Marie a la Mode

Southgate Featured Blogger: Dressing for the Workplace

2012-03-02T07:41:00.001-08:00

blazer - thrifted at Value Village, cropped pants - GAP,

scarf + jewelry - H & M, shoes - Aldo, bag - Christopher Kon
photo's by the admirable Harvey Miedreich

I'm so excited to be featured on Southgate Center's website today! Southgate is the mall I shop at frequently since it's in walking distance from my house and because they have a Zara, Sephora, MAC and Aldo. (Heaven!) But have I ever actually walked to the mall? Well, no. But that's because I usually need the space in my car to hold all the bags full of everything I purchase when I shop there ; ). Anyways, they asked me to write a little article on dressing for the workplace. To read the post and see more pics you can click here. I hope you like it! And if you want to, I'd love to hear what your dress code is at work and how you dress for the office, if you work in one. Just leave a comment below.

I hope you have a great weekend. Canadians: don't forget to enter my Jason Wu for Target Giveaway here. Winner will be announced soon!

What Happened?

2012-03-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

So we all know what happened to Lindsay Lohan's career (it's kind of non-existent at the moment although she's just been cast to play Liz Taylor in a biopic on Lifetime, let's see if she shows up to set on time!) but what the heck happened to her face?? It looks all pillowy. I saw her on Access Hollywood last night and was blown away by her new appearance. She's definitely had some work done, don't you think? She's only twenty five! But I bet if you asked her if she's had any plastic surgery she will say No, just like her sister. I'm not opposed to plastic surgery at all, but I hate seeing young girls changing their faces when they're perfect to begin with. Obviously it's something inside themselves that they're not happy with. And what kind of an example are they setting for our younger generation? Not a very good one, that's for sure.

Styling: Dorian Reeves

2012-02-27T16:33:00.002-08:00

tattered shirt - made by Yves St. Bass, checkered shirt: Foosh, tank, pants, sweater + circle scarf - American Apparel, boots - Cougar

photographer - Harvey Miedreich

assistant - Yves St. Bass

stylist - me

model: Dorian Reeves @ Mode Models

Just wanted to share some pics from a photo shoot I styled, starring the dashing and debonair Dorian Reeves, who is now signed with Soul Artist Management in NYC and Nous Models in L.A.! And psssst, word on the street is that he's single, ladies ; ).

I hope you all had a nice weekend! Despite dropping and breaking my laptop for the third time and getting a flat tire my weekend was pretty good.

Canucks! Make sure to enter my Jason Wu for Target Giveaway here!

Canadian Giveaway! Jason Wu for Target!

2012-02-23T06:54:00.000-08:00

I am soooo excited to announce this giveaway! One of my favorite stores to shop at when I cross the border to the states is Target. I LOVE how they collaborate with different designers (ahem, JASON WU!!) and sell clothing at affordable prices. (My favorite pair of stiletto's are from Target and I paid $20 for them.) So imagine how excited I was when I found out that Canada will be converting 105 Zellers stores across the country into the U.S. retailer starting next year. To celebrate this wonderful news, Target has brought pieces from the coveted Jason Wu for Target collection to Canada for a one-day only pop-up shopping event in Toronto today! So if you live in Toronto you may want to mosey on down to 363 King Street West to shop the coveted collection (which is sold out in the US) and maybe meet Jason Wu himself!

For those of you Canadians who don't live in Toronto (like me), don't fret. Target has teamed up with Marie a la Mode and gifted me a few pieces from the collection and will be gifting one of my lucky readers the exact same items! In addition to the beautiful floral print bag and the adorable cat print scarf (seen above), one lucky reader will also win a Target tote bag designed exclusively for the pop-up store in Toronto and a plush Target Bullseye dog (not pictured.)

Here's how to enter:

1. You must live in Canada. Leave a comment in the comment section below saying you would like to enter the contest and a way to contact you if you win. (1 entry)

For extra entries:

- Follow me via Google Friend Connect and/or Bloglovin' (+ 2 entries)

- 'Like me on Facebook' (+1 entry)

- Follow me on Twitter (+1 entry)

Good Luck! Winner will be chosen randomly next week!

Metropolis

2012-02-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

blazer - Anne Klein, top - Guess, shorts - Zara, tights - HUE, shoes - Spring

necklace - F21, rings + bracelets - H & M

photos by the unbelievably talented Harvey Miedreich

Last Thursday night I headed downtown with a few friends to the Metropolis Winter Festival for a fashion show featuring clothing from local boutiques, retailers and designers. This is what I wore, but with a fur coat over top because it was pretty chilly that night. The festival was packed, the music was pumping and a fun time was had by all. Here are some pics from that night:

My friend Caroline's decorative wrist and pretty mint green polish

Fashion Show!

Bamboo Ballroom, Coup Boutique, Gravity Pope, Foosh, Urban, Meese Clothing, American Apparel and Suka (I hope I'm not forgetting anyone!) all participated in the fashion show which was held in a huge white tent in the middle of Churchill Square. Unfortunately I didn't get any good pics of the three unbelievably entertaining drag queens who performed during intermission. They totally rocked it!

Glasses provided by Women With Vision

Hair: Ponytails + Horsehoes

Makeup - Nicola Gavins

I hope you all had a great weekend! Stay tuned for a VERY exciting giveaway! And I mean exciting.

Fashion Icon Dies In Front Row at NYFW

2012-02-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

This is Zelda Kaplan, the 95 year-old fashion icon and social butterfly who, while watching Joanna Mastroianni's fashion show at NYFW yesterday, collapsed and passed away in the front row just as the second model walked passed her on the runway. This picture was taken minutes before she died. The show went on, Ms. Kaplan was removed by security and was later pronounced dead. Although her passing is of course sad, I don't know of a better way to go! She exited this world doing what she loved. R.I.P. Zelda. You were a gem with a mad sense of style!

via advanced style

Valentine's Day

2012-02-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

dress - F21, jacket -Winners, shoes - Dolce Vita, scarf - c/o Long Tall Sally, tights - Spanx, rings - H & M

photographed by the magnificent Harvey Miedreich

Did you all have a nice Valentine's Day? I hope so! If I had gone out for dinner yesterday this is what I would have worn. A casual dress paired with some spicy tights! Ummm, Spanx, where have you been my whole life?? You hug me in allllll the right places. But D. and I decided to keep V-Day low-key this year, for the first time in the (almost) six years we've been together. No gifts and we stayed in. He made me a delicious dinner, we exchanged love letters (as if we were in the sixth grade!) and then curled up on the couch with Kitty and watched a few episodes of a show we're obsessed with right now on Netflix: Breaking Bad. It's so good! I love Walter White almost as much as I love Don Draper. It was exactly how I wanted to spend Valentine's Day with my guy : ). Earlier in the evening, however, I took advantage of another great Sephora deal. (You know how I love my Sephora deals!)

Exclusive to Beauty Insiders: if you spent $35.00 on any Sephora product yesterday, you received a complimentary Valentine's Day set of mini's featuring NARS products: Bronzing Powder in Laguna, Smudge Proof Eye Shadow Base and Liquid Illuminator in Orgasm. So I bought a moisturizer (more to come on that in another post) and got all this! Damn I love deals! I'm excited to try these. Did anyone else take advantage of this bonus? And does anyone else love Spanx as much as I do??

Sweet Carousel's Laced Up Cabaret + a Giveaway Winner!

2012-02-13T07:27:00.000-08:00

Janis from Dress Me Dearly and I

This past Friday I joined some of Edmonton's most eclectic, fun and unique individuals at the Empire Ballroom to take in Sweet Carousel Corsetry's much-anticipated 'Laced Up Cabaret.' The place was packed and the energy in the room was buzzing even before the show started.

I was able to get a few pics of the crowd. I love how people dressed up, some even in costumes.

The dress on the left was made entirely out of latex!

Burlesque dancer 'Lucky L'Amore' started the show off with a cute little striptease....

And then the much-anticipated fashion show started.

How gorgeous are these hand-made corsets?? Seriously!

All the models had major sass. It was so fun watching them strut their stuff across the stage as the crowd whistled and cheered them on.

Cheeky ; )

I so wanted to try these on.

