I got back from my trip Israel a few weeks ago and I must say...what an experience! Our activities varied from camping in the Negev desert to clubbing in Tel Aviv to to hiking the Golan Heights and Masada to browsing Kabbalah art galleries in Tzfat. Of course, I rode a camel and floated in the Dead Sea! I went through the hundreds of photos that I tooked and selected the ones that I thought best reflected the trip and that would interest you all the most!

Tel Aviv as seen from Jaffa


Buildings in Old Jaffa


A Baha'i temple in Haifa


Grottos in the Mediterranean Sea in Rosh Hanikra


Art in Tzfat


The Golan Heights, which make for super nauseating bus rides!


Jerusalem


Me in the Old City of Jerusalem


The Wailing Wall. My wish backfired on me as soon as I got home!


A friend and I taking in the view of the Negev before a morning hike


The view of the Negev during the hike (I hiked up that whole thing! Lots of hiking happened on this trip...)


The view fom Masada, another gruesome hike


The Dead Sea!

I'm also guestblogging over at Meinto for the month of February. My first post (which went up this past Friday) consisted of an introductory interview that I really enjoyed! You can see the full interview on the Meinto website here. I'll be posting there every Friday for the rest of the month!

(All photos were taken by me)

My results, achieved with the HANA Air, a Goody ceramic round brush, Alba blow dry prep lotion, MoroccanOil Glimmer Shine Spray, and Aveda Brilliant Medium Hold hair spray!

A few weeks ago, I was sent the HANA air Hair Dryer, which I am inexplicably happy with. Several critics have deemed it to be the "Louis Vuitton of hair dryers", and I must say that I agree! It's sleek design, 2300 watt power (incomparable to other popular hair dryers on the market), tourlamine crystals, and ceramic heater all go to present you with fabulous hair!

I must admit that I'm a little stingy when it comes to hair tools and products. I tend to just go for whatever is on sale, regardless of the review. While this hair dryer is a little pricier than most that you'll find at standard salons and drug stores (194.99 online), it is definitely in a whole other league of its own. My hair has never been this shiny or smooth!


What I liked about it:

-Long power cord (easy to multitask/walk around or use a far-away outlet)
-Good, solid weight (easy to hold)
-Sleek design
-Balance of cold and warm air, which reduces frizz
-Dry time cut in about 2/3 of what it would take with a standard on-the-market hair dryer

What Confused Me:

Perhaps I'm just a little "slow", but it took me a while to figure out that the button that would normally be a cool air blast on another hair dryer creates high heat! Hah!

Thank you to much to brian and the others at Misikko. They also sent me Paul Mitchell shampoo, Bobbi Brown travel brushes (perfect for my trip!), a to-die-for eyelash curler, a towel turban, a super cute stuffed animal, some nail tools, and some travel cases! It definitely made my week!

Misikko Products I'd also recommend: This curling iron and this CHI hair dryer.


WHY I'VE BEEN ABSENT....

There have been sooooo many things going on in my life as of late. Unfortunately, they've kind of took priority over my blog. And they are as follows:

1) Exams. Enough said on that front, I guess!

2) School in general! After being severely unhappy for two years in my non-fashion oriented program at Ryerson, I've decided to take a new path and apply for a fashion-related degree. After all, why do something that you're NOT passionate about?

3) I started a new internship at The Peacock Parade, an e-commerce clothing store here in Toronto. I won't go into too much detail about that, but I must say that I am enjoying it!

4) Tomorrow morning, I am going to Israel for two weeks! So excited. My itinerary is jam-packed with activities such as camel riding, camping with Bedouin men in the Judean desert, hiking the Masada, shopping and exploring in Tel Aviv, visiting the Halocaust museum, and so many other amazing opportunities. I will return on the 29th with lots of photos to share!

Now that the New Year is approaching, I intend to get back into the blogging saddle and bring Marvelous Things back to how it used to be!

Before I get started, I'm going to make my stance on the topic clear: I think that Kim Kardashian and the rest of her clan are nothing but a group of fake, greedy, and generally unintelligent people as they clearly don't do any prior research on the products they're creating and endorsing. None of them have a talented bone in their body and in no way deserve this godforsaken media attention surrounding them.

