Curvy Canadian: A Blog about Canadian Plus Size Clothing and Fashion: Toni + Spring Media Preview

Monday, January 23, 2012

Toni + Spring Media Preview

Hey Guys,

About a week ago, I was invited to attend a Spring preview event for Canadian plus size retailer Toni +. With locations in Toronto, Calgary, and Edmonton, Toni + caters to the plus size woman looking for more high-end, designer items, and with labels such as Not Your Daughter's Jeans, David Meister, Donna Ricco, Lafayette 148 New York, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Marina Rinaldi, SULU and Yoek, they are doing a great job. I got to meet with Toni Tiraborelli, the owner and founder of Toni +, as well as Albert La Penna, Toni's right hand man and the company's VP.

The event was held in the morning at the Toni + store located in The Bay Queen Street on the fourth floor, and I was the first to arrive, so I got extra time with Toni to chat about all of the Spring fashions coming in and just to talk shop in general. I suggested the she start carrying the Greek brand MAT Fashion, which I totally love. She said she was going on a buying trip very soon and she would look into it, and I really hope it happens because I love MAT Fashion! We also talked a bit about her beginning to carry more youthful items in her stores, and how the younger generation is now emerging and growing in the workforce, and need high-quality and fashionable career and business casual wear. Her new in-house brand, Toni T, is meant to serve as a sort of cornerstone to this initiative.

We were treated to a lovely breakfast complete with pastries, fruit, and coffee, and got to see much of the Spring collection modelled. I also got to meet some fantastic people from all sorts of other Toronto media outlets. It was a great event, and I was very pleased to meet the faces behind the Toni + brand.

The models show us the first outfits.

Toni, Centre, chats with Melissa (left) and Karyn (right) from Killer Kurves, about plus size fashion

Lynn Spence from Cityline Toronto chats with and photographs one of the models in preparation for her segment on plus size style on Friday. Make sure you tune in!

And a couple of pictures of what I had on... Shirt - Evans via The Bay Square One, Skirt - LeatherCult.com, Tights and Bracelets - Forever 21+, Boots - Dots, Purse - Dots, Neckace - Laura, Earrings - Vintage Alfred Sung.

Also, make sure you check out CityLine this Friday, January 27th, and you can watch a vido of Toni + being featured on Breakfast Television here.

Happy Shopping Ladies!

4 comments:

Ruby Nite said...: Oh my that link to Mat....I just...oh hell there goes my credit card. So amazing!; Monday, January 23, 2012 11:31:00 AM
Sabrina said...: Wish they had locations in the US! love this!!
xx-
sabrina
www.sampesize16.com; Friday, January 27, 2012 3:13:00 PM
Monique Frausto said...: Cute! Those are always fun!; Friday, January 27, 2012 11:30:00 PM
sbo said...: sbo
sbobet; Thursday, February 09, 2012 8:46:00 PM

My Favourite Canadian Stores

Addition Elle - They have a great selection of career wear and denim. They are good for basics [teeshirts, bras, underwear, camis, shapewear, etc]. The service is routinely great. The flagship store in Toronto at 132 Yonge Street is huge and definitely worth checking out if you're in the GTA. Use code 10AE to save 10% if you're shopping online.
Curvaceous Consignments - A plus size resale boutique where you can consign your gently used clothes or browse for some bargain goodies. There are two locations at the moment (one in Ajax and the other in Thornhill).
Delirium - Only some items in extended sizes.
Forever 21 - Perhaps my favourite of the bunch, Forever 21 has recently launched a new plus line called "Forever 21+" which has some beautiful and really affordable pieces! Unfortunately, only three Canadian stores have it at the moment (Mapleview in Burlington, Fairview in Toronto, and there's a small selection at the Eaton Centre in Toronto). Worth the drive if you're nearby.
Giant Tiger - Okay, I realize this comes as a big surprise, but if you are willing to rifle (more than at Winner's) you are likely to find at least one really cheap, surpisingly attractive item each time you come here. Note that the selection in store is larger than what is shown online.
Gussied Up - A lovely boutique in Toronto with a great selection of really fashionable items that are reasonably priced.
Laura Plus - The focus seems to be on a somewhat older demographic, but if you're looking for something formal, Laura Plus is one of the best places to look, as their more formal items seem more youthful.
Lola and Gigi - A bit more high-end than the other options. A good choice if you're looking to splurge or have a special occasion coming up!
Maximum Woman
Melanie Lyne - Like Laura Plus, the emphasis here seems to be on a older crowd, but an impecably dressed older crowd. There are some youthful pieces, and the formal wear is divine. The sizes go up to a 16 or sometimes an 18 in certain garments.
Old Navy
Penningtons - They have previously catered mainly to an older demographic, but are initiating some changes, rebranding and expanding the range of their clothing to appeal to a wider age range. I've found a few lovely pieces here. Use code 10PENN to save 10% if you're shopping online.
Reitmans - Not all great, but you can find a few jems.
Ricki's - Sizes up to XXL/18.
SexyPlus Clothing - A nice boutique in Toronto with a wide selection of designer items and a great lingerie section.
Sunglasses - SmartBuyGlasses.ca: A great place to buy designer sunglasses from Gucci, Prada, YSL, Miu Miu, and more. The website offers competitive pricing and allows you to search by frame shape, type, price, designer, or colour.
The Bay - Can be hit and miss. Most stores have an "Above Average" section for plus women, which in my opinion, often doesn't live up to its name. The selection largely depends on each store. The newer and busier stores tend to have better selections and focus on more fashion-forward items. If you are in the Toronto area, check out the store at Bay and Bloor. The third floor has an extensive plus size section with Calvin Klein, Nygard, and even an Evans pop up shop.
Voluptuous Clothing
Walmart - Another shocker, I know, but you can often find really high quality items from Walmart's private labels called George Plus and G21+. Great prices.
Winners - You wouldn't believe some of the amazing things I've found here! There was a lot of rifling around through several racks, however, so be prepared for that!

