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- FLOWER GARDEN MADE EASY
It's the time of the year where I focus on my garden as much as on... - CELEBRITIES LOVE BURBERRY FASHIONS
A fashion brand must know it has arrived when the mayor of a little town called... - FASHION NEWS: PUCCI VINTAGE COUTURE COMES TO YOOX
Pucci is one of those unique and iconic fashion designers that never goes out of...
Lifestyle: May 2009 Archives
FLOWER GARDEN MADE EASY
It's the time of the year where I focus on my garden as much as on my closet!
Most parts of North America are now in prime planting season for both nursery grown annuals and perennials for that instant garden look. Planning a garden is somewhat like planning your wardrobe, you have to think of the color palette, the size and shapes of the flowers,and how it all mixes together. Best of course is some professional time with a gardener where coupled with your vision and their experience you can get the best results. Nevertheless, amateur gardeners can do just as well with a bit of research and an idea of the look they like. Besides it's a lot of fun also!
Here is a video offering some tips for planting a perenial garden so that you may have cut flowers all season long.
I found amost everything a beginner gardener needs at the Gardener's Supply Company from accessories to gardening supplies to actual flower stocks. Also an excellent source of information with lots of articles and how to's. I just read this article on planting spring bulbs for fall flowering Dahlias, hopefully I'm not too late to plant these gorgeous flowers.
We planted these perennials( Hydrangea and Lilac) last year and they are coming up nicely:
Sign in to Shop Gardener's Supply Company at The Brands Club and receive an additional 5% cashback rebate on all your purchases. Not a member? Join for FREE now.
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CELEBRITIES LOVE BURBERRY FASHIONS
A fashion brand must know it has arrived when the mayor of a little town called New York City names a day after it! Thursday was the first official Burberry Day in NYC. Celebrities came out to celebrate the Burberry American headquaters opening and to show support for the company. Blake Lively said she lives in her Burberry trenches and Harry Connick Jr. and Rose McGowan both commented on the fashion house classic and chic appeal. Take a look at the arrivals:
FASHION NEWS: PUCCI VINTAGE COUTURE COMES TO YOOX
Pucci is one of those unique and iconic fashion designers that never goes out of style. In fact with the growing populaity of Vintage couture, what's old is new again!
Lucky for us, on June 4, 2009. Yoox.com a high end designer's fashion store at The Brands Club is featuring Pucci in their Vintage section. The hard to find vintage selections will all date prior to 1992, which is the year that the founder Emilio Pucci died.
The selection promises to be varied including bags and scarves as well as clothing!
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FASHION TREND - THE ONE SLEEVED DRESS IS HOT.
A hot new fashion trend sported by celebs and fashionista's is the one sleeved dress. This is a good way to update your wardrobe for the season with a chic and stylish look.
Lots of variety in the look, but the freshest is the goddess look with soft pleating in the front and also the fitted mini dress. Take a look:
Jay Godfrey one shoulder dresses at pink mascara.com
Jay is a Canadian and a celeb favorite with Kim Kardashian, Eva Mendes, Sarah Michele Geller just to name a few wearing his creations on the red carpet and at Hollywood parties.
Sign in at The Brands Club to shop Jay Godfrey fashions at pinkmascara.com and receive 4% cashback.
LADY DIOR HANDBAGS STAR OSCAR WINNING ACTRESS
From Lady Gaga to Lady Dior, the lines between celebrity, art and fashion are quickly blurring.
In the new campaign for Lady Dior handbags, oscar winning actress Marion Cottilard once again pairs up with her "La Vie En Rose" director Olivier Dahan to make movies. Except this time around the "Film Noire " genre mini films are aimed to promote and dramatize the new collection of gorgeous handbags from the house of Dior.
See the films here .
Sign in to shop Dior handbags, go to Forzieri.com( 5% cashback) and Yoox.com ( 4% cashback) at The Brands Club mall.
MATERNITY FASHION
Recently a reader wrote in to ask if there is anything stylish that she can wear during her pregnancy which she can still wear after she had the baby.
I have done some research and most definitely the best bet here are the loose, lightweight tunic/tops and empire waist cotton dresses. Particularly in the summer the garments would not be constricting and the empire style of the fabric gathered in the front will fall back nicely after you had the baby. Avoid fussy zippers, buttons or small arm and neck holes.
