Fall Essentials

Hello Montreal !


After reading a whole bunch of "building websites for dummies", I have decided that the easiest thing would  be to keep both blogs running. It was getting way too complicated to import everything from the other blog to this one so voila - I'm gonna have my cake & eat it too !


Enough with the technical stuff, let's talk fashion.


Mother nature seems to be in a good mood lately making it difficult for our fashionistas to make the transition from summer to fall. Like it or not, fall is quickly approaching which means one thing - fab fall wear!


Here are my 3 fall must haves:


1. Leather. Anything leather. Whether you're sporting an edgy leather jacket, a flirty mini or a daring dress, make sure that your closet is equipped with this fall trend.




Maria's pick: Rud by Rudsak leather pants
to shop: http://rudbyrudsak.com/




2. A scarf. Scarves add pizazz to any outfit. They can be worn as a head band, tied on a purse, draped on the shoulders or around the neck. Go chic with a luxurious silk scarf or cozy up to a cashmere one. With Montreal's lovely winters - make sure you never leave the house without one.





Maria's pick: Burberry giant check cashmere skinny scarf
to shop: http://ca.burberry.com/store/


3. Booties. If worn correctly, they do wonders for the leg. From jeans to dresses, they can be paired with absolutely anything!


Maria's pick: Uma by Sam Edelman
to shop: www.piperlime.com  

 Happy shopping!
xo
Maria

Once again, technology hates me.

Hello fashionistas!

Most of you already know by now but for those of you who don't, I am probably the least tech savvy person you will ever meet. For some reason, technology hates me. My blog has been under construction for quite some time now & will hopefully be up & running soon. I am trying to link my new blog page to this one but for some reason it isn't working. If I don't manage to get it running by the end of this week then I will do what I did last time; keep both blogs open for a while.

Thank you once again for the support & the patience!
Lots of love
xo
Maria

Arabian Nights

Bonjour fashionistas!

I am back from California - back & not so black..I was there for 9 days & I did not get one day of pure sunshine & heat. Instead, I was welcomed with lots of rain & temperatures reaching a high of 15. Ugh - so much for the golden state? On the bright side, I got to live the life of a californian for about a week & let me tell you; it is much different than ours. Shopping on rodeo & lunch in the hills? Yes, please. Malibu was my absolute favourite. The houses, the beach, the boys, the fashion; everything was just perfect. Newport was also fabulous. I would love to spend my evenings on the harbor having a glass of wine while flipping through the newest edition of Vogue. I have been to many places & out of all the cities that I have visited, I can say with the utmost certainty that I would pack all my bags & move to Beverly Hills in a matter of seconds. Mind you, a couple of houses here & there never hurt anybody. Paris in September, Milan in May, Montreal from June-August & Beverly Hills during the winter? Sounds like a plan to me. It'll happen, I have faith.

While I was in California, I found my new obsession: headwraps (ie. turbans). Probably my new favourite accessory. Not only do they glam up every outfit but they're perfect for hiding greasy roots on that unwashed hair day! Sooo ladies & gents, what are our thoughts on this upcoming hair trend? Yay or nay? It's a definite yay for me.


Kisses,
xo.

my favourite piece by Jason Wu

Busy Bee

Happy Friday Ladies & Gents !

Ughhh - so busy ! School, Work, MFW, Blogging, Hmwk !! Oh, the life of a student..All this to say, I will have Day 3 & 4 of MFW up by tomorrow. Sorry for the wait.

Have a fab day !
Kisses,

xo

Let's talk fashion.

Goodmorning fabulous people of Montreal ! Once again, Mother Nature tried to ruin our perfectly coiffed hair, head-turning pumps, & striking ensembles– when will she learn? A little snow never stopped our ladies from looking their best.


Alright, let’s talk fashion. We had a quite the line-up yesterday night; Micalla, Anomal Couture, Annie 50, Dihn Bá Design, Bodybag by Jude & Mélissa Nepton. Micalla designer Camilla Jørgensen stayed true to her Scandinavian roots by integrating clean cuts & multi-functionality into her designs.  This Danish designer really knows how to step onto the scene with a bang, surely making her MFW runway debut an unforgettable one. Jørgensen captures nature’s colours & uses the most rarest & beautiful stones in her creations. The models rocked the catwalk in sheer glamour; sultry red lipstick & angelic soft curls – very Jean Harlow. Sporting sweet heart necklines, fitted yet elegant black dresses & accessorizing in sparkly, brightly-coloured, crystal drop earrings, necklaces & bracelets, the audience was left in complete awe.  

