Swishlist.ca

I was introduced to a new Canadian site last week called ModernKaribou.ca. It really fills a nice gap in the Canadian online market for design elements for the home including furniture by Gus* Modern, and home accessories by eco-conscious designers FLUF (who have closed shop in Toronto to focus on wholesale so this is a great resource for its followers). They seem to carry a few of my favourites who I have mentioned in the past: ferm LIVING (fantastic wall stickers and gorgeous wallpaper), and OFFI (affordable dining chairs and funky stools). This site is a perfect way to avoid cross-border duties and shipping and to find new and exciting Canadian design. They are offering free shipping on orders over $100 - which is pretty easy to reach with their tempting array of items. What do I have my eye on? FLUF Landscape pillows and the Gus* Modern Bathurst Cabinet…appearing soon in a living room near me. It has all of the elements Canadian online shoppers dream about: 5 stars.

Photos: Modern Karibou

Luxe Label is a Winnipeg-based site that hawks hard-to-find fashion labels to Canadians. I was delighted to see labels such as Development by Erica Davies and BZR by Bruuns Bazaar however somewhat disappointed upon clicking on a few designer categories to find them void of any product. Frankly, I find that kind of annoying and unprofessional when I shop online. However, turquoise cropped jackets by Smythe and 60s fitted shifts by Black Halo buoyed my spirits and made me happy to have found it.

This Highwaisted Wide Leg Pant by Development is made for my closet and would be there right now if it weren’t for the fact that I had twins 2 months ago and therefore do not possess the trimmest of waists at this moment in time. For those of you who do, pair these trousers with this Ardistia Avenell Pleated Collar Shirt for the ultimate in casual chic. Defintely a good resources for some key seasonal pieces but could use some work in the accessory and shoe department before it becomes a favourite online destination: 4 stars.

Photos: Luxe Label

This is an official review of the online boutique Aqua Skye but I also want to let you know about the sale they are currently having: 50% off all jewellery until January 31, 2008 (with the exception of the Bridal Collection). **To get this discount when shopping online, you have to type “the 50% sale” in the comments section and they will manually deduct the rebate from your order when placed.** I have to tell you that you that it does require some serious browsing time because of the slightly irregular way that they organize their catalog, but you can find some great pieces on this Montreal-based site. They carry the Dyrberg/Kern line from Denmark, of which I have always been a fan. Modern, classic and trendy-enough jewelry. Above are a few of their pieces: Laurina gold and black jet hoop earrings $95 - elegant but still modern and a great addition to your gold collection, Yannis ring in gold and black swarovski crystal $98 - I am not usually a matching set kind of girl but at 50% off it would be worth having the ring to match the earrings.

The Dyrberg/Kern White Olympia 22″ charm necklace - a classic necklace to spruce up your crisp whites, Broadway in Black silk scarf $139 - would make a fabulous headscarf, similar to the one Serena wore in last week’s Gossip Girl episode. I am not sure if the accessories are also on sale but it is worth asking.

They also have a good collection of silver Pyrrha pendants (and some bronze) like this one called Two Birds - you don’t often see them on sale so now is your chance if you have been eyeing them. I am in love with the chain bracelets by Italian designer Vita, shown are the Metallic Skye bracelet $259 - soft patent leather and very on trend, and The Golden Power $98 - a more rock n roll version…so glam it will make any black outfit come alive. 

Finally, I had to show you the Mirror clutch in navy blue and brown $79 - pair with the gold chain bracelet above with you favourite dark denim and add instant interest and girlfriend envy. The site has very good selection, is available in French and offers returns. However, it organizes its catalogue by colour/theme and then by item (necklace, earrings, etc.) so I found it wasn’t a completely natural way to shop for jewelry…it would be better to organize it by item and then by colour/theme. A search function wouldn’t hurt either: 4 stars.

