It’s style post time! I wore this outfit to see Jeremy Laing’s and Jean-Pierre Braganza’s fall/winter 2012 collections at the shOws and was secretly snapped, alongside with Nelia of Style Blog, by FASHION Magazine’s street style photographer Lewis Mirrett (image #4 below). It was during that week in March when Toronto seemed to mystically jump three months into the future to June and the weather was absolutely perfect!

Two of the newest and most favoured pieces I’ve acquired for my spring/summer wardrobe are a pair of OBJECT x George Antonopoulos leather shorts and a colourful handbag by Nella Bella.

Leather shorts in summer you say? Oh yes, wearing leather in the summer is totally hot – literally and figuratively. Leather isn’t a fabric normally associated with spring/summer trends or in anything outside of jacket form; however, when developed into pieces such as these OBJECT shorts and worn on days when the temperature and humidity hovers above 20˚C then I say bring out those babies and shake what your mama gave ya!

The handbag is from Nella Bella’s spring 2012 collection and is dubbed the Hong Kong. It’s fashioned into a square-like structure which makes it easy to fit, find and organize your entire life into it. I acquired it last month and knew it was the bag for me the minute I saw its vibrant turquoise shade.

In my closet: handbag, Nella Bella; necklace, Expression from The Bay; leather shorts, OBJECT x George Antonopoulos for Danier; jacket, Danier; shirt, Club Monaco; shoes, Camilla Skovgaard.

Image gallery #1, picture 4 from FASHION Magazine.

Really though, the best way to kick off the weekend is to give you a little shoe porn from one of my favourite footwear designers, Camilla Skovgaard who I’ve featured in several blog entries here.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, leather
• Colour, black and white
• Heel height, 12.5 cm

Why I chose this shoe: the woven black and white leather makes me think of two things; the first, images of cookies and cream ice cream with the two colours intermingling – my stomach wants sweets right now – and the second, a classic chess board.

I adore how Skovgaard applies her eye for detail when developing this shoe; the tiny black and white triangles on the sole, as well as the tassel on the heel completes the look and feel. You can purchase these sandals online here.

Venturing outside of the City of Toronto for a fashion event is not the norm for a runway show or a store opening, because the idea of high-end boutiques and clothing found in the 905 area code is a combination not often seen in the suburbs.

Therefore, when I received an invitation to attend Grafic Concept’s third store opening, Grafic Woman and its online boutique, Grafic Online I was a little hesitant yet interested to know a store in Woodbridge who carries designer brands such as Nicole Miller and Hoss Intropia exists.

Grafic Woman

Upon arriving in Woodbridge I immediately gravitated towards Grafic Woman, a 1,500 square-foot space outfitted in rich décor with well-stocked shelves that carry a balanced combination of Canadian and International brands; Line Knitwear, Smythe and Tara Jarmon just to name a few.  

Co-owners, Doriano Di Carlo and Fabio Sardellitti work together to seek out brands that fit the vision for their women’s store, as well as satisfy the demands of their clientele for stylish and, high-quality clothes. When speaking to Di Carlo he said they are creating a “lifestyle brand” for women who want to be on trend, but wear classic and comfortable pieces.

During my perusal of Grafic Woman I couldn’t help but snap shot-after-shot of all the Camilla Skovgaard shoes on display – I got a little carried away.

The runway event

I wasn’t able to stay for the outdoor runway show and live entertainment showing off the clothing from Grafic Woman and Grafic Man but I’ve included a few images courtesy of Grafic Concept below.

Location: Grafic Woman and Grafic Man, 3883 Rutherford Road, Woodbridge, Ontario

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Image gallery #1: photos 1-3 and 11 courtesy of Pedro Marques, TdotSPOT
Image gallery #2: courtesy of Pedro Marques, TdotSPOT

It’s no secret that I have a great fondness for Camilla Skovgaard’s footwear designs and upon seeing her pre-fall 2011 collection I pretty much want the entire lot – the high heels in fact, although she does provide flats as an alternative, but you know my preference lies with the heel. Therefore, for this week’s Shoe of the Moment I’ve decided to show a few select designs from Skovgaard’s latest collection.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer – leather and suede
• Colours – black, burgundy, cream grey, navy, silver, etc.
• Heel height, various sizing

Why I chose this shoe: the reason I’ve decided to not focus on one shoe from this collection is that the colour choices of burgundy, grey and navy are rich and sumptuous for the fall season. The cut-outs in Skovgaard’s shoes compliment each individual design and can be worn with any outfit.

Images from Camilla Skovgaard’s Facebook page

Remember this blog post I published last week touting my struggles with online shoe shopping? Well my friends, the ray of light I’ve been praying for finally appeared and I bought a pair of Camilla Skovgaard sandals from Net-a-Porter. YEAH!

This is the first pair of shoes I’ve bought online, as well as my first pair of Camilla Skovgaard heels. I chose these sandals because I don’t own a black pair in this style, a cut-out heel that’s designed to look like a cross between sandal and ankle bootie.

I placed my order on Wednesday and my shoes arrived on the Thursday – super fast service from Net-a-Porter!

When trying on these shoes, I was incredibly happy to discover that my agonizing analysis of online sizing charts for shoes paid off; for these sandals I fit an Italian size 38 perfectly. The leather is incredibly smooth and soft, and the sole is well padded.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, leather and patent leather
• Colour, black
• Heel height, 11.5 cm

I’ve overcome this hurdle of shopping for shoes online, but I’m not completely free from this trepidation; after all each shoe is different and no two styles are alike.

For those of you who still have a few reservations of online shopping, my suggestion is to take your time and do a lot of research. Check out the shoes/clothes in your closet and do a few comparisons with the sizing. Good luck and happy shopping!

Image gallery #1 from Net-a-Porter

The colour white (for those who consider it a colour) is synonymous with the age old ideals of purity and simplicity. Yet, in reality it also symbolizes the likely chance of spilling soy sauce all over yourself and your sushi while wearing white clothing – a pair of pants in my case – during lunch which then has you swearing so viciously at yourself that it would make a seasoned sailor blush. However, when stain free and on your feet white looks great on.

 Shoe specifications:

• White crocodile embossed leather
• Heel height, 10 cm
• Platform, 2 cm

Why I chose these shoes: these shoes by Camilla Skoygaard hold a lot of architectural elements. The jagged shape of the black rubber sole, the strategically placed cut-outs throughout the shoes and the sweeping curved lines of the white crocodile skins used on the outer combines hard and soft elements working harmoniously together. These shoes by Skoygaard can be purchased from Net-a-Porter.

Images from Obsessed with Shoes