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http://barbaraannsolomon.com
Mon, 08 Jul 2019 14:44:30 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.21http://barbaraannsolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cropped-main-and-central-32x32.jpgStyle Ambassador – BARBARA ANN STYLE BLOG
http://barbaraannsolomon.com
3232Has style became secondary
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/07/has-style-became-secondary/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/07/has-style-became-secondary/#respondSun, 07 Jul 2019 17:20:36 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=7047Motherhood has changed me in ways I never expected.
I never thought that I’d live in jeans for the simple fact that I spend most of my day on the floor (and they have pockets). But life with a one-and-a-half year old and an active dog has made practical fashion seems to be winning day-in and day-out.
And that’s not to say that I’m not following trends and playing with colours, prints and patterns like I always do. But dare I say, my outfits do seem to be “toned-down” this year vs. years past.
I also find myself shooting content more regularly, but not often sharing the details or styling choices behind it. Because in my mind the choices have been, “we were going to the park, it was hot, and I only had one clean bra.”
And thus the title of the post: has style (as a subject matter) become secondary (for me)?
I truthfully hope not, as the reason I’m in this blogging game is to share my passion for fashion and styling, but we’ll see, as the summer season is made for shooting, hopefully I’ll get more quality time to spending sharing my thoughts and takes on the current trends.
Here is a great spontaneous shoot we did in the early spring. To stay up to date with what I’m wearing make sure to be following me on Insta.
Some thoughts about this look Since early spring, I’ve been living for beige and tonal neutrals. There is something lovely about the natural hue that matches so well with my predominately pastel wardrobe (and hair).
Sterling and I have both lived in our denim coats last season. Mine, gifted to me from Joe Fresh, is oversized, pastel and basically made out of dreams. Sterling’s jacket was found at a maker’s market last year, during the very early days of Baby Shark, and was hand-painted on the back of an up-cycled coat by artist Natalie Daye of Big Blue Denim. I instantly fell in love and predicted how much Sterling would love sharks.
So until I’m back spending my days in an office, I think my style will have a touch of “practical motherhood” sprinkled throughout.
On Sterling: Jacket: Natalie Daye, Romper: Gap, Shoes: Minimoc On Barbara: Jacket: c/o Joe Fresh, Shirt: Target, Pants: Topshop, Shoes: Coach, Sunglasses: c/o Clearly, Necklaces: Van Der Hout Jewelry
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/07/has-style-became-secondary/feed/0Traveling with a one year old
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/04/traveling-with-a-one-year-old/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/04/traveling-with-a-one-year-old/#commentsTue, 02 Apr 2019 01:19:27 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=6012
At the end of last month, our family escaped the never-ending, shitty winter weather, to beautiful Miami for two weeks. And I’ve got to tell you, it was probably one of the healthiest decisions we’ve made as a family in a long time.
Winters are hard for everyone, but I think it’s especially hard for those who work from home or spend their days raising little ones. Between the cold and winter storms, being trapped inside for months can feel isolating, so this escape was very much needed. The weather for each of the days we were there was 27 degrees and sunny.
We split our trip into two sections, the first 5 days we stayed at the beach in a newly built hotel and then for the next 10 we were with my grandparents.
Last year, Sterling and I came down (I shared about my trip with a 7 week old, traveling alone, here) but as my grandparents weren’t there, I knew this trip would be much more special. I also thought it was really magical that the ages of the people on this trip are Sterling: 1, Trevor and I: 31, my grandparents: 91. 1, 31, 91. A truly special trip.
Flights We planned our flights around nap-times and found great success with Sterling. Our flight to Florida departed at around 6pm, and although Sterling didn’t sleep on the 3 hour flight he was easy and calm due to the late hour. The minute we landed he fell asleep in our ErgoBaby until we picked up our rental car. On the way home, we arrived at the airport at 10am for our 1pm flight, and Sterling made some friends with the people around us, and passed out on top of his dad until we landed.
