I had no Instagram post for Christmas Day this year and actually no IG stories. Nor was I on Twitter, or pinning stuff on Pinterest. I was enjoying the day with our family and celebrating our wedding anniversary. Among other stuff we do on our anniversary, one of them is to just be silly and spontaneous. Okay, that’s something we do on almost every holiday break. But you get it. We put on some warm clothes and headed out to our backyard patio to have a snowball fight with the fresh snowfall we had just gotten in Mississauga.
Snowball fight in Style with the Warmest Sweater Ever!
Of course, my sister fromMAC Decor was prepared with the camera and got some great shots! She does wedding and events decor if anyone is looking. Check her out on Instagram: MAC Decor – Toronto.
Do you remember an epic snowball fight? I actually cannot remember one before this one. I also don’t have the best memory either.
..Because I’m not a serious person at all. I’m just a goofball nerd looking to live this life…
I love this sweater from ROMWE. The quality is on point! Super soft fabric, the high low shape is body flattering and the grey tone is perfect. This sweater is now 65% off on the site: Check it out.
The pants I’m wearing are from Top Shop and they’re high rise stretchy skinny jeans. The most comfortable pants money could buy! These jeans are actually currently trending and almost out of stock: Check it out.
I usually post more put together, fancy schmancy outfits and the orchestrated flat lays of food and product but this time I’m going to get real. Realest of the real. What I wear on my casual days. So I get asked this a lot from those who aren’t parents yet.
What I Wear on my Casual Days – Comfort is Everything! [STYLE]
“What’s it like? What’s it like to be a mom?”
That’s a heavy question, because, I mean… where do I start? So according to how my day is going, I give an answer based on the first word that comes to my mind. It could be anywhere from the spectrum of “Help me!” to “it’s a huge blessing.” Nonetheless, it is a crazy schedule that never ends. When I’m not going to events, parties and I’m just staying home or doing the usual running errands in the neighborhood. I have my go-to cozy outfits. Which this may sound slob-ish. But on days where the only thing I’m doing is pick-up and drop-off my son at daycare, then I leave it nearby the door where I can quickly change in and out. Because if you know me, I’ll be in Pajamas or “house clothes” all day.
So what is my definition of a cozy outfit? Well because it’s colder nowadays, it must have full sleeves. And the bottom must be either leggings or sweatpants.
I always carry around a casual light tote bag. The keyword here is light. If I’m carrying the car seat or moving a stroller I don’t want to worry about a heavy purse or bag.
I got this one on our trip to Rome. It’s actually a Roma designer, which means you’ll have to purchase it via online or when you go to Europe next. Sorry about that. Sophie Charlotte.
This top is the epitome of cozy. Long sleeves, simple grey tone, and the quality, perfect. I love the size because it fits a little bigger than my other shirts but I’ve been totally into the whole oversized look these days. Side note, my husband said it reminded him of star trek and he loves it!
I have three pairs of these casual jogger pants because I love them so much. Especially in the summertime. But I still wear them in the winter if I’m not spending long hours outside. They’re made from a super light cotton fabric and to be honest the grey one is the best. I’ve washed it a million times and it still looks good. But the black one, after the first wash, got those round lint bumps all over it. But no big deal. They’re super cheap! From Wal-mart for $10-13 each.
It has a drawstring waist and the bottoms are cinched at the Ankles. Perfect for wearing with high boots in the winter or even sneakers.
I had the pleasure of going to the Nine West Preview for Fall 2017 and Spring/Summer 2018. I love shoes. All sorts of shoes. I’ve never met a woman who has said the opposite. There are so many beautiful shoes to choose from that I always have a hard time deciding on “the one”! I’m breaking it down for you to make your life just a tad bit easier. So feel free to window shop through this post!
NINE WEST 2017/2018 PREVIEW & POMBONS [FASHION]
I love everyday flats that look unique and stand out. Everything above is my jam.
Love these open toe heels and sandals for Spring Summer 2018. Also, love that they’re very minimalist in black and white.
How cute is this black bucket bag?
I love strappy black heels. They can be worn with anything and it can be really sexy. If you want it to be. 😉 I lean towards skinnier straps vs thick ones.
Shoetease rocking sexy strappy red heels with pombons
Cristina from ShoeTease styled an entire room for the Nine West preview and let’s just say I went home that night thinking of shoes, heels, pumps, loafers and those damn cute pombons! Which I purchased and received in lightening time.
