Favourite Blog Posts | January

Hello and apologies for the lack of blog posts last week! I have been feeling a bit under the weather so having not prepared blog posts in advance (as per) and with snuggling up watching series and sleeping taking priority, there has been a bit of a radio silence - we are all allowed a week off sick though right?

Anyway, I am here to tell the tale and today I am kicking off a new monthly series where I'll be dolling out the blogger love by sharing with you some of my favourite blog posts from the past month and writing my thoughts/responses to the post in question. I think this will be a great way to communicate on a deeper level with some of my favourite bloggers and posts - rather than just leaving a comment - and bring to attention to rather special posts and perhaps new blogs I have discovered! So let's get cracking with January!

© SHOT FROM THE STREET

Lizzy Hadfield from Shot From The Street always writes bloody amazing blog posts. Many of them just talk about outfits but occasionally she writes these very meaningful posts that really get me thinking. There were actually two posts from Shot From The Street that I especially loved in January but this one about being uninspired just took the top spot.

With this outfit post, Lizzy takes us back to the street in Leeds she used to shoot on when she first started blogging, which at the time she felt held back her content and was not as inspiring as other bloggers' shoot locations in Paris or London. She shares links to some of her first outfit shoots and I love that she is able to not only laugh at herself but also recognise how far she has come. She also proves with this outfit shoot with interesting shots of her sitting on the pavement or shot from angles other than just straight on rather than just in the middle of the street, that it is how you use your location - and your resources in general - to your advantage.

This post really spoke to me because I am always blaming things outside my control for why I am struggling to produce content that I am truly happy with. I am currently very frustrated with the snow/ice/grit ridden pavements of Montreal that mean I am basically stuck in my Dr Martens boots (which are burgundy therefore restricting the colour palette) for the next few months and dreaming of a mild winter where I could where some statement ankle boots that I do not own. That's another thing - I am always worrying about my lack of income so I am unable to just impulse buy a cute shirt because it costs the same amount as my electricity bill. I know that is due to the travelling lifestyle I have chosen over the past few years, working minimum wage jobs and not staying in a place long enough to climb any career ladder. I know that if I had stayed in England it is likely that I would be earning a lot more money but then I would probably be frustrated about my lack of travel experience.

The moral of Lizzy's post and my response to it is that as humans we are always going to find things to be frustrated about but we need to try and make the best of our situation. I am going to try and find places to shoot indoors while the weather is terrible for the next few months and I am excited by this challenge and the new element it will bring to the blog. I am also going to fully utilise being able to borrow clothes from the vintage shop I work in - I know this will be frustrating for you readers not being able to just click on a link to a new product but that's the way things have got to go, this girl ain't got no money! So let's get creative and I am sure we can all produce content we are extremely proud of!

© THE GOODOWL

I discovered Charlotte Goodowl's blog just this month through someone I follow on Bloglovin' liking one of her posts that really caught my eye - Why It's Okay To Be Shit...Sometimes. Charlotte uses this post to tell herself off and explain to her readers why she has not blogged since August, which is basically due to a huge case of comparison to others - surprise surprise - and procrastination, both of which are things I can definitely relate to.

Initially it was the title that totally spoke to me because sometimes I consider myself to be a rather shit blogger. I am not saying that I think that the content I produce is shit - oh no - because similarly to Charlotte, I will never publish anything that I am not totally happy. No, I sometimes feel a bit shit that my content is inconsistent, especially on social media. I complain that my Instagram following is stagnant but is that such a surprise when I have a few days of posting consistently, perhaps twice a day, and then I can go into a few days of hibernation because either I don’t have content or the damned comparing myself to others mindset has made me believe that my content is just not good enough.

However, I decided at the beginning of the year that I was not going to let this blog - and social media - stress me out as much as it has done in the past because where is the fun in that? So for now I am taking things slowly for a reason as I want to be fully confident with everything that I publish. Of course, we are only human and it is so natural to compare ourselves to others but instead of it getting us down let's make it an inspiration! As Charlotte says "you do you" and I guarantee there will be people out there who will find you and I an inspiration next!

