OOTD - Vintage Garden Party

We've all gotten those invitations before: "vintage party, wear your Sunday best." My Sunday best? You can usually find me in some sort of mishmash of sweats that I call pyjamas, hair in a top knot and with the glow of my laptop on my face on Sundays.  With this in mind, you can imagine my panic when receiving a invitation to Rethink At The Races, a vintage garden party hosted by Rethink Breast Cancer (with proceeds going to support and empower young women concerned about and affected by breast cancer.) With such a good cause, and fun event I knew that I had to find an alternative to sweats for the day.

Dress - c/o TeezeMe, Fascinator - c/o Maria Curcic Millinery, Shoes - Vinca Camuto (old)
Bag - Chloe Drew

The dress was the most obvious choice for me.  I have been staring at the gorgeous white TeezeMe dress in my closet for weeks wondering when I would have the opportunity to wear it. I love the simplicity of the front and the elaborate back detail of this white dress; perfect for a dressy affair.  If only I had found this dress for my bridal shower years ago, it would have been perfect!

My first thought was a fascinator. I wanted something hand-made and beautiful, with the hat being made in Canada is possible.  Thankfully Maria Curcic Millinery totally came through with a hand-made fascinator that is totally me: white flowers, pale pink accents and lots of height for drama.  Maris also does hat rentals, so I'm definitely going to be taking advantage for my next vintage affair.  Check her out on Instagram!

What do you guys think? Do you like the white dress and fascinator combination? What would you wear to a vintage garden party?  Let me know!

xo Joëlle
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OOTD - Lace Off The Shoulder

Like most people, when I think summer my mind immediately wanders to the beach.  Sugar Beach is a white-sand, pink-umbrellaed oasis in the middle of downtown Toronto and is a great place to put your feet up in the big city. This white lace off-the-shoulder dress from Chicwish is a great summer day-to-night option for those hot and muggy days. Paired with some wooden platforms and a boater hat, this outfit can take you from beach to town in no time.

Dress - c/o Chicwish, Shoes - c/o Le Chateau. Hat - Dynamite

You guys know that I'm no stranger to the retro trend that's been around all year, so when I saw these wooden clog-type shoes from Le Chateau my first thought was: come to mama. I love how the platform adds some interest, and makes them extremely comfortable to walk in.

After years (yes, years) of searching, I was finally able to find the perfect boater hat at Dynamite.  The brim is larger than a traditional boater hat, but it makes the look more feminine and is a great summer accessory.

What do you guys think?  Are you into the off the shoulder trend as much as I am this summer?  What's a good day-to-night summer outfit for you?  Let me know!

xo Joëlle
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OOTD - The Bardot Top

There are few summer trends that get me more excited than off-the-shoulder - specifically the Bardot Top.  I have visions of sauntering over to my bad-boy high school crush, looking over my exposed shoulder and whispering "tell me about it, stud." Okay so my reality is far from the last scene of Grease, but it's hard to get confused when wearing such a deliciously retro style top. I love the grey tone of this off-the-shoulder beauty, and the cropped Bardot top pairs perfectly with a flowing white skirt; you could even say that they go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong.  Too much?

Top - Aritzia, Skirt - c/o Pink Martini, Shoes - c/o Stuart Weitzman
Clutch - Clare V

I can't get over the pattern on this white Pink Martini Dorothy Skirt - so cute!  I also appreciate the sizing and shape; as a petite girl with a small waist and wide hips, this style of skirt is perfect.  I can't wait to pair this skirt with a white crop top and straw hats when the summer heat really kicks in.

What do you guys think?  Are you into the Bardot top, or do you think that it best stay with Sandy in Grease?  Do you like the pattern of the skirt?  Let me know!

xo Joëlle

OOTD - Eve Gravel

Sometimes, in life and in clothing, you meet 'the one.' In this case, my fated something is the gorgeous, pastel printed dress from Montreal-based designer Eve Gravel.  They say that when you know, you know and I definitely knew that this dress and I were meant to be from the moment I laid eyes on it.  Call it love at first sight, but it was definitely the pattern of this dress that drew me in; delicate water coloured blues and pinks that look even more beautiful in the sunlight.  The shape of the dress is also one of my favourite silhouettes - loose and easy, something that looks just as good with a pair of heels than it does with some sandals while walking Fritz (true story.)  For us Canadians, we don't have to look outside of our own country to find gorgeous, unique fashion. Go ahead and shop Canadian-made; you might just fall in love.

