LONG WEEKEND FEELS | 35 Off-Duty Fashion Wins

via H&M

Originally posted in The CLOSET

There's nothing like a camping trip to relax and unwind. Putting up a tent that may or may not leak (who doesn't love a game of Russian Roulette?), battling mosquitoes All. Night. Long. and peeing in the forest at 2 am is pretty much the same as a weekend at Langdon Hall for me.  Bears. Oh wait. I lied. I'd rather be shopping. 

Whether you're a hardcore camper (props) or prefer to take is easy for reals like me (yay!), the first long weekend in May is a big deal for Canadians. It marks the unofficial start of summer. It kicks off a season of patios and parties and generally just being way more social. It means backyard barbecues and pitchers of sangria and spending time with friends. It could mean cottages for some and glamping for others. And for me, it means the start of a season where we can dress for the weekend like we really mean it. Slides and cute sneakers absolutely scream 'off-duty'.  Easy, breezy dresses and cute jumpsuits let you look casual enough for any random weekend invite but still super chic. And the accessories! I'm all about weekend accessories. Scroll through the slides below for 35 off-duty fashion wins to wear this weekend and the next and the next...

Happy (almost) May 2-4! Hope you do SO much chilling.

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MOM'S THE WORD | My Dream Mother's Day Brunch with Ann Taylor

1. Bandana Statement Earrings | 2. Pleated Block Print Skirt | 3. Square Fringe Scarf | 4. Foldover Straw Clutch | 5. Honor Suede Heeled Sandal | 6. Halter Midi Dress | 7. Wide Leg Marina Pant | 8. Seersucker Fluted Sleeve Top. 

I don't want anything for Mother's Day. Honestly, I don't. Oh, except for brunch. I would like brunch please. I know I'm lucky to be a mom and I wouldn't trade my littles for all of the brunches in the world. But still...when I scroll through my Insta feed every weekend and see my kidless friends drinking, laughing, eating their way through gorgeous brunch after brunch, I feel the FOMO. The more I say brunch, the more I want brunch. 

So, just now, it's been settled. Cute husband has booked us into our new local hotspot, The Walper Hotel, for Mother's Day tea. It's not brunch, because literally ALL of the brunch spots are already booked (naturally), but this is close. So now, I'm into outfit planning mode with a little help from Ann Taylor. 

The new collection is so on-point for spring and it absolutely screams 'Perfect Brunch/Tea Where Nothing Goes Wrong and Your Kids Don't Destroy the Place and You Actually Get to Finish Your Mimosa'. Doesn't it? The citrus hues (that yellow dress!) and the pretty blues will help me enjoy this Mother's Day in epic style with my favourite people in the world. In my dream, nobody is complaining and they are all wearing white with no blobs of strawberry jam in sight. Stop laughing, it's my dream. Check out Ann Taylor's lovely love letter to moms below. The days may be long but the time really is much too short. Happy Mother's Day x

SPRING IN YOUR STEP | 40 Fun Spring Shoe Picks

TOPSHOP Flowers at your feet from Hudson's Bay

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Okay, so most of us don't really need new shoes. If we're lucky, we probably bought a pair or 2 (or 10, who's counting? It wasn't me...), last year. But here's the thing: shoe love, as they say, is true love. Barring injuries or pregnancy, shoes always fit. You may have hibernated all winter enjoying a steady stream of beer, poutine and Netflix and yet somehow, last year's shoes still fit. Magical. So like I said, we don't really need new shoes.

But here's the thing: shoes are incredibly important and thus, justifiable. Our feet are what keep us grounded. They get us from A to B and back again. We walk 10,000 steps in the pairs we wear and we literally cannot leave home without them. Unless you're a yoga instructor who teaches beach yoga. Otherwise, you cannot leave home without them. And casting needs aside, there's that emotional well-being part of us that we need to nurture. With a world in turmoil, shoes have this amazing ability to make us feel good. And so, while you might not technically need new shoes, you can't be blamed for wanting more. 

Speaking of wants, Spring '17 has some seriously cute shoes that have caught my attention. They all get the job done but the focus is on the fun. Block heels and slip-on loafers will help you look right up-to-date, while metallics, florals and beautiful brights will make any basic outfit bananas (in a good way)...

SEE 40 FUN SPRING SHOE PICKS HERE...

TRANSITIONAL DRESSING 101 | How to Look Spring-Ready Right Now

via Telegraph.co.uk

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

Each year, Canadians can always count on certain sure signs that winter's on its way out. Whether it's that first crocus popping out of your garden or that dude who rocks shorts and sandals on the first warm day of the year, it's easy to tell when the warm weather's almost here. Emphasis on the almost. Spring likes to tease us with its flashes of sun and double digits one day, then wallop us with snow the next. Sure, dressing is a little tricky this time of year, but that shouldn't stop you from wearing your spring things now. I'm not going to wait for the weather to make up its mind - after all, my mind's already made up. I'm in love with all of the brights and florals and whites that signal the start of the warm season. Luckily, we don't have to wait any longer to wear this season's freshest finds - simply mix your winter and spring pieces to make transitional dressing a total breeze. Read on for how to look spring-ready right now...

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BABY YOU'RE SO CLASSIC | The Freshest Ways to Wear Your Old Favourites This Spring

Cutest. Shirt. Ever. via H&M

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Like a great old friend, classics are the best. You can part ways for awhile and do your own thing, but when you come back together, it feels like no time has passed at all. You share a history that's hard to replicate. You get each other.  Somehow it always just feels right.  Like people, classics evolve in their own small ways but they tend to stay true to what made them so great in the first place.

This spring, your old stand-bys have come back to play, only this time, they're updated to feel totes 2017. Here are some of our fave classic go-tos:

1. CULOTTES | Culottes keep coming back but now, they're available in loads of interesting fabrics and textures like pinstripes and faux leather, and are amazingly versatile - work to weekend is as simple as a shoe change.  Cropped, wide-leg jeans give off a similar vibe and are perfect for wearing with ankle boots while you wait for the warm weather to get here already. 

2. THE WHITE SHIRT | There isn't another piece more universally-flattering, more wardrobe-elevating and more go-with-everything than a great white shirt.  This season, the white shirt stays true to its roots but adds a decidedly 2017 twist with statement sleeves. 

3. STRIPES | Every single spring, you can count on stripes to be on every top trend list. While one usually thinks of nautical when shopping for stripes, this year, it's time to go for something a little less obvious. If you read between the lines (which I hope you do), I'm talking multi-toned striped dresses, vertical striped wide leg pants and flowy striped statement tunics that look more landlubbing than seafaring. 

4. GINGHAM | Gingham screams picnics and pretty weather and the innocence of youth. While I'll never say no to a pair of cute checked pants, I'm especially tempted by some of the fresh gingham finds I'm seeing in stores now. This spring, try a fun patchwork gingham shirt or a flirty cold-shoulder dress - pretty sure they'll be your new BFF's ;)

Happy, happy spring! Serious outfit inspo below...

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