The Kit Compact October 2015

OCTOBER 2015 | TORONTO

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BFearless E AUstyle,T Ysupermodel R EBrealELtalk,S accessories RU L E with attitude—the new pretty starts here

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IN THIS ISSUE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Laura deCarufel @Laura_deCarufel @LauradeCarufel

I

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SENIOR EDITOR

Alex Laws @LexLaws FASHION EDITOR

Vanessa Taylor @vanessa_tweets BEAUTY EDITOR

Rani Sheen @ranisheen DIGITAL & SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

Michelle Bilodeau @mbilodeau ASSISTANT DIGITAL EDITOR

Carly Ostroff @carlyostroff ASSISTANT FASHION & BEAUTY EDITOR

Natasha Bruno @Natashajbruno ASSISTANT EDITOR

Veronica Saroli @vsaroli ASSISTANT ART DIRECTORS

Sonya van Heyningen @svanh7 Kristy Wright @creativewithak DESIGNER

Amber Hickson @amblynncreative PUBLISHER

Giorgina Bigioni ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Tami Coughlan PROJECT DIRECTOR, DIGITAL MEDIA

Kelly Matthews

’ve never had much luck being a beauty rebel. Every experiment backfired: the try-hard gothic black pixie, the layered rocker cut that resembled a lion’s mane (#aslan), that time I shaved my head and my barista called me “sir” (true story).

But this fall, a refined beauty iconoclasm rules—see Prada’s twisted high pony, Rodarte’s creative eyeliner embellishment and the tangle of bejewelled headbands at Dolce & Gabbana. Our beauty editor, Rani Sheen, likens it to playing dress-up in your grandmother’s attic, possibly with a bottle of gin. It’s playful but subversive too— freedom always is.

A gleefully nonconformist spirit unites the stories in this issue of The Kit Compact.

“Tough Cookies” (page 24), written by Alex Laws and styled by Natasha Bruno, celebrates Toronto chefs killing it in a male-dominated field—and wearing the hell out of fall’s seasonless white dressing trend. In “Razor Burn” (page 39), Anne T. Donahue offers a personal manifesto on body hair, while the beauty shoot for “The New Pretty” (page 26), helmed by Rani and creative director Jessica Hotson, showcases both imaginative trend ideas and plenty of attitude. I hope you find it as beautiful and inspiring as I do.

Connect with me @LauradeCarufel and @TheKit and @TheKitca with #TheKitCompact. I love hearing from you.

Prada’s jolie laide chartreuse sparked our colour palette.

The fashion message: dress over a turtleneck à la Alberta Ferretti.

Stickers! Inspired by Miley Cyrus and Gigi Hadid (who wore them recently as facial adornments), our editors bought stacks of sticker sheets for makeup artist Julie Cusson to create a collage around model Lenna’s eyes. Who needs eyeshadow?

Direct advertising inquiries to: MARKETING MANAGER

Evie Begy eb@thekit.ca

Laura deCarufel, editor-in-chief

CONTRIBUTORS

Jessica Allen, Adrian Armstrong, Eden Boileau, LeeAndra Cianci, Julie Cusson, Barbara Czarnecki, Anne T. Donahue, Jill Dunn, Melissa Forrest, Laura Gulshani, Ivy Knight, Vittorio Masecchia, Anupa Mistry, Michelle Rosen, Carlyle Routh, Andrew Soule, Sheri Stroh, May Truong, Winnie Truong, Norman Wong, Stefania Yarhi

@thekitca

INTERNS

Rachel Bova, Emma Gerow, Richelle Kingsland, Stefanie Mastrodicasa, Elissa Matsushita, Inga Nakiene, Marissa Rowles The Kit is Canada’s 360˚ beauty and style leader

© 2015, The Kit, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited.

PRESIDENT, STAR MEDIA GROUP

John Cruickshank EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, TORONTO STAR

Michael Cooke

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

CONTENTS

PHOTOGRAPHY: CARLYLE ROUTH (DECARUFEL); PETER STIGTER (RUNWAY); ISTOCK (STICKERS). HAIR AND MAKEUP BY MICHELLE ROSEN/JUDY INC (DECARUFEL). DECARUFEL’S IRO DRESS, AVAILABLE AT HOLT RENFREW

Jessica Hotson @jesshotson

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@thekit

thekitca

9/ OUT & ABOUT

15/ NOW TRENDING

A baker’s dozen things to do, see and try in October.

Trends to try, products to buy, pieces to lose your mind over.

Fashion

10/ THE STOP

18/ SHOPPING CHALLENGE

24/ GIRL GANG

Nail artist Rita Remark’s Dundas and Dufferin hot spots.

22/ SPOTLIGHT bloggers 2.0:

in their own words.

Mod style is a go-go this season: We shop the trend for under $500.

Six fierce females who are bringing the culinary heat and reinventing chef whites.

13/ MOST WANTED

19/ IN STORES NOW

26/ BEAUTY

Chanel-pearlrimmed sunglasses. Swoon.

The top 10 items to scoop up, like, immediately.

Pretty pearls, souped-up shadow and

cover look

thekit

cool-girl hair pack a punch for fall.

33/ THE HAUL Herbal steam and #flowerporn: The items on our beauty editor’s desk only sound contraband.

34/ FACE TIME Seven women find their match at a foundation party.

J.CREW TURTLENECK, $131, JCREW.COM. HUGO BOSS DRESS, $995, HUGOBOSS.COM

36/ HER STORY Andreja Pejic blazes a trail.

37/ #NOWFOLLOWING Gigi Hadid serves up two decades’ worth of life advice.

39/ FIRST PERSON Underarm hair as a trend?

One writer considers the, er, growing movement.

40/ COOL GIRL, COOL JOB Fran Miller has a 100 per cent additive-free skincare line (and 100-plus T-shirts).

42/ LAST WORD Jessica Allen takes a pass on the Clinton pantsuit; plus a workwear flow chart to take you from 9 a.m. to 5:01 p.m.

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SEPHORA | SUNGLASS HUT

OUT & ABOUT

“Short and Sweet” (Oct. 25, 12 p.m.).

The International Festival of Authors (Oct. 22 to Nov. 1, ifoa.org) features dozens of events. How to choose?

Ask: What do I love?

“Drawing (Graphic) Conclusions” (Oct. 24, 8:30 p.m.).

Graphic novels Short stories Um, sex?

Exciting young talents Jillian Tamaki, Dylan Horrocks and New Yorker fave Adrian Tomine talk print and ink.

Four authors—including 2015 Trillium Prize winner Kate Cayley—discuss their craft.

THE 6IX INDEX

Buy it: The Room at the Bay (176 Yonge St.)

“Text and the City” (Oct. 24, 2 p.m.)

Sex and gender take centre stage in this intimate convo between fiction writers, including Russell Smith and Emily M. Keeler.

GO: C R E ATIV E CLASS

17 super-fun ways to love Toronto now

DAT E S

Buy it: By request at Gravity Pope (1010 Queen St. W.)

October 8 Pick up a pair of Toms frames or L’Occitane’s Melting Honey Solidarity Soap on World Sight Day to help provide prescription glasses and medical care to someone in need.

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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October 23 After a sold-out show at the Underground this summer, Leon Bridges is smooth sailin’ back to town at the Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave.

MALORIE URBANOVITCH

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE A SWEETER BREW, DESSERT BEER IS HERE. STOCK UP ON BLACK OAK’S TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY STOUT OR HEAD TO BAR HOP (391 KING ST. W.) FOR PEANUT BUTTER MILK STOUT THIS WINTER.

RICK OWENS

Invest in our world-class homegrown designers

Snap a selfie with a street-styler wearing platform lace-up shooties, neon faux fur and Ray-Bans.

(It’ll be easier than you think. Trust.)

S AVO U R : D E S S E R T B E E R

SHOP: TGIT Thursdays (1130 Yonge St.) offers a different take on fast fashion: The Rosedale boutique refreshes its stock every Thursday (hence the name) with new styles from Just Black denim and soft tops from English Factory and Twig. If you love an item, you’d better pick it up quick, and with all prices under $300, it’s easy to do.

BUY: CANADIAN

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October 23-25 Catwalk 2 Closet is holding a warehouse sale at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, selling pieces from Narces, Jennifer Torosian and Laborde jewellery.

HERMÈS

Join the (inevitable) wait-list for the limited-edition moto jacket collab between Metric’s Emily Haines and Rudsak, which will debut on the Rudsak runway and hit stores next March. (Until then, make do with Metric’s latest offering, Pagans in Vegas.)

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CÉLINE

Pick a fave from the stacked list of Mercedes-Benz Start Up finalists: Toronto talents Beaufille, Narces and Laura Siegel, plus Calgary designer S.P. Badu and Montreal labels Unttld and Leinad Beaudet.

Pick up new skills at the Design Exchange x Etsy’s Mastercraft Series at the DX (234 Bay St.) from Oct. 15 to Nov. 21. Try making lingerie, wood bending and quilting using computers.

COMME DES GARÇONS

TORONTO FASHION

Your bucket list for Spring 2016 World MasterCard Fashion Week (Oct. 19 to 24) at David Pecaut Square:

SID NEIGUM

CELEBRATE:

H OT

TEXT: VERONICA SAROLI. PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER STIGTER (OWENS, COMME DES GARÇONS, CÉLINE, HERMÈS); GETTY IMAGES (BRIDGES, CHARLI XCX, WARHOL); ISTOCKPHOTO (DESSERT BEER), REX USA (NEIGUM, URBANOVITCH)

HIT THE LIT SCENE: IFOA

October 26 Singer Charli XCX’s first fashion collab hits Boohoo.com. The 20-piece collection is the first of three with the online retailer.

