Oxblood red is all the rage these days. It certainly is not a new color on the scene, but it has been re-invented it seems and has become somewhat of an "it" color. Oxblood has completely taken over the runways—and the malls and salons. While its name is not particularly on the lovely side, the deep and gorgeous color makes up for it completely. It's not quite red, it's not quite burgundy, it's not quite wine. It taps into the brown family, as opposed to the burgundys and the reds and the wines which seem to lean towards purples and violets.
Jeans + wool socks + boots = my absolute favorite trend for fall and winter.
I have always been a fan of boots. They are so adorably versatile, and it certainly doesn't hurt that they actually serve a purpose—keeping my legs and toes toasty warm throughout our cold, cold Canadian winter season. I have worn socks under boots since about 2009 (trendsetter!) but have only recently started experimenting with these looks:
I am slightly surprised by how in love with Ginnifer Goodwin's vintage-inspired Monique Lhuillier dress. For me, the entire look is perfection. The hair, the earrings, the shoes.
And I couldn't help but drool over this adorable Jonathan Saunders cocktail dress that Marisa Tomei recently wore at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Several times a year, I cross the border to stock up on shirts, dresses, pants, jeans, shoes, skirts and more from some stores that haven't quite made the leap up into Canada.
Because of this obvious character flaw, a cell phone case is not an option—it's a MUST.
There are some important things to look for in phone cases, including the case material—they come in everything including leather, rubberized plastic, silicone, and canvas, and the access to all the controls and buttons—you need to make sure that your case doesn't cover up your microphone, your speaker, or your camera.
If you asked my mother, she'd likely tell you that I excel as a parent in many ways—I'm an excellent carpool driver, I manage to help complete three sets of homework each night, and I finally have a handle on that whole hair-brushing-without-tears thing. But, she will also tell you that there's a certain crucial part of parenting in which I am a complete and total failure: jackets and boots.
One of my favorite Canadian stores is JACOB. The prices are good (the sales are even better—40% off the entire store? Sign me up!), the lines are clean, and now they have that wonderful (and dangerous) thing called e-commerce.
I am a fan of their LBDs, their accessories, their cardigans, their trench coats, even their make-up.
Of course, we all know that the 2012 London Olympic games are a a two-week athletic competition. But anyone who has ever wondered about Ryan Lochte's infamous $25,000 grill (raises hand!) and anyone who has ever googled to find out who designed Team Canada's Opening Ceremony outfits (The Bay!) can tell you that the olmypics are about so much more than athleticism—they are most definitely about fashion.
In fact, there are dozens. I have been wearing a lot of belts lately—they are a super easy way to add some character to a simple summer dress or to add some definition to a waistline. I often experiment with tying and knotting my belts, and have decided to share some of my favorites with you today.
The hot, hot summer is in full swing and that means one very important thing: it's bathing-suit season. There are so many cute bathing suits out there for this season—tankinis, retro suits, ruched bikinis—but we must not forget the most important bathing-suit season accessory: The bathing suit cover-up. Perfect for a day at the water park, spending time at the local community pool, or lazy days at the beach, the cover-up is an essential part of a summer wardrobe. Here are nine of my favorite beach cover-ups that won't break the bank—they are all under $50!
In my mind, the idea of JORTS was always one that brought nothing but NoNoNos from me. They reminded me of my camp counselors from 1993, back in the days of oversized flannel and colored socks and Doc Martens. They reminded me of the dudes we’d meet at gas stations on family road trips; the ones who didn’t have any teeth and smelled like BenGay and beer. They reminded me of all of those angsty werewolves from Twilight.
There are so many great trends in handbags for Summer 2012, including bright colours, pastel hues, oversized envelope clutches, crossover handbags, color blocking, foldover bags, and satchels. One of my most favourite trends in purses and handbags, though, for this summer is the colour blue. Every time I open a magazine, pull up a website, or walk into a store I see blue, blue, blue!
Accordion pleats are popping up all over the place for Spring and Summer 2012, and it's not just on the runway. I have been seeing the pleat trend on models, celebrities, and, of course, on one of my most favorite style icons—Kate Middleton.
There are so many great ways to wear pleats this season—skirts, dresses, sweaters, tops, even purses.
And I'm pretty sure I have all of them on my wish list.
At the 2012 Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards in New York City this week, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen took home the biggest prize of the night—Womenswear Designers Of The Year for their high-end fashion line, The Row.
So, here's the thing.
Not matter how much I try or have tried, I cannot not love the pint-sized duo.
Obviously no one was consulting ME when they decided that CORAL was going to be one of the hottest colors for this summer. One look at my pasty pale skin and my brown hair and it's plain as night and day—I cannot pull off coral. I tried in the late 80s, and it was not a pretty site. But then, my daughter convinced me to try a shade of coral on my nails.
And you know what?
I did not hate it.
It's official: I am a CORAL CONVERT.
Think you can't wear coral?
Think again!
Here are my picks for some great summer coral pieces:
