As a shopper, stylist, and wardrobe speaker I often get asked, “What trends do you love? How about one you don’t love?” I can rattle off more “hates” faster than an auctioneer can try and sell cattle. But that’s so negative, no?

Christmas encapsulates everything I love in life: booze, decorations, family and friends, food, gatherings, gifts, glitz, planned outfits, movies, music, shopping, and years other than this, all of that can happen at a destination of your choice. How good would a beach be right now? I’m looking at you, 2021.

Heading off to a vacation can take a lot of preparation. Travel, accommodations, currency, and of course – my favourite – packing a suitcase full of looks. Often times people purchase a new article or two for their time away.  

After the festivities tonight and the inevitable horrendous, yet sensational sugar come down, you may be thinking about weekend plans. Why not include a stop by the pop-up shop I have been whipping up for y’all?

Today marks a new adventure for me. Something I haven’t done for a very long time. This January I will be doing something wild. Here it is: I am already underway on a no-spend January. Yup, this professional shopper is taking pause on shopping.

Simons – the Quebec-based department store - just opened in Calgary. Thoughts, fashion friends? Many clients and loved ones share with me how overwhelmed the get in a department store. It appears that anxiety is exasperated when it is a discount department store such as Saks Off 5th or Winners. “There’s too much clutter,” “Everything is jammed in there,” “It’s a pig sty,” are some of the common comments. All true.

With American Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday in the rear view mirror on this wild ride of living life beautifully it’s time to focus on the most festive - and at times most stressful - time of the year. The holidays! But before we delight at the gifts under the trees, bellies full of turkey and booze, we have to get ready for all the fun. Instead of me telling you to make a list and check it twice wouldn’t it be more fun to be bad?

Do you ever savour the moment when you read something from a respected researcher and say to yourself, “Ah ha! I knew it”? I certainly do. That happened to me after reading Gary Chapman’s Love Languages and confirmed that I love gifts. It’s my primary language. 

Earlier this month Dolce & Gabbana launched a niche product in a blossoming market. Luxury hijabs and abayas adorned with the Italian brands signature elaborate work just arrived the Middle East. The beautiful items are embellished with lace and luscious prints sure to lure Muslim and non-Muslin fashion fanatics alike.

Now that I am in the swing of my annual nuptial season (three down, two to go) I was curious as to what people spend on wedding fashion. Not only what the couple and their wedding party will spend, but the guests too. As I have no first-hand bridal experience, I went digging.

I pride myself on getting a stylish deal. I also pride myself on having quality-crafted items in my wardrobe for years and years. So it should not be a surprise that often the two statements are more mutually exclusive than the Venn diagram of closet awesomeness I was hoping for. I want to have the cake and eat it too. So being a somewhat rational person on a self-propelled journey of enlightenment, I decided to weigh the pros and cons of fast fashion.