Exercise

So I just got a new exercise video, Ballet Conditioning by Element. I can't do most Yoga/Pilates videos/classes because my knees are messed up, but ballet I can do. I only got through the first 20 minutes of this video before my legs started to shake but I liked the relatively easy pace of it, making it easy to follow along, but you could still feel the burn. I'm trying to lose a few inches (inches not pounds, I don't really care about my weight, but my stomach is a little pudgy of late and I would like to lose about 2-3 inches off of it) so I'm going to try to motivate myself by including what I do in this blog. Because nothing helps clothing look better than a fit body.

xoxo
Alysia

Cute for the Holidays

The adorable Alpine Holiday skirt adds whimsy to any party outfit this season. From JCrew

really good potoatoes

Potatoes
Olive Oil
Garlic
Herbes De Provence
Salt (Optional)

wash and cut up potatoes and place in an oven safe dish. Drizzle olive oil over top. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence and Garlic. Toss potatoes to make sure they're coated. Bake at 400 degrees until soft when punctured with a fork (about an hour to an hour in a half)

These potatoes are a great side dish, reheat well and once they're in the oven you can just forget about them! Great for brunch as well.

xoxo
Alysia

Liz Jones Rips Rachel Zoe a new one

Liz Jones of the Daily Mail critiques Rachel Zoe's horrible new book in this hilarious interview. I hate the way Rachel Zoe styles and I agree with Liz about her book, I've flipped through and then promptly moved on to Nina Garcia's book.

Skirt Love: J-Crew

The Flannel Parlour skirt from J-Crew is extremely cute, perfect for an afternoon of lunching and shopping. Or meeting the significant others parents. The pockets are what won me over here. Now if only I could find a J-Crew in Canada...

xoxo
Alysia

Sweater Love : Abercrombie & Fitch

The Carla sweater from Ambercrombie and Fitch is so cute. I like it best in grey. The only issue I have with it is a) for a short sleeve slightly impractical sweater... that sure is a heafty price tag and b) it's 100% wool. Which means I can't wear it without getting hives. But to those lucky readers who CAN wear wool, the carly looks like a great sweater.

...

So life has been kicking my ass lately. Hardcore style. Between school, work and family I'm running on empty. And it's not pleasant. That said, I think I can find the time/energy to start blogging again. It may not be a set schedule, and it may not be all that often but I do miss the joys of blogging. So while I gather my thoughts to blog, listen to this (Stars - Take me to the Riot) because they're ace and the guy I like is into them too.

xoxo
Alysia

Taking a Break

Alright, it's crunch time at school right now, tons of essays due in a very short period of time. EEP! And because I'm a massive procrastinator I have barely started on them. Therefore blogging is going to take a cut back for the next couple of weeks, until early November. I'll try and post sporadically.

xoxo
Alysia

Simple Jam

I love Jam. Not crappy store bought jam, real homemade jam. It's the best. First thing in the morning a toasted English muffin with peanut butter and a dollop of jam? heavenly. I thought I'd share this super easy recipe I experimented with today to make yummy in my tummy strawberry jam (strawberries where 3 1lb cartons for $5 :D)

1lb of Strawberries, cut and washed
1/2 c. sugar
1 pkg of Gelatin

In a pot combine Strawberries & Sugar on medium high heat stirring occasionally until it starts to bubble. Reduce to Medium-Low heat for 40 minutes. Stir in Package of gelatin until absorbed. Let cool. Put in container/eat. Cook less for chunkier jam.

Super easy no?

xoxo
Alysia

Novelty Rings

When I saw this ring on AnniePants Etsy shop I fell in love. Who wouldn't want to declare their love of tea with this adorable ring?

xoxo
Alysia

Ralph Lauren : Rugby Line

I first found out about this off shoot of Ralph Lauren's line from commenter Samantha. After perusing the website I'm in love with it. Unfortunately the site is flash based so not pictures but the website is fabulous. Very prep-school tomboy looks for the girls. Blazers with large crests, cardigans with large crests, pretty much your standard Ralph Lauren feel, but a bit rougher, almost frayed. I have always loved Ralph Lauren for his simplistic American jet set feel and I think this line is a wonderful addition to his empire. Unfortunately it's not available in Canada, but here is the website anyways.

xoxo
Alysia

Vanilla Spice

The Body Shop has launched one of my favourite scents. Vanilla Spice is so lovely smelling, it drives me crazy! And right now the bodyshop is having a sale on, 3 for 33$ (at least on the US website, the Candian website seems to lack any details... hmmm... isn't it always the way?) My choices from this collection are the Hand Wash, the Shimmering Body Lotion, The Shower Gel, The Lip balm... lets just say the whole collection!

xoxo
Alysia

Happy Thaksgiving!

