J'adore Marshalls

{Photo Credit: Marcia B. Linking up to Trending Through the Decades: Brights}


Yesterday I attended the sneak peek media launch at Marshalls in Ottawa Trainyards, a day before the department store opened to the public. The door was unlocked for me (à la Kim Kardashian) and I was ushered inside to a fashionable fairytale complete with live models, private tours, delicious snacks, upbeat music and a red carpet (ok I may or may not have imagined that part).  Oh and the clothes- let's not forget about the vêtements! Stripes, plaid, brights, pastels, chiffon, leather, colour blocking & neutrals...you name it and Marshalls sells it (at surprisingly low prices!)

The whole experience was somewhat surreal, almost like a scene out of Willy Wonka (if candy bars were fabulous shoes, oompa loompas were the attentive staff and I was Charlie!) How often do you get to be one of the first shoppers in a brand new store- it's a fashionista/bargainista's dream!

{Two of the adorable models rocking their Marshalls ensembles}

{Highlighter brights as far as the eye can see!}

{Stripes galore- I added a couple new pieces to my collection!}

{The dress selection is expansive and exquisite}

{These are called 'cubes' a section for tweens and teens to shop all the latest trends in a fun environment- even the music selection is different! I may be twenty-something but I'm a teen at heart so I couldn't resist and picked up a hot pink and orange top, people already think I'm under age so might as well dress the part!}

{The teenage boy cubes. I loved the amount of floor space that was allocated to menwear- almost as much square footage as the ladies wear which is rare in most retail settings!}

{Playful scarves, perfect for springtime.}

{I visited on my lunch break so had to be very strategic with my hour of shopping.  The manic shopper rushing around with her cart overflowing with goodies? Yeah that would have been me!}

{You would light up the gym in these bright coloured exercise pieces- stand out in a sea of yogi black!}

I love window shopping but bringing out the plastic is much more fun! Check out my new purchases from Marshalls which I plan on incorporating into my spring/summer wardrobe, starting with next week's trip to St.Kitts!

exciting news

Blazer & Belt- Thrifted; Tank & Skirt- Gifted (from my Dad); Boots & Tights- Aldo; Ring- H&M; Nail Polish- Vintage by Revlon

 Life change....hmm in hindsight that may have been an excessive phrase to use (many of you thought I was engaged- I'm working on it but not quite yet!) but I have been known to be a drama queen after all! My good news is that I landed the job of my dreams.  It combines my degree in Social Work, my passion in women's rights and my love for fashion in one full-time package.  Starting next Monday I'll be working as the Program Coordinator for Dress for Success Ottawa (DFS). I've been volunteering with DFS as a Boutique Manager for over a year and will now be joining the team as the first employee! 

The mission statement of DFS is: "to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire and the career development tools to help them thrive in work and life."

{I just love this flouncy skirt that my Dad bought for me for Christmas.  Doesn't he have great taste!? I thrifted this blazer and although it's a bit big I liked the pattern and thought it was a fun addition to my wardrobe! My new position with DFS requires a business wardrobe so I won't be wearing bright tights to the office anytime soon.  Thought I should get the funky work outfits out of my system now!}

I will also be staying in my current position as Marketing & Social Media Coordinator with Lilac Lingerie on a part-time basis so my weeks will be busy.  That's where my New Year's Resolution comes in handy! I'm excited to start this new career chapter of my life and will keep you posted on how everything is going!

coloured tights: purple for awareness

Dress & Tights-Gap; Blazer-BCBG Maxazria; Heels-Andrew Gellar (Thrifted); Earrings-Thrifted; Nail Polish-Violet Frost by Sally Hansen & Purple Diamond by Santee; Bracelet-Giveaway prize from Brooke

November is Woman Abuse Prevention Month in Ontario and Friday is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.  Ending violence against women is a cause that I am very passionate about advocating for, educating and informing.  As you may know I have my Social Work degree and after my first year of university I was offered a student position as a Front Line Victim Support Worker with Ottawa Victim Services.  I was responsible for performing intakes and providing crisis intervention to victims of crime and tragic circumstances.  I worked on many stalking, domestic violence and sexual assualt cases, the majority of which were crimes against women.  I really connected with these women, their stories were horrific but yet they stayed so strong.  I couldn't imagine what they had experienced and began to identify them as 'survivors' rather than 'victims'.  They were warriors, mothers, professionals, daughters, sisters, friends and they changed my life.  

