Lifetime Collective offers up the kind of swim wear for men that looks great on and off (!) …the beach. The Prosecco trunks are great for dudes who don’t want seriously long board shorts. $70

We get a lot of PR coming through our inbox (yay! we love being solicited to feature great stuff) and the email we got about Lifetime Collective was definitely one we had to take up for feature.

The brand is the result of humble hard work that started in the basement (as all sound businesses do) of partners-in-fashion Reid Stewart and Trevor Fleming.

Our report today focuses on the Collective’s swim wear for men since the company has such a great collection- but you’ll see them again here (they also do women’s wear!). We also want to point out that the Lifetime Collective ships across Canada and the USA, so if you like what you see today (I do) then get some.

Every so often we indulge in our not-so-secret love of featuring men’s stuff, so today’s little dip in the pool is really just a summer starter. We love that these shorts don’t go all the way down to the knees- we’ve heard this as a complaint from some discerning beachers/swimmers. So we found some for you.

And if you’re thinking about Father’s Day (now that we’re ready for it), these aren’t a bad idea at all. Or just Boyfriend Day. Why not.

Nice and non-complicated Paradiso swim shorts in navy by Lifetime Collective

We love that Paradiso pocket patch of stripes- cool and super tasteful and a killer price of $59

They also come in red

The 3rd Beach print shorts, $59

Tastefully fun striped shorts, $59

Images courtesy of Lifetime Collective.

The peplum is a chic trend that we consider ‘grad studies’ at style school: it requires some thought, body awareness and a dose of ladylike confidence. Floral peplum dress, $62 at Miss Selfridge

Some trends are made for wusses and some trends are made for the daring kind.

For those of us who think about fashion when we’re not thinking about food, the peplum is a perfect little distraction from all the neon parading up and down the streets this summer.

Now, sure, we’re into the neon, but that’s what we call a beginner’s trend- easy to adopt because it’s widely accessible in everything from garments to accessories, requires really no previous experience or fit knowledge, and can easily slip into one’s look as a cuff or a coat of polish. Easy as pie.

The peplum, on the other hand, is a whole other game.

And not much has changed since its inception in the 1940s. Comprising of the frill layer that is a shorter-looking skirt attached on top of the actual skirt/dress, the peplum *seems* useless. But not so- like all good fashion, the peplum plays a tango of tricks, adding architectural structure over the hips and definition at the waist- two areas under constant self-surveillance in women’s dressing rooms around the globe and very carefully chosen for emphasis.

Vogue 1947 dress by Lucien Lelong

1942 illustrations of the Paris couture collections

So you see, peplum gamers risk big for a little flirty flutter: wearing the peplum shows exactitude, knowledge and a well-earned certificate of fashion achievement. You don’t just throw on a peplum dress and run out the door. No. There’s shoes, accessories, hats to be considered. Peplum is the chicest of the chic. It is passing the true test of getting dressed: fashion, fit and function harmoniously united in an outfit most people just won’t even try to pull off.

But there are those who will. Here we have peplums on famous people:

Kate Middleton – peplum spokesperson of the year- wears a peplum suit to accompany the Queen. Obviously

A full peplum rotation

Kate Middleton wears a Matthew Williamson peplum suit. Image via The Fashionista Stories

Questionable peplum choices: when there’s too much going on

Fear not, readers- there really isn’t a shortage of peplum dresses. Kim Kardashian and Ashely Greene just both went for the same Givenchy resort collection peplum dress last month. Image courtesy of My Fashion File

The peplum can be hard to pull off. This printed number by Mary Katrantzou on January Jones received much debate

Peplum excellence on the red carpet:

Fabulously stunning example of a peplum on a gown

Peplum summer in your neighbourhood:

Me! Yes I did. And I’m sort of famous. Wearing a summery flower print peplum dress this weekend at Megalomaniac winery in Ontario. If it wasn’t for the colour and print I’d be totally washed out among those oak barrels and nude accessories

So by now you’ve surely excluded yourself as a likely candidate for the peplum, but, really, it’s not that hard to wear the trend. You’re probably already wearing this day cut of dress, and with the peplum all you’re adding is a layer of chic.

First things first- make sure the dress fits you nicely, so no bunching, etc. not that you’d ever buy that, would you?

As to which style of peplum, the easiest one to wear is a peplum dress in a softly draping fabric (like I chose, above) so that the peplum doesn’t stick out. This is the most flattering and nearly discreet way to wear the peplum.

Another not-by-accident decision- you’ll notice on my dress and Kate Middleton’s grey outfit by Matthew Williamson, the angled cut of the peplum actually makes the figure look slimmer- follow those diagonal lines and you’ll realize that they trick the eye into creating an hourglass shape. The defined waist anchors the hourglass and makes the legs look like a million miles long. Clever, eh? So if you’re unsure about a squared-off peplum hemline, choose one that has the  pointy front.

So really, a lot more women can and should attempt the peplum and earn their fashion excellence certificate.

