What's Your Number?

Photo courtesy Smart Set

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

There's always talk in the fashion world about what's age-appropriate. Can a woman over 30 wear a mini? Can a grandma wear platforms? While I've seen women of all ages wear highly inappropriate things, it very rarely has anything to do with her age, but instead, with the way she wears it. If you're 40 and have amazing legs, why not wear a mini? If you're a trendsetting 70 year-old and want to wear a jumpsuit, I say go for it. Whether you're 17 or 70, confidence is key to pulling off any look.

Graphic tees, sweatshirts and tanks work at any age, but undoubtedly depend on the graphic itself. A tee that says 'Party, Sleep, Repeat' on my mom might look all kinds of wrong, but a shirt that says 'Wasted Youth'...kind of funny, right? Same goes for pics of space cats, emojis or boy bands which travel a supermodel-thin line between irony and fashion tragedy...

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SOLE MATES: Your Under-$100 Spring Shoe Guide

A pic from the Vince Camuto Spring '14 Campaign. Photo via Vince Camuto.

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

We are moving this weekend and if you haven't moved lately, let me remind you - don't. Just don't. The grass might look greener, but is slightly brighter grass worth the hours and hours of packing, back-breaking box-lifting and complete mid-life chaos? Simply pick up a pair of green-tinted glasses at Claire's (it's St. Patrick's Day on Monday so the timing couldn't be better) and promptly ban MLS from your web browser. It's too late for me - you still have time to save yourself. 

There is, however, a silver lining to this stormcloud of moving chaos; it's called inventory. After going through boxes, sifting through receipts and tearing apart my closet, I have confirmed the suspicions that my husband has had all along. I am, in fact, a shoe hoarder. Case in point:

You don't have to be a graphologist to see the frustration in my husband's handwriting on the moving boxes above. I believe the word 'sentimental' is actually in the shape of a furrowed eyebrow. I mean, sentimental shoes? Really? I do have all kinds of compelling justifications for that box - my kids' first baby shoes, my dad's old shoes, my first pair of pointe shoes, the heels I wore when my husband and I got married etc. etc. but of course, this is just one box of many including summer shoes, winter shoes, and 'vintage' shoes that I'm sure my daughter will love to wear one day. Oh, and then there are the boots - ski boots, winter boots, rain boots etc. etc. etc.  

It goes without saying that I am seriously smitten with shoes. But because we're moving, I have actually managed to give away a fair number of out-of-date, worn out kicks to (naturally) make way for some of spring's most covetable sandals, heels and ankle boots. And let me tell you, there are plenty to covet this spring.

Because it's always nice to buy anything for under $100 these days, I've focused this guide on all under-$100 shoes, perfect for wearing the very minute the snow melts...

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(Happy Friday! And please wish me luck with this shmove!)

THINK SPRING: Bright Buys to Wear Now

Photo source: Ciaté.

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

Maybe it's all this talk of March Break (I know, I know, you are SOOOO excited to go to Turks & Caicos), but I feel like my fashion choices right now have a decidedly defiant feel. You want to snow for 3 days straight? I'm just going to wear my bright yellow blazer. Booyah! You want to blow white-outs across the road so my frostbitten hands have to constantly death-grip the steering wheel. Fine. At least my nails are painted in OPI's 'Kiss Me, I'm Brazilian'. While you snow and sleet in this never-ending winter, I'm mentally lounging on a yacht in my breton striped shirt and laissez-faire loafers. In yo face!

Because when it comes right down to it, the mind is in fact stronger than the matter. And my mind is made up - it's March in a few days and it IS spring, no matter what you do, Old Man Winter. I wave my floral scarf high in the air to you. Can we just call a truce?

Read on for my favourite early spring buys to wear right now....

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SPRING TRENDS: How to Pull Off Purple

The Burberry Prorsum Spring '14 Runway. Photo via: The ZOE Report

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

As we talked about last week, purple is just one of those colours; you either really like it or you really don't. As little girls, we flock to the hue because there's only so much pink we can wear. And, of course, there's the whole royalty thing. But while purple hasn't been on trend for quite some time, there's a shake-up happening in the fashion world right now. Give credit to the Duchess and the modern purple dresses she regularly rocks on the red carpet, or blame it on Burberry, (I blame all my problems on Burberry), but shades of purple are currently having a major moment. And with Pantone's recent declaration that 'Radiant Orchid' is the 'It' colour of 2014, looks like purple is here to stay.

Read on for the chic colour combos that will help you pull off purple with aplomb (or should I say a-plum? hee hee)...

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XOXO

Photo via abstract.desktopnexus.com 

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

I'm not sure about you, but this winter has left me feeling more frozen than frisky. Blame it on all the flannel, or the fact that I can never seem to feel my toes, but this cold snap has temporarily extinguished my flames. My husband is going to have to wait. Right now, I'm too busy chugging Twinings (no 50 Shades reference here, I promise you) and knitting myself a full body onesie to even contemplate romance.

And yet, I can see the red light at the end of this wind tunnel. Maybe it's the promise of a single digit forecast, or the fact that Valentine's is just a few weeks away, but I can already feel myself melting. And if I've learned anything from watching Frozen 26 times with my daughter (what can I tell you, we've had a LOT of snow days), it's that a little love can thaw even the iciest of hearts. 

Ready to heat things up, too? I've rounded up my favourite gifts to show your love this Valentine's, sure to make her (or him) a puddle at your slippered feet...

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