FASHION | My Obsession with Vivaia Shoes (I Fell For the Instagram Ad and I'm Glad I Did!)

Purchased by me

Don't you hate it when the Instagram ads get you? It takes me a long time to actually buy something from an ad I have seen as I like to read reviews first and with Vivaia, I was probably getting fed those ads on Instagram for a solid year before committing to a purchase. I watched and read numerous reviews and it looked like overall, people were happy with the quality and how they looked on the feet. I was looking specifically for a work shoe that I could comfortably wear for 8-10 hours and wouldn't you know? I found some! Though this post only shows three pairs of Vivaias, I actually now have SIX pairs!  

LIFESTYLE | Evora Sequin Cotton Masks

It has now gotten to the point where I am matching my face masks to my work outfits AND classifying them as "dressy" vs "casual". Please tell me that I'm not the only one who is doing this now? It has been hard buying "off the rack" when it comes to face masks with most being too big for my face and not being adjustable. Last year I had turned to Asian online retailer Yesstyle for some face masks that hopefully fit a bit better and had interesting designs. I was not disappointed!

Purchased by me

JEWELRY | My Everyday Rings #NaBloPoMo

I will preface this by saying that although I have dabbled in a few professions over the years including: bioinformatician, social media and e-commerce specialist and skincare rep and trainer, the one job I have had the longest is in the luxury jewelry industry. I wouldn't say it's my passion, but I like it enough as long as I still have the freedom to do the beauty stuff. I am part of a great management team and when it comes to understanding people and true client service, the jewelry industry has taught me the most.

When it comes to WHERE I spend the bulk of my disposable income, it would be without a doubt on skincare and jewelry. I rarely wear costume jewelry and though I do not want to sound like I am looking down on this category of jewelry, but after 12 years in this industry and seeing countless repairs, things that last are fine jewelry pieces when cared for properly.

FASHION | Prada Linea Rossa Sunglasses from SmartBuyGlasses

Sunglasses are an accessory I never really took seriously until I had a client who was an optometrist. She basically educated/scared me into protecting my eyes from the sun or any form of brightness deemed too intense for my eyes to handle especially when driving. Have you ever forgotten to bring sunglasses and then had to drive blinded by the sun? It is single-handedly one of THE most uncomfortable situations having to squint and make sure you know what colour the traffic lights are!

I don't know about you, but I pretty much feel like summer is here once June hits and with the ability to walk outside in shorts or just a summer dress I am ready to welcome the heat and sunshine with open arms which also means an excuse to upgrade my sunglasses game!

FASHION | Gold Elegance with SOUFEEL

I have mentioned how when it comes to gems and jewels, I am pretty selective and it takes a real quality product for me to go "wow" and dedicate an entire blog post to it, but that was indeed the case with SOUFEEL. Two Christmases ago, I reviewed the cutest sterling silver bracelet (here) and when SOUFEEL reached for another review, I couldn't do silver again because you guys have already seen that they have beautifully made sterling silver bracelets, so this time I went with gold! Mmmm, I love goooold!

FASHION | Charlotte Olympia Mid Century Glitter Kitty Flats

This is for all you shoppers out there! After getting my first pairs of Jimmy Choos last year, I said that I would hold off until 2017 to get any more designer shoes. Well, I held out until Black Friday thanks to a friend of a friend of mine who knew about these Charlotte Olympia Mid Century Glitter Kitty Flats going on sale for 50% off at The Room in The Bay! I LOVE cats and in addition to the Jimmy Choos, I have always wanted a pair of these infamous kitty shoes, but $675 for whimsical kitty shoes just felt like a touch too much for me so when they went on sale INMYSIZE I pretty much walked them home!

