What's Your Wallet?

Contrary to the title of my blog, I'm not actually very optimistic. So it might be surprising that I happily embraced the only positive outcome of my stolen wallet - having the excuse to shop for a new one.

Over the weekend, I perused the selection of Matt & Natt wallets at The Plaid Giraffe on Whyte, but wasn't too piqued with what I saw. The Vintage Collection was made using sleek material, and though the plum coloring caught my eye, the designs weren't as compact or functional as I would have liked.

This week, I had the chance to visit Groove Stone in Southgate, and was ecstatic to see that they carried Miss Main, the exact wallet that was taken from me! While I flirted briefly with a longer, chequebook style for a day, I ended up traveling the road already taken and bought a red/cognanc Miss Main.

I may be boring, but sometimes, practicality trumps all.

Shoe Shopping: Flat-out Difficult

Bettina can attest to how many shoe stores we traipsed through while in Montreal last year after being bitten by the "flat bug." Still, due to my more than picky nature when it comes to shoes, I only managed to find a pair I bought as a last resort, and one that I really haven't worn all that often.

With my upcoming Europe trip, I decided a pair of black flats would be indispensible, as I'm planning on a wardrobe to bridge the line between touristy-comfort and casual chic (I never like looking out of place, but as we will be traveling with a tour group, I'm sure I won't be able to escape the "foreigner" label, but I'll do my best). Of course, I'm sure by the time I get there, facing 40 degree temperatures, all careful planning will go out the window, but at least I had some good intentions, right?

Anyway, after a few weeks of shopping, I settled on Steve Madden's Twillo flats, purchased on sale at Da Vinci's in Edmonton City Centre. I figure they're dressy enough to pair with the skirts and dresses I'm bringing along, but casual enough to go with my jeans and capris as well. I've worn them a few times so far, and though the leather soles tend to crunch rocks underneath rather loudly, they've proven to be quite comfortable. The real test will be the state of my feet when I return, so stay tuned!

Steve Madden Twillo flats

On the topic of shoes - during one of my last trips to Gravity Pope on Whyte Avenue, the manager talked about an exciting event taking place in late June. Having moved all of their clothing merchandise to a separate location two blocks away, the newly shoe-only store found itself with a lot more space. So much space that they decided they could act as a venue for a play about shoes. Vancouver playwright Elaine Avila's Shoe! asks the question, "Can self-worth be purchased through the perfect pair of shoes?" I'll be finding out the answer next week. More information at TixontheSquare.

I Heart H & M

I was first exposed to H & M while in Toronto on vacation about this time last year. They had a great selection of both work and weekend wear for a reasonable price, and while some eschew their quality, I find their "disposable fashion" made of better material than its counterparts Forever XXI and to some extent, Zara.

I've visited the West Edmonton Mall location twice since it opened, and have been floored both times. In direct competition with Forever XXI, H & M trumps them in every category: the staff are numerous and friendly, the fitting rooms are innumerable, and the tills are speedy. Their merchandising by style is helpful as well, and I haven't found it too difficult to locate duplicates of orphan items that have caught my eye. Lastly, I have come across some great deals - I picked up a short-sleeved wrap dress shirt for $20 less than the C'est Sera version I saw a few weeks ago.

So if you needed a reason to brave the crowds at WEM, you now have it.