Top Spring Nail Trends!

Never in a million years did I ever think I would be entitling a blog "Nail Trends", but for whatever reason, nail art has exploded onto the scene, I would be remiss not to write a feature specifically on this fascinating and colorful idea. It's loud, it's proud, and it's trending from ages 5 to 85. It's goodbye boring old French Manicure and hello ultra glam. And with a generous selection of fabulous new nail products hitting the beauty market, it's easier than ever for women to take their look from demure to divine diva in a matter of minutes! And what I looove about this particular trend, other than the fact that the design possibilities are endless, but it's a trend that's suitable for every budget. So let's take a look at some of the hottest looks and how to get them!

Sally Nail Effects

These are available practically anywhere including stores like Walmart, Walgreens and Shoppers Drug Mart. Personally, I'm a big fan of this product because I like something portable and easy when I travel. Sally Nail Effects are easy-as-pie to apply to your nail, they come in forty different designs, and they can last up to ten days provided you're not doing anything too rigorous. And as an added bonus, they're easier to remove than conventional nail polish, and at under $9 a package, it's a steal!


Impress Press-On's
I was at the theatre two evenings ago, and the young lady who was serving us had the most amazing nails. I was practically mesmerized as she swiped our cards, and shuffled tickets, I couldn't keep my eyes off of them. I finally broke down and asked her where she got them done and she beamed that it only took her 15 minutes to do them! My mouth dropped. They were the brand new Impress Press-On Nails by Nicole Scherzinger, and I had to get me some! You need to do a little bit more prep on your nails than you do for the Sally Nail Effects. But with 36 hot designs to choose from, you can have yourself a better-than-the-salon look for under $15!

DIY Designs

I'm a do-it yourself kind of girl myself, mostly because I'm a budget-conscious student. However, I also love learning how to do new things, and ever now and then, when I'm feeling creative, I start meandering through Tumblr for fabulous DIY blogs. If you have some extra time to pamper yourself, pop on your favourite episode of Fashion Star, and glam up those nails to your heart's content!

Girls Do it Better!

Calvin Klein. Alexander McQueen. Roberto Cavalli. These are a few of the couture fashion houses that have been dressing us for the last several decades. No one can argue that these leading men knew how to dress women, and they knew how to do it really well, but there seems to be a shift occurring in fashion industry, we are hailing the return of women designing for the ultra feminine and irresistibly potent sex. And if you ask me, it's about time!

Don't get me wrong, there isn't too much that can top the feeling of slipping into a sultry Roberto Cavalli dress, that is, until I strut around in anything designed by Fridda Giannini or my personal favourite, Diane Von Furstenberg. Ever since I can remember, I could never understand why it was that men repeatedly dominated the world of fashion. I always understood that there was little or no place for feminism in its political form, because fashion and all those involved continuously break the rules of feminism. But wouldn't women know how to dress the female body better? What does a man know about how a woman feels at any point in her day, and how her personal style is often a direct reflection of what she thinks of herself?

The answer was simple. Men dressed us in what they thought we should be wearing, and women complied. They made beautiful garments, that made us feel sexy, and we bought into the fantasy life they were selling us, hook, line and sinker! But since Coco Chanel arrived on the scene in the 1920's with the iconic "Little Black Dress", it's been clear to me, that women know what women want. I've been falling back in love with female designers for the last five years now, and I don't know if I can ever turn back. From Kate Middleton's Sarah Burton (for Alexander McQueen) wedding gown, to Stella McCartney's lace "optical illusion" prints, if you happen to be a woman learning how to become a fashion designer in the near future, you couldn't have jumped in at a more exciting time!

Bag Yourself the Hottest Hand Bag!

I know I'm always rattling on about the hottest fashions, and I tend to neglect what can sometimes be, the most significant part of an outfit, the handbag! What's the big deal, you're just slinging it over your shoulder right? Ummm, WRONG! C'mon gals, a hot handbag is the ultimate conversation starter, and there's nothing better than being the talk of a sizzling soiree! As you all know by now, colour blocking is the hottest trend going right now, but nudes and pastels are also hitting the streets, so let's have a look at what's hot, and what you should be clutching!

