Shoe Sale!

I'm sure you might have heard aboutt the awesome Boxing Day Sales that Urban Shoe Myth had going post-holidays. The even better news is that those sales are still in place and even more footwear is 30%, 50% or even 75% off to make way for new spring merchandise. In fact, most of the store is on sale right now!

And that's not all. I was in the store earlier this week helping a friend pick out boots when I heard about the new, even better offer. If you purchase 2 pairs of footwear, you get an additional 20% off your purchase, an extra 30% off if you leave with 3 pairs, and if you happen to find 4 pairs that you cannot live without, you'll get an extra 40% off your total.

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Saint John on the web

I"ll be honest- I don't know what I'd do without the internet. It's my source for catching up on the latest trends, tuning into world news, making plans with friends, or find out what's going on in Saint John this weekend. Here are some of my favourite links I've encountered this week that have local content:

1. Professional photos by Kelly Lawson and Mike Capson from the Urban Glam Party posted.
2. Perfumes Plus shares a sneak peak at the new Chanel Spring 2011 cosmetic line. 
3. The Urban Shoe Myth is offering 25% off their holiday shoes for the remainder of the week.
4. An article I stumbled upon that lists many reasons why it's important to shop local.
5. Manchester Shoe Salon and Pseudio are both offering tax free from now until Christmas.
6. Market Square is giving away a $500 shopping spree each Friday until December 23.
7. Profile written on shop owner Kiera of Je Suis Prest Boutique.
8. Brunswick Square is also doing a giveaway promotion titled $1000 reasons to shop locally
9. Beat the Winter Blues Facebook Competition involving multiple uptown Saint John businesses.
10. Fusion is hosting Merry Martinis, a cocktail party in support of Romero House, next week.

What was the best or most interesting thing you saw on the web this week? (Let me know in the comments below!)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I'm kicking it off with a Christmas party tonight at the Delta- can't wait to wear a new dress! (It has sequins.)

gift guide for her

By now most people are full into their holiday shopping (I've even heard a select few say they are actually finished!) I actually haven't even started. Well compared to the last few years, this might have me concerned, I remember as a student I used to leave my Christmas shopping until after exams, not even making my list prior to the 20th.

I am always committed to getting my friends and family gifts that I know they will love and use. The most important thing to me is getting something I know they will appreciate. I've been out browsing the shops in Saint John over the last few weeks, and here's my suggestions on where to shop for the women in your life!

Uptown Saint John 

Shoes

Depending on your budget and who you're buying for, no girl is going to turn down a beautiful pair of shoes. Support local, purchase quality, and consider a classic pair of pumps or flats from The Urban Shoe Myth (King Street) or Manchester Shoe Salon (Market Square). If you're not sure of her footwear tastes or what she has in her closet, a gift certificate to use towards a new pair of shoes or a quality wallet is never a poor choice. It's common to hear gift cards are impersonal, but I don't agree. A generic gift that she may or may not like is impersonal, but if you provide her with a little credit towards something she really likes, that will be greatly appreciated. And for a cute pair of comfortable Toms, I believe Je Suis Prest Boutique may still have some in stock!

Clothing

If you know her size or clothing preferences, there are many uptown boutiques to consider shopping. If you know her favourite store, a gift card is an option in this department too. Je Suis Prest Boutique (Brunswick Square) and Envy (Market Square) cater to a crowd of early 20s to 40s, depending on her personal style. If you know she shops at Je Suis Prest Boutique, be sure to ask the Prest girls if she has a shopping list there- they actually keep a list of their customers favourites to make holiday shopping easier! Kiera and Joy make a point to get to know their customers' tastes and give honest feedback so asking their option is always a great lead. For a girl in her teens to mid-20s I'd recommend checking out Pseudio (Brunswick Square). For the mature woman, try Collectables and Colwell's- it may be a little more expensive, but you can't go wrong with good quality. I'd say Silver Daisy (King Street) falls somewhere in between, serving unique and stylish clothing for girls in their 20s and 30s.

Accessories

Accessories are always a great affordable choice for a gift. Baubles (Brunswick Square) and Silver Daisy Designs (King Street) are my favourite go-to locations for pretty earrings, necklaces, or bracelets.

