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

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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

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Three Ways To Wear Levi's 501 Jeans

Izzie x

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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

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*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

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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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Battling The Elements

Skirt - ZARA, Top - vintage, Coat - vintage, (SIMILAR), Boots - DR MARTENS

Location: Mile End, Montreal

We all know that fashion blogging in winter is tough - it gets dark much earlier, the weather is worse and outfits are dominated by coats and boots. But winter in Montreal is going to challenge outfit photo shoots to another level and although I have been mentally preparing for this since I moved here, evidently I am still refusing to let a bit of cold get in the way.

So today's outfit is clearly not weather appropriate but as I had planned to shoot it on Monday morning, I bloody well did! The second big snow fall of this winter so far was not going to stop me getting my content - I was instantly up for the challenge to try shooting while it was actually snowing and I love the result.

This look featured in my recent ALTERNATIVE PARTY OUTFITS LOOKBOOK but I wanted to share it because this might just be the perfect party outfit for Montreal, for four reasons. Firstly, thanks to the snow, I am currently living in my Dr Martens boots so being able to rock them to a party and not having to take a change of shoes is a win in my eyes. Secondly, I have given up on wearing tights and mini skirts for the foreseeable few months so a midi skirt with leggings hidden underneath is a great way of keeping cosy and looking fab at the same time. Thirdly, until I find a proper nice winter coat (good luck Iz), I will refuse to stop rocking the faux fur, which is fine because faux fur coats keep you damn warm and look so elegant for the festive season. And finally, if you were not sold on the previous three practical reasons, this outfit is super on trend with the metallic pleated midi skirt and mesh/goth top, which happen to go perfectly together.

I am sure that soon I will have to give into the cold and start shooting in the underground city, in my apartment or in the metro but I will keep sharing snowy Montreal outfit posts as long as I can brave it!

What are your tips for surviving fashion blogging in winter? Are you loving the Dr Martens as part of an evening/party look?

Izzie x
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Alternative Party Outfits Lookbook

Izzie x
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Christmas Gift Guide | The Fashion Addict

URBAN OUTFITTERS KNIT, URBAN OUTFITTERS BRA, TOPSHOP NOVELTY SOCKS, ALEX MONROE BEE NECKLACE, ALEX MONROE STRING RING, RAY-BAN ROUND SUNGLASSES

Hello and welcome back to this Christmas gift guide series! Today's theme is one that is very familiar on this blog - fashion (make sure you check out yesterday's gift ideas for the HOME BIRD). Whether your special someone lives and breathes fashion or just enjoys a treat once in a while, I think that fashion-based presents are so accessible and can leave the receiver feeling fabulous.

Knitwear is something that I get more and more excited about every winter - does that mean I'm getting old?! - and it is the perfect gift to give at this time of year as it can be used right now! I absolutely love this super soft one from URBAN OUTFITTERS with its bang-on-trend blush pink colour and clashing navy stripe detail down the sleeve. Also from Urban Outfitters is this sparkly two tone triangle bra, which will keep the party spirit going underneath your threads until summer comes and it can be rocked under a mesh top. 

Now let's talk details. Any fashion addict knows that an outfit can be made with the right accessories and Christmas is the perfect time to update someone's collection. For a tight budget or as stocking fillers, you simply cannot go wrong with novelty socks. TOPSHOP have a great selection of socks with everything from cartoon prints to frills and sparkles and you can get three pairs for just £8! 

If you can spend a bit more, look no further than RAY-BAN sunglasses as they are an absolute staple in any wardrobe. My current favourite are these sixties/seventies style round ones, which will make the perfect gift, even if they probably can't use them properly for a few months! And finally, I've included a couple of jewellery pieces as this is an absolute classic Christmas gift. Check out ALEX MONROE for gorgeous nature-inspired jewellery - I received this cute bumblebee necklace and gorgeous string ring a few years ago now and they are still some of my favourites!

See you tomorrow for day three of this Christmas gift guide series!

Izzie x
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Daytime Metallica

Dress - vintage (SIMILAR & SIMILAR), Jumper - handmade (SIMILAR), Coat - vintage (SIMILAR), Tights - H&M (in store), Boots - old CLARKS (SIMILAR), Beret - TOPSHOP

Location: Square Saint-Louis, Montréal

December starts in just a few days, which means festive season is officially upon us - hooray! I absolutely love this time of year, from the great food (how am I going to get hold of mince pies in Canada?!), beautiful light displays and the smell of Christmas trees to snuggly nights in and, of course, festive fashion. Although I wear metallics all year round, I especially love the excuse to get my sparkle on at this time of year so I thought it was about time to share a silvery outfit, which I am absolutely loving. 

I hope that this outfit shows those of you that are a little wary about wearing metallics outside an actual party, that it is totally possible to make glittery pieces work in your daytime wardrobe. I love the slouchy look of this outfit, which is exactly how to nail sparkly dressing during the day - no figure-hugging pieces, please, and my favourite knit helps to really dress down this incredible blue toned silver pleated dress that I bought a few years ago. How satisfying is it when you find something in your wardrobe that is so on trend?

I finished off the look with my snuggly, chunky black boots and some totally not weather appropriate fishnet tights - my legs were completely numb after this little outing on Saturday but I am just not into the "look" of proper tights right now. Oh and let's not forget everyone's favourite hat - the beret, which completes the outfit just perfectly. 

How are you wearing metallics this season? 

Décembre commencera dans quelques jours, qui veut dire que la saison festive a commencé officiellement - hurrah! J'aime trop cette période de l'année - de la bonne bouffe (comment je vais trouver des minces pies en Canada?!), des belles lumières, de l'odeur des sapins de Noël, des soirées cocoons à la maison et, bien-sûr, de la mode festive. Même si je porte des pièces lurexes pendant toute l'année, j'aime bien l'excuse d'en mettre encore plus autour de Noël. Alors, enfin c'est maintenant de vous montrer un premier look argenté dont je suis tellement fan.

Pour ceux qui ne sont pas sûr d'inclure des pièces métalliques dans vos placards de jour, j'espère que cette tenue vous montrera le contraire. J'aime bien la forme oversized de ce look, qui est exactement comment on met des scintillements pendant la journée - pas de pièces serrées et mon pull préféré aide à produire une tenue plus décontractée avec cette robe argentée plissée que j'ai acheté il y a quelques ans. Comment c'est tellement satisfaisant de retrouver une pièce super à la mode dans votre placard?

Pour finir le look, j'ai mis mes bottes super confortables et des bas résilles qui ne sont pas appropriés pour le temps qu'on a maintenant - à la fin de notre petite sortie samedi, mes jambes étaient complètement engourdies! Oh et on n'oublie pas le chapeau préféré de tout le monde - le beret, qui complète la tenue parfaitement. 

Comment portez-vous des pièces brillantes cette saison?

Izzie x
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