So it has now finally arrived, the much anticipated Vancouver Fashion Week is here and day 1 was the opening gala. Here are some of the highlights and the designs that stood out for me.
And some very very few photos of my friends that have attended.
If you would like to see all the designs featured for this day I have a video of all of them >HERE<
So as you all might know, I have switched careers and I’m now currently working at Nordstrom Vancouver, specifically at the Men’s Designer department.
This series will be dedicated to featuring the outfits of my co workers and to show the diversity of our styles and influences. I’m doing this in the hopes of opening your eyes and to be able to appreciate them. Hopefully to get you to try and explore from your normal routine of how you would dress yourself.
This post will be twice a week, every Monday and Friday so be sure to regularly check it out!
So as some of my followers from Vancouver would know, the new section of Pacific Centre Mall has finally opened. It just so happens that one of my favourite brands has opened and that would be AllSaints! The London-based brand has now opened it’s 2nd store here in Canada and the first one being in Toronto. I love their classic Rock n’ Roll style, it has that bit of edginess in it without looking grungy. In my own words, I would call it “sophisticated streetwear”.
With this being said, for the first time in my blog, i’m doing a one-branded lookbook and I hope you guys would like it!
Just a tip for the guys, if you haven’t tried on a pair of skinny jeans from AllSaints, you’re missing out. You just have to try it for yourselves and see how awesome the cut and feel is. Every guy should have a go-to pair of denims and this one ranks pretty high up there. AllSaints know their stuff when it comes to a pair of skinny jeans. I’d also rock their leather jackets since its actually their main staple product but it’s still a bit hot right now but maybe in my future posts I would do one on it. For now though, I hope you guys like this look!
“It’s a shoe that’s older than we are, but it remains handsome and relevant to this day. In 1987, Nike released the Air Max 1 – a piece of groundbreaking design, which, for the first time, gave consumers a view of the Air Sole unit that underpinned the comfort and performance of designer Tinker Hatfield’s celebrated Nike Airs. Yup, this was the birth of ‘visible air’, inspired by the architecture of Paris’ Pompidou Centre – a building that looks like it’s been sprung inside out, boasting inner workings that are visible through its exterior.” – from Asos.com
So here’s the inspiration
Paris Pompidou Centre
I just find it amazing how one architectural design influence another now iconic shoe design. The Air Max line of shoes by Nike has got to be one of the most reinvented sneaker line that I know of along with Chucks which is also owned by Nike.
With this being said, here’s a photo of my own Nike Air Max
Ain’t it so cool? Haha!
Now here are some of the ones that I like from the world of Instagram
Bright red with geometric shapes!Gotta have love for camo!Nice clean white with powder blue swoosh!Floral and Cork! Just an awesome and unexpected combination! I’d rock this anyday!Here’s a lady with quite a collection!MMMMM purple!!!Classic black and white!Red and white paired with Marvel themed socks!Just an epic shot!Even the kids are on it!All white, super clean!Floral overload, but just WOW!Just the sheer contrast of colours. Nice!
As you can see, the influence alone of these shoes transcends gender and age! From the most muted designs to the brightest of colours even the use of different materials such as Cork! Nike Air Max has come a long way!
How about you, do you own a pair? Share your photo on the comments!
Vancouver Fashion Week F/W 2015 | Day 1 (Opening Gala)
So the time has finally come, once again Downtown Vancouver gets overtaken by fashionistas from the world over for one whole week. Designers from all over the world have gathered in one place to showcase their works-of-art to be seen by Vancouver fashionistas and trendsetters. Stay tuned to my site for updates for the whole week as i’ll be posting all the happenings of each day. If you want a more real-time updates of the event be sure to follow me on my instagram and twitter.
So here are some of the photos from the events of day 1.
I just have to say that i’m quite excited about the return of the NZ Twins as they are bringing back their fun and outrageous style on the runway of VFW.BONUS! I managed to get a photo with the twins! (Nadia and Zehra)
Snagged a photo with my beautiful fashion writer friend Samantha and you can check out our Valentines Day Collaboration “He Said She Said” post on here.
So last but not the least, here’s a photo of me. LOL! No suit today since as you would’ve guessed it, most guys attending the gala would be wearing a suit, I’ll save mine for another day so stay tuned!
If you want to see more photos from this day it’s all in the gallery here.
Hey guys! Just wanna give everyone a heads up. I know i haven’t been as active as I wanted to be, but that will all change now. I will be putting up more content on a much more regular basis now. I have just recently switched my camera equipment and it will be much easier for me to take photos and possibly videos of myself. I just want to give some much needed thanks to my former boss from Samsung, Loring “The Viking” for letting me get my hands on this very elusive and hard to get camera the Samsung NX1. I’ve been wanting to purchase this camera since it was released. It had to be shipped all the way from Ontario to Vancouver. I’m possibly the first person in B.C. to own this awesome camera. With this being said, my workflow will be much more efficient and I can actually do videos now also. Believe it or not, the camera I replaced with this was a camera that I have owned for 7 years. It’s so old that it doesn’t even record video. Yes, no video. Lol! Now I can even record 4K video with this guy! So yes, be ready for more content coming soon and please leave any comments or suggestions on what you would like for me to put on this site! Here’s a little video I took while testing out my new camera. Getting ready for spring so time to bust out the bright and colorful shoes! (Time to clean them up also hahahaha).
So here’s the part two which is the last instalment of a collaborative article with my fellow fashion writer Samantha from Obsessive Trend Invitation and if you haven’t seen the part one yet just click here. To see my answers to the same questions just go to her site here.
FAVOURITE PLACES FOR DATES
I am a hugeeeeee RomCom fanatic and because of that, my ideas of first dates sometime get inspired by what I see on the telly. I blame Disney for crushing all my unrealistic dreams of having dinner on a boat in the sea with floating lanterns, yes Tangled I blame you.
I love anything that doesn’t just involve two people staring at each other. I want to do activities, whether its drawing, or riding a bike (even though I don’t know how to) or going to the PNE, I feel like the best way to know somebody and to be comfortable is by having fun and not putting pressure on having to talk the entire time.
From a psychology perspective, I recommend going somewhere that gets your heart racing and blood pumping because that just makes you that more attractive! Capilano Suspension Bridge anybody?
WHAT IF IT’S SAD FOR YOU? (SINGLE AWARENESS DAY)
I think the term should be rephrased to Single APPRECIATION Day. So instead of being down in the dumps about not receiving flowers or chocolates, go buy yourself flowers and chocolates and celebrate the person you are. Make it a day to spend with your family and friends, or even a special day to pamper yourself.
YES FOR DATES
Open Mindedness for sure- You don’t have to believe the things I do, but have the willingness to understand it and be open to have a discussion about it
Laughter– I love making a fool of myself and it exudes confidence when someone is able to be silly and appreciate a good joke.
Joy– Waking up every morning, you want to be surrounded by people who make you feel positive about yourself, and the world around you, so definitely someone who can make you smile during the darkest days.
NO FOR DATES
OK I’m going to say constantly being on their cellphones BUT this is a grey area, and many will call me a hypocrite but there is a very fine line between not being in the moment, and APPRECIATING the moment. And as you read this, bear in mind that this is coming from someone who works in media *big laughs*
I am someone who is on her phone ALOT, and my reasoning for being on my cellphone during dates is this- IT’S SO GREAT I NEED TO MAKE MEMORIES. I mean, who else is going to take all the photos for you? And as I type this I already feel the virtual disapproving looks all around.
The thing is, when you date a busy individual, especially one who works in social media, the importance of online presence and being on top of things is important. For me to be present, I need to clear my head of all prior commitments that still go on 24/7; so for some of us ladies, it doesn’t mean we’re bored or aren’t present, it just means that we need mini breaks to clear our heads from all the beeping sounds erupting from our phones. You wouldn’t want me to be guessing who sent me an email while we’re watching the sunset right?
BUT, when and if you are ALWAYS on your phone, and totally unattached to conversations, or when you’re on the phone while having an important conversation, that can be a great turn off.
So the point of my lonnnnnggggg rant IS, — I should probably learn to turn off my phone during a date haha.
We know its that time of the year again and finding the right gifts for your special guy can get a bit tricky. He probably has everything that he wants and needs and you wouldn’t know what to get him. Well here’s a short list that I have made that would probably give you some options that he probably doesn’t have yet and would love to have.
I just featured this on my blog and I can’t help but rave about it. Especially if you’re living in Vancouver you know we are always blessed with this “awesome” rain on a regular basis. This works if you know he has that dry sense of humour also since it actually says “shit it’s raining” in french on the umbrella itself. It comes in other colours as well.
This one is for the guys who carry a lot of things with them on a regular basis or just have super thick wallets and you know it’s not good for their posture if they always put it on their back pocket and sit. This avoids that potential back problem and would help them in the long run. I personally own a few mini messenger bags and I find them very useful especially when I travel and I would put my wallet and passport and other important documents in them and small camera inside.
This one is another no brainer. All grown men or even teens should own dress socks and not plain white socks. Its basically a “right of passage” if you ask me. A man can’t be taken seriously if he’s wearing a suit while wearing white socks. He’s better off not wearing any.
Here’s another essential. I think every man should own a Swiss Army Knife. Having the basic tools is just key to “being a man”. It would also be a nice touch if you could get their name engraved on the plastic part if you ask me.
Now we’re coming to the tech side of things. If your man is into tech, i’m sure he either owns one like this or if he doesn’t, he would like to own one and love you for giving it to him.
I own this little guy and I LOVE IT TO BITS! This gadget basically attaches to the back of your TV and makes it a smart tv. You are able to connect your phone, tablet and even your computer wirelessly to this device and mirror it onto your tv. If this might seem too complicated for your i’ve provided a video made my google to give you a better idea.
