A walk through any part of Edmonton on any given day can turn up all sorts of outfits. Who knows what style you’ll run into? We at Avenue had no idea when we held our inaugural Best Dressed contest on our website.

We saw every kind of entrant, from “geek chic” to “urban flair” to however you would describe someone in a bona fide clown costume — seriously.

Narrowing down the shortlist — and then the even shorter shortlist — was not easy. With the help of our celebrity judges, Capital FM’s Kari Skelton and Sonic’s Garner Andrews, we’re confident we’ve found Mr. and Ms. Edmonton’s Best Dressed: two people who take risks with their appearances, but still appreciate classic cuts. You can catch them April 19 at Shaw Conference Centre during The Spirit of Spring Fashion Show and Luncheon.

FEMALE WINNER - STEPH ROGERS

Steph Rogers grew up in Cambridge, Ont., near Toronto. After the 24-year-old graduated with a BA in Communication Studies, she moved to Edmonton. The difference? “People here tend to wear one extreme or the other. They love basics and are into hoodies and jeans — something simple — or they go all-out with hair, makeup and clothes. There isn’t any middle ground,” she says. Because Toronto has more shopping districts, she says, there’s “more shopping to be done” and more styles to be worn. For Steph, standing out is key — but it’s also important to know when not to take a piece from the rack to the cashier.

When you’re buying new clothes, how do you find your Goldilocks zone?

There’s something to be said for people who know exactly what their body type is. They can look at something and know right away if it’s cute and won’t look good on them, or if it’s cute and will. Lots of people just like a piece and buy it with no consideration for how it will look on them. But I’m able to take a trend that I like and know right away if it will work on my body and with the wardrobe that I already have. In the past I’ve made the mistake of buying tons of stuff, only to realize it doesn’t work for me.

Do you have a favourite designer?

Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs — people who have a lot of great ideas. I really love what Lanvin is doing — it’s a lot of really structured dresses and tops with interesting angles and hemlines. The head designer is Alber Elbaz and he’s got a way of knowing what will make women look their best.

What’s your favourite place to shop?

In Edmonton, it’s Holt Renfrew mostly, but for some fun things, I love Forever 21 and Zara. They are a really good way to bring runway trends to an affordable and inexpensive level. You can wear one of their pieces until you get bored of it, and not have to guilt over the price tag. I also love shopping for vintage pieces on Melrose Avenue in L.A.

What’s your favourite shopping experience?

Going through Paris and finding little shops off the beaten track or tucked away on side streets. They might not even have signage. It’s really cramped and everything’s really packed on racks, so you never know what you’re going to find.

MALE WINNER - RYAN STARK

At 23, Ryan Stark is a young professional working as program co-ordinator for the City of Edmonton’s bid to host Expo 2017. So, it’s essential that his clothes are appropriate for the boardroom, and still look striking. After work, however, the jacket is tossed aside, the shirt unbuttoned and the shoes replaced with a more colourful pair. “But don’t overdo it by being too flashy or by combining too many trends in one outfit,” Ryan is quick to remind himself and others. “Stay grounded.”

Where’s your favourite place to shop?

All over. I buy the most when I travel and go to stores only available in those cities. I like local boutiques because they guarantee uniqueness. San Francisco has a lot of stores and great variety, and Kuala Lumpur is a great place to shop. It has the blending of the Thai street market with the Singapore urban, upscale market. It’s like the market meets the mall. They really focus on the design of the piece, not the branding. It can be a local piece, but still be of good material.

What’s your favourite piece of clothing?

The custom-made brown suit I got in Asia. I just love the way it fits. I picked out all the details from scratch: the buttonholes that open in the sleeve, the double-vents in the back, and I even chose the alignment of the checkered pattern. In Asia, it’s not as expensive to get a custom-tailored suit. The suit — a wool and cashmere blend — only set me back about $400.

One of the reasons you were chosen is because you were edgy with your look, but didn’t overdo it. How far is too far?

You have to be grounded when you incorporate some trends. If you’re too trendy or too fun, people will see the clashes and see where it doesn’t blend. If something needs to stand out, it needs to stand on its own, like a little bit of bright detail on your shoe that complements
a detail on your tie. You can still be striking and put together.

Some men are notoriously bad dressers. What advice would you give to men reading this?

Pay attention to proportion, fit, layering and material, and combining trends. Don’t be afraid to add colour and pattern, but don’t go overboard either.