Monday, January 31, 2011

Pour les hommes

J' adore this look: Black/gray color combination, good fitting blazer and worn out jeans with a dash of the unexpected--golden-green pashmina.  The facial hair also helps... immensely:)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

YAAAH Texas... it's bright and sunny in the Lone Star state


Whilst majority of the country is snow deep in winter, we Houstonians are enjoying great spring weather- Greetings everyone!

Zara shirt dress with Giuseppe Zanotti booties

Aldo earings, Kenneth Cole ring



NYC: At least you get to stay home from work, although it does not look like it... damn overachievers! 
Pic from Huffingtonpost.com



Saturday, January 22, 2011

Rhett...Rhett Butler, wherefore art thou?

"Here's a soldier of the South who loves you, Scarlett. Wants to feel your arms around him, wants to carry the memory of your kisses into battle with him. Never mind about loving me, you're a woman sending a soldier to his death with a beautiful memory. Scarlett! Kiss me! Kiss me... once..." (Gone with the Wind, Rhett Butler

And the women sighed longingly...We miss you Rhett!

A while back a friend of mine met a beautiful guy with an intoxicating swagger--within a week, their inboxes, both phone and email, were filled with flirty messages from each other making Facebook “friending” this early on not at all whorish (We all know Facebook is currently the modern woman's tits and ass portfolio).  With their new "relationship" butterflies propelling like a jet engine, Mr. Swagger officially asked her out.  Outfits were purchased, hair and nail appointments scheduled, and carbohydrates were once again relinquished to the depths of hell.  He later called to delegate the date planning duties to her.  She, still being on a butterfly high, went against everything her mama taught her and planned the date joyously.  However, she became rightfully flabbergasted and canceled the date when he asked that she "come scoop" him up for the date because it was not convenient for him to drive.  
Her point: I remember a time when men planned dates to make an impression, a time when my date's car pulled into my driveway without honking, and a time when doors were being opened on my behalf. Not only did my date refuse to do any of that, he wanted to pimp a ride.  "At least offer to pick me up so I can respectfully turn you down due to all the Life time movies that has left me wary of anyone but my mum knowing where I live."  

Men behaving... shall I say " blahly", are, unfortunately, not isolated incidents in these times--my Friday nights are being constantly filled with stories beginning but not limited to: A successful man who complained about paying a $4 toll to a concert his date paid for; a man who flipped his non existent long hair more than his date (and she has been known to toss her brunette mane past the point of acceptable one too many times); a friend being called a slut and a dirty whore by her date because she refused to sleep with him (it was their second date), and a man crying during a date because he left his injured bird at home. From my understanding, he accidently shut the door on the bird's toes, not a life threatening ordeal, but this gentleman just could not hold back the tears.
The prevalence of such stories among my single friends led me on a search to understand why some men are in desperate need of a How to guide on being dateable or at the very least, a boxed DVD set of Gone with the Wind.

As always, I looked to pop culture/the media for some explanations and excuses for these men and uncovered some breaking news: The Dirty Harry's of the world are nearly extinct.  In their place are now testosterone diffusers- like below- that leave women with men that will "go dutch" on a date rather than spend the night figuring out how to increase the butterfly quotient in their stomachs:

1.  Chris Brown--The nature of his crime got him on this list.  I know America loves a comeback but  there are some spineless acts that does not deserve it 


2.  Hair gel--contrary to what the cast of Jersey shore might think, porcupine hair does not get you laid by a diseased free woman

3.  Manscaping of eyebrows--only caveat being if you have a uni-brow

4.  Spanx for men--I am not making this up, I saw an infomercial for this one morning

5.  Men who smell like flowers--there needs to be a distinction between your cologne and my perfume.  Smell can act as an aphrodisiac; do not ruin it by smelling like my best friend.  

6.  A miniature anything--your dog should be able to bark without it sounding like a hyena

7.  Manorexia


8.  Tanning as an activity--a man should only get a tan the manly man way, i.e. gardening, construction, sex in the sun, sports; really, try anything that involves sweat and not just a beach towel.


9.   Highlights--so now not only have you traded in your barber for a hair stylist that conditions and massages your scalp, you seem to have traded your balls in for blond tips.

10.  And drum roll please… my biggest all time pet peeve, men who cry gold diggers-Let us just get this out of the way, if your income does not place you in the 35% or above tax bracket, your gold is buried way too deep for a logical woman to spend their energy digging. She is not after your “gold” if she expects you to pay for dinner and drinks on your first date and does not consider Chili’s an adequate location to wine and dine her.
I am sure she did not show up on the date in her pajamas and she probably took the time to get a blow out. Hence, she deserves to go to a place with materials as napkins without being branded a gold digger. 
It will be very easy to blame the tarnished behavior of these modern men on the feminist movement (i.e. our parents dispensed all their energy raising us girls so we can become supreme court judges but then forgot or were too tired to raise the boys), so, I say, why not?  Let's blame it on the feminist movement until someone with a better degree comes along with researched justifications.  
On the other hand, the popularity of the Coen brothers’ movie, True Grit, a remake of an old Western with the same title could be a sign of upcoming change.  I have not had a chance to see it, and from the little research I did on it I am betting it is not The Notebook--but it is a Western-- and as with most Westerns, the men can be drunkards and hooligans but they sure know how to treat a lady.
So to all the single women out there... here's to hoping. 
XXX
PS: Leaving home to go see True Grit, shall let you know if it will indeed be the star to our saviour's arrival

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Boxy with a dab of gathers...a journey to the 80s

Surprise! no circus outfit here- I got this 80s style dress at a vintage store in Oregon.  Since I will never have to fly off a skyscraper to save a burning cat, I took out the shoulder pads that came with the dress.


