Quatre a la Mode

Four girls from Hamilton explore the ins and out of what is wrong with the Canadian fashion industry today.

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WTF Our Editors Plan to do in Fashion Post-University: A Critical Reflection Series

Catch our anxieties, goals and ultimate game plans below:

Rachel:

Next year I plan to attend Humber college completing the Fashion Management and Promotions graduate certificate. I would love to begin work in visual merchandising, buying or personal shopping for of course Saks. Ideally I will be combining my love for creativity in fashion and the business knowledge I’ve learned while in Communications. 

I could not have asked for a better four girls to complete this blog with and I hope we will all continue to post while we go our separate ways!

Kaitlynn:

My plans for the future involve working my ass off towards being the next Kelly Cutrone. I’m going to be attending Humber College’s Postgraduate Public Relations Certificate Program in September. I’ve always been super interested in the world of PR, and of course I want to mix that up with working in the fashion industry. I’d love to get a job working for Toronto-based fashion PR agencies like NKPR or Faulhaber Communications, but ideally People’s Revolution in New York City is the ultimate goal. 

I’ll be seeing y’all at the fashion shows I’ll be coordinating! 

Nezariel:

My ideal goal’s to sleep in after exams for at least five days consecutively. But let’s be real, that’s something any post-graduate should be doing when we’ve got student loans to pay. So instead, I’ll be writing about everything from Kylie Jenner’s wigs to what to wear to work post-break up for FLARE. And that’s just as cool as sleeping, right? 

My plans as a writer and artist in the long-haul are to do exactly what I’m doing now. Luckily for me, I have the opportunity to do my dream job so young. Somewhere in the near future, once Drake and I get married, I hope eventually become some-sort of digital editor somewhere abroad. Mixing fashion and travel’s the ultimate goal, so even if a job pays me $11 an hour and makes that possible, I’ll take it. Cus’ more money, mo’ problems, right? 

Alexx:

I will be attending the Humber Fashion Management and Promotions program along with Rachel next year. My ultimate goals are to work in the beauty industry while using my skills in media. 

This thesis project was a great way to express my thoughts and opinions on fashion and I hope to continue it through out the years!

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One size fits all is a trend that has become popular in mainstream fashion over the past couple years, no one can pinpoint the exact start up of one size fits all but it began to blossom when Brandy Melville came onto the scene. 

Today, we’re going to look at three different retailers, these include Brandy Melville, American Eagle and Oak & Fort. 

BRANDY MELVILLE 

Brandy Melville is an American company that first started in California. They peaked popularity in 2012 for their trendy take on their clothes. Brandy Melville also received negative backlash for their one size fits all model. Most of Brandy Melville’s sizes fit a xs/s and barely fit on a large sized woman. Making Brandy Melville’s one size fits all - FICTION

AMERICAN EAGLE 

American Eagle has been around since the late 1970s and has been fairly relevant ever since. American Eagle recently introduced their line, ‘Don’t Ask Why’ 

Don’t Ask Why is American Eagle’s one size fits all brand, unlike Brandy Melville, American Eagle offers up sizes xS-2X L while Brandy Melville only offers one size for most of their clothing. 

I own multiple articles of clothing from American Eagle’s Don’t Ask Why and as a bigger women, the clothes fit me wonderfully. 

I also have friends who range from xs, to medium and the clothes fit them as well. - FACT

OAK & FORT 

Oak & Fort is a Canadian based company that focuses on a minimalist style. The company has many one size fits all pieces, and since the pieces are mostly following the oversized trend they can fit many different shapes and body sizes. These clothes are aiming for the baggy, boxy and oversized look and they accomplish that from small to x-large sizes. - FACT

Overall, depending on the brand, one size fits all can fit a variety of bodies or one single type. It can be a frustrating process trying these articles on, but if you’re lucky you can find a diamond in the rough. 

Written by: Alexx Syer

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Q4: SUMMER ESSENTIALS FOR 2016

With school coming to an end and spring on it’s merry way (even though it still feels like winter) we here at Q4 all have summer on the mind! We put together the ultimate summer essentials guide to help assist you to make sure summer 2016 is the best one yet!

1) A good water bottle 

Staying hydrated in the summer is a must, and that’s why purchasing a good water bottle is essential! Don’t like drinking boring old water? Try infusing some water with fruit to shake things up a bit.

2) A Summer Scent

Summer time is all about feeling fresh, floral and free, so who wouldn’t want to  express those feelings with a matching scent? Smell your best this summer with a signature scent. Marc Jacob’s Honey and Replica’s Beach walk are some of our favourites!

3) A Book Worth Your Time

I know we JUST finished school and summer is a time to relax, but what’s a better way to relax than with a good book! Summer time gives us the freedom to read what we want, so you know that book you picked up in December? Now is your chance to finally read it.

4) A Go-To Pair of Sunnies

Sunglasses are the perfect accessory for the summer time, and finding a pair that you love can be impossible. But when you find that perfect pair, you will be inseparable the whole summer. 

5) Small, but Bottomless Bag

In the summer, we’re out and about all the time and no one wants to be walking around carrying a tote that weighs an arm and a leg. Invest in a small, versatile, satchel that still fits everything you need. Your back will be thanking me, I promise!

We hope you liked our summer essentials list! Reply if there’s a summer essential we missed that you can’t live without. 

Until next time, 

Q4 - xoxox Written by: Alexx Syer 

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Let’s talk about menswear..

