Five Canadian Oscar Worthy Fashion Designers

Sometimes I wonder why I bother to watch the Academy Awards when I've only watched four nominated films. My primary reason for tuning in has always been to see what everyone is wearing. After seeing this year's Oscars I wonder if next year I should continue.

Was it just me or did you think that at this year's Oscars the same ten curated dresses continually reappeared onscreen. I turned to Google to see if I could spot some other fashions I did not see showcased and really all that Google had for me were these same ten dresses. Actually I'm exaggerating there were apparently 37 well dressed individuals at the Oscars this year according to the online best dressed galleries. 

So in an effort to remedy this situation I have decided to visit the fashion designers websites and pick Oscar worthy looks to wear on the red carpet from five Canadian fashion designers. I started with the designers and picked my favorite looks from their collections. It was fun to find some of these dresses worn by women at this year's Oscars on Twitter. Primetime television is so disappointing. I want to see all the fashion! 

1. STEPHAN CARAS

This Toronto based fashion house is home to the elegant designs created by Atelier CARAS. Caras has been designing his own label in Toronto for decades. Stephan Caras Design Inc. is located in a 1905 bank building, at 744 Queen St E. 

 @StephanCaras

Here is Betty Zhouligan a TV Host and Producer wearing Stephan Caras Floral Collection at this year's Oscars. She is stunning. 

2. MIKAEL D

Mikael Derderian is the son of a Canadian-Armenian father and Lebanese mother. His family immigrated to Canada, landing in Laval, Quebec. He studied fashion design at LaSalle College and presented his first runway presentation in 2012 at World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto.  He established his own private label, MIKAEL D. His influential line is based on collections that intertwine cultural influences.

MIKAELD.com

@MIKAELDOFFICIAL

3. LUCIAN MATIS

Lucian Matis is an acclaimed Canadian designer. He studied at Ryerson's University fashion design program. This celebrated designer has made appearances on hit television shows including Fashion Television, Entertainment Tonight, Project Runway Canada and Canada's Next Top Model.

@lucianmatis

lucianmatis.com

@KeltieKnight

Keltie Knight, a Canadian TV presenter and former professional dancer wore this intricate design by Lucian Matis with cascading ruffles to this year's Oscars. While she received some negative reviews I think it is fabulous. It reminds me of an artistic interpretation through fabric of gift wrap.

4. DI CARLO CONTOUR

Antoinette Di Carlo is the founder & designer at Di Carlo Couture in Montreal specializing in custom made wedding & evening gowns. She studied at the International Academy of Design in Montreal.

@dicarlocouture

dicarloconture.com

I love emerald green. This dress was a favorite pick of mine from the collection.

5. CHRISTOPHER PAUNIL

Christopher Paunil is a bridal gown and womens fashion designer based in Toronto as well as fashion instructor at UforChange, George Brown College and the Toronto Film School.

@chrispaunil

christopherpaunil.com

I think these are beautiful numbers and surprisingly budget friendly if one ever found themselves invited to the Oscars. I mean they are still expensive but you wouldn't need to remortgage your house. Jasper on the left is priced at $1595 and Kitt on the right is $1495. With the right shoes and jewelry they would be stunning.

Ok ....because it's hard to stop at just five here is one last pick.

GAVARCIA

Gavarcia debuted as a collection of Haute Couture gowns at Fashion Art Toronto. Garvin Garcia of Gavarcia, a Toronto-based designer demonstrates that Canadian fashion deserves international attention.  Each piece features intricate lace, floral, or avian-inspired details, coming together to create luxurious one-of-a-kind pieces that are the epitome of wearable art. 

Gavarcia.com

Why do we love fashion at the Oscars? I think it is in part because many of us will never have the opportunity to visit Fashion Week in Paris or New York or within Canada Fashion Week in Toronto or Montreal. Designers select models to showcase their collections on the runway. We love to see these collections come to light on semi-normal sized figures in the light of day on prime time television. Many of us would never have the funds or publicity to showcase one of the couture gowns.  

