Why is winter fashion so gloomy, especially on Valentines?

February 14, 2014February 14, 2014 ~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

I have not been clothing shopping lately. Mostly because…well, I am trying to save and also, I spent a lot recently on a super cool vacation with my kid. But sometimes, you can’t avoid shopping…I have to say that as a girl, not to look too shallow, but it is just expected for us to be on top of trends and have something new to wear, especially on Valentines day. So recently, I justified using my dusty visa card in search of something romantic, fun, and uplifting for this upcoming couple’s holiday. The only problem was that there was so little out there to buy. Everywhere I looked was gloomy…clothes were all black, grey, and brown. Prints were unflattering. There was nothing with lace or crochet, and nothing sweet with sparkle, or a vintage quirkiness. What’s wrong with TO during winter? What’s wrong with Queen Street West…which is supposed to be the pinnacle of fashion in this city?

Ahh, Toronto's equivalent to New York's Soho — Ahh, Toronto’s equivalent to New York’s Soho

I went to H&M, Aritzia, some cute korean boutique, Mendocino…etc. And nothing was catching my eye. I finally gave in and went to Urban Outfitters, which I was trying to avoid, because I shop too much there. But I was able to find this really cute salmon pink cable knit crop sweater. I’m thrilled! Finally a little colour to brighten up my mood during this crazy winter. And come on, it’s Valentines day. Doesn’t anybody dress up all cute in hearts, red and pink anymore? Even the most jaded, unenthusiastic Torontonian and muster up some cheer for this once a year sweety-pie love fest, no? Retail fashion, you need to zone in on that…

I’m in cute/sweet sweater mode this Valentines. The weather is cold, so why not put on a comfy sweater…it is possible to be romantic in this bulky winter clothing staple. I think the key is in colour. This is the sweater that I got at Urban Outfitters yesterday:

The colour is a bit bright for my taste, but it is cutely cropped and made of breathable cotton cable knit!

Pair it with a pencil/tube skirt and go a more feminine route. In this photo I paired it with some printed leggings for a more fun look.

My next photo is a wool sweater I scored a couple of weeks ago at Black Market. I think it fits Valentines because it’s a muted baby pink, with some pretty stitch detailing on the neckline. Very sweet and demure. Also cropped, so it works with high waist-ed skirts…

This sweater has a vintage vibe, because it is vintage. I actually used scissors to crop the sweater! No hemming necessary because the wool doesn't fray. Sweet DIY. — This sweater has a vintage vibe, because it is vintage. I actually used scissors to crop the sweater! No hemming necessary because the wool doesn’t fray. Sweet DIY.

What do you think of my choices of wardrobe Valentines? It doesn’t scream sexy, but it’s pretty fun and low-key. And believe it or not, they were actually hard to find in a fashion forward city like Toronto…

Give your face a winter break with a toning/moisturizing mask

February 12, 2014 ~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

It’s really easy to neglect the face in the winter and rely on make-up to cover-up flaws, dullness and dryness of the skin. During the winter, all I am in the mood to do is hibernate, even my social life takes a backseat. Now that I know Valentine’s day is creeping up, and that my boyfriend wants to do something with me, I am forced to start making an effort at proper skin maintenance during these cold dark months of the year. How does one rejuvenate mind, body and spirit during this time? A vacation would be great, only my trip to Florida last month was a total disaster in terms of weather. I got no sun at all during a week of uncommon rain and cold in what is supposed to be “the sunshine state”. So now back in freezing Toronto, I have to work at being fresh faced when I am actually far from.

This is where facials and face masks come into play. I recently discovered the skin loving ingredient kaolin clay. Kaolin is a white powder with which you can do many things. It has a smoothing, absorbing effect when used in cosmetics, similar to talc, but it is all natural. Make a DIY face powder with it, add it to your dry shampoo…use it to tone your skin in a mask. For an easy face mask, I decided to use half a banana mashed with yogurt, then add a dash of honey, olive oil, and vitamin e oil. Thicken with a couple of tablespoons of kaolin. Better than Lush fresh face masks? Definitely, it’s more gentle, and much more affordable.

