Insights

Designer Dress Sale!

2011-06-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I just wanted to draw your attention to these two fabulous designer dresses that I put on sale on ebay! Feel free to check them out by clicking on my ebay link on the side of my blog and viewing them. I will be adding some of my glasses and other clothing items soon so don't miss out!

Theory Blaire Dress

Plenty by Tracy Reese Corset Floral Dress Size 2 (as seen at revolveclothing.com)

Bad Hair Day

2011-02-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

I think recently I’ve been going through a mid-almost-adult-life-crisis. I’m only a young 20-something, but I think its hit me bad.

It all started off with my taking of a corporate job. To be honest and sincere a undergrad in political science has taught me to never trust corporations and the big and evil business industry. I think that is what drew me towards academics in the first place. As I graduated, I had big dream of putting my skills to use helping people. But then the student loan administrators started calling. And calling. I needed money and badly. In this economy, charities and non-profits are trying their best to stay afloat with the little helping hands that they already have. They wouldn’t hire another one. I had to the take the corporate job. So far, I can’t complain I suppose. It has given me something to do during the day and has given me an inside view of how corporations are actually run (by people, not that mythical creature known as “the man”). But that hasn’t lightened my view towards them.

So what does this have to do with hair? Well, I think as I entered the working world, I became painfully aware of the pressure to look good. With a bad mix of self-consciousness and a business atmosphere, I began to notice how I just didn’t measure up. In my mind anyways. I never cared about hair and never bothered to learn how to take care of it (shampoo, conditioner for 2 min and bam!). So I began to notice that every single day I had a bad hair day. Frizzy, static-y, no style. It was, and is very unnerving. I’ve never been taught or taught myself how to properly blow-dry, or straighten, or curl my hair. So I thought that this was the time to spring into action.

That is where folica.com comes in. I surfed the web religiously to find a good hair dryer, straightening iron and curling iron at a reasonable price. As something that I have wanted for more than a year, these were things that I was willing to spend the money on. So I ordered the Babyliss Pro Carerra, the GHD and a hot tools professional curling iron from folica. This was over a week ago. My order kept on saying “status: on hold”. I scratched my head...what on earth did this mean? I read their customer service page and it said “if your item says in progress we are just putting it together from the warehouse”. But my item didn’t say “in progress”, it said “on hold”. I waited a week ...and then a couple days before I got sick and tired and called the folica help line. The lady on the other end was incredibly nice, but her message was incredibly unnerving. She told me that international orders are kept on hold until the person calls in to make sure that there is no credit card fraud. Umm, excuse me? I have been waiting for a week for you to ship my items to me, and you have been waiting for me to finally become impatient enough for me to call you? Why hadn’t this message been emailed to me? Why hadn’t I known? As a customer, I want to deal with as little customer service as possible and have a seamless transaction. I was pissed, but naturally didn’t take it out on the poor woman. After all, it’s not her fault that this company has decided to put policies in place that make no sense. It’s about communication folica; and in this respect, I did not like your service.

However, I have yet to get my actual items. They were shipped yesterday, and I am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I hope I don’t have to pay at the door, or that will be another no-no in my experience with them. Prior to ordering, I had called customer service about this issue and was given a non-answer of “maybe”. So I suppose until I get my products, I am destined to have yet another bad hair day.

The Ubiqutous Skin Care Post

2011-02-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

So for most people I know, winter wreaks havoc on their skin. Extreme dry patches, acne eruptions, and just overall dullness. I, however, find the exact opposite. As a sufferer of acne, winter relieves me a lot of my acne, so its always a blessing in disguise. I can't stand the cold weather, but I do love what it does to my skin.

However, like most people, I get dry skin and dullness. So I wanted to do a skincare post and discuss what I do for my skin. I am hoping that all you readers will give me your feedback and opinions on your own skincare regimes.

First off is the Clarisonic. I just recently got it as a birthday gift (thank you sister!!). I got the Clarisonic Plus, which is the one with the body brush attachment. Let me just say, as someone who has acne, it has really helped in keeping the dry and oily patches away. Mechanical exfoliators make me look like a pizza pie...white and red and doughy. The Clarisonic is gentle and incredibly effective. I have really noticed a drastic change in the texture of my skin.

What I wash with is the generic Neutrogena oil free acne wash in the night and spectro gel when I wake up. The Neutrogena is to get all the gunk (makeup, dirt, etc) from the day off. I use my Clarisonic only at night with the Neutrogena wash. I find that the Clarisonic is too harsh to use every day, so I usually skip two days a week at night.

Alas, the clarisonic is not a miracle worker. The tone of my skin has stayed exactly the same. I have red post-acne marks that just don't seem to fade! I use the neostrata toning solution level 2 (with 10% AHA) at night only to help with my acne scarring and to bring a glow back to my face. Winter really does make your skin dull! Afterward, its just general moisturizer. I use Neutrogena oil free fresh moisture, which is a moisturizer that doesn't clog up my pores at all. Most moisturizers do, and be it expensive or cheap, this is the only thing that seems to work well. But the joke is on me, I can't find this moisturizing anywhere in Toronto anymore! I wouldn't be surprised if Neutrogena discontinued this product - they always have a knack for discontinuing the good lines! So readers, I am in need of suggestions on what moisturizer I should try - I need it to be oil free and light but powerful. Suggestions?

So there you have the gist of what I put on my face. Compared to other people's lists, I think I'm a minimalist! So tell me; what is your skin care regime secret?

I've been bad

2011-01-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

Hello readers!

So naturally, as the title suggests, I haven't been the best. No, this isn't some reference to
some naughty magazine article, but to my blogging habits. It seems that I come and go. But no longer. Life has been hectic and full of surprises lately. All good ones though. I've been online shopping like crazy. Work just drains the life out of me and online shopping is the haven that I now understand. One store I am so thankful for is the CSN stores. Seriously. They have everything from modern dining room furniture, to cookware, to handbags.

Last time I talked about CSN stores, I talked about getting some cookware to start on my very beginner culinary adventures. Boy, was I surprised at the service and the quality of the items I ordered. I ended up getting a two Calphalon contemporary non-stick frying pans and I am SO happy with my purchase. Not only are they super durable, but they look so professional and for the price (at 75% off!!) I was just shocked. It takes a lot for a store to impress me, but shipping was super duper quick and the package was great. Calphalon makes some of the best cookware in my opinion, so I can't wait to get more and stock up my kitchen. CSN stores, here I come!

My Journey into Makeup

2010-10-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the title, this post is about my reluctant and tumultuous journey into makeup. To me, it was always as if makeup was something that women were born knowing how to put on. That is, every woman except me. I had no clue as to how to use it, how to make it look good and more importantly, how to make makeup look natural. One thing I hate is looking at a face full of makeup – evident foundation and concealer.

But makeup also scared me on many other levels. It is like embarking on a transformation into an adult. In my family, no one encouraged me to wear makeup, but no one discouraged me either. While other tween girls were busy rebelling and putting on eyeliner in the bathroom at recess, I was more concerned with whether or not my clothes smelled like yesterday’s dinner! Makeup also meant that I would be hiding my “imperfections” – and while I felt that I had many of these, I could never see myself hiding who I really was. I was ready to take on university, part time jobs and social events with my imperfections in tow.

But then something changed. I left university and realized that a) I look 16 years old still, and b) as much as I felt that I did not want to hide who I really was; makeup would only serve to enhance my self-image. It seems ridiculously self-serving for me to say this, but I have been feeling that makeup has allowed me to gain access to the corporate world. It is a sad reality that some foundation, concealer and mascara has taken me from being a messy teenager, to becoming a put-together adult. And yet, I still feel as if there is an element of trickery involved in this image. It’s not who I really am. The skin you see is not really how I look underneath.

But I’m also a realist and know that in an office setting, looks matter. It is the sad reality that I will get more respect if I attempt to hide my scars and acne and meld into the corporate mould of working woman and man. I also believe that it projects a level of self-care, which they are hoping will reflect in your work (which I believe does not, but that’s just my own opinion).

