Romeo

Tags

death, Dog, Family, Golden Doodle, grief, heart, Heartbreak, heartbreak studies, I love you, Life, loss, Love, Romeo, Romeo Files

I had been so afraid to write this post, because that means that I have to confront a reality that I wish had not fallen upon my family.

On January 13th – my twenty-third birthday – my beloved dog, Romeo passed away. He was ten years old.

I cannot talk about the nature of his death, mostly because my eyes are so sore from crying, but his death was unexpected and it took my entire family by surprise. And we are all absolutely heartbroken and devastated.

I don’t want to say that I am a particularly sheltered person, but this is the first time I am experiencing loss in its entirety. The grief has been coming in waves – just when I think that I am going to be okay, a wave of sadness and utter loss comes over me and I’m back to feeling like I’m drowning.

These last few days have been hitting me like a train wreck. Hearing the news about his death in the middle of the night. Seeing the empty space where his food and water bowls used to be. Dog treats and toys that won’t be used anymore. Desperately trying to listen for the pitter patter of steps that are just never going to come.

I have been sleeping with Romeo’s “baby”, The plush puppy he has guarded and doted on these last ten years. I pressed his baby to my face. It still smelt like Romeo. They reminded me that I had been left behind, that my better half was now gone. I laid down on my now too-big bed and I cried. I cried like a baby. Until then, I had held everything together but it just all came flooding out. I have never felt this empty or hollow ever in my entire life.

Despite the pain that is ripping my body in half, I refuse to associate Romeo with this pain and heartbreak. Instead, I want to remember how excited he would get when I would tell him that he was going for one of our walks, how his puppy eyes could melt even the coldest person and how he loved and was loved in return.

As dog owners, you take on this duty to teach your dog how to be, but really Romeo was the one teaching us. In ten years, Romeo taught my family and I valuable lessons in life, love and what it means to be a good person. And for that, I will always be thankful.

If you have a dog, cat or any other pet, please go and hug them. They are a valued member of the family.

I just had to share a few pictures of Romeo here. I’ll always love and miss him.

Romeo:  October 29, 2005 – January 13, 2016

The best of the Golden Globes (so far…)

Tags

2016, actor, actress, Brie Larson, Celebrity, celebrity fashion, clothes, Corrine Foxx, Emmy Rossum, fashion blogger, Fashion inspiration, Golden Globes, Hollywood, Jason Statham, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Lopez, Leonardo DiCaprio, Look of the week, Malin Akerman, Maria Menonous, Men, Olivia W, ootd, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, sartorialist, Sophia Bush

This gallery contains 12 photos.

The Golden Globes have begun and anyone who is anyone is attending the awards show. Whether the stars were nominated, …

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LOULOU photo shoot with Jessica Mulroney

Tags

Aritzia, Beaufille, Browns Shoes, Canadian fashion, Cocoa Jewelry, fashion, Fashion Intern, Holt Renfrew, Internship, Jessica Mulrouney, Loft, LOULOU Magazine, Matthew Gallagher, ootd, Over the Rainbow, photo shoots, Rebekah Price, Riant Boutique, stylist

I’ve just had a whirlwind couple of days with my internship and while I have never been so tired, I have also never felt more certain that I am in the right profession.

Having worked with Canadian-based stylist Talia Brown during Fashion Week, she had asked me to help her pull clothes and assist her during a photo shoot that LOULOU Magazine was doing in partnership with Canadian Personality, Jessica Mulroney. Jessica is taking part in the #366DaysofFashion Challenge challenge, which LOULOU is promoting. You can read more about that challenge here.

The first day was pulling looks from stores in the downtown area. The stores we pulled clothes from included Holt Renfrew, Browns Shoes, Aritzia, Riant Boutique, Over the Rainbow, Matthew Gallagher, Loft and Beaufille. We had jewelry provided by Beaufille, Rebekah Price and Cocoa Jewelry.

My duties included picking up the clothes, taping the shoes to avoid scuffing or damaging them, steaming clothes, organizing outfits and writing down the credits for the outfits that Jessica modelled for us.

I’ve included a few pictures from the shoot down below. I’m really excited about whatever else is going to come in terms of my internship!

Welcome home

Tags

Folk Music, Indie Music, Inspiration of the week, Joy Williams, Music, Song of the Day, Song of the Week, Songwriting, The Civil Wars, VENUS

I have written about my love of Joy Williams’ new album VENUS twice before, and I say third time’s a charm!

