alice + olivia Teams up with Starbucks

I like to think of myself as a coffee minimalist. No vanilla syrups, flavoured beans or measuring by degrees for this girl. I'm a Barista's dream-come-true: Tall French Roast or Grande Latte. Full stop. I similarly stray from complicated cups, instead opting for a white ceramic tumbler over glitter, sparkle and OTT shine. 

In spite of all that, when I saw these adorable tumblers at the Starbucks Holiday Preview a few months back, I couldn't help but fall in love.  Designed exclusively for Starbucks by Stacey Bendet of alice + olivia (LOVE alice + olivia) the limited-edition holiday collection includes a Designer Double Wall Ceramic Tumbler with a super fun removable tutu and bow tie, plus a sweet Bearista Bear for kids - both featuring alice + olivia’s signature black-and-white stripe. 

The collection is available online at www.StarbucksStore.com on November 1, 2013, and in stores across Canada (excluding Québec - ne tirez pas sur le pianiste) November 2nd (both items retail for $19.95).

I'd take the flower off the bear's head (I personally feel it's tutu much. Get it? hee) and then give it to my daughter, but I'll keep the cup for my coffee runs. Super cute, right? Consider your Secret Santa gifts officially chosen.

JOE FRESH Lightens Up for Spring '14

Joe Mimran gives a triumphant fist pump to his fans after the Joe Fresh Spring '14 show at World MasterCard Fashion Week. All photos by George Pimentel Photography.

As the lights dimmed at World MasterCard Fashion Week on Wed night, a collective hush fell over the crowd. We'd placed bets in the media lounge about how Joe Fresh would handle Spring '14 - some expecting all white, others hoping for bold brights. We all had our fingers crossed for a return of a happier, brighter JOE after his highly-debated collection for fall, all black and dark and '90s Paris edgy.  Would he bring it on? 

And then it began. A parade of chic navy looks in raw silks and frayed denim started the show (said to be inspired by modern artist N. Dash). Then came the Asian-inspired reds, in that perfect shade of Lady Danger orangey-red which made the strongest impact worn head-to-toe. Next came the prints - super fun blue and white zebra stripes, watery python prints, elegant Asian florals and cool blue camo with tough-luxe detailing throughout. And a hologram mini that sparkled and shimmied its way down the runway to the beats of Britney's 'Work B**ch' made us all swoon. The whole collection felt modern and cool with just the right amount of edge, and unlike last season, the theme didn't seem the least bit forced.

Creative Director Joe Mimran said, "This season, we refined the essence of the brand. Functionality as the new chic has become the Joe Fresh guideline. The collection is sexy and cool while maintaining a classic refined look."

As LOULOU Magazine's Liv Judd-Soye, and The Style House fashion plate Afiya Francisco and I headed to the Joe Fresh after-party at Lee, we all agreed; Joe Fresh totally killed it for Spring '14. On my ever-growing shopping list: The blue silk skirt with the white tiger tee, the zebra-print midi skirt, the croco-print mini with the midnight blue sweater, the red silky pants and the liquid sparkly skinnies and blazer. Note to self: Must edit - though I'm not sure whether I should shorten my list or cull my closet to accomodate these beauties.

The Spring/Summer 2014 “Fresh off the Runway” collection will be sold exclusively at select Joe Fresh store locations, though I'm hoping the collection will follow the Fall '13 lead and go online next spring. Fingers crossed. x

While fast fashion is certainly not without its flaws, I'm heartened to see the important steps Joe Fresh has taken lately to make things right. See this article in yesterday's Globe and Mail to see how the company is responding to the Bangladesh disaster. Do you think it's enough?

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CALLA-fornia Girls: Calla Haynes Spring '14

Surfer girl central at the CALLA Spring '14 show. This pic by me, the rest by Michael Ho.

It's a super busy week in Toronto as the fashion crowd gears up for the start of World Mastercard Fashion Week. To kick it off for the past several seasons, Paola Fullerton and her team have hosted the shOws, a pre-Fashion Week mash-up of some of the world's top designers, from Tanya Taylor and Steven Tai to Jeremy Laing (more on that later). On Wed night, I hit up the shOws to catch Bellavance and one of my absolute fav Canadian designers, Calla Haynes who showed us her chic surfer girl line-up for Spring '14. This girl is so dope. 

