No Spend Challenge: March Update

The Recap

Hey girls and guys! I'm back with another monthly update on my year-long "No Spend Challenge" that I started this past January. I'll give a run-down below on how I did in the month of March, the good, the bad and the things I want to do better in April.

Positive Vibes

I'll start with the good first; although I did do some unnecessary spending this month, I have found some loopholes. We recently cashed in some of our Aeroplan miles for AMEX gift cards and I used my share of the money to buy some new shoes from Native Shoes, and a fedora from Sunday Afternoons on a website called ShoeMe.ca. (I plan to do a full post and review these items and this website so stay tuned for that!) I guess what I'm trying to say is that although I bought some things I technically didn't need (other than for my love of fashion and blogging) I didn't actually spend my money on it. Another positive to report is that I have continued with price-matching my groceries, this has saved me at least $50-$75 each week on food.

The Dark Side

I have definitely noticed myself falling back into the old patterns of my spending addiction; thinking about what to purchase next, trolling on kijiji, courting new items through online shopping websites, filling up online shopping carts, buying things "for the girls" some necessary items but also some that they could do without, and there's this problem that Mike and I both struggle with and that's buying toys for Audrey (she loves to collect Tsum Tsums, My Little Ponies, Lego etc.). Another area of weakness this month which is kind of unavoidable is birthday gifts and special events and while I don't want to skimp on these, I do want to have money put aside for these expenses so it's not a last minute purchase on debit/credit. I have also been more careless with my budget, not really looking ahead and making unbudgeted purchases.

Next Steps

I feel a bit deflated and disappointed in myself for allowing this to happen so early in my challenge, this is a huge commitment and if I want to see it through to the end, I'm going to have to be stronger in my resolve. Finding things to do at home to occupy my time rather than going out with the girls to places where I will spend money is going to be key for me in the coming months. Thankfully the weather is slowly starting to get sunnier and warmer so I will be able to spend more time outdoors with the girls, running, walking, going to the park and playing in the yard. I also want to start setting myself a daily goal and intention for how I will spend the day and on the days when I know that spending of some kind is inevitable then I want to set myself some guidelines for what I will buy and where I will buy it.

Having cash for my purchases is another way that I plan to have more control over my spending, I will attempt to leave my debit and credit at home and only bring the cash I will need for when I'm out (possibly some extra cash in case of an emergency). 

One of my goals for my blog this year was to do more OOTD photoshoot posts and part of being a fashion blogger is showcasing new clothing, shoes and accessories. This is pretty contrary to the minimalism and no spend challenge so I will need to be pretty discerning in my purchases and try come up with outfits that are mainly based on what I already own. Hopefully I am able to achieve this in a way that is interesting and useful for my readers, please give me any ideas that you may have!

Final Thoughts 

If there's anything I could suggest to someone who wants to try this challenge it would be to set yourself some pretty firm guidelines, to really be honest about what is a must-purchase and what is not, to keep yourself away from temptations as much as possible, to have go-to distractions for your bad days and to recognize your "spending triggers". I'm looking at this more as a journey in self-discovery more than anything, and in the end I hope to have a better grip on my desire for things and my impulsive spending tendencies. I also want to have more money in the bank and invested for my retirement and for my daughters futures.

Sincerely

Erin

A New Look For FashionMamaAquarius.com

As some of you may have noticed, I have changed the look of my blog. This is something that I have been wanting to do for awhile because although I did all the previous template design, I wasn't entirely happy with how it looked. One of my goals for 2016 was to invest more time in my blog so here is one of the many steps towards that goal!

I hope to add a lot more content; fashion week reviews, designer spotlights, outfit photo shoots, local coffee shop reviews, style sets, minimalism and capsule wardrobe updates. I also hope to write about my journey in parenting, life and working towards financial freedom. I am hoping that this new content is something that my readers embrace and enjoy, so please give me any feedback that you may have because I do write for myself but I also write for you, my readers.

Lastly, I want to ask for your help! Please subscribe by email so you always get updates on my new posts, share any posts you love and follow on social media, it's the best way for me to get exposure for my blog and to increase my readers. I want to say a massive thankyou to everyone who regularly visits my page, you are amazing!

