Monday Muse: Alexa Chung

Is there any 'cool' cooler than British Cool? I think not. An It Girl so 'It' that she penned her own book of the same title; Alexa Chung is the queen of looking effortlessly chic no matter what she's up to.

Whether it's grabbing coffee, grocery shopping or sashaying around the red carpet, Miss Chung always looks perfectly dishevelled. Starting off as a model with Storm Model Management and then becoming a TV personality and well respected fashion journalist Chung has a diverse career, using all of her skills. She even has an iconic bag named after her: the Mulberry Alexa!!

Check out after the jump for our tips on getting Alexa's fun style!

Monday Muse: Emma Watson

As the end of the school year approaches, it's time to reflect on the style and grace of one of our favourite students: Miss. Emma Watson!

Leaving show business after the popularity of he Harry Potter series to study at Brown University, Watson has finally graduated this year and we couldn't be happier for her.

We have seen her grow from a plucky goody-two-shoes with a bushy mane to a beautiful and stylish young woman, with loads of talent to boot.

We love Emma's playful yet sophisticated style. She's not afraid to mix classic pieces and shapes with more trendy items.

Check out after the jump for our take on Emma's sophisticated it-girl style!

Monday Muse: Gwen Stefani

This week we're paying homage to another stylish mama, as we get closer and closer to becoming stylish mamas ourselves, we can't help but take inspiration from these ladies who make mommy-hood look so GOOD.

Today's Monday Muse is probably the most stylin' mama of them all. Having three beautiful children with her rock-star husband, Gwen Stefani's style has resonated with us for every major steps in our lives.

From her blue hair, braces and bindi's in the 90's to making everyone want that ombre dip-dyed wedding dress and pink hair in 2000's. Gwen has always been a trailblazer and has always worn what feels natural to her. It just so happens that everything she wears looks amazing and what feels natural to her is the trend everyone will be talking about all season long.

She hasn't stopped since adding "Mom" to her list of job titles, (Other titles include, but are not limited to:  singer/songwriter/designer) only making herself cooler and more refined and beautiful as she enters her 40's.

We truly cannot get enough of Gwen Stefani, and will probably be following her style lead for the next 20 years as well.

Check out after the jump for our tips on getting Ms. Stefani's killer style.

Monday Muse: Nicole Richie

In honour of Mother's Day coming up this weekend, we wanted to honour stylish mamas. One of our favourites is reformed party-girl turned entrepreneur-mother, Nicole Richie.

Gone are the days where Nicole was known only as Paris Hilton's snarky BFF. Nicole was able to reinvent herself to the beautiful and stylish parent she is today. She has amazing boho/edgy style that only looks cooler when she has her two beautiful children in tow.

Nicole is always experimenting with her style and we're loving the purple hair she's rocking these days.  And we CANNOT WAIT to see what she wears to the Met Gala!!

Check out after the jump for our tips on getting Nicole's flawless mom style.

Monday Muse: Leandra Medine

For years, dressing to impress always implied dressing to impress a man. Personally, I've always been the type of person who wants to impress myself, or other girls if I'm being honest.

I never knew what to call that sentiment, I always thought I was the only one who felt this way. That is, until Leandra Medine came along with her groundbreaking blog and her completely original nickname, The Man-Repeller.

Never before did layering, boyfriend dressing and wearing outlandish things look so good. We love her smart style and her witty prose. Even her wedding was impeccably styled with an off-the-rack Marchesa and a custom made Rebecca Minkoff jacket!

With a look like borders on Annie Hall vs. every Gilda Radner character in existence, we love Leandra because her style is just has great as her sense of humour.

Check out our tips on getting style like the incomparable Miss. Medine.

Monday Muse: Tavi Gevinson

It's not often that inspiration comes in such small packages. At the age of 12, Tavi Gevinson leapt into our hearts as the grey-haired fashion guru in the front row of every fashion show. And we've loved watching her grow ever since.

Over the years Tavi has grown up and we've seen her transition from a fashion-obsessed pre-teen to a fashion-renounced feminist queen to a well-balanced young adult with stupendous style. We are so excited to see what's next for Tavi.

After the mega success of her website, Rookie, Tavi has made a name for herself inspiring girls her own age to be true to themselves. If anything, Tavi is the poster-girl for not caring what people think.
















Check out after the jump for our tips on getting Tavi's girlish-cool style.

                                                 

Monday Muse: Blake Lively

So I've got an addiction. A certain acquaintance recently opened my eyes to the glory that is watching old episodes of Gossip Girl on Netflix.  And with that new addiction comes a whole new girl crush in Serena van der Woodsen -- er -- Blake Lively.

While Blake's acting career hasn't extended much beyond her days at the Upper East Side's most-talked about, it's been her style that has captivated us over the years.

Acting as the muse for multiple design houses, Blake has been seen at fashion shows all over the world, always looking like the immaculately dressed life of the party. There's nary a photo of her not looking like she's having a blast.

