Tuesday Shoesday : Joker’s Closet by Ashley Ebner

Shoe Pick Of The Week:

Joker’s Closet, Design-your-own shoe website 

Toronto-based graduate of the London College of Fashion, Ashley Ebner, launched a design-your-own shoe website called Joker’s Closet. Since late April, online-shoppers can choose from a collection of six seasonal designs and continue customizing their pick from there.  Options such as type of leather and colour for every part of the shoe, even the stitching, is available for the customer to alter to their desires. The handmade custom shoes take about four weeks to arrive and are valued at designer prices of approximately $295—$420. Design your very own summer go-to shoe today with one of the elegant designs displayed below.

30 Days of Dresses : Day 16

Another Queen Street find, Jayne wore her first proudly owned cat dress on day 16 of 30 Days of Dresses. This $12 find made Jayne super happy with it’s subtle Cat face on the bodice, and a “crazy cat lady” look Jayne always wanted to sport but in a fashionable sense. The hemline is cut short for a “kittenish” finish, keeping with the cat theme ;). She paired this dress with dark grey loafers with spikes and silver accessories. Check back tomorrow for Jayne’s 17th look this month, or preview former looks in our 30 Days of Dresses sidebar link. Happy June!

The Mane Event at Lift Salon + Spa

The Mane Event
When: Sunday June 9th
Where: At selected salons including Lift Salon + Spa
Time: 10am – 5pm
All proceeds go to the charity, The Teresa Group, and all costs are absorbed by the salon with all stylists donating their time and tips. This will be Heidi and Stracey’s 9th year participating in this charity of choice. The Lift ladies have chosen this charity as all funds raised are donated locally. They are both passionate about helping those who need assistance most, especially children. This inspiring event will also include raffles and a silent auction.

Book your appointment today!!

Lift Salon + Spa
129 Queen Street East, Toronto
Tel: 416-367-5438
Website: http://www.lift-salon.com
To book appointments at Lift Salon + Spa call 416-367-5438.

Schwarzkopf ASK Academy
Second Floor, 171 John Street, Toronto
Tel: 416-340-1562
Website: ca.ask-schwarzkopf.com.
To book appointments at Schwarzkopf ASK Academy, email Grace.Martinez@ca.henkel.com
or leave a message at 416-340-1562

For more information about the event or to make a direct donation click here.

About The Teresa Group

The Teresa Group is one of Canada’s oldest community based charitable organization specifically serving children affected by HIV and AIDS and their families. Since 1990 a dedicated team of professional staff have been providing a broad range of compassionate frontline services to the hundreds of children and families they serve. The trained volunteers assist with transportation to appointments, offer friendly support in home, help with childcare, tutoring, act as a buddy for a child and provide organizational support for family centered special events.

For most of the families The Teresa Group serves the double conjuration of poverty and HIV and AIDS making it exceedingly difficult for them to adequately provide for their children. With many programs offered to help support these families in need, The Teresa Group helps by offering practical assistance options.

Philip Sparks launches Spring/Summer 2013 Collection At First Boutique on Ossington

Just before the Fashion week craze hit Toronto, Philip Sparks officially opened his boutique on Ossignton. The former garage turned boutique became the first permanent location for his collection. After previously having a series of pop-up shops, he celebrated his 5th anniversary in the business with the opening of his shop. Philip Sparks Tailored Goods inc stands beautifully at 162 Ossignton ave (entrance found just off Foxley street).

With a cute neighborhood coffee shop next door, the chic little boutique takes you on a journey back to 1930’s in France. Feeling like you’ve stepped off the sidewalks of Toronto and onto a boat off the shore in France. The shop is stocked with the designers 2013 men’s and women’s collection, which explains our thoughts on France as this collection was inspired by French illustration in the 1930’s meets Chanel-like beach vacations. The store is very charming and colourful while everything sits perfectly in place on the shelves and racks. Sparks incorporated an almost vintage yet personal touch to the displays such as the use of his grandfather’s steamer trunk, an old Remington typewriter and an industrial metal table purchased from a defunct factory. The boutique is opened 7 days a week, Monday-Saturday opening at 11am and Sunday’s at noon. Definitely take a moment to drop in and she this ultra chic little store. Check out a few pictures of the store below as well as Philip Sparks fabulous Spring/Summer 2013 collection!! We especially love the stripe patterns and the Awning stripe dress that looks like it was sent straight from Paris.

