OOTD - White on White Monochromatic

Monochromatic style seems to be all over the place, and something I am no stranger to; trends aside, all black outfits are my go-to simply because they're easy and make me feel skinny - a win, win! I decided to change it up for my dinner outfit and pair a white romper with an ivory loose blazer.  To ground the outfit, I added a nude purse and my basic nude pumps for some dimension.  The results were perfect for dinner out on an incredibly hot and humid Sunday evening.  Read on for additional photos and all outfit details.

Share:

OOTD - Navy and Gold

I'm having a love affair with the colour navy lately - I love it with white, I love it with camel and I especially love it with gold.  If you've followed my post, you know that I'm not one who gravitates towards colour; I like a more subdued look and tend to feel most comfortable in neutrals.  Navy and Gold is such a great combination for me; the colours are so rich that they add some vibrancy to my look, but they just barely deviate from the neutral family so I'm still comfortable.  Plus they make my legs look a little more tanned, and I need all the help that I can get in that department - these puppies have barely seen the sun this summer!  Read on to see more photos and full outfit details of this navy and gold look - plus a touch of leopard a red lip for good measure.

Share:

6 Months Blogging - Some Musings

I have now been blogging for 6 months and cannot believe where the time has gone.  What originally had started as a project to document my list of 30 things to do before 30 has quickly turned into one of my biggest passions and a great hobby that has taught me so much already - and I still have so much to learn.  La Petite Noob has allowed me to explore a side of myself that I had never devoted much attention to, and I am so pleased with the results.  Through the writing of this humble blog, I have become connected so many incredible people - bloggers that have long since established themselves, and fellow Noob bloggers that I have so enjoyed following their progress and journey.  It can be challenging to put yourself out there on the internet, but the blogging community is so supportive of one another and is bursting with creative and inspirational people - it's a community that I feel very proud to be a part of.

For those of you who are reading and have toyed with the idea of creating a blog of your own - I say do it!  The process can be overwhelming at first, but I promise you that you will eventually start to pick it up and the result is completely worth it.  I Can Build a Blog website by from web guru Dana Fox was, and continues to be my #1 go-to spot for easy-to-follow blogging tutorials and articles.  Another free web resource that I found extremely helpful for beginner bloggers is this Starting A Blog guide. Youtube is also a great resource and allows you to watch and follow along to tutorials - perfect for fellow Noobs.

So thank you, thank you, thank you to whomever is reading this - you contribute to the entire blogging experience and reassure me that I am not just talking to myself (or my #1 most devoted reader, my Mom - hi Mummy!) 

Cheers,

-Joëlle

Share:

5 Ways to Save Money Online Shopping

As I have mentioned in countless other posts, this Noob is not rich - far from it, actually.  I am also notoriously a saver, so the amount of disposable income I allocate every month for retail therapy is fairly modest.  Living on a modest clothing budget can be difficult, especially when blogging about personal style, but I have developed a few tips and tricks to really maximize my budget - especially when online shopping.

Online shopping has revolutionized my shopping habits.  I've always been one to go crazy over a good deal, but shopping smart online has almost guaranteed that I never pay full price for anything in my closet - especially for bigger ticket items like designer sunglasses and purses.  Read on to find out my five best tricks for saving money while shopping online.

Share:

OOTD - White Lace Shorts

T.G.I.F. - for some.  Due to my crazy work schedule, today is actually my 'Monday,' my one weekend a month to work.  I have the morning off, so I use the time as an opportunity to get my errands done for the weekend - groceries, the pet store for more Fritz food and everything in between.  The weather is promising to be gorgeous throughout the day (I will make sure to wistfully look outside my office window), but the morning is a little chilly.  I paired a pair of lace shorts with my much-loved, over-worn chambray shirt to stay warm - add my most comfortable pair of Sam Edelman sandals and I'm ready to take on the day!  Read on for additional photos and all outfit details.

Share:

30 Before 30 Update - Taking Serious Care of my Skin

When I decided to start this blog, I had envisioned it to revolve solely upon my 30 things to do before 30 list.  Well that ship has long since sailed, and after taking a long hard look at my original list, and all the subsequent tasks still left to be done, I decided that I need to get a move on it - I am well into my twenty ninth year!  The next task that I chose to get started on is an ongoing ordeal that I have been dealing with since my early teens - taking care of my skin or, more specifically, dealing with acne.  Read on for the full story.

Share:

OOTD - Navy and White Weekend Basics

The weekend is over - why does Monday always seem to arrive so soon?  As someone who has to work a weekend a month as a part of a monthly rotation, I cherish my weekends off and strive to make the most of them.  This means a jammed packed Saturday and Sunday full of visiting friends, patio drinks, spending time with family, and dinners out - yes, this Noob leads a hard life!  I like my weekend outfits to be simple, consisting of basic pieces that effortlessly work together, coupled with a flat shoe or sandal - because let's face it, the world is a lot easier to navigate in flats after a few hours in the sun (or a few margaritas).  I wore this same outfit to a friend's birthday party, and it seems to fall well within my 'weekend uniform.'  Read on for additional photos and outfit deals.

