There's so much new stuff coming out soon! Here's a little recap of everything shiny, bright and new to come this fall.
The new ABC Family series based on another one of Sara Shepard's series, The Lying Game premieres today, as does another episode of Pretty Little Liars during its usual timeslot, so I'm super excited for all of that tonight. There's only 30-some odd days until The Vampire Diaries Season 3 premieres on the CW, and that should be an interesting season -the year of the originals, with "Delena", more focus on witches, surprising twists and turns and old love interests galore (Malese Jow as Anna, Kayla Ewell as Vicki and Emily Fields' belle, Samara (Claire Holt) features as Stefan's ex). Gossip Girl's season 5 returns to the air soon as well, after one very long summer away from the Upper East Side. Demi Lovato's new album, Unbroken drops on September 20th, and I'm so excited to hear her amazing new soulful sound, debuted on Skyscraper. Big Time Rush's new album releases later this year in November, too, and that should be exciting. For anyone keeping up, a new iCarly episode dropped just two days ago- iLost My Mind, kicking off Volume 5 of the ever-popular show. One of my favorite bands, Every Avenue (featured in an earlier post with the video for song "Tell Me I'm A Wreck"), recently dropped their new album, Bad Habits.
Caught up? Great. The release of so much new music especially really made me question what kind of music I like. I love pop-grunge-alt-rock, bordering on hard rock for sure (I really wish I could catch The Pretty Reckless in tour, or that they would release a new album.) but I've realized that I also love softer power ballads far too much too. The skill to play piano is one that I really wish I had (though it pains me to say that my efforts at learning guitar were derailed by a trip out of town and upcoming things, both good and bad, in my own life.), and so I thought I write a post about a few of my absolute favorite acoustic-y power ballads, some of which are played on piano and others on guitar, but all of which have astounding vocals/talent and truly beautiful messages. Some of these songs I've covered individually before as songs-of-the-day, because I'm thoroughly in love with each and every one of these songs, so I won't do full commentary on any of these songs, but I just want to give them the sort of shout-out these songs and artists deserve, and make a sort of list of some of the best (in my opinion) soft, meaningful, pop-rock power ballads that I think everyone should check out at some point.
-Demi Lovato: Skyscraper
-Kate Voegele: Forever and Almost Always
-Victoria Justice & Leon Thomas III: Tell Me That You Love Me
-The Band Perry: If I Die Young
-Anna Nalick: Drink Me
-Birdy: Skinny Love
-Vanessa Carlton: Who's To Say
-Vanessa Carlton: White Houses
-Vanessa Carlton: Ordinary Day
-Victoria Justice: A Thousand Miles
*This last cover by Victoria Justice is even more talented than the original version by Vanessa Carlton, which was absolutely amazing to begin with. Victoria Justice is actually a really bright, inspiring, aspiring star in the music industry... can't wait to see what her upcoming solo album sounds like, too.
Make sure to check out some of these amazing songs for your own sake -you won't be sorry; they're absolutely beautiful. My current favorite of them all is definitely Kate Voegele's Forever and Almost Always, just because it's so honest, so expressive and so relatable -every girl can relate to the emotions offered, evoked and stirred by the song, much like a Taylor Swift song without all the idealism and/or excessive bitterness. (Idealism and bitterness are so mutually inclusive; can't have one without the other, whereas happiness and sadness are both necessary in order to feel the full impact of the other, but they don't coexist -when you're happy you're not sad. But you can't be an idealist without being bitter, and if you're bitter about life, chances are that on some level you're an idealist whose idealistic dreams have been tossed around by reality.)
That's all for now though; be back soonish.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Forever and Almost Always
So the story goes on down the less-traveled road
It's a variation on the one I was told
And although it's not the same
It's awful close, yeah
In an ordinary fairytale land
There's a promise of a perfect happy end
And I imagine having just sort of that
Is better than nothing
So you'll be mine
Forever and almost always
And I'll be fine
Just love me when you can...
And I'll wait patiently
I'll wake up every day
Just hoping that you still care.
Life is full of conflicting messages. My favorite conflict in love might be between "Some sort of relationship is better than none at all", vs."Never settle for halfway commitment; look for someone who gives you everything they have." I'm not sure which is truer. At times, when I'm feeling strong and independent, like I can do anything if I just stay determined, I feel like I need to wait for someone who'll look at me like I'm their whole world, and I feel like I shouldn't settle for someone who isn't quite right for me or someone who just can't always be there for me. At other times, I feel like I might never meet someone better than the people I've already met. I have so many people in my life who love me. They don't love me all the time, but they love me sincerely all the same. I feel like love, no matter what form its in, should be enough, and I shouldn't be picky in waiting for the "perfect" all-the-time love, because it may never come. Maybe I need to make the best of the love that I have and just appreciate the fact that I'm loved sincerely, and will be loved forever, even if the love isn't mine to have all the time. (This doesn't refer to cheating or being the mistress; it refers to loving someone whose heart you can't have all of the time, but you have their attention and their love some of the time, but you'll have that sometimes-love forever.). I don't know if I'll ever be sure. At some point I may decide that if the connection is genuine, true, and will last forever, I can settle for it, even if I don't have that person's love all the time because of their own personal issues with love and trust and all. Or maybe I'll remain an idealist for good, and keep waiting for that person who can love me forever and all of the time. I guess we'll see. The real reason I'm thinking about all of this is because of a song that I heard, and a story that I read, and I was wondering how to interpret both the story and the song.
Love is love. Is it better to be satisfied with the sincere, sometimes-love that you have, even if it's not the great, perfect all-the-time love? Or is it better to wait for the all-the-time, great, perfect love and never settle for anything less than what you deserve - 100% commitment and attention? To find someone who loves you all the time because they look at you like you're worth it, or to stick with someone who loves you when they can, loves you all the same even though they can't be with the one they truly love, or are incapable of truly making love into a real commitment? Finding love is half the battle; any form of true love is a near-fairytale, but it's not the perfect fairytale if you can't have that love all the time. Part of me says to stop looking for the ultimate fairytale and hold sacred the love that I have, while part of me tells me I'll find a more consistent, a more stable kind of love too. This might make more sense if you read the story and listen to the song.
The song itself released a couple years ago, but I never really got around to listening to it I guess. It's beautiful though. It's by Kate Voegele, who also played the role of aspiring singer-songwriter Mia Catalano on One Tree Hill. Mia is a televised representation of Kate's own reality, and the show is really the inspiration for a lot of Kate's songs. It's a beautiful, beautiful, very honest song that I love. It makes me question a lot about love and life, and I hope it makes you think too.
Is having just short of the fairytale really better than nothing, or would that mean settling for less than you deserve, because everyone deserves their perfect fairytale?
I wonder. The song leans towards finding someone who can love you always, but I say, in typical slightly cynical fashion, that maybe we ought to be more satisfied with the sincere love we have, even if it is only part-time due to personality and other issues, not due to another person. The jury's definitely still out, and if I ever figure out my personal love life or even how to be happy in life in general I'll keep y'all updated. I guess the biggest issue in humanity is that no one really knows what they want long-term outside of the materialistic box. Everyone knows what they don't want, but no one really knows what they want in terms of life or love (realistically; wanting the fairytale love life isn't an adequate answer past the generous age of 9). When I figure out what I really want -a strong independent life vs, keeping my friends in my life no matter the personal cost/pain, or a strong independent life vs. the fairytale romance, etc- I'll let you know. For now, suffice it to say that I'm confused, but still forging ahead and trying to figure it out and make the best of the opportunities that I do have (sidenote: I really need to stop sabotaging myself and seize the long-term opportunities that I have instead of focusing on instant gratification -which is another fatal human flaw, really. This is the semester I get things together academically and professionally and even personally, instead of just socially. Pinky promise.)