What I loved about the show (besides all the beautiful corsets obviously) was that the models were all different shapes and sizes; they totally OWNED the stage and looked like they were having a blast up there!

Talented designer Elise Truong waves to the crowd at the end of a very successful show.

Hair was done by Davines and makeup by Lady Venom Cosmetics.

Both did such an amazing job!

Bloggerrrrrs! Jenna, Janis and I

If you missed the show this year, don't worry. Lucky for us, Elise tells me she plans on making the show an annual event! You can bet your "sass" I'll be in the front row every year ; ).

Also, congratulations to Jerrica for winning the Chelsea Crew Booties from NET A LA MODE! Thank you to NET A LA MODE for sponsoring this giveaway and to everyone who entered. I have another giveaway coming up soon so stay tuned!

The Clutch

2012-02-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6, 7, 8/9

The clutch. Large, small, dark, bright, even doubled-up, it's the perfect fashion accessory to carry all your essentials in and a 'must-have' for every woman's wardrobe. I love using mine when I'm going out on the town and don't want to carry around a bulky bag that weighs twenty pounds. What about you? Do you "clutch"?

Have a fantastic weekend! Last chance to enter my NET A LA MODE Chelsea Crew Booties Giveaway! Winner is announced on Monday.

A Whole Lotta JOE

2012-02-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

sweater, scarf, hat, boots + gloves - Joe Fresh, jeans - Joe's (from Bamboo Ballroom), jacket - Old Navy, socks - American Apparel

photography by Harvey Miedreich

Oh how I love Joe Fresh clothing. Stylish, practical, fun, affordable and available in my local grocery store just a few aisles away from the fruits and vegetables section. What more could a girl ask for? I hope you're having a good week so far. Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win an awesome pair of booties!

Edmonton Giveaway: Win 2 Tickets to Laced Up Cabaret!

2012-02-05T13:03:00.000-08:00

Enter to win 2 tickets to Sweet Carousel Corsetry's Laced Up Cabaret Fashion and Burlesque Show at The Empire Ballroom this Friday February 10th! I'm a huge, HUGE fan of Elise Truong's world-renowned, beautifully-crafted corsets and have been looking forward to this show for a long time! So come join me this Friday and get your 'kink' on!

To enter:

'Like' Sweet Carousel Corsetry & Apparel on Facebook (mandatory entry)

'Like' Marie a la Mode on Facebook and leave a comment on my page telling me you'd like to win tix to the show (mandatory entry)

For extra entries:

Tweet about this giveaway with a link to this post (+2 extra entries)

I'll be choosing the winner randomly this Tuesday. Good luck!

Skincare From Sephora

2012-02-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

So last week I received an email from Sephora notifying me of a special "reward" for beauty insiders only: purchase any skincare item and redeem 100 beauty insider points to get a high-performance moisturizer. I was running out of my favorite eye cream any way so I decided to take advantage of this offer (of course!) since I have about 800 points saved up. Here's what I got:

Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm. I'm a big fan of this cream. I had tried about 4 different eye creams in the past but they didn't do much for me. According to the woman I spoke with at Sephora, this is the Mother of all eye creams. Well count me in! She wasn't lying. It's super-hydrating, very light-weight and has lightened up my annoying dark under-eye circles, tightened the skin around my eyes and minimized my fine lines like no other eye cream I've used in the past. I've been using it for about 3 months and am very happy with the results, which is why I'm already on my second jar!

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation. I love this moisturizer! It's so creamy and and light. I've only been using it for about 5 days and my skin feels really soft and nourished. The only thing I don't like about Sheer Transformation is that it has no SPF in it : (. I'm definitely going to purchase this again although I'll probably use it at night and use a moisturizer with sun protection during the day.

What kinds of creams and moisturizers do you use? Let me know in the comment section below. I love to hear about which skincare products people are using and why : ).

Happy weekend everyone! Sorry I've been a little M.I.A. this week. I had a little medical procedure/test done at the hospital (everything is fine and clear!) which took a lot of energy out of me but I'll be back next week with more posts!

Have a fantastic weekend and don't forget to enter my Chelsea Crew Booties Giveaway from NET A LA MODE here!

Thanks for reading!

Giveaway: Win Chelsea Crew Booties From NET A LA MODE!

2012-01-30T07:57:00.000-08:00

I'm so stoked to announce that Marie a la Mode has teamed up with online boutique NET A LA MODE to offer one lucky reader a pair of these adorable Chelsea Crew Dorris wedge booties!

From offering international fashion labels to articles on the latest trends and dressing tricks on how to multi-wear a favorite piece, fashion styling truly comes to life at Canada's latest online shopping destination NET A LA MODE. NET A LA MODE offers an extensive collection of women's fashion labels including BB Dakota, Mink Pink, Gentle Fawn, Kensie, Cheap Monday, Whitney Eve (just to name a few!) at moderate price points for the trend savvy consumer. NET A LA MODE is also a virtual stylist with their LOOK A LA MODE section where shoppers are able to view head-to-toe outfits with the total price tag, the 3 WAYS TO WEAR IT section and the PERSONAL STYLE FINDER where customers choose different criteria such as "body type", "style", "height", and "type of event", and items corresponding to the search criteria are featured. How great is that?! NET A LA MODE ships to Canadian and US residents.

For your chance to win the Chelsea crew booties featured above, please read the rules carefully below:

1. You must be a follower of Marie a la Mode via Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin'. Visit NET A LA MODE and in the comment section tell me how you would style the booties with the clothing offered on their site. (1 entry)

***For bonus entries:

2. Re-tweet this giveaway (+2 extra entries)

3. Follow NET A LA MODE on Twitter (+1 extra entry)

4. "Like" NET A LA MODE on Facebook (+1 extra entry)

5. Follow Marie a la Mode on Twitter (+1 extra entry)

6. "Like" Marie a la Mode on Facebook (+1 extra entry)

This contest is open to Canadian and US residents only. Sorry to my international readers. : (

The winner of the contest will be announced Monday February 13th. Good Luck!

*CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED*

Styling: Brittany

2012-01-26T08:29:00.000-08:00

dress - BCBG from Shades of Grey, ring - my own

dress - Factory from The Bamboo Ballroom

Some off-shots:

blouse, shorts and bra - my own

dress - Mink Pink, from The Bamboo Ballroom

pink dress (in the third line) - Wren from Shades of Grey

photographer: Harvey Miedreich

photographer's assistant: Yves St. Bass

hair: Amy Laing @ Ponytails + Horseshoes

makeup: Jane Holowchuck @ Ponytails + Horseshoes

stylist: me

model: Brittany from Mode Models

clothing provided by Shades of Grey, The Bamboo Ballroom and my closet ; )

Just wanted to share with you a creative shoot I styled for photographer Harvey Miedreich and Mode Models. I hope you all have a great weekend! I have an amazing giveaway coming up on Monday so stay tuned for that!

The Coat Dress

2012-01-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

coat - Zara, shoes - Dolce Vita, tights - Calvin Klein, jewelry - H & M, bag - Co-Lab

photography by the charming Harvey Miedreich

I fell in love with this coat I saw at Zara during their boxing week sale. (FYI: Zara still has amazing sales going on right now.) I didn't have anything in my closet this bright, in fact I didn't have anything orange at all so I thought I'd spread my wings and purchase something in a color I wouldn't normally wear. I'm such a rebel.

Jon Hamm Style

2012-01-23T11:19:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, there's no other man (besides my bf of course) that looks as good as 'Mad Men's' Jon Hamm does in a cap or suit. Or bunny ears for that matter:

Tee hee

Anyone else gearing up for the fifth season of 'Mad Men?' It starts March 25th! Can't wait!

Freezing My A*s Off But Doing It In Style

2012-01-19T11:07:00.000-08:00

cardigan + coat - Old Navy, jeans - Joe's from Bamboo Ballroom, belt + hat - Zara, bag - Colab, shoes - Aldo, gloves - H & M

photography by the oh-so-talented Harvey Miedreich

Just how cold is it in my neck of the woods? The temperature was -43 with the windchill yesterday. Yes, you read that right. Minus FORTY THREE! It's so cold that if I went outside with wet hair it would freeze in minutes and break off if I tried to bend it. It's so cold that I have to warm up my car and start it 15-20 minutes before I actually want to drive it. It's so cold that I don't want to drive. Period. All I want to do is stay inside, curl up on my couch with hot chocolate, with my fire place roaring, the heat turned up to 22 (I like it hot!) and watch movies until this cold spell passes. It's sooooooo cold that even though I've lived in this climate my whole life (minus the two years I lived in Vancouver which was tropical compared to here) I still complain and whine about it every year as if it's shocking! But really, it's expected. But I don't think I'll ever get used to it.

