Fashion Monday with JJ Lee

Vancouver designer and fashion blogger , Terri Potratz, posted a neat video featuring images from her Larry collection's shoot for Fall/Winter 2010. By Bienvenido Cruz . Scrolling Through Aperture from Bienvenido Cruz on Vimeo .

Not the best weather, admittedly. But there's nothing that says men can't be ready to hit the beach. Today, guest host for CBC's On The Coast, Lisa Christiansen, and I answered listeners' email questions about men's swimsuits and good beach grooming. I turned to Swimco and Absolute Spa for advice. Here's our delicate conversation about Speedos, grooming and how to look like Daniel Craig. Sort of .

Suitable swimsuits for men with a nod to Swimco and Absolute Spa . http://www.cbc.ca/video/radio-popup.html#/networkKey=cbc_radio_one&programKey=vancouver

Updating ones look is always a good idea. MAKEOVER! From now on, Fashion Monday will be on CBC's On The Coast with Stephen Quinn at 3:50 PM. Stephen and I will be reading your fashion questions and queries. Yes, Fashion Monday is a style advice column. Today's topic are Speedos, men's swimsuits and how to be beach ready. I'll be visiting Swimco and Absolute Spa to get the latest information and will bring the answers later this afternoon. Now, if only the sun would come out!

Once a week, CBC host Stephen Quinn and I will be going through your questions about fashion and style. I'll be leaning on stylists, designers and fashion directors from Sweden to Shanghai for the answers and looking for practical solutions you can use. Mind you, I will slip in my own opinions quite often. This week, I'm taking on swim suits! Pose your questions here: onthecoast@cbc.ca (put "dearjj" in the subject field) OR Tweet me at http://twitter.com/fashionmonday (use #dearjj, if you can). Oh, yeah, driving shoes with socks is a NO-NO!

Call them Breton stripes or Chanel stripes or sailing stripes. A summer perennial. Super strong last year - and still going this summer. But this season they're coming on all sorts of scales and colours for men and women. Here are a few thoughts from my CBC column on why and how to wear them.

Seersucker. From the Persian, "milk and honey", it is a suit fabric identified with summer and the Southern US states. It is a classic warm-weather suiting and a lightness and casual silhouette perfect for garden parties. Typically found in fine blue and white stripes, the cotton textile features alternating smooth and nappy bands. The nap helps wick away moisture. Here are some seersucker pointers from Brooks Brothers fashion director Glen Hoffs : What is a now way of wearing seersucker? Seersucker is one of those timeless fabrics that looks very current at the moment. The renewed interest in mid century dressing makes seersucker feel quite current. Of course how one wears seersucker is what makes it modern. I prefer it mixed with something unexpectedly casual- for instance a seersucker sportcoat with jeans or a more relaxed bottom. Spread collars continue to be popular - do they suit a seersucker look? Yes a spread collar shirt can be worn with seersucker but I would a...

Today, JJ talks TIE. In honour of Father's Day. Why did ties get all knotted up with the Sunday tradition? What's the best knot for different face shapes? And why ties still make a great present for dads. Today at 5:40 PM on CBC Radio One in Vancouver instead of my usual 5:49 PM spot. Listen online live .

On too many occasions I talk about trends in women's fashion saddled with caveats. For example, I'll talk about how the Empire waist is out and waistlines are dropping down to the hip in certain clothes. Of course, (**caveat**) shorter women should be wary of this trend... You see what I mean. So yesterday, I went on air with a piece about current trends, skinny jeans and ankle-length hemlines, and how they would apply to curvier women. For an informed perspective, I spoke with Laura Caravaggio. She runs the online boutique for full figured women called lolaandgigi.com .

Stephen and I talk about women wearing socks with strappy leather things...

Tune in when I get the opinion of Vancouver's finest designers and fashion thinkers on this summer's trends: socks with sandals (HOT TOPIC) mid-calf length hemlines and men in dress shoes without socks You'll hear from Jason Matlo and Carlie Wong and, of course, JJ and CBC host Stephen Quinn. That's On The Coast , on CBC Radio One in Vancouver at 5:49 PM Also you can listen online live .

Obakki's collection featured stretched leather denim-cut pants with a luxurious sheen and suede wedge details and champagne-hued sequined silk in wraps, tops and dresses. Body-hugging dresses of modal and viscose with panel detailing may not be distinct enough to compete with cheaper cotton jersey and rayon dresses. Obakki's cotton floor-length strapless evening dress rises above the common place with stretched leather wrapped at the bust. It cleverly contrasts the matte cotton. Overall, Obakki continues to explore asymmetry and monochromatic textures whilst creating a very wearable collection. It always seems like the women's clothes are the classic fashion items (like a t-shirt or pair of jeans) from a not-to-distant future or an alternate reality. There everybody is wearing Obakki.

It's always nice to be noticed. The Denim Debutante - aka a fetching Jaime Palmucci - posted about my latest piece for the Vancouver Sun .

Last night I sat on a Vancouver fashion and media panel to talk about the NFB film, The Colour of Beauty . Obviously, in a business where appearances are everything, the colour of your skin is a big deal. Today, I spoke about the issue with Stephen Quinn on CBC Radio One's On The Coast .

shoe designer john fluevog a vancouver icon A shoe tour at the museum with John Fluevog.