FASHION Magazine

Ah, the sneaker trend. Once upon a time (and by that we mean junior high), runners felt like the only source for footwear, but while we resorted to them for efficiency, it certainly wasn’t for style. Nowadays, sneakers are the hottest shoes on the block, thanks to designers like Isabel Marant and her ultra lust-worthy sneaker heel hybrid. Who knew?

Whether colourful, embellished or super athletic, sneakers have definitely made their way in to the mainstream. Even high-end footwear designers like Christian Louboutin, Giuseppe Zanotti, and Jimmy Choo have included a pair or two into recent collections.

And while sneakers may be hotter than heels (for the time being, that is), wearing them without looking like you’ve just hit the gym proves a bit of a challenge. Naturally, we turned to our Style Panel to teach us how to tackle the trend without making it too literal.

Our two newest members, Leah Says’ Leah Gust and Velvet & Vino’s Becky Kung sure know how to start off with a bang by mixing a pair of bold colourful sneakers with bright coloured or printed pants. Getting into the summery swing, both Barbara Ann Solomon (who appears in twofold) and Inherited Jeans’ Stephanie Koch showed off in neon-accented or leopard-printed sneakers while jumping for their photos.

Question 49: How would you pull off the sneaker trend without making it too literal? Read the answers now! »

So far, 2013 has been a mighty test of our patience. While spring may have officially begun a month ago, Mother Nature has kept us waiting with bated breath for any real show of it.

And when checking your weather app before leaving the house no longer ensures you’re prepared for what awaits outside, it’s time to get creative with layering by mixing winter essentials with summertime accessories. Because we, much like everyone else, struggle with perfecting the subtle nuances to transitional dressing, we asked our Style Panel for a little help.

Our two newest members of the panel, both showed us how to make an airy maxi skirt an essential for the transition from winter to spring. Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body paired her skirt with a heavy army-inspired jacket and camo scarf. Her combination of an ultra-girly skirt with a menswear jacket offers some end of winter inspiration for all of us. Meanwhile, Jennifer Pistor of Prairie Girl in the City matched her black maxi skirt with a bright pop of neon and floral shoes, inspiring us to get ready for spring.

Panellist Deanne McRae went a little nineties with her transitional look, wearing thigh-high socks, a full-skirt and leather jacket to add some warmth. And where McRae showed a little thigh, panel members like Cee Fardoe and Cara McLeay went barelegged and braved the last few moments of winter exposed in style.

Read on for more tips on making your wardrobe work as we transition out of winter (fingers crossed!) and into spring!

Question 47: What are your tips for transitioning your wardrobe from winter to spring? Read the answers now! »

When it comes to Spring 2013’s sunglasses trends, frames need not be boring. In fact, the louder the better because statement sunglasses are all the rage as the sun begins to come out from winter hibernation and shines bright. We’ve always loved sunglasses for their health benefits (going blind due to sun damage isn’t very cool) but recently we’ve been embracing bold frames in a big way. We DIYed our very own Prada floral pair and found 14 of the best and most affordable frames around and now we’ve asked our Style Panel to teach us a thing or two about styling the latest sunglasses trends without looking like a clown.

Karen Walker sunglasses proved to be a fan favourite with the likes of Stephanie Sterjovski and Krystin Lee of Suburban Faux-Pas with their super oversized and thick-rimmed tortoise frames. And if you’re not ready to embrace over the top shapes then perhaps a printed leopard pair will be more up your alley like Whitney Cosgrave, who kept it simple pairing leopard print with a basic black tee.

If there’s one take away from the Style Panel’s statement sunglasses tips, it’s to keep your look simple so your shades can truly shine.

If we haven’t made it clear, we love denim. Aside from its epic wearability, the material keeps revamping itself each season, fueling our obsession with new prints, washes and construction. On the Spring 2013 runways, we saw denim take on especially creative forms—from the pearl trimmed denim tube dress at Chanel to the denim jumpsuit worn open over a crop top at Rebecca Taylor. In stores we’ve spotted new patterns, waxing on jeans and the closet staple: denim cutoffs. No matter how you feel about jean, it’s about time to embrace the look. It’s a forever thing.

