Pyjamas – I think I’m in love
Picture this scenario:
Coming home from a long day at work, study, or just running around chasing little monsters (read: children), stepping out of killer heels and into a nice long, hot bath or shower, then drying off and slipping into some soft, comfy pyjamas.
Pyjamas, Pajamas, PJ’s, Jim-Jams, Jimmers – whatever you call them, are my idea of bliss.
I work in an office with a dress code of “business casual”, which is really more business than casual. But still, this typically means rocking up to work in formal attire and walking around all day in heels. Despite the fact that I am a fully-trained desk-monkey, I spend a lot of time walking around the office to the printer, coffee supply, my boss’s desk, etc… I spend very little time actually at my desk (which I’m sure my boss would NOT be pleased to hear! Oops…). But this means that by the time I get home at night my feet and calves are killing me, my skin feels dry and icky from constant air conditioning, I’m irritable after dealing with clients… I’m sure you know what this feels like.
So blocking out the world with the sound of running water, being clean and comfy are my top priorities at the end of the day. And the perfect way to snuggle up with a movie/tv show/book is in a fabulous pair of pyjamas.
When my partner was overseas, he picked up my favourite pair of pyjamas from Marks & Spencer – purple cotton pyjama pants with coloured polka-dots. They are SUPER-COMFY and I would recommend anyone living in a hot climate pick some up! They are perfect for our hot summers!
I couldn’t find the ones the same as I have (UK is currently in the middle of winter, so I imagine they were an end-of-stock item), but I did find some incredibly cute pyjamas that are on my “to buy” list – all from PJ Outlet:
Love Struck Cami Pajamas - PJOutlet.com
These are super cute Pyjamas in a simple fit, that look great and look comfy! Not too warm, not too cold, these would be perfect for my local “subtropic to subantarctic” climate!
Hangover in Progress Pajamas - PJ Outlet
While I am of course the type of responsible adult who would never drink to excess……. oh who am I kidding, I’ve done it – I’m sure you’ve done it too. Maybe you’re planning to do it tonight – drinking enough to regret it in the morning, that is! But this adorable pair of pyjamas will at least make you feel better in the morning. Or make other people stay away long enough for your to recover!
Zen Garden Gown - PJ Outlet
And last but CERTAINLY not least, this classy little number is one of those rare finds. For one, who doesn’t feel fabulous in a mandarin-style collar? Secondly, it’s a gown that is modest enough to prevent one from looking like a trashy playboy-esque model but gorgeous enough to make a lady feel feminine and flirty (especially if living with a man who actually appreciates leaving things to the imagination)!
So if you’re in the US you might want to take advantage of flat-rate $5 per order shipping, or free shipping for orders over $100.
Unlucky people like me who live outside the US will just have to talk nicely to family and friends and ask for the package to be sent to Non-US destinations though, as it appears that they will only ship within the US. If anyone knows differently, please comment below with the details though!
5 Fashions that make me go “Umm, What?”
It’s time for a confession. Most of what I see in stores where my generation tend to do their shopping makes me think Oh my gosh, someone would actually wear that? I think my partner’s response when he sees some items of clothing pretty much sum it up:
Ugh!
So let’s have at it – 5 Fashions I saw today, which make me go “Umm, What?” with a confused blink.
1) Oversized Singlet Tops
Oversized Singlet Top - Source: Supre.com.au
With this particular top, there are admittedly 2 things that I am not fond of. Firstly, the word “Hussey” printed in big bold colours over the front. Does the poor girl actually know what she’s advertising? But really, even if I could have found a nicer print the shape of this top is more a case of What Shape? This is the kind of top that makes a flat-chested girl look more so, takes curves away from the waist, and in this model’s case, adds extra pounds. I can’t figure out why someone would wear this in public…
2) Fluro or Hideously-Printed Skirts
Fluro Printed Skirt - Source: polyvore.com
This fluro printed skirt wouldn’t look too bad on a hanger, but I’ve yet to see any woman wearing one who doesn’t look like a 3 year old had gotten into the highlighters.
