Mustard & Pomegranate

Two of the colours that I am absolutely loving for fall are mustard-y yellows and dark burgundy. Although this particular deep shade of red is often referred to as ox-blood, I chose the somewhat happier name of pomegranate. There was so much colour all over the runways for fall, and these are just two of many that I am loving (see also cobalt blue, emerald green, orange, fuschia... etc). However, it is to deep yellows and maroons that I consistently find myself drawn time and again when the weather gets cooler. Perhaps it has something to do with the similarly coloured changing fall leaves, but either way, you'll be sure to see both of these colours cropping up in my fall wardrobe.

Music Monday: Holocene

I absolutely love music from Bon Iver, so that is partially why I am sharing this video with you today. However, more than just the music (which is, itself, fantastic) is this absolutely breathtakingly beautiful music video. I watched it transfixed and as such, had to share. The landscapes alone! Amazing.

Fall Looks Fresh

When I watched the Fall 2011 collection from Joe Fresh walk the runway via livestream this spring, there were a ton of pieces that I could not wait to get my hands on. As the fall collection is finally finding its way into stores, I am looking forward to stocking my fall wardrobe with some of the items from their lookbook.

I picked up the quilted denim skirt (above) the last time I went shopping at one of the Ottawa Joe Fresh locations with my friend Catherine and immediately knew that was one item I absolutely would be going back for, along with the adorable tweed dress you can see jumping into the air in the first collage.  And the gold brogues? I really can't say no.

I was disappointed to see that a few of my favourite items from the runway were visibly absent from the Joe Fresh Fall lookbook - namely, the bright orange neoprene-esque pencil skirt and brightly coloured coats (I would love one in every colour, if I'm honest) with their pretty little floral minis.  I sent an imploring tweet to @JoeFresh inquiring about this and they were kind enough to reply that these pieces will be available in "select locations" which likely means - Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and most likely the new flagship on 5th Avenue, NYC.

So this Ottawa gal will have to hoof it (or actually hop a train) to Montreal to snag these last few items.  But since I am already planning to head there in a few weeks to check out a concert from one of my previous Music Monday features - The Civil Wars, I am hoping to get a chance to do a little shopping while I'm there.

Lastly - I'd like to announce the winner of my $100 Shopbop Gift Card, the lovely Emily. Can't wait to hear about what item you snap up with your winnings!

As for you others,  don't fret just yet. I have a big announcement coming up next week - the celebrations of the re-launch of Lot 65 are just beginning, and there are some seriously sweet surprises coming up very soon, so keep your eyes peeled.  Follow me on twitter or sign on to the Lot 65 Facebook page to keep up with all the details!

Chicken Soup for the Soul

If today was a wish-list it would include most if not all of these items - tea, homemade soup, and lots and lots of kleenex (I am seriously considering the whale - possibly the cutest tissue box ever).  Oh sick-days.

Keep your eyes peeled for a bevy of posts next week, some exciting stuff to come!

Herieth Takes NY

From left to right: (opening at) Edun, RAD by Rad Hourani, Lacoste, 3.1 Phillip Lim

You may have seen her on the cover of Elle Canada, wandering through the pages of Italian Vogue in a Meisel editorial, or perhaps dancing her way through a Calvin Klein commercial, but most recently Herieth Paul was stomping down some major runways at New York Fashion Week. Although hailing originally from Tanzania, Herieth Paul is now based in Ottawa and I have to admit I was pleased to see this young local lady doing so fabulously well.

From Left to Right: Vera Wang, Zac Posen, BCBG Max Azria

I briefly met Herieth while assisting the fabulously talented fashion and photography team of Justyna (stylist & blogger extraordinaire) and Joel (take a peek at his amazing photos) at a shoot they were working on for the Style magazine that comes out a couple of times per year in the Ottawa Citizen. It was a group shot featuring some top Ottawa models - of which Herieth most certainly is one. She was super professional and an absolute stunner in person - it makes total sense to me why Miss Paul was all over the runways in New York this season. I have no doubt we'll be seeing more of her, and soon.

Photos via The Cut and Style.com

Twist and Pin

Photos via The Cut

We're still in the midst of the madness that is New York Fashion Week, and although I'm far away, the amazing array of fresh trends, both in terms of garments and beauty has me reeling through collection after collection on The Cut and Style.com combing through the looks for highlights.

One of my favourite things is to try to find the looks that I might be able to recreate, either through styling up a similar-to-runway outfit or testing out a new hairstyle or beauty trick. Imagine my surprise when strolling down the runway at Preen, I see a hairstyle that, due to my current shorter tresses, I have been sporting very frequently over the past few months. Seriously, it's to the point that most of my co-workers are probably sick of seeing it. That being said, perhaps it is worth a first ever hairstyle tutorial on the blog?

