More swimsuits for your viewing pleasure as I clearly cannot get enough. I am also so unbelievably ready to hit the beach and these amazing suits by made by dawn :) are in my opinion the perfect balance of breezy, bohemian cool while being skimpy enough to not produce grotesque tan lines and substantial enough that I can probably play a good game or two of beach volleyball. Finding this website has probably changed my swimwear game forever because I am not normally one to support big bring colours, prints or anything super athletic looking. I don't go to the beach to workout, I go to lounge with friends, get a good dose of vitamin D and ultimately look nice while doing so. Now that I have found a brand that very much delivers on the beachy cool girl vibe I've been coveting as of late, the only way I will be able to justify all these new suits, is by taking more trips to the shoreline...which I have no issues with whatsoever. *All images found via made by Dawn :)
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There really is nothing better than spending every waking summer adventure frolicking in light, breezy sundresses. I would never really peg myself as a girly girl, but there is something about summer that makes me more drawn to soft, feminine, ethereal pieces more than any other season. Enter Tavin, a boutique based in Los Angeles (shocker!) that reworks vintage garments with more modern, flattering fits. With a vibe and lineup of summer staples like this, it is going to be very hard for me to resist not taking every supremely romantic, summery frock they've got. *All images found via HonestlyWTF.
When I was preparing to graduate high school this time last year I really was not all that hyped about it. I think at the time I was more concerned with graduating with honours, maintaining strong grades and deciding where to go to university. My mind didn't have much time to think about partying or celebrating and even now I look back and think my graduation/prom celebrations weren't all that crazy. But now that I am safely out the other side, I am now wishing I had enjoyed the moment a little more and had more get togethers with my friends when I could before we all parted ways. Seeing as it is that time of year again when all the brands jump on the graduation band wagon to promote their products as the perfect reward for a job well done, I am slowly wishing I had done more to honour my own success as well as the successes of my friends when I had the chance. So this morning when I opened my email and saw a lovely spread by Urban Outfitters for hosting (and enjoying) the perfect summer graduation party the vibes of nostalgia rushed in like a raging tornado. I thought I would share what they proposed for celebrating you or someone you know who is graduating anything this coming May/June. Whether it be high school, university, or any other triumphant event worth noting. The awesome thing about parties is that you don't necessarily need an excuse to throw one. Sometimes the excuse that "it's a party" is all the reason anyone needs. The amazing thing about summer, is that the weather provides amazing incentive to be outdoors with people you cherish eating good food. Which in my books is all the excuse I'll ever need. *All images found on the Urban Outfitters Blog.
Recipes for strawberry shortcakes, sweet potato crisps and peach fruit punch are here. I've never really been one for crazy theatrical wallpaper, but there is something about these hand painted reproductions by de Gournay that just intrigues me. I don't think I would ever make a design move this daring in my own home, unless it was incredibly restrained to maybe a powder room or closet, but that does not mean they are any less fun to look at. Oddly enough, despite their crazy, colourful eye-catching nature, there is a way these spaces are designed that doesn't make them feel overwhelming. The furniture accurately compliments the bright bombastic prints with simple lines, solid colours, accents of silver and gold to make the spaces feel dramatic rather than problematic. Sometimes in design, as in everything else in life, you just have to appreciate things for their ability to be pretty to look at. Forgetting the rationale and functionality is often the funnest part of living a creative lifestyle and creating spaces to emulate that are what truly brings one's personal character and design aesthetic into their home. Just because I would never do something like this in my own space doesn't mean it isn't down right cool. *All images found via HonestlyWTF.
