Month: March 2010

Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics Nail Polish

geekiviews: Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics Nail Polish

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I was sent a package containing some Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics Nail Polish. The package contain a base coat, top coat and four colours. The names are stewed in a lot of pop culture and rub some people the wrong way. Brazen Hussy = metallic dark fuschia; Camel Toe = medium dark neutral beige, Virginal Pink = light pink and Cougar = medium red with blue-orange. I’m ambivalent about the names to be honest. I like regular colour names, it’s easy. I guess I’m a traditionalist in that sense. Brazen Hussy was my favourite of the bunch. It’s the type of colour I would wear normally. I like dark colours in nail polish like purples and blues with metallic finishes. I’m also a fan of neon and grey based shades. I decided to try something different and went with Virginal Pink, a colour I would never wear. I applied the nail polish as laid out in the instructions with slight modification. Two base and top coats were needed. I went with three coats of Virginal Pink …

The Tale of Two Barbies

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So, I was asked to style a Barbie doll for LG Fashion Week. I thought it would be fun so I accepted the challenge. It turned out that Barbie was an albatross. I had a bunch of ideas for Barbie swirling in my head: Give her a haircut, make her a mini me, fur, etc. It was really hard to boil it down. With the deadline soon approaching I came up with something and I thought it was pretty fucking clever. Dare to Wear Love Barbie. Here is my quote for her “I guess this is the Dare to Wear Love Barbie. I really loved the small samples of fabric that were left on front row seats at the Dare to Wear Love show last season. I collected them all. Barbie’s proportions allowed me to create the wrap dress I could never wear given the amount of material.” I made the dress (check that architectural shoulder), the necklace and bracelets. I also dyed the shoes and handbag to match.   She also got a little …

LGFW – IZMA Fall Winter 2010

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You want to know how to get in my good books for a fashion show? Use I wanna be Adored by The Stone Roses in your runway music. It’s one of my favourite tracks ever. It was stellar when this track kicked in during IZMA’s Fall Winter 2010 collection. I was singing along and tapping my foot in the front row. You also put David in the show. Dreamy. I never expected to say fur and beautiful in the same sentence. I’m usually pretty ambivalent about fur. I find most of it awful on purely aesthetic terms. Izzy Camilleri and Adrian Mainella presented a beautiful fur collection. The construction of the garments was spectacular. All fur in the collection is sourced from NAFA Origin assured, sustainable wild Canadian furs. It’s a selection of coyote, raccoon, muskrat, red fox, grey fox, beaver and silver fox. The underpinnings were sheer and leather. The trousers leather were to die for. They did a great job of complementing the fur pieces without becoming the focal point. It was all …

PROM V: Noir

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On the weekend I attending PROM V: Noir, a fundraiser for the Royal Ontario Museum. Welcome to the dark side of the ROM with PROM V: NOIR, a thrilling night of dramatic glamour and cinematic fantasy inspired by the ROM’s captivating collection of winged creatures in the newly revamped Bat Cave and the recently opened Life in Crisis: Schad Gallery of Biodiversity. Hosted by MTV’s Dan Levy and Jessi Cruickshank, hundreds of YPC members and guests will take a sensational step back into vintage Hollywood complete with private eyes and femmes fatales. Experience the melodrama of a dazzling Golden Age film première—with a contemporary twist—as you pose for a mob of flashbulbs on the black carpet, investigate tempting diversions in dark shadows, sip swishy cocktails, and shimmy the night away on a fierce dance floor to the sounds of a live Big Band and stellar Toronto DJs. There were a few great 40s themed outfits to be seen.  Of course, black ruled the join.  I saw very little colour on Saturday. I wore Greta Constantine …

Smythe Fall Winter 2010 - 2011 Lookbook

Smythe Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 Lookbook

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I was very excited to received the Smythe Fall Winter 2010 -2011 Lookbook. I knew I would be drooling over coats again like I’ve done in years past.  Smythe is one of the brands that have been coveted on I want – I got from the beginning.  Here are my favourites pieces from Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 There are jackets for everyone: leather, bold shoulders, classic military and equestrian styles. Smythe can be purchased at Holt Renfrew, TNT Woman, Canopy Blue and Andrews in Toronto. Online shops carrying Smythe include net-a-porter.com, shopbop.com and saks.com.

Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffrey Campbell

Ask a Geek: Where to find Jeffrey Campbell Shoes in Toronto

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Sometimes readers ask me questions. If they are of value to all my readers I post them online. If you have a question, please feel free to submit it using the contact form. I’ll definitely do my best to answer it. I want – I got reader Shop T.O. Live commented on my “i got: Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffery Campbell” post: I see so many fabulous Jeffrey Campbell shoes/booties posted on style blogs around the world, but I can’t seem to find a lot of selection in Toronto. Can you think of other stores in the city that sell them? I love Jeffrey Campbell and I’ve posted about my own collection. I only know of a few stores in the city that carry them so I contacted Jeffrey Campbell on twitter to verify. Little Burgundy, Browns, Urban Outfitters (store selection varies) and Chasse Gardée all carry JC shoes in Toronto. From my own personal experience the styles featured in all stores varies. Check them all when looking. The @JCShoes twitter account tells me more …

Aesa Jewellery

i want: Aesa Jewellery

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I’m loving the segmented nature of some pieces from the Aesa collection. It reminds me of fossilized ocean creatures. Randi Mates is Aesa’s designer and lives in New York She studied ancient greek and roman fabrication techniques at the Jewelry Arts Institute on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. Aesa is only available in Toronto at Ewanika, 1083 bathurst street

K-Genius Shoe by Jeffrey Campbell

Buckle Boot Madness hasn’t stopped

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Yesterday, I went off about buckle boots.  I described my Jeffrey Campbell Potion boots.  I then posted about the original source of my fixation with buckle boots, the C02 Buckle Boots by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony.  Not to be outdone, I brought Multi Strap Wedges by Ann Demeulemeester into the mix with her boot.   It has come to my attention that that the K-Genius Shoe by Jeffrey Campbell looks a lot like my C02 Buckle Boots by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony.  I don’t like the Jeffrey Campbell ones much, they would be better in all black. images: openingceremony.us and karmaloop.com

C02 Buckle Boots by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony

i want: C02 Buckle Boots by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony

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The C02 Buckle Boots  by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony are what prompted my Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffrey Campbell purchase.  The Potion’s were the inspired versions of the Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony original.  While I love my Potion’s they really aren’t a complete substitute for the real C02 Boot.  I’d still like to get my hands on these, perhaps in a different colour.  I remember seeing a burgundy version at one point. I drool over the hardware details, those buckles are beautiful. You can find the C02 Buckle Boots by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony online at Opening Ceremony. I haven’t seen or heard of any retailers stocking them in Toronto.  I would love to see these shoes up close. images: openingceremony.us

TEFW – Greta Constantine and Erza Constantine Fall Winter 2010 – 2011

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The Audi dealership would host Kirk and Stephen once more as they presented the Greta and Erza Constantine Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 collections.  The boys seem to have great sponsors with Audi, Stolichnaya, Glaceau smartwater, ALDO, and Ame. There were no Rado wristbands when checking in this time instead I presented with a plexiglass rectangle engraved with the words “Greta Constantine” and a gold sticker with my seating assignment. It was a great touch and a nice little keepsake after the show. Paul Baik, my amazing Photographer was with me to catch-all the action. We went backstage to an unusually prepared team, it seemed they were waiting on the audience. I was in awe, where was the craziness and drama? It was none to find, only models milling around eating (yes, eating), talking and taking photos. It was a night of the urban, doomed heroes and the dark, noir dames. The collections are both urban and modern but completely divergent. Erza is your prototypical urban dweller, covered in layers of fashion forward garments. The …

Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffrey Campbell

i got: Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffrey Campbell

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I got the Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffrey Campbell a few months back because they reminded me of the Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony C02 Bucklet Boots. The Potion’s are the inspired version and much cheaper. I discovered that Chasse Gardee would be bringing them in, so I sent off a quick email to hold a pair for me. I haven’t gotten to wear them much because of the weather but I can see these being a summer staple. If you are in Toronto you can see if there are any left at Chasse Gardée, 1084 Queen Street West or you can check online at ssense.com (Cdn) or Shopbop.com. images: shopbop.com

