Easier-than-you-think Holiday nails!

The photo's speak for themselves, so I don't think I need to write much, but one tip, MAKE SURE YOUR FIRST COLOUR IS SUPER DRY! Once you think they're dry, wait a few minutes, then place the Paper-Hole-Re-enforcer-Thing, and paint your second colour.

P.S. Sorry about the blury/bad photo's. My camera has a bad zoom.

Eco-Friendly, EASY, wrapping!

           Every year I wrap my gifts in newspaper because not only is that better for the environment, but I think it looks very vintage, and home-made; a nice break from a highly commercialized holiday season. This year I decided to go a bit further with the eco-friendliness, and creativity. Here's a point form list of what I did:

• The bags where given to me from other gifts, and then reused.
• Instead of tissue paper, I used newspaper scraps from wrapping the other gifts.
• NO TAPE! There is no tape on any of these gifts. Tape is not recyclable, but paper with glue on it is fine.
• Instead of ribbons, I used organic hemp. To make it a bit more esthetically pleasing I doubled the hemp. I just tied the ends of the hemp together, then wrapped it just like I would any ribbon.
• The little gift-tag was a piece of recycled paper. The design was a Word Business Card template that I simply modified.

Dreaming of Dior - A film by Victoria Morton

 A project for my Communications-Technology class. I must say, for a newbie to movie-making, I am pretty smug with the final project. <3 Please, take a look, leave a comment, or something. Would mean a lot to me! <3 xoxo

Welcome Winter!

Take 5 Minutes, and Watch

Fashion will no longer be a distraction from world issues. Things needed to change back when this was filmed. So why have they still not changed?

A Little Tough-Love Terminology

I’m going to let you in on a little piece of my terminology. Sorry in advance for the wavering focus of the article, my mind is all over right now. I’ll try to keep it short.

Achievable Perfection: a•chiev a•ble per•fec•tion: An approach on the idea of “perfect” that is realistically possible.

Everyone loves a good “inner beauty” campaign, especially if a beauty product company, like Dove, puts it on. Now I’m not saying I am against the idea of accepting yourself the way you are, but I am against the idea of settling on being “alright” or “okay”. So, I have been, I suppose you could say “living by” this theory I made up called Achievable Perfection. With the not-so-new movement of women being empowered, it has also brought on unspoken waves of laziness, and satisfaction with “settling”. Now let me explain myself, so I don’t sound like a horrible person. NO, I am not saying to get plastic surgery, and take up an extreme diet. I’m also not saying to pick yourself apart and judge yourself to the point of scrutiny. What I am saying is that there should always be a little drive somewhere in you pushing yourself to be better. I currently attend school, and the lack of ambition bothers me. If you are lucky enough to live in a first world country (which about 80% of my readers do), then you have opportunities thrown at you left, right and center. School is taken for granted with everyone going for a gangster-than-thou tomfoolery approach to life. Truth is; thousands of children would gladly take your place. Life is not to be wasted. Get up, and get to work.

Banana Delight

Ingredients:

-          One banana

-          Chocolate sauce

-          Whipping Crème

-          Icing Sugar

1.       Create your own whip cream by using a mixer to beat the Whipping Crème into a thicker consistency. Add about a tablespoon of icing sugar, and then mix it in using the mixing bowl.

2.       Here is the order of putting the ingredients into the glass from the bottom, up: whip crème, chocolate sauce, banana, whipping crème, chocolate sauce

The LOVE Thing

Just thought that such an amazing video needed to be discussed.


WARNING: Partial nudity, but nothing most people can't handle.



I love the glamour and perfection in it. I also love how they show a little bit of a range of perfection. Now, instead of saying blonde hair is perfect, we being open to every ones look. Hmm, this a good sign. Maybe, just maybe, everyone will be seen as beautiful and perfect. Don't we live in the most open world? People can be what ever skin, whatever gender, whatever sexual orientation and still be accepted. I love it!

And yet, part of me feels that I will miss the impossible aspiration of fighting for perfection. The allure of the glossies intrigues me. I know there is Photoshop involved and I know they have the top hairdressers, stylists, and make-up artist in the business helping the models. But I can’t help but want to be like them. No one can. Perfection sells as much as sex does. It may suck for those that are “big boned”, but would a magazine with a real girl, I’m talking cellulite, roles, acne, and frizzy hair, be able to sell anything? I don’t want to sound mean, girls of all shapes and sizes are great, and it’s good to see everyone empowered. But I just don’t think that the fight for perfection, that is fed by the media, will ever leave even if our idea of perfection changes.

