Lida Baday sample sale - November 11

The one you’ve been waiting for is back...

What?Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming garden party or wedding, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

When?
Friday, November 11, 2011
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

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• Lida Baday’s sample sale - May 13
• Lida Baday’s sample sale - November 5

Lida Baday Sample Sale - May 13

The one you’ve been waiting for is back (and so is Bargainista)...

What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming garden party or wedding, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

When?
Friday, May 13, 2011
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Lida Baday’s sample sale - November 5
  

Lida Baday Sample Sale - November 5

The one you’ve been waiting for is back just in time for holiday shopping...

What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming party, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

When?
Friday, Nov. 5, 2010
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

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• Indigo unveils new website for the holidays
• Wanna spend some time with Steven and Chris?
• Bargainista's shopping tips at Yummy Mummy Club

My night at the P&G Beauty Awards

On Thursday, October 29, I had the pleasure of attending the first-ever P&G Beauty Awards in Canada at The Carlu in Toronto. (Check out the live tweets and my photos.)



I was so flattered to receive an invitation to this exclusive event that although I received invitations to attend several events that night (believe me, that night was an exception), I accepted graciously.

Hosted by Nia Vardalos, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated Canadian actress and screenwriter, best known for her performance in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the event portion of the evening is best described as entertaining and stylish with a splash of good humour for good measure. Lots of fashion and beauty personalities were on hand, Fashion Television’s Jeanne Beker; David Clemmer, star of the W Network’s “Style by Jury”; MTV News host and producer, Aliya-Jasmine Sovani; fashion designer Joeffer Caoc and the reigning Canada’s Next Top Model, Meaghan Waller. who were presenters. Somehow I missed Valerie Bertinelli, what a shame. She was Mr. B’s adolescent crush.

Unlike any awards shows I’ve seen on TV, this one ran quickly. Video commentary from one of the judges in each of 16 categories provided brief explanations as to why each winner was selected. Acceptance speeches were short, sweet and to the point. The ceremony even ended a few minutes earlier than expected, allowing more time for the elegant after-party.

What really stood out for me, apart from all the beautiful people who were impeccably dressed, was how several of the winners gave a shout out to the PR people who made their jobs easier. At a time where public relations is facing new challenges and often called out in an unflattering way because of shoddy blogger outreach, it was refreshing to hear praises for people who do it well. It’s also a reminder that at the end of the day, no matter who is approaching whom or how, what matters are relationships and relationships are a two-sided equation.

Next year let’s hope we’ll see a greater recognition of fashion and beauty bloggers who are outside of the mainstream Canadian fashion and beauty media.

Congrats to all the winners! Thanks again P&G Beauty and all the sponsors. (I’m enjoying the very generous swag bag too.)

Tzatz Shopping Party

What?
• TZATZ Late Nite Shopping Party
• Complimentary wine bar opens at 6:00 p.m.
• Shopping until 9:30 p.m.
• Receive a TZpecial gift with your purchase!
• Win a $100 or $200 Gift TZertificate

When?
Oct. 28: 6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Where?
TZATZ
2512 1/2 Yonge St. (map)
5 blocks north of Eglinton Av. at Castlefield Av.
Green “P” parking is located directly behind the store
Enter lot from Castlefield Av.

Let us know if you go!

Check out my interview on FinalFashion

Shortly after Bargainista began, some awesome and very connected members of the fashion blogging community contacted me and invited me to join them for the second Toronto Fashion Bloggers Brunch, started by none other than the incredibly talented and articulate Danielle Meder, the woman behind finalfashion. She’s a brilliant fashion illustrator too. (Thanks Danielle for letting me include one of your illustrations.)

Danielle interviewed me this week for her interview series, fashion blog karma where we discuss the intersection between the fashion and shopping blogger communities and public relations. Have a read. I’d love to know what you think.

