With my September edition of Vogue read from cover to cover and my fall wish list carefully prepared, there was nothing left to do but shop! The variations on coats and shoes we’ve seen in the fall trend reports left me tickled pink with what was in store at Mapleview. So I did what any Style Icon would do…grabbed my Mapleview gift card (a fabulous perk of the contest), wish list and a camera to share with all of you what amazing finds I uncovered.
First on the agenda – shoes! I’ve always been a firm believer that style and comfort can be achieved and rocking a pair of Toms is the perfect marriage of these two mandates. Stylish sneakers are everywhere this fall and Toms in particular have been spotted on celebs such as Hilary Duff, Kristen Stewart and the Olsen twins. I high-tailed it to Journey’s and wasn’t disappointed by the array of casual kicks including Toms, Sperry’s, Minnetonka moccasins and tons more.
As you can tell by the pic, these Toms sparklers definitely caught my eye and with a promise to donate a pair of shoes to a child in need with every purchase, who doesn’t love looking good and feeling great about it?
Now that I had nailed down my cool, casual sneaker, it was time to scout out another great love of mine for fall – the oxford. Whether it’s a flat, pump or boot style, the look is EVERYWHERE this season and there are so many countless ways to wear them. I decided to do a bit of name-dropping at Brown’s and after introducing myself as the Style Icon and the premise of this blog post, I was introduced to three chic styles of loafers any woman would kill for. These MK heeled loafers are darling and can go from casual to chic in a second while the Hush Puppy booties are the perfect combination for knit tights or skinny jeans.
Styles from Left to Right: Michael by Michael Kors, Geox, Hush Puppy.
With two items crossed off my list, I was bitter sweet about the next item on my agenda: coats. I know, I know many of us aren’t quite ready to accept the fact that these seemingly foreign objects have hit stores. Let me assure you, the colours, styles and fits stocked in stores such as BCBGMaxazria, Rudsak, and Danier are so stylish, you’ll be wishing for the perfect fall day to sport these looks.
Taking cues from Mapleview’s Style Party, I decided to start my treasure hunt at H&M. I came across this faux-fur darling and immediately fell in love with the burgundy hue. This number can go from day to night and will look great with a pair of equestrian boots or the oxford style ankle booties featured above.
Always known for their cutting edge collections, I headed down to BCBGMaxazria to see what goodies they had in store. While sifting through one gem after another, one of the consultants shared her coined term for the fall collection which left me thinking. She dubbed it “unmistakeably chic” and she couldn’t have been more right. These two styles were impossible to pass up and to be honest; a photo doesn’t do them justice. Arline, the black overcoat, mixes textures and patterns while Carlin, the camel-coloured trench, features an interesting cowl-like neckline that adds that ‘Je ne sais quois’ to any outfit.
I headed on up the escalator to the always-chic Danier to see what variations they had taken on this fall’s trends. The smell of luxe fabrics filled the air as my eyes darted from one section of the store to the other. Danier has recently introduced new 3 collections to their stores –Blink, Object and Greta Constantine’s ‘Skin – and they definitely do not disappoint. Low and behold this two-tone lamb leather jacket was shining like a beacon in the store and totally caught my eye. Paired with a maxi dress or high-wasted jeans, this coat could easily become your new BFF for the fall and winter weather.
My final pit stop for the night was at Rudsak. This Montreal based retailer had some of the most interesting yet functional array of coats and accessories. This one jacket immediately caught my eye!
As if the concept of a rugged leather motorcycle jacket wasn’t luring enough, I was stunned to learn that the jacket boasted a removable vest that doubles as an amazing accessory over long sleeved shirts and blouses. Still not done! The side pockets were completely detachable and the sleeves rolled up to reveal a completely different look. This 3 in 1 jacket is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and is definitely worth a try the next time you’re at Mapleview.
Overall, the shopping trip was a huge success and after previewing the beginning of the fall/winter collections, I know I’ll be able to knock more off my wish list at Mapleview. Stay tuned for my next post!
xoxo
Krystin