October 30 At TIFF Bell Lightbox’s Andy Warhol: Stars of the Silver Screen exhibition, attendees can check out Warhol memorabilia and shoot a screen test with a refitted Bolex camera.

TOAST:

GRAVITY POPE

The shoe lovers’ mecca (1010 Queen St. W.) celebrates 25 years this fall with exciting collabs— think Filippa K, Vans and Wings & Horns. Midilife crisis averted.

October 31 Celebrate Halloween with the latest treat from the haute couturier of candy: Squish’s sour-jellyfilled brain gummy.

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THE STOP

EDITOR RECOS See you there?

A. Branca, 1727 Dundas St. W.

“I love everything about this hip Argentinian joint: It’s in a house and has flamingo wallpaper, tasty food and delish cocktails.”

—Alex Laws, senior editor

B. Archive Tattoo, 1528 Dundas St. W.

C. Milk Glass, 1247 Dundas St. W.

Talk about #nailgame: Rita Remark has tended to the famous fingertips of Cara Delevingne, Eugenie Bouchard and Taylor Schilling.

“For what’s new, this is a great venue, holding art exhibits, magazine launches, designer pop-up sales and clothing swaps!”

—Kristy Wright, assistant art director

DUNDAS + DUFFERIN

Rita Remark rules Toronto’s nail-art scene. Here, the global lead educator for Essie shares the local haunts you’ll find her at when she’s not backstage at Fashion Week

By Alex Laws

|

Illustration by LeeAndra Cianci

1. ELEPHANT IN THE ATTIC

3. STUDIO BLUE YOGA

“A whimsical combination of gallery, vintage boutique and gift shop, this is the kind of place I could waste an hour in because there are so many beautiful, interesting things to look at!”

“A few friends recommended this spot to me, and I adore it. The classes are amazing and the studio feels warm and sunny, like a summer afternoon.”

1596 Dundas St. W.

2. LIFE OF MANEK 1504 Dundas St. W.

“The clothing is so well chosen and presented that you almost forget you’re shopping vintage. I love the selection of jewellery, both old and new.”

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D. Saudade, 1191 Dundas St. W.

1457 Dundas St. W.

4. EASY TIGER

1447 Dundas St. W. “This place is full of decadently fragranced goodies like artisanal candles, perfumes and boutique skincare, as well as unique and beautiful

objects for your home. A few of my friends sell their art and prints here, so every time I walk in, it feels like it’s been curated just for me.”

5. SUKHO THAI

1442 Dundas St. W. “I spent a month in Thailand a few years ago and as a result I’m a bit of a pad Thai connoisseur. Luckily for me, this place is right around the corner from where I live and serves up one of the most authentic versions I’ve had in the city.”

6. MIDFIELD WINEBAR & TAVERN 1434 Dundas St. W.

“Owner Nancy Fernandes regularly flies to Portugal and scopes the country’s best gifts, like beautifully packaged rose cream.”

—Veronica Saroli, assistant editor

“I go for the experience as much as I do the wine and food—all are impeccable.”

7. LOVELESS CAFÉ 1430 Dundas St. W.

E. Bridge + Bardot, 1138 Dundas St. W.

“It’s the perfect place to take my laptop and sip on Sam James coffee in the morning, or bring my friends for a Negroni in the evening. I love that it’s so close to home; it appeals to my lazy side.”

“Now carrying illustrator (and former Kit intern) Laura Gulshani’s whimsical fashion prints, it’s my vintage shopping mainstay.”

—Michelle Bilodeau, digital & special projects editor

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PHOTOGRAPHY: CARLYLE ROUTH (EDITOR HEADSHOTS). HAIR AND MAKEUP: MICHELLE ROSEN (EDITOR HEADSHOTS)

“Owner David Glantz has spent over 16 hours working on a piece on my back. He’s a tattoo ace and a trained artist.”

—Sonya van Heyningen, assistant art director

| OCTOBER 2015 | THEKIT.CA

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MOST WANTED

THROWING SHADE Um, can you say fashion catnip?

ART DIRECTION: SONYA VAN HEYNINGEN

Photography by Adrian Armstrong

Elsa has already been adopted, but you can bring home your own adorable furball, courtesy of the all-volunteer Toronto Cat Rescue, torontocatrescue.ca.

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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The best sunglasses pull double duty: They protect our eyes from UV rays and glare of the non-celestial sort: namely, cut-eye from Choupette and other prickly types. (Mee-ow!)

These round retro shades from Chanel fit the bill beautifully.

Adorned with tiny faux pearls—a nod to Coco Chanel’s love of layering her necklaces—they’re modelled in the campaign by Lily Rose Depp, the 16-year-old daughter of Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp (ugh, gene lottery). Consider them accessories of the finest breed. —vanessa taylor CHANEL SUNGLASSES, $1,025, CHANEL BOUTIQUES

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Beatnik

Mintage

Fish-teal Braid

BURBERRY PRORSUM

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l o v e

daniel christian tang Finally, the 3-D printer is being used for good.

Toronto line Daniel Christian Tang—named after its three founders (science and architecture majors), Luca Daniel, Mario Christian and Heng Tang—uses 3-D printing technology to create intricate fine jewellery. “Our foray into the world of fashion has definitely woken up some dormant beast,” says Christian. Call it an appetite for construction.

LANVIN

FROM TOP: CUFF, $299, NECKLACE, $500, BANGLE, $800, DANIELCHRISTIANTANG.COM

LOOKBOOK

CHLOÉ

PHOTOGRAPHY: ADRIAN ARMSTRONG (3-D); AMBER HICKSON (MIU MIU FRAGRANCE); PETER STIGTER (RUNWAY); INSTAGRAM.COM/MIUMIU (MIU MIU HEELS AND HANDBAG). ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA GULSHANI

NOW TRENDING

Trends to try, products to buy, pieces to lose your mind over CURRENT MOOD LA VIE BOHÈME FROM LEFT: MIU MIU’S FALL 2015 RUNWAY LOOK, THE NEW FRAGRANCE, GLITTER HEELS AND THE MATELASSÉ HANDBAG.

O B J E C T

O F

(M E G A )

D E S I R E

Like all things Miuccia Prada touches, the first Miu Miu fragrance feels fondly familiar yet entirely new. The aqua bottle and clear-red cap recall the matelassé leather of the brand's bags and swinging-’60s plastic-disc dresses. In the juice, soft lily of the valley, jasmine and rose mix with unexpected greenness and peppery, barky Akigalawood. Because if there’s one thing a Miu Miu girl has no desire to be, it’s predictable. MIU MIU EAU DE PARFUM, $95 (50 ML), HOLT RENFREW

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The look: Fashion’s ’70s love affair continues with a mash-up of fanciful prints at Burberry Prorsum, laissez-faire layers at Stella McCartney and playful embellishment (fringe! tassels! fur!) at Lanvin.

How to wear it: Go long and loose with flowy dresses and tops. The short vest (worn open) at Chloé defined the season’s easy, breezy silhouette.

REITMANS VEST, $70, REITMANS.COM. CHLOÉ BAG, $2,915, SSENSE.COM. DEREK LAM DRESS, $2,790, HOLT RENFREW

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NOW TRENDING f e e l i n g

i t

laura siegel Canadian designer Laura Siegel collaborates with skilled artisans in rural villages around the world for each collection of her coveted drapey separates. (This season she worked with a community in Nepal.) Her Fall ’15 designs feature a crochet technique, using leather instead of cotton, creating a sheer layer that nails the Almost Famous vibe of the season.

CHANEL

LAURIE FLEMING CHOKER, $312, LAURIEFLEMINGJEWELLERY.COM CHRISTOPHER KANE

s p o t l i g h t

MAISON MARGIELA

:

t h e

c h o k e r

The ’90s essential continues its highfashion comeback this fall. (Not that you ever need an excuse to express your inner Brenda Walsh.) Wear it super-high on the neck and pair it with a collar, a crewneck or a drapey shirt for the raddest look in your zip code.

$150 TO $1,500, LAURASIEGELCOLLECTION.COM

ALTUZARRA

FA S H I O N M AT H : COAT S + B O OT S

HERMÈS

ETRO

+

OFFICIALLY EVERY WHERE CREATIVE EYELINER

This season, pros went extra-wild with their liquid-liner wands and created entirely new looks with the makeup MVP. Takeaway: Go beyond the cat-eye and think outside the lines.

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winterized moto Go for a thicklined casual cut and cozy collar in a pretty pastel.

platform boots On-trend oxblood upgrades a cushioned platform and a sturdy heel.

MACKAGE COAT, $790, MACKAGE.COM

ALDO BOOT, $160, ALDOSHOES.COM

Tenenbaums’ “fur” Channel your inner Margot with a fluffy faux-fur coat.

REISS COAT, $745, HUDSON’S BAY QUEEN STREET

combat boots Balance the sweetness of a teddybear-like coat with a chunky combat boot.

COACH BOOT, $595, COACH.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER STIGTER (RUNWAY); ISTOCKPHOTO (ANIMALS).

ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA GULSHANI

SPIRIT-ANIMAL SHOES

On the heels of fall’s fluffy footwear trend, we pair our top kicks with their critter counterparts.