Mad about Mad Men

I’ve always been a fan of early 60s style, especially fashion and décor. And, although I understand the sociopolitical context, I’m still amazed at how one decade began with women aspiring to be like Jackie O yet ended with the Hippie generation.

I’d been intrigued by Mad Men for quite some time, especially with all the talk on Twitter most likely due to the fact I’m friends with a lot of people from the agency biz. As some of you know, I’m no stranger to agency biz myself since I joined iStudio last spring. As for whether or not things have changed since the 1960s, I’ll leave that for you to decide.

Back to Twitter, about 10 days ago, new avatars started popping up all over the place. Why? Mad Men season 3 starts on August 16 and it was one of the ways AMC decided to create some buzz on blogs, Twitter and Facebook. If I’m any indication, it worked. Last weekend I rented season 1 and we’ve been having a Mad Men marathon ever since. Season 2 is available for free on Rogers on Demand until the end of the month. A Twitter fan campaign emerged last summer when accounts were launched on behalf of some of the main characters, creating buzz for season 2.

Here’s Bargainista Mad Men style:

Despite 1962/3 being a time where most women were either perfecting their best Martha Stewart impressions long before Martha Stewart was a household name (no wonder Mother’s Little Helper was so popular), or belonging to a secretarial pool, I related more to Peggy Olson and decided to join the boys club. You can check out MadMenYourself.com for yourself.

Better yet, if you think you really are a Mad Men (or Mad Women) material, you have until August 11 to get a special code from your local Banana Republic store (they’re not available online) and try out for the Mad Men Casting Call by entering the special code and uploading your photo – that fans can rate. A lucky winner will get a walk-on role in Mad Men season 3 and a $1,000 shopping spree at Banana Republic. Check out Banana Republic Mad About Style and Miranda Wickett from London, Ontario - looks like she may have a chance.

Update: As part of Banana Republic’s Mad Men promotion, spend $125 or more on new merchandise August 13-23 and save 25% off your purchase. (Note: Scroll down when you click on the link to see the BR promo.)

Do you watch Mad Men? What do you think? How much has the workplace changed in 40+ years?

My friend made it into Holts' window

This post is long, long overdue. At the end of June, Holt Renfrew unveiled a new series of windows as a tribute to some of the best fashion bloggers in the whole wide world.

I knew about the Holt’s windows and the shout out to bloggers for a while and I owe a huge apology to my friend Anita Clarke of I want – I got for not posting this sooner. In fact, I probably took one of the first photos of Anita’s window before it was revealed. Anita invited me to her “reveal” party the night of the unveiling and unfortunately, I wasn’t able to join in the celebration.

Why should you care?
A tribute to bloggers demonstrates Holt’s awareness of the importance of influential blogs, customer reviews and word of mouth (online and off) for sharing knowledge about fashion, what’s hot, what’s not and where to buy. They didn’t stop at the windows, they’re also having a contest where you can vote for your favourite blog correspondents on Facebook using a touchscreen computer outside their Bloor St. store or your own devices.

Here’s a list of the other incredible fashion bloggers who made the cut:
• Scott Schuman
• Bryanboy
• Tommy Ton
• Jane Aldridge
• Garance Doré

Why should I care?
Well, way back in the fall of 2006, shortly after I started blogging, I got an email from Anita. We had never met in person. Outside of some PR and marketing folks who I had met briefly at two-part AIMS events and my friend Glen, I really didn’t know any bloggers. I certainly didn’t know any who were blogging about fashion or shopping.

Anita invited me to join her and a small group of friends who were heavily engaged in the local and international fashion blogging seeing. She invited to me to join them for an upcoming Toronto Fashion Bloggers’ Brunch, a group founded by the ever-so-talented Danielle Meder from final fashion. I haven’t looked back since. We’ve all remained friends and I owe it to Anita and Danielle for welcoming me into their community.

So to those of you who think us bloggers are a bunch of computer nerds hanging out in our basements, think again. ;-)

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Lida Baday sample sale May 1

The one you’ve been waiting for is back...


