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Real style, like true beauty, is in the eye of the beholder—and there’s nothing that makes us happier than looking at these shiny, happy Calgarians. You could call them Swerve’s best-dressed, but we’d rather you saw them as the lucky dozen who’ve managed to crack the dress code. There’s not a single uptight fashion victim in the bunch, just quirky, confident individuals who understand that playing dress-up is all about having fun.

Chima Nkemdirim
chief of staff, Office of the Mayor of Calgary

Although Mayor Naheed Nenshi doesn’t enforce a strict dress code at his office, you’ll most likely find his chief of staff in a dapper suit, brightened up with punches of colour like a bold shirt or a bright tie. However, one hue you’ll rarely see Nkemdirim in these days is the colour most associated with the successful mayoralty campaign he ran last fall.

“I still have a lot of it in my wardrobe, but we bought so much purple during the campaign that I’m sick of it now,” Nkemdirim says.

A lawyer who is also the chair of the Calgary Foundation’s Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee, Nkemdirim draws his style inspiration from well-dressed people he’s encountered during his travels abroad, which is where he also does most of his shopping. His annual trips to New York include an obligatory stop at Century 21.

“The best part of it is because I’m cheap,” he says of the popular designer discount-department store in the Financial District. “Suits are really expensive,” he adds. “I find it’s better to pick them up when travelling or get them custom-made offshore. You can get the same suit in New York [as here] for one-third the price. So why not use that money to go on a trip to New York?”

Nkemdirim is wearing a custom-made suit by LGFG (Look Good, Feel Good) Fashion House, 403-990-0190, lgfgfashionhouse.com. His shirt was custom-made by Maxwell’s Tailors in Hong Kong, his Nautica tie came from Winners (he bought it on the afternoon of the Oct. 18 civic election) and his shoes are Kenneth Cole. His colourful Calvin Klein socks, which prove he’s not your average “suit,” came from Century 21 in New York.

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Suzie Q
proprietress of Suzie Q Beads, Buttons & Bijoux

“My first major accessories success was being the winner in the Easter Bonnet parade at Altadore Elementary,” says the vintage-jewelry collector, occasional lounge singer and all-round crafty girl. “It was a red hat with red ribbons and white lace. It was quite robust.”

By age 10, Suzie was ordering beads by mail from the U.S., and still has a few vintage catalogues to prove it. “They were sold in a glass tube with a cork stopper,” she says. “Accessories are my life. It’s just what I do.”

And her understanding that life is all about the little extras extends beyond her beads, buttons and bijoux to her makeup choices. Known for her signature red lips, Suzie’s go-to colour was the original Viva Glam by MAC until it was discontinued a couple of years ago. “I have half a tube left so I only bring it out for special occasions,” she says. “Ruby Woo (MAC’s replacement red) doesn’t quite cut it, though it’s what I wear for everyday.” Her nail colour is OPI’s A Oui Bit of Red, the only part of her look that is matchy-matchy.

Suzie is wearing Calvin Klein jeans, a shirt from Winners, Naot shoes, and vintage crystal earrings.  She bought her cat-eye glasses in Orlando, Florida. Her Thomas Sabo watch and all other jewelry is from Suzie Q Beads, Buttons & Bijoux, 1401 9th Ave. S.E., 403-266-1202, suzieqbbb.com.

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Angie Davis
self-styled “happy professional mother” of seven-week-old Rowan

“I like things that other people don’t have and things my friends make,” says Davis, who, until the birth of her first child, was the general manager of Farm restaurant. “I’d much rather reuse and rework my clothing than buy more. When I do buy something new, I try to buy quality so it lasts for years.”

In keeping with her “up-cycling” esthetic, she was married in a dress Canadian designer Angelika Werth made from pieces of a 1960s canvas tent and 1940s wedding gown.

Since Rowan came into the world, Davis, an Alberta College of Art and Design fibre-arts grad, has been doing some sewing of her own. “It’s difficult to find groovy tops to wear while nursing that are a decent price and of good quality, so I’m spending Rowan’s quiet moments reworking his grandmother’s T-shirt collection.” Davis also made the onesie Rowan is wearing from a pig T-shirt illustrated by Swerve’s Easy Cook, Pierre Lamielle.

“Being a mom, your clothing has to be practical, easy to clean, comfy and still look good when you have zero time to change before you leave the house,” Davis says. “Still, if anyone sees me in sweatpants while out for coffee or shopping, send me home right away.”

