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Holidays 2014: Gift Guide

For some reason, this year, I am woefully unprepared for winter’s arrival, but since it’s practically end of November and there’s snow on the ground, I guess it’s time to snap out of my denial and start shopping. Full disclosure: I have yet to buy any presents, but I do have some ideas as to what I’ll be picking up for my loved ones this holiday season. And just in case you’re in the same boat, I thought I’d share some of my fave holiday gift ideas with you.

I glimpsed most of these back in July, during the annual holiday previews, and I have to say that this year in particular, those previews came in super handy. I got to learn about the existence of cool adult onesies, played with the Big Love Ball, and tried on the gorgeous Thomas Sabo infinity ring; I self-medicated with the all-natural Saje Pocket Pharmacy, and sipped on Inniskillin sparkling icewine. In short, I got to preview and test out a lot of the picks below, and I hope that this gift guide gives you some ideas for your holiday shopping this season. If you’re looking for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and presents for him, her, and the kids, then this is a great place to start! Happy Shopping!

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1. Bombki Russian Christmas Ornaments (Net-A-Porter)
2. FLOWER Beauty Powder Brush (Wal-Mart)
3. TOMS for Target Candle (Target)
4. Falconwright Coin Purse (Falconwright)
5. Drake General Store Mountie Thermos (The Bay)
6. kate spade new york iPhone 5 Lucky Cat Case (Holt Renfrew)
7. Saje Pocket Pharmacy (Saje)
8. Big Love Ball 
9. Gap Calf Hair Tech Gloves (Gap)

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1. The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Doll (The Body Shop)
2. Shupette My Precious Glitter Set (Holt Renfrew)
3. Tiffany T Square Bracelet (Tiffany and Co)
4. Jenny Bird RiRi Collar Tri-tone (Jenny Bird)
5. Balenciaga Florabotanica Rollerball (Sephora)
6. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham (Indigo)
7. CHANEL Patchwork Shearling Bag (CHANEL)
8. ALDO FAHLSTROM Boots (ALDO)
9. Moschino iPhone 5 Case (Net-A-Porter)
10. Thomas Sabo Glam & Soul Ring (Thomas Sabo)
11. NARS Modern Future Roman Holiday Gift Set (Holt Renfrew)

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1. H&M Oh Deer! Sweater (H&M)
2. ALDO Wallie Shoes (ALDO)
3. Yo Sox Burger King Socks (The Bay)
4. KRUPS Barista Espresso/Coffee Machine (The Bay)
5. Samsung Gear 2 Smart Watch (Best Buy)
6. Grey Goose VX (LCBO)
7. Jack Black Cobalt Brush (Holt Renfrew)
8. Drake General Store Arborist Mountie Adult Onesie (The Bay)

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1. Indigo Expressions Pillow (Indigo)
2. Oster French Bull Toaster (Target)
3. Louis Vuitton Fashion Photography (Indigo)
4. Holiday Ribbon Dessert Plates (Indigo)
5. Inniskillin Vidal Sparkling Icewine (LCBO)
6. Byredo Parfums Loose Lips Candle (Holt Renfrew)
7. Nadege Pastries (Nadege)
8. David’s Tea for the Tree (David’s Tea)
9. HBC Collection Cuppa Teapot (The Bay)

 

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1. HBC’s Priscilla the Fox (The Bay)
2. Melissa and Doug Felt Food Taco and Burrito Set (SHOP.CA)
3. Tuck Shop Neighbourhood Toques (Mini Mioche)
4. Sugarbooger Doll Teether Set (Mini Mioche)
5. H&M Sweatshirt with Print (H&M)
6. GummyGoods Nightlight (Mini Mioche)
7. Ele and Ela Bib (Etsy)
8. Seedling DIY Snow Globe Kit (Indigo)
9. Uncle Goose Russian ABC Blocks (Uncle Goose)

What I Wore: Solange, Coco, and Minnie…Oh My!

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Another WMCFW season has come and gone, and this time I found myself at the tents every single day, and saw more shows than I normally would have. As such, my full fashion week recap is going to be up sometime next week, with my fave new designers, outstanding pieces, and fave collections, as well as the beauty recap from our contributor Aleyda. But for now, here’s a post about all of the fun outfits I wore to the tents last month.

Thanks to a slew of wonderful photographers like Ania Boniecka, Aleyah Solomon, Jenna Marie Wakani, Ryan Emberley and Stefania Yarhi, among others, I was able to document every look from a variety of angles and lenses…candid and not. It’s a bit of an exercise in narcissism, but hey, this is a style blog, what did you expect?! Let’s get to it, shall we?

On day 1, I ran into the lovely Talia Brown, and we were snapped together for FLARE Magazine. I didn’t bother with my outfit on day 1 – mainly because I had a very intense day at the office, so I simply swapped my ankle booties for a pair of ALDO heels, and my work bag for an ela clutch, and that was it.

After the shows, we were treated to a VIP party courtesy of Joe Fresh, with Solange Knowles on turntables. We were literally inches away from this stylish beauty, but I’m still not sure if waiting nearly 3 hours for the privilege was worth it. My feet were crying by the time I got home.

xx, attends the Joe Fresh Cocktail event on Monday, October 20th, 2014.solange-toronto-joe-fresh-style-blog-nelia-belkova

On Day 2, I actually managed to change out of my office clothes, and into a fun faux leather overalls from H&M. Knowing that a Minnie Mouse party was in the cards, I made sure to grab my trusty sequinned Minnie ears, which completed my look that day. To add a bit of Canadian flare to my outfit, I wore one of my fave falconwright clutches to the tents.

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More after the jump! [Read more…]

What I Wore: WMCFW

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Toronto Fashion Week has come and gone, and while I am incredibly thankful to have been able to attend some amazing shows, witness backstage magic first-hand, and meet so many interesting (and oftentimes talented) people…I have to say that by Day 5, I was wiped out. Even three days of fashion shows combined with my 9-5 was enough to require a weekend of R&R, which is exactly what the doctor prescribed. I’m the doctor, in case you are wondering.

And while I’m still working on my #WMCFW coverage, I thought I’d share my fashion week outfits. From my red ALDO shoes, to my Joe Fresh coordinates, to my fave falconwright clutch, I tried to infuse Canadian and Canadian-made pieces into my outfits for each day of fashion week, as captured by the amazing street style photographers Mauricio Calero and Max Kopanygin. Thanks, boys!

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One more after the jump!

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What I Wore: Wedding Leather

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Sorry for the crappy photos, but it was raining that day and I really liked this dress, and my hair was done, so it was either photos on the porch, or no photos at all, and well…this is the result.

I’ve been saving this Line and Dot dress for a special occasion, and finally ended up wearing it to le bf’s cousin’s wedding at the beautiful Toronto Hunt Club. The wedding was beautiful, bride and groom looked happy, and we ate our faces off because the food was phenomenal. And the best part is…even though I stuffed my face, my dress concealed the food baby, and that is one of the many reasons I love it (the dress, not the food baby).

Since it was a cool day, I ended up wearing my leather moto jacket over my maxi. I wasn’t sure if leather jackets were appropriate wedding attire, but I wasn’t going to wear a pashmina or a blazer, so leather was it. And you know what? I’m pretty happy with the combination – dressy, but also a little badass, and 100% me.

It may not be your cup of tea, but I wasn’t lying when I said that I LIVE in my leather jackets. The office, weekends, weddings, you name it…leather jacket always seems to be the answer. But what about you? Do you think it’s appropriate to wear leather to a wedding? Share in the comments!

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More after the jump!

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What I Wore: New York, New York

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Yup, Paris Fashion Week starts next week, and I am still catching up on my New York posts. Sorry? But not really, because life has never been more hectic than it is right now. So I apologize in advance if the next few weeks are lighter on content than usual…but life trumps blog, you know?

This was one of the only outfits that I got to photograph in New York. Not because I didn’t wear clothes (I did, I swear!), but because my photographer had to go back to Toronto, and I’m not very good at selfies. So this one will have to do. The rest of the fashion show coverage posts are coming next week. Have a great weekend!

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I Wore: Coat – Club Monaco; Shirt, Military Pants – Gap; Boots – Margiela for H&M; Clutch – falconwright; Belt – Moschino

What I Wore: White Christmas

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This was me just over a week ago, enjoying the warmth of the sun, the waves of the ocean, and the delicious food at Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana. Le bf and I decided to skip traditional gift-giving this year, in favour of a lovely getaway from the cold and the snow, and it was the best decision ever! Looking at these photos now makes me jealous of myself…I know how irrational it sounds, but I wish my view was still palm trees as opposed to snow blowing diagonally outside my office window. Le sigh.

Back to fashion. I first saw this Dolce Vita dress in Barcelona last year, and though I totally fell head over heels, I simply couldn’t justify the inflated resort prices and left it…only to find it waiting for me on Shopbop on sale! Was it meant to be, or what? Obviously, I snatched it up, and the rest is history. I love the way (from certain angles) the daisies actually look like snowflakes, which makes this dress even more perfect for Christmas. White Christmas without snow? Totally possible.

How was your Christmas, lovelies? Share in the comments!

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More after the jump!

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What I Wore: Rebel Without a Cause

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Earlier this month Yorkdale’s new expansion wing finally opened its doors, and lucky for me, I got to stop by the new Club Monaco store to do some much-needed pre-winter shopping. Not only is the new and shiny store a visual masterpiece to behold (seriously, check out the details next time you stop by), but it’s also pretty much impossible to walk away empty-handed from the amazing selection currently in stores.

I’ve had my eye on the Candace leather circle skirt for weeks now, so I made sure to take the time to finally try it on…after which it became perfectly clear, that I couldn’t walk away without it. The perforated detailing and the breezy fit made this one a winner for me. I love that it’s girlie, but also tough, and I’ve already paired it with half the shirts in my closet. It goes with everything!

The other item I picked up during opening night was a Beatrice Sweater in grey. Asymmetrical hemline, softest cashmere, and open knit? Yes, please! This sweet sweater will surely keep me nice and toasty this winter, and more importantly…le bf actually approves! Score and score!

There were also oodles of printed pants, cozy sweaters, embellished tops, skirts, and dresses in perfect winter shades, and even vintage designer goodies too! So if you haven’t had a chance to stop by the new store, make sure to check it out. You know you want to!

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More after the jump!

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What I Wore: Blue and Yellow

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The gloomy days are here, and all I want to do is wear rainbows and sunshine. Which in this case translates into a blue coat worn with yellow pants. Bright enough for me. This coat is from Old Navy…and if I’m not mistaken, it costs all of $30 right now, so if you are looking for a cheerful peacoat that will brighten up your day without breaking the bank, this is it. You are welcome.

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More photos after the jump!

[Read more…]

Shopping: falconwright

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Just ordered my very first falconwright piece! If you still haven’t heard about falconwright, you must check out their selection of super adorable screen-printed leather clutches, handmade in Toronto by Sandi Falconer and Danielle Wright. Each time, only a small batch of leather goods is produced, so if you see something that you like, get on it and buy, buy, buy. I made a mistake of being indecisive, and the piece I wanted sold out. Lesson learned. Next time, I won’t hesitate…especially, since prices start at $20!

What do you think of falconwright leather goods? Share in the comments!

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Photo Credits: falconwright

WHAT I WORE

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