H is for Hanson

Oh 1990s, you'll always be special to my heart :)









For more info on Hanson, check out their website! They're still making music, which is kind of neat for a band that was SO 90s.

G is for David Guetta

Just in time for his brand new album Nothing but the Beat to be released, that's who I was planning on featuring: David Guetta! I'm definitely going to pick up his new disc soon, since I love the singles that have already been released, and chances are there will be lots more fab tracks!


The addiction sstarted here...


And then Aina and I listened to this song non-stop for months...


And then we mixed in the boys...


And we're still lovin' it!

F is for Far East Movement

Most people only just discovered the genius that is Far East Movement, but I've been listening to them since they did a track for the Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift soundtrack. They've changed their sound quite a bit between "Round Round" and "Like a G6," but I think the uniting theme is that their songs have a kind of comedic feel to them. What do you think?

E is for Example

Being sick totally screwed up my posting plans yesterday. Ugh. It’s rare that I get sick, but yesterday was enough to make me feel like doing absolutely nothing. Therefore to make up for not posting yesterday, I shall post twice today! Yay!

Today’s artist is a rather well-known rapper/singer/etc from England who goes by the name of Example (read his Wiki page to see why this is his handle), but for some reason he hasn’t really made it big in North America. Yet. I’m sure that his part in the iTunes festival (kind of a big deal) will get him enough fans to be legit on both sides of the Atlantic. Maybe then he would do a Canadian tour? Yes? PLEASE! I would die of happy. And maybe if you could get the albums here for a reasonable price without resorting to iTunes downloads…

I got into his music with the song “Won’t Go Quietly” last summer when I heard it on some internet radio station from the UK. It was obsession at first hear, and I pretty much listened to it all summer on repeat. It’s still one of my favourite songs, because the lyrics speak to me, and it makes me wanna dance every time it pops up on my iPod. I pretty quickly fell in love with all of his other music (“Kickstarts”  and “Girl Can’t Dance” are amazing songs), and everything he comes out with I can’t help but adore. I tend to like his pop-electronica stuff best, but I do rather like his hip-hop/rap stuff as well, since the lyrics are always witty in that Brit way I love. Seriously I love how he blends all these genres into some of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard. 


The original addiction...




From his new album, which has just been released!

D is for The Darkness

Happy Friday bitches; here's a little something to get the weekend started, or at least get a few laughs!




For more info about the Darkness visit their homepage.

C is for Cobra Starship

So they're a little bit of a pop cliche, but I won't deny absolutely loving Cobra Starship!

B is for Boy Bands

My very first set of cds were the first two Backstreet Boys albums, way back in grade school. I had no idea who these dancing, singing boys were, but thankfully my BFF Andria knew what was what and hooked me up. To this day I still have my original BSB albums, as well as all their other cds, and I still know all the words to every song. No, I am not ashamed to admit that BSB was a big part of my teen years, and who cares if I take it back a few years and reminisce. At least my past is filled with the Backstreet Boys, front yard dance parties, and lots and lots of fun with my girls!


Some new BSB, which has apparently gone full circle with the storyline. The boys aren't the monsters anymore, and are instead hunting the monsters in their midst! Or are they actually monsters themselves, but cleverly disguised?


Some classic BSB, complete with ridiculous horror story costumes.

Do YOU Know What Fit Means?

 Here begins the alphabetically themed music month of aberration from the fashion and shoes that normally populate my blog. If you haven’t already heard my wardrobe and shoes have been packed up and shipped across the country (as of yesterday actually) and I have to live out of ONE suitcase of clothing. Hell on Earth, I know. Instead of being all depressed about the lack of fasionable clothes I’m going to do a month of posts about music. Specifically, every day I’ll pick a band that I love and share some videos or lyrics or whatever. To make it less random I’m doing it alphabetically, like many people did back in April with their blogs (see Dan’s blog for some completely random bands and good laughs). So here we go!

Back in the day (read late grade school/early high school) there was this show on YTV called the Hit List. It went through various host changes (some good, some bad, but all entertaining), but it was always the place I went to for awesome new music. I probably would have watched MTV or Much Music, but at the time we hadn’t figured out how to bypass the parental controls on our tv. Not that I’m complaining. Because of the Hit List, my musical tastes were predominated by Brit-pop, and I still prefer most European music compared to American. They just do things better over there. But I’m getting off topic already oh noes!

