Her collection of vintage frocks and baubles attracts Toronto's top stylists and designers and her window displays are known to stop traffic. It’s no surprise then that The Cat's Meow Louise Cooper’s blog is an attention-grabber too.

With tips, trends and the latest additions to her store, this vintage portal is a fun place to escape to while dining al desko. Have a look at me wearing full-length vintage Valentino skirt in Cooper’s Out and About section.

We’re lusting after these ridiculously showy Chanel sunnies ($895, pictured) and who could say no to a fanny pack ($595) to match? —Athena Tsavliris

www.thecatsmeowcouture.com/blog

You don't want to surrender your prepster knits, but the summa-time heat's not giving you a choice. Solution? A trompe l'oeil sweater-dress with the lightest possible feel.

Fresh off the cruise ship is this Jean-Paul Gaultier cardigan-print dress, long with sheer sleeves, at Opening Ceremony (US$675). But we like a local alternative, and dressmaker Breeyn McCarney's cable-print number sells for (way) less at all-Canadian e-boutique Ukamaku. She stitches and ruches each one from eco-conscious bamboo jersey, and does it to fit your precise measurements.

Hence, when you order online, allow seven days for exquisite production. —SNP

$150 at Ukamaku.com

Social agenda bigger than your budget? Rent your next party look for a fraction of the tag.

In a world where nothing goes un-Twitpic'd, anyone who follows that “never be photographed in the same thing twice” is having serious credit issues. Or getting really good at borrowing. Enter RentFrockRepeat.com, delivering single-use luxury to Canadian women: just pick a party dress in your size (0-16), register and enter your event date, and rent ahead. Bonus: get a second size, free, just in case.

Co-founders Lisa Delorme and Kristy Wieber—who brainstormed the site after being invited to a wedding, but not wanting to drop a month's rent on a one-night-only dress—buy stock directly from designers. Their taste is pretty, safe. A Yigal Azrouël jersey dress in Sunkist orange is $185 to rent (would be over $1,000 to buy); Shoshanna's printed silk numbers are $95; a Catherine Malandrino LBD is $65.

Wear it like its yours, but go easy on the red wine.

RentFrockRepeat.com

As popular as pin-up swimsuits are lately, they're still tricksy to pin down. Here, a handful: all winning enough for Miss Universe 1952, all available here and now.

1. Toronto-based Tosca Delfino's dolphin-print style is flip-worthy—it even has white frills on that high-waisted bottom. $210 at www.toscadelfino.com

2.  Miss Jackson, a new local line, mostly does clubalicious suits, but their sleek navy “Sovereign”  is princess-proper (and hides your Middle-ton). $180 at www.shopmissjackson.com

3.  Lover's lacy knit set—bra top, highwaisted trunk—is $264 at Robber Store (863 Queen St. W., Toronto, 647-351-0724).

4.  Also local, and much loved, Minnow Bathers reinterpret granny cuts for cool girls. $140 at Penny Arcade (1177 Dundas St. W., Toronto, 647-346-1386).

5.  A major maillot with a pointillist print and super-cool price—what's not to dig? It's One Teaspoon and $110 at Tabula Rasa (745 Broadview Ave., Toronto, 416-465-4450). —SNP

Fashion has given tweed a thoroughly modern twist this autumn with designers from Balenciaga to McQueen turning to the Highlands for inspiration.

Here at home, Joyce Gunhouse and Judy Cornish (who designed the uniforms for Susur Lee’s new NYC restaurant at the Thompson LES) have created a collection that would certainly get a royal stamp of approval.

Think slim-fitting dresses, high-waisted pants and skirt suits with puffed shoulders and nipped waists in tweed, plaid and wool.

Splendid.

654 Queen St. W., Toronto, 416-360-7249, www.comrags.com

Inspired by the gorgeous scarves at Dolce & Gabbana, Paul Smith, Caroline Herrera et al., we’re getting all tied up in our favourite foulards.

Five ways to wear a scarf:

Cravat it: For a touch of elegance, add a loose, feminine necktie and a string of baubles to your work suit.

A la Grace Kelly: Cover up a bad bouffant with a chic, printed headscarf.

What a waist: Thread a scarf through your belt loops or fold one into an envelope and wrap it around your waist like an obi-sash.

In the bag: Tired of the same old brown suede tote? Weave a scarf through the handles for a pop of fresh colour.

'80s revival: Galliano pulls it off with aplomb, but get the bandana wrong and you’ll look like a wannabe rapper.

For a smattering of vintage scarves, from Halston to Dior, check out I Miss You, 63 Ossington Ave., Toronto, 416-916-7021.

Leave it to Karl to turn bow ties on girls into a bonafide trend.

Indeed models at Lagerfeld’s Fall 2008 shows rocked them with everything from sequined boleros to buttoned-up tuxedo shirts.

For a papillon that’s more preppy than posh, we suggest moseying over to the new Green Shag store where a selection of '70s paisley, gingham, argyle and houndstooth bow ties ($50) awaits.

Wear it with a cute blouse under a charming summer dress and you’ll be a modern day Mary Poppins!

Green Shag, 670 Queen St. W., Toronto, 416-360-7424, www.greenshag.com

We mean organic, silly.

Organic right down to the ornately carved tree stump that serves as the store’s focal point, League of Lovers & Thieves is anything but granola.

Thieves’ designer Sonja den Elzen and League of Lovers’ Dana Kiyoko Takeda have joined forces to create a stop on the Queen West strip that is dedicated to sustainability. Using only organic fibres, the eco-centric duo produces clothing that is both modern and packed with whimsy.

We cannot stop wearing our kitten-soft Elzen-designed bamboo and organic cotton baby doll top.

Honestly, people have begun to notice.

League of Lovers & Thieves, 1156 Queen St. W., Toronto, 647-435-4880, www.leagueofloversandthieves.ca

Combine a brother-and-sister team of a Biosystems Engineer grad and a model-turned-actress and what do you get?

Juma, the Toronto-based design company of contemporary and modern fashion with an influence from exotic locales like Africa and the Middle East.

With ready-to-wear and active sportswear styles that ease into a hectic schedule, we have our eye on the cocktail party-ready looks constructed of sueded fleece and soft-as-down jersey (from $110 to $250).

Now that's a dynamic duo. 

Available on-line at Juma.ca and at Nicolas Women, 153 Cumberland St., 416-966-2064.

Forget Facebook – MLS is where we whittle our hours away.

If you’re like us and enjoy peeking around other people’s pads, you’ll love Dressing the Home: The Private Spaces of Top Fashion Designers.

Filled with gorgeous images, shot by Guillaume de Laubier, the book takes us on a tour of Gilles Mendel's dining room, Dolce & Gabbana's living room and Betsey Johnson’s hallway.

Other designers that reveal their most intimate spaces include Christian Louboutin, Catherine Malandrino, Diane von Furstenberg and Patrick Cox.

Does their fashion aesthetic echo their interiors? Try and guess who lives where— without peeking.

Dressing the Home: The Private Spaces of Top Fashion Designers is available at chapters.indigo.ca