Category Archives: Fashion

My first attempt at creating ads

Image

Posted by: Hana  Gabrielle

Since I was young, i had always wanted to get into the world of marketing and advertising. The beginning of 2012, I made some daring moves. I quit my decent -paying job after a year, and having just completed my undergrad, decided to go back to school and study what i know has always been my passion. A passion, I was too skeptical to pursue, years before.

Image

Hana's Advertisement 1 Image

Now, having enrolled in a post-graduate program at an internationally recognized college for marketing, I had the opportunity to learn and do things related to all my interests. I got to create ads.

Though, it was my first time in this type of environment, I visualized and to the best of my “newbie ability” at photoshop (with the assistance of few pros), I released some creativity. Though, I took a different approach to Sam Edelman’s sexually provocative advertisements. Instead of exploiting the woman’s sexuality, I empowered it.

1 Comment

Filed under Art, Culture, Fashion, Lifestyle, Photography, Shopping, Style

Trending: Camo Print

Posted by: Hana Gabrielle

Who would of thought that those three-quarter camo print shorts from high school, lost deep in your closet, would be a current fashion trend? (Clarification: I mean the print, and not the three-quarter shorts, of course.)

The print, obviously borne for military and hunting purposes, made its way into the fashion realm more prominently after following the successes of past military-inspired ensembles that included the trench coat and military boot.

I’ve been noticing the trend on both men and women alike. It’s worn in many different ways as seen on the local hipster walking down queen street west and even on the professional corporate employee (especially if they have a knack for style). There’s no denying the print itself – on a coat, sweater, shirt, shoes or skinny pants –  is a statement piece. And, for it to be considered the least bit attractive and stylish, camo print pieces should worn with simple and plain articles. Too many shades and patterns worn all at once, can be busy on the eyes. Don’t torture the onlooker.

You don’t have to search high and low to find a good camo print piece. If you’re looking to be on a budget, check out your nearest surplus store – I’m just skeptical whether or not the fit would be what you’re looking for. I’ve been searching for my own camo print jacket and came across these great finds, all differing in style and fit:

(L-R: Club Monaco, Urban Outfitters, Asos)

All in all, you can already figure that the camo print is definitely a tricky pattern to pull off. It’s bold and modish yet, versatile. It can be dressed up or dressed down. Club Monaco does an excellent job making the camo jacket super workwear chic.  Either way you know what they often say in fashion, “it’s not what you wear, its how you wear it”. It’s such a must-have piece to have in your closet. Don’t be discouraged by the word “trend”; I think we’re going to see these styles run longer than most others.

Let’s just say, I think it’s not such a bad idea if you consider joining the army.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fashion, Lifestyle, Shopping, Style, Uncategorized

The Little Mermaid’s Ursula Makeup

Posted by: Stacey Maka

Continuing with my Halloween series – I decided to choose a villain instead of a princess since villains don’t normally get the spotlight. The Little Mermaid is my favourite Disney movie of all time, so I thought it would be perfect to do Ursula’s makeup. Of course I added my own twist and made it an oddly more wearable and modernized Ursula. Here’s how to look devilishly sexy in purple skin (lol).

Begin with flawless looking skin. I went ahead and mixed up the right shade for my complexion and used concealer to brighten up the center points of my face.

Blend the concealer with your brush and using a pressed powder, pack it down in place.

Fill in your brows.

Using my Sleek Glory palette, and with this rich ocean blue eyeshadow (Victoria), I sweeped the colour across my lids and slightly wing it out. Then I applied some of that same colour to the bottom lash line.

Using this shimmery sand colour (Overground), I applied some to my inner tear ducts to brighten up the eyes.

With a matte grey colour (Platform) I went on top of the blue and blended it out in a square motion for a bit of dimension.

And with a dark shimmer blue/grey colour (“Glitz” from the Sleek Oh So Special palette), I went halfway over the matter grey colour from the end of the wing and faded it out towards the inner part of my eyes. Then attached it to the bottom lash line as well, and blended everything together for a smokier look.

