Recap: The Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show 2016

Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show Fashion Blog

Well friends, it has come and gone, another successful year of the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show. This year was bigger than ever; more vendors, more space, more stuff!! If this year had a theme, it would be COLOUR and I tried my best to photograph and capture the essence of it all.

Funny story- I walked by a booth that categorized their clothing by era. What made me feel old for the fist time in my life (because, honestly I still feel like I am 25), was the 80’s & 90’s section! I mean, I was born in the 80’s and grew up in the 90’s… was it really that long ago? Enough to call it VINTAGE?!! Hahaha it totally made me laugh.

Yesterday, I finally made it to A Vintage Collective a new mini vintage market downtown, they also had a booth at the show. It completely reminded me of Queen Street West circa 1999, you remember… that shop with the Gorilla at the front door! What really came to me as a surprise was the “Fresh Prince of Bel-air” vibes of clothes in the men’s department… and actually women’s too (aunt Viv rocked those shoulder pads like no other and so can you!).

Vintage clothes is hot, no matter when. What I find interesting is that even with vintage, there are trends. Last year, it was all about fur and vintage Chanel. This year the direction we are headed in, is full on colour with a dash of old school hip hop (#HammerTime).

Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show Fashion Blog style blogger
I totally had my eye on that Karl Lagerfeld scarf in the top right corner.

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Join me at The Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show April 10, 2016

The folks behind the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show are at it again, and promising to once again deliver the best in vintage fashion this city has to offer. Join me on April 10, 2016 at the Shaw Centre (Convention Centre, 55 Colonel By Drive) for a full day of treasure hunting. At this ONE DAY ONLY event, from 10am until 5pm, fashion conscious shoppers will find everything from retro street wear to vintage Chanel hand bags. Admission is $10, discount pass available online at OttawaVintageClothingShow.ca. Keep reading though… trust me!

All the vintage Chanel your coeur desires!
All the vintage Chanel your coeur desires!

Last November, I attended the The Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show and to nobody’s surprise, did a LOT of damage. (Seriously, folks, this part-time “hobby” of mine gets really expensive!) The most impressive booth had to be the one selling vintage Chanel handbags, Luxe Touch. They are based in Hamilton but ship worldwide! Can you image this being your business (insert “heart-eyes” emoji here).

This year’s notable vendors include The Handbag Gallery and Ian Drummond Collection.

GIVEAWAY TIME!
For sticking around this long, I am offering you a chance to win 2 free tickets to the show! Tell me what gems you are hoping to find at the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show and I’ll enter your name in the draw! The winner will be selected Wednesday, April 6, 2016.

Good luck and happy shopping!

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My #PinkShirtPromise: Every bully is bullied

Think about it… Every bully is being bullied.
I know this, because I was a victim of both and I hate myself for it.

I hate that I was being laughed at for being chubby, my entire life.
I hate that I did not stand up for myself.
I hate that I took out my anger on others.
I hate that I was a bully.
Maybe these folks have forgiven me, for being a coward and preying on the weak. If not, please take this as my apology.

I think I’m lucky, and got off pretty clean. Unfortunately, lots of victims of bullying don’t. I can’t even imagine what bullying looks like in 2016. Between social media and mobile technology, there are a plethora of weapons available to bullies. According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 40% of Canadian workers experience bullying on a weekly basis and 47% of Canadian parents report having a child victim of bullying. But if we all speak up, we can put an end to this non-sense.

I give you the #PinkShirtPromise campaign, a cause that is very close to my heart. Thanks to Post-it® and Bayshore Shopping Centre, Ottawa will embark on an initiative to end bullying in Canada from February 17-24, 2016.

During that week, Bayshore shoppers are invited to post their personal pledge of kindness to the Pink Shirt Promise installation in centre court, and inspire others to end bullying using the social media hashtag #PinkShirtPromise.

PinkShirtPromise Bayshore Ottawa

For every pledge posted, Bayshore will donate $0.25 to DIFD (Do it for Daren), a youth-driven initiative focused on raising awareness and inspiring conversations about youth mental health. By February 24 – Pink Shirt Day – the objective is to have the installation adorned entirely in pink Post-It pledges.

Also, when you post your promise on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram you get entered for as chance to with an ET Canada Experience, which includes flights for two to Toronto and two nights hotel accommodation, and a $1,500 dollar shopping spree at Bayshore Shopping Centre!

Please join me and spread the love! 

Created by Shaw Communications, #PinkShirtPromise is an initiative for social change in support of the bullying prevention movement in Canada aligned with Pink Shirt Day.

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And in case you need a pink shirt, feel free to browse some of these awesome finds!

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Delta Ottawa’s Lift Lounge offers a ‘True Canadian Experience’

Canadian fare is more than just peameal bacon and poutine. Chefs from Delta & Marriott Hotels across the country, like Stefan Müeller, Eric Larcom, Robert Gendreau and Ottawa’s own Executive Chef Jason Duffy, are here to prove it!

Introducing, “A True Canadian Experience by Lift”. It is a one-of-a-kind culinary event happening this week (January 27-29 2016 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) at Lift lounge, Delta’s newest eatery. This all-you-can-indulge event is an opportunity to celebrate the best of everything Canada has to offer; from arts and music to food and beverage.

The coast-to-coast menu will present focal eats from different regions across Canada– Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and the Maritimes. Think Alberta beef and East coast oysters, meet Ontario duck and Quebec maple, my mouth is salivating just thinking about this.

“Featuring local musicians and skilled artists like painters, sculptors, LIFT is stepping up as the new venue providing a platform for local artists to showcase their talents in Ottawa!”

It doesn’t get any more local/Canadian than this!

Tickets are $49.95 plus tax and include a wine & beer tasting for two hours. You can purchase them here. For more details about the event, check out their Facebook event page.

So, to all of those who are looking for a date night or a way to spice up your winter, please join me for #ExperienceLift and indulge in a ‘True North Strong and Free’ evening. I’ll be there on Wednesday night, I hope to see you there!

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