FASHION Magazine

It’s the year of the sneaker. With music’s style-makers Rita Ora and Rihanna adopting them as signature looks that they pair with everything from jeans to eveningwear, and Alexander Wang‘s Spring 2015 collection inspired by the sneakers he grew up wearing, throwing on a pair of Jordans or Nikes has never been cooler. Even those […]

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Ask any girl about resolutions and she’ll likely wax poetic about fall fashion. In our world, September is the time to begin anew. It’s the time to try out the latest trends while mastering the art of layering, not to mention attending big time events (paging #NYFW!). For some, September is a time to break […]

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Mastering the art of posing is no easy feat. Whether we are getting professional photos taken, posing for our personal blog or just getting snapped at a wedding, we all want to make sure we look picture perfect when it comes time to uploading it on various social media platforms. With celebs, street style stars […]

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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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We’re all experts at working a standout piece into our everyday look by now. From statement jewellery to show-stopping outfits during fashion week, we made sure you were covered when it came to standing out in a well-dressed crowd. But have the thought of wearing more than one statement piece in one look ever crossed your mind? Is it really a faux paux to wear a bejewelled necklace with a floral circle skirt and a pair of multi-coloured platform heels all in one outfit? Our Style Panel doesn’t seem to think so (when done correctly, of course). It’s no easy feat to wear more than one standout piece, so this week, we asked our Style Panel members for help. Without looking too over-the-top, our panelists show us exactly how to style two (or more!) statement pieces in one look, skillfully.

Print-happy Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog is a natural when it comes to working more than one statement piece into her look, thanks to dyeing her hair a fire truck red. Since then, this blogger has mastered the art of teaming floral maxi dresses and pastel pumps, effortlessly juxtaposing her fiery red hair. Velvet and Vino’s Becky Kung and With A City Dream’s Emma Walker seemed to be on the same wardrobe wavelength when it came to figuring out what piece of clothing would balance out their eye-catching accessories. And if you ever need a brush up on how to wear statement jewellery, Kayla Short of Short Presents is your go-to girl.

Question 114: ) How do you wear more than one statement piece? 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.

Swimwear has made its way from the beach to the runway, and has now become full-on inspiration for everyday dressing. Thanks to the likes of Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger and DKNY (to name a few), swimwear hit the Spring 2014 catwalks hard, taking beachwear to a whole new level of street chic. No longer is swimwear only paired with towels and beach bags; it can add subtle–or not-so-subtle–sexy detailing to your getup, whether you’re heading to the beach or not. However, we know the thought of wearing a bathing suit anywhere other than the beach may be a bit daunting, so we got our Style Panel to weigh in on how to style swimwear for everyday.

All of our Style Panel gals agree that layers and staying casual are key to styling swimwear for everyday. Kayla Short of Short Presents and Emma Walker of With A City Dream both focus on the bikini top as an accent piece. Wearing one under a tank or a sheer top makes styling swimwear for everyday totally practical. Sandy Joe Karpetz of The Pretty Secrets keeps her swimwear look casual by pairing a bikini top with loose, high-waisted denim, while Becky Kung of Velvet & Vino brings sexy back in her monokini layered underneath an open chambray shit and denim cut-offs.

Question 110: How do you style swimwear for everyday? 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! »

Without a doubt, the sock and sandal trend has been making waves via street style stars, instantly becoming sartorial eye candy for photographers standing outside the tents during Fashion Week Month. And judging from the Spring 2014 runways (Saint Laurent, Chanel and Miu Miu to name a few), it looks like socks and sandals (or heels in this case) were definitely on the minds of many designers. Although many would think this look could come across frumpy (socks and Birkenstocks, anyone?), with the right pieces, this look just screams high fashion. And besides the fact that it’s the ideal look to transition from season to season, you cannot deny socks and sandals also makes for the perfect cover up for those toes that aren’t quite ready to debut for sandal season. It’s definitely no easy task to master the art of this trend, but Style Panel is here to show us tips and tricks on how to wear socks and sandals for everyday.

