Top 7 Gender Neutral Christmas Gifts

Christmas is just around the corner, and it's always hard to find a gift for secret santa games especially when it will be gender neutral! I hope these gift ideas will help you find the perfect gift. 

1. SWELL bottles 

These bottles have been raving all of social media, and no wonder with their variety in colours, and patterns. 

2. Stationary Items

A nice notepad, or cool pencils are always useful! 

3. Coffee or Tea anyone?

Getting a mug for someone is always a good idea when you don't know what to offer! I aways enjoy receiving one!

4. Movie Gift card

I think this is the perfect gift for anyone! I mean who doesn't love to watch movies. 

5. Phone Charger 

Everyone hates running out of battery, so why not offer a great alternative to charging your phone.

6. Starbucks gift card 

I think anyone would enjoy a Starbucks or Tim Hortons gift card, they are very useful, and practical.

7. Wine

I think anyone that is an adult enjoys a nice glass of wine! 

Footwear Fall Trends 2016

Summer was extremely short and the only thing I'm looking forward is wearing boots and sneakers. Here are the top trends coming up for this transitional time. 

Fenty-Puma by Rihanna 

Creepers should be creeping in your closet this summer. These bad boys have been extremely hard to snatch! I haven't been able to get a pair :( I can't wait for the next release. 

Givenchy - Ankle Boots 

Ankle boots are very trendy this fall... it's all about having thin ankles and showing them off! These boots will pair perfectly with a long skirt or culotte pants. 

Dr. Martens - Boots 

I use to hate Dr. Martens but they have been growing on me... a less aggressive version would be a chelsea boot which is what I have and I love them! 

Ballerina slippers are the biggest hit for fall and these adorable Miu Miu flats are to die for. The perfect mix between rebel and girly accents. A cheaper alternative would be a zara style and they have many options available right now! 

Slide loafers are the best when you have an office job because they're dressy with a casual flair. If money was no issue I would have bought the furry gucci loafer slides but since my budget was low I purchased some at Zara, obviously!

I hope you enjoyed my small trend report for this fall!

-Nelly 

Trends 2016 - Souvenir Jackets

Souvenir jackets have made a big come back this season and they have become more stylish than ever before. The mix of colours and the lightweight silk is perfect for the warmer days and can be casually combined with almost anything. These jackets have amazing embroidery designs that hold great history and throughout the time it has gained popularity on the runways. Souvenir jackets should become a key piece for this season :)

 VALENTINO - 1,850$

ZARA - 69.99$

Stores that we need in Montreal!

It's been a week since I've moved back to Montreal and I'm already missing living in New York.  Even though it was very hard to adapt to this hectic city, in my second year living there I truly enjoyed being part of this concrete jungle. Now don't get me wrong, I'm really happy to be back and spending time with my loved ones but part of me is missing the shopping therapy that New York has to offer. As a student living in New York, my budget was very short and for the most part my shopping therapy consisted more of window shopping! Some of the stores in this list were on my shopping list every day and other ones were simply my browsing spots where I hope to shop some day! 

From a grocery store to a luxury end fashion, this list includes the stores I fell in love with in New York. I wish these stores will some day come to Montreal!!!

1. Decor Stores

I love home decor and while living in a New York studio, I learned to maximize my space and the container store became my best friend! This store has literally every single bin and container that you can imagine.  It's heaven on earth for anyone that loves to organize! 

Visit them at and you can order online!

 629 Ave of the Americas, New York, NY 10011, United States

http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm

I heard about Flying Tiger at the end of my journey in New York ... I'm really sad about that because it could have been like having a mini Ikea in Manhattan.  This Danish home decor company has the cutest products ever and it has a little something for every style. From toys for kids to stationary items and kitchen supplies, this place is amazing for anyone that like to decorate. Flying Tiger is very affordable and the quality looks decent. 

 920 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, United States

2. Books

This book store is a staple in New York and I really wish we had a something similar in Montreal! Barnes and Noble is far from reaching the diversity that this bookstore has and Chapters is not even near comparable to the Strand. This bookstore has every single fashion book out there and I love it! If you ever visit New York, you MUST go see this store!

4805, 828 Broadway, New York, 10003, United States

3. Grocery

Doing groceries in Manhattan is probably the craziest thing to do and the thing to dread the most when you live in the city. It's hectic, it's crowded and it's expensive... but I'm glad to have found Trader Joe's! This unique grocery store is very affordable because almost all of their products is trader joe's trademarked and it's actually tasty! This was my weekly spot and I always tried to shop during the week and during the day because it gets extremely busy. It has a couple of locations in the city but they are always busy! It's a bit similar to PA but it's actually cheaper and it has very unique products that can only be found there!

