FASHION Magazine

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! »

Can you believe it!? The 100th challenge. For nearly two years, our trusty Style Panel has been conquering style challenges from coast to coast.

In honour of the 100^th challenge we wanted to look back at the best-of by asking the Style Panel bloggers to chose a favouriite-ever look. This turned out to be the hardest challenge of all, since narrowing it down to a single look is no easy task. (Asking a fashion blogger to choose a favourite piece of clothing is like giving someone a litter of puppies and then telling them they can only choose one—nearly impossible, and sort of mean.)

The Panel, a handpicked group of Canada’s best-dressed fashion bloggers, has been answering your fashion queries using their unique fashion know-how. They’ve helped figure out Canadian tuxedos, taught us how to conquer normcore and fearlessly navigated through pastels. The Panel has been there like fashion seraphs leading through the sometimes-confusing trend terrain.

Question 100: If you had to choose, what would your favourite look be from recent years? Read the answers now! »

Ah, the Canadian tuxedo. Some love it and wear it well, others live in constant fear of looking like Britney and Justin when doing an all-demin look. Well, this week the Style Panel is all about converting any Canadian tuxedo naysayers into advocates for the look. The number one tip for trying all-denim is to make sure there’s some colour mixing going on. If you’re wearing dark jeans, pair it with a light-wash chambray shirt. And should you think this is a weekend-only look, think again: sharp tailoring and modern silhouettes can make all over denim a welcome mid-week style.

Question 99: How do you wear all over denim? Read the answers now! »

As the old adage goes, April showers bring May flowers… right? (Just about any thought of spring will keep us going right now). It’s with that thought in mind that we embrace the upcoming month of rain as stylishly as possible. Gone are the days when outfits are overtaken by rubbery boots, nowadays, stylish rain gear is a dime a dozen. How then to incorporate resistant pieces into everyday outfits? We turned to our trusty Style Panel to find out.

Challenge 98: How do you look stylish in rain gear? 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! »

Some of the most on-trend styles can often be some of the most uncomfortable. We have spent many a night staggering home on sore feet from sky scraping heels or sitting in uncomfortably restricting body-con dresses. All in the name of fashion, right? So imagine our glee when the athletic trend, one synonymous with comfy yet fashionable kicks and sporty gear, was bigger than ever on the Spring 2014 runways—viva la trend sneaker!

Despite being one of the most comfortable and freeing trends, the athletic trend has some restrictions. With such a relaxed silhouette and casual aesthetic, you have to be sure to keep things boardroom appropriate and far away from the locker room: sweaty old gym leggings need not apply. Clean lines and a sleek minimalist silhouette as well as luxurious fabrics—think Marni’s bejewelled visors or Marc Jacobs’ silk gym shorts—make sporty cues translatable to all facets of life. Beyond the iconic raglan tee or sneakers, sporty riffs also exist in fabric being appropriated into typically girly or formal silhouettes. Just take a look at Tommy Hilfiger’s neoprene fit-and-flare dresses or Tom Ford’s billowing mesh tanks, both perfect for a night out on the town.

Question 93: How do you wear the athletic trend? Read the answers now! »

In the thick of red carpet season, it’s easy to get caught up in all the glitz and glamour. We’re sure we weren’t the only ones longing to borrow Lupita Nyong’o’s grassy green ballgown or dying to try out a backless-dress-pant-combo à la Emma Watson at the Golden Globes. But with a serious lack of red carpet invites, we sometimes have to create our own fun to get in on the festivities. While the Superbowl can lay claim to many a tailgate and BBQ party, the Oscars are all about glamorous viewing parties.

Oscar parties are a chance to channel your favourite star in small ways (think Angelina Jolie’s signature sultry red lip) or big ones (a little Jennifer Lawrence in Dior, anyone?) while sipping on champers and eating more than any of the A-list would dare to on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Question 92: How do you do red carpet glamour for everyday? Read the answers now! »

Nothing brings out show stopping outfits like Fashion Week Month. But we’re not just talking about the runways—the style always continues outside of the venues. Editors, bloggers and wealthy patrons tend to go all out, wearing their most attention grabbing outfits, and sometimes changing between shows. So we couldn’t help but wonder—given the chance, what would our Style Panel wear to fashion week?

In the first few days of shows, we’ve seen some jaw-dropping looks from fashion go-ers. Most notably, Michelle Harper, the queen of shock and awe, was out in a sleeveless dress with a completely see through upper-half, despite the frigid temperatures. But seemingly one of the biggest trends among fashion’s players is to mix contradictory pieces, seamlessly blending them into cohesive looks. Case in point: camp socks and gladiator sandals or a floor length grey satin skirt with a Carhartt workman’s jacket. There are no rules when it comes to Fashion Week. And if you’re ever in doubt about how to style an outfit worthy of Fashion Week, just remember: arms never go in the sleeves.

Question 90: What would your big fashion statement be for Fashion Week? Read the answers now! »

Our Style Panellists, no strangers to trying new looks or mixing it up in the name of fashion, showed how they would rock Fashion Week. Barbara Anna Solomon from Barbara Ann’s Style Blog kept things quirky with a peek-a-boo skirt and throwback sweater. Becky Kung of Velvet & Vino kept things ladylike while at the New York Fall 2014 shows with a midi skirt, it-bag and statement coat. The biggest takeaway, however, was that all of our panellists put their own unique spin on their outfits— proving that the best look for Fashion Week is something that is totally you.

Valentine’s day is just around the corner so you best be ready. Couples around the world are gearing up to put their stamp on the special day and even if you’re single, the international day of love is as good a reason as any to flaunt what your mama gave you. On February 14, every occasion can call for the perfect come-hither outfit. But contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to bare all to be sexy. The challenge lies in taking cues from bedroom dressing—lace, satin, bare skin—and applying them in small doses to your outfit of choice.

Question 89: How do you dress sexy without being overtly so? Read the answers now! »

The boudoir trend was huge hit this past season and designers offered up many ways to rock the look outside of the bedroom while not going full on Miley. Ankle skimming pink satin coats trimmed with marabou at Louis Vuitton covered up plaid slips, proving it it can be demure as well as alluring. Canadian label Beaufille lengthened the hem on a negligée in an earthy brown and paired it with dark tights and chunky metallic shoes. Marni, the ultimate in quirky dressing, styled a black bandeau top with billowing pants and matching black riding boots with a sweeping fur stole that took the look from basic to va-va-voom.

Layering is an art in and of itself. On frigid days, it can be a necessity for survival. On warmer days, it’ll help you go from day to night sans effort. Learning how to do it well can be tricky because simply put, the challenge in these days of the Great Canadian Winter, it seems to be more like “how to layer without looking like the Michelin Man” than anything else.

Luckily for us, many recent fashion collections have dealt some great tips. In Elizabeth and James’ Pre-Fall 2014 lookbook, a check shirtdress did double duty when worn open as a duster coat in one look and then layered underneath a pencil skirt in another. Helmut Lang, the patron saint of layering, lives up to its name, layering as many as four pieces in some Pre-Fall 2014 looks. On the fall runways, the coat trend made for some extra-interesting pairings. The key? A mixture of fabrics and textures achieve a cohesive and interesting look with depth.

Question 88: How do you layer to keep warm while still staying stylish? Read the answers now! »