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You Are Invited: Power Ball XX – Carousal

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Now that we’ve covered the amazingness that was the Met Gala, let’s talk about a party we can all attend without needing to shell out $30,000 per ticket (!!!), one of Toronto’s most fun/fab/artsy fundraisers – Power Ball! Power Ball, presented by Max Mara is truly a not-to-be-missed fundraiser, with interactive art, an abundance of delicious food, and some great outfit-watching. Over the years I’ve seen some outrageously well-dressed attendees at Power Ball, with the best-dressed usually embracing the year’s theme with enthusiasm and creativity. Here’s hoping this year is no exception.

Carousal
noun. 1. a noisy or drunken feast or social gathering; revelry.
The theme of Power Ball XX is Carousal, which I find to be pretty open to interpretation. The official description and the poster seem to lean into the direction of Carnival/Circus, with the image showing a mermaid, belly dancers, magicians, and acrobats, but there’s always the “arousal” part of “carousal” if you wanted to take that direction instead. Here’s the official description:

“Come celebrate Power Ball’s twenty-year standing as the art world’s unofficial adult funland Thursday, 31 May 2018 and join us under the big top of The Power Plant for a carnivalesque mashup of art, edibles, waggishness and tomfoolery.
Revel in Power Ball’s decades’ old tradition of naughtiness, titillating discoveries and mischievous provocation as the gallery is transformed into a transitory space of circusry fit for the party’s big, bacchanalian birthday bash—all in support of the ambitious exhibitions and programming at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery.”

I still haven’t made up my mind on what exactly I’m going to wear…perhaps some Circus-inspired black and white stripes, or a nude slip dress with a ton of jewellery, or maybe something red and overtly sexy. There’s still time to decide, so I am not in panic mode just yet. I also put together a few of my fave dresses (after the jump) that could fit this year’s theme, in case you too need a bit of inspo. And in case you were curious, here’s what I wore last year to Power Ball XIX – Stereo Vision, and a couple more outfits I wore in the years before that.


Have you ever attended Power Ball? What are you going to wear? Share in the comments and see you at The Power Plant!

WHEN: May 31, 2018, 9pm-late
WHERE: The Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto
TICKETS: $175 (Power Ball Party), $500 (Power Ball Pre-Party and Party)
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You Are Invited: Power Ball XIX – Stereo Vision

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Power Ball is hands down my favourite fundraiser year after year. The combination of art installations, great fashion, music, and food makes for one fun soiree, and if you’ve never been, the party is next week on June 1st and you should definitely get your tickets ASAP!

This year’s Power Ball XIX: Stereo Vision promises to “be the portal where hidden worlds and alternate realities converge and collide, and are made visible to us in our earthly dimension”…not certain what that means exactly, but I know it’s going to be a blast.

If you’re not sure what to wear to Power Ball, pretty much anything goes, but dressing up according to the theme is definitely encouraged. One year, the theme was “Appetite for Excess” and I wore one of my favourite dresses from Hayley Elsaesser with a lip print all over, and colourful glitter in my hair. Excessive? That’s the point! Last year’s theme was the “Pleasure Principle”, and I donned another fave – a feathered Erdem gown, with hair piercings in my do – still one of my favourite party looks to date. But back to “Stereo Vision”…my outfit for this theme will be inspired by colour and 3D – loud and fun…and will be comfy enough to dance in and to eat in, because the food is always a high point of Power Ball. The only thing I haven’t figured out yet is my hair…but there’s still plenty of time.

I can’t wait until Thursday to finally see what this year’s Power Ball will have in store for the partygoers…See you there?

WHAT: Power Ball XIX Stereo Vision fundraiser
WHERE: The Power Plant, Toronto’s Harbourfront
WHEN: Thursday, June 1, 2017 from 9PM-Late
TICKETS: https://powerball.thepowerplant.org/reg/en/registration.html



Photo Credits: Image 3 – Mauricio Calero

What I Wore: Power Ball 2016 – Pleasure Principle

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Just look at those inflatables behind me, happy and unaware of the night ahead of them. By the end of Power Ball XVIII: Pleasure Principle, most of those animals would be deflated and Inflatable Culture installation taken apart, creating numerous colourful photo-ops for partygoers throughout The Power Plant. As I mentioned in this post, Power Ball is one of my favourite parties of the year, and this year’s event did not disappoint. Apart from the inflatables, other art installations included Ungentrified by Lorna Mills – a collage of gif-like raunchy video clips, Opium Den by Karen Tam – “response to stereotypical portrayals of Chinese in the West”, complete with a gong and lanterns, Anaglyph by Jordan Sodenberg Mills – mirrors that created trippy 3D reflections, perfect for surreal selfies.