All my life I have dreamed of living in Paris. Unlike most, my fantasy for the Parisian lifestyle is not exclusive to planning a once in a lifetime vacation where I see and do everything I've always dreamed. I want to actually live there. Being from a semi French background the culture and heritage has always drawn me in. Everything about the effortless beauty, fashion, and just overall quintessentially laid-back french living is something I hope to achieve in my life no matter where I am. So naturally to go along with the fantasy of moving to Paris for a period of time, comes a bevy of inspirational thoughts and dreams of what my Paris home will look like. And until now, I hadn't found a set of images that more perfectly encapsulates what for me it means to be living the Paris life. The apartment of Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay, two young and talented interior designers, in Paris's 4th arrondissement, is not only the place they call home, but the place they call work. An incredible attention to balance permeates their space as their home must not only inspire them to create amazing spaces for others, but it must also relax them at the end of the day. Clean, bright and quirky. This apartment is everything I associate with a Parisian way of designing a space. It is old enough to have amazing bones and character, as demonstrated with the wood flooring, intricate crown moulding and floor - to - ceiling colonial windows, but has been modernized through the marriage of old and new design elements Charlotte and Hugo have integrated throughout their space. I love a minimalist aesthetic. There is just something so calming about sleek lines, minimal clutter and having everything be in its place. But I am also a traditionalist. I love old architectural details like flooring and crown mouldings, arching doorways and turn of the century appliances. I want my space to not only feel like it's mine, but also as if it has been lived in (and loved) for centuries before me. This space does all of that, and only makes me more and more excited to see how my life turns out so I can someday create a space like this of my own. In Paris. *All images are from The Socialite Family found through FashionSquad on Bloglovin'
Oh and for any of you who caught it, the title of this post is a nod to a book called "The Paris Wife" by Paula Mclain. Really really awesome book if anyone wants to check it out! It's a historical fiction chronicling Ernest Hemingway's early life during his marriage to his first wife while they lived between Paris and Toronto. There are many things that peak my interest during the summer months. Walks outdoors, picking flowers, going to the farmers market, sun tanning on the beach with friends and just naturally being as close to nature as possible. Something happens to me during the winter season where although I love being out frolicking in the snow and taking in the winter wonders, I still love being cozy and holed up indoors. Summer abolishes that in an instant. So today, I am adding to the list of things I think should naturally occur during the hot summer season: moving to the desert. I never really considered it before but as of late the desert (landscape and vibe) has totally started to grow on me. From endless Instagram posts about Joshua Tree in California (which I honestly didn't know existed until just recently), to today's discovery of Mango's Premium Summer Lookbook I am now obsessed with everything desert in nature. I mean I even just recently bought my first succulents to add to what will soon become a rapidly growing cactus collection. So I think it's safe to say that the summer vibe (and everything that comes along with it) has officially made it's way into every part of my living being at this point in time and I am so not mad about it. For those of you that know me well, if I disappear in the next little while, contact a desert near you....or don't :P. *All images are from the MANGO website but were found via WhoWhatWear on Bloglovin'
I am forever on the hunt for amazing apartment design inspiration. I guess the one great thing about taking my time moving out into my own place is that I not only have an extended period of time to collect finances, but I also have more time to collect ideas and decor items to make my first independent space truly my own. With that being said it is almost everyday that I see something online or in a store that I absolutely love and want to have in my one day space. But with that I am slowly keeping track of everything I want and the collection is growing to be quite large; as in pack rat large.... and I don't even have the actual apartment yet! I think I am going to have to scale down my accumulation of actual objects and continue to resort to saving images of beautiful things on my computer because if I owned every beautiful thing I ever saw I would probably win an awards for the world's greatest hoarder. It would be absolutely divine, but not exactly the most practical way to live. So for now, I scroll through Tumblr and Pinterest and long for the day I have the opportunity (and money) to venture on and finally decorate a space that I can truly call my own. They always do say that a picture is worth a thousand words right? :P *All images found via Tumblr (The Socialite Family).
