April, 2011 | Style Blog | Toronto Fashion and Lifestyle Blog

Princess Bride

With all of this Royal Wedding hoopla, I was starting to feel like that girl in the photo above – enough already! But this morning, when I woke up to a flurry of Royal Tweets, I felt strangely intrigued. On my couch, in my pjs, I watched as Kate, in her custom-made wedding gown by Sarah Burton (of McQueen, of course), and Wills, in his Disney-prince ~~costume~~ uniform made their way to the Buckingham Palace in their fairy-tale carriage – Prince and Princess, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Real-life fairy-tale unfolding in front of our eyes.

And even though ~~Kate~~ Catherine is not necessarily a style icon in my books, I think she looked elegant, poised, and regal on her wedding day…not to mention glowing and so very beautiful. Isn’t it crazy how calm and composed she looked throughout the whole thing, considering how many people got to witness (and scrutinize) every detail of her transformation into Princess William of Wales? Me, I would probably trip on my train, sweat profusely while walking down the isle, flub my lines, and as a grand finale, I would throw up all over the priest. Not everyone is born to be a princess.

Did you wake up extra early today? Stay up all night? Or tried to avoid the craziness that is the Royal Wedding? What was your favorite moment? What did you think of the dress? Dish all about it in the comments.

Photo Credits: Getty Images

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Style Blog, April 29th 2011 | Tags: Events, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Royal Wedding, Weddings
Posted in Celebrity Fashion, Events, Fashion

Aldo x Flare “Bish” Shoe Preview

Everyone has that one perfect pair of shoes that they wish they had in their closet. Be it a sublime stiletto pump, or a chunky flat platform, finding a perfect shoe can be quite challenging. Not so for Liz Cabral. The uber-stylish Fashion Director of Flare Magazine partnered up with Aldo Shoes for one kick-ass Canadian collaboration – her very own perfect pair of summer shoes.

Last Wednesday, I was very lucky to be one of the first few to actually look at their labour of love up close and personal, as well as try them on, and…gasp…buy them before they hit the shelves the next day! Did I jump at the chance? You bet your Loubies I did!

Aesthetically, the Aldo x Flare style“takes spring’s hottest trends in stride. With naturally sexy python, the sleekest wedge and a flash of fluoro orange, it’s a brilliantly of-the-now shoe for style whizzes like you!” And though I was really digging the high-impact citrus hue, and the python detailing, it’s the comfort factor that really sold me on it. The “Bish” shoe is super lightweight, while the leather cords provide enough support to avoid the foot from slipping and sliding, without cutting into my skin – perfect for the office, and power-lunch-shopping.

Another cool thing about the collab is that it’s available in very limited quantities. Though I have a sneaking suspicion that we’ll be seeing quite a few shoe-offs in Toronto this summer.

I am really loving these Canadian collabs, be it Aldo x Flare, or Aldo x Greta Constantine (which sadly weren’t mass-produced), or Danier x Mark Fast – here’s hoping to see many more!

Will you be buying the very first Aldo x Flare shoe? Or are you holding out for another collab? Share in the comments.

Photo Credits: Photo #2 by Anita Clarke (I want – I got); all other photos property of Style Blog

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Style Blog, April 28th 2011 | Tags: Aldo, Aldo x Flare, Canadian, Events, Flare, magazines, Shoes, Shopping, Toronto
Posted in Events, Fashion, Shopping

When Tommy Met Anna: Anna Dello Russo and Tommy Ton at The Room

With such industry boldface names as Jeanne Beker, Liz Cabral of Flare, The Room’s Nicholas Melamphy, socialite Suzanne Rogers, Shinan Govani of the National Post, designers Jenny Bird and Sunny Fong, and many others, partying alongside Vogue Japan’s Anna Dello Russo and Toronto’s own (via Oakville), Tommy Ton at the “When Tommy Met Anna” exhibit gala - The Bay was the place to be last Wednesday night!

