Style – Page 2 – Tiny In Toronto

So This Is 28

Okay, the title sounds a bit more dramatic than I intended. I’m not really feeling any different but I have my birthday outfit photos to share today and I couldn’t think of anything better. As I’ve said previously, these photos are not recent because I haven’t had much time to write any blog posts lately. My birthday was just over 10 days ago. Where did the time go? Honestly, everything seems to be going by so fast, and I’m not having enough time to enjoy it! Am I the only one feeling this way? Summer is flying by and I think it only officially started this past Sunday. I’m also still trying to adjust to my old life when I was working retail full-time and doing all of this. I mean, I now have a separate small business to take care of as well so that’s not really helping. But how in the world did I juggle all of this before? It seems impossible. I’m worried about burning out but I really am trying to keep up and continue to do the things that make me happy. Toronto went out of lockdown on June 11th. I officially started work full-time again on the 16th and I’m already desperate to use some vacation time. I hate to say it, but I sort of miss my lockdown life. But I have to make money because you need money to live, so I’m just going to have to figure it out. Is this what 28 feels like?

Some of you are going to find it funny that I’m wearing a beret because we haven’t had the weather for it, but my boyfriend got it for me for my birthday and I just had to wear it right away! It’s honestly the cutest beret I’ve ever seen. It’s more like a work of art if you ask me. It’s this navy beret with fish on it!!! I found this seller/small business on Instagram, and I don’t remember how I stumbled upon her but I’m quite happy that I did. She’s from Australia and her brand is called Chubby Bubble. She makes all of these special hats and earrings. They’re so unique and I wish I could buy everything! You have to check out her Etsy or her Instagram because her pieces are unbelievably cute. Anyways, I showed him a few pieces from Chubby Bubble and he must have taken note or something because he surprised me with it for my birthday. How sweet!

The romper that I’m wearing is from Free People. Are you even surprised? Should I even bother telling you where my clothes are from anymore lol? We received this romper in shipment over a month ago and I bought it right away KNOWING that it would probably be my birthday outfit. I didn’t go anywhere or do anything super exciting for my birthday, but it’s nice to wear something special, no? So I saved this romper to wear on my special day and I’m so happy that I did. It looks like it’s a dress but it actually has shorts at the bottom. I really love the style of it! I also love how spacious it is. It’s kind of whimsical and I don’t have to feel self-conscious of my stomach/the weight that I’ve gained. I feel really great in it and totally recommend. It’s called the “Cutie Pie Romper”!

Since the romper is an outfit all on its own, all that’s left to share are the accessories! You didn’t expect me to not “spice it up” on my birthday, did you? Let’s start with my choice of shoes. I wore my favourite cowboy boots that I thrifted from Talize years ago. I actually had these photos reposted by Talize on their Instagram! It was so cool! I was feeling pretty honoured ha-ha. These are my absolute favourite boots that I own. I want to wear them with everything but I’m afraid it’s too hot most days. I don’t really like them sticking to my legs, you know? Anyways, I had to wear them with this romper. I love the quirkiness they add to any outfit. If you’re open to the idea, I think you should get a pair of cowboy boots. This pair was only $15 (maybe cheaper)! The jewelry I’m wearing is much of the same. I wore a pearl necklace (not real pearls, they’re from Amazon lol) because I think it really complimented the ivory embroidery on the romper. I wore my favourite BonBonWhims “Pop Drop” earring with their “Heart Huggie” in the opposite ear. I love mixing my earrings right now. I appreciate the contrast. It’s just another quirky little touch. Another necklace that I’m wearing is something we’ve recently made for Never Skip a Bead. We aren’t selling them yet but it’s part of the second collection that we plan on dropping on July 5th. We’re super excited to share it! This blog post will actually go up on the weekend that my sister and I will be shooting the photos for launch day! It still doesn’t seem real that we’re doing this. I don’t have it all figured out yet, but we have a real business going and I can’t believe it!

Now I’ve saved the best for last (obviously). My darling boyfriend got me ANOTHER Nunoo bag (!!!) because he’s honestly the best. If you know me, nothing makes me happier than a new handbag. I blame my mom for rubbing this obsession off on me. He got me the “Honey” bag from Nunoo and it’s in this gorgeous lavender colour that I had been drooling over since last year. I think they teased it or something in December, or maybe even January? I took a screenshot and sent it to him because I was in so much awe. But I couldn’t justify the purchase for myself. I had it saved in my phone and was literally dreaming about it for months. And as you can probably tell, those dreams came true! I love this new bag and I’ve been wearing it constantly since the day I got it.

BERET – Chubby Bubble
ROMPER – Free People
COWBOY BOOTS – Talize
BAG – Nunoo

All in all, I think I’m okay with being 28 now. Maybe I’ll start to panic when I’m 29 years-old ha-ha. I mean, as long as I’m happy and healthy, that’s all that matters! I would love to travel a few more times before I’m 30. Maybe get my own place? Get a dog? Anything can happen in a year or two!

On Wednesday, Toronto is moving into the next stage of their reopening plan. I think this means that we can get haircuts, go to malls, and have gatherings indoors? The vaccine roll-out has apparently been a success so things are moving much quicker than expected! I still don’t know how I feel about that. I just hope this really is the end and that there won’t be a 4th wave.

That being said, I hope you’re all safe and doing well. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time,

– Tiny ❤

Playin’ It Cool

Happy Monday! Trying my best to write a couple of blog posts today so I can be a little more consistent and have content to post while I’m at work this week. Speaking of work, I am TIRED. I can’t believe how much my body has changed since the pandemic started. I do not have the stamina that I once had. Seriously though, where did all of my energy go? I find myself heavily relying on coffee these days to make sure I accomplish the things I have on my list. I never really drank that much coffee before but now I get it. Coffee really is a drug.

