Pre-Fall Wishlist

Proenza Schouler PS11
I've been coveting the PS11 for quite a while now and I think it will probably be my next bag purchase. Now to decide what colour... classic black or something different like this blue ombre?

Kenzo Tiger Sweater
The ubiquitous Kenzo Tiger Sweater in its many iterations is both flashy and ridiculous, but I'm kind of obsessed with it. However, I can't decide if the tiger tee or this much cheaper Lovers + Friends version might be safer bets to get my graphic fix.

Leopard Pumps
Leopard pumps are such a classic. I'm hoping to find some this Fall that will really elevate my work looks (to be worn outside of the courtroom, of course). So far I've got my eye on these Diane von Furstenberg Anette Leopard High Heels as well as these Kate Spade Lottie Leopard High Heels.

Floppy Brimmed Fedora
This Rag & Bone Floppy Brim Fedora is at the top of my wishlist right now though I also love this version. Some similar but cheaper options on my radar include this super wide brimmed fedora from ASOS and this wool panama hat from Urban Outfitters.

Duo-Toned Monk Shoes
Ever since I saw these 10 Crosby Derek Lam Roland Flats in a ShopBop lookbook, I have been envisioning all the wonderful Fall outfits I could create with them. Unfortunately, they won't ship this particular pair of shoes to Canada! Any ideas on where I can find something similar or where this brand is sold in Vancouver?

Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat

I've mentioned before that I typically avoid all non-waterproof mascaras because they fail to hold a curl on my straight Asian lashes and I often end up with raccoon eyes at the end of the day. So when the Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat landed in my mailbox, I thought I might have found a game changer.

This innovative product is not a waterproof mascara. Rather, it's a transparent coat that you can apply to transform any mascara you own into a waterproof one. Now add on the fact that it's paraben-free, hypo-allergenic, and perfume-free... sounds pretty amazing, right?

I decided to test the topcoat out over a few different mascaras that haven't worked for me in the past but sadly found that this is not the holy grail I was hoping for. I should note that Marcelle never claimed that this product would keep lashes curled in addition to waterproofing, but a girl can dream! Unfortunately for me, the drippy lacquer felt heavy once applied and weighed down my already drooping lashes. Since my favourite mascaras are already waterproof formulas, I will be sticking to them instead.

As for the waterproofing capabilities of the Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat, I managed to work in a few sweaty gym sessions while wearing it and my mascara did remain happily smudge-free. So if you don't suffer from straight lash syndrome and you're looking to "emotion-proof" a favourite non-waterproof mascara, this might be just the product you're looking for.

For the folks the above paragraph applies to (jealous!), Marcelle is offering a special deal for you. From now until September 30, buy any Marcelle mascara and receive a Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat for FREE. Offer is only available online at Marcelle.com with promo code BOGO.

(Subtle) Star Print Denim

In addition to the denim on denim trend, I'm also gravitating towards a lot of the printed denim we'll be seeing this Fall. For example, these Rockstar Printed Skinny Jeans from Old Navy. The wash is lighter than what I usually wear but I really liked the fading and thought the star print was a subtle way of adding some pizazz without going over the top.

Don't forget to head over to Old Navy for the last few days of their denim sale. All jeans are on sale until August 29 starting at $19. With prices like that, there's no excuse not to stock up!

Blouse: Olive & Oak / Vest: Central Park West / Jeans: Old Navy (c/o)
Shoes: Aldo / Bag: Chanel / Bracelet: Lulu Frost for J. Crew

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Old Navy but all opinions, as always, are my own.

MAC Cosmetics x Antonio Lopez Collection: 6 Eyes/Teal, Face/Pink, 3 Lips/Nude

Mark your calendars for September 12, my birthday(!) and the release of the MAC Cosmetics x Antonio Lopez Collection, an ode to the legendary fashion illustrator whose work has appeared in countless publications from Vogue to the New York Times.

Antonio Lopez is also known for launching the careers of supermodels like Jerry Hall and Grace Jones so each palette displays the face of a different muse, known as "Antonio's Girls." As you can see, they are very 80s which I know some people don't care for, but I feel like enough time has passed to allow us to appreciate the packaging as fun, retro throwbacks. What do you think?

The collection includes three eye palettes, three lip palettes, two face palettes, and a few accessories. I was lucky enough to receive three of my own to play with: 6 Eyes/Teal, 3 Lips/Nude, and Face/Pink.

