BREAKING | Target Leaving Canada

This morning's news is hard to believe. I mean, we knew we were having problems. But, was it really that bad? Couldn't we have worked it out?

Target sent shockwaves through Canada this morning with its decision to shutter all 133 of its Canadian stores due to poor sales. After launching here in March 2013, the company lost almost $1 Billion in its first year, and while losses have decreased since then, the chain continues to lose money daily. "After a thorough review of our Canadian performance and careful consideration of the implications of all options, we were unable to find a realistic scenario that would get Target Canada to profitability until at least 2021," the U.S. parent company's CEO Brian Cornell said in a release today. The company's 17,600 Canadian employees will receive 16 weeks of compensation during the shutdown period.I get it. They had to go. It was a failed project from the start. That bullseye's looking pretty prophetic now, isn't it?

But anyone else feel like they were just starting to fall in love with Target Canada? I loved using my Red card. I adored so many of the designer collaborations. Those little Starbucks cupholders that attached to the shopping carts were a stroke of genius. The Hallowe'en/Christmas/Easter section was the best. And does this mean we won't be able to get our hands on the Lily Pullitzer for Target collection this spring? Ack! 

Even though we could sort of see this coming, the speed of the retreat is shocking, isn't it? Goodbye Target. I, for one, am sad to see you go. 

HOLIDAY '14 | The Splurge vs. Save Edit

Photo courtesy Target

Originally posted in The LOOK

Ever get that feeling that you're in a time warp? One minute we're back to school shopping and the next - Thanksgiving, Hallowe'en, first snowfall, Christmas. Um, sorry, what just happened? Suddenly, there we are, white knuckled on the steering wheel, stealing parking spots from grandmas, sprinting through Target trying to score that last Zoomer Dino, pick up more tape (why does tape always go missing, btw?), and find more time. Can you buy time? If you find some, can you tell me where it's on sale?  

It's chaos. And since it's hard to think straight when our heads are spinning, ideas can be tough to come by. So, this year, I've decided to get a jump on shopping so I can enjoy every December minute. I've put together a list of the holiday season's most-wanted gifts to help inspire you while you're out shopping, too. And since, like time, our budgets are always stretched to the max this time of year, I've found splurges and saves for each perfect gift.

Time to put your slippered feet up, grab a glass of wine and remember your yoga breaths. It's not even December yet. You've totally got this...

READ MORE...

SUMMER LOVE: Your Under-$100 Shoe Guide

A gorgeous shot from the Dune London S/S 2014 Campaign. Photo: Dune London.

Originally posted in The LOOK

If I had a dime for every time my husband told me I'm a shoe hoarder...just imagine all of the amazing shoes I could buy...sigh...Whether they're super strappy flat sandals or sky-high man-killers, I'm a total sucker for fierce footwear.

Summer is the perfect time to give our wallets a break with all of the affordable sandals in stores and luckily I've found plenty of ways to justify every pair. If you need a little help in this department the next time you're challenged on your 'need' for yet another pair (whether by your own conscience or by someone else) this little cheat sheet should help you out:

1) After so many months spent in socks and clunky boots, your poor feet need to breathe. Sandals are natural way to give your toes the oxygen they deserve. Note: I have exactly zero scientific studies to back this up.

2) Closed-toe loafers, boat shoes and slip-on sneakers are considered 'safety' footwear. You wouldn't want to slip while chasing after your little ones, would you?

3) You've spent all that hard-earned money on your pedicure. Sandals protect (and beautifully showcase) your investment so you can make the absolute most of your pedi potential.

4) Summer requires reaching higher places like that high cupboard where you keep your lemonade pitcher, the top bookshelf where you store your perfect barbecue cookbook and pruning errant branches off your wayward maple tree. Heels are kind of like a built-in stepladder, no?

5) Cute shoes = happy wives = happy husbands = happy lives. I'd say shoe shopping is a no-brainer, wouldn't you?

Check out my fav under-$100 summer shoe picks below. Don't say I didn't warn you...

SEE MY TOP SUMMER SHOE PICKS HERE...

WIN a 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Mini Satchel

I'll admit it - I lucked out, big time. I happened to be at a Muskoka wedding over the weekend and en route home, what should we pass but the Orillia Target. I'm not going to pretend that this was purely accidental. I mean, I've been dying to get my hands on the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection since it was announced months ago and so yes, the Orillia Target was already programmed into my GPS. And I'm not going to pretend that I didn't know that I had way better odds of scoring anything Lim in Orillia than in Toronto. And so, as I gleefully heaped clothes and bags into my cart (whee!!!), my husband settled into a bench while other shoppers looked on bemusedly (Lim? Who's Lim?), I just knew that I HAD to share my luck. I picked up 1 mini satchel for me AND 1 for you, my dear RLR friends!

Missed all the Lim-sanity yesterday? Here's how to win this sold-out 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target satchel:

1) Leave a comment below telling me why you want (need, have to have) this bag.

2) For a bonus entry, follow @realliferunway on Twitter and tweet the following: "@realliferunway is giving away a @31philliplim x @targetcanada satchel and I want to #win! http://bit.ly/1diA0pd"

3) Contest closes at noon this Wednesday, September 18th. I will draw and announce the winner Thursday am.

4) Contest is open to residents of Canada only.

5) Good luck! xoxo

Want, Want, Want: 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target

All photos courtesy Target 

Things have been a little crazy here lately. Between deadlines, croupy kids, and my new show with iVillage.ca on CMT (more on that soon!), it's enough to drive any blogette to NET-A-PORTER. Luckily, these pics from the new 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Collection landed in my inbox last week, just in time to appease my stressed-out need to power shop. Phillip Lim is kind of the It guy right now, with the consistently best accessory collections and a banging wardrobe to match.  This newest collab is going to require some serious shopping commitment on your part - I'm not saying you'll need to tent it, exactly, but you'll need to arrive pretty early for any shot at the handbags.

The collection ranges from $19.99 to $299.99 (peanuts for anything Lim) and will be available starting (and possibly ending) Sept 15th at ALL Canadian Target locations. In the meantime, you can start making your shopping list below. Can't wait to hear which pieces you score.

Happy Friday, beauties! Hope you enjoy every minute of these last summer weekends (sniff!)

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