We’ve previously asked our Style Panel to show us how to dress up our jeans and how to refresh a tired piece that is hanging in our closet, but now they are back again to tell us how to make denim new again for Spring.

There may be no shortage of style inspiration on the internet thanks to street style blogs, Tumblr, Pinterest and more, but when it comes to IRL style icons, who influences how you get dressed? From silver screen starlets to contemporary fashion darlings to fictional characters, most of us likely have a multitude of style icons that inspire the way we shop and our daily outfits.

But could you pick just one person as your ultimate style icon? Leave it to the Style Panel to be able to answer the unanswerable. From unexpected DJs to favourite TV shows, this week’s challenge shows that it’s actually a good thing to be all over the map when it comes to inspiration.

For those who gravitate towards neutrals time and time again, embracing colours can be quite the challenge. Greys, blacks and whites are safe choices but for Spring 2013, clothing is coming up colourful and we’re ready to get risky with bright pieces.

Selecting the best colour for your skin tone can be a challenge and a variety shades must be tried and tested before finding the right palette that not only flatters your skin but is also on trend for the season. For Spring 2013, colours were bright and many designers opted to show primary tones like at Michael Kors and Stella McCartney.

Because we’re all about embracing the trends as they come, we asked our Style Panel contributors to help us out with how they found the best colour for their skin tones and their favourite ways to toss some bright pops into their outfits. Boy, can they do wearing colours justice.

If the Spring 2013 runways were any indication, we’ve got plenty reason to experiment with the metallic trend. Taking a cue from collections such as Dior, Burberry, Jonathan Saunders and Diane Furtesnberg, the now classic trend was given new life with colour strokes, stripes, floral prints appearing in rainbow shades on everything from full skirted gowns to bomber jackets.

And while the coloured metallic trend was at its hottest this season, it seems as if our Style Panel is more comfortable with keeping it old school. With the exception of panelist Zoe Smythe’s sky blue sequin shorts, the rest of the group showed off how to work tried and tested metals such as gold, silver and rosegold into otherwise matte outfits. So without further ado, let the metal games begin!

Question 42: What are your tips for updating the metallic trend this season Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | DEANNE MCRAE, MISSISSAUGA | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | MELANIE MORAIS, EDSON | NICOLE WILSON, TORONTO | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA | ZOE SMYTHE, NEW YORK CITY

Investment pieces mean different things to different people. To some, it means a piece of clothing that you save up for, buy every so often, but love forever. To others, it simply means a classic piece that never goes out of style, fits well and can be worn in a multitude of ways.

This week, we asked our Style Panel to talk about their favourite investment pieces that they plan on wearing this spring. None of the answers were too surprising, the styling however, was top notch as always.

The Style Mogul’s Christina Cravero likes to invest in a statement shoe every season. She likes to make a big impact on an outfit with her footwear. Stephanie Sterjovski’s gorgeous white blazer definitely renews our love of winter whites. Who says white can’t be worn after Labour Day? Krystin Lee of Suburban Faux-Pas shows off her high-low look. Her top, purse and sunglasses were all investment pieces, but she lets us know she is on the hunt for more: a vintage Chanel brooch, a pair of Christian Louboutins and an Hermès bangle are all on her list.

New panellists, Zoe Smythe of Zoe’s Fashion Feed and Nicole Wilson of Dainty Girl, each went for an item that they feel will be worn often this season. Smythe, a footwear designer living in New York City, loves vintage and thrift shopping so it’s no surprise that she chose a vintage Panetto necklace. Wilson, a fashion loving blogger from Toronto, chose a classic Kate Spade handbag in a bold pink colour. But knowing the above, we don’t doubt this piece will be a classic in her wardrobe.

Question 41: What investment pieces will you be wearing this season? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | JACQUELYN SON, VANCOUVER | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | NICOLE WILSON, TORONTO | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA | STEPHANIE STERJOVSKI, TORONTO | WHITNEY COSGRAVE, LOS ANGELES | ZOE SMYTHE, NEW YORK CITY

For style-minded Gen X and Yers, the resurgence of 1990s fashion on the Spring 2013 runways is cause for celebration. Our minds are full of fond memories—Blossom hats, grunge plaids and 90210-branded T-shirts are just a few that come to mind—what could be better than so many modern re-iterations from the likes of Dries Van […]

The post Reclaiming 1990s fashion: 13 Style Panel tips for adapting the It decade’s styles for today appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

For as long as we can remember, stripes have been in. Whether associated with a jailbird’s uniform or Coco Chanel, those good ole lines have proved themselves versatile. And while stripes are many things, we wouldn’t have thought modern—until Spring 2013.

