VIM Trend Watch: Suspenders

Rock the menswear trend seen on celebrities such as Taylor Momsen and Victoria Beckham (pictured) by wearing suspenders this summer. Forever 21 has their own $20 version of this look (Added bonus: The suspenders are detachable). If you?re skeptical about trying this trend, wear a top that matches your suspenders or one that?s close to it, to make them less obvious. If you?re willing to take the plunge, wear a tie with your suspenders, a lá Diane Kruger. Suspenders don?t have to be worn with just shorts. They can be worn with skirts, high-waisted shorts or pants. Remember to add a feminine touch to keep the suspenders from looking too masculine. Last but not least, remember to be confident and own your look!

-MANDILYN KERR

A Magnetizing Nail Polish Trend Alert

If you’ve Shattered and Crackled your nails to their limit, try magnetizing lacquer. LCN has a new line of polish that uses magnetic attraction to create unique designs within their metallic shades. By holding a specialized magnet over wet polish for 10-15 seconds, nail aficionados are able to add a subtle yet intriguing design to their fingertips. While the eight varying shades of polishes are only $9.90 each, the necessary magnets (which are available diagonally lined or star shaped) are $19.90. It’s quite a price tag for magnets, but just might be a trend worth investing in.

-STEPHANIE WEBER

A Glamourous Collaboration

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's clothing line "The Row" have teamed up with TOMS Shoes to debut three styles of classic TOMS slip-ons. The shoes, done in luxurious fabrics such as cashmere and wool that are often seen in "The Row"'s collections, are priced between $140-$150, and like all of TOMS Shoes, for each pair purchased, a pair will be given to a child in need. ?Having the opportunity to be a part of something so meaningful has made the collaboration with Toms so special to everyone at The Row,? Mary-Kate said in a statement. You can buy the collection on toms.com


- Carly Hill

Tonight's show: Amy Winehouse tribute

I don't know if Amy Winehouse would have considered herself a feminist icon (and I'm not sure I even consider her one), but there is no doubt that she was a very talented lady who inspired and influenced many other female singers and songwriters.

Amy's music was influenced by jazz, soul, R&B and girl groups from the 60's. Her frank, sometimes rude, lyrics were partly inspired by the raw grittiness of 1990's female hip-hop artists, such as Salt 'n' Peppa. The old-fashioned R&B sound paired with hip-hop influenced vocals gave her songs a contemporary feel that is unparalleled among other modern R&B singers like Joss Stone or Duffy. Additionally, her lyrics were wise beyond her years; Love is a Losing Game was written when she was in her early twenties, but it sounds like it was written by someone who had lived a long life.

Amy never worried about social approval or let it hold her back. She wrote about her experiences with addiction, love and breakups with brutal honesty. She was never a polished, manufactured performer; her music was specific to her experiences and she wasn't afraid to write songs that were deep, dark and troubling. Many female musicians feel they need to "tone it down" to be commercially successful, but Amy refused to tone it down.

Below is a great video featuring a younger, healthier Amy Winehouse singing Stronger Than Me and playing the guitar. This is how she should be remembered... as a beautiful, talented singer and songwriter. Rest in peace Amy, and thank you for all the wonderful music you made.

Ombré Obsession

By now we’ve all seen the ombré hair trend, with celebrities such as Lauren Conrad
and Sarah Jessica Parker sporting two–tone highlights that go on dark at the roots and
progressively get lighter and brighter toward the tips. Well, now the ombré craze has
spread to manicures—meaning each nail is painted a different shade to create a gradient
that gradually fades from dark to light. To achieve this look, choose five different
polishes from the same color family that show a soft progression from one tone to the
next (so that your ombré manicure looks intentional). Paint the darkest shade on your
thumbnail and finish with the lightest on your pinky finger. Check out LC’s versions of
the ombré manicure in shades of red and blue to help you decided which color palette
you’d like to try!

-SAMANTHA MEUX

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Now is the time to buy fall and winter pieces at discounted prices. Some items worth looking at are floppy hats for $15 and capes for $45. If you need investment pieces like leather boots, now is the time to buy them. Steve Madden, Report and Via Spiga are a few of the brands on sale. Love them or hate them, Ugg boots are also on sale at Nordstrom. The last time I bought Ugg boots, the salesman told me Uggs never go on sale.

Sales end August 1^st.

-MANDILYN KERR

Transgender woman wins breast augmentation contest

AMP Radio’s controversial “Breast Summer Ever” contest took an interesting turn today. The winner of the competition, who was voted for by the public, was Avery. She was born male but is transitioning to female. What may be most surprising is that Avery won by a landslide – 76% of the votes – in conservative ol’ Calgary.