I said this in my last blog post but my photos are a little backed up at the moment. I mean in regards to my outfit photos. Yes, they’re about 2-3 weeks old, but they’re still relevant! The weather just keeps getting nicer and nicer. I love that I don’t have to carry a jacket with me now. I’m barely even wearing socks these days! My arms and legs have gotten significantly darker. I think summer is here, folks. And what I’m basically trying to say is that I’m looking at this outfit right now, and I’m wondering how was I not uncomfortable/hot in those flares? Was I not sticky af? I guess that tells you how long ago it was ha-ha.

For this outfit, and since I already mentioned them, I started with this pair of pleated snakeskin flared trousers. Now that’s a lot of adjectives. I was so hesitant to purchase these because I really didn’t think I would gravitate towards them all that much, but I was wrong! I adore these pants more than anyone should probably adore pants. They are so comfortable (I feel like I’m wearing pyjamas) and the print seems a bit of a statement/dramatic but it’s actually quite neutral. At least I think it’s more of a neutral. I kind of treat them like jeans at this point. Maybe I’m just super open to wearing almost anything that it doesn’t bother me, but I could wear these trousers/pants with any top. The top that I chose for this specific outfit is a new one that I just LOVE. It’s a new arrival at Free People (at least here in Canada). It’s selling so fast because the cut of it is just so flattering. It’s the perfect summer top if you ask me. Bubble gum pink or pink in general is super popular this summer. You’re going to see a ton of it everywhere, and on me tbh lol. I’m obsessed with it. I want everything pink! This top is called the “Play It Cool Top” and I’ll link it here if you want to check it out: https://www.freepeople.com/shop/play-it-cool-top/?color=055&type=REGULAR&quantity=1 Customers have honestly raved about it and I’ve been raving about it, too.

The accessories that I chose in terms of jewelry are typically the same as usual (you can find out the specifics in my past blog posts), EXCEPT I made gummy bear earrings! How cute is that?! I found these gummy bear charms on Amazon and kind of fell in love with them to the point where I just clicked “place order” without even thinking. I’m thinking about selling them with our @neverskipabead jewelry. They kind of match the aesthetic and I mean c’mon, they’re adorable! For shoes, I chose one of those two pairs of Zara shoes that I ordered not long ago. I think this pair is my favourite if we’re talking comfort. They’re so easy and my feet don’t hate me after I’ve worn them for a couple of hours. I’m not quite sure if I’ve shared this bag on the blog yet. This little yellow straw bag with beaded handles is from Talize! The cutest little summer bag, ever. It’s super trendy and it holds everything I need it to. If you’re in the market for one, I highly recommend checking your local thrifts stores before going out and getting one anywhere else. They have so many great straw bags and you’re paying a fraction of the price! Why pay more when you’ll only be wearing it for a few months, right?

TOP – Free People
FLARED TROUSERS – Topshop Petite
SHOES – Zara
BAG – Thrifted (Talize)
BEADED NECKLACE – Sunday Oddities (Instagram seller)
GUMMY BEAR EARRINGS – Never Skip a Bead
SUNGLASSES – Free People

This concludes another outfit post. Let me know in the comments if you need me to spice things up a bit! I’ve gotten TikTok? That’s new for me and kind of spices things up, no lol? Follow me there (@tinyintoronto) if you’re interested! I’m super new and still trying to figure it out but I get the hype. It’s really addicting. But in all seriousness, I do love writing book reviews, makeup reviews, etc. I just haven’t crossed a book worth sharing in a long time. I also haven’t really been wearing makeup since I wear a mask all day. So I’m open to new suggestions!

I hope you all have a great start to your week!

Stay safe, and until next time,

– Tiny ❤

More is More is More

I’m back! Life has been so busy lately. Two weeks ago I was tied up with starting/launching my own business with my sister, and last week was my birthday week! I had a few plans with family and friends that lasted about 5 days so I didn’t have an opportunity to write a new blog post until now. But I’m here and ready to share with y’all a new outfit.

I always say that I love accessorizing so this shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. However, the outfit I’m sharing today is probably me accessorizing TO THE MAX. I really just went for it and added it all, and I actually kind of dig it. I don’t know where I heard “more is more” but I totally support it. Life is way too short to be simple and boring!

The outfit I’m wearing is a pair of denim shorts from Free People, paired with a crew neck sweatshirt that I picked up while visiting Montréal three years ago. It’s a very simple and easy outfit that you can really play with in terms of accessorizing (that’s why I love it).

Okay, now let’s introduce all the accessories LOL. Are you ready? Let’s start off with the cowboy boots. They were picked up during that same Montréal trip three years ago. I love them and I can’t picture life without them. I think these cowboy boots really make the outfit different and stand out. Cowboy boots are definitely trending right now. I don’t know about you but I’ve been seeing them a lot more frequently this year (but let it be known that I was wearing them 3 years ago ahaha). Next I’ll share my Nunoo that I’m sure we’ve all seen before. I’ve had it for I want to say, two years? It’s Nunoo’s “Bobby” bag and I think it really elevates the look, and also makes it a little less sloppy. Now before I go on to all the jewelry pieces, these sunglasses are a pair that I might have talked about before but I can’t remember. They’re this pair from Vehla Eyewear. They’re honestly my favourite sunglasses right now. I love the shape and the coloured lenses give them such a retro feel. If you’re looking for this specific pair, they’re called the “Dixie – Choc Tort/Cinnamon”.

Oh! I also want to point out that my hair is up in a claw clip which doesn’t normally happen for me, but my hair is just getting so freaking long. I need my hair cut and therefore CANNIT wait for salons to reopen.

