Bonjour Gazel.

Cr(op)-out?

2013-06-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

Outfit post:

Crop top: New Look (get it here)

Skirt: Simply Be (get it here)

Necklace: Forever 21

Bag: Leather Satchel Co. (get it here)

Jacket: New Look Inspire (similar here)

Shoes: ASOS (similar here)

It's funny. Before, when I was smaller I was so much more insecure about my body. I loathed my body due to internalised hatred that I have been subject to by my family, peers, the media, and society overall. My hatred projected into my fashion choices. For one, I was much more conservative in my attire. I always wore baggy jeans, baggy t-shirts, and I wouldn't dare show off my arms. My fatness was something I was ashamed of, and something I should always cover up. Stripes? White? Forget it. I was scared and understandably so -- when you've been growing up all your life being told you're disgusting, it really gets to you.

This outfit is something past!Gazel would never wear. Baring my arms? Wearing something that showed a visible belly outline? A CROP TOP? I would have scoffed at this outfit. It's only something skinny girls would wear, is probably what I would have thought. Well, fuck that. While self-love and self-acceptance is an ongoing journey for me (and probably will be for the rest of my life), I can't let other people dictate what I should or shouldn't wear. I look at this picture now, many pounds heavier than my past self and I feel so confident. I'm not ashamed anymore. I'm glad for this change, it's a welcome change. Not only is my perception of myself changing, but so is my style. I would have never dared wear a crop top, but now I am (although I guess it's a cop out because I got it tucked in and am not baring skin), and I love it. I feel so confident, so trendy, I don't know. Lately I've been clearing out the cutesy-vintage stuff I used to wear in favour of more "edgy" (to me anyways) clothing, and classic cuts. I think I like it. Maybe it's my haircut that is making me embody this new style. I just feel so much more confident and chic!

"You could kill someone with your necklace".

2013-05-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

... As the title of this blog post says, my friend told me this past weekend that he was scared of my necklace because I could kill someone with it. It looks pretty dangerous but I don't think it can kill anyone - the metal is hollow and the spikes have rounded edges. A person would have to try very hard to try and injure someone with this.

Anyway! I got my new Zatchels satchel in the mail. After waiting a month to get it, it's finally here. I nabbed this baby for less than $100 at 17 inches during the 50% off Zatchels sale. I like the bag because I love brown bags in general and I've been wanting to try Zatchels to see how it compares with Leather Satchel Co. and Cambridge Satchel. I think I may write a review on all 3 bags (I have 2 other similar ones) to compare the quality and look - they're different enough in price points and in quality to warrant a review.

Outfit details:

Dress: ASOS (get it here)

Jacket: New Look Inspire (similar here)

Sandals: Payless (similar here)

Bag: Zatchels (get it here)

Necklace: Forever 21

Lipstick: Mac Ladybug (get it here)

This past week-- besides being sick, and besides the usual, I've gone to the movies with some friends. I saw Iron Man 3, The Great Gatsby, and Star Trek 2. I liked Iron Man and Star Trek despite hating action-type films and to my surprise I hated Gatsby the most because I felt it was too ostentatious and flashy and did not hold true to the book - at least Carey Mulligan was pretty, and so was Leonardo Di Caprio... I have to admit the costumes were nice but that's it.

The fun is over I guess, school's in session again and I should be studying. A few more weeks and I'm done for the summer.

2013-05-26T22:29:00.001-05:00

Outfit details:

Top: New Look Inspire (get it here)

Skirt: ASOS (similar)

Flatforms: ASOS

Bag: Leather Satchel co. (get it here)

Necklace: Torrid

Lipstick: Mac Ruby Woo (get it here)

Hey everyone. This is an outfit I wore last week. I haven't gotten around to posting this until now! I'm super busy at school since it is Spring session -- more coursework and projects all condensed in a few weeks time. I'm missing the blue skies in this picture because lately it's been gloomy and rainy and because of that I'm stuffed up and sick too, which I'm not too pleased about because I've got a mid term on Tuesday and I work all week so I cannot afford to be sick. :(

I've been drinking herbal teas (Cold 911 from Davids Tea always cheers me up and makes my colds a bit better), eating soup, and I'm trying to keep warm. How do you cope when you're sick? Tips are very much appreciated!

Splash o' red

2013-05-15T17:27:00.001-05:00

Outfit details:

Top: New Look Inspire (similar here)

Jacket: New Look Inspire (similar here)

Skirt: Gifted, Dolce Vita (similar here)

Necklace: Torrid

Wedges: ASOS (similar here)

Bag: Leather Satchel Company (get it here)

Watch: Casio (get it here)

Hey everyone, I'm just doing a quick outfit post update! I think I'm getting the hang of posting daily outfit posts (although it's not totally daily). It's definitely a lot more frequent than before. Last year, I think I had 0 outfit posts for May. That's just unacceptable. I'm definitely making up for it now. One of the reasons why I'm posting so frequently too is because Gab is home more often and the weather is better now -- no more snow, so I'm more motivated to "dress up" and take pictures.

Today was an average day, you know, the daily grind: school and work. It was warm and windy hence why I am wearing this jacket that you probably all are sick of seeing because I wear it for every damn outfit post, haha. Anyway, the rest of my day will be equally average as I will be writing papers for homework. Fun! Not. :P Especially when it's a first year English class. ZZzzz.

Weekend outfits

2013-05-12T22:49:00.000-05:00

Saturday's outfit.

Outfit details:

Sweater: Nordstrom (similar)

Jacket: New Look Inspire (get it here)

Disco Pants: Simply Be (get it here)

Shoes: Kohl's

Bag: H&M

Sunday's outfit.

