Top Picks: Street Style

So fashion week…

After scouring the street style compilations across the interweb, I came to a conclusion.

Street style is turning street.

Vogue and The Coveteur pose the question- is peacocking dead? Is the street style pony show over? I’ll take a more definitive approach, yes.

I love the eccentricities of fashion week as much as the next girl, but I’m more excited at the prospect of finding something I, as an urban twenty-something, can pull off.

Recently, I’ve gotten my style inspiration more and more from friends, Instagram and Tumblr. Unconventional is perhaps the most conventional and I’m in favour of a shift towards effortless chic.

Thanks to Vogue photographer Phil Oh, I can grab some inspiration from these shots.

So glad I picked up those new trainers…

Michal Pudelka’s Magic and Mermaids for Valentino SS’15 Ad Campaign

Okay.

It’s been a while, we’re flakey.

BUT HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We wanted to bring to your attention the new Valentino SS’15 ad campaign, because it is my favourite ever (I think!). We did a feature on Valentino’s Resort Collection from last year, but this, THIS, is it.

#bowdown

The ad campaign highlights fashion and fairytale in a stunning visual composition. The campaign was shot by Michal Pudelka, whose work features strong female models and juxtaposes bold prints against soft backgrounds. I’m thinking Dazed and Confused meets Vogue with a serious nod to The Shining; there is something distinctly creepy about a lot of his past work.

I love it.

While the Valentino campaign is much polished than many of Pudelka’s work, like Transhumanism and Upcomings, it is distinctly Pudelka.

The Valentino campaign stars models Vanessa Moody, Grace Simmons, Hedvig Palm, Clémentine Deraedt and Maartje Verhoef.

Now seriously, can I get these blown up in for my apartment?

After fawning over the images of pale models floating in the water and parading around the beach in a variety of beautiful bold prints and light airy fabrics, I think I need to rethink my closet goals.

     

Check out the full ad campaign at Fashion Gone Rogue. 
Love,

We LOVE: A R C H I V E S

If you haven’t heard about A R C H I V E S – it is a luxury, designer jewellery store located adjacent to the new flagship Four Seasons in Yorkville at 1275 Bay Street, Toronto.

Afternoon Tea at  A R C H I V E S

The one-of-a-kind jewellery boutique brings together unique and beautiful pieces from designers all over the world. The owner and designer, Jaleh Farhadpour, is a true visionary and has compiled a collection of pieces that bridge classic opulence and contemporary style in a unique urban space. Farhadpour’s collections in A R C H I V E S are inspired by her time abroad. Not only has she lived in several countries including Dubai, France, England and the United States, before moving to Toronto in 1988 but she travels all around the world to find stunning pieces and along the way, found inspiration herself.

Farhadpour journeyed to Sri Lanka in 2005 to aid in the humanitarian effort after the devasting tsunami. While staying in an ashram, she spotted locals working with gems and stones to fashion jewellery. Farhadpour then began to research the healing powers ascribed to each stone before purchasing a large bulk of them that would eventually be reimagined into her luxurious and striking collection now available at A R C H I V E S.

Three stunning rings by Jaleh Farhadpour- top of my Christmas list!

In addition to the owner’s design, the store showcases a variety of international designers, many of whom are only available in Canada at this location. As most girls do, I swoon at the sight of diamonds and gems and A R C H I V E S  provides an avid Canadian jewellery lover with access to a finely curated collection that would be otherwise inaccessible. I attended their champagne drop in a few weeks ago and have been raving about it ever since. Luckily, on Saturday I was invited back for a civilized afternoon tea to try on some of the exquisite pieces and take some photos. Here are a few of my favourite pieces from the store:

Favourite Bag

Les Petits Joueurs //  Italy

This playful contemporary clutch is designed by Les Petits Joueurs.The modern design, eclectic style and colourful hues couple to make Les Petits Joueurs’ bags playful yet refined. The Grace Lolita bag, pictured above, is handcrafted by Florentine aritsans from plexi and real LEGO pieces.

Favourite Hat

High Spirits // Toronto

A R C H I V E S showcases local hat designs by High Spirits. The Toronto based designers opt for subtle delicate accents, like the amethyst attached to the one above, that make a statement.