Colour Me Good! I cannot express to you how enamored I am with the colours I see strutting down the street (well, not down my street yet, it may be Spring, but we're still waiting for that warm breeze!). But my girlfriends from back East are stompin' around town with the likes of Marc Jacob and Victoria Beckham.

In the Nude. Fleshy tones are really big this season, and when you throw that together with a woven design, it makes magic. Not every bag designer can pull this off, but brands like Marni sure can. The $1700 price tag might be a bit steep for you, or you can snag something cute and chic at Target for a mere $15. Thank goodness someone's lookin' out for us poor folks!

A Punch of Colour. If you love colour, but want to keep it subtle, you'll probably fall in love with Fendi's Confetti Bag. I'm sure it costs a mint, and for a gal who's trying to keep up with bills, getting my online degree, a Fendi bag can cost as much as a semester of school, yikes! Oh well, a girl can dream right? Here's hoping I see Fendi, Marni and Marc Jacob in dreamland.

Fall in Love with Flats All Over Again

I know I'm always going on and on about all the latest clothing trends, but lest we forget about the piece de resistance for every great outfit, the all important footwear. Hot shoes can make or break an outfit. It can pull an ensemble all together, or obliterate whatever concept you've dreamt up in your overly creative head!   I hate to be a forgone conclusion, but I admittedly, like many fashion-wannabe's before me, have an insatiable shoe fetish. And of course, the majority of my shoe collection is made up of pumps, peep toes and stiletto's that I've worn no more than a handful of times and they're not shoes that are conducive to my everyday coming and goings. Sure, I'd love to think that I'm chic enough to pick-up my dry cleaning or strut down the frozen food section at the grocery store in my favourite Ralph Lauren platform pumps, but I'm no Carrie Bradshaw. Those babies are reserved for special occasions.

Thankfully for a sneaker-donning tomboy like myself who would love to make more of an effort to be fashionable and fabulous, flats are coming back with a vengeance and I couldn't be happier. Not only are flats a fabulously versatile footwear option, but if you're shopping in the right shops and boutiques, you're going to have hire yourself an executive assistant to help carry your shopping bags!

Okay, so first stop for shoe bargains, Payless Shoes! Whether I happen to be shopping in Canada or when I'm outlet shopping in the USA, this is generally my first stop for cute, affordable shoes. And despite it's reputation for being suspiciously "cheap", I have Payless shoes in my closet that are well over five years old!

H&M is another great stop for fab and affordable flats, especially if you're really into the pastel trend that's really hot right now. Their selection isn't as varied as a Payless of course, but what's convenient about shopping here, is that all of their shoes can easily be coordinated with anything you buy, and you know it's damn near impossible to leave H&M without buying an armful of goodies!

GoJane is another one of personal faves and with flats as low as $14, how the heck can you go wrong! Gojane is often featured in InStyle, Cosmo and Elle, and for all you budget-concious fashionistas lusting after the hottest shoes, completing your collection at GoJane couldn't be easier!

Crazy for Colour Blocking!

There are so many hot trends for this upcoming Spring and Summer season, but one of my absolute favourites and one that I can't wait to start experimenting with is the colour blocking trend. If you're a pastel, or muted-colour kind of gal, it's time to spread your wings and embrace the rainbow girl! Don't panic. You might be telling yourself, "but I can't wear colour!" Hogwash, of course you can! Don't worry, we're not going to send you out onto the street without a few tips first! Does a tattoo artist start their work without the correct tools, of course not! So here's why we're loving this trend and how to wear it!

Why we love it! I am an accessory freak! I adore dressing up my outfits, so any excuse to get some new baubles, sign me up! Colour block accessories are plentiful, and adding an oversized ring, bangles, necklaces, earrings and headscarves. Once you know what colours compliment each other, you can start manufacturing your own style!

Mixing and Matching is easier than you think! Who knew that bright yellow went with so many things! Like other trends, there are some rules to follow so you don't end up walking down the street looking like a circus clown, but not so many that this trend gets left to the stick people on the New York and LA catwalks!

