LOOKS WE LOVE | Sweater Weather

Alexander McQueen Pre-Fall '15 - via Vogue

Originally posted in The CLOSET

I've put away my shorts. I've packed away my sandals. And looks like the small tan I had is already nothing but a margarita-filled memory. Summer is over. Gone. Finito. And I can't help but feel like I'm ready for what's next. This in-between season can make even a professional shopper like me want to just give up and wear pajamas all day. Not that I'm doing that right now. Or am I? (#bloggerbenefits) Anyway, the day starts out freezing but by the afternoon, you're a total hot mess. Plus, I don't know about you but I'm done with looking at fall trends - I want to actually wear them in real life.

So today I've finally done it. I've replaced ball caps & light summer scarves with my plaid scarves and fedoras. And I actually cried a little when I brought out my box of sweaters this morning. My favourite ivory fisherman knit that I scored at a Hudson's Bay designer sample sale last year was there. My go-to cozy grey sweater was right there beside it. And there are a few knits in that box that need some TLC before I parade them around in public. Um, this and this and a few hours on Netflix should do it. 

Since so many of my favourite fall outfits include oversized sweaters, I thought I'd share some sweater inspiration with you for the new season. See some of my favourite sweater looks below and get ready to get cozy - like you needed convincing...

SEE THE LOOKS HERE...

COAT CHECK | The Outerwear Picks You'll Love to Wear This Fall

via Ricki's

Originally posted in The LOOK

I've always believed that a woman can never have too many coats. But if you live in Thunder Bay, you can actually say this and mean it. I mean, between fall and spring, we're talking 8 solid months of outerwear needs. You need a coat you can count on, a jacket that just won't quit and a parka that can prove its worth time and time again.

This fall might be the perfect time to update your outerwear collection. Whether you've actually worn out your old coats or your current coats are simply way out-of-date, we've got loads of new options for you to consider this year. From lightweight vests and anoraks, to fashion slayers that are never an afterthought, to cozy coats that will keep you covered no matter what the forecast brings, see our all-out outerwear edit below. 

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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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Happily Ever Après

via Vogue Australia

Originally posted in The CLOSET

I started skiing at Chicopee Ski Club as a tween, and it was all downhill from there; I experimented with powder, drank too much, and I'll admit that at one point, I even turned a few tricks.  Looking back, I blame it on the fact that there just wasn't much else to do in Kitchener back then, especially in the long cold months of winter.   As soon as school was over and pretty much every weekend, my friends and I would get dropped off at Mount St. Chicopee where we'd hit the slopes (okay, fine, it wasn't exactly powder) until our cute, snowpant-clad selves couldn't handle the cold anymore, at which point we'd hit the chalet for some hardcore hot chocolate and serious boy-watching. 

I still ski today but I'll admit that one of my favourite parts of the experience remains the 'après' - the part where poutine is not only available but encouraged, where I get to catch up with my favourites by the fire, and where ski bunny style is embraced in all its cozy glory.

Luckily, you don't  have to know how to step into a pair of bindings to score that coveted après-ski style this winter. From chunky knit sweaters and headbands to the best wind-burn simulating bronzer, every self-respecting ski bunny knows that when faced with a big hill on a cold day (or not), looking good really is half the battle...

SEE MY CHALET-READY PICKS HERE...

It's Going Down: HBC to Open First Full-Line Saks on Queen St.

Photos via Saks Fifth Avenue

According to Reuters this morning, Hudson's Bay Co. just announced its plan to open a full-line Saks store at the Hudson's Bay flagship store on Queen St., a shift from the earlier reported plan to open its first Saks at Yonge & Bloor.

HBC, which completed its $2.4 billion purchase of U.S. luxury chain Saks Inc late last year, said the approximately 150,000 square-foot, multi-level Saks will likely open in the fall of 2015 and will be co-located with the current Hudson's Bay store.

The report states that Hudson's Bay will also sell its downtown Toronto flagship retail complex and the Simpson's Tower located at 401 Bay Street to an affiliate of the Cadillac Fairview Corp for $650 million. As part of this deal, Saks has also agreed to lease space at Sherway Gardens for another full-line Saks store. 

So? How do you see this whole luxury department store showdown panning out? Will Holts survive it all? Will our iconic HBC and all the Canadian history it represents survive, for that matter? And is Ke$ha's 'Timber' really as prophetic as I imagine?