Hilroy: Back to School with Fashion

When I received an invitation from Fathom Communications for Hilroy’s Back-to-School event, honestly, I hesitated. Should I go? I'm no longer a student (even though sometimes I wish I still was), or don’t have any children. But out of curiosity, I still made my way to the presentation. I have to say I made a right call. 

Hilroy has everything to offer for more than just students and teachers- from classic and practical binders to fashion-forward notebooks, and from back-to-school packages to home office supplies. The beautiful colours, cute prints and creative designs really made me miss school all over again. I couldn't help myself but thinking: "Oh man, why we didn't have this back in the day?" And guess what, most of the stuff is already in stores. So if you’d like to avoid that end-of-August shopping crowd, I suggest that you check them out now in Target, Walmart or some other retailers. As for me, I especially have my eyes on Nate Berkus's collection and will be heading to Target in no time. :p 

当收到来自Fathom公司向我发出的去Hilroy活动的邀请时，说实在的，我犹豫了。我要去么？我既已经不是学生了（尽管有时候希望自己还是），也还没有孩子。这种文具预览活动不太适合我吧？不过，出于好奇，我还是去了。后来知道，这个决定非常正确。

从学生的文具到老师的用品，从经典实用的到前卫有创意的，从各种文具用品到居家办公品，他们家应有尽有。漂亮的色彩，可爱的图案，富有新意的设计让我再次萌生想要当学生的冲动。我不得不想：哎，为什么我们当时没有这样的文具呢？还有哦，大部分东西已经在塔吉特，沃尔玛等商场开始销售了。所以如果你不想凑八月低的购物热闹的话，我建议你还是尽早去看看吧。我呢，已经看重了Nate Berkus系列的东西啦。

Before making my way out, I was asked to play a game. In order to win all the candies from the event, I had to guess how many gum balls are in the jar. Can you guess what's the number I put down? What's your guess?

在我周之前被叫住来玩一个游戏。就是猜猜这个瓶子里有多少颗糖。谁猜得最接近，就可以把全部的糖都带走。你觉得我写的数字是多少？你会猜多少呢？

Mono Mood

Hi all, did you guys watch any World Cup games this weekend? Although I have always been and always will be a Brazil fan, I still have to admit that Germany did put on many great performances along the way and is well-deserved to be the first European champaign on a South American land.  

嗨亲们，你们这个周末有看世界杯总决赛嘛？尽管我永远都是巴西的忠实球迷，但是不得不承认，德国在本次世界杯确实上演了很多的精彩并成为了第一个在南美领土上获得冠军的欧洲国家。

Now, let's get back to my look today. I've been wanting to create a monochromatic look for a while, but didn't get the right inspiration to make it happen till I rediscovered this neon-ish orange shorts that I bought last year from H&M. I think the key to create a mono look is to play with different textures and layerings. Of course you can wear the exact same shade and fabric from head to toe, but I think mix and match makes pairing more fun and interesting. 

我一直以来都想打造一身一色系的着装，但总是找不到灵感。直到最近在我的衣橱里找到了我去年在HM买的这条有点带荧光色系的短裤，灵感才涌来。我觉得打造单色系着装的关键是搭配和层叠不同面料的单品。当然你也可以从头到脚都穿一种颜色或完全相同的面料，不过我个人觉得还是加入一点混搭会更有趣。

Are you interesting in creating a mono look? Or you hope this trend will go away?

你会想要尝试这种一色系的着装嘛？还是你希望这种流行趋势可以消失呢？

Thank you very much for reading!

感谢阅读！

Photography: Stephen Foks

Top: J.Crew (old, similar here | here)

Blouse: Club Monaco (old, love this one)

Shorts: H&M (old, similar here)

Bag: Zara (old, similar here | here)

Shoes: Ivanka Trump (old, similar here)

Olsen Fall/Winter Collection Preview

The journey of being a blogger has truly been an eye-opener for me as I often get introduced to brands that I weren't very familiar with. Olsen was one of them. However, after invited to their Fall/Winter 2014 Collection Preview a couple of days ago and had a sneak peek of their gorgeous ready-to-wear pieces, I will never forget about this brand. I even asked myself why I didn't get to know it earlier.

This kind of preview sometimes could turn into a huge tease because it's usually one or two season ahead and so the collection won't drop in stores till months later. However, many of Olsen's fall pieces will actually be available in August. We are almost there, aren't we?