Are you experiencing ridiculously chilly temps right now? Or do you live somewhere where it's 20 above? You 'twenty-aboves' make me so jealous.

Okay, enough about the weather. My rant is over.

Faux Fix

2012-01-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

lace dress - Kersh from Black & Bold, coat and necklace - H & M,

shoes - Spring, purse - Banana Republic, jewelry - Expressions from The Bay

photography by the very talented Harvey Miedreich

So winter has finally arrived where I live. (It was two months late which was just fine with me!) We got a big dump of snow on the weekend and it looks like it's here to stay. Luckily I have my faux fur coat to keep me warm during the cold and brutal winter we experience here in Alberta! You don't know cold until you've experienced it in Canada. Am I right Canadians?? A (faux) fur coat is essential to any girl's wardrobe, especially if you live in a chilly climate. It can take you from drab to fab in an instant and gives your outfit a glamorous touch. And it doesn't have to be expensive either. I got mine last year from H & M for $50.00 on sale and it will forever be a staple in my wardrobe. Just like it will be forever cold in Canada ; ). Might as well make the best of it!

Styling: Matt Janssen

2012-01-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

photographer: Harvey Miedreich

assistant: Yves St. Bass

stylist: me

model: Matt with Mode Models

These are pics from a shoot I styled back in December. Matt Janssen. Remember that name because he's going to be big! P.S. He's an athlete and a model if you couldn't tell ; ). ***UPDATE 01/17/12 Matt walks exclusively for Versace in Milan! Here's a pic:

Thank you for your supportive comments and emails I received after my last post. I appreciate every one of them. Thank you.

Winter Fashion

2012-01-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

***This is Sam Ypma, a Mode model from Alberta, photographed by Stolkhom Streetstyle

via late afternoon, caroline's mode, jak and jill, elle (photographer Courtney D'Alesio),

stockholm streetstyle, jak and jill, bleachblack, the locals, calvintage, elle

Here's some fashion inspiration to start your week. I hope you all had a good weekend. I didn't have a very good one to be honest with you. My best friend's very close friend, whom I knew and was friendly with as well, took her life on Saturday. I've been trying to make sense of it all....It's been a shocking and rough couple of days and it's extremely hard being away from my friend (who lives in a different city) during such a difficult time. I just wish I could be there for her in person to give her a huge hug you know? I wouldn't normally mention something so personal on my blog but I needed to get this out. Life isn't always cheery and fabulous so I shouldn't pretend like it is. Thanks for listening.

Sometimes Less is More

2012-01-05T07:24:00.000-08:00

coat - thrifted, sweater - Joe Fresh, jeans - Joe's from the Bamboo Ballroom,

bag - Co-lab from Winners, shoes - Aldo, rings - H & M

photography by the magnificent Harvey Meidreich

Happy almost-Friday! This is a coat I found in mint condition at Value Village, while on a little thrifting adventure. It was $14.99 but it kinda smelt a bit like patchouli so I got it dry cleaned. Guess how much that cost? $30! If you're good at math (I'm not) that's double the price I paid for it! Oh well. You live, you learn. Next time I'm going to a cheaper dry cleaner...

Do you thrift shop? What is your favorite find?

New Year, New.....Things

2012-01-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

coat - Banana Republic, blouse - Old Navy, scarf, hat and rings - H & M, jeans - Joe's from Bamboo Ballroom,

shoes - Spring, bag - Co-lab by Christopher Kon from Winners

photography: Harvey Miedreich

Happy New Year! I really can't believe it's January already, let alone 2012. It's true that time flies when you get older. When I was a kid time seemed to pass sooooo slowly, especially while in school and now years come and go just like that and it feels like I was 21 just yesterday! (Too bad I don't look twenty one.) Makes me really want to enjoy every single moment. Time is so precious.

This is what I wore to go shopping yesterday. I know in my last post I said I went shopping 3 days in a row over the Christmas break but I had more gift cards to spend so I went again this week, first to West Edmonton Mall and then to Southgate. Two malls in one day. Have you ever gone to two malls in one day? Do I have a shopping problem that requires in-patient treatment? I couldn't help it, there are so many great sales going on right now! Going forward though, I solemnly swear I will not shop for myself for at least a month. You heard it here first. Here are a couple of items I picked up:

Yup! A $5.00 purse from H & M! See? Good sales.

Dolce Vita shoes I purchased fromThe Bay for $62.00. Regularly $140 I believe.

I asked D. what he thought of these when I put them on and pranced around in our living room. He said, "They're interesting." I guess you either love 'em or hate 'em and I LOVE THEM!!

Well it's back to work and back to the daily grind for me. You too? I hope you are having a great start to 2012!

Christmas Break: What I Did and Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T10:33:00.000-08:00

Spent some some much-needed time with my two best friends I've known since I was in a training bra.

Too much information?

Celebrated Christmas with my family

Enjoyed precious time with my goofy nephew. He poses like that for every picture now. Fortunately, I don't.

"Awwed" over animals (not mine)

...and more animals (unfortunately not mine either)...

...and more (this one is mine.)

Shopped 'til I dropped! I took full advantage of all of the Boxing Day sales. Not just on Boxing Day but also on the 27th, 28th and 29th. I told you I have a shopping problem! Don't act surprised. I bought this Co-lab bag at Winners. I'd been looking for a bag like this for months! It's the perfect size.

My friend Jenessa did my makeup. She does the best eyes!

I got my hair colored at Ponytails + Horseshoes

D. and I took in a very exciting Junior World Hockey game with his work. Czech Republic won 5 to 2 against USA. Here they are singing their national anthem at the end of the game.

And I relaxed and read books and watched movies. I took a break from work and blogging and just enjoyed my time off, recharging my batteries ; ). I hope you all had a wonderful holiday spent with family and friends and had some time to relax as well. Happy New Year! I wish you the absolute best in 2012! Thank you to all of you who read my blog. Thank you for your clicks, your comments and all-around love this past year. You don't know just how much I appreciate it.

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Styling By Moi: She's in Parties

2011-12-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

dress - Nicole Miller from Firoz, faux fur coat - H & M (mine), shoes - Target (mine), purse - H & M (mine)

black sequined dress - KERSH from Bamboo Ballroom, coat - L.A.M.B. from Firoz, shoes - model's own

coat - Diane Von Furstenburg from Firoz, dress - Nicole Miller from Firoz, gloves - mine

And some fun shots:

tank top - Betsey Johnson from Firoz, jeans - Joe from The Bamboo Ballroom, jacket - Winners (mine),

boots - Spring (mine), ring - H & M (mine)

jacket - model's own

Model: Hayley @ Mode Models

Here are some shots from a creative shoot I styled for Harvey Miedreich last month. We had a great gang to work with and I think the photos turned out beautifully.

Sorry I've been M.I.A. from the blogging world. I don't think I've ever been this busy in my life! Can't wait to relax during the holidays and do NOTHING!

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Brooke Mueller Needs a Stylist

2011-12-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

Don't you think? Like bad hair days we all have bad "dress days," I am guilty of many. Yes, I have gone to the grocery store in sweatpants and Uggs when I didn't know any better! Thankfully that's all behind me now and there wasn't any paparazzi around to document my bad choices. But Charlie Sheen's crazy ex can't seem to catch a clue. She dresses up in costumes instead of outfits and looks tacky. Maybe it's all the drugs that have clouded her judgement? In any case, Brooke, I would happy to give you some fashion advice once you get out of rehab. Call me.

Have a great weekend guys!

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PAPYRUS GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED AND LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS

2011-12-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

The time has come to announce the winner of the $125.00 gift package from PAPYRUS! First of all, thank you to all of you who entered. And a huge thanks to PAPYRUS for sponsoring this giveaway! So, without further adieu, the winner is...................

Bri from Shoes Are My Muse!

Congrats Bri! Please send me an email with your mailing address.

