Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Customised Perfume...

...or kind of. Allow me to introduce to you 'Le Labo', a perfume brand created by two guys living in New York in a slightly different manner from what you'd usually expect from perfumes. As we all know, the majority of perfumes are mass produced mainly using machines. There are a rare handful of perfume makers that actually custom make perfumes specially to suit your needs and personality. I remember hearing about one situated in London where the elites go to have perfumes made for them. It's kind of like going to Marc Jacobs show room and having him sketch and make a dress exclusively for you. But as we all know, the majority of us can't afford this kind of luxury...well, not at the moment anyway.
This is where the 'Le Labo' perfumes come in. They are all blended by hand when ordered as opposed to pre-blended. The bottle labels can be customised when ordering as you get to have your name printed on it and also a short note of 24-characters included in the label as seen above. This kind of reminds me of Apple iPods and iTouch where you get to write notes. These perfumes can only be ordered from Mecca Cosmetica. But don't you think the bottles kind of look ugly and medicinal?
Images from Dsnoturabo.blogspot.com and Gdr.typepad.com

Seein' Blue

When i saw this picture of Ashley Tisdale, all i could think of was 'almost puke cute' and Paris Hilton. Yes, if you know me in person then you'd definitely know that i hate puke-cute looking ensembles. Ashley manages to stop this from looking sickly sweet with the addition of the black tights and hat. The tights definitely help in keeping her decency so you could easily try this ensemble for winter and even summer by just substituting the tights for thin leggings like this lace one.
Images from Justjared.com

Friday, November 20, 2009

Quick Update

Hey guys...

Just want to quickly say that i havent forgotten about y'all. I finished my last exam on Wednesday but unfortunately i don't have an internet connection and i'm posting this from uni. So hopefully by Monday i should have the net working as i'm also in the process of moving this weekend.

Have a good one ^_^

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Diamonds: A Girl's Best Friend

To be honest, i cannot begin to explain to you why i decided to go online to Tiffany & Co. this morning to look for diamond engagement rings or why i decided that i wanted to google pictures of coloured diamond engagement rings. It just happened and i don't really have any logical explanation for it whatsoever. Ok, so i spent a couple of minutes browsing the Tiffany website and there were some ok baubles but only this one impressed me much!!! So i guess i don't have such an expensive taste then huh?

Images via Merchantcircle.com and Sokobe.com

Friday, November 13, 2009

Studded Leggings Anyone?

Believe it or not, it's not officially summer in Australia because if you're going by the books, summer starts on the 1st of December. But that doesn't stop it feeling as if i'm in a giant sauna that happens to be free and has flies roaming around you the minute they sniff your perfume. Irrespective of how many times i'm told that i've got really nice legs - thanks y'all - i'm still uncomfortable at showing my legs and the thought of having to shave up to my thighs just annoys me the more. So last year summer, i actually wore jeans and leggings all through eventhough it was 40 degrees and very humid in Queensland. This year, i planned on adopting a more sensible approach to my summer gear until i stumbled upon these Warehouse studded leggings. How cool are they? On closer inspection, i noticed that they look pretty thick so i'm thinking it might be a good investment for Autumn/Winter next year as the winter isn't as cold as the typical British Autumn. If you're interested, these would set you back £55.
Moving on to more summer-friendly bottoms, i'm thinking boyfriend jeans!!! Versatile and loose to enable easy circulation of air around the legs especially since it's going to be very hot here. But i definitely wouldn't be wearing them in the same manner as the boys.....oh no, that is a huge no no for me this year. I'm more interested in rocking them a la Katie Holmes last year. But it is very easy to go oh-so wrong with this, so to stop you looking like you're suffering from identity issues or you're a tomboy you'll need to balance your proportions pretty well. You could choose to go for the really baggy boyfriend jeans and roll them up at the ankle but i would suggest that you always team it with something fitting on top and some heels so that way you look relaxed-chic. But if you're anything like me then you probably have no interest wearing heels during the day nor are you keen on wearing something fitted all the time - actually i rarely do. So in this case, it's always better to opt for a slimmer fitted boyfriend jeans especially ones that are slightly tapered at the ankles. This is where Levi's Ripped 501 True Boyfriend Jeans come in play; they've got just the right amount of bagginess in them but they're still slim enough to wear with a loose t-shirt and flip flops with perfectly manicured toes. These cost £95 but if you're in Australia i believe you can get them from General Pants Co. as well. It comes in a darker rinse for £75. The best part of this is that i can easily dress them up at night with heels and a slinkier top without feeling any bit inappropriate. For those who might be interested, Warehouse has a slouchy boyfriend jeans on sale for £23 here.
Images via ASOS.com

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tights Lovin'