OK TIME FOR THE JEWELS/BITS AND BOBS that are around my neck, wrists, etc. I don’t even know where to start. Do you even want to know where every single piece is from? With the amount that I’m wearing, we could be here forever. I mean, most of you will recognize this stuff from previous posts so I won’t go into too much detail. If it’s made out of beads, I made it myself for Never Skip a Bead (the new business I started with my sister). You can follow us on Instagram @neverskipabead! There’s a beaded necklace around my neck from @sundayoddities on Instagram. She sells some really beautiful pieces and I absolutely love my necklace. I’m also wearing the necklace from VibeSzn that I never take off. There’s a curb chain choker that I was kindly gifted from @envieuxjewelry. It’s held up pretty well so far and I’m quite impressed. I have my rings from @neonafternoon and @bonbonwhimsclub. I love all of these brands so much that I wish I could buy all of their pieces. I encourage y’all to check them out!

SUNGLASSES – Vehla Eyewear
SWEATSHIRT – Secondhand boutique in Montréal
SHORTS – Free People
COWBOY BOOTS – Thrift store in Montréal
BAG – Nunoo
JEWELRY – Sunday Oddities, Neon Afternoon, VibeSzn, BonbonWhims, Envieux Jewelry, and Never Skip a Bead

I’m going to be real and warn you that I am completely backlogged in terms of outfit posts. I have so many photos of multiple different outfits that I want to share so please understand that it’s been super busy on my end. The lockdown here in Toronto has also been lifted, which means that I am officially back to work full-time. It sucks. I feel tired just thinking about it. I know I shouldn’t be complaining because I’m one of the lucky ones that still has a job, but the adjustment after each lockdown during this pandemic has been super hard. It baffles me that this was once my normal. How did I manage it all and not pass out? I’m going to try my best to maintain a certain level of energy to work on blog posts, keep the new business going (beading/working on orders, marketing, etc.), manage two Instagram accounts, read books and record podcast episodes, read the monthly book club pick, and work a full-time retail job. Doesn’t that sound easy/manageable? I’m trying to keep a positive mindset and to not get too overwhelmed but it’s going to happen. I just hope that’ll you’ll still read my blog posts even if I struggle to keep the balance. With everything that I’m juggling, there is definitely going to be a few things that will lack attention from time to time. And I think I’m not really saying this for you but more for me. I need to realize that it’s okay to save something for later.

Anyways, thanks for hearing me out. I appreciate you all for taking the time to read my ramblings. I hope you’re all having a great week so far!

Until next time,

– Tiny ❤

Gemini Season

Hello everyone! I was absent all last week with the craziness of launching my own small business with my sister. We had such a great response and I think it was more than I could have hoped for. Launch day was a success! If you haven’t read my last few blog posts, this will be huge news to you. I plan to disclose everything behind the brand and how it came to be in an upcoming blog post but basically, we were bored during lockdown and were feeling nostalgic so we started a beaded jewelry brand! It’s called Never Skip a Bead and if you want to check out our pieces, go to Instagram! We’re @neverskipabead :))

Today’s post is all about Gemini season. Were any of you born between May 21st-June 20th? In exactly a week from today, I’ll be turning 28 years-old. I’m a Gemini! June 14th, 1993 – it’s crazy that I’m almost 30! There’s still so much that I want to do before I’m 30 years-old. Hopefully I’ll be able to accomplish a lot in my 28th year. I don’t know if it’s all in my head or whatever, but I find that my spirits are at an all-time high once Gemini season arrives. Like, this season just makes me SO HAPPY! I truly feel like I’m in my element. It’s so strange and again, it’s probably all in my head (summer weather is finally here so that could be it as well lol) but I love it.

The outfit that I’m sharing is this beautiful dress that I had been drooling over on the Free People website for a long two months. Then (and you can probably see this coming) someone returned the dress IN MY SIZE! I’m telling you, it was fate. This was meant to be. I love it so much! I’m obsessed with the way it drapes/hangs and I can see myself living in this dress all summer long. It’s called the “Mended With Scarves Mini Dress” and I’ll link it here: https://www.freepeople.com/shop/mended-with-scarves-mini-dress/?category=SEARCHRESULTS&color=041&searchparams=q%3Dmended%2520with%2520scarves&type=REGULAR&quantity=1

It really does look like a bunch of scarves sewn together and I think that’s so cool! Online they have sold out in the colour that I’m wearing. However, they currently have a blue version that looks just as cute! Also, can we take a moment to notice how long my legs look in it?! Maybe it’s also the shoes but HELLOOOOO *heart eyes*.

This leads me to the accessories! My favourite part (I say this every time lol)! I want to start with the shoes since I’ve already mentioned them. This is the second pair from the Zara order I mentioned in my last post. I LOVE these shoes. Super comfy and super chic. I love the mint or sage green colour of them. It’s beautiful. I’m obsessed with green but that’s probably old news because I haven’t stopped talking about my love for green for weeks now. The other accessory that isn’t jewelry is my See by Chloe bag that I honestly almost forgot I had until I did a little clean of my wardrobe. I LOVE THIS BAG. She looks so chic. I love her in this mustard colour. It’s the “Mini Joan Crossbody Bag”. She looks like new and I’ve had her for two years! The jewelry I’m wearing is all Never Skip a Bead. I think these pieces that we’re making are so perfect for summer layering. If you’re close to my age, do you remember those friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss that you used to make during the summer? And you’d like stack them all the way up your arm? That’s the vibe we’re going for. You know, with that summer camp tan? It’s so nostalgic! My sister and I would go on family camping trips and I just remember us working on jewelry on one of the campground picnic tables until our arms were covered. Such fun memories! I really hope you’ll give our small business a look! It’s so cute.

