Yo guy, fashion fans. This is MoVernie! How’s it going yo? Did you enjoy my first ever fashion video blog with designer Meghan Erin? If you like what you are seeing, keep on following. This week, we are showcasing our second episode of our fashion video blog with designer/singer-songwriter, Jay Manara and along with his crew at the Ryerson Fashion Show.

During the show, Jay got to get up the stage to share his stories to his success as a designer/singer, sharing his experiences with other up and coming designers who are chasing their dreams and goals. It was a very inspirational and motivational speech. He placed emphasis on being creative, continue to believe and chasing the dreams but at the same time, being able and willing to listen to feedback and constructive criticism to get better with the work and be able to listen and improve on the collection. Being able to balance the financial budget while carrying the passion for designing clothes are key. Designing is an important element but also being able to run the business with profit and being able to bring food to the table are also important in a day-to-day operation.

During the show, Jay also showcased his collection. In his collection, you will see a heavy influence of tattoo art and rock music culture. The brand is owned, operated and run by people who have lived and breathed the tattoo and rock music lifestyle for many years.
Rock Parlor believes in the individuality of people and design, and strives to deliver unique pieces that will make you want to rock (and I truly believe his collection is definitely make you rock!)

Until next time, MoVernie is outta here! Stay tuned for more fashion video blogs and be sure to check out FashionStyleBlog.com often.

How to add the distress marks to your jeans instantly

Got a new pair of jeans and want to make it look like rockstar vintage distress jeans instead? Follow the tips from this video.

1. Make whisker marks with a bleach pen
2. Use X-acto knife to have the peeling distress effect
3. To make a hole just cut with a scissor after wash it will extend naturally
4. for a rip or slash, make an incision then
5. Cut out a hole and patch it with sewing by hand or machine
6. For larger distress use sandpaper

!Keep in mind that the distress is REAL! A hole is really a hole and you can’t go back. That’s the warning according to the video. We are playing for real here!

Video shows you how to spot a Levis fake. 501 and 550

A few simple ways to spot a Levi’s fake. Follow these and it can save you money from buying a fake. Nothing feels like the real thing.

1. Make sure there is a registered trademark on the tab
2. Make sure the tab is the brownish yellow colour, some of the fakes are different colour maybe white
3. Make sure the stitching around the red pocket tab has clean stitching
4. Some Levi’s only have R on the pocket tab without “Levi’s”, that doesn’t mean it’s a fake. They do it for some of the jeans (They put R on every 100th pair of Levi’s they make)
5. The part number on the paper size label should match the part number on the inside cloth tag.
6. LSSF code on the ribbits
7. If it has “Levi” instead of “Levi’s” on the pocket then it’s a fake
8. Some of the fakes have a large “V” on it

For those that’s wondering when to wear a tie and when to wear a bow tie, check out this video by stylist Vylan who explains it all!

I did a video of me washing my raw denim jeans for the first time after 18 months and it was a big hit. Got almost 20,000 views in less than 11 months! Got a lot of feedback and questions about it.  What’s most interesting was another person posted a response email of him washing his raw denim jeans.

Winson washed his Raw Denim jeans for the first time

Downtown Toronto is rich in street-wear boutiques, but with so many, how do you pick the best ones?

In my small school located miles away from the city, people dressed the exact same way. My fellow school mates would buy clothes for the same brand names, expecting themselves to be unique even though everyone else had the same clothes on. Hollister, Aeropostale, Abercombie and H&M. The four apocalyptic disasters that were sent down to this earth to prevent people from having a unique and personal style. I always thought the people with the most up-to-date styles and the newest clothes were always the coolest people.  I wanted to be apart of that group, one of the cool kids who were known for their sense of style and trend-setting abilities. The one trip to downtown Toronto’s fashion district changed my life, every store there was so unique, so fresh and so hip. If I could name all of the stores I would, but out of all of them, five stores stick out:

Over The Rainbow:

Opened in 1975 as a premium denim retailer, Over the Rainbow sold jeans and apparel  from many different countries. As time passed,  Over The Rainbow increased it’s reputation and by 2007, the store was known as one of the go-to denim stores of the Country.

