Monthly Archives: November 2010

November 30, 2010 · 8:14 AM

Gym Clothes Are For The Gym

I contemplated wearing yoga pants and a hooded sweatshirt on this lazy Sunday but I decided I could wear comfortable clothes without looking like I was headed to the gym, so I wore this instead, and was equally as comfortable.

I bought this lady-like hat in Australia years ago and it’s by Kangol.  It’s one of those purchases I love and never really wear, but will hold on to forever.

I’m also wearing:
* Distressed jeans, Joe Fresh ($29)
* Charcoal top with lace shoulders, Winners ($19)
* Dex chunky knit sweater, Winners ($24)
* Cowboy boots, vintage store on Dundas ($10)

Next time you’re temped to leave the house in “house clothes” (as Italians in Italy would say), reach for a pair of jeans and a knit sweater instead – you’ll feel like less of a bum and you’ll be glad you did.  JD

This is my “hurry up and take the picture, I’m so cold” dance.
Thanks for taking the pics Mom! xo

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November 29, 2010 · 9:51 AM

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Last Tuesday we attended the Gap holiday shopping party hosted by our favorite Toronto fashion blogger, Julia Seidl for Stylehog.  Here are a few of our favorite things.

Julia Seidl of Stylehog

Pierre Hardy for Gap hiking boot.

Shearling and camel = The perfect mix

Make-up artists were on hand from MAC.

Sequins!  I love sequins like the Cookie Monster loves cookies.

Toronto DJ’s Bangs and Blush.

Faux Fur Trapper Hat.  CM

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November 26, 2010 · 10:20 AM

Bundle Up Little Ones

It’s official – our good friend winter has arrived.  Last night I bundled up in my Rudsak winter coat and the warmest scarf I own – a giant circle scarf from H&M.  I also wore lace-up booties and my newest hat, both from H&M.
I’m having visions of sitting by a fireplace, wearing leg warmers, and eating homemade cookies….who’s baking for me?  Baby, it’s cold outside! JD

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November 25, 2010 · 8:59 AM

Easterbrooks

If you are from Burlington or Hamilton you would know what separates these two cities (I hope). I am not talking about the vast acres of professionally manicured land at the Royal Botanical Gardens, I am talking about its neighbor, Easterbrooks.

Founded by a Burlington family in 1930, Easterbrooks is known for their foot long hot dogs and their decor which hasn’t changed since the day it opened. Space is scarce in the diner so red vinyl stools are placed at the bar and the side wall beside a vintage (almost antique) hunting game. The hot spots are three wooden booths where you can make yourself a part of Easterbrooks history by tagging your name on their benches. The oldest love story I read was “Jim + Mary ’68″. Wonder if their romance lasted as long as Easterbrook’s furniture?

The Easterbrooks menu is set is stone with hamburgers, fries, milk shakes, floats and foot longs. The hot dog menu is listed on paper plates glued to the wall and there are over 20 to choose from (veggie dogs available). I went with the Guided Missile topped with onions,  dijon mustard and sauerkraut. I’m sure the name has something to do with the destruction of what was once fresh breath but either way it was worth this day.

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November 24, 2010 · 9:49 AM

Lace Top Tight Pants

I popped by The Bay on Queen last week and found this lace top by Vero Moda on sale for $20. Score!  I love Vero Moda – they always have nice stuff.  I bought an amazing dress as well that I’ll show you soon.

My pants and belt are from Zara ($59), and  I’m happy to tell you that Zara on Bloor is finally open after 5 months of renovations.  That was a long wait.  They changed the floors, shelving, and light fixtures.  That’s it! I thought they were building another floor at that rate.

My lace-up booties are from Spring shoes, and cashmere scarf is by Arnold Brant.  Hope you are bundled up today, it’s getting so cold!  It’s going to be difficult to take outfit photos outside soon.  Not sure what we’re gonna do!  JD

 

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November 23, 2010 · 7:28 AM

Reunited

I found this H&M sweater in a random closet at my Mother’s house.  It was a Eureka moment!  How could I have let it sit for four years in bag on the floor of a closet?  Do you ever have those moments where a piece of clothing is discovered after years of hiding?.  It closely compares to a great vintage find.  Since my rediscovery last week, I have worn this sweater way too many times (laundry!)  We have reunited… and it feels so good.