© PAGES BY MEGAN

Self confessed Mancunian weirdo Megan Ellaby's style blog Pages By Megan absolutely never fails to keep me inspired with her mix of effortless casual outfits and more eclectic sartorial choices. The post in question today is entitled There's No Such Thing As OTT where Megan shows just one way she would wear the maximalism trend with clashing leopard and stripe prints and a mix of textures of a PVC skirt and faux fur coat to mention just two of the things going on in this outfit.

As someone who has always experimented with fashion - from attempting to be a goth aged 11 to my phase of wearing skirt over jeans in my teens (which is actually pretty fash these days!), haha - I have certainly learnt to let people stare at my outfit if they want. Either they will be loving it and if they are not, well, as Megan says - it's not them wearing it so who cares! I guess my response to this post is a little less intense and personal as the previous two but I just wanted to give credit where it's due - this girl is always inspiring me to up my wardrobe game and is giving the confidence to all fashion-curious ladies out there that we should just wear what the hell we want when we want! 

I hope you have enjoyed this post! I am sure a lot of you will know these bloggers already and may have even read these posts but I have really enjoyed opening up and sharing my response to each one - hopefully you will feel like you know me a little better. I know it has been a hefty post so do let me know if you prefer that I choose just one post per month to respond to (although I imagine that would be bloody difficult!).


Izzie x

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Coach Saddle Bag Unboxing & First Impressions

COACH SADDLE BAG*

Izzie x

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*I was gifted this item by Coach for some unpaid Instagram posts - this is not a sponsored video and all views are my own ;)

A Week In Outfits Lookbook

Izzie x

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How To Stay Sassy And Warm This Winter | Part Two

FAUX FUR COAT - VINTAGE | JEANS - GAP | DRESS - VINTAGE | BERET - ASOS | BOOTS - OLD ASOS

Location: Avenue Fairmount, Montreal.

Hello and welcome to part two of this mini series about my eternal quest to stay sassy and warm this winter. If you are not up to date, I am currently living through the coldest winter of my life in Montreal and as I do like experimenting with what I wear, I am refusing to succumb to the jeans/jumpers/big boots/big coat look everyday of winter (even if I do enjoy this comfy ensemble on occasion) and am constantly thinking up new ways to keep my outfits interesting. Make sure you check part one, which is all about the details, but today we are talking about layering.

Layering is a big trend for AW16 so that boded well for practicality and styling during a snowy and subzero Canadian winter. It recently struck me how when it is bitterly cold, a coat will often hide everything I am wearing underneath but what I put on the bottom half of my body will always be on show. So when I stumbled across this gorgeous midi dress at work I thought I would give it a shot.

There are so many things that I love about this dress and that make it the perfect winter layering piece. I have worn it over my trusty Gap jeans and a black turtleneck - my usual go-to outfit on those cba days - giving the overall look a bit more shape with a silver waist belt. The slightly transparent fabric means that you can still see the jeans underneath, which is one of the joys of layering, and even when my understated black faux fur coat is fastened there is still lots going on in this look. 

As a stand alone piece, the dress is really on trend. Maximalism, granny chic and ruffles are all trends that I love and this handmade vintage baby ticks all those boxes. Also, purple is big this season and adds a great pop colour to my winter wardrobe. I am already seeing tulle and mesh dresses all over the high street for spring/summer so this is my winter version for now. Admittedly, it was a bit of a wild purchase but I am dead keen on the result - what do you think? 

Izzie x
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Homemade Vegan Granola Recipe

Lewis and I are big cereal fans. For us, it is more than just breakfast but also something that we eat as a snack and dessert. So having discovered that cereal in Canada is either really tasteless, really sugary or really expensive, we decided to try making our own granola...and now we can never go back. 

We normally make our granola batch on a Sunday night - it's a lovely easy thing to do to get ready for the week ahead and it fills the apartment with an incredible smell. If you are doing "Veganuary", I salute you! I am currently doing my monthly 'vegan week' and look forward to this breakfast every morning - check out our recipe below. 

