Wednesday 29 February 2012

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2012: THE PLAN

Cute introductory video first...




Yay! The post you've all been waiting for! Or at least the 50 of you who registered to come along to the International Women's Day blogger fundraiser I've been harping on about for the last bajillion years!

I tried to reply to all of you to confirm your registration but I got a bit sidetracked what with the actual orga-ma-nising fandango, but rest assured that if you emailed me your name and address you're on the list, DAHLING!

Also, if you're expecting fancy invites in the post... I had to sack that idea. Sorry, but I wasn't actually sent enough out in the first place, plus I have had NO TIME to deal with admin issues of such magnitude - too busy arranging an awesome night innit!

ON TO THE FUN SHIZ!

  • The event will be held at the Hillhead Bookclub just off Byres Road in the west end of Glasgow. We have a special bit reserved up the stairs to the left as you walk in - but fear not, someone will be there to say HIYA and point out the stairs incase you've never been before. It's purty :)

  • It's on from 5.30 - 9.30 or whenever really since it's a bar and open till midnight so if you wanna stay and help me drink my body weight in red wine after, please do!

  • There will be a bake sale and specially discounted Shellac nails by Rani which will be running all night. Needless to say all fundz raised go to Oxfam's International Women's Day campaign.

  • You will be given a FUN, LIGHTHEARTED and female-themed Quiz sheet and answer paper on arrival (which you don't have to do, but if you want to that would be cool) and at the end the winner gets a special prize. (CLUE: it may or may not be a meal for two at Browns in Glasgow... but it is.)

  • At 7 pm the Clothes swap madness with begin! All you need to do is bring a couple of items of clothing or accessories with you that you don't wear and that are in good condition and then swap em for something else! You don't have to take part in this, but clothes swaps are always particularly LOL-WORTHY and an awesome way of getting rid of junk and picking up new threadz. It will cost a couple of quid to take part.

  • At 8 pm the best raffle in the history of the world will take place! Some of the amazing prizes on the night include three awesome Lomography cameras, a £200 voucher for a makeup class at the Academy of Make Up, Elemis and REN skincare goodies courtesy of PURE SPA, two free PURE SPA treatments, John Frieda hair goodies, BM Make Up gift box, Bomb Cosmetics gift box, a stunning piece of ROX jewellery, two Argan oil gift boxes, Sarah G Cosmetics gift box, two £50 SCHUH vouchers and a few other amazing surprises!

Goodybags will be given out after that and then y'all are free to go or hang about and get messy, up to you! I am also hoping that Laura from Oxfam Scotland will pop in and say a few words about International Women's day and where all our money will go.

YUSS, I literally can't wait! It's going to be a great night, with lots of lovely folks and loads of cake and schmoozing and prizes :)

BUT, let's remind ourselves what we're raising money for...



We're raising money to tackle entrenched attitudes that women are second class citizens. That they don't deserve the same freedoms, equalities, standards of living, care and respect as men. These entrenched attitudes deny women their rights and that's something I'm not about to let slide.

The reality is that in many countries, women:

Miss out on an education

Two-thirds of all children worldwide who are denied school are girls and in the developing world the majority of women are illiterate.

Having never attended school or dropped out at a young age because of early (and often forced) marriage, these women are cut off from the world through their inability to read and write. This limits their choices, their potential and ultimately their life. These women aren't stupid, they know they are missing out.

£135 trains 5 teachers in Mali who between them teach over 250 girls, encouraging them to stay in school. By educating these girls they provide a whole generation with skills to work their way out of poverty.


Suffer horrendous domestic violence

Violence against women is the single biggest cause of injury and death to women worldwide.

Each year, in this country alone, 3 million women experience violence and many more live with the legacies of abuse experienced in the past.

Violence against women includes domestic violence, rape and sexual violence, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, crimes in the name of honour and trafficking and sexual exploitation. Facts consistently show this violence is perpetrated in the vast majority by men, and often partners and husbands.

"Violence against women continues to persist as one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights abuses in the world. It is a threat to all women, and an obstacle to all our efforts for development, peace, and gender equality in all societies. Violence against women is always a violation of human rights; it is always a crime; and it is always unacceptable. Let us take this issue with the deadly seriousness that it deserves." - Ban Ki moon, United Nations Secretary General


Die needlessly in childbirth

Every single minute a woman with no medical care dies in pregnancy or childbirth.