Taking a white pencil liner (Rimmel London Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in “Pure White”), directly line your water line so that it gives off the appearance of bigger eyes. Then with a black liquid liner you’re going to create fake lashes. Go in and create 3 lines of lashes.

Option: Some people might not feel comfortable wearing bottom lashes so you can also create some bottom lashes if you prefer to not wear any. This still gives off a great illusion of lashes.

Apply some dramatic top and bottom lashes and top it off with your favourite mascara.

I wanted to add a little extra “umph” to the look so I took a grey/brown shadow (“Matt Patel” The Balm Meet Matt(e) palette) and lightly blended the colour on top.

I popped in some hazel coloured contacts (to be honest I couldn’t determine Ursula’s exact eye colour so I thought this was a good guess). I purchased these from Pinky Paradise.

Now for Ursula’s octopus skin! I decided to use this shimmery purple/lavender colour (Essence in “Disco Diva”) and treated it as if I were to bronze and contour my skin usually. I thought it was a fresh approach instead of fully transforming my entire face and body to pure purple. So I used the colour on my cheeks and the temples of my forehead. Don’t be afraid to extend and go crazy with this, you want to exaggerate as much as possible.

For your nose use your normal bronzer to narrow it down.

Line your lips with the similar lip colour, and apply a deep red lipstick (Rimmel London Kate collection in #11). I use the index finger trick so that there is no lipstick stuck on my teeth.

Finishing touches: Can’t forget Ursula’s signature birth mark on the right side of her chin! Also her silver/white hair (wig purchased from ebay).

Don’t be afraid to add more purple on your body, like on your collar bone, shoulders, sides of your neck, and cleavage (it looks great to add accents of purple on your arms too).

The finished look!

As for wardrobe: I wore a black tube dress purchased from Zara but you can find a tube dress from anywhere else. The seashell is from Michaels Arts & Crafts and I attached it around my neck with a purple ribbon.

Stay tuned next week for another Halloween look!

6 Comments

Filed under Beauty, Fashion, Film, Hair, Makeup

Post TIFF Excitement

Posted by: Stacey Maka

The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) just wrapped up and a lot of us Torontonians are starting to feel the withdrawal – I sure am. It was absolutely an amazing year.

I had a chance to talk with Melanie who designed the t-shirts for the Toronto International Film Festival. An amesome part of her reward was viewing movies of her choice throughout the eventful 10 days. I asked her a few questions about her time at TIFF and this is what she had to say.

What inspired your t-shirt design?

I wanted to evoke the film viewer experience with the facial expression of someone really absorbed in the moving work of art presented before their eyes. I also wanted to capture the cultural significance of the Toronto International Film Festival while injecting my whimsical style.

What were your most memorable experiences at TIFF?

It was awesome having my t-shirt graphic printed on Me To We Style materials since they are a socially-conscious company. As for the festival, having the opportunity to meet directors and cast members after film screenings and ask questions was really cool. Even though language was a bit of a barrier, I chatted briefly with the director and lead actress of stylish and raw Polish film, Baby Blues, who tell me there is great vintage shopping in Warsaw.

Of all the movies you watched, which ones did you enjoy the most? (Why?)

I watched a silent black and white film from Spain called Blancanieves. It was a take on the story of Snow White, set in 1920s Spain, with influences of flamenco dancing and bullfighting. Unique. Another I really loved was The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This was one of the rare times I’ve actually read the book before watching the movie. Plus, author Stephen Chbosky directed it. Perhaps that enhanced my experience because I couldn’t contain myself and I ended up bawling my eyes out in the middle of the packed theatre!

Did you go star searching? Who were your favourite actors/actresses/directors to see on the red carpet?

Yes! In between screenings I looked to see the movie premieres that were taking place. I wasn’t able to score tickets to watch Looper, so I settled for getting a glimpse of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, and director Rian Johnson (who also directed The Brothers Bloom, which I love too) on the red carpet. Other favourites I saw were Kate Hudson, Greg Kinnear, and Zac Efron.

Did you notice any fashion trends happening during TIFF and if so what were they?

