Oakridge Style

Ana Serrano

The most stylish shopping center in Vancouver is proud to invite you to be part of its next exciting event: The Fall Fashion Affair, in support of Dress for Success Vancouver. Oakridge Centre has supported and celebrated many defining moments throughout its 50-year history and this event will be no exception.

On Tuesday, September 22^nd , spot the season’s hottest looks at the annual European-style runway show and enter to win amazing prizes during the festivities. Also you can enjoy delicious sweets and an exclusive live auction, offering – among other amazing prizes – the Ultimate Oakridge Centre shopping experience and a one-on-one with Rebecca Tay from FASHION Magazine. All event proceeds benefit Dress for Success Vancouver, which supports women in our community to overcome obstacles to employment. Good looks – and a great cause.

Tickets are $50 and $75 for VIP Front Row seats. They’re available at the Oakridge Concierge now. But hurry! It’s sure to be a sell-out.

Remember: doors open at 7pm on September 22^nd.  Visit Oakridge Centre’s website for more on the Fall Fashion Affair.

This fall, feel free to go easy on the accessories-in terms of colours and shades, we mean. Runways showed bags, boots, and belts crafted from leather in a colour some designers call “sand”. It’s a natural, raw-dune tone, often seen in 70s-riffing, earthy leathers.

RUNWAY TO REALWAY
You’re Invited! To Oakridge Centre’s Fall Fashion Affair. See fall’s hottest trends, including accessories, on the runway. Read more, from Style Agent Ana Serrano.  

Top Accessory Picks: Au Naturel

1. Balenciaga’s tapered heel mid-calve camel boot.
2. Mulberry’s knee-high buckled Bayswater boot.
3. Frye’s double-buckled ankle boot (we can’t help it; fall enhances out our footwear fetish).
4. Belts at Maison Martin Margiela.
5. Hobo bags from anywhere.

Get The Look
Find your own sand-hued accessories at Aritzia, Coach, Aldo, Browns Shoes, J2, or Nine West.

LET’S HEAR IT
Pale leather: perfect or plain?

We’ve picked, we’ve panned, and we’ve chosen more of our faves from Fall 2009 RTW.

RUNWAY TO REALWAY
You’re Invited! To Oakridge Centre’s Fall Fashion Affair.  See fall’s hottest trends, on the runway. Read more, from Style Agent Ana Serrano.

Louis Vuitton 
We heart Marc Jacobs’ delectable take on the late ’80s. Translation: ruffles, ruches, and poufs. Jacobs said that he was thinking of the great French muses of late eighties, citing French fashion mistress Inès de la Fressange, Victoire de Castellane for Chanel, and Marie Seznec for Lacroix.

Miu Miu
We love Paris. Therefore, we love Miuccia Prada’s Fall 2009 collection for Miu Miu. A truly Parisian affair, featuring half-unbuttoned coat-dresses, sleeveless shells and skirts in silk crepe embroidered with large, bright gems and skirts and dresses from upholstery fabric. Best in show: the great-looking coats.

RM by Roland Mouret
Edging away from perfectly executed dresses designed to catch a man’s eye, Roland Mouret showed more day clothes. His first foray into knitwear left us in love with his sleek legs, tops and jackets.

Chloe
Since Phoebe Philo left, our obsession with this house has been waning. Enter Hannah McGibbon and her second collection for the line: a gentle version of the early ’80s, including wrapped belts, big blanket coats and high-wasted, nearly baggy pants.

Hermés
Talk about power women. Style.com called them “female flying aces.” We call them inspiring, and have just two words for you: Bomber jackets.

Read on, for more of our top picks from Fall 2009.  

Get The Look
Find your own flying ace bomber jacket or classy coat at The Bay, Aritzia, Edward Chapman Ladies Shop, Olsen Europe, or Wear Else.

 LET’S HEAR IT
Which look do you love/loathe?

We’ve picked, we’ve panned. Find some of our top picks from Fall 2009 here.  

3.1 Phillip Lim
Youthful 60s London inspired Phillip Lim for fall. We love his gentle bohemian dresses, marabou and goat-hair coats, and slim suits. Our top parka pick is his, with rabbit-fur sleeves.

Anna Sui
We adore the Belle Epoque-French for the “beautiful era” that started in the 19^th century-as much as Ms. Anna Sui, who’s Fall 2009 collection riffs off this time period. Proust, 90s Paris, and the rooms in Yves Saint Laurent’s country retreat also played an inspirational role. There’s lots of black, plus velvet trims, rose prints, soutache trim, and, our must-have: Feathered hats, in plum, aquamarine, or black.

Badgley Mischka
Mark Badgley and design partner James Mischka started their show with all-black day looks, but thankfully transitioned into what we went for: Dresses. Every one was designed with a solid shot of glamour: one-shouldered gowns, satins, a sequined column, and our favourite: the molten-red one-shoulder satin, belted number.

Balenciaga
Nicolas Ghesquière melded print, tailoring, and draping. Where did he get his inspiration? The Balenciaga archives, late-sixties scarf prints, and a later sari-inspired collection. This collection was done in satin, printed silk, and dévoré velvet. We need the shoes; each one is an artful combination of all his collection deliverables, stacked on a walking-boot tread sole.

Helmut Lang
Nicole and Michael Colovos showed us slim distressed denim, zippers, and sometimes slouchy, always comfy toppers. They’re either all-black or mostly grey-and-white combos covered the arms and the legs-even beneath long tunics and short-sleeves-and was topped off with oversized scarves or snoods piled on top.

News Update:
Stay tuned for more on Oakridge Centre’s Fall Fashion Affair.  You’re invited! Read more, from Style Agent Ana Serrano. 

Get the Look
Find your own runway-worthy dress, a la Badgley Mischka, at After Five, BCBG Max Azria, Femme de Carriere, MaxMara or Michael Kors.

WIN a Style Makeover!
Win a full day of clothes, hair and make-up, plus the inside scoop on how you can wear the fall trends, courtesy Oakridge Centre. Enter here.

Jessie Carlson

Okay okay, okay…fall is coming. Everyone is talking about the new fall trends and how to wear them. The flood of new looks is always exciting and overwhelming at this time of year. Questions like these are spinning through the ethers:

1. What do I need for fall?
2. Should I replace my autumn boots? If so, with what?
3. Should I buy the blazer with the crazy shoulders?
4. What about my hair?  

If you can relate to any of these questions, take heart. You are not alone! Most women feel this way. In fact, if they didn’t, I would be out of work.

Do you want to know the best way to answer these questions? Enter to win a full style makeover courtesy of Oakridge Centre.  By entering you stand a chance to win a full day of professional styling, and that means a full day: shopping, hair, make-up. All of it. 

Why not enter here? It’s never too late to revamp your style!