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17
Apr
2015

Weekend Shortlist

Currently Wishful Thinking About: Cartier Love Bracelet

I’m turning 35 this summer, which is kind of a milestone (half way to 40, whoo … hoo?), which means … presents! Big presents. Huge. My husband has been warned. (He’s turning 35 two months after me, and is looking into obscure German watch brands.) I reeeeeally want the Love bracelet, because I can see it being one of those pieces I never take off – perfect for commemorating a milestone. A couple of years ago, my husband bought me the Trinity ring, and it is my favourite piece of jewelry bar none except for my wedding rings; I wear it every single day, and I love its classic, understated look. Sadly, there is a big price jump between the ring and the bracelet, and I can’t really justify it. At least not at 35. Maybe 40? 50? I guess getting older has its perks.

Currently Not Loving: My Hair

This is not good, you guys. Bad things happen when I’m bored/dissatisfied with my hair. But here we are, again. My last perm really dried out my hair for some reason, and it’s not looking all that great either. It’s time for something new … I just have no idea what.

Currently Hunting: YSL Besace Bag

Oh, the irony is strong here. I sold this very bag late last year, convinced that I wasn’t getting enough use out of it … nor would be in the future. Cue to this spring, and my realization that its somewhat androgynous, minimalist aesthetic is very much my (current) cup of tea. Buying the Muse II reminded me of how beautiful YSL bags can be – the gorgeous nubuck leather is stunning. Sooo, I am stalking eBay I’m the hopes of being reunited with the Besace.

Let’s not talk about the whole paying-for-a-bag-twice thing. Just … no.

Currently Reading: Italian Days

This May will mark 10 years since my last trip to Italy, and that fact makes me really sad. However, in honour of that milestone, I’m re-reading Barbara Grizzuti Harrison’s fantastic travel memoir, which is still one of the best books about Italy out there. In particular, she has a wonderful ability to evoke the atmosphere of each city. The only downside is that she has an equally evocative way of writing about food (and, as anyone who has ever traveled to Italy knows, there is a lot of food to write about) and it makes me unbearably hungry every time I start reading. The book chronicles her travels in the mid-80s, so it’s not particularly topical, but it captures the mood and character of the places like no other. Definitely worth a read, even though she favours Rome above all other cities (my heart belongs to Toscana, and Florence in particular).

I have also been reading this book, which I don’t recommend because it is terrible for one’s wallet:

Currently Obsessing Over: Where Is Littlefinger Taking Sansa???

HBO's Game of Thrones — HBO’s Game of Thrones

Sorry non-GoT watchers, this category will probably bore you for the
next 9 weeks, but I’m being very literal about it. Because, all I want to know is where IS Littlefinger taking Sansa ? I’m not spoilered, so this is just speculation on my part, but don’t read any further if you’d rather wait for the reveal.

This is your last warning.

Smart money is, apparently, on Petyr taking Sansa to Winterfell. When I first read that, I was very surprised. I’m not a huge fan of the Theon/Mance storyline in the books, so its apparent deletion is no loss to me … But, holy hell, what a departure this would be! Martin has just released a new chapter from The Winds of Winter, and in it Sansa is very much still in the Vale. However, the possibilities of what she and Petyr can accomplish together at Winterfell are making me feel very excited. Aside from the age differential, I am being slowly sold on a Sansa-Petyr pairing, at least in the short term. I know, I know. Most people hate Petyr, and are probably revolted by the idea. I don’t care. Until she sticks that knife in his back (trust, it is only a matter of time in the TV series), they make a good duo.

The other interesting thing that happened in last week’s episode is Mance’s death. As I mentioned, that ties in to a re-writing of the Winterfell episode from A Dance with Dragons, which is one thing. But what impact on the storyline will Jon’s role in Mance’s death have? I am the queen of unpopular GoT opinions, because I love Jon (book Jon more than show Jon, to be honest) and his storyline matters the most to me. Melisandre’s interest in his personal business (lady, get in line) may be a good sign of the show sticking with the books, or not. I’m not sure how I feel about the latter possibility. Ok, go ahead – pelt me with rotten cabbages … and then tell me what you think is going to happen.

