Farewell 2010

I want to wish all of a fabulous New Years' Eve, and thank those who have really supported this little blog project I started this past year. I am sort of glad that 2011 is coming because 2010 was a struggle but with all the trials the strength can overcome so long, Farewell 2010 I bid you adieu. I welcome a new fabulous year to come...

 To all my lovely readers, friends and supporters thank you for all your lovely comments, love, and kind support I can only imagine what the New year will bring us all, but can't wait.....
See you all in 2011

xoxo
FFJ aka Jess

And the winner is.....

Hey Lovelies, I want to thank all of you who participated and entered the great Christmas Contest I am super excited to announce the winner of the Fabulous Marc by Marc Jacobs Party Foret Quilted Handbag, Heathersteadman778@gmail.com!
Heather if you could email your addie to jessica(at)fashionforwardjournal(dot)com I will be able to send the handbag out to you after January 2, 2011!!!!

Will be back soon.....

With the big blizzard of the season on the east coast and the terrible flu I have come down to I haven't been able to post anything...... I will be back soon when I feel better, And will announce the winner once I get back to myself.

Stay tuned because not only will I announce the winner, but also got another giveaway from my friend Vicky from HR for something really special.
xoxo
FFJ

Purple Seduction

Don't forget to tell as many people you know to Enter my current giveaway for a Marc by Marc Jacobs Quilted Party Foret Handbag to receive more entries for this final draw this Friday December 24, 2010!!!!


Purple is my absolute favorite color, and when I found these shoes I have to change my last minute wish list again but I had to style to outfit to go with these great shoes.

Fedoras are everywhere, and I haven't found one that I totally love but this one I am gaga over it, it has a slightly bigger brim where it frames the face fabulously. The rag & bone makes stylish cold-weather dressing effortless with this classic black wool fedora @ $160 will start off the look.

The look of a sleek sweater dress can be super sexy; A plaited leather belt gives Miu Miu's classic black wool sweater dress @ $745 a subtly sophisticated finish. Pull together a chic city look with a trench coat and color-pop pumps.

The classic trench coat is an essential to everyones' wardrobe and finding one that fits amazing can be the tricky part, but a pleated waist gives Miu Miu's beige stretch-cotton twill trench coat @ $1295 a subtly feminine finish. Wear this style staple with a black matelassé leather bag and sandals for an ultra chic city look.

These shoes are the reason for this impeccable outfit, LOVE LOVE LOVE these purple platform sandals, Glossy dark-purple patent-leather gives Yves Saint Laurent's covetable Tribute sandals @ $795 an opulent new-season spin. Wear this statement style to upgrade a sleek LBD with a haute hit of color.

Miu Miu's black shoulder bag in signature matelassé leather @ $1775 will complete chic city looks in style. This timeless piece with a camel trench coat and classic purple platform sandals for an enviable uptown look.

Each piece is meant for each other to complete the sexy upper east side look with the purple seduction.

* Also another style tip is I would add a charcoal, or black opaque tight to have this outfit work for a chilly day, but it would be geared towards closer to Spring*

The Hues of Blue

Friday nights are always filled with fun times, and for this Friday I wanted to show an outfit that can be worn for that dinner date, or a night out with the girls or even a holiday party. I saw this dress from Marc by Marc Jacobs which on sale now for $150, but it looks great on, and although it may not be the LBD that I so love and cherish, this Arctic-blue is just a phenomenal color, and you can't go wrong with the price at this very moment. I can honestly say that I have to always wear a jacket over a strapless dress; I find that it is great to texturize the look by adding leather to silk, it kinda roughs it up a little.
The leather jacket from Marc Jacobs runway is a wrinkled leather with cut outs and is super hot for your fashion collection.
All the extras like I usually pair up is the great peep toe ankle boots in suede from  Guiseppe Zanotti and is considered the most comfortable shoe out there.


I love painting the nails a hint of the color palette that I have chosen with this outfit, and found great fashion jewelry from House of Harlow to complete the hue of blue look.


If this look is for you it is all laid out for you to shop and you will receive!


Happy Friday Lovelies!! 

Green Giant

As always the parties are in full swing for the holiday season, When I saw theses shoes I was absolutely mesmerized because of the color it isn't everyday that you find a pair of shoes this color so it is a must-have.

