We Had A Roaring Good Time With Forever Yours Lingerie!

We're often asked if talking about fashion and lingerie feels superficial. Are intimates really that important when it comes to all the other stuff that women have to deal with? Ask any of the hundreds of women who benefit from Forever Yours Lingerie's Supportive Start Initiative and they will tell you about the value they receive from having clean undergarments that fit, especially when job interviews and food on the table are a priority. Never, as individuals, have we had an opportunity to make such a difference in the lives of so many women. We are proud to have the opportunity to raise awareness of this inspiring fundraising program.

This year's fashion show benefitting Supportive Start was an exceptional evening of entertainment, from which 100% of proceeds were transferred to the charity. Forever Yours Lingerie owner, Sonya Perkins, rallied tremendous support from community, vendors and volunteers to put together a spectacular show and 1920's themed extravaganza. It's Been A Roaring 20 Years was not only a celebration of 20 years in business, but also a celebration of the strength and beauty of every woman.

Supportive Start was founded in 2014 by Forever Yours Lingerie owner, Sonya Perkins. The program provides women in need and in transition, across the Lower Mainland, with intimates and toiletries. Sonya and her team of volunteers provide fittings at shelters and recovery houses. Attendees leave with new and gently used undergarments generously donated by customers and vendors. The charity has worked with more than 20 organizations and provided over 1,000 bras along with kindness, compassion and dignity to local women in need.

One organizer said, “I witnessed a couple of ‘fit clinics’ at the Rainier and was thrilled at how empowering these events were for the residents.  Not only did our residents receive new, properly fitting undergarments but they left the clinics feeling proud of their bodies and they had a very needed break from the stress of the world.  The fit clinics were always a high light of the year.” (Quote from here.)

Donate your gently used bras here.

The evening was Golden Age perfection. Exuberant art-deco details transported us to a more glamorous era. Guests arrived in their Gatsby-best;  flapper girls not a  Marcel wave out of place. They were greeted by a speakeasy, the sweet jazz sounds of Rossi Gang and Charleston dancers.

Men and women of all shapes and sizes strutted their stuff with confidence across the catwalk. This has been true of every FYL event we have been to. Body positivity is not just a theme or an aspiration, it's reality and it is inspiring every time. The entertainment didn't stop between sets! There were even Burlesque performances by award-winning, performer The Lady Josephine.

Of course, the lingerie was to die for. Can we please take one of each?
Carefully planned ensembles were embellished with lavish headpieces and whimsical bustles.

(Shop the show here.)

Fun and games off the runway included the game of War, Bra Pong and a Balloon Mistress. Many of the games were sponsored by popular lingerie brands. Once again funds raised from the sale of game tickets benefit Supportive Start.

Representing Chantelle, Tanya volunteered her time at Bra Pong.

The Spinning Wheel was sponsored by Empreinte.

With the lovely Janet Abe.
(Read Janet's review of the 2015 Night at the Carnival here.)

Just Another Day At Vancouver's Premiere Al Fresco Event

The grandeur at this year's Pacific Polo Cup somehow managed to eclipse that of last year's fabulous debut event. Hosted at Southlands Riding Club (SRC) with The Vancouver Polo Club, benefitting the SRC, we'd say that the Pacific Polo Cup has well established itself as the city's premiere al fresco event.

The exhibition style polo matches were entertaining for both equestrian
and non-equestrian folk, alike.

This year attendees could choose from three experiences ranging from a casual bring-your-own picnic to a posh, plated lunch catered by Hawksworth Restaurant.

Even the picnics were in keeping with the charming
backdrop of the Sport of Kings.

Of course, the fashion-factor was lost on no one.
Only dainty dresses and dapper gents here.

Lots of horsey fun for all ages!

Music and plenty of bubbly at the Polo Lounge,
sponsored by Veuve Cliquot Champagne.

Whimsical in White:
Kaylie, Susan and Shannon wearing Vancouver-based Jac by JC.

Carte Blanche Boutique was on-hand
to fulfill hat wishes and fascinator dreams.
More on Summer Style with Carte Blanche Boutique.

