Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts

February 21, 2019

Fjallraven Kånken Mini Backpack

Anyone remember this wishlist from 2015 where I mentioned wanting a Fjallraven Kånken Mini Backpack? Well, three years later I finally own one thanks to my bestie who got it for me for Christmas! It's so cute and perfect for casual weekends, like this one at Granville Island which I spent walking around with a coffee in hand. I also love that it's waterproof which is much-needed for our rainy Vancouver weather.

Hoodie: Brunette the Label (similar here and here) / Tights: Lorna Jane
Backpack: Fjallraven (here and here) / Shoes: New Balance
Sunglasses: Quay Australia (here)

February 2, 2019

Gucci White New Ace Elastic Band Sneakers

Anybody who's seen my shoe collection knows I own a massive amount of sneakers (I am, after all, almost exclusively in athleisure in my down time). However, I've never been too interested in designer sneakers... until I saw these. Gucci has been pumping out variations of these sneakers for some time now and while I've always liked the Stan Smith-eqsue silhouette, if I'm going to spend the $$ on casual shoes they need to have a unique element. This logo elastic band was it for me. Now if I can just figure out a way to keep these white kicks clean!

Sweater: Oak + Fort / Jeans: Frame (lighter wash) / Sneakers: Gucci (here)
Bag: Proenza Schouler (mini version) / Necklaces: Pyrrha (similar)
Sunglasses: Gucci

January 2, 2019

Louis Vuitton Surene MM

Happy New Year! 2018 was such an amazing year for me that I don't think it can ever be topped, but I am honestly looking forward to a much calmer 2019. Although I don't believe in making resolutions, two of my top priorities for the new year include focusing on my health and decluttering my apartment. In the vein of decluttering, I'm also trying to be more mindful of my purchases and buy things I truly love and know I'll get a lot of use out of.

This Louis Vuitton Surene MM is a recent purchase that has already proved its worth given how much use it's gotten. I have been wanting a new LV bag for a few years but nothing has ever caught my eye until this one. A medium-sized tote with three separate compartments (the middle is zippered for security), it features LV's iconic monogram canvas which is my personal favourite from the brand. It's been perfect for work but isn't too big to schlep around on weekends either. All I can say is it was definitely worth the wait!

Top: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Skirt: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Coat: Massimo Dutti
Boots: Steve Madden (similar) / Bag: Louis Vuitton

December 11, 2018

Chanel Mini Backpack

Ever since I jumped back on the mini backpack train and also started using one for my office commute, my love for "fashion backpacks" has grown. It was really only a matter of time before a luxury one entered my collection, and what better than a classic Chanel with gold hardware? Special thanks to my new hubby -- I've bought all my own designer bags up until now and it seems I've finally rubbed off on him because he got me this one as a random just-married present!

Coat: Ever New / Blanket Scarf: Dynamite (c/o) (similar)
Boots: Stuart Weitzman (here) / Backpack: Chanel
Hat: Mackage (here) / Gloves: Club Monaco (here)

January 3, 2018

All Saints Kita Small Backpack

Happy New Year! Sadly, I started off 2018 with the flu (wasn't even awake at midnight) so hopefully that's not an indicator of how this year is going to go... especially since I've got a lot planned like my wedding and honeymoon this Fall. Thankfully I'm not superstitious!

In other news, this All Saints Kita Small Backpack has become my new go-to work bag. You may recall my love for my leather mini backpack from a few years ago so I've been on the lookout for something hands-free for my daily commute. This All Saints backpack was the perfect find because it fits a lot for its size, goes with everything thanks to minimalist design, and the best part -- it's convertible. You can wear it as a slim backpack but you can also change and remove the straps to carry it as a tote.

Coat: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Blanket Scarf: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Leggings: Club Monaco (here)
Shoes: Alexander Wang (here and here) / Bag: All Saints (here)

November 14, 2017

Big Changes

As you all know, I started this blog almost 8 years ago while I was attending law school. Since graduating in 2011, I have been working as a lawyer in a very specialized practice area and have, for privacy reasons, made efforts to ensure that my professional career is kept separate from my blogging hobby. In keeping with this caveat, I actually have some big news to share: as of today, I am officially leaving private practice! This decision was not an easy one to make as I truly love my firm and the work that we do. However, private practice has proven difficult for me in many ways and resulted in considerable stress and health issues over time. I felt I owed it to myself to see if there was a way I could transition my career into something more sustainable for the long-term. So, starting today, I will be taking on a new role at a large organization (still in law). Although it's a bit nerve-wracking to be taking this step, I am very excited about the new opportunity.

To celebrate, I had to buy myself something -- obviously. I love a bit of flash and this Prada Lion Bag definitely fit the bill. Who wouldn't love a statement piece that resembles a large door knocker?!

