Spring/Summer 2012 Trends!

Hey guys!
Long time no post, I know!
I hope everyone is having wonderful holidays and I am very excited to begin posting frequently now since I will be A LOT less busy!
On that note, today I wanted to share my favorite spring/summer 2012 trends so that you know what to look for in the months to come. Remember: You do not have to follow trends to the T. I personally just use them for inspiration and incorporate the ones that I like into my own personal style. Not every trend is going to be right for you and you will not like every trend that pops up. So keep that in mind and remember to stay true to what YOU like to wear!
That being said, here are my faves!

Candy Colors
This was huge on the runways as far as both fashion and beauty goes! Some models even sported magenta hair. Pastels are HUGE and all over the place for Spring fashion. Deffinitely check out the beautiful lilac and peach colored items!




1920's
Think Mad Men! The 20's are what's in this season and I absolutely love it. Seen on runways like Marc Jacobs. Think fringe, flapper, beads, curve-hugging materials, silk, pajama dressing, feathers, and sequins.





Bold Prints, Tribal Prints, Animal Prints and Bold Floral
This is such a fun trend that you can do so much with! There are so many crazy textures and fun bold prints seen on the runways. Eye catching floral, animal, and tribal prints were everywhere. Just remember to keep the rest of your outfit low key so you dont have too much print going on!









Oranges, Whites and Bright Neon Colors
Color blocking is still really big and was deffinitely included in conjunction with these crazy brights for Spring/Summer 2012. Different degrees of orange were seen everywhere and white was deffinitely a popular pick as well. Neon colors make any outfit pop and they are deffinitely a lot of fun when mixed together.





Leather
Skirts, shorts, and vests, oh my! Leather is making a landing into Spring and Summer fashion! Leather makes a bold statement during the season and looked very grungy and edgy against normal summer styles. Challenge yourself and incorporate this into your S/S 2012 wardrobe! I'm dying to find one of those cute leather-looking dresses.





Metallic is still huge as well by the way! I'm loving it. It will also be seen EVERYWHERE this coming season. Check out my post (my very first post here actually!) completely dedicated to it at http://favemagazine.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-heavy-metal-welcome.html*

I hope you guys enjoying this comprehensive guide to my favorite spring/summer 2012 trends!
Have fun with it and let me know what you think.

P.S.  I'm working on a very exciting new backround for the blog! Get ready cause it's going to be just as exciting as the blog itself is!!! Keep your eyes peeled. It's coming soon.

xoxoxo
- Gen

Holiday Gift Guide: The Beauty Lover

Hey everyone!
And so begins my Holiday gift guide....
I will be posting guides to give you some ideas on what to get various types of people in your life for the Holidays. Today's gift guide is for the beauty lover! Don't know what to get your makeup obsessed friend? Worried over which gift set to choose at Sephora? Just want to get yourself a little something to beautify yourself during the Holidays? Look no further! Here is a gift guide for the beauty lover!

The Beauty Lover

Benefit's Project Flawless Set:

You get this great set for the price of a single Benefit blush alone! The kit comes with the popular bella bamba blush, a mini bad gal lash mascara, a mini girl meets pearl luminizer, and a full size lip gloss. I love this set! It has some great products in it and is an awesome value. Bad gal lash is a famous mascara and the bella bamba blush really adds a pretty dimension to your cheeks.  Check out my full review on this set here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0OWqUH9BOs&list=UUAuRBEubXvZL2-9TxEpUQ_A&index=2&feature=plcp

Sephora Favorites Holiday Perfume Set:

This is a great gift to give to someone you are close to that loves perfumes and wants to try some new ones! It comes with 10 different perfume samples in cute little mini versions of the full size bottles. It also comes with a coupon that is redeemable for a FULL SIZE of any of the perfumes from the kit! So your friend can try out the perfumes, see which one she likes best, get the full size of it, and still have a bunch of cute mini perfumes to keep! It's a great gift and perfect for someone who likes trying new things when it comes to beauty.