After checking out the installations, I devoured some delicious bites by Parts & Labour, and tried a non-alcoholic jello shot, which luckily wasn’t one of the chicken broth flavoured ones. It seemed that everyone in town was at the party, and I spent the rest of the night socializing and trying not to trip on my Erdem gown. It was definitely a night to remember, and I am already dying to find out what the theme for next year’s Power Ball will be.

So tell me, did you attend this year’s Power Ball? What was your favourite installation? Share in the comments!

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More after the jump!
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You Are Invited: Power Ball 2016 – Pleasure Principle

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We are less than a week away from Power Ball XVIII: Pleasure Principle aka one of the best art parties of the year in support of The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. If you know me, you know that I do not enjoy most galas, but Power Ball definitely falls into the DO NOT MISS category. Last year’s Power Ball XVII: Appetite for Excess was ridiculously fun – with over-the-top food displays (think story-high pastry towers, humongous loafs of bread, octopus chandeliers, and white-gloved hands popping up from tables to feed the attendees), colourful ball pits, and so many more exciting art installations. This year’s theme invites guests to explore their desires through various art-filled spaces at the gallery.

“VIP ticket holders start the evening at 7 p.m. with modernist cocktails prepared by BarChef, and a special production by New York-based artist Ryan McNamara. Remaining spaces open at 9 p.m., showcasing work by several Canadian artists including an opium den installation by Karen Tam and an exploration of (over)stimulation and sensuality by Laura Kikauka, among many other works. Chicago house music pioneer DJ Mark Farina and two of Toronto’s most talked about DJs, Teo Nio and CRSB, will provide musical entertainment throughout the evening. Max Mara will also have an on-site presence throughout the event with visual installations that represent the brand’s heritage, as well as performances by contemporary ballet dancer and choreographer Javon Jones, winner of the Max Mara Young Visionary Award for the National Young Arts Foundation.” Sounds pretty amazing, non?

Considering this year’s theme, I feel like I can probably get away with wearing the same dress I wore last year…and while I am certainly tempted, I am still on the hunt for something else to wear. Right now, I am thinking feathers, velvet, chokers, body chains and sexy heels. If you’re stumped for ideas, I put together a list of my fave Power Ball-inspired pieces below.

Tickets are still available HERE, and if you’ve never been to Power Ball before, I highly recommend this event as a date night, girls night out, or just a fun and fancy outing on a Thursday night. Pro tip: make sure to take Friday off, because going home early is not an option. See you there?

WHAT: Power Ball XVIII: Pleasure Principle
WHEN: June 2nd, 2016 at 7pm (VIP), 9pm (General)
WHERE: The Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto
TICKETS: www.thepowerplant.org

What I Wore: Appetite for Excess

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I’ve been in love with Hayley Elsaesser’s designs ever since her first WMCFW fashion show. The “Heavenly Bodies” collection was my gateway into the crazy-fun world of Canadian/Aussie designer Hayley Elsaesser, and it’s still one of my fave Canadian collections ever. I really connect to the playfulness of her prints, her choice of modern cuts, and the overall over-the-top aesthetic of the brand.

So when I learned that the theme of this year’s Power Ball was Appetite for Excess, I knew exactly what I wanted to wear – the Mouthy maxi in neoprene. Luckily, I had an amazing CHANEL Dubai clutch to complete my look of excess, and with a touch of glitter in my hair by Kelly from Medulla and Co, I was ready for the art party of the year.

But what I realized that day as I was riding the streetcar on my way to the hair salon, is that not everyone is as comfortable as I am with crazy prints, because a lot of people stared at me in befuddlement. But to me, this look is as normal as anything else in my wardrobe, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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More photos after the jump!
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