ILOVEMESHALLOW

Monday, March 15, 2010

Long hair/white tank

I covet.

Via src783

Xoxo

Erin

Sunday, March 14, 2010

On fetishizing youth and getting the fuck over it

I blame my mother and my lifelong propensity for reading Vogue for my intense fear of aging. The first for dragging me from makeup counter to makeup counter throughout my childhood as she searched for the potion that would make her look 30 forever. Maybe the expensive French face cream worked. She's still beautiful. Children are porous creatures though and I soaked in every ounce of her fear. I learned that women should despise every outward sign of maturity and do everything to avoid it. The later for the hundreds of advertisements and editorials that imprinted a dual, and frightfully damaging, representation of age on me. Their articles told me that with an education, grooming, a trainer and money I could become like the fabulous actresses, politicians, executives and socialites they feature. Their advertisements told me what I had to buy to be this woman and that there is an expiry date on this dream.

It goes without saying that I, like my mother before me, have been purchasing only the best French face cream since I was 13. (Of course I couldnt afford it back then. These items were perennially on my Christmas and birthday lists). A few months ago I noticed a slight wrinkle along the side of my eyes and rushed to Sephora for an $100 night cream to add to the arsenal. Bat shit crazy? Ask me again in 20 years and look at my face while you do it.

I learned to equate aging to the slow decline of my worth as a woman. I as a teenager knew, although without a clear trajectory, that I'd make something of myself. However, deep down I feared never becoming that fabulous woman I wanted so much to be. I feared I would expire at 35 and retire to projecting myself as exhausted in frumpy clothing running after a brood of unruly children in the suburbs. This nightmare grew clearer as I imagined an expiry date on passion in my life as well. Of not being desirable to men anymore. Completely insane, I know.

I find it both peculiar and invigorating that as I actually got older I stopped fetishizing youth with the same intensity I used to. You know how I know the cult of youth is really crazy? What's to idolize in that? We're all at all ages works in progress, but someone so very young is not yet so deserving of the honor of being an example. I started to idolize women with personality, careers, experience and style. Look towards the women you really admire in life. Your roll model is probably not the latest Hollywood ingenue. If it is, Dear Reader, you need to reevaluate your life.

Behold the condensed list of the women I truly admire free of magazine representations of womanhood. And they all have wrinkles (except you Mom obviously):

1. My Grandmother. 88. Always wanted an education, but wasn't allowed to finish school because she was a woman. Instead she went to work, got married and had a child. She lived through what sounded like a pretty shitty slog in WW2 and the Russian occupation. Had to flee Hungary during the '56 Revolution with her family. Learned English and worked in sweatshop conditions until they were established to give her daughter a chance. She's a fighter and the fiercest bitch I know.

2. My Mother. If I put her age here she'd strangle me. Just take my age and add 32. First generation immigrant. Put herself through university and became a business executive before women could wear pantsuits in the workplace. She declined promotions to have the freedom take care of me (and drag me around department store makeup counters apparently). Don't fuck with this crazy bitch. Trust.

3. An Airforce Major. Probably mid - late 40s. We were drunk and hanging out in a bar. She wrote her philosophy for life down on a napkin and made me realize you can be old and fucking cool. I've actually met quite a few middle aged Army/Air Force/Navy types and they are all without exception both crazy bitches and totally fierce. Any woman who got through the CF in the 80s and 90s is hard as fuck no exceptions.

4. Karen, an old family friend. She's probably close in age to my Mother, but I won't say because she'll throw her Prada purse at me through the computer screen. She was a business woman who went with her (awesome) husband Peter to Geneva for the better part of a decade when his work took him there. She is an amazing example of European aging beautifully and stylishly. She taught me the importance of good jewelry, good shoes and a good handbag. More on her in another post before I go off on a tangent.

My point is the women in your life you likely really look up to probably have wrinkles and they still rawk out (even if they don't quite realize how awesome they do the rawk).

Age, like anything in life really, is defined by what attitude you attack it with. I intend to do it like these fine ladies:

FFFFFFFIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRCCCCCCCCCEEEEEE

What follows is a 5 minute break from editorials stuffed with 16 year old waifs. Here are women with personality, careers and whole lot of FIERCE.

