Fafi night.

Sometime last year, my friends Dee and Mabel (aka @burns1130 and @mabellie on twitter) and I had a FAFI NIGHT.
Colourful make up, bold dresses, silly poses - as inspired by French graffiti artist Fafi's cute and sexy cartoon characters - the Fafinettes. I'm looking forward to a follow-on 'dress up party' from this coz it was so fun! The girls brought over some of their favourite dresses and we did some mixing and matching, overdosing on accessories.
Can you notice we all have matching Juicy Couture charm necklaces? If that doesn't spell BFF's then I'm not sure what else does!
[dresses from Topshop, New Look, Valleygirl and Splash]

Dee doesn't have a blog, but visit Mabel's at http://mabellie.blogspot.com/

Comic lady.

I've got Lichtenstein's In The Car hanging up on my bedroom wall so when I saw these pictures, I found it pretty cool.
MAC did a 'real life comic girl' make up session sometime last year. It's extremely impressive don't you think?
I'm already getting Halloween ideas for this year… ;)

The greatest city in the world!

I'm going to London tonight for four days. I'm so excited!!

It's going to be sooo cold so not really looking forward to that but i'm sure the shopping will make up for it! Camden town, Portobello markets, Spitalfields... These are all places I'll be checking out by recommendation by friends.

Can anyone else suggest any other places?

Will hopefully also take some real awesome pictures of the trip. There will be lots of things to see and a lot of interesting people so will definitely not run out things catching my eye!

(Being a typical UK tourist in a phonebooth in Leicester Square, and my friend Cheryl & I in Cambridge).

Cherry bomb.

Look how gorgeous Dakota Fanning is in the February issue of Vogue Italia. Those eyebrows are the sex. I love the edgy, girly look they've given her - very high fashion. I can't really believe she's only 16 still. She looks sweet and sexy, but not too sultry or Lolita-esque. 

The pictorial coincides with the release of her new movie The Runaways, also starring Kirsten Stewart and honestly, I can't wait to see their portrayal of THE MOST KICKASS GIRL BAND EVA...!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-CHERRY BOMB.

A wildfox fairytale.

http://ilovewildfox.com/iloveyouwildfox/2010/2/16/wildfox-fall-2010-its-witchcraft.html

Wildfox's latest collection is called WITCHCRAFT, and to showcase their latest designs, they've done this totally amazing storybook photo shoot. The clothes, the hair and makeup, the set, the props - everything is gorgeous and I just adore it all.

It makes me want to have another dress up session with my girlfriends, playing around with cameras and clothing (except of course we won't have as nice clothes and hair, and our legs are not as skinny haha). 

Check out the link above to view the whole collection and read the story.

I think my new dream in life is to be a part of something as awesome as this. For realz.;)

 By Emily Faulstich and Kimberley Gordon
photos by Emir Eralp

Makeup by Carlene K www.makeupexpert.com

Styling by Kimberley Gordon, Emily Faulstich, Brenda King, Meradith Leyerzaph
hair by Nina Lucas
Written by Kimberley Gordon
Made Possible by Jimmy Sommers

Pout.

So I got braces last Sunday. I hadn't really planned it for long, but on Friday I had a consultation and the dentist suggested it so I got them put on a few days later! I only need it for 4-5 months, but can already tell this will be quite annoying... I love my food and anything that tries to get in the way between me and food is an enemy.

So what I'm left with is this not-that-dazzling smile, and a little bit of a pout. 

LILY LOVE.

The girl is a goddess. I love her.

Lily Allen at the Brit Awards, 2010.
Also, pretty epic performance by Dizzee Rascal & Florence Welsh doing a live mash-up of Dirtee Money & You Got The Love. Amazing.

Pendulum.

Last night, Dee and I went out to see Pendulum do a dj set at Alpha. 

I actually didn't end up wearing the tutu above. Changed into jeans just before going out and I'm so happy I did (note: it was a d&b night!!). We wrote love on our arms, you'll know why if you read the entry 'Hope' a few posts down. Some people were asking about it, especially Dee's coz it was HUGE on her whole forearm - and of course the answer was something like, "no, it's not real. I'm supporting TWLOHA Day. Google it ;)".

Jessica Alba.

Of course, we all know the gorgeous Jessica Alba from the movies. But to be honest, I wasn't really a fan, or hardly took notice of her much whilst flicking through magazines. Lately though, I have been paying attention to her because I've noticed her style is kind of evolving. She's one of the few Hollywood actresses that actually experiment with fashion now. I'm not sure if she always has been like this, but lately the outfits I've seen her in are just amazing. Props to her stylists (or to Jessica who could have decided these for herself)!

