Keira-anne.com

Photos (Top to Bottom): Hunter Boots; Wüsthof Knives; both dresses Diane von Furstenberg; KitchenAid; Urban Outfitters; Apple; Stuart Weitzman at Nordstrom; FashionBeans

Thanks to all who entered my LittleEvaCharlotte Etsy contest over the last week. I’m pleased to announce our winner, Adrienne Jackson, who selected the Flour Sack Hat as her favourite item. Adrienne, please send an e-mail to the ladies of LittleEvaCharlotte with your mailing information. Congratulations!

Someone at Nordstrom must have been sleeping on the job. For reasons I can’t explain, this dress ended up at Nordstrom Last Chance with a $49.95 price tag on it. It was the only one, it was in my size, there was not a stain, not a rip and not a silk thread out of place. Pure coincidence, and clearly I planned my trip to Scottsdale at the right time.

It was only in recent years that I learned how crucial the right pair of shoes are to completing an outfit. Tonight after work, I completed the dress by picking up these “kicks” at Holt Renfrew’s seasonal sale. The original price tag said $188 but the register rung them up for $109. It’s think it might be love.

In European Renaissance, those of royalty or upper-class society often married simply for the preservation of bloodlines and social status. More often than not, these men and women sought entertainment and companionship on the side from particular people who were educated, independent, trained in the arts and added a sense of sensuous luxury to life.

These particular people were known as courtesans.

Less than two months ago, fifteen years of planning finally came to fruition in the form of Yaletown’s newest boutique, Qortezan. The shop reflects owner Edie Orenstein’s personal sense of empowerment, manifested in retail form: “I wanted to create a sensual environment of pleasure that includes all the senses.” Edie believes there’s a difference between sensuality and sexuality, and Qortezan has been designed to highlight taste, touch, smell, sound and sight through textures, layers and an expansion of these elements.

Filled with beautiful silks, rich colours, enticing scents, entertaining books and candles designed to flicker just right, Qortezan was a boutique I fell in love with the moment I walked in the door two weeks ago. I should also add that Jordy accompanied me the first time – Qortezan is completely dog-friendly!

Men will find no shortage of handsomely tailored, hand-made shirts, crafted in Montréal from Italian and German fabrics. What’s more, the entire line is accompanied by a number of shiny cufflinks to provide contrast and refined style.

Some cufflinks are just for fun too…

One cannot enter Qortezan and ignore the fact that it’s also somewhat of a treasure chest of pleasure. Too often there’s still a stigma attached to items, lotions and potions designed for romps in the bedroom, but this is one shop aimed at breaking down any potential shame. Instead, Qortezan provides a comfortable and safe ambiance to indulge your carnal side.

Aside from her desire to bring a few of her favourite little things from overseas to our slice of the globe, Edie Orenstein also has an immense passion for flamenco dancing. Not only are traditional, hand-stitched manton scarves and leather flamenco shoes available for purchase (direct from Seville, Spain) at Qortezan, the shop will soon be transforming into a dance space for special events.

My personal favourite part of the shop is the vast array of bras, panties, nylons, bustiers and feathered delights. Largely featured is one of my most-loved lingerie lines, Blush. I should also mention that, in addition to mens’ clothing, us ladies can also find some fabulous pieces that can be worn outside of the bedroom.

Lastly, but certainly not least, Qortezan is fully stocked with everything one would need to bring this sensual environment from the shop to the home. Rare mens’ colognes, sweet perfumes and essentially-scented candles can be found all through-out the shop. I’m not normally a girl who likes cologne on a man, but I certainly wouldn’t kick him out of bed for wearing Pal Zileri’s signature scent or a dab of Lab.

If you’d like to visit Qortezan for yourself, visit the shop in person at 1035 Mainland Street in Yaletown, downtown Vancouver, just south of Nelson Street. No stranger to social media, Qortezan can also be found online, on Twitter, on Flickr and on Facebook.

Regular musical acts (including an upcoming appearance by Jim Byrnes), wine nights, fragrance evenings, phenomenal sales and so much more will be happening on a regular basis, so be sure to sign up for Qortezan’s e-mail list.

Photo: Laura-Elizabeth on Flickr

In case you haven’t heard, it’s hot in British Columbia. It’s not just those warm, late-spring days we’re experiencing either. It’s humid, sticky, sweaty, still-air hot!

Last weekend I hauled my summer clothes out of storage and discovered shorts, a skirt or two and some pretty little sun tops. What became apparent to me is my severe lack of breezy, flowy summer dresses. I’m particularly fond of maxi dresses (and especially the one Carrie Bradshaw donned as she downed margaritas in Mexico). This weekend’s mission: grab a Slurpee before finding and purchasing the perfect summer dress. A new pair of sunglasses and sandals wouldn’t hurt either…

With the summer months headed our way at warp speed, it should go without saying that we humans aren’t he only ones who suffer in the heat. Can you imagine enduring this heat all the while also wearing a fur coat? Though don’t even get me started on the idiocy of fur coats…

Yesterday a Saanich woman was outed to animal control by a passer-by after having left her small dog locked in her vehicle. The entire episode was caught by an A-Channel news camera. Upon returning to her car, the lady wildly waved a water bottle at the crew and said “see, I do have water here.”

To this, the animal control officer replied, “Ma’am, dogs don’t know how to open and drink from water bottles.”

Here are some personal thoughts and ideas on how you can keep your “fur baby” cool during the summer months:

• First, leave your dog at home! If you’re out running errands, the last place your dog wants to be is in your hot, smelly car. Canines can sustain brain damage in as little as 20 minutes of intense heat. It is not worth the risk!
• Many dogs and cats tend to shed around this time of year, but consider a trip to the groomer to help thin-out the thick undercoat.
• Fans! Dogs enjoy sticking their heads out of the windows of moving cars while their tongues flop to the side. Let your pup do this in a safe manner with a home fan or two.
• Even though shade can get warm on some of the hottest days, a patch of cool grass in the shade can be a welcome respite for your animal.
• Lots of fresh water, water, water… need I say more?
• While your pet doesn’t need to be cleansed more often than is necessary (their skin can dry out easily), a quick rinse in the tub will cool their body temperature from ears to paws.
• Consider a cooling humidifier for air quality. Hot days equal dry air and smaller animals (Jordy included) can be susceptible to dry and irritated throats. As an alternative, keep your animal in the bathroom with you for the few minutes you shower – the moist air can work wonders!

UPDATE – Cesar Millan recently Tweeted this: “Dogs sweat thru the pads of their feet, but their primary way to keep cool is panting. Overheated dogs drool excessively.”

Have any other ideas? Share them in the comments! And while you’re at it, wish a big happy birthday to Danielle’s other half!

Earlier I was speaking with a friend in an attempt to find a topic to blog about. After politely declining the subject of the Middle Eastern conflict (you can read about that elsewhere), he suggested “the fleeting nature of women’s fashion and how it breeds unnecessary consumerism.” Seemed to me that was a bit of a sore spot so I probed further…

As it turns out, his wife was petitioning to him for a new pair of boots, justifying said boots because they were on sale from $350 down to $250. It seemed reasonable to me. His argument, however, was that she already has a number of perfectly good boots. And further, she wanted these new boots simply based on the fact that “the toes are more blunt on these ones.” And with that, I sided with him instantly.

Photo: HBO on Fashion Nation

I can readily admit that it took me a long, long time to finally understand the concept of shoes beyond basic function. I could appreciate how essential it is to own a pair of sneakers, a pair of heels, maybe some galoshes for the winter and, most definitely, snowboard boots for obvious purposes. But it wasn’t until I finally hit my mid-20s and decided to buck fashion trends for what I wanted to wear that I was able to recognize just how crucially footwear is correlated to fashion.

They say that shoes make an outfit, and it’s true. Imagine a dreamy, creamy summer dress paired with black, square-heeled pumps instead of ballet flats or espadrilles. Or a sleek and tailored pantsuit with a pair of Doc Martens. Ridiculous, I know. But does this mean that it’s necessary to hit the shoe shops for countless pairs to match with each and every outfit? I think not.

Why did I disagree with my friend’s wife’s attempt at rationalization as mentioned above? To purchase a pair of boots simply for a different toe style is completely unnecessary. Flip open any Vogue magazine. While the pages are plastered with couture, cruise wear and the unconventional, a running theme is fashion that exudes class, style and tradition. I’m of the opinion that it’s okay to spend several hundred on a pair of boots – bearing in mind that they should be both functional and timeless in their design.

While my sturdy pair of Frye boots may run upwards of $350, will I still be wearing these a decade from now? The chances are quite likely. The same can’t be said of footwear (or any fashion, for that matter) that is trendy or fad-ariffic. Style du jour will fade with each season and disappear like a tumbleweed. And other items, such as the perfect pair of jeans, a stunning little black dress or delicate heels are comparable to a Chanel suit – iconic fashion statements that transcend the passing of time. Those pieces are what are worth the extra dollars.

Something For The Men

On a final note, what is it with men and boots? My friend also confirmed to me that almost every man finds a woman in boots irresistible. Perhaps I’m just a little naïve (or maybe my brain doesn’t function as imaginatively), but what goes through a man’s head when he sees a woman in boots? And further, do you men prefer a woman in boots or a woman in a sexy pair of shoes?

If I had a dollar for every time over the last six months that Becky asked me “can we go snowboarding now?” then, well, I’d have about five dollars. My point is that she is just as excited as I am for the upcoming snowboard season. Mt. Washington Alpine Resort on Vancouver Island is set to kick off the 2008/2009 ride on December 5, 2008 – just a sprinkle of days after yours truly’s birthday.

Becky and I will, without a doubt, be on the slopes for opening day, boards waxed and ready to go. Keep your eyes locked on my blog over the next 7 weeks as I’ll be posting updates on the snowfall and getting you excited with snowcam shots!

And a little link love to kick off the first really rainy weekend of Fall…

P.S. A girlfriend of mine is trying to get her mitts on a vintage stove from the 40s or 50s, so if you know of one for sale, leave a comment or pop me an e-mail.

Twiggy. Jackie Kennedy. Madonna. Gwen Stefani. Princess Diana of Wales. These are all names that have, at one point or another, been synonymous with the term “fashion icon.” One name that will be found on very few lists is Sue Charlton.

In my previous post, I took you to the time in my life when I became captured by New York City by way of the film “Crocodile Dundee.” It wasn’t only The City That Never Sleeps that caught my impressionable 6-year-old eyes. I was captivated by the sophistication and daring nature of the film’s heroine, Sue Charlton.

From the first moment she appears on screen, we are shown a woman who clearly epitomizes a fresh face with an even fresher fashion sense. While at the time I was too young to appreciate the details, now as a woman in her 20s, it’s all that I notice.

From her leather safari gloves to her over-sized hats, gauzy scarves to hip and high-waisted belts, Linda Kozlowski’s Sue Charlton appeared as though she’d stepped off the pages of any Vogue magazine in 1986.

In reality, Sue would’ve needed both a trunk and an iron in the Australian Outback to rock what she rocked, but that’s entirely besides the point.

In fact, 22 years later I’d still like to raid the wardrobe closet from that film. Well, at least some sections of it…

This is one dress that never ceased to completely fascinate me as a child. It was bold, red, daring and showed a lot of skin. With all those cut-outs, I could never, ever figure out how her panties didn’t show. At that age, it never occurred to me that a woman would go out in public without panties. And while I don’t know anyone that could – or would – wear such a dress today, I applaud her regardless!

In the final scenes where the girl gets her man, we are all witness to something I still cannot get over to this day. While running from the Plaza Hotel to the nearest subway station, Sue ditches and discards her perfect leather pumps in an effort to start sprinting. Some men are worth a mad dash, but surely she could’ve tucked them under her arm or something. They were probably Prada!

It’s certainly true that much of what came from Sue’s’s closet in 1986 should remain there, and only perhaps half of her pieces could translate to 2008. However, there is no denying that she was on top of the garment game. Sue Charlton may not be a conventional fashion icon – nor one that many even know – but that which she dared to wear still echoes today, and that is truly making a statement.

All photo captures from the film “Crocodile Dundee” are credited in their entirety to Paramount Pictures.

“Cocktails at Tiffany’s calls for classic charm. Oscar de la Renta, sleeveless, silk, full-skirted dress with black patent leather bow belt. Now that is pure poetry.”

A girl can dream a dream. Few are the women who haven’t swooned, ooh’d and aah’d over the copious items to come from Carrie Bradshaw’s closet over the last decade. Clearly, I am no exception.

Today, the FedEx man came by my office.

“Package for Keira-Anne.”

“Yes, that is me.”

And this is what he brought me…

Remember when the courier came to Carrie’s apartment with a package from Vivienne Westwood and we all watched with breath that was baited as she carefully peeled back the delicate tissue paper? That is what true love feels like.

Amy asked me if I was going to sleep in my new boots. I told her “uh, no.” I think I might have changed my mind.

It’s Fall, it’s getting colder out, time to wear warmer clothing, blah blah blah. Are you even surprised that this is also my favourite season to shop for? I have a lot of great jeans, two pairs of warm UGGs and enough cute sweaters and cardigans to last me until Spring.

Often I choose Fashion over Function, but in this case, the two Fs go hand-in-hand. The fact that it’s also Fall is just a threesome of Fs.

I love Marc. He makes me smell good. He’d make me fashionable too.

My mom had Frye boots in the 1970s. For years they collected dust in our house after she no longer wanted to wear them, and now they are gone without a trace (much to my chagrin). I want these ones, but they cost a lot. A lot.

Maybe I won’t be able to bundle myself in this Marc Jacobs dream or own the sidewalk in these Frye boots, but I need a new Fall and Winter jacket as well as some boots that aren’t UGGs or stilettos. Or maybe I could buy one and not the other.

Help me! Suggestions!

Any obscure places I should hunt out?