#DenimOnDenim - Collaboration with Converse

I don't know if y'all already know this story, but back in grade 2 I wandered over to the 'senior' area and accidentally got hit in the face with an apple. Yes, some boy in grade 6 was throwing apples and it luckily hit me right in the moneymaker. My nose started bleeding and the vice principal made the boy apologize to me. Ever since then, I've been scared of being hit in the face by all kinds of flying objects, especially balls.

Converse Chuck II Lux Leather Low Top // Oak + Fork Denim Jacket H089 // Topshop Moto Ashley Boyfriend Shorts // Urban Outfitters Tee (Old) // Forever 21 Oversized Round Sunglasses

HERE'S A CODE FOR A FREE CONVERSE SHOE: CONVERSECANADA-0Y9IFZ7M-NOW-INTERNETTING

  • 100% off discount on 1 pair of regular price footwear on converse.ca
  • Promo code will not be applicable if cart contains more than 1 item
  • Promo code is one time use only

Let me know in the comments if you were the lucky winner!

#Yeezy

You can still take advantage of the huge Nordstrom Warehouse Sale hosted by StyleDemocracy until April 17th at the International Centre (Hall 6) in Mississauga! Below are the hours:

  • Friday, April 14: 11am - 9pm

  • Saturday, April 15 - Sunday April 16: 10am - 6pm

  • Monday, April 17: 10am  - 5pm

If you have the patience to look through racks and racks of clothing and are prepared for potentially long lines, then you'll probably walk out with 10 items for under $300. I was able to snag these Rebecca Minkoff mules and shirt for $70!

Alsoo, check out the spotlight StyleDemocracy did on yours truly: http://www.styledemocracy.com/style-spotlight-tina-dao/

COS Oversized High-Neck Sweatshirt // Zara Oversized Tee // Garage High-Waist Jegging // Zara High-Heel Ankle Boots (Similar here, here, here and here) // Chloe Drew Leather Shoulder Bag // Forever 21 Round Sunglasses (Similar here, here and here)

#Overalls - Collaboration with Converse

Now these are kicks to converse with! The Converse Pro Leather LP is the perfect white leather sneaker for Spring and is available in stores as of April 3rd! Yeah, the date sneakered up on me too.

Also, everyone go watch 13 Reasons Why on Netflix. 

And it wouldn't be a simplyteee approved blog post without a GIF:

Converse Pro Leather LP // Forever 21 Distressed Denim Overalls // Forever 21 Off-The-Shoulder Top (Similar here, here and here) // Chloe Medium Drew

#That70sShow

This photo set was actually taken on 3 separate occasions, which is why you'll notice the varying lipstick shades and the different hairstyles.

  • Day 1 Early Afternoon: Hair down, neutral lips - It was extremely cold and windy outside, so we decided to take pictures inside. 
  • Day 1 Evening: Hair up, neutral lips - To combat the wind, I opted for a ponytail instead and attempted some shots outside.
  • Day 2: Hair up, dark lipstick - I then realized I wanted to pair the outfit with a dark lippie, so figured third time was the charm.

I picked my favorites from each set and the results are what you see below!

#ItHasPockets - Collaboration with Drop Boutique

Not only does this feminine lace romper twin as a dress, but it has pockets. Pockets means more bags of candy, Cheetos and Twinkies I can carry on the go. And that means I'll never walk around hangry ever again. #KeyToSuccess

Drop Boutique Lacy Romper // Forever 21 Denim Jacket (Similar) // Adidas Stan Smith

#BTS - Collaboration with Andrew So

I always thought BTS stood for Back To School, but apparently Google thinks it's a Base Transceiver Station piece of equipment that facilitates wireless communication between user equipment and a network. It also stands for Behind The Scenes, Between The Sheets, Be There Soon, Break The Seal, Born Too Soon, Burn/Bun That Shit, Burning Tonkomong (Butthole) Sensation, and is also a South Korean pop band. #WhoKnew

Jazz Hands

#That70sShow - Collab with FlyingPenguin & Priscilla Chua

My friend Chua from Edmonton and his sister were in town again, and rightfully so we decided to collab once more - but this time it was with not one Chua, but two! I was definitely channeling Jackie from That '70s Show and this might be my favourite shoot yet. Now I'm hungry so enjoy!

