Fashion & Style | Out on the Town

Kicking Off The New Year With EGPR’s TIFF 2014 Essentials Lounge


September is all about new beginnings: new season, new activities, new school year, maybe a new job. While it can be exciting, it’s also a tad overwhelming. Or maybe a lot overwhelming.

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In Toronto, the beginning of September also marks the start of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where celebs swarm the city and journalists everywhere chase around after them (not literally—we hope).

This year we had some wonderful run-ins with veteran Oscar winners Kevin Costner, Jessica Chastain, the incredible Morgan Freeman, SITC’s Cynthia Nixon as well as lengthy sit-down interviews with British stars Eddie Redmayne (2015 Oscar contender!) and Felicity Jones among others. Lots of movies, interviews, events.

To survive the crazy week and to recover afterward, EGPR (a fabulous public relations agency) puts on their annual Essentials Lounge, with the top of the line products to help media professionals look, feel and do their best. You may not be strutting with the stars, but surviving the first few weeks of school—and beyond—can be take just as much out of you. Maybe more.

Here are our top picks to get you through the year with gusto:

1) Rockport

My Rockport heels are the only ones I can slip on and not worry about my feet falling apart before the day is done. Whether it’s a long day at work, school or events, these shoes are as comfortable as flats, with the style of the best heels out there.

What’s the secret? ADIPRENE® by adidas sport technology. I have a simple black pair that I probably wear too much, but my pick this year are these Seven to 7 Gore Shootie in Windsor Wine.

And that’s without even getting into the guys’ shoes and boots where Rockport really seems to dominate both the classy and casual markets – the guys in our office are definitely huge fans.

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rockport.ca

2) Calvin Klein

Try on one of these bras and you may just throw all of your others out. Seriously. This is the most comfortable material underwear has ever seen. Calvin Klein Underwear’s latest Perfectly Fit collection uses a fabric that is super-soft to the touch and virtually invisible under clothing (no embarrassing bra lines in your t-shirts, ladies).

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calvinklein.com

3) Schwarzkopf

I’ve had some bad experiences with either super-crusty hairspray or stuff that’s too much of a mist and does virtually nothing for your hair. The solution? Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Glamour Queen. I curl my hair a lot, but I hate using a lot of product. This hold is subtle, but firm, so my locks keep their lustre and bounce well into the night.

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The OSiS+ Website

4) The Good Press

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Health is key for a good, fresh start. Number one on your list of must-haves is plenty of greens. But if you’re not a salad person, or you just need a bit of twist on the type dose of leafies, why not try it in a juice?

Located at 87 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto, The Good Press sells bottles of cold pressed juice that are packed with all the good stuff. My favourite is the Emerald City concoction (full of kale, cucumber, celery, parsley, romaine, apple, lemon and ginger). Sounds like a lot of veggies (and it is!), but it tastes like nature’s candy.

(Editor: A follow-up visit to the The Good Press shop in Yorkville is definitely in the works, stay tuned! Everyone can use a little Good Press once in a while…. 🙂

5) Powerocks

Does your phone not always make it through the day? Okay, I’m not the only one. Because we’re constantly connected via smartphones these days, having the battery conk out before you can zip home and charge it is unbelievably annoying. Sometimes, I’ve been left stranded—how do I get home with a GPS?!

Portable and lightweight, the Powerocks Flash Magicstick portable power bank can add 1-2 full phone charges to your device, but also includes an LED flashlight in case of emergencies. Small enough to put in a purse or even a larger clutch, this is a must-have. Don’t leave home without it!

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There were lots of other wonderful things in the huge bag we received on the way out of the cozy Templar Hotel (coincidentally run by a super Faze buddy Netty – we’ve travelled to Dominican Republic on Hero Holiday humanitarian projects with her!)

essentials-lounge-bagsGoodies from:

Vitamin Water AND Smart Water
Crest
tarte Cosmetics
SkinCeuticals
Winks
MicroPedi (love. love. love.)
Viviscal
Pretend Tan
Kosmea
Schwarzkopf Professional
Bath & Body Works
Balzac Coffee Roasters
Simon & Schuster
Your Tea

And a huge congrats to the ladies at EGPR for putting together such an amazing event.

Happy September, all!

 

Photo Credits: Ryan Emberley (the one and only!)

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