Floral print skirt - Source: kaboodle.com
Again, a skirt which wouldn’t look so bad on a hanger, but reminds me of 70’s wallpaper. Or my grandmother’s watercolours. I’m not against patterns in general, but looking at these makes me want to stab my own eyes out with a pencil.
3) Twilight-Themed Shirts
Twilight Themed Shirts - Source: Polyvore.com
Need I say more?
(Before anyone asks, Yes I do harbour an avid dislike of the Twilight books and movies. Yes I actually attempted to read the books. Yes I am a fan of the “Twilight, a girl’s choice between necrophilia and bestiality” group on Facebook)
Also in this group are shirts such as one I saw around Christmas with “Santa’s B****” (uncensored) across the front. This is a shirt marketed towards 12-15 year old girls. No.
4) Crocs & Uggs
A Croc-load of Crocs - Source: insidesocial.com
I never understood the whole “Crocs” thing. I don’t care if they’re the comfiest thing in the whole world. You are wearing rubber shoes. And when I see whole families (literally) walking down the street in their Crocs and jeans, I feel a migraine coming on from all the bright colours.
Now Uggs can be kind of cute. Rarely, but it’s possible. But those plain brown Uggs that you see everywhere teamed with the fluro skirts and oversized singlets above… Some cute ballet flats would be much more fitting. Although, I suppose a girl would need the Uggs to keep warm!
5) Brightly Coloured Jeans
Lime Green Skinny Jeans - Source: Searchbyinseam.com
I stand strong in my belief that jeans are best left in blue or black. Because I’m a boring prude? No. Because these coloured jeans don’t really look flattering on anybody.
Actually, I lie. A Brazilian woman I met in a bar managed to pull off yellow jeans once. But only because they were the “feature” of her entire outfit.
Aside from that though, these are best left on the sale racks… The bright colours tend to make a woman’s thighs look larger and the shape emphasises the hips already – at least on anyone who HAS hips. And the worst is when it clashes with skin tone…
So what is a look I am fond of this week? Given that it is the middle of summer here at the moment, I’m very fond of basic singlet tops with flirty or A-Line knee-length skirts – cool enough for our summers, while still being dignified enough for being in public. I’m also fond of relaxed fit “Boyfriend” jeans, with simple slim-fit dress shirts for when the evenings cool off a bit.
Another year over, another year older.
Well, we’re officially a week into the year 2010. What are you calling it? I had several suggestions thrown at me:
The year Ten
Twenty-Ten
One-Oh
Two-Zero-One-Zero
I think I’ll just stick with “Year Two Thousand and Ten”, personally.
So, I’m a year older this year. In the sense that not only is it a new year, but my 22nd birthday fell on the last day of 2009. So now I’m a “real adult” so to speak. Which is great, because now I can use all those awesome phrases reserved for “real adults”. My two favourites are “Back in my day….” and “Those young people today!” which come in handy whilst walking down Queen Street, Auckland and seeing all those fashion tragedies… And of course, walking past Supre. I’m sorry, I hate that store. But more on that another day.
This also means that I should probably start taking more care of my body, huh? It’s only going to last so long! That means that while I will not be making any new years resolutions this year, I will be making promises to myself about some points of improvement for my own health and well-being. Realistic promises, being the key.
- Sticking to a skincare routine – more moisturiser, less make-up.
- Drinking more water, cut back on the coffee and sodas. Some juice wouldn’t hurt, but it’s so full of sugar! Apparently worse than Coka-Cola for rotting the teeth.
- Keeping my desk free of junk food and stocking up on healthy snacks instead – nuts in ziplock bags, muesli in tupperware (I swear the office dishwasher eats everything that gets put inside it!), taking advantage of “fruit wednesdays” where the office buys lots of fruit for staff.
In short, I’m looking to improve my outward appearance, but starting on the inside. I’ve essentially resolved not to make unrealistic goals. For example, to cut out all junk food when my diet pretty much consists of take-out would be unrealistic.
