Winter Fashion Street Style Looks- Black and Grey

Fashion Ottawa

As promised, here is the second look from the winter fashion street style session that I did with Amy Symes last weekend. These photos were taken on Bank street near Catherine. If you missed it, check out Vintage Fur. Yes! like the Krista Norris Scarf that was gifted to the Obama girls from Sophie Gregoire and Justin Trudeau at their visit to the White House!)

In this photo, I am wearing:

  • my favourite wide brim hat from Lovely Bird, which I bought in Toronto at The Cloakroom
  • my black and white scarf is by Ottawa designer Krista Norris, purchased at Viens avec moi. Yes! like the Krista Norris Scarf that was gifted to the Obama girls by Sophie Gregoire and Justin Trudeau at their visit to the White House!
  • my camel leather gloves are H&M
  • my grey coat was a second hand find at The Clothes Secret
  • my black leather purse is Marc Jacobs from Fashion United
  • my black suede wedged WINTER boots are from La Canadienne. They are the leader in elegant and functional winter weather boots. They are also from Montreal and obviously a Canadian brand. I bought these boots about 4 years ago and they are still going strong! Great investment and worth every penny (albeit many of them).

I felt really feminine, chic and most importantly WARM, in this outfit. I got a lot of stares, which can only confirm that it looked as fabulous as I felt in it. Maybe a tad over dressed for a Sunday afternoon, but who really cares!

Chantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes PhotographyChantal Sarkisian Mode XLusive WINTER FASHION STREET STYLE LOOKS Ottawa Fashion Blogger Amy Symes Photography

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Style Profile: Rosie Waugh of Secondhand Rose

Mode Xlusive

Meet Rosie Waugh of Secondhand Rose. I like her style, so I asked her a few questions.

What’s your passion for fashion?

My passion for fashion started when I was much younger. I am incredibly shy and have been anxious my entire life and I have found that wearing interesting pieces is a great icebreaker. I’m not the best at typical small talk but I love bonding with people over shared interest and I find fashion to be the most relatable thing. My style has definitely evolved from when I was younger, I was much more wild back then, but I still love to break out the odd statement piece to gain some (hopefully positive) attention.

What XLusive tip can you share?

The most freeing moment in my fashion life was the moment that I decided to wear what I wanted to wear and to rock what makes me feel most comfortable. I’m definitely a bigger girl and I gravitate towards more boxy and oversized pieces which is something I’ve been told to stay away from my entire life. Throwing out all of the rules and not letting anyone tell you what to wear is such an amazing feeling! One tip that I’d like to share is to go shopping alone. That’s when I personally find my best pieces. I just concentrate on what I like and what I know I’ll wear and I block out all of the outside noise and pressure.

Stay Social with Rosie!

Blog: www.secondhand-rose.ca
Twitter & Instagram: @rosiexwaugh
Facebook: facebook.com/secondhandroseblog

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Confessions of an Ottawa blogger

Fashion Talk

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I don’t know about you, but I love a good secret. So today, I am sharing a fun post, featuring my fellow Ottawa bloggers! I asked them to share a little secret and make a confession! Let’s see what they had to say…

“Every time I travel, I treat myself to a designer splurge purchase that I usually budget for. I bought a limited edition Hermès scarf at Harrod’s after having too much champagne at lunch that was a total impulse buy. I’m too ashamed to say how much it cost. I was overcome with guilt, especially after my husband gave me the stink eye for the rest of the afternoon that I returned it about an hour later. The salesperson who helped me looked at me like I was a piece of garbage. LOL! Lesson learned: do not shop while under the influence.” Dominique www.styledomination.com

“I always say I’m going to make my pay checks last and that I won’t spend any extra money on clothing or accessories unless I need it! Or that I’ll re-wear what I already have. But every time I get paid I seem to forget my promise to myself and I wind up buying pieces that leave me eating Cheerios for almost every meal! Oops ?” – Alexa www.thepolishedpretties.com

“I don’t tell my fiancé what I spend on clothing, makeup, etc. And when he does ask I either tell him “it was on sale” or “it was only $20!” Boys just don’t understand these things! Lol” – Jenn www.loafersandpolish.com

“I buy a white t shirt almost every time I shop.” -Jane www.dalybeauty.ca

“I plan my vacation outfits in advance but am often up super late packing at the last minute. One time, I pulled an all nighter before my morning flight just picking out damn clothes!” -Amanda www.acoest1984.com

