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Shoedazzle Review

By chelsea

Shoedazzle Review

After seeing ads for Shoedazzle everyday on my facebook wall, I decided to give in and sign up. Shoedazzle a “personalized show club” that promises monthly selections based on your personal style. It was apparently started by Kim Karadishian, but I somehow doubt that she is personally hand-picking your orders.

Signing up for the service takes you to a quiz where you choose your preference between different shoes, celebrities, and runway styles. Some of the choices seem a little arbitrary (a few times I was choosing between two styles and hated both). After the quiz is completed, a “showroom” is created for you featuring shoes based on your style choices.

All of the shoes listed are $39.95: which, with shipping, comes to about $50 Canadian. There are also purses and costume jewellery. The site also offers “dazzledeals”, which are limited-quantity deals offered in a small period of time. Some of the deals are pretty lame (a set of makeup bags for $50? No thanks.) but also a few good ones including a ceramic flatiron and set of gym clothes.

The one slightly sneaky part of the service l is that you need to cancel your order during the first few days of the month or your credit card is automatically charged. This wasn’t a huge issue for me since I’m onlibe every day, but I could see it being a disaster if you forget for 6 months and end up with a $300 charge. The credits can be carried over to future months or used on dazzledeals.

In terms of the shoes, my “showroom” selections have been very hit-and-miss. Some months I find two or three styles I love, but sometimes I don’t like anything. The option to be provided with new styles is available, and a fresh batch of shoes is ready in under 24 hours.

So far out of four months, I’ve ordered two pairs of shoes and canceled two months. The quality of the shoes has been surprisingly good: the materials are man-made but durable, and the shoes are reasonably comfortable.

In summary:

-The heels tend to be pretty high. It’s hard to tell from the photos, so be sure that you check the specs before ordering. A 5-inch heel looks cute in photos, but can be scary once you’re up there.

-You need to go onto the site early in the month, every month. If you don’t want to order, you only have a few days to cancel before your card is charged.

-The quality isn’t *amazing*. The shoes hold up well for indoors and going out, but taking them outdoors too often (especially in Canadian winters) could cause a lot of damage quickly.

-The site can be very slow and laggy at times. I’ve waited up 10 minutes for a page to load.

-There isn’t a way to specify what types of shoes you want (or don’t want) to see. For example, I prefer black and rarely wear peeptoes, but there isn’t the option to remove these from your showroom.

Overall: shoedazzle is a fun service if you have an extra $50 a month and are looking to expand your shoe (or purse) collection. The personalized selection is a fun way to try new styles you wouldn’t typically wear before investing in higher-quality brands. The shoes are more “fun” than “function” but sometimes that’s what shopping is about, right?


Dressing for Work

By chelsea

Dressing for Work
I’m a natural blonde, and when people ask me why I dye my hair, I usually answer “because brunettes make more money”.

I’m only half kidding.

Like it or not, how you dress impacts on how you’re perceived in the workplace. And perception is huge. Despite how competent and skilled you are at your job, social skills and appearance are just as important in getting yourself promoted and up the career ladder. If you think I’m being superficial, take a moment to think about the top leaders in your workplace. Aside from a few rare cases of eccentric genius (or the lucky ones who founded their own startups) all of these high-achievers show up to work well-dressed and well groomed. (Statistically, they’re in good shape too. Like it or not, being overweight also hinders your career. )

Fake it Till You Make It
You may have heard the advice that you should dress for the position you’re aiming for, rather than the position you’re in. This is somewhat true, although you should never outdress your direct superior. Going too over-the-top with your outfits becomes obvious and alienates you. But dressing at the same level as your boss will ensure you’re looking capable and ready for the next promotion. Every workplace is different, but just because one of your co-workers gets away with wearing yoga pants every day doesn’t mean you should follow suit.

