Cold weather is here and it's time to get out that winter coat. Fashion reporter Elayne Teixeira-Millar takes us on a style tour around the Ryerson University campus to see what student's are wearing this season.
11.30.2011
11.20.2011
How to wear - Sparkle for the holidays
The smell of Christmas is in the air! Coffee shop and clothing stores are blasting the Christmas classics, lights and wreaths are going up around the city, and even the CN Tower's got its red and green on! Everything is so happy and festive and shiny and lovely! With all the sparkle and shine of all-things Christmas, I just had to put together a holiday must-have list.
If you're planning to attend glamourous parties this holiday you better get ready to out shine that Christmas tree... (literally) as this season's biggest trend is sequin. There's the sequin dress for the bold, and the sequin blazer and mini skirt for those who are interested in dressing the sparkle down for everyday wear.
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| Day Birger et Mikkelsen sequin dress in creme net-a-porter.com |
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| Black sequin blazer nastygal.com |
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| Sequin blazer in brown nastygal.com |
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| Haute Hippie sequin mini skirt hautehippiestore.com |
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| gold sequin mini zara.com |
Now, let me just say one thing before we go any further. There are a lot of things in the sequin category and a lot of them are heinous. Stores like Limité, Le Chateau, and Ardene have been showing sequins since the dawn of time. They have no idea what they are doing. So, if you find yourself being drawn to the glittery storefront like a moth to a flame, snap out of it and run the other way because you will be burnt. badly. by people like me.
Also, there is a difference between sequins and glitter. Somehow people are unaware of this (*rolls eyes*). Sequins are beads (3D). Glitter is flat and looks like grains of sparkly salt.
There are rules to wearing sequins so please follow them. It hurts to see people make a fool of themselves in tacky sparkly dresses. One can't help but stare...
the three styles to wear this season:
1. the dress (long or short sheath, shift, one-shoulder)
2. the skirt (mini)
3. the jacket (blazer, tux)
three best colours: black, gold, cream
others: red, silver, blue (be careful though...)
The RULES:
1 - Remember what dresses are actually IN STYLE before blindly purchasing one. This season is about shifts and long form-fitting sheaths. One-shoulder dresses and cut-out dresses are also popular but I don' know how long they'll be in style. One-shouldered clothing so in and out of style almost every season. If you can find one, tailed dresses are NEXT LEVEL. The only one I managed to find was on Nastygal sometime in October. It's gone now ... and I'm a little depressed.
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| Vince gold shift sequin dress net-a-porter.com |
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| River Island maxi sheath in gold asos.com |
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| Black sequin sheath net-a-porter.com |
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| Full length sequin dress in black boutique1.com |
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| TRNC sequin dress asos.com |
2. If you are not the fittest of people, please do not wear a sequin dress. I have nothing against natural bodies (they are beautiful and natural and should stay that way. Being skinny is getting old anyway) it is just that sequin dresses are more often than not super tight, clingy, and bulky. If you are not lean, the dress will only clingy to your core flaws and ride up your bum. Also, the bulkiness of the millions of little disk-shaped beads makes anyone look a size bigger then they actually are. Not exactly flattering.
3. Sequin shoes make me want to kill myself. Flats especially. Aldo and Steve Madden are showing sequin detailed heels that are beyond tacky. You're not 6-years-old anymore, and you're most definitely not Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz so please leave the fish scale-esque footwear to those who are. With that said, I do love Jeffrey Campbell... so I do have a soft-spot for his sequin booties. BUT THOSE ARE MY ONLY EXCEPTION. Keep in mind the difference between sequins and glitter. Glitter heels are acceptable.
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| Jeffrey Campbell Lana boots in silver sequin solestruck.com |
4. If you're going for the sequin jacket do not buy a cropped one. They are hideous. Also, be smart and get yourself a black one in a tux cut. The androgynous suit jackets are really important, not only this season but for spring as well.
