nautical nostalgia...

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Who can resist a sale? I'm certainly no exception when it comes to a woman's typical response to the temptation of discounts, especially when it involves one of my favourite stores! A couple of weeks ago, Je Suis Prest Boutique announced a secret 25% off sale to their Facebook followers. Did you get the chance to take advantage of the opportunity? Perhaps use it as an excuse to purchase a new summer dress or a cute top?

 

I've had my eye on a purple Alternative Apparel hoodie for the last couple of months- and now I happen to be wearing it while typing up this post! (It's so incredibly cozy- I may even love it more than my Lululemon hoodies and am feeling an urge to also get the black or grey one!) I've also heard so much talk about Toms over the last year or so, and with Je Suis Prest now carrying them in stock, I was sold on these nautical blue ones when I put them!

 

 

The Outfit

• Tank top: BB Dakota- Je Suis Prest Boutique (SJ, Feb '10)
• Cardigan: Joe Fresh Style (SJ, April '11)
• White crop jeans: iT jeans- Je Suis Prest Boutique (SJ, May '11)
• Shoes: Toms- Je Suis Prest Boutique (SJ, June '11)

 

Although I may appear ready to hit the deck for a day of sailing, we actually just went up to Fredericton for my grandmother's 80th birthday and had brunch at Crowne Plaza, followed by hanging out on the back deck of my grandparents' well groomed and gardened back yard.

It seems the nautical look is always finding it's way back into our wardrobes- I even just bought a cute navy blouse last week with tiny anchors on it!

 

  

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the next level of style...

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Since March of this year, I have had the pleasure of writing a blog for my favourite shopping centre in our great little city: Brunswick Square. As you all know from my posts and tweets, I practically live there anyways! Taking on this project has also given me the opportunity to give credit and attention to some of the great stores in Uptown Saint John. To take a look at the blog posts to date, be sure to visit Brunswick Square Shopaholic! New blog posts are featured Monday & today, my post on the Live Life Awards and who was wearing what from Brunswick Square shall be up!

Launching Brunswick Square Shopaholic was just part of Brunswick Square's online make-over. If you haven't seen their new website, click here to pop on over and take a look! Pulse Communications was responsible for Brunswick Square's new virtual look while Hemmings House shot the photographs for the website revival. In the video below, get a behind-the-scenes look at the photoshoot that took place throughout the shopping centre and featured fashion from some of my favourite stores within:  

 
http://vimeo.com/20930430 from Hemmings House Pictures on Vimeo


If you haven't connected with them already, be sure to follow Brunswick Square on Twitter (@BSQCentre) and Facebook!

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3 things: where our wedding photos were taken

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Now that life is starting to- relatively- go back to normal and I'm back to blogging, I'm also bringing my Friday feature back into the picture. To bring this week's blog posts to a close and kick off the weekend, I'm going to share with you 3 of the spots we had our wedding photos taken on our big day by photographer Lynette Mason (Mason Photography).

Since we had such an early ceremony at 1pm that Saturday afternoon, that left for plenty of time for photos before the reception at 5:30pm. I was really pleased to say, we actually made it back in plenty of time to greet our guests as they came in the door at the Lily Lake Pavillon- the location where we hosted our dinner and dance.

Here's where we were after the vows and prior to the big party:


1. Outside of Our Lady of the Assumption (Catholic Church, Lower West Saint John)

Photos: Right- Mason Photography; Left- My friend Katie

The photographer also snapped some group photos outside of the church following the ceremony.

2. Martello Tower (Lower West Saint John)

Both photos: Mason Photography

Also taken at this location: family shots at the base of the hill & group photos in front of the actual tower.

3. Uptown Saint John (around Kings Square & random alley off Charlotte Street)

Both photos: Mason Photography

We got some really fun photos uptown: walking along the street, huddled in the alley, climbing on top of stone walls & ledges!

My dress, veil, and hair accessory came from Lockhart's (Sussex). Hair was by Reflections Day Spa, bouquets and boutineers from Sandra Miller Floral Designs (Quispamsis), and make-up was done by Lindsay Thorne Makeup!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! See you Monday!

 

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wedding hairdo...