当一个博主有时候很开眼界因为我经常有机会认识一些以前不太熟悉的牌子。Olsen就是其中一个。不过在前几天我被邀请到他们家的秋冬预览会去一睹他们家今年的新设计，新系列之后，对这个牌子的印象就相当深刻了。因为一般预览会展出的系列要到好几个月之后才会出现在店里，所以有时候会感觉挺令人郁闷的。不过Olsen家的好多秋季系列即将在8月就出货。很快了，不是吗？

After I arrived, one of Olsen's brand representative gave us a brief presentation and introduction about the brand and some signature pieces from their fall/winter collection. I was told Olsen is known for its knitwear and unique fabric choices, but I didn't really believe it till later when I had a closer look at the pieces and touched the fabrics with my own hands. From black and white print blouse to oversized trousers with faux leather details, Olsen is always able to offer that classic and versatile piece with a unique "Olsen" twist. Although I find their pieces are little bit pricy, I do believe there still are plenty of great investment items should be added to my fall and winter collection.

他们告诉我Olsen以他们家的针织品和独特的选料而出名，我一开始并不太相信直到我亲眼目睹并亲手触摸之后才知道他们家的衣服确实用料很讲究。从黑白图案的衬衣到有人造皮细节的宽松裤，Olsen总是能给这些很经典的单品来一个他们家独一无二的设计。尽管我觉得他们家确实有点贵了，不过有一些单品还是非常值得买的。

Thank you so much for reading! Have a great weekend!

感谢你的光临！周末愉快！

5 Dress-For-Work Tips You Gotta Know

Hi all,

Since I'm not working full-time right now, I don't really have to face the major dilemma every morning- spending a big chuck of time standing in front of my closet with a confused face. However, I still have to go to many formal meetings every week. And with the weather gets very hot during the day, how to dress professionally and comfortably without having to sacrifice looking good is also a challenge for everyone, including me.  So today, I'd like to share some of my thoughts on how to dress for work for summer.

嗨亲们，

尽管我目前没有一份朝九晚五的工作，所以我不用每天早上面临着站在我的衣橱前不知道要穿什么的抉择。但是，我每个星期还是有很多很正式的会议要参加。再加上，现在天气变得很炎热，要穿什么才会既看起来专业，穿起来舒服，又不失去时尚度呢？这的确是一个不小的难题。今天我就想跟大家分享5个你需要知道的上班族穿衣技巧！

1. Don't Ditch Your Blazer/Sweater

I understand that summer can get very humid and hot, and all you wanna wear is something breathable and sheer. But let's don't forget morning and nights could also get a little chilly. Sometimes I have to be on the road at 7 AM in the morning, and the temperature at that time wouldn't feel like summer at all. Plus, if you are working in an office environment, air conditioning sometimes could take you right back to winter. So, be prepare and bring a blazer or light sweater with you.

1。 不要把你的休闲西装外套和开衫收起来

我明白夏天的确很闷很热，所以我们只想穿那些透气性很强，很凉快的衣服。但是别忘记早晚的温度有时还是相当低的。有时候我早上七点就得出门，那时的温度完全感觉不到夏天的温暖。还有哦，如果你是上班族的话，应该深有体会，室内的空调有时候调得非常低，阴风阵阵的。所以我觉得随时准备一件小外套是挺有用的。

2. Wear Blouses

Looking professional and polished doesn't have to conflict with staying fashion forward and chic. One of the best versatile piece for an office look is blouses. They are not only very easy-breezy, but it's also quite simple to pair with anything to create a great business casual look. And if you want to look more fun, blouses with cute prints will be a great option. You can go for a more traditional prints, such as leopard, polka dot and strips. But there are also many different prints that are in trend right now, especially the fruit-prints and shape-prints. 

2。选择薄衬衣

职业性强和时尚度高这两点是完全可以共存的。其中一个非常百搭的单品就是薄薄的丝绸材质的衬衫。它不仅给人一种轻盈感觉的同时，还能通过搭配各种其他单品来打造一套完美的商务休闲装。而且，如果你想你的着装看起来更加活泼一点的话，不妨试试穿一些带有印花或图案的。不如说非常典型的豹纹，斑点，或者条纹。当下还很流行很多水果花纹和各种形状的图案衬衫呢。

3. Pencil Skirt

Although pencil skirt might sound very old fashion, it'd always be one of the best wearable pieces for work. First of all, pencil skirts generally have the perfect length that offer a professional yet chic vibe. And the silhouette of the skirts could compliments well with all kinds of body types. Lastly, it's such a versatile piece that can literally go well with anything- blouse, crop top, denim shirt...you name it! And you can even wear it on top of a dress to change up your wardrobe if you like.

3。 铅笔裙

尽管铅笔裙听起来很老套了，但是不可否认的是，它绝对是一个非常好搭的上班族单品。首先，它的长度非常合适，所以能塑造出那种职业性很强的感觉。其次呢，它的裁剪非常适合每个曲线的女孩子。因为它从臀部就开始往里收了，所以能起到提臀的效果。最后，它也是一个非常好搭的单品，和谁都能成为好朋友，像衬衫，半截衫，丹宁等等。你甚至还可以把铅笔裙穿在一条连衣裙的外面呢。

4. Pointy Toe Shoes

I highly recommend you to go for pointy-toe shoes because they generally can create an illusion that you have longer legs. Pumps or flats- your choice. Of course, the heels are higher, then your legs will look longer. But comfort is also another very important part to consider when putting an office outfit together. 

4。尖头鞋

我强烈推荐大家穿尖头鞋，因为它可以在视觉效果上把你的腿拉长。平底还是高跟，你的选择。当然，跟越高，你的腿看起来就会越长，但是对于上班的行头，舒适还是相当重要的。

5. Belt It Up

Whether it's a slim-tailored dress, a crop pants or even just a pencil skirt, a belt can come in handy with almost all the office pieces you want to put together. It not only gives that polished and finished touch to your outfit, but also is the best tool when you want to play some little tricks. For example, you can belt it a little bit higher than your actual waist line to create a better body proportion. Also, if your dress is a little bit too long, you can fold the fabrics at its waist line to make it shorter and use the belt to secure it.  

5。 系腰带
无论是你选择穿一条修身的连衣裙，一条七分西裤，还是铅笔裙，腰带都能起到一个修身和“点睛之笔”的作用。而且，有时候还可以视为一个很有用的工具。比如说，如果你把腰带系到腰部偏上一点的位置，可以给别人带来你的腿部更长的视觉效果。还有当你的裙子太长的时候，你可以把腰部的布折一折，再用腰带把它固定住。

So here are 5 dress-for-work tips you gotta know. Hope this article is somehow helpful. If you have any other suggestions or tips, please don't hesitate to comment and share, I'd love to read them.

希望今天的这篇文章能带给你们一点启发吧。如果你有一些不错的想法，请一定要与我分享哦。我也可以学学嘛。

Photography: Stephen Foks

Blouse: Joe Fresh (get it here)

Skirt: Banana Republic (old, similar here)

Blazer: J.Crew (old, similar here)

Shoes: Zara (sold out, similar here | also love this one)

Necklace: H&M (old, similar here)

Bag: Vintage Found

Artdeco 2014 Miami Summer Collection

To be honest, I had never heard of Artdeco till I met Lisa from Punch Communications a few weeks back. She asked me if I'd like to give this Germany's leading makeup brand a try. I kindly agreed. And after I came home and did some research, I found out this multi-award winning brand is now represented in over 70 countries, including Canada, and many Asian counties, like China and Korea. They also have plenty of innovative products and offers customers a high-end result with an affordable price. 

老实说，我以前从来没有听说过雅寇这个牌子，直到最近在一个活动上遇到了Punch公司的Lisa。她问我想不想试试这个德国数一数二的高端化妆品牌。我欣然答应了。当我回到家在网上查了查之后才发现，原来雅寇这个获得过很多奖的国际品牌已经在超过70个国家有代理了，包括加拿大，以及中国和韩国在内的许多亚洲国家。他们同时还有许多创新产品并拥有适中的售价和高端品牌的效果。

Although many online reviews indicated that Artdeco has a lot of signature products, such as their Eyeshadow base, the Mineral Fluid Foundation, and more, I can't tell you my opinion since I haven't tried those products yet. However, I did get to try out some beautiful cosmetics from their 2014 Miami Summer Collection and the Perfect Teint Concealer.  

The all in one liquid liner is quite nice. I really love how soft the brush is. I'm not even kidding. When putting the eye liner on, I felt that my eye lid was getting a great massage.  

尽管很多网上的评论都认为雅寇有很多不可多得的明星产品，比如他们家的亮眼光彩护底霜和矿物粉底液等，但因为我自己没试过，所以我不想加以评论。不过呢，我可以分享一下我使用过的这几个产品。

他们家的all in one眼线液还真挺不错的。刷毛特别的细致。不怕你笑话，我在涂的时候，感觉是在给自己的上眼皮按摩呢。

If you are looking for a heavy and flawless coverage, the Teint Concealer might not be for you as it offers a fairly natural and lighter effect. 

如果你喜欢那种非常厚重的遮瑕效果的话，这款遮瑕笔恐怕就不太适合你了。它比较轻盈，涂上感觉比较自然。

Last and also my favourite from their Miami Collection is the all in one mascara. First of all, it's a limited edition (The fact that it won't be available forever makes me want it more). And secondly, it really offers a long-lasting and luminous effect.

最后呢，想介绍我最终爱的产品，那就是限量版all in one睫毛膏啦。它涂上后非常持久，而且也相当浓密。 

The whole Miami collection was available in select Shoppers Drug Mart locations from the end of June. I will definitely get my hands on more Artdeco products. 

Thank you so much for reading! Talk soon!

整个夏威夷系列在六月底就已经在部分药装店开始销售了。我在接下来肯定会尝试更多的雅寇产品的。

谢谢光临！回聊啦！

Photography: Stephen Foks

Floppy Friday

Thanks to this blue floppy hat I picked up from Kind Exchange, my outfit got a lot of compliments while I was walking down Queen street yesterday. 

Floppy hat is always an essential piece for summer, and this year, it's going down the road for "the bigger the better". However, when talking about floppy hat though, we'd generally like to pair it with a maxi dress to create that casual chic beach-vibe. So today, let's try something different. How about upgrading a business casual look to an attention-grabbing one? Trust me, with this hat, you will be that IT girl at the after-work party and everybody would be wondering- "who is she?" But since I already have this statement piece, toning down the accessory is the best way to go. After all, I don't wanna to look like I'm trying too hard. Right? 

多亏了这顶蓝色的大檐帽，我昨天在皇后街上逛的时候得到了很多称赞呢。大檐帽吧，向来都是夏天的宠爱，而今年不同的是：流行趋势是帽子的边缘倾向于越大越好。不过说起大檐帽，我们一般会想要搭配一条长裙来打造一套比较休闲的海滩风。那今天让我们来点新的尝试吧。不如我们把一套比较休闲的商务装深造为一个引人注意的淑女装？相信我，有了这顶帽子，你绝对会成为公司派对里目光的焦点。一定会有很多人在琢磨：“那个女孩是谁啊？” 当然，帽子已经看起来这么大手笔了，那我们在配饰上就应该走清淡路线。低调，低调！

I'd also like to talk about Kind Exchange. They are a local store which you can sell/donate the items you are no longer in love with or buy/trade those second-hand pieces in store. 

When I first discovered them, I wasn't sure about the concept. I didn't mind second-hand designer consignment pieces, but regular brands? Used? I wasn't too impressed. But the more I visited their store, the more I was actually getting to like it. I grabbed this hat for only $10 and it's in a perfect condition. If you are not sure about used pieces, I recommend you to try accessories first and see how you like it.

我还想介绍一下我买这顶帽子的店铺－Kind Exchange。这个当地的连锁商店可以让MM们把自己已经不再喜欢的衣物卖了或者捐了，同时呢，也可以买或者换二手的商品。我一开始吧，对这个“二手商店”的新概念一点都不怎么上心。如果是名牌的二手，我可以理解，但是这些都只是一般的牌子哦，还是旧的哦？我不太能接收。但不经意好几次逛到了他们家，就越来越喜欢了。我的这顶帽子才不过10加币而已。你要是对二手不感冒，可以从配饰开始试试看。

So what are your thoughts on second-hand stores? Can't accept it or you think it's a great concept?

那你对这种二手店是怎么看的呢？觉得太难接收？还是感觉是一个不错的理念？

Photography: Stephen Foks

Hat: Kind Exchange: (current, similar here)

Shirt: Gap (recent, similar here, last seen here)

Skirt: Urban Outfitters (old, similar here | here)

Shoes: Zara (old, similar here)

Bag: ChicWish (get it here)

Sunnies: BCBGeneration