You Are Invited: “Three Years of Style” Party at the Thompson Hotel Rooftop!

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Exciting news, my lovely readers! Next week, Style Blog, The Backseat Stylers, and The Souls of My Shoes will get together to celebrate our joint 3-year blog anniversaries at The Thompson Hotel Rooftop Lounge…and you are invited!!! I am super excited to meet and hang out with some of my awesome Toronto readers, have a few cocktails, and enjoy the view from the rooftop of one of my fave Toronto hotels! I hope you’ll be able to join Kimberly, Sharon, Tara, and me!

* Dress to Impress! Over $650 worth of prizes (courtesy of Danier Leather, eLUXE, LINE Knitwear, Nella Bella, Roots, and Yorkdale Shopping Centre) will be given away to the 3 best-dressed ladies in attendance, and 1 best-dressed gent!

* Arrive Early! Our 50 first guests will receive swag bags courtesy of Ardell Lashes, eLUXE, Essence Cosmetics, FLARE Magazine, Goody, John Frieda, Nella Bella, Roots, Tweezerman, Vitamin Water…and more!

* Practice Your Blue Steel! You Just Got Spotted will be on site to capture the stylish moments!

If you’d like to join the festivities, please make sure to RSVP to sheilakhui@gmail.com, as space is limited and guest list is in effect. See you all there?

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Stay Foolish Party at Andrew Richard Designs

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Last year, I couldn’t make it to the annual Summer Industry Event held at the Andrew Richard Designs loft…and my friends would not let me live it down! I was taunted with stories of delicious lobster rolls, fun crowds, and “the best party ever”. So when this year’s invitation landed in my inbox, I made sure to clear my schedule. I wasn’t about to miss it again.

And I am so glad that I went! This year’s theme of “Stay Foolish” ensured that we had plenty of foolish/fun things to do, ranging from shooting cork guns to win a stuffed toy (I actually managed to hit a couple of targets!), drinking spiked lemonade, tossing rings, and indulging in cotton candy. Apart from the fun activities, the vendors that catered the event brought their A+ game, and yes, I must admit, that the lobster rolls were indeed deeelish (catered by e11even in case you wanted to try one).

So what I’m saying here is…next year, if you get a Facebook invite from ARD to attend this annual bash, I honestly urge you not to ignore it like the rest of the Facebook invites, that let’s face it, we all ignore at one point or another, and just go! The folks over at ARD sure do know how to throw an amazing party…and the lobster rolls will blow your mind!

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Photo Credits: 1 – Societe Perrier, 2-6 – Andrew Richard Designs

Rodarte’s Kate and Laura Mulleavy at The Bay in Toronto!

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Did you hear? Designer siblings Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte will be in Toronto on May 23rd for a private party at The Bay’s The Room to celebrate their Fall 2012 collection. But if you’re not lucky enough to be on the super exclusive invite list, don’t fret…rumour has it, the fantastically talented duo will return the next day for a public appearance at The Room at 12:30pm.

Ok, so it’s not a rumour…I actually saw a flyer with my own eyes, but totally forgot to save it – my bad. I’ve since not been able to find it, and I am not sure whether it’s due to the fact that the public appearance has been cancelled, or due to my subpar sleuthing skills…but either way, once more details are confirmed, I will update this post. Stay tuned!

Are you excited to meet Rodarte in person? Share in the comments!

UPDATE: The Room’s Nicholas Mellamphy just confirmed on Twitter that the public event IS HAPPENING!

May 24th, 2012 at 12:30pm
The Bay Queen St (The Room – 3rd floor)
Jeanne Beker will interview the sister duo behind Rodarte!

Be there, or be square, people! Opportunity of a lifetime, right here!

Photo Credits: The Bay

Halloween 2010: Last-Minute Costumes

Every year, I plan on dressing up for Halloween, and every year I inevitably wait until the week before the party to start putting my costume together. Most times, everything I need…well, almost everything I need, is right inside my closet. This year, I came up with these 5 easy costumes that do not involve much polyester, sluttiness, or money-spending. Shop your own closet for supplies this year, and I bet you, you’ll be surprised at how many costume ideas you’ll be able to come up with!

