Saturday 29 May 2010

back to life

hey all, yh i know i havent been blogging over the last couple of days but its only cus ive been so busy. trust me, ever since thursday when i slept over at fqs i have not had any time to write anything. honestly, with the trip to town and going out all he time ive been exhausted.

On Friday i went to town with fq and a few others where we took some insanely amazing photos (below) and er got honked at a few times. i also got a vintage leather satchal from a cute little shop called urban village which is situated in the custard factory, at only 25 pounds its like a dream come true. And even better there is gonna be a vintage fair (with cupcakes) on saturday, sadly i cant go but i think fq can make it so why not just go along.







Vintage is such a statement. probably because its so much rarer than modern clothes but to pull it off you have t actually love it. Many people get vintage because they love the authenticity of it and they truly do worship the clothes which is entire;y neccessary because if you dont love your clthes (especially vintage) then you will honestly never wear it.


fashion in general is exactly the same, dont you find it annoying when you see something like a perfect pair of jeans and you fall in love with them but they are perhaps too expensive or they dont have your size and then you can never find it again. yeah thats annoying but you get over it and try and find another pair of jeans the same but cheaper. this is the mst irritating part because nothing lives up to the jeans you first saw. this is what falling in love with clothes means.

Tuesday 25 May 2010

steryotypes in extremity ....

25th may 2010 .... JH XOX


stereotypes.


This is something thats bugging me for a while now. There is a certain amount of truth and reason to each steryotype but i have come to realise that although they do exist it is very rare that anyone fits a steryotype perfectly. It is way more common for people to live up to steryotypes and that is where the problems start. For example there is a difference between someone that likes a black top and thinks blackberry coloured lipstick suits them and someone that thinks 'right im a goth so i must get this black top and i have to have blackberry coloured lipstick'. The first person is not in a steryotype, they are just getting what they like. Just because they are wearing dark colours doesnt mean she has to be something; how do we know that she doesnt go to a knitting club or has a barbie themed room? The second person is making herself into a steryotype and its people like this that make steryotypes exist. This is when they will go home and paint their room black even if they do secretly love barbie, they wont express it because it doesnt fit with their steryotype. Personally, i buy things i like, things that will look good and things that express who i am. However i am still steryotyped by some as a 'blonde/bimbo' because i have blonde hair and i dont have much common sense but on the other hand i cant be a bimbo because they are stupid, and i am not stupid. I do actually get quite good grades. Others will call me a rock chick because that is my favourite kind of music, but then i will turn up in floral prints and pastel shades because i like them. The point is i dont live up to a steryotype which is why FQ cant put me in one.


When people say 'steryotypes' often people automatically think of the usual chav, emo, indie and scene sort of thing. However, im thinking of steryotypes that go a lot deeper, that cant be changed by a new outfit or new hair cut. These are the steryotypes that we need to tackle. For example the typical image of a woman is a small, dainty, beautiful person with long slender limbs and a perfect figure. No woman is perfect, but some cultures have taken this steryotype so far that women shoes dont go past the 'acceptable' size. Therefore if their feet grow bigger than the shoe, they cant buy bigger ones and they purposely brake their feet to fit the shoe and their feet end up looking deformed and hideous like this.












they are also keen on long necks. So much so that women have to wear rings around their neck to elongate and shapen them. What actually happens is that the necks are stretched so much and they become so dependant on the rings that the muscles weaken and they cant hold up the head which means that they have to keep the rings on anyway to keep control of their neck. All for the price of the perfect woman.
























General Musings

I was musing (that’s right, musing) over the title of Jane Austen’s classic book “Sense and Sensibility.” I began to wonder, why it was named that and what the difference between “sense” and “sensibility” was.

From here my thoughts travelled to another one of Jane Austen’s classics, arguably the most famous one, “Pride and Prejudice.”

The sentence structure of the title was the same, but this one was much more explicit and understandable.

“Pride” is now both a negative and positive word, but in Austen’s time it basically meant someone who was very up themselves, or arrogant. While “Prejudice” means preconceptions and being judgemental.

So if the book was written now it would be called something along the lines of “Up yourself and Stereotypes.”

