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

Keep Calm and Sing Along

Stressed about what concerts to attend this summer and most importantly, what to wear?! Here's three of this summer's hottest concerts and some key pieces needed for the night.

1) Katy Perry — Quirky, bubbly and oh so girlie. Our favorite "California Gurl" will be traveling all across America this summer, bringing her over-the-top style to the stage. Dress in bright colors, candy accessories and swipe on a coat of Katy's own OPI nail polish collection for the perfect sweet girlie look.

2) Ke$ha — Bringing the party to you this summer is the always crazy Ke$ha. Known for her unpredictable personality and "garbage-chic" style as she likes to call it, this concert is sure to be like no party you've ever been to. With lots of glitter, feathers, animal print and denim cutoffs, fitting into this party shouldn't be too hard.

3) Glee Live in Concert — McKinley High's New Directions are bringing their choir room to a city near you! The whole cast from the Fox show is performing their hit songs from seasons one and two, helping you remember to "Don't Stop Believin'!" Dress up in elements of your favorite characters, like knee socks and animal sweaters for Rachel, or in McKinley High's school colors of red and white.

—CARLY HILL

Dress Like a Princess!

Catherine Middleton has not only recently become a princess, but a widely-watched fashion icon as well. We can't help but be extremely envious of her chic and sophisticated wardrobe. Here's a how-to guide to covet her style into your closet!

Boots— Throughout her relationship with Prince William, Kate has been seen wearing knee-high heeled suede boots, flat slouchy brown boots as well as leather boots. Kate is known to wear boots with skinny jeans for a day of shopping. She was also seen dressing them up for a visit to St. Andrews.

Dresses—Kate Middleton certainly knows how to wear a dress. From that particularly famous Alexander McQueen she wore as she said "I do" to her everyday attire, Kate knows what looks good on her. When shopping for Middleton-inspired dresses, look for prints, chiffon fabrics and halters. If you're looking for something less casual, focus on simple, elegant dresses with small details and an excellent fit that accentuate your figure.

Wedges—Since the day after Middleton's wedding, women everywhere have been clamoring to get their hands on L.K. Bennett's wedges (there?s already a waiting list). However, this wasn't the first time Kate was photographed wearing wedges. She's been seen wearing many different variations; peep-toe, sling-back, espadrille, cork, patent leather and suede.

Bright Colors—Kate may keep the silhouette of an outfit very simple but she adds color. She favors shades of blue, most notably her Issa dress worn to announce her engagement to Prince William and her Zara dress worn the day after her wedding.

Outerwear—On countless occasions, Kate has been seen wearing a jacket or a blazer. Make note: the fit is crucial! If you find one jacket that fits you well, it will instantly make you look more put-together. Middleton also likes cropped jackets and trench coats. After Kate was seen wearing this Burberry coat, it sold out within hours. Pair an equestrian-inspired blazer with boots and skinny jeans and you may just be mistaken for Kate herself!

—MANDILYNN KERR

Beyond Blue

Denim is a staple in everyone's closet. Finding a way to update your jeans can be challenging, but celebrities have brought attention to this season's newest denim trend. Brightly colored jeans in every shade of the rainbow are being seen on celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Sarah Jessica Parker. These colored skinny jeans look best paired with neutral tees, ballet flats or heels.

Favored by celebrities, the brand Current/Elliott has bold colored jeans for $167 at revolveclothing.com. For a celebrity steal, delias.com has vibrant denim for $9.99! Who knew it was that easy to achieve summer's "brightest" trend?

—CARLY HILL

VIMwatch: 2011 MET Costume Institute Gala Benefit

Sorry to all the fellas out there but there was just so much good lady-fashion at this last event that we've decided to pick four female "looks of the night" and put our male stars on the back burner this time around (though if you feel like looking into it, we have to say Joshua Jackson and Glee's Matthew Morrison pretty much killed it).

Top Four Looks

Actress Michelle Monaghan absolutely stunned in a hot pink Derek Lam dress. She accessorized with an amazing H. Stern "lizard" cuff and Roger Vivier tube clutch. Our favorite part? Her hair — absolutely fabulous.




Next up, the most surprising of the night, Ms. Liv Tyler left a trail of feathers everywhere she went and turned heads in the process. Tyler's gown hails from Givenchy and is one of the most beautiful and interesting of the evening.





In beautiful, summery fashion Zoe Saldana looked amazing wearing a mellow -yellow Calvin Klein Collection dress. To add to her style, Saldana wore Brian Atwood heels and vintage jewelry from Platt boutique.




Mirroring the recent royal wedding, Sarah Jessica Parker (and Monaghan above) chose a sleeved number with a gorgeous neckline from Alexander McQueen, which she paired with jewelry from Fred Leighton.







Show stopper of the night: Christina Ricci in Zac Posen's webbed creation.

