Blond Models

Due to the omni-present reminder of how perfect Barbie was as a child and how much of a disappointment I was looking next to her, a small part of me will forever wonder what it's like to be a blond girl with blue eyes and every second guy itching to kiss her. Although I'm in love with my long and naturally dark hair, I can't help but want to experience just once and have blond hair. Why not through in a few pink streaks while I'm at it? Knowing me that will be my mid-life crisis stage and I'll become delusional and convince myself I'm model material or something. I just can't help but feel jealous of the model, named Ruby sporting hot pink nails, long socks and denim overalls looking as cute as punch whereas I know if I try to wear such an outfit it will become the stuff of nightmares.

I'm very thankful of the versatility of white and that no matter what your skin and hair colour is, you can always look pure and like an angel in white. White lace in the form of dresses and shirts, as well as the trim for vintage denim shorts has been on my radar for a while now- I'm just waiting for the mood to peak when I buy lace curtains as well as matching pillow covers. White socks that are mid-calf will always be my favourite though, just look at the way they accentuate the legs on the model above? Also helped by the deep pleats at the side of the shorts.

While every person is beautiful in their own special way and there's appeal about one person that is unique, I can't help but lust after the success and flirty light-hearted nature of a blond model in contrast to someone with dark hair. Where a blond girl can wear black lipstick as well as black collared shirt dress and hold candles and look just as eerily and spooky as someone with dark hair, I think that if you want to look sweet and girly being blond gives you an edge.

It's not just the hair colour of a blond that gives them the ability to wear certain colours, a light complexion as well as blue or light green eyes can open the gate to gold tinted lipstick as well as mascara. The hair barrette creating a side fringe too in the same matching gold colour is a cute touch too. Strong structured eyebrows in light honey brown as well give sass and impact to an otherwise impassive face but if someone such as myself with dark eyes and hair had strong structured eyebrows that were a little bit thick as well, then it makes them seem unapproachable rather than someone who has an eye for style and self-pampering.

Why is it that pretty pink pouting lips always look so good with blond hair and a pale complexion and that often, I have none of these admirable qualities? I once heard the suggestion in high school that I should go fully blond and that it would look good by one of those nice but popular guys- can't do it now though. I'm really happy with my length and I'm trying to get it down to my waist and also my boyfriend would freak out. Maintaining roots and stuff all over again would be a nightmare for sure.

Grunge style such as black beanies as well as old band shirts look great when worn by blonds but whenever I seem to get back to my old roots and dress in a similar manner I send off the signals that I'll rip someone's head off if they try to talk to me. Maybe that old and scientifically flawed statement is true- maybe blonds do have more fun.

Blond hair is always a nice contrast with pure white as well as bright colourful florals isn't it? You only live once and I absolutely curse the day I wasn't born a blond- colouring my hair would be made so much easier, and instead I have near black hair as well as dark but not too prominent blond. It's just as well I didn't have light hair, I probably would have tried to colour that once a month which would have damaged it right to the roots I'm sure.

Blond hair dressed in white with the stark and earth-shattering brightness of a camera flash while holding a grey and sooty looking rabbit isn't something you see everyday so enjoy it while you can. Dressed in the same outfit but with irregular tan lines all over my skin and dark hair I'm afraid these wouldn't be the same witchy nature about this photograph. While it is as easy as wearing sunscreen everyday, it's easier to obtain a bottle tan rather than a bottle of pale skin. That's the luck of the draw really, witches being associated with long haired and pale skinned, magically- dark goddess' of the night and myself having a natural light tan.

Pink Yves Saint Laurent Ring

For Valentine's Day, even though I sort of already bought myself a ring for it I would love to be able to wear a pink Yves Saint Laurent ring. I don't expect my beau to get me it and I really don't want to receive anything other than his time and attention but this pink ring has been on my mind lately as I've been tossing up between getting one in either black or pink and still haven't properly reached a deicision on which colour I prefer. The choice would be made so much more easily if I could compare them, wear one ring on each hand and have a good long think about it.

I could have bought a black one from Germany on eBay this morning but was outbid in the last 10 seconds and the strangest thing was that I was glad I didn't win it- I could buy a pink one for cheaper in a larger size as well. The nerve-wracking thing about eBay is that sometimes the photographs don't do the item justice and you're not getting what you payed for. 

I've currently got two in my sights that I would like to buy, but one if from a place that may or may not ship it to me safely and the other has a weird lined and segmented effect about the pink stone. The problem with both the pink YSL arty ovale rings I can find is that they don't look anything like the rings shown pictured in this post and I wonder what the stone will look like without the harsh and bright professional photographer lights and whether there are two mateials for the same shade of pink. In the end I'm sure I'll end up gambling over which one I want as well as how it will get over here but let's all hope things turn out in the end and I eventually get my hands on at least one of these fantastically designed rings!

