Toronto Fashion Week

Shopping: Sosken Studios Fall 2016

14 November, 2016 Nelia

Last fall, I attended the Sosken Studios fashion show at what ended up being the final season of Toronto Fashion Week. It was a highlight of that fashion week for me, with clothing that was both practical and beautiful to look at. Designer Maria Minicucci created a perfectly chic collection of modern outerwear that any woman would be excited to have in her wardrobe, outerwear that could elevate any outfit.

I was lucky enough to be one of the first few who got to own a Sosken Studios piece, and I selected this beautiful camel Bali coat. I’ve now worn it too many times to count, and while I have many other coats in my wardrobe, I find myself wearing this one over and over again, because it is both warm and goes with everything. If you’re still looking for a stylish coat this season, check out the Sosken Studios Fall 2016 lookbook – this Canadian brand may be new, but the beautiful coats they create are timeless.

What do you think of Sosken Studios? Share in the comments.

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What I Wore: Juicy Fruit

29 March, 2016 Nelia

I try to wear as many Canadian pieces as I can during Toronto Fashion Week, but sometimes the cutest options in your wardrobe are from Zara and you just have to go with it. With the exception of a few accessories this entire look is from Zara…from that fun yellow moto jacket to the colourblock shoes, and I love it all. The hem fringe on the jeans is very trendy right now, the striped sweater is a new MVP in my wardrobe, and paired with my trusty faux fur Prada stole, the jacket looks a lot more expensive than it actually is. Funny enough, if my hair wasn’t a unicorn-technicolour-dream, I probably wouldn’t wear so many bright colours together all at once, but for some reason, having rainbow hair has given me a new kind of DGAF attitude, slime sunnies and all.

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What I Wore: Pins and Brooches

25 March, 2016 Nelia

I picked up this T by Alexander Wang bomber during The Outnet’s clearance sale, and loved the simplicity of it. But when it came time to wearing it, I found that it was missing something…turns out it was missing several pins and brooches. After arranging a few of my faves on the jacket, it finally looked complete!

The rest of the outfit came together like a charm thanks to a few stand-out accessories – my new fave Bulova watch – so elegant and timeless, my old fave fuzzy Prada clutch – a perfect match to Odessa Paloma Parker’s Shrimps stunner, and the most amazing choker from Jenny Bird – the one you probably have seen a million times on my Snapchat (@styleblogca if you want to check it out). With other accessories, this would’ve been a completely different look, but I am pretty happy with the way this one turned out. What do you think?

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What I Wore: Sosken Studios Coat

21 March, 2016 Nelia

After a few very spring-like weeks of bare ankles and leather jackets, Toronto received a bit of a reality check. With temperatures plummeting, I had to re-think my fashion week outfits in order to avoid the dreaded fashion week flu. And secretly, I was actually a little excited, because instead of my usual leather jackets, I got to wear my new Sosken Studios Bali coat instead…straight off-the-runway! The new line designed by outerwear expert Marisa Minicucci is a glorious addition to the Canadian fashion landscape, with elegant silhouettes, luxurious fabrics, and a great selection of colours. I’ll write more about the collection itself later this week, but in short, this collection is THEBOMB.COM!

And while I don’t usually go for muted shades very often, I fell in love with this oatmeal topper – it’s a classic piece that will stand the test of time, and will surely endure all of my future hair colour changes too. I love this coat so much, I feel a little sad that spring is coming. But regardless, this awesome coat is going to be in my closet waiting for temperatures to drop again. And when they do, I’ll be ready!

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What I Wore: Daisies

17 March, 2016 Nelia

Toronto Fashion Week is back and so far it’s been great! This season, I decided to take it easy and not jam-pack my schedule, dress in warm and comfy clothes, and not stay out too late. On Monday, I wore this outfit, which is as comfy as it gets. I am literally wearing a sweatshirt dress underneath…but you can’t tell because of the coat.

I’ve been trying to get my hands on this Topshop coat forever, and I finally tracked it down! Thank goodness for eBay! More looks from fashion week are coming soon. And if you have Snapchat, make sure to tune in @styleblogca to see all of the snaps from Toronto Fashion Week!

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Toronto Fashion Week: Best of Spring 2016 Collections

14 February, 2016 Nelia

Let’s pretend it wasn’t -19 this weekend, and instead look forward to spring and spring fashion. Last season of Toronto Fashion Week was one of my absolute favourites, with Canadian designers showcasing some serious talent. And while some designers like Matthew Gallagher create made-to-order garments only, others like Hayley Elsaesser have online stores, where you can pick up your fave spring pieces very soon. As such, I put together a list of my favourite pieces from the shows I attended last season. Supporting Canadian fashion industry means investing in clothing made by Canadian designers, so next time you’re considering a special occasion purchase or looking to add some excitement to your wardrobe, give one of these amazing designers a try. You may just become a lifelong fan.

