Comfy Doesn't Mean Fashion Sacrifice

Winter strolls along and suddenly sweatpants become our best friend. You see them in the house, in the grocery store, at school and even in the mall. I know when it comes to winter, we're all doing our best to battle to cold winds we encounter outside but that doesn't mean we need to live in our sweats! "Oh but their warm" "Their comfy" "I don't like dressing up in the winter it's too much work" excuses, excuses, excuses. Suck it up! We live in Canada! It's not like winter is some new phenomenon no ones ever seen before. By now we should have realized that there are many options provided, other than sweats, to stay warm and being comfy or being "too much work" are not good excuses. There are many ways to satisfy warmth and laziness while still looking somewhat presentable and I'm here to show you one!

Step 1, find your favourite oversized sweater:

Oversized sweaters are one of the biggest trends to hit this 2013/2014 winter. They taken on the newest role of sweater dress but with more comfortability and more freedom of movement. Finding a knit one would be especially useful as they are great for capturing heating and staying warm!

Step 2, pick out a bright scarf:

   

Finding a scarf with some colour with add a nice pop to outfit and help lift you're spirits to be a little colourful when outside is so drab. Just be careful not to choose too heavy of a scarf because if you where to choose, for example, a knit scarf, having knit on knit can make you really warm, really fast. Only thing worse that being cold is sweating and being cold. Not fun.

Step 3, the tights:

Next all you need is a simple pair of tights. You can go solid back, have a little pattern for more visual interest, insulated tights if you're worried about the cold or if you're REALLY worried, wear leggings. On the bottom you just want to keep things narrow so you don't look bulky, plus it a great way to show off the legs.

Step 4, the shoes:

Ya, ya I know what you're thinking "WHAT?! Heels in winter!". Well guess what, ya, heels in winter. You don't always have to see a twisted ankle when you look at them, you just have to be smart about your choice because tops off an outfit quite like a pair of heels! Going for a wedge will help stability, as well a rubber sole. They aren't as slippy and usually come with a pretty good tread to get through the snowy parts. Also it's usually a good idea to go for booties as they generally keep you're feet covered and warmer.

See just 4 steps, 4 easy things to throw on in the mornings to look presentable and still meet you're needed requirements. So go on! Battle those Canadian winters and show the world just how awesome we dress!

Head Gear

If wearing a hat makes you automatically think bad hair day, then you're doing it wrong. The recent rash of street style gurus and fashionistas is proof that hats have officially cemented as a necessity. Whether it's a cool snap back, a cozy touque or a classy wide brim, a hat is an easy and chic way to amp up your look...(even if it is in effort to hide your bad hair day!)

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Carla pairs her classic turtle neck with a grey wool wide brim. A coloured lip is a quick way to make this grey scale look stand out. While this hat is more of a statement, opt for a dark neutral colour like grey or black and wool texture to ensure it doesn't look like you're about to head for the beach! 

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A cozy toque not only keeps you warm in the frigid weather, but it also adds the perfect amount of effortless cool to your look. It basically can be worn with any look and looks awesome with a chunky winter coat and a pair of awesome boots. 

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The snapback was once meant strictly for dudes and baseball players. However, girls have adapted this look recently and it totally looks better on us. Worn forwards or backwards, this cap looks great paired with some sneakers or a graphic T. Throw a wool jacket over top and you've got yourself some killer street style...no baseball bat necessary! 

'Goodwill' hunting

As we all know, fashion changes rapidly and new trends are introduced daily making it easy for consumers to head straight to fast fashion stores, such as H&M, Forever 21, or Zara for the latest (and most reasonably priced) trends, without a second thought. The biggest problem with this mindset though, is that buying clothes that are so disposable means they are likely to end up in a landfill and therefore contributing to the massive amount of textile waste produced each year. The solution to this issue is quite simple: search outside that box we all know as The Mall. With a little perseverance and patience, you can find some pretty cool things at consignment and vintage stores. When you take the time and look through the racks, finding a garment that is fashionable yet unique is completely worth it! Not to mention, vintage stores carry some beautiful, one-of-a-kind accessories that will have you questioning why you bought those 5 rings that make your fingers green. Take a look at these completely second-hand outfits, then start google-mapping the nearest Goodwill.

