Manicures & High Heels

In advance of my upcoming review of "Sex and the City", the entire series, I wanted to write (as promised) of how manicures and high heels make me feel.

I was a tomboy for all of my early years.  You could maybe still consider me one, I don't know.  I was the only girl at the boys' birthday parties.  I played hockey.  I frowned when my first pair of underpants had flowers on them (true story).  I put up an enormous fuss when told to put on a dress.  You get the picture...

As a result, despite growing up with 4 sisters, I missed some so-called crucial steps to "being a girl".  I could barely put my hair up in a ponytail at 14, I got dresses only for occasions that required them, and I think I applied mascara for the first time at 18.  Once again, you get the picture...

When I was in Turkey in the summer of '09 (can't believe it's already been that long), I told my mom and sister, who I was travelling with, that I wanted to quit biting my nails.  I'd been biting them (as you might remember) for at least 14 years, I would guess, and so it was a big undertaking.  The goal was to not bite them on the trip and reward myself with a manicure on the second leg of the trip in Abu Dhabi.  After all, where else would I get my first manicure???

The experience was in a word - and I'm not really exaggerating here - profound.  I never really got it.  Why paint your nails?!  What's the point?!  Do people think of you differently?  Does it make any difference at all?

Well, I can only speak from my own perspective, but yes, yes, yes.  It does make a difference.

Somehow, it makes me feel prettier.  I look at my hands and rather than just various shades of pink, I see these colourful nails that stand out and transform my fingers.  I feel elegant.  I feel more grown-up and professional.  I feel like people might think differently of me; that I take care of myself and take pride in my appearance.  Superficial?  Maybe... but also not, because the prettiness I feel goes deep.  I don't mean pretty in the shallow sense; I mean a full-body feeling of confidence and power.

[And as a side benefit, getting manicures really helps maintain the health of my nails and keeps me from wanting to bite them... 'cuz they're so pretty.]

I experienced the same thing recently when I bought my first pair of real high heels.  By real, I mean an actual heel (not the hilarious kitten heel), and not just plain, but with a bow and other ornaments.  I put my feet in them, stood up from the bench at the shoe store, and pulled my pant leg up.  My leg was completely transformed.  It looked more muscular, more feminine, and more defined.  My posture was different.  I felt different.  When I walk around in heels I feel tall and powerful, elegant and poised.  Once again, I know it may sound superficial, but it doesn't feel superficial.  It feels real, the feeling has depth, but at the end of the day I don't need to qualify it, I just need to enjoy the transformation.

On the reading list -- Still finishing up When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (loving it!  15 pages to go), and then I think I'll follow that up with The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (which has nothing to do with the film).

Post to come -- My thoughts on the series "Sex and the City" in its entirety & What's the deal with rc-4?

Girls On Film

I really like the latest H&M commercials. Something about them.



Then I realized...

Sept.

I haven't watched "The September Issue" in like 3+ months. Very strange. I think I'm going to have to watch it tonight so that this redheaded beauty will Grace me with her presence.

**EDIT: Ms. Coddington is almost hilariously glam in this picture.

Today I Am Entertained

Let's see if I can go about this in a backwards way...

Ever heard of the MBTI? Well, by taking the Myers-Briggs personality test, you can receive your personality type. I'm an INFJ. When you get your test results, you can find out celebrities that are the same type as you. You can also find out fictional characters who are the same type as you - how they find this out, I don't know. Anyway, a presumed INFJ is Amélie Poulain from the movie "Amélie". (P.S. Not sure how I feel about IMDB's new layout...). I love that Amélie is presumed to be an INFJ, because I love her. I also love the actress Audrey Tautou who plays her. Today I watched "Coco Avant Chanel". It was amazing. More specifically, Audrey Tautou was absolutely amazing in it!!!







How is that for backwards? Seriously though, it was incredible. Coco's story is amazing, she was (and continues to be) revolutionary, and the movie was beautifully done. Audrey stunned me; her ability to show such tension and emotion in her face..... I was floored. I recommend it to every and anyone!

In other entertainment news, there's a marathon of "Hoarders" on A&E today. I am fascinated by this show, so I plan on watching it as much as possible. The new season premiere is on at 9:00. I'll be watching...

Hermione Looking Finey Part Deux

OH EM GEE, Emma Watson. Bold move, but I think it'll pay off.

You def don't look like Hermione anymore.

Will Burberry still use you? I hope so. It could be FEE-YASS.

YES!

I'm working my way through sixth season of Sex and the City. It's not my first time seeing it, but it's always a pleasure to watch!

I just watched this scene with Charlotte emerging from a short depression and channeling Elizabeth Taylor. I think this may be her best fashion moment on the series. Work it!







*EDIT* The only issue is that a few episodes later, the Russian buys Carrie a gorgeous (Oscar De la Renta, I believe) dress to wear to the opera and it's extremely similar. Carrie - get over it for 2 minutes and give Charlotte some time to shine, wouldja?

Gravy-at-Large

André!!! Can we be friends?

Realness

Glee Gals - Photo Gallery

My thoughts... (keep in mind I love the show!!!)

Lea Michele - chill out on the "fierce" looks, girl, you're not high fashion
Dianna Agron - you look hot in the red lipstick
Jane Lynch - you look strange in a dress, but I idolize you
Amber Riley - yes!
Lea Michele - again... relax!
Kevin McHale - you are so Hel-Looks
Jayma Mays - no comment

oui

YES!

YES!

YES!

Fah-Shunn

I wanna go to Helsinki... mostly so I can try my best to get on Hel-Looks.

I wish I had a tonne of money to buy clothes! Honestly, I think I'd start at Value Village. I want to take all of my clothes out of my closet and drawers and see what I can donate, alter, bring back into my life, put away for another time, etc.

I'm gonna watch "The September Issue" again.

P.S. Some great songs from the soundtrack - "Nostrand" & "Swisha" by Ratatat, "Burn It All Down" by VHS or Beta, "At Sea" by Electrelane, "S to U" by Chessie, and "Around the Bend" by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour.

P.P.S. I've flossed once since my dentist appointment, and plan on doing it again this morning.

NO.

Continuing on my Grace kick...

Are you kidding? Annie Leibovitz AND Ms. Coddington?

The Issue

I DL'ed the soundtrack from "The September Issue" and listened to it while strutting around Yorkville today. If you watch that movie enough times (I think I'm at 6, maybe) the songs and fashion become intertwined, so it's a lot of fun to stomp around to.

I wonder why I love the movie so much? Maybe because it inspires me... maybe because I really like the way it's presented...

Actually, it's because of Grace.

More Fashion

I guess fashion is my interest as of late. Or, I dunno, fashion has often been an interest in the back of my mind. Like I said in my last entry, I don't know a tonne about it, but I'm fascinated by it at the same time. Any way to express yourself, be creative and artistic... I love that!

Right now I'm watching "The September Issue" for the second time, and they were showing old pictures of Grace Coddington, who is now the Creative Director for U.S. Vogue, and was once a model for Vogue. Her model shots are absolutely beautiful.

On another note, Anna Wintour is captivating.

Hermione Looking Finey

I've been waiting for some inspiration to blog and I found it.

Emma Watson in Burberry ads.

I don't know a tonne when it comes to fashion, but I know that I find this incredibly fierce. I've been watching "America's Next Top Model" Cycle 1 over the holidays (super random, I know), so I'm starting to notice more when it comes to models, ads, etc. That being said, I think I always would've appreciated Hermione looking so hot.

Regardless, this ad (and the others in the series) is FEROCIOUS! You go, girl! Smile with your eyes!

I Know What My Peers Like

My bestie has got this stuck in my head.



The styles in this vid are so ultimately fierce, and how about the design of the video itself? Like at 2:03 when her face is animated and slides across the screen behind the saxophonist? BRILLIANT.

It makes me think about styles and architecture and design and fashion and music and art through the ages and decades. I remember finding it fascinating in music history that in the Classical period, the architecture was very symmetrical and simple - clean lines and very straightforward... and so was the music! A piece like Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart - totally symmetrical, clean lines, etc. Isn't that cool? Obviously the Classical period isn't alone... Baroque had the same thing with architecture mirroring music mirroring lifestyles too, I suppose! Except with Baroque, everything was big and luxurious and elaborated and flowery... at least I think I've got these periods right. I'm really talking about this off the top of my head.

Anyway, it reminds me of a convo my bestie (who got me stuck on The Waitresses) and I had. He asked me, "Why do you think we've seen a change in our friends in terms of drug use?" What he was referring to was seeing some friends/peers move to some harder drugs as opposed to the classic choice of weed. I replied, "There's been a change in popular music," and he was thinking the same thing.

It's true! Look at the Black Eyed Peas' most recent album: "The E.N.D." A variety of songs seem to really be influenced by the electro genre. The electro genre is still primarily underground, but it's moving closer to the mainstream, and its influence is obvious. With more people listening to remixes, mash-ups, and electro - whether it be Girl Talk, Steve Aoki, MSTRKRFT, Passion Pit, MGMT, or B.E.P. - there has been a change in lifestyle/party style/drug choice.

I'm convinced they're correlated!