Boys talk about.... Fashion? The serious lack of representation that menswear gets in the Canadian fashion industry is more than frustrating to many. Quatre A La Mode interviewed 3 guys to discover their struggles with being a guy who loves fashion. 

How did you become interested in fashion? Boy 1:  Growing up, I did not come from a family of means. Barely able to pay rent and cover food, purchasing clothing fell to the bottom of the list of priorities in my household. Whenever my parents did buy us clothes it was usually department store clearance rack deals but other then that rarity, most of my wardrobe came from mismatched and ill-fitted hand-me-downs that my older brother grew out of. Compounding the issue was the fact that I had to wear mandatory uniforms in school. As a creative person I was always outraged at having to wear and equally ill-fitting uniform that were also often hand-me-downs. I was also often bullied at the fact that my school uniform and civilian clothing was compiled of old, tattered, and cheap pieces. At one point in elementary school I can recall classmates of mine taking scissors and threatening to cut my shirt because it wasn’t from a fast-fashion store, but rather Wal-Mart. To me fashion was an extension of my personality, of my creativity, and of my expression. Not only that, but I also learned that it was a symbol of status - to be respected was to be well dressed. Not having a choice in what I wanted to wear for most of my early life was stifling. I resolved almost early on that when I had the opportunity to engage in fashion, I would jump at the chance. When I came to university and started working part-time I finally had the money and the platform to make a statement in regards to my style and slowly but surely I began to hunt deals down and compel a closet that most of my friends envy.

Boy 2: Exposure to social media peaked my interest in fashion. As I became increasingly exposed to things like blogs and style accounts on various platforms, both my awareness and attraction to fashion reached their peak. Boy 3: I would consider my growing interest in fashion to be organic. I have always been interested in DIY culture, especially as a skateboarder I was always destroying my clothes from the sport. After that, I began distressing all of my clothes and caring about “the look” more. I began subscribing to magazines, such as GQ and Fantastic Man (a Holland based magazine) and grew fascinated my minimalist styles.

Do you believe that menswear is underrepresented in the Canadian fashion industry? Boy 1:  I think that menswear is underrepresented in the fashion industry, in general. While in the last few years we’ve seen an explosion in men’s beauty care and fashion products, overall fashion has generally always been seen (in the twentieth century at least) as a woman’s realm. Not only that, but due to the extensive range of items that are necessary in a woman’s wardrobe, catering to that lucrative market is a very smart choice regardless of the detriment it causes men. I find that the Canadian fashion industry is still in its infancy and trying to garner a particular theme, and in such an artistic free-for-all, men’s fashion is considered too much of a niche to be the sole focus of creative talent. The only mainstream company tailored to men in Canada that I can conjure off the top of my head is Frank & Oak. However, in time I hope that the fashion market and industry in this country will become more balanced. Boy 2: I do believe that menswear is underrepresented in the Canadian fashion industry. As someone who is semi-aware of what happens in the world of fashion, I wouldn’t even be able to name a handful of Canadian menswear designers. Boy 3: Definitely. In some areas of Canada, it’s hitting a point where it’s coming to fruition. Like in Toronto, guys are caring more about how their dressing and evolving trends like Nike Roshes amongst men. People tend to forget about famous Canadian actors that are seen as style icons, like Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling and even Drake.

What is one thing you would change about the Canadian fashion industry? Boy 1: I would change two things in the Canadian fashion industry. One, the artistic divide between Montreal and Toronto. And two, the need in Toronto to have clothing lines viewed as aligned with other global cities. While there are obvious cultural and linguistic divides between Quebec and Ontario, all its served to do in the fashion industry is stifle creativity and halt the ability to create a truly recognize Canadian style. Montreal designers need to stop looking down at Toronto as its culturally infantile and Americanized inferior relative in the industry, and Toronto needs to stop snuffing out Quebec influences. Furthermore, because Toronto has tried to market itself as a global city, in line with that of New York, London, and Paris, it has lost the sense of culture and style that have allowed those above mentioned cities to flourish in the first place. Instead of trying to emulate the styles flowing from great European and even American cities it should look to its own roots to cultivate its own fashion icons. Boy 2: One thing I would change about the Canadian fashion industry is to increase their presence over things like social media, where they can garner a wide set audience. I don’t know anything about the Canadian fashion industry and I feel like awareness is key in being able to increase its presence over the global fashion community. Boy 3: I would stop emphasizing American brands, and try to gain recognition for more local startups. Canada has a diverse style, and it needs to be publicized more. Therefore, we need to create more Canadian based men’s fashion magazines and publications.

How do you feel about the assumption that only gay man can work in/belong in the fashion industry? Boy 1:  I think the idea that only gay men can work and belong in the fashion industry is absolutely ridiculous. It’s a tired stereotype that needs to die. Working in both retail and the modeling industry, I have learned that almost everyone regardless of gender or sexual orientation has a creative capacity, and to carry on with such a notion is not only homophobic but also hinders the opportunity for other people to enter the fashion world. In my experience, living with two brothers, and being in those industries, heterosexual men are equally as obsessed with their looks and of fashion as homosexual men and heterosexual women are. The sooner we trash that stereotype, the better. Boy 2: I think its a toxic assumption. I would equate it to any discriminatory belief towards any group in the workplace setting. I know many straight men who are very interested in the fashion industry and I think this type of stereotypical assumption can be detrimental for them. Boy 3: It’s very frustrating. I like to make sure I’m a put together person, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I feel like a lot of straight guys can be really quiet about it, but that shouldn’t be the case. There should be an equal.

