It’s no secret that I love a little glamour. In fact I advertise my need for the stuff nearly every day and try to inject it into most things I do.

That being said, when the annual Costume Institute’s Met Gala rolls around, I dive through the pictures faster than my mother at a Reitman’s sale.

Whatever did any of us do before Style.com?

My absolute fave of the evening- and it wasn’t easy to choose- was Zoe Saldana. Hands down (on bended-knee in praise). Her floor-length, one-shoulder Calvin Klein made my heart flutter. I want to be her in this moment:

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Half of the fun of any fashion magazine is the glorious ads stacked in the first 10 to 100 pages. But lately I’ve been fairly bored with most of the adverts coming out of fashion houses across the globe. Until now.

Dolce & Gabbana’s recent partnership with Madonna is genius. The messy kitchen table adorned with a replica of my gran’s lace tablecloth, dirty dishes, eating spaghetti with your hands. Oh, and the clothes are nice too. Madge looks amazing. These are even better than her recent L&V ads. 

Not so fast Lady Gaga, you haven’t dethroned her majesty just yet.

You like?

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♥

Dear Sonia Rykiel: Your Parisian redheaded flare makes my heart skip a beat.

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The latest video on Style.com is making me pine for Paris.

I’ve only been to the city once, very briefly. I spent a weekend running around the gorgeous streets with a former flat mate, soaking up the culture and fashion. It was one of the best weekends of my life. 

I think it’s time I plan my return.

P.S. Michelle Jank is a genius! I combine fragrances to create my own signature scent as well. Adore her jewels. 

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The other day I bought a top with some shoulder pads - and it wasn’t to complete a retro Halloween costume.

So, the beloved 80s look, made outrageously popular by Joan Collins and the rest of her Dynasty crew, is back with a vengeance. The pads have taken this fashion lover hostage. I was weary at first, but now I’m in love.

I first got the hint that power dressing was making a comeback when I interned with a fashion designer in London earlier this year. She was constructing some pretty angular jackets. Her inspiration? Grace Jones…

So, when I got back to Canada and saw the racks at Holts and beyond being stacked with the puffy shoulder, I wasn’t surprised. Now that I’ve fallen head over shoulders for the new look, I’m wondering what all you lovelies think of it?

Has the fashion world gone too far? Should us fashionistas stick with the designer versions rather than asking our mom’s for their old Dallas day gear? Should we forget the trend altogether?

Here’s some Balmain from next season’s ready-to-wear collection seen at PFW to give you some food for thought:

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And you thought Prada was only for the uppiest of upper-class. Pffft. This season they’re taking a cue from the blue-collars.

Check out these fisherman boots. Except you can’t actually wear them fishing, or even NEAR water for that matter. They’re composed of leather, made to look like rubber. H20’s a big no-no.

This whole trend is actually starting to get to me. Between these and the Jimmy Choo styled Hunter wellies, I’m starting to lose my grip on fashion reality.

Is all of this stuff luxe or just layman?

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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London Fashion Week is in full swing right now.

Although I’m sadly watching it unfold from my ever-so stylish Mac computer here in Canada, I’m still eating up the drama that inevitably follows one of my fav fashion weeks.

Want some dirt? Last Friday Mark Fast, an up-and-coming designer on the scene (as most LFW designers always seem to be) took a ballsy move and stuck real women on the catwalk.

When I say real women, I say women who look like you and me, not emanicipated corpse-like versions.

I know what you’re thinking. Not the size-zero debate again!? Sorry girls, read it and eat. The debate continues, but instead of being all talk talk zzz, designers are now actually putting their opinions in motion and using sizable women to display their work.

Fab, right?

Or maybe not. Word is some of the fashion folk stuck in the trenches behind the catwalks of LFW kicked up quite a fuss when they saw who they were dressing for the runway.

According to Fashionista, one staffer quit and another fired over Fast’s choice of model. Apparently one stylist was so rude to the models, the girls were actually forced to let her go. Luckily a Telegraph stylist stepped in to save the show.

What do you think? Let’s weigh in. Were you happy to see larger ladies walking the runway or do you think waif’s provide a better hanger to display the designs? 

Next post will steer away from the controversy and stick to the glamour. There have already been loads of highlights to show already.

I’m hungry now.

L xx

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So who of you fashion followers haven’t heard of Tavi?

She is the 13-year-old (yes, you read me right) who is making waves in the industry thanks to her ’style rookie’ blog. The just-turned-teenager posts pictures of her daily outfits along with mag fashion spreads, which have sprung up some wardrobe inspiration for the youngster.

This month Tavi is gracing the cover of the recently resurrected POP magazine: 

She looks like a pixie Kate Moss before Pete Doherty and cocaine. 

It makes me reminisce about my adolescence. That awkward stage when puberty was kicking in. I was trading Barbie dolls for current issues of Bop magazine, drooling over pictures of Leonardo Dicaprio in his Growing Pains era and possibly even Taylor Hanson, but please don’t tell anyone.

And my style (if it can even be called a style) was questionable. Certainly not something to display and most definitely not cover worthy. Unless Dr. Flea’s market in Rexdale happened to have an opening for a new spokesperson and needed some shots for their monthly newsletter.

I’m pretty sure my closet was stocked full of stir-up troos, tear-away pants and handmade knitted sweaters from my granny. I had a fringe thicker than an orange brick wall and a whack smile. Two words: Pre-braces.

I was like a cross between orphan Annie and the chap who played the Beast next to Linda Hamilton on the television version of the Disney classic. That’s not self-deprication. That’s just the truth.

I’m not ashamed. I don’t know anyone who looks back at photos of themselves at the age of 13 and thinks “damn, I wish I could look like that again”. 

Of course, when I was 13, I didn’t use the internet and neither did any of my friends. I’m sure the ‘net is playing a major role in the shaping of today’s pre-teens. My idol back then was my sixth-grade teacher Ms. Beattie. Today, the Tavi’s of this world look up to Anna Wintour… or Megan Fox. 

I was busy riding my bike around the neighbourhood, trying to land a look from a boy named Ryan who sat across my homeroom, keep that fringe under control and try not to let my mom see that I wore sparkly lip gloss to school

I like Tavi. I think she’s pretty cool. But I wouldn’t trade my childhood for hers.

Even though I make it seem like I was the hunchback, I’m glad I had that awkward stage. I was still a kid. I had scraped knees, not fish-net covered ones. I grew out of it. 

Just please GOD don’t show me any of those school pictures.

Thanks

L x

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Rain or shine, I’m yearning for these:

anyone fancy getting yours truly an early bday present? xxxxxxxxxxxxo

P.S. UK6

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I tend to steer clear of too much colour. Not sure why? Maybe it’s because my red head is generally all the colour my outfits require.

But there is something about the new collection from Pendleton and Opening Ceremony that is making me wanna sing a rainbow.

The two have joined forces for their 2009 fall collections, due to hit stores this August. The end product is loads of brilliant coats and sweaters that I’m majorly coveting.

In case you’re not sure who in the fashion world Pendleton or Opening Ceremony is, allow me to fill you in.

Pendleton is a fairly conversative family-owned and operated American design house known for dressing corporate women. Not that exciting - but it’s their use of Native American prints that truly sets them apart.

Opening Ceremony provides the edge in this collaboration. The company amalgamates established brands with emerging fashion designers and displays the end product in their galleries and showrooms across the United States and online.

Pretty cool.

This warm coat will look gorgeous hanging in my closet come winter.

x

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