FASHION Magazine

Coachella officially kicks off 2015 festival season this weekend, and whether or not you’re going to be in attendance, what better excuse to don crop tops and all-fringed-anything?

’70s style dominated Spring 2015 runways from Gucci to Saint Laurent, proving that the flower child look is here to stay for yet another season. And it’s with that in mind that we look back to these Style Panel looks, submitted last summer and just right for Coachella 2015.

White lace and denim shorts seem to be the sure way to accomplish the festival look. To take your basic summer look to the next level, add statement pieces like The Pretty Secrets’ Sandy Joe Karpetz did with her festival-inspired kimono. If you’re looking to add a pop of colour to your outfit, our newest Style Panel member, SummerxSkin’s Anum Khan suggests a maxi skirt and multicoloured bangles paired with a white crop top. And if you’re really confident with the trend, The Ordinary Peoples’ Alyssa Lau shows you how to dress for a festival by taking on three spring trends (bold colours, a crop top and patterns!) in one chic look.

Question 54: How to dress for a festival? Read the answers now! »

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.

In a world where excess is lauded and imaginative, and perhaps certifiable, outfit pairings are the norm, it’s nice to have a break from the crazy and a return to reality, or something like it. Introducing Normcore. Inspired by the most unlikely of style heroes, your Dad circa every childhood vacation ever, the latest so-called “anti-trend” sweeping the streets is all about basics. Everything from Patagonia fleeces, to relaxed boot cut denim and Fruit of the Loom tees, to New Balance trainers — everything and anything that isn’t fashion-conscious works. This trend (let’s face it, it is the very definition of the word) is pretty much a godsend for anyone whose feet hurt after half an hour in high heels or can’t see the logic in donning an uncomfortable body-con dress.

Question 96: How do you wear #normcore? Read the answers now! »

Ah, what to wear to the holiday party. It’s one of our most common refrains this season, and yet, never ceases to puzzle. As we juggle an ever-surmounting social schedule of cocktail parties, dinners and the like, falling back into the fail-safe LBD can be tempting. We’re here to take you away from the typical and get you going with some out of the box inspiration.

Channeling the holiday literally with red and green is always fun, but why not go the extra mile and blend those hues with high fashion flair? You can be flirty and feminine or even grungy glam if you please. So whether you’ll be a host, attend a glitzy affair at work or be entertained by family or friends, we’re challenging you to be unexpected just like the holiday style ninjas that make up our Style Panel.

Schooling us on the art of mixing and matching sequins, stripes and metallics is Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body while Jen Tam of Her Waise Choice rocks a Topshop jumpsuit that is sure to make her the flyest hostess when she entertains guests at her annual party. Showing that one can never be too dressed up during the holidays is Cara McLeay of A Fashion Love Affair who is stunning in a BCBG Max Azria maxi dress.

So consider what to wear to the holiday party your next great adventure, not challenge.

Question 80: Party style! What’s your look going to be this holiday season? Read the answers now! »

ALYSSA LAU, EDMONTON | AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | BECKY KUNG, CALGARY | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | JEN TAM, VANCOUVER | LEAH GUST, TORONTO | LYNDSEY FOREST, EDMONTON | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | NICOLE WILSON, TORONTO | SANDY JOE KARPETZ, EDMONTON | VICKIE LALIOTIS, EDMONTON

Knee-high socks, the quintessential schoolgirl closet staple, have become a transitional piece in our grown up wardrobes especially when the temperatures dip. From thin nylon finishes to thick wooly textures, unpredictable weather poses no challenge to our sock drawer. With the seasonal change calling for more coverage we look to knee-high socks to add a […]

The post How to wear knee highs: 6 Style Panel tips for braving the often risqué sock trend appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Ah street style, the once treat and now staple of fashion week. It’s become a full time job for those on both sides of the camera and whether or not that’s a silly fact, it’s a fact indeed. After a month full of street style creeping outside the Spring 2014 shows, all eyes will be on Toronto Fashion Week and we’re not about to let those international experts out play us.

While being in the spotlight isn’t always easy, we asked our trusty Style Panelists give us the scoop on how they get snapped without sacrificing their own personal style.