At Home Facials:

Doing facials at home is great. I find it much more convenient than going to a pricey spa. It’s pretty easy, but it’s better to do this when no one is around or looking, cuz it looks kind of weird doing it in process. But your face will thank you.

1. Cleanse your face with a mild face cleanser and exfoliate. (I use a homemade face scrub with equal parts honey, olive oil, and sugar!)

2. Steam your face gently. Boil about an inch of water in a pot over the stove. Remove from heat once it boils. Add some essential oils, or flower waters to the hot water. Carefully put the pot on a table and lower your face just above it to receive the steam. Keep it there for around ten minutes to open your pores and let out impurities and deep down dirt. Rinse off with warm water/a gentle cleanser again.

3. Apply your face mask thickly and evenly, avoiding your eyes. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Give it more time if needed.

3. Rinse with warm water. Pat with a warm, wet face cloth.

4. Tone your face with a bit of rosewater/toner on a cotton swab.

5. Moisturize with your favourite face cream.

It seems like a lot of work, but your skin will thank you. You will have smaller pores the next day, a more even skin tone, and a better glow to your winter ravaged skin!

Staying pretty while on vaca is harder than it seems…

February 6, 2014February 7, 2014 ~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

There are so many obstacles to a regular make-up/face care routine while on vacation. An inspired routine is even more difficult on the go. At first I thought all I had to do was pack my toiletries into small bottles and choose carefully which make-ups to bring. I didn’t factor in weather (rain, wind, sun) and I also didn’t factor in the time. Travel and vacation trips are often about doing the most with the amount of time you have, making powdering your nose, while in the bathroom something you can justify skipping. At the end of the day, my make-up was all smudged and barely there, my skin was tired and aching for hydration, and my body was drained. I’m sure I didn’t look that bad, but I was hoping to get some great photos with me looking all cute riding various rides at Disney, or having a fun, while having a smokin’ hair day at Universal, but…well, I think I was only semi-successful. I’ll post up some photos and allow you guys to judge. (but be nice!)

This was the second or third ride that day! It’s a small world after all! And my make-up is giving good coverage so far!

Monsters Inc. too cute! I can’t believe this photo turned out well. This is the end of the day when my make-up was literally gone. I can see some smudging on the top liner…but otherwise, it’s not too bad.

The only day of good weather while we were there! My makeup is ALL smudged in this photo because of a water ride.

What I think I did right was my choice of makeups. I went simple. Foudation/powerder to set. I pared down colours, opting for a lavender pink shadow, and a light white shimmer–if I felt like getting fancy. Then it was black eyeliner and black shadow for smudging it. Mascara, brow definer, and blush. I know this seems like a lot but it actually isn’t. It fit in a small pouch that looked like a pencil bag. And top it off with a bit of home made lip gloss!

What were my mistakes? I needed to carry make-up remover, or some lotion, to wipe away smudges. I had a lot of them sometimes at the end of a rainy adventure filled day, and smudged liner at the base of your eyes makes one look tired, and it makes bags more noticeable. Another mistake was I carried no powder. This is because on a regular day, I am not as active as on a vaca day. I was in and out of rides at them parks, and the wind blew off everything that I had on. At the end of the day, I’m sure I had a bare face, which is not bad, but considering I wear gentle make-up that is not made to last, I needed to reapply some form of face make-up to take the last days photos while still looking perky and revitalized.

All in all, I know vacations are not about looking your most fashionable, but then again, the photos you keep are what help you remember the trip. I know I would prefer to look my best in them. In a way vacation grooming and present-ability is important because even if it was one disaster of a trip, your photos you keep and show to your friends can say otherwise. They can say, “damn, my hair looked awesome that day!”

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