Fashion Faves #4

Fashion

I just can't help myself... I love blogging about beautiful people in beautiful dresses! Herewith my latest instalment of fashion favorites from the last couple of weeks. 

1. Anne Hathaway in Alexander McQueen

Queen Anne continues to shine in this beautiful cream, lace-embroidered dress at the 'One Day' Premier. Her nod to old Hollywood glamour with her bright red lips and ravishing waves is picture perfect. Beautiful, beautiful. 

2. Zoe Saldana in Valentino (dress), Louboutin (shoes) and Salvatore Ferragamo (clutch)

I love Uhura! Zoe Saldana's natural beauty is truly off the scale and she continues to soar above us mere mortals while wearing her daring and exquisite fashion choices. Here she looks amazing in a salmon pink leather dress and gorgeous heels. 

3. Rose Byrne in Dolce and Gabbana (Dress) and Sergio Rossi (Shoes)

New-Kid on the Block, Rose is taking Hollywood by storm and it's no surprise when you she what she wore for her interview on Letterman last week - what a stunner! Go for it Rose! 

4. Jennifer Garner YSL Blue Satin dress. 

This is one of my favourite dresses of the year so far and I had to include. Ms Garner looks unbelievably gorgeous in this off-the-shoulder satin dress. So beautiful she almost takes your breath away. 

5. Kate Winslet  - St John Knits

I love Kate and love love love her new advertising campaign for St.John Knits. She has so much charm and grace as well and staggering natural beauty. A triumphant role model for the modern woman and looking sublime in this adds for the casual knitwear company. 

Long Words

Career

I have so enjoyed blogging and combined with a return to reading, I am finding my vocabulary has improved exponentially. I thought I would showcase a few of my favorites which I am sure, will help me as I strive for success:

Neolithic:
Pertaining to the Last phase of the Stone Age. Totally useless but such a great descriptive word

Agamemnon:
The commander of the Greeks in the Trojan war and son of King Atreus of Mycenae. What a superb word (and what a great name for a dog).

Salubrious:
Promotes health and/or pertaining to all things healthy. How fabulous a word. I feel virtuous merely typing it.

Sentient:
The power of perception that is directly linked to the senses and can also be referred to as 'The Conscious Mind'. AKA "Gosh, I feel very sentient today" **not the correct usage but I urge everyone to start using it and maybe we will invoke a revolution, particularly amongst the student world {It is the perfect way to demonstrate how one is recovering from a hangover}

Totemic:
A natural object given the status as the emblem of a group, family or clan. Sometimes distinctive. Sometimes weird.

Schlong:
A naughty choice and taken for the German 'Schlange', meaning serpent,

Perpetrator:
Someone or thing that commits a heinous crime. A strange choice but it has a nice ring to it and maybe linked to my recent discovery of 'Law and Order'.

Meniscus:
A marvelous word but the use of which is sadly restricted to commentary regarding the knee (i.e helpful for skiers and squash players).

I'll try and incorporate all the other into my day to day but will, of course, be on the lookout for more.. Ahh words, they add to the tapestry of life, make us chuckle and make us frown. I will continue my search for the ultimate word list!

The Girl Who Played With Fire

Culture

Ahhhhh, I have finished another book. This time I succumbed to the hype and picked the second of Stieg's best selling trilogy, 'The Girl Who Played With Fire'.












I was in a funny place with the books - I had started the first ( and then lent it to a friend), seen the first film ( but fell asleep before the end), started watching the second film ( and fell asleep at the beginning) and hadn't even touched the Hornet's Nest. Hmmmmm. Where to re-start?

I plumped for the second literary installment and from the get-go, found it most compelling. I had a vague image in my mind of characters from the [Swedish] cinematic version but this was not entrenched too deep as to encroach on my own interpretation of the book. I am intrigued as to the Hollywood film release and wonder if they will sugar-coat the devastating first book which contains scenes that even the most haggard of souls would find disturbing.

