prairie girl musings

Tag: trends

  • How I Style Overalls (Dungarees)

    In case you haven’t noticed, overalls aren’t just for farmers anymore. Here’s how to style them to look fashion-forward this summer.

    1. Hem (or in my case, roll up) the bottoms to elongate your legs and make yourself look less like a fifth grader.

    2. Accessorize with a cute, standout top or wear something very basic. A shopgirl at one of my favourite boutiques wears hers with a plain white singlet, and looks FABULOUS.

    3. Don’t forget about your shoes! I love overalls with Swedish Hasbeens. They add a certain sophistication to your overall (pun intended) look. Also, your legs should be on display since the rest of your shape will be somewhat compromised.

    4. If your torso is wider like mine, wear your handbag strap across your body.

    5. Although my hair is down in my photo, I love the look of overalls paired with a high bun.

    What do you think of overalls for the summer? Are you into this trend, or is too reminiscent of your elementary-school days? Let me know by leaving a comment!

  • Style Influences

    Style Influences

    Moving to Canada, Toronto in particular, has undoubtedly impacted my sense of style. Whether it was the continent hopping or simply transitioning from full-time student to full-time intern, I’ve been forced to relinquish my ‘homeless-chic’ fashion sense (a term so lovingly coined by my dear friend, Adrian.)

    The study of style has always been of interest to me. How we evolve over time and accumulate new life experiences certainly impacts our sense of style. I appreciate the various social media platforms at our disposal. They enable us to so easily chronicle our daily lives in such a visual and powerful way.

    My sense of style has certainly evolved since high school. Whilst in New Zealand, I was obsessed with the quirky, tongue-in-cheek designs of Karen Walker, Ruby and Huffer (more on Huffer later…) eventually embracing the more streamlined looks of Moochi, Country Road and Zambesi. Like most Aucklanders, I wore a lot of black and adopted a minimalistic approach to hair and makeup. I love how my New Zealander friends and classmates mix high fashion with consignment steals and messy hair. Their “I’ll be damned” attitude is conveyed in everything they do and wear, as if they had just spent their noon hour having a dip in the Pacific.

    However, working in an office environment, many of my favourite garments have been stashed away at my parents’ home in Saskatchewan, waiting for the next road trip or indie music festival. Lately, I’m finding my style veers towards the preppier, buttoned-up looks of J.Crew and Kate Spade. Club Monaco is another old standard that can do no wrong in my eyes.

    Who influences your sense of style? Or rather who influences your style? Is it your present geographic region? The current trends in your part of the world? Is it a combination of your travel experiences and the cities you’ve visited? Surely you are influenced by the climate and your friends, but what else drives the way you present yourself to the world every day?

    For me, my style is an accumulation of all my experiences. From growing up in rural Saskatchewan to travelling to Europe for the first time to completing my BA in the Southern Hemisphere, and everything in between. Here are some of my favourite outfits over the past few years:

    xoxo, Vanessa

  • Summer Fashion Trends

    Summer Fashion Trends

    I am officially on a shopping ban.

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    You read that correctly. I’ve made a bet with an undisclosed individual that I will not shop for the entire summer, that is until September 2013. Those who know me know how challenging this endeavour will be. However, it has forced me to go through my closet and work with the already abundant selection of garments I have.

    Without further ado, here are my six favourite summertime trends:

    1. Lace. I have a thing for lace, and nothing beats a white-hot lace top with high-waisted denim shorts, or a vibrant pink lace skirt paired with a denim button-down shirt. Bring it on.

    2. Denim shirts. Yes, I am Canadian and yes, I do love denim more than your average bear. It just goes with everything and it is easygoing, unpretentious and casual. I feel as though anyone can wear denim, which I love. I’ll be rocking my denim shirts and denim jackets all summer long.

    3. Basket-weaver sandals. While I’m not sure the official name for these sandals, but I must say I’m in love. Paired with anything from a floral sundress to a striped t-shirt and shorts, basket-weaver sandals are the way to go this summer. I bought a Steve Madden pair (pre-ban) for $30, what a steal!

    4. Dungarees. Okay, so I could call them overalls, but I much prefer the British term, “dungarees” because it’s more fun to say! Socialites all over the globe have made this a must-try summer trend, and I can’t help but love the effortless look.

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    5. Summer sequins. Who can resist a little glitter? Pair a sequin skirt with a white top or sweater in the summertime for a look that takes you from day to night. Keep the rest of your outfit simple and chic to avoid overkill.


    6. Calf-length skirts. Come on, show off a little calf. I love where these skirts hit the leg, they aren’t quite maxi. No time for a pedicure? No problem, just lace up your boots or brogues.

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    xoxo, Vanessa