THE AMATEUR NOSE

FUZZY GREY CAT COS HEELS, $275, COS

MOUNTAIN YAK

POODLE WITH SCANDINAVIAN CLIP

MAISON MARGIELA MULES, $1,818, SHOPBOP.COM

SOPHIA WEBSTER HEELS, $850, DAVIDSFOOTWEAR.COM

A local spice merchant sniff-drives a cardamombased scent

the nose:

Neil Bougourd of the Spice Trader, 877 Queen St. W.

the scent:

Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom, $145, Holt Renfrew

the notes:

Cardamom, mimosa, tonka bean, damask rose, heliotrope

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Our go-to fast-fashion stop has moved into the beauty arena with the launch of—get this—more than 700 products, from lip crayons ($8) to body scrubs ($7) to the amazing Beachy Keen Salt Water Cream ($13), which our hair needs, like, now. The prices may be cheap, but the retro hexagonal compacts and sleek, metallic tubes look anything but. HM.COM/CA

STUART WEITZMAN BOOT, $975, STUARTWEITZMAN.CA

LU M B E R JAC K LU X E

“Cardamom by itself smells very camphoraceous, like a muscle rub.

But in the perfume, it’s very slight; you just get the sweet top notes.”

Leave it to Canadian brands to transform the Buffalo plaid shirt into fall’s most coveted coats. Between the bulky cut (they’re meant to be oversized) and the cozy fabric, you’ll wear them from the last cottage trip to the first snowfall.

UNLIKELY HOMEGROWN MUSES

Wolverine

CHANEL

The Red Green Show ALEXANDER WANG

BANANA REPUBLIC COAT, $370, BANANAREPUBLIC.CA

the verdict:

a l e r t

h&m beauty

flat OTK boots Over the knee looks freshest in a daringmeets-dressy flat.

3.1 PHILLIP LIM

printed cocoon This season’s roomy cocoon silhouette hits next-level status with a graphic print.

s h o p

ROOTS COAT, $198, ROOTS.COM. WILFRED FREE COAT, $250, ARITZIA.COM

Log Driver’s Waltz 17

SHOPPING CHALLENGE 5

“The high-neck is a must this season.

The bigger the collar the better.”

BANANA REPUBLIC SWEATER, $110, BANANAREPUBLIC.CA

4

6

“I’m taking a cue from style icons Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick with these geometric danglers.”

H&M EARRINGS, $15, HM.COM

2

7

1 “The standout print on this mini reminds me of retro wallpaper. Come winter, I’ll team it with opaque tights.”

TOPSHOP SKIRT, $50, THEBAY.COM/TOPSHOP

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8

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MODERN LOVE CHALLENGE

Shop the 1960s mod trend for $500

Assistant fashion and beauty editor Natasha Bruno, 27

MY STYLE BUDGET

WHY I CHOSE THIS TREND

“I set aside 8 per cent of my monthly pay for a clothing allowance. I’m thrifty with fun, trendy pieces, and I shell out on staples.”

“The ’60s were an epic decade that turned fashion—and culture—on its head. British fashion designer Mary Quant popularized flaunting some leg, people started dressing in vivid patterns, and the Afro shot to fame (yass, Marsha Hunt!).”

MY PERSONAL STYLE “I shake up neutrals with playful prints and bold arm candy. And I’m a sucker for oversized earrings that don’t hide behind my Afro.”

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CHALLENGER

MY SHOPPING STRATEGY “I chose pieces that epitomize

FALL 2015 INSPO

Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Prada, Erdem, Carven, Giambattista Valli the ’60s, like a thigh-skimming psychedelic skirt and a beatnikesque turtleneck, but I stuck to contemporary silhouettes and rich fall colours so that the look wouldn’t feel dated.”

MY DREAM SPLURGE “A statement pastel purple A-line mini skirt from Carven’s Fall 2015 collection.”

THE MOD SQUAD

1. Ladylike chic handbags at Bottega Veneta.

2. Bold graphics at Carven.

3. Jackie O’s elegant minimalism.

4. Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

5. Cozy textures at Fendi.

6. Marsha Hunt, a.k.a Dionne in the 1968 musical Hair.

7. Pretty in pink at Prada.

8. Vintagewallpaper-like prints at Erdem.

9. Mega model Twiggy.

10. The Shirelles wowed crowds with 1962’s “Soldier Boy.”

“The deep burgundy hue, quilting, top handle and structure make this a ladylike choice.”

RW&CO BAG, $70, RW-CO.COM

“Sleek-heeled ankle boots give this look a chic upgrade.”

compact

NINE WEST BOOTS, $225, NINE WEST STORES

GRAND TOTAL $470

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES (JACKIE O, MARSHA HUNT, TWIGGY, THE SHIRELLES, CARVEN); PETER STIGTER (BOTTEGA VENETA, FENDI, PRADA, ERDEM), ISTOCKPHOTO (FLOWERS); REX USA (BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S)

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| OCTOBER 2015 | THEKIT.CA

IN STORES NOW VERSATILE EARRINGS

CLASSY TOP-HANDLE

You know how mags say, “Wear earrings or a necklace”? You can wear these puppies with literally anything—even your Walking Dead Halloween costume.

Take your look from #basic to boss with the OG of ladylike purses. (That leather. Ridic.)

H&M EARRINGS, $7, HM.COM

BOSS BAG, $2,195, HUGOBOSS.COM

THE TOP 10

LEATHER SACK DRESS Is it an apron? Is it overalls? Really, all that matters is that it has pockets. Call it modern prairie chic and churn some fleur de sel.

STRUCTURED HAT

ZARA DRESS, $50, ZARA.COM

Hats may pose logistical issues (does it need its own seat at the bar?), but the style statement is supremely on point.

BCBGMAXAZRIA HAT, $98, BCBG.COM

Fashion editor Vanessa Taylor selects the gotta-have-’em pieces to pick up today. On the October shopping list: covetable knits, cool outerwear and accessories that slay

PATENT FLATFORM

BATWING BLOUSE Besides being the coolest, this blouse is a hider of muffin tops, when paired with a high-waisted skirt or trousers.

OH SEVEN DAYS BLOUSE, $145, OHSEVENDAYS.COM

Lived in Birkenstocks all summer? Meet the platform oxford, your essential fall equivalent.

KNIT TUNIC

STUART WEITZMAN SHOE, $550, STUARTWEITZMAN.CA

The tunic is the turtleneck’s first cousin.

Wear it with flares, a midi skirt or wide-leg trousers—just no leggings, except during Empire marathons.

PUNCHY SWEATSHIRT Get all the comfort of casual Friday on a boring ol’ Tuesday with a sweatshirt in a rad print.

LACOSTE L!VE SWEATSHIRT, $151, LACOSTE.COM

BANANA REPUBLIC TUNIC, $95, BANANAREPUBLIC.CA

CROPPED MOTO Buy this, and wake up happy, wondering why you feel such joy, until —yes. You own this! And it’s amazing.

JOHN + JENN COAT, $199, THEBAY.COM

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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CLASSIC WATCH Goodbye ginormous statement timepiece; hellooo, Grandpa.

(In a good way.)

KOMONO WATCH, $125, GOOD NEIGHBOUR

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TI

FALL REFRESH Every fall, we look forward to updating our wardrobes. And, just as the seasons change, our beauty routines need a new direction, too.

So swap out your summer must-haves and make room for the latest products that are primed for cooler weather, all available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

On the runways, violet-red strands stood out against fall’s darkly romantic looks. So, when the weather starts to cool, heat things up with a timeless auburn tint. For a bold take on the trend, try a shimmering shade with purple undertones. A wash of copper works for lighter strands, while a hint of mahogany is sure to spice up brown-based locks. Whether you prefer to play it safe with a temporary option, or want to switch up your shade for keeps, wash with a colour-safe shampoo and conditioner to prevent fading, while adding smoothness and shine.

TIP

TRY: L’Oréal Paris® FÉRIA® V48 Intense Medium Violet Hair Colour, and DESSANGE Salon Color Restore Shampoo.

IP Over the summer, the sun can strip your hair of its natural oils, leaving it frizzy and limp. Now is the perfect time to treat your tresses to some TLC with restorative products that will bring your locks back to life. Look for gentle shampoos and conditioning treatments packed with nourishing proteins and botanical oils.

TRY: KerMaxTM Thickening Hair Serum with KerGro3X, OGX® Sensually Soft Tsubaki Blossom Shampoo, or L’Oreal Paris® Hair Expertise ExtraOrdinary OilTM Nourishing Balm Mask.

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Whether you’re headed back to school or back to work, a beautiful smile is always on point. To get a pictureperfect grin, be sure to follow a routine that includes brushing for at least two minutes twice daily, followed by floss and rinse. Remember to replace your toothbrush every three months, since bristles become less effective over time.

And to really give your teeth something to smile about, include a whitening option for a brightness boost.

FALL

Sun protection is just as important in the fall as it is in the summer. Remember to use products with SPF every day, all year round.

Fall is the season for layering, but before you pull on your leathers and knits, remember to arm yourself against the cooler and dryer air first.

Set aside your lightweight summer creams in favour of richer formulas that protect against the elements and absorb deep into the skin.

TRY: Crest® 3D WhiteTM Brilliance Mesmerizing Mint Toothpaste, or Colgate* OPTIC WHITETM Toothbrush + Built-In Whitening Pen.

10x

GET

TRY: L’Oréal Paris® Revitalift® Triple Power LZRTM Lotion SPF 20, or Olay® Regenerist Day and Night Pack.

THE SHOPPERS OPTIMUM POINTS®** WHEN YOU PURCHASE ANY PARTICIPATING PRODUCT SEPTEMBER 12 – OCTOBER 9.

SEE WHAT’S NEW IN STORE!