Although I've never liked the contest, I think it’s interesting that Avery won. Her win has shown me two things:

First, the younger generation of Calgarians (those most likely to be AMP Radio listeners and voters) are an open minded bunch. This gives me hope that our awesome-but-conservative city can be a more welcoming place for those whose gender or sexuality is anything other than straight.

Second, I believe that voters saw through the ridiculousness of many aspects of this contest. Most of the other contestants didn’t have a compelling reason to deserve a $10,000 boob job. Many of them wanted new breasts for reasons the public just wouldn't sympathize with. Avery’s case was one of the few that caught my attention, and I was pleased to see that the public chose someone whose life could be meaningfully changed by breast augmentation.

No matter the outcome, I still find the contest a distasteful marketing ploy. The program manager basically admitted in a FFWD article that he was doing it for publicity, and now that a transgender person has won, the station will receive even more attention. Although a transgender person won the contest, that doesn’t change the fact that it was a stupid, sleazy contest that promoted body dissatisfaction and normalized plastic surgery. None the less, it was an interesting contest with the ending I secretly hoped for but never expected to happen.

Congratulations, Avery. I hope your new boobs help you complete your journey to womanhood.

UPDATE - I was asked by the Calgary Herald to comment on this story... here is the article!

Hair Trend Alert: Rainbow-Tipped Tresses

Goodbye feathers, hello rainbow tips! Although rainbow-colored hair may conjure up images of the consistently eccentric Nicki Minaj and the like, the bright plunge may now be more attainable for those looking to spice things up without going overboard. Lauren Conrad, the always classy and captivating fashionista, tweeted pictures last week of the tips of her famous sandy blonde locks tinted blue, purple, and pink. The colors are slightly paler than traditionally seen in non-natural hair colors and gradually intensify and brighten by the end of the strand, creating a unique tie-dye look.

For those questioning if a non-celebrity can get away with such a vibrant look, Lauren’s color-kissed tips are only a few inches long and can be easily hidden in a bun. We love this playful look for summer—consider testing it out if your summer is being spent in a locale where an unorthodox hair color would be acceptable. If your jaunt with colorful tips goes awry, remember you can always dye it back or trim off the tie-dyed ends!

Learn how to copy Lauren’s look here: http://thebeautydepartment.com/2011/07/tipped-out/

-STEPHANIE WEBER

Domestic Diva

There is no denying that Funfetti cake is the perfect party dessert. Sweet and extra special because of its batter full of sprinkles, this cake flavor is loved by adults and kids, making it the perfect dessert to make for parties or just a fun night at home. However, this recipe from bakedperfection.com has taken a new spin on this cake mix and turned them into pretty sandwich cookies! Easy to make, this is a recipe everyone can easily make.

Funfetti Sandwich Cookies
makes approximately 24 sandwich cookies

1 (18.25) package Funfetti Cake
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until combined. Drop teaspoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7-9 minutes in the preheated oven. The bottoms will be light brown. Move cookies to a cooling rack, cool completely before assembling.

Frost bottom side of half the cookies. Top with unfrosted cookie. Roll edges in assorted sprinkles.

-CARLY HILL

Top 5 Best Harry Potter Moments

Spoilers are ahead if you haven?t read Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.

1. You?re a wizard, Harry-This moment marks the start of Harry?s journey in the wizarding world.

2. Snape kills Dumbledore: Possibly the most devastating moment in the entire series, which only made the world hate Severus Snape more.

3. Discovery/Finding horcruxes: This task fueled the last two books and was the only chance for Harry to defeat Voldemort.

4. Sirius is Harry?s godfather: Harry finally has a family member he can relate to and rely on for advice.

5. The prophecy: Harry finds out that he cannot live while Voldemort survives.

—MANDILYN KERR

Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé Take… OPI?

Looking for the next way to keep up with the Kardashians? Yearning to expand your nail polish collection with a plethora of “K” themed titles? The infamous Kardashian sisters have been hinting with tight lips for months via Twitter that they would be participating in a collaboration with polish powerhouse OPI sometime in the future.

The day has finally arrived, with “Kardashian Kolors” bearing a promise of 14 varied polishes to jazz up nails and complement any ensemble. The always cleverly named polishes incorporate the first names of the six prominent Kardashian women, with titles such as “Kim-pletely in love” and “Wear Something Spark-Kylie.” These bottles of fabulous colors will sell for $8 each at beauty stores. The collection is set to launch on November 25, 2011 (Black Friday, anyone?).