{My earrings weren't photographing too well so here they are along with my sparkly purple nails}

{Just like Lyddie Gal said-well made garments have beautiful linings}

I have stayed on with Ottawa Victim Services as a volunteer and am constantly amazed by these woman who have been through so much and the importance of female empowerment through advocacy, education and information.  Wear purple or join the white ribbon campaign to create awareness and join in the movement to end violence against women!

Violence against women is an appalling human rights violation. But it is not inevitable. We can put a stop to this.
-Nicole Kidman

Wu-ing us with style

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Signatures Show  to view Adrian Wu's holiday collection.  The venue was perfect-Ottawa's new Convention Centre-an architecturally stunning glass bee comb which overlooks the city.  Excitement was palpable as the trance-like music began and the models stepped out, wearing sky high shoes and futuristic foam headpieces.  The dresses and the styling were out of this world (pun intended) and would be a perfect addition to any fashionista's holiday wish list! My favourite outfit was the one-shoulder silver and white maxi dress (third from the right in the above photo) which I could envision wearing to a cocktail party or New Year's Eve soiree (except I'd probably substitute the braided foam for an elegant fascinator!)

My good friend (and fellow thrifting/vintage lover) Kelly

 Local fashionista Petite Adventures (don't you love her star patterned dress?!) and myself.

{Photos c/o the lovely Amoi who I previously interned with for Ottawa Fashion Week}

Speaking of Amoi here we are! {My outfit: Dress-Frou Frou; Heels & Necklace-Thrifted}

{Thanks again to Knock on Wood Communications for the opportunity to attend this fabulous event!}

fashionable upcoming events- ottawa

Ef Magazine

Ef Magazine is an online fashion magazine all about stylish sustainability.  I've been involved with Ef since their inception last winter as a magazine contributor and photoshoot stylist.  Green fashion is a movement within the fashion industry to minimize environmental and social impact of clothing.  This can be done by shopping second hand (so if you're a thriftaholic or vintage clothing lover like me you're already doing your part!); buying clothing made with eco friendly material or using organic beauty products. 

Ef's Editor in Chief, Malorie is one of the founders of Fashion on Display.  It's a two week extravaganza where fashionistas get to act as tourists in their own city.  Here's how it works:

Step One – Download the list of participating stores here and print it off. You’ll need this list to know which stores to visit.

Step Two – Swing by a local store near you and pick up a We Are Local Guide. This is a fun map of all of Ottawa’s commercial neighbourhoods with lists of fabulous local shops. You will use this map to make your way from store to store.

Step Three – Visit all of the stores on the list between October 6th – 20th to admire their attractive window displays. Stores will offer shopping discounts, treats and more. Don’t forget to get your list stamped by the store. This is your ticket to enter our great prize draws at our wrap-up bash on October 20th from 7-11 p.m. at Cube Gallery (tickets are $15).

With Ef's Editor in Chief, Malorie & Magazine Contributor & Dernier Cri Fashion Blogger Yvonne at Ariana Assadi's Beauty Gala (you can read the article I wrote about the event here)

Lilac Lingerie

Lilac Lingerie is celebrating it's one year anniversary by holding an open house on Thursday October 13th complete with giveaways (both online and in person); 50% off all panty purchases and yummy treats from The Flour Shoppe.  Drop in between the hours of 10 a.m.-7 p.m. to shop the elegant lingerie, enter a giveaway or just say hello! 

{Photo credit: Lilac Lingerie}

More details about the event can be found here (and if you notice my name as the author that's because I manage their blog and twitter accounts).