I'm usually not one to wear patterned tights or leggings as i tend to get terribly shy but i love this checkered tights Blake Lively is spotting. The colours are pretty cool and toned down so it would make a fun and interesting addition to a winter wardrobe.
Image via Justjared.com

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Very Slow Day

Today seems to be one of those days when it is extremely difficult for me to get motivated to actually study. I've been forcing myself to study since 9am this morning and my brain still isn't articulating anything. I found it so hard to actually read one page. Now is when i need a lot of motivation and boost to study because my first exam is less than 48 hours away and after that i've got about 36 hours to prepare for my next two exams. It hasn't really been a good start today eventhough i woke up early so that i could get into the groove of studying. But it's just not working at all; my brain seems to be fighting with me and i'm not happy about it.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Inspiration

"Competence is knowing how to do things in general. Performance isn't necessarily defined by genius but by persistence" Associate Professor James Reveley

For those of you out there who have exams coming up, good luck ^_^

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Frustration, Heartburn, Stress And Exam-Induced Rage

Frustration...
Stress...
Exam-induced rage...
Heartburn and exam-induuced rage...
Images via Imgs.sfgate.com, Istockphoto.com, Dixieit.com, Gossiprocks.com, Sosickofdebt.files.wordpress.com

Annoying day

What an annoying way to start the week...it's 38 degrees celsius outside, fricking humid, i can't even concentrate long enough to study for my exams and i've got one on the 7th and two on the 9th. Plus i'm in a very bad mood. Everything is just pissing me off and irritating me. It's so hot that i couldn't even finish dinner because the heat alone was sickening. I really should have appreciated the British weather more when i was there. At least there's 4 freaking distinct seasons as opposed to Oz where all the seasons seem to be blended together. If you haven't figured it out by now, i really hate the hot weather. Not only does it make me sweaty and sticky, it makes me feel ill and i get cranky pretty easily. I absolutely hate shaving my legs and wearing short ensembles and the heat doesn't help me in that department at all. I think it is going to be another summer locked indoors for me because i'm not too keen on going out in shorts or a mini skirt especially since my thighs currently look like tree trunks. Did i mention my skin and the fact that it is currently going haywire and acting all crazy? Or the fact that i've had heart burn since yesterday for no apparent reason? Or the fact that i felt really faint working out yesterday morning because of the heat? I could go on and on but i won't. Hope you guys are having a much better day than i am.
Image via Gizzylovesagoodmoustache.files.wordpress.com

Saturday, October 31, 2009

The September Issue

'Fashion is not about looking backward. It's about moving on to the next thing' Anna Wintour. I've just finished watching the fashion documentary/ movie 'The September Issue' about the biggest US Vogue September issue ever with Sienna Miller on the cover. It's interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes before the magazines are actually published; the people who work to make it look as it is and also the kind of inspirations they get. I have to say i found it quite interesting and intruiging and it's definitely something that i'll be able to watch over and over again.
Image via Michaelcomments.files.wordpress.com

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Heartbroken

For some morose reason only known to the people at Sony, they've decided to discontinue the VGN-CS36GJ laptop range pictured above. I've been dying and waiting and saving up my money to buy this baby. I even put my name on the waiting list to get informed of when they restock it only to find out that it has been discontinued. You would think that they would have the decency to replace it to something that looks much more sexier and sensual. Oh no...
This is Sony's idea of a replacement!!! I don't know about you guys but this VPCCW15FG laptop is a very ugly replacement in my opinion. I don't know the fashion minds behind the colour or the shape but the colour reminds me of the ombre trend which i like to reserve for something cheap that can easily be gotten rid of after the trend has made its way to the graveyard of all things fashion. As for the shape, it does somehow remind me of the Fujitsu laptops that came out sometime ago. I must say that the screen and keyboard looks very Apple to me. Sony has already swagga-jacked Apple and the remix is oh-not-so hot at all. Looks aside, the only difference i can see between the CS36 and this one is the fact that it's got Windows 7 already installed in it. At least Sony was smart enough not to price this in the $2000 range; this would set you back about $1800. As you would imagine this laptop is already out of stock and it has only been on the Australian website for about a week and a half! Irrespective of my disappointment at Sony and the ombre-pink colour of this laptop, i'm still interested in it because i want a Pink laptop and i've already signed up to be notified of when it gets back in stock. Let's hope it's back in time for Christmas as it would be a great present to myself. So.....let the wait begin ^_^
Images via Sony.com.au

Mr Fashionista

There's something that's just magnetic and sexual about Russell Brand and i really can't put my finger on it. He just seems to exude this male confidence that is oh-so charming and luring it is difficult for me not to notice it.
I love his sense of style and how he doesn't seem to follow fashion trends but sticks to his own unique way of rocking things. Plus you've got to admire his braveness for once wearing Sass & Bide's black rats with a black tee and a blazer over it in public with confidence. I haven't even mustered the courage to wear one yet.
Images via Justjared.com

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Wanting And Needing...

