To me, leather jackets will forever be a closet staple independent of what weather or season is outside my door. Layering them may not be appropriate for summer but having them for chilly summer nights or sunshower days (in collaboration with MontrealBipolarWeather.ca) gives a finishing touch to your outfit while remaining temperature appropriate. Paired with this versatile Zara high neck crop top and slit midi skirt from Aritzia, it's a simple yet comfortable and classy look. To make it more casual, my beloved Stansmiths fill that role perfectly. I hope you enjoy these series of photos
taken between sun and rain, as day approaches night.
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Working out regularly is no easy task especially when combined with the need to also maintain a healthy diet to go along with it in order to keep your body in shape. I used to think that I could eat anything I wanted while being a burrito on my couch watching Suits all day and still stay skinny. From the exterior, it seemed to be working so I kept believing my body could tolerate it because it stayed the same and looked "healthy". It's only when I started University that I realized I was only looking at it from the tip of the iceberg. In fact, having to deal with the pressure from school, I started feeling more and more tired on a daily basis, fell sick more often and generally had a really bad sleep schedule because I couldn't fall asleep. That's when I knew even if my body wasn't significantly physically changing, it wasn't necessarily healthy.

Staying skinny from the outside didn't mean I was leading a good lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, I've started to work out more and eat healthier but I do have my lazy days and still indulge in heavenly Costco fries and poutine once in a while hehe. It's easy to say that you want to change and embrace a better routine but everyone knows it can't be done overnight. However, it can only be done once you realize how important your body is and to motivate yourself to take care of it beyond what it looks like on the outside.

Motivating yourself is probably one of the hardest parts but something that can help is good fitness wear. I was thrilled to have the chance to collaborate with Industry Active (thank you Vanessa!), an active wear brand that combines fashion and functionality. I like to compare what I wear when I work out to what I decide to wear for an exam. This may sound strange, but I usually put the extra effort to dress well when I know I have a midterm or a final that day because it gives me an extra boost of self-confidence. Dressing well when working out could also give you that slight boost of motivation to push yourself harder. Of course, functionality is also important. All the pieces I've tried from Industry Active were both fashionable and comfortable. My favorite pieces from the collection and those that I recommend are probably the mesh leggings and this sick pattern jacket! You can check them out here and contact them for more info if you're interested in buying any of their pieces.
 


Pleather is one of those timeless materials that can look expensive while actually being quite affordable. Pleather skirts especially can be easily dressed up or down depending on the rest of your outfit. I paired this pink toned skirt with a high neck sleeveless top from Zara for a casual yet put together look. Along with my beloved trench coat also from Zara, this is definitely one of my favorite outfits to go out as it is both simple and feminine.



I recently came across a local Montreal brand called T. Lees Soap Co. that specializes in handcrafted soaps, natural beauty products and soy candles. Not only are their products so aesthetically pleasing and affordable but above all, they also smell SO GOOD. In all honesty, I don't usually go out of my way to buy organic products as they are often more expensive than the average soap or lotion but the benefits provided by natural ingredients in these four products outweight by far the low price tag on them. I have tried each of these products enough to share what my thoughts are on them.

♢ ♢ ♢

 1 - Amber & Rosewood Hand and Body Lotion (238ml) 
This hand and body lotion is made of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Sweet Almond Oil that all contribute to leaving your skin soft and moisturized. Though I was hesitant at first to try it as I was unfamiliar with the scent fearing it would be too overwhelming, it actually smells really light when applied. Overall, it mainly just serves its purpose while being contained in a cute functional little bottle.

2 - Cucumber & Lime Soap (100g-115g) 

Cucumber and Lime?! Who would've thought this combination could pair so well together? Cucumber is known to have plenty of health benefits (seach up cucumber water for example) but in this case, the cucumber peel extract serves as a powerful antioxidant. Along with the fresh lime fragrance, this is not your regular soap scent and definitely one to try.

 3 - Pink Grapefruit & Mint Lip Balm
Here it is, this little item that was hidden in a corner of the box that I always threw away is probably one of my favorite products of this brand and it is a simple lip balm. Once again, it is made of all natural ingredients such as Mango butter and beeswax to moisturize your lips. So what's so special about this lip balm you're wondering? 3 words: Pink Grapefruit and Mint. You know that refreshing feeling you have after you brushed your teeth? Well imagine that on your lips everytime you use this lip balm. It leaves them soft and without carrying that generic smell that most other lip balms have. This is definetely a product I would recommend.

 4 - No. 20 Fleur D'Oranger Soy Candle

Last, but not least, T. Lees Soap Co. is known for their wide variety of carefully handcrafted candles that come in many different scents. The one I tried is called Fleur D'Oranger and though it smelled good at first, I just found this scent too strong. If you like a deep floral smell, I would say this could probably suit you but for myself, I would probably go for something even lighter. The candle itself looks really well made and as usual, there are only positive things to say about the packaging.

♢ ♢ ♢

1 // Amber & Rosewood Hand and Body Lotion (238ml) - $15.00
2 // Cucumber & Lime Soap (100g-115g) - $7.00
3 // Pink Grapefruit & Mint Lip Balm - $4.00
4 // No. 20 Fleur D'Oranger Soy Candle - $7.00-$30.00

IG: @ tleessoapco // Website: www.tleessoapco.com 



I remember stepping past these gates a year ago and feeling like I was walking on foreign unexplored territory. Now, it just feels like going to a second home (and actually main home during finals season). Looking back, I feel like this first year of University went by both in a fast and slow way. The slow parts were mostly the midterms/finals periods which kept me busy for the past three weeks. That was also the reason why I've been mia and haven't posted on here at all but HEY I'M BACK. Even though I'm taking summer classes to lighten up my course load when I'm going on exchange next winter (!!!), I have a few posts ideas coming up including two collaborations that I'm pretty excited to share, hinted on insta ;) Now that I can finally breathe again, I'll be back to posting regularly again.


A few weeks ago, I met up with Tiffany and Lily who both have their own youtube channel, Garlic Milk, to film a lookbook styling turtlenecks and skirts in 7 different looks. Here were the extra shots taken of my second outfit and the video. Enjoy x
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