Retail Therapy

Get The Look: Top Street Style Trends from Toronto Fashion Week

World Mastercard Fashion Week (WMCFW) is currently in full swing and there’s no more fashionable a city in Canada right now than Toronto. Whether it’s models strutting their stuff on the catwalk, editors and VIPs sitting front row, or bloggers getting a sneak peek backstage, everywhere we turn it’s a fabulous feast for the eyes.

Being surrounded by many of the most sartorially gifted industry insiders for 5 days in a row is both inspiring and dangerous; our fall/winter wish lists have grown rapidly while we’ve people-watched over the course of the week, not so stealthily ogling the sea of chic ensembles around us. Unable to resist the urge to shop, we snuck a trip to Toronto Eaton Centre (TEC) in between runway shows. Armed with the top street style trends we’ve spotted at the fashion week tents just down the street, we scoured the 3-floor fashion mecca for pieces that would help us – and you! – get the looks.

We loved freelance fashion writer Bianca Teixeira’s cobalt blue, double-breasted pea coat, which she donned over a similarly-hued frock for a monochromatic look on opening night of WMCFW. Want a vibrant pop of colour in your fall/winter outerwear rotation too? Stop by Toronto Eaton Centre for a teal lapelless option at H&M ($129), an oxblood wool biker coat with leather sleeves at Zara ($269) or a raspberry wool blazer with contrast piping at Juicy Couture ($361). These are sure to cheer you up on a rainy fall day.

Whether it’s zebra, cheetah, or snake, the animal print trend is going nowhere fast. While it was a wonderfully loud leopard print coat that caught our eye, you can start small with a scarf like Massimo Dutti’s woollen green snakeskin foulard ($59.50) or a handbag like Banana Republic’s ‘Jamie’ box clutch ($150). For those of you who are ready to fully embrace animal print, a dress is surely the way to go. Who needs a LBD when you can rock Ann Taylor’s zebra knit jacquard sheath dress ($98) or Juicy Couture’s ponte knit green python dress ($218) instead?

We’ve spotted everything from crisp white cotton button-downs to colourfully-printed silk blouses so far this week, and one of our favourites has been the studded collar shirt we saw on Jenn Campbell, FLARE Magazine’s Senior Digital Editor. TEC has tons of collared shirts to choose from and whittling the list down to just 3 was a tough task, but J. Crew’s silk boy shirt in heart throb ($158), Club Monaco’s ‘Patricia’ silk shirt with contrast leather piping ($149.50) and Mendocino’s graphic print blouse by Clover Canyon ($312, arriving in November) are our top picks.

When it comes to statement necklaces, blogger Nelia Belkova is the queen; we’ve seen her sporting one fabulous piece after another every day this fashion week. Go big or go home, her accessories philosophy seems to be, and it’s ours too. Hang a conversation starter like H&M’s insect necklace ($14.95), BCBG Max Azria’s rocker statement necklace ($178), or the Lulu Frost for J. Crew crystal petal necklace ($220) around your neck to take your fashion week outfit to the next level with some help from TEC.

It’s the last day of WMCFW today, and U.S. retailer EXPRESS, which is launching a new store at Toronto Eaton Centre next month, is set to close the week. We’ll be live-tweeting tonight’s 9pm show, so be sure to follow @backseatstylers and @toeatoncentre on Twitter for updates straight from the runway.

See you at the tents one final time this season – and then at Toronto Eaton Centre! After all those fashion shows this week, you’ll want to do some serious shopping at TEC’s newest boutiques: Canada’s first unisex J.Crew, North America’s first Massimo Dutti, and Canada’s first Ann Taylor. We know we will.

xx, T & S

Sponsored by Cadillac Fairview

Retail Therapy

6 Wardrobe Essentials Your Closet Needs This Fall

Nothing cures the end-of-summer blues quite like a fall fashion shopping spree, and it seems that’s exactly what the doctor (i.e. yours truly!) has ordered for you. We helpfully suggested recently that you hightail it to Sherway Gardens for your pick of the fresh new outerwear arrivals, and this week we’re proposing a second trip to the upscale shopping centre in Toronto’s west end. The mission for round two is 6 essential pieces your fall wardrobe won’t be complete without (clockwise from top left):

The Belt

The equestrian stretch belt by Banana Republic is a must-have accessory this fall. At a reasonable $68, it’s a flattering waist cincher and is an easy and affordable way to give new life to dresses, coats and sweaters from last year. It’s available in both black and brown, and obviously you need both.