What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming party, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

When?
Friday, May 1, 2009
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

Free tickets to The Clothing Show - May 1-3

Want free tix?
Once again, the nice people at The Clothing Show are giving away three pairs of tickets to the first three of you who ask for them in the comments section of the blog. Make sure you mention you’d like a pair of tickets in your comment.

What?
The Clothing Show
• Shop for unique finds from talented designers and artisans
• Deep discounts on big name labels in the sample sales section and unique treasures from vintage and retro vendors
• Runway fashion shows
• Art gallery featuring works by local artists
• Men’s & ECO sections!
• Every visitor gets a goody bag
• Enter to win a $1,000 shopping spree!

When?
Fri., May 1 – 3 p.m.-9 p.m.
Sat., May 2 – 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sun., May 3 – 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
Better Living Center, Exhibition Place (See map.)
Toronto
Directions

How much?
Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

Let us know what you get if you go.

Pink Tartan sample sale - Nov. 25 and 26

What?
Pink Tartan sample sale
A portion of all proceeds will be donated to the Toronto East General Hospital Foundation

When?
• Nov. 25: 4 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Nov. 26: 12 noon-8 p.m.

Where?
27 Bathurst St. (map)
Toronto, ON

If you go, leave a comment and let us know what you find.

Winter outerwear for mother and daughter

In this week’s baby bargainista column, Jenny goes shopping for a winter maternity coat and outerwear for her big sister to-be...

Even though we’ve been enjoying unseasonably warm weather, this week I couldn’t ignore the long-range forecast or the fact that I am, very soon, going to be in need of winter coats. One for myself to cover the growing belly, as none of my current coats can button up over the bump anymore; and one for my 4-year-old because I know as soon as the snow flies she’ll want to be outside rolling around in it.

I’d heard about the M coat – a marvelous creation by Canadian Spirit Downwear that adapts to the 3 stages of maternity thanks to a zip-out A-line front panel. Worn with the panel zipped in an “A” shape, it snugly covers a bump; worn with the panel zipped in a “V”, you can squire your newborn around town in a baby bjorn and keep them snug. And of course, with the panel zipped out, it’s a lovely parka for when I’m (hopefully) back to pre-pregnancy shape.

Unfortunately the only place I’ve been able to find that is currently stocking the M Coat is Sporting Life – and it’s very expensive! At $480 I can’t help but wonder if I’m better off just buying two different coats, one A-line maternity number and a parka for afters. What’s making me lean towards splurging is the ability to zip my baby into the coat when in a front carrier and avoid having to push a stroller through the snow in order to enjoy the great outdoors.

I still haven’t decided whether to go for it – partly because I’m still waiting for my chosen size and color to come in stock at Sporting Life. Maybe the delay is a blessing – an opportunity to comparison shop. (If anyone has any hot tips, let me know in the Comments!)

I had much better luck finding a coat and snow pants for my little girl. After some comparison shopping at various stores (Sears, Zellers), I couldn’t find anything that was up to my standards, so I went straight to my old standby: Gap Kids. I know, it belies my “babyBargainista” title but I love their coat and snow pant combos and in 3 years of buying winter gear for my daughter I’ve yet to find anything comparable.

I like that Gap Kids offers a selection of separates in various colors that you can mix-and-match (brown, pink, white, and silver). Their sizing and fit is perfect for my extra-tall girl. And the construction is impeccable – inside cuffs on both coat and pants, inside layer snaps on the coat so it won’t ride up, detachable hood and detachable fur trim, fully height-adjustable snowpants (very important for growing kids), a side zipper on the pants for easy on-off – all these elements make the combo well worth the $120 (combined) price tag.

What’s your go-to for winter gear?

rk sample warehouse and holiday sale

What?
rk sample warehouse and holiday sale

Where?
Studio Gallery (map)
294 College St. , 2F
Toronto

When?
Nov. 13: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (VIP hours - let me know if you want a pass)
Nov. 13: 4 p.m.-8 p.m.
Nov. 14-15: 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.