Overcoat – Club Monaco
Jean Shorts – H&M
Tights – Hue
T-Shirt – Gap
Booties - Spring
Belt – H&M
Sunglasses – Joe Fresh
Lipstick – Nars Jungle Red

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November 22, 2010 · 9:30 AM

New York Eats

We were just reminiscing about the trip we took to New York last fall because we’re set to go back in a few weeks!!  Manhattan and Brooklyn restaurants are simply amazing.  Toronto definitely has some great eats, but New York is just a whole other level.  There’s always a little something extra that makes the experience so memorable.  We made the most of our short stay by hitting up to four places a day.  We would get a drink and appetizer and move on to the next.  It was a great way to try out a lot of places.  Our favourite had to be La Esquina in Nolita.  We don’t have pictures from it because we didn’t want to blow our tourist cover by busting out our cameras, but here are some of the other places we hit…..

Freemans on the Lower East side. A little tricky to find, but well worth it! I love fire escapes for some odd reason – they just look so charming.

Lowenbrau, Brussel sprouts.

Maccondo in the Lower East Side.

Eight different types of booze. Trouble.

Dumont Burger (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). D-LISH.

Fada Bistro (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). Here we saw a girl wearing no bra and a see-through top.

Magnolia Bakery. After these cupcakes and iced coffees we felt seriously sugar high (West Village)

Milk and Cookies in the West Village. YUM!


Royal Bangladesh in the East Village. Check out our video from this place here! AMAZING TIMES!! See ya soon NYC! JD & CM xx

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November 19, 2010 · 7:28 PM

Fave Quotes

“You know what would be so amazing?  If  Hamburgler, Ronald McDonald, and Grimace showed up right now carrying platters of Big Macs, French fries, and milk shakes.” ~ Julie D’Uva

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· 6:31 AM

You Make My World So Colourful

“The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.”
- Coco Chanel

Cropped Sweater – H&M
Tank – Club Monaco
Skirt – H&M
Belt – Zara
Bag – Joe Fresh
Boots – H&M
Tights – Forever 21

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November 18, 2010 · 3:08 PM

Calvin Klein BEAUTY Giveaway

Last night Seven Dollar Pants attended the Canadian launch of the new fragrance by Calvin Klein, Beauty, at the Gardiner Museum.  Perfumer Sophie Labbe from France, who created this fragrance for Calvin Klein, flew into Toronto (her first Canadian visit) for the event.  Sophie’s inspiration came from Calvin Klein’s signature flower, the lily, and Diane Krueger who is Calvin Klein’s muse.  Mixing the lily’s scent with ambrette seeds, jasmine and cedarwood, Sophie believes BEAUTY “evokes the ultimate power of femininity and sophistication, while capturing the spirit of a woman who is beautiful from the inside out”.  What do we think of BEAUTY?  We think it is lovely!

We have two prizes to give away!  For a chance to win a 100ml bottle of eau de parfum spray , or a 50ml bottle with a purse charm, follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/7dollarpants and tweet “@7dollarpants I would love to win Calvin Klein’s new fragrance BEAUTY!.” You can also follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sevendollarpants and write on our wall.  Just let us know you want it by Friday, November 19th at 5pm and we’ll add you to the draw.  Good luck!

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· 8:56 AM

Keep on Movin’ Don’t Stop Now

I came across this video on Youtube and I absolutely LOVE it.  What doesn’t break you, makes you stronger, right? JD xx

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November 17, 2010 · 8:00 AM

Wedding Frocktails

These are a few of my favorite dresses from the wedding I attended that was mentioned in my post The Maids.  Starting with the beautiful bride whose champagne lace dress was taken from the sample rack at Yorkville’s White boutique for $100.  I KNOW! That may be the best wedding dress price you have ever heard of and from White of all places!  It was so refreshing seeing a dress of this length – I loved everything about it.

Nude and red is my favorite combination right now.

These shoulders were even bigger in person therefore even better in person!

Sequins. You know how I feel about sequins.  I would cover my body in glue and roll in them every morning before work if I could.  Love this long sleeve mini.

“Something blue” and oh so cute.

Love the 20′s inspired length on this dress and the detailing on the shoulder.

Working the winter white and the black patent belt is the perfect finish.

So sexy in lace with the gold vintage belt.

Representing with the one shoulder.

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November 16, 2010 · 8:17 AM

The Long Skirt – Finally Found!

I have been on the lookout for a tight long black skirt FOREVER.  On the weekend, my friends’ cousin had just the one I pictured in my mind and she was kind enough to share that it came from H&M (for $49).  I love you H&M, you have almost everything that I’m looking for…thanks for being so reliable!

