HYPE em' up style

I grant you permission.

Negotiating Neon

Excuse me while I stand on my imaginary pedestal of L.E.D. lit self-righteousness, but I hated each and every one of you who wore neon anything this past summer, you obnoxious attention-seekers, you. 

The bright orange nails, those goddamn trendy satchel bags available in any visually offending fluorescent hue available to Pantone-kind, and every blonde who dyed her hair pink because apparently, your genetically-predisposed VIP pass for fun just isn't enough and you had to go rub it in every wanting brunette's face by making your head look like the aftermath of a Hello Kitty-themed Sweet-Sixteen slumber party.

Anyways, my metaphorical period ended, I stopped taking extra-strength Advil (one is NEVER enough) and as the weather starts sucking on a continuous basis, I have rectified my aforementioned hostility with the neon colour palette and welcomed it into my wardrobe to counteract the death-sentence that is a looming Montreal winter.

Black Top: Vintage | White Mesh Pullover: Vintage | Lime Mesh Sweater: Genevieve Savard | Leather Jacket: Only NYC | Blue Shorts: New Balance | Bag: Topshop Vintage | Creeper Boots: Alexander Wang

And now I am content in the self-proclaimed irony of my electric blue hot pants. This winter, your retinas are in for it. Just. You. Wait.

Blogging from The Backroom

Today I snuck into a backroom and, like I regretfully confessed earlier, no scandalous sexual encounters were had there (I blame this on laundry day being synonymous with ugly underwear day). But, although I didn't find any racy/lacy number to replace the aforementioned granny panties, I did find what is the beginning of a very solid collection of unique vintage, re-worked and student designer fashion finds which will be available to the fashion-hungry style setters of Montreal when The Backroom, our city's newest fashion retail destination for both ladies and gents, opens next Friday May 4th at 1445 Rue Lambert-Closse following an exclusive launch party where the beats will be poppin', the booze will be guzzlin', and I, in my bubbly-buzzed stupor may make uninformed purchasing decisions. (I already have my eye on a grey mesh racer-back tank top and if anyone swipes it off of me, I cannot promise non-violent repercussions and/or concussions. (Think Monica in Friend's wedding dress episode circa season 7)).

Run by three College Lasalle students, Marie, Rachel and Karen, who chose not to wait until the typical after graduation "now I better get my shit together" career-launching point to open up their first retail store, The Backroom is retail done refreshingly: locally-owned, locally-shopped, and locally-designed or sourced. And in a lapse of good judgement on their part, The Backroom's owners have nominated me as their official blogger in covering the store's launch party and grand opening. 

 Follow me here, here and here for more sneak-peak posts from The Backroom next week and for a visual collage of who wore what at the launch party. And I promise to wear nicer knickers this time. And I promise never to say "knickers" again. Promise.

Country Mouse: A Photo Shoot

If like me, you have a penchant for drop-crotch jeans and ethnically-inspired bath robes cloaks and (in a funny sort of circumstance that Alanis Morissette might categorize as "ironic") you grew up in the country, you were either a) shot, b) the victim of an "accidental" tractor hit-and-run, or c) married off to one of your numerous third cousins with the intention of locking down your "charming eccentricities" until complete eradication was achieved. 

Luckily I got out before experiencing any of the above. And upon my recent visit to the country from Montreal, I was surprisingly not shot by one of my John-Deere driving, long-barrelled-gun toting neighbours, but rather, was shot through the lens of my brother's camera, being all freaky deaky fashion-y on the dock. Neighbours stared. It's okay. I am a bona fide rural reject.

Cloak - Vintage 

                   

Mews: An Homage to Fashion and Beer

shot by Danik of Montreal Street Fashion

Last Thursday night, I cheated on my detox. I had a beer and a vodka soda. I felt.......like a fat kid discovering Nutella ashamed and regretful. What monster rendered me incapable of maintaining my valiant self-discipline after 2 bereft weeks without coffee (amongst other glorious dietary staples) made even more enjoyable with the addition of a delicious liver cleanse cocktail featuring olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and ginger? 

Who are these culprits? 

1) My growing suspicion that my mother drank throughout her pregnancy coupled with...

2) MEWS 

Once a month, Montrealers in weird clothes have been gathering at the Royal Phoenix Bar to celebrate local, underground fashion design and art care of MEWS, which is probably just a play on words of the word "muse" but is more likely Franglais for "party time is now." And at MEWS, Danik and Dina of Die Young Die Happy Productions create a breeding ground for unbridled creative talent as well as future Alcoholics Anonymous Gold Star members; a winning combination if you ask me. For its third time around, MEWS showcased the knitting genius of Maude Nibelungen, followed by Aries & Leander (whose line featured  butterflies sprouting from collars) and finished off with the stupidly artistic Melina Mannaz.

There were no false pretences of importance, no post-plastic-surgery upturned noses, and no pre-conceived notions of first-row entitlement at this fashion event. In ditching the diva facade, MEWS reminds me why I truly love fashion and why I think beer brings me closer to God. 

Louis (delaineetdesatin.blogspot.com), Alex and Olivier (aromespourlaretine.blogspot.com)

Marie, Me & Moustache

All photos of me belong to Danik Yopp, the rest are MINE....(betches).