Online Stores I Love

A LITTLE NOTE ABOUT ORDERING ONLINE: If you are ordering online, any international order you make has to go through customs, and if your order is over $20 Canadian, you may be assessed with taxes and duties on the shipment, which you will have to pay on delivery. Also note that European/UK sizing is different than North American sizing, so make SURE you check the company's size guide before ordering. If you have any stores that you'd like to see me add, tell me about them on the Facebook page, in a comment, or in the contact me field at the bottom of the page. I love suggestions!
Alight - A really great online store for plus size women that allows you to search by size (which I love). Their items are on trend and are pretty youthful, which is great.
Alloy Clothing - A great website with a pretty good sale section. Shipping to Canada is $21.95.
Anna Scholz - An amazing plus size fashion designer. Some people call her the Diane Von Furstenburg of the plus size fashion industry. She has amazing prints, and the cut of all of her garments is impeccable.
Ashley Stewart - Sizes 12-24. They offer shipping to Canada (and several other international destinations) and will notify you of the cost of shipping after you place your order.
ASOS Curve - A UK Company that ships its gorgeous and high quality plus size line to Canada. Sizes are a Canadian 16-22, and ASOS also carries straight sizes (0-14). Their plus size line, called Curve, has its finger on the pulse of all the trends, and most of their items fit very true to size. The best part about this online plus retailer is that they offer FREE shipping! Their sale section is also quite amazing. Check it out.
B & Lu - A US company that ships internationally. They'll give you a shipping quote before you give them the go-ahead if you like. Pretty much on trend.
Bluegala - Looking for a prom or cocktail dress for a special occasion? Mother of the Bride? Bluegala has a wide selection of plus size dresses for these occasions. The prices are very reasonable, and shipping to Canada is only $17.95 for the first item, and $1.50 for each additional item.
City Chic - A youthful, edgy, and vibrant clothing store that often has stellar sales. They offer lovely dresses and tops to suit a variety of occasions, and have some really great outerwear as well. Shipping to Canada is free! Love it.
Domino Dollhouse - An edgy and youthful retailer based out of the US with reasonable prices and shipping costs.
Dorothy Perkins - A UK company that sells some really beautiful, classic plus size pieces that are high quality and that you are sure to have in your wardrobe for years to come. Many of the items are wardrobe staples. Excellent quality. They sell Canadian sizes 14-18, as well as straight sizes. They will ship to Canada for £7.50, which is roughly $12. Their sale section is pretty good. Sometimes they have 25% off everything sales, and sometimes they do half price shipping, so keep your eye out for that.
eBags - A great place to shop online for designer handbags, luggage, wallets, and more. They have most of the major designers, and every once in a while, you can find a really great bargain!
Eshakti - A fantastic shop for both casual and formal dresses. They can customize your dress to your specifications for an extra $7.50 (or for free on your first order). They have some truly beautiful items and you should definitely check them out.
Evans - A UK company that ships its plus size clothing to Canada for £8 flat. That's about $12.50 Canadian. Some of their items can be a bit old-fashioned, but every once in a while, they'll carry a featured designer/label that's pretty awesome. They had Beth Ditto design a line, which was awesome, recently. They carry Canadian sizes 10-28. Note that UK sizing is different than North American sizing. Whatever your dress size is, add 4 and that's your UK size.
Fashion to Figure - A very youthful online store with nice club wear and casual clothing. Shipping to Canada is $40 flat, so you want to make sure you order enough to make it worth your while or share shipping costs with a friend.
Fatshionxchange - An online community where users buy, trade, and sell second hand plus size clothing. An excellent resource for the budget conscious fatshionista.
Figuresque - A US based online store specializing in plus size clothes. They do ship to Canada and shipping and handling charges will depend on the size of your order and the destination.
Forever 21 - If you're not in the Burlington or Toronto area, one option to partake in plus size Forever 21 joy is to order online. They carry sizes up to 3X for tops and dresses, and 20 for pants and jeans. Shipping costs $8.95 flat.
