Nordgreen Watches | All I Want for Christmas

I’m not exactly sure when I stopped wearing watches but let’s just say it’s been a minute (see what I did there?) With a smartphone always in tow, I guess I just got out of the habit and as time rolled on, I thought I didn’t need one anymore.  

But lately, I’ve noticed that my favourite style influencers/muses ALL wear watches. I’ve found myself pining for a pretty watch again and let's face it, I wanted to try my hand at it (I can’t stop). It’s like Nordgreen heard my fashion cry across the pond and showed up in my inbox one day, asking if I’d like to test out one of their watches and give a special discount to my readers (use code SARAHF for 15% off your order btw). I obviously agreed!  Nordgreen, if you don’t already know, is a cool AF Scandinavian brand based in Copenhagen, so it’s no surprise that they’ve got minimalist design down to an art. I was immediately smitten with the Native in white leather - obsessed in fact - and could barely wait for it to arrive. It’s like I suddenly needed to know what time it was ALL the time. Without it, my wrist felt lacking. 

While I love the timeless, ageless, minimalist aesthetic of Nordgreen watches, it’s the company’s values that will make me a repeat customer. 

Nordgreen is carbon neutral; they plant thousands of trees to offset carbon emissions generated by their office in Copenhagen and shipments of their watches across the globe. Plus, their packaging is sustainable and made of FSC-certified cartons and upcycled plastic bottles. 

Probably my favourite thing about Nordgreen, though, is its Giving Back program. Through their partnerships with three NGO’s, each watch purchase allows every customer to donate to an important cause. By registering the serial number on your watch, you can donate 2 months of clean water to a person in need in the Central African Republic, 1 month of education to a child in India, or preserve 200 sq ft of rainforest in Latin America.

Since my Nordgreen watch arrived on my doorstep, I wear it every day with EVERYthing. I ordered the 36mm version because I like an oversized watch, and people comment  on it all the time. In non COVID times, I expect I’d get even more compliments but let’s just say the people at my local grocery store reaaalllly dig my watch. Thank you produce guy. Grazie lady in the Express Checkout aisle. Oh, and even the Starbucks drive-thru barista gave me a little 'oooh, where did you get your watch?' too. It's that good. 

You need one. You really do. Don’t forget -  Nordgreen has given me an exclusive promo code just for RLR followers. Use code SARAHF for 15% off your order :) That’s 15% on top of the 20% off they’re already offering on bundles. Plus, between Dec 2nd - Dec 30th, Nordgreen has partnered with KidsOut and my discount code will automatically give a toy to a child who has escaped domestic violence. 

So excited for you to have your own. It’s my fave thing. Oh, and come on - you’ve gotten so many gifts for everyone else this month, it’s the least you can do for yourself, right? Merry Christmas, you beauties!

p.s. What time is it? Time to get a watch. Bahahaaaa. Sorry, I’ll stop now ;)

GOOD BUY | Johanna Ortiz x H&M

via H&M

Scroll down a few posts and you'll see my 2020 fashion pledges. Let it be known that I am inserting an addendum; one that seemed implied at the time but let's make it offish by adding it here:

7) WEAR IT OUT

Before I 'add to cart', I'll ask myself this question: will I wear this multiple times? Many sustainably-minded peeps subscribe to the '30 Wears' philosophy made famous by Livia Firth (Colin's wife), whereby if you don't see yourself wearing the piece 30 times over its lifetime, it's not worth the buy. I'm less of a strict rule follower so my take on it is that I ideally want to add things to my closet that will last for years (not months), and will look amazing for several different occasions and in multiple contexts.

At the H&M Spring 2020 Press Preview in Toronto last week, I fell head over kicks in love with the new Johanna Ortiz x H&M Collection. If you don't know Ortiz, then it's time you did; powerhouses like Michelle Obama and Beyoncé and style-setters like Olivia Palermo and Sienna Miller are all fans of the Colombian designer. Sadly, her designs have remained in my 'life goals' bucket since her full-priced line runs in the $2-3 K range. Ortiz's maximalist aesthetic manages to be bold yet timeless - and such a welcome change after so many years of basics. 

All of the racks on display at the H&M preview were beautiful, but I found myself camped out in the Johanna Ortiz x H&M section, fondling the beautiful fabrics, entranced by the vivid colours and smitten with the chic AF florals, doing some serious fashion math.

FASHION MATH

Cost of dress / 20 wears = approx $4 per wear. Less than a flat white? Done.

20 wears / 4 years = 5 occasions per year.  I have 1 vacay planned for June, at least 2 summer parties sure to happen, a grade 6 grad to attend and I'm sure my sister will want to borrow it at least once. Add weddings, family photoshoots, date nights, and work events to the mix and I'm golden. If I want to amortize it over 30 wears, I'll either consign it or simply book more vacations & enroll myself in some salsa lessons, which I've always wanted to do anyway. Everybody wins.

