beautygeeks

If you’ve left your sense of humour at the door with your footwear, go back and get it before you read this. Seems you’re never too young to be glam. To the max. We’re talking stilettos for tots (don’t freak, they’re just for fun).

A new pair of shoes is an instant pick-me-up. The right pair can make an outfit and, with just one unexpected compliment, make your day. And your favourite pair still fits after a medium bbq-chicken pizza, a six-pack of wings and a carton of ginger ice-cream (who, me?). No wonder so many of us have been obsessed with shoes for as long as we can remember.

Now, practically from birth, a whole new generation of shoe-addicts can blame Mom with just cause. Wee, soft crib shoes with itsy soft heels (just for show), Heelarious: Her first high heels come in one size that fits infants to six-month-olds. The brainchild of Britta Bacon and Hayden Porter, two U.S.-based women in their early 30s, the collection offers pink or black patent, pink satin, and zebra or leopard print, and retails for $39 CAN/$35 US per pair.

At those prices, if a pair were to “disappear” from the hallway at a playdate, having to replace them shouldn’t cause a Sex and the City drama. Then again, you don’t want to mess with a girl’s favourite shoes.

Visit www.heelarious.com for retailers. And thanks to Wynne Huerta for sharing!

Frankly, I wish Shop Crawl started with F.

A shop crawl is like a pub crawl without the slurring, slopping or stench of stale beer and too many bummed cigarettes. A Bizarro pub crawl, if you will.

Brought to you by ChickAdvisor.com, a shop crawl is a delightfully civilized affair. It starts with a pre-arranged shop meet, then wends its happy, girly way in and out of a series of trendy boutiques that smartly offer exclusive discounts and other buy-now incentives to participants. More than $500 worth of prizes, beauty-booty swag bags and an after-party… just watch out for the spending hangover the morning after.

The next Chick Advisor Shop Crawl Toronto takes place on May 29th on Queen St. W, and includes boutiques such as Girl Friday, Moda and Pho Pa. At $20 for members and $25 for non-members, a limited number of tickets is available in advance only.

I have the best boss ever. She understands the power of paying it forward. Especially when there’s a sale. At Lustre.

Don’t know Lustre? Think small, chic fashion gallery. A carefully edited selection of uncommonly-stylish pieces features standout spring-bright bags in soft shiny leather, sweet flats to put Spring in your step, and fiercely fabulous statement heels from Seychelles, Chie Mahara and Gwen Stefani’s LAMB. Prices range from happily affordable to omigod-so-worth it.

And did I mention a sale? A wee selection of boots is end-of-season priced at 40% off. Good eye, boss, and thanks. I’ll work harder on those deadlines. Promise.

Lustre, 439 Danforth Ave., 647.435.8195, infolustre@rogers.com.

Well that’s 50 lashes with a wet noodle for me. No post yesterday. Sheesh. And apologies.

Here. Would you say this photo’s worth 1,000 words?

I remembered my umbrella today, my perky pink lightweight brolly from H&M. I remembered it because my friend Chantel Simmons, author of Stuck in Downward Dog (a light’n'lively chick-lit novel about getting yourself out of a rut all on your own), wanted a picture.

I had a little fun on the way back from having tea with Harley Pasternak. More on Harley later — I have to hit the gym!

And I’ve got to get this song out of my head.

Rainy days make me love H&M when I’m out and about, either in downtown T.O. or in NYC. No, not because they’re an excuse to duck in for an impromptu shopping-and-trying-on session (I’ll explain that trying-on bit another time), although that doesn’t suck. I love H&M because I frequently forget to check the precip-probability bit of the forecast before I rush out of my apartment. When I’m caught without one of my 11 umbrellas (yes, it’s true), H&M has cute, lightweight little brollies with personality for about $7.

The one I bought last week and forgot at home this morning is perky pink with white stripes. I’m watching the sky today and hoping there’s another fun colour in the bin on Bloor. And cuz I blogged about it, I’m gonna call it a business expense. I mentioned last week’s acquisition too, so that’s a biz expense as well! Hah!

Of course I don’t think everyone should go cut off their hair this minute. Giselle Bundchen? No way, uh-uh. Celeb stylist Sam McKnight, responsible for Princess Diana’s jaw-dropping Harper’s Bazaar-cover hair as well as many of Giselle’s cover looks, would weep. But some people should take the short cut. Maybe this checklist will help?

1) Your hair is nothing but long and you only ever wear it in a boring ponytail. C’mon, be honest.

2) Your hair is long and thin and straight — and stringy. And you only ever wear it in a boring ponytail. The right shorter cut will add body and swing to thin, straight hair.

3) A shorter, modern cut that works with your hair texture is a style update for your face and your wardrobe.

4) You’re 5′5″ or less. A shorter chic style will make you look taller. Really.

5) You have misbehavin’ hair. A good shorter cut that makes the most of your texture (like my cut does for me) will put you in charge, maybe for the very first time.

6) You have loads of split ends. Split ends travel up the hair shaft if left unchecked. Your hair will look much healthier and be much more manageable if you cut all your splits off.

Okay, now let’s go see someone about a little snip-snip.

This is a blog about receiving compliments. “Omigod, you have the most gorgeous skin,” or “I love your bag,” or “awesome shoes” – who doesn’t love hearing stuff like that? It makes you smile, even makes your day, doesn’t it? In fact, just having an opportunity to compliment someone else is a mood lift!

Superficial? Sure. But I’ve been saying for years (and celeb hairstylist Ted Gibson better back me up here on account he’s one of the people to whom I’ve said this): The first part of “superficial” is SUPER!, and damn if “super” isn’t just a great, feel-good word.

So this blog is going to help you get compliments. Lots and lots of great compliments, on your skin, your complexion, your hair, your makeup, your style, your clothes and your accessories.

Practice saying “thank you” gracefully. It’ll look good on you.