Outfit details:

Top: Thrifted (similar)

Jacket: New Look Inspire (get it here)

Skirt: ASOS (get it here)

Shoes: DSW (similar)

Ring: Icing

Bag: H&M

Hello everyone! Just a quick outfit post update for today. I was out for most of the weekend - from yard sales, to get-togethers, thrift shopping, and going on dates. I haven't had much time at home to go write a blog post. It's Sunday night now and I have to get ready for another week of school and work. Sigh. There's problems with my university account and it STILL hasn't gotten resolved. Lovely. I hate bureaucracy, haha. Anyway, that'll be fun to try and resolve THAT for tomorrow. Plus, I already have loads of assignments due for this upcoming week. :P

See you all next time!
PS: My giveaway is ending soon, enter here to have a chance to win!

2013-05-11T11:00:00.000-05:00

Outfit details:

Dress: ASOS (similar)

Jacket: New Look Inspire (get it here)

Bag: H&M

Shoes: Thrifted

Lipstick: Mac Ruby Woo (get it here)

Blush: Nars Super Orgasm (get it here)

Contacts today! This outfit was going to be for a trip to the movies. To see Iron Man 3, in fact. I wore contact lenses because we were going to see it in 3D and I did not want to stack glasses. However our plans didn't come into fruition and I ended up just staying at home and watching movies in bed. Even so, watching movies at home while looking cute hurts no one. So far we watched American Psycho and Equilibrium. Gab and I have to sleep a bit early today though because we're going to a community yard sale and we want to look at all the stuff.

See you all next time. Maybe I will have an outfit post tomorrow. Despite being swamped with schoolwork (omg, writing creative papers like English is the absolute worst when you're used to social science), I think I'm doing good with outfit posts so far. I am trying to be more diverse in my blog content. The next thing on the list is to make a new blog layout, change my URL (to gazelma.com), and to try and gradually shift my blog from solely fashion to an all-encompassing blog.

By the way, don't forget to check out my giveaway!

Review: Eye Candys Neo Dali Toric Circle Lens

2013-05-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've always wanted to try toric circle lenses, but the really expensive price tag puts me off. Most circle lens retailers sell theirs for $70 a pair. Consider normal priced circle lenses are $15-25 a pair. It almost feels like robbery, but then I remember that toric lenses everywhere are so EXPENSIVE.

Trying to find affordable toric circle lenses is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It's difficult to find and nearly impossible-- but it is possible to find them. I'm pleased to announce that I found a retailer that sells them at a reasonable price.

Eye Candy's sells their toric circle lenses from $48-$63. Yes, they are still quite pricy compared to the non-torics, but if you have astigmatism you may be left with no choice. As an Asian girl, I too have fallen for the circle lens craze. They've become an essential part of my beauty routine when I'm not wearing glasses. I have small eyes and circle lenses give me enlargement that I need. So toric lenses are a life saver.

I digress, Eye Candy's was nice enough to send me a pair of torics to review. They sent me Neo Dali Extra Brown toric lenses. I was ecstatic because when I used to wear regular circle lenses Neo Dalis were my circle lens of choice as they are the most natural looking and are the most comfortable at 45% water content. Without further ado, here's my review on these lenses.

Neo Dali Extra Brown Toric Circle Lens

Sponsored by Eye Candy's

Style: 7.5/10

Comfort: 8/10

Enlargement: 6/10

Total: 7.1/10

Despite it's low total score, I really like these lenses. I may be biased, as I am partial to Neo lenses. I gave it 7.5 on style because it is a fairly basic and "boring" circle lens. However, I love natural looking lenses and I am looking for a natural look as such, the enlargement is fairly low scoring -- but it still enlarged to a certain extent. Let me just say that I wore these lenses for my passport picture and no one said a thing -- people often don't notice I'm wearing circle lenses either. Comfort wise, it stung at first because my eyes were not used to the circle lenses but after a few minutes it felt like it wasn't there!

Not included in the score is the packaging and the service. I don't have much to say - packaging was alright. It was small and compact. It came with the circle lens vial and a basic case. The service was good, the people communicated adequately throughout this whole process -- the lenses itself, since they're toric, take 1.5 - 2 months and they let me know the status of the order consistently. I wish it were a more speedy process.

Wearing the lenses:

Natural lighting.

Lamp lighting.

Flash lighting.

One lens vs. No lens

Lens with makeup on.

Thanks for reading the review. There will be a giveaway sponsored by Eye Candy's later on and a coupon code: BONJOURGAZEL (which can be used to redeem a free gift when purchasing).

REVIEW: Missha "The Style HD Viewer 270" Mascara Primer and Blinc Amplified Tubing Mascara

2013-05-10T22:41:00.002-05:00

I've always wanted to do beauty reviews on this blog but I never felt that I was good enough. Even now, I feel like a fool because I'm not an expert or anywhere near a guru when it comes to makeup. I only have one routine and I seem to wear the "same face" all the time, give or take. Regardless, I got some feedback about what my readers wanted out of my blog, and some people said they wanted to see beauty posts and reviews. Again, what I am about to post is my opinion and I will try to be as informative as I can be. Just a disclaimer, I bought all the items in this review so it is not sponsored.