MAC Antonio Lopez: 6 Eyes/Teal ($52.00 CAD) 
Sex & Disco Sparkling cool silver (Lustre)
Colourful Life Dark teal (Veluxe Pearl)
Freshwater Mid-tone sparkling blue with blue pearl (Veluxe Pearl)
Nighttrain Charcoal grey with crystalline frost (Lustre)
Sketchbook Glittery blackened olive (Lustre)
Fashion Legend Black with pink pearl (Lustre)

MAC Antonio Lopez: 3 Lips/Nude ($33.00 CAD) 
Art Directed Glossy sheer champagne (Glaze)
Antonio’s Girls Light peach (Satin)
Vivid Image Light white pink (Amplified)

MAC Antonio Lopez: Face/Pink ($55.00 CAD)
Belightful Light bronze with golden shimmer (Iridescent Powder)
Pure Femininity Mid-tone blue pink (Satin Blush)
Peaceful Mid-tone peach (Beauty Powder)

I really like the 6 Eyes/Teal because it has some great colours in it and the Face/Pink because it's nice to have coordinating bronzer, blush, and highlighter in one convenient package. However, I am not a fan of the 3 Lips/Nude. The colours are nice enough but I find the formulas quite drying. I also prefer lipsticks in the tube over palettes which can get a little messy. Nonetheless, the three palettes combined can be used to create some very gorgeous full-face looks. Here's one that I've been wearing a lot lately: 

6 Eyes/Teal (all), Face/Pink (all), 3 Lips/Nude (Antonio's Girls)

Top of the Hill

This weekend went by entirely too quickly, but isn't that how it always seems? My boyfriend and I successfully hosted our first dinner party (after madly scrambling to finish some tasks we've been procrastinating on, such as staining our dining room table and purchasing/building a new TV stand). I also managed to fit in some time for dim sum and an afternoon high tea date with Jayne at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Now I'm just counting down the days until next weekend... too bad it's only Monday!

Tank: TNA (Aritzia) / Crochet Vest: Love Stitch via Scoop

Maxi Skirt: ASOS (here) / Bag: ASOS (c/o) (similar) / Sandals: Shellys London

Sunglasses: Michael Kors (c/o) (similar) / Bracelet: mark. (c/o) (here)

Geometric Nail Art: LACC Nail Enamel in 1977 & Butter London Trout Pout

After a few days of sporting this gorgeous turquoise nail polish on its own, I decided to refresh my manicure with some easy geometric nail art. Not only was the colour combination fun to wear, but this actually ended up being a great way to hide a few little chips.

To get the look above, I used LACC Nail Enamel in 1977 as my base (LACC is a great Vegan-friendly line started by a fellow Vancouverite) before adding triangular-shapes with Butter London Trout Pout and Kiss Nail Art Paint in White. For a glossy effect, I finished off with AVON Speed Dry Top Coat (c/o).

P.S. These nails are also featured in a recent FASHION Magazine Beauty Panel challenge on summertime nails - be sure to check it out here!

Denim on Denim

It's been a while since I last shopped at Old Navy so I was super impressed with what I found when I stopped by their West Vancouver location last week. The new Fall denim collection is particularly enticing with its fun prints, colour, and tuxedo stripes, as well as basic washes ranging from light to dark. Even better: all jeans are on sale from now until August 29 with prices starting from $19!

I have been liking the denim on denim trend a lot so I decided to pair this cute polka dot chambray shirt (chambray shirts are a great transition piece for Fall) with these Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans. The dark wash makes them a wardrobe staple while the stretch fabric means they are extremely comfortable to wear.

Shirt: Old Navy (c/o) / Jeans: Old Navy (c/o) / Booties: Rachel Comey (here)
Watch: Michael Kors (here) / Bracelets: Derng

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Old Navy but all opinions, as always, are my own.

Cat Face Sweater

My approach to casual style this summer can be characterized by basic pairings of tank tops, shorts, and comfy shoes - plus the occasional sweater, like this Cat Face Sweatshirt from Skip N' Whistle, for cool nights spent outside. These kinds of quirky pieces always get my attention (you may recall my similar lion face t-shirt). Besides, I've always wanted a cat but can't even be in the same room as one due to my awful allergies... I guess this sweatshirt brings out the wannabe cat lady in me!

Tanktops (both): TNA (Aritzia) / Sweatshirt: Skip N' Whistle (c/o)

Shorts: 7 For All Mankind (DIY cut-offs) / Shoes: Converse (c/o) (here)

Fedora: Urban Outfitters (similar)

Top 10 Lip Products (& July Must-Reads)

Question of the month from Mehreen: What are your top 10 lip products?

As a lip product junkie, it was hard narrowing it down to just 10 - never mind the fact that my favourites tend to change with the season or new product releases. However, here's what I'm loving at the moment...

LIPSTICKS
Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick in Mademoiselle (worn here)
Lavshuca Dramatic Memory Rouge Lipstick in PK-3 (worn here)
MAC Lipstick in Shy Girl (worn here)
MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt (worn here)
MAC Lipstick in Pink Nouveau (worn here)
Annabelle TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon in Mai Tai (worn here)

LIPGLOSSES
NYX Butter Gloss in Maple Blondie (worn here)
Lise Watier Gloss Bollywood (worn here)

LIP BALMS
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Rosé
Smith's Rosebud Salve


P.S. Don't forget to see the other girls' picks and their must-read posts for the month of July!

