TopShop – Street Chic Canada

By Nyamal, Miss Teen Medicine Hat 2017

“I like to push the barriers when it comes to fashion” – Nyamal

I could not have said it better myself. Fashion is an expression of both emotion and character. Every person alive adds more flavour to the world of fashion by daring to be unapologetic and adding their own flare to their outfits.

With this definition in mind, I could not have found better individuals to take part in this article with me.

Our first model is Mervat, a 19 year old college student who aspires to be a paramedic. She is outgoing, talkative, supporting, and the type of person who fills the room with energy simply by entering.

For this shoot we’d agreed to take photos at six pm on College Dr. She decided to wear something a little more casual sporting vintage denim jeans with a “Bad influence” graphic halter top with threaded roses. She had purchased her trendy top at Urban Planet and thrifted her Levi jeans from a friend. She accessorizes with a pair of sunglasses and beaded flower sandals. Adding a bit of colour with a camel, braided leather belt from Bluenotes she managed to create an outfit that’s tré cute but manageable.

I think my favourite thing about this look is that it’s inexpensive, quick to put together, and comfortable. All three things that are important when considering an outfit that will take you from the busy, lesson filled days to late night study sessions as a college student.

I choose to take photos of her at the college because it holds a lot of memories and emotions for me and many others. Medicine Hat College offers a place of enjoyment and learning for its students and hatters alike. In the summer it provides camps for children and preteens. It also holds academic assistance for middle-schoolers and high-schoolers during the school year – I for one owe my successful school year to the program and study groups I was able to have at the college. Not only does the college act as a beacon of educational success but it adds more multiculturalism to our city with the many international students it holds.

With a mixture of retro and modern trend Merv rocks a confident and casual street style for a summer afternoon.

Our second look today is at Belle an 18 year old free spirit who is hands down one of the most exciting people you will ever meet. She is a dedicated hard worker currently holding two jobs at David’s Tea and Marshalls, both located in Medicine Hat mall. With a great love for friends and a soul meant to wonder she loves to take adventures. Being the wildheart she is she loves to take risks with her style. Today she decided to pair a fitted cotton-mesh black bodysuit from Garage with dark denim Hollister jean shorts and simple black flip flops for a cute summer look. A flattering outfit for checking out the nightlife downtown with friends.

For accessories, she gives us a small, grey, textured Guess coin purse with stunning shimmering and beige nails to give the look a little more glam factor.

The third look was created by Jordyn, an intelligent young lady that carries a sense of mature, calm about herself. Jordyn is 18 years old and currently working at the Cineplex before attending University in the Fall. She enjoys reading, soccer, driving, and listening to some of her favourite musicians such as 21 pilots and Halsey. She is a witty and creative individual with an amazing talent for painting. With a style that’s typically a little more alternative and hipster, Jordyn brings a blue and white graphic tee referencing the classic film Clueless complimented by a denim pairing of shorts and a baseball cap. Whatever shift on blue tie dye patterm t shirt Medicine Hat Alberta

She adds to the outfit with a pair of white and pink Nike trainers. Some may be against rips in clothing but I personally feel that a tear like this gives the top a small but adequate amount of character.

Credit for where you can purchase the clothing is given to Forever 21 for the shirt and Garage for her jeans.

Jordyn has a casual outfit with just a bit of edge; its perfect for catching a flick at the movies.

wheat foreground, lady poses in M3edicine hat with blue jeans cap and cotton shirt, tank top

Eighteen year old Micayla involves herself in anything that revolves around the arts; it’s no wonder she’s able to wear such a bright coloured clothes and look stunning in daring outfits. The future student of Calgary University describes her overall style as more European inspired although she pulls inspiration from everywhere.

For one of her looks Micayla sports a red v neck came from Garage costing $10.00 with an American Apparel bomber jacket that had costed her $120.00. For bottoms she styles Levis wedgie fit denim at the price of $130.00 and adds unique flare and colour with the addition of her $30.00 Topshop floral pink mule heels. She accessorizes this look with Guay Australia round frame shades and a Calvin Klein denim hat. The sunglasses prices at $75.00 and the cap at $45.00. This look is as high-end and beautiful as her second look.

For her second look, Micayla paired her vibrant floral heels with a full Topshop outfit consisting of a white ¾ sleeve ribbed, high neck sweater with blue suit cigarette trousers. Her outfit total being $30.00 for the top and $60.00 for the bottoms. She also uses a silver ring from south Africa and a black leather purse for accessories. blue cigarette trousers with white top in Medicine Hat Alberta

The way the pink heels and vibrant blue bottoms compliment each other is simply stunning.

Due to the artistic nature of Micayla and Jordyn some photos of the trio took place in front of the Esplanade located on 1 St SE. The Esplanade holds art shows, concerts, plays, and other events. It is a cultural hub open to all and meaningful to many.

Other photos were all taken on 2 St WE in downtown Medicine Hat from 8 to 9 pm. I felt this was the perfect place to take photos because the beauty of the streets, the gas lights, and it is also the location one of our long standing local business.

The Monarch Theatre is Canada’s oldest operating movie theatre. The theatre remains relevant playing new movies and also allows viewers to enjoy classical films now and then. Many citizens in the Hat hold fond memories here such as watching movies together with their father or spending times with friends.

gas lights in Medicine Hat Alberta The gas lights brighten up the streets of downtown Medicine Hat, and serve as a reminder of the importance of natural gas to the city.

