EmiliaStyle: fall

Fall Lookbook 2015| Fashion

Change of seasons, as much as I love them, can be quite daunting. If you're like me (and lack closet space), you put away your clothes that are no longer in season. I always put away my fall/winter clothes in the spring to make way for my spring/summer wardrobe. When it gets to unpacking everything, we discover old favourites or get rid of the pieces we know we won't be using. In that vein, I'm sure we all have those days when we look into our closets and proclaim "I have nothing to wear!". Meanwhile, the closet is actually bursting with countless outfits, it's just that we don't know what we have. Firstly, it would probably be a good idea to sort through said closet. After that, you have the opportunity to recreate versions of these 3 different outfit ideas I've assembled.

The idea is to show a few examples of looks we can come up with while using everyday staples. Not only does this give you something new to wear.. without spending more money (always a plus), but it also proves that you probably DO have plenty of outfit inspirations in that closet of yours.
I must admit, I can be one of those people that gets stuck in phases of only wearing certain pieces. For example, you'll notice a "skirt" theme here. However, I'm actually only wearing a skirt in one of these outfit. The others consist of a dress and a pair of culottes.
All 3 outfits are great for the everyday, at least this is what I enjoy wearing to class without feeling like I'm overdressed.
Outfit #1:

| Sweater - H&M | Culottes - Oak&Fort | Shoes - Aldo |

I really enjoyed the "culottes" trend this summer and decided that I could probably carry that into the warmer autumn months. What I like about these, is that they're quite flow-y and long, so in certain angles they look like a midi-skirt. This look is quite casual, not as "girly"as my normal style, but I thought the statement necklace would give it that feminine touch to make it me.

Outfit #2:

| Cardigan - French Connection | Blouse - Forever21 | Skirt - Boohoo |

I'm not going to lie, I think this is my favourite outfit. I've fallen in love with this pink wool cardigan. It isn't all that warm, so I do recommend a small cardigan underneath, but I've been obsessed. It reminds me of a modern take on something Jackie Kennedy would wear. It adds such sophistication to any outfit and the pink surprisingly goes with so much. I also think it'll fit just as well with my spring wardrobe, which is a plus considering autumn isn't all that long here in Montreal. I've paired the cardigan with a very simple, black skater skirt and finished off the look with a silk-y burnt orange blouse. It can't get more autumnal then that :)

Outfit #3:

For my last look, I wanted something super casual that would work for class and then out with some friends. I decided to pair my white cropped sweater over a super casual LBD. The sweater crops at just the right height so that it doesn't over power the dress. Another bonus? The dress has pockets and I can still access them with the sweater. Keeping with the casual theme, I paired the look with my trusty Docs, which I believe gives it that "street style" factor. I live in these boots when it isn't too cold. I have the ones with the fur inside and they make for the perfect casual boot with an edge.

I hope you've enjoyed the lookbook and that it's given you a few ideas to test out. While shopping may be one of my favourite pass times and stress relievers, it's also a lot of fun to discover some new outfits using pieces you already own.

Emilia

13:33
0 Comments

Layer Love| Fashion

autumn

I've said it before, but fall layers really are one of my favourite parts of the season. It's an opportunity to pull out all of your sweaters, scarves, hats, and gloves and create a layered masterpiece. That's pretty much what I did to achieve this look, I hope you enjoy and get some inspiration from it:)

| Dress- Boohoo | Wool Sweater- Old | Cape- Vero Moda (similar) |

Firstly, can we just talk about the dress? Now, here's something I wouldn't gravitate towards on a regular basis: patterned, fitted and turtle neck. When I first saw this dress I was immediately taken by the fact that it wasn't black and had a roll neck. Truth be told, I was intrigued. It was out of my comfort zone and unlike anything I already own and yet, I was being pulled to the "add to cart" button. I took the chance (it also helps that it was very reasonably priced) and I'm so happy I did. When I received it, I realized just how perfect it would be for the autumn months. The burgundy and navy are a perfect way to add some darker but coloured tones into my wardrobe.

When I was first inspired by this outfit I thought of simply sticking with the wool sweater and keeping it very casual. However, once I added the cape/scarf, I knew I couldn't leave the house without it. I think it brings a sophisticated element to the outfit while still keeping it casual for the everyday. The layered quality of the dress, sweater and scarf give great depth to the entire ensemble.

| Boots- H&M | Purse- Mackage |

Finally, I couldn't leave without my trusted autumn staples. I seriously wear these boots EVERYWHERE (it's gotten to be quite an addiction). Of course, I can't leave the house without my classic black purse. Honestly, I find it to be the perfect size, it isn't too small but still not big enough to loose everything in it.