• Alison*Elle - Alison is obsessed with embellished dresses for summer weddings
• Beautygirl24 - Noelle attended her beautiful bridal shower
• Ella Pretty - Ella's picked up some wardrobe staples and designer dupes
• Lindsay J Everyday - Lindsay can't get enough of these recipes
• Love, Lipstick & Pearls - Kristen shared her Recent Purchases from those late night feedings!
• Schnelle Couture - Danielle talks about all of her favorite summer beauty products.
• Sequins and Stilettos - Skylette does black and white in a cotton skirt
• The Currently Obsessed - Mehreen is having a blog sale! Tiffany, Michael Kors and Sydney Evans oh my!

Insta-Life / Insta-Beauty

Can you believe it's already August? I feel like time has just flown by. Since things were so busy at the beginning of summer (my trip to Hawaii, moving, work, and life in general), I'm really hoping to make the most of what's left. So while I'm relaxing this long weekend (Happy BC Day!), here's a recap of what I've been up to lately...

Early birthday present from my boyfriend: Biria CitiBike 700C Step-Through 7 Speed... just need to get a wicker basket!

A little something from Louis Vuitton: monogram vernis key pouch in Pomme D'Amour

Adding some fun to my drink with these heart-shaped ice cubes

Gorgeous trees during a hike at Lynn Valley in North Vancouver

Kamei Baru grand opening party

Warming up with some ramen on a cool summer night

Last month I also introduced a new "Insta-Beauty" round-up blog feature, and have another set of products that I've been experimenting with to share with you all.

Firstly, Revlon's #DareToWearBlue campaign presented the fun challenge of creating a bold blue eye look with the PhotoReady Primer + Shadow palette in Avant Garde plus a few other products. The Lash Potion mascara comes in some of the prettiest mascara packaging I've ever seen but unfortunately the formula is too wet to hold a curl in my straight Asian lashes. The PhotoReady Kajal Intense Eye Liner + Brightener pencils are double-ended so that you can line with the darker side and use the lighter side on your water line. I've been loving blue liner lately so I particularly like Blue Nile.

Schick recently introduced their new Hydro Silk Disposables, a disposable version of their popular Hydro Silk Razor (which I previously reviewed here). These razors are almost identical to the originals, featuring the same moisture-replenishing benefits and Water-Activated Moisturizing Serum, except they have the added bonus of convenience/portability. The next time I travel somewhere these will definitely be my razors of choice.

Another exciting nail polish launch is on its way this September from AVON as well. Urban Splatter will feature six sheer colours with matte black & white flecks that can be worn alone or over another nail polish. The bases are quite sheer so I prefer to layer these but they're an interesting take on the standard glitter polish. They actually remind me a lot of the Maybelline ColorShow Polka Dots collection I've been seeing a lot of lately.

As always, don't forget to follow me on Instagram if you're not doing so already! My username is @alison_elle.

MAC Cosmetics Gorgeous Eyes Collection: Showstopper, Devilishly Dark, and Pink Freeze

I was lucky enough to receive a few quads from the upcoming MAC Cosmetics Gorgeous Eyes Collection to preview and let me tell you... they are amazing.

Clockwise from bottom left: Showstopper, Devilishly Dark, Pink Freeze

Those of you who are avid MAC fans may recognize these as having been previously released in the Asia-exclusive Lovely Collection this past Spring. However, now we North Americans will also be able to get our hands on them!

Showstopper is a neutral quad that contains Oh My Darling (pale frosty cream; frost), Jest (soft peach with icy shimmer; frost), Mineralism (softly tarnished silver with frost; lustre), and Showstopper (deep blackened brown; matte). I actually already own Showstopper (the eye shadow) and use it a ton as a crease colour so I'm glad it's making a reappearance in this collection for those who might not have it.

Devilishly Dark is another neutral quad with gold themes. It contains Manila Paper (pale frosted white gold; veluxe pearl), Goldmine (intense gold with shimmer; frost), Honey Lust (bronze-dipped peach; lustre), and Devilishly Dark (rich brown with gold pearl; frost). These shades are great for creating a gilded, warm eye.

Pink Freeze is a pink-based quad made up of Pink Freeze (bright pink with icy pearl; frost), Bruised Plum (frosted mid-tone dirty mauve; veluxe pearl); Deception (frosty golden brown; frost), and Magic Moor (purple grape; veluxe pearl). I don't usually gravitate towards cool, frosty colours like Pink Freeze but the addition of the other three shadows results in a gorgeous purple smokey eye.

Seriously, aren't they so pretty? MAC has always offered the option of custom-made quads but sometimes it's just easier when the pros have done it for you. After all, they're the ones who know what colour combinations work best together!

Find these three quads (plus two more - Melt My Heart and Hold My Gaze) as of August 15, 2013.