Harajuku Lovers Jingle G Perfume:

This cute little ornament is a mini version of the popular Harajuku Lovers G perfume and is such a fun festive gift! It's inexpensive and the scent is incredible. It is great for someone who likes fruity scents!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil Travel Set:

This comes with 5 waterproof eyeliners! These liners are very nice. They are highly pigmented and last for a long time. I use the black one almost everyday for my own makeup! This is deffinitely a great kit to get someone who loves eye liner.

Sephora Favorites LashStash:

Don't know what to get your mascara obsessed friend or family member? This is the perfect solution! This set features 10 extremely popular mascaras. It includes 2 full size mascaras and 8 sample sized ones plus a makeup remover by Clinique! This is deffinitely the perfect gift for a mascara lover.

MAC Dazzlesphere:

Do you have a lip gloss lover out there to shop for? Get them a MAC lipgloss dazzlesphere! The 3 lip sets each come with 2 mini dazzleglasses and 2 mini cremesheen glosses. Each one retails at $38.50 Canadian.

Philosophy "Sweet Kisses and Merry Wishes" Set:

This yummy set is perfect for the bath lover! It comes with four travel size shampoo/body wash/bubble bath flavours. It also comes with four yummy smelling lip shines. Each product has a festive scent such as peppermint bark and eggnog. They all smell incredible and will leave your friend smelling delicious!  Any product from Philosophy at this time of the year is to die for. Deffinitely recommend all of their Holiday products.

Lush "Best Wishes" Bath Set:

I absolutely love Lush and think that their products make great gifts, especially for bath lovers. This particular one is only 20$ and it includes two great holiday bath bombs and one bubble bar! You just pop the bath bombs into your bath and watch them fizz away. As for the bubble far, you crumble it under your bath water and watch it create delicious smelling big frothy bubbles! This is a cute little set that comes already wrapped and would be a nice little gift for someone near and dear to your heart. Check out the other Lush gift sets for more fun mixes of their various products! I promise you will love them all. I have been a Lush fan for a while now and have adored every single product I've tried from them so far.

THANN "Blissful Holiday" Set:

This looks like such a nice Holiday gift. It includes an Aromatic wood shampoo, an Aromatic wood soap bar and a Shiso hair mask. Perfect for a friend that likes to pamper themselves and likes warm musky scents. Give your friend the gift of relaxation and lovely smelling products. Check out the THANN store in Ottawa for more incredible products like this! http://www.thann.ca/

I hope this helped to give you a few ideas on what to get someone that is beauty product obsessed!

What kind of beauty items are you wishing for this holiday season?

Let me know at genfaveblogger@hotmail.com

xo

- Gen

Requests and Holiday fun!

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to remind you all that I am always taking requests at genfaveblogger@hotmail.com.

You can send me an e-mail anytime at that e-mail and let me know of any posts you'd be interested in seeing on the blog.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I have a ton of fun holiday posts coming up including a holiday gift guide, holiday outfit ideas, hairstyle ideas, and great makeup tips and products for the holiday season! 

Brand new post coming tomorrow so get excited! It's a really good one! 

Lots of love from your favorite blogger!

xo

- Gen

10 Questions with Adrian Wu


Photo by: Alcides Munoz

"Adrian Wu is quite possibly one of the youngest designers to hit the Canadian design scene in years.

At just 20 years young, age proves to be but a number when he has already racked up a long list of fashion accreditations in just the last year alone.

Wu taught himself to sew and managed to create 50 gowns in time to show for Vancouver Fashion Week 2010, as well as for a slew of charity events....

He also welcomed a new position as Much Music’s fashion correspondent, consulting on air for the latest trends in fashion, holding mini spot shows, and interviewing

Toronto’s top personalities during the F/W LG Fashion Week. Wu was also accepted into the coveted Instituto Marangoni, school of Fashion in London England for this fall as one of only 20 annual applicants who are chosen, but deferred the opportunity to instead open up his own self titled store in Burlington, ON."
[from the Adrian Wu Fan Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adrian-Wu/159414277404680]

Adrian Wu recently showed his Holiday collection here in Ottawa at the Ottawa Convention Centre. This young designer is crazy talented and has a unique perspective when it comes to what he does. I recently got the chance to ask him a few questions and here is what came out of it! Adrian is honest in his answers and shows that he is way beyond his years. He has a unique take on art and the fashion industry. He truly is an artist and a visionary. Check out his intelligent answers to my questions below:

1- Around what age did your interest in fashion begin?
My interest in fashion really started at age 18 years old about 3 years ago. I have come to think that there is a fine line difference between fashion and ascetics. I see ascetics as simply the creation of beautiful things. I think and know that is a certain science behind this idea of what is beautiful. And I say this because fashion isn't just about the clothes, it doesn't have to be. I have always had an interest in beautiful things as a child, It just took me a while to realize what things I'm good at... making beautiful.