Cosmetics 

Make-up choices like a lip gloss or nail polish are always fun gift ideas as well. Visit the girls at Perfumes Plus (Brunswick Square) and get them to help you pick out a fragrance, Chanel product, or OPI nail polish for the giftee. Did you know that aside from Halifax, this is the only location you can purchase Chanel products? Though you may not be able to afford a Chanel suit or vintage purse, the cosmetics lines is much more accessible price-wise. Their nail polish is my absolute favourite for quality and wear.

Purses

Get her a new purse from Je Suis Prest Boutique (Brunswick Square), Silver Daisy Designs (King Street), or Walsh Luggage (Market Square). For a modern shoulder or crossbody bag visit JSP or for a fun party clutch, try Silver Daisy. For something classic and long-term, try popping into Walsh Luggage.

Home Decor

If you think she'd appreciate something for the home, I'd recommend Decor 8 (Brunswick Square), English Butler (Brunswick Square) and Handworks (King Street). Especially if you don't know the inside of her closet as well. chances are you've gotten a better look at her living room or kitchen. A beautiful piece of pottery (Handworks), a unique kitchen tool (Decor 8), fun cocktail glasses (Decor 8), or a Yankee candle (English Butler) are always great choices.  

Hair and Spa 

If you think she'd enjoy being pampered and doesn't spend enough time on herself, try purchasing a treatment or spa service from Element5 (Market Square) or Perfumes Plus (Brunswick Square). You could also browse Element5's selection of Aveda products for a great quality shampoo and conditioner. Speaking of hair care products, you could also try Hairacy's (Brunswick Square) selection of Redken products.

What I like about shopping uptown in general is that these locally owned shops give much better service. They are interested and invested in their customers' wants and needs, so asking their opinions might help point you in the right direction. Familiarizing yourself with the uptown is a great personal shopping experience and you're supporting local! Remember, when in doubt, choosing to purchase a gift certificate from a store you know she likes to shop at is never a fail.

Also, if you haven't seen it yet, check out the blog post I wrote last week for the Brunswick Square blog featuring the top 5 reasons for shopping at  the Uptown shopping centre.

luxury cars & brand name shoes

Last month I was invited to an event at the Mercedes-Benz dealership that mixed luxury cars with luxury goods (fashionable clothing that is). Am I in the market for a fancy car? Unfortunately not and while I'm perfectly happy driving my economical little Corolla, I certainly wouldn't shy away from a Mercedes if my bank account was grow by a good margin! For now, the most expensive new transportation I can afford is quality footwear!

The event, did perk my interest since it had a fashion aspect and had some of my favourite retailers involved. My initial thought was to wonder how do luxury cars and fashion mix, but then I remember the company and fashion industry are quite often making a partnership. After all, you do know that New York Fashion Week's main sponsor is Mercedes-Benz, right? Mercedes-Benz Canada has its own links to LG Fashion Week in Toronto: launching the Mercedes-Benz StartUp competition, which is in an initiative that is intended to provide a platform to discover and support up-and-coming Canadian fashion designers.  

Although I was unable to attend, I was sent a few photos to see how the local Mercedes-Benz dealership was mingling with fashion and supporting local at their annual customer event. Photos are the work of the lovely Kelly Lawson (Lawson Photography).

Ashley with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

Dress: Je Suis Prest Boutique (Lipsy London) | Shoes: The Urban Shoe Myth (Michael Kors)

Jewellery: Goldsmith Studio | Watch: Goldsmith Studio (Gucci)

Natalie with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML Truck

Dress: Je Suis Prest Boutique (Mason) | Shoes: The Urban Shoe Myth (Nine West)

Jewellery: Goldsmith Studio | Watch: Goldsmith Studio (Gucci)

Mandy with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 Cabriolet

Dress: Je Suis Prest Boutique (DEPT) | Shoes: The Urban Shoe Myth (Stuart Weiztman)

Jewellery: Goldsmith Studio | Watch: Goldsmith Studio (Gucci)

My personal favourite was the outfit on Mandy. I love the faux leather dress- the fabric has a certain sex appeal and with tasteful necklace the mini skirt is definitely a go! I'm also a fan of patent leather and the rich red hue of the Stuart Weitzman pumps. 

