Monday, August 30, 2010

One Test Down...

...two essays to go! Just thought i'd bring a quick post to you guys as i need to take a break before my brain explodes all over my desk. I just finished a test which went well, now i have a 2500 word essay to finish for 10.30am tomorrow which is worth 30% of my final marks. Fingers crossed, i should be done before i go to bed tonight. I had a quick browse online of the photos from the Emmys and these are the ones i love the most. Rose Byrne's dress has a greek feel to it but i LOVE the view from the back. I just love the little gold detailing that added that extra oomph. Talk about something for others to look at while you walk away...
Kim Kardashian on the other hand needs no extra attention while she's walking away. I'm glad she scrubbed up nicely for the Emmys and i'm also happy there's no sight of her in some mini or bandage dress. But i can't help but wonder how her dress would look if the gold on the neck is more similar to the one on Rose's dress as seen here; i think it'd look great coupled with the back view of Rose Byrne's dress. What do you guys think?
I'm a really simple girl so i'm a huge sucker for clean makeup, but i never seem to get it right at all. But Mariska Hargitay hit the nail on the head with her flawless makeup! Its so clean its not even funny and coupled with her dress and accessories, it is a big hit for me :) Have a wonderful Monday everyone!

Better Homes And Gardens

Since i've been really busy with uni, i haven't had time to watch much TV which means i've been missing a bit of my favourite show, Better Homes & Gardens. But thanks to Yahoo and the internet, i get to watch it when i have the time much later. Check it out here

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Closet Raid: Giglianne



Hey guys. So sorry for the lack of posts this week. I've been absolutely swamped with uni work and i still am. I've got two essays due next week and a test so i thought i'd quickly share this with you guys and go stick my face in my textbooks. Hope y'all are having a fun weekend :)

Monday, August 23, 2010

D'Banj - Mr Endowed OFFICIAL VIDEO


This is the new music video from the Nigerian artist D'Banj and i have to say i'm pretty impressed. They're stepping up their game. What do you guys think?

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Ever Since...

...i moved to Australia and experienced what the shopping is like, especially coming from England, i have come to rely a lot on online shopping. Sometimes i find things that are really pretty but they always seem to be overpriced for the quality in which i'll be getting. There's also the danger that a lot of people would have that exact item where you live (i'm thinking Forever New). So these days, when i'm looking for something nice and affordable, i tend to go straight online and start searching for stores that deliver to Australia without looking to see if there's something closer to home.

Well, my friend and I have been looking for dressy tops that can be worn both during the day and also for special occasions at night that wouldn't be a uniform where we live. We've searched online stores like ASOS and Miss Selfridge. But today, i decided to check French Connection Australia and was a bit shocked to find that they do have a few decent items eventhough i'm irate at the fact that their sizes stop at 14. Here's a few things that caught my attention...

Flight of fancy shirt
Cole cotton wrap shirt
Delicious drape cowl

Monday, August 16, 2010

Dark

I cannot for the life of me explain why i am so attracted to pigmented colours. And by pigmented, i'm talking rich browns like Jessica Szohr's brunette shade, deep black colours like the one Dita Von Teese sports and reds like Christina Hendricks. There;s just something about the intensity of these shades that draws me in. Or maybe its the fact that on the right skin tone, they just make you look so much alive! I'm a bit of a hair colour addict, but i always tend to stick with the same colour pallette if its a DIY hair colour because there's less chance of me looking like a complete loonie.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Moptop Maven - Deliciously Opinionated Musings: Weeknight Meals: Rosemary Chicken Breasts, w/Brown...

Moptop Maven - Deliciously Opinionated Musings: Weeknight Meals: Rosemary Chicken Breasts, w/Brown...: "I was on the fence about trying out this recipe on a weeknight because at first glance I was convinced that it would take me all night to c..."