I noticed the presence of lace and floral embroidery (Kristen Stewart, Eva Mendes), sequin embellishments (Keira Knightley, Selena Gomez), full-length sleeves (Kate Hudson, Lily Collins), peplum (Naomi Watts, Emma Watson), and sheen (Joshua Jackson, Kevin Zegers).

What were some activities to do before or while waiting for your movie to start?

Besides “star-gazing”, there is also a variety of places to go for a drink or meal. The TIFF Bell Lightbox (TIFF headquarters) houses the O&B Canteen café and Luma restaurant. Food trucks were also stationed near certain theatres. There were promotional booths with freebies and contests (Bell, Orville Redenbacher, Veet). I, myself spent some time at the L’Oreal Beauty Lounge getting a complimentary manicure, along with a full-sized product give-away for signing up to their online newsletter. I may or may not have made more than just one visit;)

What made this special from going to a regular movie?

TIFF offers the opportunity to watch international and independent films that you probably wouldn’t see in your average movie theatre. There is so much talent that is not limited to just North America. And the chance to get up close and personal with these talented people makes it extra special.

Can you explain what typically happens at a TIFF event (from your own experience)?

I learned that lining up a half hour or more before your film is the best way to go in order to get a good seat. A lot of times, the director of the film does an introduction, especially if it’s a premiere screening. When it is over, there Is a Q&A session with the director and possibly cast members and writers. Sometimes they stay a little longer for anyone who wants to go up and say a few words or take photos with them.

My funniest memory at TIFF was…

Having people wanting to get photographed with me after finding out I designed the shirt they were wearing.

Any last words people curious about TIFF should know?

A lot of films that show at TIFF end up being huge successes when they are released for viewing by the general public. How great would it be to say that you called it first!

 

You can check out more of Melanie’s artwork from her fashion designs to graphic designs on her website at melaniesimon.tumblr.com.

 

Kristen Stewart image via huffingtonpost.com, Selena Gomez image via justjaredjr.com, Lily Collins image via justjared.com, Emma Watson image via andpop.com, and Kevin Zegers image via tumblr.com.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Art, Entertainment, Fashion, Film, International, Raves

Bringing Back the 90s

Posted by: Stacey Maka

Move over 80s because the 90s is the new black [insert cheesy cliché line]! Being that I was born in the late 80s, makes me a kid of the 90s – and like any kid/teen of the 90s would know, the 90s had a big movement in music. Whether it was from pop to hip-hop to grunge – they were all influential to our fashion and lifestyle. The 90s were kept pretty simple makeup wise though. Skin was porcelain perfect, eyebrows and lips were defined (the centers of attention), and all while eyes were more on the subtle side. Matte colours were what it was all about. I’ll show you how to take some of that 90s flavour into your everyday school or work look.

The 90s Natural

I believe this was a very common and a fresh everyday look at the time. It was all about dewy skin, and looking like you were barely wearing any makeup. This look is great for you girls who are going back to school since its fast, simple, yet still showcases your natural beauty (your young skin really doesn’t need to be wearing a lot of makeup anyways!).

I already did my base. I used Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream and Tarte Smooth Operator loose powder.

So first off…you got to work those eyebrows, and don’t be afraid to fill them in a little thicker than usual. If you look back at pictures from the 90s you’ll see how thick and naturally beautiful they kept their eyebrows back then.

With a black eyeliner pencil, line your inner lash line. This will help your lashes to appear fuller.

Keep it natural with some demi false eyelashes.

Then coat your top and bottom lashes with mascara.

Lip liner was huge in the 90s so line those babies up with a coffee colour (or similar). Then apply a nude lipstick and don’t forget to blot to get rid of some shine. Yea I know their lips were even more matte back then, but I think it’s ok to have some shine so that your lips don’t look dry or chapped…plus we got to modern this up a bit right?

And there you have it!

If you want to have fun with the entire 90s look, and have naturally curly/wavy hair, add some mousse and let your hair air dry (or blow dry on medium heat with preferably a diffuser). As for wardrobe, I chose to wear a black leotard and a vintage denim jacket.

The 90s Glam

Bright matte red lips were also another big 90s hit. Transiting from the natural look to the glam look is super simple to do.

