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What They Wore: Celeb Looks from Met Gala 2013

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This year’s Met Gala theme was “PUNK: Chaos to Couture”, and since so many of the celebs in attendance nailed it, I couldn’t simply post my fave looks and be done with it. This time, I chose to bring you not only my fave looks, but also the runners-up, and the headscratchers all in one post.

Let’s start with my faves. I loved the ornate Dolce and Gabbana dress on Katy Perry, the grand headpiece on SJP, the elegant Margiela on Gwen Stefani, the stunning, but decidedly NOT punk Givenchy gown on Rooney Mara, and an orange moomoo-like goodness on Ashley Olsen. None of those looks screamed punk to me, but I found these dresses to be interesting, fashion-forward, and gorgeous too. Well, SJP’s panty-flashing Giles gown wasn’t exactly my type, but if anyone could’ve pulled it off it’s her.

Apart from my top 5, I enjoyed so many other looks! From Giovanna Battaglia gilded head-to-toe goodness, to Solange Knowles looking lovely in a Kenzo gown that was perhaps a tad too casual for the Met, but beautiful nonetheless, to Emma Watson in a very sexy Prabal Gurung…there was no shortage of fashion porn at this year’s gala. Some celebs decided to don simple LBDs to the event, which in my opinion was a total waste (I’m looking at you, Michelle Williams), but others made up for it with punk hair (Miley Cyrus), and studs galore (looking gorgeous, Sienna Miller!).

All in all, I loved this year’s fashion offerings. I hate wading through a million photos of boring outfits, and this year there weren’t too many.

So now it’s your turn! Which celebs brought their A-game to the 2013 Costume Institute Gala, and which crashed and burned? Share your opinions in the comments!

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Style Blog, May 7th 2013 | Tags: Anne Hathaway, Ashley Olsen, Beyoncé, Calvin Klein, Carey Mulligan, Celebrity Fashion, Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Emma Watson, Events, Giles Deacon, Giovanna Battaglia, givenchy, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lawrence, Karlie Kloss, Katie Holmes, Katy Perry, Kenzo, Kerry Washington, Kirsten Dunst, Kristen Stewart, Louis Vuitton, Margiela, Michelle Williams, miley cyrus, Nicole Richie, Prabal Gurung, Rooney Mara, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sienna Miller, Solange Knowles, Stella McCartney, The Met Ball, The Met Gala, The Met's Costume Institute Gala 2013, Topshop, Valentino
Posted in Celebrity Fashion, Events, Fashion

Michael Kors Pays a Visit to His Newest Boutique in Toronto

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Last week was a crazy one, and my blog posting schedule took a hit…I didn’t attend any previews, parties, or launches, choosing to deal with some crazy stressful life stuff instead. But when I learned that Michael Kors would be stopping by his new Bloor St boutique, I knew I couldn’t miss it…no matter how busy I was!

At the party, the designer danced the night away to the beats played by the gorgeous Alexandra Richards (clad in Kors, of course), autographed a couple of his bags for the awe-struck customers, and mingled with the attendees and staff members of the boutique. Full of energy and always with that toothy grin at the ready, Kors was sure fun to observe, and my friend Sharon and I even got to grab a pic with our fave Project Runway ex-judge before he drove away into the night. Not bad for a Wednesday. Not bad at all.

After the designer’s departure, the crowd thinned out, and I actually got to check out the store, which was bright and airy, and stocked to the brim with neon bags, pretty summer shoes, and lovely modern American classics (as well as edgier pieces) which we’ve come to expect of Michael Kors‘ signature line. I pawed at some black and white purses, which would be a perfect addition to anyone’s wardrobe this season, but at the end of the night, just meeting the designer and watching him get down to old school Michael Jackson was enough fun for one night.

If you are curious to check out the new Michael Kors boutique in Yorkville, it’s located on 131 Bloor St West. Happy Shopping!

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Style Blog, May 6th 2013 | Tags: Alexandra Richards, Bernadette Morra, Events, Michael Kors, Organic Style, Shopping, Toronto, What I Wore, Yorkville
Posted in Events, Fashion, Organic Style, Shopping, What I Wore

What I Wore: Souped Up

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Last week something awesome happened – Viktor & Rolf’s Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren stopped by The Room at The Bay while on a press visit to Toronto…and I got to meet them! Dreams do come true…for real!

