On the hunt for...

Leather leggings. I saw a girl wearing them at a concert back in December and I've been looking for a pair ever since. They step up your style in an edgy way that plain leggings don't.

What to wear on long haul flights

airport essentials by alysiamansfield featuring real leather handbags

Long haul flights can be a bit of a trial, so make sure you dress comfortably. I tend to start with a base of my lululemon wunderunders (you can wear any leggings though), a camisole with a built in bra (makes sleeping so much more comfortable), a cardigan or sweater (I'm fond of these TNA hoodies and these wilfred sweaters), a pair of slip on shoes (I'm loving these Toms), a bag big enough to hold my in flight essentials (Longchamp bags are great, or you can get a similar bag from ebay fro $20), and an empty water bottle is a must have so I can fill it up past security. I also make sure to pack any tech that I would be heartbroken to loose (like my cameras). 

While dressing up for a flight is great if it's under 5 hours, when you're going overnight comfort needs to be the primary concern.  

$$$ or $

Hey guys sorry for the absence the holidays were very hectic and then it was straight back to school with no rest! I need to come up with a good name for this series I'm starting on the blog where I find high end stuff and their cheaper (but just as good) counterparts! Any suggestions?

Starting off is this adorable Tory Burch Fox Stud Double Wrap Bracelet which retails for $125 (on sale for $87.50). Even on sale this is a hefty price tag for something that's more whimsy than classic. Also I'm not a huge fan of the patent and the colour choices leave something to be desired.

So I turned to my favorite website when sourcing handcrafted goods and searched for 'fox bracelet' and found this on the 4th page (Etsy tip: surf with patience, sometimes you don't find this for a while). At $18.95 this bracelet by AllAboutMyJewlery is a great alternative, plus comes in black, brown, red, blue, and orange. I'll post pictures once it arrives and let you know how the quality is.

Alysia

all I want for christmas...

all I want for christmas... by alysiamansfield featuring a zip around wallet

So I though I would share what I'm hoping to find under the Christmas tree this year! I don't buy clothing often because as a student my budget is fairly limited so I tend to ask for clothing items for Christmas to last me through the year. Starting from the top:

1. Stella and Dot Clover Double Wrap Bracelet $64 - I've been loving layering bracelets together and this leather cuff would be a great addition.  

2. A Navy Winter Coat - I'm going to wait until after Christmas to get this and I don't have a specific one in mind. I bought a grey coat two years ago, and a black one 4 years ago so I feel like I'm due for a new one.

3. Sweaters (Wilfred Balzac sweater pictured $115) - I love cozy sweaters for the winter months because I have to commute so far for school. It just makes getting ready in the morning so much easier.

4. A Sequined Mini Skirt - If you follow me on pinterest you know I love sequined mini skirts. I'm dying to get one of my own so I can experiment with new looks.

5. Michael Kors Jet Set Watch in Tortoise $225 - My sister has had this watch for years and I love it so much. This is something that is always on my wishlist but I have yet to receive because of the hefty price tag. Some friends and I are looking at going to the states in the spring so maybe I'll get it there as it's cheaper.

6. Kate Spade Moonlit Soiree purse $298 - I feel like this would be an amazing party purse, so cute and festive! One of those items I drool over but will never actually spend the money on. 

7. Stella and Dot Tech Wallet $94 - I need a smaller wallet to go with my Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac because I struggle to get out my current one. I love that this one can double as a wristlet and has a holder for your phone! So handy when going out and you don't want to carry a purse.

8. Temple St. Clair Rock Crystal Amulet $800 - I have been in love with this necklace for years. Temple St. Clair is my favorite jewelery designer that I will never be able to afford, but one day I hope I have someone who loves me enough to buy this... that or I win the lottery!

9. Kate Spade Pride and Prejudice clutch $325 - This is more of a novelty item than something I'm dying to have. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Austen novel and one of my favorite novels of all time. I feel like this clutch does homage to it.

10. Combat Boots - I feel like a lot of my fashion dilemmas would be solved by a pair of combat boots because they're just so effortless. While I love my Dolce Vita Joust boots they are just a bit impracticable for long days at school, and my knee high boots are sometimes too posh for my outfits. Another item I'm going to be hunting for in the post Christmas sales. 

What are you guys wishing for this Christmas? Am I the only one who has items on their wishlist for years?

lusting after...

These Joust Boot in black by DV by Dolce Vita. I saw these first on shop sosie (which I haven't been able to get on in days) and then later at FNO in Little Burgundy. I tried them on and I love them, they're so comfortable and cute. However the $165 price tag keeps scaring me off. So far I've been successful in not caving into my desires and just buying them but we'll see how long that lasts.

What are you guys lusting after?

Pinterest Style Inspiration!

I love Pinterest for getting ideas on everything from home decor to style inspiration to tasty treats! Here are a few looks I've been loving the idea of for fall.

