Achtung!: The Tote

Absolutely HAVE to share this hilarious story with you!

The tote is an indispensable item for work and recreation. I'm currently carrying a cavernous, black tote that holds everything - workout gear, laptop, wallet etc.

Last Friday I was running late for work. In a mad dash to jam everything I needed into my tote, it went like this:

• The everyday necessities (wallet, sunglasses etc) were already in the bag (at the bottom).
• Next, I threw in my gym gear: towel, shoes, clothing and the "unmentionables"
• Realizing I hadn't eaten breakfast, I reached for a banana and threw it in the tote.
• Remembering I needed a snack for work, I grabbed an English cucumber out of the fridge and threw THAT on top.
• Ready to go, I heaved my bulging tote over my shoulder and raced to the office.
  

I start my day at 7:00 am and the door to my building requires a pass card before 8:00 am. The card resides in my wallet (at the bottom of my tote). After two (unsuccessful) attempts at waving my tote in front of the card reader, I realized I must dig to the bottom to retrieve the pass card.

As I lowered my tote to the ground to rummage through it, I noticed a construction worker standing beside me at the door, obviously needing to be let into the building. So, as I'm pulling stuff out of my tote to find my card, the first things I removed were:

• one pair of bright blue, lace skivvies
• one banana
• one, very long, cucumber.

You can't make stuff like this up!

Wonder what the guy thought I did for a living?

Shoe Slave: Back to Booties

High-heeled, creeper boot, Phi.

Tabitha Simmons suede and leather ankle boots

Via Spiga, Jaden patent leather lace-ups.

Oh thank goodness fall arrives soon! Let's return to our shoe-staple, "The Boot", with impunity. Boots somehow feel wrong in the summer. Simultaneously hot (temperature) and irrelevant - not good. Rows of boots stare at me from my closet all summer long. And all but the cowboy boots (you know, that Stampede thing) go unworn.

This fall seasons brings yet another round of gorgeous boot options. Loads of flat styles of choose from again - small mercies for those of us living in snowy cities. Piles of black, rocker-inspired spuds, platforms and black leather. Love it all.

With my granny-inspired style sensibility, I can't quite bring myself to confidently wear some of the fierce-looking fashion footwear. So this Jaden boot by Via Spiga was the perfect solution! A granny boot with a vicious heel in black, patent leather. Love. I think the Jadens were fall 2008 (picked them up for a song) but they're perfect this year as well. So cute with leggings and a sweater dress.

Shock and Awe!

In my quest for the perfect earphones to help alleviate treadmill boredom, I picked up these Nixon earphones. I must say, they were not the ideal solution, but the sounds was pretty perfect and they were comfortable. They fit the bill until, two months ago, they stopped working. Expecting a customer service nightmare, I procrastinated.

Well, I just hung up the phone from a very helpful women at Spare Parts Chinook Centre. Guess what? The Nixons are warrantied for one year. All I have to do is take them to the store, and they will deal with them for me. Even better? I don't have to go through mountains of old receipts to find the bill. I actually gave Spare Parts my customer information upon purchase.

How good is this?

Get Your Polish On

We finally have our summer! So, if you haven't done so already, get your pretty toes on.

The best pedicure in Calgary can be had at Macaronies in Kensington.

Macaronies' newest esthetician, Kim, is the lady to see. I broke from my French pedi tradition and opted for sparkly red (OPI Little Red Wagon) last visit. Love it. I also love the mini-OPI polish bottles. Do you ever use up a full size bottle of nail polish before it goes gloopy or you fall out of love it? I don't. Minis are the perfect solution.

Lee National Denim Day

Almost everyone I know either wears jeans every day or on "casual Fridays". That means everyone can participate in the Lee National Denim Day to benefit women's cancer programs. This is US-based charitable organization but funds to find a cure benefit women everywhere.

Organize your workplace and raise money on Friday, October 2nd.

Carine Roitfeld. Sigh.

Photo: Hedi Slimane

This morning, I happened to click up on an image of Carine Roitfeld, editor of French Vogue. Love, love, love her. You simply MUST read this February 2008 New York Magazine featuring Ms. Roitfeld - it's an absolute classic. A few quotes:

“I do not like comfortable,” Roitfeld says. She has outlawed sneakers and what she calls “Hugg boots” in her office because “they are hugly.”

Regarding a trip to Thailand:

“You think this will be so glamorous,” she sighs. “You have the idea in your mind and then you get there and the people in the hotel …” She grimaces and gestures hugely in the hip area. “There were lots of people who were so fat and like that.”

About the first lady of France, Carla Bruni:

“For us it is good. She is very glamour. She can fit in the clothes."

So good. If you want more....

Just Charming

Image: Juicy Couture

Image: Tiffany & Co.

I'm all over the charm thing. It's fun jewelery you can mix and match to your mood and outfit. The clip on charm, like this Juicy Knight's Helmet, is perfect for fashion chameleons. If you have a standard, link bracelet, you can change it up any which way.

Juicy offers loads of clip on charms in both gold and silver tone. Or if you want to go up market, you can spend a little or a lot on charms at Tiffany. Have the jeweler add a lobster clip if want the removable option.