FASHION Magazine

See our 25 gifts for mom »

As you may be able to tell from the cards, candy and chocolate already filling store shelves, Mother’s Day is fast approaching. The yearly challenge of finding the perfect gift before May 12 is officially upon us. This year, instead of getting your mother the standard scented candle (this one smells like coffee!), take a peek at our selection of thoughtful gifts for mom.

For the mother with a passion for style, jewellery always does the trick, and it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you may think. The ultimate statement necklace for under $100? Done. We’ve thought beyond the little blue box and selected unique clutches, sunglasses that match mom’s unique style.

See all our Christmas
gift ideas for men »

Thinking creatively about holiday gift ideas for men, for us, means appealing to his five senses. It can be your brother, boyfriend, husband or dad on your Christmas 2012 gift list, but our trendy ideas are sure to gain a man’s stamp of approval. Alcohol, socks, and sweaters have been tried and tested gifts for as long as we can remember for gifts for men, but this year we’re taking the basics and adding a twist.

See Christmas hostess gift ideas »

Christmas is often the most stressful time of the year for many people. Even more so for those who decide to host the cocktail parties, the dinners, and the new years bashes (hats off to them). Because it’s a party faux pas to show up empty handed—especially when someone has spent hours preparing—we’ve thought of creative Christmas hostess gift ideas for those who bare the grunt of the work.

The bonus of shopping for a friend or family member who is constantly having people over, is that a gift that works as a thank you for planning a holiday party is also useful to their everyday life. Give them gifts that will help them relax after the fete dies down like a red wine and chocolate set or a scented candle that will make the rest of post-party worries melt away. From Cooking with Siracha to the now-classic Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty coffee table book, these items will look beautiful in a new apartment or well lived in home.

Check out our top picks from Violet Crown Vintage »

The low down: After living the life of a freelance writer (and awesome street style photographer for us) in her hometown of Toronto, Lia Parsley and her husband moved down to Austin, Texas where she began her Etsy shop, Violet Crown Vintage in August of this year. Parsley’s interest in fashion, styling and vintage treasure hunting made her realize that she had a perfect opportunity to find and share some great pieces from a city that is known for having some of the best vintage clothing in the world.

Parsley did her research before they made the big move and found out that in the 1800s the city became known as the “City of the Violet Crown” because of the purple glow that appears over the hills and horizon after sunset during winter. “Twilight being my favorite time of day, I knew in the name ‘Violet Crown’ that I had a particular feeling I wanted to capture for the brand,” she says. And thus, a store that provides unique and timeless vintage pieces—that are still contemporary—was conceived.

Word: Wunderkammer

Meaning: A cabinet of wonders, of marvels, of curiosities; synonym: my bathroom. Origin: Germany.

Usage: “A collection of bookshelves, Kunstkammer, Wunderkammer, salon-style hangings, advertising, litter, clutter, chaos, and any other example of our desire to fill space.” —  Among the Mess

We love Toronto-based designer Leilanni Todd, for her hand-crafted and affordable wears, but mostly, we’re really into the laid-back attitude and style of her clothes. A fresh new take on the basics, her wears are the type you want in every colour.

Todd has been working alongside other designers for years, and ventured out on her own two years ago. Since then she’s been working with mostly jersey and leather, making turbans and turban headbands, mullet T-shirts and dresses, and leather-paneled shorts and leggings—and most are available in a variety of colours and patterns. Her styles are undeniably cute, and can be made-to-order with your exact measurements, which is a pretty sweet deal for custom-made threads.

A peek into my accessories drawer will reveal that, among other things, I am truly the queen of procrastinators (and impulse buyers). When deadlines loom and there are errands to be run, I can often be found making yet another have-to-have-it purchase—and usually online. In the spirit of sharing my finds, then, from one fashion […]

The post A holiday shopping spree with some of Etsy’s Canadian talent appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

If you go antique shopping on Amherst Street, as many Montrealers fed up with Ikea do, you’ll find the most exquisite little boutique that has nothing to do with furniture. Headquarters Galerie + Boutique (1649 Amherst St., 514-678-2923, hqgalerieboutique.blogspot.com), run by Angie Johnson and Tyson Bodnarchuk, the loveliest couple in town, is a two-floor space that gives exposure to Montreal artists (including Bodnarchuk) and tons of local designers (including Johnson).

The seed was planted when a funeral-themed party had me on the phone midday, trading up a lunch break for a fashion quest, locating a black half-cap and veil in one of Halifax’s goldmine vintage shops.  A few bobby pins later, and I’m hooked. Headpieces, with their drama, vintage appeal and immediate elegance, are my foible.

Friday night hits and fine art student Shakeel Rehemtulla is plunked down in front of his sketchbook, adding a page to what has become his T-shirt diary. The artist behind silkscreen company Woodenbullets, Shakeel has assigned himself the weekly task of conjuring up a design that puts the previous seven days to paper. The illustration turns into a small run of 30 to 50 shirts (from $25) that will hang from the racks at Halifax’s Farmers’ Market (1496 Lower Water St.) on Saturday morning.