The Plaid Shirt | Classic Style | American Eagle

The plaid shirt has a vast history, especially a plaid flannel shirt which was first manufactured in the 1850's. It was not until the 1940's when women adopted the style for themselves by actually first borrowing them from men. Depending on your age and who you have seen wearing plaid shirts as you grew up, this style may bring back memories of specific phases in your life.

Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" music video made grunge the next big style in the early 1990's. I remember back to school shopping when I was around 10, buying boys wide leg jeans because the girls section did not have the exact style I was going for and pairing it with a t-shirt and plaid shirt tied around my waist.

Now plaid shirts are a wardrobe stable and we ladies don't have to borrow the styles from the men, we can find them tailored to our shape and in a variety of colours. I have gone through a few plaid shirts over the last 10 years but I am always drawn to a pattern that has a significant amount of red in it. I love the classic look of the red plaid shirt. I love that I can dress it up and create a nostalgic holiday vibe or pair it with jeans and a t-shirt for an all Canadian everyday look.

When did you first wear a plaid shirt? What memories does this style bring back for you? How do you wear your plaid shirt today?

My entire outfit was shopped at American Eagle in the Lambton Mall. This store has an amazingly helpful and educated staff that is passionate about helping you find fashion that makes you feel great!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Audrey

Reference website, Glamour.

Amazon Fashion / Fuzzy Sweater

I ordered this sweater off Amazon three weeks ago. This is the first fashion item I have ordered from Amazon and I was a little skeptical about my purchase because the price was so great ($20) and my order stated I would receive my package Oct 15 - Nov 15. I was pleasantly surprised to get the shipping notification last Friday and receive my sweater yesterday. Today was the perfect cool morning for this fuzzy sweater. Its super cozy, the pockets keep your hands warm and I love its laid back vibe. It is a warm sweater but I would not say the quality of the fabric is the best. The sweaters that are similar that I was looking at around the $75 mark definitely have a more sturdy make to them but I am happy with this inexpensive dupe. This Amazon fashion purchase is a win for me, so much so I am considering getting the cream one too. 

Shop this $20 fuzzy sweater here. 

If you liked this post, you may also like my "2018 Fall Shopping List" post here.

Mindful Beauty Review

I have had the pleasure of experiencing a handful of products from Mindful Beauty over the last few months. The first thing I loved about using these skin care products, is their fragrance. Each product has the ingredients printed on the front of the label so I know exactly what I am smelling, I didn't have to look far to know its a natural fragrance. When I am using my Mindful Beauty  skincare routine, it transforms my bathroom into a spa. I love wearing makeup almost everyday but I really love cleansing my skin. The cleanser leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean and the soothing facial mist is refreshing and rejuvenating.

I love that the products are made to order. You know your ingredients are fresh and the product has not been stored for a significant amount of time. I bath often with Elizabeth so we enjoyed a Mindful Beauty Bath Bomb together. It felt good knowing the products I use, I can share with my children on their delicate skin. I have tried a variety of natural skincare and it often falls short for me not performing the way I want it too. I am particularly impressed with the cleanser and how well it draws out impurities and how well the scrub works at renewing the skin on my face and body. The scrub is actually quite powerful and the first time I used it, I applied it with a bit too much pressure. Not needed as the scrub does the work for you.

The creator of Mindful Beauty is a Canadian, beauty loving, momma and I just love that she is creating safe skincare for all the other moms trying to stay fresh while keeping their homes safe! You can shop Mindful Beauty in their Etsy Shop here. 

The First Day Of Fall

Thank you so much to Loulou & Bee for partnering with me on this adventure post and providing me and my littles with the coziest, cutest tops! Loulou & Bee offers trendy and practical essentials for babies, toddlers and moms. Shop this locally owned boutique online here.

We celebrated the first day of fall with an apple picking adventure at Zekvelds. The orchard/farm was buzzing like a bee hive. The crisp weather had everyone in the autumn spirit, ready to enjoy all the new season has to offer.

I am so glad I get to experience all four seasons! The change of each season is so energizing as we get to enjoy the food, activities and fashion that the new temperatures bring.

I know I have been apple picking before but I don't really remember it so we are going to call today a first for all of us. The orchard was so beautiful! Looking at a branch heavy with ripe apples literally made my mouth water and made me think, "wow I am so glad to call this little corner of the world my home". We have so much to explore in our backyard and seeing it through the eyes of my children is a huge gift, this is how the world is meant to be seen.

Luke raced from tree to tree "mom help me find some low ones", "mom lift me up". Lizzy helped pick a few and then she just started to eat an apple, stopping periodically to ask me to help her remove some of the skin. The rows of fruit trees were inviting and I kinda just wanted to set up camp there for the day but Elizabeth was not going to let us forget the horse we saw on the way out to the apples. Once our bags were full, we headed back towards the store and spent time walking around the rest of the grounds checking out the chickens, pigs and horse. They had a little barn shed set up pretty with autumn decorations and Luke loved leaping across the hay. My heart is exploding with love and gratitude after today, it was the perfect way to kick off the fall season!

