runaway love: Mesh

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.

Pink Tartan- red satin cigarette pants
torontolife.com

zara cigarette trousers in red
zara.com

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

The Row- Black leather pants
net-a-porter.com

Joe Fresh - neon green leather pants
torontolife.com

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.

Elizabeth and James - chiffon blouse in taupe
net-a-porter.com

Pink Tartan- red mesh button-up blouse
torontosun.com

Maje- silk and chiffon blouse in white
net-a-porter.com

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)

Sandro- white shift dress
net-a-porter.com

Zara - yellow mod dress
zara.com

DKNY- red sleeveless shift dress
net-a-porter.com

H&M- black sequin shift
hm.com

Hair:

1. Long hair, natural-coloured. The middle part is still going strong

Pink Tartan
torontolife.com

2. Messy low pony tail

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.

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!)

Steve Madden- black wedge bootie
stevemadden.com

Theyskens' Theory- Black leather wedges with white panel and ankle strap
net-a-porter.com

TFW S/S12 Day 5: Denis Gagnon- the big finale, Montreal-style (artsy and ridiculous)

When Montreal designer Denis Gagnon marched into the backstage dressing area in a storm of "câlice" and "tabarnac", I felt right at home. Wearing his signature oversized black glasses, he pushed rolling racks and curtains out of the way in a fit of Montreal-style impatience and stress ( think Quebec drivers if you don't get what I mean) all the while scaring the living shiz out of the timid Toronto volunteers. His collection this season showed a lot of edgy pieces, but that comes as no surprise, the man's job is to prove his edginess.

the man and his glasses...

The collection, entitled Denis in the Garden!, is his take on spring time cuteness and garden parties. Much like his collection last years, Gagnon played with the idea of a man's suit. The pieces were all very masculine - black and white tux pieces, black mesh shirts with white tux-fronts and cuffs, tailored blazers and trousers - but with a feminine flare.

black mesh tux shirt with white pleats and cuffs

Another idea he worked off of, other then the "tux", was the floral suit. He used a great floral pattern on black fabric for several jacket and pant suits in the collection. The pattern went really well with his "in the garden" theme and gave the audience something new to think about for spring and summer. He was the only one, if I'm not mistaken, to show wallpaper patterns during Toronto Fashion week for next year. The floral trend was huge in New York and Paris, with designers like Miu Miu and Givenchy sending out models in what looked like their gramma's chopped up curtains.

right- floral trousers, left- patchwork suit

the show-stopper-- the floral blazer and trousers

Anyway I love the patterned suit, the mesh man-tux shirt, and the great little white and black oxford shoes. I didn't love, however, the 20 minute artsy and superbly lame intro video. How Montreal do you have to be to start your runway show with a ridiculous video of models running around a forest in slow-motion? Not only was the video never-ending, Gagnon made sure his freaking glasses had at least 10 minutes of screen time... not impressed.

frontal satin pleats - the 'tux' look

TFW S/S12 Day 5: David Dixon- black and white classics with a hint of yellow

The David Dixon show was packed. Canadian fashion people flooded the runway room as soon as security opened the doors. Among them were Fashion Television's Jeanne Beker, and former model and judge on Canada's Next Top Model, Stacey Mckenzie. The collection was feminine to say the least. Dixon showed mostly black and white, but threw in a bit of yellow to give his otherwise monochromatic collection a bit of spring colour. There was a big emphasis on female curves, with form fitted satin pencil skirts in both black and white (all below the knee), and several black evening dresses. Dixon also showed black lace and mesh button-ups (in black and white). The yellow accents came in the form of a sheath dress with plugging back, and below-the-knee laser-cut skirts. The one piece that really stood out to me was a white pencil skirt with black panels. It's a new take on the always popular pencil shirt.