fashion friday

Fashion Friday :: Romantic Caribbean

[trip style = beach + sun] Let me fill you in on a little secret about packing for a romantic Caribbean vacation: you don't need much {see: romantic + Caribbean}. Hey there overpackers - you really can travel with only carry-on luggage since the only items you'll be wearing are swimsuits and sarongs. And if you're like a friend of mine, who recently returned from a romantic Caribbean vacation with her husband, you don't need to worry about covering up much at all, because "when are you ever going to see these people again?" Wise words. Then again, don't think you won't be on display.

Several years ago, I travelled to the Dominican Republic with a group of 20 friends and family. There was a French couple at our resort, and we came to call the man "Hot Euro" for his, um, extreme hotness. Imagine you're laying out on the beach with your girlfriend and every time you look down the beach, 20 heads snap away. This was, of course, before I mastered the art of staring and not getting caught {the secret is to keep looking when your subject looks at you, as though you're staring at something just past them. This works especially well with sunglasses}.

Moral of the story? On a romantic vacation, who cares who's staring, they're probably just smitten with you. Unless of course you opted for beach braids. Then they're probably staring for another reason.

Now what to pack? Men (clockwise from top left) Orlebar Brown bulldog swim shorts, Penguin volley swim shorts, Costalots diego grey sunglasses, Soludos costa, Free Authority paper dress straw fedora

Women (from top centre) Zimmerman printed underwired bikini, Ray-Ban wayfarer acetate sunglasses, Topshop tie dye cover up, Norma Kamali walter mio ruched bandeau swimsuit, Pachacuti panama fedora, ASOS chiffon beach playsuit, ASOS fiji leather tie up sandals, Gregory Parkinson bag08, Target merona shirred 1-piece, ASOS floral beach dress, TM by Tara Matthews cheetah-print cotton sarong

{Trip Styler Tip: Two of my favourite online retailers have sunny vacation shops within their online shops: Net-A-Porter's Vacation Boutique and ASOS's Holiday Shop for Women & Men.}

More Fashion Friday Shoulder Season Cabin Fever Buoy Oh Buoy Festival Style Tribal Inspiration

{Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by fashion blogger Heather.}

Fashion Friday :: Shoulder Season

[trip style = sun + urban + weekend getaway + sightseeing + wine tasting]

{Editor's Note: Enter to win one of FIVE DuWop Flight Sticks. With light, hydrating coverage, these mini skin-enhancers are packed with antioxidants and a touch of caffeine to spruce up tired skin. Up, up and away!}

What do brunch and Brangelina have in common? They're not just fun to say, they're two awesome things paired together. Which is kind of like the season we're in now, where summer meets fall. But what should we call it? Sall? Fummer? Sautumn? As we head into back-to-school time---or as I like to say, perfect European travel time---it can be hard to choose what to wear for the hot, humid days and cool, breezy nights. Especially when you're travelling and you can only bring a few key items.

A shirt dress is the perfect garment for sautumn. Warm day? Roll up the sleeves and pair it with heeled wooden sandals. Cool day? Roll down the sleeves and add a pair of colourful knee-high socks with the same pair of wooden sandals, plus a scarf or boyfriend cardy. You could also stash booties and a pair of leggings or Kate Middleton-chic sheer nylons in your bag for the evening chill. Need a little more coverage? Go for a midi-length shirt dress.

{Trip Styler Tip: Most shirt dresses come with their own belts, but play around with your own belt collection to change up the look. Perfect for going away when you want to get more mileage out of the pieces in your duffle.}

Guys, stay summery by wearing less rigid denim in a lighter wash; save the dark raw Japanese denim for the cooler months. Choose a button-up shirt in a length that's meant to be left untucked {read: no long tails} for a little summer styling, and top with a lightweight sweater that will breathe but keep you warm.

Don't you just love fummertime?

Now what to wear? Women (from top left) Tucker shirtdress, Forever 21 midi shirt dress, J.Crew trouser slouch socks, ASOS slinky over the knee socks, Rachel Comey interlaken clog, J.Crew eden cardigan, Thierry Lasry celebratory shades, Rag & Bone tomkin scarf, Cheap Monday militaria dress, LP Collection sliced skinny leather belt, ASOS floral maxi Men (clockwise from top centre) The Hill-side organic cotton scarf, Marc by Marc Jacobs danny dot shirt, Gap new deep v-neck, All Saints span open cardigan, All Saints crawford low top sneaker, Marc by Marc Jacobs tyler uniform fit denim

More Fashion Friday Cabin Fever Buoy Oh Buoy Festival Style Tribal Inspiration

{Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by fashion blogger Heather.}

Fashion Friday :: Cabin Fever

Let's get one thing out of the way first: cottage vs. cabin - which is it? Well, like a good rap rivalry, it depends on whether you're East Coast or West Coast. Prairie folk, poor things, are stuck in the middle of it all, which basically makes them Switzerland, in which case they must call their summer places chalets, right? Joking and semantics aside, let's get down to the brass tacks of cabin fashion.