Visit Shoppers Drug Mart for all the latest must-haves. *TM Reg’d/M.D. **Points are issued according to the net pre-tax purchase total of eligible products using a valid Shoppers Optimum Card®. Calculation excludes Shoppers Optimum Bonus Points®, RBC® Shoppers Optimum® MasterCard® points and points associated with the RBC® Shoppers Optimum® Banking Account.

Cannot be used with any other offer or promotion. Offer valid until October 9, 2015, while quantities last. We reserve the right to limit quantities. No rainchecks. Offer may be changed or terminated at any time without notice. See in-store for details.

SPOTLIGHT

THE ORAL HISTORY OF THE FASHION BLOGGER The fashion-media landscape looked very different back in 2005. Editors dictated the trends from monthly magazines, cloaked in the relative anonymity of the masthead. Then the first blogs started: style scrapbooks that cobbled together links to catalogue trends and outfit ideas. The tone was fresh, exciting, new: Bloggers typed unreservedly, with little regard for who might be reading—a world without likes, comments and filters. That same year, street style exploded. When Twitter hit in 2006, it was the final piece in the democracy puzzle: Suddenly, fashion was something that everybody could participate in, regardless of how much their shoes cost. Gradually, bloggers became stars: They sat front row at Fashion Week, became besties with designers and consulted for top-tier fashion houses. Now, if you believe the hype, the fashion blog is destined to be a #TBT memory. To go beyond the swag, backlash and #OOTD posts, we chatted with digital pioneers for an inside look at the shifting sands of a very lucrative, very complicated biz. t h e b e g i n n i n g : b l o g g e r s a s t r u t h t e l l e r s

Many people welcomed fashion bloggers as a breath of fresh air, but not everyone was a fan: Traditional media outlets, especially, seemed to sense

that bloggers represented the ticking clock of digital domination. Tavi Gevinson, who started Style Rookie when she was 11, elicited particular backlash. New York questioned whether her “mom or older sister” helped with her writing, and an Elle editor sniped that she was “gimmicky.” In the early days, bloggers were still being dismissed as pyjama-clad wannabes in their parents’ basements (#harsh).

Nelia Belkova (launched Toronto-based styleblog.ca in 2009): “I’ve never been ashamed of being called a blogger.

Unlike some of my peers, I don’t see it as something unsavoury. Creating engaging content is a lot of work.”

Emily Schuman (launched cupcakesandcashmere.com in 2008): “There’s always tension whenever a traditional industry is suddenly disrupted by new technology or competition—look at Uber versus taxi commissions, or Airbnb versus the hotel industry.”

Robin Givhan (Pulitzer-Prize-winning fashion critic, now at The Washington Post): “I think the tension was the perception that magazine editors were there to do a job, and bloggers were there for personal entertainment.”

Emily Schuman: “I wasn’t surprised to hear how some magazines felt about blogs, but I also understood their

From left: Susanna Lau, a.k.a. Susie Bubble; original street-style photog Bill Cunningham; snappers a of Style’s Aimee Song; Anita Clarke of iwantigot.com; street-style A-listers Anna Dello Russo and Gio

position. [Schuman previously worked in sales at AOL and Teen Vogue.] A lot of these editors have worked for years, honing their craft, and suddenly anyone with an internet connection could create content.”

Robin Givhan: “A lot of fashion bloggers created their blogs because they were huge fans of fashion and they wanted to participate in some way.

They wanted to do their own thing.”

Anita Clarke (launched Toronto-based iwantigot.com in 2005): “In the early days, if bloggers didn’t like something, they had no trouble saying it. You felt you were getting an honest voice. It wasn’t a very directed, stylized voice like a magazine that had been passed through all these filters.” t h e b o o m : b l o g g e r s a s f a s h i o n d a r l i n g s

By 2009, bloggers had trounced any “15 minutes of fame” speculation to become firmly entrenched in the fashion world. Marc Jacobs named a bag after Bryan Boy; Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo flew Tavi Gevinson to Tokyo as her personal guest; and Dolce & Gabbana installed select bloggers in the front row beside Anna Wintour. In a New York Times interview, PR pro Kelly Cutrone said, “Do I think, as a publicist, that I now have to have

my eye on some kid who’s writing a blog from Oklahoma as much as I do on an editor from Vogue? Absolutely.

Because once they write something on the internet, it’s never coming down.

And it’s the first thing a designer is going to see.”

Robin Givhan: “The more popular a blogger was, the more quickly fashion absorbed them. Bloggers started consulting for brands and being placed in the front row, expected to write blogs about that show.”

Emily Schuman: “I started Cupcakes and Cashmere as purely a creative outlet, not thinking it would evolve into anything. But over time, I generated enough revenue to match my salary.”

Aimee Song (launched songofstyle.com in 2008): “About a year into blogging, I had a chance to model in Fossil’s holiday lookbook—that was the first brand to pay for my flight and to make me fill out a tax form. I realized then that I had a bigger influence than most media outlets on what to wear and how to style clothes.”

Nelia Belkova: “My most memorable moment was spending three days in Paris with Chanel and four other bloggers. We were invited to attend a fashion show at the Grand Palais and got to wear Chanel clothes that we picked out at a fitting before the show.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES (CUNNINGHAM, LAU, MEDINE, SONG, RUSSO WITH TON AND BATTAGLIA, FERRAGNI, GEVINSON); PETER STIGTER (GIRLS WITH IPHONES, BECKERMAN SISTERS, GIRL WITH CAMERA X2); MCLEAY COURTESY OF AFASHIONLOVEAFFAIR.COM; MAX KOPANYGIN (BELKOVA); BRITTANY LUCAS (CLARKE); WILDER COURTESY OF WITH LOVE ANNA

It’s been 10 years since the first style blogs hit the web, sparking controversy and revolutionizing fashion. Now, as blogs are rumoured to become a #TBT memory, Jill Dunn talks to industry insiders about the evolution of the blogger, from side-eye-inducing fringe player to megabuck brand

at fashion week; Beckerman Blog’s Caillianne and Samantha Beckerman; A Fashion Love Affair’s Cara McLeay; Leandra Medine of Man Repeller fame; styleblog.ca’s Nelia Belkova; Song ovanna Battaglia with photographer Tommy Ton; The Blonde Salad’s Chiara Ferragni; My Fash Avenue’s Deanne Wilder; Tavi Gevinson, formerly of Style Rookie

t h e b i z : b l o g g e r s

a s

b r a n d s

In 2011, agencies dedicated to connecting bloggers with clients cropped up— Bryan Boy even signed with Hollywood powerhouse CAA, which counts A-listers such as Scarlett Johansson among its roster. An Adweek article noted the change: “Bloggers don’t want to be editors, because they’ve built something much more valuable: brands.” The top brands are extremely profitable: According to WWD, Chiara Ferragni from The Blonde Salad is on track to make $8 million this year. Between modelling, guest designer gigs, sponsored posts, sponsored social media and affiliate links marketing programs like Reward Style that allow bloggers to monetize products they mention, there’s no shortage of ways to make money.

James Nord (co-founder of New-Yorkbased Fohr Card): “The top 1 per cent are making a million plus. We have a roster of 6,000 -plus influencers, and I’d say 200 to 300 are doing it full-time and pulling in an average of $100K per year. The majority have normal day jobs and they’re making $25K to $75K.”

Cara McLeay (launched Vancouverbased afashionloveaffair.com in 2011): “The payment thing is interesting because it’s the Wild West in blogging. There’s no rule book.”

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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Deanne Wilder (launched Torontobased myfashavenue.com in 2012): “It’s enough financial freedom that I don’t have to feel guilty about splurging on a Céline bag every year.”

Cara McLeay: “The thing that I push most for is long-term collaborations— posts that are both on my website and on social media because I feel like that’s the most honest way to do it.

You have a bag and you wear it for five posts because that’s really what’s happening.”

Emily Schuman: “After releasing my second book, and with the launch of our clothing line, Cupcakes and Cashmere is evolving into more of a stand-alone brand, rather than solely a personal blog.”

Aimee Song: “I work full-time as an interior designer and I’m just hustling every single day. I’m doing jobs I really love, but I’m not chasing money. Let’s put it at that.”

James Nord: “You’d be surprised how many people turn things down if they don’t feel like it’s a right fit. [Influencers] have spent years building up this audience; they’re not going to cash in on it and ruin it for $25,000.

I ’ve n ot ha d a n o cc asio n to turn down $25,000 for taking a couple of photos, but I respect the hell out of them for doing it.”

t h e f u t u r e : b l o g g e r s a s s t a r s

s o c i a l

Last year, bloggers hit the news again.

Racked.com investigated the controversial practice of buying followers and quoted a disillusioned blogger: “You begin to realize after a while that it’s all fake. The focus is not on fashion, it’s about how [bloggers] can get bigger and richer and more famous.” Robin Givhan wrote a widely read article called “The Golden Era of ‘Fashion Blogging’ Is Over,” in which she noted that, because of editors’ embrace of social media, bloggers no longer occupy a singular space: “The distance between the Establishment and fashion’s once-dazzling revolutionaries has narrowed, and there is minimal distinction between them.” The rise of social media—particularly Instagram—has changed influencers’ focus: Bloggers 2.0 think social first, blog second. (Bryan Boy blogs only once or twice a month, but he posts at least five Insta pics a day.) Where blogs exist, they’re slick, professional sites, sometimes with staff.

James Nord: “I think blogs are becoming less important, but there’s still a need to have a place that anchors what you’re saying. It’s like how musicians roll out their hits: They release a single, then a video, a full album and then a double album from a live set. You have to allow people to cascade into your world in bigger and bigger ways.”