So go in with a black eyeliner pencil again and line your waterline to complete the tight lining on your eyes.

With a matte black eyeshadow on an angled brush, line as close as you can to your eyelash line.

You may want to reapply some more mascara.

Again, line your lips but this time with a red liner, and apply a bright red lipstick.  I found this great colour from the Kate collection by Rimmel London in number 11.

You can blot again or you can follow this neat trick. Split a tissue part, place one side over your lips, and with a loose powder and a big brush pat it over your lips for a longer lasting colour and more matte finish.

Lightly apply a light matte brown eyeshadow across the lid, and as well along down the starting point of your brow and eye (this brings more shape to your face and also creates a narrower look). Then with the same colour, use a heavy hand and apply the colour into your crease.

You may even want to go in with a light contour powder and dust a bit on the hallows of your cheeks and along the sides of your nose.

For hair, I kept the same style in the natural look. But if you want the real thing, slick your hair back with some gel. As for my wardrobe, I just wore a vintage cream white crop tank top with some high-waisted shorts (if you could see :]).

If you’re not so much into the clean prettiness, then go ahead and take it into…

The 90s Grunge

Using a q-tip and/or your finger, go ahead and smudge your makeup to look like you were partying all night. “Bedhead” is alright here so mess up that do for a less polished look.

I was a little Courtney Love inspired with the tiara but ended up looking more on the prom-ish side (lol). If you can pull off the tiara then go for it. But if you decide to ditch the crown, this look is great with a vintage slip dress and some mary janes.

Hope you enjoyed the looks! Let’s keep the 90s alive :D

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Beauty, Fashion, Hair, Lifestyle, Makeup

A Vagabond, though Rooted in Style

Posted by: Hana Gabrielle

Don’t call it a comeback. Sorry folks! I’ve been missing in action for the last couple of weeks so that may explain the delay in my posts. My, have I missed this.

It’s summer and what most people do when they have some time off is: travel. Who wouldn’t? I heard an awesome quote a few days ago that goes like this:

“The World is a Book. When you do not travel, you only read one page”

As an aspiring self-proclaimed vagabond,  I want to read this book from cover to cover. Even twice.

This summer, I will be travelling to Europe in August, specifically Ireland and Scotland for 2 weeks to visit my sister and her husband who currently reside there.

I like to think I travel a lot, maybe not as much as I want since expenses hold me back, but for the most part, I try to. And, most times when I do travel, I rarely find the time, patience and even space to pack my whole closet – thus, finding ways to be super stylish but also comfortable (especially for the sight-seeing adventures) when you’re in the streets of Paris or Milan seem impractical unless you’re Beyonce or Mariah Carey (who wears 5 inch heels to Disney World? I’m just saying.)

The point is when you travel, you pack light, you pack for comfort and you also pack for the weather.

It would be easy packing for Mexico or any other hot destination because the majority of your luggage would be bathing suits. But Ireland and Scotland in August? Hmmm. That’s a tough one.

In Ontario, Canada where I reside, our summer’s are fairly hot and humid. But in Ireland and Scotland, apparently it’s not so much. Word has it – it rains. Frequently. Often. Maybe, all the time with hints of sun light here and there.

From what I hear though and what I’ve read, all that rain makes Ireland and Scotland what is is; Lush, Green and Beautiful. My sister Nikki has reassured me the scenery is breathtaking.

Is this a perfect opportunity for photo sessions with breathtaking scenery then? I think yes!

But you better believe it –  I plan to be a little stylish tourist ready for the weather and the rolling green hills!

Below, I have compiled 4 different outfits I would probably see myself wearing when traveling to Ireland and Scotland.

Who says you can’t be damn cute in the rain?