Favourite Ring

Delfina Delettrez // Italy

The one-of-a kind Delfina Delettrez diamond encrusted stingray ring is just breathtaking, an exclusive to A R C H I V E S. Delettrez, a member of the Fendi family, is a young designer sweeping the world with her modern and “kinetic” pieces. With fans from Beyonce to Katy Perry, it is no wonder that Delettrez is the youngest designer included in the permanent collection of fine jewellery at the Louvre’s Musée des Arts Decoratifs.

Favourite Earcuff 

Cristina Oritz // Spain

Cristina Oritz’ fantastical designs are reminiscent of a coupling of femininity and power. They are strong, metal accented with diamonds, and highlight the natural silhouettes of the areas they adorn. Oritz, previously Design Director at Prada and Creative Director at Salvatore Ferragamo, has a long history with the fashion industry but only recently branched out on her own as a jewellery designer. This ear cuff, worn by Blake Lively and Alessandra Ambrosio, is a part of Oritz’ premier jewellery collection and is definitely one of my favourite pieces in A R C H I V E S.

Favourite Necklace 

Iradj Moini // America

Persian designer Iradj Moini has been designing pieces in New York since 1989. This particular statement necklace has been fashioned to mimic a snake embracing the neck. Several of Moini’s designs utilize the figure of a snake, I find the colours of this piece particularly encapsulating.

Favourite Eyewear

Illesteva // Italy

I’ll tell you what “i” wanna wear, this Illesteva eyewear! This particular pair of mirrored sunglasses by Illesteva caught my eye. All of the designs are functional but stylish and handmade in France and Italy. A R C H I V E S carries a broad range of sunglasses and eyewear and often there is only one pair of each, so if you make the purchase you know that you have something unique to Toronto. And you can rest easy, the price points are comparable to many other designer sunglasses brands as well!

Favourite Earrings

Jaleh Farhadpour // Canada

I couldn’t pick just one! All of these earrings have interchangeable tops and bottoms so the options are everlasting. If I ever open my own jewellery drawer and it looks like this, I will likely perish from happiness. Jaleh Farhadpour’s collection is a breathtaking composition of colour, texture and functional architectural design. BRAVO!

Now that you all know where to head (or send your most generous family members) for your Christmas shopping, I’ll leave you with some other photos to peruse from the champagne drop-in and afternoon tea.

PS, big thanks to Kate Nishida, A R C H I V E S assistant manager and PR aficionado, for all the info and photo opportunities. Also, my gorgeous dark haired Deanna for modelling in some of these pics!

     

            

      You can also see more photos and check out additional content from A R C H I V E S online on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram- @archivestoronto
And check out their website here!

Love

Daydreams: Valentino Vacation

It’s bleak, it’s cold and it’s definitely grey.

Not that long ago the weather was navigable in short skirts and flowy dresses, and today I’m yearning to feel a little sun on my face. The dissolution of the fall into overcast dreary winter weather has me daydreaming of a vacation down south.

Naturally, one turns to Valentino’s effervescent, vibrant and whimsical Resort ’15 collection. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli’s inspired collection features parrots, monkeys, flora and fauna in a variety of prints, appliqués and embroideries. Even though it was released in July this 83 piece collection has stayed at the forefront of my fantasies.

After reading Samantha Adler’s quip on the Vogue blog this morning about Valentino resort monkeys, I have spent an hour gawking at the collection and imagining myself somewhere hot- Punta anyone?

And because I can’t pick a favourite:

x

WE LOVE: Tiffany and Co. Holiday Campaign

With Christmas coming up just around the corner I’m hoping you all are saving your naughty till the new year.

The end of November marks the mad dash for everything holiday, your favourite coffee joints change their cups, Christmas music hits the airwaves (anyone else replaying The OC: Have a Very Merry Chrismukkah?) and window displays impart festive cheer/ impending got-to-shop stress on passerbys.

In two weeks we will bring you our gift guide, featuring the most coveted items we want under the christmas tree this year. BUT, for now we’ll just wet your appetite with a close look at what every girl wants this year… Besides Taylor Swift’s wardrobe in the new Blank Space music video.

