The catwalk: striped summer dress

Even though it's just begun, I can already see some themes developing in my summer wardrobe: colour (obviously), prints and stripes! One of my favourite summer dresses this season is a chic, striped dress I picked up just a few weeks ago.

Horizontal stripes have always been the subject of debate in the fashion world. I've heard it all, and I'm sure you have too. Everything from "horizontal stripes make you look fat", to "horizontal stripes make you look thin", and everything in between those polar opposite statements. Some may argue that stripes might even make you look like a prisoner. My opinion? Forget everything you've heard, and if you're comfortable in it and you love it, then wear it!

If you don't already have a striped dress, you should consider adding a piece like this one to your wardrobe. It features an asymmetrical neckline, pleated left shoulder detail, a bright blue removable belt and hits just above the knee. 

Whether you'd like to add a fashion-forward, polished look to your work wear or a classy piece for night, this dress really makes a statement whenever you choose to wear it. Want to add a little more colour? Pair it with a bright handbag or some coloured heels to round out the look. If you like this look but waistline is a concern for you, try it with a blazer or a cardigan and wear it with confidence! 

I almost forgot... the best part about this dress? The price. I paid a cool $50 at Winners, and I saw the same dress for $80 at Macy's, $88 at Nordstrom and $93 on Overstock.com. Now that's what I call a steal! 

Happy long weekend! x

Photo credit: Sam Russell

Photo credit: Sam Russell

Calvin Klein striped belted sheath dress.

Get on your neon!

It's back! One of the memories I suppressed from the '80s along with slouch socks and jelly shoes: neon. Really, neon never did go away for good. It just lost its mass appeal well before the Fresh Prince of Bel Air's series finale. While I don't envision myself wearing neon pink bicycle shorts anytime soon, I've found there are some great ways to incorporate this trend into your wardrobe this season. 

If you aren't already rocking something bright, try accessorizing in neon with a playful handbag, bracelet or necklace. Or if that's still a little too bold, try a neon mani or pedi (like me) to add a fun splash of colour to your style! Will you wear neon this summer? Leave a comment and tell me how you'll wear neon, or if you have any other ideas about how to add neon to your wardrobe! 

Neon pink (tour de finance) polish by Essie 

Banana nut chocolate protein muffins recipe

I thought I'd start this week off with a sweet and healthy recipe! Anyone who knows me knows how much I love sweets (especially chocolate). It's so hard for me to say no to sweets, especially mid-morning or mid-afternoon when I start to feel peckish. I try to graze throughout the day getting protein when I can; the only problem is, most protein snack sources aren't sweet and I still find myself still craving sweets at the end of the day.

Guess what? Problem solved! I found an awesome recipe and tweaked it to make banana nut chocolate protein muffins. Now for the good news: it's friend/husband tested, and approved! The recipe below makes 12 muffins, and ingredients can be found at Bulk Barn or your favourite local grocery store. Happy snacking!

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (pastry)
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup protein powder (natural or vanilla will work)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
1/4 cup chocolate chips (substitute carob for chocolate allergy)
3 overly ripe bananas
3 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Mix flour, oats, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, half the nuts, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas, then add syrup/honey, egg and vanilla extract. Stir wet ingredients into dry until just mixed. Add chocolate or carob chips and stir until evenly distributed in batter.
4. Grease muffin pan, and pour batter in until each tin is 3/4 full. Top the batter with crushed nuts. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes just out of the oven before removing from muffin pan to cool on a wire rack.

The catwalk: Summertime for colour

It's finally here! While I'm excited for ice cream, warm weather and all things summer, I am most excited about wearing colour this season. Since I'm usually safe and go with neutrals, I've decided to embrace colour and change. It's time to get bold.

During a recent trip to California, I embarked on shopping mission in search of red skinny jeans. That's right, red! I found my red denim and I love it! Pairing nicely with a printed top or classic black (if that's your thing), it's great for daytime or a night out!

Toothpick denim in Dark Poppy, J. Crew; Polka dot popover, J. Crew; Byrd handbag, kate spade; Black flats, Nine West; Wayfarer sunglasses, Ray-Ban