Get the Look: Dakota Fanning

In this dreary, rainy weather, we're taking a note from Miss Dakota Fanning for our latest "get the look" series. Check out some great finds below (FYI, those are the exact cargos she has on!).

Jacket Lightweight Utility in green, Gap, $80
Pashmina Scarf Journee Collection (faux) in white, Target, $20
Handbag Chapel Hill Satchel by Etienne Aigner, eBags, $96
Cargo Jean Battled Houligan in smoked topaz, J Brand, $260
Combat Boots Kimberly by Type Z, Zappos, $65

heart.

Quote of the Day: April 11

"“Some of our memories are shared. We don’t know what actually happened to whom. One of us was stung by a bee, but we can’t remember who, because we both felt it.”

—Mary-Kate Olsen, business mogul, on her relationship with twin sister Ashely to Vogue.

Ecko Launches Fashionable Scrubs Lines

This one's for all the future doctors, nurses and veterinarians at Michigan State:

koi design, LLC recently teamed up with global fashion company Mark Ecko Enterprises to design two bold lines of scrubs for medical professionals everywhere: Ecko UNLTD. (for men) and Ecko Red (for women).

Whoever said hospital attire isn't sexy definitely just got proven wrong.

Check out the full collection HERE.

WWEPW: What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear

What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear? is an entire site dedicated to the fashion and style of the GLEE character by the same name, portrayed by actress Jayma Mays.

Of all the characters Emma would not have fallen to the top of our style list ... immediately. That said, for all those loving the preppy style of the character, the site helps you put together and find outfits exactly like those in Mays' wardrobe. If you are or are not a fan of GLEE: enjoy.

Abercrombie sells push-up bikini tops for kids

Abercrombie Kids is selling push up triangle bikini tops. Let me reiterate that these are for kids. According to Sociological Images (where I first discovered this), Abercrombie Kids markets their products towards 7 - 14 year olds, and the average age of puberty is 12. Don't you think their target audience is a little young to be enhancing their cleavage?

I don't know why any of this shit from Abercrombie surprises me anymore. Here's just a sample of some other offensive and sexist clothing they've produced:

• In 2002 Abercrombie Kids had to remove a line of thong underwear sold for girls in pre-teen children's sizes after parents mounted nationwide storefront protests. The underwear included phrases like "Eye Candy" and "Wink Wink" printed on the front.


• In 2004 they got in trouble for a sexist and offensive tshirt that said "L is for Loser" next to a picture of a male gymnast on the rings.


• In 2005 they came out with tshirts displaying sexist messages such as "Available for parties," "Who needs brains when you have these?" and "I had a nightmare I was a brunette."


• A tshirt controversy arose again over A&F's Back-to-School 2009 collection of "humor tees." One shirt proclaims "Show the twins" above a picture of a young woman with her blouse open to two men. Two other shirts state "Female streaking encouraged" and "Female Students Wanted for Sexual Research."
  Source: Abercrombie & Fitch product criticism - Wikipedia
  
  

Quote of the Day: March 22

"My grandmother was probably the first person who I thought was beautiful. She was incredibly stylish, she had big hair, big cars. I was probably 3 years old, but she was like a cartoon character . . . It seemed like she lived in a different world, and wherever that was, I wanted to go."

—Tom Ford, fashion designer/director, on beauty to Interview Magazine.

Molding Fashion Into Art: WMATY

WHAT’S MORE ALIVE THAN YOU™ is an incredible Italian shoe/bag/accessory manufacturer that involves both male and female designers from all over the world in the creation of its varying collections, spreading culture and life through creativity. The aim of WMATY products are to appeal to those of us who want our fashionable selves to have a unique, one-of-a-kind look (that also tells a story).

The design pictured above is a creation from Swedish designer Liza Fredrika Åslund (of the project's first selection class). Known as "Recycle Shoes," the ergonomically shaped pumps were hand-made from recycled wood and sheepskin and were worn by Best New Artist Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding (below) at this year's award ceremony.

Photography Spotlight: Vs Magazine

We're jumping into the archives a bit here to highlight this 2009 photoshoot, conducted by Ellen von Unwerth, from Vs Magazine. The pics are just too gorgeous and fun not to share (and gush). You can check out the entire spread in the mag's gallery HERE or see our faves below.

Get the Look: Kate Bosworth

Kate Bosworth is one of our favorite style icons and has truly mastered casual chic. To the right is one of our favorite looks of the actress'. Due to its simplicity, we've provided our picks to help you get Kate's look.

