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Shopping: Longchamp to Open First Canadian Location at Yorkdale Shopping Centre!

2 December, 2014 Nelia

yorkdale-toronto-longchamp-store
Longchamp lovers, rejoice! It’s just been announced that the iconic French luxury brand is opening its first Canadian store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre in 2015! The new 1,600 square foot flagship store is going to be open to the public in late spring, and will be opening in the expansion wing, rubbing elbows with the likes of Holt Renfrew, Ted Baker London, and Hugo Boss.

“We are delighted to welcome Longchamp to Canada. Longchamp’s international reputation and must-have bags are already leading fashion items in this market.” said Claire Santamaria, Yorkdale Shopping Centre General Manager. “No other Canadian shopping centre has the proven track record that Yorkdale does in terms of helping launch international retailers in this country.”

What she said. Yet another retailer chooses Yorkdale as their first point of entry into the Canadian market. Not at all surprising. So if you’ve been dying to add an iconic bag to your wardrobe, now you’ll actually have plenty of selection to choose from. Who’s excited?!

More after the jump!
[Read more…]

Fashion, Shopping Longchamp, News, Shopping, Yorkdale, Yorkdale Style Council

What I Wore: Airport Style

15 January, 2013 Nelia

travel-style-what-to-wear-to-airport-2

Last year, I wrote a post on packing light, sharing my fave tips on travelling with my trusty Heys carry-on. And while I mentioned my airport-wear essentials in that post, since a lot of you will be travelling this winter, I thought it might be worth a show-and-tell.

As you can see, my in-flight style is pretty simple. Jeans with stretch for comfort and the softest sweatshirt I own, leather jacket to warm me up in case it gets chilly, a pair of comfy boots that I can quickly take off at security, and of course, socks! No belt or jewellery to remove (I pack those in a clutch inside my carry-on), no uncomfortable pieces of clothing to worry about. Just a practical outfit, paired with a roomy Longchamp tote filled with toiletries (in a clear bag), magazines, documents, pashmina, and a small purse, along with my Heys carry-on. Effective and efficient. I can’t stress enough how much easier going through security is when you think your outfit and your packing through. Huge difference!

So tell me about your airport style! Do you glam it up while travelling, or do you wear the comfiest thing you can find? Share your secrets in the comments!

travel-style-what-to-wear-to-airport-7

travel-style-what-to-wear-to-airport-6

I Wore: Leather Jacket, Sunglasses – Zara; Sweatshirt, Hat – H&M; Jeans – rag & bone; Boots – Aldo; Bag – Longchamp; Luggage – c/o Heys

Fashion, Organic Style, Travel, What I Wore Airport Style, Aldo, Canadian, H&M, Heys, Longchamp, Organic Style, Rag and Bone, Travel, Vacation, What I Wore, Zara

Travel: Packing Light

13 January, 2012 Nelia

I’m not going to claim to be an expert on packing or travel….BUT, I do travel a heck of a lot, and always…always without checking my baggage. In the past, I’ve had a few a lot of problems with lost bags, and ruined vacation outfits…which is obviously very stressful, and costly. I’ve finally had enough, and whether it’s a two-week European vacay*, or a weekend getaway, carry-on only is the only way I’ll travel. If you want to know how to travel light, without the hassles (and extra fees) that come with checking your bag, read on for my tips!

1. Good Luggage is Key

There’s a reason why this is tip #1. Good luggage can make a huge difference! For the past 8 (or so) years, I’ve traveled with my trusty green Heys carry-on everywhere. And when I say everywhere, I mean everywhere! Places it’s been: Kyrgyzstan (2 times), Kazakhstan (3 times), Paris (3 times), London (2 times), Italy (3 times), Spain (1 time), Moscow (1 time), New York (4 times), Houston (bajillion times), Cuba (2 times), Mexico (1 time), Mont Tremblant (1 time), Quebec and Montreal (2 times), Las Vegas (2 times), LA (1 time)…shall I keep going? My luggage has never let me down, through the cobbles of Red Square, and through the millions of stairs in Paris subway tunnels – it was always, always reliably sturdy and light.

