2009 was the year of speaking engagements for me. The lovely Rea McNamara created The Style Council (she also got me glammed up as Grace for Eye Weekly). She asked me to facilitate a session on fashion blogging and also give a demo of fashion styling tools: Polyvore, Looklet and Shmmoter.

The Style Council is a fashion media program that brings together a collective of emerging writers, stylists, and photographers in documenting their own style, as well as what they see on the very streets they walk.

Watch us create Toronto’s first community-driven Stylebook, which will focus on the unique styles of the Dufferin Eglinton / Oakwood Vaughan communities.

The Style Council is a pilot program of Art Starts, an arts-based community development organization that has been operating in Toronto since 1992.

It was very relaxed atmosphere for this presentation. The girls sat on couches while I talked and showed examples on the projector. I used a shorter version of my Queen’s talk (which I’m still angry about not recording, too nervous). The new aspect was the demo of Looklet, Shmotter and Polyvore.

I had to do some research on all those tools before hand. I was familiar with Polyvore because I use it in contests a lot. Most of these type of sites don’t interest me. I can see the value of them for other people. It’s not the way I like to deal with information and frankly I’m sick of creating ANOTHER profile for something. I think Looket is the best out of the 3 tools. It had good model choices, clothing displayed on real bodies, multiple views and poses and a good selection of clothing. Looklet has a blog which adds another layer to the site.

Here are some photos from my session

Each session included documenting fashion inspirations directly from everyone’s outfits

I was one part of a larger effort to disseminate relevant information to these young women in order to create their stylebook.  The Style Council tumblr blog documents that journey.  The stylebook made its debut at the Hi-Style Holladaze party and fundraiser for Art Starts.  At that party Singer/songwriter Saidah Bab Talibah sang.  She’s mindblowing.

The Style Council stylebook is really well done. I wasn’t involved in putting together the book so the reveal was a total surprise. Great photos, interviews and articles that gave me some insight about the young women on The Style Council. I’m impressed, proud and honoured to be part of it all.

The Style Council Stylebook is available for purchase for $4 at 69 Vintage Collective (1207 Bloor St. W.) & Art Starts (1746 Eglinton Ave. W.). All $$ goes towards the Style Council.