Ding Dong, Party time!
I bet you’ve got loads of events to go to, and odds are you’re looking for some holiday outfit inspiration. I got together with my friend Catalina from MDRN Creative Group, who kindly snapped some pics of me in front of her gorgeous new marble backdrop.
I want to thank Pearls 4 Girls Canada, who gifted me the lovely black pearl earrings you see in the photos. I paired them with my fur pompoms from Stunning, which I love!
Pearls 4 Girls Canada is a charity based here in Ottawa that raises funds for girls’ leadership programs in southern Africa through the sale of freshwater pearl jewellery. They are entirely non-profit, which means that a minimum of 50% of the purchase price of each piece of jewellery directly supports programs that help girls who are affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty, and gender inequity to build their confidence, learn how to make healthy decisions, and ultimately become leaders in their families and communities. Pearls 4 Girls is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year – since 2006, they have raised over ¾ of a million dollars and empowered thousands of girls to create a brighter future for themselves. I love my earrings and have not taken them off since I got them!
I was getting a little silly, and pretending to do a mannequin challenge during our photo shoot, so I apologize in advance! Enjoy the pics 🙂
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Outfit details
This Glittery dress is from H&M’s plus size line! I love it! It feels amazing and I find it super flattering.
August in Ottawa is exploding with fashion forward events… it’s so exciting! Finally, I get to wear all the clothes in my closet, or have a reasonable excuse to buy more!
I bring you, Polo in the Park Ottawa, comparable to the Queen’s Plate in Toronto, this full-day fundraiser on August 27th is filled with activities for the whole family! I am not kidding, check out the itinerary below!
The Rotary Club of Ottawa South has partnered with Wesley Clover Parks and the Ottawa Polo Club to bring Ottawa the inaugural Polo in the Park fundraising event to benefit the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and TROtt (Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa-Carleton)
Although, I still have no idea what I will be wearing, I know for sure that I will be sporting my preppiest equestrian inspired look paired with the finest headdress I can get my hands on! If you’re looking for something spectacular in Ottawa, look no further. Chapeau de Madeleine, Ottawa’s classiest milliner, is offering a 20% off promotion to guests attending the Polo Match.
A few things to get the conversation started. This post will only be useful to you if you can answer yes to some, or most, of these questions:
Do you hate washing your hair?
Are you lazy when it comes to blowdrying your hair?
Does your hair get oily at the root very quickly?
Do you like, need more volume in your roots?
Do you like to lengthen the time between your washes (a.k.a. wash your hair as less often)?
Do you have thick hair?
Do you have blonde hair?
My solution to all of these questions- DRY SHAMPOO!
The problem is, that there are literally hundreds of brands out there that promise to be the BEST dry shampoo. If you ask me, the best dry shampoo is a personal choice, and depends on your intent and your mane! For example, I have thick blonde hair, which means that my faves, may not be yours! Also, some have “Extra hold” formulas which are good for teasing and up-dos only, while others give a more soft and natural look.
I love the tropical one, it smells like coconuts!
I have been using batiste dry shampoo for so many years, and I am super happy with it! The thing is, even though I love it, feel as though I may be missing out on something else (classic case of #FOMO). I know, I know, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”… but try and hold back a beauty junkie form buying more products!
You can find Batiste dry shampoo pretty much anywhere (Shoppers Drug Mart or Winners), although I usually buy mine online. The price is around $10. Because I use so much and so often, I do find that I go through it very quickly.
Now, I do find this brand goes on very light and powdery, but I like it since it almost lightens my hair. I cannot attest to how brunettes feel about this product. I can tell you however, that my sister has fine light brown hair, and she uses it as well. In fact, she introduced it to me.
Have you heard of EVA-NYC? They recently got in touch with me to test out their shampoo and conditionner as they were launching their products throughout all Costcos in Canada. Their products, including the Eva-NYC dry shampoo, smells amazing if you love the argan oil type smells. This formula is very light and refreshing. It does not have a thick white powdery feel and is truly meant to “Freshen Up” your tired hair. I can see myself using this before my roots gets really oily, I don’t think it could handle that mess. Bonus, it will leave your hair smelling great too!
The EVA-NYC dry shampoo sells for about $19.50 and can be purchased online (in shops like Well.ca).
If you’re looking for that extra hold and volume (think dry shampoo meets hairspray meets voluming hair styling powder), consider the Ruth Crilly Colab Dry Shampoo (extreme hold) line. The different coloured bottles have different scents inspired by fashion cities like London, Paris, and New York. This formula is a touch less intimidating than the XXL volume by Batiste. Please keep in mind that your hair will be super dry and crispy (a.k.a you cannot run your fingers through it). It’s not for everyday use, but when a girl needs volume for an up-do, she compromises softness (am I right?).
I bought London, and love the smell. It’s fresh with an edge and reminds me of the way all Westin hotel smell, like a vibrant citrus or something! I got it on sale at Shoppers for $7.99 (regular price $11.99).
I have tried Oscar Blandi dry shampoo ( number one seller at Sephora), but to my surprise I did not like it. It wasn’t for me.
Next on my list to test out would be Klorane Dry Shampoo ( with Goat’s Milk). This one is a favourite among beauty bloggers. I would also like to test out Cake Beauty Satin Dry Shampoo.
Well there you have it folks, a few options to consider. And if you’re really stuck, you can always use some good old fashion baby powder!
I met Nadine last year at a blogger event, and will admit that we connected instantly. Same jokes, same goals (i.e. where’s the free booze?) and same interests. Don’t let her sophisticated style intimidate you, Nadine is a sweet pie, my sister from another mister and most importantly, her blog is all the lols. A must read! I mostly love her use of gifs and memes which depict her tone and mood. Because I love her, and her style, I asked her a few questions.
What’s your passion for fashion?
I really like to have fun with my clothing. Fashion has always been a form of expression for me. It is a way for me to communicate my personality, creativity and mood all at once without having to say a word. All my outfits tell a story.
What XLusive tip can you share?
Get out of your comfort zone! I don’t believe that people should be limited to a specific style or look.. Spice it up a little! So if you ever spot a “cute but not so me” item… Try it on. You might surprised! Plus, it makes shopping at lot more fun and interesting 🙂
