paper crown.

lauren conrad introduces a lookbook for upcoming line, paper crown.

full of minimalistic looks, fashion forward pieces mixed with everyday basics and lots of neutrals, blacks and feminine prints.

lauren may have had her future mtv show cancelled [apparently mtv felt it was too "high-brow" for their typical audience- lauren wanted complete control over what would actually make the cut on her fashion oriented show], but i truly believe she will still come out on top.

with what looks like her best work yet, lauren sticks to what she knows will look beautiful on women - simplicity, feminine cuts and basic, yet edgy designs. whether it's a sexy pair of leather leggings and a billowy blouse; a etherial floor-sweeping maxi gown; or silhouette-flattering shorts paired with a blazer, LC [as she is better known by her loyal fashion pack] has designed something to satisfy everyone.

 

 

this collection really impressed me, partially because it reminds me of one of my favorite stores, aritzia- the whole minimalist, neutrals, boxy meets sexy vibe, and one of the lines i regularly lust for, the row- mary kate and ashley olsen's more urban, sophisticated, edgier line.

my favorite looks are:

1- the brooklyn jacket and abigal maxi skirt (second from bottom)

2- the ryder blazer and hudson leather short (first look)

3- the camilla sweater and dakota leggings with black hat (sixth look)

4- the ella gown in floral vine print (seventh look)

i can whole-heartedly say that i will be counting down the days until this line becomes available.... apparently sometime this coming autumn, which is safe to say, not nearly soon enough.

sammy xx

spring hasn't quite sprung.... yet.

three of my favorite websites/companies have been teasing me daily with previews of their spring collections; editor wish-lists; upcoming trends and the like.

you see, this is both good and bad.

good because i get ever so eager for the next season upon us, and incredibly excited for all of the new trends i can soon shop for!

bad, however, because here in toronto, mother nature just blasted us with another blizzard, and it's going to be quite awhile before any of these sweet spring finds can be put to use!

aritzia

free people

refinery 29

looks like we're going to be seeing lots of my personal favorites this spring!!!

boxy, loose shapes! booties! minimalist! leopard! military! hats! crop tops and maxi skirts/dresses!

i couldn't be happier!

nothing is better than throwing on a flowy maxi skirt, with a pair of badass booties or gladiators, a cropped tee or tank, a scarf and a leather jacket. yep, i just decided. that shall be my spring uniform.... that, and a floppy hat.

scarves. huge scarves.

if there is one accessory that this girl cannot live without, yup, you guessed it....

it's a big, cozy scarf.

you could even call it my security blanket.

whether i'm simply running out for a latte and a magazine in lululemon leggings, uggs and a parka; headed to class in combat boots, a maxi skirt and leather jacket; or out on the town in booties, leather leggings and a faux-fur cardigan.... yes, I am wearing a scarf.

it could be my tried-and-true military-green, thermal version from aritzia; a black infinity style from american apparel that goes with absolutely anything; a classic black and white houndstooth wrap from club monaco; or the newest [and current favorite] addition to the collection-

a massive cream, red and teal wool option from tna.
xx sammy

flying felines.

a magic cat tale [errr... tail]?

you can only imagine my delight when one of my favorite stores, aritzia, transformed their windows to display their beautiful new fall merch.... but then, i spotted kittens flying above the mannequins. kittens with angel wings? yes. it was a good day.

a blog post on the aritzia website explains that there is apparently an ancient mythical story about the adorable wing-adorned kitties.

long, long ago, there was one particular cat born with wings, sadly however, they were ineffective. story says, that while wandering in the woods one day, the cat came upon a woodland fairy, who cast a spell on the cat and blessed it with the ability to fly! flight was then passed on to all future generations :) forced to hide in a cave and seek protection from those trying to capture them, the cats must live their lives hiding in caves with their magical crystals [obviously used for special, secret super powers]............

rarely seen, these precious cats who possess the wings of angels have come out of hiding to grace the windows of aritzia boutiques across the nation.

well bloggers, i'm not entirely sure who discovered this story... but i'm going to pretend it's true...

xx sammy

february...

it's february- that dreary, cold, long mid-winter month, and i've been logging on more hours than usual on this mini laptop... perusing many a fashion blogs; online shopping sites; and fashion week photo albums.

first things first, i have made a few fabulous purchases this month: the most amazing booties that look vintage, but don't let them fool you (!), they're actually from aldo and could be yours too! the style is Pettinella, and they're a mix of victorian and edgy-ness. i've been sporting them with a variety of leggings, skirts, dresses- they really go with everything! i've also been stocking up on florals... let me tell you, florals will be everywhere this spring, including my body (be it aritzia leggings or tanks, or an adorable headband from free people) :) my mum sent me some beautiful Jack by BB Dakota and Dept items from Sweet Pea in Halifax... mum and my favorite friend/boss Joey indulged me with a bbm/photo-swapping shopping spree all via blackberry one recent saturday! lastly, the place i call heaven aka freepeople.com, has provided me with some items to daydream about until they arrive in may.....knee-high black cut-out, lace up gladiator sandals and the most glamourous black, floppy, hippie, Janis Joplin-esque hat.




i have to say, that when it comes to NY fashion week, i was most impressed by marc jacobs (duh), and burberry prorsum.
marc is a) super sexy, b) probably the most talented designer out there these days.
burberry a) has the most amazing ad campaigns with emma watson, b) made some of the most gorgeous dresses i have ever laid eyes on for fall 2010. want proof? here is kate hudson in a sparkling green mini (long sleeves, crew neck, super short: my favorite dress style at the moment); and ashley tisdale and in a black suede dress with lace sleeves that i am beyond in love with, not to mention some amazing cutout booties!



this month, i also discovered the most wonderful website: polyvore.com - not only can you make stunning collages full of shoes, chanel no. 5 perfume, dresses, custom fonts and backgrounds....you can purchase everything that you use in your collages! the collages could simply make a beautiful desktop, profile picture, or even a business card. i'm obsessed. here is one of my pieces of work:

well lovers, as much as i love procrastinating my time away and writing on this fashion blog... fashion studies are calling my name as i have an exam in product knowledge tomorrow (not exactly my favorite class, as i have not a slight clue how to differentiate between fabric swatches; yarns; wefts; fibres; stitches and so on...), until next time...

sammy xx