The facade of the Tiffany’s fifth avenue flagship, inspired by an exhibit created for the Tiffany Diamond at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
Source: Instagram

#ATIFFANYHOLIDAY

Tiffany and Co., the quintessential jewellery store based in New York City, has launched a new holiday campaign. Yes, Tiffany’s just got a whole lot cuter.

Source: Twitter

This years campaign features images of Tiffany’s jewelry juxtaposed with cartoon videos by creative design firm Ogilvy and Mathers. The videos and pictures feature iconic New York scenes, like the flagship Tiffany’s store and yellow taxi cabs and skating at the Rockefeller centre.

Source: Instagram

OUR FAVOURITE is an ad for Tiffany’s mens wallet that features two men and their son sitting around the fire and drinking hot chocolate. The caption reads, “The merrier the gentlemen, the better.” Kudos to Tiffany’s for striking hot with contemporary advertising geared towards same sex couples- we love.

Source: Twitter

So be good, because we all know good things come in blue boxes.

x

Source: Instagram

Outerwear Trends F ’14

Now that fall is fully underway, it’s evident that there is some serious variety in outerwear this season. Luckily, no matter what your style inclinations or budget there are trendy options.

1) EDGY- Leather

Mackage
$690

NOISY MAY
$105

2) CONTEMPORARY- Sherpa

Wilfred
 $275

MEXX
 $170

3) BOYFRIEND FIT – Wool

Wilfred
$325

Zara
$149

4) LUXE – Faux Fur

MARELLA
$725

Zara
$169

5) STATEMENT- Leopard Print

Dianne Von Furstenburg
$860

Topshop
$160

Now get out and enjoy the city streets and brisk weather in style.
Try to not blow your rent money to get all of these pieces into your wardrobe!

MIA

We’ve been a little MIA lately.

Midterms were brutal- we studied, we shopped and we ate bagels.

More content (restaurant reviews, recipes, WMCFW and a style guide!) will be up soon.

Source: Tumblr

Love,

A Downtown Girl’s Guide: Grocery Shopping Tips

Call me crazy, but I absolutely love going grocery shopping. Granted, this could have something to do with the fact that I shop at Loblaw’s which happens to be conveniently connected to a massive Joe Fresh store, but I digress. There’s something about the anticipation of looking into a baron, stark white fridge, and allowing your mind to wander with the possibilities of what you could fill it with.

http://firstwefeast.com/laugh/horrors-of-empty-fridge-told-by-twitter/

There are a few small hiccups in my current situation. Firstly, I haven’t quite yet figured out the concept of budgets. Given that I’m a full time student and only working part-time, I often find myself living paycheque to paycheque, leaving little money left over for frivolous things such as food and shelter…(jokes jokes)
Secondly, I live in the very heart of downtown Toronto, with no vehicle. The closest supermarket is a solid 15 minute walk, which is fine because I like cardio just as much as the next gal. HOWEVER, it becomes a slight issue on the way home, when you have 7 bags filled with heavy food.

I want you – my dear reader – to be much more savvy than I have been. Below are my top five tips for how to survive grocery shopping downtown in the city:

#1 – If your situation is like mine and you don’t have a vehicle to use, take advantage of the public transit in your area! I used to try to tough it out, and never bothered utilizing the streetcar to get me home, but then I realized that it was definitely the best option.
– Another tip is to carpool with friends! My cousin lives across the street from me, and has kindly offered to bring me with her when she goes grocery shopping.
– Finally, you could get a different kind of wheels… in the form of a cart! My mother bought me one of these, thinking it was a great option for me to use while living downtown. She has a great point, however I feel a little like a bag lady when I’m dragging a metal cart on wheels behind me for 6 blocks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/18378305@N00/2801885108/?rb=1

#2 – MAKE A BUDGET. I cannot stress this enough. Even if you are making very little money you need to designate it out to the different aspects of life where you will need it. For example, $110 a month for a metro pass, $80 a week on groceries, $80 monthly for cell-phone bill, $100 monthly to entertainment expenses, etc. Your budget can be whatever you wish, but it needs to exist, and be accurate. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself broke at the end of the month with absolutely no idea what you’ve spent all your hard earned money on.