Photos: Aqua Skye

A new eco-boutique has hit Toronto and now offers online shopping too. green is black is a family and friend venture that attempts to achieve zero footprint while also adorning themselves with sustainable, hip, soft, and beautiful body-celebrating clothing, shoes and accessories. Some people equate eco-friendly clothing with shapeless, colourless sacks. The reality is that there are now many eco designers that create amazing clothing that has little impact on our earth. Check out these achingly trendy indigo high-waisted Del Forte Willow Jeans. If you are going to buy designer jeans in Canada, the $185 price tag on these is definitely well within the normal range of what you would pay. The Beau Criss Cross dress has high-fashion detail and falls into a flattering a-line shape in 100% organic cotton.

They carry the jack&marjorie line of handbags; the madeline, shown above, is a steal at $80. I have seen many of their designs up close and they are really well made with amazing details. Finally, I must admit, it is difficult to find earth-friendly shoes that make an outfit…until now. Check out the bellini by Charmone. Vegan and sweatshop free, they aren’t environmentally perfect but they sure would look great with those high-waisted Del Forte jeans this Spring. The site is simple and has a decent online selection and variety of designers. It has some room for improvement so for that: 4 stars.

Photos: green is black

Feeling a little bit Rok and Roll? Always. Icerok is a Toronto-based jewelry company started by three young male friends who thought there was a need for a line of sleek and stylish jewelry that was affordable. Their lines include yellow and white gold, silver and diamonds so there is something to appeal to everyone. They do rings and earrings but they focus mainly on unique symbolic pendants that are so hot right now. I really love the skull and cross bones as well as the mini white gold and diamond hamsa - a symbol in Jewish and Islamic cultures to signify good luck or to protect from the “evil eye”. I don’t worry too much about the “evil eye” but it does remind me of my amazing trip to Morocco and I just like the symbol in its own right.  The silver pendants start at a very reachable $75 while the larger gold and diamond pieces reach as high as $1400. They offer returns and free overnight shipping within Canada - bonus. The site is easy to use, has great photography and the product is just plain cool for both boys and girls: 5 stars.

Photos: Icerok

E.l.f. You might be thinking of small pointy-earred dudes in green hats and jingling toes but in this case e.l.f. stands for Eyes Lips Face. Now what I am going to say will sound too good to be true. And you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true? They usually are. I must say, in this case, it’s good and it’s true. E.l.f. carries a wide variety of cosmetics and makeup accessories for $1. Yes, one US dollar - for full sized products. They have been around for 3 years so it’s not like some flash in the pan concept company. The cosmetics are on-trend and good quality. They don’t test on animals nor do any products contain animal products. And they have even launched a natural mineral makeup line in recyclable packaging (not $1 but not much more) as well as a nail polish line that is free of all of those nasty carcinogens like Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate and Formaldehyde.

Plumping Lip Glaze to pucker your pout - $1. Smudge Eye Brush to blend that smoky eye - $1. All Over Color Stick for the quick fixer-upper - $1. Mineral Glow for that shimmering touch - $8. Nail Polish for a little shine - $1. Honestly, why wouldn’t you try it? For a limited time they have free shipping over $75 but unless you are buying here for everyone on your Christmas list it would be pretty tough to reach the $75 mark. The site is great looking, has excellent product photos, useful beauty tips and shipping is $6.95. They don’t accept returns but at that price, I don’t blame them. You can find them at Target in the US but since we live in Canada, this is a pretty good site for some pretty good cosmetics: 4 stars.

Photos: e.l.f.

Are you thinking about shopping online for Christmas but are afraid that shipping costs are prohibitive? Consider the cost of the following items and compare with your online shipping charges to make you feel like it’s worth it: parking fees of at least $5 per shopping trip, time spent wandering around crowded malls looking for the perfect gift, cost of fancy coffees and sugary treats to keep up your shopping energy, saving the provincial sales tax if you order goods from out-of-province - it adds up. Jewelry is always a great choice since it is small and light and the shipping doesn’t cost much. And since we are talking about jewelry, I wanted to introduce you to Melissa Clemente Designs. Find her online, selling via her busy etsy shop, or find her at her studio and gallery in the Kapisanan Phillipine Centre, 167 Augusta Ave, Toronto. Don’t miss her holiday sales of up to 50% off. Her pieces are incredibly ornamental and include one-of-a-kind necklaces and earrings made of mixed chain, textiles and beads that really add drama to an outfit. Her site is simple but has slick photography that really shows off her work. Etsy provides an excellent platform for selling her wares and shipping is only $3 or free if buying multiple pieces. I can’t wait to show off one of her pieces this holiday season: 4 stars.

