Kaelen Fall 2012 Lookbook

I previously told you to watch out for the rising New York based, Toronto raised design talent, Kaelen Farncombe.  Her collection takes wardrobe classics like button up shirts, cigarette pants, the boxy jacket and shift dress and re-invents them with strong style lines with an architectural feel, graphic prints and color blocking to create clothes that are still wearable, modern and bold.


The Fall 2012 collection is all about texture with the use of charmeuse, lace, lame, velvet and textured wool. Details like cowl backs, cut out shoulders and angular hemlines are seen throughout.  Charming bow ties add a dash of whimsy while column dresses look goddess-like but in a simpler more elegant way.  The collection also featured several drop crotch pants but I am a little torn on my thoughts of those.  Do you think would you wear drop crotch pants?

Check out her full lookbook after the jump.

Now Wearing...

The past few days in Toronto with Jeff and Erin has been the perfect mini vacation - lots of eating, walking, window shopping and lounging.

The city of Toronto is quite large in size and made up of many, many neighborhoods.  Kensington reminded me a lot of San Francisco with its hippie vibe and low key vintage shops.  The clothing and home decor boutiques, eateries and galleries of Queen Street West and West Queen West reminded me of Wicker Park, Chicago and west Chelsea in Manhattan.

There's basically no culture shock going from the States to Canada, but it's certainly fun to observe and experience the little differences like paying with a 2 dollar coin.  Overall, Toronto is kind of like Chicago but with hills, Monopoly-colored money and ketchup flavored potato chips.

Striped top - Zara
Skirt & pink belt - secondhand
Black booties - Rockport (packed these because the weather forecast originally included rain)
Neon satchel - The Cambridge Satchel Company

My friend Havy gave me this bag for my birthday back in June.  It was one of the sweetest gifts ever.  She ordered it monogramed directly from The Cambridge Satchel Co site.  If you're not looking to get it monogrammed, you can also order it from Mod Cloth (neon pink or orange) or ASOS (cracked neon yellow & handful of other colors are on sale).

I love the color and sturdiness of my Cambridge Satchel, but I will say that I'm disappointed with the buckles.  They're a pain to fasten and unfasten, and the neon around the buckles has already started to crack with very minimal use.  If this bag had faux buckles with magnets closures instead, it would be the perfect bag.  It gets compliments literally everywhere I go.

Thank you to Erin and Jeff for showing me their hometown and Havy for setting me up with a hot little bag for my travels.  And... obligatory, happy jumping photo!

Now Playing: Austra

Who: Austra
Recommended if you like: Florence and the Machine, Braids, Cults, Ladyhawke

Austra, the Toronto based band provides that strange juxtaposition of sound that is both eerily dark but bright, soft but dangerous, creepy yet beautiful.  Electronic synth based melodies weave with powerful surreal voice to create songs that are difficult to forget.  “Lose It” has made its way to the top of my playlist in the past month. I also am partial to The Villain and Hate Crime.

Their debut album , Feel It Break, was released just this past May.  The members of the band include Katie Stelmanis, Maya Postepski and Dorian Wolf.  When I tried to catch the free show they had at River Rocks a few weeks ago, the NYC masses proved to be challenging, so I hit the High Line instead and checked out a few tunes in a more relaxed manner before heading home.  Austra will be performing one more show in NYC this Saturday at the Bowery Ballroom before heading on their European Tour. Unfortunately the show is sold out.

Austra–Lose It

Download a free MP3 of the Beat and the Pulse or check out the rest of the album on Grooveshark.com.

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Label to Watch: Kaelen NYC–Spring/Summer 2011

I recently stumbled across the New York based, Toronto raised design talent, Kaelen Farncombe.  Her namesake line, Kaelen, which was launched in 2010, has a clean, architectural aesthetic that I can only describe as “new classic”.  The kind of clothes that can become the building blocks of a great wardrobe.  I’ve posted a few of my fave looks from Spring/Summer 2011.

Design is simple and just enough, not at all overdesigned with strong lines created through layering and asymmetry.  Fortunately, the collection is not sterile and there is a softness through some of the fabrications and the soft washed out hand dyeing.

Kaelen can be found at select Intermix stores and at Thistle & Clover in Brooklyn.  What do you think of Kaelen?

A Little Piece of Home...

I've been home for the past week and when I compare NYC to my home in Toronto, NYC has my hometown beat in almost every category from food, to shopping, to nightlife and entertainment.

But thankfully, Toronto has a couple things that outshine NYC....

#1 Chinese food:

Chinese food in NY is just plain bad. It's wrong on so many levels....which is something I just don't understand. Food in general is AMAZING in NY whether it's Venezuelan food from Arepa Arepa, southern food from Pies'N'Thighs, Japanese soba from Soba-ya, and the list goes on and on. Everything is stellar except for Chinese food which is sub-par.

A few weeks ago, I ordered delivery from a dumpling place that had great reviews on GrubHub and I seriously couldn't eat it and chucked it. I can eat whatever is in front of me usually and hate wasting food but I literally couldn't eat what I ordered. Nasty.

Here's what Chinese food is supposed to look/taste like....

#2 Soia & Kyo & Mackage

Excluding sample sales in NY, Mackage/Soia & Kyo merch in Canada retails below what it does in NY since it's a Canadian based company (go Canada!). I've been scouring NY for the new KYO line (click here to see our previous post on the line) but haven't been able to find it anywhere.

Toronto Eaton's Centre

Low and behold, the very first mall I hit up in Toronto carried the line which was awesome to see in person. Quality wise - Kyo's wool are ok. They're not the best but they're not terrible. Their puffers on the other hand are amazingly warm. I was getting really hot just trying it on in the store so I picked one up for myself for this winter.

The puffy jackets have some great detailing including multiple zippered pockets (all lined with fleece for added warmth), removable hood and a removable elastic piece that lets you wear your jacket like a backpack when you're indoors. When carrying the jacket like a backpack it looks a bit awkward but it frees up both of your arms up which is super practical.

Holiday Windows: Holt Renfrew

Swan Song?

I love a good window display. They inspire and make me aspire. Unfortunately they are pretty rare, even living in NYC. Aside from Bergdorf's displays or Anthropologie at Rockerfeller Center and the occasional Saks display, I'm not too often impressed. Here in my hometown, I think Holt Renfrew hands down takes the prize. I love walking by the flagship store on Bloor Street and watching someone's fashion fantasies come to life.

A red bag Christmas tree? Sounds good to me

Deer men.

Penguin headed women.

My fave window included snowmen directing a choir of their fave designers as snowmen. I've identified a few...but not sure I got them all. Who can you spot? I see a Vivienne Westwood, Elsa Schiaperelli, Coco Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano, Sonia Rykiel, Alber Elbaz and even an Anna Wintour.