Cottage style isn't just denim cut-offs and tank tops anymore. But above all, it's about comfort and when you're not in your swimsuit, there's nothing better than a cozy, oversized sweater at the cabin. But what to wear when your lake- or ocean-side neighbours come by for evening drinks on the deck? A shirt dress is easy, comfortable and a key look for fall, so get a head start. Guys, stick to well-made basics like vintage t's, worn-in denim or chambray and your good ol' alma mater sweatshirt. Just don't forget the bug spray...

Now what to bring? Men (from top left) The Real McCoy's x Champion USA t-shirts, MLB LA Dodgers baseball hat, The Real McCoy's joe mccoy bandana, Mosley Tribes merchant sunglasses, Rainbow leather sandals, Levi's 511 denim cut-off shorts

Women (clockwise from top centre) Motel celeste long line shirt dress, Rebecca Taylor stripe pullover, Billy Reid yvonne dress, Marc by Marc Jacobs racer back stripe  belted swimsuit, Minnetonka deerskin driving moc, Blank Denim classique cut-off shorts, Oliver Peoples j gold sunglasses, J.Crew saturday pant

More Fashion Friday Buoy Oh Buoy Festival Style Tribal Inspiration Spring Mini Break

{Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by fashion blogger Heather.}

[Top photos via The Globe and Mail and Old Chum]

Fashion Friday :: Tribal Inspiration

{Editor's Note: Next week, May 2-6, Trip Styler will be conducting "research" in Australia while living like a castaway and hanging with turtles on the Great Barrier Reef. We're back at it the following week with our regularly scheduled content, and each Friday in May we'll feature a different destination on Australia's East Coast. Find out more about my Australia trip here.}

"If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain."

Or, in spirit of this month's Fashion Friday, Mohammed must go shopping. {Bear with me!} One of my favourite things about travel is shopping. Not shopping as a pastime, but shopping for special items native to the country or region I'm visiting. Often nothing is more treasured in one's closet or home than items purchased around the world. But if you love a style, and can't get to the source (say...Africa), a substitute is acceptable. This month's post is dedicated to travel-inspired tribal fashion, which is the perfect easy-breezy look for spring and summer, both at home or abroad.

Trip Styler Tip: If an all-over tribal print is too "Hello world!" for you, go for bright fabric bangles or a bold printed handbag instead. A great thing about tribal prints is that they tend to be medium-sized graphics; tiny prints can make you look bigger, while large prints can end up wearing you and not the other way around. Fellas, tribal prints aren't just for the beach - go tribal under a blazer or denim shirt this spring.

Now what to buy? Women (clockwise from top left) Forever 21 tribal drawings linen jacket, We Are Owls tribal cashmere and silk blend scarf, Lauren Manoogian hoop necklaces, Pepe Jeans silk printed dress, Felicity Brown tribal print tank, Forever 21 tribal cuffed short, Marc by Marc Jacobs frida flag dress, Theodora & Callum biarritz wedge sandal, Mat & Nat santogold handbag, House of Harlow 1960 tribal drop earring, Loeffler Randall x Suno erin lace-up wedge, Karen Millen tribal print clutch

Men (from bottom left) Burkman Bros oxford ikat short, Vilebrequin tribal art swim short, ASOS front panel printed tank, American Apparel afrika fine jersey t-shirt, Burkman Bros india ikat pullover

{Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by fashion blogger Heather.}

Fashion Friday :: Spring Mini Break

[trip style = weekend getaway]

"A mini break means true love." - Bridget Jones's Diary

Thank goodness for spring. We can all go back outside now. And since most of us don't get spring break anymore (boo!), how about a spring mini break, Bridget Jones style? And yes, I'm referring to the infamous mini break that included the "tarts and vicars" Playboy Bunny debacle. I bet you never thought you could take spring style cues from the delightfully awkward Bridget Jones!

Trip Styler Tip: Ladies and gentlemen, tortoise shell sunglasses and aviators never go out of style. Neither do denim jackets, which are the perfect spring-weight coat. I always bring mine on holiday.

Now what to bring?

Women (clockwise from top left) Acne tag milk denim jacket, ASOS 70s kaftan playsuit, Twelfth St by Cynthia Vincent berkeley tote, Marc by Marc Jacobs below the knee dress, Topshop wendy nude twist wedges, Topshop monk sand soft lace up shoes, D&G sunglasses, ASOS tailored 2 in 1 jumpsuit, Topshop white snake print scarf

Men (clockwise from top right) Ben Sherman ls blazer, Ben Sherman wiltshire shirt, A.P.C. new cure jeans, Nike x Steven Alan shoes, Mosley Tribes x Temple Bags sunglasses

{Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by fashion blogger Heather.}