And nothing goes with Chanel like a smile!

Check out our tips on getting Blake Lively's flawless style.

Monday Muse: St. Vincent

Is there anything cooler than a rocker chick? No, I think not. Musician Annie Clark, better known by her stage name, St. Vincent will be in Ottawa this summer for Bluesfest, but we're already getting excited about her latest album and her amazing rocker chick style.

Having been around for a while, our love for her was set in stone after seeing her play in the Diane Von Furstenburg show for NYFW; her pastel mop of hair is only outdone by her witty and energetic music. 

Her style is girly and fresh with a tough edge. Ms. Clarke has managed to produce amazing music but remain anonymous in other respects. Keeping her private life private while writing extremely personal lyrics is a specialty of hers. 

David Byrne of The Talking Heads once said this about St. Vincent, "Despite having toured with her for almost a year I don't think I know her much better, at least not on a personal level ... mystery is not a bad thing for a beautiful, talented young woman to embrace. And she does it without seeming to be standoffish or distant."

Check out after the jump for our tips on getting St. Vincent's rocker chick style. And hope to see you at her show at Bluesfest this year!!

Monday Muse: Jenna Lyons

Strong women are the best, and what's stronger than taking the reins and re-shaping a company and creating an entirely new lifestyle brand.

Jenna Lyons, is just that strong woman. Taking over at J. Crew and rejuvenating it into a brand and a lifestyle, in the meantime cultivating a following for herself that rivals the head of any other fashion label or store.

We love Jenna for her fearlessness. She always goes with her instincts and she rarely misses a step. She's the queen of mixing patterns and of looking ambiguously chic.

 The great thing about Ms. Lyons is that she sticks behind her brand. With her creative genius and ingenuity she was able to singlehandedly turn J. Crew into the juggernaut of style that it is today.

She's the effortlessly cool big sister who teaches you about all the coolest bands.

Oh and did we mention that this is what her closet looks like? SWOON!!

Check out our tips for getting Jenna's effortless style after the jump!

Monday Muse: Sea of Shoes

When I was Jane Aldridge's age, my idea of fashion was a bag my dad made for me out of an old tank top I bought in high school from American Eagle Outfitters. I thought that Comme des Garçons meant nothing more than "Like Boys" en français. 

At the young age of 16 Texas native, Jane Aldridge started her blog 'Sea Of Shoes' with the help of her mom. Jane's profound love of designer shoes catapulted her into the forefront of fashion bloggers at the time. I don't know about you, but when I was in high school, a pair of Miu Miu glitter booties were the furthest thing from my mind.

Over the years Jane has captured the attention of fashion movers like Karl Lagerfeld. We love Jane for her uncompromising stance on staying true to yourself. Even after an unflattering article about her was published, Jane was able to let the incident slide and move on. Among other salacious comments in the article, Jane was accused of dismissing college and undervaluing education. She later clarified that what she meant was that college just wasn't for her. We admire Jane's stick-to-your-guns attitude and her remarkable wisdom in feeling comfortable with herself and her path in life at such a young age.

The fact that she has refused to move to more fashion-oriented cities and decides to stay in Dallas with her family is another reason why Jane's impeccable style is only augmented by her smart-cookie attitude.

Check out after the jump for our tips on getting Sea of Shoe's spot-on style!

Monday Muse: Olivia Palermo

Olivia Palermo has always been the villain we loved to hate. As Whitney Port's snarky co-worker on The City, she was nothing short of perfection. Her outfits were always perfectly styled and her comebacks were always perfectly delivered.

After The City was cancelled (*tear*) we saw Olivia go from being the bad guy to the good girl, showing up on street style blogs and fashion shows all over the place. She's now doing her own thang as a model/actress/blogger. Her site www.oliviapalermo.com delivers amazing tips on getting Olivia's to-die-for style.

She's also been busy working on accessories lines and in the past had helped master shoe-maker Stuart Weitzman design a shoe for charity.

Check out after the jump for some VAM tips on looking every bit the perfect reality fashion villain like Olivia!

Monday Muse: The Dannijo Sisters

Today's Monday Muse is a two for one. What's the plural of 'muse' anyway? Muses? Mui? Either way, today's inspirational ladies are the creators of some covetable jewels. The sisters behind the jewellery design empire, Dannijo admit that their success seemed to pop up overnight, but overnight success or not, we can't get enough of Jodie and Danielle Snyder's girly style. And we love their entrepreneurial spirit.

Teaching themselves to make jewellery as kids, the beginnings of Dannijo was a capsule collection that raised money for grass-roots initiatives in Africa. The girls are huge advocates of Women's Rights, PS Happy Belated International Women's Day!!!

Often seen with their famous (also stylish) friends like Leandra Medine (AKA The Man-Repeller) or actress Rashida Jones, the sisters really look like they have fun. Which, when you own your own company with your best friend, (who is also your sister) what else are you supposed to do!!