These bad boys are seriously calling out to my heart; how hot are these Burberry Wellington boots? Ok, so i'm not a festival goer because i can get claustrophobic on rare occasions but these are absolutely perfect for the rainy season and a sure more stylish alternative to UGGS or my EMU boots. I just love the purple, there's something so exquisite about the colour on rubber and i'm soooo getting these even if it means i might have to starve myself for one month. These babies would set you back £95.65 and you can get them here.
I can never have too many black footwear in my wardrobe and this is a sexy substitute for the days when purple isn't really calling to my heart right? I especially love how it's got the laced-up aspect to it. The simplicity just adds to the classiness of it and i can see The Queen of England absolutely rocking this (yeah right) and since i'm feeling like a Queen myself i want a pair of these next year before the Australian winter comes around. It would be a good substitute for biker boots non? I would look like a chic farmers wife just coming from my organic garden. These would set you back £178.26 and you can get them here.
Images via Net-a-porter.com

Homeless Chic

When it comes to channeling the 'homeless chic' look, no one does it better than Johnny Depp and Mary Kate Olsen. If it was someone else other than these two sporting these looks in the pictures, they would just look absolutely retarded and whacky but these two manage to bring their own swagga and 'je ne sais quoi' to the entire ensemble that it is almost shocking. I must admit that i'm not really a fan of these looks but i have to applaud them for even making an effort. Mary Kate does seem to look like she's borrowing her style tips from Johnny Depp and Ozzy Osbourne sometimes.
As for me, recent incidents have shown that i'm actually styleless as i've been trying to put together a fashion album for myself as inspiration and i've also been writing down a shopping list of things i would like to save up to buy. Some of the pictures i've collected actually suprise me as they aren't things that i'd have thought i'd like. But i guess you never really know until you try.
Images via Justjared.com

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Greed...

...is the root of all evil. So, i want an iPod touch; and it's not because i don't have any sort of portable music player because i've actually got a functioning iPod and an MP3 that i just tend to use as a portable external hard drive. I want an iPod touch because Style.com has an application that you can download onto your iPhone or iPod touch and get immediate updates on fashion shows - the videos, the pictures and their reviews. It's not like i'm a serious fashion follower neither do i have any sense of style. It's not like i can't go online and watch the shows afterwards, it's just that i want it in the palm of my hands. I don't need it, i just want it. I'm not usually one to follow fashion in my personal life either because if you've seen me, you'd know that as much as i love reading magazines and watching shows, i rarely ever incorporate any of these things into my own wardrobe. I'm more of a simplistic dresser and i'm not really keen on the whole 'trendy dressing' because i just see it as a waste of my time and it does involve an infinite amount of time investment which i just can't be bothered with. So here i am trying to talk myself out of getting an iPod touch and into getting a GHD.
But then again, i rarely actually straighten my hair. Sometimes i can be really good and actually straighten my hair once a week just after washing and blowdrying it. But most of the time, i tend to actually just blow dry it and then tie it down with a scarf. After all, i always end up backcombing my hair which is pretty simple, straightforward, styleless and definitely no need for a hair straightener to pull off that look. I'm actually considering getting extensions in my hair for the summer months as my hair tends to grow heaps when i've got extensions in; so this means that i really don't need a GHD right now. I only really need it when i've firmly decided that i'm going to grow out my hair in its natural state and stop relaxing it. Then i would definitely need GHDs because i have no plans of walking around in an afro....soooo not my style. Instead i would be employing the 'Beyonce, Gabrielle Union, Sanaa Lathan and Taraji Henson' option of blowdrying it and then straightening it because only a straightener as hot or hotter than GHDs can actually get a proper afro straight and smooth enough.
Image via Theeuni-box.com

Ankle Boots Loving

I know it's not easily visible but Jessica is sporting a pair of wedge ankle boots that i'm absolutely in love with. Wedge heels and I were separated at birth because they are the most comfy things since high heels were invented. Wedge heel boots are my top priority boot-shopping for next year along with a pair of Balenciaga-looking boots that the Olsen twins have been sported in; there's a similar one in Australia called 'Punk wedge' by Maurice and Eve and it retails for $220 so i know where my expenditure is going to. I'm absolutely lusting after these ones Jessica's wearing so if anyone knows where i can purchase these at a student-friendly price then please let me know. Thanks in advance!!!^_^
Image via Justjared.com

Monday, October 26, 2009

I'm Scared Of Me

I'm scared of the me inside me. There's always two sides to a person and the same goes with me.

