Extended Weekend Recap

Whew..what a weekend! Definitely filled with plenty of highs and lows, that's for certain! For one, I can't believe it's already December! It'll be Christmas before we know it, and then after that it'll be a whole new year!

Since I work in retail, I knew this weekend was going to be a big one with Black Friday...not as crazy as I've seen it get in the United States, but certainly busier than a typical busy day! I have to say, the chaotic frenzy of shopping on Black Friday weekend is just not for me. 

For goodness sake, one of the main reasons I prefer online shopping is that I get to avoid the crowds. It's not that I don't like people, it's just that I would rather not jostle through the crowds, wait in line to try a shirt on that I know dozens (if not more) have already tried on, and then wait in line, at this point both tired and hot, to pay a slightly cheaper price for a pair of jeans I don't really love anyway. 

Love this movie! Confessions of a Shopaholic! 

Instead, I prefer spending a quiet afternoon browsing the entire available stock of any given company, at my leisure, from the comfort of my own home. I don't have to worry about discovering that the store doesn't have my size, because I don't have to deal with going into the store at all. Yes, there is always the potential that what I ordered doesn't fit or isn't quite right, but I must admit, this is becoming less and less of a problem with wonderfully stress-free return policies! Most reputable companies will even return your online purchases right in the store for you! With so many companies leveling out the differences between in-store and online shopping, in most cases, I find it easier to stick to my computer since I'll be getting the same great deals no matter what. 

Me + Yvonne right before we
dropped her off at the bus station.

In any case, I will admit that I did make one purchase over the Black Friday weekend, and I did it online! Since last winter, when I first tried it on, I wanted an Alpinetek parka from Sears. I got to try one on last year, and it was wonderful! I absolutely love my TNA parka from Aritzia, but sadly it's not the warmest coat once the temperature dips past -20..which it often does here in Ottawa between January-March. Anyway, I finally bought the Alpinetek parka, along with the Alpinetek winter boots, which even my husband will admit I actually needed! Since both items were reduced by about 30% off, plus Ryan's discount of 25% off, I got both items severely reduced! 

The most exciting thing that happened this weekend however, was a visit from our friend Yvonne! It wasn't a complete surprise, but it was planned very last minute, so it was still a bit unexpected. Yvonne and I went to UBC together, and actually hadn't seen each other since graduation (check out that post here). She's been working as an airline stewardess, and happened to be flying into Montreal on Sunday afternoon. After she took the train to Ottawa, we picked her up and headed back to our apartment! Since I worked on Monday morning, Ryan was kind enough to play tourist with Yvonne and do a tour of Parliament. Once I finished work for the day, we all met up and headed over to the dog park with Rocky. By 5:00 pm we were all feeling pretty hungry, so we decided to go to Hooley's Pub for their great deal on wings (only 45 cents on Monday nights!). Yvonne was even brave enough to try the Suicide Sauce wings..which I should note she was hardly fazed by! 

Me + Ryan..do you think he's
cold or camera shy?

To put it simply, Tuesday did not start out very well for me. I woke up and got out of bed around 5:30 am, which is when Ryan is awake anyway, since he goes to work before 6:00 am most mornings. I felt a bit nauseous, so I sat down on the ground in the bathroom to prepare myself for the worst...except something unexpected happened instead..I fainted! Luckily, I was sitting down, so I didn't have too far to fall, although not so luckily, I hit my head on the door as I was going down, because I now have a scratch-like mark and a bit of a welt where I clipped the side of my forehead. Up until Tuesday, I had never fainted before in my life, so I didn't really realize what had happened until Ryan and Yvonne explained that they heard a "thud", and when they got to me, I was lying on the ground. I was really disoriented when I came to, but both Ryan and Yvonne were amazing at looking after me and making sure I was alright! I am so thankful they were both there! Anyway, I've been to the doctor to follow-up and there doesn't seem to be any lasting damage, so for the next few days I'll just be taking it easy until my head heals! 

Hope you've all had a great start to the week! 

What to Expect, Bring, and Avoid at a Bridal Consultation

As a follow-up to my last post about my David's Bridal dress shopping experience, this post is going to be all about what to bring, expect, and avoid at a bridal consultation. I've watched countless Say Yes to the Dress episodes over the years, and in some ways, it's not that far off...just less cameras, drama, and generally less staff helping you out! 

What to Expect

* Depending on when the consultation is, the store can be very busy, so you should expect to have to be patient at times. It's not really all that much to ask for since there are so many beautiful dresses to look at while you wait. Even when you're in the fitting rooms, they provide iPads so you can browse through their inventory at your leisure. I brought a list of dresses that I had picked out from the website, and I am so glad I did because it provided my consultant with a clear idea of the style of dress I was looking for.

* Expect to be stripping down in front of your consultant! Those dresses are not exactly easy to get into, so don't think for one second that you'll be shimmying into them all on your own! The consultants do this for a living, so don't worry...they see half naked bodies all the time and yours won't faze them in the least. 

