Where to Shop - sparkleshinylove

Roxymandy May 2, 2016

Warming up with a Long Sleeved Romper

This weekend was sunny and warm on Saturday, but Sunday brought some dreary weather with rain all day. On Saturday I had the chance to hang outside most of the day, and the best part about good weather is I can comfortably do some style shoots instead of freezing my buns off in the snow!

Last year I bought a couple long sleeved rompers that I wore on cool summer nights, and I even bought this exact style of romper last year from Forever 21. I was hoping more options of this romper would come out this year again because I loved the fit, and I was lucky because this year this romper came back in the same style with so many more patterns!

I like the fit because the shorts have a small ruffle on them, and the shorts themselves are a little longer than most. They are still pretty short, but long enough that I can wear them and feel comfortable.

I love the long sleeves to keep a little warm in this spring weather, and that they have a bell opening so they are a bit more bohemian.

My fringe bag is from H&M and I actually bought it last season, but they stocked the exact same purse again at H&M this year and it’s in stores right now.

My lace up pointed toe flats are from Forever 21, but I’ve linked to a few other options below as well. Sometimes it’s a pain to wrap the laces all the way up my leg, so I wind them around my ankles for an easier fit.

I hope you had a great weekend, and here’s to hoping we will have much more spring romper weather!

Xoxo Mandy

Roxymandy April 28, 2016

Gift Giving with Style and Ease with the Help of Givopoly

Givopoly Review

Sometimes you need to treat yourself.

That’s what I told myself when I was given the opportunity to try out Givopoly, which is an online gift shopping site serving Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

I had the option of sending someone else a gift, or sending something to myself. I actually spend a lot of time looking at gift delivery services because I often order gifts online to send to my friends and family, but this time I decided to send myself a little something special! At first the idea felt strange and then I went through a period of justifying why I deserved a little treat for myself. After I finished my little internal struggle I set to work on selecting something sweet for myself.

Givopoly offers 100% locally-sourced gifts, which means if you live in the Toronto area, what you are choosing to send is from small businesses in the area.

Choosing what to order online is easily organized by gift type, price point, occasion, or you can choose by a particular local business.

When I think of treating myself, the first thing I think of is food! I decided to send myself 6 OMG Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, and the Multi-Flavour Popcorn tin.

My package arrived right to my front door the next day with a hand-written note. You are able to create a message with your order, and someone will actually handwrite it for you which is an amazing way to personalize your gift.

Givopoly Review

I was so excited for the Multi-Flavour Popcorn tin to arrive for a particular reason. I previously worked for a company that gave out holiday gifts from the Toronto Popcorn Company, and I always wanted the chance to try it myself. We were too busy sending the tins to clients, so I never had the chance to actually try their popcorn.

Fast forward to last week, and I finally had the chance to try it! Three gourmet flavours were included, and I had to fight my husband and son to get my own share. It was so good, and such a treat. The tin was a great keepsake as well!

Givopoly Review

I have a weakness for cupcakes, so it was a no-brainer that I would order them on the road to treating myself.

I think one of the best perks to using Givopoly is how quickly orders are shipped. My cupcakes were baked by OMG Baked Goodness right before they were sent to me, and it’s been a long time since I have had cupcakes that fresh.

I’m not going to tell you how many of those 6 cupcakes I actually ate because I don’t feel like that is necessarily relevant to this blog post, but let’s just say I had enough to determine they were delicious.

give6

Givopoly review

Givopoly Review

For someone like myself who is so busy running around with work, playdates, family obligations and just generally trying to survive each day, Givopoly is a bit of a savior. Sending a gift is so easy, and they offer thoughtful items that are delivered quickly. The personalized touch of a handwritten note is amazing. It’s like having a personal gift giving concierge on staff!

For more information on Givopoly, visit there website here, their Facebook page here, or their Twitter account here!

This item was provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own.

Xoxo Mandy

Roxymandy April 27, 2016

Endless Looks with Henkaa + Enter a Win Your Own Henkaa Dress!

Henkaa review and giveaway

Endless Looks with Henkaa + Enter a Win Your Own Henkaa Dress!

Endless Looks with Henkaa + Enter a Win Your Own Henkaa Dress!

How many times have you been asked to be a bridesmaid and were told “don’t worry, the dress I chose for you is one you could totally wear again”.

Every time, right?

And how many times has that actually been the case? I’ve been a bridesmaid many times, but I can only think of a couple of those dresses that I actually wore again.

Henkaa has created incredible dresses that can actually been worn again and again in your everyday life, or in your bridesmaid life, which is actually a pretty miraculous feat!

Henkaa means “change”, and it’s the perfect name for an organization who’s goal is to help women of all shapes and sizes dress fabulously, and save a little by creating looks with the same dress.

