Fall Look Book by Sense of Independence Boutique

 Make up by FacesbyNadeen

Photographed By AJ

Is it the change of the colours of the leaves Or is it the taste of a warm pumpkin spice latte that makes it much easier to say goodbye to summer?.  It’s a bittersweet time of the year, but as we transition into the fall season our style begins to change as well. It’s a chance to ramp up our wardrobe and a perfect excuse for some well deserve retail therapy. As I began to think about the upcoming season trends I notice a common theme across some of the style reports in the major fashion magazines – Boutique finds. I am very new to the whole boutique shopping experience, mainly due to the stereotype of boutique pricing. But I knew I wanted to create fall looks that incorporated unique pieces that not everybody has. So, I decided to immerse myself into the world of boutique shopping. As I strolled down Eglinton street West Village sipping on a cold Mango Fruit Punch Tea I came across a trendy boutique called Sense Of Independence.  As soon as I walked in the boutique I notice the chic black and white floral wallpaper with fuchsia accent walls and was imminently greeted by Michelle – the boutique owner. If there is one thing that completely changes your shopping experience is the aura that you get as soon as you step into a store, and I was impressed to say the least. Sense of Independence carries stylish, high quality and affordable pieces that are sure to make a statement. I’ve been on the hunt for a drape wool coat and the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans and of course I found exactly what I was looking for at Sense of Independence. I was overwhelmed with retail adrenaline as I browsed through the clothing racks, and was instantly falling in love with all the textures, patterns and fabrics rack after rack. This season playing with textures and monochromatic looks are in tend. I wanted to create three different looks that incorporated plaid as a statement pattern piece, leather, suede and  wool as my texture pieces and a pair of boyfriend jeans to create three casual street style inspired looks.  To complete this three looks I choice to wear a pair of super chic black Steve Madden Booties , which transitioned perfectly with all three trends.I love the feeling of walking out from a store overly excited with your purchases and that’s exactly how I felt after leaving this trendy boutique. Get inspired this season at Sense Of Independence Boutique, shop online or in store.

Shop this looks and many more at
511 Eglinton Ave. West
Toronto, Ontario

www.senseofindepedence.ca

Fall 2015 Look Book
Makeup By FacesbyNadeen
Photographed By AJ Kyekyeku
Looks by @SenseofIndependence

    

  

                                        

          

Click to Shop Sense Of Independence

Beauty Favorites for Skin and Hair

"Street Lights, Big dreams all looking pretty. No place in the world that can compare"                         

I am currently in New York City on vacation and absolutely loving everything about this fabulous city.  It feels amazing to be able to blog directly from the big apple.  Everywhere you go in New York City you find something that inspires you. From the street art in Time Square to the glamorous lifestyle of Upper East, new york city to me is my muse. No matter how many times I visit I fall in love every single time. 

During my visit I picked up some amazing products for this months haul.  I am so excited to recommend this life saving hair and skin must haves to my lovely readers. If you are like me and you love using hot tools on your hair and have tried every single cream, serum, and masque on the market and can’t seem to get healthy looking hair than this post is for you ladies!

I have colored my hair so many times I already lost count. I use hot tools practically every day and it has definitely taken a toll on the look and texture of my hair. But  since I have been using this products I have noticed a dramatic change in my hair.  My hair now looks and feels smoother and hydrated even though I have kept the same hair styling routine as before. I have  been using this products for about a week and a half and have seen instant results. I found that with other styling creams, deep conditioners and serums that I had used in the past left my hair feeling oily and dry .But I never lost faith and I had herd about a couple of this products online and I decided to give it a shot.

Hair Products | Productos Para El Cabello  

Advance Techniques Extra Strength Dry Ends Serum

Conditions  and instantly smoothes hair while taming  even the most coarse and damaged hair.

I use it after drying my hair but feel free to change it up to fit your daily hair routine. 

65% less frizz 

One 'N Only Argan Oil derived from Moroccan Argan Trees Styling Cream 

This product has been my ultimate favorite I love the way it hydrates and adds shine to my hair instantly not to mention the fact that it smells amazing.

Wen by Chaz Dean

Cleansing Conditioner 

Sweet Almond Mint 

I actually came across this product on Tv and I was a bit skeptical. It has good reviews on television but you know how that goes. Sometimes those products turn out to be nothing like you expect it to be. But I went online and read some reviews and decided to try it. I like this product I wouldn't say I love it but it does smell really good and it definitely conditions my hair.

Mystic Divine Luminous Shine 

Smoothing Masque

Contains Tahitian Tamanu Oil, Moroccan Argan Oil, 

African Shea Butter and Camelia Oil. I am head over heels over this masque after damaging my hair with chemicals so often my hair has lost natural oils and my hair was in desperate  need of some hair therapy.  This is honestly like pixie dust for you hair. ladies this is a must have!

Skin Products | Products Para la Piel 

Victoria Secret Bronze Instant Bronzing Tinted Shimmer Lotion 

with natural Shea Butter.

We all need that extra summer glow and what better way than with an instant bronzer that does not stain your skin. Victoria Secret has my favorite bronzer of all time it gives your tan a radiant boost that helps blur the look of imperfections giving your skin a flawless feels and look.

It contains Vitamin E that helps nourish your skin! 

Next Monday I will be posting a New York City Photo Collage of what I wore 

 and an amazing gift review from The Bloggers Network

It's Okay to Be Yourself. Gay, Straight, Transgender

Bruce Jenner Vanity Fair 
photographed by Annie Leibovitz


We are entitled to our own opinion and some










people may agree and others may don't. But at the end of the day it's no one’s business but your own what you do or don't do in your life. It takes a strong individual to come out in the public eye and say “this is me, this is who I am”.
I don't think being judged by others is the hardest part, but learning to love yourself again is. Whether you are straight, gay, bisexual or transgender none of those titles should devalue your true essence. We judge each other every day every second of the day, but it's just how life is. We can all sit around in a circle and sing kumbaya all day long and say we don't judge others but that's clearly a lie. It's an ugly habit but it takes an even stronger person to push through all the negativity and turn around and say " screw your stereotypes, this is me and I love me" 

















    Your sexual orientation in my personal opinion

should not isolate you from the world, if anything it should be embraced.Loving yourself is the first step to happiness and if this makes you happy than be it. Be happy, be yourself and love yourself because you are beautiful inside out. The choices others make may be out of your comfort zone, but it doesn't concern you either. Someone really close to me has taught me what it means to love someone unconditionally, and what it means to fight for what you love. He has taught me to embrace who i am and taught me to be acceptant of
what's outside of the norm. It's hard for some people to accept the idea of
loving someone of the same sex or in this case being transgender, but it's not
something for you to accept it all comes down to being true to yourself and
loving the life you live. Love is the most powerful thing we have as people and
the one thing we all chase throughout our whole life’s. We all want that
infectious love that everyone envy's. If you are gay, bisexual, transgender or
straight know that who you are is more beautiful than what society is trying to
shape you to be.

 










Be true to yourself, live a selfless life filled

with love and respect for others.












I wanted to share with everyone a person that is really close to my heart, my uncle. For those who don't know me on a personal bases and are unfamiliar with the real meaning of my tattoo here it is.My uncel made a promise the day i was born to love me and always be there for me and not once has he failed to do so. He has overcomes some of life's toughest situations and even after being brought down has never stop loving life. He has taught me that it's okay to be "different " and it's okay to be yourself.He exposed me to a new side of life and showed me what real love feels like. Love has no boundaries or sexual orientation, it's something so powerful and real that it should be embraced.I am so proud and overcome with joy to share his story. Every time someone approaches me with the question " what does your tattoo stand for" I stand for him and for every other individual who is outside of the "norm" 













  

Holiday Glam Picks

Hola mis amores, New Years Eve is fast approaching, and with this special holiday comes the opportunity for all of us ladies to bring out our best looks. For me, New Years Eve dress shopping is quite stressful. You sit there on Instagram or on tumblr scrolling down the dresses and sparkles hashtag hoping to find some inspiration.You can't be eating twelve grapes at 12:00 in that " okay dress" ( this may only be a hispanic tradition,but bare with me)  or have your New Years Eve kiss in a mediocre dress. You have to start the year off on the right foot, looking your best. But the problem here isn't looking beautiful ( because each and everyone of you is ) but the issue is achieving that 'perfect' look without having to sell your soul.You know what you want, now it's a matter of finding an affordable and fabulous look. I took one for the team and solely went shopping for "research purposes". I visited Zara, Marciano, TopShop, Honey and  Forever 21 and noticed a metallic trend throughout each store. The color red was also another favorite for this holiday season but with that being said this New Years Eve step out of your 'little black dress' comfort zone ( I know this is very hard  and completely understand that  wearing black is a lifestyle) but start this year off in color!
      

Need Help Dress Hunting?