My distaste for the Kardashians has been long-term. Although my distaste grew even more sour when I saw Kim on the cover of Marie Claire, along with the blurb:

"Kim Kardashian reveals what went on in her crazy marriage."

The $10 million wedding, which garnered an estimated $20 million in profit from selling the rights of wedding photos and a live taping was regarded as "America's Royal Wedding". Kim's "union" to Kris Humphries ended a short 72 days following the ceremony. It is completely blatant that the marriage was nothing short of a publicity stunt used to rake in a hefty sum of profit. This is where things start to get sketchy.

For one, Kim promised that the lump sum of her wedding gifts would be donated to charity, yet, rumoredly, not a penny has been donated.

This divorce also happened around the same time that the Kardashians planned to launch their handbag collection, during the launch of Kris Jenner's book, and just before the launch of Kim's fictional novel Dollhouse. Puzzling, isn't it?

Marie Claire has been one of my favorite magazines for a very, very long time. The fashion-forward pieces Nina Garcia curates combined with several articles empowering talented and successful women worldwide (even survivors of genocide, abuse, etc.) is really a force to be reckoned with. So why is someone like Kim Kardashian on the cover?

To sell copies, naturally!

What really irked me is how they placed Kim on this sort of pedestal - not once doubting the validity of her marriage and moulding her into an independent, brutally honest, savvy mogul.

What's even worse is how they conducted the interview.

Kim was interviewed by Marie Claire around the same time the cover shoot/editorial took place, which was long before the wedding. In this interview, however; Kim is reflecting on the union after it had ended, which means that Marie Claire reworked the interview reportedly hours before it went to press. It was reported that Kim had called Marie Claire before the gossip rags knew about the divorce and asked them to edit the interview. This is surely the exact thing that someone that was going through a rough time such as this would do, right? Not exactly.

Luckily, the world is finally putting down their cup of Kardashian Kool-Aid, leaving their house of cards to fall. Fashionista posted a fantastic article exposing all of the products and services that the Kardashians endorsed that turned out to be either ripped off or just a big ol' sham. It's quite the read.

It genuinely upsets me how people like Kim Kardashian have so much power and influence over not only the fashion world, but the world itself. I feel sick when I think of the people who idolize her, thinking that she is truly an inspiration. Especially when there are so many businesswomen in the world who are actually making a difference and creating an empire that is all their own, with no fine print or sketchy details.

Now I know that this article doesn't have much of a point to it, I just deemed it an important issue to recognize that all of these psuedo-celebrities should not be idealized and idolized to the vicious extent that they are now.

I'm curious (and there will be no judgment here, I promise!): Do you watch the show? Have you ever purchased a Kardashian endorsed product? Do you believe that Kim and the rest of the Kardashians are true business people? Do you believe that they are and should be considered role models?

(Photo and some facts surrounding release of issue via Fashionista)

Now, the upcoming complaint may come across as what we 21rst century-ers may refer to as a #whitegirlproblem, but it's definitely true shopping can be hard sometimes. To avoid the pain and suffering, impulse purchases, and general discontent that comes along with a misguided shopping trip, check out my 6 tips to getting the most out of YOUR shopping experience!

1) Have clear goals in mind: Window shopping, or shopping for a certain outfit with no clear pieces in mind often leads to impulse purchases that end up being worn once and being tossed into the back of the closet. Believe me, if anyone is guilty of committing this serious fashion faux-pas, it's me. With that being said, have some sort of game plan in mind before you hit the stores. Attending a New Years Eve fête and don't know what to wear? Make a mental note of some colours, fabrics, or details you want to incorporate (sequins? a bold purple? silk?) to set some guidelines. If you're unclear of whether you want a dress or a top/trousers or top/skirt combination, think of some ideal silhouettes. Do you want something flow-y? Or something tight? These will help you narrow out those unseemly bold buys.

