How to Theme your Instagram Feed

Remember when people used Instagram almost exclusively to showcase their food and late night selfies? This billion dollar app has now grown into a successful tool for blogging and building a digital portfolio. Not only is it efficient and easy to use, Instagram allows you to create, share and promote content to attract and gain followers.

Before we get into the guide on how to begin a theme for your Instagram feed, check out these examples edited through the popular app VSCO:

 

VSCO is widely used in the social media industry and allows you to filter images to look cohesive on your feed. The app is free to use, but also allows you to purchase additional options if the esthetic you’re after is not included.

WHAT IS AN INSTAGRAM THEME?

Instagram themes are all about consistency. Whether you decide to keep all your pictures bright and clean or dark and moody, having your photos follow a similar colour story is a great way to keep your feed visually appealing. Editing each picture in the same way creates uniformity, even when a variety of content is being shared.

Not everyone chooses to follow a theme for their Instagram. However, if you’re a blogger or want to get noticed, it’s best to begin a theme on your page so followers can recognize photos as yours. This doesn’t mean you have to scratch your current account and start all over— once you begin a theme, it will eventually overtake the old pictures.

THE MUST-HAVE APPS

Begin planning the layout for your Instagram theme by using apps such as UNUM, Planoly and Preview. These apps allow you to test out your theme by moving pictures around on a mock feed before publishing them to Instagram

Stick with the same filter and think about every post before you publish it. The color and feel of your latest Instagram post should match with the previous posts – once you have this down you’re on the road to a theme! Other apps to use for editing are:

• Facetune and Facetune 2 (Yes, it’s that great that there are two versions!)
• Blend Editor – Photo SuperImpose Effect and Pics Art 
• Adobe Photoshop Express 
• Pixlr – Photo Collages, Effects, Overlays, Filters 

FIND YOUR MUSE 

Not sure what type of theme to begin? Luckily there are a ton of bloggers and influencers who have unique and creative themes to turn to for inspiration. Here are a few of our favourite Instagrammers who know how to maintain a visually appealing theme:

LAUREN CONRAD / @LAURENCONRAD 

The warm and fuzzy theme:

AIMEE SONG / @SONGOFSTYLE

The fashion blogger’s creative theme:

MERY SENG / @HAPPILYGREY 

The greyish hue feed

JILLIAN HARRIS / @JILLIAN.HARRIS

The white border and clean theme

And lastly, here is a look at my theme:

DAVNEET DHILLON / @davneetdhillon

Instead of sticking to one colour theme, I decided to have grids of different coloured layouts and separate each grid with a long quote. The quotes are cut and pasted on my feed through the app: PicSlit. This way my theme allows me to constantly be changing and creative.

Crafting an Instagram feed is not hard! It’s quite simple once you get the hang of the filter choices and become consistent with your posts. Remember to be picky with what you share! As much as you love that selfie, if it doesn’t fit your theme, don’t post it.

Article written for John Casablancas Institute Blog

Celebrity Coachella Style 2017

April is known as the month for the Coachella festival and whether you’re going or not, our Instagram timelines are constantly filled with pictures of the festivities. There’s no denying the fact that this California based festival is the most interesting time in fashion.

We all remember the very first trending festival looks: fringes, feathers and flower crowns, there was no escaping these trends. However since then, festival looks have evolved and people dress to express who they are.

Highlighter hair, funky sunglasses, top hats, colorful fur vests and even metallic bodysuits were just a few of the trending styles this year at Coachella.

Picture via Rihanna Instagram

Bad Gal Riri, Rihanna, rocked a diamond Gucci bodysuit made of a silver mesh fabric, styled with creeper shoes. This pop star didn’t let the heat at the festival get to her outfit: “I can’t go home yet, cuz enough people ain’t seen my outfit,” says the singer/songwriter on her Instagram picture.

Many of us weren’t shocked to see Kylie Jenner rocking yet again another wig at the festival. The reality star went from wearing a blinding bright yellow wig on day one to a purple wig on the next day. Other celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Ariel Winter and Victoria’s Secret model Josephine Skriver rocked colorful hair at Coachella.

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Big sunglasses, statement necklaces, dangling earrings were some of the accessories that many celebrities were seen wearing.  The High School Musical alumna Vanessa Hudgens is known to be the ultimate Queen of Coachella. As most fans say, her outfits always slay. Hudgens stands out with her creative looks and is probably the only celebrity to rock more than three looks in one day!

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Take a look at what other celebrities were wearing at Coachella this year:

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Article written for John Casablancas Institute Blog

SFU Fashion Week Hosts Season 4 in Surrey

[Article written for Surrey604]

Davneet Dhillon (left) interviewing Yzobel Biron (right)

The last week of March has been known as University Fashion Week and Simon Fraser University will be hosting its fourth season in Surrey from March 29-31.

Founded in 2013 by SFU Health and Science graduate, Kayode Fatoba, University Fashion Week has evolved into something much bigger. Creative director for the event, Yzobel Biron, 19, is a second year Business student at SFU and has been working with eight other members on the executive team to create a diverse show for all members of the community.

“Strength and diversity is our theme for SFU Fashion Week this year.” Biron ensures us that the expectations for SFU season four will be like no other show. “At high-end fashion shows you’re expected to be a certain height, weight and dress a certain way to be considered in the fashion industry.

This year SFU wants to eliminate that and allow people to know that you don’t have to look a certain way to be apart of our fashion show.”

The first day of the show will be a seminar held for social networking at the SFU Surrey campus, and the second day will be a series of social advocacies held at the SFU Burnaby campus. The show itself will be on the third day, held in Surrey, (location TBA). The headliner for the event will be Chantz Clothing and all the clothing lines participating in the show will be local Canadian brands.

 Yzobel Biron (left) and Nashmin Namur (right)

“Season four of SFU Fashion Week is going to be full of really good performances. We have some awesome brands coming in and this show is very well put together. It’s going to be a good representation of all the hard work we’ve put in,” says Nashmin Namur, 19, a Business student at SFU and the VP of Marketing and Promotion for the show.

The Executive Team for SFU Fashion Week: (From Left to Right): Harjan Padda (VP of Finance), Keerit Dhaliwal (VP of Club Relations), Caitlin Van der Have (VP of HR & Talent), Yzobel Biron (Creative Director), Nashmin Namur (VP of Marketing and Promotions), Florence Bellanastasia (VP of Brands & Event Designs) and Chisom Pat-Oyoke (VP of Casting)