I hope you've enjoyed this little #FashionFriday post. I tried something new this week with 3 posts instead of 2. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I'll be able to keep it up when exam season approaches.

Enjoy your weekend!

Emilia

09:47
0 Comments

Autumn Makeup| Beauty

autumn

Today's makeup look is all about perfecting the base and having a bold lip. What I mean by this is keeping the eyes relatively clean and making sure the rest of the fact was nicely done; emphasizing the brows and cheeks. I hope you enjoy the look! :)

Everything starts with the base; making sure my skin was even and smooth. So after applying my moisturizer I then went with:

L'oreal Magic Perfecting Base Primer: This is one of the best primers I've tried. While there have been some that do just as good of a job as this one, L'oreal's price point is perfect compared to using something higher end. It doesn't make my face oilier then it already is and doesn't make me break out either. Also, I have noticed that if I'm wearing makeup all day, it's worth it to apply this first since it does actually help my makeup last longer

Benefit Erase Paste: I use this for my under eye dark circles. I find it works really well. I apply it just under my eye to cancel out the dark features. I can't quite compare it to it's other competitors (at it's price point) because I've only used drug store alternatives. However, compared to those it works much better.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance: This is an eye primer and it works really well. I would definitely recommend this one. It hasn't irritated my eyes and my eye shadows have lasted all day with this compared to others.

M.A.C Studio Fix (NC25) & Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation: I've been mixing these for a few weeks now and I'm really enjoying it. On there own, both shades work really well on me. However, I feel like the Healthy Mix makes my Studio Fix a bit creamier, which allows it to be smoother and not as heavy on my skin.
M.A.C Mineralize Concealer: This is one shade lighter then what I need and I'll apply it under my eye area, to brighten it up. As you can see from the bottle, I've really enjoyed using it and it does a good good.
M.A.C Studio Fix Concealer: I've talked about this one before and how much I enjoy using it. I needed to apply it to a few areas where I had a few blemishes. It does the job well, but as I've said it is a heavier concealer so (happily) I don't find myself needing it as much as I use to.
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: Just like the concealer, I've mentioned this one several times before. I really enjoy using this. I have several powders at home that I enjoy using, but I always seem to come back to this one. Today, I used this to set my under eye area and my T-zone, which is where I get the oiliest.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick "Bronze": I used this as my bronzer today. I didn't really contour much today, so I applied this under my check bones and at my temples. I've been using this for a few summers now and I think it still works really well in the fall if you apply it with a light hand, that way the shimmer isn't too strong. I didn't want to have too much shimmer in my bronzer, because it was going to go in with a highlight afterwards.
Estée Lauder Blush "Rebel Rose": I've taken this beauty out again (as you saw in my last beauty post) and I'm so happy about it. I lightly applied this on the apples of my cheeks, just enough to inject a bit of colour back into my face.
BeccaXJaclyn Hill Shimmer Highlight "Champagne Pop": Even with fall, I still wanted to add a bit of sparkle to the look. I didn't have to think much about reaching for Jaclyn Hill's highlight. I think that the rose gold of the highlight went perfectly on top of my plum-y blush.

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette: In this palette, I used the shades "Heaven", "Silk Teddy", "Honey Pot" and "Nudie". I applied Heaven all over my eye lid and then went in with a mixture of "Silk Teddy" and "Honey Pot" in the upper lid area. I then blended "Nudie" into the mix to create more depth.

M.A.C Shades: I used four shades from my larger M.A.C palette. I sued "Wedge" for my eyebrows in order to create great definition while still keeping them natural.For my bottom lash line I decided to mix "Expensive Pink" with "Coppering". Both are great burnt orange shades that added a autumnal aspect to my eyes. I added "Nylon" on my brow bone to create more depth and has some highlight in that area.

M.A.C Fluidline "Blacktrack": Finally, I used my gel liner to create a cat-eye flick to finish off the look. This gel liner is one of the best, you just need to practice a lot with it and experiment with different brushes to figure out what works best for you.

M.A.C Lip Pencil in "Vino": This is a dark berry liner that worked really well for this look. I decided to mix some red and berry shades so that my lips could look a little more "vampy" and because I love the mixture of both tones.
Rimmel Lipstick 107: I Went in with my trusty 107 red lipstick that has hints of berry in it. Love this lipstick, no reason to rave about more then I already have.
M.A.C Lipglass "Rebel": Finally I finished off my lips with a the classic Rebel shade. This brought out the berry tones of the lipstick and just created a lot of definition and layers to my lips.

