Miss Selfridge - Paisley Neon Scarf

Yesterday was my last day teaching in England. While the day was very much bitter sweet, I did leave the school feeling relieved and positive about my decision to go back home to Canada. If there is one important lesson that I have learned from this experience, it's to always follow your gut feeling. I have always prized myself on the fact that I do know myself well enough that I quick to realise when something will work out or not and I have always trusted that feeling. I truly believe that it's for that reason that I can confidently say that so far, I have lived a life of no regrets. Every decision I have made has always been made in order to achieve true happiness and really, with that frame of mind, how can I go wrong?

I have never been good at goodbyes and yesterday was no different. As the end of the day came closer and closer, I could feel my heartbeat race quicker and quicker as I dreaded the round of goodbyes I would have to go through. The staff I have had the chance to work with have been so amazing, friendly and inviting. I have truly learned a lot from them and the past couple months in their company have opened my eyes to different ways of teaching.

One person that has truly stood out was the Head Deputy at the school. She is such a lovely person and has been an amazing mentor. She is one of the sweetest persons I have ever had chance to meet and I very much hope to see her again someday. She truly cares for her staff and only wants the best for them. When I came by her office to bid her farewell, she surprised me with one of the most gorgeous scarves I have ever seen. She had noticed how much I love scarves and how I'm almost always wearing one, so she went and bough one from Miss Selfridge as a parting gift for me. I was truly touched by her thoughtful gesture and am so grateful for it.

Since I don't have my good camera here with me, I can't take a proper photograph of an outfit. However, I do have a similar dress as in the picture below and the scarf is actually the one that was given to me. The only item I don't have would be the mint coloured shoes, but these have been on my wish list for quite a while, so very soon...

Paisley Neon Scarf by undeniablymartine featuring fringe scarves

Winter's a coming

Winter's a coming par undeniablymartine utilisant cape en laine

With the cold weather making it's way here, here a ten super cute coats that could make the transition to the cooler seasons much better.

At the moment, I am weak for leather jackets such as the Black Faux Leather Jacket from Aéropostale. I recently bought one from New Look and I simply adore it. You can keep it casual and warm by wearing it open over a hoodie, but you can also dress it up by wearing it over a nice dress or with skinny jeans and some gorgeous pumps.

I am also a sucker for longer coats, such as the salmon coloured Marc Jacobs belted wrap coat, the mustard Vivienne Westwood coat, the red Miss Selfridge coat and the black Warehouse Crepe Military Coat. They seem a bit fancier than the average hip-length coat and would be perfect to wear out on a special events, such as on a date, an interview, an evening at the theatre, etc.

The grey Raxevsky jacket, the nude MSGM Cape en Laine and the sleeveless Haider Ackermann vest on the other hand, would be perfect for those warmer autumn evening when you only need a long sleeved shirt underneath to keep you warm. Add that to a nice of jeans with flats, and you've got the ideal casual day outfit!

Finally, the black Miu Miu belted jacket and the blue L K Bennett belted wool coat will look good on anyone, as the belt will accentuate the smallest part of your waist, therefore giving the gorgeous hourglass silhouette all the while keeping you warm and toasty.

Have you been wearing your warm coat already? What does it look like and with what kind of outfit do you prefer to wear it?

Get you maxi on!

For the second day in a row, it almost feels like summer, here in Ireland, which means that I've been taking advantage of this time to wear dresses. My current obsession is maxi dresses! They are so comfortable, and paired with a nice fitting pale denim jacket, a sweet pair of wedge sandals and a belt, you have an outfit fit for boho-chic royalty! We recently had a promotion where dresses (including maxi dresses) were only 30 euros at Gap. Needless to say that I quickly took advantage of the opportunity and bought myself a few gorgeous pieces to prepare myself for sunny days to come!

Get you maxi on! by undeniablymartine featuring a cotton jacket

Life guidelines #4: Be curious

A while ago, I started writing about the guidelines of life that I like to follow. My vision of life, if you will. Today, I would like to talk to you about education.

Now I am just not talking about school and college or university. I am talking about educating yourself by opening up your eyes to the world. Life is so beautiful, filled with such wonderful things to see, amazing places to discover... Be curious! Seek to learn a new language, to visit a new place, to find a new hobby. Learning new things will help you open your mind, broaden your horizon, make new friends and put you in contact with amazing opportunities.

