How About Some Time Travel?

Now is the time for my first post about my recent trip to New York. Yes, I went to New York. The Big Apple. But why did i go, you may ask? Of course for the shopping and museum going and because I simply adore that city, but I also had an alternative motive. During that fantastic week my social agenda was stuffed full with dates at Trend Forecasting Shows (such as Texworld and Print Source). At these shows I learned all about the upcoming styles for spring/summer 2014 (yes, next year!), which I will save for some other time. Today, I would like to share with you what I learned about the styles for the spring/summer of 2013 during the recap section of the shows. Today's highlight is the 60's! Yes boys and girls, the 60's! In the upcoming months expect to see much more of those classic looks seen in the early 1960's (think Madmen). This of course will show itself in a subtle way, we are not actually going to start mimicking Jackie Kennedy or Twiggy, I mean if you want to by all means do, but it will show itself in a 21st century way. Would you like to know how to be "in the know" with this trend? Well follow me my dear friends and I shall show you how

Hair
Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. The head. I would say try to aim for BIG HAIR. Consider using big curlers or soda cans to create a loos curl and then tease the heck out of it. But make sure it remains smooth looking (we don't want a rats nest on top of your head). If you feel more like an up do, consider a french twist. Nothing too crazy, just simple and classic. If you want to be very committed you could always try the beehive.

 everyday 60's hair

the beehive

Images from a 60's Vogue

Makeup

Now for makeup. You'll want to go for big eyes and pale, translucent skin. This means lots and lots of mascara, maybe even some false eyelashes, and highlighting your eyelid crease with the cat eye look. Everything else should be rather pale; pale skin (if you can) and pale lips, nude or light coral lip stick. Top it off with nude or coral nail polish

See how striking her eyes are?

The biggest inspiration for makeup was Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra in 1962

Did you know that Elizabeth had two layers of eyelashes due to a rare heart disease?

Clothes

How 'bout we get dressed now. We are going to stay quite conservative and simple from the 50's but with a few changes. This means shirt waist dresses, turtle necks (YAY!), pencil skirts, blouses, and tailored jackets. Stay away from flashy colors and patterns and instead stick with pastels and simple floral patterns. For skirts (pants didn't start to be really worn by women until the later half part of the decade) and jackets try navy, tweed, and dark browns.

WHen in doubt, just go for a pencil skirt and a blouse.
This of course is a picture from Madmen, not actually the 60's

An old McCall's Pattern 

Jackie is always a good role model

Another old pattern

Twiggy is a good inspiration too, though this is from a little later in the decade

Shoes

Once again, the style stayed pretty close to those in the end of the 50's. Try for classic pumps in nudes, pastels, and deep colors or saddle shoes. Remember to always match your purse with your heels!

Saddle Shoes, I wish I had these…

THese are actually from Polyvore, but I thought they looked appropriate

How Cute!

Jewelry

Just think Breakfast at Tiffany's. Pearls and simple diamonds.

Definitely top it off with a cat, that certainly makes for a classic look

Are you all ready now to go out looking like you jumped right out of the early 1960's, I sure hope you are! If you are interested in learning more, please get inspiration from Twiggy, Sharon Tate, Pattie Boyd, Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor.

I will leave you now with this darling picture of Twiggy

isn't she adorable?

"Grand Central Station, and step on it, darling"

tata for now!

Wanted: Spring Weather and Perfect Rain Boots

I know it may still be January (January 20th in the year of our lord 2013) to be precise, but I am starting to get quite anxious for spring. It may be because it hasn't snowed in basically forever or because it was 60° yesterday or maybe because I want the school year to be done and to get on with my life (which is why I am not doing homework right now and instead talking to you lovely people). Well, whatever the reason is, I desperately want it to be spring. So, of course, I have started to snoop around online for those things which I would like to add to my closet for those blessed springy months.
I just got back from New York (more on that later) and while I was there, I found a fantastic sale at C. Wonder  and got an amazingly beautiful trench coat for only $75! I, of course, bought it. It will be perfect for spring and when I move to San Francisco in the fall.

It is a beautiful camel color with a pink, cream, and navy plaid lining. Now, naturally, I am on the hunt for the perfect rain boots. I found them. On Pinterest. Which means, I can't find them in any actual useful website, but I will prevail! I will find them! And when I do I will buy them and we shall be happy and jump in puddles together until the end of our days.

