I fell in love with this one because of the simplicity of it as well as the jersey fabric that seems to hug me in all the right places. I like that the extra fabric on the sides makes it look like I have hips, and the elastic band waist cinches me in at the waist. Not to mention the thin t-shirt material is extremely comfortable and breathable for the summer time ?

I definitely see myself rocking this skirt a lot more this summer, especially with the mini heat waves we’ve been experiencing. Can’t wait to see what other pieces Bench comes out with for the summer!

Caught up with some olds friends, made some new (doggy) friends, ate pasta, and had ice cream for dessert. Can you think of a more perfect summer day? 

How was your Tuesday?

For one, I absolutely adore the fit of it. It has a more fitted silhouette which I definitely look for in jackets as I’d like for people to be able to see that I have a waist, even in the winter. I also actually really enjoy the deep, sack pockets which is ESSENTIAL for me because it means I can throw my phone, wallet, keys, lip balm, and coin purse in there and completely bypass wearing a purse. All I have to do is reach into my pockets and everything is there! 

The last thing that I really love about this parka is the longer back side! I find the longer, asymmetrical shape of the parka is actually flattering, especially since in the front it still looks like such a good length. 

The parka definitely saved me a LOT that day considering it was freakin’ FREEZING by the waters. Been wearing it almost every day since I got it and really been loving the versatility of it. I still love my taupe coloured Oskar parka from Aritzia but I’ve got to say, the black is so easy to wear I actually find that I reach for it more. Been seeing more and more Canada goose parkas on the streets of Vancouver lately as winter progresses. But who says you need to drop bills for a great parka? 

More soon, 

Definitely a favourite from my recent clothing hauls, is this amazing semi-sheer oversized black tshirt/dress (the Recurrant B top) from Bench. It’s hard to tell in these edits but this piece is actually an extremely lightweight almost knit-like top that’s semi-sheer. I’ve been loving pairing this with my Levis denim cutoff shorts and just a bralette underneath. I love how you can see the bralette peeking through a tiny bit, giving the outfit a little bit of an edge. 

I also love how this top looks slightly tucked into jeans or shorts cause it automatically goes from dressy to a “my boyfriend’s tshirt” kind of vibe. I actually bought the top in an XS since it was so oversized and it fit perfectly as a t-shirt dress without being too large to the point that I’m drowning in fabric. Also I think since it’s such a lightweight, flowy material, it actually drapes on the body in a really flattering way. I find that usually with super oversized items, when the fabric is too stiff the shirt will often look awkward around my shoulders. But since this just sits on my shoulders and drops where my shoulders do (rather than where the seam is) it actually is a great fit. 

I paired this piece with my vintage Levis cutoffs and my classic Mimosa heels from Browns. For jewelry I threw on a couple of super simple silver pieces to push the look to an even edgier feel. My cuff is from Hermes and my choker is from Simons. And my bag is from Aritzia. 

Hope you guys are having a great week! I think I only have one more post planned until you’ll be bombarded with LA blogs and videos so stay tuned!

Until next time loves, 

Yall know I can’t resist a good DARK outfit. Even in the middle of summer I couldn’t resist this outfit. And noooo it’s not an all black outfit. I know it’s hard to tell but I swear my dress and my nails are a dark wine/burgundy :3

I recently got this lovely shirt dress from Bench and it’s quickly becoming a key piece in my wardrobe. I’m wearing it here as a light summer jacket over a simple slip dress. But once buttoned up it changes the look entirely and is such a slick piece. I’m thinking for the fall/winter I’m going to throw a big turtle neck over it and wear like a sweater/skirt combo. I’ve already got endless outfits planned out for it and I’ve only had it for about a week *HEART EYES*. You guys should know by now that I’m ALL about versatile pieces and this is as versatile as it gets!

Bench just dropped a whole bunch of new clothes that I am loving and I can’t wait to share some of it with you!

And if you were wondering, here are the rest of my outfit details:

Necklace: Simons

Dress: Aritzia

Shoes: Browns

Bag: Aritzia

More soon,

One of my favourite items from the Peace Collective line right now are their bombers. They actually have 2 or 3 different styles of bombers. They have their Canadian Built Quilted bomber, a Home is Toronto one, and my favourite, the silky looking Home is Canada Varsity bomber. 

I actually wasn’t sure I’d like this jacket until I saw and touched it in real life. The jacket is actually amazing quality; thick, warm, and SILKY. I think that’s one of my favourite features about it, is it’s silky, shiny outer material. *HEART EYES*. I think it gives the oversized boyfriend bomber a more girly vibe. 

I never really thought I’d be the patriotic type to wearing the words “home is Canada” or “Canadian built” on my apparel. But Peace Collective did such an amazing job incorporating these phrases on their super street style clothes that it makes me happy to rep Canada all day every day. 

I wanted to style this jacket super casually and in an outfit that I could wear all year round in Vancouver. I paired it with my comfy Bench tee and the classic Citizens of Humanity Rocket Indie jeans. To stick with the comfy vibes I capped off the outfit with all white Stan Smiths. All in all I’d say this is my perfect, go-to, chill/school/errands outfit. 