Hips and Curves - A fantastic, high-end lingerie store with great items. Featured in Vogue Italia Curvy. Gorgeous stuff.
Junonia - An online store dedicated to providing plus size women with fashionable activewear.
Lane Bryant - Lane Bryant introduced international shipping in September 2011, and I was so happy. They have fantastic denim, some lovely career wear, and the most amazing lingerie out there for plus size women.
Lucie Lu - A beautiful collection of dresses, skirts, and blouses in a very pretty, romantic style. Love her stuff! Very reasonably priced.
Marks and Spencers - Another UK company with some really lovely dresses and career wear. Per Una (their in house private label brand) has some pretty stuff. Reasonable shipping prices to Canada.
Monsoon - A UK retailer of Womenswear with a most items up to a UK18 (US14), and a few in up to a UK22(US18). Unfortunately, there is no search by size feature on their website, but check them out anyways. They have really nice occasion wear if you're going somewhere special.
New Look (Inspire Line) - A very trendy UK company with a plus size line (the plus items are not as trendy as the straight size items, but the collection is still a lot better than most of the plus size clothing available in Canada). This line caters to a young-ish (18-24) set, but many of the items have potential for women who are a bit older as well. Good prices and decent quality. They carry sizes 14-22, and they ship to Canada for £7.50, which is approximately $12.
Plus By Design - Masters of the LBD, and home of Vikki Vi designs.
Queen Grace Collection - The most stunning formal wear.
Sealed With a Kiss (SWAK) Designs - Contemporary plus size designs. They have really lovely basics and I've heard their denim is absolutely amazing. Simple designs with good quality fabrics and tailoring. Definitely worth checking out.
Second Denim - The most amazing plus size jeans ever. Period. And they're based in Montreal, so you are supporting Canadian designers by shopping with them.
Shop Translated - A really great new site with stylish and youthful blouses, dresses, and skirts at affordable prices.
Sofistafunk - Some of the most beautiful skirts I've ever seen. This very wonderful brand is definitely worth checking out if you consider yourself to be more fashion-forward. Their skirts are pure fantasy.
Style369 - A UK company that ships some beautiful plus size clothing items to Canada. Their prices are higher than I'd like, but that's probably just because I am a student. They have some really fashion forward plus pieces. Canadian sizes 10-22. Shipping is £8, which is roughly $12.50 Canadian.
Svoboda - Designer denim that's worth every penny. These jeans look like a million bucks.
Swimsuits For All - A great place to look if you're on the hunt for a new bathing suit. They have a wide variety of styles, from conservative to fashion-forward and fun.
Torrid - A US company that sells plus size clothes from sizes 12 - 32. Their styles are funky and youthful. They carry some items that have more of a punk/goth/emo vibe to them, as well as more mainstream items. They also carry wide width shoes and wide calf boots (I wouldn't be able to find any boots to fit me if it weren't for these guys). The shoes are very comfy. They also sell plus size accessories (bigger bangles and larger rings) and have an excellent selection of plus size swimwear and lingerie. They ship these goodies to Canada via USPS, and your shipping costs will be determined by the weight of the items you order. You will find out the cost of the shipping before you go through with the order. Or, if you're near the border, you can always do a cross border shopping trip and check out one of their stores. Use this link for 10% off your entire order.
We Love Colors - A US company that sells plus size hosiery in 51 colours and a variety of patterns. They will ship these to Canada and the shipping is $12 flat. It's probably best to stock up on a lot of tights since I know I'm always putting runs in mine, and it's a good idea to get the best value out of your flat rate shipping.
WideWidths.Com - Finally, an online store devoted solely to providing boots to women with large calves! They have leg shaft sizes ranging from slightly larger to "super large" - I fall into the latter category :D
Yours Clothing - Yet another amazing UK retailer that ships to Canada. Shipping fees are $10Cdn per order, flat rate, and are waived if you spend more than $150Cdn. This would probably be easy to do, since they have such a wide variety of beautiful items.