4. Fashion

Barney's opened a new location in New York city and I was very lucky to live a couple of blocks away from this one. Their new location is in the heart of Chelsea and it's actually much more beautiful than the upper east side one... This Barneys is breath taking and I wish I could have this luxurious staircase to fashion heaven in my home. I never bought anything at Barmeys in my 2 years living in New York. As sad as that sounds I'm very proud of my budget management. If you can splurge a little or just want to window shop, you should definitely go check out the Chelsea Barney's location.

101 7th Ave, New York, NY 10011, United States

I know that we recently got ALL SAINTS in Montreal but Opening Ceremony is way better and we really need it! We don't need another jacket store... we have enough leather stores... we need trendy and upscaled fashion stores like Opening Ceremony. This store carries their own collection as well as many designer pieces one being Kenzo which is always a good reason to shop. 

1190-1192 Broadway, New York, NY 10001, United States

Anyways these are just some stores that I really wish we could have in Montreal but if you ever visit please go see these stores and do groceries a trader joes :) Stop shopping at forever 21 and H&M... I mean we have those stores here... visit stores that are not here!

- Nelly 

Kenzo X H&M collaboration

Yesterday, I received in my inbox the official announcement of the collaboration between Kenzo and H&M. In all honesty, I don't really shop that much at H&M anymore for their clothing but while living in New York I fell in love with their home collection. Even though I haven't shopped there for clothes in a while, I'm truly excited for this designer collaboration because I absolutely LOVE this Parisian fashion house named Kenzo. 

Since the arrival of Carol Lim and Humberto Leon as creative directors at Kenzo; they have revamped the brand with vivid colours and making bold statements with their collections. In my opinion the perfect way of describing Kenzo, is simply by calling it a concrete jungle. Their collections are a mixture of nature and street style. I'm really excited to view this collection and hopefully be able to purchase a couple of pieces!

This collection will be available in 250 H&M stores as well as online starting November 3, 2016. 

-Nelly 

In the Name of Gucci: A Memoir by Patricia Gucci

A few weeks ago I was contacted to review this book and although I haven't had the chance to read it because I'm in finals. I'm truly looking forward to reading this under the sun with a refreshing ice tea by the pool. I love reading fashion books, not only because it's my passion and career but mainly because I love learning about the person behind big fashion houses. I love reading about their passions, their love life and family. It gets me inspired and motivates me to continue this path in this very difficult industry. I can relate myself a bit more to these figures that have marked the fashion history and revolutionized style in those times. 

For the first time a book about Gucci has been written by a direct descendent of Guccio Gucci whose the grandfather of Patricia Gucci and founder of Gucci. 

Patricia Gucci was born a secret; a love child whose birth could have spelled ruination and even imprisonment for her father, Aldo Gucci. To avoid scandal, Aldo sent her Bruna, to London to deliver their child. Once the arrival of their newborn; Bruna and the baby were discretely brought back to Rome. Living under the shadow of Italian authorities, the media and the Gucci family. 

This memoir shares the untold love story of Aldo and Bruna, the woman he deeply fell in love while just being an 18 year old boy. The woman that he continuously kept coming back to, even while building his fashion empire. 

In the name of Gucci is a daughter's bittersweet tribute to her beloved father, Aldo Gucci. 

This book is available in BARNES & NOBLE and AMAZON

- Nelly 

Look of the Day: Fall in spring

So I know that it's been a while since I've posted an outfit of the day, but it's been really hard to find people take pictures of me. I'm very thankful to have found Jami (without an "e"), she's also part of the accessory design major at FIT and she's an awesome girl! She also has a blog and you can go check her out in the link down below. This past weekend FIT (Fashion institute of technology) my school, organized a block party to give us a break from the finals :) It was pretty fun and these are some pictures of my outfit which was not very carnival like... more like a fall outfit in spring!

All of these items have been my favourites this season.

COAT: COS/ SWEATER: KENZO/ HAT:SUPREME/ PANTS:ZARA/ BOOTS: DR.MARTEN/ BAG:COACH.

WWW.STYLEDSTUDENT.COM

Beauty Products I'm loving!

Here are some products that I've been really loving and that I hope to be able to purchase in Canada! 

(8$)

The Face Shop - Urban Outfitters 

I found this at Urban Outfitters and I thought it would be black... but then I realized it's not charcoal... it still does the same effect as black peel off masks. It's a Korean brand and so far I'm happy with the results, it also last a while because it's only meant for the nose. 

(24$)

Gourmand EDP - Urban Outfitters 

I had been eying this brand for quite a while and because of my tight budget I didn't want to buy a designer brand perfume. This is a body mist but the smell is quite strong, they also carry some eau de toilette and my favourite one is "citron glace". 