Hotel We spent the first 5 nights about a 20 minute drive away from my grandparent’s place in Aventura, at the newly built Costa Hollywood Beach Resort. We decided on this resort for a few reasons: • their proximity to the beach and boardwalk • A full kitchen. As Sterling goes in and out of picky stages with food, preparing and having essentials on-hand is key • A separated living space and bedroom. Sterling is a great sleeper but goes to bed around 8pm, so having a space for us to be in was key
The location was truly amazing. A 1 minute walk to the beach where you could spend your days on the touristy but family-friendly Hollywood Boardwalk which is lined with restaurants, ice cream shops and little stores. On the Friday and Saturday nights, most of the restaurants had live music and the streets were filled with people.
The hotel staff were friendly and knowledgeable about local restaurants as well as the area. Our room was great, very modern and sleek. I did a room tour and it’s saved to my Miami 2019 Highlight on Instagram. They also had a small breakfast available each morning, which was great because croissants are key for Sterling and coffee is mandatory for this mama and both were delicious.
Food The first few days Sterling had a hard time adjusting to the break of routine around meal time. So we focused on simple meals and invested in an Ikea highchair so he could sit properly with us during family meals, and almost immediately he started eating better.
We didn’t really go out to eat much so unfortunately we didn’t hit many of the spots on our must-eat list, but rather ate where it was convenient. Feel free to DM me on IG or leave a comment if you want more details of the spots we did go to.
For Sterling, we brought a bunch of his favourite food pouches PC Organic Banana Kiwi Strained Baby Food and once we got to my grandparent’s we made his regular smoothies for meal times, which consist of blueberries, bananas, peanut, nut or seed butter, yoghurt and whatever else we have on hand, like spinach or strawberries.
Overall, traveling with a baby (almost toddler) is never going to be easy, but being flexible with your schedule and rules can allow for a painless trip. I really enjoyed the extended time-off, typically vacations are one-jammed-pack-week of sight-seeing and activities, but this trip to Miami for 15 days, meant that we could keep each day light and enjoyable.
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/04/traveling-with-a-one-year-old/feed/1Snow Day
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/02/snow-day/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/02/snow-day/#commentsTue, 12 Feb 2019 22:45:31 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=5967Okay winter. Calm down. The weather in Toronto over the next few days is filled with snow to blanket the city and slow down what is suppose to be a busy week.
We leave on our first family vacation in one week and I cannot wait to escape. I typically can handle the cold temperatures fairly well (1, 2, 3,) and feel confident driving in the snow (I’ve always invested in the best winter tires) but now, with Sterling, it’s harder to prioritize leaving the house when conditions are bad. Meaning we’ve been home bound for a while over the last few weeks. So I’m looking forward to spending time outside while showing my son one of my favourite cities and spending time with my grandparents.
But first, there are a lot of planning to do for this vacation, and my number one plan for success is giving myself the most amount of time to do every task, especially on travel days.
Sterling and I traveled to Miami last year, when he was a few weeks old around the same time, but he was a newborn and only the essentials were necessary to bring along. This time he has a pretty good, yet flexible, routine. Lately, he’s become more picky with food, but he definitely has his favourites so I can plan and make sure I’m prepared.
I’ve already started pack, like 3 weeks out. I started with Sterling, checking out this spring wardrobe I’ve been building for a while now. I picked up a few shorts, bathing suits and new shoes which will give us more than enough for him, plus I’m sure I’ll be hitting up a Target upon arrival.
I also began trying on my summer stuff and didn’t love most of what I have. It’s been about a year and a half since I’ve bought non-pregnancy clothes and the few pieces I did buy this summer are probably the ones coming. So I also picked up a few things that I’m excited to wear and show you.
So, until next week when #theNegins escape to Miami, I’ll be hibernating, making lists and packing while trying to get over this cold.
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/02/snow-day/feed/1Sterling Turns One
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/01/sterling-turns-one/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/01/sterling-turns-one/#respondMon, 14 Jan 2019 17:06:55 +0000https://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=5937
It was a few days before Christmas (and I was so sick), when it dawned on me, that I had to get moving on planning my son’s first birthday. Sterling was born a few days after the start of the new year, so over the next few days I would need to arrange everything, rather quickly, as businesses would be closed during the holidays and New Years.
