Photos by Tara-Kay Palermo

This fashion season the basic combination of black and white is more than a wardrobe staple, it’s a trend!

Achromatic pieces have been filling magazine pages for months and because this look is so simple there is no excuse not to try it!

I am rocking the trend in a Line Knitwear cashmere sweater, a leather skirt and Zara platform sandals.

After two years of solo blogging I am SO excited to announce that the blog FINALLY has a beauty guru!!

Beauty queen and expert Tara-Kay Palermo will be regularly guest blogging on Lo’s Stylebook, providing you with all the makeup tips, tricks and trends you need to know!

Since the first day of the Fashion Management and Promotions program at Humber College, Tara-Kay and I have been inseparable. After spending so much time together I quickly realized that not only does her makeup always look absolutely flawless, she knows a ton about the cosmetics industry!

Tara-Kay has always been interested in cosmetics and her love for makeup is actually what brought her to Humber College. When she isn’t watching how-to makeup videos on You Tube, she is interning at PK Communications, a communications company that specializes in the cosmetic industry.

So put your hands together for the newest addition to Lo’s Stylebook and stay posted to see what Tara-Kay has in store!

-Lo

Is it just me or does fashion seem to be much more liberal in the spring?

Not liberal in terms of shorter hemlines but unconventional in a sense, like pairing wacky patterns and bright colours.

Mint and floral may be too bold for fall fashion, however in spring they are a splendid combination.

Want to steal my look? Shop Zara for my floral pants and Aritzia for my minty-coloured blouse.

photos by Tara-Kay Palermo

Dressing androgynous makes me feel sexy.

This might seem strange because wearing manly, baggy clothing hides the body parts you are supposed to reveal, like a little leg or cleavage, to be attractive.

But, what makes me feel sexy is feeling empowered. Something about the way my boyfriend fit jeans sag and the loose comfort of a casual T-shirt make me feel strong and confident.

Luckily for me, the fashion pendulum has swung towards a more minimalistic, grungy, androgynous look this season.  So essentially it has never been a better time to raid your boyfriend’s closet!

Steal my look by pairing Jbrand boyfriend fit jeans with the perfect men’s T-shirt by PYA Black Label.

Photos by Kimberly Ivany

Unfortunately since I am still a student I am stuck in exam hell while it seems like everyone is going to be jamming their hearts out in Cali.

But, just because I can’t attend doesn’t mean I can’t pretend!

In Coachella spirit I made my own amethyst necklace and paired it with a pleated maxi skirt for a boho chic look.

Photos above by Tara-Kay Palermo

As noted in Vogue magazine, Prada’s brightly coloured fur shawls, Givenchy’s furry sunglasses and Celine’s fuzzy sandals are just some of the items previously relegated to fall collections, until now!

We’ve had discussions at school about how changing weather patterns, call it global warming if you will, have virtually allowed fall wardrobes to become spring wardrobes and visa versa.

This means that the fuzz on the spring runway is just as much for shock value as it is for practicality. Embrace the trend and you will be reaching for your sunglasses AND your favourite furry accessory this season!

Photos by Tara-Kay Palermo

From the cozy belted knits to the metallic skirts, the entire collection was somewhat futuristic yet approachable, comfortable and casual. The models in simple white turtle necks and round sunglasses gave the collection a semi-galatic feel, but the thick, wooly knits brought the clothing back to earth.

My adrenaline was pumping as the models with their hair loosely tucked into a the necks of their sweaters bounced down the runway to an upbeat sound track featuring a remix of Lana Del Rey.

Those sitting in the rows around me couldn’t stop raving out loud or on Twitter about how fantastic they thought the collection was.

Since I attended the fashion show with my internship I was only able to capture the event through the lense of my iPhone.

Check out what I wore and see the runway show from start to finish below!

I had to wear black on black, so I wore a black leather skirt from a boutique in Toronto, a silk Aritzia blouse, a silk Aritzia slip dress underneath and a J. Crew necklace to spice up all that black!

The snowy weather forced me to wear my black suede fur collared coat to stay warm!

The magical designer team pass!

In between runway shows. 

Preparing for the Line Knitwear runway show.

A look from the Line Knitwear runway show.

Another look from the Line Knitwear runway show.

The finale of the Line Knitwear runway show.

Designers of Line Knitwear, John and Jenn, pose with models wearing the collection after the show as they wait for the media.

The media scrum crowded around John and Jenn!

I already cannot wait for next year!

Obviously us Canadians aren’t able to wear block heeled sandals just yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start playing with other spring trends that are appropriate for the slushy, snow rain outside.

Two easy spring 2013 fashion trends to try right now are boyfriend fit jeans and electrifying neon hues.

I paired my J Brand jeans with a sleeveless neon blouse, layering it with a sweater to stay toasty, and added another pop of neon with a necklace from J. Crew to pull the outfit together.

Adding a neon accessory to complete your look is probably the easiest way to stay on trend this season whether the weather is warm or not!

Thanks Tara Kay Palermo for playing photographer and taking some great pics!

Follow me to stay up to date in between blog posts.

I recently started interning with a super cool PR company here in Toronto, which only two weeks in is already giving me so much insight into the fashion industry. I’m really excited about all the experience I am going to gain and everything I am going to learn while interning.

So long story short my internship is how I was able to style and photograph my lovely model Tara-Kay in Costa Blanca attire at the Eaton Centre a few days ago. We had so much fun and we found a lot of great pieces to mix and match. Tara-Kay couldn’t help but purchase a few items!

Florals and brights from the Spring 2013 collection are now hitting the Costa Blanca stores and I would recommend popping in to check out the new merchandise because you might be able to find an inexpensive piece that you can look forward to wearing when the weather warms up!