Finally: J.Crew in Canada!

If you encountered unexpected levels of traffic on your way to Yorkdale, J.Crew might be to blame. First Canadian store of the preppy US retailer opened earlier this month to much excitement from the shopaholics (myself included).

At the launch of the store, I witnessed the coolest pieces fly off the shelves (don’t worry, they restock) faster than you can say “twin-set”. The store itself is really fun – bright and spacious, with stylish (and helpful) sales associates decked out in J.Crew from head to toe, not to mention the great selection of womenswear, from my fave Cafe Capris, to cashmere sweaters in all colors of the rainbow, to a ton of pretty shoes and accessories. J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler and President Jenna Lyons mingled with attendees, with Jenna dressed up in her signature stripes, and sequins – the look she’d perfected.

As for me, I made a mental checklist of my J.Crew must-haves, that I could come back to try on once the craziness dies down a bit. They include beautiful cropped floral pants, as well as the cropped pants on every guest’s list – in loud fuschia or bold orange – perfect for a night out, yet demure enough to wear at the office. Another item on my list is a pair of lace-up boots in camel leather – a pair that will go perfectly with skirts, jeans, dresses, pants (bathing suits even?) this fall. Last, but not least, I am hoping that the classic J.Crew trench looks as good on me as it does on a mannequin – I need a new one this season, and the one at the store looks pretty damn perfect.

If you still haven’t stopped by the store, and are looking to update your wardrobe for the Back To School Work season, now is the time. See you there?

More photos from the launch on our Facebook Page!

Moon Apparel Fall 2011 Collection Preview

Earlier this month, Moon Apparel held the launch of their first-eve menswear collection, as well as their Fall 2011 womenswear line. Just like at the last year’s launch, the Misfits DJ’d, with Leigh Lezark looking as svelte and gorgeous as ever.

As for the collections, I felt that the womens’ line was a lot stronger and more exciting the second time around – there were still plenty of office-wear classics, interspersed with standout pieces like sequined skirt, pink and blue sheer blouses, navy lace dress and skirt, and my personal favorite – golden brocade dress. The lace dress and skirt are already available at The Bay stores nationwide, and are incredibly versatile – from day to night, and which incidentally, I have in my closet already.

Moon Apparel menswear Fall 2011 collection consists of classic suits, cropped pants, cardigans, plaid and quilted jackets, in black, beige, and navy – simple silhouettes for any urban gentleman’s wardrobe. Seems that every guy in the room (and some girls too) were calling dibs on the camel menswear cardis with black piping – must-have classic for fall.

Created and designed by the dynamic brother-sister duo Jordin and Tamara Mimran, Moon Apparel is now in its sophomore year, and is showing no signs of slow down. Can’t wait to see what’s next!

Giveaway: $150 PRIVÉ Gift Certificate

I promised you a great giveaway, and it’s finally here! Who’s excited?

Here it is…if you like shopping and free stuff, then this one’s for you!

Style Blog partnered up with an awesome Canadian shopping site PRIVÉ to give one of you a $150 Gift Certificate to spend on whatever your heart desires!

In case you didn’t know, PRIVÉ is a Canadian flash sale website, that offers members only access to limited time events, with leading designer brands available at up to 70% off retail. And if you’re not in Canada, don’t fret, PRIVÉ ships internationally!

Excited yet? Here’s what you need to do to enter (please read carefully):

1. Join PRIVÉ via this link to ensure that you are entered, and leave a comment below with your full name and email address

2. If you are a member already, please leave your full name and email address in the comment section below

3. For extra entries, RT the following: “Hey @styleblogca, I want the @PRIVE $150 gift card! http://styleblog.ca/?p=11171 #StyleBlogPrive“

4. You don’t have to be a follower, but it’s always appreciated. Facebook: www.facebook.com/styleblogca Twitter: www.twitter.com/styleblogca

5. This giveaway is open to readers everywhere!

6. C’est tout

This contest closes on September 4th, 2011 11:59 EST. Good luck to all! And the winner is…Rebecca R! Congrats, girl! For all those that entered but didn’t win, another giveaway is coming soon! Thanks for entering!

Greta Constantine Primer Collection 02 Launch

Last week, le boyfriend and I made our way to the launch of Greta Constantine’s PRIMER Collection 02, held at a freaking mansion! As a huge fan of PRIMER Collection 01 (there’s no Spring/Fall 2011 designation, as pieces are meant to be worn and layered any time, any year), I was really excited to see what the talented Canadian duo would come up with this time around. Especially so, since the press release promised “jewel tones like royal blue, emerald, persimmon, and  amber” – a fun departure from the greys and blacks of Collection 01.

Once we’d arrived at the swanky venue, we realized that many of the guests at the party were already rocking PRIMER frocks in fun colors, fluid silhouettes, and nearly transparent fabrics – gorgeous designs, that would make any woman feel beautiful. And since PRIMER is decently priced from $95 to $495 , I didn’t feel too guilty coveting so many pieces from the collection (like the most perfect royal blue dress below).

“For this collection, we wanted to create a lightness with it all,”  shares Kirk Pickersgill. “They’re easy pieces that don’t require much,  if any, effort.  Importantly, they’re the type of basics that can be  worn in countless ways, each wearer contributing their own distinct  sense of self.” And judging by all the effortlessly chic ladies decked out in PRIMER at the launch, the collection delivers that and more. Can’t wait till it hits the stores, so I can finally add a piece of Greta PRIMER to my closet.