2) Come prepared: How are you going to know what a pair of wide-leg trousers will look like if the only footwear you took along with you is a pair of winter boots. Footwear tends to be the most important aspect of arriving prepared. The best way to plan for this is to consider what type of footwear you'd wear with whatever you're looking for (i.e. boots with skinny jeans, pumps with wide-leg trousers, stilettos with a mini skirt) and bring them into the change room with you. If you're planning for a special occasion, bring an evening bag and some accessories with you so that you're not disappointed later on.

3) Map out your territory: Divide sections of the store as if they were a grid. Eliminate areas that aren't worth your time (i.e. trendy, cheap impulse buys if you're looking for something for the office) to save time. Comb through the worthwhile areas. You never know when you're going to skip over the perfect piece!



4) Ask for help: Sometimes when shopping, we are unsure of what we want or cannot find what we are looking for. Rather than asking for assistance, we usually walk out defeated and grumbling about the poor stock of a store. Shake off some of your pride and ask an associate for help with finding sizes or colours, a piece of a specific occasion, etc.

Now, there are certainly stores with excellent customer service and stores with rude, unhelpful salespeople. Here's a little list of my go-to's and avoidances in terms of staffing:

GO-TO

Mendocino (Canada): This was a store that I had never even considered going to until recently. When I first started shopping there, I thought that the associates were a little pushy (in terms of always taking your stuff to a fitting room, asking you for your size, etc.), but in time, I learned that they were really only trying to help. I love how they'll constantly observe what sort of things you'll try on and go and find you similar pieces. Almost everything that I have bought from there has been something that has been recommended to me by a staff member. Best of all, they're pieces that I never would have picked up and ended up fitting me better than any of my own choices.

Aritzia (US & Canada): The salespeople at Aritzia work similar to those at Mendocino - prepping your fitting room so you don't have to haul pieces across the store, finding your size, recommending pieces, etc. One thing they lack is finding things that you're looking for. Sometimes, they'll just pull a $300 pair of jeans off the rack for you because they know that they'll get a hefty commission cheque if you buy them. They are still friendly and helpful nevertheless.

Sephora (Various Countries): Some of the friendliest salespeople in the biz. You name it, they'll pick a beauty product for you (with honest recommendations of what will and will not work for you), and let you test it out. I've never left unhappy here.

Net-a-Porter (International): The best site for online shopping. All pieces arrive in a prompt 48 hours, included with some snazzy gift-wrapping and free returns. If you're unsure of the look/fit/quality of a product or are unsure of what to buy, their phone hotline and online associates are incredibly helpful.

Other than that, and I hate to say it, anywhere expensive. If the associates know you're spending a lot of money and have made sales their career (rather than associates working as an after school job), they'll be that much more helpful. I also find that owners/associates at independent boutiques are great as they really work towards building that solid associate/customer relationship.

AVOID IT

Large chain stores such as Zara, H&M, etc. (International): Now I'm not saying that every associate here is unfriendly or unhelpful, but a lot of them are. Most of them look bored and tired and are counting down the minutes until they can leave. A lot of these associates are also not on commission, and therefore, don't really care if you walk away with a purchase or not.

Urban Outfitters (Us, Canada, UK): The sales associates usually just stand and talk to each other about how hung over/drunk/high they are. Extremely unfriendly and none too enthused to help.

American Apparel (International): See above.

Target (US): Both in stores and online. Remember the scramble to get Missoni for Target pieces? Those who paid for their pieces and didn't recieve them walked away with a $20 gift card (even if they spent more money than this) and no apology or explaination for lack of stock.

5) Befriend salespeople: Now that you've shopped around and know whose service is top and whose doesn't make the cut, befriend the good ones. They'll be familiar with your sense of style and will take more time to help you find that killer outfit. They'll also probably put things on hold for you and call you when they get new shipments in!

6) Know when to buy, when to think about it, and when to pass: This is another way to eliminate the dreaded impulse buy and walk out with something you truly love. Be sure to ask yourself these questions before making a purchase:

-Do I really love it or am I just settling?
-Is the fit/silhouette, detailing, and colour flattering on me?
-Will I have to have it altered? Dry cleaned?
-Is this piece trendy or can I wear it into the upcoming seasons?
-Can I find something similar elsewhere for less?
-Is the quality of the fabric going to withstand the test of time?
-Can I afford it?

