Social media in the apparel industry

If you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of time on Facebook. By now you have probably seen or have heard of the Kony 2012 movie that has gone viral. The movement is striving to create awareness about Ugandan warlord joseph Kony, mainly by using social media. Although there was a lot of negative backlash toward the campaign, they did do a very good job of getting the message out there. The YouTube video was viewed over 74 million times in it first week, and my Facebook news feed was littered with people sharing the video and other Kony 2012 related content.

The Kony 2012 movement got me thinking. Social media is such an effective way of spreading a message, so is it being used to its fullest potential by the apparel industry? The apparel industry is a stubborn one in the sense that it likes to do things the way they’ve always been done. It certainly wasn’t the first industry to take advantage of the use of internet advertising and E-shopping, which has proven to be hugely profitable. Are they approaching social media any differently? Yes and no. apparel companies definitely weren’t the first ones to take advantage of Facebook, Twitter, and blogging, but these days you are hearing more and more about company’s and designers throughout the industry who have launched very successful social media campaigns.

It seems to be the designers and retailers who are having the most success with social media, probably because their side of the business is so creativity oriented and they are also the ones who communicate with end consumers the most.

Charlotte Russe has had success using Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in her social media campaign. The campaign is described as being centered on “user generated content and social engagement”. She uses a weekly trivia contest to draw people to the twitter page, and according to wright lee, she is running a t shirt design contest called ‘Be the next charlotte Russe design star’ where the winner will have their shirt produced and sold online.

Diane von Furstenberg has attracted over 368 thousand followers on her Twitter page with the help of the re-tweeting capability. According to retail industry expert Hitha Prabhakar, “within the last year of having a major online and social media presence, von Furstenberg’s online traffic has increased by 13%”. 13% is a significant increase when you consider the relatively low cost of establishing and maintaining a social media presence.

Louis Vuitton was a little late to the social media party, but they have still managed to establish an advantageous campaign. According to communications marketing specialist Dana Gears, “Louis Vuitton broadcasts its spring 2010 ready-to-wear show live exclusively to Facebook followers, offering a big incentive for recruiting new fans and a reward to its most passionate customers”.

Norma Kamali took an outside the box approach to social media by unveiling last year’s spring collection using an 8 minute 3D film. The film needed to be viewed with special glasses to get the full 3d effect. To get the special 3d glasses, fans had to join Norma Kamalis Facebook page. There were also multiple games to be played for prizes.

Banana Flames website really pushed the boundaries of social media with their ‘Social Shopper’. The goal of the ‘Social Shopper’ is to allow you to try clothes on at home. You simply position yourself in front of your webcam and then adjust the clothes on the screen to fit your body. The really cool part is that you can share the images of what the clothes look like with your friends online and instantly receive feedback.


The aforementioned individuals have put a lot of thought and creativity into their social media campaigns, which begs the question; what are social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook doing to facilitate their use as media outlets for the apparel industry?

Facebook has developed engagement ads that allow for more communication between advertisers and Facebook users. Things such as Facebook’s the fan page have already proved to be very advantageous for apparel companies. Now Facebook users can comment on, like, and share content that they see on a certain page which causes the content to spread faster than it ever could if only being delivered through traditional media outlets such as TV ads. Companies can also be confident that their message will be reaching their target market because users will only be sharing content with people who they are connected to on Facebook, their peers.

As page administrators, apparel companies can track and measure the viral effect of their content. They can see how often content is being shared, the total number of likes and wall posts, page views, and click through rate, among other things. This makes it easier for companies to see their return on investment, which is very important. The same sort of measuring tools are offered on YouTube.

Blogs provide smaller designers or companies with very low budgets the freedom to express themselves in the manner that they feel will attract the most attention from their niche target market.

Online retailers are benefitting from the many apps being developed by social media developers, specifically for the apparel industry. A perfect example is luxury discount E-retailer, Gilt group. Gilt group now has an app designed specifically for android powered devices. So now people can shop Gilt group from the comfort of their Android powered cellphone, and can see the current days sales even if the app is not open, which is important since Gilt groups buying window is only open for 15 minutes every day at noon.

Campaigns like the Kony 2012 movement are inspiring more and more apparel companies to jump on the social media band wagon every year, and as the technology and services available improve, so will the benefits for the apparel industry as a whole and the consumers like you and I.

Interview With Reg Dennis

“Who is your favourite designer(s)?”

“Karl Lagerfeld is still my favourite designer and also Zac Posen at the moment.”

“How do you feel about celebrities getting all the free goodies when they are the people who can afford all the free goodies they get?”

“No. They should not get any freebies at all; they should receive it and give it to charity as a gesture of good will to people who can not afford it.”

"What do you think is your strengths and weaknesses in the art of fashion?"

“The industry itself can be both a strength and weakness; right now it’s just a piece of junk.”

"Do you try to send out a message or theme in your clothes in any way at all or no?"

“Yes I do. All of my garments are wedding gowns, I try to incorporate colour within the garment with beadings, colour thread, fabric, lace, and many other stuff like accessories”

“Where do you get your inspiration from to create unique designs for your client’s desires?”

“My first inspiration starts with the Oscars awards on the red carpet every year since it starts the trend, especially with evening wear. And street wear is also an inspiration for me.”

“What is your favourite fashion season(s) and explain why?”

“Spring is my favourite fashion season just because it’s more colourful, fun, vibrant, fashionable and also it’s a lot easier design and outfit and too sew it.”