For a week's supply for two people, you will need:           

600-700g of large rolled oats

300ml of maple syrup (or honey for a non-vegan version)

3 tablespoons of coconut oil

Your choice of nuts and filling, we use:            

3 handfulls of almonds

1 handfull of cashew nuts

3 handfulls of pumpkin seeds

Sliced almonds

Coconut flakes

3 tablespoons of chia seeds

How you do it:
1. Mix the maple syrup and coconut oil together over a low heat until combined.

2. Stir in oats followed by whole almonds, cashew nuts, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds (or your alternative choice of nuts) until evenly covered and there is no excess liquid.

3. Spread the mixture evenly and thinly on 2-3 parchment lined baking trays and put in a pre-heated oven at 370F.

4. After 10 minutes, remove the trays and add the sliced almonds and coconut flakes and stir. Return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Remove the trays, mix in the chocolate and pat down the granola onto the tray. Leave to cool.

6. Serve with rice milk (or the milk or yoghurt of your choice).

7. Sit back and be in sweet, oaty heaven!

Izzie x
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How To Stay Sassy And Warm This Winter | Part 1

COAT - VINTAGE | JUMPER - &OTHERSTORIES | JEANS - ASOS (SIMILAR) | TURTLENECK - SECONDHAND | BOOTS - DR MARTENS | HAT - JOHN LEWIS (OLD) | SCARF - TOPSHOP | LIPSTICK - MAC 'DIVA'

As a fashion blogger living through my coldest winter yet, I am still stubbornly refusing to let the subzero temperatures affect my sartorial choices...well, not too much anyway. I have not invested in a unflattering puffer jacket nor will I be donning my feet with ugly snow boots any time soon and guess what? I am surviving. So with this thought constantly on my mind, I thought I would create a little series with tips on how I am staying warm in style this winter in Montreal.

There is no doubt about it that dresses and skirts are out of the question for the next few months - even I am not committed enough to having dangerously numb legs and a draft wooshing up between my thighs - so jeans and wool tailored trousers are my winter uniform, with tights or leggings underneath, of course. These jeans have a rather large knee rip, which, if left unattended, would allow for more wooshing so I added some fishnets tights for a little warmth and an extra detail.

See, today's outfit - even though it is quite simply a jeans and jumper combo - is all about the details. These days I am living in turtlenecks and layering this stripy one underneath my new beloved &Other Stories jumper adds that bit of interest while keeping my neck warm.

Accessories are a great way to spice up any look and during colder months we have even more options, with all the scarves, gloves and hats that are unavoidable in a Canadian winter. I have had this incredible leopard print faux fur bucket-style hat for a few years now and it is the softest and cosiest hat ever. Plus I am hitting two keys winter trends and feeling super sassy while doing so - win win. Finally, if all else fails, a statement lip can bring any winter outfit from boring to striking and it's pretty effortless too. Luckily MAC's Diva shade perfectly matches my cherry red Dr Martens boots, which are currently the only suitable thing I own for foot-deep snow.

Izzie x

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Vintage Fashion Haul

Izzie x

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27

Today is my 27th birthday. Man I feel old - how did this happen?! At least I have my wisdom, which today I am sharing with you as 27 things I have learnt in 27 years. Enjoy and take note, kids.

1. A long distance relationship is possible. 

2. Travel is the best medicine. 

3. Cats make things better.

4. Being native English speaker is both the biggest gift and the biggest hinderance. 

5. Freshly painted nails are one of life's simple pleasures. 

6. Dressing a bit weird is ok. 

7. You don't have to be friends with everyone. 

8. It is ok to say "no".

9. A glass of wine can solve any problem (but a few may make it worse).

10. Paris is the best city on Earth. 

11. I can often tell instantly when I meet someone if we're going to become good friends.

12. Getting off my face drunk is no longer worth the memory loss or hangover. 

13. Cigarettes are amazing but life is much better without them. 

14. I prefer staying in to going out out. 

15. You can never have enough shoes. Or coats.

16. There is a Friends reference for almost any situation. 

17. I would rather a year of seasons than a year of just sun.  

18. Despite having tried Vans, Adidas and Nike, I will always be a Converse girl. 

19. Cereal doused in double cream is really damn good. 

20. True friends are those you don't see for months and then when you meet up you natter like you saw them yesterday.

21. A lot of people are morons. 

22. You will work for some unpleasant people in your lifetime. Just suck it up and let's hope one day you'll be the boss.