(I realize I haven't featured truly old women, but rather women in their 30s, 40s and 50s. This is not by design, it was just the result of choosing photographs I happen to like.)

These women are older than they look and they rawk. This photograph was taken at an Italian nightclub.

Doing the mom thing without the frump. Fierce.

This lady reminds me of Mom's friend Eva. A well dressed middle aged man is always a very good accessory too.

Hells to the fuck yeah! Doesn't she kind of remind you of cross between Leni Riefenstahl/Eva Braun/the generic movie version of a female fascist and Kelly Cutrone/an art or design world powerhouse/director etc.? Her look just screams crazy bitch, personality and awesome. If she respects you and you respect her you'll be BFFs forever. If she won't look you in the eye don't try to talk to her ever. This bitch has fierce dudes on her tail and the best sex all the time too. Don't you looooooove her? Don't you just want to beeeeeeee her? She's also not 20. Not even close. I have the hardest girlcrush on her and I don't even know her name.

Fucccckkkkkkkkk yeeaaahhhhhhhhhhh doin it ritttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttte. I'm going to start dressing like this every day (even to the grocery store) the second I turn 40.

Middle aged women women into fashion tend to dress way better than young women, too. Firstly, they can finally afford it. Secondly, they've learned what looks good on them by making mistakes.

All above images from Yvan Rodic

This woman is the editor of Vogue Nippon. She is fierce. Learn to wear a suit, if it's your thang, like this woman and you got life down PAT. Although I don't like her sunglasses. Read my post on sunglasses for a full rundown of my distaste for wayfarers.

You will have far more interesting conversation with women than girls. Trust. I was an only child and was practically reared at my parents cocktail parties. Learning to talk to, and like, adults is key to womanhood. I say "like", in the valley girl sense, too much and need to stop.

This woman is evidence why French face cream works. She's is mature and fierce, but so fresh.

French fashion photographer Garance Dore is further pictorial evidence of why French face cream works. . Google couldn't tell me actually how old she is, but I'd guess mid 30s Also, she rocks. Check out her blog linked below.

All above from Garance Dore

Am I ever going to stop dropping $$$$ on French face cream? Fuck no. I'll wear 5 inch heels till I die, too. And never, ever stop gettin' some.

Oh yeah, and when someone asks you how old you are don't be one of those babies who makes a fuss. Own it, bitch.

Xoxo

Erin

P.s. I'm working on ideas for a man style post. I need to cover this aging topic for men too which I believe to be a very different issue, but deeply connected to women and aging.

Designer water

LOOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLLOLLOLLOLOLOOOOLOOLOOLOLLOLLLLL

Via Yvan Rodic

Cheap Drugstore Thrill$

I had a comment the other day that this blog makes me sound like an insufferable cunt. Yes, I suppose it does. Deep down I am a snob bitch, but that only comes out around the people who are equally as forthright. Shout out to Gerry and Bailey, my partners in intelligent cuntery. I would give a good ramble about woman's social conditioning to be nice ladies and the patriarchal industrial complex and blady blah-blah, but I don’t care that much. Google it.

Specifically the charge was that my article on Chanel lipstick
makes me sound like an elitist snob with no connection to reality. If you want some of that fuckery go read a Vogue. I'm guilty on the first charge, but not the second. I'm a bitch on a budget, like most people on earth. Individuals who have money do because they don't spend it all, regardless of their income. I don't advocate irresponsible consumerism, but rather that life is short, so live well within your means.

There are certain things I feel you should spend as much as you can afford, but purchase far less frequently. These would include, but are not limited to, makeup and hair products, shoes, accessories, eye wear, bags, haircuts, perfume, knickers, tattoos and elective eye surgery. There are a long list of things and things you can go cheap and cheerful on. These would be t shirts, jeans, converses and sandals, childrens clothes, some home furnishings (i.e. ikea) and certain types of toiletries. I offer a general disclaimer that these aforementioned categories are not truisms, but highly likely-isms.

Clearly, the crazy bitch who writes this drudge cannot afford to drop all sorts of ca$h money on everything. Most of this fuckery is under $10. A general disclaimer: I do not stand behind any and all products made by these companies. I'll put my hand up for any of these specific products.