16
Apr
2015

My Obsession: Rimmel Color Rush Lip Crayon Swatches

categories: Beauty products

I know, I know. I have already gushed about the Rimmel Color Rush crayons to a sickening degree – not again! But, you guys, these are so, so good. I almost never get any reader emails, but on the rare occasions that I do, they are almost without fail asking about the lipstick that I wear. That’s how good these crayons are. And cheap. And just all around awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I recently bought pretty much the entire collection. I don’t often buy make-up anymore, but when I do, I go all out. (Also, Shoppers had a major sale and they were 2 for $6. I mean, I couldn’t not buy every single colour.)

So, got a minute for some quick swatches?

First up, Drive Me Nude:

I’ll be honest: this one was a bit of a disappointment. The colour is very sheer, and doesn’t do much for my complexion. It’s actually more mocha-leaning than it looks in the picture – the pink is my natural lip colour showing through. It’s not for me, but if you have less rosy undertones to your skin, this could be a nice “no make-up” lip colour.

Next, my all time favourite, Not An Illusion. You’ve seen this one on the blog before, but let’s look at it again for comparison:

This is a perfect office lipstick: natural looking, but with enough pigment to liven up even the pastiest of complexions (ahem). One of my favourite things about the Color Rush crayons is how ridiculously easy they apply – a really good thing, since precision is not my forte. They go on smoothly and don’t dry out the lips at all. I’ve tried the similar Revlon crayons everyone seems to love, and found them much more chalky and drying. The Rimmel ones are almost like a balm, but with the pigment intensity of lipstick; they’re the closest thing I’ve found to the Clinique Chubby Sticks, for a fraction of the price.

On to another long-time favourite, Lady Marmalade:

This one looks quite orange in its packaging, but it looks lovely on the lips: bright and cheery. I wore it all the time last summer.

Next, my new favourite red lipstick, The Redder The Better:

I raved about this one not that long ago, so I’ll just say: try it if you need an easy-to-apply red with plenty of staying power.

Boom Chic A Boom:

Bright pink lipstick (a dupe for Nars Schiap, I’m sure) is possibly not the most flattering shade on a pale redhead, but this is such a fun shade nonetheless. Like the other Color Rush shades (except Drive Me Nude), it has amazing pigmentation and staying power. I would say that it’s more pink in real life than in these photos.

Now, the last two colours, Rumor Has It and Viva Violet, are – to my eyes at least – almost indistinguishable from Boom Chic A Boom. See?

If I had to guess, I’d say that Rumour Has It is slightly warmer toned than Boom Chic A Boom, and Viva Violet is slightly darker/more purple-leaning … but, honestly, the differences are almost imperceptible, at least on me. I definitely would not buy all three again; of the 3, I think I’d buy Rumour Has It again if I wanted a bright pink lipstick. I’ll probably stick to Not An Illusion, Lady Marmalade and Redder The Better, though.

If you’ve already tried the Rimmel Color Rush crayons, which one is your favourite? And if you’ve got some other go-to beauty products, share them in the comments!

15
Apr
2015

Polyester Blues

categories: style

Black and white geo print dress — Dress, Whyte Ave Clothing; cardigan, J. Crew Factory; shoes, Calvin Klein; bag, YSL

Don’t buy polyester again. Don’t buy polyester again. Don’t buy polyester again.

Sigh.

On the plus side, this dress is still hella cute, and I am learning from my past mistakes, yes? On the downside, this is dress is made out of the worst kind of polyester – thin, staticky, not terribly nice-feeling.

But it’s cute. And the geometric print adds some visual interest without being overwhelming and in-your-face about it. And it’s a great backdrop for some accessories action. See:

As you may remember, black + white + accent colour is one of my go-to outfit-making formulas, and this should make it clear why. It’s practically impossible to screw it up. And, listen, sometimes you just need something that’s un-screw-uppable. Sometimes, it’s Monday morning and you’ve already given up on the week, and you still have to get dressed, and something simple and easy is just the lifeline you need. Ahem. Or something like that.