What to Bring

* Since you'll be getting half naked for your appointment, I would really recommend that you don't wear the wrong kind of underwear. What I mean by that is, you're going to want to either wear or bring a pair of undies that are discreet enough to hide underneath your dress. If you're wearing bright pink undies and you're trying on a light, form-fitting dress, you are probably going to be able to see your underwear and it will inevitably distract from your perception of the dress. 

* Make sure someone in your group brings a camera to take pictures of every dress you try on! I only tried on 6 dresses, but I can imagine after 10+, things would start to get confusing, so it's always good to have pictures to look at later when you're making the final decision. 

* I brought my wedding shoes with me to my appointment, but I didn't end up wearing them. Instead, I used a pair that they had in the store, which worked out better because they were much easier to get on and off between dresses (mine have tiny little ankle straps). In any case, I would recommend bringing your bridal shoes with you anyway, just so you can get a better idea of how they will look with your dress. 

What to Avoid 

* Wedding dress shopping is a very significant moment in a woman's life, and certainly a special event worth sharing with friends and family. However, that being said, it's important to not lose sight of what you want from your dress! Having the love and support of family and friends is absolutely wonderful, don't get me wrong, but if you've brought 10+ people with you for the appointment, it might get a bit overwhelming with so many opinions swirling around. At the end of the day, it's all about what you are comfortable with, so don't feel too badly if you can't invite every woman in your address book!

* If you have a price point, stick to it as much as you can. Wedding dresses can be VERY expensive, so if your budget is $900, don't bother trying on that $1500 dress unless you are fully prepared to hang it right back up afterwards! 
* Be considerate! Your consultant is there to help you, and your group is there to support you...but you can't be a bridezilla! If your bridal consultation is scheduled for an hour and a half, don't be difficult and stretch it out over your allotted time. Not only are you making your consultant late for her next appointment, but you're also forcing the next bride to wait until you're finished. General rule of thumb: be considerate and avoid excessive demands. 

*Finally, avoid feeling guilty if you don't buy a dress. Finding the right wedding dress is a very big decision, so it really shouldn't be rushed. Even if you think you've found the right one, sometimes it's a good idea to step away from the situation and give yourself some time to think it over. Just because you don't make a purchase during your appointment, doesn't mean you won't ever buy a dress. It will all come in time, and you will find the perfect dress! 

Wedding Dress Shopping

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend because I know I certainly did! After having to re-schedule due to a cold a few weeks ago, I finally went to David's Bridal to try on wedding blessing dresses! Initially, I will admit I wasn't completely sold on the whole ritual, but now I am so happy I went and really excited about finding a dress! 

I am so thankful that my mum and aunt drove up from Kingston for the appointment, along with my mother-in-law and grandma, who came from Richmond and Kanata respectively! It was really special for me to have them all there, and I really appreciated their support and insight.

When we arrived at the bridal store, I was surprised to see quite a few groups of people all huddled outside waiting for the doors to open. I guess I hadn't expected it to be so busy at 11:00 am on a Sunday morning! Since we had arrived about twenty minutes early, we took the extra time to grab a coffee, before returning to the store for the appointment. Unfortunately, this is when my mum discovered that at some point earlier that morning (likely when they had stopped for gas), she had lost her bank card! Luckily, my mother-in-law was kind enough to offer to take my mum to the bank and sort the whole thing out, so they left just as soon as we signed in for our appointment at the front desk. Since it was so busy, they had us browse around through the racks while we waited for our consultant to call my name over the intercom. After about 10 minutes, we met with the consultant and headed back to the fitting rooms to start the appointment. 

I had done my research, so I actually came prepared with a list of my favorite designs featured on their website, complete with style numbers to make them easier to find on their inventory system (those of you who know me well enough won't be surprised by this!). I tried on 6 dresses in total, but was feeling really anxious since neither my mum or mother-in-law were there to see the first 4 that I tried on. I was thankful I wasn't alone, but I was starting to get pretty anxious that they were going to miss the whole thing. Thankfully, they arrived, and I was SO happy to see them standing there when I stepped out of the fitting room with dress #4 on!

There were so many beautiful dresses in the store, and it was a bit overwhelming at first, but I must say, the consultants are very knowledgeable and helpful! Of the 6 dresses I tried on, it was pretty easy to nix three of them right away, but once we narrowed the decision down to two, things got a lot more difficult! We didn't end up buying a dress, but I'm not the least bit upset, because first of all, I know that we will, and second of all, I really needed some time away from the bridal store to process everything and really think about exactly what I wanted anyway. 