Erin

New Year, New Fashion Opportunities

Happy New Year my beautiful readers! I always love the new year, it marks a fresh start, a new beginning, a chance to try to create some new habits. It's also a chance for unfullfilled resolutions, unused gym memberships and wasted money but hey we cannot have success without failure after all. It's really just setting new goals for ourselves, raising the bar a little at a time and slightly moving ourselves out of our comfort bubble that will allow us to have success, not drastic changes but minimal changes. For example, I know that I should floss at least twice a day seven days a week but I  am lazy and forget most of the time, so I am picking a few days a week when I force myself to do it and each week I add another day. Stuff like that.

This year our major goal as a family is to live more frugally and minimally. This sounds like no fun at all, considering that I just got my VIB rouge status from Sephora.... But I know that in order to get to where we want to be financially it is a necessary step in the right direction. Also I have decided to embark on a new and exciting opportunity in 2016 that I will go into further come spring time so stay tuned!

As far as my personal goals, I want to start running again (although I've never been a winter runner but I figured this year I'd give it a go), I want to minimalize my house (including my closet), to focus my money on good skincare as opposed to spending on makeup, and lastly I want to get back into blogging (I may be moving my blog to a new hosting platform and re-vamping the look) doing more articles, more outfit photoshoots and maybe some videos too.

Here are a few of my favorites from 2015 and also products that I am currently trying for the new year!

In 2015 I purchased a crap load of Honest Company products, my favs are the healing balm (multi purpose balm for the whole family) the body lotion (a light-weight moisturizer that absorbs quickly and lasts all day) and the room and fabric spray in vanilla lavender (I'm addicted and always spray before the girls go to bed). Another brand that I purchased a lot of was First Aid Beauty, I loved their creamy cleanser (kept my skin feeling clean and moisturized) the under eye rescue (a pink tinted concealer/under eye treatment that hides dark circles) and the ultra moisture cream which they are famous for (this is thicker than the lotion I use and is great for winter chapped skin). My budget friendly fav brand is Simple skincare, I tried and loved their moisturizing face cleanser, day/night cream and daily moisturizer with spf (this smelled like sunscreen but didn't sting or irritate my eyes). For shampoo/conditioner I have not been using anything high end but the Aussie brand has been working well for my hair and wallet! I use their smoothing shampoo and the 3 minute miracle conditioner (a fav from way back in the day!). One major inexpensive favourite has been coconut oil, this multitasker can be found in small containers all over my house and is used as a diaper cream, makeup remover, body moisturizer, and lip treatment in a pinch, additionally I have been substituting it for butter or margarine when possible!

Makeup favs are numerous but I loved the brand Essence this year (eyebrow pencils, liquid eyeliner pens, mascara so (lash princess) and lip sticks are the bomb on a budget!) I loved the Flower cosmetics cream eye shadows and makeup primer, I absolutely cannot live without my Makeup Geek eyeshadows (affordable dupes for MAC). I still don't have a holy grail foundation but I am currently trying Born This Way by Too Faced and there is a new True Match Lumi I hope to get. My best highlighter this year was the Colour Pop in Lunch Money and I hope to try more of their products in the future.

Fashion favs are few his year as I gave birth in April and I did not buy very many new clothes this year. Being on maternity leave means that I don't have to dress up every day like I did when I was working so most days I wear jeans and a tshirt or tank top with a cardigan or sweater over top. The brands that I currently love for clothing are Joe Fresh (affordable basics), GAP (cozy, affordable good quality clothing), Zara (fashion-forward, affordable, beautiful tops and jeans) I also order occasionally from ASOS and I also buy second hand as well.

I hope everyone in the world has a great 2016 and that you all keep reading and loving fashion!

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram!

`

Sincerely

Erin ❤️

Fashion Mama Aquarius Got Married

COPYRIGHT - JT Photography and Fashion Mama Aquarius

I know that I don't share a lot about my personal life on my blog, if you follow me on Instagram you are likely to see pics of my husband and my two daughters, but I keep this page mainly about fashion and lifestyle. But as many of you will know I recently tied the knot with my long-time boyfriend of 8 years and father to my two beautiful girls (we were also an item for a couple of years in high school). I thought that I would share with you a few pics of my wedding dress because it's one of the most beautiful things I own and I think some of you may like it too!

Let me know what you think!

 COPYRIGHT - JT Photography and Fashion Mama Aquarius

 COPYRIGHT - JT Photography and Fashion Mama Aquarius

 COPYRIGHT - JT Photography and Fashion Mama Aquarius

COPYRIGHT - JT Photography and Fashion Mama Aquarius

Is a Capsule Wardrobe in my future?