I have this terrible habit of only sticking to a healthy diet and exercise plan when I’m having problems fitting into my clothes – and then dropping it as soon as the weight drops to an “acceptable” level (the level that means I don’t have to go buy more clothes). I’m sure I’m not the only one with this problem – it’s a never-ending cycle. But prevention will always be better than the cure.
To be honest, the same can be said of my ability to stick to a skincare regime. I only seem to manage it when I’ve got problem skin. Blemishes, dryness, bags under the eyes… Ick. Even if I’m sticking to a skincare regime, I tend to end up covering over those spots with make-up. And I’m sure we all know how badly that can compound the underlying problem!
So I’m planning to spend the year two-thousand-and-ten comfortable in my own skin. I’ve switched out my normal daily-use of foundation for a tinted moisturiser with sunscreen included (see Here for a previous Material Girl post on my favourite skincare products!) and off-loaded all my unhealthy chocolatey candy-filled snacks to my co-workers to replace with healthier alternatives!
Here’s to a comfortable, healthy, 2010! I toast you with my water, rather than wine…
Oh, and while I’m at it, I thought I’d share a quote with you all by Peter Lindbergh on the subject of make-up and retouching:
My feeling is that for years now it has taken a much too big part in how women are being visually defined today. Heartless retouching should not be the chosen tool to represent women in the beginning of this century.
Diamonds… A girl’s best friend.
It’s my birthday coming up shortly, and I’ve decided I’m in the market for a new diamond necklace. My partner is under the impression I’m not a diamond girl. That’s not quite accurate – I’m not a fan of diamonds that have been bought for me, in order to “buy” me. So in general, I buy my own rocks.
So anyway, I’ve been looking around for some inspiration. I know that I will typically have to get any jewellery custom-made (all Gold irritates my sensitive skin, so I have to go platinum or downgrade to sterling silver) so really, looking around in stores only helps give me ideas.
My personal preferences in diamond jewellery are pieces that are simplistic, but interesting. I know that may seem contradictory but take this necklace for example:
14k White Gold 0.33ctw Diamond Journey Double Swirl Pendant - Image from www.jamesallen.com
This is absolutely stunning. At first glance, the pendant is just cute little circle, with some diamonds inside. At a closer look though, the shape slightly resembles some of the shapes of the Maori Koru – the Koru is considered to be a representation of a fern frond as it opens. It is often associated with nurturing properties, family, and peace.
This pendant also, is a style I love:
Diamond and 14k White Gold Journey Pendant - Image from www.jamesallen.com
Yes, it’s simply a curved piece of white gold, with some diamonds set into it. But looking closer, the diamonds grow larger each time. It’s like they’re growing, or like they’re a new twist to the “teardrop” shape of many pendants.
I’m thinking I may have to consult my local jeweller about getting designs similar to these done in Platinum, but with my own little changes and twists.
Just personally, I’ve always found “big bling” to be overdone and looking cheap and tacky – especially when done with CZ’s or other fakes. But simple, understated jewellery will always be classic and won’t “date” as badly as others. Perhaps that is my mother’s influence? Actually, more like my Grandmother’s: “Classic is ALWAYS in style”.
Thanks, Grandma.
In the aftermath of Christmas…
Where have I been the past couple of weeks? Did I fall off the face of the planet? Nope – in fact, I’ve just been so busy with that “day-job” stuff, and with the silly season that I rather forgot to take some time out just for me. And boy, did I feel it this season. I am actually grateful that our company managers enforced a business-wide 4-day holiday until the 29th of December. Security are not to let any staff into the office.
However, it is now time to reflect on what Christmas is really all about for me and my family. Which is, well, me and my family! We did the phone calls and even a little bit of gift exchanging but what Christmas was all about this year was relaxation and ignoring the world.