I  have the great pleasure of mommin all day every day. Some days like today are adventure days and some days are hang around the house laundry days. No matter the day, I am so grateful to God to be mommin. I can only mom the way I do because of my husband though, so while he worked hard today we got to play. My mommin skills are only what they are because of who he is. As Tyler always says "teamwork makes dream work" and man, this mommin work is a dream!

Happy Autumn!
xoxo
Audrey

Shop My Sweatshirt Here

Shop The Kids T-shirts Here 

15 Minute Everyday Makeup

I don't feel like I need makeup on to leave the house but I do enjoy wearing it and I love the process of getting ready in the morning. In this makeup tutorial, I take you through my current everyday makeup routine. This look takes me about 15 minutes to complete. The focus is on skin, foundation products are my favourite and the eyes are super simple. I have key makeup pieces in my makeup bag which is what I get ready with each morning. This is a time saver as I am not searching through all of my makeup each day to find what I need. When I try something new, I switch the products out in my makeup bag so the products don't get out of control.

Here is what I am using and doing right now to create a quick, polished, everyday look. Thanks for watching!

I have linked the products I used below, if you want to check any of them out for yourself.

Smashbox Primer

Estee Lauder Double Wear 

Urban Decay All Nighter

Tarte Shape Tape 

Tarte Park Avenue Princess Contour Highlight Palette 

Benefit Ka-Brow

Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette 

Makeup Forever XL Eyeliner 

L'oreal Voluminous Mascara 

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick 

MAC Fix+

A Mother's Gut

Every mother's heart is different to match the love for her unique children. I believe every mother is the perfect mother for her child. We as mothers truly know what is best for our individual children. We boldly make choices on their behalf through sleepless nights, prayer, discussions with our own mothers and council from friends, but we have the final say. We are all doing our best. No matter the differing styles, we are all trying our best everyday.

So why are we afraid when someone does something different than we do? I think its rooted in that .5% of our gut that is still not sure if our own choices are right. If someone is doing something differently, maybe there is a different way for me to do something. This shouldn't scare us, this should inspire us and if not, we should just continue moving in our own direction.

Motherhood is a team sport. I certainly can't do this job without the support of many.

I was really wrestling with some mixed up motherhood feelings recently. I had shared some of my thoughts and emotions with friends about my conflict and each conversation left me feeling unresolved and somewhat isolated as people offered advice that didn't relate to me specifically. Finally I found solace when a mother simply said "trust your gut". She may not have agreed with my thought process, she may not choose to mother my way but she knew, that my gut instinct, even if it was different from hers, was the right direction for my child.

Trust your gut! My gut may tell me to do something different than your gut but I guarantee, no matter our differences, our guts and hearts are in the right place when it comes to mothering. Its ok if I do things different than you do because my kids are different than yours and likewise. We all have the same end game in mind, to raise happy, healthy, people who are kind and will make our world a better place. So lets support each other in this amazing work we are called to do. The support of others will help us to make more bold, gut trusting moves and our kids and world will be better for it.

xoxo
Audrey

Mix It Up | Style By HAL

I love pairing soft pretty fashion pieces with items that are more tough. I have had a vision of creating this kind of look with this tutu from Lace & Charm  since I got it last winter. I am having a lot of fun these days mixing it up, fashion is supposed to be fun right! I take myself too seriously sometimes, getting creative with my outfits helps me to loosen up and laugh at myself. Dressing is truly a passion for me and when a vision comes together like it did for this outfit, it makes me excited.

I put this outfit together specifically for these pictures but I would wear this if I was going to a concert or birthday party depending on the location, it would be for a special event that was not too formal. Fashion and photos are kind of becoming an art for me too, all of my socials are a creative outlet and I love how my blog can evolve with me as I grow and change.

With any outfit, I think there needs to be some sort of balance. I normally think of this in terms of weight. Like the skirt is lightweight and the boots and belt are heavy. The shirt is light but the graphics are heavy and grungy and the hat is heavy too. The scrunchy, thats just fun and practical.

I hope this post encourages you to play around with some items in your wardrobe!

Love You!
Audrey

Get the look, shop the links below.

Find The Skirt Here (on sale)
Biker T-shirt 
Blundstones

Petrolia Fall Fair 2018

It is fair season! One of the simple pleasures I look forward to enjoying with my family during the fall. We love the fair for the food. As soon as we walked into the fair on Sunday, we all started reading the menu signs at the various food trucks. All of the delicious smells make it easy to get hungry the minute you walk through the gate.

We watched some of the demolition derby first. It was my first time seeing this event live. It was loud, a little smokey and entertaining, even the kids were amused by the smashing cars (I wasn't sure if Lizzy would be a little scared). Watching the derby got our adrenaline pumping and our appetite going so we headed to a truck for lunch. The kids shared a hot dog and fries, I had a jumbo cheese dog, Tyler had chilli cheese fries and my mom had a chicken burger. We all shared bites of our food and everything was delicious.

