My Shoe Moment: CAT Womens SS13

Every girl deserves a moment to talk about shoes (OMG, shoes!) and this lookbook is totally worth the interruption. From workwear to womenswear, the SS13 Cat Womens collection effortlessly merges Caterpiller’s iconic rough-and-tough aesthetic with city girl chic.

Unlike the brand’s male-focused counterpart, their womens collection is filled with feminine cuts and dainty hues. Eye-catching pastels are perfect for Spring, and the leather sandals prove that you don’t have to compromise style for quality footwear.

My favourite pair from the SS13 collection have to be the Worksong oxfords. I love how Cat has taken a traditional mens style and transformed it into a softer, versatile shoe for women. These oxfords can be paired with almost anything, from summer shorts and skirts to distressed denim. Not to mention, they come in a range of pretty pastels that make choosing a pair that much more difficult.

Check out the Cat Footwear website for more info on the upcoming collection.

31 January Permalink

The Cools x Bobbi Brown #PrettyPowerful Skateboarding Lesson

Fashion’s latest social marketplace for the style minded, The Cools has partnered up with beauty guru Bobbi Brown to celebrate #PrettyPowerful girls from the fashion startup’s hometown.

The NYC initiative and curated shopping mecca brought pro skater Eli Reed on board (literally) for a nothing-short-of-chic skateboarding lesson in Thompkins Square Park. What’s better than watching ten women take a stab at the male dominated sport? Watching some of the city’s most powerful women do the deed in some killer swag.

Check out the video below featuring ten of The Cools’ pretty powerful friends including The Man Repeller Leandra Medine, Victorias Secret model Jessica Hart, The Cut’s Kat Stoeffel, Refinery 29’s Annie Georgia Greenberg, Bazaar’s Chrissy Rutherford, and True Blood actress, Anastasia Ganias.

SKATEBOARDINGGIRLS on Vimeo.

18 December Permalink

The Blogger Market: Virtual Pop-Up Shop

Big retailers have been using pop-up shops more frequently to stand out in the harsh consumer climate. Promoting a temporary retail space, unannounced and in an unconventional way (like covert or purpose-built venues) has become a huge trend in the realm of retail. Using the factors of exclusivity and surprise that can be found in open air performances and art galleries, pop-up retail is an initiative that makes shopping spontaneous and exciting for consumers.

Earlier this year we heard about online retailers including eBay, eLuxe and even smaller initiatives like Toronto-based Koopdekour hosting pop-up spaces unannounced. That concept has now seemed to flip from creating a tangible online store to bloggers and brands hosting shops via e-commerce. 

The “Blogger Market” is a project that very much employs the idea of pop-up retail in an online space. Kelsi Smith of Dedicated Follower of Fashion explains that the idea was inspired by a flea market where bloggers sold off their belongings. She then came up with the idea of running a series of blogger curated online stores, creating a temporary retail space with e-commerce.
      

Top bloggers were invited to select their picks from a group of emerging brands and artisans like d.RA and  Jenny Dayco, curating a collection of pieces in the first ever Blogger Market Pop-Up initiative. Keep an eye out for gift shop items curated by bloggers Kelly Golightly, Tobruck Ave, Honey & Silk, Snakes Nest and Kelsi Smith.

The virtual pop-up shop will be open until December 15th and features clothing, beauty products and covetable accessories via www.thebloggermarket.com.

27 November Permalink

4 Winter Beauty Tips Inspired by Summer Rituals

Even though it is only beginning to feel like winter in Toronto, the recent influx of brisk Ontario air is a subtle reminder of what’s to come. While most people adjust their beauty routines in preparation for the cold winter months, it’s not quite time to throw in the towel on those warm weather beauty rituals.

Nail Maintenance
Bring your toes out of hibernation! Winter pedicures should be a frequent indulgence, since your feet are tucked away inside your shoes all season long. The tight clutch of your toes inside of closed toe boots and shoes can cause scuffing of the nails, which can lead to fungal infections.

SPF and Sun Protection
It may not be tanning weather, but the sun can be just as strong during winter months. Cold temperatures do not influence UV rays from being emitted and snow reflection can cause things like sunburns and snow blindness. Protect your skin in the winter with a daily moisturizer that includes SPF protection. Since your skin won’t be as tanned, I’d suggest using a tinted moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15.

