always the basics.

Grey short sleeved top by Suzy Shier (Old) Similar: Nordstrom

Black circle skirt: On sale Liz Claiborne 

Shoes: Chuck Taylor All Star Classic 

Denim Chambray Shirt: Always Chambray shirt

My love for basics drives most outfits of mine. I love how a person can look so polished and put together, but only be wearing a tshirt, jeans, and some sneakers. That I believe is the true definition of style, taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary. 

The first thing about styling basics, is knowing what looks good on you. Figure out what shapes suit you best. The smallest part of my body is my waist, so to not get lost in this outfit I tucked my top into my skirt, which also makes the outfit looks more polished. So to recap tucked is polished and refined, and untucked is effortlessly cool and casual. 

Accessories are everything, layer on a chunky necklace, or an arm full of bracelets. Minimalism is very trendy right now so to make an outfit more minimalistic layer on some dainty jewels. 

Add a colour! I added a pop of colour with my blue chambray denim top tied around my waist. It’s easy, and still looks fun and cool. Very in keeping with my outfit. 

What are your tips for styling basics? What are your basic’s in your wardrobe? Let me know in a comment!

Marc Jacobs + How to jean shop

 

Black leather jacket from Reitmans

White and grey knit sweater from The little white house

Plaid scarf purchased in Scotland

Blue denim by Marc by Marc Jacobs

White sneakers by Converse

Brown handbag from Francesca's 

The jean! Put shopping next to it and it’s every females nightmare. It is such a daunting task that it gets put to the back burner, and then I get frustrated when I have no clean pants to wear. But then I get even more frustrated when I’ve been putting jean shopping off for months. So today I’m giving you my secrets to jean shopping to make your experience a little easier. 

1. When you find a pair of jeans you really like. Get two, seriously! Same colour, different colour, doesn’t matter but get two. You will thank yourself later. 
2. Do your research. There are so many types of jeans on the market, style, colour fit! For myself personally I don’t like the light washed denim. I find the darker the jean, the smaller I appear. And most importantly try on as many as possible. Every brand is different, and there are a million different fits!
3. Don’t worry about the length. It can always be adjusted, and that’s probably even better because it’s tailored exactly to you!
4. Spurge on denim! It’s something we wear so often that it just makes sense to buy a good quality-easy wash pair of jeans. If the colour is going to fade after a couple washes chances are you’ll have to buy another pair soon, and in the long run thats not ideal. The jean’s I’m wearing here are Marc Jacobs. I waited until sale day, as well as I worked for the company so I got a pretty good deal for expensive denim. It’s been one of the best purchases I’ve ever made! They are so comfortable, easy to wash, and the colour has not faded at all in a year!
5. Try to go a bit smaller in size. Keep in mind that denim shrinks then expands, so the jeans in store will fit differently after a while. Try to go a size down, or wash your jeans in cold water and no dryer. 
6. Stretch denim is your best friend. It will move and curve to your shape. Also pay attention to where the jeans hit on your body. I prefer a high waisted jean because I have a small waist, it tends to gap in the back, and half the time with normal rise my butt is hanging out.
7. Most importantly have fun! Grab a good friend, so she can tell you what you look like from the back if there is no 360 mirror. For me nothing is better than “woah your butt looks really great in those jeans”! :)

Sparkle Sparkle.

Hello!! How was everybody’s Christmas and New years? I had such a wonderful break off, really spent time with my family. My sister and brother in law came to visit us from the Dominican Republic. We took them all around Vancouver, started our day with  “Fly over Canada” at Canada Place. It is definitely a MUST see for any tourist or anyone from Canada for that matter. We sat in what looked like a roller coaster ride with seat belts and then were pushed into this huge screen, our feet were dangling off the edge. It was meant to feel like you were actually in a helicopter flying. It was such a beautiful movie, with sprits of rain falling on your face going through Niagara Falls, the smell of evergreens going through the forests of BC, and beautiful views of Toronto, the Badlands, and the Okanagan. They had a Christmas special at the end of the movie and we flew through Santa’s workshop. I for sure pay to see “Fly over Canada” again. Another highlight of Christmas was tubbing at Manning park, something i’ve never done before and i’ve lived here all my life. If you follow me on instagram you would see my pictures over Christmas (@julieaaane) It was an absolute blast! What were everybody’s highlights? 

V-neck white tee from Northern Reflections (so comfy)

Jean Chambray shirt from H&M

Skirt Charlotte Russe

Cream tennis shoes from Aldo

Brown shoulder bag Francesca's 

Easy Breezy.

