Month: November 2014

How To Choose Necklaces for Necklines

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I stumbled upon this great chart the other day on Tumbler that does a pretty good job of illustrating which necklaces work with what necklines. It’s no wonder then, one of the most often asked questions from my clients is, which necklace should I wear with what neckline? Mismatched necklaces to necklines is one of the most practiced fashion faux pas I see daily. In reality it’s quite simple to master, it’s all about visual proportion and spacing. This chart is an excellent start to understanding what works well, and I’ve added some more examples here below. Collar necklaces like the one below should be worn with crew necklines and should sit right on top the neckline opening. Pendant necklaces look best worn equal distance between the neckline and the waistline. How to wear multiple chain necklaces may seem tricky to master but it’s simply about creating visual balance between neckline and waistline of the dress. A larger and longer necklace is best suited to a very plain garment as it fills empty space and adds visual interest …

For the Beauty Junkies

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Ok Canada, here it is, the launch of Birchbox on Canadian soil. I’m not the kind of women who spends tons of moolah on beauty products. I’m loyal to the brands and products I like, but open enough to try samples. I have found some of my favourite beauty products by trying samples. The last big hit I discovered was from trying a sample given to me at Barney’s. I was buying a Kiehl’s product when the salesperson slipped me a perfume sample of Ange ou Demon Le Secret from Givenchy. I took one whiff and knew I had found my newest fragrance. Luckily my husband loves it on me too! When I first came across a Birchbox advertisement on the internet a couple of years ago I click on the link and was intrigued. Birchbox, headquartered in New York, offers a $10 a month, or $110 a year subscription service for beauty samples in the U.S. You simply fill out a personal beauty profile on their site, then every month, a little box of five high-end beauty samples from all …

The Perfect Pencil Skirt

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Banana Republic black ponte pencil skirt, $110 CAD. Click on link to buy this skirt. Photos: Banana Republic. I came across this fantastic skirt while shopping with a client a few weeks ago. It was so fabulous in fact, I went back to buy it for myself the very next day! A well fitting black pencil skirt is a basic every women should have as a staple in her wardrobe. It’s always in style, a good separate for coordinating with just about anything and adds a polished look to any outfit. As you can imagine, I am often on the lookout for a good pencil skirt for my clients. This skirt from Banana Republic is high waisted and tapers narrower at the hem, which gives the illusion of a longer leaner silhouette. Who wouldn’t want that? It’s also cut and constructed well with a vented back hem, allowing for unrestricted walking so you get the narrow look without having to hobble.  One of the best features about this pencil skirt besides the great fit is that it’s constructed in a flattering Ponte knit. …

Downtown casual

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This is how I would style and wear this Rick Owens twist top from my Drape it on Me entry. Casual and cool. Rick Owens twist top $370 – net-a-porter.com Balmain real leather jacket stylebop.com Alexander Wang cut-out boots lagarconne.com CÉLINE colorful handbag portero.com Sterling silver cz necklace berricle.com NARS Cosmetics lips makeup narscosmetics.com Opi nail lacquer $19 – liberty.co.uk

Pretty in Pink

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Michael Kors Miranda Leather Extra-Small Tote $795 USD Today, I fell in love…..As I walked into Michael Kors, something bright caught my eye. I beelined over to the perfect bag, for me at least! Hot pink, just small enough, just big enough for my essentials, just light enough! For someone who wears mostly black and grey head to toe, including fuchsia in my outfit is my favourite way to add colour. It wakes up my wardrobe and exudes energy. Below, a few of my favourite hot pink items; lipstick “Show Orchid” from MAC, a Joe Fresh sweater I picked up for a steal last winter, one of my Victoria Secret bras and my Kate Spade iPhone cover.  One of my all time favourite lip colours Show Orchid by MAC $19 CAD To buy product, click on this link I wear this Joe Fresh sweater when it’s ugly, cold and grey outside. I found it on sale for about $5.00. It’s size XL which gives me the perfect oversized sweater look. My Victoria Secret bra that no …

Drape it on Me

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Photo: George Whiteside, Styling: Meileen Son Hing While studying fashion design at Parsons, I had a real eureka moment the day we were introduced to draping. I clued in that it was draped designs that spoke to me the most. Glamorous bias cut and draped fashions from the forties have always had a special allure for me. Draping became one of my favorite design techniques and still is today. As a curvy but petite 5’1” draped clothing gently hugs and flatters my curves without any boxy volume that can overwhelm my smaller frame. Regular sized draped pieces are also more forgiving on petite frames because the waist, bust and hipline are malleable vs. more structured designs that hit a petite frame at all the wrong points on the body. These are some of the stunning asymmetrically draped items that I’m coveting right now.

Gel Envy

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Photo: Revlon Long wear nail enamel, too good to be true? I’ve styled some Revlon Nail campaigns and the last shoot was for the new Revlon Colourstay Gel Envy. While Photographer Michael Williams was shooting away, award-winning top manicurist Leeanne Colley of Tips Nail Bar gave me a demo. No base coat necessary, primer and colour in one stroke. It dried much more quickly than traditional nail polish and had a super high gloss shine like gel nail polishes. Win, win, win! I bought a bottle at Shoppers Drugmart the other day and can wait to test drive it. I’ll let you know how it goes. Below are some photos from shoot day including close-ups of the gorgeous clothing I pulled for the shoot, a look behind-the-scenes.

Wit & Delight for Target

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Target has been collaborating with Celebrity Designers for years, their latest foray is with popular Pinners. Designs by Kate Arends of Wit & Delight cater to the artisan food and craft beer crowd offering all kinds of geometric goods for your tabletop. These candles and platters, as well plates, bottle openers, and beer tasting sets. As with all of Target’s limited edition collections, snap up what you like quickly because they will be sold out in no time!  I popped into the store the other day and found a pack of gold and black pencils from the line. These two pencils were in the pack, so I just had to get them for a little extra inspiration.                                                               Link here http://www.target.ca/en/whatsinstore/partywithpinners?Ink=content

Fashion Rules to Live By

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Image: Pinterest Fashion Rules to Live By Don’t wear anything that feels uncomfortable, if it doesn’t feel good you won’t look good. Do wear what feels good and works with your lifestyle. Don’t buy it on a whim or just because its a good deal. Do invest in quality pieces and plan your wardrobe with care. Don’t wear what your daughter and her friends are wearing it, it’s likely not age appropriate. Do try a more sophisticated and toned down version of the trends in small doses. Don’t skip over the Petite department if you are under 5’4” Do buy Petite when you can as the proportions are cut to fit your frame properly. Don’t wear leggings as pants “Leggings are not pants!” Do buy slim cut and straight cut pants that flatter to your figure and give the illusion of longer slimmer legs. Don’t buy a size that doesn’t fit you now in the hopes it will fit one day if you loose weight. Do give yourself permission to buy the size you are …

Welcome!

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Working for over 20 years in fashion, advertising, television and film, I’m a forty something stylist, designer and fashion consultant with a wealth of knowledge to share.  I’ve started this blog to share my love of fashion, give insider tips and tricks, and talk beauty, style and design. Here I will answer some of the most often asked questions from my clients and invite you to respond with questions of your own related to fashion, beauty or style. I hope you find reading what I share an enjoyable and insightful experience! Samples of my work below…