Best seats in the house: Those fortunate enough to be at a table in the sold-out
Polo Dining Pavilion enjoyed a field-side view.

Lunch in the Polo Dining Pavilion was catered by
Vancouver's award-winning Hawksworth Restaurant.

Pacific Polo Cup Event chair, Kimberley St. Pierre,
in all-Carte Blanche Boutique-everything.
With Tara Newman, Hawksworth Restaurant.

With Mauricio Vasquez;
and Nadia Iadisernia, Vancouver Polo Club Vice-President.

We're already thinking about what to wear to next year's Pacific Polo Cup!

Details de Dior

We were over the moon to be invited to the grand opening of Christian Dior in Vancouver. Awe struck by the all the lovely details, we hope the images below convey some of that feeling to you. Though to appreciate it all, you really have to get down to the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and see for yourself.

Vancouver's fashion aficionados have welcomed the new Christian Dior boutique with open arms. And rightfully so. Doesn't it feel like the mere presence of the luxury house elevates the city's fashion stature? Is it possible that this is the universe's way of acknowledging that we have finally outgrown our infamous and unfashionable yoga pant status.

As the label's first stand-alone boutique in Canada, a lot of love was put into the design and details of the two-level space at at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Inspired by the Parisian flagship on Avenue Montaigne, the beautiful new boutique is a must-see, for the design alone.

Most appealing to us was the vast selection of bold hued classic bags and a first-hand look at Raf Simons' future-forward take on folk styles in the Pre-Fall 2015 collection.

Pre-Fall 2015 - Sequinned turtlenecks and embellished Fair Isle.

Wool grid check and classic bag silhouettes with a future-forward twist.

Raf Simons has a knack for modernizing and futurizing the classics.

Dior Boutique Director, Sarah Creedon (C), in Dior, of course.
With Tamara Taggart (L) and Michelle Addison (R) show-stopping in Roland Mouret.

For the boys - Dior Homme is a promising addition to the cities fashion-scape.

See anything that strikes your fancy?

Summer Style In La Vie En Rose - with Carte Blanche Boutique

Wondering what to wear to your next luxe summer event? Look no further!

Summertime socials are taking the city by storm. The fashion-forward are flocking to garden parties and equestrian events, unable to resist the pomp and splendour reminiscent of more sophisticated times. No other affair is so charismatic as the Polo Match. Here, true horse lovers come together with fashion aficionados for a spectacular and whimsical occasion. Of course, there's etiquette when it comes to replicating old-world charm, appropriately.

Read more about the magic of dress-up here.

In advance of the much anticipated Pacific Polo Cup, we look to Carte Blanche Boutique to guide us through upscale summer style. Veerle and Vanessa, the mother-daughter duo behind the boutique, pride themselves on a hand-curated selection of unique apparel, accessories and millinery. And lucky us - they've selected four ensembles below, to walk us through some fashion 'Do's and Don'ts' when you're living la vie en rose.

Classic. Wrist-length gloves are perfect for a daytime event.

This classic look is all about setting lovely details 
against a backdrop of clean lines.

Do: Pair an elaborate hat and gloves with a simple dress to complement to the simplicity of the dress.

Don't: Go longer than wrist-length gloves for a daytime event.

A black dress pairs beautifully with a bold hat.

Take it to the next level with accessories that match your millinery.

Let's talk about black.

Do: Steer away from wearing black, UNLESS it's paired with a bold and bright coloured hat.

Co-ordinate hats with shoes and accessories, BUT,

Don't:  Over do it. In order to keep the look daytime, opt for either a bold hat or shoes to match your millinery; not both. Similarly, choose either a bracelet or a necklace.

Just a few of the lovely fascinators and hats at Carte Blanche Boutique.

On hats.

Do: Wear hats with embellishments placed to the front and side. A good rule of thumb is to keep the tag in the back.

Don't: Let the brim obstruct your vision so much that you need to tilt your chin up to see. Awkward!

On fascinators.

Do: Insert the barrette from the back to the front of your head, with the open side of the clip facing forward.