Exfoliate and Moisturize
Keep your complexion fresh during the winter by exfoliating weekly. Cooler air can cause dry skin and scaly lips, so keep your complexion looking vibrant by exfoliating then locking in moisture with a lush body cream or vaseline.

There is however one beauty ritual that IS encouraged to kick come colder weather, and it also happens to be one of the best parts of fall and winter fashion.

A Season Sans Shaving
Take advantage of the plethora of long sleeves and pants by letting your hair grow out a little longer than you normally would. Cooler months are the perfect time to start a wax or laser hair removal plan because it provides ample time to prepare your hair for the process.

26 November 1 Permalink

Five Secrets to Lip Perfection this V-Day

Treat your lips to a little TLC and prep your pout for its busiest day of the year: Valentine’s Day! Nourishing lip care will have your peckers looking more kissable than ever, and here are my secrets for obtaining the perfect pout.

1. Always BUFF your lips before applying any product. What works best to exfoliate your lips? I use an old toothbrush.
   
                                                
2. MOISTURIZE your lips on a daily basis for instant hydration. My go-to product is Thursday Plantation’s Tea Tree Lip Balm. This magic stick not only moisturizes lips, but also helps to prevent infections and cold sores. The 100% pure tea tree oil works as an antibacterial and antiseptic agent, while shea butter keeps your pout soft and supple. Consider this stuff lip care GOLD!
   
                                        
3. PRIME your pout to ensure long lasting colour and shine. Primer works great for smoothing out the surface of your lips before applying product. I use MAC Prep + Prime Lip as a base underneath everything from stains to gloss.
   
                                    
4. LINE your lips with a pencil to create a barrier for your lip colour, and keep it from bleeding. Since I tend to wear lip gloss more than lipstick, my ultimate go-to product is Cargo Cosmetic’s Reverse Lip Liner. The skin-tone liner is applied to the outside of the lip and blended out, creating the perfect lip line.
   
   
5. Grab a tissue and BLOT your lips to get rid of excess emollients and colour. This step is essential for Valentine’s Day, since you don’t want your product rubbing off on to your sweetie!

22 January Permalink

Product Test: KORRES Natural Skin Care

I was recently introduced to KORRES, a Greek company dedicated to implementing eco-friendly production methods and natural materials.

KORRES uses entirely herbal extrac­tions and home­opatic reme­dies found in Athens, employing Nobel Prize winning research to produce their range of organic hair and skin care products.

For the past few weeks I’ve been using a number of KORRES products, including the brand’s best selling Quercetin and Oak Antiaging & Antiwrinkle creams (which just happen to be clinically proven, natural alternatives to Retinol).

I couldn’t help but notice how quickly I fell in love with this brand! Here’s what I thought of some of the products:

Quercetin & Oak Antiaging & Antiwrinkle Creams (Night and Eye)
Despite the lightweight texture of these formulas, the night and eye creams go on feeling entirely opaque. With less than a dime-sized amount of product, the cream goes on smooth and easily, leaving my skin feeling completely hydrated.

Basil Lemon Body Butter
My absolute FAVE! I legit haven’t stopped using this stuff since I opened the bottle. This moisturizer is lush and nourishing, with hints of shea butter, quince extracts, and almond and avocado oils. The fresh citrus scent is an added bonus!

Wild Rose Face & Eye Serum
I’ve always been weary about brightening creams, and I tend to leave “line smoothing” in the hands of my makeup primer. Since using the KORRES Wild Rose Serum, I’ve noticed a slight change in the pigments surrounding my eyes. This product works well for what is does, but don’t discourage the use of H2O when it comes to hydrating your complexion!

It’s not often that you come across an effective skin care line that not only employs organic materials and production methods, but also lives up to its promises. If you’re looking for an all-natural, organic alternative for your beauty regime, don’t hesitate to take a look at the KORRES skin care collection.

8 January 12 Permalink

DIY Glitter Nail Polish

Instead of searching to find the perfect sparkly laquer, why not whip up a batch of your own personal shade?

Switch up your nails with a dash of shimmer courtesy of this DIY recipe.

                                                                         www.suchprettythings.typepad.com

This homemade recipe is easy to do, while allowing you to personalize your blend. Follow this basic DIY tutorial to create a shimmery polish customized to your liking.

