Today we are connecting with one of the most stylist members of GO TRY IT ON, Will from Montreal! Day in and day out, Will populates our community with dapper looks that travel from casual to evening wear each with confidence and poise. This tastemaker’s journey to GO TRY IT ON started when he heard about us on the radio! To get feedback from this cutting edge dresser, add him as your personal stylist! Oh, follow him on Twitter, too!
GO TRY IT ON: How did you hear about GO TRY IT ON?
WILL: On the radio!
GO TRY IT ON: Are you a photographer?
WILL: I wouldn’t call myself a photographer and prefer my role as a model better. Photography is how I showcase my outfits.
GO TRY IT ON: You pull off menswear so well! How do you rock a blazer with a tie (regular or bow) at a casual function?
WILL: Try to go classic, but step out of the box. Finding an original type of blazer such as velvet or corduroy gives the outfit a casual look. Add dark pants like chinos or jeans to take it to a higher level.
GO TRY IT ON: What mens blogs do you read for inspiration?
WILL: Might be hard to believe, but not many. While I take ideas from magazines, walking through downtown Montreal is my inspiration.
GO TRY IT ON: Where do you shop?
WILL: The options in Montreal are endless— Zara, Guess, American Apparel and Urban Outfitters. The department store, THE BAY, is becoming popular.
GO TRY IT ON: Who in the GO TRY IT ON community do you rely on for advice (a few names would be great!)
WILL: Everyone in this community has such a great point of view. I think these people have a strong influence on me: GRAZIA.IT, Jessie G. from NY and also Bambi S.
GO TRY IT ON: Have you always lived in Montreal?
WILL: I was born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to Canada for high-school.
GO TRY IT ON: How has your style evolved with age?
WILL: My style has evolved an incredible amount! As a child, my mom bought me jogging pants and cartoon’s shirts, so that was my wardrobe then. Now I’m obsessed with fashion. I would describe my style as : Preppy-Classy-Boho-Chic-Hipster like.
GO TRY IT ON: What are 5 facts that we must know about you?
GO TRY IT ON: What are the top 5 stores in Montreal and what do you go there for?
Grazia LIVE at David Beckham Launch for H&M! | Grazia Fashion -
Watch and drool…Happy What’s Happening Wednesday!
After dissecting J.Crew’s spring catalogue and dog earring it like a fashion magazine, we came-to and saw the light: the New York based brand founded in 1983 is hotter than ever! First, they implemented a more interactive experience to their website. Then they opted to showcase the talent of their in-house stylists who have throw together top of the line looks (looks so good we wonder if we can do the same)…see above! And finally, they managed to make their catalogue one to read, rather than one go straight from the mail to the trash—or recycling if you’re one of the good ones! Head to J.Crew (either online, in-store or in-book) to bulk up your spring wardrobe. And if you need a “how to put it all together” tutorial (even though the current collection is one giant outfit), visit J.Crew’s official blog or another gem, J.Crewing.
Sammy Brodsky is a sophomore in college mastering the art of juggling between studying for class, writing her blog A La Mode and working for Two.One.Five Magazine. Wondering how she manages to do all this and “time travel through clothing?” Read on!
GO TRY IT ON: Where are you from?
SAMMY: The suburbs of Philadelphia.
GO TRY IT ON: When and why did you start your blog, A La Mode?
SAMMY: I started my blog in January 2008 (around my 16th birthday). Growing up in a town where everyone looked and dressed the same it was hard to connect with people who shared my love and appreciation for fashion, so I started my blog or as I call it, my fashion diary. And now, four years later, I can connect with people who share my interests, while finding ways opportunities to further my career as a fashion writer. And I appreciate every moment of it.
GO TRY IT ON: You’re currently writing for Two.One.Five Magazine. Can you elaborate on your job with them?
SAMMY: I was recently hired to write for Two.One.Five Magazine’s style section to cover my an event on 1/26. Philly is a city with an amazing creative legacy, filled with talented people across industries and Two.One.Five is an online lifestyle magazine reflective of the true creative culture of Philadelphia, specifically music, style & events.
GO TRY IT ON: Being a student, how do you juggle your blog, work for Two.One.Five and class work?
SAMMY: I am a sophomore at Drexel University, and school comes first. Did I quote you there correctly mom? I try to complete my work/studying before blogging. Being a fashion blogger is definitely not easy, but juggling has become second nature.
GO TRY IT ON: Do your peers on campus take an interest in fashion, too? What inspires you?
