Spring Earrings

Spring is finally here, and there's no time like the present to adorn your ears with something fun and fresh. This is my beautiful friend Kassandra, giving us a peak into her jewelry box. She has a great collection of button earrings, perfect for the spring season. Whether it be a cheap pair from Aldo or passed down from your great-grandmother, button earrings are a great topping to an outfit, giving it that retro flare.

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Nail Care: Bamboo Power

Happy Sunday! As we head into spring and leave the cold winter behind, there's no excuse for brittle nails! I have always struggled with very fragile nails that would not grow due to breakage. Having tried many nail products marketed towards this problem and seeing no results, I gave up trying to grow my nails for quite some time.

Just this past September I decided to jump back in and really do some research on what products would be best. I chose to try out Sally Hansen's Nail Nutrition - Green Tea & Bamboo Strength, a cheap find you can pick up at your local drug store. Of course it took some weeks to start seeing concrete results, but my nails really have become much more durable and because of this no longer break excessively. They do not bend or chip and grow out very nicely.

If you are trying to strengthen fragile, brittle nails, here are some quick and easy steps to get you on the road to recovery:

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1. Set up your basic products: You will need a nail file/buffer, cotton pads, and of course Sally Hansen's Nail Nutrition coating. (If you have any residue on your nails, start off by cleaning them with nail polish remover and a fresh cotton pad. You can also follow these steps by using the product as a top coat over your nail colour).

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2. File, Smooth and Buff: Get your nails in shape! File down/shape your rough edges and even-out the surface of your nails. Wipe away residue with the cotton pads and finish up a nice shiny look with your buffer.

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3. Apply: Starting from the cuticle, apply a drop of Nail Nutrition to the nail in an upwards direction. Take your time and try to apply as evenly as possible, covering the entire nail surface. Repeat for each nail, let dry and add a second coat.

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Voila! Some very simple steps you can fit into any schedule. For best results, you should repeat this process every 3 to 4 days and remove all coats with nail polish remover every week. Make sure you keep at it to avoid breakage!

I've tested many products but have only really generated results with this one here. As a lover of the Sally Hansen brand, I would strongly recommend their Green Tea & Bamboo Nail Nutrition coating to anyone with fragile and damaged nails... Give it go!

Spring Essentials

Sportswear is definitely making a comeback. As seen in New York Fashion Week's looks for Spring 2014, designers such as Rag & Bone, DKNY, and Alexander Wang were influenced by 90's era sportswear. The looks included overalls, slouchy track pants, varsity jackets and, of course, baseball caps.

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These baseball hats found at Mendocino (left) and Zara (right) are perfect for spring and will help to achieve any desired sportswear look, especially when paired with some heels. 

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For a more casual daytime look, pair the knit baseball cap with a pair of white heels (from Zara). The look is simple and minimalistic. 

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For a more dressy, night time look, pair this straw baseball cap with a pair of more detailed heels (H&M conscious exclusive collection). The look is effortless. 

Athletic Fashion

Sportswear and fashion have developed a great coexistence and currently the sporty style is trending. My younger sister Charlotte is a great example of an athlete who wants to incorporate her love of fashion with her athletic ability.  She plays on her high school's golf and volleyball team, and her usual uniforms are practical but far from trendy. 

Golf is a great sport that can easily infuse fashion with performance; her normal uniform includes a polo t-shirt and a pair of bermuda shorts. For the first look I styled Charlotte in a trendy, practical, monochromatic look. She is wearing a white skort, sheer striped shirt, and baseball cap all in the shade of white. 

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She also enjoys playing baseball and going to games, the last look incorporates the classic Canadian tuxedo and her favourite teams baseball cap. This look can be worn casually playing or watching the game.

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Knitting isn't just a chic trend for your grandmothers anymore

Well, despite what the title says knitting has always been an ongoing quiet trend. Globally, most runway garments and accessories produced include knitwear. Back in 2007, Vogue's September issue featured a personal favourite winter accessory, Giles' ready-to-wear tangerine oversize wool scarf. Its appearance is definitely over-sized and chunky and still to this day, lovable. 

Here are photos of my own knitting project.

Here I used one knit and one pearl pattern to create the "V" pattern in yarn on the good side.

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I used a 15" in-the-round needle with a light rose pink and navy blue yarns.

In-the-round needles are typically used for circle scarves or any knitwear with infinity circular shape. I used these needles, because they provide a flexible and more comfortable longer needle length for the project I wanted to begin.

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The project is still on its way, but I have displayed knitting still in progress on the needle 

(left side of photo) and part of the finished knitting as well (right side of photo).

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There is a website called Ravelry, where knitting and crochet patterns, tutorials, photos and stories are shared with others who apply for a free account on their website. Again, anyone can join! Can't wait until they create an app for smartphones so I can knit on the go.

Some stores in Toronto that offer great selection of yarns and needles are Romni and Americano. Romni has a plethora selection of yarns to choose from. 

Americano has smaller floor space, but the employees are very warm and welcoming. The environment is very cozy and everything is very neatly organized as well. Upon my first visit to the store I was offered free knitting pattern with my yarn purchase. Although there are many tutorials online for knitting and crocheting, the offer of the free pattern is a nice gesture. Definitely a store to have great rapport with the employees there.

Keep calm and Knit on!

Mass Exodus 2014

With last year's show being my first time attending Mass Exodus, my expectations for this year's production were set quite high, as 2013 left me an emotional puddle of a hopeful first-year, blown away by what Ryerson students were capable of (yes, I cried). It's difficult to compare one year's show to another, as I can appreciate that each new group of students brings something different and unexpected to the table, with varying goals, inspirations, and external influences-- all offering valuable ideas for those of us who have already started brainstorming ideas for next year. 

Overall, I felt that the collections selected for the evening show were well-curated in communicating Ryerson's value on craftsmanship and diversity. Here are a few shots of my favourite looks!

All photos shot at ISO 100, f2.4, 1/120

          I currently intern for wearable art designer Hasti. Recently she asked to take pictures of her upcoming line of raincoats called "Paradise". The Beauty about these coats is that they are all gorgeously hand painted and constructed with precision. Each coat has various textures and prints. Hasti wanted me to capture the essence of her designs rather than the whole garment itself. 

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I personally am in love with her designs. She is going to be showing at the F.A.T. show this year. If you're interested to know more about her designs, please check out her fb page: Hasti's Facebook Page

Xo, Nivy