FashionMamaAquarius

April 21, 2014

Sweet (Fashion) Dreams

Songquan Deng

Fashion is dreamy, if you've ever sat and watched the latest runway shows on Style.com or have had the pleasure to actually attend a fashion week, you will understand what I mean. The vision of each designer is expressed through the clothing, shoes, accessories, hair styles and make-up that appear on the chosen models as they cascade down the runway, creating a dreamworld for us to exist in if only for a little while.

I am always amazed at the beauty of the clothing, the way the designers are able to envision the concept for the designs, then sketch them on paper and finally have them manufactured. The way the fabric is draped, moulded perfectly to the models body, the way the sequins are hand-stitched, sparkling from a distance, this is the stuff that fashion dreams are made of.

My ultimate fashion dream? To go to all of the fashion weeks, maybe not all in one season but in my lifetime I definitely want to attend in Paris, Milan, London, New York and Sydney/Melbourne. To be able to see some of the most iconic designers in some of the oldest cities in the world would be the most amazing experience of a lifetime for a fashion lover and I hope that someday soon I can start living this dream!

I'd love to hear from you! What are your fashion dreams? Have they come true for you yet?

Your Spring/Summer Fashion Staples: Sandals

The best thing about the start of the warm weather months, in my opinion, is that I do not have to wear socks (except for the gym of course) for the next 6 months or so. This means that I need to have at least a few pairs of sandals to match with all my summer outfits.

Now I know that there are allot of cute summer sandals out there that have a heel or a wedge, and for the benefit of the ladies that love a high sandal I will include these options, but I prefer a more comfortable footwear option (I do know that some heels can be comfy) so I tend to wear more flats.

Flats

There are so many beautiful options this year for flats, from comfy pool slides, to strappy gladiators, to jellies (throwback much?) everyone should be able to find at least one pair of flats to suit their style this summer. My picks: a patterned Birkenstock (so luxe it has gold buckles but also a hefty price tag), the HeartBreaker two-part low heeled sandals from TopShop, and the Penny Grosgrain and patent leather espadrilles by Tory Birch (I really love the bow).

Flat-astic! by fashion-mama-aquarius featuring leather sandals

Tory Burch navy blue espadrille, 190 CAD / Bertie leather sandals, 110 CAD / STELLA McCARTNEY black shoes, 625 CAD / Sandals, 135 CAD / Topshop black shoes, 49 CAD / Gladiator sandals, 415 CAD / Metallic sandals, 36 CAD / Topshop black shoes, 49 CAD / Birkenstock rose shoes, 270 CAD / Birkenstock sandals, 270 CAD / Wide shoes, 32 CAD / Ancient Greek Sandals leather sandals, 295 CAD

Heels

Good for making your legs look miles long, heeled sandals should definitely have a place in any stylista's closet. Although I do tend to wear mostly flats, I do love the look of heels for a fancier occasion such as a date night, wedding or a night out with the ladies. My picks: Jash Slingback by BCBGMAXAZRIA, Dorthy Perkins Blue Hign Strappy Sandals and Seychelles On The Floor Sandals.

Spring/Summer Must-Have Heels by fashion-mama-aquarius featuring blue suede shoes

Dorothy Perkins sandals, 54 CAD / Seychelles white shoes, 105 CAD / BCBGMAXAZRIA dress sandals, 245 CAD / Burberry strappy sandals, 740 CAD / Arturo Chiang high heels stiletto, 87 CAD / Calvin Klein blue suede shoes, 130 CAD

Wedges

Wedges are always in style so this is an ideal shoe to spend a bit more money on as you should be able to wear it every summer (at least I do anyway) that being said, there are plenty of inexpensive wedge sandals out there that look amazing so no need to break the bank either. My picks: Makers Capri 6 Wedge Sandals, Calvin Klein's Jennah Patent Leather Sandals and Palomitas by Paloma Barcelo Metallic Wede Sandals.

