From overalls and embroidered details to railroad stripes, Flare Magazine shows us the top 13 denim trends for Fall 2012. I’m quite taken with the tuxedo stripe jeans, which trend are you eager to give a go?

If you can’t wait to go check out these jeans trends in store, then this list with the 17 best denim stores in Canada might come in handy. For each store we get a sneak peek of what to expect on the shelves this Autumn.

The style experts at FocusOnStyle are smitten with this “attainable chic” head-to-toe denim look by Balmain, and give us pointers on how to recreate the look with more affordable pieces.

Fab Links from Our Members

It’s funny that both Rae and I had denim on the mind this week. Rae recommends this video tour of a jeans factory because it really made her appreciate the work that goes into her favourite pairs.

Angie is not a high-top sneaker gal, but says this outfit is glorious. For a second she even thought the high-tops were white booties. 

Middle school student Julia Bluhm started a petition for Seventeen Magazine to stop overusing Photoshop. It quickly went viral and was signed by over 84,000 people. Laurinda thinks it’s odd that the magazine only responded with an eight-point plan to maintain the retouching status. 

Kari kept struggling with silk scarves that didn’t want to stay put, until she found MaiTai’s tips on anchoring square silk scarves. MaiTai is quite the scarf expert and has many other great tutorials on her website, this scarf with pearls made Kari think of Angie.

“Go to the mall, get scanned, and walk away with a list of shopping recommendations for your body size and shape.” Kyle would like to know if anyone has tried Me-Ality, a free service that makes it easier to find clothes that fit.

Just when she had internalized Angie’s guidelines for wearing cropped pants, Gaylene came across these tips from Ain’t No Mom Jeans, with an opposite view of “the danger zone”.

Annagybe informs us that this holiday season Neiman Marcus is teaming up with Target for limited-edition lines from no less than twenty-four well-known designers. The collection goes on sale on December, 1, and most items will be less than $60.

And last but not least, Diana really enjoyed reading Franca’s thoughts on clothing challenges with a limited number of items. She brings up some interesting issues that are usually glossed over or ignored with this type of minimalism challenge.

First you saw graceful Karen look cool, calm and collected in a skirt with a denim jacket. Then her favourite outfit of the season, white jeans, a tee and jacket. Next up are cropped pants and fuchsia flats. Fun! 

Black is one of Karen’s favourite colours so there is never a shortage of black bottoms in her wardrobe. Cropped pants at this length are Karen’s Summer shorts. She will wear breezy cotton trousers at this length in scorching high dessert temperatures when she’s on vacation, and feel fabulous. At age 71, Karen is uncomfortable wearing shorter jeans or trousers unless she’s cycling, in which case the correct gear is all important.

Karen wears all sorts of patterned and solid tops with her lightweight cotton black cropped pants. From blouses and fitted button down shirts, to layering t-shirts and knitted tops. Here, we paired them with a tiered mesh top in an animal print. It has elbow length sleeves so that Karen feels adequately covered when taking off her jacket. Karen’s favourite patterns are stripes, animal print and polka dots. Her favourite colours are purples, pinks, blues and greens. It’s no wonder that she loves this top!  

The white blazer is a new, timeless classic that will be worn season after season. In Seattle, it’s often chilly on a Summer’s morning before it reaches a lovely 75 to 85 degrees during the day. That’s why toppers in all sorts of weights and styles are ideal investment pieces for our climate. Scrunching the sleeves relaxes the formal vibe of the blazer, and makes Karen feel fashionable.  

We paired the clothes with several seasons old fucshia flats because matchy-matchy is on trend. Karen calls them her “happy shoes” because the colour and comfort factor always make her smile. These shoes make me smile because before we started working together, Karen didn’t think that she could wear non-neutral shoes. They drew too much attention to her feet and were not age appropriate. Well, those thoughts are history and now, these fucshia ballerina darlings have bright yellow wardrobe friends. 

Earrings, a cuff and sunglasses are the outfit finishing touches that make Karen the most happy, so she sports those items daily. The black patent handbag is a good basic that Karen sports year after year. She is not a bag gal, which is why we’ve built “a five bag compliment” for her style. Black, grey and red for most days, a vintage wicker bag for the Summer, and a clutch for fancy occasions. Minimal and practical. 

Five years ago, Karen did not wear denim, pattern or very much colour. Today, these are the elements of Karen’s style that make her feel modern, hip and youthful. We make sure that Karen’s outfits are a mixture of both the classics, a trend, and an element of surprise. A classic blazer worn with on trend crops, a vibrant print and bright burst of fuchsia create the ageless look that puts an extra spring in Karen’s Summer step. And my goodness it is an elegant and ladylike step!

Also on Karen’s Summer Style

1. Skirt and Denim Jacket
2. White Jeans, Tee and Jacket 
3. Cropped Pants and Fuchsia Flats (this post)
4. Denim Skirt and Linen Blazer
5. Cold Shoulders with Flares

I’m sure that you receive compliments on many of your wardrobe items. But if you had to choose one or two items that draw the most compliments when you put them through their stylish paces, which would they be? It can be an article of clothing, a pair of shoes or boots, or an accessory. The compliments can come from anyone — strangers in the street, family, friends, kids, work colleagues or your partner, for example. 

I have a tie for first place. My jodhpur jeans and tomato red coat are at the moment my most complimented wardrobe items. One item is edgy, while the other is a classic. Interesting.

Over to you.

The Big Tee is huge right now and goes hand in hand with the oh so popular semi tucked look that adds a dash of structure to a very loosey-goosey silhouette. While the item has a lot going for it, there are also some drawbacks. 

First the fab. Big Tees are comfortable, breezy, and easy to pull on and go. Their boyish and slouchy look is quite fun. They are on-trend, can successfully dress down dressy bottoms, and camouflage the mid-section. When paired with the right pieces and in a great drapey fabrication, the vibe is modern and a little arty. Big Tees are an ideal “de-bombshelling” tool when worn with form fitting pencil skirts. They can also take “the sexy” out of a short shorts ensemble.  And of course, they are low maintenance when it comes to laundry.

Then the not-so-fab. The tent-like, waist surrendering shape of the big tee makes you look bigger than you are, especially on a full bust line. Their unstructured integrity can make you feel unattractive and less feminine. They can look overly casual and sloppy. Their armholes and necklines are often too wide causing them to shift around on the body. And their price points can be exorbitant for an item that is really just a big t-shirt. 

I tend to suggest big tees with high-low hemlines because the shorter front makes the silhouette less overwhelming. Sleeves that taper have the same more structured visual effect. Soft fluid fabrics with weight that drape back against the body will also make this silhouette more flattering. 

My clientele has been divided on the big tee for the reasons I mentioned above. Personally, it’s not for me because I’m just not a t-shirt gal no matter how you slice and dice it. That said, I really like the vibe on others when worn with modern conviction and other on-trend pieces. The stellar outfit below with black peep-toe booties and cropped patterned pants is a perfect example. 

Would you wear a big fashionable tee? Or does it bring back bad boxy ’80s memories? Can you feel attractive in this style of top? Can it work in an office environment?