Over The Rainbow now sells over 250 styles of denim (largest selection in Canada) and carries over 100 different brands like 1921 and PRPS.

http://rainbowjeans.com/home.htm

Due West/Next Door:

Roughed up and edgy are the thoughts that come to my mind when I think of the ambiance of the store. Established in 1973, Due West is a mid-end retailer that has a very relaxed and chilled out vibe. When I first entered this store, I saw brands like Dom Rebel and G-Star, (which I personally don’t wear) and a lot of more street-ish and more urban styles of clothing. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is into the more graphic aspect of design.

www.duewestclothing.com

Next Door:

Next Door is probably my favourite stores out of the five. Located right beside Due West, Next Door sells higher end brands such as D&G, McQ by Alexander McQueen, DSquared and J.Lindeberg. You definitely get a more up-scale feel when entering this retail store, along with the simple and straight forward design of the interior. There is also a great contrast between the exposed plywood walls and the simple yet noticeable clothing showcase.

http://nextdoorclothing.posterous.com/

Show Room:

The first time I went into Show Room was during the 2009 boxing day sale. At first I thought it was going to be impossible to find something that I would actually like but I was surprised to see such a wide variety of clothes to choose from. After 20 minutes in the store, I had over $350 worth of clothes in my arms and I was walking towards the cash register. This two-floor store is filled with higher priced garments on the second floor and plenty of hip and up and coming brands on the first floor. From brands and labels that would get anyone spending every penny they have, including: Diesel, Cheap Monday, Miss Sixty,  Naked and Famous, Levis, True Religion and Lucky 7.

http://www.theshow-room.com/

Got Style Menswear:

Voted as the top menswear store by in Toronto by Now Magazine, Got Style is the leading menswear store when it comes to casual or business attire. The aesthetics of the store is what every man would want to see while shopping; flat-screen TVs, comfortable furnishings and a sleek interior. Got Style also has it’s very own male only spa which provides haircuts and hot-towel shaves.

http://www.gsmen.com/

After the video I made which showed me washing my selvage jeans after over 18 months of not a single wash people always provide helpful feedback such as “that’s disgusting!” and “gross”!

(It’s got over 6000 views in less than 6 months!)

That was the issue I had with the jeans too. It did not have a fresh smell but if you want great fades that’s the only way. The smell took over the closet and even my room once when I leave the closet door open. But a very effective solution I found was to use Fabreeze. Just spray it once every few weeks and you are good. Kills the smell and bacteria.

Another solution is to throw it in the freezer. I have not tried this before, but if you have please let me know how it is.

I’ve never been a sneakerhead. When all my friends were in school collecting sneakers I was collecting baseball cards. I guess it was the wrong move. The only kicks I really like are Pumas and never really understood high end designers like Prada and D&G. But when I cam across HeyDay in Las Vegas last August I was an instant fan. Tried to get the designer Darin to sell me the sample but he said “No, you’ll have to wait, this is coming out in Spring”. I was referring to the purple blue Cobra skin mid top sneaker which was their showcase piece.

There is something classy and sleek about these babies. The are not over the top like D&G‘s and Prada’s kicks and yet they are not for the runner that wears Nike and they are not for the skaters that wear Converse Chuck Taylor’s. They are for the new breed of fashion forward people…like me. It’s spring time and the collection is out, I’ll give a shout to Darin and see if he can send me a pair, too bad they aren’t available in Canada.

Founded by Paul Budnitz in 2002, Kidrobot has quickly become the most sought after and well recognized designer of vinyl designer toys and apparel. Aside from having an easy to navigate online store, they have retail locations across New York, San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Miami Beach, and even a bar/lounge at Circa nightclub in Toronto.

By time he reached high school Paul Budnitz was already coding safety analysis software for nuclear power plants. On the side, he was creating video games for the Commodore 64. He later enrolled in Yale for photography, film, and sculpture. While still in college, he started his first business venture creating clothing for museums which eventually evolved to modifying Levi’s vintage clothing and popular sneakers.

Fast forward to 1997, he caught on to the latest technology at the time which were the MiniDiscs by Sony. He would hack MD players and sell them through his website Minidisco.com which was coded by himself and would eventually sell for $7 million in 2001.

With his new found wealth and perhaps sheer coincidence, he stumbled upon the art of edgy vinyl toys that were originating from Japan and China. He was able to identify these toys as a form of popular art and included the passions he enjoyed in life: music, fine arts, fashion, cartoons, and graffiti. By integrating all the elements that he loved in life, this became the framework for Kidrobot.

