21 September 2012

Style Peek: cobalt dress + navy cardian + suede booties


 

It's my favourite time of year...layers!!! I really love getting all cozied up and mixing and matching feeling hidden from any summer exposure insecurities. I found this great scarf at local boutique Into the Blue and it's a new fave - it's got blues and bits of brown so I felt like I could mix in all kinds of tones. Plus these are my new brown booties I bought earlier in the summer - finally go to take them out of storage! I was pretty nervous about the booties with tights trend - I always felt it kind of made my legs look chunky, non? But who cares, I think they're kind of cute and comfy so I'm onboard.

 
 



cardigan - Gap (buy here)
scarf - Out of the Blue (local boutique)
tights - HUE (old from The Bay)
necklace - Forever 21 (old)

Are you enjoying fall dressing? I'd love to hear what you think friends, booties - yay or nay?

Have an amazing weekend!




10 September 2012

Style Peek: neutral bird print dress + vivid cobalt flats


Sometimes all you need is one little pop of colour to make it all...well...pop! These cobalt blue flats from Town Shoes (purchased on super sale!) were a little out of my shoe comfort zone but they are proving themselves time and again as just what the outfit ordered!




I love that the same cobalt blue is in the teeny tiny bird pattern when you look up close!


bird print taupe dress - Dorothy Perkins (shop here - on sale!)
white cardigan - Gap
cobalt blue flats - Town Shoes

Don't mind my  battered legs. After a summer of renovating and dogs jumping up, they've definitely seen better days.

What's your favourite way to add some colour friends? Shoes? Jewellery? Lipstick? Or are you colour brave with your outfits? I'm loving all the jewel tones for fall...I think this blue will move nicely to heather grays and jet blacks for the cold months.




03 September 2012

Affordable luxury at The Aveda Institute

I hope you're all enjoying your long weekend? I'm luxuriating in doing almost nothing except things that I love and that relax me....making good food, reading in bed, taking the dogs for walks and watching TV show marathons (currently Damages and White Collar). Oh yeah, and celebrating our 1st anniversary! Thanks for all your well wishes!

Last week, I had the immense pleasure of visiting Winnipeg's newly opened Aveda Institute. The kind folks at Aveda invited me down to tour the facilities and enjoy a little hair pampering. I wanted to share that experience with you, in case you are looking for a little pampering of your own at incredible prices (hint...haircuts for $15? Yes please!).


Located in the historic Ashdown Warehouse in the Exchange District, the Institute is spacious, warm, welcoming and smells ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! At the heart of it, the Aveda Institute is a hair and beauty training school, both for new stylists and those looking to expand their training. It's also the first Aveda retail store in Manitoba, selling all of their organic, plant-based beauty products. And finally, it's a salon - a place where Aveda students can fine-tune their craft on real-life clients for a fraction of the usual price.




But don't worry, as team leader and resident 'mother hen' Nan shared with me...your appointment will take a little longer than usual because student stylists are consulting with educators each step of your appointment. You're treated to a head and neck massage or a hand massage, delicious Aveda products are used on you and your stylist is there to make you happy - learning to listen to and interact with clients is just as important as the cut and style itself.




After browsing the gorgeous space and inspiring decor (while trying not to buy every product on the shelves!), I settled in for my treatment. 




My stylist Michelle was young, fashionable and friendly. She talked me through my wants (a few warm highlights in the front to hide colour growth) and needs (a trim and a blending of my growing-out bangs), while I managed to snap a few shots of her in action!





And...the end result! I love how the natural highlights blend with my existing colour and the cut is easy to style and healthy.


Thanks so much Michelle, Nan, Kelsey at Aveda Canada and the whole team over at The Aveda Institute here in Winnipeg. It was a wonderful way to unwind and get the special treatment after a long day! Something we all deserve :)

In case you're wondering, haircuts start at just 15 bucks while highlights start at 35 bucks, a great way to maintain your style while on a budget! The prices go up depending on the experience level of your stylist or educator. To make an appointment for a treatment, call 204-452-7380 or visit the entire service menu and prices online. My sister and I have already planned to get our next cuts together at the Aveda Institute and grab lunch in the Exchange afterwards.

How about you friends? What's your salon regime? Do you stick to a stylist or do you like to change it up?


**The Aveda Institute provided complimentary hair services to me, but all images and opinions in this post are my own.




02 September 2012

Our 1st Anniversary!

One year ago today....


We said 'I do'! 

For our 1st anniversary, we got all dolled up....


....to enjoy the Fort Garry Hotel's Grand Brunch (you gotta love a man who doesn't blink twice when you load your plate with 5 desserts!) and reflect on a year of ups and downs, highs and lows and an even stronger relationship for making it through everything. We renovated our bathroom, added Henry to our family, I changed jobs, we took our honeymoon in the Florida Keys, lost a beloved family member, bought another rental property that we renovated and rented in 36 days....whew! I get tired just thinking about it all. 

I'm so glad I have Jack to go through this journey called life. 


Pretty flowers to mark the occasion...


And here's a peek at what I wore for our brunch....




Graceful Nomad necklace - Stella & Dot (shop here)
bronze flats - Coach (picked up on sale at Winners)

ASOS Curve is having an amazing sale and I picked up a few basic dresses like this one (only $26 plus free shipping!) to pair with tights and cardi's all winter long!

Hope you have an amazing long weekend friends! What are you doing to usher in the fall season?