T-SHIRT: SECONDHAND ZARA (SIMILAR LINKED) | TROUSERS: VINTAGE | SHOES: NIKE | WATCH: DANIEL WELLINGTON | SUNGLASSES: VINTAGE
I have just got back from a rather magical long weekend in New England where Lewis and I watched some great live music at Boston Calling, spent time with some of the most welcoming Americans I have ever met and, of course, did a lot of exploring. Every time we go on a trip, my appreciation for living abroad and lust for wandering grow even more and I am now mentally planning our next excursion, where it will be and when. Due to the lack of budget travel options here in North America, we have been embracing for the more time consuming yet more interesting option of driving to our chosen destination and therefore I have become rather practised in what to wear on a road trip. I think I have found the perfect road trip outfit and this is what I wore on both legs of the drive.
These photos were shot in the beautiful seaside town of Manchester-By-The-Sea, which I am sure you have all heard of because of the film (Casey Affleck scandal aside, I still absolutely adore this film). I am so glad we managed to take a trip to the coast – we had originally planned this for the way down but it pissed it down all day on Thursday (excuse my French). So, being just an hour north of Boston, we decided to spend a lovely Sunday morning in the picturesque Manchester-By-The-Sea, shooting these photos, exploring and lunching, before setting off on the long drive back to Montreal. I absolutely love how they came out. Even though I love urban shoot locations, it is always nice to switch things up, especially when the outfit works so well with the backdrop.
Dressing for travelling – especially something as long as an 8-hour road trip – always means wanting to be comfortable. Although it may be tempting to throw on leggings and an old shirt and be done with it, it can be possible to travel comfortably in style (I hate sentences like that but this is the essence of this post!). I recently picked up these navy blue cigarette trousers in a vintage shop and they are SO comfy. They fit my shape so well with their loose but not too loose leg shape and perfect high waist that they are as comfortable as wearing leggings! (Except if you eat too many car snacks and have to undo the top button, but that is my prerogative ;))
I paired them with this boxy, oversized stripe t-shirt, which is a second hand Zara find. I love how the tee hangs out over the very high waist of the trousers, creating a put together but casual look that still looks just as good when you arrive at your destination hours and hours after getting dressed. So even if you feel gross at least you will have an air of road trip chic.
Being still obsessed with red and blue together, I finished off the look with some red accents – my new red Nike Cortez and a red lip. These add a nice pop of colour to this rather blue outfit but more importantly (?) these trainers are so comfortable! They are perfect for wearing on a long road trip, for popping out of the car for any spontaneous roadside exploration – hiking in a national park or simply scoffing ice cream at the Ben & Jerry’s factory – and you’ll feel like you’re walking on sponge doing it. I also love the retro feel they bring to this outfit, which has a sixties French air about it (if I do say so myself), finished off like a dream with these super round white rimmed sunglasses – a slight alternative to the Kurt Cobain style ones that are currently splashed all over Instagram.
I really hope you have enjoyed this post – these are some of my favourite images we have shot in a while and it was so fun to bring fashion and travel together in one post to show you what I wear on a long American road trip. Happy travels!
SHIRT: VINTAGE | JEANS: VINTAGE LEVI'S 501 | SHOES: L'INTERVALLE (in store only)| SUNGLASSES: RAY BAN | BAG: VINTAGE
Say hello to the most beautiful (and, ahem, most expensive) pair of shoes I have ever owned. They’re velvet, they’re embroidered and embellished and they’re slip on, a style I have not ventured into until now. I recently made a vow to myself that I would take more risks when it comes to shoe purchases and that has been more all the more possible with the discovery of Montreal based shoe brand, L’Intervalle (#notsponsored #imjustobsessed). I had been eyeing up their ever growing collection for months, saving my birthday money until I could invest in the perfect pair for spring/summer and I finally took the plunge a couple of weeks ago and bought this gorgeous pair of slip ons.
Ever since moving to Canada back in September, I have not been particularly enthused by what their high street has to offer – and European brands are very expensive here – so I have been opting for vintage items more and more. So I was thrilled to find a local brand that I could champion and I am honestly addicted to their Instagram, always looking out to see what they bring out next. Admittedly, their shoes aren’t cheap – these babies cost close to 200 Canadian dollars, which is around £120. Actually that isn’t too bad – my problem is that I just consider the actually number rather than the exchange rate – anyway, I don’t regret it because I’m in love.
