Another Tequila Sunrise (and 500th Post Giveaway!)

Huzzah! The time has come for my 500th post.

Wow - I can't believe that this is my 500th time I have polluted the webwaves with my inane dribble. I'm suprised some of you people are still around!

So, to reward your bravery (perhaps naivete?) I am giving away THREE dresses this time.

Here is how the giveaway will work:

1. Leave a "relevant" comment below (or in tomorrow's post - I'll tell you when to stop ;P)

2. If you link to this giveaway I will enter you TWICE - leave me a comment letting me know that you are linking me though, because although I do visit all of your blogs, I would hate to miss someone

3. I will pick three winners over three days. Rather, using a random generator, I will pick three winners but only announce it slowly. For example, Wednesday I will announce the first winner, and so on....

4. The first winner will get to CHOOSE their prize, the second winner will choose between the remaining two and the third, you get the idea.

5. Yes, I am giving you three choices- The choices are:


This NWT Forever 21 chiffon layer dress in size small (really small, I can't fit in it and I have a 34 in chest, prob fit a 32")


This NWOT Love Yaya dres (retail $176! At Shopbop! WOW) - same as above, except mine has light horizontal white stripes across the skirt part. This dress is roomy up top and super stretchy on the bottom so, though it is a size 2 (small) it could fit a medium, easily.


This gently used (no signs of wear) Sprouts Tunic dress from Forever 21 in a size small. This dress could totally fit a medium though because its empire waist is very stretchy. Lovely dress, so soft!

Speaking of soft dresses, my Splendid dress reminds me of a cold, tall glass of Tequila Sunrise.

I have a habit of trying to match a lot of the colours I wear and luckily for me, I own a lot of coral. I even had coral Pour La Victoire sandals that went perfectly with this outfit, but I didn't want to be TOO matchy matchy.

Though I love coral with my skintone and hair, I have other favourite colours I wear a lot of in summer: Royal Blue, White, Yellow and Green are my main staples.














Dip-dye Dress: Splendid; Wedges: Go Jane; Bag: Mango MNG; Ring: ASOS; Bracelets and earrings: F21; Bathing suit: Victorias Secret

What colours do you wear most once the warmer temps hit? Do you switch it up or stick to the same colours year round?

Lemme know below and you'll be entering the contest:)

GOOD LUCK!

PS - this contest is open to EVERYONE EVERYWHERE (except: Russia - crazy shipping problems with that country. Sorry!)

Desert Tribe

I am not a slave to the trends. I do not say this because I am above trends, or too cool for them, but I have a few issues that surround me. One, is that I do not like to look like anyone else, hence why I used to love H&M, only because they didn't have it in Canada and would stock up when in Europe. Two, most trends do not suit my body type at all. Three, I do not know who makes up these trends, but most of the time they don't gel with my style.

To put it simply, I like what I like, trendy or not.

Back in 2006, before Gladiator sandals were everywhere, I bought this wicked pair off of Ebay:



I bought them because I am always a fan of theme dressing, an a grecian godess or tribal warrior is always at the top of my list. I love those looks. But mainly, these sandals covered up my scars, so I could wear skirts and dresses without feeling persecuted. Can you believe that before last year, I would spend my summers in boots? Or I simply would never wear dresses or skirts, no matter how much I loved them?

Anyway, now glads are everywhere and while I am not getting as many crazy looks as I did three years ago when I wore them, I do not like looking like I'm trying to jump on the bandwagon. Yesterday, as I worked from home, I felt exactly that. I dressed like one big trend-whore.

But I didn't care! I got up, feeling inspired by the stifling heat, and wanted to wear my new Karta dress that just screamed "DRY! DESERT! MESAS! RATTLESNACKS! THE EAGLES!" and thus this trend-bomb was born.

I'm just proud of this outfit. So many times I get dressed and it's kinda "meh" (I should do a post of all my meh outfits, the ones that just didn't warrant a post), but this I found was the anti-meh. I dunno. What do you think?



















Silk and lace snakeskin dress: Karta; Sandals: unknown; Bangles + Earrings + Belt: Forever 21; Bag: Vintage


BTW - This is my 499th post! Watch for my giveaway tomorrow, where three BRAND NEW awesome dresses are up for grabs :)

Hot Hot Heat

Yep - we are breaking records in my normally rainy and mild province of British Columbia. Today it was 20 degrees when I woke up this morning and it's 30 now (35 away from the water, and I am thankfully by the water).