I can’t even really put my finger on why her song “Welcome Home” resonates so much with me, but I can theorize a bit. I like the idea that even if we get lost – literally or metaphorically – we can always find our way home again. I believe that even when you lose your way, you’ll never forget your way home, the place where you’ll always be loved and accepted.

As always, the song can be found when you click on the photo.

Hello, I’ve been waiting for you
I didn’t know if you’d recognize my voice
Cause I’ve been whispering your name again and again
I’ve been imagining this day and I’ll never be the same

Welcome home
Welcome home
It’s so good to see your face
Welcome home

We dance and sometimes only fall
We sing even when there are no words
And I hope love lifts you up again and again
And if you ever lose your way, let me be the first to say

Welcome home
Welcome home
It’s so good to see your face
Welcome home

Come inside from the cold and rest your weary soul
You belong, you are loved, you are wanted
You’re not alone
I’ve missed you so

Welcome home
Welcome home
Without you here, it’s not the same
And I’ve been waiting here
Welcome home

Inspiration of the week: Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau

Tags

Canadian Politics, clothes, fashion blogger, Fashion inspiration, Inspiration of the week, Justin Trudeau, Look of the Day, Look of the week, Margaret Trudeau, Modern Day Fashion, Pierre Trudeau, Prime Minister, sartorialist, Sophie Gregoire

If you’ve been keeping up with Canadian politics at all, you’d know that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has certainly been the talk of the town. Whether it be his looks or his burgeoning politic career, the whole world seems to be talking about Justin.

However, another figure we are catching a glimpse of and taking an interest in is the woman by his side: Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, his wife of ten years.

A woman in her own right, Sophie has established herself as a TV host as well as an activist for women’s rights, citing her history with bulimia in the past as her reason for passion.

Now that she has been thrown into the spotlight after her husband’s election win back in October, all eyes have been on Sophie’s sense of style. And she has not disappointed.

Okay, so we are going to do a little bit of a throwback. Before Justin had even begun a political career, he was just a teacher who had fallen in love with Sophie, then a personal shopper for Holt Renfrew.

While Trudeau was not a fixture in politics, his wedding was still a big deal in the media since he is the eldest son of Late former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Realizing that all eyes would be on her, Sophie pulled out all the punches for her big day.

If you’re looking to have this exact dress, you might have some difficulty. Sophie helped design this ethereal dress with a Montreal-based boutique called Les Noces Couture.

Sophie’s wedding dress differs from the traditional bridal gowns, as this dress is completely original, much like the bride herself. It is not a typical Cinderella-style wedding dress, and the gold lace embroidery demonstrates Sophie’s knowledge of fashion.

Safe to say, Sophie was destined to be Canada’s next fashion icon.
Okay, time to go to Sophie’s present-day fashion, which has stunningly improved in the last ten years.

For Justin Trudeau’s swearing-in as Prime Minister, Sophie cleverly chose to represent Canadian fashion by choosing an alpaca wrap coat by Toronto-based Sentaler and dress by CAFA award-winner Erdem.

Thus far, Sophie’s opted for more neutral colours, which is an interesting choice because a lot of first ladies will try to go for something really bold and statement-making.

This is a case where simplicity is the boldest thing a lady can achieve.

Sophie has already been branded “Canada’s Kate Middleton” and this outfit is evidence.

This pale pink dress is similar to a number of dresses that Kate Middleton has been wearing to a number of public events and the fascinator is something that the Royal family would wear to a function.

While it is still too early to tell whether Sophie could have the same effect as Kate Middleton in terms of sales of replica clothes (i.e. Kate Middleton’s engagement dress), I think Sophie is on the right track. She’s not afraid to take chances with her wardrobe, which I, along with the rest of Canada, are really enjoying.

The outfit that Sophie wore for the Remembrance Day ceremony echoes that of another political wife – Jacqueline Kennedy. Both women knew how to dress for different events.

The grey for Remembrance Day emphasized the sombre mood of the day. Sophie has a talent for dressing in accordance to the mood of the events, by dressing in white, black, grey and even simple details in her hats, pins and or details in her dresses.

The subtle grey also helped bring attention to the red poppy on her coat, reminding us about the sacrifice and loss associated with the War.
“I associate beauty with health, physically and mentally. Health and beauty go together.” ~ Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau

2016 Promises

Tags

2016, bucket lists, Daydreaming, daydreams, Dreams, Inspiration, Life lessons, lifestyle, Lists, new year new me, New Years Eve, Promise, writing

In my last post, I talked a lot about the past. In this post, I’m only interested in talking about the future.

