Eco-Luxury Boutique The Closet YVR Launches in Vancouver

I first met Helen Siwak of The Closet YVR when she kindly helped me style the cast of Hamlet last year. It's truly amazing to see her incredible collection of thrifted luxury goods finally find a much-deserved home in Gastown: a big step from what used to be an all-online shop!

The Closet YVR is an eco-luxury boutique that carries not only designer fashion resale, but also local eco-friendly products and fashions. Mixed among the shoes, scarves and beautiful dresses are all-natural soaps and straight-from-the-runway designs from local fashion talents. Her pre-loved designer items are definitely worth perusing; you'll find everything from Dior to Gucci and more. The shop will even offer personal eco-styling services and wardrobe consultations from Lead In-House Stylist Dominique Hanke.

And it doesn't stop there, every month, The Closet YVR will host pop-up shops in the boutique, giving more local designers and artisans a chance to have their products available for you to shop!

The most adorable Valentino blazer in plaid (of course, it's an obsession) caught my eye while I took a look through the racks of luxury clothes; check it out below, I feel like it's the perfect transitional piece for fall, no? 

If you're in the Gastown area in Vancouver, pop by the boutique at 360 Carrall St, say hello to Helen and check out the beautifully curated collection of eco luxury fashion! The Closet YVR is open from Monday to Saturday, 11am-6pm, or by appointment on Sundays.

With founder of The Closet YVR, Helen Siwak, in an Armani dress & Bulgari pendant from Modaselle

Me & You Body vegan soap & La Cigale personal grooming products 

Vegan treats for the VIP guests & handmade Eco Monsters by Bracken Hanke

Handmade pendants by Tracey Tomtene in silver, pewter & copper: who needs the 'Do Epic Shit' one??

Armani hat, Ted Lapidus scarf, Missoni maxi dress, JC de Castelbajac Pluie tote

'Gassy Jack' made a pit stop by the store too, although he chilled on the floor more than he shopped...

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Out in Schools: Gardé Entertainment Fashion Show

It's that time of year again, when the sun starts to go down earlier, it starts to get just a tad cooler out, and the fashion shows are plentiful. That's September for you! I was lucky enough to be invited this past weekend to Gardé Entertainment's fashion event at the Imperial, supporting Out in Schools, a charity supporting LBGTQ teens dealing with bullying and homophobia.

The team at Gardé put together a fantastic show, featuring the designs of Eva Chen, Monika Georgieva, and Sandro, and short films from Out in Schools video contest. The venue was teeming with elegance: its seductive black and red decor was the perfect backdrop to a stunning lineup of couture and ready-to-wear designs. In favour of such a classy evening, I went for very some gatsby-inspired attire. I have never been one for headbands, seeing as how they always seem to have a boho vibe to them, but this beaded one felt much more glamorous.

One of my favourite designers, Eva Chen, showcased an awe-inspiring collection of gowns, some of which I've seen at VFW in the past. Her designs are spectacular, glamorous, and oh-so-feminine. While equally feminine, but with a lot less fabric, Monika Georgieva's lingerie collection had everyone 'ooing and awing' over her sexy little numbers. On the other side of the spectrum, Sandro's ultra modern designs for men and women were a real treat: the structured and minimalist silhouettes dominated the runway, but some spicier pieces, including some leopard print, snuck in there too. A delightful evening with a superb show and a great cause: who could ask for more?

Katrina, my glamorous partner in crime for the evening

The designs of Eva Chen:

Elite Cocktails served as entertainment in between runway shows, flashing some fancy moves while making drinks for the VIP


Lingerie by Monika Georgieva:

Designs by Sandro:

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta

Look of the Week: German Christmas Market

It may have poured rain all day, but somehow the Vancouver German Christmas Market still managed to feel like a winter wonderland! We made an obligatory stop at the apple cider/mulled wine cabin before feasting our eyes on all the German comfort food and treasures. If you're looking for some unique Christmas gifts, you should take a peek; I even found a few things for a particularly difficult family member to shop for. The potato pancakes were delicious, as were the baked apples and maple taffy. I was extremely excited when we stumbled upon a cabin featuring the Yaletown boutique Fine Finds, featuring their latest wintery accessories. I recently listed the boutique as one of my top shops for unique Christmas gifts on the Surrey Tourism blog 45in45, and I even made an impulse buy on an adorable knitted headband while we were there. Angelina's Closet also had a few items to share with us, including the sparkling bracelets you see below. They come in all kinds of other gorgeous colours, but me and the bestie/photographer picked out this one as our favourite! It turns out to be quite fitting: that one is called 'Vancouver Sunrise'!

While my poor toes were frozen by the end of the day, it was well worth it for the vintage Christmas vibe (and the comment someone made about following the yellow brick road). I told you about how great berets can be for classing up a winter outfit in my last Look of the Week, so here's another way to add the French hat to your look. I brought out the classic colour palette of cream and brown for the first time in quite a while; the outfit has much warmer tones than my usual grey and black. And here's something else to try- a cocktail ring over your gloves! You'll probably need to pick up a pair of vintage gloves for this to work (much thinner than most gloves today); I'm sure you could thrift a pair for cheap. It just gives a dainty feminine touch to your outerwear, which will surely be noticed with your hands wrapped around a hot cup of apple cider!

follow me / make your ownLYST

Hat-Granville Island, Skirt-Burberry (thrifted), Sweater-Neiman Marcus (thrifted), Gloves-vintage (gift from my neighbour), Ring-Bizou, Coat-Winners, Heels-thrifted, Purse-Louis Vuitton (thrifted), Scarf-from Italy

Happy Styling! xo

~Britta