DRESS – Free People
SHOES – Zara
SUNGLASSES – Free People
JEWELRY – Never Skip a Bead
BAG – See by Chloé

I hope you all have a great week! Happy Monday! Hopefully I’ll have another post for you before my birthday weekend comes around! If not, I’ll have tons to share next week so stay tuned. I may be busy but I will never stop blogging xx

Stay safe and until next time,

– Tiny ❤

Dungarees Vol. 4

Hey everyone! Remember a couple of blog posts ago when I told you my boyfriend and I shot two outfits in the same day during that gorgeous weekend a couple of weeks ago? Well, here’s one of them! I honestly can’t believe how fast the weather is changing. It just keeps getting warmer, and warmer. Yesterday was like 30 degrees with a high of 39 degrees! I mean, looking at these photos I feel a little overdressed. Overdressed in the sense that I’m wearing too many layers that if I were to wear that yesterday, I would have cooked. Anyways, let’s get right to the outfit, shall we?

I bought my FOURTH pair of overalls and I’m not mad about it. I am an overalls/dungarees lady. They’re so comfortable and so cool, I don’t care what anyone else has to say! This pair is a cream-coloured pair and I think that despite that they cover my legs, they’re perfect for summer. There’s nothing that makes me happier than a cream or a white on a fresh tan. Oh my goodness, I’m even smiling while typing this. It’s just the best! This beautiful new pair of overalls is my third pair of the “Ziggy Denim Overalls” from Free People. I’ve talked about these overalls time and time again. I can’t say enough good things. They’re like the PERFECT loose fit. If you’re interested in a pair (and you should be lol), here’s a link to them: https://www.freepeople.com/shop/ziggy-denim-overalls/?category=SEARCHRESULTS&color=002&searchparams=q%3Dziggy%2520denim%2520overalls&type=REGULAR&quantity=1

I styled these overalls or “dungarees” with a plain white cropped t-shirt. It’s also from Free People and I honestly wouldn’t mind a couple more! It’s been such a good staple for me. It’s called “The Perfect Tee” and that’s a fitting name because it sits at the perfect spot *chef’s kiss*. It’s great underneath overalls, pinafores or spaghetti strap dresses. I love it with a great pair of jeans. I’ve even worn it with a pair of printed trousers. I totally recommend this one if you don’t mind cropped tops. Actually, if you look closely you’ll notice that it’s not even that cropped on me. The edge/bottom of the t-shirt is kind of poking out at the edges of my dungarees. I’m going to link this perfect tee here and you can thank me later: https://www.freepeople.com/shop/we-the-free-the-perfect-tee/?category=SEARCHRESULTS&color=401&searchparams=q%3Dperfect%2520tee&type=REGULAR&quantity=1

Now you all know my favourite part is accessorizing. And I especially love accessorizing overalls (I’m sorry that I keep switching from overalls to dungarees, I can’t decide what I like more lol). I made a cheeky little Zara order not long ago and I’m wearing two of the pieces here. First is this straw hat that I had in my cart for (I kid you not) months. I just couldn’t justify ordering it by itself, I don’t know why. It didn’t seem worth the trouble, I guess? I told myself that I’ll order it if I find something else that I like – and low and behold, I found more than one thing that I LOVED ha-ha. ZARA HAD SHOES IN SIZE 5 Y’ALL. I really thought it was more of a rarity but the more I looked, the more options I saw! I almost went absolutely crazy and ordered them all but I behaved and stuck with two pairs this time around. I’m also noticing that size 5s are one of the first sizes to completely sell out, which is kind of stressful but I can’t say that I don’t understand why lol. All I can say is that I am fully aware that I can buy a variety of shoes from Zara now and I’m super happy about it. The pair that I’m wearing with this outfit are these heeled… flip flops? But they’re puffy? My boyfriend said that they look like I’m wearing donuts on my feet and he’s not wrong. I’m obsessed with them though. Cutie donut sandals? Sign me up! I can understand why they might not be something everyone is into, but that just makes me love them more tbh! If you’re curious about the other pair of shoes that I picked up, stay tuned! They’ll be in my next blog post!

The jewelry that I’m wearing is the same as usual. I’ll spare you all the details because I feel like I broken record at this point. If you’re new here, this is the perfect opportunity to check out my other blog posts *wink face*! I will take this as an opportunity to plug our new business! My sister and I started a beaded jewelry business together called “Never Skip a Bead”. As of today, we will be officially launching and accepting orders in 6 days! It’s unreal. I can’t believe it. If you don’t like the pieces that I’m wearing here or on our Instagram, we have TONS of ideas up our sleeves! I think we’ll eventually have a style for everyone. If you’re interested in cute jewelry and supporting a small business, go to @neverskipabead on Instagram! We’re also on Facebook!

T-SHIRT + OVERALLS/DUNGAREES – Free People
HAT + SHOES – Zara
BAG – See by Chloe at Nordstrom
Jewelry – Never Skip a Bead

Okie dokie! That’s it, that’s all! Congrats on making it until Wednesday! It was a long weekend here in Canada because of Victoria Day, so we have a 4-day work week. The weekend will be here again sooner than you know it! If you don’t hear from me until next week (because I typically try to post on the weekend), it’s because I’ll be doing a lot of focusing on Never Skip a Bead and preparing for our big launch. Perhaps in my next post I’ll introduce you to the brand? We shall see!

Thank you for reading! I appreciate the time you take to read my poor writing. Enjoy the rest of your week, and stay safe!

Until next time,

– Tiny ❤

On the Fringe of Summer

Happy long weekend, everyone! What are you up to this weekend? I wanna know in the comment section below! I’ll be at home because Toronto is still under stay-at-home orders. I guess that means that I’ll live vicariously through your plans ha-ha. It’s okay though. I have a lot of beading to do!