Bring an evening dress back to a daytime look with a simple fascinator.

When the dress takes the lead.
Do:  Pair a bolder dress with fascinator, instead of an elaborate hat. This lets the dress speak. An evening dress is brought back to a daytime look.

Looks from last year's Pacific Polo Cup, here.

Elevate the look of a casual summer dress by adding a fascinator.

Alternatively, a summer hat keeps it simple.

If you're feeling the whimsy, but not the splendour.

Do: Wear a more casual summer dress and pair it with a smaller fascinator or a simpler hat and neutral shoes. This will shift the ensemble into a garden party look.

Don't: Forget about the footwear!

About footwear. 

Keep in mind that a heeled shoe will always raise your look to the next level, but a flat, sandal is also appropriate. A wedged heel is ideal for lawn events. If you do go for a traditional heel, 

Do: invest in a set of Heelio Dealio's to protect your heels and the lawn.

Carte Blanche Boutique is located in the Point Grey neighbourhood of Vancouver.
Shop in-store or online.

Above all-else,

Do: Have Fun!

A special thank you to our fab model, Nadia Iadisernia,  Sales and Marketing Maven for Pacific Polo Cup and Luxury and Supercar Weekend.

Now get out there and stomp some divots!

Get tickets to the Pacific Polo Cup, here.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Step right up!

A Night at the Carnival, with all the dazzle of a big-top performance and a sexy twist was a big crowd pleaser. Calliope & Clio was lucky enough to be front row for all the fun.

It was with a bit of excitement and anticipation that I headed to A Night at the Carnival, hosted by Forever Yours Lingerie at the Cascades Casino. I felt a lot like a kid heading to the PNE for the first time. I really didn’t know what to expect, would there be games and cotton candy? How could I not be excited, I mean, who doesn’t love a carnival? A sexy, grown-up carnival. With wine. Now we’re talking.

The event was a spectacular affair that lived up to every promise; emceed by suave ringmaster, The Purrrrfessor, and featured hula hoop artists, burlesque dancing and tap dancers that proved Kix'ies are a girls best friend.

The carnival themed fashion show featured not only professional models, but some of us regular-sized girls too...

Freya Deco 'Spotlight' Plunge Bra + panty

Meow! Shirley Cotton-Sateen Leopard Corset, paired with Kix'ies

Shirley of Hollywood Venice Corset

Viva la Paris! Prima Donna Twist 'A La Folie' T-Shirt Bra

Even the Strong Man was showing off his Saxx Boxers

Let's all go to the Lobby! Great pin-up girl outfits were a theme of the night. 

Cupcake anyone? Lets not forget all the lovely volunteers that helped make the night perfect. 

The carnival themed fashion show featured not only professional models, but some of us regular-sized girls too, which is definitely a confidence booster to see them strut their stuff down the runway. The games on the “fairway” such as Bra Pong and a lingerie version of Plinko were huge hits, and of course no carnival would be complete without a kissing booth.

All of this big-top fun was in benefit of a great cause, Supportive Start. 

Supportive Start is the brainchild of store-owner Sonya Perkins who founded the program in the Spring of 2014, when she recognized a need for impoverished and homeless women in the lower mainland to have access to properly fit bras, new panties, and toiletry items. Since its inception the program has given hundreds of bras to local outreach organizations, through “fit clinics” where women in need are measured for the bra that best fits them.

This is the second year that Forever Yours Lingerie has hosted a lingerie fashion extravaganza, and they just keep getting bigger and better. If you missed out on all the fun and games not to worry, with Forever Yours Lingerie’s 20th anniversary in 2016, I’m sure next years event will be amazing! In the meantime, to donate to Supportive Start head to Forever Yours Lingerie to drop off your clean and gently used bras. For more information click here.

By Janet Abe: Marketing and communications consultant, with over 15 years of experience in design, event management and magazine publishing. Striving to make the world a more interesting place one day at time with a love of fashion, art, and all things design. Follow Janet on Twitter and Instagram.

Don't miss out on this year's show! Ticket for The Roaring 20's available here.