HIT REFRESH | My Shopbop Early Spring Picks

via Shopbop

It's around this time of year that I always get the powerful urge to purge. I want to give away all of my faded pants, play hide-and-seek with my winter coats (oops, guess they're lost for another season), and basically just hit refresh on my entire wardrobe. Anyone else feel the same way right now? As a Shopbop blogger ambassador, I'm constantly creeping the site to see what's new, so I've picked a handful of faves - some relatively guilt-free, one particular Tibi trench purely aspirational at this point. Though, I would be quite tempted to curb my impulsive shopping habits for a few months to own that beauty. If only I hadn't already bought those killer Schutz lace-ups...Um, yup. #budgetssuck

Commando Rash Guard, $88

Frends Layla Headphones, $150

Rebecca Minkoff Taylor Crossbody Bag, $195

Schutz Dubianna Lace-Up Sandals, $220

J Brand Mid-Rise Ankle Skinny Jeans, $218

Karen Walker Deep Freeze Sunglasses, $250

Jennifer Meyer Mini Wishbone Ring, $250

Loeffler Randall Haircalf Industry Bucket Bag, $325

Tibi Trench, $675

VALENTINE'S 2015 | Day-to-Night Date Looks

via ELLE

Originally posted in The CLOSET

I have a little problem with you, Valentine's Day. It's not that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do here. I get that you just want us to love and eat candy. I like love and I also like candy. I totally get what you're selling. It's just that I don't like being forced into a heart-shaped box where romance starts after 7pm.

My favourite idea of love is the all day kind. The kind that starts early in the morning when my husband makes me a cappuccino with a heart-like pattern in the foam. He claims it's something much more inappropriate, but I'm a romantic so I like to believe it's a heart. Love shows itself throughout the day when my 4 year-old son gives me a Lego spaceship he built with a little Lego 'mommy' in the back toting a giant spacegun and a little Lego 'him' in the front wearing a bikini from my daughter's Lego Friends beach set. It doesn't make any sense but love rarely does. So I give him a kiss and tell him I love it, because I do. The rest of the day will be filled with signs that I'm loved - squeaky toys dropped at my feet by our ever-loyal Westie, random emails from my mom and sister, texts from my best friend and an exhausted kiss goodnight and subsequent zzzzz from my husband after hours of trying to get our kids to bed. Love, it turns out, has more layers than any long-stemmed rose.

Whether you're single, attached or somewhere in between, let this Valentine's be a day to celebrate all the love in your life. And if you happen to be annoyed by everyone in your life at the moment, at the very least you can always love clothes. I've put together 3 adorable outfits that will take you oh-so-sweetly from breakfast to dinner this Valentine's Day. I'm not suggesting that you wear all 3 outfits, but you know that I wouldn't discourage it either. They say that above all, you should love yourself first, right?

SEE ALL 3 LOOKS HERE...

READ MY LIPS | They Will LOVE These Perfect Valentine's Day Gifts

Photo by Patrick Demarchelier | via Vogue Russia

Originally posted in The LOOK

Like birthdays, Christmas and Mother's Day there's always a guy just wandering the mall around Valentine's. You can spot him instantly, holding a pink scarf up in the air, all 'what is this thing?' here, inching his way, head down, sunglasses on, into La Senza there. Books of poetry are perused, card aisles are scoured. And then an hour later, an 11th hour trip to Laura Secord inevitably ensues, followed by a desperate pitstop at the florist on the way home where he'll pick up the first red thing he sees. Cue the violins. 

Some women mistake flowers and chocolates for not caring but it's the whole painful preamble we often miss out on. The part you see in the movies that makes your heart swell, and makes you wish you had a guy just like that. And quite often, he's standing right there in front of you, box of chocolates and wilted carnation in hand, ready for a nap because it has been a really LONG day at the mall. Okay, make that a really long hour, but shopping time is like dog years for most guys. 

Well, lost souls, this gift guide should help. I've got the most lovable Valentine's gifts picked out for you, whether you're crushing, dating or already fully hitched. Plus, I've got some super sweet ideas for men and the wee ones, too because we get it - we're all busy, too. 

Happy Valentine's Day my loves. Hope your day's full of love, lust and low-to-no stress.

SEE THE GIFT GUIDE HERE...

CAPS LOCK

Not sure about you but I'm getting a little tired of my toques. As the new Style Expert for the W Dish (the W Network's amazeballs new site), I was tasked with tracking down the baseball caps we need in our lives right now as we make the (painfully) slow switch from winter to spring. Read on for the 12 cute ball caps that made the cut...

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LOVE FOOL | Heartbreaker Fashion

via Sunday Times

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

Mention Valentine's to any group and you're guaranteed to score a few eye-rolls and looks of disdain. Valentine's? Seriously? We don't NEED Valentine's to show that we love each other. It's such a cheesy holiday. Red roses are SO obvious. 

And it is. And they are. But there's something about having young kids and never having time for a coffee break let alone a proper night out, that makes me pine for the days of long stems and dinner dates. Sure Valentine's is a little cheesy. But as life gets busier, it's kind of nice to be reminded of the need for romance. As long as they're tulips, not roses. Oh, and I hear Colette is still taking reservations. Ahem. Whether you want to go all Bachelor-style with OTT displays of contrived romance or prefer to pass the day like any other, there's no denying that red & pink is a combo to love. 

This Valentine's I've fallen head over heels for these two pretty shades. I adore either colour worn head-to-toe but especially love when you pair red & pink together. Try a red maxi dress with a little pale pink bomber. Or try popping on a pink sweatshirt with a cute red baseball cap. Scroll through the slideshow below and have fun playing matchmaker. Hearts will be broken (in a good way)...

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