FASHION Magazine

It’s the year of the sneaker. With music’s style-makers Rita Ora and Rihanna adopting them as signature looks that they pair with everything from jeans to eveningwear, and Alexander Wang‘s Spring 2015 collection inspired by the sneakers he grew up wearing, throwing on a pair of Jordans or Nikes has never been cooler. Even those […]

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Ask any girl about resolutions and she’ll likely wax poetic about fall fashion. In our world, September is the time to begin anew. It’s the time to try out the latest trends while mastering the art of layering, not to mention attending big time events (paging #NYFW!). For some, September is a time to break […]

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Mastering the art of posing is no easy feat. Whether we are getting professional photos taken, posing for our personal blog or just getting snapped at a wedding, we all want to make sure we look picture perfect when it comes time to uploading it on various social media platforms. With celebs, street style stars […]

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The nineties may have made a comeback on the runways of late, but designers seemed to have an even bigger throwback for the upcoming Fall 2014 season. From ladylike dresses in sixties-inspired optical prints to the bright neon pops of the ’80s, it looks like it’s time to hit the thrift shops. There’s no doubt […]

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We’re all experts at working a standout piece into our everyday look by now. From statement jewellery to show-stopping outfits during fashion week, we made sure you were covered when it came to standing out in a well-dressed crowd. But have the thought of wearing more than one statement piece in one look ever crossed your mind? Is it really a faux paux to wear a bejewelled necklace with a floral circle skirt and a pair of multi-coloured platform heels all in one outfit? Our Style Panel doesn’t seem to think so (when done correctly, of course). It’s no easy feat to wear more than one standout piece, so this week, we asked our Style Panel members for help. Without looking too over-the-top, our panelists show us exactly how to style two (or more!) statement pieces in one look, skillfully.

Print-happy Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog is a natural when it comes to working more than one statement piece into her look, thanks to dyeing her hair a fire truck red. Since then, this blogger has mastered the art of teaming floral maxi dresses and pastel pumps, effortlessly juxtaposing her fiery red hair. Velvet and Vino’s Becky Kung and With A City Dream’s Emma Walker seemed to be on the same wardrobe wavelength when it came to figuring out what piece of clothing would balance out their eye-catching accessories. And if you ever need a brush up on how to wear statement jewellery, Kayla Short of Short Presents is your go-to girl.

Question 114: ) How do you wear more than one statement piece? Read the answers now! »

Thanks to its light, airy and breathable nature, silk is one of summer’s definitive go-tos. Especially with this season’s array of crop tops, off-the-shoulder ruffles and flowing midi skirts, the fabric is more popular than ever. And when hot summer days call for stylish wear while keeping us cool, incorporating silk into your outfit is a no brainer. However, while it may be the ideal fabric to wear during the warm season, it’s no easy feat to master the skill in silk dressing without a) looking like you’re ready to hit the sack, b) avoid its static-cling properties and c) leave traces of sweat in unflattering places. But before you swear it off completely, this week Style Panel is helping us take the guesswork out of styling this summer favourite. You know, just in case you can’t figure out how to wear silk without showing your pit stains to the world.

Whether they are dressing it up with heels or dressing it down with Birks, the ladies of Style Panel agree that silk makes for an ideal addition to any summer look. Our newest member Eleni McMullin of Convey The Moment sees the true versatility of the fabric, noting how she loves to dress her floral faux silk pants up for the night and down for the day. Loving silk for its easy-breezy ways, With A City Dream‘s Emma Walker and Velvet & Vino‘s Becky Kung both show how a silk jumpsuit can easily up the glam factor for a night out. And if you think teaming a jacket in the summer raises eyebrows, think again. Melanie Morais of Born Lippy proves that wearing a jacket in the summer (especially for those cool nights) is totally doable when its silk and breathe-easy.

Question 106: How do you wear silk? Read the answers now!»

Heading up to the cottage on weekends is one of our favourite summer activities, but with weekends being so short and many of us having a serious case of over-packing syndrome, it can quickly become a love-hate relationship. It seems as though we need so much—an outfit for the morning, something chic to wear by the water, an après-beach ensemble — and with all this hovering over our heads, deciding what to wear to the cottage is suddenly overwhelming. Since we feel like every part of your weekend getaway should be enjoyable (right down to the packing) we’ve asked our Style Panel for tips on what to pack and wear to the cottage this summer.

Nautical style is a given for most of this week’s Style Panel. Jill Lansky of The August Diaries, Kira Paran of Northern Style Exposure and Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog all agree that stripes are the way to go when dressing for the cottage. Whether you’re pairing them with denim like Lansky or bold graphics like Solomon, nautical wardrobe pieces are definite cottage staples. Coco and Vera‘s Cee Fardoe and To Vogue or Bust‘s Alexandra Grant both emphasize a simple packing list made up of denim shorts and a layering piece for those cool nights by the campfire is the way to go, because you can never go wrong with laid-back cottage style. If there is one thing Style Panel can agree on this week, when it comes to what to wear to the cottage this summer, less is always more.

