From Maclean’s November 2025. My kids’ digital lives are rich, exciting and inspiring. Why am I supposed to keep them away from screens again? In September, I told my 11-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter there would be no more screens during the school week—no iPad, no TV, no Xbox. It had become a nightmare prying […]

If diamonds are forever, stunning and supremely talented fine-jewellery designer Alysia Yip-Hoi Martin is graced with goddess-like eternalness. Alysia channels her otherworldly gifts into her eponymous jewellery line, Maison Alysia, a best-kept secret of the Montreal fashion elite—a you-know-if-you-know (ykiyk) fashion house for the super luxe. Her beguilingly beautiful jewels shine with opulence thanks to […]

Gord Downie has chosen an excellent — and personal — benefit for his final tour. Glioblastoma (GBM, or stage 4 brain tumour) is among the number one causes of death for 40 to 60 year old Canadians. It also affects children and adults of all ages, without any genetic predisposition. If you are tempted into […]

AS THE PANDEMIC MADE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, SOME OF OUR GREATEST ALLIES WERE OF THE PET VARIETY. HOW COULD WE NOT MAKE THEM STARS OF THIS REIGNITION EDITION? MY PARTNER IN BRINGING THIS FUR FEATURE TO LIFE, TASTEMAKER/LENSER CARRIE M., CARRIES US AWAY (IN THE BEST WAY) … First up (oops furrrst) we meet a gaggle […]

* Originally in The Huffington Post. I’m no Scrooge. I love the gift-giving spirit. That said, overthinking the perfect object to anoint each and every festivity is not an indulgence I am allowing myself this time of year.

*First published in Huffington Post Canada. FIRST TRIMESTER: “I am going to let myself go!”–for those nine months. SECOND TRIMESTER: A slit here and a plunging neckline there guided the eye away from the grim-reaper veins on my ankles and hands. THIRD: Hello made-to-measure maternity wardrobe!

*This article was first published on fab feminist site Bust.com. I loved Barbies as a kid. Then as an adult, I learned that the dolls were an embarrassment to humanity. Now, I’m back: I heart Barbie.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GREEN DRINKS? A Q&A WITH SUPERFOOD SPECIALIST DAVID WOLFE, FOR LUXURY MAGAZINE

Hair trends: The Rise of the Bouffant, Side-Swipes, and New Men’s Line Mensdept. *Article originally published in the Montreal Gazette.

These days, women 70 and older are expanding our gaze to appreciate one of the most often forgotten forms of physical beauty: old age.That’s right: Our obsession with youth and smooth skin has just been given a wrinkle that may never be Botoxed.
*This article was on the most-emailed list of the Montreal Gazette.

Canadiana is becoming a global craze even though much of it is made overseas. *This article was published, in full or in part, in the Montreal Gazette, the Vancouver Sun, the Ottawa Citizen, the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal, among others.

A fashion and culture story about how sexy young things are revealing/concealing themselves this summer. *This story appeared in the Montreal Gazette and the Calgary Herald.

A piece about yoga pants, which includes a fun-loving Lululemon loyalist, along with an equally fun-loving yoga pant hater. *This article appeared in full or in part in the Montreal Gazette, the Vancouver Sun, the Ottawa Citizen, and the Windsor Star.

An article about the increased popularity of hats, with a nod out to Kate Middleton and Johnny Depp (yep, I just put them in the same sentence!), plus an explanation as to why hats went out of style around the ’60s. *This article appeared in the Montreal Gazette and online at the Telegraph Journal Canada East.

Experts weigh-in on how to keep your skin fresh in the freezing cold. Hot baths deemed ok, while microdermabrasion gets placed on worst-idea-ever list. *This article originally appeared in the Montreal Gazette.

“Oh jeez, please no!” is likely what most women think when hearing the word “bodysuit.” But it’s time to, er, suck it up.

An outdoor light installation featuring 25 giant glowing bubbles is set up in Montreal’s Place des Spectacles and the adjoining Place des Arts area, inspiring hordes of photo-happy tourists and passersby to interact with the urban landscape this season.

Take the imagination of Dali and swirl it into the colour sensibility of Klimt. Then pour the mixture into a curvy mould clad in lingerie, and pop on 24 heads. Only then will you be halfway able to grasp the macabre and magnificence required to dress the windows at Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Ave. in New York.

A slightly dishevelled dapper look is all the rage these days in menswear.

The rise of the Selfie and Social Photography in general is all about planned causalness. *The article below appeared, in full or in part, in The Montreal Gazette, The Vancouver Sun, Edmonton Journal, and The Province.

Thanks to a tip from a friend, the outnet.com is one of my favorite new flash sale websites. Labels are exclusive, trendy and awesome! The above patterned dresses by Pucci, Matthew Williamson, and Erdem (respectively), were all available for a very limited time on the website at over 60% to 70% off.

“Bird Safari: Featured in the visual-training program InSight, this game asks players to recall a specific bird — flashed on the screen for only an instant – out of a flock. InSight costs $395 U.S. online through Posit Science.” *This article appeared, in full or in part, in the Montreal Gazette, the Vancouver Sun, the […]

And she wins the silver! Here the amazing Jennifer Heil is wearing her pre-Olympics Columbia Sportswear attire.
Athletic wear is not exactly considered high-style. That being said, as you swish down the hill under the chairlift looking as cute as possible may have an uncanny effect on your sporting skills…*This article appeared, in full or in part, in The Vancouver Sun, The Montreal Gazette, The Ottawa Citizen, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, The Province, Times Colonist, the Leader Post.

Basic Balenciaga Arena City purse from Holt Renfrew, over $1500 ( *This article was featured in The Montreal Gazette.)  Some shoppers prefer to buy generic. They’ll take discount clothing and no-name groceries over fancy logos on cars, bikes, furniture, and even ibuprofen (a.k.a. Advil): To them, brand names mean nothing. Equally devout are those who’ve […]

Weekend Life cover, Montreal Gazette. *This article also appeared, in full or in part, in The National Post, The Ottawa Citizen, The Calgary Herald, The Windsor Star, The Leader Post, The Star Phoenix and in industry blogs like ecofashionworld.com and payitforward.org. It’s vegan, eco-friendly, fair-trade, made locally – and proceeds help impoverished children! The latest do-gooder […]

Fendi peep-toes, $795, about six inches. Photograph by: Marie-France Coallier.*This article was on Most Read list of The National Post. ‘Last month, my boyfriend and I were strolling on New York’s Upper East Side when a thwack of thunder sent us running for shelter at Orsay, a posh bistro. Cocktails! As our drinks made their way across the floor, so did a pair of six-inch black stiletto pumps — jaw-dropping in their height — followed closely by a tiny pair of patent Mary Janes.’
It also appeared in The Vancouver Sun, The Montreal Gazette, The Ottawa Citizen, Global TV Edmonton, Windsor Star, dose.ca, and more.

Hossein Padar turned a vintage Missoni Size 10 blazer into a Size 4. Photograph by: JOHN KENNEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE. *This article appeared, in full or in part, in The Montreal Gazette, The National Post, The Financial Post, The Ottawa Citizen, The Times Colonist, The Edmonton Journal, Global TV Regina, and more. I have a leather jacket […]

One-Shouldered Dress on BCBG Runway. *This article appeared, in full or in part, in the Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun, National Post, The Edmonton Journal, Global TV, and more. With special thanks to shrimptoncouture.com!
‘The one-armed Jane — Tarzan’s gal pal — is coming on strong this summer on the runways, red carpets and Winners outlets near you. Asymmetrical tops pull the eye in all sorts of directions, from the arm to the neck and up to the face, so all that extra effort had better point our gaze somewhere worthwhile.’

SKAM painting Louis Vuitton store (*This article appeared, in full or in part, in The Vancouver Sun, The Montreal Gazette, The Edmonton Journal, The Calgary Herald, and more.)   It’s been sprayed on trains and scrawled across skyscrapers. This year, it was even splattered on Louis Vuitton handbags. When, exactly, did graffiti get so glamorous? […]

Photo by Marie France Coallier for The Montreal Gazette Women across Canada are digging for gold in their own jewel boxes. Hyped as Tupperware parties of the new millennium, these gold parties have become an increasingly popular phenomenon. Gold Party Canada, a Montreal-based company, boasts events scheduled throughout June, July and August, plus new sister […]