Easy Fall Layers.

We all love fall sweater weather - not just because of the warm feeling from being hugged by soft fibres - but because we are constantly changing day to day as the temps quickly rise and fall! Fall leaves on the ground, earthy soups and stews, and spiced lattes - we are drawn out for the last adventure before winter.

Combine all that with a love of travel and you don't need to go far - roadtrips to see fall colours are always a favorite. 

Pack a bag, and take an unscheduled drive ... but what to pack???

• start with basics, tank top, shell, or t-shirt

• add leggings or jeans (whichever you're most comfortable in)

• comfortable walking shoes or boots

• an oversize knit moves with you while sitting at a bistro or walking along a forest trail, and allows air flow as the day gets warmer.

  The best part of layering for fall is shedding clothing if you get too warm. Stop for lunch or discover a small downtown, then on the road again to see what's around the corner.

 

Sometimes the weather forecast is wrong, and while you hoped for a warm afternoon, the temperatures are dropping but you don't want to miss a minute of the day.

Pack a few warmer pieces so you can still enjoy the day.

Vests come in varied materials and warmth levels, from cozy heavily woven fibres to windproof puff layers.

But a scarf is the most versatile accessory this season. A light fabric just slows the breeze around your neck and adds a change of colour to your favorite sweater. A knubby texture heavier scarf is a whole new layer to keep you warm, and quickly unwrapped when you step inside.

Off you go - enjoy this season to it's fullest! Need some inspiration, try one of these drives, maybe even stay overnight ...

Lennox and Adding County, South Eastern Ontario

Drive along the St.Lawrence Parkway 

Ottawa Area 

North Hastings driving and cycling routes.

The hills around Algonquin Park, driving, walking, or cycling.

Bay of Quinte Region

 

Favorite Sweater Colours Fall 2022

It would be much harder to give up the breezy fashions of summer if we didn't have a love for sweater weather to look forward to, so why not embrace some of these new earthy tones this season. Say hello to more is more texture, bold colour and elaborate accessories.

As noted by Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “As we move forward into an environment filled with contradiction, hues for Autumn/Winter 2022/2023 enable consumers to move fluidly between a range of contrasting shades, allowing them to spontaneously express who they are and how they feel on any given day.”

Fall Palette 2022 for sale online **

Embrace the varied shades this season by starting with the colours of falling leaves.

• Lava Falls, an impassioned orange red with a captivating presence.

• Cheerful Samoan Sun enlightens and illuminates.

• Gregarious Orange Tiger, a high vis orange with whimsicality.

Bold colours look fabulous with the right skin tone: Rose Violet, Amazon, Nosegay or Waterspout. Or save them for accessories.

Earthy tones become your new base, and work well layered head to toe as well.

• Caramel Café, a delicious brown hue that tastefully tempts.

• Midnight, a hypnotic deep blue evocative of the evening sky.

• Martini Olive, a fruit inspired green tone with a touch of brine.

  
  

The entire collection is rounded with wonderful neutrals that are anything but boring. From the softest Arctic Wolf or Autumn Blond, a solid navy Polar Night, to gentle hues Lodon Frost or Chiseled Stone.

Trends you will see include colour blocking (especially with bolder statement colours), fringes, wearing shades of the same colour head to toe (and yes that includes your shoes), denim, and leather is not just for belts this season ... dare to shop outside your comfort zone.

We are here to help your fashion adventure this fall. Looking towards the holiday season, expect to see metallic materials, sequins and sparkling embellishments.

** dress for sale here

Finding your Best Swim Bottom!

You're the most beautiful when you feel beautiful - so take these suggestions tongue in cheek, and wear whatever makes you happiest...

When you are wearing a bikini, tankini or onepiece, how a swimsuit leg cut is the most important consideration when looking for a flattering fit. Colours and patterns are second, but working towards a balanced look - for the top and bottom halves of the body to look proportioned, will always be the most flattering.

Best bottoms for an hourglass. This silhouette is naturally proportional and balanced.

• Your hips and shoulders are almost the same size.
• You have rounder or sloping shoulders.
• You have a clearly-defined waist.

