Shopping | Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

Beauty: Introducing GABRIELLE CHANEL

6 September, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

For the first time in 15 years (!!!), the House of Chanel has released a brand new fragrance – GABRIELLE CHANEL, named, of course, after the the inimitable Gabrielle Coco Chanel. Created by Olivier Polge, GABRIELLE is a fresh floral fragrance with warm notes of Jasmine, fruity scent of Ylang-Ylang, fresh essence of Orange Blossom, and a finishing touch of Grasse Tuberose. This feminine fragrance is an instant classic, and the streamlined yet striking square bottle only reinforces its timelessness.

To celebrate the new fragrance, a beautiful mini film starring Kristen Stewart and directed by Ringan Ledwidge was released, capturing the essence of the rebellious spirit of Gabrielle Chanel. If you’re still not familiar with the designer’s history of breaking the rules and reinventing herself, make sure to watch the Inside CHANEL videos linked below. They offer a fascinating glimpse at Coco Chanel’s life and of course the history of CHANEL.

As for me, I am smitten with GABRIELLE CHANEL. I’ve been lucky enough to wear it for a few weeks now and it’s my current go-to perfume – can’t get enough! The new fragrance is now available at all CHANEL Beauty counters in Canada, so make sure to stop by and try it for yourself.

More after the jump!
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Shopping: Fall 2017 Trends You Can Wear Now

14 August, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

It may be August, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. Let’s face it…this summer in Toronto has been a bit of a bust weather-wise, which really makes me want to start buying fall clothes ASAP. Right now I am looking for chic pieces that can be worn on cooler summer days and through early fall and the below four trends will make it super easy to inject some effortless cool into my summer/fall wardrobe.

If any of the items below catch your eye, you can get an additional 15% off your first Shopbop purchase by shopping on the mobile app and using the special promo code APP15 (more details here). Happy Shopping!

1. Ruffles
As someone who’s not very girly, I am usually not into super frilly things, but this time around, I am loving how fresh ruffled tops feel, especially when paired with raw-hem denim or leather culottes.

2. Fancy Footwear
This season’s hottest shoes are either on-purpose-ugly, all-white, or mules, so choose your poison (or perhaps all three!). I’ve been loving the simplicity of slides, and I am also starting to see the appeal of some of the clunkier heels too. These convertible shoes by JAGGAR are at the top of my list at the moment. None of the sex appeal, but comfort and cool appeal for days!

3. Flares
After years and years of skinny jeans, our thighs can finally breathe a sigh of relief, because flares and culottes are in and are here to stay for another season or two. Whether you invest in a pair of Re/Done jeans or wear a pair of dramatic flares to the office, you can finally give your skinnies the boot (for now).

4. Round Bags
Straw bags and baskets were huge this summer, but for fall, round is in. Don’t be a square and go for a ladylike clutch or a vintage CHANEL shoulder bag – the rounder the better.

Gadgets: Fitbit Alta HR Review

11 August, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

If you know me IRL, you know that I am slightly obsessed with Fitbit fitness trackers. Every day I try to hit at least 10K steps, I check my sleeping stats religiously, and get into somewhat heated stepping competitions with friends and family on the app. But as far as obsessions go, this one has helped me get off the couch, become more fit, and yes, lose weight.

My first Fitbit tracker was Fitbit Alta, I loved its sleek design and how inconspicuous it was. I could stack a few bracelets around it to dress it up, or wear it as-is and not feel like I had a fitness tracker on – it was pretty perfect. Then, a few months ago I tried Fitbit Charge 2, and with this tracker I could also monitor my heart rate, helping me get a more precise reading of my daily calorie burn, and helping me track exercise better.

But while I loved the functionality and features of Charge 2 (Guided Breathing Sessions were a huge bonus!), with its wider screen and band I found myself missing my thinner tracker. What I really wanted was to wear my Alta, but with all of the benefits of heart rate readings too. Well, my prayers have been answered with the new and improved Fitbit Alta HR – it still offers the same stylish design, but this time with a PurePulse Heart Rate monitor built-in, so I can track low-step exercise like Barre better, keep an eye on my resting heart rate changes, and get a better overall understanding of my fitness level.

These days my Fitbit Alta HR is on my wrist every single day – from work to sleep and everything in between, and I truly can’t imagine how I ever functioned without it. It made me a more active person, and it fits my personal style – what more can you ask for?

Fitbit tracker was provided free of charge. All opinions are my own.

Beauty: CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Summer 2017 Launches

25 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

If you’re a fan of the glowing “no makeup” makeup look, do I have great news for you! CHANEL has just released the new Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation ($70) and it’s fantastic if you’re into dewy, glowy, fresh skin that actually looks like skin. This foundation is lightweight, but buildable if you want more coverage, doesn’t get cakey, and gives your skin a boost of hydration (it’s made up of 56% water and loaded with hyaluronic acid). The recently-released Retractable Foundation Brush ($65) is the perfect tool to apply this gel foundation, with soft, angled bristles, it’s great for daily application and on-the-go touch-ups.

Along with the foundation, CHANEL has also released two new shades of Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick ($53) – shades that can go from summer to fall and add just the right amount of sheer colour to any makeup look. The creamy, velvety stick makes it very easy to apply – it’s virtually mistake-proof!

Lastly, I am obsessed with CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette ($70) – it is the perfect neutral palette for everyday, natural eye makeup. It goes on silky and sheer when dry, and can be intensified by layering, or used as an eyeliner when applied with a wet brush. If your haircolour is on the lighter side, you can also use this palette as a brow intensifier…alas, my brows are too dark, so I’ll be using it for my daily eye makeup instead.

Have you tried the new CHANEL Les Beiges launches? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Beauty: Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick

18 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

Last week, I attended the launch of the new Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick at Chocolates X Brandon Olsen (literally my fave chocolates in the city!). Before learning more about the collection, we had the chance to make our very own chocolate bars with cocoa butter in lovely shades of Bite’s lippies. Suited up in our Bite Beauty lab coats, we got down and dirty with cocoa butter, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, and other delicious ingredients, to make our dream chocolate bars.

Once our creations were put in the fridge to harden, Bite Beauty Founder Susanne Langmuir introduced us to the new lipstick collection. Just like the chocolates we were making, Bite Beauty liquid lipsticks are created by hand in small batches in Toronto, using natural ingredients like monoi butter and coconut oil, which leave lips feeling healthy and nourished. The new liquid lipsticks have a semi-glaze (satiny) finish and come in 12 highly-pigmented modern shades with fun names like Braised, Flambé, Eclair, and Marsala. After trying a couple of shades, I am so impressed with how rich and long-wearing the pigments are, and unlike with other liquid lipsticks, my lips don’t feel dry or sticky during and after wearing Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick, on the contrary, they feel nice and hydrated! And while I already have quite a sizeable collection of lip products, the liquified lipstick shades are just so good, I’ll be wearing Flambé and Candied throughout the summer and Marsala, Braised, and Whip come fall.

Are you excited about Bite Beauty’s new liquified lipsticks? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More photos after the jump!
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ERDEM X H&M Collection Is Coming This November!

13 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

So excited right now!!! It was just officially announced that ERDEM x H&M Collection is hitting the stores on November 2nd, and I hope you are ready for line-up madness, because this collection looks LIT! Sorry, I don’t usually use words like “lit”, but I simply had to. A dreamy Baz Luhrmann teaser film was released today, and you can catch glimpses of the collection in it – the signature Erdem florals, a leopard print faux fur coat, printed silk PJs, pleats, and more. I can’t wait to see the lookbook and make my shopping wishlist…I anticipate that I’ll be adding a few party frocks (and that printed PJ set) to my closet come November.

The ERDEM x H&M collection will also mark the first time that the Canadian-born, London-based designer will be creating a menswear collection. “I’m so happy to collaborate with H&M, and to explore my work on a whole new scale including a menswear collection which I have never done before. It’s also such a thrill to work with Baz Luhrmann, on of the most important storytellers of our time”, says Erdem.

As a huge fan of Erdem Moralioglu and his designs, I am now super excited for November! Are you? Share in the comments.

