Trend Spotting: Geometric

Prada photos via Style.com

Miu Miu photos via Style.com

Prints continue to be one of the big trends this fall and geometric printed pants, skirts, blazers and dresses are popping up everywhere. We are especially loving these geometric looks from Prada and Miu Miu. Check out this post for Bellissima's take on this fun trend.

Joseph Ribkoff Spring/Summer 2013 Preview

In mid-September Bellissima hosted a Joseph Ribkoff trunk show. The trunk show was a great opportunity to preview what Joseph Ribkoff has in store for their Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Customers had the chance to browse the collection and pre-order items. The Joseph Ribkoff Spring/Summer 2013 collection is feminine and elegant,  full of bright and vibrant colours, textures, and fun prints. If you missed out on the preview don't worry, Bellissima will be carrying several of these pieces come next spring!

The Heart Truth Calgary Fashion Show

Bellissima is proud to be part of the Heart Truth Calgary Fashion Show supporting the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

About The Show (from The Heart Truth Calgary website)

The Heart Truth Fashion Show made possible by Sophia Models International, debuts in Calgary on Sept. 22, 2012. Canada′s finest celebrities and designers will be showcased at the luxurious Eighth Avenue Place. The Red Dress is the official symbol of The Heart Truth campaign of The Heart and Stroke Foundation and represents women's courage, passion and their power for change as they ′share the truth′ with others and raise awareness of the importance of heart health.

The Heart Truth website gives you all the information you need to evaluate your risks, adopt a healthier lifestyle and find out how to become a Heart Truth leader in your community. You’ll also find stories of the courageous women living with heart disease and stroke and a caring online community to inspire your own heart-healthy efforts. We invite you to explore, learn and get involved!

The Heart and Stroke Foundation launched The Heart Truth campaign on February 4, 2008. The campaign targets women over the age of 40, and across ethnicities and backgrounds through education and outreach activities.

A collaborative fashion show in support of The Heart and Stroke Foundation′s The Heart Truth campaign. Sixty per cent of the proceeds raised will go towards research and awareness about the risk of heart desease and stroke, a leading cause of death in all Canadian women.

Along with the red dress show, there will be a fall/winter fashion show from Chinook Centre, including clothing from Bellissima! 

Tickets can be purchased by clinking here

Joseph Ribkoff Trunk Show

Retro Dressing

Take your wardrobe back to the future with this mod tunic dress. Add some swinging 60’s to recreate a retro style with this colour blocked geometric print. I guess it’s true what they say, history does repeat itself..... Be fabulous at BELLISSIMA.

Dress style # 43587 price $110.00

Confident Fashion

 Any woman can copy a look out of a magazine. It is braver and more creative to invent one's own sense of style. Every personal quality can be conveyed via clothing if one is artistic. The ability to tastefully and effortlessly combine disparate pieces of clothing is underrated, even among fans of fashion. But with a few tips and a few tricks, you’ll be able to challenge celebrities in the limelight with your look and take home the winning ribbon!

Women who want to convey their confidence through their clothing should start by wearing bright colours. People who wear eye-catching colors want others to notice them. Confidence cannot stand on its’ own. A confident woman has reasons for being proud of who she is, and those are the qualities that she should accentuate. If she is quirky, she can wear playful dresses and chunky jewelry. A serene woman might choose a deliberately minimalist outfit with one or two standout accessories. She could wear a summery maxi-dress and a bold coloured wedge and exude a red carpet summer style without the hassle or headache. Whatever your style, whatever your mood strut your style like you were front page of your favorite magazine! We have to work an outfit from the ground up—so be sure to have a variety of shoes for any occasion and you’ll be on your way to a complete chic fashion statement! Pair a maxi dress with a floral printed wedge and bold accent hair scarf this summer for a cool, calm and collected look in the summer heat! 

Professional women can add some funky colors to their business casual wardrobes if they do so in subtle ways. Everyday suits can be worn with brightly colored tops instead of white or pastel ones. A patterned scarf is a lone pop of variety in a deliberately plain ensemble. A woman who does not like wearing scarves can dress all in black except for a wild pair of heels. The strangeness of the shoes is doubled by the fact that the shoes were chosen as the style vehicle; many women default to wearing plain black or brown shoes at all times.

Fashion is all about attitude and confidence. Experimenting with style is a hallmark of inner strength because sometimes mistakes will be made. A truly confident woman will wear her mistakes just as beautifully as her successes. There is nothing to lose by broadening one's sense of style, since even missteps are creative victories. Let your inner fashionista rage this summer! 

Guest post on dressing for confidence by Anya stylist for shoedazzle.com
photos by Ashley of Lions Lace Lattes
styling of Bellissima items by Kate Clark

Guest Blogger: Coco And Vera

Hi, I'm Cee from Coco and Vera! You might remember me from my last guestpost. I'm a Vancouver girl who dreams of Paris... and will be calling it home in a matter of weeks! Vancouver has been my home for six years, and I will miss it. (But Paris - who could pass that up?) So I've spent the summer visiting all of my favourite places, among them the Sylvia Hotel. I remember, when I first arrived in Vancouver, driving up Beach Avenue and seeing the Sylvia looming on the horizon, a historic beauty by the beach. Many of the buildings in Vancouver are new, buty the Sylvia, built in 1912 and once a lone monument on the English Bay beachfront, has stood the test of time. The ivy-covered stone facade of the Sylvia Hotel always makes me think of glamour... And what could possibly be more glamourous than a lace coat? I fell in love with this beauty from Dammee Inc. and couldn't resist pairing it with a burgundy blouse from Vivian Wong. Burgundy is without a doubt my favourite shade for fall, but this piece is also delicate enough for a sunny late summer day by the water.

 

Coat - Dammee, Inc. via Bellissima

Blouse - Vivian Wong via Bellissima

Skirt - Joseph Ribkoff via Bellissima

Heels - Asos

Earrings - La Vie Parisienne by Catherine Popesco

Behind the Scenes: Fall Campaign Shoot

Here is a sneak peek on what's coming up for Fall with Bellissima. Check out the behind the scenes photos from our fall campaign photo shoot a couple weeks ago. 

Beaded Embelishments

This beaded V-neck top with open slit shoulders will be a fun piece to wear for a casual night out with friends. Embellishments on simple shapes will always add a touch of flair to your BELLISSIMA style.

Top style # OR1380 $75.00

Miss America Visits Bellissima

Miss America, Laura Kaeppeler, recently stopped by our Chinook Centre location in Calgary.  Customers and staff alike had a chance to chat with Laura, snap a photo and grab an autograph. A big Thanks to Joseph Ribkoff for sponsoring Laura's visit. 

Keep your eyes peeled for a short interview from Laura's visit coming up soon on the blog! Until then, here are a few snapshots of Laura and Bellissima staff. 

Cruise Into Summer With Stripes

This nautical inspired t-shirt brings to mind all the adventure of being on the water.

One can almost smell the sea air. Stripes with a punch of color.....you really can’t go wrong. Make BELLISSIMA your first port of call for all your fun in the sun holiday attire.

T-shirt style # 2005 $45.00

Pant-style # 924D1145 $95.00

Jacket-style # 124N8331V $98.00

Stampede 100 Outfit #3

It's the final weekend of the centennial Stampede, and Bellissima has all the essential pieces to complete your western outfit! This hat is the perfect protection from the sun with build in SPF and silver and turquoise are also a must for accessorizing your Stampede outfit. Check out Bellissima for your Stampede Style. 

Stampede 100 Outfit #2

Tomorrow is the first official day of the centennial Calgary Stampede. We are so excited to try out the new food (red velvet funnel cake and cotton candy cupcakes! yum!), midway rides, free bands at the Coca-Cola Stage, and all of the fun events happening around Calgary for the next 10 days! Here is our second western themed outfit, perfect for a day of Stampeding. 

Miss America at Chinook Centre!

Exciting news Bellissima customers! Miss America, Laura Kaeppeler, will be visiting Calgary's Chinook Centre location Friday July 6th from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm. 

Laura is the 2012 winner of the Miss America pageant, representing Wisconsin. Laura is  passionate about children's advocacy and is the National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Don't Miss your change to meet Miss America!

photos via missamerica.org

Laura's visit is sponsored by one of our favourite brands, Joseph Ribkoff.

Stampede 100 Outfit #1

This year is the 100th year of the Calgary Stampede, and the city is promising a celebration to remember. If you have been to the Calgary Stampede before, you will know that a big part of the 10 day celebration is dressing up in western inspired outfits whether you are down at the Stampede grounds, attending a community event, stopping by a pancake breakfast, or getting into the Stampede spirit with your colleges at work. This year Bellissima has your Stampede style covered with fun cowboy prints, stylish hats, and turquoise and silver jewellery. 

Here is the first outfit of our Stampede series.  Watch out for two more outfits coming up next week!