Share:

OOTD - Blush Maxi Skirt for Summer

After moaning and groaning about not being able to wear my favourite blush maxi skirt for the summer (see posts here and here), I finally have an opportunity to wear it in the warm weather.  My husband and I are heading to a barbecue and the weather forecast in Toronto promises warmth and sunshine - the perfect combination.  I paired this blush pink skirt with a crisp white tank top, some casual sandals and added a leather print belt for good measure.  Read on for full outfit details and additional photos.

Share:

OOTD - Black, White and Leopard Dressed Up Neutrals

I love neutrals.  If I'm going out and I want to feel my most comfortable, I will always dress in very basic neutrals with only accessories to dress up the look.  What can I say - I'm a very simple Noob! I just purchased these Steve Madden Nonstp Toesless booties, and I can officially say that I'm in love - they're extremely versatile and add just enough heel to not overwhelm my conservative self.  In this case, the booties dress up my favourite pair of white cropped jeans and black knit shirt - add a leopard clutch and you've got yourself an outfit!  Read on for all outfit details, and additional photos.

Share:

OOTD - Rainy Day Outfit Featuring Hunter Boots

Remember my last post - you know, where I was borderline gloating about the beautiful weather the Toronto area was having?  As soon as it came, it went away and left behind clouds, wind and rain.  Not wanting the rain to dampen my plans, I dressed for the weather and went about my Sunday.  Read on for outfit details, and additional photos on how I like to dress for a rainy day.

Share:

OOTD - Printed Romper

There are few things that I love more than a picnic, especially with friends!  Saturday gave us the most incredible weather, sunny and warm so a picnic at one of the nicest parks in Toronto (High Park) was definitely in order.  Those of you who follow me on Instagram may remember me posting a picture of this printed romper, saying how I couldn't wait for the weather to warm up so that I could wear it - well the warm weather is here and wore it I did! Rompers are a great summer weather staple - they're lightweight, easy and a great alternative to a sundress if you're planning on being more active that day.  This printed romper fit the bill for a summer picnic in the park, and added to an already great day.  Read on for additional photos and all outfit details.

Printed Rompers

Share:

My Favourite Summer Nail Colours - Featuring Essie

The warm weather is upon us and, although we are technically still in springtime, I'm jumping forward and celebrating summer's long-anticipated arrival!  With the rise in temperatures, I'm putting my much-loved black nail polishes into storage in favour of something lighter and more colourful.  My favourite summer nail polishes are all in the white or blue families, and are all coincidently by Essie - what can I say, I like what I like!  Read on for additional photos and detailed descriptions of each nail colour.

Share:

30 Before 30 - Vegetarian for a Month Update

Happy Hump Day Noobs!  If you follow me on Instagram, you know that my challenge of becoming a vegetarian (or pescatarian)  for a month as a part of my 30 before 30 list is well underway.  For those of you who offered your advice in my previous post relating to the subject, I am eternally grateful.  I was expecting the first week to be a bit of a challenge based on your experiences, and I was not disappointed.  The task has only been going on for a few days now, but I have already learned some valuable lessons:

Plan, Plan, Plan your Meals

Undergoing a drastic change in your diet is do-able, but takes an extraordinary amount of planning.  I have never been one to pay too close of attention to meal preparation, so going to the grocery store with an actual list has been a big change for me!  My ultimate goal for becoming vegetarian for a month is to learn how to incorporate more vegetables into my diet, so meal preparation seems to be key - especially when you're buying mostly perishable food and are only cooking for two people ( I absolutely hate wasting food.)  Simple carbohydrates are another enemy and potential roadblock to the challenge, since cakes and cookies seem to be always readably available when my insatiable hunger strikes - especially at work.  So far I've found success with always having raw veggies and dip at the office to much on to help avoid temptation, but I am also considering decreasing my meal sizes and increasing their frequency.  What do you think?

Green Juice

Green juice, where have you been all of my life?  The health benefits of juicing are controversial, to say the least, but in my personal experience green juice has helped me keep my energy levels high and decrease my coffee consumption throughout the day - plus the fact that I am adding more fruits and vegetables into my daily rotation doesn't hurt either.  I've been cheating and getting my juice from a juicing company, but would really love to start making it myself.  Does anyone have a great green juice recipe - something that packs a nutritional punch but still tastes very sweet and fruity (baby steps!)

Less than a week down into my vegetarian challenge, but I remain surprisingly optemistic - for now.  I'm going out to my favourite Mexican restaurant on Friday, where their Pork Carnita tastes likes heaven on a taco.  Pray for Joëlle.

Share:

OOTD - Tribal Maxi Skirt

I can't believe it's the first day of June!  Our long, harsh Toronto winter is now officially a distant memory and the start of a gorgeous summer is ahead of us.  Today brings incredibly sunshine, warm weather and a light breeze - the perfect day for a BBQ  which is exactly where I'm headed!  It's incredible how much the weather can affect our spirits - I typically don't favour a lot of colour in my wardrobe, but today has me dressed in pretty much all the vibrantly coloured pieces I own (a scarf and a tube top - I need to work on that.)  Read on to see how I paired a tribal patterned black and white maxi skirt with some colourful pieces for the warm weather.

Share: