Breaking the (Fashion) Rules - 5 Fashion Myths Debunked

People often say that rules are made to be broken. While we do like to consider ourselves law abiding citizens here at Canvas, there is one place where we love to break the rules - in fashion! We have no problem wearing white after Labor Day, mixing brown and black together or clashing prints. In fact, we kind of love it!

Here are 5 Common Fashion Myths that we think men and women should throw right out the door. Trust us...

MYTH #1: NO WHITE AFTER LABOR DAY
This 20th century fashion rule just doesn't apply in the game of fashion anymore. For proof, just look at all the gorgeous white items that designers are sending down F/W runways including white pants, skirts and even shoes. Plus, there is something very refreshing about a crisp white sweater or jacket with dark pants in the middle of winter.

MYTH #2: MIXING PATTERNS
For the first time last week we heard the term power clashing patterns and it's stuck. It's the perfect way to describe taking two bold patterns and wearing them together (check out our Instagram from last Friday for a great example on Kimberly). Thanks to designers like Dries Van Noten, mixing patterns has become popular again. If you're not sure how to wear it, remember to always keep the scale in mind. Mix a small scale pattern with a larger print to create visual interest. Go for thin stripes and a bold floral or small checks and a large plaid. 

MYTH #3: YOU CAN'T WEAR NAVY AND BLACK TOGETHER
Whether it's navy and black or black and brown, they can all be worn together. Think of it as combining two neturals together. For men, trying wear a navy suit with a white shirt and black dress shoes. For women, we love a navy blazer with black pants or a deep blue dress with classic black pumps.

MYTH #4: HORIZONTAL STRIPES ARE NOT FLATTERING
We get asked about this a lot. And despite popular belief, horizontal stripes look good on most body types. The trick is picking the right scale of the stripe to match your body type. If you tend to be slimmer, a smaller stripe on a fitted item will tend to give the illusion of curves. If you have more of an hourglass shape, opt for a thicker stripe in a relaxed fit.

MYTH #5: ALWAYS COORDINATE YOUR ACCESSORIES
For ages, the myth that your bag, belt and shoes all need to match has been floating around. We are here to clear this up. If you have a black bag, your shoes and belt do not need to be black as well. A playful mix of accessories is an easy way to elevate any look.

Totes Chic - Everyday Bags for Fall

When we find a bag that we love, we tend to hold onto it for as long as possible. I finally looked at Kimberly the other day and declared that it was time to retire my current go-to bag, which has spent almost every day and countless hours of pulling for clients with me. 

When you are on the go most of the day, it's key to have a bag that not only looks good, but is durable, comfortable to carry and fits all of your essentials (and some non-essentials). Bonus points if it starts to look better over time as it gets broken in.  While I haven't committed to my new Fall bag yet, here are a few contenders that both Kimberly and I love for a practical yet stylish everyday bag.

1. Jack Spade Coal Dipped Tote, $198 - Yes, this is technically a men's bag. But it is also perfect for women too. It's incredibly durable, has tons of room and comes in great color combinations.

2. Longchamp Le Piliage Neo Backpack, $350 - Backpacks are a huge trend for all both both men and women. A fun throwback to our school days, this one is a modern twist on an old school staple.

3. Matt & Nat Baxter Tote, $135 - Matt & Nat is known for their amazing vegan bags. This tote is roomy, comfortable enough to carry all day and has a snap closure to keep wandering hands from dipping into your bag.

*Bonus - If you are looking for a great bag at an incredible price, check out Buxton's Simplicity Shopper Tote in black or natural. It looks rich, is extra large and is a style homerun!

New Podcast: How to Recharge Your Hair for Fall

Guys and Gals, have you had a fun summer full of pool time, sunshine or travel?  By the end of the season, its likely that your hair has lost some of its luster. 

In our latest podcast we sat down with Lena Garcia of Steel&Lacquer Salon to talk about the ONE thing you can do to prepare your hair for a new season.

Listen To Our Podcast Now

**Podcast Product Information

label.m Deep Cleansing Shampoo

Holiday hair must-have to remove seawater and chlorine Sodium Chloride free

How to Dress for a Music Festival- No Daisy Chain Required

Summer may be rolling to an end quicker than any of us would like, but there are still plenty of music festivals on the horizon in San Francisco to keep you outside and enjoying the last of the warm weather (Treasure Island and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass to name a few). 

Music festival dressing has become rather mainstream in the past year, with retailers like H&M carrying Coachella collections that channel the inner boho and flower child in concert goers. But don't dust off your cut-off shorts just yet, we have other ideas on how to dress for a day of dancing outside. Check out our Pinterest Board of music festival wear for the non-Coachella crowd. It's full of clean lines, nautical stripes and bright pops of color - minus the fringe.

Happy Friday,
M&K

The Simple Summer Salad We Can't Get Enough Of...

When schedules are tight and temperatures are high, the thought of cooking an elaborate meal in a warm kitchen is just not appealing to the Canvas Gals.  Lighter meals and simple, healthy eating is just our style in the summer and this salad inspired by a friend's recipe has evolved and become a staple. So, we thought we would pass it along to you too!

Summer Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C Arugula
• 1-2 Green Figs
• 2 T Fresh Blueberries
• 1/4 Steamed Corn (cut off the cob)
• 1 T Gorgonzola Cheese
• Rosemary Olive Oil
• Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

Add Arugula to a bowl and add green figs sliced in quarters, blueberries, and corn. Top with Gorgonzola cheese and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Add cracked pepper to taste and enjoy!

Alternatives:

Also excellent with white peaches and grilled chicken for a heartier meal.

It's in the Bag: What cool things are we toting this Summer?

The last few weeks have been hot by San Franciscan standards, somewhat alarmingly so. Leaving the house in the morning without a scarf and jacket tucked away for later has been liberating.  However, like some scientific based equation, we've found new "must have" items to fill our bags with.  

What are our THREE top items we've been toting to beat the heat? 

Kimberly-

1. TiZO3 Mineral Based Sunscreen: This is my go to facial sunscreen that blocks out all the harmful rays.  It acts like a good primer under foundation and sometimes I wear it alone in place of make up.

2. L.Florem Collection, Pulse Point Roll-On Parfum, Flora Di Mare Stronger scents tend to hold up more in the heat and I like this white flower based parfum with sea salt and wood notes that keep it fresh and not overly floral.

3. Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Papers (Blotting Papers): There is a fine line between the fresh dewy look and too shiny.  A good blotting paper midday will keep you in check. 

Megan-

1. elf Mineral Primer- It covers pores and locks makeup in place.

2. iPhone with Nicolas Jaar on SoundCloud

3. A Tupperware of frozen grapes as a sweet treat to cool off outside.

Menswear: Stepping Out of the Box with Colored Socks

Men, are you looking to add a fresh twist to your work wardrobe without stepping too far outside the box (though for the month of August we are encouraging everyone to go BOLD)? Try swapping out your regular black dress socks for pairs with bright colors and fun patterns.

When it comes to wearing colored socks there are no rules. Just think of the outfits that you're likely to be wearing and look for colors to complement your pants and shirts. Pops of red, orange, purple and yellow are especially popular right now. Most importantly, have fun with it!

Colored socks can come as cheap as three pairs for $20 at Gap, run $55 a pair at retailers like Paul Smith and go up to $185 at Barneys. When in doubt  always go for Happy Socks, one of our favorite brands who became popular for their use of vibrant colors and whimsical prints.

Happy Socks, $12

Alexander McQueen mini skull socks, $80

Topman stripe & dot socks, $6

Wardrobe Basics: Does Your Bra Fit? Must Have Pieces and an Intimate Look at True&Co.

The first step in working with a new client is making sure they have the right foundation to build off.  For ladies that often means having the right support and underpinnings that are comfortable and enhance your natural shape.

Because finding the best fit for our clients is our focus we have been keeping tabs on SF based, True&Co. and their mission to revolutionize the way you shop online for lingerie. 

What we love about True&Co. is their focus that every woman has different needs in intimate wear and should feel beautiful. After a brief on boarding survey on their site you are assigned a point to where you fall on their color coded Fit Spectrum and given specific examples of their designs that may fit our shape.

So, when we had the opportunity to visit their headquarters for a custom fitting we jumped at the chance to see their full collection in person...and act as a product guinea pig for our clients (you are welcome).

