FASHION Magazine

See the Pitchfork 2013 street style photos »

It’s hard to believe it, but summer music festival season has already passed its halfway mark. Tear! With just under a month to go for the big North American parties, Chicago’s annual Pitchfork Music Festival luckily hit several stylistic home runs for us to drink up.

Pitchfork 2013 attendees seemed to channel their favourite acts, with ladies donning all over prints, bright hues and overalls in the vein of Pitchfork performers Solange and MIA. Several others went the Sky Ferreira route in downtown-approved mesh black numbers and dark velvet. There was even a literal idol translation, with one Pitchforker showing up in a version of Björk‘s famed swan dress from 2001. As for the fellas, summer essentials were abound, including denim button downs, cropped shorts, bright T-shirts, and of course, statement sneakers.

Check out this rad batch of Pitchfork 2013 street style as shot by Sidewalk Hustle‘s Hawley Dunbar and let us know which looks you love!

See Beyoncé and Solange’s looks up close »

Beyoncé and Solange Knowles may be two of music’s most powerful sisters. But while they share the ability to create beautiful music, the two couldn’t be more different when it comes to style. Beyoncé’s style has evolved over the years, but recently we are used to seeing her in sexy bodycon dresses, short shorts, and lots of black. Solange, on the other hand, tends to favour bright colours, African prints and breezy, loose cuts.

So when Beyoncé was spotted in Cuba this week looking a lot like her little sister, we couldn’t help but do a double take. On vacation for her wedding anniversary with Jay-Z, Beyoncé donned a colourful Thakoon Addition Resort 2013 caftan overtop a dress while exploring the streets of Havana. With her hair tied up in a braided topknot, the singer looked spectacular while breaking slightly outside of her fashion comfort zone.

Printed mini-dresses are typically Solange’s forte. Last summer she wore a chic Stella McCartney frock with strappy sandals to an event celebrating Michael Kalish’s artwork in New York. After seeing Beyoncé in Cuba this week, we couldn’t help but be reminded of this Solange style hit.

Which of the Knowles sisters’ looks do you like best? Vote in our poll!

See the photos from Solange’s Toronto concert »

When one of pop music’s definitive rising stars rolls into town, Toronto’s hippest music lovers take note. Case in point: Friday night’s sold-out Solange concert at the Danforth Music Hall. Beyoncé’s little sister proved that she was much more than just that as she sauntered on stage in a beautiful cobalt and brown printed Ostwald Helgason dress, black heeled sandals and a Diana Ross-style afro that seemed to prompt mounting hair-envy with each flick and twist. Solange’s set was stellar, if a bit subdued, and the carefully clothed crowd drank each of the live renditions right up. Double that that for her cover of Selena’s epic ballad “I Could Fall in Love.” And triple that for her popular single “Losing You,” which she pre-empted with an “I want you to dance!” command.

I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t think Beyoncé is the bees knees. She’s sold countless records, won every award, sung for the President, performed at the Super Bowl, but then again so have many pop artists. They call her the hardest working woman in showbiz, but that’s not the reason they call her Queen Bey either—it’s that aside from supreme octave and hip-thrusting abilities, she’s managed to stay above it all. The importance she’s placed on privacy and keeping it classy that has earned her regal bragging rights. It’s also what has helped her remain relatively unscathed for over 12 years of being in the public eye. To boot, she’s managed to stay married to another of pop’s biggest stars, Jay-Z, sans unseemly consequences.

For the first time in all those years, we’re being let inside the life and mind of Beyoncé with the premiere of her documentary Beyoncé: Life is But a Dream on HBO/HBO Canada. The self-directed stunner bleeds 90-minutes of raw emotion and power through spellbinding all-angle performance footage, self-filmed video diaries, private vacation home videos and more. And while Jay-Z, Blue Ivy, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland and Solange make their select appearances, it’s all about Bey. It’s like her Tumblr’s come to life and I swear, from personal experience, you won’t be able to keep a dry eye.

Here are some things that had me especially intrigued/verklempt:

See the 10 best moments from Solange’s “Losing You” video »

Solange Knowles means business in her music video for “Losing You.” No, actually: she looks like she could be heading to work in a variety of bright pantsuits and printed blazers. But really, she’s just hanging out in South Africa and looking amazing while doing so. Solange earns major style points for having one of the most visually appealing music videos we’ve seen since Grimes’ “Genesis” and, even better, the song is pop music perfection.

Many of the moments from “Losing You” feel like they could be editorial campaigns for major fashion houses, thanks to the amazing styling and artistic shots. (Let’s be thankful Solange didn’t turn to House of Deréon to design the clothing—ahem, like in the days of Destiny’s Child—because we likely wouldn’t be talking about the video if that was the case.) With what feels like a never ending parade of prints, bright colours and a beautiful Solantourage (see what we did there?), the video confirms our guess that Beyonce’s little sister is onto something big. Now excuse us while we go practice our shoulder-popping dance moves…