As I have never owned a pair of slip ons before, I decided to keep the outfit simple for their first outing and I really like it. The understated colour palette lets the shoes do the talking and the frayed hem of the jeans brings your eyes down to the shoes immediately. Not that they really need something to help catch your eye, with their navy blue velvet base, intricate colourful embroidery and little mirror embellishments, they really are a statement. These beautiful shoes remind me so much of Aladdin’s slippers because of the pointed toe and general oriental style of the pattern. But I am totally ok with wearing shoes that look like slippers, especially when they are this beautiful. Did I say beautiful enough yet?!
As I said, the base of this outfit is pretty simple. I am a huge fan of a blue jeans/white t-shirt or shirt combo and adding some statement accessories to keep things interesting. Obviously L’Intervalle’s beautiful shoes did most of the work here but I decided to go one step further by picking up on the red and yellow in the embroidery and adding a bright red lip and yellow mini bag. How cute is this bag? Of course it’s completely impractical size-wise and I totally had another bag with me but it’s great for keeping all the essentials in and will be the perfect clutch for any summer parties I may get invited to. Is anyone throwing a party? I need an excuse to use my adorable new bag you see 😉
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I hope you have enjoyed seeing photos of my new velvet embroidered slip ons as much as I enjoy wearing and staring at them (really, this does happen). Typically – the one time I’m not wearing vintage - they don’t seem to be available online but you should definitely check out L’Intervalle’s gorgeous shoe and boot collection. There is something for everyone, from classic black boots and beautifully coloured slides to crazy patterned slippers, floral boots and much more! Even though L'Intervalle is a Montreal based brand, as their shoes are actually made in Europe I believe shipping shouldn't be too expensive for you European readers out there! So, go treat yourself and thank me later X
JACKET: VINTAGE | SHIRT: OLD | TROUSERS: VINTAGE | SHOES: VINTAGE | BAG: c/o COACH
These photos were taken back in April, once the snow had melted and it is was finally possible to shoot proper outfit photos again. It felt so liberating to go out without a big coat and boots and finally wear these cute velvet loafers that had been saving ever since December to wear. With taking a month off blogging in March/April to give Fashion Et Moi a good makeover, I started shooting looks in advance in the hope of never being without photographic content and therefore reducing the stress side of blogging for me. But now I have been struggling to know what to write to accompany these photos because clearly I am wearing a rather untraditional spring outfit.
The forest green colour of the jacket and the deep burgundy running through the pattern in the trousers are certainly tones we would normally see in autumn but here I am rocking them in spring. Also, both the trousers and jacket are made of corduroy material, which is another reason that it is not very spring like. But the weather has not yet lent itself to midi skirts and denim jackets! Although there has been the odd nice day over the past month or so here in Montreal, it really has taken a while for spring to, well, spring and I feel my view of the seasons has been a bit askew because of the harsh winter I lived through. Bloody hell, I have been talking about the weather a lot but it's something I think about daily when making sartorial choices.
So let's talk about the outfit instead - that's what we're all here for, right? This look is made up of lots of vintage pieces, something that I used to feel bad including on here, because I can't put a link to the item, but now I am embracing it completely (I'm going to write a separate blog post about being pro-vintage in the blogging world). I have been loving this jacket recently, as you would have seen if you follow me on Instagram. I have always been a big fan of corduroy and its shape is really flattering, a bit oversized and boyish but not too much so. It goes really well with these amazing patterned velvet trousers. During winter, I realised that swapping jeans for some crazy patterned trousers was a great way of making a statement when you're stuck in the same winter coat for four months. I'm bringing this attitude into spring with me, as you may have seen in my recent outfit shot in Toronto's Distillery District - hello bright green pants!
To keep this outfit fresh and more spring like, I teamed the trousers with this beloved white blouse of mine, which I'm sure you have seen many times before. It adds a touch of brightness and femininity amongst the deep colours and androgynous shapes of the jacket and trousers. I finished off the look with these gorgeous black velvet loafers, which as I said, I have been waiting to wear for months. Admittedly they are a little big but quite frankly I could not leave these beautifully pristine shoes in the shop - the pains of vintage shopping, eh? Finally, the Coach saddle bag (which seems to be the only bag to really feature on here, I'm working on my handbag collection, honest!) really ties this untraditional spring look together perfectly, with its rich maroon colour matching with that in the trousers' pattern and goes with the forest green colour so well.
I'm currently sat in a cafe finishing off this blog post on what will probably be Montreal's hottest day of the year so far. Talk about bad timing eh? I guess that's the problem with over-planning content - you learn, you learn. I hope you have enjoyed this untraditional spring outfit anyway 🙂
Hello and welcome to my first full on travel guide in a while!
