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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Winter be damned! We are officially setting out sights on spring, and along with it, its myriad bright, shiny list of trends to try. As we mentioned last week, all it takes are a few key pieces to transition your wardrobe through the seasons. Today, we’re taking a cue from our Style Panel, who has taken the transition one step further by working some spring trends into existing winter wardrobes.

The ‘90s made its way back onto the Spring 2014 runways courtesy of designers like DKNY and Rag & Bone, who re-introduced the nostalgic trend with a slick sporty twist. Blogger Nichole Alabi welcomes it with open arms, opting for a transitional look of loose fit crop top, baggy distressed denim and a pair of tan Ewing sneakers that would make even the Fresh Price envious. And while pastels are certainly not a foreign idea, the spring runways proved that head to toe looks in soft hues could still be interesting. Shorts Presents blogger Kayla Short and Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body try the trend in two different ways, with equally awesome results.

Challenge 94: What are your spring transition tips? Read the answers now! »

Layering is an art in and of itself. On frigid days, it can be a necessity for survival. On warmer days, it’ll help you go from day to night sans effort. Learning how to do it well can be tricky because simply put, the challenge in these days of the Great Canadian Winter, it seems to be more like “how to layer without looking like the Michelin Man” than anything else.

Luckily for us, many recent fashion collections have dealt some great tips. In Elizabeth and James’ Pre-Fall 2014 lookbook, a check shirtdress did double duty when worn open as a duster coat in one look and then layered underneath a pencil skirt in another. Helmut Lang, the patron saint of layering, lives up to its name, layering as many as four pieces in some Pre-Fall 2014 looks. On the fall runways, the coat trend made for some extra-interesting pairings. The key? A mixture of fabrics and textures achieve a cohesive and interesting look with depth.

Question 88: How do you layer to keep warm while still staying stylish? Read the answers now! »

January is synonymous with a few things – chilly temperatures, post-holiday fatigue, but above all, resolutions. While the ambitious among us are religiously hitting the gym, eschewing booze all together, ridding the cupboards of sugar, or other extreme goals, we like to think of the New Year as a chance for a simple style switch-up. Who better to offer up their realistic resolutions than our Style Panel? This week our panellists are joined by a new (male!) face and offer up their personal goals for the year.

Our group of Style Panel bloggers have some great goals for the year. Christopher Wolf, from wolfmusings.com, and Becky Kung, the girl behind Velvet & Vino, are both hoping to let their intuition run wild and take more risks. While Kayla Short, of Short Presents, is tackling her disaster of a closet (her words!) on the East Coast, Whitney Cosgrave of See Shop Eat Do is out soaking up the L.A. sun, and committing to wearing her favourite pieces more often. Take a peek at their resolutions and maybe you too will feel inspired to make some changes.

Question 85: What are your fashion resolutions? Whether you’re vowing off tights or trying to incorporate more colour this year, share it with us! 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! »

Much like the classic LBD and the plain white T, denim shorts rank high on the list of timeless trends. Feared by some, loved by many, the versatility of this wardrobe staple makes this classic style a must-have for summer. On the streets, we’ve seen trendsetters brace the warmer temperatures in denim shorts of all […]

The post How to wear denim shorts: 15 Style Panel tips for braving this often-feared basic appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

If you’re like us, you totally fell victim to this past year’s leather craze. With fall and winter both behind us (phew) it’s only safe to assume that our newly broken in leather finds are due to be packed away for a cooler day, right? Wrong! Leather for summer is on-trend and the options are endless.

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.

So far, 2013 has been a mighty test of our patience. While spring may have officially begun a month ago, Mother Nature has kept us waiting with bated breath for any real show of it.

And when checking your weather app before leaving the house no longer ensures you’re prepared for what awaits outside, it’s time to get creative with layering by mixing winter essentials with summertime accessories. Because we, much like everyone else, struggle with perfecting the subtle nuances to transitional dressing, we asked our Style Panel for a little help.

