Spring Picks: 7 Items Perfect For The Season Of Rebirth

With the onset of spring comes a feeling of renewal. It’s in the air (literally—sorry to your allergies), but it’s also in our mindsets. With the bite and darkness of winter behind us, everything starts to feel lighter, easier, and, dare we say it, more hopeful. Here are a few top picks for this transformational season. —Sara Harowitz

Miele Duoflex HX1

Nothing says spring cleaning like a new vacuum, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that the Miele Duoflex HX1 changed this author’s life. A good vacuum is an absolute game-changer in a home—especially an apartment that seems to somehow always be covered in dust??—and the Duoflex HX1 is as good as they come. This cordless vacuum can run for nearly an hour before it needs to be recharged, and it’s super light, making it easy to navigate around every nook and cranny. High-suction power catches all the little things you didn’t know were there, and special flooring detection changes the speed of the roller brush automatically to match the surface you’re cleaning. Is it magic? It just might be.

Hoka Essential Hoodie and Essential Jogger

Australian it-brand Hoka might be known for its supremely comfortable running shoes, but it also makes apparel—both for running and for recovery—that is just as covetable. Made of heavy brushed-back fleece, the all-gender Essential Hoodie is buttery soft—like sliding into the silkiest of sheets. Its hood comes with a bungee cord pull, which looks so much more sleek than the usual dangling fabric ones; and its kangaroo pocket comes with a hidden inner mesh pocket for storing smaller things. Get it in the mauve-like Quartzite colour and pair it with the matching Essential Jogger for a head-to-toe look that’s perfect for running errands, grabbing brunch, or lounging around the house with a good cup of coffee.

Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack

The best way to get through the winter? Plan little trips! And the Allpa Travel Pack from Utah brand Cotopaxi is ideal for such occasions. Made with 100 per cent recycled fabrics and looking particularly sleek in all black, this well-thought-out 28-litre bag is not your typical travel pack. Instead of opening from the top, it unzips like hard-sided luggage—and comes complete with multiple interior and exterior pockets for optimal organization. It also has multiple grab handles, a tuckable waist belt, and is pull-suitcase compatible thanks to a strap on the back. It’s almost shocking just how much stuff this little guy can hold.

Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang

From first-time author Liann Zhang, who splits her time between Toronto and Vancouver, comes Julie Chan is Dead: a frothy, fun, and biting novel about influencer culture. When she discovers the body of her estranged influencer twin, main character Julie Chan decides to fake her own death and take her sister’s life. In doing so, she uncovers the seemingly frivolous but ultimately dark and lonely life of a social media star. A quick and highly snackable read, Julie Chan is Dead asks us to look at our own online personas and the lengths we are willing to go to curate—and keep—them. The novel is now available for preorder and releases on April 29 with Simon and Schuster Canada.

Collage Composition Active Gel Moisturizer

BC-based beauty brand Collage launched with a mission to offer Canadian-made products that are “pro-aging”: as in, it’s not about making you look younger, it’s about enhancing the skin you have, no matter your birth year. Using natural ingredients including hyaluronic acid, chamomile water, witch hazel, rosehip oil, and willow bark extract, the Composition Active Gel Moisturizer goes on smooth and leaves skin feeling soft and supple all day long. Bonus? It smells like a spa.

Arc’teryx Kragg Cotton Little Bird Crew Shirt

Whether paired with leggings, shorts, or jeans, this Little Bird Crew Shirt from Arc’teryx combines style and substance. Made from a heavy combed cotton, it’s beautifully thick, giving it great shape and structure. Coming in black or white with the brand’s logo discreetly embroidered on the left side, it boasts continuous-seam construction along the back, sleeves, and shoulders to help increase durability. It’s a breathable, comfortable, and well made shirt from one of Vancouver’s most-loved activewear brands.

Rains A-Line Longer W Jacket

Spring showers? Bring ‘em on. Walking in the rain has never looked so good thanks to the A-Line Longer W Jacket (particularly the chocolaty Frame colour) from Danish brand Rains, which is opening its first-ever Canadian store on Vancouver’s West 4th Avenue in late February. It’s wind- and rain-resistant, has underarm eyelets for breathability, and features hidden snap buttons for a clean look. Its drapey A-silhouette and accentuating belt are sure to make it an instant wardrobe staple.