Alicia Bee

[aliciabee]

Jewellery, Jewellery, Jewellery

Your girl went accessory shopping once again!

I mean, I don't exactly leave the house with the intent of buying jewellery - it just sort of happens that way. I bought stuff from Reitmans, Smart Set and H&M and unfortunately, I don't remember the pricing for any of it! All I know is that everything was under $10. 

I'm telling you guys, if you want pieces from an uncommon shop, go to Reitmans and Smart Set! Growing up, those two stores, to me, were seen as granny stores. Oh, how wrong I was! These stores are fly. I like Reitmans for jewellery, shoes and some clothes and Smart Set for absolutely everything. Check them out.

[aliciabee]

Say Hello to my Lovely Purse

This is by far the most girly bag I've probably ever purchased in my entire life.

Despite having a ridiculously large purse collection, one of which not even half gets used, the majority of them are my favourite colour - black. 

But when I walked into Smart Set the other day, something attracted me to this beautiful, cream coloured stunner. I don't know, maybe I was feeling Kardashian-esque or taking fashion cues from AprilAthena7 on YouTube whose vlogs I've been watching non-stop.

It's just so cute and dainty! I almost feel like I'm carrying around a cute, little puppy when I wear it. Also, I don't own anything rose gold (I know! Don't kill me!), so the rose gold hardware was a plus.

You've peeped the red tag, right? Good, because you know this girl loves her a bargain! The original price was $34.99 and with an extra 40% off, it was only $20.99. WINNING.

[aliciabee]

Revlon Lipsticks are Totally Legit

(l-r) Revlon Mauvy Night 473, Revlon Lip Butter Pink Truffle 001, Revlon Haute Berry 660

Breaking news! Alicia Bee has finally found not one, not two, but three lipsticks she can hang with!

For as long as I can remember, I've been a lipgloss girl. I mean, I even used to put Vaseline on my lips and buy those roller ball glosses from the dollar store. But that was in high school - when walking around like you just swallowed a bottle of canola oil was hot. By the time I entered college everyone was into wearing lipstick. Everyone but me! I just couldn't fathom the idea and besides, a girl with zay-ro (zero) confidence wasn't about to plaster any type of colour all over her lips. So I stayed away from it like the plague. 

Once I left college and grew older, it was a done deal that lipsticks were here to stay. My friends were deep into MAC products at that point and their lipsticks were all the rage. Although I always wondered how they would look on me, I never bothered giving them a try. I was still learning how to give good face and adding lipstick to the equation would've been a hot mess.

2010 is when I really started to take makeup seriously, but out of everything, lipstick is what I had trouble with the most. I would scour through the drugstore makeup isle hoping and praying to find a colour that actually worked for me. I would even ask the beauty attendants for help but they could never find the right match. 

I recently came to the realization that I have somewhat dark lips, therefore, the best shades for my lips are dark. I tried wearing the lighter shades my friends would rock, but on my lips, the colour would just bleed through. 

This week at Rexall, Revlon lipsticks were only $3.99 so I made a trip to the store and prepared myself for another long experience in the makeup isle. But this time, it was easy as pie! I just aimed for the dark colours and walah - magic!

[aliciabee]

Spring Trend: Two-Strap Heels

[Photo credit: stevemadden.com]

Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past couple of weeks then you'd know the obvious shoe trend for this spring/summer are two-strap heels. I am absolutely obsessed with these heels at the moment and it seems like every other woman in the world is too! To be perfectly honest, I've been drooling over these babies since last year when I first saw them on Kim Kardashian's feet. Now it seems like the heels have really taken off and I'm loving every minute of it.  

There is such a simple sexiness to this shoe. It isn't fussy with material, embellishments or design - it's just there. What I love most about these heels is how they show off the majority of a woman's foot. Super sexy, right? They are also extremely versatile. These type of heels are the only kind I believe can literally be paired with any outfit. 

Unfortunately, I cannot participate in the fabulousness of these shoes because they're open-toe! As I've probably mentioned 100 times on this site, my feet are long, flat, skinny and narrow. They are not wide enough to fit into open-toed shoes. My feet literally slide right out of the front! Not having an arch only makes the situation worse.