Woven Sweater Textured Balletneck in White Pebble, Ann Taylor, $78
Boyfriend Jean Silver Sam, Buckle, $50
Booties Spur by Corso Como, DSW, $90
Handbag Trim Duffle by Bueno Croc, Target, $40
Sunglasses P-Retro Cat by Ray-Ban, Urban Outfitters, $135

ATD Fashion Show

This past Saturday (Feb. 26) we were invited to attend the Annual ATD (Apparel and Textile Design) Fashion Show. The show delivered everything it promised and more, from designs made entirely out of recycled gloves to those made of lottery tickets; each look told a story. Some who attended last year's event (which went by the name of Student Apparel Design Association’s (SADA) Fashion Show) may be wondering what was so different at this year's show. For starters, it was only open to students in the ATD major and each designer was limited to three garments (there was also no theme). Despite these big changes, the department should be proud because they really showcased what the major has to offer and how talented our ATD Spartans are! After the show, we were able to catch board members Tommie Mianecki and Tess Theisen for a Q&A:

VIM: In the past, SADA shows were open to all students. What were some of the factors that played a role in the decision to only hold one fashion show open only to ATD students?
Tommie: We wanted to document and present the talent of the students in this major and have the opportunity to really showcase it.

VIM: Since there is no defined theme, was there an overall message you hope the show conveyed to the audience?
Tess: Each student has such a different mind and design…this was their opportunity to represent themselves. It’s nice not to have to push designers.
Tommie: Our goal was to put on an elegant fashion show but to let the designers tell their own story.

VIM: When do you begin preparing for such a big event?
Tommie: We began planning at the end of August and designs were due before winter break.

VIM: What are some of the things that are looked for in student designers when choosing what designs to feature?
Tess: They [the judges] try to pick your mind behind your design and they want to know that everything about the design has a purpose and a meaning.

VIM: What do you think the student designers benefit from most by participating in this event?
Tess: It’s a chance to feel proud of their hard work and show it off.
Tommie: It’s really exciting to see the final product especially when you know a design in and out…seeing it all come together is really rewarding.

VIM: Is there any advice you would give students who are considering pursuing a future in the fashion industry?
Tommie: Have persistence and work hard!
Tess: You need to love what you’re doing and be ready to put everything you’ve got into the industry.


*NOTE*: The evening's "Best Dress" winner was Rachel Hurley’s Petal Metal (first two pics from the left). Check out our gallery below for a glimpse of the show.

VIMwatch: 2011 Academy Awards

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (promoted oddly as "Oscar" this year) have finally happened and the fashion was, again, fabulous. Below see our top picks of tonight's stunners.

Ladies


Again, Mila Kunis stunned on the red carpet (she is killing it lately!) in a purple, lace Elie Saab Haute Couture gown. Kunis' accessories were from Neil Lane (jewelry) and Bottega Veneta (clutch).


A performer for the night, Gwyneth Paltrow, looked amazing in her metallic-gold — or silver, we can't tell — Calvin Klein dress (the metallic look is quite the trend this awards season — tough to pull off but quite beautiful when done right). Paltrow topped off her look with Brian Atwood heels and a gorgeous Louis Vuitton ring (among other lovely accessories).




Gents


When it comes to the Academy Awards, the men tend to play it safe, sporting the classic tuxedo look. This style was brought to perfection on the 2011 red carpet by the men of The Social Network who all looked awesome (and might we say are part of one of the sexiest casts ever). From left, we have Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield and below right is Jesse Eisenberg.


Russell Brand, who took his mother to this year's Oscars (as his wife is currently on tour), was a presenter at this year's awards and we love his funky take on the penguin look. He chose a plaid undershirt and navy blue color with black accents to spice up his look.

Say 'No' to the Seventies

We're usually quick to jump on-board with the most current fashion trends because, let's face it, who doesn't love a new look? But this year's most recent trend, which aims to bring back the style of the Seventies, is not our cup o' tea.

Stylish celebs Vanessa Hudgens and January Jones were recently spotted out and about sporting psychadelic, bell bottom chic.

Our response? Oh please no.

We prefer to leave the 1970s where they are and seek to remember them solely through photos and footage of Woodstock (and maybe in period pics).

VIMwatch: 2011 BAFTAs

Ladies

If it hasn't been made obvious already, we pretty much adore Brown University sophomore and British actress Emma Watson. Last night, the Harry Potter hottie chose a one-shouldered, lace Valentino gown and absolutely stunned, putting many of the others to shame.

We simply couldn't come to a decision regarding our second choice so have decided it's a tie: The always lovely Amy Adams chose a salmon-colored Elie Saab gown for the event and the Fighter actress and mother wowed us from head to toe. Also, Harry Potter star and recently engaged young lady Bonnie Wright managed to create bohemian-chic for the red carpet in a creation from Clements Ribeiro.

Gents

Always a Spartan favorite, Gerard Butler looked dapper over the weekend as he sported a classic black-and-white suit and silk bow tie.

Second only to Gerard, designer Tom Ford attended the ceremony as Julianne Moore's date and looked ravishing in what we can only assume is his own, velvet coat creation. Work that red carpet, Tom.