new in: avon bracelet set

One of my favourite quotes lately is: "accessories are the exclamation point of a woman." It makes me smile because it is so true. There is something about finishing off an outfit with the perfect selection of accessories. It just makes you feel good! Those final touches can transform an ordinary, run of the mill look into something that looks incredible, and better yet, makes your confidence soar. Yes, accessories are an absolute must. A little while ago, I was gifted this beautiful bracelet set from Avon (pictured above). I have been totally obsessed with it ever since. It's not hard to figure out why...the Avon Safari Stretch Bracelet set has it all.

liebster award.

What a surprise! First of all, I would like to thank Laura from Lalabetterdayz for nominating me for the Liebster Award. It was a lovely surprise and I am so honoured. In today's post, I will be answering her questions and sharing my own questions for whoever would like to participate. Here goes....

rosegal haul (dress, top, and accessories!)

Remember a little while ago, when I posted about my wardrobe lacking a certain something lately? Not anymore, thanks to Rosegal. There are plenty of new items that are sprucing up my closet. (You may remember my recent post featuring some gorgeous new tops.) It was thrilling to open up my mailbox and see a package full of beautiful new pieces. That includes a new top, dress, and pair of earrings. Ready to take a closer look? Here is my latest Rosegal haul....

love it or leave it? ashlee simpson

I have been a fan of Ashlee Simpson for a very long time. Back in the day, I watched her reality show. I bought all of her CDs. Saw her in concert. Met her after a Chicago performance in the West End. Bought pieces from her Wet Seal clothing line. Watched her on Melrose Place. And more recently? I've been keeping up with her new show, Evan + Ashlee. Though I've always kept up with her professional career, I must admit, her style has also had an influence on my life over the years. I got Ashlee Simpson-esque bangs (which were admittedly, not a great look on me) and I admired her edgy-chic outfits. Now, her style is a little more boho-glam....but I love it all the same. Which brings me to the real purpose of this post. It is a good old fashioned love it or leave it? 

tips to stay warm in cold weather

Miss the sunshine? Join the club. The warm summer rays have now become a distant memory. In their place are clouds and rain. (Soon to be snow and slush, if it hasn't happened already.) That’s right. We are deep into fall…and winter is not far behind. Sick of feeling cold all day long? Tired of staying indoors? You don’t have to. These tips will help you stay warm day after chilly day.

trash or treasure? kardashian beauty makeup

It had the potential to be a major beauty find. It also had the potential to be a complete and total waste of money. When I stumbled upon a Kardashian Beauty Au Naturel Nude Lip Set (in the shade In The Buff) for a mere three dollars at a Winners......my heart beat faster. Could it be? After all those years of searching for Kardashian Beauty products, could it really be right in front of me? Within reach? I distinctly remember visiting Ulta a couple of years back. I was visiting the states and it was my first time ever being in the store. I'd heard that they carried the Kardashian Beauty line and was thrilled for the chance to get my hands on some of it. (Yes, I love the Kardashian's/Jenner's. I've made videos and have written many blog posts about them over the years!) Turns out, they had stopped selling the line just days earlier. It seemed that I would never see Kardashian Beauty products for myself. And then, bam! There it was. So, was it trash or treasure?

my discount shopping trip experience

It has sort of become a tradition. For the last couple of years, my mom and I have taken a bus tour to the states before the holiday season begins. It is a weekend trip that takes the bus load to Erie, Pennsylvania for tax free shopping. Though we had a lot of fun last year, there were no plans to go again, since the tour company had decided to raise the price rather significantly. Turns out because of this, the bus wasn't quite full. So we snagged a bit of a discount and away we went! The trip had a jam-packed schedule and there was lots and lots of shopping to be had, though things didn't go exactly as planned. Here is a recap of my mini getaway....

