IT’S BEEN JUST OVER 8 MONTHS SINCE LITTLE MAN TATE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND THIS MAMA HAS BEEN FEELING THE NEED FOR A WARDROBE REFRESH. So when we booked our annual Fall famjam photo shoot with the incomparable Gaby, I went in search of some inspiration. Little did I know I would find it right next to our new family favourite restaurant Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie in the Distillery District of Toronto.

They’ve really been upping their game in the Distillery of late with some great renovations and new introductions. Turns out, the cherry-on-top is actually more like a sparkly, pavé diamond cherry at the top of the lane. Friends, meet Gilding The Lily. Nestled at the top end of the cobblestone laneway that also houses hotspots like Bergo and Soma Chocolates, Gilding The Lily is officially THE it jewellery store to arrive on the Toronto scene in, like, forever. But don’t just take my word for it. Take a gander at these gorgeous gems I got to play dress up with for our photo shoot!

I love the subtle edge to this Olympia Ring {above} by Carbon & Hyde. It’s delicate and feminine yet totally rock-and-roll glam all at once. The over-the-knuckle styling is fresh and very of the moment, and it’s surprisingly comfortable to wear.

The truth is, I didn’t see a single piece in the store that didn’t make me a little weak in the knees. Chalk that up to the killer eye of the owner, LA-based celebrity stylist Annie Jagger. Jagger’s work has been featured in iconic publications like Vogue, W, InStyle, Jane and Rolling Stone. How lucky are we that she decided to make her first foray into retail right here in Toronto!

I am still swooning over the dreamy quality of Smith + Mara‘s Constellation necklace {top, above}, and paired with Carbon & Hyde‘s Gold Bar necklace {bottom, above} I felt layered to perfection and all kinds of fabulous.
The lovely store manager Christine was amazing in helping me style my look. We bonded over interior design as Christine selected pieces and shared some of her story. She and Annie met in LA and Christine worked for her as her assistant for a hot minute before moving into interior design, moving to Toronto, designing the store and becoming the manager. Something of a diamond-paved path, if you ask me!
When Christine first showed me this Starburst Ear Jacket by Jacquie Aiche, I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I mean, when stars like Selena Gomez, Kate Walsh and Jessica Alba are spotted wearing these edgy pieces…ya know? But. Then. I. Put. It. On. And it was like rays of sunshine peaking out from behind my ear. Who doesn’t need to carry a few rays of sunshine with them everywhere they go? 

I’ll share the rest of my outfit details in an upcoming post, but I just had to shine the spotlight on Gilding The Lily all on their own. They’d be worth a visit to the Distillery District if they were the only boutique there, but they are truly the pièce de résistance in one of Toronto’s hottest neighbourhoods. Quite simply not to be missed.

xx
s.

All photographs by Gabriela Hansen