Now that's Fresh.

I have been looking EVERYWHERE for a pair of lace-up wedge booties that don't look too clunky or too high. Well, looks like my prayers have been answered and, added bonus, these beauties are from Joe Fresh and retail for $79. They come in gray (shown below) as well as camel and black.

Joe actually has a great selection of winter booties this season, so I highly recommend a visit to one of their freestanding stores, or your local Real Canadian Superstore to check them out.


(Photo from JoeFresh.com)

Endless Salivating

While trying to track down a discounted pair of Vince Camuto Braden boots, I happened upon my new favorite online shopping site: Endless.com. An affiliate of Amazon, Endless carries shoes, bags, and accessories and is linked to your Amazon account. That means, they already have your information and they ALSO ship internationally. In fact, their checkout system is so comprehensive that they can even estimate the duty that you will be charged on your shipment so that you can pre-pay it (or take one look at it and decide to buy it the next time you are in the states :). Luckily for me, the Bradens were already marked down $50 when I found them, so even with $36 in duty, I paid less than the sticker price, all in.

Oh, and they have free shipping to the US and 365 day returns. Make sure you check them out, especially with Black Friday/Cyber Monday quickly approaching!


(Photo from vincecamuto.com)

Nordstrom, I need you.

Nordstrom is my mecca. A place where (nearly) everything is in style, well-made, and well-priced. And their return policy is completely ridiculous--in a good way. I love it, love it, love it.

I recently made a few purchases at the Half Yearly sale, including a Michael Kors coat, a pair of 7 for All Mankind skinnies, and a few sweaters and skirts. Then, shamefully I must admit that while on a weekend trip down to Portland I paid the store another visit...

For those who have yet to visit the great state of Oregon, you may be interested to learn that there is no sales tax in the entire state. That means, the sticker price of whatever item you are lusting over is the final price! As someone living in Vancouver, that's something I really appreciate. I managed to restrain myself and only buy one item, which I am absolutely in love with. Don't laugh.

It's a Timex Easy Reader watch. Yes, the same brand that my father wears. But, as you can see below, this isn't your daddy's watch. And at only $60 (tax free!) it was definitely an affordable indulgence.


(Photo from Nordstrom.com)

No Lemons at Piperlime

I am on so many email lists that it's a little bit out of hand. Actually, a lot of out of hand. I usually wake up with 40-50 new messages in my inbox, mostly for upcoming and current sales and deals. Usually only a few of these a week catch my attention, and today's was for Piperlime. Although you will need a US address to ship to, it's worth it for this sale--20% off everything (including sale items). Piperlime already has great prices on most items, from shoes and dresses to denim and swimsuits. I highly suggest you check out this sale today!

Fit for Royalty, Priced for the Ordinary

Ever since the Royal Wedding madness began, people have been obsessed with Kate's, and now her sister Pippa's, fashion sense. The morning after the wedding both sisters were photographed in Zara, prompting me to pay a visit to my very own local Zara. (Photo courtesy of People.com)

On Saturday I picked up a great basic trench coat for $99, which is, in my book, a steal, seeing as similar styles cost upwards of $250 in retailers like Banana Republic and Club Monaco. A word of advice, though: make sure you look carefully at every item before you make your purchase; in my experience this brand tends to keep items that have marks or other minor issues on the racks. I came home with my new coat only to have to return to the store the next day to exchange it due to a small black mark that I had failed to see the day before. Still though, for the price, the quality is as good as you can expect, and many of the styles that Zara carries are timeless.

I also spotted some great brightly coloured blazers and summery dresses, like Kate's, which would be great for a wedding, though certainly not a royal one. The Vancouver Zara was absolutely packed, though, so I recommend heading to one sooner rather than later to snag these affordable goodies just in time for the beautiful weather we will hopefully have soon.

Skinny Vanilla Wal-lattes

I am a Skinny Vanilla Latte girl. Delicious vanilla flavor and just enough caffeine for a boost at a mere 90 calories. Every since a good friend of mine introduced me to the drink a few years ago, it's become a weekly indulgence. Weekly because, once all is said and done, a tall rings in at nearly $4.00. Four dollars!

Recently I decided to try an experiment in cost-savings. In theory, a cafe au lait, or as Starbucks calls it, a "caffe misto" is basically the same thing, the only difference being a base of coffee instead of espresso. I ordered one to see for myself how it measured up to my fave SVLs.

Drumroll, please...the taste and consistency are nearly identical to its espresso cousin, but the drink costs only $2.10. Throw in some sugar-free syrup for an additional fifty cents (or, you could add your own if you're into that), and you're good to go. Pay with your registered Starbucks card and you'll get that syrup for free. And, if you're watching your girlish figure, the misto option has 30 less calories than an SVL. Woot!

Virtually the same drink for virtually half the price? Tall SFV caffe misto to go, please!