Giovanni Amenta, Willowbrook Shopping Centre Stylist

Giovanni's Bio:  Giovanni (Gio) Amenta is Willowbrook’s stylist and one of Canada’s top style experts!  Gio started his career in New York where he was certified by three of the top image consultants in the world. Since then, Gio has been featured as a style expert on various TV shows including W Network’s Beauty Call and Breakfast Television.   He has worked with celebs such as Marie Osmond  and Miss America 2007 as well as several  major retail brands.   Gio also teaches fashion styling at Jon Casablancas in Vancouver as well as represents the Association of Image Consultants International.                                                                                                                               

THE TOP 10 SMOKING HOT SUMMER TRENDS

Hello Willowbrook shoppers! I hope you all have had a healthy and happy spring and are ready to shop for some shorts and swimsuits! Summer is my favourite time of year and if you are anything like me, it’s the time of year you venture outside the most. Few things feel as good as spending a warm night on a patio watching the sunset with friends and loved ones. The only thing that can make a warm summer night even better, is looking even hotter than the weather feels. So read the following hot tips and make sure you are taking advantage of this season's sizzling trends.

1. Sixties Sass: Back to the days of Go Go Dancers, big sunglasses and Twiggy. This summer, designers pay tribute to this vibrant era with mini-skirts, A-line, and tunic dresses, graphic checks, and bright colors. The secret to pulling off this look without looking like you are going to a costume party is to modernize it with a more subtle makeup. Also, remember that you want the bold graphics to accentuate the areas that you like, by making sure the brightest colours or boldest prints are on your favorite bits.

2. Stripes: Whether wide or slim, minimal, or psychedelic, stripes every which way lined the runways for summer. The most popular color combo is black stripes on white, however, there are very bright options as well. Be sure that when you wear stripes, you make sure that you are wearing them and they are not wearing you! A bold stripe can steal the eyes gaze and take the attention away from your beautiful face. So, make sure that when you are shopping for stripes you look in the mirror and ask “At first glance do I see the stripes first or my face?”

3. Hawaii Heat: Hawaiian prints are in full bloom this summer. No more making fun of your dad’s Hawaiian shirt collection because this summer he is actually on the cutting edge of fashion! Think hibiscus flowers, birds of paradise, whimsical hummingbirds, and palm leaves. These tropical prints and colours are fabulous for camouflaging any of those bits you are still working on. The trick to keeping the Hawaiian look elegant is to not over-accessorize. The prints and colors are usually enough, so the max you should wear is a pair of earrings or a bracelet.

4. Fringing: From the Charleston dresses to disco dancing jump suits, fringe accenting is making a comeback this summer. It's out with the cowboy look and in with sleek and delicate trims. Fringe is tons of fun to wear, but be careful that it is not too long for your height. A shorter person should wear a shorter fringe and a tall person can wear a longer fringe. The problem with wearing the wrong length of fringe is that it can make you look too tall or too short. So, remember that long fringe shortens and a short fringe lengthens.

5. Bright Colours: Put on your shades because this summer, colours are so bright they could blind you if you look directly at them! Warm orange, sunny yellow, and poppy red are three of the top colours for this season. They all look fresh and alive and will give a real pop to your wardrobe. Warning! These colours look best on darker or warm undertone skin tones. Therefore, if you are wearing one of these colours and feel like you are washed out, the simple fixes are to either wear more makeup or keep the colour far away from your face.

6. Pointy Toes: Pointy toes are on every shoe this season: Ballet flats, booties, shooties, heels, oxfords, closed toe sandals — all of them. This trend in footwear is actually great for making your legs look longer compared to a rounded toe like on a Mary Jane shoe. For extra long legs, be sure to buy shoes without ankle straps which will break up the line of your leg and make them look shorter and make your ankles look wider.

7. White Shoes: All shades of white in all styles of footwear are trending this summer. The good news about this is that white goes with most outfits. The bad news is that white can make your feet look larger because white draws the eye and can make things look bigger. The trick here is to wear an all-white outfit (which can look very elegant) or choose a sandal or shoe with not too much surface area so that your feet don’t steal the show.

8. Structured Bags: Gone are the days of the sac purse that swallowed your keys and makeup (and perhaps a few pets). This season it is all about structured bags that keep their shape, such as a rectangle, circle, or maybe even the shape of a bird or pineapple. Whatever it is, think structure and not too big. The ideal size is according to your body shape; if you are petite than choose a petite bag if you are larger then choose a larger bag… you get the point. PS, the clutch is the must have purse style of summer.

9. Linked Chains: This summer runways were adorned in chain link accessories and patterns. Some of the chains were bold, dramatic, chunky and looked like a high fashion version of a bike chain. Other chain links were dainty, elegant and perfect for the subtler shopper. Regardless of if you wear bold and dramatic or dainty and elegant, the fact remains that chains are a must have in your summer wardrobe.

10. Braids and Waves: Wondering what to do with your hair this summer? Well here is the hottest trend on the catwalk. Give your hair a wave as if you just got out of the ocean and let your hair air dry and then add a braid or two. You can create a braid headband, or start the braid halfway down your head a la 60’s hippie.... or even just create a twist braid and call it a day. The combo of wavy hair and braids is very romantic and will give an easy breezy carefree look to any outfit you choose to wear.

So there you have it my smoking hot summer shoppers, everything from fringe to chains will be waiting for you at Willowbrook Shopping Centre this season. I look forward to seeing you around town looking fresh and fabulous, and remember to save a seat for me on the patio!!

Products subject to availability. Prices subject to change. Kismet Tamara Chevron Striped Maxi - $59.50, Bootlegger; Coralina Floral Print Blouse with Cami - $45.00, Cleo; Fringe Solid Infinity Scarf - $24.50, Aeropostale; Charmeuse Button Front Shirt- $49.00, Cleo; Patent Pointy Toe Pumps Pink - $49.95, Le Chateau; Leather-Like Tote - $69.95, Le Chateau.