But with more and more celebrities (even the lovely Leighton Meester) being accused of acting too big for their boots and the noughties named by some the ‘Age of Self Labeling’ you could say this is true.

But then you get Cheryl Cole, who is stunning but finds it embarrassing and doesn’t understand what the hype about her looks is all about, and JH (the other writer of the blog) who is actually impossible to label! Trust me, I spent an hour trying today! I ended up with “you’re just a freak who doesn’t fit in anywhere.”

But okay, I’m going off topic. Back to “Sense and Sensibility.” By this point I had figured the title out. Sense and sensibility are closely linked, but at the same time quite different.

Seeing sense is seeing the right thing to do but being sensible is doing that thing. For example, if I saw someone lying on the ground, unconscious, I would have no idea what to do.

The sensible thing to do would be to find someone who did know what was going on, and while I would understand that (seeing sense) I probably wouldn’t actually be sensible and would instead run over to the person and try to do something myself before even contemplating finding someone else. That’s just the way my brain works.

So I flipped over the book, and read the blurb. The second paragraph of it caught my eye. It goes like this:

“Sense and Sensibility is a delightful comedy of manners in which the sisters Elinor and Marianne represent two qualities. Elinor’s character is one of Augastan detachment, while Mar=riane, a fervent disciple of the Romantic Age, learns to curb her passionate nature in the interests of survival.”

So yes, I am pretty unaware of what half of that is saying. “Augastan detachment” and “a fervent disciple of the Romantic Age” mean nothing to me, but I can make my own judgement.

And while making a judgement two, modern day, characters formed in my head. Although I have read this book, I cannot remember it particularly well and the sort of characters I imagine could be completely off, however along with their characters came, of course, their clothes.

Yes, you were wondering where I was going with this right? I didn’t even know myself, when I started writing it!

But here you go, here is my Elinor and Marianne :

Elinor

She’s sensible, really. She’s intelligent and seems to be wiser than her years permit. She is almost the opposite of her sister, but at the same time almost the same, and they get on extremely well.

Elinor is stylish, but not fashionable. She always looks great, and to most people she probably seems the better dressed of the two, but she isn’t adventurous. Once you’ve seen one outfit...you’ve seen them all. (Olivia Palermo as model J I adore her!)



So yeah, nothing too exciting here! But you’ve got to admit, she looks well put together (:

And then there’s :

Marianne!

The outgoing one, who isn’t scared to break boundaries. Well, she wasn’t, until recently. Now she’s starting the curb the more passionate side to her character, and it shows the most in the way she dresses. Her bleach blonde hair and quirky take on the seasons trends still manage to set her apart from the crowd slightly, but not in a sort of ‘stop and stare in astonishment’ type of thing she used to have going on.


They have their similarities. They like the sunglasses and the scarves, but they wear them differently. Elinor’s take on them is classy, more put together, and looks better quality. Marianne goes for cheaper looking items worn scruffily, but stylishly. And they like their brogues! Elinor opts for a plain brown pair while Marianne goes for a detailed version.

You can see they are similar, but you can see that they are different. Marianne is sense, Elinor is sensibility.

There’s something for you to think about.



- FQ

Sunday 23 May 2010

its life .... deal with it.

xx jh xx may 23rd


I love makeup its amazing how you can completely transform the way you look through all the different techniques.Its like editing a picture or something. You can make your eyes bigger, cheek bones more defined, lips plumper, skin smoother and don't even get me started on the amount of different ways you can portray just one look. Makeup allows us to express our individuality by adding just that bit extra to the perfect outfit. We can make ourselves look however we want and a new look in makeup is no way near as expensive as a new outfit.


The one time it isn't so good is on stage. First of all its the amount you have to put on and trust me, its a lot. Secondly, when have it all on, it actually looks disgusting but its what i have to wear so i can be seen on stage. So you've got the mask of foundation that is ten shades darker than you actual skin tone, then some bright white eyeshadow on the bottom of the lid and a strong brown on the top of the lid, next its a ton of eyeliner and mascara, to highlight your eyes, then some bright pink blusher add some dark eyebrow pencil and finish it off with some bright red lipstick. beauty.