The Mighty Wedge by fashion-mama-aquarius featuring a calvin klein footwear

Steve Madden heel platform shoes, 87 CAD / Makers platform wedge shoes, 60 CAD / Calvin klein footwear, 59 CAD / Marni platform wedge shoes, 900 CAD / B Brian Atwood high heel wedge sandals, 385 CAD / High heel wedge sandals, 235 CAD / Dollhouse gold t strap sandals, 42 CAD

Clogs

If you do catch me in a high sandal this summer it will likely be a clog. I will NEVER forget the first time I was introduced to clogs, it was during my year living in Melbourne, Australia and I was looking at the street style section that appeared in one of their local newspapers (like Metro) where I noticed all these really cool shoes (Swedish Hasbeens). I of course was immediately in love and had to have some, it is miraculous that I only ever bought one pair but I have worn them every year since and the reason I love them is that the heel is much lower and thicker than most high heels but they still make my legs look longer and they are pretty easy to walk in. My picks: Sanita Matrix Clogs, DKNY Cadence Clog and the 10 Crosby Derek Lam Mule & Clogs.

Clog, You're It! by fashion-mama-aquarius featuring cap toe shoes

MARC BY MARC JACOBS ankle strap platform shoes, 170 CAD / Sanita cap toe shoes, 140 CAD / Lalù black velvet shoes, 79 CAD / DKNY velcro strap shoes, 170 CAD / Cap toe shoes, 120 CAD / 10 Crosby Derek Lam clog, 385 CAD / U.S. Polo Assn cap toe shoes, 92 CAD

So happy shopping everyone! Let me know in the comments below what your fav sandal style is for summer, if you have any brands that you absolutely love and if you buy new sandals every summer!

Erin

Alexa Chung On Williamsburg Brooklyn

Your Spring/Summer Fashion Staples: Let's Talk About Shorts Baby

St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia

After months upon months of frigid winter weather in Canada's capital, who of us is not ready to bust out the shorts? But unlike the guy I saw wearing shorts and a t-shirt the other morning (there's a handful of these crazies every year) when the temperature was still below zero, shorts season is not yet upon us.

This being so, it's NEVER too early to start talking about shopping for spring/summer wardrobes and to decide on what shorts we have, what shorts we need and what shorts should be donated. The shorts that I own typically fall into one of two categories: shorts for work and shorts for play, with the former consisting of bermuda length shorts and capri length pants, and the latter having shorter (but not butt cheek showing since I am a mom) hem lines.

Different Lengths
There are so many different styles of shorts out there but generally shorts will fall into one of three length categories: short, medium and long (there is of course teeny tiny show your butt cheeks bootie shorts but that's not a good look for anyone). The short length are probably the most common and widely worn length because they show off the most of your lovely legs, they are comfortable, and they keep you cooler (or so it would seem). The mid length (which I am loving for this year) is a little more formal but still shows some leg while making them a bit more appropriate for family gatherings or mom duties. Then there is the long length or "bermuda" short, which is one that I would wear to work as they fall under the dress code and it allows me to avoid wearing long pants but also have a break from skirts and dresses.

Textile Choices
Well we all know that denim is the mainstay for shorts but there is also cotton, linen, leather, lace, chiffron, lycra, polyester, etc. Choose something that's going to be comfortable with a bit of give to it, especially if you live somewhere that is humid in the summer (mmmm humidity).

My Picks

For my summer wardrobe, I plan to add several pairs as I am seriously lacking in shorts. I have been lusting after a pair of black leather (or faux leather) shorts for awhile, I would love a pair with a laser-cut detail or scalloped hem. Floral shorts are a big trend this year (bandwagon will be jumped on) so I would love a pair with a beige or blush base and multicolored flowers. I really need a new pair of denim shorts but rather than buying the cutoffs with holes in them, I will be looking for a high-waisted pair with a hemmed cuff. Lastly, if I can find it in my fashion budget, I will also be on the look-out for a pair of lace shorts in an unexpected colour like green, mint, coral, yellow or magenta (just to keep things interesting).