Hayley Elsaesser

Hayley Elsaesser has firmly established her reputation as the go-to for crazy-fun but wearable clothing. Her prints are always on point, and her Spring 2016 Carnival of Curiousity collection was both printastic and fabulous. Once again, Hayley cast models and non-models in a wide range of ages, sizes, and ethnicities for her runway show, proving that literally ANYONE can pull off her clothing. Standouts from her collection included rainbow-printed faux leather dress, poodle-printed everything, and “Admit One” sequin pieces.

Matthew Gallagher

For his Spring 2016 show, Matthew Gallagher sent a line-up of vibrant and luxurious garments, complete with floaty capes, sexy cutouts, and exaggerated skirts. The collection was seriously beautiful! Even Lady Gaga is a fan. The ribbon dress was my personal fave – both a piece of art and something I could see myself wearing comfortably and often. All garments are hand-crafted and made-to-measure in Gallagher’s Toronto studio. You can get in touch and order your very own gown here.

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Toronto Fashion Week: Fall 2015 Favourites

30 September, 2015 Nelia

WMCFW is coming, and while this season’s focus will be on Spring 2016 collections, I wanted to revisit last season’s shows, and share my Fall 2015 favourites. If you’re on the lookout for cool Canadian designs to invest in, perhaps you’ll find a few new faves as well.

Mikhael Kale
Mikhael Kale has long been at the top of my fave Canadian designer list, and still his Fall 2015 collection managed to exceed all of my expectations. Artful embellishments, creative shapes, a mix of textures and exciting colours – it was my favourite collection last season, and one I would almost go as far as to compare to couture – it looked exquisite! So far, I only own one Mikhael Kale piece, but I am certainly itching to add more from this incredibly talented designer. Select pieces from his Fall 2015 collection are available at Holt Renfrew, so make sure to check them out in person – I have no doubt that you’ll be impressed.

Hayley Elsaesser
Ever since I laid eyes on Hayley Elsaesser’s Spring 2015 Heavenly Bodies collection, I’ve been in love with her particular brand of eclectic maximalism. Her Fall 2015 Midnight Cowboy collection was true to her colourful aesthetic, full of fun prints executed on fairly classic silhouettes. There were matching knit crop top/skirt co-ordinates, bomber jackets, sweater dresses, and even a few things for the boys. I guess girls aren’t the only ones who want to have fun.

VAWK
It’s hard to believe that Sunny Fong’s fun but sophisticated ‘DOT du JOURS’ Fall 2015 collection was originally inspired by Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. There’s no trace of silliness that defined the animated film; instead, the collection was sexy and vibrant – with flirty cocktail dresses, glam gowns, and Sunny’s specialty – cool coats. Rounded shapes (meatball-inspired?) were featured prominently, adding an architectural feel to the collection. Another great showing from one of my fave Canadian designers.

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Toronto Fashion Week: Best Beauty Looks from Fall 2015 Shows

13 April, 2015 Aleyda

Another season of World MasterCard Fashion Week has ended and as always, I am here to give you a quick recap on my favourite beauty looks from Fall 2015 shows and how to achieve them, so let’s get to it!

Hayley Elsaesser was the belle of the ball last season with her bright and quirky spring collection. And her “Midnight Cowboy” fall line was just as good – a combination of 70’s glamour with a touch of Uma Thurman from Kill Bill.

Grace Lee the Head Makeup Artist for Maybelline started her beauty look with a sheer natural palette using Dream Wonder Liquid Touch Foundation and Face Studio Master Prime in Blur + Illuminate all over the face. She then created a translucent smoky eye look using a mix of molten brown shades (Plum Fusion and Taupe Crazy) and added a highlight in the form of Color Tattoo’s Tenacious Teal to the center of the lower lid. The eyes were then finished off with Brow Drama and Lash Sensational Mascara. For the two-toned lips, Grace used Color Sensational Lipstick in Rebel Bloom first as the base and then Vivid Rose on the center of the lips to create an ombre effect.

Redken’s Head Stylist Jorge Joao decided to incorporate blocks of color to the hair to reflect Hayley’s vibrant style. Hair was primed with Pillow Proof and then flat ironed to sleek perfection. He then made two tight braids on each side, which were then wrapped around to created 2 side buns. The ends of the braids were left sticking upwards, creating an almost bird-like effect. The look was sealed with a healthy dose of Control Addict 28 to keep stray hair in place.

