Haul from Joe Fresh

I thought I was done shopping for clothes for a while after I placed my order with Old Navy yesterday (here in Canada, they are offering 25% off). I got another heart boat-neck sweater(red heart on blue), a baseball tee and a tank top. Just hard not to get anything when there is a good sale on.

Went to Joe Fresh today and pleasantly amazed to find their 70% off clearance sale section is just HUGE. Hard not to grab anything with such great bargains.

Polka dot tee size S $10

This black tee with cream polka dots is very good quality. Even though I find it a bit odd to have a button and a tiny loop hole on my right shoulder. This also comes in burgundy.

Snake skin print 3/4 sleeve tee size S 

I wanted to try the snake skin top but end up not taking this home. Think this top is on sale for $14. Also comes in a greyish snake skin print.

Baseball 3/4 sleeve tee size S

Don't know what's up with me but I have been falling for baseball tee lately. Got one from Old Navy already. That one is a cotton with a tiny split neckline. This one is of a stretchy fabric and love the green with blue. This one is $16.

Stripe 3/4 sleeve tee $4.94

What not to love when the price is right? 

Beach tunic in size S $12.94

This is a beach tunic/cover up but I am planning to wear it with skinny jeans or leggings. Don't worry, I wouldn't dare to go out like this except when I am on the beach or near the pool. It is a very light cotton material and got pretty string tie-up around the neckline. Love the pattern.

Also picked up a few pj tees. Their sleepwear is so soft and affordable. Much better quality than La Senza and the price is so right. 

Just my little retail therapy for Sat. Hope you guys have a great weekend!

J. Crew neon pink linen tippi with Hattitude necklace I won

I love pink and this summer, I have decided to take it up a notch and go neon.

The color is waaaaayyyyy out of my comfort zone but I decided to give it a try and love it.

I have mentioned in my previous post that I never win anything. But I'm convinced that my luck has changed. After my winning from a few lovely bloggers, I won yet again. This time, from the lovely Canadian blogger, To Vogue Or Bust.  I won this beautiful necklace from Hattitude. They make one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces using vintage/recycled pieces. 

I am really enjoying my new necklace. It is unique and I never have anything like this and knowing it is one-of-a-kind makes me feel so special.

J. Crew tippi sweater in linen size S (sim)

J. Crew factory white bermuda shorts in size 6(here)

necklace from Hattitude

Recent buys

Got back from Toronto last week and off to Ottawa a few days later. This was mainly requested by my two teenager nieces who desperately wanted to go shopping. So off we went.

First stop was to go in Old Navy. I wanted to get the heart boat-neck sweater myself. When I was in Toronto, couldn't find them at the Yorkdale store. So I was happy to see the Rideau store has it and also the polka dot ones.

Old Navy heart boatneck sweater(here) in S

I had a hard time deciding on which one I should get. There is also this gorgeous red heart on blue as well.

Other women's long sleeved sweaters options here.

Just happened that I had my J. Crew cafe capri in bright dahlia and the fuchsia heart on grey pairs it well. Now Old Navy is offering a 15% off (here in Canada). Contemplating whether I should get the blue one and the polka dot one......

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil matte bronzer(here)

This has become my new favorite bronzer. The fact that it is matte is a plus already for me as I prefer it to shimmery one. 

This is the perfect shade for me. As I tend to be a bit tan in the summer, this shade matches well with my skin tone. If you're fair-skinned, try the milk chocolate one here. I'm obsessed with the cocca scent and I LOVE this. Every time you sweep the bronzer on, feel like it's dessert time. 

Dior Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum (here)

I have heard a lot of raves about this lash serum and decided to give it a try. 

I have only been using this for the past week. I am very impressed with the staying power of my mascara after applying the serum to my lashes first. The wand is easy to handle, unlike the Diorshow mascara which I had. The bristles are so thick and my lashes are not dense enough to handle such wand. So basically I curl my lashes first, apply the serum and let it dry before applying my regular mascara. I was told by the SA that if I put the serum on at night time as well, it will really enhance the look and density of my lashes. I haven't tried that as I always forget at night.

Vichy Dermablend Corrective foundation in nude

This one I didn't get it on my trip to Ottawa. I bought this a couple of weeks ago at my local Shoppers Drug Mart. I don't usually put on foundation. My daily routine in the summer is to apply Skin Super 79 BB cream and apply Tarte Amazonian clay finishing powder. But sometimes I need more coverage in certain spots where regular concealers just wouldn't do. And I don't like to put on foundation as I feel it is too much. Picked this up as suggested by one of my favorite blogger and youtuber, Veronika. 

I only use a very tiny bit of the foundation, more to use as an advanced concealer to cover highly-pigmented spots. I apply it with a flat-head brush to dab it in and I love the results. It is not cakey since I don't apply it to my whole face. It has the coverage and it is not greasy at all. Perfect for my oily skin. 

I also picked up a few more cosmetic items this weekend and will save it for another post.