Kathleen (Marcia B Creative) , Myself, Emilia (the owner of Lilac Lingerie) and Lexie (Marcia B Creative) at the Rip the Fab Lane fashion show (photo credit- Marcia B Creative)

If you know of any other upcoming events, feel free to share them in the comment section or send me the details {tinfoilstiaras@gmail.com} - I hope to have a bi-weekly feature on events so that local fashionistas are in the know!

Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibit

Pants & Ring- H&M; Top- Thrifted; Heels- Aldo (Thrifted); Clutch- Vintage

This past weekend, my main squeeze and I took a mini-vacation to Montréal, Quebec to celebrate a good friend's 30th birthday.  It just so happened that it was also the last few days of the world-renowned Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.  When it comes to haute couture, Gaultier is the man so I couldn't pass up this opportunity to see his beautiful creations displayed in person.  I braved torrential rain, long line-ups in the cold and a nasty hangover (thanks to the birthday celebration's bottle service the night before) to attend. But even with all these forces against me- it was an incredible experience (and I use the term experience because the exhibit truly captivated and inspired)! I thought I would share with you my favourite photos and short videos from the exhibit in hopes that you'll feel as if you were right there with me!

{Author's Note: Special thanks to my patient and understanding man for braving the rain, line-ups and my hangover complaints to attend the exhibit with me.  I know you would have preferred to stay in the comfy hotel bed and watch Discovery Channel so for your sacrifice I am grateful and promise to attend a sci-fi or nerd convention of your choosing!} 

{Pay close attention to the mannequin's faces- notice anything strange?}

{If you listen closely, you can hear my man talking at the beginning- I fell in love with that low voice!}

If you want to see more photos from the exhibit, I uploaded all 51 (paired down from 100) photos to my Flikr page so you can browse 'til your heart's delight!

out & about

I am without a photographer/boyfriend once again although don't worry it's just temporary, he is travelling on yet another work trip (starts to lose its glamour after a while).  I thought I would share with you some photos of what I've been up to recently in my work life, volunteer life and personal life.  Warning: photo heavy post!

Ringside for Youth

This was a charity boxing event for work held about a month ago, one of my 15 hour long work days!  If any of you are boxing fans, Lennox Lewis was our guest of honour (I had no idea who he was...)

With some of my colleagues.  My Dress- Anthropologie. 

There were young women flaunting their goodies strutting around to convince the (90% male clientele) to buy raffle tickets and then I swooped in and processed their credit card...

Camp Smitty

This is a kid's summer camp that my organization supports.  We had a team building day a few weeks ago where we helped stain the boy's bathroom.  I disovered that me+manual labour+humidity= heat exhaustion.

Outfit: Just joking ;)

Stepping Out

This was an event for the non-profit organization Dress for Success that I volunteer for.  The theme was "stepping out" so you were supposed to wear your funkiest shoes. 

Shoes- Pour la Victoire, See my outfit here.  {Photo credit: Maureen Murphy}

I am Fashion- Rip the Fab Lane

I helped style the Lilac Lingerie models for this fabulous fashion show, adorning their hair with freshly cut lilacs. 

Kathleen (Marcia B Creative), Me, Emilia (owner of Lilac Lingerie) and Lexie (Marcia B Creative) My Outfit: Dress- GAP; Scarf-Thrifted; Heels- Priceless UK

{Photo credits: Marcia B Creative}

Shopping

A friend and I had a mini shopping spree at AMH Style Consignment store and here are some of my favourite looks I tried on (I ended up buying the yellow pumps and the purple belt).

Richard Robinson Showcase

I was so excited to attend the Richard Robinson Showcase on behalf of Lilac Lingerie a couple of weekends ago.  I live tweeted the event, took photos and wrote notes (what a multi-tasker!)  The showcase was a 3 hour long fashion show comprised of fashion design students' collections, bustiers, wedding dresses, swimwear, ready-to-wear and couturier pieces.  I was in fashion heaven!

ML of Twenty York Street, myself and Laura from Ottawa Fashion Week. { Photo Credit: Ottawa Fashion Week}

Outfit: Dress- Thrifted (brand new with the tags still on from the previous owner's trip to Japan!); Shoes- Aldo