Prada Double Buckle Short Boot with a 4 inch heel. These were unbelievably comfortable, to my surprise. (and I do love a beautifully structured boot!) On sale for $659 (originally $1100).

Prada Bicolor Suede Pump. On sale for $529 (originally $750).

Prada Studded Ankle-Strap Sandal. These are so pretty I want to cry, honestly. If I, for whatever reason, had to attend a red carpet event, I would totally go for these. On sale for $739 (originally $1050).

Prada Suede Point-Toe Ankle Boot with a 4¼ inch heel. These have a elastic panel, so there's no fuss involved in getting them on! Also surprisingly comfortable, considering how much I usually dread stilettos. On sale for $589 (originally $990).

Gucci Ankle-Strap Patent Leather Sandal. Ah....an iconic Gucci shoe!!! So many variations and yet they're all stunning *heart eyes emoji*. On sale for $629 (originally $895).

Gucci Cap Toe Suede T-Strap Pump. I just have a thing for T-straps. On sale for $449 (originally $650).

I was delighted to find out last month that Dave Lackie & Nina Westbury would be coming to Vancouver to host a beauty event at The Bay. For those who aren't following Dave on twitter....you are seriously missing out! He has the best beauty giveaways, wonderful makeup tips & the 411 on all new beauty releases. He's also the editor for BEAUTY the Guide, which is a great publication if you enjoy runway looks and keeping up to date on the latest trends. I find it super inspiring- and it's also a wonderful enabler in terms of fuelling my need to buy new make-up! ;) As for Nina, she's hilarious and always willing to offer excellent personalized advice if you have any questions about makeup!



In truth, I wasn't sure I would be attending- I hadn't been able to RSVP before all the seats were claimed, and I also happened to have an exam later that evening. Regardless, I decided it wouldn't hurt to stop by. Everyone was already seated by the time I arrived, and one of the lovely managers/co-ordinators (I didn't even catch his name, yikes!) told me to check at the registration table to see if there were any free RSVP seats for me. It was still full, so I took a seat in the general area. I'm so glad I decided to attend after all- Dave & Nina were as bubbly and fun as they seem on twitter. It was an excellent presentation, filled with quirky anecdotes from Dave of behind-the-scene moments at fashion shows; he's really seen it all! From Anna Wintour to Michael Kors- it was wonderful to hear of his experiences. I really enjoyed learning about the thought process of makeup artists when planning runway looks- crazier looks to contrast with more conservative outfits, or more dramatic eyes to bring attention to detailed dresses. (Suddenly reminded of how much I'd LOVED the fun makeup at the Manish Arora FW14 show!!!!)

It was also a bit of a throwback to go through fall/winter shows- those who know me are aware of how closely I follow fashion week (albeit menswear more than womenswear), and having just gone through the spring/summer season in October, the shows from February were already one big blur in my mind.

Unfortunately, I can't access the archives for the October 2014 of BEAUTY the Guide, which provided excellent examples of the runway trends mentioned in the presentation (and my memory is horrid. Why didn't I write them down like I was originally planning to? I'm a horrible blogger, honestly.) The few that I can remember are..... glacial blues, darker red lips, and my personal fave- "Medici modern".

Thiarine Garcia & Sasha Luss @ Max Mara FW14 RTW. Obsessed with that shade! Wish I had their cheekbones :(

As an art history student, I'm fairly aware of the Medici family- it was even more of a surprise for me to see a Bronzino painting, as I had to write a paper on him last year. (It's odd how I feel a certain sense of pride every time I hear about Bronzino. I came across a copy of the very painting I wrote on while in Florence this summer, and again in Milan, and I couldn't help but rave about it to my mom, haha.) I swear a little shiver went down my spine when Dave talked of how the makeup at Milan fashion week was very nude & natural but flawless- as if the models themselves had stepped out of these paintings. It's absolutely brilliant!