Weekly Vlog | Gigs, A Snowstorm, Skiing & Eating

I hope you enjoy watching this fantastic week as much as I loved living it. Apologies for the lack of posts this month - I have been mad busy working and then spending my weekends enjoying life. I might write a little post about it all and I should be much freer from April so please bear with me!

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

Three Ways To Wear Gingham Trousers

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

What Is Worthy Of Sharing?

SKIRT - VINTAGE | TURTLENECK - VINTAGE | COAT - VINTAGE | BAKER BOY CAP - VINTAGE (SIMILAR VIA ASOS) | BOOTS - DR MARTENS | BAG - COACH* | SUNGLASSES - RAY BAN

Location: Rue Clark, Montréal 

I have been sitting on these photos for a few weeks now, wanting to share them but not being sure what exactly I wanted to write. To any fellow fashion bloggers reading, I don't know about you but I usually plan outfits that I want to shoot and share on here, often having a particular topic or new item in mind that I want to discuss. Well today's outfit is not one of those planned outfits but quite simply an outfit I threw on a few weekends ago when the temperature rose to 5 degrees (a very exciting moment), the sun was shining and I could finally wear a skirt for the first time in months. I liked the outfit so decided to shoot it during a rather delightful Saturday stroll through Le Plateau but I am certainly not wearing anything you haven't seen before - perhaps it's the complimentary colours, silhouette and general look that I think makes it worth sharing. 

"Worth sharing" - it's an interesting thought and a question that I am sure that lots of you reading this will have at the forefront of your mind most days. I guess I questioned whether this look was "share worthy" because it didn't contain any new items, wasn't particularly groundbreaking and doesn't really follow any current trends. But you know what? This is me doing me - mixing grunge elements of the 90s like tartan and Dr Martens boots with 60s shapes of the A-line skirt and fluted sleeved polo neck top - two eras I love combined to make one rather awesome outfit.

In addition, I love these photos as a whole and I think that makes them worth sharing. Outfit photos are actually not just about the outfit you see but also the location that has sometimes been carefully chosen (or in this case luckily stumbled across), the different angles and frames used and the light. They can also be about the occasion - these photos remind me of a time in between two bouts of colds where the sun came out, 5 degrees felt like spring and the Montreal thaw began and if the pure happiness I felt on that day does not justify sharing these photos then I don't know what will. 

Do you plan outfit photos in advance? How do you decide what is worthy of sharing online?

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

Retro Primary Colours

DUNGAREES - OLD ZARA (SIMILAR VIA ASOS & ZALANDO | TURTLENECK - VINTAGE (SIMILAR VIA REVOLVE) | NECKSCARF - VINTAGE | SHOES - CONVERSE

Location: Boutique Eva B, Montreal

Hello there!

I apologise for my mini hiatus last week - often I take a little break when I am feeling uninspired but that is not the reason this time. This time, time is the reason (how many times can I say time?!) and that I have not enough of it. I am currently writing this post on the bus home from work after a 10 hour shift. Since December I have been juggling a marketing internship and my new role at the vintage shop and I feel that my work/life/blog balance - or imbalance - has finally caught up with me as I mentioned in a recent INSTAGRAM POST. 

It's frustrating because I am feeling really inspired and I often spend some of the weekend creating content, only to not have the time to edit and post it during the week. So writing posts on the bus might have to be the answer for now but today I'm sharing some photos with you that I had been thinking about for a long time and finally shot this weekend. 

As soon as I moved to Canada, I knew I would struggle with fashion blogging in winter and even though the temperatures have been quite mild recently, I still wanted to try shooting indoors for change - and for the comfort! These photos were taken at BOUTIQUE EVA B - the craziest, most interesting vintage shop I have ever been in. Amongst the (mostly organised) mess, there are some special corners that I knew would lend themselves perfectly to shooting outfits photos, including this awesomely retro wall of old VHS cases. I took to PINTEREST for inspiration for the outfit and this editorial GEEK CHIC photo and this artificially lit RETRO SUPERMARKET SHOOT confirmed my vision that primary colours and a 60/70s silhouette would go well in this setting. 

It certainly was a challenge to shoot indoors (on a dull day) with a mix of natural and artificial light but I think it adds to the aesthetic to the photos and it is the kind of glow I was hoping to achieve. They are certainly not perfect photos but they are pretty good for a first try and I think it's good to also show experimentation on here - and not just the glossy stuff - because I am damn pleased with the result. 