Dress - c/o Eve Gravel, Shoes - c/o Evernew
Bucket Bag - c/o Hieleven, Sunglasses - Karen Walker

Side note: the name of this Eve Gravel dress is the 'Gelato' so obviously my nightly treat needed to follow suite.

What do you guys think?  Have you ever fallen in love at first sight with clothing?  What's your thoughts on patterned dresses?  Let me know!

xo Joëlle

OOTD - The Body Suit

When I had first gotten wind that the body suit was making a major comeback for Spring and Summer, my first thought was: 'oh no.' Memories of my mother wrestling me into a body suit as a child, hours at ballet classes fiddling with my uncomfortable suit - needless to say, the body suit and I have a pretty rocky past. Never one to hold a grudge, I picked up this sleek white number from Dynamite and paired it with my favourite pair of distressed boyfriend jeans.  Much to my surprise, I actually loved the look and found the whole outfit quite comfortable!  A nice feature of the bodysuit is that it keeps your lines very clean in an outfit, and saves from the dreaded 'muffin top.' Though the whole look was kept very comfortable with the boyfriend jeans, I will definitely be pairing my suit with some high waisted skinny jeans next time.  Save for an almost bathroom emergency (exercise caution when wearing a body suit on your second cup of coffee) I think that I'm loving this huge summer trend.

Bodysuit - Dynamite, Jeans - Joe's Jeans (c/o Marshalls), Overcoat - Topshop
Bag - Chloe, Shoes - Club Monaco 

I'm not one to normally choose a low neckline, but I actually like how well is accentuates my favourite Shop For Jayu layered necklace - plus, if you head over to their home page you'll see yours truly awkwardly dancing for their SS16 campaign!

What do you guys think?  Have you gotten into the body suit trend, or have childhood memories kept you away?  How do you like it paired with the boyfriend jeans?  Let me know!

xo Joëlle

OOTD - Bicycle Riding Season

Some people dust off their convertible come the warm weather, but I have another kind of summer wheels; meet Betty Blue, my beloved Dutch Step-Through bicycle.  Traditionally this bike was created so that one could wear a skirt with ease while cycling around town, and I like to still uphold this in modern times.  I couldn't have thought of a better outfit than my handmade Meemoza floral skirt and light blouse. There is something so special that you can actually feel when wearing hand-made clothing - each stitch, pleat and hem appears so much daintier when you know that an actual human is responsible for them. Sustainable fashion all the way! So if you see a girl in skirt bicycling though Toronto (with a helmet, of course) give her a wave, it's probably your favourite Petite Noob!

Skirt + Top - c/o Meemoza, Shoes - Old Navy, Bag - Madewell
Sunglasses - Karen Walker

What do you guys think?  Do you have some summer wheels too? Would you wear a skirt while bike riding?  Let me know!

xo Joëlle

OOTD - Little Blue Dress

It's no secret that come summer, I'm practically living exclusively in little sundresses.  Not only are they a great way to beat the heat, but a cute dress is such an easy, instant outfit.  The problem of having an entire closet full of dresses (which I do) is that you loose the versatility of creating different outfits from the same pieces of clothing  - unless you rely on accessories.  This little blue dress from Club Monaco is absolutely adorable on its own, but paired with a statement head scarf it takes on new life.  Even your choice of shoes and bag can help to shape and change an outfit; imagine the difference if you were to swap each out with a small cross body and a pair of nude flats. Come nightfall, a long cardigan layered over top is all you need.  Simple!  My love for little summer dresses runs deep, but it doesn't have to come at a sacrifice to closet versatility.

Dress - Club Monaco, Bag - Madewell, Shoes - c/o Old Navy, Scarf - H&M (old - I usually find the best scarves at thrift stores)

Can we talk for a second about the majesty that are these Salvatore Ferragamo cat eye sunglasses?  When I first saw them, I gasped - they're basically my perfect sunnies! I love the two-toned brown and tortoise on the frame, and the gold detailing pairs nicely with tanned skin (or overly-bronzed skin in my case.)

What do you guys think?  Are you as into the little sundresses as I am, or do you prefer separates?  How do you get the most out of the items in your closet?  Let me know!

xo Joëlle