To all of you Canadians Happy Thanksgiving! I'm heading home tonight for the weekend so no new posts on Friday or Monday. Regular blogging will resume on Wednesday. Have a great weekend!

xoxo
Alysia

Tudor Style

Showtime has a great series of videos all about Tudor Fashion, reinterpreted in a modern way. Check it out here. They also have fashion trends reinterpreted with examples from recent collections. (ie. Florals, Volume...) Very fun. There is also a section about Henry VIII style vs. The Windsors, which is hilarious.

xoxo
Alysia

Nuit Blanche - Toronto

So Saturday this weekend was Nuit Blanche in Toronto (for those of you who don't know Nuit Blanche is an all night arts festival from Sun down to Sun up or 7pm - 7am) Toronto was divided up into 3 zones, I stayed in zone A because I knew it best (it where I live/work/go to school) At the ROM there was an exclusive concert by DJ Charles Kriel, which was kind of cool. Like the geek I am I checked out some lectures at the night school section and all in all it was a great night.

xoxo
Alysia

Colligate Cuteness

Being back at school makes me want to dress casual, but cute and put together. Here are some casual cute preppy colligate looks that I love.


This cute plaid shirt from the Gap is so easy to wear with jeans. It's lumberjack meets girly withe the puff sleeves and ruffles.



This cute cableknit cardigan from Old Navy makes me think of someone named Muffy or Buffy at the country club playing golf. Perfectally classic. And warm.



I'm also loving the sweater dress this fall and this one from Banana Republic is no exception.


xoxo
Alysia

Cute Overload : Shoes

These adorably cute Marc by Marc Jacobs rat shoes were way to cute not to post about. They also come in cow version.




Thanks to Cute Overload for the heads up. You can get them here on Amazon.

xoxo
Alysia

Styling Pooch

Owning a large dog can be somewhat hard when looking for cute doggy clothing, however Old Navy has come to the rescue! Cute AND affordable with sizes going up to XL (which will fit a dog OVER 75lbs) this is a great choice for dog owners. Here are some of my pics.



With the cold weather coming this adorable parka will help your puppy stay warm on the slopes.



This cute little jacket is great for fall days when you're going for walks.



My favourite out of the bunch let your pooch declare it's superior bloodline with this truly royal hoodie.

xoxo
Alysia

images from Oldnavy.com

Lela Rose Spring 2008

I love the saturated colours at Lela Rose this spring. The navy jacket with the green skirt is my favourite colour wise, and I'm loving those dresses.

xoxo
Alysia

photos from style.com

Tory Burch Spring 2008

This collection by Tory Burch is very collegiate feeling to me. Lots of cardigans which I love. And I'm glad I'm noticing gladiator sandals again.

xoxo
Alysia

photos from style.com

Drinks : Bottlegreen

I was first introduced to Bottlegreen a few years back at a garden show. The bubbly drinks offered for sample where tasty and I bought a bottle. A couple of years later I noticed Bottlegreen in my supermarket, much to my delight. I've only ever tried the Pressé's, which are light and refreshing. My favourite flavours are Citrus, Ginger & Lemongrass and Elderflower. On visiting their website I'm excited to see they offer sherbet as well as drinks. Give it a try whether you're entertaining or want a break from sparkling water.

xoxo
Alysia

Peter Som Spring 2008

I love love love this collection. It's fresh, girly with just the right punches of colour. Loving the full knee length skirts.

xoxo
Alysia

photos from style.com

Samples : Origins

Right now at Origins counters you can get five free samples of their top 10 rated products. All you have to do is sit down with an Origins employee and discuss what you want/your concerns from/about your skin. It takes about 5-10 minutes and the samples are really nice

xoxo
Alysia

Happy Birthday To Me

So I am turning 21 on Friday and seeing as there is no boyfriend to buy me expensive gifts, I do that for myself. This year I went all out and splurged.



This cute little BCBG top (like I need another navy top) is great for fall. I can wear it on the warmer days by itself, or cooler days with a jacket. Even in winter if I pair it with a long sleeve t-shirt it works.



My purse of the year (this year it's two) This lovely Micheal Micheal Kors shoulder bag is great. It's just big enough to fit my books for school so it does double duty. Mines in a more chocolate brown rather than the tan shown here.