I'll post the link to the story after I've gotten permission from the author to do so, and you can head over to iTunes and buy the song "Forever and Almost Always" in the meantime :)
It's a variation on the one I was told
And although it's not the same
It's awful close, yeah
In an ordinary fairytale land
There's a promise of a perfect happy end
And I imagine having just sort of that
Is better than nothing
So you'll be mine
Forever and almost always
And I'll be fine
Just love me when you can...
And I'll wait patiently
I'll wake up every day
Just hoping that you still care.
Life is full of conflicting messages. My favorite conflict in love might be between "Some sort of relationship is better than none at all", vs."Never settle for halfway commitment; look for someone who gives you everything they have." I'm not sure which is truer. At times, when I'm feeling strong and independent, like I can do anything if I just stay determined, I feel like I need to wait for someone who'll look at me like I'm their whole world, and I feel like I shouldn't settle for someone who isn't quite right for me or someone who just can't always be there for me. At other times, I feel like I might never meet someone better than the people I've already met. I have so many people in my life who love me. They don't love me all the time, but they love me sincerely all the same. I feel like love, no matter what form its in, should be enough, and I shouldn't be picky in waiting for the "perfect" all-the-time love, because it may never come. Maybe I need to make the best of the love that I have and just appreciate the fact that I'm loved sincerely, and will be loved forever, even if the love isn't mine to have all the time. (This doesn't refer to cheating or being the mistress; it refers to loving someone whose heart you can't have all of the time, but you have their attention and their love some of the time, but you'll have that sometimes-love forever.). I don't know if I'll ever be sure. At some point I may decide that if the connection is genuine, true, and will last forever, I can settle for it, even if I don't have that person's love all the time because of their own personal issues with love and trust and all. Or maybe I'll remain an idealist for good, and keep waiting for that person who can love me forever and all of the time. I guess we'll see. The real reason I'm thinking about all of this is because of a song that I heard, and a story that I read, and I was wondering how to interpret both the story and the song.
Love is love. Is it better to be satisfied with the sincere, sometimes-love that you have, even if it's not the great, perfect all-the-time love? Or is it better to wait for the all-the-time, great, perfect love and never settle for anything less than what you deserve - 100% commitment and attention? To find someone who loves you all the time because they look at you like you're worth it, or to stick with someone who loves you when they can, loves you all the same even though they can't be with the one they truly love, or are incapable of truly making love into a real commitment? Finding love is half the battle; any form of true love is a near-fairytale, but it's not the perfect fairytale if you can't have that love all the time. Part of me says to stop looking for the ultimate fairytale and hold sacred the love that I have, while part of me tells me I'll find a more consistent, a more stable kind of love too. This might make more sense if you read the story and listen to the song.
The song itself released a couple years ago, but I never really got around to listening to it I guess. It's beautiful though. It's by Kate Voegele, who also played the role of aspiring singer-songwriter Mia Catalano on One Tree Hill. Mia is a televised representation of Kate's own reality, and the show is really the inspiration for a lot of Kate's songs. It's a beautiful, beautiful, very honest song that I love. It makes me question a lot about love and life, and I hope it makes you think too.
Is having just short of the fairytale really better than nothing, or would that mean settling for less than you deserve, because everyone deserves their perfect fairytale?
I wonder. The song leans towards finding someone who can love you always, but I say, in typical slightly cynical fashion, that maybe we ought to be more satisfied with the sincere love we have, even if it is only part-time due to personality and other issues, not due to another person. The jury's definitely still out, and if I ever figure out my personal love life or even how to be happy in life in general I'll keep y'all updated. I guess the biggest issue in humanity is that no one really knows what they want long-term outside of the materialistic box. Everyone knows what they don't want, but no one really knows what they want in terms of life or love (realistically; wanting the fairytale love life isn't an adequate answer past the generous age of 9). When I figure out what I really want -a strong independent life vs, keeping my friends in my life no matter the personal cost/pain, or a strong independent life vs. the fairytale romance, etc- I'll let you know. For now, suffice it to say that I'm confused, but still forging ahead and trying to figure it out and make the best of the opportunities that I do have (sidenote: I really need to stop sabotaging myself and seize the long-term opportunities that I have instead of focusing on instant gratification -which is another fatal human flaw, really. This is the semester I get things together academically and professionally and even personally, instead of just socially. Pinky promise.)
I'll post the link to the story after I've gotten permission from the author to do so, and you can head over to iTunes and buy the song "Forever and Almost Always" in the meantime :)
Friday, August 12, 2011
Walking Fashion Fail: Miley Cyrus Edition
I seriously love fashion fails. They're super entertaining and just makes me wonder what the person was thinking when they walked out their door, whether they're celebrity or not. Moreover, celebrity fashion fails are a great hands-on lesson for the rest of us, and remind us of styles that never, ever, ever look good, regardless of who these unfortunate styles are sported by. So without further ado...
Walking Fashion Fail: Miley Cyrus Edition! I have to say that I personally do admire a lot of things about Miley Cyrus (especially her current net worth. The girl makes more than most teen stars, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Miranda Cosgrove included... in fact, Justin Bieber is the one who's currently raking in just as much as Miss Cyrus, with his girlfriend running a close third.), including her music and her perseverance and her ability to stay in the Hollywood grind for years, but some of her choices over the years, both wardrobe and otherwise, have definitely been questionable. But of course, teenage years are the time to make questionable choices and get away with them, but for now, lets take a look at what some of Miss Cyrus' most questionable off-stage style choices have been.
----------------------------------------------------
I think I have to start with one of the worst of them all. Miley definitely went the Britney Spears route with this unfortunate crotch shot. Perez Hilton, famous gossip blogger, actually came under a major blitz of fire for uploading this picture of a then-minor - Miley was only 17-years-old at the time this photo was snapped. Perez's photo was blasted as being child pornography, as Miley chose to forgo her underwear and her private bits were very clearly on display in the original picture. The gossip website subsequently took the offending photo down, but blacked out versions have been circulating the web ever since. This is definitely a repeat lesson: going pantyless is NEVER an option, and crotch shots are offensive, disturbing and career-destroying (unless Playboy is the eventual goal). Paps should know better than to assault our eyes with such photos, but celebrities like Miley or Britney should know better than to step out sans underwear. I apologize if anyone was offended by the picture, but I can't sugarcoat the truth; it is what it is!
You can argue all you want that this, to the left, is a dress worn by Miss Cyrus; I still say that she forgot her pants on the red carpet. Props to her for her makeup though; the clean, minimalist look is very elegant and chic, and makes 
Miley look grown-up in a classy way.
Below: Um, wow. I have no words for this. First of all, what is it with celebs exposing all when getting out of their cars?! That shot is verging on capturing Miley's vajay-jay once again, and that's something we most definitely do not need to see. Enough with the crotch shots, please. (Is it just me, or does she look oddly thin - especially her legs -in this shot?) Secondly: Please, for the love of all that is couture, repeat after me: Tights/Leggings ARE NOT PANTS. And those teeny-tiny shorts that look like underwear really do not make the situation any better. Pants have NEVER been optional, and this fact has really got to stop being a repeat offender. Lastly... that's not a rip in the side of her dirty-looking T-shirt. That's a deliberate cut with clean edges, not an accidental hole. That deliberate cut exposes a whole lot of side-boob and underwiring. I have to wonder whether this was Miss Cyrus' intention as a plea for more attention, or whether she just likes the exposed look. Either way, this outfit just needs to be burned immediately.