The Angels Have Spoken

This Thursday a brand-spanking-new Victoria’s Secret opened in my local mall. As per tradition, the store was opened by a Victoria’s Secret Angel, and out of all the girls they could have sent, they sent my personal favourite, South African bombshell Candice Swanepoel! During the meet and greet portion of the grand opening I got just over a minute to talk with her (the amount of time it took her to sign “Victoria, Lots of love, Candice”;). First of all, might I just say; she is as perfect in real life as she is in photos. Honestly, who looks like that? Anyways, here is the basic dialog of my short, but wonderful, conversation with Ms. Swanepoel:

Candice:Hey!

Victoria: HI! I was just wondering, what is your best beauty secret? Or like, tip?

Candice: Hmmm, I guess I’d say, clean your face really well, like even when I was younger, I’d always wash my face before bed. Never go to bed with make-up on. Oh! And moisturize head-to-toe.

Victoria: Thanks so much! Happy Birthday by the way [that day happened to be her 23rd birthday] what are you doing to celebrate?

Candice: Just hanging out at home I think, I fly back [to New York] tonight, and then I’ll party this weekend, like Friday, and Saturday, ha-ha!




Well you heard the woman! This beauty advice straight from lips of an angel must be followed!
-Victoria Gallagher-Morton

WSGN trends Winter 2012/13

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 – The Toronto Fashion Incubator held a small presentation open to TFI members. The night turned out to be highly informative and well worth the $35 (almost double for non-members) to attend. Being the high school-er I am, I’m not afraid to admit some of the economical talk, and superior lingo went right over my head. So here I have compiled my notes from the evening into a non-PHD holder friendly format.

About WSGN

Simply put, WSGN is a trend forecasting company; an insanely huge international forecasting company that has helped the names like Target, Nickelodeon, Guess, Adidas, Sony, etc. They look high and low in every hidden corner of the world; observe social behaviours, and study the economy, culture, and so much more, all to bring you trends in a wide in fields that cover design and style. Now without the fancy words: Companies subscribe to their trend reports (for a rather large, but necessary fee) to stay above the competition.

The top 3 trends for 2012/2013

1. Hyper-Culture […Sci-fi collaborations of every culture imaginable…]

- Think Gaga in Asia wearing an African kimono. This hyper-culture trend is all about cultural collaboration. The colours we’ll be seeing are pastels on acid. The hue is just slightly different in a more intense way than the pastels we saw this past winter. Also, fashion is truly becoming a statement. The general public will begin to care about the message they send with their clothes. One idea discussed is having two different style shoes (one plain, one with embellishments), to say you are putting your best foot forward. Punny. Shape-wise we’re looking at drapery, and wrapping with a sci-fi feel, meaning we will also have sharp edges and strong clothing structure. Remember that paint splatter trend? Where we threw paint all over our jeans (think Mean Girls 2). Well, prepare your spray paint bottles for the new graffiti inspiration.

2. Radical Neutrals […Quiet designs that speak volumes…]
- Moving far away from anything “hyper” we’re quieting down to hear the loud whispers of radical neutrals. Simple will take center stage, and speak volumes by doing so. One of the biggest trends coming in is that of gender neutrality. We’ve slowly been seeing it in Japan. It goes without saying that the colours will be muted and faded (barely-there shades). When I first heard about the trend immediately thought of the minimalistic trend that I not exactly new, but now I understand Radical Neutral to be more of silent protest against the cluttered, unjust world.

3. Eco-Hedonism […Environmentally responsible extreme-luxury…]

- Scientists are the new celebrities. We’re no longer looking at science as something to discover, but something to change and alter. Why? For survival? For aesthetics? Or possibly just because we’re just discovering that we can. We’re all about nature and science becoming one changeable and ultimate force. Food is included in this. Think of a micro-photo of the genetic build-up of a tomato, enlarged, printed, and sent out on a dress. Back in 2009 Lady Gaga emerged on stage wearing a rock formation inspired dress, thus begging geological formations into fashion muses. Continuing with this into 2012/13 we’re seeing the underbelly and forgotten sides of nature; fungi. The undersides of mushrooms, and moss, and all sorts of other things I wouldn’t want to be touching in a forest, but as an embellishment on a sleeve I’m all for it. Moving on, fur is out. Fur coats peaked with Marilyn Monroe, and should have died long before Snoop Dog got his hands on one. Now we’re looking at feathers as more than an embellishment, but as a texture (think of fish scales).