A couple of weeks ago, Lewis and I hopped on a rather unglamorous Saturday morning Megabus to the bustling city of Toronto for a long weekend. We had such a great - albeit tiring - time and I am so excited to share this guide of how to spend 48 hours in Toronto, including where to stay, eat and shop. If you want to see more of what I wore in Toronto, check out when I matched my outfit to the Distillery District and took some rather raw American street style shots on Queen Street West.
I hope you enjoy it - grab a cup of tea because it's a long one!
WHERE TO STAY
Despite having never done otherwise on my two trips to Toronto, I would definitely recommend staying in the West, more specifically in West Queen West. We stayed in a spacious Airbnb room in a painstakingly cool artsy loft above a vintage shop (more on that later) located right on the bustling Queen Street West on the border of West Queen West and its edgy neighbour, Parkdale. Albeit a little further out than expected from the centre (that resulted in some sore feet by the end of the weekend), it felt that we were in the thick of it and could fully soak up what the neighbourhood Vogue has recently named as the second coolest in the world has to offer. From vintage shops, cute cafes and independent boutiques, Queen Street West has something for everyone and is nicely broken up by the beautiful Trinity Bellwoods park.
WHERE TO EAT
For the first time ever in our nine years travelling together, Lewis and I fully let ourselves loose on eateries - no pasta & butter or packed lunches were in sight and boy was it a treat. We sampled a burrito from Big Fat Burrito and shared a 6" pecan pie from Wanda's Pie In The Sky, both at Kensington Market, which is a joyful mix of vintage/quirky shops and mouthwatering eateries. Nestled one block from Chinatown, Toronto's diverse population is reflected in the variety of food available at Kensington Market, from pizza and tacos to ice cream and sweet pies and even a Italian/Jamaican fusion place called Rasta Pasta (see what I mean?), we really had to restrain ourselves from just eating our way through the afternoon. Luckily we did refrain which meant we enjoyed two delicious evening meals over our long weekend.
SUPER POINT
On Saturday we opted for pizza, which is always a good, reliable choice for one fussy vegetarian and a vegetarian. We headed for Super Point on Ossington Avenue, a popular spot for eateries, which had been recommended by a lovely girl who stopped me in the street to say she liked my sixties inspired outfit (what a babe). It was just what we needed and after a 20 minute wait we took a seat at the bar and devoured an 18" margarita pizza between us. It was delicious, with a slight spice to the tomato sauce which neither of us are used to but enjoyed nonetheless. Although it was slightly on the pricey side - we paid 25$ for the pizza and skipped on drinks because a glass of wine cost 11$ (plus tax of course) - I would definitely recommend Super Point.
FIND IT: 184 Ossington Avenue
GRAND ELECTRIC TAQUERIA
On Sunday night, we checked out a few places near to our apartment before finally deciding on Grand Electric Taqueria, just a couple of blocks along on Queen Street West in Parkdale. I had been craving tacos ever since our visit to Kensington Market the day before and this place certainly did not disappoint. It was very dark inside so I couldn't take any photos but wow the food was exquisite. We shared a plate of chips and dip as well as ordering two tacos each. I had one with beer battered fish, lime mayonnaise and raw vegetables, which, being very tangy and refreshing, was quite the opposite to the vegetarian option of creamy mushroom. Both were delicious in their own way and the meal was surprisingly filling! Of course, I was happy that I finally managed to get a decent priced drink - a glass of house wine costs just 6$ at Grand Electric. We left feeling extremely satisfied and well fed, which is exactly what we needed after a day trekking around Toronto.
FIND IT: 1330 Queen Street West
THE FEDERAL
For me, any good city break is not complete without sampling at least one brunch spot. After a bit of Googling and discounting all of the ones specialising in meats, I thought The Federal sounded like the perfect place to grab a late brunch before heading to catch our bus home on Monday. Located in Little Portugal on Dundas Street West, The Federal serves brunch everyday between 9am and 3pm so even you late risers won't be missing out.
What particularly drew me to The Federal was their specialty - an interesting take on eggs benedict/florentine, which, let's face it, is always welcome. The 'Eggs Federal' consists of two poached eggs on an English muffin with kale (bacon available for non veggies) and topped with a delicious creamy tarragon mushroom mix. It was one of the best brunches I have ever had and next time I am in Toronto, I will be back in a flash.
