The last day of Igloofest, Saturday February 8th, also marked a new beginning. SmartSet was on-site launching its Spring 2014 collection. The fashion-forward retailer provided a much-needed respite from the cold and offered up a lush Spring décor, complete with a wall of greenery, bouquets of flowers galore, and mannequins dressed in cute, lightweight outfits. Don’t get me wrong, it was not warm enough for the Nudateam to remove our jackets and reveal our own thoughtfully picked out outfits. But the sight of capris and tank tops did warm our hearts.
The fun thing about the clothes at SmartSet is that they are both affordable and versatile. Versatility, in my books, is a huge selling point. If my outfit can take me from the office to an evening out, I’m all for it. Business-casual is the way to go. Are you still wearing jeans to work and thinking it’s ok? Please do yourself a favour and dress for the job you want, not the job you have. And this means upgrading your life/wardrobe and getting a few key basic items that you can mix and match and still look put together.
Another great thing about SmartSet: looking good does not mean sacrificing comfort. If you think office clothes are uncomfortable, then you are wearing the wrong office clothes. Let’s take advice from Coco Chanel: “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.”
And a parting thought: while discussing the trend in offices that calls for a much more relaxed (though still professional) attire, it came to my attention that women are no longer dressing like men to be seen as equals (think ‘90s power suit with shoulder pads competing with permed-hair width). Women have developed a much more refined look that both compliments their femininity while stating that they mean business. Women don’t need power suits to be powerful anymore, wouldn’t you say?
Check out SmartSet’s website and take a peak at the Spring 2014 LookBook: http://www.smartset.ca/
The collection is in stores right now, so better yet, drop by and look forward to warmer days!
All images used are credited to Sylvain Granier from mtlblog.com