Eyescessorize

It's totally affordable! Sure, you've got everyone from Dries Von Noten to Salvatore Ferragamo pumping out colour-block couture for prices only our tiny bank accounts could imagine. Fear not, because vintage is so hot this season, thrift shops and consignment stores are brimming with bright coloured treasures, just waiting to be plucked from the rack, for prices that won't break the bank!

Things to remember. Neons colours can be a bit trickier to put together, and can date your look negatively. They can also make you look a little washed out. Stick with solid colours from solid palettes; Pretty purples, gorgeous greens, rich yellows, rich reds, funky fushia's, and perfect pinks. Take a peak at the pantone below courtesy of one of my favourite blogs, Eyecessorize.

The Perfect Peplum

Like many women, I can be a bit of a slave to fashion trends. But not all trends. I could not, in good conscious, jump on board with the whole Uggs phenomenon because I thought they looked like moon boots, and all of my Australian friends were gasping in horror when they heard North American women were donning Uggs out on the street, instead of wearing them in the comfort of their home where they are meant to be worn! So, I enthusiastically shelved the over-priced moon boots up there with tye-dye jeans, and wearing Lululemon to inappropriate places like anywhere outside of the gym or yoga studio. But one trend I am absolutely loving is the return of the Peplum.

The Peplum was a dominant feature of womens' dresses and skirts in the 1940's, 1960's and 1980's, and finally, it's made a fierce come back for 2012. Designers like Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs dotted the runways with their pretty Peplum pieces. But well before New York and LA Fashion Week, women have been pining after this chic style since Mad Men came into our living rooms.

The Peplum-style waist is flirty, girly and ultra-sexy. It accentuates the curvature of a woman's hips and the smallness of her waist, which is good news for a boyish-figured gal like myself! The design itself is to be paired with sleek, well-fitted or tailored pieces. A beautiful pencil skirt or leggings are both great options. Peplums can be sewn onto the piece itself, or they can be removable. It's a style that's accessible to absolutely everyone in just about every setting. Whether you're an executive assistant at a big firm, or cocktail waitress, going to the movies, or heading out for a hot date, throw on a Peplum and turn your entire outfit into a showpiece!

Getting Nostalgic at the Oscars

As my love and adoration for fashion grows, despite the fact that I am a self-professed movie buff, I find myself looking forward to the pre-Oscar show far more than the awards ceremony itself! I don't really care who's wearing what, but watching the designer greats being paraded up and down the red carpet, is quite riveting for a fashion hopeful like myself! Unfortunately, I found the Oscar wardrobe ensemble to be about as exciting as the show itself. And with the exception of Angelina Jolie's emaciated right leg, who now has its own twitter page, and the JLo's apparent nipple slip, the entire night was a disappointing fashion snore! So let's not dwell on the recent past, but instead, let's step way back in time and pay homage to the some of the greatest Oscar dresses of all time. 

When Audrey Hepburn stepped on the red carpet, photographers couldn't get enough of this lacey little number. Audrey donned this exact dress in her Oscar winning role in the Roman Holiday . The dress went to auction a couple of years ago, and is worth an estimated £60,000! Who could forget Julia's vintage simple but exquisite Valentino gown for the 2001 Academy Awards. The dress, though understated, was brought to life when Julia took the stage and won her first Oscar for her brilliant role in Erin Brokovitch. Loved the dress, loved the speech, love the girl!

She may not have donned a little gold statue, but Diane Lane looked ravishing in her Oscar de la Renta Ostrich gown for the 2003 Academy Awards. I'm not usually a fan of women wearing colour palettes that match their skin tone, but this gorgeous gown brought out the natural tawny golds in Diane's perfect complexion. The off-shoulder design highlighted the gentle slope of her shoulders and accentuated her naturally curvy figure. 

One of my personal favourites was Penelope Cruz's shop-stopping Atelier Versace original that she wore for the 2003 Oscars. Penelope rarely disappoints when she steps onto any red carpet, but she was perfection in peach in this breathtaking work of art. 

And to round off our Oscar favourites, I'll leave you with Halle Berry's fabulous Elie Saab. The iconic satin train, and strategically placed embroidery left jaws agape on the red carpet.  This was to be the most poignant moment in Halle's professional life when she took home the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the gritty film, Monster's Ball.