The party was incredible! A string quartet played some modern tunes, there was plenty of yummy Perrier-Jouët bubbly to go around, and the crowds were dressed to the nines (The Room parties are always great for people-watching!). Bonnie Brooks was there, as were Stacey Kimmel, Rufus Wainwright, and Jeremy Laing…oh my!

As for my outfit…I decided to go less formal in my fave Club Monaco faux leather skirt, a soup tee under my trusty moto jacket, a pair of my new fave shoes from Aldo x Preen capsule collection, and a sparkly necklace to dress it up. Funny enough, I ran into Anita Clarke at the party, and we were both wearing the same shoes AND the same clutch from ela handbags! Twinsies! Well…except Anita was wearing a gorgeous Roland Mouret, while I was wearing Forever 21. But still…great minds think alike…and also, this totally shows off the versatility of fun accessories, non?

After having a quick moment alone with the belles of the ball (they were super-duper nice, by the way), my friends and I continued to mingle, checking out the new Viktor & Rolf spring collection, and making our dream wishlists, which included the clothes off designers’ backs, because those adorable embroidered jeans they both wore (one with mustaches, and the other with sunglasses) were just too awesome for words. Alas…I never got the courage to ask them about their jeans, so they stayed firmly in my dreams. But hey, Viktor and Rolf…if you see this…I’d love to do a Sisterhood of Travelling Pants thing with you. And though I’m not exactly sure how it works, I think we could start by you sending me your adorable jeans, and me wearing them…Ok? Sounds good to me.

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Style Blog, April 26th 2013 | Tags: Aldo, Aldo Shoes, Aldo x Preen, Club Monaco, Ela Handbags, Events, Forever21, Organic Style, Rolf Snoeren, The Bay, The Room, Viktor & Rolf, Viktor Horsting, What I Wore, Zara
Posted in Events, Fashion, Organic Style, What I Wore

What I Wore: rag & bone at Holt Renfrew

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Last week, Holt Renfrew hosted designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of rag & bone, with a New York-inspired bash. There was a graffiti wall, a pretzel cart, hot-dogs, and cotton candy. My friends and I enjoyed the delicious drinks, and danced the night away to DJ Fathom’s tunes, while drooling over rag & bone’s latest collection (that green jacket, you guys!!!). It was one of the best parties I’ve attended in a long while. So good, in fact, that I really didn’t want to leave at the end of the night. Or was it that I didn’t want to leave without that amazing jacket? Probably both.

If you want to check out rag & bone’s Spring 2013 collection for yourself, stop by Holt Renfrew, as most of the pieces are now in stores. But be warned…you might not be able to walk away.

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Style Blog, April 17th 2013 | Tags: David Neville, Denim and Supply, Ela Handbags, Events, H&M, Holt Renfrew, Marcus Wainwright, Organic Style, Rag and Bone, What I Wore, Zara
Posted in Events, Fashion, Organic Style, What I Wore

Toronto Fashion Week: VAWK Fall 2013 Collection

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By the time the 4th day of WMCFW rolled around, all I wanted to do was NOT make my way to the tents, and stay at home, wrapped in a cozy blanket watching bad TV…but if there’s one show that I simply couldn’t miss it’s VAWK, so off to the tents I went.

As usual, Sunny Fong did not disappoint. VAWK Fall 2013 collection was once again chock-full of drool-worthy coats and stunning dresses. He does those so well! Fong’s fall collection was inspired by hunting, and featured custom-made prints created by the designer himself, plenty of fur accents, as well as stag and wolf leather appliqué tops, that even the models backstage were swooning over.

I, on the other hand, was swooning (and still am) over VAWK’s outerwear and gowns. In less experienced hands, details like pleats on a coat could’ve been all wrong, but in Fong’s masterful hands, the end result was subtle, elegant, and simply stunning, making me want to rip those beautiful clothes off the models’ skinny backs and run into the night with my precious VAWK loot.

