FASHION Magazine

Whether it is for financial or creative reasons, looking for new ways to wear old clothes is something that always comes to mind. As much as we all wish we could wear new outfits for the rest of our lives like the fashionable characters of our fave films and TV shows (Cher Horowitz, Andy Sachs, Carrie Bradshaw, Serena van der Woodsen just to name a few), we don’t live in a fashion fairytale. Well, at least the majority of us don’t. Being the responsible shoppers that we are (or at least strive to be one), this week we’ve challenged our Style Panel members to share their tips and tricks on how to wear their old clothes in new ways.

Little did we know, some of the Style Panelists have already re-worked their favourite items under our noses. Case in point: Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog shows us how to take a silk robe from winter to summer effortlessly. Inspiring those who have events to rush off to after a long day at the office, Christopher Wolf of Wolf Musings shares how one pair of faux leather pants can work for both day and night. And if you plan to look for new ways to wear a statement piece, take Sasha’s Satisfashion’s Sasha Xiao’s advice: Break away from your sartorial comfort zone and experiment with something on trend to spice up your look.

Challenge 104: How to re-work your favourite piece?
Read the answers now! »

We’re in the midst of May, which means wedding season is once again upon us. While we may not be able to help you out on the gift-giving front, we’re your go-to when it comes to getting inspired on what to wear, especially when it’s no easy feat to stand out from the wedding crowd without upstaging the bride. But before you brush us off and reach for the closest little black dress, we’ve asked our Style Panel members to share their fashion expertise on new and unique ways to dress for a wedding this upcoming season.

When it comes to making a statement, prints are definitely the fave trend. While Sandy Joe Karpetz of The Pretty Secrets continued last week’s all things stripes, Lion Hunter’s Mo Handahu and Velvet and Vino’s Becky Kung worked show-stopping prints that will definitely get heads turning at wedding receptions. Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog proves that a crop top is definitely appropriate for weddings (done tastefully, of course). Teaming it with a full-length ball skirt, this look has chic and elegance mixed into one. And if straying from the LBD makes you feel a tad queasy, To Vogue or Bust’s Alex Grant shows us how to wear the timeless shade with a colour-blocking twist to keep things interesting.

Question 103: What to wear to a summer wedding? Read the answers now! »

Spring 2013 may have been about bold thick stripes on jackets, crop tops and dresses, but this year, the perennial spring trend was refreshed with thinner and finer takes on the Spring 2014 runway. Cases in point: Altuzarra showed vertical stripes in pajama-esque lady-like attires while Proenza Schouler worked the lines into its crisscross bodices and metallic pleated skirts. So, as the least complicated trend to incorporate into our everyday outfits (one may argue), this week we asked our Style Panel to inspire us with updated versions of their take on stripes for this spring.

While it’s easy to stick to one striped piece per outfit, To Vogue or Bust’s Alex Grant played with a striped scarf and top in reverse colours adding an understated elegance to a casual day ensemble. Where stripes only existed on tops, blazers and dresses in her closet, Dainty Girl’s Nicole Wilson’s broke out of her comfort zone and worked a pair of vertical striped pants to a work-appropriate outfit. And if wearing stripes isn’t really your thing, Kayla Short of Short Presents works a striped weekend bag into a monochromatic look to prove that this spring trend isn’t exclusive to just clothes.

Question 102: How do you wear stripes this spring? Read the answers now! »

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Hosting its first ever (and super successful) Blogger Fashion Week only a few months ago, Trend Trunk is back again for its second time around curating the ever-stylish closets of one hundred top Canadian bloggers, including our very own Style Panel members.

Co-sponsored by yours truly, the multifaceted shopping platform will unveil limited number of closets each day (until Sunday May 11!) for us to freely browse bloggers’ covetable clothes and accessories in the comfort of our home. Shop the closets of Style Panel bloggers Lyndsey Forest, Cee Fardoe, Barbara Ann Solomon, Kira Paran, Becky Kung and Jillian Lansky for their latest stylish donations (like a Isabel Marant for H&M print dress or a J.Crew statement clutch) throughout the week.

As winter reluctantly releases its stranglehold on the weather, we are left to figure out how to dress for two new seasons: extra-winter and the infamous pre-spring psych.

In our dreams, the end of April is sandal territory. As temperatures rise so do hems, layers begin to shed, and toes come out of hibernation. During this unpredictable and unseasonal weather it is easy to get caught in inappropriate footwear. Many have experienced the heartache caused by starting the day dressed for a certain type of climate only to find the elements have done a 180 by lunch-hour. After this years unending winter and slushy spring, when is it time to wear sandals again?

