Guess Who's Back?

The middle of a new school term means the beginning to a new year for the UFashion blog. My goal for this blog is to occupy a space within U of T’s student culture that encourages individuality, creativity and self-expression. Despite our chosen medium being fashion, we believe creative expression can and should transcend beyond just what you wear everyday. My hope in posting and sharing with U of T’s student population is not simply to encourage you to dress well or have a strong grasp of your colour palette, but to consider fashion as a creative outlet and a dialogue - one that should be contributed to by students.

Swap 'till you drop

This Friday, UFashion Toronto will be holding our second clothing swap. Bring any clean, gently loved clothing, shoes, or accessories you no longer want or can’t see yourself wearing again and swap it out for pieces that call your name and ask you to walk away with them. This is a great opportunity to reinvigorate your wardrobe right before the winter or perhaps find yourself a pick-me-up in the middle of midterm season, without costing an arm, leg, and a long journey through the Eaton Centre to find it. From 1 to 4 in the East Common Room in Hart House you can exchange old garments for tickets for new dresses, blouses, blazers, and more (up to 15 tickets per person).

Even if your closet has already reached a next level stage of perfection and you have nothing to contribute to the swap, $5 will buy you admission and 3 tickets to pick up new goodies. You know, just in case you see something that would make your closet even more perfect. For those bringing items to the swap, admission is $3.00. You can come by starting at noon to drop off your wares. 

Any goods leftover at the end of the swap will be donated to Pegasus Community Project. A Toronto-based day program for adults with developmental disabilities, Pegasus allows them to explore volunteer and employment interests and continue to grow and become self-reliant after they leave school. The program runs a thrift store, located on Kingston Road, which funds many of the project’s ventures and creates volunteer opportunities for participants in the program.

Note that this event is open to everyone, U of T students and the public. Friends are welcome to come and join in the fun.

See you there!

Interested in joining our team? Send us your application!

Hi everyone! We have 4 positions available this school year to any of you who are interested in joining our team. Send us your application by the 26th of September, and we'll consider you for whichever position you're interested in. We can't wait to meet you all! 

1) Blogger Intern

Description

We are searching for a motivated first year to add to our blogging team for the year! The goal is to increase our blogging so that we can grow our weekly readership amongst UofT students.

Qualities

- passion for writing and has a ‘voice’

- excellent written and spoken English

- previous experience with social media

- time management skills

Responsibilities

- write 1 post per week in collaboration with the blogger

- proactively monitor the blog for comments and reply

- bring new and relevant ideas to the blog

2) Events Assistant Intern

Description

The events assistant intern will be at the beck and call of the events manager to help with all the minute details of event planning. This could be anything from booking rooms for a meeting to setting up the decor for our fashion show.

Qualities

- time management skills

- attention to detail

- self starter

- organization

Responsibilities

- assist with all events related activities

- attend weekly club meetings

3) Graphic Media Intern

Description

A graphic media intern will be required to assist in the creation of the posters, tickets, web media, and other media for UFashion. A portfolio and creativity are a must!

Qualities

- experience with Adobe Photoshop or a comparable design program with a portfolio to prove it. (online or paper copy acceptable)

- excellent written and spoken English

- creative and modern designs

- time management skills

- interest in fashion and design, ability to integrate current trends into work

Responsibilities

- attend weekly club meetings

- create all media in collaboration with team

- work on a deadline

4) Press Relations Intern

Description

The PR intern must be solely focused on creating a positive brand for UFashion, online and throughout the school. This job would include sharing updates on social media on a weekly basis as well as throughout events and responding to comments and questions online.

Qualities

- an active twitter and instagram profile with a `voice’

- excellent written and spoken English

- previous experience with social media

- time management skills

Responsibilities

- attend weekly meetings

- proactively post and monitor all social media

- use hootsuite to schedule posts ahead of time

Send a response to the following questions to utorontofashion@gmail.com with the position you are applying for in the heading!

1. Why are you interested in this position? 

2. What are three qualities that make you the best fit for UFashion? 

3. Create an idea for an event UFashion can hold during the school year.

Applications are due Friday the 26th of September at noon! 

Fashion Week Day 4 - Fresh Collective and Leila King

Fashion Week Day 4 

Today is Day 4 of Fashion Week at U of T, and the second last day to buy tickets for our Spring Charity Fashion Show, which takes place tomorrow! Yesterday, we held our first annual Clothing Swap and we are astonished at the response from those who came. We raised more than expected for the Toronto Humane Society and had 5 or 6 huge garbage bags full of clothing to give away by the end of the event. Because of the success of yesterday's swap we are fully planning on holding many more clothing swaps, especially next semester. Thank you again to all of those that came out yesterday. We couldn't have done it without you! Today's blog post is highlighting our last boutique who is sponsoring us and our guest speaker, model, Leila King! 

