FASHION Magazine

As the old adage goes, April showers bring May flowers… right? (Just about any thought of spring will keep us going right now). It’s with that thought in mind that we embrace the upcoming month of rain as stylishly as possible. Gone are the days when outfits are overtaken by rubbery boots, nowadays, stylish rain gear is a dime a dozen. How then to incorporate resistant pieces into everyday outfits? We turned to our trusty Style Panel to find out.

Challenge 98: How do you look stylish in rain gear? Read the answers now! »

Valentine’s day is just around the corner so you best be ready. Couples around the world are gearing up to put their stamp on the special day and even if you’re single, the international day of love is as good a reason as any to flaunt what your mama gave you. On February 14, every occasion can call for the perfect come-hither outfit. But contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to bare all to be sexy. The challenge lies in taking cues from bedroom dressing—lace, satin, bare skin—and applying them in small doses to your outfit of choice.

Question 89: How do you dress sexy without being overtly so? Read the answers now! »

The boudoir trend was huge hit this past season and designers offered up many ways to rock the look outside of the bedroom while not going full on Miley. Ankle skimming pink satin coats trimmed with marabou at Louis Vuitton covered up plaid slips, proving it it can be demure as well as alluring. Canadian label Beaufille lengthened the hem on a negligée in an earthy brown and paired it with dark tights and chunky metallic shoes. Marni, the ultimate in quirky dressing, styled a black bandeau top with billowing pants and matching black riding boots with a sweeping fur stole that took the look from basic to va-va-voom.

New Year’s Eve is the perfect time for statement making. Sartorially speaking, piling on the glitz and glam is never more warranted. While big time resolutions for 2014 percolate, it’s one last chance to go all out for the year. To help us raise a stylish glass to the New Year, 13 of our Style Panel members are sharing their outfit picks for tonight.

Question 84: What to wear for New Year’s Eve? Read the answers now! »

The statement earring has had a long and trendy lifespan and this season, it shows no signs of slowing down. The ultimate glitzy outfit cap made appearances on runways at Dolce & Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta and Versace and come holiday season, the right pair of earrings can transform virtually any outfit from a LBD to jeans into a polished and sophisticated look.

The statement earring is a definitive party staple, yet can propose some outfit challenges for timid dresses. So, how do you wear ‘em without looking overdone? Style Panel to the rescue, as usual. Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style blog shows us how to rock large gold portrait earrings and leopard at the same time.  Becky Kung of Velvet and Vino shows us how to stay casual but polished in military green and bright crystal bauble earrings.  Amber Desilets of Canadian Fashionista braves the cold to show off an LBD and emerald statement earrings.

Question 82: How do you wear statement earrings without looking overdone? Read the answers now! »

AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | BECKY KUNG, CALGARY | LYNDSEY FOREST, EDMONTON

Ah, what to wear to the holiday party. It’s one of our most common refrains this season, and yet, never ceases to puzzle. As we juggle an ever-surmounting social schedule of cocktail parties, dinners and the like, falling back into the fail-safe LBD can be tempting. We’re here to take you away from the typical and get you going with some out of the box inspiration.

Channeling the holiday literally with red and green is always fun, but why not go the extra mile and blend those hues with high fashion flair? You can be flirty and feminine or even grungy glam if you please. So whether you’ll be a host, attend a glitzy affair at work or be entertained by family or friends, we’re challenging you to be unexpected just like the holiday style ninjas that make up our Style Panel.

Schooling us on the art of mixing and matching sequins, stripes and metallics is Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body while Jen Tam of Her Waise Choice rocks a Topshop jumpsuit that is sure to make her the flyest hostess when she entertains guests at her annual party. Showing that one can never be too dressed up during the holidays is Cara McLeay of A Fashion Love Affair who is stunning in a BCBG Max Azria maxi dress.

So consider what to wear to the holiday party your next great adventure, not challenge.

Question 80: Party style! What’s your look going to be this holiday season? Read the answers now! »

ALYSSA LAU, EDMONTON | AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | BECKY KUNG, CALGARY | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | JEN TAM, VANCOUVER | LEAH GUST, TORONTO | LYNDSEY FOREST, EDMONTON | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | NICOLE WILSON, TORONTO | SANDY JOE KARPETZ, EDMONTON | VICKIE LALIOTIS, EDMONTON

As closet staples go, the sweater is one of the hardest working items in our wardrobe. From form-fitting statement sweaters to light cardigans and chunky cable knits, we’ve all relied on this piece of wooly goodness to warm up our looks come the cooler months.