“Where do you see your brand going in the near or far future?”

“Well, my brand is all custom designs, so it usually tends to start with the client them self just to get an idea of what their needs and wants are for the garment being made is. And it’s the reason for that it’s designed especially for them.”

“When did you start to experiment with getting into the fashion industry for fashion design?”

“In 2000 I started with sketching out garments, mainly 3 dresses on a piece of paper, and then I presented to them to my colleague I was working with at the time. We further discussed them to whether I was good enough i was good to pursue a career fashion and design. I then proceeded in a course just for sketching alone. And then after discussing with the teacher of the program we determined that my progress from the start of the program to the end of the program had gone from stick people to full sketches in colour and proportionate figures, I started my career just after.”

“In your spare time besides designing and making garments, what do you like to do?”

“My main focus is on clothes, I go to check retail and bridal stores and get magazines, to see what the latest styles, colours etc are popular to make sure I’m on top of the trends and make sure what information I’m giving my customers are accurate.”

“Do you plan to extend your business/line in the near or far future and why?”

“No, it’s all going to be custom design. And the reason for that is that there’s no room for inventory to be kept and it also cuts down on cost in a way.”

“Do you have any educational background for fashion design at all?”

“Yes I do have an education. I have a certificate for fashion design, from Algonquin College in Ottawa.”

“When did you first realize that you wanted to design outfits and enter the fashion industry?”

“I always had an interest fashion decide I wanted to design and create garments, and decided that I wanted pursue career in it, and a totally different industry.”

“How do you become inspired for a certain design you create?”

“I start by looking at other designs for inspirations, while following other designers’ lines as well.”

“Do you try to keep with the latest trends or do you create your own?”

“I look at the latest trends but I try not to focus on them a lot.”

“Do you come up with concepts for designs first or is it more of an unplanned thing?”

“The client and I come up with a concept of a design and we create it together to conform to the clients’ needs and wants for the outfit being made for them.”

“How long does it take to draft out pattern pieces for and outfit and to sew it?”

“The actual outfit sewing part only takes 3 weeks to a month the most. The whole fitting process can takes up to 4 months, since most clients try to lose weight and be in shape for their wedding, so their weight because of this goes up and down, which means a lot of adjustments has to be made in the time period for each of the fittings.”

Zombie Nation

Next time you are at a restaurant or in class, take a quick look around the room. You'd probably be surprised to see how many people are sneaking a quick look at a text message they just received, or how many are completely involved with their phones ignoring all physical interactions with others. With the digital age in full swing this type of behaviour has become acceptable to most people, who can be caught fixated on their small glowing screens as if in a trance. Yet there are some who find this excessive cellphone usage rude and unacceptable. In addition studies are constantly being completed to determine long term physical and mental health risks of excessive cellphone use.
It should come as no surprise that some restaurants are now finding ways to voice their opinions of cellphone usage at the table by posting signs or even policies on their websites to discourage customers from checking text messages or managing your Facebook account while eating. Many chefs also believe that dinner time is a very important time when one should slow down and enjoy the full experience of the meal. Some chefs disagree and believe there is always time for checking your phone, as noted in an editorial published September 5^th, 2011 by Toronto star author Isabel Teotonio. The article mentions two Toronto based chefs who promote cellphones at their restaurants.
Jason Bangerter executive chef for the Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants at TIFF Bell Lightbox: Luma and the O&B Canteen keeps his Iphone along side his cooking utensils and always makes time to interact with guests via Facebook and Twitter. Bangerter and his team ensure their guest an upscale experience that satisfies even the most tech savvy diner
Aldo Lanzillotta, owner of WVRST sausage hall in downtown Toronto, also encourages visitors to update their status while they enjoy a bite to eat. Even noting that this form of advertising has helped to increase sales for the business. In fact many establishments are finding ways to join in with users. Attempting to make their overall restaurant experience more enjoyable as they seek to make their locations more acceptable places for cellphones. Some even place small plates or dishes in the dining area to keep your device safe from spills. According to a January 26, 2012 editorial by Los Angeles Times author Jessica Gelt some restaurants are even keeping a selection of phone chargers on hand for diners to ensure that every digital craving is satisfied.
Some restaurant-goers have started a new trend called The Phone Stack, a game to help deter cellphone use while at the dinner table. Each person at the table must either put their phone face down on the table or in a stack with the object being that whom ever touches their phone first must cover the bill at the end of the meal. Meanwhile others simply refuse to pocket their phones and continue to text, surf the web, and polish off a few levels of Angry Birds all before the appetizers are served
A study complied in Gothenburg, Sweden authored by Gaby Badre, MD, PhD, of Sahlgren's Academy has noted that excessive cellphone use can affect sleeping patterns in teens age 14-20. The teens all kept regular work and study hours and had no sleeping problems. Two groups were created, one group was only allowed to make five text and calls per day, while the other was able to make more than fifteen calls or texts per day. Upon completion it was noted that the group that made fifteen plus calls or texts per day showed an increase in sleep deprivation and restlessness. Where as the group making few interactions with their phones reported no change in sleep behaviour. The study also notes that excessive or compulsive phone usage could also be attributed to pressures and desires to remain constantly connected with peers. Although this information is aimed towards teens it is quite possible that anyone who over indulges could also be at risk as well. An additional study of the damage to eyes caused from cellphone use complied byprofessor Ved Vyas Dwivedi, head of department of ECE at CHARUSAT, Dean of the faculty of engineering and technology Y P Kosta, and lecturer Dhara Patel. The results had shown that the eyes absorb heat transmitted from cellphone screens and are able to effectively collect the information. However it was noted that the eyes are unable to transmit or radiate the heat created from the body. This constant intake of heat could eventually lead to early cataract in lens as well as potentially damaging the retina, cornea and other ocular systems of the eye.
In our modern society its estimated 70% of Canadians own cellphones between the ages of 16 and 60 and the rate is increasing daily. With more and more people turning to hand held devices that can complete multiple functions on demand its easy to understand why many businesses are choosing to embrace cellphones as a form of promotion and free advertisement. Customers are able to instantly update information about their experience which helps to promote the establishment, but will also assist the owners to gear their services and overall experience to suit every customer in the best possible way

