This Holiday Season...Comfortable Leather.

VERO MODA Leather Trouser

ZARA Alexander Wang Inspired Heels

ZARA Collared Studio Shirt

LEATHER Collar Coat (similar here)

ANTIQUE Beaded Chain

ALEXANDER WANG Rocco Pebbled Black with Rose Gold

MONSTER Inspiration Noise Cancelling Headphones 

Sorry sillies, I know I have been M.I.A for a little while. Although it is no excuse, my fumbo jumbo of a school was keeping me busy with a ton of group projects. But I mustn’t fret, as the end of my uni career is so damn close! Although it will be nice to break from the constraints of a business school focused on raising the best of the best of investment banking and consulting broods, I am going to miss the mid day naps and slack schedule. Won’t you my fellow graduates? One minute, I can’t wait to be free of homework, teachers and grades while the next I get sentimental for the random beer benders and frozen yogurt sprees, and for the days when wearing sweat pants in public is socially acceptable. 

But enough with the sappy shit, lets talk fashion shall we?  We have all seen or donned a slim pair of leather leggings and they will always be a mainstay for the ladies out there, but this year it’s all about the baggy leather trouser. Just think… your favorite Roots sweatpants with the tapered elastic ankle and stretchy waistband, but made in leather. It is absolutely genius, and a real treat for those of us making the transition from the lazy and unperturbed student lifestyle into the real world.   This low-slung, slouchy trouser style is more androgynous than their skinny rock n’ roll counterparts, but is still able to provide a perfect combination of edge and unpretentious sex appeal that is desired for any outfit.

This pant can be styled for any occasion whether it is casual or sophisticated. Drawstring leather trousers add an air of casualness to polished pieces, like a blazer, silk blouse, and pointed heels. This is a great look for a night out for dinner or a day at the office. I have also worn these pants during the day with a chunky knit sweater, a dense metal necklace, denim jacket, and a pair of heeled sneakers. It’s always a good idea to add a bit of height in the shoe with this pant because of trends’ integral bagginess. 

For the men out there, you can take some inspiration from Kanye West on this trend. He is the king of the leather jogging pant and trouser…well so he claims.  Kanye asserts that he was the one to invent the pant before they became a trend (Read what he had to say about this below). 

“[I] brought the leather jogging pant six years ago to Fendi, and they said no. How many motherf****ers you done seen with a leather jogging pant.”

Kanye also thinks Saint Laurent's creative director Hedi Slimane has some ''nice s**t'', but can't compare to the trend-setting power of rappers, who are the ''biggest rock stars.''  

Again, Kanye thank you for being your egotistic self…I needed a chuckle. 

One final thing, for the first time on the blog, I’m going talk about the world of beauty products. I was recently sent the Rowenta Curl Active. This curler is a high tech curling system that automatically rotates your hair around the barrel at a push of a button. I was kind of excited to try it out because these motorized hair curlers seem to be all the rage right now but I also didn’t really understand the purpose of the curler other than the fact that it could be great for accommodating my lazy tendencies. Yet, I did find some perks when using it. It’s great for those who may not be as experienced in curling hair; it doesn’t need a lot of effort and coordination and prevents you from burning yourself (it bounces back about an inch and a half once you release the button so that you don’t burn your scalp). The iron is also super hot, which is great, especially for those of us who have hair that doesn’t hold a curl very well.  As a veteran hair curler (I’ve been curling my hair since I was 14), while it didn’t necessarily save me a lot of time, it was great for allowing me to multitask and for providing a lasting curl. 

If you have a special lady this holiday season this curler is a great idea. She will love this Canadian made and high tech curler when she opens it. If you are interested in this iron, it is available at Trade Secrets stores.

The Nineties

URBAN OUTFITTERS vegan moto jacket

ARITZIA sweater

WOLF print scarf (similar here)

MICHAEL KORS faux leather and twill pant (similar here)

JUICY COUTURE chain-link bracelet

ALL SAINTS 'mom' leather boot (with calf hair here)

The nineties was the era of the slacker and group pop bands, grunge and chunky heels. Now, less than twenty years down the road we are seeing the styles of this time reemerge as inspiration for the winter wardrobes of both men and women alike. The true grunge style of the era consisted of tattered, wrinkled, layered and oversized pieces, and was a sartorial representation of nihilism that developed among members of a new fringe alternative rock scene.  

But the runways have been showing more of the decade than just the fashions associated with grunge. Have you noticed the resurgence of ‘JuJu’ Jelly shoes? Or that thick soled, almost orthopedic looking footwear are all the rage again? And what about those Dr. Martens? I know I will be kicking myself for letting my mom throw out my and my sister’s pairs back in the day. I still love those chunky lilac colored boots with the distinct yellow stitching. But not only are 90s inspired shoes taking a toll on our bank accounts this year, styles such as slinky Posh Spice-esque spaghetti-strap dresses, crop tops similar to Kelly’s from Saved by the Bell, and Johnny Depp type moto jackets worn during his time dating Kate Moss, are also taking up real-estate in our closets. 

To be honest, I could go on and on about all the fashions of the era making a comeback today, but who really wants to read it. I thought, instead, I would show how styles worn by some of the most iconic men and women of the time are perhaps even more relevant in your closest today. I have also styled my personal outfit around my 90s inspired ‘mom leather boot,’ as I call them, and a vegan biker jacket (similar to Drew Barrymore’s). These ‘mom’ boots are my favorite purchase in a long time. They can be worn anytime, whether it is casually during the day with a boyfriend jean or dressed up at night with tights and a high-waisted, flared mini. 

I will finish off this fashion blog post with a revelation for all those 90 kids out there. Did you know that Space Jam had a Pulp Fiction reference in it? During the movie, Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd, sporting black suits, shoot out the teeth of one of their opponents during a basketball game. As a kid, I naively assumed that they were emulating the scene in Men In Black (which didn’t come out until the next year). However, the black suits, white shirts, black ties and poses were in fact a tribute to the classic movie, and one of my personal favorites, Pulp Fiction, directed by Quentin Tarantino. To see the clip from Space Jam click here.