FASHION Magazine

Luckily for our feet, the sneaker trend is still going strong. Once deemed cool only in the school hallways and the gym, we now see the colourful runners roaming everywhere, from Fall 2014 runways (i.e.Chanel a.k.a. sneaker heaven) to the feet of the most stylish street style stars. Heck, there are even conventions dedicated to […]

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The nineties may have made a comeback on the runways of late, but designers seemed to have an even bigger throwback for the upcoming Fall 2014 season. From ladylike dresses in sixties-inspired optical prints to the bright neon pops of the ’80s, it looks like it’s time to hit the thrift shops. There’s no doubt […]

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Heading up to the cottage on weekends is one of our favourite summer activities, but with weekends being so short and many of us having a serious case of over-packing syndrome, it can quickly become a love-hate relationship. It seems as though we need so much—an outfit for the morning, something chic to wear by the water, an après-beach ensemble — and with all this hovering over our heads, deciding what to wear to the cottage is suddenly overwhelming. Since we feel like every part of your weekend getaway should be enjoyable (right down to the packing) we’ve asked our Style Panel for tips on what to pack and wear to the cottage this summer.

Nautical style is a given for most of this week’s Style Panel. Jill Lansky of The August Diaries, Kira Paran of Northern Style Exposure and Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog all agree that stripes are the way to go when dressing for the cottage. Whether you’re pairing them with denim like Lansky or bold graphics like Solomon, nautical wardrobe pieces are definite cottage staples. Coco and Vera‘s Cee Fardoe and To Vogue or Bust‘s Alexandra Grant both emphasize a simple packing list made up of denim shorts and a layering piece for those cool nights by the campfire is the way to go, because you can never go wrong with laid-back cottage style. If there is one thing Style Panel can agree on this week, when it comes to what to wear to the cottage this summer, less is always more.

Question 112: What are your cottage wardrobe essentials? Read the answers now! »

Hot days call for tank tops and destroyed denim, but what happens when your summertime destination is more deskside than beachside? The perfect weekend outfit may be fun to style, but deciding what to wear to work this summer takes a little more thought. And although it may be humid outside, our workplaces often come with air conditioning on full blast! What’s a temperature-confused girl to do? Figuring out what balances staying cool in the heat yet warm in the office, is no easy feat. And because crop tops and short shorts will probably get you sent home, we asked our Style Panel to give us the scoop on solving all your officewear dilemmas.

Thanks to designer houses like Lanvin, Gucci and Givenchy, it looks like metallics are no longer exclusive to the holiday season (or the eighties). With luxe looking, full-shine pieces making their way down the Spring 2014 runways, the trend proves to be just as chic for summer, instantly turning outfits from plain Jane to full-on glam. And while it may be one of this season’s hottest trends, metallic may not be easy to sport for a day-to-day look without feeling overdone. Fear not because we asked our Style Panel to show us how to wear metallic, taking this trend from runway to the streets.

Style Panel members agree that the trick to tackling this look is to wear it in small doses. Mo Handahu of Lion Hunter shows us how to work the metallic trend subtly into the outfit with just a small accessory without straying too far from her personal style. Meanwhile, With A City Dream’s Emma Walker ups the glam factor in her look hitting two birds with one stone (in this case, two trends with one pair of gold running shoes). And if you’re ready to break out of your comfort zone and play with the metallic trend head-on, Jill Lansky of The August Diaries demonstrates how to work the spring trend effortlessly this summer in a statement gold dress, as well as sharing tips on what shades of metallic works best for which skin tone.

Question 109: How do you wear metallic? Read the answers now! »

While black is as synonymous to winter as white with summer, that doesn’t mean the dark shade should be taboo for the warmer season. Summer naturally calls for brighter hues and season-appropriate prints, but thanks to this season’s A-list designers (i.e. Gucci, Giambattista Valli, Altuzarra) and celebrity style (we’re looking at you, Lorde!), the universal shade is definitely open to being worn all year long. However, it is inevitable to feel the need to stay away from the shade during the warm months of summer due to its heat-absorbing characteristics. So how do you stay cool without feeling like you’re drenched in sweat going from point A to B? Fear not, because this week, we challenged our Style Panel to share with us their tips on how to wear black this summer.

When it comes to wearing black in the heat, Style Panel members can agree that it’s all about choosing the right fabric and pieces. Jill Lansky of The August Diaries and Leonie Markhorst of The Signature Bow took on the challenge head-on wearing black head-to-toe in two different crop top ensembles. While Lansky played with a more structured, lady-like look, Markhorst kept things cool and chic pairing her outfit with an asymmetrical midi skirt. If you’re hoping to tackle this trend for the office environment, BornLippy’s Melanie Morais has the solution for you: silk pants. The breathable material will allow you to stay cool, while maintaining a professional look. And if you’re looking to be more stand-out, Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog’s monochromatic floral jumpsuit is the perfect statement piece to feeling cool and stylish this summer.

Question 108: How do you wear black in the summer? Read the answers now! »

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Hosting its first ever (and super successful) Blogger Fashion Week only a few months ago, Trend Trunk is back again for its second time around curating the ever-stylish closets of one hundred top Canadian bloggers, including our very own Style Panel members.

