Men’s shoes: Finding the right shoes for each occasion
Feb 12th
There are basically four types of men’s shoes; the dress shoe, casual shoe, work boots and athletic shoe.
The most common and popular casual shoes are slip-ons. As their name suggests, these are the kinds of shoes that your feet simply slide right into. Generally, slips-ons are very comfortable and have athletic features, bright colours and very breathable fabrics. Slip-ons include shoes like clogs, leather shoes and sporty shoes.
Work boots for men have to be comfortable because the last thing you want is to wear uncomfortable boots while doing some strenuous work. Consider hiking boots. These kinds of shoes used to be bulky and heavy, but you will be amazed at how light and comfortable they are these days. There are even some boots that are very well insulated to keep your feet dry and warm. The general rule with boots is to choose ones with a good thread and thick soles.
Athletic shoes can be quite confusing because of the wide array of different types that are coming out all the time. To simplify everything it may be useful to categorize them under two main categories. These are running shoes and walking shoes. You will of course need to decide what particular purpose you require the athletic shoes or sneakers for. Popular athletic shoes brands include Nike, Balance and Reebok.
Men’s shoes: Finding the right dress shoes
Feb 12th
Men seem to run into endless problems finding the right shoes for the right occasion. To get the right shoes for a man’s wardrobe, one first needs to understand the different categories of men’s shoes. These are dress shoes, casual shoes, work boots and athletic shoes.
In this article we will deal men’s dress shoes only.
The truth is a man can easily get away with owning only a small collection of shoes. The trick is to choose simple, basic colours to go with the various shirts and pants that a man has in his wardrobe.
Always go for black or dark grey shoes for suits that are black, blue or grey. For earthy colours, brown or tan shoes will work best.
For special and very dressy occasions try and wear dress shoes that are shiny with a thin heel and are black in colour. Here Oxfords would be an excellent choice. Another type of dress shoe that you might want to consider are the very popular loafers. The huge advantage with loafers is that you can wear them with virtually anything. One pair of black loafers and another of brown will cover your entire wardrobe. Loafers can be worn with business suits, sports jackets, sweaters…just about anything.
Valentines Day Style
Feb 8th
Valentine’s Day, or as my cynically, just-dumped friend, Evelyn calls it, “singles awareness day”, is all about chocolate, conversation hearts and flowers. More importantly, it’s about a romantic date with your sweetheart, but most importantly of all, it’s about what you wear. (We all know Valentine’s Day is just a gimmicky, Hallmark holiday… or maybe that’s just resentful Evie rubbing off on me). Regardless of how much importance you place on Cupid’s day to shine, you want to look your best and impress that someone special. The key, ladies, is to do this without looking like you spent hours achieving that look, or worse, actually spending hours to achieve that look. Looking effortlessly put together will not only score you style points, it’ll leave more time for the important things (that extra cocktail, dessert, adventures and escapades best left to the imagination…) Depending on the atmosphere of your outing, your ensemble can vary. However, there are a few guidelines to follow in order to have you looking your best in a simple yet stand-out kind of way.
Rule number one: if your date destination requires any prolonged period of sitting, standing, walking, dancing, shaking or any other form of movement or stillness alike, think comfort first. This means no dresses or jeans that make you question if your organs will make it through the night unbruised, or shoes so uncomfortable you pinch a nerve in your toes (trust me, NO shoe is that cute; I’ve experienced the pain and sadly since retired the shoes in question). Not only are binding clothes a distraction from your personal enjoyment of the evening, most require constant readjusting or attention that are just not worth the focus, which should be on the fantastically romantic date you’re on. That being said, I would never be one to advocate sacrificing style for comfort; I defiantly refuse to believe the people who dress sloppily as an excuse for comfort. A fail-safe, go anywhere date outfit staple for a more causal-girl in my books is slim fit black jeans, a killer (not literally, refer to rule number one!) pair of heels, and a cute, striking top. This could mean a slinky camisole, a form-fitting blouse, a silk draped or ruffled tank top… you get the idea. Match colour or pattern to your personal taste, add a few accessories, such as an armful of bracelets, a bold cocktail ring, a skinny belt, whatever! And throw on a special cardigan if need be, like one with silk piping or unique buttons. The idea is to have exceptional details on ordinary pieces to look outstanding without standing out.
