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Parka
Planet Kid
87 Roncesvalles Ave., 416-537-9233
Multifunctional clothes are easy on the budget—and extra fun for little kids. This cozy, stylish hooded winter parka from 7 A.M. Enfant becomes a full bunting bag with just a couple of quick snaps. Available in lilac and navy blue.
Check out three pieces of kids’ clothing that are both cheap and chic »
Community 54 has T-shirts (Image: Fraser Abe)
The place: On Queen West, right beside Wrongbar and across from the never-without-a-lineup Grand Electric, this menswear import from New York City’s Lower East Side specializes in nostalgia in all forms. From the iPod dock that looks like a giant boom box to the old-school video games (no Golden Tee here, just consoles that remind you of your misspent youth in arcades) and the wall of snap-back hats, virtually every item in the store hearkens back to the days of Dance Mix and your first Ace of Base tape.
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Chosen owner Melissa Ball and her cosmic change room (Image: Erin Simkin)
The place: Chosen, the latest shop in what seems like a mass opening of new vintage stores, has opened up above menswear boutique Ruins. Melissa Ball has finally found a home for her wares in this long, loft-like space overlooking Queen Street West—she once hosted a popular group vintage sale called The Chosen Ones at the 107 Shaw Gallery before spending a year sharing space with Silver Falls and Lab Consignment. Now her retro neon sign is alight and she’s ready to clothe Toronto’s ever-growing ranks of discerning vintage shoppers.
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The temperature is dropping, to a point where as much as we’d love to continue going sockless and wearing fall-weight jackets, we’re starting to clue in that we need mittens, hats and sweaters. When it gets this cold, we like to think about clothes that are cozy and warm, and because the holidays are right around the bend, we thought we’d add nostalgia to our list of wintry demands. We spotted this Hudson’s Bay Company retro logo sweatshirt, which is soft, warm and comfortable, and frankly, sometimes we don’t require fashion to be much more than that. $14.99 (originally $29.99).
The Bay, 176 Yonge St., 416-861-9111, thebay.com
Dress like a movie character (Image: H&M)
H&M’s designer collaborations are often hilariously divisive, because fashion stalwarts don’t necessarily like luxury brands being “tainted” by fast fashion, while young, considerably less wealthy men and women love them for bringing out cool-looking clothes for 0.1 per cent of big brand prices. This time around, we can skip the fashion industry griping and usher in a wave of “not canon” criticism on online fan forums, because H&M’s latest collection—available at the Eaton Centre, Yorkdale and Bloor Street H&M locations as of December 14—is inspired by The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s Lisbeth Salander. Trish Summerville, costume designer for David Fincher’s film adaptation of the novel, is responsible for the collection, and it is, as expected, black and grey. We love the tiny rucksack, basic Henley and variety of graphic Ts, and the worn-in denim jacket with leather sleeves is fairly covetable too. We’re just not sure we could squeeze into the leather pants. What we are certain of is that there’ll be a surge of pretend cyber-punk hackers roaming the streets come December. Check out the entire collection in a gallery after the jump.
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Club Monaco’s Men’s Shop, 157 Bloor St. W. (Images: Kevin Naulls)
The place: Club Monaco has launched its new menswear section at the iconic Bloor Street location. The stairs down are lined with real books with the spines facing inwards and a tough rope banister (watch your hands, we got a little scratched up), leading to a study that looks like something Hemingway would feel right at home in—rough hewn-wood floors, nautical ropes and classic menswear abound. Check out our tour of the men’s shop in a gallery after the jump »
Casa de Campo and Holt Renfrew present resort 2012 (Images: George Pimentel)
Last week at the Bellair suite in the Hazelton Hotel, luxury resort Casa de Campo and Holt Renfrew threw a small soiree to preview the resort collections that will be rolling out from November to January. Barbara Atkin, vice-president of fashion direction, spoke about how appropriate each item could be for trips to Aspen and watching games on the polo field, instead of, say, referencing Whistler (or even Blue Mountain) and maybe a sport like hockey or lacrosse that actually could be relevant to people who live in Toronto. Of course, this is resort wear, which means escaping to destinations where a bikini replaces a parka and, for a couple weeks every year, assuming an identity of someone who follows the sport of polo (or perhaps does vacation in Aspen—no Mount St. Louis Moonstone ski-lift passes for you). The Row was a standout, pairing a soft and airy striped dress with matching socks and a pair of black oxfords, and we loved a cat-print shirt dress from Victoria Beckham. Check out the many new resort looks from Victoria Beckham, Marni, Lanvin, The Row, Stella McCartney, Oscar de la Renta and more in a gallery after the jump.
