What is a 10x10 challenge and why do I need to evaluate life after it?

A 10x10 challenge is choosing 10 pieces of clothing to create 10 different outfits over 10 days.

It is not to test to see if I can only live with 10 items of clothing, though this challenge has taught me that I can come close if I really wanted to.

No, I do this challenge every year because it kick starts my creativity, more specifically creativity in my wardrobe. We don't play enough in our wardrobes. Maybe we don't because most of our clothes don't fit because you think the body you have now doesn't deserve clothes that fit. Maybe it's because your life has been in transition and it no longer represents the person you are today. Maybe because you think it is just too hard, so you don't bother.

One of the biggest reasons is because we have TOO MUCH stuff and we get overwhelmed and therefore it stumps our creativity because of too much stimulation and choices. So we fall back onto wearing the same pieces over and...

I know when I go on vacation, packing can be a trigger for stress and anxiety. What if I don’t have enough? What if things don’t match? What if something comes up and I have nothing that makes me feel good? I don’t want to overpack!!  So, I am sharing my tips that helped me pack for my 2 week trip to California.

This is a basic overview, as all vacations are unique. You may be doing a destination vacation, a family vacation, couples vacation, long term vacation, camping vacation...so I am hoping that these tips will help you apply it to any type of vacation that you are going on. As a bonus, I have created planning cheat sheet to help you plan and pack for your next trip! 

My super duper awesome packing tips to not over pack:

1. Research, Organize & Plan: Research the weather for the days at the location you are going to.  down all the days you will be away on a list and any events or activities planned on that day. 
2. Outfit...

I am not everyone’s cup of tea.

I am on a personal journey to challenge the status quo and when I question your thoughts and beliefs, it can make you uncomfortable and want to naturally resist.

It won’t stop me though. I am on my own personal journey to question why we do what we do and how we feel what we feel when it comes to our bodies.

What triggered this obsession?

The trigger was deciding to become a personal stylist and that title and the traditional “fashion & beauty industry” made me feel icky. I was actually embarrassed to be called a personal stylist. I didn’t want to feed into what seemed like the collective pursuit of being “flawless” or the societal obsession with women having to do a million things that men don’t have to do in order to be desirable or to feel beautiful.

I struggled with wrapping my head around how I was going to add my voice to this industry. I am a feminist and even though I have...

Do you see an outfit on someone else or on a mannequin while shopping and think "I love that!", so you purchase it or something like it?

Or maybe you try on something quickly in the dressing room and you love it, but then when you get it home, you never reach for it? When you try it on at home, you may think "I can't pull this off" or "something isn't right". So it continues to hang in your closet unused.

In order to STOP doing this in the future, we need to understand the WHY first. Once we understand why, then we can change our behaviour when we shop. So, I am going to explain some reasons why and how to overcome it so that you can save your time and money in the long run.

1. You are stuck in your Comfort Zone: when you shop you may feel bold and adventurous from the dopamine in your system from trying on something fun or purchasing something new. But when you get home, you realize that you are not ready to get out of your comfort zone. When reality sinks in that you have to wear...

Dear Beauty & "Health" Industry,

I would like to share 10 things that I would greatly benefit your business. I believe that it can teach you how to better interact, sell and market to women who no longer want to be or feel ashamed of the way they look.

1. We already have bikini-ready bodies. You don't need to tell us how great we will look in it if we diet and exercise.

2. We are going to look beautiful in our wedding dress no matter our size. Thanks anyway.

3. Tracking and measuring our food makes us obsessed with a stupid number and fosters fear of food, not being healthy.

4. Scales are stupid.

5. There is no such thing as a goal weight - our size does not determine if we are a good or bad person. You're not going to lose 50 lbs and automatically love yourself more. You have to change your mindset and motivation FIRST. If you can't love yourself at 200 lbs, you won't magically love yourself at 150 lbs.

6. Shaming us for what we eat and restricting what we eat creates...

I remember I went years avoiding turtlenecks.