If you've answered yes to at least three of the above questions (I wouldn't say that all seven are prerequisites, I can't be too stuck up!), then go for it. If you've answered no or unsure, it's best to either take some time to think about it and return to the store if necessary, or look elsewhere. If money is an issue, inquire about layaway or any upcoming sales.

Shortly following its inception, Joe Fresh was merely a dowdy, supermarket-based line targeted towards suburban bargain hunters. Over the years, it has progressed into one of Toronto Fashion Week's headliners, with ad campaigns in ELLE and Vogue and a handful of locations opening in the ever-trendy Big Apple. The driving force behind this rise to glory was Joseph Mimran, the label's creative director who began his career in the fashion industry as the founder of Club Monaco. Despite all of this promotion, the idea of buying my wardrobe basics where I bought my chicken breasts and salad was a little unsettling. There's a certain shame that comes along with buying your clothing in a grocery store. With the company's growing demand, Mimran and his associates have planned the opening of several stand-alone boutiques to separate Joe Fresh from Loblaw's. Today, I popped into the first stand-alone store in the GTA on the corner of Queen St. West and Portland to see what it's all about.


Initial Thoughts

-The store was well-merchandised: Nothing was cramped and hung alongside the other pieces on clothing racks. Everything was hung on walls and in full view, sorted by occasion (athletic wear, casual, business, etc.) and colour-coded.

-Good use of lighting with large windows, lots of pot lights.

-Ads were hung on the walls like you'd hang artwork. No ads were hung from the ceiling and were not in-your-face.

-Sales staff lacked a presence. I received no enter/exit greeting, nobody asked me if I required assistance, etc. Perhaps this is a good thing for people who prefer to just shop on their own, but I prefer someone's advice (I often find that "pushy" sales people find me great pieces that wouldn't normally catch my eye) and it's always great to have a staff member take your pieces to a fitting room so you don't have to drag them around the store.

-No leftover summer merchandise, most displays were geared towards late fall/winter. Good to see that there weren't pairs of shorts and summer-y colours like there are in other stores with mass-produced clothing.


Pros

-Good location. The area is filled with both chain and independent boutiques, but is also isolated enough from the downtown core to avoid clusters of tourists and power shoppers.

-Wait times in line for a change room were minimal. Let's face it, nobody likes waiting to try on clothes. We want to try them on, whine about what makes us look fat, encourage our friends to tell us how great we look even if we're going to buy the piece anyways, toy with the idea of buying it for half an hour, buy it, and repeat the cycle.

-Quite a good selection of pieces. Especially in regards to basics like v-neck sweaters, button-ups, slacks, etc.

-Store was uncluttered with lots of open space, which cuts down on time spent crowd-weaving and sorting through aisles. Everything is within view when standing in the center of the sales floor.


Cons

-As mentioned in the "initial thoughts", the lack of a presence from the sales staff was rather annoying. My existence should have at least been acknowledged. A staff member didn't offer to check the back room for a pair of jeans that I would have bought if they had my size on the floor. That's called a lost sale, kids.

-Lack of sizes in more of the trendy pieces. Everything that I was drawn to was either far too tiny or far too large for me. If these pieces are selling quickly, they should restock accordingly.

-I wasn't in the market for any, but there was no lingerie in the whole store. This struck me as odd because the Joe Fresh pop-ups in the Loblaw’s chains often have a massive lingerie section.

-Beauty and eyewear selection not as vast as in the Superstore. Eyewear wasn't on-trend and looked kind of dollar store-esque. The beauty products were good; there just weren't a lot of them.

-The jewellery needs to be much more on-trend. It was the same typical shiny plastic beads on a silk ribbon garbage that they've been pumping out for years. The whole look is very aging, and incredibly tacky.

