For the Men!

I’ve been asked several times to write about menswear... as Hubby lovingly pointed out: “You ALWAYS tell ME what to wear; why not go for it on the blog?” Touché!

For one, if you look like Joseph Gordon-Lewitt and/or rock like Paul McCartney, you can do no harm in my book. Second: if you are contemplating growing a beard, now’s your window of opportunity. When did beards get so HOT? Love them. Fellows: grow them! Please remember that today marks the first day of Movember, which means that you can get a head start by growing a moustache and help raise awareness for prostate cancer. Sexy and caring? Swoon!

Here are some manly bullet points:

·        Yup, bow ties are cool.

·        For men as for women, jewel tones are all the rage... (Yet, somehow, saying “jewel tones” isn’t virile.) Buy your guy a maroon sweater/shirt/jacket/scarf but drop the “jewel” description.

·        Velvet and corduroy are making a comeback this fall: old-world durability meets modern chic!

·        Sweaters: a cozy man is a happy man. But please, do roll up your sleeves: the ladies want to see your sexy forearms!

·        All women love a man in a suit. It’s as simple as that. A well-dressed gentleman is an instant classic (and an instant hit).

·        And finally: Other items for which you should keep an eye out? Plaid, kaki, leather and studs should find their way into your closet this season!

How to Wear Burgundy Pants

After going through a season of devotion towards green pants (remember this post?), I’ve switched to burgundy. A surprising fall neutral, wine-coloured pants can easily be worn at work or for a night out on the town. Since purchasing mine at ZARA's, I’ve worn them almost daily and have become quite skilled at mixing and matching to give a fresh new look every time. Don't be shy to combine with shades of emerald, marigold, navy, and of course, winter whites! 

Look 1: Stella McCartney Alyss draped silk blouse & Kenzo x Vans print sneakers / Look 2: 3.1 Phillip Lim silk-chiffon and crepe de chine blouse & Gucci Mischa suede ankle boots / Look 3: Etro Tweed Poncho & Marc by Marc Jacobs lace-up shoes / Look 4: 3.1 Phillip Lim satin-twill peplum top & Valentino studded calf hair pumps.

Here are a few wonderful examples of how to rock the oxblood/wine/burgundy (pick your synonym) trend!

Fall Cleaning & Thanksgiving

Today was a gloriously productive day! I went through all my unsorted papers (I’m not proud to say some dated back five years), broke our shredder (that was not the *glorious* part), cleaned the bedroom (because honestly, how many knickknacks does a girl need?), cleaned the kitchen cabinets and cooked those recipes a mere-mortal never has time to cook: scalloped potatoes and stew. I’m on a roll and feeling quite proud with myself!

 

Fall food is so gorgeous! Check out the following recipes: Sweet Spiced Pumpkin Soup, Crispy Baked Parmesan Green Bean Fries & Nutcrackle, a chewy Nutella cookie. If you like these images, be sure to follow me on Pinterest!

Today is also Canadian Thanksgiving – which is why I have a day off to brag about how productive I am. Saturday and Sunday were spent visiting Hubby and I’s families in Quebec City. I say YAY to good wine, good turkey and relaxing family time. On a day like this, I can’t help but write up a short list of all the things I am thankful for… starting with my loving husband who makes me laugh like no other, my family who goes out of its way to support and encourage my every dream, my friends because they are unbelievably awesome… but then, I’m also thankful for living in a beautiful and peaceful country, for having a roof over my head, having the chance/time/money to visit my family regularly, for being healthy, for working in a field I am passionate about… all in all, I’m pretty darn thankful for this beautiful life! I hope your Monday was equally bright and happy!

 

 

Transitioning from Summer to Fall

I received an email request last weekend – and it’s a great question! “We've definitely moved into fall but I still want to wear some of my summer clothing, with its bold and fun colours. Any suggestions for a smooth transition?”

We purchase such beautiful spring and summer items only to disregard them once the leaves start to change. As a challenge, I revisited two older posts I wrote celebrating flashy colours and fun accessories: Summer Wardrobe Essentials and Spring Brights. I then combined them to my new Five Trends to Update your Fall Wardrobe. Here are the results:

 

(For more information regarding individual items, see links above.)

 

Keep an eye out for interesting summer/fall colour combinations. For example, turquoise is a great match with kaki and emerald. Navy can be mixed and matched with most bright shades, such as green, yellow and orange. Don’t be shy to add a few bright pink accessories to a plum ensemble or a neon necklace to a charcoal dress. You can also play with textures by combining summery silks with fall knits. To help you out, here are few pictures of some of my favourite bloggers as they transition from warm to chilly weather.

 

 

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Burgundy Lips

Have you been contemplating purchasing deep burgundy lipstick, but are still unsure about this fall trend? I hear ya! It can be scary since dark colours will easily wash you out or look Halloween-y if you don’t do it right.