I decided to keep it intimate affair, inviting only our families and a few friends to celebrating this milestone in our home. With that in mind, I also worked with Sterling’s nap-time schedule to ensure a happy baby during the party.
I designed the invitations, elegant and shark themed, inspired by his favourite song, Baby Shark. And although I’ve heard Baby Shark thousands of times, I love how excited he gets when he hears it, so I’m all about it.
I served brunch and included all of our favourites: bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon, egg salad, tuna salad, a giant charcuterie board filled with meats, soft and hard cheeses, olives and assorted crackers and breads.
We ordered custom cookies (which were as delicious as they were beautiful) from Little Rose Cookie Co, who was so amazing to work with. She created the Baby Shark cookies and Sterling couldn’t stop smiling when he saw them.
Sterling had two cakes, a decadent hazelnut chocolate from the bakery Sweet Olenkas that we served to our guests and a naked smash cake that I made using the Betty Crocker’s Rainbow Chip and layered with frosting and sprinkles.
The smash cake was a big success. At first Sterling didn’t understand what he should do, but with some encouragement he loved destroying and exploring the cake, tasting it a bit before dropping every last piece onto the floor (which we lined with a plastic table-cloth for an easy clean up).
I still can’t believe that I have a one year old, but I’m falling more in love with the sweet boy he’s becoming. He’s funny, creative, loves to read, obsessed with both Monkey and Taco and I can’t wait to see all of the milestones we will reach together this year.
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/01/sterling-turns-one/feed/02018: Year in review
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/01/2018-year-in-review/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/01/2018-year-in-review/#respondThu, 03 Jan 2019 21:45:12 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=5908I knew that going into 2018, it was going to be a very different year. I was 38 weeks pregnant as we started the year and were just finalizing the final details and meetings before #babyNegin was to join the party, and then Sterling decided to come early. He was born January 4th, and I’ll be working on a post discussing what I’ve learned in my first year of motherhood, but first I wanted to flash back on some of my blog highlights this year.
When I did shoot, I tried my best and feel confident, but it wasn’t a year where I felt my best. I struggled with my health; recovering from both pregnancy and injury, back-to-back. So when my confidence was at its lowest, I pushed myself to face fears. This year I shot basically naked and allowed others to take control of my image. I quickly realized that shooting my own content for the past 6 years, meant I’ve always had the final say of which pictures were release or shared. Giving up that up wasn’t easy, but I’m learning to enjoy the process of releasing that control.
Another post I have coming up is one about my goals for 2019. It will be another year of changes and transitions and I’m excited to get started on this exciting chapter. Leave a comment and let me know if there is anything you’d like to see on the blog, as I change things up.
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2019/01/2018-year-in-review/feed/0Sweater Season
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/12/sweater-season-2/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/12/sweater-season-2/#respondThu, 13 Dec 2018 17:59:50 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=5869As soon as the temperatures begins to dip in mid-September, I get excited to pull out my sweaters and begin layering them to stay cozy on those cool early fall nights. As we are now in mid-December, most days I’m rotating between chunky knits, oversized cardigans and soft turtle necks.
So when UNIQLO reached out to share their new collection of sweaters I jumped at the opportunity to try them on and style them for the season. Although this post is sponsored by UNIQLO all opinions are 100% my own.
What I look for in my knitwear is very specific and I always gravitate to whites and cream knits, (I have around 10 white[ish] sweaters that I love). It’s likely because they are so easy to style with any print, pattern and colour. I’m obsessed with the texture and cut of this 3D Lambswool sweater, that has the perfect V-neck in the front and a mini one in the back and cocoons out in shape allowing it to be ideal for layering.
For the past few years, I’ve lived in turtle necks. Tight and tucked-in or oversized and chunky; turtle necks are one of the ideal cuts for sweaters. And it was love at first sight when I tried on this fineMerino wool turtle neck. The fabric is super soft, fine and fitted but not too tight.
