There's no doubt that neutrals and pared-down minimalism ruled the runways this year but there are some days, especially now that May is finally here (yay!), that you just want to get happy.  Luckily, Marc Jacobs and fashion darling Nanette Lepore thought head-to-toe brights were worth exploring for spring.  Some avoid wearing too many colours for fear of looking juvenile but this bright yellow tank, orange belt and eye-catching foulard are tempered by the army-green pants.  The little hint of bright orange on these buckled platform pumps from Aldo carry the happy from top to toe.  Real Life Runway Tip:  Head-to-toe brights says it all:  just go for it with accessories, shirt, shoes, etc.  Just avoid wearing, for example, all yellow from top to bottom (banana) or all purple (Barney) and keep things fun by mixing up hues.  I can see a rainbow, see a rainbow, see a rainbow, tooooo... 

Socks Appeal

Burberry, Marni and Christian Dior, Spring 2010 - photos courtesy style.com 

I eat milk chocolate every single day.  I hide it in the glove compartment of my car, I keep it in random cupboards in my kitchen, I eat it on the go, I eat it in the snow...which is why I had a panic attack the other day when I realized that somehow, I was completely, 100% out of stock.  Out of desperation, I raided the baking drawer and reluctantly grabbed a square of dark chocolate.  In that instant, after literally an entire lifetime of not liking the stuff, I acquired a taste for dark chocolate.  I was floored.  I have never understood why anyone would want chocolate without the sweet, why someone would ever choose to be bitter.  In that moment, I suddenly understood the subtleties, the richness, the depth of the dark, as though my tastebuds had chosen to finally reveal a hidden secret. 

Where am I going with this?  Well, some trends have come out Paris, NY, London and Milan that have perplexed me greatly this season.  I respect the Karl, I adore Mr. Bailey but in some instances, I wonder if I've been living in a small town for too long or if the fashion world has lost all sense of what real women want.   

That being said, let's visit my first instalment of Trend or Travesty:  the sock with the sandal.  Not only has this trend been burning slowly for a little while but it seems to be gaining some serious momentum for this coming fall.  Still, I can't quite figure it out.  Is it just like the chocolate thing where some emergency will force me against my will to embrace the trend:  a cold spell in May, perhaps, coupled with a sudden toe fungus and a closed-toe shoe-fetishizing burglar, leaving me absolutely no choice but to wear socks with sandals in public?  Will I have a sudden fashion epiphany and realize that this look is no longer something to poke fun at?  Or is this something best left on the catwalk? 

Tell me what you think.  Would love to hear if you'll be daring to sport this trend.  I will not judge.

Real Life Runway Tip:  If your tastes are more evolved than mine and you decide to do socks with sandals, the socks need to be super thin and slightly slouchy for a casual, laissez-faire look or, if you're dressing up, go for sheer.  Keep legs bare (ie. short skirt or dress à la Burberry) and wear with something distinctly feminine.  Oh, and beware of the dreaded farmer's tan.  This is one look that could have a ripple-effect of disastrous consequences.  Thanks for letting me get that off my chest - I feel so much better now. 

H & M's Fab TEC Makeover

 

Mod mannequins pose throughout the new Eaton Centre store in some of H&M's key spring looks.

My sister, Jo, looking right at home on the red carpet, and later on, arms loaded down with pretty things.

Two super-stylish party-goers taking a much-deserved break from shopping. 

Clockwise from Top Left:  Beautiful bouquets, adorable H&M staffers, our favourite girl of the night carrying sugar tarts, Lucy van der Wal, President of H&M Canada and Emily Scarlett of H&M Public Relations.         

 The couple that shops together, stays together.  How cute are they?!

I'm standing with Emily Scarlett and Karen Richter of H&M's Public Relations team. 

 Jo at the end of the night, ready to head home with her H&M finds tucked into limited edition bags.

Thanks to H&M for inviting us to their big, beautiful Eaton Centre relaunch this past Wednesday night! The store has been completely re-worked to showcase their massive assortment of on-trend clothing for men, women, kids and babies.  My sister and I spent the evening browsing through racks upon racks of covetable clothes and left at the end of the night, exhausted but deeply (okay fine, superficially) satisfied.  We both scored some super pretty summer dresses (mine in killer tomato red) and indulgent-looking accessories.  Shopping can be so therapeutic, especially when wine and apple-pie-on-a-stick is being served.  Ahhh, now that is the proper way to shop.  Be sure to check out the new store next time you're in Toronto.  Love you H&M!

Clutch Much?

Fashion East, Carolina Herrera, Anna Sui, Spring 2010 - photos courtesy style.com

There is absolutely nothing practical about a clutch.  It's so tiny that it can barely contain your Blackberry, keys and lipgloss.  It requires, as the name implies, a hand to hold it as no strap can save it from disastrous falls.  There is, nonetheless, something impossibly ladylike about carrying something so useless and pretty.  I equate it to a man's tie:  totally impractical, a bit of a pain, but somehow essential to finishing off a look.  The spring runways were rife with gorgeous clutches in every possible pattern, fabric and closure.  Luckily, you will find no shortage of similarly stunning options in nearly every store this season.  The clutches shown above complemented the models' outfits but you can also go for a pared-down minimalist look (which is incredibly chic right now...see Celine's Spring 2010 show for a crash course) and use a clutch as your showpiece.

These jewels are some of the prettiest, and would perfectly accomodate the little money required to bring them home:

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I heart Joe

I've always had fun grocery shopping.  I love picking up fresh fruit, crispy baguettes and, of course, my favourite food group, chocolate.  My love for grocery-store trips, though, increased about tenfold when Joe Fresh opened a few years ago.  Picking up an adorable trench and a sundress while perusing the produce aisle?  Joe Mimran, you are a genius.  Joe, in case you weren't aware, is the man who started Club Monaco and Caban and his wife, Kimberley, is the force behind Pink Tartan.  His Joe Fresh Style fashion shows have become the invite of the season at LG Fashion Week, attracting top editors and models, because his looks are super chic, right on trend and incredibly priced.  If you still feel embarassed about buying grocery-store clothes, put on your sleuth shades (in fact, Joe has some really cute ones right now) and really look through the racks.  I can almost always find something too tempting to resist.  My favourites this season include their pretty line of mix-and-match bathing suits, their sheer beach cover-ups and their printed summer dresses.  For someone who adores fashion and lives in a small town whose "big name" stores amount to Northern Reflections and Cotton Ginny (no offense to either), Joe is an absolute beacon of light in my daily shopping world.  To find out more about Joe Fresh, visit them online at  www.joe.ca.  Disclaimer:  Real Life Runway accepts no responsibility for mysteriously elevated grocery bills.