FASHION Magazine

It’s true: when we used Manic Panic back in 2001, we were unknowingly at the forefront of a major beauty trend. But last year, after eons of lying dormant (or as part of Avril Lavigne’s 2009-20122 aesthetic), multicolour hair returned — only this time, it came via the locks of celebrities, whose pastel hues trumped […]

The post Bronde Is the New Black: Are We Over the Multicolour Hair Trend? appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Ask any girl about resolutions and she’ll likely wax poetic about fall fashion. In our world, September is the time to begin anew. It’s the time to try out the latest trends while mastering the art of layering, not to mention attending big time events (paging #NYFW!). For some, September is a time to break […]

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While many street style savvy brands had major beef with this year’s Normcore trend, Gap must have been jumping for joy. At last, a trend that emphasizes chinos, button downs and crew necks. Enter its Fall 2014 ad slogan, “Dress Normal,” which emphasizes what the brand does best. Debuting next month, the slogan captions photos […]

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See this look in our Kate Middleton style gallery »

For those who balk at the thought of wearing your only workout outfit to spinning class each week, look no further than the Duchess of Cambridge, who has made an art out of recycling the same sport-apropos outfit time and time again. At the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow Scotland today, Kate Middleton went for the good ole skinny jeans (J Brand), navy blazer (Pucci) and cork wedges (Stuart Weitzman) she wore to the Olympics, while on Royal Tour of New Zealand and for various charity events over the past few years. According to guesses from intrepid Kate tweeter What Kate Wore, the uptake in Royal repeats as of late might be a strategic play to offset the cost of Kensington Palace renovations. Also though, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? How many times a week do you wear skinny jeans?

On July 5, we celebrate an event more important than Canada Day and Independence Day put together: the 25th anniversary of Seinfeld, the show about nothing (that meant everything) and the inspiration for anyone who wears running shoes with jeans. But between the Kramer’s briefcase, the bisque, and the withholding of soup, Seinfeld delivered something even more important. Enter: Elaine Benes. The series’ true hero and fashion icon.

Elaine Benes established nineties style as we know it, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. From mini backpacks to oversized outerwear to blazers (sweet, sweet blazers), the forever-underrated/often-imitated Seinfeld character cultivated a look we spend serious dollars and (even more) serious hours in thrift stores trying to re-create.

And yet, she gets no respect. In an era in which we boast about how much stars and/or characters are just like us, we still bypass the original everywoman. Elaine represented (and represents still) both the eclecticism and the “I’ve given up” vibe that defined the early-to-mid ‘90s by challenging gender norms, the idea of glamour and unapologetically wearing a scrunchie.

So with that being said, here’s a round up of 10 Benes looks we’re still trying to emulate today. All of which work perfectly with the big salad—here’s your Christmas card.

“The moment I saw Veronika, it immediately clicked in my head: ‘this is the outfit of the season.’ From what I’ve been seeing across the board, comfort has really been on people’s minds, and this for me was the perfect balance of comfort and fashion. It captures the mood of how women in fashion are […]

The post Snapped by Tommy Ton: “This is the outfit of the season” appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

See more Kate Middleton style »

Today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took to this high seas, competing in a friendly competition with New Zealand’s national yacht racing team. They got to wear sleek life jackets and normcore-approved windbreakers and hats, overtop their usual “Royals, they’re just like us!” casualwear. For Kate Middleton, this means Zara skinny jeans and a Breton stripe scoop neck shirt from Me + Em, a London-based retailer. And, because she was indeed on a boat, Kate wore a pair of tan and white Sebago boat shoes. Our favourite part of the whole outing was when Kate won the yacht race and was all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ at Price William as she sailed past him. Go Kate!

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! »

By now you’ve probably heard about #Normcore. If not, you’ve likely been living in some kind of very basic cave. The Internet-at-large became aware of Normcore as a thing a week or so ago, when New York Magazine ran an article on the anti-trend trend. Young, hip New Yorkers were eschewing fashion trends and labels in favour of a pared down, muted look called Normcore, all light wash denim and sneakers at the bar. It was Larry David meets your dad in circa 1994. Or the combination: Jerry Seinfeld. I, a vintage lover with a weakness for 1950s sundresses who just figured out how to make crop tops happen, met the news with some concern: I couldn’t pull off loose T-shirts and straight jeans back when they were the actual norm! Not for the first time, my chubby ‘90s inner child was nervous. Visions of ill-fitting Gap Kids jeans and summers wearing Osh-Kosh T-shirts over Nike bathing suits danced in my head. And those visions were wearing Asics.

But all was not lost. After New York Magazine’s article on the trend exploded, K-HOLE, the New York-based trend forecasting collective behind the term took to Facebook and other forms of social media to express their displeasure. Apparently, New York Magazine (and I along with them) mistook Normcore for another creation of K-HOLE’s: #ActingBasic, which is defined as an “aestheticized version of the mainstream.”

Confused? Me too.