Costume DIY’ing and Candy Apple Martini’ing…

Happy Trick or Treat day!

I go crazy for costume and theme parties, so this weekend was a screaming success in the dress up department! I had a billion ideas of what I wanted to be for our Spooky girls night out, first it was a Russian Doll, inspired from OPI’s Russian Collection followed by thoughts of a ‘A Real Housewife’, Rachel Zoe ( not frail enough), Kate Middleton (again not skinny enough) and Ophelia.  Last minute I altered my ideas, that’s the Gemini in me, We were off to a jazz club so I fancied looking more glitter & glam. I rummaged through my tickle trunk of past costumes and old dance outfits and decided with all the bits I would be a modern-day flapper girl. With a quick stop at Forever 21 my DIY costume was a hit.

The night was fabulous, we totally overdosed on Candy Apple Martinis, got in a little cardio set on the dance floor and joked about all the slutty *fill in the blank* costumes we witnessed, what happened to Halloween, much like every other holiday it’s lost its center?

Here’s a peek at my DIY Flapper Fabulous costume…

 

 

 

 

For me it’s all about the hair and make up. I love bold eyelashes, falsies, smooth Hollywood curls, red red lips and painting pretty things on my face!

How I built my costume:

1. Dress from Forever 21 circa 2010, $19.99

2. Necklace Vintage Costume jewelry from the tickle trunk

3. Headband Forever 21, $6.50 (in stores now)

4. MAC Eyelashes and MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick

5. OPI Nails in ‘Color so Hot it Berns’

6. Fishnet Stocking from my hosiery drawer

Clearly doesn’t take a scientist to figure it out…just a little creativity!

 

The best kind of costumes are the ones you create on your own.

Happy Halloween!

Jaclyn xo

 

 

Trick or Treat*….

Whether your weekend is filled with costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, sipping cider cocktails or watching horror films, make sure you treat your self to lots of candy and trick someone you love!

I’m dressing up as a Russian doll –  staining my lips blood-red, lining my eyes with falsies, using a big barrel iron to curl my hair and wearing the biggest faux fur hat you’ve ever seen! Can’t wait.

You can find me at a high top sipping caramel apple martinis with my girlfriends….

and maybe dancing on tables!

Happy Spooky Halloween weekend!

Jaclyn xo

She’s got legs…

And she know’s how to use them – but does she know how to cover them up?

As fall slowly turns into winter, wearing skirts and dresses becomes a little bit harder. We now have to factor in the bitter cold, and how we can cover up our stems fashionably and look good while we’re at it. Tights are the perfect solution for this dilemma: they will keep you toasty, make you look stylish, and can totally add a little something to you look.

I work in an industry where skirts and dresses are pretty much my uniform, I can wear pants, it’s just not the same. So when fall and winter come around and I need to cover up my legs I turn to tights.

One of my closest friends Sara, who happens to be one of the most stylish, hip, well put-together ladies I know captained me on my path to tights. I always deemed tights as childish and opted for bare legs, which I know now is only for the warm bronze days of summer. She helped me identify the hip and fashionable elements of tights, and ever since it’s been a calamity. Yes that’s right, a disaster – I spend a whole lot of dolla dollla bills ya’ll on trompe l’oeil, textured, colored and piped hosiery!

There are now two seasons for me, tights and no tights…..

Okay this is an exception, bare legs are a must if your legs look like this – why would you cover them up?

 Bad news: bare-leg season is long over. Now the good news: tights just got interesting…

Jaclyn xo

The Bone Collector

I’m much more of a Gossip Girl than Gothic Girl, but even I have a weakness for skulls. Maybe its the time of year? Maybe its designer influenced?

Remember when Alexander McQueen constructed that fabulous accessory line influenced by the bony structures. It was all the rage in Hollywood, to date people are still wanting to get their hands on his bones. In addition to cuffs, scarfs, clutches and rings, I also enjoy a little skull accents around the home. I’m noticing stylists from my beloved online decor magazines mixing brass skeleton heads and contemporary pieces together, it just adds a little bad as* sumpin sumpin to a book shelf or home office space.

The fascination I have with skulls is glittery bling bling. You’ll see why I’m totally crushing on these ornamental skulls.

Love the regency of the skull….

 I want to use these DL&Company candles for book ends…

and throw this on a table in a room…..

that looks like this.

I would wear it on my wrists, as seen on the lovely Ms Janette Ewen  here….

and wear this high-priced skull cocktail ring for devils night drinks…

and possibly clutch on to this….

Skulls have a time and a place… I’m going to order a artisan candle from DL&Company and give it a home right beside my ELLEments of style book!