Pink Hunters of course!!!

If you have any information about these lovely boots, please let me know. I absolutely must have them (hehehe my greedy little heart is glowing).

Now I really must get back to my English homework, why do you keep distracting me?! honestly, it is almost as if you want me to fail at life. 

Don't forget to check out the other pages on this blog. Like my art page. It is quite inspiring, if I do say so myself.

And don't forget to follow me!

And follow me Pinterest!

Now, Heart Of Darkness and my dear friend Joseph Conrad await.

Hugs

Les Misérables

I am quite sure that by now all of us have seen that amazing new movie Les Miserables. And it was amazing wasn't it? Being raised in the theatre I am quite critical when it comes to movies and musicals and reproductions and what not, but I can say truthfully that this was one of the best films I have ever seen. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about it (which is saying something because I usually can find something to critique in everything). Of course, the producers had it in their favor that they started with probably one of the best pieces of literature in the world, Victor Hugo being absolutely fabulous and a god among writers (even though reading his work, especially in french--which I have done--can be incredibly difficult). And even though not everyone in it had amazing voices, I think that the sincerity in which they sung made up for it and it was more meaningful and beautiful than if they were the best singers in the world. Then of course, the set was beautiful and transported me right to 1835 Paris, I even felt as though I could smell the stench. I was even impressed with how the actors' teeth were stained, because I always get annoyed when people who are supposed to be dyeing of starvation or TB have perfectly straight, white teeth. But above all, being the fashion connoisseur that I am, I loved the costuming. Every character had a costume that summed up their entire being–from the colors to the perfectly placed tares and tatters. This of course got my little brain whirring and I began to think about what they would look like today? What would it look like if here, in the middle of 2013, our dear friends the French revolutionaries turned up and tried to over through the government (again)? This is what I came up with:

Here we have the beautiful Amanda Seyfried as Cosette as photographed by Vogue. She looks perfectly demure and innocent does she not?

Here I have Cosette in a proper, conservative white dress with two stripes on the bottom.

Now we have the stunning and talented Samantha Barks playing poor Éponine. First, can we just look at that waist?! That thing is amazing! 

To serve as a stark contrast to Cosette, I would place Eponine in a very Bohemian harlem pant overall outfit with a red bandeau underneath. Definitely with some fun patches to add a sense of authenticity. 

Finally we have rich boy gone rogue, Marius played the handsome Eddie Redmayne. I do love a good revolutionary. mmmmm

Now I put Marius in a slightly more ruffed up look, like maybe he just came out of the barricade after fighting hand to hand with a king's solider. Her he is wearing an old vest with gold buttons, some nice lblack leather pants, and a torn up dress shirt. And of course his Tri-Coloure pin and cravat. 

Well, I hope you enjoyed my rendition of a small sampling of the Les Mis cast as they would be today. If you would like to see some more Les Mis inspired fashion, go to this pinterest page (it isn't mine, but it sure is cool) les mis fashion

If you liked what you read here, don't be shy to follow me! and follow me on pinterest --> 

And don't you forget mes amis, to love another person is to see the face of God. May the story of Les Miserables be a good reminder to you of the good within this world and that there is always hope for redemption. 

Love you all!

Mae 

Tis the season…

…to be stressed out. With only two full weeks left before christmas, and for most of us a week of finals before then, some of us may be feeling quite stressed. I know I am certainly feeling the strain of the season. And it is perfectly normal, I mean we have to find presents for all of our loved ones, find the money to buy said presents, go out into the cold, find ugly sweaters to wear, bake an unnecessary amount, go to holiday parties (which means interacting with people, which is a completely different level of stress), we gain weight from relentless party going and so must also find ways to get some exercise and find our stretchy pants, then for those of us still in school we have to cram in all that makeup homework we did not want to do earlier, study, study, and study, and then finally attempt to ace our finals. I would say that we all deserve a break (which is coming soon, just hold on!). But I am here to tell you that you do not need to wait two weeks to take that well deserved break. You can do it right now. Of course, you cannot take a full blown vacation break where you sleep for three days straight and then jump on a plane for Hawaii. I mean, a short mini respite right now.  I would like to share with all of you my great stress relieving tips.

