FASHION Magazine

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! »

Dropped shoulders, hourglass figures and loose fits are just three of the characteristics of this season’s coat trend. Seeing as what’s worn on top of it all was one of the hottest trends on the international Fall 2013 runways—-from Carven’s larger than life bubble coats to Rag & Bone’s we asked our Style Panel for their essential tips to staying on-trend, while keeping warm.

New to Style Panel is Marla Brum of Trend Struck, who suggests wearing a colour rich burgundy cape coat to embrace the trend of oversized outerwear. Bonus: the extra rooms affords for more layering without looking bulky.

Vibrancy and colour is what Cara McLeay of A Fashion Love Affair opts for to combat those cold, dreary days. A jacket lit with some brightness is the perfect thing that will keep you warm and be something you won’t get bored of wearing. Meanwhile, Northern Style’s Kira Paran looks for ones that use quality material and have classic details. She’s smitten with her wool coat with toggles.

If you’re in need of an outerwear update or need advice on how to embrace the latest trend styles, look no further than these 14 tips!

Question 75: How are you embracing this season’s coat trends? Read the answers now! »

Biking is the go-to mode of transportation for our sticky summer commutes. You’ve got to hand it to our two-wheeler friends for getting us through the heaviest rush hour traffic in a time crunch. And though we adore anything that shortens our morning routines, a speedy cycle doesn’t come without its fair share of wardrobe-related challenges. Combining fashion and function is key for assembling bike-ready ensembles. Once you find the perfect balance of comfort and style, you’d be surprised what you can pull off wearing while weaving through the city streets.

While helmets may not be topping your must-have accessories list, they’re totally first on ours. Rachel Bilson recently paired her tight-fitted bike uniform with the sturdy headgear, earning her major safety points. ‘We Can’t Stop’ singer Miley Cyrus relies on her bike-basket to carry all of her favourite things and though her long hair is no more, we still suggest copying Cyrus’ polished top bun. It’s the perfect hairstyle for avoiding the post-cycle hot mess look. The ever-fashionable Kate Bosworth won’t let a little cycling get in the way of her outfit choices. Bosworth’s a-line circle skirt is the perfect way to steer clear of grease stains, while the knee length hemline promises to prevent un-wanted flashing situations.

But you don’t have to be a celebrity to look this cute on a bike. We’ve turned to our Style Panel for more advice on how to dress fashionably while biking. The Girl With The Messy Hair’s KD Faustino deems shorts a biking-must, but suggests scrapping your favourite denim cutoffs for something a little more fashion-forward. Short Presents’ Kayla Short also favours shorts, but suggests pairing them with a interesting top to give people something to look at as your cruise past them at top-speed. (Woah there, easy rider!)

Question 63: How do you dress fashionably while biking? Read the answers now!

Much like a blank canvas, white fashions are the clean slate that every wardrobe needs. The versatility of the innocent hue lends itself to endless styling possibilities. With the no-white-post-labour-day rule behind us (how passé), we’re free to stock up on crisp white pieces for summer, fall and beyond.

Stars on and off the red carpet are choosing white as their colour of choice. The ongoing white trend can just as easily adopt a streamlined, clean-cut look with sharp tailoring, as it can a perfectly pretty one with embroidery and sheer silks. Whatever your flavour, the posh hue is the perfect choice for showing off some of your boldest accessories. Consider pairing your favourite whites with a fierce animal print bag as Beyoncé pulled off recently. In the jewellery department, try topping off a white frock with an edgy, head-turning necklace like Olivia Palermo. A bold lip can also make as strong a statement, with Karlie Kloss showing off the perfect red pout to avoid looking washed out by her all white red carpet getup.

Much like the stars they dress, A-list designers are showing their love for the always-in-style hue. To keep it fresh, Bottega Veneta combined white-on-white textures on its Spring 2013 runway. Chanel spiced up ensembles with pearl beads garnishing white pieces.

Still doubting the power of an all white palette? Fear not, because we’ve asked our style panel for tips on how to wear white.

Over My Styled Body’s Lyndsey Forest agrees that accessories are key to amp up a white ensemble. She also suggests trying an unusual hemline to keep your look fun. Alicia Fashionista’s Alicia Quan pairs her whites with edgier pieces such as a leather jacket to avoid a bride-to-be look. With Love Gabrielle’s Marta Tryshak thinks that white is easy and fabulous. She considers well-fitted white denim jeans a must-have and advises investing in a pair that can be worn well into the fall.