If your jaunt requires your 3.0 version, I am inclined to the eternally stylish and infallible LBD. The best part of the little black dress is its definition, which only requires it to be little and black. This allows for trends, body shape, fabric, embellishments and cut to be chosen by the girl who will slip on whatever LBD makes her feel her best. Whatever the shape and cut of the dress in question is, it should always skim, not squeeze or drown your frame. Length is also a personal choice; however, anything below the kneecap can shorten your appearance, and only go as short as is appropriate for the location (upscale restaurant vs. supper club or lounge). Otherwise, show off as much leg as you’re comfortable, so long as you promise not to change your mind and spend the night tugging at the hemline, and keep the rest of the outfit demure by only showing off skin in one area (i.e., not legs and décolletage; pick one!) Feel free to befriend different versions of LBDs, shift dresses and sweetheart neckline, waist-cinching versions can both be a girl’s best friend.
Accessories and jewellery can be cutesy on Valentine’s Day. Red, pink, or sparkly-heart shaped nail polish and hair accessories and jewellery are cute, as long as they are childish and tacky enough to look a bit on-purpose cheesy. Bonus points if your sequined-heart shaped hair pin is from the children’s section. Hair and makeup are also just as important as the ensemble, but should also enhance your natural beauty and not look like you’re wearing gobs of it. A great peachy-bronzer with a touch of shimmer will light up any complexion and doesn’t require tons to get the effect. I really love Guerlain’s terracotta bronzing powder as it looks super-natural and looks like I had a facial (or a full night of sleep for a change). A huge, thick fan of lashes are always great for batting ad flirting, and nothing short of applying false eyelashes (so not worth it) will get you the look like YSL’s volume effet faux cils (French for false eyelash volume effect; it tells no lies!). A teeny bit of highlighter, such as NARS The Multiple in Orgasm or Copacabana, on the inside of your eyes on the tear ducts and right under your brow bone will also light up your eyes without looking like you have tons of makeup on as the highlighter will catch the light but otherwise go unnoticed on the face. As much as I love a bold lip, Valentine’s Day calls for a more toned down pout, and nothing calls more attention to your kisser in a more natural way than Chanel’s lip glossimer in sesame, a pinky, barely there, non-sticky shine. Nobody wants to smear their painstakingly perfect lipstick for a smooch, and who would wants to give that up on Valentine’s Day?!
-Aimee Brothman, STYLE.CA
Iconic Style
Feb 1st
How many times in any given week does a girl wake up, rifle through every piece of clothing in her closet, and declare she has nothing to wear? I know for me personally it can happen quite often and can be really frustrating, especially when there are 8am meetings to attend and I’m already ten minutes late. Although the only (unrealistic and wishful) solution I can come up with would be to shop until there is not a single square centimetre left in my apartment (I’d be bound to find something to wear if I had that many clothes) I can often skim fashion magazines or websites to find some inspiration from some of my favourite fashion style icons. Although I’m sure everyone has their own inspirational muses to look up to, these are the few who rock my fashion world:
KATE MOSS:
Inarguably the best style chameleon in the world, Ms. Moss can go from gypsy grunge to red carpet ready in a single afternoon and transform seamlessly without sacrificing personal style. Everything this girl wears seems to match her taste and she is able to wear adventurous pieces without looking ridiculous. Quoted as saying her favourite thing to wear is gray from head to toe, Moss shines much brighter than the monotone shade and always looks put together. Often photographed in Yves Saint Laurent, vintage pieces, moccasins and J Brand skinnies, Moss also wears lots of her own line, which is a collaboration with British mega-trendy store Top Shop. If you love her style, you will love her line, but it can’t guarantee you’ll be able to put together and accessorize an ensemble the same way she can.