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First hr2 in Ontario Opens in Vaughan Mills

Holt Renfrew is capitalizing on the discount retail market with their rebranded outlet, hr2. Major competing stores Marshalls, Winners and The Bay attempt to capture the demographic hunting for low priced luxury finds as well, but hr2 will be fierce competition. The store will be housing popular luxe brands like Alice + Olivia, Cole Haan, House of Harlow, Christian Louboutin in the well designed store. Labels women are dying to wear but may not have the funds to purchase are for sale at shockingly inexpensive rates. Unlike several major retail outlets hr2 will not receive the discounted castoffs from thier flagship stores in the region. Two buyers travel internationally purchasing items specifically for hr2 Vaughan Mills instead.

Racks and shelves are replenished frequently with new items arriving every week. The former Holt Renfrew Last Call was a dumping ground for items that didn’t sell at regular Holts stores. Customers experienced a bit of a free for all; so unlike the luxurious brand Holt Renfrew portrays. hr2 is a rebranded stand alone outlet sure to satisfy any frugal fashionista’s needs.

Price points at hr2 are amazing. Louibuton Wedges were on sale for $200, Crocodile Skin House of Harlow clutches were $84; all starting regular price points at hr2.

See exclusive pictures from before the official opening!

Be sure to visit hr2 for luxurious finds at unbelievable prices!

The Online Hit: AugustinaBoutiques.com

Our favourite alleyway boutique in Yorkville, Augustina now has an online store so you can shop after hours at augustinaboutiques.com/.

The user friendly site makes shopping online easy with a massive collection to boot! Carrying popular brands like Rebecca Minkoff, Vera Wang Lavender Label, Me&Ro and more we clicked away into the wee hours of the morning pouring over the online racks. Surfing the site we found several covet-worthy items sure to find a home in your closet.

Take a look at some of our favourite pieces below!

Silver Lotus Flower Earring

Smoking Slipper by Vera Wang Lavender Label

Ines in navy by Augustina

18k Black Diamond Bead Ring by Me&Ro

Be sure to check out the Augustina Newsletter for more info and updates on the fashionable boutique!

Over the Rainbow Jeans x Naked and Famous Denim

Toronto Fashionista joined fans of the Yorkville store, Over the Rainbow and members of the press to celebrate the launch of their capsule collection in collaboration with Naked and Famous Denim. The designer of the Montreal based denim line was friendly and spoke highly of working with the store to create fashionable looks for the upcoming Spring/Summer season.

Mens eans from Naked and Famous Denim were turned into fun shorts in solid mute colours. Whether worn casually with a pair of vans and basic t-shirt or formally with a pair of Clarks and a sports coat, the versatile bottoms are a definite must-have for your man’s wardrobe. Shop Over the Rainbow S/S ’13 here!

Take a look at our shots below!

Guess Canada F/W ’13 Preview Event

Barely making it up the stairs in our heels, we clamoured up to the third floor of the exclusive members only venue the Soho house at Adelaide and University Ave to the exclusive Guess FW ’13 preview.

The current cowboy theme of tassles and denim shirts definitely inspired this line. Complete with deep blues and splashes of cheetah print, Guess is definitely going to make a mark in the upcoming Fall season. We loved the grunge inspired looks; a deep red knit shirt with runs and rips and a basic plaid shirt that tied around the waist of a basic jean short and shirt look.

Be sure to visit your local Guess store this fall to pick up your favourite look from the pictures below!

Review : DAVIDsTEA The Spring Collection

DAVIDsTEA takes us on a journey around the world with their new spring collection of teas. The collection features five exotic flavours inspired by several different places scattered across the globe including Daydreamer, Copabanana, Coconut Oolong, Honeydew Maté and Pom Tango. Here’s a little bit about each tea to help you pick a new flavour for this beautiful season that you will love!

Daydreamer
Green tea – Low Caffeine – $7

Taste the intoxicating flavour of green tea bursting with fruity fun. Taking you on a flight to the beaches of Thailand, the refreshing spike of mango will linger in your mouth. Just one sip and you’ll be daydreaming fruitful dreams all spring long. The flavour is comparable to peach juice and will remind you of the summer heat approaching. One of my top favourite teas from the whole spring collection, the dry but extremely delicious tea was created with the inspiration of DAVIDsTEA’s best drink invented, iced green tea with mango-flavoured ice cubes. Great to sip on while relaxing, the low-caffeine Daydreamer tea will leave you feeling like you took a refreshing bite out of a mango while sitting on the beach.

Note: If you fill half your tea ball you can steep it for up 2 cups of tea.