I'll be honest, I watch a lot of You Tube. Whether it's hauls, unboxings, fashion shows, monthly favorites or makeup tutorials, most nights that's what I watch. Lately, I've come across a whole bunch of channels featuring videos on new to me subject matters that have piqued my interest. Minimalism, frugal lifestyles, de cluttering and how to build a capsule wardrobe. I am interested because I am none of these things, I am interested because I want to have more money, time and simplicity in my life in 2016, I am interested because I need a new challenge.

First of all what is a capsule wardrobe and what purpose does it serve? It is a seasonal wardrobe made up of a limited amount of items chosen to be worn interchangeabley in more frequent intervals than the average wardrobe. These are your favorite things to wear, the capsule is comprised of more high quality pieces that will last, the créme de la créme if you will. The purpose of having a small season appropriate wardrobe is to allow for a more simplistic approach to dressing, less options but items that you'll want to keep wearing and quality that can stand up to the extra washing and drying. Also, having pieces that can go with anything means you have all sorts of ways to make different outfits from 32-36 items of clothing and accessories. Why do I like this idea? I kind of do this without meaning to, I mean don't we all wear mostly our favorite items over and over? But I like the challenge of buying less clothing over the course of the year but investing in more strategic pieces that are more classic and minimalist. I'll tell you another reason, whether I'm home with the kids or running errands I want to look nice and be comfortable but I don't have the time to put together elaborate outfits so the less stuff for me to look through in my closet each morning the better.

Which leads me into the minimalist lifestyle and purging our houses of all the clutter we don't need. This concept is becoming exceedingly appealing to me, especially since there are now four of us in our household, that means more toys, laundry, paper clutter another junk we don't need. I feel like I am forever moving stuff from one holding location to another and this leaves the house looking messy and me feeling irritated. So I plan to investigate ways to adopt a more minimalist approach to my life specifically my wardrobe, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom and I believe that in order to maintain minimalism I will have to be much mote discerning when it comes to buying things ( one of my admitted shortcomings) this should in turn hopefully foster a more frugal approach to my my spending habits. If I can save the money that I would otherwise (as my late grandmother would put it) fritter away on junk I don't need, then I should be able to have a good chunk saved for our future. The one area of frugality in my spending that I have adopted is price matching which is working well but I find that I am buying more than we need because it's on sale or a better price, which makes sense from a stock-piling perspective.

I have included below some websites and channels that focus on what I have written about above in case you wish to investigate further. I will also be featuring some sets on a capsule wardrobe from Monday to Sunday including outerwear, so stay tuned and let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading!

Erin

Melissa Alexandria
The Minimalists
Caroline - Un-Fancy
Pretty Frugal Living
Mrs. January

Life Update Chit Chat

Hello friends! It's been so long I know, but to be honest I had my baby in April and I've been so busy I haven't had any time to think let alone blog. But my readers and fashion are never far from my thoughts so I had to get back at er!

What's new with me? I had my second little girl on April 9th, her name is Abigail Geraldine and she's a doll. I'll spare you any of the gory details but I had a great delivery and a complicated recovery. We're both doing great now though and I'm feeling more and more like a human every day 🙌🏻.

Another thing that has been keeping me busy is wedding planning, as I'm sure I've mentioned, I'm getting married in October and it's a pretty time-consuming task. I'm not the best planner/organizer so thank God for my sister/Maid of honor Meg's for keeping me on track.

As for my fashion life these days, I'm fitting back into most of my pre-pregnancy clothing, although I did a major KonMari-style purge of my closet because I've been hoarding craploads of stuff that doesn't bring joy to my life and needed to go. My staples these days consist of short or skinny jeans with my fav racer-back bras from Joe Fresh and racer-back tank tops also from Joe Fresh and flip flops from Old Navy. I of cource add accessories to  make these norm-core type "mommy" outfits more exciting but I'm keeping it pretty basic since I'm nursing and often need to pull the girls out at any given time...

I hope to have way more blog projects in the next few months and more style sets to come as well. For more frequent updates follow me on Instagram, Bloglovin,Twitter and Facebook!!!

Thanks for reading 😘

Erin - Fashion.Mama.Aquarius.

Hello Fashionistas!