PS: If there are any ladies out there who can shed some light on this sad case, let me know! I have a wedding to go to at the end of August and I want to wear open-toed heels. As far as I'm concerned, inclosed heels are not for summer. This is an SOS - someone help me!

[aliciabee]

Met Ball 2013: Best Dressed

The infamous Met Ball went down last night and if you don't know what that is, child look here. This years theme was 'Punk: Chaos to Couture,' and some people hit it hard while others didn't hit it enough. These lovely ladies showed up and showed out, honey. Every single one of these women were giving me 'drama' in their own unique way. From top to bottom, they were all on point!

[Photo credit: huffingtonpost.com]

Anne Hathaway is giving me life in this photo! Her entire look is ev-ery-thing. First of all, she KILLS as a blonde! I don't know why she didn't think of that sooner! She's totally giving us a new-new, sleek hairdo, drama with the eyes, a sheer dress with sparkles and feathers and side-boob just because. Seriously, perfection. Keep it up, Anne!

Gwen Stefani, my little punk girl, could've worn absolutely anything and it would've met the requirements for this years theme. Are you kidding me? She is the epitome of punk and she looks amazing. Just look at that stance - ugh, dying. I love her hair, that oh, so Gwen-esque red lip, the black bow top and the rockin' white skirt.

Jennifer Lopez looks FEROSH! She literally looks like she's about to pounce on a bitch. This gown looks fabulous on her and that up-do is fierce, child. Everything about this look is stunning. Just look at her - JLo definitely knows how to give good face! Those dramatic eyes are killer and that contour is ridiculous.

Jennifer Lawrence absolutely killed it. Just look at the drama in that photo, it's just pouring out of the screen! Jennifer is giving me a punk princess look right now and I'm eating it right up. That black dress against her ivory white skin is breathtaking. Those shoes! That red lip! That veil headband! I'm dying. Bring me back to life, bitch!

[aliciabee]

Street Style: Sarah Jessica Parker

I have been shamelessly obsessed with celebrity fashion since 2003-2004. Every Tuesday I would rush to my nearest grocery store to buy the latest In Touch or Us Weekly. You knew it was a good day if I had these tabloids to accompany me on my travels home from work! All I would do is gaze at the celebrity photos and study what they were wearing. I even began creating fashion collages and binders filled with cut-outs. My all time favourite photos to look at were the 'out and about' types. I've always found those kind of photos more appealing then the red carpet ones.

Once I discovered I could find more of those candid photos by searching for celebrity fan sites online, it was a wrap. I used to rotate between Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton and Christina Aguilera constantly! Now that I've gotten older, I totally realize even daily celeb looks are styled, but that hasn't stopped my candid craze one bit.

I believe Sarah Jessica Parker is part of that rare handful of celebrities whose daily looks aren't styled. There is just no way - SJP is such a New Yorker. She gets up every morning and walks her little girls to school and is papped like crazy while doing it. There is no way she is pulling from a rack of pre-styled looks! She don't have time for that!

I love the way she dresses while walking her kiddos to school! She just has this effortless style - like a silent killer. Check out her recent candids and some from late last year.

[Photo credit: sarahjparker.net]

[aliciabee]

Shoe Haul: Ardene and Target

I must say, I'm not big on shoes. I know, I know! Can I still call myself a woman? LOL! I've got friends who have entire closets full of boots, heels, flats, kicks, wedges, stilettos and the list goes on! Me? Hmm, not so much. I'm more of a no-fuss-mix-and-match kind of girl, meaning the shoes I do own somehow seem to go well with everything! However, I must say, I've really been in the shoe buying mood lately and what kind of person would I be if I didn't share them all on here?! Really.

ARDENE (A.CO) - 2 FOR $20

I am an absolute lover of knee-high boots and flats. That's me, the boots and flats girl, haha. The majority of my flats collection are from Ardene's and to be completely honest, the quality of flats from this store are complete s-h-i-t. Excuse my French or not. It's either that or the fact that every season I wear and tear my newly-bought flats out to the point of complete and utter destruction - I don't know! But whether I like it or not - I'm addicted. Ardene's carries cute, funky and cheap flats. Despite being a flats girl, I can never justify spending more than $20 on a pair. I just can't. Weirdly enough, flats of better quality, aka the more expensive ones actually hurt my feet and have zero stretch in them. Anyway, if it were up to me, I'd make all flats be a solid $10 in Canada, period. Why? Because it's basically winter all year round!

Back to the flats. God, I love me a good ramble.

I have long, skinny, narrow feet which makes it hard for me to find shoes that fit properly, like open-toed heels for instance :(. Certain shoes I can rock, and others I can't, like chucks, sneakers and loafers. These leopard print loafers I bought were a total godsend because they have a stretchy material to them. It actually makes them perfect because they completely hug my feet plus, I love me a leopard print. Don't you? If not, you're crazy! 

The other pair of flats are cute, simple and black - my kinda combo. I grew out of the idea of bows on flats like two years ago, but the gold accents and suede material really give it a balance of sweet and spicy. I simply couldn't resist.

TARGET (XHILARATION) - $19.99

I already mentioned these spikeys in a previous post, but I decided to repost them here anyway!

I'm not particularly a fan of spiked studs unless it's done in very small doses and not ridiculously cheesy. With that being said, you probably won't catch me wearing a spiked bracelet any time soon, although that's quite minimal, lol. I'm just so anal (oui, oui! please excuse my French this time) about the way I dress and what I like and don't.

Anywho - something about these flats responded well with me so I had to buy them. You might not notice from the photo, but these flats are scrunched and I seriously loathe scrunched flats! You know, the ones where the toe is slightly lifted off the ground? Hate, lol. But with these flats, I'm 'bout it. I'll make the exception. 

TARGET (MOSSIMO SUPPLY CO.) - $19.99

As I previously mentioned, my feet are long and narrow and with that comes long toes! For that reason, I've stayed away from sandals and flip flops unless I'm on vacation, lol. Gosh, don't you hate insecurities? But last October I went away to Cuba and while preparing for my trip I found tons of pretty flip flops and sandals. I actually felt confident rocking those bad boys while I was on vacay and decided I wouldn't deprive myself any longer of not wearing them.

These sandals are hot and come in several different colours including neons. I was shopping in Target one day with my mom and decided to try them on. Although I liked them, I wasn't quite sure whether or not I should buy them, but mama knows best! She reassured me they looked OK and I sealed the deal.

TARGET (MOSSIMO SUPPLY CO.) - $9.99

I mentioned these stunners and the cuties below in a previous post about my lil' shopping escapade in Buffalo, but I thought I'd add them in here for good measure.

It's so funny when you see something ridiculously fabulous but know it's so not you, so you decide on a lifestyle change in a split second! Like, 'Yeah, these booties are amazing, the heel is bloody high and narrow but I need to start being about that heel life anyway.' LOL, really?! Really. So that's how I managed to scoop these suckers up. What?! They were on sale for $9.99. For 10 bucks, I'll experiment. 

TARGET (XHILARATION) - $9.99

I am so over wasting tons of money on Uggs or knock-off Uggs only to have them die on me by the end of the winter season! I don't understand why people continue to invest in a brand of shoes when the longevity of them is next to nothing. I guess everyone is different though - whatever floats your boat.

What helped in making the decision for this purchase was the amazing sale price and the quality of the shoe. In Toronto I find that a lot of these knock-off Uggs (the cheap ones from Ardene's, Walmart, etc) have cardboard bottoms that don't bend, are paper thin in material and overly structured. These shoes are totally different because they are extremely comfy, stylish and affordable. Plus, they are real genuine suede! I am definitely going to take care of these shoes by using a suede protector and only wearing them during the fall season. 

[aliciabee]

Valentine's Day Outfit Ideas

Oh hey! Hayyyy! It's Valentine's Day, obviously. 

Now don't worry, honey. I am not about to go into a big spiel about the true meaning of Valentine's Day, how commercialized it's become or the sad fact that I pretty much haven't had a Valentine since like... Grade TWO (deuces! haha)! Ain't nobody got time for that! Right?!

So instead I thought it would be cool to create three cute outfits for all the lucky ladies out there who are going to be on, 'Date nighttttt!,' tonight. I mean, isn't that the best part, anyway? Going shopping or digging through your closets to make sure you look your very best on Valentine's Day? 

No... maybe not? Well either way, I've got you covered, boo!

Come take a looksie. Who knows? You may be inspired.

By the way, I've finally gotten myself a Polyvore account! I'm obsessed with this site already. FOLLOW ME! 

