{Valentine's Week} The (2nd) Date

Last year the mister and I shared a casual Valentine's Day date, filled with cupcakes, D&D and piggy back rides (remember?). Fast forward a year, and not much has changed. Although our social calendars and obligations may have amplified a bit, there's still nothing we'd rather do than spend time together in the most delightfully casual of ways.

One of my very favourite things to do on the weekend is cozy up in a coffee shop with my boo. Downing caffeine and pastries while making plans for the week ahead is all it takes to make me a happy girl, while Mr. AiF is more of a hiking-up-the-mountain kind of dude. So while I wouldn't be caught dead being outdoorsy in the winter (seriously though, that's cray!), a mini compromise was in order.

After I got my coffee/macaron/lover-man fix, the mister got to enjoy as much time strolling around town as our freezing winter temperatures would allow... It's no great outdoors, but hey, it's better than nothing!

Zara faux fur coat; J.Crew shirt; Gap jeans; Chapters Indigo clutch; ShoeMint booties; Zara necklace

Happy Valentine's Day, love bugs — however you choose to celebrate, I hope it's super! xx

Photos by Brittney Le Blanc

{Valentine's Week} DIY Alice + Olivia Heart Flats

I've been eying the Alice + Olivia Hilary Heart D'Orsay flats for weeks now, but just couldn't bring myself to shell out a couple hundred dollars for such a trend item. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good heart motif as much as the next girl, but on a cost-per-wear basis, the numbers just weren't adding up. So off I went to Forever 21 to track down a neutral pair of flats that I could DIY into the Alice + Olivias of my dreams... And you know what? The end result ain't half bad.

I was able to score these patent flats on the cheap (around $20!), so the DIY process that ensued was relatively pressure-free, which is why I think it ended up being so much fun. It's been a while since I've painted — let along painted little red hearts — so the process was almost as therapeutic for the soul as it was for my wallet... now THAT'S my kind of DIY!

 

What started with laziness turned into full-on intention as I free-handed the hearts across the shoe's surface. The result is rough and a little unpolished, which I kind of love considering the prim and proper nature of the motif... Take that, hearts!

All in all, this is probably one of the funnest projects I've done in a long time, and I've literally been counting down the days to share it with you. So if you end up giving this a try too (come on, you know you wanna!), I hope you enjoy it as much as I did... Go, team DIY!

First photo shot by Sam Brooks; all other photos by Adventures in Fashion

{Valentine's Week} Girls Night In

There's nothing like Valentine's Day to get Kassie and I in the mood for sweet treats (understatement) and friendship photos (exhibit A and B), only this year we opted to keep things a little more casual. Ice cream, manis and a Sex and the City marathon was all we needed for a happy heart day, because really, is there anything better than a good old fashioned girls night in?

{ These lip slippers are probably my favourite gift this year — Mr. AiF popped them into our shopping cart after I eyed them up at Joe Fresh, which I thought was so sweet }

Forever 21 sweater | Aritzia leggings | J.Crew necklace | CC Skye lips ring | J.Crew bangles | Michael Kors watch

{ Making ice cream sundaes with heart sprinkles and maraschino cherries made us feel like kids again }

{ "I know it sounds mental, but sometimes I have more fun vegging out than when I go partying. Maybe because my party clothes are so binding" — Cher Horowitz }

J.Crew tee | Anthropologie cardigan | J.Crew necklace

{ Having a white nail moment with this American Apparel polish — is there anything better than painting your nails with a girlfriend? }

Good friends make life all the more sweet, which is why it's so important to make time for loved ones and celebrate the little things... So grab your bestest bestie and let her know that she'll always be your Valentine. xx

Photos by Aaron Camponi

{Valentine's Week} DIY Love Bug Pins

I've had the idea to make "love bug" pins for months now, so I'm super excited to finally be able to share this DIY with you guys... Seriously though, how cute is this? I'm so in love with these little guys and all I can think about now is what else I can turn them into... Rings, earrings, stir sticks — the possibilities are pretty much endless!

So if you want to make a set of your own, here's what you'll need:

— Small plastic bugs (you can find similar ones in toy stores).
— Gold spray paint.
— Red acrylic paint.
— Thin paint brush.
— Pin backers (available at most craft stores)
— Strong adhesive.

Start by spraying a coat of gold spray paint evenly over the figures. Once fully dry, paint a small heart on their sides using acrylic paint. My best advice would be to make two parallel dots and then join them together in a 'V' shape.

From there, secure your pins to the back of the insects using a strong glue, pressing down firmly for at least 30 seconds to adhere. Allow them to dry fully before clipping them on and heading out the door... So easy!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you guys enjoyed today's Love Bug DIY! Stay tuned for more fun Valentine's posts throughout the week... xx

{Valentine's Week} Put A Heart On It

Tshirt- Comme des Garcons PLAY (mens) | jeans- Forever 21 (similar style) | plaid blazer- Joe Fresh | heels c/o Forever 21 | bag- 3.1 Phillip Lim | beanie- Zara | necklace- Barefoot Contessa | bracelet- vintage | ring- House of Harlow

Valentine's Week is finally here, so it only seemed appropriate to bust out a heart motif — especially when said motif falls on the more PLAYful (get it?) side of the spectrum. I love a good casual look this time of year, with subtle nods to the holiday trumping overt displays of Valentinesiness (can that just be a word for today?). Plus I would never turn my nose up at a red jean, so there's that.

Stay tuned for more Valentine's-themed goodness coming at you throughout the week, and as always, thanks for reading, lovelies! xx

Photos by Andrew Tarver

{Bedazzled Week} The Dress

Blazer- Tahari | dress- French Connection | booties via Ordinary People | bag- Alexander Wang | hat- Topshop | ring- Michael Kors

Is there anything better than jewelled-out dresses to make a girl feel all shinny and new? Not likely. I rediscovered this dress in the depths of my closet since buying it for my birthday last summer, and pulling it out of hibernation made it feel almost new again — don't you just love when that happens? Shopping your closet can yield some pleasantly surprising results... I guess the only challenge is remembering that sometimes, huh?

Thanks for joining me for a week of bedazzled goodness/craziness, and stay tuned for your weekend reading list, up tomorrow! xx

Photos by Kastles

{Bedazzled Week} The Beanie

Denim jacket- H&M (similar) | striped shirt- Saint James (love this jeweled version) | jeans- Forever 21 (want these) | jewelled beanie- H&M (dream version) | shoes c/o Sole Society | necklace + bangles - J.Crew | watch- Michael Kors
Photos by Sandy Joe Karpetz

{Bedazzled Week} The Earrings

 
Vintage heart earrings- The Pretty Secrets

The 80's/early 90's are alive and well in my heart, evidenced by these over-the-top, yet majorly awesome vintage earrings from The Pretty Secrets. I felt like a total glamazon wearing these bad boys, and kind of want to drape myself in blinged-out jewels all the time now... I bet a young Cindy Crawford would be proud. xx


Photos by Sandy Joe Karpetz