All posts under ‘Style Panel’

Monochrome for spring: 19 Style Panel tips for wearing the same shade from head to toe

By | April 23rd, 2013 | 4:30 pm

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monochrome style panel

With spring in the air (fingers crossed), we can finally take out those pastel colours and floral prints that have been itching to come out of our closets to bask in the sun.

Trending since last fall, monochromatic tones were seen both on the runway like the cozy furry collection of Alexander Wang’s Fall 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection or on street style favourite, Miroslava Duma in her all white ensemble. Transitioning to spring, could we bring this monochrome trend into warmer season or are we already nostalgic for the colder days? Not just yet!

With some designers already showing off their take on the monochromatic look with primary colours in their Spring 2013 collections, we decided to turn to our Style Panel for a second opinion on what they have to say about the spring monochromatic look and how they plan to work this look this season.

Avoiding the black-on-black ensemble, many Style Panel members played with cooler colours for the spring season as their choice for their monochromatic look. While Mo Handahu from Lion Hunter and Melissa Knight from Miss Melissa chose cobalt blue for a brighter and bolder look, Gabrielle Lacasse from Dentelle + Fleurs experimented with different shades of mint for a fresh spring appearance. Utilizing different patterns, prints, and textures, these girls definitely know how to put together a chic monochromatic outfit for this spring season!

Question 48: What are the best ways to pull off the monochrome look? Read the answers now! »

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Get ready for spring! 18 Style Panel tips for transitioning your winter wardrobe for warmer weather

By | April 16th, 2013 | 12:00 pm

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Get Ready for Spring

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! »

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The latest sunglasses trends: 10 Style Panel tips for balancing your favourite new pair with the rest of your outfit

By | April 9th, 2013 | 3:00 pm

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sunglasses trends style panel

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.
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Denim’s latest trends: 13 Style Panel tips to wearing prints, wax, neon and more

By | April 2nd, 2013 | 1:00 pm

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Denim Trends Style Panel

If we haven’t made it clear, we love denim. Aside from its epic wearability, the material keeps revamping itself each season, fueling our obsession with new prints, washes and construction. On the Spring 2013 runways, we saw denim take on especially creative forms—from the pearl trimmed denim tube dress at Chanel to the denim jumpsuit worn open over a crop top at Rebecca Taylor. In stores we’ve spotted new patterns, waxing on jeans and the closet staple: denim cutoffs. No matter how you feel about jean, it’s about time to embrace the look. It’s a forever thing.

We’ve previously asked our Style Panel to show us how to dress up our jeans and how to refresh a tired piece that is hanging in our closet, but now they are back again to tell us how to make denim new again for Spring.
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Finding the best colours for your skin tone: Our Style Panel weighs in with 14 ways to dress for your shade

By | March 19th, 2013 | 11:30 am

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Best colours for skin tone Style Panel

For those who gravitate towards neutrals time and time again, embracing colours can be quite the challenge. Greys, blacks and whites are safe choices but for Spring 2013, clothing is coming up colourful and we’re ready to get risky with bright pieces.

Selecting the best colour for your skin tone can be a challenge and a variety shades must be tried and tested before finding the right palette that not only flatters your skin but is also on trend for the season. For Spring 2013, colours were bright and many designers opted to show primary tones like at Michael Kors and Stella McCartney.

Because we’re all about embracing the trends as they come, we asked our Style Panel contributors to help us out with how they found the best colour for their skin tones and their favourite ways to toss some bright pops into their outfits. Boy, can they do wearing colours justice.
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Investment pieces: Our Style Panel weighs in with 14 best fashion bets for the season

By | March 5th, 2013 | 1:30 pm

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Investment Pieces Style Panel

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
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Reclaiming 1990s fashion: 13 Style Panel tips for adapting the It decade’s styles for today

By | February 26th, 2013 | 3:00 pm

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1990s Fashion Style Panel

For style-minded Gen X and Yers, the resurgence of 1990s fashion on the Spring 2013 runways is cause for celebration. Our minds are full of fond memories—Blossom hats, grunge plaids and 90210-branded T-shirts are just a few that come to mind—what could be better than so many modern re-iterations from the likes of Dries Van Noten, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Rochas to sartorially relive with? And while this season’s fresh crop of wears offers many takes on classic 1990s style (ahem, DKNY and Opening Ceremony have an especially awesome offering), adapting 1990s fashion for today can be challenging if you don’t want to look like you’ve just stepped out of the thrift bin.

We set our Style Panel members on this mission, asking them to share tips for wearing 1990s fashion today. Some ripped references right out of their TV memories (Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Saved by the Bell were popular touch points), whereas others riffed on ‘90s icons like Kurt Cobain, Shannon Doherty and Courtney Love.

The Style Mogul’s Christina Cravero kept her look modern but added ‘90s elements-mirrored sunglasses and a graphic T-shirt. A Fashion Love Affair’s Cara McLeay re-purposed her envy-inducing vintage DKNY varsity jacket into a dressy look, pairing the jacket with heels and a chic party dress. 1990s fashion inspiration works with just a few elements, or going head-to-toe, as Barbara Ann Solomon did, with her crop top, gingham shirt/skirt, chunky gold jewellery and buckled sandals. New panellist, Canadian Fashionista’s Amber Desilets added a toughness with her studded lace up boots and chunky gold jewellery.

Question 40: What are your favourite ways to wear and update 1990s fashion? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: ALEXANDRA NIKOLAJEV, TORONTO | ALYSSA LAU, EDMONTON | AMBER DESILETS, LONDON | BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDERICTON | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | SANDY JO KARPETZ, EDMONTON | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA | VICKIE LALIOTIS, EDMONTON
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How to wear pajama pants: 11 Style Panel tips for taking sleepwear trend out of bed and onto the streets

By | February 5th, 2013 | 12:30 pm

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How to wear pajama pants

After Stella McCartney and Diane von Furstenberg showed loose fitting, printed pajama-style pants on their respective runways for Spring 2012, the trend cemented itself for seasons to come. Since, everyone from Tommy Hilfiger to Dries Van Noten have shown the look. on the streets, J Crew creative director Jenna Lyons and Rihanna have both made wearing the trend look effortless. But while pajama dressing sure is trendy, it may not surprise you to hear that its not as simple as leaving the house in the same outfit you slept in.

Style, fit and fabric are all things that we need to consider when deciding how to wear pajama pants. You want the look to be flattering and streamlined, which can often be the antithesis of the way pajama pants are made. Same goes for loose fitting pajama blouses.

This week we challenged our Style Panel to show off how to wear pajama pants and share their tips. Curvy Geekery’s Mo Handahu swore that she would never try this trend, but looks amazing in her matching blouse and pants that fit her perfectly. This trend is all about fit! Inherited Jeans’ Stephanie Koch went casual with her styling and added a leather jacket, smoking slippers and a lace t-shirt to her silk track pants.

Question 37: Pajama dressing is one of the hardest trends to adapt for everyday. What’s your advice on how to wear pajama pants? Read the answers now! »

Or jump to: BARBARA ANN SOLOMON, TORONTO | CARA MCLEAY, VANCOUVER | CHRISTINA CRAVERO, TORONTO | JACQUELYN SON, VANCOUVER |KAYLA SHORT, HALIFAX | KD FAUSTINO, CALGARY | KRISTIN MACDONALD, FREDRICTON | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | KRYSTIN LEE, TORONTO | MELANIE MORAIS, EDSON | MO HANDAHU, HALIFAX | STEPHANIE KOCH, KELOWNA
Read more »

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