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| Zara sequin blazer in black zara.com |
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| Asos sequin sleeved blazer asos.com |
5. If you have to pair something with your sequin item of clothing make it something black. The eye-catching sparkle is stand-outish enough. Do not blind people by decking yourself out in a head-to-toe sequins ensemble. Thanks
Versace for H&M - fit for cougars
Yesterday H&M stores all over the world opened their doors to crazed fashion fanatics who'd lined up friday afternoon to get a piece of the new Versace for H&M collection. At 8 a.m. on Saturday morning the hordes moved in and stripped the racks to the bone. By 12:30 p.m. there was nothing left.
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| H&M on St. Catherine street in Montreal montrealgazette.com |
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| H&M on Regent street in London guardian.co.uk |
The highly anticipated Versace collection is made up of the Italian fashion house's signature pieces of the 80s and 90s with a modern twist. Equipped with the classics - gold medusa head, the Greco Roman pattern in embossed gold studs, and loud colourful patterns - the 43-piece collection is Versace's attempt to attract an entirely new generation. The old staples are mixed in with some of the new spring/summer 2012 ideas such as bright neon colours, animal prints, leather and studs, and wallpaper print (unfortunately they decided to go with a Miami Beach print rather than something that would keep you from vomiting like a floral or baroque).
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| Versace- busy patterns fashiondevelopmentgroup.com |
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| Miami Beach print in neon- a la wallpaper torontostreetfashion.com |
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| leather shift dress with gold studs flare.com |
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| leather, studs, and Miami Beach torontostreetfashion.com |
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| Versace brights torontostreetfashion.com |
The key pieces of the collection are shift dresses in black leather, or bright colours like yellow, pink, and red, all of which were studded-out in gold. While the collection's objective is to attract the younger generation of fashionistas, most of whom missed out on Versace's hay day in the early 90s due to the fact they had yet to be born, the loudness and tackiness of the over- the-top gold ornaments leaves the collection looking old. When I look at the collection I don't see a new generation of Versace fans, I see 50 + year-old Italian woman with bleached blond hair, botox, lip injections, etc, who want to feel young again (*COUGH* DONATELLA VERSACE).
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| Donatella Versace the queen cougar dailymail.co.uk |
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| the cougar belt torontostreetfashion.com |
In my opinion the only good Versace is vintage Versace. That is all. If Versace wants to survive it needs to evolve and drop it's tacky Italian cougar dresses and gold bling and do something new and young. You can do it Donatella! Think of the children!
To view the full collection in all its jungle-fever-cougar-bling glory visit: http://www.hm.com/ca/versace#home
To view the full collection in all its jungle-fever-cougar-bling glory visit: http://www.hm.com/ca/versace#home
11.10.2011
Release the hounds - Houndstooth for F/W 2011
Houndstooth is this winter’s biggest pattern. The oversized check, which was big in the 70s and can probably still be found in the back of your grandmother’s closet, has made a major come back. The classic pattern had been seen on the Fall 2011 runways of Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Moschino, and more. The best pieces to buy in houndstooth are shift dresses, pencil skirts, cropped blazers, peacoats, and trousers - both flared and straight legged. Oh, and it’s perfect for this winter’s super trendy mod look. I recently bought a houndstooth shift dress from H&M and I love it. I went in today to inquire about the Versace for H&M collection (in Toronto stores November 19th) and noticed that almost all the houndstooth pieces were gone. There was only one dress left and it was in a size 14... So get it before it gone people! These puppies are in high demand.
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| Asos cropped trousers asos.com |
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| Ralph Lauren houndstooth blazer stylebop.com |
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| Lady Gaga in Salvatore Ferragamo dress with matching hat, glasses, nails, clutch, stocking, and pumps hollywoodlife.com |
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| Stella McCartney vogue.co.uk |
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| Alexander McQueen vogue.co.uk |
Pugs on parade - Pug-o-ween at PawsWay Event Centre
After Fashion Week's grand finale on October 21st, I went home a little depressed, like a kid on their last day at Disney World. I had been given this incredible chance to walk amongst some of the most interesting piece of clothing designed by some of the greatest Canadian Fashion designers. I had a front row seat to runway shows and on that last day I had the terrible feeling I wouldn't be near another runway for quite sometime. I WAS WRONG! On sunday October 23 I attended yet another fashion show but this time it was a little less Beauty and a little more Beast.