Tumblr: Microblogging with Morals

Tumblr, as many people today in our technology-driven world know, is a free blog platform in which users can post multimedia content to their “tumblelog” to share with the World Wide Web. With over 47 million blogs, it can be said with confidence that Tumblr plays an important social role in today’s society. Playing “host” to such a wide variety of microblogs is undoubtedly a daunting task, and surely representing these blogs comes with many responsibilities. With this, Tumblr has been increasing censorship of the blogs and search phrases of its users. On their website, Tumblr states,
“One of the great things about Tumblr is that people use it for just about every conceivable kind of expression. People being people, though, that means that Tumblr sometimes gets used for things that are just wrong. We are deeply committed to supporting and defending our users’ freedom of speech, but we do draw some limits.”
One of these limits include a new policy that prohibits users from creating blogs or blog posts “that glorify or promote anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders; self-mutilation; or suicide”. The act of pulling these self-harm blogs obviously has the best intentions, however Tumblr is still under ridicule from many of its users. These users have either created or “follow” blogs that post “thinspiration”, “pro-ano”, and “pro-mia” pictures and lifestyle guidelines, encouraging each other to “stay strong and starve on”. Many arguments are based on how Tumblr will draw the line between free expression of its users, versus harmful content. Tumblr responded on their website within their Content Policy with this,
“Promotion and Glorification of Self-Harm. Don’t post content that actively promotes or glorifies self-harm. This includes content that urges or encourages readers to cut or injure themselves; embrace anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders; or commit suicide rather than, e.g., seeking counseling or treatment, or joining together in supportive conversation with those suffering or recovering from depression or other conditions. Dialogue about these behaviors is incredibly important and online communities can be extraordinarily helpful to people struggling with these difficult conditions. We aim to sustain Tumblr as a place that facilitates awareness, support and recovery, and to remove only those blogs that cross the line into active promotion or glorification of self-harm.”
Tumblr will also implement Public Service Announcements (PSA) when users use the search engine for words such as “pro-ana”, “pro-mia”, “thinspiration” and “thinspo”. This PSA will link users to Help Lines and websites that encourage them to seek help, instead of “thinspiration”. This is a very big step in the right direction for Tumblr, and therefore its users. For a blogging platform that is known to house many raunchy and controversial blogs, it is interesting and admirable that they have voluntarily come forward to censor those of which that contain self-harming content. Perhaps this is because these harmful blogs are projecting themselves as “healthy” to an extremely susceptible crowd, in which Tumblr feels responsible in protecting.
Despite the why and how, Tumblr picked the right time to do so. With summer on its way, awards shows every night, and day after day of “Fashion Week”, is it any wonder there has been a serge in “thinspiration” blogging. The pressures placed on
the youth of today to be thin, attractive and confident are substantial and overwhelming. The last thing society needs is an easy way (Tumblr, for example) to feed the fire with blogs encouraging this ideal. Although the banned blogs may not have caused every viewer an eating disorder, it can surely cause a loss of confidence in body image, which is why prohibition was such an important step for Tumblr to take. Although Tumblr may lose a thousand users due to the new policy, those blogs were detrimental to the health of millions of users, and thankfully Tumblr realized this.
Banning these blogs may not change the way some people continue to treat their body offline, or deter people from posting elsewhere, it will certainly make it easier to browse Tumblr pages without feeling ashamed, discouraged, and unhappy with ones own body image compared to distorted ideals. Hopefully this makes room for Tumblr blogs that truly inspire, accept, and encourage healthy body image. That’s an ideal society should stand behind.

Tumblr Follows Suit

With the fashion industry continuously working on and improving the body image being conveyed to young girls and women, other industries are taking notice and doing their part.

The fashion industry has long been scrutinized for their portrayal of unhealthy body image through both runway shows and editorials. In the last few years, organizations associated within this industry have made it a point to begin creating and enforcing policies to ensure healthy models are being used by designers and magazines. As of a recent, an extremely widespread social media platform has decided to take action as well by removing self-harm content and providing Public Service Announcements in place. This platform is Tumblr.

Tumblr is one amongst the social media platforms currently dominating the internet. The Tumblr homepage has a daily counter showing how many blogs and posts total, as well as how many posts were made during that day. Right now Tumblr sits at “18,983,293,198 total posts, 44,387,775 daily posts and 47,593,269 total blogs. When checking back almost an hour later the total posts and total blogs jumped by several thousands. These numbers indicate how fast postings can spread through Tumblr along with how far they can reach, and is one of the reasons action is being taken.

The site creates a sense of community as you can follow your favourites and comment on shared interests. It is a place where individuals can blog and reblog whatever they wish – from likes and inspirations to favourite television shows, fashion, food or cute animals. It is a faster form of blogging, where many posts are simply reposts from other Tumblr pages. When browsing through, many pages consist of pictures, quotes, videos, etc… with associated tags (#fashion) –similar to Twitter- making searches very easy for users.

This all started when it was announced on the staff blog that Tumblr will now begin to ban content that promotes self-harm. They are going to be prohibiting posts that “encourage readers to cut or mutilate themselves; embrace anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders; or commit suicide rather than, e.g., seek counselling or treatment for depression or other disorders” – staff.tumblr.com. They have also decided that they will start showing Public Service Announcements targeted at these issues. When users or browsers are searching for tags such as “#thinspo” (thin inspiration), “#proana,” or any other terms associated with self-harm, a PSA will be displayed offering support sites and hotlines.
Tumblr, however, does realize that they are putting themselves in the line of fire. The philosophy of this website and the company is that it offers users a space and environment to post freely and express themselves. The company’s release states “We are deeply committed to supporting and defending our users’ freedom of speech, but we do draw some limits. As a company, we’ve decided that some specific kinds of content aren’t welcome on Tumblr. This prohibition is intended to reach only those blogs that cross the line into active promotion or glorification; recommending techniques for self-starvation or self-mutilation” – staff.tumblr.com. It came down to giving users the freedom to post while maintaining the company’s values and beliefs. The company is also offering a grace period for these specific blogs to remove content and change what is necessary to avoid losing their account.
So far the reactions of bloggers have been mixed. Thousands of users have reblogged the company’s post and are in full support of the decision. However, for all those in support, there are almost as many not in favour. Reasons against the decision range from taking away outlets for those who need to connect with others in their situation, while others discuss other manners of self-harm promotion. The majority of replies against Tumblr’s decision express that the company is going too far and are concerned with what will be prohibited next. One blogger states, “so why don’t they also create a policy against people posting about, while, or in support of getting drunk. Is that not self-harm? Drug addiction? And all those pictures of ‘glamorous’ women smoking cigarettes. Aren’t they promoting something harmful too? Needless to say, I disagree with this policy. There are other ways to support people in the position of utilizing self-harm than making them feel like freaking pariahs.
Critics are also quick to point out that these bloggers will simply move to the next big social media platform – Pinterest. Pinterest is similar to Tumblr as it allows users to “pin” any images from the internet to their online pinboard. Cheryl Wischhover of Fashionista.com checked out Pinterest for herself. She reported that although there are as many pins of the same content on Pinterest, most of these pins are originating from Tumblr pages. Therefor in a sense, eliminating postings on one will platform heavily reduce postings on the other
Only time will tell whether this prohibition will stand and whether or not it will truly work. As far as individuals turning to other sites, that cannot be controlled. However, eliminating one source is always a step in the right direction.

Art or Foe?

The division between utilizing current accessible fashion as an expression or solely as a necessity
　

In today’s modern world there is a balance of life that we human beings attempt to manage within our own hierarchy of priorities to satisfy our core values and necessities. On this journey of balance we now find ourselves in a world submerged in an abundance of various social medias and technologies, this revolution of constant communication has changed some consumers ideologies of fashion. Many people find salvage in fashion as a tangible art form that allows them to express themselves on a continual basis; while others view it as a human necessity. This division is prevalent since we are a consuming world, whether or not you make the conscious decision to utilize clothing as an expression or just a textile that keeps you from being nude- you are still a consumer contributing to the fashion industry. The division represents the modern world and its ladder of consumer needs, showcasing that people have the privilege to express themselves freely within their religion, culture, social status, art, personal comfort and financial means. Also technology and social media has allowed people to share their style, fashion needs, and opposing opinions on fashion as art; all publicly. This sort of creative freedom is an opportunity to see behind the consumer dollar and divulge into the innate nature of humans to see any form of “art” in different perspectives.

Fashion as an art merely means that certain people feel an organic passion for expressing themselves through clothing. The act of dressing is not just a daily routine it is a constant discovery of one’s self and inner creative desires. The aesthetic is mesmerizing, allowing people to escape from the definite and day dream within reality. Fashion has no boundaries of self expression because it is something your physical self is adorned in. No matter what your day entails, your clothing is accompanying you for the majority of it - playing a key role in how one is represented in the world. According to Rachel K. Ward in a lecture on March 27 2008 at Cornell Fine Arts Museum, “ The truth is that art may at times resemble fashion and fashion may look like art. “. Whether or not one agrees with that, it is true. Historically and currently fashion is intertwined with many facets of art and the creative world. This places fashion particularly at the high-fashion level, at par with any form of art. Fashion shows are the focal presentation of fashion as art. In Rachel K. Ward’s opinion on Michael Kors as he orchestrates a fashion show for his collection, “…in the fashion world designers give models particular instructions before going out on the runway. Here we see the creation of a fantasy, a mental world associated with the clothing, Kors is activating the presentation of fashion with a particular vision…”. It is clear that designer’s place an artistic direction into their fashion shows and just like any form of art, shows can be misinterpreted by anyone because of their bizarre nature. In the realm of clothing, that is only due to the intense artistic vision designers implement on the runway and is then trickled down to retail level where garments are more wearable. No matter the rank of art that a consumer views fashion to be, “some see clothing as equivalent to the out most layer of themselves and so incorporate them into their life-world with little difficulty…” as stated by John Flügel in The Psychology of Clothes (1950). Flügel perfectly explains how some people utilize fashion as a direct expression of who they are and even a daily expression of art with a natural ease.

On the opposing side of the division, consumers view fashion just as clothing and categorize it as a human necessity. There is valid research done by Abraham Maslow in Motivation and Personality (1987) where he organized Maslow’s human need’s which include, “Physiological, Safety, Social, Esteem, and Self Actualization.”. These human needs display the balance of life that humans are engaged in throughout their lives. Too many individuals clothing as art in this balance just does not take precedence, just as John Flügel states “…others locate clothing within the external environment; clothing is “other” to their sense of themselves.” It does not demean this category of the division it just represents a consumer that truly does not connect with their clothing as a creative outlet or representation of themselves. There is no relationship between the decision of what to wear other than what is socially acceptable for certain activities and the necessity of having to be dressed in public. Maria Alice further researched the correlation between Maslow’s human needs and fashion in her article on Consumer Needs as a Core Aspect within Fashion Product Design. Marie Alice’s theory of, “Interpretation of Clothing and Fashion Needs” in relevance to physiological needs, “is related to the body temperature, Safety is linked to the protections of the body, Social needs fulfill the role of integrating people into group, esteem represents the individual recognition and self actualization needs are related to the worthiness of indulgence.” Many consumers view clothing as a basic necessity that keeps themselves and the ones they love warm and save from the elements. There is simply just a lack of representation of oneself through clothing because they have different personal priorities and passions in their balance of life. Fashion being so representative of society’s perception of beauty that many consumers view on clothing is directly associated with excess, extravagance and gluttony. The fast paced culture of fashion supports these qualities because how can clothing be considered traditional art if it is constantly changing and demanding more rather than being a staple in time like famous canvas paintings. Rachel K. Ward describes this comparison as, “art is normally aligned with meaningful intention and thus meaningful engagement; fashion is generally regarded as momentary and meaningless.” The unattainable nature of the fashion industry a main reason why so many people go through life viewing clothing as just something of comfort and ease, while having other creative outlets as their priorities.

The division of fashion as an art, necessity, or foe will remain a prevalent consideration for our social modern world. We must acknowledge all sides of this division because clothing is a human necessity, and we must continue to support the art of fashion. We are setting a foundation for future generations within our cyber world, how will our fashion be perceived; art or foe?

Kony 2012 - Cause or Con?

Is the latest viral social media campaign really worth fighting for?

In the past week, many people who use social media tools like Facebook and Twitter have been bombarded with links with the heading of "Kony 2012". Who, or what, is this most recent viral campaign about and why are so many people jumping up to support it?

This campaign was started by a non-profit organization called Invisible Children Inc. In 2003, three friends travelled to Africa to document issues relating to Darfur. However, when they arrived, their focus was drawn elsewhere. When they got to Uganda, they were introduced to the children of the area who, on a nightly basis, are forced to travel miles on foot to seek places of refuge in order to avoid kidnap by a group known as the Lords Resistance Army or LRA. These children would seek safe places, such as bus shelters or church basements in urbanized areas in order to keep themselves safe from the threat of being abducted by the LRA and forced to become sex slaves and child soldiers. After witnessing these events, the filmmakers petitioned the US government to get involved and assist in putting a stop to such travesties. However, according to the three men, they were told that unless there was a direct threat to US national security or the US economy, there was no way that the government would intervene. After hosting more than ten thousand screenings at schools, churches, concerts, and rallies, the group found success after petitioning the government a second time, with the support of many outraged young Americans who were touched by the original documentary. The government decided to send 100 US troops to Uganda as advisors to the Ugandan armed forces. The issue now is how long the US government will allow these troops to stay.

With this in mind, Jason Russell, who is one of the three original filmmakers, has started a viral campaign to create awareness about the LRA and its leader, Joseph Kony. He created a 27-minute documentary that sums up the activity of the LRA and Kony and then asks viewers to help make Joseph Kony famous in an attempt to stop his heinous crimes. By using social media tools it seeks to target twenty "culture makers" and twelve "policy makers" in order to spread awareness and capture the man responsible for the kidnap, rape, and mutilation of Africans for over 26 years. This video has been viewed over 21 million times on YouTube, and this number continues to increase rapidly. But there has been a steadily growing amount of criticism about both the campaign and the organization, Invisible Children Inc., as the message has spread.

There have been questions raised about the organizations use of funding in previous years. As a non-profit group, their finances are public, and they've received criticism because only 32% of the money they spent last year actually went to direct services to help in the issues they say they are tackling. The rest of the money, which in total was some 8.6 million dollars, went to staff salaries, travel expenses, transportation, and film production. The organization has also refused to have their finances externally audited, which has certainly raised some eyebrows. In addition to their finances, Invisible Children Inc. is said to have exaggerated and manipulated facts in their campaigns for strategic purposes. And one of the biggest criticisms of the group is their calling for direct military intervention. The money they raise goes to the Ugandan army among other military forces in Africa, however many of these groups are accused of partaking in activities very similar to the man they are so desperately trying to have arrested, such as rape and looting. In recent years, the LRA has actually moved out of Uganda and into other areas in Africa, and yet the Ugandan army is still receiving the majority of the funds from the organization. And finally, the group is being questioned about their targeting of the US government rather than the African leaders to incite change.

So, when you consider these criticisms, you have to ask yourself what is really being promoted when the "KONY 2012" link is passed on?

