Winter Coat Brands to Watch + WIN 2 Tickets to Heart of Fashion at the Shops at Don Mills

Camel Car Coat, $268, Oak + Fort

While the ubiquitous Canada Goose Parka is a fail-proof bet against the impending 'T-Rex of Winters', it's always nice to be reminded of some of the lesser-known coat brands out there. The Shops at Don Mills got in touch to share some of the amazing coats they carry so I thought I'd share them with you. One of my new favs? Oak + Fort. Have you seen? Have you been? Watch for more from Oak + Fort on Real Life Runway from now on.

Speaking of the Shops at Don Mills, the legendary Heart of Fashion event is coming up this Saturday Oct 25^th and aims to raise $680K. Crazy, right? Funds will go to support the acquisition of radioactive seed localization, which offers a non-invasive and extremely precise way of pinpointing and removing small tumours in the breast. North York General Hospital will be the only hospital in the GTA to have this technology. 

Over 500 stylish guests (including me!) will gather this Saturday to experience the fusion of food and fashion in support of North York General Hospital’s BMO Financial Group Breast Diagnostic Centre(BDC). Guests will be treated to a night full of amazing food, cocktails, entertainment, a live auction (including coveted tix to this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in London) and a fashion show featuring exclusive retailers from the Shops at Don Mills and prestigious Canadian designers Christopher Bates, Fotini Copeland and David Dixon. 

Now for the best part: the Shops at Don Mills have given me 2 tickets to give away to you! The prize pack is valued at $500 and includes 2 tickets to the Heart of Fashion event, including the fashion show, cocktail party and fabulous food stations. It's going to be an amazing night out and I can't wait to see you there.

HERE'S HOW TO WIN THE COVETED TICKETS:

1. Leave a comment below telling me your fav winter coat brand.

OR

2. RT the following: '@realliferunway is giving away 2 tickets to the Heart of Fashion and I want to go! RT to win. #HeartofFashionNYGH http://bit.ly/1zhYhtS' 

3. Contest closes 5 pm this Thursday. I'll announce the winner Friday morning!

4. Contest open to residents of Ontario only.

5. Good luck! xx

Oh, and if you're currently on the hunt for a cozy new winter coat, check out some the outerwear brands I'm loving right now:

 

Oversized Single-Breasted Coat, $218, Oak + Fort 

Nobis Meredith Coat, $845, Mendocino

Pajar Puffer Coats in Olive & Blue, $675, Leigh & Harlow

Akiva Coat, $850, and Kay Fur-Trimmed Puffer Coats, $750, both Mackage

Moscow Coat, $720, Madame Moje

The Lovely Joe Fresh Holiday Lookbook

Photos via Joe Fresh

The Joe Fresh Holiday Lookbook arrived in my inbox recently and since I've finally accepted the cold weather, I think it's only right to share it with you. In a word: dreamy. The styling is perfect - the Nordic knits, the chunky scarves, the faux fur trims, and even the socks worn with heels. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. And because it's all Joe Fresh, it's affordable and wearable, so this fashion dream can actually come true for you (and you and you and you). The holiday collection drops in stores throughout November and December.

Speaking of Joe, I'll be heading to Toronto next week for Spring '15 World MasterCard Fashion Week so be sure to follow me all next week on this blog (and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) for my pretty people pics from the street, the studio and the big shows at David Pecaut Square.

Until then, happy weekend! Isn't it always?

See the Full Alexander Wang x H&M Collection

Photos via H&M

You know the saying 'fake it 'til you make it'? I find that this applies best to the 'active lifestyle' compartment of my life. I love killer workout gear - I mean, few things make me happier than a sweet new pair of running shoes. And when I walk into the gym with my hot pink earbuds, my neon kicks, and tight black running pants that make my gams look like those of a highly trained ninja warrior, I feel that runner's high that people who run always talk about. As for the working out part of the equation? Meh. 

But I plan on making several appearances in the YMCA cardio room, salsaing my way through a Zumba class or two, and maybe even getting outdoors for a brisk fall jog in the new Alexander Wang x H&M collection, if only to show it off. Sporty to the max, the lookbook just dropped full of black and grey separates fit for any urban athlete, whether in intention or in actual practice. I'm totally out of breath over those leggings. Phew. 

Mark your calendars and get ready to warm up those arms for some swift grabbing - the competition for the best pieces is sure to be fierce. The Alexander Wang x H&M collection launches in 250 H&M stores worldwide and online November 6th. In the meantime, be sure to tune in live to the NYC launch at 8:15 pm tonight at hm.com/wangxhm 

See the full collection by clicking on the thumbnails below:

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5 Fall Outfits | 9 Gorgeous Pieces | $400

With time and budgets stretched to the max, I love choosing clothes that mix and match together to make reliably stellar outfits. This week, iVillage.ca asked me to pick 9 fall pieces to make 5 perfect fall outfits. The tough part? Do it all (clothes, shoes and outerwear included) on a $400 budget. I do love a good fashion challenge...

SEE THE 5 OUTFITS HERE...

TRENDING: 3 Fall Combos We Love

Some of my fav street style colour combos of 2014. Via Harper's Bazaar.

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

They say that good things come in threes and when it comes to colour, I completely agree. Monochromatic looks are super cool but require a deft hand at loading up on texture to pull it off. Two-tone outfits look safe but can feel incomplete. But add that magical third shade and suddenly, you have fashion magic. 

For Fall '14, the most stylish on the streets of New York, Paris and Milan showed us how to do colour right. And, it turns out that the most stunning looks were often super simple colour combos that packed a real punch. This fall, try pairing 2 neutrals with one bright pop - it's as easy as that. If you're not big on brights, try letting your third element be a metallic - either a shiny silver or a bold gold. We've shown red, green and navy looks here, but purple, yellow, orange, bright pink and cobalt blue will shake up your fall and winter wardrobe, too. 

Why let your summer wardrobe have all the fun? Let these three perfect fall combos inspire you the next time you're faced with a what-to-wear moment...

SEE THE LOOKS HERE...