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

I really enjoyed the second part of Larson's Trilogy - the story continues from the first and revolves around a triple murder in which Lisbeth, our hero, becomes completely entwined. I don't have a huge experience in reading spy novels or thrillers, but this was a great introduction to the genre, was fast paced and extremely compelling. It has inspired me to re-watch the second film and most certainly encouraged me to crack on with the third book and then return to the first.. A cracking book to read on holiday, on the tube or just for fun - 9/10!

Fashion Faves #3

Fashion Faves

Uh oh.. this blog appears to be turning into a fashion - lover's blog.. Well, let's see now, all the people in the photos below are extremely successful (so it's vaguely relevant). 

1. Miranda Kerr in David Jones

She is becoming a favorite - check out the new mum (!!!!) looking unbelievable on the runway in this Scarlet gown. 

2. Emma Stone in Dior ( the dress) and Lanvin ( the shoes)

Ahhh Emma, now a regular in the 'best dressed' columns and I love this 60's inspired dress by Dior. She is looking oh so grown up at the Teenage Choice Awards. 

3.  Nikki Reed in Etro ( the dress) and Ferragamo ( the clutch)

I LOVE maxi dresses and could wear them all day every day. This one caught my eye and I think Ms Reed from the Twilight contingent looks fantastic. 

4. Miranda Kerr 

Ahhh.... another Maxi and another picture of the gorgeous Miranda. She-who-can-do-no-fashion-wrong. What a gorgeous photo. And with a mini Bloom bundle in tow, who wouldn't gaze and sigh. 

5. Uma Thurman in Versace
Uma looked amazing in this majestic Versace gown down in Cannes. The dress has beautiful lines accentuating her amazing figure and love her sea-green droplet earrings.

Looks like my fashion pages are becoming a regular fixture... so until next time...

Stretch and Tone

Beauty

I am still on a beauty kick and experimenting with a few options - my thoughts today were to start a stretch and tone regime in order to try and sculpt own body in order to allure success. I have been attempting to throw out 50 sit ups a day using a variety of stomach crunching exercises and am ( I think....?) starting to see a change. 

I have also been doing some deep stretches.. easy to do if you reach either side of your legs, for your toes and pulsate. Great for building core strength and tone and hurt like hell after about 30... I will persevere and see if i can get to 100 [non stop] which should [hopefully] shave off any residual stomach fat and mean I have better posture and circulation as a result of the increased core strength ( much better than the vanity thing in the long term). 

My last exercise du jour involves a spinning turn table that is supposed to tone and stretch the obliques by facilitating the twisting of the trunk in a very user-friendly way. 

So, here I am on the spinny thing - who knows if this works but it's kind of fun ( just don't make yourself dizzy).

So, I'll carry on and keep you all posted. Bring on the super abs and glorious posture!

And in other news:

1. Poor old Amy. RIP. Read this beautiful tribute from one of my all time faves, Russel Brand http://www.russellbrand.tv/2011/07/for-amy/

Fashion Faves Part 2

Fashion

I couldn't resist - I am developing a deep desire to write about beautiful dresses so thought I would quickly post my faves from the week while I have 10 minutes to spare...

1. Kate Beckinsale in Gucci

Sigh... she is such a beauty - Here looking resplendent in a glorious Gucci Premier Gown. This girl epitomizes beauty and glamour and is holding the fort for the Brits here on this international red carpet in Cannes. 

2. Katherine Kelly in Jen Scott-Russel ( The Hat) and James Steward Couture ( The Dress)

I am waaaay behind on the latest soap gossip from the UK but Katherine Kelly has burst into the World of Fashion with a bang following her appearance at 'Zara and Mike's' wedding.  The girl from Corrie looks stunning in this gorgeous outfit. 10 Points!

3. Poppy Delevigne 

The Cartier Polo tournament is always a great opportunity to view fashion at its best and no one so much as model Poppy who looks divine in this gorgeous LWD with strappy sandals, fabulous coral nails and super cool sunnies to finish off the look. Super chic and gorgeous. 