Lie About Your Age
I’m young for my level of experience in my field, so when I’m interviewing for jobs and meeting new clients I try to look older. Looking too young will hinder you in your career: nobody is giving a leadership position to someone who looks like they stepped out of kindergarden. When you transition from college to the workplace, you will need to update your wardrobe, makeup, and hair. Bright eyeshadow, multicoloured chunky highlights, and Hello Kitty jewelry won’t cut it in the office. While it’s unlikely you will be directly reprimanded or fired for youthful attire (in most situations it’s illegal from an HR perspective anyway) you won’t be perceived as mature. My tricks are wearing glasses, red lipstick, and dark colours to look older.
On the flip side, when you’re aging, the goal is to look younger. (In an ideal world we would all be 30 forever) There is a right way and a wrong way to do this: for example, pigtails should *never* be worn by a woman over 40, and the same goes for miniskirts (even a 20-year-old size 0 should not wear a miniskirt to work, as explained in the next section). Dark hair generally emphasizes wrinkles and can make skin look harsh, so going lighter can take off years (but not california bleach-blonde, please). Avoid boxy and matronly shapes, and learn to dress for your body type to achieve a flattering silhouette.

Leave the Sex Kitten at Home
It’s totally possible to dress professionally and be feminine and pretty at the same time. But a huge mistake is to dress *too* sexy at the office. It’s not the issue of men being too distracted by a sexy co-worker (If a man really can’t do his job when there’s an attractive female around, it’s a sign that he’s lacking discipline and focus, and he should get help.) but it affects your credibility. While revealing clothing may gain the attention of male peers in the short-term, they won’t be taking you as seriously and show you the same respect. Would you feel comfortable reporting to a boss who shoves her cleavage in your face?

Miniskirts are a definite no. Also avoid too much cleavage or anything that is too form fitting.  Fishnets, bra straps, and open-backed dresses can be cute in the evening: but they’re not doing you any favours at work. You can also lay off the strong perfumes and heavy makeup. If you’re planning on going out after work, a sexy outfit can be toned down by a cover-up sweater, shawl, or by wearing leggings under short skirts during the day for an easy transition.

Dressing for work doesn’t have to be bland and depressing. You can show off your style with a cute heel, a great fit, and unique jewelery. But save the smoky eyeshadow and flashy “wow” fashions for after-hours and weekends. The attention you receive at work should be for being sophisticated, smart, and great at your job: not for your spilling cleavage or wacky over-the-top hairstyles. Oh, and the neck tattoo? Unless your career is in off-the-books “distribution”, find a good laser removal clinic before you send out your resume.


Boutiques.com Test Run

By chelsea

Boutiques.com Test Run

If you haven’t heard about the new Boutiques.com : it’s new, and it’s from Google. It’s designed to be based on algorithms to “learn” your fashion tastes and choose styles that you’ll love.

Since I’m in love with all things web and all things fashion. I decided to give it a test run.

You start out by being presented by two styles at a time, and choosing your favorite.  Afterwards, it gives you a style grouping: classic, romantic, edgy, etc. Kind of fun, but I didn’t need the quiz to know what category I fall into.

Next you’re given a selection of cuts, colours and fashions. This was my favourite part. You’re given the option of choosing what you “Love” and “Hate”, by category (tops, bottoms, shoes, etc). This part was really awesome, because it allows me right away to filter out styles I *know* won’t work on me. (for example, reptile prints, wide-leg pants, and peep-toe shoes are a huge NO). Next, you choose a “love” and “hate” list of designers. I was impressed by the designers list: they had a few smaller labels and it wasn’t all expensive.

After that, you’re directed to your boutique of recommended items. I was pretty happy with what was displayed for me: all black, and mostly things in my style. The layout is simple and clean and easy to follow. You can also save or share items, which is great for gift-giving season.

So give it a try! You might find something new you love, or at least have fun daydream about someday being able to afford your wishlist. (Mine is here if you want to follow me, by the way. It’s my birthday soon.)

Confessions of a (possible) Shopaholic

By chelsea

Confessions of a (possible) Shopaholic

Shopaholic.

Lately, I’ve been a little worried that I’ve become one. I just spent another lunch hour shopping (it’s Bay Days, come on!). I don’t really need new clothes: I’m certain that I have enough outfits to last me an entire month without ever wearing the same outfit twice. Maybe two months. Probably three.

