topped with a bow..

Outfit details: Chambray shirt- GAP; houndstooth dress- Sirens (old); scarf and bow hair clip- H&M; belt- vintage

plaid earns its stripes...

Outfit details: top, necklace, and boots- Forever 21; jeans- GAP; knit hat- Old Navy; bag- Winners

Christmas came early this year...

Christmas may be a time of buying gifts for loved ones, but who's to say that that can't include yourself? Am I right, or am I right? Anyway, I've decided to (conveniently) adopt this logic in justifying my latest little indulgence... I have such a weakness for wristlets (you don't even want to know how many I have!) and this shade of green that I simply couldn't resist. In fact, I think I actually squealed when I saw it, embarrassingly enough... The salesman probably knew I was a sure-thing from the moment I walked into the store and darted over to it, practically drooling over how pretty it was. Before I knew it, I was whipping out my credit card and daydreaming about the things my new wristlet and I would do together... Do I have a problem or something? I'm seriously starting to wonder.

featured on...

I was super pumped when I saw this on VIPXO yesterday... my very own lookbook of the week! *sigh* A special thank you to Victoria for the feature-- you made my day! xx

Check out more from Victoria here

velvet and snow...

Outfit details: velvet dress- Forever 21; leather belt- Betsey Johnson; knit hat- Urban Outfitters; tights- Nicole Miller; necklace- vintage; boots- thrifted

from the diary of Hedi Slimane...

Images courtesy of Hedi Slimane

AIF turns 1 today!!!

I can't believe my little blog began a year ago today with this little post... It feels like only yesterday and forever all at once! I started AIF as a creative outlet-- a place for me to express my love for fashion and to meet like-minded people-- and so far it's been one of the most fulfilling projects I've ever had the pleasure of working on.

This blog has become a major focal point in my life; from the moment I wake up in the morning to the minute my head hits the pillow at night, I'm constantly thinking of ways to improve AIF and make it more enjoyable for its lovely readers... To say that I eat, sleep, and breathe this blog would certainly not be an understatement!

Thank you all for sticking by me this past year-- your comments and feedback are appreciated more than you could ever know! And a special thank you goes out to Mr. AIF, whose constant support and encouragement keeps me chasing my dreams...

I couldn't have asked for a better first year, and for that I have you to thank, my dearest readers... So with that said, here's to another year of fashion adventures to come!

buried treasure...

Organizing my accessory drawer the other day, I rediscovered a few treasures that I had completely forgotten about... don't you just love when that happens? I used to wear my Pyrrha crest necklace religiously a few years back, but over time I forgot all about it... And that yellow bakelite bangle was my blessed jewel when I found it at Value Village a few years back (for only $1.99!), yet it has gone unworn for the better part of this year. The same goes for my little brass earrings (another Value Village find!) and my red leather gloves, which are the most luxuriously soft vintage gloves I've ever felt... You might recognize my pocket watch necklace from previous posts (like here and here). It clearly gets a lot of love, but I wanted to include it anyway because it's so darn cute!

I hope you like my hidden treasures... what's hiding in your wardrobe?

faux fur fun...

Can you believe I bought this coat at Superstore?! That's the last place I EVER thought I would find a coat like this... double fist pump!

Outfit details: faux fur coat- Joe Fresh Style; dress- Zara; tights- Nicole Miller; boots- Forever 21; headband- Aldo Accessories; umbrella- Moschino

new shoes! new shoes!

I've been on the hunt for the perfect pair of ankle boots, and after two months of searching high and low for a worthy pair, I finally ended up with these. But let me be clear: they aren't exactly what I had envisioned... Don't get me wrong, they're cute and surprisingly comfy, but they're just not "my boot." So why did I buy them, you ask? Honestly, the price. For a mere $28.90, I was able to finally put the ankle boot hunt (which was driving me crazy!) to rest. Sometimes there's just no substitute for convenience... And maybe since I'm no longer looking for my dream booties, they'll somehow find me.

Black Ultra Suede Ankle Boots- Forever 21

birds of a feather...

Before leaving my hometown of Victoria for Edmonton, one of my best friends surprised me with this little necklace... Aside from being super cute, its probably one of the most sentimental pieces of jewelry that I own. The vial contains sand, several small feathers, and a scroll that reads "birds of a feather." So not only is this necklace a testament to our incredible friendship (we always flock together!), but a direct link to home as well... You see, the sand comes from a local beach, allowing me to carry a little piece of home with me wherever I go. Leave it to a true friend to come up with a gift as special as that...

lust list...

What's on your lust list?

Faux fur coat, Fusion Olivia, $160

Hat, Comme des Garcons, $295

Glasses, Super People, $210

Alexa leather gloves, Mulberry, $250

Fur trim boots, Timeless, $94

Cross-body faux fur bag, Nine West, $59

Click here for shopping info

my dream workspace...

When I was younger, I could never quite figure out what I wanted to be when I "grew up." Did I want to be a lawyer? The CEO of a major corporation (chalk this one up to an adolescence spent watching too much Days of Our Lives)? A fashion designer? I wanted to be all these things plus a million others... case in point: my very random resume.

One thing I never faltered on, however, was the environment in which I wanted to work. I always pictured myself dashing off in the morning, latte in perfectly manicured hand, heading toward a beautifully decorated office. I pictured myself surrounded by lovely furniture, fresh flowers, inspiring art, and coworkers that I loved. So when I saw this guest post by Gary Pepper Vintage's Nicole on Here Comes the Sun, it was like looking at an incarnation of my dream work environment. If this is where I was expected to spend 8 hours of my day, I doubt I would ever want to leave...

What's your dream work environment?

Images courtesy of Gary Pepper Vintage for Here Comes the Sun

an art form...

Mr. AIF and I spent the day at the Art Gallery of Alberta, an insanely gorgeous building that resembles more of an abstract sculpture than a gallery... I can't think of a more inspiring site to house works of art, for whenever I'm there, I have this overwhelming urge to create. We checked out their latest collections (hello, Matisse!), had a coffee, and of course, snapped some quick photos... I for one can't think of a better way to spend the day-- can you?

Outfit details: jean jacket- Costa Blanca; striped tee- H&M; yellow skirt- Sonia Rykiel for H&M; belt- vintage; tights- Nicole Miller; ballet flats- Halston; necklace, bracelet and purse- vintage; leopard print headband- H&M