The Print

When it comes to prints, no one does it quite like Clover Canyon. The California-based brand is churning out to-die-for pieces in eye-catching prints season after season. If you don’t already have some Clover Canyon in your closet, now’s the time to stop by Mendocino for your first and definitely not last. The Galaxy blouse ($312) is our pick.

The Clutch

An oversize leather tote or satchel to carry all your essentials with you would be the practical recommendation…but where’s the fun in that? Besides, we’ll assume you’ve already got one. Instead, pop by Michael Kors for a clutch in a gorgeous autumn shade like the ostrich-embossed Gia in crimson.

The Dress

A new season calls for a new party frock. This highly covetable style from Juicy Couture combines a deep mossy green lace with contrast leather trim, and can be both ladylike and fierce based on how its styled. It’s the perfect dress for date night or a girls’ night out. Retails for $328.

The Boot

The riding boot is to fall what the wedge sandal is to summer. If last year’s pair is in bad shape, Stuart Weitzman is the shoe shop to head to for a fabulous new replacement pair. Our pick? The Mount boot, which is the perfect balance of style and comfort. It comes in both black and brown, and retails for $675.

The Cardigan

Cardigan options for fall are aplenty, but great cardigans are hard to come by. Club Monaco’s Diamond sweater jacket ($159.50) is chic, versatile and oh so warm. It’s a piece that can be dressed up for the office or down for the weekend. In fact, we can see ourselves putting it on and refusing to take it off until spring.

There you have it – six items you should run out and buy right now. And don’t forget those fall jackets you were eyeing last week! Long wish list? Not a problem – that’s where Sherway Gardens’ Fall Into Style Contest comes in. Until September 17, enter to win the grand prize of a $1,000 shopping spree at Sherway Gardens or 1 of 20 $100 Cadillac Fairview shop! card® gift cards over on Sherway Gardens’ Facebook page.

Good luck and happy fall shopping everyone!

xx, T & S

Image Credits: Banana Republic, Club Monaco, Juicy Couture, Mendocino, Michael Kors, Stuart Weitzman

Sponsored by Sherway Gardens

Events

Meet Mendocino’s Trendy, Pocketbook-Friendly Little Sister, M for Mendocino

I have very fond memories of shopping at Mendocino. Some of my favourite buys over the years have been from the Toronto-based retail chain’s trendy boutiques: my very first Mackage coat purchase back in 2005 (before everyone had one), my first LINE Knitwear cardigan (also before everyone had one), and my first foray into fur vests last year. You can imagine, then, that I was rather tickled pink when I had the opportunity to chat with co-founder Norma Caron last week at the Spring launch of Mendocino’s younger sister, M for Mendocino.

It was a family affair. Caron and her husband-slash-co-founder Jan Kaplan, as well as Brand Director Jessica Kaplan, were all on hand to formally introduce their newest venture to the media. The first M for Mendocino boutique opened its doors in 2009, and since then the chain has expanded to 8 locations across the Greater Toronto Area. While Mendocino is known for its branded offerings at contemporary price points, M’s shelves are stocked with fast fashion that is both on trend and wallet-friendly.

My first official visit to a M for Mendocino boutique last week, for the aforementioned Spring trend event, was a very pleasant surprise. From whimsical party frocks to lightweight transitional knits to coloured denim starting at a very reasonable $39 price tag, the store was filled to the brim with wear now styles that will update your warm weather wardrobe without breaking the bank. Everywhere I looked there was something cute (read: peter pan collared) I had to have. The best part? Knowing that an entire outfit at M for Mendocino will ring up at less than $200.

You can thank me later for the introduction. In the meantime, find a boutique near you here.

 

xx, S

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