After wearing it twice, I downloaded the new UNIQLO CA App, picked it up in two more colours and had them shipped directly to my door. I’ve worn it tucked into jeans and track pants, under overalls and dresses and layered with a chunky cardigan for a sweater on sweater look. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen me in them via my stories and feed for the last month or so.
With the holiday season officially starting, a great way to take knitwear into a more formal setting is with a sweater dress. Because knitwear could add a little bulk, I like to keep things more fitted when it comes to dresses allowing the material to hug your curves. This Extra Fine Merino Wool dress is a great fit and flare cut, making it super flattering. I added simple statement earrings to help highlight the mock turtle neck, adding a touch of glam to the look.
Having cozy and effortless basics to turn to makes getting dressed in the dark easier and the luxurious knits at UNIQLO are going to continue to be the go-to piece for the upcoming winter season.
Sweater, Turtle neck and dress: UNIQLO Canada, Glasses: Clearly.ca
Jacket & Pants: Banana Republic, Boots: Zara, Jeans: Target, Shawl (actually a blanket): Vintage, Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood for Erdem
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/12/sweater-season-2/feed/0Good Enough to Eat
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/11/good-enough-to-eat/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/11/good-enough-to-eat/#respondSun, 04 Nov 2018 16:57:53 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=5775
There’s nothing quite like the soft, delicate skin of a baby. And using the right products to protect and nurture Sterling’s skin has been one of our main concerns.
I have yet to invest in green beauty for myself, but I did want to start my son on the right path, using products that are as natural as possible, especially since a baby’s skin absorbs so much. So when my friends at West Coast Kids introduced me to one of their favourite brands Shoosha Truly Organic, I quickly became obsessed with a line of products with ingredients that are so pure and organic you can actually eat them.
Because soap always end up getting in baby’s eyes and mouth while in the bath, Shoosha ensured that their line was made from USDA Certified Organic food grade ingredients, like Calendula, Coconut and Sunflower Oil, so it’s not only gentle and hydrating on sensitive skin but it’s also tear-free.
Sterling absolutely loves bath time and now I do too, knowing that I’m using the purest products for his soft skin. Thank you Shoosha Truly Organic and West Coast Kids for partnering with me on this post.
Real talk. This summer was rough. As some of you know (if you follow me on IG), I broke my 5th metatarsal on my right foot pretty badly in mid-July and most of my summer dreams were crushed. I wasn’t allowed to swim, long walks were extremely painful, and driving was off-limits due to the cast (a walking one, thankfully). Some days seemed impossible. I tried to make the most of out of my quiet summer and filled my days with Sterling cuddles, picnics, reading and singing to my sweet boy.
Thankfully, now that Sterling is fully on the move, (and I am as well), one of our first big trips out of the house was visiting one of my go-to mommy malls, Hillcrest. I grew up pretty close to Hillcrest Mall located in Richmond Hill and used to love it, but I moved away after high school and hadn’t really been back many times since. But when my girlfriend mentioned that you could get the H&M Mama line there, when I was in search of pregnancy overalls, I ran there ASAP and was shocked to see how much had changed. Hillcrest was had completed about 50% of their renovations at the time and you can see the beautiful new tiles and redesign of the space.
I soon found out that along with some of the newly open shops like Aritzia,Sporting Life and Starbucks, my favourite baby store West Coast Kids would be opening their second Toronto location during summer 2018. And just like that, Hillcrest quickly became my new go-to mall.
When I got invited to preview their new wing earlier this month, I was excited to hear all about the changes and check out what other stores had opened since I’d been there last. We strolled through the whole mall, peeking into stores like Sephora and Miniso and the newly renovated Hudson’s Bay.
As for us mamas, they have all the amenities to make it your most comfortable visit. With nursing rooms, bottle warming service and free diaper kits that are available at their Guest Experience. They also have parent parking available at all of the main entrances which are crucial for the upcoming colder months. And if you need to connect with Guest Experience you can text 226-210-1015 and ask any question.
