True Colours

Hello everyone,

Today. Right now, It is important to not care about what other people think. Especially in your twenties. This phase in your life is a decade full of mistakes and opportunities. Letting other people navigate your perception is stopping that process.

“We hide behind masks to show people a version of ourselves that was tailored just for them.”

I think that it is okay to experiment. It’s okay to wear a variety of masks, as long as you stay true to you. and, I do believe the more time we spend overthinking our looks, weight, rules, attitudes, work, and relationships. The less we are actually DOING.  And yes, life can be a little complicated but that’s just what life throws at us. The reason why I’m writing this is because, I too, have had a mental road block. I was self-conscious of how others thought of me. I spent time thinking about scenarios over and over. And that was time not well spent. Since then, I’ve trashed that negative outlook all together.

It’s time to be doubt free. You know what is right for you. And sometimes it may not be evidently right in front of you, but you do know and understand your wants & needs. And if by chance, you don’t – start doing things to help you discover them.

My advice is to step outside of that comfort zone. Take that leap of faith. Go on that road trip. Try that new look. Change your attitude. Embrace everything new. And do not be afraid to show all your beautiful colours.

Outfit:

Ruffle Top – Aerie

Trousers – Marciano

Handbag – Guess?

Boots – Clarks Shoes

Watch – Michael Kors

 

Until next time,

xoxoxo Jess

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GENEROUS

 

Hello everyone,

Putting yourself first can be hard. So is being superwoman. A career, a personal and a social life – giving all your attention to everything generously is a lot to manage. but, it’s okay to take time just for you. It’s okay to be unapologetic when you need a day off. Self-care isn’t anything new. And it can be the most minute thing(s).

Self-care is not being selfish. it is a way to take a moment to say “Hey, I need to look after me, because I’m responsible for my happiness and well being.” The one person you should never neglect is YOU.  When is the last time you took a self-care day? A day devoted to rejuvenating your mood, your health, your inspirations – you. There are many ways you can implement self-care on a daily basis. What keeps you motivated, gets you to smile, or laugh, those are self-care things.

Some daily things you can do,

Log off social media

Make a cup of tea

Learn something new

Re-watch a favorite TV show or movie.

Make a playlist

Pamper yourself

Chat with someone

Reward yourself

Write your goals

Take a stroll outdoors

Nobody can do it all. And it’s not a requirement. Developing a deeper understanding of self is a strong asset to have and you can do that by practicing self-care. It can have any shape or form because it is created for you, by you. Whatever your self-care routine  looks like, it will differ from mine, and from someone else’s.  Just remember to be kind, to be grateful and to stay positive. You’re worth it.

Outfit:

Jeans – Levis Jeans

Dress – Urban Planet (worn as a top)

Belt – Thrifted

 

Until next time,

xoxo Jess

 

On My Way

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year! It’s that time of year again, when we evaluate everything around us. But this year, I am going to take a vow not to do that. Instead of evaluating my whole life and what it has become since 2017, I’m going to create more time to explore new things.

I learned a very important life lesson, that has only truly impacted my life the last couple of months – the value of time. If you are the master of your own life, you have probably learned to manipulate and save your valuable time in a way that makes the most sense to you.  We have little time to spend and even less time to give these days. But this does not make sense to me. Shouldn’t it be the opposite? Shouldn’t we have more time to give? and in return, we would be more fulfilled with the time that we spent because it was well spent on things and people that we care about?

I’m on my way to give my time to what matters.  And who you give your time to is equally important. So if you are going to reflect on something in January 2018, reflect on how well your time is spent. In the end, money and toxic people are not worth the time – and there is no overtime on time. You get what you get.

There are many things I would like to achieve and do this new year.  And I am going to dedicate the time to do it, because if not now then when?

What  would you like to do this 2018? How will you schedule your time? And what or who will you schedule your time for?

Outfit:

Sheer embroidery dress from Forever 21

Bralette from La Senza

Until next time,

xoxox Jess

Lost in your light

Hello everyone!

The struggle of winter is here. I call it the winter-wardrobe syndrome. It is that tine of year when I  want to rewind and have summer back. Winters in Toronto fluctuate. Some winters are horribly cold and slushy, others mild and cozy. This becomes a problem for fashion forward people.

