April 2017 | La Petite Noob | A Toronto-Based Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Friday, 21 April 2017

OOTD - Blouse Season With Reitmans

Spring can be tricky. Don't get me wrong - I love the change of seasons, the extra hours of sunlight and the beginning of buds on the trees. Spring is so beautiful, but for me is one of the hardest season's to dress for. In Toronto the weather can have a twenty degree shift throughout the week so dressing for the day can pose a challenge; how do you choose what to wear for the day when you want to stay cool, but also need to be prepared for a sudden change in temperature?

Enter the blouse. I am a huge fan of blouses, not only for their feminine silhouettes but also for their practicality. This adorable printed blouse from Reitmans totally caught my eye on a recent shopping trip. I love how light and breathable the material is, while the longer sleeves make it weather-appropriate (it was raining cats and dogs on this particular day.) The tie front detail gives the blouse such a fun retro vibe, especially when paired with a pair of cropped denim pants.

Blouse - c/o Reitmans, Crop Pants - c/o Reitmans

This is my definition of the perfect rainy day outfit. Special shoutout to the cropped pants which, because Reitmans understands that women's bodies come in all different shapes and sizes, are petite in length and actually fit my like crop pants! I paired the entire outfit with some strappy sandals, but you could definitely wear a cute boot if the weather became colder. Cropped pants are also perfect for transitioning into summer months for those of us who are uncomfortable wearing shorts. All in all, a spring win for sure!

What do you guys think? Do you love a good blouse as much as I do for Spring? How do you dress for the transitional weather? Let me know!

xo Joëlle

This post was created in partnership with Reitmans. All opinions are my own.

My First Podcast with The E Project

Since starting my blogging journey, I've had the pleasure of meeting so many incredible people who are truly inspiring. I'm so happy to have finally connected in-person with Jodianne Beckford after meeting about a year ago; Jo is an incredibly creative photographer who has started a podcast called
The E Project, where she interviews creative entrepreneurs. This was my first podcast, so I was thrilled to have been included!

Jo and I chat about what it's like to be a full-time blogger, the struggles I have encountered and my tips for anyone who is thinking of starting their own blog. It was so amazing to be able to talk about my journey and my story. Be sure to check out the podcast and let me know what you think!

Also check out this incredible video highlight - it's truly incredible!

Hope you guys enjoy! I had so much fun working on this, and am so humbled to have been a part of such an incredible initiative. Thank you so much Jo!

xo Joëlle

Photos by Jodianne Beckford

OOTD - Long Weekend Outfits

The weather has finally warmed up enough in Toronto that going outside without a jacket is a possibility - joyous celebrations! I chose to celebrate this fact by wearing the prettiest, peachy pink dress and heading to the beach. Sugar beach in Toronto is a cute little sanctuary right in the city and, while I don't really go to have an authentic beach experience (there's no swimmable water), it's a great place to just sit back and relax with a coffee.

Dress - c/o Sugarlips (sold out - similar), Heels - c/o Le Chateau
Bag - c/o Hieleven, Glasses - Karen Walker

I also did a quick video on what I wore this long weekend - I'm still loving the videos lately! Check it out when you have the time, and let me know what you think!

What do you guys think? Did you have good weather in your area? How did you spend the long weekend? Let me know!

xo Joëlle

OOTD - Easter Long Weekend

Happy long weekend! I hope you guys are having a nice relaxing start to the weekend and have lots of fun on the horizon. These photos were taken earlier while I was still preparing for the weekend which, lets be honest, pretty much only includes getting fresh flowers for me. I absolutely love the combination of the fuller skirt on this outfit, paired with a more structured blazer - so perfect.

Skirt - Le Chateau, Top - Le Chateau, Blazer - Le Chateau
Shoes - Le Chateau, Bag - Le Chateau

Happy long weekend!

xo Joëlle

Photos by Bettina Bogar

This post was created in partnership with Le Chateau

OOTD - Planning for a Long Weekend

The Easter long weekend is fast approaching and while I'm looking forward to spending lots of time with family, I need to take the time to organize myself during the week so I don't just end up working all weekend. Spending a few hours at a coffee shop to plan and strategize can make a huge difference in how productive my week is; I always like to have a plan. I like to stay comfortable so that I can focus on my work, but also feel put-together so that I can take on the day afterwards. These Le Chateau Culottes are a dream - light and airy and perfect to transition into Spring. I paired the culottes with a simple white shirt and the prettiest blush pink bomber jacket. Add my favourite strappy sandals, and I'm ready to plan out my week and then take on the day afterwards.