Item: Missha "The Style HD Viewer 270" Mascara Primer
Cost: $11.99 USD | $8.99 CAD (On sale on Missha.ca for $5.99!)
Would buy again?: Yes.
Review:

I wanted to find a mascara primer, and as silly as it sounds I could not find one at the drug store anywhere. I also did not want to buy a mascara primer at Sephora for $30, so I settled for Korean brands that I am familiar with. (Just as a side note, I wear mostly Korean brand makeup.) Eventually after doing some internet sleuthing I found one on Missha for a reasonable price. I buy my BB cream from Missha and I am very happy with that product, so I figured I should try something else from them -- and I am glad I did.
The packaging was okay as far as I was concerned. It came in a box, and inside was a simple white tube with a gold cap. when I opened it, the mascara wand had a lot of product on it. When I applied it on my lashes it went on evenly and it did curl and extend my lashes without a mechanical eyelash curler.

Just FYI, I don't have curly lashes and I have typical straight and sparse Asian lashes. So far, I am pleased with it and I recommend this product. It is relatively inexpensive and Missha has a lot of sales, so if you have a chance to purchase it, do it!

Item: Blinc Amplified Tubing Mascara
Cost: $26.00 USD | $30.00 CAD
Would buy again?: Yes.
Review: This mascara from Blinc is my holy grail mascara. Before this, I didn't wear mascara regularly because my lids are SO oily. Tubing mascaras are a godsend because they add volume and make my eyes noticeable, without the panda eyes. For that fact alone, it is worth it for me at $30 CAD. I use the Missha primer (although I also use other mascaras to lengthen my eyelashes) and then add this on top, as it acts as a "sealant."

You apply this and build it up while it's wet, because you cannot do it while it is dry. When you're done, you'll be comforted to know that it stays put all day and all you have to do is rinse with water and you can pull them off. I highly recommend this if panda eyes are a problem and if you have oily lids. Also note, unfortunately I did not take a picture of the brush and package but you can see the stock photo.

Application photos (both):

Without mascara.

With Missha the Style HD mascara.

With the Missha Mascara AND Blinc mascara.

"What do you mean it's orange?"

2013-05-08T21:31:00.000-05:00

It's a known fact amongst the people closest to me that I can't see colours properly. Really. I don't know if I'm colour blind or what, but I just know that I can't distinguish between certain colours. Sometimes I mistake cream or beige for white, navy for black, and orange for red are amongst the colours I mess up on. This sweater is no exception to that. In fact, I thought it was red -- like a bright red when I bought it in the store. I was excited to have bought a slouchy sweater in red because it seemed like forever that I was searching for the perfect red sweater! Sweaters are a big deal for me because I wear them all the time, even in the scorching heat.

Anyways, when I got home I was gushing about how I scored a beautiful red sweater... only for my fiance to tell me in a deadpan voice, "Gazel... it's not red. It's ORANGE." I was horrified because A) I hate the colour orange with a passion, B) WTF. I THOUGHT IT WAS RED. I kept insisting it was red, damn it, not orange! I did NOT buy an orange sweater. I can't explain my ardent hatred for orange, I just knew that I hated it ever since I was a kid and my dad even makes fun of me for it because I bought him an orange T-shirt one time for father's day ... but this was back when I was 14-15 years old and I was enjoying my newfound freedom of having a job. Anyway, that's a story for another day.
So then I get to work and my co-worker tells me, "I like your orange sweater." And I'm like, "What. I thought it was red! What do you mean it's orange?!" Then I get other people telling me it is indeed orange. Another person told me another time I was wearing this same sweater, "I like how orange looks on you." So I guess it's orange and clearly, I can't tell the difference. It still looks red to me. Oh well.

Outfit details:

Top: Winners

Jacket: New Look Inspire (get it here)

Pants: Simply Be (get it here)

Shoes: Penningtons (get it here)

Bag: Leather Satchel Company (get it here)

Watch (not pictured): Casio (get it here)

Orange or not, I still like this sweater. It was perfect to wear for the chilly day we're having today. It's nice and comfortable, but it's being worn down because my pug likes to dig her claws into my flesh but in the process my sweater threads get all ruined and there's annoying holes and threads sticking out now. These pants I'm wearing are also a favourite of mine and I have been dying to wear them since I got it from Simply Be (thanks Hannah by the way for mailing it to me, you're the best) -- however, they were WAY too long before. The handy thing about having a mom who knows how to use a sewing machine is that she hems and tapers stuff for me. These used to be down to my ankles... and the sad thing is that they are apparently supposed to be capri pants. Which clearly, they were not on me. So now I made it capris on me, haha.

So, enough of my rant about orange sweaters and my pants. I'm going to end this entry here because I have to study and do some reading. I hate English class. Unfortunately I have to take an elective that's not sociology. What I like about writing for the social sciences is that it's typically straight to the point with little pretentious and flowery writing (at least compared to English). I'm not into poetry and all that stuff.

Anyways, until next time. Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Bonjour Gazel 3rd Anniversary: Giveaway #3

2013-05-06T18:31:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! A week overdue but I finally am gonna announce this final giveaway for my blog. It's a bunch of stuff I've collected to do a giveaway for and I am super excited to give this to one lucky person! This giveaway is not sponsored and was 100% purchased by me. As such, this giveaway is open to international readers! Let's see what this giveaway has in store, shall we? (I want you guys to know what you're potentially getting, after all). I support 100% these products, and I have used them or consumed them in the present and past.

Win me!

The prizes include...