Here are some bloopers turned GIFs for your entertainment and my demise:

#WhiteClass

There are times when we can't stop talking even though we actually don't have anything valid to talk about and as it turns out today is one of those days where I'm looking at these pictures and I have no idea what to say and I'm not one to describe what I'm wearing because 'a picture is worth 1000 words' so I'll just say that I only eat Hawaiian pizza and no matter how good a Pizza place is if they don't offer Hawaiian pizza it ain't my place.

Zara Leather Mule Shoes (Similar here) // Forever 21 Accordion Pleat Midi Skirt // Brandy Melville Crop Tank (Similar and 65% off)

SHOP THE POST

#LikeAPostcard - Collab with FlyingPenguin

My friend Chua from Edmonton was recently in town, and even though he's a photographer and we've been friends for 12 years, we never got a chance to actually shoot until this week! He's crazy talented so feel free to check out his work and follow him on Instagram.

Forever 21 Distressed Denim Jacket // Aritzia Wilfred Free Maxi Dress (Similar) // Club Monaco Denim Shirt (Similar) // American Eagle Sandals (Similar here and here)

That time I decided to frolic in a yellow field in the middle of an intersection in Richmond Hill:

Aritzia Wilfred Limoges T-shirt (Similar) // Zara skirt (Similar-ish, and love)

SHOP THE POST (All on sale from Nordstorm)

#BeMyValentine - Collab with Andrew So x Chris Nguyen

Here's some Valentine's Day inspo for y'all! Although, since it's unfortunately going to range from -15 to -25 degrees Celsius this weekend in Toronto, wearing this probably won't be the best idea. I was already freezing my bum off during this shoot, and it was only -7.

Had a great time shooting with Andrew and Chris, even though it took way longer than I expected (4 hours to be exact). Check out some of their work on their Instagram (linked), as we wait for them to get off their lazy bums and make an actual website.

Also changed up my layout! I felt it needed a revamp. It may or may not change again, depending on if I find a better one. What's really cool about this one is it spews animated hearts when you like the post. How appropriate! 

Some artsy fartsy:

Some BTS and the sad moment when Chris lost the balloons:

Some bloopers aka derp Tina aka real Tina:

#SnowProblem

Went into H&M looking for an ugly Christmas sweater to wear to a White Elephant exchange, and ended up snagging this cute holiday shirt from the men's section. It's been on high rotation since, doubling as pyjamas at night. The weather has been incredibly warm for this time of year, so it still amazes me that I haven't yet reached for my parka. Not complaining, but it would be nice to have a white Christmas.

Forever 21 Denim Jacket // Club Monaco Men's Cardigan (Old) // H&M Men's Holiday Shirt // Topshop Leigh High-Waist Ripped Jeans (Similar) // Browns La Canadienne Serena Boots

#Neutrals

50 shades of... Beige? Taupe? Nude? 

This neutral palette was inspired by Hot Miami Styles' mocha turtleneck bodysuit, which they kindly sent me. It's the first bodysuit I've ever owned, and probably my last as I just can't wrap my head around the need to unbutton a flap every time I need to use the restroom. This very reason is also why I stay away from rompers. However, impracticality aside, it's a versatile piece that I can see myself pairing with various items.

#Turks&Caicos

I wanted to share some highlights from my trip to the gorgeous Turks and Caicos (T&C) with bae and 2 of our friends. Got back 2 days ago and already missing the Caribbean sun. I aimed to come back a different race and although I didn't quite get there, still ended up with a bronze glow that I'm hoping lasts me through the dry Canadian winter.

Even as we were landing, you can see how turquoise the water is. At this point, I was jumping in and out of my seat, not able to contain my excitement.

We stayed at the beautiful Atrium Resort (booked through Airbnb):

After we got settled in, we knew the first thing we wanted to do was hit the beach. A local recommended Flamingo Beach, which wasn't too far from the Atrium. We only had a couple hours until sunset, so we made the most of our time there. I do want to note that I have never stepped foot on such fine and soft sand than until I got to T&C. It feels like you're walking on micro-foam pillows. I hate walking, but I will walk 500 miles if it's on this sand.

