Wednesday, July 8, 2009

I'm Back x2...And This Time I'm Bringing Sexy With Me

Heard that song on the radio today, lol...So, it's been a while. I just haven't been in the mood to write lately, particularly about beauty. My life hasn't felt very beautiful lately. It's sadly just trudging along, waiting for the right time for lots of good things to happen. Namely, once this month ends and I can go home to New York and do some traveling and prepare for the next phase of my life's journey.

I have gotten back into art lately -- making greeting cards. Oh my gosh, I've turned my bathroom into a spray paint studio! I will definitely post some of my work up here in the future.

I've also started watching Asian dramas and am totally hooked! I'm currently watching the Taiwanese version of "Meteor Garden," a show about a poor girl who becomes the rival-turned-love-interest of the richest boy in their very affluent college. It's got drama, romance, humor and more. I'd definitely recommend it! This show and more are available for free -- for those of you who don't know -- on MySoju.com.

Anyway, on to the sexiness...I was in a good mood after conducting an interview for my job today. (The interview had nothing to do with sexy-anything, to make that clear!) I met with a man to discuss his volunteer work as a court advocate for children for a story I'm writing. During the discussion, he explained that he'd decided while he was still working full-time that once he hit retirement, he would devote half his time to volunteer work and half to personal time.

Now that he's retired, he said he does just that. He volunteers with a slew of other organization, he and his wife travel, he reads books, he exercises, etc. What he kept saying is that when it comes to what someone gets involved in, it's all a matter of priorities; What's important to you to get done? It might not be the same goals as your neighbor or your friend, and that's fine. It's about determining what matters most to you and making it happen.

We all only have 24 hours in a day. We can't change the past, whether it was good or bad. What do you make priorities in your life from this point on?

This made me realize that I was putting too much of my energy into wasteful and silly things when I have to keep my head focused on the game, on the bigger picture. It made me think how sometimes I let important matters fall to the wayside. I'm not directionless by any means, but admittedly, since leaving college I've had lots of aspirations and barely know where to start. It's definitely comforting and empowering for me to consider the fact that I really can do a lot to influence my destiny. And I think an important step is defining some of my priorities and continuing to let those aspirations guide me in a positive way, instead of succumbing to anxiety about what I messed up in the past or what I'm afraid I can't do.

I left the interview feeling pumped -- the guy was really, really nice too, so it was enjoyable to lunch with him -- spent a hot hour on the Metro, and got back to the shopping mall where I was parked. I try not to shop on a whim but I fell in love with two rings in Charlotte Rousse today.

Forgive the lackluster photos, but let me share some sexy with you:

And by sexy I mean glamorous, empowered, bold, happy. I never wear rings on my pointer finger but that's where it fit best, and there's something I like about it there. I rarely wear big rings like this either, but hey, sometimes it just works!

The ring looks like the petals are lacquered. I think it's kind of retro-feeling. It cost $4.

The polish, which did not photograph well, is "Feverish Rose" by Sally Hansen. It's a dark-Barbie-esque pink. I topped it with a sparkly clear polish by Wet 'n Wild, which is subtle but noticeable. So these nails are quite girly!

Combine the ring, the nails, and a dose of self-confidence and...for a moment, I feel like I could take on anything in this world. :)






Wednesday, July 1, 2009

I'm Back....With A Charming Blog Award

The very lovely Crystal at Brunette on a Budget passed this award on to me. What a nice gesture, especially since I've been a bit down/stressed lately, and uninspired to blog...though I have a lot of entries planned for the near future! Anyway on to the goods...


About the Award:

Apparently this award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this text into the body of their award.

I just love passing on love. Too many haters in this world...so thanks, my blog sisters, for sharing positivity and making me smile!

Ahleessa
Beautiful with Brains
Icey
If the shoe fits...
Peace Love Makeup
Vanity Treasure

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Gold Digga Contest Look

Whitney over at Whitz World of Makeup is having a "Gold Digga" contest that ends tomorrow, Jun. 25. I had a lot of fun putting this look together and adding the captions to my photos. Coming up with slogans about greed wasn't as easy as one would think...






Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Jimmy Choo for H&M

H&M is teaming up with Jimmy Choo to release a line of strappy stiletto shoes this fall. The retailer said in a press release that the shoes will be available starting Nov. 14 in about 200 stores across the world.