If you didn't win this time, no worries, there will be plenty of other giveaways in the future at Marie a la Mode to try your luck at again!

How's your Christmas shopping coming along? Need some inspiration? Check out these last-minute gifts from PAPYRUS:

Clockwise starting top left:

1. For the fashion-conscious gentleman: Moleskin Messenger Bag $129.95

2. For the glamorous gal: Papyrus 3 Piece Jewel Frame Set $20 (reg. $40)

3. For the wishful prima bellerina: Papyrus Maja Ballerina Signature Ornament $16 (reg. $20)

4. For the social butterfly: Papyrus Feather Note Gift Box with Pen $19.95

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Botox for Hair: Fiberceutic Treatment

2011-12-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago while on a shoot I was styling, the hairstylist Cristina took my damaged and fried hair in her hands and said "now what are we going to do with this?!" I didn't think it was that bad but yeah, it was that bad. Blow drying and straightening my naturally curly hair every day had left it frizzy, dull and dry with a ton of breakage. Cristina suggested I come into her salon Ponytails + Horseshoes for a fiberceutic treatment. Fiber-what? I'd never heard of it before.

So what is it?? It's a fiber-filling in-salon procedure for very damaged hair. (Like mine!) It reconstructs and strengthens to protect it against further damage. After shampooing, a hair-filling serum is applied with a syringe applicator in a zig-zag motion, targeting areas where it's needed most. It seeps into the compromised areas of hair where it then solidifies when coming into contact with water. It's quite similar to the process of applying resin to fibreglass! A masque (which is optional but recommended to extend the life of the treatment) is then massaged into the scalp and in about 5 minutes, once the fiberceutic has cured, hair can be rinsed and styled as usual. My locks drank this stuff up!

This treatment left my hair feeling soft, smooth and strong. It's been five days since I visited the salon and it still feels healthy. I'm going to get another one during the Christmas break.

The cost for a fiberceutic treatment varies. Ponytails + Horseshoes charges $30.00 when combined with a color or cut or $40 alone. Combined with the masque it's $65.00. The treatment usually lasts around 10 washes and the number of recommended applications depends upon how damaged one's hair is. The more damage, the more treatments are going to be required.

I highly recommend a fiberceutic treatment for those of you who have very damaged hair and need to repair and revitalize your locks. It can be expensive but it really works! You can also have it done in between haircuts if you're trying to grow your hair out, like me. Have any of you had one before?

I hope you all had a great weekend! Don't forget to enter my Canadian Papyrus Gift Package Giveaway here!

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New Boots

2011-12-08T09:09:00.000-08:00

jacket - Garage Clothing, pants - GAP, scarf - Payless, beanie - Zara, boots - Sorel (from Sears)

I picked up some cozy, warm, water-proof winter boots a couple of weeks ago at Sears for 40% off. Yeah, I was pretty proud of myself for catching that sale ; ). Who doesn't love a sale? Actually very rarely do I buy something that isn't on sale to be honest. (Don't judge.) Especially at department stores because eventually everything goes on sale at one point or another. At first I felt goofy in these boots because when I'm standing and looking down at my feet they look HUGE, like I'm wearing clown shoes but from far away they look perfectly normal-sized.

Not sure if I'll be posting tomorrow or not so I'll wish you a good weekend today! Have a good weekend ; ). Oh, and if you live in the Edmonton area, stop by Red Pony this Saturday for Edmonton's Local Designer Sale - Holiday Edition. Should be good!

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Canadian Giveaway: PAPYRUS Gift Package!

2011-12-06T07:56:00.000-08:00

In celebrating their newly-launched second retail location in Edmonton at Edmonton City Center last month, the kind folks at PAPYRUS are giving away a special gift package to one of my lucky readers!

The word PAPYRUS (PAH-PIE-RUS) comes from the earliest form of paper crafted from the papyrus plant. The company was founded in a family kitchen over 60 years ago, inspired by a love of fine art and a vision for products of uncompromising quality from which genuine personal connections could be made. Today, there are more than 165 PAPYRUS retail locations across Canada and the United States offering an ever-expanding array of distinctive and luxurious merchandise, including custom-printed announcements, products for entertaining, high-end greeting cards, gift wrap, gift bags, stationary, note cards, journals, and unique gift items that combine creativity with flair. Visit PAPYRUS online for product information and store locations.

The Edmonton City Center opening follows the launch of PAPYRUS at Southgate Center.

Here's what's up for grabs:

***PLUS (not pictured) PAPYRUS Assorted Gift Wrap and Embellishments, a Moleskin Roller Pen and a Le Pen Felt Tip Pen. This package is worth $125.00. How's that for an early Christmas present? ; )

Here's how to enter:

1. This giveaway is for Canadian residents only (sorry!) so you must have a Canadian mailing address if you win and you must be a follower of Marie a la Mode via Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin' (1 entry)

For Extra entries:

2. Follow Marie a la Mode on Twitter (+ 1 entry)
2. Follow Marie a la Mode on Facebook (+ 1 entry)

3. Follow Papyrus on Twitter (+ 1 entry)

4. Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #PAPYRUSEdmonton (+ 2 entries)

That's it! Good luck! I will announce the winner next Wednesday.

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One of the Most Powerful Videos I've Seen

2011-12-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

When I saw this video on my good friend Tam's blog, I had to share it with you. I'm the kind of person that gets shivers when something takes my breath away because it's so powerful, whether it be a brilliant song, a well-acted scene in a movie, an impressive dance performance, etc. and this video shook me to the core and brought tears to my eyes. I'm posting it in hopes to shed some light and raise awareness about what younger people go through when they are bullied for simply being who they are and that it is NOT okay. I hope you will share this video as well. This kid needs to know he's not alone. No one is ever alone.

Yes Please

2011-12-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

via electricfringe

The Skate Moss by dsquared2 $1300.99 on sale!! Santa can you hear me? If I wore these to Christmas dinner this year my 3 year-old nephew would think I was so COOL! And then he'd ask me why I was wearing shoes in the house. (We don't do that in Canada.)

Have a great weekend everyone! Be good.

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It's What I Like

2011-11-30T07:14:00.000-08:00

a perfect red lip

faux fur and cuffs

effortless-looking style

a single braid

ankle boots!

fisherman sweater and white jeans in the winter

a pair of glasses used as an accessory

wrist candy

red lips (again!)

a cat hoodie! i really want to buy one for Kitty but she would HATE IT!
i'd end up with scratches and bite marks on every part of my body trying to get her into one.

photos via: jak & jil, the haute pursuit, columbine, models off duty, 5 inch and up, after DRK, Bruno Dayan, fashion me now, caroline gault , this is why i'm broke

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Wrapped

2011-11-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

cardigan - AA, jeggings - F21, t-shirt + ring - H & M, beanie - Zara, scarf - gift, shoes - Spring

This American Apparel cardigan has become my favorite sweater in my closet. I wear it at least 2 or 3 times a week. Okay, maybe four. It's so versatile, extremely comfortable and perfect for the cold weather by itself or under a long jacket. I highly recommend it! This time I wore it to run errands and schlep clothes around yesterday. Stylists do a lot of "schlepping" - pulling and picking up clothes at the wonderful stores that provide clothing for shoots, unloading and loading them at the location, then returning them the next day. It's the most un-glamorous part of the job but I don't mind it at all because it's part of the whole styling process and the clothes can make or break a shoot. They're incredibly important! I've been working on shoots every weekend this month and I can't wait to show you the photos when they're ready : ).

I hope you all had a great weekend! Anyone do any shopping on Black Friday? Did I? Is the Pope Catholic? ; ) Of course I did! I bought some Christmas gifts online and picked up a beautiful black patent clutch for myself at Banana Republic for 40% off! It was an early Christmas present to myself from ~~myself~~ Santa ; ). Ho, ho, ho.

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Sister, Sister

2011-11-24T07:59:00.000-08:00

via

Fashion Darlings Elle and Dakota Fanning, photographed by Terry Richardson. I like these girls. Not only do they have a great sense of style, they both seem to have a good head on their shoulders. Also, they're not famous from being on a reality show or because they're heiresses (hello Kardashians and Hiltons) they actually have talent! Let's just hope Hollywood doesn't taint them. Be good, kids.