This t-shirt below was exhibited by Miley while out to a casual lunch in LA with her mother and sister, Tish and Noah respectively. Clearly, Miley opted to go braless in the heat, which can be a very practical and classy idea, but Miley managed to take it straight through classy to trashy with her nipples so obviously poking through the thin white tee. Apparently she was oblivious to the stares of passerby, too. I don't actually get the cut shoulders, either. What I can't believe is that Mama Cyrus would actually be okay with this outfit, casual lunch or not. If I left the house with my nipples in plain view... well I don't think I'd actually ever do that, but my mother would so not be okay with it. Additionally, take a look at how 10-year-old Noah Cyrus seems to be taking style cues from her older sister:
This family photo was snapped during the same outing to lunch in LA. Miley's nips are slightly less obvious, and Mrs. Cyrus looks fairly decent, dressed up in black, but Noah Cyrus' black bra peeking out of her gray tank top is another matter entirely. It's a look that follows big sister Miley's style a little too closely, with the black bra playing peek-a-boo (is a 10-year-old even ready for a bra?!), and the slightly-more-decent-than-Miley's Daisy Dukes. How does Tish not seem to mind OR notice either of her daughters' attires?! One is only 10, for crying out loud... oh, wait. Maybe this is why Tish doesn't seem to mind:
Tish sure seems to enjoy dressing like an older version of Miley, instead of like an actual adult. I definitely understand that everyone has their sweatpants days, and Miley and Tish might be out on a casual coffee run or on their way back from the gym for all I know, but while Miley might be young enough to get away with a tank top and sweatpants in Hollywood's public eye, I don't think Tish should be awarded that same luxury. She should be dressing like a role model for Miley, not following Miley's style choices. However, it must be note
d that this outfit is overall not one of Miley's worst choices, and even Tish looks like a rather hot, though age-inappropriate mama. Miley's mom has got it goin' on!
Leather pants and LAX are a highly unflattering combination, and leather pants in general still do not qualify as pants. The leatherette hobo bag is actually pretty cute though.
If you read the T-shirt at the left carefully, you'll see "Cheap Trick" reprinted about half a dozen times. I don't quite understand why anyone would really advertise themselves as a cheap trick on or off-stage, but whatever floats Miley's boat. I'll admit she certainly looks "cheap" in this shirt -in all possible definitions of the word.
Tattered hose are still not pants, and Miley's too-short Daisy Dukes are BARELY, BARELY, BARELY visible beneath her surprisingly stylish and low-key plaid button-up. Her combat boots are cute too, but none of this makes up for the fact that Miley has apparently decided to treat the world as Pants: Optional (it sounds like something Chandler or Joey would say from Friends!!)
If it's cold enough to wear those chunky, fringed boots at the left, then it is definitely not hot enough for barely-visible Daisy Dukes. Miley sure commits a lot of Daisy Dukes infractions, doesn't she? Daisy Dukes can be super cute and flattering, but wear them wisely -not like Miley. Her hair looks cute, but that's about all that's forgivable. Please, girls: UGGS/any type of chunky boot + short shorts/miniskirt = NO. Her friend's crossbody bag is amazing, but those jeans/leggings overshot artfully hippie-ripped and went straight to homeless-looking. Props for the supportive "To Write Love On Her Arms" tee though - it's cute and chic, and for a cause. Bravo.
Miley seems to be taking a lot of performance cues from Miss Spears (I wonder if we'll see Miley lip-synch?), and while that on-stage outfit isn't really the craziest or most risque we've ever seen from performers (Lady Gaga's egg was insane), that's still got to be one hell of a wedgie... the wedgie that couldn't be tamed.
I'm actually on the fence about this look to the left.Yes, her black bra is peeking out of her white lace vest, and to be honest, a showing bra is nothing new for Cyrus, but this time I feel she pulls off the sheer look tastefully. The bra peeks out subtly, and does cover everything that needs to be covered up top. Black under white is actually a great color combination, and for once the Daisy Dukes aren't too, too short. The cutoffs even look great paired with brown country boots and minimal jewelry... all-in-all, this looks like a winning, casual summer outfit to me, though I know some people hate on the sheer look with bra peeking through. Sheer is all the rage these days though, so I say this look was of Miley's better choices.
The front of this ensemble doesn't look absolutely terrible. Sure, the paint-speckled jeans and the studded boots are a bit much, and definitely too visually distracting, but the front of the greyish-blue shirt at least looks elegant. The back however... YIKES. That's one Halloween project gone tragically, tragically wrong (cobwebs galore!) And I feel like it won't be too long before Miley Cyrus loses the clothes completely, and simply walks around in lingerie like Taylor Momsen.
Not only is such a lo
ng train (see below) entirely unnecessary on such a short dress, but it's also a major trip hazard. And the bow just makes the entire concoction look like some sort of melting ice cream cake, or a horrible '90s era prom bomb. The heels, however, are cute, and Miley otherwise looks sophisticated with her minimal makeup and flowing brown-blond hair. Too bad the dress is the main part of the ensemble, and that part simply failed to deliver.
This, to the right, is a wrapping paper mess. It looks like Miley was swallowed whole by Christmas wrapping paper, or by the colorful sticky glittery tape we used to decorate our school binders with. The mermaid-inspired bottom is fresh and youthful, but the the shiny ribbons of color simply fail to deliver a cohesive dress. To be fair, Miley looks much, much younger when this photo was taken at the Country Music Awards - she looks to be about 14, maybe 15, so her unfortunate style choice here can be chalked up to her age and therefore forgiven. However, hadn't Miley been doing Hannah Montana for years at this point? It would make sense, then, that Cyrus had a stylist... this fashion fail, I think, can be attributed to her stylist and not to Miley herself, since she was probably fairly new to the world of red carpet events.
Grandma Cyrus, what's good? That fur collar and matching hemline paired with the curtain-print dress just really does not work for me, and those orthopedic-looking shoes don't elevate the look from "dowdy" and "frumpy" much. Miley looks young here, but this time I think it's fair that she get penalized... this would've been an appropriate time to throw a diva fit and refuse to wear this dress in public. 
Love the shoes in the picture on the right, but is that a flower-embroidered gold-edged apron on top of her LBD? It looks more like a quirky French maid outfit than a dress befitting an appearance at a public event. Overall, the dress is confusing and has no discernible concept other than French Maid... Someone get the girl a stylist, on the double. Props to Miley for having a great, very natural looking tan though and beachy hair to complement the tan.
That, on the left, looks like a frilly tablecloth mess. Miley might have taken the concept of "Black Tie Affair" too far, and the menswear-inspired top half, with the undone bowtie and black accents doesn't pull the dress together in a flattering way. The high collar just doesn't work at all. The garment is overall shapeless and baggy, and the bottom half just looks like yards of lacy white tablecloth, not a dress.
This concludes another edition of Walking Fashion Fails! There are so many that I couldn't even pick a few favorite instances of Miley's epic fashion fails, so I had to include all of these. I'll throw out something positive next post with a celebrity who constantly looks chic, no matter the occasion, but at the end of the day it's important to remember that everyone messes up and makes style mistakes from time to time. However, when mistakes start repeating themselves too often, these mistakes become a choice, and some style faux-pas can't even be categorized as "mistakes" --making underwear optional is a choice.
