Nelia

Shopping: beautyBOUTIQUE Black Friday Deals and Spend Your Points PLUS Event

23 November, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

1. Avène Tolérance Extrême Set (on sale $27.99) 2. philosophy shimmering snowlace ($22) 3. Filorga Coffret Noël Time ($105) 4. Avène Triacnéal Expert 5. Bioderma Gift With $30 Purchase (free) 6. Benefit Beauty & The Bay ($49) 7. Paul & Joe Cat Lipstick ($21) 8. Avène Hydrance Optimale Rich set (on sale $29.99)

This is not a drill! beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart has a crazy number of really great Black Friday deals on offer – from discounts on various products (like my HG skincare brand Avène!) to amazing gifts with purchase. And that’s not all – this weekend is probably my fave time of all – the Spend Your Points PLUS Event, when you can use your hard-earned points to buy presents for your loved ones (or yourself) and get points back at the same time to redeem for more presents later on. It’s just a smart way to shop!

My plan of attack is to stock up on my personal essentials like Avène products for my super sensitive skin (Triacneal Expert, Hydrance, and Tolérance), earn points on these discounted items, and then use the points this weekend to buy pretty gift sets for my friends and family, earning extra points…and then use the extra points from this weekend to buy snacks and candy for our Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. Sorry if it’s confusing, but I take my Optimum points very very seriously. Also, if you use the Shoppers Drug Mart app (and if you’re not, you are seriously missing out), there are lots of personalized coupons waiting to be loaded, which of course adds up to more points and more savings. And just in case this sounds sponsored, it totally isn’t…and I’m just a slightly rabid points collector and I can’t even tell you how many free Avène products I’ve redeemed for this year alone!

Are you a crazy Optimum points collector? Share your strategies in the comments and happy shopping!

Holidays 2017: Best Gifts From Our Favourite Stores

21 November, 2017 Nelia 4 Comments

If you still haven’t started your holiday gift shopping, don’t panic. Black Friday is the best time to get deals on everything from hostess gifts to treat-yo-self goodies. And since one of the biggest sale days of the year is quickly approaching, I wanted to share my fave gift ideas from my most-frequented shops. My number one Black Friday (and Boxing Day) strategy includes a bit of pre-planning, favouriting all of my must-haves in my internet browser, and then buying it all online once sales are in effect. So go ahead, check out the fun gift ideas below, save your faves for later, and don’t forget to get something awesome for yourself!

1. Shopbop

Shopbop Sale is already in effect, and you can get up to an additional 30% off sale and regular-priced items until Nov 26th with promo code MORE17. My fave things to buy from Shopbop are usually the things that never go on sale, like Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee boots, and vintage CHANEL bags, but it’s also a great time to stock up on essentials like pretty undies and luxurious pajamas.

2. Sephora

Sephora is obviously a great place to shop for beauty, but what sets it apart is its selection of fab limited-edition gift sets. If you have a true beauty obsessive on your shopping list, treat them to a chic Armani Palette or the dreamy Naked Vault Volume IV…there are so many cool gift sets to choose from! My personal fave thing to order from Sephora (for myself) are the Caudalie sets – such a good deal compared to buying each thing separately!

3. Hudson’s Bay

I am still kicking myself for missing out on one of the recent Bay Days sales on Dyson vacuums, but thankfully, more hot sales will keep coming in the next few weeks. This year, I’m picking up some beautiful L’Occitane gifts from Hudson’s Bay, HBC PJs, and holding out hope for deals on anything from SMEG!

4. Indigo

Indigo is literally my happy place – any time I need a pick-me-up, I head on over to a store near my house to find my next fave book. This year, I highly recommend Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (the movie is a masterpiece but so is the book). There are also a ton of gifts for anyone and everyone on your shopping list – from Fuji Instax Smartphone Printer to glam Jenny Bird earrings.

5. Holt Renfrew

1. Diptyque Constellation Candles ($145) 2. Charlotte Tilbury Naughty & Nice Magic Box ($250) 3. Twilly d’Hermès Eau de Parfum ($147) 4. Tiffany & Co. Piggy Bank ($170) 5. Me To We Choker ($50) 6. CHANEL Brush Collection ($234) 7. Holt Renfrew 2017 Holiday Bear ($55) 8. Bastide Bath Oil ($65)

If you haven’t been to Holt Renfrew on Bloor St lately, I highly recommend a visit – there are so many special activations and pop-up shops to discover, you’ll have a blast while getting things checked off your shopping list. There’s the CHANEL Gifting Studio with awesome freebies and exclusive items; a Tiffany & Co. pop-up shop with the chicest gifts around; there’s the Bandier pop-up where you can find sporty gifts for your loved ones or a perfect workout outfit for yourself. Either way, you are guaranteed to find a luxurious prezzie or five for your nearest and dearest.

Happy Shopping, everyone!

More after the jump!
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CHANEL Yorkville Boutique in Toronto Opens its Doors

16 November, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

If you’ve been impatiently waiting for the new Yorkville CHANEL boutique to finally open its doors, I have some very good news for you – THE WAIT IS OVER! Tomorrow is the official opening day of the stunning new boutique, with two floors of CHANEL goodness on display. I was one of the lucky few to get a sneak peek of the store today and it’s magnificent! Designed by long-time CHANEL collaborator Peter Marino, the new boutique is a vision to behold. Everything from carpeting to tweed couches to product displays is so uniquely CHANEL, with many elements inspired by Coco Chanel’s Parisian apartment.

There are two salons dedicated to Ready-to-Wear collections, and four accessories salons, featuring a selection of shoes, handbags, small leather goods, eyewear, as well as CHANEL Watches and Fine Jewellery. Near the elegant stairwell, a commissioned art piece by Jean-Michel Othoniel demands your attention – a larger than life white and gold beaded 3-D pearl necklace cascading through the staircase, similar to the one at the ave Montaigne boutique. Smaller art pieces can be found all around the boutique, like little treasures waiting to be discovered.

The breathtaking new CHANEL boutique feels like a little bit of Paris in Toronto, and I had a very hard time leaving. I probably sat in every single chair and on every single couch, pretending that this is my new home, filled to the brim with CHANEL and most spectacular furniture. One can only dream!

The boutique will open its doors on Friday, November 17th at 98 Yorkville Avenue, just in time for holidays. Happy Shopping!

More photos after the jump!

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You Are Invited: CHANEL Gifting Studio at Holt Renfrew

1 November, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

Now that we’ve said boo-bye to Halloween, the holiday season is officially upon us. And with it, comes gift shopping, gift wrapping, and lots and lots of hot cocoa in between. Well, to make this holiday season a little more fun and festive, CHANEL just introduced the CHANEL Gifting Studio at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street with a variety of complimentary services and activations for you to enjoy while checking things off that holiday shopping list.

From November 1 to December 24, guests of the pop-up can enjoy:
• Complimentary greeting card and mailing service to send your best wishes or your wish list coast-to-coast
• Customize all details of gifting with limited edition electro coloured wrapping
• Exclusive product availability (this pop-up is the only place in Canada to now offer the RETRACTABLE DUAL-HEAD FACE BRUSH!)
• Advanced access to the new COLLECTION LIBRE: NUMÉROS ROUGES
• Interactive photo stations
• Thursday night holiday celebrations with makeup touch ups, drinks and bites

Does this not sound like the most fun holiday pop-up ever?! I know, I’ll be heading there ASAP. More details about the pop-up can be found here. Happy Gifting!

You Are Invited: TIFF boombox 2017

26 October, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

If you want to get your November started with a bang, TIFF’s Fame-inspired boombox fundraiser promises to be all that and a bag of confetti! With cool installations, film and art studios, a digital jam space, a VR lounge, an auditorium dance floor, and various performances, this is going to be a night to remember. And while costumes aren’t mandatory, this is certainly the best time to dust off your fave ’80s duds.

Proceeds from this year’s boombox fundraiser will support Share Her Journey, a worthy campaign to increase participation, skills, and opportunities for women behind and in front of the camera. Check out the video from the 2015 boombox party, and get your tickets here. You won’t want to miss it!

WHEN: Thursday, November 2 at 9pm
WHERE: TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West
DRESS CODE: Cocktail Chic or 80’s-inspired
TICKETS: HERE
Photo Credits: TIFF

Gap 2017 Holiday Campaign Starring Janelle Monae

26 October, 2017 Nelia 2 Comments

The arrival of Gap’s Crazy Stripes collection in stores is always a cheerful reminder that the holidays are just around the corner. I have a real soft spot for all things colourful and especially crazy stripes, and this season I spotted an adorable sweater dress that I’ll be adding to my crazy stripe collection. While at the store, I also noticed that the incredibly talented Janelle Monae is fronting Gap’s 2017 Holiday Campaign, and now there’s an adorable video to go with those in-store posters. In the video Monae sings “You Got What I Need”, wearing the cutest striped shearling coat (NEED!), and surrounded by the best-dressed choir/backup singers. Watch it for yourself and check out Gap’s 2017 Crazy Stripes Collection in all its glory.

Photo Credits: Gap

What They Wore: Boobyball Toronto 2017

18 October, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

Boobyball has become one of my personal fave parties of the year; a party that puts fun in fundraiser (raising money for Rethink Breast Cancer), can pack a huge club to the brim, while still somehow making the entire affair feel intimate. This year, the theme was Get Physical, and the organizers had really outdone themselves, transforming REBEL into the 80’s/90’s wonderland, complete with gigantic Rubik’s Cubes, tables wallpapered in old teen mags, photobooths aplenty, old-school arcade games, and even an all-pink faux gym/locker room. There was so much fun to be had, and just as much food to go around with catering by the (amazing) Food Dudes and Nando’s, as well as sweet treats from Krispy Kreme and Sweet Jesus, and an open bar stocked with delicious drinks and Flow water. I may or may not have eaten way too many donuts, but probably worked them off on the dancefloor because the DJ was on fire that night (or is it lit?).

The best part of this year’s Boobyball, however, was people-watching. I loved how committed some of the attendees were to the theme. Neon windbreakers, scrunchies, leotards, legwarmers, mullets…you name it, we saw it! It made me kinda-sorta regret not dressing more theme-appropriate, though I do love the blinding sequin dress that I wore that night.

If you live in Vancouver, Ottawa, or Halifax, there’s still time to get your tickets to the Boobyball party in your city. Just a word of advice – more is more when it comes to dressing for Boobyball – bring your 80’s/90’s A-game!

Have you ever been to Boobyball? Share your fave moments in the comments.

More photos after the jump!
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Shopping: ERDEM x H&M Collection Lookbook is Here!

15 October, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

The ERDEM x H&M Collection will be arriving in stores and online on November 2nd, and now that the lookbook and official collection images are finally out, we can all start strategizing! Considering that prices for this collection go up to around CAD300, I will have to be very careful…otherwise I may end up spending way too much on this one. First of all, I NEED that floral suit, sequin slip dress, and hoodie…but I am also super into that Victorian blouse, leopard print coat, bow earrings, and strappy heels…Aghh…so tough to decide!!

Which pieces are on your wishlist? Share your faves in the comments!

More photos after the jump!
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Wishlist: CHANEL Spring 2018 Collection

3 October, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

Each season, I wait with anticipation, wondering what theme Karl Lagerfeld will dream up for the latest CHANEL show, and I have to say that this season’s Verdon Gorge setting was an unexpected surprise. To be honest, I’ve never even heard of this river canyon until the CHANEL Spring-Summer 2018 show, but now I am determined to visit it for myself one day! If it’s good enough for Karl’s inspo, then it must be a sight to see!

With faux Verdon Gorge bringing the outdoors indoor at the Grand Palais, Kaia Gerber (looking every bit like Baby Cindy) opened the show in a tweed crop top and thigh-high vinyl boots. Vinyl was used heavily throughout the collection, from transparent boater hats, to iridescent fringe details, to a wide variety of bags…and I’ve never wanted something plastic more in my entire life!

Speaking of bags, there were a lot of new styles and silhouettes on the runway this season – logo totes and duffle bags, vinyl boy, bucket, and oversized tote bags, what looked like a CHANEL Girl bag, but as a tote version instead, even arm pouches and fanny packs! As someone who already has a few classic bags in rotation, I’d love to add a fun piece to my closet, and CHANEL Spring-Summer 2018 collection looks like it’ll have something for everyone.

The clothes were playful and exquisite as always, with signature pastel tweed jackets, flowy dresses, culotte tweed jumpsuits, and so much more. And though I doubt anyone would wear these to hike the Verdon Gorge, but if they did, they’d be the chicest hikers around.

What did you think of CHANEL Spring-Summer 2018 collection? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More after the jump!
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Shopping: Holt Renfrew BANDIER Pop-up!

2 October, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

Last Wednesday I woke up bright and early to attend the breakfast launch of the new BANDIER pop-up at Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street. With founder Jennifer Bandier in attendance, we got to preview the chicest activewear from one of the most fashion-forward fitness boutiques in North America.

Holt Renfrew’s BANDIER shop will carry a curated selection of cool brands like Body Language, Cotton Citizen, Koral, Ultracor, and more. The pop-up will also offer four months of fitness, beauty, and wellness experiences, including in-store STUDIO B workouts. “We’ve considered many interesting retail partnership opportunities, but Holt Renfrew’s creative approach to shop-in-shop installations was very appealing to us.” shared BANDIER founder, Jennifer Bandier. “A growing portion of our e-commerce business is coming from Canada, so the opportunity to interact with customers in person, and to provide the full BANDIER store experience is invaluable to us.”

Until January 30th, 2018, BANDIER pop-up at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street will be Toronto’s go-to destination for the cutest activewear, footwear, accessories, and exclusive gift items (including designer collaborations). So if you’re looking for some fitness motivation, make sure to stop by Holt Renfrew Bloor Street for a dose of amazing workout gear. Trust me, you won’t be able to leave empty-handed.

Photo Credits: George Pimentel Photography

Shopping: beautyBOUTIQUE Black Friday Deals and Spend Your Points PLUS Event

CHANEL Yorkville Boutique in Toronto Opens its Doors

You Are Invited: CHANEL Gifting Studio at Holt Renfrew

Gap 2017 Holiday Campaign Starring Janelle Monae

What They Wore: Boobyball Toronto 2017

Shopping: ERDEM x H&M Collection Lookbook is Here!

Wishlist: CHANEL Spring 2018 Collection

Shopping: Holt Renfrew BANDIER Pop-up!

Rebecca Minkoff

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ROCIO

Buy Angelina Clutch from ROCIO

SMYTHE

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Milly

Draped Dress by Milly

BB Dakota

BB Dakota Shirting Dress

Tome

V Neck Dress by Tome

Keepsake

See You Now Dress at Shopbop

Saloni

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Rag & Bone

Shop Rag & Bone Eden Dress

La Vie Rebecca Taylor

La Vie Rebecca Taylor Winter Posey Coat

Cushnie Et Ochs

Ophilie Hooded Jacket by Cushnie Et Ochs

Canada Goose

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