Today’s outfit post is from a week or so ago. It was before all of this beautiful weather we’ve had so if you live in Toronto and am wondering how I’m so covered/layered up, it’s because it was during those cloudy/rainy weeks. I recently ordered this cream fringe jacket from Topshop at The Bay. The Hudson’s Bay has officially announced that it will no longer be selling Topshop at their stores since Topshop’s been bought by ASOS/claimed bankruptcy. It’s so sad but I thought that I should probably get something from the “Petite” section because I have no idea where I’ll be able to shop trendy petite items once they’ve gone. The rest of the outfit is from work. You probably could have guessed that. “The Doors” graphic t-shirt that I’m wearing was an online return to our store. Even though it’s pretty long, I had to have it. Maybe I’ll wear it as a dress? All of our graphic t-shirts at Free People are unbelievably soft. I think they’re the best, and I’m not just saying that because I work there! The jeans I’m wearing are Levi’s and they were also a return. I think they’re the “High Loose” style. I really like baggy jeans at the moment. They’re comfortable and I think it’s obvious that that’s what I’m all about right now. I will admit to having to hem this pair though. I couldn’t walk in them and if I had tried, I definitely would have face-planted. I swear I had to cut off at least 4 inches. But look at them! They fit perfectly now! I probably could tighten the waist a bit and I’ve seen some hacks on TikTok that I want to try, but I’m also worried about ruining them. Have any of you ever tried jeans hacks? Were you successful?

Crocs and these jeans were not my first choice, I’ll admit. But I think they kind of work! How are we feeling about the Crocs comeback? I know I talked about them in my last blog post so you know where I stand. They’re seriously my go-to shoe at the moment. It’s shocking how these pink babies go with almost everything. I love them so much that I’m in the process of finding some neat charms! Or are they called Jibbitz? If you’re in the market for some, I highly recommend Etsy. They have some really cute and unique ones. Ones that will make you stand out from the rest, you know? (Sorry I’m so annoying lol) Anyways, enough talk about accessorizing my Crocs. Once I receive the ones I’ve ordered online, I’ll be sure to write a blog post about them – don’t you worry ha-ha! The accessories that I chose for this outfit are the ones I basically wear with every outfit. A little bit of BonBonWhims, Neon Afternoon, VibeSzn, and my and my sister’s new little brand: Never Skip a Bead! On Tuesday, June 1st we’ll be taking orders! Please follow our Instagram @neverskipabead if you haven’t already! I’ve put so much time and effort into this that I really hope we get at least one order. That would make me happy.

And finally, I brought Frankie out again! This is the patchwork “Donna” bag from Nunoo that I got either last year or the year before for my birthday. It’s funny because my boyfriend and I have kind of made it a tradition to get me a new Nunoo bag for my birthday every year. I mean it makes things easy for him and I couldn’t be happier. You all know how I much I love Nunoo. They’re the only bags I wear! I recommend them to anyone that wants a unique and colourful bag. There’s nothing like them and that’s what I love most. Who wants to look like everybody else?

GRAPHIC TEE – Free People
FRINGE JACKET – Topshop at The Hudson’s Bay
JEANS – Levi’s at Free People
SHOES – Crocs
BAG – Nunoo
JEWELRY – Never Skip a Bead, Neon Afternoon, VibeSzn and BonBonWhims
SUNGLASSES – Free People

I feel like I should have had more to share today but I don’t think there’s anything new with me. I’ve just been working on Never Skip a Bead stuff and watching a lot of The Boys. It’s on Amazon Prime and it’s two seasons that I finished in a week. I think that if I finished it that fast, that should tell you how good it is. I highly recommend it if you like anything superhero-related. What have you been watching lately? I also just finished Shadow and Bone and completely fell in love with it. I bought all three books to the series, plus the side story about the crow or something. I haven’t started it yet so forgive me if I sound like a total noob to the Grishaverse (it’s because I am). I do plan on starting the first book today though and I’m SUPER excited. I also watched Halston on Netflix and that was really good, too. Anyways, please leave your recommendations in the comment section. I’m doing a full day of beading on Sunday (tomorrow) and I feel like I accomplish more if I’m watching something really good while doing it!

I hope you’re all safe and well!

Until next time,

– Tiny ❤

Once and Flor-al

HOLY NICE WEATHER! This past weekend here in Toronto, we received the most beautiful weather that I have been impatiently waiting for. It was so sunny and warm, and I’m 110% ready for summer now. The weather has been great ever since! *knocks on wood* I really think we got rid of those rainy/gloomy weeks once and for all.

Now I’m sure you know I didn’t let all of this nice weather go to waste. I obviously had to get some outfit photos. I can’t wait to show you the outfits that I captured this weekend. My boyfriend was such a good sport and agreed to shoot TWO outfits in ONE day. They turned out great! I mean, we got some fresh air, exercise, and some great shots so I think him and I both won. My boyfriend also picked up an antique lamp that was sitting on the side of the road for free. If we didn’t go out to take photos, he wouldn’t have found that either! The photos in today’s post are not from this weekend but I do hope you’ll come back to see when I do post those looks (it’ll probably be in the next week or so).

Today’s outfit photos were shot a couple weeks ago at my sister’s. We surprised my mom for her 55th birthday! She didn’t see it coming at all. My cute little Filipino mom cried. It was great lol. I wore this outfit and I think I want to wear denim shorts with dresses more often. It’s so unexpected but it’s actually kind of genius (especially since it was a little too breezy/chilly to have completely bare legs at the time). Both the dress and the shorts are from work A.K.A. Free People. The white t-shirt underneath is also from Free People. I guess I have a lot of layering going on but it was chilly! And I was trying to manifest the beautiful weather that we now have (you’re welcome lol)! What I love most about this look is how this dress has buttons all up the front. With the white tee and the shorts, the dress seems more of like a kimono/duster or a simple layering piece than a dress… but it also still looks like a dress? I’m honestly just really feeling this look and I’m struggling to explain why. It just goes, ok?!