As in true Julie D’Uva fashion, I had to wear my new purchase immediately so I styled up a look just in time for the H.C. Sanders Launch event at the Thompson Hotel last night.  (H.C. Sanders is a German high-quality bedding company that just opened a Canadian store in Yorkville).

My new skirt is made of a thick spandex material and when I walk, I feel like a mermaid.  For the love of fashion!!
I also wore my American Apparel crop top, H&M moto jacket, H&M lace-up booties, and a selection of chain accessories. Oh, and I topped it off with another chapeau of mine.  This grey fedora came from none other than Goorin Bros.  JD

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November 15, 2010 · 8:58 AM

The Maids

This past year was a busy one for me. I had seven weddings to attend. Thank goodness my friends have impeccable taste, individual to their own, otherwise I just wouldn’t have been able to deal. Seven is a lot!

For this past wedding, I was honored to be one of my friend Sundie’s ‘maids along with four other of my greatest friends. We all lived together in a house at Western and managed to survive to stand by Sundie on this day.

Our dresses are from J Crew and shoes are my red pumps from Spring. We were able to choose our own accessories so I picked up a necklace and earrings from Forever 21. During dinner I wore this faux fur shrug that I purchased from Charlotte Russe in the US. It was $25 and it is a good piece as I wear it with more casual outfits like jeans and a T’s. Make-up was kept to a minimum because I knew I wanted to do a bright red lip in Jungle Red by Nars. CM

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November 12, 2010 · 8:04 AM

Battle of the Blades

As CM mentioned, we were recently invited to a taping of the hit CBC show Battle of the Blades.  For those that don’t know what the show is about – it’s kind of like Dancing with the Stars but with professional figure skaters and ex-NHL hockey players.  The show has gained a lot of attention and is aired in the US as well.  Go Canada!  The performances were great, and I especially loved the Bollywood Slumdog Millionaire routine performed by Shae-Lynn Bourne and Patrice Brisebois.  The outfits were vibrant and fun, and Patrice was the nicest to look at of the male contenders.  You can catch Battle of the Blades every Sunday and Monday at 8 pm on CBC.


I wore my new Roots socks to the show and I was quite impressed by them.  Yes, even socks excite me!  I like the look of great socks poking out the tops of boots, and not only did they look good but they were extremely warm too.  Perfect for the studio arena we were in.


I also wore:
* Denim jeggings, Costa Blanca
* Denim shirt, Zara
* Chunky knit cardigan, DEX (Winners)
* Old man driving cap, Kensington Market
* Lace-up boots, H&M

And this is my deer caught in headlights look (wasn’t ready for the camera!)….. JD

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November 11, 2010 · 4:57 PM

Inspiration Quote

“Passion is energy.  Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

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· 8:58 AM

3 Degrees of Kimmy Gibbler

Last Sunday night, Julie and I attended the taping of the sixth episode of Battle of the Blades.  We brought along the biggest Battle of the Blade fan we know, my mother, who cheered along every female Olympian and “woo-woo’ed” at all the retired, hunky hockey players.  We had a great night!

After the show we were invited back stage.  I just had to get a picture with Valeri Bure, husband of Candace Cameron, a.k.a. DJ Tanner!  Growing up I heard from many, including my mom, that I looked a lot like DJ.  When this picture was snapped, my mother got so excited she just had to tell Valeri of the comparison.  He didn’t seem to care.  Come on Val, I’m sure it isn’t everyday where you meet you wife’s 9-year-old doppleganger!

To stay warm by the ice, I wore my $14 H&M sweater dress and this Mendocino parka that I scored for $100.  CM

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November 10, 2010 · 7:40 AM

The Chunky Knit Cardigan

Do you ever buy the same piece of clothing over and over again until you get it right?
I’ve bought about 5 grey sweaters in the past year but they haven’t been quite what I was looking for – until I found this one.  It has just the right look – a draped effect but fitted too, a nice pattern of knit, and it isn’t too bulky that it looks like a grandma sweater.  It’s by DEX Clothing and I found it last week at Winners on Bloor for $24. JD

I’m also wearing:
* My old man driving cap, Kensington Market $11
* Silk boyfriend shirt, Joe Fresh $39
* Tapered cargo pant, Union Bay from Alloy.com $60 (after tax and shipping)
* Lace-up boots, H&M $69
* Leather moto-gloves, Aldo $24
* Cashmere scarf by Arnold Brant (gift)