Until next time, xo
Walking Fashion Fail: Miley Cyrus Edition! I have to say that I personally do admire a lot of things about Miley Cyrus (especially her current net worth. The girl makes more than most teen stars, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Miranda Cosgrove included... in fact, Justin Bieber is the one who's currently raking in just as much as Miss Cyrus, with his girlfriend running a close third.), including her music and her perseverance and her ability to stay in the Hollywood grind for years, but some of her choices over the years, both wardrobe and otherwise, have definitely been questionable. But of course, teenage years are the time to make questionable choices and get away with them, but for now, lets take a look at what some of Miss Cyrus' most questionable off-stage style choices have been.
----------------------------------------------------
I think I have to start with one of the worst of them all. Miley definitely went the Britney Spears route with this unfortunate crotch shot. Perez Hilton, famous gossip blogger, actually came under a major blitz of fire for uploading this picture of a then-minor - Miley was only 17-years-old at the time this photo was snapped. Perez's photo was blasted as being child pornography, as Miley chose to forgo her underwear and her private bits were very clearly on display in the original picture. The gossip website subsequently took the offending photo down, but blacked out versions have been circulating the web ever since. This is definitely a repeat lesson: going pantyless is NEVER an option, and crotch shots are offensive, disturbing and career-destroying (unless Playboy is the eventual goal). Paps should know better than to assault our eyes with such photos, but celebrities like Miley or Britney should know better than to step out sans underwear. I apologize if anyone was offended by the picture, but I can't sugarcoat the truth; it is what it is!
You can argue all you want that this, to the left, is a dress worn by Miss Cyrus; I still say that she forgot her pants on the red carpet. Props to her for her makeup though; the clean, minimalist look is very elegant and chic, and makes 
Miley look grown-up in a classy way.
Below: Um, wow. I have no words for this. First of all, what is it with celebs exposing all when getting out of their cars?! That shot is verging on capturing Miley's vajay-jay once again, and that's something we most definitely do not need to see. Enough with the crotch shots, please. (Is it just me, or does she look oddly thin - especially her legs -in this shot?) Secondly: Please, for the love of all that is couture, repeat after me: Tights/Leggings ARE NOT PANTS. And those teeny-tiny shorts that look like underwear really do not make the situation any better. Pants have NEVER been optional, and this fact has really got to stop being a repeat offender. Lastly... that's not a rip in the side of her dirty-looking T-shirt. That's a deliberate cut with clean edges, not an accidental hole. That deliberate cut exposes a whole lot of side-boob and underwiring. I have to wonder whether this was Miss Cyrus' intention as a plea for more attention, or whether she just likes the exposed look. Either way, this outfit just needs to be burned immediately.
This t-shirt below was exhibited by Miley while out to a casual lunch in LA with her mother and sister, Tish and Noah respectively. Clearly, Miley opted to go braless in the heat, which can be a very practical and classy idea, but Miley managed to take it straight through classy to trashy with her nipples so obviously poking through the thin white tee. Apparently she was oblivious to the stares of passerby, too. I don't actually get the cut shoulders, either. What I can't believe is that Mama Cyrus would actually be okay with this outfit, casual lunch or not. If I left the house with my nipples in plain view... well I don't think I'd actually ever do that, but my mother would so not be okay with it. Additionally, take a look at how 10-year-old Noah Cyrus seems to be taking style cues from her older sister:
This family photo was snapped during the same outing to lunch in LA. Miley's nips are slightly less obvious, and Mrs. Cyrus looks fairly decent, dressed up in black, but Noah Cyrus' black bra peeking out of her gray tank top is another matter entirely. It's a look that follows big sister Miley's style a little too closely, with the black bra playing peek-a-boo (is a 10-year-old even ready for a bra?!), and the slightly-more-decent-than-Miley's Daisy Dukes. How does Tish not seem to mind OR notice either of her daughters' attires?! One is only 10, for crying out loud... oh, wait. Maybe this is why Tish doesn't seem to mind:
Tish sure seems to enjoy dressing like an older version of Miley, instead of like an actual adult. I definitely understand that everyone has their sweatpants days, and Miley and Tish might be out on a casual coffee run or on their way back from the gym for all I know, but while Miley might be young enough to get away with a tank top and sweatpants in Hollywood's public eye, I don't think Tish should be awarded that same luxury. She should be dressing like a role model for Miley, not following Miley's style choices. However, it must be note
d that this outfit is overall not one of Miley's worst choices, and even Tish looks like a rather hot, though age-inappropriate mama. Miley's mom has got it goin' on!
Leather pants and LAX are a highly unflattering combination, and leather pants in general still do not qualify as pants. The leatherette hobo bag is actually pretty cute though.
If you read the T-shirt at the left carefully, you'll see "Cheap Trick" reprinted about half a dozen times. I don't quite understand why anyone would really advertise themselves as a cheap trick on or off-stage, but whatever floats Miley's boat. I'll admit she certainly looks "cheap" in this shirt -in all possible definitions of the word.
Tattered hose are still not pants, and Miley's too-short Daisy Dukes are BARELY, BARELY, BARELY visible beneath her surprisingly stylish and low-key plaid button-up. Her combat boots are cute too, but none of this makes up for the fact that Miley has apparently decided to treat the world as Pants: Optional (it sounds like something Chandler or Joey would say from Friends!!)
If it's cold enough to wear those chunky, fringed boots at the left, then it is definitely not hot enough for barely-visible Daisy Dukes. Miley sure commits a lot of Daisy Dukes infractions, doesn't she? Daisy Dukes can be super cute and flattering, but wear them wisely -not like Miley. Her hair looks cute, but that's about all that's forgivable. Please, girls: UGGS/any type of chunky boot + short shorts/miniskirt = NO. Her friend's crossbody bag is amazing, but those jeans/leggings overshot artfully hippie-ripped and went straight to homeless-looking. Props for the supportive "To Write Love On Her Arms" tee though - it's cute and chic, and for a cause. Bravo.
Miley seems to be taking a lot of performance cues from Miss Spears (I wonder if we'll see Miley lip-synch?), and while that on-stage outfit isn't really the craziest or most risque we've ever seen from performers (Lady Gaga's egg was insane), that's still got to be one hell of a wedgie... the wedgie that couldn't be tamed.
I'm actually on the fence about this look to the left.Yes, her black bra is peeking out of her white lace vest, and to be honest, a showing bra is nothing new for Cyrus, but this time I feel she pulls off the sheer look tastefully. The bra peeks out subtly, and does cover everything that needs to be covered up top. Black under white is actually a great color combination, and for once the Daisy Dukes aren't too, too short. The cutoffs even look great paired with brown country boots and minimal jewelry... all-in-all, this looks like a winning, casual summer outfit to me, though I know some people hate on the sheer look with bra peeking through. Sheer is all the rage these days though, so I say this look was of Miley's better choices.
The front of this ensemble doesn't look absolutely terrible. Sure, the paint-speckled jeans and the studded boots are a bit much, and definitely too visually distracting, but the front of the greyish-blue shirt at least looks elegant. The back however... YIKES. That's one Halloween project gone tragically, tragically wrong (cobwebs galore!) And I feel like it won't be too long before Miley Cyrus loses the clothes completely, and simply walks around in lingerie like Taylor Momsen.
Not only is such a lo
ng train (see below) entirely unnecessary on such a short dress, but it's also a major trip hazard. And the bow just makes the entire concoction look like some sort of melting ice cream cake, or a horrible '90s era prom bomb. The heels, however, are cute, and Miley otherwise looks sophisticated with her minimal makeup and flowing brown-blond hair. Too bad the dress is the main part of the ensemble, and that part simply failed to deliver.
