“If you dress 5% more in Toronto, people will think you’re famous.”
An evening with Christopher John Rogers + a new fashion rule emerges.
Recently, I found myself at a private dinner held in honour of the designer Christopher John Rogers. Sometimes I wonder how I end up in rooms like these and the honest answer is: I don’t know. My journalist credentials have taken me to some pretty wild places — the San Vicente Bungalows, a wine cave in Kakheti, Georgia, watching Cyndi Lauper sprawl out on top of a grand piano (and chastising a photographer for getting her angles wrong) — but every single time there’s a weird little voice inside questioning ‘why me?’ I like to observe more than participate. (Which I guess is why I turned out a journalist in the first place.) The dinner was held in the upstairs private room of Absolutely Fabrics, a boutique on Queen West that is the first (and only!) Store in Canada to carry CJR. The idea behind Absolutely Fabrics is that every single piece could end up the most special item in your wardrobe, so it makes total sense to see Christopher John Rogers’ cheerful brand of weird hanging on the racks.
I was expecting the dinner to be quite fancy so I decided to wear my trusty Mara Hoffman dress (RIP!) which has seen many weddings, formal events etc. Plus, it’s easy. I’m exhausted and decide to go for the ‘sexily bedraggled’ look. With hair that won’t quite stay down, clothes that don’t match and makeup not properly blended, the best I can hope for is to arrive looking like a painting slightly out of focus.
Stalwart Toronto event photographer George Pimentel is on hand to take everyone’s photo. I peruse the store offering first before heading up a set of stairs completely decked out in Christopher John Rogers’ colourful stripes. I arrive on an open bar patio and spot Rogers himself. We briefly chat about the weather—the same temperature in Toronto as it is in LA!— and what he’s up to in Toronto. Turn out, looking for dinner recommendations mostly, before he’s whisked away to talk to more important guests. He’s shy and sweet and soft-spoken and I immediately like him.
Dinner is a classic Michelin affair with tiny, impressively flavourful bites delivered on oversized plateware. I’m seated next to influencers Bridget Brown (so sweet!) and Lisa Corbo, stylist Santanae Luzige (also very cool!) and life coach Monique Melton. Halfway through dinner I excuse myself to go talk to Nicole Elsasser, who cofounded the most spectacular gift shop in the city, Baa Bazaar, at another table. (She’s also a buyer at AbFab.) A few months ago we were chatting at some opening event for a fancy linen tablecloth brand when she dropped the sagest fashion advice I have ever heard:
“If you dress 5% more in Toronto, people will think you’re famous.”
Stylist Georgia Groom had just walked in with her partner who was wearing a fancy handkerchief around his neck. Together, they were dressed so distinctively she had to do a double-take to ensure it wasn’t an actual celebrity. The 5% is really about adding an extra element of styling to your look that enlivens the entire thing; a small splash of eccentricity that’s just different enough to make someone want to look twice. Examples include:
Mullet-y haircut
Statement glasses frames
Matching set
Sculptural shoes
Large silver jewelry
Wearing a third piece of clothing in addition to a top and pants/ or a skirt
Styling sportswear in an unexpected way
It’s important to note that “famous” in this context is synonymous with interesting. “There are plenty of people who look rich but not famous,” Elsasser says. The 5% effect can have a palpable effect on your surroundings too. “Even though it was a weird party, I left thinking it was a good party because people were dressed cool.”
The 5% statistic is particular to Toronto because people here tend to dress in a way that’s so subdued you don’t really have to do much to stand out; a pair of statement sunglasses might just do it. In a place like New York, the number jumps to about 20% in order to have the same effect. My friend Niko is a great example: she has gorgeous long, grey hair cut into a feathery, expressive shag and a habit of wearing sunglasses indoors. Everywhere she goes, she is constantly approached by strangers asking, “Are you a rock star?”
Elsasser cites AbFab employee Claudine, who goes by @vintage_glam_rock on Instagram, as another great example of the rule. She has great style, but even if she didn’t, her dyed blonde eyebrows and purplish hair deliver enough quirk to make anything she wears appear compelling and unique. So! The next time you put together an outfit and aren’t quite happy with how it’s going, consider the 5% rule. Is there some possible tweak you can make to make things slightly weirder, and therefore more interesting?
As dinner I say my goodbyes, but not without getting a quote from Absolutely Fabrics’ founder, Kaelen Haworth first :
“I’ve been friends with Christopher for a while and it feels great to be able to showcase his talent in Toronto, like I’m introducing him to the city.”
Then I head out into the night, thoroughly chuffed with this new bit of wisdom.
Oh my! This article appeared in my Notes! So lovely to meet you on here, Isabel!