Don't Be Out-Dated

Four Looks to Love on Date Night

With another weekend just around the corner, you can almost feel the love in the air. Whether you have someone special to spend this upcoming Friday night with or you and your girlfriends are embracing your single status, we’ve got the perfect looks for all your Date Night needs. The key to the perfect date outfit is confidence – find pieces that you love, like your go-to blazer or that new clutch you’ve been eyeing and wear them with swagger! For your night out, don’t fear the cliché of wearing red or black, they shouldn’t be overlooked – delve into these hues as well as your floral prints! It may seem like a daunting task to find an outfit that both wow’s your date and satisfies your inner-fashionista; however, these four looks are guaranteed to stun any mirror or date!

Look 1: Flowers and Dinner

If you and your special someone are stepping out for dinner, bring your own flowers to the date with a pair of floral-printed trousers! Keep it simple on top with a crisp off-white blazer while adding some edge with a metal box clutch and black ankle boots. And if there is a 4-letter word that you’ve been meaning to say, let a ‘love’ necklace say it for you!

Look 2: All the Single Ladies

For all you single ladies, celebrate your weekend lovin’ for your girlfriends in a LRD (little red dress)! Although any shade of red will make you stand out in a sea of LBDs (little black dresses), take it further with oxblood red. The color is on trend this season, and the deep hue is extremely flattering for all body types. It may just catch the eye of that cute bartender! Let’s cheers to that!

Look 3: Wrap It Up

For a late night rendezvous for drinks or dancing, you can definitely step up the wow factor! Accentuate your assets (literally!) with a backless dress, which provides the perfect amount of sex appeal. A zippered detail up the back instantly ties you up like a present ready to be unwrapped (or unzipped!). With a statement dress, you can take it easy on the accessories – style it up with a platform heel and accessorize the entire outfit with your killer confidence and you’ll be ready for a night on the town!

Look 4: Clothing Optional

With the endless movie choices on Netflix, there are just some Friday nights where it seems impossible to leave the house. Snuggle up to your boyfriend in matching sweats or show off your legs to that cute pizza boy in cut-off boy shorts. The key here is comfort—comfort food, comfort films and comfort clothes!

Whether you are dressing up or dressing down, stay true to your personal style. Take these date night outfits and add your own flare with your favorite accessories and hairstyle; don’t forget your confidence at home—these are looks you’ll want to rock on your night out.

In With The Old

In With the Old

The Quickest Ways to Get Yourself Out of Those Cold Weather Blues, Without Breaking the Bank

                Every time a new season rolls around, we find that we must completely reinvent ourselves, usually through our wardrobes.  As the weather changes, so does our weight, attitude, and of course, the clothing we want to wear. Each new day brings a new struggle, that of finding something to wear while dealing with the weather, and also continuing to look like the fashionable young female or male we want to present ourselves as.

The First Cut is the Deepest

                The first cut is finally saying goodbye to all the cute dresses and lightweight fabrics you have been wearing all summer. Next comes the tough part. You will be bringing out all of the heavy sweaters, pants, and boots. Although many people enjoy the fall weather, we barely see these days as the “sweater” weather season. Finally, as you are coming to realize that the nice weather is gone for good, you bring all the heavyweight clothes out of retirement.

To Buy or Not to Buy?

                That is the ultimate question as each new season rolls around. As the weather changes, so do the stores, along with the beautiful new merchandise they are carrying for the season. As somewhat of a shopaholic myself, it becomes so difficult to say no to all the new displays, fabrics, and apparel. However, indulging in the hot new items may not always be the best case. As we have been seeing over recent years, vintage or do-it-yourself may be a better route to take. There are no problems with buying staple new items for the new season, but  instead of completely ignoring what is in your closet from previous seasons, why not use them to your advantage?

DIY Diva

                Taking some of your favourite old seasoned items from your closet and spicing them up to fit the current trends at hand could be one of the most unique and rewarding experiences for a person.  Did I mention that it will become a one-of-a-kind piece? Among DIY, there is also the suggestion of vintage or thrift shopping. Without breaking the bank, these are two of the best ways to stay on trend for the season while you continue to update your own wardrobe. Just by walking around downtown Toronto, you can find many vintage thrift shops, as well as stores such as Goodwill, or Talize; this is a great place to start. There is no need to break the bank each time a new season rolls around. Splurging on key pieces may never stop, but it will make it so much more worthwhile when you are able to stay stylish, up to date on trends, and unique, all while saving a few dollars.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

                Reusing clothing from previous seasons, recycling used clothing from other people, and putting a new twist to your old clothes are all ways that can reduce the impact on the environment, and the strain on our wallets. Recycling and giving older clothing new life will not only give you a chance at that DIY project you saw on Pinterest, but it will also lead you to some vintage treasures you would have never come across before. So, before you pull out your wallet full of credit cards to splurge on the hottest new items, think about what you have at home, and what new masterpieces you can create yourself out of these old items.