1. Lady Gaga in Telephone

People have been going gaga for Gaga’s eclectic and sometimes outright batshit crazy stage outfits, which makes them perfect for recreating come Halloween. One of the easiest and cheapest options I could come up with (short of taping a bunch of bottles to a nude dress to make a “bubble bottle dress”) was the “Caution Tape Outfit” from her video Telephone. All you need is some caution tape, safety pins or needles/thread, or possibly scotch tape, and the craziest shoes you can find in your closet.

All I did was wrap the caution tape all over my top/liquid leggings combo, safety pinned it in place (didn’t even have to cut anything), and I was done. If you’re actually serious about recreating the look, you could wrap the tape around your naked/near-naked body, or actually tape that crap to your clothes. Since, I’m neither dedicated nor patient, I wrapped it haphazardly, but perhaps if I actually end up choosing this look, I’ll also attach some tape to the 3D glasses I’m wearing. Cost me all of $2.50 for the tape…everything else was right inside my closet. Done. This look would also work with meat…but it might get smelly by the end of the night.

If you wrap yourself with toilet paper instead, you could look like a pretty hot mummy. Just sayin’.

2. Cousin Itt – The Addams Family

Ever since my mom made fun of my hat/hair/scarf/glasses combo, I’ve been thinking about incorporating said items into a costume, and here’s the final result. To pull off this look you will either need a wig, or if you have long hair, you’ll simply need to flip it in front of your face, put some glasses over it, put on a hat, wear a long-ass dress and something furry/hairy on top. Done. Cost? ZERO dollars…and possibly some bruises and broken bones due to poor visibility. Small price to pay for such an awesome costume! No one will ever accuse you of trying to look slutty this Hallows’ Eve!

3. Wenda - Where’s Waldo?

I am a huge stripes fiend, so this costume is actually came quite naturally. All you need is a red/white striped shirt, a red or white hat with a pom-pom, a blue or denim skirt, some rad (or red) frames, and some red/white striped tights. It also helps to carry a camera, and keep asking people “Where’s Waldo???”. Done! And it cost…all of NOTHING.

I do think that Odlaw’s costume is much more fun that Wenda’s…but finding a yellow/black striped shirt proved a difficult task. If you’re serious about your commitment to portray this baddie, get some yellow duct tape, stick stripes all over a black sweater, put on some black pants and a yellow/black striped hat, round-rim glasses, grow/buy a mustache and you’re done!

4. Dorothy - The Wizard of Oz

This one was a result of my affinity to my Rodarte for Target baby-blue dress. It’s been hanging lifelessly in my closet for over a year now, and I have finally found some use for it! This dress could also be worn as part of Alice in Wonderland costume, but it would probably work best on a blonde.

Back to Dorothy: all you need are some ruby slippers (red heels in this case), a blue dress, pigtails, basket, and someone to play the role of Toto. If I go with this costume, Pepper is getting a dog makeover…or not. Once again, it cost me nothing…

5. Terry Richardson

If you truly want a TERRYfying costume…then look no further than photographer/alleged model abuser Terry Richardson. All you need is a standard hipster uniform of plaid shirt, skinny jeans, Converse sneaks, some Terry-esque shades and a handlebar moustache. Obviously, I wasn’t particularly committed to this look…the glasses are all wrong, and the moustache is nowhere to be seen…but if I actually decided to go as him, all I would need are those two props to complete the look. Extra points for carrying a banana, a camera, and making strangers pose provocatively for ya.

What are you wearing for Halloween this year? I’d love to know!

God Save The Queen: Panel Discussion/Trunk Shows

The morning after the oh-so-fabulous God Save The Queen party at The Room, I woke up excited and ready to go. Why excited, you might ask? Well, not only did The Bay fly the fab Brits into Toronto for a party, the designers were also on hand to showcase their Spring 2011 collections, which were open to the public the next day. Unable to pass up such an incredible opportunity, my schedule was planned around the The Next British Invasion.

Having apparently missed Charlotte Olympia’s trunk show, I was a bit bummed, but was really looking forward to the panel discussion with the designers and Bronwyn Cosgrave at the helm. And it was well-worth the wait!

Having prepared for the day by reading some of the designers’ previous interviews, it was still fascinating to hear the Q&A straight from the artists’ mouths in an intimate environment. Designers were asked about their personal journeys and how they came to be who they are today. Best response of the day definitely went to Charlotte Olympia Dellal, who, when asked why she chose to design shoes of all things, replied with “What girl wouldn’t want to make her own shoes?”. A response that drew many ladies in attendance to nod (and whoop) in agreement.

Jonathan Saunders offered some insight into collaborating with Topshop, while Nicholas Kirkwood shared stories about the upcoming opening of his first standalone store and the late Isabella Blow - style icon credited with much of Alexander McQueen’s success. Giles Deacon provided some comic relief for the day, by addressing Cosgrave’s “Lindsay Lohan” question by saying that he had to get rid of ”loads of needles” at Ungaro…”sewing needles that is”. Mark Fast let us in on reasons why he chooses to make his clothes by hand and Erdem Moralioglu told us that his secret for dealing with bad reviews is to “move on quickly”.

I know that I’ve said this before, but it felt almost surreal to be listening to these incredibly talented designers lined up in front of us, gathered in the same room. And judging by their interaction, one could definitely tell that they genuinely enjoyed each other’s company too. Erdem confirmed this by offering that they ”have a wonderful sense of community where we all know each other and we’re all friends”. They certainly seemed friendly enough – no claws in sight.

The panel discussion was followed by a string of trunk shows, featuring beautiful Spring 2011 clothes from London, which even Jeanne Beker couldn’t resist attending.

By the end of the day, one could clearly see that both events were hugely successful – an incredible opportunity for Canadians to get a glimpse behind the curtain of the fascinating world of British Fashion Royalty, courtesy of The Room and its creative director Nicholas Melamphy. And judging by the direction The Bay has taken as of late, and by the willingness of the new and established designers to be seen and for their brands to be carried at the venerable Canadian retailer, this might be one of the first events of such scale in Toronto, but it certainly isn’t the last. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

Marios Schwab, Leith Clark, Erdem Moralioglu, Jonathan Saunders, Giles Deacon, Nicholas Kirkwood, Olympia Dellal

Nicholas Kirkwood and I. He shared that he was going on a quick trip to Niagara Falls right after the trunk shows  - a place we all take for granted, yet it’s fascinating for the Brits. Who would’ve thought?

My fave Kirkwood for Rodarte wax heels…drool…swoon…le sigh.

God Save The Queen: The Next British Invasion Party!

Last week, the most amazing thing happened. A group of prominent young British designers landed in Toronto to be feted at The Bay’s own Room on Queen St. Having swooned over many of their collections on Style.com for years, it was an incredible experience to have been able to meet and mingle with such creative geniuses as Canadian-born Erdem Moralioglu and Mark Fast, Jonathan Saunders, Nicholas Kirkwood, Giles Deacon, Marios Schwab, Tom Binns, Mary Katrantzou and the lovely Charlotte Olympia Dellal – all huge names worldwide, and all partying together at the same Room at the same time! When I first got the invite, I think le boyfriend went deaf from my…ahem…excitement. Huge thanks to Sandra for the invite! You’ve made my year!

I must say that I was quite nervous and starstruck by most of these talented individuals, and as Sharon of The Backseat Stylers put it, sometimes you have to remind yourself that designers too are people. If there was one designer that I really REALLY wanted to meet it had to be Erdem. I’ve always been fascinated by his beautiful, feminine designs and thankfully, the designer himself was just as charming in person. As a Canadian, who once upon a time went to Ryerson, he said that it felt great to come home, where he still has a lot of friends and family.

Later on at the party, I also got a chance to meet and speak to Charlotte Olympia Dellal, whose fun and fab outfit (peep the banana clutch) and whimsical shoes stole my heart, as did her cheeky personality.