DAVIDsTEA Birthday Cake Tea (Rooibos)
DAVIDsTEA Forever Nuts Tea (Herbal/Tisane)
DAVIDsTEA Mango Madness Tea (White)
DAVIDsTEA Salted Caramel Tea (Black)
Nail covers/decals x5 (Pink Polkadots with flowers, Leopard Print, Striped, Gold, and Swirly)
6 pack of Kinder chocolate bars
Hello Kitty makeup bag
Gold earrings from Icing
Gold earrings from Spring
Chunky bracelet from Icing
Gold Peter pan collar detail necklace
Nyx Extreme Lip Creme in Absolute Red
NYC eyeshadow palette in South Street Seaport
Essence waterproof liquid eyeliner
Essence All Eyes on Me mascara
Revlon Colorstay Red lipliner pencil
NYC 305 Ruby lipstick
NYC 309 Sheer Red lipstick
NYC 402 Red Flame lipstick
Hair Treats Hair Shine hair treatment
Striped twistable/bendy wrap around headband
Addition-Elle nail polish x8 (Apple of my eye, Nude-ish, Vampy, Silver rush, It's my party, Plum dandy, Black knight, and Blue me away)
Essence Gel top coat

To qualify for the giveaway you must simply comment! As always, there are additional ways to win. Check out the rafflecopter widget and good luck to everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Flower Power

2013-05-06T17:36:00.003-05:00

Outfit details:

Top: Thrifted (similar)

Pants: ASOS (get it here)

Shoes: Kohl's

Bag: Leather Satchel Company (get it here)

Necklace: Torrid

Watch: Casio (get it here)

When I think of Spring, I think florals. Original, right? It's true though! I've reserved all my florals for the spring and summer season. I've been DYING to wear these ASOS Curve floral peg leg trousers since I bought them, but I couldn't be arsed to wear them in the winter. However, another problem that prevented me from wearing these in public was that when I first got them in the mail (remember this review here) I noted the peg leg trousers were long and baggy so they looked like pyjamas instead of... well, trousers -- and it looked nothing like the model. My mom is awesome and she tailors stuff for me all the time. This weekend she hemmed and tapered a bunch of my pants, including these. Ta da! Now it looks like peg leg trousers. The thing about being so disproportionate and short is that nothing fits ... especially trousers. Everything is too long, too baggy on the legs, but perfect on the stomach. If I had to buy peg leg trousers again from ASOS I would size down for sure.

Giveaway will be announced very shortly! Thank you all for being loyal readers to my little corner of the internet. As always, until next time. xo

Another sunny day

2013-05-06T00:07:00.000-05:00

Outfit details:
Top: New Look Inspire (get it here)
Skirt: Simply Be (get it here)
Wedges: ASOS (get it here)
Belt: ASOS
Watch: Casio (get it here)
Bag: H&M
Necklace: Forever 21

Today I went to a barbeque with some friends and it was a beautiful sunny day with a slight breeze. We hung out, sat at the deck, and ate some salads and hamburgers while catching up on things. For that short time I really felt like there was no sense of burden or responsibility. Yet now, as I sit here in my room and blog, I'm back at my moms and I'm dreading that tomorrow, it's back to the old grind: school. It felt like my "vacation" was nonexistent. I truly only had 4-5 days of "spring vacation" -- I am truly envious of my friends who had only exams, no final papers, and got several weeks off! Grr. At least it'll be a short course load this term. I'm taking an introduction to creative writing and reading class (I need electives) and a gender and organisations course in the Women's and Gender studies department. I have apparently exceeded the amount of credits needed in sociology so I need to take electives in order to graduate next year. Haha. I'm also working this summer, and the thing about spring/summer classes is that the workload is so condensed so I have no time. I'm literally at school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 am to 9 pm. The rest of the week I'm at a usual 9-5 schedule though. So yeah, that's my pending schedule for the summer and I hope it goes fast because I want a break before the big stuff starts next year... like doing a bunch of methods courses and my honours/undergrad thesis, and applying to Master's programs.

SO. Back to the clothes since I keep babbling about school. As you all probably have gathered by my last few posts, I've been staying at my dads house. I packed a few clothes in a suitcase so I apologise if I keep repeating the same shit in my outfits. There's only so much I can do, especially since I can't pack my whole wardrobe into my suitcase. I think I did good! I love wearing sleeveless and bare leg, even if I am a bit insecure about my arms. Gotta love yourself, right? :P

As always, until next time.

Oh, and:

I will also post my giveaway(s) this week. So look out for a circle lens giveaway and review, and my final giveaway! (I hope you all like tea, hehe.)

AND, I also ended up giving my dad a gift card for his birthday. He liked it! As for the TV/movie suggestions, thanks everyone! We downloaded Sailor Moon, lol, and we'll see how it goes. I haven't watched that in forever...

Galaxy of the Lost

2013-05-04T23:13:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:
Dress: Simply Be (get it here)
Bag: H&M
Jacket: New Look Inspire (get it here)
Wedges: ASOS (get it here)
Necklace: Forever 21
Watch: Casio, purchased via eBay -- not pictured.

Ever since I got this galaxy dress I've been itching to wear it out. I have to say a big thanks to Erin of Zero Style for shipping this dress out to me! (Unfortunately Simply Be does not ship to Canada.) This dress is absolutely gorgeous in person - the fabric is stunning. I've always had this outfit planned in my head: black flatform sandals, gold accessories, and this Simply Be dress. I knew I could never wear this sans heels because it would drag onto the floor, so heels it was going to be. I wore this outfit to a party with some rad feminists and I have to say, this day was good. But now I'm going to go crawl under some blankets and have a movie night with my fiance.