“I’M JUST HUSTLING EVERY SINGLE DAY. I’M DOING JOBS I REALLY LOVE, BUT I’M NOT CHASING MONEY. LET’S PUT IT AT THAT.”

Anita Clarke: “We’re at a saturation point. There’s a lot of backlash now for me and some others that remember the old days. [laughs] There’s no difference now between some blogs and regular mainstream magazines: same photos, same products, same aesthetic. Staged everything. No humanity, no soul.”

Robin Givhan: “ When the Council of Fashion D e sign e rs of A m e ric a debuted its Fashion Instagrammer of the Year Award, I thought it was provocative. It’s an app a lot of people in fashion use. It only adds to context and entertainment value. But is it making collections better? Or making retailers buy more? It has changed the action of the industry, but I don’t think we know the results of what those changes will be.”

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GIRL GANG ALYSSA FIGUEIRA, 23 SOUS-CHEF, BAR ISABEL (797 COLLEGE ST.)

SUZANNE BARR, 39 OWNER/CHEF, SATURDAY DINETTE (807 GERRARD ST. E.)

INDIRA RAMNARINE, 40 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR & RELIEF CHEF AT DRAKE HOTEL (1150 QUEEN ST. W.) AND DRAKE ONE FIFTY (150 YORK ST.)

IRENE TZARAS, 31 CO-OWNER/CHEF, BUSTER RHINO’S BBQ (838 COLLEGE ST.)

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SONIA MARWICK, 34 HEAD CHEF, ROSE & SONS SWAN (892 QUEEN ST. W.)

TOUGH COOKIES

Toronto chefs serve up real talk about being a boss in the kitchen

By Alex Laws | Photography by Norman Wong

SARAH FIORE, 21 JUNIOR SOUS-CHEF, BUCA OSTERIA & BAR (53 SCOLLARD ST.)

The six chefs gathered in a downtown photo studio have never met, but their conversation is so animated that it’s audible from outside. They’re here to sound off on being a woman in a male-dominated field—and to model head-to-toe white, our take on chef whites and, conveniently, a major fall trend.

Wardrobe fittings aren’t a regular occurrence for this crowd, especially Suzanne Barr, who became owner and chef of Saturday Dinette and mother to her first child within a year. “I only took one month maternity leave and I was back at work. Now I’m juggling prep, working the line, dishwashing and breastfeeding,” she says, inspiring the other women to bow in unison.

Innate strength is something all these chefs have in common. It’s an essential quality in their line of work, a fact made clear by the recent sexual harassment suit at Weslodge, which was settled confidentially last month. In response, Toronto restaurateur Jen Agg hosted the panel “Kitchen Bitches: Smashing the Patriarchy One Plate at a Time,” which encouraged women to speak more openly about the challenges of working in male-dominated kitchens.

Everyone agrees that it can be difficult to make your voice heard. Sarah Fiore, 21-year-old sous-chef at Buca Osteria & Bar, credits her mom, a construction worker, for her strength: “She was in charge of men and telling them what to do, so I learned to defend myself from her.” Irene Tzaras, co-owner of Buster Rhino’s BBQ, was similarly inspired: “I grew up in a restaurant, so I’ve always had really strong women to look up to, whether it’s my mom, my aunts or the restaurant employees.” The key is to be assertive and express yourself, says Alyssa Figueira, sous-chef at Bar Isabel. “If you can hold your own in the kitchen and tell a guy to fuck off when he needs to be told to fuck off, you’re good.”

INDIRA’S LOOK: BANANA REPUBLIC DRESS, $215, BANANAREPUBLIC.CA. ALYSSA’S LOOK: DANIER VEST, $149, DANIER.COM. H&M SHIRT, $15, HM.COM. GAP JEANS, $80, GAPCANADA.CA. DKNY WATCH, $215, THEBAY.COM. IRENE’S LOOK: MARSHALLS SHIRT, $150, MARSHALLS. JUST BLACK JEANS, $90, JEANMACHINE.COM. SUZANNE’S LOOK: WILFRED JACKET, $150, WILFRED SHIRT, $50, BABATON SKIRT, $110, ALL ARITZIA.COM. SONIA’S LOOK: H&M SHIRT, $15, HM.COM. WILFRED VEST, $175, ARITZIA.COM. SECOND JEANS, $120, SECONDCLOTHING.COM. SARAH’S LOOK: MARSHALLS DRESS, $50, MARSHALLS STYLING: NATASHA BRUNO. HAIR AND MAKEUP: SHERI STROH FOR PLUTINO GROUP/GREENBEAUTY.CA

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BEAUTY

THE NEW PRETTY Unicorn topknots, stick-on gem eyeliner and heirloom necklaces piled on as headbands—the season’s best beauty looks are as unorthodox as you are. Your tool box: a little runway inspo and a lot of imagination Photography by Andrew Soule Beauty direction by Rani Sheen

KNOT FAIR

The topknot’s new frontier: perched front and centre like a unicorn’s horn, as on the Marc Jacobs fall runway. As for burgundy eyeliner, that can go wherever you want it to—this shape borrows from the eye at Anthony Vaccarello.

DRYBAR THE CHASER SHINE CREAM, $37, SEPHORA.CA. CHANEL STYLO YEUX WATERPROOF IN CASSIS, $35, CHANEL COUNTERS. COS SHIRT, $150, COS. HERMÈS OVERALLS, $10,850, HERMES.COM

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SWEET ’N’ SOUR

The fruit bowl is a fresh source of beauty ideas.

A vintage pineapple brooch decorates a bad-girl bouffant pony, and a bananashaped swath of peach eyeshadow serves up a sorbet twist on Dior’s jewel-toned eyes.

CHANEL ILLUSION D’OMBRE IN ROUGE GORGE, $41, CHANEL COUNTERS. DOVE STYLE+CARE FLEXIBLE HOLD HAIRSPRAY, $8, DRUGSTORES. COS DRESS, $175, COS. H&M TURTLENECK, $40, HM.COM. CAROLE TANENBAUM VINTAGE COLLECTION BROOCH, $350, CAROLETANENBAUM.COM

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BEAUTY

CROWN JEWELS

Think outside the makeup bag and adorn your face with anything from tiny aqua pearls to crystals, as per the Rodarte runway. (Lash glue and a steady hand required.) Groomed brows and satin skin keep things polished.

ESSENCE EYEBROW FIXING PENCIL, $3, SHOPPERS DRUG MART. BOURJOIS AIR MAT FOUNDATION, $29, SHOPPERS DRUG MART

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BEAUTY

OH MY, LITTLE PONY

Amazing what a plastic barrette and pleather scrunchie can do for the humble high pony when you have the Prada runway look as inspiration. It pairs perfectly with precise, short-wing kitten liner, the cat-eye’s smaller successor.

ARDENCY INN PUNKER EYELINER, $22, URBANOUTFITTERS.COM. SEPHORA COLLECTION SCRUNCHIE, $15, SEPHORA.CA. H&M CLIP, $6, HM.COM. CHANEL BLOUSE, PRICE UPON REQUEST, CHANEL BOUTIQUES

BEAUTY

PUNK PRINCESS

Pile all of your bracelets, headbands and necklaces onto your head, like at Dolce & Gabbana. Part hair in the centre, then rough it up using hairspray on your fingers. Subvert the regal feel by playing up freckles with a brown eye pencil.

Then go ’head and rule.

SHOW BEAUTY FINISHING SPRAY, $58, SEPHORA.CA. MARNI DRESS, $2,250, HOLT RENFREW. HEADBANDS, FROM FRONT: PINK PEWTER HEADBAND, $45, TRADE SECRETS. BEAU BELLE COUTURE HEADPIECE, $22, BEAUBELLECOUTURE.COM. CAROLE TANENBAUM VINTAGE COLLECTION PEARL NECKLACE, $650, CAROLETANENBAUM.COM. EDDIE BORGO BRACELET, $450, HOLT RENFREW. HAIR BY VITTORIO MASECCHIA/PLUTINO GROUP. MAKEUP BY JULIE CUSSON FOR CHANEL. MANICURE

BY MELISSA FORREST/P1M. STYLING BY VANESSA TAYLOR. CREATIVE DIRECTION BY JESSICA HOTSON.

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W E A R

m A d E Oct 19-23 / DAVID PEcAUt sqUArE

spring 2016 COLLECTiOns @wmcfashionweek / #wmcfw / worldmastercardfashionweek.com

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DW+Partners Inc.

165 Avenue Road Suite 200 Toronto ON Canada M5R 3S4 T 416.443.9448 F 416.443.0023 www.dwpluspartners.com © Copyright 2008

Account Manager

ALTHOUGH EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE ACCURACY, ERRORS CAN OCCUR. PLEASE CHECK THIS PROOF/PDF FILE CAREFULLY. THIS PROOF/PDF FILE IS FOR COLOR BREAK ONLY AND MAY NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT FINAL PRINTED INKS.

THE HAUL “Nothing clears the pores (and the sinuses) like a nice facial steam.”

3

2

4 5 1

“When a Hard Candy founder starts a niche line of lacquers, I take notice.”

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7

THE BEAUTY DESK Beauty editor Rani Sheen opens endless parcels before sorting and storing their contents, but it’s the products she doesn’t put away we really take note of Photography by Adrian Armstrong THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

“Salad is my everything, especially when it contains #flowerporn.”

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1. MUD BATH

4. LASH MONEY

7. COVER AND OUT

Sunday night is face-mask night, obvs—but now my entire epidermis can get in on the clarifying, brightening self-indulgence.

A lengthened, inky lash has major ROI. Splash out on a Swarovskistudded special edition of one of the best mascaras around.