After I got changed back into my regular clothes, the five of us headed over to Scores for some much needed sustenance! There aren't a whole lot of choices when it comes to restaurants in the Trainyards, but Scores is actually a pretty great place to go! They are kind of like Swiss Chalet to me, in that they both pride themselves on rotisserie-style chicken. In any case, the food was great and it was nice to sit down and relax a bit! Once everyone finished eating, my mum and aunt left to drive back to Kingston and my mother-in-law drove me back home to Ryan and Rocky! 

Now that I've looked at the photos over a hundred times and had the chance to sleep on it, I am much more decided about which dress I want! That being said, I don't have another appointment until mid-December, so we'll see if I'm still in love with my current choice when I try it on again! I never thought I would say this, but patience and time will really be the determining factor here! Of course, there's always that gut instinct, but I honestly think that if it's the right dress, I'll love it and know it's the right one when I try it on again in a few weeks! I am VERY excited to try it on again, that's for sure!

I am so happy that we went to David's Bridal to try on dresses, and I would highly recommend the experience. I'm planning on doing a follow-up post about what to "expect, bring, and avoid" at a bridal consultation, so stay tuned for that! 

From Summer to Autumn

With only one more week left in August, it looks like summer is finally coming to a close. Overall, I would definitely say it's been a lot of fun, with plenty of warm sunny days and lots of great memories! After all, I got married this summer, so obviously it was a very special one for me! 

But alas, every year summer can only last so long before the leaves start to turn, the weather cools down, and the kids go back to school in the fall. Even though I'm no longer a student, I still very much enjoy the idea of "back to school" shopping, although for me, it's more like "time for autumn" shopping instead.

When I was younger, I used to beg my mother tirelessly for an entirely new wardrobe full of the latest styles every time we went back to school shopping. Now that I'm comfortable with the knowledge that having good style doesn't necessarily mean being trendy, I am much happier continuing to build on my more classic wardrobe by working in versatile and timeless pieces here and there.

Now, in terms of making an effortless transition from summer to autumn, it's important to know what to store and what to buy. 


Store
*shorts (denim, twill, cotton..pack them all away until next summer)
*brightly colored tops (anything in aqua, lemon yellow, coral, or magenta) 
*linen (linen pants, tops, skirts, and shorts..appropriate for beach weather only)
*swimsuits and cover-ups (no longer acceptable as casual wear)
*sundresses (sadly, as pretty as they are, you'll have to put these away until next year)
*sandals and summer hats (no need for straw hats and flip flops anymore)

Buy
*denim (medium to dark wash, least one pair of skinny jeans, and one pair of boot cut jeans)
*fall colored tops (oxblood, plum, hunter green, navy, mocha, black, and charcoal grey)
*prints (herringbone, tweed, nautical stripe, fall florals) 
*knit sweaters (relaxed, chunky, fitted...you can't go wrong)
*scarves and boots (cozy knits in fall colors and stylish yet functional boots in sturdy leather)
*jackets and blazers (perfect way to top off your look and keep warm as the weather cools)

Making the style transition from summer to autumn isn't quite as daunting as it may seem. Many pieces already in rotation throughout the summer can be adapted to the cooler weather by adding layers and accessories. 

For example, a blue and white striped summer dress can make for a stunning fall look when paired with the right accessories!

Similarly, that perfect summer chambray dress can be worn with a classic tartan cape to create an effortless fall look.

*Featured outfit combinations available from ModCloth. 

Outfit of the Day + VS Body Sprays

Happy Wednesday! 

It's been a pretty great day so far, complete with sunshine and warm weather! Ryan and I went downtown this morning and he bought me a few Victoria's Secret body sprays. We didn't linger in the store for too long, but I did get to test out almost every scent they had on the shelves. The three body sprays that I picked out are: Love Spell, Love Addict, and Pure Seduction. A lot of the other scents I tested were either way too strong (like sniffing a bottle of acetone! No thank you!), or smelled like sunscreen. Everyone has different preferences, and even if it smells nice in the bottle, it might sit differently on your skin. In any case, those are the three that I selected and I couldn't be happier! You can buy them all online here!

Love Spell: A flirty, floral fragrance. Hypnotize in Love Spell, a vibrant, irresistible blend of lush cherry blossom and juicy peach. 

Love Addict: The fruity fragrance you can't get enough of, infused with conditioning aloe vera and calming chamomile.

Pure Seduction: A flirty, floral fragrance. Entice in Pure Seduction, a passionate romance of succulent red plum and sweet freesia.


And here's the outfit I wore today! I didn't want my look to be too casual, so I opted for a light and airy dress in a modern geometric print, paired with a denim jacket, and a few accessories. 

Dress: Old Navy / Jacket: American Eagle /
Belt: Anthropologie / Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren

The simple elegance of a print dress in a neutral color (in this case, black and white), is effortlessly complimented by classic accessories in different textures (like denim). 

The crescent moon necklace I'm wearing was a birthday gift from my parents and it has a beautifully engraving with the words: "I love you to the moon and back". Thank you again for such a beautiful gift! 

Hope everyone is having a great day!