http://bestfinancenetwork.com/5-tips-for-saving-money-on-grocery.html

#3 – Find one grocery store that you like, and stick with it. Make sure you take advantage of your store’s reward points/loyalty program, as most stores have these nowadays. Loblaw’s has a thing called the PC Plus card. It tracks your most frequent purchases, and offers you points if you continue to buy those things. Once you have accumulated a certain number of points it allows you to use them towards a discount on your groceries. It also has a handy-dandy app, which allows you to see your grocery list and current offers – right from your smart phone!
No matter which grocery store you shop at, make sure you have one of these cards.

http://smartcanucks.ca/loblaws-introduces-a-new-loyalty-program-pc-plus/

#4 – Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Seriously. I know you’ve heard this time and time again, but it could not be more accurate. Studies have actually shown that buying groceries while hungry not only leads to buying more, but also encourages unhealthy food choices such as fattening, processed foods. Make a smoothie, or eat a granola bar before you go – anything to satisfy your tummy for the time being.

http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/228869-Dwell-Time

#5 – While were on the subject of healthy eating – Stick to the perimeter of the store while shopping, as the foods you’ll find there are the healthiest for you! The healthiest foods are foods that are fresh, and thus, they need to be refrigerated! Refrigerators are always found on the outside of the store. Think of an upside down U shape. The middle of the store is where you’ll find processed foods, starches, etc. Foods containing preservatives that do not need to be kept fresh.

http://jaydawg808.hubpages.com/hub/Making-Smart-Choices-when-Grocery-Shopping

BONUS TIP: I often find myself buying way more fruits and vegetables than one person could possible consume. A helpful tip that I have, is to freeze fruit! When I notice that berries or bananas are a little too soft/ripe for me to want to eat, I pop them in the freezer. That way i preserve them before they go bad, and then I can use them for smoothies!

Happy & Healthy grocery shopping, friends!

Fall Flavour Profile: Chai Tea Cookies

Fall might be my favourite season.

Sure, the weather is getting colder and carefree afternoons spent drinking wine and lounging on a patio might be finished, but fall has some wonderful things that keep me excited about the seasonal change, mainly fashion and food.

Fall fashion this year is exceptional. In lieu of the Spring/Summer ’15 collection debuts at Fashion Week, people are attending shows in some fresh autumnal outfits. Check out Vogue’s style profiles from Paris Fashion Week here. 

I like the visible monochromatic trend so much, I also wrote a piece about it that you can read here.

Now for food, because fall flavour profiles are pretty wonderful. We already made a tasty #pumpkinspice granola on the blog a couple of weeks ago (you can find the recipe here).

Everyone seems to have jumped on the pumpkin spice bandwagon this year. Rach and I were walking by a jean store on Queen West that had a sign, “Come in and try on our pumpkin spice jeans!” Do they also come in gluten-free skim milk? Cause Toronto girls will flock by the dozens.

While pumpkin spice is definitely delicious, for me the king of fall flavours is chai. Chai tea lattes have been a staple indulgence in my diet since Laguna Beach ran on MTV. The exotic aroma and decadent taste couple together to create a cozy feeling from the moment the frothy goodness touches your lips.

BUT WHO SAYS THE CHAI PARTY NEEDS TO END WITH TEA? (Clearly, not me.)

During midterms, I always stress out and bake. So friends, I present to you, the fruit of my procrastinations, chai spice cookies.

CHAI TEA COOKIES

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup salted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Baking Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, black pepper, and cloves. Remove 1/4 cup of the sugar–spice mixture and set aside for rolling the cookies.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar–spice mixture until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (I used a spoon because I left my beaters at my parent’s place).

.

Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until consistent with cookie dough texture.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the reserved sugar–spice mixture. Place dough balls about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.

        

Bake until puffed, golden, and the surface starts to crack, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and let stand on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.

ENJOY! Try to limit yourself to about five- five cookies ( and five episodes of bad reality television to make you feel better about your decision to eat so many cookies).

*Recipe modified from http://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/chewy-chai-spiced-sugar-cookies

Cheers,

Happy Friday!

MEOW!

Love,