I've been saying lately, how going to university was like taking a veil off my eyes. Before, I considered myself pretty open minded towards new experiences, but still had that small town mentality that held me back. Spending 6 years in university definitely helped me get rid of some of those barriers. I started striving for bigger and better things. Not material things, but life experiences. And then, last summer, I went on the ultimate experience of my life and backpacked across Europe for 6 weeks, 2 of which I did on my own. While university took the veil off my eyes, traveling made me open my eyes. I now see the world for what it is: a wonderful paradise full of amazing people! I now want to travel across the globe, see every continent, make friends from the four corners of the earth... I am curious about everything that is out there, I want to try it out all at least once.

I can say that I love the person that I am today, and I contribute a lot of that to my travels. During my time with my backpack, especially those two weeks on my own, I learned more about myself than I ever did in the last 25 years. I've learned to appreciate the small things and that money isn't what makes you rich.

I've never considered myself emotionally attached to my country of origin, and now I know why. I am a citizen of the world, a happy-infected-with-wanderlust traveler, and a seeker of knowledge and experiences. I am not saying that you should book a flight to Australia for next week or anything.

I'm simply urging you to not be afraid of trying out new things, even if it is only the new restaurant down the street. You might end up finding out that you actually really like sushi and that raw fish is not as disgusting as you originally thought!

Be curious by undeniablymartine featuring h&m tank tops

Life guideline #3: Positivity

One thing I pride myself for, is my ability to see the good side of things. Which is why my 3rd life guideline is ...

Positivity

It's easy to get caught up in everything that is going on around you. Your family, your friends, your other half, your job... Sometimes, when things aren't going so well in one or more of those categories, it's not difficult to fall into a sort of funk and to be honest, it's completely normal. What is important, however, is that you are able to get out of the state of mind and think positively in order to focus on how to find a solution to whatever problem you're having.

I believe that in order to have a positive outlook on life, that first thing to do is to be thankful. I find that in today's world, everything seems to be about more and bigger: more money, bigger house, more gadgets, bigger car... And it is so easy to get caught up in what others have that we don't. Shouldn't we instead be focusing on what we do have and be thankful for it? Yes, I may not own a convertible, a mansion or more money than I would know what to do with, but at least I have a good health that allows me to appreciate the people around me and the things I do have. At least I have a roof on top of my head with electricity and heat. At least I have a family and friends that I absolutely adore and who love me back. For all these things, I am extremely thankful. With this kind of attitude, it is so much easier to think positively because no matter how bad my day is, at the end of it, it's not so bad because I still have all the things that matter me.

I'm also a big believer in "what is meant to be will be." Since I've moved to Ireland, I found it quite hard to find a job. Yes, moving to a country in recession may not have been the best idea financial-wise, but I still knew everything would work out.  This didn't mean I simply sat on my couch and waited for things to happen. No, instead, I looked and searched even harder. I know I am meant to be here so at the end, everything will fall into place. It's like the saying, "Everything will be alright in the end. If it's not alright, then it's not the end."

Positivity by undeniablymartine featuring knit scarves

Life guidelines #2 : Listen

A few days ago, I wrote a post about life guidelines I follow. I talked about how smiling is beneficial for you and people around you, so basically everybody! Now on to my second guideline, one that I think is extremely important: the ability to...

Listen

I have read somewhere that we have 2 ears and 1 mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we can talk and I thought it was so brilliantly put! I am quite the introverted person and when it comes to socialising, I am usually not the life of the party. When conversing with others, especially strangers, I tend to not say a lot. Not because I have nothing to say, but because I'd rather listen and put the focus on the other person. 

I think it is extremely important to be able to truly listen to those around us and most importantly, to be able to do so without jugging.  Communication is the cornerstone of every relationship and I believe that being an active listener can only cater to it. 

You can be an active listener by first putting yourself in the speaker's shoes: it can be easy to minimize other's problems, but unless you've walked a mile in their shoes, you are in no position to brush their concerns away. Doing so is like basically telling them that they are not important. What you can do is be a good friend and let them talk about it. Sometime, just being able to verbalise something makes everything clearer and helps us put things in perspective. You can also encourage the speaker with body language: again, no need to talk. A simply nod of the head and eye contact will do just fine. 

Most of all, be patient. There is no need to force someone to talk: this could actually do the complete opposite. Reassure the speaker and let them know that you were happy to listen to them and that you are there for them. 

Listening to others can be such a great thing: whether it's them telling you about a problem or even announcing a good news, it gives you the opportunity to share a moment with them, a moment that shows they are comfortable with you and that they trust you. It shows that you are important to them. So take that opportunity to let them know that they were right to talk to you and that you are worthy of that trust.

Listen by undeniablymartine featuring silver post earrings