POP OF BLACK

The One Item that Turns Any Outfit into a Cool One

When it comes to style, it doesn’t come down to having all of the trendiest pieces in your closet. But rather, having staple items that can turn any look into a cool one. I love to put together looks that are comfortable & have an instant street/cool vibe.

After doing some major Spring cleaning of my closet this past week and narrowing down on my core items, I realized that there was one item that always stays true, no matter what the season.

What is that you may ask? My trusty old pair of Dr. Martens.

Last Christmas I asked for a pair of Dr. Martens and my mom was laughing because she said she used to wear these when she was my age. I love how style comes around full circle!

The best part about these boots is that they literally look good with any everyday, casual outfit. Whether it might be mom jeans, skinny jeans, dresses or shorts, these boots turn any look into an instantly cool one.

I’m going to dive into how to style your Dr. Martens for Spring/Summer, Which style of Dr. Martens to buy, and where to buy Dr. Martens, all happening below!

Here are some ways you can wear Dr. Martens for Spring/Summer:

Paired with shorts:

Photo credit: @jelena.marija

Dr. Martens look amazing with biker shorts and/or jean shorts! Throw on a pair of Docs with either kind of shorts and an oversized tee/sweatshirt and you have an instantly cool street-style look.

Paired with a dress:

Source: @mvb

I love how Docs look paired with a mini dress! Especially if you aren’t typically a dress person (like myself), the boots give it a more casual & comfortable look for the Spring/Summer.

Paired with jeans:

Probably the most go-to option, you can never go wrong with a pair of your fav jeans and Doc’s. Whether they are a skinny jean, mom/boyfriend jean, they will look super cool and stylish with every kind of jean. Tuck a t-shirt into your jeans and you are good to go!

Paired with a skirt:

Source: mademoiselleolantern.com

To get more creative, I absolutely love the look of Doc’s with a longline skirt. Especially with animal print skirts! This combo is instantly cool & comfortable for the Spring/Summer season.

What style of Dr. Martens to go for:

My absolute favourite style are the Jadon Boots. They have a thicker sole and are typically the style you will see most blogger’s wearing! Although they take a little bit to work in, they will last you for years, never scuff, and literally will get you through every season.

Where to buy the Dr. Marten Jadon Boots:

The Jadon boots have been a tough style to find lately with their recent popularity. But, I was able to dig up some places that they are currently available for you guys!

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Do you guys already own a pair of Doc’s? If not, have I convinced you to get a pair? 😉

LMK in the comments below!

– Nat xx

LA Travel Diary

Last week – I jetted off to the City of Angels, aka, Los Angeles for work. LA has become one of my favourite cities to travel to after having gone there almost 5 times in 2018, which is why I wanted to now create this LA travel guide & diary for you guys!

After spending a good amount of time there, I have been able to build a list of places to go, from restaurants to cafe’s, to sight-seeing, that I feel are a must-see when visiting LA. Whether you are going for a week or just a few days, this guide will have everything you need to feel like a local & see all of the trendy spots.

I honestly could have put so many more options on this list, but wanted to keep it down to my favourites right now!

So, let’s get into it the LA travel guide!

Is an LA travel guide complete without the best shopping areas to check out?

Shopping / trendy areas to walk around:
• Melrose Ave – located in West Hollywood, Melrose ave. is definitely my favourite spot to hangout at. From cafe’s to shopping, this street has everything you need to spend a typical LA afternoon. You will pass by everything from the Glossier store to high-end shops like Zimmerman. The window shopping is MAJOR to say the least. It’s also home to my absolute favourite coffee shop, which we will get to in a bit 😉

• Melrose Trading Post (every Sunday) – located right on Melrose Ave, every Sunday there is a really amazing flea market held there called the Melrose Trading Post. It’s not your typical flea market with flowers & fresh vegetables, but rather, a market with thrift-style clothing, jewelry and home-goods that you can’t find anywhere else. Whether you just want to walk around or hunt down a really cool graphic tee, this is the perfect Sunday spot to be at in LA.

