Style Obsession: Accordion Pleats

Ok, so I know that accordion pleats tend to conjure up images more so of your grade school librarian than sexy fashionista, but I think that's about to change. My current style obsession with long, gorgeous pleats is reflective of this season's huge 70's influence- and I am in love! A long pleated skirt will give your outfit an instant glamourous and ladylike appeal. What do you think of wearing pleats this season and all through summer? Check out these picks below and let me know what you think!

Pleated Mini Skirt
Free People ($65)

Mateo Strapless Pleated Dress
BCBG Maxazria ($298)

Embellished Pleated Dress
ASOS ($62.76)

Accordion Pleat Skirt
Zara ($79.90)

Shopping Queen Street Toronto

When I first moved to Toronto, I was told repeatedly to check out the shops on Queen Street West. While this bustling street boasts many of my favorite stores like h&m and Zara, it's also home to many boutique shops. Now I'll be the first to admit that it's much easier to go to a store you're comfortable shopping in, but if you have a few hours to spare, vintage shopping is so thrilling. What's better than finding something so unique that you can be certain none of your friends will have it? The best part might be the fact that you can find some real bargains.

I took a trip to explore Queen Street yesterday afternoon. The sun was finally out and it seemed like the perfect day for some shopping! The first shop I ventured in to was called Champagne & Cupcakes. Who can resist a name like that? Though I wasn't greeted with either a cupcake or a glass of champagne (a girl can dream), I was still delighted by the affordable dresses they had to offer.

A couple stores down is a vintage shop called 69 Vintage. I would have missed it if not for two adorable girls who stepped out as I almost passed by. While rummaging through some truly impressive finds, I came across a Coach brown leather crossbody purse. Shocked that it was only $20, I quickly snatched it up! For anybody adventurous enough to give it a try, I seriously recommend this store!

Do you have a favorite non-traditional store you love visiting? Are you into vintage shopping? I'd love to hear about it!

How to Transition into Spring with a Maxi Dress

A floral maxi dress is the perfect way to play up the fun trends of spring style while still battling the chilly weather. Though short shorts and skirts are still a ways away, a long skirt gives you some extra leeway for unexpected drops in temperature (ahem, snow in April?!). Check out this look and let me know what you think!

Casual Jackets by French Connection
Sandals by DKNY

Toss Your Sneakers into that Work Bag!

Kate Hudson in Bride Wars
fabsugar

It looks like Kate Hudson had it right when she incorporated a treadmill into her office in Bride Wars. Though I clearly remember her eating chocolate while working out during this film, her intentions were good! For those of you that work a 9 to 5, do you ever get antsy from sitting so long? I certainly do, and it's been a tough adjustment from my normally active lifestyle.

According to James Levine of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, prolonged sitting can have harmful effects on your body. His studies show that your "calorie-burning rate immediately plunges to about one per minute, a third of what it would be if you got up and walked." More important that just counting calories, these habits can eventually lead to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. I won't go into all of the shocking details, but I'm sure you can see that we're not meant to be behind desks all day every day.

I know we can't all have treadmills in our office, but there are some things we can do to incorporate physical activity into our everyday routines! At my office, there is a group of ladies that use the stairwell for exercise during their lunch break. Simple, yet brilliant. It's so easy to add something like this to your day, you just have to make the effort and start a routine.

Are you going to make be making any changes to your work habits?

Spring Clean Your Wardrobe

If you're like most of us right now, you're probably snowed in or dealing with some rough weather this weekend. Why must winter kick and scream on it's way out? While there's nothing you can do to fast forward to spring, you can certainly get a head start on cleaning out your closet! Here are a few tips to help you through the process.

SheKnows.com

1. Out with the old, in with the new. Before you can gear up for springs and all the new maxi skirts or bold stripes, you must make room for them! Set aside anything you haven't worn in the past year. Chance are, you won't be wearing them any time soon. Also pull out the clothes that don't fit. Still holding onto your favorite pair of jeans from high school? It's time to let go! Make sure to donate to your local charity or consignment store. 
2. Create an organization system. For me, this meant going out and buying shoe racks and extra hangars, but you don't necessarily have to spend more money. Making use of under-bed storage should be enough to clear away your winter coats and make room for spring!
3. Shop! Make a list of the spring trends you plan to invest in, and then do some price shopping. I find it much more helpful to have some goals in mind before shopping, since I can be easily distracted by the "wants" over "needs."

How are you getting ready for spring? Have you done your spring cleaning yet?

Summer Staples from Gap

Although I'd love to go out and buy all my favorite summer trends, that's just not going to happen. Instead, I plan on just investing in a few versatile pieces to last me through the warm weather. After spotting Gap's Summer Lookbook, I knew exactly where to get my summer staples! Here are a few of my top picks that I plan on getting plenty of miles out of this year.

What are your summer staples? Will you be investing in a maxi dress too?

A white top is the perfect summer staple- pair with anything from jean shorts to a maxi skirt.
Draped Tie Neck Top ($54.95)

Invest in a good pair of jean shorts- they will never go out of style!
Denim Pleated Trouser Shorts ($54.50)

I'm really loving maxi dresses this summer! Dress up or dress down.
Double Strap Maxi Dress ($39.95)

A straw fedora might just be the most fun summer accessory ever made...
Bow Fedora ($29.95)

How to Wear Shorts to the Office

One of my favorite benefits from this warmer weather is a more casual atmosphere and dress code at work. You can forget about those black tights and and sweater dresses and embrace your open-toed shoes that have been gathering dust in your closet! Shorts, however, can be a tough look to pull off for the office. You certainly don't want to show too much leg, but the long bermuda length doesn't flatter every body type.