I had a ton of fun accessorizing this look and you’ll soon find out why. I think my favourite part is the jewelry! I’m wearing this adorable necklace that I picked up from a Toronto seller on Instagram. Her username is @sundayoddities and her pieces are bloody ADORABLE. I love this pink and yellow combination. It’s also so beautifully made. I paired it with this necklace that’s easily becoming my constant go-to necklace, the Gemini pendant necklace from VibeSzn. The rings I’m wearing are many that you’ve seen before. I have the blue @neonafternoon ring and my initial ring from @bonbonwhims. And last but not least, the dainty beaded flower rings are ones that I made myself! This is part of mine and my sister’s brand, Never Skip a Bead (@neverskipabead on IG). We have officially announced as of yesterday that we will be taking orders and sharing all of our pieces on Tuesday, June 1st. We’re super excited to share them with everyone. I hope y’all like them. We worked really hard to get all this together and ready for the beginning June and I honestly can’t believe it’s happening! I never thought I’d start my own business. It seemed super daunting. But with these beaded pieces that I absolutely love to make and find so joyful, I think this is perfect! I don’t know how long our business will last. I’m not sure how long beaded jewelry will remain popular but it’s all a journey! We’ll figure it out.

The final few pieces to this outfit are probably familiar. I’m wearing my pink Crocs from the Junior’s section lol. I can’t even begin to describe how much I love these shoes. They’re so fun! Bubble gum pink is going to be huge this season and that makes me love them even more. And not only are they cute, but they’re insanely comfy. I go to work in my Crocs and it’s changed my life. My feet don’t get sore! Crocs are making a comeback and honestly, take advantage of this! These are the comfiest shoes, ever. Last but not least, and if you’ve read my blog posts before you know her name, I wore “Pearl”. My cute little Saki Nunoo bag that reminds me of a little clam. My boyfriend and I named her Pearl and I think it’s the cutest name we’ve ever come up with for one of my bags ha-ha. OH! I forgot to mention the sunglasses. They’re (again) from Free People. If you search for cat-eye sunglasses on their website, I’m sure you’ll find them or at least something similar!

WHITE T-SHIRT – Free People
FLORAL DRESS – Free People
DENIM SHORTS – Free People
SHOES – Crocs
BAG – Nunoo
JEWELRY – Sunday Oddities, Neon Afternoon, BonBonWhims, VibeSzn and Never Skip a Bead
SUNGLASSES – Free People

If you didn’t read my last post, it’ll be news to you that I’m partially vaccinated! I got my first shot this past Friday and get my second in September. It’s really kind of shocking that there’s such a large gap between doses, but it is what it is. I’m glad I’m a little more protected now. For those that might be curious, I got Pfizer. And the only side effect that I experienced was a sore arm. I can definitely admit that I worked myself up for nothing. I was really scared that I was going to get a fever or something that would have left me bedridden all weekend long. But that wasn’t the case! I got to enjoy the beautiful weather and I won’t lie, I feel a little safer now. Maybe it’s all in my head but it is a relief. However, even though I’m vaccinated, I’m still going to continue to do everything that I was doing pre-vaccination. You just can’t be too sure and there’s a second dose for a reason.

Anyways, I hope most of you have had the opportunity to get vaccinated. Or will hopefully get an appointment soon. Maybe it’s all the sun I’ve had these past few days, but I feel something in the air. I really feel like things are moving in the right direction! Things might feel more normal again soon? Here’s to hoping!

Stay safe and until next time,

– Tiny ❤

GRANNY SQUARES

I can’t get enough!! I’m seeing granny squares everywhere and I’m loving it. I have multiple photos of pieces made out of granny squares saved in my phone and I just have to share them with y’all. I apologize in advance if this is not the content you signed up for. But I’m obsessed and I need to put these out there. Some of them look a little hard, but I think it’ll be so fun to recreate them and wear them this summer!

The top in today’s photos is a piece I made myself! I actually saw this photo on my Instagram and my jaw dropped. I needed to try to make something like it. Making the different squares was fun. It kind of reminded me of when I made the Harry Styles cardigan. I liked trying to pick a different colour combination each time. I had some of my friends pick they’re favourite 3 colours and I made squares dedicated to them. There are so many different types of granny squares as well. The one I chose was a sunburst-like pattern. I forget the actually name of it but I’m pretty sure it was sunburst-something. The toughest part was probably trying to figure out how I was going to attach all the squares together. I didn’t want it to look messy or crooked. I had no idea what I was doing but THANK GOODNESS for YouTube. I watched a video over and over again, and my top turned out just how I wanted it to! Now here’s the inspo:

And here’s what I made:

I think it doesn’t look that bad! What do you think? They’re not identical but you get that one inspired the other (I think). My next project might be a bag made out of granny squares. I’ve also thought about making a miniskirt. The problem is that I haven’t found the perfect granny square (aside from this sunburst pattern) that I like yet. There’s a “classic” granny square, but I haven’t been able to find the pattern I want. Does that make sense? I tried one and I didn’t like following it. I feel like there’s a better way (I feel like you won’t get this unless you crochet lol). I might just have to check Etsy and buy one.

Now it’s time to share my outfit! I’m going to have so much fun styling this top. For this particular look, I wore a white long sleeve shirt from Topshop that I think I’ve shared on my blog before. It’s my favourite white long sleeve. It’s just the perfect layering piece for every situation (at least for me). It’s still kind of chilly here in Toronto (but it’s supposed to get much warmer this weekend – yay!!!), so I needed something underneath. The crochet top on it’s own has way too many holes where cold air can get in, and I’m not yet into that ha-ha. Once it starts to feel more like summer, I’ll be able to wear it on it’s own. On the bottom, I wore my go-to beige/cream trousers. I love these pants. They’re so flattering and so comfy. They’re from Topshop as well, and obviously from their Petite section. You guys know how much I love the bottoms from their Petite section. They fit PERFECTLY. R.I.P. TOPSHOP. I’m going to miss buying their stuff so much.