Accentuate your clearly defined waist and great legs. Keep the style simple, from a skinny tie side to high cut leg, and in one-piece swimsuits try a wrapped  waist. The new belted bottoms will also look great. Keep colors similar across the bust and hips.

 

 Best bottom for a pear. With a clearly accentuated waist and a bust smaller than the hips, it's the second most common shape.

• Your hips are wider than your shoulders.
• You have round, sloping shoulders and a well-defined waist.
• Your buttocks and thighs are full and round.

Overall your swimsuit needs to add volume to your upper body while keeping the bikini bottom simple, and emphasize your waist (creating balance). Keep bottom colours darker than the top. Higher cut legs will divide the size across your hips, minimizing them.

Best bottoms for an apple or athletic build. The key is finding one that minimizes the attention to your tummy and hips.

• Hips and shoulders have the same width; waist is the same width or wider.
• Your lower legs and arms look slender.
• You might appear short-waisted.

Bottoms should be darker, try tummy-control, ruched, and high-waisted.  Alternately a slight scoop under your belly. Patterned, ruffled, or embellished tops draw the eye to your face, and empire waists are your friend. Retro swimsuits with dark bottoms, ties or ruching help define your waist.

Best bottom for a wedge shape. Find a flattering swimsuit that accentuates your waist and optically balances the top and bottom.

• You have strong and broad straight shoulders, wider than your waistline or hips.
• You have an athletic build and rather flat buttocks.
• You have an undefined waist.

To bring attention to small hips go for fuller coverage patterned bottoms, tulip-shaped skirts, or wide-leg swim shorts. Tie side bottoms with wider ties work well too. Lighter colours pull attention down, and balance with darker halter or triangle style tops. Tankini tops should flare over the hips.

sketches from Karen Cox/SheKnows. Look for more inspiration at 

https://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/1109215/body-shape-chart/

5 Trends for Spring 2022

"Competing desires for comforting familiarity and joyful adventure through a range of soothing and timeless colors, along with joyous hues that celebrate playfulness. As we enter this new landscape, one where fashion rules no longer apply, hues for Spring 2022 allow us to mix and marry as we please." Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

An easy transition from bold winter colours of Rhodonite, Leprechaun Green, and Root Beer to softer shades in Skydiver, Harbor Blue and Coca Mocha. Even the core classics have softened.

The excitement of renewed festivities will be seen as fashion celebrates bold Innuendo Pink, Poinciana Red - if you wouldn't wear them head to toe - use them as accents or layers under a classic shade.

Prints are also mixing these colours, in itsy bitsy florals or bold sweeping strokes.

Cozy Spring Layers to use all Summer!

Dresses all Season Long!

Shorts and Jumpsuits a Perfect Alternate!

 

As always, fashion that makes you feel great is what you should wear! Your Confidence is Sexy.

Colour Story for Spring 2022!

You start the year with colour, and this year it is Very Peri, such an optimistic tone for 2022. 

Time to "embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives." Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “Creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of the Year .. complexity of this new red violet infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lay before us”.

Start here, and add the colours of summer ... for comfort and security, but also adventure and excitement! Colours range from dramatic red, bright sunny yellow and ocean blue to soft pinks and harmonious coffee brown. It is definitely the season to play with patterns and express your personality.

You will find all these colours in this season's swimwear too. From colour stories in sleeved onepieces, to slashes of pinks that minimize your tummy, or softer colours in bold patterns. Sexy one piece swimsuits continue the new trend, while mix and matching bikini tops with different bottoms is the wardrobe extender that will never go away.

Enjoy your season - buy what inspires you and fits!

 

 

Best Swimwear for Pools.

When shopping for your perfect swimsuit, you want to ensure it lasts, so consider how you will use it. If you are an ocean or lake swimmer, you don't need to worry about this, neither does someone who sits poolside and enjoys the party.

