Spring collections showed plenty of skin, with models strutting their stuff in innerwear as outerwear.

Bras, corsets, tap pants, and briefs were sent down the runway by designers who aren’t usually on our radar for dare-to-bare wear. They’re following in the footsteps of lingerie lovers Jean Paul Gaultier and John Galliano, of course. Above all, we heart Stella McCartney’s plunge-front lace halter, Dolce & Gabbana’s black lace and quilted bodysuit, Marcio Madeira’s nude corset, and pairing lace beneath a tuxedo jacket.

Our Top Do’s and Don’ts
Do rock the look at work
Don’t show bare skin or full-view actual lingerie at work, maybe a lace-edged slip showing from beneath hemline
Do work the look out of context: a lace black corset over a white t-shirt works well
Do make sure it’s delicate and expensive-looking
Don’t expose those tacky elastic bra-straps
Do save something for the imagination

Get the Look
Find your runway-worthy underthings at The Bay, and Jacob.

Valerie Tiu

Black is back. If you were at this year’s Oakridge Fall Fashion Affair, you may have noticed an absence of colour, but make no mistake: a little hint never hurt anyone. Colour is not just a way to liven up an ensemble. It can also enhance your features, express your personality, and create a style statement. 

Fall 2009 runways–from Dolce and Gabbana to Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior to Versace–all featured pops of colour. The hot trend for fall is colour blocking, a la Marc Jacobs, and mixing brights to contrast with stark shades (think Gucci and Louis Vuitton). This trend is great for those that may typically shy away from colour or, if you’re like me, have a wardrobe full of black.

Check out Crisca, Femme De Carriere, Jacob and Teenflo (pictured) for some stylish separates that can be easily mixed with basic dark pieces. All of these retailers are also great for classics like pencil skirts and trousers.

The key colour of the catwalk was most certainly red, in any shade: cherry, burgundy, scarlet and crimson. This classic hue was showcased with head-to-toe ensembles, simple pops of colour on accent pieces, and beautifully-mixed textures. My dream look for fall consists of a cherry red knee-length sheath dress, scarlet double-breasted funnel neck coat, and dark shades from DKNY–along with black thigh-high boots from Browns–very classic, sleek and mysterious.

Cool shades of purple, blue and emerald, and warm tones like orange, yellow and pink, were all seen as perfect accents on avant garde accessories, unique headpieces and fierce footwear. Just remember to choose colours that work well with your skin tone and flatter your figure. Aldo, Coach and Blue Ruby are sure to satisfy your colour craving with their charming bangles. Nine West, Ingledew’s and Jwalk also have fabulous footwear in a wide-range of palettes.

Yes, these famous faces, seen stalking down the runway in everything completely gorgeous–or is it that they are, and so the looks seem that way?–are really, truly Canadian. Watch for them on the hottest magazine covers and in the world’s fashion capitals.

Top Famous Canadian Faces

1. Heather Marks
Birthplace: Calgary, Alberta
Claim to fame: debuted at the spring Givenchy couture show in Paris

2. Jessica Stam
Birthplace: Kincardine, Ontario
Claim to fame: uber photog Steven Meisel’s muse

3.Coco Rocha
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Claim to fame: Doing an Irish jig down the runway at Jean Paul Gaultier

4.Linda Evangelista
Birthplace: St. Catharines, Ontario
Claim to fame: Chopping her hair into a crop, causing cancellations from all important runway shows that season, and then shooting her to fame as the face of Versace

5.Lisa Cant
Birthplace: Alberta
Claim to fame: Walked Fall shows for Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Marc Jacobs, Nina Ricci, Dolce & Gabbana, and many others in February 2004

6.Daria
Birthplace: Poland, but moved to Mississauga, Ontario at age 3
Claim to fame: Holds the record for opening and closing the most shows in one season

LET”S HEAR IT
Which face is your fave?

NEWS FLASH  
You’re Invited! To

Two of the fashion world’s top designers are going small. Cynthia Rowley and Jean Paul Gaultier are designing kids’ clothing.

Known best for her frocks and separates, and bestselling Swell book series, The Cynthia Rowley Collection already includes womenswear, accessories, beauty, bicycles, active-wear, home sewing patterns and tools. And now the mom of two kids, who designed her first dress at age 7, is expanding into tiny, stylin’ clothes for tots. The collection, called “Hooray by Cynthia Rowley” is available in a major baby store chain, and includes layette and playwear pieces, bibs, diaper bags and blankets.

Meanwhile, former fashion bad boy Jean Paul Gaultier has, apparently, been working with Zannier Group-parent company to kids’ lines Little Marc Jacobs and Kenzo-on a line of over 120 items for kids aged 2 to 14. Known for his reaction-inducing skirts for men and conical bras for Madonna, JPG pushes the boundaries. He got his first fashion gig, at Pierre Cardin, as an 18-year-old with no formal training. Since then, his work has shocked and inspired. Translation: kids in clothes their grandparents would definitely not approve of.

Get the Look
Find high fashion kids clothing at Gap Kids, Please Mum, Gymboree, Hugo Boss Orange, or the Bay.

LET’S HEAR IT
Where do you draw the line on how fashionable kids should dress?

When word went round that VOGUE’s impossibly restrained ed-in-chief Anna Wintour would show the world her real face, sans sunglasses, during the making of The September Issue documentary, the scramble to get invited to pre-preview parties was of epic proportions. Right on the tail end of the Wintour wave, and just before NY Fashion Week, the Sundance Channel is debuting a new series. The Day Before follows some of the biggest names in fashion, on, you guessed it, the day before they show their collection: Sonia Rykiel, Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi, Proenza Schouler, and Jean Paul Gaultier. Watch as, in the scant hours leading up the show, some sit back and sip champagne, while others madly re-stitch seams and second-guess the entire collection.

 The Day Before airs for four nights, starting on Weds, Sep 9, at 10 pm on the Sundance Channel. 

LET’S HEAR IT
Have you seen The September Issue? What did you think?

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.

We’re continually amazed by couture. It seems the one place where fashion stays fashion–pure and untinged by mass marketing. Who wants wearable when you can have a true impact? And it’s at the couture shows where hairstylists and make-up artists truly get to shine. We scoured them all to come up with our fave looks from the runways. 

1. Jean Paul Gaultier
   Tall updos and Hollywood glamour.
2. Chanel
   Bows and flowers made out of loose hair strands.
3. Givenchy
   Rhinestones and sequins on faces.
4. Christian Lacroix
   Shimmer eyes and peachy cheeks.
5. Christian Dior
   Different lip and eye shadow combos.

Too much for Vancouver nightlife? We disagree. Let’s inspire.

Get the Look
For right-on-trend, or just-right-for-you hair and make-up tips visit M.A.C., Shifeon, The Bay, Botticelli for Hair, or Hennessey Salon + Spa.

LET’S HEAR IT
Where and when can we get away with truly inspired hair and make-up?