A Different Era

Dress c/o // Shoes (found at Winners) Similar: here & need THIS boot version // Handbag // Lipstick in "Shanghai Express" (the BEST red!)

The moment I saw this Rosegal dress I knew I wanted to style it for work. Something about the 1920's style just seemed too perfect for a day in the office. While I had heard of Rosegal before, this was my first time actually trying out their clothes. The color of this dress is gorgeous & I was pleased with the fit. My one complaint is that the buttons are cheap quality. That said, for the price of the dress I was definitely pleased (and can change the buttons myself without too much effort/cost i think). 

I've got a couple other items from Rosegal that I quite like, and I'll be showing them on the blog in the coming weeks! In the meantime, be sure to check them out and let me know your thoughts.

To compliment the 20's era office dress, I wanted to stick with low block heels. I recently picked these gold accent heels up at Winners and knew they would go perfectly with this dress. The style reminds me of my grandma - but with a fashionable twist. The fact that they are actually comfortable is just an added bonus haha.

Purse wise, I decided to go with my Forever 21 crossbody which I love because it is a total look-a-like of this Chloe crossbody that has been all the rage this year. This is definitely one of my favorite handbags.

I had a really low-key weekend, I've been a bit under the weather, so I am hoping this work week takes it easy on me! I'm planning on getting up extra early this whole week to try to get an hour of work done before Court every morning. I think it will make a huge difference to my stress load during the day, so I am excited to try it out. I am however armed with a stupid amount of coffee in my cupboard just to be on the safe side haha.

thank you to Rosegal for sponsoring this post. As always, all content & reviews are my own. 
linking up with: let it shine //  shoe & tell // hello monday // on trend tuesdays // style swap // tuesday fashion party // layers & lipstick  

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Theory

Dress // Shoes // Similar Handbags: (1), (2), (3) // Bracelets // Similar Earrings

This dress was my first Theory purchase, and I cannot sing it's praises highly enough! The quality is evident from the moment you touch the material. This has easily become my favorite new work dress. 

I love the subtle green-black-blue print of the dress as well. I decided to pair it with similar tones, so I went with my green-blue handbag and my navy blue suede slingbacks. Gold accessories polished the look off. I love doing bracelet stacks for the office.

In other news, last night sucked. If you follow me on instagram or twitter you know that Mode Media - one of the biggest blogger agencies in North America - filed for bankruptcy yesterday; leaving thousands of bloggers out thousands of dollars. 

It's a really scary feeling that you can sign a contract, do work and then never actually get paid. I am definitely in shock and still trying to process the whole  thing. If you are a fellow Mode media blogger - my condolences (virtual hugs all around). It's a good time to reflect upon your finances & hopefully we'll all come out of this stronger!

I hope you all have an awesome weekend, whatever you plan on doing. See you back here on Monday! 

linking up with: trend spin (jewelry) 

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Diner en Blanc - Vancouver

 Similar white dresses: (1), (2), (3) // White Flats // Rose Gold Statement Ring // Similar Rose Gold Heart Ring // Earrings // Similar Crossbody // Lipstick in "wired"

This past Thursday I attended Diner en Blanc Vancouver. Diner en Blanc is an event that was started in Paris over 30 years ago. It is, essentially, a mass picnic in a secret location. Everyone wears all white and brings their picnic supplies to the location that is revealed to them that tonight. This event takes place in dozens of cities all over the world. At Diner En Blanc in Vancouver this year, there were over 6,000 people.

I expected the evening to be pretty fun - but it definitely exceeded my expectations! It was really interesting to have so many people all gathered together. I met a ton of people and loved all the acrobat & music performances. If you saw my instagram stories from Thursday night, you'll no doubt have seen how stunning the view itself was as the sun set over false creek!

Knowing that I had to be in all white, but also that I'd be carrying picnic things, I wanted to be comfortable. I bought this dress in Athens a few years back and I just adore it. I picked up these flats for FIVE DOLLARS at Ardene Thursday night before the event. Ardene is my go to place for last minute cheap accessories. These shoes were super comfy and the perfect add on to this all-white outfit.



I also wanted to share some tips for anyone planning on attending a Diner en Blanc event next year:

1. Wear Flats
I cannot emphasize this enough. Bring heels to change into if you want them for your look, but wear flats to begin with. Since you have an assigned meeting spot and then head to the secret location, you don't know how much walking you'll have to do. It's not worth the risk!


2. Bring Water
You may end up waiting at your pick-up location for quite some time depending how far from the secret location you are. (My friends and I were there for over an hour). Having some water on you will make this less painful. 

3. Meet Your Neighbours!
Diner en Blanc is the ultimate social event. I was surprised at how chatty everyone was. The table set ups invite you to get to know the people beside you, and unlike at most events everyone is very interested in getting to know other people and learning about the people they are dining with. You'll be surprised at the unique and awesome people you meet if you just branch out!

4. Plan Your Meal Wisely
In terms of what to bring for your picnic dinner, stick with foods that are enjoyable at room temperature. Nothing will stay particularly cold or hot in the hours of time leading up to the dinner. Pasta salad, quinoa salad, bread and cheese all make great choices. 

linking up with: let it shine // shoe & tell // creative mondays // #howisummer // mix it mondays // summer style // #wiwt 
 

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Wednesday Wants: Fall Wear-to-Work New Releases

Pleated Skirt Midi Dress // Striped Tweed Skirt // Embroidered Navy Top // Grey Wide Leg Cropped Pants

 

Emerald Ruffle Top // Pink Wide Leg Trousers // Blue Floral Dress // Checkered Dress  

Stores are starting to roll out their 2016 fall fashion and I am in LOVE with so many items. (Despite the fact, I have to add, that we only started getting summer weather here in Vancouver about a week ago. ugh. haha)

This week's wants are my favorite pieces (so far) for fall 2016 from my go to stores for office wear. I love the trends this season - from wide leg pants, to detailed shirts, to so. much. texture. It's going to be a great season for fashion! 

In other news, I finally updated my instagram to the latest version so I have instagram stories! I am already hooked. I love making videos to share with you all throughout the day. If you're not following me already, be sure to do so. My instagram is @LegalLeeBlonde



linking up with: oh hey girl // trendy wednesday // throwback thursday // TFF //

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Bow Shift Dress

Dress c/o // Purse // Similar Shoes // Statement Bracelet // Similar Bow Bracelet // Statement Earrings

This dress has become a go-to for me for this summer. I love the loose fit - I can feel comfortable and work appropriate. What sold me on the dress though, of course, was the tiny bow detailing at the chest. It adds a touch of femininity and interest to a basic shift silhouette.

This dress is also great because while it works for the summer, I also plan to wear it to work this fall with opaque black tights and ankle booties. This is the definition of an all season item in my books!

In other news, I've got an awesome giveaway going on on my instagram right now! I generally *hate* "loop" giveaways, but this is just me & 9 blogger friends so it's much less work to enter. I hope you like it... I am personally obsessed with the wallet we are giving away!

linking up with: let it shine // shoe & tell // on trend tuesdays // garay treasures // Confident Twosday // style swap tuesdays // tuesday fashion party // trendy wednesday
   

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My #NSale Purchases - with Honest Product Reviews & Try-On Photos

I am so excited to (finally) share with you my purchases from this year's #NSale. There are only TWO DAYS left to shop the sale, so be sure to check out these items and place your orders STAT!

While general #NSale roundups are great, I wanted to go more in depth and actually provide you guys with reviews of the items I got; sizing tips, notes about the fabric and my thoughts on the item. As a lawyer I couldn't help but structure this by way of me giving you my verdict on each item #lawyerproblems. Without any further ado, here goes: 

Outfit One: Theory Dress

YOU. GUYS. This dress is ah-mazing. It 1000% lives up to the hype. This is my first Theory purchase; though I have been eyeing their suits since the day I stepped foot into law school. I've been hesitant to pull the trigger because of the price tags, but with the dress coming in at under $200, I had to do it. 

Quality: This dress is incredibly well made - the stitching and tailoring are perfect - well worth the investment. 

Size: This fits true-to-size (I am wearing a size 6)

Verdict: 10/10. This is EASILY my favorite score from the sale. KEEPING.

Outfit 2: CeCe Tweed Suit Skirt & CeCe Tweed Suit Jacket

 

Finding suits that are professional but feminine can be very challenging. That's why, when I saw this suit in the sale, I was positively giddy. Overall, I like this.

Quality: The quality is not as great as I would have expected. The lining seems cheap and (for some incredibly odd reason) its is also BRIGHT blue. You can see a hint of it if you look at my sleeve in the last photo. That said, for the price, the suit is still pretty good. I LOVE the slight a-line cut of the skirt - such a refreshing change from the classic pencil skirt (and one that is far more flattering on my body type). I also like that the hem of the skirt is slightly shorter than I am used to finding (but still work appropriate).

Size: This fits just a touch on the large size- I would size down if you are in-between sizes, otherwise stick with your usual size. (I am wearing a size 4).

Verdict: 7.5/10. Despite the mediocre quality, the unique design and flattering fit of this suit make it worth it. KEEPING.

Outfit 3: BP Open Front Cardigan // Zella Leggings // Tory Burch Riding Boots

 

I just have to say this outfit is making me crave fall something fierce. PUMPKIN SPICE ALL THE THINGS. Okay, now that that is out of my system, let me review each item here in turn.

BP Open Front Cardigan:

Quality: Meh. Not much to report. It is neither noticeably good or bad. It is the toast of the clothing world.

Size: Definitely fits large. Size down at least one size (I am wearing a size small, and would have actually preferred an XS)

Verdict: 4/10. This sweater had SO much hype in the fashion blogging world, and to be honest I don't see why. I found the fit to actually be very unflattering - as opposed to a standard loose fit I found it a bit 'bubbled' in the hip area which made my hips (a problem area) appear even larger. RETURNING.

Zella Leggings 

Quality: In stark contrast to the above, these leggings are SO worth the hype. I love the material - just enough stretch to be comfortable but still suck you in nicely. They also sit high on the waist (that perfect sweet spot right underneath your belly button) and are thus perfect in my mind. That said, I do still swear by the Victoria's Secret VSX leggings as the best leggings of all time but these are now my definite second favorite.

Size: Fits a bit large. Size down if you are between sizes (or if you want a really tight fit). I am wearing size small. 

Verdict: 8/10. KEEPING.

Tory Burch Riding Boots

Quality: Perfection. I love that these are a smooth leather as opposed to last years 'cobbled' TB boots. The gold emblem is the perfect size and adds just a touch of sparkle. I will be living in these this fall; no question.

Size: Fits true to size or a bit small. I am wearing a 9.5 and I range between a 9 and a 9.5. I also have large calves and these have the perfect amount of 'just a touch' of space for me, so that is great (please note this are the standard not wide calf version). What that means though, is that if you have small calves this may end up being too 'clunky' on you.  

Verdict: 9/10. KEEPING.

Outfit 4: Halogen Belted Pink Top // Zella Leggings // Vince Camuto Lace-Up Heels

Let me just say upfront that I am not a fan of this outfit! I had very high hopes for this top, thinking it would be flattering but comfortable- perfect for fall. But, I don't like it in person sadly!

Halogen Belted Pink Top

 

Quality: So-So. The color of the fabric is beautiful and the material is not too thick and not too thin (yay for not being see through). I don't like the flimsy quality of the tie around the waist though (*though this issue can be addressed as you can see below)

Size: True to size. I am wearing a size small.

Verdict: At first: 2/10 .... but on second thought, 6/10... 

Essentially, I realized that while i do not like the way the tie waist sits as shown on the website, I actually REALLY like the look of this top if you tie the belt around back- as you would if you were tying a trench coat to sit open. This creates a more flattering line and it takes care of the issues I found with the tie being flimsy. So, in the end I decided I liked this top. KEEPING. Here are two more pics to show what I mean about tying it differently.

 Zella Leggings 

See review above. 

Vince Camuto Lace-Up Heels

Quality: Excellent. Lace up shoes can be iffy on quality (always check to see how secure the grommets for the laces are - they can rip on cheap shoes) and these are very well made. The suede and deep burgundy color are beautiful. I did really like these, BUT let me tell you, they take four billion years to put on. You need to carefully pull at all the lace loops to make them go on properly (and have the laces cross evenly across your foot). If you are willing to deal with doing this then these shoes are definitely a great purchase, I just am way too impatient for that. 

Size: True to size. I am wearing a size 9.

Verdict: 7/10. RETURNING. 

THAT'S IT FOLKS! I would love, love, love to hear your thoughts on this post, on my outfits (did I keep the right items?!) and any reviews you may have of these items! Let me know in the comments below. And lastly, to recap, here are the direct links to shop all of the above mentioned items: 

Theory Dress
CeCe Tweed Suit Skirt 
CeCe Tweed Suit Jacket
BP Open Front Cardigan
Zella Leggings
Tory Burch Riding Boots 
Halogen Belted Pink Top
Zella Leggings
Vince Camuto Lace-Up Heels

Also, for anyone wondering the other items you see me wearing in the photos are:
My Heels: Cole Haan 
My Bracelet: Olive & Piper
My Phone Case: Kate Spade

linking up with: casual friday // fab favorites // friday favorites //

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A Day at the Races

Dress - Also similar: here // Hat c/o // Heels // Bracelet // Lipstick

I wore this outfit this past weekend for the Deighton Cup - an annual horse racing event here in Vancouver. I was really excited to finally have an opportunity to wear this Kate Spade dress I got a few months back. The mint color is even prettier in person! I think it would be a perfect dress for a fancy brunch or bridal shower.

I decided to add this gorgeous hat by MARIA CURCIC MILLINERY to the outfit because, honestly, how many occasions do you have to get dress up and wear a hat!? I loved getting to wear it! One thing that is really cool about MARIA CURCIC MILLINERY is that they have a hat rental program so that (if you are local) you can rent hats for events instead of buying. Such a great way to accessorize for a fancy event without a commitment. 

This week has been a whirlwind so far! Monday & Tuesday I was on vacation with my best friend and goddaughters (follow my twitter to see some hilarious fashion related tweets courtesy of my 7 year old god daughter!! haha) and so Wednesday & Thursday were nuts at work. Today should be equally crazy, but, at least it's a Friday! Plus we are FINALLY getting some sunshine & summer weather here in Vancouver!

linking up with: fab favorites // fabulous friday // flashback fashion friday // friday favorites 

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