FASHION Magazine

I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. I do however believe in surprising the people you love.  So, in the spirit of totally shocking surprises, I have decided to do something really out-there on February 14.  It’s kind of sexy, perhaps even a little dangerous, and my fiancé will never expect it: I am going to cook.  To make this experience less intimidating, I decided to shop for food the same way I shop for clothing—forego the one-stop-shopping mall or grocery store, and hit up small, independent boutiques, gourmet bakeries, cheese shops and markets.  It may take a little longer, but I figure if this is the one meal in 2009 that I’m cooking, I can put a little extra effort into it.

Despite all efforts to shop locally, sometimes the sartorial solution just cannot be found in one’s backyard.  In these situations, I retire to my favourite wireless hotspot, cozy up to my laptop and let the world of Internet shopping unfold before me.

Anyone feeling the pinch this January after a season of power-shopping can take comfort in Guelph’s impressive selection of vintage and consignment shops.

The town is still abuzz from this week’s unofficial kick off to the holidays and the event I look forward to every year: the Stay Out of the Mall concert. A shopping or fashion event it is not, but it captures some of the best qualities of Guelph: indie rock, independent businesses and of course, local beer.

Fashion Royalty by Heather Loney

The season of power shopping and parties has begun.  For those who panic at the thought of entering a mall anytime after November 1, there is a chic new way to complete your holiday shopping and socializing—enter the local art gallery.

In a city with a highly reputable selection of vintage and consignment shops, Meow! (10 Carden St., 519-821-7442) tops the list with its impressive collection of women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. The underground shop is filled with stylish and classic pieces, picked by owner Kara Munn’s expert eye.  The selection of vintage hats alone is worth the trip (damn this cursed over-sized head of mine…women in the ’50s must have had teeny little noggins!)

Fashion Royalty by Heather Loney

When planning an outfit for a film festival, visions of walking the red carpet in five-inch stilettos come to mind.  But in the case of the Guelph Festival of Moving Media (November 7 to 9, festivalofmovingmedia.ca), walking in flats is perhaps more fitting.

Guelph greenies have come a long way—and not just politically. A few years ago, it was surprisingly difficult to find clothing that was both environmentally conscious and, well, fashionable. But thankfully, that was no longer the case when Steve Johnson and Sara Chadsey opened the doors of Sole Earth Apparel (42 Wyndham St., North, 519-515-0194, soleearthapparel.com) this past April 2008. The two stock their shelves with pieces from over 30 different Canadian and American designers. The only imports in the store are pieces of fair trade jewellery or items found by Johnson and Chadsey while travelling.

When looking for the next greatest accessory, I often find myself flipping through magazines, drooling over the latest Italian or Parisian export. So it is such a treat when the item on your ‘it’ list happens to come from your own backyard.

Sometimes there just aren’t enough stylish events happening in Guelph.  But when a dry spell hits, a few dedicated fashion advocates step in to create some fashionable fun. This week marked the DVD release of the Sex and the City movie and with a screening at the Bookshelf Cinema downtown (41 Quebec Street, bookshelf.ca), there was no better time to throw a party. Though the movie debuted in theatres months ago, a group of fabulous folks jumped at the chance to celebrate, but this time with cosmos in hand.

Named after the ancestors of King George the IV, the city of Guelph possesses a certain old-world flair, not just in its nomenclature, but in the posture of the downtown as well. Distinctly European street design—quaint or chaotic, depending on whom you are asking—necessitates a slower pace than the shopping malls of the suburbs. In the city’s core, the independent boutiques reign supreme, and the big-box stores have been held at bay for years. The sentence that typically follows “I like your outfit!” is “Where did you get that?” rather than “I have the same one in blue!” or “Isn’t Gap the best?”