Keira Knightley wears Elie Saab couture on the Anna Karenina red carpet

The much-anticipated TIFF premiere of Anna Karenina took place on Friday night and Keira Knightley and Jude Law walked the red carpet in outfits that were almost as opulent as the costumes from the film itself. For Keira Knightley, this meant an impeccable haute couture Elie Saab dress from the designer’s Fall 2012 collection—certainly one of the top fashion moments from TIFF so far. The black sheer lace gown (perhaps a nod to the veils she wears as Anna Karenina?) was almost dripping with embellished crystal detail and was finished with a trim, skinny belt. 

Jude Law’s double-breasted suit didn’t look especially like something Alexei Karenin would wear, but when he opened the jacket to reveal a pinstripe vest with white piping it almost seemed like his outfit was missing a pocket watch or monocle. Also in a three-piece suite on the TIFF red carpet was Aaron Taylor-Johnson (accompanied by his wife, director Sam Taylor-Wood) and while we’re tempted to call the colour of his suit “denim” we’ll settle on “dusty blue.” Aaron Taylor-Johnson kept the Anna Kareninaopulence going with the addition of a sparkling beetle-shaped brooch on his lapel. Director Joe Wright did not partake in the three-piece suit trend, but his wifeAnoushka Shankar (who, like her dad Ravi Shankar, is also an accomplished sitar player) looked stunning on the TIFF red carpet in a textured black skirt and detailed blouse.

Although style and fashion vary widely, cross-cultural research has found a variety of commonalities in people's perception of beauty. The earliest Western theory of beauty can be found in the works of early Greek philosophers from the pre-Socratic period, such as Pythagoras. The Pythagorean school saw a strong connection between mathematics and beauty. In particular, they noted that objects proportioned according to the golden ratio seemed more attractive. Ancient Greek architecture is based on this view of symmetry and proportion.

A feature of beautiful women that has been explored by researchers is a waist–hip ratio of approximately 0.70. Physiologists have shown that women with hourglass figures are more fertile than other women due to higher levels of certain female hormones, a fact that may subconsciously condition males choosing mates.

How much money a person earns may also be influenced by physical beauty. One study found that people low in physical attractiveness earn 5 to 10 percent less than ordinary looking people, who in turn earn 3 to 8 percent less than those who are considered good looking.  Discrimination against others based on their appearance is known as lookism.

Kristen Stewart stuns in Zuhair Murad at the Toronto premiere of On The Road

Kristen Stewart certainly brought her A-game to Toronto last night, with bright pink lips, killer heels, a high ponytail and a stunning Zuhair Murad dress embellished with sequins and lace for the TIFF premiere of On The Road. Considering it was her first appearance post-scandal, the sleek outfit did not disappoint. There may have been doubts leading up to her moment on the TIFF red carpet, with many of the very dedicated fans who were camped outside Ryerson Theatre expressing worry that Kristen Stewart wouldn’t actually show up. Instead she was just a somewhat-fashionable hour late to TIFF—and slightly skittish in a “I’m really worried you’re going to ask me about Robert Pattinson” sort of way. (No one did.) And the fans were rewarded for their patience, as the star signed autographs and posed for pictures (what could be better for a Twilight fan than a KStew selfie?) while walking the TIFF red carpet. Perhaps being flanked by her On The Road co-stars, Kristen Dunst and Garrett Hedlund—who are, to our delight, dating IRL—helped keep Kristen Stewart at ease? At the very least it kept her from switching into Converse on the TIFF red carpet.

For some people, ugliness is a central aspect of their persona. Jean-Paul Sartre had a lazy eye and a bloated, asymmetrical face, and he attributed many of his philosophical ideas to his lifelong struggle to come to terms with his self-described ugliness. Socrates also used his ugliness as a philosophical touch point, concluding that philosophy can save us from our outward ugliness. Famous in his own time for his perceived ugliness, Abraham Lincoln was described by a contemporary: "to say that he is ugly is nothing; to add that his figure is grotesque, is to convey no adequate impression." However, his looks proved to be an asset in his personal and political relationships, as his law partner William Herndon wrote, "He was not a pretty man by any means, nor was he an ugly one; he was a homely man, careless of his looks, plain-looking and plain-acting. He had no pomp, display, or dignity, so-called. He appeared simple in his carriage and bearing. He was a sad-looking man; his melancholy dripped from him as he walked. His apparent gloom impressed his friends, and created sympathy for him—one means of his great success."

The characterization of a person as “beautiful”, whether on an individual basis or by community consensus, is often based on some combination of inner beauty, which includes psychological factors such as personality, intelligence, grace, politeness, charisma, integrity, congruence and elegance, and outer beauty (i.e.physical attractiveness) which includes physical attributes which are valued on aesthetic basis.

Emma Watson and Nina Dobrev show us the perks of wearing florals at The Perks of Being a Wallflower party

If TIFF parties were award shows, most would be like the Golden Globes—totally fun, but you’ll never really get to sit with the A-listers. However, for a film like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the night is more like the MTV VMAs: from up-and-coming stars to fully-certified teen heartthrobs, everyone’s in on the party. (Which, when you think about it, is actually what The Perks of Being a Wallflower is all about.) Despite all eyes being on Nina Dobrev and Emma Watson, they both circled the room throughout the night, stopping to mingle with guests (or Degrassi-era Toronto friends, in Nina Dobrev’s case) and pose for pictures with fans. Both were also dressed in white, frothy florals: a peplum’d Erdem dress for Emma Watson and a intricately beadedMonique Lhuillier gown for Nina Dobrev.

Mae Whitman, in a dress by Opening Ceremony, appeared to be the real ringleader of the party. She skipped around the room, bouncing between conversations with Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller and The Perks of Being a Wallflowerwriter/director Stephen Chbosky. But best of all, Mae Whitman provided partygoers with a mini Arrested Development reunion when Alia Shawkat arrived. The two stayed together all night—that’s right: Maeby Funke and Ann/Egg are BFFs in real life—and rallied the entire Perks of Being a Wallflower cast, plus Glee’s Chord Overstreet and Darren Criss into the Polaroid photo booth. Also spotted in the photo booth: Jason Reitman and DJ Brendan Canning. Outside there was more interactive fun to be had thanks to a white-washed car and many colourful markers—Paul Aguirre-Livingston almost covered the entire trunk with doodles. And, because it was just too clever not to mention, Vitaminwater also built an oversized Lite-Brite where the bottles served as colourful pegs. Even Ezra Miller couldn’t resist playing with it.

The pace of change accelerated considerably in the following century, and women and men's fashion, especially in the dressing and adorning of the hair, became equally complex and changing. Art historians are therefore able to use fashion in dating images with increasing confidence and precision, often within five years in the case of 15th century images. Initially changes in fashion led to a fragmentation of what had previously been very similar styles of dressing across the upper classes of Europe, and the development of distinctive national styles. These remained very different until a counter-movement in the 17th to 18th centuries imposed similar styles once again, mostly originating from Ancien Régime France. Though the rich usually led fashion, the increasing affluence of early modern Europe led to the bourgeoisie and even peasants following trends at a distance sometimes uncomfortably close for the elites—a factor Braudel regards as one of the main motors of changing fashion.

Inside The Room’s Viktor & Rolf party, photo of fashion’s who’s coming out of hibernation for spring

Viktor & Rolf’s love affair with Toronto began last night with a fittingly springy fête at Toronto’s Hudson’s Bay Queen Street flagship. In town to celebrate their recent collections as well as to do press spots for their upcoming Dolls retrospective exhibit with Luminato this summer, designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren sported matching embroidered jeans (Horsting’s featured sunglasses while Snoeren’s featured moustaches) and matching thick rimmed frames, making them the ideal models for Toronto’s new eyewear-specific blog, The Spectacled.

In keeping with the Dutch duo’s eccentricities, The Room was transformed with newly papered walls featuring the Fall 2013 runway room’s eerie black and white floral print, a string quartet playing instrumental takes on pop music and strapping waiters, who passed many a prettily-decorated Perrier-Jouët champagne flute while wearing V&R-esque (and maybe even a little Denis Gagnon) glasses.