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Scotch Goes For Gold

With just under a week left, the Sochi 2014 Olympics will come to a close and the Canadian Broadcasting Company will return to playing Coronation Street on its regular time slot.

One country that is currently dominating in the Sochi Winter Olympics is The Netherlands. With hard working athletes to an impressive medal count, the country also wins gold for its fashion!

Scotch&Soda is a Dutch fashion brand that has been around since the early 2000s. The brand is always producing a unique sense of high fashion statement pieces while keeping a soft and comfortable approach for an average person. 

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Meet Kaitlin, a Ryerson Fashion Communication student who is a daily coffee drinker, illustration mastermind and an awesome girl who rocks the Scotch&Soda brand!

Shown below, Kaitlin's rocking her edgy Scotch&Soda jacket from the 2013 Autumn/Winter collection. 

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The winning Gold Medal details: edgy colour scheme, embroidered symmetrical birds, pockets and herringbone fabric. 

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Since we are in what seems a never-ending winter, Kaitlin pairs both a grey military inspired Scotch&Soda trench coat with a pair of black slouchy Scotch jeans, leather booties and a vintage hat to complete her chic winter look. 

Scotch&Soda is rocking the podium this winter and providing you a very fashionable way to dress during these very cold, snowy days!  

The Sochi Olympics are coming to a close on February 23, remember to cheer and be proud of whichever country you support in your best looking outfit whilst sipping on some scotch indoors! 

Not So Blue Winter

Well let’s face it, winter is here to stay. To be completely honest I did not expect anything more than a mild winter this year in Toronto due to the fact that the past few winters here haven’t been that impressive when it came to the snow factor. But, with snow storm after snow storm, and the fact that our groundhog caught sight of his shadow,  it is clear that mother nature is fighting to keep winter very much alive. 

I started off this winter with a pair of Hunter boots and a 4 year old winter coat that had already lost it’s feathers by year 2. I know....how very fashion-student-like of me and sooooo not practical considering I have a pretty heavy commute each day. I tried to fight through it, being on a limited student budget and plainly just not wanting to spend money on new (and what I would argue not stylish) winter apparel, but I had to face the facts and realized I would not survive winter without proper protection. 

 Here is my take on winter essentials that will protect you from those harsh elements, but are still cute enough to sport for the entire span of our Canadian winter.

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Vince Camuto Black Quilted Woven Hooded Down Coat - Hudson’s Bay

I love this coat because you can wear it zipped halfway or all the way to change up your look from time to time. It’s super warm and has a big oversized hood which I just adore.

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Russian Vamp Boots - Roots

These boots are indestructible, definitely built to last. With their shiny black finish they give off a luxurious feel that can be paired perfectly with any skinny pant or legging. I recommend the black to do the job, especially since it pairs well with just about anything. 

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Oversized Dylanium Knits Infinity Scarf - Homegrown Boutique 

This scarf is a life saver. It is hand knitted by local Canadian designer Dylan Uscher. Because the knit is so large it allows for a lot of coverage to the skin while also giving dramatic flair to any outfit, allowing for an endless amount of compliments for you to receive. Not to mention, it makes for a great makeshift pillow for those long commutes home. Sleep tight!

YoungRita and her Ali-Baba Cave

My best friend Margarita and her sister share a closet that takes up the most part of their bedroom loft. It has been called by our other very close friends "Ali-Baba's Cave" because of its endless supply of vintage and hip-hop inspired garments that they have collected over the years (and believe me, it is ever growing!!). 

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Now, this can cause problems when one needs to pick what to wear - there seems to always be something better to wear for this day, or that night out. 

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Here, I have photographed Margarita in her 'cave' while getting ready to go to a jam. I left the shutter speed open longer so as to capture her movement around the 'cave' while she picked and chose what worked and what did not. 

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After the tedious outfit choosing ceremony comes the hair. This can also go so many ways, making it another tedious task. 

Here and in the last shot, Margarita is braiding her hair into french braids. To get a feel of what she really sees when she looks in the mirror, I shot these last photos through her arms and hair to have a more personal view of the process. 