Next we went on some rides. Next time I think we will do rides first and then eat lunch, our stomaches were feeling a little crazy on the spinning tea cups. Elizabeth really surprises me lately with her bravery, she enjoyed all of the rides she went on and would have gone on some bigger ones like brother, if she was tall enough.

We finished the afternoon with chocolate chip cookies and the tractor pull. We had to head home because Elizabeth was tired but I am sure Luke could have stayed until the end to watch every single tractor. Next weekend is the Wyoming fair, I am not sure if we will make it to that one but we are planning on the Brigden fair for sure. Which fall fairs are your favourite and what is your favourite part of the fair? Take part in the conversation on social media, I love hearing from you guys.

If you liked this post, you may also like the following posts:

I Am Thankful For Thanksgiving (a post pre kids)
My Everyday Fall Makeup (from a few years ago when I had short hair)

xoxo
Audrey

Fall Shopping List / Fall Trends 2018

The cool mornings and evenings have me dreaming about my fall wardrobe. I LOVE to make a list of some key pieces I want each season, to create some looks that I have been craving. I start by pinning looks that inspire me and then i dissect them to figure out what components I really love and need to create the look and feel I want to have for the coming season. You can check out my Fall 2018 Pin Board here. Below is a list of the main items I will be hunting for in the next few weeks, the items are all linked so if you have been looking for the same thing, you can shop right from the link. Also, I would love to know what trends are speaking to you. Share in the comments or on social media, what kinds of looks and clothing items you are loving right now.

1. Super Fuzzy Fleece Pullover

I saw so many lovely ladies rocking this sweater on my Instagram feed late last winter and I have been dreaming about it ever since. I love how basic it is for everyday wear but there is also something very luxurious about the fleece of this pullover. 

I also found a dupe for this sweater on Amazon for less than $20 here. I ordered this one because the price was so good and I cant wait to get it!

 

Onyx Gem Leather Earrings

Camo Suede Leather Earrings  

2. Nickel & Suede 

You guys already know I have a love affair with Nickel & Suede, actually if you want some awesome style inspiration check out @onelittlemomma on Instagram, she is the owner of N&S and I am always inspired by her style and motherhood. I have my eyes on the two earring styles above. I love the black in the long shape and think they will look really sharp against my blonde hair. I love camo because I love camo and I think it is going to look rad with the colour of the season, MUSTARD!

3. American Eagle Next Level Jegging

I wore these a few weeks ago in a Lambton Mall IGTV video  and ended up purchasing a few other pairs of jeans that day but I cant stop dreaming about these. I have seen some awesome looks with the black denim with distressed knee and I am kinda excited to create some for myself. The NEXT LEVEL stretch in this American Eagle Denim was out of this world too, making it a super comfortable and a realistic item for everyday mom life. For all my Lambton County friends, get into our Lambton Mall American Eagle, chat with the staff about the best styles for you and try on some denim to feel the comfort for yourself. 

4. Brown Leather Belt

One of the looks that I would like to create with the black denim is a black on black with a sweatshirt as well, broken up only by a brown belt and shoes. I love a wide belt that actually holds my pants up and think a good quality one can elevate a simple look. 

5. MICHAEL by Michael Kors Thermal Stitch Hat

This comes in black and caramel and I love them both. You might be thinking this is a winter item but I think a beanie looks so cute with just a sweater or jacket on crisp fall days. 

6. COMMANDO Ultimate Opaque Control Top Tights

I love hosiery! There, I said it. Something about a new pair of tights just makes me feel like a lady! They are of course practical for our cool months when wearing dresses and skirts but I plan on styling a black pair under my denim shorts and pairing that with a t-shirt and blazer on top. I am so excited to create this look.

7. Slouchy High Boots

I am on the hunt for some high, slouchy boots, I love the relaxed vibe of this style and think it could be easily dressed up or down. I didn't link any because this is something I will shop for in store. I need to try shoes on, I can not shop for them online. I will let you guys know when I find a pair I love and where I got them. This style inspiration comes from Emily Herren, you can check out her Instagram here for more style inspiration like the picture above, I always love her looks.

These are some of the items I will be shopping for in Fall 2018. What's on your shopping list this season, comment on social and join the fashion conversation. 

New Vlog | My Favourite Creators

Last week a friend asked me who my favourite style bloggers and creators were and I thought it would be a fun blog post. I do one post like this about once a year, I go through phases where different people inspire me. Here are the channels I am loving right now.

YouTube
Alana L https://www.youtube.com/user/Hectoralana3/featured
Alex & Michael https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB9Z5aAqe85oDCuQfxfwuA
Andrea Barber https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2fNyQQyNzj99hJHkPYlKw

Instagram
TheGrayGang https://www.instagram.com/thegraygang/
Carly Jean Los Angeles https://www.instagram.com/carlyjeanlosangeles/
Kiel James Patrick https://www.instagram.com/kjp/

Comment with your favourite channels. I barely watch TV these days, just give me all the YouTube videos.

Here is my most recent vlog, dont forget to subscribe!