The One Hundred - are you a stylish woman?

The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia and illustrated by Ruben Toledo.

You may remember I thoroughly enjoyed The Little Black Book of Style. So, when HarperCollins Canada told me about Nina Garcia’s latest book, The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own, I wasn’t shy and asked for a copy right away.

(I guess I owe them a huge apology. It took me a while to get around to reading the book and even longer to write this post, which is not to say I didn’t enjoy it – I did. I enjoyed it very much in fact. I’ve just been focusing on other things. What can I say… such is life for a hobbyist blogger. )

Unlike Garcia’s first book, there wasn’t any empowering message this time around but I found it just as valuable, if not more so.

I own a mere 36 of the one-hundred-must-have pieces. I’m not sure whether I should be disappointed because according to Garcia, I’m nowhere near being a stylish woman; or, whether I should be happy because it means I have a lot of shopping to do in order to get all the necessary classics into my closet.

Garcia’s list is wide-ranging and includes:
• Blackberry (with a list of links to er favourite websites)
• black opaque tights (one of my fave s and on this season’s “must-have” list)
• classic pearls
• little black dress
• little white dress (I can do without one of those, can you?)
• safari jackets (I didn’t know YSL made them a high fashion item 50 years ago, did you?); and,
• yoga gear (unfortunately she asks us to promise not to wear yoga pants on an airplane – was she spying on me?).

I also liked the way she organized her list – alphabetically – shares the history of specific styles via “fashion 101” sidebars and enlightens us about the designer and/or celebrity who made them famous.

Garcia does a great job of sharing where you can buy specific items, when to invest the big bucks and when you can save your hard-earned cash. If I have one criticism it’s that she could have done a better job of telling you where to buy things for less.

As always, part of the charm of her books is the wonderful illustrations throughout by Ruben Toledo. The One Hundred is a quick read and one book you’ll want to keep on hand. It also makes a perfect gift for someone who needs a new wardrobe whether she’s recently lost a lot of weight, needs an intervention from the folks at What Not to Wear or a bit of both.

Arthur Mendonça - inventory clearance sale

What?
Arthur Mendonça - inventory clearance sale - up to 80% off
Everything reduced!

When?
Oct. 21, Oct. 22, Oct. 23
3:oo p.m.-8 p.m.

Where?
219 Dufferin St., Suite 112C (map)
Toronto

How?
Full payment required, cash/credit cards accepted

Call 416 536-2287 or email info@mendonca.ca for more info.
Let us know what you get if you go.

Lida Baday’s sample sale - October 24

The one you’ve been waiting for is back...

What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the best department stores including:

• Holts
• Andrew’s
• Sak’s

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for a holiday party, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

Now that I’m slimmer and in need of some evening wear, I’m going. Are you?

When?
Friday, Oct. 24
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

Dressing the belly

In this week’s column, Jenny Bullough share’s her thoughts about maternity wear.

Like a lot of moms and expecting moms, it’s an ongoing challenge for me to find inexpensive yet elegant maternity clothes. Staying stylish yet comfortable and not spending a fortune doesn’t seem like an outlandish or unreachable goal, so why is it so hard?

Part of the problem is that most maternity wear is designed to fit women who are at the most rotund stage of pregnancy – which often means that in the early months, these items are far too big. Right now I’m at the awkward stage of desperately cramming myself into my regular clothes – okay, my “fat” clothes usually reserved for premenstrual bloating – because my maternity clothes are still far too big and loose. I’m also deep in denial about the coming Clothespocalypse: saying goodbye to my cute fall sweaters and trousers, knowing I won’t fit into them until next year.

However, there is hope! A friend and new mom bequeathed to me her Bella band – a handy little piece of elasticized fabric that, miracle of miracles! Allows you to wear your prepregnancy pants unbuttoned. This should help me to make my fall wardrobe staples last a little bit longer, at least until my maternity pants will stay up! (Motherhood Maternity also carries their own version, the “tummy sleeve”.)

