Beat the Heat in Sweet Pastels

Pretty pastels at J.Crew Spring/Summer 2013. Love this pic! Photo via The Cut

Originally posted in The LOOK

I am sooo hot. I mean, literally. I'm overheated, frizzy-haired, and panting more than breathing at this point as I make my way from place to air-conditioned place. Forget looking polished, I'm a total hottie in the worst possible sense. I just took my dog to the groomer and the poor guy is now practically bald, hiding shamefully in the corner, and yet I can see the sweet relief on his little doggy face. Imagine walking around in a fur coat in this??

When the mercury soars, it's tempting to wear nothing at all but since that law has yet to pass in Canada and most of us still have to bring home a paycheque, it's all about choosing cooling, heatwave-friendly colours to avoid looking like a hot mess, even if you feel like one.  On days like today, white is always right, cobalt blue is cool, too but lately, I've been drawn to the softer side of the spectrum. Like a triple-scoop of gelato to quench your heatwave hunger, sweet pastel pinks, yellows, watery blues and minty greens work wonders at cooling off your summer wardrobe...

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Preen Teams Up with ALDO RISE for Fall '13

A model on the runway at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi's Fall 2013 show. Photo via Fairchild.

Happy Monday, lovelies! To start your workweek off on the right foot, ALDO RISE just announced the launch of its fourth collaboration with London-based designers Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi of Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. The fierce shoes were shown as part of Preen’s Fall/Winter 2013 runway collection presented during London Fashion Week and I was hoping that they would make their way to ALDO stores for Fall. Luckily, my shoe dreams have come true (again!)

The PREEN x ALDO RISE collection is comprised of three key styles; the collection includes an ankle-strap pump in powder blue, fiery red and black; a triple-buckle, front-zip shootie in red and black; and an ankle boot in powder blue (NEED this boot!) and black. With a chic 5mm island platform and a collage of textures in pony hair, leather, and suede, the feminine silhouettes are tough yet decidedly sexy.

The latest PREEN x ALDO RISE Collection will be available this October at select ALDO stores worldwide and online at aldoshoes.com/rise, ranging from $160 to $230 CAD. Time to start saving your loonies, ladies...

xx

Toronto Premium Outlets: The Grand Opening Weekend Lowdown

It felt like it would never happen, right? But with only two weeks to go until Toronto Premium Outlets™ opens its doors for the very first time (eek!), construction crews are now putting the finishing touches on the mega outlet mall and opening weekend planning is well underway. 

For the August 1-4 Grand Opening, it's gonna be a serious shopping party y'all:  expect live entertainment, including a 'classic rock band' (please let it be the Paul McCartney)  in-store promos and the chance to enter to win more than 125 prizes worth over $25,000. Prizes announced so far include an Ultimate Getaway Weekend at Trump Hotel and Tower Toronto, a Spa Getaway from Rosewater Spa of Oakville or Burlington and a Toronto Blue Jays autographed baseball (aka. a consolation prize for any benchwarming husbands who've been coerced into a 'quick' trip to just 'check out' the mall).

Individual outlet stores are also getting in on the action to celebrate the opening. Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store will give away a $1,500 shopping spree, Mountain Warehouse will offer free gifts to the first 200 customers and best of all (IMO) Hudson’s Bay Outlet will offer 25% off your entire purchase. Expect loads more opening weekend deals with many stores offering deep discounts beyond the regular savings of 25%-65%.

As I reported earlier, Toronto Premium Outlets™ will feature 85 outlet stores including many top Canadian, American and British brands, many of which have never offered outlet shopping in Canada before. The store list will be a who’s who of top designer labels and leading brands including: Hudson’s Bay Outlet, Banana Republic, Bench, Bose, Brooks Brothers, Burberry (opening Fall 2013), Coach, ColeHaan, Columbia Sportswear, DKNY, Dynamite, Eddie Bauer, Gap Outlet, Garage, Guess, Icebreaker, J.Crew, Kate Spade New York, Lucky Brand Jeans, Michael Kors, Polo Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware, Ted Baker London, True Religion and Zumiez. 

Just FYI, Toronto Premium Outlets™ is located at Hwy 401 at the Trafalgar Road interchange in Halton Hills. Oh, and be sure to sign up for the VIP Club and get the whole grand-opening low-down at www.torontopremiumoutlets.ca.  See you there August 1st! xx

Walk the Line: How to Pull off Stripes

A model on the runway at the Michael Kors Spring '13 Show. Photo via Fairchild Photo.

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

I have a glaring blind spot when it comes to stripes. I see them, I want them, I buy them, and now, after years of hard work, I've managed to amass dozens of striped tops. When I see a perfect stripe, it's like my brain momentarily lapses, ignoring the impressive collection I already own, forgetting that the last thing I need is another striped shirt.  I add it to my closet and wonder how I ever ended up with so many. It's a problem.

And so, I was thrilled that summer's biggest print trend is black & white stripes. After all, I own lots of navy with white and white with navy breton striped shirts (there's a difference, I swear) plus a few sporty red & white bateau necks thrown in for good measure. But mod black & white? I definitely (maybe?) don't own any of those. I'm sensing that this is one of those blind spot moments. Ignore.

If you worry about the whole 'horizontal stripes make you look fat' thing, fret not. Read on for some style tips on how to pull off stripes. I think they meant to say 'fab' instead of 'fat' anyway. Let's just chalk that up to a typo, shall we? General rule of thumb: Wide stripes add curves and narrow stripes make you look slimmer. See? Easy.

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Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

What to Wear in a Heatwave - photo courtesy J.Crew

Can't breathe. Can't move. Gasp. Wattteeerrr. I want it. In a glass would be great, but preferably in a 12' x 24' basin set to ohhh, I don't know, about 83 degrees. Now that would be perfect. Forget called-off soccer games. Shouldn't everything be ceremoniously cancelled in this heatwave? If I were mayor, I'd do it - I'd interrupt every channel for an emergency announcement and declare that it's officially far too hot to do anything at all. I'd command every man, woman and child to proceed immediately to the nearest pool deck.  Shut down the markets, call in the ice cream trucks and send in frosty beer glass reinforcements. This is a state of emergency, y'all! Throw on your cute bikinis, grab a cocktail and save yourselves!

Hee. Happy heatwave, homies. 

xx

P.S. Your Personal Flotation Device May Also Look Like This:

VPL Swim Top & Bottom, VPL