FASHION Magazine

Grey hasn’t always been our favourite neutral. With a connotation that’s more “mid-winter sky” than “exciting wardrobe staple,” it has taken a back seat for the past few seasons. That all changed for Fall 2013, when designers from Paris to New York re-imagined the grey trend in various exciting ways. On the runways, Alexander Wang […]

The post Wearing the grey trend: 11 Style Panel tips for adding some personality to fall’s favourite neutral appeared first on 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! »

While youthful rebellion may be something we all experienced in our earlier years, this season’s punk trend is feeling oh so modern. Riding the high of the Met’s Costume Institute summer exhibit, Punk: Chaos to Couture, the Fall 2013 runway shows continued our re-introduction to punk under the guise of rips and studs on luxurious […]

The post How to wear the punk trend: 8 Style Panel tips for revamping the notoriously rebellious look this fall 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.

With the September issues hitting the stands, the seasonal change is just around the corner. The unsought transition of summer to fall is aided only by an exciting new set of trends that give our weepy hearts something to look forward to. And if the thought of a new fall wardrobe has you seeing dollar signs fear not. Fall’s fresh new colour palette of pink, grey, black and white and must-have looks (think leather, print and plaid) are sure to have you pulling out pieces you already own, so why wait? The new trends are ripe for the picking. We’re here to show you how to rock them for the final days of summer and beyond.

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! »

Once relegated to summer camps and dress up parties, neon has been making its may back into the forefront of fashion over the past few seasons. Especially with this season’s nineties crazy, even the brightest fluorescent hues have even become near basics.

Seen prominently on many of this summer’s music festival attendees, neon appeared on everything from bra tops to the ever-popular Cambridge satchel. Neon was popular with celebrities as well, spotted on Serena Williams’s nails to Gwyneth Paltrow’s heels.

On the Spring 2013 runways, neon appeared with creative pops in Peter Pilotto’s ruffled dresses and bright prints on Kenzo’s jungle print jumpsuits and Christopher Kane’s Frankenstein shirts. For Fall 2013, the unexpected cold weather hue makes its return with 3.1 Phillip Lim and Rag & Bone’s brightly hued motorcycle style jackets.

Since the trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, the girls from Style Panel are sharing key tips on how to wear neon this season and beyond.

Never having tried the trend, Dainty Girl’s Nicole Wilson works neon into her outfit with brightly coloured yellow heels. In the same vein, both Suburban Faux-Pas’s Krystin Lee and Born Lippy’s Melanie Morais suggests wearing neon in moderations, while pairing it with neutrals. If you’re still unsure on how to wear neon, Canadian Fashionista’s Amber Desilets advises to start with something simple like accessories. Nothing like a neon necklace or neon belt to really make your everyday outfits stand out and on trend.

Question 61: How do you wear neon? Read the answers now!

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.

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.

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! »

With spring in the air (fingers crossed), we can finally take out those pastel colours and floral prints that have been itching to come out of our closets to bask in the sun.

Trending since last fall, monochromatic tones were seen both on the runway like the cozy furry collection of Alexander Wang’s Fall 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection or on street style favourite, Miroslava Duma in her all white ensemble. Transitioning to spring, could we bring this monochrome trend into warmer season or are we already nostalgic for the colder days? Not just yet!

With some designers already showing off their take on the monochromatic look with primary colours in their Spring 2013 collections, we decided to turn to our Style Panel for a second opinion on what they have to say about the spring monochromatic look and how they plan to work this look this season.

Avoiding the black-on-black ensemble, many Style Panel members played with cooler colours for the spring season as their choice for their monochromatic look. While Mo Handahu from Lion Hunter and Melissa Knight from Miss Melissa chose cobalt blue for a brighter and bolder look, Gabrielle Lacasse from Dentelle + Fleurs experimented with different shades of mint for a fresh spring appearance. Utilizing different patterns, prints, and textures, these girls definitely know how to put together a chic monochromatic outfit for this spring season!

Question 48: What are the best ways to pull off the monochrome look? Read the answers now! »