Stretching shoes with ice WORKS

A while ago, I bought a pair of Tory Burch Reva flats. I tried them on a few times in the store and thought the leather was soft and should be comfortable. A lot of people said the back elastic could hurt the ankles overtime. So I sized up half a size, thinking I am all set and ready to go.

Wow, was I ever wrong. I tried wearing them around the house and they are the first pair of shoes that hurt my feet so bad. I don't have particularly wide feet and I believe these Reva are made for people with narrow feet. 

I wore these flats with thick winter socks in the house and I got blisters!! I was heart-broken as they were bought in Toronto on my last trip home a month ago and could not be returned. I love the style of the flats and I'm determined to make them work.

While I was looking for ways to stretch the shoes, came across Michelle Phan(the youtube beauty guru)'s youtube video seen here.

All you need is 2 sandwich-sized ziplog bags and water

and your shoes which are too small/narrow

fill the bags with 1/4 water and position the bags in the shoes where you want to stretch

put shoes in freezer for a few hours until ice is formed

Wait 10 mins after you take the shoes out from the freezer and try them on. 

I find my Reva flats are much more tolerable to wear. They are stretched but yet leather is not damaged at all. I'm happy to report that these flats are ready to hit the streets. Don't expect a miracle and I expect some pain involved but not as severe as before. If you have shoes which are half a size or a size smaller, I highly recommend to try this method. Good luck!

Heart-Obsessed

There are patterns that I am obsessed with. If you read my blog regularly, you will know what they are. Yes, stripes and polka dots. 

There are patterns that when I see on an outfit, I would say " wow, how cute is that?" Hearts fall into that category. Sometimes I feel like I'm too "old" to wear such cute-sey outfits. But they are just so adorable. Can't resist.

Earlier this year, I got the silk heart throb blouse which I love and wear a lot. Ever since then, I'm convinced that heart-shaped outfits are totally age-appropriate for my age :)

Current wants:

You would probably wonder where are the hearts, right?

Colorblock Heartnote Cardigan from Madewell

Isn't this totally adorable? The hearts are subtly on the elbows. How cute is that?(yes, you'll be hearing that a lot in this post!)

Tippi sweater in heart me from J. Crew

If you missed out J. Crew last season's heart me sweater, you can still grab it now! 

If you're looking for a cheaper version, here is an alternative: 

Heart boatneck sweater from Old Navy

Isn't that cute? Which version do you like the best?

J. Crew No.2 pencil skirt in deck stripe

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Weather here in southern/eastern Ontario was once again hit by a heat wave. So hot and humid.

Was in Toronto for the past few days. Our niece and nephew are visiting and brought them to the city. Our niece is a teenager so she loves shopping. Very easy to shop with her and we had a great time.

Went to Yorkdale and of course had to check out the in-store sale at J. Crew. I am pleasantly surprised that the sale section is still huge and lots of new addition since the last time I visited a few weeks ago. I grabbed a few of the vintage cotton tee that I love but sold out online. There were lots of sizes left in store. So if you're looking for a good vintage cotton tee, make sure to go to your stores for more selection.

Besides the tee, I grabbed the No. 2 pencil skirt in deck stripe to try on(sorry about the overloading it with stripes again. Yes, I wore my favorite gondola top!)

No.2 pencil skirt in deck stripe in size 4

I love this pencil skirt. I know a lot of people are raving about the No.2 pencil skirt. But I feel the solid colors are nice but too formal for me to wear. The deck stripe comes in 2 colors and I like this tangerine color as I can dress this up or down.

The fabric is not as stiff as the other No.2 pencil skirt. So I think it will not be as wrinkly as the other ones.

This is one of the stripes tees I got. It was so hot in the city that I wore tees and shorts the whole time I was in town. It was such a good price. Think it came to $17 with the extra 30% off.

In case you don't know, J. Crew is offering a 40% off sale items(unfortunately it is a final sale) using code OURTREAT. I don't see a whole lot of new additions this morning but of course will keep checking for popbacks.

Stripes Overload

I have always loved stripes. Stripes and polka dots are my all-time-favorites. Glad they both come back this spring/summer. Over the past few months, I find myself indulging in stripes. A gal can never have enough stripes in her closet, right?

J. Crew gondola stripe top in size 6

Lands' End Canvas seersucker skirt in size 4

Sudolos for J. Crew espadrilles 

J. Crew stripe canvas tote

J. Crew online promo (30% off sale items using code MUSTHAVE) just ended. I used every single muscle(mainly hand and finger muscle, not to hit the the checkout button when my cart had a few stripe items) not to bite on the deal. But heard from my lovely fellow bloggers that the in-store promo is still going on. Heading to Toronto with my visiting niece and nephew this week. Will for sure drag them along to their aunt's favorite thing to do: SHOP.

Loving this silk gondola top. Thought I would have to care for this delicately. But I put it in a garment bag in the delicate wash cycle for many times and it comes out perfect. Although it still needs minimal ironing but no complaints.

