Now that Sandy has swept the continent, the time has come to invest in some serious gear. I’m starting to lose confidence in the $10 toonie-sized umbrella that I picked up at a variety store while caught in a downpour last March—it has pulled the old flip-inside-out-mid-intersection-as-the-cute-guy-from-the-coffee-house-passes-by one too many times to deserve the chance to take on this storm.

If, like me, you hope to make it through this weather with your dignity intact, you should invest in an umbrella that is both stylish and ruthless, and this one by Burberry is an easy A. Just don’t be shocked if the rain turns to glitter and you suddenly morph into Cara Delevingne.

Studded Handle Striped Walking Umbrella, $1,050, at ca.burberry.com

I have a move coming up, so the theme of the month for me has been “out with the old, in with the new”. It started with something as simple as buying some new pyjamas and has led to me ditching my couch and lusting after a replacement. The obvious first step was to set the bar high and visit Anthropologie. The bar ended up shooting way up to the penthouse floor in a private elevator, but a girl can dream, right?

This gorgeous Arlo sofa is the kind of piece that you build an apartment around. My roommate and I fell in love with the idea of wearing digitally manipulated photos of faraway places back when designers like Dries Van Noten and Peter Pilotto showed wave-printed garments for Spring/Summer 2012. It was only natural that this trend would translate so beautifully into home décor. While the Arlo may be possibly the least practical sofa of all time (“Sorry, is that a rum and coke? Take a seat on the floor please”), I can’t stop daydreaming about this (literally) picturesque, museum-worthy piece of furniture. The best dreams take place on canals anyway, so why not set the scene by curling up for a cat nap on this gorgeous Venetian waterscape?

Now that I think about it, this may be the exact spot on the Grand Canal where I once fell for a tall, slender gondolier named Roman. Damn, he looked good in stripes. I bet he’d look great on this sofa too. What can I say? That’s amore.

Arlo sofa, $3,298, limited quantities available at anthropologie.com .

A selection of custom bags by Delphine Delafon.

For many fashion addicts, there are few things more exhilarating than the idea of a customizable, handmade item finding its way neatly into your wardrobe. Especially if said item is dreamed up by you and handmade in Paris.

Enter Delphine Delafon: a French-American designer who launched her self-titled line of bespoke handbags in 2011. The concept is refreshingly simple – one bag (the bucket), one signature detail (a signed and numbered grommet), and one designer who knows how to properly craft a bag, offering each customer the opportunity to collaborate in the design process.

After that, the possibilities are endless. Are you into classic pieces with an edge? You got it. Looking for something trendy that totes all the bells and whistles? No problem. Delphine is bringing back the age-old idea of tailoring pieces for each customer using quality materials and techniques, resulting in products that are likely to be kept for decades.

I’ve been daydreaming about my ideal bucket bag since recently stumbling across the line in Paris. This studded mint number is to die for, but I might go with something more classic like the black python and studded leather. Then again, Osheaga has been on my mind as of late, so perhaps a colourful straw with feather charms?

Warning: Expect a wait list! The word is out, so give Delphine a call the moment you start planning your next trip to Paris.

Delphine Delafon bucket bag, price upon request; by appointment only at 6 rue de Marseille, 75010 – Paris / 06 08 84 99 03; delphinedelafon.com