Now that I’m done with my whole essay, time to get to the good stuff! First of all, the makeup brand that I chose to go with was MAC. Many of my friends who have Pakistani / Indian heritage chose MAC for their foundation brand of choice just because of their colour range. My favourite is the studio finish concealer SPF 35 concealer. It is truly a brilliant product which covers my acne scars, and any redness in one swipe. It is a little drying, so putting it around the eyes is a challenge some mornings, but it is a wonderful product. Next, I use just a bit of the Studio Tech creamy foundation if I want more coverage that day. And I top of all these with my Studio Fix powder plus foundation for an airbrushed and finished look. The MAC ladies were incredibly helpful and matched my skin tones with all the colours, so there was such little work involved for me to do!

I just bought a powder brush – Quo Professional Powder Brush – and it has been excellent so far. I’ve heard a lot of negative reviews on makeupalley about the Quo regular powder brush, but the Professional grade one has been excellent so far. It is incredibly soft, and the bristles have not come off as of yet. On the weekends, when I only care for a bit of coverage, I will use this brush to swipe on some of the Studio Fix powder plus foundation and I’ll be ready to go!

Next, I’m going to show you my favourite products that I use every morning. I’m a fan of the au-natural look, so I rarely use anything too dramatic. I use just a bit of shimmer on the eyelids from Physicians Formula. This is an excellent pallet for a nice subtle daytime look. I also line my tear ducts and the inside lower rims of my eyes with the gold Revlon luxurious colour pencil in antiqued gold. It creates a shimmery pop that’s so subtle. Next, I use a Quo eyelash curler and Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara. I love this mascara and it separates so well! The Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Cafe au Lait is a nice everyday nude. However, my only problem with this nail colour is it chips much too easily.

So please readers, tell me what you think of my makeup journey. What products do you recommend that I use? Did any of you feel the same when you started to wear makeup?

Week of Cool

2010-09-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

So I think every week I'm going to share my favourite news stories or websites. This week:

1) Scientists believe that city dwellers are less prone to certain diseases - good news for Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo.

2) A protein to cure all illnesses and cancer? Not if pharmaceutical companies can burn down the lab first.

3) Spray-on clothing is becoming a reality. Mere mortals will hope they come out with spray on Spanx next.

4) Animal cruelty has reached new bounds - a rabbit fashion show.

Picture credit: http://www.vecteezy.com/

Uncertainties and Change

2010-09-24T22:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging but I don't feel like a bad blogger anymore. As you can tell from my last post which was more than two months ago, I've been lacking on updating my posts and also from commenting on all the lovely blogs which I constantly check out. To be perfectly honest, I don't know what happened - it was as if my inspiration and my desire for blogging in the first place just left all of a sudden. But what got me thinking is that it was not the blogging that I did not like anymore, it was that I didn't feel that this blog was a true and accurate reflection of myself, or what I would like this blog to be like.

So I'm going to stop being lazy and start to fix that - albeit slowly. I've started a new job (first day next week!) and I'm incredibly nervous about that as its a step into the corporate and business world right out of undergrad. But I realize that devoting time to my blog and making it into something that I would like to visit myself is something that I would like to do. So if anyone still visits this old place, please bear with me as I try to put the pieces back together and add a new touch this site as well.

Cheers,

Marz

Blake and Jessica

2010-07-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, I've been in a style rut lately. I've been going for my true basics over and over again (skinny jeans, boyfriend tees, & button downs). I'm kind of sick of it, but I seriously don't know how to get out of it. I was just checking the regular gossip blogs, and found these images of Blake Lively on the set of Gossip Girl in Paris and Jessica Alba attending fashion shows. I'm so using these for inspiration.

I am LOVING Jessica Alba's makeup and hair in both these photos. Too often I've seen her make poor or so-so style choices. Obviously she's a beautiful girl but when she dresses like this, it is just amazing.

I have to say that I could not pull of anything Blake Lively is wearing, but I'm loving how everything looks on her. High waisted tailored black shorts, sequinced jacket, almost calf length floral, these are all choices that I don't think of when I think of my style, but she has the body to pull off anything.

Update: P90x Week one

2010-07-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Honestly, I am on fire. There are no words to describe the amount of pain that I am in. But it's a good kind of pain. I can feel that I pushed my body to the limit today and yesterday with the kenpo X and Legs and Back workouts. My legs cannot move right now and I'm loving it. So far I've tried the Kenpo X workout (which is martial arts and cardio), Cardio X, Legs & Back, a bit of Ab Ripper X (honestly, I cannot get through this, but I'm going to keep trying over the next couple of week to get through all of it), Yoga X (this one is super tough and reminded me of how inflexible I am), and Core Synergistics (by far the hardest because I can't do half of what Tony is asking). I haven't been following the "lean" schedule thoroughly, I've just been doing what feels right that day. But I think next week I'm going to stick with the schedule. It was probably created for a reason. But I've gotten my sister on board as well, and it's so helpful to have someone to work out with to keep you motivated to do the entire hour workout everyday. That, and even if I'm sweating buckets in front of her, I know that she will not judge me! The burn after the workout got better after the first couple days. But the intensity is always there. I can't wait to get through the entire month of it and see how my body has changed!

Also, our post-workout treat has been to load on this bath and bodyworks Coconut Lime Verbena cream. This cream is so yummy to smell, I kind of want to eat it. Is that bad?

Love!

2010-06-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for the perfect floral dress for a while; something light and summery that's not too short and will blow in the wind with its tiers of chiffon and silk wrapping around my legs while I bask in the warm summer sun. I'm not sure if that's just me day dreaming, but I saw this picture of Drew Barrymore and I just had to post it! This dress and heels combo plus those awesome hipster glasses is just so pretty and cool at the same time.

Speaking of hipster; Urban Outfitters is having one massive sale (as I learned from the lovely blog Listen to Lena!). If you're in Canada, they do $10 flat rate shipping on orders up to $150. After $150 shipping is free! Canadian rejoice!

And speaking of Canadian online orders, Ricki's is having a great sale too! All sale items are buy one get one half off and shipping over $50 is only $1! Bah, for once it feels good to be a Canadian shopper.

I've really been into the nautical trend, especially horizontal striped tops and tunics. The one person who wears this trend better than all others if Olivia Palermo. I just love this girl. Check out this great feature from The Fashion Spot about copying two of her amazing casual looks!

Fitness

2010-06-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

So I've decided to take charge and get active and really fit this summer. I've decided to do the "lean" routine from P90x. Oh boy, I've been doing it for only two days and I've been feeling the burn. It hurts to even move my legs! When I got word from my doctor that there was something wrong with me (which I will not get into), I decided that one thing that could really help me was to put on a lot of lean muscle and really try to understand my body. I've also been getting great use out of my Reebok Easytones which I bought a while ago. I'm hoping to chronicle how the program is going for me every week. Although I'm not really trying to lose weight or anything, I really do want to get more fit and put on lean muscle, especially around my core which is really weak.

For those of you who don't know what P90x is, its an intense fitness routine based on muscle confusion. It says that it is supposed to transform your body from "regular to ripped" (not really what I'm going for here) but I've seen real life examples of women who have used it and it has worked wonders for them. There are a variety of workouts, from Kenpo, Polymetrics, Synergistics, to Ab Ripper X (this one is insane). So wish me luck, and I'll definitely update you as to how its going!

If you would like to see examples of P90x at work, just google search P90x before and after and you'll see what I'm talking about!

Ps, has anyone else ever tried P90x? Or any other fitness routine? What are your fitness plans for this summer if any?

photo credits: http://theunlikelyathlete.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/p90x.jpg

http://buy-shoes.me/reebok-easytone/reebok-easytone-fitness-shoes/

Lovin' the Body Shop

2010-06-20T21:35:00.000-07:00

So lately I've been loving The Body Shop. As a kid / teen, I would dread getting those gift baskets from them because I would seldom use the products in it. But that all changed when they introduced the moringa scented products. They smell like jasmine flowers, but it is light and airy. Since then, I've loaded up on their shampoo's, conditioners and a bunch of other products from them. I just realized that my entire beauty routine (wash, moisturize) consists of products from them. I thought I would list my favourites here.

Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: I hated the smell of this shampoo at first, but I've grown used to it. It really helps me in the summer with those pesky little flakes and it feels refreshing. Although I prefer hair products without SLS, I made an exception for this one. I think its a good summer shampoo.

Guarana Berry Volumizing Conditioner: This is such a great conditioner! It really leaves my hair full of volume and it smells so amazing! It's not as moisturizing as I would like it to be though, but it does the job that it says it will do!

Moroccan Rose Milk Lotion and Bath & Massage Oil (not pictured): The Moroccan Rose collection smells so amazing! The lotion is light and really moisturizing while the bath oil is great for de-stressing. Who doesn't want to smell like a rose when they get out of the bath?

Love etc Eau de Parfum: This is a perfect summer scent. Fragrances don't tend to last long on me, and for the summer I want something light and airy without being overwhelming and this fits the bill.

Banana Conditioner: This smells so amazing! I just started using it and so far so good! I noticed a bit less frizz in my hair today after air drying it and using it in the morning, so maybe its from this little guy. I kind of want to eat it though! **update** I am totally in love with this conditioner and I just bought two more bottles today (before they run out!) I don't blow dry my hair in the summer, just let it air dry and this makes it super soft without weighing it down. The only thing that sucks is that the incredible smell doesn't stay in my hair. Oh well.

If you're in Canada, I know that The Body Shop is having a great sale on a lot of their products right now. They're also discontinuing their cherry scented line, so if you like those products, make sure that you stock up now!

What are your summer beauty must-haves? Are you a fan of a beauty brand?

(ps, The Body Shop didn't pay me to give them this free publicity, but if they would like to send me products I'm not complaining!)

Mississauga Delights

2010-06-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything of real substance and for that I apologize. Amidst my job, friends and a minor health scare I've had little time or energy to post, but I realize that I've just got to get into the routine yet again. So hopefully you can expect a lot more posts out of me in the coming couple of months! :)

As for what I've been up to, I just wanted to share some of the great moments of Mississauga that I've been experiencing. I live in Mississauga (a suburb right outside of downtown Toronto) and I've just come to realize the immense natural beauty of this great city. From touring the Bread and Honey festival to the serene Kariya Park, Mississauga truly has something to offer everyone.

First off, let me begin with Streetsville; a little township in Mississauga that makes you yearn for the good ol' days. Everything here is made to look like it belongs in one of those old European movies. I was there for the Bread and Honey festival in early June and it was such a treat to see all families come out and enjoy this day with their kids.

I also ended up going to this great Indian restaurant in the heart of Streetsville. It was called Nawab Authentic Indian Cuisine and the food was so delicious! I'm very picky about my Indian food and this place certainly did not disappoint. The atmosphere was really amazing too, as well as the service. I would highly recommend it. We tried to take pictures of the amazing food, but when the dishes arrived we were so hungry we ate almost all of them and only then did it pop into our heads that we needed to take a picture! So here you are with an almost empty lamb biryani and a mehti chicken dish!

Next up in my adventure was the gorgeous and serene Kariya park. Located in the heart of Mississauga, this Japanese garden is a little piece of heaven for anyone who has been too busy to stop and breathe (much like I was when I went!) It was so stunning. The whole park was created to reflect Japanese architecture and traditional gardens. There were so many little ponds, and amazing koi fish as well as turtles and my absolute favourites; mallards! If you're ever in Mississauga I encourage you to check this place out.

And finally there is the good old Erin Dale Park. I've gone to this park since I was a little kid and every time I go, there is always something new to discover. It has a huge river running through it as well as various mashes / bogs / ponds and little hideaways for anyone to just sit, relax and maybe have a pic-nick. I love the water here and walking along the river edge, its so pretty!

So how about you? Have you been anywhere exciting in your hometown this summer that's worth mentioning?

CSN product review!

2010-06-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry for my absence from this blog as of late, I've been swamped with work and just hanging around, which I never got to do before when I was in school. I've been trying to stay away from the computer a little bit and just working on living a healthy lifestyle full of fun and relaxation! But on that note, I got a wonderful opportunity from CSN stores (who I partnered with last time to do an awesome giveaway!) to do a product review for this blog. I'm incredibly excited!

As I've said before, CSN has over 200 amazing online stores where you can purchase everything from a sofa, to designer shoes and handbags! I'm particularly looking forward to visiting CSN's housewares section which has some of the most amazing selection of cookware ever. I'm a avid cook / baker / eater so I would love to do a review on some great cookware for you readers. I'm dreaming of calphalon as I type this! Anyways, look out for that coming soon!

Spring has Sprung

2010-05-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

Hello lovely readers! It's been good ol' spring time here in Toronto with fabulous weather over the last week and a hot spell today. It's been raining in the nighttime so all the flowers look extra beautiful in the morning. My favourite is my gigantic cherry blossom tree in my backyard. It is so pink and lovely and the fragrance the flowers give is intoxicating.

The lilacs in our garden are also in bloom, although the plant is young right now so it will not flower too much until a couple more years from now. I cannot wait until the roses start to bloom, although they come out in June.

We all know that spring marks the season of new beginnings, and what better way to start off these beginnings with new shoes? Over the weekend I checked out a BCBG sample sale and got two new pairs of heels. These gray ones are my favourite and they are quite comfortable.

The black ones, although not the most aesthetically pleasing off the foot, they look wonderful on. They are also comfortable (well, as comfortable a pair of heels can get!) and the rubber soles give me the assurance that I will not fall flat on my face and die. I was so temped to pick up at least 4 more pairs of shoes, but thankfully I did not. I'm trying to stay away from malls and sales and any places of blatant consumerism so I can save up for things that are important to me at the moment, like traveling. Also, my lack of steady long-term employment right now seems to be a huge factor in my spending!

However, spring just wouldn't be spring without spring cleaning. And what is cleaning without a vacuum to get rid of all those dirty, pesky dust bunnies? Last week, I picked up the Dyson DC23 Motorhead canister vacuum from Sears and let me tell you: it has changed my life. Seriously. I can't even begin to start raving about this fabulous product. Not only has it made my carpets feel nicer, it was so easy to use, lightweight and just all around spectacular. I read countless reviews for it and decided to take the plunge and at almost $750 with tax it wasn't a cheap buy. But if you're truly looking for the best clean of your life it is worth every penny. Plus, the five year warranty gives me a peace of mind that I didn't have with my previous vacuums (the phantom and a Panasonic canister). I'm going to see how it lasts over the next 5 months and whether it loses any power, but so far I am one happy lady. And yes, I am young, but I do like to vacuum :P

Have any of you ever tried a Dyson? What did you think?

Wishing you all a lovely week!

Cute Couple Style: Orlando & Miranda

2010-04-24T23:12:00.000-07:00

So great news: I am done my undergraduate studies! The freedom feels amazing :) But I will be going back to my school for the summer and working with a professor on an amazing project, so I'm equally happy about that too!

As for this post, every time I look at Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, I just can't get over how casually fabulous they both are. She, with her supermodel good looks, and he with his amazing bone structure, are just so gorgeous together.

More perfect is her casual but elegant style. I love how she keeps things mostly monochromatic but adds in a punch of colour with the perfect accessory: either a huge scarf or a great bag.

This girl is someone who just wears skinny jeans so well! Of course, having the supermodel legs doesn't hurt. Also, I love the printed long skirt here. I would love to try out a look like this for the summer.