 

 

A dark lipstick must be chosen wisely. What suits your complexion? Plum, violet, espresso or berry? (I still remember rocking the espresso shade in the nineties – so forgive me if I stay far from this one.)  1. CHANEL’s Baroque Rouge Coco Lipstick is a combination of berry, brown and ruby. As for most dark lipsticks, be sure to add liner for fuller coverage.  2. KATE VON D’s Painted Love in Homegirl is a dark plum. Its matte finish will look good on you fair skinned ladies. Since Miss Von D pretty much embodies vampy baroque, I trust her to make a sexy dark lipstick.  3. MAKE UP FOR EVER #49 is described as a satin blueberry. I must admit that I have a new obsession with MUFO products. They are creamy and highly pigmented.  4. REVLON Colourburst in Plum is a light wine colour. It’s a good starter to test off the trend as its price point is fairly low. Remember to exfoliate your lips before applying your lipstick since darker shades will highlight imperfections and flakes. Be bold & Have fun!

 

 

Five Trends to Update your Fall Wardrobe

As the cooler weather seems to be settling in, I got together with my girlfriends to discuss the hot trends for the new season. Keep reading to find out which five trends you won't want to live without!

 

JACKET: Rag & Bone Pascal Jacket / CLUTCH: Zara Studded Evening Box Bag / PANTS: Current Elliott, The Ankle Skinny / NECKLACE: Dolce & Gabbana Gold-plated glass pearl necklace / SWEATER: Alexander McQueen Fine-knit wool peplum top / SHOES: Zara High Heel Sandal with Ankle Strap / DRESS: Dolce & Gabbana Cherub and floral-print dress / PURSE: 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli leather tote / NAILS: Stylenomics by Essie

 

 

1. LEATHER: This season, we’re seeing leather incorporated in most pieces of clothing; from classic leather jackets, purses and pants to the detailing on sweaters, skirts and accessories.

 

2: STUDS: Studs and spikes give you an instant edge. For the epitome of rocker-chic, I suggest adding a studded purse or a spiked silk blouse to your wardrobe.

 

3: JEWEL TONES: Ruby, emerald and sapphire have a way of coming back from year to year. Jewel tones work great together, so don’t be shy to play with patterns and colour blocking. Since these shades are timeless, invest is some key pieces such as a forest green coat, navy purse or rich burgundy pants.  

 

4: SERIOUS BLING: Crystals, rhinestones, gold and statement necklaces (like the Collar Trend) are all the rage. You can easily update your wardrobe with a bold cuff or a little bedazzling (so retro – yet so cool!).

 

5: CAMOUFLAGE: Camouflage is to fall what bold floral was to spring. We’ve seen great pieces on the runway, which incorporate all the season’s hottest trends: leather, studs, crystals and jewel tones... the most common of which is the glitter spiked camo jacket.

 

Which trend will you be adding to your shopping list?

 

Top 10: Fall Edition

Yesterday afternoon, Montreal was hit with torrential downpours. This morning, the city woke up to a beautiful crisp fall morning. Hubby and I will walk downtown to breathe in the change of season... and I’ll be stocking up on a few beauty essentials. You’ve read my “Top 10” beauty posts, but here is September’s updated version:

 

1. FOUNDATION: Cover FX, pressed mineral powder foundation with SPF 10 / 2. LIPSTICK: Orange Flip by Revlon. I often layer mine with Artdeco’s pale pink Lip Brillance #64 / 3. BROW PENCIL: Lancôme's all-in-one essential for natural-looking brows: Le Crayon Poudre / 4. CONCEALER: The miraculous Boi-ing by Benefit / 5. PRIMER: It’s smooth sailing with Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer / 6. EYELINER: I can’t live without eyeliner and Stila’s has proven the test of time / 7. MASCARA: Artdeco All-in-one Mascara. I have it in black and blue, layering both shades / 8. NAIL POLISH: Geranium by Essie is a great “in between seasons” shade / 9. EYE CREAM: Kiehl's creamy eye treatment with avocado... now that I’m 30, I’m realizing that eye cream is not a luxury purchase. Pout. / 10. DRY SHAMPOO: The best of the best is Oscar Blandi's dry shampoo.

 

Home Décor: Fall Trends

I won't deny it: I absolutely love when readers send me their requests, comments and questions. Here is the most recent query, posted on our facebook page: “PMT! Do you have any insight on what are the hot colors in home decor for the fall?”

To answer this question, I called my go-to designer, Keren Blankrot from UpStage Montreal, for her valuable input: “I’d say that for fall, the trendy colours are warm hued and rich including pumpkin, gold, cantaloupe, cinnamon, coffee and deep mauve. It’s earthy, spicy and jewel toned hues for the season." Keren adds: "A good way to integrate trends is through accessories and smaller ticket items likes throws and pillows so that you can update your look seasonally. Incorporating these colours will add warmth to her interior space as the mercury drops outside.” 

