My dear friend Karen from Curvy Canadian brought me along to today’s holiday preview for Addition-Elle at the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel in downtown Toronto.

Actually, it turned out to be more than just AE that was presenting their holiday lineup! There were loads of brands to check out and lots of nice perks waiting for us that day. I wasn’t officially invited but the organizers were gracious enough to cobble together a nice little gift bag for me as well. Thanks, Brill Communications!

Addition-Elle

AE has a nice new lineup of lingerie coming out this season. I like the feminine touches, details and colours that they are presenting. I feel like as plus size women we’ve got our bases covered when it comes to “fun” bras and panties; now it’s time to get the grown-up versions, too! I’m really into the whole romantic theme this year. I think the film The Great Gatsby has a lot to do with it, and a general nod towards our more refined eras. I’m very glad to see this coming around.

The holiday collection from AE was a little bit disappointing. Recycled designs, patterns and embellishments were throughout and really didn’t do anything for me. Some of the pieces looked downright cheap, so buyer beware! I was happy to see an improved offering in the outerwear category with snowpants and sporty jackets for winter. I also liked the jewellery offerings with the deep sapphire and cobalt gem hues. A little over the top, but it’s the holidays, right?

Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts

The college was also present for the preview, offering a glimpse into what their classes have to offer. They had a pastry chef making a lovely winter cake, and a cookie decorating bar! Karen and I both took a shot but sadly forgot to pick up our cookies on the way home 🙁

Ecco Canada

I love this brand. They make such nice things of good quality. I was really drawn to their leather goods for this season. They have some great classic styles in wallets and handbags coming out. I am in love with the leather purse!

 Emjoi Micro Pedi

OMG I love this thing! It was like they read my mind or something. I noticed my feet were getting a little rough despite my recent pedicure and I was contemplating getting out the ol’ “cheese grater’ for my feet and getting an upper body workout. This little gizmo saved me from having to do that. It’s like a Pedi-Paws for your feet, gently sanding away the calluses and dead skin easily. We got a demonstration on our feet and then got to keep the product. Very nice! I will definitely be using this in the future!

Josephson Opticians

Another brand I was impressed with was Josephson Opticians. I know, I know, I got the laser eye surgery a while ago, but I love glasses as an accessory, and sunglasses are mandatory!

I love all things retro, so their seasonal offerings were right up my alley with lots of tortoiseshell, cat-eyes, embellishments and style! They were also very nicely made, which will justify the higher pricetag.

I’m styling a photo shoot this fall for myself and a male model so I might pop by their store to borrow a few sexy frames.

There were a bunch of other great brands there as well, including Donato Salon & Spa, Nespresso, Ecco and Kohrani, but I didn’t get many photos of their stuff.

By the end of the tour, we had spent a few hours more than the 30 minutes we had planned! We also ran into fellow blogger Jessica from Clothes and Shit. Group photo time!

All in all it was a great day and I look forward to seeing some of the great new stuff in stores soon.