• Beverly Hills (Rodeo Drive) – When I first walked down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, it truly felt like another planet. With the palm tree’s lining the street and the luxurious shops, it felt like something out of a movie set! Besides the high-end stores, they also have stores like ‘Sephora’ and ‘& Other Stories’ in the area as well, so it’s another great spot to do some shopping!

Restaurants:
• Beverly Hills Hotel (Cafe) – Next up for my LA travel guide is the “restaurants” category. If you want to do some celebrity sighting and have the most amazing truffle fries you have ever tasted, I highly recommend going to the Beverly Hills Hotel (the cafe) for lunch. The cafe is open to the public and is a truly iconic hotel in LA. While we were there this past week, we walked up and the Jonas Brothers were there (my 13 year old self was screaming!). It is definitely a more pricey brunch/lunch option, but is worth it for an amazing experience!

• Catch LA – if you are looking for more of a lounge type vibe for dinner, Catch is definitely a great option. It is a seafood restaurant located in West Hollywood and has everything you would want in an LA night-life experience. It’s the perfect spot to go with friends for a drink and some amazing food!

• Gracias Madre – another West Hollywood restaurant, but with a vegan, Mexican food menu. If you like tacos, this is the spot to be at! It has a huge outdoor patio and is a really cool spot for lunch or dinner.

• The Butcher’s Daughter– we can’t forget about an amazing brunch option & LA is home to many! But, one of my favourites has to be The Butcher’s Daughter in Venice Beach. It’s perfect for a Saturday/Sunday morning because you are right near the beach & along a really cute street (Abbot Kinney blvd.) with tons of shops!

Cafe’s/Coffee Shops:
• Alfred Coffee – Probably my favourite part of my LA travel guide is the coffee shop category. Remember that coffee shop that I mentioned was my favourite on Melrose Ave.? Well, his name is Alfred Coffee & I SWEAR, if you go to LA and are into a good coffee shop, this is the spot to be at. It is home to probably the best iced vanilla latte I have ever had & also has the cutest aesthetic inside. It also has an outdoor patio, perfect to sit and do some people watching on Melrose Ave.

• Carrera Cafe – this past trip was my first time trying out Carrera Cafe (also located on Melrose Ave.)! It was maybe the coolest cafe I have ever been to because you can get personalized latte art. I, of course, had to go with something fashion related and this LV print art was just too good to pass up. & so photo-worthy!

• Urth Caffe – Urth is a super trendy spot which is definitely somewhere that all the locals hang out at (also on Melrose Ave. – can you see a trend here?). It has organic smoothies, bubble tee’s, juices & healthier food options (also the BEST avocado toast). The outdoor patio is perfect on a nice day (aka everyday in LA).

Sight-seeing:
• Venice Beach Boardwalk – although not a spot for everyone, it is a must-see when you go to LA. Venice Beach Boardwalk is home to a lot of art, culture, cannabis lol, & street performances right along the boardwalk of the beach. There are shops all along the boardwalk with more “touristey” type items & restaurants with outdoor patios. It is also the perfect spot to hop on a “Byrd” which are electric scooters you can ride all around LA. Simply setup your credit card, hop on and go for a ride along the boardwalk!

• Santa Monica Pier – Last but not least on the LA travel guide is the Santa Monica Pier. The pier has a full beach & amusement park, featuring its iconic ferris wheel. There are tons of restaurants in the area near the beach, with specialties of seafood cuisines. Also, you might even spot the cutest seals swimming along the pier!

Alright guys – that marks the end of my LA travel guide! I hope this can help you guys with some spots to check out on your next trip to LA. I will definitely do a part 2 of this if you guys enjoy it, where I can feature a whole new list of places to see!

Want to shop all my looks from LA? Click here.