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Make sure to follow Margarita on Twitter (@youngrita) and on Instagram (@youngmargarita) to see more of her lifestyle and inspirations! 

Antique Fashion meets the Millennium

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Vintage meets modern day fashion in this 1970s velvet jumpsuit. Paired with the daring gold skull bracelet, this outfit the high gritty fashion of today. The velvet jumpsuit is pretty much perfect for this chilly weather as it is fashionable, warm and one of a kind. It was my grandma's back in the day and I love that I am able to wear and use it in everyday life and carry on the spirit within the garment. I decided to pair it with the Louis Vuitton portfolio case as it adds to the high fashion feel of the photo.

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The head scarf compliments the outfit and gives it a boho-chic feel. I love the way the light hits Kim in the shot above as it enhances the scarf's unique pattern. You can't see the jumpsuit and bracelet as well in this shot but I like how it creates an illusion within the image and lets your imagination create a garment within the darkness.

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Dramatic Winged Eyeliner

Make up is an essential part of many women's daily routine, and I can honestly say that I am slowly becoming one of those makeup craze females. I can gladly thank social media especially Tumblr as well as spending countless hours watching YouTube videos on make up tutorials. As an artist, I can really appreciate the way make up can "transform" a person's face. One of my favourite make up essentials would have to be my recent obsession with gel eyeliner. I use to be an avid pencil eyeliner user but it would never last as long as I would want it to especially in the winter time. Then gel eyeliner was introduced into my life and respectfully changed it. I like the fact that I have more control when applying and that I can pull of my favourite look which is the 'winged' look. Below are a couple pictures of a more dramatic winged eyeliner look that I don't have the guts (yet) to pull off but I adore. This look was successfully completed with my MAC Fluidline Gel Eyeliner and a Studio Small e.l.f Angled Brush

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Reading on Reading Week

This reading week, I am lucky to be escaping the cold winter weather. One of my favourite things to do on vacation is read, which I unfortunately do not get a lot of time to do during the semester. Here are some of my "fashion" books that I will be bringing with me to read (when I'm not studying for midterms of course...), along with warm weather outfits to go with them.

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 The first book is "The Asylum" by Simon Doonan, creative ambassador of Barneys New York. The book includes autobiographical essays about the crazy world of fashion - should be an interesting read.

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Next up, "It" by Alexa Chung, the appropriately named "scrapbook" style book by the infamous "it-girl". 

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Lastly, I have "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster" by Dana Thomas. A really interesting read for those interested in retailing or luxury goods!

A Night Out with Doc.

It's clear to see that the high heel is an ornate sculpture that including myself, I enjoy wearing and displaying the wondrous effects and marvels it does for my legs. I've always walked by the Doctor Martens store on Queen St. and had this curiosity about these boots that they call Doc Martens. I mean, obviously I knew what they were and saw people on the street wearing them, but I was always like, that's not really me. I don't know if it was the leather, or the clunkiness, or obnoxious association that usually came with wearing them, but I felt like it was something that I could never really "pull off". The first time I tried them on was last year just for my own personal endearment and curiosity. Although they were on my feet; I wasn't completely sold. The store guy was trying to help me (or push the sale I should say…) asking me what it was that I didn't like about the boots. I kept looking at my leather engulfed feet through the mirror. I don't know… Nothing against the boot, I honestly could not explain why I didn't like them, I kept navigating towards the it's too clunky excuse when ironically enough, I was wearing classic Timberland construction worker boots; so that was very hypocritical of me, but in the end I said thank you and left.

I'm going to say about a year later, my current retail employment began to carry the infamous classic 1460 Black boots so I decided to give them a go. Maybe it was because I was with a large group of girls closing my store after a very long day, so you can imagine the level of estrogen that was present in this one locale. Oh my god I love!!! and No definitely get them was all I kept hearing so I did. I was still uneasy about my purchase but I accepted the small percentage of desire inside of me that was urging me to let go and take it to the "clunky side." By letting go of my inner demon anti-clunky, grungy Doc Marten mentality, I fell in love. A love that is very passionate for not a person, or a pet, or something a little bit more prettier, but my Docs. Aside from the three month gruelling process that I went to, to break them in, I just couldn't and still can't get enough. There is just something about my Docs that I can't begin to explain. I love them. It's getting annoying actually. To the point where I am getting ready to go out to a bar with my girlfriends and I'm pairing the dress… with the Docs. I am even beginning to dress around the Docs. Ou I can wear these pants… with maybe this top… AND my Docs. Seriously. My friends are even telling me not to wear my Docs. I guess they will just never understand because they don't even own a pair to begin with. 

My rebuttal: Fashion is revolutionizing. The Docs never needed to make a come back because they have literally been around forever, but the culture is definitely expanding. I, myself have joined the "Doc Cult" and I will forever be a member. This is a lesson that fashion is your interpretation and if you want to wear the boots out, where the boots. Or an even more important lesson to take away out of all of this: "Life is short. Buy the shoes." But I think it is safe to say that no matter what direction you choose, what you think looks good, looks good. So with that advice, I will now lace up my black leather clunky Doc Martens, and pair them with my cute dancing dress, and go out dancing with my girlfriends. And by girlfriends I mean my Docs because seriously I'm in love with them. 

This is my night out with Doc...

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Metamorphosis through Makeup

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Steve, my model and makeup muse. Steve is a makeup artist at MAC Cosmetics and his incredible talent in creating drag makeup was my inspiration for this photo shoot. Going into the shoot, I was completely oblivious to the amount of time and effort that goes into makeup application, until I was informed that it took a painstaking hour and a half for Steve to apply this gorgeous smokey eye. I have a huge appreciation for the amount of precision and concentration it takes for any drag queen to transform themselves. These images attempt to capture Steve’s transformation through makeup techniques.

If anyone would like to learn from Steve’s expertise, I’m sure he would love to assist you at the MAC Bloor location.

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Since contemporary design and fashion have a huge influence on each other, I wanted to show this connection by capturing fashion and art together. I visited two exhibits at Gladstone Hotel: Capacity and Come Up to My Room (CUTMR).

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At Capacity, I was attracted to a horned-shaped design called Rhinocetoss by Kartina Tomkin which was composed of soft maple, basswood and rubber. I am curious to see how these types of materials carry over into accessory trends in the coming year.

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Confessional, displayed at CUTMR, was a contemporary interpretation of a confessional created by artists Christine Kim and Vanathy Ganesharajak.  Long rectangular intrinsically patterned screens sectioned off small areas to mimic the feeling of being in a confessional room.  Influence for this design can be traced back to the Alexander Mcqueen’s 2013 pre-fall collection.

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On the third floor of the hotel, a delicate floral mobile hung from the ceiling creating a meditative and romantic atmosphere. The smoothness of the cool glass against the warm rough texture of the wool created a beautiful composition.

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After an amazing night of art and inspiration I felt the need to take a moment to absorb what I had seen, taking solace under the colourful oil painting Fallen Tree by Bryon Hodgins.   

New In - Vintage, Handcrafted and Unique Items

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Today I want to show you some vintage, handcrafted and new items from shops in Kensington Market and from the store Urban Outfitters on Yonge Street. Last weekend I checked out Kensington Market for the first time and it turns out that I totally love it there even though my friends and I went on a really cold day. I found those amazing see through stone earrings and the knot twisted ring together in a store called ‚Courage my Love‘. The two necklaces from UO remind me of the ‚Tales of the Thousand and One Nights‘ and are perfect to combine with my free people boho dresses. Last but not least I found a cool, striped vintage men’s shirt from Levi's at a store called ‚Subrosa‘ and I can not wait to knot it up to wear it in spring with some high wasted pants. 

I will definitely check out the neighborhood again - probably when its getting warmer.... ;)

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Dressing Up A Strength Coach

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My boyfriend, Ty, is a strength and conditioning coach at a gym in Toronto.  Being a trainer he has a lot of split shifts and a lot of long days at the gym.  This means he spends most of his days in a t-shirt, runners and shorts or sweatpants.  Not totally fashion forward, am I right?  Aside from work, he likes to get away from the sweats but still be in something practical and stylish.  He likes to opt for pieces that are simple and well tailored, like this coat, and maybe one piece with a little personality, like this ombre sweater.  

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Shot using a 50 mm lens.