I felt the need to post an actual real communication post with my lovely blog readers/blog visitors because all I've been posting lately has been purely visual outfit sets but alas I have become obsessed once again with Polyvore! 

Hopefully this post is interesting! What's new with FMA? Lots! The weather in #Ottawa is slowly creeping towards warmer temps and it's about time because I'm so done with winter boots..... I'm currently 39 weeks pregnant with my second baby girl and anxiously awaiting her arrival, and also being able to get back into a new spring/summer wardrobe, if I see another pair of black leggings I think I may scream, although they have been my savior for the last 6 months. Lastly, I am planning my wedding (yes I'm also a bride-to-be) which will take place in October, so the rush to get a dress and to have it fit perfect is real.

Aside from all those things I have been extremely inspired to create looks! When I create looks I just use my instincts, sure I follow trends, I look at as many of the current runway season as I can and I follow about a bazillion other fashion bloggers on all major social media but what I choose to use in my sets is based on my own tastes and what I would love to wear. I think that everyone benefits from buying and wearing the things that speak to their own personal style, if you just wear what everyone else is wearing, follow every major trend or just put on whatever because you cannot define your style I think you do your style a major injustice. Is it easy to figure out what style is best for you? Hell no! It took me probably 27 years if I'm honest, I wish that I could say I always had fabulous fashion instincts and maybe in some ways I did but I didn't always listen to them because I felt insecure about stepping outside my comfort zone which was namely what everyone else was wearing (particularly in high school but of course it stretches beyond that). Anyways, I'm glad that I love fashion, I wish that I had more money to afford all the beautiful luxurious brands that exist and I am definitely excited to be sharing my love of fashion with other people who feel the same way. It's a way of life and definitely not "just clothes".

It means a lot to me to be a part (a small, still mostly unknown part) of the fashion community but it's important to me to pursue my passions in any way I can so I want to say a huge thanks to everyone who checks out my blog, reads regularly or follows me on social media! I may be a but sporadic with my posts (as most busy, full-time working people and moms will know) but I endevor to keep coming out with regular interesting content as consistently as possible.

That being said, if I go into labour anytime soon (fingers crossed!) I will probably be MIA for a bit save for a few Polyvores but I will never, ever abandon my post completely :$

With Love

Erin aka Fashion.Mama.Aquarius.

Friday Fun: YouTube Beauty Gurus, Makeup & Yapping

As you may have guessed for the über-long title, this post isn't fashion-related but I hope it will still be interesting for you lovely readers on this wonderful Friday.

As I write this I am sitting in a Starbucks near my work, enjoying a flat white (new to Starbucks in Canada) and a sandwich, and despite the recent news that the world is slowly falling apart, inside this coffee haven life seems pretty good. Another note on the flat white and why this bevi is #exciting (I have been tweeting so much lately that I have trouble not thinking/writing in hash tags) is because when I lived in Australia (Melbourne to be exact) flat whites were a thing there and I was always sad that Canada didn't "get" that. 

Anyways, another thing I'm obsessed with (again) is YouTube, but this time it's not about mom/baby/diaper/crochet/knitting stuff, now I'm onto the Beauty Gurus of YouTube. Why you ask, well simply because I had been incredibly lazy, cheap and unadventurous when it came to doing my makeup, putting effort into it, trying new products and actually investing in more makeup products and tools. NOT ANYMORE! As I said in my New Years post, one of my personal resolutions this year is to look better and take more pride in my appearance on a daily basis. It is from watching these videos that I have gained the skills to achieve my desired look, the confidence to try products that other people have tried and recommended and the motivation to spend more money on expanding my brush collection, tools and variety of products. I plan to do a separate post on what new products I've tried and like so stay tuned! At the moment my fav YouTubers are KathleenLights, EleventhGorgeous and Tati to name a few!

Another thing that has kept me glued to my iPhone/tablet lately (other than CandyCrush..... It happened) has been my Yappem app. This is a free app for iPhone and android in which you review products, companies, etc and in return you earn coins that can be used towards giftcards from some amazing stores such as Amazon, Target, Sephora and Starbucks. You get coins for logging in everyday, coins for liking other peoples yaps, coins for sharing to social media, for inviting friends, for completing missions and for getting awards. I have been a member for about 2-3 weeks and I have just over $8,000 coins (which I could redeem for a $5 gift card) it does take time but this is free money for your opinions and if you're like me and love to try and recommend products, this is a great app for you!