FASHION | I Have Always Wanted: Jimmy Choo Romys

This is something completely different. Now, this will never turn into a fashion blog mainly because I could never convince my husband to take OOTDs for me and I am horrifically awkward when posing for full-bodied shots. My sense of fashion is very simple. I generally wear dresses and if I wear pants, I am either not feeling well or in need of a power boost. I adore shoes and handbags just as much as the next girl, but I tend to be pretty conservative in my shoe choices. I will spend the money, but it will never be on something trendy. It will always be on something incredibly basic which is what led me to my very first pair of Jimmy Choos. I have been wanting Choos since I tried on my first pair in Las Vegas at the age of 21. I don't normally spend more than $300 on shoes, but considering that I have become VIB Rouge twice over, it's not like I can say "I can't afford them" because clearly I am just spending my money on different things!

FASHION | JORD Cora Automatic Watch in Koa and Rose Gold Review

For the last year, we've seen certain watch brands grace the Instagram and blog accounts of our favourite fashion and lifestyle bloggers and though I am not a fashion blogger I do love clothes and accessories in addition to beauty products. For those of you that remember, I have experience with fine jewelry and watches owning six quartz Swiss ETA movement watches of my own. One thing I could never find in quite the right style for my wrist was an automatic women's watch. There was a TAG women's Carrera I was eyeing, but it still wasn't quite right so why not try a style that is completely different? JORD Wood Watches is exactly that. With bracelets and casing made of handcrafted wood in only the finest grain, JORD offers both mens and womens watches in both quartz (battery-operated) and automatic (no battery) movements. With styles ranging from classic dial colours to more fashion forward colours like turquoise and purple, there is a little something for everyone.

HAIR | Dress Up Your Tresses with Dauphines of New York Luxury Hair Accessories!

I have a bit of an obsession with hair bands because I’m not great at doing anything else with my hair other than straightening/curling it. I rarely put it up in anything more than a bun which is what made me start collecting hair bands as they are the simplest way for me to add some *bling* to my otherwise boring hairstyles. The biggest issue I have with hair bands is that they always give me a headache after an hour or two so when I received the opportunity to review the glamorous looking, yet super comfortable hair accessories from Dauphines of New York my very first thought was “How long will I be able to wear this on my head before I need an Advil?”

Created by Summer Rej, each hair accessory truly feels like a piece of jewellery. I love glitz and glitter so when I first laid my eyes on this* bejeweled beauty, I was in total awe. Recently introduced to Sephora’s “Beauty on the Fly”, Dauphines of New York hair accessories start at just $24 and are made with semiprecious gemstones of coral, turquoise and pyrite, glistening crystal strands or fine leather. Each hair accessory has an adjustable strap and can also double as a necklace! I love multi-purpose pieces!

FRAAS | The Scarf Company Review and Pics of BOTH Myself and the Hubby!

I have a ridiculous collection of scarves, but I always forget to wear them and have the nerve to still complain about being cold! I was recently given the opportunity to review a Cashmink Classic Scarf from FRAAS which is German company whose speciality is mufflers and shawls. If head on over to their website, there are so many beautiful designs to choose from, for every occasion and season imaginable!

MOOTTA | Online Shopping Review and Giveaway!

I seem to be all about Korean cosmetics lately and my latest find is the Korean clothing and cosmetic site MOOTTA which varies a bit from the conventional Korean cosmetics sites we usually see in that cosmetics is not the main focus. Instead, it is seen as part of creating a personal fashion statement in combination with the latest trends in bags, accessories and clothing. That being said, MOOTTA still carries a very good selection of cosmetics and even has an “In the Spotlight” feature for those must have products. I learned about something called “free sizing” not too long ago which is what MOOTTA offers on some of their clothing items. A “free size” is approximately a small/medium which works for me if I’m not looking for something overly fitted. There is a conversion size chart available if you’re not sure if free sizing is something that will work for you.

A few things IMMEDIATELY caught my eye about MOOTTA. Firstly, the minimalist look of the site allowing for snappy page loading times. Slow load times are one of the qualities of a site that drastically impact my online shopping experience! Secondly, the FREE WORLDWIDE shipping over $50 which, let’s not kid ourselves here, is very easy to achieve!