Author: Anita Clarke

I want - I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide - SteAnneSpa

I want – I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Part 3

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It’s that time of the year again. If the holidays have you a bit stressed out because you need to find that perfect gift, I’m here to help you out with the I want – I got Holiday Gift Guide 2016. I’ve selected some of my favourite things in the hope that it helps you with make choices for everyone on your gift list. This year is heavy on the Canadian content with lots of choices for my favourite things: shoes, jewellery and clothing. My gift guides are focused on the Ladies but don’t totally write me off as there are lots of options for everyone. So finally here is Part 3 of the I want – I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. I guess this can be thought of as the procrastinators version. Ha Ha Evelyn – Davis Project Ann – Davis Project Triangulo Infinity Scarf – String Theory Isometrie Long Scarf – String Theory Tips Nail Bar Mr. Fitzgerald Derby – The Office of Angela Scott ROM Membership Hot Docs Membership Ste Anne’s …

I want - I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide - The Office Of Angela Scott - Mr. Misfitz Wedge Derby

I want – I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Part 2

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It’s that time of the year again. If the holidays have you a bit stressed out because you need to find that perfect gift, I’m here to help you out with the I want – I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. I’ve selected some of my favourite things in the hope that it helps you make choices for everyone (well maybe not everyone, but maybe your pickiest) on your gift list. This is year is heavy on the Canadian content with lots of choices for my favourite things: shoes, jewellery and clothing. My gift guides are focused on the Ladies but don’t totally write me off as there are lots of options for everyone. I have a ton of gift choices to share with you. Part 1 was posted yesterday so definitely check that out. Let’s get started with Part 2 of the I want – I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. Pink Elbow Length Leather Fingerless Gloves – Uncuffered Leather Stirrup Lambskin Thigh High – Uncuffled Leather Fringe Lambskin Fingerless Gloves – Uncuffed Leather …

I want - I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide - Solace London

I want – I got’s 2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Part 1

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It’s that time of the year again. If the holidays have you a bit stressed out because you need to find that perfect gift, I’m here to help you out with the I want – I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. I’ve selected some of my favourite things in the hope that it helps you make fun and interesting choices for everyone on your gift list. This is year is heavy on the Canadian content with lots of choices for my favourite things: shoes, jewellery and clothing. My gift guides are usually focused on the Ladies but don’t totally write me off as there are lots of options for everyone. I have a ton of gift choices to share with you, so let’s start with Part 1 of the I want – I got 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. Robe – Horses Atelier Cropped High-Waisted Overalls – Horses Atelier Long Velvet Dress – Horses Atelier Lola Top – Eliza Faulkner Persephone Dress – Eliza Faulkner Wilma Earring – Nea Jewellery Octavia Earrings – Nea Jewellery Robin …

Never Miss a Moment of Tranquility at Ste. Anne’s Spa

Never Miss a Moment of Tranquility at Ste. Anne’s Spa

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“The next best thing to the enjoyment of a good time, is the recollection of it. ~James Lendall Basford” I like to have souvenirs of my good times. They help me transport to that past moment and relive it once again. Technology has made the accumulation of memories so very easy these days and I’ve taken full advantage of this. High quality photos, video and audio is available to everyone using today’s advanced smartphone technology. Motorola and I have teamed up this summer so that I can share with you on how I #NeverMissaMoment thanks to the Moto g4 plus and the Moto 360. The #NeverMissAMoment campaign challenged me to devise a summertime adventure to share with you. There are so many possibilities when presented with a challenge like this but there is one place I couldn’t get out of my head: Ste. Anne’s Spa. It’s one of my oldest bucketlist items. When I was first discovering the joy of the spa experience, I learned about this award winning, all-inclusive spa resort situated in the …

I want - I got Holiday Gift Guide 2015

I want – I got’s Holiday Gift Guide for the Procrastinator 2015

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If you are like me, this is the week to get your Christmas shopping done. So, I’ve created this Gift guide to help all the last-minute folks in Toronto that want to avoid the mall as much as possible. Get to know my favourite shops and the items I think would make great gifts. Let’s start with the Ladies. I’ve been coveting Byredo perfume for a little while now and I finally bit the bullet this weekend and purchased Bal d’Afrique. I highly recommend. The packaging is beautiful and there a lots of different scents to try. Head to Holt Renfrew or Want Apothecary. Want Apothecary (1070 Yonge Street) is one of those shops you regret walking into because you want to buy everything. As mentioned above, they carry Byredo perfume but you really want to grab something from one of my favourite brands Acne or the Kastrup backpack by Want Les Essentiels Buying overpriced lipstick and nail polish is the perfect gift for the makeup junkie. Except for Christmas or birthdays would you have …

A weekend at Deerhurst, Huntsville, Ontario

A Weekend at Deerhurst

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I first heard of Deerhurst in 2002. I was working at my first software testing job after finishing my programming diploma. It was a startup and the executive team when to Deerhurst for retreat. They were partiers. It made for an amazing work environment at the time. I was in my 20s. I always imagined these retreats as booze filled, hazy weekends with little real work done. There are a few things that have stuck with me from those days: a friend, a crush and Deerhurst. When the opportunity to visit Deerhurst came about from their owners Skyline International Development, I couldn’t say no. I finally would find out the secrets of this Deerhurst place. The itinerary planned certainly didn’t call for a booze filled, hazy weekend but a relaxing and blissful one. The resort is 800 acres of beautiful wilderness on Peninsula Lake in Muskoka. I haven’t driven north of the city in a very long time and I forgot how beautiful Ontario can be. The leaves were still holding onto the fall colours …

TMR Collection Fall/Winter 2015

TMR Collection Fall/Winter 2015

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It’s always fun to watch a debut unfold before you. Tara Rivas unveiled the Fall Winter 2015 collection from her newly minted womenswear line, TMR Collection. Tara began her career altering store bought clothing and after years of that she made the jump into creating custom clothing for herself. This collection is the logical conclusion to those efforts. “I want to create collections that offer women maximum style with minimum effort,” said Tara Rivas, founder and designer. “My desire is to create clothing that makes women look and feel good.” For her first collection, Tara has wisely focused on a tight edit of beautifully made foundation pieces that can easily be integrated into anyone’s wardrobe. She’s taken classic pieces and added a bit of flair which makes her collection both stylish and office appropriate. Pleather inserts and mesh detailing bring the style and sex appeal to the garments. In addition to pleather, Tara uses triacetate crepe, bamboo and rayon. The entire collection is produced in Toronto and uses locally sourced fabrics. Lets take a look …

Sidewalk Hustle x Nike Sunrise NTC Sessions

Sidewalk Hustle x Nike Sunrise NTC Sessions

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For the last 5 weeks, I’ve been busting my ass at the crack of dawn with Nike and Sidewalk Hustle. Hawley invited me to participate in the Sidewalk Hustle x NTC Sunrise NTC Sessions. Monday mornings, Nike’s Canadian Master Trainer, Eva Redpath leads us through a high intensity 45min interval workout at the crack of dawn. Literally. I’m up at 5am like an insane person to do this workout. The workout overlooks the city as we train at the gorgeous Malaparte space in the TIFF Lightbox. The first week was very hard on me. I was sore for days. I haven’t kept up with my fitness. I started do yoga at home but I hadn’t stepped foot in a gym in years. That week I swore up and down that I’d never let my fitness sink to the bottom of the barrel like that again. I’m not usually one for classes but the NTC sessions reminded me of my training days. So very long ago when I was a sport obsessed youth. Many of the …