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Gaspard, 913 Queen Street West (Image: Erin Simkin)
The place: With a prized spot opposite Trinity Bellwoods Park, a huge storefront window to let the sun in and an impeccably edited selection of elegant European lines, Gaspard feels like an old-school shop from a tree-lined Parisian street of yore. Check out our tour of Gaspard in a gallery after the jump.
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Welcome, Joe! (Image: JJ Thompson)
The place: When the strip west of Queen and Portland burned down nearly three years ago, rumours swirled about what retail outlet would take its place. Of course, a mixed-use development popped up, and yet another of the city’s woefully unattractive condo developments was born (ahem, Bohemian Embassy). Though the exterior is an eyesore, Joe Fresh, an even-cheaper-than-H&M store, is a boon to all those that had to schlep all the way to Joe’s other huge location on Lake Shore.
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Kid Culture is full of whimsy (Image: Caroline Aksich)
The Place: Kids (and even their parents) are romanced by this whimsical children’s boutique from owner Clare Raman, who is still in the process of designing an interactive play area for tots at the back of her rectangular room at 2986 Dundas St. W. There is currently a miniature picnic table, along with puzzles, colouring books and animal figurines to keep children entertained while their siblings try on clothes. Even without a glut of toys luring the under-six set into the store, kids have been coming with mom and dad for a look at the wares in this schoolroom-inspired space. Vintage school desks, chairs and globes aren’t usually kid bait, but when it looks like the prankster from The Cat in the Hat switched the floor with the walls, they’re kid magnets—Raman has ingeniously used wall-fastened furniture as shelving.
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Does not apply to alien-related gatherings in parks (Image: Grant Hollingworth)
Last week, the city denied a permit to the group GoTopless, which had planned an event at Ashbridges Bay Park on Sunday to mark National Go Topless Day, where women are encouraged to be—you guessed it—topless. So instead, the organization decided to take to the streets in protest, marching through the city sans shirts. We thought the city seemed a touch prudish by rejecting the group’s original overture, but apparently women must be “properly attired” in parks and other public spaces, despite the 1996 Ontario Court of Appeal verdict that gave women the right to not wear tops as they please.
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Last year I turned 30, broke up with my long-term boyfriend and moved into a tiny apartment for one. The domestic vision I’d had for my future—marriage, a semi-detached fixer-upper, kids with endearingly arcane names, homemade pie—dissolved overnight. When I tried to reformulate a picture of my future, alone, my imagination failed. Usually when I’m lonely or stressed out, I run. I’ve been running non-competitively for 10 years. It eases my anxieties more effectively than anything else I’ve tried: psychoanalysis, yoga, eBay buying sprees, binges on HBO series, even anti-depressants. When I run, for one blissful unmeasured hour, my brain stops spinning.
La La La Human Steps; the iconic Brick Works smokestack; Boyz II Men’s Wanyá Morris
1. LA LA LA HUMAN STEPS
This Québécois contemporary dance troupe, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is known around the world for founder Édouard Lock’s beautiful, adventurous choreography. For the final production of CanStage’s 2010–2011 season, Lock combines two Baroque operas—Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice—into one inventive piece, Untitled. To June 1. $22–$99. Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front St. E., 416-368-3110, canadianstage.com.
2. TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES Read the rest of this entry »
This clothing swap has more going for it than just a sassy name. We really can’t think of a better venue for budget-conscious style mavens who are looking to revitalize their wardrobes with brand-name and vintage pieces for less than the cost of lunch. And it can even be a family affair: in addition to clothing, shoes and accessories for the ladies, there are also offerings for men and children. May 27 and 28. $15. Trinity Bellwoods Community Centre, 155 Crawford St., 647-342-6521, theswapteam.org.
From Montreal to Toronto, Stacey Zhang seeks to outfit sassy nine-to-fivers (Image: Adam Moco)
The place: Independent retailers have struggled to stay in business on Queen Street east of Spadina, as most have been left cowering in the shadow of retail giants like French Connection and Zara. In a long-vacant space along this stretch, Montreal designer Stacey Zhang has opened a new location, hoping to lure her Toronto online customers and new fans with the shop’s airy high ceilings and Sex and the City colour palette.
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