On the defense: Whether you call them beauty marks or moles, we report on the latest ways to keep tabs on your skin spots | Hollywood yohana

On the defense

While most childhood memories are composed of bosom friends and pivotal events, my youthful days can be mapped out in a connect-the-dots trajectory—literally. I rarely spent serious time in the sun, but I have plenty of little dark marks on my skin, including the four moles on one side of my face that I’ve had since birth.
At seven, when I dressed up as Madonna circa 1984 for Halloween, my mother drew a small mark above my lip with her brown eyeliner to mimic Madge’s signature mole. A couple of years later, as if I’d willed it to happen, a mark appeared above my lip, just a centimetre down from where the Material Girl’s spot had been. I was no longer a fake; I was part of the Marilyn (Monroe), Cindy (Crawford) and Madonna club. Plus, my mole quintet was complete! But what I thought was a blessing—who wouldn’t like the comparison to Cindy Crawford?—became a curse when a cruel classmate took notice and used it as a source of inspiration for his playground intimidation tactics. Upset and teary-eyed, I sought refuge near the balance beams, and a teacher came up to ask what had happened. “David says that if you connect all the moles on my face, they make an upside-down house,” I said.
“Those aren’t moles, my dear,” the teacher replied. “Those are beauty marks.”

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Calgary shop notes: Double denim | Hollywood yohana

Denim


Thanks to this season’s resurgence of ’70s style, wide-leg trousers have disco-danced their way back onto the scene. And now with two new additions to Chinook Centre (6455 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary, 403-259-2022, chinookcentre.), there’s even more choice to ring your bell. Try on True Religion’s Morgan ($265; 403-253-6540, truereligionbrandjeans.), featuring patch pockets and flares, or slip on a pair of Bell Bottom Super Flares in Vintage California (shown) from 7 for All Mankind (403-262-7326, 7forallmankind.)

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Screaming fans (and Baby Spice!) line up to see David Beckham’s hot bod in London | Hollywood yohana



 It’s a Beckham takeover out there! Yesterday, we reported that Victoria Beckham’s newest line was selling out of Harvey Nichols. Now it’s David Beckham’s turn, with his bodywear collection hitting H&M stores worldwide today. The soccer legend celebrated in London last night with an in-store launch party and an après-bash at a custom-made pop-up gentleman’s club. And with a campaign shot like this, it’s no wonder ladies like Bianca Jagger, Charlotte Dellal, and Emma Bunton (a.k.a. Baby Spice) showed up to support cop a feel. Last time things got this Beckham crazy, it was the future, and we were in a space ship.


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Inside Calgary’s T’was the Night shopping extravaganza: Chantal Kreviazuk, Lainey Gossip, and partygoers in ballgowns (at the mall) | Hollywood yohana




T’was the Night we dressed in our finest holiday attire for a fully-fledged mall party to celebrate the multimillion dollar TD Square/Holt Renfrew renovations at Calgary’s CORE Shopping Centre. The CORE lit up indoor fireworks and a 45-foot tree, sprinkled fluffy fake snow from the balconies, and a threw a mini concert with Canadian songstress Chantal Kreviazuk, all on top of some lofty holiday sales and prizes.
Greeting guests on the red carpet was the queen of smut, Elaine Lui of Lainey Gossip and eTalk, who posed for fan photos in a form-fitting, blue and white Yigal Azrouël number. The belle of the mall-ball, however, was Kreviazuk, who got pampered at Eveline Charles before taking the stage in a whimsical, feathered Paul Hardy gown, and later, at the VIP lounge, where she signed autographs and posed for photos with Mr. Hardy himself.

Even Calgary’s mayor, Naheed Nenshi, showed up to watch the traditional White-Hatting ceremony for Lui and Kreviazuk, which officially inducted them into Calgary’s categorical elite (the same rite Prince William & Duchess Kate received during their Canadian tour last summer).
With over 7,500 attendees, the event raised over $40,000 for the United Way’s “BeCause” initiative and the National Music Centre Project, making it the biggest private shopping event to ever hit the Calgary scene.

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Inside Thursday’s Paws for the Cause gala: Toronto scenesters and doggies in designer duds | Hollywood yohana





Walking through the oversized doghouse gate in Toronto’s Distillery District, it was clear that the Paws for the Cause gala and fashion show had marked its territory. The second annual doggies-on-the-catwalk event had the city’s cutest pooches sporting Canadian-made coats from Babies & Beasts while their celebrity dog walkers strutted their stuff in darling duds by Philip Sparks. Plaid-on-plaid suits, faux fur–collared jackets and ladylike dresses ensured that models like eTalk’s Tanya Kim and MTV’s Aliya-Jasmine Sovani looked (almost) as cute as their leashed companions.

Guests included a smattering of Toronto’s hottest scenesters and media mavens. Spotted in the front row were Sarah Nicole Prickett, Toronto Life’s Fraser Abe, and the Globe and Mail’s Tiyana Grulovic while the blog scene was well-repped by She Does the City’s Jen McNeely, Backseat Stylers’ Sharon Ng Hayes, and Textstyles’ Stefania Yarhi, who manned a Photostar photoshoot booth at the event. Dog-loving partygoers were treated to chic ’dos courtesy of argan oil–based hair-care line Moroccanoil. Meanwhile, Dave Monks of Tokyo Police Club provided musical stylings that had guests getting down under the cool blue lights. Keeping in the theme of the evening, canapés and sweets were presented in dog dishes while servers offered trays of mini hotdogs. The only thing missing was an impromptu game of fetch.
Proceeds from the ticket sales raised money for the Ontario Veterinary College’s Pet Trust Fund with a portion of funds being used to establish the Paws for the Cause scholarship providing financial assistance to a veterinary student at the University of Guelph.


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Do you like Kim Kardashian as a redhead? | Hollywood yohana




 Reality star Kim Kardashian showed off a new hairstyle this weekend: bright bright red. Okay, the titian tint was temporary—a necessary part of the star’s Poison Ivy Halloween costume. And while the red wig looks about as real as a plotline on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, it got us thinking. Is it time for Kim to grab the dye bottle and change up her look, joining Rihanna and Blake Lively in their newly-redheaded ranks?


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The A-list: Our top picks of the season’s trends | Hollywood yohana

Go gutsy in graphics or max out in sequins and shine. We pay tribute to Fall’s top trends.


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Vancouver shop notes: Anthropologie | Hollywood yohana

Anthropologie


Now that Anthropologie, my go-to clothier for summer fete frocks, has a storefront in South Granville (2912 Granville St., 604-734-2529, anthropologie.), I’m using the dollars I would’ve spent road-tripping to its Seattle location to nab more natty dresses. Be the belle of the garden party in a bold coral shift dress from India’s Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna (shown, $290).

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Vancouver shop notes: Allison Wonderland | Hollywood yohana

Photography by Nicole Stafford

Add Vancouver’s Allison Wonderland to the growing list of Earth-loving labels. This fall, designer Allison Smith launches a sister collection, Pillar (pillarclothing). With a name inspired by Lewis Carroll’s hookah-smoking caterpillar, the line features five easy-to-wear pieces in eco-friendly fabrics, such as the hemp-blend Soda Dress (shown, $190). Weekend casual just got cuter—and you can feel good about buying it.

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The stylish new super saver: Rent frock Repeat | Hollywood yohana

Has one too many H&M shopping sprees left you broke and with nary a hanger for your favourite cocktail dress? Kristy Wieber and Lisa Delorme of Rent frock Repeat (rentfrockrepeat.) are here to help.

Unveiled last Thursday at an invite-only soiree at The Spoke Club, the Toronto-based site allows shoppers to browse designer confections from Canadian and international talents—such as Yigal Azrouël, David Dixon and Catherine Malandrino—and rent their faves for a fraction of the retail price. Case in point: A $2,295 Bibhu Mohapatra silk charmeuse dress can be rented for a reasonable $225. Another gem, a Pink Tartan leopard-print jersey dress retails for $395, but rents for an easy $75.
“[It] gives them the opportunity to have a Cinderella moment, yet not have to stuff their closet with another dress they may only wear once,” says Wieber. “It is also a very green way to go. Sharing and communal living is making a comeback, and Rent frock Repeat helps us live that type of lifestyle.”
Rent frock Repeat also puts users in touch with stylists who can help with everything from choosing accessories to deciphering dress codes via phone, email or live chat.
While the site already boasts an impressive designer lineup, Wieber and Delorme are aiming high. With sights set on adding It labels like Hervé Léger and Proenza Schouler, the duo is hoping to be the lean, green shopping model of the future.


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5 minutes with Thomas Tait | Hollywood yohana

Q&A: 5 minutes with Thomas Tait


Before completing a Master of Arts in womenswear at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, this Canadian-born U.K. expat cut his design chops at Montreal’s LaSalle College. Now Thomas Tait (thomastait.) is a ready-to-wear whiz kid on the international fashion scene, churning out strong, tailored pieces in mostly soft silhouettes.
What was the most valuable thing you learned at LaSalle?
“How to make clothes. I had no idea how technical the course would be. I was literally scared of the sewing machine for quite a while.”

Your graduate project was a beautiful exploration of human angles: collarbones, hip bones, shoulders.
“There was definitely an elaboration on silhouette in my Fall 2011 collection. It was insanely hard to do, but I loved it in the end.”
What were your design inspirations?
“I just do what feels right. There are often short visuals that run in my head, like mini film trailers on repeat. I think I wanted to do something that felt a bit slowed down. I don’t have the motivation to pull out all the creative stops in one go.”
How would you describe your style in three words?
“Personal. Focused. Beauty.”
What is the most important thing we should know about you?
“The degree of separation between who I am personally and who I am professionally is still very narrow. It’s really just who I am and what I love.”


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10 ingenious inventions that will get you through the season (think pocket sized salt stain removers and earphone earmuffs!) | Hollywood yohana

Winter essentials guide



We’ve compiled a list of little extras that are sure to be major winter-weather helpers. You probably can’t get through the season without them, yet you might not even know they exist! Here are some of the most ingenious inventions (think salt wipes for boots, earmuff earphones, and more!) that will save you all season long.




Teen Dream: Canadian Shay Mitchell is making waves in L.A. with a TV role that puts sexuality front and centre | Hollywood yohana

Shay Mitchell


It was only recently that Shay Mitchell became someone who might get recognized by fans in public, so it’s understandable that she finds it all “a little weird.”
“Sometimes they’ll walk by you the first time and not say anything, but just stare at you,” says the star of Pretty Little Liars, a high school–set mystery series that’s swiftly become essential viewing for teens and a guilty pleasure for TV fans outside the demographic. “For a while I was thinking, ‘Do I have something on my face? Do I have toilet paper hanging off my shoe?’” she says. “It’s very flattering. I like to stop and chit-chat.”
Mitchell grew up in Toronto and Vancouver; she’s half Filipino and a quarter each Irish and Scottish. She travelled the world as a model before landing small parts on Rookie Blue and Degrassi: The Next Generation, but caught her first major break when she scored her lead role on Pretty Little Liars. She describes it as a “fairy-tale story,” but it didn’t happen out of nowhere. “I worked my butt off to get here,” she says. “Everything kind of came at the right time.”
What’s more, Mitchell’s character is a major reason why the show is a breakout hit (after a hiatus, the second season has just returned with new episodes on MuchMusic in Canada and ABC Family in the U.S.). Mitchell plays Emily Fields, an athletic student in a demanding family who realizes over the course of the first season that she’s more attracted to girls than boys. “People are like, ‘Oh, my gosh, they show you kissing on ABC Family!’” says Mitchell. “I’m like, ‘Yes, but if it was a heterosexual relationship, would they probably be kissing at this age? Yes. Would they be showing it on tv? Yes. So why shouldn’t my character be doing the exact same thing?’”
Whereas many of the storylines in this teen-centric spin on Desperate Housewives and Twin Peaks deal with dark secrets and schoolroom scandals, the show presents the matter of Emily’s coming out with refreshing candour and sensitivity, and viewers have connected with her story. “I was out for dinner last night and this girl came up to me in the washroom and said, ‘Hey, I just want to tell you you’ve done a lot for the lesbian and gay community, and I think your character is amazing, and [so is] the way they’re handling it,’” says Mitchell. She understands the value of characters like Emily at a time when bullying remains a grave issue in schools, especially for gay teens. “The fact that my character can show that she can come out and her friends supported her and her parents eventually came around, that’s great.”
Regardless of the reasons that Pretty Little Liars is making fans, Mitchell finds it hard to believe that she’s part of a teen sensation. “I will never forget that there are millions of other people who would be dying to be in my position,” she says. “I’m not going to be an actress who doesn’t appreciate what she has.”


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Attention Eaton Centre frequenters: Wilfred is set to open its first boutique in Toronto | Hollywood yohana

 


To the joy and excitement of Toronto based Wilfred fans, the label has announced that it will be opening its first boutique right in the Eaton Centre. Known for its soft , easy and feminine pieces, to date the collection has been available exclusively at Aritzia stores. That is until the end of the summer when the store (meant to evoke a historic apartment) will open its doors.
If that’s not enough, every single piece from all three lines will be stocked. So whether you prefer the classic vintage vibe of signature Wilfred, the casual effortlessness of Wilfred Free or the more luxurious Le Fou, you can get your hands on pretty much anything your heart desires. The scheduled opening is on August 25th and if you can’t wait that long to get your Wilfred fix head over to Aritzia where the label will continue to be sold.


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