Toronto Fashion Week S/S 2013 - street styling

Because I'm a big loser procrastinator and still haven't gotten my Toronto Fashion Week S/S 2013 reviews up (three month late...and still counting) I thought it would be nice to get these photos out there for those who care to see what I wore. This season, I was photographed by a few big name magazines for my fashion week outfits. So flattered. Take a look!

To see what I wore on Day 1 of the Collections click here

Pre-Fashion Week at The Collections - Day 2

Once the streetstyle photographers caught wind of the secret runway shows going on at The Burroughs Building on Queen West, they were all over that shit. Day 2 at The Collections was just like Toronto Fashion Week - street photographers everywhere. Here's a not-so-flattering photo of me courtesy of FASHION magazine. I'm the "and a Nirvana t-shirt" part of the headline (lol).

Zara jacket, homemade rope chocker, Nirvana tank from Brandy Melville, black cord circle skirt from American Apparel, black leather backpack with studs Bershka Portugal
photo: FASHION magazine

A few selfies because I had to..

Rouge Cream lipstick in Classic Bright Red from the Sephora collection

Front Row at Sid Neigum

Mikayla Mifsud and me after Cara Cheung show

Toronto World MasterCard Fashion Week begins - Day 1

I missed most of the first day due to boring stuff like school, seminars and lecture (pff education..) so I don't have any nice photographs of my full outfit. I did find this one of my fuzz clutch on thebrunettesfashion website.

black fur and leather clutch from Aldo

Toronto Fashion Week - Day 2

My outfit was pretty popular with the press on Day 2. I guess the trick is to go big (big hat, big fuzz) or go home. Here are some photos featured on fashion blogs such as Thekit.com, etmoijejoue, psalms911, and the others were taken by photographers from FLARE magazine and Toronto Life.

wide brim hat from Aldo, white knit sweater from Forever 21 (I know, right?), black shag vest from Zara, red geo-pattern pants from H&M, black fur and leather clutch
photo: FLARE magazine

My trusty black suede Lita Boots from Jeffrey Campbell
photo: Theknit.com

Screenshot from ELLE Canada's website.
Photo: ELLE Canada

looking lost with coffee in hand - as per usual
photo: et moi je joue.blogspot

HI!
photo: Toronto Life

Toronto Fashion Week - Day 3

Day 3 was another one of those I-have-to-sprint-over-after-class days so I only made it in time for the last two shows of the night. I did find a photo of my last-minute outfit on shedoesthecity.com. Thanks guys!

dirty, old, hipster hat, homemade rope chocker, black and white colour-block shirt from Zara, metal spike chain necklace from Top Shop NY, black Levi's leather jacket
photo: shedoesthecity.com

Toronto Fashion Week - Day 4

On Day 4 I boho-ed out in a super micro-mini lace dress from Urban Outfitters. It was so short I had to tape it to my thighs so I could walk around without mooning the entirety of the Canadian fashion population. Good times though. Here's a photo of me courtesy of FLARE magazine

beige and cream lace dress from Urban Outfitters, chunky vintage collar necklace, oversized forest green blazer from Zara, brown leather saddle bag from All Saints, brown suede fringe boots by Jeffery Campbell
photo FLARE magazine 

Toronto Fashion Week - Day 5

By the time Day 5 came around I was fashion dead. My appartement was a mess - clothes, makeup and accessories EVERYWHERE and I was totally out of outfit ideas. I was exhausted and done with trying to look cute. So, I went for the dress. The dress is always an easy out. It's one article, it's fast, and it always looks good. Here are a few shots of me from BlogTO. and ELLE Canada's instagram.

Photo: BlogTO
note --"my style"...pfff that isn't a style but okay

black fedora from H&M, neon yellow dress also from H&M, black leather western belt from Urban Outfitters, black suede Lita boots by J Campbell, and the fuzz clutch from Aldo
Photo: BlogTO

photo: ELLE Canada

The Collections S/S 2013 Day 1 - What I wore

On Day 1 I went a little 90s grunge. I had to run home from school, dress myself in 10 minutes (impossibleeeeee) and run out the door to get myself to The Collections' loft on Queen St. in time for the opening show. Since I was a frantic mess when I got home (with greasy wind-blown hair thanks to my lovely bicycle) I just hairsprayed the shit out of it and pulled it into one of those slick-ish messy ponytails. I had never done it before so I was kinda taking a risk but I guess it all turned out okay in the end. Once my face and hair looked kinda presentable I ran over to my closet and pulled the one piece I knew I wanted to wear, my black Zara maxi skirt, and threw it on. Then I was screwed.. I couldn't find a top. EVERYTHING was in the wash. I was totally unprepared. So I put on whatever top was nearest to me on the floor. It happened to be the gray Brandy Melville top I had bought a few days earlier with a cut-out skull back. When I finally threw myself towards the front door, shoes in hand, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was basically goth-city. Whatevs. It was Fashion Week.

For your enjoyment - my day 1 ensemble.

Bathroom selfy...yeah, I know...

Skull shot
Photo: shedoesthecity.com

Making Tiffany more hardcore

Spotted in the front row at the Label show. Wish I didn't frown so much.
Photo: MTV.ca

Photo: Chloe Wise

Oh, and did I mention, this was birthday. GOOD TIMES! xxxx

The Collections Day 1: Laura Siegal, Chloe comme Parris

Day 1 of The Collections was amazing. I got to see the three best lines of last season all in one day. It was a great intro to what ended up being almost a full month of fashion. The hard-hitting lines were sent down the runway first and all I could think was : dessert before dinner? Amazing.

