Sex As Power?

My final exams start in exactly 2 weeks from today and i decided to start revising for my subjects in the order in which i'll be taking them. The first one i have is a Management course on Saturday ans as i was reading my text on organisational power and analysis, i came accross an interesting article. The people who wrote this textbook certainly had no plans to hold back and in that manner it is actually more engaging and interesting. This particular article was talking about the battle of sexes for power in the corporate world. We know that today females are still paid less than their male counterparts in the same job roles. The only female in a particular board of directors group was trying to get her fellow members to vote on something she believed in and when she didn't get as many votes as she expected, she got upset and said that the only reason they didn't vote was because she was female. The head of the board then said to her that if she had used her vagina instead of her mouth, maybe she'd have gotten more votes. Before i continue, might i add that this is actually a true life incident that was included in the text for educational purposes. It could be argued that that was a very sexist comment but in reality what he said is actually something that tends to occur in organisations even if they tend to be frowned upon or unspoken.

I know this for a fact because i saw this in one of the companies i interned at during one of my holidays back home. Of course, everyone in the office hated the lady because she easily got all her stuff approved and funded by the boss because she was sleeping with him while all the other ladies usually got told off and were referred to work under their male counterparts as opposed to heading their own projects. If i had read this chapter pre-2004 before moving to England, i'd have jumped on the bandwagon naming her a slut and every other demeaning thing you could think of on the face of the earth. But now, after reading it, my mind went straight to an episode of Sex & The City i watched where Samantha said that she saw nothing wrong in using sex to get ahead. After all, in her own words, men have been using and abusing women for centuries so why cant women use their sexuality if it gets them what they want? In an ideal world i would obviously prefer that we were all treated equally but in reality, we do not live in an ideal world. So now, although i would get hurt by a colleague of mine getting ahead simply because she used her sexuality as bait, it is also the path that colleague has chosen to follow so I cant really criticise.

After all, the less i judge people or worry about what they think of me or their own methods etc. the less stressful life would be. But then again, it is easier said than done!
Image via Inquisitr.com

The Sheer Look

What do you guys think of Katie Holmes' sheer look? YAY or NAY? I tend to fluctuate based on who's wearing it and how chic and classy they can make it look. I'm on the fence with how she looks here and i especially love how she's styled her hair but i can't help but wonder if she couldn't find a better bra to wear underneath. That one doesn't look like it's supporting anything... Also, that bag she's carrying has no place in that ensemble, it just seems so wrong
Imagr via JustJared.com

Currently Stalking...

Whilst shopping in Sydney with the girls about 2 weeks or so ago, we stumbled across the shoe shop ZU that also boasts an impressive online store. Cue major heart palpitations as i saw shoes so beautiful i could resort to the life art of starving so i can collect them all to adorn my cupboard and make for beautiful art sculptures on my wall and impressive arts of engineering. But herein lies the problem. I hardly ever go anywhere so it is a bit difficult for me to justify an expenditure of $150+ on a pair of shoes that has a 1% chance of seeing daylight or hitting the pavement. I currently have four pairs of heels and only two of them have ever been worn; once each. So there we go, kinda difficult to justify my purchase right? Well, at least those ones cost me less than $70 each as i bought three of them on sale whilst in Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The shoe above is called LA SCALA and would set you back $160. I just love it because of its sculptural look and it looks like something a high powered lady or a female warrior would wear. The chances of me falling flat on my face wearing it? 90%!!!
This one is named FOOTLOOSE and reminds me of the current celebrity cult-following of Christian Louboutin's lace boots and they're waaaaaay cheaper than Loubies. Loubies are definitely an injustifiable purchase in my life at this moment except someone else paid for it without initially offering me the cash sum. This pair would set you back about $150. I'm hoping they'll both go on sale at some point so i can actually buy them for myself and my shelves!!!
Images via Zushoe.com.au