All the models' hair was styled by ASAP Hair Studio and make-up was done with Chanel products at Perfumes Plus. 

This blog post is not sponsored content and is only my reflection on how this local car dealership mixed an element of fashion into their event. To support Maritime Shopaholic and have your fashion-related event officially covered on this blog, please see the Sponsor/Collaborate page for more details!

urban glam party...

This past Saturday local Je Suis Prest Boutique (JSP) and The Urban Shoe Myth (USM) debuted their holiday wear at their Urban Glam Party!

Upon entering the Saint John Theatre Company's space on Princess Street, the first thing my eyes were drawn to was the amazing decor that had been planned and put together by Design 4 Space. 

There were platform heels and Christmas ornaments hanging from the ceiling, 

graffiti art dominating the walls, and a hot pink outline for a runway.

There were two tables of delicious desserts prepared by the Bourbon Quarter.

Many lovely items were donated from suppliers' of both stores and be put up for silent auction. Proceeds from the evening are going to the Coverdale Centre for Women.

Nick was making a special candy cane cocktail while DJ La Reine spun hits all night long. 

The beautiful dresses and fancy wear were showcased in two separate runway shows during the evening. All clothing was Je Suis Prest Boutique and the shoes were from Urban Shoe Myth.

Lots of glamourous black with pops of colour, sequins, feminine silhouettes, and eye-catching backs were seen with the dresses. We saw a variance in height for holiday heels, but lots of glitter and even some feathers too!

The crowd watches on with great interest.

(Above): Shoes hanging from the ceiling, pretty cocktails, and Kate using Instagram to document some of the evening!

(Left): Katie & I  |  (Right): Kate & Candice

(Below) Me, Sarah, & Wendy  |  (Left): The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

(Left): Shelly (USM) & Kiera (JSP) pose together while having their photograph taken by Kelly Lawson. (Right): Right after Josh sprayed Adam (Hairacy's), Shelley, and Kiera with the silly string!

Overall it was a great night with a great cause supported. We followed up the party up with dancing the night away at The Canterbury Lounge!

Great news for all party attendees- all the tickets provide as a 20% discount at both Je Suis Prest Boutique and Urban Shoe Myth this week! Was there anything from the fashion show that you had to have? Which dresses and shoes were your absolutely favs? 


Be sure to check out the Facebook page later today for the rest of the pictures I captured from the Urban Glam Party!

3 trends: 1 outfit...

Earlier this week I wore this outfit to have my photo taken by Kâté, a photographer with the Telegraph Journal. I had fun eyeing the beautiful shoes in The Urban Shoe Myth while peering through their shelving, with Kâté on the other side with her camera. (From my understanding the photo is to included along side of an upcoming article about how retail in Saint John is changing.) 

Afterwards, I stole away to a quiet Uptown street where I could take out fit photos in a low-traffic area.

The Outfit   Black Blazer c/o Boa Apparel Inc | Brown top- Joe Fresh | Bracelets: Aldo

Sheer print top: BB Dakota (Je Suis Prest Boutique) | Jeans: 7 for all Mankind (Envy)

Shoes (similar): Steve Madden (The Urban Shoe Myth)

In this outfit I combined a few of my favourite trends for all: mixing black and browns, sporting animal prints, and mixing metals (gold and silver). What have been your favourite fall trends to experiment with?


And just before you go, I was wondering if I could ask you a quick favour?

I'm running a short survey just to get feedback on how I can improve my blog and learn a little more about the preferences of my readers. If you have a few moments, l would really appreciate it if you could answer some quick questions, even if this is your first visit! Participation and all answers are anonymous. Please click below to participate:

Maritime Shopaholic Reader Survey

floral & fur...

If there's one thing I've learned in the last (almost) 2 years of reading (and writing) fashion and style blogs, it's that being stylish doesn't always have a guaranteed or straight-forward recipe for success. Knowing your body and what you can pull off is an important aspect, but experimenting with different layers, textures, and colour combinations can be a fun exploration because in fashion, sometimes anything goes! (But it doesn't always.)

