So we know that it is only a few days before Christmas, and while it may be a little bit late to save some of you, we’ve created a guide of things that we love/hate, to help the rest of you during the holiday season.

First off, I think we should address the excessive attraction to shiny things around this time. It’s one thing if you’re doing a whole Lady Gaga realness Christmas thing, but it’s another if you’re a regs mall girl wearing a Fairweather sequin dress from the $9.99 rack with your Aldos. All we’re saying is commit to that shit—don’t go all low budge. Don’t act like you don’t know what we’re talking about, we’ve all made some terrible fashion choices, but really, if you wanna shine this holiday season don’t be just another fug girl in a sea of sequin dresses.

Everyone goes all tranny fierceness during the holidays, but really? Maybe tone it down retire those falsies (eye lashes and cutlets), put away the tran trans, and please unless you’re an actual tranny cool it with the glitter shadow. If you really wanna stand out wear something well tailored and simplified in a jewel tone, and remember accessorizing is a privilege and not a right. Try to stick to a couple of key pieces, instead of decorating yourself like a Christmas tree.

When the Snuggie came out a couple of months ago it was all demystified when we realized that it’s basically just a bath robe worn backwards. But now in this post-Snuggie consumer society that we live in, we’re thinking it’s amazing again, not only for people who are too fucking lazy to put their robes on backwards but also as a recession alt to this whole neo goth thing. Like just look at it, I mean $19.99? Are you fucking kidding me? Belt that shit and its totally a Friday night… shit we just realized it doesn’t come in black, just go back to your cheap reverse robe knock offs. Sorry for wasting your time.

Want to take this look from your couch to the club?  Try a shorter designer style from Henrik Vibskov or Horace, because black is really the only option (God, I wish the Snuggie came in black).

If any non third grade math teachers are even thinking about wearing a festive holiday sweater this year, please stop, especially if you’re thinking about being all clever and doing it in an ironic way. I mean, unless I’m mistaken and its 2003 and we’re living in Williamsburg, nobody gets it—and they sure as hell don’t think it’s cute.  If you’re planning on getting laid on New Year’s don’t even think about wearing this shit on Christmas, you’ll forever be remembered as that overweight alterna first year fashion student who should have known better.

If you are looking for a more casual yet still festive party look, opt for a classic chunky cable knit sweater with a pair of tight pants and killer heels.  Don’t do a comfortable look head to toe, it could end up simply being interpreted as frumpy, and nobody wants to get stuck with the frumpy girl under the mistletoe.

Guys if you’re having a holiday wardrobe malfunction then you must be doing something terribly, terribly wrong. Unlike the ladies, you have way less opportunity to turn yourself into the real nightmare before Christmas. How do you manage to go wrong with pants and a shirt? Guys don’t have half of the trashy, flashy, trannilicious temptations that girls do.  Just remember to stay away from bad holiday ties, joke t-shirts and Christmas socks.

This is really the main set of rules that you need to stick to when planning outfits for the holiday season.

1)      Find clothes that fit.  There are so many guys out there that still wear pants that are too big.  We aren’t saying that you need to go all skinny emo jeans on us, just maybe don’t wear a 38 if you’re really a 32.  Try that shit on before you buy it!

2)      Clean clothes.  Maybe wash your clothes every once and a while, and in the meantime, take a shower. No one wants to be that musky smelling, western shirt guy at the party (don’t make us make another Williamsburg reference!)

3)      Justin Bobby is hot, that’s a fact.  If you are facey enough to do this look, maybe don’t shower.  Maybe don’t shave.  Maybe don’t wash your clothes.  This really depends on your hot factor, based on a ‘1’ to ‘Justin Bobby’ scale.  If you aren’t at least a ‘9’ or a full on ‘JB’, you should probably stick to rule #2.

4)      Make wise accessory choices.  Don’t just start wearing fashion frames out of the blue, people will def call you out on that shit.  And unless hats are part of your signature look, don’t decide to debut your new fedora or pageboy hat at the office holiday party.  If you don’t already own one of these hats, don’t bother making the investment.

