THE BUY: Top concert clothes

Posted on August 4, 2010 by The Style Notebook

Story by Caitlin Agnew. Illustration by Cleo Kendall.

Morning found us calmly unaware
Noon burn gold into our hair
At night, we swim the laughin’ sea
When summer’s gone
Where will we be?

—The Doors, “Summer’s Almost Gone”

With only one month left of summer, it’s time to make the most of it. Our favourite way to enjoy the fairest season is by going to outdoor concerts. Friends, music, and sun—what more could a girl want? Oh yeah, a great outfit.

You can thank Kate Moss for this one. The queen of casual concert cool has inspired legions of music-lovers to look their best while in the audience, be it at Coachella or on the Toronto Island. Here are our favourite items to wear to an outdoor show, from hats to sunglasses to band tees.

First up: Fidelity Lourdes Shorts ($164, at Over the Rainbow)

Think: “Cherry Pie” by Warrant

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THE BUY: Toronto’s top jewellery

Posted on July 19, 2010 by The Style Notebook

Story by Caitlin Agnew. Illustrator Cleo Kendall was inspired by a sexy pic of Faye Dunaway cloaked in jewels.

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but The Buy loves jewellery in all shapes, sizes, colours, and prices. Of all the clothing and accessories we wear, our jewellery is the most personal, saying the most about who we are. We all have those tried-and-true signature pieces we can’t live without, but every season (and event) necessitates a few new updates.

Summer is the perfect time of year to show off a little sparkle under the sun, be it with gold bangles, a bronze ring, or a lucky charm. Here are some of our favourite pieces to add some splash to your look, all available in Toronto.

First up, the Lillian Crowe Pyramid Ring ($90, at Robber, 863 Queen St. W.)

Think: Liz Taylor in Cleopatra

Wear it with: A tie-dyed tank and denim shorts

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THE BUY: White riot

Posted on June 28, 2010 by The Style Notebook

OUR INSPIRATION For her 1971 wedding to Mick, Bianca Jagger famously wore a crisp, cool white suit. Illustration by Cleo Kendall. Story by Caitlin Agnew.

From weddings to Wimbledon, white rules the summer months. You don’t need to be a bride or a tennis star to make an all-white ensemble work (but a tan helps). If you’re going for a monochromatic outfit, use white as a canvas to draw attention to other elements of your look—a poppy turquoise necklace, a perfect red lip.

Or use white hot accessories—a pump, belt, pair of earrings—to add a welcome dash of cool. (A word of advice: Skip the white sunglasses. That trend should have stayed in 2006.)

We’ve chosen our 12 favourite white pieces, from $10 to $859, all available in Toronto.

First up: A lacy take on classic white courtesy of Christian Louboutin. (Guess which piece is $859?)

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THE BUY: Oxford circus

Posted on May 10, 2010 by The Style Notebook

Story by Caitlin Agnew. Illustrator Cleo Kendall was inspired by Blair Waldorf, the modern arbiter of preppy chic.

If you’ve been paying attention to what women are wearing on their feet lately, you’ll have noticed a major shift away from the ubiquitous ballet flat to a pointier, manlier, and more practical shoe. Yes, oxfords and brogues (brogues being the ones with the detailing and “W” shape at the top) are the current shoe of choice for Toronto’s fashion-conscious pedestrians.

The running shoe for grown-ups, oxfords and brogues are as versatile and practical as they are fashionable. Wear them with jeans, wear them with a dress, wear them to go shopping or out to brunch; they’re the perfect daytime shoe, offering comfort, support, and a polished finish to any outfit.

Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf loves them, and with the great selection available in Toronto, you’re sure to find a pair (or four) that you’ll love too. Here are 10+ of our favourites.

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THE BUY: May flowers

Posted on May 3, 2010 by The Style Notebook

Story by Caitlin Agnew. Illustration of the Reality Bites cast (sans Ben Stiller) by Cleo Kendall.

The Buy is celebrating the arrival of May flowers with a look back to our favourite ’90s flower child: Winona Ryder as Lelaina Pierce in Reality Bites. A hopelessly romantic Gen X-er, Lelaina chooses passion and poetry over Porsches and prosperity, all in the name of love and good conversation. (Who could forget “You, me, and five bucks?”)

This spring’s floral-print craze is a welcome throwback to mid-’90s hippie-chic, with delicate blossoms sprouting everywhere from Prada to Betsey Johnson. A patterned dress, an embellished shoe, even a lipstick case—adding a floral piece is an easy way to inject seasonal colour, femininity, and trendiness into your wardrobe.

We’ve chosen our top 10 floral pieces, all of which are blooming right here in Toronto.

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FASHION WEEK HAIKUS: Poetry in motion

Posted on April 7, 2010 by The Style Notebook

The Style Notebook asked writer Marilisa Racco to compose haikus inspired by her five favourite fashion shows at LG Fashion Week. Illustrator Cleo Kendall made them look as pretty as they sound.

COMRAGS

Shapeless chic in gray
I’ll wear my cardi backwards
Get me those boots, please

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