This does not mean of course that we’re a bunch of Christmas Grinches – on the contrary, we love the silly season, particularly Christmas lights and gift wrapping and shopping for gifts is always a pleasure and a challenge. But it reaches a point where it’s just too exhausting to carry on any more and it’s time to get Christmas over and done with before you SNAP.
So we did the “Christmas thing” early and got it over and done with – the gift exchanges that is. So I got lots of comfy pyjamas which I absolutely adore (light summery cottons and such, perfect for our hot December summer!) and a massage booking. My partner got a hand-made silk Pierre Cardin tie and a black leather Cufflink box for all the cufflinks I keep buying him. Random assorted gifts for the family… and so on. Lunches, dinners, they were all taken care of before the actual “day”.
So what did I do for Christmas Day? My partner and I spent the day sleeping in late, getting up and having a lazy breakfast, taking a walk in the deserted streets of Auckland City, watching TV shows we’ve been to busy to catch up on, and reading books quietly enjoying each other’s company. At one point my partner took a Christmas dinner down to the security guards who work at our office, while we had a small dinner ourselves…
But all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season hype has really made me appreciate the quiet times spent at home, in comfy new pyjamas with a good book!
Boxing day sales though? BAM! I was RIGHT THERE! (I mean, come on – what kind of Material Girl would I be if I wasn’t?) I ended up purchasing a new queen-size bed at half price*, some nice shelving units – also at half price, and of course pretty much a whole new wardrobe at various discounts.
One of the blog posts that really kept me sane this year was the following: Staying Fabulous During the Holidays by TheCubicleChick.com which gave me a good reminder to just chill out, and was a check-up about just how low my inner fuel tank was getting. And now that it’s over I have time to update again without depriving myself of me-time.
Next year, I might just boycott Christmas to lock myself away with a bottle of Bollinger and a good chick-flick until the Boxing Day Sales. Anyone care to join me?
*I have been asked multiple times the question of “who the heck impulse-buys a new BED?” The answer: if it’s on sale, then ME!
Holiday Emergency Skincare!
So we all know that it’s coming up to Christmas time and everyone is out looking for the perfect gifts and decorations – not to mention Christmas lunches and dinners.
But I, for one, have something more important coming up. After a year, it’s now time for me to visit and meet my boyfriend’s parents.
A little background is perhaps in order. I am an Aucklander – this is in the upper North Island of New Zealand. I met my boyfriend in Christchurch, which is in the middle South Island of New Zealand. His parents are in the lower North Island, approximately 6-8 hours drive away and right in the middle. Hence, we’ve never been near enough to meet his family. So after a year, for the “family season” we are flying down to meet them.
Now, my boyfriend is a photographer, as are some family members, and of course there are the traditional Christmas photographs, so I am expecting that there will be hundreds (and no, I am not exaggerating here) of photos taken of the event. But herein lies the problem: unexpected breakouts and uneven skin tone. I don’t want that messing up the photos which will remain the evidence of that first meeting.
I don’t wear too much make-up, so it would be remarked upon if I did for this event. Using the excuse of “but I want to look nice for your family” will get the response “but I want them to see the real you”. So I really need to make sure that I’m taking care of any potential complexion emergencies in advance. This means upping the ante on my skincare routine.
There are a few things that my skin and I disagree about – it wants to be ridiculously fair and never soak up the sun’s rays. I think it should just get that light tan to make me look a little less ghost-like. My skin likes to be clear for a couple of weeks, then throw me an absolute doozy of a blemish right when I least need it. I think my skin should behave and be flawless forever. And my skin likes to randomly alternate between oily and dry – especially when I travel. So I have learned in the past that it is necessary to take control of my skin, and luckily there are products galore out there to help with that. My personal program for looking flawlessly natural in holiday photographs:
Step 1: Regular washes with the Garnier Pure 3 in 1 Wash, Scrub and Mask at least once every 2 days. This stuff is fantastic for my skin. I tend to use this on damp skin before I turn on the shower, then rinse off in the shower after it has had a chance to sit on my skin for a while. It does dry out the skin a little, but works wonders on my blemish-prone skin. This does wonders for oil-control!