Paint your nails. I often find that while studying for a test, my mind gets so befuddled and confused that I just cannot focus any more. So, I paint my nails. This allows you to focus on one thing for a couple of minutes and takes your mind off of the test. My dad also says that you inhale toxic fumes, which I bet help clear your mind too, just maybe not in a good way—so make sure to open up a window while doing so. By painting your nails you are doing something for yourself and it makes you feel pretty, and feeling pretty will make you fell happy (unless you don't like beautiful things) and therefore you will be able to return to your studying in a joyful manner.

Bake Something Yummy and easy. During this fine time of year, I often come home from school and before throwing myself into homework, I will do a small baking project. This gives me a nice break between school and more school (just at home…) and also really gets me into the holiday spirit. I then get excited about the holidays and all that they entail and so I am more motivated to power through. But I don't do anything too complicated because that just stresses me out more (like candy, don't make candy when distracted or stressed). Here is the recipe to my amazing short bread cookies.

1 c. butter (1/2 lb)

2 c. flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

a little bit of water

mix until very smooth. Then roll out and cut into pretty shapes (like christmas trees, bells, or hearts).  Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 325°F for about 5-7 minutes, or until they are slightly golden. Then eat 1 or 2 (or 5, it is the holidays, enjoy yourself!) and then pack them up and take them to your friends at school or work tomorrow.

Exercise for 20-30 minutes "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't. " Well maybe you weren't going to kill anyone, but exercising will make you happy and put you in a better mood to attack the pile of work you have to do. Also, it gives you a chance to work off some of those short bread cookies. Here is what I like to do in between homework sets:

1 minute jumping jacks

1 minute high knees

5 minute abs (1 minute each of: crunches, side crunches, straight leg crunches, obliques, and roll ups)

5 minute butt (1 minute each of: donkey kicks left, donkey kicks right, hip bridge, leg extensions, froggy flute lifts)

5 minutes arms (30 seconds each arm of: bicep curls, trice extension, overhead press and 1 minute of: trice dips and half push-ups)

1 minute jumping jacks

1 minute mountain climbers

1 minute or more stretching

Plan out your outfit for tomorrow I don't know about you, but clothes always calm me down. I take 15 minutes every night to plan out what I will wear the next day. It gives you a chance to take a break from stress and feel very put together (which always helps in these busy times). Then, tomorrow, you will look put together even though you might have just rolled out of bed! Here are some of my favorite winter time outfits and clothing pieces (stolen from Pinterest because I haven't had time to take my own pictures recently):

sorrels are amazing. I practically wore this today, too bad it won't snow

I really want this for holiday parties…

I hope you take my advice and take a little break from stress and take care of yourself. Just remember, this is supposed to be a time of joy and peace, not a time of stress and freak outs.

Go forth my young grass hoppers
Mae

Here is a quote from my favorite christmas book to remind you what christmas time is about:

“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,' returned the nephew. 'Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that- as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”

― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Anna Karenina

Last night I was granted the opportunity to see a special preview screening of the new movie of Anna Karenina (directed by Joe Wright). For those of you who do not know, Anna Karenina is a book written by Leo Tolstoy that takes place in Imperial Russia in 1874. I have got to say, it was probably the most amazing movie I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of movies. This is not because the acting was particularly outstanding, or the plot incredibly original, but because of the beauty of the film. The set was absolutely amazing, it looked as if the entire movie was set inside a theatre house and every room was a different part of Russia. Being the nerdy child I am, I of course explicated every aspect of the movie, and to me this represented the idea of "life is but a stage". The way that the actors moved was absolutely incredible. Everything was made to look like a choreographed dance--just beautiful. And then, of course, the costumes. Designed by Jacqueline Durran--who also did Pride & Prejudice and Atonement (obviously she has a connection with Keira Knightly)--everything was absolutely exquisite. I don't even know how to explain the beauty of those clothes. I just wanted to jump right into the movie and wear those ball gowns, fur coats, beautiful hats, and even the nightgowns! Because my words cannot even begin to adequately describe the beauty of it all, I have provided you with pictures from the move, mostly of Keira Knightly. Just until you can go see the movie (which comes out on November 16th), which I highly recommend to all of you!

Now, have a nice day and week. Then on Friday go see this movie, Anna Karenina

(I should get paid for writing this review)

xoxo

Mae