Save 25% today only at all 3 brands: Gap, Banana & Old Navy!

Happy Birthday!  1 year old online in Canada - and they're celebrating with 25% off your entire purchase across ALL 3 BRANDS!  Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic.  What a back to school sale!  Today only - exclusively online - use code HAPPYBDAY upon checkout! 

And remember - shipping is always free on purchases totaling at least $50. 

Love the new Joe Fresh website!

A new website for Joe Fresh is finally here - with much better content & navigation.  Long overdue for such a youthful, fun brand!  Now if only they'd offer online shopping so I don't have to deal with crazy grocery store parking lots and impulse buys like chips & cookies :) 

Loving the fall collection, especially the outerwear!  The orange neoprene coat is way too awesome.  Can someone please tell me when it hits stores? I have loved bright orange ever since that Limited sweater I bought on a trip to Florida in high school.  Oh, and a tweed dress to die for at only $59!   And how cute is this not-puffy puffy jacket for just $49?  Loving Joe Fresh this fall!

50% off Denim at Gap!

This weekend score 50% off select denim styles at Gap!  These 1969 Long & Leans are just $39.75!!  Ask yourself when the last time you paid $39 for jeans was, and if you're anywhere close to my age, you'll have to think back to the 80's people.  The 1980's!  That's before most of the people who now work at the Gap were even born!  Only this time you'll pay it without the heinous blue 80's eyeshadow messing up your face.  Win-win girlfriends.  Win-win.  :)

J.Crew making amends with Canadians

Yesterday I emailed a note to J.Crew letting them know that I'd like to stop receiving their catalogue.  I would no longer need it, as I planned to avoid shopping there, effective immediately.  No harsh or bitter tones, just my expression of regret and frustration that my years of loyal online business - to a brand I had grown to adore - was being punished with suddenly higher prices simply because physical Stores were now opening in Canada.  In speaking with friends and acquaintences, both male & female, I found I had not been alone in doing so.

Less than 24 hours later, I received a pleasant suprise in my inbox.  A note from CEO of J.Crew, Mickey Drexler, apologizing for the pricing misteps that took place in their launch over the past week, and letting me know that online purchases would now be duty-free when shipped to Canada.  The savings of removing duty will certainly help make up for the new price discrepancies, and this timely olive branch will go a long way to making Canadians feel appreciated, as well as heard.  I know I am not alone in receiving this note and gesture.  I was further impressed by the e-Gift Card that accompanied the letter.

Thank you J.Crew.  Mistakes happen, and Canadians have forgiving hearts.  Especially when timely and corrective gestures are extended.

J.Crew shocks Canadian customers with newly higher online pricing!

Like many others in the GTA, I was excited to see the first Canadian J.Crew Store open in Toronto this month at Yorkdale.  To finally be able to try things on before ordering them online, as I had done faithfully for years, was such great news!  Creative Director (and Oprah guest) Jenna Lyons even made it up for the grand opening, and legions of fans poured into the beautiful new shop.  My excitement proved very short-lived though, as I learned that as a result of this newly-opened Canadian store, the prices for products ordered online now (despite a slightly lower $9.95 flat-rate shipping fee) had all gone UP!  Yes, that's right, if you order from Canada now, or shop in their new Yorkdale store, you are subjected to brand-new Canadian pricing, which is far higher than what we used to pay just a week ago and for all the years leading up to the Yorkdale opening.  Citing "the cost of doing business Internationally", J.Crew feels justified in now charging us more for their products, despite the fact that they have been doing online business with us "internationally" for years, and the Canadian dollar has been worth more than the U.S. dollar for 7 of the past 12 months.  On Friday it closed at $1.01 U.S., so please explain to me why some items now have an increase of up to 50% when I hand over my credit card?  You can read more on how insensed Canadian shoppers are in today's Globe & Mail.  J.Crew has absolutely lost my business as a result, and I have already unsubscribed to their emails and will be tossing their monthly catalogue straight into my recycling bin from now on.