One of the main reasons was because I couldn't stand having something around my neck that I can FEEL. It makes me feel like I am always close to chocking...NOT how I want to feel in my clothes. However, I found a thin lightweight turtleneck that does NOT sit against my neck last year. I have to say, other then my denim, it is my MOST worn piece this Winter.

Why?

Because it is great for layering! I can wear tees, dresses, cardigans and blazers over it. I chose black as it was going to give me the most wear in my wardrobe and I love the classic look paired with a fun pant. See, I have boobs (not big, but perfectly curvy) and I also have small hips, so I like to stay more neutral up top and let my legs be the focus with fun pants. My turtleneck was also a great way to stay WARM in our many cold months in Eastern Canada, as I could still wear it with my tees and not freeze when I put on a blazer.

Next on my list is to find the perfect...

Imagine walking into a dimly lit space where everything is tinted pink, the walls glow and you’re cuddled up by a fire with a soft blanket. The floor is covered by three inches of loose salt minerals and for 30 minutes, you just sit there catching up with a friend, meditating, or napping, but also working on your health at the same time? It sounds like the best way to spend 30 minutes of my day. So, I was excited to partner with Healthy Inc. Allergy & Wellness Clinic to experience the opening of their Himalayan Salt Room.

Halotherapy is a holistic, natural treatment that uses microparticles of salt to promote:

healthy skin, better breathing, more restful sleep, improved physical fitness, enhanced moods and overall health and wellness.

Are you looking for a new meeting spot with a friend?

Or maybe a place to hold a small team meeting or find the time to reconnect with yourself in solitude? You might as well do it at a place that you can experience health benefits at the...

We can all agree that losing weight is the most common New Year’s Resolution and can we also all agree that we are SICK of hearing about it everywhere??

Why has our world become so obsessed with losing weight?

My first guess is because the diet culture has been SO successful at feeding into our insecurities. The insecurities that they have fostered and benefited from. Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT saying losing weight is bad. The obsession with it is. The obsession doesn’t teach you how to be happy, how to be a good person, how to be beautiful, how to be healthy and how to have a healthy relationship with food, body and your mental health.

SO...before you make your New Year’s resolution to lose weight, read this first.

For a lot of us, when we gain weight over a period of time or even suddenly, crazy things can happen to our thoughts and self-talk. Our inner voice can get nasty, mean, obsessive and sad. This can be due to how you were raised,...

If you live in a place where the air hurts your face, then you will also need something to warm your feet for all the occasions in your life. Maybe you only have one pair that isn't cutting it for work AND the hockey rink or maybe the ones you have a falling a part and you are not sure what to invest in.

So today, I am sharing my favourite winter boots that have kept my feet warm these past few years. I will also be sharing links to the ones I have or ones similar. You are going to be seeing winter boots that are great for every day wear, for work, special occasion and for outdoor play!

Everyday Wear:

On days where the snow doesn't go past my knees, I love wearing my favourite Bos & Co. Belfield boots in Prune. My feet are cold from October to May, so I break out these babies in the Fall because they are a great ankle boot to wear with my cropped pants. I still wear them all Winter long with my all of my jeans and even with some dresses. I fell in love with this colour...

This Fall I decided to live with less and decided to hold off buying any new clothes for the month of October. So, to kick this off, I did 10x10 Challenge and invited others to join me. That means I chose 10 items in my wardrobe and I wore them 10 different ways over 10 days.

WHY? (to find out what I learned, keep reading!)

• I want to challenge myself to live with less and maximize what I already own.
• I want to spend less. I am not going to buy anything new for one month.
• I will be more intentional and creative with my clothes.

THE BASIC GUIDELINES

1. Pick 10 ITEMS from your closet (I am not buying anything new for this challenge)
2. Style those items into 10 DIFFERENT OUTFITS
3. Use 10 DAYS to do it
4. HAVE FUN, don’t stress!

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Any core closet item you choose counts as a part of your 10 items. For example:

• Tops
• Sweaters
• Pants
• Dresses
• Shoes
• Layering Pieces (blazers, cardigans, vest…)

Keep in mind these are guidelines! If you don’t wear dresses, then...