5)      Don’t be too pretty.  The whole pseudo-homosexual thing is intriguing, but being metro sexual is just plain gay. If you are thinking about using bronzer or getting more highlights for that special holiday event, you’ve probably gone too far.  Nobody believes that you got that naturally sun kissed look this far north of the equator.

Well, we hope this guide is helpful in getting you through the holiday season.  If you’ve already committed one or more of these offences, it’s not too late to pretend it never happened.  The New Year is a clean slate for everyone!

The Much Music Video Awards: Teen block party of the summer. It takes over a good portion of downtown Toronto and shuts down Queen Street. Fans line up for hours beyond hours trying to acquire a prime spot by the stage and stay committed until the very end.

The anticipation of the annual MMVAs is almost too much to handle, with hype beginning in early May and steadily building up until the final performance. The crazyness officially begins over a week prior, with fans camping out 2 days in advance just to score a highly-coveted ticket in. This turns the MMVAs into a week-long event, two stage set-ups causing street closures and sidewalk traffic jams.

Much Music pride themselves in giving the MMVAs an opportunity for fans to get as close as possible to their fave celebs, something that other big shows tend to lack. Anyone can come down and check out red carpet arrivals, watch the show from the street sans-wristband, and even watch sound checks the day before.

There was no shortage of energy and hormones at this year’s awards, with the Jonas Brothers co-hosting and performing twice. Throngs of girls packed the streets, covered in writing and sunburns, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their favorite fantasy. The rest of the performance line-up included The Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Alexisonfire, Shiloh, Billy Talent, Classified, Rise Against, and Nickelback. Guest presenters like Taylor Lautner and Brody Jenner induced echoing shrieks from every angle that could be heard for miles. Mass hysteria is just how we do it up in Toronto.

The televised, 2-hour live award show began at 9pm, with the Jonas Brothers opening on the main stage. Everything ran smoothly with no technical issues, major wardrobe malfunctions, or fainting teen girls. Crazy pyrotechnics, explosions, and booming bass turned the downtown core into a spectacle most likely seen and heard from space.

Here’s a look of the scene behind the stage, where artists go through to and from the stage.

Mostly hanging around the press room, I got to take some photos of winners and guests against the MMVA media wall. Highlights below.

Fergie with Kameleon Jewellery

Lady Gaga with Jil Sander sunglasses and New Era cap

Girlicious with GUESS Watches

Michelle LaFevre with BENCH Apparel

Tila Tequila with CHA CHA handbags

Etalk’s Traci Melchor with MOROCCANOIL

MMVA Gift Lounge Photos by George Pimentel
Words and Photos by Melania Fedyna

Lady Gaga wants your soul, Toronto. And she’d probably fuck you for it, too. A little or a lot of ridiculousness is what most have come to expect from the Lady, and she wasn’t skimping on it in Friday night.

An overall energetic performance at the Kool Haus, the show started at 10:40pm (about forty minutes late), and ended at midnight. Gaga rocked multiple wardrobe changes, including her “bitch in a bubble” ensemble, and brought out the disco stick.

The crowd was filled with Gaga-wannabes; blonde wigs, sequined dresses, eccentric hair pieces (including my own giant flower). Girls and gays alike got rowdy to the tunes and robotic dance moves provided by the current, so-called “Princess of Pop”.

The piano was brought out for a stripped-down rendition of Poker Face, partly played with her legs spread apart on the keys. Because why not? Also sung was a cover of Kanye West’s Heartless which sent the crowd in a frenzy of sing-a-long.

There were quite a bit of philosophical theories and life stories from Gaga’s end, both between and during songs. She wants you to know that money ain’t a thang, and that the most important thing in the world to her are her fans. Lyrical contradictions aside, LG played a new song which she thinks might be about dildos.

Definitely a character, Lady Gaga knows how to take things to the very edge, sometimes taking a casual stumble over.

This was Lady Gaga’s final show in which she performs alone on stage. In this upcoming tour, there will be a band backing her. You can catch her opening for Kanye West later this year.