I was uber lucky that I was able to work from home today, as I spent my lunch hour in the solace of my pool with a nice cool can of some grapefruit vodka drink. Working from home is hard, man! So unmotivated - but I am getting some stuff done, too bad the ocean breeze coming in my window is so damn distracting!

Anyhoo, this is what I wore to work yesterday (yes, most of what you see me wear is what I have worn to work) - I had been eyeing these interesting wedges from Modern Vintage on Shopbop and they arrived the other day. I freakin' LOVE them! They are (more or less) easy to walk in, unique, comfortable (once they get broken in around the toes, of course), a sweet putty shade and have ankle-hiding cuffs - all my prerequisites for the perfect shoe!






















I also snagged this necklace on Forever 21 - I saw it modeled so beautifully on Emily (but what isn't?), but heard it was sold out. Then while I was perusing the Canadian F21 site, I saw it and snatched it up. It is so versatile and gorgeous, and pairs so well with this cuff. Only caveat is that it hurt my neck by the end of the day, lol.

Tank, bib stone necklace and cuff: Forever 21; Skirt: Odille; Shoes: Modern Vintage

Now that warmer weather is (hopefully) upon us all, what do YOU do to beat the heat? For me, I'm all about the skirts or airy, flowy dresses - speaking of, look out for tomorrow's post :) I also enjoy spritzes of this stuff, eating chips with cold salsa, drinking lots of coconut water and having all my coffee or teas ICED!

PS - If you want to read about my adventures and see the fashion in Seaside, Oregon - CLICK HERE :)

Hippie Hippie Shake

Dress: Unknown; Vest: Narcissist; Belt: ASOS; Sandals: Forever 21; Bag: Miele Bianco; Necklace: Express


It is freaking HOT out. I mean, seriously, June 3rd and by the time it's 7AM, it's already 20 degrees. I am NOT complaining though - I love it! In fact, I have been getting up at 630AM just to go swimming in my pool, it's so gorgeous at that time and swimming for a half hour is so much more enjoyable than a half hour run.

These balmy, hot, dry days are perfect for my hippie state-of-mind (hippie brought on by Sienna Miller's style and my eternally wavy hair).

I scored that vest at my clothing swap party I had last Saturday - it was a success, by the way, and pics will be shared shortly. A friend of mine (whom also likes theme dressing, as I do) saw the vest and said, "I wish I could wear that without people asking me what the hell I was doing" (it wasn't her normal style). I thought the same and promptly grabbed it. I don't own any vests and this one screamed parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme to me. An added bonus is that it was one of my friend Hannah's (Narcissist) designs - she made it! (or an intern did, whateves).

Thanks for all your support on the job front. I'm just gonna work hard at my current position till October and keep my eyes open for opportunities along the way. Again, I like my bosses and I like my ROLE and I like coming to work. But I don't like the way the company is going one bit, so I guess I should use this time to move on.

PS We are closer to my 500th post! Considering I started this blog three years ago while in Journalism school, I should have more but let's just say I used to be a VERY lazy blogger :)

Anyhoo, great prizes coming up next week, including this gorgeous forever 21 dress - stay tuned for that!

The Devil Inside

tank: SEE BY CHLOE; jeans: MAVI; sunglasses and jewelry: FOREVER 21; wedges: MICHAEL KORS; bag; MANGO MNG; moto jacket: LA ROK


This goofy devil face is totally the opposite of what I am feeling right now, though I do feel this wealth of anger and evil rollicking inside my soul at the moment.

Allow me to explain - nay - bitch:

I like my job. I don't love it, but I don't mind it. I don't have too much pressure, for the most part I like the people that I work with (though don't get me started on people from other offices). I like that I can write everyday, I like that it is easy enough. I don't like the fact that I have no interest in engineering, but whatever.

I was hired last October, after a summer of fruitless and intense jobs-searching. I was to be a mat leave replacement, but was told I would actually be hired as a full-time employee - not on contract. Well, turns out it was on contract and though at first they were very positive about me staying on beyond the year, things have kinda taken a downturn.

My bosses are positive...meaning, they want me to stay (I think), in fact the other day they told me that despite all the changes (more on that later), there are so many opportunities becoming available, ways to move up, etc. But my bosses don't run the company. In fact, I don't know who does anymore.

Anyway, when I got hired, my company was a small 1,000 firm. They then were taken over by a bigger firm, which proceeded to take over other companies) and soon it was a 4,000 people firm. The integration is still taking place, meaning lots of layoffs and lots of changes - bad changes. People have lost their banked time, their health care plan, company credit cards, if you are sick for more than 4 days, you must go on disability, they've lost their exercise reimbursement plan and now vacation plan.