This, to the right, is a wrapping paper mess. It looks like Miley was swallowed whole by Christmas wrapping paper, or by the colorful sticky glittery tape we used to decorate our school binders with. The mermaid-inspired bottom is fresh and youthful, but the the shiny ribbons of color simply fail to deliver a cohesive dress. To be fair, Miley looks much, much younger when this photo was taken at the Country Music Awards - she looks to be about 14, maybe 15, so her unfortunate style choice here can be chalked up to her age and therefore forgiven. However, hadn't Miley been doing Hannah Montana for years at this point? It would make sense, then, that Cyrus had a stylist... this fashion fail, I think, can be attributed to her stylist and not to Miley herself, since she was probably fairly new to the world of red carpet events.
Grandma Cyrus, what's good? That fur collar and matching hemline paired with the curtain-print dress just really does not work for me, and those orthopedic-looking shoes don't elevate the look from "dowdy" and "frumpy" much. Miley looks young here, but this time I think it's fair that she get penalized... this would've been an appropriate time to throw a diva fit and refuse to wear this dress in public. 
Love the shoes in the picture on the right, but is that a flower-embroidered gold-edged apron on top of her LBD? It looks more like a quirky French maid outfit than a dress befitting an appearance at a public event. Overall, the dress is confusing and has no discernible concept other than French Maid... Someone get the girl a stylist, on the double. Props to Miley for having a great, very natural looking tan though and beachy hair to complement the tan.
That, on the left, looks like a frilly tablecloth mess. Miley might have taken the concept of "Black Tie Affair" too far, and the menswear-inspired top half, with the undone bowtie and black accents doesn't pull the dress together in a flattering way. The high collar just doesn't work at all. The garment is overall shapeless and baggy, and the bottom half just looks like yards of lacy white tablecloth, not a dress.
This concludes another edition of Walking Fashion Fails! There are so many that I couldn't even pick a few favorite instances of Miley's epic fashion fails, so I had to include all of these. I'll throw out something positive next post with a celebrity who constantly looks chic, no matter the occasion, but at the end of the day it's important to remember that everyone messes up and makes style mistakes from time to time. However, when mistakes start repeating themselves too often, these mistakes become a choice, and some style faux-pas can't even be categorized as "mistakes" --making underwear optional is a choice.
Until next time, xo
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Walking Fashion Fail: Rihanna Edition
FIRSTLY, a quick shoutout: Miranda Cosgrove's tourbus actually crashed less than 4 to 5 hours ago, and all parties involved sustained some minor injuries, including Miranda herself. Miranda suffered a broken ankle, but it'll make a full recovery, and the people in and surrounding the parked vehicle that her tourbus clipped were airlifted to hospital almost immediately and are also expected to make a full recovery as of now. Of course the tour has been indefinitely postponed until her ankle heals, but #getwellmiranda was a trending topic on Twitter no less than 12 minutes after the incident occurred. It's not life-threatening, and there are many more important things to be thinking about (London Riots, for instance, it's all so pointless, and possibly more on that later), but shoot a quick tweet with the hashtag getwellmiranda if you like, or not. Former co-star and Nickelodeon buddy Victoria Justice tweeted her well wishes earlier as well (is it just me or is Twitter the new Hallmark/support system outlet along with being the typical venting outlet? It seems to work!). That's about it by way of tangents for today, I guess.
In other, more personal news, Walking Fashion Fails - and conversely, Consistently Chic Celebs is a new column kind of thing I'm thinking of trying out. Fashion Police is getting called out more and more often each day, so I'll talk about some of my favorite fashion fails and celebrity chic moments on here. This is the first post in this new idea!
-----------------------------------------------------------
A lot of people, fashion 'experts' among them, continuously claim that Barbadian singer Rihanna's outfits are bold, flashy, colorful and attention-grabbing, all of which leads to Ri-Ri looking fashionable and stylish. While I agree that Rihanna's bold wardrobe choices get her noticed and talked about, I'm not sure that any of the attention is for the right reasons. From nip-slips to unflattering sheer/pantsless looks to ridiculous bondage getups on a casual day out, her parade of impractical and downright strange looks never ends. The worst of it is that Rihanna hasn't managed to base her entire image around her impractical and ridiculous outfits a la Lady Gaga, nor does Ri manage to pull off her risque and crazy outfits as tastefully and beautifully as Katy Perry does. (Those two stars, in my opinion, are the only two stars of Hollywood that can pull off the crazy outfits they do, ranging from meat dresses and regularly pantsless looks to cat ears and full-on leotards in daylight, and STILL look classier than girls in ballgowns. Just sayin') One thing's for sure, though: I'm definitely going to LOVE writing the Walking Fashion Fail (and Consistently Chic Celebs) columns!
Now then. Have a look at, in my opinion, what are some of Rihanna's most entertaining, most iconic, most RIDICULOUS fashion flops (with commentary, of course!)
This barely-there sheer Jean Paul Gaultier that Rihanna sported to the 2011 Grammy affair was one of the most talked-about parts of the entire evening, eclipsing many other well-dressed stars' attires. The dress really does Rihanna no justice. It leaves too little to the imagination, and overall looks like an overconfettied, layer-cake abomination - like a Christmas decoration project gone wrong. And that much skin at a classy affair? Fashion faux pas for sure. I know some people have tried to defend this Grammy choice as a classy, minimalist and elegant one, but I just don't see it... if Ri wanted minimalist and elegant, she should've taken tips from Jen Aniston's stylist, not the Royal Wedding Cake.
Real classy. She should've taken some cues from Katy Perry on classy, cute nipple covers. As young as Ri-Ri looks in the picture on the right, the Kids Choice Awards are still a public event... and hasn't Rihanna had a stylist for years now? Maybe we give celebrities too much flak for their fashion fails, and not enough smack to their stylists for letting them go out in public in these eyesores.
Repeat after me: Pants are not optional. I'm actually, honestly not sure what's worse, this pantsless mess of an ensemble, OR...
...THESE pants.Yeah, I cringed too. It's a beach (albeit an elegant one), so I understand the bikini-top and won't deduct any penalty points for it (it actually manages to cover her cleavage in a decent and flattering way! Shocker.), but there is NO excuse for exhibiting those striped monstrosities outside the bedroom.
I would let that slide on-stage. On-stage outfits are meant to be risque and revealing, a la Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Katarina Graham, and of course, Mama Monster, Lady Gaga herself. However, Rihanna needs to check her superhero fantasies at the door before she walks out into public with her underwear on top of her "pants". That, of course, is fashion violation #2: Leggings are NOT pants. Yes, italicizing and bolding and capsing the "not" was extremely necessary. The leggings-as-pants look is one "trend" that needs to go away NOW. (Couture has been screaming for this trend to go away literally for ages, but it somehow keeps resurfacing like an unsquishable bug. Thankfully it's been relegated to the "weekly worst dressed" list and college campuses (where we are trying to get it banned, make no mistake) for quite some time now, and is no longer seen in high fashion circles.
This one is not as bad as the other
s, but that train is seriously a trip hazard, and the sideways baseball cap is harmless but unnecessary, and Rihanna's bright red hair would actually look much better without it. The red and white contrast would look amazingly striking with the refreshingly normal Chuck Taylors and minimal jewelry.
Is that Grandma Rihanna to the left? That's just a misshapen, granny-looking mess, and those shoes do not belong with those socks. I love pairing ankle socks with cute flats or oxfords myself, but that match is just bad color coordination. Speaking of color combinations gone bad...
The crop top is incredibly
unflattering, for one, but the color combination also just does not work with her hair. There's too much color going on, from her gold shoes, to vibrant red hair and fuchsia and orange outfit... one or two colors fewer would've probably allowed our eyes to stop wondering where they should focus.