Dermalogica Facemap Our Nation - Till June 30, 2015

Dermalogica Facemap Our Nation – Till June 30, 2015

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My favourite skincare line, Dermalogica has launched their Facemap Our Nation program. Participating Dermalogica partners will be providing free facemapping for interested people. Facemapping is a zone by zone approach to skin analysis that’s completed by a certified Dermalogica Skin Therapist. They will be able to answer all your skin care questions and give you a skin care regime tailored to your skin conditions. All I can say is once you go Dermalogica, you can never go back to what you have used before. I speak from experience as last year my lovely Skin Therapist put me on a heavy program to get my face in a good place after a year of playing beauty editor and trying all kinds of weird products. I’m back to my never using anything but Dermalogica stance. Please visit FaceMapNation.com to find out more information on dates and places where you can find across the country to get your facemapped. You have till June 30, 2015 to take advantage of this great opportunity to learn more about your skin. …

Nao Steakhouse x I want - I got Dinner Party

Nao Steakhouse x I want – I got Dinner Party

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Nao Steakhouse teamed up with me, Sidewalk Hustle and The Soles of My Shoes on a special dinner event in which we invited some of closest influencer friends to experience the food and cocktails of this modern steakhouse. Nao sources its cuts of meat from top local and global producers and accents them with spices and flavours of Asia-Pacific. I invited my good friends Andrew Sardone, Editor of Globe Style Advisor and Philip Sparks, a Toronto based menswear designer. Executive Chef, Stuart Cameron prepared a wonderful menu that gave everyone a chance to try the variety of dishes on the menu. Here are all the mouthwatering details. We were excited for the epic experience the menu hinted at. First course Tuna Tartar – Wasabi Leaf + Avocado + Puffed Rice + Wasabi Lao Raw Beef Tartar – Squid Ink Chip + Kaffir Lime + Chili Binchotan Grilled Shishito Peppers – Amabito No Moshio Salt Second Course 24 Oz Strip Loin – Dry Aged 40+ Days USDA Prime, Nebraska, USA Whole Branzino – Red Yuzukosho Marinade …

I want - I got x Eve Gravel Garden Party Challenge

I want – I got x Eve Gravel Garden Party Challenge

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This is the result of the Eve Gravel Garden Party Challenge style challenge. Eve Gravel sent me a Garden Party kit that included a dress from the SS15 collection and some addition styling items to add to the shoot. I chose the dress but everything else was a surprise. With this box of goodies I was to come up with a Garden Party themed photoshoot. The Red Hat dress is amazing and has some beautiful movement to it. At first I was like, I don’t have a garden! I thought about going to a park but it was cold and brown out there (this was a few weeks ago). I realized that this would be have to be an I want – I got style garden party and that meant my balcony would take centre stage. In the #evegravelgardenparty party kit styling items included a super cute pineapple bracelet from Horace Jewelry, Misslyn nail polish (available at Shopper’s Drug Mart) and a pair of incredibly cool Italia Independent sunglasses (available at Pink Eye Optical). I’m …

The Final PROM at the ROM - PROM X, March 28, 2015

The Final PROM at the ROM – PROM X, March 28, 2015

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It’s the end of an era. This Saturday, March 28, 2015 is the last PROM at the ROM party. It’s been 10 years and I’ve attended several PROM parties, so it’s a little bittersweet to say goodbye. The final PROM at the ROM, PROM X is inspired by the works of Douglas Coupland and the ROM’s latest exhibit Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything. I’m a big fan of Douglas Coupland’s work so I’m really looking forward to what the ROM is calling a Pop Explosion Party that pays homage to this iconic Canadian artist. There will be live music, dancing, electric activities, gourmet fare and lounge areas to relax in between all the fun. Guests are encouraged to “curate an artistic or experimental ensemble that screams avant-garde, be playful with neon colours or celebrate contemporary Canadiana.” Tickets for the PROM X are still available online. There will be a small number of tickets available at the door with a $25 surcharge. PARTY TICKET includes food and beverage (open bar), dancing, interactive …