I think these two are just amazing together, what about you?
*all pictures from Just Jared, or google image search

The Worst Magazine for Backward Beauty Ideals

2010-04-12T23:51:00.000-07:00

I remember back in high school there was a boy who sat behind me who had a big crush on me. I know, he wrote it in my yearbook to be immortalized in writing forever. Not that I had a problem with it, but I just was never interested. But of course, I was still flattered. He was from my own community, the Pakistani community, and knew several of my very close friends. We stopped keeping touch after high school but ran into each other at a graduation event, where both of our sisters were graduating from the same university. I said my hellos and gave the boy no more thought. The next day, my bestie called me to tell me that the boy had called her and said that he had bumped into me at this event. We were talking and she told me that he had said that I “looked darker, as if I had gotten a tan since high school.” To all those who don't know, being “dark” or having “brown skin” is mostly considered unattractive in the brown community. Yes, the very same community that has *drum roll please* BROWN skin!

I think the greatest insult was not that he called me “darker”, but that he meant the term darker as an insult. Darker compared to what, and to whom? My bestie being south Indian herself felt the sting of the words. Never did I think that a university educated, Canadian born and raised boy would ever have such narrow minded conceptions of beauty. But unfortunately, a part of me did know, as there are millions of South Asians here that think the same way. They will dismiss a girl for being “lovely, but with dark skin”.

I was lucky to grow up in a household where the emphasis was not on skin colour. But I know that this was because my mom is incredibly fair skinned and passed this on to all of us. It was never spoken of until I got to high school, when people would comment not on my mind or even my features, but on the colour of my skin; I was fair, and therefore, lovely. This whole thing baffled me and to this day continues. I have no idea why lighter skinned models are given a preference in photo shoots and catwalks, or why Beyonce was lightened in her L’oreal ads. I know that this obsession with whiter skin is not just situated in my own community, but within practically all ethnicities that are non-white. I just don't understand; after decades of fighting oppression for several races and ethnicities, why would any ethnic group oppress their own members to conforming to “whiter skin?” It is as if we have not moved past colonization in our minds and in our ideals.

image source: http://kristenlock.com/2008/08/29/does-beyonce-have-digital-vertiligo/

Of course there is the billion dollar business of skin lightening creams in India, bigger than coca-cola. What infuriates me more are magazines who promote this horrendous business. I recently picked up Asian Woman magazine at Walmart. This magazine is specifically designed for Canadian readers of the South Asian community, and lo and behold there was an article about the “dangers” of skin lightening with gems such as “whiter babies do look cuter”. The very same article that was meant to discourage women from engaging in such retarded practices which completely disregard heritage and culture tell us that if you are to procreate with a darker looking boy or girl, your baby will not be cute. I’m sorry, but if you are brown or any other skin colour, that is who you are. Erasing that with potentially lethal and skin degenerating chemicals will not make you more attractive, it is only erasing your identity, your culture and your ancestry. It is so ironic that in the recent decades there has been a movement for everyone to wear sunscreen because of melanoma. In the South Asian community the emphasis should also be on wearing sunscreen and stopping the usage of chemicals that are carcinogenic and have unknown side effects.

It disturbs me that a Woman’s magazine produced in Canada would contain articles that are completely contradictory in nature and serve to perpetuate a beauty ideal that should have been dead a long time ago. Oh yes, and this magazine goes on to make women feel even worse about themselves with a dear abbey type section filled with “advice” like this:

Q: I am completely happy with my body and I love the way I look and feel but my husband wants me to lose weight, what should I do?

A: Even though you like how you look, you should really just listen to your husband because you’re probably not healthy if your husband doesn’t agree with your weight.

...Am I the only one who finds it embarrassing that a modern day magazine would give such horrendous advice that a woman must obey her husband’s image of a perfect body? I truly hope that the readers of this magazine bear no thought to any of the articles within it.

What are your thoughts on skin whitening? Have you ever been pressured to do this? Do you do it? What are your experiences?

RIP my Angel

2010-03-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry guys, I won't be posting for a while. On top of exams and applications, my sweet kitty just passed away. He was so special to me. I spent almost half of my life with him, and I'm truly thankful that he was always there. And now, everything just feels so empty without him. I hope he knows how much he was loved.

Cute Couple Style

2010-03-13T23:27:00.000-08:00

I love couple style watching. There are so many cute couples that just coordinate so well that its hard to *not* watch these people carry on in their every day lives. Recently, I was looking up pictures of Olivia Palermo for style inspiration. I've watched "The City" specifically for her (although the show sort of bores me at times) but her style never seems to disappoint. I'm sure many of you will agree with me on that. But what caught my eye was her hunky boyfriend, Johannes Huebl! *giggles* But better then just pictures of him are pictures of them out and about together.

They are one fashionable couple. I love how he has his own signature look; dress shirt, pants, belt, black sweaters and pea coats. I think his style just perfectly complements hers, which is great basics with ah-mazing accessories and gorgeous jackets thrown into the mix.

all images from www.celebrity-gossip.net and google images

I adore their pictures together because they look so elegant together.

So what do you guys think of her style, his style, everything?

Bangles

2010-03-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would post these lovely bangles that my cousin sent over from Pakistan. I'm more partial to the black ones only because they fit nicely on my wrists. I can't wait to incorporate these into some outfits.

Also, I forgot to post this lovely dress from Karachi Fashion Week in my last post. Do check out my post underneath about Karachi Fashion Week 2010 and tell me what you think!

The Pakistani Fashion Scene

2010-03-10T23:28:00.000-08:00

Sparked by my father's recent visit to my technical homeland has brought a case of wonder into my mind. The last time I've visited Pakistan was maybe 10 years ago. A lot has changed since then. Malls and Costco like structures have risen up and share the urban landscape with bazaars and street vendors of the olden days. I find this juxtaposition quite intriguing, the mega marts and the poor cookware seller all mashed up into a hodgepodge of urbanites, ever ready to seize the fast paced bustle that each day in a country of almost 200 million can bring. However, as I have yet to experience this renaissance in Pakistani consumerism, I have to rely on what others and the internet tell me. And what they tell me is something very different then what is constantly being told to us about the country of Pakistan. That amongst all the violence, life for the ordinary citizen goes on. And when it goes on, it tries to push the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is considered art and fashionable at the moment.

My internet readings led me to images of Karachi Fashion Week which was held just this February 2010 in, well, Karachi, Pakistan. Prominent designers from Pakistan got to show case their designs, which were usually a fusion of eastern and western styles of dressing. I love how they were able to incorporate Pakistani embroidery and many of the designers used Pakistani textiles in their creation. One thing that I am certain of is that Pakistan has one of the world's largest and most exquisite textile industries. To this day I remember that each fabric store was littered with the most detailed and elegant fabrics I have ever seen in one place before.

Although couture is not really a word that is on the minds of many Pakistanis, Nilofer Shahid is changing all that. She owns the house of Meeras and was invited to show in Paris in 2005 during couture week. Below are two of her designs. The other beautiful and colourful gown is by Ramira or RMR collection. I love me a bit of colour.

I find Pakistani fashion to be politicized and many of the articles that I read detailed how men and women were designing despite the militant threat there. I'm not sure that this is true. Fashion in Pakistan has always been a lax sort of affair, with Westernized elements creeping into the modern attire in subtle ways.

Reading Week + An Education

2010-02-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

It seems as if I am in a quite nostalgic state in my life. School is about to finish in two months forever for me. It's scary but exhilarating at the same time. This week would have been my last reading week, and since that is so, I wanted to make it especially memorable and spend it with those I love.

First off, we went to go watch An Education. I was blown away by the story and the acting, but I was especially blown away by the great clothes that Jenny, Carrie Mulligan's character, wore. I loved the 60s style shift dresses and the coats. Carrie has a way of being completely transformed by the hair and makeup department.

My favourite was the white dress with the red running through it on one side. It was so romantic and beautiful.

All images from imdb.com
If you haven't gone out to see this movie yet, I encourage you to go! It definitely sparked conversation amongst us and it was well worth the time and the money.

I also ended up going to Sweet Flour Bake Shop, which was recommended by Marta from With Love. Her blog has to be my all time favourite blog ever. I absolutely loved it there. You can create your own custom cookies (so yummy!) and their drinks are fantastic. The mocha was to.die.for as was their hot chocolate. We made one with chocolate chips and m&ms and mine was oatmeal+chocolate chunks+macadamia nuts.