There will be a dozen women's styles and four for men's, according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch blog. Prices for the women's shoe line are expected run between 40 euros/$55 U.S. and 100 euros/$138 U.S. There will also be a line of accessories and bags, some of which could cost as much as 200 euros/$276 U.S.

(Press photo from H&M linked from the Vancouver Sun.)

(Btw, I didn't realize that Jimmy Choo -- which will always be linked to "Sex and the City" in my mind -- only launched in 1996. And H&M, which has featured clothes by designers like
Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli, says this is its first designer shoe line.)

Those prices aren't cheap, but they are attainable for a young professional like myself. And the shoes pictured above look pretty awesome. I'd love to see the full line in person to feel what the construction is like and check out the stiching. It'd be very poor form for either company to release a sub-par product just because it's not going to cost $600 U.S. like a typical Jimmy Choo, though.

Which makes me wonder, would we be as excited about this line if it didn't have the flashy name attached? Of course the answer is probably 'no.' While the shoes pictured above do look a lot more intricate than, say, a Payless or Forever21 knock-off version (and no hating, I buy there too!), the aura of the Jimmy Choo brand makes them even more desirable. Like anyone could put these on and pretend to be Carrie Bradshaw for a little while.

The bigger question though is, would you actually wear these shoes...and be able to walk? Since a beautiful shoe is meant to be displayed in its full glory on your feet, not hidden away in some (albeit well-organized, spacious, sigh) closet.

And that leads to the epic shoe question -- pretty shoes or comfortable shoes? And can there be both?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Fashion Tips for the Office Gal

As easy as it is to just throw on black slacks, a shirt and call it an outfit, there's more to dressing like a professional woman than that. But I didn't have any resources to regularly reference for this kind of attire until I came across Corporette.com.

"Corporette is a fashion and lifestyle blog for women lawyers, bankers, MBAs, consultants, and otherwise overachieving chicks who work in conservative offices and need to look professional, but want to be fashionable," the site says.

Its posts are descriptive but succinct, and often feature one specific item of clothing (ie: St. John's paisley print top) to highlight general style tips (the kinds of things you can wear with said top). There are also posts with reader questions, interesting links from other blogs and a 'suit of the week.' They also suggest pieces in a variety of price ranges throughout the week, starting with a splurge and ending with a bargain. (Which can still be a bit pricey, such as a $44 sweater on sale at the Gap, but I figure that anyone can take the ideas and work with them. And maybe once I've been in the working world a few more years, those prices will seem more attainable?)

Corporette's aesthetic is in line with Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J.Crew, the Gap, etc. Professional, polished, a little bit fun, feminine, confident. I will definitely be checking it out for attire ideas that are both office- and style-friendly.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Would You Get Married in a Pantsuit?

I was clicking through articles on the Daily Mail's TV&Showbiz section and happened upon this story about a German tennis star and his Dutch model bride, who wore a white pantsuit to the wedding.

Other than this article, I don't know anything about this couple (Boris Becker and Lilly Kerssenberg) or why she may have chosen this unconventional look. After debating how I felt about it in my head, I've decided I actually quite like it. It's very effortlessly chic and striking. It looks comfortable too! And it brings out her natural beauty. I don't like seeing brides who are so made up with pounds of makeup and hairspray that they don't even look like themselves!

(I do think the pants look too long, though. Click on the story link above to see more photos and you'll see what I mean.)

By the way, I definitely prefer this look to the ones that came up when I googled her...Exhibit A:

Yeesh. It was for some sort of event but still, too much there...

I don't know if I'd wear a pantsuit to get married in, though. I've ever only thought about your stereotypical beautiful white dress -- though I'd love something with a bit of a twist, like some colored detail around the waist or in the train.

My mind goes back and forth when it comes to what I'd envision for my ideal wedding. On the subject of attire...on one hand, a wedding dress is probably something you'll only wear one day of your life, and it's really the marriage that matters, not the party, so why go for an over-the-top gown? On the other hand, it is a big milestone in life and worth celebrating in style, right?

Is a pantsuit or a more subtle outfit more appropriate when it's a second marriage? I don't know if this model had been married before but the tennis star has, and has two children.

What do you think? What did you wear or what do you want to wear to your wedding?

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Eki's Cosplay Contest Entry!

I whipped out my pink wig again to do this look for Ekimura's cosplay contest, which is running until Sunday, June 14.

My inspiration was the below photo meets Lady Gaga.

And here's meeeeee:



The goods:


Different lighting: