FASHION Magazine

With the holidays upon us and only two weeks to go until New Year’s, our Style Panel this week wasn’t challenged, but rather given the opportunity to showcase what they’ll be wearing and doing come New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve outfits can usually mean glitz and glamour, but it is also a great way to capitalize on this season’s best trends and show off that special outfit. A runway like Gianfranco Ferre’s Fall 2012 collection had the sparkle and gold on full display, and is a great inspiration for your sartorial choices for New Year’s Eve.

Our Style Panel members this week showed us what they plan on wearing to ring in 2013, and the glitz and glam was on full display, whether in the form of Kayla Short’s black glittery dress or in Whitney Cosgrave’s casual but glitzy shirt. So take cue from our Style Panel this week, and ring in the New Year with glitz and glam.

Question 32: What do you plan on wearing for New Year’s Eve? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | DANIELLE ROCHE, TORONTO | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDERICTON | MELISSA KNIGHT, VANCOUVER | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | SANDY JOE KARPETZ, EDMONTON | STEPHANIE STERJOVSKI, TORONTO | WHITNEY COSGRAVE, LOS ANGELES

Black. In fashion, the colour is both a classic and a classic fall back. Black looks good on anyone and will always go with any outfit, so no wonder most of us choose it as a safe and comfortable look on those days when we can’t find anything to wear. However, as is the case, black on black can sometimes look stale and even overwhelming, even if you’re wearing just one black piece. However, leave it to our Style Panel this week to tear down that notion and show us how to wear black clothing in the most interesting ways.

For Fall 2012, many designers showed us how to wear black in a multitude of ways. From the ‘90s-inspired studs at Versace to the more elegant black lace at Salvatore Ferragamo, the darkest shade was used to make outfits stand out with edge and decadence.

The ladies of our Style Panel took cue from the runways, but have done so in such unique ways that no two girls have even slightly similar looks. New Style Panel members Jacquelyn Son of Style Worthwhile, Deanne McRae of Threadbare and Stephanie Sterjovski of stephaniesterjovski.com all took risks by going for (almost) all-black outfits, but in the end they each looked completely modern and on trend. Black is boring? Not this time.

Question 30: Show us how to wear black in unique and different ways. Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: ALYSSA LAU, EDMONTON | AMY NELSON, CALGARY | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | DEANNE MCRAE, MISSISSAUGA | JACQUELYN SON, VANCOUVER | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDRICTON | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | STEPHANIE STERJOVSKI, TORONTO

The idea of any type of clothing that is prefixed with the word “sweat” may make most stylish ladies shudder, but the fact of the matter is sweatpants and sweatshirts are pretty darn comfy. This week, our Style Panel was challenged to dress up their go-to cozy sweatshirts, sweatpants, tights and thick socks and did it so well that no lady ended up looking slobby, but rather perfectly on trend (and warm).

Thanks to the recent street style overload of Balenciaga’s sci-fi sweater this past season, and also to Holt Renfrew’s artistic sweaters that were sold to celebrate it’s anniversary a few months ago, comfortable clothing is clearly right on trend this fall. And our two newest Style Panel members, Krystin Lee of Suburban Faux-Pas and KD Faustino of The Girl with the Messy Hair both worked it well this week. They each spruced up their sweatshirt and thick sock adorned outfits with a skirt and tights, making what could have been a potentially drab outfit really stand out.

Question 29: How do you wear comfy winterwear without looking like a slob? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: ALEXANDRA GRANT, VANCOUVER | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | MELISSA KNIGHT, VANCOUVER

By now, most of us can recognize the many hours it takes to curate a decent fashion blog, and we’ve spent enough time perusing said blogs to know the value in finding a unique voice amongst the noise. Case in point: despite an overzealous cowboy rep (I’m talking the Calgary Stampede, of course, though there’s nothing wrong with rocking a good pair of cowboy boots), and a smothering from what was, at one point, the biggest shopping mall on the planet (I’m talking West Edmonton Mall, of course, though there’s nothing wrong with being a front-runner for immigrating brands like J.Crew), the prairies churn out some die-hard fashion addicts who are both independent thinkers, and far from frump and farmer. We’ve rounded up the top 10 personal style bloggers from Alberta who aren’t afraid to wear floral print pants, mix and match patterns from head-to-toe or seize outdoor photo-ops in subzero temperatures—bare-legged if they must—just for the frill of it.

View our top 10 »