There is Black Friday, and Boxing Day; Back to School, and Labour Day sales but when it comes to savings there is nothing compared to a January clearance. The end of season, move them out, slashed prices that means you save money on a ton of trendy and stylish merchandise you need to last you till the temperature catches up to the "season" being shown in all the new collections.
So we've sorted through the racks, dug through the bins, scoured the sale section of many of our stores to give you a sample of what is out there and ready to be snatched up at bargain prices.
Perhaps you've been itching to stock up on coloured or patterned jeans. Prices have been slashed at The Bay, allowing you to do just that!
Maybe you need to keep warm for the next few months and want to look good doing it You're in luck because winter apparel is on clearance everywhere!
More reduced prices at Bryan's Fashions
Warm weather wear priced to move at The Bay.
An array of jackets awaiting good owners.
A bevvy of coats at perfect prices at RW&Co.
Buying items on sale means you can afford (in more ways than one) to try new and different things.
Shear tunic, Bryan's
Studded sweater, The Bay
Every shade of stylish skirts, RW&Co.
Be sure to hit up these stores, and all their clearance merchandise soon. These sales won't last forever.
Danier Leather
Mexx
Aeropostale
So, faithful shoppers- have you been hitting up the end of season clearance? Find any stellar scores? Hit the comments below!
Last Thursday, C95's very brave Bachelorette Chelsey, along with her date, Global TV's Kevin Stanfield, came to Midtown Plaza as part of Chelsey's quest to find love. To start off the date off, Chelsey and Kevin met with personal stylist, Jacqueline Conway, to score some fashionable finds.What better way to test compatibility, taste, style, and attraction than by shopping together? And, after all, nothing diffuses first date jitters like a little retail therapy, right?
The couple that shops together, gets together? We'll have to wait and see!
To assist them on their date, we sought out personal stylist, Jacqueline Conway, proclaimed Saskatoon's resident "It Girl" by Fashion Magazine. Jacqueline is a graphic design, PR and fashion maven and is one of the driving forces behind the Saskatoon Fashion and Design Festival. She also runs her own business, Trend Blazer Marketing which manages events and develops creative concepts. She lives and breathes fashion, and has worked with Midtown Plaza to style numerous fashion campaigns and photo shoots. As such, we felt there was no better person to steer this potential couple to the most stylish conclusion possible.
Under Jacqueline's creative hand, Chelsey and Kevin were led on a shopping adventure that had them subtly revealing their own personal style, what they find appealing on the opposite sex, picking up some great pieces (courtesy of Midtown Plaza) and, all in all, having a blast (the words "best date ever!" may have even been uttered.) We sat down with Jacqueline to get the dish on her style secrets, and what it takes to style a date.
First Date Attire: Dress to Impress!
It turns out, that the best advice it to not over think it. Jacqueline believes that comfort is key. Dressing is all about presenting yourself, and on a first date you are not going to want to wear something outrageous, uncomfortable, and unrepresentative of yourself. However, Jacqueline also recommends to upping the ante when it comes to dressing to impress. "Find fun and easy new elements; such as accessories and blend them into your existing wardrobe."
For Kevin and Chelsey, Jacqueline wanted to focus on an evening of having fun, which meant she directed them to bright, sophisticated yet casual transitional wear that would blend into their current personal style.
Coordinating Couples: How much is too much?
Perfect pairings....
Bird of a feather flock together, as the old saying goes, but when it comes to dressing as a couple when does coordination become less complimentary and more crazy? The key, it seems, is to allow it to happen organically, and not to force it. "Your style, over time, will be reflected back in the other person" Jacqueline says, "it's a two way street."
Dare to Change: Getting out of your comfort zone!
Decisions, decisions...
During their shopping adventure, Chelsey and Kevin seemed to have a pretty good idea about what they wanted, what they liked, and what they didn't. But, is staying in your comfort zone always the safest bet? Not so. "Style is so personal," Conway admits, "it's hard to get people to change. The most important piece of advice is try, try, try it on. You never know what something will look like once you have a body to fill it out. Fit is the most important thing of all."
Dressing your man:
Dressing room reveal!
The nature of things..
Chelsey was lucky, Kevin was a self-admitted savvy shopper, and the date was well suited to their fun-loving dynamic. Even when playfully mugging for our camera, or handling all of Chelsey's bags, a smile was never far from Kevin's face. But such is not always the case. Many guys cringe at the mere mention of a day of shopping, and many are resigned to wear the same jeans and t-shirt every day of the week. It's doesn't have to be that way. "I find it goes a lot smoother if you focus on him," Jacqueline says, "Give him tons of options, get him a change room and let it go from there!"
"These times, they are a changing"
photo via StealStylist.com
One of the elements that Jacqueline focused on when creating the shopping plan for this date, was on pulling elements with transitional appeal. Since we are heading towards spring, she wanted to incorporate elements that would leave a lasting impression. Bringing in new elements, such as the footwear purchased from Town Shoes, and keeping them clean, sophisticated and casual ensures that the items last longer.
But, what else can we expect to see once Winter is on it's way out?
"Mixing prints is a big trend we are seeing right now," Jacqueline forecasts, "you just need to find ways and prints that can compliment each other in new and interesting ways."
Tips of the Trade:
What's one piece of advice a stylist can give regular folks to make their shopping experience as fun and effortless as date #3. "Well," Jacqueline explains, "My best advice is to always take photos of yourself while you're trying things on. Not only does it give you another perspective, it gives you documentation of what something actually looks like."