What I Wore: J.Crew

Inspired by J.Crew’s stylish President Jenna Lyons, I’ve decided to layer a light linen/cotton J.Crew sweater over a cream maxi dress for a mix of casual and (slightly) dressy. Then I decided to wear it to work…which was a big mistake – rolling my office chair all over the bottom of the skirt, getting the hem stuck in the wheels – not my idea of a productive work day. Thankfully, once my cubicle was out of sight, the outfit got a lot more comfortable. Lesson learned: office chair + maxi skirt = disaster waiting to happen.

Post on J.Crew’s launch party is coming soon! Stay tuned.

I Wore: Dress, Necklace – Forever21; Sweater – J.Crew; Belt – Calvin Klein; Bag – Prada; Ring – YSL; Sunglasses – Ray Ban

Style Fille: Anne Hathaway

Well, hello Anne Hathaway! I fancy your pajama pants fancy pants today. Thanks for the inspiration.

Photo Credits: Lainey Gossip

Shopping: Birks Jewelry

We all know what a certain blue blue box has become synonymous for (all together now) – Tiffany! But here in Canada, we have our own blue-box-central – and that’s Birks jewelry stores. Not only do they carry gorgeous engagement rings, wedding bands, and other bling, but as I recently found out, they also collaborate with notable Canadians (ESTY, Joannie Rochette, Jenn Heil) to create unique and timeless pieces.

There were so many pieces at Birks that I found myself coveting, and though many of them are out of my current budget, I thought I’d share them with you anyway!

At first glance, Birks Blue Collection’s engagement rings, though gorgeous, didn’t look much different from the rest. But if you take a closer look, you’ll notice tiny diamond-cut saphires embedded in each piece. Something blue on your wedding day? Birks has you covered!

Birks Needlefish Collection by ESTY is full of beautiful modern pieces, “capturing the very essence of sea life”, much like the Birks Seaside Collection. Those starfish earrings are totally going on my wishlist!

Aside from their signature collections, the company also sells vintage pieces, like the most adorable leopard brooch, and the decadent lapis lazulis and freshwater pearl bracelets above. They will cost you a small fortune, but if you’ve got the money to spend - you’ll be sure that your purchase is a unique piece of art with plenty of history behind it (and cute to boot).

If vintage is not your steeze, I am sure we can all agree that those Gucci bamboo drop earrings are to die for! Oh, and there’s a matching bracelet available too.

So what do you think about Birks’ selection? Share in the comments.

H&M Style Face-off x VitaminDaily.com

Most of you already know that my love for H&M runs deep. It’s one of those stores that keeps popping up over and over (and over and over) again on my bank statement month after month – I think I might just be addicted. So when Vitamin Daily asked me to contribute to a promo that involved H&M, I didn’t have to think twice. I think my response might’ve been to the extent of ”YESWHEREDOISIGNIAMSOHAPPYILOVEH&M”.

So here’s the deal: I, among some really cool bloggers (Beckerman sisters, Stefania of Textstyles, It Girl Anya, and a few others) had to stop by an H&M store, style a mannequin, and take some photos of our final masterpiece(s).

What for? Well, Vitamin Daily is holding a super fun H&M Style Face-off contest, which just went live, and you…yes YOU can win $100 H&M gift card, simply by voting on your favorite mannequin. Seriously…that’s ALL you have to do – Like Vitamin Daily’s Facebook Page, then click Like on your fave look (1 per person), sit back, and hope that you won.

And while I’m not going to twist your arm and make you vote for my creation (do it!), I do think she looks mighty cute. And if you do decide to vote for Style Blog’s mannequin – I have a bribe chocolate bar with your name on it…though I will probably eat it myself…but I’ll think of you while eating it! Deal?

I will admit though, I do have some crazy-good competition – I, myself, adore all of the looks that other bloggers put together, so if you don’t vote for blonde Nelly Jr., I won’t hold it against you (but no chocolate for you!).

So what are you waiting for? Visit Vitamin Daily Facebook Page to enter H&M Style Face-off contest now!

I Wore: Dress, T-shirt - H&M; Necklace – Forever21; Shoes – Aldo x Flare; Bracelet – BCBG

Banana Republic x Mad Men Collection

Banana Republic x Mad Men Collection is now in stores! The show’s Emmy-winning costume designer Janie Bryant collaborated with the retailer to create a 65-piece capsule collection of clothing, accessories, and shoes inspired by the uber-popular show.

You can expect to see a lot of 60′s silhouettes, leopard prints and grown-up florals galore, tailored suiting and dresses, and the cutest classic pumps I’ve seen in a long while. I absolutely loved the cream lace dress from the collection, as well as lace tops (that come in both black and white), which to me, are classic pieces that will never go out of style.

The clothes are definitely reminiscent of the show, but aren’t at all costumey. “The collection for Banana Republic is amazingly modern and chic and contemporary, in terms of cuts and fabric,” says Bryant. Because, presumably, not everyone is blessed with Joan Holloway’s killer hourglass proportions.

Banana Republic x Mad Men ($13-$475) collection is now available online and in stores.

Style Fille: Jenna Lyons

Tonight, Toronto welcomes Jenna Lyons – President and Executive Creative Director of J.Crew at the company’s first official store opening in Canada! If you still don’t know who Jenna is…well, she’s the woman behind the brand – the J in J.Crew,  she is Jenna from “Jenna’s Picks”, and the reason why so many of us want to achieve the effortless-chic-look featured in the pages of J.Crew’s lookbooks and catalogues.

It is not surprising then, that this woman, who is a pro at high-low styling, is a huge style inspiration to many, with her easy-breezy cocktail of feminine and masculine styles, and her endless love for sequins and furs. She wore a freaking sweater over her gown to the Met Gala! Now that takes some serious style-chops to pull off.

What do you think about Jenna’s style? Are you as obsessed as I am? Let me know in the comments.

Photo Credits: TFS