Yves Saint Laurent Arty Dots Ring

A slick alternative to the Yves Saint Laurent Ovale Arty ring is what I assume to be their second most popular ring, the dots ring which features more glorious thick ring bands covered in precious metals and adorned in semi-precious stones. The notable difference in design for the two styles of ring by YSL is the size of the stones, where the Ovale arty ring indulges in a large cut oval sized piece of gem/ glass, the dots ring features several curling spirals which end with a small gem on the end. Both rings seem to have a slightly cosmic appeal to them, I think the Ovale arty ring is more like a thick comet with a streaking golden tail and the Dots ring is like a shower of meteors falling out of the sky and clustered together. 

There's less hype, colour variations and consumer demand for the Dots ring but I still quite like the thick golden band of the ring and the rich contrast of dark blue and the precious metal combined together. If you missed my earlier post about YSL rings you may not know my affinity for the combination of gold and Lapis Lazuli but it's sort of a geographical implication and match made in heaven for me. I can't describe it too well, other than it's a fantastic marriage of gold panning and striking gold.

I usually lean more towards gold rings when I can, particularly when it doesn't affect the price of a piece but I like the pink stones of this particular arty ring as well as the dull grunge silver of the band. In the crevices of each stone you can see the darkening effect, due to a little chemical process called oxidisation. Unlike a lot of the other arty rings these coloured stones are my favourite shade of pink/ purple/ lilac and would look very good with a few stacked rings in rose gold which I'm interested in buying. My mother once aptly noted that I need more fingers for all the rings I buy and for once she speaks the truth.

A symbol of bohemian, Rive Gauche-chic and outspoken sophistication, this Iconic Arty Dots ring pays homage to the renowned Yves Saint Laurent couture jewelry collection. A textured gold-finish metal setting encases eight individual, brilliant glass beads - a true statement piece that moves effortlessly from day to evening.

With the silver and pink glass stone dots ring unavailable direct from the Yves Saint Laurent website, my favourite ring of this style is the white and gold variation, again proving my point that I'm boring and playing it safe with neutral colours and failing to take a chance on something that actually says something about my personality and the way I dress myself. The inner conflict in my mind is that for paying so much money on a ring I should make it as versatile as possible and wear it as often as possible to get my money's worth and a sense of happiness from my ring but something wild and colourful too may help me fill that empty hole deep inside the cockles of my heart.

What's particularly charming me to me about this piece is the imperfect set of the stones, the bumps and knocks purposely incorporated into the design of the ring. This effect if appealing for two reasons, it adds charm and character to each ring and makes it seem individual and special to you as well as covers up any bumps and knocks that may occur in the time you wear it. Nothing is more nerve-wracking or depressing then seeing a scratch or imperfection on a new ring and feeling guilty about the whole ordeal. When this happens to me I usually leave the ring in a drawer for a few weeks until I get over it and get the courage to get some balls about it. Still though, with a ring of this rugged design you need not worry about going through such a cycle and can instead enjoy your ring with piece of mind.

Yves Saint Laurent Arty Ovale Ring

The Yves Saint Laurent Arty Ovale ring has been around for years now and has been produced in a whole spectrum of colours. At first there was just coral, turquoise and Lapis lazuli but now the only colours available directly from the website are the newer range of colours using glass speckled with pieces of gold foil as well as imitation wood and single colour blocked stones- just to name a few. There's also two other styles of the arty ring but the strong oval ring as well as the textured gold and thick band was such a revelation in the fashion world and there are literally thousands of knock-offs on the market. An art teacher once told me that imitation is the highest compliment but would it really kill to be original and come up with your own ideas?

Sometimes a more tribal and South American vibe is favoured, using turquoise and silver together but I do like the rich yellow gold of the ring which is plated and the rich turquoise stone at the heart of the design. The ripples through the stone and 'faults' also add individual character to each piece which is why I prefer the arty rings that use semi-precious stones rather than say, glass. At the moment I'm spoiled for choice for a ring to buy online but I really do have to be careful about my choice since it will be a while till I get some proper money flowing, I'd say a basketball tournament earning maybe $250+ as well as uang bao for Chinese New Year. 

I never before considered the pink stone YSL Arty Ovale ring as a choice to consider buying but seeing the filtered effect of space over the top of this image, the use of black nail polish and a floral skirt I am rethinking the whole thing over. Sadly I can only find a size 5 available to buy and I have been warned that the ring sizes runs a little small so maybe it could be a feminine and statement pinky ring for me? This is quite the dilemma, while I was originally going to stick with traditional black and gold for versatility I love the use of colour in this photograph and frequently wear black and red nail polish throughout the year which would look good with this ring...

My favourite colour currently available direct from the Yves Saint Laurent website is white and gold, but seeing as that variation has sold out I'll show you the next best colour which is a jade coloured stone with lovely dark hues around the edge of this oval stone. I usually don't go for green, but then again there is nothing really usual or ordinary about these rings and I should go for something bold and exciting that takes on a life of its own when worn. That's what I liked about the photograph of the pink stone, it didn't have to purposely match the outfit so maybe I'm over thinking things by going for what's safe and should go for something that I like as a piece in itself. These babies aren't called the arty rings for nothing.