How do you feel about the term “metrosexual”? Why do straight men who care about what they look like have to have a label? Boy 1:  I have mixed feelings about the term “metrosexual”. Quite frankly, I feel like its derogatory in nature, and again only serves to feminize someone who shows an interest in fashion, and consistently keeps up with their appearance. Its truly representative of the identity issues and social pressures that men face day to day. However again, living with two brothers I’ve seen how the term can be used to defend an upkeep in appearance while avoiding deeper scrutiny’s of one’s sexual identity. In a world where men are suppose to be hardened creatures of masculine prowess that show no care for themselves or others, the term can be used as a shield to fend off questions and criticisms. For now, while the world is still obsessed with maintaining sexual dichotomies I suppose its acceptable, but its something I’m not happy with. Boy 2: I think people who use the term “metrosexual” have harmless intentions but the word itself can have negative implications. I think the word is an indirect acknowledgement of the stereotype that any man who can dress well is homosexual. I don’t necessarily think that straight men who use this label have malicious intentions, but in the grand scheme of things, the label can perpetuate the stereotype. Boy 3: I have been labelled this numerous times, and have always tried to understand what it exactly means. I don’t use that term, but instead just classify myself as “interested in fashion”. I do my best to show that it’s okay to be interested in fashion, as a straight male. I shouldn’t have to have a label to give me a reason to care about my appearance. We need to start having more conversations about fashion because it’s easy. The Canadian fashion industry needs to reach the peak where California, New York and Europe are at.

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100 YEARS OF MAKE-UP | QUATRE A LA MODE

Alexx looks and models the last 100 years of make-up starting in 1910 and finishing in 2010! FOLLOW US: WEBSITE: WWW.QUATREALAMODE.TUMBLR.COM INSTAGRAM: @QUA...

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Are Canadian Fashion Magazines: Diversity Central or Na? 

We explore the cover star dilemma behind Canadian’s top fashion publications and WTF that means for the industries future in 2016.

Houston, we have a problem:

We’ll be the first to admit Canada’s fashion industry’s got more than a few rough edges to deal with. We try, we struggle and sometimes we prevail compared to our U.S. competitors but when it comes to diversity, Canada deserves a massive F for failure. With indie and art-based publications like FADAR, Complex, LOVE, Wonderland and I-D magazine pushing out consistently diverse celebrity and model features, one has to wonder why there pursuit to do so hasn’t translated into mainstream, Canadian publishing trends as well. 

Does white and/or heterosexual equate for sales? For publishers, that’s never really been the concern. From an insiders perspective, the truth is mainstream publications just love to play it safe. Whenever an issue comes out with a POC on the cover, they’re just trying to save their asses by having at least 1/12 issues fit the diversity bill so audiences don’t get too suspicious. 

Just like any other industry, POC continue to be tokens in Canadian fashion. Used to satisfy the demand from minority audiences to see themselves represented in an industry that’s overwhelmingly white. 

Our solution to this problem, however, has nothing to do with the cover but with those working within the industry. Quick searches of FLARE, ELLE Canada and FASHION magazine’s staff will show an overwhelmingly white majority. Which means they’re the ones dictating what we are being sold to believe is beauty, typically from their own perspective as white consumers, as well. 

U.S. alternative publications do well because they’re staffed with creatives ranging in different ethnic backgrounds. When we ask for diversity, we want that diversity to comes from those who understand it. Not from those who see it from the outside, but within. So Canada, this is us asking you to throw some colour in the mix for once, eh?

BONUS: We’ve given Canada’s top fashion publications an exclusive review, so you don’t have to: 

FLARE Magazine:

FLARE stepped their game up majorly in 2015. 

Big name POC cover stars including Zendaya and Selena Gomez graced their cover on more than one occasion, making all of us non-white ladies scream with glee. Once equally problematic in terms of representation, race hasn’t been the only thing FLARE’s improved on over the past few years, as well. 

With Ellen Page representing the LGBT community in 2014, Rebel Wilson rocking the plus size girls squad in 2016 and Grimes finishing off 2015 for the androgynous of us, FLARE’s got our all-around seal of approval. 

What they’ve gotta improve, though? Well our team mutually agreed we’d love to see more dark skin and asian representation on future covers this year. Focusing only light-skin black girls and excluding the major potential for success in the asian market is not cool, at all. 

ELLE Canada Magazine:

Since ELLE Canada’s a national sector of ELLE International, we recognize the publication doesn’t have full control over their covers. Sadly, however, that does not excuse the disappointing, overwhelming amount of white cover stars and issue-focused content. 

ELLE as an international name should represent an international audience. Searching through the publications series of 2015 issues, you will not see a single POC represented, anywhere. LGTBQ or plus sized figures? Once again, 0. 

Just like Jay would say, we’d love to see ELLE Canada throw some “coloured girls in the mix” this year beyond Beyonce. Until then we’ll be celebrating Bey and their Canadian women of colour issue from March 2016. Which was super amaze and a great step in the right direction, by the way. 

FASHION Magazine:

Oh, FASHION. Thank you for finally changing your white-girl-with-blonde-hair obsessed ways this year. Hitting 2016 up with a bang, FASHION’s become the first and only Canadian publication to give credit to asian audiences with both Olivia Munn and Soo Joo Park on the cover. 