Photo credit: Original

Surprising Do's and Disappointing Don'ts

Despite the questionable responses given by various other fashion media outlets, I full-heartedly approve of the Fanning Sisters choice of attire for New York Fashion Week. I am a little concerned about 'high-fashion' becoming a synonym for 'costume', but I still encourage people to take risks- I mean- there are only so many times I can compliment a girl on her choice of classic LBD. In my opinion, the two outfits were age-appropriate, interesting, and yes, fashionable. Elle Fanning (pictured left) really took the spotlight here which was a nice change to the huge shadow of her older sister's fame.

        However, Anna Wintour was spotted in *gasp* sensible shoes at Carolina Herrera's Fashion Week presentation. Yes, Fashion Week is a lot of standing, and long days, but the reining Queen of fashion magazines owes it to her public to never have a moment of weakness. The equally ‘sensible’ dress (although cleverly hidden by a funky pattern) just puts her in fashion week shame. Don’t worry, Anna, we’ll let you redeem yourself when you come visit us in Canada for Toronto Fashion Week!


We’ve come to expect ‘costumes’ from Nicki Minaj, and Fashion Week was no exception. This high-fashion-wanna-be is just getting ridiculous. Sorry, but Gaga’s done that (and done that much better), you’ll have to find some other way to stand out among the world’s most fashionable.


Photo’s by Mike Coppola/GettyImages.com - September 12, 2011

FREEDOM to Express

Magazines are by far one of my favorite things. The smell when you open a fresh glossy, the pure perfection on each page of a fashion editorial- I just love it! So I was having trouble getting rid of any magazines that had great advertisments (I love fashion ads, there is so much thought put into many of them), and editorials, etc. But at the same time, I hate keeping things that don’t have a proper use. So I came up with this idea to rip out the pages I liked, take a couple glue stickes, and just attack the wall. 6 gluestickes (I kid you not) and about 2 hours later….

I am proud of my little sanctuary.

Why So Blue?

Why SO Blue?

Just Take a Look

There are no original wise words to go with these pictures I recently took. The only purpose in these photographs is to stop over thinking hidden meanings (yeah, you Mona Lisa) in art to just take an intellectual breather to say “Oh neat!”

[MOB]ilizers

May I introduce you to....
The Me to We (MOB)ILIZERS

What we do:
A grassroots movement that has spread across North America. The (Mob)ilizers actively hold campaigns and events in their cities championing the cause of social change.

Why we do it:
We are the idealistic, the dedicated and the dynamic. And we are the change we want to see in our world. We tackle serious issues together, because we are serious about our role in society. It's through our daily choices in what we say, buy and think that we not only support, but live the worldwide movement of WE.

How we do it:
This concept works best through the power of networking as the social cohesion of young activists. (Mob)ilizers commit for a minimum of one year, directly supporting both Free The Children international development projects and Me to We events/initiatives.

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Now why am I telling you about the Mobilizers?
Because I, Victoria Morton, have been part of the MOB for one, going on two, years. It has been an amazing expirience and one I'll never forget. I've watched as the movement spread across North America, and I am so proud to be able to call myself a Mobilizer

I'm part of the Movement, Are you?

Peace Out!
-Victoria Morton

Dare to Be Different

Dare to be different. That’s what we all strive to do. And in such an accepting society, we can do so. Then why, are we lowering our fashion to plain and casual? I don’t go one minute on the street with out seeing 10 people decked out in what appears to be Hollister/Abercrombie/TNA/etc clothing. It is all the same! I understand it may be hard for some to walk outside in platform heels or a cheetah print jacket, shoulder pads, or crazy polka dots (please don’t wear all those together!). So I have compiled a list of some risks that you should keep in mind, next time you’re at the mall. Once you take more risks with your wardrobe, you will see how fun it is! I’m an example of this. Shoulder pads and prints no longer scare me. Sure I’ll have the occasional “miss”, but for the most part I couldn’t be happier at where I am with fashion at the moment. So here goes:

Coloured Bottoms
 Beginner: An “off Neutral” colour, such as yellow, or blue in a short.
 Advanced: Go for full out coloured pants! Try them in a red or neon. At this point, the sky is the limit. Experiment with leg warmers, leggings and so on, but all in crazy colours!

