Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The 56th World Press Photo Exhibition in Toronto



The 56th World Press Photo Exhibition was recently held in Toronto and showcased the photographs taken by talented photojournalists that stem from all around the world. The pictures in the exhibition are beautiful, creative and powerful. Although all of the images are incredible, the photos that I have chosen to showcase in today's post are some of my favourite photos from the exhibition. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!


Photographer: Paul Nicklen

Photographer: Xiaoqun Zheng
                                                             Photographer: Ali Lutfi
Photographer: Majid Saeedi
Photographer: Ebrahim Noroozi
Photographer: Tomas Munita
Photographer:Frederik Buyckx
Photographer: Jacob Ehrbahn
Photographer: Stephan Vanfleteren 
Photographer: Fausto Podavini




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Monday, October 21, 2013

ILLAMASQUA ARRIVES IN CANADA






A couple of days ago I was shopping with one of my friends at the Hudson Bay department store when I noticed a new beauty line that I had never seen before in Canada. The makeup line that I am referring to is called ILLAMASQUA, which originally comes from England and has recently been added to the Hudson Bay stores in Canada. Yippie!

Since the line was not available in Canada previously, I asked the sales associate to help me out and she was really great and informative (Thanks Hannah)! I really like when a beauty rep is passionate about their product and knows what they are talking about when they represent a company, because it makes me feel more comfortable to try it out.

What I Gathered:

ILLAMASQUA is all about creativity and self-expression. The colors used in the line are very bold and reminds me of costume make-up in the sense that it is very dramatic and stands out. The colors are bright and very pigmented so a little goes a long way, which is something I really like since you don’t necessarily need to use a primer. Tip: When applying the eye shadow or blush a light hand is important if you don’t want too much product on your face since it is very pigmented.

 As well, out most of the brands that I have purchased over the years, I really like the packaging that ILLMASAQUA uses for their product. It has a very romantic and gothic feel, which ties into their dramatic appearance. 

Overall, I really like this line and the positive message it sends (creativity and individuality) and I look forward to adding a few pieces to my makeup collection now that it is available in Canada. 



Eye Palette,  Powder Blusher Duo & Bronzing Due


Powder Eye Shadow


Powder Blusher


Lipstick



Lipstick Swatch-Apocalips


Apoclips is probably one of my favorite colours from ILLAMASQUA's lipstick collection. I really like that it goes on matte and compliments my complexion nicely. Also, green/teal lipstick is becoming a growing trend and I hope to see more people wearing it since it is such a fun color.  


A little extra for the nail lovers out there: I could not help but notice that the beauty rep for ILLAMASQUA had AMAZING nail art so I just had to ask if she would be willing to showcase them for my blog. Thanks! Aren't they beautiful?



I hope you enjoyed my post!
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Friday, October 18, 2013

5 Trends for Fall: The Hudson Bay Trend Report!



Yesterday I attended the Fall Trend Report at the Hudson Bay. I always enjoy attending this event because it gives me such great ideas about how to style myself for fall and how to incorporate certain looks into my wardrobe. Another reason that I really like this event is because its presents a variety of pieces that range in price from low to high end, which is great if you are on a budget or don't want to break the bank. But do keep in mind that some items shown can be quite pricey. 

This year the event focused on the 5 trends that are big this fall: Coats, Feminine Allure, Denim, Rock Chic and Preppy/Oxford. All of these trends can be viewed in the pictures below:


It's All About The Coat!


Coats are huge for fall! Notice how the coats shown are not extremely fitted, but fall nicely on the body. Always try to have fun with your coat because "your coat is your outfit"- in the words of Stephanie Mark from the Coveteur

Feminine Allure


With the feminine allure look this fall, we will see longer skirts coming back. Notice the beautiful long skirt that is shown in the bottom right picture (Lord & Taylor). The feminine allure look is very elegant and classy. Pearls and jewel necklaces are popular with this look. 

The Canadian Tuxedo 



The Canadian Tuxedo is essentially head to toe denim. Some trends to watch out for are denim overalls which can be worn with a nice white dress shirt as seen in the picture on the left. By adding a dress shirt with the overalls, helps to create a more pieced together look and does not leave you looking like a 5 year old. 

Rock Chic


Leather jackets have been huge for the past couple of years and are still a huge trend this fall.  Style your leather jackets with skirts, dresses or even tights to give you a chic yet edgy look. 

Girl's Club


The girl's club has a bit of an androgynous/masculine feel. Oxford, tweed, plaid and brown are reoccurring colors and textures that are used to achieve this style. Tip: If this look is too neutral for your liking, add a pop of color like the green oxford bag shown in the bottom left picture. 

In addition: Food and drinks

Another reason to come to this event: Before the fashion show begins, attendees are given yummy appetizers and drinks- which is always a good thing! Ahh I love the Hudson Bay!





I hope you this post gave you some great ideas about how to style yourself for fall. 

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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Essie's New Nail Polish: After School Boy Blazer



After School Boy Blazer is one of the new nail polish colors that was introduced in Essie's latest fall collection. In comparison to the light hues that were popular this summer, this color is incredibly dark and has undertones of blue, which leaves a blue-black finish on the nails. Interestingly, depending on the angle you hold you hand in the light, the polish appears to be a deep navy blue color.




As I'm a huge fan of dark colors I'm really excited that this nail polish is getting back to the darker colors that used to be popular a couple of years ago--think of Black Onyx by OPI. And in my opinion darker colors can be versatile and create a chic look or an edgy look depending on how you style yourself for the day.

If your nails have not donned a dark color or you want something more dramatic, this would definitely be a great nail polish color to try out for fall.


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Friday, October 4, 2013

Sam Edelman Shows Latest Shoe Line At Hudson's Bay





Yesterday shoe designer Sam Edelman came to The Hudson Bay to promote his shoe collection and sign some autographs for his loyal fans. If you are a shoe-aholic or hoarder of shoes like me, then this is a pretty exciting event to go to. 

As I stood with all the posh men and women waiting for Sam Edelman to arrive, models stood around showcasing some of his latest styles.


  1) Looks like pointy-toe shoes are here to stay!
  2) Black leather booties are super cute this fall
  3) These booties with laces are great casual footwear to wear everyday


Sam Edelman has become known for his comfortable flats that come in a variety of colors and styles. 

Suede pointy heels with studded straps! 



They asked that people purchase a pair of Sam Edelman shoes and he would sign it for you. I thought this was an interesting concept, but I wondered whether one would want to walk in the shoes once it was sign? I personally think  that I would put the shoes on a shelf so I could stare at them all day! But, I guess it really depends on the person. 





Overall, I found Sam Edelman's line to be pretty impressive. I really like the fact the he has a wide range of styles to choose from -flats, booties, heels etc.  I think shoe variety is essential in ones wardrobe because it gives you options when piecing together an outfit. As well, I have been a fan of Sam Edelman's shoes for a while and I  personally find them to have a lot of cushioning and to be very comfortable on ones foot which is sometimes hard to find in a stylish shoe. As a shoe designer I think Sam Edelman proves that women can look wear comfortable shoes and look stylish at the same time! 


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