What do you think of VAWK Fall 2013 collection? What are your favourite pieces? Share in the comments.

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Style Blog, April 1st 2013 | Tags: Canadian, Events, Fall 2013, Fashion Week, Sunny Fong, Toronto Fashion Week, VAWK, WMCFW
Posted in Events, Fashion, Fashion Week

Toronto Fashion Week: Pink Tartan Fall 2013 Collection

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The morning of Pink Tartan’s Fall 2013 show, I read the interview Flare’s Emily Ramshaw did with Kimberly Newport about the new collection, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that Pink Tartan’s president and head designer is a fan of American Horror Story. Such a fan in fact, that her entire fall collection was inspired by one Constance Langdon. If you watched the first season of AHS, you already know that Constance (played by the glorious Jessica Lange) was one classy lady. Well, a husband-murdering lady, but classy nonetheless. And Pink Tartan’s fall collection was spot on Constance – elegant, with a vintage flare, and just the right hint of mischief. The collection definitely felt older than spring’s Charlotte Free-inspired butterfly-printed line-up, but it also felt more timeless. Classic (and flattering) silhouettes, and statement outerwear dominated the fall show, and I found myself drooling at the sight of some pieces…like the blue fur coat, which sadly, I won’t be able to afford, but can certainly daydream about.

The wigs seemed to cause a bit of a controversy among the show-goers I spoke to, but as a huge fan of AHS, and Jessica Lange, I loved this particular styling choice, and was delighted at the sight of an army of Jessica Lange lookalikes strutting their stuff. If I squinted hard enough, I could almost imagine that it was the real deal.

All in all, I really enjoyed Pink Tartan’s Fall 2013 collection, but hope that the next show isn’t inspired by the second season of AHS, because asylum chic might be a little too much, even for a die-hard fan like myself.

What do you think about this collection? Are you a fan of AHS? Share in the comments!

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Style Blog, March 22nd 2013 | Tags: American Horror Story, Constance Langdon, Events, Fall 2013, Fashion Week, Kimberly Newport, Pink Tartan, Toronto Fashion Week, Trends, WMCFW
Posted in Events, Fashion, Fashion Week, Trends

Toronto Fashion Week: Jeremy Laing Fall 2013 Collection at the shOws

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Canadian designer Jeremy Laing is known for creating quietly cool clothes that are the opposite of flashy. His strength is in well-thought-out details and immaculate cuts; his clothes don’t shout, they whisper. But it seems for his Fall 2013 collection, Laing has decided to spice things up.

Most of the collection was still signature Laing, with beautifully-cut pieces, leather detailing, flowy skirts (and dresses), and classic palettes, but…added to the mix was gold lamé seersucker. Present in more than a few looks, the shiny (yet lightweight) pieces were a (good) shock to the eye, and added that certain je ne sais quoi to the designer’s fall collection. And though I wouldn’t be brave enough to wear gold lamé head-to-toe, I would certainly love to add a shiny motorcycle jacket to my growing collection of fun outerwear.

Apart from the not-so-lame lamé, I fell in love with the black and white striped print – a result of a collaboration with a Toronto-based artist Vanessa Maltese. The “broken” stripes paired with a pop of yellow was my favourite combo on the runway that night.

At the end of the show, Laing gave a quick interview, walking the attendees through the inspiration behind a few of his favourite pieces, sharing that his clothes are “hard to sew” but “easy to wear”, and having seen his pieces on cool-girls like Anita Clarke and Sarah Nicole Prickett (worn effortlessly, it seems), that statement certainly rang true.

What do you think of Jeremy Laing’s Fall 2013 collection? Share in the comments!

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Style Blog, March 21st 2013 | Tags: Canadian, Events, Fall 2013, Fashion Week, Jeremy Laing, The ShOws, Toronto, Toronto Fashion Week
Posted in Events, Fashion, Fashion Week

Roksanda Ilincic Celebrates Spring 2013 Collection at The Room at The Bay

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Last week I had the pleasure of attending yet another fab event at The Room at The Bay. This time, to celebrate the London-based (Serbian-born) designer Roksanda Ilincic and her Spring 2013 collection. I’ve been a fan of Ilincic’s vibrant clothes for a while now – most notably on Ginnifer Goodwin, who really knows how to wear Ilincic’s modern and elegant designs, and from shopping at The Room, where I always pause to drool over a dress or two.