23. Working in a clothes shop is the best way to get in shape. 

24. IKEA makes Lewis and I argue. And we basically never argue.

25. I cannot live without cheese (and I've tested this on numerous "vegan weeks").

26. My mum was right - views and museums are bloody awesome.

27. True love does exist.

Have a fabulous Friday - roll on dinner and drinks tonight!



Izzie x

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2017 | Goals And That New Year Feeling

Happy New Year you lovely lot!

I know this is such a cliché thing to say but I cannot believe it is already 2017 - I am not ready for a new year yet, to be honest. That is not because I haven't achieved all of my 2016 GOALS but because there is a lot of pressure at this time year - especially online - to appear like you are turning over a new leaf and are feeling "super motivated" for the new year ahead. This is not exactly how I feel and I want you to know, if you are also feeling a little left behind with the whole new year hype, that it is ok to take a bit more time. Ultimately, today is just another day and just because it is a new year does not mean everything is going to miraculously change.

That said I do think it is a good time to set some goals to work towards during the coming year, whether they be goals that you start straight away or you wait for the right moment.

Last year I wrote a similar post but I am not going to obsessively go through the goals I set myself and analyse whether I achieved them or not because a) that could be extremely demotivating, which is not the attitude I want to have going into a new year and b) although they may have been my goals at the beginning of 2016, my mindset has changed a lot in a year and some of the goals have either changed slightly or become less important entirely - and that is also ok.

My first set of goals are to do with this blog. Similarly to my 2016 goal - I want to continue to work hard on my blog content and social media channels. I know that I need to adapt how I produce content, especially during the next few months because shooting outfit photos in Montreal's subzero snowy climate is not always a laugh and all you'll be seeing is different variations of jumpers, jeans and Dr Martens. I also want to up to Youtube game - starting a YouTube channel is one of the 2016 goals that I achieved and am most proud of so I am going to continue to work hard on that too. A second goal, that I want to work on as soon as possible, is updating my blog design and maybe switching to WordPress. I feel that in 2016 the blogging world took design a lot more seriously and as a result many blogs no longer have that "blog look" but are more like professional websites. I want to keep a simple design for Fashion Et Moi but I think we need a little makeover, don'tcha think?

My second lot of goals are career orientated. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you will know that over the past few years I have lived in Paris, then Barcelona and now I am in Montreal. While travel is one of the things I enjoy most in life - and one of my 2016 goals was to move to a new city (done!) - living abroad can mean that your job prospects are limited. I am extremely grateful that I have been able to experience a winter without a coat in Barcelona and a white Christmas in Montreal and accepting jobs in retail or customer service have allowed me to do that. However, in 2017, I really want to get a job that I enjoy (and preferably pays well too). This is probably the most important goal for me and I feel that I am already on the right track - I am currently doing a part time digital marketing internship while working in a vintage shop where I run their newly established online shop. A lot can happen in a year so here's to finding my pathway in 2017.

Finally, I find that I am at my most productive and most motivated when I am happy so my last set of goals are about working on myself. I truly believe that nobody is perfect and while that is totally ok, if your imperfections are making you unhappy or hurting others - make a change. I have been able to recognise for a while now that I need to work on my outlook on life, anxiety and indecisiveness and will continue to do so in 2017. Due to my indecisiveness, I can leave a lot of things to the last minute - including writing blog posts late on a Sunday night - which results in higher stress levels. So getting shit done within good time is another big goal for me this year - it will not only improve my wellbeing but also how I work and what I produce. I also want to get back into yoga and mindfulness, which have been rather neglected of late.

So here's to 2017! Who knows what the new year holds for each of us but I hope that you achieve what you want to - whether you start working towards your goals right away or take your time, that is ok!

Izzie x
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