FASHION Magazine

See our favourite MET Gala looks and predictions »

It’s been a couple of months since the last big red carpet event and let’s face it: what is fashion without the red carpet? Since May is just around the corner, this only means the biggest fashion event of the year, the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York. This year’s exhibit, PUNK: Chaos to Couture, will feature around designs for both men and women focusing on the evolution of punk’s influence in the world of fashion since the birth of its movement in the 1970s to its present day.

With punk theme as the focus, who better than to have punk’s latest muse, actress Rooney Mara, and Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci as this year’s co-chairs alongside Anna Wintour and Moda Operandi’s Lauren Santo Domingo? Not usually associated with punk, Beyonce was named Honourary Chair of the event as if her show-stopping Givenchy dress at last year’s MET Gala was not enough of a reason to be given this honour.

Or see fashion by age: IN YOUR 20s | IN YOUR 30s| IN YOUR 40s | IN YOUR 50s | IN YOUR 60s | IN YOUR 70s

How important is it to dress age appropriately? This is a question that, when asked, will generate a variety of different answers. Fashion by age is hardly a new phenomenon, but the contrast between what is or is not appropriate for certain ages has changed overtime. There may be some styles that are thought to be more suited to one age over another, but as we all know by now, fashion is never that black and white.

Keeping that in mind, check out our selection of the best spring pieces that work for a variety of different ages. From bright printed pants to classic blazers, these beautiful bouquet pieces can work for any age.

See our shorts trend shopping picks »
See the the shorts trend on the Spring 2013 runways »

By Gabrielle Johnson

Several months before her 38th birthday, Gwyneth Paltrow took a pair for a spin on the red carpet. Forty-four-year-old Jennifer Aniston practically lives in them. And at 53, Sharon Stone was snapped wearing hers with a slouchy sweater and knee-high boots. As fashion statements go, shorts aren’t new: Sexy, sporty hot pants will forever be associated with the 1970s, while countless girls who came of age in the ’80s emulated Baby’s Dirty Dancing denim cut-offs. In the ’90s, shorts teamed with tights were a seasonless staple—a look that has since become an off-duty model classic.

On the ready-to-wear runways, shorts are also a familiar sight. Miuccia Prada opened her Spring 2000 show with a body-hugging pair, and has been experimenting with variations on the theme ever since. Marni designer Consuelo Castiglioni has been peppering her collections with them for years, in every length, fabric and pattern imaginable. This spring, tailored shorts have taken the spotlight. Chloé, Prabal Gurung and Fendi showed them in lush leathers; Carolina Herrera and Cacharel favoured light, shiny fabrics; Dolce & Gabbana, Hermès and Chalayan experimented with trippy prints; and Emporio Armani femme’d them up with sweet ruffles. Clearly, fashion’s cyclicality is what makes this trend so right, right now.

“Everything old is new again,” says Barbara Atkin, vice-president of fashion direction at Holt Renfrew. “Designers keep bringing back shorts, over and over again, in different ways. It’s the right time. We’ve had so many short miniskirts—it was time to evolve from that.” 

Canadian designer Arthur Mendonça, whose Spring 2013 collection included sequin-effect black tuxedo shorts and a raspberry-hued silk sheen version, agrees. “I’ve always liked [them] as a skirt substitute,” he says. “I like the whole sporty look of a tailored short, especially for spring and summer. It looks modern. The shorts we did were all high-waisted; they almost look like A-line skirts.”

At Cacharel, designers Ling Liu and Dawei Sun consider tailored shorts to be the new trousers. “They’ve become a basic, whether in winter or in summer,” says Sun. “They’re modern and easy to mix. Different lengths and materials allow you to create really diverse outfits.” Considering that spring’s new crop of longer shorts were trotted out on the runways paired with blazers, button-downs and (relatively) sensible heels, it seems these onetime vacation-wear must-haves have morphed into perfectly acceptable office attire. Depending on your office, that is. “What we in the fashion world see as office-appropriate is really much more of a fashion take on your office wardrobe,” says Atkin. “If you’re working for a traditional law firm on [Toronto’s] Bay Street, shorts of any kind are a no-no. It would be frowned upon, and you’d probably be asked to leave.”