In all fairness though, i don't mind. Performing is what i love doing and if the makeup is what i have to go through then fine,ill do it. Basically my day hasn't really had anything to do with fashion because I've been at dance competitions. However some of the costumes that I've seen are so beautiful. I love how you can be anyone or anything because of a costume. Today i saw cats, dogs, bulls and a lion as well as a clown, lady gaga and even some Disney princesses, each costume giving the dance that extra special something.


lots of love jh xox
btw ... sorry its a day late ... my computer was all messed up yesterday.

Sounds like a plan! ;)



So this week I have exams :/ Which I’m not too excited about!

However, they only last 4 days, which means that Friday is a day off! So, to celebrate they end of exams, my friends (including JH) and I are going to the city centre. Usually, this means just browsing around the shops and getting some coffee, but we want to do something different this time!

So we are all going to bring along our nicest clothes, go to all the less explored areas of the city (little tea shops, alley ways covered in graffiti) and take pictures! We’ll probably browse some charity shops and this massive vintage warehouse first for some last minute outfits or accessories - but then it’s lights, camera, action!

We might even take some later because then we are having a movie marathon and camping in my friends garden! :)

As soon as the pictures are shot, uploaded and edited they’ll be posted on here so be on the lookout!

- FQ


(the picture's will probably be something like this! well, hopefully :P)

Essential Summer Outfit!

Click to enlarge!
I know what I'm saving up for ;)

Just Bliss...

such a beautiful day, perfect for getting tan and …. going to a communion ?

yes thats right. this morning at 7:00 i was up and getting dressed while the rest of the world was in bed. i didnt mind though, going to my lil sisters communion wasnt all that bad, i got to see an old friend and had all the excitement of analysing peoples outfits, i also got to introduce one of my best friends of all time to my family. my sister (below) looked stunning.

well i wore what i said id wear yesterday you now the whole rock n roll gone girly thing but i didnt have time to do my hair so the outfit wasnt complete. I still looked alright though, if you want to see then there are pictures below.i know its a bit short for church but i did wear shorts underneath and i felt good in it which is the most important thing, im also not very religious so it didnt bother me. I also had the most amazing shoes ever £40 from boginni (www.boginni.com) but be warned, although they are stunning they are also high maintenance and aren’t for casual use. Overall most people weren’t dressed that nice but there was the occasional girl that loooked really good. After the cereomy i came home and had a bbq with my family, then fell asleep sun bathing. At the moment (5 : 30) im all red because unfortunately i cant tan.

Today I thought was not going to be related to fashion much but luckily for me, it was :) all because of my nan. Like most grandparents she spoils her grandkids but unlike most grandparents she has taste and a pretty decent sense of fashion. Today she got me this stunning bag which i will probably use for school for a week and then go back to my other bag cus i dont want it ruined. I also got some bright coloured lipstick (which im paying for) which was just amazing. If you think that when you are older you wont be able to be fashionable and expressive without trying to look young and ending up looking either trashy or ancient, then here is how to get it right. My nan has the most incredble short puprle hair and although it might sound tacky on paper, its not. The dark purple makes her look really classy AND cool.

The one thing i hate about myself is the fact that i CANT tan, and to stop myself getting burnt i have to wear ‘kids high factor 50 sun cream’. Dont get me wrong i think that most of the time pale skin looks classy and beautiful, its just in these summer months when its impossible to get that essential ‘healthy glow’ that pale skin stops being beautiful and starts making you look ill. As well as this it effects your social life because everyone around me is sitting in the sun at the moment and i can only spend a small amount of time in it unless i want to look like a lobster. sigh.

- JH x

Lace me with pearls?

The answer would be ‘yes, pretty please.’

Pearls are beautiful, and more importantly, timeless. This includes fake pearls, which the majority of the time, work just as a well as real pearls, for a quarter of the price!

For some reason, many of us still associate pearls to be very ‘1950s’ and much to put together and formal for a young person to wear. That couldn’t be more wrong.

For those of us who imagine plain beads strung tightly around the neck at the mention of ‘pearls’, I have found some of the nicest, and most chic, pearl accessories on offer to help you see see sense.