Top 10 Drugstore Cheep Thrill$

You don't need no fancy fuckery if you got this crap

1. Burts Bees lip balm

It's not filled with chemicals, it's not sticky, it lasts and it works.

2. Burts Bees colour keeper shampoo and conditioner

I badly damaged my hair having a little too much fun dying it (salon, never drugstore kthxbai!). I tried all sorts of expensive and not so expensive junk and finally resorted to giving this stuff a try when I was sick of slathering my hair in chemicals. Also, it irks me to spend a lot of money on shampoo and conditioner for some reason. It's a little heavy on my full, but fine, hair
but it flat out works. I still follow with a leave in conditioner. I don't claim this to be holy water for your locks.

3. Aveeno hand cream

One of my biggest complaints about drugstore products is the cheap fragrance added to them. I love this stuff because it's, for the most part, not filled with too much chemical drudge, has no scent, it doesn't wash off and it works. I also use this stuff on my body. Guys even love this stuff because it doesn't make them smell like a woman (and God forbid a man smell like a woman ;). I can't tell you the number of guys at work who I've handed this to for their wind burned/chapped/otherwise cut up hands and they've loved it.

4. Man razors

Hey bitches: did you ever compare the price between your pink razors and the (otherwise indiscernable) black/blue/green man's razors? Why don't you take a look next time you're at the drug store and get back to me. Women pay more for shit because its pretty and I think that's stupid. Very cheap razors are not so good regardless of what gender they're marketed to, bu I've stood by these triple blade babies for years.

5. Cetaphil

A rule to follow with face cleanser: if it stings when you get it in yours eyes it is filled with bullshit and too harsh for your face. There are only 3 face cleansers I know of (I'm sure there are more though) that you can get into your eyes sting-free. This is a great everyday cleanser for all skin types and is even good for very sensitive skin and baby skin. The later I wouldnt know about, but the bottle's sales pitch tells me so. Its only drawback is that it doesn't remove makeup incredibly well. If you don't wear makeup (and unless you're a dude, why the fuck not crazy bitch?!) this is swell, but if you do you can use this as a morning cleanser or for those rare occasions you're not wearing any. For when you are you're going to have to go higher end. I use the soy cleanser by Fresh when I'm wearing makeup, but I hear Kiehl's also makes a good one.

Tip: I've never found a cleanser that will get rid of all your makeup. A face cloth and a decent (non-stingy) face cleanser will do trick. You don't need to expensive fuckery! And dear God, don't use makeup remover all over your mug.

6. Veet sensitive skin

I'm very cognizant of not putting too many harsh chemicals on myself or into the environment. I also have an amazing pain tolerance, but I'm a strong believer that waxing is only for crazy bitches. I do not use this regularly, but only when I need hair removal that will last longer (i.e. camping, a holiday etc., to keep this PG).

Also, this is cheaper than a trip to your local Sadist waxer or Sadist lazer hair removal technician. (More on the later in another post....lazer hair removal is God's gift to humanity. However, it's nearly as uncomfortable as waxing albeit less painful. I'm going on a tangent).

7. Neutrogena lip balm

I can't decide if I like this or Burts Bees better. I think this almost wins because it comes with SPF and has no scent whatsoever. It has no colour, is not sticky and stays put. Loooooove.

8. Almay oil free eye makeup remover pads

I've tried all sorts of makeup remover from inexpensive to the highest end, but I've been sticking to these for years now. I like the oil free because its no fuss and doesnt leave any oily film on my skin. You also don't have to fuck around with liquid and cotton pads. Who has time for that crap? However, if I'm wearing some serious eye makeup, as I'm known to do sometimes, you need to do a second wash over your eyes with your (non-stingy) face cleanser when you wash the rest of your face. Go read by blurb from #5 for more on makeup removal. There are also the non oil-free version of these. If you're one for wearing serious eye makeup and/or waterproof mascara you might want to give that a try. I don't like it as much because it a little more mess, but it works too.

9. Clean and clear oil blotters

A lot of expensive companies make these, but why go for $$$$ when $ works? I love these because you can get rid of greasy face without loading your mug with powder. Also, if you are wearing makeup when you use these it wont disturb your facepaint job.