Cost of the sadness I'll experience if I miss out on a rare amazing designer collab = priceless.

I feel strongly about picking up one of the red palm print dresses (the ruffled one is insane), the B&W one-shoulder bather, and that white shirt dress. I've done fashion math on all 3 pieces and I think it's all highly justifiable, since the collection ranges from only $19.99 - $79.99 CAD. That's it. Uh, I KNOW. Some designer collabs feel watered down but I can tell you from getting handsy with the collection that the pieces feel decidedly luxe and totally legit. 

Click on the thumbnails below to check out the stunners for yourself. The Johanna Ortiz x H&M collection will be in select stores and online March 12th so mark your calendars and tell me what you end up buying. Hope you've enjoyed watching me wrestle with my fashion demons as much as I've enjoyed doing it ;)

Happy Tuesday, beauties! 

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Back at It

Me with my hair not did. Typical.

Okay, so I know I've been gone for a little while. Okay, a loooong while. I'm sorry. I don't really think I ever said goodbye, did I? Here's what happened: I was the stylist for Vaughan Mills, which morphed into me taking over a mat leave as Marketing Director, which then became another marketing mat leave contract at another shopping centre. I was offered an amazing career opportunity, so I took it and loved every minute. If you follow me on Instagram (& if you don't, please do), you probably saw just how much fun I've had over these last few years. 

But here's the thing: commuting nearly 4 hours a day with a husband in a start-up and two busy kids at home left me with z-e-r-o time to blog (or shower or brush my hair - see pic above). My life was an actual highway, and I really did ride it all night long. So, sorry not sorry?  Just know that I've really missed you over these many months. 

I've been more than a little nervous to get back to blogging; I mean, is it like riding a bicycle? Will I remember how to write? Does anyone even care about fashion blogs anymore? Can I leave like Taylor Swift and come back more relevant than ever? Or will I be like Madonna who young folk only recognize as that old lady who used to sing? Did I just compare myself to Taylor Swift and Madonna? This is off to an impressive start. 

Anyway, I'm excited to get back to sharing my favourite finds with you, if only so I can shop obsessively/ therapeutically with full justification to do so. It's called taking one for the team and team - I am here for you. Kk, let's do this...

SHOP TALK | How to Slay Fall for Under $100

Love this pretty knit from Reitmans

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

I have a growing list of concerns when it comes to fall shopping. First, the jeans. My old ones look old, but not old enough to look vintage, so I need new ones that look vintage but aren't, if you know what I mean. Then, the sweaters - I mean, nothing gets you over the loss of summer faster than a cozy oversized sweater paired with perfect boots. Speaking of which, don't even get me started on boots. You'd only have to glance at my bursting closets to realize I do n.o.t. need new shoes but somehow, every fall, there I am taking home blue velvet ankle boots that I 'had to have' and over-the-knee suede boots that I literally 'could not live without'. So many wants. So many bills. 

While I firmly believe in investing in quality pieces that you love, I've found loads of fantastic pieces that fall well within my shopping budget this year. The stores are loaded with cozy, well-made finds that you can add to your existing wardrobe now to get it right up to date. Silver shoes, beautifully detailed knits, and subtle hits of soft pink, purple and olive green give me all the feels I need to get pumped up for the season ahead. Scroll through the thumbnails below to get your fall fashion fix. Did I mention there's nothing over $100 on this list? #slay

SEE MY UNDER $100 FALL FINDS HERE...

BUY NOW, WEAR LATER | These 15 Affordable Fall Finds Will Prime Your Closet for the Season Ahead

via Dynamite

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

Shopping is a year-round sport. First there's the training - reading blogs, scrolling through Pinterest, browsing Instagram all count towards being a pro shopper. Then, there's the practicing; this is where window shopping comes in. You might not be ready to put down your credit card quite yet but you're almost there. And then, there's the main event, which of course is the shopping itself. We do this winter, spring, summer & fall, and like all truly great athletes, we never stop. There's always more to learn, there's always room to grow, and there's that ever-present goal to try to beat our own personal bests. 

Part of being a hall-of-fame-level shopper involves trying to justify our purchases by getting as much wear out of our finds as possible. In the middle of summer, this is when we really put our skills to the test. It's a bit late to shop for summer things (unless they're on sale in which case, we put on our game faces and hit that sales rack hard), and it's still a bit too hot to wear full fall wardrobes without the risk of injury - or at the very least the need to rehydrate. It's a dangerous sport but with all great risks come great rewards. These 15 fall finds will prime your closet for the season ahead and help you slay the fashion game while you're at it. Don't you just love a winning streak? Happy August - hope you're soaking up every last minute of summer xx

SEE MY 15 FALL PICKS HERE...