As many women (and some men) know, shopping just FEELS good. When I’m down (as I have been lately, with probably-not-big-deal worries like money, dental pain, friends, my messed up foot, work, etc. the usual), the top five things that make always make me feel better are:

1. Working out
2. Spending time and talking with friends/people I’m close with
3. Eating, drinking and cooking
4. Doing creative stuff
5. Shopping

#1 is out of the question right now, since I wrecked the tendons in my foot last week. This is a huge bummer for me, since I usually spend 3-4 of my lunch hours running or at the gym, and I don’t know how to fill the time otherwise (okay, I do: shopping). #2 is also kind of out, because most of the people I’m close with are either absorbed in their own drama, shutting me out, or out of town right now. I don’t think it’s a good idea to stuff my face when I’m not working out, and I’m too busy to do any more creative side projects. So that just leaves shopping.

Lots of shopping.

I don’t think it’s a huge mystery why shopping makes us feel better. When we can’t feel good, we want to LOOK good, and fashion shopping is the answer. Having new clothes, makeup, jewelry gives us a temporary boost in self-image… even if nobody around us can tell the difference.

Just about everyone has some sort of material addiction. Tech-nerds break the bank on every latest gadget, millionaire, collect vintage cars, and 9-year-old girls harass their parents until they have every single My Little Pony. There are movie stars who have entire rooms filled with shoes (not to mention @that_angela), and the suburbs are filled with 3-storey homes filled with… stuff. So I shouldn’t be too hard on myself for a little shopping addiction.

But, still, it would be nice to know that I could make myself feel better without shopping. Or any of my other usual “fixes” for that matter (I tell myself that going for a run to feel better is a good thing, but what happens if I find myself permanently disabled and unable to do that?). I guess until I find divine internal happiness (maybe I need to re-read Eat, Pray, Love or something), the best I can do is balance out my vices… a little shoe sale here, a little chocolate there, and a few Caesars after a hard day.

To give myself some assurance, I did a little bit of research on whether or not I’m truly addicted. I took this questionnaire on alcoholism, and just replaced “drinking” with “shopping”, Take the test and see how you check out.

  1. Do you lose time from work due to your shopping?
  2. Is shopping making your home life unhappy?
  3. Do you shop because you are shy with other people?
  4. Is shopping affecting your reputation?
  5. Have you ever felt remorse after shopping?
  6. Have you gotten into financial dificulties as a result of your shopping?
  7. Do you turn to lower companions and an inferior environment when shopping?
  8. Does your shopping make you careless of your family’s welfare?
  9. Has your ambition decreased since shopping?
  10. Do you crave shopping at a definite time daily?
  11. Do you want to shop the next morning?
  12. Does shopping cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
  13. Has your efficiency decreased since shopping?
  14. Is shopping jeopardizing your job or business?
  15. Do you shop to escape from worries or troubles?
  16. Do you shop alone?
  17. Have you ever had a complete loss of memory as a result of your shopping?
  18. Has your physician ever treated you for shopping?
  19. Do you shop to build up your self-confidence?
  20. Have you ever been in a hospital or institution on account of shopping?


Calgary Fashion Round-up: Fall

By chelsea

Calgary Fashion Round-up: Fall

Last night was the grand opening for the expansion of Chinook Centre shopping mall. A list of the new stores is here. I’m personally excited for Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters (which aren’t open yet), I’m surprised it’s taken so long for them to arrive in Calgary.

It’s also Alberta Fashion Week. I can’t cover Alberta Fashion Week, because it’s overlapping with the Calgary International Film Festival (I have a film festival pass, but not a Fashion Week pass. Two awesome festivals happening at once. This is an example of why when people complain about the lack of culture and things to do in Calgary, I want to smack them in the face). I was there last year, though, as a model for Daleio, and the shows were really well done. (My experience, personally, was about 2 hours of hair, makeup, and runway practice, and then being scared stiff walking down the runway trying not to fall off my high heels.)

We’ve had some huge gains for Calgary in the last year or so. From the newly-renovated Holt Renfrew, to Fashion Central (what girl doesn’t lose their mind over Betsey Johnson?) and the recent fashion events, I think we’ve come a long way. If only we can convince some of our fellow Calgarians to drop the lululemon-pant-with-cowboy-hat trend, we could be on our way to a seriously fashionable city.