Above is a gorgeous navy wool coat and I'm determined to get one this year (I generally buy a new winter coat every two years or so)

Love this idea of making your maxie skirts last into the cooler months. Pairing it with a chunky knit gives you an Olsen twin/Nicole Richie vibe. I wore this look last week and got a ton of compliments on it.

This is pretty much my style uniform for busy days. Skinny jeans/Jeggings with ballet flats (or my Toms!) with  simple shirt and a scarf. Though I do tend to swap out a blazer for my leather jacket. Simple and easy but still looks totally pulled together.

I'm not great at mixing patterns so I'm always on the look out for great looks I can recreate. I love how the monochromatic theme here really pulls this together.

Anyone else spend hours looking for inspiration on Pinterest?

Fashion Night Out Haul!

So fashion night out was almost two weeks ago, and I'm realising now I forgot to photograph stuff, but here's what I picked up! I went with my friend M and we had a blast. We hung around Yorkdale instead of going downtown because we were both wiped from classes that day.

Holt Renfrew was having this amazing deal where if you bought something you got a giftcard for 20% of the total purchase back. They FINALLY had my black Rebecca Minkoff mini mac in stock so I snapped that up. Using my giftcard I also bought Chanel's Emmervielle (for free!!) and the House of Harlow earrings, which are amazing but heavy to wear.

Not pictured are the La Vanilla Vanilla Coconut rollerball and Origins spot treatment which I will have reviews up soon. I also got this Juicy Couture USB bracelet in pink that I got seriously discounted for like $20.

Did anyone else participate in FNO? I loved it and can't wait for next year!

Fashion Fridays #1: Fall Fashion

Fall Fashion by alysiamansfield 

Sadly summer is drawing to a close and school will be starting up in just a week or so. I am really excited for fall though as it's my favorite season to dress for. I've put together a few key pieces that I think are great additions to to anyone's wardrobe.

1. A Classic Leather Jacket - I bought a black jacket (similar to the one above) while I was in Italy and I've owned a brown one for years. This is a great investment piece that will be great from early fall into early winter, and again when the weather starts to warm up in March and you're sick of the bulk of your winter coat. Try and pick classic shapes and styles so that they last you for years. I've had my brown leather jacket for 5+ years and I still wear it all the time. 

2. A Cardigan - The one pictured above is the Wilfred Diderot cardigan which I received for Christmas last year. I love having layers that are warm enough that I can skip the coat when the weather starts to get a bit cool. I like the fact that this isn't in a classic shape, and the sweatshirt material makes this super cosy while not looking sloppy. 

3. A Layering Tank - This one from Talula I own in a bright pink colour and I love that the lace pattern gives an outfit a bit of texture. I have a huge collection of little silk tanks that I find at Forever 21 for super cheap (we're talking around $20 each) that I can throw on under blazers or cardigans that look a bit more pulled together than a basic ribbed tank. These layers are great year round, as you can wear them on their own in the warmer month (I love pairing them with maxi and pencil skirts in summer) and just throw on a blazer or cardigan in the cooler months.

4. Black Skinny Pants - I'll admit, I was a bonafide jeans girl until recently. I didn't own any pants that weren't jeans until I bought ones from H&M (Around $40 CAD) and the pixie pants from J-Crew (around $120 CAD). I love how these make an outfit that much more pulled together than if I was wearing jeans. The only issue I have with the pixie pants is that I have yet to figure out how to do the back zipper up on my own, embarrassing to say the least! Any tips on that?

5. A Slouchy Sweater - This one from Wilfred (I think it's called the Balzac sweater) is to die for. I own it already in a leopard print and in a pretty dusty purple but I really want it in a nice dark grey colour. These sweaters are super comfy but you look pulled together while wearing them (noticing a theme? Comfy but pulled together is the name of the game).

6.  Scarves - I love scarves, they're a great way of adding pattern and interest to a boring outfit. I never spend a lot on scarves and I tend to pick up new ones only when I travel. Scarves are also easy to toss into a bag if you start to get too hot, which makes them great layering pieces in the early fall when the weather goes from frosty in the am to hot in the afternoon. 

7. Flats - As I commute to school I need comfortable shoes that will last me on the days that I'm out of the house for 15+ hours a day. Simple ballet flats are an easy no brainer choice when I wake up at 5am and am not fully functioning. I own a pair in black and nude which go with everything so I don't have to worry about my shoes clashing.

8.  Ankle Boots - I am in love with these Tom ankle boots and have yet to find them in my size.  I want these for days when it's too cool to wear my ballet flats but I don't feel like pulling on my knee high boots. 

There you have it, some of my key pieces for fall. I tend to stick with easy pieces that wear well when I'm commuting for super long hours. I find it really easy to get into a rut with what I wear to school because I have to wake up so early and am gone so long so I'm going to try to make an effort to dress a bit better this year. 

What are your key fall pieces?  How do you stay out of a fashion rut when the weather cools down and all you want to do is wear hoodies, uggs and yoga pants? 

Also! check back Monday to Friday next week as I'm doing a review everyday on my Julep Maven August box!