new in: tops from rosegal

My wardrobe has been lacking something lately. (Thank goodness for Rosegal. They totally saved the day recently. And speaking of Rosegal, be sure to check out their Double eleven sale and the stunning NEW ARRIVALS.) It seems that whenever I have a special event coming up....nothing hanging in my closet feels quite right. That happened not long ago. Luckily, the same day I was choosing my outfit, a package from Rosegal arrived. Inside there were two pieces, and one of them was so perfect that I ended up wearing it to meet my idol. Want to see the pieces up close? Find out more about the quality? Here are my thoughts on a couple of tops from Rosegal.....

review: nyx perfect filter eyeshadow palette (olive you)

There is no such thing as too much eyeshadow. When it comes to beauty products, it is always on the very top of my list. Though eyeliner and mascara are must-haves....eyeshadow fuels my creativity like nothing else. I love playing with colours, finishes, and textures to create a head-turning makeup look. Recently, I came across the NYX Perfect Filter eyeshadow palette in Olive You. The shades were immediately attractive to me because many of them were quite different from the shadows already in my makeup collection. So, I decided to take the plunge and give Olive You a try.

new in: britney spears prerogative perfume set

Britney, Britney, Britney. Not only is Britney Spears one of the most iconic performers of all time but she is a fragrance mogul with over a billion dollars worth of sales. Recently, she released her twenty fourth perfume, Prerogative. It is a little bit different from the others in her line because this scent is not meant just for women. According to an interview with the Pop Princess herself, it is targeted towards all genders and backgrounds, making sure that the scent is as inclusive as possible. She said, "I wanted to create a fragrance that says 'be whoever you want to be - no labels, no judgement.' None of us are defined by one thing." With a positive perspective and a string of successful fragrances under her belt....Prerogative is Britney's most ambitious release yet. So, how is it?

review: essence all about the magical forest eyeshadow palette

Who says drugstore makeup lacks in quality? It seems there are more and more affordable brands releasing quality products at a reasonable price. Essence is just one example. In the past, many of my essence hauls have left me impressed and inspired. Which is why I am always open to testing out new items from the brand. The latest one is All About The Magical Forest eyeshadow palette. It is easy to understand why I was so drawn to this product. The cute theme and dazzling colours were enough to grab my interest immediately. So, here is everything you need to know about the palette.

four reasons to wear suede.

Every now and then, a fashion trend takes over in a big way. This season? That trend is suede. The material was featured in collections from Chloe and Isabel Marant, to name just a few. It isn’t just designers that are obsessed with suede right now. Everyone from fashion bloggers, fast fashion stores and probably your next-door neighbour seem to have embraced the trend. You can too. If you are feeling a little hesitant or on the fence, don't worry. Here are four reasons to wear suede.

birthday highlights + halloween looks

It is a busy time of year! Fall always seems to be one activity after the next, after the next, after the next. At least in my experience. Within the span of a month, there is my husbands birthday, my birthday (and my brother's), Halloween, and everything in between. This year in particular, things have been a little hectic. I've been lucky enough to take some day trips, hang out with friends, and make lots of wonderful fall memories. Not a bad way to celebrate. Today's post is all about looking back at a few of those moments. That includes some of my birthday highlights and a peek at my Halloween costumes. Here goes....

review: hard candy just glow! highlighting palette (struck by light)

My eyes instantly lit up. There were new Hard Candy products lining the shelves at my local drugstore. It had been a while since there any major changes happened in the section....so I was quite eager to take a look at the new line. Out of everything, the most eye-catching had to be the Just Glow! Highlighting Palettes. There were three in total. The first was a basic and bronzey highlighting set, the next had cooler blue tones, and the last was had a mixture of pinks, purples, and bronze colours. As you can see from the photo above, I decided to try the last of the three. (Though I must admit, that blue one was very tempting! It sold out quickly though, so I may have missed the boat.) Struck By Light includes three powder highlights and three cream highlights. Is it good? Bad? In between? Here is everything you need to know before you pick up the palette.