The first band that I’m going to feature is, as their own name states (haha), a1. For those of you who don’t know Brit lingo, saying that something is “a1” is like saying they are the best, the greatest, etc. Kind of presumptuous of the band, of course, but I still rather enjoy their music. Doesn’t help that the guys really are “fit” in that late 1990s boy band kind of way :p



a1 did a remake of the classic A-ha song "Take on Me" that actually made it to #1 on the year end countdown on Hit List! Good song, but even better are the graphics, which at the time made it the most expensive music video ever produced!



By far "Caught in the Middle" is my favourite a1 song, even though it's definitely one of their lesser known songs since it debuted when they were on the way out. They reformed last year (minus one member), and their new stuff isn't bad (check out the new tracks on their Myspace page), but it's just not the same as classic a1!

Surfer Lifestyle

Even if we don't live by the ocean, or know how to surf, it's always fun to pretend we live a coastal lifestyle by wearing board shorts and flip flops all summer long.

Roxy "Tahiti Love" flip flops

Just to warn you all, I'm taking a bit of a hiatus from my proper blog writing. There won't be any shoes, fashion, or nail polish for the next month or so, because my wardrobe and shoe collection has been taken hostage to be moved across the country to Halifax. Don't be too depressed, it won't be too long before I'm back to my regular fabulous posts, and in the meantime there will still be regular posts. I'm not going to tell you what they're going to be about, but I'm sure you'll enjoy them when they start showing up on Tuesday!

Sunshine Smiles

It's the end of the summer, so to match the last rays of sunshine I chose a bright yellow polish (though not quite as bright as the last yellow I featured). Like the neon yellow Icing polish, this yellow was a bit sheer, though China Glaze's thicker formula meant that I could get away with doing three coats for a relatively non-sheer coverage. If you're looking for a nice, standard yellow I would have to say "Happy Go Lucky" (from the Up and Away Collection) is the polish too choose, since it doesn't have any orange, green, or white in it; it's a true yellow. Next time I wear this polish I want to do a coat of OPI's silver shatter overtop, since I love yellow and silver together!

Beachin'

Summer is winding down, so before we're officially back in the cold weather take that bikini out and head down to the beach. Don't let the lack of the "perfect bikini body" dissuede you, just go out and have a good time lying in the sun. Remember, we only have about 3 weeks before we have to spend all of our time in the classroom again, so take advantage of your freedom while it lasts!

Complaints (For the Week)

This post is totally a day late, but I've not really been in the mood for writing anything and getting it posted on time... but I had to complain, because not complaining just isn't my style!

In two weeks, I have to leave a job that I actually relatively enjoy. Sure, the customers are still 75% assholes, but the team (management included!) are all awesome!

My shoes are all packed away and ready to be shipped across the country. It's going to be really depressing having to wear the same 5 pairs of shoes over and over for the next few weeks. Same goes for my wardrobe, since I have a limited amount of space in the luggage :(

Constant nagging paranoia that my flight is going to be a mess and my stuff will get lost in transit :|

Wanting to pack everything NOW, but knowing that there really isn't any point in doing so.

Stupid breaking nails... this has been going on all summer, and hasn't improved at all, and I am NOT PLEASED!

Being forced into mandatory Orientation activities when I would rather spend my first week and a half in Halifax shopping and setting up my living space.

The battery in my MacBook is swelling aka NOT GOOD. Ordering a new one asap, and hoping that the old one doesn't explode in the meantime!

Wanting to do nothing but watch re-runs of my favourite shows like Green Wing and jPod.

Definitely not going to have my passport in time for my flight, which means paying for it to be mailed to Halifax by courier.

Majorly crushing on fictional/celebrity characters. I know exactly how not-realistic this is, but they're cute and witty and awesome. Not sure if this means it's time for a new boy toy...

Proper sleep? Forget about it...

Welcome to the Dollhouse

Dollhouse ballet flats

In Our Circle, We Never Kiss and Tell

Obviously I had to choose a pink polish for Girly Week, and I figured that nothing fit quite so well as this gorgeous matte finish polish from Icing, entitled "Confessions." The bottle shows it to be a shade kind of in between pink and purple, but the colour varies widely in application. The fewer coats you apply, the more pink the polish looks, but eventually you'll hit a saturation point where the colour you're left with is definitely a mauvey purple. 

With a top coat you get a gorgeous sparkly shimmer out of the polish, which can either be a pink or purple, depending on the number of layers again. I'm not showing any pictures of the polish with a topcoat this time around, since I figure I'll get all my matte and suede finish polishes together and do a big post all with topcoats to show the differences in effect. 