I am truly not a fan of coordinating clothing with the colours of any holiday (ie: Halloween, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day), unless it's the theme to a cheesy party or the cool thing to do when going to a bar with friends. To me, sometimes it can look forced and so deliberate, but hey, that's just me right? I do think that if it is being done, it should be done tastefully. For example, if you're going to wear a pink dress, that is the only Valentine's Day colour you should wear. That is about all the pink you're allowed to indulge in this evening lady, now neutralize that shiet with some black - everything! 

With that being said, all of the looks I have created have little hints of typical VDay, mush-mush, romantic colours but nothing crazy and overbearing. 

Blush, cream and rose tone colours are romantic and girly, but they don't scream "It's Valentine's Day and I'm totally rocking this colour because my honey is taking me out and like, 'Duh! It's Love Day!'" Instead, it very modestly whispers, "It's date night and you'll just have to guess why I'm dressed in these lovely colours." I purposely chose to use two different shades of a neutral colour palette such as cream and rose. I love the way the heart-shaped, gold earrings give off a little hint of the holiday. To be completely honest, by the time I finished this outfit, the first person I envisioned rocking it in my head was none other than, Kim Kardashian. Couldn't you totally see her wearing it? I also think this outfit would look fab with a messy bun or a low ponytail, sleek or unkept. 

I really admire a woman who is wearing a great outfit, but doesn't look so made up and put together. I like to imagine these types of women just managed to throw their outfit together and are all like, "Oh, this old thing?!" What helps them achieve this look, I believe, is how they are able to finish the look off with a simple hairstyle.

This outfit is for women who want to look hot, but still be semi casual, hence the choice of loafers as opposed to heels. I knew I wanted to create a more laid back outfit that incorporated a sweater and some type of flat. I started off with the Totem sweater and the rest was history! Speaking of the sweater, I absolutely die for it. It reminds me of a 90s Versace print or 80s Chanel. The hint of red in the sweater was just the right amount for me to include an eighties inspired, fire-engine red, DVF purse. In an effort to stay within the black theme, I decided to include these black and gold earrings instead of adding more red or anything remotely cheesy. When I found the spiked loafers, it was a match made in heaven.

I totally get that this look isn't for everyone, as it is really 80s inspired, but the leather skinnys, the fit of the sweater and the flats definitely add a more modern touch. I think the outfit would look nice with a sleek, perfectly-rounded and full high bun - think Olivia Blois Sharpe from Jerseylicious.

For some people, wearing skinny leather pants or wearing leather anything may be overkill. This is why I decided I needed to add a look with jeans. My original idea was to do baggy, distressed denim, rolled up, above the ankle with a pair of stilettos. But once I came across these jeans, that whole idea went straight out the window. I was absolutely dying to add a bright, pink shoe and fell in love with these Giuseppes. Again, I wanted this look to come across as uncomplicated but fabulous, so I knew adding a simple white tank was a given. I really wanted to add a heart-shaped clutch but nothing mushy and obvious. The lime green, studded clutch and fuchsia heels are just the right amount of colour to make this outfit pop. I threw in a love necklace to bling it up a bit more and threw in the leather jacket to bring more sophistication to the look. 

I can seriously see Sarah Jessica Parker, Blake Lively or even Cassie in this outfit, can you? I believe this look would be paired nicely with some wavy, full, Kardashian curls or a messy, playful bun. 

Hope you have an amazing night/weekend!

[aliciabee]

Fashion's Night Out Toronto

*The Toronto Eaton Centre edition

On Sep. 6, Toronto debuted their first ever Fashion's Night Out. 

If there was anywhere to be that night, it most definitely wasn't the Toronto Eaton Centre.

Unfortunately I was at my internship that day and only had a small window of time to rush home, grab my camera and run out to take some photos. Earlier that day I managed to look-up some of the Fashion's Night Out (FNO) festivities and decided on the fashion show at the Eaton's Centre. I thought it would be the quickest event for me to get to considering I live practically down the street.

When I walked through the mall and discovered this so-called runway, to say I was disappointed is an understatement! Located to the left of the Swarovski Crystal store (where the Swarovski Christmas tree is normally located) was this very petite-sized runway. Don't ask me why, but I just assumed that SOMEHOW there would be a long runway dead smack in the middle of the mall. Dead wrong! To make matters worse, to my dismay the organizers had the gull to make the media (and I use that term lightly by the way. Media, what media? You mean besides CP24? I'm talking about anyone with a camera, really) fill out a media form! After filling mine out and handing it back to the lovely lady, I felt a glint of hope the fashion show would be more spectacular then I assumed. DEAD WRONG as usual. 

Jen McNeely of Shedoesthecity.com made her remarks as the host and shortly after the  fashion show began. The models strutted down the runway in pieces from The Gap, Juicy Couture and Stuart Weitzman but no more then five minutes later the show was over! I had already known which brands the models would be wearing prior to my arrival but I thought there would be three separate shows! What a fail, haha. I packed my camera away and booked it back home in utter disappointment. However, it wasn't until I got home that I found out about the huge extravaganza taking place a couple of blocks away from the Eaton's Centre on Bloor Street. Holt Renfrew was celebrating their 175th anniversary and where was I? At home! After the long day I'd just endured and all the running around in the evening, I just decided to call it a night.

Here are some photos I managed to take:

[!] I've never shot a runway show, ever. I thought the most logical place to get the best shots was at the very end of the runway. Fortunately or unfortunately, CP24 had already claimed their place there so I positioned myself right next to them, on the left. The runway itself was short, leaving only an amble amount of time to get proper shots. I must admit, I fumbled with my camera during the show, not using the best settings at all. Prior to the show starting I knew the kind of shots I wanted to get, hence the cut off heads, sideways shots, etc. To say the least it was an experiment.

Jen McNeely of Shedoesthecity.com

[aliciabee]

Simple Interview Outfit

I had an interview today and decided to share this simple ensemble I put together. Depending on the type of job it is, I tend to stay away from the typical dress pants route. Although dress pants are polished, I think it's just as easy to maintain a polished look using some skinny trousers as well. 

BLAZER: H&M

TANK SHIRT: A shop in Croydon (London) 

SKINNY TROUSERS: Urban Planet 

FLATS: Ardene's

WATCH: GUESS

EARRINGS: Ardene's

BAG: A shop in Eglinton Station 

[aliciabee]

A Dose of South Asian Culture

One hot ass day, two bad ass girls fully loaded with fully loaded SLRs ventured out to get a dose of some South Asian culture. Where were they headed? Why, Scotiabank's Chin Picnic of course!

I've never been to CHIN picnic before so I was eager to find out what all of the fuss was about. Funny enough, when we got there all we saw was a sea of people camping out and eating. 'Oh my gosh, this really is just a picnic!' my partner in crime and I said, practically in unison. But as we walked deeper, we noticed a huge stage where the major festivities of the day would actually take place. Despite the look of despair on the peoples faces while sitting in the unshaded stands (it was 42 degrees), my friend and I decided to join them anyway. 

While the show was going on I couldn't help but notice how funny my friend and I must've looked - two black girls dead smack in the middle of a crowd full of South Asian people snapping away at the performers. But that's the true beauty of Toronto. This city is so multicultural, it's crazy.

My friend and I sat there in the blazing heat from 3:30 to 10:30 at night and enjoyed ourselves while doing it. Although we couldn't understand the presenters and performers at times, it didn't phase us one bit. We switched seats once or twice in a bid to get closer to the stage and made friends with people every time. At one point, a woman sitting next to us offered a ton of food her family brought from home. She even asked if we needed her to translate the rest of the show! 

At the end of the night when it was time to venture on home, my friend and I both walked away with big smiles and gave each other a mutual nod of satisfaction. I had never in my life spent a full day embracing another culture the way I did today. It was so refreshing and such an eye opener as well. Sadly enough, I won't be able to return for the rest of the weekend to take in the other cultures, but I'm so glad I was able to make it for at least one.

[aliciabee]

Scotiabank CHIN Picnic

Two shots of people in the crowd at Scotiabank's CHIN Picnic 2012 - the South Asian edition.

Can you tell it was hot as hell?

[aliciabee]

A Trip to Niagara Falls

I was in Niagara Falls for a few days and took some photos during my stay. 

I decided to skip out on Nik Wallenda's high wire walk. I tuned in at home though!

[aliciabee]

A Little Love on the Boardwalk

Photo taken at Woodbine Beach.