FASHION Magazine

For me, getting dressed in the morning involves asking myself some big questions. Are my grey J Brands clean? Is the Queen Street sidewalk covered in a mountain of slush and salt? (And just how waterproof are my moccasins?) Are sparrow feathers an appropriate hair accessory for the office? But on January 29, my morning routine will be a little bit simpler because I’ll be wearing white in support of Wear White 4 Windfall (ww4w.ca).

If I tell you where I shop, will you promise not to tell anyone? I mean, nobody likes to tell her favourite spots, right? So let’s keep it between you and me—top-secret. I’m a mad, mad monkey for Three Monkeys (Les Cours Mont-Royal, 1455 Peel St., Suite 207, 514-284-1333, threemonkeys.ca)! This shop is so beyond perfect balance of Montreal based indie designer and international labels, it’s insane.

Known for its shelves of brightly colored clothing, American Apparel is easily transformed into a sea of rainbows.  One can’t help but feel a little uplifted entering a store with such vibrant colors, simple yet chic décor, outgoing staff and plenty of space to walk around.

Friday night hits and fine art student Shakeel Rehemtulla is plunked down in front of his sketchbook, adding a page to what has become his T-shirt diary. The artist behind silkscreen company Woodenbullets, Shakeel has assigned himself the weekly task of conjuring up a design that puts the previous seven days to paper. The illustration turns into a small run of 30 to 50 shirts (from $25) that will hang from the racks at Halifax’s Farmers’ Market (1496 Lower Water St.) on Saturday morning.

It doesn’t matter how many white T-shirts I own, I am always, and I emphasize always, looking for the perfect one.  I have at least four on my shelves, all of which I have shared a brief romance with before moving on. When I finally think I’ve found one, I am reminded time and time again that nothing is ever perfect …until one day, I found it: the one, the only, perfect white tee.

By Amanda Losier

An entire week filled with red carpets, parties, and movie screenings sounds wonderful, but the busy days and late nights can leave even the most devoted partiers feeling worn out. To provide an oasis to unwind, Goody has set up the IT Lounge at the Windsor Arms Hotel packed with everything to survive the Toronto International Film Festival.

I apologize for being a little AWOL lately, but between all the fall fashion previews and trunk shows, there have been backyard barbecues, evenings at the beach (neither of which are good excuses, I know, but who doesn’t love the Celebration of Lights fireworks?), and of course, trips to the Islands, the Okanagan, and, next week, New York!

By Natalia Ksiazek

It-Brit Luella Bartley is the latest designer to team up with Tonic (tonicgen.com), a for-profit business that sells stylish stuff while supporting meaningful causes.

The countdown is officially on.  I am leaving for Nantucket in less than four weeks and my packing panic has already set in. On top of my basics—Ralph Lauren swimsuit, J.Crew T-shirts, Milly sundress and Michael Kors woven tote bag—I know that my bags will also be stuffed to the gills with every lotion and label in my closet.

By Kate MacLennan

Almost a decade ago, back when I was but a fashion kitten (not a full-blown fashion feline), I made the gross miscalculation of wearing a vintage Roots T-shirt whilst strolling through Sydney’s Paddington Market on a trip to Australia. There was nothing wrong with the shirt in and of itself—I even thought I looked pretty cute having paired it with denim capris (which were just gaining popularity then).

Last week: Spencer dumped Brody and almost looked sad about it, and Justin Bobby swore a lot.

Teen Vogue. Boss-lady Whitney is busily typing away at her computer, while lowly underling Lauren uses a simple pencil and paper. Whitney, as usual, asks what’s been going on, and Lauren, as usual, has boy-related news: Ex-boyfriend Jason is out of rehab and back in her life. Although Lauren makes light of the fact that he only seems to show up when everything’s going great for her, she looks worried.

We open in a jewellery store. As they wait for Heidi’s ring to be resized so it will actually stay on her finger, Heidi asks Spencer if he’ll accompany her to Colorado for the weekend to meet her family. Spencer reminds her that Brody’s BBQ, which they’ve been planning for two months, is happening at the same time. Unfortunately for him, Heidi’s been perfecting her passive-aggressive pouting technique, and he quickly relents. “I’d much rather go meet your family,” he lies.