Image

T.Babaton – Bergen Blouse in Abstract Animal (originally $120) - www.aritzia.com

T.Babaton – Alvin Shorts (originally $110) - www.aritzia.com

Printed Lace Raincoat (originally $89.32) - www.freepeople.com

Dilute Leopard Loafers (originially $80.00) - www.Anthropologie.com

 The Kinney Reader Eye Frames ($200-500) - www.needsupplyco.com

 Gold Arc bracelet ($80.00) – www.shopsupplyroom.com

Image

Taluta Trooper Jacket – in Surplus (originally $120) - www.aritzia.com

 V-Fringe Brown Purse ($25.00) – www.brandymelvilleusa.com/

 Always in Bloom Dress ($34.00) – www.shopconversationpieces.com/

 Sam Edelman Lisle Ankle Boot (originally $160) - www.urbanoutfitters.com

 Max & Chloe – Emily Elizabeth Jewelery Polished Fern Leaf Bangle ($98) - www.maxandchloe.com

Image

Lizzie Fortunato Medicine Woman Necklace (approximately $200-500) - www.francesmay.com

 Citizens of Humanity – Dylan – San Marco Denim Pants ($236) - www.aritzia.com

 Vivid Beginning Oxfords ($79) - www.Anthropologie.com

Super Duper Strength –  Karen Walker Sunglasses - www.karenwalkereyewear.com

 Sail Me Away Shirt ($21.00) – http://www.conversationpieces.com

 Fashion Rebel Vest by Strong and Dickerson ($78.00) - www.shopconversationpieces.com

Image

River Island Beaded Tribal Belt ($24.86) - www.asos.com

Loeffler Randall Rain Boot ($150) - www.loefflerrandall.com/

 Community Prana Sweater – Finch (originally $85) - www.aritzia.com

 Wilfred Wallis Skirt ($125) - www.aritzia.com

The Classic – Cambridge Satchel Company ($150-250) - www.cambridgesatchel.co.uk/

 Anthropologie Hertiage Rain Coat - www.Anthropologie.com

 Deep Freeze Karen Walker Eyewear - www.karenwalkereyewear.com

Jean Paul Gaultier Umbrella ($75.00) - www.openingceremony.us

Leave a Comment

July 18, 2012 · 15:59

Spring Hair Flair!

Posted by: Stacey Maka

The weather is warming up so it’s time to stop hiding our manes in bulky hoods and hats and let them free again! Here are some adorable styles and trends to play with:

1. The Turband

This is the more modest version for those who are a little afraid of trying out the full on turban. This trend gained momentum last year but continues to be a perfect spring accessory. It’s very wearable and dresses up any boring outfit without looking too outrageous. You can play with the neon spring colours or stay reserved with earth tones.

2. The High Pony

It’s a bit of a late 80s to early 90s throwback but has always been a fun and playful look. If you want a sleeker look you can wear it straight but wearing it with a wavy or curly hair texture gives it a funkier look. To make it interesting you can add some volume by back-combing your hair.

Or add a fun accessory (very 80s Whitney Houston-esque don’t you think?)

3. The Messy Side Braid

Since the release of The Hungry Games movie, everyone has been inspired by the main character, Katniss, to rock a side braid. It’s ok to not be perfect with this one. Let pieces of hair hang out for a casual laid-back look. And to make it stand out even more, do an inverted braid instead of your regular one.

4. The High Bun

Is it just me or is there something very intriguing about a bun? It’s especially great for those in between don’t wash your hair days. If you’re still feeling too plain add a cute headband.

If you’re prone to many fly outs (as I am -__-), use a wax to keep things in place. I use  Schwarzkopf OSiS Rough Up.

The turband, big bow headband, and gem headband are all from Purely Fictional.

2 Comments

Filed under Beauty, Fashion, Hair, Online Shopping

Confessions of a Shop-a-holic on a Budget

Posted by: Hana Gabrielle 

As I have mentioned in prior posts, I am, like many other women out there, into style, fashion and beauty. This comes as no surprise. I am also, like many other women out there – a shop-a-holic. No, this is not so much a  full blown Compulsive Buying Disorder (though, there are elements of that). Put simply, I just find enjoyment in shopping and perhaps even see the antidote to day-to-day problems  is by expanding your wardrobe and decorating your wrists, ears and neckline with sparkly things.  However, often synonymous with being a shop-a-holic means you gotta break the bank. And, that’s simply not true all the time. Forgive me, but not all of us have the luxury of being the daughter of a wealthy banker or the wife of a NBA star. Money doesn’t grow on trees for most of us.