The Pretty Secrets’ Sandy Joe Karpetz is all about making sure her feet are the focal point of her outfit when it comes to playing with socks and sandals, while Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog is not one to shy away from mixing with different colours for her ensemble. And if you’re still skeptical of pulling off the trend, Kayla Short of Short Presents shows us one full-proof trick on how to rock this look with confidence.

Question 106: How do you wear socks and sandals? Read the answers now! »

Toronto’s super hip Field Trip Festival is taking place this coming weekend, which means music festival season is soon upon us (hello festival fashion!). There’s no question we’re hard core fans when it comes to summer’s popular trend (here’s proof), but with festival style outfits making a coming back every year, you have to admit that the look is getting a little played out. So how do you stand out from the festival crowd amidst the crop tops, flower crowns and fringe-clad outfits? In addition to the street style edition of how-to do festival fashion, this week we challenged our Style Panel to share how they plan to get heads turning with new festival outfit ideas.

Though some versions of festival outfits may not be for everyone, Northern Style Exposure’s Kira Paran proves that there’s a festive outfit for everyone. Mixing a sequined dress with a cool denim shirt, Paran maintains the festival look while feeling comfortable in her own skin. While Sasha Xiao of Sasha’s Satisfashion and Christopher Wolf of Wolf Musings stayed away from the festival fashion dress code adding their own unique personality to their outfits with tips on how to transition from day to night, our newest Style Panel member Emma Walker of With A City Dream, showed us how to work an effortless-meets-practical festival look with this season’s must-have: the backpack.

Question 106: How do you dress for a music festival? Read the answers now! »

Knowing what to wear on your first date is no easy feat, especially with butterflies in your stomach. We all want to put our best foot forward (in a pair of sky-high heels!) when making that first impression, but let’s face it. The last thing you want is to sit in an uncomfortable dress at the movies or hobble around in new (painful) heels when your date decides to take a romantic walk at the end of the night. So how do you dress to impress and feel confident all at the same time? This week our Style Panel shares some of their best tips to score that perfect outfit for that perfect first date or 100th date.

If there is one thing the members of Style Panel can agree on, it’s to dress according to your date location and wear something you would feel confident and comfortable in. Both Kassandra Camponi of Kastles and Kira Paran of Northern Style Exposure are big believers in wearing your favourite pieces is the key to bringing confidence to the date. While Camponi loves to team her favourite dress with a pop of colour in the accessories department, Paran was all about dressing comfortably in her favourite pair of jeans. The Pretty Secrets’ Sandy Joe Karpetz shows us how to prep us if the date takes you from a warm afternoon to a cool evening in the seamless transitional outfit. Still can’t decide on what to wear on a date? Jill Lansky of The August Diaries shares what not to wear just in case if you were thinking of taking out those harem pants out for the first time.

Question 105: What to wear on a date? Read the answers now! »

Spring 2013 may have been about bold thick stripes on jackets, crop tops and dresses, but this year, the perennial spring trend was refreshed with thinner and finer takes on the Spring 2014 runway. Cases in point: Altuzarra showed vertical stripes in pajama-esque lady-like attires while Proenza Schouler worked the lines into its crisscross bodices and metallic pleated skirts. So, as the least complicated trend to incorporate into our everyday outfits (one may argue), this week we asked our Style Panel to inspire us with updated versions of their take on stripes for this spring.

While it’s easy to stick to one striped piece per outfit, To Vogue or Bust’s Alex Grant played with a striped scarf and top in reverse colours adding an understated elegance to a casual day ensemble. Where stripes only existed on tops, blazers and dresses in her closet, Dainty Girl’s Nicole Wilson’s broke out of her comfort zone and worked a pair of vertical striped pants to a work-appropriate outfit. And if wearing stripes isn’t really your thing, Kayla Short of Short Presents works a striped weekend bag into a monochromatic look to prove that this spring trend isn’t exclusive to just clothes.

Question 102: How do you wear stripes this spring? Read the answers now! »