Davis is wearing an Odd Molly cotton dress from Indigo Bay in Canmore, necklace from an artisan in Uruguay and Franco Sarto shoes. You can buy T-shirts similar to the one Davis used to make Rowan’s onesie at Knifewear, 1316 9th Ave. S.E., 403-514-0577,
knifewear.com.

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Pamela Haight
co-owner, Rubaiyat Gallery

Pamela Haight rarely lets her hair down—literally. Her salt-and-pepper mane is usually slicked back and fastened in a tight bun, a far cry from the 1980s when it was big and permed. “I also remember my mom wearing crazy makeup in the 1980s, like every colour of eye shadow and always tons of jewelry,” says her daughter Morgan.

Originally from Medicine Hat and a former elementary school teacher, Pamela opened Rubaiyat Gallery with her husband David nearly 40 years ago. Although she’s toned down her hair and makeup over the years, she’s still a believer that more is more when it comes to jewelry. Rather than subscribing to Coco Chanel’s philosophy of always taking one thing off before leaving the house, “I’ll put one more thing on,” she says.

Pamela is wearing an Eskandar tunic, Armani pants, Arnold Churgin shoes she bought in the 1980s, a vintage bracelet, earrings by Calgary designer John Blair, Arunashi necklace and Judith Leiber glasses from The Brass Monocle.

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Morgan Haight
manager and executive buyer, Rubaiyat Gallery

Most little girls only dream of sparkles and shiny things, but Morgan Haight has been surrounded by precious stones and metals since she was born. She began working for the family business full-time five years ago, after receiving her BFA in art history from Concordia University.

When it comes to accessories, Morgan tends to gravitate towards vintage-inspired pieces or authentic old-school stuff like her mother’s snake belt from the 1980s. “I try to be trendy in an elegant way and try to mix classic pieces with a bit of a bohemian twist.” One of her most vivid fashion memories includes an obsession with another type of accessory. “She was around 12 years old and she stole this little bowler hat from her brother and wore it for months,” says her mother.

Morgan is wearing a top from Aritzia, J Brand jeans, oxford pumps by Manolo Blahnik, a vintage 1980s belt that belongs to her mom, earrings by Armenta, and vintage Indian diamond bangles mixed with gold and silver Haida bangles. You can find similar pieces at Rubaiyat Gallery, 722 17th Ave. S.W., 403-228-7192, rubaiyatcalgary.com.

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Kendall  YellowHorn
university student

A former menswear designer, YellowHorn is currently working on a B.A. in English literature at the University of Calgary. When not hitting the books (he highly recommends the “freakish” Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love, which he recently reread), he indulges in his love of travel and shopping, often concurrently.

“My favourite store is Opening Ceremony in L.A. Any chance to jump on a plane and go, I’m there.” Despite the plethora of designer labels in his closet, he insists he’s all about basics. “It’s about minimalism for me right now,” he says of his current look. “And I’m wearing a lot of metallic. I look half magpie!”

YellowHorn is wearing Tiger of Sweden trousers, a Dolce & Gabbana button-down shirt, a sweater he made from a gold linen kimona bought in a thrift shop in L.A. and a vintage leather coat bought in Montreal. He accessorizes with an Hermès belt, Yves Saint Laurent boots, Gucci glasses, a Christian Dior necklace and—our favourite piece—a red rabbit foot.

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Jennifer Gardiner
account executive, Business Wire

Jennifer Gardiner’s going-out routine is simple: she stands in front of her closet and gives herself 10 minutes to decide what to wear. “It’s a contest, a game. If you can’t have fun with your clothes you’d  best go naked,” she says.

Working from a home office for Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, she keeps her day attire “business casual with a flair, but within oil and gas parameters.” But at night it’s panache to the max, fuelled by accessories like the eight-inch platform shoes she recently bought at DevaDave, a Calgary boutique that caters to cross-dressers.

Though her closet includes pieces by Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, Gardiner stays away from wearing head-to-toe designer and often mixes up her look with thrift shop finds, always worn in an over-the-top way. “I grew up in the ’70s and loved The Sonny and Cher Show. I still love Cher.”

Gardiner is wearing a vintage Simon Chang dress, vintage tails from a man’s morning suit, a vintage Eaton’s hat and Wolford tights. Her Pleaser platforms are from DevaDave Salon Boutique, 810 Edmonton Tr. N.E., 403-290-1973, devadave.com.