Even with this fact, finding enjoyment in shopping and spending money on things that make us feel and look great are not experiences reserved for the wealthy. Unless you’re going for the “I’m all brand baby” look, being true to style doesn’t mean there is need to spend $5,672 on that Prada bag when you know you can find something almost equivalent to it somewhere else, for less the price. On that same note, being a shop-a-holic, I confess I have splurged on over priced Wilfred tunics at Artizia and sheer blouses at Club Monaco. However, I too, have made the conscious and creative decision to buy and wear secondhand clothing. I am a bargain hunter or a shop-a-holic on a budget. I am a Thrifter (by choice).

Cringe and shudder if you must, but like many co-thrifters, we see value in this type of shopping – it’s affordable and unique. Where else can you find high waisted Levi’s cut off shorts and crochet belly top tanks? Oh, Urban Outfitters? Sure. But, I paid under $10.00 for both at my neighbourhood thrift shop and not $10.00 on just taxes. While some may find themselves staring at the other girl across the bar on a Saturday night wearing the same pencil striped skirt from Forever 21, the thrifter could be wearing that vintage styled pencil skirt you’ve never seen before anywhere else.

Thrifting is not a new phenomenon. As a kid, I remember my sister who is 10 years older than me, was doing some of her shopping at Value Village and Salvation Army. However, thrifting I believe, has grown in appreciation especially in the fashion realm where everything that is old is considered new, again.

While there are many thrift shops in and around Toronto, Stacey and I decided to hit up the thrift shops super North-East of where we live. There is a common assumption that downtown has all the treasures, but we discovered that its just simply not the case. Everywhere, all over the city, the reality is people throw away good things. They often say, “one (wo)man’s trash is another’s (wo)man’s treasure”.

Dropping by two thrift shops in suburbia, going through rack after rack, and shelf after shelf, Stacey and I stumbled upon pieces of clothing and accessories reflective of current pieces found at higher end retail stores. On this adventure, we took home about six pieces we thought were distinctly original, justifiably priced and within our spending budget for the day.

An intricately woven leather belt (shown far left in above photo) with a touch of a cowboy wistfulness cost us only $3.99. While, a pair of  vintage Guess denim jeans, that we later want to cut up into shorts cost us only $0.99. Trending all over the city streets and magazine editorials are long skirt and Stacey and I, couldn’t help but fall in love with a warm orange coloured and a rich forest green silk ankle skirts that cost us only $4.99/each. The finishing touch to any outfit is the accessory and the brown vintage clutch for $5.99 acts as that perfect asset.

Stay tuned to see how we put these thrift finds together to make a Spring/Summer 2012 outfit…

1 Comment

Filed under Beauty, Culture, Fashion, Lifestyle, Rant, Shopping, Style

InstaStyle via Instagram

Posted by: Hana Gabrielle

Just a few months ago, I switched my phone to the iPhone 4S. Verdict? Best thing that I ever did for myself. Besides how impressive the camera is, the modernity and degree of  actual value the phone has in relation to other phones, the app downloads are probably the only crucial factor separating phones apart from each other, in my opinion at least. Instagram, being one of the most valuable apps for iPhones/iPads. Sorry Blackberry users, you don’t get the perks of this gadget. But maybe Facebook might help you out sooner or later. I won’t even waste my time commenting about the Facebook takeover. Though, I will admit, for Kevin Systrom and Mike Kriegar, $1 billion ain’t too shabby (see here for more details).

Instagram which receives a complete 5 star rating from its 15 million users, is an app that brilliantly shares photos in a clean, simple way where users are able to edit their photos by picking from 15 different filters to add a little bit of drama and art to their photos. Clearly, a hipster and wannabe photographer’s dream. The social aspect is there of course, where you can interact with friends and even strangers. It is similar to Twitter, though if you’re like me, where reading tweet after tweet can get boring and overwhelming – looking at pictures really require no effort except a swipe of a thumb. Can you tell I was one of those kids who would pick the book at the library with more pictures than words?