It must be the harsh lights as well as the macro setting of the camera to bring out such exquisite and fine detail of the ring as well as causing the red stone to glow with such energy and heart. With wear, the edges of the ring will be sure to show the plating but that's really a problem for another day since I wouldn't really consider it to be a problem; I barely wear rings without occasion unless I have something to do in which people will actually look at my hands and wearing them everyday I go to university may be asking for trouble... It would be nice to be able to excuse myself for having a glamorous ring on my finger; no matter what the colour of the stone the band of the ring remains the same and looks more like a sculpted and raw gold nuggets fresh from the Earth rather than something someone designed. It's a nice touch to the symmetrical oval stone.

The Lapis Lazuli stone shown surrounded by gold has been an on-again-off-again favourite of mine. At this point I would like to point out that these are not the only variations of the Arty Ovale ring by Yves Saint Laurent and as well as a gold band, there is silver but these are my personal favourites for showing off colour as well as old school Hollywood glamor. The deep blue of the stone above reminds me of the meeting between the sea and the sun on the horizon at sunset or perhaps the golden sand meeting with a dark blue ocean. Whatever the case, it still reminds me of long and boring geography lessons as well as deep and hypnotic style.

Twin Envy

 

The great thing about having a twin would be having someone to help out as well as twice the amount of clothes but sharing a wardrobe. Since I'm currently struggling to clear out my room I blame the fact that it's raining and horrible outside and I'm right where I want to be- inside in the lounge room going between the computer and the television. I should really be a little more motivated to clean up my room and make it a nicer place to inhabit. But maybe I would be been more motivated if there were an extra set of hands to help me out or at least someone to hassle me and remind me of my sloth-like ways.

As well as the twin factor I'm pretty jealous of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's hair; I would kill to have lovely and luscious waves like that. Let's face it a lot of people would be jealous of these celebrities, they made a fortune in their child years as actors and still enjoy and reap the rewards of lending their name to products. While I'm here, slaving over a hot keyboard and working my fingers to the bone in the name of blogging.

Although nothing really beats having the real thing in the flesh and I can never really recreate a photo to this extent and clutch someone in my exact image, a favourable Phtotoshop effect is to have a mirror image split right down the middle when taking a self portrait and it's something I would really like to try. I have a free downloaded version of Photoshop but nothing saves with the right quality so it's only really good for practice and I'm unsure as to whether the mirror-image effect is something achievable through a laptop built in camera.

It's because of their similarity the Olsen twins were able to become child actors, playing the same character due to tight child labour laws. While it may seem like a shortcut to success as well as a fortune, there's no shame in being a working-class citizen and doing things the old-fashion way. Still, it would be nice to be able to enjoy paparazzi treatment or at least have some great photographs produced. Looks like I'll have to take the long way into creating a name for myself and if that means taking my own self-portrait photographs; so be it.

No. 5

Etched into history and folklore comes the golden elixir and most famous perfume world wide, No. 5 by Coco Chanel. I had the opportunity to work as a spritzer girl last Summer promoting Chanel perfume and had to learn the ingredients of a lot of their perfumes as well as No. 5. It taught me that being in a job that's not stimulating and standing up the entire time will make my ribs feel like their being pried from my chest cavity, spraying perfume too much ruins nail polish and that you eventually get used to the smells in your environment and prevents you from no longer enjoying them.

Mademoiselle Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel was a women who was very superstitious and believed in lucky numbers and took inspiration from her French apartment into her perfume. For example, I was told that the stopper of the classic glass bottle for No. 5 took inspiration from the rectangular shape of the court yard outside her window but the glass bottle also took inspiration from toiletry bottles/ whiskey bottles from her lover. For added class and style, each bottle neck is tied off with a white ribbon and wax seal.

This lovely photo shoot contrasts the blue stripes on the straw with the yellow of the jumper, which both match respectively the blue wall and the yellow perfume No. 5- while I don't think it will kill you to try drinking perfume it's not something I would personally recommend. I haven't tried it myself but never have a known anyone to try it, the ingredients are May Rose as well as Jasmine, both originating from a place called Grasse in France. Of course it's only expected to use the finest ingredients and while both those flowers aren't poisonous I'm sure the mixture of alcohol with their absolute and distilled bodies can't taste as nice as it smells.

 

Wish I could own these lovely singlets- I would literally wear them every where I go and team them up with thin pants for comfort as well as flirty skirts and shorts. Too bad these types of designs seem to only live about in alternative markets and hide from the main stream likes of retailers and can't be found anywhere on the Internet.

The iconic bottle has been subjected to many new interpretations among the community on Tumblr such as this cosmic background edited into within the contents of the glass bottle. I've seen a few palmed off and I do like the new take on the bottle, one gets a little sick and bored with seeing the same amber coloured liquid in the bottle. That doesn't necessarily mean I prefer the counter part perfume No. 19 which was Mademoiselle's personal favourite. It has a 'fresh' smell which roughly translates to 'if you like grass and being reminded of hay fever try this one'.

Reinvented and renewed countless times, since the bottle's launch in 1921 it continues to be a firm source of revenue for the fashion house with sales exceeding $100 million a year and a bottle of this perfume, No. 5 is sold once every thirty seconds around the globe. It's success will never really be hampered by economic trends and as perfume is a popular gift at Christmas time I am sure 2011 was no exception to seeing bumper sales records.