Follow me on Social Media and I'll love you forever!

Instagram - http://instagram.com/fashionmamaaquarius/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Roxy_Erin18
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/#!/Fashionmamaaquarius

Yappem - https://www.yappem.com/profiles/37076/Roxy_Erin18

Happy weekend!!!

Sincerely

Erin

About My Lazy Preggo Fashion

I know this sort of fashion blog post won't appeal to everyone out there because either you're not pregnant yet, you don't ever plan to be pregnant, you're between pregnancies or you're finished with that stage of your life but alas I must write what I know and what I am currently experiencing: fashion laziness. I got a nice compliment from a co-worker on my outfit today, she said she really liked what I was wearing and my first thought was, "Is she messing with me?" I looked down a what I was wearing (a cream-colored, stretchy non-maternity top that still fits, a mustard  knit-wool cardigan, charcol maternity leggings, my hubby's charcol CK dress socks pulled up all the way under the leggings and my black and gold Zara flats) and I had to smile because there was not much thought put into this outfit other than, does it fit? Is it comfortable? Is it appropriate for work?

But somehow this has been my go-to pregnancy look for fall/winter: black H&M leggings (I bought about 4-5 pairs) long tops (not necessarily maternity) and a longer cardigan (I have one black one from Banana Republic that I wear the crap out of). I also have been wearing long thick socks inside my boots that I sometimes refuse to remove once I get to work and wear somewhat unfashionably in my ballet flats. The reasoning behind this apparent half-assed fashion effort on my part has been my refusal to spend a heap of money on pricey maternity clothes that I may never wear again (sure I could sell them, but who wants that hassle?) and what maternity clothes I have from my previous pregnancy are not seasonally appropriate (I had Audrey in August). Hence the leggings and tops look, I will say that I have been conscious of adding accessories, making more of an effort with my makeup (I was pretty notorious for going to work sans-cosmetics) and I do something nice with my hair about 50-60 % of the time (up from a previous 30-40 %).

So my main source of interest lately has not been fashion (although you know that Style.com is my first love and always will be) because looking at all the beautiful clothing that I will not fit into for awhile and therefore cannot buy is slightly depressing. Instead, I have spent the majority of my downtime watching the beauty gurus of YouTube (Hello Eleventh Gorgeous!) buying new beauty products to try (like a lot of new products, I like me a good drugstore haul....) and most recently Yapping about them on my YAPPem app (in order to fund my new beauty product addiction, free giftcards don't cha know!)

Do I have fashion/beauty resolutions for 2015? Heck yes I do! Here's my top 3 for fashion, beauty, health/fitness and life in general.

Fashion:
1. Blog more!
2. Try a new look for 2015
3. Take more risks in fashion

Beauty:
1. Do my makeup everyday
2. Try new products
3. Fight aging

Health/Fitness:
1. Hit the gym more

2. Get ready for wedding post-baby
3. Healthier eating

Life:
1. Be the best Mom I can be
2. Put in lots of couples time
3. Pay off debts and save lots!

As it is the end of 2014 I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to each and every person who has read my blog, whether it be only a few posts or if you read every week, I am super appreciative for your support and interest. I know that I have been a bit flaky at times with keeping regular content coming out and that is just one of the work/family/fashion balance issues I know I need to work on. I hope to bring you more content in the year to come and I sincerely wish you all a great New Year and an even better 2015! In the very near future I will be hitting the 10,000 views mark since starting this blog just over 2 years ago so I think that there will need to be some sort of celebration for that (contest/giveaway?) Stay tuned!

Sincerely

Erin 💗❤️💗

FashionMamaAquarius News!

L ately I have had some serious writer's block, it seems difficult to continually produce new materials when I have a busy working-mom schedule and haven't had the time to sit down and brainstorm. I feel like the key is to immerse myself once again in all things fashion, to reignite the fashion flame that has always burned inside of me.

I have a bit of news which is not really fashion-related but will bring a new dimension to what I write about, FMA is expecting another little one! That means that I get to do some shopping for new clothes as I grow out of all the stuff in my current wardrobe (sniff sniff). This has probably contributed to my writer's block because as much as I have wanted to do so much fall/winter shopping and outfit shots, I knew that those clothes wouldn't fit for long. 