So cute right?
You can place these cute pombons anywhere! Shoes, purses, clothes.. whatever! Of course I got the pink and grey.
Cristina the founder of https://pombons.com/ #BossBabe
I love how most of these shoes for the holidays have the most beautiful gems and embellishments on them! Making them really unique and definitely categorized as statement shoes.
These were one of my favourites for Spring/Summer 2018
See below for some fashion blogger favourites and one sneak peek of what’s to come for Nine West Spring/Summer 2018! Okay, so excuse me, I’m going to head over to Nine West and see what I can get for the holidays. Follow along on my Instagram (@HumJK) stories to see what it is.
Blogger Cat Forsley LOVES these! Click image to head over to her Instagram pageBlogger Maggie Adhami LOVES these! Click image to check out her Instagram page!
It’s time to buckle up and get warm because jeepers it’s getting cold in Fall. On Halloween night the temperature went down to 4 degrees! Ugh. We did one street of houses for trick or treating and went home. How are you staying warm this Fall? I’m planning to switch it up between weather changes. Warmer days a moto jacket like the one I’m wearing below and colder days, layers or my winter coat. Meh.
Whenever I wear a short jacket like this I love to pair it with a longer shirt underneath. Also like to keep it simple with no print. Just plain jane one colour top.
Buckle Up, It’s Getting Chilly in Fall! What I Wore [STYLE]
This moto jacket is from Zaraand you’ll most likely still find it in stores. I actually saw it last weekend (at Square One) but not in this colour.
I love these pants for a numerous amount of reasons. For one, they’re the perfect stretchy material. So no matter how big or small I get, it will sit around my curves perfectly. Two, I love the rip. The rip on the knees is clean and simple. Perfect for wearing fish nets underneath. They’re from Topshop.
Toronto had some cold weather a few weeks ago. We were all certain Fall was here. Heck, the leaves had even started changing colour. And now here we are sitting in 20°C+ weather. In the Spring/Summer I loved wearing culottes. I’m not ready to part with them yet, so here’s how I plan to transition into Fall with them.
Culottes For Fall Lookbook
I wore my culotte pants with a short high neck sweater for a roof top brunch. It was the most perfect pairing for that day. Especially because it was a little chilly.
I’m rocking my suede heels and when it gets colder, putting a blazer or a bomber jacket on top can work as well. I prefer longer blazers to go with these pants and fitted bomber jackets.
I’ve been blogging for 3 years and my first social media platform (among the popular ones these days) was go figure, YouTube! The first video I ever uploaded was actually of my first kitten, falling off my desk. It was an accident and I happened to get it on camera. I want to also add that I was young and did not think she would fall off the table.
*no judge zone*
I started blogging a lot more regularly on my first maternity leave. Now that I’m on my second maternity leave, blogging has been what has kept me sane. Getting back into work mode, to come back out of it in less than 2 years can really do a toll on you. Especially mentally. So this time around I’ve been partnering, collaborating and really getting to know the business side of the blogging world. However, this doesn’t mean I say yes to everything that comes my way. There are have been many collaboration requests that I’ve turned down, due to them not matching my lifestyle, ethics or simply I can’t relate to the product or service and know for sure I would not like it. Also, if by chance I’m wrong with a collaboration and the product or service is not what I expected, I explain to the brand why and I don’t write about it. After all, not worth my time. But there was that time when I had that experience at a cafe where I wasn’t allowed to bring my stroller in and wrote about it. Hmm. So i guess it depends. It’s all in the writing. You choose whether you want to be civil and positive or get nasty. But remember, your writing, is your voice online.
Everyday I’m learning something new, meeting new people and of course doing the mom thing at the same time.
Wearing a Mockberg watch with a mesh band
It’s not as glamorous as it seems. It’s a lot of work. Blogging is more than a nice Instagram picture and a 200+
word blog post. You’ve gotta be passionate about what you do. Without passion, one day you’ll wake up and not want to do it anymore. I’ve seen many blogs just die off after a few years. I use to wonder, what happened? Why did you stop? But really, it could be anything. No more drive, never really loved writing or simply was in it for the money and realized that doesn’t just show up without putting in the work.