Like many instagram users, I genuinely get a kick out of looking at “artsy” photos. The enjoyment doesn’t only exist in looking at photos of your friends snapping shots of their sushi plate at a high end downtown restaurant or even their view at the basketball game. I find enjoyment in being able to follow friends and even my favourite fashion and style bloggers instagrammers.

I was recently reading up on my twitter feed and stumbled upon a link to ELLE Magazine’s Pop Culture section that did an article on their favourite fashion instagrammers (click the image below to direct you to the article). Though brief, the article highlighted a collection of instagram profiles like Leandra Medine (Creator of ManRepeller.com) and Hillary Kerr & Katherine Power (the founders behind WhoWhatWear.com). If you check their blogs on the regular online, you would probably get your quick fix off of their instagram  account. You know what to expect already; cute shoes, cute clothes, cute this, cute that…

ELLE was right in picking the accounts that lead the fashion pack. However, I believe they are missing some contributing profiles that are synonymous for instagram fashion and style. I took screenshots from my own personal instagram of the profiles I think are worth a follow (free promo here!):

  

L-R: Alice + Olivia, Aritzia, Asos

   

L-R: Harper and Harley, Nasty Gal, Thessy & Yiota (Saboskirt)

   

L-R: Aimee Song, Julie Sarinana (SincerelyJules), The Coveteur

I’ll spare you the details of each profile. I reckon that you will be tempted to check one if not all these profiles based on just the thumbnails of these images. What should be an influencing factor in deciding whether to check these profiles out is that they  all have interesting and inspiring perspectives on style and fashion. They all bring something creative to the table, even though they’re all using “X Pro II”, “EarlyBird” or “1977″ filters to enhance their photos. Well hey (for most instagrammers), we’re guilty of it too.

Photos were screenshots via Instagram

Leave a Comment

Filed under Art, Beauty, Culture, Fashion, Lifestyle, Photography, Shopping, Style, Technology

Monthly Subscription Fever

Posted by: Stacey Maka

If you are a big fashion and beauty follower on youtube, you would notice that this year monthly subscription websites have become more popular than ever. There are a ridiculous amount of haul videos out there showcasing your favourite guru’s subscription goodies. I still don’t know much about them but the way these sites work is you take a quiz answering questions about your lifestyle, what brands you like, or which celebrities fashion you admire. Then based on your answers you are matched with items that would best fit your personal taste and style. I myself don’t have that much money to burn every month, however most subscriptions give you the option of skipping the months you don’t find anything you like which is not a bad deal.

The 3 most popular right now are:

JewelMint.com

This subscription is the hottest one out there right now. I’m seriously bombarded on my youtube newsfeed with jewelmint hauls. The jewellery is designed by Kate Bosworth and her stylist Cher Coulter. I must say after my assessment they matched me pretty well with pieces I would defiantly wear for myself. Their monthly fee is $29.99 USD. And they do ship to Canada so you might want to give this one a try.

MeUndies.com

They are known as “the world’s most comfortable underwear” on which I couldn’t agree more. I have recently joined this subscription and so far I’m impressed. MeUndies is $16 USD per/month and their shipping is quite fast. They give you 3 styles to choose from with a decent range of colours. MeUndies doesn’t just only target ladies, but they also have styles for the gents! So this would be a great gift for a boyfriend/husband or just in general a good giveaway for anyone. Packaging is really spiffy as well:

MyGlam.com

MyGlam was created by the most well known beauty guru on youtube, Michelle Phan. This is still a pretty new company and from reviews I’ve seen it has been getting mixed thoughts from the subscribers, however if you follow MyGlam or Michelle on twitter they are dedicating the time to improve themselves, and let’s face it…Michelle is amazing so who wouldn’t want to support her? Sadly this is the only one of the three that does not ship to Canada just yet. If you’re lucky to be living in the US then you should try it out, I mean it’s only $10 a month for deluxe samples and full-sized products so why not?

For the Canadians, alternatives to MyGlam are: glymm.com and glossybox.ca.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle, Makeup, Online Shopping