When I first visited Goneshopping.ca I thought that yes, they had some interesting products but there wasn’t anything that was really enticing me to browse around. Yet as I looked for gift sources this week I came to realize that the deeper you dig, the more interesting girly solutions you find. It is a great resource for hard-to-find lifestyle products including beauty, home and fashion items that make great gifts or treats for yourself when you need that little pick-me-up. There are a few items that made my shopping list (I can’t say who because they might be reading).

The first must-have item is Kiss Me Mascara. Do you hate wearing mascara because of the difficult clean-up, messy smearing and eye-irritating qualities? I do. Well, this mascara is different because it puts little tubes around your eyelashes to thicken them instead of just painting them. No clumping and comes off with no residue. Sounds like a dream product especially for a gift since at $30, it might not be something you buy for yourself until you really know it works.

The next product is the Nearly Nude Extra Low Tank. A slimming tank to wear under low cut tops and extra long to smooth out any lumps you may have. Some could even get away with wearing it without a bra - yippee. The last product I am going to mention is the Foot Petals Sole Stopperz. Again, another great girly solution for those slippery pumps and boots. Whether it’s on an icy night out or a greasy bar floor, these are much cheaper than taking every pair of shoes to the shoemaker to add that extra grip on your soles. With many more gifts and solutions for kids, men and even the eco-conscious, Goneshopping.ca is a good go-to site for the perfect prezzie. Free shipping for orders over $79 and returns however the site could be better organized, I find that some of the categories are a bit confusing and you really have to dig to turn up the most interesting products: 4 stars.

Photos: Goneshopping.ca

Have you dreamed of taking a shopping trip to Italy this Fall? Well you still can at Forzieri Italia. A high-end mix of men’s and women’s Italian accessories and footwear - and get this, they pay the duty and tax. Really. You would think that their prices might be inflated to account for these additional charges but they look pretty normal to me. This might even be better than flying to Milan (except of course for the amazing food and people-watching). Forzieri.com is a slick and elegant looking site with a surprising depth to the categories that they list: handbags, scarves, jewelry, shoes, to name a few. Whether you are looking for the perfect soft and buttery leather hobo handbag or a fun cocktail ring to accent your winter wardrobe, this is the place.

Party pumps and extravagant silk scarves that become a lifelong friend can also be found for yourself or a special person in your life. Men are special too so check out the slim-fit dress shirts and handmade leather lace-ups that only Italians could craft. Returns, Canadian currency, no additional customs and taxes (wow) and reasonable shipping on top of all that…$10 regular, $17 express and free over $500. It’s obvious: 5 stars.

Photos: Forzieri

Ottawa e-shop Lilou Organics has a wide variety of high-quality, all natural body and beauty products from which to choose. I have mentioned them a few times before for individual products that I liked but I thought it was time for a review now that the holidays are approaching and you no doubt have some treehuggers on your list. In my opinion, the best lines they carry in terms of depth of choice and effectiveness are Dr.Hauschka, Suki and Juice Beauty. European line Dr.Hauschka has been around for years and can be found in many a celebrity’s daily beauty regime. With subtle scents like Rose and Quince, they offer complete facial or body beauty care along with a good selection of cosmetics to complete the look. 

Juice Beauty, from California, is a line of organic facial care with an organic juice base formula rich in potent antioxidants and vitamins. I have used their products with success although I have learned my lesson that with natural beauty products, don’t try to combine too many steps into one, for example, your SPF goes on separately from your facial moisturizer. Oh, and I wasn’t too impressed with their tinted lip balm either - their strength lies in their facial care products. Finally, Suki offers rich, organic products for face, body and cosmetics. Afraid of committing to a new brand? Try one of their mini care kits to test out what products work for you. The site is very well-designed, provides returns and a selection of reasonably-priced gift wrap and cards. They have products for women, men, teens and babies so you will definitely cross someone off of your list here: 5 stars.

Photos: Lilou Organics