Whilst out for a walk on yet another balmy (read: malodorous) night, this Torontoist and her partner in crime noticed the very large billboard for Roots on the west side of Yonge at the Eaton Centre, featuring a very languid Wayne Gretzky. Now, this is really apropros of nothing, but it shocked and amused us nonetheless: when did Wayne morph into what seems to be a blonde k.d. Lang? We were perturbed, as those caught... [continue]

Does it seem a bit outrageous that NOW Magazine is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year? That blurry photo? That is a 1997 cover featuring Radiohead. Perhaps this Torontoist thought it only came into existence when our escape from the suburbs was made possible by later curfews and a driver's license. Well, the festivities are afoot and the fashion department is taking it to the streets with NOW's Designer Challenge. Designers are being asked... [continue]

Gather the girls up and nevermind the boys, they'll be glued to their seats in pubs across the city watching the footie finals. And as much as we admire the players, um, "athleticism", maybe this weekend should be spent primping, with a peppering of pampering? Downtown Diva is putting on an afternoon of spoils with the Glow Summer Beauty Event- shopping, beauty demos, designer treats and did I mention the martinis? Yes, there will be... [continue]

Playing a bit of the rock & roll since the 5th grade is bound to get you somewhere. Now hitting somewhere in their late 20's and early 30's, the boys of the gritty guitar driven, Dylan-vocal-inflected tunes of The Walkmen are now waltzing their way through the United States and Canada in support of their newest release "A Hundred Miles Off". Touted as a "sonic carnival", their third album goes beyond "The Rat", and... [continue]

Disposable income seems to be the only sort of income Torontoist ever has (or doesn't have, as the case may be.) So, when shows like The Kit n' Kaboodle Show and Sale come up, it is pretty certain that bank accounts will run dry. Seeking help would be of interest, but more interesting is the gathering of over 30 talented Toronto designers and crafters on June 16th at the Great Hall at 1087 Queen Street... [continue]

Fashion Cares will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this year with a party that is sure to become a spectacle of 'drama, daring and dreams.' On Saturday, June 3rd, over 5,000 guests will converge upon the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for 'M.A.C. VIVA GLAM 20' in support of the AIDS Committee of Toronto. This year will be a bit of retrospective of the last 20 years, but the evening is sure to live up to... [continue]

Torontoist doesn't pay much attention to what is going on in other people's bedrooms, (unless of course, the drywall is thin and we just can't help ourselves.) We say if you're not wooing yourself by candle light every night, then more power to you. What we'd like to call attention to, is this year's Inside Out Film Festival. Inside Out shines a very bright light on film and video by or about the lesbian,... [continue]

A subculture that began in working class London in the early part of the 1960s, the Mods took the hippy movement, looked it straight in the eye and sighed with utter disappointment. The Mods were a highly stylized bunch being the dedicated followers of fashion that they were, with their short-cropped hair, drainpipe trousers and riding about on their Italian scooters. (Oh, the girls looked similarly stylish). And why are we droning on about... [continue]

It must have been the thrall of consumerism that prevented Torontoist from shouting from the rooftops sooner, to tell all new Spring fashion seekers and thrifty consumers that it is once again that time to congregrate upon the grounds of the Automotive Building at Exhibition Place for this season's installment of The Clothing Show. Taking place this weekend from 11am to 8pm on Saturday and 11am to 6pm on Sunday, the show will feature... [continue]

You know, you get on in years and you start to think that everything has been done. Nothing can ever be new again. So jaded and hard to impress. Then suddenly, it dawned on us that not everyone thinks this way and if they did, their livelihoods would just fall to the wayside and hey, doling out french fries over a greasy counter doesn't sound so bad afterall. Those who most definitely do not... [continue]

Is it any wonder that The Gladstone Hotel has become the "it spot" du jour? With all the events they seem to pack into their space one wonders if the guests become part of the installations at some point. Going on this weekend on the 2nd floor is OBEJCToronto "an artist presented annual exposition of contemporary objects from the fields of craft, art and design". This won't be your typical art fair macaroni art,... [continue]

Torontoist likes being socially aware and with that, we bring you Inner City Visions. IC Visions is North America's first governmentally funded hip-hop & urban music centre. They have a full in-house studio where they invite young people with an interest in music to come in and record their songs and compositions totally free of charge. As studio equipment and recording times are hard to come by, IC Visions is providing a most fabulous... [continue]

Mercer Union, a non-for-profit art gallery dedicated to the existence of contemporary art, is once again bringing you the good life; by providing a forum for the production and exhibition of Canadian and international "conceptually and aesthetically engaging art and related cultural practices". This is something that Torontoist can totally get behind. They pursue their primary objectives through activities that include exhibitions, lectures, screenings, performances, publications, events and special projects. This year, the Mercer... [continue]

Now, Torontoist has absolutely no intention of getting into the whole Sienna-Miller-playing Edie Sedgwick debacle, because well, we have more important things to do with our time then to babble about celebrity fodder. Yet, Edie was a pretty fascinating mix of American socialite, debutante, heiress and lest we forget, Andy Warhol's muse. Their relationship did not last through an entire calendar year, yet Edie's inspiration on pop culture has lasted longer than anyone would've... [continue]

Should you have had your fill of matzo (or Cadbury Creme Eggs for that matter) and need a brief respite away from the familial table this long weekend, Torontoist would like to point you in the direction of The Images Festival taking place in and around Toronto starting today and running until the 22nd of April. The Images Festival is "a celebration of light and motion, a showcase for all things new and extraordinary in... [continue]

Another scholastic year has come to an end, and the design students at Seneca's School of Fashion and Merchandising will hope to redefine our image of what fashion in Canada truly is. With their wholly student-produced "Redefining Design" exhibit, the School of Fashion hopes to celebrate the work of students graduating from Seneca’s intensive three-year Fashion Arts diploma program. The show will also showcase the work of the school's Make-Up and Esthetics students and Visual... [continue]

Rory and Kelly of Damzels in this Dress have been kicking out some fabulous designs for the last 12 years, but the time has come to bid adieu to these girl's flirty and sometimes downright cheeky party dresses. But chin up, kids! Rory and Kelly’s demise shouldn’t bring too many tears to flow as they are keeping their design studio and will continue to work together on a new collection of fabulous accessory packs that... [continue]

Sarah Teitel is a woman, who on first introduction, is a dizzying whirlwind of talent and to say she wears more than one hat would be an extravagent understatement. As Torontoist has just become acquainted with her we'll let you in on a few key bits of information: -She has just released a new album named "Stories and Music for the Mildly Suicidal". -She is a sometime journalist, having written for The Globe & Mail... [continue]

As of late, Torontoist has become slightly obsessed with the talents of others. I think it may have to do with the fact that we're not crafty-at all. And finding ways in which to showcase and sell your crafty ways may prove a bit difficult, unless laying out your wares on the sidewalks of Queen Street is more up your alley. Saying that, we must get the word out to fellow Torontonians about this site... [continue]

More often than not, when you hear the words Canada & Fashion used in the same breath, you're likely to be met with blank stares and slacked-jawed silence. And that dear readers, is a shame. As any self-respecting Canadian "fashionista" will attest to, our fashion culture is sorely underestimated and shamefully lacking in support. But those in the know are trying to turn things around, and it is up to us to cheer our fashion... [continue]