Closet Raid

The moment i saw this video, i knew i just had to share it with you guys and also find a way to save it for future reference because i love getting ideas from others about fashion even if it might take me ages to apply it. Plus, this is wayyy cheaper financially and time wise than reading fash books

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Christmas Wishlist

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Since i wrote this post on Sandra Bullock, i've been hallucinating on how i could achieve a similar look without having to wear leather pants because i'm not much of a leather fan. Well, here comes an e-mail from Net-a-Porter to my rescue! Actually, the e-mail was about trans-seasonal dressing, which is something i've already been doing for over 2 years. But when i clicked the link, these amazing pants by Anemone (pictured above) was among one of the products featured on the page and it absolutely caught my eye! It looks beautiful doesn't it? At £195.74 i think it is a chic replacement for those leather pants she wore! Now all i have to do is save up the money to get them, i'm thinking it would be an ideal christmas present to myself non? And this bracelet looks like a very nice addition to go with the planned ensemble...
I also got an e-mail today from InStyle Australia about the new issue hitting stands soon...why can't i ever wing out my eyeliner like they've done for Angelina Jolie on the cover? And why is it so difficult for me to find a nice pale pink lipstick/gloss/sheen/whatever that works well with my skintone? I refuse to give up, i'm still going to keep searching. I did find a lip gloss by Revlon that came close, i think it's called nude rose, but i'm not 100% satisfied with that. Couldn't check out the O.P.I nail bar yesterday cause it was pouring rain. Hopefully i'll have much better luck today

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

What Do You Think?

I usually don't follow the stories on the Kardashian family or watch any of their reality shows. But from a pictorial point of view, i tend to see some of their pictures on some websites and i've noticed that since Kourtney (2nd left) gave birth, she seems to have toned down her look a little bit. Or is it just me? I really like the dress she's wearing and she's easily my favourite, ensemble wise, in this photo...

Why Bother?

Sometimes, when i look at relationships, i wonder why we even bother! I mean, life is already complicated as it is. People get together just as quickly as others break up, some people only have bad relationship experiences to talk about because nothing good has happened to them, sometimes your choices are not accepted by your parents and you have to either break up to make them happy or choose to wing it all on your own and see if it works. Once in a while, i see a really good relationship and for me this is like 5% of the time. You often hear people in relationships say 'enjoy being single because being in a relationship isn't always fun'. Sometimes i just feel like maybe there's no point being in a relationship, maybe its just better to have friends and a dog or a cat to come home to every night.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Aren't They Cute?

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The moment i saw this picture of Sandra Bullock and Betty White dancing on stage, i just cracked up! They look like they are having sooo much fun getting their groove on to Down Low by Lil John. The two other things i absolutely love about this picture is Sandra's hairstyle with the cute lil fringe going on and her entire ensemble. It is very chic, laidback, simple and oh so great to accommodate my tummy. I really love the pants she got on and also her stilettos! The unfortunate thing for me is that i can't walk in stilettos at all, i'm more comfortable in wedge heels although i must admit that i find some wedge heels very tricky to walk in! This picture is definitely going into my inspiration folder for the haircut and the outfit; i've deleted the majority of pictures i used to have as fashion inspirations because they weren't curve friendly.
Here's a cute picture of Megan Fox and her sexy hubby Brian Austin Green! I fell in love with him after i watched him on The Sarah Connor Chronicles...i absolutely love the way he speaks and he looks really yummy when he smiles! Isn't it interesting how they've worn their outfits in different shades of blue?

Sunday, August 8, 2010

My OPI Wishlist

So, since i am currently in the mood of loving what i have and beautifying myself to my pleasure, i decided the best place to start would be my hands and feet! I currently own 2 O.P.I nail polishes [black onyx and a oui bit of red]. I'm usually not a pink person but since my last post, i'm bent on adding some sort of pink into my life and wardrobe other than the slightly magenta pink scarf that i own. So....what better way to introduce pink into my life than a fabulous candy pink nail polish huh? Because i love the pigment of the O.P.I nail colours, it automatically became my first choice. If i still lived in England, i'd have chosen Nails Inc because that is my all time favourite brand for nail polish! Another option i had was AVON, but since i'm a consultant, i've seen most of the pinks they have and i don't like how they work with my skin colouring so i'm going to check out the O.P.I bar in David Jones next time i'm in town! I'm currently eyeing these shades: pink-a-doodle, it's a girl! and isn't that precious? from the PINK softshades 2010 collection. They are all really light pink shades that i think would work well with my skintone as they're a bit neutral with a hint of gloss to it. Tuesday is probably when i'll check them out and i'll definitely keep you guys up to date. Do you have any favourite shades from the O.P.I collection?