10. EOS shaving cream

Aerosol cans are bad for the environment, can explode and will leave rust in your shower. Who wants that fuckery? This product is made from no-bullshit recyclable plastic. I'm very picky about cheap fragrance, but I find the vanilla scent non-bothersome. Also it does what it's supposed to and actually moisturizes. All the other brands I've tried are too harsh and leave my skin feeling itchy. With this though I don't even need to moisturize after. For the win!

11. Quo makeup brushes

I really don't get those crazy bitches who go nuts over very expensive makeup brushes. Then again, I'm not a professional makeup artist and I'm more of a "finger painter" when it comes to application, even for eyeshadow. At most I'll use a q tip to smudge eyeliner. However, I do own two makeup brushes and they are from mid-range Shoppers in-house brand Quo. The bronzing powder brush (top) I actually use for face powder because the white tips tell you when its time to wash it. The crease blender (bottom) I use when I'm getting fancy with my eye makeup application or have too much time on my hands. It doesn't matter too much how much you spend on makeup brushes (I even know some girls who swear by art store supplies, though those are not always cheap either), but what matters is the feel of the bristles and the design of them. Google the more professional (and $$$) brands to see in what style they have their bristles and find something cheaper in the same design. I'll repurchase this brand if I ever seek to experiment with other types of brushes before going for the high end iteration.

Tip: don't bother fucking around with makeup brush cleanser. You can use any (non too chemically or harsh) shampoo or hand soap.

Honorable mention

11. Covergirl outlast lipstain

I'm not madly in love with this product. I'm not even sure I'd repurchase it after my several tubes run out. However, it's a fresh idea (and I fucking love fresh ideas!) and it comes in good colours. It looks like a crayola marker and goes on like you'd imagine one would if you used it as makeup (common admit you've thought about it!). Why didn't anyone think of this sooner? It's kind of genius. It goes on smoothly and sans gunk, which is a win. I hate sticky bullshit on my lips and so does the person kissing you. Trust. Now I want Givenchy to make a definitive non-budget version of this so I can stop whining about the cheap drug store smell/taste of this product. It also wont last forever, but if you need some cheap and cheerful retail therapy knock yourself out.

Do any of my Dear Readers have anything to add or tips pour moi?

Xoxo

Erin

FRESH SUNGLASSES

Cliffs notes:

1. I have a bizarre and deeply personal relationship to sunglasses. Read the following six paragraphs if you want to know just how queer it is.

2. You don't need more than one pair. Get the highest quality you can afford in a fresh style and they'll last for a long time.

3. Brown or a tortoise shell pattern look far better on most people. It's less harsh on the face than black. Trust.

4. Sunglasses should make you feel like a fiercer version of yourself. Don't purchase until you find a pair that do.

5. Wayfarers are classic, but not fresh.

6. Scroll down for fresh.

Full story:

I've only ever had two pairs of sunglasses in my life. My first pair were prescription tortoise shell Miu Mius I got at the end of highschool. Good Prescription sunglasses are expensive so I never got a pair before then. Before then sunglasses were for the "cool girls". The functionality of sunglasses was lost on me. I always coveted that these girls could look so chic and aloof with the expression in their eyes covered by dark lenses. And that when they walked out of the sun they could push them back into their hair like a headband of cool. Even after I got my sunglasses I still had to fuck around shuffling between my prescription and clear pair walking in and out of doors. Not fierce.

It's not that I hated my glasses. I don't remember myself without them. I didn't really pay much attention to them or spend my teen years brewing over how uncool I was because of them. I was already kinda nerdy and the glasses just added to that. Even Prada glasses don't make you feel like less of a tool. Trust.

I dropped the GDP of a small African country getting lazer eye surgery in December. I didn't spend years planning to, but the day it occurred to me I wanted it I made it happen in short order. It's purpose was part practical for work and part just for me.

I walked out of Herzig with my new eyes being able to see my face really for the first time in my life. I never thought it would change how I saw myself. I was never in a spiral of self hatred over my glasses like some people. But it brought my face to the forefront for the first time. I never really got a good look at my face before. When I had my glasses on they hid it and when they were off....well I couldn't see shit let alone my own face. For a short while before I got the surgery I was beginning to grow into who I was as a woman and after I felt like I appeared on the outside like how I felt on the inside.