See the Dior looks up-close »

As Raf Simons continues to define Dior‘s 21st century aesthetic, celebrities are becoming more and more receptive to his streamlined designs. Case in point: A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston. Both actresses both wore Dior at different events on Tuesday. Brad history aside, we couldn’t help comparing the two.

Gwyneth Paltrow wore Dior Tuesday while she was in London to promote her new film Iron Man 3 at a photo-call. She chose a more classic Dior look, wearing a black and white Dior wool dress with silk velvet details. With co-star Robert Downey Jr. at her side, Paltrow showed off her gorgeous legs in the elegant dress that she paired with two-tone Manolo Blahnik heels. Paltrow is currently on a press tour for the film, and we have to say that this may be one of her best looks yet.

Jennifer Aniston was at the premiere of Lifetime’s Call Me Crazy: A Five Film in Los Angeles, where she wore a Dior black silk bustier and matching black shorts. The look was accessorized with a Tom Fold clutch, Jimmy Choo heels and a tousled updo with side swept bangs. Reaction to this look has been mixed. While some appreciate Aniston’s willingness to take a risk, others feel that the short shorts were a bit over-the-top and the look was too far outside of her comfort zone. But we were happy to see her try something different from the little black dresses she often wears.

Editor: Randi Bergman. Stylist: Eliza Grossman. Photographer: Carlo Mendoza. Hair and Makeup: Margot Keith. Model: Enry, Plutino Group.

How to dress for prom, the budget-friendly way »

One could argue that a prom dress is one of the most important dresses that you’ll buy in your life. At least that’s how it feels when the event is approaching and you have no idea what to wear.

To help out, we’re throwing back to our days of FASHION18 (our old teen mag!) and we’re teaching you how to dress for prom for less with 9 super stylish looks for $500 or less (some are even way less!). And while the dress may be the number one priority on your mind, we’ve rounded these looks out with cute accessories (cat ears, anyone?) and heels that will have you dancing all night long.

Not only will these prom dresses turn heads; they are pieces that will stand the test of time in your closet. If you’re headed to a wedding, garden party, or any formal event, these fancy frocks will transition effortlessly to any event that life may throw at you.

See the H&M Conscious Exclusive Collection here »

Just in time for prom and wedding season, H&M has launched a new line of spring eveningwear that hits stores today. The line, titled “Conscious Exclusive,” is part of H&M’s hugely successful Conscious Collection. It includes a variety of partywear and accessories that promises to bring a touch of Hollywood glamour to the fast fashion chain.

Like the rest of H&M’s Conscious Collection, the Conscious Exclusive line is made from sustainable material such as recycled polyester and organic cotton. According to H&M’s head of design Ann-Sofie Johansson, the inspiration behind the collection came from thinking about glamour and style in an environmentally conscious way. “For us at H&M, it’s natural to think about sustainability, and to have it at the heart of our work,” Johansson explained.

See our 15 clutch must-haves »

Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to Spring 2013 accessories and this season we’re holding on to statement clutches in all shapes, sizes and patterns.

While those larger than life body bags were the ultimate standard only a few seasons ago, Spring 2013 is the time to edit what’s inside your bag and retain only the essentials (iPhone, lipstick, wallet and that’s about it).

The clutch purse was everywhere on the international runways, and its appeal ran the gamut from quirky (a candy button style turquoise number at Fendi) to 1990s-inspired (a plaid fold-over bag at Dries Van Noten) to the really old school (Céline’s take on the classic brown lunch bag, which was reinvented in bright red leather.)

See the biggest Fall 2013 fashion trends »
See all our fashion month coverage »

Fashion month may have finally wrapped, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to forget about the trends that emerged for Fall 2013 on the many runways of New York, London, Milan, Paris and Toronto—In fact, it’s time for them to take front and centre. While shoppers everywhere are snapping up the best of the selling floor’s offerings for spring and summer, designers, buyers and editors alike are busy prepping ahead. And since we know y’all like to keep ahead of the curve, we’ve sorted through hundreds of photos and selected 10 of the top Fall 2013 trends so that you can mentally prep (and save) too!

