Pumped-Up Kicks

Converse All Star Light Leather Multi Strap Sneakers from The Bay

Hi-Top Basketball Sneakers from H&M

Hi-Top Wedge Sneakers from ALDO

A model off duty in her Isabel Marant sneakers - photo courtesy Elle 

Leave it to French design star Isabel Marant to start up one of the season's most surprising trends:  the old-school hi-top sneaker.  Seen on fashionable feet everywhere right now, from supermodels like Heidi Klum and Miranda Kerr, to Alicia Keys and Kate Bosworth, Ms. Marant's crazy cool kicks are on backorder and retail for around $700 - luckily, I've found some cute wallet-friendly pairs for under $50.  We're often left looking for comfy flats for the mucky transitional months between winter and spring;  ballet flats are cute but just don't cut it, while winter boots often feel far too clunky.  The hi-top sneaker turns out to be a fun flat alternative, helping you instantly update your skinny jeans and leggings.  Plus, they make you look like a baller, which is always cool :)  Will you dare to wear the hi-top this spring?

Get the Converse All-Star Light Leather Multi Strap Sneakers (on sale for $47.99) at The Bay, the Hi-Top Basketball Sneakers ($29.95) at H&M, and the Hi-Top Wedge Sneakers (on sale for $45.49) at ALDO.   Insane!

Sneak Peek: Joe Fresh Spring 2012

The Joe Fresh tech tee ($19) and maxi skirt ($69) from the Spring 2012 Collection, vs. Jason Wu Spring 2012 (photo courtesy style.com)  My wallet might be a bit biased, but it chooses the Joe Freezy

I headed to Toronto this week for the Joe Fresh Spring 2012 preview and was excited to see what the brand had in store for the frugal and fashionable this season.  Though I'd already seen the runway show back in October, it's always different seeing the line up close, without the distractions of the lights, flashbulbs and general frenzy of the catwalk. 

The Joe Fresh team had assembled the collection in a stark white space and as many editors remarked, it felt like a breath of fresh air.  The colours this coming season are totally on-trend - a palette of bright sorbets and citrusy hues that pop against white, black and denim.  Though Joe Fresh hasn't abandoned its well-loved staples of easy knits and nautical striped shirts, the runway line has expanded dramatically, meaning we'll actually be able to get our hands on more than a few fashion pieces this spring.  Plus, the men's line really pushes the envelope, with printed blazers and pants and colourful separates that I can't wait to get on my husband (if he'll let me :)  RLR's Must-Have's:  The navy and red printed blazers ($149 each), the green riding jacket ($189) the fun, patterned shirts ($24-$29), and the orange-soled white oxford shoes ($59)

For women, I was most impressed with the way Joe Fresh has attended to the details that perhaps were lacking in seasons past;  the sweet little buttons on a striped boatneck tee ($24), the patterned lining on a pair of slipper flats ($49) and the neoprene collar on a highlighter orange blazer ($149) all make the collection feel a little less grocery-store and decidedly more glam.  The colours, too, were bang on, with gutsy, saturated brights making a statement on everything from sweaters to pants to tees.  The bold yellow maxi-skirt/tech-tee combo will be a hot item once it arrives in stores this spring, the orange version having just graced the cover of the February Flare.  A Joe Fresh insider confided to me that they had just sent the skirt to Oprah last week.  Eek!  Plus, the fabrics this season feel surprisingly luxe, from the cool scuba tees ($39) to the stretchy striped dresses.  RLR's Must-Have's:  The bright maxi skirt ($69), the neon blazer ($149), the stripe tank dress ($29), the printed slim pants ($29), the print loafer pumps ($49), the marine dress in navy w orange and blue w green ($29 each), the clear lucite bubble necklace, the contrast collar shirts ($29), and the wide-leg colour jean ($49).  

As a girl who lives in a tiny town, I'm left wondering how much of the fashion-forward collection will actually make it to the St. Thomas Superstore.  And yet, as the company continues to grow, I feel like the brand is making high-heeled stomps in the right direction by bringing more and more of the runway to our closets, at a still-affordable Joe Fresh price.

Happy Friday to you!  xo

For more pics of the collection (and to start your shopping list), click on the thumbnails below: (all pics by RLR)

• 
• 
• 
   
• 
• 
• 
   

 

Wu Hoo! Jason Wu Coming to Target

Images courtesy Target

After the Missoni for Target collection debacle last fall, fashion-lovers have been waiting with bated breath for the next big designer collaboration.  The Jason Wu for Target lookbook was just released and the sweet collection features everything from nautical stripes to chic sorbets to elegant after-5 pieces, all in keeping with the designers pretty, ladylike aesthetic.  Wu shot to fashion fame after dressing Michelle Obama for her husband's inauguration, and his dresses are perpetually spotted on red-carpet fixtures like Diane Kruger, Camilla Belle and Natalie Portman, so the collection is pretty much guaranteed to sell out quickly.  The Jason Wu collection arrives February 5 at Target stores, as well as online at Target.com, with prices starting at only $19.99.  That insane white dress with the black underlay is super tempting, but I'm not sure whether I'll battle the crowds again to cross-border hop for this one.  Wu you?  

Ps - Just in case you missed last week's announcement, click here for the list of which lucky Canadian cities are getting a Target in 2013

Show your stripes

Maybe it's the spring-like weather or the fact that I'm en route to the Joe Fresh Spring 2012 preview (more on that later), but this morning, I'm totally loving this fun little dress.  Joe Fresh seems to do a striped dress every season but this year, they've amped it up quite a bit, with cut-out details on the cuffs, subtly-placed pockets and an eye-catching band of brilliant orange around the hem.  Though the nautical trend doesn't quite have the sea legs it did last year, stripes (in my humble opinion) are always a fashion do.  In a perfect world, this train would keep on rolling all the way to a yacht dock somewhere and I'd hop right on.  How many times do I have to wish for a yacht before it finally comes true??  Honestly...

The Marine Dress (only $29) will totally float your fashion boat this spring and is available at Joe Fresh stores this spring.  Doesn't it just shiver your timbers?! 

RLR Girl Crush: Rosie Huntington-Whitely

The jet-setting Rosie Huntington-Whitely on her way to somewhere impossibly glamorous.   Or maybe she just likes airports?

Looking for a fail-proof formula for getting dressed in the morning?  Take your cue from supermodel and actress(ish) Rosie Huntington-Whitely, my ever-growing girl crush, who manages to make a super simple outfit look far from boring.  Her secret? (aside from her killer bod and unfairly genetically-blessed face)

It's all about the neutral mix:  Instead of just wearing your typical black with grey or brown with tan, Rosie mixes black, brown, grey and tan solids in varying textures all together,  adding depth and dimension to every outfit.  Add a big statement bag in a subtle animal print and an always-in-style pair of aviators and you're ready to conquer the world - or at the very least, the aisles of the Superstore...