Step 2: During the day, a quick cleansing with the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Treatment Pads, which not only helps with keeping my skin feeling clean and fresh, but also with waking me up! They’re essentially round cotton pads, kept moist with a toner-like product. I bought these on a whim when they came up on www.3deals.co.nz and was very pleased with the results. I have continued using them ever since because of the fantastic clean feeling and pure convenience of them. Especially if I wake up too late for full face wash!
Step 3: Moisturising morning and evening with Clean and Clear Oxygenating Ultra-Light Moisturiser which is not only fantastic for keeping my skin soft, it lets my skin breathe, doesn’t feel oily, and means that I don’t need to use a separate sunblock (which is great, since Christmas occurs in the middle of summer in New Zealand).
And finally on the day, Step 4: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturiser lets me get away with covering up, but not too much, so that no-one should be able to really pinpoint what the change is, but I can assure you that it is VERY evident in the photos that my skin has a slightly more natural sun-kissed appearance without the oompa-loompa effect of a spray tan, or caking on the make-up.
So there we have it. My 10-day action plan for blemish-free skin by the time I have to go and meet my boyfriends photographer-filled family.
Of course, my skin is likely to throw something really nasty at me, at the last minute so my life-saver product will of course be living in my handbag throughout the entire trip: Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Gel is great for covering up any blemishes, and is sticky enough that when it dries it forms a smooth surface for covering with the tinted moisturiser – that’s treating and disguising all in one!
UPDATE 26 December 2009: The Christmas gathering went off perfectly, there were lots of photos taken, in which my skin looked much clearer and “fresher” than I had anticipated, and my boyfriend’s family were absolutely lovely.
Living does have requirements!
I’ve always liked to think that I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t NEED to have a man around – they’re just nice to have. I like to think that I’m fine on my own, and if my boyfriend leaves I’ll get over it and move on.
My boyfriend has been overseas for two weeks, and is currently on his way home. And to be honest – it’s a relief!
Truth is, I’ve been having trouble feeding myself. And I don’t mean in the “I need a bib” kind of way. I am not in any way domesticated. We’re talking both untidy and unable to cook to save myself here! It has been a struggle to come up with new and interesting meals that don’t take too much time and aren’t too unhealthy. I failed dismally, gave up, and lived on take-out the past two weeks.
Being incredibly picky about my food hasn’t helped, and being forgetful has made it impossible to remember whether I’ve eaten in one day or if I’m just running on caffeine.
This is not something I’d recommend for everyone and in general I’m a huge fan of ensuring that young ladies are encouraged to eat healthy foods and avoid skipping meals. But when it comes to practising what I preach – well, that’s a whole new bag of tricks and surprises! Some things I have found helpful though:
- Getting up early enough, and eating before doing anything else! I found if I went and started reading a book or surfing the web, I’d run out of time!
- Keeping a small container of muesli, and a small bag of unsalted mixed nuts, in my desk drawer. I’ve got a serious sweet tooth, so usually have candy and chocolate stashed away in my desk. But I found that when I got hungry but was too busy to get up and get real food, having some more filling alternatives was great. And keeping muesli in my drawer meant I could just pop some milk in the container when I went for coffee or water refills.
- Planning meals on days off – I have very long, and very late working hours so by the time I get home cooking dinner is pretty much out of the question. But if it’s already cooked and just needs re-heating it’s so much easier. Particularly since most meals can be frozen.
- If all else fails – find some take-out that is at least somewhat filling and nutritious! I found a pizza place near me who do snack-sized pizzas small enough to be filling for one person but without leaving wastage. I also found a Thai restaurant that delivers, and has the most DELICIOUS curry puff entree that I have ever tasted.
Of course, none of this made up for the fact that I just can’t cook a meal without giving myself food poisoning, so mostly I was eating pre-prepared food anyway.
The moral of the story: while I may be emotionally fine as a singleton, I may need to hire a personal chef.
Joining in the dispute…
I’ve never been 100% sold on my iPod – at the time, it was really the only thing on the market that had the kind of space I needed. I’m a bit of a podcast junkie, and also download a lot of movies from the iTunes store. If iTunes had TV Shows in New Zealand, I would HAPPILY purchase season passes to all my favourite shows to take them with me on-the-go. But they don’t. Point being, I use a lot of disk space on my iPod.
I considered for a while the now cliche iPhone or iPod Touch as my next MP3 player but to be quite honest, they just don’t have the space I need for my ‘tunes!
Zune 120 GB Video MP3 Player (Red)
But then I saw my saviour in the Zune. No matter my feelings about Microsoft in general (we’ve had a love-hate relationship since Windows ‘95) I am very fond of some of the Zune’s features. For a start, it’s DESIGNED to help me discover new music to keep me dancing through my days. The Zune has the ability to listen to all my favourite podcasts, but also listen to FM radio when I get sick of them. And while I’m listening to the radio I can see the names of the songs playing and purchase them later. If there are other Zune users around, they can also suggest music for me, with the “Let me send you a song” feature.
The Zune Pass is also another fantastic feature. For a small monthly subscription fee, I can go on an “all-you-can-hear” music rental spree. This is limited only to the number of tracks I can listen to! That way, for those songs I know are only going to be worth listening to the first few times (and then get irritating… Katy Perry, anyone?) I don’t have to pay a high price for. As well as that, it lets me try out new songs before I buy the album.
Of course, there are always going to be those who won’t purchase Microsoft, or who are loyal Apple fans and I can respect that (I’ve owned enough iPods to fill my own store!), but if you’re not yet brainwashed either way and are looking for your next hot music player maybe you should take a quick look at the Zune before your salesperson steers you over the the Apple display.
Go Go Gadget Girl!
Ok, so I kind of stole that line from Inspector Gadget (and it’s the only line I remember), but this has been a year where a lot of the gadgets released have also been released in a girl-friendly format to appeal to the ladies. No longer are our laptops limited to grey or our cellphones limited to black – NO! We can have all the pinks and blues and sometimes even reds or greens we want!
Toshiba Mini NB205-N313/P 10.1” Posh Pink Netbook
This Toshiba Mini Netbook in adorable Posh Pink is a stunner. Not only is it absolutely tiny (read: can fit in a decent-sized handbag) it’s also totally practical. Gone are the days where I can fit my laptop in my bag but the battery dies halfway through the day because I had to leave the charger at home. This baby has a whopping 9 hours of battery life! You don’t believe me? Check out this review from amazon.com:
Most of you are probably wondering how realistic that 9-hour rating really is… Let me just reassure you all, the battery life is GOOD! I brought it to a full charge, then unplugged it from the adapter and watched two movies on it (more on the movie playback capabilities later) and did 4 hours worth of web surfing afterwards — all off the power from the battery on a single charge! You students out there can now bring it to all your classes and not have to look for a wall outlet! Oh, btw, I had the screen brightness set to 1/2 (level 4 brightness setting) and turned off the Bluetooth. – Johnny Chan “Not the Poker Player” (links to original review!)
I first checked this netbook out at my local Bond and Bond on Queen street, Auckland and the staff were super-helpful at letting me play with it and see if it will hold up to my standards. And it did.
It’s actually sturdy – not the cheap and flimsy plastic that I’ve come to expect. This would actually hold up to being banged around a bit in my handbag or having makeup tubes and such tossed in on top of it! This particular model also has built-in an accelerometer (like the iPhone!) to sense if it’s about to fall and it protects the hard-drive to reduce the chance of damage or losing your information.
Performance-wise this is actually a decent netbook for the basics. Obviously there’s no chance that it would stand up to playing The Sims 2, but I could quite happily tote this between work, university and my local park in complete compact bliss and pretty-in-pink style!
Oh, and if you’re not into pink, it does come in other colours – including the stylish “Frost White”, “Royal Blue”, “Sable Brown” and… Black.