Essie’s Lead Nail Artist Rita Remark was inspired by the animal print Hayley had in her collection and decided to recreate it on models’ nails. By blotting one color on top of another she was able to create a fun yet versatile look. Rita used Naughty Nautical, Meet Me at Sunset, Butler Please and Mod Square to achieve this exciting combo.

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Toronto Fashion Week: Hayley Elsaesser Spring 2015 Collection

24 March, 2015 Nelia

As I wrote last year, last season of WMCFW was one of the best…but if I’d made one mistake that week, it was not seeing the Hayley Elsaesser Spring 2015 show. I think it was late, I was tired, and apparently stupid, because Hayley’s collection was one of the highlights of Toronto Fashion Week last season. Full of gloriously fun printed pieces, the Heavenly Bodies collection was deliciously cheeky, yet wearable…and after perusing the photos the day after the show, I was mad at myself for not sticking around.

Well, this season, I’m not going to make the same mistake. Hayley Elsaesser’s Fall 2015 show is definitely one of my most highly-anticipated tickets of the season, and I can’t wait to see what this cool Canadian-born/Australian-educated designer has dreamed up this time around.

And since spring is technically here, I just wanted to let you know that a lot of Hayley’s Heavenly Bodies pieces are now available for pre-order. Sadly, at $970 I just can’t pull the trigger on my fave handsy sequin tee dress, but the mouthy maxi is much more affordable and just as cute.

What do you think of Hayley Elsaesser’s whimsical collection? Are you into it? Share in the comments.

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Toronto Fashion Week: Best Beauty Looks From Spring 2015 Shows

21 November, 2014 Aleyda

Another season of World MasterCard Fashion Week came and went in a whirlwind of lipstick and hairspray and I am here you give you a quick recap of the most noteworthy looks of Spring 2015.

Make Up

Haley Elsaesser had one of the more unique looks of the week. Haley’s “Heavenly Bodies” collection reflected a very bright, sparkly mix of pastel colours and prints. To prep the skin, Maybelline’s Head Makeup Artist Grace Lee used Dream Finish BB Cream, making the skin look smooth and flawless. After highlighting the bridge of the nose, top cheekbones and eyes, she finished the look with two-toned red and pink lips. Color Whisper in Faint for Fuchsia was applied on the top lip and Color Whisper Oh La Lilac on the bottom.
Star Product: Maybelline’s Color Whisper in Faint for Fuchsia and Oh La Lilac

Matthew Gallagher’s collection was inspired by the “Rebirth of Spring”, so the make-up reflected this through a mix of soft nude/bronze colours. Skin was made to look fresh and dewy with Dream Wonder Liquid Touch Foundation, contoured with bronzer and then highlighted (with focus on the top of the cheekbones and underneath the brow). Lash Sensational Mascara was applied generously on the lashes, with the final touch of Color Elixir by Color Sensational in Breathtaking Apricot lightly blotted off to give it a worn-in look.
Star Products: Lash Sensational Mascara in Black and Color Elixir by Color Sensational in Breathtaking Apricot

Mackage’s inspiration came from “a hip well-traveled girl on the go”. Smooth, matte skin created the perfect palette for this natural look. Eyes were kept simple, yet strong with a coat of Great Lash Mascara and the new Eye Studio Brow Drama gel on the eyebrows (a new favorite product of mine) to create a strong brow. The lips were the unique part, with Grace creating an ombre look using Color Sensational Creamy Matte in Magenta as the base all over the lips and then taking Color Whisper in Oh Lilac and gently blotting it on the center of the lips. Natural, but really cool.
Also, noteworthy was the fresh take on the models’ nails with Essie’s Lead Nail Artist Rita Remark taking blue polish and placing a dot on the half-moon at the base of the nail. Fun and easy!
Star Products: Eye Studio Brow Drama in Dark Brown

Best Hair Looks after the jump!
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Shopping: Sosken Studios Fall 2016

What I Wore: Juicy Fruit

What I Wore: Pins and Brooches

What I Wore: Sosken Studios Coat

What I Wore: Daisies

Toronto Fashion Week: Best of Spring 2016 Collections

Toronto Fashion Week: Fall 2015 Favourites

Toronto Fashion Week: Best Beauty Looks from Fall 2015 Shows

Toronto Fashion Week: Hayley Elsaesser Spring 2015 Collection

Toronto Fashion Week: Best Beauty Looks From Spring 2015 Shows

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