2- How did you know that fashion is what you wanted to go into?
I find that it is a coincidence that people started calling me a designer and therefore lead me fashion. I really didn't want to go into it, and I still resent the idea. Fashion to me is very much a convenient way to define my abilities. Art is what I went into in my head, the performative and consumer controlled aspects of the whole job is definitely giving me headaches.

3- Did you ever go to school in fashion or are you self-taught?
I am a self-taught designer. This industry cannot be compared to system of academic achievement. I think its ridiculous that people think the only road to anything is institutionalize education. Education is flawed within our society and the last thing I need is people telling what I can and can't do. All you need in this industry is - a portfolio, money, and connections.

4- Tell us a little about your personal style.
It changes everyday. I get bored. Life is boring. Repetitiveness is boring. It's funny cause 'style' or 'your style' is a little ironic to me. You should never have a style, your style should always be different. Right now, its jeans and a t-shirt.

5- What do you think is a staple piece in every man and woman's wardrobe? What is the one piece you yourself cannot live without?
It's subjective. Yes, I can tell you that every guy needs a pair of skinny jean and a women should always have a little black dress, but that isn't my job. In my eyes, my job is to make you think. My job is to make you re-think your ideas about fashion. I'm a designer that cares very little about people. In all respect, maybe ask that to a stylist.

6- Tell us a little more about your most recent collection and what inspired you when it came to it's creation.
My most recent collection was inspired by minimalism and maximalism - this as a philosophical and fine art reference. I think youth today are brainwashed by pop culture and by doing so are persuading them to think education is boring. My work is sort of my way of re-education.

7- What is your favorite thing about fashion?
That there are no rules, but ironically there is. There is a paradox about the whole industry and I love it.

8- What do you think is a good thing about being apart of the Canadian fashion market? And how is it to be so popular in it at such a young age?
There is nothing good about being apart of the canadian fashion market except that I am apart of it. That may sound arrogant but I think people need to be realistic about the idea. Our consumers do not buy Canadian, that is a fact because the majority and the dominant market is the european market. So yes, popularity may be a nice instant gratification here and there but I know I need to be somewhere else, when you talk about 'the business of fashion'.

9- What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself and your brand 5 years from now?

I don't expect or think my brand will be anywhere in 5 years because my goal is design for a historic brand like Burberry or Chanel. I see being successful in this business like finding love. It doesn't really matter if you die alone, but if you find someone that tags along for the ride, well thats the bonus.

10- Is there anything you'd like to say to our Fave readers? Do research. Learn, read, and make mistakes. Stop with this ego you all have, no seriously. I try my best to remember everyday that I am just a person, no more or less than anyone else. Always make room for new ideas.

Thank you so much to Adrian for doing this interview!

Stay tuned for a more in depth VIDEO interview with him soon!

What do you think of this young designer?

Please check out his website at  http://www.adrianwu.com/ for more info on him and his collections :)

- Gen

Photo by: Matthew Treacy

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2011 Recap!



The most wonderful time of the year finally arrived yesterday...

You know what I'm talking about!

The 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show!

Every year I watch this amazing show and get blown away by the exquisite work put into it. Everything is always perfect. The outfits, the performers, the stars, the models, the makeup, the set...I could go on forever.

Every year the list of models walking in the show consists of some very popular names and gorgeous women. This year young model Karlie Kloss joined the mix and I coulden't be more excited about it. She is stunning! A real rare beauty (just like Chanel Iman!). Another one of my favorites is Miranda Kerr. She just had a baby and still looks incredible! Here some of the notable models from this year's show: Karolina Kurkova, Candice Swanepoel, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Chanel Iman, Erin Heatherton, Lily Aldridge and many many more. For a complete list check out http://www.listal.com/list/list-victorias-secret-models.

Miranda Kerr modeled the Fantasy Treasure Bra that is worth 2.5 million dollars!
Truly a work on art. The lingerie shown in the annual fashion show is always very intricate and impeccably designed. The lingerie is always adorned with things like crystals and jewels and the show is famous for the wings that the models wear during the show.

The makeup and hair were stunning (as always) this year. The models always have bombshell hair going on and impeccable makeup with a nude lip, alot of mascara, and flushed cheeks. Check out this fun makeup tutorial done by famous makeup beauty guru MakeupbyTiffanyD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56yIP4IEtlo.
She is one of my favorite youtube makeup gurus and she always creates the best tutorials! Check the video out to learn how to recreate this year's show look. I also love this article on recreating the look by US Magazine: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-beauty/news/the-victorias-secret-fashion-show-recreate-the-hair-and-makeup-20112911


I loved the setup of the show and the different parts that were included. The ballet inspired beginning was fantastic and made me feel like I was in a magical land! The wings were beautiful this year too. 

To watch the full show with no commercials you can go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDI74Q16FCQ&feature=youtu.be

Also, I love this article from Modelinia on 5 interesting facts about yesterday's show:

http://www.modelinia.com/blog/five-facts-about-this-years-victorias-secret-fashion-show/33743

Check out Fashion magazine's article on the top 10 reasons to watch the show and their favorite backstage moments from it:
http://www.fashionmagazine.com/blogs/society/2011/11/29/our-favourite-backstage-moments-and-the-top-10-reasons-to-watch-tonights-victorias-secret-fashion-show/

So what was your favorite part of the show this year?
Which outfit was your absolute FAVE?
Hope you enjoyed this fun and sexy post!
xox
- Gen

Black Friday Deals!

Hello there shopping lovers!

I have some good news for you. Black Friday is finally starting to arrive in Canada AND you can shop online for deals too!  Today I want to share my favorite online Black Friday deals. Here we go:

- Thann skincare is offering 20-40% off this weekend only! I recently tried some of their products and love them!!

- 30% off everything at Charlotte Russe! I love their shoes :)


- Betsey Johnson's website is offering 40% off EVERYTHING. It is an amazing deal and the amount is reduced in your cart. Deffinitely some cute Holiday stuff on the website right now so check it out ASAP! Ends Sunday so hurry up! http://www.betseyjohnson.com/home/index.jsp

- Garage Clothing is offering 40% off as well! Plus free shipping when you spend 50$ or more. They have cute things this time of year, I especially love their cute cozy sweaters! Check it out at http://www.garage.ca/home/index.jsp

- The Gap is offering 60% off of EVERYTHING! http://www.gapcanada.ca/

- Sephora is offering 10$ deals on the 25th of November for packs of products from a bunch of brands (such as a Korres lip and body butter duo!). Check out the preview at:  http://www.facebook.com/Sephora?ref=ts&sk=app_7146470109

- Karmaloop.com has some great Black Friday deals. "25% Off Plus Free Shipping on All Orders Over $60, 25% Off Plus Free Shipping Plus $10 Gift Code All Orders Over $100, 25% Off Plus Free Shipping Plus $20 Gift Code All Orders Over $150, 25% Off Plus Free Shipping Plus $40 Gift Code All Orders Over $250" says the Seventeen.com website! 

- Victoria's Secret is offering a free tote that includes 4 beauty items with any 65$+ purchase. Use the code "FRIDAY" to get this deal.

- M.A.C cosmetics has a special black lipstick that they are re-releasing for ONE DAY ONLY! Check it out on their website before it's gone!

- The fabulous nail polish people at Butter London are giving you 30% off your whole order! Make sure to put in the code "CELEBRATE11" to get your discount!  http://www.butterlondon.com/

- Get 30% off at French Connection until the 28th! Use the code "FCBLKFRI" at http://canada.frenchconnection.com/    I recommend looking at their dresses, they're always stunning!

Have you found anymore fabulous online black friday deals? if so let me know and Ill add them to the list!
Happy shopping loves!!!
xo
- Gen

Street Style Sunday #1

Hey guys!

So I've decided to start up a new series here on the blog. Every Sunday, I will feature street style pictures that I have taken in Ottawa or around it (Montreal, Toronto, etc.). These are just people I see anywhere: on the streets, at a movie theatre, etc. Anywhere. They are people that I have passed by and thought they had incredible and unique style.

To start off this series I wanted to share these pictures of two guys I met with awesome style! They both had great Fall style so I figured this would be a good way to kick off this series:

This stylish guy's name is Kraemer. I absolutely loved his jacket. Not many guys try and pull off white but they really should! The plaid shirt he has on looks great poking out from his white jacket and he had an awesome across-the-shoulder bag. His jeans are sleek and his shoes are not flashy and look nice and muted with the rest of the outfit. Love it! 

I actually forgot to get this wonderful guy's name! I saw him while coming out of the movie theatre and just had to stop him. Another men's coat that I love! It looks so cozy but at the same time suited him so well. He had on some nice shoes and I love the white collared shirt. Also, don't you just love that haircut? I really do and I think his outfit really suits him well. Why can't all men dress like this?!

Well I hope you guys liked this first installement in my Street Style Sunday series!

Let me know what you think of these fabulous men and their sense of style.

Remember that you can write me anytime to request posts at genfaveblogger@hotmail.com

and follow me on twitter @canadianbeautyg

xo

- Gen



A Glittery Obsession

Hello again my loves!
So I briefly mentioned my obsession with glitter and sequins in my behind the scenes of the Fave cover test shoot post. Well prepare to be blown away by sparkly things. Glitter is my newest addiction and you can find it EVERYWHERE right now, especially since it's the holiday season. I love how chic and girly glitter is. It's so fun and adds something extra to any outfit. Glitter stands out in a crowd and is a bold statement that says you're not afraid to have a little fun. It is also a huge trend right now and I've definitely seen it all over the runways mixed with the heavy metal trend.

Let me show you a few pieces that I have literally been day dreaming about....starting with the ultimate in my glittery fantasies:

This dress is from Melanie Lyne. I have never even thought about going into this store until the other day when I spotted this absolutely gorgeous number in the window display. It is eye catching, fun, sexy and everything I see in my dreams haha. This dress is exquisite and will definitely make you stand out in a crowd. I know I'm lusting after it! What about you?  It's $285 but honestly the most beautiful glittery number I have ever laid eyes upon. Yes, I am in love.

I know, I know. Toms seem to be the latest "tacky" shoe obsession these days. But I find these utterly adorable. They're a fun and sparkly take on a boring old sneaker and you can wear them anywhere! They add fun to your daily outfit and come in this cute pink color (the black ones are nice too if you want to stick to something a little less crazy but still glittery!).

These beautiful pieces can be found at Suzy Shier and guess what? they're both under 40$! You have to check out their amazing new Holiday collection called "Glitterati". They have alot of cute pieces with fun sequins at great prices. I absolutely love the stuff they have instore right now:
http://www.suzyshier.com/eng/gallery-Glitterati

Glitter heels are probably the biggest thing I am seeing right now. This lovely pair is from TopShop and I adore them. I recently bought a pair of flats that have kind of the same multi colored glitter and now I am dying for these heels! Check these killer heels out at http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=3460507&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208542&parent_categoryId=208492&pageSize=20&refinements=Colour{1}~[multi]&noOfRefinements=1

[The flats that I bought are these ones: http://canada.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=footwr&ProductID=2000032293]

If you don't wanna go all-out glitter dress you can definitely wear a sparkly top like this! Perfect for going out and you will deffinitely catch somebody's eye.

Even the new OPI Muppets nail polish collection is full of glitter! It's deffinitely a nail trend right now and the colors in this collection are gorgeous. I already picked up the blue and purple glitter ones! Another trend that's been big as far as glitter and nails go is painting all of your nails one color and then putting a glitter polish over one nail per hand. I like to do it on the ring finger and I've been seeing this every lately. It adds a little unexpected pop of shimmer to your nails.

So much glitter, so little time...

I hope you guys enjoyed this fun sparkly post!

Always getting my glitter on,

xo

- Gen