Fresh Collective - www.freshcollective.com

Fresh Collective is a Toronto-based line of stores selling mostly independent Toronto based lines. Their unique business model is geared towards finding the perfect clothing for each customer. They source unique, and specific pieces from their store for specific customers to ensure superb customer satisfaction. In addition to them sponsoring our show, they have generously given us a raffle prize of $200 for a Fresh Collective wardrobe makeover! 

Leila King 

We are thrilled to announce our guest speaker for tomorrow's show, model, Leila King! Leila is signed by Wilhelmina Models New York and MiLK London. She has been featured in Vogue Italia, and is the campaign and runway face of Max Mara's, Marina Rinaldi clothing line. She will be discussing personal stories of her career in the fashion world, what she thinks of the modelling and fashion industry in it's current state, as well as giving advice to those who may seek a career in fashion in the future. We cannot wait for her to share her experiences with us. 

PS. Today is the last official day to buy early-bird tickets to our Spring Charity Fashion Show, which is being held tomorrow in the JCR at UC from 7:30 to 10pm. You can message our Facebook account to set up a meeting with one of our members to buy tickets or you can purchase a ticket online, here. We can't wait to see you all tomorrow! 

Fashion Week Day 3 - Penguin and Promise to Repeat

Fashion Week Day 3

Day 3 of the first Fashion Week at U of T means our first annual Charity Clothing Swap! The clothing swap is from 2 until 5pm today in the East Common Room in Hart House. It's $3 entry if you bring your own clothing to swap, and $5 if you don't have any of your own clothing and just want to peruse what others have donated. Don't forget, all proceeds go towards the Toronto Humane Society, so help our furry friends and come by! Today the blog post will be highlighting a Toronto menswear store called Original Penguin and the online women's boutique Promise to Repeat. 

Original Penguin - http://www.originalpenguin.com/

Original Penguin was started in 1955 in Minneapolis. They became known for their forward thinking, golf polos for the suburbanites and golf players of America. Throughout the 50's and 60's, Penguin held rank as a well-known, sought after clothing company. In the 2000's, Penguins, now vintage, Polos became extremely sought after by young, urban adults. Penguin restarted their company, and now sell their clothing all throughout the world. Their aesthetic suits the trendsetting, prepster in all of us. Penguin's Toronto location is the only one in Canada, and we are thrilled that they have decided to sponsor our show on Friday. 

Promise to Repeat - promisetorepeat.etsy.com

For the first time in UFashion's history, we are showcasing clothing from an online boutique during our Spring Charity Fashion Show. Promise to Repeat is an online vintage boutique, that handpicks pieces to sell through their store on Etsy. Their handpicked pieces are perfect for the indie, boho-chic girl looking for a unique piece to add to their wardrobe. 

There are only 2 days left to buy tickets at the early-bird price for the Spring 2014 Charity Fashion Show! Message us on Facebook to meet up with one of our executive members or stop by to the Clothing Swap before 5. We hope to see you on Friday! 

FASHION WEEK - PHILISTINE AND COAL MINERS DAUGHTER

FASHION WEEK DAY 2

Welcome to the second official day of Fashion Week at U of T! Today we are highlighting two small, but amazing boutiques in Toronto: Philistine and Coal Miners Daughter. Both evoke an at home, vintage, and eclectically Canadian feel which we can't wait to include in our show. We will also be selling tickets in the CSC (79 St. George St) today from 1:00pm until 5:00pm for our Spring Charity Fashion Show on Friday. Tickets are only $10 for early-bird so make sure to buy them beforehand! 

Philistine - http://philistinetoronto.com/

Philistine began as a vintage online retailer in 2007, and then branched out, creating a store and becoming an amalgamation of stylistically modern vintage and contemporary brands. They cary an array of lines which perfectly encapsulate their original vintage consumer. Philistine's goal is to bridge the gap between new and contemporary brands and modern vintage finds. Some of the brands they sell include Woolrich, Baggu, Dr. Denim and Timex. Philistine is the perfect spot for the trendy, fashion appreciating city monger with an eye for well picked out vintage, and we can't wait to showcase their looks on Friday for the first time.  

Coal Miners Daughter - http://www.coalminersdaughter.ca/

Coal Miner's Daughter is the perfect boutique for celebrating Canadian fashion. It was established in 2009 by two friends and Canadians hoping to share their love for clothing and jewelry with like-minded consumers. They carry no less than 80% Canadian brands and their store is the ultimate stop to indulge in Canadian designers from all over the country. Some of their brands include Valerie Dumaine, Eve Gravel, Birds of North America and Pink Martini. This boutique is quintessentially Canadian and we are more than enthused to help commemorate and encourage our Canadian designers and consumers. 

DONT FORGET, our Clothing Swap is tomorrow in the East Common Room at Hart House from 2:00pm to 5:00 pm. It's only $3 admission if you bring your own clothing to swap and only $5 for those without any frocks to give up! We will also be selling tickets to the Spring Charity Fashion Show and Offical After Party at the swap. We hope to see you there! 