These days, the Academy Awards have become a platform for social activism. My favorite aspect of the Oscars has always been the fashions on the red carpet...and even this now has become an issue of sexism. Chris Rock made light of this,  “Race is not the only issue at Oscars today. You can’t ask women what they are wearing, you gotta #AskHerMore. This is not sexism, it is because all men are wearing the same thing. If George Clooney showed up in a lime green suit with a swan coming out of his ass, someone will ask, ‘what are you wearing George?’” If we no longer ask the question what or who are you wearing will fashion continue to play a role at the Oscars? I recognize that actors and actresses wish to step beyond their stereotype to be taken seriously about issues they are passionate about. Its true if everyone wore the same ensemble no one would be asking what they were wearing. While I love glamorous evening wear I also love fashion as an art form of expression. When I was in art school there was a wearable art fashion show. And not fashion in the same vein as glamorous evening wear but fashion about causes and issues. If the Academy Awards should continue to become a platform for social activism rather than ignoring fashion I hope to see swans, elephants, butterflies, bees, storms, typhoons, global warming along with racism and sexual abuse represented in fashion. How powerful would that be? I'd still be watching the Academy Awards I can guarantee you that. 

I'm linking up with September Farm &  a.liz adventures today

Cyber Monday

Oh my goodness friends! I had no idea Cyber Monday was even a thing and I was totally unprepared for Black Friday. Next year I plan to be much more prepared (as in save up!) and take advantage of some of the sales.

For instance if I had saved up before hand I would have totally fallen for the Kate Spade Suprise Sale of 75% off and bought this purse!

Swoon! 

It is always fun to shop sales! 

As it is I did purchase a baby monitor on Black Friday from Babys R Us for half off.  It's easy to get carried away by shopping online. I had a shopping cart full of baby things but then talked myself out of purchasing all except the one item that was on sale for Black Friday. 

This morning I had some fun shopping for baby in the Cyber Monday sale and getting distracted by all things baby online.  There are so many cute baby clothing sites! Here are some of my purchases and some items I intend to yet purchase!

1. Minimoc Mocs

Minimoc Mocs are adorable and handmade in Canada. I love them and could just imagine them paired with these items. I have purchased a pair of red minimocs. These Lion and Flamingo are next on my list but at $45 a pop I want to measure little ones feet before buying.

GAP, Old Navy and Banana Republic were offering 40% off purchase price today with the code CYBER and free shipping for orders over $50. I purchased the tights, knit bear hat, embroidered smock dress and multi-dot zip footed one piece for a little over $50 total. It is easy to spend $50 in store for one item so I was quite pleased. The cardigan is on my list for the next sale or I will try to find a similar item at a lower price somewhere else. I had zip front one piece from Old Navy in my shopping basket too but decided against purchasing today when the Cyber Monday deal did not apply to it because it was an everyday steal item.

2. GAP Solid Tights 

3. Old Navy Zip Front One Piece: In the Pink

4. GAP Shirred Flare Cardigan

5. GAP Knit Bear Hat

6.GAP Embroidered Smock Dress

7. GAP Multi-dot zip footed one piece

Did you do any Black Friday shopping or Cyber Monday shopping? 

Fall Scarf Exchange

How fun! A fall scarf exchange! 

It was pure excitement when I found one hosted by Whitney, Elizabeth, and Courtney that I could participate in as a Canadian blogger. 

Scarves are a necessity on the prairies in the winter. They are so cozy and warm and keep the cold northern winds from burning your face. It's crazy really that you can get a burn from the cold! 

It's almost winter here! I saw a skiff of snow last week when I woke up but otherwise the snow hasn't settled in. It is -1 degrees Celcius today. It should warm up to 11 degrees by Saturday of this week but I see that a few flurries are in the forecast for next week along with colder temperatures. A new scarf is just in time!

I was matched with Sarita another Canadian blogger who has a lovely blog! She is very beautiful and has the most adorable little girls. It was so fun to open the mail and have a package waiting! It was wrapped sweetly and I wish I had taken a picture before I tore into the package.

I love it!

It is grey with a touch of dusty rose pink. The colours and texture are just my style!

Thank you Sarita for the fabulous scarf! It is the best!

I was matched with Chrissy in Leduc. I know that she has received her scarf as she sent me a message shortly after receiving it. Chrissy is on facebook. In the matching process I learned her favorite colours and styles and while it was fun shopping for someone else it was a little stressful I might add hoping she would like the scarf I sent. I am glad to hear she likes it!

I am enjoying seeing others scarfs on instagram tagged #fallscarfexchange15

Style & Fashion

Blog-tember Challenge Day 6: Share Your Style. What fashion trends do you love, frequent, or avoid?

I love fashion, and style. I think my first post I ever wrote was a wardrobe related post. Here is a collage of styles I love. Colors I love: black, hot pink, grey, white, navy, cognac, army green. Patterns I love: polka dot, stripe, lace. Plus I love blue jeans, skinny dark pants, flats, and tall boots.

