Full of Chic

Tuesday 27 June 2017

It's easy to get wrapped up in what's trendy and happening across the boarder, or even across the ocean when you're in Canada. It seems like European and American retailers are always on the tip of my tongue, and thats not for a lack of homegrown talent. Canada has created some stellar brands and today, I want to share some of my handpicked favourites! What better way to celebrate Canada Day then by supporting Canadian talent!

Malika Rajani

Calgary - based Malika creates some seriously badass pieces. The designs strike a perfect balance between contemporary and timeless. She's perfected the classic leather Moto jacket but for the more adventurous has modern leather culottes and basket weave crop tops that'll ensure you stand out in a crowd. Her line is also created in collaboration with local artisans and strives to preserve the heritage of the small local communities she works with. I'm obsessed with everything she creates, particularly this military green leather basket weave crop top!

Shop: www.malikarajani.com

Instagram: Malika_Rajani

Eliza Faulkner

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVC4lnMBMic/?taken-by=elizafaulkner

There's something incredibly playful yet clean about Eliza Faulkner's designs. Her outfits are eye-catching yet simplistic, and I am swooning over this Montreal based brand! The S/S 17 collection is bursting with Gingham and the latest trends like bell sleeves and off the shoulder blouses! This is the perfect brand for the West Coast minimalist who isn't afraid to play with pattern!

Shop: www.elizafaulkner.com

Instagram: ElizaFaulkner

Maram

https://shop.maramparis.com/collections/spring-summer-17/products/off-the-shoulder-ruffle-crop-top

Montreal's Maram brings whimsy to your closet with her mythical designs. The collection is what bohemian dreams are made of with flow-y blouses, long airy dresses, and earthy tones! Maram's designs are refined yet daring, and there are definitely some stand out pieces! My favourite has to be this Off-The-Shoulder Ruffle Crop Top!

Shop: www.maramparis.com

Instagram: Maram.Official

BITE Beauty

http://www.beautezine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/BITE-Beauty-Multisticks-001.jpg

Made with food grade ingredients it's no secret that Canada's very own BITE Beauty is making waves on the makeup scene. These lipsticks are amazing, I even have a custom shade I created at the BITE Lab in SOHO NYC! If you love makeup keep your eyes glued to BITE's social media as we all await the heavily anticipated drop of their new Liquid lipsticks!

Shop: Sephora.com

Instagram: BiteBeauty

It's no secret that I'm proud of my Canadian Heritage, and its easy to see why! There's a lot we have to be proud of as Canadian's, including the amazing brands.

XX,

Sunday 11 June 2017

OOTD: Summer Hues

Sunday 11 June 2017

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Hello again internet friends! What an exciting (and busy) few weeks I've had. Among finishing exams and packing up my University flat, I've also made the move to London for the summer! I'm so excited to be in this lovely city! The past few days have been spent in cafes, parks and boutiques as I attempt to acquaint myself with my new surroundings! I have today a collection of photos from a relaxing day spent at Primrose Park overlooking central London!

Of course, any good day at the park in summer includes eating fresh fruit and lounging on a picnic blanket. If you're like me you may opt to wear your pear as a statement head piece, and then of course, strike a pose!

I also enjoy staring wishfully at cherries against a background of vibrant greenery. Fun Fact: Two minutes after arriving at the park I stained my shirt eating said cherry....

Ok, enough about my vanity (for now). Primrose Park was bursting with people on this warm day, and no wonder, since the view was breathtaking. The best part was by far all the puppies. I repeat: SO MANY PUPPIES!! I wanted to pet them all, alas enough time does not exist for such ambitious goals. As the warm weather quickly turned sour (as it often does in England) we were sent on our way.

Which for me was just an opportunity to grab more photos! This one displays my outfit nicely! The top is a sheer off -the-shoulder blouse from Forever 21! I have it paired with these royal blue shorts from Zara. The shorts have delicate floral white embroidery! It all feels very Grecian and summery to me! I love how airy and light this outfit is!

Warm weather, cute outfits, and lots of giggles always makes for a perfect day. The Cherry on top of it all is the day was spent in one of my favourite cities! And with a Pear of lovely friends (I'm sorry for the puns). I can't wait to see what the rest of this month in London holds for me ! Hopefully more fun outings, and definitely a lot of exploring!

Shout out to @molz.photo on Instagram for the lovely snaps!

XX,

Friday 9 June 2017

Funny Face & The Brainy/ Beauty Dichotomy

Friday 9 June 2017

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"Banish the Black, Burn the Blue, and Burry the Beige!" Because this film is all about PINK. And I don't just mean the colour, I mean the entire construct of femininity which is woven so deeply into our very understanding of the milky pastel off red hue we have come to label as "pink". Funny Face is one of my favourite movies, but today as I re-watched the Audrey Hepburn classic something hit me: This movie sucks. I say that for a simple reason, it sucks because it portrays the reality that "brainy" woman often face, and it perpetuates the idea that beauty is of the utmost importance.

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A quick synopsis will reveal the dread this movie brings to my heart. When Fred Astaire's character (Dick Avery) is photographing for acclaimed fashion magazine Quality he stumbles upon brainy, plain, and peculiar Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn). Hepburn's character is completely disinterested in the world of fashion and beauty, instead she is enamoured by the Parisian intellectuals and the philosophy of the day- Empathicalism. When modelling opens up an opportunity for Jo to travel to Paris and meet the professor behind the philosophy she worships, Jo quickly takes it up. In paris she juggles her superficial duties of modelling with her desire to cultivate knowledge among the Parisian intellects. When finally confronted with the philosopher she idols a sad twist of affairs illustrates the reality many woman typecast as "brainy" face. The supposed enlightened intellectual has no care for Jo's genuine passion and interest in Empathicalism, to him, Hepburn's character is merely "a woman". An object of sexual desire, not an esteemed or even worthy intellectual companion. She's cute and naive. To make matters worse Jo cultivates a romance with Astaire's character, who far more boldly acknowledges his own disdain at her intelligence. Dick Avery's love for Jo is calculated, he wants her only as she appears in his carefully curated photographs. Posed, frozen, and perfected, her flaws, her intellect, creativity, and curiosity are all glossed over by her wide eyes and pouty lips.

The movie isn't some anomaly, it's not as fictitious as it seems. I find there is always this dichotomy at work within peoples minds. Because I enjoy fashion, makeup, and beauty, I must therefor be unintelligent. On the flip side of that, those that know me purely through my academic channels find it hard to imagine that I, the keen girl who sits in the front row of all her seminars and never stops talking, can be into something as seemingly vain as fashion or pop-culture. This binary is extremely dangerous, and its taught to us (boys and girls) from an incredibly young age. Movies, like Funny Face, the media, and stereotypes breed these incredibly incomplete understandings of identity.

I often find myself confronted with these two seemingly opposing identities and I've struggled with trying to align myself clearly with one. What I have learned though, is that I am not simply academic or simply superficial. Woman are complex creatures, and our affinity for beauty or fashion is not some kind of comment on our intellect or self worth. Whether you fit perfectly within one, both, or none of the two labels prevalent throughout the film, you constitute a unique person and that is truly remarkable.

Have you ever juggled with these unrealistic notions?

XX,

F.