Nat xo

Who & What I’m Celebrating This Month

With new seasons comes new goals and motivation for trying something new. Celebrating this month with See No Evil Organic Shiraz!

I have been thinking a lot about taking chances on yourself lately…
I remember I used to look at other women who took the chance on themselves to become entrepreneurs, whether a blogger/influencer, fashion designer, honestly anyone with an idea & hustle to go for it. I would think to myself, “ugh, I know I could do that. I want to do that.”

When I think back, the crazy part is that I almost let fear get in the way…
of taking a chance/risk on myself to start something I felt passionate about. I remember going back and forth, can I do this? This is kind of a crazy idea. Fast forward to today & I am fully working for myself as a fashion blogger and now owner of my new business, HER SWAY CO. All because I took the risk & believed I could. Woah – so that really works?

What I want to get at here is, imagine if I hadn’t taken that risk?
I wouldn’t be here today living my passions through. But, there sure would’ve been another girl who simply believed in herself more to just go for it. & I still would’ve been thinking to myself, “ugh, I know I could do that. I want to do that.” All of us have talent, but it’s the confidence and believing in yourself that sets apart the people who do it & those who maybe never will.

So, this month, I’m celebrating the risk-takers, the dreamers, the creatives…
If it weren’t for you taking that risk, I maybe wouldn’t have felt inspired to do the same. & to those who have supported my ideas, thank you! I wouldn’t be here with out you either.

With a fresh season upon us, it’s a great time to celebrate the year so far & set some new goals for ourselves.

To all you girls out there who have that idea that seems too crazy…
I’m here to tell you to go for it & I’m celebrating you as well. It takes a lot to even come up with an idea. Those ideas, dreams, passions, are never going to leave you. They will always be there in the back of your mind. Always, always, always, take a risk & chance on happiness and to live a purposeful life. I promise, it’s worth it. & hey, with enough of a plan, those dreams will actually become your reality.

“All good things start with a dream. The dream becomes a vision. The vision because a plan. The plan becomes a reality.”

I am super excited to have this post sponsored by Speak No Evil Organic Shiraz…
giving me the chance to celebrate & cheers to all of you! I’m not one to drink a ton during the week, but when I do crave a glass, I appreciate a good wine with good taste, especially when there is something to celebrate!

What’s amazing about this wine is that it’s organic (the first Organic Shiraz at the LCBO). What I love most about it is the fruity taste of blackberries & plums, which is what I tend to go for in comparison to a more dry red wine. It’s also super affordable priced at $15.95/bottle (for you girls on a budget for your next Netflix + wine night). The bottle is super cool and “instagrammable” as a side note 😉

Learn more about Speak No Evil Organic Shiraz!

This post was generously sponsored by Speak No Evil Organic Shiraz, the opinions are my own and in no way do they reflect that of Speak No Evil.

Figuring Out Your True Life’s Path: An Authentic You

After graduating from University, I quickly realized that I had my whole life at my finger tips and wanted to live authentically me, while doing something I loved. Because, what exactly is the alternative? I’m really not sure. My fear was waking up when I was 40 and looking back realizing I wasn’t living a life for me. I’m sure a lot of you can relate to this, maybe wondering what you want to do in life, or how to feel fulfilled with what ever it is that you are doing.

What exactly does “an authentic you” mean?
It’s something I’ve taken a lot of time to figure out & work on (and am still working on). But, to me, an authentic you is living your most unique life without a care for how others think you should be living it. An authentic you is waking up each day and making decisions for you & not changing your values/beliefs for anyone else in order to please them. It’s also letting go of what you, yourself, “think” you should be doing & embracing the real you.

I know, that’s a lot to take in. But, it’s a work in progress & trust me, it’s worth the journey.

Over the past year – I’ve learned so much about various ways to find my true life’s path, while living a fulfilled & authentic life. Sure, your definition of an authentic you might change 10 times over again, but keeping these things in mind will hopefully inspire you to be aware of what this all means to you.

