Let's Discuss: Coats

Image: Always my fave - trinaturk.com

Yes, I realize it's the end of July. In Canada, this means it's time to gear up for winter.

The most important wardrobe item this, and every fall? The coat.

I am a life long lover of the coat. My closets are full of them. Different options for every season. Fall coats, deep-dark-winter coats, formal coats, just-running-to-the-store coats - you name it, I've got it. It's not my shopaholic tendencies that have filled my front hall closet with coats - it's laziness.

You see, a great coat covers a myriad of evils. A great coat is the piece people notice when you're running errands in your painting clothes. A great coat, along with your most fabulous shades, will disguise your no makeup day and you'll look fabulous.

So now I have you thinking about coats, watch this blog for what to look for when buying one. Hint: start looking (and shopping) now.

Leo Bling

Did you know the zodiac signs have their own gems? Me neither!

So, if you need another reason to buy yourself something pretty, here it is.

Your astrological sign (Aquarius, Capricorn, Scorpio etc) has its' own gemstones. Don't confuse these with your birthstone, which is determined by your month of birth.

Leo gemstones are quite lovely as you can see. Quartz, Citrine and my personal fave - turqouise. The gorgeous necklace above was a gift from an educated friend. So I'm smarter and more sparkly. Could there be a better gift?

Royal Granny Glam

Image: BBC

The English media is all in a flap over Princess Anne wearing the same dress twice in a row. Twenty-seven years apart. Sheesh. Tough crowd over there.

I think the dress looked fine both times. I wear clothing my grandmother wore 50 years ago because it's great quality and still looks chic. Princess Anne's quote is exactly right:

"A good suit goes on forever. If it is properly made and has a classic look you can go on wearing it ad infinitum."

Or at least until you get sick of it. Then, you pass it on.

YAYOBA: Fitness for Moms

Image by Carla Fedje

YAYOBA is a new section of the FSC blog dedicated to fitness and health. YAYOBA (You Are Your Own Best Accessory) was an original quote from Vikram Banerjee - who lives by this mantra.

YAYOBA means if you take care of your health, mind and body, the clothing you wear becomes secondary. Everything looks good when you feel good. Everything looks good when your body is in shape. Spend more on your health and you'll probably spend less on your wardrobe because you'll feel good from the inside out.

I believe in YAYOBA but sadly lack the internal motivation to get my butt to the gym. So, I pay for the gym, in the form of a trainer, to come to me. Sheri Horn, pictured above (hello!!), is a personal trainer and a women's fitness expert. Sheri is the sole reason I can see my abs for the first time IN MY LIFE.

Sheri's site, myyummymummy.ca is a wealth of knowledge for pre and post-natal Moms. If you sign up for membership at the site you will receive fitness strategies, nutritional guidance and much more. Or, if you just want someone to come over and kick your butt, Sheri makes house calls in the Calgary area.

Monday's Beautiful: Carole King

Carole King's recipe for beauty.

Absolutely timeless and 100% accurate.




And if you'd like to hear a little more....

An Iron-Free Shirt?

Image: oprah.com

Image: brooksbrothers.com

Whatever your opinion of Oprah, she and her team have keen eyes for the good stuff. So when O recommends, I will often try. Especially when it's an IRON FREE dress shirt.

I have a love/hate relationship with the dress shirt. Love them because they're always classic and look great on everyone. Hate them because every time I take them to the cleaners....I get taken to the cleaners. Eight bucks a shirt is a lot of disposable income. Particularly if you wear dress shirts to work every day.

Clearly, the alternative to dry cleaning (ironing my own shirts) is not a palatable option. Instead, I will wear knits. Call me cheap. Or lazy.

Oprah featured the NON-IRON Brooks Brothers dress shirt on her show this week. Apparently these shirts are crisp right out of the dryer. I was intrigued.

Upon further investigation I discovered that the white dress shirt is only available in-store. I did however, order a standard, blue, fitted model to test-drive. It was on sale AND Brooks Brothers doesn't gouge for shipping to Canada (bonus points).

Review pending. Watch for it.

We're So Vain: Perfect Lashes

Mascara is one of those beauty items you shouldn't splurge on. I've tried many and don't see much difference between the high and low end products. Also, you really should get rid of mascara after 1-2 months. This is not just a marketing gimmick from the cosmetic companies (like "Shampoo. Repeat"). Mascara gets dry and gross quickly. Buy a cheapy and you don't feel guilty getting rid of it.

To follow my recipe for perfect lashes you will need two implements of construction: the MAC Mascara Fan Brush and Maybelline's Unstoppable Mascara.

Unstoppable Mascara will seem clumpy when you open the tube. Apply only one coat, then quickly follow with the Mascara Fan Brush (upward strokes towards your eyebrow). This mascara really doesn't smudge and the fan brush will remove any extra mascara and comb out your lashes. Your lashes will look longer - I promise.

The Beautiful People

Many of you have asked about purchasing photos from the last FSC function. Of course you know the talented photographer is Carla Fedje. Simply email her, with a screen capture or JPG of the photograph you love, and she will contact with you pricing and delivery information.

You are all....
way
too
fabulous!

Calgary Fashionistas

Some great shots from the last FSC event, courtesy of Carla Fedje.