Making their forgettably whitewashed 2015 almost forgivable (almost). 

Diverse in terms of representation within their digital content, we hope to see FASHION take on a more inclusive series of print issues that reflect their potential to be diverse that is so visibly clear online. 

Author: Undisclosed 

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Five pieces to make that spring transition much easier

The transition from winter to spring can be a difficult one. One day it’s 20 degrees and the next day it’s snowing but with these 5 pieces you can make your life for the next month much easier.

Leather Jacket A leather jacket is amazing any time of year. It goes with almost any outfit and makes it look that little bit more stylish no matter what it is. During these months though its perfect to through over any outfit when you need to be just a little bit warmer.

Dark Denim Like the leather jacket dark denim looks good any time of year. They’re the perfect pants to pair with spring tops, sweaters, and jackets while still staying warm.

Spring Scarves Unlike the bulky scarves of the winter, spring scarves are lighter and make an outfit a little more interesting. It adds an extra layer in case you need it but isn’t too bulky and warm.

Light Sweaters and Cardigans Any light sweater is perfect for spring since you can throw it over almost any outfit you have. Pair it with jeans now and a t-shirt dress when the weather gets warmer.

T-Shirt Dresses T-Shirt dresses are a perfect transition piece for the spring. They look great with tights and a leather jacket now or with sandals when the weather finally gets warmer.

Written by Rachel Hayward

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Brand Focus: Kit and Ace

Recently I discovered a fairly new and up and coming brand called Kit and Ace. One of their ads had been on my Facebook a lot recently and I decided I would check them out. As it turns out, the clothes were exactly my style, albeit pretty expensive but I could get past that. The clothes were mostly basics with a very minimalist aesthetic, a lot of them being very reminiscent of the “athleisure” trend. As I was scrolling though and looking through all of the clothes I began to notice something, none of the clothes sized with numbers were sold over a size 10. For a girl, who for the most part, is a size 16 this was really disheartening. Especially when most stores carry up to a size 12, this store was being even more exclusive and only carrying up to a 10. I then clicked on one of the size charts that described what sizes their Small, Medium, and Larges were. I saw that they were carrying an X-Large, but it was described as being the equivalent of a size 10. An X-Large being the equivalent of a size 10? Now I’d say I’m a pretty experienced shopper, I know a lot of different brands, what sizes they carry, how they fit etc. and I have never come across a store who’s claiming that their size X-Large was the same as a size 10. Maybe a size 12 or 14 but never a size 10. With this I decided I wanted to do more research on the brand.

As it turns out, Kit and Ace was founded by Shannon and J.J. Wilson, Wife and son of Chip Wilson, the founder of the very successful Canadian athletic brand Lululemon. He has since stepped down and left Lululemon after much controversy. Specifically in 2013 when he was quoted in a tv interview saying, “Frankly some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for [wearing Lululemon pants]… it’s really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time, how much they use it”. This was his response to many complaints about the Lululemon pants being too see through. He had made it very clear that some customer were just too overweight to make the pants work on their body. I remember hearing about this in 2013 and being very annoyed especially after years of wearing Lululemon, the founder of the company was telling me that I found the pants too see through, well then I was just too overweight.

Even with all of the movement that plus size women have made in recent years it seems as though their are brands who are still so discriminatory and exclusive when it come to the kinds of customers they want to serve. Even this year plus size model, Ashley Graham become one of the cover models on Sports Illustrated. The first plus size women to have ever been on the cover. Why do brands still do this? Why do we even still have to use the term plus size in the first place? Our beauty is beyond our size and that should mean more stores carrying larger sizes without feeling the need to make it a separate entity from the rest of the store.

Written by: Rachel Hayward

Image source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BEE_4eWmFZu/?taken-by=spotspas

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Why Eileen Kelly’s the Sex Heroine America Needed

Should sex in your early twenties really be a bad word?

We fear it, we crave it. So let’s talk about sex. Simply, sex is just a natural curiosity we all experience. So why is it become something we’ve been conditioned to believe exploring’s so wrong? Why is the desire to satisfy our natural urge to be affectionate become deviant?

Being a twenty-something woman, interested in exploring such sexuality, just makes this shit even more complicated. We’ve been conditioned to believe sex is for marriage. Sex is meant to pleasure men, not us. Women who sleep around are shameful. Women with kinks are whores. Women who openly express their comfortability with all of the above? Consider them the devil incarnated.

Can someone cut us some slack?

Over the past five years of becoming a “woman” (a role still unfulfilled in my mind), I’ve never been comfortable talking to anyone about relationships, let alone casual sex. Until the new girl in school—who happened to be a pastors daughter, became my BFF. 

True story:

We’ll call my BFF Sarah (disclosure: that’s not her real name). Sarah, a perfectly petite, doll faced white girl, openly shared with me how much she enjoyed sex and having sex with various people. Especially black men. Sarah said it gave her a rush and that these men never had the same expectations as the white guys in our school did. Which were: a) commitment, b) willingness to let everyone know about their love life and c) submissiveness. Sexually, these men allowed her to be in control. Sex was on Sarah’s watch, not theirs. So whether it was a gang bang, sex in a theatre restroom or just something vanilla—everything was up to Sarah’s disposer. She was the dominate. 

