MOM LOVE | Our Mother's Day Gift Guide + #Win a Gorgeous Pandora Pendant

Miranda Kerr and her adorable son - via Vogue UK

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

I've always adored my mom. She was as loving, warm and supportive a mom as any daughter could ever hope to have. But I never really appreciated her until I became a mom myself. I just didn't get the sacrifice. I didn't understand all the times she made me clean my room. I didn't get why she wouldn't pack things like Twinkies and fruit roll-ups in my lunch like most of the other moms. Apples and carrots? A-GAIN?! And all of those piano lessons and pleases and thank-you's. Blech. 

Now I have two kids of my own. In fact, I just sent them off to school with sandwiches, carrots and quinoa raisin bars in their backpacks. They like them, I swear. And now, I totally get it. I get almost every little thing my mom did for us growing up, and how she felt when we didn't act the way she'd taught us to act. As a formerly laid-back person, I now take what my kids do to heart, but it's only because they take up so much of it. I might work in fashion but by far, my most important job in life is to do what I can to help my kids grow into happy, thoughtful, responsible people. And I consider myself a happy, thoughtful, (mostly) responsible adult now in large part because of my parents and all that they did for me. 

I've rounded up some lovely Mother's Day gifts - from pretty little tokens to sentimental sparklers, we've got loads of great ideas for you below. 

Now for the exciting part...

#CONTEST ALERT!

We're giving away this gorgeous Rose Silver Pendant with a Sterling Silver Chain from PANDORA (valued at $110) just in time for Mother's Day! 

SEE OUR GIFT GUIDE AND ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY HERE...

happy fri :) xx

SPRING STYLE | 17 Fashion Finds Bloggers Can't Live Without

via Krystin_Lee on Instagram

Originally posted in The CLOSET

It takes one to know one. As a Fashion Blogger (the capitals make me feel legit) I can spot another member of my 'crew' at the drop of a fedora. It has nothing to do with her # of Instagram followers because, let's face it, some bloggers buy those. And she might not even have a proper blog yet. But all stylish fashion bloggers, wannabe or full-time profesh, have certain key pieces they rely on to look stylish on the daily. They're not always super expensive, and some pieces change from season to season, but there's a certain savoir-faire when it comes to shopping for that perfect blogger wardrobe.

For spring, it's all about the mix - that perfect combo of street meets chic. Bold standout pieces reside next to classic keepers, sporty finds balance out super girly scores, and ideally, there's always that amazing conversation piece to keep your 'followers' interested.

From cute dots to culottes, I've rounded up 17 blogger-approved finds you can add to your spring wardrobe now with the insider secret ways to wear them. Enjoy!

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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...

READ MORE...

LOUBOUTINS SUCK | Your Under-$150 Spring Shoe Guide

via Bionda Castana

Originally posted in The LOOK

I picked up my first (and only) pair of Louboutins on a whim. I'd been invited to meet the celebrity shoe designer when he was in Toronto for a Christian Louboutin Exhibition at the Design Exchange. For a fashion blogger, this was a major coup. I rifled through my entire shoe collection at home, freaking out because none of my shoes felt worthy of my shoe idol. And then I remembered a $300 gift card I'd been saving. This was happening. 

I left an hour early for Toronto and headed straight for one of my favourite places in the world - the designer shoe department at Holt Renfrew. Surrounded by ladies who lunch and all those gorgeous shoes, I couldn't help myself. I landed on a pair of stunning black and gold spikey-toe pumps and asked to see them in size 9. 'Well, Louboutin only goes up to 39, which is more like an 8, but they will be fine.' They weren't. I knew it. But I figured I'd work them in. Shoes this expensive must mold to your feet, non? Minutes later I'd blown $800 and was walking onto Bloor St. feeling like a boss. 

Nobody wants to admit it. In fact, in certain circles, saying so would be sacrilege. But if you've ever owned a pair of Louboutins, I'm sure you'll agree - they're uncomfortable. No, wait, that's being nice. They're torture chambers. I've talked to dozens of other Louboutin victims who secretly agree.  They might look pretty and you might get some small satisfaction from prancing around the room in your red soles, but after about 6 minutes, the pain sets in. The searing, burning, want-to-rip-your-feet-off pain that makes you leave the party early and never want to wear heels again. And I'm the kind of person who lives in heels. Unless you have abnormally tiny toes, there just isn't enough room at the inn. So, not only does the sky-high pin-sized heel make you feel like you're a giant baby tottering around in your mom's heels, but your feet are simultaneously being suffocated which turns your feet as red as that iconic sole. And then there are the long-lasting effects. No matter how much they hurt, you continue to wear them anyway because of the mountains of guilt - after all, you dropped a whole mortgage payment on them. Okay, let me just come right out and say it - Louboutins suck. 

I love heels. I adore the Holts shoe department and am still willing to spend the occasional paycheque on the perfect designer shoe (Choo > Louboutin all the way). But clearly, I will never buy Louboutins again. And if you suffer shoe envy every time you see those painted red soles - believe me, you are not missing out. 

Now, I get most of my shoe kicks for under-$150 - a great pointy-toe flat at ALDO, a made-in-Brazil beauty at Le Château, or a pair of sporty white tennis kicks from Sportchek or Soft Moc let me stay on trend without destroying my feet or my spring shopping budget. 

Want to step up your shoe game this spring? Check out our guilt-free spring shoe guide, with the coolest little flats and prettiest printed heels for under $150, not a single red sole in sight. Phew. Happy Friday!

SEE OUR SPRING SHOE GUIDE HERE...