Holidays 2010: Stylish Lady Gift Guide

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I’m proud to say, that I’m half-way done…only a few big ones left on my list, and then I can begin enjoying the season, instead of running around like a madwoman from one store to another on my lunch hour and after work…who knew that shopping can be so exhausting?!

Just in case you’re still stumped, here are a few gift ideas for that special woman in your life. Some are under $10, and others…in case you really want to pamper that stylish lady of yours, are a bit more expensive. Enjoy!

1. Love Moschino Clutch $190 (The Bay)

2. Lanvin for H&M Shoes $99 (H&M)

3. Fornasetti Candle $150 (AT Design)

4. Gap Bow Belt $25 (Gap)

5. Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara $8.99 (Shoppers)

6. The September Issue DVD $22 (Best Buy, HMV)

7. Calvin Klein BEAUTY $89-$115 (The Bay)

8. Swarovski USB Stick $120 (Swarovski)

9. Olympia Le Tan Book Clutch $1500 (The Room)

10. Danier Leather Gloves $49 (Danier)

Don’t Miss – This Week in Toronto!

LG Fashion Week is almost here, and it seems that Toronto is buzzing with excitement! But until next week, there are plenty of things to do and see for fashion lovers in the city. Here’s a list of the do-not-miss events happening this week:

1. God Save the Queen at The Bay (Friday, October 15th)

If there’s an event this October that makes one forget about Toronto Fashion Week altogether, this one is it. For all those Brit Fashion fans, The Room at The Bay is hosting a two-day “British Invasion”, which includes designers Mark Fast, Erdem Moralioglu, Jonathan Saunders, Charlotte Olympia Dellal, Nicholas Kirkwood, Marios Schwab and Giles Deacon showing off their designs, fresh off London Fashion Week runways. And though Thursday night is guest-list only, Friday, October 15th is free for all.

Spring 2011 trunk shows will include Charlotte Olympia at 11am, The Next Wave of British Fashion Panel Discussion at 12pm, Giles Deacon at 1pm, Erdem (woohoo!) at 2pm, Nicholas Kirkwood at 3pm, and Jonathan Saunders at 4pm. This is your chance to see Spring 2011 collections up close and personal before they even hit the stores. Definitely an opportunity not to be missed. See you there?

2. Eleven Boutique Celebrates Canadian Art & Fashion

This month, Eleven celebrates top Canadian fashion designers along with the work of local Canadian artists; beginning with an installation by Toronto born artist Jenna Pietrobon, amongst a backdrop of this season’s most coveted Fall fashions and accessories.   Closing the celebratory month is a shopping evening partnering with local neighbour, The Guild Shop, the Ontario Crafts Council’s retail gallery since 1932.
 
Eleven Art Installation
When: Now Showing until October 15th
 
Celebrating Canadian Art and Fashion
When:  Thursday October 28th, 5pm – 8pm

Eleven, a boutique that carries a lot of Canadian fashion/jewelry brands is a must-visit on your next trip to Yorkville. And if you can squeeze in some culture, while supporting Canadian art & fashion? Even better.

3. Sears Canada LG Fashion Week Promotion

As one of the Fashion Week sponsors, Sears teamed up with LG for the following fashion week promos:

- Visit one of the participating stores and fill out a ballot to win 1 of 5 V.I.P. tickets to the Sears Attitude Fashion show at LG Fashion Week on October 20, 2010.

- 1 of the 5 ticket winners will also win a LG Steam Washer & Dryer* (Selected winner must be present at the Fashion show on October 20 or will forfeit the prize).

- Purchase a new LG Steam Washer & Dryer and receive a $100 Sears Gift Card, October 8 – 24, 2010

4. Dare to Wear Love Show

Ok, so this one is not happening this week, per se. But it is for a good cause, and tickets are already available, so you’d better move fast if you’d like to attend. This year, all seats are being sold in order to raise funds for the grassroots organizations in Africa on the frontlines of the AIDS pandemic, supported by the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

At 8 p.m. on Friday, October 22, ticket holders will have the opportunity to attend an exclusive cocktail party in the Fashion Environment at Heritage Court. Following the party, guests will experience Dare to Wear Love, an uplifting and unforgettable show full of African-inspired fashion, dance and music.

More than 25 talented designers including Brian Bailey, Evan Biddell, Damzels In This Dress, David Dixon, Comrags, Linda Lundström, Lucian Matis, Pat McDonagh, Jason Meyers, Nada, Kingi Carpenter, Izzy Camilleri, and many more will produce one women’s or men’s ensemble for a mix of professional models, celebrity models and friends of the designers to wear down the runway. Each designer is given six yards of eye-catching fabrics sourced from Africa to create their one-of-a-kind look.

