my version of "outdoorsy"

I’m so jealous of all you lucky folk with your long weekend! Mondays are such a drag… fortunately the weather here is absolutely gorgeous, so getting out of bed was a little easier!

Yesterday was my Grandparents’ 55^th wedding anniversary so the entire family came over for a BBQ. There are so many young children on my mother’s side of the family, so my little Coco was completely spoiled with attention! Fortunately for me that also means she passed out at a reasonable hour and didn’t mind being put in her crate when it was bedtime.

I thought this skirt & tank top combination was the perfect BBQ ensemble, and it also marked my first foray into pattern mixing! Nothing too adventurous, just a simple mix of polka dots and stripes, but I think I did pretty well!

cardi - swap (2011); tank - Dynamite (2011); skirt - thrifted (2010); clogs - Aldo (2011)

Wanted: Awesome Photographer Friend :)

Wanted:
Awesome photographer friend to come take pictures of me on a regular basis, tell me how hot I look, and ask me to pose like a sexy tiger.

Qualifications:
-Must possess an excellent vocabulary of adjectives to encourage me.
-Must not laugh at me when I inevitably look silly.
-Must be patient when I whine about how nothing is turning out.
-Must be able to brave the elements!
-.... oh and I guess knowledge of a DSLR would be a plus too, but not a requirement :)

Friend Friday: A Hair-y Issue

I haven't really been keeping up with the Friend Friday's as of lately, but I do always enjoy reading everyone else's answers. My posts will be sporadic in this genre... but when they're quick and simple, I'll usually partake. Thanks, as usual, Katy!

1. How often do you get your hair cut?
Not as often as I should, I’m sure. Probably once every 3 months? Sometimes I go longer…

2. Do you go to the same stylist each time, try someone new, go to the cheap hair cutting chains or live it up in a salon?
Since I moved back to Ottawa a year ago I’ve had my hair cut 3 times, each at a different salon. Currently my good friend Sarah has been doing my hair. She works at Scissors in Stittsville, but has a cute little salon set up right in her house where I’ll get mine done. She’s responsible for the sexy bangs I’ve been rocking since March. I’m probably in need of a trim too… *ahem*

3. Do you color your hair? How often? What’s your natural color?
I currently have some chunky peek-a-boo highlights, but this brown is all natural. I used to dye my hair darker all the time until I was told it makes me look washed out.

4. The one thing you always do to keep your hair looking great is:
I don’t love my hair, but I have received compliments… I’d say it’s because I never blow dry it – not because I’m concerned about keeping it healthy, but just because I’m far too lazy.

5. What hair trend do you love and wish you could rock?

I would LOVE to go platinum blonde like Gwen Stefani, 80s Madonna, or Gaga, but I know the amount of upkeep with my dark roots and brows would just be ridiculous. Refer to my lazy comment in #4.

photo credit: Google Images Search

Building a Budget

If you know me in real life, it will come as no surprise that I LOVE Canadian financial guru Gail Vaz Oxlade. She's one of my career idols. This lady just makes SENSE!

The secret to my financial "success"? Her simple rules.
Don't spend more than you make.
Credit cards are the devil.
ALWAYS have savings.

Sounds simple enough, right? But you'd be surprised how many people just don't.
Sure, I'm human and I slip up, spend a little more than I've allocated to category, bring out the credit card for an impulsive buy, but because I have a plan (of sorts) I can always figure it out.

If you have a few minutes, you should check out the resources section on her website. It definitely helped me get my finances in check and plan for the future, something that as a young adult I never thought mattered.

My favorite is her "build a budget" tool. Download the excel version and it does all the calculations for you!

Fire in Your New Shoes

I've come down with some sort of flu, so to make myself feel better I thought I'd blog about my favorite topic: New Shoes.

I definitely went over my monthly clothing/shoe budget this month. While a "Monthly Money Check-Up" is actually on its way this month, I thought I'd take a little survey to find out whether a recent purchase is a yey, or a nay.


cardigan - Dynamite (2011); tank - Dynamite (2011); pants - Gap (2010);
clogs - Aldo "Markley" (2011)

So I realize that they're not 100% "my style" (if we can say i have a specific style...), but I'm so in love with the clog trend, and these are surprisingly easy to walk in...

What do we think?

Here's to the Long Weekend!

Hope all you Canadians had a fabulous long weekend!
Mine was filled with BBQ's, ferris wheels, cottages, and will end this evening with fireworks... (I'm hoping both literal and figurative!)

blouse - Jacob (2010); jeans - Dynamite (2011); necklace - Smart Set (2010);
wedges - Aldo (2011)

In Praise of Skirts

I love the way a skirt can make me feel instantly sexier. When I first started blogging I would hardly ever wear them, unless they were made of jean, but I’m so glad other bloggers turned me on to them!

