The Patent Spot: CARIBANA DOS & DONTS

CARIBANA DOS & DONTS
By Shantae Campbell

Caribana weekend is one of most important style driven weekends of the summer in Toronto. People come from far and wide to get a taste of the culture, parade and parties. Every night of that week, there are over a dozen events happening in and around the city which means a girl gotta get her outfit game on point! If you had let yourself go all year you know, and I know you aren’t playing this week, which is great! This is the time to spend the money to make sure we are feeling super confident and sexy but sometimes where to start looking for that special freakum dress and extra fly daytime gear is so extremely hard! So here are some helpful tips to make your Caribana shopping trip successful and not a bust!

1. DO:
START EARLY
Starting early means options. You can keep your eye on a few pieces all while still looking around. Pick up a few magazines and figure out what look you are going for. Fashion can slightly change with a blink of an eye, so starting early gives your room for adjustments in size, colour, and style. With the time you have, you can even take a quick trip to PATENTS favourite city N.Y.C. with affordable fashion forward styles and the opening of the amazing Top Shop in Manhattan, you will have more than enough options in finding a few pieces that will have you Caribana ready.

DON’T:
BUY THE FIRST THING YOU SEE
By the time Caribana rolls around your outfits might be so played out that you don’t want to wear it anymore. It might even go on sale by that time, meaning you could have 1. Got it for less or 2. It’s going to be worn by every girl and their mom. Leaving you to spend more money on something else or wearing that outfit and feeling less than confident.

2. DO:
BE CREATIVE
Maybe that perfect dress isn’t exactly hanging on a hanger in your favourite store. Grab your scissors and invest in a glue gun. Your going to need sequins, spikes, chains, lace, frill, buttons and whatever else will bring your outfit to life. If you’re a “do-it-yourself” kind of girl, go for it! Jazz up something in your closet or something sexy and inexpensive from a consignment store or even Value Village. You’ll feel great rocking something home-grown and knowing no one else will be wearing it.

DON’T:
REPLAY AN OUTFIT
Ladies, we all may fall victim to replaying an outfit but Caribana weekend is not the time. It’s UNACCEPTABLE. This is the weekend to strut something fresh and new. Trust me, you will feel better knowing no one can say; “ Girl, you looked better in that outfit at Donna’s birthday party last year” Not cute!

3. DO:
BOUTIQUE SHOP
The best place to find an outfit that is stylish AND can promise individuality is definitely found in at least one of the numerous boutiques around the city. Most are one-of-a-kind shops which is great and sometimes you can even bargain with prices. Try Queen street all the way up to Bathurst. And the Yonge and Eglinton area to find a few impressive boutique spots.

DON’T:
SHOP OFF OF THE MALL SALE RACK
Sales are every girl’s fantasy regardless of her budget. But, that is exactly the problem. Every girl, just like you might be looking for something affordable and most often those items are found on the sale rack. Just like you came across that fierce dress for $49.99, so did Shawna, Keisha, Sandra, Ashley, Denise, and Janet’s mom. It sucks to be somewhere with someone wearing the same outfit as you. This usually happens when you shop in a high volume store. And to make it worse, the sale rack. I know it’s hard, but avoid the sale rack just for this time of year.
****Check DO #2 for sale rack creativity****

4. DO:
WEAR A SEXY FLAT (DAYTIME WEAR)
Right now, the options in sexy gladiator sandals or ballet flats are overwhelming. Styles in flat shoes are everywhere making it hard to choose. Find something as comfy as it is stylish. One thing we can all agree on is that Caribana weekend involves a lot of walking. A heel in the daytime is unimaginable. You can be just as fierce in a sexy flat so go that route. Regular 4 inch heels are a thing of the past anyway. It’s the 6 inch and up era. Are you really considering a sky-high heel for any daytime event? Please reconsider. Your feet will thank you.

DON’T:
OVER DRESS
Overdressing should be the least of a fashionista’s worries but for Caribana weekend, the rules are not quite the same. The events this weekend may involve Juvays, Soca fetes, and a parade to name a few. Which are known to get a little wild with powder, mud, water, and sweat that may or may not belong to you! A simple outfit that is cute but not a big loss if it doesn’t come back in one piece is warranted at these events. It would really suck to get powder and mud on an expensive silk maxi dress. Be simply chic when necessary. Knowing the dress code will definitely help you on your shopping trip.

5. DO:
WEAR BRIGHT COLOURS
Colour can really bring your outfit and confidence to life. Every bright colour in the book is in style right now so experiment. The more rare the colour the better. You don’t want to be stuck at the parade in a hot black ensemble anyway. And save that little black dress for another time. Maybe you couldn’t take that Caribbean vacation you had wanted to, so bring the Caribbean vibrant colours to your outfit. The right bright colour is out there waiting for you, just bring a trust worthy friend along to help you find the colour best for you!

DON’T:“SKIN-OUT”
“Skin-out” is a West Indian term which implies the showing of too much skin. Confidence is the sexiest part and might be what comes to mind when one thinks about Caribana weekend but lets save that for the mass players. Balance out the assets. Chose one body part per outfit and stick to it. A sexy pair of bleached out and distressed jean short shorts is great leg exposure. Pair that with a stylish frilly top to draw attention up top for style and not necessarily skin. Simple.

NOW GET OUT THERE AND BE SMART, BE CONFIDENT, AND BE FIERCE!
Just a few Boutique ideas!

AXIOM Ladies Boutique
592 Yonge Street, Toronto
(416) 598-9393

Just Miss
163 Spadina Ave. (at Queen)
416 979 5446

TNT Blu