My Love-Hate For Technology

For sometime now, i've been unable to use the internet because the network card on my laptop is dead and this means that the only connection my laptop can identify is the wireless version. Unfortunately for me, the uni has capped the internet usage for each semester at about 500mb!!! Seriously, i can blow through that amount in the space of a day let alone an entire semester. So this means that the only way i can access the internet is when i come to uni and i've got some free time in-between to do some bits and blobs of blogging. This is the laptop i'm hoping to purchase after i've been able to save up all the money for it. It is currently out of stock which is great because Windows has decided to update its software fromWindows Vista to Windows 7. The good news is that hopefully, by the time this laptop becomes available again on the Sony website, it should have been automatically upgraded to include the Windows 7 because i have no plans on purchasing a new laptop that doesn't come with the Windows 7 specs except it's a MAC. But let's not even get into that conversation shall we?! I've been eyeing up the Macbook pro for a while and if i configure it to the specs that i want, it'll probably set me cack at about $2200 to $2300 while the Sony is about $2000. But let's not forget that if i choose to buy a MAC, i'll also need to get Microsoft Office for MAC which is about $200 extra. Hmmm....For those who are interested in the Sony laptop, you can find it here.
Images via Sony.com.au

Celebrity Style

Ever wanted to wear something that you sported on your favourite celeb? Well, now you can because there's a website that has pictures of celebs wearing the exact same items they sell. So open your wallet, pull out your credit card and get ready to shell some major cash on items from The Trend Boutique. Now you can spend your entire weekend online just looking for stuff. And if you start feeling guilty, just remember you're doing your part to boost the global economy ^_^.
Image via Shopthetrendboutique.com

Joined At The Hip

Since fashion week began, Rachel Bilson and her stylist Nicole Chavez have been popping up everywhere together so i've compiled a few pictures of them where they're wearing something i love. I love the picture above for two reasons. Rachel has proved to me that you can indeed get away with wearing tights and open-toe boots without looking like a complete moron and i'm really really loving Nicole's boots. They're just fabulous and it looks like it has two different colours embedded in it: grey and black although it isn't easily noticeable.
Here it's all about Nicole's croc clutch and her tights. I have to find me a pair of tights that look just like that. Is it just me or do her bangs look uneven?

In this picture, you can just about see Nicole on the left wearing a pair of tan heels that look to me like cut-out boots and i love Rachel's heels as well. They're cute with the bow detail in front and they seem to be a bit transparent like the new Louboutins that celebrities have been sporting. I wish i could see the front of those pink hot heels; i can just imagine Paris Hilton wearing it for some reason...

It's all about Rachel's clutch; that barbed wire effect running through it just gives it some pizzaz!! Do you think i could find myself one that looks very similar for a reasonable price??

Images via Justjared.com

New Shopping Sites

If you've ever wanted to indulge in Australian brands or live in Australia and want to support the local talent whilst also helping the Australian economy then i have good news for you. I've found three sites that sell Australian brands and one of them also carries Nicole Ritchie's jewellery line 'House of Harlow 1960'. Below are the sites:

Australian Flavour
Beloved
Frock Shop

Can You Imagine?

I don't know who styled Shakira for this event but obviously the person felt that putting her in a tent would be sexy. Well, the answer is NO!!! The only things stopping this from looking hideous is the fact that her hair and makeup are spot on and she's got an amazing open-toe laced boots on that are drool worthy.

Images via Justjared.com

More Jackets But In Leather...

Let me start by apologising for the picture quality. Both jackets are by Unique and can be purchased online from Topshop. The leather jacket on the left is hooded with a piped detail stitching and stretch panels on the arms which are a bit difficult to see from the picture. It'll set you back about £250 and you can purchase it here. The second one, which i prefer, reminds me of a jacket one of the Olsen twins once wore and i'm going to guess its Ashley. This one follows the shoulder pad trend and has jersey panels on the arms. You can purchase it here for £175. What drew my attention to these jackets are the copper/gold coloured zips that they have. I'm not too sure that i like the colour of the zip but it does look like something that might grow on me slowly.
Images via Topshop.com

It's All About Power Shoulders...

