Wedding Planning: Shoes

I picked up my wedding shoes yesterday and I love them! I'm a really tall girl so I am not wearing heels on my wedding day. I also ordered extra length on my dress so no one will really see my shoes (much) anyways. I just want to be comfy. So I bought a pair or flats that I can wear on their own and I went to Celebration Shoes and had shoe clips custom made. It was a really neat experience and I love my new wedding shoes. Too bad I can't wear the flats til next summer but it'll be worth the wait. 

Now on the bridesmaid dress shopping!! We are going to three stores today in hopes of finding their dresses. Cross your fingers for us and happy Saturday :) 

~B

1940s Bride

I was going through some pictures tonight and came across these pics my my grandparent's wedding. It looks like their wedding was small and simple. Seems to be the way to get hitched in my family which I'm down with. I can't help but notice her suit and how different this wedding attire is from what most people wear today. I don't think this is typical of most 1940s brides but it definitely works for the occasion. She looks beautiful and they look so happy! I can't wait to see what our wedding photos will look like.  

Hoi Bo

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I was browsing in the Distillery District the other day when I came across the new Hoi Bo storefront. I have always loved the cotton wax coated Hoi Bo bags simply because they are handmade in Toronto, from start to finish. The bags look and feel really durable and eventually develop a shiny finish with use (see last picture). I have a couple of clients that own these bags and so far the reviews are good.

If you visit the Distillery District you will likely see the lines owner and designer Sarra Tang working away in her factory, which is sometimes open to the public. It's pretty interesting to see her work ... I am always amazed by how much work and attention to detail goes into making something we often take for granted. If you want to take a peak, go visit the distillery or you can see Sarra working in this video.

The store is really nice and the staff are really friendly. I noticed that they have expanded the line to also include kangaroo leather pouches and lambskin bags (made to order). My favourite are the black cotton bags with the natural leather handles and straps that will patina over time.

Hope you're all having a wonderful Thursday. It's a pretty warm November day here in Toronto and the sun is really shining. I went spinning during my lunch break and am feeling really good :)

~B

Peplum and Swings

Yesterday I had lunch in Trinity Bellwoods Park with a friend. It was a lovely day so we took some pics. Here I am wearing my new fave shirt. I love the peplum trend and have been eager to try it. I don't have the flattest stomach and find that peplum can be quite flattering on many women. I thought it looked weird on me at first but now I love it. 

Have you guys seen the new swings literally hanging from the trees in the park? I love them! I spent some time there after work on Tuesday as well, just swinging ... and swinging ... looking up at the sky. I could have stayed there forever ... sigh.

I'm wearing

stripped peplum shirt - Queen St. West boutique

Sam Edelman 'Trina' sandals in natural

House of Harlow Black Resin necklace

Big Blue jeans sold at Plenty in Vancouver (they sell 34 inseam so I

stocked up on my last visit)

B~

That hair! OR Is it no hair at all?

Check out this girl spotted in NYC. I saw this pic on The Satorialist earlier today and the first thing I noticed was her beauty and HER HAIR! Or is it really that she has barely any hair at all (which I find quite liberating and fresh)? I realize that I haven't said anything on the blog about my hair but it's been quite the journey. I went from having hair exactly like this as a child in Nigeria to having braids when I came to Canada, straightened hair in high school and university then braids for a short while AND THEN I did what I wanted to do for a long time AND cut it all off!!! Well, not all of it I guess. I now have a short afro which I completely love. My hair now takes like 5 mins to do and I feel like myself again, not trying to be like everyone else with long straight hair. For some reason (well I know exactly why) I thought that was beauty. That I had to fit in. Well, I'm about to turn 28 and am finally growing into my own lol! I'm about 6 feet tall so there really isn't any fitting in for me, is there? I love my new style and hair and know that one day I will go even shorter. Some wonderful women in my life have even suggested that I do this!!! I love the simplicity of this girl's look and think that her short hair really lets her beauty shine through. SO inspiring!

Okay that's all for now about hair ... will definitely be coming back to this topic!

Lemon and Stripes

This morning I had a little more time to get ready. I didn't book a 9am client and had time to laze around the house and take a couple of pics. I bought this lemon yellow blouse at Mendochino a couple of weekends ago and love it! I have always sworn that I cannot wear yellow but this summer I have gotten quite tanned and can pull it off. Here I am wearing it under my stripped H&M blazer. I love this blazer and for some reason stuffed it in the back of my closet. You're probably thinking it's way to hot out to be wearing a blazer but my office is freezing! Last night I pulled it out along with my plain white blazer which I plan to get more wear out of.