Even if you are not enamored with the Kardashian clan and their whirlwind of K-words, smoky eyes, and outrageous antics on television, these dazzling new shades will be sure to find any nail polish enthusiast in good taste.

-STEPHANIE WEBER

The 675-Mile Shopping Spree

Calling all bargain shoppers: the world's longest yard sale is just around the corner! Held the first Thursday through the following Sunday in August, the 127 Corridor Sale stretches across six states, beginning right here in Hudson, Michigan and ending in Gadsden, Alabama. Each year, adventurous shoppers set out in search of unique treasures while enjoying the scenic drive along Highway 127. Thousands of roadside vendors offer everything from fresh farm produce and homemade crafts to antiques and vintage collectibles. Interested in commencing your summer with the ultimate road trip and shopping spree duo? Mark your calendars and visit 127sale.com for more details.

-SAMANTHA MEUX

Royally Chic

Last week, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, arrived in North America for their tour of Canada and Los Angeles. Of course, we couldn't keep our eyes off the new princess and her classic, chic style. In Canada, Kate honored the country by wearing a diamond Canadian maple leaf pin on her simple dresses by some of her favorite designers such as Issa and Reiss, as well as on Canada Day, wearing a fabulous red hat with maple leaves on it. Paying homage to her tour stops, Kate wore two dresses by Canadian designer Erdem and for her first night in Los Angeles, she wore an emerald silk dress by American designer Diane von Furstenburg. Her choices were elegant and effortless, choosing dresses in bright jewel shades like red, green and purple and soft neutral shades of grey, taupe and white. Her best moment? Her belted, lavender Alexander McQueen gown for the BAFTA Awards in LA. This North American tour helped us see that no matter where she is, Kate always has the perfect princess style.

Want to bring a favorite clothing piece of Kate's home with you? Kate was seen wearing J Brand's "811" mid-rise skinny leg jeans ($169, jbrandjeans.com) three days in a row in Canada!

-CARLY HILL

Next show: Fat and Fashion / Fat Acceptance

On Monday July 11th we are discussing the fat acceptance movement and the challenges fat ladies face when shopping for fashionable clothing. Our special guests are Juliet and Britt, creators of this super-awesome fat-positive poster, which you may have seen posted around Calgary.

Tune in from 8 - 8:30 p.m. (MST) @ CJSW 90.9 fm in Calgary, or listen online.

Check out these fat-friendly blogs:

• Riots not diets
• Axis of Fat
• The Fat Nutritionist
• Fat Heffalump
• The embodied

Who entered the “Breast Summer Ever” contest, and why?

The judges for Amp Radio’s controversial contest for a $10,000 breast augmentation have picked their 10 finalists. Now it’s up to the public to vote on who is most deserving of the boob job.



Since I first heard about this contest, I was curious to see would enter, their reasons for entering, and whose story would resonate most with the public and win the ultimate prize. Each contestant has made a video, which are posted online. I watched each one and here are their reasons for wanting breast augmentation:

• 4/10 women had lost weight, which changed the size and shape of their breasts. They talk about the “excess skin” left over after weight loss and how their breasts just don’t look right anymore.
  
  
• 3/10 of the women talked about nursing children and the toll that having kids takes on your body. Basically, they want their pre-baby boobies back.
  
  
• 3/10 had sob stories, but surprisingly there were no cancer survivors. One woman has a large burn mark that covers her right breast, another has "lop-sided" breasts, and one had a rare disease that made her very thin and unable to develop breasts during puberty.
  
  
• 1 woman is transgender (she was born male but is transitioning to female).
  
  
• 1 woman said she wanted a lift and reduction, as she is a size FF and would like to be average sized.

I was a little disheartened to see how many women discussed their post-pregnancy bodies and how they want their old body back. Why can’t we accept that women’s bodies change after pregnancy? Our bodies change throughout our lives – why is an aging body or a post-baby body seen as something that needs to be fixed? (News flash, ladies! You can’t stop aging. You just can’t. Stop wasting your time, money and effort trying to, and accept your aging body instead. I promise life will be a lot more fun that way).



