Monday 23 April 2012

5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Bag for Any Event


Since the summer is literally around the corner - and you know what that means... Party Season! We decided to collaborate with fellow entrepreneur and purse-a-holic, Jody- Ann from A Girls Next Best Friend. Jody-Ann talks about her tips for choosing the perfect handbag. Thanks Jody-Ann! 
Choosing the perfect purse can sometimes be as difficult as choosing the outfit itself. To make your selection (and life) much easier, we're offering a few tips to make shopping a breeze...
  1. Purpose: When choosing purses always think of the event that you will be attending. For weddings, dinners and proms your requirements will be different from that needed at a conference, meeting, or lunch with a client. It is important to always shop with a purpose in mind to ensure your selection is suitable to your event.  
  2. Size: The size of your purse is extremely important depending on the event you’re attending. A tote might be more appropriate for a day out with girlfriends, while a small clutch is more suitable for a wedding or evening event. Will you be dancing all night? Then smaller is always better. 
  3. Colour: Choosing a purse colour is fairly easy if your outfit is already selected. If this is not the case, then go for neutral colours, these go great with almost anything and will blend flawlessly with the rest of your closet post event. If your event is on the fancier side something shiny or sparkly never hurts, gold and silver are perfect accents to little black dresses; Just think red carpet! While all these are true, let’s not forget colour. For the ladies who like to take it up a notch, selecting a purse with a pop of colour is guaranteed to keep all eyes on you.(Just the way we like it!) See a fuchsia clutch that is just begging to be bought? Go for it! Bright colours are great for spring and summer, and pairs well with neutral toned clothing.
  4. Compartments: Personally a purse with at least one small interior pocket is a must-have for me. It is the perfect place for storing business cards and contact numbers I collect during my daily interactions. Select a purse that is functional for your event, and think of what items you will be taking with you, and if your selection will be able to store all these items. So important for any women! 
  5. Details: Pay attention to external details on purses when shopping. A purse with lots of external hardware might not work well for a clean, classy, business look, but pairs well with jeans and a blazer for a casual lunch. Take note of the extras!                                                                                                                         
An outfit is as perfect as its accessories, so do not be shy to experiment. 
Jody-Ann is the owner of A Girl’s Next Best Friend, an online purse boutique that specializes in providing customers with fashionable purses at an affordable price. The first of its kind in Canada, A Girl’s Next Best Friend can be described as an online purse experience. 
Find A Girl’s Next Best Friend on Twitter and Facebook
Twitter: @nextbestfriend 

Monday 9 April 2012

DivaGirl Launch Party - March 21, 2012

I got the chance to be a “Diva” for the night - at DivaGirl Incs Media Launch Party. This unstoppable brand (who happens to work with BYSS...) launched 3 new divisions; Instructional DVD, DivaGirl Boutique and a Clothing Collection in collaboration with Titika.


DivaGirl’s launch party was held at the swanky Cream Lounge in the trendy King West area. Laura Furtado and I were outfitted by the lovely ladies behind Rent Frock Repeat - we got the chance to strut our stuff in designer duds for the night. This was one of the highlights of my night - my dress was adorable and so comfortable! 


The night was an amazing success - we got the chance to mingle with the media, and our amazing DivaGirls. Sipping Rotkappchen Champagne who sponsored the evening was the icing on the cake. 


It was definitely a fantastic night - followed by the amazing DivaGirl Conference that happened that weekend. More to come on that in a later post. 
Want to see more photos from the Media Launch Party? Check out DivaGirl’s Flickr account. 

- Brooke 

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Craig and Colette's Wedding - Ocotber 8th, 2011

 I know it has been forever since I posted on the blog - and for that I am sorry. Because You Said So... (BYSS) has been busy working with DivaGirl Fitness and Crave Toronto! Also for those of you who can’t tell ( I don’t blame you.. Mother Nature even forgot) it is ski season! The ladies of BYSS have been busy enjoying the beautiful mountains in BC and the gorgeous hills of Caledon in Ontario. 
In October BYSS had the pleasure of helping create an amazing wedding day for two of our favourite people. Our dear friends Craig and Colette got married at the beautiful, breath-taking Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet, BC. With the ocean and the mountains as the backdrop these two love birds said “I do...” 
This wedding was a family affair for us Milnes - Chris (dad) was co-efficient for the wedding talking about marriage (my mom and him have been married for 30 years - 2 weeks happy according to dad!) As Chris began his speech he decided to go the humour route, and started by saying “When Colette asked me to do this I started writing down ideas about what to say... let me get my notes” as he pulls a roll of toilet paper from his pocket. 


Staying true to Colette and Craig’s vision of their wedding day we kept it simple and connected to nature. Cathy, the creative one out of the two of us created a guest book from a tree off our weekend property. Allowing guests to sign their names and well wishes to the couple - on a piece of nature that they will have forever.  Sticking to the nature theme Cathy and her mom, Ann (like I said, family affair) collected rocks and wrote the names of the guests - creating unique name cards for the table. 




The seating chart was another unique creation of Cathy’s - using wood from the same tree as the guest book she created a seating chart. 


The centre pieces were simple candle holders that combined the couples love of nature with a classy twist. Surrounded by pieces of drift wood that literally brought the atmosphere of the ocean inside. 


Craig and Colette took their love of the ocean to a whole new level - stepping into the waves (with a surf board!) to capture life long memories. Colette (the least girly girl you will ever meet) opted for two wedding dresses knowing that she would be emerging herself into the Pacific Ocean before the ceremony. 


A beautiful wedding for an amazing couple!