Other attendees that night included Tommy Ton of Jak and Jil, whose photos are a huge inspiration to thousands of fashion lovers everywhere, and who is also notably a Canadian, Lisa Tant of Flare Magazine, Dan Levy of MTV Canada, and dozens of amazing Toronto bloggers. I had such an great time hanging out with Sharon and her hubby, Kimberly of The Souls of My Shoes, Lisa – The Hip Urban Girl, and meeting stylist Tricia Campbell Hall.

There were so many stylish people to photograph, so many beautiful (and I mean REALLY beautiful) clothes and shoes to look at – I can truthfully say that this was the event of the year in my books. So much talent and fashion under one roof, it was intoxicating.

And that’s the thing about the new Room at The Bay. It offers a wealth of labels to even the pickiest of shoppers, all carefully displayed in a gorgeous, brightly lit space, featuring trunk shows straight off the latest fashion shows, and giving its customers an opportunity to actually meet the designers. Even on a regular shopping day, The Room is an experience in itself, but pair it with what happened at The Next British Invasion gala, and you’ve got yourself a sure recipe for a night to remember. It might not feel like The Bay you already know, and perhaps it isn’t. This newly-improved Bay is way better!

What I Wore: Dress – Jacob; Blazer – Zara; Socks – H&M; Bag – Prada; Shoes – Miu Miu

Photo Credits: Style Blog, Last Photo Courtesy of The Backseat Stylers

White Space Launch at The Bay Yorkdale

If you like The Room at the Queen St. Bay store, then you will love the brand new White Space at Yorkdale. As I’ve mentioned before, The Bay has been consistently improving and brightening up their stores, bringing in new and well-established brands, making the shopping experience so much better and so much more fun. At last week’s launch party, Al and I found out just how much fun shopping at White Space is.

The spacious and well-lit women’s contemporary department is filled with brands like Love Moschino, See by Chloé, killer shoes by Sam Edelman, party dresses by BCBG, pretty prints by ADAM, lovely separates by Sandro - that’s a whole lot of beautiful clothes! It’s so refreshing to see great brand name selection at a Canadian department store…perhaps in the near future it’ll become a regular occurrence? Fingers crossed.

After going around the room taking some photos, Al and I got to enjoy the most delicious Amarula Colada cocktails, a complimentary candy bar (Chupa Chups!!!), and a Fall Trends presentation by FASHION’s own Sarah Casselman. We were hoping to meet Adam Lippes, designer and creative director or ADAM, but unfortunately, he could not make it to the party due to a hurt foot (ouch!).

I also got to meet a few lovely Style Blog readers, and took photos of the stylish attendees, which included Daniel Buckman of BELLOSOUND, and the always fashionable Nolan Bryant, who was lucky enough to win a fun prize basket, courtesy of The Bay!

I think it goes without saying that if you love beautiful clothes, then a trip to The Bay’s White Space is a must. And their revamped shoe department? It begs a whole post of its own!

Foodie: Breyers Ice Cream Party

When life gives you lemons, you’re supposed to make lemonade. But what are you supposed to do when a PR company sends you 5 coupons for free ice-cream? Throw an ice-cream party, of course! Last week a few of my friends and I got together after a looong week at the office to try Breyers new Smooth & Dreamy ice-cream (with 1/2 fat), enjoy some sunshine, and catch-up.

It all started out innocently enough…with a few cups of jello (thanks, le boyfriend!), chocolate syrup, sugar cones, some popsicles, and Mocha Fudge Brownie, Strawberries & Cream, and Dulce de Leche Breyers ice-cream. The ice-cream was incredibly smooth (just like the packaging stated), and absolutely delicious. The most popular flavor of the night was definitely Mocha Fudge Brownie…with actual chunks of brownies in it. Deeelicious! But I was also smitten with Dulce de Leche ice-cream, because of its creamy caramely taste…it just doesn’t get any better that that. I truly hope that this ice-cream is 1/2 fat, because after all of the cones consumed, I probably gained another 20 pounds that I was intending to lose. But nevermind…

It probably wasn’t such a great idea to hold an ice-cream party on a roof…because our cones were melting faster than we were able to eat them, and with Smooth & Dreamy ice-cream being especially soft, I had to keep running downstairs to refreeze it in order to avoid turning it into a milkshake. A portable freezer would’ve been handy.