It has become my favourite place to go, but since it is quite far from my house, it will have to be a rare treat. There was photography involved in the day (that's me with my bf's camera), as Bloor street is a very pretty place. If you live in Toronto or near by, do check it out!

There was much more that happened during this week; going down to Buffalo, frequent trips to new cafes and bakeries, but the most special moment for me was when my bf got me these gorgeous tulips when I was feeling blue. I know I have a lot to be happy about in my life (especially him and my sister, they are both fantastic to me) but its nice to be cheered up when you're feeling down.

I hope you all had a memorable week as well, and if not, I hope you all take the time to make special memories with the ones you love.

Happy 101 Award

2010-02-20T14:50:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to say thanks to Nina of the wonderful Ballerina's Closet Obsession for giving me a Happy 101 award! :) She is such a great blogger, so its such a treat for me to receive this from her. Thanks so much Nina! Here are a list of the 10 things that make me super happy!

Another thing that makes me happy? Become.com

It's claim to fame is that it puts shopping and research together. I love this concept because I'm always cross shopping at different stores for the best prices and reviews, and this just makes it that much more simple. And they have everything from clothes, to jewelery, to beauty products. I love when things are just easy.Make sure to check them out next time you're doing some online shopping!

Elie Saab Couture 2010

2010-02-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

It is no secret to anyone that knows me that Elie Saab is my hands down favourite designer. Seriously. I've been obsessed with him ever since I discovered that he was behind Halle Berry's winning Oscar dress. His designs truly embody all that I believe to be beautiful about fashion.

I've been on a serious romantic kick lately. All things soft, pretty and feminine have been on my wish list lately. It may just be because I am sick to death of all the dark and depressing winter days we have here. Plus, a little romance in February is always warranted.

I adore the details in all these gowns. But my favourite things about the collection are the subdued colour palette and the attention to detail (which he is famous for). The lace, matted sequins, rosettes and Victorian style buttons on many of his dresses are gorgeous, but not in a way that overpowers any one dress.

The water colour effects and the soft blues are stunning. I love the draping and twisting of the fabric, it creates texture without added bulk or ruining the softness that each garment is trying to portray.

I used two of Claude Monet's and one of Van Gogh's paintings for the background in each of these collages. I love the softness of Monet's water lilies. And van Gogh's Iris's are stunning. They are my favourite flowers.

Elie Saab is just a master at what he does. If I don't get to wear one of his amazing creations in my lifetime I will be utterly disappointed.

All images from style.com

Elie Saab Couture 2010 collection

Yay!

2010-02-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

I would like to take a quick post to just share with you some of the fabulous awards that my fellow fabulous bloggers have shared with me. Thanks so much you guys (and sorry for posting this so late), this truly means a lot to me. Having this blog, a space to share some of the things that inspire me and my more creative side with all my readers has made me incredibly happy.

From Betz, from the amazing her armoire, the Happy 101 Award. Thanks Betz for sharing this with me :) Your blog makes me really happy and I look forward to seeing your amazing and unique outfits!

From Che, of the amazing (I LOVE her travel photos, they make me want to get away to Spain asap!) Adventures of a Pinay Neska comes this HiFashion Award. Thanks so much Che!

And finally from the always unique and fashionable Style Artisan comes this over the top award. Thanks so much!

I just wanted to take the time to thank all my readers, followers and those who comment for being so supporting and just plain wonderful. You guys are the best! :)

Black and White

2010-02-10T23:53:00.000-08:00

It's 3:00am and I'm finishing my third essay in a row that is due tomorrow morning

Yet I still can't help but to post

My new babies

Chanel and I were meant for each other :)

Dance and Romance

2010-02-09T16:29:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my theme on romance, I decided to post some pictures from this Elle editorial featuring Natasa Vojnovic. Rarely do I look at editorials, but this one really caught my eye. This whole editorial screams romance and glamour, my favourite pairing. I only posted four of my favourite images from it, but please do check out the rest, you will not be disappointed.

Ps, Thank you so much for all the comments about suggestions on future posts for this blog. I loved reading them all. If you have anything more to add, please do so! I think I will hold off on the outfit posts for a bit, but if I do decide to do them, they will be when I think I'm wearing something a little extra special. Also, I received a comment stating that my images are too big; they do not load in one full screen. Does anyone else have this issue? I could go and change my photoshop template sizings for my posts, but they do load up fine on my screen, so I'm not sure if I should. Please do let me know if this is a concern for you :)

All images from Elle Magazine

Bows, Lace, and Romance

2010-02-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

Hello my lovely readers. Valentines day is approaching, as we all know, and the abundance of romantic and pretty clothes, shoes and accessories are often overwhelming. Although Valentines day isn't really a holiday in my mind (but come on, which girl doesn't like to get a present on this day?), I love all the soft and gorgeous clothes that stores have on display. Especially dresses. Ruffles, lace and bows have their place, and it's definitely during this time of the year.

I wanted to show you some pictures of this incredibly romantic collection by French designer Alexis Mabille. He was the creator of that yummy Chanel inspired cake that I posted on much earlier. His collections, although dated prior to 2010, all have such a soft romanticism about them which I love to see.

Tell me, do you like these designs too? And what are some of your favourite picks for valentines day?

My picks? This Swarovski Teddy Pendant and this really prety bow ring that I found on ebay.

PS, I would greatly appreciate it if you, my dear commenters, would be able to give me some feedback on what you would like to see on this blog in the future. Did you want me to do some outfit posts (I'm a bit shy, but if you would like to see these sorts of things, the could be arranged)? More giveaways? Just let me know it all. I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I will promise to become a more active blogger as soon as this week is over and my midterms are all finished.

Giveaway Winner!

2010-02-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

Sorry this post came so late, this week has been the most super stressful week I've had in a very long time. I'd like to announce the winner of my giveaway, ihchicky

Please send me an email back with your shipping address in 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

I picked names out of a hat; I was going to post the pictures of me doing that, but I seriously am so pressed for time that even just this post has taken me a while to write! Thanks so much to all those entered though, and for commenting and visiting my blog, it really means everything to me :)

AE Spring Picks

2010-01-29T21:42:00.000-08:00

I got a little package in the mail yesterday with coupons from American Eagle Outfitters. Right then and there, I checked out their website to check out their new spring collection. I was seriously impressed. I love casual clothes, and I used to love the Gap, but AE is quickly becoming my favourite for casual clothes. Here are some of my favourite looks from the spring line:

While I was browsing, I found these great individual pieces and I just love their little tank tops with the floral and mesh detailing. So pretty!

From left to right

AE Garden Pleat Dress

Aerie Mesh Ruffle Tank

AE Floral Chiffon Cami

AE Embellished Slouchy Sweater

AE Embellished Grecian T

And finally, they have a cute selection of Valentines Day picks. I love Aerie nighties and bras. And if you're not really into pinks and reds, they have gorgeous black and blues to choose from as well.

Aerie Ruffle Floral Tank

Aerie Lace Trim babydoll nightie

Aerie Ruffle bralette in blue and raspberry

Aerie Ultimate striped tanga

I wont lie, I headed to my nearest AE today to check out their spring collection in person and I was really happy. Unfortunately my wallet stopped me from purchasing anything, but I have my wish list (which are all these pictures here, plus this great western style button down).

What do you guys think? Great casual wear, or just so-so?

Ps, Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you're a US or Canadian resident!

First Ever GIVEAWAY!!

2010-01-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to announce that Insights will be hosting it's first ever give away! I'll be giving away this awesome Jansport Elefunk messenger bag!

Here are some cool things about it:

600 Denier Polyester / 420 Denier Velocity Nylon
Also available in Black
Adjustable shoulder strap with removable pad
One large main compartment
Front utility pocket with organizer under flap keeps essentials handy
Fully padded back panel for cushioning comfort
Side mesh water bottle pocket
Dual side stash pockets
Front zippered stash pocket

This give away is sponsored by CSN stores; they have over 200 stores and carry some really cool things, so go and check them out!