Eye docs will tell you that you should wear sunglasses whenever you're outside to protect your vision. You have to wear sunglasses for the first week after eye surgery so the glare of the sun doesn't burn your retinas out. Considering how much you drop at Herzig getting your eyes done they should give you a selection of designer shades when you walk out of there post surgery in a Valium haze. I actually wrote that on a suggestion card at their office. I would too. Not kidding, bitches. I digress. The actual glasses are the kind those massive fug ones that old and/or blind people wear. Not pour moi.

Conveniently they give you a $50 coupon to the sunglasses store next door in their post surgery gift basket next to the Demerol and various other fun pharmaceuticals. I needed no other prompting. I walked straight from Herzig the 25 meters East to Ilori. A well dressed gay greeted me and I spent at least 45 minutes trying on everything in the store under $300. The aforementioned gay tried to push Wayfarers on me, but I've found them tired and overdone for a while now. I chose a perfect pair of large face shielding brown tortoise shell Philip Lim's that look amazingly like the Tom Ford "floating" styles (more on that later), but at a better price point. They made me feel like a better version of me and that's the way a consumer product should. As I said I buy things high end and stay with them for a long time, so I went for something fresh and fierce, but not trendy.

I've been wanting to write an article about sunglasses for a long time, but was lacking inspiration outside of Wayfarers, which it seems everyoneonearth are still wearing. including the fashionistas. I've declared them NOT FRESH for a long time now. Also, aviators are still ok in a fresh design. They're just not a very inspired look. You can do better, dear readers

What I'm talking about when I say NOT FRESH:

Everyone and their dog has been wearing these too long. Yes, they are classic and they've been in and out for pretty much ever. If this article prompts you to put these away for a while hold on to them because they'll be cool again in ten years. Trust. You can pull them out before that if you're wearing all pastel and doing an 80s WASP look for Halloween. Ooh. That's a fresh idea, Erin! I might just do that next year.

What are the FRESH sunglasses alternatives to Wayfarers, dear reader?

1. FRESH takes on Wayfarers abound. If you must, do it like this.

The lovely girlie over at If You Seek Style just posted this pic. It's what inspired this post actually. These are the Forever 21 knock offs of the Alexander Wangs of the same shape. They are, as I see it, a fresh take on the Wayfarer. They look like a cross between those and a modern take on cay eyes. I hate knock offs because I'm a snob, but I can deal with these. Sorta.

The real thing vs. Forever 21

The real thing = fierce. If I had an infinite budget I'd give these a shot.

These babies below are also Alexander Wang. Notice the sort of Wayfarer shape, but with the zipper design. I've already seen paparazzi shots of Mischa Barton wearing these. I have a feeling these are going to be OVERDONE in short order and ripped off also at Forever 21, H&M, Hot Topic etc. The Plebs need fashion too I guess.

These below by Chloe are a nod to the Wayfarer design, in a fresh style. Also, notice how brown is less harsh on the face than black? Win.

2. Oversized sunglasses, like the kind I wear, have been around for a while now. Some are tired, but you can get some seriously fresh takes on them.

These $98 Marc by Marc Jacobs are fresh and classic. You'll get a lot of mileage out of them. Notice how on the outside edge of the glass "floats" from the frame? This was really pushed by Tom Ford and remains FRESH. This pair look a lot like my Philip Lims. However, my Lims are clearly cooler.

These vintage shades by Gucci are also fresh. You CAN do the oversized look if you do it like this for the win! My mom had some wicked shades like this from the early 90s. It's SO not fierce of her that she tossed them before she could hand them down to me so I could be the coolest kid in the playground in vintage. I digress.

All the sunglasses modeled by ladyheads are available in heaven i.e. Shopbop

Thoughts?

Xoxo

Erin

Saturday, March 13, 2010

CHANEL LIPSTICK IS FRESH

So it's 12:11am on a Sunday as I write this. Instead of going out and being my f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s. self rocking the dance floor at a local watering hole I'm at home. In theory "writing essays that don't write themselves". Last month of uni ever has that effect on your social life.

