Q1: With the Spring season upon us, the females out there are itching to get their hands on some new clothes, what kinds of styles are cool this Spring?

Look for soft comfortable, feminine, flowing fabrics, lots of prints - faces and flowery and bling: embellishments on clothes. Tunics with leggings are back and they hide a multitude of sins.

Q2: It sounds like, to be in fashion, you need to throw out everything and go for all the new stuff?

It’s always confusing as fashion shifts, but there is a way to get around this. There are women who run fashion businesses where the emphasis is one-on-one shopping. They know you, know what you like and what you look good in and even keep track of your wardrobe. So they may say, you can wear the long top from last year but buy jeggings to go with them.

Q3: What are jeggings?

Leggings made out of jeans fabric.

Q4: Let’s go through a couple of these shops to see what they have to offer:

You might have heard of  Fashionwear as a fashion service which held sales in the Ruby Foo’s Hotel during the Fall and again in the Spring. Now they have a permanent location at the Centre d’Achats Hudson. They stock a unique collection of about 2 dozen lines of women’s trendy clothes (even Lindsay Phillips’ switch flops ) and giftware and gadgets.
As you try on outfits, you are aided by Lisa or one of the consultants, who help you coordinate a wardrobe. They keep a computer database of what you buy each time and try to update your look based on what you already have at home. To find out dates of their Ruby Foo sales, get on their calling or e-mail list.

Location: Centre d’Achats Hudson at Exit 26 of the Transcanadienne.
Hours: Regular
Phone450 218-1955
www.fashionwearcanada.com

Another local Canadian company which used to be called Optionelle, now named EVEology clothing collection, is less about following trends and more about creating one’s own personal style rather than just jumping onto “what’s hot”.  You can view the clothing at www.eveology.com and then go in locally to try them on and buy (sizes mostly 4-2XL). Their clothing focuses on everyday glam looks which combine fashion, function and the attention to detail. Most interestingly, it is designed and sorted by body type so you can easily choose which pieces will make you look the best.
If you have no time to go out and shop, home presentations are possible; Gather some friends together and have a private fashion show and you can earn fashion dollars as a percentage of the sales. If you don’t have time or energy to clean your house and clear out your hubby and kids, Elisabeth will just host the party at her place. She’s been been selling this way for years and is great at helping you select a wardrobe to suit you.  Shopping here is like having your own personal dresser.

Tel: 514 684-0370
Hours: By appointment
fashionista@acn.net
www.eveology.com

Q5: What about the full-figured woman, how does she fit in to this, literally and figuratively?

Women with larger needs (sizes 14-24) can shop at Oppen’s where  they are lucky to get Beverly’s personal service with wardrobe coordination. The racks offer lots of mix and match possibilities in washable fabrics, and even jewelry to finish off the look. Well known labels such as Linda Lundstrom, Simon Chang, Conrad C, NYDJ - Tummy Tuck Jeans, Kokomarina, Tara Vao  Franck Anna, Alain Weiz, Spanner are there for you. They also carry Spanx to smooth you out, slinky knits and their own Beverly shirts and opera coats.

Location: 4828 boul. St-Laurent
Corner: Villeneuve
Phone: 514-844-9159
Hours: Tues-Fri 10:30-5, Sat 10:30-5

I get calls during the year from people needing help getting rid of their household items due to a move, a senior transition or for a an estate situation. They just don’t know what to do with it all.

I just got an e-mail from a gentleman who calls his company, Money for Clutter. What he does is help people sell furniture, antiques, china, books, artwork, clothing, tools, appliances, jewelry, collectibles, pianos, garden equipment and almost any household items.

He goes  into a home and photographs the items they want to sell. Then he prices them at market value and advertises in local Montreal web sites, on his site and to his own e-mail list of regular buyers. He negotiates the price before the potential buyer goes to the seller’s home so there are no surprises. If there is a lot involved or if they are elderly, he will accompany the  buyer to the seller’s residence.