T&C is known for its white sand beaches and turquoise waters, so it's no surprise that the majority of our time was spent on the beaches. If you plan on visiting, ensure Taylor Beach is one of your stops. It's a local favourite, as well as mine. The water is still, shallow and crystal clear so it's great for snorkelling, paddle boarding or simple frolicking. The last 2 pictures below are of Taylor Beach.

If you know me, you know I love paddle boarding and will jump at the opportunity every chance I get. I did a lot of paddle boarding in T&C, and I find it's a great workout, a quick way to get an allover tan, and allows you to see more of the island. Also threw in a behind-the-scenes shot ;)

Below are details of a few of my outfits:

Forever 21 White Dress (Old) // Topshop Nude Midi Dress (Similar here and here) and Forever 21 Denim Jacket // Club Monaco Black Crop Top (Old), Aritzia Babaton Antoine Shorts and Quay 'Cha Cha' Sunglasses // Forever 21 Floral Maxi Dress with Slit (Old)

It actually took multiple attempts to do the couple's yoga pose. It's harder than it looks! Also, there's a really cute dessert place called Melt worth checking out. It's a little pricey, but recommend trying at least once. Get the brownie sundae if you plan on going!

Highly recommend Bugaloo's and Somewhere Cafe for lunch. Both are situated right by the water so you get the island vibe along with a spectacular view. The tacos and fries at Somewhere are a must try!

Conch is native to T&C and there is a large abundance of it. Every restaurant you go to will have conch on the menu, offered in various ways (conch salad, conch fritters, battered conch, conch pasta etc.). Bugaloo's catches conch right from the ocean and sells the shell to tourists. If you don't mind the shell not being polished, you can find many along the shoreline of all the beaches. 

Another cool thing you can do is rent a puppy for a couple hours to socialize them at Potcake Place. It's a dog rescue charity that aims to reduce the number of homeless potcakes on the island. They give you everything you need when you take the puppy out, and all the puppies are well behaved, not to mention incredibly adorable! We had the honour of playing with Hugo, who was only 3 months old.

On our last day, we quickly visited Chalk Sound, which offers the bluest waters I have ever seen.

We spent close to a week there, and it was some much needed R&R. The island itself is quite small, so there aren't a lot of people. The locals are all very friendly, and love starting a conversation with you. If you're looking for a place to party, T&C isn't for you. There's not much to do outside of water activities, and it gets very quiet past sunset. However, there is a Fish Fry every Thursday, which is comparable to a small night market where locals and tourists alike come together for food, music and pure fun. Local restaurants and gift shops close early to set up for this event, and it's a great way to meet new people and wind down.

The food is great, but there isn't a large variety. I can sum up what I ate down to conch and jerk chicken. Needless to say, I think I've had enough conch to last me a lifetime. Other great restaurants to check out are Caico's Cafe, Coco Bistro (reserve 2 weeks in advance), and Chinson's Grill Shack (best Jamaican patties and festivals). Already drooling thinking of it..

Overall, T&C is a great place to wind down and relax if you're a beach bum like me. Don't forget to pack on that sunscreen because that Carribean sun is strong!

#NotAnAromaAd - With CV Photography

Contrary to what some of these pictures may show, this is not an Aroma ad. I ordered a simple hot chocolate, but they must not have heard the chocolate part because it tasted like hot bland milk. This is my second collab with the lovely CV Photography and definitely not the last! Do ignore the bulge that is my ankle as this was 30 minutes-post-sprain :).

I've also recently teamed up with Lawsofashion! You'll be able to find all my upcoming fashion posts and my recent #2Fast2FURious post there, as well as other fashion inspirations created by other bloggers globally.

Forever 21 Draped Trench (Old) // Zara White Sweater (Old) // Zara Low-rise Tapered Jeans // Jeffrey Campbell Holvey Suede Heels // Chloe Medium Drew

#ThisIsParadise

What is your paradise? I'll be visiting Turks and Caicos next month, which has been deemed paradise on earth, and I'm sure it will be. However, my ideal version of paradise is to simply be able to eat as much sushi, drink as much bubble tea and sleep as much as I want, whenever I want, without worrying that I'd turn into Snorlax. 