By the way, this polish is another one of the infamous Birthday polishes (seriously guys, don't ever give me any more nail polish), and it was given to me by the lovely and fabulous Sarah! Thanks for the sparkles lady <3

Ladies Who Lunch

It’s finally summer in the snowy north ladies, so dig out those adorable sundresses from the back of your closet! They’ve been waiting all year through the snow, the rain, and the general weather misery for some sun, so dress it up and go out for lunch with your best gal pal. And don’t forget to smell the flowers on the way home, since who knows how long they’ll last before the frost of winter sets in!

A Little Girls' Best Friend

It doesn’t get anymore girly than Barbie, but at our age we’re a bit too old for the dolls. Thankfully Town Shoes paired up with the Barbie brand to create a line of shoes inspired by everyone’s favourite girly doll! They’re classic, they’re sexy, and best of all: they’re PINK! Love it or leave it girls, we may not be able too look like Barbie (thank god), but we can at least have her shoes!

photo from Town Shoes

Shape up, or Ship out

In today’s society there is an immense pressure to be thin. The urge to get a gym membership, count calories, and take up a vegan non-dairy organic diet is incredible in the face of peer pressure. But why do we have to go to these extremes to be healthy? Is it possible to just be satisfied with being healthy and fit? It’s not possible to be perfect, but who honestly has the time to be one of those obnoxiously health conscious people? I know I sure don’t… So here’s a few tips from me to you on how to manage without becoming obsessive.

Tip #1: Get out, and get active. I haven’t set foot in a gym since grade 10 (and only then because I was forced to for gym class), and I’m damn proud of it. Instead of working out in a closed environment I hit the pavement. I won’t “go for a run” because honestly I get bored, but when I do have to go places I usually walk instead of drive. Before I moved back to Kamloops for the summer, I had to rely entirely on my own feet to get me places, since I didn’t have a car, and I wasn’t willing to shell out $80 a month for a bus pass. Trust me, my ass never looked better!

Tip #2: Control your cravings. I love chocolate. A LOT. But I don’t allow myself to gorge on it, and it’s something I consider a treat, not a staple, in my kitchen. When you crave something it’s not healthy to deny yourself, because eventually you are going to give in, and the longer you hold off the worse the binge is going to be. Have just enough to satisfy yourself, and then stop.

Tip #3: Portion control. Just because an entire plate of pasta is there in front of you doesn’t mean you have to eat the entire thing. This is especially true of comfort foods that come in pre-portioned containers, like ice cream and chips. Don’t eat the ice cream out of the tub, put it into a bowl, because that will control how much of it you’re eating.

Tip #4: Stop eating after 8pm unless you’re going to be active late at night. When you eat a huge meal, and then spend the evening sitting around or sleeping you’re not burning off the calories you just ingested! Eat when you’re going to be active, because food is supposed to be fuel for your body.

Tip #5: Eat in, not out. Not only will this save you money, it will also be a lot healthier. Most of us can’t be bothered to make the deep-fried and fat-laden items on restaurant menus, so by default you’ll be making healthier choices. Unless your idea of a good meal is pizza pops…

Tip #6: Variety is key. Switch up the things you’re eating, because doing that tricks your body into thinking it’s eating less. If you eat the same meal for days on end (leftovers ugh), your body registers that as over-eating and stores the food energy instead of using it. Being a carb-a-holic like I am, I’ve found that switching up what carbs I’m eating helps as well. I don’t eat potatoes for days on end, I alternate between the pastas, rice, bread, etc.

Tip #7: Throw some metabolism boosters into the mix. Foods like garlic and onion are known to speed up your metabolism, which in turn burns calories faster, therefore making you not gain weight. Turns out these simple add ons are not only delicious, but nutritious as well!

Drowning in a Sea of Oranges

As most people who know me realize very quickly, orange is my least favourite colour. It kind of makes sense, since my favourite colour is blue, which is the opposite of orange on the colour wheel. But I got a straight up orange polish for my birthday, and I had to swatch it at some point just to bitch about it during tacky week, so here it is. Sorry Kirsten! The only reason I'm even keeping this polish is because it will come in handy during the Halloween season :p

China Glaze Life Preserver (from the Anchors Away Collection)

Fashion Citations

Sorry for skipping my regular post yesterday, but I  swear I have a good excuse. I volunteered (in a moment of insanity) to work an extra shift on what should have been my day off. A 5am shift. UGH. Never again! I wasn’t really capable of writing properly yesterday, so I just sat and watched Sex and the City re-runs instead of being productive.

But on to today’s topic: fashion no-nos!