Maternity At It's Finest by fashion-mama-aquarius featuring black gloves

H&M black jeans, 54 CAD / Topshop Fantasy Print Longline Maternity Kimono, 95 CAD / Cami Nursing Top, 66 CAD / Rag & bone high heel boots, 585 CAD / Warehouse crystal earrings, 11 CAD / Monica Vinader white topaz jewelry, 280 CAD / Mulberry black glove, 370 CAD / Infinity scarf, 45 CAD / Comme des Garçons black hat, 295 CAD / Mykita sunglasses, 625 CAD

The not-so-wonderful world of maternity shopping is (if you've never been pregnant) a wasteland (especially in Ottawa). There's very little selection, it's expensive and unless you time your babies to be born during the same season, you end up having to buy more the second time around (which is a waste of money if you only plan to have 2 kids). Do not get me wrong, I am so excited to be pregnant again, it's a special time in my life that I will only experience a couple of times but trying to look good, be comfortable and cost-effective is a bit of a challenge.

Thankfully, this time around I am more online-shopping savvy and I have recently discovered that Asos has a maternity line (with lots to choose from) I have also discovered Pink Blush Maternity (affordable clothing, albeit crazy patterns) Hatch Maternity (quality, high-end clothing but with a hefty price tag) and H&M Maternity (not many stores carry it and you cannot buy online in Canada at this time, boo!) There's also Old Navy Maternity, which for some reason, cannot be purchased on the Canadian website but only at select locations (I just looked this up on the US website and you can now ship to Canada from this website!).

Although there are many options for buying beautiful maternity clothes that are sure to make me look good as I grow, they are expensive and I always like to get more for my money, not to mention I will probably not have any more than two children. So my game plan is to buy regular clothing in a size up from my usual small, this coul be tricky however because the only parts of me that really gets bigger are my boobs, butt and belly so regular clothes may not accommodate me in the right places. I have recently found an amazing website called Necessary Clothing, this online boutique (they also have four retail locations in New York) has a wide selection of flow-y tops, pants, skirts and leggings with an elastic waistband and cardigans (which let's be honest I hardly ever do up my cardigans anyways). My thinking is to buy some of these stretchy, more forgiving items in one size larger than I would normally buy and that it should be comfortable during pregnancy but also wearable post-pregnancy. The other upside to doing this is that their prices are much more reasonable so I can get more items for less money.

I'm not sure yet what the best plan of action will be but I do know that my wardrobe options are getting slimmer as I get bigger an mama needs a good ol shopping spree ASAP!

What are your favourite maternity brands that are trendy but affordable? Did you even wear maternity clothes? Holla at me and help me out!

Sincerely


Erin

The Sun is Shining, Fashion is in the Air

I'm sitting outside Starbucks (free wifi don't ya know!) as I write this post, sipping my iced Americano, eating my banana choco loaf and soaking up the sun. As I sit here, I can't help but notice that, along with the nice weather, out come all the local stylistas. Everywhere I look I see colour, pattern, and summer accessories! I just get so excited to see what other people are wearing, who's following trends, who's reinterpreting them and who has reinvented them altogether.

Now I know that we girls can be a bit hard on one another, we can get slightly competitive with the girls we don't know and when we see another well dressed girl we fly into bitch-mode and in our heads we begin to pick apart her look. I can admit that in the past I have felt this way but these days I'm trying to look at them from the prospective of a blogger, they are, after all, my fellow fashion lovers and in my head I now give them their due credit (I love her look! Omg those shoes with that skirt, amazing! She's really stylish, I wonder where she got that?) I can be a bit shy talking to people I don't know but eventually I hope to be able to pass along those compliments verbally....

One thing that I've noticed as I've gotten older is that I am much more confident in my style decisions, I don't feel as apprehensive about taking style risks, even if people stare (it usually means that I've done something they like). I think the key is to know what you like, wear only what you're comfortable in and don't be afraid to use pattern to create a more versatile look.

Sitting on Style Watch is a great way to get inspired by street style, I love observing how other people dress themselves, the only problem is that it also inspires me to go shopping, which isn't always good for the bank account!

This was just a quick post but please let me know what your thoughts are when you encounter other well dressed ladies? Thanks for reading!

                                 

ERIN

Back to Work: Shopping After Baby

Now that you've been through the pain of childbirth, and have spent a wonderful year tending to your baby's every need, it's time to think about a major transition - going back to work.