Do you have any movie recommendations? We'll watch anything so long as it's not crappy romantic comedies. I'd love to branch out in my movie watching. Even in television shows, if you have any recommendations that'd be awesome. I enjoy Game of Thrones, Hannibal, Six Feet Under, Arrested Development and the I.T. Crowd to name a few. I did not really enjoy Parks and Recreation. :(

Buggy-Bug-Eye

2013-05-04T02:10:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm feeling great right now for multiple reasons. For one, I finished my huge paper on Tuesday so I spent the week relaxing and stuff. This weekend I was finally able to visit my dad which was long overdue. I wish I could spend more time with my dad but I'm so busy. So I'm staying the weekend at my dads and so far we've been watching random movies. Also, because I am at my dads at the moment I have to push the giveaway start date for my final birthday giveaway (I had scheduled 3 for my blogaversary) next week. I promise it'll be good!

Outfit Details:

Top: Lovedrobe via Style 369

Jacket: New Look Inspire (get it here)

Leggings: ASOS

Shoes: Kohl's

Bag: H&M

Ring: Icing

Necklace: Forever 21

So today I went around, shopping, then went on a sushi date. I wore these bug glasses and people keep staring, haha. -_- I'm not too bothered by people staring at my size but for some reason I get all self-conscious when it's about my clothes or glasses.

So I digress, I'm trying to enjoy my days off before class starts on Monday. I still haven't found a present for my dad, whose birthday is on Monday. Dads are really hard to shop for. Any ideas? My dad is an immigrant dad who doesn't really like North American/white people stuff like tools and mugs and ties... he's simple, but it's still so hard to shop for! :P Ah well.

Until next time everyone.

Weekend errands

2013-04-27T19:15:00.000-05:00

Outfit details:

Top/Tunic: H&M+

Skirt: ASOS (get it here)

Shoes: Thrifted

Bag: Leather Satchel Company (get it here)

Belt: Addition-Elle

I took a break from my paper-writing today to go and do some long overdue grocery shopping today and then take a stroll to do some window shopping. It's so warm today, despite the snow in my pictures. It finally feels like spring. I can go outside without a jacket without making myself freeze to death. I can go bare-legged!
To celebrate, I wore this maxi skirt (I guess it's a midi on me because I hiked it up so it's not on the floor) from ASOS that I got during their mid-season sale. This is not from the curve collection, but from the straight-sized collection! It's a UK 18 (size 14 US) and it has lots of room to spare. Seriously, I could have sized down two sizes on this maxi skirt and it would still fit me. The waist is elastic and it is absolutely perfect. I got many compliments on it today. I wanted to pair it with my platform sandals but my mom put them away somewhere... and I didn't feel like digging through the dreaded "shoe closet" (yes we have a closet just filled with shoes and stuff) so I wore my trust flats instead.

NOW, I actually have to go back to writing my paper. Only three more days and I'll have somewhat of a break. Come May 6th, it's back to the grind again. Summer is just around the corner and I can't wait to go strawberry picking, go to the beach, go on spontaneous road trips, and sit in my backyard with a bonfire. (I'm a pyromaniac.) We have a hammock/swing bench in our yard and I love to just lay down and swing while watching my dogs play in the grass, while the breeze just brushes your body. Ahhh. I can't wait.

Until next time. Don't forget to enter my giveaways!

By the way, a winner has been announced for the ASOS giveaway. Thank you to all who entered. There will be two more giveaways next week: Circle lenses and a package I picked out (which includes cosmetics, sweets, a pair of polkadot shorts, some tea, and other goodies...)

EDITED TO ADD:

Addition-Elle and Penningtons Giveaway - Winners have been announced. Contest closed. Congrats to Cassandra and Jocelyn for winning! I have contacted you via email.

Spring Flowers

2013-04-25T18:24:00.001-05:00

(Yes. My eyes permanently look like I'm squinting. And it was very windy when I took this picture, the dress is not as clingy in real life!)

Outfit Details:

Dress: H&M+ (similar here and here)

Belt: Addition-Elle

Bag: H&M

Shoes: Thrifted

Ring: Icing

Jacket: New Look Inspire (available here)

Finally, spring has arrived! Snow is melting and I can switch from my wool coat to a pleather jacket. I celebrated by wearing a floral dress. I didn't do anything much today besides doing school work and going to school to get library books. I am enjoying what is left of my so-called "vacation" (when really it isn't at all) because in less than two weeks I'm going to be hitting the books again and going back to class. Nothing is new in my life except that I've been hitting the gym now, doing aqua aerobics and I feel great! Now I know what people mean when they say the ache in your body after a workout is extremely satisfying. :)

Don't forget to check out my giveaways below. There are more giveaways in store for next week. :)

Addition Elle and Penningtons Giveaway (Ends 5 days from this time)

EDITED TO ADD:

THE WINNER OF THE ASOS GIVEAWAY IS STINA PAWLUK! (See this entry for more details) Thank you for everyone for entering. I still have exciting giveaways coming up. :)

A weekend getaway~

2013-04-23T14:24:00.000-05:00

This past weekend me, my fiance, and a friend of mine spontaneously decided to go on a trip to the United States - Minneapolis to be exact. It is exactly what we needed! We all felt burnt out from school and work and with the dreary prolonged winter in Winnipeg we needed to just escape. Minnesota is not exactly a sunny haven but it was still nice to go out, shop, and go eating. Here are some pictures from my trip, but I didn't take many pictures because we were out and about - who has time to whip out the camera when you're having fun? We all had good food, had a fun time shopping, and it just feels nice to be going on a road trip with people you really care about.