Blouse: TWIK (Simons) (c/o Chick Advisor) / Jeans: Frame (similar)
Boots: Vince / Bag: Prada (here)

July 13, 2017

Sunglasses Season

Let's talk sunglasses for a quick second. As I've mentioned before, since my PRK laser eye surgery, my sunglasses collection has grown exponentially. I just can't get enough of them! So what's a girl to do when she's got a new accessory "habit" but wants to save some cash? Turn to looking for glasses online, of course.

Optically Canada features a wide range of affordable men's and women's glasses, designer glasses, sunglasses, a reglazing service... basically everything you could want in an e-optical. The company graciously offered to send me a pair to try out so I selected some OPIUM Eyewear tortoiseshell sunnies. All of Optically's frames are offered as prescription sunglasses (included in the price) although I opted for non-prescription for obvious reasons.


Tanktop: Babaton (Aritzia) / Jacket: Talula (Aritzia) / Pants: Talula (Aritzia)
Shoes: Camper / Sunglasses: OPIUM Eyewear (c/o Optically)
Necklace: Charles & Grace (c/o)


My sunglasses arrived in a hard case with two microfibre cleaning cloths, which I appreciated since I hate smudges. I was also pretty impressed with the quality -- especially for the price (and even more so when you consider the cost of prescription lenses at brick & mortar stores). With their sunglasses, you have the option of customizing the tint as well. I've been wearing a lot of mirrored sunglasses these days so the fact that you can see my eyes through the smoked lenses is kind of a fun feature.

The only issues I encountered with my order had to do with shipping. The sunglasses somehow got returned to the warehouse without any attempts at delivery. This resulted in some run-around with the sunglasses needing to be shipped back to me again. Their customer service thankfully took care of the issues but if you're in a hurry for your glasses then that's something to keep in mind. However, hopefully what happened to me is not the norm.


If you don't mind a potential wait for shipping and don't require super high index lenses (1.56 comes standard on the site along with free coatings), you can really get some great deals on eyewear with Optically. Plus, their selection is constantly changing... it seems they get limited stock of certain frames so there's always something new to pick out. Definitely fun for an eyewear fanatic ;)

July 6, 2017

Cartier Tank Solo Women's Watch

Other than a few fashion watches, which I have typically treated more as accessories than time keepers, I have not worn a watch in years (we're talking early high school). However, relying on an iPhone to tell the time, which is what I've been doing, can sometimes be annoying and even inappropriate depending on the situation (meetings, court hearings, and other events where you shouldn't be seen "playing" on your phone).

As I've gotten older, I have become increasingly interested in luxury watches. This is a world that's pretty foreign to me, unlike designer bags and shoes, and it turns out watch collectors can be serious fanatics. I still don't really understand all the intricacies of luxury watches but I knew I was looking for something that had the quality while remaining fashionable yet versatile. For me, this ended up being the Cartier Tank Solo Watch.


The Tank Solo Watch comes in two sizes; I opted for the smaller size since I have small wrists and I think it's perfect for me and my lifestyle.  It's a simple, classic design which won't go out of style.

I also like how the rectangular face makes it look a bit like a cuff... this also makes it great for stacking with other bracelets since it's not too large. Below, I'm wearing it with my Pandora bracelet and my Louis Vuitton LV & Me "A" bracelet.


To be honest, I was initially concerned that I wouldn't like wearing a watch but putting it on has quickly become part of my morning routine. I like that it's super light and feels comfortable, plus checking the time on my watch has now become second nature. It's nice to just look at my wrist instead of fumbling around in my bag for my phone. I guess you could say I'm officially a wrist watch convert!

June 16, 2017

PRK Laser Eye Surgery Recovery (6 Month Update)

I promised an update to my PRK laser eye surgery experience (check out my post-surgery blog here) and I wanted to make sure I actually wrote one since I remember being frustrated at the lack of other peoples' updates when I was feverishly researching any and all things PRK last year. Honestly, I think the reason they don't update is because it becomes so easy to forget life pre-surgery.

In my case, it has now been 6 months since I had PRK. I wake up and I can see everything perfectly, whereas before I couldn't even read the time on my bedside clock which was less than a foot away from my head. The feeling of helpless blurriness is totally gone and being free from contacts/glasses has been incredible, especially now that it's summer. I was never much of a sunglasses girl even when I wore contacts but since I do need to protect my eyes, I've become quite religious about wearing them. As you can imagine, my sunglasses collection has basically tripled in size!

I'm especially loving my Quay Australia sunnies (here and here)

When I left off in my 1 month update, my eyes were not settled yet. Things were still blurry, it was hard to use the computer, and my eyes felt very dry. The blurriness continued for a few more months. I followed my eye drop regimen according to the 9 week tapering schedule set by Pacific Laser Eye Centre. I also continued taking Vitamin C and Omega 3 capsules, along with Restatis (a prescription eye drop for dry eyes) and preservative-free eye drops when my eyes felt dry.

