InStyle, take me away!

Dear reader,

Here’s a little-known fact about me: I have a subscription to InStyle magazine. It’s been my traditional birthday gift from my fashion-conscious mother-in-law for several years, ever since I started dating her son. Now, I myself am not much of a trend follower, rather opting for basic black, navy and white capris, conventional jeans, neutral t-shirts, no-nonsense sweaters (I luv argyle), a few plain skirts and one dress (black and now waaaaaay too small), as well as a couple of cute jackets I don’t wear very often (the pink velvet velour was my favourite until my brother-in-law spilled red wine on it and someone thought it would be smart to add club soda and salt and white wine to erase the stain. Shockingly, that only added to the mess).
I wear next to no jewellery, except for my engagement and wedding rings, and, if I’m going out or feeling particularly dainty, I’ll throw around my neck an amber heart pendant that was an early gift from Shawn or my sparkly little ladybug (a trinket, really, but it reminds me of my daughter, whose first birthday cake was shaped like the polka-doted creature). I do have very cool pieces from India, which were brought back from my husband’s business trip to Bangalore. He had a shitty time, but it was worth it: I look fantastic with all those bangles and intricate necklaces.
I do love to look at beautiful things, and InStyle never fails: classy, colourful clothing like works of art on glossy paper; gorgeous gems, pristine pearls and dazzling diamonds; fabulous furnishings and eclectic accessories. Granted, most of these baubles cost the better part of a year’s salary, but here are a few things I found in this month’s issue that could, possibly, be enjoyed by a regular person.

1. Chifundo Bracelet
I don’t actually know who Camilla Belle is, but on page 24 she’s seen wearing one of these really cool beaded bracelets. They’re handmade, so each one is original, and the best part, or second-best part, is that they’re only 40 bucks each. Not exactly pennies, but here’s the real best part: all profits provide education and resources for children in Malawi. Madonna can adopt them; we can help them a tiny bit and look funky at the same time. Me likey. (helpmalawichildren.org)
2. Bally Ballet Flats
Two pages later, Freida Pinto (the cutie from Slumdog Millionaire) wears black Bally ballet flats (say that three times in a row) that also come in two tones. Oh. My. God. Two-tone shoes have been my fashion Holy Grail ever since I saw Elaine wearing them on Seinfeld, back in the early 90s. I eventually got a pair, but they weren’t very high quality so they made my feet hurt, and I didn’t wear them much. And then they went out of style, and my quest for the perfect, Forties-inspired footwear pretty much ended. But now, here it is: the shoe of my dream! For 300 dollars, who could deny me that?
3. Havaianas
Still in the shoe department, Havaianas are killer. I’ve heard about these great flip-flops many times, and now I’ve seen the ad, but I’ve never spotted them in a store. According to their Web site, they sell them at Simons in Montreal, but I doubt they have as many styles as you can find online. The patterns are so lovely (the Peacock, the Garden and the Elephant, with embellishment, are just a few examples) that I might have to get 100 different pairs and wear them year-round! Are socks and sandals still a fashion faux-pas?
4. ZenBunni Organic Chocolate
Ummm... did I just read “non-dairy chocolate bars”? I’m drooling already. ZenBunni is a Los Angeles company that miraculously ships to Canada, so you can create your own box of nine bars (the flavours are limited, but the “grey sea salt” sounds delectable). They claim to make healthy chocolate, the buzz words being “raw”, “minerals”, “nutrients”, “antioxidants”... you get the drift. They had me at “chocolate.”