I wouldn't spend too much on maternity pants or jeans because you would not be wearing them at any time after. You would be better off with a yoga style pant made with lycra which you can fit over your belly inititally and then under. If the pants are good quality they will hold their fit after your pregnancy.
Same thing with a bathing suit, I would go for a tankini ( two piece) that cover the tummy. If it has drawstrings on the side, you will be able to tighten the bodice after you had the baby.
Here are some nice looks from A Pea In The Pod ( who are also having a 75% off sale):
You must be signed in to shop at The Brands Club and receive 5% cashback from The Pea In The Pod store ( including on the sale items).
AMY WINEHOUSE- CELEBRITY FASHION DESIGNER ?
According to Grazia, Amy Winehouse, yes she of the famous bee hive hairdo's, the super scrawny frame, the drug abuse and so on.. has now teemed up with PPQ to create her own fashion line:
"Karl Lagerfeld's called her his muse - sending Chanel models down the catwalk with Amy Winehouse-style beehives. Jonathan Kelsey designed the 'Amy' shoe in her honour. She's sung for the fashion crowd at a Fendi party in Paris Fashion Week and practically made the Preen Power dress famous when she rocked it on the red carpet at the Brits. But since Amy Winehouse spiralled into a vicious cycle of drugs and drink, her style status has waned somewhat. Until now. We've just discovered the singer is teaming up with PPQ to create her own fashion range. 'There have been talks with Amy and we are now in the first stages of the project,' Amy Molyneaux, one half of PPQ design duo,told us . 'The range will be all about high-end statement pieces, inspired by Amy's style. For example maybe an amazing piece of jewellery like a bracelet or a dress. It's going to be distributed online, we are going to be providing all materials and doing the design, but Amy will definitely be involved in the creative process. ... this will be a homage to Amy's look.' Makes sense considering it's the label of choice for the young London music/scenester crowd, and hopefully this could be a turning point for Amy - first the fashion, then the music..."
As previously discussed in this blog, some celebrity designers have surprised and delighted with their creations. Notably: Kate Moss, Nicole Ritchie, Victoria Beckham. Amy Winehouse success as a designer still remains to be seen...
photo credit : PR photos
LOUIS VUITTON: ART, FASHION AND ARCHITECTURE NEW BOOK
A new hardcover book from Louis Vuitton fashion experts comes out in early September. The book examines relationships between art and fashion, and will feature over 400 illustrations and an embossed artist created cover. Sure to be a gorgeous coffee table book and an interesting read from one of the most enduring fashion brands of our times.
This is what the description says:
Luxury and art have never been more closely linked than they are in these early years of the twenty-first century. Virtually all the world's major luxury houses have associated themselves with contemporary art through sponsorships, commissions, or foundations, and these points of exchange nourish the increasingly symbiotic relationship between fashion, art, and other design disciplines.
Of all modern luxury brands, Louis Vuitton can claim to maintain the richest and most varied associations with the world of art. Included in this volume are Louis Vuitton's important collaborations with an elite group of artists, architects, designers, and photographers, such as Jun Aoki, Shigeru Ban, Vanessa Beecroft, Olafur Eliasson, Zaha Hadid, David LaChapelle, Jean Larivière, Annie Leibovitz, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Stephen Sprouse, James Turrell, Inez Van Lamsweerde, and Vinoodh Matadin.
The book is structured as a seductive anthology of the house's most visible collaborations. Critical essays examine and position Louis Vuitton's patronage--under the guidance of Artistic Director Marc Jacobs--during one of the most fertile periods of contemporary art and design.
The book can be pre-ordered at Chapters/Indigo for $68.64 and includes Free shipping. The Brands Club cashback is 3% and you must be signed in to shop.
FASHION TREND:BEADS THE GUILT FREE FASHION STATEMENT
" And the bead goes on and the bead goes on..."
Beading has become a North American fashion favorite arts and crafts past time and is fast becoming mainstream fashion statement. Starting with little girl toy kits to full time fashion designers working with precious and semi precious stones, beading has come a long way from the small colorful plastic orbits which became popular in the 60's.
The biggest evolution of THE BEAD is that in addition to adorning wrists and necks in handmade jewelry you now see beading on purses, clothes and even shoes.
In this story, some even believe that this is the new Bling and much more befitting the new chiconomics mentality. Well the look, has our vote. Fresh, new and inexpensive!
