“Prom Dress.” An iconic concept. So why not go conceptual? Here are some great ways to wear pants to prom. Prom Pants. We like it.
Tipsy Pants in NOLA Paisley from Fitzroy Boutique, $136
Sarah Chiffon Detail Playsuit from Boohoo.com, $40
Ditsy Floral Jacquard Trousers, Topshop
Cameo Brakelight Pant, Shop Nowhereland, $218
Katherine Jumpsuit by Motel, Topshop
High Waist Evening Trousers, ASOS, $52.22
Fitness is important, this we know. But for those of us who prefer not to partake in sports but rather simply look the part, wearing sport-inspired clothing fills the fitness gap in our lives. Spring is the perfect time to prance, cartwheel, and high-kick with glee because school’s out for the summer and we’ve got nothing but time until September comes around.
Skirts are fun and cute, yes, but being able to race your friend to an ice cream truck without worrying about flashing that old man on a bench is better (I know my friend is reading this right now and thinking, ‘Not everything is a competition,’ but you know what? In my world it is). So let’s frolic and pal around freely in sporty yet trendy clothing and act like we know how many innings are in a baseball game (7? 9? 5? Who’s to say).
T. Babaton Robinson Jacket. While we’re on the subject of baseball, let’s discuss how awesome baseball-inspired pieces are for one’s closet. The arms are a different colour than the rest of the jacket, which makes it kind of funky but also really cool. Dare you to wear this to a Blue Jays game this summer because we all know that’s one of the best Toronto activities. Price: $175, Aritzia.
Topshop Pow Printed Runner Shorts. Cartoons are a Saturday lounging staple, so couple them with a sporty pair of shorts and you’ve got a sweet addition to your wardrobe. BOOM. Price: $24, Topshop.
ASOS T-Shirt with Foil Number 10. Oversized? Check. Football-inspired? Check. Loungey? Check. This shirt would be great to sleep in, roll out of bed in, toss on some cut-offs in, and hit the pavement in. That is, if you’re ok with sleeping in what you wear outside, which is the best thing ever soooo embrace it. Price: $39, ASOS.
Forever 21 Retro Baseball Cap. Hats are fun! And they protect your pretty little face from getting sunburnt which is not—and never will be—attractive. Toss a hat on when you’re hanging out poolside and wear it backwards for optimal fun once the sun has gone down. Backwards caps are so totally ’90s, which is the look we’re always going for. Price: $7, Forever 21.
Joe Fresh Sneaker. Wearing running shoes just for running is so yesterday. Now it’s best to pair your sneakers with absolutely everything from summer dresses to sporty outfits. There’s something so satisfying about looking cute in a pair of shoes and knowing you’re more comfortable than everyone else in their gladiator shoes with 129381 straps. Price: $24, Joe Fresh.
Zara Dress With Cut-Out Shoulders. While no sports other than figure skating require wearing a dress, this one is made of sweatpant material which is just about the sportiest material on the planet. But because sweatpants = bad, wearing a giant sweater dress with cut-outs that let your arms breathe will fill the sweat pant hole in your closet. Price: $60, Zara.
Bobbin Bicycle. You know what the best fitness in town is? BIKING! Biking gets you from point A to point B without having to endure the dreaded TTC, and makes all your outfits look even better because it’s basically the best accessory ever. I even hear there are cute helmets out there on the market so like, double the accessory power, double the fun! Cute AND safe. Price: $500, Wiggle.
Clarin’s Sunscreen Stick. If you’re going to be outside pretending to be doing sports but really just lounging in the sun: wear sunscreen! You will still get a tan and will avoid the dreaded sunburn (see #4 for more details about burns). This one comes as a stick, so it can be toted around in your bag for wherever the summer may take you. Price: $26, Sephora.
You guys, it’s time we gave pink a second chance. Being told from birth that pink is the colour for girls and girls only made me personally reject the colour from my wardrobe, so I opted for blacks and greys. But for Spring 2013, I propose we look through some rose-coloured glasses and embrace pink—but in new and slightly badass ways (floral studded crown, anyone?).
The key to wearing pink like a champ is not wearing too much, because it is still a pretty bold colour. Baby pinks can bring back memories of the Spice Girls (!!!) and hot pink lips have a total Barbie girl vibe, which is also a little bit mysterious in my mind. Go bright and go bold, because it’s time the colour graduated out of our childhood rooms and into our grownup closets.