Outfit details:

Jacket: ASOS Curve

Dress: ASOS Maternity (get it here)

Scarf: Forever 21

Ring: Icing

Shoes: Kohl's

Bag: Cambridge Satchel (get it here)

Here's an outfit I wore. It was nippy in the American Midwest so I'm glad I brought my ASOS faux-fur coat (about 3 years old now!) My outfits I wore throughout the trip are a variation of this. Before anyone asks, no, I wasn't cold just wearing tights. At least not that much because it was sunny. Plus, I've grown accustomed to it in Winnipeg. I'm glad to have been able to go away and go to Minnesota because I have not been since my parents were still together. Hint: I was still a teenager ... so being able to go as an adult is great!

Giveaway #2: Addition-Elle & Pennington's Giveaways

2013-04-23T11:51:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm back from my trip to Minneapolis (post forthcoming) and I am just in time to start the second giveaways. My prizes are sponsored by Addition-Elle and Penningtons, both Canadian retailers with cute clothing and accessories. So here's some more information on the companies and the prizes up for grabs:

Addition-Elle

Up for grabs are $100 CAD gift card from Addition-Elle. Addition-Elle has a lot of lines, ranging from sporty to contemporary, to trendy, to casual. I used to work at Addition-Elle back in high school, and since then the company has become more trendy and more fashion forward. Here are some of my favourite picks:

UNFORTUNATELY, the Addition-Elle portion of this giveaway is open to Canadians only. I apologise for the inconvenience because the online shops do not accept gift cards. :(

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Penningtons

Up for grabs is a $50 CAD voucher from Penningtons. Penningtons has a lot of trendy clothing as well at very affordable prices, and best of all the sizes range from X to 6X, covering a generous sample of sizes. I just recently discovered their company, as in, actually shopping there and I love their clothes so much, and their sales are killer too. Here are some of my favourite picks:

PENNINGTONS IS OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. You do NOT have to be Canadian to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To enter the giveaway(s) you simply need to comment with contact information. Anything else on the rafflecopter widget is extra entries. Good luck!

Bonjour Gazel 3rd Anniversary Giveaway #1

2013-04-15T00:21:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody! It's April 15th and in two days, it'll be the 17th, which is the anniversary of my blog. I can't believe it's been three whole years! The lovely people at Appliances Online have sponsored the gift card for my giveaway today. The prize being a £70 ASOS Voucher, which is an equivalent of around $107 USD. This voucher can be used, I believe, internationally but you may have to use the UK ASOS Website to use the voucher. Personally, I use the UK site myself and have had no problems with it. ASOS is a logical pick for this giveaway because everyone loves ASOS, and I love ASOS as well for many reasons. :)

Everything you need to follow is on this rafflecopter widget below. However, here are the rules:

Rules and Regulations:

Commenting on this blog post is mandatory to enter this giveaway. Simply just comment on this post and you are automatically entered for one entry.
Multiple comments will not be considered, so please don't spam.
Any inflammatory comments will be deleted.

The following are not mandatory and are extra entries. I will be verifying each, just so you know. :)

Follow my blog on Facebook for two extra chances to win.
Follow my twitter on Facebook for two extra chances to win.
Tweet my giveaway on Twitter for two extra chances to win. You can tweet this once a day, and more days if you wish.
Follow my blog on Google Friend connect (left hand side) for two extra chances to win.
Follow me on Instagram for two extra chances to win.
Follow my blog on Bloglovin for two extra chances to win.

That's a lot of chances! About 12 extra chances to win. Again, these are not mandatory and you are not obligated to follow through with them. They're just given so you can earn more chances for this prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will be having more giveaways in the upcoming week(s) so stay tuned for those as well, there will be approximately two more forthcoming.

This giveaway will end April 26th.

ASOS Curve Order Review 2013 - #1

2013-04-09T15:13:00.003-05:00

ASOS Curve is by far my favourite plus size brand and label of all time, and I know I'm not alone in this. It's not a surprise that ASOS is a favourite amongst fatshionistas -- their lines are trendy and affordable when you factor in that ASOS always has sales and the sales always have significant mark-downs on their stuff (actually, there's a mid season sale going on now, click here to access it!), and if you compare it to the other brands out there in the plus size market.

I can gush on and on abut how much I love ASOS, but if there's one thing that does annoy me is that their sizing is inconsistent. It is both a blessing and a curse, I think. I think everyone knows that ASOS tends to run large. I know many who are over UK 26 are thankful for this (me included, by the way. My belly is huge.), but it is also a hinderance because personally, I'm taking a gamble on some things. I look at the fabric compositions (example: 98% cotton, 2% elastane) and I look at the pictures of the garment before I make a purchase. It is tricky because I cannot try stuff on, so I can only hope they fit.

In addition to things that annoy me on ASOS... while it is nice that there are bloggers who review garments from ASOS Curve, I really wish there was a review panel similar to what Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Old Navy, and Forever 21 (in the US) have. That way, I can look at customer feedback to see if I need to size up or down.

Unfortunately we don't have that luxury (yet, I hope), so I will be joining the many other bloggers who write reviews about garments. I had placed an order last month and I received my parcel just recently and I got to try on the items. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of me wearing the items because I look like a mess at the moment, but I will try to be as descriptive as possible. For the record, I ordered these following items: ASOS Curve Wide Stripe Leggings, ASOS Curve Floral Peg Leg Trousers, ASOS Curve A-Line Skirt, and ASOS Curve Floral Print Skater Skirt.

