I look forward to the Golden Globes each year. They are the most party and fun of the Hollywood award shows. They celebrate the year’s best in television and films. More importantly, they are the best chance to see great fashion, and maybe even high style, from the Hollywood elite. With so many gut-wrenching atrocities splashed all over the news , I wanted to see which of the winners would incorporate a message of awareness over a particular issue. And to put a bit of a spin on things, I wanted to juxtapose that against their style.

It's time for my inaugural review of the year's trend triumphs and timeouts. Some are on the rise and well, some are done. Below are my top three "thumbs up" and "thumbs down." Together, let's shake off the duds of the past and welcome in the fresh, new year in style. Bring on 2015!

May the gifts you share this season show a glimmer of the massive love you have for the receiver. Enjoy this time with loved ones. Merry Christmas.

With the holiday season upon us I thought, “Why put together a list of 2014 must haves for every hard–to-purchase-for-person on your list?” Rather, I’ll share my anti shopping list with you. More specifically what should you NOT buy that tricky friend or foe.

Those staggering numbers and details are impressive, sure, for business. But they do not interest me one bit from a style stance. I am not denying the U.S. brands retail strength. I am however questioning it’s place in advancing the world of fashion. I understand the draw: beautiful women with beautiful bodies in lingerie. Pretty simple. Pun intended. 

As I swooshed through my hardcopies and online subscriptions, I started to notice something. An overwhelming majority of the subjects appeared to be non-visible minorities in the magazine. On the cover, in the contents, in the features and in the ads. This got me thinking, what is the distribution of visible minorities in certain Canadian fashion magazines? Further, how does that line up with the actual makeup of peoples of Canada? 

At this time in Calgary, most of the leaves have fallen but the snow rarely sticks. It falls and melts and falls and melts. Or the snowplows come by and turn it into that salty gravel mush that accumulates on the sides of our streets and walkways. It’s a necessary urban evil, I know, but it’s a bit visually uninspiring. Most years, we are left with for our eleventh month is bare and grey. Over the past few years, we have something to look forward to in November. Yes, people, I’m talking about moustaches.

Halloween is one of my favourite times of year. It combines a lot of naughty sins that are frowned upon in society for all the other 364 days: dressing solely for attention, eating ridiculous amounts of sugar filled candy, and children roaming the streets at night. It gives willing participants the opportunity to, for a night, become someone totally different. It should be no surprise that I love dressing up. I also find it fascinating as a discussion about society and the silly norms associated with costumes.

Second-hand shopping is a lot like discount department store shopping. They both have a bunch of items continuously rolling in and out, so you never know what will be in the store that day. It’s a treasure hunt! You need to dive in: rack by rack and, sometimes, item by item to be sure you’ve seen it all...  It’s hell for some. A delight for me.

John Galliano has been hired as the creative director of Maison Martin Margiela. How can this be? Does the fashion world have the memory of gold fish? It was just three years ago when he was ejected from Christian Dior for his caught-on-camera anti-Semitic statements while in a bar in Paris. Since then he has been convicted and fined for his crime. But come the new year at the couture Paris fashion week, there he’ll be, at the helm of all of Maison’s lines. 

This past week Karl Lagerfeld and the team at Chanel created a scene for the Spring Summer 2015 presentation at Paris Fashion Week. The collection was presented on “Boulevard Chanel” – an indoor constructed Parisian street scape. While the collection was fantastic, totally wearable and uber desirable, I was drawn more to the spectacle of it all. 

The next trip I have on the radar is a week trip joining friends on their sailboat off the coast of Costa Rica. All things considered, this should be a great time to try to pack very lean. With no specific events or formal dinners to attend, I considered what I would NEED need. Once there, a couple of day dresses, a few button-down shirts, swimsuits and some shorts? Accessories should be covered with a hat, sunglasses, sandals and slip-on shoes. Throw in a few bangles, funky earrings and a couple necklaces and I’m set, right? Tell that to my escalating heart rate.