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon something incredible when I was browsing through our local Chapters. I was stunned, amazed, and immediately had to have it: a little notepad of “fashion citations.” Finally! A solution for when you spot someone who is making a fashion error! Just find their crime on the notepad, check it off, and give them the citation. In essence, it’s like a speeding ticket, but for people who can’t dress! You can see what the tickets look like on the Knock Knock website, and even buy one if you so choose! They also have lots of other cute stationary sets that are just as amusing and useful as the Fashion Citations notepad (I have the In My Humble Opinion journal).

So basically this week, I’m going to go through some of the crimes listed on the Citations list and offer some simple solutions!

Crime: Accessories Abuse

Solution: Learn to control the impulse to over-indulge. Accessories can easily overwhelm an outfit, so keep it simple. Go for a fancy necklace OR earrings, a bling ring OR a bracelet, and choose a belt or hair accessory that is in proper proportions to the outfit.

Crime: Camel Toe

Solution: Seriously. Buy clothes that fit properly. No one wants to see that!

Crime: Excessive Denim

Solution: Unless you’re George Harrison circa Abbey Road, steer clear. The urban cowgirl look is SO Jessica Simpson during the late 1990s.

Crime: Holiday Sweater

Solution: I can’t stand the tacky sweater party trend that pops up during the Xmas season. No one looks good in them. In fact, they all look rather ridiculous. Is it so hard to wear nice sweater? There are plenty of adorable winterwear, so why the obsession with tacky sweaters?

Crime: Ill-Advised Spandex

Solution: You’re not a gymnast or a figure-skater are you? So why would you ever consider wearing spandex in regular life? Spandex blend yes (yay for stretchy jeans), but pure spandex is for athletes during athletic events only!

Crime: Inappropriate Bulge(s)

Solution: This one is for all my male readers! NO BANANA HAMOCKS! You know what I’m talking about gentlemen…

Crime Indecent skin display

Solution: This is the one time when I agree with the guy who said that girls shouldn’t dress like sluts if they don’t want to get raped. It’s not that difficult to cover-up properly, so why are you not wearing half of your clothes? Did you get mugged? No? Then PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON!

Crime: Matchy-matchy

Solution: Mix it up! You don’t have to wear the same thing head to toe, so why wouldn’t you switch up the style and pattern. Mixing patterns and styles is what creates texture and interest in your outfit!

Crime: Overly Informal

Solution: For everyday wear, this is fine, but I’m going to harp a bit on people who go out wearing their pjs. I’m not sure who told them all that wearing your sleepwear in public was acceptable, but it definitely isn’t! If it was, wouldn’t we all just sleep in our regular clothes?

Crime: Peekaboo Underpants

Solution: I remember when it was a huge fad in my high school for guys to wear their jeans down around their knees. Sometimes it’s funny (smiley face boxers do create smiles, even if the lookers are laughing AT the wearer), but the majority of the time it’s just tacky and inappropriate. Underwear is meant to go under your clothes, hence the name…

Crime: Sock with Sandals

Solution: I see this literally every day. And every day it makes me cringe. If you want your entire feet covered then wear shoes. Sandals are meant to show off feet, not cover them!

Crime: Trend Victimization

Solution: To me this is the worst fashion crime that you could commit. Just because it’s “in” doesn’t mean that it’s right for you. Different things look good on different body types, so don’t assume that just because it looks good on the store mannequin or in the pages of Vogue that it will look good on you (unless you’re a model obviously, and for that shame on you!). It might also do you good to look outside what you see around you, and find things that you actually like, and not just rely on what everyone else is wearing. I personally make a point of wearing exactly what I want regardless of what the trend forecasters say shall be the style. Sure, I do buy new style things, but only if I like them for my own reasons, not because it’s been pre-ordained by others!

The (Fashion) Bible

Sometimes the stuff between the covers of Vogue is not to my taste, but I still consider it to be the most influential fashion tome in my magazine library. Unlike most of the other fashion magazines out there, Vogue actually has some artistry to their editorials, and it’s not just a catalogue of what’s in and what’s not. Obviously some issues are better than others (yay August, boo March), but I can generally find something that I adore.

As a way to combat basic fashion errors Vogue is a good place to start, so I urge anyone who is in doubt of the contents of their closets to go and pick up an issue of Vogue. You may not like everything in it, but I’m sure that you’ll find something that suits your tastes! Now is definitely the time to do it too, since the August issue is pretty good, and I bet that the September issue (hurry up and get here already!) is going to be even better!

photo from here

Judging People, It’s What We Do

Just a warning: this week is going to be a complete bitchfest. Judgements and criticisms shall fly, and no fashion ne’er do well will be left without a dent in their ego. I’m getting sick of all of the poorly dressed people that I’m confronted with on a daily basis, and it’s about time that someone set them straight. 

photo from here