SAMMY: Very few of my classmates share the same interest in fashion as I do. As far as what inspires me, a hat from the 1940’s does as much as an artist is inspired by a rocking chair. The hat and the rocking chair are the centerpiece that helps illustrate the larger and cohesive look, idea, and concept. Fashion is a form of art because it is an external, and aesthetically pleasing manifestation of self-expression. So I to get back to your question, my outfits tend to be vintage-inspired with a modern twist. I like to mix and match decades to create various and fun ensembles. When you think about it… how cool is that? You can time travel through clothing!
GO TRY IT ON: Where online do you find inspiration?
SAMMY: Refinery29 and StumbleUpon.
GO TRY IT ON: What are your favorite places to shop online?
SAMMY: Etsy, ModCloth, ShopRushe, Pixie Market, Bona Drag and Thread Sense.
GO TRY IT ON: What are your favorite places to shop offline?
SAMMY: There are a few cute thrift stores here in Philly like Bella Boutique, Retrospect, and Aids Thrift. I also really like Urban Outfitters and H&M because you either leave with nothing or something super cute hidden on the sales rack worth digging around for.
GO TRY IT ON: What is the biggest challenge, according to you, for people your age? How do you overcome it?
SAMMY: I’m at an age when people expect you to be an adult but treat you like a kid. On 1/31, I’ll turn 20 and while I am young, it’s scary because I am not a teenager anymore. The biggest challenge my age group seems to face is the overwhelming pressure to decide what to major in so you can graduate, get a good job, have a steady income. So, everyday I wake up and say to myself “never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about”.
In the spirit of award season (check out the Oscar Nominations here), we are excited about profound novels challenged by Hollywood and adapted to the big screen. To some these may be familiar stories, but even so, don’t knock a reread! Pick a book and catch the movie before the Oscars on Feb. 26—because who likes going to a concert without knowing the lyrics?
The Help
This page turner is just as riveting as the two hour film which received 4 Oscar nominations yesterday. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer (who steals the show!) takes us back to the days of inequality using love, sadness and a whole lot of sass to do so.
Moneyball
Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill took on Michael Lewis’ baseball hit in a film that got both of the stars an Oscar nomination. Pick up the book and get your a** to this movie!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Have you ever dreamed about being a fearless, leather wearing, motorcycle riding twenty something genius? Meet Lisbeth Salander, the novel’s protagonist who was played by Rooney Mara in a film that captured every image imagined while reading the mystery.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Here is a story about a boy who embarks on a journey to find a lock that fits to a key which belonged to his father—who died in 9/11. Tom Hanks and Sanrda Bullock star in this story up for best picture.
and for next year…
The Great Gatsby
A 3D adaptation of The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Long Island-set novel), stars Leonardo Dicaprio (as Gatsby), Toby McGuire, and Carey Mulligan. The film hits the big screen next Christmas which gives you time to familiarize yourself with this classic.
Early this Monday morning when our coffee cup was still heavy, we stumbled upon Who What Wear’s trend alert: Sheer Sleeves. Our minds immediately filled with images of ’90s legendary “it” girl, Cher Horowitz of Clueless. The blonde powerhouse introduced then-teenagers (now 20-somethings) to designers like Alaia, wheels like Wranglers and trends like plaid skirts—way before Brittney Spears. But one of Cher’s sexier more rebellious ensembles was the sheer blouse, which she donned in both white and black (portraying two very opposing attitudes). Today, we warmly welcome back this sexy but coy trend with pieces from Asos and Free People.
Happy Friday! To celebrate the weekend (as always) meet Susannah Edelbaum, the voice of fashion and tech behind The High Low. Upon each weeks close, we are entertained and taught through the wit and wisdom of our guests. Today is a particularly exciting conversation as GO TRY IT ON explores the fashion and tech marriage on a daily basis. To connect with Susannah, read and follow The High Low
GO TRY IT ON: Tell us about your background as a writer?
SUSANNAH: It’s all over the place. While I like writing on fashion’s tech-focused side, which is what I do now at The High Low, I’ve also written about galleries, old Italian restaurants in Brooklyn, and crime.
GO TRY IT ON: How did you become interested in both fashion and tech?
SUSANNAH: I’d written on fashion before, but found the way the industry is growing to embrace emerging technology to be one of its more interesting sides. And that was something I got expand on a lot after joining The High Low.
GO TRY IT ON: The fashion and tech industries have really overlapped in NYC this year. Why do you think that is?
SUSANNAH: It sounds nerdy, but fashion needs to explore its techie side — because yup, it has one — just to keep up with the times. People want interesting apps. They want to find cool things online in a unique way. And all that needs to translate to mobile, and to tablet-friendly form, and so on.
GO TRY IT ON: What are your favorite types of stories to cover and why?
SUSANNAH: Writing about sites that address a need and then fulfill it — like you guys! It’s interesting to see how technology enables such a broad spectrum of really useful web-based, fashion-focused start-ups to thrive.