The Review:

ASOS Curve A-Line Skirt (buy it here)

When I first saw this skirt come out on ASOS Curve, I knew it was a must have. I have a black skirt from H&M that's similar, however, that skirt is slowly deteriorating into shreds so I knew I needed to buy a replacement skirt for the future. I also took into consideration that this skirt, could ideally be used for both casual affairs, clubbing, or dressed up for work. I ordered this in a UK 26 and upon trying it on, I'm glad I did. This skirt has no stretch whatsoever, except for the fabric of the skirt, however, with that said it is a wonderfully constructed skirt. Sometimes ASOS is hit-or-miss in terms of quality for me personally, but this skirt did not feel cheap at all. In terms of how long it is, this skirt definitely shorter on me, which is a surprise because ASOS things tend to run long for my 5'5" height. For this skirt I definitely recommend ordering your usual size because it does not run large like usual ASOS garments.

ASOS Curve Floral Peg Leg Trousers (buy it here!)

I'm not one for loud floral prints on trousers like this. Usually, when I look at it, it reminds me of PJ pants. I knew upon inspection of the pictures and looking at the fabric composition, AND reading the description it'll be a soft jersey pant, kind of like a harem pant. Despite my apprehension I took the plunge anyway. One thing I was worried about was whether or not these pants will be a tad long on me. I ordered these pants in a UK 26. When I tried them on, they are a bit long but I can get it altered. It is a bit baggy on the leg, but not too much. It's not tight either. However, I could probably order a size down and it would fit me. These pants are very stretchy and can definitely accommodate larger than a UK 26. Also, they're very beautiful in person and the photos do not do them justice - the flowers and colours are very vibrant and I can see myself putting on a solid coloured tee and some gold jewelry for a quick outfit. Last note: these trousers also include pockets!

ASOS Curve Floral Skater Skirt (buy it here!)

I ordered this skirt because it looked absolutely gorgeous on the model. I'm not particularly TOO fond of this kind of floral print, and when I received this in person I was right. Despite this, I'll still wear it of course! I ordered it in a UK 26 because I had other skater skirts in a similar material and it was just right. However, I think this one has an elastic waistband so it could definitely fit larger than a UK 26! It's very accommodating in the hips. Also, its a bit long on me at 5'5" reaching my knees. I prefer my skater skirts short.

ASOS Curve Wide Stripe Leggings (buy it here!)

Vertical, beetlejuice-esque stripes are in now and when I saw these leggings on ASOS I had to get it! The skinny jeans in Forever 21 don't fit as nicely as I like, unfortunately, so this was the next best thing. I have an obsession with black and white lately so this definitely satisfies that. I ordered these in a UK 26 but I should have known better knowing how ASOS fits. They're big on me, kind of baggy, but not too much that it's obvious -- they're also too long on me and I may need to alter or I can let it bunch at the ankles, lol, it doesn't bother me too much. They're out of stock but when they come back, definitely size down! The fabric isn't too thin and it's very soft.

Have you ordered anything from the ASOS sale yet? (I will be, lol.) If so, what? Do you like these kinds of reviews? Let me know and I will try to post more if it's well received. :)

The ~Default~ Outfit

2013-04-07T21:51:00.001-05:00

Outfit Details:
Striped Knit Sweater: Forever 21+ (similar here and here)
Ponte Knit Pants: ASOS (similar here)
Bag: Vintage Coach (similar here)
Scarf: Forever 21
Aviator Jacket: Evans
Socks: Jacobs
Shoes: Kohl's
Watch (seen below): Thrifted

We all have our default outfit for any occasion... you know, the outfit we default to when you want to look put together yet you threw it all on in two seconds. The outfit you wear when you want to go shopping at the mall, doing errands, or going to school. I almost always wear this outfit at least twice a week, and these knit ponte pants from ASOS and a striped knit top. To tell you the truth, I wear these pants so much that thinking about them inevitably being worn till it's completely destroyed gives me anxiety attacks because it is my favourite pants and I don't think I can find anything else like it. With striped knits, I actually have a striped knit problem... I'd like to say I own too many but for me, I can never own too many striped knits or anything striped, really. I'm obsessed. Pair it with a scarf and lipstick and ta-da!

I love this outfit, I love it because I think it really is what describes my style as a whole. People always tell me that when they think of my style it's black and white, stripes, outrageous glasses, and something red -- either in a form of a garment, accessory, or a lip colour. Yet, as much as I like this outfit... I'm dying to be able to wear skirts and dresses again while bare-legged. As you can see in the photos there is still snow, and yes, it is still cold as hell. At least there's not that much snow or ice on the sidewalks so I can actually wear my different types of shoes again. Until then it's trousers and knits for me until Winnipeg gets its actual spring...

My thoughts on Eloquii

2013-03-29T11:02:00.003-05:00

About a month ago, Eloquii had announced that they were going to close production and eventually close all of their stores down. The reason being was because "they didn't meet satisfactory sales" during their trial run as a brand. Many people wrote about this event, I saw that many bloggers and customers alike were disappointed and angry, understandably so. For those unfamiliar with Eloquii, if I can just summarize briefly, it is a brand, a division from the Limited Group who wanted to offer plus size clothing. I'm not American so obviously, I didn't really know what "The Limited" was, let alone Eloquii, but because of plus size bloggers such as Gabi blogging about it, I had come to know what it was. I believe Eloquii had only become a thing because of certain bloggers talking about it. This is through my perspective, of course.

I never really wrote about Eloquii at all because in all honesty I never cared for the store too much, as it catered to the older, career-driven woman. I'm in no rush to find another "career" because as far as I am concerned my only career is being a university student at the present. I'm still in my very early 20s and I revel in the fact that it is still socially acceptable for me to dress "younger" and less "business casual".