After having Audrey, I had a dilemma, all my pre-baby work clothes either didn't fit me the way that they used to or I simply felt that they no longer fit my style. So if you are returning to work after a maternity leave, no matter what you budget is, you should definitely do some back to work shopping, especially if you are not looking forward to the transition.

The issue that I encountered was that I had lost allot of weight postpartum due to breast feeding and my weight didn't start to normalize until nearly 6 months later (thanks to the gym, less nursing and a heathy appetite). Then, once my weight went back to normal, all of the pants and skirts that I purchased for going back to work were too tight.

In order for you to avoid this problem, my advice would be to invest in more blouses, sweaters, and blazers until your weight goes back to normal (this will depend on many different factors from person to person) because it's not fun to have all these lovely trousers and skirts that are too tight and uncomfortable to wear several months down the road.

If you work in an office, the style of the clothes you buy will depend on how conservative the dress code is. My work is fairly lenient, in that you can wear any colours or styles you want but there is no flip flops, no leggings as pants, skirts must be a reasonable length, no extreme cleavage and no shorty shorts. All of those guidelines are fair and easy to follow, and I feel gives me ample room to be creative.

The first thing to decide on is a budget, this will make it easier for you to decide how many pieces you can buy and approximately how much you can spend on each item.

The second thing to consider, is whether you will go for quality or quantity in the clothes you buy. I now believe that certain wardrobe staples (a structured blazer, a pencil skirt, and a tailored pair of trousers for example) are worth spending a bit more money on - especially in neutral colours - because they are the classic pieces that will last through the years as trends come and go. On the other hand, things like t-shirts, dresses, blouses and accessories can be more affordable and are more likely to be trendier pieces that can fall out of favour relatively quickly.

My third and last recommendation, is where to buy this news and wonderful wardrobe. Over the last few years I have really fallen in love with online shopping, there was once a time when the concept seemed foreign, when I would have said "you're crazy" to anyone who said I would prefer shopping on my computer to the real physical experience, but here we are. The reason why I recommend online shopping for a larger purchase like a
back-to-work wardrobe is because it gives you the opportunity to visualize all the items in one place; you can add many items to your "cart" and sort through them to decide which you really want without the pressure to buy right away; most sites have serveral pictures of each item of clothing and the ability to zoom in; and the majority of large online shops have free shipping when you spend over a certain amount and free returns which is helpful if you happen to order the wrong size.

So there you have it! Those are my mom tips for getting yourself back into the work groove and looking fabulous while you're at it. Let me know if you're returning to work soon and how you went with your work wardrobe shopping.

Erin

I ♥ Club Monaco, Let Me Count The Ways

Photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

For as many years as I've been earning money, (15 to be exact) I've been spending it on clothing, footwear and accessories. One of the stores I have always loved is Club Monaco for both work wear and casual attire.

When I was in high school CM was huge amongst my fellow students, with the iconic logo crew neck sweatshirt being one of the main trends of the grunge-y nineties. I knew quite a few girls who had this sweater in every colour it came in and I remember thinking, "I must have one!" I did end up having 2-3 of these sweaters and I wish now that I could say that I kept them, as they are making a comeback, but alas I did not (at that time) have the foresight or awareness of cyclical fashion.

What I love about this brand is that it was founded in Toronto (gotta love a homegrown company) in 1985 by Alfred Sung and Joe Mimran (Joe Fresh Style anyone?) and although the stores are now owned by Ralph Lauren and the clothing is made overseas, I still like that it has Canadian roots.

Another reason why this brand floats my boat is the superior quality of their clothing and accessories, I'm not kidding when I say that this stuff lasts forever and a day! I once bought a pair of light grey trousers from Club Monaco, they were snug fitting in the butt, with a slightly flared leg and a nylon tuxedo-like strip down the side of the leg. I cannot recall the exact materials that they were made out of but these pants always fit me perfect and even though I wore them and washed them hundreds of times, they still looked new. I do still have them, however, they have become unwearable from an unfortunate stain so I suppose they were not completely indestructible.

The other aspect that keeps me in love season after season is that they are always evolving with  current runways trends but they also stay true to that crisp, clean and sometimes girly aesthetic that I have come to associate with the brand. I never go to this store and walk away without a sense of longing, both for the merchandise they offer and for a much larger clothing budget with which to afford it all.