Inherited Jeans’ Stephanie Koch suggests that maybe open-toe is the way to go until a more stable spring climate is reached while Mikki Fox of Centre Street Style says it’s definitely sandal season, as long as winter pieces are still in the mix.

Question 101: Is it sandal season yet? Read the answers now! »

Soft shades of pink and blue are often associated with spring, so we’ll forgive you for thinking this trend is one you’ve seen before. For Spring 2014 it’s all about making a statement with pastels, from head-to-toe looks that stand out to unexpected mixes of feminine shades with masculine tailoring details. But when you’ve had a closet full of baby blue and baby pink items for a few seasons now, how do you make it look new again?

We asked the Style Panel this very question and, as always, they provided many helpful tips and tricks for refreshing your take on pastels the season. For Northern Style ’s Kira Paran, a pastel leather jacket serves as an edgy way to wear the shade—and, as an added bonus, is an item that doesn’t require above-average spring temps to wear. The blogger behind Barbara Ann’s Style Blog , showed us her take on wearing monochromatic pastels, with a few easy tips on how to make the look less head-to-toe and more grounded. And should you still not be brave enough to wear all-over pastels, Coco and Vera’s Cee Fardoe shows us how this trend works just as well with pastel-hued accessories. So, how do you wear pastel shades? Flip through for inspiration on how to change it up this season.

Challenge 97: How do you refresh the pastel trend so that it looks new? Read the answers now! »

Any day now, it’ll start feeling like spring. When it gets here, we’ll be more than ready to shed layers. And while the web (this site included) is full of new buys to check off your seasonal shopping list, there’s something about the good old wardrobe staple that makes everything old feel new again. Since […]

The post Spring wardrobe staples: 8 Style Panel tips for making what’s old feel new again appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Winter be damned! We are officially setting out sights on spring, and along with it, its myriad bright, shiny list of trends to try. As we mentioned last week, all it takes are a few key pieces to transition your wardrobe through the seasons. Today, we’re taking a cue from our Style Panel, who has taken the transition one step further by working some spring trends into existing winter wardrobes.

The ‘90s made its way back onto the Spring 2014 runways courtesy of designers like DKNY and Rag & Bone, who re-introduced the nostalgic trend with a slick sporty twist. Blogger Nichole Alabi welcomes it with open arms, opting for a transitional look of loose fit crop top, baggy distressed denim and a pair of tan Ewing sneakers that would make even the Fresh Price envious. And while pastels are certainly not a foreign idea, the spring runways proved that head to toe looks in soft hues could still be interesting. Shorts Presents blogger Kayla Short and Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body try the trend in two different ways, with equally awesome results.

Challenge 94: What are your spring transition tips? Read the answers now! »

We may be mid-blizzard season, but thoughts of tank tops and sunny weather have us wishing we were a million miles away. And while we can’t deny that winter’s demise is still at least a month away, one creative way to wish winter away is by wearing some of our most beloved summer pieces while it’s still cold outside.

But how to master seasonless dressing without dying a million blizzard deaths? Take a cue from our Style Panel, who has seamlessly integrated summer pieces into winter wardrobes.

Kira Paran takes a page out of Prada’s fur-for-spring book by pairing her cozy fur topper with a sporty baseball cap. Meanwhile, both Kayla Short of Short Presents and A Fashion Love Affair’s Cara McLeay layer summer dresses overtop long sleeve tops.

The end of winter can’t come soon enough, but trying some of these Style Panel-approved tips might speed up the process. Come spring time, you’ll already be ahead of the game.

Challenge 91: What are your tips for wearing summer pieces during the winter? Read the answers now! »

Us compromise style? As if! Through the coldest days of winter, it’s important to keep your most important essentials by your side. The right coat, boots or sweater will get you through anything—-even the polar vortex.

In today’s Style Panel challenge, we ask our bloggers to reveal the winter must-haves they swear by. Leonie Markhorst of The Signature Bow snuggles up with a vintage knit, while Christopher Wolf of Wolf Musings swears by a warm varsity jacket. Becky Kung of Velvet & Vino plays up a pop of colour to get her through grey days.

Staying chic and comfortable during frigid season is easier than you think. Click through to get the low-down on the winter must-haves you should be adding to your shopping list pronto.

Question 86: What’s the one winter essential you swear by keeping you stylish and warm all season long? Check 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

Grey hasn’t always been our favourite neutral. With a connotation that’s more “mid-winter sky” than “exciting wardrobe staple,” it has taken a back seat for the past few seasons. That all changed for Fall 2013, when designers from Paris to New York re-imagined the grey trend in various exciting ways. On the runways, Alexander Wang […]

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