Rachel Roy

I want – I got Interview: Rachel Roy

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I want – I got has a little interview with US designer Rachel Roy. This is a first for the site as I normally interview Canadian designers. It was an email interview but I was hoping to meet Rachel at The Hudson’s Bay Queen Street on March 25, 2010 for personal appearance. Unfortunately I’m booked, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go, it’s a public event. The Spring Summer 2010 collection for Rachel Rachel Roy is pretty cute. I love all the pieces that use the colourful flora print. 1.What factors influenced your decision to create the Rachel Rachel Roy line? “I wanted every woman to have the opportunity to express herself through style in an accessible way. The Rachel Rachel Roy collection allows me to mix elements of downtown cool with uptown chic for a result that is simultaneously edgy, elegant yet youthful. I hoped to design a fashion forward contemporary collection that accentuated a woman’s best features and allowed her to express her own individuality.” 2. I imagine plans for the line were …

TEFW – Breeyn McCarney Fall Winter 2010 – 2011

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I was in a foul mood when I arrived at the Courthouse to see Breeyn McCarney Fall Winter 2010 collection. I want – I got had been down for most of the day and I wanted to get home and fix it. Everything else was irrelevant at that point. Hard Boiled Wonderland was the name of the Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 collection. Haruki Murakami is what comes to mind when I think Hard Boiled Wonderland. I don’t think the ultra feminine style presented on the Breeyn runway had much to do with surrealist, cyberpunk literature. Breeyn had a mixture of knits, wool plaid, distressed cotton, mohair, bamboo and leather. She utilized rabbit fur, beads, leather and pearls as embellishments. The result was a cute collection of party dresses and sweaters. Lots of feminine details like bodices and corset like It was a cohesive collection for the most part. The final dress was out of place. It would have worked if it was the same colour palette as the rest of the collection. The jersey …

NADA Fall Winter 2010 - 2011 Future Fashion/Fashion Future in 3D

NADA Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 Future Fashion/Fashion Future in 3D

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It was interesting to see a fashion presentation in a theater. NADA Fall Winter 2010 -2011 was a 3D film presentation. The first 3D fashion film presentation of its kind. Burberry’s Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 3D live stream doesn’t count because it wasn’t a film. I heard rumours that this film cost $2 million dollars leading up to the screening. That was quickly squashed in the Q&A. Nada Shepherd was thinking about Fembots and video games. The film was like an ultra fashionable Street Fighter where the women fighters had a better wardrobe selection. It had all the classic Street Fighter selection features like weapons, settings and outfits. The video was ambitious and I’m pleased to see someone switching the traditional presentation up. The 3D wasn’t a sharp as I expected.   At the beginning of the screening we learned that the version being screened wasn’t the final cut. I have to admit the web experience isn’t better. I was hoping for better quality video and larger screen resolutions for both the 2D and …

OZ Studio Boutique

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The OZ Studio Boutique is a gorgeous space in a renovated storefront on Ossington Ave. The 100+ year old space has hardwood floors, exposed brick and 17feet ceilings. Evan and his partner Joseph Fuda stripped the place down to its original elements. There are industrial elements with exposed metal piping and just enough dilapidation to be cool. It was the talk of the launch including some envious retailers in the area. Evan Biddell is insistent that the space is not the Evan Biddell store. It’s part gallery, boutique, event space and photography studio. Evan Biddell has partnered with photographer Joseph Fuda to redefine the boutique experience and created an artist’s showroom unlike anything Toronto has to offer – combining a modern concept fashion gallery and photo studio located on the bustling Ossington strip. The Biddell Spring 2010 collection is the first installation in the Boutique and available for purchase. The entire collection is displayed on dress forms instead of the traditional clothing rack. The Biddell Fall 2009 collection hangs off the stainless steel wall with …

Lanvin ♥ Acne 2010

Lanvin ♥ Acne 2010

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The Lanvin Acne denim collaboration that started with the Spring 2009 collection continues. It must be a yearly endeavor because I was wondering when the next update would be. It looks like they cut out the Men’s version of the line as I don’t see it on the shop.acnestudios.com website. I really like the draped denim dress, they really look like Lanvin pieces I don’t think Holt Renfrew will be stocking this season of Lanvin ♥ Acne after seeing how many pieces were left at Now or Never time and Last Call. But I will confirm for sure. You can purchase the Lanvin ♥ Acne 2010 collection at the Acne Online Shop. images: shop.acnestudios.com

