spring.

could lauren conrad look any more ready for spring? so sweet.

terrific toronto.

this was a big week for fashion in toronto.

case in point:

-Jeanne Beker aka "The Most Important Woman in the Canadian Fashion World" interviewed Kelly Cutrone aka "The Bitchiest/Most Amazingly Fearless Woman in the PR Fashion World" at Indigo for her book release.

turns out Jeanne and Kelly are actually great friends.. they had some very lovely things to say about one another, and frankly, to hear Kelly speak so lovingly about someone else was precious. Ms Cutrone explained to us fashionistas in the North, how we should take advantage of having such a wonderful woman like Jeanne in our city.... she also enlightened the audience with quite candid tales of her life and how she made it into the industry, from explaining how she's not really a bitch in the office, "If I'm training girls for a fashion job and I say, 'you're not doing that right, fix it and get back to me', I equal a bitch...but for a man, well, let's make this Canadian... if you're a male hockey coach and you tell a player on your team, 'Suck it up and get the freaking puck in the net or you're on the bench!", he equals a good coach. How is that okay? I'm not a bitch, I'm just helping prepare them for their job".

She also had wise words for those wanting to break into the industry, and advised us all [whether we could afford it or not], to take all the unpaid internships we can get our hands on and to work at a bar or become a nanny on the weekends until we reach our career dreams. Hmmm, I've been in the bar scene for 6 years now, I'm ready for my career already!!!

Kelly waxed poetic when describing her personal life and style, "I believed in brands; in wearing clothes to look sexy, to attract a mate. I believed in marriage and in making babies; being a good cook and a whore in the bedroom, but now I'm 44 and I don't need a husband. My job is there for me everyday and gives me abundance, it doesn't cheat on me. I think now I look better with less makeup. It's more about self-image. Wear the clothes, but do not let the clothes wear you". Oh how I adore this woman.

last words, Kelly?

"I highly recommend sleeping with a lot of rock stars and just having a lot of sex. Oh, and do a lot of drugs". Amen.

-My idol slash the Most Fashionable Woman alive aka Sarah Jessica Parker was here on a visit to promote the Halston Heritage collection, for which she is the new creative director.

yes, SJP graced our city with her loveliness, and a big win for the Bay over Holts... Sarah Jessica promoted her new line for Halston Heritage, which will be carried at the Bay, and a few very lucky people got to have meet-and-greets with my icon. she wore 4inch Ferragamo heels and a long black, strong-shouldered Marchesa jacket over a purple Halston mini (but, of course). sadly, this budding fashionista was nowhere near her idol, SJP, but the fact that she made an appearance in Toronto was still exciting all the same

speaking of people who got noticed from a little tv showed called, The City, comes Olivia Palermo promoting her first celebrity fashion venture. the beautiful, posh and sometimes-snobby NYC socialite is debuting her partnership with New York jewelry designer, Roberta Freymann. The capsule collection is going to feature necklaces in the $175-$300 range, and quite honestly, they're very pretty.

i've always loved Olivia's style, as she's pulled together in only a way that screams "my hair and makeup stylists showed up at 5am to make me appear effortless, and naturally beautiful", or "my outfit cost $5000, could you pull this off?". regardless, she always looks stunning and while I probably won't be purchasing any of the sparkly creations, I'm sure she'll find success in this journey down jewelry- lane.

getting the recognition she deserves.

this is an update from my Oscars post. sadly, this beautiful Toronto girl was left out of my best dressed, as I actually didn't see her during the show. however, the last few days I keep seeing her showing up on different fashion sites and I think she might have actually been my favorite, so here it is:

Rachel McAdams in a gorgeous watercolor Elie Saab gown:

oscars!

today is the biggest day in the 2010 awards season.... the Academy Awards. i ate my supper (curry pad thai- thank you joe!), took a shower, and got all bundled up on the couch with a notepad document open and ready to take notes on all of the beautiful Oscar gowns!

it was not a simple decision, but i managed to narrow it down to a top five...

1) Carey Mulligan in Prada- this quirky Best Actress nominee is beyond cute and edgy in her straplee black satin, jewel encrusted, cutout dress with black strappy pumps. she definitely wins as my top choice :)

2) Diane Kruger in Chanel Haute Couture- i had assumed all along that this Karl Lagerfeld muse would make a red carpet entrance in Chanel. her cream and black ruffly, tiered dress couldn't be more my style, and I would give anything to own this beautiful frock.

3) Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel- the icon. gold Chanel with beautiful grey sparkling diamonds along her chest. draping around the neck. the token New York City girl looked gorgeous; with her hair pulled back in that signature big ballerina bun, her skin bronzed, she was almost looking a little Oscar-esque herself.

4) Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Haute Couture- the Avatar beauty wore a dress that i had actually seen in the list of Oscar prediction gowns, and i'm glad someone chose it. the top is stunning- lilac and shimmering; with an ombre effect gaining deep purple intensity and mass quantities of ruffles as it reaches the floor.

5) Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham- a gold bustier-topped, perfect-for-a-princess gown. the dress suits the young star and with her hair pulled back in an effortless bun, and just the right amount of jeweled accessories, she exuded a youthful, yet glamorous glow.

and... honorable mention goes to:

-Sandra Bullock

-Maggie Gyllenhaal in Dries Van Noten

-Penelope Cruz in Donna Karan

-Kristen Stewart in Monique Lhuillier

so... I'm quite curious why Armani Prive dressed both Amanda Seyfried and Jennifer Lopez so similarly, for one particular event- the biggest night in Hollywood. first, the material used for both of their dresses seems almost identical [resembling bubble wrap? probably not the most glamorous of fabrics!], and then there's the surprisingly similar color, and strapless, flowing silhouettes.. it almost seems like a case of two women showing up to an event in the same dress, but... not quite. while i normally love Seyfried, her hair/skin/dress all seemed too close in hue. as for Lopez, the camera just couldn't catch a great angle of her and this dress. thoughts?

and, my favorite fashionista Nicole Richie made an appearance, as her fiance Joel Madden was playing deejay for the event. she wore a glimmering Reem Acra, backless, sequined gown with long sleeves. she definitely was rocking an old-school vibe with her winged eyeliner, bun and unique dress.

lastly, my pick for best dressed male? zac efron looked beyond amazing at this year's oscars.

hope everyone enjoyed the show........i'm not quite sure who had the best speech, or who won what award, but hopefully you appreciated my take on 2010's oscar fashions.

sammy xx

february...

it's february- that dreary, cold, long mid-winter month, and i've been logging on more hours than usual on this mini laptop... perusing many a fashion blogs; online shopping sites; and fashion week photo albums.

first things first, i have made a few fabulous purchases this month: the most amazing booties that look vintage, but don't let them fool you (!), they're actually from aldo and could be yours too! the style is Pettinella, and they're a mix of victorian and edgy-ness. i've been sporting them with a variety of leggings, skirts, dresses- they really go with everything! i've also been stocking up on florals... let me tell you, florals will be everywhere this spring, including my body (be it aritzia leggings or tanks, or an adorable headband from free people) :) my mum sent me some beautiful Jack by BB Dakota and Dept items from Sweet Pea in Halifax... mum and my favorite friend/boss Joey indulged me with a bbm/photo-swapping shopping spree all via blackberry one recent saturday! lastly, the place i call heaven aka freepeople.com, has provided me with some items to daydream about until they arrive in may.....knee-high black cut-out, lace up gladiator sandals and the most glamourous black, floppy, hippie, Janis Joplin-esque hat.




i have to say, that when it comes to NY fashion week, i was most impressed by marc jacobs (duh), and burberry prorsum.
marc is a) super sexy, b) probably the most talented designer out there these days.
burberry a) has the most amazing ad campaigns with emma watson, b) made some of the most gorgeous dresses i have ever laid eyes on for fall 2010. want proof? here is kate hudson in a sparkling green mini (long sleeves, crew neck, super short: my favorite dress style at the moment); and ashley tisdale and in a black suede dress with lace sleeves that i am beyond in love with, not to mention some amazing cutout booties!



this month, i also discovered the most wonderful website: polyvore.com - not only can you make stunning collages full of shoes, chanel no. 5 perfume, dresses, custom fonts and backgrounds....you can purchase everything that you use in your collages! the collages could simply make a beautiful desktop, profile picture, or even a business card. i'm obsessed. here is one of my pieces of work:

well lovers, as much as i love procrastinating my time away and writing on this fashion blog... fashion studies are calling my name as i have an exam in product knowledge tomorrow (not exactly my favorite class, as i have not a slight clue how to differentiate between fabric swatches; yarns; wefts; fibres; stitches and so on...), until next time...

sammy xx

favorite fashionista.

i simply cannot get enough of, nicole richie...

the girl has the most amazing glam boho/hippie-chic style, and if i could raid anyone's closet, it certainly would be hers.

she has been gracing the covers of many magazines this winter, and has also been pursuing a number of fashion projects. her House of Harlow 1960 jewelery line now includes shoes!!! excitement? yes. there are a few really cute pairs of moccasins, but this Tate shoe is my personal favorite:

now..... what excites me even more?? she has finally started designing her own clothing line, Winter Kate. i am beyond excited to put in a pre-order for at least one of her beautiful designs... i have done my research and have found one wonderful boutique in Toronto called Nyla, which will be carrying some of her pieces...so who knows how many future indulgences may be in my future? it's hard to choose just a couple, but these are what i consider the must-haves from her spring collection

x x x x x

new directions.

so, i decided to jump on the blog bandwagon.

today is valentine's day, and i am single. this is okay with me because i think every day of the year should be about showing the special people in your life just how much you love them. plus, who are we kidding? valentine's day is REALLY about eating lots of heart-shaped shortbread cookies, having brunch with your girlfriends, watching chick-flicks, drinking lots of wine, and going on shopping sprees (at least it is in my world!).

i just finished watching volume one of GLEE with my roommate, katrina. we are beyond obsessed. for everyone who has never seen this show, you must, and i mean must, run to hmv and buy the first season on dvd. you will not regret it. i don't think i've smiled so much watching a television show. it brings us great joy :)

anyway friends, my plan with this blog is to keep you up-to-date on my life, and display my love for fashion. as each day passes, i find myself getting more and more passionate about the fashion industry. i hope to post pictures of favorite outfits (some worn by celebrities; people on the street; or my own), upcoming trends and events, and any other lovely things i feel like sharing with you :)

lots of love
sb xx