Dello Russo, who reportedly changed 6-7 times throughout the day, wore a variety of outfits by designers available at The Room – from the artful Mary Katrantzou dress and skirt, to the girly bandaid frock by Giles, to the elegant Erdem shift (with a feather coat by Wayne Clarkfor some added drama, of course)…Anna was once again a one-woman fashion show - surrounded by giddy fashion lovers and photographed all night long. Other pieces seen on Dello Russo were shoes by Charlotte Olympia, Alaia and Brian Atwood, dresses by Wu, Prabal Gurung, and Giambattista Valli…safe to say – eye candy galore! Toronto’s stylish set, agonized over WHAT TO WEAR for weeks prior, also did not disappoint in their best à la Anna attire – making it one of the best parties to people watch in a while.

The next day, Dello Russo, sporting a custom-made HBC Canoe on her head (Mr. Canoehead, anyone?), and Ton with golden eggs on his noggin, came back to The Room to sign autographs, shake hands, and ~~kiss babies~~ pose for photos with eager fans - the final hurrah of ADR’s first whirlwind visit to her “guru’s” home country, and an event that will surely be discussed for weeks to come.

If you missed your opportunity to meet the street style icon in person, you can still check out the showcase of Tommy Ton’s best ADR photos at The Room, which runs until this Friday, April 29th. We will also be giving away an Anna Dello Russo paper doll by Danielle Meder very soon. Stay tuned!

More photos after the jump!

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Style Blog, April 26th 2011 | Tags: Anna Dello Russo, Ben Barry, Events, Jenny Bird, Nicholas Melamphy, Organic Style, Sarah Nicole Prickett, Shinan Govani, Street Style, Sunny Fong, The Bay, The Room, Tommy Ton, Toronto, When Tommy Met Anna
Posted in Events, Fashion, Organic Style

Foodie: The Slow Room

The Slow Room

874 College St

Toronto, ON

Foamy macchiatos, yummy muffins, truffle oil pizzettes, and Saturday-only Porchetta sandwiches are only a few reasons why you must visit The Slow Room…and I am kicking myself for not finding it sooner.

As most awesome discoveries, my intro to The Slow Roomwas purely coincidental. Having to kill 30 mins waiting for Phil’s BBQ to open for dinner, le boyfriend and I found ourselves hiding from the rain, deciding to run up to the nearby Starbucks, then passing by The Slow Room, and running in to give it a try instead.

Not a huge lover of muffins, I ordered the Nutella-Banana one on a whim, and it was seriously THE best muffin I’ve tried in my entire life – creamy, chocolatey, and banana-y…more like a cupcake with no frosting than a muffin. Le boyfriend’s Lemon-Ricotta was equally delicious. And the best part is – they are made in-house! Our coffees were pretty amazing too. My macchiatto was smooth and foamy, without the too-bitter taste, and complimented my chocolatey muffin incredibly well.

Another thing that The Slow Room has going for it, is the staff, which is very friendly. As we were finishing our coffees, two plates were brought to us – pizzas, on the house! It was almost closing time, and they didn’t want the food to go to waste. This is definitely the kind of an inviting neighbourhood spot anyone would want to live near.

I’ve already planned my next visit…and it won’t be for quick pre-meal coffees (a little backwards, I know). Next time I’m trying their Eggplant Meat(less) Ball Sandwich…with a Nutella-Banana muffin for desert. My mouth is watering already.

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Style Blog, April 25th 2011 | Tags: Foodie, Restaurants, The Slow Room, Toronto
Posted in Foodie

The Bay Spring 2011 Trend Report with Suzanne Timmins

I loved (Erdem-clad head-to-toe) Suzanne Timmins’ Spring 2011 Trend Report presentation at The Bay earlier this month! Absolutely loved it! It’s not that I necessarily learned anything new, seeing how Spring 2011 shows are now ancient history (in fashion time, that is), but it was definitely a nice (and well-styled) refresher, as well as a shopping motivation (which I suppose is the point) for the sun-deprived to get their butts into the Spring/Summer mood.