I also got myself a new leather jacket for fall shown here from danier. The leather is so supple and soft <3 and the buttons have a cool crest on them with lions.

Needless to say I spoiled myself thoroughly.

xoxo
Alysia

Decorating : French Touches

This adorable tea light holder from Teatro Verde is a great way to bring Paris home. I have mine on my coffee table, and I've seen them used as center pieces.

xoxo
Alysia

Back To School Shopping : Part Three

Because I hate wearing contacts and I have a new obsession with eyeglasses I thought I should get a new pair for back to school.


These purple ones from Furla are great. They play to my funky side and I love how they add flair to boring outfits.



Not new but I can finally use this (I have to hide some of my purchases when I'm living at home during the summer) the Coach Legacy Slim Tote I was coveting earlier this year. It fits my laptop plus all my other stuff.



I finally got around to checking out Forever 21 (which just opened in Canada this summer) and this cute little top caught my eye. I like the hearts and the pockets.

That's it so far! I sure do spoil myself.

xoxo
Alysia

Back to School Shopping : Part Deux

Things I don't have pictures of yet: A cute purple striped sweater from RW&Co, a Gorgy grey tweed bell sleeve jacket from Joe Fresh, and a Blue and Cream striped sweater featured in Wish Magazine from Joe Fresh (don't you hate it when websites don't have what you bought on them?)



What's back to school without new makeup? I picked up Chanel's Glossimer Lip gloss in the lovely shade of Praline Giggle (which is the exact shade of my lips!)



Yet another 3/4 length cable knit sweater from gap, but in grey.



A girl can never have to many pairs of jeans, and these Olivia fit by Mavi are great. I have them in a darker wash then shown, but they are just perfection.

xoxo
Alysia

Back To School Shopping : Part One

Don't you just love it when you've worked all summer to pay for tuition and textbooks and you still have a grand or two left over? If you work as much as I did this summer you sure do! Starbucks may not be glamorous but it does pay well. I couldn't resist when I saw these two cuties at coach.


so cute and easy to mix and match with my larger striped one.



Mum picked me up this lovely Micheal Micheal Kor's watch on her trip to NYC (as well as an adorabel top but I can't find pictures of it)



I love fine knit tops and this one from Jacob is no exception. I own it in grey, and it's great for layering because it doesn't add bulk and at $39 who can resist?

xoxo
Alysia

Free Gift's With Purchase

Don't you just love that phrase? Especially if it's totally unexpected! Right now in Holt Renfrew's Acessory Department if you spend 450$ or more (and who can't?) you get a free Coach Soho Signiture Mini Wallet in Black. This promotion runs until the 15th.

And She's Back

Alright, so I haven't posted in forever. And I acutally doubt anyone reads this (yet) but to be fair it got really old very fast trying to blog on super slow dialup like internet. Now that I'm back in the city (and I have my lovely super fast rogers cable internet back) I can keep blogging :D What to expect in the weeks to come:
Product Reviews
Back to School Shopping
Spring Runway reports
Notes of gift offers
Blogs I love
and so much more.

xoxo
Alysia

Travel: The Carry On

One of the most important things regarding travel (esp. air) is the carry on. It holds all of the necessities but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice fashion for function. However make sure that the bag is roomy enough that it fits everything and a good closure so that your stuff doesn't spill all over the airplane. Here are a couple of my picks.



This Signature Scarf Print Tote from Coach is super cute and fun to look at, though it might not be quite big enough if your like me and like to pack a change of clothing.



If you are prone to over packing this Signature Strip Large Tote from Coach might just be the answer. It's massive and has a ton of little compartments to keep everything organized.



If you can up your price range this Leather Bays water Bag from Mulberry might be a good option. I haven't seen one of these in person but from the description it seems like it's between the other two in size.

Now remember you can take two carry on bags (pack your purse into a larger bag) so if you get two medium sized bags it's not the end of the world. Just make sure you can carry it before leaving the house!

Packing: Shoes

Even though I won't be jetting off anywhere this summer a lot of people will. For the next few posts I'll be talking about what to pack when going on vacation, starting with shoes.

For any warm weathered location you need sandals. I abhor flip flops, though they do pack small. Here are some equally easy to pack alternatives.



I have a pair similar to these Micheal by Micheal Kors flats (same brand but with a chain attaching the two leather strips) They are ridiculously comfortable, are easy to dress up or down and pack flat.



