What to Wear
Mar 14, 2012
My dress mood recently shifts between casual and chic. I look at my closet and I want to dress up. I look at my kids.....casual it is! At least casual doesn’t have to be boring and I had two opportunities to dress up this month. Here are two similar looks that I wore.
It’s spring break and I have four kids at home. Although, I secretly think my toddler is cloning himself so it feels like ten kids are in the house! I love the look of a loose casual t-shirt with soft grey jeans. The cross body bag keeps my hands free and the ballet flats are a must to run around in. To keep my tired eyes from giving my sleepless nights away, a glamorous pair of aviators (rain or shine)!
1 T by Alexander Wang t-shirt net-a-porter.com
2 Gap 1969 grey jeans gap.com
3 Ray Ban Legend Collection aviator shop.nordstrom.com
4 MARC by Marc Jacobs “Petal to the Metal” bag shop.nordstrom.com
5 TOMS Gisele suede ballet flat toms.com
This is how I would like to look some days, polished and pulled together. A classic silk blouse over slim black pants never goes out of style. Black booties and a chain link purse are a must in every woman’s wardrobe. Stacking bangles around your wrist complete your look. Now keep my toddler’s sticky hands and face away from me while I make my escape - we have dinner reservations at seven o’clock!
1 Equipment blouse
2 Pink Tartan pants
3 House of Harlow stacking bangles
4 House of Harlow handbag
5 Kelsi Dagger bootie
This look can be found on dealuxe.ca
So, what are you wearing now? Do you have a favourite dressy piece that makes you feel fabulous? Or is it all about comfort and that perfectly worn in pair of jeans? Tell me what you are wearing now in the comments section! I would love to know.
by Michele Bromley
Blogger at Stilistaathome.com and Stimuli Magazine Contributor
Posted under
What to Wear •
Mar 01, 2012
All the crazy weather we’ve been having has not stopped Spring from brightening Muse Social Fashion House. Maybe if we all dressed for spring, the weather gods will concede that it is time to move on to warmer weather. I am seriously craving these outfits. I want to wear them NOW!
Dare to be bold and bright with this sunny outfit! I love the bright hot pink and orange together. Tank by E Sley ($65) will also look great with blue jeans and the BB Dakota pants ($90) paired with a white t-shirt is a fabulous alternative.
High tea? Yes please! This lovely muted grey, cream, and mustard pleated dress by aryn K ($135) is demure and chic. Perfect for sipping tea, nibbling on cucumber sandwiches and a garden Easter egg hunt. Necklace by Towne & Reese ($45).
I have a serious obsession with grey lately. My last few purchases have all been grey. I need this lively multi coloured racer back tank by BB Dakota ($75) it packs a punch against the soft grey jeans by Black Orchid ($150). Necklace by Towne & Reese ($30).
I have a serious obsession with grey lately. My last few purchases have all been grey. I need this lively multi coloured racer back tank by BB Dakota ($75) it packs a punch against the soft grey jeans by Black Orchid ($150). Necklace by Towne & Reese ($30).
Tangerine is the colour of the year. Who can resist this amazing dress by BB Dakota ($125)? I love the details; like the way it’s pleated, the halter top, peek a boo window in the front, and the tie in the back. Wear it with your hair swept up and dangling earrings at your ears. Beautiful!
Muse also offers some great accessories in store. Love the straw fedoras ($32) and Cocktail rings by Social Experiment. Wear one, two, or three!
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Colour block wallets by Colab ($35).
Thank you Christine! It was lovely to catch up with you and see what is new in your store. If you need something cheerful offer yourself up to the weather gods and pick out something amazing at Muse!
by Michele Bromley
Blogger at Stilistaathome.com and Stimuli Magazine Contributor
Posted under
What to Wear •
Feb 16, 2012
My girlfriend Vivian called me one Friday morning telling me she was coming out to see me. It was a gorgeous sunny day! We started off with a latte at Good Day Sunshine Cafe. What Vivian wore was totally inspiring. Her bright pink blouse under her leather jacket worn with her jeans looked fabulous! Her look was my exact idea for my next article of wearing brights with neutrals. While I was ordering my latte I ran in to Joanne from Just Jewellery across the street. A quick conversation with her led to a spark of imagination. Taking advantage of the good weather, with camera in hand, I was off and running! It spiralled quickly in to an impromptu photo shoot for my next Stimuli article.