GO TRY IT ON: Who is the most fascinating person you have interviewed and why?
SUSANNAH: I loved getting to interview Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, the co-founders of Of a Kind. They’re really cool and their site is so original. They offer exclusive, limited edition pieces with a lot of back story. It’s a really thorough, appealing concept.
GO TRY IT ON: What surprises you about today’s fashion and/or tech industry?
SUSANNAH: Just how much the one has embraced the other! I mean, just a few years ago, it seemed like the entire fashion industry was like, internet….what?
GO TRY IT ON: What excites you about it the fashion and/or tech industry?
SUSANNAH: Have you played around on any of the sites that let you design your own clothes in 3D? They’re pretty awesome. Check out UnitedStyles…I think what they’re doing is so fun. I feel like these really sleek yet DIY design sites will be way more mainstream in a few years.
GO TRY IT ON: Name your top 5 go-to apps right now:
SUSANNAH: Instagram, Foursquare, Pearescope (my friends made this, it’s still in beta but it’s going to be great), and iChakra. Oh, that’s only four. Sorry! I think I write and learn about apps more than I use them!
GO TRY IT ON: Favorite places to shop in NYC
SUSANNAH: Dear Fieldbinder, in Brooklyn, and the Century 21 down in Bay Ridge. It’s a little less crowded and way less picked over.
GO TRY IT ON: Favorite places to shop online (and how often do you shop them)?
SUSANNAH: Yoox and the Outnet — and I try to stay away (sort of) (maybe not really successfully).
GO TRY IT ON: When you’re not writing, you’re…(i know the answer but tell them!)
SUSANNAH: At my studio, tearing apart old electronics, mostly laptops and cell phones, and making the pieces into other shapes on canvas.
We recently came across the blog The Londoner which then led us to The Slutty Brownie: oh so easy, and more than a little bit filthy. If you’re feeling anything like we did yesterday at 4pm, then it’s impossible not to crave this decadent treat. The Londoner has provided The Slutty Brownie recipe, which you can whip up in no time to satisfy that sweet tooth. (And she reminds us, don’t forget to lick the bowl!)
Last night’s 69th annual Golden Globe’s gathered Hollywood’s A-list under one roof to toast actors’ talent over the past year. We’re here to toast their bods—or what covered them! Ladies like Michelle Williams, Angelina Jolie and Claire Danes covered up their assets with a high neckline and swept their tresses out of the way in a glamorous up do (not to mention, two of the three took home a trophy, but we’ll spare you the spoiler.) We’re wondering if this high neck, high hair combo will repeat itself on the Oscar red carpet in March…stay tuned.
We’d like to welcome Annie Chang to our Friday Focus! Through her blog Monkey Shines, Annie proves through her wardrobe that living in Durham looks no different than Paris as far as the dress code is concerned! Her ability to put an outfit together that is both on trend and functional is why you must add her as your personal stylist, follow her on twitter and of course, read and take not on her blog!
GO TRY IT ON: What is Durham, NC like? Have you lived there always? What is the fashion like there?
ANNIE: I just moved here half a year ago for grad school and I absolutely love it. Although it’s not a fashion focused city, the artists and musicians provide an artsy culture, which along with the weather and scenery, has been my inspiration.
GO TRY IT ON: What are your five favorite places to shop?
ANNIE:
GO TRY IT ON: Where does the name MonkeyShines come from and how did your blog come to be?
ANNIE: Monkeyshines means to have fun and prank which hints at what I intend to deliver!
GO TRY IT ON: How do you manage to wear so many individual pieces together at once, without looking overdone?
ANNIE: I am a big fan of layering and found a significant part of my closet are simple, plain pieces. To avoid looking overdone with layering, I try to compose my outfits with simple pieces and play with the lengths.
GO TRY IT ON: What’s your secret to accessorizing?
ANNIE: I love bunching up bracelets but often wear one statement piece and add some fun too the look with thinner bangles/bracelets. I definitely pick most of my accessories depending on my mood of the day!
GO TRY IT ON: What’s your favorite aspect about fashion today?
ANNIE: I love the strong comeback of retro and vintage trends.
GO TRY IT ON: Who are your 5 favorite people to follow on twitter?
ANNIE: Other than all my friends, I love voguemagazine, CFDA and refinery29.
GO TRY IT ON: How long have you been a member of GO TRY IT ON?
ANNIE: About half a year. I enjoy the user friendliness, and I also like the nearly-instant responses from other users.
GO TRY IT ON: Who takes your photos (we love how artistic they are!)
ANNIE: My sister is my photographer in Taiwan, and my friend from grad school is my current photographer in Durham.