Girl About O-Town

Now that Halloween is over (finally – I’ve never really understood the Halloween hype), our collective minds can’t help but turn to thoughts of Christmas. Whether we’re walking the halls at the mall, or reading the latest magazines on the stand, it seems everywhere we turn we’re being encouraged to hurry up and get started on our holiday shopping.

This girlaboutOtown is no different. While I don’t always buy ahead of time, I do at least try to do some advance thinking, and this year I wondered what kind of wares Ottawa-area Etsy vendors might be offering. So, with a budget of no more than $50 per item, here are a few gift ideas Chazz and I were able to find…

1. This ‘happy’ handmade pillow would be perfect for someone who prefers cute & comfortable when decorating at home.   Only $29, this pillow is just one of several available at PillowHead.

2. Do know you a glam girl who is outgoing and not afraid to try something new? This bold pair of dog earrings by Mizdragonfly makes a confident statement for $39. Check out her Etsy store for more fun, fashionable and original pieces.

3. This pretty photograph of a park bench might work for someone with some empty space on their wall. And, at only $10 a print, you may be able to afford more than one! Visit Raceytay and check out the selection of prints being offered at very good prices.

4. You can’t go wrong with candles any time of year, but at Christmas they always lend a little extra to the atmosphere. Great for giving anyone, these votives made by FireFlyCandles are only $5 a set. Find these and many more at the FireFly Etsy store.

5. This striking vintage barometer would be certainly please an ol’ fashioned type who loves to surround themselves with timeless treasures from the past. Found at Dancing Milkmaid, this precious piece comes at a price of only $36.

6. This beautiful blue-toned watercolour painting would easily adapt anywhere in the home. This particular piece is $51, but if you prefer something else, there are plenty of other choice creations at Ivohamilton.

7. Wouldn’t this lovely photograph of a lighthouse make yet another attractive addition to an art collection? (Do you sense a trend yet?) A fine print runs only $20, so feel free to shop for more at rbrosseau.

8. Last but not least, what would Christmas be without at least one pair of cozy slippers on your giving list? This hand-knitted pair found at 2muchyarn will set you back only $18, and yes, there are more than just slippers to be found at this fun store.

It is Fashion Week in Ottawa again.  Starting tomorrow, Friday, October 29 and running until Sunday, October 31, Ottawa Fashion Week will take the stage for its fourth season – this time at the National Gallery of Canada.

The dedicated Ottawa Fashion Week team, including Executive Producer Hussein Rashid, Creative Director Bruno Racine, Public Relations Manager Julianne Robicheau, and Head Stylist Ali Hughes continue work hard at encouraging Ottawa’s emerging fashion scene, supporting talented new designers from across the country and providing a venue to show off their designs. By bringing creators and audiences together season after season, Ottawa Fashion Week is increasingly establishing itself as a “must do” on any local fashionista’s list.

Given this girlaboutOtown’s longstanding love for all things stylish, and Chazz’s expressed interest in fashion, we decided to a little deeper this time.  So, to understand a bit more about what happens behind the scenes, we just asked! Lucky for us, OFW Head Stylist and HUSH Clothes co-owner Ali Hughes agreed to answer.

Here is what learned from Ali…

Photo by Katarina Kuruc via Flickr

Are you from Ottawa originally? If not, how long have you lived here?  Yes, born and raised. I lived in Argentina for one year and Chicago for four, but Ottawa is definitely my hometown.

When did you become interested in fashion or did you always know you were headed this way?  I was a total tomboy until I was 14. I wore jogging pants and giant basketball shoes.  In high school, I started really getting into clothing and fashion and my addiction has not stopped growing since.

What did you study in school?  I’m a graduate of the Bachelor of International Business Management Program at Carleton University. I won’t mention what year!

Do you recall what inspired your interest in fashion?  Finishing my awkward teenage growth spurt and finally fitting in clothes made me excited to come up with new outfits and new looks. When my closet was full I would shop for my friends. Putting outfits together is something I do for fun and to relax. I love it!

Being head stylist for Ottawa Fashion Week can’t be a full-time job.  Tell us what else you do.  Funny! It most definitely could be!  When not working on OFW, I am a co-owner of HUSH Clothes.

What other hobbies besides fashion interest you?  Dance and fitness have always been a big part of my life. I’m off the workout bandwagon right now but look forward to getting back into it.

As head stylist, do you participate in the selection of designers for Ottawa Fashion Week?   The designers were selected before I joined the team.

Do you help designers select which pieces to showcase from their collections? They pick their own pieces.  It is our role to provide feedback and make editing recommendations to help them show a collection that is as cohesive and as representative of their brand as possible.

What is the relationship between you as stylist and the rest of the creative team?  Who is the lead?  Is it the stylist who sets direction for hair & makeup?  Do you tell them what to do with the models?  It is a collaboration. The designers communicate their wishes and then the clothing stylist works with the hair and make-up team to make it all come together on the runway.

Do you style the clothes before the model goes out on the runway? Yes. We do fittings ahead of time and then we are backstage to take care of all the details before each model heads out.

Do you have a say in what the set should look like on stage for the audience to see? Not for OFW. That was on the Director’s “To Do” list.

Where are your favourite places to shop? HUSH, Winners

Do you have a favourite place to eat?   Tough call. I love to eat out and am pretty much up for anything. My ultimate weakness is a chip wagon!

Where do you go for a night out?  My daughter is only 10 months old so I don’t do many nights out.  When I  do have an event, I try to arrange to stay for the after parties.

Do you have any very interesting places that you like to visit from time to time?  When the weather is nice, I like to go to Sparks Street.  It has the potential to be such a great pedestrian walkway.  I think I keep going back hoping it will develop into something great.

What do you like best about Ottawa? At heart I am a big city girl, but my friends and family are here.

Click here for a full the scoop on participating designers and the full schedule of shows.