Courtesy of WeHeartit

There are a few things we’ve learned since embarking on this pony adventure. Some of which were from pros like Shinan Govani, and others we’ve picked up on ourselves. To survive in this world, one must not be a lone ranger  – nor should one be surrounded by a posse of ponies everywhere she goes. Poise, appearance, wit, and demeanor are just several of the core traits to be constantly aware of and strive to improve upon every day. But it’s finally time we let you in on exactly what we’ve learned on our journey thus far, that way, you can stand out as a confident conversationalist come LG Fashion Week.

Let’s start with your surroundings. Chances are someone has invited you to an event as their guest, but if you’ve responded to a media event and are intending on going solo – you’ve got your work cut out for you. Attending solo means you need to be that much more confident in approaching strangers and asking them about themselves. You have every reason to be there as much as Jeanne Beker does, so take advantage of this solo act by meeting and greeting (as opposed to meeting and greeting the open bar).

If you’ve got several friends with you, this will also be a challenge. Friends are like a security blanket in that they provide you with a reason not to socialize with the new faces around you. Do not ditch them by any means, but if you’d like to stand out and make a lasting impression, you may want to excuse yourself for a brief moment to introduce and schmooze with a few other individuals.

Next, appearance. We’ll never forget our first day at the Ontario College of Art and Design where we were blown away by the number of artists desperately attempting to stand out amongst the crowd: men with satanic horns shaved into their heads, women in tutus and piercings. Being bold doesn’t mean wearing a costume. Besides, appearances can be deceitful in that sometimes the woman in the plain black suit has more to say than the woman in the tutu. Be yourself first and foremost – but to add extra oomph, we’ve found that high heels add not only height and prominence, but a perfect posture as well. If God is truly in the details, then highlight your outfit with complimentary and unique detailing that doesn’t overpower your radiant personality. You don’t want to be remembered as “that girl in the fluorescent tights”.

Conversation. Shinan taught us Cowgirls that when you meet a celebrity, you must pretend as if you’ve never heard of them. “I know she’s Nicole Kidman, she know’s she’s Nicole Kidman, it feels as if there’s an elephant in the room – but there’s no other way around it.” So should you find yourself talking to Dan Levy or hell, Shinan Govani himself, remember they are a person like everyone else – worthy of your time. With each person you meet, remember everything your mummy taught you: eye contact, ask questions, listen, learn, and engage. If they compliment your outfit, do not respond with a compliment right back at them. And above all things, smile. Would you rather know a woman like Naomi Campbell or like Heidi Klum? Think about it. A smile can go a long way – and even Victoria Beckham admits that she flashes a smile the minute the flashing cameras are off. You’re not there to pose, you’re there to shine.

Courtesy of WeHeartit.

Your toolkit. What good is networking without having your business cards present and easily accessible? Think beforehand about how you’ll define yourself in a quick and confident way. When we started in September, we were “just starting this new blog-thing, it’s not big yet. Oh, I don’t know. Toronto stuff. Hard to explain.”… Pathetic. Now, we’re “the Cowgirls from Mushy Pony. We round up Toronto’s trendsetters and provide them with a voice that other media outlets may normally miss.” If you can, bring a notepad and pen to jot down details about the people you meet – their emails, contact info, etc. Bring a camera, lipstick, bottle of water, cash, your usual necessities. It’s not about putting on an act, or merely acting how you normally do on any given day. It’s about letting your inner self shine. Having a presence when you walk into the room that beams radiance. Soak in every moment – because it’s yours for the taking.

XoXo
– The Cowgirls.

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

By-passing the lineup of Kelly-crazed fans and entering through the “bloggers” entrance at MTV certainly made for an exciting Monday afternoon. Our ‘plus one’ (Kim McCormack of I Heart the Music) joined the Cowgirls upstairs for the taping of the Kelly Cutrone Aftershow followed by a sneak peak into the new Toronto online beauty magazine, Fora. Here’s what went down in pony town.

Aside from a few technical difficulties, Dan and Jessi proved to be magnificent hosts – never skipping a beat and keeping the crowd lively and entertained at all times. Kelly herself even chatted to a few audience members during the break about her sparkly cowboy booties (yes you heard right) that she’d bought at Hermés moments earlier. She discussed work, fashion, and her daughter Ava’s obsession with teen idol, Miley Cyrus. The Kelly we see on the City is still tough as nails, but we were reassured that her life isn’t all about the work. She’s still a sensitive, single mother with her values in-check and manners apparent. Good.