For a slideshow of all the shots:

Net-A-Porter: Delivers

As regular readers of this blog you know I worship the folks at Net-A-Porter. The fashion, the simplicity of the site, the freshness - I could go on and on.

Until last week, I had not tested the most important piece of NAP - the purchase. I know, my purchase is so small you can barely see it...I'll work my way up to the coat (which I think is already sold out - it was $5,900).

Not disappointed. In fact, NAP overwhelmed me with their level of service. I was personally contacted by a NAP rep regarding delivery issues (the billing address was different from the delivery address). This was rectified and I received my purchase in two days.

Also of note was that NAP provided full delivery details on the address label (including my cell phone number). The courier actually called my cell, when I was unavailable to receive the delivery, to schedule another time for drop off. How good is this?

Now about that coat......

Hair Care Minis

Image: aveda.com

Why do you always run out of the expensive stuff all at once? Is that just me? Luckily, the sight of Aveda Air Control Hairspray Travel Size made the sting of today's purchases slightly less painful.

Air Control is THE BEST hairspray on the market. Not for Robert Palmer do's - but for natural hold. It smells great too. No more packing big cans of hairspray in my luggage. These little guys are perfect for purse travel too.

And this video cracks me up. I actually wore my hair like that. In 1989.

Achtung! Short Shorts

Image: The Sartorialist (always perfection)

Jackie Onassis on the Greek isle of Scorpio in 1975.

Short shorts fall into the same category as the high-waisted jean. Done right, they are stunning. Done wrong, they are horribly, horribly wrong.

I've been seeing a lot of SS lately that fall into the latter category. So, another list coming at you - I must be feeling preachy these days.

Note: these guidelines do not pertain to short-wearing at the beach. Wear whatever the heck you want at the lake - I'm talking city-wear here.

1. Sorry to have to say this but, if your legs are not in great shape - don't even attempt it. You won't feel comfortable or confident and consequently, you won't look your best.
2. SS are more flattering if they flare out slightly at the bottom. Your legs look skinnier. Enough said.
3. SS look best with flats. Try sandals or a cute ballet flat. If you must wear heels, go for an espadrille.
4. Cut-offs? Don't even.
5. Wear something with full coverage on top. Think peasant blouse (a la Jackie O) or a tailored shirt. Let's keep the focus on your legs.

Be prepared for stares. All that leg exposure might break a few necks.

The White Suit

Image: Kate Moss rocking the white suit

For summer, nothing looks sexier than a white suit. A clean, unsoiled white suit - which is pretty much impossible. That said, I keep trying and encourage you to do the same.

A few recommendations if you're going to attempt the white suit:

1. Make it a pant suit. White skirt and blazer - too much "ladies who lunch" not enough Katherine Hepburn.
2. Find the stretch. Linen or cotton fabrics will wrinkle immediately and look sloppy. Find a suit with spandex content. If will look and feel better.
3. Synthetics (again) are your friend. A suit with nylon or other polyester will resist absorbing moisture and other dirt. It the fabric has a bit of sheen, you can often brush off many minor marks.

And finally, rules for all suits:

1. Don't wear the pieces separately too often (ideally never). They will age differently and eventually look mismatched.
2. NEVER dryclean suit pieces separately for the same reason.

Haute Thursday

Chanel

Givenchy

Of course we can't afford haute couture clothing. That's not REALLY the point is it? The point is to look...then sigh. These two images (from the Paris haute couture shows) are very different, but very, very sigh-worthy.

First up, Chanel. Tweeds, my favorite. Could he (Karl Lagerfeld) please stop it with that dress? There are FEATHERS on the hem! I simply cannot take it.

Second shot, Givenchy. Love the GRAY boots, the fur "vest", the whole thing - very modern and totally gorgeous. I've got to unearth the fur vest I bought a few years ago. I think it's in the costume box with my "cougar" costume - must retrieve.

Bonus item, Chanel two-tone tights. I hate tights. They cling in all the wrong places, sag in all the wrong places and make you sweaty in all the wrong places. I would suffer all of those things to wear these tights. Ridiculous.

LVMH: 1, eBay: 0

eBay lost their court battle with LVMH (best known for their Louis Vuitton bags and Moet Champagne) and has been fined the equivalent of CDN$61 million for the sale of counterfeit luxury bags at http://www.ebay.com/.

British Vogue reported:

"Bernhard Arnault's luxury goods powerhouse set the legal process in motion in 2006 after launching an investigation into the pedigree of Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior handbags offered for sale. Investigators found that nine out of ten were fake."

Ya, DUH. Shopping on eBay for authentic Dior bags is akin to cruising the night market in Chang Mai, Thailand. Buyer beware. That said, eBay can be nailed down in court, unlike the individual vendors who sell knock-offs the world over.

Score one for the good guys (and girls).

Shiny Toys

This Canada Day, still obsessing over red patent. And since I cannot afford the to-die-for Celine bag, or the red Marc Jacobs, I will be content with these Via Spigas. Less of a financial commitment but still fun.

I feel a pointy toe is mandatory for the red shoe. Not everyone agrees but I'm stickin' to that. Black (or other dark color) patent can be rocked in a round toe, peep toe or sandal. These Stuart Weitzman's (below) would do nicely. Wouldn't they be perfect with this dress?