Happy Tuesday!

That Dress!

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Not sure if you guys have seen this dress and if you'll like it but I think it's gorgeous. My mom and I saw it last week when browsing in Anthropologie and we both thought it was amazing. I love the outdoorsy/feminine feel of this dress and think it would be perfect for a garden wedding. I think it could also be dressed down with the right accessories. Maybe for a brunch or wedding shower? I am not sure how it would look on me because I haven't tried it on. Just as well because it's waaaaay out of my price range! You can get it at Anthropologie for $298 USD. Aaahhh! A girl can dream, can't she?

What do you think? 

Something New ... and REALLY Old!

I really really love jewellery, maybe even more than I love clothing and other accessories. Even better is jewellery that has been passed down through generations. I have been fortunate to receive really, REALLY, old jewellery from both sides of my family. Lately, I have been enjoying two gold rings passed down from my mother. One of them has some writing engraved on it that I can't make out. I am really curious to find out what it says. I am also completely in love with stacked rings. I love all combinations but my fave is mixing gold and silver. I've had my eye on two silver rings at Pandora for a few months now and finally caved in today! I am enjoying mixing and matching them with my gold band and can see myself wearing them everyday. 

Nautical Stripes, Gold & Garden Party

This past Sunday I attended a dinner with the bf and his colleagues. It took place in a backyard/garden and was absolutely amazing! The table was so well decorated that I felt like I was at a small, intimate wedding. Not to mention that the food was delicious!

I ate BBQ'd artichoke with aioli sauce for the first time and the stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon was to die for! Overall, it was a wonderful evening spent with friends that ended with a wacky game of charades. I can't wait for the next dinner. What makes it even better is that all the proceedes for the dinner went to the United Way of Canada.

I wore a nautical stripped maxi that I picked up for $40 when on vaca in Miami. I often have difficulty finding maxis because I am tall. This one is perfect :)

Here's to more outdoor dinners and evenings spent playing silly games with friends!!

Outfit 
Dress: Anthropologie (no longer on site)
Bag: J. Crew Invitation Clutch
Sunglasses: Kate Spade 'Darryl'

If you missed my first outfit post, you can see it here!

First Outfit Post: Red Pants

Alright ... so this if my very first outfit post!!! I by no means consider myself to be a model or think that I am some fashionista but I do love fashion and have been trying to muster up the courage to do an outfit post (because they are fun). I often draw inspiration from my friends and other bloggers and would like to think that I have learned a lot about fashion from the various women in my life. So here's goes ... I wore this outfit yesterday evening to get some gelato and watch NBA Game 7 at a bar with the bf. It was a fun night that wrapped up with us catching up with friends over drinks. I hope that you are all having a great weekend and are enjoying the summer weather. Today I will be grocery shopping, cooking, doing some reading for work and heading out for dinner with the bf and his colleagues. 

I am starting this coming week with the intention of growing tougher skin. I feel that I am often very sensitive (which is actually a great asset given that I am a therapist) but sometimes it affects my mental health and I just need to let more things roll of my back.

Outfit

Top: Forever 21 tank and blouse (similar here)

Bottom: Dynamite (old - from last summer) 

Bag: LV Speedy 30 

Shoes: Franco Sarto (old) 

Jewellery: House of Harlow necklace, Pandora bracelet

Friendship Bracelets

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I am loving the friendship bracelet trend for spring and summer. There's just something tribal and nostalgic about them, which I love. I especially like the updated styles which mix metals with the patterned threads. Friendship bracelets also bring be back to elementary school days when I used to make friendship bracelets and wear a stack of them on my wrist. I can't remember how to make them but have been seeing them at vintage stores in the city.  I'm considering picking some up. I still have a few boxes of my old belongings to sort through and would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to come across a few.   

Did you used to wear/make friendship bracelets?

Check out these Etsy Shops for my fave friendship bracelets:

makunaima

bfrend

Spring Faves





1. Bright lips

2. Essie "navigate her" and "to buy or not to buy," $8.00

3. Clinique Happy Heart, 3.4 oz, $60.00

4. H&M blouse, $25.95

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in "Tipsy," $25.00 

6. Vince Camuto flats, Town Shoes, $135.00

7. J Crew bamboo bangle, $27.50 

8. The Cambridge Satchel Company classic satchel in yellow, $74.00

9. Talula Trooper Jacket, Aritzia, $120.00 

Spring is just around the corner. Some of the things I'm loving are flowered prints, yellow accessories, bright lips, neutral shoes and flowery/citrus scents.