Pop Champagne

Tomorrow is the eve of the newest of new years!

Now we all know that New Years can have the tendency to be a tad anti climactic .. what with the confetti and defunct noise makers but you must admit that the occasion does have its glimmers of magic.
Despite the plastic cups of champagne and the unruly house guests New Years has "still got it". It continues to be the milestone day that everyone talks about.

Celebrate the new year in something that glitters and shines.
Here are some sweet ensembles courtesy of Victoire.
Check em' out.

The Flapper
Here we have the bejeweled Mink Pink Sequin dress in all of its 40's flapper wonder
BONUS - this piece ( if you move the sequins just so ) shimmers between silver and black . How festive !




















The Wild Child
A dress for the always against the grain girl. This form fitted dress is sexy and can be dressed up as easily as it can be dressed down. This Mink Pink "Grid Iron" dress is shown with a feather earring and arrowhead necklace. Do New Years your way!




















The I Want to Look great when I come back from dinner to see that my kid has thrown a huge New Year's Party Dress

This Dace above the knee dress is simple and elegant. With a black blazer and some seriously cool jewels it is a timeless and classic New Years outfit.





















Classic with a Twist
This outfit is your quintessential good girl gone bad. A flirty full skirt (Sessie Dress) and fitted torso makes for a classic line and the rock n' roll accessories such as the Elaine Ho antler necklace and blue Petit Chapeau headband add a little leather to the lace.




















5 4 3 2 ... The Happiest and Brightest of New Years to You!

Pax sit must mean awwww YEAH

Even though most of the retail landscape these days is blow-out sale this, and end-of-year clearance that, we know you guys want some new fresh goods coming in to the shops on the regular nonetheless. And we are happy to oblige.

So brand new to the shop this week we have some new Mauve Naif!


Pax Sit Military jacket, 75$


Scarves, scarves scarves! 45-65$


And the now classic Grosse Face sweatshirts (70$). It's cold out there guys, but with these you can be nice & toasty and still right rad.


Also, I'm certain no one out there was holding their breath for this, but I do still plan on posting about Katie and I's time at Smart Design Mart a few weeks ago. We had a super amazing time, and everyone who participated (many people which you'd recognize from Victoire's talented roster of designers) really went all out to create a space that was an extension of their designs. And Mauve Naif was no exception, here's a pic from their awesome booth!

New Years Resolutions

Get your resolutions out because 2011 is fast encroaching. Grab a fancy pen and perhaps one of Victoire's Flora and Fauna notebooks and write out your litany of goals. Giving up chocolate indefinitely? Going to the gym six times a week? Being more eco-friendly .. taking the ol OC instead of the SUV? These can be some lofty ... and I'll admit sometimes impossible ( six times at the gym? six?) resolutions. New year's is about the turning over of a new leaf, a beginning of something new; a fresh start. New years is not about renouncing small pleasures but is rather about finding the time to relish in them even more. Victoire wishes you a moderately indulgent New Year. Take that day to spoil yourself and the people you love. It will make the gym and the zero cocoa existence just that much more tolerable. To obnoxiously quote L'Oreal, you really are "worth it". So whether it's as simple as a luncheon with friends or as lavish as a high society New Year's party, promise to allow yourself to play this year. Give it up and give in ever so slightly and if only just a little because we're an overworked and overly stressed generation. So if you're feeling a craving for some pampering between your blackberry conferences and your biochem textbook's rants then grab a coffee and a treat (make it a chocolate croissant haha) and stop by Victoire to come and play dress up.
You're never too old, too young or too busy to spend time on yourself.
Victoire preemptively wishes you the Happiest of New Year's and the most full of days; may you always prosper.

Happy Boxing Day

 Hope everyone is having a great holiday! If you are like me and ate like a garbarator for two days straight and need a small break before tackling leftovers then come on down and pay us a visit! We would be happy to hear tales of all your holiday hi jinx. To top it all off, our fall/winter apparel is 10% to 50% off! (It's the perfect time to get a New Year's outfit!)

What good is great style without peace of mind?

Hopefully yesterday left you with a nice little bounty of precious gifts from Victoire, and we hope your reaction was akin to the one pictured below. However, sometimes loved ones miss the mark ever so slightly - did your lover give you the In God we Trust "Sweet Tits" necklace and you were hoping for the more fam appropriate "With Love"? Or maybe it was the other way around.

Whatever the reason, exchanges are gladly accepted from December 27th - January 7th. We want you to be thrilled with your purchase, and not just at Christmas, but year-round. So for that reason, a great friend of ours, Jeremy Latta, whipped up this little hand-made sign outlining our return policy which you can now find proudly standing on the desks at both shops.


Isn't this the best return policy sign you've ever seen? If this sign tickled your funny bone even in the slightest, I highly suggest you join me and the other half dozen loyal readers of Jeremy's blog. Honestly, I give it my personal guarantee. If you don't literally LOL (a quiet chuckle to yourself will not suffice), please leave your complaints on this here blog. My favourite posts usually revolve around the funny happenings in Jeremy's hood, which also happens to be mine (aka Chinatown). So this blog post here and here where he outlines an ecounter at Mike's corner store literally had me in stitches.

Share the love

Wanna know how happy you can make someone when they open a gift from Victoire and get a peek at our seafoam green tissue & gold stickers?...




Thanks Krista, Jenny & Alyssa for sending us these pics, they really made our day!

We love it when you guys send us pics of you in one of our dresses at your grad/birthday/meet the parents/any occasion at all - so please, don't hesitate to share them with us! Shoot us an email, we love to see where our dresses go after they leave us!

And don't fear - you can still make someone this happy! We'll be open on Christmas Eve from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Heartprints, man

Maybe it's the fact that the holidays for us mean working long hours and little sleep, or maybe it's because I watched the "Heartprints" chapter of the Oprah 20th anniversary DVD over the week-end, but I got a little emotional last night. We already know we have the best customers ever, but the holidays really, really drive that point home to us more than any other time of year.

First off, even after almost 5 years of being in business, it still touches us immensely when you choose to spend your hard-earned money with us. We know the holidays can be an expensive time of year, so we do not take a single sale for granted. And we know that you guys also appreciate that 30$ spent at Victoire goes alot further to helping Ottawa's local creative economy grow and thrive rather than spending that same amount at a chain store. So thank you for shopping at Victoire.

What also gets to me is how thoughtful all of you are with your gift-giving...We're rather proud of the fact that you can get a pretty personalized, one-of-a-kind gift by shopping here, and every day you guys confirm that to me. Whether it be a terrarium necklace for Aunt Linda's green thumb or a gold pen nib necklace for your budding writer cousin.

Businesses like Victoire could not exist if it weren't for your support, and we depend on your support year-round to keep bringing awesome, independant designers to Ottawa. With the recent accounced closing of the beloved Nokomis shop in Edmonton and things in Montreal going sour for many of our friends, we really want to keep Local on the minds of people here in Ottawa. To do this we need your help: any suggestions on things we could be doing to better serve you or things that we can do to keep you out of the malls are always welcomed! Together we can keep our city dynamic and help entice more small business to open in the sea of big chains. We can create the city we want if we all work together and keep our pennies in the city!

xoxo & Happy Holidays everyone!

Regine, Katie, Ula, Sheena, Kristal, Emily & Erin

Cat in A Box?!

Cat in basket.
Thought I would post this lovely photo of the buffet style set-up at my family Christmas last year.

This is Toby. He likes boxes and baskets. He likes shedding all over the house and sitting in the most inappropriate places ever. He especially likes sitting near food and ruining your meal. Yum. Dinner rolls were SUPPOSED to be served where he has squished himself.

xoxox

Holiday Hours

Holiday Hours
The Week of December 20th, 2010

Dalhousie Location:
Mon- Wed: 10- 7
Thurs: 10-8
Fri: 10-4
Sat: CLOSED *X-MAS*
Sunday: BOXING DAY 10-6

West Wellington:
Mon-Wed: 10-6
Thurs:10-8
Fri:10-4
Sat: CLOSED *X-MAS*
Sun: BOXING DAY 10-6

After Boxing Day we will be back to regular hours at both stores except for December 31st we are closing at 4:00. Get that- Dec 31st: 10-4. *CLOSED* JANUARY 1ST. Then back to regular hours again. So much to remember. Well, not really.

Get to our store early because our unique goods will be on sale and you won't want to miss out!

Shop Til Ya Drop Victoirians.

To Spend, Or Not To Spend? That is the Question.

Spend.
I know, I know. I'm a bad influence. You know those last minute shoppers who buy everything and anything they see (no matter the impact it will have on their credit) just to get by before x-mas? That is me. That has BEEN me the past couple of days. If you are in the same sort of pickle, fear not! Victoire has last minute gift ideas that will not break the bank. Feeling better already? Check this out..

Roadkill Wristlets, $ 30

These puppies are perfect for a wild night out! Slip them on your wrist and go, don't worry about losing them because it's like you are wearing a bracelet, but better! This bracelet has your celly, money, and lip gloss baby!

Pre-loved Mittens, $ 20

Good ol' Pre-loved mittens, what can I say? Perfect stocking stuffers! They keep your itty bitty's warm. Well, some of them. (Get your mind outta the gutter).

Terrariums, range from $ 39 - 55

These are the most unique gifts and perfect for all those green thumbs out there. They create their own ecosystem and require minimal water. No fuss, no mess. Who could ask for more?

