Defrost The Visa For Economic Stimulus’ Sake

All this talk of economic stimulus is working. . .I’m stimulated already! My fingers are all a-tingle to defrost the Visa and go shopping. Must. Hold. Back.

The BC Home + Garden Show is not where you’d expect to fall in love. Well, with a hot, toolbelt-wearing contractor perhaps, but not with a necklace. And yet, that’s just what happened when I was there late last month. In the mini Portobello West marketplace I found North Shore jewelry designer Trudy Wynans. She’s the creative force behind Toodlebunny Designs; and don’t let the cute name fool you — her alluring work has some feisty rock-and-roll edge. I fell hard for a slender tusk on a long gold chain . . . I’m putting it on my wishlist for spring. The rest of you are free to peruse and purchase from her many other pieces: multi-strand necklaces, mismatched earrings, offbeat charm bracelets. If you’d like to look at her work in person rather than online, make plans to attend the first Portobello West Fashion & Art Market of the season, March 28 and 29 at the Rocky Mountaineer Station.

New at Superstore this week: Joe Fresh Style cosmetics. I was there picking up cereal, and tossed a tinted lip balm and eyeshadow trio into my basket. The packaging is sleek, the products feel and smell lovely, and they make the grocery budget: they top out at $8.

Score Tahari, Tracy Reese, Michael Kors, Rich and Skinny. . .my fingers are getting fatigued here, so I’ll leave you to discover the other designers at the Wear Else warehouse sale yourself. Thursday March 5, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Friday March 6, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday March 7 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 28 West 7^th Ave., Vancouver.

If you’re cruising around Coquitlam this weekend (and if you’re not, you may want to head in that direction. East, I think.) be sure to hit the Marilyn’s warehouse sale. Among the lines offered at 50 to 80 per cent off are Betsey Johnson, Nicole Miller, Rock & Republic, Paige, Joes; plus there’s an extra 20 per cent off on Saturday. Friday March 6, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m; Saturday March 7, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Executive Plaza, 405 North Rd., Coquitlam.

Now let’s be clear, while I am an ardent admirer of the work that many of today’s top designers do, I can’t afford it (seriously: $2,000 for a purse?). I’m more likely to troll the blogs, surf the websites, and shop the sample sales than pay full retail. Or I’ll style my look after theirs, using my own thrifty ways and means. Let’s take Nanette Lepore for example. I heart her. And perhaps because it’s an unrequited sort of love I entertain regular fantasies about her pretty colour palettes, ruffles and delicate beading details. Her spring collection is no exception. Forget the mood-killer of dour deflation colour schemes, this “exotic garden” is a lovely jumble of apple green, poppy and turquoise, balanced against warm cocoa brown. Delicious! I’ll be looking for ways to emulate the line when I shop my own closet, and if she ever does create budget clothes with H&M or Target, I will beat you all down to get there first (yeah, that’s right…I said you). In the meantime, if I meet you at a cocktail party and you strike up a conversation about this very column, please understand that by Recessionista I am not referring to 10% off a $1,000 suit at Holt’s. I get excited when I score $6 lipgloss at the grocery store (see above). That’s what I’m talking about.

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Deana Lancaster is an authentic pop culture vulture who will cop to an addiction to EW.com that is as insatiable as those she has for all things gourmet, great shoes, cool tunes and the Huffington Post. A 12-year staffer at the North Shore News, she serves as the paper’s food & wine editor, features editor, and dabbles in some selective freelancing. If she’s not at her computer, she’s likely hanging with her family — or depending on the season — surfing at Long Beach or snowboarding Cypress.

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