New Year, New Blog!

Just a reminder, you can find the new blog at casualncouture.blogspot.ca. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Bit of News

Firstly, Merry Christmas everyone! This has been an exciting year for me with many new opportunities!

With these new opportunities, I'd also love to better the blog, especially the photography. I normally use a tripod and remote for my photography, and while it works, I'm not the best at it. In Korea, I have a couple of friends who are willing to take photos of me on the weekend, however I'm not sure how long we'll be able to continue that as contracts are anding and people are moving. I'll manage though. Worst that happens is I go back to the tripod (my usual location by the university is usually free of people and onlookers). 

Secondly, you'll notice a few design changes. This not only has to do with giving the blog a facelift and rebranding, but to refocus myself, and have the blog more to my current fashion style. When I first created this blog, my personal style was very girly. While I still love feminine pieces, I find myself being drawn to cleaner, more minimalistic and neutral designs and colours. I want the design of the blog to reflect that.

Lastly, a name change. You may have noticed my social media handles changing to reflect this earlier in the year. Again, this is to refocus myself, as well as refocus and refine my style. I've decided to call the blog "Casual 'n Couture." Why 'n? Originally, I couldn't decide if I wanted to rename the blog "casual and couture" or "casual in couture." And would have been the most accurate choice to reflect my style (mixing more high end and trendy pieces with regular, everyday stuff), but in had a better ring to it. So I decided to mix it up a bit and use an abbreviated form of and, that would sounds like in. The url will be changing to casualncouture.blogspot.ca New Years Eve, so make sure to watch for it!

DDP

All photos taken by Nam Hyunh

Hi everyone! Long time no see. Things have been very busy! I just moved to Korea a month ago, so pictures will be few and far between from now on as I don't have a remote for my camera anymore. Yes, I remembered to bring a tripod, and completely forgot the remote. Silly me. Luckily, Nam Huynh took these gorgeous photos during a weekend trip to Seoul to see the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

This is probably my favourite outfit that I packed from home. Truth be told, I'm in a bit of a style rut at the moment. My wardrobe is limited to a lot of basics, which... isn't really my style? You all know I'm not a t-shirt and jeans type of girl, and the items I love aren't exactly meant for everyday wear either (oh non-versatile pieces and short skirts, how I love you), let alone work. I just brought what I thought I could wear in a conservative professional atmosphere. In reality, the school I teach at is pretty laid back, and some of the teachers will just wear jeans and a t-shirt, but still, I've already been told I look "young" when I'm wearing a cute dress (ok, said dress might look like a British school uniform, but that's not common in Canada!), so I feel like wearing some of my skirts won't help that image. On the plus side, the kids like me and think I dress well. 

Anyways, enough complaining about a lack of clothes. This is probably my two favourite pieces that I brought with me. The suede skirt and organza back shirt are both surprisingly versatile, at work as well as on my days off. I actually ripped apart an old shirt and redid the back after seeing one of Marissa Webb's designs. This is what happens when you're poor – you go on a DIY spree. But it looks cool, and is surprisingly versatile (unless you're in rural Korea, in which case one needs to wear a tank top underneath the sheer back, which definitely takes away from the look).

Top: Original from Old Navy, DIY

Skirt: H&M (similar here)

Shoes: Sam Edelman

Bag: Botkier (similar here)

Linked up with - Style Elixir - The Pleated Poppy - Momfluence -

Seattle-Vancouver Travel Diary

Road trip! Warning, picture heavy.

 My family and I decided to take out bi-yearly trip to Vancouver and Seattle a few weeks ago... namely because somebody needed to go and get a visa (I'm leaving in two weeks guys!).  Anyways, as per any road trip, lots of food was eaten, lots of selfies taken, and more food eaten. PS, you should go all the way to the bottom for cute otter pics. I may have not taken any other pictures in Vancouver, otters are distracting.

Pike Place Market... oh god, all the seafood... And the chowder. Can I eat here forever?

My Dad insisted we visit the Utilikilt flagship store in Seattle. It's right by All Saints in downtown Seattle.

Road trip!

Starbucks Roastery. They have a lot of specialty coffees that you can't get anywhere else. Totally worth the trip (and you won't be waiting as long compared to the original Pike Place location).

Vancouver Boardwalk

Full post is here.

This frog will steal your soul.

On Fur

Hi guys! I hope you've all had a lovely week. Today I wanted to talk to you about, and share my opinions on something controversial – fur.

The debate on real fur and how ethical it is to wear it is nothing new. With PETA spraying paint over fashionistas (or just regular people wearing Canada Goose) who have the audacity (or maybe courage) to wear real fur, and the regular backlash against runways showcasing the luscious textile, the media has made fur one of the biggest discussions amongst fashion lovers everywhere. Even I've gotten social media backlash for making a comment saying how much I loved the fur during NYFW this year. Another Instagram user tagged me in a comment to say how horrible a person I was after I commented on a photo of all the fur accents on the runway from mbfashionweek.

So here's my honest opinion on fur.

I'm not against fur – real or faux. I love it. I own a ton of faux fur, and a few pieces made from real fur. These are all vintage pieces, and multiple fur coats and stoles have been passed down through my family, as well as being thrifted for some amazing prices. On the other hand, I can't say I'm not willing to buy new fur if I think a piece will be and regularly worn. The one thing I am absolutely against is when an endangered animal is used for it's fur. I also love leather, feather accented pieces, silk, down-filled coats, etc. I own a lot of leather in fact. And down-filled jackets and duvets are a must in Canada. Fur and animal produced textiles are partly about fashion, and partly about practicality (ie. warmth when it's -40º) for me. How can I say I'm against fur when I'm not against other animal hides?

