John Wooden
| 2010-08-02 Purple Rain: Fashion-Forward Umbrellas All the Rage! By Tanya
Umbrellas that are both functional and fashionable. What a concept! The new Squidarella umbrella is allowing fashionistas to make a fashionable addition to their rainy day staples of wellies and rain slickers. The Squidarella is truly the standout umbrella in a crowd. Cruise down any suburban street on a rainy day and you will be sure to be met by a sea of boring and drab umbrellas. What makes this umbrella stand apart is the unique color change technology used by the designers to transform these umbrellas into walking pieces of art and creates an interactive experience whilst you walk in the rain. The umbrella starts out with its black and white design. As the rain starts falling on the umbrella, each drop will cause the colorful design to show through. Eventually when the whole umbrella is wet it will have morphed into the vibrant colorful version that you can see above. When the rain stops and the umbrella dries the colorful design will slowly fade back to white, ready for your next rainy adventure.... This new umbrella is makes it easier to have a sunnier outlook the next time the forecast calls for rain! To find out more about the Squidarella visit www.urbantrim.com
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| 2010-07-26 Getting Ready for Fall with SPANNER By Sharon As I sit in my air conditioned office and look out the window at people coming in to work, sweating their way through another day where the humidex is peaking at over 40 degrees Celsius, it's hard to believe I have just returned from selecting my first fall wardrobe items from Spanner.
Spanner is a Canadian company which was founded in Kitchener, Ontario in 1973. The latest shop, the company's flagship store, opened just over a year ago at the very new and chic Shops at Don Mills in Toronto. It was around the time that the Don Mills store opened that I became a big fan of their line and began wearing Spanner exclusively on Real Life.
Spanner is a brand that really provides me with everything that I look for in my wardrobe. They offer a full line of fashion items, from workout wear to casual, office to evening out! The styles, created by designer Susan Lee, are fun, fashion-forward and trendy, yet classy. Not only do they look great, but they even satisfy someone like me and when I say that, I mean they satisfy my inner seamstress! As someone who sews, I am very particular about the quality of the materials used, the quality of the workmanship and the little finishing touches that can really take an outfit from nice to fabulous. Spanner meets and exceeds all the expectations that I have. I love the quality and the style and especially love the little "extras" the fancy zippers and buttons, ornamental stitching and the use of lines in the design that really make the pieces works of art!
This fall, look for some exciting styles coming from Spanner. When the cooler weather comes and the sun-kissed colour leaves our skin, I am always looking for a hint of colour in my wardrobe. The staple blacks, browns and grays are great, but I like colour. Look for sunny yellow, bright red and smashing citrus green pieces to set off those stylish dark staples.
In keeping with the return to school, check out Spanner's Ivy League line with crested blazers and herringbone jackets as well as warm jackets which would be ideal for cheering on your varsity team at an autumn football game.
And, watch for those truly special touches that Spanner is expert at...the use of fun embellishments that will guarantee to turn heads. I'm particularly excited about the Reversible Sherpa Jacket with feather trim. You know I will be sporting that at some time on the show this fall!
You can check out Spanner fashions online at www.spannerstyle.com. On the website, you can visit the store locator to find your nearest retailer. |
| 2010-07-21 Trend Alert: Photo-Realistic Garage Murals a new trend in the neighbourhood By Tanya
Home owners are finding a new way to dress the exterior of their homes. A new trend in home design is seeing homeowners mount cleverly realistic murals on their garage doors. Style-your-garage.com has a catalogue of over 250 images that can be translated into banners that can be fitted onto virtually any garage door from a single to a two-car garage. From pictures of race cars, to airplanes and wild horses, Style your Garage has made it possible to depict everything you ever wanted to see in your garage.Made from high-quality, durable and weather-resistant material, the murals are easy to install use Velcro fasteners. |
| 2010-07-20 Comfort, Style and Quality...In a word, NAOT By Sharon The weather may be putting you in the mindset of summer with thoughts of beaches, cottages or spending time outside in the garden, but the fashion industry already has it's sights set squarely on fall and winter 2010/2011. Tanya and I had the opportunity to attend the launch of the fall line for NAOT.
In addition, NAOT footwear is environmentally friendly. The leather is coloured with vegetable dye and they are 90% biodegradable. Speaking from a personal perspective, what I love about NAOT shoes is that you don't have to "break them in". The combination of the structure of the shoe, the cork footbed and the high quality, soft leather makes them immediately comfortable! No worries of blisters from wearing your new shoes. The fall line from NAOT offers a new twist on the "pump". The "Aladdin" Pump offers a super comfy, stylish option for the businesswoman on the go. There are five great styles available and I love the colour choices, some with subtle shimmery finishes. The soft leather uppers and extra cushiony shank and heel support make them easy to wear all day in total comfort. I think my favourite addition for the fall and winter has to be the "Origami". This is a very stylish boot with a zipper front and the signature NAOT sole. The mid-calf height upper portion of the boot features a uniquely styled, soft, patterned leather. The pattern of the leather was arrived at through a contest, where design students in Israel submitted ideas. I have to say, I love the winning choice. The Origami comes in a variety of colours and I think for me, making a colour selection will be quite a difficult task! To learn more about NAOT footwear, including a list of retail locations, you can visit their website at www.naot.ca . If you're on Facebook, you might also want to become a fan of the "Face of NAOT". Fans who post testimonials and accolades about the brand become eligible to be rewarded for their loyalty! Fall is definitely something to look forward to with great styles on the horizon - but for now, I think I will comfortably enjoy my summer - in my NAOT sandals, of course!
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| 2010-05-16 Preparing for a "Glitzy" evening!! By Sharon One of the wonderful things about working in the media is the opportunity we have to lend our talents to organizations that are doing great work in our community. I have been asked to Emcee a Gala Fundraising event this fall, the "Struttin' the Glitz" Fashion Show, raising funds for the Children of Halton Shelters will take place Friday October 1st at the beautiful Bronte Harbour Conference Centre in Oakville. The event will also mark the launch of the book "Cinderella's Diary: Thankful Tragedies", Poetic Memoirs by Gayle Gordon. It is my pleasure to be the emcee for the evening. Joining me in presenting the event will be a host of celebrities and community dignitaries, including Kelita, Vickie Van Dyke from Smooth Jazz 94.7, the incredibly talented songstress Diane Lee Clemons, just to name a few. The evening will features fabulous fashions from Judith of Oakville, Sweet Seraphine, The Bay, jewelry from Disegno Donata, shoes from Ron White of Oakville and many more. As the event grows and the participant list expands, you'll be able to keep track as the event is chronicled by www.hadaball.com. It's going to be a wonderful evening and the most important part is that the monies raised will be going to help children. I hope you can join us.
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