 I would love to help

estilolau@gmail.com

Estilo Lau Holiday Glam Picks

Textured Dress $99.90
www.zara.com

Sequinned Dress $99.90
www.zara.com

Backless Dress $59.90
www.zara.com

Slip Dress with Slits $79.90
www.zara.com

Tamara Dress Flora $ 47.25
www.peppermayo,com

Heartbreak Down Dress $65.50
www.peppermayo.com

Special Shoulder Pad Scale Sequin Dress $59.50
www.nelly.com

Slit Red
From Winners
 June & Hudson

In and Online Store Holiday Inspiration List

Nelly.com

SaboSkirt.com

Peppermayo.com

Showpo.com

Sugarhill Boutique.com

Blue Vanilla.com

Topshop

Bebe

Marciano

Honey 

Zara

Black Caviar Oakville

Haute Classics Toronto

The ShowRoom Toronto

Fashion Crimes Toronto 

I wish everyone happy dress hunting!

Six Easy Steps, to Add Volume and Natural Wave to your Hair.

Hello, my loves. For tonight post, I wanted to do a hair tutorial showing you what I found to be the easiest way to achieve voluminous hair and that natural beach wave in six easy steps.

What you will need:

A hair dryer

eight bobby pins

four elastic bands

thermal spray

teasing comb

& a round brush

Step one: After washing your hair, brush it out with a wooden round brush and spray a heat protector  to the ends of your damp hair. I used my favorite product the Wella Thermal Image protector. I absolutely love this product, it does not leave my hair oily after I use it.

Step two: Separate your hair into four pony tails and tie it with an elastic band. Two at the front and two at the back.  Begin to roll your hair into a bun and secure with bobby pins.

Step three- four : After rolling your hair into four buns, use a hair dryer and direct the heat towards each bun.

Step five: After about 10 minutes ( depending how fast your hair dries) begin to unroll the buns and  separate the strands of hair to achieve that messy beach look. For extra volume, you can use a teasing comb towards your roots.

Step six: Woo! you are done and look fabulous. If you are like me and your hair can't hold a curl you can spray a little bit of hair spray on your hands and run it through your waves. This will help give it shape, and make it last throughout the day.

Follow me on instagram, for updates and videos

http://instagram.com/xololaa/

Toronto Christmas Market, Distillery District

 I am super excited to be writing my first 'outfit of the day' post about the best holiday of the year. Whether you call it Navidad,Sretan Božić,Joyeux Noël or Christmas there is something magical about this time of year. Last Saturday I decided to get into the holiday spirit and check out the Christmas Market located in the heart of  Toronto's Distillery District. I am sure a lot of you who are reading this have seen the cute pictures everyone has been posting "of this oh so romantic lit up winter wonderland". So, since I am a sucker for anything romantic, I took myself on a date.

The smell of chocolate fudge and the sound of carolers singing made me feel like I was in a Christmas movie. The whole ride on the streetcar, I couldn't  stop thinking of the famous Christmas market hot chocolate. Turns out the line up was huge,which I expected but deep inside I wish I wasn't right. I was so close to pulling a drive thru order run and sip on that hot cocoa like it was none of my business. but I stayed calm and  decided I wanted sushi instead; which by the way was the best sushi I have had in Toronto.

 Let me clear something out, I did not ask the waiter at Touhenboku Sushi to take a picture of me looking down all mysteriously.  That would be just weird, but so not out of my character. If you know me personally, you would know I am that one friend who thinks it's complelty okay to have a full out photoshoot in public (it's a little embrassing), but anyways. I actually  had a friend of mine accompany me on this Toronto Christmas ritual, which made it so much more enjoyable. With that being said if you are a single girl like me or you have a boyfriend or girlfriend I would recommend checking this place out. Any excuse to put together a nice outfit and take holiday pictures, is worth a go.

 Outfit Details

A pair of self ripped old black H&M jeans

Black Aldo Galilahi ankle boots

Button up StudioF jean shirt

White cropped Forever 21 sweater

Earings from Forever 21

& to add a little pop to my outfit I chose to wear my new favorite deep burgundy lipstick from 

Make Up For Ever #48 Rouge Artist Intense.

Side Fact:I recently read that taking selfies is a reflection of the lack of passion in your life, 

could this be true?

Live your Life with Style .Vive tu vida con estilo

I am just a girl with a love for creativity and self expression.

I created this blog with the sole purpose of achieving a goal I had been to afraid to chase. It's only natural that we worry of what others may think. We live in a time where we are exposed to the world. People know our location, what we are wearing,who we hangout with and who we follow and unfollow us. It's a constant surveillance of our life's. Its's the new world of connectivity that has brought me to creating this blog. Here you will find a wide range of vblog's and articles on health & beauty , fashion,lifestyle and everything else in between.I hope you find a little bit of yourself in me and enjoy what I post. Make it your own style, here is mine. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etdfKLcN00Q

Follow me on instagram for daily updates 

http://instagram.com/xololaa/