NCLA Nail Wraps.

As a nail art admirer, I must admit I seldom paint my own nails. My former job didn't allow polish, and although I have a plethora of colors and ideas, I don't seem to get around to it as often as I would like. So I call upon an ingenious solution: NCLA nail wraps! I'd spied their stellar designs from afar (that eye print tho...) so when Nail Polish Canada approached me to review some, I said naturally, yes!

I selected "Freshly Squeezed", a blue hued citrus motif and "Mod Cherry", a yellow based pop art inspired print. The wraps came swiftly, and were fairly painless to put on. Base coat, select a size and apply, then top coat! The hardest part is navigating air bubbles... This particular brand is fairly stretchy, so that helped the process. I think practice would greatly improve application as well. Now I can't stop staring at my nails! So far I've tried out "Freshly Squeezed", but I look forward to using other patterns as well. All in all, it's an easy way for a nail art novice to fake a professional look with little to no effort. A+ in my books!

this review is sponsored by Nail Polish Canada, all opinions are my own.

Wearing NCLA Nail Wraps in "Freshly Squeezed", LowLuv evil eye ring and silver ring from Front & Company.

 

Beauty + Glamour.

As a female in the Western world, the topic of beauty and what it does and doesn't mean, seems to come up on a daily basis in one form or another. A girl's snide remark about a celebrity's nose, chit chat between friends about all the things that are "wrong" with our faces and bodies, or a quiet thought to yourself as you pass someone you find beautiful. "I wonder what it's like to look like that, everyday?" I was inspired to do this post by *cue cheesy eyerolls* this week's episode of Glee. Yes, I know it's corny, but I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be beautiful. I've touched on a similar issue before on the blog, but I feel like bringing it up again.

I have always, since I can remember, felt as though I was outside the realm of "pretty girls". When I was growing up, my parents, when praising or complimenting me, would say things like 'You're smart' or 'talented' or 'did a good job', which in hindsight, was probably a very good thing. These remarks taught me that I should value my intelligence and talents and not rely on my looks. But on the flipside, those compliments reinforced an idea in my head that I was not beautiful. Although smart and articulate, I would not be considered pretty by the rest of the world. Now, I'm sure this sounds a little melodramatic, but for a long time, this is how I felt. Then came blogging. When I started out posting photos of me in my backyard almost 3 years ago, I was sort of just doing it as an experiment. I was finding many beautiful and real girls who wore the coolest outfits, and I was inspired to try and dress to please myself, just like they were. In the beginning, I wasn't nearly as confident as I am now. But as time passed, and I got compliments and encouragment from random strangers who really had no obligation to boost my self esteem, I started to think that maybe I did have something to offer.

The world of blogging can be kind of overwhelming at times, because you find blog after blog after blog of thin, modelesque (sometimes they are models) girls, who have amazing wardrobes, perfect faces and a seemingly endless wallet. Believe or not, there are many times when I feel doubtful of myself. It could be a rude look from a stranger, or a glance at an ad that makes me think 'I'll never look like that.' And I admit, there are times when I wonder: "Is there a point to me doing this? I mean, I don't look like I just came off a runway, and I'm certainly not wearing Christian Louboutins, Marc Jacobs, or the lastest Mui Mui heels. How can I be an inspiration, or even interesting with such meager means? Would anyone even want to read my blog?" But I think that you lovely readers have shown me that just because someone is of a different background or body type doesn't make their point of view any less valid or interesting. I appreciate every email and every comment, because it makes me believe that there is room for change in the fashion industry, and even in the mainstream. As much as I may wish that I had a doll like pout like Lindsey Wixson or gorgeous freckled skin and red hair like Cintia Dicker, I'm starting to believe that the skin I'm in isn't half bad. I might look different than most of the people around me, but different doesn't have to mean bad. I'm discovering day by day what makes me beautiful...

"Glamour is profound. Glamour is saying: I want to be as beautiful as I can be -to myself first and then to anyone else who has enough sense to see" -Maya Angelou

How about you? What makes you feel beautiful? What makes others beautiful to you?

A Confession.

A disclaimer: This post is not meant to be preachy or whiny. I'm simply thinking "out loud" (in the form of this blog) and will take no offense if you find the following thoughts to be little more than internet chatter. Regardless, thanks for taking the time to read (or not read) my ramblings.

Look at this photo. What comes to mind when you see these women? Disgust? Awe? Surprise? Familiarity?

I stumbled upon this article on Glamour.com today and it got me thinking a whole flood of thoughts, most of which I'm going to attempt to make sense of.

Let's start with the beginning. Ever since I can remember (probably around 10 or 11), I've felt as though my body was an alien, hideous thing. As the only black girl most of the time, I had my mostly Caucasian friends to compare myself to, and found that I could never quite look like everyone else (as desperately as I wanted to). I felt as though there was no way that anyone could ever accept it if they knew what my body really looked like, so I had best find other reasons (like cute clothes, nice things, being funny) for people to even want to talk to me. All of this was obviously not true, but that's how I felt. Of course, part of this was simply preteen angst, and feeling like my body was betraying me as it changed and grew.
Flash forward to the middle and end of high school, after 10 years of mentally berating myself at almost any chance. An example of my thoughts? Looks in the mirror, wearing a seemingly cute outfit. Brain: "Wow, you have really fat legs. Like enormous legs. You probably should change, that's disgusting." I would think these thoughts virtually any time I looked at myself in a mirror (keep in mind that I was actually about 25-30 pounds thinner than I am right now). Any compliments I was given was countered with a "Thanks, but you don't know that ____ (fill in self deprecating excuse here)." I never felt pretty or in shape, even though I look back now at pictures and see that I was both of those things.