Culottes - Le Chateau, Bomber - Le Chateau
Sandals - Le Chateau

I cannot say enough good things about these sandals. You may have seen them in my Spring Haul video, and I've since been wearing them almost daily. They're so incredibly comfortable, go with absolutely everything and are at such a reasonable price. Definitely check them out if you're looking for a new Spring and Summer sandal.

What do you guys think? How do you spend the week preparing for a long weekend? Can you spend hours at a coffee shop? Let me know!

xo Joëlle

Photos by the talented Bettina Bogar

This post was created in partnership with Le Chateau. All opinions are 100% my own.

OOTD - First Signs of Spring

While the weather in Toronto has had a mind of its own lately, there's no denying that the first signs of spring have arrived. There's no greater feeling than walking around the city on a warm sunny day after a long winter, and seeing the happiness on everyone's faces. For me, Spring signals the arrival of my beloved midi skirt being added into my wardrobe rotation more regularly, and the possibility go sandals. These sandals from Le Chateau are the absolute most comfortable, most easily styled shoe that I have in my closet at the moment. I love how the block heel makes walking a breeze, and the nude colour creates an elongated leg. While the weather makes up its mind (I think it's supposed to snow today - cue the tears) I'm looking forward to the warmer weather being here to stay.

Skirt - Aritzia, Top - c/o Le Chateau, Shoes - c/o Le Chateau
Bag - Cult Gaia

If you're looking for an amazing midi skirt to add to your closet, I could not recommend the Jude skirt from Aritzia enough. The material is so light, the movement is incredibly and it's lined perfectly. I already have this skirt in a few different colours, and I'm thinking of adding at least another as we head into summer.

What do you guys think? Are you into midi skirts as well? How excited are you that Spring is on its way? Let me know!

xo Joëlle

OOTD - Grandma Butt

These pink pants give me GB (aka Grandma butt) and I don't hate it. I find that the older I get, the more I tend to favour comfort over most things with my outfits, and I've taken a more realistic approach to fashion; if it's not something I can imagine myself wearing comfortably all day, then I'm likely not going to wear it. That being said, I haven't totally thrown in the towel and resigned to a wardrobe of grey sweat suits - not in public, anyways.

I still think that you can be comfortable and look pulled together. A monochromatic look with a great pair of heels is a quick and easy way to elevate an outfit. These pants are the epitome of comfort with their loose fit and drawstring waist. I loved pairing them with a nude tank, and can see wearing this entire outfit well into the summer months. Sure, they give me some grandma butt - but they're comfortable and make me feel good, so I can deal with it.

Pants - Zara, Shirt - c/o Le Chateau, Shoes - c/o Stuart Weitzman

I also filmed a new video where I explain a recent haul from Zara (including these pants) and have some fun footage of the outfits in action! Give it a watch, and let me know what you think!

What do you guys think? What's your philosophy when it comes to comfort and fashion? Are you a fan of the pink monochromatic look? Let me know!

xo Joëlle

OOTD - My New Nikon D610

You guys, I finally upgraded my camera! After taking all of my blog photos for years on my Nikon D5200, I was ready for an upgrade. After mulling over the decision for months (seriously, months) I finally settled on the Nikon D610. I wanted to make the leap into a full-frame camera, while still being able to use my favourite Nikor 50mm, 1.8 lens. Although It was tough to spend all that money on essentially something I already had, I'm so glad that I did. Already I can tell a huge difference in the quality of my photos, especially in the sharpness and in the bokeh (that blurry background effect.) These photos were taken on my new camera and I'm so happy with the results - let me know if you can see a difference!

Anyways, enough tech talk and onto the outfit. This all-pink outfit just screams LPN. I actually first saw this top while on set for a fun project coming up with Upper Canada Mall (more on that later.) The stylist dressed me in this top for one of my outfits and I was smitten. I basically ran to Zara as soon as I could to pick up the same top, plus a few other pink pieces. Mixing difference shades of pink is my favourite way to style an outfit, and I truly think that it's flattering on everyone.

Top - Zara, Pants - Zara. Shoes - c/o Stuart Weitzman, Bag - Chloe

These pants are also worth raving about. I know, I know - I've been favouring pants over skirts and dresses lately and I seriously have no idea what's going on with me! These pants are amazing, and so comfortable - definitely because of the stretch waist in the back. They fit me just right in the leg, however I think that they're actually supposed to be cropped so just keep that in mind if you're taller. Another thing to mention is to size down - I'm wearing a size XS and they're a tad bit big on me. I've said it before on my Instagram: if I must wear pants, they may as well be pink!