Good luggage will expand when you need it to, will keep your clothes safe and neat, is easy to wheel around, is light, easy to maneuver and to spot. It doesn’t even have to be expensive. Granted, I am pretty biased towards Heys luggage (which is hella solid, affordable, and proudly Canadian!). After 8 years of using my cute green suitcase, I finally had to retire it – simply out of vanity (as it’s still in great condition). I wanted a prettier, newer set, and this Journey Spinner** will hopefully do the job just as well, while looking sleek and stylish.

Lucky for you, Heys is actually giving away a trip worth $5000!!! So if you want to take that new luggage out for a spin, make sure to enter here: http://www.facebook.com/HeysIntl?sk=app_250354528351779

2. Think Your Outfits Through

Now that we have the luggage covered, on to the actual packing. One of the major mistakes that people make when packing is…throwing everything in, thinking that they might need it. Well, in today’s world of baggage fees, and lost luggage, that tactic just won’t do. Before each trip, I carefully chart out the number of days, and the number of outfits per day that I’ll be needing. Something casual during the day, and something fancier for dinners usually does the trick. With that said, I still find room in my carry-on to fit everything in – be it a two-week European getaway, or an all-inclusive stay in the Caribbean. How? By thinking through each and every garment I bring, and packing it neatly.

Here are some rules I follow when packing:

Tops: 5 tops per 1 week, including at least 1 black and 1 white (or grey) for layering
Bottoms: 3 bottoms per 1 week, including a pair of jeans worn on the plane (never packed, as it’s very heavy and takes up a lot of room). I usually include a pair of shorts, and a skirt, but it’s up to you.
Dresses: 3-4 dresses per 1 week, including dresses that you can dress up or down
Outerwear: depending on the weather, bring one versatile topper that goes with everything. In the summer, you can get away with a cardi, and in the winter, bring an actual coat and wear it on the plane.
Accessories: pashmina (or breezy scarf that can work as a blanket/hair wrap), 2 belts (one worn on the plane), tights (if needed), jewelry (packed inside an evening clutch), a pair of light sock/slippers for the hotel room floor, bathing suit
Undergarments: 1 pair of undies per day, but if you don’t mind doing laundry on vacation, then you can probably get away with 3-4 per week.
 

3. Think Your Airport Outfit Through

This point is very important if you are planning to travel with no checked baggage. When dressing for the airport, I usually try to put on the heaviest/bulkiest items that probably would take up too much precious room in my carry-on, and would keep me nice and warm on the plane. That consists of a pair of jeans (saves lots of luggage room), a chunky sweater (it gets chilly on planes), boots (the ones that also go with dresses), a jacket (if it gets cold wherever you’re going), and a large pashmina (which you can use as an extra blanket on the plane). Try not to wear too much jewelry, unless you like to be frisked by customs officials, and always…ALWAYS wear socks! Taking off your shoes and walking through the metal detector barefoot won’t be as much of a gross chore if you have socks on, I promise.

4. Don’t Bring Too Many Pairs of Shoes

Shoes are always a touchy subject for the ladies. I’ve traveled with girls that couldn’t leave their house with less than 5 pairs of shoes for a weekend trip! Bringing so many pairs usually results in idle shoes strewn all over the hotel room, never worn once. So unless we are talking sandals or flip-flops, the less pairs your bring, the lighter the load for you, and you can still look cute! Key here is versatility.

Last time I went to Europe, I brought 2 pairs of shoes with me. One pair of super comfy high-heels that could be worn day or night, and a pair of flat sandals for long treks (and the beach). Usually, I don’t exceed 3 pairs of shoes per trip, but if it’s especially tough for you to part with your fave foot candy (yikes…that sounded kinda gross), make sure to wear the heaviest pair on the plane (obviously not if that shoe is a stiletto or something else equally uncomfortable – common sense, people). And to maximize the space, roll some socks and stuff those shoes full, so no empty space goes unused.