Open Ceremony wedges; pendant necklace was a birthday gift given to me by my hubby


Stole bag from my mother's closet; she's had it for over thirty years. I love, love, the weathered look of the bag




Michelle watch; bracelet was another birthday gift from a friend-I adore.

Have a great weekend everyone:)

Saturday, January 15, 2011

It's cotton season

and my "picking" skills are heavily needed at the corporate plantation. The mule in me giddies up at this fact and gives me a pat for staying relevant in these modern times; the princess in me wonders why I even own an alarm clock.  In any case, I apologize for not having the time to update as frequently as I should.  Hope you enjoy

Stella McCartney silk wrap-around pants and Zara shirt

Please excuse my pose, I just needed something to rest my "no ass at all" self on:)
Manolo slides

Red lipstick-my favorite thing most hated by my husband.  We have yet to reach a compromise.


"Carlaism" of the day (not that you asked for it):
In a woman's late twenties, silk should replace cotton as the "fabric of our lives".  We are told our twenties are the times where we find and accept ourselves.  What better way is there to enjoy the feeling of being comfortable in one's skin than parading around in silk?
Your thirties, however, should be the age of Chiffon due to the material's ethereal decadence.  I have a feeling one needs a lot more decadence in their thirties...



Pictures are courtesy of DMJ Productions
www.inmymind3.blogspot.com

Monday, January 10, 2011

Tweed with elbow patches: My salute to England's invasion of prime time television

I assume they come in peace--but when the commercial for Benefiber uses an English person as their narrator, one must wonder if we are gearing up for part two of the American Revolution.  This time, with a drastically different result...
Jacket from Zara, Burberry riding rain boots

Dress and belt from H&M


I do love these boots, rain or shine:)


I wonder when the "Americans for entertainment" union will start picketing against all the English accents that are currently populating this country's air waves?  Just in case the "A4E" is too busy to tackle this invasion due to the impending award season, I shall make myself of service and send a notice to members of the Tea Party and the Birthers.  They cannot possibly be pleased that an English man is replacing Larry King...


Pictures are courtesy of DMJ Productions
www.inmymind3.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Fishnets and Patent leather

My fashion version of peanut butter and jelly-it always does the trick when I am starved for a refreshing attire

Christian Louboutin pumps and fishnets from H&M


Shirt from H&M and Leather skirt from American Apparel


Bangle from a jewelry boutique in Houston called Francesca's.



Pictures are courtesy of DMJ Productions
www.inmymind3.blogspot.com

2011 Fashion Resolutions

It is the first of the year and as others are making impossible heartfelt resolutions, I decided to take the easier route and give unwanted advice on one of life’s most fascinating yet frivolous escapes-fashion.  Women of the world, for the year 2011, I urge you to repeat after moi, “the following are items I would never, ever, ever wear in public”:

  1. Uggs-I understand they are comfortable but comfort should not equal showing up in public with a foot snuggie.  Put on a pair of loafers for Christ’s sake.
  2. Crocs-see above discussion.
  3. Velour track suits (especially ones with writings written across the derriere) - The days of “Jenny from the block” is long gone, and just because Wal-Mart has ghetto tendencies does not mean you should clothe yourself like a Boston, trailer-park, crack head in order to visit.
  4. Anything from Ed Hardy.
  5. Synthetic weave-there is an abundance of human hair on the market, make the investment. There is no need to look like you raped a horse for its hair when there are better affordable options.
  6. Bedazzled jeans-“all that shines is not gold” or in this case diamonds.
  7. Lipstick that does not belong in the red and brown family, your face is not a canvas for ROYGBIV.
  8. Acrylic nails-No, Rihanna; it is not going to catch on.
  9. Hammer pants- I just have not seen it flatter anyone. Can it be because it looks like one has feces in their pants when worn?
  10. Monogram bags that are not LV-Since the monogram was Louis Vuitton’s invention, the brand gets a pass; however, refrain from spending good money on a Coach monogram bag, aka- the poor man’s Louis. I call for death of the faux monogram bags.
Honorable mention-Rubber soled flip flop wedges; I do not understand the concept-as a matter fact, I might give all wedges the boot in 2012 (2011 is too soon for me to let them go). The concept of height without sexiness is still one I am mulling over.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Suburbia!!!

For new years day, I met my family for lunch in the land of manicured lawns, gas guzzling SUVs (this is Texas after all),  and ridiculously clean driveways.
For the occasion, I wore high-waisted khakis and a leopard print shirt from Zara. 



I feel like this road is earth's version of streets of gold; seriously, why is there no dirt????

Vintage bag, Michael Kors platforms, and Ray Ban sunglasses. I wore my hubby's socks with the platforms for warmth and because I liked the look for some reason.




Judging by the clear skies, it seems the 'burbs did not only succeed in building an invisible fence to keep eccentrics out, it also succeeded in keeping the Houston smog out of its limits.  That is an accomplishment that certainly needs to be headlined in the HOA's newsletter.


Till next time...