Topshop Pink Jacquard Mini Skirt. A sculpted floral skirt in pink? Don’t mind if I do! What’s best about this skirt is the fact that it’s jacquard, meaning it won’t fly up in a sudden wind storm (which somehow happens every time I decide to wear a skirt). This cures that problem and adds a cute pop of colour into your spring wardrobe. Price: $68, available at Topshop.
H&M Sport Shorts. I actually own these shorts and definitely don’t only do fitness in them. They are so comfortable and look cute (I think) when I’m running about in my sneakers and a oversized denim button-up. P.S. If you’re travelling this summer, these are perfect—they dry in 30 seconds and manage to never look dirty. Price: $15, available at H&M.
Forever 21 Sheer Striped High-Low Shirt. One can never have too many button-ups, because a) they look cool with jeans, shorts, skirts, or whatever, and b) they can be worn open a la Cory Matthews in Boy Meets World for an airier look. And this pink striped take on the button-up will be a perfect summer staple. Price: $22, available at Forever21.
Casio Digital Watch. So totally 90s! And in hot pink! Yessssss you want this just because it’s perfect. ‘Nuff said. Price: $35, available at ASOS.
Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil. Nars Lip Pencils are Man Repeller-approved, and if you haven’t figured it out, I really like her. Bright pink lips are all the rage for Spring 2013, so pick up a pink that flatters your skin tone. You can never have too many lipsticks. Price: $25, available at Sephora.
Zara Leather Slipper. If you’re super weary about wearing skirts and shirts in bright pink, fret not, because these leather shoes are the perfect solution to your fear. You can keep your look neutral but then add a bright shoe to add a fun little quirk to the look. Price: $100, available at Zara.
ASOS Flower Spike Hair Band. Giving pink a bit of attitude in this floral crown with gold spikes. The perfect summertime accessory—the floral crown—is also a super easy DIY! Head to your local Dollarama and pick up some hot pink flowers and headbands and use a glue gun to attach them. It is the quickest and cutest craft that you and all your pals could make. DIY party, amirite? Price: $18, available at ASOS.
Nasty Gal Shine-Up Shades. These are the rose-coloured glasses we were talking about. Half clear plastic and half pink, they are an unusual solution to statement sunglasses, which Spring 2013 was also all about. And sunglasses are for your health! Protect those eyes. Price: $40, available at Nasty Gal.
Wilfred Free Wasaga Dress. Full disclosure: I own two of these dresses and wear them almost every day. This is not a joke. I almost bought a third just the other day but heard my friends mocking me in my head, so I controlled myself. That being said, I highly recommend you pick up one in hot pink and relish in the fact that it’s the best piece of clothing ever. It’s like a giant T-shirt that looks nice enough to wear to a party and also cool enough for daytime hangs. Trust me on this one. Price: $50, available at Aritzia.
I recently had a friend tell me that “the only thing that is forever is denim.” And I definitely agree. But if you’re thinking, Oh, booooring, a post about jeans, you’re wrong. Spring 2013 is all about having fun with denim in new and unusual ways (denim sneakers! Denim bustiers! Jorts! Denim on denim on denim on denim!).
Denim truly does last forever, and investing in pieces like a really amazing denim jacket or perfect jeans can stretch your closet to places you never thought possible. Even Karl Lagerfeld was dreaming about denim when he designed a strapless jean dress for Chanel Spring 2013. And if Karl was dreaming about jeans, we should be, too. So come away with me to Planet Denim, where dreams really do come true!
American Apparel Denim Circle Skirt. I’m currently all about ditching the skintight tube skirts in favour of full circle skirts. Why? Because these are cuter, and will be less sticky while you’re cruising around the city checking out vintage shops in the humid summer heat. A denim skirt is like a pair of pants that lets your legs breathe; it goes with any shirt in your closet, and can make any look feel brand new.
Price: $46, available at American Apparel
TopShop Moto Bleach Denim Dunagrees. Now, I don’t want to say I dream about overalls at night…but I definitely dream about overalls at night. And seeing how most of you (I assume) missed overalls’ first rise to the top, why not try it out now and see how you feel about having one piece of denim cover most of your body? Hint: it feels really, really good. Go for glory!
Price: $76, available at TopShop
Aritzia Harlem Jacket by Talula. If you invest in a great denim jacket, you will be patting yourself on the back for years to come. As soon as spring hits, it’s time to ditch the parka, pull out a fun summer dress, and toss a denim coat over top. If you’re feeling up to the challenge of a Canadian Tuxedo, pair your jacket with your favourite jeans.
