Saw this little tidbit on a forum wall a couple of days ago, but wasn’t sure if this was confirmed. Now Lou Lou Magazine, twitted the same thing. Could it really be? Will Topshop finally ship to Canada (and other 13 countried listed above)? It almost feels unreal!
Update: Topshop’s official twitter page also confirms the news! Next step – open an actual store in Toronto. Pretty please?
Lately, I’ve decided to spend more money on quality pieces, and to build up the classics in my wardrobe. As I already have a classic beige trench (alas a bit raggedy by now, but I am not throwing it out), I’ve been on the lookout for a black one for a little while now. And after scouring the likes of Club Monaco (lovely, but not the fit I want) and Burberry (lovely, but not affordable at the moment), I was about to give up and head on over to my local Zara or H&M, when I accidentally stumbled upon this photo of a Joe Fresh trench. Granted, Joe Fresh is not a brand known for its quality or workmanship of their pieces, but at $49 I had to give it a try.
After driving to the St. Clair West location, worrying that there wouldn’t be any black trenches left, I was greeted with a full rack of trench coats waiting to be tried on! When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I grabbed the trench, and immediately loved the texture of the fabric, and the quality of the lining. The fit was also, surprisingly great, which, in my opinion, makes this coat look way more expensive than its $49 price tag! I loved the length of the coat, as well as the detailing. Because of all this, I waived my “no more cheap crap” rule and bought my first Joe Fresh piece.
Wore it today, and already got 2 compliments on the subway, coming to work. I think I am a Joe Fresh convert. At least for basics that is. While in store, I also saw a bunch of cute pjs, tees, and skirts. But since I was on a trench mission, I didn’t “waste” my time oggling other pieces. But I will surely be back soon!
Photo Credits: Joe Fresh
Have been meaning to post this Zara lookbook since, well, February. But due to unforeseen circumstances (laziness), posting photos now.
There are a few pieces that I love (the above trench, the Givenchy-esque blazer, the striped shirts), but in general, this lookbook left me slightly underwhelmed. Here’s hoping that March 2010 photos will have more bang.
More photos after the jump!
Last week, Al and I were lucky to be invited to the launch of the Spring 2010 Atelier Swarovski collection in Toronto. The exclusive Atelier collection includes pieces designed by “world-renowned and Canadian-raised fashion designer Jason Wu, the talented and acclaimed UK fashion designer Matthew Williamson, footwear designer Nicholas Kirkwood and talented jewelry design duo Anthony Nak”, and is available for he first time in Canada at the Bloor Street Gallery store only.
As a huge fan of Matthew Williamson’s psychedelic prints, Jason Wu’s classy dresses, and Kirkwood’s ah-mazing shoes, I was super psyched to see their pieces. But to my surprise (and delight), Anthony Nak’s vintage-inspired art-deco pieces were my favorite of the bunch. The yellow crystals looked like perfect amber doppelgangers, and I could totally see these as something I would pass down to my grandkids. I also loved Nicholas Kirkwood’s simple designs, which is surprising, since he’s known for his footwear, not jewelry. Rings and hoop earrings from his collection could dress up any outfit without being too showy or over the top. The same could not be said about Williamson’s designs. His jewelry is not for the shy ones, with huge multicolored geometrical shapes to wear around your neck or on your ears. Not for me, but interesting to look at.
Overall, I walked away liking a few pieces from the collection. As someone who’s never considered Swarovski as a place to shop for jewelry, I’ll be keeping my eye on these new collections, as more than a few pieces were worth a second look. If you love jewelry and are interested in checking out Atelier Swarovski, stop by the Yonge/Bloor location, or go on their official site www.atelierswarovski.com.
Anthony Nak
Jason Wu
Nicholas Kirkwood
Matthew Williamson
Aren’t these Fall 2010 Burberry shearling boots just amazing? Here I am happy as as can be that it’s almost spring, and then I lay my eyes on these awesome boots, and it makes me wish it was winter all over again…but then again, I think about the slush that would ruin these beauties, and I change my mind. And then the whole thing all over again…Oy!
The good thing about all this, is that I have an entire year to look for a proper replacement – perhaps with a more practical heel. Any leads?
Photo Credits: www.style.com
Ahh, spring! Well, not in Toronto. Not yet. But definitely, definitely in stores all over the place! Am drooling over so many pieces of clothing/accessories, that I think I’ll need another job just to be able to afford everything. Le sigh.
Well, enough of sadness. Because who could ever feel sad if they had these babies? I don’t know if it’s the floral print, or the fullness of these shorts, but the moment I saw these Forever 21 shorts, I could not stop thinking about them. And since they aren’t yet available for purchase (not online, at least), I am doomed to keep drooling.
My friend Jo also pointed me to this other pair of floral shorts from Urban Outfitters. These are quite cute as well. Perhaps a tad too long for my taste (I’m no hoochie, but I do like to show off my legs in the summer), but I’ll consider them if the Forever 21 pair doesn’t quite pan out.
What do you think about these? Fun or fugly?
Photo Credits: 1st photo – Forever 21; 2nd photo – Urban Outfitters
A little bit of Urban Outfitters and a little bit of Yorkdale. Thank goodness it’s Friday!
Spring has been on my mind since…December. And now, most stores actually reflect my wishful thinking! Hooray! The latest on my list of “wants” is the Welden lace-up shoe from Aldo. Great detailing, perfect heel (not too high, not too low), and a pretty good price point – $90. I think I am sold. Now can we just make all this snow disappear?
Update: Got these! Now if only the weather would cooperate, so that I could take these for a spin!
Photo Credits: Aldo Shoes
Being Canadian is really de rigueur nowadays. It’s incredible what a little marketing can do. The Vancouver Olympics, of course, have a lot to do with it. But, credit should be given to HBC for really marketing the crap out of their Canadiana apparel. From Wayne Gretzky and Glee guys, to it-girl Rachel Bilson – The Bay clothes are all over celebs and athletes, and are selling out in stores everywhere! Over 3 million pairs of red mittens were sold to date…and still going.
As for this HBC blanket coat – I do love this coat on Rachel. Such fun colors and so very Canadian. Hmm, perhaps the All-Canadian look will catch on in the rest of the world soon enough? Until then…Go, Canada, go!
Photo Credits: www.laineygossip.com
So my quest for a perfect everyday bag continues. And I think I just stroke gold! As my Miu Miu Coffer is looking more and more ragged, this Be&D doppelganger might just be a perfect substitute! At around $1000 USD, it’s on the lower pricing end of luxury bags, yet the size and design of it seem perfect. I, especially, love the fact that it has a cross-body strap, which is perfect for those days when I need two free hands while running errands around town. The leather looks nice and durable and while Genesis does have that Coffer quality to it, it’s also much more simple than my Miu Miu. I think…it might just be the one!
Le boyfriend’s first reaction at seeing me in my new-ish Zara leopard print coat was sheer horror. To him, leopard print in general, translates into a trashy Eastern European woman with no taste. As a person of East European descent, I don’t take any offence to his aversion – I’ve seen my fair share of horrid use of leopard print, zebra print, etc. back home to be able to agree with him that animal prints can definitely go wrong if worn inappropriately. But… can such an awesome and stylish group as Aurora Sansone, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, Viviana Volpicella, Poppy Delevigne, and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld really be wrong? Sure, they could. But to me, in my humble opinion, a leopard print coat is a chic top-up to a simple outfit. And that’s that. Love it or hate it.
Photo Credits: TFS
So unless you live in Alabama under a rock, you know that Canada is where it’s at! And by it, I mean the Winter Olympics! Go, Canada, Go! And because of that, The Bay and Zellers stores have been selling the official Olympic merchandise, including clothing and accessories. Not of the flag-waving-maple-leaf-wearing kind, I didn’t even pay much attention to the line, until I came back from my little Cuban getaway to discover that my mom had bought something that I liked very much!
Now the thing about my mom and I, is that she tends to steal borrow my clothes all the time, while I usually don’t go exploring in her closet – too conservative for my taste. Well, I’ll certainly be stealing borrowing this sweater from her! The whole reason she even bought this particular one, apart from her affinity for the Canadian flag-waving, was also me. Well, not me, but my shopping habits. All women’s Cowichan sweaters were sold out, and my mom bought a men’s sweater instead! Way to go mom! I am so proud!
And now that the photos of Wayne Gretzky rocking the exact same sweater have resurfaced, I think I’ll be scoring some sweet brownie points by wearing this sweater around le boyfriend. Stylish, patriotic, and Wayne Gretzky has the same one…it’s a win, win, win situation. Don’t you just love those?
Photo Credits: www.laineygossip.com
Only one week left till Valentine’s Day! So excited! As I’ve mentioned before, Valentine’s is my favorite holiday EVER! All the red and pink everywhere, hearts, flowers, more hearts, lips, kisses, stuffed toys, balloons, chocolates, jewelry, fancy dinners and dressing up! What’s not to love? I do think that the holiday has become very commercialized, and the whole meaning of celebrating love gets lost somewhere between a trip to Godiva and all the money spent on expensive lingerie, but I still really, really love it. Sue me.
This year, just like last, le boyfriend and I are very lucky to be able to celebrate Valentine’s Day down South. Last year we were in Los Cabos, this year we chose beautiful Cuba! If only I wasn’t horrifyingly sick (complete with snot fountain, dry cough, fever, headaches – the works), I would be jumping up and down in excitement right about now. Unfortunately, since I am disgusting, I can only try to get some rest and drink endless cups of tea with lemon and honey, with only faint hope of getting better by tomorrow.
So enough about me, what about you? Have you gotten your boyfriend a gift this year? If not, you still have one week left to pick up something special for your loved one! Below is a little list I put together, to, hopefully, give you a few ideas, just in case you were in a panic mode! I ran these gift suggestions by le boyfriend, and he approved. But then again, different people have different tastes. Make sure your choice suits your man’s style! Happy shopping!
1. Sports Jersey – Does your boyfriend watch hockey or soccer religiously? If so, he might want a jersey of his favorite team! And if he already has one, some teams have different jerseys every year, so it might become something of a collectors’ item. Though, make sure you’re not getting him the exact same one he already has!
2. Espresso Machine – Who doesn’t like to wake up to a steamy kiss? We all do! But when you’re not around, a cup of hot and yummy home-made espresso might do the trick!
3. Call of Duty 2 – I know about this game, not because I’ve played, but from my male friends and le boyfriend, who are all obsessed with it. If you go with this one, please don’t blame me if quality time with your man goes way down. This is not just a game – it’s a lifestyle.
4. Magazine Subscription – Does your man care about style? Does he like to take care of himself? Does he like to read? If so, a men’s mag subscription might be a cool and an inexpensive gift that keeps on giving! Men’s Health, GQ, Esquire, Vanity Fair, Vibe, Toronto Life…the list goes on and on.
5. Graphic Tee – Most men are kids at heart. When I asked le boyfriend about He-Man vs. Hulk, his eyes lit up. If he’s into superheroes, a cool (maybe even vintage) tee might just be a perfect gift for him.
6. Cookies, cupcakes, meat – Well, pretty much any type of food that your man enjoys would make an awesome gift. Plus, cooking for him, will let you showcase your amazing kitchen prowess…and if said prowess is lacking, then The Cupcake Shoppe is the way to go.
7. iPad – Ok, this one is quite pricey, but every single man I asked said that he would definitely love to get one. Men like gadgets – simple as that.
8. Sunglasses – I am only putting this on this list, because that’s what I got le boyfriend this year. A pair of classic Ray Ban Wayfarers. I lent him mine a few times, and loved the way he looked in them, so since he needed a pair for our vacation, I went and got him a pair just like mine. Yes, we’ll be disgustingly matchy-matchy on our vacay. And I love it (and him)!
9. Lingerie – Well, this one isn’t exactly for him. But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy it just the same. Maybe even more so.
10. Rock Band – I got this one for le boyfriend last year. Drums, guitar, microphone, and a list of super-awesome rock songs to rock out to. What man wouldn’t love to “slap some base” with an upgrade from his usual air guitar?
And if none of these gifts work…a simple “I Love You” note and a make-out session go a long way! Ok, I am done being disgustingly cringe-worthy about the Valentine’s hoopla (but I love, love, love it!).
Check out the Christmas 2009 gift guide for more gift ideas!
So on my latest Holt Renfrew jaunt, something impossibly adorable caught my eye! A Miss Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt, featuring the oftentimes grumpy cartoon character with her boyfriend (?) sitting on a ski lift in full ski gear. Super cute for any fashionable ski/snowboard addict out there, right? But this being Marc by Marc Jacobs, the t-shirt cost $65! Now the question is this…worth it or not so much?
I left the store empty-handed that time, persuaded by my friends that dropping that much money on a cartooney t-shirt (however adorable) was not a smart thing to do. But now, a week later and with a snowboarding trip coming up, I find myself still thinking about my little grumpy Miss Marc. Can’t find an actual photo of that t-shirt, but the photo above should give you an idea. So what say you, lovely readers? Yay or nay?
Update: And here’s the reason why I couldn’t find a photo online for a bit…Mr. and Miss. Marc Ski Lift Tee launched exclusively at Holt Renfrew as the new limited-edition Miss Marc Hearts Canada issue. The Canadian in me says…go get it!
Photo Credits: 1st photo – TFS, 2nd photo – Holt Renfrew
The unlikely success story of Snuggie seems to have encouraged an army of doppelgangers. Take this Snuggle Suit from JC Penney for example. It’s a robe, a blanket, and pjs all in one! And if you ever catch me wearing one of these, I give you permission to smack me! But if you think this was bad, feast your eyes on this wonderful Japanese creation! It’s a sleeping bag with pants! I repeat, a sleeping bag with pants!!!
Who buys this stuff?