I feel like I need to find other things to talk about on here other than my unwavering excitement for summer and days upon days spent lounging at the beach, but it seems like every other day another brand I love releases their most perfect collection of summer images and I hernia all over again! So today is another one of those days, and this time it is one of the biggest loves of my life that stepped up to the plate. Club Monaco. Oh yah baby they have just released their 2015 Summer Beach Report and I can tell you right now I have never loved scalloped edges more! I've also never bee so ready to jump in my roofless jeep, strap on my surfboard and hit the sand. Club Monaco has forever been one of my favourite brands. I've recently been asked if I was to live my life in one brand for the rest of time what it would be, and Club Monaco was the first that jumped into my mind. After seeing today's beach ready attire I have no doubt they would be the brand to truly and exquisitely dress me for every occasion. That being said, take a look for yourself and be prepared to want to hit the beach! I officially need this bathing suit in my life... *All images found via HonestlyWTF and Club Monaco in "In the Swim" & "Place Nationale" sections.
For the last little while my fondness for jewelry has been growing at a rapid pace. This past weekend was no help either as I can officially say I am obsessed with all things stackable, layer-able and just plain adorable. I ventured to INLAND on Saturday with my good friend Meg which was a curated design/fashion marketplace for all Canadian designers, jewellers and creatives. I was lucky enough to win free passes to the event a while back and I was super excited to finally be able to attend and witness the amazing creative talent Canada has to offer. And let me tell you I was certainly not disappointed! I must say my favourite vendors from the weekend were definitely those whose forte was minimalist jewelry. I've had a penchant for the sparkly and simple for a while now but after seeing BREAD & CIRCUS and all her wonderful creations I was hooked. I dropped a pretty penny for some gorgeous dainty stackable rings and I just know that I will be purchasing more in the future. She also does custom projects/creations so I am sure I will also have fun with that. Anywho, now to today's content. I discovered this jewelry line late last week via HonestlyWTF and fell in love with their gorgeous imagery. Jennie Kwon, a lot like BREAD & CIRCUS is super dainty, stylish and perfect for layering. I am so excited to spending the next while curating an amazing collection of dainty jewels and I think between these two brands (and many more) I can definitely make that possible! Take a peek below at the gorgeous imagery and check out BREAD & CASTLE!! She is amazing!!(And a Toronto native which makes me super super happy because not only am I supporting amazing local talent, it makes it SO much easier for me to get my hands on her awesome work!) Happy Monday! <3 *All images found via HonestlyWTF.
Seriously how gorgeous is this place??!! Now that my first year of university is finally over I once again have some free time to relax, catch up with friends and explore all the places I was too busy to explore during the year. I am planning on having a very busy summer so I decided to utilize the calm of these first few weeks to do everything I'v been longing to do. First stop, Alan Gardens. I've heard and seen so much about this place over the last school year that I thought it was about time I checked it out for myself. So early this morning my adventure buddy Lea and I headed into the city found ourselves frolicking among the foliage for quite some time. We both had a spectacular time and then got hungry (for those of you reading this who know me well you know I very rarely say no to food) so we ventured to Queen Street West because...well...everything on Queen West is just great. We shopped, we dropped (money) and then we ate... TACOS! Trekked quite a way down Queen to Spadina and ventured into a super cute place called Seven Lives where we literally ingested tacos that WILL change your life. (The Baja Fish is to die for and is the only reason any of us really need to live..it's to experience these). So to cut down on the rambling take a peek at this little(ish) photo diary of some of the snaps we took today :) Behind the scenes shenanigans and what not. Follow the leader... Views on views on views! "Stand by that door it looks like something you should stand in front of" The dork came out to play... The beautiful Lea <3 <3 Amazing ceiling views at the conservatory, LIFE CHANGING TACOS at Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos in Kensington Market, and the coolest record store on Queen West - Father John Misty's.
So there we have it! Our adventures at Alan Gardens :) If you wanna see some of the other shenanigans we got up to head on over to my Instagram (@nbrrly) and Lea's Insta (@leaalinsod) *Photos of me taken by Lea, photos of Lea taken by me. All taken using my NIKON D3200. |