Tag: trends

Spring ahead of the beauty game

Post author By Elizabeth Tomaras
Post date March 18, 2014

Both bold and muted trends are in for spring 2014

This winter has been unbearably harsh, with last-minute snow storms and that dreaded polar vortex. But fret not, for our suffering has not gone without consideration as we will soon see a transition in weather, bringing forth warmer days. With the change in forecast comes a change in routine and I do mean beauty routine. Spring allows for fresh looks from head to toe so let’s get started.

Let’s take it from the top, literally. In terms of hair, thick headbands were spotted on the runways, from Balenciaga to Valentino. Both design houses adorned models’ heads with bands covered in studs and knots. Then there was Lupita Nyong’o who, on the other end of the spectrum, wore a pretty, dainty, diamond headband at the Oscars. Whether your inspiration comes from fashion week or awards night, this trend is on point so get your head in the game.

With the emergence of spring, cool girl hair — meaning I-woke-up-like-this waves — is also making its debut. Warm temperatures mean air-drying your hair becomes easier and playing with your natural texture is a departure from the structured looks we tend to go for during the colder months.

Now, it’s time to give face. All that glitters is definitely gold. Lashes, eyelids and eyebrows were gilded at Gucci and Dior and even a gold-painted part in models’ hair was spotted at Dries Van Noten. Want to add a touch of glimmer to your eyes? Urban Decay’s eyeshadow in “Half Baked” gives you the Midas touch.

An unsurprising trend was the use of a pastel palette on eyes, lips and nails. This is a more traditional way of interpreting spring, in terms of beauty, and shades of light pink, baby blue and lavender were seen on the runways of Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs, and Holly Fulton, respectively.

If you prefer to play up your pout, the season’s brightest trend is orange lips. Numerous designers opted for this sunny shade which is also obvious for spring but refreshing at the same time. It is the easiest way to elevate your look, day or night. One of MAC’s best-selling shades, “Lady Danger,” is an orangey-red that flatters most complexions.

As of late, plenty of emphasis has been placed on nails — just try going through your Instagram feed without spotting a killer pair of claws. Rita Remark who works for Essie Canada and was seen painting nails backstage during Toronto Fashion Week, curated spring’s top manicures. They were demure, simple but not boring, and a departure from the crazy nail art we’ve been seeing (which she says is so 2013). Pale colours or nude polishes were forerunners, whether they were opaque or sheer, and either matte and shiny finishes completed the neutral nails.

And there you have it, folks. Designers, makeup artists and celebrities gave us a clean slate to start the upcoming season. With these trends in your beauty arsenal, you’ll be shining brighter than the extra hour of daylight.

Tags beauty, spring 2014, trends

Student Life

Let your flow go

It seems that modern day menstruating feminists have an agenda: painting the town red

This week, IX Daily posted an exposé debunking the feminist concept of “free bleeding,” complete with pictures and tweets from angry women who are supposedly tired of hiding their monthly cycle from the public, primarily male, gaze.

“Free bleeding” implies that a woman abstains from using any kind of sanitary product during their period—no pads, tampons, or extra absorbent underwear. Menstrual blood, according to feminists, is meant to flow freely from the body and onto thighs, clothing or furniture.

Skeptical Internet audiences claimed that the concept was a hoax, only brought to light by a user from the website 4chan.org, attempting to give female activists a bad name. However, the concept is very real, and not entirely new.

Free bleeding has been subject to both controversy and intense discussion online since the early 2000s.The blog “Feministing” was among one of the first online forums to discuss the concept, which they claim is “more of a mindset than it is an action.”

In 2012, photographer Emma Arvida Bystrom published a series of photos on Vice.com entitled “There Will be Blood,” depicting women doing everyday, mundane things with menstrual blood fully visible, staining their clothes and freely running down their legs. The photos were meant to provoke thought and discussion about what is consistently considered to be “taboo.” This concept of menstrual activism, also known as menstrual anarchy or radical menstruation, aims to discuss and expose periods in a way that isn’t fetishized or highly stigmatized.

The feminist argument stands that throughout history, men have manipulated woman to be ashamed of their bodies and all of the natural, inherent, “empowering” feminine functions they perform. Today, the options and resources to “control” or “hide” menstruation are endless, and it is essentially the rejection of this control that inspires a woman to assert herself and experiment with her period.

More radical, outspoken women have taken to Twitter to express the belief that tampons are actually a patriarchal innovation imposed on women by societal norms, and using them is perpetuating a cycle of “oppression” and “self-rape.” The concept of allowing oneself to bleed freely, while daunting, is considered a means of social and sexual expression, a means to expose the concept of “period shaming,” normalize the sight of menstrual blood, while rejecting male control.

Activists consider it to also be an eco and wallet-friendly alternative to using tampons and pads. Others argue that free bleeding reduces a woman’s risk of suffering from side effects related to sanitary products, like toxic shock syndrome, a severe, potentially fatal blood infection that can be contracted by leaving a tampon in for too long.

To many woman, using sanitary products is a hygienic, considerate method to deal with the so-called “crimson wave.”

“[Time] has given us humans the advanced technological know-how to invent specific products to make our monthly easier to manage, in a more clean and discreet manner,” said columnist Adora Bull in a free bleeding rebuttal published through Modern Women Digest.

However, reactions from the public have been mixed. Female bloggers and their audience have either praised the concept, or denied its credibility and practicality.

Sources:

http://modernwomandigest.com/disturbing-new-feminist-trend-free-bleeding/

http://community.feministing.com/2012/08/27/letting-ourselves-bleed/

http://www.ixdaily.com/the-grind/tampons-are-form-rape-solution-freebleeding

Tags fads, Featured, trends, women's health

Student Life

Make do and mend: falling in love with the DIY trend

Post author By Lindsay Richardson
Post date January 21, 2014

In a society dominated by a desire for immediacy and a reliance on ready-made products, it is surprising that large groups of men and women are taking the time to adopt a resourceful and creative lifestyle through DIY, (“Do it yourself”), projects.

What was once considered by cool kids to be a thrifty, last-resort, or “poor” way of living has now resurfaced as an undeniable cache in the domains of fashion, art, and home decor.

Wikipedia defines DIY as “a method of building, modifying, or repairing something without the aid of experts or professionals,” the opposite of the “easy way out.” Successfully completing a project usually requires time and a well-stocked supply closet.

The term, put into common use in the 1950s, encompasses every possible medium: clothing, furniture, art, even cooking. For some modern DIYers, the passion transcended childhood, when machines like “The Bedazzler” made it easy to transform drab, run-of-the-mill department store clothing into unique, wearable pieces of art. Taking on these types of projects allows people to customize and personalize everyday items, and gives them the opportunity to add sentimental value to items that are worth nothing monetarily.

However, when most products are readily available in-store or online, the fundamental question is: why DIY? What is it about labour-intensive, old-timey arts and crafts projects that attract such a diverse crowd of people?

“It is the thrill of creating, experimenting and designing that I enjoy the most when I DIY,” said Mara Richardson, a specialty blogger at Wise Women Montreal and owner of Cherry on Top Designs, a company that makes custom decor items for children’s rooms.

“I think it is becoming so popular due to the fact a lot of people are on a budget,” explained Richardson. “So whether you find a treasure on the side of the road, recycle something you already own or buy something second-hand, you have the upper hand to creating something all your own.”

Creating DIY goods is a cost-effective way to decorate your home, a subtle way to reject consumerism and the mass consumption of everyday products. At any given time, there are items sitting in thrift shops, flea markets, or around the home that require a little TLC and will cost pennies to transform. It is a sustainable way of life, since items are essentially being recycled and repurposed instead of being thrown out.

Many DIYers appreciate the restorative and transformative value of their pieces. Aside from the strong sense of community and connection with other crafters, there is an undeniable allure in owning something that is unique. The positive mental effects of completing a project are what make it such a fulfilling hobby.It can allow any given person the opportunity to use both the hands and the brain, and deepens one’s appreciation for the things that we own, and the tools that allow us to transform them.

DIYers also adopt perhaps one of the most important qualities a person can have: the courage to screw up.

“It is both material and mental satisfaction owning something that you created from start to finish, a lot of times overcoming obstacles throughout that were unexpected, and surpassing them,” said Richardson.

Tags diy, fad, Featured, trends

Student Life

One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure

Post author By Angela De Cicco
Post date September 10, 2013

Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Press photo.

Montrealers love their thrift shops. St. Laurent Blvd. among many locations makes for an easy thrift shop-hopping experience with places like Friperie St-Laurent and Founderie.

Thrift shopping boutiques have proved that shopping for used clothing doesn’t have to take place in a clustered room full of musty smells and pushy old ladies. Instead, this trend is considered upscale and can get you looking fashionable at an affordable price.

However, the treasure hunt for good finds is not for everyone, which is why the brand new event called, Walk into Our Closet, taking place on Sept. 15 stands out as an interesting alternative.

Best friends Anabel Mayer and Sofia Cafaro have created an event where shoppers will have a chance to go through a variety of “closets,” where vendors will be selling lightly worn clothing, shoes and accessories at a fraction of the paid price.

“Every piece for sale was once a coveted item in someone’s closet and now that it ran its course on someone, you can turn it into your own signature style,” said vendor Jonathan Panetta. Panetta will be among many other vendors emptying their personal closets, including Montreal fashion bloggers Gabrielle Lacasse, writer of Dentelles et Fleurs, and Concordia’s own Christina Monticcioli, writer of The Boho Flow.