Here are our findings from our in person fit session (and yes we did stay awhile--shout out Thank You to the team that helped us!!):

So, how did their automated online suggestions pan out in person? They were pretty accurate and suggested fits we historically have avoided but surprisingly worked! Noted, it was extremely helpful to be able to try a range of sizes in person to start instead of ordering two sizes as some styles ran small. Ordering online from now on will be a breeze since we have a sense of the general fit and fabrics.

Sizing: Currently True&Co. offers sizes ranging from 32a to 38dd/ee.

What impressed us:

• Color and Style Selection
• Quality of Lace
• Design Details (many bras converted to racerbacks)
• Products Hold Up to Wash and Wear

What we look forward to seeing in the future:

• Better Color Matching Between Straps and Body Fabric (Admittedly we are a tough crowd! The Ballet Pink Bra we ordered was slightly off and gave the bra an "already lived in" look.)
• More Matching/Coordinating Bra & Panty Sets in Seasonal Colors
• The AMAZING Sports Bra that we tried on, but won't be available till this fall.
• Fewer Seams in Their "Seamless" Hidden Hipster. We still prefer the Commando brand that only has one center back seam versus True's version with a center back seam and side seams.

Where to start?

Every woman should start with a good set of basics that will wear well under just about anything.  The best place to start would be a nude t-shirt bra and seamless underwear.  Both should be the invisible multi-taskers of your lingerie drawer.

When should I be fit?

If you already know your size and preferences, online via True&Co. or another retailer is a great place to begin.  However, if you haven't been fit in a while or have had a change (i.e. had a baby or lost more than 5lbs.) we recommend you go for an in person fitting. Nordstrom and Bloomingdales have trained fitters that can help you find your correct size which save time and money in the long run.

Stay Stylish,

Kimberly & Megan

New Podcast: Unmade- Key Makeup Tips to Keep You Flawless

Wondering how to keep your makeup looking fresh in the late summer heat? For our latest podcast we teamed up with Angela Womack, a local Bay Area makeup artist and Laura Mercier pro, to find out what items every woman should be stocking in her makeup bag.

Listen To Our Podcast Now

Angela shared her three makeup must-haves for summer. Shop her favorites below.

1. Translucent Powder

Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder, $34 

2. Skin Brightening Pen

YSL Touche Eclat Brightening Pen, $42

3. Colorful Lipstick

Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Color, $28

What is all this talk about Capsules?

For the month of July we devoted our wardrobes to capsule dressing. A capsule simply put is a small wardrobe that contains minimal pieces that easily mix and match together to create different looks.  Think of it as a module for efficient outfitting. 

Only able to wear 31 pre-selected items, we weren't sure what we were getting into. Would we miss having a larger variety of clothing to choose from? Would we get tired of the same pieces? Would we just wear the same outfit everyday?

It turns out having a capsule wardrobe makes getting ready in the morning a lot easier. What makes a capsule collection great is the efficiency in outfitting. With less to pick from, we were able to select items quickly and go. Plus it had us feeling more creative and inspired to find new ways to wear pieces and gave us room to play around with accessories.   

Here are a few of our favorite outfits from July. Visit our Pinterest Page for a round-up of all of our looks.

Capsules can be used for travel wardrobes or seasonal wardrobes that fold into a later wardrobe of all items in your closet. So what is all the rage and how do I build one? 

Here are our learnings and tips on how to build your own. 

1. Pick Your Favorites- A good seasonal capsule wardrobe has between 31-40 pieces (some say 37 is the magic number). If there are items you love to wear, make sure they are included.
2. Throw Fear Out The Window- Remember that you are only wearing these items for few months. Don't stress about whether you should have included a certain piece. You will always have time to wear it down the road.
3. Embrace Accessories- The easiest way to change up an outfit is by playing with accessories. Add a statement necklace, grab a scarf or put on those earrings that are collecting dust in your jewelry box.
4. Make Your Own Rules- Experiment with new ways to wear items.  Put a sweater over your dress to turn it into a skirt or add a shell to your romper. It's all about having fun!
5. Don't Just Stick to Basics- We both played it safe by including a lot of neutrals in our capsule collection. What we noticed was that we missed having fun prints and colorful items to play with. Rather than 3 white shirts, you can get by with just 1 -- it just means doing more laundry each week.

Want to learn more about capsule dressing? Watch our video on what we learned from capsule dressing, check out this great segment from The Today Show and read this how-to guide by WhoWhatWear.