To shop the look at The Brands Club mall, check out the following stores:
Candycouture ,pinkmascara, fashionchateau, bluebee, thehipchick all in fashion section
Sign in here to go directly to the store and receive cashback from 3 to 11% on all your purchases including sale items
NICOLE BRIDGER - CANADIAN FASHION DESIGNER PROFILE
Rising hot , new Canadian designer, Nicole Bridger creates stylish women's clothes with eco- fabrics such as bamboo, organic cotton, hemp and silk. The message of her company is :
"we believe in taking care of the earth and its people. To take care of the earth we use
socially conscious fabrics and practices. We use fabrics that are from natural and renewable resources. To take care of the earth's people we help spread the word of love through our affirmation labels 'I am love' in each piece of clothing. We are dedicated to contributing to positive change in our modern world"
Only 27, this Vancouver designer has already accomplished a great deal. After graduating from Ryerson in Fashion Design in Toronto, she interned with fashion innovator Vivienne Westwood in London, England. Upon her return to Canada she created the popular Oqoqo eco clothing line for the uber successful Canadian yoga and workout retailer Lululemon Athletica. With this experience under her belt, Nicole has now created her own label " Nicole Bridger". And the results are fantastic as far as we are concerned, just take a look at some of the stylish fashions .
CANADIAN FASHION CONTEST FOR NEW WARDROBE!
Canadian Fashion Magazine is holding a casting call for someone who needs a brand new wardrobe from Canada's pre-eminent fashion department store ,Holt Renfrew! Will you be the one?
Here is how to enter the contest! And hurry, the deadline for entries is May 29, 2009
The winner will be profiled in the magazine and will get a personal shopper from the fashion department store to help choose their new wardrobe. One small requirement..you must be available to go on a shopping spree in June. Well , twist that rubber arm, why don't you ..
Good luck and tell us all about it!
CANADA STYLE SHOPPING REVIEW - YORKVILLE- TORONTO,CANADA
Readers have been writing in with questions about local shops and events. Here is a quick profile on Yorkville area of Toronto, roughly 3 blocks from Avenue to Yonge street and Bloor to Yorkville.
The area, a former Canadian '60's bohemian hangout, has literally exploded in recent years as the tourist shopping and cafe mecca destination. It's fun for locals also. Nothing beats sipping a glass of wine on the Patio of ONE restaurant on a warm summer evening and watching the fashion parade go by. Here is some news about what's new and hot in the area.
New Teatro Verde at 100 Yorkville, filled with gorgeous home and garden must haves.
New Diesel flagship at 96 Yorkville Ave. This is the spring/summer collection.
A second TO Anthropologie opens next door this summer, The flagship store will be about 12,000 square feet split between two levels at the 100 Yorkville at Bellair complex.
Eleven Boutique just opened at 116 Cumberland has an interior by II by IV Design. International and Canadian fashion names on the racks include Joeffer Caoc, Thien Le and Lundström, plus jewelry by Gerard Yosca and Kendra Scott, even a Riva & Kisim bags
And of course let's not forget the area's old time shopping staples : Rainbow Jeans for every type of jean under the sun, Betsey Johnson boutique, both on Yorkville Ave.The high end fashion boutiques on Bloor and hundreds of boutiques and galleries within walking distance.
So, grab an iced cappuccino at Starbucks and do the lap walk around the two main blocks to see, shop and be seen!
ANDY THE- ANH - CANADIAN FASHION DESIGNER PROFILE
According to this ElleCanada article Andy The-Anh's loves old school movie stars, would Love to dress Cate Blanchett and borrow Meryl Streep's diary. The maverick Montreal designer has a flair for dramatic style and eye for elegance. From the interview he does not seem to be a big fan of the 80"s comeback look:
"What current fashion trend would you like to see disappear?
"Acid-washed jeans. They're everywhere in Europe, and I see indie kids wearing them a lot.I can't believe they're coming back!"
What's your biggest fashion regret?
"When I was in school, I teased my hair and wore jackets with big shoulder pads. It was very goth, like the French new wave band Indochine."
Do you have a signature cocktail?
"Everywhere I go, I always order kir royale. It has become my trademark."
What's your favourite colour?
"Bright canary yellow! I had a yellow couch for 15 years, and I have yellow shoes and a yellow watch. I'm superstitious about it: When I go to important meetings, I always wear yellow."