I want - I got Loves Poppy Barley

I want – I got Loves Poppy Barley

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I’ve been completely spoiled by my custom fitted boots from Poppy Barley. It won’t be possible for me to buy another pair of tall boots off the rack again because nothing is going to fit as well. Poppy Barley is an Edmonton based shoe brand that I first heard about in the summer. They offer custom, handcrafted footwear that is Canadian designed and ethically made in Mexico. Sisters, Kendall and Justine Barber are the brains behind the brand. The idea of Poppy Barley came to Justine when she was on vacation in Bali. She came upon a local shoemaker and was disappointed when a pair of boots she wanted didn’t come in her size. The shoemaker said no problem, measured her feet, processed her address and payment. A few weeks later, her custom made shoes showed up at her door in Edmonton. While this is an affordable option for many shoe buyers in other parts of the world, it isn’t common in Canada. Justine had the idea that she wanted to bring custom made footwear …

HELLO! Canada's Best Dressed 2014

HELLO! Canada’s Best Dressed 2014

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I love emails that brighten a dreary day. I was having a particularly stressful day at work a couple weeks ago when I got an email from HELLO! Canada. They wanted to include me in their Canada’s Best Dressed list for 2014. My first reaction was jaw drop and WTF are they kidding! I select people to be on lists like this, I don’t grace them. But there it was seriously staring me in the face. Of course, I agreed my ego demanded it. Ha I had to answer some questions about my style, etc and I was placed under embargo till November 20, 2014. I still wasn’t quite sure if it was real and decided to keep my mouth shut in case it turned out to be some cruel, horrible joke. The morning of November 20, I got a text message from Kirk of Greta Constantine congratulating me. Kirk and Stephen are also gracing the list. It wasn’t a hoax, yay! When I got in the office that morning I took a look through …

Montrealer by FREED

My Winter Coat Holy Grail – The Montrealer by FREED

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My down parka boycott began last year. I was sick of wearing the damn things and longed for the days when the wool peacoat ruled. (Does anyone remember that?) I have nostalgia for the stylish look of a wool coat but I really didn’t miss the unfortunate side effect of freezing my ass off in extreme cold weather. How was I going to get the best of both worlds? Last year, I started to wear a down vest from Danier Leather underneath my Philip Sparks pimp coat. This combo did a great job of keeping me out of my down parkas on some really horrible days. It was a good solution but not perfect. The down vest was the purple and really didn’t match the coat. Then spring came and I put all thoughts of winter coats and optimal layering solutions to bed. During the summer, I received an email from Marissa Freed. She’s the President of Freed and Freed International, an outerwear company based in Winnipeg. The company is 95 years old and you …

Live in Levi's - Me in Grade 9

Live in Levi’s Campaign

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Levi’s contacted me about participating in their Live in Levi’s campaign (#LiveinLevis). Some select bloggers/influencers use the hashtag and their social networks to share their style stories about Levi’s in their day to day lives. Levi’s also sent us one of their ICON pieces to style to go with our stories. I came across this photo of myself in grade 9 recently. I’m wearing a well loved Levi’s 501 jean jacket. The first thing that came to my mind was “Anita, you stupid asshole, why didn’t you keep that jacket. Think about how worn in and cool it would be now.” I honestly don’t even know if I could still fit in my Grade 9 clothes. The other thing that came to me from that photo was the emotion that it conveyed to me: Happiness, confidence and a little bit of style with my funky skater/Michie Mee-ish haircut. Levi’s was the denim brand of my youth; it wasn’t like now where there is an overwhelming amount of choice in the denim market. It was Levi’s …