The message gets blurred by the organizations money grubbing tactics, questionable practices, and the selling of merchandise in the form of bracelets, t-shirts, and stickers all in a convenient "action pack" for the cost of 30 dollars (only $9.60 of which will go to direct services on the ground in Uganda if the 32% figure mentioned above is true). The true call to action is lost in the promotion of the charity itself over the actual cause.

Undoubtedly, Joseph Kony is a horrible individual who certainly must be brought to justice. His crimes over the past 26 years are disgusting, and should be stopped. The basic premise of the campaign is admirable: to spread the word about this man and his crimes in the hope that people will be compelled to stand up and change something, and that ultimately Joseph Kony will be captured and tried for his crimes against humanity. And the word has certainly spread. However, the good intentions behind the campaign seem to be the last thing anyone is talking about at this point. Before passing the video along, do your research. If you believe in the message, spread it. If you believe in the organization, promote it. But don't jump on the bandwagon blindly just because it's the thing to do. And most importantly, don't forget what it is that is really being fought for, as it appears those closest to it just might have.

The Pit Falls of Social Networking

The Pit Falls of Social Networking

The internet and social networking is an excellent way to keep in contact with friends, play games or to keep up on news of your favourite company. On the other hand, people need to use these tools with caution.
As humans, we are social creatures that like to interact with each other and share ideas. When we are online and not seeing some of our friends and family, we up load pictures for our friends and family to see. But do we know if it is just our loved ones looking at them? Online privacy is a bit of an oxymoron. As much as we password protect our profiles on Facebook, it still is possible for people who are not our friends to look at our embarrassing photos of our crazy night at the club or that sexy picture we took for a significant other. As a rule of thumb, any photos that you would not want your grandmother to see, do not upload them to your profile. We do not have to only worry about strangers look at our embarrassing profile pictures, but also potential employers. Employers are using Google to search for information and or pictures of applicants to see if they are a ‘right fit’ for the company. If they find any scandalous photos, you could be hurting your chances for getting a job.
With social networking, people or companies can update their Twitter status in real time. It can be a useful tool to let friends see how you are doing, your activities or your feelings. Unfortunately, we are living in an age when there is such thing as too much information or TMI. People have to be careful about what they vent about on Facebook or Twitter. If you are friends with people from your work place or especially your boss, you may want to think twice about what you complain about through your status updates or tweets.
British woman complained about her current boss calling him a ‘pervy wanker’ and forcing her to do, complaining extra work or pointless tasks. She forgot that she added her boss as a friend; therefore he was able to see her status updates. He responded back to her status by telling her that she was fired and she can come pick up her belongings as reported in the article, “Fired Over Facebook: 13 Posts That Got People Canned” by Catharine Smith and Craig Kanalley . In 2011, designer Kenneth Cole used the Arab Spring to promote his spring collection according the article Kenneth Cole's Controversial Social Media Campaign Trivializes Serious Issue, as reported by Jo Piazza (August 18, 2011).
“Millions are in an uproar in #Cairo. Rumour is they heard our new spring collection is available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo.”
Although his followers increased by 3000, most people found the tweet in poor taste and making light of a very tense and violent situation in Egypt. A few hours after the tweet was posted, Kenneth Cole issued an apology via his facebook account.
With more people using the internet, any insulting or controversial comments made by celebrities or radio personalities, have the potential to go viral. Written in the article, Rush Limbaugh vs. Sandra Fluke: A timeline (posted March 7, 2011), conservative shock jock, Rush Limbaugh made some very insulting remarks about Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student who testified in congress to subsidize birth control. Limbaugh asked during an interview, "What does that make her?” and he replied, "It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex." Limbaugh apologized about his comments but it was a little too late. People with access to a computer, cell phone, television, etc heard Limbaugh’s insulting remarks, even though some people do not listen to his radio show. As of March the 6, 26 advertisers have pulled their sponsorship of his program.
Social networking can promote a cause or charity and get young people on board because they are constantly using Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Recently a video on youtube.com was uploaded, about stopping a war criminal Joseph Kony in 2012. The charity, Invisible Children, is behind the video and the campaign to arrest Kony for war crimes and for people to donate money to help the people of Uganda. The charity has been able to get a lot of people to watch the video and donate because Invisible Children has also asked celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Rihanna to tweet #stopkony. There is a backlash against the video because some have claimed that the some of the information in the video is exaggerated. According to the article “Obama Takes on the L.R.A” on Foreign Affairs, (published November 15, 2011) Mareike Schomerus, Tim Allen, and Koen Vlassenroot wrote that the army that Kony is leading, the Lord’s Resistance Army (L.R.A), is weakening and even if with Kony’s arrest, his followers will join other militias or continue their war crimes independently. Also, there are accusations that Invisible Children is using donations for expensive trips and promotional movies. With all the criticisms, Invisible Children claims that all the facts in the video are accurate and donations have not been used inappropriately.
In all the examples shown in the article, it is evident that social media is a powerful tool for communication locally and around the world. But we have to use this tool wisely.

What are you Wearing?

The unwritten rules for dressing for success, from socially acceptable to social acceptance, because knowing what to wear is half the battle.

Let's face it, we all do it! Whether its the last minute phone call to your friends to decide what dress to wear, or the fashion faux pas that has everyone saying "what are you wearing?!"