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Enjoy What You Have Now

I’ve spent the most of the last four years worrying about my body. I spent a lot on gym memberships, fitness assessments, fitness dvds and sports therapy from pulling so many of my muscles and almost busting my ankle. I spend so much time worrying about how much exercise i’ve done in a week, what i ate and dreaming of how hot i would look once my pot belly finally decides to disappear. I always dream of how happy and hot and fashionable and amazing my wardrobe would be when i’m 20kg lighter. Infact, i spend so much time dreaming about my possible future body, working out and pulling a muscle every week that i never even bother to appreciate the body i have. I remember clearly in 2007, i had a gym membership, worked out with a trainer four times a week religiously, had a dietician that guided me with all my meal choices, kept a food diary like a mad woman and at the end of the year, i only lost 2 POUNDS and so much £££. My personal trainer’s joke at the time was that it could be worse!!! Can you imagine that? How much worse could it possibly get? Weeks of sore muscles and him putting me through the paces, having to adhere to a strict diet and all i could show for it was by being 2 pounds lighter on the scale? I was soooo furious that day! I had an absolutely long rant session with my doctor and dietician and by the time i was done, i gave the remnant of my anger to my personal trainer before cancelling my gym membership. My doctor kept trying to console me by telling me that it isn’t really something i should worry about because i have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). All i could think of at that moment was...eff PCOS! Life is so unfair; so much effort and countless hours with only 2 pounds to show for it. You’d have thought that the experience calmed me down and would make me focus on more important things!

What a joke! Nothing changed other than the fact that i decided i had to try BILLY BLANKS tae-bo dvds because everyone raved so much about the weight they lost. Yeah right, the only weight i lost was the one that came from my wallet! 2008 saw me getting worse into depression and strictly refusing any anti-depression medication my doctor offered. It got to a point that he couldn’t even bring the topic up for fear of me passing a very nasty look across the table. So i chose alternative treatments like hypnotherapy and counselling. Did they work for me? NO! I fell asleep during hypnotherapy; i don’t mean the kind of sleep that is seen as the norm when you are hypnotised. I’m talking the kind where you are so far gone your hypnotherapist is waking you up with a nasty look on her face. As for counselling, lets just say that it was a waste of my 5 hours for each week that i had to go. So then my doctor suggested that a complete change of location might do the trick; July 2008 i find myself in Maroochydore Australia and my excitement lasted for approximately 24 hours before i got back into my depressed cycle. Between July 2008 and now, i’ve managed to lose a few kilos and pull every single muscle in my body but i still wear the same clothes! My body measurement is still the same; the only thing that changed is that i finally went on my PCOS medication because my blood test results were getting worse. I still had the same mentality that i have to be skinny, with washboard abs and 20 kilos lighter to look hot. All my happy and sexy and bubbly hopes and dreams were based on the ‘sometime’ in the future when i become the skinny person i used to be before i got sick; and all my fashion ideas were based on that dream skinny bod.

Exactly what is wrong with me being and feeling sexy and happy right now? Isn’t the fact that i’m alive good enough reason for me to stop putting all my hopes on a body that i once had and now resides in my dream to grasp at some foreseeable future? Haven’t i pulled enough muscles to realise that no matter how much i stress and workout that my body is going to do what it has already decided? Maybe its me sitting down right now on one bum because i pulled a muscle on an entire leg from working out enough reason to change my attitude. Maybe its the fact that i’ve been reading STYLISH CURVES for quite a while now that is whipping me back into reality. At the end of the day, i have exactly what all girls are born with. I have boobs that people pay and go through the knife to get, i can still paint my nails and wear as much eye liner and mascara and the world will not come to an end. Better still, there are bigger girls out there looking hot and strutting their stuff with utter confidence and no care in the world for what other people think about their size or the amount of stretch marks they have.