Question 62: How do you wear white while keeping it fresh? Read the answers now!

It’s almost swim season, which means it is time to flip through endless shopping guides to find your perfect bikni, tankini, monokini and so on.

Summer is the perfect time to try out new swimsuit shapes and styles that work best with your body, and with a wide selection of suits out there—from one piece to two-piece swimsuits in every colour in the rainbow—you’re bound to have options. If you’re thinking about straying away from the simple one piece at your first pool party of 2013, why not look to Mara Hoffman’s colourful tie-dyed swimsuit for inspiration with cutout panels to add a bit of sultriness to your look? If you don’t feel comfortable showing too much skin, take notes from Rochas’ floral two-piece. Showing only a bit of your midriff, this swimsuit style will definitely add a retro yet feminine touch to your poolside outfit.

As the weather gets warmer and the hemlines get shorter, the wedding invitations start rolling in. That’s right: Summer wedding season is upon us once again. And while we love an excuse to go shopping, how to dress for a wedding is a question us bona fide wedding attendees are still having difficulty answering.

How does one find the perfect balance between demure and daring? A wedding, after all, is a multi-generational affair that demands a timeless, and semi-conservative look. No pressure. For the bride-to-be, the wedding day is her day to shine. So how do you, the guest, make a statement without stealing her spotlight?

Ah, the sneaker trend. Once upon a time (and by that we mean junior high), runners felt like the only source for footwear, but while we resorted to them for efficiency, it certainly wasn’t for style. Nowadays, sneakers are the hottest shoes on the block, thanks to designers like Isabel Marant and her ultra lust-worthy sneaker heel hybrid. Who knew?

Whether colourful, embellished or super athletic, sneakers have definitely made their way in to the mainstream. Even high-end footwear designers like Christian Louboutin, Giuseppe Zanotti, and Jimmy Choo have included a pair or two into recent collections.

And while sneakers may be hotter than heels (for the time being, that is), wearing them without looking like you’ve just hit the gym proves a bit of a challenge. Naturally, we turned to our Style Panel to teach us how to tackle the trend without making it too literal.

Our two newest members, Leah Says’ Leah Gust and Velvet & Vino’s Becky Kung sure know how to start off with a bang by mixing a pair of bold colourful sneakers with bright coloured or printed pants. Getting into the summery swing, both Barbara Ann Solomon (who appears in twofold) and Inherited Jeans’ Stephanie Koch showed off in neon-accented or leopard-printed sneakers while jumping for their photos.

Question 49: How would you pull off the sneaker trend without making it too literal? Read the answers now! »

So far, 2013 has been a mighty test of our patience. While spring may have officially begun a month ago, Mother Nature has kept us waiting with bated breath for any real show of it.

And when checking your weather app before leaving the house no longer ensures you’re prepared for what awaits outside, it’s time to get creative with layering by mixing winter essentials with summertime accessories. Because we, much like everyone else, struggle with perfecting the subtle nuances to transitional dressing, we asked our Style Panel for a little help.

Our two newest members of the panel, both showed us how to make an airy maxi skirt an essential for the transition from winter to spring. Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body paired her skirt with a heavy army-inspired jacket and camo scarf. Her combination of an ultra-girly skirt with a menswear jacket offers some end of winter inspiration for all of us. Meanwhile, Jennifer Pistor of Prairie Girl in the City matched her black maxi skirt with a bright pop of neon and floral shoes, inspiring us to get ready for spring.

Panellist Deanne McRae went a little nineties with her transitional look, wearing thigh-high socks, a full-skirt and leather jacket to add some warmth. And where McRae showed a little thigh, panel members like Cee Fardoe and Cara McLeay went barelegged and braved the last few moments of winter exposed in style.

Read on for more tips on making your wardrobe work as we transition out of winter (fingers crossed!) and into spring!

Question 47: What are your tips for transitioning your wardrobe from winter to spring? Read the answers now! »

For those who gravitate towards neutrals time and time again, embracing colours can be quite the challenge. Greys, blacks and whites are safe choices but for Spring 2013, clothing is coming up colourful and we’re ready to get risky with bright pieces.

Selecting the best colour for your skin tone can be a challenge and a variety shades must be tried and tested before finding the right palette that not only flatters your skin but is also on trend for the season. For Spring 2013, colours were bright and many designers opted to show primary tones like at Michael Kors and Stella McCartney.