Jo came over, wearing her new Marc Jacobs mouse flats…and we decided to take a shoe photo together…here’s my red vintage dead stock jelly Marc Jacobs flats from Apartment 909  and Jo’s adorable patent mouse ones. I think I want to swap!

After we were done with the ice-cream, some folks got hungry for real food, and out came the frozen beef skewers. After defrosting them in the sun, le boyfriend grilled them up, along with some fries. They weren’t fantastic, but it did the trick and maybe they weren’t cooked well enough, or perhaps we were just letting loose after the gruelling week, but the craziness ensued.

We invented a new way of eating ice-cream: cone-rings! Convenient and portable…patent pending.

Other uses for ice-cream cones included cone-noses, cone-ears, and crushed cones all over people’s heads…ahem…I think someone might’ve spiked our ice-cream with Kahlua or something. That would also explain excessive salt on the fries…and my scary facial expressions.

After the clouds threatened to soak our roof-top party, we all moved downstairs to le boyfriend’s condo and continued the party with some Rock Band and some pizza. But not before a few attempts at a group photo…I think this one turned out ok. And it only took us…10 tries?

I Wore: Dress – H&M; Belt – Zara; Shoes – Vintage Marc Jacobs; Sunglasses – Ray Ban

H&M Fashion Against AIDS Collection Launch in Toronto

What’s guaranteed to make a rainy Toronto day better? A party at H&M, of course! Fashion Against AIDS collection launched last night at Toronto’s Queen Street H&M store, and I was super stoked to have been able to get the pieces I’ve been coveting! Among the things I bought last night was the leopard print dress (above), which I love, love, love, the leopard print raincoat (only $4!!!), a few cool tank tops, and a Missoni-inspired tank dress (only$14!!!). I really wanted to buy the zebra-print maxi dress, but unfortunately it didn’t look too flattering on my frame…but if you’ve got the body for it, it’s a must-have for the summer, and ONLY $30!!! The store was packed to the brim, and Bedouin Soundclash performed later in the evening, though I didn’t stick around to hear them play.

The whole collection is very reasonably priced, and most fabrics are natural, which is a must for me in the summer. Too bad tents, chairs, and a few other items were not available in Toronto, they would have came in super handy on my next camping trip! But the leopard print dress was there, and I snatched it up! So proud of myself…will probably wear it to next weekend’s birthday BBQ!

FAA collection is available at Toronto Queen Street location today, and 25% of sales will be donated to youth HIV/AIDS awareness projects. Cute styles, good cause – what can be better? I can think of one thing…it’d be better to get it for free, wouldn’t it? Well, last night I bought something extra, and I might just send it your way! An FAA-themed giveaway is coming soon…stay tuned.

Holidays 2009: H&M Party Guide

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The Holiday Season is upon us! Joy to the world! Ho-ho-ho! Jingle Bells! Ok, I’ll stop. But seriously, it’s about a month till Christmas, and some companies have already started throwing their Holiday Parties! Are you ready for it? Do you have something cute to wear? And not just to the office parties, most of us have other fun soirees to attend – from family dinners, to girls’ nights out – your closet needs to be prepared for the worst best! As a result, most of my party clothes have been coming straight from H&M or Zara lately. And why not? Their dresses are always cute, and are always moderately priced, allowing me to spend more moolah on Christmas shopping instead! Funny story, I went to H&M the other day, looking to buy a sweater for le boyfriend. But as soon as I walked into the men’s section, I immediately fell in love with a few sweaters! Ended up buying two of them for myself (pics are coming), and zero for le boyfriend. And why not??? That’s one of the advantages we have over the boys: we can wear their clothes, but they can’t really wear ours! Ha! And that is what I meant when I said “Christmas shopping”!

So going back to party outfits, H&M’s website has been chock-full of style ideas lately, and it seems they are more than prepared for the throngs of ladies, looking for something cute to wear! And not only are their stores full of awesome party-worthy outfits, their website is too! I really like them all, but for different occasions, obviously. What about you? Which of the below outfits would you wear to a party?

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Photo Credits: H&M