The main trends presented were: Hyper Color (my fave), Riviera Redux (second fave), Modernist, and Pretty Hip, with models showcasing the goods from the various Bay departments and brands that were both on trend, and oftentimes very affordable.

As mentioned, Hyper Color was my favorite trend presented, because bright clothes and makeup make me a happier person, no matter the weather. I am definitely planning to rock some color-blocking and a Barbie-pink lip this summer. You watch. And seeing how wild the crowd went for the below hot-pink DKNY dress (under $100!), I am thinking I won’t be the only one.

And I know I’ve been saying this for a while now, but once again, we were shown that the new Bay is no longer a boring old-school department store. With contemporary brands inside their White Space (Rachel Roy, Love Moschino, BCBG, Theory, etc.), high-end ones at The Room (Proenza Schouler, Brian Atwood, VAWK, etc.), and shoes galore both on the 2nd and 3rd floors – there’s definitely something for everyone – with discounts and helpful staff to boot. If you’re still in doubt…go ahead and check out their Spring 2011 selection – I know you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and dibs on that cream lace dress!

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Style Blog, April 25th 2011 | Tags: DKNY, Shopping, Spring 2011, Suzanne Timmins, The Bay, The Room, Trends
Posted in Fashion, Shopping, Trends

Giveaway: My Mom, Style Icon

When this book landed in my mailbox, I couldn’t put it down. Looking through some old-school photos of other people’s stylish moms, reading their stories, made me go right back to my own family photo album. My mom has a few photos that I really love to look at…especially from the 80′s, with her short black hair, high-waisted jeans, and cool sweaters - in those snapshots, she is the epitome of 80′s style – young, cool and not at all mommy-like. Makes me wish I had more photos of her from those days.

“Moms are people, too…fashionable people! Before we came along to yank on their skirts, they showed leg, sported killer bangs, and flaunted bikinis. Some even wore feathers and halter tops and drove around on motorcycles. Was their style shocking? Yes. Covetable? Absolutely. Based on Piper Weiss’s hugely popular blog of the same name, this book features 200 color photographs from decades past of moms showing us how it’s done. A perfect gift for mothers, daughters, and style mavens, My Mom, Style Icon is an entertaining celebration of the very first—and most important—style icon in a young woman’s life.”

If you’d like to win a copy of this book (right in time for Mother’s Day), here’s what you need to do:

1. Leave a comment, telling me what you love about your mom’s style

2. For extra entries, RT the following “@styleblogca I’d love to win a copy of “My Mom, Style Icon” #mymomstyleicon! http://styleblog.ca/?p=9746”

3. You don’t have to be a follower, but it’s always appreciated

4. This giveaway is open to everyone!

5. C’est tout

~~This giveaway closes on Sunday, May 1st at 11:59pm (EST). Good luck!~~ And the winner is…drumroll…textstyles! Congrats, and thanks for entering! Please email me your address, and we’ll ship you the book! Another contest is coming very soon, so stay tuned.

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Style Blog, April 25th 2011 | Tags: books, Contests, Freebies, Gifts, Giveaways, Mother's Day, My Mom Style Icon, Raincoast Books
Posted in Fashion, Freebies

Levi’s Fall 2011 Preview

Earlier this month, Levi’s team held a preview of their Fall 2011 collection at the Thrush Holmes Gallery in Toronto. As an avid Levi’s lover, I was really excited to see what’s to come in the fall. 5 distinct lines were shown:

Water<Less: Making jeans, and creating various washes of jeans is very water-consuming. Levi’s Water<Less jeans reduce water usage by an average of 28% per pair and up to 96% for some styles. Another cool thing about the Water<Less collection is that t-shirts and other articles of clothing are dyed with water which was used in creating the denim! Now that’s what I call multi-tasking.

