Fashion, Weekend Style

Striped Off The Shoulder Top

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striped top weekend

striped top weekend outfit

striped off the shoulder top pearl buttons

malibu skye box bag

malibu skye box bag

bamboo box bag

weekend outfit

If you’ve been following my blog or you’ve read my bio you’d know why my blog is called The Weekend Fashionista 🙂 Weekends are when I get to experiment with fashion and try out new looks.

I think I’ve found a favourite weekend outfit!  How cute is this striped off the shoulder top . Stripes are definitely in for Spring and Summer and this top is on trend!

I like the menswear and work wear inspired look of this top. It almost looks like a work blouse with the pinstripe pattern and pronounced cuffs. The pearl buttons give the top a feminine flair. This top is cotton so it’s very comfortable and easy to wear. It sits loosely on the body for a relaxed fit.

For a relaxed weekend look I paired this blouse with some white jean capris, a pair of kitten heel sling backs and a bamboo bag. If you loved the Ark bag from Cult Gaia you’ll love this box bag from Malibu Skye.

I think this outfit is great for running errands, grabbing a coffee with friends, going out to brunch or just people watching and enjoying the warmer weather. Most people like to dress down on the weekend but dressed down doesn’t mean badly dressed right? I’m particularly fond of this outfit as it’s the perfect mix of casual and chic. What do you think?

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Fashion

Tropical Trend for Spring 2018

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banana print wrap dress

banana print wrap dress

Banana Print Dress – Forever 21

tropical floral set

tropical floral set

tropical floral setFloral shorts and top – Ardene

palm tree set

palm tree set

palm tree set

Palm tree print matching set – Forever 21

 If you feel like you’re suddenly on vacation in the tropics you may not be the only one 😉 It seems like tropical prints are everywhere this Spring! As an island girl (yes Sri Lanka is an island) I’m totally loving the tropical trend this year.

I like that tropical prints such as palm prints, fruity prints and tropical florals are all the rage this Spring. It’s a nice break from the conventional pastels. I’m really noticing some bright colours as well with reds, oranges and mustard yellows making an appearance for Spring 2018. Of course my all time favorite tropical print is … you guessed it palm print. If I could build an entire palm print room I totally would!

I’ve shared some of my favourite tropical pieces in this post.

Look #1 is a super cute banana print wrap dress from Forever 21. This dress is under $25! I love the bright colours and the banana print makes this dress so much fun to wear 🙂 I paired it with some bright yellow sequin earrings and a Street Level rattan circle bag.

Look #2 gives the illusion of a romper but it’s really 2 mix and match pieces. I found this super cute tropical floral off the shoulder top at Ardene. You can wear this top with a pair of jean shorts or a khaki green skirt but I decided to pair it with the matching shorts. Keeping with the tropical trend I found the perfect pair of palm tree earrings at Forever 21. To finish off this look I added a rattan circle bag and the cutest pair of palm tree sandals. I am so obsessed with these sandals, they just scream vacation and they’re under $20!

Look #3 is another Forever 21 outfit. I found this palm tree tie crop top online. I was also thrilled to find the matching shorts. This is another mix and match set where the top and bottom were sold separately. To accessorize I added my palm tree sandals and earrings (no surprise there right?).

What do you think of the tropical prints that are in for Spring? I find they make me think of a vacation and with the weather warming up it’ll almost feel like you’re on an island in the sun right? 😉

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Fashion

Polka Dots for Spring

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Yay it’s finally feeling like Spring in Ottawa this weekend! I don’t know about you but I’ve been noticing polka dots on just about everything in stores right now. I think I found the perfect polka dot dress for Spring this year. How adorable is this sage polka dot dress from Suzy Shier.

This dress is under $50 and has a V neckline and a tie around the waist for a classic silhouette. I find the dress almost has a retro feel to it.  The sleeveless design makes it perfect to pair with a light cardigan for a cooler Spring day. For this look I paired the dress with some white wedge heels with a bow detail at the front, white beaded earrings and my Cult Gaia Ark bag.