Next season, it’s all about fur, which landed in both faux and real on runways including Marni, JW Anderson, and most strikingly at Fendi, where it was combined in a dizzying multitude of punky ways. The 1990s were back for another resurgence, continuing Spring 2013’s grunge trend at Saint Laurent in Paris and Chloé Comme Parris right here at home. On the street, the look was easily created by many fashion week attendees who layered plaids on waists, under jackets and even on tights. And while practically speaking, it may be no major surprise that outerwear was one of the top Fall 2013 trends, this show season we saw jackets take on new forms with quilting, oversized shapes and bold colours which were mirrored outside the shows, with equally interesting choices hitting the pavement

Here are 100 images to help jog your memory of the top Fall 2013 trends spotted inside and outside of the fashion week stents, so sit back, click through, and relive the fashion month in all its street style and runway glory.

View by trend: 1. 1990s |2. SKIRT SUITS|3. FUR | 4. HATS | 5. OUTERWEAR | 6. PINK | 7. PLAID | 8. STATEMENT ACCESSORIES | 9. CRAZY COMBOS | 10. UNIQUE PRINTS

See the Lucian Matis Fall 2013 collection »

Fashion is in Lucian Matis’s blood. His mother owned a fashion company in his native Romania, where he worked from a young age. “You didn’t even know fashion designers back home in Romania,” he once said. “You didn’t have this ‘job’.” But here in Canada, Matis has embraced the role whole-heartedly in a modest, but business savvy way. There was the appearance on Project Runway Canada, the diffusion line, Matis by Lucian Matis (which showed at the tents), and he’s alluded to further brand extensions. Friday night, however, brought a wide variety of fans, media and starlets for an extremely organized showing of the Lucian Matis Fall 2013 collection off-site at 1 King West.

To start, he sent a black full-length ball gown floating down the winding runway, the skirt over-laden with broken glass from bottles supplied by show sponsor Bailey’s. The chandelier-like embellishment jingled as it brushed past your feet, lulling the audience to attention like prayer bells in a church. Last year an ordering snafu jeopardized Matis’s tropical Spring 2013 collection, so you can’t blame him for producing a “Monochromatic Fantasy” for fall. The colours in black, grey and ivory were paired with hits of fur, felt, wool, and silk. In a post-show release Matis said this season he chose to focus on the simplicity of the silhouette: “I could emphasize the shape of the garments from an architectural methodology with boxy geometric shapes.” Sleek floor length ivory skirts paired with matching turtlenecks, an attractive ruffle-butterfly top, pantsuits in Banker grey, and leather raglan dress-sleeve combinations made for an understated and exceedingly pretty fantasy, indeed.

See the last batch of street style from Toronto Fashion Week »

The finish line of World MasterCard Fashion Week Fall 2013 may officially be tonight but our street style photos stop here (sad face). To finish it off, our photographer Stefania Yarhi worked her magic (as per usual) to bring us some stellar shots of graphics, bold patterns and even a 90210 star!

Yesterday, florals were all the rage but today’s all about leopard print. The print was seen on oversized bags, logo-sweatshirts, added layers and the trend was rounded out with a literal tiger face on Andrea Beechey’s clutch. Me-ow.

See H&M’s The New Icon collection »

H&M strikes again. Yesterday they were making our hearts race with a campaign fronted by Queen Beyoncé (bow down, b***es) and today we found out the Swedish brand will be releasing a collection inspired and modeled by four of fashion’s other favourites—models Joan Smalls, Daphne Groeneveld, Lindsey Wixson, and Liu Wen.

Titled “The New Icon,” the collection is set to hit store floors mid-April and consists of festival ready looks like a tasseled leather jackets, bolo ties, and western inspired ankle boots that are indicative of model off duty style. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s basically an effortless look you would spot a model in while she runs from show to show (that would likely be captured by one of many street style photographers).

See the Joe Fresh Fall 2013 collection photos »

Punk, Paris and affordable price points: Hello, Joe Fresh Fall 2013. For the first time in as long as we can remember, the label’s signature bright hues were kicked to the curb in favour of an almost all black collection of highly trendy, ultra tough clothes inspired by the French captial during the early 1990s. “That chic French girl whose style was so effortless and cool. The early days of street style” said creative director Joe Mimran of the collection. Dressed in all black himself backstage, he waxed poetic about Fall 2013’s many artistic inspirations, which included the text work of artist Ed Rushcha (it made for two epically lettered sweaters that closed the show) and the words of Malcolm McLaren, which very literally set the show’s impetus with the lyrics “I wore black, you were black, Jazz is Paris and Paris is jazz.”