Hey guys! Last week, I was at my younger brother's confirmation. Given that a confirmation is a pretty momentus occasion for us Irish folk and that pictures were to be taken, the unwritten dress code was, well, dressy. I'm not one to dress up very often, so I had to set out on a quest to find an outfit that would be perfect for the day, suit my tastes, and my budget. Having grown up in a household in which financial management is everything, I don't find much pleasure in buying clothes that are unnecessarily expensive. This is hardly news to you at this point - if you have seen my previous OOTDs, you can see clearly that my wardrobe is 99.9% Penneys.
Overall, I think I managed the task of piecing the outfit together well: With the help and guidance of my mother and friends, I put together the outfit for a total of €35 - Including dress alterations and shoes. Not bad at all, eh? I also was very pleased with how the outfit looked overall. That proves, ladies and gentlemen, that looking smart does not need to be expensive! There's no shame.
The dress was from Penneys, and I had the straps of it shortened to fit me better. The cardigan is also from Penneys, along with the bag. The pearls I have on are my mother's, and I got the wedges in Dunnes a while ago. I ended up being taller than my whole family for the day... awks. Hope you like! Until next time..
Greetings, readers! As some of you out there may know, I live in a part of the world where the summer lasts about 2 weeks - if you're lucky - known as Ireland. For a while there, we got a taster of what it was like to have nice weather, so I completely took advantage of the flattering sunshine. It definitely heightened my anticipation for the summer, seeing how pretty everything looks when it's not seen in dreary, overcast light. Only a few more weeks!
Here, I'm wearing a denim jumpsuit from Penneys (no surprise), and this huge aztec cardigan was bought ages ago in a really, really cheap shop in Ireland called Guineys. It's the first time I've ever worn it, so I'm pretty proud - cost per wear, etc! I got the tights in Penneys. I seem to be cursed with holes in my tights, so I just cut some more holes to create a pattern. My trusty Docs were a Christmas present, almost two years ago. I know they've been seen in nearly every outfit I've posted, I'm sorry. I can't help myself.
I'm three weeks away from exams, so I will be pretty scarce online until mid June - even more scarce than before! Hang in there, try not to miss me... Ha.
If I'm completely honest, the only time in my life that I religiously wore lip gloss was when I was 8-10 years old - It was the only product I could get away with wearing, and I used to really like the look of it. Now, not so much.. I'm not quite sure why. But, this gloss is a small exception! The Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss (great name, guys) in Punch Bowl is great; I got it in one of Soap and Glory's Christmas gift sets, but the gloss usually retails for about £9.00. I must say, I would not usually pay that for a lip gloss. But, then again, I'm incredibly stingey.
This lipgloss itself is a really nice shade - it's bright and really pigmented, but it's still a shade that can be worn in an every day, normal look. It also has the perfect amount of glossiness. It doesn't settle into the lips with a sort of cheap, tacky finish, but instead seems to stay as it looks when you first apply it. Having said that, it is a little sticky.. When the glossiness has faded away, there's still a faint pink colour left behind that I really like. I think sometimes, I just apply it for the after-colour!
As for its plumping abilities, I did notice that my lips were a little more big after applying. But, whenever I applied the gloss, it gave me a weird, stingy/tingly feeling for a few minutes. It's not very comfortable, but bearable. I would say that that is probably the only downside to the product. The gloss also has a really nice, sweet smell/taste.
Overall, I really like this lipgloss. Who knows, maybe it's the lipgloss to get me back into lipglosses.. We'll see.
There are too many people these days who fob off 'the awrts' as some sort of untouchable, ridiculously intellectual activity. Too many people think that if you walk into an exhibition and there's a lump of clay on display, you're meant to see your past life as a gold fish. People don't seem to grasp that no opinion, no interpretation is wrong: Art doesn't judge. If a short film makes you shed a few tears, that's alright. But, if you find yourself sitting there thinking, 'what on earth did I just watch?' that's fine too. Art is nothing to be afraid of.
Although I'm not always someone to praise Waterford City, I'll have to admit that it's great for creativity and whatnot. We've got festivals upon festivals, museums upon museums, and for goodness' sake, Waterford made its name from the iconic works of crystal made in the city for centuries. It saddens me, however, that so many people are terrified of this - a lot of us (including myself, some of the time) immediately assume that appreciating something creative and different is not for us. I, myself have very fixed ideas about the art I like - I'm more of a neon-green-Virgin-Mary-statue kind of girl, I won't lie. I like disturbing stuff: Stuff that makes you think, so much so that you don't sleep for a week. For example, Gottfried Helnwein had an exhibition called 'The Last Child' all over Waterford in 2008 about children at war. The shot of a girl plastered in white face paint (pictured above) that was put slap bang on the Quay was, and still is, in my opinion, one of the best things to ever happen in Waterford. When I see pictures of it come up on Tumblr, I can't help but feel proud.
But that's not the point - the point is, everyone is allowed to appreciate art and it can be any form of art at all. There is no such thing as 'good' or 'bad' art, and equally so with the people who go and see it. There is no category they must fit or qualification they need to acquire, all they need is the willingness to try with art - to see it, to process it.
If I could change one thing about Waterford, or teach the people of Waterford (including myself) one thing, it would be that there are no boundaries with interests. Those who sneer at the multi-personality, internet oriented, 'Vogue is my vocation' girl who says she likes photography because of the colours (me, yes hello) are the ones who are missing something important with art - it's for anyone. The sooner people realise that, the better.
That's why I decided to try out for Waterford Young Arts Critics, a group that will critique and promote the creative side of owld Port Lairge. People need to know that it's fine to not understand a painting - hell, the Mona Lisa is centuries old but no one really ever understood it.. Or am I missing something?
I've been going through a huge phase of watching lots of movies while being on holidays from school (YES!), so much so that I thought of making a post about of some scenes that have really stuck with me. Below is a playlist of the scenes, and below that is my own little running commentary. One major warning before continuing, though, is this: Spoiler Alert! Enjoy.
The first scene is from Wayne's World, which is quite a classic, in my books. I adore its complete idiotic cheesiness, and if you haven't seen it, you really should. My favourite thing about this scene is the momentBohemian Rhapsody reaches its heighest point, and they all just freak out with some headbanging! The synchronicity of it is brilliant, and I think it shows perfectly well how stupid and awesome the whole film is. Great opening sequence.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower has a really, reaaaally beautiful closing scene. I love the colours, the monologue spoken by Logan Lerman ('Charlie') in the background, everything. The single moment when David Bowie starts blaring is absolute perfection, and if you want to be really cheesy, you could say that it's infinite. Only people who have read the book or have seen the movie would get that. Pff.
The scene I have picked out from Moonrise Kingdom is both funny and adorable. It captures the innocence and curiosity that comes with being a 12 year old, and Jared Gilman (who plays Sam) really cracks me up with his ~major~ dance skills. The fact that this scene is quite understated is also what makes it great; I admire that the director didn't try to make it some sort of perfect, romantic kiss scene as many have done before. It wouldn't seem right, would it?
The next scene is practically iconic, and it comes from the 'fricken' brilliant Napoleon Dynamite. Napoleon, played by Jon Heder, busts a move in order to represent/promote his friend Pedro who is running for Class President. It's dead embarrassing and awkward, but you've got to give him credit: He's pretty good! But, what really makes this scene is Jon's indifferent, bored expression whilst doing this completely sassy, 70s disco routine.
SLC Punk!'s best scene, in my opinion, is the one in which Stevo (Matthew Lillard) walks in to find his best friend, Heroin Bob (Michael A. Goorjian) dead. I love how completely emotional he is, and you can see that by the spit and tears flying everywhere. This scene also contains the line, 'Only posers die', which has probably stuck with me since I first saw the movie. It shows just how fixated Stevo is about being a 'true' punk. But, aside from that, Bob's electric blue Docs are awesome.
The last scene I've got lined up, from Girl, Interrupted is rather messed up, and really intense. Susanna and Lisa have escaped from their mental institute, and are spending the night with a released patient, Daisy. Lisa, well, basically goes mad. It's quite a disturbing scene, but I guess that's why I like it. Plus, it contains Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, and Brittany Murphy. What's not to love?! Might I add, this scene completely shows off Jolie's acting skills. I also quite like her, blonde.
Beauty Team - As seen on Dragon's Den - recently opened its second studio, in Tramore, Waterford. If you're not already familiar with Beauty Team, lemme give you a little summary of what they do: They're a (brilliant) team, highly skilled in beauty and photography, who offer a wide range of services to anyone - young and old! I love peering onto Beauty Team's facebook page to see what they've been shooting lately, and I was lucky enough to be involved with the webshow Teenage Kicks a few months ago, which was produced by Beauty Team.
So a few days ago, I got to see the Beauty Team Studio 2 for the first time. I had been in Beauty Team's first studio several times previously, and from the moment I heard there would be a second studio, I thought it would have a lot to live up to! It's an absolute work of art, and its fun but relaxing setting always made me feel really at home. So, when I stepped into the second studio, I was absolutely stunned - Its plush, regal seats and sleek, retro 'beauty area' (I honestly don't know what you would call the area where seats and mirrors are situated - you know what I mean) nearly had me on my knees. I can safely say that both studios are beautiful, and like nothing I have ever seen before! I love how unique they are, and how they ooze creativity and luxury.
Anyway, let's move away from interior design for a second, and get more to the point of why I was in the studio: Beauty Team is starting a 'Your Style' project, that promotes and celebrates everyone's unique personal style. As part of the project, all teens were welcomed to the studio to have a few free, totes-profesh photos taken. Who could say 'no' to that?! And, well, the concept behind this little event is absolute perfection. Beauty Team believes that 'style is about the very essence of who you are and how you carry yourself,' and I could not agree more! I think it's so important that everyone learns to tailor how they dress to their own likes, interests, and personality. Great job, Beauty Team! I had a splended day.
I know Easter Sunday was almost a week ago, but I still feel like I should show you what I wore, regardless. I wanted to get a little more dressed up than usual, but still kept it rather simple with nice, muted colours. The jumper I've got on is from Forever 21, and if I'm honest, it's like a rag now - not the best of quality. I got the skirt in River Island several years ago, on sale. I know you can't really see in the picture, but it's got a really nice button up thing down the middle, and cute little pockets. The tights are from Penneys - it's a very rare thing to see me in tights that aren't black, these days! The boots, seen previously, are from Dunnes. I love them, despite them being way too big so I can barely walk in them.
Quick note: This Monday, I will be returning back to school, and the next two months will be spent holed up in my room with text books. I've got state exams in June, and although they're not the be all and end all of exams, I'm aiming to do well. For those reasons, I apologise if I do not get around to making that many posts! I stress easily, and I don't want this whole blogging thing to add any extra pressure. Try not to miss me.. x