I love the LBD and with this sophisticated dress you will have this LBD in your wardrobe collection for a long long long time; McQ's asymmetric black crepe dress @ $285 is a directional upgrade on the perennially chic LBD. Slip this silhouette-skimming style on with sky-high heels and a textured clutch for an evening look with attitude. 

Here are your sky high heels, these emerald green sling-backs are something to talk about; add a splash of colour with these shamrock palais sling backs by YSL @ $820. Your options are endless you can wear it also with a slim trouser and a jeweled silk top, or pair it with jeans, but with the LBD it will feature the best parts of all pieces.

The ultimate clutch is the ones from Alexander McQueen don't only are they detailed it will always go with that cocktail party; Invest in this sleek black satin clutch with bejwelled skull clasp@ $1400, which epitomises Alexander McQueen's renegade, darly glamorous, and utterly British aesthetic. The compact style will beautifully offset a statement jacket and skinny pants; add killer heels to complete a directional evening look.

 So it comes down to this have a great colorful shoe and pair it with a solid LBD and stand out at that cocktail event for the holiday season.

Oversized Sexy

Hey lovelies; I find that this outfit is something I am going to have to do when the weather sort of lets up, but you can pair it off with tights if you want, and wear it now; but my vision of style says I would wear it without, but doing the tights is always a phenomenal look too.

First of all I love the color purple, and with this purple top being my main focus of this post I had to share it and style it appropriately.

Oversized knits, like Jil Sander's purple cashmere sweater @ $1375, are an easy-chic winter warmer. Slip it on with black leather shorts and black wedged heel for a bold and bright look.

Leather shorts are completely my fav, and I have blabbed about shorts all season, but I find these ones worthy to add to the wardrobe collection because of the different cut;

Alexander Wang gives these black leather shorts @$550 a Fashion-Forward twist with lapel-embellished pockets and a leg-lengthening cut. Wear this statement design with a short-sleeved cashmere sweater and chunky silver jewelry for inimitable cool-girl style.

This season Marc Jacobs did a bootie wedgie and I feel in love, but the only thing was that it was done in suede, and for me it isn't practical to do the suede even though it looks awesome. I found these ones from

Stella McCartney's black faux-leather wedge ankle boots@ $545 are the perfect foundation to chic city style. Wear them with a black tote as a cool contrast to bright purple.

I am a little disappointed that it is faux leather, and for the price, Stella could have done real leather, but you can't tell, I guess it is all psychological.

OMG!!! This is the reason I always go for the handbag first before I look at anything else, I guess you can say that I almost style around the handbag at times....

This is my favorite at this very moment it makes me re think of what I want on my holiday list again, that is my problem.

Chloé's iconic Paddington bag @$ 1800 gets an urban update with this structured black leather duffle style. Use this cleverly crafted love-forever piece to carry all your essentials.

And yes the last accessory piece is a bracelet/ watch which is totally brillant, and I love the detail and with the color palette it goes with the outfit; Flash your fashion credentials with Marc by Marc Jacobs' black acetate chunky chain-link watch @ $250. Peppered with gold-tone studs, this square-faced timepiece is a striking everyday accessory.

So there it is do thing oversized in moderation and you will find that you have one very sexy outfit.

Unconstructed Cool

I saw this Alexander Wang Mondrian Shift dress and have been dreaming about it since last week, and when I find that I seem to think about things over and over it is a sign from above to get the dress, and then I thought about what I would pair it with; the booties are an essential whether you find the one with a unique heel or with a peep toe just have fun with it.
I have been telling everyone to do the opaque tights, and if the weather allows it ,do it with a knee high sock that changes the look of the outfit altogether very urban chic.

I am obsessed with the gray nail polish with a Matte finish, and the constructed fashion jewelry it just makes the statement shine in the outfit.
Looking in my closet I will definitely do my Balenciaga city bag with this look!
You too can create this look and if you want to know where I found my pieces then click below and share my obsession.

M for Macarons!

Hey Lovelies, I have been asked to do a post about my favorite foods, or desserts and because I am geared towards fashion I really had to be blown away before I shared anything. It is really a great pleasure of mine to do this interview with a brilliant product.


A few weeks ago a great friend of mine bought me a dozen of theses amazing delectable Parisian style Macarons the "salty caramel" kind and in one bite I was simply swept away.
So as a keen person who tries to find the next amazing thing in fashion and in style I had to find the person behind these amazing creations.
I would definitely have to say these are very Fashion Forward in the dessert kind of way. I tracked the pastry chef of M for Macarons and emailed her immediately to find out where I could find her Macarons, and her. Then last Saturday I tracked her down at Holt Renfrew where she will be selling her amazing treats til Christmas, and picked up an order again.