Because we’re all about embracing the trends as they come, we asked our Style Panel contributors to help us out with how they found the best colour for their skin tones and their favourite ways to toss some bright pops into their outfits. Boy, can they do wearing colours justice.

Investment pieces mean different things to different people. To some, it means a piece of clothing that you save up for, buy every so often, but love forever. To others, it simply means a classic piece that never goes out of style, fits well and can be worn in a multitude of ways.

This week, we asked our Style Panel to talk about their favourite investment pieces that they plan on wearing this spring. None of the answers were too surprising, the styling however, was top notch as always.

The Style Mogul’s Christina Cravero likes to invest in a statement shoe every season. She likes to make a big impact on an outfit with her footwear. Stephanie Sterjovski’s gorgeous white blazer definitely renews our love of winter whites. Who says white can’t be worn after Labour Day? Krystin Lee of Suburban Faux-Pas shows off her high-low look. Her top, purse and sunglasses were all investment pieces, but she lets us know she is on the hunt for more: a vintage Chanel brooch, a pair of Christian Louboutins and an Hermès bangle are all on her list.

New panellists, Zoe Smythe of Zoe’s Fashion Feed and Nicole Wilson of Dainty Girl, each went for an item that they feel will be worn often this season. Smythe, a footwear designer living in New York City, loves vintage and thrift shopping so it’s no surprise that she chose a vintage Panetto necklace. Wilson, a fashion loving blogger from Toronto, chose a classic Kate Spade handbag in a bold pink colour. But knowing the above, we don’t doubt this piece will be a classic in her wardrobe.

Question 41: What investment pieces will you be wearing this season? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | JACQUELYN SON, VANCOUVER | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | NICOLE WILSON, TORONTO | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA | STEPHANIE STERJOVSKI, TORONTO | WHITNEY COSGRAVE, LOS ANGELES | ZOE SMYTHE, NEW YORK CITY

After Stella McCartney and Diane von Furstenberg showed loose fitting, printed pajama-style pants on their respective runways for Spring 2012, the trend cemented itself for seasons to come. Since, everyone from Tommy Hilfiger to Dries Van Noten have shown the look. on the streets, J Crew creative director Jenna Lyons and Rihanna have both made wearing the trend look effortless. But while pajama dressing sure is trendy, it may not surprise you to hear that its not as simple as leaving the house in the same outfit you slept in.

Style, fit and fabric are all things that we need to consider when deciding how to wear pajama pants. You want the look to be flattering and streamlined, which can often be the antithesis of the way pajama pants are made. Same goes for loose fitting pajama blouses.

This week we challenged our Style Panel to show off how to wear pajama pants and share their tips. Curvy Geekery’s Mo Handahu swore that she would never try this trend, but looks amazing in her matching blouse and pants that fit her perfectly. This trend is all about fit! Inherited Jeans’ Stephanie Koch went casual with her styling and added a leather jacket, smoking slippers and a lace t-shirt to her silk track pants.

Question 37: Pajama dressing is one of the hardest trends to adapt for everyday. What’s your advice on how to wear pajama pants? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | JACQUELYN SON, VANCOUVER |KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDRICTON | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | MELANIE MORAIS, EDSON | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA

While it would have made you a downright prepster back in the ‘80s, a high collared button up or sweater has become de rigueur for fashion statement making nowadays. Championed by street style stars like Man Repeller Leandra Medine and Taylor Tomasi Hill alike, a high collared shirt is even more statement making with the addition of a blinged out necklace worn overtop. And while it sure looks great when captured outside the tents at fashion week, we’re bringing it down to earth for you, with 6 great tips on how to wear a collar necklace, delivered by our very own Style Panel.

As always, our panellists’ tips are varied as their looks. KD Faustino suggests making the look pop by wearing a collar necklace in a contrasting colour to your button up shirt or sweater. At the other end of the spectrum, Stephanie Koch chose to stay within the same cobalt blue colour palette when pairing her collar necklace with a varsity style sweater. Meanwhile, One Chic Mom’s Iva Grbesic put a preppy twist on her own outfit, but recommends trying collar necklaces in a bunch of different ways to see what works best for you.

Question 36: Can you share some tips on how to wear a collar necklace? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | KASSANDRA CAMPONI, EDMONTON | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA