FASHION Magazine

See the Governor’s Ball 2013 photos »

While Toronto’s music lovers were busy at Arts & Crafts’ Field Trip festival, New Yorkers—as well as the many whom flock to their city for summertime hangs—headed to nearby Randall Island for the third annual Governor’s Ball. As has been the trend for most of 2013 thus far, the weather didn’t cooperate, with Mother Nature hurling the side effects of tropical storm Andrea at attendees. Despite it all, festivalgoers acted as Kate Moss before them and harnessed Hunter wellie boots, stylish raincoats and 3.1 Phillip Lim T-shirts as armour. Things got messy, but it didn’t stop ‘em. It didn’t stop the myriad of A-list performers including Kanye West, Guns’ and Roses, The XX, Kendrick Lamar and Azealia Banks either.

Governor’s Ball has a nice mix of international attendees, which makes for interesting apparel choices. Take Alia from Egypt’s skeleton T-shirt or David from Columbia’s barefooted choice or Kjersti from Oslo’s low-slung peace symbol earrings as just a few examples. To capture it all, we had two photographers, Style Panelist Gabrielle Lacasse and Sidewalk Hustle‘s Hawley Dunbar snapping the Ball’s best dressed.

Ever have one of those intimidating statement pieces that makes you feel so self-conscious about your body that it makes you want to sprint to the gym immediately? This may as well be the tale of the crop top.

Showing your midriff once seemed like a scandalous look, only to be tested by celebrities —think Britney Spears circa “Baby One More Time”—this season, the crop top has emerged as feminine, even covering our current issue on Lana Del Rey!

Lead by designers like Peter Som with his Spring 2013 bralet and high-waisted flowing skirt, we’re beginning to see how ladylike this look can be. With different styles and fits including the bustier, the cropped T-shirt and the waist-tied blouse, the crop top can be altered to your preferred degree of mid-section baring.

Still questioning how to wear a crop top? Fear not, because 11 of our Style Panel members share tips on how to easily pull off this spring trend sans butterflies in your stomach.

Opting to show a little less skin, many of our girls decided to pair their flirty crop tops with cute midi skirts like BornLippy’s Melanie Morais and Dainty Girl’s Nicole Wilson who chose to wear tie-knot crop tops that tastefully bares a sliver of their midriff. Showing off a bit more skin, Leah Says’ Leah Gust was all smiles as she takes on two spring trends, the crop top and the graphic floral print, in today’s outfit. But what’s the best way to wear your crop top this season? Taking Style Worthwhile’s Jacquelyn Son’s advice, rock your crop top with confidence.

Question 51: Can you share tips on how to wear a crop top this season? Read the answers now! »

With spring in the air (fingers crossed), we can finally take out those pastel colours and floral prints that have been itching to come out of our closets to bask in the sun.

Trending since last fall, monochromatic tones were seen both on the runway like the cozy furry collection of Alexander Wang’s Fall 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection or on street style favourite, Miroslava Duma in her all white ensemble. Transitioning to spring, could we bring this monochrome trend into warmer season or are we already nostalgic for the colder days? Not just yet!

With some designers already showing off their take on the monochromatic look with primary colours in their Spring 2013 collections, we decided to turn to our Style Panel for a second opinion on what they have to say about the spring monochromatic look and how they plan to work this look this season.

Avoiding the black-on-black ensemble, many Style Panel members played with cooler colours for the spring season as their choice for their monochromatic look. While Mo Handahu from Lion Hunter and Melissa Knight from Miss Melissa chose cobalt blue for a brighter and bolder look, Gabrielle Lacasse from Dentelle + Fleurs experimented with different shades of mint for a fresh spring appearance. Utilizing different patterns, prints, and textures, these girls definitely know how to put together a chic monochromatic outfit for this spring season!

Question 48: What are the best ways to pull off the monochrome look? Read the answers now! »

Love it or hate it, fall is quickly approaching and it will soon be time, once again, to break out the sweaters, jackets and closed-toe shoes. So, what’s a summer-dress loving girl to do? We turned to the ladies of Style Panel, which now includes Cara McLeay of A Fashion Love Affair, for their unique approaches to wardrobe transitioning.

Question 14: How do you transition your summer wardrobe into fall while it’s still warm outside? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: ALEX GRANT, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | ELODIE PARTHENAY, MONTREAL | GABRIELLE LACASSE, MONTREAL | JEN TAM, VANCOUVER | KASSANDRA CAMPONI, EDMONTON | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDRICTON | ISABEL SLONE, TORONTO | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | VICKIE LALIOTIS, EDMONTON

As if trying to find the perfect outfit for an important event wasn’t task enough, being invited to one with an ambiguous dress code can make getting dressed even more difficult. And because no one likes feeling overdressed or underdressed for any social engagement, we asked the ladies of Style Panel to help us out.

Question 9: If you’re invited to an event without a specified dress code, what’s a good way to dress so that you don’t look too overdressed or underdressed? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: ALEX GRANT, TORONTO | GABRIELLE LACASSE, MONTREAL | KASSANDRA CAMPONI, EDMONTON | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDERICTON | LOLITTA DANDOY, MONTREAL | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | VICKIE LALIOTIS, EDMONTON

Next up in Style Panel, we’ve challenged our experts to one of the most existential questions in fashionland: to wear flats, or not to wear flats? And more importantly, if you’re going to wear flats, is it possible to dress them up? To answer, we’ve welcomed three new style allstars into the group: To Vogue or Bust’s (and our intern for the summer!) Alex Grant, Curvy Geekery’s Mo Handahu and Dentelle et Fleurs’ Gabrielle Lacasse!

Question 3: The question: How do you wear flats without completely dressing down an outfit. Can you still look dressed up? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: ALEX GRANT, TORONTO | ALYSSA LAU, EDMONTON | GABRIELLE LACASSE, MONTREAL | GRACIE CARROLL, TORONTO | LOLITTA DANDOY, MONTREAL | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | VICKIE LALIOTIS

Got a question for the gals? Send ‘em through to stylepanel@fashionmagazine.com and watch as your most irritating styling problems are solved.