Cynthia Macken
outfit

Crossroads

OUTFIT DETAILS:
The Fifth ‘Fall in Love’ Top
ASOS Black Front Split Pencil Skirt
ZeroUV Sunglasses
Luvaj Silver Huggie Hoop Earrings c/o
Marc Jacobs Limited Edition Bunny Hop Tote Bag

See below for similar options!

Hello lovely darlings! I always tend to forget that the best places to be are the hidden gems in such a big city. Clearly those recent and constant rainy days got me thinking of more indoor places. Here in Kensington market, there’s just so much to be found. Countless patios, food, vintage goodies, amazing treasures and drool worthy vegan and non-vegan sweets! Don’t let the awkward location being in the middle of China Town fool you— this area has really cool vibes. I have to thank talented Mack Canelas for suggesting to come here, whom I also had the great pleasure of meeting and shooting via Instagram.

This whole blogger meets blogger or photographer over Instagram is quite the new concept for me which I’m quickly grasping and having a blast doing! (Thanks to Arnold Lan for kickstarting me into this!) I took the opportunity to share my foodie side and ran over to Bunner’s Bake Shop on 244 Augusta Avenue to try their soft served swirl cone and Moo Frites on 178 Baldwin Street for their Belgian-styled fries with Kimchi. Before you judge, you should try it, because surprisingly it was good and somewhat addicting. I actually couldn’t help myself…sneaking in a few sporks full at each stop on the public transit bus. What I wouldn’t give now to have something like that in Stoney Creek! I suppose I’ll just have to schedule in another trip to Kensington soon and spread the good foodie words to mes amis!

Photos by Mack Canelas

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Minty Fresh

THE OUTFIT DETAILS:

Vivian Chan Chriselle Top (Similar here)
Zara Black Trousers
Sophia Webster Bonita Espadrilles in Mint
Thrifted Vintage Handbag
ZeroUV Sunglasses

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Hello new folks and fellow readers! Here I am in the pixel and light, in a much more basic look. Aside from wearing your standard dress and skirts for the summer. I decide to get in tuned with my minimal slash casual side and toss on the most common shades– being black and white and spruce it up with my mint Bonitas by Sophia Webster. Which by the way, I’ve been dying to wear since I scored them for nearly nothing from the Net-a-Porter sale from last winter. (Pssssst… they’re having another huge sale right now too.) And if you know me well, you know I don’t put my heels down just for any pair of flat shoes.. And who could ever turn away from Sophia Webster? I remember doing one of those ground-shaking squeals of happiness that day I saw the Net-a-Porter black box at my doorstep. That day marked a huge moment for me– becoming a proud owner of Sophia Webster’s shoes. Maybe I’m just a wee bit biased since I’m secretly a huge fan girl of her work. No lie. I still dream of the day where I’ll own my own pair of Mila and Riko heels..

Recently, I’ve been going on this streak wearing all black for only God knows why.. on the hottest days in the city. I’m thinking it’s a good idea since I’ve been running around everywhere and wearing all black is easy. It looks put together and it gives me less stress about staying clean. Here, I switched it up with this beautiful shirt I received from Vivian Chan, an LA-based fashion designer known for captivating feminine nature and beauty in her pieces. Can I also say how great the sheer panels in the back are? Tiny details actually make my heart just go over the moon. Just like those fringe details on those Bonita shoes! As much as I like to think that my outfit was a pretty cool ensemble, the Chriselle top motivates me to find a white, full midi skirt to go with this shirt..or a white, silk accordion midi skirt. How pretty would that combination be? Honestly, these photos don’t do justice for this shirt…so I’m going to re-wear this top again soon!