4. Miranda Kerr

Well, she is a super model so bound to look fantastic most of the time, but I love her understated glamour in this floral maxi dress and belt. The ultimate yummy mummy!

5. Kate Moss in Yves Saint Laurent ( jacket) and PPQ (trousers)

Newly married Kate looks cool and classy in this ensemble. She rarely gets in wrong and I love this relaxed looking yet super chic looking outfit. 

Career

Financial

Despite being thrown into a strange limbo whist waiting for my various immigration visas to come through, I have been allowed a period of time to reflect and plan my future and how I am going to find a way to become more successful...

These are my current top 10 - I will also submit to Darren for an appraisal ( he is very shrewd in business and extremely articulate, especially in making good decisions).

1. Become a successful Artist

Ahhhh, the dream! I must say, people are much more supportive and optimistic about this being a viable option in Canada than the general consensus in the UK that all artists end up desolate and starving - But I am not un-deterred by the latter - Worst case, it doesn't work out and I try something else. But hopefully someone will be interested in purchasing a canvas or two after I blast my way through Art School next year!


2. Become a successful Blogger
Well, that would be pretty cool. Working from home, writing about things that interest me and that hopefully intrigue others *sigh*. There are some amazing writers out there and combined with the battalion of fabulously intelligent folk that are bombarding the Internet with information, I am more akin to a crazy lady scribbling wild folly online in comparison. I will keep tapping away however and hope that the hard work and long hours pay off some day.


3. Running
I could maybe try and win a prize or two *gulp* but  hopefully without busting through any of my major muscle groups.

4. Poker
Ahhhh, Poker! Darren's favorite thing and he is willing to teach me a couple of tricks over the coming months as the dark nights of winter encourage us to stay inside and under blankets. I am currently watching 'Poker after Dark' as a preliminary preparation (which is actually extremely compelling).


5. Film
Well, it's a back-up plan.. although I don't think I would last two seconds in the industry these days, what with a new batch of whipper-snappers coming up through the ranks. Lets say this is 'a very unlikely' route towards success.... (But I had to fill out my top 10)



6. Be Beautiful
Well, they do say beauty can sometimes buy happiness and happiness can help the feeling of having success. Celebrities/ high achievers/ successful folk do tend to throw money at their appearance to ensure that they stay/ become more successful. I am not sure where I should start (there is a LOT of work to do) apart from the obvious ( running, body sculpting exercises, evening primrose, body scrubs and a ton of moisturizer). I might need to accrue more art-based success before this area is officially addressed... I am continually amazed at the price of beauty products and regimes - even getting my hair cut with a couple of highlights thrown in, is way over my monthly budget [combined]! I'll keep running, eat lots of tomatoes, condition my hair and hope mother nature is kind to me as I roar through the 30's!


7. Don't buy anything you don't need ( including plants)
This is pretty straight forward - no more plants until next spring and no other purchases unless they have been reviewed by two select panels, 95% of which will be declined. Again, my love of clothes, in particular vintage fashion has gone on hold but hopefully points 1 - 6 will yield many more purchasing opportunities.



8. Enter many competitions (including the lottery)
Yes yes yes!! I love the lottery ( you have gotta be in it to win it!) and I love competitions... I will endeavor to source out and enter as many (valid) competitions as possible and will keep everyone posted on my progress ( as I holiday in Tanzania with my new fridge freezer and $3000 worth of coupons from Home Depot.... here's hoping)


9. Work hard
This is another obvious one - they do say hard work brings you success ( as long as it doesn't bring you a nervous breakdown) so I'll give it another shot. The lack of any progeny means I have plenty of time on my hands, unlike so many of my gorgeous ( and extremely busy) friends.  Even though I am unable to earn any hard cash, the experience from just sketching and scribbling away will hopefully be helpful years down the line.

10. Be fabulous...
...and everything else will fall into place.


11. Charity Work
The key to success and happiness most probably and I should get onto it right away. Maybe a small step would be running.. for charity. It's a start!