There is an unreal amount of pressure on women to get back to how they looked before the baby. Trashy celebrity tabloids publish issues with headlines like, My body after baby - How I lost 25 lbs in 8 weeks. The pressure is so strong that I actually know women who are choosing not to have children because they’re afraid of what it will do to their bodies. Says Katie Gentile in an article from the Daily Beast,

When women shed the baby weight, they are not merely getting back their pre-baby body, they are obliterating all the evidence of ever having had a baby in the first place. This means the one thing that only women's bodies can do is expected to be immediately erased. The post-baby body is wrung of its recent life-giving feat. Sagging milk-filled breasts must appear perky; the once-swollen abdomen is made concave. It's as if we should actually believe the baby dropped from the stork, from the sky, from anywhere but that toned, buff body.

To me, part of being a feminist is accepting and not judging other women’s decisions and choices. So I’m not going to rag on the women who entered this contest or judge them for what they want. But many of the women talked about gaining or improving self-confidence through breast augmentation surgery, and I think they’re missing a key piece to the self-confidence puzzle. Self confidence is an internal thing – it comes from knowing who you are, knowing your values and what you stand for, setting and accomplishing goals and knowing that you are worthy of happiness and love. True self confidence, self acceptance and self love come from the inside – plastic surgery is an external procedure that will not fix an internal problem.



I won’t be voting for any of these ladies because I fundamentally disagree with the contest. I think the contest promotes body dissatisfaction and the idea that self confidence can be instantly achieved with a surgical procedure. Also, Amp Radio has a young audience and I know lots of kids listen to it. I think it normalizes plastic surgery for young people when they hear about it as a “fun contest.” Our society’s obsession with perfect bodies has gone too far, and I refuse to be a part of anything that perpetuates endless discontent with one’s body.



---

Check out some of the contests in Canada offered by ReadersDigest.ca

Wardrobe Update: Make a new outfit from clothes you already own

Long gone are the days of standing in front of your closet thinking, "I've worn all of this." Here are some tips to spruce up what you already have!

· Add a belt

· Roll, cuff or tie

· Add a brooch or a pin

· Tuck a shirt in instead of wearing it loose

· Take a piece that's been hanging in your closet for years and add a fun accessory to update the look.

· Mix and match floral with leather, stripes with polka dots, brown with black.

Have fun with the clothes you already own and do not be afraid of making alterations!

—MANDILYN KERR

Pool-proof your look!

Water, humidity, and heat have a knack for spoiling a perfectly made-up face. This summer, resist the cruelty of the weather and its unappealing side effects by relying on waterproof makeup.

FACE: A natural, fresh-faced look is most desirable in the summer to avoid appearing overly dolled-up. No one strives to be seen stepping out of the water with foundation streaking down their face. Lancôme’s Effacernes is a waterproof undereye concealer that stays on all day, evens skintones, and covers uninvited dark circles. (Sephora, $28)

EYES: Stila's Smudge Stick eyeliners are both waterproof and smudge proof to help you endure a long day in the heat. While waterproof eyeliners commonly tug at the eyelids, Stila’s seven shades glide on easily to deliver intense color with staying power (Sephora, $20). Consider pairing lined eyes with Yves Saint Laurent's Singular Nuit Blanche waterproof mascara. The unique wand allows for volume, definition, and length that prevails in water and heat (macys.com, $36).

REMOVER: At the end of the day, washing away the makeup that resists it all can be a grueling task. Benefit’s Remove It is a lightweight, oil-free solution for cleansing your face of the makeup that accentuates your natural allure all day (Sephora, $20).

-STEPHANIE WEBER

Red, White & Blue Beauty

Whether you're at the beach, a BBQ or the firework displays, here are some easy ways to add a little Fourth of July spirit to your beauty routine this holiday weekend.

Eyes — To make your beach tan really show, try a shimmery white shadow in the inner corner of your eyes. Try NARS Shimmer Eyeshadow in Tibet ($23, barneys.com) Or for an extra holiday touch, try a little blue mascara on the tips of lashes with Urban Decay's Big Fatty Mascara in Indigo ($17, sephora.com)

Lips — Nothing says Fourth of July more than a bold red lip. Perfect for a quick from-beach-to-party touch-up, swipe on M.A.C.'s Russian Red Lipstick ($15, maccosmetics.com)

Nails — For a subtle patriotic nod, try Sephora by OPI Glee Chic Print Nail Patches ($15, sephora.com). These navy and white polka dot nail strips, inspired by the FOX show, easily apply with varying lengths for a perfect fit. To match the fireworks that night, swipe on a coat of Deborah Lippmann's Glitter Nail Polish in Lady Sings the Blues ($18, nordstrom.com).

Hair — Finally, if you're feeling really bold, dye small streaks of varying colors of blue similar to Ashley Olsen's new 'do . If dying your hair seems too risky, try clip in extensions for the day!

— CARLY HILL