FASHION Magazine

See more Kate Middleton style »

Remember those royal rumours from a few weeks ago, which claimed that Queen Elizabeth said there will be no more short hemlines for Kate Middleton? Well yesterday’s appearance seems to say otherwise. The Queen hosted a star-studded reception for the Dramatic Arts at Buckingham Palace and Kate’s hemline was at its usual knee-grazing length.

Of course, you could argue that the red Alexander McQueen dress has already been approved by Her Royal Highness: Kate debuted the bespoke piece in 2011 at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee river pageant. The longer hemlines request was also reportedly tied to the Cambridges’ upcoming tour of Australia, so a change could still be on the books. But we prefer to think this means that no wardrobe decrees were made at all—other than the one that allows Kate to borrow more statement jewellery pieces from the Queen’s expansive collection.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, born on Aug. 19, 1883, was a true Leo. Bronze and marble lions litter the interior of 31 Rue Cambon, where she spent her life; in Lausanne, where she now lies, five lions sit etched on her tombstone. Beginning in the 1920s, the buttons of her soft tweed suits often bore symbols, including lion’s heads, and, as befits her leonine birthright, those suits won her king-sized fame. And yet, in the ’30s, Chanel found herself eclipsed by a Virgo.

Elsa Schiaparelli, born on Sept. 10, 1890, spent her childhood surveying the heavens. Her uncle, Giovanni, was a well-known astronomer, and it was he who pointed out that the moles on her face formed the constellation Ursa Major. In Schiaparelli’s 1938 Zodiac collection, the constellation glitters over the left shoulder of a blue velvet jacket that’s as lushly bizarre as Chanel tweeds are classic. Together, she and Chanel set up fashion’s organizing dichotomy—high art or expensive habit?—and they remain the century’s most important couturiers.

They loathed each other. Schiaparelli referred to commercial, streetwise Chanel as “that milliner,” while Chanel called the surreally cool Schiap “that Italian artist who makes clothes.” In fact, besides talent and mutual disdain, the only thing these two had in common was a belief in the very system that best explains their differences.

See these looks up close »

When it’s Fashion Month, there’s no time to waste! The last day of London Fashion Week has quickly turned into the first day of the Spring 2014 shows in Milan. As such, we’re sharing stand-out a front row look from each city: IRL socialite Olivia Palermo and our favourite faux Upper East Side girl Blake Lively both channeled a glossy, monochromatic leather look when attending shows in London and Milan.

From London, Olivia Palermo was perfectly poised at the Anya Hindmarch show in a soft, dusty-rose ensemble. She wore a light white sweater, dusty-rose leather pants and a tonal matched blazer. Choosing the casual route, Palermo completed her on-trend pink look with a pair of animal-print flats and a grey Anya Hindmarch handbag that featured a statement-making yellow lining. A neutral pink lip, slight cat-eye and emphasized lashes went well with her ladylike-hued outfit.

Over in Milan, the Gucci show kicked off fashion week and Blake Lively added some A-list power to the front row. The actress was a vision in a marigold Gucci leather dress and matching belt. The leather halter dress was left to shine when paired with Gucci bronze heels and a neutral clutch. As for her makeup, Lively went for a sophisticated red lip while her honey-blonde hair was side parted and left loose, somewhat of a signature style for the Gossip Girl star.

While we envy Lively, who shared a few front row laughs with Anna Wintour, and give props to Palermo for finishing off London Fashion Week in stylish form we still have to ask, who had the best leather look?

See our top 20 Fall 2013 fashion week moments »

Compiled by Bernadette Morra, Sarah Casselman, Patricia Gajo and Nancy Won

The blur that is fashion month can be just that… a blur. While so much incredible newness is dished out day after day, it can pretty difficult to keep the record straight and our favourites on record. From Alexander Wang’s debut collection for Balenciaga to Cara Delevingne’s signature London shinanigans, we’re counting down the top 20 moments of the Fall 2013 show season in New York, London, Milan and Paris.

See what’s inside Hilary Farr’s bag »

From Hillary Clinton to décor diehards to the editors of this very website, designer Hilary Farr has amassed quite a few fans, to say the least. As one half of the W Network’s hit television show Love It Or List It, Farr has become beloved just as much for her design skills as she is for her saucy repartee with co-host and real estate agent David Visentin, whom she competes against each episode. The show’s premise has Farr attempting to fix house problems and keep Canadian families in their existing homes, whereas Visentin attempts to lure them away to a new space. Love it or list it—get it? 

Aside from her starring role on the show, Farr is a busy designer IRL; having worked with over 200 clients in the past 15 years, at her company Hilary Farr Design. Those who’ve seen the show know what kind of design drama (Mysterious beams! Attic discoveries! Unhappy homeowners!) can ensue, and love Farr all the more for dealing with it. So, how exactly does she do it? We took a peek inside her bag to see what kind of ammo she carries with her everyday. We got to visit her home for the photo shoot and we can attest: we really love it.

View all of our Christmas
gift ideas for women »

Somehow, shopping for the leading ladies in our lives often proves to be the hardest. The challenge for Christmas gift ideas is to be creative, on trend, and meaningful—not the easiest task, but a necessary one. If you’re shopping for your girlfriend, wife, sister or mother, it’s essential to make the gift matter and worth every penny spent.

For Christmas 2012, we’ve dreamt of all things lavish and luxe that can double as a satisfaction to a women’s fashion craving as well as functional piece in her every day life and they are anything but traditional. We know that diamonds have been declared a girl’s best friend, but this year we’re thinking outside of the little blue box and selecting gifts that show creativity. We’ve opted for lush fur pieces that will keep her warm all winter, geometric shaped cuffs that will reinvent the arm party, and even a onsesie that just begs to be taken to a ski resort. These are the pieces that will win a woman’s heart.

See Kate Middleton’s outfits up close! »

It’s only day one of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s royal tour of Southeast Asia but we’re already proclaiming the trip a fashion success. The Duchess debuted two new dresses today and oh, do they ever make up for the weeks and weeks of repeated Olympic items. First up: Will and Kate visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens to attend an orchid naming ceremony and visit an orchid that was named for Princess Diana prior to her death. Kate Middleton wore a pale-pink dress by Jenny Packham and, much to our delight, the dress featured an orchid print. Apparently she commissioned the custom design, and while the print isn’t an exact match for the “Vanda William Catherine” orchid—which is white with a spotty purple pattern—we have to admit it comes pretty close.

We’re accessorizing our fall wardrobes with 48 of the season’s best boots and bags plucked directly from the pages of our latest trend report. From office-ready book bags and mannish loafers to bejewelled clutches, we’ve got you fully fall covered.

See all of our picks for fall accessories »

JUMP TO A TREND: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE | GET DOWN TO BUSINESS | PUTTIN’ ON THE GLITZ

See all of Kate’s Olympic looks! »

Amidst the excitement of The Spice Girls reunion and the gold-on-gold (on gold) Brit model spectacular at last night’s Olympic closing ceremonies in London, our eyes, as usual, were firmly planted on dear Duchess of Cambridge. Attending alongside Prince Harry to represent the Royal Family, Kate spent the evening in typically good-natured form singing along to the many famed Brit tunes by George Michael, Take That, One Direction and even Eric Idle of Monty Python. In similarly typical form, Kate dropped the Team GB polo she sported mid-games and opted for another old faithful: the dotted-blue Whistles “Bella” dress she wore earlier this summer to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert. It was lucky for us to get a second look given that we never got a good look at the concert, and y’all know how important those are to us! As for the rest of the ensemble, Kate carried her Anya Hindmarch “Maud clutch” which bears a custom embroidered “C” for Catherine and wore the custom Kiki McDonough diamond and topaz earrings she’s been spotted with all summer long.

Only Marchesa designers Georgina Chapman and Karen Craig could make Miss Havisham look haute (oh to be a wealthy spinster living in a dilapidated mansion). For fall, the duo drew inspiration from David Leon’s 1946 film version of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. Amidst all of the usual tulle, light-as-air layers and long pooling silhouettes, they created a fresh spin using exaggerated Victorian shapes, dusty, antique accents and unexpected new pieces (snakeskin print leggings).

Marc Jacobs appears in drag on the cover of the latest issue of Industrie Magazine. [Huffington Post]

Tom Ford is back in the director’s chair. The fashion-designer-slash-film-director has started work on a new film, says A Single Man star Colin Firth. [Grazia]

John Galliano will be decorating the Claridges‘ Christmas tree for the second year in a row. “The majestic beauty of Claridge’s Art Deco interiors never fails to inspire me,” said Galliano. “I wanted to create an underwater fantasy and have mixed pink corals, seahorses, anemones and jellyfish, all glinting like gem stones, swimming amidst the silver leaves.” [Vogue UK]

Reem Acra has teamed up with plus-size bridal salon Curvaceous Couture to create a bridal collection for plus-sized brides to be. [Racked]

American couturier and the “Master of the Bias,” Charles Kleibacker died Sunday at 88. [WWD]

Emma Watson takes her second turn as the face of Burberry. The Spring 2010 ads also star her brother Alex. [The Cut]

Now it looks like Marc Jacobs and Lorenzo Martone are planning on marrying in March. Maybe. Who knows. [The Cut]