Red lips, soft curls, gold necklace - perfect



Brightly coloured drop crystal earrings & matching necklace


 Sonia Leclair, another debutante at MFW exuded seduction with her line Anomal Couture. The line’s look intrigued & mesmerized as the models paced up & down the runway in tight long pencil skirts, bustiers & pleather-wool bodysuits. The entire Fall/Winter collection is fierce & futuristic, mainly black with touches of camel & gold. Original & timeless, perfect for the city’s fashionistas !

Futuristic shoulders add edge while the a-line skirt exudes elegance



Black pencil skirt & black blazer with shoulder peaks

 No stranger to MFW, Bodybag by Jude enchanted the crowd with her Fairytale-themed collection. Fruit props in hand, violent red lips & pale white skin, I felt like I was watching Snow White come to life – minus the dwarfs ! The line included stripes & herringbones against dark colours such as navy blue & brown while touches of red, cream, greyish green & taupe add flavour to her wool & knit creations.


Fabulous colour combinations. It all compliments itself so perfectly

Snow White inspired - she's even holding a basket of fruit !



Winner of “La Collection”, TVA’s runway reality show, Mélissa Nepton closed the show. This born-&-bred Quebecker showed the world that you can still be sexy & stylish even if that means adding a few extra layers. Wool, cashmere, silk & satin in soft grey, cream, black, taupe & charcoal are all sources of her asymmetrical & versatile pieces. My favourite look ? Cream riding pants paired with a cashmere soft grey scarf that can be worn as a cape with giant fluffy pompoms. With this outfit, I’ll be all bundled up for winter & still do it with style – thank you Mrs. Nepton !

Looking fabulous & warm - best of both worlds



Oversized fur oven mitts - perfect for our -30 winters



That's a wrap-up for Day 2 of MFW. Thanks again for all your support, I can't even begin to explain how much it means to me !

Kisses,

xo

Ps. Almost 1000 hits ! Yay me !

I don't do fashion - I am fashion

Sunshine or snow, hot or cold, fashion never falls victim to the weather – especially, not in this city. Ladies & gents came in full fashionable force; heels, hosiery, lace & all. Unfortunately, I had school and so I missed Ralph Leroy & the debut of Rud, Rudsak’s new sister label. From the pictures I saw, it looks like I missed quite the show. For the first time in – well, ever, Leroy featured female models in bright red tights, vampy makeup & tweed. The male models also wore the red tights paired with ankle-length pea coats. Rud’s collection was absolutely perfect for the younger & edgier customer. With daring nylon cuffs and collars and down-filled sleeves, these wool body coats were exactly what I would have needed for a day like yesterday (too bad I have to wait a whole season).




Nylon cuffs & belt, down filled sleeves, fur hood

In love with jacket & absolutely need those black leather studded boots !



 

Brown suede blazer & bright red tights.



 

Vampy makeup, tweed set paired with bright red tights - edgy yet chic 



Last night, Nadya Toto wowed with her display of fitted Victorian-style gowns. Ruffles, peplums, tulle, feathers, pompoms, fringes, she threw them all together to create her black & cream peek-a-boo lace separates and gowns. Her collection included a blend of high-cut necklines and low-hanging hemlines. Her finale gown which was my favourite, did indeed confirm that she truly is the lady of embellishments. With a plunging V-neckline and frilly feathered shoulders, this dress was the perfect blend of boldness and elegance.



Amazing - love the ruffles & fringes

 

Gown - plunging V neckline & frilly feathered shoulders



One of my favourite pieces- Can't go wrong with black & cream peek-a-boo lace



Victorian-style frilly dress topped with white cropped blazer



Last up on the catwalk was a video & live movement fashion performance presented by local boutique Trusst. Karl Latraverse & Ying Gao definitely went against the status quo when designing this think-outside-the-box collection. The models with their own cameras in hand snapped pictures of the audience and photographer pit - while introducing a convertible and versatile piece of fabric that could be worn as a scarf, hood, skirt, bag, cape or shrug.  

Trusst - versatility meets practicality





Trusst - With a camera in hand, these models are ready to play paparazzi

 

Follow me this week as I explore the city’s unforgettable and incomparable fashion week. 

xo

Website is finally up & running !

Yes ! My page is finally up & running - just in time for Montreal Fashion Week. It is already 4pm & I am just about to get ready. Cocktails at 6, Rudsak at 7 & the fabulous Nadya Toto at 8. Busy, busy night ! Stay tuned for blogs, interviews and plenty of pictures. 

xo