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 mushypony.com

Shaking the hand of Shinan Govani felt like shaking the hands of every A-lister celebrity he’s ever come into contact with. And yet, he doesn’t preserve that hand inside a glass jar like everybody else would. It was only during his interview with Canadian Opera legend, Measha Brueggergosman, that we discovered how he actually sees celebrities, and how we too can become their friends – you just need to know the rules.

Measha: What made you want to write Boldface Names?

Shinan: I was always that kid reading with his flashlight, sitting under the covers until lights out; so it’s been a dream of mine for a while. But more specifically, I felt this book could be that veranda that looks out over various platforms: the fashion industry, foodies, socialites, this book could be that lense into the world that people get to finally see through. So why not slap some covers and a spine on it?

Measha: With pop culture constantly changing, were there things that you felt the need to change while writing the book?

Shinan: Oh ya, right up until publication I was calling my publisher demanding to please add more Susan Boyle and Twilight references in there, because it was important to me that the characters were alive and that the scenery was real.

Measha: Have you had anyone come up and bitch-slap you in regards to some of the references in the book? Where do you draw the line in terms of who’s news-worthy and what’s private vs. public?

Shinan: No one has slapped me in particular! I suppose the only way I can answer that is just by following my nose. It’s a lot of instinct you know? Ultimately the kind of coverage I like to do is revolving around the funny or absurd, not the mean and gossipy – blatantly taking shots at innocent people. There’s both the documentation on celebrities, but also the creation where I can help build on their reputation. I see the snakes and ladders of it really.

Measha: And in terms of spotting a diva amongst celebrities, how can you tell who is and who isn’t going to be like that?

Shinan: Oh I can smell them from a mile away. But the thing is, I look at that behaviour as a form of theatre. Our world would be a boring place without those personalities there for our entertainment.

Courtesy of Amazon.ca

Measha: If you were to have dinner with any celebrity who would it be?

Shinan: Most people I meet I can stand my ground and be sophisticated in the room, but when I met Tom Wolfe, I was like the head cheerleader at a college football game. That man is the essence of culture and I was just in awe. I try not to let that side get to me though, if you’re around someone famous, you can’t acknowledge that – it’s one of the ten commandments in this business and part of how I’ve been able to do what I do.

Measha: Also, if you’re hanging around opera singers, don’t ask them to sing!

Shinan: Well ya! I mean, I’ve been in that situation where you’re around someone like Nicole Kidman and it’s like a fourth wall – you can’t let them smell your fear. Always look them right in the eye like you’re just another person. Even though clearly, they know that you know that they’re hot shit.

Measha: What would you say the difference is between fame in Canada and fame in America?

Shinan: Unfortunately, one of the greatest national lies is that Canadians are nicer, less selfish people than Americans. And that’s not true. We’re just as shocked to see a Jonas Brother sitting in Starbucks as the next person. Throughout the years I’ve been doing my column, I’ve seen a change with Canadians. When I started there was no eTalk or ET Canada and I think having all these outlets together creates a perfect storm where suddenly, you have young social girls who want free samples of clothes so that they can be photographed by these publications. Next thing you know, those same girls are being offered free meals at restaurants because they were on TV. I like to think of it as a social ecosystem really. It’s a lot easier to become famous these days but to maintain fame takes some extreme, Tarzan-like power. Leaving your house becomes a performance every day and people need to always be ready for the show.

Courtesy of Toronto Life

XoXo
– The Cowgirls