Mama's got a brand new bag

Last night after work I headed down to Yorkville to troll the streets for celebrities here for TIFF. I wasn't interested in Brad Pitt so much as Gerard Butler and his sexy accent. So I wandered Bloor St. and decided to head into some shops that I figured celebrities would likely shop at.
First stop...Louis Vuitton. Of course. I was the only one in the store but as soon as people started coming in, I stared at them to see if I recognized them. Unfortunately no one famous came in the store but I got talking to a sales associate and I realized that I couldn't walk out of there without anything. Bad reason, I know. So I ended up buying the Damier Speedy 30, the bag that made me fall in love with Louis Vuitton but I always put off buying.

After the purchase, I tried to pop by Prada, Chanel and Hermès but they were closed. I then headed to Holt Renfrew and it looked like they were setting up for a party so I headed in and asked sales associates if they knew what was going on. I guess I asked the wrong people because they apparently didn't have a clue. Checked out some more bags, lots of stuff on sale including two gorgeous Bottega Veneta bags that were 30% off, lots of Coach, some Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch and Balenciaga. Go quick before they disappear! There was also the very cute Miu Miu bow bag in grey, but it wasn't on sale.

So even though I didn't see any celebs, it was still a (shopping) success. And my friends at work saw Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson at the CTV ETalk party last night so I feel that I saw them too. Six degrees of separation people!


I look rather scary here because my hair is wet from the shower I just took and the lighting is creepy even though it's still day outside.

Quick update: Fan expo!

Yesterday I went downtown to the Fan Expo at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The costumes were beyond crazy cool and I got the chance to take a few pics. I'll be going again tomorrow so I'll post all the pics when I get back. There was a very authentic-looking Rorschach from the graphic novel, Watchmen, a couple of bad guys from Resident Evil, lots of Trekkies and even more animé characters milling about. I picked up "The Killing Joke" and I hope I can get it signed by the artist, Brian Bolland. Star Trek's Data (Brent Spiner) was there signing autograph for a massive lineup of fans. Battlestar Galactica's Edward James Olmos (Bill Adama) was also there (charging $60 for an autograph!) as was BSG's Chief (Aaron Douglas.)
But the costumes was what really made the event a real spectacle. Every step I took I would point and shout with glee at a person dressed as a character I love.
Tomorrow I'm going to sit in on the Q&As with Spiner, Olmos and Lord of the Rings's Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee.) Hopefully I can score a couple of autographs without shelling out my bag budget.
I can't wait to show you guys the pics!

Dreaming of faeries

Ever since I became obsessed with Prada's S/S 08 fairy collection, I've become entranced by fairies. So much so that I've seriously been thinking about getting a fairy tattoo. My co-workers say it's lame, my cousin (who has at least a dozen tattoos) says to do it. I think I should wait at least a year and see if I still like the idea, but right now, if I were walking by a tattoo parlour, I would drop in and get inked.
But there are so many beautiful fairy designs out there so it's going to be hard to pick one that I would love for eternity. Which is why I ordered the book Fairie-ality" The Fashion Collection From the House of Ellwand.
Here is a description of the book on Amazon.ca:

In the fairie world, there is only one top designer of couture and accessories . . .

Prepare to be enchanted! While humans go about their workaday lives, there is a secret world of well-dressed fairies flitting about in fragile fashions that would take your breath away - if only you could see them. Well, now you can. For the first time ever, elusive fairie couturier Ellwand allows mortals a peek at his ethereal designs in FAIRIE-ALITY, a catalogue so spectacularly crafted it befits a fairie queen herself. Showcased are nearly 150 creations - including dresses, jackets, trousers, shoes, hats, and delicate unmentionables - fashioned wholly from feathers, flower petals, shells, seeds, and other materials from nature. Consider these special features:

Extraordinary production elements, including three specially selected paper stocks; metallic inks; fold-out booklets; vellum envelope with removable fashion card; and numerous half-, third-, and quarter-pages, notably to showcase garments for a playful mix & match, offering dozens of outfits to create.