I stopped by the official Lady Gaga-hosted after party at Ultra, also marking the opening night of a crazy MMVA party-filled weekend. Gaga did indeed come and I got a glimpse of her in a secluded booth donning her signature shades. Chad Kroeger of Nickelback along with Midway State and Rumer Willis were also in attendance. And we can’t forget Perez Hilton (or can we), who was also in town, following Gaga around like a desperate puppy. A crowded patio, relatively deserted main floor and glass of water later, Gaga-overdose forced me to call it a night. I stepped out the door only to be greeted by eager autograph-seekers and Rumer Willis-stalkers. Overall, successful evening.

Words and Photos by Melania Fedyna

Everybody wants to be at the top of their game. Whether their game is basketball, politics, working at the mall or being an international superstar, it doesn’t matter. WE ALL WANT THE TOP SPOT. To get this top notch spot much hustle is required. The outcome of this hard work is feeling the great joy of finally reaching the top of that ladder,becoming meca the all mighty. In knowing the great joy that comes with that success, great pain must hold your hand when you fall from grace.

Enter Britney Spears. Our very own princess of pop. She could do no wrong; make chastity claims, not only date Justin Timberlake but co-ordinate outfits with him, have a quicky marriage to an old friend, marry Kevin Federline, have two children, shave her head. Although through all that, she may have wavered on her pop princess throne it is important to note that she was never once  thrown off it.

Enter Lady Gaga. She broke into our entertainment world singing and styling with a vengence. The ladder she is climbing is the one that ends with her being the Princess of Pop. But wait, I believe that is Britney’s title? UHHH OH. Mad dance off begins?!?!

To be fair we are going to have a Britney Spear, Lady Gaga face off. The rules are simple, we will be taking Britney’s first year of success and pinning it up against Lady Gaga’s new found fame. Judge away awesome pop fans.

Pop Name: Britney Spear

Publicity Image:

Public Image:

First Album:

First Single: Hit Me Baby One More Time

Quoted: “I would like to be called an inspiration to people, not a role model – because I make mistakes like everybody else. When I’m offstage, I’m just like everybody else.”

Pop Name: Lady Gaga

Publicity Image:

Public Image:

First Album:

First Single: Just Dance

Quoted: “Some artists want your money so they can buy Range Rovers and diamond bracelets,but I don’t care about that kind of stuff. I want your soul”

It’s important to look at these ladies in context. Cause right now, regardless of her music, we’re all thinking Lady Gaga is killing it! She’s pushing pants boundaries and is really standing out. But remenber when Brit Brit first appeared on the scene and she revolutionized everything from school girl uniforms to sex with your boyfriend, come on thats why half of you are still virgins right? I dont know I think people are passing on the crown to quickly. What do you think?

Every stylish girl knows to change her make-up colour scheme to match the season. Spring is here, so let’s freshen up and introduce some bright, happy colours to our faces . When it comes to spring make-up, it looks like my favourite colour purple will be the hue of choice.

I spoke with the amazing make-up artist Margot who has worked with many talented recording artists including the Backstreet Boys, David Archuletta, the Hidden Cameras, Kids on TV, Peaches, Final Fantasy, Gentleman Reg, One Second 2 Late, Boy George, The Priests and Gloria Gaynor. She also knows MAC, Chanel, Dior, Armani and Guerlain(I Heart Guerlain) like the back of her hand.

Q: What colours will we see on fashionable faces for spring?

Purple is the colour this spring. Variations on purple for eyes and lips – nude, almost lilac colours have been seen on Lady Gaga and on the runways for Lanvin and Cavalli. Darker, dramatic, deep violets are popular on the lips with a high shine gloss for runway, but for high street wear, we will see more of the purple drama happening on the eyes. It’s a modern,Bridget Bardot eye – smoky, with winged liner and nude lips.

Q: Any tips on how to acheive the trendy look for spring?

