Happy New Year

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Have an absolutely wonderful weekend, filled with good times... see you in 2012!

Inspired by... M.

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M. is the beautiful sister of equally beautiful G.  Although they have similarly friendly, and outgoing personalities, their personal styles are very different.  
 
M. and I spent 3 hours organizing her closet - most of the time spent getting rid of pieces that no longer felt like her, talking about how to alter certain pieces so they looked better on her, and placing everything in her closet in a way that she could easily access the pieces she has, and loves.  For M., part of the fun of her day is creating a new outfit to wear, so we didn't spend much time creating new outfits, but we did talk about ways to emphasize the style that feels most like her - vintage classic with a touch of femininity.

New Year's Eve Glam

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If you're heading out on the town for New Year's Eve, there is no such thing as too much bling.  Have some fun, and take your outfit a little bit further than you normally would.  After all, it is the biggest party night of the year!

Beautiful Women

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I found this image early this morning on pinterest, and I knew I had to share it immediately.  The words speak to my heart... and my soul.

Wen xo

Edgy Accessories

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If you're looking for a little pick me up in your classic wardrobe, an easy way to add edge is through accessories.  Edgy accessories take the most classic pieces (like this white collared shirt, and boot cut jeans) to a whole new level.  All of a sudden your style has a new "rock star" feel, and commands attention.  If this is a look you are attracted to, there are a few things that make edgy accessories easily identifiable:

1. Edgy Accessories are usually made out of leather, metal, and stones

2. Edgy Colours tend to be purple, red, black, gray

3. Keep these words in mind: studs, skulls, chains, sharp lines, chunky

Look for cuffs, earrings, bracelets, rings, necklaces, shoes, bags, belts... really any of your usual favourite accessory pieces will do!

If you're not sure if these types of accessories are for you, but would like to give them a go, you may want to head to really inexpensive stores to find a few pieces to try.  If you don't spend a lot on the individual pieces, you can try wearing them a few times, and toss them if they don't feel quite right.  Aldo Accessories and H&M are both good places to start. 

Present Time

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There are so many pictures taken when people open presents, and none of us like looking at pictures of ourselves in our grubbiest pjs with bed head.  You may be extremely grateful in the future if you spend a couple of minutes deciding what you'll wear for this momentous morning occasion!

25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes

I first came across this amazing video through a friend's website - In Life and in Fashion.  It is so well done, I wanted to share it with all of you.

I suggest watching it through once, and taking notes of which ties you like best.  At the end of the video you can click on your faves for more detailed instructions.

You can view other REFINED. scarf tying videos here, here, and here.

Enjoy!
Wendy

Holiday Spirit

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One of my absolute favourite family traditions happens at the large Woods' Christmas Dinner with all of the extended family present.  Instead of buying insignificant gifts for each other, years ago we decided we would do a Secret Santa with a twist.  Each family member draws the name of another - aunt, uncle, cousin, etc - but instead of buying a gift for one another, we buy a toy that represents that person in some way. 

The toy can represent anything from the person's job, to one of their hobbies, to an inside family joke... anything.  Each person unwraps their gift, and the hilarity ensues!  It's great fun for everyone in the family, because when people get creative, the laughs are abundant.

Once everyone has opened their gift the toys get placed in a bin, and are donated to Toy Mountain.  

We love that we all get the fun of opening gifts, and keeping up traditions, but most of all it feels amazing to donate the gifts to charity and really get into the essence of the holiday spirit - it's just awesome!

Happy Holidays!
Wendy

Family Festivities

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Family festivities tend to be a fine balance between casual comfort, and holiday glam.  To get that perfect balance, try pairing a cozy sweater, an easy-to-wear skirt, and flats, with a beautiful pair of chandelier earrings.

Toronto Treasures: Gaspard

Gaspard is the latest clothing and accessories boutique to hit the Queen Street West strip across from Trinity Bellwoods Park.  The boutique is owned by the designers of Mercy Studio, and many of the stunning pieces housed in this boutique are their own.  The Mercy Studio designs, coupled with quality European designers that have been handpicked for the store, create a boutique atmosphere that feels straight from the Paris lane-ways.

A few other designers to note: Jamin Puech a handbag designer from Paris; Iosselliani Jewellery from Rome; and handmade boots from La Botte Gardiane.

This wonderful boutique is perfect for women looking for well-crafted pieces, made from quality fabrics, who covet the Parisian sense of style.

Visit Gaspard at

913 Queen Street West, Toronto

416.546.7480

Wendy 'Woulds' | Stockings with Peep Toe Shoes

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Question submitted by Kelly: "Do I have to wear hose with these shoes, given that it's December, or do I go with a bare leg? I've never been a huge fan of nude stockings, but really need some guidance here. I'm worried an opaque stocking will make things feel heavy below the hem. I originally thought I'd wear an open fishnet to show lots of skin, but that's when I thought I'd end up with black shoes. Now that I have landing on something slightly lighter, I'm a bit perplexed…"

Hi Kelly, you absolutely do not need to wear pantyhose (I agree, they can be so uncomfortable)!

If you need the warmth you could try a black or brown fishnet... they also have nude fishnet out now... or a lace stocking if you would like a patterned tight with softer lines.  They also have sandal foot stockings out there so you wouldn't see the toe through a peep toe shoe.  I haven't noticed whether they offer this option in a patterned tight or not.  As I said though, this is only if you want to go with a stocking option, it is absolutely not necessary.

I do find that some people comment when I wear bare legs, "Aren't you cold?"  The stocking question is a very common one, that many women debate in their heads, so I think that's where this question comes from.

Happy Holidays!
Wendy

Have your own burning style question answered by THE REFINERY.

Casual Holiday Event

Paired together, dark jeans (either black or indigo blue), a beautiful blouse, and patent pumps create a stunning evening outfit for those casual holiday parties.  During the holiday season it is always nice to add a little sparkle to dress things up a bit, even for the most casual events.

Inspired by... J.

When I first met J. she was pregnant with her second charming child.  Now, she is a mom of 2, aspiring entrepreneur, and a self-professed Lulu enthusiast.  Recently, J. called me because she decided it was time to up her style anti, get out of the activewear she'd been wearing for years, and into a smart casual everyday look that would work in each of the areas of her life.  When we started looking through her closet, J. was talking about needing different outfits for three areas of her life - mom, work, evening - and that she would be "ok" coming home to change into different outfits throughout the day.  I wanted her to have a more practical alternative - a wardrobe filled with smart casual clothes that, with a few accessory changes, would make her feel fabulous from morning to night!  

We made a shopping list, and headed out for a few more pairs of stretchy narrow legged pants, which suited her inverted triangle body shape SO well and allowed her to move as if she were wearing Lulus, some embellished shirts so she didn't need to wear accessories when around her youngest child, and a few layer pieces for warmth and comfort.  Once we finished shopping, and mixed the old clothes with the new ones, J. had hundreds of outfits to choose from for her daily life.

It thrills me that J. now has a wardrobe that is practical for her, and that she is receiving so many positive comments from loved ones, and others, since she made these style changes.  Her fun-loving spirit is shining through in her new style, and I'm so excited for the new journey ahead of her!