It highlights my waist, the fuller ones hide a belly after large lunches, and you can’t help but want to twirl in it. Who cares if it’s pouring buckets out and people look at you like you’re crazy? I do what makes me feel good, and yesterday deserved a good skirt.

cardigan - Zara (2010); tee - Swap (2011); skirt - Zara (2010);
boots - Sirens (2010)

The disco ball on the ceiling looks like tha chain that I'm wearin'

We were totally teased last week with the beautiful weather! This past weekend was awful, cold, and wet. Seriously Spring, you need to make up your mind. Poor Coco does not like the rain at all. It makes house-training a whole lot harder too!

My step-mother lent me Brad Pattison's book "unleashed" yesterday on dog training and I'm already half way through it. He's such a clever guy, and very easy to read. While I don't agree with everything he says (i LIKE giving my little girl treats when she's done somethign I'm impressed with, and I hardly think it's fair to keep my dog off the furniture when my cat, Milo, has free reign over the entire house) I do completely agree with his thoughts on asserting yourself as the alpha in the relationship, and how dogs respond best to non-verbal commands. Coco's already a pro on her leash and definitely is aware of when she does something I don't approve of. Whether you have a dog at home already, or are even considering making the addition to your family, I highly recommend picking this book up.

Also, how bomb is this necklace I recently re-found amongst boxes of junk? Awesome, I know. I'll get a better shot of it next time, I swear.

tee - Winners (2011); jeans - Tommy Hilfiger (2011); discoball - LeChateau (2009);
wedges - Fergie (2009)

title courtesy of Good Charlotte's "keep your hands off my girl"

Spring in my Step

I have no idea what happened to this post. I definitely posted this outfit, even my facbook log says it was posted May 12th... and then it just disappeared! I don't really remember what I wrote, but I'm pretty sure the jist of it was that after much contemplation, I love this skirt.

cardigan - Zara (2010); tee - Aeropostale (2010); belt - Smart Set (2010);
skirt - Thrifted (2010); wedges - Aldo (2011)

It's Puppy Love!

I’m really good at disappearing for long periods of time, aren’t I? At least I have good excuses…. Usually.
I would love for you all to meet the newest addition to my family, Miss Coco Pasqualina!
I’ve wanted a dog for as long as I can remember and thoroughly did my homework. I decided on a little pug because their lifestyle suits my own, and let’s face it, they’re so damn ugly that they’re adorable. I originally went to a pug rescue as I would love to give an abandoned animal a loving home, but my applications were never approved because I have no experience with dogs. I will definitely keep Under My Wing Pug Rescue in mind for my next one though.
Of course her name is an homage to the eternal icon Gabrielle Coco Chanel, but the “Pasqualina” was so dubbed by my lovely gma who claimed that she had a good friend back in Italy with a scrunched-up face just like little Coco’s who went by that name, and now refuses to call her anything else. Haha, she’s a lovely woman sometimes, isn’t she?

Anyways, I assume having a new puppy is along the lines of having a small child. She wakes me up at crazy hours during the night, ALWAYS wants to play, and is teething, so she insists on chewing everything! Fortunately, no shoes were harmed… yet.

I'm completely and totally in love!

Let's Get Political

The federal election is finally over.

While I am NOT impressed with the fact that the Conservatives are now governing with a majority government, I am incredibly happy that the NDP is the official opposition. I have always been a socialist, to the point in university where my views were often referred to as borderline communist. No, I don’t believe that the government should be involved in all of our affairs, but the division of equity among citizens, both Canadian and American, has been unjust at best for the longest time. Is it too much to ask for both small businesses and International organizations to be granted the same benefits? For wait times at hospitals for those without the monetary means to be reasonable? For children to be granted a fair and equitable chance at an education despite the area they grew up in, or their social upbringing? For those without higher education to still be given opportunities for employment and advancement without big business merely searching for a way to satisfy stakeholders and increase profits?

Yes, I am a student of business, trying to become an accountant, and a shameless consumer whore, but profits are by no means my bottom line. Sustainability, job security, continuous education, and fair measurement of achievement, have always been priorities.

We can only wait and see how the next couple of years unfold, but I for one am glad that Layton, his glorious mustache, and his left wing views are finally given a voice.

Oh, and since this is a style blog, I believe an outfit is in order.

button down - Walmart (2011), skirt - BCBG (2009), heels - Aldo (2010)