Once home to Toronto’s waterfront community, Parkdale changed gears after the Gardiner Expressway was built, drawing a far more working-class crowd. While in recent years the strip of Queen Street between Dufferin and Roncey has often been characterised as a no-man’s land, this west-end hood is now on the up. You can get your hands on everything from contemporary jewellery to 19th century antiques.
Emporium by I Miss You, the latest vintage offering on Ossington, has opened up in the space formerly occupied by Philip Sparks’ pop-up shop. The tiny shop is the doing of Julie Yoo, owner of next-door’s I Miss You Vintage. Prior to opening her boutique — which serves up a combo of vintage and designer consignment pieces — Yoo was in the antiques business for 15 years. With Emporium, she is returning to her roots.
While my style has always been a bit ghetto-fab and sporty, this look makes me laugh because I can’t help but be reminded of Lana Del Rey (minus those puffy lips and that oh-so-wide-eyed look). Even though I might disagree with her claims of “natural beauty,” there’s no doubt the girl and I share a mutual love for Veronica Lake, bling and anything with a varsity vibe. Not to mention a good pair of shades!
North America’s first “virtual” store has popped up near Union Station, giving commuters the opportunity to stock up on essentials like Tide using their cellphones.
Ladies and gents, mark your calendars. A four-day indie fashion extravaganza, The Bazaar, is taking over Loft 580 from Thursday (April 5). Organized by Glenna Weddle and Faith Orfus — the ladies behind Yorkville’s Rac Boutique — a gaggle of local indie retailers are corralling their best spring garb (and winter’s sale duds) under the same roof.
If the concept of colour blocking still scares you, it’s time to face up to your fears. There is absolutely no way we can let you pass through another season without incorporating this trend into your wardrobe, especially for the warmer months to come.
The artisans are coming! This weekend, artists and designers of every make are assembled in Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre for the annual One of a Kind Show. The event brings unique finds to the masses, with over 450 Canadian craftspeople showing their hand-made wares. With so much choice, it’s tough to know where to begin. So, here are our picks for must-see items.
There is nothing that irks me more than style shots that are praised for their “unholy style” when the person is decked out head-to-toe in the season’s most coveted items. I mean, if you are somehow lucky enough to get shoved into a closet full of designer goodies, how hard could it be to emerge without looking awesome? Would that same person succeed when digging through Value Village?
In celebration of its very first birthday, Bicyclette Boutique launched a capsule collection of dresses titled Bespoke last week. Perched around the corner from Trinity Bellwoods, Paige Boersma’s shop is filled with stylish garb for the downtown gal who feels more than at home in trendy florals, polka dots and the odd pop of neon.
Every week, we gather our favourite tweets from in and around Toronto’s fashion scene. This week features deep thoughts from Fashion Magazine’s Bernadette Morra, Plaid Magazine’s Odessa Paloma Parker, photographer Steven Lee and more.
After its Ossington pop-up shop exceeded expectations this winter, Philip Sparks has opened a stylish permanent store in a space just off the fashionable strip. Philip Sparks has been designing since 2007 and recently collaborated with leather-goods label Danier. At the pop-up, which ran from November to January, Sparks’ vintage aesthetic struck a chord with folks in the hood and the designer decided to stay in the area.
Yes, it’s costly — but once in a while you’ve got to spoil yourself and taste a wine at the top of its game. Dense purple ruby in colour, it offers an elegant nose of blackberries and spice. Medium- to full- bodied on the palate, it has that firm, dry, majestic flavour of mature Sangiovese. Food match: osso buco or veal chop.