Sarah eventually found love (with a man twelve years her senior), but she left me with life lessons on sex I couldn’t have found anywhere else. Sarah taught me that there’s no such thing as a deviant sexual scenario. What you enjoy is what you enjoy. Whoever it may be with, whatever the circumstance revolves, should always be up to you and your own discretion with your partner. Which lead to my sorrow when I was unable to find anyone entering my twenties with the same sexual ambiguity I needed to hear about as I began to question my own curiosities.

Photos Curtesy of Eileen Kelly

Comparably similar to Sarah in appearance, Eileen Kelly caught my attention in 2014. Her earlier presence on social media had nothing to do with the internet stars well known current sexual advocacy. Rather, Eileen Kelly was just another gorgeous girl with a wickedly enviable lifestyle that made the rest of us curious enough to keep up with her day-to-day journey’s. Now, and shockingly enough, she’s become an idol and muse. Making her digital platform a safe-place for discussing sex for young women like myself. 

One quick search of Kelly’s Instagram will show just how (provocatively) comfortable the twenty-year old is with the subject. Bothering the masses, sparking the curiosity of some and leaving the rest of us inspired. Questioned as a cry for attention, Kelly’s debunked the slut shaming insults thrown her way with the launch of her site, Killer and a Sweet Thang.

Go girl. 

Critical concerns about the innocent-faced star revolve around Kelly’s presence online promoting the “Lolita” vibe that attracts and promotes pedophilia. One that Kelly strongly denies and argues as something she does not support or hopes to achieve.

Written, unlike her digital achieve of self portraits, Kelly’s blog offers up a plethora of advice for those like myself who may be clueless about topics ranging from breakups to what a “normal” vagina should look like. Making the conversation a lot more personal and one-on-one-esque. 

For someone with similarly young features in her twenties, I strongly stand in favour of Kelly. Yes, there’s no denying she could easily pass for a teen, but why does that mean she has to act like it? When it comes to hyper-sexualizing young women, we need to be pointing fingers at those who enjoy it when they really shouldn’t be. You know those grown men with families that creep online while their wives are asleep? They’re the concern, not us.

Realistically (aside from school), being twenty-something’s all about sex. That’s why we need Eileen and more women our age who are willing to open up discussions that the rest of us are too timid to admit or question out-loud. 

Sure, there will always be the wondering eyes of older men or those who are disapproving, but that comes with the territory of discussing anything serious.

So for now, we suggest you check out and support Eileen and her cause. 

Much love,

Q4

Written by: Nezariel Scott

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Womenswear vs. Menswear

There’s no doubt that the majority of the fashion industry is run by women. Women designing clothes for other women. Women deciding what is trendy amongst womenswear. And women being the number one demographic for fashion. But what happens when men are interested in fashion?

I have had experience working in both TOMFW (Toronto Men’s Fashion Week) and TFW (Toronto Fashion Week), both showcasing the best Canadian designers for womenswear and menswear. In both these experiences I have noticed a big difference in exposure and popularity amongst these events. Obviously, Toronto Fashion Week was a much bigger event. It brought in exposure from the largest Canadian media outlets and was attended by many Canadian celebrities, including Meghan Markle, Wayne Gretzky, and Winnie Harlow to name a few. The seats were filled quickly, and the venue was much bigger than TOMFW’s venue. As I compared working and attending these two events, I wondered what about womenswear makes it so much more appealing? Why did Toronto Fashion Week have more media outlets in attendance than Toronto Men’s Fashion Week? They’re both showcasing brilliant Canadian talent, that revolves around clothing design. And some even showcase the exact same designers!

The idea that society has not yet given the chance for men to express their identities through clothing, like women, has crossed my mind. Men that are involved in the fashion industry are often labelled as “metrosexual” or “homosexual”, but why can’t a man that expresses himself through different outfits just be human? No labels. Why does the word “fashion” connote feminine ideologies? 

It’s interesting to look at the success of other Men’s Fashion Weeks, such as New York Fashion Week: Men’s and London Collections Men. NYFWM is one of the biggest running men’s fashion weeks, and brings in exposure on all platforms. Even when you Google NYFWM, you get about 7.6 million results (London follows suit with 4 million results), whereas with TOMFW you get a little over 1 million results. There is clearly a lack of interest in menswear in Canada, and I believe that this is a definite result of the conservative views of the Canadian fashion industry.

Quatre a la Mode is geared towards showing you how the Canadian fashion industry differs in comparison to other nations. The lack of representation and exposure of menswear is just one example of how Canadian fashion needs to be more engaging and modern. 

Written by Kaitlynn Jong

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Makeup means something different to everyone. 

Whether it’s a way of expressing yourself or simply to cover those pesky blemishes, we’ve all thought about it in one way or another. Even if you’ve never worn makeup a day in your life, you’ve thought about it, seeing how it looks on someone else, or maybe imagining how it could look on you. Women and Men have been using makeup for years, now while it’s come a long way from its early ingredients the use still stays the same.

We wanted to explore why some people use makeup and what it means to them. We asked around and here are the answers we were given.

Emily H. // 18 I think makeup means being able to cover things I feel insecure about, but also being able to highlight features I really like about myself. I think it's just fun, too, to be able to express yourself through your makeup everyday. Like if I give no f***s I won't wear makeup but if I feel like wearing pink eyeliner, I'm gonna wear pink eyeliner!

Melanie M. // 21 Makeup to me means feeling beautiful, giving myself that extra confidence boost I need to face my day. It means taking time for myself and experimenting with new eyeshadows and products that i discover. Indulging in the latest and greatest because I enjoy makeup and the art of it all. Makeup is an exciting part of my day, a chance to try new things and conquer new techniques.