Question 112: What are your cottage wardrobe essentials? Read the answers now! »

While most of the female population breathes heavy during episodes of Say Yes to the Dress, us fashion folk have, shall we say, finer taste. For those who a layer cake of taffeta doesn’t exactly scream “fantasy,” look no further than the summer weddings of these seven Canadian stylemakers. From a larger than life ceremony at the Art Gallery of Ontario to a City Hall visit in Doc Martens and dark jeans, these inspiring gals prove that thinking outside of the box pays off.

Hot days call for tank tops and destroyed denim, but what happens when your summertime destination is more deskside than beachside? The perfect weekend outfit may be fun to style, but deciding what to wear to work this summer takes a little more thought. And although it may be humid outside, our workplaces often come with air conditioning on full blast! What’s a temperature-confused girl to do? Figuring out what balances staying cool in the heat yet warm in the office, is no easy feat. And because crop tops and short shorts will probably get you sent home, we asked our Style Panel to give us the scoop on solving all your officewear dilemmas.

Thanks to designer houses like Lanvin, Gucci and Givenchy, it looks like metallics are no longer exclusive to the holiday season (or the eighties). With luxe looking, full-shine pieces making their way down the Spring 2014 runways, the trend proves to be just as chic for summer, instantly turning outfits from plain Jane to full-on glam. And while it may be one of this season’s hottest trends, metallic may not be easy to sport for a day-to-day look without feeling overdone. Fear not because we asked our Style Panel to show us how to wear metallic, taking this trend from runway to the streets.

Style Panel members agree that the trick to tackling this look is to wear it in small doses. Mo Handahu of Lion Hunter shows us how to work the metallic trend subtly into the outfit with just a small accessory without straying too far from her personal style. Meanwhile, With A City Dream’s Emma Walker ups the glam factor in her look hitting two birds with one stone (in this case, two trends with one pair of gold running shoes). And if you’re ready to break out of your comfort zone and play with the metallic trend head-on, Jill Lansky of The August Diaries demonstrates how to work the spring trend effortlessly this summer in a statement gold dress, as well as sharing tips on what shades of metallic works best for which skin tone.

Question 109: How do you wear metallic? Read the answers now! »

While black is as synonymous to winter as white with summer, that doesn’t mean the dark shade should be taboo for the warmer season. Summer naturally calls for brighter hues and season-appropriate prints, but thanks to this season’s A-list designers (i.e. Gucci, Giambattista Valli, Altuzarra) and celebrity style (we’re looking at you, Lorde!), the universal shade is definitely open to being worn all year long. However, it is inevitable to feel the need to stay away from the shade during the warm months of summer due to its heat-absorbing characteristics. So how do you stay cool without feeling like you’re drenched in sweat going from point A to B? Fear not, because this week, we challenged our Style Panel to share with us their tips on how to wear black this summer.

When it comes to wearing black in the heat, Style Panel members can agree that it’s all about choosing the right fabric and pieces. Jill Lansky of The August Diaries and Leonie Markhorst of The Signature Bow took on the challenge head-on wearing black head-to-toe in two different crop top ensembles. While Lansky played with a more structured, lady-like look, Markhorst kept things cool and chic pairing her outfit with an asymmetrical midi skirt. If you’re hoping to tackle this trend for the office environment, BornLippy’s Melanie Morais has the solution for you: silk pants. The breathable material will allow you to stay cool, while maintaining a professional look. And if you’re looking to be more stand-out, Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog’s monochromatic floral jumpsuit is the perfect statement piece to feeling cool and stylish this summer.

Question 108: How do you wear black in the summer? Read the answers now! »

Without a doubt, the sock and sandal trend has been making waves via street style stars, instantly becoming sartorial eye candy for photographers standing outside the tents during Fashion Week Month. And judging from the Spring 2014 runways (Saint Laurent, Chanel and Miu Miu to name a few), it looks like socks and sandals (or heels in this case) were definitely on the minds of many designers. Although many would think this look could come across frumpy (socks and Birkenstocks, anyone?), with the right pieces, this look just screams high fashion. And besides the fact that it’s the ideal look to transition from season to season, you cannot deny socks and sandals also makes for the perfect cover up for those toes that aren’t quite ready to debut for sandal season. It’s definitely no easy task to master the art of this trend, but Style Panel is here to show us tips and tricks on how to wear socks and sandals for everyday.

The Pretty Secrets’ Sandy Joe Karpetz is all about making sure her feet are the focal point of her outfit when it comes to playing with socks and sandals, while Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog is not one to shy away from mixing with different colours for her ensemble. And if you’re still skeptical of pulling off the trend, Kayla Short of Short Presents shows us one full-proof trick on how to rock this look with confidence.

Question 106: How do you wear socks and sandals? Read the answers now! »