When Target sent me info on their latest collaboration with Jason Wu, I was beyond thrilled. Ladies, this collection is stunning!

Following in the footsteps of other big designers such as Missoni, Jason Wu has introduced an affordable, limited-edition collection of clothing, handbags and scarves for women, inspired by the idea of an American Girl in Paris. In true Jason Wu style, he has stayed true to his modern sensibility and timeless style.

There are 53 pieces in the Jason Wu for Target collection including versatile apparel and accessories that easily transition from day to evening such as A-line silhouette dresses, tie-waist shifts and high-waisted skirts accented with Wu’s signature detailing. The collection’s Parisian inspiration is found in Wu’s exclusive muse for Target, Milu, a mischievous, illustrated black cat that will be found on a t-shirt, tote bag and silk scarf, as well as in the collection’s marketing campaign.

Prices will range from $19.99 to $59.99 for apparel and $19.99 to $49.99 for handbags and scarves. Jason Wu for Target will be available Feb. 5 through March 6, 2012 or until supplies last at most Target stores and on Target.com.

Oh, Lordy. I’m in love…

*Please note: all above slideshows are only viewable with Flash enabled devices/computers.

The temperatures have officially dipped down low here in Ontario after a few months of abnormally mild weather and although I usually alternate through my coat wardrobe (yes I have more than 4….er 5 winter coats), I’ve been using my new Land’s End coat exclusively for one main reason – it’s the warmest of them all.

I was recently given the opportunity to test one of Land’s End’s coats for women and opted for the Luxe Down Parka. Just a little word of advice – the coat looks 10 times better in person than it does in the photo! I am extremely picky when it comes to coat styles as I basically live in them for 6 months out of the year and that can get me in trouble most of the time because winter parkas aren’t exactly ‘cute’. This one totally is!

The fabric’s slight sheen is due to its special DriOff™ finish to repel snow and wet. This finish in combination with the 600 fill power down, gives you a coat that is incredibly warm – it is rated – 40° to -5° Fahrenheit!

The fabric has a slight sheen to it and the length covers your bottom nicely. Unlike most of my coats, this one is not overly bulky and won’t make you look like a Michelin man lady. The waist tie is extremely flattering and offers a tailored look, however if you aren’t fond of the whole belted look or want to switch the look up it can be removed.

Same goes with the hood, it can be removed if you wish or if you aren’t fond of the faux fur, you can remove that as well.

100% of my coats all require additional layering, because we hit temperatures of -30 C on a daily basis here in Northern Ontario. Amazingly enough, the Luxe Down Parka kept me warm without a sweater which is a complete miracle in itself! The hood is nice and deep (won’t fall off with the wind) and the overall construction of the coat is excellent. I’ve worn this parka with dresses, skirts, jeans and snow pants. Because of the style, construction and warmth, it can be worn anywhere and with anything.

Man, I sound like I’m really bragging, but honestly this is the warmest coat I’ve ever had!

The sizing is bang on (you won’t have to size up or down) and the coat is available in 5 colors – Washed Teal, Black, Dark Sapphire, Rose Red and Spice Brown.

In regards to pricing, the price point on this coat is less than most winter coats available through Sears or The Bay. The Luxe Parka retails for $179.50, however it is currently on sale for $89.99! Another bonus? Lands’ End ships to the USA & Canada

*Thank you to Land’s End for sending us a coat for review purposes.*

This is for the mamas! One of my favourite handbag designers Rebecca Minkoff has collaborated with Baby-G on a watch for the “everyday woman that wants both function and fashion”.

Featuring a black ion-plated stainless steel bracelet and a pink champagne dial, the device is water resistant up to 100 meters and includes an LED light, 48-city world time, five daily alarms, 1/100th second stopwatch, countdown timer and 12/24-hour formats.

Looking for a last minute holiday gift? Minkoff’s Baby-G will retail for $200 and is set to hit fine jewellers, select department stores and boutiques this month!

Source: WWD

I’m a huge, huge fan of BookBook. Their cases are incredibly unique and nothing I have ever seen on the market comes close to their darling design. When I heard about the new Anna Sui version I was completely sold and you can better believe I’ll be picking one of these sweeties up as soon as they hit the stores!

Leading fashion designer Anna Sui recently collaborated with Twelve South to introduce their own version of BookBook, one which previewed exclusively at the Anna Sui Spring 2012 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.

The new case features distressed leather covers in layers of purple and black with romantic swirly patterns, and a black velvety interior. The signature Anna Sui butterfly and rose icons with gold leaf prints highlight the spine.

