Nine must-haves for a killer summer wardrobe
Nine must-haves for a killer summer wardrobe
By Carley Fortune | April 30, 2009
By Carley Fortune | 04/30/2009
Emily Dobbie (Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani)
The retail cred of Liberty Village got a huge boost with the opening of the womenswear shop Vocado in March. The petite boutique stocks a healthy number of Canadian labels (Nada, Mackage and Juma, to name a few) along with harder-to-find international brands. Ex-accountant Emily Dobbie is the brains behind the biz. “Everyone has the same stuff,” she says. “I was looking for something different from Club Monaco and Banana Republic.” As luck would have it, so were we. Here, Dobbie shares her list of Vocado essentials.
Click on the first image to begin the slide show.
5732 BB Dakota skirt, $55 <br />To Dobbie, this skirt screams spring, which is probably why it hangs in her own closet. The pattern makes it easy to pair with other colours; brown, purple and yellow are good options. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/bbdakota1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/bbdakota1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/bbdakota1.jpg 400 392 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/bbdakota1/ bbdakota1 0 0
5730 Alternative Apparel tank, $38 <br />This top has a definite ’80s vibe (Hypercolor, anyone?) and is fairly baggy, so Dobbie recommends pairing it with leggings and lots of layers. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/alternativeapparel.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/alternativeapparel.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/alternativeapparel.jpg 300 529 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/alternativeapparel/ alternativeapparel 0 0
5739 Toodlebunny necklace, $105 <br />“Natural shapes are in for jewellery, as are long hanging pendants,” Dobbie advises. This handmade piece scores on both counts. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/toodlebunny.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/toodlebunny.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/toodlebunny.jpg 600 400 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/toodlebunny/ toodlebunny 0 0
5734 Destineau bikini, $220 <br />Toronto’s Destineau is the only swimwear Dobbie carries: “It’s by an up-and-coming designer who’s different and fresh.” Each print was inspired by a location—this one is designer Cristin Lazier’s take on Miami extravagance. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/destineau.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/destineau.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/destineau.jpg 700 424 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/destineau/ destineau 0 0
5737 Mackage jacket, $190 <br />The scrunched style—made of nylon—is ideal for packing into a suitcase and far more chic than a crumpled cotton jacket. Bonus: a nifty hood tucks inside the collar. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mackage.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mackage.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mackage.jpg 300 406 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/mackage/ mackage 0 0
5736 Juma knit vest, $130 <br />Of all the brands in her store, this Toronto label is Dobbie’s favourite. “Juma’s pieces are basic, so you can add your own style, and you can tell from the details that the wearer knows fashion.” https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/juma.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/juma.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/juma.jpg 300 537 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/juma/ juma 0 0
5738 Mogil clutch, $149 <br />“It’s really not practical, but I love it,” says Dobbie of this fabulously oversized leather clutch (one of several versions in the store) from Australia. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mogil.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mogil.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mogil.jpg 700 467 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/mogil/ mogil 0 0
5733 Designers Remix pants, $220 <br />“When I saw this line, I had to have it,” says Dobbie, who proclaims these casual, versatile cotton pants the perfect pair for summer. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/designersremix.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/designersremix.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/designersremix.jpg 192 600 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/designersremix/ designersremix 0 0
5803 TK Vocado owner Emily Dobbie https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/emily.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/emily.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/emily.jpg 300 459 [] https://torontolife.com/style/nine-must-haves-for-a-killer-summer-wardrobe/slide/emily/ emily 0 0
Vocado. 171 East Liberty St., unit 121, 647-347-7153, vocado.ca.
Product photos by Jenna Marie Wakani.