Sully Wong x Amanda Lew Kee Swalk Hi Sneaker

i want: Sully Wong x Amanda Lew Kee Swalk Hi Sneaker

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I have a saying that I’ve repeated a lot these days, “I need another one of these like I need a hole in the head”. Lately, its been applied to coats, sweaters and shoes. I said it to myself again once I spotted the Sully Wong x Amanda Lew Kee sneaker collaboration. I don’t need another pair of sneakers because my closet is full of them but the Sully Wong x Amanda Lew Kee Swalk Hi sneaker is one incredible shoe. Amanda has incredible style so I had big hopes for the design when I heard about the collaboration initially. She has surpassed anything I could have imagined. The shoe is perfection, I cannot lie. “The SWALK HI collaboration personifies all aspects, both in design and philosophy, which Sully Wong and I share as a team. The design itself is sleek, smart, and constructed with the finest attention to detail and luxury materials. Together we are aiming to give the women’s market a sophisticated limited edition option, in the realm of casual athletic footwear, focusing …

My favourites from the Smythe 10x10 capsule collection

Smythe Jackets 10X10 Flashtagram

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It’s the 10 Anniversary for Toronto’s own Smythe Jackets. To celebrate this amazing milestone, Christie Smythe and Andrea Lenczner created a capsule collection consisting of their 10 most beloved silhouette reinterpreted for 2014. I’ve been a fan of the brand since the beginning of this blog. It seems like it was only yesterday when I wrote my first of many posts on the brand. It was way back in November of 2005 and I have to thank Now Magazine for turning me on to Christie’s and Andrea’s beautiful designs. Man, looking at those early posts are painful 🙂 To celebrate 10 years, Smythe is hosting a Flashtagram Right Now! Upload a photo of yourself in your favourite Smythe Jacket to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using the hashtags #smythejackets #10X10 #flashtagram. The Smythe social media channels will be posting their favourite shots of their fans. You can follow the fun on Smythe’s Twitter and Instagram pages. It was an absolute honour to be asked to take part in the Smythe flashtagram. So much so, that a …

Roots Sweatstyle Anita Clarke

Oh that, it’s just my Roots Sweatstyle Ad Campaign

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August was one of those pinch me is this really happening months. I’m still processing the idea of my face plastered all over Roots stores and their online properties. That’s right, I’m currently part of Roots Sweatstyle Ad Campaign. As with most amazing things that happen to me it started with a random email. In July, I was approached by Roots to take part in their Sweatstyle campaign celebrating Roots’s 41st anniversary. It was going to be a big one featuring online, instore, magazines and outdoor ads. I didn’t quite understand the large scope of the campaign when I said yes but my ego was all over it. Here is a company that I’ve grown up with asking me to become part of their history. I also love having any excuse to take part in a phootshoot with professional hair and makeup artists, stylists and photographers. The question I got asked by most people when I told them I was participating was “Did they pay you?” I didn’t receive any money for the campaign but …

Alana Zimmer wearing Long Leather Skirt by Valentino - The Coveteur

i want – Long Leather Skirt by Valentino

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So, I was browsing The Coveteur earlier this week and came across Alana Zimmer’s profile. I met Alana this year at a party and we had a really nice conversation. At the end of this conversation, she gave me a hug. I was happily stunned and I’ve been a fan girl ever since. I’m looking at photos of Alana’s great New York City apartment and her clothing. There are two photos of her in a leather skirt that automatically catch my eye. Can you guess what got me excited? If you are a long time reader you probably guessed the full leather skirt and you’d be absolutely right. I was drooling over this thing. All the standard questions ran through my head. Who is the designer? Is it real leather? Is it still available and the dreaded how much is this going to cost? Then I remembered that The Coveteur has shopping links and the skirt was clickable. Turns out, the skirt is from Valentino. It’s made from lambskin leather, in an A line cut …

Eye Sandal by Pierre Hardy

i want: Eye Sandal by Pierre Hardy

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I’m not big on the Evil Eye trend in fashion from an aesthetic point of view. That being said, I’m falling for these Pre Fall 2014 Pierre Hardy Eye Sandal and Pumps. They are obviously influenced by the talisman but I like the quirky and anime like take he’s used in the design of these shoes. I love that the eyes are the most dominate feature on the shoe. The size of the eye and its placement make these shoes look so freaking cute on. In the kitten heel, there is just the perfect amount of toe point showing. It makes me want to squeal with delight. There are a lot of variations on the shoe. You can see there are kitten heel and regular heel sandal varieties. Pierre has also switched up the materials and colour combinations. He mixed leather, pony and suede. I’m particularly taken with the pony hair sandal in dusty pink, it’s absolutely spectacular. I haven’t seen any Canadian retailers with the shoes yet but you can find a variety of …

geekigirlStyle - Week 24

geekigirlStyle – Week 24

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Welcome to my new weekly outfit of the day (OOTD) column called geekigirlStyle. I’m just playing some historical catchup with the month of June and Week 28 will see the column debut in its weekly format. geekigirlStyle – Week 24 Philip Sparks Top Vintage Liberty London Skirt Philip Sparks Kilted Mock Shoes Gap Tank Top Gap Cardigan Vintage Skirt Rodin Derby Shoes Summer Dress – Can’t remember the brand and can’t remember where I bought it. RetroSuperFuture Sunglasses

Leaves of Trees Deodorant

geekiviews: Leaves of Trees Deodorant (It’s the Best!)

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I figured that short lasting and under-performing was status quo in the natural deodorant world. I tried different brands and delivery methods over the years. eventually I learned that I didn’t have much of a choice and gave up searching. Then I stumbled on the holy grail when introduced to Leaves of Trees deodorant. Leaves of Trees is a luxury skincare line based in Toronto that uses all organic products. Brand founder, Roohi Qureshi, MD uses her extensive background medicine and chemical engineering to choose the best natural fair-trade ingredients that produce healing benefits. Leaves of Trees products are formulated using a base of the highest quality unrefined argan oil sourced from a woman’s cooperative in Morocco. The argan nuts are crushed and then cold pressed by hand which results in a higher concentration of antioxidants which prevent and repair skin damage caused by free radicals. All products are handmade in small batches at the Leaves of Trees Flagship store at 177 Queen Street East. Products are free of artificial fragrances, colours and preservatives. I …

geekigirlStyle - Week 22

geekigirlStyle – Week 23

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Welcome to my new weekly outfit of the day (#OOTD) column called geekigirlStyle. I’m just playing some historical catchup with the month of June and Week 28 will see the column debut in its weekly format. geekigirlStyle – Week 23 Philip Sparks Seersucker Dress Lacoste Oxfords * Gap Tank Top Sarah Stevenson Skirt Jacob Cardigan Nine West Sandals Bevel Sunglasses * Eliza Earrings Rag and Bone Blazer Reitmans x Eve Salvail tshirt Lacoste Oxfords * Gap Pants Bevel Sunglasses * Zara Floral Bomber Jacket 3.1 Phillip Lim Chelsea Boots Jeremy Laing Top Gap Pants Carven Pants TopShop Top Aldo Sandals Jenny Bird Earrings * indicates gifted item

Alcoff Shirtdress by Trademark

i want: Alcoff Shirtdress by Trademark

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I was creeping on a twitter conversation between a couple of friends who were talking favorably about this new American sportswear company based out of New York City called Trademark. I decided to check them out and I fell in love with the Alcoff Shirtdress. The Alcoff Shirtdress is a perfect metallic shirt dress that looks as if it was poured on. The design details are perfect minimalism for the bold lamé fabric. The straight relaxed fit makes this dress super easy to wear to the office or  a party.  Of course, all great dresses have pockets and the Alcoff Shirtdress keeps them hidden by using side seam pockets Alcoff Shirtdress at $228 is a great price and nothing in the Trademark line will be over $500. The Alcoff Shirtdress is available ordered online at www.trade-mark.com but unfortunately they only deliver to the US at the moment. I hope you deliver to Canada soon ladies! I need this dress. Trademark started in 2013 by Alexandra and Louisa Burch. Yup, the former step-daughters of Tory Burch. …