Earlier in the week Benita at Mela Boutique showed me some of the new stock that arrived at her store. This dress by Jack ($80) is understated on the hanger. This simple caramel colour sleeveless shirt dress has an amazing belt! The bright blue and orange striped belt gives the dress a little kick! This is a great way to wear something bright without too much fuss.
Don’t let this bright tangerine orange dress by Kain ($180) scare you! This super soft maxi dress will take you from cool spring weather to hot summer. The dark grey scarf and leather studded belt (both belong to Vivian) make it wearable now.
These next two looks we styled with Joanne from Just Jewellery! She just moved her store to their new High Street location. First is Vivian wearing a sunny yellow top by Eight Sixty ($110) with her jeans. Joanne dressed the neckline with this gorgeous vintage multi strand hand cut jet necklace ($495). On Vivian’s right arm are three stacked bracelets of various semi-precious stones by Just Jewellery ($55-195). On her right arm is a leather studded cuff by Wild Card.This top would also look great underneath a black blazer paired with skinny black pants.
I love this bright verdant green top by Jack ($79). The peek a boo sheer panel edged with lace is a little daring and demure at the same time! By Just Jewellery are two turquoise and silver beaded necklaces ($225-295) and sterling silver and turquoise ring ($255). The large bronze and turquoise pendant ($175) and cuff ($425) of the same materials are by Victoria Stewart. On her right hand a mixed metal ring by Giulietta Designs ($264). Again we paired the top with jeans but another great option for warmer weather is a long maxi skirt.
If you are looking to brighten up your wardrobe I hope the above looks will give you some inspiration. Thank you Joanne from Just Jewellery for adding the finishing touches. Thank you to Chris and Jessie for letting me shoot at Good Day Sunshine Cafe. Last but not least thank you Benita for letting me raid Mela Boutique’s latest finds! If you’re in the neighborhood be sure to stop in and check them all out at High Street.
by Michele Bromley
Blogger at Stilistaathome.com and Stimuli Magazine Contributor
Posted under
What to Wear •
Feb 02, 2012
One of the most versatile pieces that you can have in your wardrobe is a scarf. Aside from keeping you warm it can complete your look, add interest, colour, and texture. I am desperately hoping that Groundhog Day will tell us that spring is on it’s way! Scarves are a fabulous transitional piece. The best part is there are hundreds of ways to tie a scarf; I’ll show you some of my favourite ways and looks. I’ve also included links to two websites and a YouTube video at the end of my article that will inspire you!!
When it’s cold out my favourite way to bundle up is with a scarf wrapped cozily around my neck. A light to medium weight knit is best. When you wear it with a coat, wrap your scarf in a simple, unfussy cowl or knot. This light weight wool burgundy polka dot print scarf ($85) adds colour and texture to the navy pea coat by BB Dakota ($134).
To amp up my casual look I’ll wear a scarf one of a few ways. I love this belted denim dress by Funktional ($180). To give this dress some dimension and colour I draped a gorgeous coral and pale indigo scarf ($60) in to a long cowl.
With this simple raglan sleeve grey dress by James Perse ($165), I've criss-cross wrapped my long chevron print Missoni scarf as a belt. The print and fringe of this scarf and the way it's wrapped, takes this dress to another level.
Have you ever thought of wearing your scarf as a loose cardigan? Take a square scarf and tie the ends together, slip your arms through and voila! Instant glamour for your beautiful dress. Here is my Mathew Wiliamson for H&M scarf as a beautiful wrap cardigan around this silk dress by LA Made ($150). Crystal 14K plated necklace by Lisbeth ($89).
