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Joe Fresh Maxi Skirt + Tee

The Latest Joe Fresh Fashion Is Here—Yeah!

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

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)

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

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

Using Products at 1/2 Strength Makes Sense

Using everyday products at 1/2 strength is often more than enough.

 

WASTE NOT | It all started with my first highlights. My stylist swung me around to the mirror for the reveal, and I basked in the glow of my glorious, glittering bangs, confident I would gleam forever in a radiant halo. Then he pulled me back to earth with a thump: “You’re going to have to stop washing your hair so much.” My wise stylist explained that daily washing strips the hair of colour and leaves it dull and dry.

I’d spent big bucks on my hair and was determined to protect my investment, so I cut down on the number of times I washed, and I revisited everything I thought I knew about shampoo. Instead of Shampoo, Rinse, Repeat, it became Shampoo, Rinse for me, all the way. Then one day it occurred to me—not only was my hair looking just as good or better, my shampoo budget had been cut in half. Read more

Topbox

2 Top Beauty Box Services In Canada

Subscribe to an inexpensive beauty box service to receive monthly packages in the mail filled with top products geared to your specific needs.

Topbox

 

CHEAP & CHIC | I have been using the same brand moisturizer for over 10 years. Ditto eyeliner, mascara and toner. The facial cleanser I use? It’s been my staple since high school. It’s not that I’m not curious about other beauty products or uninterested in new things, but I am overwhelmed by what’s available these days. I need my own personal beauty editor, someone to curate the beauty aisles and find the best products for me. This is why I love the latest idea in e-commerce: the subscription beauty box. Read more

Smashbox Makeup Brushes

6 Best Makeup Brushes + 2 Top Brands To Buy

Allison Emery selects 6 must-own makeup brushes—and shares her two favourite brush brands, one expensive the other not.

Smashbox Makeup Brushes

 

As a makeup artist, I’ve accumulated a variety of brushes. Because I often do multiple makeup applications in a short period of time, having two or three of the same type of brush means I don’t have to cleanse and disinfect them between clients. The average woman, however, is not applying makeup to several different people, so she really doesn’t require a multitude of brushes.

So which brushes do you really need? PICTURED BELOW are the essential brushes to have in your collection—plus my picks for the best brands to buy. Read more

Woman With Coloured Washcloth-iStock

All Washed Up: White Washcloths Are Over!

Forget about the colour of your parachute. We ask, what colour is your washcloth?

Woman With Coloured Washcloth-iStock

 

BUY RIGHT | Blame it on the spa industry, or decorating magazines if you want to, but the idea that thick spa-white bath towels and washcloths are the best and only way to wash and dry yourself is hogwash. White towels go with any style décor and feel indulgent in a good way, but white washcloths? No way, never! Easily stained light-coloured washcloths look dowdy quickly. Their low life expectancy means having to replace them frequently, which is both expensive and wasteful. Better to adopt the approach of more and more luxury and “cheap chic” hotels by having dark-coloured washcloths on hand, particularly for washing off stubborn makeup. Read more

Kate Moss in vingage Chloe Jeans

At Velveteen Vintage The Prices Are Right

Until the end of February, bag vintage clothes at great prices—and do something great for entrepreneurial teens at the same time.

Kate Moss in vingage Chloe Jeans

 

Free spirits have always scoured thrift stores for distinctive apparel, but it took one in particular to make used clothing fashionable: Kate Moss. Moss, whose perfume line includes scents called Vintage and Vintage Muse, has appeared in recycled items from jeans to jackets and boots to ballgowns.

One of the newest and most economical Vancouver sources for retro and good-quality consignment clothes for men and women is Velveteen Vintage. Every item in the store is less than $20 and most are $5. Read more

How To Polish Your Skin To Perfection

Cold, dry weather makes skin look dull; microdermabrasion can restore its glow. Here’s a top product that mimics this polishing procedure at home.

 

Winter is upon us, and while we welcome the sunshine instead of the usual dark, gloomy Vancouver weather, sunny days are cool and crisp. You may have noticed your skin feeling dryer, tighter and lackluster at this time of year. Even oilier complexions feel dryer and tighter than usual. As a result, we often reach for heavier creams and moisturizing masks, which can help, but the best solution is a good exfoliation or polishing of the skin. Read more