It's hard to believe that another year has gone by. As bittersweet as it may be, though, 2012 was a memorable year. Thank you for reading, for responding, and for sharing your kind words this year. I'm so thankful for you and hope you're as excited for 2013 as I am! xo

p.s. if you're interested, you can see last year's outfit round up here!

As the "petite" among the Style Common girls, I was challenged to make this bold, longer length tank work for a shorter frame. To prevent the top from overwhelming the look (and to add length to my legs)I tucked it into a high-waisted skirt. Since I had decided to style the look to be a slightly more corporate, office-party appropriate one, I slipped on a scarf to conceal the low neckline and was all set to go!

Check out the same tank styled on different bodies and for varied occasions here, here and here!

One of the biggest reasons why I love leopard/cheetah prints is for their ability to make it easy to wear black and browns/tans together. These new shoes (on sale here!), although technically "dalmation" print, are no exception; the fact that they go with literally everything means that they will certainly be on heavy rotation from here on out
Wearing: ShoeMint shoes (c/o), YesStyle jacket and vest (old), J.Crew pants, Zara sweater (old), Banana Republic necklace (old), Artessorio bag (c/o boticca), MAC lip pencil in Brick

Now that traditions have been celebrated and the food has been consumed, I'm honestly a bit tempted to just sit and veg out until the New Year. And while I don't typically give in to the hype of boxing day sales, sometimes a promotion is just too good to ignore. That's why I'm excited to share the news about Club Monaco's big sale with you (online and in store, in US & Canada): from now until the 31st, they're offering an amazing 50% off the already marked down price! I got gorgeous long leather gloves as well as a cashmere sweater, but my favourite find? The printed silk trousers in the last photo, which were picked up for under $20 (yes, you read that right)!!

More details here. Get shopping!

disclosure / compensation was provided for this post

I'm so happy that the best week of the year (in my humble opinion) has finally arrived. I'm looking forward to all of the festivities this week and couldn't help but put together a very festive look as a little ode to that. I hope you have an amazing few days filled with love, celebration and thankfulness! xo

p.s. just a quick note to let you know that JNBY will be having a pretty great boxing day sale at all 3 of their Vancouver locations beginning Wednesday, with 50% off everything (including sale items). Definitely worth checking out!

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Wearing: JNBY tulle skirt (c/o), Zara leather skirt (inside) and shoes, J.Crew sweater, YesStyle snood, vintage belt, The Lumiere Collection bracelet (c/o)

As cliche as it may sound, I just can't believe it'll be Christmas in four days. In the midst of last minute shopping, dinners with family and friends, and indulging in the abundance of treats of the season, I'll be watching this to remind myself of what it's really about. Here's a subtly festive outfit to usher in the weekend before Christmas! Wearing: YesStyle blouse and vest (c/o), Topshop trousers, Shoemint clutch (c/o), Aldo Rise shoes (last seen here), Jeweliq necklace (last seen here)

If there's one thing I've added a lot of to my closet this year, it's statement trousers. Whether they're brightly hued or boldly patterned patterned, pants seem to have overtaken my previous love for skirts. They're now a favourite way to jazz up an outfit, and I like the way that they can be used as a simple way of adding a pop of colour to even the most sartorially safe girls' ensembles. Are you a fan of the coloured/patterned pant?

While I love the idea of brocade, I've always found the print to be little hard to pull off without looking like a curtain. The recent influx of brocade printed denim, however, seems to have opened up a whole new world of possibility! I particularly enjoy that this pair is subtle enough for even year-round wearing, and the fact that they are just about the softest pants ever completely seal the deal. Wearing: Big Blue brocade jeggings (c/o Plen+y), BCBGMAXAZRIA down jacket, YesStyle vest and scarf, J.Crew sweater (love this boys' version), DKNY bag, Zara pumps, Clinique chubby stick in Grandest Grape

Because I've never found them to be very flattering for my legs, I've tended to shy away from heavier heeled booties in the past. However, practicality trumped vanity this year, and I've found myself hunting for a good pair of chunky ankle boots that I can actually walk in. This new pair from Loft 82 fit the bill - they are outrageously comfortable and I love that they have just enough detail to be visually interesting.
Wearing: Loft 82 jacket and booties (c/o), Zara asymmetrical sweater, T.Babaton pants (Aritzia), Banana Republic necklace, Lauren Elan and Keltie Leanne bracelets (c/o), Vince Camuto bag (last seen here)

This past year, I have found myself stepping out of my comfort zone in the way of coordinating details. Whereas beforehand it had been common for me to want to avoid being too "matchy-matchy", I started using these pairings as a tool to help pull an outfit together in 2012. While it's definitely not something that everybody prefers, I've embraced this integral part of my style and have had fun playing with it. Here are some examples of that!