I woke up today realising that i have not appreciated myself or my body in a long time. I woke up realising that i have to work with what i have, i have to love myself if not no one else would waste their precious time trying to love me. Even though i’ve always known that people see you the way you see yourself, its only taken today for that to really sink into my conscious mind. I can huff and puff about how much i hate my tummy or my thighs or i can just appreciate the good things i have and try to disguise the ones that i like less. I can choose to hate my body and grudgingly sweat through an hour of workout each day or i can accept me for the way i am and just do the workouts that i love instead of the ones that insist i’ll lose 5 pounds in one week (yes, i am talking about the Jillian Michaels workout that made me spend extra money seeing a doctor for spraining my back!). I can wait to get the bob haircut i’ve always wanted when i’m 20 kilos lighter or i can just wait till December/January when my hair has grown long enough to cut it into that style.

I AM sick of waiting, and when i’m not sick of it, i’m tired. I’m sick AND tired of waiting for the tomorrow that never comes. So, i have decided that i’m going to put myself on confidence masterclass! Yes, you read that very right! I am going to finally stop killing myself with Jillian Michaels because i hate doing her workouts and instead try Pilates. I’m going to try and love myself more and my body more and just shower it with all the love and affection i have. I refuse to get any more depressed than i’ve been and if you are out there beating yourself up about your shape or size, or the fact that you might need plastic surgery to fix your nose (you know yourself!), you are not alone! You are beautiful just the way you are, you just need to learn to accept it and enjoy every single day. I know its much easier to talk the talk than walk it, but i’m going to start trying. I’m going to keep working out because i know it is beneficial to my health; if i lose any more weight then that;ll be a bonus, but if i don’t i’m pretty sure that the world will not come to an end! And for those of you who haven’t seen me this semester, i have much much longer hair!!!!!!!!!

Alissa, can i please move into your closet?

Friday, August 6, 2010

Is It Bad That...

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...i'm very jealous? Of Reese Witherspoon? This woman always manages to look cute, cool and chic all at the same time without making too much effort. Ok, so maybe she put a lot of effort into it that we might not be aware of but when you see her stalkerazzi pictures she always looks like she just rolled out of bed and threw it on. She makes girlie look more grown up and mature than childish. I generally run away from florals and pink related clothes because i always feel like it makes me look girlie and childish; two things i do not necessarily want to be viewed as. Ok, so i'm a girl but what happened to using other phrases to describe females that have grown past their teen years eh? I'm no Paris Hilton so i certainly don't want people mistaking me for a cutesy kind of girl day in day out. I have no problem with being told i'm dressed cute if its once in a while, but when it becomes an everyday issue then i have problems with it. BUT, if i'm referred to as cute and chic on a daily basis, then i'd be very happy. Cute without the chic on a daily basis would hurt my emotions, chic without the cute is something i don't mind at all :)

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Sponge Cake Recipe

Whilst doing my usual last minute browsing before going off to bed, i came across this sponge cake recipe and i just had to make it a post so that i can look at it properly in the morning because some articles tend to disappear when i want them. I bake cakes quite often just for the fun of it, and usually give it to people around me at that particular time. Growing up, my mum was a recipe afinado and she still is; she's always baking something and making new twists to old recipes. That's where i picked up the love for baking; i remember once in England, i made an ice-cream cake using Haagen-Dazs and it was out of this world! My flatmates and i finished the cake within 2 hours because we loved it so much we just couldn't wait to devour it. Are you interested in baking and cooking like me? If you have any recipes you are interested in sharing please feel free to send them to me :) Well, its a goodnight from me bloggers, bisous!
Image via Recipes.helium.com

Tempting...

So...after declaring in my last post that i've temporarily lost all interest for fashion magazines, the magazine gods have retaliated with several September issue covers. After reading this post, i've only got an interest in one...ELLE UK. I'm not going to buy it outright, but instead i'll diligently browse through every page at the Angus & Robertson store to decide if it is even worth buying. For all i know, the only things attracting me to buy it might be the things that'll make me hate it as well. I generally like September issues because they are sort of a preview for the next year in the fashion world. But since i don't necessarily dress according to fashion, this is not so important for me. But i guess it'll give me an idea of possible interesting items that i could add to my mundane wardrobe.
Image via Girlznight.co.uk