FASHION Magazine

A good Dolce & Gabbana show guarantees the following: a myriad of hot pant options, be it lace, crochet, or embroidered; saucy corset-topped little black dresses, and over-the-top accessories. The label’s Fall 2012 collection contained all of the above and more: lushly gilded capes and bow-bedecked heels are details that only begin to scrape the surface of this design duo’s most recent ode to Sicily. After much deliberation, we selected this gold and organza confection of a necklace to replicate for our designer DIY. Surprisingly simple to make, this statement piece treads a fine line between lavish and over-the-top, but when we’re talking Dolce, that’s exactly where you want to be.

Let’s DIY! »

Sequins, gemstones and bedazzled extras made many an appearance in our Fall 2012 trend report, from accessories to eyebrows. And while we might be waiting for it to get a little cooler before we start donning rich jewel tones, metallic makeup is ideal for an early transition—especially when it’s on your nails. Taking a cue from the sequined sunset on a pair of Roger Vivier boots, this week’s manicure is a glitzy gradient of blues, purples, coppers and gold.

Find out how to do this glitzy gradient manicure! »

New York designer Joseph Altuzarra reportedly said that he wanted his Fall 2012 collection—certainly one of our favourites—to include pieces that “look rich, but feel easy”. With a range of multi-ethnic influences that ran from Morocco to India, and an array of luxurious details (see: thigh-high embossed and fringed boots, layered coin embellishment, and slick, military-inspired outerwear), it’s safe to say he hit his mark.

We chose a heavily embellished blouse with layers of coin fringe as a starting point for our Fall 2012 DIY series and following Altuzarra’s maxim has never been easier: trust us, this blouse is a cinch to make and the results are satisfyingly indulgent.

Let’s DIY! »

Well friends, it might be time to admit that we’re into the last lazy hazy crazy days of summer. Fashion is totally focused on fall trends and summer sales are everywhere. But if you can’t decide which of your favourite Spring 2012 pieces are worth an end-of-season splurge, why not test them out on your nails? This week Nail Corner does a medley manicure that takes inspiration from iconic items by Marc by Marc Jacobs, Jeremy Scott, Alexander Wang and Proenza Schouler. Bring on the bows and cactus prints!

Find out how to do this manicure! »

This week’s DIY comes courtesy of our crafty intern extraordinaire, Erin Summer-Kibblewhite, who joined us for a week after she won H&M’s Conscious Couture Contest with her eco-friendly beaded collar. Erin’s DIY skills continued to wow us when she created the perfect summer to fall transition pumps inspired by the bold jewel tones that paraded down Miu Miu’s Fall 2012 runway. Erin added a little bling to a gorgeous pair of ruby red pumps, showing us that it’s possible to get a designer footwear look without shelling out for designer footwear prices. Kudos Erin!

Let’s DIY! »

The Hudson’s Bay Company stripes are certainly an iconic piece of Canadiana—going beyond the traditional Bay blanket, they can now be found on everything from cameras to bathing suits. Spotting the stripes in TV shows, movies or magazine shoots may as well be our other official national sport! As such, why not add a little yellow, blue and green to your red and white for this weekend’s Canada Day festivities? This colourful manicure will look nautical at the cottage, on-trend at the beach and totally playful for park picnics. (Plus, it will fit right in if you’re partaking in this weekend’s Pride parade!) Bring on the stripes!

Find out how to do the HBC striped manicure »

The best thing about an obsession with nail polish is that you barely have to wait for your manicure to dry before there’s a new trend to try. The second best thing is, of course, just how many other people are creating incredible nail art designs and sharing them—making the online world an amazing hub (or in some cases, a rabbit hole you can get lost for hours in) of inspiration. One of the latest designs to trend online is the “outline” or “framed” manicure: a single colour mani is given retro appeal by painting a a thin line of a darker polish around the edge of the entire nail. (Like a full circle version of the slim silhouette technique!) However, given that the dexterity required for such a design is quite advanced, I created a modified version that skips the need for a skinny brush. One makeup sponge and three shades of polish are all you need for this one—and best of all, you can do it in under an hour.

Find out how to do the oval ombré outline manicure! »

This spring, Miu Miu stuck to the formula that has kept the label in the closets of fashion aficionados around the globe, with a barrage of playful prints that paraded down the runway. We loved the fun florals in primary colours, so we decided to create our own Miu Miu–inspired print for this week’s DIY installment.  With art supplies that can be found in most arts and crafts stores, you too can create your own Miu Miu hand-printed skirt.

Let’s DIY! »

Sometimes a collection is full of items that seem to be just begging to be turned into a manicure. Case in point: Marc Jacobs Resort 2013. The endless colour blocking and pattern mixing makes quite the mood board for anyone with a super-saturated nail polish collection. From sequined stripes that could be mimicked with metallic polishes to micro-gingham prints that are full of DIY transfer potential, it was hard to choose just one look for this week’s Nail Corner. But in the end, bright, layered florals won out—and all you need to duplicate this design are a few dotting tools and your favourite punchy-coloured polishes.

Read on and see the Marc Jacobs floral dot mani! »

Daisy, daisy… doesn’t this manicure make you want a bicycle built for two? Or at the very least, a pair of Red Valentino shoes? The pretty floral pattern, which is rather neutral except for a burst of bright yellow, served as inspiration for this week’s Nail Corner. The result is a modified moon manicure, with added dimension thanks to the pearlescent background which contrasts—yet also camouflages–the taupe petals. Ready to daisy up your own fingers? Read on!

Check out the daisy petal moon manicure! »

Gingham! The picnic-friendly print was all over spring runways and, if Oscar de la Renta‘s Resort collection is any indication, it will continue to be popular well through next year. Which, of course, makes gingham an ideal choice for nail art, especially during the summertime. It’s proper enough to wear to the office during the week, but has a playful touch that will remind you to plan park adventures for the weekend. This is a design that requires a bit of skill, as painting straight lines can be a bit of a pain—but as with all nail art, practice does make perfect!

Let’s get this picnic started! Check out the gingham mani » »

This week, all eyes are on Nail Corner—or actually, Nail Corner is all over the eyes. Ever since Sophy Robson did Egyptian all-seeing eyes for Topshop’s Spring 2012 show, painted eyeballs have been popping up in the most curious places. Alexa Chung showed off an evil eye manicure while front row at Jason Wu‘s Fall 2012 show—and has since tweeted other variations of the design. Just last week Emily Weiss from Into the Gloss shared a look at Sally Singer‘s nails, complete with pretty lashes and glittered tips. While it may seem like an unusual design, we promise: once you paint an eyeball or two on your nails, you’ll never want to do a regular manicure again.

Become all-seeing with two different versions of the eyeball manicure! »