Four-strand faux-pearl necklace

Nice, don’t you think?

This necklace is the perfect way to keep the classiness of good old fashion pearls, but the three strands and short gold chain and clasp around the neck stop you from looking like you’ve been thrown back a couple of decades. I would pair this with an above the knee vintage style dress (probably made out of silk?) a blazer and quirky retro heels and a clutch bag for a formal look. It would look something like this:

:)

For a more modern take on the jewellry, go for grey pearls, like these:

Chan Luu - Too Fabulous For Words Necklace (Grey Pearl) - Jewelry

The immense layering and dark colours give the necklace a very grunge edge. However, the distinct shape and colouring of pearls make it more classy and more importantly, more unique. I would team it with a very simple plain grey t-shirt/dress with white pattern tights and black pump heels. It would look like this:

baha,

So that’s necklaces for you. Now how about headwear? And I’m not just talking about plain pearl headbands…

Ms Fortuna Pearl Bunny Ears Headband, Benoit MissolinPatty Pearl Bow Headband, Benoit Missolin

Aha, they’re lovely aren’t they? I adore the way that the ears are a little wonky on both of them and the pearls make rabbit ears look cute and chic instead of tacky. The colours work perfectly, and wearing something like this you would be sure to make a statement. I’m not going to bother telling you what to team these with, because I think they’d look great with any outfit!
And last put not least, handbags! This one, is sure to catch your eye:

John Lewis Mother-Of-Pearl Evening Bag, Mother of Pearl

The different shaped pearls are stunning and work perfectly on the bag giving it a very quirky edge. This bag could be dressed up or down very easy. Just take the strap away and use as a clutch for formal wear, or sling it over your shoulder while wearing some vintage high waisted shorts, a brightly coloured t-shirt and brouges for a gorgeous everyday look.

I hope you now realise, that pearls are not just what they used to be and investing in some of these lovely accesories I’ve showed you would not be a bad idea at all…

- FQ

the abnormality of daily life...

Being at school is a fashion nightmare - the disgusting shirt, the unflattering skirt and the horrible frumpy jumper that makes even the skinniest people look 20 stone. Luckily for me though my school doesn’t have a tie or blazer but to compensate, the slightest shortening of skirt or the tiniest glimpse of a top underneath the shirt lands you in a heap of trouble, but worst of all is the fact that all the money spent on uniform stops us from having the money to buy fashionable clothes ; and the amount of time we spend in school uniform reduces the amount of time we can spend browsing stores and showing off our insanely awesome outfits.

There is a heaven however, summer is here in a few weeks and then we have 5 and a bit weeks in the holidays to show the true fashion goddesses we are. One of my favourite things this summer is the gorgeous satchel bag, because it will go with literally everything and also it wont break easily cus its leather! my outfit of the summer is gonna be a summer dress. Im thinking something quite quirky but really cute, in soft muted colours with a denim Gillette and a satchel probably with a straw trilby as well :) it will look something like this but im gonna loook around first to find the perfect summer dress.

image

I’m in a dilemma. My little sister is in a Catholic school and has her First Holy Communion tomorrow. It’s okay for her, at seven years old she looks like a doll in the most gorgeous dress ever which was made specifically for her, but poor little me has nothing to wear. I haven’t bought my summer stuff yet so i cant wear that, and it cant be too short because well, its in a church. I need it to be formal but still fun and noticeable and because it’s tomorrow i cant go out and get anything.

Ive opted for a sort of rock and roll gone girly outfit. a long black and white top (with shorts underneath). skin coloured tights and a black shrug. with either some black killer heels or flats (my friend wants me in flats so she won’t look small) and a floral beaded necklace and some pearl look bracelets. teamed with messy curled hair and nude makeup - i think im gonna look alright, well not bad anyhow.

lots of love JH x

Boo,

welcome to our blog!

it’s called ‘sugar tainted fags’ as you may have noticed and it’s going to be, primarily, about fashion. we started in on 'tumblr' but then decided that wasn't working, so have moved to blogger!

there are two of us, FQ and JH, and we’ll both be posting articles as often as possible :)

so yes, follow us ;)

- FQ & JH,