-Shoes and outerwear should have been grouped together, but were instead scattered around the store. It would have been much easier to memorize the selection and pick-and-choose what I was looking for if I had it all in front of me.

-A lot of the pieces looked great on the hanger, but were ill-fitting. The fabrics were bunchy, wrinkled, and unintentionally sheer. Not a good look.


Overall Rating

6.6/10.

While there are certain advantages to having a stand-alone store, such as shopping downtown and not having to wash the stale supermarket smell out of your clothing, a lot of the in-store boutiques have a better selection than this particular store. From a retail standpoint, the staff needs to work on being both friendlier and more helpful. As a company, the brand either needs to lower their prices down to what they used to be (any piece in the store used to run at next to nothing, but with growing popularity, prices can top those at H&M or Zara) or improve the quality of the fabrics used in the pieces. If you're looking for something trendy or a short-term basic to boost your wardrobe, I'd definitely recommend this particular boutique. If you are looking for something to act as a staple in your closet, you're better off investing elsewhere.

(All photos via FASHION Magazine and various sources. All words and ideas are my own)

After a few e-mail requests, I've put up all of my beauty go-to's up for browsing! Here are the products I use on a daily basis, and yes...I am quite the product junkie.

SKINCARE

Yes...I do use this many products. Told you I'm a product junkie.

Clockwise from top left

Ole Henricksen New Beginning Scrub: This scrub is great for banishing breakouts because of its soft texture and its key ingredient, tea tree oil. Best part? It's free of toxins like sulphates and parabens. While I do love this scrub, the exfoliator I use frequently (see below) is much more effective.

Origins Brighter By Nature High-Potency Brightening Pads: This pads are FANTASTIC. I cannot reccomend a product more than this, well, except for the exfoliator I'm about to mention. They have 1/3 of the strength of a glycolic peel, so they're obviously effective, except you skip out on the redness and the peeling.

LUSH Bubble Gum Lip Scrub: I use this product every night before I go to bed followed by an ultra-moisturizing lip balm. My lips tend to peel and this keeps them super soft.

SUPER by Dr. Nicholas Perricone Bright Eye Cream: I have really horrible under-eye bags (with dry skin) and this product helps banish them. While the colouring hasn't changed too much, my whole under-eye area is much softer.

La Roche Posay Rosaliac Moisturizer: My skin has a lot of red/pink undertones that are hard to cover up with make-up. While the change isn't super dramatic, this product helps keep some of the redness at bay. The only problem with it is that it smells like glue mixed with wet dog. Yuck.

Balea Rosewood Serum: This serum is great for easily irritated/sensitive skin. It really gives my skin a boost when I use it before I moisturize.

ABH Pore Refining Mask: I use this mask just as a precaution once a week. My pores are pretty small so the results aren't too dramatic, but it makes my skin feel really soft!

SUPER by Dr. Nicholas Perricone Coconut Quench Toner: This is a fantastic toner that keeps your skin hydrated. Definitely pick it up!

Fruitique Papaya Enzyme Exfoliating Gel: This product is the 5th world wonder. It goes on like a serum, but dissolves dead skin on the surface of your face to the point where you can actually see them balling up and falling off your face! I also use it as a body exfoliator, on areas like dry elbows and my feet.

Ole Henricksen On The Go Cleanser: This cleanser is fantastic! My skin has improved dramatically since using it. I swear, I will never use another cleanser again!


SHOWER

From left

Philosophy's 'Happy Bithday Beautiful' birthday cake body wash: I actually got this as a Beauty Insider birthday gift from Sephora and am quite taken with it! It makes my skin feel really soft and the smell is divine.

Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Shampoo & Conditioner: I'm not usually a fan of drug store shampoo brands (they tend to dry my hair out beyond repair), but this is one of the best shampoos I've ever used! The smell is amazing, it leaves my hair feeling soft and clean, it's paraben-free, and it's 90% biodegradable!

One N' Only Argan Oil Mask: I use this (almost) every time I shower for some added moisture and shine. It's about $30 cheaper than the Morrocanoil brand, and works just as well!