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For my wedding, I wanted to go with a hairstyle that reflected my everyday style: something that was simple, wavy, and looked effortless but well-composed. Initially I thought about just wearing my hair down as per usual, but then reconsidered when I found an updo that I actually liked. The hairstyle I chose for my wedding day was inspired by updos previously worn by Carrie Underhill and Taylor Swift: a curly, loosely formed side-bun.

Over the last few weeks I found myself at Reflections in Heather's chair: firstly for highlights and then the trial updo the week after, a few days prior to the big day. (I also went the week following the wedding to chop off my hair to the shorter bob I'm currently sporting.)

We were wondering prior to the trial if I would actually have enough hair to accomplish the look I was going for. I'm fairly easy to please, so I was really just looking for a loose interpretation of the pictures I had brought in. I'd been growing my hair out for the past 6 to 8 months, but it seems that sometimes hair doesn't grow fast enough! Randomly, the receptionist randomly found hair extensions the salon had previously had for sale and amazingly they just happened to match my hair!

Below is a shot, on the trial day, hair post- hot rollers with extensions added in.

Heather begins pinning curls to the side.

Then come the accessories!

(Bird cage veil and feather hair fascinator, both from Heavenly Gowns.)

Finished product (on trial day)!

The final look for the wedding:

Photos from Mason Photography

Thank you to Heather for doing such a terrific job with my hair (and for coming in an hour early the day of the wedding)! Coming up tomorrow: a sample of photos from our wedding day taken by friends and family- and a complete look at what I wore on my wedding day!

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live life awards...

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Last Thursday, Uptown Saint John hosted their annual Live Life Awards at the elegant White Room. The vision, as developed by artistic director Judith Mackin, principle of punch inside, was fashion meets design meets theatre. An evening of glam, all participants and guests of the event were dressed in varying combinations of black, white and metallic. On display mid-stage was a tableau vivant of Saint John personalities: frozen on spot with the occasional direction to alter their pose.

The crowd mingles prior to the award show's official start.

(Left to Right): Peter Smit, Tanya Suzanne Hyde, Lauchlin Ough

(In black): Steph Downey (K100)

(In black pants suit): Melissa Spangenberg

(In silver sequin dress): Apryll Stansfield

(Left to Right): Jesse Vergen, Candice McLean, Josh Middleton

(Left to Right): Jeff Roach, Manamia Fukuda

Judith Mackin

Glitz & Glam: Candice McLean (Brilliant Sugar)

Here's living proof that the sheer maxi trend isn't just a urban myth worn only by fashion bloggers!

Beauties Nadine Parsons (Envy) & Christy Reardon

These two gorgeous redheads are the creatives behind Esquared Jewels: Emily Keller & Erin Caines

(Right to Left): Shelley Demerchant (The Urban Shoe Myth), Kiera Fraser (Je Suis Prest Boutique), yours truly

Myself & now-husband Ben Donaldson

(Wedding photos to be up on the blog this week!)

That afternoon, I decided to shead my locks post-wedding for an asymmertical inverted bob-

time to shakes things up a bit! My hair was cut & styled by Heather Keenan at Reflections Day Spa.

The Outfit

• Dress: Je Suis Prest Boutique (SJ, April '11)
• Necklace: Silver Daisy Designs (SJ, March '11)
• Shoes: Aldo (ordered online, May '11)
• Leather cuff: Esquare Jewels, Silver Daisy Designs (SJ, June '11)
• Earrings: Silver Daisy Designs (SJ, March '11)
• Wristlet- Coach (Freeport, Nov '10)

 

A truly fashion-forward scene, Judith Mackin awed us down to the details! A red carpet was rolled out front of the beautiful stone building and I've never seen Saint Johners look so good! Photographers Kelly Lawson and Sean McGrath were on hand to capture every moment on scene- cannot wait to see their photos from the event! The models' hair and make-up were amazing- fabulous work of Adam Donnelly (Hairacy's) & Carrie McGrath (Persona Bella).

What's next Saint John? As I've been saying, here's another demonstration that Saint John has really embraced style and fashion in the last year or so and it's tangible. You can see it in what people are wearing, the new venues that are popping up, the sort of events that are being held, the conversations being held: there's a strong, cultivating interest. And I have to say, among many other reasons, I love my city for it. Saint John may be small, but it's got culture and charm: and there's always something happening. This past Thursday evening it was the Live Life Awards!

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