Once again treading in unfamiliar territory in the indie scene, my friend and I shyly stepped inside the roomy loft in the Old Port to settle in the back to take in our surroundings. At the entrance was an elaborately decorated dress by Moly Kulte, an eco-fashion label. Dress Mess is part of a monthly event called “Monthly Mess” by Indyish, where artists of all background can use the space to play music, have fashion shows, to even “finger puppets and lap dancing.” This month’s “mess” involves their one year celebration. Of the things I was able to witness were readings from Worn Fashion Journal of their upcoming issue, a small fashion show by La Gaillarde, which houses around 30 eco-fashion brands, and gave some healthy advice on being more ethically minded consumers. Guests were allowed to post advice on post-it notes and some of them were read outloud, my favorite being “If you wear your Superman outfit every day, it stops being special.”

What’s always impressive are the street styles that pop up even in this chilly weather, a time where I can’t help but dress like a grandma to keep warm. Kudos to the skirt and dress wearing gals to the event.

It was an interesting night, but fashion events will be fashion events, nothing ever starts on time. I keep hoping they would, but they never do.

But I have gathered for you some of my picks of those whom I find have done a great job in spreading appreciation and respect to fellow DIY (do-it-yourself) artists. They will thoroughly quench a part of your needs of anything that is out of the mainstream and out of the glossy fashion magazines, however their partying antics can be just as crazy.

Worn Fashion Journal
I’m not sure if there are any other magazine of its kind in Montreal, but it certainly is very polished. All of the cover art are made by local artists, whether they’re photographers or illustrators, they interview people with great sense of style, a love for vintage clothing, and tips and tricks to mend your threads.

Headquarter Galerie & Boutique
This pretty little shop in the Gay Village simply has a great collection of very unique pieces of clothes, accessories, trinkets, and artwork by local Montrealers. I love reading through their blog posts with their Look of The Week, and obsession with Etsy (Worn is obsessed with that store too btw).

Indyish
Perhaps one of the best known indie networks that gathers bloggers, writers, photographers, artists, fashion designers and musical artists under one roof.

Mesa Moda
A relatively new fashion blog, which in their own words, “is a Montréal-based monthly web-mag dedicated to the cause of original, artistic and ethically minded fashion.” Their written works are in forms of magazine-like layouts with tons of photos.

The Pregnant Goldfish – Shut Up You Twit!
A whirlwind of street style photos and zany comments.