THE BODY SHOP HIMALAYAN CHARCOAL BODY CLAY, $22, THEBODYSHOP.CA

BENEFIT THEY’RE REAL! LIMITED EDITION SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL MASCARA, $34, SEPHORA.CA

Dior’s god of makeup, Peter Philips, created this blurring/ corrector duo stick to hide blemishes, prime lips and brighten dark circles. I’ll take two.

2. GLOSS REPORT A shiny lip is very 1970s roller-disco babe—until it disappears five minutes later.

This gloss promises to last up to six hours, which is longer than you will in skates.

5. CLIP ART The gold circle clips that adorned half-up hair on the Céline Spring 2015 runway inspired beauty junkies (e.g., me) to search for replicas. Finally, my runway hair goals are reachable.

DIOR FIX IT CORRECTEUR INSTANTANÉ IN MEDIUM, $40, THEBAY.COM

8. OIL CHANGE This all-natural, Toronto-made cuticle oil freshens up a tired mani, conditions nail beds and smells like a rose garden.

DAHLIA & SONS CUTICLE OIL, $24, THECUREAPOTHECARY.COM

RIMMEL LONDON OH MY GLOSS! LIP GLOSS, $9, DRUGSTORES

SEPHORA COLLECTION BARRETTE, $10, SEPHORA.CA

3. DREAM STEAM

6. BLACK CAT

Pour this locally made sachet of dried rose and lavender into a bowl of hot water and let your skin steam clean.

It looks like a black lip lacquer, but it’s actually a mascara topcoat made to take your lashes to new levels of glossy fullness.

Hard Candy co-founder Dineh Mohajer created this cult “5-free” line (i.e., free of five common toxic chemicals). She’s nailed my ideal fall lilac shade.

GOLD APOTHECARY HERBAL STEAM FACIAL, $6, GOLDAPOTHECARY.COM

GIVENCHY MISTER BLACK TOP MASCARA, $33, SEPHORA.CA

SMITH & CULT NAILED LACQUER IN SHE SAID YEAH, $29, HER MAJESTY’S PLEASURE

9. PAINT JOB

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FACE TIME

ANUPA, 30 “I’m a recent foundation convert but I’ve never been matched.

Right now I wear Make Up For Ever. I get three to four shades darker in the summer, so I need to switch it up with the seasons.”

Perfect match: Mixed Chicks Bangin’ Bronze. “It’s so weird that the most limited range would be the perfect match, but I suppose it proves that foundation is really trial and error.”

ALL ABOUT THAT BASE It’s foundation, it’s a party, it’s a foundation party! Seven Toronto friends put fall’s new formulas to the shade-matching test

By Anupa Mistry

| Photography by Stefania Yarhi

When I started wearing makeup 15 years ago, there were only a few companies that explicitly catered to women of colour, and they were really only options if you lived in a big city, and already knew about them. I didn’t. It took years to forget that one day I went to school looking downright ghoulish after experimenting with my lighter-skinned mum’s foundation and powders.

If only I’d been able to get my hands on makeup from Fashion Fair, a brand started in 1969 by Eunice W. Johnson, founder of the Ebony Fashion Fair show, which featured the work of AfricanAmerican designers and models. Or Iman Cosmetics, created by the supermodel turned business mogul in 1994, or Vasanti Cosmetics, launched in 1999 by three South-Asian-Canadian women.

Finding a perfect makeup match is still a daunting prospect for women of all colours, but now that more mass and specialty lines have arrived—or expanded their shade ranges—there’s real hope for finding a foundation that fits. Mixed Chicks, a cult haircare line for women with textured hair, recently got into the makeup game with five double-ended foundation and bronzer sticks, designed to be mixed and matched to provide a custom solution. Make Up For Ever, the god of HD foundation, recently expanded its shade range to a whopping 40 in an upgraded formula that stands up to the 34

intense detail of 4K video technology making its way to screens everywhere (including the iPhone 6 Plus). It also added a stick formula that offers more moisture and coverage, in 15 shades.

Coming in at 22, 24 and 23 shades, respectively: a new highly pigmented, semi-matte foundation from Marc Jacobs Beauty; a flawlessly opaque formula from Too Faced; and M.A.C’s new super-lightweight, water-based foundation, with the added bonus of SPF 30.

“Foundation has gotten a lot better in terms of shade matching and technology,” says Robert Weir, a Toronto makeup artist. Better-quality formulas are more consistent in their colour, which addresses a common mismatching problem caused by products that get darker throughout the day due to oxidization. “The better ones aren’t always expensive—drugstore brands have come a long way—but they won’t oxidize.” Weir recommends women of colour buy more than one shade to address variations around the T-zone.

“It’s nice to have two—at least that’s what Iman says!”

To test drive the latest shades, I called up six friends with different skin tones and asked Weir to help us get flawless.

With a mountain of new foundations to play with and a photo booth set up on the patio, we chatted about our experiences (and struggles!) and pursued the dream of finding makeup that matches.

NEHA, 35 “A few months ago, I bought YSL’s Touche Éclat as a treat. Before that I was using Make Up For Ever because I found a great match.”

Perfect match: Make Up For Ever Y405.

“I like the stick over the liquid because it’s novel to me.”

AMINA, 22 “I normally wear Make Up For Ever, Lancôme and Clinique foundation—I’m a makeup junkie. I’m excited about the new Marc Jacobs, which feels great—actually, it doesn’t feel like anything. This shade is called Cocoa Light, which is perfect because I am a cocoa light!”

Perfect match: Make Up For Ever Y445. “It’s a much better price point and a better match.”

GAYNA, 37 “I don’t like to wear makeup! I’m very minimalist so I want the easiest solution.”

Perfect match: Marc Jacobs Beauty Ivory Medium. “This feels so light, like it completely disappeared.”

NANA ABA, 37 “I can wear the darkest shade in some ranges, but then I’m the church lady with the weird skin that doesn’t match her hands. I’m ready for something better than what I’m wearing now.”

Perfect match: Make Up For Ever R540, a new shade in the lineup.

PRODUCT HIT LIST Looking for your own perfect match? One of these new foundations might be just the ticket.

Shade count: 40 MAKE UP FOR EVER ULTRA HD LIQUID, $50, SEPHORA.COM

MAKEDA, 30 “I don’t wear foundation.

When I’ve tried, it’s been a wrong match, and I feel like I’m wearing Halloween makeup.”

Perfect match: Make Up For Ever Y535. “Come at me! I feel truly prepared for life when I put on my eyebrows, but this is a nice finishing touch.”

Shade count: 5

MIXED CHICKS IN THE MIX QUICK STICK, $30, MIXEDCHICKS.NET

Shade count: 23

HANNAH, 28 “I have zero tolerance or patience for foundation, but right now I wear 100% Pure.”

Perfect match: M.A.C NC15.

“SPF? Sign me up!”

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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M.A.C STUDIO WATERWEIGHT FOUNDATION, $40, MACCOSMETICS.CA

Shade count: 24

TOO FACED BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION, $55, TOOFACED.COM

Shade count: 22

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY RE(MARC)ABLE FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATION CONCENTRATE, $69, SEPHORA.COM

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HER STORY

ROLE MODEL

Before Caitlyn Jenner, there was Andreja Pejic.

A year after completing her transition to a woman, the model is landing beauty campaigns, shining a light on gender issues and totally ruling Insta

GIRL CRUSH Snaps from Andreja Pejic’s Instagram (with celeb pals Rita Ora, Irina Shayk, Liu Wen and Taylor Swift), and Pejic at an amfAR party in New York (centre).

I

t’s rare to be incredibly moved at a beauty launch event, but when Make Up For Ever’s newest brand ambassador, Andreja Pejic, takes the mic in an industrial studio space in New York, the room is transfixed. “When I was little, I would dream about what it would be like to grow up as a woman,” says Pejic in her soft Australian accent. “I would sit for hours imagining it. I didn’t care if I was scrubbing toilets; if I was doing it as a woman I’d be happy.”

That longing, so fundamental but, until recently, so maligned in mainstream culture, was finally fulfilled last year with Pejic’s gender transition and confirmation surgery, made financially possible by the 23-year-old model’s burgeoning career. At

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18, when Pejic decided that she wanted to undergo the process, her mother offered to take out a loan to pay for it. “She was a single mother, and I grew up in relative poverty, so I was like, ‘No, I don’t want you to do that.’ I told myself, ‘You’re going to do it yourself,’” says Pejic, sitting gracefully in a fitted Ralph Lauren pencil skirt after stepping off the stage. “When it did happen, it was freeing but it was also a huge personal accomplishment. Sadly, the majority of trans women who want certain surgeries or treatments can’t afford it.” (In most Canadian provinces, there are varying degrees of health coverage to assist with procedures but wait times are very long.)

Pejic has lived out an incredibly personal experience in public, one that can lead to discrimination, violence and suicide.

“AT THE BEGINNING OF MY CAREER, I DIDN’T HAVE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST SAW ME AS AN ALIEN.”

To scroll her 162K-follower Instagram account (@andrejapejic) is to notice that for every nasty comment—and yes, they’re there—there are many supportive ones. Pejic says her experience has been mostly positive.

“I was definitely nervous about how people would perceive me. I feel incredible that it’s gone well and that I’m accepted as a woman.”

When we meet, it’s just days after the world has learned about the woman whose transition brought transgender issues to the mainstream: Caitlyn Jenner. “She’s had a really amazing response,” says Pejic. “People often dismiss the American public as being backward and not accepting. I don’t believe that to be true. Support for marriage equality has grown, and there is no reason why people, when they’re exposed to trans experiences, can’t support that.”