T
hat has got to be one painful, huge, obviously unattractive cameltoe. Ladies and gentlemen, leather pants: not to be worn off-stage, thanks. Though I have to admit, this would be a great form of birth control - nobody could, or would ever want to, get into pants/boots (seriously, what on earth?) that tight. I'm surprised she's not keeling over dead, what with the lack of airflow to her leg nerves and all (anybody else ever watch that episode of Sonny With A Chance that had SPS -Skinny Pants Syndrome- in it? I've actually felt that super skinny jeans. Imagine leather.)
That is a red carpet, and she is wearing a neon yellow swan princess meets negligee. On a red carpet. Um, that should just not be allowed to happen. Case 
closed.
What is it with Rihanna getting her style inspiration from pastry chefs, anyway? Below she looks like a melting, deconstructed vanilla cake. The lace edges of the dress look like they're fraying, and the gloves are completely unnecessary on anyone besides Kate Middleton and the Queen. There is nothing elegant about this look besides those shoes, which are actually pretty cute.
I feel like Rihanna's nipples have become a celebrity personality of their very own these days... they're seen and photographed around town more often than their owner, these days! It's said that Rihanna channeled a little bit of Momma Gaga with these star nipple covers, and maybe that's true, but I don't really understand covering the nipple covers underneath the drab, unbuttoned black shirt. Gaga would've let the nipple covers stand out of a leather&lace bustier loud and proud. This looks like a halfhearted attempt to change her image but not really being comfortable with the whole idea of going topless. This photo, snapped in Vegas, clearly puts to bed the idea that "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" - clearly, the adventures of RiRi's nipples did not stay in Vegas... though I think the world wishes they had.
I don't even have words for this. That ensemble on the left doesn't even qualify as a "hot mess". It's just a mess. A sad, pathetic mess. (And the tan bustier? Yeah, not much better than the nipslips.)
So there you have it, guys! This marks the end of our first-ever Walking Fashion Fail post, and I hope you've learned (and remembered - seriously: leggings are not pants!) a lot of lessons over the course of it. Heads up, I'll do another Walking Fashion Fail episode before I cover a Consistently Chic Celebs post! The WFF will feature America's favorite trainwreck, Miley Cyrus (you all knew it was coming, right?), and the CCC post will cover one of my personal current favorites, Blake Lively.
Until next time, xoxo
In other, more personal news, Walking Fashion Fails - and conversely, Consistently Chic Celebs is a new column kind of thing I'm thinking of trying out. Fashion Police is getting called out more and more often each day, so I'll talk about some of my favorite fashion fails and celebrity chic moments on here. This is the first post in this new idea!
-----------------------------------------------------------
A lot of people, fashion 'experts' among them, continuously claim that Barbadian singer Rihanna's outfits are bold, flashy, colorful and attention-grabbing, all of which leads to Ri-Ri looking fashionable and stylish. While I agree that Rihanna's bold wardrobe choices get her noticed and talked about, I'm not sure that any of the attention is for the right reasons. From nip-slips to unflattering sheer/pantsless looks to ridiculous bondage getups on a casual day out, her parade of impractical and downright strange looks never ends. The worst of it is that Rihanna hasn't managed to base her entire image around her impractical and ridiculous outfits a la Lady Gaga, nor does Ri manage to pull off her risque and crazy outfits as tastefully and beautifully as Katy Perry does. (Those two stars, in my opinion, are the only two stars of Hollywood that can pull off the crazy outfits they do, ranging from meat dresses and regularly pantsless looks to cat ears and full-on leotards in daylight, and STILL look classier than girls in ballgowns. Just sayin') One thing's for sure, though: I'm definitely going to LOVE writing the Walking Fashion Fail (and Consistently Chic Celebs) columns!
Now then. Have a look at, in my opinion, what are some of Rihanna's most entertaining, most iconic, most RIDICULOUS fashion flops (with commentary, of course!)
This barely-there sheer Jean Paul Gaultier that Rihanna sported to the 2011 Grammy affair was one of the most talked-about parts of the entire evening, eclipsing many other well-dressed stars' attires. The dress really does Rihanna no justice. It leaves too little to the imagination, and overall looks like an overconfettied, layer-cake abomination - like a Christmas decoration project gone wrong. And that much skin at a classy affair? Fashion faux pas for sure. I know some people have tried to defend this Grammy choice as a classy, minimalist and elegant one, but I just don't see it... if Ri wanted minimalist and elegant, she should've taken tips from Jen Aniston's stylist, not the Royal Wedding Cake.
Real classy. She should've taken some cues from Katy Perry on classy, cute nipple covers. As young as Ri-Ri looks in the picture on the right, the Kids Choice Awards are still a public event... and hasn't Rihanna had a stylist for years now? Maybe we give celebrities too much flak for their fashion fails, and not enough smack to their stylists for letting them go out in public in these eyesores.
Repeat after me: Pants are not optional. I'm actually, honestly not sure what's worse, this pantsless mess of an ensemble, OR...
...THESE pants.Yeah, I cringed too. It's a beach (albeit an elegant one), so I understand the bikini-top and won't deduct any penalty points for it (it actually manages to cover her cleavage in a decent and flattering way! Shocker.), but there is NO excuse for exhibiting those striped monstrosities outside the bedroom.
I would let that slide on-stage. On-stage outfits are meant to be risque and revealing, a la Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Katarina Graham, and of course, Mama Monster, Lady Gaga herself. However, Rihanna needs to check her superhero fantasies at the door before she walks out into public with her underwear on top of her "pants". That, of course, is fashion violation #2: Leggings are NOT pants. Yes, italicizing and bolding and capsing the "not" was extremely necessary. The leggings-as-pants look is one "trend" that needs to go away NOW. (Couture has been screaming for this trend to go away literally for ages, but it somehow keeps resurfacing like an unsquishable bug. Thankfully it's been relegated to the "weekly worst dressed" list and college campuses (where we are trying to get it banned, make no mistake) for quite some time now, and is no longer seen in high fashion circles.
This one is not as bad as the other
s, but that train is seriously a trip hazard, and the sideways baseball cap is harmless but unnecessary, and Rihanna's bright red hair would actually look much better without it. The red and white contrast would look amazingly striking with the refreshingly normal Chuck Taylors and minimal jewelry.
Is that Grandma Rihanna to the left? That's just a misshapen, granny-looking mess, and those shoes do not belong with those socks. I love pairing ankle socks with cute flats or oxfords myself, but that match is just bad color coordination. Speaking of color combinations gone bad...
The crop top is incredibly
unflattering, for one, but the color combination also just does not work with her hair. There's too much color going on, from her gold shoes, to vibrant red hair and fuchsia and orange outfit... one or two colors fewer would've probably allowed our eyes to stop wondering where they should focus.
T
hat has got to be one painful, huge, obviously unattractive cameltoe. Ladies and gentlemen, leather pants: not to be worn off-stage, thanks. Though I have to admit, this would be a great form of birth control - nobody could, or would ever want to, get into pants/boots (seriously, what on earth?) that tight. I'm surprised she's not keeling over dead, what with the lack of airflow to her leg nerves and all (anybody else ever watch that episode of Sonny With A Chance that had SPS -Skinny Pants Syndrome- in it? I've actually felt that super skinny jeans. Imagine leather.)
That is a red carpet, and she is wearing a neon yellow swan princess meets negligee. On a red carpet. Um, that should just not be allowed to happen. Case 
closed.
