Guest Post: Casar Jacobson

Hi, I'm Casar, and I'm excited to be guest blogging for Bellissima this month. I'm currently living in British Columbia, I am one of the faces behind the Bellissima campaigns, and recently won the title of Miss Canada Globe. For my guest post I thought I would share some of the opportunities that I have been fortunate to participate in lately.

 I recently joined an anti-bullying campaign with a school out of British Columbia. I was introduced to this school while visiting a 13 year old boy by the name of Zack. Zack has mild autism, but is a brilliant boy, and very smart. He currently loves the sciences and Harry Potter. He can memorize things word for word and can recollect dates and situations in a manner most of us cannot.

I recently teamed up with a crew that is helping me towards my acting, singing and public speaking goals. I'm also working with a vocal coach. As well, I received a contract with Canada's Sexiest Girl as a representative on the TV/reality series that will be launched out of Auckland, New Zealand.

In addition, I'm competing in Albania for Miss Globe. I departed on the 25th from Ontario.

See the photos below for more of what I've been working on.

Find out more about Casar Jacobson in our Bellissima Spotlight  or check out the About section on her  facebook page

Confident Fashion

 Any woman can copy a look out of a magazine. It is braver and more creative to invent one's own sense of style. Every personal quality can be conveyed via clothing if one is artistic. The ability to tastefully and effortlessly combine disparate pieces of clothing is underrated, even among fans of fashion. But with a few tips and a few tricks, you’ll be able to challenge celebrities in the limelight with your look and take home the winning ribbon!

Women who want to convey their confidence through their clothing should start by wearing bright colours. People who wear eye-catching colors want others to notice them. Confidence cannot stand on its’ own. A confident woman has reasons for being proud of who she is, and those are the qualities that she should accentuate. If she is quirky, she can wear playful dresses and chunky jewelry. A serene woman might choose a deliberately minimalist outfit with one or two standout accessories. She could wear a summery maxi-dress and a bold coloured wedge and exude a red carpet summer style without the hassle or headache. Whatever your style, whatever your mood strut your style like you were front page of your favorite magazine! We have to work an outfit from the ground up—so be sure to have a variety of shoes for any occasion and you’ll be on your way to a complete chic fashion statement! Pair a maxi dress with a floral printed wedge and bold accent hair scarf this summer for a cool, calm and collected look in the summer heat! 

Professional women can add some funky colors to their business casual wardrobes if they do so in subtle ways. Everyday suits can be worn with brightly colored tops instead of white or pastel ones. A patterned scarf is a lone pop of variety in a deliberately plain ensemble. A woman who does not like wearing scarves can dress all in black except for a wild pair of heels. The strangeness of the shoes is doubled by the fact that the shoes were chosen as the style vehicle; many women default to wearing plain black or brown shoes at all times.

Fashion is all about attitude and confidence. Experimenting with style is a hallmark of inner strength because sometimes mistakes will be made. A truly confident woman will wear her mistakes just as beautifully as her successes. There is nothing to lose by broadening one's sense of style, since even missteps are creative victories. Let your inner fashionista rage this summer! 

Guest post on dressing for confidence by Anya stylist for shoedazzle.com
photos by Ashley of Lions Lace Lattes
styling of Bellissima items by Kate Clark

Guest Blogger: Coco And Vera

Hi, I'm Cee from Coco and Vera! You might remember me from my last guestpost. I'm a Vancouver girl who dreams of Paris... and will be calling it home in a matter of weeks! Vancouver has been my home for six years, and I will miss it. (But Paris - who could pass that up?) So I've spent the summer visiting all of my favourite places, among them the Sylvia Hotel. I remember, when I first arrived in Vancouver, driving up Beach Avenue and seeing the Sylvia looming on the horizon, a historic beauty by the beach. Many of the buildings in Vancouver are new, buty the Sylvia, built in 1912 and once a lone monument on the English Bay beachfront, has stood the test of time. The ivy-covered stone facade of the Sylvia Hotel always makes me think of glamour... And what could possibly be more glamourous than a lace coat? I fell in love with this beauty from Dammee Inc. and couldn't resist pairing it with a burgundy blouse from Vivian Wong. Burgundy is without a doubt my favourite shade for fall, but this piece is also delicate enough for a sunny late summer day by the water.

