Black Friday is coming up!

With Black Friday just a few days away, online (and offline) shoppers are getting ready to snag some of the great deals that will be going on at all the major retailers.

For those that don't know, Black Friday is the name given to the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States, also known as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

Many people like to get their Christmas shopping done early, and sites like Amazon.com make it easy, inexpensive and convenient to do so. On Amazon you can buy anything from books to technology to beauty products. If you can think of it, chances are you can and will find it on Amazon.com. Amazon even goes as far as giving suggestions to what they think your gift recipient might like.

Also, here is an interesting Black Friday statistics infographic that was sent to me:




Source: WomensPersonalFinance.net

Top Celebrity Photographers Markus Klinko & Indrani Release "ICONS"

Top celebrity photographers, Markus Klinko and Indrani, have recently released their first coffee table book on November 13th, called Icons: The Celebrity Exposures of Markus and Indrani.

Above: ICONS © 2012 by Markus + Indrani, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group

Markus and Indrani are well-known for their outstanding teamwork and for being the hottest duo in celebrity and fashion photography. Additionally, they starred with their stylist GK Reid in the Bravo TV series called Double Exposure, which received excellent feedback from all over the world and was aired in over 100 countries. Markus discussed Double Exposure in his interview with AH Life & Style.

Above: ICONS © 2012 by Markus + Indrani, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group

Before becoming world-famous photographers, Markus was a classical harpist while Indrani had a successful career as a model. It wasn't too long after they met that they were able to unleash their potential and excel at celebrity and fashion photography. Today, they are known as "two of photography's biggest talents."

Above: ICONS © 2012 by Markus + Indrani, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group

Markus and Indrani have worked with some of the biggest celebrities of our time. They have produced album covers for Beyonce, Mariah Carey, David Bowie and many others.  The duo have shot everyone from Lady Gaga to KateWinslet, Jay-Z, Lindsay Lohan, and Naomi Campbell.
It is not a surprise that they were able to put together a 224-page book that showcases 17 years of stunning images of the hottest A-list stars and some of their most notable campaigns that they were involved in. The images in the book are truly iconic, and there is definitely no better way to name it.

Above: ICONS © 2012 by Markus + Indrani, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group

Icons: The Celebrity Exposures of Markus and Indrani is a great book for everyone from celebrity fanatics, to fashion lovers, to artists to photographers. It would also make a great gift for anyone who loves to look at stunning images, for photographers who are looking for inspiration and for fans of celebrities. The kindle edition of this amazing coffee table book is also available. Their goal with this book is to make their best images available to everyone at a price people can afford.

Check out Markus & Indrani's website, as well as like their Facebook page.

You can read more about the book on Elle, and Huffington post.

Images on this page have been reposted with permission of Markus Klinko, copyright Markus & Indrani.




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Interview with Public Myth Clothing Designer Kerry Pollock

I am thrilled to have been able to interview Kerry Pollock, the founder of Public Myth. Public Myth is a unique Vancouver-based active wear company.  Traditionally, fitness clothes were not meant to be fashionable, but Kerry's designs are living proof that fitness clothing can be fashionable, stylish and comfortable. Kerry is passionate about fitness and it shows! Kerry is very talented and Public Myth is a great company.

AVIVA:What inspired you to start Public Myth?

KERRY POLLOCK: The lack of style in active and yoga wear, I wanted to create a line with style, attitude and rock n' roll flare.

 

 

 

 

AVIVA: What is your favorite thing about designing clothing?

KP: When I meet someone wearing pieces from my line and they tell you how much they love it.

AVIVA: Could you tell us more about your company's vision?

KP: To bring style into active/yoga wear while investing in ecologically sound practices, including local manufacturing in Vancouver and using eco-friendly fabrics like bamboo.

AVIVA: What do you feel sets you apart from other fitness clothing companies?

KP: The designs, I bring influences from the rest of the fashion world. Also, attention to detail including zippers, buttons, mesh panels and metallic stitching that doesn't look like your typical yoga line. The leggings have diverse designs that can be dressed up with you favorite boots to head out on the town or throw on a pair of runners with a sports top and hit the seawall. Some of the pieces aren't for every girl out there, but definitely for the fit and confident ones that know what they want in life.

 

AVIVA: What do you look for in models that you select for your shoots?

KP: I have mostly worked with models looking for industry experience and am more focusing for the future on working with models who have a natural healthy look and who choose to live a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes the look also depends on the kind of shoot I want to do, just like fashion looks always change!

AVIVA: What is your biggest influence as a designer?

KP: Rock n' Roll, California and European Fashion.

 

AVIVA: What are your other passions, hobbies and interests?

KP: I'm a bit of a health nut so eating healthy is big. I'm always keeping active including the gym, mountain biking and getting my vitamin D from doing anything active in the sunshine (when it's around).

AVIVA: Name your top three travel destinations?

KP: I work too much to travel but I love Southern California, would also like to visit Germany and Australia.

 

 

AVIVA: If you could meet any famous fitness person, who would it be?

KP: Tough question, not a big person in awe of celebrities but I have amazing respect for several rock bands that fought hard to make it big. So, on that note, I would probably pick Josh Todd of Buck Cherry just to hear some stories of the 10 + year battle they went through to make their passion for music a career. I find bands that have these stories in their music to be a big inspiration.

AVIVA: Do you have any additional comments?