What is it with Rihanna getting her style inspiration from pastry chefs, anyway? Below she looks like a melting, deconstructed vanilla cake. The lace edges of the dress look like they're fraying, and the gloves are completely unnecessary on anyone besides Kate Middleton and the Queen. There is nothing elegant about this look besides those shoes, which are actually pretty cute.
I feel like Rihanna's nipples have become a celebrity personality of their very own these days... they're seen and photographed around town more often than their owner, these days! It's said that Rihanna channeled a little bit of Momma Gaga with these star nipple covers, and maybe that's true, but I don't really understand covering the nipple covers underneath the drab, unbuttoned black shirt. Gaga would've let the nipple covers stand out of a leather&lace bustier loud and proud. This looks like a halfhearted attempt to change her image but not really being comfortable with the whole idea of going topless. This photo, snapped in Vegas, clearly puts to bed the idea that "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" - clearly, the adventures of RiRi's nipples did not stay in Vegas... though I think the world wishes they had.
I don't even have words for this. That ensemble on the left doesn't even qualify as a "hot mess". It's just a mess. A sad, pathetic mess. (And the tan bustier? Yeah, not much better than the nipslips.)
So there you have it, guys! This marks the end of our first-ever Walking Fashion Fail post, and I hope you've learned (and remembered - seriously: leggings are not pants!) a lot of lessons over the course of it. Heads up, I'll do another Walking Fashion Fail episode before I cover a Consistently Chic Celebs post! The WFF will feature America's favorite trainwreck, Miley Cyrus (you all knew it was coming, right?), and the CCC post will cover one of my personal current favorites, Blake Lively.
Until next time, xoxo
Friday, August 5, 2011
I like where we are
Hi! I know I haven't posted in a while, and that's due to both Blogger having some technical difficulties as well as my own slightly crazy, out-of-sync schedule. I'm back though, with more of a filler post than anything unfortunately (though the post below this one is FULL of thought-provoking goodies!! Check it out, click comment...) I have two comments today:
1) "Love You Like A Love Song" is a song that's actually grown on me. It's not as insipid and annoying to my ears anymore, for some reason.
2) There's WAY too much Justin and Selena in the news. Just today I was reading a report (FOX News) that "Jelena" is the new "Jitney" (I don't think "Jitney" was ever actually an official term, so I'll go ahead and copyright that... jokes.) "Jitney", of course, refers to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, for you non late '80s, early '90s children. Just like Selena and the Biebz, Timberlake and Spears were largely industry-manufactured, and designed to sell and promote their respective careers - much like today, where Gomez and Bieber are both feeding off of each other's popularity and fame to create an ever bigger superstardom as "Jelena" which helps to sell the public on their individual images (halves of "Jelena") more than ever. And if anything, Selena's the one taking charge and building herself an independent image (she got annoyed when asked if her music was about Justin - which is valid; her reputation as an artist should definitely not be dependent on a relationship that could end any day) but still allowing the fame of "Jelena" to make her name known! Though who takes charge is essentially irrelevant, I feel like the duo are being talked about way too much - just for being Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. They are getting way too much undeserved attention just for being who they are, and just for being in a relationship and doing normal, common relationship-y things. Every move of theirs is being analyzed far, far too much, and honestly, their relationship doesn't deserve that much attention! It deserves to be commented on, but not broken down on a minute-by-minute basis ("Did Selena sleepover at Justin's hotel? What does JB think of Selena's topless pics - never mind what's going to happen to Sel's reputation? Justin Bieber gave his lady love backstage at her concert! Selena kissed Bieber's cardboard cutout at a store!!") The news on the two isn't even noteworthy anymore; it's ridiculous. It's news and obsession for the sake of news. Certain celebs deserve to be talked about because they are doing something worth talking about - Kim Kardashian's getting married; Mila Kunis is cussing out reporters and defending Timberlake in Russian; Demi Lovato is speaking out publicly about her issues and her stint in rehab and even promoting her new album; Obama just celebrated a major birthday. Justin and Selena are only being themselves, and so they aren't doing a whole lot that actually deserves to be talked about. I admit that I just, ironically, did the exact opposite of what I'm encouraging and talked about the couple, but barring this post, we really need to listen to what I just said and stop talking about irrelevant things like people being themselves. Don't get me wrong. Both Selena and Justin seem like wonderful people and I respect them both, but millions of other people are wonderful too, and they don't make the news every day. Justin and Selena don't need to make front page of every blogsite/gossip site/magazine either anymore.
3) Today is apparently the day champagne was invented? I don't know anything about this, but it sounds fab! It's something to research soon, for sure. Oh, and I might do a wine feature post soon... just saying. I love wine though I really shouldn't, yet... oops.
4) I used to LOVE this song so much so long ago. I don't really like it so much anymore, but I say that it deserves a tune-of-the-day mention just for memories' sake. It's a cool folkish pop rock progressive bluesish soft/alt/old rock TECHNO song. It's pretty awesome; there's not a whole lot more to say about it, honestly. This is just a shoutout sort of thing for a used-to-be-a-favorite song. It's still a fairly epic song, actually. Love the techno beat. It's legitimately a super-cool circa late-'80s, early-to-mid '90's vibe music video too. I love vintage stuff, can't you tell? Though fashion-wise, vintage feels like the new fashion - it feels like EVERYONE'S wearing vintage now, so I avoid blending in that way and avoid going the vintage route like everyone else. In any case, enjoy the video :)
I should probably put an iTunes link here... but I'm feeling lazy. I'll possibly come back later and add that. I'm gonna go practice the guitar now, which I've seriously been slacking on, which sucks super bad... AFTER I catch up on this week's Pretty Little Liars. Peace!
1) "Love You Like A Love Song" is a song that's actually grown on me. It's not as insipid and annoying to my ears anymore, for some reason.
2) There's WAY too much Justin and Selena in the news. Just today I was reading a report (FOX News) that "Jelena" is the new "Jitney" (I don't think "Jitney" was ever actually an official term, so I'll go ahead and copyright that... jokes.) "Jitney", of course, refers to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, for you non late '80s, early '90s children. Just like Selena and the Biebz, Timberlake and Spears were largely industry-manufactured, and designed to sell and promote their respective careers - much like today, where Gomez and Bieber are both feeding off of each other's popularity and fame to create an ever bigger superstardom as "Jelena" which helps to sell the public on their individual images (halves of "Jelena") more than ever. And if anything, Selena's the one taking charge and building herself an independent image (she got annoyed when asked if her music was about Justin - which is valid; her reputation as an artist should definitely not be dependent on a relationship that could end any day) but still allowing the fame of "Jelena" to make her name known! Though who takes charge is essentially irrelevant, I feel like the duo are being talked about way too much - just for being Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. They are getting way too much undeserved attention just for being who they are, and just for being in a relationship and doing normal, common relationship-y things. Every move of theirs is being analyzed far, far too much, and honestly, their relationship doesn't deserve that much attention! It deserves to be commented on, but not broken down on a minute-by-minute basis ("Did Selena sleepover at Justin's hotel? What does JB think of Selena's topless pics - never mind what's going to happen to Sel's reputation? Justin Bieber gave his lady love backstage at her concert! Selena kissed Bieber's cardboard cutout at a store!!") The news on the two isn't even noteworthy anymore; it's ridiculous. It's news and obsession for the sake of news. Certain celebs deserve to be talked about because they are doing something worth talking about - Kim Kardashian's getting married; Mila Kunis is cussing out reporters and defending Timberlake in Russian; Demi Lovato is speaking out publicly about her issues and her stint in rehab and even promoting her new album; Obama just celebrated a major birthday. Justin and Selena are only being themselves, and so they aren't doing a whole lot that actually deserves to be talked about. I admit that I just, ironically, did the exact opposite of what I'm encouraging and talked about the couple, but barring this post, we really need to listen to what I just said and stop talking about irrelevant things like people being themselves. Don't get me wrong. Both Selena and Justin seem like wonderful people and I respect them both, but millions of other people are wonderful too, and they don't make the news every day. Justin and Selena don't need to make front page of every blogsite/gossip site/magazine either anymore.