Co-sponsored by yours truly, the multifaceted shopping platform will unveil limited number of closets each day (until Sunday May 11!) for us to freely browse bloggers’ covetable clothes and accessories in the comfort of our home. Shop the closets of Style Panel bloggers Lyndsey Forest, Cee Fardoe, Barbara Ann Solomon, Kira Paran, Becky Kung and Jillian Lansky for their latest stylish donations (like a Isabel Marant for H&M print dress or a J.Crew statement clutch) throughout the week.

Ah, the Canadian tuxedo. Some love it and wear it well, others live in constant fear of looking like Britney and Justin when doing an all-demin look. Well, this week the Style Panel is all about converting any Canadian tuxedo naysayers into advocates for the look. The number one tip for trying all-denim is to make sure there’s some colour mixing going on. If you’re wearing dark jeans, pair it with a light-wash chambray shirt. And should you think this is a weekend-only look, think again: sharp tailoring and modern silhouettes can make all over denim a welcome mid-week style.

Question 99: How do you wear all over denim? Read the answers now! »

In the thick of red carpet season, it’s easy to get caught up in all the glitz and glamour. We’re sure we weren’t the only ones longing to borrow Lupita Nyong’o’s grassy green ballgown or dying to try out a backless-dress-pant-combo à la Emma Watson at the Golden Globes. But with a serious lack of red carpet invites, we sometimes have to create our own fun to get in on the festivities. While the Superbowl can lay claim to many a tailgate and BBQ party, the Oscars are all about glamorous viewing parties.

Oscar parties are a chance to channel your favourite star in small ways (think Angelina Jolie’s signature sultry red lip) or big ones (a little Jennifer Lawrence in Dior, anyone?) while sipping on champers and eating more than any of the A-list would dare to on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Question 92: How do you do red carpet glamour for everyday? Read the answers now! »

Nothing brings out show stopping outfits like Fashion Week Month. But we’re not just talking about the runways—the style always continues outside of the venues. Editors, bloggers and wealthy patrons tend to go all out, wearing their most attention grabbing outfits, and sometimes changing between shows. So we couldn’t help but wonder—given the chance, what would our Style Panel wear to fashion week?

In the first few days of shows, we’ve seen some jaw-dropping looks from fashion go-ers. Most notably, Michelle Harper, the queen of shock and awe, was out in a sleeveless dress with a completely see through upper-half, despite the frigid temperatures. But seemingly one of the biggest trends among fashion’s players is to mix contradictory pieces, seamlessly blending them into cohesive looks. Case in point: camp socks and gladiator sandals or a floor length grey satin skirt with a Carhartt workman’s jacket. There are no rules when it comes to Fashion Week. And if you’re ever in doubt about how to style an outfit worthy of Fashion Week, just remember: arms never go in the sleeves.

Question 90: What would your big fashion statement be for Fashion Week? Read the answers now! »

Our Style Panellists, no strangers to trying new looks or mixing it up in the name of fashion, showed how they would rock Fashion Week. Barbara Anna Solomon from Barbara Ann’s Style Blog kept things quirky with a peek-a-boo skirt and throwback sweater. Becky Kung of Velvet & Vino kept things ladylike while at the New York Fall 2014 shows with a midi skirt, it-bag and statement coat. The biggest takeaway, however, was that all of our panellists put their own unique spin on their outfits— proving that the best look for Fashion Week is something that is totally you.

Layering is an art in and of itself. On frigid days, it can be a necessity for survival. On warmer days, it’ll help you go from day to night sans effort. Learning how to do it well can be tricky because simply put, the challenge in these days of the Great Canadian Winter, it seems to be more like “how to layer without looking like the Michelin Man” than anything else.

Luckily for us, many recent fashion collections have dealt some great tips. In Elizabeth and James’ Pre-Fall 2014 lookbook, a check shirtdress did double duty when worn open as a duster coat in one look and then layered underneath a pencil skirt in another. Helmut Lang, the patron saint of layering, lives up to its name, layering as many as four pieces in some Pre-Fall 2014 looks. On the fall runways, the coat trend made for some extra-interesting pairings. The key? A mixture of fabrics and textures achieve a cohesive and interesting look with depth.

Question 88: How do you layer to keep warm while still staying stylish? Read the answers now! »

As closet staples go, the sweater is one of the hardest working items in our wardrobe. From form-fitting statement sweaters to light cardigans and chunky cable knits, we’ve all relied on this piece of wooly goodness to warm up our looks come the cooler months.

Given its cool factor of late, the sweater’s versatility has grown leaps and bounds. This season, we’ve seen a revival of quirky vintage prints, quirky embellishments and intricate texture mixes. Case and point: Kenzo’s bejeweled treatment and Saint Laurent’s highly-coveted star prints.

And since there’s still a risk of looking a little too cottage apropos in your cozy knit, we reached out to our Style Panel to share their favourite sweaters and styling tips. New to the gang is The Little Dandy’s Joanne Kim who is dripping with natural cool in a gray oversized cardigan. Branding her slouchy shawl cardigan as a socially acceptable blanket to wear in public is Born Lippy blogger Melanie Morais. Going for the dazzle treatment is Over My Styled Body’s Lyndsey Forest who shows off her favourite fall trend: embellishment.

Question 79: Sweaters are so essential this time of year. What is your go-to type and styling tips? Read the answers now! »