Sears Spring LOOK! Report

It would have been very fun to do this shoot frolicking around in the sunshine with budding tulips and green grass, however my reality is currently seven foot snow banks, so I decided to spend the weekend playing dress up indoors in these amazing new spring pieces from Sears! Admittedly, I haven't browsed Sears in quite some time, but these pretty prints make me think I'll have to make them part of my shopping rotation! 

The loose fitting floral print tee is easily my favorite piece. I can see myself throwing that on with dress pants for work or with shorts in the summer time - so versatile, and so comfy! Speaking of comfy, these super stretch printed capris are also incredibly comfy – they are so stretchy but snap right back to hug your form perfectly! They would be so perfect for the office, and could also easily be worn for a night on the town with a quick change of top & shoes. The printed shorts & matching jacket would be amazing with a strappy high heeled sandal, but tights are still required here for at least another month or two. Sigh! Another favorite is the sleeveless polka dot blouse – tucked into a high-waisted skirt or left long over black skinnies, this top would be the a perfect addition to your office attire. 

The main theme I noticed with this new collection? Versatility! These pieces are all so fun to mix & match and can take you from work to play in no time! I’m loving the fun prints and the classic shapes of all of these items. There are so many more gorgeous items in the LOOK! report, so be sure to check that out as well! 

Ahh, spring! Bring on the bright colors & light fabrics! I am so ready for it. 

LOOK! Report is the very best fashion, beauty and lifestyle trends that have hand-picked by our Trend Directors who search the globe for the freshest ideas. Showcasing the best of each season, LOOK! Report presents products in stories which not only embody the trend direction but also allow the product to be featured in the best way possible. LOOK! Report speaks to the changes we at Sears are making to refresh our style and overall brand. It is currently published quarterly and in available in store and online here.

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Sears Canada via Glam Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Sears Canada

Weekends at Home with HP x360

sweater & tank / watch / bracelet & necklace

January and February have left me in major hibernation mode. I am done with winter, and I just want to curl up at home until spring arrives! So today I'm bringing you 4 ways to spend a quiet weekend at home in collaboration with HP to celebrate the release of their new HP x360, which works in 4 different modes: laptop, tablet, tent and stand! 

The HP x360 is so versatile! As I spent this quiet little Sunday at home, I used it in laptop mode to curl up on the couch to browse blogs, do a little online window shopping, and respond to emails. 

Take off the removable keyboard and you've got yourself a tablet, perfect to spend some quality time pinning away on Pinterest! Did I mention this also has touch-screen capabilities? So cool!

Then head to the kitchen with your x360 in hand and use it in tent mode to display your recipes (that you've mostly just found on pinterest after all that browsing!) - sooo much easier than using your phone and having to turn it back on constantly to keep the recipe on display, which is what I found myself doing before! (Not to mention how gross your phone can get when you have to keep touching it to keep it on with your messy baking hands!)

And finally, set your x360 down in stand mode and load up your favorite playlists as you putter around the house! This is fully equipped with BeatsAudio for excellent sound! 

Speaking of music, HP has also partnered with Meagan Trainor, and they'll be hitting the road on her "That Bass Tour" going all across the US! They are bending the rules by bringing us behind the scenes footage along the way, so be sure to follow along! 

This post was sponsored by HP but all opinions and content are my own! 

Fall Wardrobe Must Haves with Destination Femme

While seeing summer end is always a little bit sad, there is something so fresh and exciting about fall. Maybe it’s the nostalgic “back to school” feeling that stays with us long after our school days are done – particularly, back to school shopping! Fall brings an urge to shop like no other season. Your summer dresses and sandals get packed away and all of a sudden you’re feeling the need to load your closet with as much cozy fall goodness as possible. But this can be both overwhelming and expensive. There's no reason why you can't transition some of your summer pieces into fall and winter ones as long as you have the right wardrobe basics! Where do you start?

Before you get caught up in the trends of the season, it’s important to make sure you have the basics down. Basics can stretch your wardrobe so much farther and are the building blocks of any outfit. Below is a list of 10 classic items that will get you through the fall season and can easily be mixed & matched with trendier pieces.

#SMILESTYLE challenge update & giveaway winner!

You might remember a couple weeks ago I took Crest up on their offer for a 2 Weeks to Your Whitest Smile challenge, testing out their Crest 3D White Luxe Supreme Flex Fit strips! Well today I'm here to chat about my results and my experience over all, AND to announce the winner of the 3D White Giveaway! 

I diligently used them for the first 5 or 6 days, and was definitely noticing a difference. THEN it was moving week - enter chaos, painting, cleaning, moving, late nights, and general scatterbrain-ness and admittedly, I missed a few days. So, to be completely honest, I'm doing this final review with a few strips left to go. Which only means the results could get even better from here!

I didn't experience any tooth sensitivity when using them regularly - which might in part be because of the awesome tooth sensitivity toothpaste they provided me! There was only one day that I did one set late at night and my next set early the next morning that I experienced some sensitivity, but I think I just used them too close together! 

All in all, I think this is a great product and I definitely noticed my teeth getting whiter and I am excited to see the last few days through! 

And without further ado, the lucky winner of her own pack of Crest 3D White Strips is... SALLY! I'll be emailing you later today! Congrats! 

& A quick snap of my "after"... 

#FearlesslyFashionable

Top & Skirt: Joe Fresh, Shoes: Steven c/o Shopbop, Bag: Coach, Watch: Michael Kors, Bracelets: Banana Republic & Stella & Dot, Earrings: Kate Spade, Sunglasses: c/o Sunglass Warehouse

Fearless fashion can mean many things to many people. When I was asked to show my own fearless fashion, I initially felt a little bit nervous thinking I was going to really have to step outside the box - to be "bold" and "wild" and "edgy",which, in truth, aren't really me.