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| Ruby the Fairy Princess |
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| Jemima the Pumkin |
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| Banana Split |
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| Ketchup and Mustard Hotdogs |
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| Napoleon |
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| Mexican Wrestler |
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| Pumpkin Farmer |
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| Tinkerbell |
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| Angel |
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| Geisha |
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| King Maximillion |
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| Cow |
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| Bikini Pug |
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| Football Player |
It was Pug-o-ween at the PawsWay Event Centre and more than 30 pugs, decked out in Halloween costumes, strutted their stuff in the Pug Costume Parade. After a fierce runway walk and the judges' deliberation three winners were selected. Third place went to Jemima the wheelchair pumpkin, Second to Napoleon, and First to King Max, the pug in stroller...
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| The designers and their models |
11.05.2011
Toronto Fashion Week S/S 2012 - Trend report
Now that I've had a chance to look back on what the big designers showed at fashion week, I managed to come up with somewhat of a must-have list for Spring/Summer 2012. I know it's November and it may hurt your heart to think of the wonderfulness of warmth, sun, and summer vacation, but bare with me. When spring comes back, you'll be ready!
Clothing:
1. Satin bottoms. Especially cropped cigarette pants and below-the-knee pencil skirts. The main colours are red, orange (anything warm and bright) and black and white of course.
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| Pink Tartan- red satin cigarette pants torontolife.com |
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| zara cigarette trousers in red zara.com |
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| David Dixon- white satin pencil skirt photo by me |
2. Leather. Neon leather cropped trousers are amazing. If you can find them BUY THEM! Leather pencil skirts or mini skirts are also super important
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| The Row- Black leather pants net-a-porter.com |
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| Joe Fresh - neon green leather pants torontolife.com |
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| Chloe leather pencil skirt net-a-porter.com |
3. Mesh/ chiffon blouse. Whether its button-up, long-sleeved, sleeveless, or military-inspired, mesh or chiffon tops are still going strong. It's a good idea to have one in black (it goes with everything), but white, tan, and red are also pretty great.
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| Elizabeth and James - chiffon blouse in taupe net-a-porter.com |
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| Pink Tartan- red mesh button-up blouse torontosun.com |
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| Maje- silk and chiffon blouse in white net-a-porter.com |
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| Alexander Wang- black mesh blouse, super sheer vogue.com |
4. Mod dress. If you don't know what a mod dress is... go look it up because if that's the case, I've lost all faith in humanity. (urghh... a shift dress that ends above the knee. sleeveless, three quarter, or long sleeves)
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| Sandro- white shift dress net-a-porter.com |
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| Zara - yellow mod dress zara.com |
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| DKNY- red sleeveless shift dress net-a-porter.com |
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| H&M- black sequin shift hm.com |
Hair:
1. Long hair, natural-coloured. The middle part is still going strong
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| Pink Tartan torontolife.com |
2. Messy low pony tail
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| photo: poshbeauty.com |
Makeup:
1. Clean face - (obviously...) I mean match your skin tone and keep it clean looking. Example: if your white, keep it white. Don't go crazy with bronzer. Cake-faces are not fun.
2. Red lips
3. Black eyeliner - minimal super 40's style eye make-up. Black eyeliner on top lid, none on bottom and black mascara.
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| natural face, 40s eyes, red lips ellecanada.com |
Shoes:
1. Black wedges. Super important. If you don't have a pair GO SHOPPING NOW! Wedges with ankle straps are great but so are wedged booties. I suggest getting one of each (oh baby!)
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| Steve Madden- black wedge bootie stevemadden.com |
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| Theyskens' Theory- Black leather wedges with white panel and ankle strap net-a-porter.com |
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