FASHION Magazine

By Lindsay Tapscott

Boxing Day: a day of rest, relaxation, spending time with family, digesting your delicious dinner from the night before. Or, if you’re like us, shopping all of the deals (we’ll take a sale over rest any day)! So if you’re planning on joining us in braving the Boxing Day 2012 crowds on December 26, you’ll need a game plan, as it can be overwhelming just thinking of all the deals and promotions on offer. Thus, we are here to help you out, with a constantly updated roundup of all the sales in the city we can find. You’re welcome. BEGIN.

From first impressions to snagging the corner office, our 9-to-5 style guide offers sharp solutions for today’s working girl.

See all the looks »

Glossy extras put a modern twist on a classic black-and-white pairing. Check out our favourites.

View our editors’ picks »

For fall, we love feminine briefcase bags, hands-free carryalls and exotic skins.

Shop the best bags for fall »

View by trend: Animal Instincts | Great Outdoors | Business Class

To be honest, I thought we might be over them. I mean, once a shoe has been molded into a jelly version of itself, you expect it’s on the way out—one can only stretch a trend so far. But not so with the gladiator, a shoe still storming the streets this season, and storming them in classier, sleeker and downright gorgeous styles.

A recent birthday trip to NYC provided the slap in the face (or kick in the pants, I suppose): within my five-day visit, I had collected a mental catalogue of nearly a hundred pairs of the strappy shoe parading about town. How could I have been so blind to the gladiator’s obvious victory over shoedom? My recovery from the blow was quick. Feelings of revelation were rapidly replaced with twangs of desire and a moment of weakness in Zara even had six pairs slung up one arm as I bent over, nearly perspiring, zipping, sliding and buckling my tired feet into a deep brown pair of the warrior wears.

Now that I’m back on familiar ground, I’ve scoured the shops and filled my arms with gladiator shoes yet again—but this time with Halifax finds—letting you know where to find the sweetest sandals in this city.

Prolific fashion muse Barbie turns 50 this year and in honour of the style icon’s birthday, a line-up of top designers collaborated with Mattel to bring Barbie’s luxe life of mansions, convertibles and lavish wardrobe options into reality. The long list includes Volkswagen, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Diane von Furstenberg. There’s also Canadian content from David Dixon, Cake and Town Shoes.