The shoes I wore are these pillow slides that you’ve probably seen all over the internet. I got mine off Amazon. I think I saw them on Instagram stories. I think they’re also all over TikTok. I wouldn’t know for sure because I haven’t joined TikTok. Is it worth the hype? Am I too old for it? I’ve tried making a Reel on Instagram and they’re a lot of work. I don’t know how people are finding the time to do these things. It took me like, ALL DAY to make one. Gosh, maybe I am old. Shockingly, I’m not wearing a bag in these photos. I am wearing some of my favourite jewelry though! I’m wearing these gorgeous earrings that were gifted to me by Mejuri. They’re part of their Marquise Gemstones edition. I’m wearing my favourite pendant necklace from VibeSzn. It has the Gemini sign/symbol on it. I’m also wearing one of my Never Skip a Bead necklaces! It’s the brand my sister and I launched! This is one of our necklaces that we plan on selling. It’s the rainbow one. We haven’t given it a proper name yet, but I’m super excited to share it with you. The final accessory that I’m wearing is my newest pair of sunglasses. I’ve been eyeing these sunglasses for months. They’re from Vehla Eyewear. I got them in the “Dixie Choc Tort/Cinnamon”. I love them. My only issue is that they’re a little big and slide off my face. Does anyone know a quick fix? I looked it up and it says that some places that sell glasses have a tool that can bend the arms and make them smaller. But my question is whether or not they’ll do it to glasses that weren’t purchased at their store? If you know anything about this, please let me know in the comment section below!

CROCHET TOP – made by yours truly
LONGSLEEVE TOP – Topshop
TROUSERS/PANTS – Topshop
SANDALS – Amazon
EARRINGS – Mejuri
NECKLACES – VibeSzn + Never Skip a Bead
SUNGLASSES – Vehla Eyewear

Alright, that’s it’s from me for today! I’m off to get my vaccine. Wish me luck! I’ve heard that it makes you really tired, so if you don’t hear from me for a couple of days it’s probably because I’m sleeping ha-ha. I also realize that this is the one and only post I’ve shared this week. I swear it’s unintentional. Life has been a bit chaotic in terms of trying to launch this small business in the best way possible. As the eldest sibling of my family, I’ve also had to deal with some family stuff. You know, life things! You ever know what’s going to happen. But I’ll try to get two posts ready for y’all next week!

I hope you’re all safe and well!

Until next time,

– Tiny ❤

My Summer Shorts

I feel like it’s way too early to be discussing my shorts for the summer since lately the weather has struggled to even feel like spring, but I bought these shorts in hopes to manifest some warmer weather. Hopefully this works! I tried them on at home, styled them, and just had to share them with y’all today. So here are some mirror pics of me in my new favourite shorts (even though I’m sitting and you can’t really see them lol)!

What I love most about these shorts is that they’re longer than your typical denim shorts. I’m sure you know the ones. The shorts that make your butt hang out? The ones that could also be considered underwear? Am I sounding real old right now? These are kind of a mid length pair of denim shorts. Bermuda-style is what I want to say but maybe that’s wrong. I appreciate how distressed they are. I think it gives them a tougher/edgy vibe (more “hip”). Honestly, it’s what I feel most comfortable in these days. I do not have the body for the “short-shorts” anymore, and I’m okay with that!

Despite them being longer and not your typical denim shorts, I really do believe we’ll be seeing a lot of similar shorts this year. Not just denim ones, but in all other fabrics! I’m really into this boxer shorts trend and I have a few in my Free People cart at the moment lol. I actually purchased the shorts I’m wearing from Free People. I got a size 24 (shocking because I can’t fit in any other 24s!) and they’re called the “Sequoia Shorts”. If you’re wondering about the fit, they run a little big (which actually now makes sense as to why I fit the size 24 lol). The colour I picked up is “Surf’s Up” but they have a darker wash and a green pair as well. I’ll link them here if you’re interested: https://www.freepeople.com/shop/sequoia-shorts/?category=SEARCHRESULTS&color=106&searchparams=q%3Dsequoia&type=REGULAR&quantity=1

For the rest of the look, I wore this thrifted polo that was originally for my boyfriend (I think). I’m wearing a lot of my boyfriend’s clothes because I’m just not comfortable in this new body of mine unless I’m in something baggy. Does anyone else feel this way? I do get the confidence to wear tighter clothing and you can see that in some of my other outfit posts, but it comes in waves. Most days I want to wear something big and flow-y.

I got a lot of compliments on my socks on Instagram! These white frilly guys are from TOPSHOP a long time ago and I’m shocked I’ve taken such good care of them! They look as good as new! They’re like my current favourite socks to wear with these loafers. The infamous Zara ones. OH! This reminds me! I placed an order yesterday with Zara because THEY HAVE MORE SHOES THAT ARE IN A SIZE 5!!! I was so thrilled. I never get fancy shoes that come in my size! It’s such a rare occasion when I’m provided multiple options. When it comes to shoes that aren’t sneakers, I feel like I really have to settle. For sneakers, I just order the children’s version (Chucks, Vans, Nike Air Forces, etc.) I even get my Crocs in the Junior’s section! Anyways, I’m super excited to share with y’all my two new big girl pairs (if they even fit). Sometimes a size 5 will really feel like a size 6, but my fingers are crossed!

