Happy Wednesday my blogger fam, it’s hump day already, this week is going to fly by! But another day means its a new opportunity to slay this week and we certainly put a twist on what “holiday style” looks like with these looks! Welcome to instalment #3 of my 3rd annual #HolidayDoubleSlay. 
While I do have my favourite brands, some of which have been a part of this project since its inception (thank you!), I do like to add some new brands to the mix each year so that you have a variety of options to choose from. For anyone who reads the blog you know that a major new brand launched this year – Soncy and I was fortunate enough to work with them to celebrate their launch. I have personally been lucky to have tried a lot of their product since their launch and I have fallen in love with their fun, edgy youthful vibe and fit. Not to mention that their team is such a pleasure to work with – they put up with me on a regular basis with all my questions and suggestions and my Canadian shipping woes. (thanks Riley :)) 
One of the many things I love about this series is that I get to introduce my babes to brands they may have never tried which was the case here. I love seeing how excited they get and when the clothes come in, their reactions to how they look and fit. I also always try to push them outside of their comfort zone. When I think of who would be a Soncy babe, I definitely see my boo Caterina, model and influencer extraordinaire. She has that edgy girl vibe down pat and with almost 250,000 followers, a continually growing and loyal fan base. I want to give a special thank you to Soncy for providing these looks and partnering with us on this project. 
Cat is one of my core group of besties, we met through social media and mutual connections and over the last few years our friendship has flourished. I often think of her as my annoying but lovable little sister because she loves to tease me and pick on me any chance she gets and she is the only person that I allow to call me “Li”. That’s right, she figured out a way to shorten my 4 letter name lol. But I know that no matter what, she would be there for me in a heartbeat if needed her. 
But aside from the fun we have together, the time we spend modeling or working on our Instagram feeds and attending events, I have a deep admiration and respect for Cat because she is such a kind soul. She is the type of person who is always doing things for others. She is an educational assistant by day working to improve the lives of young children every day (I don’t know how she does it!), she is a boxing coach where she works tirelessly with her students, being a positive role model and kicking some butt in their daily workouts when they need it.
Her and her now husband are also in the process of starting a not-for-profit boxing club. And if you saw how much love she has for her Mom and her dog Lola you would just melt. Thank you Cat for always inspiring me, pushing me outside of my comfort zone, supporting my crazy ideas and being an amazing women. 
Here is a sneak peek of Caterina’s look, doesn’t she look hot? I love the way she combined these pieces and for the full details and more pics you will have to head over and check out her Instagram post here. 
When I was brainstorming my concept for these looks I decided I wanted to go with a more sexy and flirty vibe. When I look at this I think of Holiday Girls Night Out, New Year’s or the After Party once you attend that ho hum office or family event. I love looking through a brand’s collection and putting together looks that showcase the variety they have to offer and to help you visualize what is possible. When I look at things they speak to me and that’s when the magic begins. 
I had my eye on this gorgeous blush sequin kimono from the moment it was released but there was nothing at the time that I really wanted to pair it with and nothing that I had in my closet already. So I sat on it and let’s just say there were a few days where I would go and visit the website just so I could stare at. I mean, sequins and one of my fave colours of the year, blush? My heart emoji eyes were all over it. 
So when this bodysuit and skirt were released in one of the latest collections I realized one day that I had found my match. I was so excited that this ball of sparkle was finally going to be mine and I had found something that would do it the justice it deserved. This kimono comes in 2 sizes – 0 to 2 and 3 to 5. I really appreciate the fact that they didn’t make it one size fits all because that is pretty hard to achieve when you have such an expansive size range. 
When you have this much attitude in one garment then the little details become important. In this case the design is smart, it is a simple silhouette, collarless, has a plain open front and is fully lined in satin with satin piping at the collar and sleeves, and side slits. I cannot tell you how much I love side slits – they are honestly a girl’s best friend. In the end the drama is left to the over sized sleeve. I am wearing the size 3 to 5 and I was really pleased with the fit and let me tell you the sequins aren’t scratchy which is super important in my books. 
