Summer is the season of dresses, sunlight on skin and wind in hair. But summer in Halifax often finds us in the rain, hopping through puddles that were fun when we were welly-wearing kids, but that now stain our canvas sandals a muddy brown. My answer to that is to forgo the sandals in favour of tall riding boots!
Yes, these are the same boots that took me through the winter, and their sturdy leather frame work just as well on those misty East Coast summer days as they did in the city snowbanks of a Toronto winter. Pairing these boots with this gorgeously deep blue dress and a thin black belt, and complementing the iconic silver MK logo with antique silver jewelry make for a beautiful and comfortable summer outfit that is just something different.
Photography by David Pilat. Check out David’s other work on Flickr and follow his latest shoots on his Instagram and Facebook page! He also shot my Greaser Girl post - check it out!
Growing up a through-and-through city girl, one of the things I missed out on was the beach. Sure, Toronto has Lake Ontario, but there’s nothing quite like looking out at the waves and realizing that there’s nothing else between you and another continent. Absolutely breathtaking. Now that I’m back in Halifax for my first summer by the sea, I had to take a day trip to the beach before school gets too hectic! I left my phone behind and brought my camera for this adventure, and wore my favourite new dress and summer wedges.
We stopped by this beautiful bakery on the way to the beach - Nova Scotia is filled with hidden treasures like this one, the Flying Fox Bake Shop in Shelburne. The Flying Fox has incredibly delicious treats and is just steps from the waterfront, making for the perfect summer day stop! I’m in love with their cheesecake squares and adorable sugar cookies - they’re perfect to bring to the beach!
When we finally got to the beach, the pups bolted right to the water! They’re so full of energy, especially since they snuck bites of our cookies!
One of the things that has me most excited about the coming heat is breaking out my summer wardrobe. I’m in love with flowy dresses, cute heels and retro sunglasses. This dress and these glasses are from Guess, one of my favourite shops. Their retro chic style is right up my alley, but since they don’t have one in Halifax I have to stock up when I’m back home. My white wedge sandals from my other favourite designer Michael Kors are perfect for summery days like this, and they go so well with the white details and soft colour of the Guess pieces.
If you’ve been following my adventures on twitter, you’ll know I just got back from another big trip! Shot in the beautiful Fairmont Olympic hotel, this post is the first I’ll show you from my recent travels to one of my favourite cities in the world, Seattle! This outfit features my most favourite recent purchase, a dress by Minusey I’ve been coveting for a while. The perfect fit and flare, it makes me feel fierce - like the jaguars on the textile. :P And what better place to show off the dramatic dress than on the grand balconies of the Olympic?
Seattle is an amazing city. Right on the West Coast of the US, it has the perfect balance of chill coastal living and bustling city life. Housing the headquarters of some of the world’s most impressive companies - Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon and Boeing included - the greater Seattle area is never a dull choice! Trust me - and stay tuned for the rest of my Seattle series here on Trendy Techie!
OUTFIT:
dress: Minusey
watch: Boeing (yes, it’s a gift shop watch from the factory!)
Fall is here, techies! Or at least it officially will be in three days, even though the weather here in Halifax is acting like it’s already mid-October. As we make the transition from summer brights to autumn neutrals, I’m hesitant to give up my airy summer dresses! But who’s to say we can’t wear bright colours in the fall? Here’s an electric blue look for fall that has all the fun and energy of summer with a nice deep shade that transitions into the cooler weather.
I paired this cool-toned dress with an orangey-red lipstick and brown cowboy boots to add some warmth to the outfit.
Check out this awesome sculpture at the waterfront! And the massive smiling cruise ship docked behind me.
What are you wearing to transition into fall? Share them in the comments below!
PS: I’m submitting this post to IFB’s latest project! Check it out here.
In summer, dresses are my must-wear pieces. You’ll rarely find me wearing pants in the summer unless I’m working out or it’s a travel day. But since a good dress can stand as a complete outfit all by itself, it can be hard to find different combinations to make one dress look like five different outfits (to avoid the dreaded “you’re wearing that again?”). That’s why I was so excited when I was approached with the opportunity to style one of Von Vonni’s transformer dresses! These dresses can be worn in countless different ways. The dress itself is a skirt with two long scarf-like pieces of fabric that can be wrapped and tied around the body to make dozens of classic shapes. Here are my three favourite ways to wear my short Von Vonni transformer dress in jade green.
1. The Cross-Back Maiden Sleeve
2. The Twist-Back Halter
3. The One-Shoulder Wonder
This dress is so fun and cute, and I love the deep green colour. The material is light and falls nicely with no ironing necessary - a HUGE bonus for effortless summer throw-on-and-go chic.
In addition to classic transformer dresses, Von Vonni also sells other designs. They have generously sent me a Kelly Green Short Victoria Transformer Dress for a giveaway for my Canadian readers! This dress has a transformable top and cute sleeves that make it an easy transition to fall.
Move over Little Black Dress, Little Futuristic Dress is here to take your place!
I’m all for the LBD trend, or at least I was four years ago when I first discovered it. But I think now it’s starting to get old. I know, I know, “timeless” and whatever, but pretty soon every woman at every event will be wearing a little black dress, and we’ll all look like drones!
This awesome futuristic dress by Milly has replaced my LBD for chic, easy, comfortable nights out. I got it from the Holt Renfrew Spring Sale, which makes it even more fun to wear because I know I didn’t pay full price (even though I probably would have bought it at full). I fell in love with it instantly when I saw it on the rack. Its simple black and white pattern is very flattering and draws the eye to all the right places. I paired it with my new nude pumps and black leather jacket (also seen here and here), both from Michael Kors, when I wore it out to dinner at the 360 restaurant in Toronto’s CN Tower.
I love my nude pumps - they make me 6’2″ tall, but my boyfriend still manages to stand taller than me when I wear them. <3 I love how the neutral colour goes with everything and elongates my legs without drawing attention away from this eye-catching dress. I also love this Betsey Johnson Air Betseyville travel purse! It’s light and sturdy and fits so much - I use it to bring my straightening iron, hairspray, shampoo/conditioner, perfume, scarves, headbands, and jewelry when I travel. Can you believe how much fits in there? I didn’t bring that all to the restaurant, of course, I traded all that stuff for my wallet and camera. ;)
The restaurant is 106 stories above the ground, and rotates constantly so the view is always changing! We arrived just past sunset so we could have the beautiful view of twinkling city lights.
After dinner the waiter (who was so sweet and friendly - ask for David if you eat here) took some pictures of us and then we headed down to the observation deck and the glass floor. Outside on the deck we were literally inside the light show! It was so cool.
Have you ever seen a glass floor like this one? You can’t have a fear of heights if you’re standing on an invisible platform 105 stories above the city. I find it exhilarating…well it’s a lot safer than my last stint above the city!