3) Today is apparently the day champagne was invented? I don't know anything about this, but it sounds fab! It's something to research soon, for sure. Oh, and I might do a wine feature post soon... just saying. I love wine though I really shouldn't, yet... oops.
4) I used to LOVE this song so much so long ago. I don't really like it so much anymore, but I say that it deserves a tune-of-the-day mention just for memories' sake. It's a cool folkish pop rock progressive bluesish soft/alt/old rock TECHNO song. It's pretty awesome; there's not a whole lot more to say about it, honestly. This is just a shoutout sort of thing for a used-to-be-a-favorite song. It's still a fairly epic song, actually. Love the techno beat. It's legitimately a super-cool circa late-'80s, early-to-mid '90's vibe music video too. I love vintage stuff, can't you tell? Though fashion-wise, vintage feels like the new fashion - it feels like EVERYONE'S wearing vintage now, so I avoid blending in that way and avoid going the vintage route like everyone else. In any case, enjoy the video :)
I should probably put an iTunes link here... but I'm feeling lazy. I'll possibly come back later and add that. I'm gonna go practice the guitar now, which I've seriously been slacking on, which sucks super bad... AFTER I catch up on this week's Pretty Little Liars. Peace!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Eating Habits In The News
Q & A time.
Are we actually making body image issues that everybody and their mother seem to be suffering from these days, WORSE by talking about them so often? It’s almost like we throw a really bright spotlight on body image issues and on achieving body peace, in the hopes that people will be encouraged by the support to love themselves more and resolve some of their personal body image issues. It’s a grave issue, which I understand. Body image issues lead to incredible tragedies that run the entire gamut of issues from various eating disorders to death. However, is repeatedly highlighting the gravity of the body-issues culture actually having an adverse effect by prompting people to continue having body image issues, seeing that they receive attention from the public for them? I’m mostly referring to the rich and famous here, of course, though friends and family that spotlight eating disorders on a smaller scale by talking about the issue without offering any real help often cause sufferers to better hide their disorders and worsen the problem, at the end of the day.
The most recent media speculation is that Kate Middleton is severely underweight, reportedly weighing anything between 100 and 130 pounds at a height of 5’10″, depending on the media source. Middleton apparently dropped several sizes and went from an 8 to a 2, all for her royal wedding ceremony, and continued watching her caloric intake over her honeymoon, during which Prince William had expected to “eat, drink and be merry.” Personally I think Kate’s looking a little on the thin side but not too much so (yet). It might just be the royal stress kicking in – the girl does plan her own outfits and works without a stylist, all amidst touring the nation with her husband! Whether she really has some sort of “eating disorder”, or whether it’s just the stress of the royal life and general wedding-oriented weight loss remains to be seen in upcoming months, but…
I wonder if Kate’s weight loss isn’t getting worse BECAUSE there’s such a bright spotlight shining on the subject? She might be focusing too much on the idea that she’s too thin because the tabloids, British and American and International all alike, have been quick to repeatedly point it out, and Kate herself might not even have noticed her weight as a “problem”, initially! Maybe if we, as a nation, took the spotlight off of what Kate Middleton was or wasn’t eating, she would feel more comfortable eating some pizza without fear of being scrutinized for “pigging out” (because the media is awfully quick to find the worst in every situation to turn into a story!). Maybe if their size on either end of the thinness spectrum wasn’t being criticized upon every public, and even attempted private, appearance, other famous celebrities (Nicole Richie, Mischa Barton, and perhaps most famously, Demi Lovato) wouldn’t feel the need to go to extremes to satiate the paparazzi and they wouldn’t develop eating disorders, or worse, exacerbate existing conditions due to the pressure of maintaining a perfect figure or living up to the hype or continuing to get the press. Paps focus on celebrity eating disorders, not with concern, but with the gaze of vultures ready to rip apart the celebrity for “failing” by developing an eating disorder, or “failing” by being too fat. Celebs just can’t win either way. So if the paparazzi pressure is taken off celebrities, maybe they’ll breathe and just eat what they want without fear of being judged. If the pressure is taken off of “achieving body peace and resolving body image issues”, maybe people will learn to love themselves at their own pace, instead of feeling victimized by society because they themselves are still a victim of self-hate. Maybe if eating disorders weren’t in the news so much as glorified diseases, they wouldn’t look so attractive to young girls. Maybe if the concept of overeating and food wasn’t in the news so much, young girls wouldn’t worry about restricting their diets OR overeating – they would eat as much as they wanted, and their parents would do the job of monitoring their intake, as it should be. Eating disorders should be talked about in an educational way – let the horrifying stats speak for themselves. There’s no need to glorify the experience by featuring novels and stories about girls who “initially felt so good about the weight loss” (think Marya Hornbacher or Laurie Halse Andersen’s Wintergirls). This glorification just begs for people to try it and then “think they can stop before they become one of the death statistics”.
I think it’s great that some people choose to chronicle their own eating disorder survival and fight stories – Demi Lovato and Marya Hornbacher being prime examples. But Demi Lovato talks very candidly about her struggles, failure and successes with her eating disorder. She chooses what to say about it, and she knows how it affects her. The trouble starts when third party sources feel qualified to comment on somebody else’s eating disorder or eating habits – the paparazzi have no idea whether their intense scrutiny of Demi Lovato’s weight actually contributed to her personal, internal self-image issues or not (because eating disorders are never about losing weight. There’s always some internal motivator.). The media has no idea whether they were the catalyst to Demi Lovato’s impending breakdown or not, but clearly they played some part in the whole debacle. Third party sources should stop focusing so unnervingly intensely on other people’s eating habits, creating a pressure and having an eventual hand in celebrity meltdowns. If we stop talking about it as unqualified third party sources, maybe celebs would stop feeling the heat so much and stop feeling an extra pressure of having their weight scrutinized (even if the scrutiny is positive, they’re still being watched!) in addition to the immense pressures they already face.
Eating disorders exist. Most eating disorder cases end as death statistics. Young lives are lost before their time. This is all fact. But there’s no need to use any of this in “stories”, fact or fiction. Writing about an ED candidly in a biography or autiobiography is fine, but glamorizing an eating disorder as borderline fiction is wrong, no matter what “the right to free speech” says. Let’s all take the pressure and focus off of eating disorders and food and people with eating disorders and body image issues – the message that is publicized should just be: Learn to love yourselves at your own pace. Love yourself enough to eat what you want, when you want.” Let’s stop glorifying a very real disease by making it tabloid fodder or a plot device.
Update!
So, Blogger's links and text color/font seem to be working again, though the latter is still slightly faulty. However, I'm still going to transfer posts to Wordpress, since Wordpress is cool and I actually really like the community and my page layout and everything there. BUT I'm also going to continue updating here, as long as Blogger continues working. I'll maintain this blog, but also maintain Wordpress for as long as possible... content will be the same, and which blog I choose to update first and write new content for will vary and will largely depend on my mood that day. I will also be updating some of my oldest posts here on Blogger, to give the entire blog a cleaner, updated and more streamlined look. And now, I'm going to transfer a couple of NEW posts I wrote on Wordpress over to here.
xoxo
xoxo
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