Houndstooth

I ventured out to Fort Langley for the first time recently, which is a little ridiculous considering the fact that it's the birthplace of B.C. and not even an hour's drive away from Vancouver. I really should make the effort to leave the city sometimes!

After wandering around the main street, we happened upon a canoe relay race down by the water - complete with silly tasks like catching pumpkins dropped off a bridge and running across the sand with a wine glass balanced on a paddle. As you can imagine, it was quite entertaining...

Blouse: H&M / Skirt: Forever 21 / Tights: Urban Outfitters

Boots: Rachel Comey / Watch: Michael Kors

Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle

In Chanel's ads for its Rouge Coco lipstick, Vanessa Paradis is wearing one of the most gorgeous pink lip colours I've ever seen - the aptly named Mademoiselle 05.

The Rouge Coco line has been out for quite some time now, but it took me a while to finally get around to purchasing this because the price was a bit of a deterrent (~$39 CDN). However, I've been on a bit of a lipstick kick these days so I decided I might as well treat myself.

I'm glad I did because Mademoiselle is everything I hoped it would be. It's a gorgeous pinkish-brown that results in the perfect "my lips but better" neutral on my rather pigmented lips. I wouldn't call this a "wow"-worthy shade per se but rather a great "classic" that can complete any makeup look.

Application is smooth and creamy though you'll want a good lip balm underneath since the formula can be a bit drying. The formula is neither matte nor particularly glossy though there is a bit of shine to it.

There is also a very light scent, which is apparently a special blend of fresh roses, raspberry, and a hint of vanilla. It's not overpowering at all and probably wouldn't bother anyone who's sensitive to smells.

When I was researching Mademoiselle before buying it, I found some random but kind of interesting facts about the Rouge Coco line on Makeup and Beauty Blog. For example, engineers apparently opened and closed hundreds of lipstick tubes to find the perfect click. Who knew so much work went into something like that? Though I must say, the click on this lipstick is rather nice...

Black, Blue, and Deborah Lippmann Across The Universe

Here in Canada it's the Thanksgiving Day Long Weekend! I actually used to hate turkey and refused to eat it up until a few years ago (when I was younger I asked my parents for roast chicken instead). Somewhere along the line I changed my mind and I'm glad I did. There's just something about a big Thanksgiving feast complete with turkey, stuffing, and gravy...

By the way, you know that so-called fashion faux pas about mixing black and blue? Yeah, I totally don't agree with it.

Blouse: Olive & Oak / Vest: Central Park West / Pants: 7 For All Mankind (here) / Shoes: Topshop
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs (here) / Necklace: House of Harlow 1960 (here) / Watch: Michael Kors (here)

I also recently picked up a bunch of Deborah Lippmann nail polishes, including the infamous Across The Universe. While I am not the biggest fan of glitter polish, Deborah Lippmann's unique use of glitters really drew me in. Across The Universe features blue glitter and teal and green hexagonal glitters suspended in a gorgeous dark blue jelly base.

The important thing to remember when working with glitters like this is to make sure you let each coat dry before applying another to avoid pulling the glitter out of place. I used four coats to reach opacity but I think you can get away with three.

This nail polish is pricey ($22 CDN) but I think it's worth it if you're looking for a very unique colour. For my fellow Canadians, you can find Deborah Lippmann at Murale stores (note: you can also earn/redeem your Shoppers Optimum Points for them!)