The Lime Shop in Toronto this weekend

Diana and I will be in Toronto this Sunday Oct 24th for Canzine (held at The Great Hall). Come by and say hi. We'll have a small run of the Mr. Robot 2.0 grocery shopper (exclusive for events). German Shible, my brother and the artist of this charming robot image will also be there selling his illustrations and small press comic. Be sure to stop by his table.

My linoleum block printed bookmarks for Canzine. Made out of heavy weight cold press paper and acrylic paints.

Current reads and inspiration: Marc Jacobs by Bridget Foley and Rob Ryan's This Is For You.

Hope to see you this weekend.

::: Nathalie

Sales Don't Come From Lies

Dear Beyond The Rack,

I ain't a hater. I realize no one's perfect, but you gotta start upping your game if you want people to stop saying crap about you on the internet. How about treating the people who pay for your products better? I also suggest you stop blatantly lying to your customers about what's in stock on your site. On more than one instance, you've displayed a graphic of an item that you're not even selling. Lame!

Check yourself before you wreck yourself,
D

MJ ONLINE!

According to the Marc Jacobs Twitter, which is written my company prez Robert Duffy, the online shop will launch this fall. For the first six months he said they will only be shipping to the US, but will expand shortly after.

He also said that you can call any MJ store and order anything from the website and they will ship it to you regardless of location. That's kinda cool.

-D

Net-A-Porter Sale

Net-A-Porter is having an awesome sale with further reductions and new reductions and reductions on reductions! (Can you tell I'm salivating?)

I got the Rebecca Taylor Dotted Denim Jacket for 50% off. I wanted some other stuff but my size seems to be selling fast. Probably for the best.

::: Nathalie

Review: Jonathan's Finish Hold Firm Hold Hairspray

People are constantly asking me how I do my hair. I really should take a picture to show you and I know this sounds like I'm bragging, but I've honestly mastered the look of 'beachy waves'. Promise I'll post a 'how to' vid on YouTube one of these days when I'm not so busy.

In the meantime, I gotta talk to you about Jonathan's Finish Hold Firm Hold Hairspray. I can't seem to find it on their website, which leads me to believe it's discontinued (WTF is up with my luck, seriously?!)

A few months ago, Nathalie got a few samples from the Jonathan line at Holts and she went on and on about how incredible their conditioner was. For almost a year I've been using Ojon Tunu Finishing Hairspray. Though I'm a huge fan of the product itself, I'm really upset that the last three bottles I've purchased have crapped out on me halfway through due to a faulty spray nozzle. I looked it up and apparently a lot of people have a similar problem. When I saw Jonathan's Finish Hold Firm Hold Hairspray for $5.99 at StyleSense, I couldn't pass it up (along with a pair of Juicy Couture aviators, but that's another story all together). First thing I noticed is that the product is vegan, which I know is a big deal to a lot of you and of course I give props to companies that take our animal buddies into consideration.

What I noticed immediately when I started to use it is that it doesn't have a super strong smell like most 'firm hold' hairsprays (Elnett, I'm looking at you). The scent is actually quite pleasant. Also, it gives off incredible shine. I like the fact that the amount of hold is buildable and doesn't make your hair rock hard immediately. It hasn't been humid recently, but I think this stuff will hold up to the humidity. Overall, a solid product. Now I've gotta go to all the StyleSense locations in the area to make sure that I have a few bottles on hand. At just under $6 a pop, you can't really go wrong. Now I kinda wish I didn't write this cause I want 'em all to myself.

Too tired for a witty sign-off,
Diana

Fragrance Follies

Damn Marc Jacobs and his limited edition splash fragrances. I've been wearing his summer scent Rain for just over a year now. It's so good that I've been stopped in stores and cornered in hallways asking what perfume I wear.

But no, Marc can't keep making it. He had to release it two years in a row to tease us and now he's moved onto apple, biscotti and pomegranate splashes. Nice try, they're just not as good. Never will be.

In effort to look for a new scent that I love as much, I picked up this Vacation in a Bottle set from Michael Kors. Get this, these 7ml rollerballs were on sale at Shopper's Drug Mart for $20! Each of the fragrances was inspired by a tropical locale: Fiji, Capri, Hawaii and Bermuda. So far, Bermuda's my fav! It's light, feminine yet kind of exotic. Thing is, they all smell good and I'm sure they'd be great layered as well. And guess what, they're limited edition too. WTF. I guess it's just me. It sucks, because they really do smell amazing. Don't hesitate to pick 'em up if you see them around.

Destined to smell mediocre,
Diana

Got my mind on a Mulberry and a Mulberry on my mind

I want a Mulberry bag so much it hurts. But right now, I really don't have $1K+ to spend on accessories. WAA! So you can imagine how much I freaked out when I found out that they're doing a collabo with Target! I wonder what they're going to do? If they're are going to make amazing, affordable accessories that will quell my deep rooted (and disturbing) desire to own one of these pieces or if they'll be super disappointing (please don't be!)

After reading about it, I promptly emailed Nathalie at work and told her to take vacation time on October 20th. Then she informed me that renewing our passports would be necessary to cross the border. Crap. Guess it's true when they say that the good stuff never comes easy.



Dreaming of English Leather (wow that sounds wrong),
Diana

Photo courtesy of the Purse Blog.

Classic: brown Gucci and Wayfarers

Friday afternoon I got off work early. Picked up the bff and drove to the Yorkville Anthro. Returned stuff. Went to Gap. Returned stuff. Stopped by Holts for the sale. Bored, bored, bored. Bought Ray-Ban's to go with the new Gucci. Never thought I'd be into Wayfarers or a classic brown leather handbag. Never say never.

::: Nathalie

Call In Sick, There's a Sale at Holts!

Looks like Holt's has gotten rid of their infamous 'Now or Never' Sales. Don't fret, cause it looks like you can still pick up cool, discounted stuff at their Designer Sale on now.

Sorry I've been AWOL. I got my wisdom teeth out last week and have been a vegetable since. Percocets ain't your friend, yo.

Back from a oxycotin haze,
Diana

Bad Banana for Diana

Aw crap, Banana Republic et al. will have an eCommerce presence in Canada super soon. Like I didn't have enough problems with my online spending. Yikes.

-Diana

Review: MBMJ Zippy Heart Tote

I got my Zippy Nylon Tote today and it SUCKS! I spent $25 on stupid customs only to return it.

My brother said "That's Marc Jacobs? It's like he's playing a joke on everyone."

Before knowing it was MBMJ, Amy said "Ooo! That bag looks cheap. Return it."

After I told her it's MBMJ, Amy said "Whaaat?! You can get something like that at Pacific Mall for $10!"

Marc by Marc Jacobs Zippy Heart Tote Review:

• Thin cheap looking nylon.
• Unlined.
• No pockets
• The cute little bobbles keeping falling to the bottom because the zipper doesn't secure it in place.
• Thought the heart pouch was removable, but it's not. It only acts as a pouch to hold the nylon tote inside. Even then, it's hard to zip up.
• Disappointing. My brother said it best: It's as if Marc is playing a mean trick on us.

For $168 USD girls, save your money and put it away for a rainy day. This one's going back.

::: Nathalie

Imitation Limitation

I've been lusting after a Mulberry bag for longer than I'd care to admit, particularly the Alexa model. Reality is I just don't have the cash to spend on it.


It makes complete sense that I was drawn to this blatant rip off from ASOS. It's made from 100% leather, costs just over $100 USD and looks like it could be well made, but I'm torn. Can I really buy something knowing fully well that it's a total copycat?


-Diana

Emotional Shopping

MBMJ Zippy Heart Tote - the heart shaped leather pocket unzips to a pouch.

Sometimes I fall for a bag, or a pair of shoes or whatever for no apparent reason. That's how I feel about the Marc By Marc Jacobs Zippy Heart Tote.

I've been looking for it at Holts, but with their limited selection of cool shit, it's no wonder they don't have it. Shopbop is pretty good with their stock but we Canadians get slammed with duty taxes.

This is how I justified my new purchase:

I've been super stressed at work, I won't be getting the MBMJ Mousy Flats (Marc Jacobs shoes just don't fit my feet!), I have tote bag envy since Diana bought her MBMJ and I had a 15% off coupon at Shopbop that ends tonight.

So, I hit the checkout button on my iPhone.

I feel better now. Sorta. I'll feel much better once I get some sleep.

::: Nathalie

Shopbop Coupon Code: INTHEFAMILY15. I do believe the coupon ends tonight. It was a 2 day deal.

Shoe Score: D:2 N:1

Diana is the proud new mommy of DVF's.

Diana's man, Zach, canoodling her shoes.

Nathalie's next conquest: MBMJ's LOVE I FLATS from SSense

Diana and I have a sick habit of bragging about our conquests to each other. Shopping conquests that is. After 5 seasons of obsessively collecting the latest handbags, we've moved on to a new infatuation; shoes. (The Michael Kors' in our shoe collection don't count. We're talking fresh start.)

It started with my Miu Miu's. Then Diana got Tory Burch's. And in the meanwhile, we were both on the hunt for the perfect Gucci flats. I'm also saving for Marc Jacobs navy grosgrain mousey flats. (Diana thinks mousey flats are lame. Whatever.)

The next shoe purchase would have been mine. But then, Diana emailed me pictures from her iPhone. She bought DVF's! Argh!

Diana's designer shoe collection: 2

Nathalie's designer shoe collection: 1

::: Nathalie (signing off with shoe envy)

Turning Into A Bag Lady

At the end of next week, I'll be the only full-time writer at work. The other writer decided to bail and gave her two weeks on Monday. Though I totally support it, it's kinda stressing me out. It means I'm solo till they find a replacement and I'll have to train someone new.

What does Diana do when she's buggin'? She starts spendin'.

I got the pictured MJ tote on sale at Holts and I justified with:
"Oh, it's almost summer and it's lightweight. I'm stressed out. If I'm stressed I'll eat, but if I buy this I won't eat because I won't have money and then I won't gain weight. Yes. Yes. I should buy it."

Totally F'd, I know, but I don't regret it. It's big enough for everything I was squeezing into my much smaller purse. However, part of me wishes I had waited and purchased this:





I found out about Jack & Marjorie after looking for online retailers that may be interested in carrying Lime Shop stuff. Their bags are made from recycled materials and the design is just killer. I dunno, I might just pass on eating for the rest of the week, because I really want that bag!!!

Crazy About Canvas,
Diana

Making Friends Can Be Too Easy

Dear Blog,

I'm really sorry I've been neglecting you. My personal and professional life have been kinda, well, crappy. Just when things were starting to normalize, I made new 'friend'. This friend has made an unwelcome, pestering impression and now I'm doing my best not to let it get to me.

This 'friend' is actually a distrubing pimple that's made a home above my left eyebrow. It's such a bummer, especially because my bangs fall on the right side of my face, making it look even more prominent.

I'm pretty good with my skin care routine. Recently, I've been using Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser, Cucumber Herbal Toner, Ultra Facial Cream, and Avocado Eye Treatment (yeah, I kinda went crazy at Holt's a few weeks ago, don't judge me!). Anyhow, the rest of my skin looks pretty awesome, except for that one dreaded spot. WAA.

Blog, I'll try my best to write more. I know you get sad when we're not around.

Love,
Pimple Girl

Meet the new addition to my family.

I have an announcement.

I am the proud mother of a brand new pair of Miu Miu Buffalo Ribbon Cocco's. I picked them up at discount rack at Browns, from $475 down to $199.

Diana saw them first and nearly lost her mind. Size 6 1/2 sitting with the size 8's. When she showed them to me, I nearly lost it.

Now when someone says, "Cute shoes." I can respond with, "Thanks." (This is my queue to flip my hair like I'm the shit.) "They're Miu Miu."(Just kidding.)

::: Nathalie

(I realize the jeans in the fourth picture are completely inappropriate for these babies.)

Who needs "influence"?

The real deal, MBMJ Petal to the Metal Cross Body

Alexander Wang rip off bags at H&M, $14.95

The real deal, Nathalie's Alexander Wang Tina Zip Clutch

If you read our blog, you'll know that Diana and I are handbag snobs. It just kinda happened one day. After buying our first designer bag, there was no way we could go back to anything else. Since then, we've been able to spot which designer "influenced" the significantly less expensive version.

This past weekend, we ducked into Town Shoes for a quick look. Diana handed me a bag that looked strikingly like the Marc by Marc Jacobs Petal to the Metal Cross Body.

"When did they start selling MBMJ?" I asked. But it wasn't. It was their house brand.

Then today, at H&M, we walked by a display of Alexander Wang Tina Zip Clutch "influenced" bags. I'm gonna pull the snob card here and tell you that I have the real deal in my closet. So I asked Diana "Am I a sucker for spending big bucks on my bag or does H&M suck for replicating it?" Diana's a good friend and told me H&M sucked. Plus, their version is pretty awful as "influenced" items goes. Apparently $14.95 gets you the latest "it" bag.

::: Nathalie

Bye Bye FCUK (kinda)

When I was considerably heavier (we're taking 20 pounds here), I could go into an French Connection store and fit into a size 8 or 10. Um, vanity sizing much? Some of the pieces were cute and it made a chubster feel pretty awesome. Their garment measurements make absolutely no sense. Some of their pieces are teeny tiny, while others could easily fit a family from a third world country (not mine, we're not that small). I haven't shopped there in over a year and kinda forgot about the place in general.

Today, I found out that they're closing all but six of their American stores.

They usually have decent sales, so I can only imagine what it'll be like in the upcoming weeks.

-D

Nail Wars: Liberty of London for MAC & American Apparel

I was very excited when I heard about the Give Me Liberty of London MAC collection a few months back. The time has come and the collection debuted last week. The colours are lovely - vivid, but with a relaxed feel. I wanted to buy the whole lot, but responsible adults don't spend their paycheques on cosmetics now do they?

I opted for both the Nail Lacquers, Vestral White and Blue India. I've never cared for white nails but I instantly fell for this one. I was a bit fearful it'd resemble white out, but I don't believe it does and I did get some compliments. While Diana always vocalizes her distaste for MAC nail polish, I rather like it. My favorite long-wear formula is still Essie (in my opinion, nothing compares), but as long as MAC keeps pumping out awesome colours, I'll continue to buy them.

On another nail polish related note, Diana blogged about American Apparel's collection back in December. Turns out the first run of bottles were prone to breaking, therefore anyone who bought the first run can go back to AA and get a 2 for 1 replacement deal. Not too shabby.

Since Diana had bought 5 bottles, she was looking forward to collecting an extra 5 new colours. But once in the store, she was told her 2nd bottle had to be the same colour as the first. LAME.

Three of her colours were replaced with a second of the same. Her fourth colour, Office, wasn't available so they left her get 2 different ones, Berries and Passport Blue. The fifth colour, Factory Grey, also wasn't available, but she kept the original bottle because she really likes this one. She walked in with 5 bottles and walked out with 9. It's a plus for me since I get to inherit her repeats.

::: Nathalie (and Diana)