When the Bella band option has been exhausted, likely by October, I’m going to have to make a trip downtown to visit my two favorite mainstream maternity chain stores -- Motherhood Maternity and Thyme Maternity. Their clothes are decently priced, fairly fashionable without being overly trendy, and they have enough selection that I can mix-and-match their current pieces with the older and hand-me-down maternity clothes currently living in bins in my basement.

I’ll tell you what brand I *wish* made maternity clothes: Lululemon. I’m so tired of my favorite workout shirts riding up my growing belly while I’m trying to maintain an imprinted spine in Prenatal Pilates, or achieve camel pose in Prenatal Yoga!

What about you – do you have a favorite maternity store or brand? Or a favorite brand, period, that you wish had a maternity line?

Free tickets to The Clothing Show - Sept. 26-28

Want free tix?
The nice people at The Clothing Show are giving away three pairs of tickets to the first three of you who ask for them in the comments section of the blog. Make sure you mention you’d like a pair of tickets in your comment.

What?
The Clothing Show
• Shop at more thank 300 booths of new label, designer, vintage and brand name clothing and accessories for men & women!
• Runway fashion shows Friday night & Saturday
• LOULOU Magazine Fashion Photography Competition
• New Men’s & ECO sections!
• Best Dressed Vintage (public) Competition
• Century of Fashion Exhibit
• Enter to win a $1,000 shopping spree!

When?
Fri., Sept. 26 – 3 p.m.-9 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 27 – 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 28 – 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
Better Living Center, Exhibition Place (See map.)
Toronto
Directions

How much?
Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

Let us know what you get if you go.

Weekly Wish – a decent affordable department store in Toronto

With news today about NRDC Equity Partners purchasing The Hudson Bay Co., the national retail landscape is about change, especially where designer fashion is concerned. NRDC purchased Lord & Taylor in 2006 – the historical U.S. fashion department store chain – and it seems to be thriving under their ownership.

I for one was very disappointed when The Bay moved into American hands a couple years ago but since it’s already there, I have no problem with it being in the hands of a company that has the potential to provide fashion-conscious shoppers with options at affordable price points. Speculation is it will give Holt Renfrew a run for its money. Could be interesting...

I love the purple merino sheath dress (pictured) Lord & Taylor is showing for fall and it seems like good value at $144. There’s also speculation about Fortunoff - also part of the Lord & Taylor-NRDC family joining the mix in the Great White North.

As for whether or not they should change the name to Lord & Taylor, I’m not sure. The Hudon Bay Co. represents such an imporant part of Canadian history, I’d hate to see it go.

Whether or not I’ll get my wish, only time will tell. What do you think?

Dear Bargainista #14 - locating a dress

Patricia from Montreal writes:

I live in Montreal and I go to Holt Renfrew for shopping. Last week, I saw a white dress with a zipper in the back from Lida Baday. Today, when I went back the dress was sold. I would like to find the same one - size 6 or 8. If you could help me I will be very happy. The saleswoman did not want to call Holts in Toronto to check. Just tell me where I may call to find that dress.

Thank you very much

•••
Dear Patricia,

Bummer! Did the saleswoman at Holt Renfrew explain why she couldn’t call the Toronto locations on your behalf? It doesn’t sound like you received the level of service I would expect from a store like Holts.

I suggest you try calling your local Holt Renfrew store and see if someone will help you. Otherwise, If you really want the dress, you may have to call another Holt Renfrew location yourself.

Alternatively, you may want to contact other stores that carry Lida Baday instead. I know The Bay on Queen St. in Toronto carries higher-end designer fashions including Lida Baday. I also suggest checking eBay since you already know your size - you may even find it for less!

I’d love to know what you decide and whether you end up finding what you want. Please leave a comment and let everyone know.

Dear Bargainista would love to hear from you too! Have a question about shopping, fashion or food? E-mail us.