RSVP for the Spring Charity Fashion Show

RSVP for the Clothing Swap 

RSVP for the Official After Party at the Brunny

FASHION WEEK - OVER THE RAINBOW and BEDO

FASHION WEEK DAY 1

Today is the first day of UFashion's first annual Fashion Week! Each day, we will be posting on the blog highlighting the stores which will be featured in our Spring Fashion Show on Friday the 21st. Our first post is about the popular Toronto boutique, Over the Rainbow and the Canada-wide retailer BEDO. 

Over the Rainbow - http://www.rainbowjeans.com/

Over the Rainbow was established in 1975 as a tailor-made denim store. Over their 37 years as a popular neighbourhood boutique in the Annex/Yorkville, they have blossomed into one of the best denim stores in Toronto (BlogTO voted them Top Denim Store in Toronto). They carry 250 styles of jeans, and 30+ brands, as well as women's and men's clothing. This is the third year Over the Rainbow is sponsoring our Spring Charity Fashion Show, and they have become a favourite for show-goers and the UFashion team. 

BEDO - http://www.bedo.ca

Just like Over the Rainbow, Bedo was started in 1975, but in Quebec. Every season they design, produce and retail their own modern and affordable designs to consumers across Canada. The BEDO aesthetic is sleek, stylish and comfortable. It pertains to contemporary men and women with an eye for an edge. Their most recent collection includes bountiful amounts of leather on jackets, dresses, shorts, and shirts, flattering stripes cut into knee length pin-striped skirts and sophisticated navy blue and white blazers, as well as jumpsuits, summer dresses, and affordable and flattering pants. 

We are ecstatic to welcome both Over the Rainbow and BEDO to our Spring Charity Fashion Show on Friday (March 21st). We hope you come out to view their collections, and many other Toronto (an online!) boutiques. 

DONT FORGET, we are selling fashion show tickets in the CSC (79 St. George St) on Tuesday (March 18th) from 1:00 - 5:00pm for only $10! 

RSVP for the Spring Charity Fashion Show

RSVP for the Clothing Swap 

RSVP for the Official After Party at the Brunny

University of Toronto Fashion Week

There is just about one week left until UFashions very first FASHION WEEK! Coinciding with Toronto Fashion Week, March 17-21, we aim to bring students a glamorous yet attainable fashion week experience. Our ultimate goal is to also give back to the community by donating the 'unswaped' clothing and by giving our net proceeds to the Toronto Humane Society. 

Our main events are the Clothing Swap, Fashion Show, and Official After Party! To show the world what we've got, we'll be shooting Street Style shots throughout the week around campus!

Read on for more details about our events:

CLOTHING SWAP

When: Wednesday, March 19, 1-5pm

Where: Hart House, East Common Room

What: The clothing swap aims to bring together the well-dressed UofT community. We provide students with the advantages of proximity by maintaining the event on campus and a fair admission price to add some new pieces to their wardrobes. Students are encourage to bring their items from 1-2 pm and to begin the swap at 2 pm. Students are also encouraged to purchase their FASHION SHOW and AFTER PARTY tickets at the swap!

Cost: With clothing: $3 admission, 1 exchange ticket per item donated. Without clothing: $5 for admission and 3 clothing tickets.
RSVP HERE

FASHION SHOW

When: Friday, March 21, 7:30-9 pm

Where: Junior Common Room, UC

What: Our annual Spring/Summer Fashion Show gives students a look at some of the best and most unique clothing retailers in the UofT area. It's a chance to bring people together and to inspire students in the midst of an overwhelming amount of libraries! Our models are all fashion savvy students that represent a variety of different body shapes and sizes. Our sponsors are a mix of boutiques and larger retailers as well as a first for the show, an online vintage boutique! Showcasing their stuff so far are: Promise to Repeat, BEDO, Over the Rainbow, The Store on Queen, Coal Miners Daughter, Fresh Collective and TBA. There will be raffles and entertainment during intermission and all net proceeds will go to the Toronto Humane Society!

Cost: $10 early bird, $15 at the door. Tickets will be sold MONDAY at the COMMUTER STUDENT CENTER (79 St. George St) across from Sid Smith. Tickets can also be purchased via meetup by texting (647) 244 - 4662

RSVP HERE

AFTER PARTY

When: Friday, March 21, 10pm

Where: The Brunswick House AKA Brunny (481 Bloor St W)

What: To cap off the evening we ask you to arrive fashionably late (but not after 12!) to the Brunny where we will be hosting our official after party. We're celebrating the end of of our Fashion Week by getting a little sloppy at UofT's favourite venue, The Brunny! To make it easier for attendants, we're selling tickets with a line bypass so be sure to get them from us during fashion week or at the show! Finally, we're saying a toast to UofT students as this will be the last week to let loose before we lock it down in Robarts and starting studying for exams. 

Cost: $5 ticket.

RSVP HERE