FASHION Magazine

Opening in June, the new outpost of hipster haven Heritage by Old Gold Boutique (4357 St-Laurent Blvd., 514-509-1675, oldgoldboutique.com) is a treasure trove of sassy dresses, borrowed-from-the-boys oxfords and bold baubles. These cheeky rings (from $48) make me smile from ear to ear.

Learning to surf isn’t pretty, but after a toss in the tide, I like to layer on Karenjess jewellery (karenjess.com) to at least appear effortlessly beach chic. Cast from real shells found at beaches dear to designer Karen Hendry—including her hometown of Vancouver and Tofino, B.C., the site of my first surf lesson—she debuted with silver necklaces and this season branched into both bangles and bronze. At Sitka (1864 W. Fourth Ave., 604-568-9935, sitkasurfboards.com).

Aesthetically pleasing workout gear is a great motivator. Consider these your new personal trainers.
View our favourite workout gear items of the season now »

For the germ-paranoid, applying lip balm straight from the pot with your fingers is the beauty equivalent of a veggie tray victimized by a roomful of double-dippers. Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Balm ($10, at drugstores) comes with a removable applicator brush, while its fruity scent takes us back to our childhood Bonne Bell collection.

The unique style of designer Renata Morales has earned her props from art-loving fashion circles, including Grammy-winning Canadian band Arcade Fire. Here, she shares her favourite shops and the story behind Denis Gagnon’s infamous eyewear.

You’ve moved from prêt-à-porter to designing exclusively for private clients?
“That’s what I enjoy doing. It’s more elaborate stuff, where all the work is really ornate. I’ve also done costumes for [Oscar-nominated film director] Denis Villeneuve’s short, Next Floor.”

How cool is it working with Arcade Fire?
“I work with them because we’re friends. It’s not costume-oriented, except those Tron suits they wore on SNL.”

Bobcaygeon, Ontario, better stock up on its candles—Bigley Shoes and Clothing (39 Bolton St., Bobcaygeon, 800-231-6365, bigleyshoes.com) is  celebrating its 100th birthday, and the party’s just getting started. Originally a shoe store and harness repair shop (founded by Charles Bigley in 1911), this well-known cottage country retailer continues to thrive; presently it carries 250 designer labels, 12,000 swimsuits (from sizes 2 to 24) and more than 35,000 pairs of shoes.

We love Cake Un-Sweet Supreme Body Mousse ($22, cakebeauty.com), because although we’ve yet to meet a baked good we didn’t devour, we don’t always want to smell like we spent the night with a cupcake.

Now that Anthropologie, my go-to clothier for summer fete frocks, has a storefront in South Granville (2912 Granville St., 604-734-2529, anthropologie.com), I’m using the dollars I would’ve spent road-tripping to its Seattle location to nab more natty dresses. Be the belle of the garden party in a bold coral shift dress from India’s Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna (shown, $290).

This spring, Calgary designer Paul Hardy hit the barre. Known for his ultra-feminine, unstructured looks, Hardy is designing the costumes for the Alberta Ballet’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, a performance inspired by and set to the music of Canadian songstress Sarah McLachlan.

When that 10 a.m. shine becomes a ’round-the-clock problem in summer, soak up the slick with Sephora Collection Bamboo Charcoal Blotting Paper ($10, at Sephora).

French eyewear company Vuarnet (vuarnet.com) is making a comeback. This summer’s revival collection is a blast from the past, with nine old-school styles (from $185). I’ve got my eye on their new metallic frames from Japan (from $240)—perfect for making a statement, regardless of your destination. Available at La Maison Ogilvy (1307 Ste-Catherine St. W.,  514-842-7711, ogilvycanada.com).

Photography by Peter Stigter

“I always think of Gaultier in terms of the colours he used early on, relishing his lurid shades of green, yellow and brown. I’ve enjoyed his references to French culture—pulpy policiers or Yvette Horner, the accordéoniste–and always thought of his palette as a tribute to the tobacco-stained walls of Paris dives.” ­—David Livingstone, Writer