Until next time kiddies! x

Photos by: Jamie Phongphilack

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collaborations

Think Pink

OUTFIT DETAILS:

J. Crew Regent Blazer in White Linen
Banana Republic Straight Fit Jeans (Similar here and here)
J. Crew Silk Front Tank in Stripe (Similar here and here)
Elsie d’Orsay Pumps in Delicate Petal c/o J. Crew
Ann Taylor Skinny Leather Belt (Similar here and here)
Zara Nude Cross Body Bag (Similar here and here)
J. Crew Ornate Stud Earrings

J.CREW X PINCH OF CHIC

What better way to add chic and elegance to your looks…

Meet Elsie d’Orsay, the perfect kind of pumps to have for those warm days. Owning a pair in Delicate Petal already screams the epitome of feminine elegance and in my opinion the best way to celebrate spring and summer with open arms.

For those of you who’ve asked and wondered how I’m able to walk in heels all day, everywhere and everyday: the simple answer is choosing the right silhouette of your heels carefully.

For starters, the height and width of the heel is most important for visual proportions and support. The slender the heel, the better it is to go for short height. The higher the heel, the better it is to grab the one with the widest/block-like heel which supports your weight with each step you take. The slender heel of the Elsie d’Orsays is super conformable for those who don’t often wear heels and the silhouette is suitable for anyone. Second to that, the majority of ladies can also agree that pastel is just too on point for Spring and Summer. You can seamlessly transition from desk to dinner or to a casual outing with these pumps, at the same time add some feminine vibes to spruce up your outfit. In the form of a chic shoe fused with the dusty pink hue— neutral and versatility is an understatement. Take a look at Jil Sander’s beautiful FW15 collection below capturing the array of pink shades. Despite the collection made for fall and winter, I’m one who loves to mix and match and go with what I believe looks great. You can see the flowers in the background of the runway too right?

Jil Sander FW'15. photo from www.style.com Jil Sander FW’15. photo from www.style.com

If you haven’t caught me on my Instagram, I mentioned a week or two ago about my little project with J. Crew, and now it’s time to unveil the shoot I’ve done with blogger girlfriend-not-boyfriend, Therese of Artiese Studios.

As for my ensemble, I went for a casual look with the addition of the Elsie d’Orsays to elevate my look and incorporate a chic finish. Other than jeans, they go great with a stunning, bold coloured dress to contrast, loud print to compliment with accent of the light shade, or even paired up with trousers to elongate your legs with the trick of the nude shade to your feet— the combinations are endless. The cuts on the side of the shoe coming to the front point makes for a timeless and sleek detail. When it comes to colour, I’m not shy about it but as of late I’ve been sporting the neutral shades. In place of my enthusiasms and love for colour, I decided that a bold backdrop would be appropriate to contrast my super neutral and light outfit. Because who doesn’t love pink astroturf??

So… think that a pop of pastel pink is just too girlie for your wardrobe? Think again.

Photos by: Artiese Studios

Let me know what you think of this colourful direction for my posts in the comments below!
And have a wonderful rest of your week loves! x

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Suede For Me

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Club Monaco Elizabina Silk Top 
Banana Republic Suede Mini Skirt via Kind Exchange (Similar here and here)
Thrifted Black Gold-studded Leather Belt via Black Market
Thrifted Vintage Coach Brown Leather Cross Body
J. Crew Hammered Choker Necklace (Similar here too)
Zara Aztec Woven Ankle Strap Wide Heel Sandals

Check out below for more links to similar pieces!

Here’s my attempt for a desert-Coachella-LA-vibes-western kind of look.
A combination inspired by WhoWoreWhat’s Danielle Bernstein and Lust for Life’s Olivia Lopez.

To further explore and take my art directing up a notch, I decided to change up my visual style to curate more interesting stories for my readers to see other than my usually expected whimsical and overexposed lit posts. Because change is good right? Or should I say variety.

This outfit was shot at Toronto’s Allen Gardens. Since the winter of last year I wanted to shoot at this location for a while but decided to wait until spring’s warm weather rolled in. I thought to myself… what area in Toronto would make the closest resemblance to California’s hot landscape? Or it went more like: where can I find a few palm trees? Even a bunch of Monstera leaves would do as well. In the end, a room full of cactuses was found at the green house and that seemed to do more for me than palm trees.

I currently have a mild obsession with cognac-coloured suede at the moment and have been trolling the internet slash lurking through countless vintage stores for brown suede pieces for a couple of months now. Next on the list… if possible.. would be to find a fringe suede jacket that actually doesn’t give me gigantic football shoulders. While on my search for a girlfriend’s birthday gift I was lucky to have found a Banana Republic suede mini skirt from the Kind Exchange, a consignment store on Queen Street for $30. Don’t you love it when you’re looking for someones gift but end up coming out with 3+ items for yourself? Regardless, this was a way better price for a real suede skirt compared to buying from Zara. (No hate– that was actually going to be my last resort.) 

Below, I attached some music by Alina Baraz to compliment the photos photographed from above. Hope you guys can see the Tumblr image x  Majestic Casual vibe here.

Just wanted to give a shout out to Dennis since it’s his birthday today. 
Happy birthday buddy!

Photographed by: Dennis Grishnin aka Mandala Beats

Speaking of Coachella the music festival… what’s your opinion on the trends showcased at music festivals?
Q: Is it just me or do you find that the outfits of today’s festival-goers are ignorantly using statement pieces from certain cultures? (i.e. headdresses and bindi gems.)

Let me know what you think in your comments below! x

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Airy and Distressed

OUTFIT DETAILS

Club Monaco Elizabina Silk Top 
Urban Outfitters BDG Slim Boyfriend Jeans
Forever21 Pinstriped Open-Front Blazer
White Leather Snake Embossed Crossbody (Similar here) c/o Therese
Yves Saint Laurent Wrap Strap Wide Heels in Icy (Similar here) via The RealReal

As many of you may have noticed I’m usually caught wearing either semi-formal and conservative pieces. If I’m wearing jeans, they’re often form-fitting and don’t look that worn out.

For me— it was quite the challenge to find a decent pair of boyfriend jeans, let alone a pair with what seems to be the right amount of rips and tears. Took me a couple years really. I found myself going through the GAP, J. Crew, even the thrift stores… contemplating if I should make my own pair. But most of which I found at thrift stores were either too large in length or width. I wanted to find a pair that wasn’t so expensive and that would fit nicely on my petite frame.

I’ve been frequently shopping at Urban Outfitters and saw that they carried a whole bunch of jeans, including boyfriend jeans and distressed ones as well. To own a wear of boyfriend jeans— I guess sacrifices have to made in terms of the unflattering fit around the rear aka no bum look… also known as border-line mom jeans. Right? But here I am today, finally a proud owner of a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans from UO.

On to how I wore out mine…

To maintain out my ultra femme and clean style, I paired my DBJ (distressed boyfriend jeans) with a flowy, white silk top from Club Monaco (in love with the lace up collar) and nude wide heel sandals that have wrap-around straps from Yves Saint Laurent via The RealReal for ONLY $115 which were retail for about $700. New in a box, with tags and dust bag. (SCORE!) I’m a huge fan of wide heels for good support and distant walks. My girlfriend and talented photographer, Therese also allowed me to borrow her adorable snake skin embossed cross body which she got from Asia to continue the light look I got going on. To tie the look altogether and contrast the light palette outfit, I wore my pinstripe navy blazer for a hint of dapper chic.

x

We all have different body shapes, so finding the right pieces to compliment and enhance our bodies is important. There’s no rush in fitting in the latest trends. I felt the same pressure when Zara and GAP started releasing a whole bunch of boyfriend jeans for a hefty $60-80 about one or two years ago. But I was able to hold back for a while and wait until I found a decent pair that as equally flattering and comfortable to wear. x

Speaking of The RealReal… I’d highly suggest anyone who’s interested in finding cost-friendly designer goods to go there. It’s an online consignment platform for all luxurious goods, from handbags, shoes, coats to works of art. Some things are second hand, vintage or even brand new. First timers even get an additional $25 off their first purchase!

Visit the link here!

Photos (Film and Digital) by: Artiese Studios

I want to give a shoutout and huge congratulations to my best buddy and talented photographer Arnold Lan for winning the Jubilee Project Fellowship in L.A and the Dreamjob Photojounalist competition to Norway. You have such a bright future ahead you. Way to go bestie! xo

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