And then I realized that fearless fashion is all about being unafraid to express yourself - whoever that self may be! Whether you're a wild child or all about the classics, being fearlessly fashionable is about staying true to your own style no matter what the current trends are. That said, it also means having a little bit of fun with your style and not being afraid to try new things! For me, that usually means staying pretty classic when it comes to my outfit, and then shaking things up with fun nails, accessories and shoes, which is what I did here!

I paired a simple silk blouse with a fun printed skater skirt, and dressed them up with black and gold nails, ankle strap pumps and plenty of gold jewelry. These photos were taken back when the days were still warm enough to wear something like this!

I would define my style as feminine and classic, and it's no secret to anyone that black and gold is my absolute favorite combo. Even if current trends are pushing in a different direction, I feel best when I stay true to my signature style. Another fearless fashion tip? Don't be afraid to repeat your faves! I've definitely worn all of these pieces before. But they're me, and I love them, so I'm going to wear them again and again! 

How do you stay fearlessly fashionable?

Crest #SmileStyle Challenge & Giveaway!

It's no secret that my teeth are... predominant. This girl's got a big smile. So when your teeth are less than white, it can definitely make you a little self conscious. Enter the 2 Weeks to Your Whitest Smile challenge! I've teamed up with Crest to try out their Crest 3D White Whitestrips Luxe Supreme FlexFit (along with their white sensitivity toothpaste!) for 2 weeks straight and document the results! Above is my "before" picture! 

But why should I have all the fun? I'm giving away a box for one of you to try out as well! Just enter using the rafflecopter below! (Open to US & Canada!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Compensation was received for this post but all opinions and content are my own. 

First Day of Spring!

So, it's SPRING - technically. We also have a snowfall warning in effect and a forecast of 20cm of snow today. Sigh. But, to celebrate the official arrival of spring I put together a couple of cute little outfits with items from Joules, a UK shop with a very fun, preppy, nautical vibe! I'd love to be walking around in either of these outfits or any of their tunic dresses - especially this one! I love the bright ombre! People often joke when people remark that floral is a trend for spring (really?) but for me they usually taken the form of dresses. This spring, I'm really loving the idea of floral separates so I can mix & match with other prints, like stripes! 

I hope you are having a bright, beautiful, sunny first day of spring and that eventually it will find its way to the east coast! 

I partnered with Joules.com to bring you this post, but all thoughts are my own! 

Work It

Track Jacket, Tank and Leggings: c/o Old Navy, Sneakers: Nike, Sunglasses: c/o Sunglass Warehouse

With the new year comes along a motivation revival when it comes to health & fitness. I talked a little bit before about my semi-resolutions, which all sort of are based on the idea of changing things I'm not happy with if I can, and being happy with anything that I can't change or don't have control over. I mentioned before that this included everything from keeping up with regular eyebrow appointments (had my second one and already see a big difference!) to addressing my skin issues (the doc confirmed yesterday that I do have rosacea & we've come up with a plan of attack which will hopefully result in some big improvements over the next couple months!) and of course, eating healthy and upping my yoga! I feel like I've been doing a pretty good job the last couple weeks, and have even found a new love for barre classes... I've done 3 classes so far and think it's the perfect compliment to my hot yoga classes! 

All that said, it was perfect timing to team up with Old Navy to try out their active wear! Which, by the way, is on major sale right now! I love their compression pants - they'e super comfortable and stay perfectly in place during a sweaty yoga session and I thought this tank was just too cute to pass up!

Admittedly, I felt like I was having my "before" pictures taken for a before/after testimonial of some sort. But I'm workin' on it! 

Half way through the week! Feeling ready for you, weekend! 

This post is sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy's latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com.

Black Velvet

Dress: c/o Old Navy, Shoes and Necklace: c/o Banana Republic, Bag: Rebecca Minkoff c/o Eluxe, Watch: Michael Kors, Sunglasses: c/o Sunglass Warehouse

When I'm getting dressed for holiday gatherings, I always have two conflicting thoughts. First, that it's the holidays and if there's ever a time to overboard on glitz & sparkle, this is it. But then, I always have that slight bit of worry of either being too dressed up OR feeling silly for exposing too much skin when it's -20 outside. Enter the perfect LBD to balance it all out - it's basic, it's long sleeved, it's relatively cozy and warm, but it's made of velvet which gives it just enough of that holiday glamour! (And it's only twenty bucks at Old Navy right now!) Throw in some glittery gold pumps and a statement necklace & you're party ready!

This post is sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy's latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com.

Cozy Cardi

Cardigan: c/o Old Navy, Top: Joe Fresh, Skirt: Topshop, Boots: Steve Madden, Bag: Coach, Watch: Michael Kors, Necklace: c/o T+J Designs, Sunglasses: c/o Sunglass Warehouse

I definitely chose the right day to bundle up in this cute aztec meets fair isle cardigan from Old Navy, as this day was freeeeezing. So blustery, windy and cold! The days have been hovering around the freezing mark lately, but this cardi  definitely did the trick at keeping me warm throughout the day and was a great way to winterize this neon lace skirt! (Last seen here when I was frolicking around in London... sigh!) I love that it's super thick but also nice & fitted through the arms so you don't have that bulky feeling that many sweaters leave you with (I sized down, as it does run large!)

I also finally got these booties I've been pining over for the last few months! They went on super sale and I was able to snag them for $100! They definitely require some breaking in, as the pointed toe is a little stiff, but seeing that they're real leather I"m sure they'll break in beautifully after a few wears and will undoubtedly be my go-to bootie this winter! They are exactly what I was looking for, and I love that the hardware is black so they will go with absolutely everything. 

This post is sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy's latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com.