Images via

Take note of these fun suggestions, guaranteed to spice up your home décor: 1. Tonic Living Samoan Plantation Pillow / 2. Eiffel chair from Zone Maison / 3. Wire trash can from Urban Outfitters / 4. Oh-so-glam Jonathan Adler Gold Lantern vases / 5. Jonathan Adler hexagon tray... I saw these all over Germany. They are so cool! / 6. Zenith Mirror from Pure Home / 7. Hilarious flamingo table lamp from Zone Maison (who said fall needed to be serious?) 

Do you have any questions you’d like answered?

Send them to partymixtape@gmail.com or post them on our facebook page!

Back to School

I wore a uniform all through high school, so my memories of back to school shopping have more to do with what colour notebook to get or what trendy binder I should chose for my history notes. Nonetheless, I still get nostalgic this time of year when I see all the back to school ads on TV. There’s something to say about being able to re-invent yourself every September. Here are some things I would get if I was going back to school next week.

Have a great long weekend, everyone!

1. Port of call sweatshirt from Jcrew / 2. Moustache Erasers & Rissani Bamboo iPhone Case / 3. Madewell Keds Champion Sneakers / 4. Dooney & Bourke Backpack / 5. iPad / 6. Moleskin notebooks / 7. Ray Ban reading glasses / 8. Predict-A-Pen has the answer to all your important questions: Should I go out with my friends? (without a doubt); study for that test? (dude, no way!); flirt with my teacher? (not for a million $!).

The September Issue

I love Glamour Magazine. And this month, my excitement was even greater than usual when I realized it was time for the most amazing of all issues: the September Issue.

For the magazine’s first ever “full-on fashion issue”, Glamour got the help of Victoria Beckham (by the way, how awesome was it to see the Spice Girls reunited at the London 2012 Closing Ceremonies?).  After a thorough read, I feel ready to make a fashionable transition into fall.

All images via

Here are a few things I learned:

1.  It’s totally OK to wear black at a wedding (not yours!). This is good, since I’m going to one this weekend and was a bit nervous about my black (but oh-so-chic) Calvin Klein dress.
2.  Necklaces shaped like a fake collar are very trendy these days. Not so sure about that one…I’ll ask Emily to do some research and write a post about it. Stay tuned!
3. Purple and oxblood (or Chianti, as Glamour prefers to call it) are THE colours of the season.
4. And, finally, when asked if they would rather have a lifetime supply of Louboutins or one amazing night with Ryan Gosling, 68% of women surveyed by the magazine said they would choose the shoes. I, personally, would pick Ryan (who needs that many Louboutins?)

The Canadian Tuxedo

Recently, Emily wrote a post about how to rock a jean jacket. This – and some of your comments – started a conversation about the expression “Canadian Tuxedo.” She hates it, I think it’s funny.

Regardless, it looks like pairing a jean jacket with jeans is trendier than ever. Even the Canadian Olympic Team did it for the closing ceremonies in London!  What do you think of this fashion trend? Will you be sporting the Canadian Tuxedo this fall? 

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Currently Craving Michael Kors Fall 2012 Collection

These Michael Kors Kaelin boots are what Emily is craving for fall. Although I like the boots, I’m more into the Jet Set Large Item Tote.

Images via

Which one of these two items from the Michael Kors Fall 2012 Catalog do you prefer?      

Happy weekend, everyone!         

How to Rock a Jean Jacket

Denim is always on trend. Even when the fashion world had its doubts about jean jackets, admit it, you still thought they were cool. With fall fast approaching, this little number is a wardrobe-must. Afraid you won’t know what to pair it with? Easy! Here’s how to rock it like a pro:

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Do you know how to rock a jean jacket? If so, don’t forget to post a link in the comments section so that we can check it out!

Fall Beauty Trend: Deep Orchid

Is it too early to talk about fall trends? I think not. Brace yourselves ladies, because this fall will be all about bold purples, earthy browns... and unexpected pops of colour... but that’s for later this week! What’s great about deep shades of orchid is that you can easily carry them from summer date-night to fall day-time. Some of you will be daring enough to rock a vampy pout – others will stick to lighter shades of violet and mulberry. Here are a few suggestions so that you can stock up early on this upcoming trend.

1. Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in purple / 2. NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Sugarland / 3. Thakoon for NARS in Rotin Jot / 4. Make Up For Ever Powder Blush in Lavender (would you dare?) / 5. BADgal Plum Mascara / 6. Cult-classic Black Orchid lipstick by Tom Ford (How handsome is Tom Ford?) / 7. Dior nail polish in Les Violets Hypnotiques / 8. Black Orchid Voile de Fleur fragrance by Tom Ford / 9. Sephora’s Colorful Duo Eyeshadow in Gorgeous Pink

Aimee Blaut from Harper's Bazaar  touching up her Tom Ford lipstick in Black Orchid (image via)