Having a baby should be a time of excitement, hope and joy with just a twinge of anxiety at the thought of the new challenges ahead. However for women in Ghana, where the track record for maternal health is one of the poorest around but is by no means an exception in the region, it is more often than not a life-threatening situation - a terrifying time of true dread.

90% of all maternal deaths occur in the developing world. Between 1,500 and 3,900 women die in Ghana alone from pregnancy complications each year, and for every death, a further 30 women suffer from short and long term complications.

Living in rural areas, illiteracy and a lack of understanding of their rights, as well as a shortage of trained medical staff nearby, all intensify the problems that these women face.


All of Oxfam's projects have gender equality at their heart, ensuring women overcome the discrimination they face and secure their basic rights. The money we raise next week will go towards helping Oxfam to combat these issues and provide help and aid where it is most needed, but I also hope that during our wee get together we can remind ourselves that the issues of gender inequality and sexism occur CLOSER TO HOME as well.

For example, forty years after the Equal Pay Act, women are paid on average 22.6% less per hour than men, and 30,000 of them are sacked every year simply for being pregnant. Women make up only 12% of FTSE 100 directors, and remain starkly in the minority in parliament and the legal profession. In the workplace, they continue to be victims of sexual harassment; at home, they are likely to be victims of violence (one in four at the hands of a partner or former partner). Last year, 100,000 women were raped in the UK. The conviction rate for this crime is just 6.5%. In 21st-century Britain, women's bodies are objectified like never before: in men's magazines, in lapdancing clubs, and on the internet.

Recently, the Uni Lad fiasco highlighted the fact that rampant sexism not only still exists, which is depressing enough in 2012, but that it runs rampant within the younger generation - OUR GENERATION. I'm not OK with this. I'm not going to accept having the piss taken out of me just because I'm a woman. And I'm not OK with being labelled as a dour-faced, frigid, feminist dyke who doesn't get the joke because I'm offended when someone gropes me in the bar queue, or leers at me in my car, or heckles me in the street. I'm just not going to let it happen.

BLARGH! Anyway, women, of course, are not simply victims of gender discrimination. We are also awesome human beings who have achieved so many mentally-amazeballs things it'd take me another mammoth blog to document. And no-one wants that. Let's face it, this has been a slog right?

So instead let's all eat cake, schmmooze, swap some clothes, get wur nails done and raise money for a charity who concern themselves day and night with putting an end to all the BULLSHIT.

Congrats for getting to the end. I don't know about you but I need a lie down.

Here's a picture of feminist Ryan Gosling as a reward :)


Love!

x


Tuesday 28 February 2012

KATY PERRY COVERS INTERVIEW MAGAZINE

KABLAMO!



I mean, yes, she looks smokin' hot, mainly because they've completely changed her entire look so much that it's hard to tell who it even is (no bad thing, I am NOT digging the blue hair stage at the moment. There's just something really UNCOOL about her that I can't put my finger on) HOWEVER, what excites me most about this sneak peek of the March cover is the bit where it says SARAH BURTON BY SARAH JESSICA PARKER.

Let's absorb.

Can you even imagine how good that interview will be? We all know SJP was the late, great Lee McQueen's close friend and ambassador for the brand - she can still pull off a McQueen on the red carpet like no one else - so I have massive expectations for this interview. Plus, she's funny, warm and witty and if anyone can coax the notoriously shy Burton out her shell, it's Carrie. Wait... SJP. Same difference, RIGHT?

Ooooh, I can't wait!

OSCARS 2012: BESTS

I forgot all about the Oscars on Sunday night. WHY? Cos I went out for a couple of drinks in the afternoon and ended up on a wild bar-crawl adventure through Glasgow culminating in a lot of drama and a very sore head the morning... THAT'S WHY.

ANYWAY, while I was getting jakey, this lot were getting their glam oan. I'm only doing the bests this time, partly cos there weren't that many disasters (except George Clooney's missus, JLo, Cameron Diaz's face, Shailene Woodley, Vanessa Hudgens and Judy Greer) and partly because I can't really be bothered.

Bernice Bejo in Elie Saab. Wasn't it actually GAGA who predicted mint would be a big deal this year? Spot on Gaga, this embellished pastel number is stunning, age-appropriate and the epitome of class.

Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture. A tricky one to pull off thanks to the high neck, bow, ruffles and colour, but consistent risk-taker Emma knocks it out the park once again.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford. Gwyneth is THE most irritating woman in the entire universe hands down, but I struggle to think who else could pull off something so structured and minimal. Also, glad to see she's ditched the thigh-high split. Wish I could have said the same about Angelina Jolie...

Rooney Mara in Givenchy. Once again it's all about the hair and makeup. I WISH she'd crack a smile once in a while though. It's getting a bit old, that intense stare.

Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton. Perfect colour, perfect peplum (love that it hits at the exact right spot and doesn't swamp her petite frame) and PERFECT styling with the pale pink clutch. Love, love, love.

Claire Danes in Valentino. I get the impression Claire is more comfortable in 'safer' dresses than this one, but the colour, style and fit actually really suit her. But her best accessory here is that big grin - NOT a dress to look dour in or take too seriously.

Amy Adams in Vivienne Westwood. I never really see Amy looking full on SEXIFIED on the red carpet (or, actually, ever) so I'm pretty happy she uped the ante in this metallic number. Totes hot.

Gwen Steffani in unknown. It's red hot until you get to the shoes. GURL, patent courts are NOT the way to accessorise such a fierce dress. 5/10 so not really a 'best' but whatever.

Lily Collins in Monique Lhullier. Isn't she the cutest? She reminds me so much of a young Camilla Belle... Anyway, this dress is gorgeous with her pale skin and dark hair combo, but it doesn't really scream after party to me. I wish it had been shorter or tighter or SOMETHING, I mean, how is she supposed to get crunk on the dancefloor in this? Regardless, it still photographs fabulous on the red carpet, so kudos.


Finally, let's all just take a minute to appreciate January Jones.
Ahh, my beloved JJ, I'm so happy you've emerged from social hibernation! Now please, proceed to wow us on the red carpet like you used to...



January Jones in Wes Gordon. She just ALWAYS. LOOKS. FABULOUS.
In fact, screw it, ama do a Why I Love January Jones post next.

What did y'all reckon of the Oscars red carpet - who was the best of the best and the worst of the worst? Go on, I love a good bitch!


Wednesday 22 February 2012

MY POP ART VALENTINE

So I know it was Valentines day over a week ago now, but I thought I'd still show you some cute pictures from a shoot I did with Carrie for the Sunday Herald last week.

I particularly loved the pop-arty styling and awesome post-production artwork - makes a nice change from the more predictable soft, pastel, romantic Valentines vibe.



Cute, right?

All images shot by the lovely Kirsty Anderson.

Heading back to the Herald HQ this week and really looking forward to it :)

OOOH, by the way, a post finalising deets for the International Women's Day meet will be up before the end of the week I PROMISE! Just getting some last min stuff together but y'all are gonna flip out - it's THAT good!


Sunday 19 February 2012

PUGS IN HATS, YO

What's that?

It's London Fashion Week you say?

Oh, I hadn't noticed as I've been SUPER busy PMSLOLLING at these adorable pics of Pickles the pug posing in an assortment of ridonculous, hand-knitted hats!

Cupcake Pickles

Clown Pickles

Viking warrior Pickles

Christmas tree Pickles

Teddy bear Pickles

Carmen Miranda Pickles

Lamb Pickles

Happy Birthday Pickles!

Easter chick Pickles

If I had a pug as adorable as Pickles, you KNOW I'd be dressing him up like this. Every day of the week.

Available to buy here on Etsy.


Normal service shall now resume.

Friday 17 February 2012

RECENT PURCHASES: FEBRUARY

Shockingly I've not actually spent too much this month so far! Cray cray I know and not like me at all, but I've been quite uninspired by the high street of late, and I seem to keep getting outbid by a POUND at the last second on eBay which is massively frustrating... Seems the universe is telling me to save my pennies for some reason...

*strokes beard mystically*

Anyway, here's a little mix of some of the stuff I HAVE managed to buy.


A scrummy afternoon tea with the maw at the Butterfly and Pig Tearooms.
I've been in here loads but never actually splurged on the full afternoon tea package but I was in the other day with my maw, thought SOD IT and treated her to the works. CHECK OUT THE CAKES! Absolutely delish and worth every penny!