5. Keep it Organized

Organization is so important. I’m not saying you should go all Monica on your luggage. But, a little thought can save you a lot of hassle later on. Here are some of my organizational tips that I use on my trips:

– Use packing cubes. They don’t take up much room, but will keep your things nice, neat, and yes, organized. And when it’s time to unpack, you just have to stuff those cubes into hotel drawers – and you’re done. I got a few sets of those bad boys for Christmas a couple of years ago, and can’t imagine travelling without them!
– Keep your jewelry and small accessories packed away in a clutch or a small bag, and throw in a couple of zip lock bags in there, to keep your necklaces from tangling.
– Things that wrinkle easily should be packed at the bottom of your luggage, with less wrinkle-prone items on top. And though some experts will tell you that you get more room by rolling your stuff, personally, I prefer to lay things flat instead – less wrinkles as a result.
-Once your shoes are stuffed with socks (or other items), place those bad boys into shoe bags, so that the rest of your clothing doesn’t get soiled by dirty soles.
– If you travel with a carry-on luggage only, bring a large light purse with you. I usually bring my Longchamp tote, put a smaller purse/bag inside, with my passport and other items inside the smaller purse. And since the tote is nice and roomy, I also put my toiletries in a clear bag inside the tote, along with some reading materials for the plane, and my camera. When all is said and done, I don’t have to check any luggage at all! Bon Voyage!

So what about you? Do you have any packing tips? Share them in the comments.

*This carry-on policy will not apply for my upcoming wedding. A girl’s gotta bring her wedding tchotchkes, and other crap…but otherwise, carry-on only is the only way for me to fly!

**Journey Spinner luggage in this story was kindly provided by Heys Luggage International.

Shopping, Travel Canadian, Chanel, Heys, How-To, Longchamp, Luggage, Shopping, Travel

What I Wore: That 70s Show

22 February, 2011 Nelia

After years of skinny-jean supremacy, the wide-leg look is making a return for Spring/Summer 2011 season. And as it turns out, change does not always come easy. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Gap to check out a few of their new wide leg trouser styles. And as hard as I tried to get into the 70s groove, I couldn’t help but feel that they were all a bit too wide for my taste. I ended up buying the Curvy style, which believe it or not, I thought were flared in the fitting room!

Obviously, when I took them home, wore them a couple of times, I realized that they really weren’t as wide-legged as I’d imagined. I guess my perception was a tad skewed because of all the skinnies in my closet. Either way, after a taste of (slight) flare again, I’m getting really into it, and will definitely be going back for more. Hopefully, I won’t be such a denim-chicken this time around. So tell me, will you be embracing the 70s trend this spring? Or will you be sticking with your skinny jeans for now?

I Wore: Top – H&M; Jeans – Gap; Boots – Zara; Bag – Longchamp; Necklace – Forever21; Ring – YSL

Fashion, Organic Style, Shopping, What I Wore Forever21, Gap, H&M, Longchamp, Organic Style, Shopping, Spring 2011, Trends, What I Wore, YSL, Zara

What I Wore: IDS 2011

31 January, 2011 Nelia

Well, technically, I didn’t just wear this to IDS 2011, I also wore it to brunch with le boyfriend’s mom, Tim Burton exhibition  at the Bell Lightbox building, a Mexi-food-fest at Milagro, and later on a couch, while watching Dinner for Shmucks (is it strange that I didn’t have any problems relating to the weirdos in the movie?).

As for the Interior Design Show, I can’t say that it blew me away. It was my first time attending, and I guess after the amazingness that was One of a Kind Show, IDS fell a little flat for me. I was expecting more furniture, more style, and instead I found A LOT of fireplaces and faucets. Perhaps if you were looking for a fireplace (or a faucet), IDS was the place to be last weekend. Or perhaps, I didn’t enjoy it too much because of the crazy number of people bumping into me all day long – I don’t do well in crowded spaces. 

Either way I did manage to spot a few awesome booths last Saturday – my favorite being Rollout – custom wallpapers – creative and cool. You should definitely check out their website if you’re thinking of shaking up your home design.