Price: $98, available at Aritzia
Forever 21 Ombre Denim Vest. Here we see a model pairing her metallic shorts (see last week’s post on how to wear this trend) with double denim. If your Mom won’t let you dye your hair ombre for fear it will be ruined forever (Moooom!) then you might as well wear ombre clothing.
Price: $30, available at Forever 21
DIY Denim cutoffs.
When you really want $170 Rag & Bone denim cutoffs and your friends tell you it’s a waste of money (curse you, friends!), it’s time to head to your local Value Village (the VV Boutique, if you will) for a little crafternoon. There are many, many YouTube videos about cutting a pair of pants into the perfect cutoffs, so it’s obviously a super idea. Also, from now on, you must only refer to denim cutoffs as jorts (jeans + shorts = jorts).
Price: However much your vintage jeans cost, plus the price of a hefty pair of scissors.
Maybelline Colorshow in Denim Dash. My love for all things Maybelline knows no bounds, and the fact that the brand has a denim-inspired collection makes my heart swell. It’s basically just a navy blue, but we’ll ignore that little factor and pretend like we have blue jeans on our nails. Afterall, the more denim, the better.
Available at Shoppers Drug Mart. (I don’t know the price but I’m assuming it’s very reasonable.)
Superga Black/Coral Sneakers. You guys, I’m starting to really like doing these posts because I find the best gems during my searches. Case and point: these shoes. DENIM SNEAKERS. For those of you who haven’t heard Vanessa Hudgen’s classic song “Sneaker Night,” I highly recommend you take a listen and appreciate everything that sneakers can bring to your life. Basically, all we’re going to do is dance (in these sneakers).
Price: $78, available at Superga; but Gravity Pope in Toronto also sells Superga
Urban Outfitters Out from Under Stonewash Denim Bra Top. Crop tops may not be for everyone (including myself), but if you can wear one, it might as well be made of denim.
Price: $24, available at Urban Outfitters
As Rihanna once said, “Shine bright like a metallic!” Okay fine, she never said that—but I’m sure she was thinking it when she saw how big metallic is for Spring 2013. Taking cues from astronauts and disco balls, golds, silvers and iridescent colours made have made it off of the runways of Burberry and Dior and into our favourite local retailers. Magpies and fashion lovers everywhere rejoice!
This is yet another trend (like the ’60s) that not everyone will be willing to sport from H to T (that means head to toe in Tyra Banks language) but the great thing about metallics is that they can be anything from studs on a shirt to a completely silver jacket. Whatever level of embrace you’re willing to give to the trend, metallics will be there to hug you right back.
One year, my roommates and I went as the Jonas Brothers for Halloween. It was not a good look. People basically thought I was Bette Midler, and the only person who guessed our costumes correctly was a drag queen we ran into at two in the morning. If you’re looking for a slightly more successful Halloween costume idea, why not try channeling some of these amazing ladies?
The idea here is black and white and Victorian all over. Add red lipstick.
Lace Dress, Forever 21
Sleeveless Lace Dress Topshop
Solid Stripe Pantyhose, American Apparel
Rhinestone Hells, Forever 21
Vintage Cameo pin on Etsy
The bonus of this costume is that anyone who doesn’t know who you are will just assume you’re an animé character and be too afraid of appearing irrelevant to ask.
Short sleeve tshirt leotard, American Apparel
Tulip Skirt, American Apparel
Jersey Headband, American Apparel
Black leather and lace fingerless gloves, Urban Outfitters
If you’re seriously crafty, here’s how to DIY a flaming sword. If not, construction paper and a toy one will do nicely. Here’s how to temporarily dread your hair.
You can have all your friends dress up as her monster-mascot backing band! Score some $5 spectacles in Kensington Market, at one of the sunglasses stands near Augusta and Nassau. Top with red lipstick, like this shade from Gosh.
Nick & Nora Poplin It’s A Hoot Pajamas, Target
Nicki’s looks are usually a bit too intense, or risqué, for Halloween costume copying, but this look from “The Boys” is a more easily recreated Minajsemble. We, however, are suggesting you replace the bathing suit with a bodysuit, for both warmth and dignity. The only craftiness required here will be cutting the belt in half and attaching it to the straps of the white bodysuit.
Blazer, H & M
White Bodysuit, American Apparel
Ottoman Rib Tube Top, American Apparel
Spike Love Belt, Remi & Reid
Leopard Print Hat, Topshop