Say Yes To That Vintage Dress

We’re letting you in on where to find the perfect vintage dress in Toronto for your special day. We’ve narrowed it down to three top vintage boutiques that have the best selections to “WOW” you.

The Cat’s Meow

                  Topping the list, this little gem is located slightly off the beaten path- but boy is it worth the trip. This is no Kensington market vintage scavenger store. Here you will find a wide selection of wedding dresses - and unlike Kensington you will not just find one diamond in the rough. Here you will fall in love with every single dress you see. Each piece has a unique and distinctive quality unlike any modern wedding dress. From hand beaded 60’s couture cocktail numbers, to 1950’s silk chiffon “fit n’ flares” (see iconic Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch). However, if vintage is not your thing, that’s OK. Owner Louise Cooper also accepts modern high-end pieces for consignment! You can walk down the aisle in a classic white Marchesa gown with a crystal studded Bow detail bust, and a layered, flower petal- like train (for a fraction of the price might I add). By no means is The Cat’s Meow affordable for the average Joe, but everything is priced very fairly for what you are getting.

Divine Decadence

                  Located in the heart of Yorkville, Carmelita Blondet’s vintage couture boutique feels like more of a museum than a store. She has the largest selection of dresses dating from the early 1900’s to the 1930’s in all of Toronto. Which, as you can imagine, is very impressive considering these dresses are getting harder and harder to find. You can definitely check “something borrowed” off of your list by wearing a spectacularly preserved, 1920’s silk gauze gown adorned in lace. However, if you’re looking for something cheeky, you could try 1970’s, cocktail length, raw silk Pacco Robanne covered in small mother-of-pearl flowers starting from the neckline, cascading down to the hem.  Still missing something but cant put your finger on what it is? We will bet its something blue. Not to worry, Divine Decadence has that covered too. Carmelita has a beautiful selection of 1950’s Swarovski crystal jewelry- and she always keeps an eye out for the blues- a bridal favorite. As lovely a place as Yorkville is to shop, to pay rent for a store in such an upscale area must cost pretty penny. This is unfortunately reflected in the prices at Divine Decadence. The special ones don’t come cheap here. Vintage wedding gowns can run you as much as $5,000! But, if you have the budget, this shop is definitely worth a splurge! After all, you only get married once! Hopefully…      

Cabaret

                  Cabaret vintage is located on the ultra-trendy Queen Street West. Owner Tao Drayton grew up around vintage, gaining an extensive knowledge of 1920’s to 1970’s fashion from his father whom he inherited the store from. Unlike Divine Decadence and The Cat’s Meow, Cabaret offers men’s vintage suits. If you dream of your man looking like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (we sure do), this is probably the place to recommend for him! If carrying men’s suits is not convincing you to make Cabaret a stop on your dress hunt, the fact that Cabaret makes modern replicas of their vintage frocks should! Shopping at Cabaret, you don’t have to fret if the dress you fall in love with is a size zero and you’re an eight. As long as you get there early enough (it can take around six weeks for a replica to be completed) you can find the vintage dress you love and have a modern version specially made for you. Okay, so it wont be authentic vintage- but will anyone really be able to tell? The seasoned veterans at Cabaret create replicas that can stump even the vintage pros. Vintage prices at Cabaret are the most affordable of the three shops on our list. Here you can find the dress of your dreams for as little as $300. 

Blogger Bliss

Blogger Bliss

The 4 bloggers you need to know to keep you up to date and ahead of the trends.

Eye Candy

If you are unfamiliar with the works of Tommy Ton then listen up. His pictures are the Alexander McQueen shows of photography; they’re works of art. He’s often found quietly scanning the scene of every major fashion week capturing the street styles they evoke. What sets him apart from other photographers is his focus on details rather than the person themselves. He’s a regular contributor to style.com and GQ as well as a variety of top fashion magazine. Oh, and did I mention he also attended George Brown?  Take a look through his lens at www.jakandjil.com.