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Sean Dunnigan  
judge, Provincial Court of Alberta

Befitting his profession as a criminal court judge, Dunnigan presides carefully over sartorial matters. “Wear what you like, like what you wear, and don’t forget that glasses are fun,” says the former president of the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta division), who owns six pairs of glasses, each one cooler than the last.

Spectacles are the perfect accessory when your clothes are covered during the day by judicial robes and your hair is a thing of the past. “It once fell to my shoulders, then it fell onto my shoulders,” Dunnigan says. “I thought I’d save a fortune on shampoo until I learned buying razor blades required a chattel mortgage at London Drugs.”

Off duty, the CBC Calgary Radio legal columnist favours clothing with a western flair (much of it vintage since meeting Gardiner) and admits to wearing Wranglers under his robe during Stampede.

Dunnigan is wearing a vintage H Bar C jacket bought in Toronto’s Kensington Market, 1826 jeans from The Bay, a belt from Supreme Men’s Wear, Fluevog shoes and glasses from eyeglassboy.com.

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Lauren Tamaki
illustrator/designer

“I’m into super-colourful stuff and am obsessed with vibrant and clashing colours, not just in what I wear, but also in my illustrations,” says Tamaki,  who is a self-proclaimed thrift-shop super hunter. She’s also got a thing for shine. “If it’s sequined, I am happy and it makes other people happy. If it’s all glittery, they’re digging it.”

Tamaki, who already has a degree in fashion design from Ryerson, just added a Bachelor of Design (majoring in illustration) from the Alberta College of Art and Design. While still in art school, she won a major international illustration award from the Society of News Design for her work in Swerve, and created the logo and initial branding visuals for Murale. Her goal to become a full-time illustrator seems well within reach.

Like her work, her hair is constantly evolving. “I kind of like ugly-ing it up, like shaving off the side, which some people (i.e., her mom) are not happy about,” Tamaki says. “I have never been attached to my hair—I perm it sometimes, I chop it off. My attitude is, why not, who cares?”

Tamaki is wearing vintage pants from a thrift store near her home, Aldo shoes, Walmart socks, a Club Monaco jacket and top from Aritzia. One of her bracelets is from H&M; the other was a gift from her former roommate.

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Rob Mabee  
owner, Axis Contemporary Art

Rob Mabee’s wardrobe is as varied as his schedule: You’ll likely see him in jeans and a jacket during work hours, but when the sun sets and he’s out on the town—among the places you’ll find him this month is at the Fairy Tales Film Festival, where he is part of the programming committee—he gravitates to a more polished Cary Grant-inspired look with a well-fitted suit. This wasn’t always the case. As a student at Alberta College of Art and Design in the 1980s, he preferred a more eclectic style, complete with a “black wedge of hair covering one eye like The Human League’s Phil Oakey,” he says.

Mabee’s Ebel watch, his go-to accessory, was a gift from the International Olympic Committee to his partner of three years, Mark Tewksbury. The couple wear matching silver bracelets from Art Central’s Rox Gems as a symbol of their commitment to one other. “We’re not really marriage guys so we decided to get these when we started going out,” says Mabee.

Mabee is wearing a Varvatos jacket, a Lacoste shirt, Armani Exchange pants, Steve Madden shoes and a linen pocket square from Harry Rosen.

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Mark Tewksbury
co-owner, Great Traits Inc.

Except for learning to surf in Sayulita, Mexico last year, the Chef de Mission of the 2012 Canadian Olympic team rarely hits the water anymore. “It’s been 20 years and I’ve had two or three lives since then,” says Tewskbury, referring to his gold and bronze medal wins at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and his silver medal in Seoul in 1998.

Tewksbury now runs a personal and professional development company, but his Olympic legacy lives on in his indifferent attitude towards fashion. “All of his formative years, all Mark wore was his Speedo, so it would be fair to say I influence his style,” says Mabee. “I love looking great, I just don’t want to think about it,” adds Tewksbury, who, in the 1990s, had his own clothing line for Sears called TKS 110%. “It had the best tube socks ever. They were so snug, thick and bouncy and really cushiony. People still come up to me and say, ‘I still have your socks.’”

Tewksbury is wearing pants and a shirt by Hugo Boss, an Armani jacket and belt, and boots he found in Montreal.

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Originally published in Swerve magazine on May.06.11.