How this give away will work:

This give away is only open to Canadian and US residents
Leave a comment on this post with your name and a way for me to contact you if you don't have a blog (1 entry)
Follow this blog (that's an additional one entry). If you already follow me and are residing in Canada or the US, then you already have one entry!
For an additional entry, post on your blog about this give away (make sure you tell me in the comments section of this post so I know!)

I will be drawing for a winner on February 3, so good luck to everyone :)

Three Simple Steps to Quick Happiness

2010-01-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

1) Find something irresistible to order online. There is something so thrilling about not being able to touch or smell something that you’re about to receive. Find anything that makes you happy, big or small and just go ahead, add it to your cart!

2) Wait for your items to arrive in your mailbox every day. By now, the thrill of your new item arriving in that mailbox of yours should be overwhelming. It’s ok to get sad every time you see the mailman leave without your perfect item in his hands.

All Images from MoreMailBoxes.com ;DeviantArt; or myself

3) It’s finally arrived! Tear into your package and behold your little measure of happiness for the day. Materialistic? Maybe. But maybe you could share your little gift with someone you love too.

Here are some of the things that I just ordered that made me really happy: Books and Super Mario Bros for the Wii! Such a great game, especially to play together with the people you love.

What are some of the little things that make you really happy?

Room Renovation

2010-01-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

So this post is coming *extremely* late. I’ve been finding lately that my motivation to be on the computer has been lessening, especially since school has started. I’ve been neglecting my blogging duties, and for that my lovely readers, I am really sorry.

Well, this post is about my newly renovated room. I share my room with my sister, so in order to accommodate two people into a bedroom there has to be a lot of organization. Someone please tell that to the old me, whose room I am embarrassed to show. I seriously am embarrassed to post the before pictures of the room, but upon my sister’s insistence, I have put them here! But you can seriously see the difference afterward.

First off is this terrible mess. This used to be our “entertainment centre”. When we first moved in, we had a simple TV here and some DVDs and the satellite plugged in. Eventually, we got rid of the TV and just started piling in our books and random things (like candles, DVDs, papers...). So we got rid of this entire mess and put in three tall bookshelves to put all our novels, random papers and DVDs in. I love the glass doors on these shelves.

Second is this mess. The mess near the door and the mess near the old dresser. We have a lot of stuff, and because there are two people in this room, we decided to get two matching dressers. A tall skinny one for our jewellery, purses and toiletries, and a big tall one for our lingerie and pyjamas.

The tall skinny one has a really nice feature; the top opens up as a jewellery compartment. I love the way our frequently used costume jewellery is set out in the top of this dresser.

The big dresser has all of our perfumes and daily use toiletries on it. I love the detail in the glass tray that we use to keep our perfumes on.

Our new bed sheets are my favourite; a deep dark purple with a comforter that has lavender embroidery. It’s from Kenar Home series, and 650 thread count! Ohhh, I love sleeping on these sheets in the night. I call them the sex-you-up purple sheets.

These are all the changes that we have made so far. All we have left to do is change our blinds and our ceiling fan to a new light fixture sans fan. Our room feels more airy and open then I ever remember it to be. I am so happy with the outcome.

A very late boxing day post...

2010-01-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

First of all, I would like to say Happy New Years to everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed New Years eve and had a relaxing New Years day.

My boxing day finds post is long overdue mainly because of my room redo. I am happy to say that it is almost done and I cannot wait to post before and after pictures very soon. Until then, here are some of the amazing Boxing Day deals I got in Toronto.

This Boxing Day was about stocking up on essentials; underwear, pyjamas, and warm pieces.

I bought three things from the Gap; this cream tank top for $12.99, this 100% silk blouse for $19.99 and another one of those merino wool cardigans, on sale for $25! I was really happy with these purchases.

Then there is The Bay. I have had a long love affair with The Bay; it is my favourite department store and I can usually find really nice pieces from there. I was in desperate need for some lingerie, and The Bay had an additional 25% off clearance items and pajamas were 60 percent off. I got these Esprit Luxury collection pajamas for $30 each, original price $80 each. I also got some pretty underwear from Blush, which were all on clearance.

I had to get some Ugg-style boots. I know this is a no-no for the fashion conscious, but they are seriously comfortable. I got these Firefly Betty boots from Sportcheck, and they are comfortable and warm; just what I want when I’m taking a quick walk to my coffee shop or grocery shopping.

Lastly, I got two pairs of jeans and two sweaters from Hollister. I don’t shop there regularly, as the nearest Hollister is an hour away from my house, but I had a gift card, so it was worth it. Their jeans were 50% off, so they were $35 each and these sweaters were more than 50% off, at $25 each from $78. I didn’t show the other pair of jeans since I’m wearing them right now!

I have to admit; this Boxing Day was kind of disappointing. I didn’t find anything that truly wowed me, just essentials that I thought I needed. I’m going to go to the malls in January now and see if I can find some crazy good sales for things that I might like to splurge on.

What are your favourite Boxing Day finds? I hope you all has luck finding what you needed / wanted this past Boxing Day!

Through the looking glass

2009-12-27T23:50:00.000-08:00

The only good thing about getting old and losing your vision are the nice glasses one can get out of this experience. Some people love designer handbags, or shoes, but I love designer glasses. They are my only solace when I realize that my vision is just getting weaker by the day.

Who would want to wear the exact same pair of shoes or belt every day? That’s why I think it’s nice to have options when it comes to glasses, especially since they are worn daily and around the face nonetheless.

Here are some of my favourite picks from my own collection. My vision is likely getting weaker, so I’ll be indulging in some new glasses as soon as I get a new eye examination done! I can’t wait. I really am very fond of glasses, as I feel they can change your mood and your attitude. I love wearing mine to change up the look of an outfit.

I love semi-rimless styles, as I find them the most flattering. They compliment by features, but don’t overwhelm my face.

I also like the thick rimmed glasses, but I do prefer them in lighter colours, like tortoise shell. I find black to be harsh around my face, but I couldn’t say no to these Marc Jacobs glasses. They are very nerdy-chic!

Finally, my wish list: I love the embellishments on the Dior and Dolce & Gabbana glasses. I like them both in lighter colours, browns or whites. I hope one of these pairs will be my next set of lovely glasses!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Hey lovely readers! I’m sorry I’ve been absent for the last couple days. It seems that as soon as exams are done, that is when I have to get sick. It happens every semester. So I’ve just been resting, watching movies and marathons of Dexter and True Blood. I just wanted to take some time out to wish you all a very happy holiday! I hope you all get to enjoy these days with the ones you love. And don’t forget to go out and shop on boxing day! My favourite day of the year! Can’t wait to post the goodies I find on December 26.

Blue Challenge!

2009-12-17T23:14:00.000-08:00

So the lovely, gorgeous, super-stylish Cheryl from Adventures of a Pinay Niska challenged me to find an assortment of blue items in my closet. I found this challenge a little difficult since my closet is a complete mess right now as I’m moving things out of my room and making room for new furniture and accessories to move in. Nonetheless, I thought of a few items which were not thrown into a pile somewhere in my house and thought I would share.

First are my new Reebok Easytones. I’ve never worn them, but I’ve wanted to try them for when I finally get back on the treadmill. And yes, they are not blue, but the box is so I thought it should count!

Second is my Gap merino wool cardigan. It’s from their newest collection, and I just love it. It’s super warm but really light weight. Perfect for layering with anything. And in navy blue, my favourite neutral, it was a great buy.

Third is my gorgeous Swarovski necklace that I got as a birthday gift last year. It’s wonderful, and the special someone who gave it to me will always be in my heart. And yes, again the box is blue!

As you can tell, the carpet in my room is also blue, so this proved quite perfect. These are my only blue shoes I could dig up right now. The slippers are from Aldo from 2001, the blue flats are from nine west from a couple years back, and the turquoise sandals are from nine west too.

Lastly, is this beautiful blue scarf my sister got as a present from one of her friend’s who went to Hong Kong. I’m lucky that she lets me borrow it sometimes; I just love the metallic and the blue together.

Dream Bedroom

2009-12-15T23:27:00.000-08:00

I’m finally done my exams (yay me!) and my winter holidays are here! I’m super excited, not only to have some time away from school, but to redo my room! I’ve wanted to take on this project for the last four years, and it’s finally happening this winter break. My room is tiny, but I’m going to try to do what I can with it; change up the dresser, add some shelving, and hang some of my oil paintings on the wall to finally personalize it. It should be a lot of fun.

If I had a giant bedroom though, this is what I would want it to look like. Fresh, cool, crisp, this room embodies what I would want my room to feel like. I love white with forest green walls. The wood grounds the colours and gives just the right touch of warmth. There is something so calming about this space.

Image from Home and Garden Dream Home 2009

Couture Cake

2009-12-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

How cute is this Chanel inspired cake from French designer Alexis Mabille?

"Rather than resemble a log, Mabille’s bûche is more like a cocoa Chanel bag: quilted and studded with edible silver buttons, topped with Mabille’s signature silver bow."

Too pretty to eat?...Never.

image from T-magazine

To those I love, thank you

2009-12-14T05:30:00.000-08:00

As I am taking a break from studying in the wee hours of the morning, I just wanted to reminisce about how lucky I am to have certain special people in my life. After all, it is the holidays and it truly is about thanking the ones you love for being there in your life and making those special moments memorable.

To my sister, you are truly the best sister a girl could ask for. Even when you are clumsy and hit my laptop a thousand times, I will always love and laugh at, er, with you! Let’s eat cake now.

To my parents, you drive me crazy, but I know you have good intentions. And I will always love you.

To my special little pet cat, you are smelly but I still love you and care for you like the special little baby that you are. You are adored.

Rainbow Jade

2009-12-12T23:32:00.000-08:00

Hey lovely readers,

I am currently studying for my final exams, but thought I would take a second off and just post about some last minute holiday shopping. If anyone is living around the Toronto area, then do check out Rainbow Jade for their holiday jewellery collection. I’ve bought some things from their over the past year and it’s always been super cute and fun to wear. Their pieces are not too expensive (ranging from $10 - $100 for big sets), and some of their jewellery is made with real stones. Here are a few pictures of pieces from them I currently own. Sorry for the weird pictures though, exam time always has me rushing!

Pearl and crystal necklace

Mother of Pearl Bracelet

They have tons of pearl jewelry, I think its their specialty!

Turquoise Earrings

Hope you guys get a chance to check them out, and that everyone has finished their holiday shopping!

Ice

2009-12-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

I thought I would do a quick post today amidst all my exam prep and studying to show to you, my lovely readers, my great finds at ice.com. The quality and packaging of their merchandise has never disappointed. Nor has their customer service. My sister has had experience in returning a necklace to them that she didn't enjoy, and it was done incredibly quickly and without paying any return shipping. My only qualm with ice.com is the shipping charges to Canada. I just think that $20 shipping to Canada when the item is delivered from Montreal is not necessary. Especially since shipping to the states is much less. Also, they do not ship their watches to Canada, which is a shame because there are some really pretty ones on the site I would have loved to get a hold of. But these are just minor details, and should not be overshadowed by their great jewelery and customer service. Here are some of the fabulous things my sister and I have picked out from ice.com so far!

Torquoise and silver necklace, no longer available :(

4 5/8 Carat Multi-Gemstone Sterling Silver Pendant with Chain

5 Carat Cognac Quartz and Diamond Trillion-Cut 14K Gold Ring
I just noticed there is fur on the box from my cat rubbing against it!

1/7 Carat Diamond 14K Yellow Gold over Sterling Silver Ring Set

And here is my lust list for the holidays. I would love to get my hands on some of these pieces.

3/4 Carat Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond 14K White Gold Elephant Pendant with Chain

10K Yellow Gold Diamond Key Pendant with Chain

1 1/2 Carat Blue and White Topaz and Rose Quartz 14K Pink Gold Heart Earrings

What are your jewelery lusts for the holidays ladies? And if you have any other great jewelery sites you would like to recommend to me, please let me know! Hope everyone has a lovely week.

The Art of the Sari

2009-12-04T16:09:00.000-08:00

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. My mother has a collection of saris that are heirlooms and will be inherited by my sister and myself. For those who are unfamiliar, a sari is basically unstitched cloth that is usually 8 meters in length and is draped around the body using very specific (and time consuming) techniques. A petticoat is worn underneath and a blouse that matches the sari is worn on top. Some of the saris are heavily beaded and embroidered silks while others are chiffon and printed silks. As I get older, it is becoming more important that I pick out saris that are of heirloom quality. My mother gave me some tips that I’m sure are applicable to both sari and non-sari wearing individuals when choosing quality clothing and cloth.

Make sure that the silks are heavy and thick so that the sari has some weight and is able to fall nicely. This orange sari pictured here is pure silk, which has incredible weight. My mom got this sari when she was 15 years old from silk bought from Japan by my grandfather. It still looks brand new to this day.

The embroidery and the beading should be incredibly sturdy. You know when you go to forever 21 or even H&M and if a piece has sequences or beading which is kind of falling apart, or is poorly done? This would never be acceptable on a sari. Even on this polyester one that I bought as a teenager, the beading is all hand done and reinforced so that not even one piece can fall out. These garments are meant to be worn for a long time, so the quality of the beading is incredibly important to the people purchasing them. Even if the sari is inexpensive, make sure that the beading is firmly attached, and it should last for a long time.

Taking care of a sari is incredibly important. This silk-chiffon number is heavily beaded and was given to my mother when she got married 28 years ago. It still looks brand new because she only washes it by hand and with incredibly mild soap. Dry cleaning is not necessary or recommended with any sari. Using harsh detergents is not recommended either. And when you’re storing them, make sure to put in lavender sachets to keep moths and bugs away, and to fold them so the embroidery is on the inside, and the outside is the back of the sari. Many of the saris are going to show signs of staining after 20 plus years, so that is why it is better that the stains be on the inside so the sari is still wearable.

This sari was bought for me seven years ago from my mother, which started off my own sari collection. I still love it, and because it is unstitched, I can be sure that I can still fit in it after all these years!

These dark brown and orange saris have been in my mom’s wardrobe for almost forty years. They are showing no signs of wear and are still in impeccable shape.

So if you're ever interested in getting a sari, or in any special occasion dress in general, make sure that you take special care of it, and buy for quality, not quantity. Special items can last a lifetime, and the memories and stories associated with them are priceless!

Alteration Dilemma

2009-11-27T22:28:00.000-08:00

So a while back, I got suckered into a good deal. A great deal actually. I bought a Miss Sixty wool winter coat that I loved for significantly cheaper than the price that it was in stores. Right now, it is at Macy's and Overstock.com for $150 - $170, which is not even close to what I paid! What a steal I got!

However, the only problem was that because it was such a steal, I never really got to try it on before buying it. Unfortunately, the coat is about one size too big for me. Everything, the shoulder to shoulder seams and the chest are about one to two inches too big for me!

Now, next week I have a reading week, and I’m thinking of going and finding any tailor that I can to take in this coat. But my question is: has anyone ever gotten a wool coat altered? I want to get the whole top half taken in. Does anyone have any advice for me, or can tell me if this is even possible? Will altering ruin the coat?

What I’m most concerned about is the back pleats being destroyed. I bought this jacket specifically because of how the back pleating looked! It’s so Blair Waldorf / preppy schoolgirl cute!

Here is a picture of the pleats, I tried to make the pleats visible by separating them.

PS, I'm sorry about the bad photos...photography is not my forte!

Say Yes to the Dress

2009-11-21T16:26:00.000-08:00

Now, I don't mean to be a dress snob, but it is my firm belief that Elie Saab makes the best dresses, hands down. Here are some of my ultimate favourites.