New favorite tee from J. Crew

When summer rolls in, you will find me mostly in tees and shorts. Nothing makes me more comfy and cool in the hot sticky weather. But don't you find sometimes, it is hard to find a tee which is not too thick and not too thin. I like patterned tees to pair with simple shorts.

I picked up a J. Crew vintage cap sleeve stripe tee in-store a couple of weeks ago during the "crazy" sale(see tee in this post here). The only size left was a large and I hesitated to get it but thought nothing wrong with an over-sized tee. I was wrong. This tee is way too big on me and since it is a v-neck tee, the plunged neckline is too revealing. I later on had to layer it up with a camisole. So kind of defeat the purpose of a thin cotton tee. 

Last weekend was Canada Day weekend, J. Crew offered free shipping on all orders. So I grabbed a Vintage cotton V-neck tee in stripe(which is currently sold out online but I'm sure it will pop back up sooner or later)

J.Crew vintage cotton v-neck tee in stripe in S

J. Crew factory Bermuda shorts in white in size 6

Don't know what is going on with me this summer. I'm so into hot pink and neon pink. The pair of sandals were from many summers ago from Browns. I have not worn them in years but for some reason, I didn't get rid of them. I always have a theory that if there is something in your closet which you haven't worn in the past 2 years, throw them out. These sandals are at least 5 years old. They are super comfy and got cute little flowers on them. But I haven't worn pink in summer for a long time. 

This tee is so comfy and the v-neckline is just right. Want to get it in grey stripes too. Maybe it will pop back up some mornings.

Turning into a Lululemon addict .....again

I used to be a gym rat, 7 days a week. I was those crazy ones who are addicted to going to every single fitness class offered at the gym. Do a weight-cardio class and then off to spin class. I was in much better shape back then obviously. That also explains why my closet back then was full of Lululemon clothes. Hoodies, tanks, groove pants, crops, running hats, gym bags. The list goes on and on.

A lot of people cannot justify how pricey Lululemon is. But as a gym nut, I went through a lot of gym clothes. I bought other brands but with constant washes, they just don't hold up. I only wash them in cold water in delicate cycles in my washer and never never put them in dryer, only hung dry. They dry fairly quick though.

A couple of weeks ago, I started my Lululemon purchase again. Got the Run For Your Money Tank in bruised berry(a cross between a purple and a navy color, very pretty) and love it so much. It is light and loose-fitting in the torso. Don't you hate it when you're sweating and your tank is tight and make it so uncomfortable?

When I found a tank which I love, I usually would get in it multiples, usually in a different color.

Run For Your Money Tank in pow pink light

I like this tank that it is light and not too revealing at the front(yes, maybe revealing on the side, but when you're soaked in sweats, you would appreciate the sides being able to breath :). Also, the back is a bit longer than your regular gym tank which I love.  

I find the items on Lululemon website sell out fast, especially the popular sizes. If you like this, better grab that before they are all gone. But if you live near a store, you'd have better luck as well. Are you a Luluemon fan and what is your favorite item for the summer?

Shopping Style @ Sunday Social #4

It's Sunday Social #4 and I'm excited about this week's questions as shopping IS my obsession.

1. What is your favorite store to shop at?

This one is easy. J. Crew. Ever since they opened their first store in Toronto, Canada last August, I have been shopping OBSESSIVELY there. Love their style and if you can catch a great sale, the piece are of excellent value and I know I will wear them for years to come.

2.If you could afford anything and everything, which designer brand would you covet?

Burberry. Love their timeless and classic pieces. I have jackets by them from years ago and still wear them often. 

3. Must have closet staple?

A good pair of jeans. You can always dress up your look with jeans. Wear a statement necklace or a nice blazer and you can totally rock your look.

4. Favorite kind of shoes? 

Definitely flats. I wish I could wear heels but I have tried many brands and styles of heels and they all vary between an hour or 5 hours, my feet still hurt afterwards. Currently, my go-to flats are my Coach flats.

Wish I could say it's my new Tory Burch Reva but I haven't broken them in yet (yes, after wearing them in the house with thick socks still haven't stretched them comfortable enough to wear out, sigh..............)

5. Best clothing deal you've ever gotten (sale or amazing find)?

This one is hard since I pride myself that most of my purchase is of amazing deal haha! But I have to say it would be Lands' End Canvas Heritage cardigan. This one I got from a few great sales before Christmas last year. I got 4 of them(of different colors) and they were averaging about $10 each. Such great deals and they are perfect for layering. 

 6. Style you'd love to try?

I'd like to wear more skirts and dresses. Before this year, I don't recall the last time I wore skirts or dresses (besides going to weddings). This year, I got a few skirts and surprised myself that I love wearing them. I want to get pencil skirts(Yes, definitely the ever-so-popular J. Crew No. 2 pencil skirts) pair with blazers this fall.