BENCH | #LOVEMYHOOD

It's a running joke in my house that I have a Kinesiology degree. Why? Well, I ended up doing my post grad in fashion and am now a full-time fashion blogger. While I exercised regularly my whole life, having kids changed all that and now, cute gym gear has become more important to me than the act of working out itself. I've gotten in the habit of laughing off my laziness but as I get older, turns out I just can't get away with skipping the gym anymore. My sedentary state has produced undefined arms, less than rock-hard abs, and a sitting-is-the-new-smoking phobia since most of my work is done from the cushy confines of my couch. 

When Bench asked me to work with them, I jumped at the chance (literally, see above). I'd already decided I wanted to recommit to an active lifestyle and so, the partnership seemed like the perfect kickstart. I didn't own a single Bench piece so couldn't wait to see what the buzz was about. I headed to my closest Bench store and tried on everything in sight, leaving with a perfect pair of leggings, gorgeous green and white tanks, and a black cinch-waist spring jacket. I'm not big on overt logos so had mentally written off Bench as 'not my thing' in the past, but was happy to discover the store is stocked with loads of subtly branded pieces. 

It's been a few weeks and I can honestly say that I LIVE in my marled made-in-Canada Baddah leggings (the BEST, seriously - ask anyone) and am super impressed by the quality of everything I picked up at Bench. I've figured out that hardcore workouts just don't work for my busy lifestyle right now. And so, I simply try to fit in activity whenever I can. I play tag at the park with my kids, do ModelFit videos in my living room after they go to bed, and have even managed to squeeze in some treadmill time at the gym. Do I look like Gigi Hadid yet? Not even close. But my new workout gear helps me look good while I try to get there.

Thanks for getting this girl in fighting form, Bench. And seriously, I really #LoveMyHood.

 

My Bench spring picks. 

Let's just call this the 'before'. 

My favourite pair of leggings EVER. No joke. 

Serious selfie before I attempt to run. Please don't pass out. Please don't pass out...

Yup, still got it. 

Downward dog.

Think Fonzie's form might be better than mine. #PlankOff

FRINGE FESTIVAL

Now that Coachella has kicked off festival season, I can’t get enough of all the perfect boho looks I've been seeing on Snapchat. MY favourite festival trend? Fringe, baby. I've handpicked 25 fun fringed finds for W Dish this week to help ease the blow of my #NoChella show...

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SPRING STYLE CLASS | 3 New Ways to Wear Wide Pants

via H&M

Originally posted in The CLOSET

There's no denying the staying power of the skinny. Some of you might not remember when skinny jeans blew up but I remember it very well. I was living in Toronto in 2005 when I started to notice women give up their bootcuts in favour of calf-clenching skin-tight jeans. I remember waiting for the subway, watching girls of all shapes and sizes get strangled by their new skinnies, thinking how super awkward they looked, and how I would never, ever intentionally choose pants that made my bum look big.

Of course, I gave in. We collectively figured out how to wear them right. We learned to balance out our super fitted bottoms with loose sweaters, long tunics and oversized cardis. We discovered in pictures how cruel white skinnies could be and how tan skinnies made it look like we weren't wearing pants at all. Stores finally started offering us varying styles of skinnies to suit our bods, from jeggings to skinny boots, with loads of stretch thrown in for good measure.  And while I swore I'd never go there, turns out skinny jeans are pretty much all I've worn for the past 10 years.

I'm not going to claim that this is the end of the skinny but there's clearly a style shake-up happening with the fashion pack right now. Cool girls everywhere, from Jennifer Lawrence to Kendall Jenner are currently opting for wider leg pants - think super flared '70s jeans, wide cropped culottes and flowy palazzos that make skinnies look SO last season. I don't know about you but I'm ready for some breathing room. They might look a little funny now but remember - we said that about the skinny, too. 

Read on for 3 cute ways to wear wide pants this spring. And breathe...

TOTAL JEANIOUS | 5 Ways to Reinvent Your Denim This Spring

via Harper's Bazaar

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

Toronto Fashion Week just wrapped up and, as always, the people-watching was amazing. Sequins were shining, fur was flying, girls showed off in power prints and boys represented in bright blazers. But this season, it seemed like the lower-key looks got all the attention. The Fashion Week paparazzi passed over girls in sky-high heels and went crazy for style bloggers in sneakers. The over-the-top gowns might look amazing on the runway but outside the tents, sweatshirts, jeans and ball caps looked right at home. Blame it on normcore or our collective obsession with street style but even the fashion pack wants to keep it real right now. 

One of my favourite trends for spring '15? Denim, of course. We all wear it, we all live in it, and even though it's been around for decades, it manages to look new every single season. From ripped white skinnies to dark seventies flares, there are so many fresh ways to wear denim right now. Whether you already own loads of pairs or are ready to update your collection, the stores are filled with plenty of covetable pairs you'll want to add to your closet this spring. Don't say I didn't warn you ;)

Looking for a little springspiration? Check out these 5 looks that bring together some of my favourite denim trends of the season...

SEE THE LOOKS HERE...

HERE COMES THE SUN | 45 Reasons We Love Bright Yellow

via GAP

Originally posted in The CLOSET

When it comes to yellow, I say the brighter, the sunnier, the better. And designers seemed to agree, with Burberry, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren & DVF sending bold yellow frocks, trenches and skirts down their Spring '15 runways. 

So why is bright yellow such a popular colour pick this season? Not to hate on Pantone's colour of 2015, Marsala, but really? Is there any contest? After months of dark, dreary, downright depressing weather, we're all ready for a little sunshine. Make that a lot of sunshine.

Luckily, we can take matters into our own hands with all the cheerful yellow pieces in stores right now. I can't wait to pick up a few pop-bright pieces to update my spring wardrobe. First on my list? A bright yellow handbag, of course. Even colour-phobes can add a happy yellow crossbody to the mix to make a statement, even for those who like to wear nothing but black & white. Be sure to pick up a sunny yellow top to wear under your blazers right now, and with a pair of white shorts when things heat up. Finally, a pair of yellow sandals will liven up all of your denim and white pieces this summer. 

Whether you wear it loud or like your brights in small doses, you can't go wrong with cheerful yellow this spring. Here are 45 sunny picks to help brighten your day...

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