Great Skin: Part 1

By chelsea

Great Skin: Part 1

I’m going to be writing a couple of posts on skincare over the next couple of days. Skincare may fall more under “dermatology” than “fashion”, but good skin really is damn important to looking good. Some of it can be attributed to genetics, but a LOT of it has to do with how you eat, hydrate, and the products that you use. And it’s good to start early, just like you should early on working out, eating well, and making a lot of money so you can afford botox later (kidding!).

Good skin, as your doctor/dermatologist/mom will tell you, starts from eating well, hydrating, staying out of the sun, and getting plenty of rest. If you screw up on these ones, no amount of lotions, scrubs, and creams will save you, EVEN if you buy them all from Holt Renfrew.

You need to drink water for good skin. You need to drink water for everything, so you may as well start now. This is a blog about fashion, so I’ll point you to some fashionable water you can drink: (here, here, and here). I know it’s boring and makes you pee, but just do it.

The biggest factor in aging, as far as your skin goes, is exposure to the sun. I know this is tough to deal with, since having a great tan just looks awesome. My number one beauty secret is self-tanner. A lot of people are terrified to use a self-tanner, but if you know what you’re doing, you’ll have an even tan and won’t look orange. My personal favorite is Loreal Sublime Bronze. It’s $15, has a built-in SPF, and you can order it online in Canada here. I plan to make a more in-depth post on sunless tanning later, where I’ll give you tips on keeping it even and not turning into a carrot. In the meantime stay out of the sun and use a powder bronzer if you need to.

Getting rest is important to give your body time to renew cells, plus getting rid of under-eye circles. This is where I tend to fail, since I’m not so good with getting enough shuteye. I don’t have rights to be too preachy on this one, but try your best.

Also, this may or may not be backed up by science (this article backs me up, but they’re selling seafood so who knows), but I’ve noticed that eating seafood really helps my hair and skin. I recently switched to a high-protein diet, and as a pesco-vegetarian that means eating tons of fish. I’ve noticed that my skin is way healthier, almost glowing, and my hair is really strong and shiny. All research points to seafood being good for you (as long as you avoid mercury!) so good skin is just an extra benefit to consider.


American Apparel End of Summer Sale

By chelsea

American Apparel End of Summer Sale

American Apparel has a sale, and they’ve marked down prices from 30%-50% off.

Given the recent news about American Apparel possibly going under, I’m really hoping this isn’t a “we’re-screwed-and-going-out-of-business” sale, but the optimist in me is hoping that this is just a routine sale to clean out old stock.

I am in love with the summer dress, and since I’ve already purchased two of them at full price this summer, this is the perfect excuse to stock up on one in every colour.

Getting Started

By chelsea

Getting Started

We’re finally ready to get Fashionwest *really* off the ground and running. It’s been a busy couple of weeks trying to find the right people, get together our ideas, and not to mention getting the site actually working and looking good.

We’ve gathered a great team of contributors who are already coming forth with great ideas. It’s not often that I’m able to do marketing and design for my *own* projects, let alone have so many great people onboard to make them happen.

We are still on the lookout for fashion writers and photographers as well as local designers and boutiques throughout BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. So feel free to contact us to get involved!

And don’t forget to follow us on twitter: @fashionwestca

Bond No. 9

By chelsea

Bond No. 9

While I was at Holt Renfrew picking up my Lancome gift, I also discovered Bond No. 9 New York, a perfume line out of New York that is new to Holt Renfrew. The bottles are beautifully designed, and the Andy Warhol designs really caught my eye (I totally love the dollar sign bottles).

I can’t justify buying another perfume for myself, but I’ve definitely made a mental note to keep these in mind for gifts. The scents come in candle form too, if you’re craving the smell of burning money.

Lancome Gift Aug 20-29 at Holt Renfrew

By chelsea

Lancome Gift Aug 20-29 at Holt Renfrew

Lancome has a gift with purchase promotion on right now at Holt Renfrew with a $50 or more purchase. The gift includes a black makeup bag, a number of creams, lipstick, mascara, bronzing powder, and eye shadow. The eye shadow has a mix of purple and blue tones with silver and black added for blending.

I’m really digging the bronzer, since ’tis the season when my tan will start fading and it will be fake’n'bake time.

Available at Holt Renfrew.

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