I hope you all have a great weekend and for the Americans who are celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend, Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful holiday!

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Giveaway! Win 2 Tix to Parlour Magazine's Fashion Show!

2011-11-22T14:48:00.000-08:00

Enter to win two tickets to Parlour Magazine's Dollhouse Fashion Show and Pop Up Store this Saturday at Edmonton City Center! Mode models will be strutting down the runway in designs by Sid Neigum, Genette Salgado and Malorie Urbanovitch and local retail stores Gravity Pope, Coup Boutique and Urban Fashion Group will be on hand if you're interested in some retail therapy ; ).

To enter leave a comment in the comment section with your email address. If you're a follower of Marie a la Mode on Blogger or Bloglovin' you'll get an extra entry! I'll choose the winner Thursday night and announce it on my facebook page. Good Luck!

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This Is What

2011-11-21T07:31:00.000-08:00

Bloggers Janis, me and Caroline

Last Thursday night I braved the little blizzard we were having and drove my car white-knuckled all the way to 29 Armstrong on 104th St. downtown to take in an art show (titled 'This is What') and sale featuring paintings from Erin Elizabeth Ross and photographs by Aaron Pederson.

The Man himself, Aaron Pederson, standing in front of his black and whites

Talented painter Erin Elizabeth Ross

photo credit: caroline gault

Books for purchase at 29 Armstrong

How cool would this look on a wall at home?

Love these piggy banks! Wanted to take one home with me.

"Hmmm..which painting is my favorite?" Can I choose all of them? ; )

Janis and Caroline standing in front of my favorite painting (I narrowed it down.)

The stylish crowd. (That's photographer Sam Moukhaiber giving the peace sign.)

The cutest older couple I ever did see! They were delighted I wanted to take their picture : ).

I hope you all had a great weekend! It was around -34 degrees C with the windchill Saturday and Sunday. BLOODY COLD!! So I tried my best to stay warm and keep my fingers from falling off when I had to make my way outside. Mission accomplished, I was able to type up this post!

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Amanda and AA

2011-11-17T07:03:00.000-08:00

The gorgeous Amanda Seyfried by Marcus Ohlsson for Marie Claire via Fashion Gone Rogue

I don't have sultry full lips like Amanda or huge, bedroom eyes like she does but when I put my hair up in a bun, it looks exactly like her hair in the last picture, with wispy baby-hairs sticking out of my noggin from all angles. So I guess you could say we're practically twins. Ha!

And I'm sorry if the title of this post was misleading, Amanda Seyfried is not an alcoholic, I was talking about the American Apparel Warehouse sale that's going in in my hometown this weekend:

Whaat? 90 % off?? I'll see you there!

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Sundown

2011-11-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

coat and blouse - Old Navy, jeggings - F21, boots - Spring, accessories - H & M

I look pretty calm in these pictures but in my head I was thinking, "I'm freezing my ass off! Let's get this over with!" You see the snow on the ground? Yeah, winter's here. And it won't be gone for another 6 months or so. I also hear that it's going to be one of our coldest winter's yet. That's the beauty of living in Oh Canada! But instead of focusing on what I hate about this season (the ridiculously cold temperatures, having to scrape frost and/or snow off my car every morning, going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark, THE RIDICULOUSLY COLD TEMPERATURES) I'm going to focus on what I love about winter which is.....I'm drawing a blank here. I kid, I love the Christmas season. And skating. And coats to keep me warm, like the one above except I'm going to need a full-length parka soon. And that's about it! I think I'll book a trip to Mexico asap!

How do you get through the winter? What are your coping skills? ; ) And do you love it or hate it?

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Sephora's Gonna Be The Death of Me

2011-11-14T07:16:00.000-08:00

Back in January, one of my New Year's resolutions was to stop buying so much makeup and clothes. Well, I failed miserably as you can tell by my make-shift vanity table full of makeup and other products, above. (I'd like to mention that my vanity is usually not this messy, on a good day it looks like this!) And our closet which is so stuffed with my clothing that I had to purchase a clothing rack that I put in our room, right by my side of the bed which this past Saturday was so heavy it fell over in the middle of the night and landed on me. I woke up and I was covered in clothes! It was a very rude awakening, pun intended. Now if that isn't a sign I should curb my spending I don't know what is.

Anyways, I tried to ignore the email I got from Sephora last week with the subject header "The Biggest V.I.B. (Very Important Beauty Insider) event of the year!" but I just couldn't. They were giving V.I.B.'s a 20 % discount on everything in store! Did you hear me?!?! TWENTY PERCENT OFF! So this V.I.B. went to the M-A-L-L last Thursday with a goal to purchase only one makeup product: Makeup Forever's HD Microfinish Powder I've been wanting to try for a looong time.

I did not walk out with just the MUFE powder. I decided to pick up a new eye cream, as I was running out and the skincare expert at Sephora recommended Algenist's Complete Eye Renewal Balm to help with my dark circles and fine lines. It was 20% off so how could I resist? I blame my purchase of the Urban Decay NAKED palette on the chick who was behind me in the forty-person (i'm not kidding!) line-up who had two palette's in her hand, which I had been trying to get my hands on in Canada for a year before giving up because they were always sold out. She told me I should "definitely get one, before they're all gone" so I did and told D. it was all her fault.

Here it is in all it's eyeshadow glory! Can't wait to try it.

Did any of you take advantage of Sephora's sale this past weekend? Have you tried any of these products?

I'm making a promise, right here on my blog that I will not purchase anymore makeup products until 2012. So help me God.

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Styling: Hayley #2 In The Studio

2011-11-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

bodysuit - Bardot, provided by Bamboo Ballroom

blouse - vintage (mine) from Bamboo Ballroom, tights - (mine) from Walmart, shoes (mine) from Target

t-shirt - CRUZ, provided by Bamboo Ballroom, shorts - model's own, bracelets - (mine) Joe Fresh + Jacob

blazer - (mine) H & M, shorts - Zara

Photographer - Harvey Meidreich

Assistant - Yves St. Bass

Stylist - Me!

Model: Hayley from Mode Models

Here are the second batch of photo's from the shoot I styled. You can see the first ones here. Everyone had a great time that day and Hayley is such a fun model to work with. This girl is so professional and willing to try anything. I can't wait to see where Hayley's career takes her! Hopefully NYC ; ). This chick is COOL BEANS!

I hope you all have a good weekend and take some time out tomorrow, on Remembrance Day, to remember all the people who fought for our freedom and continue to do so.

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Styling: Hayley #1 Off Shots

2011-11-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

blazer - H & M (mine), shorts -model's own

sweater - Free People provided by Bamboo Ballroom, bra - model's own

blouse - vintage Bamboo Ballroom, tights - Walmart, glasses - H&M, rosary - a Christian store

Photographer: Harvey Miedreich

Assistant: Yves St. Bass

Stylist: Me

Model: Hayley from Mode Models

These are some off shots from a fun photo shoot I styled a few days ago. (I hope my religious grandmothers never see the last pic, they wouldn't like to see Jesus Christ in someone's mouth. I'm glad they don't know how to work computers!) The actual photos from the shoot will be coming soon. There was no hair or makeup, just Hayley in the raw. Harvey wanted to show off her natural beauty and I think he accomplished that beautifully!

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The Coat

2011-11-07T08:36:00.000-08:00

coat - Banana Republic (outlet), sweater - Jacob, pants- GAP (1969), shoes - Joe Fresh, ring - H & M

I had been searching for the perfect red coat for the longest time. When I walked into the Banana Republic outlet store at South Common yesterday, having had some spare time before meeting friends for brunch I saw this jacket in all it's red glory hanging on a rack and it must have had magnets in the pockets because I gravitated right to it as soon as I walked in the door. I swear there were tiny angels singing in my head, "Hallelujah" but with English accents. (?) Perfect for fall and warm winter days, this coat was exactly what I was looking for, with lots of buttons and pockets. Speaking of winter, I am currently dealing with frost on my car every morning and having to scrape it off. What's up with that??? Actually I shouldn't be surprised but I was hoping and praying we wouldn't get a winter this year. We usually get snow in October and since it's November and we haven't seen any white fluff yet, maybe it'll be skipped altogether? Ha! Wishful thinking. I hope you all had a good weekend!