Hello friends! Happy thanksgiving Monday to everybody. Sorry I've been away so long,  sometimes I put to much pressure on myself to have this perfect blog, and post everyday.

Then I get swallowed up in my computer, that I’m not spending my time where I should be. So from now on: Balance. I love this blog, and I love being able to show you what I’m doing, and my outfits. Speaking of my outfit.

These pieces are staples in my wardrobe, and if you don’t own them already I encourage you to! A classic simple white button down blouse and boyfriend jeans. It’s incredibly easy to dress this look up, heels and cute jewelry. An instant put together look. I love effortlessly chic outfits. What’s your go to look?

 

 

 

 

 

White button up blouse from Old Navy

Boyfriend jeans  from Old Navy

Nude and gold kitten heels from Le Chateau

Denim Days

 Lately I’ve been seeing head to toe denim everywhere, and it’s time I put my own stamp onto this trending trend. I have not always been a fan of wearing jeans; I find them sometimes to be extremely uncomfortable and painful around my hips. But not anymore! Fit, stretch ability, and ink colour are important things I look for in a good pair of jeans. Here are a few tips I’ve learned over all my denim days.

1. Colour, and stressing matters. One time I tried on a pair of light washed jeans and they made my thighs, hips, and bum look a lot bigger than what they were.  I try to stick to darker blue jeans, with a tiny big of distressing. But key fact: watch where the stressing is! If you tend not to like your upper thighs find try to find a jean with stressing in the middle, or the knee and vice versa.

2. You will vary in size from store to store “Vanity sizing”. Normally I’m a 28 or 29 depending on the store, but these Marc by Marc jeans I’m wearing are a size 27. The 28 fit me perfectly, but like our mothers always say “jeans will expand”, so I took the 27. Some stores will higher or lower the sizing.

3. Sit down in your jeans before you buy! This is a top tip for me because some jeans I’ve tried on tend to dig into my waist, but then they gap in the back. I always stick to jeans that are high waisted, not so I can wear them like a high waisted pant but so the jeans don’t slide down, or rub me the wrong way. Low rise jeans absolutely don’t work with my body type.

4. Do the jean dirty work! If you’re lucky and find the perfect pair/fit in the first store, amazing! But for me, it takes a while! Each store has different cuts, colours, and washes. As much as I love a good designer jean because it’s the one thing I splurge on, sometimes you can find a pair just as good under $50. I found a pair of boyfriend jeans at Old Navy that I absolutely adore! They have an excellent variety, and their sizing goes up to 20. Insider tip: J brand and Jessica Simpson jeans are exactly the same fit! Of course the style and colours are different but fit stays the same!

5. Jeans to long? Just hem! Short people don’t have so stick with the “short” sizes! I find tall jeans fit me better.

Jeans sometimes can be the worst to buy, but go into a store relaxed and determined and you do great! Take along these tips and have them nearby to refer to! Let me know how it goes! What are your tips for finding the perfect fit? And your favourite store to buy jeans? Let me know!

 

 

 

 

 

Denim Chambray  Love Culture

Denim top H&M Switzerland

Jeans Marc by Marc Jacobs

Heels H&M London

mint obsessed!

SORRY EVERYBODY! I’ve been away for such a long time, and I apologize. I have been busy with school. Our last class is next Tuesday and we have our grad that day as well. I cannot believe we are so close to being done. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday it was my first day of class, meeting everybody but now they are good friends of mine. There is lots of news to tell you besides graduation. Our class had our fashion show July, 16 and it was very successful. I will post photos soon! I also turned 20, which feels crazy. Life is speeding by, and I’m loving the ride. I am working on my portfolio, so the link will be up by next week if you’d like to check that out. If you want to follow my day-to-day life my instagram is “julieaaane”, or follow me on twitter: @julieanne11343. I try to update my social media once a day.

This is an outfit inspired by wearing one piece three times. I will illustrate how to transform this dress/skirt into three daytime looks. This first look has a denim shirt tied at the waist to make the waist appear smaller, and transform this dress into a skirt. I also buttoned up the denim shirt to add a more preppy look, along with a necklace to pull the look together. The shoes and clutch add the finishing touch to this look. The nude heels make my legs look longer, and the white clutch pulls out the white in the shirt. The studs are my favourite part of the clutch!

Shirt: Love Culture 

Skirt: (Actually a dress) H&M

Necklace: Forever 21

Shoes: Aldo

Purse: Le Chateau

THANK YOU FOR READING!!

"I like being a woman, even in a man’s world. After all, men can’t wear dresses, but we can wear the pants."

-Whitney Houston