Here are very some easy ones to get into from Miss Selfridge:

Pink peplum dress, $74 at Miss Selfridge

Black peplum sleeveless dress with mesh neckline, $65

Asymmetrical peplum dress, $80

Red cap sleeve peplum dress, $74

All peplum dresses for sale images courtesy of Miss Selfridge.

Oh yes it is. Tilda Swinton delivers one mesmerizing cover for Candy magazine, a transgender publication headed by Luis Venegas

The cover: Candy magazine’s fourth issue

The model: Tilda Swinton

The garb: A shimmering gold lamé dress by Antony Price

The photographer: Xevi Muntane

The final word: Wowza.

Just when you’re thinking to yourself, nothing about Tilda Swinton’s wardrobe appearances could ever shock me no more, well there ya go: a flaming dress fit for an evil queen frames those giant bronze curls, opening up to aggressive stage makeup. Gone is our fair dame in always awkward-looking Yohji Yamamoto; for Candy’s cover it’s all fire and ice.

With a downward gaze and down-turned lips, this Tilda straddles the gender issue and cracks our whip. She owns that dress, she’s got it gripped in her long pointy nails. We’ve always respected her talent and red carpet oddity, and frankly we can’t really blame her for reminding us every now again of who’s boss around here.

Dorly Designs suggests these coined cuff links for Father’s Day: “For the man who has everything, give the gift of money. Literally.”  Hm

It’s been barely a few days since Mother’s Day came and went and our Inbox is already flooding with Father’s Day gift ideas. Yes these two Days are merely one month apart and I suppose we publishers do need time to prepare our features but really-. The best came from Dorly Designs, whose coiny cuff link email this morning read “Mother’s Day is over, so now it’s time to think about Father’s Day”.

Yeah, Mother’s Day is so over.

Anyway, we decided throw these up on Fashion in Motion since we kind of like them and we’ll make an exception for fun product despite lousy PR copy. We have to agree that the cuff links are quirky accessories that for $40 make a fun gift- especially for wannabe Canucks and ex-pats who are attached to cottage country iconography that otherwise makes for national roadkill. The cuff links are available in beaver, moose or the dime’s Bluenose for the skipper in your life.

One of the conversations we were having while I was up north a few weeks ago was about the idea of national/Canadian myths. On the drive up I was listening to the CBC radio as guest Alexi Zentner, author of award-nominated book, Touch, discussed this idea of ghosts and national iconography on Shelagh Rogers’ The Next Chapter (podcast here). As an example, Alexi was saying that despite the fact that most Canadians don’t even go near a canoe, the canoe and its experience is understood and revered in this country and holds a kind of national mythology.

One pretty awesome view from The Cottage

In ‘our’ woods, there seems to be only the burgundy variety of trillium, Ontario’s official flower

So on that note, when was the last time you were in a canoe, or saw a beaver? Or a moose?

Well, I actually saw a moose galloping by the side of the road near Lake of Bays when I was there a few weeks ago! Yes I’m ridiculously lucky. Naturally when I first saw it running toward my car I thought, why there’s a nice horse running on the road. Then it was clearly not a horse but a female moose, and I slowed down wayyy too late, it got scared and dashed into the bush. I stopped and made a few click-clack tongue noises and I could see the moose watching me, ears twitching. We were totally sussing each other out. So I a few pics but it’s hard to see the moose- it’s just my iPhone camera, so nothing fancy:

There’s a moose in that photo. See it? Me neitherish

I know what you think- no that’s not the moose’s face on the left side with a baby moose. She was actually looking the other way, bum to me

And then just as I thought the nature channel stuff was over, here were three wild turkeys crossing the road on Highway 11

Clearly three birds here. Not sure who cried fowl play on #4′s disappearance

And while we’re here, how about some sweet baby beavers on video since you prolly haven’t seen a baby beaver in a while. I love this:

Cuff link image courtesy of Dorly Designs, where they are available.

Beautiful cut-out detail on a red suede bootie from Nine West’s fall 2012 collection

This week it’s more than 20 beautiful degrees of summer in Toronto and here I am cruising the samples from Nine West’s *fall* shoe collections.

Needless to say that there were many pretty things on display (feature post to come!) but I thought I’d share with you a few of my faves to get the juices going. I’m on a bit of a shoe thing right now- maybe it’s that we can finally show some toe after months of sheepskin and tights.

The croc leather boot with three gorg gold buckles

Fringed booties are just pure fun

Colour blocking is huge for fall and we’re seeing the ankle strap on everything

Photo by Scott Schuman

Photo by Scott Schuman

Photo by Scott Schuman

Photo by Scott Schuman

Photo by Scott Schuman

Photo by Scott Schuman

Photo by Tommy Ton

Photo by Tommy Ton

Photo by Tommy Ton

Photo by Tommy Ton

Photo by Tommy Ton

Photo by Tommy Ton

Photo by Tommy Ton

Photo by Tommy Ton

It’s not until I really look at photos like the ones here that I notice how much thought and detail goes into menswear. The colour combinations, the fine workmanship, the layers of fabric, and the contrasting styles represented in these images really do make me appreciate the creativeness of menswear.

Images by Scott Schuman at The Sartorialist and Tommy Ton at Jak & Jil.