P.S. Has anyone heard of the singer Lissie? I've been listening to her music all weekend. Why I hadn't heard of her before I don't know but now I'm obsessed!

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Now That's Some Hair

2011-11-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

KOSA Beauty Editorial

photographer: decker + kutic

via

I'm trying to grow my hair out long and these photos are my inspiration ; ).

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25 Ways to Wear a Scarf

2011-11-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

Most of you have probably seen this tutorial but I thought I'd post it for those of you that haven't because it's so helpful and, well, FANTASTIC! You have to see it! I've been wearing a scarf with my fall jacket every day for the past couple of weeks because it's getting really chilly and with winter just around the corner you can be sure my neck will be covered ; ). Do you wear scarves on a regular basis during the cold fall and winter months? Or are you lucky enough to live in a climate that doesn't require a lot of layers?

How was everyone's Halloween? We only had 7 kids trick-or-treat at our house! SEVEN! Granted we live in a neighborhood where the average age of a resident is 75 so there aren't a lot of young kids around but still...we were hoping for at least TEN!

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Nerd

2011-10-31T06:37:00.000-07:00

sweater + collared shirt - Joe Fresh, pants - 1969 from GAP, shoes - Suzy Shier, glasses- Urban Outfitters

And it's Monday. Did you all have a good weekend? Anyone go to any Halloween parties? I hate to admit it but I haven't had the energy for Halloween this year, I've been so busy the past few weeks and on the go, go, go. So unfortunately I didn't carve a pumpkin or put a costume together. I know, I'm so boring! I'm still handing out candy ~~if I don't eat it all first~~ to the little kiddies tonight though. And I may or may not dress up as Waldo from Where's Waldo? like last year ; ). We'll see....

This is what I wore Saturday night to go out for a quick bite to eat with D. Nothing fancy but definitely nerdy. Which I like. I like that adding a pair of glasses or accessories totally changes the whole vibe of an outfit. Just call me Steve Urkel. Ha!

Have a great week! And let me know what your Halloween plans are!

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Kate Winslet

2011-10-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

via

Here's the stunning Kate Winslet looking all VA-VA-VOOM-y in the November issue of Harper's Bazaar UK, shot by Tom Munro. What a gorgeous spread. The lighting is perfect in these shots, don't you think? Which photo is your favorite?

I hope you're all having a good week. Thank God the weekend is just around the corner! It's been a busy last few days for me and I moved offices (the 9th time in the five and a half years I've been with the company I work for) yesterday and am settling in to my new environment. Once again. I can't wait to just veg out on the weekend. The weather is getting really chilly and it could snow any minute (don't really want to think about that though) so a date with my couch, a blanket, a good book and some hot cocoa Saturday night sounds just about right ; ).

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Giveaway Winners Announced!

2011-10-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

I know everyone is SO over Charlie Sheen so I'm sorry if this picture is annoying. But I hear a lot of people are planning on dressing up as him for Halloween so it's kind of fitting. Plus, I just finished reading his ex-wife Denise Richards' book "The Real Girl Next Door." What else is fitting is that I'm announcing the 2 winners of my two giveaways RIGHT NOW who will be "winning" some fabulous prizes! So without further adieu:

The winner of the Krystle Dos Santos Albums is J.! Congrats! Please send me your address via email.

And the winner of the London Look Beauty Tools Giveaway is Helene! Congratulations to you! I will be emailing you for your address as well!

Thank you everyone who participated in these giveaways and thank you to Krystle Dos Santos and London Drugs for sponsoring them. There will be more to come!

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Birthday Lace

2011-10-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

dress - Kersh (from Black and Bold), shoes - Aldo, clutch - Banana Republic

My birthday was last Tuesday and D.'s was at the end of September so on Saturday night we went out with friends to The Common downtown to celebrate another year of being alive, together : ). We were running late and there wasn't enough time to take proper outfit photos before we left so D. quickly snapped some pics in the bar before it filled up. Sorry they're so dark! Below are a few photos from our little partay:

Clockwise from top left: my drink of choice for the night: Bombay gin and cranberry juice (so good! Try it if you're over 18), yummy, and I mean yummy truffle popcorn (I may or may not have eaten a whole bowl myself), my good friends Danna and Kristin, and the gorgeous Janis from Dress Me Dearly with her handsome fella. My friend and fellow blogger Caroline stopped by as well but I forgot to get a picture with her. (Sorry Caroline!)

Tequila shots. 'Nuff said.

We had a great night, minus the unfortunate accident of a jaywalker getting hit by a car right outside the bar. He was okay thank goodness but still taken away in an ambulance. I was lucky it wasn't me because I jay-walked as well, about 20 minutes before that. In high heels. That would have been a disaster.

Unfortunately I don't have a very good picture of D. and I from that night - either he's not looking into the camera or I have a stink eye, very rarely does someone capture a nice photo of the two of us, sigh - but here's one from my actual birthday when we went out for Mexican food:

My nephew came too:

He loves posing like this! I was so happy to see him (and his chubby cheeks) on my actual birthday.

I hope you all had a great weekend! Why they have to go by so fast I do not know. But look on the bright side: only 5 more days until the next one!

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Modeling for High Gloss White

2011-10-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from a shoot I participated in for the talented Andrew from High Gloss White. To see the complete (and awesome!) fall editorial (styled impeccably by Janis from Dress Me Dearly) click here. And have a great weekend!

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My First Shoot as a Stylist

2011-10-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

blazer - thrifted at Value Village, skirt - BB Dakota (from Black & Bold)

jacket - nineteen92 by Arlee Stewart, sweater - Jacob, pants - Zara, scarf - H & M, ring - R.W. & Co.

top - thrifted from Value Village, boots - Winners, jeans - model's own

Photographer - Harvey Miedreich

Photographer's Assistant - Yves St. Bass

Makeup- Charlene Foote

Hair - Jennifer Anderson

Stylist - (me!) Marie Zydek

These are a few photo's from the first shoot I styled on my own. There wasn't really a concept or theme to it per se, Harvey (the photographer) just wanted to fiddle around with different lighting. I could only use the clothes I had in my closet to style the model so these are a couple of outfits I came up with. She's only 14, can you believe that?? Isn't she stunning? And this was her first photo shoot! I know!

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Backstage With Heather Marks and Mode Models at Fashion With Compassion

2011-10-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Heather Marks and me! I was standing on my tiptoes while this photo was taken although I didn't know it until someone pointed it out to me afterward.

Last Thursday I helped out backstage at a charity event called Fashion With Compassion, which benefits Sorrentino's Compassion House and women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Every year FWC puts on a huge shindig, including a luncheon and dinner, a silent auction and of course a fashion show of epic proportions with Mode Models that highlights local retailers. This year there were over 60 models booked to walk the runway, including Canadian Supermodel Heather Marks, who took time out of her busy schedule (she just walked in Givenchy's Spring 2011 fashion show in Paris!) to support an important cause. (Makes me like her even more.) My job was to help her and any other model that needed help with their 3 or 4 outfit changes. It was insane and stressful backstage (think clothes and shoes flying everywhere and trying to get panicking, naked models into their outfits in 20 seconds or less) but in the end it was very rewarding and a great experience. I think Kelly Cutrone would have been proud of us all ; ). Here are some photos I was able to take backstage:

A few Mode Men

Model Kim Barbour

Agency director Michael Meneghetti and Ms. Marks before the show started

More of Heather (I swear I'm not a stalker.)

Alexis Wolfe, Sam Ypma, Autumn Allen, Hayley Tomich and Janessa Dornstauder

Bathing Beauties

Getting ready to walk the (extremely long) runway

Evening wear designer Michael Kaye poses with the models in his beautiful couture gowns

Schwing!

Okay, one last pic of Heather after the show. I loved her outfit! Especially her shoes.

I hope you all had a relaxing and rejuvenating weekend! I went to my friend Caroline's Mad Men-themed birthday party on Saturday and thought I'd share a pic:

Me, Caroline and Janis

Have a good week!

