Friday, August 31, 2012

Now girls, lets get serious

Dear Girls of the world,
I would like to take a break and take a look at myself from an omniscient, or third person, point of view. I would like to look at myself, not as I see myself, but as the world sees me. Now, this may sound much more serious than my normal, but well, I am sick and am therefore in a very serious mood. I, just like 62% percent of teenage girls, often have a very low self-esteem. Although I try to hide this fact, it is something I cannot deny, and I have spent most of the last few years dealing with how to get the body that I want, comparing myself to my size 0 to 4 friends, and being unhappy when I don't fit in a pair of jeans. I don't think I have ever sunk myself into so deep a hole as an eating disorder, but I know many girls who have, and I think it is a great danger that in our society we all face. What I think we all need to do is take a step back, and instead of glaring at ourselves in a mirror, look at our selves in a completely accepting attitude. I think that it is extremely important for us all to love ourselves the way that we are meant to be. In order for us to truly love others, we must first accept ourselves. So, if you are constantly punishing yourself for each bite of bread you have, or go on a diet after each step on the scale, you are never going to be able to truly reach out to others and have loving, meaningful relationships. And if we can never really connect with others, we will never be happy. So, lets all get a little self esteem booster!
So here ya ga:

  • Today, the average American woman is 5’4″, has a waist size of 34-35 inches and weighs between 140-150 lbs, with a dress size of 12-14.
  • Marilyn Monroe: According to measurements from Marilyn Monroe's dressmaker:
    • Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
    • Weight: 118-140 pounds
    • Bust: 35-37 inches
    • Waist: 22-23 inches
    • Bra size: 36D
    • Hips: 35-36 inches
  • Jennifer lawrence (one of my new favorite people) on preparing for her role in X-Men said, "I knew that if I was going to be naked in front of the world, I wanted to look like a woman and not a prepubescent 13-year-old boy…I’m so sick of people thinking that’s what we’re supposed to look like.”
  • No matter what size you are, a 0 or a 16, it is more important that your are happy with the body you have, are confident, and dress to your best (I will talk more about that later)
Take a look at these girls, they are a range of different size, are all healthy (to the extent of my knowledge) and I believe are quite beautiful 
Marilyn Monroe, my personal body role model

Penelope Cruz! first, i want this swim suit. second, I love her body

Scarlet Johansson 

Twiggy! this is of course, the other end of the spectrum,
but i didn't want to leave out the fact that even littler girls may have self esteem problems

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer again, I just love her so much

Christina Hendericks from Mad Men

I live by this quote
GOOD.

REALITY CHECK

Aphrodite is considered an ageless beauty, and look! she has somethin on those bones!

Now, I want to challenge us all to write something out like this (following) and paste it up on our mirrors:

I, __________, love myself the way I am. I may not look like a sample size model (if you do, you can skip this part), but I am the way that I am because this is me, and I am beautiful. My (enter least favorite body part) is perfect, and does not need to change. My favorite aspect of my body is _____, and I can accentuate this by wearing_____. I promise not to hate myself for the gifts I was given, and promise to think of myself, and others, as beautiful.

And I want everyone to work on looking in the mirror with a gracious, not condescending, attitude everyday. Then move that point of view to others, so that you can accept everyone the way they are. I know that I my self need to work on both of these myself.

That was a lot longer and a lot more serious than I expected, but I hope you got something from it, because to me it is a big issue. 

Keep being beautiful girls! (any boys that read this, it didn't really apply to you)
xoxo
Mae




Tuesday, August 28, 2012

My new favorite shoes

 I, just like most females, am a lover of shoes. I just cannot resist the lure of a shoe store, or website, or catalogue. Recently I have acquired quite a few new pairs to my already quite gargantuan collection. I thought I would share one of my favorite new pairs with you and tell you exactly why they are so great, other than the fact that they are shoes and thus are already quite high on the greatness scale.

These particular shoes, heels, are from a store on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz and are by Chelsea Crew. My sister and I can be seen here modeling them. I am on the right and Nan, my sis, is on the right, sporting our favorite colors that go perfectly with our styles.


The reasons I love these heels so much:
  1. They had a variety of colors, so you could get them in what ever style/ color that you fancy the most. My sister, Nan, is quite wacky and fun and is a school teacher, so she go the red and turquoise ones. While I am a little more subtle in my colors and am more prone to be found in the library than at a party, so I went with the grey ones (also grey goes with practically everything!)
  2. you can change the ribbons! how great is that? i plan on getting some light pink and white polka dotted ones
  3. the heel is low enough for them to be quite comfortable and yet still kinda sassy
  4. they have that real cute turn up toe that makes them kind of unique looking
  5. they are surprisingly sexy, even though they are very modest...you know...for your feet 
  6. they were only $57! which I know to some people may sound like a lot, but compared to some other shoes I have gotten...
if you like these shoes and would like to get them for yourself, I competely understand (I might even go order all the other colors), follow these links:

now that I have talked about these shoes, I think I will wear them tomorrow (I have an interview! EEK!) 
Well goodnight and much love
Mae

Monday, August 20, 2012

First day of school!