Topshop lipstick in Innocent.
Argh, sorry for the HUGE close-up of my trout pout, just wanted to show you the difference between the bullet, swatch and how it actually looks on. As you can see it looks a little darker and warmer swatched but actually goes on quite blue-toned. This is perfect for me as I reckon I suit cooler-toned lippys but just beware before you buy. As for the texture, it's soft and quite moisturising but nowhere near as awesome as Pillow Talk from the Smoke and Mirrors collection. Oh, Topshop, PLEASE re-release it!
Topshop nail polish in Hidden Treasure.
Apparently folk are touting this as a dupe for Chanel's Peridot polish so if that floats your boat defo snap it up, it's only £9! I do like this but think it gives a better pay off when layered over black or dark green. Let's face it though, the real issue is my crappy, stubby nails. MUST STOP BITING.
MAC mineralize skinfinish natural in medium.
I do like my Chanel loose powder but sometimes, on drier days in the office with the air-con up full I find it's really VERY powdery and tends to cling onto my huge sideburns/downy fur up the sides of my cheeks. SOOO when I discovered MAC are doing free online delivery for London fashion week I just had to buy this. Waiting on it arriving and VERY excited to see if it lives up to all the hype.



Topshop floral t-shirt and tunic.
The top one is from the actual shop and looks way nicer in real life. The print is sort of worn and looks kind of vintage, but it's only on the front and not the back which BUGS ME. The second was an eBay bargain. Not even really sure why I got this... I guess I remember liking it when it was out in the shops and I managed to get it for just £8 so meh. Check me all floral out ma nut. You'd think it was like, Spring or something...

intage cat-print cropped t-shirt.
I featured this in my Etsy roundup recently and YUP, I bought it. It's REALLY, REALLY cropped though, not quite sure yet how exactly to wear it. But I'll figure it out. I mean, I have to right? Look at all the cats!!!


Minkpink Marrakesh dress.
I absolutely love this but evidently it splits opinion since Kirsten thinks it looks like a tablecloth. Last week I was literally like "I think I'll wear my new patterned dress, the one that ties at the back," and she goes, "Oh aye, yer tablecloth dress?" CHEEKY MARE. But yeah, this was in the Urban Outfitters sale for half price so double snaps for me. Love.

Liz Earle Instant Boost skin tonic.
Y'all know how much I love my cleanse and polish so I decided to pick this up when I found I was running low on my usual toner. I'd been using the Clinique anti-blemish solutions toner for YEARS but was getting pretty sick of it and I was totally lost about where to go next. Liz Earle just seemed like the sensible choice. This smells lovely and doesn't sting - so far thumbs up.

Desert Essence thoroughly clean face wash.
I got this in Whole Foods on a total whim. I'd been looking for a tea tree oil-type face wash for a while but all the ones I'd tried were really harsh and drying. This one's got loads of other oils in it too though and when it first comes out it looks and feels just like an oil, which is kind of weird. Once you start to rub it in it eventually foams up but it doesn't leave my skin tight or too squeaky. I mainly use this in the morning and I like it so far, although I've had a bad couple of outbreaks the past wee while and I can't work out what's been causing it so I'm keeping my eye on this...
Kiehls Ultimate Strength hand salve.
Reading the gumph on this online you'd think it was for WORKIES ONLY and to be honest my hands aren't really THAT dry, but what they are is old looking. The skin on the tops of my hands is really papery and thin, and I have loads of wrinkles and lines around my knuckles and ragged bits of skin round my nails where I bite and... BLEUUURGHH, OK, basically it's just hand carnage. I have the hands of a pensioner, for real.
This stuff is a super duper strength salve, really not one for chucking in your bag and using on the go. I only ever slather this on at night and in the morning they look less wrinkly and feel velvety smooth, it's magic. The weird, filmy, glove-like texture takes some getting used to so I'd say really only get this if you truly need it.

Cath Kidson toiletry bag.
For keeping my face crap in instead of it all just being strewn across my room/the bathroom/any available surface. Come on, who doesn't love Cath Kidson?

And THAT'S IT. Seems like not a lot really, but February ain't over yet...

Monday 13 February 2012

COBALT EYES

I haven't been paying much attention to New York fashion week output (for shame!) but I stopped short when I saw these pics of the makeup at Prabal Gurung's AW12 show.

Such an unusual eye - I'd LOVE to see someone on YouTube recreate something similar but a little more wearable. The diagonal stripe of colour really POPS, no?








Love how this last shot shows just how many shimmery colours were used to create this look - bronze, green, grey, blue and turquoise.

Please, there must be a beauty guru out there willing to recreate this for the real world?


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