The outfit is simple - I layered a bright red turtleneck (I've recently rediscovered my love for red) under these blue denim kick flare dungarees that I have worn to death on and offline since I got them over a year ago, finishing off the look with a patterned neckscarf which really brings the primary colours together. In an ideal world, those white NIKE CORTEZ with the red tick would have been my footwear of choice but alas, I have not got round to purchasing them yet so I opted Converse instead and they compliment the boyish look perfectly. 

What do you think of these photos? I hope you like this retro inspired shoot!

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

Three Ways To Wear Levi's 501 Jeans

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

The Coach Saddle Bag

BAG - COACH* | COAT - VINTAGE | JEANS - VINTAGE LEVI'S | SHIRT - TOPSHOP | BOOTS - DR MARTENS

Location: Montreal

Introducing the Coach saddle bag (and ignoring the windswept and red nosed look that comes from shooting while ill in subzero temperatures). It is pretty rare that any type of bag features on Fashion Et Moi, in fact I cannot remember the last time one did. I have always been a "shoes girl", preferring to spend my hard earned cash on statement boots (or an array of outerwear) so when Coach got in touch about working with them on their latest campaign, I jumped at the chance.

I had actually been thinking about purchasing a crossbody bag for a while as this is something that was definitely missing in my limited Montreal wardrobe. I was fed up of always using scruffy tote bags or my Kanken backpack in which I carry my laptop everyday to work (hence no bags appearing on the blog) so a smaller, more luxurious bag was definitely on the cards.

Enter the Coach saddle bag - a classic piece that has recently been reinvented from its original 1970s design and one which has been copied time and time again. It is just the right size for all my essentials - I have been known test out a bag's size by emptying my belongings into it while in the shop - and I can fit my Olympus Pen camera, purse, phone, skincare must-haves etc into my Coach saddle bag without making it look overstuffed.

I genuinely cannot recommend this bag enough. Let's not ignore the elephant in the room - this bag is relatively pricey by my standards and although I was luckily enough to be gifted it, I can totally understand the price tag. I know that I am going to have this bag for life - its smooth glovetanned leather feels super durable, the structure is nice and sturdy and I feel so fabulous when I wear it.

This bag is certainly another reason to get excited for weekends and I have found myself styling both day and evening outfits around it. I absolutely love how well it matches my burgundy Dr Martens boots, which I have no choice but to wear day in day out when there's snow on the ground, and the Coach saddle bag certainly makes my winter outfits look more put together. This particular look is one that I have been turning to a lot since these perfect Levi's 501s (more on them in Sunday's video) walked into my life last month and I love how the copper colour of the leopard print shirt goes with the burgundy accents.

So, to sum up - I've had my first experience on owning a luxury item and I am hooked. Do you have any pieces which completely change how you feel when you wear them?

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST
*I was gifted the Coach saddle bag for unpaid Instagram posts but all gushing opinions about the bag are my own.

I'm Wearing A Yellow Coat

JEANS - VINTAGE LEVI'S | TOP - VINTAGE | COAT - VINTAGE | BOOTS - OLD ASOS | BAKER BOY CAP - VINTAGE

Today I'm wearing a yellow coat. That is not something I ever thought I would do but here we are. When I was younger I used to hate colours like yellow, orange and bright green thinking they were too brash and, well, I just simply didn't like them. However, in recent years I have become fond of these colours, especially for adding a bit of interest to an outfit whether that be in the form of a statement shoe, a loud bag or, in this case, some bright ol' outerwear.

It was love at first sight between me and this gorgeous yellow wool coat. Honestly, if it was black then my search for the perfect black wool coat would be over but I love the fact that it is yellow. This type of shaggy wool coat paired with its loud hue run the risk of being labeled a "middle aged coat" if not styled right but I am pretty happy with today's retro inspired look.

I decided to let the coat do all the talking by wearing blocks of colours that were not too overbearing. I paired my new vintage blue Levi's 501 jeans (video coming on Sunday with more ways to style them) with a simple cream turtleneck; a baker boy hat finishing off the look perfectly with a nod to the sixties. I felt great wearing this outfit and I certainly added a welcome bit of colour to crowds of black puffer jackets on this milder Sunday a few weeks ago.

I feeling rather frustrated with footwear at the moment because I am certainly not going to let the snow and gritty pavements of Montreal ruin any of my precious shoes so for the time being expect old black boots like these or my Dr Martens. Oh, I actually think my burgundy DMs would look great with this coat - perhaps I will try a more wild, colour clashing outfit next time, what do you think?

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

January Favourites

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

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

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

Coach Saddle Bag Unboxing & First Impressions

COACH SADDLE BAG*

Izzie x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST
*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

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

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
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST

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

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | LOOKBOOK | PINTEREST