FASHION Magazine

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!

Much like the classic LBD and the plain white T, denim shorts rank high on the list of timeless trends. Feared by some, loved by many, the versatility of this wardrobe staple makes this classic style a must-have for summer. On the streets, we’ve seen trendsetters brace the warmer temperatures in denim shorts of all […]

The post How to wear denim shorts: 15 Style Panel tips for braving this often-feared basic appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

While we may have tackled the cozy-casual look last winter, taking on cottage style in the summer can be a task a tad more difficult. The cottage lifestyle is all about freedom and relaxation, so it’s no question our style should reflect the same characteristics. The last thing we want is to look prim and proper while lounging on the deck, right?

With the July long weekend fast approaching, we want to make sure your wardrobe is ready for the countryside. Whether you’re heading up to your family cottage or hanging out with friends at a campsite, we have tips on how to retain your everyday flair during your time away from the city. So before you throw on your favourite sweats or give in to the flip flops, read what our ladies from the Style Panel have to say on how to put together an effortless chic look at the cottage this season.

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?

Ever have one of those intimidating statement pieces that makes you feel so self-conscious about your body that it makes you want to sprint to the gym immediately? This may as well be the tale of the crop top.

Showing your midriff once seemed like a scandalous look, only to be tested by celebrities —think Britney Spears circa “Baby One More Time”—this season, the crop top has emerged as feminine, even covering our current issue on Lana Del Rey!

Lead by designers like Peter Som with his Spring 2013 bralet and high-waisted flowing skirt, we’re beginning to see how ladylike this look can be. With different styles and fits including the bustier, the cropped T-shirt and the waist-tied blouse, the crop top can be altered to your preferred degree of mid-section baring.

Still questioning how to wear a crop top? Fear not, because 11 of our Style Panel members share tips on how to easily pull off this spring trend sans butterflies in your stomach.

Opting to show a little less skin, many of our girls decided to pair their flirty crop tops with cute midi skirts like BornLippy’s Melanie Morais and Dainty Girl’s Nicole Wilson who chose to wear tie-knot crop tops that tastefully bares a sliver of their midriff. Showing off a bit more skin, Leah Says’ Leah Gust was all smiles as she takes on two spring trends, the crop top and the graphic floral print, in today’s outfit. But what’s the best way to wear your crop top this season? Taking Style Worthwhile’s Jacquelyn Son’s advice, rock your crop top with confidence.

Question 51: Can you share tips on how to wear a crop top this season? Read the answers now! »

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! »

See the biggest Spring 2013 fashion trends »
See all of our fashion month coverage »

It’s official, Spring 2013 fashion month is over. And after receiving a daily dose of street style photos and runway updates, it would be silly for us to ignore the trends that we saw day after day (after day, after day). It’s hard not to fall victim to sensory overload, but thankfully our street style photographer, Stefania Yarhi, made it easy for us to pick and choose which trends we know we’ll be seeing all spring long. With hundreds of photos from Paris, Milan, London, New York, and Toronto at our disposal, we just couldn’t ignore the countless graphic tops (a day without a Balenciaga sci-fi sweater sighting was a total shocker), exposed bellies, suits, and mixed prints—so we didn’t because we’re positive they will be huge come Spring 2013. We’ve selected 10 of the biggest fashion trends from the streets and the runways and put them together in one place, so gets to clickin’. The leaves may just be starting to fall, but it’s never too early to plan for spring, right? (RIGHT!)

View by trend: 1. CARTOON GRAPHICS | 2. BARE MIDRIFF | 3. FILING SUIT | 4. MIXED PRINTS | 5. MONOCHROMATIC | 6. OUT THERE ACCESSORIES | 7. PEEK A BOO | 8. SEEING RED | 9. SIXTIES | 10. STRUCTURE

See the latest street style photos from Toronto Fashion Week »

The second day of World MasterCard Fashion Week started with a literal Fashion Shower, a.k.a. it was pouring rain, but there was our street style photographer, Stefania Yarhi, outside in said rain capturing the action. If anything, the doom and gloom of the sky made show-goers turn to colour (funny how that happens) as well as hats—what better to hide the cursed rain hair with?

Dan Levy continued on with the coloured pant trend and matched his yellow-cuffed jeans with a pair of baby blue Converse for a casual and successful fashion week outfit. But really, nothing says casual like the studded eye patch (Peter Gatien 2.0?) we saw one brave man wearing. He was living life on the edge with his combination of studs on his eye plus the studs on his ring.