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Thanksgiving

2011-10-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

boots - c/o Converse, faux leather jacket - Winners, sweater - Jacob, jeans - F21, beanie - LOST, jewelry + scarf- H & M

I'm loving my new black Chuck Taylor Leather All Star Light Multi-strap booties from Converse. They're perfect for fall - comfortable and practical but still stylish and slick. I've been pairing them with leggings or skinny jeans and I have to say I enjoy wearing flats much more than I do heels! My feet actually thank me for tossing my 3" stiletto's to the back of my closet every now and then. Is there anyone out there who's the opposite and loves wearing heels instead of flats?? Let me know!

So this past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving and on Saturday we took a road trip out to my Aunt and Uncle's beautiful cabin at the lake for a relaxing afternoon and a yummy holiday dinner where I stuffed myself silly. (Sans turkey for me because I'm a Vegetarian, which means I had more room left for dessert!) Here are some photos from that day:

My parents have a buffalo farm about 50 minutes outside of the city so we stopped there on our way out. You can never get too close unless you want them to charge and trample, flattening you into a human pancake. My Dad actually had to run to and hide in a little shed once because the buffalo started chasing him! He stayed in there until he got a hold of his friend via his cellphone who had to come rescue him! Tee hee.

Beautiful beasts, aren't they? Remember how I said I was a Vegetarian? Yeah, so I've never eaten buffalo in my life, I just want to make that clear. These poor lads don't know their fate and it makes me sad : (. It's so bizarre to me that I come from a family of hunters and farmers! I would totally kidnap them and raise them in my backyard to protect them from my family if I could! I would sing them lullabies at night through my window.

The Lake. Too cold to swim in now but still beautiful to look at.

My favorite clock.

The dessert I talked about earlier ; )

I hope you're all having a good week and I hope my fellow Canucks had a great Thanksgiving long weekend! Oh, and I have two, yes TWO giveaways going on right now if you're interested in winning free stuff:

Click here to enter to win over $100.00 worth of London Look Cosmetics beauty tools

and

Click here to enter to win one of two signed Krystle Dos Santos albums!

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Giveaway! And a Review: London Look Beauty Tools

2011-10-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

I was recently introduced to a new line called 'London Look' being carried exclusively at London Drugs, a Canadian drugstore that I frequent often. London Look is an innovative line of beauty tools for your eyes, hands and feet, grooming and makeup application. The LD marketing team sent me two gift bags - one for me to sample their tools and one for one of my lucky readers! But first, here is my review of all of the tools, from left to right, below. (And yes, I tried them all!)

Large Callus Smoother $6.99 - It has two sides: one side has large grit for removing skin and the other has fine grit for smoothing. It worked well with the foot scrub I used although I was giggling the whole time because it tickled. (You should see me at the nail salon, I can hardly sit still when they smooth and exfoliate my feet, I slither like a fish.) The handle provides a comfortable grip as well so it's super-easy to use, even if you get it wet.

Powder Brush $22.00 - Made with natural fibers, this extremely soft brush was designed for the application of loose, mineral or bronzing powders. I used it with my MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation and it left a flawless finish. It worked just as well as my Sigma F30 Powder Brush although the Sigma brush is much more dense than this one.

Large Fluff Eyeshadow Brush $5.99 - I love this! Also made with natural fibers, this tool is perfect for applying color all over the eyelid, even in the creases and/or highlighting the brow bone. I used it in the picture below before contouring:

And it's only $5.99! Lot's of bang for your buck.

Pointed Eye Liner Brush $9.00 - I paired this with my Maybelline black gel eyeliner in the above photo as well. The gel liner actually comes with a little 'pen' to apply it but I prefer to use the London Look brush which gives me a more precise, smooth lining. You can see how well it worked in the above photo. It's a bit expensive at $9.00 though, which is more than the eye shadow brush. That being said, I was impressed with the results after using it.

Glass Nail File $8.00 - It got the job done but it has a very wide filing surface which I don't like. I like my nail files thin (but strong), so that I can get under the nail if I want to. But that's just my personal preference. This file still worked well. And if you prefer using thicker files like emery boards, you will like using this.

Brow Groomer/Scissors $10.00 - This groomer functions as both a brow trimmer and cutting scissors. There's an attachable comb to brush brow hair upward and trim with the scissor edge. Okay, I lied. In the first paragraph of this post I told you I tried everything but I haven't tried this one yet. To be honest with you I'm a bit scared to. I'm afraid I will chop off all my eyebrows by mistake! Once I gather enough courage to use this puppy I promise I will review it at a later date. Or maybe I'll use it on D. instead of me ; ). If he'll let me...

Soft Touch Pink Tweezers $11.00 - I love that these are pink ; ). You can use the tweezer point to extract smaller hairs and the slanted slide for general tweezing and shaping. At first I found this difficult to grab on to and extract my eyebrow hairs but when I adjusted my grip it was smooth sailing and I was able to pluck out all the unwanted hairs.

Full Lash Curler $16.00 - Works as well as all of the other drugstore eye lash curlers I've tried in the past and comes with an extra pressure pad. $16.00 is a little too expensive for an eyelash curler though, in my opinion.

Partial Lash Curler $3.99 - I have to admit I had never seen one of these before! With this beauty tool you can curl small sections of lashes for an eye brightening curl. I used it on the outer lashes in the photo below, after curling all of them with the Full Lash Curler:

You can see how nice it worked on the outer lashes of my eye on (your) left. I highly recommend purchasing one of these! It really opens up the eyes.

Large Nail Clippers $10.00 - This is crafted with a wave-shaped lever and has a little nail file underneath it. Very easy to use. A tool that will last for years.

Pink Precision Makeup Sponge $9.99 - This egg-shaped sponge is great for applying liquid or cream foundation in hard-to-reach areas of the face, like in the crevices around the nose, under the eyes, around the upper and bottom lip and into the hairline, using the pointed end. With the rounded end you can blend foundation over large areas of the face. Blends extremely well. It's fun to use, too!

Combo Foundation Sponge $4.99 - Also used to apply liquid or cream foundation to the face, this is a double-sided sponge: the light side you can use for a sheer application and the dark side creates more of a full-coverage effect. It blended my foundation fine but I prefer to use the Precision Makeup Sponge, which gets into those hard-to-reach places a little better.

All in all, I enjoyed using all of these beauty tools but what really stood out for me were the makeup brushes and the pink egged-shaped sponge, I will definitely be re-purchasing them in the future.

And that's my review. Now for the fun part: a giveaway for my readers! For a chance to win all of these beauty tools (a $118.00 value!) here's how to enter:

You must be a follower of Marie a la Mode via Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin'. Leave a comment in the comment section below saying you would like to be entered into the contest and how to get a hold of you if you win (1 entry)

***For extra entries:

- 'Like' me on Facebook (2 extra entries)

- Follow me on Twitter (1 extra entry)

- Tweet about this giveaway (1 extra entry) My Twitter name is @marielamode

This contest is open to anyone who lives on Planet Earth, meaning it's open to everyone! I will choose the winner randomly2 weeks from today. Good luck!

Also, make sure to enter my Krystle Dos Santos Album Giveaway here!

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Black and White and In Between

2011-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

via Jak + Jill

weheartit

Photography by Camilla Akrans via I forget, sorry

Photography by Hedi Slimane

weheartit

Photography by Harvey Miedreich,
Styling by Zoe Kreider

Karlie Kloss by Tom Munro

via Jak + Jill

Just some of my favorite images I've recently added to my inspiration folder that I thought I'd share with you all. Happy Friday everyone! And Happy Thanksgiving Long Weekend to all my fellow Canadians! Enjoy! I will be going to the cabin at the lake for Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. I'm really looking forward to relaxing and spending time with my family. And eating. Lots! I'll be increasing the diameter of my muffin top that's for sure. Have a great weekend! And be thankful.

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My Friend the Music Video Producer and a Giveaway!

2011-10-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Caroline is quite the talent. Not only is she a killer writer (she interviewed Lady Gaga and currently writes for Fashion Magazine) but she can now add 'Music Video Producer' to her resume. Yup, Caroline produced sultry songstress Krystle Dos Santos' first video for track off her sophomore album titled Fame Fatale in Vancouver.