Fortunately, I have a great alternative at the Yorkdale location (and online) where I can get beautiful clothes with excellent quality at far more reasonable prices: Banana Republic.  Not only do they always offer free online shipping on orders over $50, but The Yorkdale location is currently undergoing a spectacular renovation!  Store Manager Katharine Barthel gave me a tour yesterday and I was blown away by the luxurious materials and the sheer size of the new Store!  While still a work in progress, just one look at the store's new facade (both inside Yorkdale and the new exterior entrance being built on the north side) is a telling sign of how stunning the finished product will be!  I shall be picking up some beautiful items today during their unbelievable 30%-off Friends & Family event, including this beautiful Mad Men dress and some gorgeous sweaters and denim for fall.  Hello again Banana Republic, and farewell to J.Crew!

On Vacation!!!

...off to the beach to replenish, rejuvinate, and relax in the waning weeks of summer 2011!  I certainly need the energy before the September Issue of Vogue hits newsstands and fall fashions come roaring back into my life!   How is it that I have the September issue of Vanity Fair in my hands already but Vogue is taking its sweet time?  Have a wonderful week everyone!  See you on the 22nd!

Banana Republic's Mad Men Collection hits Stores today!

I truly feel I was meant to live in the 50's and early 60's.  Whenever I watch Pleasantville, Mad Men, Dirty Dancing or Back to the Future I just want to get in my Delorian time machine and go!  Can you imagine how fabulous it would be to wear a poodle skirt, bobby socks and a sweater set to high school?  Or have your boyfriend give you his letterman jacket on your date at the malt shop? The silhouettes were so flattering to an hourglass figure, and really embraced womanly curves!   If you love these fashions too, you'll be thrilled to see Banana Republic's limited edition Mad Men collection in Stores today!  Men aren't left out either - just check out the tailored suits!  I hope they'll be getting replenishment shipments because I anticipate these flying off the shelves by noon today!  What better way to embrace the fall season than with these gorgeous pieces designed with Mad Men's costume designer, Janie Bryant!  Grab one of these dresses, pour yourself a martini, and meet your husband at the door when he comes home from work tonight!  Either that or you'll have to find yourself 1.21 gigawatts of power for the Delorian. 

Want a sneak peak at the Missoni for Target line?

Check out this link (scroll down a bit once you get there) and you'll see some of the amazing and gorgeous Missoni creations for Target that will launch next month!  I'll take one of everything please!  Now...should I drive to Buffalo and hope to find a Target location that gets this inventory (not likely at all...) or find a way to ship it all to a P.O. box or great friend in the U.S. and hopefully be able to order it all online despite having no idea what size will fit best?  The real problem - I want the BIKE!  Can they even ship that???  It's SO fabulous!

New Store Opening alert: Whole Foods @ Square One!

If you love shopping at Whole Foods as much as I do, you'll be happy to know there is now a newly opened location at Square One, near the (relatively new) Crate & Barrel at the north side of the mall's parking lot.  This location adds to their other two GTA stores in Yorkville and Oakville.  Usually grocery shopping feels like an annoying chore to me, but Whole Foods always feels like I'm perusing aisles of exotic, healthy, and delicious finds and I consistently leave feeling inspired & relaxed (if I don't look at the bill, of course).  If you haven't tried their salted chocolate-covered caramels, you truly haven't lived!  They're open until 10pm on weeknights which is just so convenient!  Check out their facebook page for a chance to win a $50 gift card!  Also open in the GTA hood is Le Creuset at Sherway Gardens, so after you buy all your delicious groceries at Whole Foods, you can pick up some colourful cookware to whip up your next culinary masterpiece!

Trendy shoes, local artisans, great prices - that's Locale!