Now this is just another essential. I’m sure all of us could relate to our smart phones running out of battery on the most important time. Well look no further, this guy is your life saver. This power pack actually comes with its own cable so it can charge basically any smart phone except for iPhones, but you will just have to use your own usb chord because it does chard any product with a usb plug built-in. It can fully charge any smart phone out then from 0-100% and still have some left to charge other devices.
So these are my list, I truly hope you find them helpful and share it with your friends. If you like this article please leave a comment or any suggestions. Happy Holidays!
Most of the people here in Vancouver can relate to this expression on a very regular basis. We don’t have the nickname “Raincouver” for it for a reason. Especially in this time of the year, we can experience a very generous amount of rain coming our way. This doesn’t mean that our sense of style and our rain gear should suffer. I notice that most people here in Vancouver stick to the very safe and simple black umbrella to protect themselves from the rain, but I have a solution for you.
“Merde Il Pleut” – Shit it’s raining (in French) umbrella
When life gives you lemons, you make lemon juice. So when it rains, why not make the best of the situation and throw in some sense of humour while you’re at it.
Why just stick to the norms of a black umbrella when you can make someone’s day with a funny yet still stylish and classy one.
The strong wood handle, wood shaft, ferrule, and wooden tips help prevent wind damage. I haven’t tested this guy against strong winds yet but with the feel of its construction I can say it stands a good chance of handling the occasional winds of Vancouver.
Let me just say, it does look good when matched with a pair of tan coloured shoes and brown belt because of the wooden accent on the umbrella. It just gives it a very vintage yet modern feel.
So the next time you buy an umbrella for yourself or even as a gift for someone you might want to consider this umbrella. I got this at Kent Street Apparel which is a Vancouver based online store.
If you guys like these kinds of content please leave a message. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
As we all go through our busy lives, day-by-day we sometimes forget that how we dress up can also affect the people around us. If you dress yourself up with clothing that says profanity on it, you know you could offend some people. You have this strong influence in others to either offend or inspire, so what would you choose? There are clothes that are made from recycled materials and which help provide jobs for poor families in third world countries. These companies spread positivity and help the good cause. With this being said I’m very happy to say that i’ve been given a chance to collaborate with a company that does something similar.
LeMotto
Spreading good messages through inspiring quotes.
When I got my package here’s what I got:
An actual personalized handwritten letter
It’s awesome that even on this digital age, you actually still get a handwritten letter from the owner of the company. It makes me feel all warm inside and actually getting a thank you for helping spread positivity!
I choose this slogan because it hits me close to my heart. I like to think that I will always have this little kid in me and that will never go away no matter how old I get. I also like to think that we all are actually cool kids. No discrimination, just love for everyone.
So what brought about the brand?
Here’s an excerpt from the “about” section of their website and I truly think the message is awesomely positive!
“Hi, my name is Vaiana. My story and my brand revolve around something seemingly benign but actually powerful: words.
My life started on the island of Tahiti. It was a beautiful place, but I had to endure harsh words in my own home that often led to violence and abuse. As a student, words were central to all my studies, as I eventually earned degrees in language, law and international relations. As a mother I became even more aware of how words on the playground, in the mall, on the bus, on TV and even in schools can bombard our kids with toxic ideas. I also learned how comforting kind words can be for a suffering child.
The trigger for Le Motto happened when I noticed a girl at Disney World with a t-shirt that said, “I want to be like Barbie because this b*tch has everything”. Really?!
Hey, I’m not trying to tell you what words you have to wear, but I am definitely giving you a positive alternative: meaningful words that point us in the right direction.
I create clothing that “speaks” to people whenever and wherever they see it. I believe the words on your favorite “statement tee” should be able to make a stranger flip a negative attitude to a positive one and pay it forward. The best statement tee should make strangers come up to you and say, “I love your shirt! Thanks for wearing it. You just made my day!” It works – just try it! Who doesn’t want to be a billboard for good vibes in a world that can sometimes be ugly?
Which brings me back to my roots. Words hurt me in my childhood. Today, they galvanize my desire to inspire people. Words do have power, and Le Motto is a way to share good messages with the world.
Words must be followed by actions too. Change the world, one word at a time…and don’t stop there. When people purchase Le Motto apparel, we donate some of the profits to causes that help kids who are suffering from violent circumstances. Our current focus is helping fund programs that confront aggression in the form of bullying helping “The Bully Project” that educate over 1 million parents, teachers, kids and entire communities to deal with bullying.”
It doesn’t just inspire, but it helps a very good cause.
So finally here are some photos of me rocking the shirt!
So always remember, what you wear could make a difference. You can choose to influence people in a positive way just by even wearing a t-shirt!
If you would like to find out where I got this shirt from you can check out the LeMotto Site.
I would also like to thank my friend Cyrus Wu for taking photos of me wearing the shirt.