BRING ON BOLD COLOUR

nic+zoe
Nic+Zoe’s 100 per cent cotton Sunset Seeker Jacket is perfect for cool evening walks and is available at Studio Style.

Getting Dressed is Fun Again

“We haven’t put emphasis on or excitement into getting dressed for the last couple of years, so we’re ready to have fun and be playful. You can see that in the colours in the trends,” Victoria Baird, image and style consultant.

COLOUR BLOCKING – mixing garments in bright, often contrasting, colours – is a fun trend this spring and summer, according to Baird. Donning tones of bright pink and bright green may not be everyone’s first choice but pairing a top and jacket in one and shorts, pants or a skirt in the other is a hot right now. If full colourblocking is too much too soon for you, Baird recommends breaking it up with a belt or just using a pop of vivid colour in your purse or shoes.

DIVA Coach Jean L. Price also loves to see her clients in energetic colours that express their inner nature, and she helps them pick the most flattering clothes for their body type. For instance, Kate Winslet is a good example of an ‘hourglass’ shape, with hips and shoulders about the same width and a defined waist.

Wrap dresses are flattering for her. Other body types want to achieve this type of balance. ‘Apples’ carry their weight in the middle, like Oprah, so V-neck tops look great on her. Jennifer Lopez is an example of someone who is a ‘pear,’ with more weight carried on the lower half of the body. Price recommends wearing chunky jewelry to bring attention to the face. ‘Rectangles,’ like Cameron Diaz, have hips, waist and shoulders almost the same width. They can wear belts to help define the waist.

Being aware of trends but not blindly following them is how Susan Jacobs, of Personal Style Consulting, guides her clients. The biggest one she sees right now is our new devotion to being comfortable at all times and a hunger for vibrant colour. “Leisure wear isn’t going to be forgotten about,” explains Jacobs.

“It will be more chic but still comfortable.” Oversized, repurposed blazers are also big. “Roll the sleeves up; it’s exaggerated casual.”

Her advice for picking the best clothes: “Fit your most tricky part first, even if it means getting a size larger than normal and having it tailored. Then you’ll have a garment especially made for you, and you’ll feel like a million bucks.”

baroque pearl necklace
Designed by Margo Morrison New York, the baroque pearl, multi-stone double strand necklace is available at Hangar9.

jeans
Jeans in all styles and colour washes are now available and in style for easy summer living.

chunkcy jewelry
Layering chunky jewelry draws the eye up to the face. Designed by Pono (large chain) and Biko (small chain) and available at Hangar9.

blouse
A nod to menswear, Nic+Zoe’s Scribble Vines Blouse is available at Studio Style.

juno top
The Juno top, made of viscose and elastin, comes from Kollontai of Quebec. Available at Curiosities.

crinkle top
Made from lightweight sustainably sourced cotton, the Glowing Blossoms Crinkle top is a cool choice on hot days. It comes from Nic+Zoe and is available at Studio Style.


Nic+Zoe transitions from cool mornings to warmer afternoons by layering these two jacket/top combinations from Studio Style.


The Vital Splatter Jacket is paired with a V-neck Space Dye Vital Tank in cool blue while classic black and white is offered in the Perfect Knit Snap Jacket and Shibori Shirt Tail Perfect Tank.


Available at Curiosities and made in Montreal, Melow offers distinction and freedom of movement for all silhouettes.

linen jacket
Produced in Europe, this colourful, comfortable linen three-button jacket comes from Mara Gibbucci.

flow through summer dress
Flow through summer, with this combo from Grizas, based in Lithuania.

jacket wide culottes
Perfect for both work and play, this jacket and wide culottes from Amici are made in Italy from cotton and linen.


Reflecting summer’s idyllic blue waters, the Brushed Waves Dress is a flattering choice.


The Eaze Tie Dress has an adjustable waist and dolman sleeves.


Be noticed in the Colourful Canopy Dress layered with the Lightweight 4-way Cardigan.