These are four of my favourite outfits of hers that I've seen recently.

1. Dressed in MiuMiu at the premiere of Sugar, March 2009. The tights and mini, the vintage-esque top - I love it!

2. People's Choice Awards, January 2010 - looking super sleek and sexy in an Antonio Beradi mini-dress. Those legs!

3. Thanks to Charmaine for showing me this picture... $8000 Proenza Schouler mini-dress and Marc Jacobs platforms at the premiere of Valentines Day, February 2010.

4. I actually don't know the designer of her outfit at this red carpet premiere event but I love how she's clashed the green checkered dress with the blue boots. Not every day you see Hollywood actresses attend events in a 'street style' outfit. And of course, she's dressed quite appropriately for London's chilly weather.

What do you think of her outfits above?
I'll definitely be keeping my eye on her from now on; I can't wait to see what she'll be dressed in next.

McQueen.

A sad day as the fashion world mourns the passing of this unconventional and eccentric Bristish designer.

"It’s a new era in fashion - there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, and up-and-coming designers all together."
- Alexander McQueen

I labeled this post as art because when I think of his designs, I see them as avant garde 'wearable' art pieces.
Although he's no longer with us, what he has given to the fashion world will be remembered. The sheer insanity of his pieces will live on... (until the day THOSE shoes become the norm ;)).

R.I.P ~ Alexander McQueen ~ 1969-2010 

Posh spice.

Victoria Beckham will be Glamour magazine's March covergirl and I can't wait to see the full pictorial. Many thanks to the lovely http://thefashionwh0re.blogspot.com/, who shared these photos with us first. It definitely shows a different side of Ms. Beckham, better than the regular pictures we see of her walking through airports with that stone-cold face and those sky-high heels.

Reminds me of the Spice Girls mania that hit us mid-90s.
Unabashedly I WILL admit that I was a huge fan. I bought their cassettes and CDs, magazine features, I would sit on Saturday mornings watching Video Hits so i could record their filmclips, I think I even owned a Spice Girls lunchbox (ok that, I admit, is quite shameful)...

Posh was always my favourite though. Probably just because she was the prettiest (I was a superficial kid ;).

I'd love if she did more modeling. I know whatever money she would get from doing a shoot is like pocket money for her, but she's got such a nice body and face, seeing her in more magazine shoots like this would be great.

The Bird And The Bee.

I recently discovered the band The Bird And The Bee. They sound like 'a futuristic 1960's American film set in Brazil' in the form of an indie pop duo from Los Angeles. When I listen to them, it makes me feel like I'm sitting in a wide open field, picking daisies and making headbands; or in the backyard on a summers day tie-dying tshirts; or in an Austin Powers video clip; or... ok you get the point.

After googling some images of the band, I've decided that they are simply the coolest. Like they are method actors or something. Well, more like 'method singers'. Dressing the part to sound the part. I imagine tweed suits, mini dresses, slick hair and pocket watches to be a part of their every day wardrobe. When music and fashion is mixed without being 'gimmicky' - the combination of the two great arts is magic. I think Inara and Greg play great music and have achieved a vintage look without seeming pretentious or looking like they've tried too hard.

I wanted to post the film clip for 'Again and Again' from their self-titled album back in 2007, but their embedded videos have been disabled..
Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDlEXQaMBpk

Though I'm a little late in discovering them, I am so glad I did. If you are a pop music fan I'd definitely recommend you check them out.
It's like pop music in one of its sweetest forms.

Cotton candy.

All this talk of pastel hair colours made me get my pink wig out. I wish I had a longer one but they're so hard to find, especially here in Dubai (apart from the crappy plastic Halloween types). This one was purchased in Melbourne a few months ago. Bought it from this small wig shop opposite the Vic markets. It was pretty cheap, about 20 bucks only (and it's so soft, feels lovely through the fingers).

I could never permanently dye my hair one of these cotton candy colours, although I would love to. Maybe if i was naturally a blonde I would. With such dark hair I couldn't do such a drastic change. It does work though, the pink hair on someone with naturally dark hair.
See Lily Allen and Audrey Kitching.

And if you do the pink hair, you've got to go with the whole look, right?
Hello Kitty eyeshadow tattoo, courtesy of - not sure - google?
Electric lightning storm nail art, courtesy of Katy Perry.
And fairy bread, lots and lots of fairy bread, courtesy of fond memories from a childhood in Australia.

