Adele and her Christian Louboutin Manicure

Was Adele’s Grammy manicure inspired by the famous high-fashion shoe designer Christian Louboutin? The famous style of the shoe designer is a red sole with his signature stamped on the bottom. The well-known sole of these pricey shoes is recognized all over the world.

According to Hollywood Life, Adele‘s pointed fingernails boasted a shiny silver polish. The pointed nail is all the rage in Hollywood, but it looks like Adele’s Grammy manicure is the start of a new trend by adding an extra detail. Not only did her nails match the sparkling silver pair of Louboutins that Adele wore, but every detail matched–seen or unseen.

As the Grammy award-winning singer waved to fans, it was obvious her nails had been painted red underneath! This very cool idea is just another step in coordinating her Grammy gown and Christian Louboutin shoes with her beauty style. Not only did Adele look radiant, but her manicure was unique and perfect for the eight-time Grammy winner. Often these subtle touches when their stylists go above and beyond are exactly what set stars apart.

Since Christian Louboutin has met many trademark and copyright issues, will Adele’s Grammy manicure come under fire? It is hard to believe that this was a coincidence since most of the shoes that walked the red carpet were likely Louboutins.

Here’s how you do it ladies!

Yours in fashion,

Mel xo

City and Colour 'The Girl' Music Boxes

I love celebrating Valentine’s Day with my niece and nephew.  They are super cute and love holidays.  Last week when I was at my mom’s they gave me heart lollipops with High School Musical and Cars cards.  Awwww….

I saw the above City and Colour ‘The Girl’ music box online tonight.  Still fresh off their show from this past Friday night and maybe feeling a lil sappy I secretly want one.  You know to play when I’m feeling weepy.  Tee hee.  Jokes.

There are a lot of things to be thankful for this year.  Take a moment to give yourself some love. 

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Lots of love!

Mel xo

Then Again: A Memoir by Diane Keaton

I was really looking forward to reading Diane Keaton’s autobiography.  She’s always been on my radar – her witty acting style, preppy clothing choices and awesome laugh.  I saw her on a few chat shows doing press for ‘Then Again: A Memoir by Diane Keaton’ and was excited to see what her life entailed up until that point.

The book is exquisitely written – I’m not sure if she had someone lend her a hand but I liked her flair for keep me interested and the visual images her stories presented.  She spoke of her family dynamics, her parents ailing health, her own battles with mental health issues within the crazy fabric of trying to make it as a working Hollywood actress.

Lovely.

The only bit of a bummer about this book was that there was not enough about her high profile romances with Woody Allen, Warren Beatty and Al Pacino.   I wanted more romance and intrigue.  Even her professional relationship with Francis Ford Coppola while working on ‘The Godfather’ was quite short in detail.  These are some pretty powerful Hollywood players – I wanted dirt.  Perhaps there wasn’t a lot mainly because these gentlemen are still alive and being a classy lady she didn’t want to sell them out.  They have families now and the like.  I get it.

I have to applaud her for also writing about what it was like adopting two children late in life and being determined to give them as much love, affection and care equal to that of any mom younger in age.  Love it! 

She didn’t winge about how she never married or was waiting around for dudes to come and sweep her up so she could procreate on their schedule.  Instead she took the reins and made it happen for on her time.  Very modern woman.  So admirable.  Then again – she is pretty rich so maybe it’s a lil easier for her to get away with that than say you or I could in our 50’s. 

Lastly, the coolest element of this book was that it was written as a series of letters.  A craft she inherited from her mom early on to not only journal what was going on in life but also to make sense of it so she could reflect upon it at a later date.  Fascinating.  Letter writing is such a dying art – recognizing that she was able to hold onto such beautiful historical mementoes between herself, her parents and loved ones that were ultimately assembled to tell her life’s tale. 

‘Then Again: A Memoir by Diane Keaton’ was uniquely and creatively written.  I read a lot of autobiographies and this one really stands out as a ‘must read’.  Is this book worth a read?  Yes!  Keep in mind you will get wrapped up in a whirlwind very early on in this book.  The imagery is stunning.  In the latter part of the book – it did wane a tad.  Overall, I enjoyed it and glad I know her a lil better.