Breathing yet another life into the everlasting trend, designers including Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs and Dolce & Gabbana sent stripes down the runways in their own varied brands of sporty, sixties-inspired and painterly. On the dressed-up end of the spectrum, Oscar de la Renta and Raf Simons at Christian Dior splashed stripes across floor-length gowns and metallic party dresses.

For today’s Style Panel feature, we asked our gals how to wear stripes now. Is it possible to think out of the box where fashion’s oldest trend is concerned? As ever, the answer was a resounding yes. A Fashion Love Affair’s Cara McLeay went the Dior route, dressing up stripes in with a dress and tweed blazer combo. Miss Melissa’s Melissa Knight paired her bold and graphic skirt with her feminine floral blouse. Even though her skirt is bold and striped it is black and white so she smartly used the skirt as a neutral to allow the pairing to work. Curvy Geekery’s Mo Handahu went all out wearing three pieces with stripes in one outfit. Her pale tone-on-tone pants ground the look allowing her striped blouse and sweater to play off each other.

Question 39: What are your favourite tips for how to wear stripes now? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: ALYSSA LAU, EDMONTON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO| CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | KASSANDRA CAMPONI, EDMONTON | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO |MELANIE MORAIS, EDSON |MELISSA KNIGHT, VANCOUVER | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA | WHITNEY COSGRAVE, LOS ANGELES

After Stella McCartney and Diane von Furstenberg showed loose fitting, printed pajama-style pants on their respective runways for Spring 2012, the trend cemented itself for seasons to come. Since, everyone from Tommy Hilfiger to Dries Van Noten have shown the look. on the streets, J Crew creative director Jenna Lyons and Rihanna have both made wearing the trend look effortless. But while pajama dressing sure is trendy, it may not surprise you to hear that its not as simple as leaving the house in the same outfit you slept in.

Style, fit and fabric are all things that we need to consider when deciding how to wear pajama pants. You want the look to be flattering and streamlined, which can often be the antithesis of the way pajama pants are made. Same goes for loose fitting pajama blouses.

This week we challenged our Style Panel to show off how to wear pajama pants and share their tips. Curvy Geekery’s Mo Handahu swore that she would never try this trend, but looks amazing in her matching blouse and pants that fit her perfectly. This trend is all about fit! Inherited Jeans’ Stephanie Koch went casual with her styling and added a leather jacket, smoking slippers and a lace t-shirt to her silk track pants.

Question 37: Pajama dressing is one of the hardest trends to adapt for everyday. What’s your advice on how to wear pajama pants? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | JACQUELYN SON, VANCOUVER |KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDRICTON | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | MELANIE MORAIS, EDSON | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA

While it would have made you a downright prepster back in the ‘80s, a high collared button up or sweater has become de rigueur for fashion statement making nowadays. Championed by street style stars like Man Repeller Leandra Medine and Taylor Tomasi Hill alike, a high collared shirt is even more statement making with the addition of a blinged out necklace worn overtop. And while it sure looks great when captured outside the tents at fashion week, we’re bringing it down to earth for you, with 6 great tips on how to wear a collar necklace, delivered by our very own Style Panel.

As always, our panellists’ tips are varied as their looks. KD Faustino suggests making the look pop by wearing a collar necklace in a contrasting colour to your button up shirt or sweater. At the other end of the spectrum, Stephanie Koch chose to stay within the same cobalt blue colour palette when pairing her collar necklace with a varsity style sweater. Meanwhile, One Chic Mom’s Iva Grbesic put a preppy twist on her own outfit, but recommends trying collar necklaces in a bunch of different ways to see what works best for you.

Question 36: Can you share some tips on how to wear a collar necklace? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | KASSANDRA CAMPONI, EDMONTON | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA