Tag: Holidays

my 2019 holiday gift guide for him!

As promised, here is my Holiday gift guide for him (with help from Kyle!) For guys, I generally like to buy things they wouldn’t normally buy for themselves. Usually that means something a little more fancy, because for example, Kyle lives in his Saxx underwear, but 

my 2019 holiday gift guide for her!

Well, it’s finally here! The holidays, and with that, my annual Gift Guide! Below I have linked many of my favourite things, whether that be a gift I’ve already received (and loved) or something that’s on my wishlist! I’ve got things ranging from $10 to 

where I get my holiday dresses

If you know me at all, you know I love a good holiday party. Getting all dolled up, wearing something I don’t usually get to, sipping wine and chatting with friends is honestly my idea of the perfect date. Add in some seasonal shimmer and I’m there.

Two years in a row now I’ve treated myself to a new dress for an annual charity wine gala that happens in our town. Each time, I’ve been able to rewear the dress to a wedding as well, so I’d consider my picks pretty versatile. And each time, they have been from ASOS. I find they have a great selection, you can get most things in Petite, Tall or Plus Size and both dresses have been pretty good quality for the price I paid. But I know not everything on the site is a complete ringer. So below I’ve rounded up my favourites!

*I’ve linked the exact dress I bought this year in a scuba fabric (the first dress listed) as the velvet one is sold out. Such a great and flattering cut, highly recommend!

For sizing, I would say most things I’ve got from ASOS run true to size. For reference, I am 5’4″ and 120lbs. I usually buy a size 2 or 4.

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buy lingerie this valentine’s day (for yourself)

This post might seem a little far fetched to some of you. Lingerie is the kind of thing that’s super personal, and not always talked about. But it’s something that I really like treating myself with, and since this blog is a mashup of things 

zara boxing day picks + tricks to shopping the sale

Can you believe December is almost over? Every year I know it goes by quick and every year I’m still amazed by how fast it does! With only four days left until Christmas, I thought I would publish my annual Zara Boxing Day picks. This is 

5 things to do this Christmas




Similar to my 5 things to do this Fall, but Christmas edition!

There is always so much going on around the holidays, and I know it’s easy to become bogged down with a giant shopping list. The following activities should break that up a little bit and remind you what a fun time Christmas is! Easy to do with a significant other OR with family. Just because you don’t have a boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the festivities!

#1 – Christmas tree shop. Ever since I was a little girl my family has had the tradition of going out as a family to pick a real Christmas tree, and it’s a tradition I carry forward with Kyle. We like to go somewhere local so it seeds money back into our community, and it’s actually pretty fun trying to pick ‘the one’! Afterwards there’s nothing better than grabbing a hot chocolate to warm up.

#2 – Santa’s village. Not every city will have a Santa’s village but if you can find one, they are super festive and guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirits! Kyle and I went with our nieces and nephews this year and I’m convinced there’s nothing better than seeing a child’s excitement about Christmas. To see their little faces light up when they spot Santa is truly something else. Ours also had reindeer you could feed, and that was fun even for me. 🙂

#3 – Christmas light tour. Most cities have an actual tour, or a famous street where the houses truly go to town on the Christmas lights. There’s something so magical about it, definitely worth trying to fit into your schedule!

#4 – Christmas market. Support small businesses this Christmas by buying from locals! You can usually find unique, personalized gifts here, which is a great place to start if you have someone hard to buy for!

#5 – Give back. While it’s easy to buy buy buy this Christmas, try to remember to give! You can do something as simple as donating some non-perishable foods to a local shelter, or go big and “adopt” a family to spoil. I know many charities are out and about collecting donations this time of year so do your research, pick one you’d love to support and make it happen. Every little action counts!

So there you have it! A quick little list that I hope inspires you to get out and enjoy the season of Christmas. Let me know if you end up doing any of these!

gift guide + buying tips for the girl who has everything

I’m not gonna lie. I know I am a hard person to buy for for Christmas. I’m really picky, and oftentimes when I do find something I like I’ll just buy it then and there because I know how picky I am. This list is essentially things 

so you want to host a christmas dinner party

December is here! Which means entertaining season is also upon us. Personally, it’s one of my favourite parts of the holidays. Not only is it a great time to get together with friends and family you don’t normally see, it gives you an excuse to 

wool coat roundup (mango, h&m, & other stories)

Being Canadian, I know Winter is no joke. It can get really cold, and you want to be prepared. When shopping for coats, I always look for a high wool content. Why? Because wool is one of those fabrics that not only will keep you warm, but it’s actually one of the few that will continue to keep you warm even if it’s wet. It’s a great insulator, and I find polyester and other synthetic materials just can’t compete. Below, you’ll see a lot of these coats are actually a blend of the two. Personally, I’m OK with it. The polyester can minimize creasing, and actually make it the coats sturdier/more durable. But I definitely want more wool than polyester, so the following coats all feature wool as the main component.

These coats are also meant to be warm but stylish. Think going out for food, meeting up for drinks, meeting up with friends, date night, brunch, etc. When you want to be warm but aren’t spending two hours outside. A coat can make an outfit, and it’s something that people will see you wearing for 5 months. So while you definitely want it to be functional you also want it to be cute! These coats should tick both boxes. For when you are spending two hours outside (for me, that’s when I’m walking the dog) there will be another blog post later, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Now let’s get to it!

Below I’ve rounded up my favourite picks from 3 retailers that I know make good wool coats. Mango, H&M and & Other Stories (which is actually owned by H&M!). *For all my Canadian readers, just switch the /US/ part of the url to /CA/ and you should find yourself on the Canadian website! Will work for Mango & H&M, but & Other Stories doesn’t have a Canadian online store.

From Mango:

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From H&M:

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From & Other Stories:

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