Meagan M. // 25 I wear makeup for lots of reasons. Mainly because I look awful without it. And that's totally because society has conditioned me to feel that way, they need us to keep spending our money on that shit but I'm happy to do so because doing my make up everyday is a lot of fun.

Stephanie P. // 25 I wear make up to make me look more human, I have a very pale complexion due to being English and when I don't put a little bit of eyeliner, mascara and foundation on people ask me if I'm ill. I don't use it to hide imperfections or because I feel insecure I wear it to make it through a day without reassuring the world I'm not knocking on deaths door.

Nina C. // 21 I wear make up to meet society norms and standards. I rarely wear make up during the week, the most I'll do is fill in my eyebrows (because that's apparently really in right now) and wear mascara. I don't like the feeling of wearing make up, which is probably because I use not-so-great products, but I also don't want to spend a lot of money on make up just so it feels better, because I probably would still rarely wear it. I wear make up for special occasions, like weddings and stuff, but it's always really natural looking, nothing heavy, like no eyeliner or blush or coloured lip stuff.

Nicole // 21 I just started wearing makeup back in October, and honestly it just started mostly because the one day, I was looking at my reflection in the mirror and noticed that maybe my eyes could have used a little bit of something to help pop behind my glasses; they looked a little dull that day. From there I started trying new things and learning how to use different products: eyeliner, mascara, even eyeshadows for rare/special occasions, and I even branched off into other cosmetics like concealers and lipsticks (in all fairness though I started mildly using lipsticks a while ago since some morning my lips are the same colour as my skin and I look dead; it gave me colour to look a little bit more alive). Now I wear it for the most part during school (maybe a few days here and there I'll put it on), but even then it's very minimal; eyeliner and maybe some mascara, depending on what I wear. I realized I base my makeup (if I wear it) on what I wear. Is that sad? I think that's a little sad, I have so many better things to do with my time, jesus. After using it since then and giving it a shot, honestly to me it just makes me feel like I'm caring a little bit more about my appearance, and trying to look a little more than normal. Don't get me wrong, if I can still go days without makeup I absolutely will, because then I can sleep in longer, and this just kills my wallet. Now when I look at myself with makeup on, I feel like I stand out a bit more; maybe it's because I notice my eyes have that pop I thought they needed before, or maybe it's because I've applied everything horribly wrong. Regardless though, it makes me feel like it's an extra 10 minutes of effort that now goes a long way and just makes that difference between an everyday face and maybe something more. It's a change, and I've been getting to the point where I'm slowly realizing I need it now (not the makeup the change) Plus everything at Sephora is super cute and nice, I would buy that entire store if I had the money lmfao

Ryan // 21 I find wearing makeup enhances the parts you love about your face and maybe reduces what you might not like about it. It makes you feel confident which makes you perform better. For me, it helps me feel like I can take on whatever. Even if it's a stroke of mascara or a little bit of brow makeup, I find my confidence is increased.

Meagan // 22 I find it therapeutic to put it on, and it lets me be creative without having to make specific time to do an art project!

Elaine W. // 21 Putting on makeup in the morning is "my time". I find it very relaxing and allows me to think about my day. I don't wear much makeup, but I take a while to put it on because I am always caught up in the moment.

Our society really has conditioned us to think about makeup in a negative way. A way to hide our imperfections and mask ourselves to the world giving people a different impression of our real selves. After talking to some people about this though, it seemed as though many of us realize makeup’s capabilities of hiding our imperfections but don’t necessarily use it in that way. Makeup for a lot of us is a way to improve our self esteem and make us feel better about ourselves on a daily basis. For some of us it’s exciting and for some of us it feels like a burden just to put on yet it is still very prevalent in all of our lives. Makeup, like fashion, can be an amazing way to express your personality and creativity. For me, its therapeutic, a way to make time for myself in the mornings, a time where for most of us is very busy and hectic. I enjoy applying makeup and buying it,  since it allows me to express my creativity through another outlet. It becomes a way for some people to bond over a topic they love and create friends through it as well. While it is often seen as a constructed commodity to form women specifically into a certain stereotype, even often excluding men from the conversation. It is important to remember that with time, makeup has become an amazing art form that many people have become included in and expressed and introduced their own creativity in.

Written by Rachel Hayward

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We investigate the most gender-fluid style icons in K-Pop:

Unlike any other music industry in the world, K-Pop’s become a realm for gender ambiguity — within fashion and beauty. Although Korea’s notoriously remained a not-so-sanctuary place for those who identify as queer, the country has no problem embracing appearance divergences worthy of head turns in North America. Men in makeup, chokers and head-to-toe pastels? No problem. But gay? Then there’s an issue. But things are changing, so find out which K-Pop stars and their ambiguous appearances are (intentionally or not) paving the way towards the country’s social acceptance of queerness below:  

Amber of F(X): 

We have so much respect for Amber. Throughout her journey of coming to Seoul from Los Angeles, Amber never gave up who she was. Always more comfortable dressing in menswear over women’s apparel, Amber initially grew up a tomboy. Her love for androgyny followed her into adulthood  — becoming problematic when the Los Angles native rose to idol status in Korea. 