I Wore: Sweatshirt – Forever21; Jeans – Fidelity; Boots – Proenza Schouler (The Room); Bag – Longchamp

Events, Fashion, What I Wore Eurolite, Fidelity, Forever21, IDS 2011, Longchamp, Organic Style, Proenza Schouler, Rollout, SUNG Outdoor, The Bay, The Room, What I Wore

What I Wore: Vestervention

29 December, 2010 Nelia

I’ve been a little obsessed with this faux fur vest lately. I wear it to work, out with friends, on dates, and to go shopping. This has become the go-to piece (the one that seemingly goes with everything) in my closet. I am not sure whether it was an amazing buy, or whether I’ll need a vest intervention soon. In the meantime, I am wearing it with anything and everything. And I’ll have more photos to prove it…soon.

I Wore: Dress – Forever21; Vest – Winners; Tights – H&M; Shoes – Nine West; Belt – Moschino via The Room; Bag – Longchamp

Fashion, Organic Style, What I Wore Forever21, H&M, Longchamp, Moschino, Nine West, Organic Style, The Room, What I Wore, Winners

What I Wore: Dancing in the Rain

16 November, 2010 Nelia

It finally rained last weekend! And what does that mean? That means, I finally got to wear my Cougar rain boots! Every time I saw a puddle, I jumped in. No wet spot on the road went unexplored. The boots were (obviously) waterproof and very toasty, but the main thing is…they were comfortable to boot! Wore them all day Sunday, and didn’t want to take them off!

And the best part is, with Cougar, comfort doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice style! I love the look of these REGAL biker-inspired lovelies. And le boyfriend adores them! Finally, there’s a pair of boots in my closet that don’t make his face twitch in confusion.

Thanks, Matchstick and Cougar, for keeping my feet dry and warm this Fall! 

PS. If you are interested in trying Cougar boots or have bought them in the past, please fill out this quick survey. For every survey completed, Matchstick will donate $2 to The Redwood haven, which helps abused women and children. Thank you all in advance!

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/413388/feedback

I Wore: Coat – H&M; Boots – Cougar; Bag – Longchamp

Fashion, Shopping, What I Wore Boots, Cougar, H&M, Longchamp, Organic Style, Shopping, What I Wore

Gap Canada Online Shopping Launch

26 August, 2010 Nelia

As a blogger, I spend a lot of my time online. 9-5 at the office for my day job, and then a few more hours at home scheduling posts, answering emails, reading pitches, and of course, as a girl in my twenties – shopping online. As I got older, my real-world shopping trips got more sparse, and my online deal hunting time increased dramatically. And why not? It’s so convenient – just click and pay…et voilà!

So when Gap PR invited me to attend Gap Canada’s Online Shopping Launch, I was thrilled! Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic have had huge presence worldwide and in Canada for many years now…but we weren’t able to shop online until now. All three sites, one shopping cart, free shipping (over $50), warehouse in Canada, no tariffs – easy, peasy.

Shopping at the event was easy too. Attendees were given $100 to spend on any Gap Inc. items available online, via www.GapCanada.ca. After initial browsing, I selected a cute double-breasted sweater from Gap, and some socks from Old Navy, clicked Checkout, and was done in mere minutes – the way online shopping should be.

Gap Inc. is a huge corporation…and all this ease has made me wonder why we (Canadians) didn’t get online shopping sooner. Thankfully, Gap Inc. Direct President Toby Lenk was on hand to answer some of my questions. He and Debbie Podberesky (VP Gap Inc.) shared that though online shopping could’ve been offered to Canadians much sooner, the infrastructure was not in place to allow direct shipping from Canada to Canada, which would’ve meant that packages would be shipped from the States, incurring tariffs, and making in-store returns nearly impossible. With a new warehouse in Southern Ontario, shipping is supposed to be fast and efficient, while returns and exchanges – a breeze.

I also wondered about the goods’ selection online – having shopped firsthand myself, I noted that many items offered in stores or on the US site were noticeably missing. But Mr. Lenk confirmed that it’s just a timing issue – the site is still in its early stages, and more product will be introduced as time goes on.

But as expected with any brand new launch, my online shopping did have a minor setback – an email stating that my order was cancelled. After phoning the number on the email, and speaking to very courteous and helpful support staff, I was informed that due to a large number of sequential prepaid credit card orders, the system halted said orders, suspecting potential fraud. The problem was fixed, and it somehow made me feel more secure about shopping at Gap Canada online, if mildly confused at first. A couple of hours later, all orders were re-instated, my package was still scheduled to arrive at my house in 5(ish) days. Hooray!

