For one hour on fashion week Tuesday, I felt completely overdressed.

This season’s jewel tones, animal prints, maxi lengths, shapely frocks and glittering golds are all reinterpretations of decades of fashion classics. And where better to source the originals than at Toronto’s abundant vintage boutiques?

At the Dimitri Chris fall presentation, the look was “damned ?dandy on a fox ?hunt”: a dark mix of capes, sharply cut blazers, shawl-collar waistcoats and dapper bow ties. That natty neckwear looks most handsome this autumn against hearty wools, heavy silks and shadowy plaids.

Mona Koochek, Community developer

Luxe basics are definitely Pink Tartan's bread and butter.

I had never considered wearing a cape until I saw the Dimitri Chris show during Montreal Fashion Week in early March. The charcoal check piece with its cable knit edge wasn't some flowing, dandy statement piece. It was handsome and tailored but it was a cape and I figured my interest would pass.

The buzz leading up to a Joe Fresh fashion week show is usually about the top models being flown in for the event.

After a Barbie (by David Dixon) takes Carnaby Street opener of mod shifts and swing coats and a prosecco/Peroni interlude, David Dixon presented a fall collection inspired by tribal techniques and materials. The theme translated to silk and wool cocktail dresses accented with raffia and leather basket woven into bustiers and skirts.

It's a running front row joke to guess how long the RUDSAK show is going to be?

I was desperate for a line sheet at Evan Biddell's fashion week show.

Clothes. Comrags makes clothes. That's not to say everyone else showing at Toronto's fashion week doesn't or that the clothes that Comrags makes are no brainers. They're the complete opposite in fact, pieces that are so thoughtfully made they seem effortless.

Lundstrom is real clothing for real women so its runway impact depends on smart styling. Fall 2010's collection worked best on the fashion week catwalk when it was all layered up (see look seven, a cable knit cardigan worn with a beige tweed jacket, skirt and woolly socks).

Whenever a new name pops up on the fashion week schedule, there's always a small part of me that worries we're in for feathers, baubles and enough textile options to fill a Fabricland.

George Antonopoulos, Creative Director of Cheek Magazine.

Every other Canadian fashion designer showing at Fashion Week (and even those independant spirits who aren't) would envy the three page long list of retailers Preloved listed at the back of the program for their Monday evening show.

There’s always a double agenda at a VAWK show.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous about Jules Power's debut on the Fashion Week catwalk Monday evening.

The month leading up to Toronto Fashion Week has been packed with early-bird shows and preview installations. To whet your catwalk appetite before Sunday’s official kickoff, here’s a look at the designers who couldn’t wait to unveil their fall collections.

Pitch a tent in a designer trench? Take a hike in a towering pair of platforms? There’s definitely an outdoorsy angle to spring’s botanical prints, utilitarian details and techno fabrics, but fashion upstages function every time.

Runway season starts a little later than usual this season, so we’re filling our free time picking favourite frocks from last October’s Toronto shows.