If you’re interested in purchasing any Peace Collective gear you can use my coupon code ‘speakoftheangel_’ for 15% off. Brownie points for brands that allow me to share a coupon code with my readers! And so far in my books PC has ENDLESS brownie points already. <3

I wanted to style this jacket super casually and in an outfit that I could wear all year round in Vancouver. I paired it with my comfy Bench tee and the classic Citizens of Humanity Rocket Indie jeans. To stick with the comfy vibes I capped off the outfit with all white Stan Smiths. All in all I’d say this is my perfect, go-to, chill/school/errands outfit. 

If you’re interested in purchasing any Peace Collective gear you can use my coupon code ‘speakoftheangel_’ for 15% off. Brownie points for brands that allow me to share a coupon code with my readers! And so far in my books PC has ENDLESS brownie points already. <3

Until next time, 

Who doesn’t love summer inspired clothes! Especially festival inspired clothing. Anything festival related totally brings me back to attending SVMF last year. Hands down one of the best music festival experiences in my life.

I got the chance to pick out something from Bench Canada’s new Festival Lineup collection. And of course I had to grab another maxi dress! I loved the fit and quality of the ‘Acting Out’ dress that I got from Bench in May, and so I thought it would be a pretty safe bet that I would love their ‘Santa Catalina’ dress as well… And I DO!

The dress comes with a nice black tie belt which gives you the option to cinch in your waist and make the dress a little more fitted. However, it’s also super cute without the tie as just a simple long black maxi. Like the ‘Acting Out’ dress, this one also has slits on both sides which I LOVE because it means I can adjust the length and shape of the dress by tying a knot on one of the sides (as I did here). Although it seems like just a plain maxi dress there are actually so many ways that you can wear it to make it your own. Versatile pieces are the best pieces!

Love the braided detailing in the straps. The braided straps actually separate into three braided strands in the back before connecting back to the dress (as shown here). UGH LOVE. Sometimes the simplest details does SO much for me.

Gotta love Bench for introducing me to yet another summer favourite. They’re also having a huge summer sale right now and their entire inventory is on sale for 30% off. So if you were eyeing down any pieces this is definitely the time to check it out. My favourite items from them are their simple T-shirt dresses (this one and this one) and of course their maxi dresses which I’ve mentioned in this post. I’d say Bench is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for some staple good quality basics for your summer wardrobe.

Cheers,

Bench Canada reached out to me recently and asked if I wanted to pick out some items from their Summer collection to style and wear for a summer 16′ collaboration. SOOOO obviously I had to pick out some new comfy pieces! This month my theme is definitely ‘Stylish but Comfortable”. 

Outfit 1

For the first one, I dressed up this simple grey t-shirt dress with a pair of nude strappy heels and a nice leather moto jacket. The cut and fit of this dress just felt a little more put together than some of the other t-shirt dresses I own so I really wanted to showcase that factor in the styling. The length is also perfect I think. A lot of my t-shirt dresses are so short that when I lift my arms and the fabric gets pulled up, it’s a full moon. This dress however covers just enough that it’s not too conservative but not too out there either. I think this outfit would be perfect for a nice dinner or even to the club! I don’t know about you, but if I will latch on to every opportunity to be comfortable at the club. I got the dress in a size small and it fit perfectly. 

Outfit 2

Here’s a good example of how the difference in cuts, fits, and necklines in a t-shirt dress can really change the look and feel of it. This grey t-shirt dress (leave me alone, my favourite colour is grey) has rolled up sleeves and a slightly lower back. It is also made of a thinner material than the one from above. The fit of this one is more casual and loose than the  one from above, although that one isn’t a tight fit either. This dress is a little bit shorter than the previous but it still isn’t going to show any parts of you that doesn’t need to be seen. I paired this with a classic pair of high-top chucks and a denim jacket. I think this is definitely my perfect/favourite summer outfit. This dress was also a size small. 

Outfit 3 

Switching it up from the t-shirt dresses this black maxi dress is SO DARN CUTE AH. I’m obsessed with the cut out in the back. I’ve been looking for a new maxi dress for the summer and this one definitely ticked off all the boxes for me. The ONLY bone I have to pick with this dress is the length. I’m 5’8 and even size XS (which is the one I bought) is long on me! BUT I have two solutions for you guys that want this dress but aren’t that tall. I tied two of the corners of the dress together so it gives it a asymmetrical look and also shortens the dress. I liked this option because I didn’t have to do any sewing and I could adjust the length whenever I wanted. The second option is just to tailor it yourself! Super easy just find out how long you want it and make a cut 2 cms away from that line. That 2 cm is your seam allowance so just fold that raw edge over itself (2 cms up) and sew along the bottom and VOILA! The perfect dress is now also the perfect length! 

I paired my maxi with some cute flat sandals and a oversized denim jacket. This is my doing errands or brunch with girlfriends look (I’ve worn it in both those situations already) and I love it! 

I’ve got to say, I was really surprised with some of the items Bench has! I’ve always known of the brand as a jacket brand and never really thought I would be able to buy regular clothes there. But I’m glad I was given the opportunity to re-discover the brand and I’m definitely going to wear the heck out of my new summer pieces. 

ALSO, Bench is having a huge sale on their website currently so if you see anything you like go and check it out! www.bench.ca

More soon!