Opening Ceremony is bringing a bit of Broadway to New York Fashion Week, Target is launching a maternity activewear collection, Lucky Magazine heads into a new direction, and more fashion news that made the headlines this week.

• This is what Banana Republic for Fall 2014 looks like under new Creative Director Marissa Webb.
• Mary Katrantzou, Sarah Burton, Thom Browne, Carolina Herrera and Valentino are designing costumes for the New York City Ballet.
• Joe Zee, currently Editor in Chief of Yahoo’s fashion site, has been named Old Navy’s style ambassador for Fall 2014.
• Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the Altuzarra for Target collection. Or have fun browsing the entire collection.
• Lucky Magazine is heading into a new direction after joining forces with e-commerce platform BeachMint.
• Instead of a runway show, Opening Ceremony will stage a one-act play during New York Fashion Week, written by Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill.
• ModCloth is the first retailer who has signed the Heroes Pledge for Advertisers, a commitment to be transparent about their Photoshopping practices.
• This Fall, Target is launching a range of maternity activewear that will be available online at the beginning of October.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that the traditional Marinière, the Breton shirt originally worn by French sailors in Brittany, has twenty-one stripes, a reference to each of Napoleon Bonaparte’s victories. 

This ensemble is for Team Sleeveless. Of course, you can substitute the sleeveless layering top for a sleeved option, but the point of the ensemble is to bare your arms. There is something extra fabulous about layering a sleeveless topper over a sleeveless top. It’s a little unexpected, thoroughly modern, and very breezy. A grown-on sleeve is just as effective as a cut-away sleeve. 

There are many ways to interpret this formula. I’ve pulled together three versions as a starting point. A denim-friendly version on the left, a dressier skirt version in the middle, and a funkier rendition on the right. Choose any colour palette and feel free to incorporate both dressy and casual pieces into the outfit. 

Here are the components: 

Sleeveless Top: Think sleeveless T-shirt, knitted top or blouse in tailored or fluid fits. Patterns and panel prints work just as well as solids. Colours work just as well as neutrals. Leave the top untucked or partially tucked. 

Vest: You’ll need a sleeveless jacket that’s either dressy or casual. Think masculine waistcoats, utility vests, avant-garde drapey styles, sleeveless motos and denim vests. Both long and short vests will work. Create a low or high contrast between the two layers. Keep the vest unfastened to create loose modern layers, and to showcase more of the top underneath. 

Bottoms: Pair the layered top and topper with a bottom that works with the pieces. Think jeans, dressy trousers, track pants, casual pants, shorts, pencil skirts, flared skirts, short shorts, harem pants and culottes. Create a high or low contrast between the top and bottom parts of the outfit — both will work. 

Footwear: Choose a pair of shoes that work with the rest of the outfit. Ankle strap pumps, peep-toe booties, gladiators and loafers get my top vote. But any shoe that tickles your fancy is fab. 

Accessories: Finish off the outfit with a bag of your choice, either dressy or casual. Add jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired. 

Sleeveless toppers are an excellent way to add ventilating structure to a Summer outfit. They provide the magic of that third piece without the insulation. If you normally prefer covering your arms, then combining a sleeveless top with a sleeveless topper might make you feel more comfortable about baring them.

I came across Hannah Rochell’s blog En Brogue a while back when I was looking for flat footwear inspiration. She is the Features Editor at InStyle Magazine, wears flats exclusively, and has now also written a book about her peds passion.

Here are four more links for those of us who are just as enamoured with flats as Hannah Rochell:

• 20 pairs of work-appropriate flats to walk around in all day.
• 17 Pairs of Studded Flats That Will Get You Major Fashion Cred.
• 13 Black-and White Loafers That Will Put Some Pep in Your Step.
• 13 Summer Flats You Can Wear Into Fall.

Fab Links from Our Members

Debbie Roes’ post about relapsing into shopping habits really resonated with La Belle Demimondaine, especially the part about having feelings of ‘not being good enough’. La Belle wanted to point out that that is what makes the YLF community so exceptional: “everyone is very loving, kind, and encouraging”.

As Summer winds down, here’s a fun story about the scientific fact that everybody looks hotter in sunglasses. MsMary would also like to present to you her own personal Exhibit A: Blair of Atlantic-Pacific.

Angie is sharing two fantastic outfits with us today. Adrienne from The Rich Life on a Budget rocks her culottes, while Sylvia from 40 Plus Style’s killer skirt look complements her colourful home.