The most appealing aspect of Kidrobot’s toys have to do with the plethora of unique artists that they collaborate with. Artists from all walks of life have collaborated with Kidrobot. Here are some that stands out:

Huck Gee – Meet Shiro Kidninja the 7″ assassin

David Flores x Disney: Probably my favourite piece its Thumper from Bambi

Burton – A collection of ski jacket, pants, and snowboard

Amanda Visell – One of the most detailed pieces the Wooden Donkey Dunny

eBoy

Colette

Krink

Frank Kozik

Tarina Tarantino – Jewelery collection

Takashi Murakami – Prolific contemporary Japanese artist

Tado – Famed UK duo

Lacoste – An exclusive set of 3 shoes that is paired with a Kidrobot toy

Playboy – Miss November 1978

When you read up on Paul Budnitz’s accomplishments and his philosphy in the way he conducts business, you will be inspired by his words of wisdom. One of my favourite quotes is:

“The other secret is not to be afraid of doing something stupid because, if it wasn’t stupid, everyone would be doing it. Kidrobot is without a doubt the stupidest, riskiest thing I’ve ever done, which means it’ll probably be the most successful and most exciting.”

Paul’s willingness to take risk has paid off as Kidrobot has quickly become one of the most internationally recognized brand. Coined as the father of designer toys, Paul Budnitz has been able to launch his own apparel line with Swizz Beatz along with being inducted in the Museum of Modern Arts. No easy feat considering Kidrobot has only been around for 8 years. Kidrobot continues to push the envelope, refusing to settle with the status quo. They are able to create edgy designs with this mantra:

“Limited edition, for me, has to do with how big a risk we can take with a design. The riskier the design, the smaller the edition because then we have to please fewer people to sell the toy. What an awesome concept!”

Last week we introduced to you the Top 10 Streetwear Sites you should check out for your latest fashion needs. Today we will talk about lifestyle magazines you should check out to stay current with the latest technology, fashion, hot women, and of course maintaining your health. You will also be able to find out what is Jing Liu’s favourite magazine to read. Read more to find out!

1. Maxim Magazine

The most coveted men’s lifestyle magazine featuring the hottest ladies gracing each month’s cover. Featuring topics ranging from technology, women, sports, sex, and comedy you’ll find the variety of topics enough to satisfy your craving. My favourite column is of course the Hometown Hotties. Check out the 2009 winners to see if you’re neighbour is on it.

2. GQ

Short for Gentlemen’s Quarterly, a lifestyle magazine focused on fashion, style, and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books. Now that winter is upon us full force, you should definitely read the article on Best Winter Essentials, staying warm while still looking cool.

3. Rolling Stone

Featuring some of the most iconic musical artist of every generation this magazine is devoted to music, politics, and popular culture. Be sure to check out the article on Go Inside The Battle Over Global Warming on how to do your part.

4. Vibe

A music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. Check out the most anticipated 2010 Albums and see if you’re agree with Canadian native Drake being #1 on the list.

5. Esquire

The very meaning of Esquire is to denote social class and this lifestyle magazine offers nothing less. Known for printing on an over sized magazine with glossy paper, you will find unconventional topics gracing its pages. To check out some pretty ladies, be sure to read the Women We Love section.

6. Nylon Guys

A lifestyle magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel. The name Nylon derives from the magazine’s often featured articles featuring New York and London

7. Vice

Not to be confused with Vibe magazine, this edgy and controversial magazine features content ranging from sex, drugs, violence, crime, and social issues. They have an interesting column on fashion DOs and DON’Ts that you should definitely check out to stay fresh.

8. Men’s Health

The men’s guide to fitness, sex, women, workouts, weight loss, health, nutrition and muscle building. You should check out this month’s article on the best and worst cities for guys. We love this lifestyle magazine best for the recipes, delicious recipes, easy to make and healthy!

9. Men’s Vogue

Men’s Vogue is a twice yearly men’s magazine that covers fashion, design, art, culture, sports and technology.

10. Antenna

Considered a niche magazine by all accounts, this is Jing Liu’s favourite magazine to read. The content you will find mirrors that of which you will find in an Asian pop magazine. It features content ranging from upcoming clothes and shoes from your favourite brands to lifestyle and popular culture. Jing loves the section where they show all the graphic tees, tons and tons of them!