There's the sane 'miss goody-two-shoes' me which comes out everyday and then there's the crazy me that throws all the rule books out the door and rocks la familia. It's like good-girl-gone-bad without the bondage outfit and the nipple piercings and tatts.
Think Venus vs. Mars. It's like hate and yoga can't even stomach each other [pls don't ask me what that means because i'm terrible at explanations. So the best i can say is two parallel lines existing in the same box].
Images via Ldinfo.com, Imageenvision.com, Thebreakthrough.org

Sunday, October 25, 2009

It's Not Fun Anymore...

Nothing seems to be fun to me anymore. Everything is just boring and annoying and irritating and i keep complaining and making whoppers over and over and over again. I know, it's annoying whinging and i'm constantly on a whinging bender. So, where did it all go wrong? Sometimes i do feel bad for my blog because if it was human, it would be very upset at my constant whinging. But if i had to do it all over, i don't exactly know how i would approach it. Because everything that has happened in my life up till now is what makes me who i am. But then again, who exactly am i? I'm constantly trying to figure out how to answer that question.
Image via Pennydragon.com

Acceptance

How easy is it for you to just accept the way you are? Right now, right there as you’re reading this post. How easy is it to look right in the mirror, stare at your reflection and say i’m able to accept ME, just the way i am right now. Is it that easy? NO!! Not for me anyway; i’m constantly living in the residual of my past self or the future me i hope for. I’m rarely ever living in the moment; it’s always past or future, never really right here and right now. I remember last week i sent a text to JieJie saying i need to go into a ‘fat and ugly home’ because everytime i catch a reflection of myself in the bathroom mirror or see one of the girls in my residence rocking some hot outfit that would only look nice on someone without a pot belly and thighs big enough to strangle someone, i fall back into the self-loathing pit. This is how my life tends to unfold and work on a daily basis. Let’s talk breakfast on Friday morning. So this girl in the dining hall who happens to be a US size 0 was complaining about how fat she was and how she didn’t want to wear a dress to the formal except she’d lost some weight before then. All i could think about at that point was rendering her unconscious by chucking my rice krispies bowl at her head. And the minute i got back into my room, i already started picking my body apart and looking at all the parts i hate and how summer is just going to be another annoying hot mess because there’s no way i’d be wearing shorts or mini skirts because i hate my thighs and there’s no wat i’d be wearing dresses because i have an enormous tummy that has the abilities of an amoeba because it changes shape every few minutes irrespective of how many times or how hard i work out every week. Sometimes i even wonder why i deprive myself from eating all the junk food i like because even when i’m not eating it, i’m still not losing any weight and my tummy always speaks to me whenever i put on a pair of jeans. Should i blame this on the Australian summer that is the equivalent of a natural daily sauna or should i blame it on my inability to actually just accept myself the way i am and love myself?
It has been argued that you can never move forward without letting go of the past and actually living in the moment. These are actually two things that are pretty difficult for me to achieve. See, i’m always thinking of myself pre getting sick. How good i looked, how amazing i felt, how happy i was, how i was more self confident, the fact that i was a C cup, had a concave belly and the list goes on. And then i think of the future. How at some point in my life i would FINALLY lose weight after all the sweating, huffing and puffing i tend to do each week all in the name of exercise, how i’d be able to rock all those fashion-forward clothes that i see in magazines and sometimes on Topshop. How i won’t have to worry that a certain shop doesn’t carry my size and how i wouldn’t feel out of place in a store in China Town. Maybe my feet might just shrink back one size so it’ll be easier to actually wear shoes without wondering whether they’re wide enough. How i’d finally be able to go to the beach without feeling like a whale...I could spend the next two days going on about the hows of the future. But i would probably spend about an hour at the most on the present and that would be on a really good day when i'm feeling like Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek and Queen Latifah all at the same time.
So how exactly do i get round to living in the moment, accepting myself and just enjoying my life? Because let's face it; life is a bitch. It's dull, short, boring, annoying, frustrating, fantastic, orgasmic, hot, mentally draining and challenging, and definitely not fair. My mum's theory is just to forgive and let go. Of course, she says that to me because she knows that i'm not good at letting go of anything. But maybe if i stopped reading magazines and stopped engaging in emotional shopping? Or maybe if i worked out simply because it's good for my health instead of because i'll lose weight. Or maybe, just maybe if i simply forget about actually busting my ass to lose weight, chuck out all the stuff i have that doesn't flatter me and send them off to charity. Then, just lavish my current form with TLC and ensembles that actually flatter it; stop thinking about the pre-sick me or the future me after i've finished a 40-minute session of Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo kickboxing. Maybe that way, i can actually live in the moment and actually accept myself. Oh, i also have to try and stop hating on people that are much slimmer than i am and happen to have long hair; and stop imagining aliens abducting all the pretty people from the face of the earth. What do you guys think?
Images via GWAS, Dramabeans.com, Thumped.co.uk