Pejic is referring to the world at large and the fashion industry in particular, which despite its veneer of open-mindedness has struggled to place her. “At the beginning of my career, I didn’t have as many opportunities because people just saw me as an alien,” says Pejic. But she had a few high-profile champions: At 18, Pejic walked in Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2011 menswear presentation; a few months later, she wore a wedding gown to close Gaultier’s haute couture show. Landing the Make Up For Ever campaign places Pejic squarely in the realm of women’s modelling, although it would seem gender boundaries are blurring to the point where it doesn’t matter who buys the products as long as they’re selling. Like most top models, Pejic can pull off many makeup styles, but on her own time she prefers a natural look. “A little bit of shimmer on the eyes and some mascara, and I’m good to go.”

Pejic is aware of the responsibility she bears as a public figure. She’s becoming involved in organizations that support LGBTQ communities and she’s also working on a documentary about her life. “It’s about showing a bit of the human experience, which a lot of people can learn from,” Pejic explains. “I don’t necessarily think that everybody needs to be an activist, but I feel like I’m doing my part.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY: INSTAGRAM.COM/ANDREJAPEJIC (EXCEPT CENTRE); GETTY IMAGES (CENTRE)

By Rani Sheen

| OCTOBER 2015 | THEKIT.CA

#NOWFOLLOWING

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER STIGTER (DOLCE & GABBANA RUNWAY, G. HADID AND JENNER IN THEN AND NOW); GETTY IMAGES (G. HADID AT MUCH MUSIC, TURLINGTON, EVANGELISTA, CAMPBELL, ROSE AND SEYMOUR, AND B. HADID); KEYSTONE PRESS (G. HADID AND JONAS)

BE LIKE GIGI

Gigi Hadid gets her glow on at Toronto’s 2015 Much Music Video Awards.

Catwalk queen at Dolce & Gabbana.

LIFE COACH CV EXPERIENCE Hadid started modelling for Baby Guess at age two. She’s since snagged coveted roles as a Maybelline brand ambassador and a Victoria’s Secret model.

Six life lessons from Ms. Hadid, the latest model to join the supe squad

QUALIFICATIONS

By Alex Laws Gigi Hadid is used to sharing a couch with BFFs Cara Delevingne and T-Swift, but one sunny afternoon in Toronto, she’s sitting beside yours truly. Hadid is in town to celebrate becoming a Maybelline brand ambassador, and looks the part in a white suit and matching eyeliner (Maybelline’s Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Pencil in Cashmere White, in case you’re curious). Turns out the 20-year-old Los Angeleno with cheeks so cherubic they could be hiding a pack of Bubblicious, has more wisdom to impart than her youthful appearance would suggest.

BE NICE “It’s more important than anything else. If everyone hates working with you, that’s it. I’ve seen some of the prettiest girls not be able to work because people just don’t like them.”

PLAY THE FIELD “My mom has been amazing at showing me you don’t have to pick one thing to do. She grew up raising baby cows, then got discovered at a random hair show.

She stopped modelling when I was two, after she had my sister [Bella], and started doing interior design. Now she’s on a TV show and is a spokesperson for people with Lyme disease.”

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS “If I’m doing something, I’m doing it wholeheartedly. I played club volleyball my entire life

and then would drive two hours after practice to ride my horses.

I’ve never chosen one thing— I wanted to do everything.”

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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REFERENCES Bella Hadid (sister and fellow model), Yolanda Foster (mother, model and Real Housewives star), David Foster (stepfather and Canadian music royalty), Taylor Swift (BFF).

BE YOURSELF—ESPECIALLY ON SOCIAL “Social media gives models a lot of freedom because we’re not just seen the way the clients make us for their pages. We get to have a sense of humour and be someone’s favourite role model because they have the same morals as us.”

SET #GOALS “This is so cheesy, but I have three goals when I go to work: Be

nice, make a friend and work hard. Those are the things that touch people, create relationships and open up doors you wouldn’t have thought you’d be able to get through otherwise.”

THEN AND NOW: SUPERMODEL EDITION

1990

2015

VS.

DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU’RE FROM “I live with my best friends from school, and they make fun of me and don’t let me take myself too seriously. I also have great friends who are in the industry, and we all kind of check each other.”

@gigihadid has 6.3 million Insta followers and counting.

Squad

The Trinity: Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell

Music vid

“Freedom” by George Michael

Rock star BF

Axl Rose (dated Stephanie Seymour)

Squad

Beverly Hills babes: Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner

Music vid

“Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift

Rock star BF

Joe Jonas (dating Gigi Hadid)

37

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CO N N E C T

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MONTHLY The Kit on Star Touch: the hottest news in beauty, fashion and celebrity.

THE KIT COMPACT Our pop-up mag is distributed free in Toronto the first week of every month. A little cheeky, a lot thoughtful, The Kit Compact is plugged in to fashion, beauty, celebrity and pop culture news in the 6ix.

FIRST PERSON

RAZOR BURN Does shaving your underarms make you a bad feminist? Anne T. Donahue considers her pits Illustration by Winnie Truong

When Julia Roberts debuted a thicket of underarm hair at the Notting Hill premiere in 1999, I was shocked and horrified. I was 13, had begun clutching my Lady Bic as if my life depended on it and was seconds away from entering the 10-year stage when any or all body hair was disgusting and a betrayal of my gender. After all, a woman’s place was in the depilation aisle, contemplating which products would make her smoothest.

Subsequent ingrown hairs, rashes and waxing horrors be damned—beauty is pain, pain is beauty, and that’s how beauty myths are born.

Fortunately, this year’s armpit-hair boom is anything but painful. After the hairless aesthetic of the noughties, we’re in the thick of a movement of women living razor-free—on red carpets (Jemima Kirke), in photo shoots (Miley Cyrus) and on Instagram (Madonna). Earlier this year, Chinese women’s rights activist Xiao Meili began an armpit-hair contest via the microblogging site Sina Weibo, while armpit-hair-colouring guides have popped up across beauty blogs and celebrity sites thanks to Cyrus’s fuchsia dye job.

Even though I’ve come a long way since Notting Hill, I haven’t jumped on the Bicfree bandwagon. Of course, there have been times when I’ve lapsed. As a teenager at home with the flu, too weak to lift a glass of water let alone embark on a daily grooming regimen, I felt the need to enlist T-shirts over tank tops to hide the evidence.

One summer, I gave myself such bad razor burn that I resigned myself to sleeves and a blatant refusal to raise my hands in the air.

Nobody wanted to see that—including me.

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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By my mid-20s, things started to change. Having just discovered I was a feminist (as in, my best friend told me I was), I began to challenge the aesthetic conventions that dictated femininity.

I started nodding in approval at anyone who didn’t shave her legs. I admitted I’d rather walk into the sea and drown than endure a Brazilian wax. And...that was about it. Everybody I knew still shaved under her arms, including me.

Then I started attending music festivals. Fresh off my “I’m a feminist!” realization, I declared myself a woman for the women, without stopping to acknowledge that the movement isn’t the exclusive property of self-conscious, middle-class white girls who share an unbreakable bond with their razor. Which is why I found it so jarring to see women from outside my own sphere living their lives—and flaunting their unshaven pits— without regard for my personal taste.

Don’t get me wrong: I was disappointed in myself. And confused. I spent real and internet time bragging about my love of female freedom, but here I was, experiencing those old JuliaRoberts-inspired feelings. Like, didn’t these women understand that because I abided by a beauty code I’d grown up with, they should do the same?

It wasn’t until a few years later that I finally realized that what another woman

chooses to do with her body has nothing to do with me. Now, in moments of snap judgment, I like to remember Amy Poehler’s life code: “Good for her, not for me.” Meaning that somebody’s shaving habits need have no effect on me at all— and vice versa.

“A WOMAN’S PLACE WAS IN THE DEPILATION AISLE, CONTEMPLATING WHICH PRODUCTS WOULD MAKE HER SMOOTHEST.” The thing about personal grooming choices is that they’re personal. There’s no right or wrong. Whether you’re working Julia’s hairy look circa 1999 (I hope she still is) or living the hairfree life, you’re in charge of the way your body looks.

And for the record, I now worry a lot less about my underarms when I have the flu.

39

CLOSET COUNT

100+ T-shirts 71 pairs of shoes 40 pairs of jeans 38 jackets 13 jumpsuits

THE NATURAL Fran Miller quit her retail job to make a super-cool line of skin and hair oils

By Alex Laws | Photography by May Truong

HER WORK

What made you want to start your own line? I was a product junkie. I kept buying things and was really underwhelmed by them. I bought essential oils wholesale for another project I was working on (making candles), and I started creating skincare oils on the side. I was blown away by the improvements in my skin.

Was there a light-bulb moment when you thought, “This is it!”? I had been in a fashion program for four years and I came out with skills, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I ended up managing boutiques, which was comfortable but it wasn’t challenging. The skincare thing came at that moment when I thought, “It’s now or never.”

What was your goal with your line? I wanted to create something botanically based but that looked as if it was from Holts or Barneys: simple, beautiful and luxurious and that didn’t look like it was made in someone’s kitchen.

What does your job involve? It requires me to wear different hats: I develop and create products and oversee packaging and shipping, social media and press.

Where do you make your products? Sometimes [my girlfriend] Jackie helps me, and we do everything on our dining table. My friends and family try things out. My family has a bakery in North York [Chocolada], where I store all my boxes.

What do you dream about? I’m going to New York for a trade show next week, and the other night I dreamed I didn’t bring anything at all, and I woke up mortified. I did the show last year, and that’s where I 40

NAME: Fran Miller AGE: 29 JOB: F. Miller Skincare founder QUALIFICATIONS: Ryerson fashion communications degree LIVES: Roncesvalles loft STYLE INSPO: Jane Birkin, Phoebe Philo, Lauren Hutton, Annie Hall

picked up my first stores in New York. You can’t just email Barneys and say, “Can I send you a sample?”

What are your career ambitions? My longterm goals aren’t necessarily skincare because I’m interested in so many things. I’m collaborating with menswear designer Sean Brown on a candle and hoping to move into a more lifestyle arena. Basically that’s what I do: play around.

What has been your proudest moment? The launch of the brand, because I never expected that to actually happen or to be a real thing outside of my home.

Who is your role model? My mom. She’s been through so many shitty things in her life and came here from Russia during the war. Even though she’s nearly 70, she works almost every day at the bakery. I wouldn’t have half of what I have if it wasn’t for her.

SHOPPING STRATEGY

“I TRY TO BUY PIECES WHEN I’M TRAVELLING BECAUSE I TEND TO FIND MORE INTERESTING THINGS.” CRESCIONI CHOKER, MILL MERCANTILE. CAVE COLLECTIVE NECKLACE, RELIQUARY (BOTH SAN FRANCISCO)

COOL GIRL, COOL JOB F. Miller skin and hair oils are available at boutiques across Toronto and New York, including The Cure Apothecary (719 Queen St. W.) and Easy Tiger (1447 Dundas St. W.) and at fmillerskincare.com.

BELOVED BAUBLES

“A LOT OF MY NECKLACES ARE MY MOM’S FROM THE ’80S. I CAN’T BEAR TO PART WITH THEM.”

SHOPPING BLACK BOOK

Specchio Shoes, 1240 Bay St.

“It has crazy shoe sales.

You have to go end of season, but on the first day of the sale. My Dries Van Noten shoes [above] were originally $1,000 and I paid, like, $380.”

Ewanika, 1083 Bathurst St.

BEST ADVICE

“I shop at a lot of my stockists too. I got a ring at Ewanika and I just love it.”

“Buy quality over quantity. My mom taught me that, although I currently adhere to more of a ‘quantity of quality’ approach. She got married in this Chanel skirt; it’s one of my favourite things.”

Jonathan+Olivia, 49 Ossington Ave.

“I’ve picked up a few of my Isabel Marant pieces there.”

V S P, 1410 Dundas St. W.

“I buy a lot on consignment.

I got some really cool pink Acne pants there.”

CHANEL SKIRT (LEFT), ISABEL MARANT DRESS (RIGHT)

HER WARDROBE

How do you organize your closet? Jackie and I have one huge wardrobe and share almost everything— clothes, shoes, accessories.

She’s more of a hat person, but the necklaces are mine. I read a book called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and went through a cleansing process: Instead of taking things out of your wardrobe, you remove everything and choose what you put back in.

Do you think about who you want to be on any given day? I used to be like that, but I’ve gotten a lot lazier over the years. When I was younger, I would plan out a week’s worth of outfits. It was not normal. Now it’s based on what I’m doing that day.

THEKIT.CA | OCTOBER 2015 |

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How does what you do affect your outfits? I won’t wear anything nice at home in case I spill ingredients on myself. If I’m running around, I’m casual, in jeans or a jumpsuit. If I’m meeting people or visiting my suppliers, I’ll step it up.

What’s your uniform? I’m slowly accumulating a full wardrobe of onesies. I like the look of them, and they’re easy because you only have to think about one piece.

Do you ever end up wearing the same thing as your girlfriend? There’s the odd day where I will walk into the living room and we’re both wearing a jumpsuit. We’ll usually change, but otherwise we’re just those two lesbians wearing jumpsuits. We usually just coordinate our outfits, so it’s like we’re in a lookbook. She’ll look at me sometimes, and I’ll know it’s too much and go get changed.

41

LAST WORD

9-TO-5 CHEAT SHEET

9 A.M.

START HERE

I’m reading this at 6 a.m.!

HOW LATE DID YOU STAY UP?

Don’t ask me questions until I’ve had my coffee

CONGRATS! IS YOUR OUTFIT WORK APPROPS?

HACK: BUTTER UP THE BOSS WITH BEAUTY

Totes

Late to work after a big night out?

Lipstick lays the groundwork for the classic: “This shade doesn’t work for me; do you want it?”

DIOR ADDICT LIPSTICK IN BE DIOR, $42, THEBAY.COM

Choose your own adventure: Upgrade your workday with these cheeky fashion and beauty hacks

10:02 A.M. GO AHEAD AND TACKLE YOUR INBOX.

12:15 LUNCH HOUR­! HEADING OUT FOR A BITE?

By Anne T. Donahue

Sure. Maybe?

ARE YOU WEARING KNEEHIGHS? Get out of my brain!

HACK: CHOOSE TIGHTS

It’s big enough to fit both leftovers and that amazing talking fish from over the bar. (You’ll bring it back someday. We believe.)

BANANA REPUBLIC BAG, $205, BANANAREPUBLIC.CA

Yes

Nah, I’ve got a standing date with @kimkardashian

2:10 p.M. PREPARE FOR YOUR AFTERNOON MEETINGS.

ARE YOU WEARING AN ARM PARTY OF BANGLES?

I’m wearing an oversized ring—loud accessories can make a statement without making a sound.

No

BCBGMAXAZRIA RING, $48, BCBG.COM

HACK: TAKE ’EM OFF

Avoid co-worker side-eye and save your noisemaking jewellery for Saturday night.

Yes

HACK: MUTE IT

Yeah, so? She rules

4:10 p.M.

THE BODY SHOP ITALIAN SUMMER FIG EDT, $28 (50 ML), THEBODYSHOP.COM

Cool. Just watch your attitude, friend.

No, I prefer cult scents

IS YOUR FRAGRANCE FRONTED BY A CELEB NAMED SELENA?

Respect an open-air office with a toned-down scent.

(But #selenaforever.)

No

5:00 p.M. DID YOU GET ASKED TO WORK OVERTIME?

Yes

HACK: SNEAK OUT EARLY WITH OXFORDS

Get a jump-start on rush hour with flats that help you tiptoe out of the office so fast they won’t hear you until the door closes.

JUNYA WATANABE BROGUE, $975, SSENSE.COM

5:01 p.M. YOU’RE FREE! HANG WITH PALS, HAVE A SNEAKY PINT AND PLAN YOUR NIGHT.

HACK: PASS THE TIME WITH NAIL ART

Past five o’clock, conversation topics include complaining about working overtime. At least your tips can look on point.

KISS POLISH POP, $5, WALMART

Jessica Allen on...

POWER DRESSING

In the heart of Pristina, Kosovo, near the statue of Bill Clinton, there is a store that’s dedicated to the style of Hillary. Think beige and blue pantsuits—even inauguration ball gowns.

Women hoping to project power by mimicking the presidential hopeful’s fashions can pick up a suit at the shop—named Hillary—for about $130.

But here’s the rub: I don’t think Hillary’s power derives from her pantsuits. It comes from her.

42

Case in point: If I copied the former First Lady’s wardrobe, I’d feel like a kid playing dress-up.

Coincidentally, that’s exactly how I felt during grad school when I first tried to dress professionally. I was also volunteering at the Art Gallery of Ontario and serving at a restaurant part-time, and my daily uniform consisted of jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers.

But after eyeing one too many PhD students wearing 50 shades of grey and mature AGO docents outfitted in mostly Eileen Fisher, it occurred to me that I looked like an amateur.

So I secured two pairs of polyester capri-length “dress pants” in grey tones from Jacob and paired them with a flouncy-sleeved red cowl-neck sweater and olive-green square-toed

Velcro-strapped Prada loafers with an undulating wedge that I bought (two sizes too big) from an outlet near Florence. Add to that Janeane Garofalo Reality Bites-short bangs, and I looked like a bad joke. I wanted to be original but I didn’t possess the know-how to dress for success.

Luckily, I’ve never really had to “power dress,” the way I imagine a lawyer might. For better or worse, I’ve always had jobs with no discernible dress code—which is how I got away all summer with cut-off jean shorts, loose linen tops and Birkenstocks. I kid you not: When I had to wear actual shoes again, I had trouble walking, like the butler Agador in The Birdcage.

That doesn’t mean I don’t fantasize about grown-up style. When I do,

it’s in the vein of Brooks Brothers, where I imagine Mr. Clinton could saunter in, pull anything off the rack and emerge looking like an American president. Why must I be stuck with the women’s collection, which is usually frilly versions of the men’s clothing? I want a seersucker suit, made to measure for me.

But good luck finding one without a silly peplum or other feminine detailing. A friend of mine recently landed on J.Crew’s website during her search. She found “seersucker,” all right: in the form of a push-up bikini.

Classic trend-free staples that last longer than fads and elections: That gets my vote.

JESSICA ALLEN IS THE DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT FOR CTV’S THE SOCIAL.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCKPHOTO (BEER, CLOCK, X, COFFEE), GETTY IMAGES (KARDASHIAN), REX USA (CLUELESS)

HACK: BUY THIS ROOMY TOTE

We all loved Clueless, but Cher pulled off knee socks because she was, um, 17. Opt for printed or brightly coloured opaque tights instead.

| OCTOBER 2015 | THEKIT.CA

Bahman, G. et al (2009), Factors Contributing to the Facial Aging of Identical Twins.

Based on a US home use test on 99 women aged 25-65 after 4 weeks. ©2015 Elizabeth Arden, Inc. 1

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