Speaking of culottes, Joy came across this Wall Street Journal article on how to wear them.

After watching this video, ‘spezzato’ is now firmly established in RoseandJoan’s vocabulary, as it is fun to have a single word to describe a look which previously required a whole sentence.

Rachylou is very taken with Annette Hoeldrich’s style and her blog, Lady of Style. Rachylou said: “Her style strikes me as both powerful and accessible. I believe she goes places in the outfits she shows and does something while wearing them. Real wear!”

Quietgirl was interested to learn about Procter & Gamble’s latest consumer product: the Swash machine, a device meant to delay laundering or dry cleaning.

Transcona Shannon is in love with Eileen Fisher’s Fall 2014 collection and wanted to share this video (click on Fall 2014 Runway Show). The brilliant use of layers, the flattering but not body con shapes, and the gorgeous fabrics and textures really appeal to her.

The right clothing and footwear can definitely make for a more enjoyable and productive workout. Comfort plays a huge role in this, but looking your best can also contribute to a better state of mind while exercising. So with many of my clients, the workout capsule is included when we review their closet. Out go the ratty T-shirts and sad pairs of sweats. We make sure that the items are in good shape and suited to the type of exercise they do. 

People’s needs and preferences are different when it comes to comfort and style while exercising. You need to decide which styles and silhouettes are best for you. I find that my clients generally fall into one of three categories:

1. Body Con: Wearing tight silhouettes made of spandex both on the top and bottom. 
2. Fluid: Wearing looser silhouettes both on the top and bottom, like a pair of bootcut yoga pants, or fleece trackpants paired with a fluid or oversized welted tee. 
3. Half ’n Half: Wearing a body con top with fluid bottoms, or a fluid or oversized top with body con bottoms. 

Once you’ve worked out which silhouettes suit you best, address the lengths of the items and the layers. Some like to wear sleeveless tops for extra ventilation and muscle visibility. Some prefer to wear sleeved tops for sun protection or warmth. Some like to layer a long-sleeved jacket or hoodie over a sleeveless top in order to manage their inner thermostat. Some like to wear baggy running shorts, while others prefer knee-length basketball shorts or ankle-length leggings. Maybe you like a combination of silhouettes depending on the weather, the type of workout, and your mood. 

After identifying the correct silhouettes, choose the colours that tickle your fancy. Some like to keep their workout wear all black or dark neutrals. Some like to keep the bottoms a dark neutral and the tops a colour. Some like to wear colour both on the top and bottom. 

Sports bras, footwear and socks are the final touch to your outfit. Athletic sneakers are an extremely specialized item and it’s often best to purchase them at a specialized sports footwear store. Sports bras you’ll find in active wear and lingerie departments. Sports socks are widely available. Headgear is optional, and is often a sports cap to keep the sun and your hair off your face. 

Build your workout capsule slowly because you’ll need time to road-test the silhouettes before you duplicate them. Authentic activewear found at athletic stores or in the activewear departments of retail stores is often quite pricey, but in my experience it is worth the initial investment. The fabrics are very durable, which means that the items last a long time. The fits are excellent, which is extra important when you work out. The styling is thoughtful, with extra pockets when you need to run with keys or phone, and ruching in the places on your body that you are self-conscious about. And the assortment of silhouettes and colours is enormous, which is always a good thing. 

Finally, think about the number of items you need. This obviously depends on the frequency of your workouts and you need just enough to avoid laundry bottlenecks.

I don’t go to gym, but I do yoga and walk with Greg a few times a week. I can wear the same clothing for both activities, which simplifies my capsule. I merely add shoes, socks and hat for our walks. Although I love the look of fluid workout wear, I cannot stand wearing it while I exercise. Fabric that flaps about while I’m in a yoga pose or walking at a fast pace gets in the way of my activity and is uncomfortable. So I’m body con all the way for this part of my style. 

Below are some of the exact items in my current workout wear capsule. I have an assortment of tight pants in various lengths across all shades of grey. All my tops are bright and long-sleeved because I must feel warm during yoga, and protected from the sun when we walk. My fleece hoodies are very streamlined and in shades of blue and grey. My jackets are just as streamlined and I have one each in black and white. My cap is bright orange and my sneakers are grey, neon yellow and purple. I wear long-sleeved tops with short pants in warm weather, and longer leggings and layers when it’s colder.

How does my workout capsule differ from yours? What do you like to wear when you exercise?