Does this dress by any chance remind you of another famous polka dot dress? I couldn’t help but think of Julia Roberts’ polo dress from Pretty Woman when I saw this dress in store.  Of course hers was brown and this is sage 😉 Speaking of polo I’m considering attending an event taking place in Ottawa this Summer called Polo In The Park. This event takes place on July 7, 2018 and tickets are currently on sale! Check out their website (linked in this post) for details. The event is held in support of two charities, Wounded Warriors Canada and the Rotary Club of Ottawa South. Have you attended Polo In The Park before? If so how was your experience? Let me know in the comments below.

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Fashion

Marquee Noir Collaboration

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You’ve probably noticed a few posts on my Instagram and Facebook accounts where I mention Marquee Noir. I’m really excited to share my collaboration with Marquee Noir with everyone! You’re probably wondering just what Marquee Noir is right?

Marquee Noir is a Canadian clothing company based in the GTA. They make sweatshirts, t-shirts and caps all bearing the names of Canadian cities or slogans. What’s really interesting about their merchandise is that they often have the airport code of Canadian cities along with the coordinates for each city printed on them. What a neat idea! I thought it was novel which is why I purchased the YOW sweatshirt. Their apparel is great for showing your Canadian pride or just looking chic at an airport or in the air 😉

The best part about this company is that they plant a tree for every order they receive. I love the fact that their fashions have a purpose. Shipping is quite fast too especially within Canada and you can track the progress of your order. Their customer service team is always ready to answer questions and address concerns.

I’m super excited to team up with this Canadian company and offer all my friends and followers a 15% discount on their Marquee Noir orders.

Just use the promo code: WKND

Happy shopping!

 

Beauty, Hair

T3 Whirl Trio Review

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Hair curled using T3 1.5′ straight barrel| Floral Blazer – Dynamite

Hair curled using T3 1′ straight barrel|Dress – Suzy Shier| Purse – Nordstrom

Hair curled using T3 1.25-0.75′ tapered barrel|Purse

 

If you’ve been following my blog posts in the last little while you’ve probably noticed that I’ve had curly or wavy hair in some of my photos 🙂 I received the T3 Whirl Trio curling iron for my birthday and I’ve been experimenting with different looks. After using it for about a month and a half I thought it would be good to provide a review since there’s so much buzz surrounding this product.

The Product

The T3 curling iron has an expensive look to it. It’s actually quite lovely to look at and comes in an off-white colour with rose gold details. The power base has 5 settings and LED lights behind each setting (I usually keep the heat low at setting 2 or 3). The curling iron heats up fast and can get very hot! This product travels well and is dual voltage compatible. I took my T3 with me on my trip to Dubai and was able to use it by adding in a converter plug for the prongs.

The Barrels

The Trio comes with a power base and 3 different types of interchangeable barrels. The 1.25-0.75 inch tapered barrel allows you to create soft tousled waves. The 1′ straight barrel is used for undone waves and the 1.5′ straight barrel creates loose waves.

The power base and the barrels are made of ceramic. One of the distinguishing features of the T3 trio is that the barrels are all clipless, unlike many other curling iron barrels. This takes a little getting used to so there’s a bit of a learning curve with this product. You basically wrap your hair around the barrels and hold it in place. The T3 does come with a heat resistant glove which can be used for extra protection.

The Price

T3 products are definitely more expensive than other brands. The trio costs around $350 CAD depending on where you buy it. I believe mine was ordered online from the Bay.

The Verdict

I’ve used many different ranges of curling irons from the Conair Clip Irons to the Curl Secret however I was never happy with the results from these products. I always struggled with the clip irons as I could never get both sides of my hair to look even and the curl would come apart throughout the day. I tried the Curl Secret which essentially does the work for you but it’s time consuming as you can only curl a small portion of hair at a time. This is a limitation of the product as the barrel chamber is fairly narrow. I found the curls lasted longer with the Curl Secret but the process was too tedious.

I have to say I’m extremely happy with the T3 trio. I use the iron on a weekly basis (at least once a week). I tend to use the 1.5′ barrel the most as I like the look of loose waves. This barrel also allows you to curl more hair as it’s wider. I would definitely recommend the T3 trio to someone who is looking to invest in a good curling iron. I like the option of having the 3 different barrels, it’s essentially 3 different curling irons in one package. I definitely think the product is on the expensive side but I’d look at it as an investment. It’s really about finding a product that works best for you and your hair type and the T3 works well for me 🙂

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Fashion

Printed Bell Sleeve Top

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I don’t know about you but I’m loving all the new Spring florals and pastels that are out in stores right now (even though I can’t wear them yet). If you follow my blog you probably noticed that I shop at Suzy Shier – a lot! I’m thrilled to share another fab Suzy find. I found the cutest printed bell sleeve top in Suzy Shier’s Eastern Airs collection.