The Job Interview
With graduation around the corner, it has us all thinking about our careers. While many of us have been subjected to stresses of the job interview, you have to admit when it comes to your career it's a whole other level of stress. Thinking about what to wear to the interview shouldn't be one of them.

According to Canadian Living magazine, before you decide on what to wear, you should investigate the companies corporate culture and learn about their dress code.

What you decide to wear says a lot about you but also how you view the company and how you will approach the job, which is the basis of the advice provided by the Student Affairs at Virginia Tech University; that you should be memorable and not your outfit.


The First Date
Going on a date with someone for the first time is full of uncertainties, but the thing you can be certain of is how to dress to impress.

Patti Stranger, famous for Millionaire Matchmaker, is an expert on first dates.

From Shape Magazine, some of her best advice includes, don't overdo the accessories, the details like a pearly white smile won't go unnoticed, stilettos will make your legs look longer, dress up a little even when the date calls for casual, wearing red will be sure to get his attention, and suggests that wearing your hair down will make him want to run his fingers through it.

The Cocktail Party
While you might not think that you'll be going to a cocktail party anytime soon, consider the weddings of your friends you'll be attending in five years. The perfect cocktail dress is just what the occasion calls for.

Of course the little black dress, LBD, always works but if you willing to be a little more adventurous try colour with a bit of sequins. For great ideas check out Vogue's online article on Cocktails dresses with over a hundred ideas for your next cocktail dress.

The Night Out
Ever wonder why some get by the red rope of the hottest night clubs and others don't? It might be what they wear.

The NY Times investigates some of the snobbiest clubs, notorious for their dress code, where for the women it's all about the shoes, the Christian Louboutins and the Jimmy Choos, with a minimum 5 inch heal.

Then across the city, The NY Times noted, at the hipster bars it's patron prefer the look of tighter denim.

One interviewee commented that "today (clubgoers) dress in costume," like the "guidette" trend, based on how the want to be perceived, but no matter the look it's all about how you "rock it!"

The Family Function
Tired of your mother’s nagging comments about dressing appropriately in front of Grandma and the Aunt who has an opinion about everything?

Ever notice how well you know your Mom? That you probably know what she’s going to say before she says it? Use that to your advantage when you go shopping and before getting dressed for a family function. Think, “What would my mother want me to do?”

Let’s face it you’re going to give in eventually, so it might just be worth sacrificing your individual style just this once for your Mom.

It might just save you from the argument all together and the looks from your meddling family members.

HEALTHY IS BEAUTIFUL

Help Your Body Blossom Into Summer For a Beautiful You!

Spring has sprung while summer lingers just around the corner – time to tune-up your body in preparation for feeling fabulous as we slip back into sexy skin-baring dresses, shorts, and tees. Whether you’re planning on dusting off the old itsy-bitsy-teeny-weenie-yellow-polka-dot-bikini for a victory lap or you just want to feel a surge of spring vitality – here are three top suggestions to bring out your beautiful natural beauty:

1. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: ARE YOU WHOLESOME OR OVERLY PROCESSED?

Follow these simple, yet powerful eating tips to spring your metabolism into action, cut out the toxins, and increase energy. Keep it simple by choosing a variety of natural whole foods to feel and look radiant.

Some red flags to watch for: If it comes in packaging plastered with health claims then put it down and walk away! If it looks too good to be true then there’s probably a lot of money to be made at your expense – after all, many of the biggest bang-for-your-buck nutrient rich natural foods don’t need a convincing package to demystify its contents. The farther away a food is to its natural state, the more it should be avoided – or at the very least, be sure to really enjoy it!

The information available can certainly be overwhelming and confusing but fear not – this is not a diet, just a simple reminder to be mindful of what you put into your body to feel and look your best.

A FEW FAST FACTS TO GET YOU INSPIRED:

Seasonal Spring Asparagus, Spinach, Peas, and Strawberries – all great sources of anti-oxidants and bioflavonoids - to slow down the aging-process by eliminating free-radicals and keeping inflammation in-check, vitamin C - essential to building collagen, and carotenes – essential to building connective tissue throughout, and those are just a few of many benefits to keep your skin, gums and eyes looking young and supple.

Wild Salmon, Nuts – excellent sources of omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids which are amazing for your skin and is also known to give your brain a boost – not just another pretty face!

2. WATER: NOT JUST FOR ELEPHANTS!

Surely, you already know that drinking water is essential merely to stay alive but did you know that it is the best skin beauty treatment around? Besides hydrating skin from the inside out to keep the cells plump rather than wrinkling and sagging - water assists with just about every vital bodily function. Keep all your cells plump and juicy by simply drinking enough water to feel and look healthy.

SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION INCLUDE:

- Fatigue and loss of concentration - instead of caffeine, try water for a lift.
- Dry, parched skin and dull eyes.
- Feeling hungry – yes, sometimes you’re just dehydrated.
- Headaches.
- Feeling thirsty is a sign that you are already quite dehydrated.

Best solution is to keep a water bottle with you and sip from it throughout the day. Nothing fancy –luckily we are blessed with clean drinkable tap water and it’s free!

3. EXERCISE: GET THAT BODY MOVING!

This one is so easy and gives back countless benefits both physically and mentally – simply embrace some modest and regular exercise into your daily routine - a little goes a long way!

Moving your body increases circulation, flushes toxins, releases endorphins, tones your muscles, increases cell turnover and feels great while giving you a youthful healthy glow – highly effective and it’s free – what is more beautiful than that!