This bodysuit was the perfect addition to this glam sophisticated look with its colour blocking, satin fabric, contrasting covered buttons on the sleeves and deep v neckline. This piece just oozes sexy but its not an overt sexy, its a make you think about it kind of sexy lol. 
Since this was made from a non stretch fabric and had long sleeves I opted to get the size 6 as I wanted to make sure I had enough room. I also find that I need to size up in bodysuits because of the bottom part and my booty. This one does have a snap closure which is a very important detail if you have ever tried to get a bodysuit on, especially one with no stretch and is like a blouse.
Overall, I was happy that I got the 6 as it fit in the arms and booty perfectly but I did find it a little large in the chest and keep in mind I am an H cup. The fabric does drape beautifully so it didn’t really gape too much and I plan on adding a hidden snap to keep it closed. I love how luxurious it feels and looks and you never have to worry about it coming untucked like a traditional blouse.
The final piece of the puzzle was this high waisted knit skirt in this gorgeous shade of raspberry/wine. It’s always hard to tell how colours will match when you see them in person versus when you see them online so I always make sure to check the actual name of the colour and see if that lines up with the other pieces I am interested in. If the colour is the same then it is a good hint that it will go. (Remember it doesn’t need to match perfectly, it just needs to blend)
This skirt is a more casual festive piece that can be worn day or night and it gets it holiday vibes from the rich lurex knit fabric that is shimmery. It also has a really fun asymmetrical hemline with an added front panel that provides visual interest and flow/movement to the look. I am wearing the size 5 in the skirt and it fit perfectly, hugging all my curves and creating an amazing silhouette. The only thing I would caution you on is that it is a little long if you are on the petite side.
When these pieces arrived in the mail and I saw that the colour palette worked and all the shimmer and light that the fabrics created, I realized that I wanted to add a little unexpected pop of print and colour. The perfect choice was these sandals from Lane Bryant. Lane Bryant has perfected the low block heel and has started to make it in a multitude of colours and now prints. The design on these shoes is so smart because they used velcro on the ankle strap. That’s right, you can actually do these up yourself with ease! The rich teal colour is a perfect contrast to the blush and wine colours of the outfit and these colours are in the shoe’s fabric.
I wanted the shoes to make a statement so I kept the rest of my accessories to the same colour palette as the outfit. These amazing statement earrings are from Aldo, the rose gold bangles are from Torrid and the bag is an older one from my collection. They brought another element of sophistication and visual interest to the look with their colour palette and texture.
Overall, this has to honestly be one of my favourite looks that I have styled for 2018. I felt like a million bucks and would be confident walking into any room and owning it. Here I come, I am not taking any prisoners so you better watch out!
Because Soncy and I both love you guys so much you can now use the code MUSTANGSALLY to save $15 off every order with no minimum purchase required and it is also valid on sale items. So happy shopping because this code is good through till the end of 2019!
This brings the third instalment of the 2018 #HolidayDoubleSlay to an end. I hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you think by leaving a comment below, I love hearing from you guys!
Special thanks to Rebecca of Rebecca Northcott Photography for capturing these images and bringing my vision for this year’s project to life.
Special thanks to Petula of Image Makeup Artistry for the amazing make up look.
Special thanks to Christina of Makeup by Christina for the amazing hair style.
Shop Lisa’s look:
Kimono by SONCY | Bodysuit by SONCY | Skirt by SONCY | Shoes by LANE BRYANT | Earrings by ALDO | Bangles by TORRID | Bag by ALDO (alternative here) |
Shop Caterina’s look:
Moto Jacket by SONCY | Top by SONCY | Skirt by SONCY | Shoes are Cat’s personal collection (alternative here)Earrings by ALDO | Bag by ALDO (alternative here) |
