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Monday
Feb012016

X's and Ohh's

Photographed by Max Wanger. Via Decor8 Blog

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Lost? Confused? Not even sure where to begin? Love might be a battlefield but we're here to help you navigate it. We've rounded up the winning gifts that are guaranteed to impress your Valentine this year, plus a few sneaky tricks to make your main bae remember just how v. awesome you are.  Happy (almost) Valentine's Day you sweet things...

SEE OUR V-DAY GUIDE HERE...

Tuesday
Jan262016

SO SHADY | J. Crew's First Ever Sunglasses Collection Is Finally Here

As someone who can't help herself around sunglasses, I'm always on the lookout for fresh new specs to add to my collection. So when I found out that J.Crew launched its first-ever sunglasses collection today, I had to share the news (and pretty pics) with you. 

J.Crew partnered up with NYC-based Marchon for its first collection, featuring scratch-resistant, 100% UV protected lenses. The frames are made entirely by hand in high quality acetate and the sleek and supposedly super-stable hinge was designed by Dame Jenna Lyons herself. With 5 women's and 3 men's styles, the collection features a variety of fun prints and colours that are seriously toying with my shopping self-control.  

Check out the collection for yourself. The sunglasses are available now in J.Crew stores or online at jcrew.com and range in price from $128-$168 CDN. 

Hmmm...I'm thinking the top-right tortoises. And you?


Monday
Jan252016

GYM CLASS HEROES

Instagram via @basebodybabes

I just looked up lethargic in the thesaurus. Slothful. Somnolent. Spiritless. I'm trying to figure out what word would best describe me for the past 7 years. It's not that I haven't been active because I have young kids, so that's impossible. But let's just say that I used to be really active, really toned, really strong. And then suddenly, I wasn't. I worked out at least 3 days a week, quite religiously in fact, for most of my life. And then suddenly, I didn't. I used to feel like I was missing something when I didn't exercise because I craved it. But for the past 7 years, I honestly just wasn't interested at all.

Turns out my total lack of motivation coincided directly with having kids. And while having babies provided loads of convenient excuses, I realized that my reasons for not working out had morphed from valid to ridiculous. With a 5 and 7 year old, I found myself still saying things like 'I don't want to mess with their schedules,' or 'I'm just too tired.' I work from home. They're at school all day. They sleep like rockstars. Like I said: ridic.

This past fall, that all changed. I decided it was finally time to get to the bottom of things. And by bottom, I mean my own. My formerly perky, well, everything, had begun migrating south and it wasn't even winter yet. I'd been making a monthly donation to my gym for the past 7 years but only ever went a handful of times. Still, I refused to give up my membership because it felt exactly like that: giving up. But I finally did. Turns out breaking up with your gym is a lot like quitting a job or ditching a bad boyfriend - sometimes you have to leave to find something better.

In September, at the urging of a fellow mom, I reluctantly signed up for a Bums & Tums class at a local community centre. Despite the cringeworthy name, the instructor more than made up for it. Every Tuesday, I'd meet my friend for our weekly B&T and found myself, for the first time in 7 years, actually enjoying a workout. Then another mom and I decided to try bootcamp. So every Thursday, we had a date at the XTreme Fitness Torture Chamber where Pedro threw tires at us until we begged him to stop. And somehow, I found myself hate-loving it. Before I knew it, I'd done 4 straight months of consistent workouts and I hadn't once made an excuse. For the new year, I've signed up for an evening pilates class while my son does ball hockey in the gym next door (no mom guilt - yay!) and two lunchtime B&Ts. I haven't felt this good, this strong, this healthy since my pre-baby days. 

After all these years, I finally figured out the 3 things I need to stay on track with my workouts. (If you're feeling similarly derailed by your lack of motivation, maybe these will help you, too)...

Monday
Jan182016

WINTER STYLE CLASS | How to Bundle Up Like a Ski Bunny

via Bogner

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

The real cold has finally arrived and so, our annual Canadian bundling ritual has begun. Like so many of you, I can't live without my oven-mitt-sized mittens, my cozy blanket scarves, my oversized parka and, of course, my trusty boots to handle any blizzards that come my way.

While I refuse to sacrifice my warmth, I still want to look cute. I mean, if you have to choose between looking like a 3rd-grader or a ski-wielding supermodel, is there really any question? From the slopes to the après, I'm taking my winter style cues this year from the experts. Luckily, you don't need to know how to slalom to score that icy-cool vibe that ski bunnies from Aspen to the Alps have perfected. From furry trapper hats and pretty parkas to the layers that bring the whole look together, I've put together 3 super cute winter outfits to take your cold-weather style to new heights. Your weekend jaunts to Chamonix (or the grocery store) will never be the same...

READ MORE...

Tuesday
Jan122016

WORK IT. OWN IT. 

Need a little extra motivation to get moving? As the Vaughan Mills Official Stylist, I was tasked with rounding up a shortlist of my top fitness picks for 2016. These 7 fitness game-changers will get you to the gym looking extra cute this season...