Joe Zee talks wardrobe staples, splurge-worthy items and Canadian fashion

With more than 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, Joe Zee knows a thing or two about style.

The Hong Kong-born, Toronto-raised Editor-in-Chief of Yahoo Style got his start in 1992 at Allure magazine where he worked under legendary editor Polly Mellen. He moved up the ladder at various magazines including W and Elle and has styled Hollywood heavyweights like Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts, Julianne Moore and Brad Pitt – and that’s just the beginning. The most recent addition to his resume? Style ambassador for Old Navy.

We caught up with Joe at his Joe Zee x Old Navy event in Toronto and asked him about splurge-worthy pieces, fall must-haves and how to stay stylish while braving the cold, Canadian winter.

Yahoo Canada: Let’s kick it off by talking about your partnership with Old Navy. What about the brand drew you to it, and how have you worked with them?

Joe Zee: First of all, I get a call from the VP of Marketing – and she’s an old friend, we’ve worked together a lot since the ‘90s when she was at Gap and I was styling Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker – and she said, “I’d love for our to be our style ambassador for this fall,” and I was like “Oh, wow!” This is how I dress. I put on a suit and go to work, but jeans, a sweatshirt and high tops, that’s the way I live. And I went in and met with everybody in San Francisco and I looked at the fall collection, and I was blown away, so it was just a natural partnership. And right from then, I got involved in almost everything – so I styled the entire fall campaign, so every single picture you see. I helped them with casting and putting it all together, the way the clothes should feel and look and be worn. I did how-to videos with them. So between all of this, like posting the events and putting word out there and really showing people and helping people to embrace my favourite must-have items for fall was a big mission, and that’s really sort of what it came into.

YC: Are you wearing Old Navy today?

JZ: I am! Look! Isn’t it cute though? I have the blue pants just like this, too.

YC: You’ve worked with many high-end brands and designers. What pieces are worth splurging on, and what things should you always snap up at more affordable stores?

JZ: I am a big believer of high-low anyway. I think sometimes a great shoe and a great bag should be an investment piece, because I think those kind of things you have a long time, those are the kind of things that can accentuate the things that you have. But a lot of the things that you wear every day can be purchased for less. It’s not so much about fast fashion anymore, I don’t think that’s really the idea of it, it’s just being accessible but stylish. If you can find something that’s stylish and accessible, I think that’s really the winning formula. So I’m going to put that sweater on – I’m going to wear it to work, I’m going to wear it this weekend to go to brunch with the girls, I’m going to wear it out on date night. It’s just fun. It’s so many ways you can wear something.

YC: You talked about jeans, sweaters and high tops – what are some of your other wardrobe staples?

JZ: I love my sweats, I love my jeans, I love my chinos. I love a plaid shirt – a flannel shirt, and a hoodie, and I’m obsessed with bomber jackets. I have a million. I have a leather bomber jacket, nylon bomber jackets, a ton. That’s my big thing right now.

YC: If a woman is going out this fall and she’s going to buy five pieces of clothing or accessories, what should they be?

JZ: You’re wearing one right now! A little flippy skirt. I love a little flippy skirt. I think a lot of people don’t realize that you can actually wear that through fall and the winter with tights and boots. And then I love knits, that’s a big trend this season. I love a big, oversized knit, something that’s chunky and cozy and fun. I’m loving the big, overized boxy coat right now. A leather boot, like a motorcycle boot or something like that, because it looks great with leggings or tights. And I think then, a great bag, because you need a great bag. That’s something you just grab when you’re heading out and suddenly it changes everything you’re wearing.

YC: What’s something you never leave the house without?

JZ: My phone! I’m on it all the time. I’ve already charged it twice and it’s not even noon yet. I’m always tweeting and Instagramming and I have a thousand emails I have to answer all the time, or I’m always calling or texting someone. There’s always something going on.

YC: You grew up in Toronto! How has Canadian fashion transformed over the years? Where do you think it’s headed?

JZ: I think it’s hard; it’s like when people say “Oh, what’s American fashion?” It’s too hard to be so broad because there’s so many different regions. But I think even just growing up here in Toronto, I think the customer has become a lot more savvy and fashion-conscious and stylish over the years, for sure. There’s so much information and access around, not just on TV but now it’s online, people aren’t worried about trying to be experimental or taking a risk in wearing different things.

YC: As you know, Canada can be pretty unpredictable when it comes to the weather during fall and winter. What’s your advice on how to stay stylish during those frigid winter months without defaulting to a Michelin Man-esque parka and Uggs?

JZ: New York, too! Stay home! I think there’s lots of ways you can do it. Listen, I love a parka, you just have to find a parka that works for you. But I love the idea of tights, a great leather boot. I love a motorcycle boot because that’s the type of thing you can always wear on a cold day. That could be a great alternative to snow boots. Shearling is also really big this season. So a big, oversized shearling coat instead of a parka is also a really chic way to be stylish.

YC: What Canadian designers do you love?

JZ: I haven’t been here in awhile so I don’t want to single out anybody, but Greta Constantine, those guys that design it (Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong), they’re old friends of mine from way back. I grew up with them, I grew up with Dean and Dan (Caten, of Dsquared²), so that was my generation. I love seeing them on Facebook and all the things they do, and I’m always so proud of friends of mine.

YC: When did you know you wanted to get into fashion? How did you make that dream a reality?

JZ: I think I always knew I wanted to work in fashion, and I was always obsessed with it. I think you just do it. You set a goal for yourself and you just have to achieve it. I think I’ve always been that person, I’m not much about sitting on the sidelines, I’m always finding a way to make it work.

YC: What advice do you have for anyone hoping to make it in the fashion world?

JZ: Right now, what you guys have in this particular generation today, and what I did not have when I was growing up, is you have the ability. You can start putting your voice out there, you can start putting up your blog. So start a blog; you can use social media to put your voice out there, you can use any of these tools that are free and accessible to start putting that together. For me, I had to find a school newspaper to work on, because that was all I had. But if I had a Tumblr back then I could create my own magazine online for people to see. Sometimes, people don’t realize it’s right there.