Honeydew Maté
Maté tea – Stimulant – $6.50

Sip on the fresh, juicy taste of honeydew melon in another one of my favourite flavours from the spring collection, Honeydew Maté. Taking you on an exciting trip to Argentina, the super energizing maté tea will work as an amazing mental stimulant. The rich melon gives the tea an impeccably sweet aroma and soothing taste. The green Yerba maté ingredient creates a smooth, all natural energy boost. Also made with the ultra healthy green roobios, this healthy and great tasting tea can be served warm or cold. Definitely steer clear of this tea at night as it acts like a stimulant and will keep you up.

Pom Tango
Black tea – Low Caffeine – $6.75

Start your mornings off with this fabulous black tea that’s infused with pomegranate seeds and large pieces of mango. Taking you on a magical trip to the fruit markets in India, the slight taste of pomegranate mixes beautifully with the overpowering mango flavor. For black tea lovers you will truly enjoy the added burst of fruity flavour. Unlike the rest of the spring collection, this tea will give your taste buds a mini break. The lightly scented tea is a refreshing mix of your average breakfast tea and a delicious juice. The lingering flavored black tea can be served hot or cold. I especially liked this tea on ice, it will make a great drink to sip in the sun as the days get warmer and the summer approaches.

Copabanana
Fruit Infusion tea – Caffeine free – $6.75

Relax with a mug of this caffeine-free fruit infused tea blend that’s bursting with banana flavour. Bringing you down to the northern parts of Havana, this ultra-fruit tea will leave you feeling like your laying on a beach. The huge banana chips are supported by almonds, apple flakes, dried strawberry, coconut and orange peel. For banana lovers, this is the tea for you! Also taking you on a trip down memory lane, the tea creates a reminisce of the banana flavoured medicine we all loved as a kid. The strong banana aroma is beautifully comforting and has you craving the banana flavour. Copabanana is the perfect type of tea to sip when relaxing late at night. Personally this tea helped calm and put me to sleep.

Coconut Oolong
Oolong tea – Med Caffeine – $8.50

Rich and creamy, this coconut oolong tea will be the perfect addition to your day. Ideal for coconut lovers, the Pao Zhong oolong tea blend is mixed solely with coconuts. The pure coconut and oolong blend tea creates a rich flavour and is quite sweet. It’s medium caffeine and completely addictive leaving you with a comforting sensation. The strong coconut scent smells of sweet steaming coconut. Even for non-coconut fans, like myself, this tea will surprise you and is a nice sweet change you will enjoy. The coconut’s flavour will slightly remain in your mouth making you really want another sip. Try not to over steep, and minimal to no sugar is our recommendation for this sweet flavoured tea.

All flavours are limited edition, so you better get to the store before you miss the chance to try any of these delicious teas! Available to purchase individually by flavours, or purchase the box set feating 25g of each flavour for $25.50. Visit DAVIDsTEA for more.

World MasterCard Fashion Week Presents: Pavoni Fall/Winter 2013

 

Ending with a bang, the Pavoni F/W ’13 show was filled with surprises and signs of a bright future for the designing duo. A short bell shaped princess dress opened the show follwed by an array of incredible pieces sure to impress buyers and stylists. More skin was on display on the runway than last year’s S/S ’13 line and hints of a more edgy look were seen marking the evolution of the Fashion Week favourites.

Although some pieces were dark and edgy, they were innately feminine with nude meshing detailed with tattoo embellishments a signature for the designers. Every dress down the runway was statement worthy for any formal event. We can definitely see a few starlets rocking Pavoni on the Oscar red carpet next year. One of our favourite full length dresses was stunning on the runway in crimson with flapper style hanging beading and a heart shaped neckline.

Another favourite during the show was a full length gown in black satin with a cinched waist that was arrayed with tattoo details on the sleeves and in peek-a-boo spots on the waist and a lace filled thigh high split and extended train. Each dress is unique and incorporates trendy staples for the upcoming F/W season yet stands apart from other formal lines. The final dress closing the show elicited gasps and finger pointing in awe. The flowing all white powder puff dress was layered with tulle and showed off a lot of leg with a high hem at the front. The sweetheart neckline was paired with mesh tattoo details in white sequins which also covered most of the dress. The highly buzzed about finale had the models do their final walk through with a massive bomb of wide confetti that somehow even reached the entrance to the tents; an auspicious end to World MasterCard Fashion Week as we left David Peacut Square.

Check out Jayne’s photo’s from the show below.