DRESSED TO CHILL | 4 Off-Duty Looks to Try Out This Summer

via ALDO

Originally posted in The CLOSET

We wait and we wait and then, we wait some more. Canadians are SO good at waiting. But when July finally hits, make no mistake: we want summer. We want the feeling of the sun on our shoulders and an icy cold glass in our hands. And when it comes to fashion, we want to make the absolute most of our little window of warmth to look as cute as possible. 

So let's not wait a second longer. Let's push our basic shorts and tees aside and get a little cray. Let's rock little white dresses with cool silver accessories and head somewhere sunny for an epic weekend brunch. Let's book that girls night, even though it might seem impossible to fit in, and rock cool girl black from head-to-toe for the best night out ever. Instead of passing that patio, let's grab a seat right in the middle and stay there all day in distressed denim, a fun tee and a cute baseball cap. And for those oh-so-necessary date nights, let's rock sexy lace with playful floral sneakers to make the absolute most of it. 

Happy July, y'all. Let's do this...

SUMMER OUTFIT INSPO THIS WAY...

CANADA 150, EH? | These Fashionable Finds Will Make You Feel SO Canadian

via Roots

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Campfires. Gord Downie. Timmies. Pond hockey. Muskoka chairs. Loon calls. Bautista bat flips. Complaining about the weather. Saying sorry. A lot. Paleness. Patio parties. Backyard bbqs. Justin Trudeau doing push-ups.

We might all be different but there's something about being Canadian that unites us. We work hard but we play harder. We love fiercely, we're polite and we're kind - buuut we still like to cause some trouble because how else could we possibly get through 8 months of winter? We love our nature and we love our summers because we know that before too long, they're gone. We're far from perfect but we're working on it. Most of us have never seen a beaver. And most of us will find that last sentence funny. 

Unlike our American counterparts, our patriotism is a steady, quiet sort. While we love Canada, it's not the decal-your-car-in-Canadian-flags kinda love. But with Canada 150 just a few weeks away, this might be the year to get just a little bit loud. 

Rock maple-leaf hats & sweatshirts from Roots (one of our country's biggest retail success stories) or Made in Canada finds from Le Château. Try flirty dresses from stores that you didn't even know were Canadian or homegrown beauty products to help you embrace your short-lived summer glow. Pick up some new shoes from a Canadian fave (shout-out to ALDO) or treat yourself to a few things from Hudson's Bay.  Love this country as much as we do? Scroll below for some fashionable finds that will help you wear your heart on your sleeve this summer.

Happy 150th birthday Canada! We love you xx

SEE OUR CANADIAN FASHION FINDS HERE...

HEAD OVER HEELS | Stepping Into Summer with Shumaker

Those heels though...

I have a small problem when it comes to shoes. How small? Okay, not small. Not small at all. My husband uses the shelves on his side of our closet for sweatshirts and sweaters. I put my sweatshirts and sweaters into storage bins in our office closet because let's face it - the shoes always win. So when Shumaker approached me about being their new shoe ambassador, I was like, 'Yes, I TOTALLY need more shoes.'

I'd never heard of Shumaker so we quickly set a date for me to check it out. The brand has been in Canada for decades but has only recently started opening its own retail locations - Shumaker has stores across Ontario now and is expanding quickly. I went online and loved the European design - my mom is German so I have a strong appreciation for beautifully designed shoes that laugh in the face of cobblestone streets. At the store though, I gained a whole new appreciation for the Shumaker brands. The shoes are designed and produced in Europe by up-and-coming designers from Scandinavia, France, Germany and Italy so attention to quality and design are all so obvious in the details. 

I fell in love with the men's shoes (if you're experiencing men's shoe fatigue, you need to go to Shumaker) but today was about finding shoes for me so I put those aside. For now. I narrowed it down to a gorge pair of gold leaf goddess sandals, some metallic ankle boots and a cute pair of kicks, but just couldn't leave these laser-cut ankle strap black heels by Italian brand Bella Siba which instantly made all of my other ankle-strap sandals feel basic. Since I brought them home, I've worn them with everything from a white tee & culottes (as pictured), a pencil skirt & button-down shirt for a work meeting and have plans to rock them with a floral dress to my next summer wedding. Honestly, these shoes are everything. High but so comfortable, practical enough to wear with anything but so beautifully detailed. I could go on and on but, well, I have some more shoe shopping to do ;)

Head to Shumaker online or find a store near you to get the full experience, and be sure to sign up for their GoldLeaf Membership for 10% off in stores and online for life. 

 

My first visit to Shumaker...

So many shoes, so little time...

Um, yes please...

Amazeballs men's shoes (AKA let's save these for another day bc today I'm about to get mine...)

