Olympic Fashion - The Real Competition

This February, all eyes will be on Canada as Vancouver plays host to the 2010 Winter Olympics. While the athletes are ostensibly the focus, I think the real competition starts at the opening ceremonies with each country displaying their team uniforms.

So where will Canada stand on the sartorial podium come February?

In the past, Team Canada has been a little - let's face it - lame, when it comes to Olympic apparel. The European teams were so chic, and no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't compete with their fashion-forward looks. Anyone remember the frenzied eyesore of the Beijing Olympic clothes?


This year there's extra pressure on Canada as the host country to present Olympic apparel that people will actually want to buy. When visitors come from around the world, they'll be expecting to find souvenirs they won't be embarrassed to wear.

Luckily, HBC did not disappoint. I'll admit I was initially skeptical of the choice of designer (were Dean and Dan busy?), but the Bay won me over with their line.


The kitschy Canadiana theme - lumberjack shirts, trapper hats and all, is just irresistible. Practical, laid-back, and not afraid to poke fun at the Canadian image on the world stage, the clothing presents a distinctly Canadian aesthetic.

Finally, our Olympic clothing is as unique as our country. Now that's gold-medal worthy, in my opinion.

The New "It" Girl - Your Mom?

For most people, the term "it girl" conjures images of the likes of Serena Van Der Woodsen, Sienna Miller, or maybe even an Olsen twin.

But according to an article in Monday's Globe and Mail, a new, suprising "it" girl is emerging - your mom.

On blogs like My Parents Were Awesome and My Mom, The Style Icon, the stylish sensibilities of mothers are on display as readers submit pictures of their parents. Think of it as a sort of vintage sartorialist.

But don't expect mom jeans and fanny packs. No, these are moms from the carefree days before kids, mortgages and responsibilities. These moms, before they were moms, display enough "it" factor to rival any modern pretty young thing.



I am reminded of a conversation I had with a friend of mine recently, about the charm of looking through our grandparents' old photo albums. We were both fascinated by the photos of our parents from before we were born, looking just like we do when we're out with our friends. These pictures are no different from the pictures we display in our Facebook photo albums.

I wonder if the rise of this new vintage "it" girl comes from a collective exhaustion with cookie-cutter cool. We want to look up to real people, and not plastic starlets. And really, if you're going to look up to anyone for fashion inspiration, why not your own mom?

Maybe I'll even send in some of my mom's pictures to My Parents Were Awesome.

What do you say? Are any of your moms former "it" girls?

Welcome "It" Readers!

Admit it: there's something about those two little letters that is undeniably intriguing.

The pursuit of the "it" factor has plagued fashionistas, culture junkies, marketing mavens and everyday, ordinary consumers long before the "it" bag became a Vogue institution.

Trying to define the undefinable "it" is impossible - it's that certain quality that makes a person, product, style, song or trend unmistakeably cool.

In this blog, I'll offer my own humble musings on the ever-elusive "it" factor - in style, beauty, music, culture, and anything making headlines. What is it about these "it" topics that allures us, and why are we so captivated by cool? What does this say about us and the culture we live in? And what, exactly, is the "it" colour for 2010? For my thoughts on these questions, frivolous and profound, keep reading.

This blog is for the "it" girl or guy in all of us...