Using her technique, when you are unsure of a purchase, you have but to look back at your photo reel, and- voila- you have fashion inspiration idea or have avoided potential buyer's remorse.
There is no doubt that Kevin and Chelsey had a wonderful, and stylish first date. Whether or not he'll be the winner though, is yet to be determined. Watch a recap of their date in entirety below:
You can also check out Jacqueline's blog here! And keep up to date on all the Bachelorette news here!
Last week, we touched on ways to keep your New Year's resolution by looking great while working out. But, like birds of a feather resolutions flock together, and nothing seems to go hand in hand more than exercise and -you guessed it- eating right.
Maintaining a healthy diet isn't easy. Eating well takes time, thought, effort, vegetables, a rudimentary knowledge of where to stick the coin in one of those shopping cart chain contraptions, and will power. How then, can the busy go-go-go people of the world eat healthier? Well, you've come to the right place.
Eating healthy doesn't have to be hard. All it takes is making the right choices. The first of which is to switch up your routine. If you go-to lunch for most of the week contains the words "with bacon" "extra large" or "extra large fries" you might want to check out these healthier alternatives.
The Midtown Plaza's food court is a gathering place for shoppers, employees, and professionals working in the downtown area. It's a bustling place, full of options to leave you sated and satisfied. If your in the habit of making the trek to our food court daily, and have also resolved to shed those extra pounds, there are still an abundance of options for you. You just need to know where too look.
Subway Jarod Fogle didn't lose all that weight, and become a staple of millennial TV commercials by eating just anywhere. For years Subway restaurants have had healthy and tasty sandwich selections as a staple of their menu.
A pile of their most delicious sandwiches contain only 6 grams of fat, including the ever popular Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki. (Which has just 380 calories!)
Umi Sushi Express Looking for a good thing on the go? Umi Sushi's palatable portions are good eats for those in a hurry. Tasty Asian cuisine, with a variety of salads, and vegetable sides make are a quick, healthy alternative to deep fried fare.
Booster Juice
Lunch on the go? Booster Juice, with their near-limitless selection of smoothies (with added 'boosters') is a filling, delicious, and healthy snack. Grab one of their tasty wraps or panini sandwiches and make a meal of it.
Superfood? You betcha!
David's Tea
One of our newest tenants, David's Tea, sells tea of every possible flavor and combination imaginable, many of them designed to keep you happy, healthy, and hydrated.
Healthy Tea; Nine teas to keep you happy, healthy, hydrated, and balanced
Cold Survival Kit; specially blended tea to help fight off those mid-winter sniffles
OPA!
Quick and easy, prepared right in front of you, authentic Greek cuisine is what awaits you at OPA! (Besides, it's really fun to say!) Greek Salads, and tangy skewers are sure to keep your taste buds- and your waistline-happy!
EDO Japan
Craving oodles of noodles? Wanting to indulge yourself a little? Life's too short to deny yourself everything, all the time. But with Edo Japan, you can get great tasting, filling, and delicious meals (complete with full servings of veggies!) that are miles away from the ordinary!
So, faithful readers, have you stuck to your New Year's resolution? Will you be stopping by our food court to check out these good eats? Hit the comments below! Until next time eat fit, and have fun!
The ball has dropped, the cork's been popped, the streamers have streamed; a year has been brought to a close and a whole brand new one has been delivered right into our laps. It should come as no surprise then that when we are presented with a metaphorical (and calendrical) fresh start, many people see it as a time to reinvent and re-energize their lives. They do this by making resolutions to improve their love lives, start new careers, reconnect with family, or revitalize their spirit. Unfortunately we can't help you with any of those.... However, one of the most common resolutions people make involves fitness, mainly being -becoming fit- is one that in a roundabout way, we can help you achieve! Since you can't work out in the nude, and while 2013 is still fresh and new and sweet and unsullied and hopefully before those good intentions have been left by the way side, we present to you our guide to keep you in step with your New Year's fitness resolution!
(If you didn't make a resolution to get fit, fret not because it's never too late to start and these styles might just inspire you. If you didn't make a fitness resolution on purpose, fret not even in the slightest, because you can still enjoy the kaleidoscopic of eye-popping neon-hued spandex that makes up the majority of sports apparel.)
In sync with your New Year's resolutions, many of the retailers in Midtown are adopting, expanding, and promoting their respective lines of active wear, yoga, and sport intended fashions. Even evergreen bastions of sports apparel like Sport Chek have stocked their shelves with all the clothing and accessories needed to get you fit while looking fly.
Sport Check: If you're serious about getting into shape, then you needn't look any further than Sport Chek. It is the one stop shop for all your sporting goods and apparel. From shoes to special sweat reduction clothing, to exercise equipment and sport accessories, Sport Chek has everything you need to keep your resolution
Many hued shoes that are sure to make an attractive blur once you hit your stride.
Colourful cover ups are a necessity for the fitness focused
The Gap:
New in store, the Gap Fit active wear line provides the durability, and flexibility of a work out gear, with the wear-ability and quality you've come to expect from the Gap. Bright colours and soft silky textures are sure to get (and keep) your body movin'.
Reitmans:
Reitmans active collection is full of across the board exercise fashions good for sun salutations in your yoga class to intense sweat sessions at the gym. All while remaining true to Reitmans' accessible, affordable, and stylish reputation.
A plethora of workout wear on sale now at Reitmans
Yoga basics (Added Bonus: All of these clothes can also be worn while watching TV and not even attempting downward facing dog)
