FASHION Magazine

The floral punch in these H&M trousers is such a refreshing alternative to the T-and-shorts circuit this summer. Pair with a loose white T and wedges for an easy day look! H&M floral print trousers ($40, hm.com/ca)

The post Daily Steal: Floral trousers, $40 appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

It’s hard to think we could ever have anything but unbridled excitement for a $20 Céline-esque find at the mall, but a recently released book is warning that fast fashion’s trend machine may have some serious repercussions.

In Elizabeth L. Cline’s Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, she points a finger at fast fashion retailers like Zara, saying they may be churning out cheap wares at the cost of much more: namely, our planet, our market and our wallets (not to mention our groaning, filled-to-the-brim closets).

“In a very short period of time clothing has gone from something that we need to save up for and something that people valued and took care of, to something that is an impulse and disposal purchase,” she told Fashionista.

We see her point: most of us get a cheap retail fix at least once a week, which is an entirely different approach than generations past, when women used to save up and invest in clothing (what’s more, their clothes were usually custom-made). And we can’t argue with the fact that cheap fashion giants are our first stop when we want to try a brand new trend without the big financial investment.

According to Cline, the issue is that despite the fact that our clothes cost less, we’re consuming more of them. Cline says we’ve developed a toss-away attitude to passé trends, throwing away our month-old rayon or polyester wares only to immediately replace them with the latest week-old offering.

Not only is this bad for our bank accounts and our wardrobe, she says, but fast fashion companies either place pressure on or drive out niche companies. Many independent retailers are forced to drastically reduce their level of craftsmanship, while others simply can’t keep up with the competing rate of production and close up shop. Finally, Cline points out that the more we consume, the more strain we place on our natural fiber providers, meaning that more and more clothes will be created out of synthetic materials.

What do you think: does Cline have a point, or is she ignoring the fact that many of us dabble in both high and fast fashion, and that there’s a place for both?

In two big announcements today, Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey have inked major deals that will undoubtedly send their respective It girl status into overdrive. Blake Lively, whose friendship with Karl Lagerfeld and romance with Ryan Reynolds is enough to induce jealousy, has added another entry to her list of fashion accolades—she’ll be the […]

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This tropical take on a retro-inspired bikini will definitely be a stand-out in a sea of standard triangle cut bikinis. Pair with oversized white sunglasses to complete the retro look! H&M for Water bikini ($30, hm.com/ca)

The post Daily Steal: Tropical-print bikini, $30 appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

This one is for all you designer diehards out there—the ones who would risk their rent on the latest Riccardo Tisci masterpiece. You know what it’s like to go without the many, only to behold the fashionable few. But how do you justify that one outlandish designer purchase? We’re here to help. We’ve done the math, and come up with enough affordable outfits to justify that one gotta-have-it-now item.

Case in point: Proenza Schouler’s latest PS1. Despite the designers’ intention to create just the opposite, Jack and Laz created a beast of a must-have in the classic style back in ’08, and its Spring 2012 iteration has us seeing stars (or rather, tropical flowers). At a cool $1,125 for the Pochette model, we figure you’ve gotta wear this guy quite a few times to make it work, and being bright yellow, that ain’t an easy feat. Working out to just under $113 a wear, we’ve styled 10 full and unique looks on Marta that make the PS1 proud.

Have a peek. Foam at the mouth. And then be happy that no other single item in the gallery costs anywhere close to $1,125.

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After yesterday’s reported rumours, it was officially announced by H&M today that the brand’s next collaboration would indeed be with art house favourite, Maison Martin Margiela. “We are very happy to present Maison Martin Margiela pieces with H&M, to offer a new interpretation of our vision,” said the team through a press release sent out early this morning. “The democracy of our fashion has always been at the centre of our creativity, and the collaboration with H&M allows us to push this instinct further. We will bring together the contrasting universes of the two houses in ways that will surprise everyone.”

As for details of what the wears will actually look like? The only viable hints, a turtleneck sweater dress for women and a car coat for men, are sketched by a mystery hand in the video below. As for the photos? They show mainly works-in-progress: A hanging muslin, a detailed jacket pattern draft and a…pair of scissors. Get your cleft toe boots at the ready: the bound-to-be-unique men’s and women’s collection will arrive at 230 H&M stores worldwide on November 15, 2012.

In news that will undoubtedly set many fashion hearts aflutter, H&M’s next collaboration is rumoured to be with none other than the Paris-based Maison Martin Margiela.

Though WWD admitted that the Swedish retail giant has neither confirmed nor denied the rumours, they said they have it on good authority that H&M will be announcing the one-off holiday collection collaboration “soon.”

This snappy baseball jacket from H&M ($80, hm.com) hits on the season’s athletic trend (mesh vests at Alexander Wang, slouchy jerseys at Isabel Marant and exaggerated ball caps at Kenzo). Its striking gold and burgundy colour combo and shrunken shape will keep you looking like an all-star all season long.

THE EXPERTS:
Sarah Ghobrial, swimwear buyer at Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com
Tom Mora, head of women’s design at J.Crew, jcrew.com
Fay Yeung, owner of Sandpipers, sandpipers.ca
Liliana Mann, owner of Linea Intima, lineaintima.com

THE PERFECT SWIMSUIT
HIGH-WAISTED RETRO BIKINI | ONE-PIECE MAILLOT | SPORTY

Q: How tight should a swimsuit be?
A: “Bathing suits and jeans should both be very tight when you buy them. The fabric will relax, and there aren’t many things less attractive than a bathing suit that sags.” —Mann

Q: Can you alter a swimsuit that’s not quite right?
A: “The straps are very easy to do, but I wouldn’t alter the sides because it would stress the seams. A swimsuit will stretch out a little bit, so you could wear it around the house until it gets comfortable.” —Yeung

We love the impact of this floral H&M pencil skirt. For $40, you could stock up on some accessories from the Swedish retailer while you’re at it! H&M Floral pencil skirt ($40, hm.com/ca)

The post Daily Steal: Floral skirt, $40 appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Gone are the days when Hawaiian prints were only worn by middle-aged men touring through Oahu. From Altuzarra to Alexander Wang, tropical patterns have taken on a new, infinitely more chic form this spring. Jaime King kept her saturated flora and fauna skirt by Proenza Schouler from looking kitschy by opting for sleek black, while Liya Kebede took a pared-down approach to the trend with a nude Proenza Schouler dress flanked by tropical birds from the duo’s fall collection. Yasmin Sewell, on the other hand, opted for an eclectic spin on the trend by pairing her tropical Stella McCartney top with a black-and-white patterned skirt.

Shop the looks »

See our editors’ swimwear picks »