Genevieve Jodouin Silk Screened Purses, wallets and gloves. Range from $24-36

These are awesome for the girl who likes a pinch of new but dies for vintage. Silk Screened on vintage bags, wallets and gloves. The images range from nautical to nature.

So, without breaking the bank, all your shopping needs can be met at Victoire for those lucky ladies in your life! Love it.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Here are some great ideas!

Holy heck it's the 20th!!!

Besides Victoire and The Piggy Market I got no other shopping done!

For all others in my boat, just remember everyone wants beer!


Will a 4-month old fully appreciate sausages and beer under the tree? I know that papa will!!

We got a commercial!

Everybody knows these days you have to be on the youtube and the google, not to mention facespace, twitter-doodle and the blog-o-dome. As a couple of pretty certifiably non-tech people, Katie and I still try and do our best to keep on top of all this stuff cos we know it's important to help get the message far & wide about what boutiques like ours can offer as an alternative to your cookie-cutter chain stores. Thankfully in this case, for Victoire's FIRST EVER REAL-DEAL COMMERCIAL we got some help from some Tron-level supernerds who made us the most beautiful & funny & uniquely Canadian & sexy & classy commercial ever! How a bunch of dudes so perfectly nailed Victoire's vibe is a mystery to me. HUGE thanks to Luca from Valkaline Films, Adam from Mad Anvil and Luke from Projecto for everything!! Also thanks to the White Wires for letting us use their music! (Also FYI, TV Guide channel. I'm calling you tomorrow to check out your rates...Cos this is broadcast-quality stuff!)



I'm so proud of everyone who contributed to this - our friends for busting out their acting chops, Sage for being such a natural on camera and a perfect, beautiful shining star (how did you get your hair to flow so perfectly in the breeze man?!), Dave for the location (yep, it's our little wonderland in Chelsea again!) and again, Adam, Luca & Luke - this would not have been possible without you guys. Anyways, warm feelings all around at Victoire HQ today. We would love for as many eyeballs as possible to see this! Will you help us spread this around? Make it "viral", as they say? -

ANNOUNCEMENT

From now until Christmas. The Dalhousie store will close at 7 p.m instead of 6 from Monday to Wednesday. That's one more hour to get your shopping done! So the new hours are as follows.

Mon-Wed 10 a.m-7 p.m
Thurs & Fri 10 a.m-8 p.m*
Sat 10 a.m-6 p.m
Sun noon-5 p.m

*This Thursday December 16th will be the Dalhousie Shopping Night so Victoire will close at 9 p.m!

Gift Guide: Accessories

Here is a rundown of my personal favorite Victoire accesssories that make great gifts!

 Mandy's Panties are the perfect sleepwear. Handmade right here in Ottawa! You can also purchase a matching handmade bralette and create the cutest underwear/sleep set in history.
$49 a piece.

I know I have already blogged about how in love with the Audrey Cantwell headband I am but I just thought I would mention that we also have the turban/hat style, for those days when you need full head coverage. 

$28

 I've had my eye on this necklace forever. Finally a necklace that I can wear, but also use to cut the ribbon from my other presents. 

$50

Mimi's peruvian circle scarf is a staff favourite and sure to keep your face cozy all winter long.

$89

Gift Guide...

Holiday Outfits!

There really is no place like Victoire for the holidays, no matter how far away you roam. With cute and cozy clothes, there really is nowhere I would rather shop (or work). On the eve of our first real snow fall here in Ottawa (after sitting in traffic for TWO hours to get here), I was utterly thrilled when Katie asked me to blog some Holiday Outfit Ideas. Heck yes, I Rachel Zoe'd this place like nobody's business. If stars caught wind of these outfits I could have my own reality TV show.... with a nerdy looking assistant.....drink XXXL Starbucks all day.....

More importantly, check out these fabulous finds we have here at Victoire for the holiday season. We all want to look damn good at our work Christmas party, family gathering and awkward in-law dinner. Thus, if you want to show up your sister in-law, make your ex-boyfriend drool, or catch the eye of that stud in the cubicle nearby, check out these hotties:

Birds of North America, Sanderling Dress, $ 189
La Raffinerie Necklace, $55

Lily & Jay, Lillooet Dress, $288
Steel Magnolia Necklace, $29

Cinder and Smoke, Ami Dress, $190
Steel Magnolia Necklace, $29

Wise and Proper Blouse, $88
Betina Lou, Ruby Skirt, $90
La Raffinerie Necklace, $55

Mink Pink, All Tomorrows Parties Dress, $130
Petit Chapeau Headband, $45

Now, get out there and WOW everyone in these wicked wardrobe choices.

xoxoxoxox

Magical Mornings

I can see the freezing rain. I feel it hitting my face. But all I can think about is how magical my supposed dreary and rainy morning was today. When driving into the shop from my "village"- yes, where I reside was not a big enough area to be called anything but a "village" until recently. I was dreading the large transport trucks which were going to be passing me on the Queensway and wondering how badly spilt coffee would burn when I slipped on the sidewalk.