I regularly see bloggers (both mega-popular ones and smaller ones) tout how they only wear faux fur and how they would never wear real fur despite how often designers feature it. And yet... they own ten pairs of leather pants and jackets, leather shoes and purses, feathered skirts, silk tops, etc. For me, it's a bit hypocritical. Do your research and you'll find these animals live in deplorable conditions, just like those farmed for the fur industry, and the same as in the food industry. And for the record, leather is not a meat byproduct as many seem to believe; the cows are often killed for their hide and then tossed (I really wish this wasn't true, as it truly is a complete waste and drain on the ecosystem).

Now, that's not to say there isn't anyone who is against all animal products. There definitely are bloggers and others in the fashion industry who won't buy animal products whatsoever, and choose instead the man-made equivalent, or even just an ethically produced equivalent.  Kudos to them. There are also the ones who take it a step further and either only eat ethically produced animal products, or are vegetarian or vegan. I think this is great, and really respectable to be honest.

In the end, I think it's so important to not only respect other people's opinions on the topic, but to also educate yourself. If you're only against real fur and not leather or feathers, that's fine, but don't just be against fur because the media told you to be. Think for yourself, and stay true to yourself.

Heritage

Photo Credit: Christopher Yoon

 These are old photos, taken by a friend I met during my exchange in Korea, who came to visit during Christmas. We headed to Heritage Park, as he missed going during his last summer in Calgary, and he caught a few cute snaps of me while playing around with a new lens he bought.

I love this berry hat, so I thought I'd share these with you.

Photo Credit: Christopher Yoon

Photo Credit: Christopher Yoon

Jacket: Zara (old, similar here)
Pants: Wilfred Free (old, similar here)
Boots: Steve Madden (old, similar here)
Hat: Spring (similar here)

Linked up with - Style Elixir - The Pleated Poppy -

A Little Bit of San Francisco

Photo taken by Stephanie Ling

Just a bit of my trip from San Francisco. 

As you can see, I spent some major money on this trip, as I finally found the Celine trapeze in Indigo. I had gone to Holt Renfrew a few days before, only to be told they no longer carry the trapeze models, so I decided to hunt one down while in the States. The indigo is versatile, and the shape is modern, but still classic. You can also fold the wings in for a completely different look! I promised myself I'd buy this bag for my graduation, and while I'm still having a heart attack over the price (seriously, I don't even spend this much on month long trips to Europe, even with the flight and accommodations accounted for), but I definitely don't regret buying the bag. The colour is always sold out in the size I want, so I figured that even if I waited another year, I'd probably never find it again (Nordstrom will order it for you, but I don't have a Nordstrom handy). And now, no more spending until Christmas. Or until I find another job.

Photo taken by Stephanie Ling

We found this beautiful wall walking around Beach Street, so I asked my friend to do me a favour and take a few snap shots. 

The sea lions are the only reason I go to Fisherman's Wharf given the crowds. You can find some of the best chowder in the area though. If you want to beat the crowds, I suggest going before 11:00 am.

Union Square

I love chocolate, so I made sure to stop by Ghirardelli Square.

The Golden Gate Bridge is an obvious must see while you're in San Francisco. We didn't walk all the way to it, just to a nearby pier.

I love the architecture in San Francisco. It's the reason this it's my favourite city in the States, and one of the reasons why I wouldn't mind moving there one day. The older buildings are just gorgeous!

St. Peter and Paul Church

Photo taken by Josephine Ling

The crookedest street.

Photo taken by Josephine Ling

A Little Bit of Lace

Happy Birthday to me! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I know I did, as I went to the Calgary Comic Expo for a few days. I don't normally go, but Matt Smith and Karen Gillian were doing a panel, and we all know I'm a big fan of Doctor Who.

Karen Gillian and Matt Smith everyone (and the host, but we don't care about him now do we?)! They were really good panelists, constantly playing off each other. It's cute how Matt teases Karen all the time. He also danced around the stage pretending to have a sonic screwdriver. They were really fun people to watch and hear from.

The background was a screen... and it created the weirdest effect on the edges of whatever was in front of it. The poor people and chairs look like the edges were pixelated.

I adore this lace top from For Love & Lemons. It was perfect for the expo since it can get really hot due to the crowds (or if you just happen to be starstruck). The mesh means I can breath (and not get too sweaty) and let the air flow through to cool me off, or if it starts to get chilly, I can throw my leather jacket over top. To be honest, I was wearing it draped around my shoulders for the sake of convenience (but the air still flows!).

This lace top is incredibly versatile, despite being see-through (no one would care in New York City, it's not my fault I live in conservative cowtown!). I paired it with leather leggings to go to our after-grad party at the Drum & Monkey (one of the best bars with a dance floor here in Calgary). And of course I paired it with jeans for a casual day browsing the vendors at the comic expo.

Wearing a bralette is my favourite way to wear this particular shirt. I think the cropped length covers just enough skin, and suits the length of the shirt perfectly. I dunno, I just like the proportion of this bralette with this shirt more so than a regular bra I suppose. As always, I wear black, since it's the classiest if you're going to be showing it off. No one wants to see your leopard print bra under your shirt ladies. 

My favourite part of these Genetic jeans are the threading along the hips. Normally I'm not a fan of it, as they tend to make my hips look wider in my opinion, but for some reason, I didn't find that with this pair. I think instead, it makes my thighs look... rounder (light on the centre, and darker on the sides of the jeans) which in turn makes them look thinner. And I am all for having thinner looking hips.

Top: For Love & Lemons, PINK by Victoria's Secret

Bottom: Genetic Denim

Shoes: Enzo Angiolini (old) (similar here)

Accessories: Juicy Couture (old) (similar here), Marc Jacobs (old) (similar here), Love Culture (similar here)

Linked up with - DC Instyle - Plane Pretty - More Pieces of Me -