FIND IT: 1438 Dundas Street West
WHERE TO SHOP
KENSINGTON MARKET
Whenever I visit a new city I love checking out what the independent and vintage shops have to offer. However, travelling with a shopping-phobic boyfriend means spreading it out over a few days or heading to an area that is not just about shopping. This is why Kensington Market is so great and should be a top destination for any shopaholic or non-shopaholic alike. As I mentioned earlier, the food options are out of this world, but having eateries mixed in with vintage and independent shops makes it somewhere I could easily hang out for a whole day. The vintage shops are mainly located along Kensington Avenue between Dundas Street West and Baldwin Street, a lovely strip that instantly transports you back a few decades. Although I did not shop “ in depth” here, there are definitely some real bargains to be found and if you are lucky, you’ll get to meet the adorable black cat named Catman who frequents many of the shops along the road.
PUBLIC BUTTER
As I mentioned above, we were staying above a vintage shop called Public Butter (love that name, don’t know why!). We had a good rummage on Sunday morning and I was surprised to see that the prices were decent, despite Toronto having a reputation of being cripplingly expensive. For 20$ you could bag yourself a pair of vintage Levi’s or a cute sixties/seventies dress, which is the same price as the vintage shops in Montreal so I was very impressed. Public Butter have a great selection of clothes for men and women as well as some home wear stuff displayed on the pavement outside. I didn’t buy anything but I did try on a cute dress in the changing rooms that were an old church confession booth! How cool!
FIND IT: 1290 Queen Street West
HOUSE OF VINTAGE
Opposite Public Butter – and a shop I could see from our Airbnb bedroom window – is House Of Vintage, a store with serious interior goals and a smaller yet equally good selection of men’s and women’s vintage clothing. Leaving Lewis basking in the morning sun, I popped in on Monday morning to have a good look around. I think I was more in the mood to just admire beautiful clothing than actually shop but I did try on some white vintage Levi’s (priced at 45$) that didn’t end up fitting. House Of Vintage has some really unique items – just look at those amazing silver boots! – and this section of Queen Street West is definitely worth a trip for these two vintage shops alone. And perhaps pop into Grand Electric Taqueria just up the road for some post shopping tacos.
FIND IT: 1239 Queen Street West
Phew you made it to the end of the post! Give yourself a pat on the back if you're still reading and go book a weekend away while you're inspired! I know it's been a long post but it essential to fit a lot in to city breaks and we certainly did in our 48 hours in Toronto. Of course, there are loads more things to see in Toronto - going up the CNN Tower and watching a gig or ball game at the Rogers Centre are a must but we did that on our first visit a few years ago - I cannot wait to be back!
COAT: VINTAGE | SHIRT : ZARA | JEANS: VINTAGE LEVI'S 501 | SUNGLASSES: RAY BAN | SHOES: CONVERSE (old) SIMILAR & SIMILAR | SOCKS: ASOS
Coming from the European vibe of Montreal to Canada's biggest - and most American feeling - city, I knew in advance that I wanted to do a raw, urban street style shoot, like the kind of photos taken of show goers at New York Fashion Week. Unlike the other look from Toronto that I shared last week, where matching my outfit with the Distillery District was meticulously planned, all I wanted was a typical, American crossing with those iconic yellow traffic lights, for which these photos could really have been taken anywhere in the city.
I usually shoot in deserted back alleys or on quiet streets to appease my boyfriend (and photographer) so we can usually control what is going on in the background, take our time and not normally be interrupted (or stared at haha!). Lewis would describe these photos as very “cluttered” however I like the slapdash and spontaneous look of this shoot – the odd car or person walking in the background does not bother me – I hope you guys like it too.
The weather in Canada at this time of year is very unpredictable and although we were lucky enough to have wall-to-wall sunshine for our entire trip to Toronto, there were moments where a winter coat was still very much needed. Having bought it rather late in winter, I took the opportunity to wear my much-adored yellow coat, which goes perfectly with the traffic light and got numerous compliments over the weekend. With such a statement coat, I like to keep the base relatively simple so opted for jeans and a white shirt. However, this is no ordinary shirt. This ruffled beauty from Zara is the perfect cropped length at the front and has a lovely dropped hem at the back, which I find to be a very flattering shape and looks incredible billowing in the wind behind me.
With statement outerwear covered, the only way to finish off this relatively simple look was with some statement footwear. Enter these amazing pink glitter Converse, which I picked up back in December in a thrift store and have only been able to air now that Canada’s snow has melted. Paired with a fishnet sock, this is the perfect juxtaposition between a girly, princess shoe and grunge staple and adds another fun element to the outfit indeed.
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Although I am sure you have enjoyed seeing another outfit featuring this yellow coat, which always proves very popular over on my Instagram, I hope to be sharing more and more spring/summer looks from now on.