Held on one of the first days that actually felt like spring in Toronto, the city’s who’s who was finally ready to come out of fashion hibernation and many were sporting new looks. Designer Jeremy Laing and partner Frank Griggs both showed off new haircuts—Laing losing both his signature curls and thick rims, and Griggs sporting a post-punk under shave. The ladies were not to be outdone, and PR maven Suzanne Cohon, in a magenta bell-sleeved Roksanda Illincic dress, topped my best-dressed list. Society’s most notable doctor, Lisa Airan, was close behind, in a coral Carven midi dress featuring waist cut outs.

Even newly transplanted Toronto couple Rufus Wainwright and Jorn Weisbrodtmade it out to greet old pals Horsting and Snoeren (Wainwright performed at the Viktor & Rolf Spring 2007 ballroom themed fashion show in Paris) and the foursome were sharing many genuine smiles all night long.

In recent years, Asian fashion has become increasingly significant in local and global markets. Countries such as China, Japan, India, and Pakistan have traditionally had large textile industries, which have often been drawn upon by Western designers, but now Asian clothing styles are also gaining influence based on their own ideas.

The fashion industry has long been one of the largest employers in the United States, and it remains so in the 21st century. However, employment declined considerably as production increasingly moved overseas, especially to China. Because data on the fashion industry typically are reported for national economies and expressed in terms of the industry’s many separate sectors, aggregate figures for world production of textiles and clothing are difficult to obtain. However, by any measure, the industry accounts for a significant share of world economic output.

Unique Gifts for Mother’s Day ideas that are sure to break the mold

For the mother with a passion for style, jewellery always does the trick, and it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you may think. The ultimate statement necklace for under $100? Done. We’ve thought beyond the little blue box and selected unique clutches, sunglasses that match mom’s unique style.

As you may be able to tell from the cards, candy and chocolate already filling store shelves, Mother’s Day is fast approaching. The yearly challenge of finding the perfect gift before May 12 is officially upon us. This year, instead of getting your mother the standard scented candle (this one smells like coffee!), take a peek at our selection of thoughtful gifts for mom.

 

We have also chosen a number of gifts to help spruce up mom’s home. For the chef in the family, a cookbook is always a great gift idea that is relatively inexpensive. Or how about a luxe carafe or cake plate? We’ve selected a few gifts for mom that will brighten up her summertime patio get-togethers.

As always, Mother’s Day comes at the perfect time of year to start thinking about gardening. A chic floral pot or a container for herbs and other plants may be an option. Or for some indoor floral inspiration, a beautiful vase to hold her Mother’s Day flowers is always a winner. Click through our selection of gifts for mom below, and don’t forget to treat your mother to something special this Mothers Day.

A feature of beautiful women that has been explored by researchers is a waist–hip ratio of approximately 0.70. Physiologists have shown that women with hourglass figures are more fertile than other women due to higher levels of certain female hormones, a fact that may subconsciously condition males choosing mates.

How much money a person earns may also be influenced by physical beauty. One study found that people low in physical attractiveness earn 5 to 10 percent less than ordinary looking people, who in turn earn 3 to 8 percent less than those who are considered good looking. Discrimination against others based on their appearance is known as lookism. People who appear ugly to others suffer well-documented discrimination, earning 10 to 15 percent less per year than similar workers, and are less likely to be hired for almost any job, but lack legal recourse to fight discrimination.

The definition of fashion and anti-fashion is as thus. Anti-fashion is fixed and changes little overtime. Anti-fashion is different depending on which cultural or social group one is associated with or where one lives but within that group or locality the style changes little and stays constant. Fashion is the exact opposite of anti-fashion. Fashion changes very quickly and is not affiliated with one group or an area of the world but is spread out throughout the world wherever people can communicate easily with each other. For example, the 1953 Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation gown is an example of anti-fashion because it is traditional and does not change over any period; whereas, a gown from fashion designer Dior’s collection of 1953 is fashion because it will change every season as Dior comes up with a new gown to replace the old one.

The Prabal Gurung for Sally Hansen collabs continue! Here’s the scoop on the Fall 2013 nail polishes

Three new shades were used this week for the Prabal Gurung Fall 2013 presentation. The runway show, which had a strong military feel, was complemented with nail art that reflected the dark colour palette of the collection. The new Sally Hansen colours include “Loden Green” (olive), “Night Watch” (navy), and “Coat of Arms” (gold). For the runway show, manicurist Jin Soon Choi used the three new shades together by layering them and creating a sharp triangle shape that extended from the moon, meant to reflect the unique style of Prabal Gurung.

