H&M

Today fans of avant-garde luxury label Comme Des Garçons across North America lined up outside H&M stores in the hopes of capturing a piece of designer Rei Kawakubo’s fashion genius at masstige prices. The line, which consists of a selection of polka-dot pieces, harem pants and off-kilter coats, drew an impressive crowd of over 2000 in Harajuku, Japan where it debuted last week.

Celebrities in New York were invited to a preview of the capsule collection last night. Guests included songstress Katy Perry, model Jourdan Dunn and Bond Girl Gemma Arterton. Apparently, A-listers were treated to the line much earlier than the rest of us. Katie Holmes was caught wearing a Comme Des Garçons for H&M polka-dot-heavy ensemble weeks ago.

If you’re lucky, you’ll still be able to score a polka-dot cardigan or deconstructed blazer. Visit an H&M near you with fingers crossed.

Vicki Adelson

What Not To Wear's resident beauty expert Carmindy, made her way to Toronto on Wednesday to promote her second book, Get Positively Beautiful. The makeup maven brought her new manifesto to Sephora on Bloor Street West and showed excited fans that (while totally gorgeous) she's not all about appearances. As Carmindy explains, the book is written for women who struggle with negative feelings about their beauty and it teaches them how to change their attitude, combat negative thoughts and embrace their unique features. But don't worry, the book definitely includes makeup techniques and makeovers, it's just a more positive way to look at enhancing your beauty with makeup.

You can find out more about Carmindy and her new book on her website.

Coty Inc.

Starting tonight, Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers characters Love, Angel, Music, Baby and G will be hitting the streets of Toronto and Montreal for the weekend in a special Harajuku Lovers trailer that will travel each city, sharing perfume samples and blasting Gwen’s music, so keep an eye out when wandering the downtown core! The songstress, designer and style icon has launched five new scents — her second foray into fragrances after the perfume for her other fashion line, L.A.M.B.

Leslie Oglesby, the Global Marketing Director for Gwen Stefani Fragrances says "Gwen is amazing and totally down to earth, like talking to your sister. She's passionate about her fragrance line and is very easy to work with." Oglesby also adds that Gwen knew exactly what she wanted each scent to smell like so the creation process was an easy one.

Each fragrance represents one of the Harajuku Lovers featuring an adorable Harajuku doll complete with hand-painted features and tiny clothing and nail decals. And each scent embodies the spirit Gwen imagines each character has.

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The Hollywood Minute

Most people have mixed feelings about her royal heiress Miss Paris Hilton, but there's no denying that when she shows up to your party (or film festival or swag lounge, as the case may be), it's a sign of success. Paris and boyfriend Benji Madden made it to Toronto for a screening of a documentary about the socialite called Paris, Not France. The bubbly blonde also visited the IT Lounge at the Windsor Arms Hotel and she and Benji signed the Big Brothers and Sisters hero board, sharing the people who inspire them.

One of Paris' favourite beauty brands also made a cameo at TIFF. Smashbox Cosmetics is the makeup line used exclusively at Smashbox Studios in Los Angeles, where pretty much every A-list magazine and movie star has been shot. And they made quite the entrance!

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The Hollywood Minute

You Don't Mess with the Zohan actress Emmanuelle Chiriqui (from Montreal) and model/actress Monika Schnarre (Toronto) visited the IT Lounge at the Windsor Arms hotel during the Toronto International Film Festival for a little pampering. Chiriqui, who has three new movies in the can, checked out the hair accessories at Goody and got tips from LOOK Hair Studio on how to take her look from day to night with baubles and bands from the Luxe and Glamarama collections. And Schnarre chatted with Pamela Baillie from P&G Beauty about Olay's new Definity line of restorative and re-energizing products for spotlight-worthy skin.

Courtesy of Right Hand Gal

Star of the Toronto International Film Festival's The Lucky Ones, Tim Robbins has made the most of his trip to Canada. Not only has he promoted his film and played in a celebrity charity hockey game, but he left a little time to pick up some swag at the IT Lounge at chic boutique hotel, The Windsor Arms.

Keep reading to find out what he went home with.

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Courtesy of Strellson

The Toronto International Film Festival brings not only movies and celebs to town but also swag ? and lots of it. Sleek Swiss menswear line Strellson, attracted some new famous fans in the boys of Secret Life of Bees (also starring Alicia Keys and Queen Latifah). 90210's Tristan Wilds, who plays Dixon Wilson, the new equivalent of West Beverley's Brandon Walsh, strikes quite the pose with his new Western-inspired belt at the Tastemaker's Lounge at the Intercontinental Hotel on Bloor Street West.