Laura Siegel
First to hit that hardwood runway of the gorgeous loft space, were the models of Laura Siegel, all of whom were Bohemianed-out in drapey earthy fabrics and large beaded statement jewelry. The S/S2013 line kept its LS pattern-loving, flowy-fabric, layering-love flare and there was not one piece that I didn't want to immediately have in my possession. The desert-inspired pallet of neutrals and greens was paired with overzied straw hats, beautiful wood beaded jewelry and some super cute backpacks. This collection is for anyone who loves layering, crochet pieces, and flowy maxi skirts and dresses. My very favourite piece of the Siegel collection is the pair of drop-crotch crochet pants. So perfect for the beach. (What a terrible thing to say...It's currently 5 degrees outside... Damn you Toronto.)

Photos: Elayne

Chloe comme Parris

The Gordon sisters kill me. I sat front row with my mouth open the entire time and if you were in my position you would have had the same loser expression. The line was just as gorgeous as ALWAYS. The girls kept the CCP edge with long flowy silky maki pieces and badass jewelry and accessories. There were also a few mansuit-inspired pieces that were fierce beyond words and accessorized with chains to give them that extra little grungy detail. The collection highlights were most definitely the print pieces (the patterns at CCP are always next level. Think dark, Victorian-meets-kaleidoscope tapestry) and the use of blush pink leather. A show-stopper : the pink biker jacket. As soon as that thing came down the runway, phones went flying up and Instagram, Twitter and Facebook suffered from a major seizures

Here's a little runway video clip I snagged from the front row. (yay IPhone!)

Parris and Chloe Gordon of Chloe comme Parris
Photos: Elayne

Backstage at The Collections - pre-Fashion Week S/S2013

This season Toronto's Fashion Week went a little mental. With all the commotion about IMG Fashion Worldwide buying TFW, several designers and people of the Toronto fashion industry got a little freaked and decided to do their own thing as to not get all corrupted by the big business man.

IMG owns and runs 10 of the biggest Fashion Weeks in the world, the most important being New York Fashion Week. According to an article in The Toronto Star, the vice-president of IMG, Peter Levy, says the company bought TFW so they can transform it into a huge fashion event recognized world wide. That would be pretty cool I guess...I'd have an 'in' already! hahaha. 

Anyway, the point of all this is: last year's TFW headliners bailed on World MasterCard Fashion Week and signed up for what the industry is now calling the "Rogue Shows" aka The Collections and The ShOws. Both runway events were two-days long, running from Oct.16 - 17, and were 100% cooler than WMCFW just because they were THAT much more ALTERNATIVE. (lol so hipster though. gotta love those creative-types, always trying to stick it to the man.) 

The Collections played host to edgier labels like Laura Siegel, Chloe Comme Parris, Label, Klaxon Howl, Sid Neigum and Cara Cheung while The ShOws presented the more "couture" lines like Jean-Pierre Braganza, Antonio Azzuolo and Jeremy Laing. Due to my crazy amount of school work (yay university mid-term season...) I couldn't make it to any of lines at The ShOws, but I did get to attend The Collections. I was given an all-access backstage pass! I got to run around backstage with all the models, makeup artists, and hair people, and I got to sit in front row. FUNZIES! 

Because I'm so behind on life, I still haven't gotten my runway reviews done for Dress to KILL yet..but I'm getting there I promise... For now please enjoy some of the backstage photos I took! 

Models in Chloe Comme Parris S/S 2013

Black talon nails for Cara Cheung 

Pink eyelashes for Laura Siegel

Caveman breads for Cara Cheung

Bright eyes for S/S 2013!

Chloe Comme Parris prep braids for big curly hair 

Aveda products! love this stuff.

Chloe and I being shits. As usual.

Model of Laura Siegel 

Last minute pre-runway huddle before Laura Siegel show

6 stylists for 1 model backstage at Label

Dark eyes for Sid Neigum

MAC makeup backstage 

Nylon caps and dark eyes for Sid Neigum

Charcuterie table for all those hungry fashion people. I think I survived on almonds... Damn you vege-unfriendly people

Model after Cara Cheung show with her fashion dog Ella.

Paragon by WOUDENBERG - Nyood launch party

A few weeks ago I was invited to Emily Woudenberg's super exclusive pre-Fashion Week launch party at Nyood Restaurant's (soo good.. I went with my parents and Foodspotted the shit out of my meal) super sexy upstairs lounge on Queen West. The Toronto-based jewelry designer had the whole place set up as an exhibit to showcase her new Art Deco-inspired S/S 2013 jewelry line, Paragon.

The pieces were great. They kept the brand's androgynous style, with all the industrial metals and materials like copper, rope, metal studs, leather, etc, but the use of opaline stone (which has this crazy gasoline-like colour changing ability) gave the spring/summer collection an aspect of glamour and luxury.

Photo: Sylwia Bobryk

I reviewed Emily's F/W 2012 collection, SLAB, last season for Dress to KILL magazine, so I know a little bit about her work. Much like SLAB, Paragon is inspired by architecture and industrial materials. Both collections feature chunky pendents and beads paired with metals and/or leather, but this new collection is far less monochromatic. The use of opaline stone (a freaking chameleon rock...I swear to god, the colour changes before your eyes.) instead of grey concrete as the staple element of the collection is what makes it such an amazing line of summer statement jewelry. Even though Paragon is brighter and flashier than SLAB, the collection still has that raw grunge-edge. It's really something else.

Photo: Elayne
(SEE! the colour changes! The pendents are yellow here not blue like in the other photo! crazy stuff!!)

For more info on Emily's newest pieces you can read the profile I wrote for Dress to KILL magazine. ENJOY!