Henkaa has 6 different convertible dresses, and when I say convertible I mean that they can be transformed in an endless number of ways. It’s incredible how versatile these dresses are. Each style can be ordered in up to 3 different lengths, and they can be ordered in a one size version, or plus size.

The fabric itself is amazing because it doesn’t wrinkle at all. I performed a little experiment the night before I wore this dress, and left it rolled up in a ball on my closet floor overnight (with my steamer on stand-by for the morning).

It did not wrinkle one bit – it’s like an un-organized girl’s dream come true – no ironing or steaming required! It can even be washed at home using the provided garment bag, and if you wanted to have shorter straps or a shorter length, it can be cut by your local seamstress (side note – I cut the straps myself with scissors because they were a little long, but brought the dress to my seamstress for a quick cut to shorten it).

I also styled this dress with sleeves as well for a totally different look!

Henkaa Review sparkleshinylove

Henkaa also has all kinds of other items including jewelry, scarves, intimates, and even menswear. I love that they also provide swatches for order so you can determine which colour works best for your event or wedding.

I’m wearing the Pink Blush Sakura Midi Convertible Dress ($138CDN) and it comes in 26 different colours.

I can’t wait to take this dress with me when I go away to Mexico because I can crumple it up in a ball, and it will come out of my suitcase looking amazing! I can style it in a totally different way using the tutorials and videos on the Henkaa website, and it will be like wearing a whole new dress! I’ll post the next vacation look I create with this dress on the blog soon.

How would you like to win a Henkaa dress of your own?

I’ve teamed up with Henkaa to give away one of their fabulous Magenta Purple Sakura Mini Dress to one lucky reader!

Enter via the Rafflecopter link below. The contest is open to Canadian residents only.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

For more information on Henkaa, visit their website here, or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This product was provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own.

Xoxo Mandy

Roxymandy April 25, 2016

The Weekend with #MyGeox

The Weekend #MyGeox

The Weekend with #MyGeox

imageThe Weekend with #MyGeox

The Weekend with #MyGeox

I spent the weekend being more active than usual.

I’m always running around doing something, but this weekend seemed to be jammed packed with actual physical running!

I wore my new GEOX Nebula shoes all day Saturday starting with a play date in the park with 9 kids! There was a lot of running after children who were crying, fighting, and who were just basically running away from their parents.

After some quick errands I found myself at another impromptu play date with more running after toddlers.

These GEOX Nebula shoes were brand new so I expected a blister or two (especially since they are worn without socks), but they were so comfortable!

There were quite a few options to choose from when I shopped at the Geox store at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, and I had a really hard time deciding which one’s I wanted.

The weekend with #myGeox sparkleshinylove

Nebula2

These shoes were ultra light, and I loved that they just slipped on.

They have 360° breathability thanks to the Net Breathing system which offers breathability and heat regulation, while the Inner Breathing System supports temperature regulation of the foot. Excess heat escapes upwards because of the linings breathable gaps, and you can enjoy wearing these shoes with comfort and style.

These Geox Nebula were so fun because I could easily wear them with jeans for a plate day, or dress them up a little like I did here with a dress or skirt. Because they were so easy to slip on and off, they make the perfect travel shoe as well. I hate having to remove my shoes at the airport, but it would be so easy to slip them on and off through security, and they are so comfortable to wear on the go!

For more information, visit www.geox.com!

I was provided these shoes for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own.

Xoxo Mandy

Roxymandy April 20, 2016

Dressing with the Basics

imageDressing with the Basics Sara Duke

Dressing with the Basics Sara Duke

imageDressing with the Basics Sara Duke

Dressing with the Basics Sara Duke

imageDressing with the Basics Sara Duke

Lately I have been sticking with the basics – minimal jewelry, whites and neutrals, and more of a classic look. This dress I’m wearing is from Canadian fashion designer Sara Duke, and it’s called the Tanner Dress. I think it fits in perfectly with my plan of sticking with basic fashion staples.

This is actually the only dress I have in my closet with this length, and I thought it would be really fun to wear it with my boots that have taken me through spring.

The weather has been up and down, so I paired the dress with a cozy pullover sweater from Zara, and left the rest of my outfit very basic other than my sunglasses. What I love about this dress is that it’s a transitional piece, so I could wear it on it’s own or add as many layers as I needed not only for warmth (I AM Canadian), or for a different look.

What do you think about how I wore this dress? Is it better left minimal, or would it be better to dress it up with more layers and accessories?

You can find out more about Sara Duke’s designs at www.SaraSaraDuke.com, or follow along with her on Instagram, or Facebook.

Xoxo Mandy

This items was provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own.