I like to display my new shoes in interesting places like the boxwood in my front garden. And yes, my neighbours think I'm a just a *little* too obsessed with shoes...

Thinking about all of the outfits I'll wear with these beauties...

Ankle-strap sandal GOALS...

HOW WE ROLL | The Vaughan Mills Shopping Shuttle Returns

My shopping compadres: the lovely Momming Inc. ladies, Classy on the Run & The Curious Creature. 

As someone who likes to shop (a LOT), I've developed several coping strategies to make my shopping experiences as joyful as possible. My goals are always the same:

1) Find cute stuff

2) Score amazing deals I can brag about later

3) Buy cute stuff (see #1)

4) Feel happiness/elation/joy

5) Avoid stress to keep the happiness/elation/joy rolling (see #4)

I personally find things like parking, driving and 407 tolls take away significantly from my shopping joy. So, the Vaughan Mills shopping shuttle is my go-to. When VM announced that the shuttle was back for yet another year, I gave a little woot-woot and hopped on the GO from Kitchener to Toronto to celebrate the shuttle's summer launch.

I arrive at Union Station and head to 123 Front Street at 9:15 am to grab my shuttle wristband with fellow shopping enthusiasts Momming Inc., Classy on the Run & The Curious Creature (aka Trouble). We go by blogger aliases because we take shopping that seriously. Seriously. You can register for a shuttle wristband the morning of but they recommend you arrive around 8:30 to secure your spot. The coach usually fills up quickly because it's FREE (seriously) with free WiFi on board - Vaughan Mills is a bit of a trek if you're coming from downtown so the shuttle is a no-brainer. The shuttle holds 55 passengers and runs round-trip rides twice daily from Union Station to Vaughan Mills (full directions & details here).

After spilling half of my latte down the front of my shirt whilst talking a little too enthusiastically about pom-poms (again, seriously), the mom bloggers grabbed me some napkins, patted me down, and then we all hopped on board. The shuttle left promptly at 10 am and arrived at Vaughan Mills by 10:25 (!).  

I had several missions to accomplish by 3 pm so I had to focus. On my list: a few Sephora splurges, anything and everything with pom-poms and/or fringe, summer shoes (always shoes), and possibly a few things for my husband and kids because they're cute. I also had a styling session and video shoot booked with girl boss, Katie Zeppieri so had to be extra efficient. Luckily, Vaughan Mills makes shopping easy. I found my pom-poms at DSW and HR2, scored some adorable kids clothes at J.Crew Factory, did a little damage at Nine West Studio and Capezio and then splurged, as planned, at Sephora. Quick lunch at Aroma Espresso Bar (my fave), very pink styling sesh with Katie for Girl Talk Day, and then back on the shuttle for 3 pm. 

Looking for a quick, easy and fun way to get your summer shopping on? The Vaughan Mills Shopping Shuttle is officially rolling and operates from now until September 30th, returning Nov 24th - Dec 26th (shuttle doesn't operate Dec 25th) just in time for your Holiday shopping.  

See you on board! After all, I've already thought of a few more summer things I just might need ;)

Um, did somebody say FREE? 

Love, exciting and new, all aboard, we're expecting youuuuu....

I didn't get the memo. I made the memo. #matchy

Distractions...

Styling sesh with girl boss Katie Zeppieri...

A few of my fun scores...

SPRING IN YOUR STEP | 40 Fun Spring Shoe Picks

TOPSHOP Flowers at your feet from Hudson's Bay

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Okay, so most of us don't really need new shoes. If we're lucky, we probably bought a pair or 2 (or 10, who's counting? It wasn't me...), last year. But here's the thing: shoe love, as they say, is true love. Barring injuries or pregnancy, shoes always fit. You may have hibernated all winter enjoying a steady stream of beer, poutine and Netflix and yet somehow, last year's shoes still fit. Magical. So like I said, we don't really need new shoes.

But here's the thing: shoes are incredibly important and thus, justifiable. Our feet are what keep us grounded. They get us from A to B and back again. We walk 10,000 steps in the pairs we wear and we literally cannot leave home without them. Unless you're a yoga instructor who teaches beach yoga. Otherwise, you cannot leave home without them. And casting needs aside, there's that emotional well-being part of us that we need to nurture. With a world in turmoil, shoes have this amazing ability to make us feel good. And so, while you might not technically need new shoes, you can't be blamed for wanting more. 

Speaking of wants, Spring '17 has some seriously cute shoes that have caught my attention. They all get the job done but the focus is on the fun. Block heels and slip-on loafers will help you look right up-to-date, while metallics, florals and beautiful brights will make any basic outfit bananas (in a good way)...

SEE 40 FUN SPRING SHOE PICKS HERE...