To ease the stress I threw on some good ol'Etta James and easily my wandering mind focused. After the relief set in, what do I see in the middle of the freezing rain/snowy back road?! Four adorable fawns playing around in the snow. They were having a blast and hopping around in the middle of the road (this is not safe)! They were so oblivious to my slick ride pulling up. They didn't even flinch! I sat in my car laughing for at least 5 to 10 minutes watching these little trouble-makers hop around, swaying their ridiculously cute white tails in the air. Finally, one of them spooked after realizing they had caused quite the traffic jam behind me. After a moment of confusion they pranced off and I was left whole-heartedly happy.
Thus, my tip of the day for readers is: play some easy listening tunes (preferably Etta James), drive slow in this weather and PLEASE WATCH FOR DEER. Oh, and don't forget to shop at Victoire. ...obviously.

Here is a Sunday song for ya'll..

xoxoxoxo

Ursa Minor, Couldn't Look Finer!

This is your second chance to grab up some jaw dropping new pieces from Ursa Minor out of Montreal. Better make a bee-line because her pieces are being snatched up quick!

Hand dyed silk tank top $150

Calf Skin Leggings $130

 

Wool Tabard Top $120

Victoire hearts Magpie and Town!

It's finally all up! The photo shoot with Magpie went so very well and we are thrilled with the results. Our slice of heaven left us in awe and the girls looked fantastic with its late fall backdrop. I wish every day of work could be as fun as photoshoot days!

A perfect time to webstore shop because we are having our 20% off sale at West Wellington on Saturday and for those who cannot make it down use this promo code when making your webstore purchase: HOHOHO20




We also got the chance to take pictures at our new FAVORITE restaurant TOWN. It is beyond delicious, the waiters and waitresses are almost as nice as the owners (Lori, you come down and get a pretty dress soon!) and the look is perfectly pretty with a serious dose of cool. If you haven`t gone GO, if you have it rules right?

The Reason I Get Up In The Morning..

Tea and Coffee. These are the pulls on my brain to wake-up and get out of bed in the morning. That, and my friendsfamilyboyfriendco-workersbossfreshflowersfashion, etc. But in reality, it really comes down to the simplicity of tea and coffee. Where am I going with this? Here at Victoire we got in a new line of the greateststuffever (!!!) and the GREATEST GIFT IDEAS in the world. THE WORLD. You can quote that. The company is called none other than..

Oh the irony. We have these great treasures at both locations. If you have intentions of getting a gold star for being the best gift giver this year I suggest you come in and get some bliss in a teacup items. Here are just some of the lovely trinkets that we received...

Writing Slate, $20 (comes with chalk!:)

Guitar picks, plain or monogram, $5

Inspiration Boards, small $30 & large $40

Wooden Bunting Flags, $35

Have your mind-grapes officially been blown? Me too. The Wooden Bunting flags have differnt sayings such as "Oh Darling", "Hooray" and "Do Come In". They are perfect for party decorating or party favors! Its getting close to crunch time and leaving gift giving to the last minute can have quite the wear-and-tear on the body. So loosen-up those heart strings and fall in love with the bliss in a teacup items and stop by!

xoxoxox

West Wellington Holiday Shopping Party!

It's Victoire's first Christmas on the West Wellington block, and what a better way to celebrate the occasion than to have a holiday shopping party with our lovely neighbours and, of course, you are all invited!

(look how similar this vintage wallpaper is to ours! and the lovely lass spreading the holiday news is also wearing a dress similar to beatrice holloways beehive dress that we have in-store! So wierd!)

And though we won't have a giant elaborate taxidermied wildlife window display (REG?? KATIE?? CAN WE??), there will be plenty of discounts, drinks, treats and items to keep you feeling warm and fuzzy.

So mark Saturday, December 11th from 6:00-9:00 p.m off your advent calendars and come celebrate our first christmas on Wellington with us. We'll be doing 20% off everything in the shop as well as a draw with every purchase for a 50$ gift certificate.

All of the participating shops with also be collecting gifts, toiletries and food for Interval House on the night of.

Participating shops:

• Chick Pea
• Clothes by Muriel Dombret
• FAB Baby Gear
• Flock
• Hush Clothes
• LIDA
• Red Chair Kids
• Red Velvet
• Renee Levesque Bijoux Mode
• and us - Victoire!

See you there! xo