 

Coat - Dammee, Inc. via Bellissima

Blouse - Vivian Wong via Bellissima

Skirt - Joseph Ribkoff via Bellissima

Heels - Asos

Earrings - La Vie Parisienne by Catherine Popesco

Guest Post, Coco & Vera: Ruby Red Trench

 

Hi! I'm Cee from Coco and Vera. I'm a Vancouver-based style blogger with a passion for all things Parisian. I'm so excited to be guest blogging for Bellissima this month. I paid a visit to their South Granville boutique in Vancouver to see their spring collections and the first thing that caught my eye was a ruby red trench coat from Solo Moda.

Time for a confession: When I was little, I watched Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? every day after school. Carmen Sandiego was a glamourous, enigmatic heroine, so elusive that she was almost never seen except from behind, as she was escaping capture. She inspired my fascination with travel, and she inspired my style; I've had a fondness for red trench coats and fedoras ever since. I think I could almost convincingly pull off a career as an international criminal mastermind in this coat. Not that I would want to - at least, not forever :)

In all seriousness, when it comes to glamour, you can't top this trench.

Coat - Solo Moda via Bellissima

Blouse - Joseph Ribkoff via Bellissima

Skirt - Bellissima via Bellissima

Boots - Aldo

Earrings - Vintage (from mom's collection!)

Blogger of the Month: Coco & Vera

Introducing our February blogger of the Month, Cee of Coco and Vera! Cee's blog is both beautiful and inspiring. Her style is classic, feminine, romantic, and elegant. Watch out for a guest post and giveaway from Cee coming up later this month! If you'd like to find out more about Cee, click HERE. 

Zooey for the Holidays!

The line is pretty fuzzy for when it’s appropriate to start celebrating the Holidays, isn’t it? But fear not! If Christmas is your thing, whenever you decide to put up that Christmas tree you’ll have a wonderful soundtrack full of holiday cheer to do it to. “A Very She & Him Christmas” is out now, and as both a fan of Zooey Deschanel AND Christmas, I can safely say it’s an absolute delight! It’s puts the perfect new sheen on those classic Christmas tunes, from ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ to an updated version of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’. For those Christmas lovers like myself (who ideally have their tree up already, Halloween was weeks ago afterall!), I suggest coming home from a day full of shopping, pouring yourself a glass of homemade egg nog, sitting by your beautifully lit tree, and relaxing to the sounds of She & Him. Sugar cookies are optional. Enjoy!

Falling Leaves

Turtlenecks are a big hit this fall and winter, so of course I had to wear this mod mini dress/tunic! I love that it balances out the high neckline with a shorter skirt. For the coolers months ahead, turtlenecks look great under layers, so pile on the vests, cardigans, sweaters, dresses, and mini skirts over top this tunic! While out and about, I felt like I was wearing two outfits because this jacket looks almost like a dress when it’s buttoned up. I absolutely adore the shape!

Joseph Ribkoff jacket via Bellissima

Frank Lyman Mini dress/tunic via Bellissima

The Black Pant

Not just a pair of black pants. For you ladies who work in the corporate environment you know that dressing to work does not need to be a boring task. These black dress pants are amazing! They can easily be worn dressed up or dressed down. Here I decided to wear them when a striped sweater and wedge heels. My favourite part about these pants is the pleats around the pockets. Such a fun detail!

My other favourite part of this outfit is the Anne B. Accessories wood bracelet. Anne Corpuz-Bacalso was one of the emerging designers from Alberta Fashion Week. She won an exclusive deal with Bellissima and has her amazing jewellrey on sale at the Bellissima store in Chinook Center, Calgary. Make sure to stop by the Chinook Center Bellissima location to check out Anne’s jewelry selection! Her pieces are made from all natural products including wood, bone, horn resin, and shell.