AGYNESS DEYN:
Another supermodel from the UK, Deyn creates as much fashion envy on the runway as she does off. Starting off with a platinum pixie cut, but recently rocking inky ebony locks, both spectacularly framed her angular, androgynous face. Deyn has an original style to match her unique features, and could easily be mistaken for the bass player in an indie rock band. A little more rock n’ roll punk than most supermodels, Deyn loves Doc Martins, crazy shades, bowler hats and anything bright. Although Deyn is the It Brit of the moment, she insists, “I’m not the kind of person who has a lot of friends, and I’m much happier just mixing in my small circle. I don’t really go to fashion parties; they’re not my scene.” An anti-fashion icon? This just makes Deyn even cooler.
VICTORIA BECKHAM:
Does this woman ever have a day off? Not that she allows the public to see anyway. Dressed to the nines no matter where she is going, Victoria Beckham injects a whole lot of ladylike glamour into any ensemble and inspires me to do the same every time I see a picture of her. Impossibly high heels are always a must, as are huge blackout shades, extremely fitted dresses and an edgy haircut. This is a woman who knows her style and owns it.
KARL LAGERFELD:
Oh, Uncle K. If I’ve learned one thing from him, it’s when in doubt, put on a tuxedo (or in a day to day situation, a tuxedo inspired piece). It immediately portrays a polished, put together look and always gets the right kind of attention. Black pants (tuxedo stripe optional, as are dark shades and motorcycle leather gloves, both Lagerfeld staples), a ruffled blouse and a black blazer all add sophisticated glamour no matter what you’re pairing these pieces with. Bonus points if they’re designed by Lagerfeld and bear the exceptionally prestigious insignia of Madame Coco Chanel.
Aimee Brothman
Writer, STYLE.CA
Decorating During A Recession
Jan 28th
The economy is definitely going through a rough patch at the moment, but why should that put a damper on decorating your home? Are you buying a new home, or are you simply in desperate need of a change but are sadly stressing over your budgetary restrictions? Well fear no more, I have come up with a few different tips and creative thinking that will benefit you. Fortunately, the love and work you put into decorating can be a success while you’re on a budget. Being on a budget momentarily doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice the type of style and décor you want for your home. A tight budget does not need to prevent you from creating a chic space; whether you are looking to sleek up your bedroom, dining room, kitchen, or bathroom.
Vibrant Vases – Invest in a pottery shop that will allow you to make your own vase. This is very cost efficient and will bring out your own sense of uniqueness due to the different types of shapes and textures you can create. Paint your vase with the trendy colour of the season.
Painting your walls & add a decal – If certain areas need some sprucing up to change the feel of the room, I suggest picking a warm yet chic colour. It is certain that updating the colour of a room will instantly reinvigorate the surroundings. Additionally, you can add decals to your walls to give them an extra sparkle.
Home Furnishings – Changing the theme of your room is the most costly purchase you can make, and many individuals do not have the funds to render. Therefore an easier way to give your furniture a fresher look is by buying a sofa cover. This is a great idea because you already have the furniture and you can simply change the look or material of the sofa by adding a different cover.
Window Coverings and accessories – Giving your room a different type of curtain or window covering can do a lot for your space. You have so many options to choose from with a simple yet inexpensive investment. When choosing a window covering you should think about different types of styles, fabrics, and colours. As for accessories, you can add small details on your pillows, bed spreads, blankets, frames, shelves and decorative objects around your home.
Lighting & Modern pieces – Brighten up your room with different lampshades, or better yet purchase a retro/contemporary lighting fixture. By just changing the lightening in a room it will give you a different sense of tranquility. Why stop there? While you’re doing that, purchase different items to create a theme, something rustic or modern at a low cost that no one would expect to be inexpensive. Items such as shells, dried flowers or marble stones can be put in your pottery vase.
Storage systems – Are you tight on space and want to kill two birds with one stone? Well, all you need to do is buy multipurpose furniture. For example, depending on the setting of your room, buy fixture’s that match the type of look you are going for but also serve as storage space. A TV stand does not necessarily have to be for a television. Instead, use this stand for storage as it is beneficial and cost effective.
Economical Fall Décor – Grab a clear vase that you already have at home –or purchase an inexpensive vase– and place items that incorporate autumn. For example fill up your vase with colourful dried fruits and nuts or add pine cones with a daisy on the top. Another idea is to spray paint your items for that fall rustic colour. You can also purchase pumpkins to make different figurines out of them. You could use the pumpkin as a floral bouquet holder or buy little pumpkins and use them as candle holders.
Theresa Sebastiano
Writer, Style.ca
Can a petite woman find the perfect clothes for a special occasion?
Jan 6th
Finding the perfect clothes for a special occasion can be quite a headache for anybody. And yet it is much more difficult for a petite woman.
What do we mean when we say a petite woman? Usually if your height is only 5’4” or let’s say below 162 cm, you would be classified as petite, and finding clothing for a woman your height tends to be a problem.
Part of the problem is that models are always much taller and the outfits that look fabulous on them –more often than not– will not look the same on a smaller woman. So does this mean that ladies who are not as tall as models will have to make due with staring longingly at those super dresses in fashion magazines being worn by taller people?
Not really. There are a host of places where you can find the perfect fit starting with petite clothing stores.
Still it is important to understand that every person comes with their own unique body shape. Body shape may not be so noticeable on a taller person and this is yet another reason why it is much easier to find clothes for women of average height. However, in a petite woman the shape makes a huge difference and this is why you should understand that there are basically five main body shapes.
One of them is the rectangle type. The rectangle shape is where the breadth of the hips is very close to the width of the shoulders. The bust is small and there is usually no pronounced waistline as such. The best outfit for this kind of body shape is one that emphasizes the waist. This pulls all the attention to the hips and shoulders while forgetting the height of the person wearing it.
The others are the diamond shape, the pear shape, triangle shape and hourglass shape. With the diamond –as the name suggests– the hips stand out and the waist is much wider than the shoulders. The pear shape has a wider shoulder and bust and the triangle shape has much wider shoulders. The hour glass shape has more or less equal size shoulders and hips coupled with a well-defined waist.
The idea is to match these different shapes with the right style clothing that shifts focus away from the height while enhancing the strong points.
Finding comfortable and complimentary women’s pants
Jan 6th
To be able to find the perfect pants that will best suit you, a woman needs to be aware of the three basic styles available when it comes to fitting pants for their wardrobe. You will also need to understand how to combine colours and other small details that will make a huge impact on your final look.
Let us give some important tips here.
If you are more on the petite side and you want to look as tall as possible, then you should always go for the same colour top and bottom. If on the other extreme you are a little too tall for your liking, then the trick is to wear a different colour top from your bottom.
Women who are too heavy or too thin should avoid fitted legs at all costs. You can be sure that you will never look good whatever design you opt for. The legs of your pants should be flared if you are tall and slender. On the other hand if you have fuller thighs straight legs for your pants are a much better choice. If you want to create an illusion of fullness then you should choose wide legged pants.
Your choice of fabric is also very important. The most popular cloth for pants includes denim, corduroy, velveteen, cotton and knits. The key rule with fabrics here is to avoid material that clings to your body tightly.
Also remember that your pants should fit as comfortably as possible on the waist. You must avoid at all costs pants that are extremely tight around the hips and waist. Or even worse the kind that look loose and baggie around your bum.
Generally do not be in a hurry when shopping for pants. Patiently keep trying until you find the pants that best suit you. You should be able to know the second you see yourself in them. They should be comfortable, and flatter your figure.
Plus Size Jeans For Women
Jan 6th
Many plus-sized women feel very much left out when it comes to matters of fashion. Many feel that even basic fashion items like jeans can be a problem to find the right fit.
Actually, this should not be the case because things have changed a lot over the years. One of the reasons is that statistics show that that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people who fall into this extra large size bracket. The result is that women’s plus sized jeans are fairly easy to find at many of the most well-known department stores. Additionally, if you do not find anything adequate at these locations, you can venture into the increasing number of specialty stores that are around these days to find the perfect fit for whatever your shape and size.
There are numerous brands in the market that make choosing the right jeans pretty confusing. To avoid confusion, settle for the most famous brands namely Lee brand jeans or jeans made by Levi Strauss. While they may prove to be a little more costly than other brands it is important to remember that jeans from these fashion houses are made with special consideration for plus-sized women. A lot of investment has gone into the manufacture of the jeans made by these companies along with the experience of many years in the business which a plus sized woman will be happy to benefit from.
It is said that the devil is in the details, and women want jeans that are not only a great fit but are also stylish so they look their very best. Lee and Levi have specialized in jeans for many decades, so their pants come in varying cuts. Naturally this dramatically increases the chances of a plus-sized woman being able to find the perfect fit and design that would best suit them.
So it really doesn’t matter what you want your jeans for. It could be for daily wear or to dress them up with high heels or cute boots, but being a plus-sized woman does not mean that you have been left out of style. Not these days.
Colours With Meaning
Dec 29th
Picking a colour to paint your house can cause a lot of stress, especially if you don’t know what you want. Below are some colours and what they mean and represent. If you are thinking of painting your house, look below to see which colour says what!
- Red: Maintaining health, strength, physical energy, sex, passion, courage, protection. This colour is widely used in defensive magic. It is the colour of the element of fire. Red is associated with blood (and thus, life and death), birth, volcanoes, and intense emotions.
- Pink: Love, friendship, compassion, relaxation. Pink is symbolic of calm emotions and of emotional unions. It’s less powerful then red.
- Orange: The colour of general attraction and energy. Orange is a lesser aspect of red.
- Yellow: Intellect, confidence, divination, communication, eloquence, travel, movement. Yellow is the colour of the element of Air and is the colour of royalty.
- Green: Money, prosperity, employment, fertility, healing, growth. Green is the colour of the element of the Earth and symbolizes our planet’s fertility (it’s the colour of chlorophyll) as well as life itself.
- Blue: Healing, peace, patience, happiness. Blue is the colour of the element of Water. It is a symbol of the ocean, sleep, twilight, and the sky.
- Purple: Power, healing severe disease, spirituality, meditation, religion. Purple was once a European symbol of royalty; today it symbolizes the divine.
- White: Protection, purification, all purposes. It is the Symbol of the Moon, freshness, snow, cold, and potential. Adds to spiritual strength, breaks curses or crossed conditions, represents faith, truth and sincerity.
- Black: Banishing negativity, absorbing negativity. It symbolizes outer space and the universe. Black is the absence of colours. In some cultures, black represented fertility (as in quite fruitful black earth); in others, wisdom. In our culture it has been curiously linked with evil, due to religious associations.
- Brown: Animals. Brown represents soil and, to a lesser degree, fertility of the Earth.
So what is the best colour for your home? Here is your chance to express your own taste and style and see which colours work within your life!
Choosing the Best Colour for Your Home
Dec 29th
Time for the big question: What colour paint should you use for your house? This may seem like a simple question, but the answer is complex.
Have you ever tried looking at the small details in your house? A lot of factors should be considered when choosing the kind of colours that you need in your home. Depending on what you want to focus on, you can select various colours to be painted on your walls, ceilings, windows, columns, dividers and decks. However, take note that using too many colours can be distracting to the eyes. Most interior designers will tell you to stick to one colour family when painting your house. Be aware of using contrasting colours that can clash the look of your house. If you think blue is perfect for you, try using lighter or darker tone of blue for an accent instead of having a completely opposite, dissimilar colour.
The right home colour for you does not necessarily go by any rules. The bottom line is that you can express your taste and personality through these colours.