It’s clear to see androgyny is not as trendy as it is for men with women within the K-Pop industry. With many factors to blame, including the largely depended upon appeal of female sexuality, targeted at male audiences. Ideally, women in Korea are expected to be delicate, mysterious, girly and/or sexy. Unable to adapt to these standards, Amber stood her ground with the debut of her group F(X) by staying as true to herself as possible. Although they put her in everything from heels to skirts, Amber’s company SM Entertainment ultimately realized Amber was more valuable the way she was. 

Now you can find the star doing her thing everywhere from music to Youtube in her favourite pair of sneakers, a tee and some shorts. Just the way she likes it. And with all those female fans around the world, we have to agree it’s working in her favour. 

G-Dragon of BIGBANG:

Being the king of K-Pop’s no easy task. G-Dragon’s paved the way for idols across Korea with his unique sense of style, ambitious approach to music and ultimately unparalleled talent. In his earlier days, G-Dragon began to experiment within the group BIGBANG with makeup, wigs and costume attire that made conservative Koreans uncomfortable. Against the norm, this idol began to push boundaries the industry had never seen before. Paving the way for future generations to embrace their eccentricity within their craft. 

Advocate about fashion, G-Dragon continues to inspire fans across the world to wear whatever works for them on a global scale. Whether he’s sitting front row at Chanel, hanging out with his model girlfriend Kiko or gracing the covers of Vogue, Dazed and W Korea — G-Dragon’s fluid approach to style’s here to stay. No matter what his #haters have to say.  

Key of Shinee:

Controversy around this idols sexuality never stops. Sure, although he claims to be straight there’s a strong possibility he may be lying. But in respect to his privacy and the pressures to not come out within K-Pop, Key’s fans have mellowed down with their suspicions and embraced this idols masculine femininity for what it is: and that is fabulous. 

Willing to wear virtually anything, Key’s style remains playful and daring. Consistently on trend with both men and women’s high fashion. But it’s not just what he wears that makes Key great. This idol loves to share his beauty secrets, too. Whether it’s a diet trick, facial cleanser recommendation or a trusted morning makeup routine, Key has no problem taking pride in how well he maintains his appearance. Many North American male celebrities hate to disclose the fact they wear makeup — but not Key. And for that, we love him. 

Bam Bam of GOT7:

Bam Bam’s such a firecracker, right? This young member of GOT7 always takes a fashion risk because he KNOWS he can pull it off. Enviable of his confidence, we always get a good laugh out of Bam Bam’s admittance of how much appearance means to him. Most specifically in the above video where he teaches fellow member Jackson how to get on his level. So cute, right? 

We can only expect this girl-group loving, bubble of joy to exceed out expectations in the future when it comes to his fluid approach to style, as well. 

Tae Hyun of WINNER: 

Tae Hyun of Winner’s the coolest of the bunch. This up-and-coming rookie’s bad boy concept has a feminine touch that takes us back in time. Reminiscent of Mick Jagger and David Bowie, Tae Hyun has no problem taking a style or beauty risk for the sake of his art. 

Recently with the comeback of his group WINNER, this young idol’s been killing it with his blonde locks, choker obsession and ruggedly femme wardrobe. Proving that being bad can also be a bit dainty, too. 

Written by: Nezariel Scott

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THE LOWDOWN:

BRTC’s ‘Animal Mask’ - The final product I was testing was a mask by BRTC. The company makes a variety of animal masks including shark, sparrow and the one I tried, horse. These masks are not only hilarious, but also effective! These masks were also moisturizing and ironically have horse oil as an ingredient. These masks are great for before bed, when I wake up the next morning I have a hydrated base and am ready to seize the day! Overall rating: 4/5

Mediheal’s ‘Pore Clean Charcoal Cleansing Foam’ - This cleansing foam’s purpose is described to rid of black and whiteheads while also removing other impurities. I have been using this cleanser regularly for the past two weeks and I have to say I have been seeing improvements. I use this in the shower with my clarisonic to get the best results / get it at it’s foamiest!

In the few weeks of using it, I have noticed that my breakouts have decreased and my skin looks more clear. Overall rating: 4/5

Mediheal’s ‘Dress Code Blue’ - This mask is also referred to as the ‘aqua mask’ which relates to it’s purpose. With the Dress Code Blue mask, you’re going to get hydrated and refreshed skin after using the product. With someone who has skin dryer than the sahara desert, I was super excited to try this!

After wearing the mask for 20-30 minutes, I have never had such hydrated skin. I struggle with keeping my skin hydrated but this mask kept my skin moisturized and beaming for the next few days, my make-up also applied beautifully as a result.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Written by: Alexx Syer

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THE LOWDOWN:

Egg Mousse Pack: This mask is a life savour when my skin is having a dry day. While my skin is mostly oily sometimes I can get dry patches from the acne treatments and skincare I use. I’ll use this 20 mins before I need to do my makeup and my foundation goes on flawlessly afterwards.

Pink Lemonade Face Mask: First of all these masks smell amazing! Very citrusy and zingy perfect is you want to use a face mask in the morning to wake yourself up. Immediately after using my first mask my skin looked brighter and more even. I’m hoping over time these will help with my many pesky acne scars. So far these get two thumbs up from me!

Pig-Nose Clear Black Head 3-Step Kit: Now this was unlike anything I had ever tried before. Of course I’ve tried the simple nose strips in the past that never seem to really get anything out of your pores so I was seriously curious if this would work better. The three step system comes with a pre-serum, the nose strip, and a balm to use afterwards. Now while I don’t know if it worked much better than a regular nose strip the process was really cool and I definitely had less noticeable blackheads afterwards!