1. Spend time with yourself, and A LOT of it.

I had to put this one right at the top of the list because it’s so so important. This has definitely been the key to continuing to find my authentic and fulfilled life’s path.

Spending time alone allows you to reflect and dig deeper into yourself to see what really makes you tick. If you are constantly around other people, where do you get the chance to sit to yourself and think, “what do I want to do with my life?”, Or ,“what makes me happy?”.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many hours I’ve spent to myself just creating vision boards, writing down lists of things I want in life or where I want to take things. However you might want to communicate this to yourself, it will look different to you. But the point here is to spend time with yourself to reflect & see where your mind takes you.

You will be shocked at how much you can learn about yourself.

2. Surround yourself with inspiring & motivating people.

We all have those people in our lives, whether friends or family, who just love talking about other people, their constant drama or the shitty parts about their lives. Don’t get me wrong, we all need to vent once and a while. But the constant downers need to go, or at least be more limited parts of your daily life. You have to start putting your happiness & mindset before the people you allow into your life. This isn’t selfish, this is having respect for your own well-being and happiness.

Go and find people who want to talk about goals, motivation & being inspired. Their energy will literally leave you feeling like you can conquer the world.

If you don’t have these people in your life yet, start listening to podcasts every day, or, read a book authored by someone who you really relate & look up to. I promise after a while of feeding your mind with these kinds of people, you will start to feel inspired to get out there and just do you. Because hey, if other people can do it, so can you. But you have to start believing it for yourself.

3. Try something completely new on a regular basis.

Change & getting outside of your comfort zone is also such a key factor to figuring yourself out and what kinds of things you are really interested in. You aren’t going to find these kinds of things while doing the same thing everyday, leaving you feeling like, “blah, been there, done that, I’ll see you tomorrow for the same thing”. Try a new class or activity, meet new people, get a little bit uncomfortable.

Whatever it might be that you end up doing, putting yourself out there to try new things will allow you to learn something about yourself you really never knew. Who knows, you just might find your new passion/hobby or even meet some of those really inspirational and motivational people into your life.

4. Visit new places – this doesn’t have to be expensive or mean having to fly across the world- it could be somewhere right next to you that you’ve never seen.

Seeing new places really puts your life into perspective, allowing you to embrace something totally different. This year, I had the amazing opportunities to travel to Los Angeles for the first time and New York City for fashion week. Being there in the hustle and bustle of a brand new city gave me a new wave of motivation unlike any other.

It allows you to realize that there are so many unique people and places doing different things each and every day! This really does give you a new found look into what makes you who you are & what makes you feel fulfilled once you get back into the comfort of your own home.

5. Have a side hustle / hobby.

When I first started my blog and Instagram as a hobby to post fashion content, I definitely had no clue it would lead to being my full-time job.

But, if I hadn’t of had that as a side hustle and hobby at one point, I would’ve never been sitting here today feeling super passionate & living out a fulfilling life through my work.

What is that on thing you’ve always wanted to do? If there was no judgement or fear, what would you want to do right now?

Take some time to think about those questions and find a way to start adding it into your life each week. That side hustle or hobby could just turn into your new career one day…

What Every Girl-Boss Needs This Summer

It’s the first day of summer today and I figured it would be an awesome time to share some of my favs and….have a first day of summer giveaway to kick-off an amazing summer!

The best part about it is, everything mentioned in this blog post is included in my First Day of Summer Giveaway happening over on my instagram @nataliealysa (over $500 worth of product!). WHAT!? So exciting! I took some time picking these amazing items out for you (also are some of my favourites) from beauty to fashion to wine. Yes, I said wine!

Us hard-working girls all need a bit of pampering and self-love in the summer months, so get ready for a full bundle of items to recharge this summer!

First things first, my fav WINE!