What do you guys think of the power shoulder trend started by Balmain? I've been on the fence for a while because i'm not really a huge fan of trends; but then as we know in fashion everything gets recycled. If the shoulder trend is still in full effect in March next year, i might consider getting a cheapie from ASOS or Topshop just to give it a try as that would be Autumn in Australia. The jacket above is the ASOS power shoulder blazer and it retails for £65. The fact that it's got only one button isn't really working for me because it doesn't seem to suck everything in. That's a key requirement for me when i buy jackets.
This Patrizia Pepe structured shoulder blazer does the job for me with the buttonw but it comes with a hefty price tag: £250. From the pictures, i don't really think it's worth it but you might think differently.

This Oasis power shoulder blazer achieves the look i love with just one button. It's fitted enough to suck you in whilst skimming over the lumps and the bumps. A bonus is that the price is much more reasonable at £70 and is an ok-ish price to pay for a trend setting ensemble.

I have saved the best for last. I must admit that out of all four, this is my favourite because the shoulders are different from the usual ones that i've seen around. For me, this means that it'll have more longevity even after the power shoulder trend dies because it doesn't have that obvious 'ball' look that the power shoulder jackets tend to sport. This Gestuz shoulder piece detail jacket would set you back £139.99 and i'm going to be adding this to my 'watchlist' for sale items on ASOS because by the time i'll need a jacket for winter here in Australia, it'll be Summer in UK. The price reminds me of 'psychological pricing' from one of my Economics classes. The idea is that marketers tend to add .98 or .99 to the retail price of items because it comes across as a cheaper alternative to something with a flat price like £140. Even though from a logical point of view the difference is only 0.01 or 0.02, your subconscious mind still thinks the one with .99 is a bargain. When i asked customers in the aisles of Tesco, UK about how this influences them, i have to say lots of people said it did influence their purchase options...

Never underestimate the power of the subconscious mind and economists...

Images via ASOS.com

The Love Affair Continues...

...but this time it's all about Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese. Seriously, this woman can do no bad in my eyes and these bras are just making me green with envy. The bra above is the 'Sparkle teese' sequin balcony padded bra and you can purchase it from ASOS for £34. All the bras actually cost £34 each and can be bought online at ASOS.
This next one is the 'Sequin teese' cleavage bra which would also set you back £34. This is a different option for those who aren't fans of the balcony bra. I have to say i prefer this option to the balcony bra; but that's because my boobs are big and when i wear balcony bras i always feel like my boobs are going to touch my chin.

Next up is the 'Satine teese' cleavage bra which is actually my favourite from the collection and comes in mauve and red options and also costs £34.

Last on the line is the 'Multi teese' sequin bow padded multiway plunge bra. I have to say the bow on the nipple area seems a bit impractical considering it could easily tug on your clothes and rip off. This one is my least favourite of all and is £34.

Images via ASOS.com

Potbelly....

...these days, the amoebic nature of my tummy decides what i wear because i don't want to get uncomfortable about my tummy poking out the front of my clothes. So today, i was having a little tete-a-tete with my tummy because i didn't know what to wear. Crazy i know, but after stroking my tummy with ego boosting words, i put on my clothes and went to uni. It's ok though, i'm aware of how crazy i can get. Anyway, i found this song on YouTube titled 'POTBELLY'. Enjoy.

Image via Sptimes.com

These Days, Shopping Is...

