Fashion-able: Friendship bracelets

Best friends are there for the break-ups, make-ups and to share clothes. Yes, even the Alexander Wang clothes you’d rather not share with anyone. So how do you celebrate years of such fun, loyalty and fights over cute boys?

A throwback to your grade four days, friendship bracelets are back in a big way. The latest in wrist wear is colourful, trendy and completely age appropriate, regardless of how old you are. If you are ready to tie up with your BFF, take a look at these fine string options.

Made by sisters Danielle and Jodie Snyder, DANNIJO jewelry is hand-made in classic yet bohemian style with a rocker edge. Their bold and sparkly pieces are the current jewels of choice for fashion “it” girls everywhere. For the “it” girls in your life, DANNIJO has a four pack of friendship bracelets in this season’s brightest hues. 

String-chic and finished off with a signature DANNIJO logo, the bracelets are easily tied and adjustable. At $48 for all four, DANNIJO makes friendship fashionable. 

If string is not your thing, than Rebecca Minkoff might be more up your alley. Say “best friends” in python with the Cassidy bracelet ($75). This double wrap triangle studded bracelet is made with genuine leather and an adjustable buckle closure. Since animal print really is the new black, you’ll surely be the coolest best friends in town wearing these bracelets. 

Feeling crafty? Go for DIY friendship bracelets, because family members aren’t the only ones who appreciate those homemade gifts. Get stringing with 22 colours of floss, metallic beads, four colour-coded looms, a beading needle and easy to use instructions.  

Packaged in a little suitcase, the Friends Forever Friendship Bracelet Kit ($29) takes friendship on the road. Sold at Chapters, these are true friendship bracelets made with a whole lot of heart. Seriously, it’s time consuming. 

How do you show your friends you care? Would you give them a friendship bracelet? Tweet us @rockitpromo. 

It’s Valentine’s Day – got plans?

Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or “it’s complicated”, the pressure’s on to do something today. Fear not – if you haven’t yet figured out your game plan, we have some non-cheesy ideas to help you out.

Flying solo?

The great thing about being single for V-Day is that you don’t have to consider anyone else when making plans. Pretty sweet.

If staying in, grab some wine, takeout and a classic romance like The Way We Were or Breakfast at Tiffany’s. These flicks focus on good storytelling and great acting, so you won’t roll your eyes at the love stories.  

Lisa: My best Valentine’s Day ever was at my friend Fran’s house. We were both single, so she invited me over, cooked her famous KD, with dill pickle-flavoured Crispers and tortilla chips with spinach dip. We dimmed the lights, lit some candles, and laughed more than I ever have before on Valentine’s Day.

Take the pressure off to do something romantic and hang out with friends. The Drake Hotel’s 86’D Monday, Valentine’s Edition, is a great night out. Bartenders will compete for the honour of best Pink Squirrel. What’s a Pink Squirrel, you ask? Find out tonight at 7 p.m. There’s also great live music from Boot Knives to go along with your cocktails. 

 This is not the Pink Squirrel that will be at The Drake.

Michelle: Being single on Valentine’s Day can be super fun. I’ll have dinner with my other single friends at Woodlot and dance up a storm at The Modern Love Affair party at Footwork. Valentine’s Day doesn’t just have to be about romantic love.

A deux

Of course, being in a relationship for Valentine’s Day is great. On what other day of the year is it acceptable to publicly proclaim your affections in the most over-the-top way you can think of?

Instead of typical roses and chocolates, why not show your love by making something yourself? The effort put in will be majorly appreciated. We love Bakerella’s massive list of sweet treat suggestions. Like her 14-layer cake. 

Bakerella’s mega-impressive 14-layer cake. 

Rachelle: Valentine’s Day will always hold a special place in my heart. I got engaged on V-Day in Quebec City during Winter Carnival. My husband Ariel proposed in front of 80,000 onlookers at the annual Winter Carnival parade. We became local celebs, made it into two newspapers and were the photo of the day on Le Soleil’s website.

Just because you’re taken doesn’t mean you have to have a quiet, candlelit dinner. Go for a skate on an outdoor rink with some hot chocolate, then play a board game at Snakes and Lattes. Some friendly competition, a wobbly pop and a few good laughs is a lovely way to spend an evening. 

 Play nice! Image source.

Christina: Favourite spot? My house! I hate going out to restos because more tables are crammed into the same space. This year, the fiancé and I are grabbing some lobsters, a bottle of wine, and watching America’s Funniest Home Videos. Wow… I just realized how domestic that sounded. 

Another fun idea is a staycation. Find a deal on Hotwire.com, or get a package from a hotel like The Drake or the Yorkville InterContinental. It’s a getaway without the hassle of travel, and you won’t even have to make the bed in the morning.

Debra: For one of my fave Valentine’s Days, Matt had our friend Chef Ezra Title drop off a delicious meal at our house. Matt’s a fantastic cook, but this was nice as he didn’t have to do anything but follow some simple instructions, and we had a brilliant meal at home with nowhere to go after but our living room to listen to music and drink wine.
 

 Happy Valentine’s Day!

A visit from…Shopgirls Gallery Boutique

Even though we’ve already posted our holiday gift ideas (part 1 and part 2) with gift ideas from our fab clients, we still wanted some more for our best girlfriends, moms and sisters. We invited clients Michelle and Ashley from Shopgirls Gallery Boutique up to the fourth floor to give us some more great ideas for our holiday gifts. You can never give too much! 
 

We came to visit the rock-it promotions ladies up on the fourth floor, and brought some of our favourite things from our shop with us. We take great pride in our collection of cute clothing, fun home items and gorgeous little decor pieces. Plus, we only feature Canadian artists and designers. 

Toronto Buildings Napkin Set by Avril Loreti, $16 each

The holidays can sometimes drive people to drink (or eat too many cookies, cakes, slices of mincemeat pie…you know). Not just for celebratory reasons, but often as an escape from the over-crowded shopping malls, where you manage only to pick up impersonal gifts that leave you and your wallet feeling empty.

These gifts show you’ve put a little thought into someone’s personality and will make giving more fun than receiving. Everything at Shopgirls has an interesting back story. Come in and ask us to share them with you! An interesting story is so important when purchasing something one-of-a-kind.


Tansy & Co.‘s desk clocks are a much cooler way to count down the minutes to 5 p.m. than your digital computer clock.

 Desk Clocks featuring original photography from Tansy & Co., $55

We love how fuzzy and warm Rachel F.’s recycled fur hats and earmuffs are. Plus, you can feel good about wearing them (or giving them).

 Recycled fur accessories by Rachel F., from $65 

This glass decanter is a visually interesting way to serve wine, and is a good idea for the hard-to-shop-for person (like the in-laws that literally have everything). 

Balance Glassworks Decanter, $180

This key necklace is handmade and one-of-a-kind. Perfect for your best friend or sister.  

Multi-key Necklace by Ashley Winnington-Ball, $240

And, to wrap up your visit (pun intended), we carry lovely hand-crafted stationary and will wrap your purchase for free. If you can’t make it to the store, shame on you. (just kidding.) You can shop online to find exactly what you’re looking for.  

We have so much fun picking and choosing the items for our store, and sharing them with rock-it was even more fun. Who doesn’t love giving a gift that will elicit gasps of appreciation?  Happy shopping!

Shopgirls Gallery Boutique

1342 Queen Street West, Toronto

416-534-7467

Visit us at http://www.shopgirls.ca/
Shop online: shopshopgirls.com
Blog: shopgirls.ca/blog
Twitter: @ShopgirlsGB

Fashion-able: What to wear to a holiday party

When picking outfits for holiday parties, it can be hard to choose between all of the rich colours and sparkly pieces that show up this time of year. It’s a great opportunity to make a statement, but your audience still must be considered. What works for your family party will look a bit understated for a bash with your friends, and for work, keeping the boss in mind is important. 

Here is our guide for getting dressed for all of the great parties between now and the end of December. Hopefully, you’ll have an excuse to wear all types of outfits this holiday season.

Work Parties

Work parties can be tricky to dress for. You want to look great and show off your personal style to the people that you spend most of your waking hours with. It’s a perfect time to get more dressed up than you normally would for a work function. But, your boss will be there, and you still need to hang on to the respect of your coworkers (right?). 

Our solution is the LBD. Every girl needs a Little Black (party) Dress, and it’s a no-fail base outfit for the white wine and sliders you’ll munch on while trading work gossip. 

Diane von Furstenberg’s Arita Leather Dress ($595) with jersey paneling is the perfect LBD for any work holiday party. With padded shoulders and a scoop back, this dress can be worn for either a day or night event. It’s simple enough for a corporate party, but the panels and leather add a bit of interest. 

If you need to cover up to feel comfortable, try a knockout jacket like Thakoon’s fabulous Ruffle Cropped Jacket ($2,585). Covered in lovely layers of chiffon ruffles and lined in silk, this jacket is just right for a merry dandy holiday. Buy the real deal, or use it as inspiration for something more affordable.

Friends Parties

This is where you go all out. Holiday parties are the best chance to show off your amped-up style. Forget wearing basic jeans or a LBD here. Anything goes with your crew. 

The romper/jumpsuit trend has hit runways from Stella McCartney to Alexander Wang, and now is your chance to work it like Agyness Dean. We like BCBGeneration’s Cut-Out Sleeveless Jumpsuit ($49) to celebrate the holidays with friends. Be sure to pair with heels to keep your legs looking long and lean.

For a major splurge, top the jumpsuit with Alice + Olivia’s Luiza Embellished Jacket ($796) for a look that’s hip and shimmering. The sequined and double-breasted jacket has padded shoulders and extended front hem. Wear this outfit and cause major fashion envy.

Family Parties

Holiday season is sequin season; the more you wear, the better. Sequins add glitz to your otherwise more conservative style when hanging with your aunts and uncles.

To shine at a family party, try this Sequin Jersey Skirt by Kensie ($58). Wearing opaque black tights will keep you looking covered up, even with the slightly shorter length. Style it in an unexpected way (and keep it grandma-friendly) by pairing it with Helmut Lang’s Cropped Sweater ($360). 

For a black classic that’s anything but basic, this sheer knit sweater with hole detailing features ribbed edges and long sleeves. Your sister will surely have her eye on this dazzling skirt and cool sweater combination. Beware, she will raid your closet.

What are you wearing to holiday parties this year? Tweet us: @rockitpromo.

Meet Our Client: Jennifer Podemski

Born and raised in Toronto, Jennifer Podemski began her career at age 10, and has since dedicated her life to the performing arts, film and television. Her big break came when she landed a supporting role in the screen adaptation of Margaret Laurence’s acclaimed novel The Diviners. Since then, she has appeared in numerous television series and stage productions, including a starring role in Bruce MacDonald’s Dance Me Outside and the TV series spin off The Rez (nominated for a Best Actress Gemini Award).

Podemski also owns and operates an independent production company, Redcloud Studios, where she writes, directs and produces. She is currently executive-producing the award-winning National Aboriginal Achievement Awards for the fifth consecutive year, just signed a book deal with Fitzhenry & Whiteside, and has a feature film in the works with The Canadian Film Centre (CFC).


She can currently be seen in her seventh season of Degrassi: The Next Generation and has a supporting role in Sarah Polley’s highly anticipated second feature film, Take This Waltz, co-starring Michelle Williams and Sarah Silverman.


What do you do?

I am an actor, producer and director.


How long have you worked with rock-it promotions?
I was one of their first clients (10 years)!


What do you love most about your job?
I love working with so many different kinds of talented people. I feel so blessed that I am surrounded by creativity and imagination.


What do you like the least about your profession/industry?
Having to watch my weight!


What’s your next big goal?
To spin my ass off, literally. I am counting down to a nude scene.


Why is PR important to you (and what you do professionally)?
It’s like a reference letter. If you’re in the paper, or if someone is interested in writing about you, it puts you in the public consciousness and could bring in new work.


Any other thoughts you want to share about your public relations experience?
I’m good at talking about other people who I believe in, rather than myself. That is why PR is so important. I am grateful for rock-it promotions and all they have done for me.

A little more from the fourth floor:
Website? www.mothering.com
Designer? Angela DeMontigny.
Store? Breds Custom.
Book? My Life So Far, Jane Fonda’s biography, had a profound impact on me.
Snack? Rice chips and hummus.
Season? Fall.
Sexy? Yes I am, thanks!
Inspiration? My baby girl Willow.
Drink? Water.
Motto in two words? PAY IT FORWARD.
Idea of perfect happiness? FEELING LOVED and GIVING LOVE every moment of every day.
Indulgence? Coffee.
Greatest achievement? My daughter.

*Full disclosure – our boss lady Debra and Jennifer have been best friends since childhood; however, their relationship as client/proprietor is strictly professional. Well, most of the time.

Photo credits: Nadya Kwandibens, Bengamin Stevens