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

More impressively though, was the magazine launch held in MTV’s masonic temple. With young bloggers meeting and introducing themselves by their Twitter user name – all while dressed in retro Peach Berserk dresses – we couldn’t help but feel a little time-warped. Apparently, the dresses were on loan by the designer, Kingi Carpenter, who didn’t mind the girls prancing and twirling about in them (so naturally, we were trés jealous). From what we gathered, Fora offers a sort of tongue-in-cheek view on beauty; a refreshingly relatable tone for those who don’t speak Prada. Dan and Jessi introduced the mag, poking fun at their own model shots using their classic self-deprecating humour, then joined the party for the remainder of the event.

Trotting down Yonge St. later on, we contemplated whether we’d ever like to have Ms. Cutrone as a boss. On the one hand, she’s brutally honest and will shape even a sad ditz like Roxy Olin into a PR power-woman. On the other hand, she makes you go outside if you have to cry.
Kell Horreur!

Courtesy of MTV.ca

XoXo
– The Cowgirls.

Courtesy of Amanda Blakley

His presence on screen is witty, endearing, and simply adorable. With 11,000 fans on Facebook, 22,000 followers on Twitter, and long line-ups of screaming fans outside MTV, clearly we’re not the only ones who think so. But Dan Levy is still the friendly neighbour we remember working at our local video store – and he graciously sat down with us to answer a few questions we’ve had about his life since it got turned upside down.

Pony: You seem so relaxed on camera, do you actually feel that way?

Dan: I am the most anxious and nervous person alive. Four years into my job and I still get butterflies before we go live to air.

Pony: What’s a typical day at the office like for you?

Dan: We have such a small team, we all end up doing multiple jobs in a day. On top of hosting the show, Jessi and I are Creative Producers. We write, produce, edit. We’ve got a great team and because we’re all such perfectionists it’s nice to have your hand in a little of everything.

Pony: What do you do to wind down after a stressful day?

Dan: I’ve recently been going to the gym. I get home around 11:30pm and it’s been helping me wind down. Doesn’t seem like it would but it does.

Pony: Haha Not really. Do you choose all your own clothes for the show? Where are your glasses from?

Dan: I choose all the clothes I wear. We don’t have a stylist so you’ve got to rely on your own instincts. So far I think we’re doing ok. The glasses are Retrosuperfuture from Spectacle on Queen St. W.

Pony: How do you feel about publications like TV Guide, and After Beat naming you one of TV’s sexiest personalities? (Especially after you took your shirt off?)

Dan: I don’t see it. But I’ll take it. Ha!

Courtesy of After Beat

Pony: And how has fame influenced your personal life? How do you stay grounded?

Dan: I don’t consider myself to be famous. Ask any of my friends, my personal life is just as boring as it was four years ago when I was working at the video store. As for staying grounded, you see people whose heads float off their shoulders after getting on tv. At the end of the day, what I do is fun but it’s not saving lives, you know?

Pony: Would you ever relocate to Hollywood? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Dan: I can barely plan what I’m doing tomorrow. Haven’t really thought about it. I’d love to live in New York at some point.

Pony: You and Jessi appear to be best friends. Do you hang out much outside work?

Dan: Yes. We befriended each other at the MTV auditions and have been pals ever since. If we didn’t get along I don’t think we’d be where we are today. She’s a dear, dear friend. We’ve been through a lot together.

Pony: What’s the worst thing that’s happened to you in an interview?

Dan: At the end of the day, just because you’re famous doesn’t give you a right to feel superior. Being an interviewer you get to see that side of celebrities. When they show you that side, it’s always a little disappointing.

Pony: I guess seeing that side might also help you stay grounded. What’s your favourite movie, book, and food?

Dan: Movie and book are too hard to choose. I could eat pizza every day for the rest of my life.

Pony: Speaking of eating, if you were at a dinner party, who’s the one person in the world you’d like to meet there?

Dan: Mario Batali. Hoping I’d meet him in the kitchen as he’s preparing my meal.

Pony: Lastly, if you could be Mayor of Toronto, what would you change to make it better?

Dan: I’d think long and hard about how to incorporate more green into the city. To be honest, I feel like T.O. has seen better days. We need to clean her up and start thinking a little bit more about what looks good and what looks cheap and sh*tty.

Courtesy of Alicia Taggio

XoXo
– The Cowgirls