever (before yesterday) too!

I hope you all are enjoying your Saturday so far! I have two more days of work to get through (today + tomorrow) before I have a day off. This working two jobs thing is a bit tough, but it better pay off (really, I hope I get paid from job #2 today).

Rainbow Fish

Hello friends! I'm doing up a quick post right now, as the boyfriend & I (and his friend Nick) are going to the movies. Of course, it's a boy-ish movie with lots of fighting and explosions and violence and the like. However, I decided to glam things up and wear one of my favourite sequin shirts. I found it from heaven, aka Winners.

Oh, and since you haven't seen enough embarrassing pictures of me, here are some more! Have a fabulous Friday everyone. Enjoy it!

Glitz & Glam

1. Picture from Fabsugar.com I love the look of sequin dresses and saw a poll on Fabsugar asking the readers how the felt about the glitzy mini dresses. What do you guys think? I think sequins are a fun way to dress up without having to actually dress up. The good thing about an item such as a sequin dress is that you can keep your accessories simple, maybe a pair of earrings or some chunky bangles at the most. The sequins take the spotlight on this one!

2. Brenda Song wearing a dress by Griffin. I love the longer piece in the back. It reminds me of tails on a tuxedo jacket! Also, the shorter length with the higher neckline makes it classy, not trashy.

3. Kristen Stewart in Reem Acra. I'm not a huge fan of K. Stewart acting wise, but I definitely love her dress! Now don't get me wrong. It's wonderful that the Twilight saga has made it so big. I'm sure the author is pretty thrilled with that. However, I read one book and that was it for me. It didn't hold my attention as much, but K. Stewart's dress is eye catching for me!

What are your Saturday plans? I haven't heard of anything too exciting, but who knows what will pop up tonight! Today was my second day at my new job at the restaurant. I made close to $50.00 in tips just around lunch time! My shift went by so fast too, and I kept myself busy as well (and was busy anyway serving tables). I'm getting the hang of things so far, but I still have another training shift next week, and work at the spa on Tuesday. The week doesn't look too crammed as far as plans go, but you never know what will come up!

I hope you all had a happy Saturday!

Holly xoxo