Wilds' costar Nate Parker and a non-Bees actor with some of the best abs I've ever seen also checked out the company's fall collection.

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George Pimentel, Wireimage

Last weekend, Simpson sister and Pete Wentz wife, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz helped launch Request clothing's back-to-school collection at the Zellers store in the Square One, Mississauga mall. The pregnant pop star greeted fans, signed autographs and promoted the relaunch of the Request label just in time for the fall season. The collection is a line made for teens who want to put their own spin on their separates. Ashlee mixed a Request t-shirt knotted over her pregnant belly with a skull-printed summer scarf by Alexander McQueen, demonstrating the label's mix-and-match manifesto.

See Ashlee work the crowd after the jump...

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Seen on the Givenchy runway, heavy metal necklaces are a key fall trend and the most fashionable celebs are piling on the chains.

Beyoncé’s bling is built right into her top, creating a dramatic neckline in contrasting silver and gold. For a similar look, layer two necklaces over a simple round neck top for understated sparkle.

Madonna, unsurprisingly, goes all out in the same look Givenchy showed, wearing a pile of tangled chains complete with cross charms, a Madge signature. If you’re going to try this look at home, forgo any other jewellery and keep your clothes one basic colour, preferably black or white.

Scarlett Johansson finds a classy balance between bold and over-the-top with her crimson dress and lips and dangly lariat. When you’re not walking the red carpet, it’s probably best not to match your lipstick to your vivid ensemble, but adding a statement necklace to a brightly-coloured top or dress is a great way to bring some glamour to an every day outfit.

The Heroes star was positively glowing at the ESPY's Giants Event in LA earlier this month, and while the TV starlet is obviously a sports fan (or at least a fan of sports parties), her radiance was not the result of a vigorous workout. Shooting the next season of her series must be going well because her skin looks gorgeous, but Hayden also must have a fabulous makeup artist.

I've asked the amazing Senior Artist for M.A.C Cosmetics, Jane McKay to interpret Hayden's brilliant makeup so you can get the look on your own.

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Jennifer Connelly: Glenn Weiner/ZUMAPress.com; Maggie Gyllenhaal: Evan Agostini/AP Photo

Runway: While Jennifer Connelly might be brave enough to don Balenciaga’s bold floral frock on the red carpet, she is also the face of the brand, so it’s kind of her job. The spring/summer runways were showered in painterly petals from Carolina Herrera’s sketches on classic cuts, to Missoni and Christian Lacroix’s vivid, abstract blooms, Dries Van Noten’s vintage take and Gucci’s graphic paint-by-number prints.  But blossoms as bright as Balenciaga’s aren’t always easy to pull off...

Red Carpet: At The Dark Knight premiere, Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays Batman’s love interest Rachel Dawes, wore a custom-made Dries Van Noten Dress featuring a splashy but minimal floral print. This kind of bold print on a basic black background is a great way to incorporate florals into your wardrobe.

If you won't be gracing any red carpets in the near future, try these celeb-tested everyday florals.

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Hilary: Breeden, Perkins, PacificCoastNews.com; Vanessa: Carlos Vila/Kreiger/bauergriffin; Lindsay: PR/RS/Flynetonline.com

Despite rising temperatures (and year-round sunny weather in Hollywood), fashion-forward celebs are still layering up with ensemble-accentuating scarves. Early style adopters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Mischa Barton and fashion icon Kate Moss have all been sporting the wrapped-up look for quite a while. The trend was sparked by Nicolas Ghesquiere in one of his early runway shows for Balenciaga, which featured a Palestine scarf. He revisited the look for Fall 2007, translating the controversial scarf into a fringed, multi-cultural fashion statement which took off.

Obviously no longer the warm and woolly variety meant for the fall/winter season, scarves can be worn year-round — it’s just a matter of choosing the right one. Take Hilary Duff, Vanessa Hudgens and Lindsay Lohan as examples. Hilary’s scarf may make a grand statement, but the light, almost translucent fabric means that it’s breathable and won’t weigh her down. Vanessa’s silky scarf is loosely looped around her neck, leaving shoulders bare and much of her neck exposed. Finally, Lindsay’s scarf is the most minimal. In animal-print (a hot summer look), the skinny scarf acts as a pop of pattern over a plain black top and stays on trend without any bulk.

Keep reading for scarf ideas from H&M, Forever 21 and American Eagle.

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