“This will benefit everyone regardless of their age or salary. Everything at this sale is marked down, even the designer pieces will be hundreds of dollars less and that is simply amazing,” said Panetta. “It is great to see people turn their love of fashion into a productive skill that brings people together over a common interest.”

It’s through their common interest in fashion that Mayer and Cafaro came up with the idea of Walk Into Our Closet.

“We spend a lot of our hard earned money on clothing, shoes, and of course, accessories that are sadly only worn maybe once or twice,” said Mayer. “Our solution? Creating an event where people can either sell their pieces or have the opportunity to buy practically new clothing for a great price.”

It’s a great event for those on the fence about thrift shopping. The merchandise is new to lightly worn, and they are also offering sneak peeks at the items vendors will be selling on the Walk into Our Closet Facebook page as well as their Instagram

, allowing potential shoppers to see what’s in store.

There is something fun about peeking into someone else’s closet and this event makes it possible that if you see something that you like, it can be yours.

Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..

Tags bloggers, fashion, montreal, trends, walk into our closet

Student Life

Montreal’s got a whole lotta shakin’ going on

Post author By Sabrina Giancioppi
Post date March 26, 2013

For fans, rockabilly is more than just their favourite music; it is a way of life. The men take on a classic tough guy look with the coiffed pompadour, leather jacket and a pair of Chuck Taylor sneakers, while the women tend to emulate pin-ups with curls and cherry red lips.

People tend to use music as an identifier, a way of organizing themselves into groups. Rockers, rappers, hipsters and punks are among the numerous subcultures around the world, adopting the composite lifestyle. Rumour has it that there’s a new trend that has caught on in Montreal that has people jumping and jiving.

Rockabilly may have started in the early 1950s, but it seems to have experienced a revival in our city with a new generation of fans. Rockabilly is a vibrant style of music that combines elements of country and blues. Artists including Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Bill Haley & His Comets are known to have experimented with rockabilly, but it was Elvis Presley who brought the style to the mass media in 1954.

Rockabilly broke the barriers of the ‘50s play-it-safe kind of music. It moved away from mainstream and expressed a sense of freedom and rebellion, and the rockabilly subculture seems to revere the bold and innovative ways of this era.

Rockabilly 514 is a 2008 rockumentary that sheds light the growing rockabilly community in Montreal, documenting the lives of devoted followers of this movement. The film is narrated by Concordia University professor, author and ethnomusicologist, Craig Morrison. “Rockabilly is one of the most important of the styles that are part of the genre rock and roll,” said Morrison. He believes Montreal feels the effects of that because “Elvis was big everywhere!”

“Since the Stray Cats emergence in the early ‘80s, [rockabilly] has been present again, and seems here to stay,” said Morrison.

Since 2006, Montreal’s Jive Studio has been offering rockabilly jive lessons, combining swing, rock and roll and rhythm and blues. Communications director of Jive Studio, Chantal-Irène Coulombe, signed up for classes in 2010 because of her reverence for ‘50s music. “It is a lifestyle,” says Coulombe. “There are people that are purists when it comes to the rockabilly era.” It truly is a throwback to easier times.

Jive Studio is also responsible for hosting events at the Rialto Theatre, M-Bar and l’Alizé where Bettie Page look-alikes and Jimmy Dean greasers come together for a night of dancing and drinking.

The last event at the Rialto Theatre began with basic how-to dance steps for the newbies, but it didn’t take long for the place to be crawling with people decked out in polka dots and gelled hair. The night went on to play fun and energetic music like “Good Golly Miss Molly” and “Great Balls of Fire,” followed by a live set from Montreal rockabilly band Rocket ‘56.

The rockabilly subculture is growing and Coulombe agrees. “When I started dancing we only had around 40 to 50 dancers in total signed up in the school. Now we have 200 per term!”

According to Morrison, we owe credit to Sophia Wolff, a well-versed dancer who returned from London and “brought jive dancing to Montreal.” After releasing a popular instructional video, Do the Jive! in 2002, Wolff became privy to the niche of rockabilly jive in the city and “we are still feeling the ramifications of that,” said Morrison.

It proves to be true as this year marks the ninth edition of the Red Hot & Blue Rockabilly Weekend that will take place at the end of August at the Rialto Theatre. The four day event includes disc-jockeys from Canada, the United States and Europe: 12 bands, free dance lessons from Jive Studio, as well as 1950s fashion shows and vintage car shows.

It’s clear that this feel good kind of music and lifestyle attracts many Montrealers. Rockabilly and all of its quirks are major identifiers for those who belong to this unique subculture. For some it may be a negation to mainstream trends, but the rockabilly scene shares with it a sense of freedom and self-expression that Montrealers seem unable to shake!

Jive Studio is located at 24 Mont-Royal Ave. W., suite 202.

Tags trends