The new wing is now open and includes a giant Home Sense and Marshalls (which opened last week), and an Indigo and Old Navy that will both open in the next few months. My friends who own the contemporary store Carbon, located just down the hall, just opened this month and has a beautiful assortment of the world’s most relevant brands, catering to men and women of all ages. The Japanese-styled cheesecake sensation, Uncle Tetsu also just opened their doors early and if you haven’t tried the super soft freshly baked cakes you must.
After the tour, I headed back to West Coast Kids to pick up some essentials for Sterling that I’ll be sharing on an upcoming blog post and took in all the beautiful thing that this spacious store has.
The West Coast Kids’ grand opening is coming up and I’ll be sharing the dates and details on my Instagram account and hope you can join me there and check out the new Hillcrest Mall.
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/10/mama-mall-hillcrest-glowup/feed/1What’s your super power?
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/09/whats-your-super-power/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/09/whats-your-super-power/#commentsThu, 20 Sep 2018 21:50:12 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=5658I make milk. What’s your super power?
Being a style blogger for the past 6 years, I didn’t realize how much of my closet would change when becoming a mother. There were the obvious changes, like size, and for me it’s been harder than expected to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight as I’ve been suffering from patellar tendonitis on my left knee and for the last 10 weeks a broken right foot, but I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. Though, I think the biggest change was that I’ve needed my clothing to do more.
As a mom, who has exclusively nursed her son for the past 8 months, finding clothing that is nursing-friendly has been a struggle, especially being well-endowed. Many new moms can still adorn their button-up blouses, or many of their pre-baby clothing that allows for easy nursing while on-the-go, but for me this has been impossible.
Luckily, I’ve partnered with the amazing maternity brand Ingrid & Isabel, and have a few key items that have been on serious rotation over the last few months that have allowed for me to discreetly feed my son. Specializing in trendy clothing to take you from your first trimester into your fourth (after baby is born), I became obsessed with their line of dresses and tops and this amazing jumpsuit that make nursing a breeze.
I must be honest, breastfeeding has been one of my favourite and least favourite parts of the last 8 months. I can feel the special time coming to an end as Sterling becomes more dependent on food and he approaches his first birthday. Which makes me feel excited to take back ownership of my body, but also saddens me as I’ll miss the cuddles and closeness that breastfeeding provides.
]]>http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/09/whats-your-super-power/feed/2Babywearing Mama
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/09/babywearing-mama/
http://barbaraannsolomon.com/2018/09/babywearing-mama/#respondFri, 07 Sep 2018 22:08:30 +0000http://barbaraannsolomon.com/?p=5625
As soon as Sterling was born, it became clear to me that I loved baby wearing. The first time I wore Sterling for an extended period of time (more than just being cozy with him at home) was during our flights to and from Miami when he was 7 weeks old. He snuggled into me so closely for those three hours, and since then we’ve both been hooked.
As much as I loved wearing Sterling, it became a necessity for me as the task of taking our puppy, Taco, out for walks fell solely on me. We live in a stacked town home, meaning a lot of stairs, so babywearing became the only way to get a newborn and puppy safely up and down those stairs.
Like most of the essentials for babies, there are so many options, but after buying and trying three different kinds, I’ve ended up using my ring sling by Canadian brand Junior Foxes the most. It was the quickest and easiest method to put him in when he was fussy and allowed me to get things done around the house.
I also fell in love with the fun and fashionable prints on these linen slings and found it nearly impossible to choose one for Sterling, but ended up picking up The Palms from their Classics Collection. The entire collection is based around their owner’s favourite tropical places to travel to.
One of the lessons I hope to teach my son is to shop local and support small businesses. I love that the owner, Milli Fox (follow her on IG for mom-entrepreneur content), a doula by trade, started this company out of her need when she had her adorable son and believes in producing locally and employs home-sewing mamas to carefully craft the Junior Foxes slings.
Do you babywear? If so which is your favourite way?