I've expanded my own personal style from the "shirt + pants + shoes = outfit" formula. I've learned layering pieces and accessorizing is a way to add interest or sophistication to an outfit. I've also learned that sometimes with outfit experimentation comes a hit or a miss.

This fall I've been inspired by other bloggers to up my efforts at finding new and interesting ways of combining and layering different textures.

The Outfit  Skirt (Old Navy) | Top (Jack BB Dakota, Je Suis Prest Boutique)

Sweater (American Eagle) | Necklace (Banana Republic) | Tights c/o We Love Colors

Boots (Born, The Urban Shoe Myth) | Beret (H&M) | Bracelet (Aldo)

I have to say, this beige sweater has been an all-time favourite and go-to of mine over the last few years. It's a nice neutral colour and, well, I love anything with a hood!

I can't believe that the holidays are closing in on us! Although I'm not over-eager enough to have pulled out the Christmas decor just yet, I have started planning what events and parties I'm going to attend. First up: the Urban Glam holiday party hosted by Je Suis Prest Boutique, The Urban Shoe Myth, and Design 4 Space this coming Saturday night (after having a peek at the Santa Claus Parade of course)! 

Will I be seeing you at this Saint John fashion event?

urban rancher...

I'm always trying different looks and remixing items from my closet- but aside from the visual appeal of an outfit, the most important factor is always comfort! It may not be fancy or appropriate for a cocktail party, but I can go out for a coffee date with a friend or curl up on my couch and type up a blog post wearing this ensemble.

A year ago when I took on 30 for 30 challenge posed by Kendi Everyday I learned that it's how you mix and match elements and how you accessorize that can make your wardrobe go further- it's not actually dependent on how many items are hanging in your closet. Essentially, the accessorizes (hat, scarf, necklace, earrings, bracelets, belt..) can totally change the vibe of an outfit and making sure you combine at least 3 items (i.e. top + vest + bottoms or dress + belt + coloured tights + statement necklace) in an ensemble that can bring an outfit from plain to stylish.

The Outfit  Shearling vest (Gentle Fawn, Je Suis Prest) | Jeggings (Guess, Envy) 

Shirt (similiar): Joe Fresh | Boots: Born- Urban Shoe Myth

Bracelet (ESquared, Silver Daisy Designs)

This shearling vest from Je Suis Prest Boutique has to be one of my favourite versatile items to remix. And speaking of Je Suis Prest, if you're local, have you heard about their Urban Glam Party coming up on Saturday, November 19? They're pairing up with The Urban Shoe Myth (and Design 4 Space) to showcase Saint John's exciting fashions and shoes for the upcoming holidays all while supporting a great cause in the Coverdale Centre for Women. Tickets go on sale for $30 today- and I anticipate they'll be sold out very soon because I do believe the max number is 150! Hop into Je Suis Prest Boutique or The Urban Shoe Myth to get your tickets ASAP! 

Will I be seeing you at the Urban Glam Party?

urban jungle...

Sometimes it can be fairly difficult to find an obscure location to shoot outfit photos that's for sure! I managed to tuck away in a corner uptown- with it being noon, the sun was too bright and there were lots of people out and about on their lunch hour! I've gotten the hang of choosing the best physical settings and natural lighting for my photos, but I still have so much to learn about the potential of owning an SLR!

This dress was a BB Dakota pick from Shopbop after winning Jessica's blog giveaway a few months ago.

The Outfit Dress (BB Dakota- Shopbop) | Tights (American Apparel) | Top (Joe Fresh)

Booties (Michael Kors- The Urban Shoe Myth) | Necklace (Aldo) | Bag (Coach)

And I was lucky enough to have Barb pick me up these tights from American Apparel during her vacation in Halifax a few weeks ago. (Thanks again my friend!) I'd have to say for opaque tights, American Apparel are my favourite. They lean on the more pricey side of things, but they general stay intact if you don't swipe and snag them with rings (like I tend to do...)

Coloured tights are always a fall must-have on my list! I've managed to gather a good collection- all that is missing is mustard and camel! What are your favourite colours for tights/pantyhose?

Pssst. I have three giveaways coming up on the blog soon!

Have a great weekend everyone!