Calla is a young Toronto-born designer living in Paris (lucky) and though her textiles, colours and silhouettes look super fun and playful on the surface, they're incredibly complex underneath. To give you an idea, the black floral print in the first slide below is meant to recreate the floral print on a Shonan surfboard - complete with fiberglass scratches and blue surf wax. A fringed neon skirt is made of strips of paper. Meanwhile, her modern custom tweeds are created by the very same French fabric mill that produces the famed jackets at Chanel.

Loved the clothes, love Calla, and though it's really hard to recreate the vibe of a live show, take a listen to the track below for a sense of how it all went down. I thought they were saying 'bubblebath'. Like I said, she's dope.

Thanks for inviting me, Brill! I'll have loads more pics from Fashion Week in the coming weeks so keep checking back. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Gobble, gobble.

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SWOON: 50 Fall Shoes & Boots Under $300

Nicole Kidman in the Fall '13 Campaign for Jimmy Choo. 

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

Whether you're mourning the loss of a season or are just having a tough time getting back to the grind, sometimes all it takes is a new pair of shoes or boots to feel refreshed, renewed and ready to tackle what lies ahead. As they say, cheaper than therapy, right?

For Fall '13, designers showed us loads of gorgeous kicks to get excited about. From fun flats to fierce boots, here's what to look for on your next shoe shopping trip:

ANKLE-STRAPPED FLATS: While the basic ballet flat will always be a wardrobe staple, there are loads of exciting options for those of us who want to stay grounded. This fall, look for fun details like ankle straps, pointy toes and wild animal prints to add some swagga to your step.

LUG SOLES: Need to get a grip? Then throw on a pair of lug-soled shoes or boots with oversized treads to keep you on track (and on trend).

PATTERN PLAY: Do you tend to stick with solids in your wardrobe? Printed shoes are the perfect way to dial up your look. A fun pair of plaid, leopard or fall floral heels will make a major impact on any outfit.

TOUGH BOOTS: If there's one message in everyday boots this fall, it's this: the tougher, the more roughed-up, the better. Go for bad-ass moto boots to look like a biker babe (even if you drive a mini-van), or studded lace-up boots to add some edge to your skirts and dresses. And don't forget to hop on the 90's grunge train - combat boots and Doc Martens are back in a big way for fall.

OVER-THE-KNEE BOOTS: If you live in leggings, these will be your new go-to. Opt for flat styles to avoid diving into Pretty Woman territory and pair them up with your leggings and knits. Or, go full out vixen and wear them with your skirts and dresses. Check out Reed Krakoff and Ralph Lauren for a crash course.

I did a little shoe shopping for you (I couldn't help myself). Check out these 50 pretty pairs of fall shoes and boots, in stores now and under $300!

READ MORE

Found: Plaid Perfection

An Abbey Road-inspired pic from the JACOB Fall '13 Campaign. Love this!

We've been home for the past 5 days with our 5 year-old who has, by some unlucky stroke, come down with a 1 in 300 000 kind of disease that has her perpetually doubled over with cramps. The doctor says it's not serious, it's not contagious, and that we all just have to wait it out while it runs its course. Poor kid! The only thing that seems to make her feel better right now (other than Tylenol and Mamma Mia on repeat) are warm baths and a big plaid blanket that my parents picked up for us years ago on a trip to Europe. 

Plaid, by the way, is THE print for fall. Since Dancing Queen is playing (and my little chiquitita is having a rest), I thought I'd share some of these amazing plaids from the new Fall Collection at JACOB. Don't you just love? I'd be inclined to wear them as a full suit but if you're not feeling as bold, you can also wear them piece by piece to look right on trend this season.

K, back to my little patient and a big thanks for your patience while we battle this bug. xx

Plaid Blazers, $149.90 each, JACOB

Plaid Trousers, $89.90, JACOB