Happy Go Wacky

There are fashion leaders and then there is Susanna Lau aka Susie Bubble. Based in London, UK, Bubble is known for her quirky fashion sense, full of colours, patterns, and textures topped off with her signature round sunglasses.  Her blog is a hub for up and coming young designers complimented by informational fashion videos and posts dedicated to personal reflection.  Her eclectic style can be felt throughout all sections of her blog from the crayon colour choices to the odd background design that looks like something a 3 year old might draw. If ever there was a fashion oracle its name would be Susie Bubble. For a look at the next Karl Lagerfeld, go to http://www.stylebubble.co.uk/.

Parisian Chic

Although she no longer calls France home, Garance Dore embodies all that is the French woman, elegant, classic, and that oh so sexy accent. Once known for being the partner of Scott Shuman, The Sartorialist, Garance shines brightly on her own. Follow her search for her passion in the about section takes you on a five part series detailing adventures of being a windsurfing instructor, illustrator, photographer and now blogger. There is an immediate sense of femininity as she incorporates her own hand writing into the fonts and showcases her illustrations accented with watercolours. With these personal touches, the flow of her blog is very intimate and makes you feel as though you are spying on her with permission.

She allows you all access of exclusive interviews with fashion leaders, celebrities and socialites. When not interviewing for her blog she’s photographing. This girl is everywhere, sure she’s at the fashion weeks but she’s also at Cannes, gallery exhibits and opening nights at the opera. Get a peek at her next adventure at http://www.garancedore.fr/en.

Walk Like A Man

If I were to ask you who Leandra Medine was would you know? Not many do, however, most are familiar with her blogger name, The Man Repeller. For those of you still wondering who and what a Man Repeller is, Leandra puts is as “outfitting oneself in a sartorially offensive mode that may result in repelling members of the opposite sex. Such garments include but are not limited to harem pants, boyfriend jeans, overalls, shoulder pads, full length jumpsuits, jewelry that resembles violent weaponry and clogs.” Add the latest luxury heels and an arm full of Dannijo bracelets to the above description to complete most of her posted outfits.

When not repelling men through posts of selfies, she has her readers in stitches with her quick wit and unrivaled ability to make fun of herself. She also prides herself on asking the hard hitting questions such as “How do people in fashion keep their coats on their shoulders?” Just like on the bathroom wall, for a good time visit ww.manrepeller.com.

Don't Break The Bank This Winter!

Don't Break The Bank This Winter

Holiday gift ideas from one fashionista to another, on a student budget!

As the cold weather sets in and the holidays draw near, we grab our knitted sweaters and cozy up to the special people in our lives. It is during this time when we realize just how many people we love…and just how many gifts we need to buy. Relax! Here are holiday gift ideas for everyone special in your life, without breaking the bank.

For your BFF’s

Your friends are present for most of your best, worst, and embarrassing moments. What betterway to thank them than with jewellery? The Marc Jacobs “Heart Slider Necklace” with Marc Jacobs hang tag will definitely show them your love, and the best part is it’s only $12.00 on www.marcjacobs.com. Go super easy on your wallet, and let them think you splurged.

 For Mom

The most important woman in your life deserves to know how much you appreciate her heart of gold. So, let her know with a Kate Spade engraved “Heart of Gold” idiom bracelet. This delicate gold bracelet will make her smile, and the fact that it’s only $32.00 doesn’t hurt.

For Dad

Let’s face it, he doesn’t need another tie. Get nifty this year and sup-up his gadget collection. The USB rechargeable travel shaver is the same size as a smart phone and can be charged through a USB port. It is $29.99 on Shavetech.com.

For your Sister

You know her better than anyone, so get her a customized present. Victoria’s Secret has a line of “Beauty Rush” products that consists of different styles of lip gloss, mascara, nail polish and eyeliner. Mix and match any four of these products for $20. Throw them in a cute bag with a bow and you have a mini makeup set specialized for her.

For your Brother

He will most likely use this gift to embarrass you at family functions, but he’ll enjoy it. The “Propel Sky Writer Scrolling Message Helicopter” is a mini remote controlled helicopter that lets you program messages that appear on the screen as it flies around the room, in his control. Annoying? Yes! Fun for your brother? Yes! Plus it’s only $30.00 at The Source.