Cheers to the Freakin' Weekend

Yes to this. Photo courtesy thedecoratedcookie.com 

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

The only thing worse than a hungry mosquito stuck in your tent on a camping trip is a bad wardrobe. Forgive me for the following fashion rant but hear me out;  When it comes to our long weekend packing list, I just think we can do a little better. I mean, those ripped-up Coors Light-stained joggers you see oot and aboot every weekend on campgrounds across Canada just don't cut it, even around the campfire. Same goes for other weekend fashion offenders - grimy old flip-flops, matchy-matchy Adidas tracksuits (Ole, ole ole oleeee), cheek-exposing Daisy Dukes and white tube socks, awesome as they are.  Call in the trailer park police, arrest those bad boys, and throw away the key. Even though I wear heels 96% of the time, I am a surprisingly apt camper. You see, I spent every summer at a hardcore(ish) tripping camp, became a counsellor, navigated our glorious Ontario lakes, even learned how to portage (solo..BOOYAH!). So while I can totally appreciate gettin' dirty and roughing it with the best of 'em, there comes a time when you need to toss your old jogging suits and refine your look, if only for the Facebook tags you'll be getting next Tuesday. I'm not suggesting you bust out your falsies and stilettos just yet - this is May 24 after all - you can still wear your comfy shorts, your bear-ready runners and of course, your cozy hoodie, but it's all about how you wear your off-duty pieces that will help you look terrific, not tragic. I've put together 4 cute outfits to get you from Friday to Monday in style, whether you're heading to the campground, cottage or backyard BBQ this May 24. Click here for the looks.

Happy Long Weekend, y'all! Hope the weather's great, the beers icy cold and the marshmallows juuuust right x

Hello, Yellow

A beyond gorge pic from the Gucci Spring '13 Campaign - photo via Gucci

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

There's nothing more optimistic, more in-your-face cheery, than the colour yellow. As kids, we stomp around in our yellow boots, and rock our yellow raincoats because it's totally cool to be as bright as possible. Then, we get a little older and suddenly, we're told that it's not good to be so happy all the time, that it's annoying to be perpetually cheery. We turn to black and grey and beige because it's safe and next to impossible to ridicule. Well, you know what? Yellow rocks, it's spring, and I don't know about you but I'm pretty stoked about it. I can't think of a better time than now to bust out this cheery hue, guaranteed to help you feel bright, even on a rough day.

Whether you decide to rock yellow like Jane Fonda on the red carpet, or prefer a more mellow approach, the colour is actually super versatile. Come on, get happy and check out these four pretty ways to get your yellow on for Spring:

 

See the other 3 looks here

Graphic Content

A model walks the Jil Sander Spring 2013 Runway. Photo © 2013 The Fashion Group International

I don't know about you but I've got a few sides to my personality. There's the work me, the girl who uses words like 'fantastic' and 'absolutely'. There's the mom version of me, who has to play the heavy to make sure we don't spend all day watching Bubble Guppies but then uses stupid voices and sings ridiculous songs to entertain. Then there's the 'me' with my best friends who usually ends up on the floor from laughing so hard, especially after a few glasses of wine. We've all got our different sides, both dark and light, good and bad, and though I usually try to be good, it's sometimes fun to get into a little bit of trouble, too.

For Spring '13, designers played up the contrast, sending models down the runways of Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Jil Sander in mod black & white looks. The new way to wear it? Stick with clean silhouettes and graphic prints (ie. bold black & white stripes, polka-dots and checks) and make sure to make a true statement by keeping it black & white from head to toe (including your bag, por favor). Feel like you need a bit of colour? Go for a bright and matte red or hot pink lip. Mwah!  For those days when you can't decide which of your personalities to bust out, I can't think of a better way to dress.

For the full story, including some of my fave black & white finds in stores now read on here. 

Then check out my article this week at iVillage.ca for 3 ways to wear black & white for spring.

Italian Leather Colour-Blocked Tote, $170, Winners

Contrast Stripe Jean, $49, Joe Fresh 

Cat-Eye Sunglasses, $12, ALDO

True North, Strong & Fab

Canada: An Infographic, by Kirstin Hallett

MILCK Clutch, $196, thecode.ca

Oh Canada Tea Towel, $26, Roots

Suede Bootie, $100, ALDO

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

We're pretty lucky to live where we do. Sure, we've got unpredictable weather, from our breathtaking cold-snaps in the winter to our sweltering heat waves in the summer. We've got pesky black flies and longer-than-average wait-times and sometimes, our politicians can't quite make up their minds.  Yet this gorgeous country allows us to raise our kids in safety, with its good schools and relatively good healthcare system.  Add to the mix our Timbits (yum), poutine (double yum), maple syrup (I'll spare you the agony...), hockey games, CBC and of course, Justin Bieber, and there's really nowhere in the world I'd rather be.  This weekend, we'll bust out the red and white, crack open a few cold ones and shoot fireworks into the sky. We'll eat strawberry cake, splash around in our lovely lakes and generally just get out (and aboot) to soak up our beautiful outdoors. Though Canadiana kitsch is a lot less rampant (and a lot less loud) than that of our neighbours to the south, it doesn't mean we can't show our pride this Canada Day.  These fun and stylish finds will help you do just that, whether you buy them for yourself or give them as a gift to your Canada Day hosts.  Great idea, eh? For more Canadiana gems, read on...

Man Up

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

As kids, we worship the ground our dads walk on;  We're enthralled by their stories, rendered helpless by their tickles, and amazed by their mad skills.  After all, only dads can magically coax money from our ears and oh-so-bravely 'cut off' their own thumbs.  They sit through 4-hour dance recitals, help toss glitter at our fairy parades and tell us we're the best at everything, even when we're not.  Then we get older;  Suddenly our dads turn from chic to geek, and 'Daddy' is replaced by an exasperated 'Daa-aad!'  We ask for money for just about everything and then jump out of the car a few blocks early at school, because we are SO independent.  After highschool, it's all about quick pecks on the cheek and occasional phone calls crammed in between lectures and parties.  And through it all, our dads love us unconditionally, knowing that eventually, hopefully, we'll need and appreciate them again.  Funny thing is - even if we didn't, the good ones would love us anyway.  

This Father's Day, forego the typical cologne and black socks and give your proud papa something he's sure to love.  Whether's he's your action hero, a laid-back classic or gets giddy for gadgetry, these gifts will help him know just how much you appreciated all the little things. 

Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there. xo