SIMPLE IDEAS TO GET MOVING THROUGHOUT A REGULAR BUSY DAY:

- Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.
- Ride a bicycle for transportation – no gas or parking required and can actually save time and money. Pick up a free City of Toronto Bicycle Route Map in any bike shop to plan your route.
- Walk whenever you can - even for 10 minutes – it all adds up.
- Sit on an exercise ball at work (instead of a chair) as an effortless way to work your core and keep your spine straight while you balance your body.
- Do a little stretching periodically throughout the day to give your circulation a little boost and distribute some extra oxygen to your cells.
- For the more adventurous: Dance like nobody’s watching!

HEALTHY IS BEAUTIFUL

Don’t underestimate just how amazing your body truly is – expensive lotions and potions, make-up and designer clothes sure are nice but pale in comparison with the sparkle of vivacity. These basic healthy habits are guaranteed to make you feel and look great plus offer the added benefit of more restful sleep –and it’s not called beauty sleep for nothing - regular restful sleep offers major health benefits and looks great too.

Tame your Mane

Tame your Mane

This season's top trends for managing your mop.

Front and Center

The center part is a quick and easy fix for those in a time crunch. This versatile style can be worn up in a messy bun or slicked back, and can also be worn down either straight, wavy or in curls. Try adding an accessory like a headband or hair clip to finish off the look.

Off Balance

The side part is an easy and stylish alternative to the center part. This look can be worn up or down, slicked back or curled. Wither you have bangs or not this is a style that will never fail. Try braiding the side with the least amount of hair and securing it at the nape of the neck with bobby pins or a decorative clip for an interesting twist.

DIY:

-Create a part at any point along forehead (be sure the part is nice and straight)

-experiment with different variations of the style, try gathering all the hair into a loose bun at the base of the neck

Birds Nest

Just rolled out of bed with ten minutes to get out the door? Toss up this quick do for a messy on the go bun that works with any outfit.

DIY:

-pull all hair up into a ponytail on the top of your head.(you can also place it off to one side)

-*optional* if your looking for a sleek look, try spraying your pony tail with hairspray and comb through to reduce frizziness

-wrap all of your hair around the pony tail

-secure with bobby pins (be sure to criss-cross pins to secure them in place)

-gently pull on hair to create a messier look

-*optional* if you want your hair knot to have more volume, try curling and teasing your hair prior to step one

Be Bold

Bright, bold and outrageous hair colours are shining through this season. Blue, pink, and purple are just a few of the many colours and shades available. Experiment! Use different colours for a layers look. If you have bangs, try dying them a different colour for the rest of your hair!

DYI:

Manic Panic hair dye is the most well known semi-permanent hair dye on the market. Available at most local drug stores and online at: http://www.manicpanic.com/ Average price: $13-$15

Ebay-pro

Ebay-pro

How to shop for clothes on ebay like a pro.

Ebay clothing shopping can be an absolute joy allowing you to find hidden treasures that you simply couldn't otherwise obtain. Using ebay you can source items from all over the world, acessing literally millions of people's closets, finding unique, one off designs that nobody else will be wearing. Ebay can also allow you to buy things of a quality that perhaps you could not normally afford or to buy the items that you normally buy cheaper.

However, be warned. As a novice buyer many of my first ebay purchases were sources of huge disappointment. That beautiful Diane Von Furstenberg dress which arrived with ripped seams, the tiny Tocca dress sold as new without tags, but which arrived pre shrunken from a hot wash. There are many traps that the novice buyer can fall into but which are easy to avoid if you know just a little bit about ebay. Here are six tips to shop eBay like an pro.

1. Be specific

To save time scrolling through pages of fashion, keep a wish list of must-have items and store it on your cell phone or computer. If you would not compromise on the size, color, or fabric in the store, you don’t make the same mistake online.

2. Do your research

Knowing your fashion history will help with shopping for major fashion labels; consider buying something from an earlier season. Tomas Maier–era Bottega Veneta bags aren’t cheap, but one from before his tenure at the house may have the same signature intrecciato leather weave but should be more reasonably priced.

3. Check seller feedback

If you are considering buying an item on ebay the first thing to do is to check the seller feedback. This quickly tells you the number of transactions that the seller has been involved in and how their customers have rated their conduct in these transactions.

As a rule a feedback score of 98% positive plus should make you reasonably comfortable, over 99% should make you completely comfortable. If it is lower than these levels you should read what people have had to say. Sometimes lower feedback is not the fault of the seller, but of buyers who have not read the auction terms such as delivery times correctly.

4. Read the measurement

The thing to remember with buying clothes on ebay is that sizing varies dramatically between stores and designers. If you purchase something that is a size 6, because that is ordinarily your size, and it doesn't fit you will not be able to get a paypal refund. In this case it is not the buyers fault.

The way around this is to take a similar piece of clothing that you already own. Carefully measure any parts that are important to you. Compare them to the measurements listed by the ebay seller. If there are no measurements listed contact the seller and ask for the specific measurements that you want. Remember: no reply? Don't buy.

5. Jump on a trend early

As soon as a collection is posted on sites like Style.com, get a head start on the trends by looking at vintage versions of what’s feeling new. Chandelier earrings are set to be big for spring (Dolce has good ones) and are a very easy eBay get.

6. Ask for more photos

Not every seller knows the power of taking the perfect product shot, so don’t be deterred by a poor set of images. Contact the seller for more options if you feel that you’ve found what could be a diamond in the rough.