...just plain boring and depressing. It is difficult to come up with a resounding answer as to why it feels this way to me. It's not the fact that half of the shopping mall has been closed for a while because i'm already over that, plus there's online shopping. I don't have any politically or psychologically sound reason for this feeling. Of course, i still love going to look at clothes and admiring the beauty of fabrics and their craftsmanship. But to put them in my closet? Well, that's where the lack of interest starts...You see, my closet is filled with clothes that i've rarely worn since i purchased them. As a matter of fact, i haven't worn 2/3 of my t-shirts this semester. They're just there adorning the hangers and creating an illusion in my wardrobe while i rotate the same ensembles week after week. My post on Jessica Biel yesterday made me think long and hard about this. Maybe i'm turning into the Australian version of Jessica? Before i couldn't wait to go shopping or own things or add another item to my wishlist. Now i'm more interested in snow than shopping and i don't have a wishlist anymore. I actually deleted 4 pages worth of stuff because i just couldn't be arsed about it. Now it's just more interesting watching people wear stuff; i've even lost interest in buying magazines. The only thing i've managed to garner some interest in is bras because my boobs began to 'speak' to me and i had to listen...I definitely know the recession has nothing to do with this because i'm an economist so i know that for a country to get out of recession, there needs to be an inflow of money into the economy. In simple english - people need to spend!!!

On a side note, somebody in the kitchen thought it was a brilliant idea to replace the usual supply of soy milk with rice milk. Soy milk is already bad as it is and i had to train myself to learn to drink it. But rice milk? That's another issue on its own. For starters it looks worse than skimmed milk; it's like staring at coloured water!!! And don't even get me started on the texture in your mouth; i'm pretty sure me chewing A4 paper has more texture than the rice milk they put out. I don't know if it's just the brand of rice milk but it tastes vile!!! It's LIQUID VERMIN!
Image via i.Treehugger.com

On The Fence...

...when i saw this picture of Jessica i wasn't sure what to think. I don't know if its because she's the one wearing it but it sort of looks bland. Maybe there's something missing like a pop of colour? I actually do like the outfit, but something isn't working for me at all...What do you guys think?

Image via Justjared.com

Impressed?

When it comes to jackets and wristwatches, i must admit that i'm extremely picky. Okay, so maybe i'm picky in general but jackets and wristwatches have a way of elevating a bland ensemble to 'simply chic' status. I'm not really into accessorising or excessorising as Rachel Zoe likes to call it. I'm all for the no-fuss, stress-free look. Due to my pickiness, i ended up not buying any winter jacket in Australia because none satisfied me enough to shell out some dough for it. Due to this, i'm looking to US and UK to purchase my winter jacket for next year. As far as pickiness goes, this leather jacket above by Warehouse certainly satisfies my needs. It's simple, chic and doesn't look like your regular leather jacket non? It actually reminds me of a Spring topshop jacket i own. You can purchase this jacket from ASOS for £150. Since we're moving toards the summer months here in Australia, i'm going to put this jacket under my ASOS sales watch list because if it goes on sale, i'm definately buying myself one.
I've never really been a fan of the whole denim leggings or jeggings or treggings fashion trend. But when i saw this Villa denim legging on ASOS, i was really impressed because from the pictures it really does look more like your average jeans than leggings. I think this might be due to the ripped detail and also how the legs just graze the calf and ankles as opposed to the skintight look you get with leggings. You can purchase this from ASOS for £40.
Since i've started a love affair with my boobs, i think it's appropriate to interest you guys in this bra by Caprice. I used to buy her bras when i lived in UK and the few i got were quite comfortable. If you're looking to get extra boobies without effort then i suggest you invest in her bras because they do give you a slight Wonder Bra effect. I love the straps on this and also the bow detail in the cleavage area. You can totally wear this under a mens style shirt whilst still feeling really sexy because you know what's underneath. The sizes go up to a G cup and would set you back £20 for an A to D cup or £22 for an E to G cup.