HAIR

I'm incredibly low-maintenance when it comes to my hair. Normally, I just add some product, blow dry my bangs, and let it air-dry.

From left

Conair Infiniti Wand: When I want to exaggerate my natural curl, I use this wand. It gives my hair a natural look in a relatively quick amount of time.

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment: I've been using argan oil for about a year now, but recently, it has left my hair a little slick and flat. I recently switched to this macadamia oil treatment and am far happier with it. My hair feels super soft, is incredibly shiny, and has lots more volume!

Abba Smoothing Blow Dry Lotion: I use this cream (that I won in FASHION's Big Giveaway!) each time I blow-dry my hair to make it smoother and to protect it from heat damage. The barley and mango scent is deelish and it works like a charm!

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray: I use this spray mainly in the summer for a beachy, wavy look. I like that unlike most sea salt sprays, it doesn't leave my hair crunchy or dry.

Bumble & Bumble Texture Cream: I use this cream for an undone, messy look that's very quick and easy. It definitely exaggerates the natural curl in my hair and adds tons of volume! Definitely a product I'd reccomend.

RUSK Deep Shine Str8 Iron: I just bought this iron and am somewhat satisfied it. It leaves my hair super shiny and soft (without that dreaded burnt hair smell), but it takes FOREVER to get all the kinks out of my hair.



MAKE-UP

Clockwise from top

Urban Decay NAKED Palette: The colours in this palette are so beautiful and so natural. It's perfect for any event, day or night. One of the best beauty products out there!

NARS Blushes in "Orgasm" (near left) and "Sex Appeal" (right): I use Sex Appeal on the apples of my cheeks, followed by Orgasm on my cheek bones. They're great colours with great pigment and the palette lasts forever.

Benefit Boing Concealer: I've been using this product for a few years. If you have consisent acne, I wouldn't reccomend it, but if it's being user to cover a few bumps and blemishes, it's great!

Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil: This is a great, moisturizing liquid bronzer that adds just a hint of glow to your skin.

Josie Maran Argan Oil Skin Matching Foundation: One of the best foundations I've ever used. It's pretty pricey (almost $100 Canadian), but it's totally worth it.

Revlon 2-in-1 Brow Pencil: I love using this to fill in the sparse areas of my brows.

Hard Candy Camoflauge Concealer: One of the best concealers I've ever used. It even covers up tattoos...enough said!

Urban Decay Primer Potion: This is great for helping your eyeshadow last all day long!

L'Oreal A Million Lashes Mascara: It almost feels like there's silicone in this product (is there?), because it coats your eyelashes so nicely.

Will each city's respective editors face off to defend their home turf?

As some of you may know, the world's fashion capitals (New York, London, Paris, Milan) have taken off their gloves and are facing off to defend their fashion week turf. What better way to highlight this very, very immature cat fighting than with a Mean Girls movie analogy?

So, New York will be Regina George, the instigator of all the problems. They decided to move their shows to the week AFTER Labour Day, so that their fashion week would end on September 20th. This means that London, who we will refer to as Cady, becomes Regina's (New York's) sloppy seconds and is moved to September 21rst to 25th. Here's where things get tricky: Paris, who we'll refer to Gretchen as they're a legend in their own mind (and certainly in the minds of others) refuses to move their September 25th to October 3rd dates, leaving Milan, who we'll refer to as Karen as everyone is seeming to forget about it/her, with ZERO days for their shows. Milan isn't going down without a fight, and vows to keep the same days that they use every year.

Milan's head of the Camera Nazionale della Moda (basically the Italian CFDA) has said: “Let the best one win. Italian designers unanimously agreed on the schedule, from the smallest brand to the biggest [one]. They showed great solidarity and Italian pride.”

Diane Von Furstenberg, the president of the CFDA (and thus, NYFW) has responded, saying:

"All of a sudden, on the second Thursday next September, we finally have the good side, and now they want to make us pay. I think this is ridiculous. We are a community of designers. I would like to believe that what we have created with the CFDA — the sense of family and community — is something we can do worldwide. We are all designers, we are all in the same industry. We compete with one another but we love and support each other. That is what it should be."