Curve ID: You already know that I am a huge Curve ID convert, and for Fall 2011, the selection of Curve ID jeans is better than ever, with cool zip detailing, more silhouettes, and great new washes.

Commuter: The Commuter collection was hands down one of the coolest I have seen in a while. Designed for a downtown commuter, pieces from this collection are as comfortable as they are innovative, with large jacket pockets, 3M reflectivity, some are even water resistant, dirt repellant, and…wait for it…offer sanitized brand technology. A denim jacket that repels bacteria and can hold a u-lock? Pretty amazing!

Flare: The original flare was born in 1969 as part of Levi’s For Gals line, and for Fall 2011, the company is re-introducing the popular silhouette. The orange tab on the back pocket indicates a retro style brought back from the archives. Definitely on my must-buy list for fall.

Taper: For guys, the fall silhouette has an extended rise and a slim, tailored leg, offered in both denim and non-denim fabrics.

My favorite pieces from the lines included a cool denim tunic, retro flares, and the navajo-printed tops, which I could actually use right about now - too bad I’ll have to wait until fall to get my hands on them.

More after the jump!

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Style Blog, April 24th 2011 | Tags: Curve ID, Fall 2011, Levi's, Shopping, Thrush Holmes Gallery, Trends
Posted in Fashion, Shopping

Wishilist: Banana-nails

My morning today was the opposite of good. Had to drag my butt out of bed extra early, so that I could stand in line for over an hour at some Civic Court, in order to set a trial date for my traffic infraction. Buckets of fun, right? Not!

Well, at least something made me smile this morning – these Prada Spring 2011-inspired nail designs by WAH Nails. What at first seemed like a pretty complex thing to do, turns out is super easy to recreate! All you need is: yellow nail polish, nail art pens in black and white, and a shiny top coat – c’est tout. If only getting Gwen Stefani’s “B-A-N-A-N-A-S” song out of my head was this easy.

Photo Credits: Prada, WAH Nails

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Style Blog, April 19th 2011 | Tags: Art, Beauty, DIY, Nails, Prada, Spring 2011, WAH Nails
Posted in Art, Beauty, Fashion

Banana Republic Spring 2011 Signature Dress Collection

Can you believe the weather these last few days??? Rain, flurries, wet snow, and some more rain and snow on top of that…Can hardly tell whether it’s April or December! Thank goodness, the Banana Republic lovelies invited us to take a look at their Spring 2011 Signature Dress collection – inducing dreams of warm summer days, outdoor weddings, and garden parties.

This season’s dress collection offers more than 70 dress styles priced from $85 to $370, “ranging from black-tie to evening wear to stylish knit maxi dresses that take you from beach to chic”. Among my favorite styles, were the lovely floral dresses (both maxi and midi), and one super chic white lace shift – perfect for the office, yet dressy enough for a night out on the town. According to Simon Kneen, Creative Director of Banana Republic: “The collection was designed with the greatest intentions: to fulfill every woman’s fantasy of opening a closet and discovering one dreamy dress after another – each a vision destined to dress life’s every occasion”. And as a self-proclaimed dress girl, I must admit, I am very tempted to add more than a few of these dresses to my own closet.

Many pieces are in stores already, with new styles arriving each week. Check them out online or at the store near you…and happy shopping!

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Style Blog, April 18th 2011 | Tags: Banana Republic, dresses, Shopping, Spring 2011
Posted in Fashion, Shopping

Anna Dello Russo + Tommy Ton at The Room in Toronto!

Vogue Nippon’s editor-at-large, clothes collector, and a “fashion maniac”, Anna Dello Russo is really a one-woman-fashion-show. And if you have been drooling over her latest designer outfit, now is your chance to meet the Italian-born street-style icon in person!

Anna will be signing autographs at The Room at The Bay on April 21st (11am-12pm) in support of the photo exhibit “When Tommy Met Anna”, shot by Tommy Ton! The exhibit will be on display until April 29th at The Room (Queen St. Bay Store). This is one opportunity, you do not want to miss!

See you there?