Elie Saab, Spring 2008 Couture

Elie Saab, Spring 2008 Couture

Elie Saab, Spring 2008 Couture

Elie Saab Spring 2008, Couture

Elie Saab, Spring 2007, Couture

Elie Saab, Spring 2007 Couture
This one would probably be best, since it combines an Indian Sari with a Western dress!

Elie Saab Spring 2008 Couture Bridal Collection

Fall 2005 Couture, Bridal Collection

Elie Saab Spring 2005 Couture, Bridal Collection....not feeling the weird veil

Elie Saab 2003 Couture, Bridal Collection

Elie Saab for Pronovias collection

Elie Saab for Pronovias bridal collection

Elie Saab for Pronovias bridal collection

All images from Style.com and weddingstylemagazine.com

Style Envy

2009-11-19T19:25:00.000-08:00

I love Taylor Swift's style. It's so chic and casual, something that's perfect for a student like me. But what I really like is her selection in outerwear. I must admit, I love to indulge in buying outerwear myself. I live in Canada, so its always cold, so I can pretty much justify any outwear purchase :P Here are some of my favorite Taylor Swift looks.

Yummy

2009-11-18T21:21:00.000-08:00

I love him. Such a chic guy.

Style I Love

2009-11-16T22:22:00.000-08:00

Love, Love, Love her chic simple style. Also, that marchesa white and gold dress is a dream.

Pretty Shiny Things

2009-11-16T15:57:00.000-08:00

I got two amazing rings in the mail today (after waiting for almost two weeks!). As much as I like real jewelery, fabulous costume jewelery, especially big, over-sized rings make any girl feel fabulous. I bought these two for about $25 together, and I wasn't expecting much. But when I got them, the quality was ah-mazing! Holy! The way that they shine, and the way that they look is much better then half the stuff I see in the malls for much, much more! These are the pictures of the rings, and I'll be posting how they actually look in a little bit. They are so much more fabulous in person!

Blake's White Blazer

2009-11-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

How stunning is this blazer and short combo? I love the texture in the blazer, so pretty! The only thing I'm not digging are the whtie shoes, but I can get over it with this stunning blazer!

Blake Lively at the Pippa Lee Premier, November 15, 2009 NYC

Btw, have any of you seen The Private Lives of Pippa Lee? It was an amazing movie!

Enviro-cute!

2009-11-13T19:16:00.000-08:00

My sister told me about these fabulous lunch bags which are leak-proof, extremely strechable, and keep foods hot or cold for 2 to 3 hours!
As a person who makes their own yummy lunches (just wait until I post my cooking / recipe section on this blog... I must admit, I am a master at the art of the sandwhich), this lunch bag totally beats taking a brown paper bag, plastic bag, or shoving my lunch in my backpack any day! Plus, it'll save tons of bags from being dumped into the trash, which makes it an even better purchase! Oh, and its only $15!!

BYO Chomp Lunch Bag, Availible at Kitchen Stuff Plus in Canada.

Kitchen Stuff Plus is Canadian, meaning I have that much more love for it!

Words cannot describe...

2009-11-12T21:34:00.000-08:00

I have found true love in this one dress.
It is heaven in a garment.

The fabric, the colour, everything is just...magnificent.

Rebecca Taylor Metallic Party Dress

Holiday Dresses!

2009-11-12T20:35:00.001-08:00

I love the holidays. I love walking down any suburban street or the city and see all the Christmas lights strung from the trees. I love how you have to wear hats and gloves and bundle up but everyone is still happy around you. Most of all, I love holiday clothes. And for holiday clothes, there is nothing better than holiday dresses. Some of the prettiest dresses come out this time of year. Honestly, I don’t go to too many parties, but one holiday dress a year is a must for me, even if it only gets worn once. Because of this, I have picked out some chic but not expensive dresses for a glimpse.

Btw, I am Canadian, so whatever I put up here, will be from retailers who ship to Canada or are directly within the Toronto area.

Ps, I adore brocade. Give me a nice gold brocade dress any day and it’ll instantly make me feel happier. Last holiday season, there was this gold brocade dress at Bedo, I call it the dress that got away, as it was stunning and only $125. *sigh* but alas, it was not in my size and I had to let it go. This AE version is a nice alternative, but nothing compared to last year’s drool-worthy option.

From left to right; AE Brocade Dress, F21 Glamazon Belted Dress, Le Chateau V Neck Taffeta Dress, Sound Waves Dress

I won’t lie; you’d be hard pressed for me to purchase any of these things at full price, well maybe except the forever 21 dress. But still, I believe in winter clearance sales. And unless it’s something that I adore, I’m not paying full price for it!

Out of my Zone

2009-11-05T21:26:00.001-08:00

I have something to confess: I am one of those women who believe that image is a large part of success (not the only part, mind you), but in today’s world, how you look, smell and what you wear can really give one a competitive edge. But let’s be honest here, we all already knew this. My problem, and I’m sure I am not alone in this, is that looking my best has not always been a top priority for me. I look at those girls in my school who are so incredibly well dressed and well groomed and think “how do you have the time to do all that in the morning?!” Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a credit to their hard work and effort in order to present themselves like that in the mornings. I’m not one of those people who judge well maintained people differently, I actually have tremendous respect for those women (and men!) who believe in taking care of themselves so well everyday!

Anyways, on to the point of the story! The thing is, since university started, I tried to promise myself that I too would be one of these girls; well dressed, well groomed, on top of their game every day. And the first couple days of the semester look especially bright; I try, I really do. But then the sweatshirts and sneakers come out and it’s all downhill from there.

Not only that, but I have a deep confession to make; sometimes when I wear these clothes, I’m so afraid of looking like a fraud. I’ve been in my comfort zone of long sleeved tees and jeans for so long that anything else makes me feel very self-conscious and uncomfortable. Nonetheless, I’ve learned that what really counts and what makes a great overall impression is confidence in what you’re wearing and a true sense of style. Now these are harder to achieve than one might think. I’m going to try, and you’ll hear many more rants about this topic as the days go on! But onto the pictures and exciting things!

These are the kinds of things that I am thinking of wearing for school, and for making a good impression to both my profs (who I need for reference letters always!) and for other students. I’ve learned that you’ve got to brand yourself right all the time if you want the kinds of opportunities you would like.

Later on, I’ll be posting pictures of the latest clothes / accessory finds that I’ve been getting to update my wardrobe from student to professional. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Welcome to Insights!

2009-11-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

So I wanted to create a blog that was a true reflection of the things I cared about and liked. But when I tried to narrow it down into a couple of categories of subjects that I could blog about for a while, I couldn’t really do it. In many ways, I’m the typical Canadian urban student; homework takes up most of my life, but my close buddies and my family are the things that I care about the most. I love fashion, design and art, but I chose to major in political science and human geography. So far, many of the decisions I’ve made are pretty unconventional. Growing up, I wanted to be an artist; paint, draw and photograph until I had no more creative juices left inside me to give to the world. At some point though, living with parents who saw success as a measure of how well one does in the corporate world started to taint my measure of success. I dropped my dream of becoming an artist, and pursued the other thing I loved; to argue! :p Hence, the political science academia. And I’ve been pretty successful at this, but I think it’s time to move on.

And now, as I’m graduating from university, I’ve started to realize that adult life is finally about to being. I’m probably in the process right now of becoming a nine to fiver! This scares me and drives me into a whole host of self doubt and self-esteem issues. Right now, I’m focusing on how to get a job right out of school.

Anyways, now that you have an introduction of me, I wanted to create this blog so that I can regale you all of my adventures into self- improvement. From the transformation of my schlumpy student wardrobe to a chic business one, to my first foray into makeup and my advice and experiences in what it is like to be graduating and starting this scary process of working and becoming a fully fledged adult! I hope you enjoy, and please, feel free to email me any time at Marz.Noventa@gmail.com if you have any questions and to leave lots of comments, I love to read anyone’s inputs in my shenanigans!