I will note that my version is a little less perfect-looking than this fabulously sleek style, but the essentials of the style are almost exactly the same.

What do you say - is it high time for a tutorial or two here on the blog? Yes? No? Maybe so? Let me know in the comments!

A little Shopbop, A little Michael Kors, A little awesome.

If any of you like Lot 65 on facebook, you'll already know that the Michael Kors Watch in Rose Gold is on the top of my wishlist. If you live in Ottawa and hang out with me at all, you've likely been dragged into the Michael Kors store at Rideau Centre and watched me lovingly try it on not once, not twice, but three times (Joe & Sarah, thanks for putting up with me).  Not to mention the gorgeous Michael Kors shoes, purses, accessories, that I fawned over too. Some of them are out of my price range, but a girl can dream!

In any case - lucky for you, most of these same gorgeous items (read: amazing rose gold watches - I swear, they are perfection) are available via the fabulous Shopbop.com and you, yes you, can win $100 towards your favourite item, if it is from the classy Mr. Kors himself, or one of the other myriad of other fabulous designers carried on the site.  I certainly know how I would spend such a gift card (perhaps these Michael Kors flats that I fawned over in the Ottawa store)!

Starting tonight, you can enter for your chance at this gift card until 12 pm (EST) on Friday September 23rd. That's right folks, just shy of two weeks to get your name in for this Shopbop goodness.

How to enter you ask? Simple.

1. Leave a comment letting me know what Shopbop item has caught your eye and how you'd style it.
2. If I can't contact you through a blog, leave me your email or twitter handle in said comment.

That's it, that's all! Pretty simple right?

This is the first of a number I of giveaways I have planned for the next few weeks - the celebrations for the relaunch as Lot 65 have begun!  You'll see a few here on the blog, as well as a couple that are exclusive to my friends on facebook and twitter respectively.

I am so excited to share the new layout and much more with you over the next little while. Keep your eyes peeled!

(Giveaway now closed - but not to worry, there are more fun giveaways in the works! Stay tuned!)

Michael Kors Campaign photos by Mario Testino  
Want to Fan Shopbop? You can right here!

Warby Parker at the Library

I have long been a fan of eyewear brand Warby Parker for so many reasons - being able to try on their glasses at home (crucial for those of us who are every day wearers), their commitment to providing glasses for those in need, as well as their clearly stylish and wallet friendly frame options. Trust me, as someone who has worn glasses since grade 3, stylish AND affordable glasses are seriously hard to come by.

Photo by Mimi Ritzen Crawford via Vogue.com

All this to say - if I didn't love the Warby Parker folks enough already, they decided to up their Rebecca brownie-points by holding their New York Fashion Week presentation in... where else? The New York Public Library. Oh. My. Gosh. Could this have been a more perfect idea? Models and friends of the brand were seated sporadically around the quiet study area of the library, each holding books with pretty blue covers featuring the title matching the spectacles on his or her face. Pure Genius, in my humble opinion.

Photo by Mimi Ritzen Crawford via Vogue.com

The NYPL was the perfect setting for the presentation - not only because the frames from Warby Parker are absolutely, utterly, librarian-chic (And I should know!), but also because they are using the library as what it is - a public cultural space for anyone to use!

Photo via Racked

From the description of the presentation that I initially stumbled upon at Racked, Ms. Lo noted that some of the NYPL staff seemed a bit uneasy about this guerrilla style presentation, which surprised me. I currently work in a special library that isn't open to the public, but I know from my experience from working in public libraries that this is exactly the kind of thing that librarians love! In one of the public libraries I worked at, we consistently had presentations from artists and photographers, so a fashion presentation certainly wouldn't have been out of the question.

In any case, I was super impressed by the new and spectacular spectacles themselves (especially the clear "Fillmore" frames - see top photo, right), and can't wait to snap a few of them up for myself via Warby Parker's site and stage a library fashion moment of my own.

100 Years of Style

I absolutely loved and therefore also have to share this montage of 100 years of style and dance. It is seriously genius, with not only some fabulous fashion but also some really fun dance moves. Well worth a minute and forty seconds of your time.

In other news, New York fashion week is almost upon us, as is the bi-annual Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference. If like me, you are unable to attend the IFBCon but wish that you could, keep your eyes peeled on this here blog, namely because I'll be posting the livestream here on the 7th for both myself and for you all to enjoy.