2010 is a Wrap!!!

It's been a fantastic year and I couldn't think of a better way to commemorate it than to present a video montage of the pictures of you.  
Enjoy and have a safe New Year's Eve!



TorontoVerve 2010 from TorontoVerve on Vimeo.

Jody: Vintage Panache

Recycled fur appears to be the choice of many and Jody is no exception.  She picked up this magnificent coat at Frou Frou Vintage.

Anastasia

Andy Jones' Sense of Fashion

Andy is a fashion student who has an endless drive to make his dreams come true.  Check out his blog, Sense of Fashion, to see how he does it.

Marilyn Wrapped in Herman Sellers-Gough

Marilyn purchased her coat at Herman Sellers-Gough in Hazelton Lanes and boots at Bootwarmers.

Esther Wears Andrew Marc

This Andrew Marc coat fits Esther like a glove.

Merry Christmas!!!

Verve Shoot: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas: Taryn & Margo

Taryn (left) and Margo (right) are in love and their engagement sounds like a chapter out of a romance novel, but don't take my word for it.  Let them tell you themselves.

Margo: "Taryn and I met in grad school and we've been together for a little over 2 years now.  A year into our relationship, we talked about getting married, but decided to put it off until after we both finished school.  Little did I know that Taryn had plans to propose just days after our last papers -- 2 days before my 27th birthday."

Taryn: "Margo was anticipating a proposal sometime after we finished grad school, but I wanted to truly make it a surprise.  I knew she would never suspect that I would pop the question within days from finishing my thesis.  Margo thought I was only stressed about my approaching thesis deadline, but that was only part of it."

Taryn continues: "In late August 2010, with the help of both our families, Anna Sudac - a talented musician and Ryan Taylor - a gifted jeweler, I devised a sneaky proposal.  Margo thought we were just meeting my family for dinner in Cabbagetown.  On the way, she was chatty as usual and I was trying to stay composed.  We always pass by the Fair Trade Jewellery store, but on this particular day, Margo was surprised to find red rose petals strewn outside the atelier and a sign directing her inside.  

"Margo could barely make it through the door before her eyes started welling up.  I opened the single lit jewellery case where the engagement ring was displayed.  The beautiful Anna Sudac started playing Dawn Landes' Kissing Song at the front of the shop.  That was my cue to tell Margo how much I love her and ask to spend the rest of her life with me.

"Margo said YES!  But that wasn't the end of the surprise.

"Her parents (from the East Coast) and her sister (from the West Coast) had secretly flown to Toronto and were  hiding in the back.  After Margo accepted my proposal, both our families popped out and more happy tears were shed."

Many thanks to the beautiful couple for sharing their inspirational and romantic story.

Taryn's style: modern and structured, mixing masculine and feminine elements.  I like pairing skinny jeans and riding style boots with a structured blazer, but I also love kicking around in Converse and a tee.

Margo's style: I tend to go for styles that are a bit more femme than Taryn, but most days I wear jeans and boots too.  I'm also a big fan of tights with cardigans, chunky jewellery and dark tortoiseshell glasses with everything.

Aila

Verve Shoot: Maddox Takes "the Better Way"

I was relieved when Mayor Rob Ford denied plans to scrap Toronto streetcars in his transit policy. The thought of never seeing another streetcar in the downtown-core would be disheartening.

They're a huge part of Toronto's make up. Just peruse some of my photos and you'll more than likely see one peering in the background.

So now that the Mayor has pardoned the streetcar from its rumoured death, let's celebrate its second life by taking a ride on the Queen Street West Long Branch car with Maddox.

"Etobicoke School of the Arts really broke me out of my shell. I owe many thanks to the characters that walked those halls; THEY shaped me into what I am today. My experience there taught me to never say never and always ask why not?"

"I've also learned fashion isn't defined by its price tag, but rather the story it tells to each audience. Fashion was once known to look tall, thin, Caucasian, and expensive; nowadays its upgraded face encompases everything under the sun from raw stead and caution tape to garbage bags and hooves."

`

"Because Fashion in my eyes is Anything and Everything under the sun, it would be true to say I collect fashion everyday from everywhere. Fashion is evolving everyday. "Fashion waits for no one," fashion correspondent Jeanne Beker once said...I'm on board! Are you coming?"

Joanna

Joanna purchased this incredible leather and fur coat at Cabaret Vintage.

City of Craft: "It's All Made Up"

Yesterday Dorothy and I caught the last day of the City of Craft show at The Theatre Centre to check out the amazing handiwork of local artisans.  The talent we discovered was awe-inspiring, and not surprisingly -- so was the style.

                                                                  Davis Khounnoraj

                                                                  Rachelle Wilson

                                                              Reverend Aitor D.D.

                                                                    Petra Cuschieri

Kelly: Warm Layers

Cate

Amil

Amil snatched up this incredible vintage leather coat on eBay.

Kat, The Stars Shine Bright

It would be a travesty if I didn't stop to photograph Kat in her Baby, the Stars Shine Bright coat.  Kat avoids store line-ups by purchasing her clothes on Japanese websites.

Jillian's Vintage Street-Style

Verve Shoot 1.2: Chantelle at Brick Works

Attire 

* Lambs wool hat handmade - Brooklyn flee market

* Fox full-length vest: Toronto Canada Goodwill

  - Altered by AnidaQ

* Wolford stocking (opaque Navy):  SoHo boutique Manhattan, NY
   - Tattered finishing by me

* Tory Burch booties: Nolita boutique Manhattan, NY 2008 (approx)
* Dress and blouse: Vintage Flashback Toronto Canada
* Black lamb tassel bag: Housing Works Soho Manhattan, NY

Hair
* Colour – Miss Nicole Del Gaizo : Autonomy Salon, Manhattan NY

* Cut – Mr. Antony Sabatier – Co Founder of Autonomy Salon, Manhattan NY


To see more of Chantelle, watch the video below:

Verve Shoot 1: Chantelle at the Gooderham Building

One of my favourite buildings in the city has to be the Gooderham (AKA the Flatiron Building) located at 49 Wellington Street East.  Its incredible architectural design and colour has drawn me to its corner on more than one occasion, but since I've been unsuccessful finding someone fashionable to shoot in front of the building, I resorted to bringing a fashionable person to the building instead.  Introducing Chantelle S. White.

Chantelle is wearing a full-length vintage fox coat, which she had altered to a vest, Wolford stockings (opaque Navy) -- custom tattered herself, Tory Burch boots, vintage dress and blouse and lamb tassel bag.  She fashioned this inspiring look after shopping at second-hand stores and boutiques located in both Toronto and Manhattan.

"I gravitate to the elegance of fur," Chantelle shares.  "Miss Anida Perona removed the sleeves and restructured its silhouette.  A full-length fur offers complete protection from winter's icy grip while depicting a chic, polished persona.  A vest allows for avant-garde flare at any time of the day.  It only seemed natural to me that a hybrid piece would be the ultimate creation."

"I had the great fortune of launching my career in an extremely innovative and entrepreneurial field -- digital media.  In 2006, my profession relocated me to Manhattan, NY. "

"I always have a creative and eccentric spirit when it comes to my attire.  In Toronto, conservatives were quick to notice my art but seldom appreciated it.  I found Manhattan is an island of misfits but of the highest caliber.  These non-conformists were innate achievers, valedictorians in their chosen field and possess the fortitude to attain their goals with the self-awareness to pave their own path.

"With full conviction, I believe it is for these reasons that Manhattan is considered a global Fashion capital.  The true depiction of style is innovation: fabric textures, construction of garment and overall presentation.  The art of fashion is recognized as style.

"When drawing a comparison, the creativity of Torontonians is epic but it is Manhattan's vast number of artistic nonconformists that acts as the differentiator.  New York's unconventional populace supercedes the conservative allowing for the streets to dub as catwalks and the art of fashion to prevail."

"Our sprint into this global economy only strengthens our individual need for distinctiveness.  The boarders will become greyer lines and cultures will continue to amalgamate while redefining our geography and style."

Chantelle S. White