Random House Publishing Group

Price:  $30 Canadian

Yours,

Mel xo

Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 Parka

The best incident came was when I was on a night out with one of my gf’s and the darn zipper got jammed.  Again.  My friend had to actually help me in undoing the zipper in the middle of an uber cool Toronto bar.  That wasn’t even the end of it!  Going home we are at another pub and I couldn’t even zipper up the jacket.  I was mortified.  I didn’t want to ask my gf for help who was laughing her ass off at me at this point.  So we ended up leaving and I was stuck trying to zipper the darn Eddie Bauer parka on Bathurst and Bloor at 2 a.m. in the cold waiting for a night bus to get me home.  It was sad.  Really sad.

Luckily Eddie Bauer took it back and gave me a full refund.  But it was a pain in the ass and really when you are spending over $150 U.S. for a parka you want it to work when you need it the most. I’m never buying Eddie Bauer again unless they woo me back.

This has been the case with every jacket since I let my $400 Burton Snowboarding jacket go 7 years ago.  That jacket did me well – I never had any issues and man it travelled the world with me for over 10 years.  I ended up retiring it and giving it to a friend…I’m sure it’s still living large.  Somewhere.

My same gf told me about how Sporting Life here In Toronto was having a crazy end of season sale.  Sure enough I check their website and I see the North Face Brooklyn jacket from last season that I have wanted reduced.  Hmmm…like I said before it’s been a mild winter in Toronto.  I guess not many folks have been buying jackets.

The North Face Brooklyn Jacket

Here are the spec’s:

Shield yourself from harsh winters in Oslo or New York, and stay warm and dry inside this waterproof down jacket. Made with waterproof, breathable, seam sealed HyVent® 2L fabric at the exterior, this resilient insulated winter jacket rests mid-thigh for added coverage. Tuck your head into the insulated hood affixed with a (removable) faux fur trim, and cinch the slim webbed waist belt tight to ward off gusts of snow and wind.

Features

Waterproof, breathable, seam sealed

Attached, adjustable, insulated hood

Detachable faux fur trim

Two Napoleon chest pockets

Two-way center front zip and snap-down closure

Attached webbed belt with metal buckle

Internal security pocket

Two hand pockets

Attached internal fleece in cuffs

Being a frugal shopper I did a quick online search and found a Montreal online shop by the name of Altitude Sports (http://www.altitude-sports.com/) who also happened to be having a crazy sale.  I bought the jacket and low in behold the next day they tell me the jacket is sold out.  We go back and forth – they tell me they found the jacket and to re-purchase it.  I did.  I asked them 4 times to give me some kind of token to say ‘sorry’ for their error or a price break.  Nothing.  Horrific customer service people.  Horrific.

That said – I bought my jacket and I received it last week.  I don’t think I will ever buy a jacket or anything else from Altitude Sports again.

Ok winge over.  I’m happy with my North Face Brooklyn jacket – so happy.  It’s stylish, cute and sexy.  Original price is $399 and I got it for $240 plus tax.  Huge savings for a quality piece. 

Yours in fashion,

Mel xo

After seeing City and Colour at Massey Hall on Friday night – which was superb, I’ve been dialling up fav tracks from a fellow cool Canadian label by the name of Arts & Crafts. 

As per Wikipedia.com, Arts & Crafts (also referred to as “A&C”) was launched as a music company in 2002 by friends Jeffrey Remedios, a former Virgin Records executive and Kevin Drew, who co-founded flagship group Broken Social Scene (BSS) with Brendan Canning. The partnership was originally intended as a vehicle for self-release and artist management of Broken Social Scene’s breakthrough album You Forgot It in People, and the structure quickly formed as a platform to release albums and manage the careers of artists directly affiliated with members of Broken Social Scene. In addition to BSS albums the labels first releases were by Stars, Jason Collett, Feist, Apostle of Hustle and Valley of the Giants.