Floral
 Beginner: Start off slow with a scarf or bag, but work your way up to a shirt covered with a plain jacket and denim.
 Advanced: Get right up there with a jacket, or a dress in an obvious floral. Don’t skip Beginner for this one, as floral is a delicate fabric and can turn on you easily.

Shoulder Pads
 Beginner: Shoulder Pads give your silhouette a defined shape. Begin small with hidden ones in a jacket.
 Advanced: Colour, lace, and embroider those shoulders; anything a little girl would want, throw them on!

Stripes
 Beginner: Thin stripes of white and a blue, or yellow will tone down the boldness of the design. The less contrast between colours, and the thinner the stripes, the less “out-there” it will seem.
 Advanced: Basically do the opposite of the “Beginners”, by increasing the contrast and width apart. Take it to the next level by putting those stripes on something other than a shirt…such as a dress (the very thought of it excites me!)

Military
 Beginner: Military now comes in a convenient hoodie. Check them out at H&M, Forever21 and even Old Navy and the likes are adapting this trend into casual wear.
 Advanced: Hit the mall to get the design in satin or leather and dress it up with sequins.

So now you have somewhere to start, see what you can do with these other trends!
Studs
 Tweed
 Sequins
 High Waist

So in a nut shell, here are some general guidelines for going crazy! Go for contrast, bright colours, funky shapes but don’t do things just for attention.

I Dare You!

A Victoria Morton Original

Hey everyone! Unfortunately due to my total technological incompetence the report from the 2011 RevWear Fashion Show will be up a little later. Sorry! BUT! In the spirit of making your own clothes, I have a little personal achievement to share with all you beautiful readers! In school I am taking the fashion course, and I made my first wearable item!! There were a few glitches, especially since I didn’t follow the exact instructions and added on a bunch of creative details. (Following the rules is soo elementary school). Regardless, as I am currently swelling with pride here are the photos of the first Victoria Morton Original!

Please excuse the atrocious photo quality; they were taken in class with my phone.

Rock The Runway 2011

This Saturday I headed up to the city for my first fashion show of 2011. I’ll start off in saying I found the night to be glamorous, fun, and fashionable. The best part is that at the end of the day was that by being there we were supporting the incredible cause behind War Child; an organization I have briefly been involved with in the past. Rock The Runway takes the best of music and fashion to fuse a night filled to the rim with creativity. Rock the Runway took place on March 5th at the ROM, and was hosted by Much Music VJ Sarah Taylor and musician Brendan Beamish. A designer that really wowed me was Baby Stienberg. All of their designs had strange and wonderful shapes. The creative use of fabric and exposing skin had us on the edge of our seats! I’m quite the fan of rising star, fashion designer Christopher J. Nevin. Once again he displaying an incredible talent that can’t be made through school. This is the same designer mentioned in this previous fashion show. The event went off without a flaw, except for the food. The world’s most luxurious people may have a taste for spicy rice crispy squares, but ‘commoners’, such as myself, do not. With that all said it was a simply stellar night that truly knew how to rock the house! This is one event I will most certainly be attending again.
Ps. I wasn’t taking photos, so I’ll find some and post them later!

Emma Watson's Symbolic Haircut

In a recent interview with British Vogue, Emma Wattson revieled that she was obligated by contract, not cut her hair or tan. So for almost a decade, thats what she did. Now that The last movie is filmed, as a symbol to coming of age, she did what many women do it times of change; cut her hair. Now the lovely British Star is sporting an untra-chic pixie cut (Similar to Twiggy's Iconic do'). Personally I love it! I mean, when your one of the worlds most beautiful women, it's hard to go wrong.

Stunning.

Dead-icated to Image

The following passage is from this "365 Days of Fashion" book I have. It seemed to be worth sharing. But I take no credit for the writing, facts or anything.

"Year 1793: Marie Antoinette heads to the guillotine wearing a brand-new white dress, a white scarf around her shoulders, and a pleated white cap on her prematurely white hair (she’s only 37). Spectators are stunned, because she’s been wearing the same ratty black mourning gown for the past two months in prison. It appears that she’s saved this outfit in her prison cell for the day of her execution, determined to go out with a fashion bang."

Painting/drawing of her last outfit.

Don't Tempt Me

This wonderful woman by the name of Shelly gave me this hat-like thing. So I just had to doll myself up and take a couple pictures. So here they are...

Model: Victoria Gallagher-Morton (ME, haha)

Forever21 top, and La Vie En Rose hat

Photo Cred to me/mother