While stumbling and bumbling around, a drunk man tripped into a small store, which had just opened on the corner of Bank and Gilmour streets. He wandered through, gazing at its vibrantly coloured collection of bed spreads, dresses and textiles, unsure of where his drunken adventure had led him. It was different from the other stores he meandered by on the street. The aroma of the burning incense enticed him to wobble down to the back end of the shop. Intoxicated by the smell, he grumbled, grabbed a pack of... | Continue reading article

Hintonburg’s sleepy Elmdale Lawn Bowling club will be transformed into the hippest spot in the city on Wednesday when Lawn Summer Nights returns to the capital for the first of four nights of mingling, munchies, booze and bowling in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada. The second annual fundraiser, which draws a who’s who of young Ottawa professionals from the political, media and business spheres, doubled in size this year and sold out in less than 24 hours. “We have a bunch of returning teams, and we attribute much of our... | Continue reading article

Preston Street nail and beauty salon goes retrospective as it celebrates its two-year anniversary. Starting a small business is probably one of the hardest things an entrepreneur can do. Businesses come and they go, but in some cases, they manage to stay, thrive and expand. Based on its success, it’s clear that Natalie Esau, owner of The Upkeep Shoppe, an inviting, walk-in lounge-type nail salon and spa, was exactly what Ottawa needed. The modern spa, located at 358 Preston Street, between Aberdeen St. and Young St., has experienced great success... | Continue reading article

The rain should clear up by the weekend, Ottawans, so plan on getting out and enjoying the sun! This week, we’re giving away tickets to Winchester Warm’s album launch – read on to find out how you can win. Summertime should perhaps be re-cast as weddingtime – ’tis the season of nuptials, showers and confetti. Victoire, Sparrow flowers and Heart Deco are joining forces tonight to present a bit of a different side of the wedding industry: with vintage dresses, jewelry and locally-designed flower arrangements, they’ll provide the perfect way... | Continue reading article

Post by Régine Paquette and Katie Frappier. The Wornettes are heading to Ottawa to celebrate the release of The Worn Archive. The anthology is comprised of the first fourteen issues of WORN with each chapter dedicated to celebrating a different aspect of fashion. In anticipation of the event, we sat down with Serah-Marie McMahon, founder and editor of WORN to discuss their role in Canada’s fashion industry and what values they bring to their writing. How do you think Worn has influenced the Canadian Fashion Industry? How have you seen... | Continue reading article

The time has come for another year’s renewal. Ottawa Vintage-goers kicked it off with high style at the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show this past Sunday April 13th. Personally I’ve always had a love for vintage since way back in my high school Annie Hall days with wide leg tweed pants, checkered skirts and ties. I always identified with days gone by, a previous era and shrugged off the rock t-shirts and hoodies of my peers, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Sunday I got to relive the thrill of... | Continue reading article

The old-timey fair came to town this past Sunday April 13th in the form of the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show. However instead of farmers and craftspeople lining up their wooden stalls side by side, open booths were set up in laneways like those I liken to the one behind my grandmother’s garden in Thunder Bay, where I used to play dressup in my aunts’ old clothes. All that was missing were the little white fences with rose and raspberry bushes peeking through them to complete the picture. This spring edition... | Continue reading article

The time has come to spring clean. This dauntingly includes tackling your wardrobe. As a dress enthusiast I know the trouble of stuffing my wardrobe until the bar bends, buckling under the weight of my well-intended enthusiasm. To provide my poor closet with some relief I often host a clothing swap with friends, where everything old is new again and the remaining items are donated to a thrift shop. However, with new organizations such as Clothes for Charity  in the UK arising, it seemed to me that there were more... | Continue reading article

Dressed in Babes & Gents drop-crotch pants, Amir Hasanzadehzargari is enthusiastic as he tells me about his challenges and dreams, his unique and rocky road to launching Babes & Gents, an Ottawa-based clothing brand. Launched last year, the company sells its clothes online at babesngents.ca. As of today, that is the only place you can buy Amir’s creations. His collection includes lines for women and men, and is surprisingly well priced. Most items, from hats to crop tanks to tees hover at around $30, although there are a few items, such... | Continue reading article

Ever wondered how clothing gets selected in your local shops? How store owners manage to pick those really great pieces from collections of lovely designs? This week, you get a chance to find out, with Victoire Boutique hosting a Collection Launch down at their West Wellington location. For three days, they’ll have the entire Spring 2014 collection from Canadian designer Birds of North America on display. Stop by to peruse the collection, and take the chance to buy like the shop owners do for their stores: with all colours and styles... | Continue reading article