Our two newest members of the panel, both showed us how to make an airy maxi skirt an essential for the transition from winter to spring. Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body paired her skirt with a heavy army-inspired jacket and camo scarf. Her combination of an ultra-girly skirt with a menswear jacket offers some end of winter inspiration for all of us. Meanwhile, Jennifer Pistor of Prairie Girl in the City matched her black maxi skirt with a bright pop of neon and floral shoes, inspiring us to get ready for spring.

Panellist Deanne McRae went a little nineties with her transitional look, wearing thigh-high socks, a full-skirt and leather jacket to add some warmth. And where McRae showed a little thigh, panel members like Cee Fardoe and Cara McLeay went barelegged and braved the last few moments of winter exposed in style.

Read on for more tips on making your wardrobe work as we transition out of winter (fingers crossed!) and into spring!

Question 47: What are your tips for transitioning your wardrobe from winter to spring? Read the answers now! »

When it comes to Spring 2013’s sunglasses trends, frames need not be boring. In fact, the louder the better because statement sunglasses are all the rage as the sun begins to come out from winter hibernation and shines bright. We’ve always loved sunglasses for their health benefits (going blind due to sun damage isn’t very cool) but recently we’ve been embracing bold frames in a big way. We DIYed our very own Prada floral pair and found 14 of the best and most affordable frames around and now we’ve asked our Style Panel to teach us a thing or two about styling the latest sunglasses trends without looking like a clown.

Karen Walker sunglasses proved to be a fan favourite with the likes of Stephanie Sterjovski and Krystin Lee of Suburban Faux-Pas with their super oversized and thick-rimmed tortoise frames. And if you’re not ready to embrace over the top shapes then perhaps a printed leopard pair will be more up your alley like Whitney Cosgrave, who kept it simple pairing leopard print with a basic black tee.

If there’s one take away from the Style Panel’s statement sunglasses tips, it’s to keep your look simple so your shades can truly shine.

There may be no shortage of style inspiration on the internet thanks to street style blogs, Tumblr, Pinterest and more, but when it comes to IRL style icons, who influences how you get dressed? From silver screen starlets to contemporary fashion darlings to fictional characters, most of us likely have a multitude of style icons that inspire the way we shop and our daily outfits.

But could you pick just one person as your ultimate style icon? Leave it to the Style Panel to be able to answer the unanswerable. From unexpected DJs to favourite TV shows, this week’s challenge shows that it’s actually a good thing to be all over the map when it comes to inspiration.

Investment pieces mean different things to different people. To some, it means a piece of clothing that you save up for, buy every so often, but love forever. To others, it simply means a classic piece that never goes out of style, fits well and can be worn in a multitude of ways.

This week, we asked our Style Panel to talk about their favourite investment pieces that they plan on wearing this spring. None of the answers were too surprising, the styling however, was top notch as always.

The Style Mogul’s Christina Cravero likes to invest in a statement shoe every season. She likes to make a big impact on an outfit with her footwear. Stephanie Sterjovski’s gorgeous white blazer definitely renews our love of winter whites. Who says white can’t be worn after Labour Day? Krystin Lee of Suburban Faux-Pas shows off her high-low look. Her top, purse and sunglasses were all investment pieces, but she lets us know she is on the hunt for more: a vintage Chanel brooch, a pair of Christian Louboutins and an Hermès bangle are all on her list.

New panellists, Zoe Smythe of Zoe’s Fashion Feed and Nicole Wilson of Dainty Girl, each went for an item that they feel will be worn often this season. Smythe, a footwear designer living in New York City, loves vintage and thrift shopping so it’s no surprise that she chose a vintage Panetto necklace. Wilson, a fashion loving blogger from Toronto, chose a classic Kate Spade handbag in a bold pink colour. But knowing the above, we don’t doubt this piece will be a classic in her wardrobe.

Question 41: What investment pieces will you be wearing this season? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | IVA GRBESIC, TORONTO | JACQUELYN SON, VANCOUVER | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | NICOLE WILSON, TORONTO | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA | STEPHANIE STERJOVSKI, TORONTO | WHITNEY COSGRAVE, LOS ANGELES | ZOE SMYTHE, NEW YORK CITY