I suggest you go for a mid to long length trouser short with a tie at the waist like these ones from Gap. Anything you can tie or belt is ideal, since you don't want your tummy or back to show! Trade in your black blazer for a summery tan or white and you're all set.

What do you think of this look? Will you be wearing shorts to the office this summer?

Shorts by Gap
Watches by Michael Kors

How to Wear Socks with Summer Sandals

Socks with sandals may be one of the oldest of fashion faux pas, but this may soon be a thing of the past. Girly, frilly socks can add some serious attitude to your summer dresses if paired appropriately. Leighton Meester's outfit is a perfect example of how to pull this look off flawlessly. Make sure your socks blend with the general tone of your outfit and don't overpower your dress or accessories. Please also note that these aren't your average gym socks! I recommend h&m's 3-pack of neutral colors. I just purchased them a few weeks ago and am dying to try them out once the weather warms up a bit more.

What do you think of this socks with sandals trend? Are you willing to give it a try?

Leighton Meester
Flowersandfashion.com

Piperlime

Zara's Bright Hues and Bold Stripes for April

Those of you on a strict shopping budget should beware: you may be tempted by everything in Zara this season! I wanted to spend hours in the store trying all the new pieces on, but I'll save you the trouble so you don't have to. One trend you just can't ignore is the bright color palate. From bright pink skirts to colored jeans, I seriously suggest you step out of your comfort zone and go for something eye-catching. If you can muster up the courage for these bright solids, then you can certainly branch out to some bold stripes and patterns. (The extremely courageous should mix and match!) Large stripes, like the photo below, are one thing I'm super excited about this Spring.

What are you looking forward to wearing as the weather improves? Have you been to Zara yet?

Zara Studio Top
FabSugar

Zara Striped Blouse
FabSugar

Zara Striped Skirt
FabSugar

3 Reasons You Should Be on LinkedIn

Everybody tends to refer to LinkedIn as the Faceboook for professionals, but it's so much more than that! Not only can it help you connect with classmates and colleagues, but it can help you land your dream job. LinkedIn brings networking to a social platform that is accessible by anybody that puts in the effort. Instead of having to be invited to networking events (and possibly shell out some cash), you have the ability to create your own groups with people have the same interests and goals as you do. Here are my Top 3 Reasons for joining and taking full advantage of everything LinkedIn has to offer.

1. Job Search. LinkedIn surpassed all other resources as the best job search tool in 2010. If you're not on LinkedIn, or if you're not utilizing all it has to offer, then you're missing out. Many employers post job opportunities to their LinkedIn page. Not only can it directly result in a new opportunity, but it can help you network for one
2. Network. It can help you keep up to date in your current field and share information with your peers. There are hundreds if not thousands of different LinkedIn groups, and you even have the freedom to create your own. I recommend you start by connecting with your alumni and see where that takes you!
3. Sales. No matter what business you're in, LinkedIn can be a great lead-gen tool for B2B or a a way to reach customers for a B2C. They also offer advertising, which can help you reach your specific target market.

Are you on LinkedIn yet? If not, are you convinced now?

The Future of Media: Anybody's Game

Future of Media
David Silverberg, Jamie Angus, Jon Taylor, Chris Boutet,
Kathy Vey & Matthew Ingram (from left to right)

Last night, I attended Digital Journal's Future of Media panel discussion at the Drake Hotel in Toronto. I can't quite put my finger on how I found out about this event, but I think it came up on my Twitter feed one day. Since I've always been intrigued by anything involving social media and blogging, I thought I'd give it a try. It didn't hurt that I'm new to Toronto and could benefit from some networking opportunities!

I'm so happy I signed up because the panel was great! Ever since I graduated last May, I've actually been missing the classroom atmosphere and heated debates. The discussions were stimulating and thought-provoking; it brought me back to my favorite Communication Law class from my senior year. The panel was made up of Jamie Angus from BBC World News, Jon Taylor from Bell Media, Chris Boutet from the National Post, Matthew Ingram from GigaOM, and Kathy Vey from OpenFile. (Check out their bios here)

They touched on everything from online paywalls (like the New York Times) to augmented reality provided by the newest phones. On that note, did you know that you could hold your camera phone up to say, the CN Tower, and it could bring up a Wikipedia page telling you everything about it? So cool! My favorite discussion involved Twitter and how businesses are adapting to this new form of social media. Who knew Twitter would take off like it has? Jamie Angus mentioned the hesitations that the BBC have in their media anchor's getting an account. Is the BBC responsible for the content they write on Twitter while they're not in the office? You bet they are. They still represent the BBC no matter what time they choose to blog. This is the same as professional athletes deciding to create a Twitter account. They have to realize that they are in the public eye and have to act accordingly.

How do you feel about your favorite public personas using Twitter? Do you hold them accountable for everything they write? If media's not your thing, what discussions would you sign up for?

Espadrilles Under $100

Strapping on a pair of these adorable wedge sandals is an instant mood boost. Maybe it's just me, but espadrilles bring back memories of beach vacations and lounging poolside. But you don't have to wait for that beautiful summer weather to start wearing them! Pair them with jeans for now until you can start wearing your favorite summer dresses. Ideally, lighter washes and white jeans look best with this summer shoe, so do your best to avoid your black jeggings with these sandals. Here are a few of my favorite picks that won't break your budget.

Dolce Vita Suede Espadrille
Free People ($79)

Rope Espadrille
Nine West ($79)

Lazar Espadrille
Nine West ($99)

Steve Madden Espadrille
Nordstrom ($79.95)