While I will never be a fashion blogger I love the diversity of this challenge.

I've been thinking for sometime of writing a fashion post when I decided to try the capsule wardrobe approach to my wardrobe. I'd heard a few people mention the capsule wardrobe so I suppose I'd happened on a fashion trend. I saw the link to un-fancy.com on my friend KS facebook page. KS in GP if your ever reading this blogpost did you ever try it? It was either fortuitous or mad that I decided to take this on when 3.5 months pregnant. Fortuitous in that I had an impetus to start as in nothing fit! (I discovered I did have items that fit but that they were hiding behind others that were making me miserable with their tight waist bands.)

My first step involved scouring the Internet and Pinterest to understand the capsule wardrobe approach. Here is a basic starting point for a maternity capsule wardrobe.  Next I emptied my closet and dresser drawers. I did hold back some favorites pre-pregnancy in my dresser that I will go through again following this maternity adventure. In total I rid my closet/dresser of two garbage bags of clothing to the good will that I did not love, or did not fit, or likely never will fit. Then I took stock of the items that still fit, I loved, and worked together. I again returned to the Internet to find looks that I liked and could be put together with items I already had and a few purchases. Finally I made a list of items to purchase to fill the gap. I started out intending to build a wardrobe of 37 items but maternity purchases are short lived and expensive so for now my capsule wardrobe hovers around 25 items.

Here is one look I was inspired by and my take on it. What do you think?

The most challenging thing I find is that even though your armed with a list sometimes whats available in store does not match. I liked the style of the un-fancy.com blogger in the link that I found on my friend KS page. Often if you love a particular individuals style finding out where they shop is half the battle. It's similar I think to hairstyles. If you love someone's hair styles ask them where they have their hair cut and who their stylist is. As I mentioned before one of my struggles is trying to piece together a style with few available shops. Unfortunately the un-fancy.com blogger no longer posts, but luckily she linked her earlier purchases and I've found a few new online shopping venues to consider and perhaps post-pregnancy will cautiously online shop. Shops generally fit particular styles. I prefer to try on clothes in store, but that can be discouraging too when your not only trying on styles you don't love but also trying to find something that fits. Additionally shopping online is only feasible if they offer shipping free or at a low cost and prices are in Canadian dollars.

Another challenging aspect is living out of a suitcase when I join L in SK for a week or two at a time.

Our lease on our condo is running out and so my job currently has been to locate our next accommodations. Yay I completed that!  Also since L works 12 hr days and then commutes to work he has approximately 1 hr in the evenings when he gets home before bed and 1/2 an hour in the mornings so I'm his personal assistant, shopping, getting fuel for the car/maintenance, making meals, laundry, running errands, checking and returning his emails, etc. He will be working this schedule for two months with 2.5 days off. Miserable work schedule but awesome overtime pay!! Have I said I'm thankful lately for my husband and how he provides for us. We're trying to save some rubles for an exciting home purchase that I will share when details are more confirmed. I've applied for my teaching license so may join the land of the employed this fall to contribute. Note: if you are young and thinking about embarking on your university career don't be like me and go to 6 universities, when it comes time to apply for licensing for instance you will need to request transcripts sent from each institution. In total I have paid $404 for transcripts, criminal record checks, and the application fee to teach in SK. Now I am waiting to find out if I will have to reapply to the province of BC for my teaching license as I let that expire because the fee was $80 per year and I did not intend to teach in BC again or for a very great time. Apparently you should keep your licensing up in every province you have ever taught. So my savings of $80 x the last decade might be lost as I may need to reapply to BC to support my application to SK. At any rate I've started the process so perhaps I return to the classroom this fall as a supply teacher or after baby is a year old. So far my lean, capsule wardrobe includes mainly casual clothes, I may need to re-evaluate and add in some professional pieces.

A final challenge is when the fashion bloggers you love are a size 2 or 4 and you might be a size 12 or 14. For instance I love Jade Scott's style at aspoonfulofstyle.com but sigh I can only aspire to be her size. I frequent a few fashion blogs, and Pinterest for style inspiration.

I googled Vogues fall trends and oh my! I guess you could say I avoid runway styles.

It's Sunday afternoon and the sun is shining, I think I will take a walk to the mall. I am on the look out for a white stretchy tank top. What's on your current clothes shopping list to buy?