This top comes in pastel green, a classic Spring colour with splashes of pink and creme in the print. The design on this top is reminiscent of the Chinoiserie chic trend that was all the rage last year. I love the feminine print of cranes and flowers on this top. The double bell sleeves are a fun frilly accent and give the top a light and airy feel. Goes perfectly with the crane print don’t you think? This top also has a tie in the back to keep it in place. You can adjust the back tie to your linking for a loose or tighter fit.

For a fun frilly Spring look I paired this top with a pair of white jeans (a Spring must-have) and some taupe ankle boots. I also found the perfect earrings for this top at Suzy Shier. If you haven’t checked out their accessories yet you’re missing out! They have many adorable styles to choose from at very reasonable prices!

I wore this Spring outfit to the pop-up flower market at the Rideau Centre. I thought it matched the the setting perfectly 🙂

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Fashion, Weekend Style

Beaded Boho Bag

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Is it Spring yet? It certainly doesn’t seem that way but I’ve been shopping with warmer weather in mind and just had to share one of my fave pieces for Spring 2018! I picked up this bright and colourful beaded boho bag at a market in Dubai and I think it’s just perfect for Spring and Summer. If you’re new to my blog you can read all about my Dubai adventures in my Dubai Diairies series.

I’ve noticed that the boho chic trend is totally in this Spring and this bag fits the bill perfectly. I love how the bright beading adds a pop of colour to my outfit. The bag comes with a removable strap which allows for it to be worn as a shoulder bag, a cross body or a clutch. I opted for a more casual weekend look and paired the bag with white jeans and a soft sage coloured t-shirt. I liked the bold colours int he bag and I wanted to reflect that in my jewelry so I added a pair of purple beaded earrings which I picked up at H&M. Not only are these earring so in right now but the beading in the earrings goes perfectly with the beading on the bag.

As I mentioned earlier I picked up this bag at the Old Souk in Dubai. I had to negotiate the price a bit but it cost be around $30 CAD which I thought was a steal! If you’re a fan of beaded bags too I’ve added links to some similar pieces below 🙂

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Lifestyle, Recipes, Wine & Dine

Hummingbird Cake

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So I guess it’s back to Winter again in Ottawa, even though it is technically Spring. Easter is one of my favourite times of the year. I love cooking a big Easter dinner for everyone. This year I was invited out to dinner so I decided to bring dessert. I wanted to try a new recipe so I opted for some southern comfort food and chose a Hummingbird Cake. This cake is full of flavour and excellent for  a Spring picnic or Summer BBQ. I was really pleased with how it turned out and everyone at the dinner loved it!

Here’s how to make it

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • A few pinches of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking power
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (if you want more of a cinnamon flavour add a full teaspoon)
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 cup of chopped pecans (divided)
  • 1 cup of ripe banana (mashed)
  • 1/2 can crushed pineapple (undrained)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 cups powered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 package  of Philadelphia Cream cheese

Instructions

Heat it up and prep the pans

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 2 9-inche round cake pans

Mix the dry ingredients

  • In a large bowl combine the flour, 1 cup of sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon

Add the wet ingredients

  • Add in vegetable oil, vanila extract and eggs. Stir until the dry ingredients are moist

Bring in the tropics

  • Stir in the banana, pineapple and 1/2 cup of pecans until evenly mixed

Bake it!

  • Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans and place in the oven for 25 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 mins and them move them to wire racks to cool.

Ice ice baby

  • To make the cream cheese frosting: beat the butter with an electric mixer until softened and add powdered sugar gradually.
  • Add vanilla extract and salt and mix until smooth
  • Turn your mixer setting to Medium and add the cream cheese in 1 piece at a time. Mix until all the cream cheese has been incorporated.
  • Once the cakes have cooled spread the frosting between the layers of cake and cover the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the other half of the chopped pecans over the top of the cake

ENJOY!