What do you wear to look fashionable but that allows you to keep warm ? I find it difficult. A couple of weeks back, some friends and I went to a warehouse sale in Mississauga.  I came back with such amazing items but they were not necessarily “Winter ready”.

This week Dua Lipa was having a concert and I wanted to style these high waisted sport pants, that is when I got stumped. I wanted to style an outfit in a certain way but I needed to be conscious of the weather. In this outfit, I styled these pants with a lacey black tank top and my signature booties from Clarks (I wore a winter coat on top of this). Dua Lipa was AMAZING!  Let me know how you dress for the colder season.

Outfit:

Tank top – vintage/thrift.

Pants – Guess?

Boots- Clarks

Backpack – H&M

Until next time,

xoxox Jess

Speak Now

Hello everyone!

We are in November now, and I can’t believe how fast this year has gone! Living in a big city has quite a lot of perks, and with having so much to do, you don’t even realize how much time has gone by. Lately, situations with friends and strangers has got me thinking about the topic of honesty, or more specifically – speaking your mind.

We have all been in that situation where we want to speak about something but we outweigh the pro’s and con’s because we think about how it may affect someone.  But how do you determine if you should speak now or hold something inside? Well folks, I thought of something that may help with your next ‘speak now’ dilemma.

When you find yourself in that situation, ask yourself three questions:

Is it kind?  (Don’t say it, if it isn’t nice)

Is it true? (It can be honest but is it truthful to the other person?)

Is it necessary? (Is your statement required? Will it aid the situation? Or will it damage it?)

To elaborate, here’s an example of something people do not normally say.

Would you tell a stranger that you think they have an ugly outfit? Would you? Because if you would, then you are seriously rude. But, the reasons why most people don’t say this to a stranger is because it is not kind, it is not fact (true), and it is DEFINITELY not necessary.

While we each have a voice in this world and I think it is a tool that we should use more often, there is always going to be that fine line between “to say” or ” not to say”.

Having a voice is powerful, but mindfulness is even greater. 

Be kind. Stay true. Be you.

Outfit:

Crop top from Topshop

Skirt from Marshalls

Boots from Clarks

 

Until next time,

xoxox Jess

Kingdom

Hello everyone,

What a roller coaster of a month It’s been for September (no pun intended). September marked exciting events in my life – my first Friendcation.

A friendcation is a vacation you plan with your friend(s). And this trip to Orlando, Florida was in the works since February. We have talked about going on a trip together since college and it was finally becoming reality!

My week in Florida was tremendously humid and hot.  The photo above was taken at Disney’s Animal Kingdom where they have just opened a new attraction that is all about the AVATAR movie (Pandora World). As Disney parks go, all the attractions in this particular park are fun and interactive! Our favorites were Everest and the Flight of the Banschee. During our stay, we explored Magic Kingdom, Volcano Bay, Universal Studios and Island of Adventure. You can see more of my travel photos on Instagram @jmfashionista.

Most days I had a uniform of my denim shorts, a tank top, and my white sneakers.

Outfit:

Black tank top from Old Navy

Denim sea shell shorts from The Hudson Bay

White Sneakers from Naturalizer

Sea blue  long kimono from The Hudson Bay

 

Until next time,

xoxoxo Jess

 

 

Wellness

Hello Everyone!

In my friend group I’m known as the Foodie because of my curiosity for food, documentaries and nutrition. Healthy eating was not always a priority of mine. When it finally became something important to me, it started to feel similar as to being in a healthy relationship.

Think about it. Healthy eating is like being in a relationship because in many ways people struggle with their relationship with food.

Do you remember the last time you were in a bad relationship? Eating foods that do harm to your body is putting yourself in that bad relationship. Leaving you stuck. Stuck in a bad relationship that will only grant you short term benefits. When you know they (food) don’t do your body justice but you can’t seem to move on from them.

Your relationship with food is a relationship with yourself. It is a choice and it does require time, effort and change. I choose to practice healthy eating to treat my body well, so that I can live well. What about you?

Outfit:

Leather Shorts and White stripped crop top from H&M

Duster Coat from Forever 21

Sneakers from Payless

Until next time,

xoxox Jess