Given its cool factor of late, the sweater’s versatility has grown leaps and bounds. This season, we’ve seen a revival of quirky vintage prints, quirky embellishments and intricate texture mixes. Case and point: Kenzo’s bejeweled treatment and Saint Laurent’s highly-coveted star prints.

And since there’s still a risk of looking a little too cottage apropos in your cozy knit, we reached out to our Style Panel to share their favourite sweaters and styling tips. New to the gang is The Little Dandy’s Joanne Kim who is dripping with natural cool in a gray oversized cardigan. Branding her slouchy shawl cardigan as a socially acceptable blanket to wear in public is Born Lippy blogger Melanie Morais. Going for the dazzle treatment is Over My Styled Body’s Lyndsey Forest who shows off her favourite fall trend: embellishment.

Question 79: Sweaters are so essential this time of year. What is your go-to type and styling tips? Read the answers now! »

Despite the mercurial weather, our Style Panel shows you how to wear plaid in various ways. Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog boldly warms us up in monochromatic red-to-toe buffalo check plaid, while Iva Grbesic of Falling in Style shows us how to pair plaid with faux-fur while keeping it business casual. Meanwhile, […]

The post How to wear plaid: 10 Style Panel tips for reinventing the classic print this season appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

  If you haven’t yet embraced that pink is a big part of Fall 2013’s colour palette, we don’t blame you. Though pink has been there for us when we bid adieu to the winter’s cold and reclaimed our femininity from dark heavy coats it’s time to embrace it as a burst of girlishness to […]

The post How to wear pink: 11 Style Panel tips for co-opting spring’s typically girlish hue for fashionable Fall 2013 wear appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Be it a trip to the cottage, an office meeting or a night on the town, the white button down shirt has played the role of constant staple in our wardrobe choices. An oversized boyfriend shirt knotted (or not) at the waist and rolled at the sleeves throw in fuss free loose hair makes us […]

The post The white shirt, revamped: 7 Style Panel tips for taking this staple to the next level appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

With the September issues hitting the stands, the seasonal change is just around the corner. The unsought transition of summer to fall is aided only by an exciting new set of trends that give our weepy hearts something to look forward to. And if the thought of a new fall wardrobe has you seeing dollar signs fear not. Fall’s fresh new colour palette of pink, grey, black and white and must-have looks (think leather, print and plaid) are sure to have you pulling out pieces you already own, so why wait? The new trends are ripe for the picking. We’re here to show you how to rock them for the final days of summer and beyond.

Nothing satisfies our shopping addiction more than investing in versatile pieces. A tailored pencil skirt easily makes the list of guilt-free purchases. With a variety of colours and styles to choose from, there’s really no excuse for not experimenting with this flattering sartorial staple.

The value of a pencil skirt is perhaps best realized in its ability to take you from day to night. Whether you prefer a classic black midi skirt such as the Calvin Klein style Rooney Mara recently pulled off, or a fun embellished one such as the Burberry Prorsum knee-length skirt Blake Lively dazzled in, the sleek form fitting design combines an office-appropriate length with a nightlife-appropriate wow-factor. Our September cover girl Olivia Wilde knows how to wear a pencil skirt. She recently stunned in this red-checkered A.L.C. midi skirt, giving us all a lesson in print. Wilde paired her skirt with a black leather top and metallic clutch confirming that the styling possibilities for this must-have piece are endless.

All hail the logo T-shirt! From the 3.1 Phillip Lim “I Heart Nueva York” print to designer jerseys to cheeky logos that play off beloved fashion house names, logo T-shirts have gone from vintage favourite to coveted wardrobe staple.

It’s a favourite item amongst fashion bloggers, street style regulars and models like Cara Delevingne. Even celebrities are fond of letting their logo T-shirts say what’s really on their mind. But if “how do I wear a logo T-shirt?” is what’s on your mind, you’ve come to the right place. This week the Style Panel is serving up their best dressing tips on turning a simple logo tee into the statement piece of your outfit.

While A Fashion Love Affair’s Cara McLeay and Suburban Faux Pas’s Krystin Lee dressed up their designer shout-out t-shirts with statement necklaces and heels, Leah Says’ Leah Gust played with a rock n’ roll look with a vintage t-shirt and leather skirt for a little juxtaposition. Since the riot girl is a trend this season, and with fall drawing nearer, The Style Mogul’s Christina Cravero opted for a logo sweater instead to pair with her asymmetrical skort and studded heels to complete her edgy look for the day.

Question 64: How do you style your favourite logo t-shirt? Read the answers now! »