Although online shopping on their website is not yet available in Canada, (according to their Facebook page this will be available in April 2014) I did recently go into the Rideau Centre location where I purchased two pairs of full-length skinny "Rachel" trousers for work. I bought two pairs, (a muted green and an off-white) because these pants fit me like a glove and were so comfortable I couldn't imagine only wearing them once a week! The price point on these pants was much higher than what I would normally spend on such an item, (I love quality but I am a bit cheap) so this was a tought pill to swallow when it came time to pay. Although it was more than I would have liked to spend my thoughts drifted back to that first pair of pants that I had loved for so long and that helped me to realize that some things in life are worth the investment.

Erin

Friday Lunch at the New Scone Witch

Usually by the end of my work week (TGIF) I have eaten up all the leftovers in the house and have decided to sleep in, which leaves minimal time for lunch-making. So most Fridays I treat myself to lunch at one of the many restaurants in downtown Ottawa.

The Scone Witch was always on my list of places to try but in its previous location of 388 Albert Street (I understand there is also a Beechwood location), it was a bit of a trek for me and so I never went. 

Having recently re-located to Gloucester Street just off Elgin Street, I thought it the perfect opportunity to check them out!

I love the space, it's open-concept with high ceilings and they have left the electrical and ventilation exposed, giving it a warehouse-y feel. I like that you can see into their kitchen/baking area. The floors are concrete, the walls are grey and the tables and chairs are a beechwood finish which lends a simplicity to the space but there is no warmth or cosiness factor if that is what you're looking for in a lunch spot.

Their menu is handwritten on a large chalkboard hanging over the cashes  and they have a great selection of "sconewitches", salads, "mealwitches" and soups, as well as desserts and of course sweet scones. The hot drink menu included a mysterious "witches brew", (which I assume to be drip coffee), tea,  latté, Americano and cappuccino.

I had the ham & gruyere "sconewitch" on a cheddar scone and my first impression when they brought it to my table (yes, there is table service!) was "looks yummy but I think I may still be hungry afterwards". I was wrong, the scone was quite filling, it was flavorful, flaky and delicious and the ham was real ham, not deli meat. The only thing I didn't care for was the mixed great which wilted quickly on the warm sandwich. 

I also ordered a decaf cappuccino, which was not my favorite, it was very milky and was not poured into the right type of cup (tall cup vs. short rounded cup) but I think that I am comparing to other places I've been and there may be a different or undefined standard here.

The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere was pleasent enough, although I could barely hear the music that was playing on their sound system.

My overall opinion is 4 scones out of 5 and I will be returning at some point for a delicious dessert scone!

The Highs and Lows of Street Style

As a law clerk working in downtown Ottawa, I commute by bus every weekday to my office and one of the things I love about this mode of transportation is that I am able to observe street style at its finest.

Street style for me has always been an interesting thing, both because there are no rules and it is a great means of personal expression that even the most popular designers do not dictate. Believe it or not, most people in Ottawa, both women and men, are quite fashionable despite the fact that our shopping scene is still behind compared to Canada's other capital cities; Toronto, Montral, Edmonton and Vancouver. These days, as opposed to when I was a teenager trying to blend in with my peers, I find other people's style to be an inspiration for me to trust my instincts when it comes to the way I dress.

This brings me to my topic of mixing high and low; expensive and affordable; branded and annonymous. Lately, I have noticed allot of people wearing the trendy/popular/expensive brands; the Canada Goose parka with the Hunter wellies and the Coach handbag with the Michael Kors watch. While all these brands are high in both quality and appeal, I tend to like someone's outfit the most when there is mystery, where I find myself asking the question, "I wonder where he/she got that?" In my opinion, when a person mixes high and low in their everyday style there is an understated sartorial current that is both refreshing and exciting.

For example, let's say you buy a pair of tailored trousers from Calvin Klein for $560 but rather than wearing them with the matching suit blazer, you pair it with a printed blouse from Zara that only cost $75, or your purse is Celine which cost $2,300 but your sunglasses are from Target for $18. It like being on a large scale and trying to find a balance between the upscale and average.

It has definitely given me options to ponder as I decide on my must-have items for spring/summer, the items that have staying power and are more classic will need to be of a higher quality and the items that are here today gone tomorrow, trendy pieces will be on the less expensive side.

Let me know what pieces you deem worthy of investing in or how you like to mix high/low. I will have some pictures to follow this post.



Erin