Think of it this way, when a book is written. How do you think the author starts? They brainstorm. They imagine the characters. A rough story line. They write their thoughts out. Then comes the first draft. Second, third and maybe fourth draft. Someone reads it. Critiques it. Spell check. A million more spell checks. A rough copy is printed. Do you want it to be an e-book, hard copy, soft copy etc. Okay, my point is… there is SO much work that goes into blogging before you can really feel like it’s “working”. The day I started not caring about that stuff and went back to why I really started blogging, it was all smooth sailing from there. Do it for the love of writing, helping people, teaching, photography and kick ass content creation. This is your project it. OWN IT.
So what does a day in maternity life and blogging look like?
Bloggers: Writers, Photographers and Ultimate Content Creators
6 – 7 AM : I’ve never in my life woken up so early until now. I guess two children will do that to you? I nurse my baby and most of the time she falls back asleep. I take some time to catch up to emails, message, social media and then wake up my toddler for breakfast.
8 – 10 AM: I drop off the little guy to daycare and then from there is when our day really starts for me and baby z. Sometimes we go grocery shopping, downtown for blogging events or to see my mom, or straight back home to get started on house chores or writing up my next blog post.
12 PM: LUNCH – Usually homemade if I don’t have plans or haven’t been busy running errands. #momlife
1 – 5 PM: Between these hours is when I really get busy with blogging. Unless I’m nursing, at an event or seeing friends. I also get some exercise during these hours. If I miss the window to exercise then I wait till later in the evening. Either go for a family walk in the neighborhood or laps inside the house.
First steps in blogging:
Always start with notes for your blog post. Then a draft. Proof read as many times as you can. Take a day or two away from it and then look at it again. (Fact: This post was written in a totally different angle and was changed a few hours before being posted.) Then post! I find one of the biggest advantages to nursing my baby is sometimes I have a hand free to write my notes or first drafts.
I try to keep a schedule but because babies and life is so unpredictable, it doesn’t always turn out that way. Sometimes I’m writing like a maniac at 1 AM. I’ve always enjoyed writing and so there is never a good time or a bad time to write. I just do it. So for those who are just starting off, my advice to you is to just do it. That is if you enjoy writing. If you don’t that could be a whole other struggle and I’ll save those tips for another blog post.
For the bloggers: Next time you tell someone you’re a blogger, remember everything you do to be a kick ass blogger. Whether you organize photo shoots with photographers, take your own pictures, partnerships, collaborations, editing, writing… you’re the whole works!
For the readers: Blog posts take time and in our writing there is a story, a voice or a message. When you take the time to read my blog posts I am extremely grateful towards you. You took the time to read it, allow me to thank you and to recognize who you are. Leave me a comment on social media, on the blog or even a private message.
It’s one of those days, when you’re running from one event to the next. A busy day, with no time to go home and change. Days like this you have to plan ahead and make sure you’re wearing something that will be the best day to night transitioning outfit. I shopped at Dixie Outlet Mall to pick out the perfect Day to Night summer look. This is a very minimalistic style that can be worn for practically any event.
During the day, I made a trip downtown to see my mom with baby Z. Soon after seeing her we headed over to one of my favourite places for brunch with my sister. It was a really windy day so this bomber I got from Dynamite came in handy from getting cold. Have you ever gone into a store and came out super content with everything you’ve purchased? I’ve had that feeling at Dixie Outlet Mall’s Dynamite Outlet. This bomber was regular $39.99 and I got it for $20! That’s 50% off! The fabric is perfect for summer because it’s breathable and light. I also love the soft powder blue colour. They had a black bomber jacket there with leather arms for $25 (Regular $55) that I couldn’t resist so I bought it as well.
Underneath the bomber jacket I’m wearing a tank top I found at Treasure Hunt in Dixie Outlet Mall. If you haven’t been to this store yet, you’re in for a surprise. It’s a little overwhelming at first but if you’ve shopped at Winners before, you’ll be familiar with the store’s format. I got this Gap tank top for only $10 at Treasure Hunt.
After brunch we walked around for a little window shopping. Whenever I go for walks downtown, I like to wear comfortable yet fashionable shoes in case I decide to meet up with friends. I found these gorgeous loafer slides from Winners at the Dixie Outlet Mall for $34.99! These beauties were regular priced at $65. I love them because they remind me of the Gucci loafer slides that are trending at the moment, but these are better because they don’t have the fur (which I’m not a fan of).