He works on a commission basis and takes a percentage of the  final sale. If needed, he can set them up with a mover. For seniors, he offers a packing service, the sale of unwanted belongings or can hold an estate sale.  He likes to say that he make  a hard time a lot easier.

Mark Hodess
http://moneyforclutter.com

For my appearance on CBC, I will be enlightening the audience Valentine ideas beyond the usual chocolates and flowers.

Here are the stores mentioned:

For Monogramming:

Monogrammes Plus (514-695-8647) for teddy bears, bathrobes, boxer shorts, t-shirts, cosmetic bags, aprons, etc.

Creations Personelles (Fairview Pte-Claire, Tel: 514-695-3636) for ID bracelets, wine glasses, albums, hip flasks and much more.

For a Tea Party:

Bramble House (57 Donegani, Pointe Claire, Tel: 514-695-3636) has  Price of Wales’ Duchy Originals organic cookies, shortbread cookies, Gardner’s of Scotland coffee fudge, heather honey fudge and of course, teas from England:  PG Tips, Taylor’s of Harrogate, Brodies and Typho to Bewley’s from Ireland and the tea pots and tea cozies to make that perfect cup. www.bramblehouse.net

Clarence & Cripps (71 Cameron, Hudson  450-458-4073) also has your teas and snacks are there too: Walker’s chips (steak & onion, prawn cocktail), Maynard’s wine gums, Galaxy minstrels, McVities digestives and Marks & Spencer ginger snaps. If you’re lucky you’ll be able to scoop up some real Devonshire table cream for your scones. Delivery is available, even to downtown. www.clarenceandcripps.com

Le Spa Book www.lespabook.com 450-424-8716, 877-537-7201 and at Jean Coutu, Pharmaprix, Uniprix, Multimags, Chapters (Pointe-Claire and Ste-Catherine) is a discount coupon book for 150 promotions in 106 spas in Montreal and surrounding areas, West Island, Laval, Laurentians, Eastern Townships, the region of Quebec.

For racy chocolate ideas and yummy chocolate:

Divine Chocolatier (2158 Crescent Tel: 514-282-0829).  Take Callebaut dark chocolate and wrap it around orange or ginger slices, blueberries, orange peel or praline and you have divine confections (100 gr/$9.95). Sure there’s healthy 72% dark with orange and ginger but look for the fun items: the chocolate shot glasses, body oil, caramel or chocolate hazelnut spread, and molded shapes like a computer, tennis racket or kama sutra poses. Seasonally you might get cinnamon or allspice in your chocolate or flavored hot chocolates.  wwww.divinechocolatier.com

For green gifts:

Coccinelle Jaune, 4236 Ste-Catherine e Tel: 514-259-9038
Boutique Artistri, 5319 ave. du Parc

Les artisans du meuble Quebecois, 88 St-Paul est, Tel: 514-866-1836
L’Empreinte Cooperataive 272 St-Paul est Tel: 514-861-4427

Heck this is a lot more lucrative than a Tupperware party.  You receive money instead of spending money. Get your friends to gather up broken bracelets, tangled chains, orphan earrings and that gaudy necklace from the 80s. With gold trading at a 30-year-high, now is a good time to change all that sparkle into hard cash. Gold Party Canada, a Montreal based company will buy all of their unwanted gold jewelry on the spot after quickly and expertly appraising it.

Hostesses (besides buying your unused gold jewelry for top dollar) will receive $25 for every guest who sells a minimum of $200 of gold. If that wasn’t good enough, they even give you money to host the party in style. You are give a $100 credit toward food and drinks (no receipts necessary). Invite 10 people, earn $350.

Guests go home with an average of $750.

www.goldpartycanada.com

For my Smart Shopping Montreal fans, I have so much cool new stuff in this edition:

I bumped into green shopping everywhere in the city. I loved Bamboo Entrepot with its bamboo flooring, kitchen cupboards, couches, wine bar, bathtub, clothing and linens. There are environmentally responsible friperies like Folle Guenille or Pre-Loved who take vintage or just pre-worn clothing and rework them into hot one-of-a-kind fashions. Eco Reno is part of the ecological hardware and furniture movement.and offers up old doors, windows, mouldings, bathtubs and plumbing parts so you don’t have to buy new. Or how about Couche Maman Ecolo, the diaper fairy who comes once a week and saves our landfills of mountains of plastic diapers? In Montreal there are local manufacturers for: gift wrap, plaster mouldings, sofa-beds, maternity wear, paint, comforters, cribs, cardboard boxes and even bountiful farmer’s markets.

Once you pick up “Smart Shopping Montreal” it is hard to put it down, as you discover:
- liquidation locales: Lindt chocolate, home theatres, designer shoes, pianos, house renovation products, sporting goods, bras, pasta
- services: people who scoop poop, rent paintings or fur, monogram gifts, send cakes for a special day
- second-hand shops: computer games, maternity clothes, laptops, ergonomic chairs, mouldings

People who treasure saving objects from obsolescence and enjoy the work performed by master craftsmen will find solace in the chapter on repairmen. Do you know where to go to get your espresso machine fixed, costume jewelry repaired, boots widened, baby strollers washed, antique carpets cleaned or holes fixed in your leather couch?

Montreal is lucky to have a large mixture of ethnic groups. Reading through the International Food section takes you around the world with a smorgasbord of stores to entice you to try new flavours, perhaps English marmite and vegemite or “skinny” donuts or pickled mudfish.

In every budget, there is always a place where extra money is spent solving shopping problems. In, the specialty stores (which are often pricey) you’ll find: custom bathing suits, snakes, made-to-order couches, cake decorating, wigs, hard-to-find DVD’s, lace, and moving boxes

It’s time to join up for my Smart Shopping Club www.smartshoppingmontreal.com and receive your own autographed copy of my book. Happy Shopping!

By joining in parties or making personal appointments, buying a cocktail dress or gown (sizes 2-20) can actually be fun - and inexpensive, about 70% off. With the owner guiding you through the choices (or ordering what you need), you can score aa BCCG, Bari-Jay, A.B.S. , Laundry, Anne Klein, Evan Picone, Kasper, Scala or Betsey Johnson creation. Even bridal gowns can be purchased for about $70-$160. An extra is that her Mom is an expert seamstress who can adjust them all.

Tel: 514-428-5907
Hours: by appointment
www. homeofdesignerclothing.piczo.com

If you pined for the furnishings in the DixVersions stores but couldn’t afford them, everything in this DixVersions Depot, store is from there but discounted significantly. The accessories are 50% of what they sold for in the store and furniture is 30% to 70% off. This is the best part - they then take an additional 20% off here. Expect to find furniture, lamps, tables, vases, sofas, shower curtains, stools, rugs, desks, mirrors, etc. This is a temporary location which could be closed by November - or not. This location is closing at the end of April and proceeds from the sell off are being donated to pediatrician Dr. Julien’s clinic for street kids.

8530 De l’Esplanade Ave. at the corner of De Liege
Phone: 514-745-3610
Hours: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you’ve every dreamed of having your own personal driver, then perhaps Hinda Bilenco, a “Senior Services Provider” will fit the bill. She specializes in taking seniors (who live in VSL, TMR or the West Island) to medical, dental, lab, rehabilitation and physiotherapy appointments. However, if you need her for hairdresser appointments, grocery or clothes shopping, to go to the bank or other daily activities, she’s there for you too. Even if you just need some company for lunch, afternoon tea, to go to the movies or a drive to the airport (to exit this frozen mess), just give her a call. Her services are limited to non-emergency transportation and she is reliable and courteous.

Phone: 514-956-9267 or cell 514-497-0630