I would say somewhere around 4 months post-surgery is when my blurriness/dryness issues seemed to level out. While I still use preservative-free eye drops at work, I find I don't really need them at other times when I'm not staring at a computer all day. I was already used to liberal eye drop use thanks to my dry eye syndrome, so continued use of eye drops hasn't been a bother for me. I just had my 6 month checkup with my eye doctor and she tells me everything has healed perfectly. In fact, it apparently looks like I never even had surgery! I am seeing 20/20 in both eyes with very slight astigmatism (+0.25) which I'm told is done intentionally to account for regression over time.

If you are in the Vancouver area (or planning on travelling to the area) and thinking about laser eye surgery, I cannot recommend Dr. David Lin at Pacific Laser Eye Centre enough. I mentioned my reasons for choosing him in my previous post and I stand by those reasons. Even though I had to wait many years to finally be eligible for PRK due to my numerous eye problems, I'm so grateful it eventually worked out and that it was such a huge success!

March 26, 2017

Copper H2O Water Bottle

Call me a little bit strange but I like to collect water bottles. Since I work out a lot and try to drink tons of water throughout the day, having a cool water bottle has become a fun and easy way for me to accessorize while keeping hydrated at the same time. So, it totally seemed like kismet when Jessica from Copper H2O reached out to see if I wanted to try out their copper water bottle. She and her partner first discovered the use of copper as a water vessel while traveling in India and decided to bring the idea to the mass market. The result: something both stylish and full of health benefits!


Each water bottle is made with a hammered copper and features a leak-proof cap with a food-safe seal. Over time, the copper will patina (become darker and less shiny) but it can easily be brought back to its original looks by sprinkling a lemon wedge with a few grains of sea salt and rubbing it over the surface of the bottle.

Apart from aesthetics, however, a copper water bottle like this is also good for you. If you let your water sit in the bottle for a few hours, it becomes naturally alkaline which helps balance your body's pH levels. Jessica told me she's noticed over time that regular use has helped with digestion (I'm excited to see if this works for me). Plus, copper is anti-bacterial so the bottle is naturally sterilizing meaning you don't have to clean it as much as you do regular water bottles. I haven't noticed any metallic taste while drinking from my bottle; in fact, both tap and filtered water taste nice and clean.

If you're obsessed with water bottles like me (and even if you aren't!), you will absolutely love Copper H2O's copper water bottle (as of now, only available online). In addition to upping your style points while getting your daily recommended intake of H2O, it's awesome being able to support a local Vancouver company at the same time.

December 19, 2016

You Are Loved

I go for brunch pretty much every weekend and this is a typical casual look for me (I live in Vancouver so yes, I admittedly wear Lululemon leggings as pants). My Mezzi Mini Cosima bag makes the perfect companion as well... I love how it has a built-in charger and Bluetooth speaker, not to mention it's super cute in this tiny size.

P.S. I am getting laser eye surgery this afternoon so will be taking a brief blogging hiatus until I can see again. Fingers crossed for a speedy and pain-free recovery!

Top: Free People / Leggings: Lululemon / Coat: Ever New
Bag: Mezzi (here) / Shoes: New Balance (here)

December 13, 2016

Lisa Q of Sweden Velvet Chokers & Bling Strings

Although I have been avoiding most of the 90s fashion resurgence with a few exceptions (my mini backpack, for example), I have to admit that I did jump back on the choker bandwagon. While I refuse to don one of those tattoo necklaces that were integral to my grade 6 wardrobe, there are some styles that I have actually really been loving.

Lisa Q of Sweden sent me a few chokers to style and I wanted to share them with you since they are a Canadian brand (based in Burlington, Ontario) and are super cute as well!


The Dazzle Velvet Choker ($32 CAD), which I received in Midnight Blue, is a thin velvet choker with silver plated metal rings. It ties on and you can wear it two different ways: with the rings showing for a glam look or turned around so it's just the velvet for a more understated look.


For something more casual, Lisa Q of Sweden offers Bling Strings which are basically faux suede cords that you can tie around your neck in all sorts of different combinations. They come in a variety of colours and lengths, as well as some with crystals and beaded adornments.

Above, I'm wearing the Glow Bling String ($15 CAD), which is the shortest length. It's still long enough to tie a bow though I personally prefer it worn the second way I've shown or flipped around so it looks like a simple cord.

I like how versatile and inexpensive these pieces are for something so on-trend. All of the brand's products are nickel, lead and cadmium free too which is great for someone with as many allergies as me. If you're looking for a last minute present for a fellow fashionista, shop online by Dec. 21 (Ontario) or Dec. 19 (rest of Canada) to get them in time for Christmas!

