2013 Aveda Born to Style Contest

I'm not sure if anyone noticed since I never mentioned it, but I recently chopped off over 6 inches of my hair (the difference is pretty significant when you compare this post with this post). I'm really loving the new shorter, blunter cut which is all thanks to my lovely stylist at RedBloom Salon, an Aveda-affiliated salon with two locations in Calgary.

When I was asked to share this contest with my readers I agreed because I think it is such a great opportunity for those of you who may be interested in learning how to cut/style/colour and do all sorts of magical things with hair. I tried cutting my boyfriend's hair once and it ended up being way harder than I expected... probably could have used some of those skills!

Four lucky winners will receive a grand prize of full tuition at the Aveda Institute, including their Vancouver hair school. All you need to do is make and upload a video showing why you are BORN TO STYLE. Five aspiring hairstylists in each city will advance to the final "hair showdown" (four chosen by a panel, one chosen by voters). In the Hair Showdown, the finalists will participate in a live head-to-head competition and runway show putting together two complete looks in front of a panel of style experts and hairstyling heavy hitters. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

You have until March 1, 2013 to enter. For full contest details, check out the Born To Style website.

The Perfect Boyfriend (Jeans)

In honour of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share with you my perfect boyfriend... jeans, that is (although my actual boyfriend is pretty awesome too!)

I've been on the hunt for the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans for years but every time I thought I'd finally hit jackpot there would inevitably be something wrong... too many rips, too light, too dark, not enough whiskering, way too much whiskering, etc. So I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was to find this pair of Citizens of Humanity Dylan Cropped Boyfriend Jeans - on sale. They are super soft with just the right amount of slouch and I can't wait to pair them with everything. Like my new YSL Belle Du Jour Clutch, for example, which turns out to add the perfect pop of red for today.

T-shirt: Aritzia / Boyfriend Jeans: Citizens of Humanity (here)

Sunglasses: Michael Kors (c/o) (here) / Watch: Michael Kors (here)

Booties: Topshop / Clutch: YSL (here)

Firmoo Gradient Glasses

Due to my insanely high prescription, ordering glasses online hasn't worked out for me in the past. So when Firmoo offered me a free pair of glasses to review, I admit I was a bit hesitant at first. However, I also figured I had nothing to lose.

Since I'm really into gradient glasses (you may remember I even briefly experimented with them last year), I decided on this pair. They shipped out super quickly and when they arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were not a repeat of my previous disappointments. In fact, this is the most successful pair of glasses I've ever gotten from an online store. Although they are obviously not on the level of my everyday Prada glasses (which sadly cost well over $600 for the fancy lenses), I can see quite well out of these and am happy I now have a backup pair of glasses that I can wear when I want to mix things up a bit.

Blouse: Primark / Sweater: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Faux Fur Vest: H&M (similar)

Skirt: Oonagh by Nanette Lapore / Booties: Report (in brown)
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs (here) / Watch: Michael Kors (here)
Necklace: House of Harlow 1960 (similar)

If you haven't ordered from Firmoo before, they have tons of fashionable frames that cost next to nothing, plus an awesome First Pair Free for New Customers deal. Check out their FAQ section for more information!