Jewelry is still the same. I haven’t changed the pieces that I’m loving. I mean, I guess that’s a great sign, right?! If you’ve been interested in any of my Mejuri or BonBonWhims pieces, I think they’re definitely worth it. I NEVER take them off. Well, I take them off to sleep but you know what I mean lol. The blue ring is from Neon Afternoon/ @neonafternoon on Instagram. My friend Holli is selling these brass rings coated in coloured enamel and she’s really taking off! I’m so proud of her! She’s got a ton of fab designs so you should really check her out! The final piece to this outfit is this baby canvas tote bag. I love this baby pink colour. I’m OBSESSED with baby pink right now. I really think it’s going to be a colour of the season. I’m not as obsessed with baby pink as I am with green, but it’s close. This bag was picked up at Aritzia a couple of years ago so I’m not sure if they’ll still have it.

POLO SHIRT – Thrifted
SHORTS – Free People
SOCKS – Topshop
LOAFERS – Zara
BAG – Aritzia
JEWELRY – Mejuri, BonBonWhims, and Neon Afternoon

I’ve got a one more fun thing I want to say before I go: MY SISTER AND I HAVE SHARED OUR SMALL JEWELRY BUSINESS ON INSTAGRAM! We posted yesterday and I was so nervous that I thought I was going to throw up. Even if it’s a simple introductory post, I still get so in my head about it. I guess I’m just worried about failing. I mean, I’ve never really had my own business before. But I won’t know unless I try! Please give us a follow! We’re @neverskipabead! I think our name is so cute. What do you think?! We’re going to have a ton of beaded jewelry options. I really want to experiment with different types of beads. Nothing is for sale yet but we’ve got things officially in motion and I can’t be more excited. I’ve learned so much from this, too. It’s a lot of work but I think it’s been rewarding despite not having any sales ha-ha. It’s a learning experience! I’ll have a full blog post about the brand coming soon!

I hope you’re all safe and well! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time,

– Tiny ❤

Cowgirl In Toronto

Hello everyone! I took a much needed break from social media this weekend, and I feel great! I understand the need for a break for sure, but I never had the courage to take one (even if it’s just for a weekend). I don’t know exactly why. Maybe I’m worried that everyone will realize that I’m gone and unfollow me? But then again, if these people aren’t happy with me taking a break then do I want them to follow me? Anyways, I put me first for a change and it was really nice.

Before I get into today’s outfit, I want to take some time to complain about the weather here in Toronto. WHY DO WE HAVE SO MUCH RAIN?! When is it going to start warming up?! It’s been gloomy and chilly for over a week now and it’s really putting a damper on things. I feel super lazy on rainy days. I feel like I should be getting more accomplished but all I want to do is nap. Have I been the only one suffering this extreme fatigue? Does anyone know when we’ll start seeing sunnier days? I now completely understand what it’s like to live in the UK. If there’s any sign of sun, I’m bolting for the door and going outside lol.

Today’s outfit photos were taken on a cloudy day. It was warmer so I wasn’t worried about wearing a dress, but I most certainly needed a jacket of some sort. The dress I’m wearing is one that I picked up in the Urban Outfitters sale last year. I’ve talked about UO’s sales before. They have certain times of the year where they mark everything down really low, then offer like an addition 40% off- it’s insane! I think I got this dress for $15. It’s old so I don’t think you can pick it up anymore. However, if I do come across another sale like this at Urban Outfitters, I’ll definitely let y’all know!

With this dress, I wore my pleather blazer. Or is it a trench? I got it from TOPSHOP a couple of years ago so I’m not sure what its proper name is. I’ve been seeing them a lot though, and was kind of glad I already had something similar sitting in my wardrobe. Since I’m wearing a dress there really isn’t much to this outfit. I love how easy dresses are that I think I’m going to wear them all summer long! Like maybe I’ll wear a dress 4/7 days a week? Is that too much? I just love how comfortable they are and they make styling so easy. AND it makes me focus more on the accessories (my favourite part)! You can completely change a look with just accessories and I LOVE that.

The accessories that I chose for this outfit are my cowboy boots that I picked up while I was in Montreal. It’s been 3 years since I’ve been there now and I think that’s absolutely wild. So much time has gone by and I don’t really feel like much has changed! As soon as things are back to normal, I need to take some vacation time and go somewhere. I love picking up forever pieces like these cowboy boots at places I’ve visited. It just gives them more meaning/makes them feel more special. The bag I wore is my latest Nunoo bag. It’s one of their Helena bags made out of recycled canvas. It’s green because I’ve been absolutely OBSESSED with green. I’ve been wearing it like crazy and I’m now realizing that green can be a neutral in most cases lol (depending on how you look at it). You guys know me, I love a pop of colour.

For jewelry, I’ve been wearing the same pieces on rotation. The necklaces from VibeSzn have been fun to mix up and layer with other pieces in my collection. I especially love this circle pendant from the bunch. It has my star sign on it: Gemini! I’m wearing my BonBonWhims earrings that I talked about in my last post. I’ve been loving wearing the green pop tab on it’s own. It’s just so cute and unique.

DRESS – Urban Outfitters
JACKET – Topshop
BOOTS – Thrifted
BAG – Nunoo
JEWELRY – VibeSzn, BonBonWhims, and Mejuri

Okay, that’s it from me for now! I hope you enjoyed reading this post and I’m so glad to have the free time to write as much as I have lately. It’s going to kind of suck going back to working full-time in two weeks. OH! I’m getting vaccinated in 10 days! I’m nervous but also relieved that I’ll be a bit more protected going forward. It was so scary to be working retail while this whole thing just kept getting worse. Hopefully Ontario is making steps towards the right direction this time! It seems like there’s a significant amount of people that are vaccinated now, so maybe we’re getting closer to getting back to normal!

I hope you’re all doing well and are staying safe!

Until next time,

– Tiny ❤