“Everytime I go out shopping I need to remind myself over and over again “no, I don’t need another LBD or other black clothing item” otherwise I’m sure my entire wardrobe would be black clothes with colorful accessories and shoes.” – Stephanie www.stephaniewhite.style

“I love fashion but I’m addicted to yoga pants. I probably have 30 pairs, maybe more. I’ve got long ones, short ones, 80s stirrups, black, turquoise, mesh, neon pink, graffiti, the Williamsburg Bridge, mountains… I even have a pair with the solar system. I love to wear them to work out or to think about working out (#NetflixAndChill).” -Amy www.amyin613.com

“I have one too many items in my closet with tags still on them that I’ve never worn. Some have been in there so long, I can’t even picture myself ever wearing them now. I should probably be trying to sell them :S” -Coralie www.coraliescloset.com

“I am addicted to sunglasses. Every time I go shopping I am looking at the sunglass section and usually walking out with a pair…or three! I have a drawer dedicated to all my sunglasses…..I think I need an intervention!” -Kay www.countrymeetcity.wordpress.com

Ok, so I guess now you are waiting for mine… I have a few!

I am a true shopaholic. I have taken over 2.5 closets in my house and have 2 chest of drawers literally bursting at the seams. I am never satisfied with the amount of clothes, bags and shoes I own and I simply want more of everything! I am an emotional shopper. Lately, I have been on a rampage, and it needs to stop. I will definitely consider this for my 2016 New Years Resolution (coming soon!). But most of all, I am tired. I am tired of looking for room to stash all my stuff!

Also, this quote is 100% accurate depiction of my life.

MY GREATEST FEAR IS THAT WHEN I DIE MY HUSBAND WILL SELL MY STUFF FOR WHAT I TOLD HIM THEY COST

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Cost-per-wear: How good is your Fashion Math

Fashion Talk

Today’s lesson in math will show you how to justify expensive items to help you build your dream capsule wardrobe. Remember the essence of this exercise is to invest in classic, high quality items that will/should last you a long time. Again, we want to lean towards becoming stylish not trendy!

The Fashion Math
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This is quite basic math. To help you find your Cost-Per-Wear, take the total price of your favourite item, and divide it by the number of times you will wear it. The ultimate goal here is to lower the CPW. The more times you wear your item, the higher the price can be! Take a really expensive  pair of jeans, for example. Jeans are worn so many times throughout the year, that you can easily rationalize spending between $200-$300 on a good quality, well fitted pair of denim jeans. If you end up wearing these jeans every day for a year, they will have paid for themselves! What a deal.

Sometimes we buy into the trends of fast fashion and get lured into purchasing lots of pieces that we don’t end up wearing, or we spend a ton of money on one not-so-key item. When you use the CPW as a common indicator, you can quickly see how you probably should not have purchased that $1000 ball gown, you will never wear again! (CPW= $1000… Consider Rent Frock Repeat, you crazy girl! What’s wrong with you?)

A few things to keep in mind when you are calculating CPW:

  • Durability- don’t sacrifice on the price! Invest in leather shoes and bags, they get the most wear and tear. I cringe when I see fake leather or plastic purses deteriorating.
  • Quality vs Quantity- buy nice things, just less of them.
  • Functionality- Do not compromise when it comes to functionality. Invest in warm, weatherproof boots and coats. Splurge on well-made and supportive heels that you will wear all the time.

Lastly, I want to close with the value of thrift shopping. This is an excellent way to splurge on things you don’t want to pay full price for. Maybe it’s a season too late, but who really cares! Paying less also means you can buy stuff that is outside your ideal “capsule wardrobe” collection. This is also when you can have a little fun and go outside your comfort zone.

Here are a few items that yield a low CPW… depending on your daily habits! What do you think of these price points? Sorry for all the black… it’s seems to be my go-to this season.

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Paige skinny jeans • Paige • $507.02
Lord & Taylor Wrist Length Knit Cuff Leather Gloves • $40
Hudson’S Bay Company 100% Cashmere Scarf • HBC • $120
Merrell Women’s Decora Sonata Waterproof Winter Boot Brown 8.5 M US • Merrell • $169.99
La Canadienne Womens Mazy Knee-High Boot,Black,10 M US • La Canadienne • $274.63
Caley-F5 Large Black Mesenger Bag • Mackage • $595
Kay-F5 Long Black Winter Down Coat With Fur Hood • Mackage • $795
Pierre Hardy Black Suede Ultime Pumps • Pierre Hardy • $455
Ann Marino by Bettye Muller Fleetwood Booties • Bettye Muller • $130.30

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