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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WHAT'S GOOD | Warby Parker's New Sculpted Series

all images via Warby Parker

I have no shade when it comes to Warby Parker shades. I mean, is there anyone better in the glasses game RN? So when they asked me to check out their new Sculpted Series collection, I just had to share. The 4 new frames are handmade in Italy from premium cellulose acetate and layered in the coolest way. On the face of each frame, 2 layers of contrasting acetate are laminated together, then sculpted down to reveal the layer behind giving a frame-within-a-frame effect. Loving all of the earthy, luxe-looking frames but I'm especially tempted by MAE in Onyx Tortoise & Ivory Horn. More like SLAY. And since they start at $195, I might just be able to justify a new pair to keep the rays at bay in the most stylish possible way. Check out Warby Parker's full sunglasses range here - but only if you're ready to pick up some new shades because, well, Warby Parker just does that to a girl. Enjoy pics & a little outfit inspo below. Thanks Warby Parker - call me anytime ;)

xx

1. Dress w Tie Belt, H&M | 2. Mae Sunglasses In Onyx & Ivory, Warby Parker | 3. Mini Tote w Handles, Zara | 4. Leather Mules, Zara | 5. BITE Beauty High Pigment Pencil, Sephora.

How LINDBERG Has Ruined Me For All Other Sunglasses

If you know me, you know that I break things. And if you were to meet me, you'd probably guess after a few minutes that I break things. I don't try to be clumsy but I am. And while age and experience have taught me to walk slower and to generally take better care of my stuff, I can't help but trip on things, spill things, and sit on things every once in awhile. When I'm not doing the above, my kids seem to carry the clumsy torch for me. And so, aside from a pair of designer aviators that have miraculously managed to endure two years of trauma at my hands, my sunglasses collection is strategically low-end. 

I've heard about LINDBERG for years, the award-winning Danish eyewear company who specializes in insanely gorgeous glasses but for all the reasons listed above, I've chosen to ignore the awesomeness. Why invest in a pair of glasses that I'm guaranteed to destroy? Still, when I get the call to interview Peter Warrer of LINDBERG, I have to say yes. I've heard all the hype and am super curious to see how the other half live - you know the part of the population who can actually take care of things.

Peter is here from Denmark for a special event at Josephson Opticians to preview the new optical collection from LINDBERG. He comes at me all cool and Danish - I can tell it's him right away because he's wearing the raddest pair of glasses I've ever seen on a man. Peter has been with LINDBERG since the '80s but from the moment we sit down, I can tell that he isn't remotely jaded about the brand. He talks passionately about the company's philosophy - 'discreet elegance' and 'carefully considered simplicity' - and how their obsession with great design shows itself in everything they do. From the brochures to the display cases to the glasses themselves, the LINDBERG aesthetic is clearly on another level. 

In a hushed, almost reverent tone, Peter eventually asks if I'm ready to see the glasses. I don't know that I am but I whisper 'I think so' anyway. He whispers back, 'Are you sure?' Yes, definitely yes. With a flourish, he opens the case and after the dry ice clears and the angels stop singing, I see them - the most beautiful glasses I've ever come across in my whole entire life. Pair after shiny pair of perfect shades beckon me to try them on. I am definitely going to destroy them all. But I can't help myself. I gingerly pick up a pair and oh em geeeee they are so light! Like statement and oversized yet impossibly light. And sooo comfortable. My world is rocked. My mind is blown. 

Peter explains that LINDBERG frames are made of titanium, giving them incredible strength and flexibility without the weight. Plus, as Scandinavians are prone to do, they've done away with anything non-essential - meaning their patented, award-winning designs have no screws, rivets or welds.  You can literally bend the arms and bridge in every direction and I'm pretty sure even I couldn't break them. He then explains that every pair of Lindberg glasses is custom - meaning that not only is each pair measured and made to perfectly fit your face but you also choose the frame shape, materials, and lens colour. Once each frame is customised to your preferences, it's hand-finished, individually numbered and even monogrammed. The moment I tried on my first pair I was sold, but now I'm fully in it. Now to decide...

The patented screwless design up close. 

Cool epitomized. 

Truth: macarons make hard decisions easier. 

Debating the pretty pink ones. 

I decide on a pair of tortoise cat-eyes with a gold browline detail - modern and cool but classic all at once. I order them, then go home and camp out by my door for a few weeks. Once they arrive, we sit down and I make a solemn promise to take care of them forever, to not drop, scratch or destroy them. And while I can't promise that my kids won't somehow track them down and rip them apart with their sweet little hands, I vow to store them on a very high shelf in my closet - just in case. As I'm admiring my new LINDBERGs, I find a sweet surprise engraved inside...

Right?? This. Is. EVERYTHING. 

Ready to experience LINDBERG for yourself? Check out all things LINDBERG here, then head to Josephson Opticians to try them on. You might fall in love. You'll probably walk away with the most beautiful pair of glasses you've ever owned. You've been fully warned ;) 

RLR LOVES | Jenny Bird x Indigo

The Jenny Bird x Indigo collection just dropped today and I want everything. The pieces are dramatic and oversized and cool, and they're made by a Canadian designer, AND they're under $100. That pearl necklace! Gah. Those threader earrings! Yes. I'd just wear one at a time. Arghhh, I can't handle this decision on a Friday. I wouldn't wait on this one - a collection this good won't last long. Shop it here. Happy Fri! xx

 

Inside the Brand New Saks OFF FIFTH

via the Vaughan Mills blog

It isn't every day that a care package from Saks OFF 5TH lands in your mailbox. Bills? All the time? Designer shades, a gorgeous scarf and a VIP invite to the grand opening party? Never. Which brings us to tonight. I'm at Vaughan Mills, dressed in my all-black too-cool-for-school swag, to fête Saks OFF 5TH's arrival in Canada. Those of us who've flocked to the States over the years for our annual fix are already addicted. And if the looks of longing by my fellow shoppers are any indication, I'm in for some stiff competition tonight...

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