But, if you spend most of your time in pools or spas, it is worth considering how long your swimwear will last. Chlorine is a necessary for pools and spas, as it helps to kill bacteria and stops the growth of algae in the water. Unfortunately it causes irreversible damage to fabric. Salt water pools are much better, but still not chemical free: the process forces salty water across a special metal cell that is charged with an electrical current creating chlorine at a reduced level, good for those with a chlorine sensitivity, and not as harsh on fabrics.

So what do you choose? How do you find a swimsuit that looks fabulous, and lasts as long as possible? It's all in the fabric. There are two leading fabrics in swimwear design: Lycra blends and chlorine resistant 100% polyester. So, who are you?

Occassional Swimmer or Deck Diva?

Lycra offers the ideal stretch, fit and resilience to be used as a swimwear material, which gives a fashionable fit that hugs your body for a ‘second skin’ feeling and offers the boldest colour choices and patterns. Some of these suits also contain tummy control. When exposed for prolonged periods in the pool, Lycra fabric can deteriorate faster, but you will look fabulous!

Growing Pool Addict?

Lycra Xtra Life provides the same fashion features as regular Lycra, such as the soft, luxurious feeling and superb fit but also gives your swimsuit extended wear, resistance to fading and ensures the 'saggy bottom' is a thing of the past!

Lycra Xtra Life is 5-10 times more resistant to chlorine and pool chemicals than regular Lycra. This makes it an excellent choice for chlorine resistant swimwear, giving you the perfect combination of comfort and long-lasting swimwear.

 

Water Nymph, can't live without your pool time?

Polyester is a durable material, even when exposed to pool chemicals, which is what makes it ‘chlorine-resistant’. Swimsuits made of 100% polyester should retain their color for at least a year of regular use, and as much as 2 years depending on frequency of wear and washing. Although not as soft as Lycra based fabrics, Polyester blends are undoubtedly an ideal choice if you want to purchase extra long-lasting swimwear. 

Our Gabar swim are produced with innovative Hydrofinity fabric that includes features such as UPF 50+ protection, chlorine resistance, quick dry technology, light tummy control, and a stay put leg. 

 

final notes ...

How about the best of both worlds? Some swimwear manufacturers use a high polyester content but blend in a little bit of Lycra® for an easier fit.

Swimsuits do have rubber and elastic around leg, neck and arm openings and these will likely be damaged by chlorine before the fabric. Rash shirts will last considerably longer as they are made without any elastic. Stitching will also deteriorate over time.

While we all love to sit in front of hot tub jets and soak in the mini-massage, remember you have the chemically treated water pushing through your swim fabric ... this is the quickest way to destroy your favorite swimsuit. Hard as it is to do, use your older suits in the hot tub, and rinse them as soon as possible when you get out.

Socking Stuffers for All!

 'Tis the Season - share some happiness with those you love - little gifts of thanks or fabulous stocking stuffers! We've collected stocking stuffers for every budget ...

Start Around $20

Protect your kisser for just $5, or pamper your hair and skin. SunBum is a naturally sourced line of sun protection skin care that is safe for the environment too. Full selection in the boutique for stocking stuffers, select items online.

 

click here to shop online

 

Simple absorbent and anti-bacterial bamboo, the Über-soft fabric will keep everyone warm and cozy. Start with crop tops or leggings, check our t-shirts and sweaters too.

Bamboo comfort from tees to loungewear

 

Gifts Under $50

From oversize scarves to wallets with RFID protection, we have something for every man and woman on your list this year. Everyone appreciates feeling warm and safe.

 

Ideas for HER, and because she loves our one size comfort lingerie (it truly fits both regular and curve sizes) we always have it in stock. No visible panty lines are offered by Chantelle in soft stretch model, and Hanky Panky in patented stretch lace - or just treat yourself. Robes are seasonal for Christmas thru Valentines Day.

Lingerie that fits everyone

 

Decadent Gifts Ideas

Sometimes you deserve to spoil yourself, or someone else, and we have just a few of the Mongolian Cashmere hats and scarves in absolutely luxurious softness to wrap yourself in.

 To make your gifting easier, watch for bonus bundles this year during our 

12 Days of Christmas Promotion.