Bellissima black pants

Anne B. Accessories bracelet via Bellissima

Edit: We also want to congratulate Kate of http://o-my-heart.blogspot.com/ for winning a $100 Bellissima Gift Card through Ashley's blog.

Autumn Orange

Jackets are one of my favorites parts of my wardrobe.  For me, a great coat is the finishing touch to any outfit. This coat came in a few different neutral colours but the orange caught my eye. When fall hits I can’t get enough of orange, burgundy and army green. I decided to let the coat be the statement piece of this outfit, and kept the rest of the pieces subtle with black and white pattern mixing.

What would you wear with this coat?

Louben coat via Bellissima

Joespeh Ribkoff skirt via Bellissima

**Make sure to enter Ashley's giveaway on her blog for a 

$100 gift card to Bellissima**

To Enter just leave a comment on her giveaway post 

(CLICK HERE)

Bonus Entries:

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Lions Lace Lattes: Cashmere Leopard

Hello! I’m Ashley, and I write for the blog, Lions Lace Lattes. I am so excited to be guest posting for Bellissima for October and November. Bellissima has always been the go to store for the perfect party dress, but after seeing the edgy, rocker outfits created by Jennie Lyle at Alberta Fashion Week, I realized that Bellissima has a lot more to offer than graduation and Christmas party attire. I was so inspired by the looks from fashion week in March, when I was asked to create outfits for the Bellissima blog, I jumped at the chance.  

Sweaters are an autumn essential, and perfect for those transitional fall days where the afternoons are warmer, but the evenings are cooling off. I noticed this light-weight cashmere sweater at Bellissima right away, and knew I had to wear it. I love the soft, fuzzy texture... and the leopard - need I say more. I decided to pair it with a leather skirt, black pumps, a yellow belt to pull out the colour in the sweater, and a jean jacket to dress the look down. 

How would you wear this sweater?

Outfit Details

Suncoo Paris cashmere sweater via Bellissima

Anne B. Accessories Tiger Wood and Turquoise bracelet via Bellissima

Make sure to enter Ashley's giveaway on her blog for a 

$100 gift card to Bellissima

To Enter just leave a comment on her giveaway post 

(CLICK HERE)

Bonus Entries:

Like Bellissima on Facebook

Follow Bellissima on Twitter

Follow the Bellissima blog via google friend connect

follow Lions Lace Lattes on google friend connect or bloglovin

Like Lions Lace Lattes on Facebook

Follow Lions Lace Lattes on Twitter

Coldplay

In the current age of technology, very few artists have the opportunity to create a lasting legacy. Too few and far between are bands and artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis. Perhaps it’s a matter of the industry being too geared towards what is ‘new’ and ‘in’, or perhaps it can be lent to the fact that bands nowadays put out an album every 2-4 years, when the Beatles released all 12 of their albums within the span of 7. Whatever the reason, it’s no easy task naming a band that has really had a measurable effect on the past decade in the same way other bands affected the 60’s and 70’s. If there was, however, one band which has had consistent, lasting success for the past decade, with every indication that their music could conceivably live on beyond their own existence as a group, it would have to be Coldplay. Now, I dare not compare them to a band like the Beatles, (for comparing anyone to a band such as that is a surefire way to bring the ire of many music fans) but they are very likely the closest thing our generation may ever see in terms of lasting success. For years they have been making an exceedingly grandiose blend of brit rock and pop music, and while they have diligently tweaked the theme between every album, they have developed a distinct sound which carries on and lets you know every time they appear on the radio that ‘hey, this is Coldplay.’ Each of their four albums has gone number one and multi-platinum, and with their latest release coming October 24th, you can surely expect it to do just the same. 

Emmy Winner for best Drama: Mad Men

Congrats to Mad Men for another Emmy win in the Drama category. If you haven’t seen it, now is the perfect time to catch up while we wait for season 5. It’s expertly written, wonderfully acted, and perhaps the best looking show on television. It perfectly captures the elegance and style of the early sixties and is a must-see for anyone seeking some fashion inspiration.