Here are another nice pair of flats by Bottega Veneta. I love the swirly almost Celtic look of the top, and while similar to flip flops they are infinitely classier.



If your not spending all your time at the beach, or want something with more support these Marc by Marc Jacobs ballet flats are a great edition to you suitcase. Especially if your going somewhere with dress codes (IE Vatican City) these are comfortable enough to walk around all day in but dressy enough that they will actually let you in!



Another Marc By Marc pair, but these are a little more dressy. If you hate heels as much as I do (anything over 1" and I'm wobbling like a dreidel on it's last legs) these are a great alternative. The metallic colour makes them sophisticated enough to wear to any formal event you might be attending.



If you can walk in heels (I commend you, all the lovely platforms last fall broke my heart) try to make sure that they're neutral so they can go with the widest variety of outfits. But plain pumps are boring so try to get a pair with an interesting detail, like these gorgeous Christian Louboutin pumps with bows.



These Christian Louboutin for L'Wren Scott peep toes are my favourites out of all the shoes shown here. The Rosette makes them stand out but they're neutral enough to pair with almost anything. If I wasn't afraid of breaking my leg trying to walk in the 7cm high spindly heels these would be in my closet.

A good general rule for packing shoes: Pack a dressy pair, and two you can walk in. There is nothing more annoying then getting someplace with only one pair of walking shoes and after a couple of days the blisters from wearing them so much cause you to stay in. Try and keep it varied.

xoxo
Alysia

Product Review

Brand: Fruits and Passion
Product: Vitamized Hydra Cream
Rating: 3/5

not as hydrating as I like in my moisturizers. But the moisture factor was OK when it was used with the serum. But I like that it's not tested on animals, unlike my regular loreal creams. Gave my skin a nice glow.

Product Review

Brand: Fruits and Passion
Product: Radience Serum "instant glow essence"
Rating: 4/5

I liked this serum. It gave my skin a nice glow that the magazines have been promoting this season.

Product Review

Brand: Fuits and Passion
Product: Radiance Exfoliating Gel with Pomegranate extract
Rating: 3/5

I didn't feel like it gave my skin a really good gentle scrub like my origin's scrub does. The scrubby particles where sparce and it left my skin feeling dry. But it did make my skin glow nicely, so bonus points for that.

Book Bags

Every year at back to school time I buy myself a bag for my birthday. This year I'm dying for a new book bag. Coach has some reasonable ones that I've been eyeing.
First up is the Signature Stripe Tote in Brass/Khaki/Mahogany

It's a nice simple tote that's the least expensive ($268) of the two I'm eying. It matches my signature hobo perfectly as well. But it's also kind of plain and boring.

Next up is one I adore. Nay I love it obsess about it and dream about it. It's the coach legacy leather slim tote.

The price scares me a little, OK a lot. At $478 US this baby doesn't come cheap for a poor college students budget. But it's pretty. And leather. and it's not matchy matchy with my other stuff, but still coordinates with my chocolate leather coat and my black winter pea coat. I haven't seen it in person so I don't know if it's big enough for my laptop but even if it's not, I never bring my laptop to class.

Really it all comes down to how much money I have after buying my textbooks, but here's hoping it's enough for the legacy.

xo
Alysia

St. Ives Swiss Vanilla

This lotion smells divine. The scent is soft and subtle, yet lasts throughout the day. The lotion is a bit sticky for the first five minutes but the scent makes it worth it. I hate moisurizing and this scent in this product makes sure that I do everyday.

Scent : 5/5
Moisture: 4/5
Pluses: at $4.99 a bottle you can't go wrong (+1)
Minuses: a little sticky for five minutes, but completly dry by the time your ready to get dressed (0)
Overall 9/10

xo
Alysia

Celebrity Clothing Lines: Bitten

I was so excited to hear that SJP was releasing a clothing line. I love SJP. (I even lined up at 8am to meet her at 1pm when she released her fragrance, Lovely) I watched the segment on Oprah and was hopeful (the hounds tooth coat was lovely) However after reading this article on fashion wire daily I'm a little concerned.

"Refusing to give interviews at Wednesday night's launch in New York was probably a wise decision on the part of Sarah Jessica Parker and her publicist. As it turns out, there's not much to say about this bland line of mismatched basics. Case in point: a tailored waistcoat paired with knickers made out of sweatshirt material shows clear evidence of fashion schizophrenia."

here are a few picks from the website Bitten
hopefully when I make the trek to Michigan it will have been worth it.




xo
Alysia