Bands that I like these days from A&C that are getting my plaid on in full force include of the following:

Stars’ music has been described as “beautiful, eloquent indie pop”, characterized by lush instrumentation, nimble production and mixing, narrative lyrics, and soft but nuanced vocals. The band’s style has evolved from an electronic-pop sound as heard on Nightsongs (released on Le Grand Magistery record label) to more rock-based instrumentation on their following three full-length albums, reflecting the permanent additions of singer-guitarist Amy Millan and bassist Evan Cranley on Heart (released on Paper Bag Records), and eventually drummer Pat McGee on Set Yourself on Fire.

Now for a girl from my hometown of Etobicoke. Cold Specks is 23-year-old who is making critical waves in the U.K., with television performances on Later With Jools Holland and British media such as The Guardian, The Times and NME.

Describing her sound as “Doom Soul”, Cold Specks’ music is steeped in the musical traditions of the Deep South. No wonder then that Al cites the Lomax Field Recordings and James Carr as influences along with Bill Callahan and Tom Waits. With a voice that evokes the ‘spirit feel’ of Mahalia Jackson and the visceral tones of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Cold Specks’ sparse arrangements and chain gang rhythms stop you dead in your tracks.

“Holland” is backed with the song “Old Stepstone” and is now available on limited edition 7 inch as well as digitally.

Yours in music,

Mel xo

LAMB Runway Fall 2012 c/o popsugar

Inspired by the “1960s rogue girl with a Japanese street sensibility,” Gwen Stefani chose to show off her latest L.A.M.B designs against a collage of black-and-white New York City street snaps and closeup shots of girls getting their eye makeup done, all while Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Were Made For Walkin’” boomed overhead. Each look seemed to reflect a moment in Gwen’s iconic style evolution. Case in point: her “Hey Baby” houndstooth print made a serious comeback, landing on everything from sporty totes to bomber jackets; her “Sweet Escape” moto-edged attire popped up in zippered jacquard jackets; and those Clueless-worthy platforms? That’s just a classic Gwen staple. While the outerwear was athletic and tough, the attention to feminine details was also spot on. Look to the Peter Pan collars, sexy Morgenthal Frederics cat-eye glasses, impeccably pleated circle skirts, and sheer knee-high nylons for proof of Gwen’s girlier side. No matter how you spin it, this is an ultra-wearable lineup of ’90s-cool gear with a hint of retro and a pop of graphic-print modernity.

• Trends: Houndstooth print, pleated skirts, sportswear-inspired outerwear, and Peter Pan collars.
• Colors: A dark, cool palette — red, black, gray, and ecru — with surprise pops of neon yellow.
• Key Piece: The gray pleated circle skirt paired with a sweet collared top makes a sexy take on schoolgirl classics.
• Accessories: Sporty tote bags, cat-eye secretary glasses, knee-high nylons, and ’90s-style chunky platforms.
• Who Would Wear It: The girl with a sportier fierce edge when it comes to dress, like Rihanna.

Vintage Clash Tee

Levi's Curve ID Slight Curve Skinny Jean 90 pounds www.asos.com

and BAM! 

Topshop Pritti Sandals

Sass and Bide 'Rumour Has It' Super Skinny Cropped Jeans 165 pounds from www.asos.com

These bad boys will look good strictly in a super skinny.  So keep an eye out and try them on before purchasing.   Make sure they fit nice and tight to your leg.  Also try not to spend more than say $60.  Remember it’s a trend and hmmm I don’t see these lasting more than one season.  I would even resurrect your grey jeans for the next lil while if you fancy it.  I wasn’t a huge fan of my grey’s but they were a nice change from my usual blue denim.  I can’t wait to wear these with a cool wedge or strappy sandal.

AWear Teal Skinny Jean 35 pounds from www.asos.com

Yours,

Mel xo

I didn’t want to like it – but I do. For once, she isn’t sampling The Clash so maybe that’s what makes it more palatable.

Plus I like her – even though she disappointed me a tad with a sell out last night. Ah well. Carrying on.

Start your crush here:

I like Madonna but again I didn’t feel invested to watch her SB performance. I was up late last night and caught the performance on youtube and thought I’d share it. Best bit for me was the ‘Just Like A Prayer’ sequence.

Lastly, if you link up creatively with Madonna..you lose all credibility. Ahem M.I.A..

Yours,
Mel xo