URBAN Legend?

Who (reading this blog), does not enjoy a good fashion read from time to time? You guessed it - we all do. The good news is there is a ton of quality fashion-related material out there, but the bad news is I have a feeling some of you might be getting sucked into paying inflated prices as a result of purchasing at convenient '1-stop-shop' fashion retailers such as our good friend, Urban Outfitters.

Don't get me wrong, I hit up (the sale section exclusively) at Urban Oufitters like it's nobody's business. I just want to make it known that the same titles you see in the much-loved Housewares section at Urban, will also be found at your local bookstore - but at much more attractive prices.

For example, I picked up "I Love Your Style" By Amanda Brooks for a whopping $7.99 (and yes, it was NEEEEEW). Last week, I saw the same book for $29.99 at Urban and thought I should throw down a post to alert all my Stylista Fashionista bitties out there that there is another, budget-friendly way to hit up this book.

Below are some great titles I have come across at both Urban Outfitters and at smaller, one off bookstores... The choice is yours.

I'm just sayin', thats all.

I Like My style Quarterly - First Issue, Spring 2010

Contemporary Lingerie By Katie Dominy

I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks

Dreaming of Dior by Charlotte Smith

101 Things I Learned in Fashion School by Alfredo Cabrera

Sunshine Sightings

actually pretty decent (this time)...

Watch and Learn

Here are some sick new watches to watch out for. Watch. Watch .Watch.

Marc By Marc Jacobs Rivera Oversized Plastic Watch, $175 @ Bloomies.

Marc By Marc Jacobs Purple and Green "Pelly" watch, $175 at Bloomies.

...and if you're convinced PURPLE just aint your thang, you can always opt for the LIME "Pelly" variety:

Tick Tock, I love em all.

Loop de Loop

Here's a little belt trick to update your everyday look & create a g'd out edge. All of the cool kids are doing it. Peeeeer pressure. Muahaha. xx

Ever Harem Pantamania

Ever, $71 (sale from $178).

Ever, $68 (sale from $242)

In Toronto, you can find Ever merchandise at JacFlash & Lileo boutiques. Check out www.ever-us.com for more info on their amazingly comfortable luxury clothing items.

2-in-1 Shampoo has a new meaning.

A little Israeli bird told me today that you can use shampoo to hand-wash your clothes instead of Woolite or other name brand hand-washing laundry detergents. Since "when in Rome, one shall do as the Romans do" - I decided to try this regiment out.

Survey says: The Israeli bird was correct.

My clothes turned out spankin' clean.

If only more things in life had dual uses...

Please welcome the new girl in town....

Get your British pounds out, because the Queen of fashion (formally known as TOPSHOP) is officially coming to Toronto 's Ossington neighbourhood. Canadian high-end retailer 'Jonathan + Olivia' has blown out its back wall to create space for the new 800 sqaure-foot TopShop boutique....and we couldn't be more excited.

As stated above, the public frenzy will begin at 9:00am on June 19th at 49 Ossington Avenue.

And if you are not a lover of big crowds, sharp elbows & sweaty shoppers, I have more good news for you. In order to avoid all of the merchandise being sold out on opening day, J+O wants to reassure us all that it has promised to continue restocking its shelves every other day during the launch & bi-weekly thereafter. This way, we can all win.

And that's not all ladies, because as well all know, the fun cannot be over until the British Queen sings...Stay tuned for the Fall arrivals of both the Kate Moss for TopShop collection as well as TopShop's much-anticipated new cosmetics line. I can't even breathe.

Ladies n' Gentleman, start your engines.

Psychedelic Summer, Baby.

I am beyond feeling the psychedelic trend for Spring/Summer 2010. Winter is long gone ladies, so lets celebrate in style. It's time to show off your true colours no matter how daring the prints or colour combinations may appear to be.
The following are some of my favourite looks by designer Proenza Shouler. Groooooovy....

Just a Typical Day...

Six IDF Female Soldiers.
Tel Aviv, Israel

Z'man Beeshviel Tzion

MyHeartIsInTheEastButIAmInTheWest - Rabbi Yehuda Halevi

Wedding Bells Side Note

During my recent quest for a bridesmaid's 'do, I came across this Do-It-Yourself video on how to do a pimp little chignon (french for 'bun'), as well as some amazing high fashion versions of the tried n' true classic bun-style.

enjoyyyy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1fGEsxA9Ys&feature=player_embedded

The Stylista Fashionista Genie of the Lamp - is back

I have officially landed in eretz Israel, my home away from home, in more ways than one.

As you may already know, Israel's current fashion trends (which are heavily influenced by European trends) run approximately one year ahead of our fashion cycle in North America. As such, I promise to post updates on the latest fashoin trends (no matter what the fashion future might hold) to provide a sneak peak as to what styles we can expect in the coming year.

If you're skeptical on how accurately these trends can be forecasted, trust me when I tell you that after spending an entire summer surrounded by Israeli/European fashion, I bought my very first pair of harem pants in September '09 - at a time when I undoubtedly received questionable looks for wearing those "ridiculous 'Aladdin' pants."

Well, all my little H&M/Zara frequenters, who's laughing now?