Really I'm watching early 90s British crime drama. Prime Suspect for the win! Helen Mirren rawks those early 90s power suits like its nobodies business. I was actually going to do a post about her. I digress.

I'm thinking about lipstick. To a certain degree and depth I never thought possible.

Last time I was home Mom suggested that I'm at a place in my life where I need to start wearing lipstick. It's never really been on my radar. I always thought of myself as a "no fuss" kind of woman when it comes to my lips. I wear Burts Bees lipbalm. Perhaps Benetint or those new-fangled Covergirl lipstick markers if I need a pick me up.

Then it hit me. Vanessa Paradis spoke to me from the pages of Vogue.

I NEED LIPSTICK.

Not just any lipstick. I want THAT lipstick.

The problem is this revelation from the heavens came to me when I was already back in the backwater I go to school in. The only place you'll find any incarnation of lipstick is at Shoppers Drug Mart. I'm a snob. A huge snob. I don't buy makeup at a drug store. Drug stores are where you get contraceptives, bobby pins and toothpaste. I go to reputable beauty emporiums. Between the Holts makeup counters and Sephora my self worth and bank account are covered. And my face. Yes, that's the important part.

I needed to purchase some self worth. And STAT. I texted my dahling roommate Cara in caps "I NEED LIPSTICK". I forget exactly what she replied, but it was a concerned mumble along the lines of "what's going on NOW? And should I be concerned?" Yes dahling. Yes, you should be very concerned.

I marched over to the drug store on a quest to find the first lipstick I'd ever purchase. I'm wary of the makeup sections at drug stores with their tacky fragrances, common packaging, questionable ingredients and even more questionable quality. The snob that resides deep in my soul wont consider most of the drudge lining the shelves under the florescent lighting. I walked once down the isle and back eying the selection. I took a second turn back and forth. I barely looked at any of the shades or read the sales pitches on the ads beside the products. I knew I wouldn't be purchasing any of this swill. I went back to the Quo display where I started at and knew I'd return to. It's Shoppers in house "high end" brand. My inner snob will accept it, so I began to examine the various offerings pulling the testers out of the slots and holding the shades up to the light. A-ha. I examine a tube called Flaunt. Finally one that resembled, in the tube at least, the colour I'd seen in the Chanel ad. Understated, yet sexy. Colorful, but not obvious. Perhaps a little more subdued then the Chanel I was attempting to mimic. Knowing I'd probably get herpes, HIV and gonorrhea from testing the lipstick in a drugstore on my lips, I put a swatch on the back of my hand. Nice. This should do. I purchased and walked out feeling elated, fresh and dare I say.....womanly. For about 15 minutes before retail therapy wore off.

When I got home I tore the packaging off to try on my very first lipstick. It looks good. I don't magically look like Vanessa Paradis. There is no tacky fragrance and the product goes on nicely. Dare I say I kind of like it. Since purchasing I try to put it on whenever I remember. It makes going out in fuck me heels and cleaning the toilet glamorous in equal measure. Life is too fleeting to be short on glamor at any single moment.

I cede it is no Chanel. That shade in the ad would be perfect on me. It would make me feel as glamorous and sexy as Vanessa Paradis and that's what a perfect shade does.

I'll be home in about a month complete university. Firstly, I'm going to drink myself into a stupor so deep I forget the past 5 years of my education. When I've slept off the hangover I'm going to clean myself up and go to go to the Holts makeup counters.

I'm going to buy a Chanel lipstick. And it's going to change my life.

Xoxo

Erin

How to do clogs and stay off my shitlist

There is a lot of controversy in the fashion blogosphere going on about clogs right now ever since Karl Lagerfeld rolled them out in his spring collection for Chanel. I'm not even going to bother to link all the arguing. If you care so much, google "clogs" and "Alexa Chung" and you'll be busy all day. If you've read any of my previous posts you know I really like to whine about how fug they are.

Alas, this doll with the bike convinced me it can be done. I still doubt I'd buy a pair (I'm probably going to get a caged lace up bootie and some new studded strappy fuck me heels), but here goes for your reading pleasure.

Doin it rite: