a celebrity that needs to pull it together for 2011

                                                                   Lindsay Lohan

lindsay lohan is just losing her mind.
the drugs,alchol,  wild parties
and the paparazzi hounding her
its just becoming to late to move her life around
if she doesnt change it could kill her.

Florence Welch In Elie Saab

Elie Saab Fall Couture

I thought I was through with blogging for 2010 but when I saw Florence Welch in this gorgeous Elie Saab gold beaded jumper, I just couldn't help myself!

The singer performed at the grand opening of the Marquee Nightclub at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas looking sensational. I adore the draping, velour belt and the bat wings bodice.

I was hoping someone would rock this on the stage or red carpet and she answer my prayers!

Everyone have a bless and fashionable New Year and thank you guys for your support!

goals for 2011

well...i never really do resolutions, but set goals for the year. 

so here are my 2011 goals.

1. money management - work the budget and stick to it

2. ottawa weekend - go to sens game, see the ottawa people i miss so much

3. vacation for a week at the a cottage

4. try 3 new recipes a month

5. go cross country skiing

6. create a 2010 yearbook 

7. have a mother daughter day

8. have a 'make soups day'

9. put up photos in the apartment

10. try a new brunch location

11. take photo course part 2 (booked for jan!)

12. make 5 treats for 5 people....just because

13. don't buy what you can't afford

14. start a "trip" jar - save up change for a trip

15. take more baths

so those are my 2011 goals. 

~

i started making the list awhile ago and already accomplished a couple things 

~have a winter photo shoot

~get a new camera lens - christmas pressie!

~purge clothes

here's to a safe, healthy and happy 2011 for everyone!!!

xo.a

New year, new blogified resolutions

Many people don’t think much of New Year’s Resolutions, but I love them. What better time to sit back, reflect on the year behind you and get excited about the year ahead?

As a new blogger, I thought the New Year would be a great opportunity to reflect on my goals for blogging in the coming year. 

1. Write, write, write: I would like to continue including more thought-provoking topics that provide rich opportunities for writing, such as I did when I discussed Alexa Chung's thrifting endeavor. Writing challenges me in a way nothing else does, and is a wonderful creative outlet. I do worry that my personal style blog will somehow evolve into a journal, which I am looking to avoid. Hopefully if I keep my focus on fashion and style, this won't happen.
2. Increase my followers: Through the IFB Network, I've learned that one way to increase followers is to shamelessly promote my blog through their site. I've been participating more in their forums, putting in friend requests to other bloggers that inspire me, and submitting my work on my profile page. I am up to nine followers now (yay!), all of whom I am deeply appreciative of. My short-term goal is to reach 50 followers.
3. Make more connections: There are so many fashion and style bloggers who have galvanzed me to start my own blog. Reaching out to them by commenting on their recent posts is an easy way to show my appreciation and hopefully, make some kind of connection. I'm learning that the blogging world is largely based on personal connections, and I'd like to be a part of it.
4. Quit comparing myself to other bloggers: This is the most challenging resolution I'm setting. I follow so many style blogs, all of which seem much more professional and well, stylish than mine. The authors have thousands of followers. They are confident and glamorous in their photos. They have sponsors. They write beautifully, and their advice is astute. While working on my goals, I'm going to try not to compare myself to other bloggers. I'm new, and I have a lot to learn. I'll get there with time and hard work.
5. I will set tangible, short-term goals for my blog: Breaking down goals for the month are an easy way to feel I've achieved something when I meet them. For example, this month I put myself on a no-jean challenge. It was wonderful because it inspired me to wear things I normally steer away from, such as skirts and dresses. However, I didn't post often enough about this challenge. If I had limited it over the course of a week, I would've have become distracted by other topics. A short-term, strictly focused goal is easier to focus on.

I'm curious - what your goals are for this upcoming year? How do you plan to carry them out?

Loft cardigan; J Crew button-down; Gap chinos;ancient Naturilizer ballet flats; diamond cross necklace

Find The Perfect New years Outfit for your style: SHOES

    When you wear shoes they either harmonize with your outfit or make your outfit POP.
Well you cant wear pink sparkly ballet flats with a all black emo outfit! You cant wear black punk sneakers boots with a pink puffy and sparkly dress it just isn't harmonizing, the two styles are just fighting a dirty fight. For  new years you dont wanna look like you just through something on its gonna be the beginning of a new year and your new years resolution is to look  fashion forward.


If your style is edgy and punk you should wear something
like this:                                 


These ballet flats are perfect
if you have a punk chic style.
the studs and the shiny black pattern
are great for punk chics ad adds a very brief
touch of girlyness.



                                                                         If you have a girly style you should wear something

                                                       along the lines of this:



These heels are very girly with a glittery
touch, but their not platinum barbie girly.
( who am  i kidding barbie would have
millions of pairs of these stylish shoes)



if you have a funky style these are the perfect

type of shoes for you:

These shoes are perfect for your funky personality.
these shoes could be the definition of FUNKY.

Remembering A Genius: Lee Alexander McQueen

I still remembered the day February 11, 2010 like it was yesterday. One of my fabulous clients announced the dreadful news that Lee Alexander McQueen committed suicide only days shortly after his mother Joyce passed in London.

She wore his black wool ruffled coat to give homage to the designer that she got from the store which looked stunning on her. The whole day we view his amazing fashion shows on the internet.

He was known for his exquisite theatrical couture ensembles with divas such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Naomi Campbell, Salma Hayek and even our very own First Lady Michelle Obama wearing his artistic garments on the red carpet.

The fashion industry truly lost a genius this year. We were bless to witness his creativity and his impeccable craftsmanship.

Cute Bangs Hairstyles for Girls

Bangs can pose as the easiest way to transform your look without having to change your entire haircut so here are the hottest must have bangs hairstyles for the season to inspire yourself and look dazzling!

2011 Winter Short Hair Styles Pictures

This Season is Winter Season,Here are some Collection of 2011 Winter Short Hair Styles Pictures

2011 Long Hairstyles Trends for women

if you love Long Hairstyles then here are hottest collection of Long Hairstyles Trends 2011,Long Hairstyles is Very Beautiful Looking Hairstyles for Women,Celebreties also wear Long Hairstyles like that kim kardashian,Megan Fox etc.Take Inspiration Below Pictures and wear latest trends in Long Hairstyles

Fashion-related ridiculousness, or why I forgo pantyhose

Back in August, The Atlantic's "Daily Dish" reader-question was, "What widely accepted practice, custom or societal norm do you regard as irrational, absurd, offensive, silly, nonsensical, counterproductive, or morally wrong?"


Writes Conor Friedersdorf,

Perhaps 200 people responded, and the most frequent answer was that it makes no sense to say "God bless you" after someone sneezes. Lots of readers also lodged complaints against eating meat, mistreating animals, believing in God, practicing organized religion, driving SUVs, and the societal practice of pairing off in monogamous relationships.

I love questions like this. They provoke me to engage in my favorite pastime - makings lists of things that irritate and antagonize me. Here my top five fashion-related things that I consider ridiculous, completely illogical, and just plain wrong:

1. High heels. Yes, I understands they make your legs look fabulous. But they shorten your achilles tendon, prevent you from moving as quickly and efficiently as we were born to, and HURT. No to high heels! (This largely comes from the fact that I can't even look at a pair of high heels without spontaneously blistering.)

2. I'll say it: female beauty standards are whack. The practice of shaving one's legs (and in recent years, the va-jayjay) started because the male facial razor industry wanted to expand its market. It's screwed up that society expects women to rid of naturally-occurring body hair, and considers them disgusting if they don't. To do this, most women take knives and tweezers to their skin several times a week. I dutifully get rid of my hair, too, and like the appearance of stubble-free legs, but that's one of the things that has always struck me as really weird when you think about it.

3. Bikinis. Not because I think they're morally wrong. It just baffles me that just because it's a different material, it's completely fine for women to walk around in public in what's basically underwear. But don't you dare show your lacy bra! Slut!


4. Pantyhose. Worst. Mechanisms. Of. Torture. Ever. Invented.


5. Thongs. If your pants are so tight that flashing the outline of your underwear though them is a genuine concern, then your pants are too freaking tight.


Today I went with a pantyhose-free, high heel-less, thong absent outfit. I did shave my legs, though. I might be bucking society, but at least I'm comfortable.

Anthropologie button-down; Gap camisole (underneath); Gap Out cargos; Forever 21 oxfords; Forever 21 necklace and bracelet

 

Not a girl, not yet a woman

This summer I met a neighbor of mine while accompanying our children to our community pool. At one point we became entranced by an infant splashing in the water, and she mentioned that she was having baby pangs. "I'm too old to have a baby", she mentioned, "but you're young. You should absolutely have another."

Okay, first of all, this woman could not have possibly been younger than me. If I had to guess-timate her age, I'd say she was around the same as me - upper 30's, perhaps a couple of years older. On the way home, I started giving the subject of pregnancy more thought. Truthfully, and especially since my 36th birthday, I think of myself as too old for most things. Too old to wear vinyl leggings, too old to go to clubs, and certainly too old to have another baby. However, much of the time I feel like a kid playing house. I feel a lot younger than 36.  I toy around with the idea of coloring my hair pink. And my love affair with tattoos (I have ten) has only increased since getting my first one three years ago. I'm a married mom to three children and yet most of the time I feel about fourteen years old. I'm not a girl, but I sure as hell don't feel like a woman. What gives?

Perhaps my problem is that I rely on very specific, somewhat stereotypical ideas of girl and woman. Girls are innocent and fearless. They are encouraged to experiment and try new things, whether it's sports, clothing, or hair color. Girls go on road trips, where they take photos with Holga cameras and manage to look gorgeous without washing their hair for three days. Girls shop at Urban Outfitters and American Apparel and Forever 21. They are creative, free-spirited and fun.

Women, on the other hand, are hardened and self-serving. They take pilates and daydream about vaginal reconstruction and vacations in St. Barts. Women shop at places like Nordstroms and Ann Taylor. Tattoos, piercings, and wildly colored hair are frowned upon. They balance their checkbooks and pay the mortgage and cook a balanced meal for their family every night.

I think I encompass qualities of both girls and women. I have multiple tattoos. I adore Forever 21. I'm a bit naive and have an overly active imagination. I also have a mortgage and stretch marks. I feel old when I see clusters of teenagers emerge from some mall store like Abercrombie and Finch or American Eagle, giggling and texting. At 36, I definitely don't think hanging out at the mall is fun anymore, but I did catch myself a few months ago feeling really proud that I'd managed to go to the dentist. At some point in my life, I'll probably stop patting myself on the back for "adult" things like that, and then maybe I'll really be a woman.

I think this outfit embodies both girlish and womanly components. The twirly skirt and tied shirt  makes me feel young and light-hearted, but those heels are sturdy and serious. And those are definitely not the legs of a girl.

Thrifted Ann Taylor chambray shirt; vintage gray tee shirt (underneath); Forever 21 skirt; J Crew tights; Jessica Simpson booties; Forever 21 necklace; Frye clutch.

DIA KLEPTOMANIA !

            “Jadi ke JUICE IN PARADISE gak ni?”, tanya nia kepadaku setelah kita jadi suprootter dalam acara futsal antar kelas di SMA kami. “ho.oh..woke ayo berangkat”,jawabku. Motor mio Nia melaju kencang diterpa hujan rintik-rintik dan angin semilir-semilir. “Tiinnn…tinn”, hampir saja motor mio Nia nabrak tukang becak, untung aja jurus tari Nia dikeluarkan, kalo sampe nabrak pasti berabe deh. “Syuut”rem ala Rossi bin Rossa pun digunakan Nia, wah kalo dibandingin sama Rosi,jauh deh, remnya Nia tu sangat hebat bin antic, hhaa.

            “Kamu pesen apa?sekalian tak pesenin?”,tanyaku. “apa ya?jus mangga ae ya Vha”. “okok deh! Bukk jus mangga sama jus jambu”,kataku sambil mencari tempat duduk. “Wiih ada Yulia Pancy ni, bayarin ya?”kataku pada salah satu teman sekelasku (namanya Yoli tapi panggilannya Yulia Pancy) yang sedang lahap makan itu.“Walah anda salah orang, lha wong saya saja habis makan ini langsung menuju dapur lho.” “maksudnya?”tanyaku bebarengan sama Nia. “Loh kan saya makannya ngutang,jadi habis makan cuci piring di ruangan VIP, jadi sepertinya anda salah orang kalo suruh nraktir saya.”jawabnya cengingas cengingis. “Halah alasan tok,,padune gak mau nraktir to?”jawab Nia. “Betul betul betul”sahutku.

            “Nia, kamu gak laper? Aku habis lihat Yulia Pancy makan, jadi pengen makan nih, makan yukk!” tawarku. “Hmm gmn ya Vha,,aku beli gorengan aja Vha, habis sudah kenyang ni perut”sahutnya. “Okok deh, aku pesen makan dulu ya,,Bukk nasi penyet 1 aja!”.

            Sudah 15 menit lebih 21 detik kami menunggu hidangan yang tak ujung tiba, wah jangankan hidangan, minuman Jus Mangganya Nia aja belum di anterin, waduh bener2, gak tau orang udah kelaparan apa?aduh ni perut udah gak bisa di ajak kompromi lagi. Kuminum jus jambuku untuk menghilangkan penat, sruput sruput…amboi segarnya. “Buuk nasi penyet sama Jus Mangganya SUDAH?”seruku. “Oh iya mbak sebentar ya,saya buatkan dulu”jawab ibu2 itu. “wadooooh nunggu sampe keriting dari tadi ternyata belom di bikinin, memang ibuknya agak pelupa,yah maklum aja kan warung JUICE IN PARADISE ini emang enak binti murah, jadi pelanggan udah kayak pasar aja.

            “Ini mbak pesenannya”.”Oh iya terimakasih buukk”. Sudah kelaparan melihat ayam penyet yang begitu menggoda dan harum langsung aja aku berdoa dan menyantap makanannya, sangat nikmat ditambah jus jambu kesukaanku. “Vha udah selesai belum?”Tanya Nia. “Oke udah ni, eh tadi aku belum bayar, kamu juga belum kan?ayokk sekalian”kataku.”Oh iya oke aku juga belum bayar kok”.

            “Tadi gorengan sama jus mangga, jadi berapa bukk?”, samar-samar kudengar suara Nia karena aku masih mencari sesuatu di tasku, jadi kupersilakan Nia untuk membayar dulu. “Mampus, loh!! Dompetku mana?kok gak ada?”,pikirku sambil merogoh-rogoh uang di sakuku, Alhamdulillah ada 5ribu,aduh tapi masih kurang. “Nia, aku pinjem uang seribu ya?dompetku hilang”,kataku lirih pada Nia. “Apa?kok bisa Vha?”.”Ntar aja aku certain, pinjem dulu ya?”. “oh iya iya, ini “.

            Bress!!!Namanya nasib, dompetku hilang, hujan deras tak kunjung reda.Ahhh sial banget hari ini! “Gimana Vha, udah dicari lagi belom?”, tanya Nia. “Gak ada Ni, udah aku cari sampek tasku berubah warna jadi burem nih, tapi tetep gak ada”. “trus gmn dong?tadi kamu taruh mana?”. “oh iya, aku inget! Tadi waktu kumpul sastra di depan BK sebelum kita jadi supporter futsal tu aku taruh di atas tasku di lantai, habis itu aku sibuk ngerjain tugas sastra”.”la trus kamu lupa belum masukin gitu? Soalnya kan tadi aku ijin ada intra tari,jadi aku kumpul sastra cuma bentar, gak tau menahu tentang itu”kata Nia. “Iya tadi tu aku taruh  di atas tas tapi kok pas mau pulang gak ada ya, tadi juga pas aku habis dari kamar mandi, tasku udah berpindah tempat”, jawabku sambil terisak, tak mampu lagi ku menahan air mata. “Ya ampun, aduh jangan nangis dong Vha, emang isinya apa aja?”, tanya Nia. Pertanyaan Nia semakin membuat tubuhku melunglai, aku tak sanggup lagi menahan rasa, aku menangis sesedu-sedunya, di tempat umum lagi, ahh dasar tak punya malu!. “Ada uang…..”.”Berapa uangnya Vha?”.”75ribu,tapi….”. “Oh gak papa kalo gitu Vha diikhlasin aja ya?”, belum selesai aku bicara, Nia udah menjawab. “Bukan itu, masalahnya ada SIM ma STNK ku Nia, bisa-bisa aku disate panggang ma ortu kalo sampe ntu STNK hilang”, jawabku terisak. “Apa?jadi juga ada SIm dan STNKnya?waduh gawat dong ini Vha, coba kamu inget-inget lagi deh tadi kamu taruh mana aja”, kata Nia.

            “Aku inget banget, aku keluarin dompet cuman sewaktu kita kumpul sastra soalnya aku tadi mau bayar buku tapi gak ada petugasnya. Trus aku taruh di atas tas, tapi waktu aku ngedit foto untuk sastra, tasku udah ada disampingku,aku gak kepikiran sama sekali tentang dompet, aduh Nia, aku bodoh banget, tadi tu Bu. Risna udah ngingetin anggota sastra tentang dompet, ah bodoh bodoh, aku emang bodoh!”teriakku tak karuan. “Emang tadi Bu Risna bilang gimana Vha?”. Bu Risna bilang “Lo ini dompet siapa?nanti hilang lo”. Trus aku jawab “Dompet saya Bu, iya bu makasih”. “Kenapa tadi gak segera aku masukin ya?padahal sewaktu pulang kumpul sastra tu aku sempet balik lagi ke tempat itu untuk cari flash diskQ tapi aku kok tadi gak lihat apa-apa ya, trus ternyata FDku ada di jaket makanya aku langsung ke GOR buat dukung futsal kelasku, aku bener-bener lupa soal dompet”, kataku. “Ayo Nia mumpung hujan agak reda, kamu mau kan aku ajak balik kesekolah?please ya!”.

            Dalam kecepatan motor mio Nia yang melintasi jalan yang licin, aku tak bisa merasakan apa-apa lagi, pikiranku kosong menerawang saat aku kumpul sastra tadi, aku memikirkan siapa saja orang yang ada disana, aku takut sekali, dadaku terasa sangat sesak. “Syutt…”, motor mio Nia hampir menabrak tempat parker. Tak piker panjang lagi, aku langsung turun dan berlari sekuat tenaga menuju lantai atas, karena ruang BK ada di lantai 2, saat akan mendekati tempat kejadian, aku berdoa kepada Allah agar diberi hikmah dan perlindungan. Kulihat masih banyak kertas sastra yang berserakan, mungkin tadi ada yang lupa membawanya. “Astagfirulloh, dompet itu sudah lenyap, dompet itu tak ada”, semua serasa seperti mimpi, siapa yang mengambil dompetku?apakah untuk diamankan atau untuk dicuri?Beribu pertanyaan telah ku utarakan tapi tak ada ku menemukan jawaban itu. Rasa sedih, marah, kecewa, menyesal, dll bercampur aduk menjadi satu. Siapa yang membawa dompetku?siapa yang membawanya? Hanya itu yang terus terngiang-ngiang di anganku.

===== BERSAMBUNG ====

OUR LEGACY 'BULL' DENIM SHIRT

This Our Legacy ‘Bull’ Denim shirt is another in a long line of interesting fabrics and patterns used by the Swedish brand in their shirting. The subtle indigo check is understated and far from cumbersome on the eye, while the 1940’s inspired silhouette is loose enough to be a versatile layering tool for those cold winter mornings, it’s tailored feel and disappearing placket can smarten up a pair of well worn denim or cords with aplomb.

Available now via: www.glassboutique.co.uk