Here is a look at Andy The - Anh's 2009 spring collection from Montreal Fashion week:
INVITE SAYS "BLACK TIE","UPSCALE", "CASUAL" - WHAT TO WEAR!
May/June is traditionally the spring /summer party season in Canada and U.S.A. Between weddings, proms, charity events, gallery openings and so on, a girl just needs clothes!
Here is how to decipher the party invites and what to wear:
"Black Tie"-
Dressy, usually long gown or evening dress for women , tux and bow tie for men.
"Upscale Casual":
Coctail dress, dressy pants and top, dinner suit for women, suit /sport jacket with no tie for men ( variations on the theme, but no jeans or t-shirts)
Try these dresses from Queen Bee Girls:
1. Diane Von Furstenberg Domino Drees 2. CK Bradley Bamba Dress
wear with these gorgeous accessories from Queen Bee Girls:
Keneth Jay enamel leopard bracelet 
Claudia Accessories Double Key Bracelet
The tricky one is the:
"Casual" invite
This definitely requires some interpretation: is this an invite to a back yard bbq or an event? Is this a small gathering or a big to do? Answering some of those will help set the LOOK.
In this case, men definitely have it easier and can wear the fashion spectrum from nice jeans with quality t-shirt or polo shirt, to khakis with dress shirt ( sleeves rolled up) and so on. With women, the look can also run the style gamut from nice jeans with dressy t-shirt to the little black/white/red dress to a print sundress. Heels or flats will be determined whether it's a private event or a big party. The bigger the event the dressier the outfit and the higher the heel!
Here are some pretty casual dresses from EDUN a for -profit organization started by Bono and Ali Hewson. I like their philosophy of fashion with a purpose to help others....
From EDUN"s company description:
Founded on the premise of trade as a means of building sustainable communities in developing countries to help foster economic growth rather than provide charity.EDUN utilizes locally run factories in Africa, South America and India. EDUN does not build and does not own these factories.
Both Queen Bee Girls and EDUN are merchants at The Brands Club mall, You must be a member to shop and to receive cashback from the stores. Register here to obtain a free membership.
FASHION NEWS: THE DEVIL WEARS...SUNGLASSES?
In this fascinating interview on 60 minutes the often feared, sometimes revered and the inspiration behind the wildly popular movie " The Devil wears Prada", Vogue fashion editor Anna Wintour tells interviewer Morley Safer that sunglases are her armour.
"Asked why she often dons her large, trademark sunglasses, Wintour told Safer, "Well, they're seriously useful. I mean, I can sit in a show, and if I'm bored out of my mind, nobody will notice. And if I'm enjoying it, nobody will notice. So, I think at this point they've become, you know, really armor."
She has been the Editor of Vogue for over 21 years and has been called the most powerful woman in fashion, often making or breaking a designer's career with her "recommendations".
In addition to her salary she commands an additional $200,000 in clothing allowance ,makeup and hair. Incredible for a woman who dropped out of high school at 16.
Read this fascinating article here. or watch the interview :
MATTHEW WILLIAMSON - FASHION DESIGNER PROFILE
As some of you know this designer's fashions inspired recent shopping pandemoniums at the H&M stores where his collections debuted across the world.
According to this article, even in Toronto, Canada, people were fighting and pulling at each other's merchandise. So much for polite Canadians and more like " Confessions of a Shopaholic." sample sale battle scene.
So who is the man who is inspiring such passion for fashion?
Matthew Williamson, a London designer known for his bright, colorful and witty take on fashion staples.
Mathew burst into the fashion world with a bang in 1997 when he debuted his first collection with the likes of Kate Moss, Jade Jagger, Helena Christensen and Diane Kruger prowling the catwalk in a now famous fashion show labeled "Electric Angels".
Matthew is a holder of numerous Design industry awards including the 2008 Red Carpet Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards and was the creative director at Emilio Pucci. There is a flagship store in London and a new one in NYC, which opened in February 2009.
Long time darling of the Euro -British fashionista set and a good friend of celebutantes such as Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Plum Sykes and Jade Jagger, Matthew really exploded on the International scene with his H&M collection. His entire collection was sold out of most stores within an hour of opening. WOW.
The next H&M collection offering will hit the stores on May14th, 2009.
Katherine McPhee at the NYC store opening
photo credit : infphoto.com