Wishlist: Keith Haring by Nicholas Kirkwood

How amazing are these Keith Haring by Nicholas Kirkwood shoes? These sure would round out my collection of “crazy” shoes quite nicely. My favorite is definitely the blue-man-heel pair, but since these four are only a sneak peek, there are other styles to look forward to. The collection will be available worldwide in February 2011, with a special eight-day pop-up shop, launching online in September during London fashion week.

Are you excited to see the rest of Keith Haring-inspired shoe styles? Let me know in the comments.

Photo Credits: www.style.com

Wishlist: Dolce & Gabbana Face Wedges

From the Suede Kisses bag to Suede Faces shoes…I am obsessed. I should be growing out of these types of things, my taste and my style should be maturing as I get older, but instead, I find myself further drawn to silly, kitschy items like these Dolce & Gabbana face wedges. Is there no hope for me? Will I be a sixty-year old woman in a silly hat, wearing silly shoes and silly jewelry? Not sure yet, but stay tuned.

Photo Credits: Sea of Shoes

The Selby In Our Place

Well, not in my place or your place, but in Toronto! The famed photographer and illustrator Todd Selby visited our lovely (if slightly G20 handicapped) city to promote his new book “The Selby is in Your Place”. Holt Renfrew held the Toronto launch of his book at Parts & Labour restaurant in Parkdale, while fans got a chance to meet him at the Bloor St. Holt Renfrew book signing the next day.

If you still don’t know who Todd Selby is (have you been living under a rock?), check out his website. It’s chock-full of great and quirky decorating ideas, that you can steal from the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Lou Doillon, and Inès de la Fressange, and many stylish others.

Photo Credits: 2nd photo – Jennifer Roberts for The Globe And Mail; all others – Style Blog

Elle Spain’s Disney Designers

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Karl Lagerfeld fell into some well (ala Enchanted) only to end up in a Disney-animated world? Well, Elle Spain certainly has given it some thought, and the results, I must admit, are pretty cool! Can totally see Donatella as a duck, it’s completely spot on! But then again, most of the designers in the spread are ducks (with the exception of Karl, and D&G). Were the folks at Elle Spain too scared to paint someone as a pig, a cow, or…gasp…an elephant in their April 2010 issue? I would guess so. I, for one, would never want to taste someone like Karl’s wrath! No, thanks!

I think these cartoons are pretty amazing! Do you? Sound off in the comments!

Photo Credits: www.refinery29.com

Chanel Paris – Shanghai Collection

You might remember last year’s Chanel Paris-Moscow collection, which featured such gems as Matryoshka doll and Fabergé-inspired bags. Well, to honor the Universal Exhibition in Shanghai, Chanel launched a collection inspired by that Chinese city. This limited-edition collection also includes a pretty lacquered doll-clutch, as well as a not-so-PC “Take Away” purse, dragon cuffs, and tacky sequined bags. 

Once again, I find myself enthralled by the loveliness of the very kitschy (yet very unattainable) doll clutch, and I even like the Chanel “to go” box-bag. And why the heck not? It’s cute, tongue-in-cheek, and fun to look at. I’d definitely buy one if money wasn’t an issue. What about you? Do you like any of the pieces, or are they too much for you?

Photo Credits: TFS

Alexander McQueen Fall 2010 Collection

Earlier this week, 16 showpieces from Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2010 collection were presented in Paris. Inspired by the Byzantine art and Old Master paintings, the collection was hailed “heartbreakingly beautiful”. Indeed it is. It is also heartbreakingly sad, that another incredible talent is gone too soon. Rest in peace, Lee Alexander McQueen. You and your art will be greatly missed.

Photo Credits: TFS

La Dolce Vita

Watching La Dolce Vita tonight. Such a sad, but beautiful film. One of my favorites. Did you know it won an Oscar for Costume Design? If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it!

Stamped?

Ok, I love Chanel! Mostly the little tweed blazers that I’ll probably never own in a million years, or the classic quilted purses that I will own in less than a million years. I love Chanel’s infamous interlocking CC’s and have been a Chanel lover for many years now. But stamping my forehead with their logo? Definitely would not do that. Now this is just an art project, which I have to admit, is quite creative…but I honestly think that there is an actual market for such a thing. Branding just took on a whole other meaning.

Would you get your forehead stamped with Chanel’s or any other brand’s logo?

Photo Credits: Refinery29