Although we may not be a bustling fashion district, inspiring the next fall fashion week, we are a city filled with quality characters, risk takers, and unique fashions. Medicine Hat is a small city with a rich history and many beautiful locations as well as amazing people. Being able to spend time with my models and take a minute to appreciate our surroundings I think it’s safe to say that Medicine Hat has a lot to offer via fashion and amazing personality.

Save

By Tina, Miss Teen British Columbia 2017
Photos by Tamara Guerino

Fashion in downtown Vancouver displays how young women and men can express themselves freely while feeling comfortable in their own skin, which I think is undoubtedly one of the most important and fascinating functions of fashion! For this blog assignment, I decided to shoot Vancouver’s signature styles on Granville street, which I think is an accurate representation of what downtown Vancouver is like: high-fashion, glamorous, but also serene and beautiful all at the same time.

There are many young women and men in this city with busy lifestyles who like to dress themselves with a pop of personality that shows off their character and preferences, so that’s mainly what I had wanted to capture. The city’s tall, towering buildings also make a nice scenic view, combined with the buzz of laughter and conversation, as well as the rush of people passing by with their coffee, it’s the perfect place to bask in the city ambience. This street’s abundance of designer stores and brands has clearly shown in the people who patronized it, everyone has on a variety of eye-catching and bold clothing. It’s rather hard to conclude everyone’s style into one phrase because of how unique each individual’s outfit is, so let me take you on a walk down Granville street, Vancouver BC!

Here is Alissa; I felt it was important to get to know our subjects and learn about what lead them to their personal fashion choices. Alissa is fourteen years old and currently a high school student, but she frequently visits the downtown area of Vancouver with friends to hit the shopping centres and to embrace the local city atmosphere.

Alissa’s very kindhearted and outgoing, she loves to socialize and have a good time. As you can see from the picture, she loves the casual look with simple, but well-paired colours. With a white trendy off the shoulder top with flounce cuffs from Forever 21, classic yet urban ripped denim jeans from American eagle, and a laid-back flannel from Garage. She accessorized with a black leather bag from a thrift shop and some plain white Converse sneakers. The whole apparel gives off an unsophisticated modern vibe, with the flannel giving it a colourful kick and cotton top adding a nice feminine touch. Alissa feels that her fashion inspiration comes from the one and only fashion icon Kendall Jenner, who has a similar casual and chic style in her daily life. With the entire outfit under 200 dollars, it perfectly showcases a teenager’s wardrobe necessities, and how you don’t have to buy expensive or extravagant fashion pieces to pull together a great look!

Our second model is 18 year-old Philip, who has just graduated high school and is moving on to university! He pursues sports in his free time, but other than his basketball shorts and runners, his wardrobe contains quite a few well-developed and bold statement-pieces for nights out with friends, or just a casual stroll down Granville.

He wore a basic white tee from Old Navy, a light blue denim shirt from H&M rolled up to show off those forearms, white ripped jeans from Pacsun, small sunglasses from Ray-Ban, and camel-coloured boots from Tokyo, Japan! The white, blue, and camel colours contrasted nicely, making the ensemble look clean, put-together, but nonetheless expressive and stylish.

Phillip likes to emphasize on comfort and material in his everyday fashion choices, he likes to wear things that have a great fit but still look pleasing to the eye, and something that will give him mobility and allow him to stay active throughout the day. “The more tight the more right” does not exactly accommodate his beliefs when it comes to his own clothing. This outfit is a bit more high-end, and overall provides a relaxed and slightly business casual feeling while simultaneously illuminating Phillip’s personality as an athlete and socially active teen.

Next up is Jessica. She’s fifteen years old going on grade ten, and she is all for fashionable outfits that are expressive but also uncomplicated. She appreciates different unique items that work perfectly as a combination. Jessica on Granville St in downtown Vancouver wears ripped jeans and mauve blouse with leather purse

Jessica is especially intrigued by the city lifestyle, is always up for venturing and it comes out in her cool outfit! With a blue and white striped off the shoulder shirt from forever 21, ripped jeans from Topshop, high heel black booties from Nordstrom, cute watch from Michael Kors, and black bag from Coach, Jessica rocks the sweet and stylish look, giving us a glance at her vivid, independent, and creative personality. Jessica looks up to iconic Selena Gomez for fashion inspiration, because she sees herself in Sel and adores the trendy and bold vibes. Well, I don’t know about everyone else, but I can totally see an awesome Pop Star in Jessica, she is absolutely killing it!

Roaming the streets of Vancouver, and seeing everyone’s fashion choices made me realize that when you’re out and about, comfort is the key, and also that regardless of what you wear, as long as you feel good, nothing else matters. I think people’s love for fashion is not just about the artificial aspects like brand and material, but rather how confident you feel when you put on an outfit, and how satisfying it is to look in the mirror and really be proud of your reflection. Which is especially important for people who live in big cities like Vancouver, who should take the time to shop for their ideal outfits and take the time to appreciate and celebrate themselves amid their crazy and hectic lives. Because that’s what fashion should really be about, something to make your strides just a little bigger, yourself a lot more confident, and your day much better.

Fashion will always be a one-size-fits-all, because anyone can pull together a great look even with a smaller budget, and everyone can and should express themselves through how they dress.

From what I’ve seen, fashion in vancouver in three words would be: simple, stylish, satisfying. I loved seeing how everyone’s outfit showed the world a significant aspect of their life and diverse personalities, and I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks about these three wonderful teenagers and their outfits! I hope you all enjoyed catching a glimpse of Granville downtown street chic.

Save

Posts

The Many Fashions of Medicine Hat Alberta

Downtown Glam on Granville Street in Vancouver