Today is my last first day of school. That is right! It is the first day of my senior year. So today I am pulling out my signature look. The french baby doll as my mother calls it
Blue and white toile pants (Paige)
A blue sleeveless top with a bow around the waist and a peterpan collar
Cream jacket
Brown oxfords ( borne)
Top knot!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

A little bit of show off time

Earlier this summer I made a dress, that quite frankly I think is amazing. So, I thought I would share it with all of you lovely people. I altered a pattern, which was quite hard and so I definitely had to start over on some parts. Overall I think it is quite good.
The front view. There is my mommy in the corner. Hi mommy!

The back. I like the bow. bows are great

Bows AND buttons! Two of my favorite things! There is a slight gap next to the buttons to show just a little bit of skin, How scandalous! 

close up on the bodice

Close up on the skirt. It hits me right above my knees

side view. shows off my itty bitty waist : )

TOP STICHING!

Bow. bows are great aren't they?

Well that was my sewing project. In all it took me probably 8 hours and then plus some for buttons and bow.

If you would like to sew and do not know how to yet I would recommend  that you start by taking a class at your local Joann's Fabric or Hancock fabrics, or even Hobby Lobby. Also, most art schools offer night time classes. If you want to teach yourself, you should start off with a simple pattern, and read all of the directions VERY CAREFULLY (it took me all my life, and many ruined projects, to learn that part). Here are some great patterns that are fabulous for beginners:
After you learn the basics you can pretty much do anything, just always check what level of difficulty your pattern is before you buy it. Also a few tips:
  • You can buy really cheap simplicity and mccall patterns at most fabric stores because about once a month that have like $1 sales, so buy then and make later!
  • Hobby Lobby (if you have that store it is amazing) has an online 40% off coupon I think every week or so, just look on their website. they also generally have great sales on everything.
  • If you want to buy quiliting fabrics(simple cottons with cute patterns) go to hobby Lobby or Michaels
  • If you want to buy fancier fabric (silks, satins, andything really better than cotton) you should go to Joann's, Hancocks, or any local speciality fabric store (in Denver my favorite is Denver Fabrics and Fancy Tiger fabrics) 
  • do not try to make up your own pattern until you have been instructed how to or are willing to take a big risk and maybe waist a lot of time and money


Well there is my two cents, I hope you use it wisely. 

xoxo
Mae

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Men.

I have one big fat question. Why is it that males are scared of fashion? Scared of clothes, stores, shoes, all of it. Of course not all men. But most men. At least most American men. I have never seen this problem while in Europe. I mean really, is it really that hard for guys to find nice clothes that make them look really good and attractive? I think it would just be terrific if all guys dress nice and well, frankly, like European men. I shall now share what I think guys should wear when going out. Of course they can wear whatever they want when at home or "with the guys", but when in the presence of females, this is what they ought to have on.

A good jacket/ blazer


A good ol' button up shirt, any kind, i just like this model

bow tie/ tie any color any pattern. just as long as it doesn't clash

pants. please wear pants. good looking pants. no sagging (YUCK BUTTS!) 
but also not too high or too tight. 

I'm kinda bored of finding individual pictures, so here are just some guys that I think look very sharp. and most of them attractive. 
like

love

don't they just look smashing? even the old guy in the back.

a little too hipster, but i still think he is adorable.

first off, those eyes. second, i love hats on guys!

I like vests too.

and I think every man, true man, should own a pair of these.


Now ladies, who could resist a boy dressed in that stuff? let us all help dress our men so that they look presentable to the outside world.

xoxo
mae


Thursday, August 2, 2012

Just a little bit of Weird

Today my Grandpa and I wen to the de Young museum in San Francisco for "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier From Sidewalk to Catwalk" exhibit. It was pretty fantastic. I have to admit some of his stuff is pretty strange, but it was simultaneously beautiful. The craftsmanship was excellent and the detail on everything was amazing. I had been planning to take pictures to show you all but as I have said before I was stupid enough to leave my camera in Colorado, so I shall find some of the stuff I saw on the internet and share it here. Enjoy!
My favorite style of his was the geometric shapes that create a really great structure and a mix futuristic space suit and victorian corset look 


crocodile skin and crochet lace, I saw a video of how this one was made

Madonna anyone?

These two are two of his "Bride's Gowns" which are traditionally the last garment of an Haute Couture fashion show that try to sum up the whole mood of the line. I think his bride gowns are some of the best I have ever seen, they so perfectly captured the essence of his style. 

This one reminds me of a snake, it was part of his "cage" line

Tropical Forest!

This one reminds me a lot of the birth of venus

Made completely of denim, cool right?

all houndstooth. all. even the cigarette holder.
 is that Lady Gaga under there?
Pants made out of film. Totally cool, but I think it would get a little sticky and uncomfortable

And of corse, Jean Paul himself and his signature stripes. From now on whenever you wear blue and white french stripes you must think of Jean Paul Gaultier because he practically invented them, well not really but close enough.

Well, I had a good day, and now you can feel as if you were with me on this fun day! Except you weren't. haha. 
Also, yesterday was my birthday! happy Birthday to me! 
Also also I saved $503 at Loehmann's, I was quite impressed
Also also also the Olympics are so great! Yay team USA! except they make me miss London so if USA doesn't win i want team GB to win.


kisses
Mae