A big part of shopping for vintage is the thrill of the hunt. Call us lazy, but these days, we’d rather leave the scavenging to the pros.

Enter Shrimpton Couture, an online boudoir of clean, re-conditioned and carefully curated vintage.

From Biba to Balmain to the amazing Geoffrey Beene, the site is brimming with an ever-rotating roster of big name designers—and big name shoppers like Courtney Love and Rachel Zoe. Our wish list is as long as the Nile, but there’s a red Chanel Jacket ($1,625) that belongs on our back.

Find bags, belts, scarves and baubles – such as the eclectic pieces from London based textile designer http://www.anitaquansah.com/ Anita Quansah.

Talk about thrill of the find.

www.shrimptoncouture.com
Read our interview with Shrimpton Couture founder, Cherie Federau, on our forum.

We took an scent census around the office and came up with six lovely pairs of perfumes for him and her. Herewith, our staff picks.

Marianne Wisenthal, Montreal editor, English edition
Couples who spray together, stay together. When we’re not stealing spritzs of our man’s woody Grey Vetivert by Tom Ford ($100), he’s dipping into our bottle of Private Blend Italian Cypress (from $210). Both at Holt Renfrew.

Tara Parker Tait, Publisher
Opposites attract with Parisian cult favourite Annick Goutal's Petite  Chérie (finally, she divulges her secret scent!) for her ($110 at the Bay) and the luxe Hermès Poivre Samarcande ($250 at Hermès) for him.

Joy Pecknold, Vancouver editor
For a date night, spritz  Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb ($120 at Holt Renfrew), a bouquet of sweet, fruity florals. If the boy shows up smelling of John Varvatos’ Artisan ($70 at Sephora), this relationship may have serious potentional.

Malwina Gudowska, Calgary editor
French girl meets American boy: YSL’s Parisienne ($65) is a match with the masculine John Varvatos Classic ($78). Both at Sephora.

Tonya Albulet, Western Sales Manager
Lalique's Amethyst ($110), with top notes of blackcurrant and blackberry, comes in a bold purple bottle worthy of your nightstand. If your BF wears Lacoste Pour Homme Grey ($75), it's meant to be. Both at Holt Renfrew.

Elsa Vecchi, Montreal editor, French edition
A spritz for you, a dab for him. A summery scent that is fresh and classic, Vétiver by Guerlain is made for a man, but also smells lovely on a lady. $95 at Holt Renfrew.

Who doesn’t love snooping around other people’s homes – especially ones filled with bold lighting, artwork and unusual curiosities.

At Alex Jowett’s place you can snoop all you like, and if you fancy something, hey, why not buy it? Most of the contents is for sale at Atelier 668, and unlike a typical design store, buyers get to experience the pieces within a real home environment.

Several pieces at this studio-gallery-store are up-cycled, such as the vintage kayak chandelier and birdcage lanterns. There’s a 12-foot maple dining table by Brad Denton (the designer behind The Harbord Room, Le Petit Castor and Czehoski), a Brothers Dressler bench, spiral nest chandeliers by Zak Ridgely and work by OCAD photographer Darren Rigo.

There are a few things Jowett (a photographer, writer, surfer) won’t part with, like his vintage cameras, and a Michael Greenwood Walnut table. “I think I’d like to buy that for myself,” he says.

Atelier 688, 688 Richmond St. W, #201, Toronto, 416-671-2537, http://atelier688.tumblr.com

Hours: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m. or by appointment.

The contents of your handbag says a lot about you. We asked Sarah Shell, designer of the Toronto-based handbag label 442 McAdam, to reveal what’s in her purse:

A wallet that is eight times the size it should be.


A case for my business cards.


An HTC Snap, my first data phone. It’s been difficult to ignore the email and text notifications when I’m in the car, but I’m being a law-abiding citizen and keeping it tucked away in my purse when I’m driving.

My laptop (most 442 McAdam bags are large and durable enough for this purpose). I have a hard time being separated from him. He’s a MacBook. I call him my Silver Stud.

A pair of glasses. My aunt and uncle used to own an optical store and so I have built a collection of uber-chic and vintage glasses. My favorite pairs are never-worn vintage Christian Dior, and a new Jackie O-style Roberto Cavalli.

Lipstick: L’Oreal’s Classic Wine is in my purse right now.

www.442mcadam.com

Stella McCartney’s kids and baby collections for Gap drop next week and we’re already training for the stroller derby. Herewith, our top 5 picks:

1. The Beatles-inspired “Miller” jacket (pictured) named for McCartney’s eldest son, and even cuter on a girl.
2. Scribble sneaks that come with a set of pens to tag them with (and save your walls!).
3. Boy’s and girl’s trenches (hers has an “I Love You” lining, inspired by one of Stella’s own childhood dresses).
4. For Stella fellas, a yellow Fisherman’s mac—the perfect antidote to the muddy buddy.
5. A chunky grey cardigan-coat for girls to wear over the neutral, rose and berry-toned dresses.