KP: Live with passion!

You can also like Public Myth on FACEBOOK.The photos displayed in this blog post were copied from the Public Myth website.

P.S. I would also like to thank Kerry for the beautiful pieces that were sent to me from Public Myth. :)

Prominent Makeup: Only for Shoots and Special Occasions!

In our society, there is a lot of emphasis on women having to wear makeup every day. I even heard of some spending hours doing makeup before leaving the house to run some errands (they must have a lot of time on their hands)!!

On regular days, I don't wear make-up at all, not even concealer. Being a student and having limited time to spend in front of the mirror is one reason for not wearing make-up. The other reason is that I don't want to have clogged up pores.

Today, the worldwide spending on cosmetics is estimated at $19 billion a year. Makeup is a subset of the general category of "cosmetics" which refers to products that are primarily used to alter a user's appearance. Daily use of make-up could get expensive.

My goal with this post is to let women know that they do not need to wear face-altering makeup every day to be considered "beautiful".

In my opinion, I think that the use of prominent makeup should be limited to special occasions (or if you're a model, photoshoots). I definitely limit make-up only to photoshoots.

First, using too much makeup is not very good for the skin because it does not allow the skin to breathe (of course, this depends on the make-up). Some make-up even clogs the pores too, which can cause breakouts.

Second, many guys don't like it when women wear too much make-up (I actually surveyed some guys about this one), because the less make-up a woman wears, the less she appears to be "hiding" and thus is more confident in herself. Many women use make-up as a security blanket, or feel like they are not pretty enough if they don't wear make-up. The truth is, YOU are beautiful.

Third, sometimes it is best to be yourself and be natural. I think that it is very important for a woman to have confidence in herself without having to cover her face in 2 lbs of concealer and face-altering eye shadows. Then again, that is only my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I like make up, just not all the time.

What do you think about make-up? Is it something that you wear to special occasions, or can you not leave the house without it?

GUEST POST: Martha’s Vineyard Wedding Ideas for a Perfect Vineyard Wedding

If you are planning to have a vineyard theme wedding, you should definitely check out Martha's Vineyard wedding ideas.

Flowers

• For your bouquet:

When you choose the flowers for your vineyard wedding bouquet, be sure to pick out flowers that go with the theme and the venue of your wedding. Calla lilies and roses that have a red wine hue coupled with fern and green berries that provide the hint of green to your bouquet is just what you need.

 

• For the centerpieces:

To ensure that your centerpieces are also designed keeping the theme of your wedding in mind, be sure to decorate them with roses, calla lilies as well as ferns. Remember to use a water filled tray which will help keep your centerpiece fresh throughout the ceremony and reception. Ask your local florist to show you some options.

 Flavors

Goodie box filled with vine goodies is just the right favor to give your guests. The goodie box can comprise of a bottle of wine from the vineyard, chocolates and cheese to go with the wine and a thank you note or card from the bride and groom. You could also go in for boxes of grape flavored jelly beans packaged in wood veneer boxes that look like a wine barrel.

Cake

You can bring in a little bit of your venue into the cake, and you can do this by ordering a wine inspired cake. Also instead of using a regular table to hold your grand cake, you can use a wine barrel as it makes the perfect stand for your cake during your wedding.

Candle holders

Instead of the regular candle stand and light holders, you can use wine bottle lights which is nothing but a wine bottle with a candle inside it.

These are some of Martha’s Vineyard wedding ideas which will help add that extra touch of uniqueness to your special day.
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Guest Post: From Military Boots to Tactical Gear!

Professions that involve risk often require commitment of the mind and body. Having been in the army for three years I know I cannot have equipment or gear I cannot fully rely on. Given the nature of the job, your gear has quite a lot of rough use to last through and investing in clothes and boots that last through some hard physical activities and terrains is very vital. One of my favorite choices to shop for combat boots is definitely Afmo.com. You can find that they have a variety of boots along with many other great products I have reviewed below.

Amazing tactical gear from chest and thigh rigs to sniper gear to tactical belts, they offer great variety and amazing quality. You can find a range of products that are geared for all kinds of terrains and work with the existing army camouflage colors. All products are waterproof and follow army guidelines.

Uniform. All uniforms are designed to provide maximum coverage and protection, while being extremely comfortable to wear. From fire fighter uniforms to tactical shirts and pants to digital battle jackets, there is hardly anything you cannot find here. All uniforms are designed with snag free pockets and run from an extra small size to 3 times extra-large.

Bags and Packs. You can find extremely spacious and durable backpacks and bags here, from shoulder packs to day packs to messenger bags to ammo bags; there are a number of options you can choose from, depending on your activity. For hikes and exercises there are tactical bags that offer a lot of space for water, food, ammo and communication equipment. The gear slingers are also very popular since they provide great space but distribute the carrying weight effectively, making carrying it about less of a hassle.

Footwear. The footwear is definitely remarkable. Not only can you can find all the top brands here, you can also find shoes that are extremely low priced! Just some of the reasons to shop for your military footwear here:

The shoes are 100% waterproof and breathable and have lining that keeps your feet dry even when the shoes are wet! The material used to make the shoes is easily cleanable, extremely long lasting and resistant to rough elements. The shoes are also designed to provide stability and grip.So visit their website today and shop for some long lasting, amazing gear at incredibly low prices.

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Disclosure: Sponsored guest post by AFMO