Written by Rachel Hayward

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4 Looks We Guarantee Hong Seol Would Wear (For Less) This Spring 

Gif Credit:  http://kimp05.tumblr.com/

Since the finale of Cheese in the Trap we’ve been holding onto the series as long as we possibly can. Seriously guys, how can it be already over!? Zoning out into the world of Hong Seol became a weeknight ritual we’re not ready to let go of. From the eye candy, the storyline and to Seol’s style  —  this has to be our favourite drama to date. Similarly to Son Min-Soo, we sorta wanna be like Hong now. With our starting point heading straight to the wardrobe department: 

One of our favourite qualities about Hong Seol was her relatable experiences as a student. Just like us, homegirl is balling on a tight budget. With the new season upon us, we thought it would be fun to create potential outfits we could see our fave leading lady wearing to class, on a date or even to an interview. Since we all know how ambitious Seol can be. We hope you enjoy and get inspired! Much love, Quatre a la Mode. 

Recreate Seol’s style with these four looks for a student budget:

Outfit One:

Zara checked organic cotton dress ($45.90), at zara.com. 

Wilfred Free Aronson sweater ($115), at aritzia.com.

Marc Jacobs nylon biker backpack ($253.15), at revolveclothing.com.

American Apparel dancing shoe ($31.00), at americanapparel.com. 

Outfit Two:

LNA slub jersey t-shirt ($40), at theoutnet.com. 

Topshop lightweight shackett jacket ($73.61), at topshop.com.

H&M super skinny low ripped jeans ($39.99), at hm.com. 

New Balance 300 court sneakers ($148.16), at asos.com.

Outfit Three:

StyleNanda Find Teen strip-t ($23.51), at stylenanda.com.

H&M cap ($14.99), at hm.com.

Topshop Petite Moto high waist mini skirt ($54.73), at topshop.com.

Comme des Garçons PLAY x Converse ($155.00), at ssense.com. 

Outfit Four:

Chuck Taylor Converse ($60), at net-a-porter.com. 

Mango straight-fit Cris jeans ($69.95), at mango.com. 

Theory Seoji ribbed modal-blend turtleneck ($42.50), at theoutnet.com.

Aldo Adraosien scarf ($9.98), at aldoshoes.com. 

Written by: Nezariel Scott

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As 2016 goes on, Korean make-up trends as made famous by some of our favourite K-Pop stars have been gaining popularity in North America.  In this article we will be touching on some of the most popular trends and products you can use to recreate mentioned trends!

With spring right around the corner, we’re all on board for having a healthy glow! The easiest way to achieve this is by highlighting the right areas of your face. For a natural looking glow, apply BECCA’s Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone to your chin, cupid’s bow, tip of nose, and cheek bones to perfect that glow. 

  BECCA’s Shimmering Skin Perfector in ‘Moonstone’ 

In North American beauty trends, we’re still pretty partial to contouring and sculpting the face. The Korean trend is to lightly apply blush to the apples of the cheeks. It’s minimal, and almost effortless but has great payoff! The natural look looks great on everyone and is a great go to when you’re running late.  Miliani’s ‘Luminoso’ is a great blush for this look, a light, peach blush that brightens your whole look up!

Milani’s Baked Blush in ‘Luminoso’

Starting in 2015, matte, opaque lipsticks were all the rage but Korean trends are counteracting this movement with their use of sheer lipsticks. In North America, the focus was creating a bold and full coverage lip. 

This Korean trend is perfect for the girls who want a more subtle lip look!

Achieve this trend with this Marc Jacobs lipstick

Marc Jacobs Beauty New Nudes Sheer Gel Lipstick in ‘Strange Magic 102′ 

While eyeliner is both a popular trend in both Korea and North America, the purpose is slightly different. In North America, we use eyeliner to create a bold and dramatic eye. Where in Korea, eyeliner is used to perfect the eye shape and elongate the eye. Try focusing the eyeliner on the wing / outer part of the  eye to put this trend in effect. 

Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner is perfect for this! 

Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner in ‘Trooper’

In North America we can tend to go a bit overboard with our eyeshadow looks. We love bold and smoke, Koreans tend to sway the opposite and go for glitter shadows and more natural looks. 

This again, is a perfect trend for all our lazy readers. 

Glitter doesn’t have to be heavily blended and brightens the eyes resulting in a beautiful, versatile look!

The Naked 3 palette is perfect for this trend, the palette has a beautiful variety of natural matte and glittery shades

Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Palette ‘Naked 3′

- Written by Alexx Syer, Q4

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The Korean Musicians Who Have Been Dominating Our Spring 2016 Playlists

EXIT : E - Winner The latest EP by Winner has us majorly swooning. The only downside is that it’s only 5 songs and we want more! It starts out with BABY BABY, a slower love song that we just know we’re going to be blasting in our cars this summer. Our personal favourite though is definitely IMMATURE, an upbeat poppy number thats way to fun to not want to dance around to.

4 Walls - The Fourth Album - f(x) This album has been on our radar for awhile and it’s proved that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. There are so many stellar songs on this album it’s hard to choose one favourite. Up there is definitely X, Deja Vu, and Papi but out of all of them 4 Walls is always the banger we bring out at parties.

Like it - Kisum Another artists EP we wish had more songs is Kisum’s Like It. With songs like Put it Down and Liar we just wish there was more of her on spotify we could add to our playlists. The title song Like it, has been our chill song of the moment though and we just cannot get enough of it.