Scarves are my favourite winter accessory - not only do they keep me warm and cozy - they're also the easiest way to dress up a simple "jeans and sweater" outfit. Before I started fashion blogging, I never really knew how to wear scarves - I'd admire them on others, but think that they were too complicated to try on myself. But after reading posts and watching videos, I started experimenting and realized that wearing scarves can be simple! Below I'm sharing my four favourite ways of wearing a rectangular scarf (such as the pashmina-types found in every mall kiosk). Most of these techniques would also work with square or blanket scarves (especially the last one). Give these styles a try and let me know what you think!
5 Signs You're Addicted To Scarves
Step 1 - Fold the scarf in half and put it around your neck.
Step 2 - Place your hand in the loop (formed by the folded half)
Step 3 - Pull the hanging ends of the scarf through the loop
Step 4 - Drape the ends down the center of your chest.
Step 1 - Hold the scarf by a corner
Step 2 - Place it around your neck with the ends hanging down loose on each side
Step 3 - Take one end and wrap it around your neck once, making a loose loop around your neck
Step 4 - Fluff up the loop and arrange the ends so that they hang evenly
Step 1 - Tie two corners of the scarf together, to make one long loop
Step 2 - Put the scarf around your neck, making sure to place the knotted corners at the nape of your neck (where it will be easily concealed). It will look like you're wearing a long "scarf necklace"!
Step 3 - Take the scarf and wrap it around your neck once, making a small loop. Take the remaining material and wrap it again, making another loop around your neck, so that you're left with a small collar.
Step 4 - Fluff up the scarf and make sure that the knotted corner is concealed underneath the looped layers.
Step 1 - Fold the scarf in half, so that it's a square. Fold it again across the diagonal, so that you're left with a giant triangle.
Step 2 - Hold the triangle by the two ends and put it on your neck as if you were putting on a bib.
Step 3 - Cross the ends at the back of your neck, and bring them around to the front.
Step 4 - Tuck the ends inside the neck loop to secure the scarf in place. Adjust the scarf and fluff it up.
For more style tutorials, check out this post on how you can wear one item to three different events. And if you're stuck in a hair styling rut, here are three easy hairstyles!
There are some well-known stores closing this year - from my beloved Target (I'm still so sad about this!) to fun fashion stores such as Jacob, Mexx, and Smart Set.
If you were a loyal fan of any of these stores, I'm here to help you through your grieving process by sharing some alternatives. They may not be exactly the same - but at least you'll know where to go the next time you feel like shopping!
20 Things You Need To Buy From Target Before It Leaves Canada
Famous For: office wear, sweaters and dresses
Try Instead: White House Black Market, Ann Taylor and Banana Republic
Famous For: chic and sophisticated pieces for men, women and children
Try Instead: ZARA (includes kids section), RW&Co and Express
Famous For: trendy and casual womenswear
Try Instead: Ricki's, Dyanamite and Le Chateau
I think it's hard to find a good replacement for Target - some stores feature similar items but at a much higher price point, while other stores may match Target prices, but the quality is not the same. As it would be impossible to cover all of Target's products, I've selected a few of their most popular categories below.
Decor & Bedding: Pottery Barn, Homesense and Indigo
Kids Clothes: Old Navy, The Children's Place & H&M
Womens Clothes & Accessories: Old Navy, Joe Fresh & H&M
Womens Shoes: Payless, Old Navy and Winners
Seasonal & Holiday Decor: Dollarama, Walmart and Winners
Beauty Products: This is difficult because Target carries some brands that are difficult to find elsewhere in Canada (such as NYX and ELF) and Target-exclusives (such as Pixi Beauty and Sonia Kashuk). NYX is also available at Rexall/Pharmaprix stores while random ELF products have been spotted at Winners and Dollarama. For a large selection of drugstore makeup, try Real Canadian Superstore, Walmart and Shoppers Drugmart.
I hope this shopping guide was helpful! Do you have any good alternatives to these stores? If so, please share them in the comment section below - I'd love to read them!
I'm not sure what it is about this winter, but it's definitely done a number on my family's skin. Dry flaky patches, red itchy bumps...despite using a humidifier every night, we've definitely had more skin issues than usual this year! Luckily, through internet-research and word-of-mouth recommendations, we've been able to overcome a lot of our issues - so I thought I'd share some of my favorite product recommendations here:
Four Must-Have Lip Products For Cold Winter Weather
My experience: Inspired by products used by Norwegian fisherman, this glycerin-based hand cream is a cult-classic (and a bargain). You just need a dab of this balm to cover your hands and protect them from drying out - it's especially good at preventing the chalky patches I sometimes develop between my thumb and pointer finger. I find this cream works best if you apply it straight after washing your hands, as the glycerin works with the water to lock moisture in.
My Experience: This cream is a COMPLETE life-saver! I've been using the Aveeno Eczema cream on my son since he was a baby, but this winter the adults needed this too. We developed red bumpy skin around our hairline - it felt so dry and irritated. After three days of applying this in the morning and evening - our red patches were completely gone! Proven to be clinically effective, this cream is steroid-free and fragrance-free, it uses Colloidal Oatmeal to soothe mild to moderate eczema - it's definitely worth keeping a bottle of this in the house!
5 Skincare Mistakes You Make Every Day
My Experience: Have you ever applied night cream, only to find your face feeling extremely tight and dry in the morning? This cream combines Hyalauronic Acid with Vichy Thermal water to lock in moisture and leave your skin feeling supple and hydrated. This can be used several times a week as an overnight moisture mask, but I prefer to use this as a daily treatment, focusing on my neck and hands. It smells gorgeous and feels tingly when I apply it on my skin - and when I wake up in the morning, everything looks hydrated and fresh.
My Experience: I've tried a LOT of cuticle creams: LUSH, Burts Bees, CND Solar Oil, Avoplex, Avocado Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil - you name it, I've used it! But I've found that pure Vitamin E oil is the only thing that keeps my cuticles from peeling. I think it's because it's so rich and thick - but be sure to apply it on dry skin as it absorbs better that way. The brand doesn't matter - just check that you're buying pure Vitamin E - they usually cost under $15 and last FOREVER.
My Experience: When it comes to lip products - especially ones I apply on my children, I prefer natural ingredients, as undoubtedly there will be some ingestion. However, some natural products are not that effective. Luckily, this lip balm is 100% natural AND works wonders. This lightweight balm combines Honey and Vitamin E to treat chapped lips. It absorbs easily without leaving behind a waxy barrier. When applied twice a day (and I'll admit - it can be hard to get the kids to remember to reapply - they don't love skincare products as much as their mommy!) it leaves lips smooth and soft.
Do you have any tried and tested Winter skincare solutions? Please share them in the comment section below!
For more winter tips - check out my top 5 snow day essentials for kids and four lip products for the polar vortex.
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