Inside Scoop: The girl’s XXL fits like a women’s medium, so start envisioning that silk smock dress as a top.

Prices from $32 to $128. Available at:
Vancouver – Robson Street (November 3)
Calgary - Chinook Centre (November 4)
Montreal - Eaton Centre (November 4)
Toronto - Bloor Street, Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, and Sherway Gardens (November 4)
www.gap.com

Augustina is all grown up and she’s about to have a baby.

The Yorkville boutique has just doubled in size with a posh baby store on the way.

With a focus on luxury gift items, “Auggie” will carry chic clothing, hand-knitted toys and beautiful children’s books. Look out for cotton Alpaca animals from I Golfini della Nonna, ultra-soft pyjamas from Tane Organics and baby ballets from Flora and Henri.

Next door the new Augustina boutique looks much like its London sister store and carries all the labels we’ve come to love. What would winter be without a gorgeous Epice scarf or Marika Charles sweater? Several new brands are slated for the New Year, but for now, we’ve got our sights on a Rachel Nasvik bag.

You’ve come a long way, baby.

Augustina, 138 Cumberland St., Toronto, 416-922-4248, www.augustinaboutiques.com

She shunned corsets, shortened skirts and wore bell-bottoms on gondolas in Venice. Disciplined, bolshy and fiercely independent, Coco Chanel revolutionized women’s fashion.

Herewith, five (her favourite number, naturalement) little known tidbits about fashion’s grande dame.

• She often wore a black pearl in one ear and a white one the other.
• In 1957, Coco created the legendary two-tone shoe. The black toe made the foot seem smaller and the nude leather elongated the legs. Long legs and little feet—every girl’s dream.
• It is said that the Duke of Westminster (with whom Chanel had a five-year affair) painted “CC” and a part of his crest in gold on all the lamp posts in London.
• She was a Leo.
• Chanel called the Ritz home for over 30 years.

Coco Avant Chanel opens today.

With all their assets, Playboy bunnies rarely score high in the style stakes. But fashion’s current penchant for animal ears places them right on trend.

It started with Luella last summer, when she made mouse ears out of her models hair. Now major players like Vuitton and Chanel are on board, while on the streets Madonna (at this year’s Met Gala) and Lily Allen have sported versions of the trend.

It’s a ridiculous fad, we know, but who can resist bunny ears from Parisian milliner Benoit Missolin? Think of them as a frivolous, velvety reminder that fashion, like life, should never be taken too seriously.

www.benoitmissolin.com

This father’s day, avoid those mugs and ties and spoil papa with a present he really wants. Herewith, Vitamin Daily Toronto's Top 5 Father's Day presents, from $25 to a splurge:

Forget fiddleheads on rosemary rubbed organic chicken—treat pops to a slap-up, artery clogging Southern spread instead. Lou Dawg’s serves a wicked pulled pork sandwich smothered in a housemade barbeque sauce. And don’t miss out on barbeque beans and gooey jalapeno cheddar corn muffins. Lunch for two, $25. 589 King St W., Toronto, 647-347-3294, www.loudawgs.com

Money can’t buy love but it can get a money clip to hold daddy’s hard-earned mula. Made from fused glass and available in a bunch of colours, we like these ones ($48) from local designer Tara Gilchrist. At 1273 Queen St. W., Toronto, 416-516-9595, www.madeyoulook.ca

No self-respecting grill master need wear his wife’s frilly apron. Why not give dad his own stylish Fog Linen Apron ($85) by Japanese designer Yumiko Sekine? At Design Within Reach, 435 King St. W.,Toronto, 416-977-4003, http://www.dwr.com

Ties can be a big Father's Day cliche, but how sweet would it be to spoil a new daddy with an Hermès tie ($200) covered in flying storks? Choose from pink, blue, red or orange. Hermès, 130 Bloor St. W., Toronto, 416-968-8626, www.hermes.com

If you really want to splash out, spoil dad with three nights at the plush Inn at Manitou. The Father’s Day special includes three meals a day and two rounds on the fairway. From $375 pp/night based on a three night stay. The Inn at Manitou, 1-800-571-8818, www.manitou-online.com

Living the life we dream of, Cathy Belzberg travels the globe in search of unique baubles, caftans and cashmeres to bring home to her style-savvy Toronto clientele.

And after years of selling bijoux out of her Forest Hill home Belzberg has finally set up shop with a little studio space on MacPherson.

Anyone who’s traveled to Turkey, Greece or Israel will be familiar with the ubiquitous evil eye, and at Cathy B the selection is vast, with charms ($395) in every colour.

From Indian brass bangles to Moroccan silver, every drawer of this jewellery box is stuffed with unusual finds, making it hard to leave empty handed.

We’ve got our eye on a braided knot gold cuff ($135, picutred) that looks like it came from a boutique in Mykonos.

At least, that’s the story we’ll be telling.

Cathy B, 225A Macpherson Ave., Toronto, 416-916-7826, www.cathybjewelry.com