Now regarding to its closure, I would like to clarify I do not believe that it is because of Eloquii unable to provide "young" and "trendy" clothing is the primary reason why it closed. I think Eloquii is capable of such, as I will demonstrate very shortly after, they have cute clothing. I think it was the lack of advertising about the brand is what contributed to its downfall -- or what they said, "lack of sales". Like I had stated above, I had no idea what "The Limited" was, or even of Eloquii's existence until I read Gabi's post. I didn't see it in any magazines in person, nor was there any aggressive advertising involved as far as I was concerned. There was no hype at all like when ASOS Curve or Forever 21+ opened. I know that those companies reached out to many bloggers and were keen in participating in social media and the like. Also, I heard that when people did go to "The Limited" in person there was barely a section for the clothing found on Eloquii.

How can one possibly hope to sell something if it isn't aggressively marketed? YES, I know that Eloquii marketed itself but judging from what others have said, and from what I have read, I can piece together that it was enough. It was a blip on the radar as far as I was concerned. How can you hope to get a following if even in your actual retail stores, there's nothing to show for it? I just think Eloquii never got a chance to flourish, how much time was given for it to grow? About two years, tops?

It's a shame. Another plus size retailer bites the dust. For as much flack I gave Eloquii about it being too "business casual" and career driven I recently looked at their website because I saw on their Facebook page they added spring lines and that everything was on sale at the store. (Actually, if you look, here they list on what is on sale and for what percentage of the prices are marked down.)

I actually quite find these aesthetically pleasing:

So, I know I'm late to the party but what do you think of Eloquii's closure?

Teal and Flowers

2013-03-25T21:59:00.001-05:00

Outfit details:

Top: Thrifted

Necklace: Gordman's (similar)

Skirt: ASOS Curve (get it here in various colours: taupe, emerald, or black)

Belt: Thrifted

Boots: Addition-Elle (similar)

Bag: Coach, vintage (similar)

Hello everybody! Today was a fairly relaxed day. I went to work (and dressed sloppier than this to be honest), ate some Filipino comfort food for lunch, (goto and tokwa baboy for any pinoys/pinays out there), and did some reading for school. Funny story though, today I thought I was going to the dentist and I went there and they told me it was in two weeks, even though I had written it down in my organiser. Oh well, it all worked out because my fiance and I booked a day when we could both go to save time. I ended up going to the mall in search of a brow brush because I had lost mine at school or something. I ended up with two necklaces and a brush. Then I went to the store to buy ingredients for more macaron-making because I'm addicted to making them. By the way, I'll be posting a recipe for some shortly.

Until next time.

Outfit of the weekend shopping~

2013-03-23T20:07:00.001-05:00

Outfit details:

Top: New Look Inspire (get it here)

Shorts: Forever 21+

Scarf: Spring

Cardigan: Thrifted

Boots: Addition-Elle (similar)

There is snow everywhere BUT it is melting a bit because the temperature was agreeable outside today. For anyone who has lived where there is snow, you know that warmer temperatures equal disgusting slush. Yuck. BUT, at least it's looking like spring. So, what better day to celebrate this this occasion was slipping on a pair of shorts. I'm not brave enough yet to wear shorts bare legged for one, because I want to avoid people staring at me, and secondly, I know better than to get sick again from the cold.
Also, no, my hair hasn't grown magically in a day... I am wearing extensions! They're light on purpose because I wanted an ombre kind of look. I know I'm late on that train but still, it's pseudo-ombre hair and it makes me happy.

As the title of this blog post says I went shopping for stuff. Stuff like groceries (boring for you blog readers) but I did go to Value Village and I got a pair of Doc Martens creeper/brogue like shoes, a pair of platform sandals, and some loafers to replace the ones my brother's dog destroyed. I also found a surplus of flatform sandals while I was at Value Village but I opted against it. Let me tell you, it was really hard to say no to a pair of $4 flatforms that actually looked decent.

Until next time. I'm liking this whole making-my-blog-active again. I missed blogging, I really did. Now I hope I can keep up.

Wishing it was actually spring!

2013-03-22T23:43:00.002-05:00

Originally I had planned to photograph my outfit posts indoors, but due to the lighting I could not as it would turn out blurry. I am not a big fan of flash photography and I did not like how those pictures turned out either. Natural light or bust!

Outfit details:

Shirt: Forever 21+

Skirt: Simply Be (get it here)

Chelsea boots: Golden Ponies via Etsy (get it here)

Scarf: Winners

Coat: ASOS (similar)

Anyway, here's an outfit I wore today to go shopping with my fiance today, and to go grab dinner. Underneath I am actually wearing a sleeveless shirt/short sleeve shirt, but taking my jacket off outside would be ridiculous. I'm also very self-conscious of my large arms in general. I'm not too insecure about my stomach as I am about my arms. Still, I love the look of sleeveless shirts. I also wore a mullet hem skirt. To be honest I was apprehensive about this trend, but I love this skirt from Simply Be. It's the right amount of length but that's because I got it in the petite sizing. I'm looking at this picture now because it looks like I am photoshopped and the legs are lopsided but I'm just leaning a certain way. Since I'm wearing all black on the bottom it does some foolery on the eyes!

I can't wait until winter is gone so I can wear shoes I actually like. I am so tired of wearing my coat, as much as I love it so much. I'm ready to break out the denim jackets and leather jackets! No more tights! Bare legs! I am just depressing myself at this point thinking about it so I'll end it here. Until next time. :)