I'm happy to say that lately I've been trying to counter negative thoughts with positive ones, and taking all the sweet compliments from everyone on the Internet (thanks yet again!) into account. When I started outfit posting almost a year and a half ago, I was surprised by the positive feedback. Perhaps I wasn't as hideous as I thought, and maybe, just maybe, my average figure didn't repel people from reading my blog or liking my outfit. Slowly but surely, I became a little more confident, and although I must admit there are many days that I look in the mirror and wonder why I was born with the body I've been given, I try my best to stay positive and realize that who I am is unique and beautiful, no matter how little resemblance I have to a lithe, Nordic model who is 6'0 feet tall. Part of this confidence is also due to seeing all the inspiring bloggers who are so pretty and stylish, but most of which wouldn't meet the current fashion industry standard of beauty, albeit height or sizewise. Seriously, there are so many gorgeous bloggers out there, it's astounding. (A very great example of a fearless, creative and beautiful blogger is Zana. If you haven't read her blog already, start now! She blows my mind regularly, and is so confident in herself, it's quite inspiring.)

So now, back to the picture.
Glamour is proposing a revolutionary idea: filling their magazine with a wide (no pun intended) range of models, showing more diversity and (most likely) appealing to a great range of the general public. When I saw this picture, the first thing I thought was "Wow, they are all drop dead gorgeous." The second thing I thought was "Hey, wait a second...some of them look like *gasp* me!". There is no denying that these plus size models are all stunning, even if they aren't cookie cutter issue models. This would a good time to mention that I love straight size models just as much as the next fashion blogger BUT one must admit that it would be interesting and different to see high fashion clothes on various bodies, not just those which are closer to resembling clothing racks...

I think that if magazines keep going in this direction, the world of fashion (and blogging) will become stronger and more creative. As the editor in chief of Glamour, Cindi Leive said..."Beauty can exist in many sizes". Who knows? Maybe the next big thing in the blogging world will be a curvy girl of Ugandan descent from a smallish town in BC?*

*A girl can dream, right?

Sketch.

One of the most beautiful illustrated shoots I've seen in a long, long time.

source

Reality.

I have more than 50(!!!) followers now! Thank you SO MUCH for being even mildly interested in my blog, I know that there are so many good ones out there. Speaking of which, the lovely CaliVintage posted an interview with yours truly over on her blog! Check her blog, she's got great vintage pieces and a whole bunch of sweet interviews with other bloggers like Ringo, Have A Banana (one of my favourites!). And she also made me look all cool and stuff, which is a feat ;)

P.S. I thought you should know, you're beautiful. This means you!

Think what you may...

I'd like to see more of the fashion world accept this:

alongside this:

Perhaps then an anonymous reader wouldn't think it was socially acceptable to repeatedly tell me how "fat" I am, and how to dress to "that suit [my] fat body type". (Not that it is socially acceptable, or that I agree with their humorous and narrow-minded opinions.)

And they made you change your name...

Gorgeous, unpublished photos of Marilyn Monroe, "on the cusp of fame".
The outfits are just as impeccable as she is.

photos: refinery29
(you can find the LIFE mag gallery here)

Reality.

So my last post was all about how a lot of the time girls
feel like shizz just because they don't fit into a tiny little box (or dress) of ideals.
Sounds like someone is hearing the collective dismay.
Forever 21 launched Faith 21 today...
and for the first time that I can remember, I saw models
wearing cute clothes that looked like me!
I love F21 as much as the next girl (Cheap and cute? I'm definitely there)
but have always found it difficult to find things that would actually fit me in their stores.
Not anymore...I'm overwhelming happy at this step in a new direction,
especially because Forever 21 is a well known chain store.
Perhaps others will start the same!
L.A. Times and several other media outlets (Such as Glamour)
make the point that the plus size market is the largest untapped sales market.
Maybe this will desensitize the fear of "plus size" and make retailers
realize that yes, there is a young plus size market who is dying for
cute, trendy, in style clothes that fit.
We'll see.

Renegade.

These are photos of Beth Ditto from BlackBook magazine.
I've been reading about her lately, and her
unapologetic confidence is really refreshing. I don't know about you guys, but sometimes I get hung up on the fact that I don't really fit into the "mold" of beauty. As much as it may be trivial, some days I just feel like nothing looks good and like there is no hope in looking alright. Usually, I get over it and realize how silly I'm being....But it is surprising how many girls feel like this, even other bloggers despite being gorgeous women who inspire others everyday. There needs to be a change, and bloggers gaining recognition in the fashion world is just one step. "Normal" (read: Not 5'11, 120lbs) girls are now being regarded as just as stylish as a celebrity with infinite resources. The future is hopeful...

P.S. A CNN article on the power of bloggers. Intriguing...

Beauty.

Crystal Renn is one model who makes me feel beautiful
without changing anything. Like an ancient goddess come to life,
she's both captivating and devastating. Most recently seen in
the Aussie edition of Harper's Bazaar and Stateside in Glamour,
she's getting more and more work :)

pics: fashionspot, refinery29