Drop It Like It's Hot: Spring's Cutest Raingear

A pretty in pink look from Burberry Prorsum Spring '13 - photo Fairchild Photo Services

Originally posted in The CLOSET

I never thought I'd say this but, I kind of love the rain. After a long Canadian winter, all of this wet stuff can only mean one thing - that the snow has actually melted, which means that the temperatures are rising, which means that pretty soon, we'll be chilling on patios, hopping in our drop top (if we had a drop top) and hitting the beach.  Okay, maybe I'm a little ahead of myself but I can handle April rain because it's really just a precursor for what's to come. I've made a commitment to look as cute as possible this month, so I did a little shopping (when am I not doing a little shopping?) and found the prettiest raincoats and wellies in moody blacks, playful prints and primary brights. Check out my top rainy day picks here.  Ooh, you're going to look so cute jumping in those puddles...xx

Here's are a few of my faves:

Rose Trench, $249, Club Monaco

Donia Rubber Boots, $45, ALDO

Classic Stripe Long Trench, $548, Coach

Spring Forward: The Top Trends to Try

A shot from the H&M Conscious Campaign starring Vanessa Paradis - photo courtesy H&M

Originally posted in The LOOK

As Spring finally (finally!) starts to show itself, it's time to crank open our windows, take off our snow tires and start to clear our closets of all the coats, hats, mitts, & gloves (Good Riddance!). The promise of warm weather always brings so many fun things but to me, the best part is trying out all the new trends I've been seeing on the runways.  This season, I'm especially stoked for all of the fun accessories - the mini bags (a perfect ode the freedom of summer - lipgloss, credit card, keys, GO!), the chic new pointy-toed flats and the lucite and hologram heels, sunglasses and bags that are topping every editor's Spring wishlist.  For colour, I can't wait to wear all of the pretty pastels, toughened up a little thanks to studs, chains and super high heels and I'm even ready to try some sexy cut-outs once the last drop of snow melts...

To check out all of my top spring picks, read the full story here

A mini bag from the Michael Kors Spring '13 show

Studded Crossbody Bag, $75, RW&CO.; Laser-Cut Mini Bag, $35, ALDO; Reptile Clutch, $45, RW&CO.; Floral Mini Crossbody, $15, Aeropostale; Woven Tassel Bag, $20, American Eagle; Crossbody Bag, $50, Le Château 

Cut-out evening stunners at Michael Kors Spring '13

Plunge One-Piece, $50, American Eagle; Mesh Cut-Out Dress, $150, Le Château; Cut-Out Flat, $20, Aeropostale; Cut-Out Ankle Boot, $130, ALDO; Preen x ALDO RISE Pump, $155, ALDO; Laser-Cut Clutch, $40, ALDO

Model Liu Wen holds her lucite clutch backstage at Stella McCartney Spring '13 

Iridescent Sandal, 2 for $15, Ardene; Lucite Heel Pump, $100, ALDO; Hologram Wedges, $90, ALDO; Hologram Sunglasses, 2 for $15, Ardene; Lucite Wedges, $90, ALDO; Oakley Sunglasses, $125, Sunglass Hut

All runway photos via Fairchild Photo Services

Nordstrom Coming to Yorkdale!

A pretty pic from the Nordstrom March 2013 Catalogue - photo courtesy Nordstrom.

A rendering of the future Yorkdale Nordstrom. I'll be the happy girl with the shopping bags.

I'm constantly on the lookout for exciting retails news but am especially happy when it arrives on a Monday. Well here it is - Nordstrom just confirmed that it will open at Yorkdale Mall in the Fall of 2016. Wheehoo! The three-level, 188,000 sq. ft. Nordstrom will carry the full line of luxury clothing, shoes and accessories that we've come to expect from the American department store.  Yorkdale keeps getting better (and bigger) with its continued expansion - an impressive number of big-name retailers like Kate Spade, Ted Baker and All Saints are already open with David Yurman, John Varvatos, Mulberry, White House/Black Market and Zara Home all set to open later this year.

As already announced, Nordstrom will also be opening stores in the vacated Sears locations at Chinook Centre in Calgary (opening Fall 2014),  Pacific Centre in Vancouver,  and Rideau Centre in Ottawa (both opening Spring 2015) as well as a brand new store at Sherway Gardens in Toronto (Fall 2016).

Can't wait to shop Nordstrom without having to cross the border.  Pretty exciting, huh?  I have visions of shoes upon shoes floating around in my head. How's a girl supposed to work with this many distractions??

Happy Monday! xx

Noticeably Absinthe

Don't know about you but after this winter, I've got a serious case of granny hands - I'm talking dry, cracked and in need of some serious TLC.  I just picked up the new Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream at The Body Shop, and am already addicted. The refreshing absinthe extract and moisturizing shea butter (Community Fair Trade, btw) took my hands from parched to purified, from dry to dreamy, and after a few mesmerizing sniffs, I'm even feeling a little inspired. I mean, if it worked for Hemingway, Wilde and Van Gogh...

Pick up your Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream ($14 for 100 ml) at The Body Shop (N.B- RLR does not condone the sniffing of hand creams to enhance performance - well, maybe just a little...)

x

Head-To-Toe RW&CO. Contest

When my finely-frocked friends at RW&CO. asked me to check out their new Spring collection and shop for a head-to-toe look, I was naturally stoked. I had yet to check out their new season stuff in person but thanks all the recent editorial coverage, I knew that the store had stepped up its game for spring. But mostly, I was curious to see whether or not RW&CO.'s brand new footwear line would live up to all the hype.

I started with a black & white look with gold pointy-toe python flats, then migrated over to reds, whites and blues finished off with a pretty blue sandal, but eventually settled on a winner - a floaty floral print dress cinches with a studded belt, a black anorak that will be my new spring go-to, a coral python clutch, a pretty gold filigree ring, and of course, a killer pair of black ankle-wrap heels. I'm not just saying this because they gave me a shopping spree - I am SMITTEN with my new outfit, and am of course thrilled to have a place to shop for cute, well-made, under-$100 shoes. 

To celebrate the launch of its footwear collection, RW&CO. is launching its Head-To-Toe RW&CO. contest! The winner will receive the ENTIRE RW&CO. Spring/Summer 2013 Shoe Collection - that's a total value of over $1,100, btw.

Here's how to win it:

Step 1: Fill out this Contest Entry Form and be sure to include your Instagram username (if you don't already have an Instagram account, time to get on it!)

Step 2: Follow RW&CO. on Instagram @rw_co

Step 3: Upload a photo of yourself on Instagram dressed head-to-toe in RW&CO. with the following hashtag: #Head2ToeRWCO @rw_co

Contest runs from March 28th until April 30th.  Good luck! May the best-dressed girl/guy win! x

Sleeveless tops are a sure sign of Spring. Any day now....

This coral clutch is python perfection. Have to make this a part of my look... 

Trying out my head-to-toe look in the change room - we have a winner! 

A little blurry but, you get the picture...

Instagram attempt - as it turns out, #selfies are harder than they look...