September 26, 2016

Crazy for Chloe

Figured I'd break out my birthday present to myself (a.k.a. my new boots) for the first time this weekend for a day of shopping and eating with some friends. Paired with this handbag, I found myself perfectly accessorized with all things Chloe.

Sweater: Talula (Aritzia) / Jeans: FRAME (similar style)
Boots: Chloe (here) / Bag: Chloe (here)

August 25, 2016

Konifer Boreal Wooden Watch

Wooden watches have fascinated me for the longest time (in fact, a few years ago I stopped a guy in the airport security line who was wearing one and we had a rather lengthy conversation all about his watch, haha). Naturally, when Konifer offered to gift me one of their watches, I was excited for the chance to finally try out this "trend" for myself.

You may have noticed that I rarely wear a watch so I opted for the Boreal design since it looks a bit like a bracelet. It's made with red sandalwood and maple and I love how earthy the duo-tone looks when worn. My wrists are quite small so I had three links removed, but the extra length means these should be able to fit a variety of wrist sizes. I also can't get over how light this watch is --  especially compared to my Michael Kors gold chronograph watch!

Dress: Lush (in white) / Vest: Talula (Aritzia) / Bag: Monserat De Lucca (mini version)
Bracelet: Alden Rae (in black) / Watch: Konifer (c/o)

June 29, 2016

Leather Backpack

I have been adamantly against the mini backpack trend forever (I was super into them in the '90s and most give me flashbacks to being 9 years old) but I recently purchased a second bicycle and, unlike my city cruiser, it doesn't have a basket or any racks. This means it's much lighter and I can ride faster... but it also means there's nowhere to stash a purse and I personally feel kind of lopsided riding around with a purse over only one shoulder.

I opted for the Auxiliary De Bray Backpack from Aritzia because I liked the minimal aesthetic and vachetta leather (very Mansur Gavriel minus the higher price point). You guys, I'm gonna have to eat my words here because I'm kind of obsessed. What was initially supposed to be mainly a "biking backpack" has now become an everyday handbag for me. I haven't carried a backpack since high school and I forgot what it felt like to have my arms so free!

Top: Oak + Fort / Jacket: NOUL / Jeans: J Brand (similar or in white)
Shoes: Miu Miu (here) / Backpack: Auxiliary (Aritzia)
Sunglasses: Polette (c/o) / Necklace: Couturist


P.S. How good are these grey reflective sunnies from Polette? Polette offers such a great range of stylish eyewear at very inexpensive prices, and right now you can get 10% off anything in their e-shop using the code "Lucky" (excluding e-polette and sales).

June 16, 2016

Quay Australia "My Girl" Sunglasses

I'm a little late on the Quay Australia bandwagon since, as many of you are already aware, this affordable sunglasses line has been all over social media for the past few years. Oh well... better late than never, right? I wear my Ray-Ban Flash Aviators all the time (just a few recent examples here, here, and here) and wanted to a pick up another pair of sunnies with reflective lenses in a different style. These Quay Australia "My Girl" sunglasses caught my eye with their blue lenses and fun cat eye shape, and you can bet they'll be making many appearances this summer.

Top: Oak & Fort / Leggings: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Denim Shirt: TNA (Aritzia) 
Booties: Vince / Sunglasses: Quay Australia (here, here, and here)
Bag: Auxiliary (Aritzia)

December 3, 2015

Chloe Marcie Bag in Dark Velvet

Before I (somewhat impulsively) purchased this Chloe Marcie Bag, it was actually never one I'd ever considered before. However, when I wandered into Nordstrom and saw this Dark Velvet colour sitting on the shelf, I was instantly smitten. This bag is surprisingly practical and fits a ton without being bulky, plus the top handles fold down so they don't get in the way if you want to wear it on your shoulder or cross-body. A warning to the people of Vancouver: you can expect to see me toting this bag around everywhere this Winter!

Coat: Community (Aritzia) / Pants: Babaton (Aritzia) / Booties: Vince (here)
Bag: Chloe (here) / Headband: Club Monaco (similar)

November 26, 2015

Vancouver Millionaires Pom-Pom Toque

When it comes to supporting my favourite sports teams, it's pretty obvious that my preferred apparel choice is the hat (see here, here and here), and since it's been getting chillier by the day, my Vancouver Millionaires pom-pom toque has now entered my winter accessory rotation. Of course, the Vancouver Millionaires are a long defunct hockey team, but every so often the Canucks will throw on their tribute jerseys. It's a nice ode to our city's only Stanley Cup winning team (sadly... and hopefully not forever!)

Coat: Zara / Jeans: Paige (similar) / Boots: ROXY (c/o West 49) (similar)
Bag: Madewell (here and here) / Hat: Vancouver Millionaires

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