This story category covers clothing, accessories, treatments, procedures, products and supplies.

Fall Topshop 2012

New Topshop And Uniqlo Stores Open

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Two top international fashion brands cast their nets ever wider with new shops on the west coast, one in Vancouver, the other in San Francisco.

jun-takanashi-uniqlo-fall-winter-collection-2012-2013

 

CULT SHOPPING ALERT | It’s no secret Frugalbits loves Uniqlo; we’ve spilled enough digital ink to prove it. The Japanese fashion behemoth has captured our hearts with inexpensive, well-made fashion staples such as cashmere sweaters in a dazzling colours for $50 to $89 (take that, J. Crew), barely there ultralight down sweaters and coats for $50 to $90 (take that, Patagonia) and crisply executed men’s long sleeve dress shirts for $30 (take that, Brooks Brothers). Read more

Merino Sheep

Wool Power: Merino Tops At A Killer Price

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I came for the goat but went home with the sheep: high-quality merino wool sweaters at a bargain basement price.

 

BIG DEAL | On the hunt for inexpensive cashmere, I trekked out to Costco last month to see whether their most recent shipment of Kirkland brand cashmere sweaters included the V-neck version in navy I’d been pining for. Sadly, it didn’t, and I was resigned to returning home without new apparel when I spotted a display table piled high with shockingly inexpensive V-neck sweaters in 100 percent merino wool. Read more

JOE FRESH PEA COAT FALL 2012

It’s Pea Coat Weather! Our 6 Top Jacket Picks

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Fall is pea coat weather. Here are six hot jackets that can handle the oncoming chill. (LOOKBOOK)

JOE FRESH PEA COAT FALL 2012

 

BUY RIGHT | While it may not possess the enduring absolutely-have-to-have status of an archetypal trench coat, the classic pea coat (it’s actually a jacket) is one of those iconic fashion items that enjoys recurring cachet. Read more

Jane Birkin straw basket

Our 6 Favorite Straw Handbags For Summer

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Nothing says summer like a straw carryall. Here are six we’d love to take everywhere from the office to the beach. (LOOKBOOK)

Jane Birkin straw basket

 

CHEAP & ICONIC | According to Wikipedia, the infamous Hermès Birkin handbag, which retails for a minimum $9,000 and has “ultimate fashion indulgence” written all over it, was conceived in the early 1980s after a chance meeting between then Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas and singer/actress Jane Birkin on an airplane. She was travelling with a bag she’d already made famous, a wicker market basket she employed as both a handbag and weekend luggage.

This original Birkin, the Jane-invented one (pictured above as she carried it in the 1960s), was a holdover from her hippie chick days, when proletarian peasant sacks and straw bags of all sorts were in fashion—as they are again today.

Here are six cool straw totes—priced from $18 to $60—we’d take along to France (where Birkin still lives), or anywhere else for that matter. —Annabel Lee Read more

steal-of-the-month-may-vogue

Get The French Preppy Look For Waay Less

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We love French preppy as much as the next fashionista. But is Altuzarra for J. Crew’s interpretation of it worth the money when you can pull together an equally acceptable version for an absolute rock bottom price?

steal-of-the-month-may-vogue

 

THE LOOK FOR LESS | “Steal of the Month” is a feature—actually a double page spread—that appears at the very back of Vogue magazine every month. In the current issue, the steal is the top from Altuzarra’s capsule collection for J. Crew pictured above, and it’s been paired with wide leg jeans from Acne ($350) for an overall look Vogue editors have labeled “French preppy.” Joseph Altuzarra’s tops start at around $800 (on Net-A-Porter), so, of course, the J. Crew pullover seems shockingly inexpensive at $85—and it would be an absolute steal if it looked less basic J. Crew and more quirky Altuzarra, but it doesn’t.

What we are trying to say is that wardrobe pieces this iconic and familiar don’t need big label validation. To prove it, here’s our version of French preppy for a quarter of the price. Read more

Salma Hayek, and Daughter Valentina in Redfish Kids butterfly Dress, $55

Redfish Kids Store Opens In Vancouver

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It’s about time Canada’s most original children’s wear designers/manufacturers set up their own shop made of brick and mortar.

Salma Hayek, and Daughter Valentina in Redfish Kids butterfly Dress, $55CULT SHOP OPENING | There are any number of interesting clothing designers in Vancouver, but when it comes to kids’ apparel, one company in particular stands out: Redfish Kids. Their clothes for girls and boys are not inexpensive, but they are great value when you consider that they’re impeccably made (in Metro Vancouver) and not about to wear out (think coveted hand-me-downs). Still, qualities like durability don’t begin to explain how Redfish Kids came to achieve a cult status, with celebrity moms such as Salma Hayek (pictured above) outfitting their offspring in the label. Read more

Joe Fresh Maxi Skirt + Tee

The Latest Joe Fresh Fashion Is Here—Yeah!

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The fabulous Fresh Off The Runway collection has landed at Joe Fresh boutiques—quick, check the sofa for pocket change!

Joe Fresh Maxi Skirt + TeeTHIS JUST IN | We write so much about our love of all things Joe Fresh that you might think the company pays us to chat them up (they don’t, btw); it’s just that we remain perennially impressed by the fashion coolness that surrounds everything this brand creates.

We don’t care who you are or how much money you have to spend on your wardrobe, you are going to want to have a few pieces of Joe in your closet because they are just that interesting—and fun. Here’s what we’re loving (our own mini lookbook) from the limited edition SS2012 runway collection, which is in select Joe boutiques (in Vancouver that means Granville Street) right now.

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Roma dress - Icebreaker

Icbreaker’s Roma Is The Ultimate LBD

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The perfect little black dress will take you from dawn to dusk, office to dinner—oh yes, and even around the world.

Roma dress - Icebreaker

 

BUY RIGHT | The perfect little black dress is to women what a well-tailored suit is to men: a garment that works in a range of situations. And the most perfect little black dress of all may be the Roma wrap dress from Icebreaker. Read more

Hermes Scarves - Hermes

Our Favourite Scarf Tying Tutorials (VIDEOS)

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With more than 23 million Google entries for how to tie a scarf, here are the ones we found most useful.

Hermes Scarves - Hermes

 

WHAT THE PROS KNOW | If you, like me, have been tying all your scarves with the same two or three knots for years, and you want to add new and different twists and loops to your repertoire (I know I do), then this Frugalbits post is for you. Read more

Tory Burch + FEED bag - Holt Renfrew

Grab These Tory Burch + FEED Bags At Holts

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These totes amazing burlap bags designed by Tory Burch are priced to fly off the shelves.

Tory Burch + FEED bag - Holt Renfrew

 

LOOK GOOD/DO GOOD | As someone who considers herself (at least somewhat) socially conscious, fashion forward and value minded, I’m excited for Holt Renfrew’s April 30th launch of limited-edition totes by Tory Burch + FEED. Not only do these casual cross-body bags look good, but buying one of them will do some good too, for the Tory Burch Foundation, which supports the economic empowerment of women, and for FEED, American model Lauren Bush Lauren’s charity dedicated to eliminating world hunger—one child at a time. Read more