(7$)

Indian healing clay - Whole foods 

I heard about this face mask all over YouTube and I simply needed to try it. It's also very cheap and you get so much of it! It does not smell the greatest and at first it can tingle quite a bit... I felt a bit itchy the first time I tried it. It recommends to mix it with apple cider vinegar, but I think that would be even more intense. I just mix one spoon with some water and leave it on for 20 minutes, my skin gets so tight that I can't even blink! Your skin might look a bit red after but that is normal, just make sure to moisturize A LOT after because it dries out everything. I got mine at Whole Foods but I'm sure you can purchase it on Amazon. 

(10$)

Ponds - Target 

I know that we don't have Target in Canada but maybe they have this one in Wal-Mart or you can try to order from Amazon. I had never heard great things about Ponds until Rachel Talbott on YouTube recommended it. She is amazing with product reviews and her skin looks very healthy so I decided to give it a try! I love this cream; I know it says anti-wrinkle and I'm under 30 but I think that skin care is something that needs to be taken care of the earliest possible. I love the consistency and how my skin absorbs it. I hate when a cream just sits on my face... This one has a nice smell and it smooths out your skin. 

(Gift)

I got this as a gift from a friend that is Swiss, I believe this brand is Swiss based and is only sold there and probably in Europe... So I have no idea how I will be able to purchase this?!?! I really love it because it's similar to occitane but just less perfumed and less heavy. I hope I can find it somewhere in North America! 

I hope you guys enjoyed my favourite skin care products of the moment and I hope you can try some of them!

-Nelly 

My Coffee / Tea spots in New York

DEVOCION CAFE

(Brooklyn, NY) - Williamsburg 

I discovered this cafe during a school field trip and I truly fell in love with the ambiance of this place. The rustic walls and the industrial aspect of this shop is simply wonderful. Compared to many other shops in New York, this one is quite spacious. If you're ever around Brooklyn, definitely go check it out! I also forgot to mention that they have an in house coffee bean production. 

SOURCE:DEVOCION


TOBY'S ESTATE
(Manhattan, NY) - Flat Iron

This tiny coffee shop is ideal when you're just grabbing a cup of joe and walking around because there isn't much space to sit. This cafe is beautiful and has an amazing chai latte, it's the perfect spot for a cute instagram pic! :)

SOURCE: TOBY'S ESTATE

RALPH'S CAFE
(Manhattan, NY) - 5th Av. Upper East Side

Ralph's cafe is probably the one, I've visited countless times... I love their decor but also their food. They have really good wraps and great coffee. The atmosphere is very calm and it's a true breather from the craziness of fifth avenue. This cafe is in Ralph Lauren's New York flagship store. By the way, they have amazing bathrooms!

HARNEY AND SONS
(Manhattan, NY) -Soho

I love tea and this place is a little heaven of tea in the middle of Soho. I love their tea wall!!!! it's quite reminiscent to the beauty and the beast library.. you'll understand when you visit :) This British tea house has an amazing selection of teas; from tea bags to loose tea leaves. Very peaceful environment for a tea break with some friends.

These are some of the spots I highly recommend to visit if you're ever in New York among many in this city!

-Nelly 

Star Wars Shoes - Irregular Choice

Irregular choice launched a limited edition Star Wars shoes; this brand has an unconventional style and personally it's not my favourite. However, I really like their coveted collections they make in collab with certain trademarks like Star Wars. This collection is very unique and original, a bit pricey and unfortunately it's currently out of stock! 

-Nelly 

Sneaker cravings SS 2016

More and more I find myself falling deeper for sneakers... As an aspiring footwear designer, I love designing heels but I'm definitely not a huge fan of them... They are painful and in reality should not exist for our own sake. My boyfriend's street style fashion choices have played a great influence in my wardrobe lately and I'm loving it! I'm really digging the sneaker world... especially now that I'm actually learning more about athletic footwear. Here are some of my current favourites and I really wish I could get them all!!! Sneakers shouldn't be just for the gym but for every day and here are some options that are very stylish and can even be worn with skirts or culottes.

COMMON PROJECT - ACHILLES PREMIUM LOW - BLUSH

retail 454.00$

all leather, made in Italy... good price, right? I'm really loving this pink tone sneaker. 

VANS - SK8-HI SLIM - BLACK

retail 55.00$

Good old vans! I have a pair of white... they now look a bit dirty but they are very comfortable! I find this style can be worn with pretty much anything!

NIKE - AIRMAX 90 - SILVER 

retail 120.00$

I've been eyeing a pair of airmax 90 for the longest time, I initially fell in love with this chrome silver colour but at this point any colour will do :) They are classic and will never go out of style.

ACNE - ADRIANA GRAIN - BLACK

retail 400.00$

I've always wanted creeper soles and I just love the finish of this tumbled leather. Very minimalistic and even if they are expensive they won't go out of style.

CONVERSE - ALL STAR CHUCK LEATHER - WHITE

retail 70.00$

I love converse! They have always been my favourite footwear company regardless of what everyone says about their comfort. I've had converse since high school and I'll keep adding them to my collection. I would love to add these white leather high tops :)

-Nelly