I absolutely adore this animal print loafer with leather accents and rubber sole.  I adore the price even more though, at just $90 from Locale.  Part of the Aldo group, Locale focuses on being a footwear & accessories concept store that is more boutique-style, and celebrates art, fashion & community.  The current GTA locations are Sherway Gardens and Scarborough Town Centre, but you can certainly shop online as well.  Sign up for their emails and get 10% off your next purchase!  All orders have FREE shipping, arrive within 3-6 business days, and allow free returns by courier or in your nearest Store.  Sounds like great customer service to me, in addition to some cool new products & brands I haven't seen or heard of before now!

Great tote, great products, great cause!

I love this offer from the Shopping Channel!  Grab this cute summer tote for $35 (it comes in wheat, navy, or mandarin orange!) and it will arrive at your house brimming with up to 20 beauty products & samples like lip gloss, mascara, body butter and lipstick - and I haven't even mentioned the best part!  $10 from every sale will go directly to the Canadian Women's Foundation, helping move women out of poverty and into financial security!  A great deal for a great cause: win-win!

Love cute kids' clothes? JetBaby Summer Sale starts today!

JetBaby's awesome SUMMER SALE starts today! 50% off all Summer 2011 inventory until Sunday! Roxy, Quik, Billabong, Daily Tea and lots more!!  Head over to their Oakville location at the bottom of Kerr Street (at Lakeshore Rd.) and take advantage!

Rachel Zoe @ Holt Renfrew Bloor Street in Toronto, Aug 14!

Rachel Zoe really has one of those love-it or hate-it personalities.  I've seen Fashion Television attempt to interview her in the not-so-distant past, and I think it's pretty obvious they aren't her biggest fans.  At the same time, she's got over 667,000 twitter followers, indicating there are many who hang on her every word! Whatever your opinion of her, you can't deny her impact on the fashion & entertainment industry.  She's stylist to the most A-list of stars, a partner with companies like Piperlime, a reality tv star herself, and now she's launching her own collection of 'attainable couture' at Holt Renfrew (in person) on August 14th from 2-3:30pm.  The word 'attainable' is up for debate with most prices hovering between $300-$700, but from what I've seen so far - it looks damn good! 

What's The Kit?

TheKit.ca might just be your new destination for fashion & beauty info Canada!  Billed as "Canada's Digital Beauty Magazine", I can't say there's anything else like it in the marketplace right now!  Plus, with sample giveaways and cool contests, there's lots of incentive to check out this new site in addition to the great stories they have on health, beauty, fitness & wellness - all tailored to us Canadian gals.  So forget about buying U.S. beauty magazines anymore - this one's free and far more environmentally friendly!

J.Crew opens at Yorkdale on August 18th!

This month J.Crew opens their first Store here in Canada.  Finally!  Not that I've minded ordering online all these years, but it sure will be nice to be able to try things on for size first!  And, having just perused their fall catalogue, I couldn't be more thrilled!  With Jenna Lyons still at the helm as Creative Director, their offerings just keep getting better!  Attention to detail, fine fabrics, amazing embellishments...J.Crew is really becoming the best mass affordable luxury retailer in North America!  I'm sure there will be amazing grand opening deals and celebrations, so stay tuned for more details!  Yet another reason to brave the insanity of Yorkdale's epic parking lot...see you there!

Friends & Family is back at Gap Inc!

I totally miss Back to School shopping!  That feeling of a brand new school year ahead of you just  brimming with potential!  Maybe some new and interesting friends, scoping out the cute new guy who just moved here and is immediately popular since he has that 'mysterious' factor going for him!  And of course the new clothes & school supplies!  What ridiculously large and feature-rich binder to buy?  What colour should my Kettle Creek pencil case be?  What denim wash for my new jeans?  And no, I never caved and bought acid-washed jeans, and I couldn't be more proud of that when I look back.

Just in time for Back to School (and back to work, and back to fall...) you can score 30% off your entire purchase at Gap, GapKids and BabyGap from August 4th to 7th!  Grab your coupon here!