FASHION Magazine

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! »

Continuing on with this year’s ever-popular 1990s craze, the Fall 2013 runways went boudoir happy with a look back at one of the decade’s most popular items: the lingerie dress. Part Courtney Love shout out (that’s our cover girl!), part Hitchcockian ode, sexy slinky spaghetti straps made their way onto the runways at Marc Jacobs, […]

The post How to wear the boudoir trend: 4 Style Panel tips for rocking this season’s oh so trendy lingerie dress appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

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.

Dropped shoulders, hourglass figures and loose fits are just three of the characteristics of this season’s coat trend. Seeing as what’s worn on top of it all was one of the hottest trends on the international Fall 2013 runways—-from Carven’s larger than life bubble coats to Rag & Bone’s we asked our Style Panel for their essential tips to staying on-trend, while keeping warm.

New to Style Panel is Marla Brum of Trend Struck, who suggests wearing a colour rich burgundy cape coat to embrace the trend of oversized outerwear. Bonus: the extra rooms affords for more layering without looking bulky.

Vibrancy and colour is what Cara McLeay of A Fashion Love Affair opts for to combat those cold, dreary days. A jacket lit with some brightness is the perfect thing that will keep you warm and be something you won’t get bored of wearing. Meanwhile, Northern Style’s Kira Paran looks for ones that use quality material and have classic details. She’s smitten with her wool coat with toggles.

If you’re in need of an outerwear update or need advice on how to embrace the latest trend styles, look no further than these 14 tips!

Question 75: How are you embracing this season’s coat trends? Read the answers now! »

See all the Operanation 2013 party pics »

On Thursday night the Four Seasons Centre was decidedly catering to just one season, with the expansive performance hall transformed into a luscious garden of evil. Filled with party goers and potted plants alike, the green-tinged space was all for the Candian Opera Company’s Operanation fundraising gala, themed as “A Night of Temptation” for its tenth iteration.

While all-black ensembles were by far the most popular fashion statement, texture allowed for individuality. From mesh cut-outs and ruffled pleats to velvet and sequin add-ons, the little black dress (or gown, for that matter) certainly stood out at Operanation. Darker colours, such as navy-blue and deep jade-green—as seen on soprano Leigh Anne-Allen and The Hudson Bay Company’s Megan Loach—provided a different take the all-black trend and should make inky gowns a gala must. And on the opposite end of the colour spectrum, bright primary colours stood out in the sea of dark shades, including Tatiana Read in red, FASHION’s editor-in-chief Bernadette Morra in blue Viktor and Rolf, and a hit of yellow, courtesy Odessa Paloma Parker’s Jeremy Laing number.

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been plagued with Halloween costume panic for the last few months. You’ve made countless lists of the year’s biggest newsmakers (read: Miley) and searched high and low for costume-affirming props. If you’re an enthusiast of the howliday, you’re likely already ready. But for those who are relieved to have […]

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While youthful rebellion may be something we all experienced in our earlier years, this season’s punk trend is feeling oh so modern. Riding the high of the Met’s Costume Institute summer exhibit, Punk: Chaos to Couture, the Fall 2013 runway shows continued our re-introduction to punk under the guise of rips and studs on luxurious […]

The post How to wear the punk trend: 8 Style Panel tips for revamping the notoriously rebellious look this fall 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.

It’s impossible to deny our dependence on statement accessories when faced with the challenge of upping our outfits. We lay gem packed baubles on our necks, slip into OTT heels and carry the new It bag whenever possible. Say “aye!” if you agree that the bolder, the more vibrant and the more elaborate the accessory, the better.

With this season’s riot girl trend requiring metallic hits and the power skirt suit relying on femme’s demand of opulence, it’s no surprise that the Fall 2013 runways featured many statement accessories. From decadent gold crosses at Dolce & Gabbana, to fur-covered heels at Fendi and a globe shaped purse at Chanel, we love that accessories have morphed into nouveau shapes and textures this season.

And here to help us navigate these new statement accessories is the Style Panel. Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog upped the ante on her composed look by slipping into her on-trend plaid Erdem for Nicholas Kirkwood heels. Proving that it’s possible to pair neon and animal print, Becky Kung of Velvet & Vino shared one of her street style looks from New York Fashion Week, and we have to say brava on the lacey neon skirt and studded animal print clutch combo. And a Rebecca Minkoff bag makes a double appearance in this week’s challenge: Anum Khan of SummerXSkin wears the mini Morning After Clutch (M.A.C) in “Bittersweet” while Nicole Wilson of Dainty Girl rocks it in “Port.”

It’s safe to say that our girls are all for accessories that add a little va va to their voom. Keep reading to see all the statement accessories that our Style Panelists are wearing this season.

Question 69: Which statement accessory are you rocking this season? Read the answers now! »

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.

In the words of Candy Pratts Price, September is the January of fashion. Known to be the month for trying new trends or experimenting with a new look, fall trends and red carpet events give us endless inspirations to help us get out of our sartorial comfort zone. And with TIFF and fashion week kicking […]

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