Before, we were allowed to use our 15 days whenever we wanted. Now, we must accrue them before we use them and we can't go into the negative anymore. I had already used 10 and was planning on using my 5 this summer to go to Vegas, attend a family reunion, go on the boat, etc. Now - suddenly and with NO warning - we are told we can't go negative and therefore I can not use my 5 days until my year is up, ie October. But I may not even BE here in October! So I have to now take a leave of absence, unpaid.

I'm also going to be the Maid of Honour in my best friend's wedding in New Zealand in December. I had always planned to take my 3 weeks of vacation in one go, since it was the start of my second year. But now, I would only be able to take 2 days of vacay (since that will be all I've earned since Oct) - I would only be able to take 3 weeks straight in October 2010!

That is complete bullshit. It's all bullshit.

So now I have to take a 3-week leave of absence...3 weeks without pay! I can't do that!

People everywhere are mad as hell...there was no warning, people now have to purchase vacation time in 1-week intervals (ie you have to buy one or two weeks, no more no less and I can't even take part because suddenly I'm on contract).

So, really, my only option is to start looking for another job. I am not holding my breath that I will have one come October. After all, 10 people were laid off here last week. My mat leave person comes back in October...in this economy, will they justify having two duplicate positions? This office is also melding with another office in January...will there be three duplicate positions?

And if there is, will I want to stay? I like my role, but I don't like this company at all anymore, especially as it is becoming an American company with less and less power up here - the economy is also about 80% worse in the states, so how will that affect us? The dimwitted but kind CEO is going elsewhere and a new "asshole" boss is coming into effect come the fall. I don't even want to work for a big corporation and an engineering one at that! I should be doing something else, anything else.

So...I know now what I have to do. I guess I just need to work hard until October and start lookinG NOW in case something comes up.

But where to look? And what do I look for? What can I do NOW to ensure I have the advantage in this economy? I've got till October to make sure I have the best possible standpoint to get a great job that I love!!

So, please dear readers and followers, I do need some advice. SPILL IT!

This could be a great opportunity to take my experience and spread my wings, do something that really excites me. Not only that, but when this whole upheaval is in effect, I will be living rent-free with Mike's parents (while my Kiwi renters pay my mortgage. Did I mention I got an awesome Kiwi couple to lease my apartment for a year?). So, this (October/November) is the perfect time to be jobless and looking - that said, I do want to stay ahead of the game.

Gah! I thought I could just coast along in my job and everything would go smoothly with life...but it's always something, isn't it?

Think I might get very drunk tonight. Let the soul-searching begin!

Inspired By: Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd are an English rock band who initially earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and later, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd are known for philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art, and elaborate live shows. One of rock music's most successful acts, the group have sold over 200 million albums worldwide and have influenced progressive rock artists of the 1970s such as Genesis and Yes, as well as contemporary artists such as Nine Inch Nails.

My first tape I ever listened to over and over again was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Animals -I was 10 years old. An odd choice for a youngin (I quickly moved onto Madonna after) but I was enthralled by the songs "Money" and "Time." Later, it would be "Comfortably Numb" and "Wish you Were Here" and even later was anything from the Wall. Indeed, I remember watching the movie at 6AM while coming down off of mushrooms when I was 16. Good times! But seriously, don't watch that movie on mushrooms, lol. It's bizarre enough as it is (on that note, do not watch Labyrinth or Return to Oz while on psychedelics either!).

This dress reminds me of the cover of The Dark Side of The Moon:



I wore it before while in Disneyland back in January....





But it officially makes it's "tightless" debut right now (these pics were taken right after my hair was "did."











Dress: Max C; Bag: Mango MNG; Sandals: GoJane;

Sorry I've been so slack - uber busy weekend (well, kinda - I was outside by the pool a lot) and busy at work but I will try and get to all of your blogs soon. Starting with the ones on my New and Improved Blogroll! PS if you still want to do a link exchange lemme know :P

PPS - I just saw Star Trek (finally!) and it was amazing. I have to see it again ASAP - I was suddenly reminded why I love that show so much (bit of a Trekkie when I was younger). My bf and I still watch it when it's on late on Saturday nights - great stuff. Anyway, the movie was perfect, I knew JJ wouldn't disappoint and everyone was just enough like their characters without being just "impressions."

I also found Spock extremely sexy.

Is that weird? I dunno, I thought Kirk was great too but there was something so...intriguing and sensual about Spock. Mmmmm love those guys who try and hide their emotions, Vulcan or not. But yeah...I'm definitely having some Spock fantasies now :P