It’s been quite the year of fashion trends in Toronto and beyond. From the mob wife trend to bows and the return of the horse girl, we’ve seen it all — and worn it all. Our city has seen plenty of exciting new openings this year, from vintage shops (there seems to be a new one every month!) to pop-up markets finding permanent homes to luxe designers. This year, our top five list shows that Torontonians (mostly) look local when it comes to shopping for the best and the trendiest. Here are the top five style stories that caught your eye in 2024.
5. A bohemian new Kensington shop
When we profiled this ultra-cozy new hybrid vintage shop earlier in September, we thought it was pretty unique — and clearly our readers thought so too. A partnership between secondhand shop Vintage Baby and 20-year-old heirloom textile brand Honeybea, a glimpse inside this Kensington shop shows a lovingly curated collection of antique textiles, vintage, folk art, knick knacks, antiques and fabrics alongside stunningly-made coats, sweaters and more. In an area that is already filled with one-of-a-kind vintage stores, it’s remarkable that this shop still managed to stand out from the crowd and offer up something entirely new to Kensington.
4. A vintage shop with specific instructions
It’s all in the name — that’s what Elizabeth Lima, the owner of a new Dundas West vintage shop, told us in August. Fittingly named Tell Them It’s Vintage, it’s a reminder to all customers to proudly boast about the vintage roots of their outfits the next time they’re complimented on the street. Featuring everyday apparel ranging from $80-$100, with a handful of designer pieces nearing the $1,000 mark (think: Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier), the interest shown for the shop from our readers makes it clear that even with the plethora of vintage stores in the city, there’s still room for one more.
3. Launch of a new Uniqlo store
This is Toronto, and as much as we wish it was all about the local brands, sometimes the launch of a big box store generates as much hype as a Drake-favoured restaurant. Our story about the opening of yet another Uniqlo location in Toronto earlier this year had readers clamouring to read more. The location opened, to no one’s surprise, in a mall — Fairview Mall, to be exact. The minimalist Japanese brand is obviously a favourite for Torontonians.
2. The best consignment stores in Toronto
The secondhand trend continues! This roundup of the best consignment stores in the city, published right at the start of 2024, has collected page view after page view throughout the year, and we’re not surprised — there’s a growing shift toward secondhand shopping in Canada, with a recent study by Karrot and Angus Reid finding that 93 per cent of Canadians 18 to 34 are likely to buy secondhand to save, and one in four respondents said they were hunting for preowned goods at least once a month. Resale apparel sales has also been the fastest growing segment in the Canadian apparel market for the past three years, according to a Trendex report. Whether Torontonians were looking to sell their high-end goods to consignment shops or visit them for heavily-discounted designer goods, this list became their go-to reference throughout 2024.
1. Gen Z-approved style trends for Dad
Our top-performing fashion article by far this year was completely unexpected, in the most delightful way. Jeanne Beker’s monthly fashion column in June took on the challenge of styling three distinct but trendy outfits for Dad in honour of Father’s Day. Pulling from local stores only, we crafted three gen Z-approved outfits that are just approachable enough for your dad to wear — and our readers loved it. Who knew so many dads were searching for outfits that would make their too-cool kids proud of them?