This post would not be complete without a blazer that can be worn during these Spring months in Australia. And if the weather these last few days is anything to go by, we might be needing one because it is actually looking more like the British spring than the Australian spring i experienced last year. But not to worry because i bring you this ASOS boyfriend blazer with the rolled up sleeve that is oh so chic and very comfy to keep the chills away and light enough not to make you drench in sweat when it does decide to get warmer. You'll also appreciate the versatility of it as you can easily pair it with jeans or denim cut offs or even cute dressed during the day; and at night over a party dress. It would only hurt your wallet by about £50. While we're at it, might i also interest you in my favourite jewels of the moment from ASOS? Long horse engraved pendant for £8 and Disney Couture ring for £25. Happy shopping ^_^

Images via ASOS.com

Scared Of The iPhone Flu?

...there's no need to worry anymore because i have a cure for you. Allow me to introduce to you the new LG Chocolate phone aptly name LG BL40 chocolate. This is one LG phone that i'll be more than happy to invest in so now i have one more thing to save for. But considering the fact that i live in Australia, i won't be suprised if it actually gets here a bit late considering that it is typical for us to receive new phones after the US and the UK. But hey, i'm not complaining at all. I can see myself having a summer fling with this phone. It's got the majority of the features of iPhone but i'm hoping with a slightly cheaper price tag. But what's actually interesting is that Twenty8Twelve by S.Miller [Sienna Miller and her sister Savannah Miller] have actually designed a case for this phone. You can read more about it on My MANy Bags. For those of you who live in Australia and are interested in getting this phone when it finally arrives, i suggest you keep your eye on the online shop Electronic Bazaar because they have the highest amount of LG phones i've seen online compared to other shops i've come across. They also have the LG ice cream phone and i think the Lollipop phone for a certain person who's reading this....
Images via Mymanybags.blogspot.com

Nobody Does It Like...

...Freida Pinto. This girl is chic without even trying; i must say her stylist is doing quite a good job at it. It look oh-so effortless and i'm totally digging her skirt and clutch.

Image via Justjared.com

It's Official...

...i'm slowly turning into a certified drama queen. I spent the remaining half of last week [from Wednesday evening] thinking that i'd failed one of my tests. Thinking about it now, it's quite hilarious because i was only certain that i'd lost 5 marks out of the 20 marks available because the lecturer was telling someone the answer to the questions afterwards. But hey, that really didn't stop me from dramatising in my head. The word FAIL doesn't resonate well with me at all when it comes to my academic life because i know how much money it costs per semester. Anyways, i got my results today for the test and i got 60%; although i'm not all too impressed, at least i didn't fail. Don't worry, i'm not going to tell you guys what i got in the remaining assessments for the subject because i'll feel like i'm rubbing it in your faces but it was definately better than a 60%. Now, i have one more test score to get because i had 2 different tests on Wednesday. It's time to start shitting myself with worry; only God knows what is taking my lecturer such a long time to put the scores up. Hello, it's not like we're more than a 100 people in that class anyway...

Images via Fashiontribes.typepad.com and Simpsonfever.files.wordpress.com

My Nose Is...

...is epic. It is almost the size of jupiter and i'm sure it could safely land an alien spaceship. Yes, today has turned into my fat and ugly day. Don't bother asking me why because i don't really have an answer to that question. The light at the end of the tunnel is starting to look really dim and i'm beginning to think it might soon be a blackout sown there. I've started getting rid of my compensation clothes...yup, you heard that right. All the size 10 and 12 clothes i had way back in 2006 before i got ill; especially the new ones...i've been holding onto them in the hope that someday i'll fit into them. But this evening, staring down at the amoebic capabilities of my tummy to change shape whenever it wants, i pulled out my brand new size 12 DVB for Rock & Republic and gave it to my flatmate whom it fitted perfectly. I didn't take any money from her because it felt like taking the money was bringing more pain to my heart. I just had to get rid of it and now i don't have to look at those jeans in my wardrobe anymore with such hatred because someone else can derive much pleasure from wearing them. Hope y'all had a better day than i did...
Image via Uk.eonline.com

Life Can Be Sweet...

...only if we just hold on a little bit longer.

Image via Girlsarebitchy.blogspot.com