Jaclyn xo

The Contingency Plan: Work vs Play

This weekend I was successful in drinking wine, cleaning my closet and organizing  the sh*t out of my car. Being on the road for work and travelling has destined me to have a vehicle filled to the brim with lovely bits from my wardrobe. My girlfriends make fun of me for stocking an abundant amount of crap in my SUV – I haul extra sweaters, blouses, shirts, heels, curling iron, straightener and clutches into my gym bag  in case I want to pop in anywhere for post-work social time, aka Happy Hour. On most occasions I can transform my look from office to play easily, adding an accessory, switching a blazer for a cropped leather jacket or if I’m feeling totally enthusiastic I’ll pack a sequins tank to throw under my blazer . A girl needs options and I always like to have a contingency plan!

My work vs play

One thing I am sure of, if ever on the eleventh hour was I invited to some glorious event, a gala or The Oscars my car would possess all the parcels I’d need to pull my outfit together!

ps I know my girlfriends secretly love the fact that at any point they can open my car door and have a snappy outfit modification!

Jaclyn xo

4inch Puddle Hurdling

Today’s going to be another wet Autumn day. I refuse to let the rain dictate my footwear so as it stands, I am going to be attempting puddle hurdles in my 4 inch heels.

I love the rain,  there’s something particularly romantic about it. Maybe it’s the way it falls on the window pane and the sound it makes in a still room, or how it compels me to crave coziness, comfort food and cuddles? Not sure. What I do know is that for a moment I will not subscribe to any notion that dressing for work in the rain means dull or duckboots, those are for the weekend people!

 

 

 

Hope you get through your rainy days with love…

Jaclyn xo

The Tartan Touch

It’s a bit of a rager outside today, which only fuels my crush for classic preppy coziness and the perpetual fall trend, plaid.

I want to be wrapped in a tweed, wear checks of tartan and paint my lips in Ruby Woo. It’s the type of day that makes me long for the blustery hills of the highlands and dark waters of Inverness, perhaps it’s time for another beautiful trip to Scotland?

 

 

 

 

 

The truth about plaid is that it’s a fine line for me between well done, over done, and just trashy. Make sure you don’t over do this pattern, and keep pieces minimal – unless you’re in a Vogue editorial, plaid on plaid on plaid just isn’t for everyday!

 

Happy Hump Day!

Jaclyn xo

 

 

 

 

 

Hitting the Runway

It’s the kick off of LG Fashion Week here in Toronto which means I’m going to be hitting the runway, wearing some seriously high agonizing shoes and frolicking amongst like-minded fashion lovers throughout the week. Tonight is the Mercedes Benz Start up party, and Wednesday I will be watching the models for Joe Fresh & Pink Tartan strut their stuff down the platform. Could I ask for anything more? I guess a front row seat beside Brad Goreski.

I’m already smitten for spring style after reviewing some of the looks from NYFW, but let’s be honest, Fall has just arrived and I love to use and abuse the sh*t out of each season, in a wardrobe manner of speaking.

Here are a few images that get me in the mood…

I can’t wait to juggle work, fashion week and every thing else on my plate this week, they say ‘success usually comes to those who are too busy to looking for it’! Who are ‘they’ anyway….

Jaclyn xo

Fashionably Smashed*…(Happy Weekend)

Although I LOVED the warmer fall temps we’ve been having, I recently got acquainted with a new drink, The Cider Smash, which is bourbon and cider (thank you Seyward and Martha), and all of the sudden I started getting this heavy nostalgia for fall! Maybe it’s the gorgeous shade of brown or the spicy and robust flavors and cinnamon, but I’m jonesin’ for some cooler weather and I’m pretty sure this weekend is going to be typically fall’ish!  And nothing says fall like long sweaters, tights, hunter boots, pumpkin colored nails, and fall walks with friends (sipping bourbon of course)…

Ingredients

• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 ounces chilled sparkling apple cider
• Thin red-apple slice

Use a martini shaker and mix it up a little, place apple slices in the bottom of a bourbon glass and pour, divine!

Happy get ‘fashionably smashed’ Weekend!

Jaclyn xo

Peep Show

There’s just something so subtly sexy about showing a little shoulder and the line of a woman’s collarbone.

Whether you reveal la shoulder with intention, by means of a wide neckline or your shirt looses balance, and slips off your shoulder accidentally, showing a little shoulder skin can be quite feminine and sexy.

Recently I’ve bought a few knits in extra-large to capture the effect of a billowy modern-day-flashdance sweater. I pair it with skinny jeans, casual boots and confidence for a look that is easy, loose and comfortably sexy.

Shoulders need lovin too…..

Hey, it’s okay to bare a little skin sometimes…

Half way there.. Happy Wednesday!

Jaclyn xo