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November 9, 2010 · 12:15 PM

Fave Quotes

“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” — Michael Caine

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November 8, 2010 · 10:31 AM

Cougar Boots

“For The World You Walk On, Love What You Wear”

In continuation with JD’s Cougar rain boot post, I had the pleasure of receiving these winter boots in the mail.  When photographing the Cougar Boots on a brisk fall day, I had to admit I overheated almost immediately starting from my toes. These 100% waterproof puppies will keep you warm in temperatures of – 29 degrees Celsius. Taking note Montreal, Winnipeg and Calgary? Once proving to be functional throughout our cold winters, I was amazed by how good they look. With patent detail and lined with rabbit fur, I can trek these boots across the city and through ski resorts. CM

The rest of my outfit:
*H&M Bomber
*American Apparel Leggings
*Hudson’s Bay Company Olympic Edition Toque
*Dolce & Gabbana Sunglasses
*Aritzia Cotton Turtleneck

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· 7:57 AM

Electric Blue

I’m going to try really hard to add splashes of colour to my outfits this winter to save me from the black and grey drab syndrome we all fall into.  I found this electric blue blazer at H&M for $39 and I love it! JD

Other parts of my outfit include:
* Black jeans from Zara
* Circle scarf from Spring
* Silk shirt from a vintage store in Gent (Belgium)
* Moto gloves from Aldo
* Sunglasses are Gant by Michael Bastian
* Purse by Cole Haan

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November 5, 2010 · 9:08 AM

Back to Black

When I pull my winter coats out of storage, remove them from their garment bags and hang them in my closet I get excited. Excited because I enjoy creating new outfits from my revived winter wardrobe. “You’re styling two outfits at once!”, I tell my mother. She thinks I’m crazy.

This black jacket is from Club Monaco. I realize Club Monaco doesn’t want to hear this but, I always wait till after Christmas to scour their sale racks for deals on Outerwear and leather. This jacket was found marked down from $300 to $100. Made from 100% wool, it has held it bell shape beautifully over the past 3 years and has become a winter staple for me.

Boots are from Cole Haan. Beautiful non? Headband and stockings are H&M and gloves are BOSS Black. CM

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November 4, 2010 · 3:10 PM

My Newest Chapeau

I have always been a hat girl.  Ever since the 7th grade, I developed this habit, this NEED to buy hats.  I have so many of them I could start a little hat shop.  But I would never sell them, because I love them all.  That’s a lie – I went through an embarrassing Blossom Russo stage and bought some hideous hats with giant sunflowers flowers on the front – THOSE I can get rid of.

I think my love for hats goes back to when I was a little girl and I used to wear my Nonno’s hats.  He was the definition of “Man of Style.”  He was blind for the last 25 years of his life and yet he still dressed in a different suit everyday, complete with polished shoes, a pressed shirt, sunglasses, and always a hat.  I have great photos of me trying on his hats at age 2 and again in grade school.  I’ll have to share them with you one day.

For now, I’ll show you a photo of my newest purchase – I call it my old man driving cap and I bought it in Kensignton Market for $11.  Are you a hat girl?  JD

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· 8:13 AM

Cougar Boots

What’s better than opening your door to a bouquet of flowers?  How about a brand new pair of boots?  Yes please!!

I was thrilled to receive an awesome pair of rain boots from COUGAR Shoes.  These boots are fashionable, functional, and of really good quality.  They are durable and best of all – Cougar is a Canadian company (since 1948).

I just love what they look like – especially for a rain boot.  I’ve been toying with the idea of buying a moto boot or Frye boot, and these boots fill that craving of mine.  A great feature is that they are extremely light weight.  I’ve tried many rain boots and they are always clunky and are such an effort to wear.  Not these – they are definitely comfortable.  I wore them walking all around the city and they were great! JD

For more info or where to buy, check out www.cougarshoes.com.

List of other things I’m wearing:
* Acid wash jeggings from Forever 21 ($24)
* Leather jacket by Andrew Marc (sample sale)
* Vintage purse (gift from BFF)
* Cashmere scarf by Arnold Brant (gift)
* Bow head band from Winners ($10)
* Moto-gloves from Aldo ($24)

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November 3, 2010 · 5:37 PM

Another Hot Dog Day

Sometimes you just gotta give into street meat! JD

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