Balenciaga Fall 2010 Shoes

Footwear trends from Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 from the shoe buyers

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I love it when the Footwear News asks the buyers their opinions of the collections. I’m always interested in what the buyers/retailers think of the collections. For the last few seasons I’ve been posting about shoe buyer’s feelings on the show. Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 is no exception. New York Todd Hanshaw, Fashion Director, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Strongest Trends: • Ankle booties • Fur • Ladylike, refined styles “Must-Carry” Styles : • High-heel ankle booties • Flat-sole sandals Shifts in Buying Strategy: “We are absolutely growing our budget and getting behind the point of view that we represent in the stores.” Liz Rodbell, EVP & GMM of apparel, accessories, shoes & cosmetics, Lord & Taylor Strongest Trends: • Military- and utility-inspired boots • Laceups and ankle booties on a wedge or platform • Oxfords and suede platforms “Must-Carry” Styles: • Lace-up boots • Booties • Clogs Ones to Watch: “Key designers to watch are Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs and Max Azria.” Shifts in Buying Strategy: “Our buying strategy remains consistent. The market looks …

TEFW – Philip Sparks Fall Winter 2010 – 2011

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Didn’t get a chance to attend Philip Sparks’ Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 show? Well they have produced a great runway video of the show that includes close ups of the outfits. I’m an unabashed Philip Sparks fan so it’s pretty hard for him not to please me. I love the Philip Sparks sailor and what great models to represent him. The presentation format was excellent. I like the half runway half installation idea and it was a nice change up. The attention to detail is always excellent and the Burroughes Building once again served as a fantastic backdrop. I was so happy to see my favourite model David C from Elmer. The last time I saw him I was at Elmer Olsen’s Christmas party. David was going to Europe for the men’s collections. I told him I hoped to see him on my computer screen. I nearly spewed coffee over my monitor when he turned up in the Alexander McQueen fall 2010 collection. Holy Shit, David walked McQueen. I later found out that David …

Steve Nash Harry magazine cover - spring 2010

Steve Nash on the cover of Harry Magazine

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Harry Magazine, the award-winning publication by Harry Rosen Inc., will feature one of Canada’s top all-time athletes, Steve Nash – Phoenix Suns point guard and a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player – on its cover and in a six-page feature and photo spread in the Spring 2010 issue, being mailed today. I have a weakness for Steve Nash. I didn’t know it when I first saw him years ago. I was a huge basketball head. I played in high school religiously. I loved amateur ball and March Madness was my thing.  I thought about trying out for York U’s team but decided to do Track and Field instead. I became a licensed referee during my last year of high school and did that for a few years. I still remember my little black and grey outfit, black runners and my Fox40 whistle. Rounding out my basketball knowledge resulted in learning the table, the scorekeeping table. I’ve performed all the jobs on a standard setup: timer, scorekeeper and statistician. The hardest job was the statistician by …

Rick Owens Ready to Wear - Fall Winter 2010 - 2011

Rick Owens Ready to Wear – Fall 2010 – 2011

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There is always a place for Rick on I want – I got. The Rick Owens Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 collection added some new elements: zigzag prints and geometric horn appliqués. The collection is very warrior like an urban warrior. The only things I’m not all that jazzed about in the collection are the down wrap jackets. Fashion Show Backstage images: nymag.com

Buy Design Spring Social images Anna Lisa Sang

Buy Design Spring Social

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Buy Design is my favourite fundraiser of the year. It really is the one that is closest to my heart. I’ve participated in two advertising campaigns for Buy Design and it’s always a great party.  I love an excuse to play model and get my make up done. Buy Design Spring Social is Windfall’s seventh annual dress up party! On Saturday, April 10 at 8 pm, The Fermenting Cellar in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District will be transformed into a dirty thirties fundraiser featuring a mess hall auction, croquet and badminton lawns and a swinging dance hall tent. Sip sidecars, sours and planters punch and parade across the big band stage in the boater pageant. Throw darts at the Beauty Balloon Buster game and sample brown-bagged bites from the country fare stands and bake sale. Hosted by TV and fashion personality ADRIAN MAINELLA. Tickets are $75 each or 6 for $375. Order online or call 416-703-8435. images: Anna Lisa Sang