As is usually the case, The Room was packed with Toronto’s most stylish, including The Bay’s CEO Bonnie Brooks clad in Roksanda Ilincic, actress Sarah Gadon and her photographer pal Caitlin Cronenberg. Ilincic herself was lovely and gorgeous to boot. She showed off her Aldo collaboration shoes (hitting the stores soon) and complimented me on my skirt (from her Fall 2012 collection), which I snagged at The Room last season. Good eye! When my friend Kim asked Ilincic whether a diffusion line could be in the works, the designer coyly replied “Maybe”, which sounded a lot like “Yes”. It seems introducing her clothes to a wider/younger audience could be in the pipeline, and I certainly wouldn’t complain if I could afford to add a few more pieces by this talented young designer to my wardrobe.

Roksanda Ilincic Spring 2013 collection is currently available at The Room, so if you have a minute, make sure to stop by and check out these colourful pieces for yourselves. They are guaranteed to make you happy…especially on a wintry first day of spring.

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Style Blog, March 20th 2013 | Tags: Bonnie Brooks, Caitlin Cronenberg, Events, Roksanda Ilincic, Sarah Gadon, Shopping, Spring 2013, The Bay, The Room, The Room at The Bay
Posted in Events, Fashion, Shopping

NYFW Fall 2013: Mathieu Mirano, DL1961, and Reem Acra…oh my!

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On my third day of NYFW, I began my day bright and early with a Mathieu Mirano Fall 2013 presentation. And though I have to admit, I’m not a morning person (<<understatement), I was really happy I made the effort to see this collection. Classic with a modern twist, Mirano’s third collection had me making wishlists as I was happily snapping away. Fox-fur coat with a sliver of unexpected mesh, luxe-looking sparkly pencil skirt, geometric patterns galore – it all felt fresh and exciting, without being forced. This young designer is definitely one to watch.

My second stop of the day was DL1961′s Fall 2013 show, where the good old jeans were transformed into drool-worthy objects of desire. Granted, my favourite pairs weren’t your regular skinnies, but still. Who knew that denim could be so haute? From quilted details and leather trims, to fun pops of colour, I loved it all. And knowing how comfy those babies are, I had no doubt that I’d be investing in another pair sooner rather than later.

I ended my day with one of my most highly-anticipated shows of the week – Reem Acra Fall 2013. I was really looking forward to seeing the Reem Acra extravagance in person, and I wasn’t disappointed. The sexy collection was inspired by Acra’s recent trip to Japan, and featured a classic palette of black, white, and red. And while the chic workwear pieces were both glam and versatile, the ones that got my heart thumping were Acra’s signature evening gowns – some delicately beaded and flowing, other sculpted and embellished. Katherine Heigl, who took in the show from the front row, was seen clapping cheerfully as the designer took her bow.

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Style Blog, March 4th 2013 | Tags: DL1961, Events, Fall 2013, Fashion Week, Mathieu Mirano, New York Fashion Week, NYFW, Reem Acra, Travel, Trends
Posted in Events, Fashion, Fashion Week, Travel, Trends

Wishlist: Balenciaga Fall 2013 Shoes by Alexander Wang

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We’ve all been waiting for it – Alexander Wang’s first-ever collection designed for Balenciaga! Presented during Paris Fashion Week last night, Balenciaga Fall 2013 was full of chic covet-worthy pieces. “I’m going back to the roots, identifying the codes of the house, and translating them into a functioning, full wardrobe,” said Wang, and while I truly loved the entire collection, I fell IN LOVE with the shoes.

I mean…just look at them! These shoes are classic, and yet they are not. Chic, but edgy. Comfortable? Probably not, but I want them all nonetheless. These shoes are what dreams are made of. And today, I am going to enjoy dreaming.

What did you think of Wang’s first effort designing for Balenciaga? You can see the entire collection HERE.

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