Friday Find: A bit of sunshine

Yay! The sun and warmth has finally made it to my neck of the woods. In honour of the sunshine, I’ve pulled together a couple of bright day dresses for you.  These are perfect for the office and would work well for a weekend soiree too. Let’s call this HI-LO. HI Rebecca Taylor- Sleeveless Textured Brocade Dress The brocade texture and weave detailing are impeccable. This summer frock is a great alternative to your typical power dress and will surely draw attention – the right kind – in the boardroom. If the A/C is a bit high in your office, go ahead and pair this with a light blazer. My suggestion is to stay away from black. I know this is the easiest option for most of you but it really is quite boring (sorry) and doesn’t look very summery. I’d opt for perhaps crisp white (additional texture would look great) or a white and navy pattern or perhaps even a salmon coloured blazer. Yes, I have this in the HI category but guess what? It’s on sale – 30% off (at $262).  Not too HI priced at all! LO H&M- Sleeveless Dress This knee-length, bright yellow frock has beautiful seeming through the waistline which will make it flattering on many body types. It’s begging for a belt. I’d go with a bright pink or turquoise skinny belt.  I might even pair it with a printed belt. At $49.99, this dress is a steal.  With the right care and maintenance, I’m sure you’ll have it for at least a few seasons. Happy Friday!

Part 2: Consignment pieces for your Spring/Summer wardrobe? Yes please!

Some of you saw my recent spring/summer style segment on Breakfast Television last week.  If you missed it, you can check it out here.  Today, I want to do talk about the second look from the segment. S/S Professional Look #2 Why this look is amazing: First of all, all the pieces in this outfit are from a consignment store. That alone makes me love this look. Though you can’t fully tell from the pictures (watch the segment), there is a subtle checked pattern in this suit (by the way, that’s an Armani suit for under $500). If you’re looking to move away from the solid colour suits this spring/summer, subtle pattern is the way to go. From far away it looks solid (so don’t worry about it competing with a patterned dress shirt) but up close, it has much more interest to it. Purple is a great pop of colour for spring. If there’s a colour that you’re more excited about, go for it. Yes, these are Gucci loafers.  At $200 from the consignment store I worked with, they are pretty affordable. Dressy loafers are a good dress shoe alternative for spring/summer. Next week, we’ll be talking about the casual spring/summer looks that we put together.  Stay tuned.   Shout outs Hair: House of Tin Salon Makeup: Makeup by Bean Styling: Yours Truly Clothing, Accessories, Shoes: Dress to Suit Model: Troy S.

Bra straps at work? No thanks.

There are some of you who do this all the time without thinking twice. I see it all the time. Showing off your bra straps at the office looks tacky and immature.  You’re better than that.   Light, sheer, flowy blouses are so popular and seem to be everywhere.  I too love them.  Especially ones that are more menswear inspired like these ones below. Equipment – Slim Signature Blouse ASOS- Detail Front and Drape Neck   For many occasions, this sheer look is awesome. Having said that, most of these are better left of your casual wardrobe (yes, casual attire is much more than sweat pants ladies).  Here are some great examples that you can incorporate into a casual day or night look. Sourced from: http://besteozer.tumblr.com/ Nasty Gal What about for the office? This simply doesn’t work in an office environment. Plain and simple. What message does this send in a professional setting? You don’t care You’re fine being sexy at work Showing your bra is more important than showing off your great ideas Career advancement is not important to you I’m sure none of these things are true.  You’re magnificent and talented. What can you do? I know. You love the look of a soft, light blouse for work.  Here’s what you can do to get more wear out of these blouses in a professional setting. DO: wear a cami with straps thick enough to cover your bra straps. The easiest colour to pair with your blouse is nude.  In some cases though, this may look funny.  Also, consider adding a bold coloured cami for the colour contrast. DON’T: wear a spaghetti strap tank top under a sheer blouse.  This looks ridiculous and doesn’t actually cover your bra strap.