If you want to do a dramatic eye with purple, try applying your eye makeup first, then wipe away any shadow that has fallen on to the cheeks and continue with foundation, blush and lips. This will help create a clean smoky eye that does not look bruised or tired. I like to start with concealer all over the eye lid, then a base colour like Shroom(MAC’s number one seller) and an eye colour over the lid and into the crease. If you’re a little shy on trying purple, why not use a purple liner? I like using purple eyeshadow with an angle brush. Add a drop of Visine to your angle brush and dip into the shadow to make it a waterproof eyeliner! You’ll never buy another eye pencil again!

Q: What is the must have make-up item this spring?

If I had to choose one, I would have to say a beautiful sheer lip colour like Dior Addict High Shine in Couture Pink #260. It brightens up that nude day look with a light flush of colour and the packaging is glorious. It’s a treat that every woman looks good in. It also pairs wonderfully with the purple eye.

Q: What have you seen on the runway lately?

There are three key looks for spring:

1>>One which is a combination of ‘recessionista’ fashion and eco-consciousness – very muted, natural looking makeup, moving into natural ingredients as well. Lines like Dr.Hauschka,Jurlique and Korres, which were once deemed ‘health food brands’ are now in demand and carried at boutiques such as Holt Renfrew, Pure and Simple and even Shopper’s Beauty Boutiques. The over all look is fairly matte skin, eye colours which are variations of brown in satiny shimmers on the eyes, long, curled eyelashes, structured faces with natural bronzer over the cheekbones and a  new nude lip. Get rid of your old C-thru Lipglass by MAC and move into a creamy, beige lipstick like Blankety, also by MAC.

2>>Purple is the strongest colour on the runway for spring. Whether you choose to do a strong, dramatic purple eye (if it’s applied correctly it will not make you look bruised or tired!), or a romantic deep violet lip with shine, purple is it!

3>>Spring is also the season to wear focus on both your eyes and lips. This is the opposite of our eco-conscious kind of girl, this is the strong resurgence of 1980′s Robert Palmer girl decadence! Pair that shimmering brown eye with an unapologetic red lip! Save the gloss for Fall, and keep your lips matte!

Q: Where do you love to shop for make-up?

I am very partial to MAC. I usually go to the Queen Pro location for all my wild glitter and pigment. I also love going to Tutti Frutti, the health food store in Kensington Market. That’s where I buy all of my skin care. Sussman’s Bridal on Queen West has a great selection of reasonable priced lashes. I rarely go into department stores of any kind, but will occasionally pop into the Chanel Boutique on Bloor and Sephora.

Q: What do you think of the Hello Kitty Mac line?

I am a MAC girl at heart and worked for them for many years. The Hello Kitty line is fun, cute, colourful with great packaging. I loved the Dame Edna Collection,which featured a lot of violets and mauves (Drag Queens are always a step ahead!). I blogged the Hello Kitty video by Floria Sigismundi on my site, which you can check out here: http://apps.margot.ca/blog/

Q: As the world celebrates Barbie’s 50th, what make-up techniques can we use to celebrate our inner Barbie?

Barbie is looking pretty flawless for 50! There has been so many incarnations of Barbie! My old favorite was the Cowboy Barbie who could wink and in this case I would recommend wearing Brill Eyeshadow by MAC for that frosty, light blue hotness, a giant pair of false eyelashes to amp up your wink, Refined Golden MAC Bronzer because it has a little shimmer, that makes your skin look a bit surreal and doll like, and my favorite lipstick Sandy B. which is a light pink frost. I used to wear Flavour all the time which is the perfect Barbie pink, but it is discontinued now! I think the one thing everyone can do to bring out their inner barbie is to put a pair of false eyelashes on! It is hard the first few times you do it, but once you get the hang of putting them on yourself it is easy! And do not be afraid of wearing pink blush! It adds a lovely
glow to the skin, making us look revived and fresh.

Check out Margot this Fashion Week where she will be doing makeup with Agency Vert - Canada’s first eco-conscious makeup and styling agency for Evan Biddell and Aime Luxury. Click links for more Margot www.margot.ca and www.agencyvert.com.