First up to offer her style advice is new Style Panel member, Ruta Rudminaite. The 22-year-old Toronto blogger feels that with street style, nowadays, anything is fair game and that the most important consideration to make is to wear whatever you’re rocking with confidence. The way you hold yourself when you walk down the street in your outfit du jour is what gets photographers to notice you.

We also welcome Northern Style’s Kira Paran to our Style Panel, whose answer to this week’s challenge question is to stick with classic pieces and tailored clothing. When your outfit is sculpted to flatter your body type, it will give you a confidence boost and get noticed.

After a month full of street style watching from New York to Paris and beyond, here’s 11 tips to get noticed right here at home:

Question 73: Street style is a tricky business. What are your tips for dressing to get snapped (without compromising your personal style)? Read the answers now! »

See the David Bowie party pics »

On Friday night, the Art Gallery of Ontario went full on Bowie for the opening party of its costume retrospective celebrating the gender bending rock star, David Bowie is. Some guests took his various personas literally, while others used them as jumping off points to let their inner freak flag fly. Bowie style makeup jobs were everywhere, from Aladdin Sane’s classic lightening bolt to Ziggy Stardust’s shimmering gold forehead globe. As for the clothes, Bowie inspirations ran the gamut from Style Panelist Leah Gust‘s gold onesie, to AGO publicist Laura Banks‘ pink animal print getup. While many of the evening’s guests spent hours poring over the exhibit (the recommended exhibit time is 65 minutes, but we barely escaped all that beautiful excess at the 120 mark), others partied on the main floor to the Bowie-esque spun sounds of Odessa Paloma Parker, who played DJ for the night in head-to-toe glam garb.

  If you haven’t yet embraced that pink is a big part of Fall 2013’s colour palette, we don’t blame you. Though pink has been there for us when we bid adieu to the winter’s cold and reclaimed our femininity from dark heavy coats it’s time to embrace it as a burst of girlishness to […]

The post How to wear pink: 11 Style Panel tips for co-opting spring’s typically girlish hue for fashionable Fall 2013 wear appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Be it a trip to the cottage, an office meeting or a night on the town, the white button down shirt has played the role of constant staple in our wardrobe choices. An oversized boyfriend shirt knotted (or not) at the waist and rolled at the sleeves throw in fuss free loose hair makes us […]

The post The white shirt, revamped: 7 Style Panel tips for taking this staple to the next level appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

See The Outnet party pictures »

For those of us who sideline in online sale stalking, The Outnet is a mainstay. Launched in 2009 as the post-sale outlet for designer den Net-a-Porter, the site has morphed into a full fledged Mecca for designer discounts boasting insane slashes on over 200 brands including Valentino, Stella McCartney, Alexander Wang and its own in-house label, Iris & Ink, which serves as a head-to-toe top off collection for the all the rest of the site’s covetable wares.

All hail the logo T-shirt! From the 3.1 Phillip Lim “I Heart Nueva York” print to designer jerseys to cheeky logos that play off beloved fashion house names, logo T-shirts have gone from vintage favourite to coveted wardrobe staple.

It’s a favourite item amongst fashion bloggers, street style regulars and models like Cara Delevingne. Even celebrities are fond of letting their logo T-shirts say what’s really on their mind. But if “how do I wear a logo T-shirt?” is what’s on your mind, you’ve come to the right place. This week the Style Panel is serving up their best dressing tips on turning a simple logo tee into the statement piece of your outfit.

While A Fashion Love Affair’s Cara McLeay and Suburban Faux Pas’s Krystin Lee dressed up their designer shout-out t-shirts with statement necklaces and heels, Leah Says’ Leah Gust played with a rock n’ roll look with a vintage t-shirt and leather skirt for a little juxtaposition. Since the riot girl is a trend this season, and with fall drawing nearer, The Style Mogul’s Christina Cravero opted for a logo sweater instead to pair with her asymmetrical skort and studded heels to complete her edgy look for the day.

Question 64: How do you style your favourite logo t-shirt? Read the answers now! »