‘First Love’ as it’s title in a way might be misleading, but I think the author projects that subject very well in the book. It is clearly shown when she writes in detail how surprisingly delicate and sometimes confusing love did to the main characters. I love her writing style, very expressive and detail, though sometimes too lengthy.I love the author’s idea of First Love, set in the backdrop of ‘ballet boom era’. And I wasn’t even into dance.But I’m into it’s literary style of writing.
Monthly Archives: October 2010
Blogshopping!
Salam
(writing on Malaysian blogshops only and not international ones.Well I don’t have a credit card…=D)
I’m surfing the net like usual and blog-hopping on blogspot. Recently, I found this one blog, where there are many blogshops links put up under a category. I’m not a fan of online shopping…Never. Because I think the payment method is risky – To bank in your money into some one else’s bank account. You don’t even know the seller, no direct face-to-face business. You can’t see, touch, and feel the products they sell, most importantly fabrics. With physical touch we can actually tells a lot about the quality. And I’m always a ‘physical buyer’, one who needs to see it to believe it. People say nice things to sell their products. But I’m hard to impress sometimes.
When buying clothes, online shopping is at its weakest. Because although it states the size, we don’t know how actually that piece of clothing will fit our body. We can only estimate through the pictures of a model wearing it. This is not really helping either. Especially if the buyer is not a S size wearer. And through my short blogshopping trip so far, I can say that clothes sold are mostly what you can get a lot at places such as Berjaya Times Square (TS). Though the prices doesn’t differ very much. It’s like an alternative for someone who doesn’t like or doesn’t have the time to go for a real-world shopping.
But now I understand why some people really LOVE blogshops! On the brighter side, we can buy almost anything (very wide variety of stuff people sell right now) at a reasonable price, and gets to browse a universe of choices all with a click! We can do so anytime anywhere. It’s somehow a better shopping experience for some people, minus the annoying salesgirls hahaha.There are some decent blogshops that I did bookmarked them. There are many types of blogshops in the net, which can be narrowed down to 3 types. The whole big portion are those which sells clothing from a supplier. The blog owners doesn’t made and produce them. These are the clothes you can find in TS like I said earlier. I don’t really like them…partly because the products are not one of a kind and largely because I live very near with TS so I’ve more choices that I can browse through whenever I have the free time to do so…=D In most times, I wonder if there are much better choices of the same clothing at shopping malls.
The other type is the complete opposite, where the owner of the blog sells the stuff they made and produce by themselves,or in some cases, by a group of people. Like a small group of friends who like to do creative things and actually sell them. I found this is the most interesting type of all. These people sell handmade stuff. Of course it’s original, delicate, and one of a kind. Buyers can also ask for things custom made for them!
Then comes the ‘cleaning out my closet’ or ‘preloved’ type. =D (It’s too long to name a type LOL) I liked this too. The blog owner is a impulsive, compulsive buyer who have the money to buy every authentic and branded items for their own use, until the time they sells them (the term they usually use is ‘let go’) for a lower price. They would also mentioned if the item was used (for how many times/give ratings to measure it’s condition). As far as I know, online shoppers doesn’t usually look for new and unused items. You can get that at nearby shopping malls maaa..These kind of online sellers are rich and loaded people, with a good heart =P
As of today, I’ve done my weekly dose of blogshopping. I’m not buying anything yet but we’ll see. Many blogshops sell shawls, but unfortunately I’m not that adventurous to wear the current trend -colourful and bright shawls hehe. Some of the blogshops I’m in love with :
‘Cleaning out my closet’ type :
Little Marquise (This girl, Aliaah Abdullah really has great branded items in her stash to sell)
My Reject Shop (Not bad..)
The Wearables (Preloved items inventory-like. Very good site)
BAGS!! : The Bag Galore , Love Bag Love Bag , Boutique Shima , Bag Bagg Baggg
No exact type (haha) : Aan Boutique , Red Ribbon Boutique , Chidor Design
Handmade, original : ISYN , Debutante , Sew Retro Chic
Pre-Order type : Clothes For Chics , All for Sale (inventory)
Perfumes are available too! : The Perfume House , Perfume Berry
While you do your blogshopping, be sure to check out YourShoppingKaki ! She’ll be your blogshopping best friend. =D
Since I’ve been into this blogshops thingy, I often weighing the choices I’ve seen in the blogshops when I’m doing my usual shopping. “What if it’s cheaper? What if there are more choices?”
Blogshop is like one of the most useful ‘inventions’ to us females especially and to the internet savvy. Though I’m still searching if there is a blogshop catering for plus sized customers. In the meantime, spoil us with more choices, dear blogshops!
Embracing beauty?
(Writing in response to the V magazine‘s Size Issue from models.com 2010)
I’m back on the blog!LOL. I’ve many posts under drafts…but this one had to be posted, in between my assignments. =D
Above is the picture of one of the models on models.com preview of V magazine’s Size Issue. [FYI, V magazine is an international fashion/editorial magazine that are only available in our country via large bookstores (MPH,Borders,Kinokuniya etc) and usually arrives late one issue.]
I’m not a fashion enthusiast but I can say that I love to know about it a lot. All the processes involved in producing a fashion line, fashion magazines, models, photographers, casting director etc and also the art of fashion photographers and creative directors. So, as usual, I read this entry from my fave source, models.com.
The V Magazine’s Size Issue made a 10 pictures spread of very curvaceous and obviously overweight models. Plus sized models are usually size >12, or L (large) size based on standard US conversion, height 5”9 – 5”10! Like a tower. Only thicker. But I think these women are what we call ‘big build’.
Instead of commenting on the page, I want to write about what I feel about ‘fat’/large/overweight girls hating on thin models in my blog because I don’t like paraphrasing…
Many commentators are praising the editorials as well as completely threw it off. Basically in my opinion, the spread is very very interesting! A shift from the usual stick thin, portruding ribs and bones models, with a beautiful face. But I’m frustrated at emotional comments. Several overweight ‘fat’ girls comment on how they always hated that the fashion industry never looks at them, downgrading them by only showing spreads by thin models (size <4), and how it’s ‘refreshing’ to see a ‘change’ in the mainstream modelling industry. They want thin and average women to shut up and ‘let the light be on them for this one time.’
I’ve gotta say you people are too volatile a person to comment. Maybe you should come back when you have calmed down a bit or think through. Yeah, the limelight has always shining on them, the thin women. But that’s no reason for you to go on a rampage against them. And the ‘Me against the world‘ thingy? It’s either you’re insecure or your life sucks. I guess you might have some kind of degrading childhood…when your schoolmates always tease on you, and call you names, looking at you with disgusted faces. Those schoolmates are bad. But a person is ALWAYS worth more than that…more than names, more than beautiful faces and slim bodies. There are no reason to dwell on people wrongdoings. What the hell have thin and slim girls do to you? (except the b***h ones hehehe) Fashion is art. Models are not meant to represent us. They represent the ideas of the designer, the photographer, the creative director. Just don’t feel too small that beautiful girls with slim bodies exists in this world. They’re supposed to be unreal in the photos. And they’re NOT anorexic most of the time. They’re just that. Low metabolism maybe? I have many friends whose appetite’s as big as the world but she has always been a size 3. Other than that, they’re trying so hard to maintain their size.
And not allowed to eat rice OMG!! That will kill me.
Some people who totally dig the concept of the spread also disapprove of the fact that those models are overweight. I mean, come on! Those spare tyres, love handles, tummies. At least I can admit that I have it. ‘All of the above’. I hate these crybabies. We’re overweight, yes. Do I need to cry over it or hating thin girls for what they were born with? Then it goes on with the ‘Beauty came in all sizes and shapes’ talk. Duh.
If that really true, why do you keep on firing on those thin models? If beauty came in all sizes and shapes, aren’t those who are THIN with BONES,
ASHAPE (if that word even exist =D) and FLAT are beautiful too?
OK I see…They’re featured on magazines…people like to say good things about them…they’re more likely to get men like them…looking at them…can wear horizontal stripes and look great…always can find their sizes in designer boutiques…Oh and they don’t have cellulite,orange peel whatnot! Etcetera.
We can’t have all of that (some,but not all). So…we’re jealous. Like lime green jealous. We started to hate ourselves, and questioning, why why why me…and then blaming other people so that we remain the one to be considered, to be the center of attention. I actually hate it when hating other people came from our own insecurities. That’s the point. This is ‘ol classic ‘playing victim’ trick. If anyone ever play this trick on me, I ain’t buying it.
As long as it’s not psychologically bothering you.
One of the most important things in life is, being healthy. You’re going to miss it the moment you have even a minor fever. Health is virtually important. You can see and feel it. Unlike being beautiful. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder right? Don’t start the ‘not all overweights are unhealthy’ argument again. Spare tyres, excess fat on the stomach are all signs of unhealthy living, increasing the risks for every kind of fatal/chronic diseases that starts on narrowing of blood vessels for example. Admit it. It’s a fact. I’m not saying every overweight can expect to die on their 25th birthday or something. Catch what I mean? Put your head over your heart for once. Slim women can have unseen risks. It’s more dangerous for them. (and don’t laugh at them on this!)
Let the mainstream fashion world goes on in whatever direction it will go. Next time, if the fashion people wants to do another spread like this, make sure the clothes suitable on fat girls. Style them natural, there’s no need to do high fashion spread all the time when using plus sized models. To me, what V magazine’s doing is slightly insulting. Those models are portrayed as desperados, trying to squeeze all that flesh into tight fitting attire, and styled over the top. It was like, they can’t look good on their own. (I like the pic with the jeans only)
The only difference between these models than real plus sized women outside is confidence. Look at how good they feel about themselves. Confidence is projected through the pictures. That is embracing your beauty. Know what I mean?
This is my rambling opinion. But the intelligent point is, try to be healthy no matter how heavy are you. Being helplessly overweight and round doesn’t mean it’s an excuse to break all the rules and over indulge in unhealthy food. And picking on your thin girlfriends and models. Trust me, they don’t like it as much as we think they do. So, stop hating! Start to love,firstly yourself and then others. I did that and it’s the real thing! No one can make you feel otherwise.
I N S O M N I AC 