The video 'Remember' was a collaborative effort for Krystle who combined music, film and fashion with Edmonton-based designer Jessica Halabi (she made the beautiful white dress Krystle wears in the video), west coast filmmaker Brett Rostrup, Vancouver fashion blogger/stylist Nicole Soon and Producer Caroline Gault. In celebration of the video's release, the award-winning singer and her camp are giving away 2 CD's to one lucky reader: 1 signed copy from her self-titled debut album and one signed copy from Fame Fatale, where the song 'Remember' (in the video) is from.

I've been listening to Krystle's music for the last couple of days and I'm hooked on her smooth-like-butter voice! I read on her website that her song "Shake Ya Booty" made the soundtrack for the television show 'Samantha Who?', starring Christina Applegate which I thought was pretty cool!

It's easy to enter:

-simply be or become a follower of Marie a la Mode through Google or Bloglovin' (1 entry) or 'Like' me on Facebook (1 entry) or both which will equal 2 entries.

***Please make sure to leave your email address or a way to get a hold of you if you win in the comment section below. This contest is open internationally. Good luck! The winner will be chosen Tuesday October 25th.

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A Life Update

2011-10-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

Last week I mentioned that I had some exciting things were going in my life so now that Western Canada Fashion Week is over and I have time to breathe I thought I would share them with you all : ).

#1 I styled a photo shoot by myself for the first time last Monday and got to work with the amazing Harvey Miedreich. Here's a sneak peak from the shoot. I will share the rest with you once Harvey releases them.

I took this photo which is why it's not centered

#2 I filmed a commercial a few days ago! On a Vespa! Funny (and long) story actually: My agent sent me an email saying he had submitted me for two roles: the "Scooter Girl" and the "Dancer." (Not that kind of a dancer, people.) He knew about my dancing background but he said if I couldn't ride a scooter that I shouldn't go for the "Scooter Girl" role because they want someone with experience. So I went to the audition thinking I would be up for the dancer role only. But when I got into the room and the producer asked if I was trying out for both I suddenly changed my mind and blurted out, "Yes!" Why not double my chances, right? He said, "You can ride a scooter?" And I said, "Well I ride motorbikes." I do not ride motorbikes.

Anyways on camera he asked me to tell him about my experience with riding and I told him a (true) story about when I was 13, driving a motorbike near my family's cabin at the lake,with my cousin on the back, I almost ran into a tree after gawking at shirtless teenage boys and instead of putting on the brakes after I swerved I put the gas on all the way, and then the brakes (you could call it a "reverse reaction") and I flew off the bike onto the road and broke my humerus which wasn't funny (ha ha, yes I actually used that line. Call me extra cheesy.) If you're wondering what happened to my cousin...nothing! She ended up with a hole in her sock and that's it. But I quickly followed up with, "I'm much more comfortable riding motorbikes now," which ~~was a lie~~ wasn't true because the accident scared me away from riding anything with two wheels, minus a bicycle. When the producer asked me what type/brand of bike I last rode I came up with, "Ummm...it was a small one. It was my friend's, I think it was a Honda? Yeah, it was a Honda!" I was sure the producer saw right through me but he let me go on to audition for the dancer role and I had to two-step with myself because I didn't have a partner, which is as hard and as awkward as it sounds by the way, but I felt I did a pretty good job. Anyways, a couple of days later my agent calls me to tell me the "good news." I thought for sure I got the role of the dancer! Nope. I got the other one. Shit! Now I had to learn how to ride a scooter! And fast! And in heels. Dear Lord. So D.'s friend gave me a quick one hour lesson on his scooter a couple of days before the shoot and I felt comfortable enough to be able to drive one in the commercial.

No broken bones this time! And I kept the coat ; )

You gotta fake it 'til you make it right?? I had to follow that truck with the camera on it with only about 5 feet between us, without going out of frame and I'm proud to say I did it and I did it well, apparently. The director said I looked so calm while riding and I replied with, "That's where the acting comes in." He didn't know that in my head I was saying the Hail Mary and praying I wouldn't lose control or ram into the truck in front of me. But thankfully everything worked out well and after I calmed my nerves I actually had fun. Unfortunately I can't tell you what the commercial is for yet but it will be airing in Canada sometime this month!

#3 The most exciting news: I'm going to be an Auntie again! My sister-in-law is pregnant and due at the end of April/beginning of May. I am over-the-moon! The baby will join my nephew, Kayden (below), who hopes he'll be getting a brother "or two" although my sister-in-law is not having twins unless they're not telling us something ; ).

He's not always this dirty, I swear.

And that's that. Not everything in my life has been hunky-dory though. (Does anyone else still use that word besides me and my Grandmother? Hunky-dory?) My car broke down, not sure what's wrong with it but it won't start so I've been driving around in D.'s dirty clunker I call "The Bomb" until my Dad can take a look at it. I also found out I'll need gum surgery on both sides of my mouth and two crowns which, even covered by mine and D.'s benefits will cost me a few thousand dollars. Yikes. But I'm trying to focus on the positive: at least I still have teeth, right?

I hope you're all having a good week so far! We're closer to Friday already : ).

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Photo Diary: Last 2 Days of WCFW

2011-10-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Caroline and I

Janis and Sandy

Here are some of my favorites from Day 7 & 8 of Western Canada Fashion Week:

Lovely LUXX by Derek Jagodzinsky. Read my interview with the designer here.

Genette Salgado

Not only did I adore the clothing but the model's hair, done by Ponytails + Horseshoes and the makeup, by Nickol Walkemeyer fit perfectly with Salgado's late '40's-inspired collection titled 'Not Fade Away.'

Suka by Alisha Schick. Fun, feminine and wearable.

Sofiss by Joanna Wala's sleek and modern dresses. I'd wear them all!

Serendipity by Kelsey McIntyre. The dress on the right gave me shivers when I first saw it.

Stanley Carroll

Stanley Carroll did not disappoint with his warm color palette, unique use of different textures and fabrics and a full collection that could have been reserved for a night on his own at WCFW.

Beverly Gan. Her S/S 2012 was one of my favorite collections (next to Malorie Urbanovitch), with her origami-inspired designs, clean lines and unique pleating. (I had to use WCFW's photo's because the models were walking so fast it was hard to catch a well-focused photo with my camera!)

Edmonton-raised Beverly Gan currently resides in London but we want her back in Canada!

Janis and Harvey

Model Hayley Tomich and photographer Sam Moukhaiber

Me and Andrew closing night.

Another exciting and successful season of Western Canada Fashion Week has come to a close. It was an extremely busy week but I loved every minute of it, especially getting to hang out with my crazy and fabulous blogger friends every day. But now my life can get back to normal and I can catch up on some sleep. And your blogs! : ) Actually Friday night I slept almost 13 hours!! I was utterly exhausted. But it was so worth it and I'm already anticipating next season when I can do this alllllll over again ; ).

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Tuesday Night WCFW

2011-09-27T23:34:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended Day 6 of Western Canada Fashion Week and while creating this post I strongly felt I needed to give credit where credit is due right from the start, which is why I'm highlighting Malorie Urbanovitch's Spring/Summer 2012 collection first. I was lucky enough to view this Edmonton-based designer's stunning line from the front row and it was flawless.

I mean, look at these clothes! The high-quality fabric, the dynamic colors mixed with neutrals, the structured design and streamlined aesthetic literally took my breath away.

Did I mention this designer is only 24??

Congratulations to Malorie for executing such a strikingly chic (and wearable) collection!

Another young designer who impressed me last night was 23 year-old Janessa Ott with her Obsidian line. She featured vintage-inspired coats and dresses that reminded me of elegant and luxurious fashion from the '30's and '40's. Janessa chose a theme and ran with it, which resulted in beautifully-crafted, classic clothing.

I also thoroughly enjoyed Playa Bonita's adorable beachwear line, as did all the men in the audience whose jaws dropped as gorgeous women of all shapes and sizes paraded down the runway in fun and flirty swimwear.

Rowena Manansala poses with Playa Bonita designer Ana Villa-Eliuk

Fashion Magazine's Caroline Gault, me (with a new hair style courtesy of Justine at Flaunt salon) and Janis from Dress Me Dearly. We just all happened to be wearing red nail polish that night!

A very stylish Edmontonian I had to take a picture of. Loved her studded boots!

Two of the most talented photographers in town: Harvey Miedreich and Aaron Pederson who must have called each other before the show to plan out their outfits ; ). Actually it was a total coincidence. Or so they say...

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