Thanks for reading! I hope you've enjoyed the look:) I would love to know if you recreate it or even if you'd change something about the look to make it your own.

See you soon!

Emilia

14:40
0 Comments

Grey's in Season | Fashion

autumn

13:02
0 Comments

Berry Obsessed| Beauty

autumn

Berry season is finally upon us! I don't think it's a surprise that fall is my favourite season. I've pretty much talked about it for a solid 2 weeks. It's the season of new beginnings, layers and the absence of humidity. It's also the season that brings the most beautiful colour changes and brings along the opportunity for cozy sweaters, vests, hats, scarves and jackets. What isn't there to love?

Colder weather also means I get to play with darker shades of makeup. Yes, there really isn't a problem with wearing a dark, smokey eye during the summer but I find the tones go so well in the autumn season.

Today I'm sharing my favourite berry toned products with you. They include everything from eyeshadows, blushers and of course lipsticks. Hope you enjoy!;)

I love wearing berry tones because they compliment my skin tone really well. Another bonus? I have a tendency to get red on my cheeks and nose so berry toned blushes are much more complimentary then you're typical pink shade.

Estée Lauder Pure Colour Blush "12-Rebel Rose": This is a great plum blush. A little goes a long way with this product so I would apply it with a light hand.

Nars "Sin": This is a cult favourite. Again, a little goes a long way. Sin is slightly darker then the Estée Lauder blush, which means it works really well in January when it's in the minuses and you want that perfect "wind swept" look.

Tarte "Rainforest After Dark": I love this palette. This was one of their limited edition palettes a few seasons back and I still find myself reaching for it today. The eyeshadows are gorgeous and the highlight is perfect if you want a little shimmer.

M.A.C's "Sketch": I've been using this eyeshadow a lot more recently. I apply it with a rounded brush right in the outer crease of my eye and will usually bring it down into the outer end of my bottom lash. It gives a great feminine smokey eye without the harshness of a darker colour (like black).

These are my most used berry or dark toned lipsticks. Each is slightly different and has a unique feature. For example, M.A.C "Rebel" is much more fuchsia then Revlon "Black Cherry" which is much darker and carries some rich purple and black mixtures. Rimmel's "Bordeaux" is very similar to M.A.C "Dark Side" but has a bit more red undertones to it. "Dark Side" is also quite similar to Charlotte Tilbury's "Night Crimson" except I would say that it's a little more matte, therefore, a bit more drying. The fact that its matte does, however, allow it to last longer.

I hope you've enjoyed this Thursday's post. I wish you all a wonderful weekend. I will be spending mine at work and studying so, if you can, please take advantage of any autumn sunny weather for me!

Emilia

17:01
0 Comments

Getting Through the Tougher Weeks | Personal

Anxiety

I'm trying to be happier in my day-to-day life. What I mean by that is, essentially not letting the small things affect me. I still get these days when I just don't feel good about myself. It's never due to something specific but usually a collection of "issues".
Lately, I've been trying to make a conscious effort in letting things slide and simply look at the positive sides of life.

I've let the "bad" days affect me and I'm sick of feeling so down. It's gotten to the point where it's a vicious cycle of never getting out of a funk because you're upset for feeling upset. I'm tired of it.
Why not live a life you're proud of and look at all the beautiful things in my life? I have so much to be grateful for, I don't think these "bad" days should affect me a much as they do,

While I can chuck it up to schoolwork is hard. It's meant to be hard, preparing me for life and all (any one of you catch that Gilmore Girls reference?). Or sometimes work is daunting. Even keeping up with my blog posts and class notes can stress me out. But, like so many have said before me, there are millions of people going through the same (or similar) situation. Yes, sometimes we skip the gym, or eat that piece of chocolate when we know it's not the best option. But the inevitability is that, we all
get stressed out. The important part it to recognize it and act upon that recognition.

There's my little rant for the beginning of the week. Hopefully I've reached someone who isn't feeling their best and would like to start the week off well. The most effective way I try to stay mentally healthy, is by concentrating on the things I need to get done and not let my brain wander. I'll also tend to write things down as then I can see things more clearly. The most important this I try to remember is that, I'm not alone.
Finally, if you're ready this Monday evening to conquer the rest of the week: congratulations and keep doing you:) One day Il'll find a way to get through it all, just like you<3

Enjoy your week,

Emilia