Totally Shade-y

These Retro-Inspired Sunglasses ($19 each) from Joe Fresh are a super fun way to shake up your spring style. I love the coloured lenses and the '70s vibe of these shades and imagine wearing them with a pair of sleek black trousers, a crisp white shirt and a tan trench coat.  Throw on these sweet shades,  then let the sweet sounds of Barry White fill your head as you shuffle your way down the street.  My first, my last, my everythiiiing... 

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)

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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?! 

Joe Fresh Spring 2012 - Brave Brights & Manly Delights

Joe Mimran, the man behind Joe Fresh, is calm, cool and always collected before his big show. The reason?  He wears bad-ass skull slippers.  Yargh!  (Photos:  Sarah Francis)

I wish I could find fault with Joe Mimran;  I wish I saw his collection and thought, 'Yawn', or could be snooty about the fact that his line is sold at grocery stores.  I've heard all the hater talk:  that they're expanding too quickly and that maybe we should knock Joe Fresh down a few pegs before they get too big for their chinos; that the really great runway looks never actually make it past the big city stand-alone shops, leaving the rest of us with the basics. 

But when it comes right down to it, none of those things bother me because I'm a true Joe Fresh fan.  In only 5 years, Joe Mimran has created a bit of a fashion empire, in a country known for its talent, but not for its bulldozing rule-breakers.  His collections are always sharp, sweet and refreshing, his models are always at the top of their game (this season, every one was Canadian) and for a girl like me who lives in a little town, his affordable clothes are my everyday fashion lifeline.

The Spring 2012 show proved that Joe Fresh just keeps getting better.  The collection was full of no holds barred saturated brights which popped beautifully against crisp, bright whites.  Juicy orange blazers (for him and her), went right to my mental must-have list, as did a pretty low-backed striped tank dress.  A white shirt with a crisp yellow collar and an assymetrical colour-blocked yellow sleeve was far from average and a pair of floral-printed aqua pants looked anything but budget. 

The real showstoppers came, most surprisingly, in menswear.  Where once the Joe Fresh men's collection seemed a little bit like an afterthought (both on the runway and off), Spring brought the boys to the forefront.  Checked pants worn with a navy trench and covetable blazers galore in super fun prints were a huge departure from seasons past.  This new collection (assuming it comes to stores) should push some Canadian boys out of their comfort zone a little and since it's Joe Fresh, every guy will finally be able to afford to take some fashion risks.

Check out the collection below.  It's not even winter yet, but I'm already yearning for spring.  Thoughts?

Photo Credit: George Pimentel, courtesy Joe Fresh

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Totally Golden

Fringe Mini, $39, and Gold Brogues, $79 - both Joe Fresh

Why wait for the holidays to bust out your shiny, pretty things?  This fall, be a little gilded lily in a fun, fringed mini and stellar golden brogues from Joe Fresh.  Pair them with your blacks, creams, tans (and reds - what the hell.. i mean heck!) for that perfect hint of glint.  Golden!