Filled with authentic fairie lore that will lure fairie lovers by the legion, this superbly designed volume also offers many clever nods to human fashion history. Its fun, fanciful costume descriptions will amuse the fashion-savvy everywhere, while the stunning array of fashions themselves - a veritable dress-up dream - will leave readers of all ages spellbound.

Here are some images from the book:






Although Summer is almost over (sad!) there is still time to dress like an enchanted nymph.

Nina Ricci S/S 08 marched a disheveled wood elves down the runway with whimsical dresses and feathered hair accessories.

Erin Fetherston's S/S 08 models also wore feathers and shimmery silk dresses as if they were ice fairies or angels.

Alexander McQueen's models were dark, gothic fairies with black, sparkly wings.

Prada of course had the most obvious fairy inspiration with James Jean drawings of sensual nymphs and sprites on sheer silk tunics and chiffon dresses.

Here are my fairy inspirations:


Think any of these would be good for a tattoo?

Cottage life

I'm going up to my cottage today for a long weekend and of course I have over packed even though I am only staying for three nights. A girl can't have too many outfits! The problem is- I have too many bags and they probably won't fit in my boyfriend's really small car, along with my sister and all her over packed bags and all the food.
This is what I have so far: Prada Fairy tote, Louis Vuitton Mini Lin Ebene Speedy, Louis Vuitton Watercolour Speedy 35, a large straw woven beach tote and a packback. Too much, right?
So I started trolling the Internet to find the perfect weekend bag. Because even I can admit that four bags plus a backpack is a bit ridiculous.

Louis Vuitton Monogramouflage Keepall 55
The Keepall is the perfect bag to stash your clothes, bathing suit, towel, bath stuff and all the extra entertainment you need for a couple of days away from the office. I love the camouflage and the sturdy canvas that LV makes. It can definitely take a beating.

Any Lululemon or TNA bag
Yes they are supposed to be gym/yoga bags but no one uses them for that anyway. They are massive and therefore perfect for a weekend trip. However I would choose a Lululemon bag over TNA because it has a bunch of pockets for a waterbottle, toiletries and for wet/sweaty clothes.

Prada Carry-on
Prada nylon cases and bags are known for their durability; they can withstand all the elements. And why not get it in a fun animal print?


Mulberry Hold-all
Known for its simple but classic design, the Mulberry Hold-all will certainly, urm, hold it all. The leather is sturdy and well-made and it will hold up even during a bear attack.


Well, I'm off to the cottage! Hopefully everything will fit in the car. Be back Monday!

Walking through Paris

My biggest trouble concerning looking fashionable while traveling is comfortable footwear. When I travel I invariably end up walking a lot: Exploring a city, going to a museum, browsing a boutique...so I knew before I left for France that I would need comfortable footwear but they had to be cute. No sneakers for me.
Well that plan went out the window the day I arrived in Paris. Before the trip, I bought Cole Haan flats with Nike Air "technology" meaning there was a lot of support on the sole like a sneaker. Unfortunately, after hours of searching for my hotel, my bones from my foot up my leg felt like they were breaking. I didn't care how cute they were, I felt like I would permanently damage my feet if I kept wearing them. So I went to a shoe store and bought the first pair of comfortable sneakers I could find and wore them for the rest of the trip. My feet had never felt so good, fashion be damned!

But besides the shoe debacle, I thought I picked out some cute outfits. The weather was perfect, not too hot or too cold. Sunny. I could wear whatever I wanted. During my stay in Paris (I also was in Annecy for a week) I went down the Champs Elysées and visited the Louis Vuitton mothership, the Chanel store on Rue Cambon, Yves Saint Laurent on Rue George V and the Hermes flagship store on Rue Faubourg. It was heaven.





Louis Vuitton flagship store on the Champs Elysées. Three floors of amazing luggage, bags, clothes and shoes.







Hermes flagship store at Rue Faubourg. The theme for the windows display is Indian Summer.




I spot a fuchsia croc Birkin


Alligator Birkin

I'm back from France

and I'm jetlegged and need to unpack and upload photos. Will do that sometime...maybe today or tomorrow. But it was amazing! Vive la France!

A bientot!

I will be in France from June 4 to June 15. First stop, Paris!