While she is preaching of unity and agreement, something tells me that Diane isn't giving up anytime soon.

Here's each fashion week's arguments in a nutshell, just for clearer understanding:

New York's main argument is that if they have their fashion week the week of labour Day, the designers will be too rushed, what with partying in the Hamptons and such.

London's main argument is that if their shows are pushed back, the British Fashion Council will be unable to use their venue due to the venue being used for the next Olympic Games.

Milan's main argument is that their production schedule will be affected and the pieces will thus not make it to their respected retailers at that time.

Paris is being rather neutral in the matter and has yet to release an official statement. The only problem is that by leaving the CFDA (New York) to decide on their dates, they will also have to shift their schedule in order to make room for NYFW.

While Milan seems to be handling the situation relatively gracefully, their argument isn't as grave and extreme as they make it out to be. Paris always shows their collection in October and they have had no problems with working with retailers of their collections.

Naturally, each fashion organization will likely put pressure on design houses, magazine editors, and fashion personnel to pick a side. Naturally, as fashion bloggers love fashion drama, we will also pick a side. Personally, I'm on Team Paris. How about you?

One thing to note is that this sticky little situation is far from over. Something tells me that Fendi Baguette bags will be used to cover their owner's faces from scratching nails painted in Chanel's Peridot.

PS: I know I've been so bad with posting lately, I'm so sorry! I've been a little busy with personal endeavours, what with a new school year and starting a new internship in the fashion industry. I do promise that I will try harder!

(Most facts, all quotes via Refinery 29 and Fashionista. All images via various sources, none belong to me.)

The easiest way to stay on the "unpredictable" side of the sartorial world are to mix and match unexpected pieces together for a totally drool-worthy ensemble. The easiest ways to come up with these unexpected looks are through these three juxtapositions:

A) Masculine and feminine (by far, the most popular)
B) Daywear and evening wear (the hardest to pull off, but it looks oh-so-cool if you can do it)
C) Vintage and modern (easy to pull off, but requires some retail expeditions)

Here are four different ways to keep 'em guessing...

1) Chunky menswear knit sweater with tailored metallic pants: Look for a skinny ankle on the trousers and a loose, boyish fit for the sweater to keep the look from looking too grandmotherly. A statement necklace or a chunk watch are a must. For a quirkier look, add a pair of wingtip shoes!

2) A super-formal gown with relaxed hair and minimum make-up: Most people assume that a formal gown requires an entirely made-up face and a super slick up-do. Well, folks, this isn't always the case. Try beachy waves or a simple blow-out instead of a chignon. As for make-up, pick one focal point and stick to it. Try a muted smoky eye in shades of browns and golds instead of black. Perhaps a pale pink lipstick instead of the ultra-glam red? The most important thing to retain while trying this is to remember that there is such thing as too casual With that being said, brush your hair and throw on mascara. Sloppy is not sexy.

3) Vintage costume jewellery with an all-mod outfit: Ultra-mod outfits...think sharp shoulders, baggy albeit structured trousers, top knots, can look a tad costume-y when all worn together. What better way to break it up than by adding some vintage costume (not that kind of costume!) jewellery? Avoid anything so vintage-esque that it will clash, such as cameo brooches, but crystal adornments, bib necklaces, and brass cuffs are the perfect contrast!

4) An evening bag with jeans and a plain sweater or blouse: This is one of the more difficult looks to pull off. Like most outfit combinations, it's all about balance. For an example, you don't want to rock a sparkly clutch with strappy heels or you'll look far too "morning-after-prom-night". Look for a silky bag on a metallic chain or a statement clutch. Just be sure to make sure that this accessory is the focal point of the outfit. Don't pair it with overly-loud colours, too many textures, statement shoes or jewellery, etc.

(Image via The Sartorialist)

(YAY for always looking awkward!)

Today, I'm another year older. I just came back from a great dinner (wasn't overly embarrassed by the staff, thank god!) and really enjoyed my day! Thanks so much to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, you guys are so sweet! :)