So without further ado I introduce to you all Sue from M for Macarons.


FFJ: Where did you learn how to make the Macarons?
Sue: 3 years ago I ran away form home and went to cooking school for 6 months! I studied Pastry and Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa. We made them there. 

FFJ: Where are you from? and what inspires you?

Sue: I grew up in Ottawa and have been living in Calgary for 20 plus years. Traveling and eating new foods, visiting markets and grocery stores inspires me!

FFJ: What is your favorite Macaron flavor? 

Sue: Tough question! I love Black Currants, so would have to say 100 mile black Currant made with Alberta Black Currants is my favorite.

FFJ:  Where do you see M for Macarons in the next few years?

Sue: My own retail outlet for sure! New products! We have just introduced the 'Mac-mallow' which is a handmade marshmallow rolled in morsels of macarons that come in the same flavors as our macarons! 

FFJ: Who is M for Macarons' target market?

Sue: People who are interested in food and enjoy tasting.

FFJ: If you could say anything about your baking what would you say?

Sue: I try to be 'true' to food. I use real ingredients, nothing artificial (exception is food colouring but I am working on that with a local vegetable producer), and I begin with ingredients that are as unprocessed as possible, ie: I make my own fruit purees, being at the Farmers Market let's me connect with the guys who are producing or sourcing and selling the produce.

FFJ: What do you think about social media incorporated within your brand?

Sue: So far so good, I am aware of it's power and sometimes that scares me, especially if I am having a bad week in the kitchen!!!  From my end, I could use it more, but I balance that with questioning how much people really want to know about us!

FFJ: It seems as though the big thing was cupcakes for years, do you think Macarons are the way of the future or a trend?

Sue: Well the macaron lineage dates back to the 18th century! It started in Italy, moved to France and got made over a few times and continues to thrive today. I don't think it is going away anytime soon! It is very versatile which hopefully can keep people interested.

FFJ: What other flavors do you have? and how do you experiment finding the right flavor for M for Macarons

Sue: My goal for 2010 was to produce 110 flavours.  We have surpassed that! As of Dec 10 we have made 116 flavours.  The right flavour for MforMacaron is based upon a traditional flavour combination and then it becomes a collaboration with the other folks in my kitchen. If you taste, you talk!

FFJ: Sue where can we find you?

Sue: In Calgary at the Kingsland Farmer Market

At Holt Renfrew on Saturdays till Chrsitmas

online at www.mformacaron.com

Here is a photo if these amazing creations.

Currently M for Macarons are available in Calgary, but wait and watch that these little treasures from M for Macarons will be something to watch out for.

New Discovery

A good friend of mine just sent me a fabulous dress to try and see if I am interested in this new brand from Threadsense; I do love my luxury items, but I also love all sort of fashion that can be styled well.

I shop everywhere and since in the past I have only really featured only luxury items on this blog, my friend gave me the challenge of trying to feature others that can be incorporated with the luxe items.

Challenge taken ^_^!

Taking a look at their website, and looking at their look book there are a lot of free spirit pieces the Indie-Urban feel which does intrigue me so I thought I would share my picks that I would collect in my wardrobe portfolio.


This was the dress that was sent to me it is a jersey; Simple and comfy jersey knit dress @ $39 in brown with buttons going down the front and 3/4 sleeves with button tabs. Fully lined with a layer of black that shows on the bottom. Has a front breast pocket and includes a brown skinny belt. Bottom hem has a trapeze cut.

The other discovery that my friend wanted me to have with the dress; adding a great statement ring with the dress.

This is the Silver Pointy Ring @$66 is brilliant.

Great amazing jewelry for a good price; you can find this stunning number at Fashionology.

I do have to say that I am so blessed to have such amazing friends; but to I will take my friend up on her offer and try new things. 

Artistically Bold 2

I was asked a few weeks ago after I posted a blog about fashion statement rings Artistically Bold, the feed back I got was they loved it but it is a bit pricey, so I found some pieces a bit more affordable and these are all the pretty things I found so check them out to see if you have found your statement and you might want to put them on your holiday wish list! I know I have to start adding on mine!