Another fun way to wear a scarf is as a top. A large square piece is needed. The top can be tied as a halter or as a strapless top. Shown here is my Alexander McQueen silk skull scarf as a strapless top underneath a denim jacket by Funktional ($160) and pants by Oxmo.
My husband bought me this purple scarf with studs from Hermes for my birthday a few years ago. I wear this scarf around my neck with or without the studs. I've also worn it in my hair as a hair band or wrapped around my pony tail. My favourite way to wear it is as a bracelet!
Image 6: purple scarf with three silver studs
I hope you are inspired to play with your scarves to create the perfect finishing touch for your outfit. For more inspiration check out these video tutorials from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LYAEz777AU">Liberty of London. Some of the worlds most beautiful scarves are produced by Hermes.
Have you got a favourite way to wear your gorgeous scarf? I would love to hear about it! Let me know by commenting below!
Thank you Benita for letting me shoot at your store last minute! All the looks above can be found at Mela Boutique.
by Michele Bromley
Blogger at Stilistaathome.com and Stimuli Magazine Contributor
Posted under
What to Wear •
Jan 19, 2012
In my last article I wrote about finding your stylish uniform. I know it can be a daunting task, so I will share mine with you. Keep in mind that what works for me may not work for you. There are three things that I require of my basic wardrobe: I need to be able to layer my pieces, feel comfortable in them, and it is effortless to put together.
I love layering; if I’m out chasing my one year old son I need to be able to peel back a layer or two and still be comfortable and put together. This is how I layer: tank/T-shirt, cashmere sweater, blazer/sweater coat, and scarf. From the moment leaves fall from trees until the snow melts and all is bright and green, I layer.
My tanks and t shirts are mostly black, white, grey, or navy. I usually buy James Perse, Alexander Wang, Splendid or Vince. These are my favourite brands because of the cut, quality and softness of their fabric.
My cashmere sweaters vary in style and weight. Some brands that live in my closet are by Vince, Club Monaco, and Banana Republic. With almost every brand producing cashmere sweaters, I always wait for a sale to buy mine.
I have two blazers that I wear. The first is a black wool blazer by Diane Von Furstenberg. I wear this blazer both dressy and casual. The second is a red brushed cotton military style blazer by Gucci. These are two instances where I splurged, but for sooo many good reasons. The cut, fit, style, and fabric were worth every penny. If I’m not wearing a blazer I wear a sweater coat. The two I own are by Vince. One is long and charcoal grey with a hood, the other is a three quarter length sweater coat. Both are cashmere and wool blend.
To top it all off, I always wear a scarf. Can you guess what my fabric of choice is? Cashmere! I prefer a light weight cashmere scarf versus a chunky knit for two reasons: the first is I want to feel warm not sweatyand the second reason is that there are endless ways to tie a lighter weight scarf. The right scarf can brighten your face, add interest, and polish your outfit.
I rarely wear a dress or skirt; I live in jeans and leggings. My jeans have to have a bit of stretch! My favourite brands are J Brand and Hudson. I have everything from skinny or straight to wide or boot cut. Pictured below are my J Brand dark denim boot cut jeans that are currently my favourite! My favourite black legging/jegging are from Joes Jeans - I own two pairs.
On my feet I often wear lace up leather boots that have scuff marks or my grey leather ankle boot by Luxury Rebel. The perfect grey colour, they look great with jeans and leggings. They are also extremely comfortable.
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With all the pieces above I play mix and match for the right look. I don’t have to THINK when I pull my outfits together which is a good thing because after getting four kids dressed, I barely have five minutes to dress myself! Each piece is soft to touch and comfortable to wear. These are the basics in my wardrobe. Yes, basics. I have barely touched upon accessories! That is for another time.
Dear Readers, I would love to know what your stylish uniform is. What do you love to wear? Do you have any questions? Please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!
by Michele Bromley
Blogger at stilistaathome.com and Stimuli Magzine Contributor
Posted under
What to Wear •