Photo Credits: H&M

Shopping: The Best of Shopbop’s Summer Sale

31 May, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

Sale season is in full effect, and I am finally pulling the trigger on all of those “wishlist” items that I’ve been diligently bookmarking/hearting/saving on my computer and phone. And no one does the wishlists better than Shopbop. And while I’ve already picked up a few of my summer must-haves, I thought I’d share some of my fave summer vacation essentials that are currently available on Shopbop at steep discounts. From the adorable Charlotte Olympia watermelon tote, to the chic and timeless Victoria Beckham striped dress, these are the pieces you didn’t know you needed this summer.

The deals are really hard to resist, so proceed with caution!

Shop after the jump!
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Shopping: Orlebar Brown at Holt Renfrew

26 May, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

It may not look like it, but summer is on its way, and with it, sunny days by the lake/ocean/inflatable pool in your backyard. And while women usually have a wide variety of options available to them for such occasions – from cute bikinis to stylish one-piece swimwear, men’s swimsuits are usually limited to those ubiquitously unattractive board shorts in loud (and often unattractive) patterns. Well, British label Orlebar Brown is aiming to fix that gap by offering a wide selection of very stylish swim trunks for men – ones your significant other can wear to the beach and to the nearby restaurant with ease.

Last week, Holt Renfrew hosted an intimate dinner to celebrate the Orlebar Brown pop-up at the flagship store on Bloor St with founder Adam Brown as the guest of honour. Brown revealed that having a pop-up at Holt Renfrew was a bit of a dream come true, as the Canadian store was on his short list of retailers when the label first launched. Brown himself is a great spokesperson for the brand (charming, sophisticated, and impeccably dressed), and can be seen wearing the label in numerous Instagram snaps from various exotic destinations, along with photos of his two adorable dogs Arthur and Rudi.

And while the Orlebar Brown pop-up shop offers plenty of styles and prints to choose from, I love the brand’s “Design Your Own“ service. Apparently, family photos and snaps of pets are the most popular, but pretty much anything can be turned into a pair of one-of-a-kind swim shorts. Oh, and every pair of swim shorts comes with a 5-year guarantee!

The Orlebar Brown pop-up will be available until September 4th as part of Holt Renfrew’s Cool Summer concept shop on Bloor St. Happy Shopping!

Photo Credits: Holt Renfrew and George Pimentel Photography

What I Wore: The First Long Weekend in May

18 May, 2017 Nelia 3 Comments

Victoria Day long weekend is just around the corner and for many Canadians this weekend marks the beginning of cottage season. While le bf and I aren’t cottage-owners, our usual Victoria Day long weekend plans involve packing our bags, renting a car, and driving to a hotel in Gravenhurst for a few days of sunshine, hiking, and swimming. Depending on the weather, my packing list for these trips is fairly uncomplicated – sweatshirts and comfy denim for chilly evenings, a dress or two for dinners out, a swimsuit, sunglasses, my fave HBC beach towels, beauty essentials, and a couple of easy to pack Tide PODS for clean laundry in a pinch (no musty towels for us!).

And since Victoria Day is the unofficial kick-off to cottage season, I partnered up with Tide to share the Cottage Laundry Care Guide for any upcoming weekend getaways you may have planned. Check it out after the jump!

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What I Wore: #BeNice

14 May, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

With Canada turning 150 this year, Roots has created the #BeNice campaign to celebrate Canadians who make this country a better place to live. You can nominate someone who deserves the title of Canada’s Nicest Person by sharing your stories on Facebook or Instagram and tagging @rootscanada with hashtags #BeNice and #RootsIsCanada. Canadian Olympic Champion Adam Van Koeverden will select the top 10 finalists, and it will then be up to the public to vote for who they believe is the nicest. The winner will be announced on June 20th, and will be recognized with a $10,000 donation to his or her charity of choice.

“We want to acknowledge those who embody Canadian nice – the kind of nice that takes guts, courage and strength,” says Van Koeverden. “We’re calling on Canadians to nominate nice and let us know who goes above and beyond to champion what they believe in to really make a difference.”

And while we’re on the topic of “nice”, Roots has also created the nice Button set ($3), with 100% of profits benefiting WE’s Indigenous Youth Empowerment Programming. For more info on Roots’ #BeNice campaign, upcoming events, celebrations, and art installations check out www.roots.com/nice!