I have a thing for pleated skirts. These loafer slides paired perfectly with this beautiful pleated skirt from Dynamite. A pleated skirt is so classy and look great with loafer slides for during the day or night. But for a sexier look try matching this skirt with heels for a night look. This skirt was only $20 marked down from $45! Note: I previously bought a similar looking pleated skirt for $80, so getting one for $20 is an AMAZING deal! And yes, the quality is at par with the $80 one.
For a day to night style you want to keep jewelry simple and not too flashy or complicated. I went over to the GUESS store to check out their BUY ONE, GET ONE 50% OFF jewelry rack by the cash register. These swirly elegant studs come in a pack of 3: rose gold, gold and silver for only $10. The bracelet was $15 but I got it at 50% off!
I’m taking my day look into a night look by just making a simple change by swapping out my loafer sliders for heels. For a more sophisticated look for an evening event, you can tuck in your tank top into the skirt for a cleaner silhouette.
How do you transition a day look into night?
Disclaimer: I’m a Dixie Outlet Mall ambassador and this post has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and services.
Double digit weather is finally here and I’m getting ready for patio and picnic dates! It’s a bit tricky deciding on what to wear to a summer picnic. It really depends on what sort of activities you’ll be participating in or the lack of. My general rule of thumb is, if it’s a picnic where you’re playing sports or helping with the BBQ, then I lean towards wearing pants and a top. If I’ll be relaxing and just enjoying the weather, then I want to look cute. Looking cute was a lot easier before having kids. Now whatever I choose to wear, it has to be cute but also “nursing friendly”.
SUMMER PICNIC VIBES
If you have been following my blog, Twitter and Instagram stories, you’ll see me mention some of the great #DixieDeals I’ve been finding at theDixie Outlet Mall. The best is when I don’t even know it’s on sale and I get to the cash register to find out an item is less than half the price. Half! That’s just the best thing ever!
True story: I’ve been looking for a nice dress to wear this summer where I’ll have easy access to nurse my newborn, yet look good in it. I was passing by Ardene’s at Dixie Outlet Mall and noticed the racks at the front of the store with a few dresses hanging. There is one dress that really stood out to me. It was a strapless maxi dress in a cool faded blue tone made with a light cotton fabric (ideal for super-hot days). The tag said $35, and because I loved it at first sight, it was a done deal to purchase it. I went to the cash register and I found out that it was actually $11! I couldn’t contain my excitement and I said out loud, “Wow! Really?!”. I looked back at the racks, contemplating if I should buy more. More of the same colour? Maybe buy it for a friend or my sisters? You know it’s a good deal when you feel like you need to buy more.
I love the details on this dress; the cute pattern and the additional piece of fabric over the chest. I’m not yet comfortable with wearing a strapless dress alone or without anything over it. My arms gained weight during my pregnancy and I’ve become self-conscious about them. It’s a weird feeling because I never gained weight on my arms before. Because of this, I started looking for a light cardigan of some sort to wear over the dress. I’ve passed by the store Treasure Hunt many times since I started shopping at Dixie Outlet Mall. I’ve always wondered what was in there!
Treasure Hunt is exactly that: a treasure hunt. They have so many items at insanely low prices. I went over to the clothing section and found a white maxi cardigan that I’m wearing above for only $10! So incredible! On a side note: my husband has been asking me about getting him rain boots for a while now. He needs them for when he uses the power washer or doing outdoorsy stuff. The rain boots I found here were $20 at other stores, but I bought them from Treasure Hunt for only $8! With taxes included.
For every picnic you need a nice blanket or a light carpet to sit on. I picked this one up from Winners for just $30. It’s perfect because it fits in a standard bag so that I can take it with me anywhere and picnic whenever I want to! I love practical purses, especially the ones from my favourite Canadian purse designers Matt and Nat. It’s a vegan leather line, made in Montreal. I’ve always wanted a purse by them but I rarely find their purses and when I do I usually couldn’t justify the price. Imagine how excited I got when I found this lemonade Matt and Nat purse at Winners for $79.99! I love its geometric shape and the so unique colour. It’s perfect to take to a picnic because it holds so many essentials! This is going to be my new “blogger purse” because it fits my slr and more.
This is my summer go to picnic look. I’m going to take it easy in this ootd and enjoy a picnic wherever and whenever I want. Do you have a favourite outfit you like to wear to picnics? Comment below with tips on what to wear to a picnic.