Now, I don’t know how fast I’ll be getting my goodies in the mail, so I can’t vouch for speediness and packaging, but as soon as that parcel arrives at my door, I’ll make sure to let you guys know all about it and post some pics too!

Are you excited about being able to shop Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy online, all on one site? Let me know in the comments!

UPDATE: Got my package in the mail 2 days after ordering. That is TWO days with FREE shipping. If that’s not amazing, I really don’t know what is! The sweater was a bit big on me, so I went in the next day to exchange it. Brought the bill with me, sales associate processed the exchange without questions. I got a pair of jeans instead of the sweater…and they fit like a dream. They’ll definitely get a lot of use on my upcoming vacay. Look out for pics!

I Wore: Pants – Gap; Shirt – H&M; Shoes – Zara; Bag – Longchamp; Belt – Nine West via The Bay

Events, Fashion, Shopping, What I Wore Banana Republic, Debbie Podberesky, Events, Gap, H&M, Longchamp, Nine West, Old Navy, Shopping, The Bay, Toby Lenk, Toronto, What I Wore, Zara

What I Wore: True Blue

23 August, 2010 Nelia

Rainy weekend in Toronto – what better time to wear my new Vivienne Westwood x Melissa Lady Dragon shoes? Love them so much, but unfortunately, they are too small for my feet…and size up was too big! I think I’ll just have to keep them in their box to look at when I am feeling blue – those hearts would cheer me up in no time!

But I do wish, I could wear these shoes more often…they are just too cute! Oh well…maybe one day my feet would shrink magically? Anyone know a good foot diet?

I Wore: Shirt – Gap; Jeans – Urban Outfitters; Belt – Nine West; Sunglasses – H&M; Bag – Longchamp; Shoes – Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

Fashion, What I Wore Gap, H&M, Longchamp, Melissa Shoes, Nine West, Shoes, Street Style, Urban Outfitters, Vivienne Westwood, What I Wore

What I Wore: Bad Day

29 June, 2010 Nelia

Last weekend, amid the G20 craziness, le boyfriend and I finally made a trek to Yonge and Sheppard to see my “Yorkdale Is Me” billboard! After a few minutes of silly picture-taking and attempting to climb up on the roof of the building in heels (me, not le boyfriend), which was unfortunately locked, we ended up spending the day wandering aimlessly around the Lawrence Park area, stopping by Sporting Life to check out their sale, and finally sampling Capocaccia (foodie post coming soon).

All in all a great day…especially compared to the day before that, when I hit a parking lot pillar, almost killed myself while hanging wallpaper and shopping at IKEA (hint to self: don’t attempt to drag a super heavy shelving unit across the driveway – it will inevitably result in busted up toes and scratched up, yet brand new piece of furniture).

Thankfully, there were kind souls that helped me along the way, and made my day a bit brighter. Like the guys at the auto shop, who instead of taking advantage of clueless me, helped me with the dent, offered advice and manual labor…all without any monetary expectations (I still paid them, of course). Also, huge thanks goes out to the random guy at the IKEA parking lot, who after seeing me wheel a huge shelving unit over to my car, did not hesitate to offer his help, which was hugely appreciated. And last, but not least, I am really thankful for the assitance of my almost-neighbor, who helped me get the aforementioned piece of furniture into my house, after seeing me helplessly fighting with and flailing around the careening shelf, which clearly was out for blood (ouch!).

What last weekend taught me (other than not to go furniture shopping alone, and to watch out for parking lot pillars), is that the world isn’t such a hostile place afterall…there are still people out there who will lend a helping hand to a stranger in need, without expecting anything in return. And that’s a pretty awesome thing to realize.

What I Wore: Shirt – Forever21; Shorts, Men’s Bracelet, Belt, Sunglasses, Nail Polish – H&M; Earrings – Chanel; Bag – Longchamp; Shoes – Zara

Fashion, Organic Style, What I Wore Chanel, Forever21, H&M, IKEA, Longchamp, Organic Style, Street Style, Toronto, What I Wore, Yorkdale, Yorkdale Is Me, Zara

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WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…

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