There are plenty of advantages that Canada has over our neighbours to the south. Sadly, the caliber of our retail landscape is not one of them. When it comes to shopping, it’s no secret that America just does it better. More selection, better deals, superior service, retail therapy in the States is just on another level. You may be surprised to learn which American cities came out on top in a recent ranking of the best cities to get your shop on, however. The results just may have you opting for a visit to Ohio over NYC come 2011?

There’s always a lot of pressure about what you are going to be doing when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, but while worrying about who you are going to smooch at midnight is all well and good, I have more pressing issues on the brain. Namely, what everyone is going to be wearing during the first few moments of 2011?

Seems like a bit of a stretch to me to credit Joan and Melissa Rivers with changing the way the celebrities of our world approach getting dressed for the red carpet, but that is exactly what the New York Times did in a recent piece published on the two former red carpet style critics…

During December in Canada, not too much thought is being given to swimwear, unless of course you are amongst the lucky folks that hit up a tropical locale for the winter holidays. Across the pond in France, however, bathing suits—or more specifically, a woman’s right to decide whether or not she wants to wear hers at the beach—is at the forefront of a lot of people’s minds at the moment.   

For those of you out there still searching high and low for the “perfect gifts” on the wish lists of those you hold near and dear, I am with you. I will be spending tomorrow whipping around Vancouver in search of enough charming trinkets to fill my mother’s immensely oversized stocking. May the force be with us procrastinators of the world!  But to those slightly more organized folks out there, Dec. 24th marks the shift for serious shoppers to transition from Christmas gift collectors to Boxing Day strategists…

To anyone out there who is considered by their loved ones to be less than a stellar gift giver, a new study from two professors at the University of Houston in Texas implies that you may actually be doing your friends and family a favour. Sure, last year’s Snuggie is collecting dust in your fiancés closet, but according to this research, by steering clear of designer goods as gifts you have helped your betrothed avoid a potentially dangerous future spending spree…

The Christmas season isn’t always visions of sugarplums for everyone. It’s hard to believe, but some people don’t get all bright and shiny during the holidays—no matter how much eggnog you hit them with. It is these bah humbug loving individuals that sprung to mind when I came across a recent piece of research from Shop Smart magazine that suggests one extremely simple way of brightening your mood year round….

Jessica Alba is no stranger to shaking up her look. The actress is perpetually trying different hair hues on for size and doesn’t shy away from taking risks with her styles on the red carpet. The one area in which Alba usually plays it safe, however, is her cuts, usually opting for mid-length waves with a few layers. Well, looks like Miss Alba is turning over a new leaf for 2011, as she debuted a brand new, much sleeker 'do, at the premiere of Little Fockers late last week. Check it out after the jump…

Karl Lagerfeld makes no secret of his fondness for young starlets. There is nary a red carpet event when good old Uncle Karl doesn’t have some pretty young thing on his arm, so it wasn’t all that surprising when he took an apparent shining to Blake Lively and began flashing her around town (well many different towns actually) like a crowned jewel. According to an exclusive report on Eonline, however, there may be more to the rendezvous between the Gossip Girl and the gentleman….

My office dress code is pretty lackadaisical if you ask me. It’s perfect on those freezing February days when you can barely manage to drag yourself out of bed and put on a sweater, but I also find myself getting complacent about how I present myself to the world because I know that no one at the office is going to mind. I haven’t ever tried to get away with workout gear or sweatpants, but I’m sure no one would bat an eyelash if for some odd reason I decided to let go of my personal grooming standards. But while I find myself secretly pining for imposed guidelines for chicness in the workplace, the people at Swiss bank, UBS, have the opposite problem…