Disclaimer: I’m a Dixie Outlet Mall ambassador and this post has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and services.
The wait for the long weekend is over! *insert happy dance* That one extra day of having my husband home makes a world of a difference. It means I get to do so much more than I usually do on the weekends. The weather has been really topsy turvy and because of that I opted for a long weekend ready outfit from Dixie Outlet Mall that would work in rain or shine.
We often forget the power of the sun and being outdoors for long periods of time can get you sun burnt. I keep my make-up to a minimal on a long weekend. Just don’t want to be bothered with spending hours applying it just to take it off again. Best fashion accessory to hide behind is a cute hat of course! I got this hat from Ardene and you won’t believe the deals they have here! The hat (regular price $12.50) was under a section that said 5/10. This means, 5 items for $10! Mind blown, right? I actually had first picked up a cape from the front rack of the store that I really liked. At the cash register they said it was $25, but because it was under the 5 for $10 section, I could pick up 3 more items and get them all for $10. *Heck yea!*
It felt like I was getting freebies at Ardene. For the 3 additional items, I chose knee high socks (regular: $5) and flip flops (regular: $6.50) for when I go swimming. Where else can you go shopping and get 5 items like this for $10?! There are so many #DixieDeals at the Dixie Outlet Mall. It’s a matter of learning about them all so when you go there next, you know exactly where to shop, what part of the store and what you’ll be able to get.
I love slip on sandals because they can be dressed up or dressed down for a day at the beach. I got these beige ones from Call it Spring on sale for $29.99. As a side note, you’ll notice the mall has colour coded entrances. This store is closest to the purple entrance. Check out the mall map here to plan out where to park.
I heard via social media that Suzy Shier opened up at the Dixie Outlet Mall. Naturally I had to check it out! Short story: I use to shop at Suzy Shier all the time years ago. I remember getting the perfect black dress pants and I wore them so much that they ripped. Months later, I went back to Suzy Shier to see if they had a replacement for them and to my surprise they did! I bought 3 pairs that day! For my long weekend look I found the perfect white sheer t-shirt for $22.50; that will transition well from spring, through the summer.
High-waisted pants are my best friend, especially since having Baby Z a month ago. The grey pants were bought at Dynamite for $20 on the clearance racks! Can’t wait to style these pants this long weekend. Shopping for my little ones is so much fun! Although I’m pretty set for the year with clothes for both Baby D and Z, how could I ignore the great deals at Carters? This entire outfit worn by Baby D is from Carters.
Shirt – $18 – Pants – $20 – Shoes –$34
These shoes are really comfortable. He has a pair he wears at daycare as his indoor shoes so this pair will be great for outdoors. They’re called Robeez soft soles and the soles are just that. Ultra soft, flexible leather bends easily making these shoes really comfortable. You can find them at the front of the Carters store on a rack.
His sad face because he said hi to a girl at the park and she didn’t say hi back. Tough love.
That moment when Baby D flung sand up and got it in his eyes. This is real life, mom life.
Our long weekend plans usually consist of spending some time outdoors by the river, at the park, shopping and some good quality time with our families and friends. What are your plans for the long weekend? Do you have an outfit planned out?
Disclaimer: I’m a Dixie Outlet Mall ambassador and this post has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and services.
Before another season begins, I’m already going through my favourite Instagrammers, Pinterest and window shopping for my wishlist. Shein made it really easy for me this year. I just scrolled down to their “what’s new” list and found everything I want for the summer.
What’s your Summer Wishlist?
OFF THE SHOULDER
Off the shoulder was a must on my summer wishlist! There are so many different variations of off the shoulder styles. One side, two sides, low, high.. I’m just in complete awe. With so many choices, you want to be on the hunt for the best prices for these styles. Below I’ve added the prices for my top 4 favourites on the SheIn site for the off the shoulder trend, also ruffle and frills:
![Culottes For Fall - How to Transition from Spring [STYLE]](https://i0.wp.com/www.humarakausar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/5.jpg?fit=578%2C1024&ssl=1 "Culottes For Fall – How to Transition from Spring/Summer [STYLE]")
I’m rocking my suede heels and when it gets colder, putting a blazer or a bomber jacket on top can work as well. I prefer longer blazers to go with these pants and fitted bomber jackets.
