Last week, I was invited to have a sneak peak at the new CF Rideau Centre reveal, during the media preview party. The new expansion is amazing and does wonders for Rideau street. It looks clean, modern and rejuvenated. I also find that this expansion is doing wonders for mens fashion, maybe the most menswear available in one section of the mall!
So what new shops opened at Rideau Centre you ask?
Simons
H&M (yes, they have a plus-size section!)
Anthropologie
Disney Store
Zara
Massimo Dutti
Strellson
Rudsak
Sketchers
Roots
Vans
Frank + Oak
Steven Madden
L’intervalle
NYX
Bridgehead
Emilio Guido
Lululemon
Indochino
Adore
Squish
Trade Secrets
lole
Bento Sushi
Alex + Ani
With all these new stores added to CF Rideau Centre, it has once again become THE MALL, that bares it all! Personally, I am excited to add more L’intervalle footwear to my collection, and hope to get reacquainted with Anthropologie and Simons.
Again, I was busy with filming live video on Facebook that night, so I didn’t get many pictures in. Here are some pics that I managed to scrounge up of the evening.
Hope you get a chance to see the new mall soon!
Thanks to Alan Wainwright for this pic of Katie (@YowCityStyle) and I!Thanks to Alan Wainwright for this pic of Katie (@YowCityStyle) and I!My new favourite shoe store “L’Intervalle”, a brand designed in Montreal and made in Europe. Amazing designs and affordable price point.I just had to buy these babies!
Thank you to my gal Julie from @TrySmallThings for this lovely photo.
Last year, around the same time, I had the privilege of attending the media preview for the first Simons opening in the area. The Simons Gatineau store opened in Les Promenades Gatineau on August 14, 2015, and I remember being told to stay tuned, because Ottawa was getting a store in August 2016. One full year later, and here we are! I can’t believe how fast time flies. The Simons store in CF Rideau Centre opens this Thursday, August 11, 2016!
The space is gargantuan, about 104,000 square feet! Like, you WILL 100%, most definitely get lost on the 4th and 3rd floor of the Rideau Centre (and you should!). Remember the old theatre?… there! The store is perfectly laid out, and includes the signature Simons price-point “mix & matching” merchandising strategy. There is no discrimination here, this shopper knows what she wants and can confidently style herself in a unique way.
“Oh fun! This $3000 purse will go great with my $40 jacket”
We had a chance to meet Peter Simons again, who does a lovely job of teaching us fashion bloggers the strategy behind maintaining a large private Canadian company, keeping the passion alive after 180 years of business, the thrilling ride of merchandising and buying, how to remain socially responsible and predicting trends coming out of the European fashion scene. He has a wealth of fashion knowledge and I feel like a sponge when he talks. (PS- feminine Parisian style is making a comeback, but this time it’s your own interpretation. No cookie cutter moulds for you to follow… so put some thought into it, would you?).
I did manage to snap a few photos, but focused on live video this time, to give you the full experience. You can check out the videos on facebook and twitter!
A very basic capsule collection of shoes are available in the men’s and women’s section!View from the 4th floor of the atrium.Classic pose of myself and Chloe Gordon, fellow Ottawa fashion blogger. Turn out last year I wore white and the same shoes/purse combo! How bizarre! Thank you to Julie from www.trysmallthings.com for the pic!Unique Canadian art installation, a signature theme of all Simons stores.The perfect blogger coffee table! Simons Home section is out of this world!
From now til August 8, the infamous Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (#NSale) should be on your Ottawa to-do list! But of course, that’s only if you’re looking for NEW, never seen before, fall items at discount price.
I was invited for a peruse on Saturday, and decided to share some behind-the-scene pics on my Facebook page, because the quality didn’t seem good enough for my blog. Apparently, you all could care less about the quality…. you just wanted to see more pics of me in the changeroom!!! I felt like a digital barbie model (and I kind of like it! hahaha).
Here are some pics of my makeover in the beauty department and some terrible selfie pics of me modelling different outfits in my badly lit change room!
Dry Bar at Nordstrom is an exclusive Blow Dry Bar product line. These products are made to make your blow out last longer while making your hair feel and look so fresh & so clean!OMG! The highlight of my day… FRECKLES!! This is the MAC freckle station.Voila! Me with my La Mer facial, Chanel makeup, Dry Bar blow out and MAC freckles! I mean…. this picture exudes summer!!!Outfit 1- Over the shoulder denim topOutfit 2- Short dress with beige Lucky brand booties (I bought these booties!)Outfit 3- Striped skirt, white top and army green moto jacket. With these pointy Cole hand snake skin flats, I can be a bit edgy at work!Outfit 4- This outfit screams SUNDAY DINNER WITH THE FAM! These Rag & Bone Boyfriend jeans are da bomb!Outfit 5- This t-shirt dress with cold shoulders and bell sleeves gave me life! But my heart was set on these over-the-knee Dolce Vita boots. I am going back for these puppies and I don’t care who knows it!Outfit 6- Burgundy shift dress with pointed toe Cole Hand snake skin flats. Another edgy work outfit.Outfit 7- COOL MOM ALERT! This was my favourite look! The suede moto jacket is all the rage, and I totally get why. But it was the last one, and size Large was a bit too snug. I bought this Adidas shirt to add a little “athleisure” in my life.
I was walking in Westboro on Victoria Day, and noticed a new shop, and it was the only one open on the strip. Of course, being the curious person that I am, I walked in and started chatting with one of the employees. It’s an Australian brand that has recently launched in Canada called Bailey Nelson and is a prescription eye wear and sunglasses shop made in Canada. Every pair is slowly crafted and assembled in Canada, using the best quality products sourced from countries like Australia and Japan.
It turns out this is the company’s sixth store, and they opened it right in the heart of Ottawa’s boutique shopping district! I love it! The store itself is simplistic, with clean lines and natural accents. The company has an eco-friendly eye and a soft spot for maximizing sustainable materials.
The premise of this business is that all frames are $145 (taxes in!), whether it’s prescription or sunglasses. The sunnies are made with high quality lenses and they are all polarized, which means they are actually good for your eyes (bonus! fashionable and functional).
There are loads of gorgeous styles to choose: from feminine flirty to geek chic, with most options being unisex. I am told that the glasses are made in small batches, so the really popular styles will naturally become collector’s edition. At that price, you can afford to start your own collection and BUY THEM ALL!! hahaha
If you’re in the area, I highly suggest popping in to say hello! The staff are super friendly and the shopping experience will not disappoint!
Get out of your comfort zone, and start exploring the new shops that are popping up in Ottawa!