Leave it to me to perpetually abandon my website, and then to come back with this. Baha! Call it filler, call it what you will, but sweetest Lauren (aka Fashion Kitty), has tagged me for another fun — albeit silly — blog questionnaire. Even though most of you probably know the answers, I won’t be the one to break the chain game.

Forgive my absence, and stay tuned. I’m working on a new project, which I can’t wait to share with you all soon.

* Post rules at the beginning of the post.

* Answer all the questions.

* Tag 6 people, and go to their blog and leave a comment to inform them that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

* Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING TEN YEARS AGO?

Hmm, ten years ago. I was deciding which colour of Adidas Originals were the coolest. Also, preparing for high school. Big step!

WHAT ARE FIVE THINGS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST TODAY?

1. Clean the bugs off the front window of my car.

2. Have my manicure touched up.

3. Drink a coffee.

4. Order shelves from IKEA.

5. Sleep.

SNACKS YOU ENJOY?

Whole-wheat carrot muffins.

Dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.

PLACES YOU LIVED?

The Gulf Coast,  Colorado Springs, Toronto.

WHAT ARE FIVE THINGS YOU WOULD DO IF YOU WERE A BILLIONAIRE?

1. Give 25 million to my Dad and Mum.

2. Give 25 million to my brother and sister-in-law.

3. Build my dream house.

4. Invest.

5. Buy each of my BFFs a Macbook Pro.

PEOPLE YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT?

Angela at AllureFashion, Cuffington, Eden at Bargainista

Summer’s no time for wearing a coat, but coat shopping?

Check!

Finding a classic coat — at sale price — during summertime gives me much the same feeling as finding that perfect bikini in the middle of January.

Bliss!

I’m not normally a fan of Gwen’s L.A.M.B. line, but there is the odd time that I love one of her designs. Gwen’s Brighton coat is one of those designs. Done in a classic jacquard print, — perfect for transitioning to fall — the Brighton coat features a mandarin collar and adorable three-quarter length sleeves.

This L.A.M.B. coat also has a hidden button placket at front, and is cinched at the waist with a rectangular-buckled belt.

And on sale, this coat is a steal.

L.A.M.B. Brighton coat, $385 $269, eLUXURY.com

Summer is the perfect time for styling a dress, and I find cotton/jersey blends to be both comfortable and chic. This bandeau style would be quite fitting for bargain shopping at a tourist-y farmers market or strolling beachside.

When I first saw this bandeau dress by Splendid, I knew it would be completely comfortable. The brainchild of Moise Emquies — a former lawyer — Splendid t-shirt dresses have been around since 2002. The great part is that most pieces from Emquies’s first collection still wear stylish today, so chances are you’d wear this dress for seasons to come. Done in a brightly-coloured cotton, — I’m loving that berry shade! — this Splendid dress features an elasticized bandeau top, a cute drawstring waist, and fully functional buttons down the front. The dress falls just above the knees, and has pockets that hit on the hips. (Pockets on the hips aren’t entirely flattering, but if thinner figures can definitely wear this look).

If you’re more figure-conscious, I’d lean toward this similar style dress from Victoria’s Secret. The pockets on this VS dress are on the front, so eyes will naturally fall to your center, instead of your hips. Just like the Splendid dress, Victoria’s Secret features an elasticized bandeau top and drawstring waist. The buttons down the front are faux (which I actually prefer), so the dress just slips on and off. Though it’s not on sale in a berry shade, this dress is available in a vivid green and white.

And pricing? I thought the Splendid dress was a bargain — only 70 dollars! — until I saw the price at Victoria’s Secret. For less than 20 dollars, I’d shop at VS for this bandeau dress.

Splendid bandeau dress, $168.70 $70, Net-A-Porter.com

Victoria’s Secret knit bandeau dress, $38 $18.99, VictoriasSecret.com

This adorable Tracy Reese silk slip dress is appropriately discounted at eLUXURY.

Tart lemon yellow, scalloped together with serrated edges and a sleeveless design; this dress screams summer.

The great thing about lemon yellow is that it looks great on a variety of women — whether you have an alabaster complexion or a fake-and-bake glowing tan.

Tracy Reese’s dresses are great quality, too, and I love the idea of a halter neck instead of a predictable tube dress.

Tracy Reese scalloped slip dress, $275 $195, eLUXURY.com

Famous first for popularizing pantsuits for women, Yves Saint Laurent had a design sensibility like no other.

He will surely be missed.

Yves Saint Laurent black suede Naked Kiss platform sandals, $556, Bluefly.com

Yves Saint Laurent brown patent leather Uptown tote, $1516, Bluefly.com

Yves Saint Laurent photo Source

Net-A-Porter is having a sale, and look what I found while I was scooping up bargains!

Smart shoes by Marc Jacobs, – 

Combining the sweetness of a peep-toe, the sophisticated styling of a slingback, and the slickness of patent leather.

All wrapped up in a beautiful nude hue that wears wonderful and stuck on a 4-inch heel, I LOVE these heels.

And did I mention they’re marked down more than 50 percent?

Marc Jacobs slingback peep-toe pumps, $696.20 $295, Net-A-Porter.com

I am looking to buy a Tiffany cut out heart ring sterling silver in a size 8. They have discontinued it — any suggestions?

Tiffany’s original Cutout heart ring in sterling silver is currently available on the Tiffany website — though not in a size 8.

I’ve a feeling what you’re after is actually Tiffany’s Open Heart ring, designed by Elsa Peretti®. Your best bet for finding any of Peretti’s Open Heart design variations is to check eBay. Most of the bids start at less than 100 dollars, but you’ve got to be careful you’re bidding on a genuine Tiffany piece of jewelry.

Both styles are adorable, so best of bargains finding what you’re looking for!

Of course I’m thrilled whenever ThisNext sends me products to test, so imagine my glee when I received a bottle of OPI’s nail lacquer in my mailbox!

Lately I’ve been all about OPI’s India Collection — specifically the colour ‘Keys to my Karma’ — but with June right around the corner, I wanted to try out a bubbly, bright pink. My fabulous friend Lauren Messiah hand-picked a bottle of ‘You’re a Pisa Work’ for me and I am sporting it as I type.

Hot pink certainly is a departure from the demure, darker tones that I’m used to wearing, but there’s nothing like a punch of colour to switch things up! The colour keeps things fresh and can even be classic – if you wear your clothes right. Just check out Diane Kruger in recent shots from FabSugar.

These Burberry strappy gladiator sandals are absolutely luxurious.

Stacked 5 inches tall on a wooden heel, these platform sandals are slick, strappy, –

Precisely what I need. The curvature of these Burberry shoes is incredibly appealing, and paired with lizard-embossed leather, I’ve a feeling these sandals would make great companions for my feet this summer.

And just when I prepare myself to spend more than one thousand dollars on leather and wood I find out Neiman Marcus doesn’t ship these Burberry sandals to Canada.

Alas.

Burberry strappy gladiator sandals, $1195, NeimanMarcus.com

The great thing about a woven tote is that whether made from plastic or the softest nappa leather, it looks classy. I’m loving both of these over-sized totes by Bottega Veneta and Banana Republic — from rich brown colouring to spacious interiors, either tote is worthy to be carried.

Bottega Veneta – a design house famous for styling woven leather in various functions – makes a mean tote. Italian construction translates into high-quality, both inside and out. The interior of this woven tote is lined in suede, with pockets for cell phones and other daily essentials. Outside is a sea of soft nappa leather, set off by brasstone hardware and a stylish push lock closure.

While it’s a no-brainer that Bottega Veneta’s nappa leather creation is the more expensive of the two, Banana Republic’s budget-friendly version of the woven tote is certainly comparable. Though it’s not all baby-soft nappa — the metallic weave is 100 percent plastic — Banana Republic’s large carry-all does have 100 percent leather handles. It boasts plenty of interior space, with hidden pockets and a cotton — not suede — lining (making it easier to clean). Outside, it features brasstone hardware. Banana Republic’s woven tote is also available in a flashy silver.

Bottega Veneta dark brown woven leather large lock tote, $2224, Bluefly.com

Banana Republic metallic large woven tote, $178 $124.60, BananaRepublic.com