I stumbled upon this work of art while searching for booties down Queen St. Trying to find an exact dupe for Acne Studios' Jensen Boots is proving itself more difficult than I had imagined. Breaking in these Jeffrey Campbell flats is also taking longer than I would like. The back of my ankles are taking a beating, but other than that they're super comfortable. Speaking of super comfortable, I have these Babaton Cohen pants in 3 colours, and would invest in 5 more if I could.

#PoshSpice

For some odd reason, the Gooderham building in St. Lawrence reminds me of that scene in Harry Potter when the Knight Bus goes between two London buses, brick by brick. Does anyone else have a go-to British accent when they read the HP series? Well mine comes out whenever I'm in this draped trench, and also whenever I'm feeling a bit posh. 

Forever 21 Draped Trench Coat (Similar here and here) // Aritzia Wilfred Durandal Sweater // Zara Zipped Moto Jeans // Nike Juvenate // Quay Cha Cha Sunglasses

#DontCallItFrisco

This was my second visit to the golden city aka. baghdad by the bay aka. fog city aka. paris of the west aka. san fran aka. city by the bay aka. whatever you want to call it. I was plagued with the stomach flu the first time, so I didn't experience much of SF other than from inside my hotel room. I went for Dreamforce, but stayed the weekend for some R&R with my colleagues.

We decided to visit beautiful Sausalito, which I've decided is where I'm going to retire in 40 years. I hadn't ridden a bicycle in more than 10 years until this past weekend, but with views like this I'd do it everyday! It's no wonder even 70-year-old grandmas are ripped there. It was nice to get out of downtown SF and to not smell pee at every corner. Everything from the weather, view, people, and the food was breathtaking.

Let's not forget the painted ladies!

Zara Cropped Sweater // Urban Outfitters BDG 4-Pocket Pin-Up Shorts // Forever 21 Marled Jacket (Old) // Nike Juvenate // Aldo Bynam Aviators

The best cupcake ice cream and prettiest wall in Santana Row.

Aritzia Wilfred Free Lillian Dress // Forever 21 Marled Jacket (Old) // Browns Wishbone Settignano Booties

#CleanSlate

Boxy, light wash denim jacket [✓]; Pink tips [✓]. All I'm missing is my Sony Walkman, scrunchy, mood ring and Baby Spice pigtails to complete the 90s mood. Cue Wanna Be by the Spice Girls ♫.

#BlushTones

Whenever I'm feeling indecisive about what to wear, I always end up opting for simple neutrals. This basic dress is a staple mostly because you can stuff your face without any worries, but also because it's very easy to dress up (slap on some accessories and heels) or dress down (who said you can't class up your PJs). Less is always more. 

Aritzia Babaton Templeton Dress // Banana Republic Lace-Up Sandals // Forever 21 Necklace (Old)

#YinYang - A Special Collaboration with Shakura Galloway

I am finally able to share my collaboration with my friend and colleague, Shakura Galloway. This lookbook shoot marked a first of many: Our first shoot together, my first shoot period, and her first fashion shoot. I'd like to give kudos to anyone that films regular lookbooks, as it is NOT easy. The medley of good weather, a nice location, lack of crowds, change area, sufficient camera battery, and not to mention the avoidance of deodorant stains on your tops, is enough to make someone stray away from filming one lookbook, much less make it a weekly occurrence.

However, we both learned a great deal from this experience, and there is no one I would rather pop that lookbook cherry with, than with Shakura. She is incredibly talented, an inspiration, and her amazing work speaks for itself. GIRL, GET YOUR WEBSITE UP!

Below are some snapshots from our shoot, as well as some not so flattering GIFs to entertain you with. 

Now for some fun GIFs!

Forever 21 Cropped Turtleneck (Similar) // Aritzia Babaton Johan Skirt // Aritzia Mackage Kenya Leather Jacket // Forever 21 Peep-toe Booties (Similar)

Club Monaco Cropped Top (Old) // Aritzia Babaton Cohen Pant // Prada Wallet (Old) // Oak + Fort Flats (Old)

Forever 21 Semi-Sheer Oversized Shirt // Aritzia Babaton Antoine Shorts (Old) // Topshop Tiga Lizard Skater Shoes // Tory Burch Robinson Crossbody (Similar)