On the heels of his recent capsule collection with Target, Prabal Gurung is quickly becoming known as a designer who embraces collaborations. His latest –and most prolific—venture comes in the form of nail polish, specifically with Sally Hansen. For a sixth consecutive season, Gurung has worked with Sally Hansen to create new nail polish shades to be used on the runway—and then later sold at retail.

The partnership between Sally Hansen and Prabal Gurung has already proven to be a huge success. In previous years, the two brands have created nail polish shades as well as nail art strips that featured graphic prints from Prabal Gurung collections. And once again, it looks like this relationship is going to pay off. Look for the latest Prabal Gurung for Sally Hansen nail polish collection in stores by September 2013.

This trend is also being followed by the general populace and whoever can afford to hire a tailor is doing so to stitch traditional ikat textiles into western clothes. Thus traditional textiles are now fashion goods and no longer confined to the black, white and brown colour palette, coming in array of colours. Handbags, wallets and other accessories are also being made from traditional textiles, and traditional textiles are also being used in interior decorations. These items are considered fashionable by civil servants and their families. There is also a booming tourist trade in the Kupang city of eastern Indonesia where international as well as domestic tourists want to get their hands on traditionally printed western goods.

Although style and fashion vary widely, cross-cultural research has found a variety of commonalities in people's perception of beauty. The earliest Western theory of beauty can be found in the works of early Greek philosophers from the pre-Socratic period, such as Pythagoras. The Pythagorean school saw a strong connection between mathematics and beauty. In particular, they noted that objects proportioned according to the golden ratio seemed more attractive.  Ancient Greek architecture is based on this view of symmetry and proportion.

Introducing the OPI Bond Girls collection: See all 6 Liquid Sand nail polishes now

What is OPI? OPI is releasing a nail polish collection inspired by the iconic Bond girls from the past 50 years of James Bond films. Hot on the heels of their successful James Bond SkyFall collection last year, the latest OPI James Bond collaboration includes six new textured nail shades for each of Bond’s most memorable female characters.

Titled Bond Girls, the new collection features six uniquely textured Liquid Sand nail polishes that have a shimmery-yet-matte finish. True to the Bond girls’ high-fashion image, the glittery hues of pink, gold, turquoise and purple are eye-catching and glamourous. Fans of textured nail art will love the sparkly 3-D feeling of Liquid Sand polish—which is quickly becoming a mainstay in OPI collections. With strict instructions not to use a top coat, the nail polish leaves a pebbled finish fitting the allure surrounding the Bond girls, as well as the ongoing trend of textured nail art.

And, it wouldn’t be an OPI collection without witty polish names! From “Pussy Galore” to “Honey Ryder,” each polish is named after legendary Bond girl. In particular, we loved the deep blackened-purple “Vesper,” which evokes a sparkly gothic glamour and has an almost jelly finish. At the other end of the colour spectrum, the unique silvery-white “Solitaire” polish is a new take on the all-white manicure, with a trendy texture update thanks to the Liquid Sand finish.

Researchers have found that good looking students get higher grades from their teachers than students with an ordinary appearance. Some studies using mock criminal trials have shown that physically attractive "defendants" are less likely to be convicted—and if convicted are likely to receive lighter sentences—than less attractive ones (although the opposite effect was observed when the alleged crime was swindling, perhaps because jurors perceived the defendant's attractiveness as facilitating the crime). Studies among teens and young adults, such as those of psychiatrist and self-help author, Eva Ritvo, show that skin conditions have a profound effect on social behavior and opportunity.

The study of culture and human societies, studies fashion by questioning why a certain styles are deemed socially appropriate and others not. A certain way is chosen and that becomes the fashion as defined by a certain people as a whole, so if a particular style has a meaning in an already occurring set of beliefs that style will become fashion. According to Ted Polhemus, and Lynn Procter, fashion can be described in terms of adornment of which there are two types: fashion and anti-fashion. Through the capitalization and commoditisation of clothing, accessories, and shoes etc. what constituted anti-fashion has now become part of fashion as the lines between fashion and anti-fashion are being blurred.