Like other BookBooks, each Anna Sui BookBook is hand-distressed, ensuring that no two are exactly alike.

The new Anna Sui BookBook will be available for iPad and MacBook in Spring 2012.

Another fantastic collaboration. Oh, how I love H&M…

It was announced a couple of days ago that H&M has collaborated with Italian designer Marni for Spring 2012. Consuelo Castiglioni, the founder and creative director of Marni has created this line to capture the essence of Marni. She has revisited all of their favourite pieces in signature fabrics and prints, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic and adding sporty utilitarian elements for both men and women.

Available from March 8th, 2012 in around 260 H&M stores worldwide and online, the collection features both clothing and accessories, all at H&M’s prices, meaning everyone will have the chance to enter Marni’s world.

So, what can you expect from the international luxury brand? For women, the colours are vivid, and the prints are bold, be they African-inspired or simpler colour blocks. The silhouettes are all Marni staples, with full pleated skirts, dresses, cropped pants and jacquard knits; fabrics range from silk to crisp cotton poplin. To complete the look, the collection also includes jewelry, shoes, bags and scarves.

For men, the colours and fabrics are softened for a relaxed take on menswear staples that is truly Marni. The use of prints is subtle; they often appear as a lining or as a contrast detail for shirts; the silhouette is a modern, relaxed take on masculine classics.

We can’t wait!

Moms, rejoice! Versace’s collection for H&M is just about to launch and we have details as well as a few sneak peeks on the highly anticipated collaboration.

Donatella Versace went into the archives to bring back several favorites as well as a few Versace classics to H&M. The focus – iconic dresses for the ladies and sharp tailoring for men.

“The collection for H&M is the essence of Versace. For the collaboration we’ve brought back from the archives, as well as from more recent collections, some of the icons of Versace, such as the bright prints, the Greek key and daring cuts. I can’t wait to see how H&M’s wide audience will make these pieces their own.” Donatella Versace.

“Versace’s collection for H&M includes many of the iconic designs. For women, a classic black silk crepe dress has gold Grecian buttons on its patent straps, while the flow of a floor-length goddess gown is balanced by boning in the bodice. For night-time shine, multi-colour sequin dresses are covered in archival Versace prints, short metallic dresses come in either silver or gold, and strong colour shift dresses are embellished with studs in classic Greek motifs.”

The men’s line is a mix of slick tailoring and pieces of extravagant pattern. Suit jackets and trousers come in either black or pink, while a black tuxedo jacket has metallic tip trims on its pockets, and shirts have metallic wing-tips on the collars. The classic Versace palm and optical prints are used on several piece of apparel.

Also for the very first time an H&M designer collaboration will include homeware pieces that reflect Versace’s home designs! All collections will be available in around 300 stores worldwide, as well as on-line on November 19th.

Will you be standing in line for this limited fashion collection?

What will $50 buy you?

During Spa Week, it will buy you bliss.

We all mean to get to the spa, but as working moms we don’t make the time.  An hour long massage or a treatment like a facial or spray tan seems like such a luxury, and at times, an unattainable one.

It shouldn’t be. We all deserve a break and a chance to be pampered.

That’s the entire point of Spa Week. It’s a reminder to make the time and take the time for yourself. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

I had the extreme pleasure of previewing a treatment at a spa participating near me. The Cloudmover Day Spa in Huntington Beach has won several awards and acollades for their treatments including being voted #1 on the FOX/OC Hotlist: #1 Massage 2011 & #1 Day Spa 2010. The atmosphere of the spa is warm and friendly, and it’s clear that they enjoy a loyal and steady business from their local clientele. Their clients come back because they know that the practitioners at the spa really care!

My hour long hot stone massage (with citrus back polish) was something I’ve been wanting to treat myself to for a long time. I’ve had massages before but never with heated stones. I tend to go in for the more basic (and lets be honest, less expensive) massages if and when I do make the time to go.

It’s like I’ve been having apple pie without the a la mode. What was I thinking? That hot stone massage was amazing! The warm stones unlocked all my tension. It was just the thing to soothe my many aches, pains and knotted muscles away. I won’t wait too long before trying it again.

The effects of a good massage are lasting and real. Taking the time to relax and freeing yourself of pain is worth so much. I just needed the reminder to make myself and my own well being a priority again. I’m sure that as a mom, I’m not alone in needing that prod. I’m going to find the time to take better care of myself and find ways to check out new and premium services like this more often.  Want to join me? Spa Week is the perfect time to get started.