Sui Sweet.

Anna Sui has been quietly building a boho-chic fashion empire on bright colours and baby-doll dresses since her debut in 1991.

Now, Andrew Bolton — the head curator of the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York — has plundered the archives to present a picture of a woman at the epicentre of pop culture in Anna Sui.

With an intro by Jack White, the book reads like a photographic Who’s Who of the fashion scene over the past two decades — all decked out in Sui’s finest frilly shirts and layered gypsy dresses, of course.

Arrr! She's a pirate. Or Kate Moss. Your choice.

Jessica Simpson being Jessica Simpson

Twiggy twigging out in Sui.

Originally published in The Toronto Star (thestar.com), January 4, 2011. Written by me.

Fringe Festival.

You weren’t at Woodstock (any of them). You didn’t live in a tee-pee. You’ve never inhaled. So why would you ever wear hippie-dippy fringe?

Well, fringe has cleaned up, gotten a job and is now a high-flying urban embellishment with places to go and bags to hang from.

This snipped-up style is going to be snapped up by the fashion flock this spring, so keep your eyes open for a bag near you.

Phoenix faux leather fringe bag, $84.99, Element.

Attitude Hobo bag, $55, Sears.

Ruched bucket bag, $595, Jenny Bird (Holt Renfrew).

Jaxx Snake bag, $265, Matt & Nat.

 
Originally published in The Toronto Star (thestar.com), January 11, 2011. Written by me.

No Peeping.

Pierre Hardy for Gap peep-toed wedge shoes, $195.

You’ve spent a whole season waiting, lusting and saving — finally, today is the day Pierre Hardy for Gap’s latest creations are being released out into the wild shoe-worshipping world (i.e. select Gap stores across Canada).

Hardy has worked with Christian Dior, Hermès and Balenciaga (before launching his own women’s shoe label in 1999), and is now coming up on his fourth year of collaborating with Gap.

Since these platform peep-toe booties ($195) are the result of that relationship, here’s hoping it will last at least another four.

Pierre Hardy Peep-Toe Wedges for Gap, $195 (Available at these GTA locations: Yorkdale, Bayview Village, Square One, 60 Bloor Street West and 375 Queen Street West).

 Words and some images originally published in The Toronto Star (thestar.com), October 19, 2010. Written by me!

Beauty Rules Rules.

Women’s mothers are usually the first people to introduce their daughters to blush and base coats.

But if your mom didn’t know her astringent from her eyebrow pencil then renowned makeup artist Bobbi Brown’s latest book Beauty Rules should go to the top your cosmetics-counter wish list.

Written for those first venturing out into the wonderful and somewhat overwhelming world of makeup, Brown’s straightforward sage-like advice, from finding the right under-eye concealer (yellow power is apparently the way to go) to repurposing lipsticks as lip stains (blot, blot and then blot some more) speaks to all of us.

This champion of the natural look has also fashioned an accompanying limited-edition makeup palette that will have us practicing her new techniques in no time.

Maybe we could even show mom a thing or two.

Beauty Rules by Bobbi Brown, $29.95. Available at Indigo, Chapters and chapters.indigo.ca. (The palette is sold separately and is available at Holt Renfrew).

Originally published in The Toronto Star (thestar.com), November 23, 2010. Written by me.

Star Stud.

Michelle Williams sporting sporty little rocks at The Golden Globes.

With statement necklaces, statement shoulders and statement colours having been up front and centre on the fashion stage these past few seasons, there’s a growing desire to turn down the volume and step out in something a little more subtle. 

The stud earring plays this role perfectly; it provides just enough sparkle to avoid being boring, but not so much as to blind the audience.

City Grid 24 karat gold-plated stud earring, $44, Jenny Bird (www.jenny-bird.com).

Black diamond stud earring, $585, Anne Sportun Experimetal (742 Queen St. W., www.annesportun.com).

Coca earrings, $22, Foxy Originals (www.foxyoriginals.com).

Runway button post earrings with clear crystals in matte silver and copper, $143, lia sophia.

Loon jewelled Studs, $45, Banana Republic.

Pavé-set marcasite and sterling silver stud earring, $109, Thomas Sabo (www.thomassabo.com).

Originally published in The Toronto Star (thestar.com), January 18, 2011. Written by me.

Two Timing.

Pink two-tone shirt, $39.95, H&M.

From Emma Watson’s black-sleeved beige-bodied Bespoke Burberry trench coat to Rachel Bilson’s waves of ombre hair, two-tone is a trend we can’t (and don’t want to) get away from.

Sometimes it’s simply a subtle shift between two shades; other times, it’s more black and white. We know one thing for sure though: now is the time to take those pigment pairs and merge them into one fabulous fashion find.

Suede and cotton shirt, $69.95, H&M.

Originally published in The Toronto Star (thestar.com), February 1, 2011. Written by me.

Tripping.

So, things didn’t go so well at the airport last time. That suitcase handle, the one that had been threatening to tear off on the last three trips – well, it finally did just that. Plus the Velcro on that polka dot nylon passport folder (circa 1993) exceeded its lint-carrying capacity and refused to close. And the carryon baggage took up most of the under-seat space, leaving just about two inches of foot room. The upside to that whole experience? A perfect excuse to invest in some new sky-high style and stock up on a few timeless, high-functioning travel accessories.

1. Globetrotter vanity case (Special Edition Safari), $800, 6 by GEE Beauty (6 Roxborough St. W., 416-960-8080).
2. Heys 26” Expandable “Parisian” Upright Luggage, $309.99, Sears.
3. Heys Sparta 26” Upright Luggage, $255.99, Sears.
4. Kristina Bag in Super 88 leather, $268, Roots.
5. Travel organizer, $19.99, Winners.

Originally published in The Toronto Star (thestar.com), February 1, 2011. Written by me.