1. Food Truck Wines (The Chardonnay & Shiraz) – a girl needs her options right!?
I was recently introduced to Food Truck Wines , now available at the LCBO, and I will say, I am picky with my wine. But, this Australian wine is sooo amazing, perfect for the summer months! The wine was developed as a perfect compliment to the Australian cuisine. So, I guess this is an excuse for me to make a trip there soon? I think so!

My favourite is the Chardonnay (I am definitely more of a white-wine drinker), it is super smooth & I can’t help but poor myself a glass and go sit outside on my balcony at the end of the day. For those of you red wine ladies, it is rich, but still such an inviting flavour!

The bottles are also super cute & make for the perfect photo (priorities).

So poor a glass & enjoy the sun this summer, you deserve it girl!

2. Viviscal’s Healthy Hair Products.

So, I don’t know about you guys but in the summer months (with all of the sun & chlorine), my hear tends to get super dry and blah. So, I was really excited to be introduced to these two lines of product by Viviscal. Here is a bit about each:

Extra Strength Supplements: You take them twice a day for 3-6 months, and they promote thicker, fuller hair (a celeb cult favourite product too so I’m into it lol). I really wanted to add these supplements into the giveaway for you guys and my summer fav list because I have heard so many great things & often hear girl’s complaining that they wish they had longer or thicker hair. It’s a great time to start on the supplements so that you set yourself up for Fall/Winter!

Gorgeous Growth Densifying Range (Shampoo, Conditioner, & Elixir):
So I am super excited about this range because this is the part in my hair routine where I feel like my hair gets super dry (especially in the summer). If you aren’t using hydrating and quality shampoo & conditioner, I can definitely tell when it just sucks the life out of your hair. This range also helps with the thickness & length, while gently cleansing, overall making your hair healthier. The Elixir, is more of a leave-in treatment, helping to build a healthy look to your hair all day long.

Sign me up for healthier, thicker AND longer hair!?

3. PUR’s 4-in-1 Blush Book

In the summer months, I tend to stay away from a full face of makeup. But, what I love to do, is add a light coat of mascara, a BB cream, and a bit of a blush for a super light everyday look. I came across the 4 in 1 blush book by PUR a while ago and was so obsessed, I had to add in it for you guys!

It has a range of warm to cool pigments, with a mix of matte & shimmer formula. The great thing about PUR products too is that they are cruelty/paraben/gluten free, & vegan friendly!

4. Straw Bags (Urban Outfitters)

In terms of fashion favs, I absolutely am obsessed with these straw bags. It turns any summer outfit into a super trendy and cute look. So, I thought, why not throw all of the goodies inside the giveaway inside this bag & give it to one of you lucky ladies! This one is from Urban Outfitters if you are on the lookout!

5. Avatara Face Mask’s

I recently got to try out a couple of Avatara’s face masks & they are so refreshing. They are a perfect addition to your summer skincare routine, especially if you want to have a little treat to yourself one evening.

The masks are ultra-thin, soft mask material, which makes it super soothing in comparison to some of the other face mask situations out there. So excited to add a bunch of these inside the giveaway for you guys!

6. Saje “Immune” Roller

One of my favourite parts of my day is when I get to use my Saje rollers. One of my favourites is the peppermint roller (I am prone to migraines and it helps relax the tension and pain). So, I had to add another fav of mine, the Immune roller, which has such a relaxing feel and can be used to fight off any colds or flu like symptoms. They are also amazing to roll onto the palm of your hand and slowly breath in the scent as a de-stresser!

7. GIRL CODE by Cara Alwill Leyba

Last but certainly not least, is one my favourite books, GIRL CODE, by Cara Alwill Leyba. I highly recommend this book to you ladies who are female entrepreneurs and are looking for new ways to be successful. It focuses on the interaction between women and how important relationship and collaboration is with one another & business. I am so excited to add this in the giveaway & pass it along to one of you!

This post has been generously sponsored by Foodtruck Wines & Viviscal, the opinions are my own and in no way do they reflect Foodtruck Wines & Viviscal.