fashion inspiration: ACCESSORIES

1/06/2013

12/17/2012

11/07/2012

Accessorize yourself with awesome (34 photos)

: Hippie Abstract Necklace [SOURCE]

: Opalescent Drop Earrings [SOURCE]

: Heart Initial Rings [SOURCE]

: Sterling Silver Rings [SOURCE]

: Bubble Statement Necklace [SOURCE]

: Royal Treasure Watch [SOURCE]

: Chevron Cocktail Ring [SOURCE]

: Compass Gold Metal Ring [SOURCE]

Hey Berries!

You know the drill. Snap a picture of your favorite rings/purses/bracelets/earrings/scarves and send them to theBERRYpics[at]gmail[dot]com.

Category: Fashion

10/11/2012

It’s Blundstone, baby

Blundstone. Everyone has a pair, except me! Well that was about to change.

I don’t think it means that I’m getting old when I rhyme off the practicality and ease of pull-on boots. I’m lazy and often very rushed/late and have no time for 18-hole Doc Martens. Who does? And those font and back lip pull tabs are cute, come on you know it. There’s something very handy about them and really there’s no need to get me started on Blundstone’s twin stretch panels- aren’t they so very fash? (as my friend Nick would say).

Geeky unisex dressing (aka. ugly-cute, mismatched, and borrowed from someone’s closet) continues to trend in this day of anything goes, and after seeing more and more Blundstones worn with skirts and dresses, I’m wondering what all the fuss is about since people rarely tell me they only have one pair of these.

Am I crazy to call the side stretch panels iconic? Well perhaps I am crazy, and the panels are beyond recognizable from a mile away even if you don’t (or didn’t) wear Blundstones until now. And for the record, the pull tabs have been around for 142 years, which is about four times my age. How’s that for your daily Fun Fact?

Blundstone offered me the chance to do a little investigative work trying them on and scoring a keeper, and I went in hungry like the wolf. Did I try them all on? Nearly. Thankfully the Australian Boot Company on Queen Street West in Toronto was having a moment of otherwise slow foot traffic as I dove into Blundstone Babylon with no real desire to leave.

Let’s get on with the pretty pictures, shall we?

The Australian Boot Company store at Toronto’s Queen Street West hood is a boot lover’s bootique, and really, those Blundstone have the rep of being comfortable, so I was keen to try them on

Here I am, about to enter. Reflected: me, a Porsche, bikes, a tree, passing cars and the south side of Queen. In window, a giant Blundstone boot and a shopper

Who knew there are so many Blundstone styles? They look deceptively similar, don’t they?

The top boot gives a nice bridge between the UGG Australia look and the grown-up Blundstone style. Below, round-toe Blundstones in black and a nice deep cherry

Tips to make sure you know your kid should be wearing Blunnies (awesome)

Cozy things for already comfy boots: patented soles cushion your steps by 33% to help absorb all the pavement pounding of a day’s activities

People love their Blunnies so much that they wear them nearly year-round and keep ‘em going with fluffly, warm insoles

Blundstone’s “Where’s the boot?” campaign launches the transformed Blunny in a shoe cut with the signature style in three top-stitched finishes: suede (top) and two choices of coloured leather. I can’t wait to see these on the street

The long horizontal mirror at the Australian Boot Company gives a fun perspective of the store and the lower half of my seated body

Let the Blundstone boot testing begin: first up, the new fall shoe in suede

And then the new tall chisel toe boot in rustic brown- goes with pretty much everything fall and winter, including slush since the oiled leather keeps the outdoor moisture out while remaining breathable

The steel grey leather chisel toe boot is very comfortable, so I believe all that talk of the sole padding. More importantly they are ever so cool and I can see myself wearing these with dark wash denim, slim trousers, and a cozy fall jacket

I liked the round toe on this style but I think that the chisel toe (previous image) is more ass-kickin (a.k.a. more my everyday style)

See how these chisel-toe grey boots go with everything? The grey has a deep brown undertone that picks up nicely in the Croc tote but yes also goes with helmet, cloth shopping bag..

These really do look awesome even from the top. They have a certain easy, laid-back simple style that makes wearing with any colour jeans or jacket

The friendly peeps at The Australian Boot Company on Queen West. Helpful and knowledgeable and casually stylish, I might add

My Blundstone chisel toe steel boot haul made it back to the east side on wheels. Can’t wait to wear ‘em on the ride! And you know I will

Images by me.

P.S. Blundstone Canada is hosting a contest for a trip for two to Australia. The gist: style your boot using Pinterest- so easy. Do it and win it!