Whenever I tell people in the U.S. I’m from Toronto, they still sometimes reply “Canadian, eh?” No, I’m not kidding or trying to be funny, this occurrence has sincerely taken place on multiple occasions including yesterday. Nevertheless, such commentary or questions haven’t ceased to amaze me, especially in certain parts of Boston and the South, where my family has a vacation home. Aside from being teased, I’m somewhat proud of my Canadian heritage and I can think of worse American stereotypes. Let alone, the way some, yet not all of them mock Canadians can be idiosyncratic.
All of this ridiculous rhetoric about Canadian vs. American stereotypes is besides the point. But with World MasterCard Fashion Week coming to a close, there’s no reason to stop showing-off your strong Canadian sartorial pride, simply make a breathtaking statement by staying local. Although many Canadian retailers have opened in the U.S. and vice-versa, some of the best finds haven’t become globally commercialized enterprises. From exclusive retailers and online boutiques to home-grown designers and shops, there’s hoards of Canadian talent and one-of-a-kind pieces available from locally-based stores, particularly in Toronto!
However, with a growing addiction to online shopping, which started a year or two ago (and, yes, my mother can definitely clarify that), I’ve developed a lust for e-retailers like Shopbop and Net-A-Porter, yet I’m also gravitating toward more personalized virtual shops like James Hannah— a Toronto-based store featuring an array of unique clothing and accessories. While Mendocino is definitely my traditional one-stop go-to — to find a contemporary ensemble or accessory, no trip to Toronto is complete without running into Danier for a chic leather jacket. Albeit, I occasionally can’t resist getting my hands on local high-end designer finds at Holt’s like DSquared2, Greta Constantine or Smythe, I tend to pair such lucrative investments with basics from Joe Fresh.
For the sake of celebrating patriotic sartorial talent and pride, I opted to incorporate pops of warm red hues and plaid (to resemble a traditional Canadian hunter) into the following predominantly black and white palette.
TREND NERD 