SPRING STYLE CLASS | 3 New Ways to Wear Wide Pants

via H&M

Originally posted in The CLOSET

There's no denying the staying power of the skinny. Some of you might not remember when skinny jeans blew up but I remember it very well. I was living in Toronto in 2005 when I started to notice women give up their bootcuts in favour of calf-clenching skin-tight jeans. I remember waiting for the subway, watching girls of all shapes and sizes get strangled by their new skinnies, thinking how super awkward they looked, and how I would never, ever intentionally choose pants that made my bum look big.

Of course, I gave in. We collectively figured out how to wear them right. We learned to balance out our super fitted bottoms with loose sweaters, long tunics and oversized cardis. We discovered in pictures how cruel white skinnies could be and how tan skinnies made it look like we weren't wearing pants at all. Stores finally started offering us varying styles of skinnies to suit our bods, from jeggings to skinny boots, with loads of stretch thrown in for good measure.  And while I swore I'd never go there, turns out skinny jeans are pretty much all I've worn for the past 10 years.

I'm not going to claim that this is the end of the skinny but there's clearly a style shake-up happening with the fashion pack right now. Cool girls everywhere, from Jennifer Lawrence to Kendall Jenner are currently opting for wider leg pants - think super flared '70s jeans, wide cropped culottes and flowy palazzos that make skinnies look SO last season. I don't know about you but I'm ready for some breathing room. They might look a little funny now but remember - we said that about the skinny, too. 

Read on for 3 cute ways to wear wide pants this spring. And breathe...

THE SOFTER SIDE | The Cool New Way to Wear Spring Pastels

via J.Crew

Originally posted in The LOOK

It's the last day of winter. Let me repeat that - the LAST day of winter! This is no joke. Hard to believe that the spring we've been waiting for has finally arrived, and with it, a new crop of pretty spring colours in stores. While I'll always rely on black and white, and do love my brights, there's something irresistible about soft pastels, especially this season. 

While pastels can be sweet and pretty and mega girly-girly, you might not think of them as cool. I mean, black is cool and metallics are cool but pink? Cool? You might be surprised. From the always on point J.Crew runway to the most-copied street stylers, fashion know-it-alls are already tossing off their blacks and switching them up for powdery blues, ballet pinks and vibrant yellows. 

So, how do you make pastels look edgy? Here are 3 easy ways:

1) ADD BLACK | It never fails to pair your pastels with black to add depth to a super-sweet shade. Bonus points if you can add some leather (faux or real) and either a leopard or snake print to the mix.

2) MIX IT UP | Instead of sticking to one pastel shade, why not mix them up? Shades of blues and pinks mixed up look amazing worn head to toe, especially when you add some distressed denim to the mix. 

3) COMBINE SOFT & BRIGHT PASTELS | Soft pink with white and a khaki trench is pretty but, let's face it, predictable. The addition of one super bright pastel (think a bright yellow like in the J.Crew pic above and the outfit below) totally takes your spring outfit to the next level. Neon orange looks amazing with soft pink, too. 

Looking for some spring outfit inspo? I've put together 3 cool pastel looks to try out now. Happy Spring!

SEE THE LOOKS HERE...

JUMP AROUND | 3 Ways to Wear a One-Piece

Lara Stone does city girl chic in her white overalls. via H&M

Originally posted in The CLOSET

There's dressing for men and then there's dressing for ourselves. My husband's list of fashion 'likes' reads like a Victoria's Secret catalogue, and it goes a little something like this: 

• Things that lace up = good
• Things that tie up = good
• Tight workout pants = good
• Tops that "accidentally" fall off shoulders = good
• Cleavage = good 

Predictable, right? But he's not alone. I've met few straight men who would pick SJP over Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth over Gisele, Maggie Gyllenhaal over Megan Fox. Meanwhile, fashion girls collectively lose their minds when Emma Stone, Tilda Swinton or Cate Blanchett hit the red carpet because they dress for the love of clothes, not for the cleavage they can bust out. 

I'm perpetually torn between the two camps. I hold this sexpot superhero power over my bae when I throw on strappy heels, a little black dress and bombshell waves. Kachow! He has no idea why but suddenly he goes all zombie-like, holding doors open for me and offering to make me caipirinhas. Still, I love dressing up like Jenna Lyons with my buttoned-up men's shirt, culottes & New Balance kicks. Girls love it. Guys literally walk right past me. Except when I put on a pair of big geek glasses. Then it turns into a hot teacher/librarian thing. Guys like that. 

The one-piece jumpsuit is inherently divisive. While most women would love to try out overalls or a denim jumpsuit, they avoid them because they know how much men hate them. So, I've put together 3 one-piece looks for you to try out this spring anyway. Fitted black overalls worn with a tee or white blouse and heels is undeniably cute. An Emma Stone-like evening jumpsuit is unpredictably sexy. And as for the denim jumpsuit? Not sure about men (okay fine, pretty sure they'll hate it) but I can guarantee that fellow fashion girls will swoon. And here's the thing: sometimes a girl's just gotta look after #1. 

SEE THE LOOKS HERE:

THE NEW | 15 Trends to Try in 2015

Kendall Jenner in Vogue

Originally posted in The LOOK

My favourite thing to do in the middle of a deep freeze is avoid it. No, really, I stay as far away as possible from any natural air, sprint to the closest heated car or building whenever I have to be outside, and generally make any excuse I can to not have to go out at all. My dog and I go on winter runs, not walks, so he and I get exercise but limit the potential for frostbite. And when skiing, you can literally only see the tip of my nose. I look ridiculous but my Hot Hands-warmed thumbs are giving the thumbs up inside my oven mitt-sized mittens. 

While avoiding the cold, I spend my time dreaming. Dreaming of warm places, dreaming that a plane ticket will find its way into my cold hands, and dreaming of spring fashion. The spring runways were loaded with temptations that I can't wait to wear. And since 2015 is officially here, I see no reason why we can't start wearing some of spring's pretty pieces right now. 

These 15 finds will help bring you right up to speed for 2015...

READ MORE...

STYLE | 15 Resolutions to Keep in 2015

via Bionda Castana

Originally posted in The CLOSET

There's nothing like a brand new year to make us rethink the way we do everything. From getting fit to starting fresh with our family, the hope of change can motivate us to do some amazing things. Luckily, January doesn't have to mean a complete overhaul of the way you run your life. I personally like to keep my resolutions stylish, streamlined and sometimes sparkly. I like getting rid of excess baggage, both metaphorically and physically. Like, I seriously have so many bags to give away to Goodwill. And while a new necklace or pair of shoes isn't going to turn me into the best possible me, I know they'll make me stand taller and slightly shift my point of view. 

Let's all resolve to be a little more stylish this year, shall we? It might be a small thing but you'll be amazed by how 15 pieces will change your 2015 (or at least your 2015 closet) for the better. As for budget, let's just ignore that resolution for the moment. Oh, come on, it's January - it's the best time for dreaming big, don't you think?

SEE MY 15 STYLISH PICKS HERE...