2016 is a new year, a chance to turn over a new leaf. As much as I enjoyed 2015, there are many things that I would have changed or done differently. Rather than stew about it, I am going to be more proactive about making these changes so that I can be a much happier human being.

1. I will finally get my ears pierced, because I’m missing out on some adorable accessories.
2. I will finally decide whether or not I am going to get a tattoo, because that is a very permanent change.
3. I will tell more people to F*ck off, especially the ones who deserve it.
4. I will continue to establish my career in the realm of fashion journalism and be more confident about seeing myself as a business woman.
5. I will start to look into doing a postgrad that will not only help me get more experience in my line of work, but will also help me on the road towards Columbia University.
6. I will let go of the people who left me on a dirt road, forgotten in the cobwebbed area of their minds.
7. I will commit myself to my creative writing and work on getting a literary agent.
8. I will practice kindness – towards others and more importantly, myself.
9. I will make a more conscious effort to travel and experience this crazy beautiful world in its entirety.
10. I will welcome opportunities – whether these opportunities come in the form of love, careers, friendships or travel. And I won’t think too hard about them.
11. I will take more chances.
12. I will feel less alone.
13. I will be braver.
14. I will love myself.
15. I will be happy.

Remembering 2015

Tags

2015, 2016, bittersweet, Books, Dreams, Lists, new year new me, New Years Eve, Original Writing, Promise, reflections, Year in Review

New Years Eve has always been a bittersweet time for me.

While it certainly brings the promise of a new year and new adventures to come, it is also a reminder that a chapter of my life will be closing. New Years Eve is a time where I must step into the future, as bravely as I’m able, while my heart longs for a time I’ll never see again.

I never want to be held back by the past, but I never want to forget about any part of my life, because then maybe I can better understand how I came to be and what my values are. For the last couple of months, I’ve been noting my most memorable experiences of 2015. I hope that you all take some time to reflect on your year, and realize that these short 12 months really can transform you.

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Most Memorable Moments of 2015:

• Began the New Year off celebrating in Toronto with my best friends – how it’s always been and always will be
• Travelled to Ottawa for a journalism conference and totally bonded with Cabbie Richards from TSN
• Completed my reign as Features Editor at The Cord after being on the Editorial Board for three years and passed on as much knowledge as I could to my successor
• Started working on one two THREE novels and started sending some of my other stories out to publishers, because why should I keep waiting for one day?
• After years of anxiety and never feeling prepared, I finally took my G2 road test – and I passed. Now I feel so in control when I drive instead of having it be something I’m afraid of
• Made the conscious effort to love and respect my body and forgave myself for everything I put my body through these last couple of years
• Read books that made me fall in love with literature all over again:
  • Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
  • The Shining by Stephen King
  • Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
  • Big Brother by Lionel Shriver
  • My Sergei by Ekaterina Gordeeva
  • Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
  • Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
  • The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
  • The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
  • A Lion Called Christian by John Rendell and Ace Bourke
  • Jaws by Peter Benchley
  • On the Road by Jack Kerouac
  • The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
  • This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
  • The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
  • The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
  • Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
  • Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
  • Pericles by William Shakespeare
  • Siege 13 by Tamas Dobozy
  • The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks
  • The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro
  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  • Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  • For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
  • Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
  • Memoirs by Pierre Elliot Trudeau
  • Lord of the Flies by William Golding
  • The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
  • Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
  • Open Heart by Elie Wiesel
  • Room by Emma Donoghue
  • Common Ground by Justin Trudeau
  • The Beforelife by Franz Wright
  • The Revenant by Michael Punke
• I had breakfast with Romeo Dallaire and had some pretty intelligent conversations with him
• I went on a trip with my sisters to Cayo Coco, Cuba where I did the following things: rode horses on the beach, held baby crocodiles and falcons, swam with fish, experienced a new culture and learned to be fearless
• I graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an Honours in English, after four years of anxiety, essays, exams and countless cups of strong black coffee
• Leonardo DiCaprio regrammed my photo on Instagram, definitely solidifying our plans to get married
• After working hard and being incredibly persistent and patient, I landed my first internship on the Morning Show and am continuing to further my fashion journalism career
• After spending 10 years admiring Fashion Week from afar, I had my first job assignment with Fashion Week and nearly peed my polka dot printed pants when I realized that this event got my foot into the door of the career I wanted
• I had floor seats to see One Direction in concert, where Harry Styles and I were definitely couple’s matching and will likely get married (if Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t get to it first)
• Fell in love with the same guy a hundred times more this year when we were strangers in a dark room than I did the four years of ups and downs and finally decided that it was time I fell in love with myself instead of someone who wouldn’t stay or give me the love I wanted and deserved
• In just over a year’s time, I completed the 100 Days of Fashion Challenge and feel so much more confident in both myself and my future career path and endeavours
• Found out who my real friends and family are
• Realized that not everyone deserves to have my forgiveness and that sometimes taking the high road isn’t always the best solution
• Decided that I wouldn’t settle with “okay” or “good enough”
• I discovered that there is something oddly beautiful about being alone and not feeling insignificant
• I learned that things will change, including myself. And that is the best thing that could ever happen