Twins or not, the girls have a distinct style with a preference for short skirts and dresses and tall heels. For them, everything is in the details and taking their style to the next level with the shoes, accessories and bags.

Check out after the jump for our tips on getting Dannijo's style!

Monday Muse: Whitney Port

From her beginnings as LC's voice of reason on The Hills, to getting her own spin-off in New York while working for DVF, we have ALWAYS admired Whitney Port's West Coast style.

With her beachy blonde hair and laid-back attitude, Whitney has always come across as the girl next door with impeccable taste. We love how she mixes glam with boho. She isn't afraid to play with patterns and colours and it always seems to work!

Whitney's expert style translates into her own line, Whitney Eve.  Proving that hard work plus great taste equals an amazing business. We've been with Whitney every step of the way, from interning at Teen Vogue, to holding her own alongside PR maven, Kelly Cutrone, we've loved seeing Whitney grow on her journey to becoming the inspiring lady she is today!!

Boho vs. Glam

Even her shade-style is killer!! Make sure you check out after the jump for our tips on getting Whitney Port's carefree style.

Monday Muse: Elin Kling

It's no secret that here at VAM we LOVE strong, independent women. Especially women who chase their dreams and make things happen.

One such woman is Elin Kling, one of the most influential and trailblazing fashion bloggers out there. Elin has taken her little blog, Style By Kling and turned it into a business by adding it NowManifest, a fashion blog portal owned by Conde Nast (Read: Vogue)

The past couple years has seen Elin transfer from blog to print with her own Swedish-based magazine, STYLEBY. Acting as the creative director, Elin's work for the mag is beautiful.

She's also been the face at the front of some pretty stellar campaigns, collaborating on a line for H&M in 2011, becoming the first blogger (many more to come) to do that kind of thing. In 2012 she did a line for Marciano that borrowed heavily from her minimalistic style. She's also been featured in campaigns for Net-A-Porter as well as Louis Vuitton. Proving that she's more than just your typical fashion blogger.

We love Elin's minimalist style, nothing too fussy; the result is an always chic and classic look that will stand the test of time and will save Elin the embarrassment of ever seeing herself in a weird outfit.

Check out our tips on getting Elin's look after the jump!

Monday Muse: Lou Doillon

Lou Doillon is a triple threat; model, actress and singer all with amazing style. So I guess she could be considered a quadruple threat.  Her amazing parentage aside, (Lou’s Dad is director Jacques Doillon and her mom is singer/actress/Hermes muse Jane Birkin) Doillon’s style is what has captured us over the years.

Her unique taste in clothing combined with her Parisian ultra-cool style makes Lou Doillon the perfect Monday Muse. She’s known for her messy mop of hair combined with her rough-around-the-edges rock’n’roll gait with a touch of luxury. She never goes for the obvious fashion choice, and is the perfect answer to the manufactured starlet’s style.

Her debut album, Places, dropped last year and she’s been busy touring. We love her touring style and her album is the perfect chilling record. Click after the jump for more Lou Doillon and our tips on getting her perfect, care-free French style!

Monday Muse: Emily Weiss

From her beginnings as an intern (The "Super Intern") for Teen Vogue on The Hills, to her rise to beauty blog queen, Emily Weiss has always come across as the cool chick you'd want to be best friends with.

Not to mention that being best friends with Emily would make you privy to all the latest beauty trends and maybe some VIP action (she was all over NYFW last week), Emily's style is what makes us long for a friend request from the newly platinum-haired beauty.

We love her edgy but romantic style. She always looks effortlessly put together in a minimalistic, 'New York' sort of way. We also can't help but admire her strong work ethic and amazing success story. Emily is proof that hard work can accomplish anything. Her business savvy and talent only add to her amazing style.

If you don't already follow Into The Gloss, you need to. Her website is beautifully formatted in a way that matches Emily's smart and chic style, and the site is full of the best beauty news around.

Monday Muse: Coco Rocha

Coco ready for last weekends CAFA awards. Picture from her blog.

In honour of her Model of the Year win last weekend at the CAFA Awards, Coco Rocha takes the Monday Muse spotlight this week.

We LOVE Coco's new 'do and her super fierce poses. 

Rocha is a Canadian girl, from Richmond BC in case you didn't know, and has been in the news lately for fighting for models' rights and in particular, fighting to make the industry better for younger models. (Go girl!!)

On a more visual level, this year Rocha did the coolest thing any cool girl can do: she chopped off all her hair! Debuting a chic and androgynous mop, Rocha amped up the game this year working hard modeling, doing The Face with Naomi Campbell and becoming social media maven. (She was the first model to reach 1MILLION followers on Google+ and has been busy with Instagram and her Blog. If you don't follow her, you should!)

Her personal style is totally drool-worthy too!

We love Rocha for her fearless style and sense of wonder. Oh, and did we mention she's absolutely hilarious? Check out after the jump for some tips on getting Coco's funky-fresh style.

Coco's tips on perfecting the "Photobomb"