Red Power Suit

Nothing makes you feel more motivated at the office than wearing a great power suit. Although work wear may sometimes be labeled as boring adhering to your company’s dress code doesn’t mean you have to skimp on colour. I find a lot of work wear whether it be dresses, skirts or pants tends to come in the stereotypical boring I mean boardroom colours – black and grey. That’s why I was so excited when I spotted this fabulous red blazer at Suzy Shier. I was happy to find that there was a pair of matching pants. Suzy Shier is very reasonably priced when it comes to work wear and often has promotions that offer the pants free when you buy the blazer or vice versa. Promotion or not I was extremely pleased with the cut and fit of both the pants and the blazer. Suzy Shier does offer work wear in the traditional colours but I was happy to see some variation as well. I often shop there for my work wear and get a lot of complements and questions about where I got my clothes. Suzy also has a great sales and their 40% off the entire store sale is something I look forward to. If you live in Canada I would recommend checking them out, you never know what you’ll find.

I paired this red hot suit with a classic white short sleeved blouse and these super cute Siriano for Payless black and white pumps. The bag is a Louis Vuitton I invested in a few years ago. It’s a great bag for work as it’s structured and sturdy with reinforced handles. I also use the LV Neverfull MM which is another great tote for work – it literally never gets full. I can honestly say you get your money’s worth with Louis Vuitton bags. I’ve had my Neverfull for about 7 years now and it’s still going strong.

Faux Suede Embroidered Skirt

The embroidery trend is so hot this Fall that I just had to share another great find with you. Embroidery is pretty much everywhere and I’ve noticed different trends being mixed and matched this year. For example Chinoiserie is totally in and is a great complement to  the embroidery trend.

Suede has been a Fall staple for ages and this year is no exception. This cute and trendy faux suede embroidered skirt from Forever 21 is perfect for Fall. I love the intricate embroidery depicting birds and flowers in keeping with the Chinoiserie theme. I paired it with a classic black turtle neck (a must have for Fall and Winter) and these fitted faux suede booties from Steve Madden. I decided to do a bare leg with the skirt but as the days get cooler you can add a pair of opaque tights – here’s where you can choose to play it safe and go for black tights or take a risk and opt for something brighter like a burgundy or a purple to bring out the colours in the embroidery. I also wore a fabulous parrot cocktail right that picked up at Unique Accessories, it seemed to match the birds on the skirt. If you’re looking for a piece that combines all the hottest Fall trends I highly recommend this skirt.

A Touch of Blush Pink

Fall is in finally in full swing, and while the usual autumn colours can still be found in stores there’s a new colour that’s totally trending right now – blush pink! Although blush pink or pastel pink is typically associated with Spring and early Summer it’s been a big player in the Fall Fashion scene this year. Blush pink can be found just about everywhere in sweaters, skirts, scarves and even pleather jackets and skirts. Pink is one of my favourite colours so I’m definitely loving this trend.

Here’s how I added a touch of pink to my Fall wardrobe:

I picked up this open front fall coat from Suzy Shier which also comes in grey. If you’re looking for a bit more warmth you can opt for this belted wrap coat which comes in a variety of different colours including blush pink. I paired my coat with this rose coloured Burberry scarf which can be found at Nordstrom. Although the coat cost considerably less than the scarf when you put them together no one can tell the difference. I decided to invest in the cashmere scarf as it is a high quality item with staying power. I still have my first Burberry scarf which I purchased 12 years ago and it’s in great shape. With Burberry you certainly get what you pay for. Maintaining the blush pink trend I also picked up this cute dolman sleeve sweater and this midi length ballerina inspired skirt from, you guessed it, Suzy Shier.

Embroidered Kimono Top

 

There are a few trends I’ve noticed this Fall and embroidery seems to be so hot right now. I’ve been shopping a lot at Suzy Shier lately as they are one of my favourite Canadian retailers. I picked up this cute embroidered kimono top on one of my latest shopping hauls.  It’s totally on trend, super light and easy to wear. You can dress it up with black pants and stilletos or opt for a casual look like I did. I’ve paired it with a basic white tee and these cropped distressed skinny jeans from Suzy as well. The jeans can be worn as is with a frayed hem or you can roll them up in to capris like I did.  I found these olive peep toe booties at Payless and they just seemed to fit so well.

Teal Faux Leather Jacket

I absolutely love this faux leather jacket from Suzy Shier. It’s perfect for Fall and comes in 3 colours. I opted for the teal as it’s a rather unusual colour for Fall. Suzy Shier is currently having a BOGO 50% off sale which includes this jacket so don’t miss out!

Business Chic for Weekend Networking

This weekend I had the pleasure of participating in the 4th annual Immigrant Women’s Small Business Expo. The event is hosted by Canadian Small Business Women. I’ve had the privilege of being a part of the Ottawa event since it’s inception in 2013. This year I was part of the panel, as I have been in the past but I also got the chance to promote my blog.

For this event I wanted to achieve a business chic look. I decided to pair this cream pencil skirt with a ruffle from Dynamite , with a great sheer bodysuit from Guess by Marciano. The skirt is fitted and not very forgiving so I opted for a body suit to achieve a more clean, sleek look. I topped it off with these super comfy, lace up block heels by Christian Siriano for Payless Shoes.

 

Beats + Brunch at Andaz Ottawa

Brunch is one of my favourite things to do on the weekend 🙂  Beats + Brunch is the trendiest brunch event in Ottawa at the moment. Held at the Rooftbar Bar – Copper Spirits and Sights atop the Andaz Hotel, the event takes places on the last Sunday of every month. Seats are hard to come by as the event is always sold out but I was fortunate to make in for the August and September editions.  Beats + Brunch is a buffet style brunch with appetizers brought to your table. $40 plus taxes gets you access to the buffet, appetizers, tea/coffee and a glass of bubbly. You can take in views of the Byward Market and Parliament while you eat as this brunch offers indoor and outdoor seating on the 16th floor of the hotel. I highly recommend making a reservation far in advance to avoid disappointment. It’s also a good idea to check in with the staff at Andaz and confirm your reservation.

Wear It Like You Mean It

I love slogan tees! They’re a great way to show off your personality and spread a message at the same time. I’m currently loving this positive piece from Suzy Shier with a great call to action. It’s a double layer print screen tee with a sheer pink on top and a shiny silver on the bottom. I paired it with black shorts and slip on flats for a casual look, but you can dress this tee up with black pants and a blazer. Get it while it lasts! Don’t just stand there, make it happen 😉

Summer to Fall Transition Outfit

It’s that time of year when nights get colder and the leaves start to change. The transition from Summer to Fall is always a tough period to dress for. Luckily retailers have stepped up this year incorporating Summer colours with Fall fabrics! Check out this outfit I put together from Suzy Shier 

The mesh skirt comes in 2 colours pink and black, I opted for the pink. The pullover sweater comes in 4 different colours and is a versatile piece for Fall and Winter. The slippers are Circus by Sam Edelman which can be found at Sears or on the Circus website. They also come in a leopard print which is trending this Fall.  You can also dress this outfit up by changing the shoes from flats to black pumps.

Tassel Earrings for a Dramatic Pop of Colour

Don’t you just love weekends? I don’t know about you but I certainly do! I’ve recently started experimenting with my style and like to try out new looks and pieces on the weekends 🙂 I just love these tassel earrings from H&M. They come in a variety of different colours and add a hint of drama and a pop of colour to any outfit! I’ve got my red ones on to add some colour to this laid back grey and black outfit. The top is from Garage and the soft shorts are from Dynamite.