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Happy New Year everyone – let’s make 2016 the year of aggressive self-love.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas

Tags

celebrations, Family, holidays, joy, Love, love actually, merry christmas

Mother Theresa once said, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope today is full of love and joy. Merry Christmas, everyone.

Challenge complete

Tags

100 days of fashion, black and white, clothes, fashion, fashion blogger, fashion challenge, Fashion inspiration, Fashion Intern, fashion writer, Look of the week, Modern Day Fashion, sartorialist

In a little over a year’s time, I have successfully completed the #100DaysofFashion challenge. It feels like the longest shortest time. I can remember the very first day I started this challenge, to everything in between and the final concluding outfit. A part of me is really sad that this challenge is over, mostly because I don’t know what I’m going to post about now!

Since you have all been keeping up with my posts, I should tell you why I decided to take part in this challenge. I started making my posts in September 2014, the beginning of my Senior year at Wilfrid Laurier University.

If truth be told, I was feeling less than happy when this challenge first began. I had been feeling anxious about going into my final year of my undergrad, mostly because I was dreading the real world and trying to figure my life out. I also had my own personal issues to deal with, and it was getting to a point where I felt like it was all too much.

So, I did the only thing I felt like I could do – distract myself. And since I was slowly starting to figure out that fashion journalism was the career path that I had wanted to take, I thought that it would be an incredible process to see how my style – and me as a person – would evolve in 100 days.

When I first started documenting my outfits, I really didn’t think that much would come out of this. I thought that it would just be a fun project to explore my love of fashion. While I certainly got to have that fun, there were surprises that I didn’t see coming.

Since doing this challenge, I have become much more confident and less afraid to stand out. For 22 years, I always felt compelled to following the rules because that would ensure not only that I would get what I want, but I would do it safely. Well, I discovered that rules were made to be broken. You can still get what you want, whether you play by the rules or not – you just have to own it.

What started out as a fun challenge, ended up being something that took me out of my comfort zone and dare to try something new. I believe that everyone should feel this at some point in their lives.

Thank you to everyone who had been keeping up with my posts, both on my blog, Twitter and Instagram. I appreciated the support.

Here’s hoping an even bigger and more stylish career will come in the near future!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram!

100 (per cent done)

Tags

100 days of fashion, Burberry, business casual, clothes, fashion, fashion blogger, fashion challenge, Fashion inspiration, Look of the week, Mint, Modern Day Fashion, ootd, outfits, sartorialist, street style, Vintage, working girl

I don’t know how to start this post, except to just say I can’t believe I’m finally done.

Before I begin, I’m just letting you all know that I still have one more post related to this challenge – sort of a rationale for why I took part in this challenge. Don’t think you’re getting rid of me just yet!

Since this is my last day of the 100 Days of Fashion challenge, I decided to throw out all of the punches and use my best brand names for this outfit.

My godmother recently gifted me this vintage Burberry maxi skirt and I fell in love with the mint colour. Conveniently, I had a necklace that I bought a few years ago that is an exact match to the colour of this skirt. To keep the look clean and simple, I paired it with a cropped sleeveless turtleneck from Forever21.

Here it is, Day 100. I cannot believe that I am actually done.
Necklace – Burlington Coat Factory

Top – Forever21

Skirt – Burberry

Rings – Gifts from my mother

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I promise, the end of this challenge is only the beginning of my fashion blogging – stay tuned for more updates!