Tools:

• Loose glitter
• Half a bottle of clear nail polish
• Tinted nail polish (optional)

Directions:

1. Purchase some loose glitter in your desired shade from your local crafts store. The smaller the glitter is, the more opaque your nail polish will be.
2. Choose a nail polish shade that compliments the colours of your glitter. Mix some of the enamel right into the clear nail polish to add depth. Doing this will also help make your polish more opaque.
3. Funnel glitter into the clear polish, until 3/4 quarters of the bottle is full
4. Shake up your homemade blend to reveal a shimmery new shade.

3 January 10 Permalink

Celebrity Style: The Undercut

 

Consider this my official ode to the undercut. Faded, styled, or simply shaved, this hard rock hair style is my favourite look of the season. P.S. I have one.

     Some noteworthy celebs rock this hard-hitting style, and I’m not just talking about the members of Arcade Fire. More and more females are taking the plunge and shaving the sides of their heads in the name of fierce fashion.

     This side-swept style is undeniably daring, but with the right attitude and confidence anyone can pull it off. Cassie and Mel B cut straight to the scalp, but leaving a little more hair looks just as great.

     Edgy designs and punk rock shag make working this hairdo a funky feat. Despite what you may think, shaving the side of your hair will not result in a lack of styling options. Playing around with length and design can be fun and creative. Take advantage of your short section before letting it grow out for good.

     Since getting my undercut I’ve played around a bunch with designs. Check out some of the work done by Dwight Evans Murray from Miami Fades:

     …and then there was that time I let my drunk friends shave my head. Good times.

12 July 10 Permalink

Luxe Box: Bringing Savvy Samples to my Doorstep

Following a beauty regime can be daunting in its own right. With so many products on the market, simply finding the right cosmetics for your skin can be difficult and expensive. Plenty of brands provide free product samples to try and cure our beauty blunders, allowing consumers to test products out before fully committing to them.
               

     The process of trying luxury beauty brands just became a whole lot easier. The Luxe Box is a subscription service that delivers a tiny box of beauty to your doorstep every month. Brands that have been featured in previous Luxe Boxes include Clinique, Stila and China Glaze. The company providing this chic little service is Loose Button, a Toronto-based start up that launched last year.
        

     I was introduced to the Luxe Box last month, and despite a lengthy Canada Post strike, I finally got my gift from Loose Button in the mail :) The beautiful packaging and luxurious presentation was adorable.

     I’m going to be honest, it kind of felt like my birthday.        

     The trendy little box contained three sample products: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, Joico Color Therapy Restorative Styling Oil and a shimmery Laura Mercier Eye Shadow. The package also came with a personalized information card, describing each product in detail with their retail value.        

     For $10.99/month, you can subscribe to the service and become a member to start receiving samples. The Luxe Box contains three to five “deluxe-sized” beauty products, which are larger than the standard sample size that brands normally distribute for free. Each box is tailored to its Luxe member’s personal beauty profile, containing information on things like hair colour and complexion.

     The Loose Button Luxe Box service allows brands to better target their customers, while the consumer benefits by getting only specific products that work for them.

     Sign up for the Luxe Box online by visiting the Loose Button website.

6 July 20 Permalink

Obsessed! Goody Spin Pin

One hair styling tool that has been around for ages and will never go out of style is the bobby pin. Now imagine a bobby pin primped and perfected into a hair-holding, style-stabling, and bun-bounding tool. 

     Goody’s Spin Pin is my superhero style accessory and I am totally obsessed. This cute little tool from the Simple Styles collection gives you perfect hair in no time, with minimal skill and effort.

     The corkscrew-shaped pin holds your bun in place all day, without having to deal with hairspray and a slew of bobby pins holding things together.

     To use the product, pull hair into a ponytail and wrap strands into a tight bun. Twist two Spin Pins into each end to secure the bun from both sides. The pins are simple to use and remove, without leaving behind any marks on your hair.

     The product is a little over priced but considering the results, I’d say its worth the money. My thick, long hair can never hold styles secured by bobby pins, but the Spin Pin has made the ballerina bun a lot more attainable for me and my wavy roots. This simple tool is a summer essential, creating instant updos and chic chignons.

LOVESIT.

4 July 5 Permalink