Hope.

Today, I didn't go out at all. Dee was over all day, and another friend came over because he's on vacation to the UK for two weeks and he's asked us to look after his cat. I feel bad for my pet cat Pika, she's not liking the presence of another kitteh in the house!

I don't usually wear jeans out, but since I was at home all day, I was lazing about in jeans and a tee. The t-shirt was from the To Write Love On Her Arms line.  The print read "ALIVE: Wake up,  you're alive, we're on your side" - lyrics from a song by the band Lovedrug.

 

TWLOHA is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

Their vision is inspiring - http://www.twloha.com/vision/

I have supported this organization by buying their merchandise for about a year now. I believed their aim, promoting HOPE, was beautiful. I never thought that I would personally connect with the organization, and I'm sad that I now do. Still, what we can do for those in our lives today, could make an impact on their decisions tomorrow. Our best days can only be ahead:-).

To write love on her arms.

 It's been a really tough last few days for me. One of my bestest friends passed away on Friday night.

You know that gorgeous, vibrant girl- the life of the party, the centre of attention (not even on purpose, just by nature)? That was Alaleh.
Her voice was loud and commanding; her laugh was infectious (if not slightly annoying) and her smile just brilliant. She had many friends and loved each of us as precious gifts. When we spent time together, she'd always make me feel like the most important person in her life. I know she made a lot of people feel this way. She was like this with all her friends, making us feel so special and worthwhile.
Despite the geographical distance between us in the last five years, we remained so close - never losing the bond that we shared when we met in 1999.
Unfortunately, underneath her bubbly facade, she battled demons too strong for her fragile mind to handle. Despite the happy face she put on when she was with her friends, when she was alone I think her depression took hold of her and this last time, it won the battle.

This makes me so angry, so upset.
Suicide should not even be an option. Imagine everything your parents went through; those sleepless nights, all that money spent; joyful tears preparing you for school, for life. It's a long and difficult process to bring life into this world. Nine months of your mother's pregnant struggle and years to mould you into becoming a good human being.
Yet it is just so easy to die.
A pill too many, a cut too deep. A step too quick, a step too late.
We really do have the choice to just end it. But it doesn’t mean we should.
The impact of this kind of decision affects so many people. Even my friends who didn't know her personally feel affected by it.
It's because a bright, young girl of 25 years, simply gave up.

I guess now all we can do is accept her decision. It's her life, and if it was that unbearable, can we really blame her? We never knew the extent of her pain, and it's too late to do anything about it now. I just wonder what we could have done. I guess her closest friends did know that she was depressed and some of us may have even knew she was suicidal. But she was taking the right meds, talking to professionals. We loved and supported her, I'm sure she knew this. So what else could have been done? Like I said, we never knew her pain, we never walked in her shoes.

I’m just so distraught and confused. I don't want to believe the fact that she's gone, and I'm upset that she's done it on her own will. I'm upset that I'll never, ever see her again. I'm upset that I can't be there at home supporting the rest of our friend group during this time. I'm angry at whatever it was that caused her sadness. I'm angry that she couldn't have been the strong girl I knew her to be all through high school. Maybe I'm also angry at myself for not being around to help her when she probably needed me most? It hurts knowing that maybe I didn't take her seriously enough all the time. The thought is killing me...

But all I have now are the memories.

Since she moved to my high school, the 'popular kids' always had a thing against her. She stood up to them though. Made sure they knew she was a force to be reckoned with. She remained the bigger person, more likable than any of the rest. I remember she gave me all the advice I needed for my first high school boyfriend. She squealed excitedly and shook me silly when I told her of my first kiss. Then she helped me make the poor boy jealous when things didn't work out. We, along with the rest of our 'gang' prepared ourselves for her sweet sixteenth - her first house party. Then at the end of the night after all the gatecrashers left, we all stood garbage bags in hand, picking up empty bottles off the whole street. I let her dye my hair once, just before the exam period. It turned out crazily blotchy and after a couple of comments about my zebra hair colour, was forced to wear my hair up in a bun for the rest of the day. We loved the beach, and when the weather in Melbourne permitted (rarely), we'd be tanning buddies. She'd always win the race for a darker tan. And also she was the very first person to see me in a bikini! I remember we'd always have the same haircut - by chance. After graduation, we met up one day, the first time in months since we started uni, and there we were with the same straight-bang haircut. Totally psychic (that's what she'd always say).
Just last October, she was with me when I got my first tattoo. We both got one on our arm.
We wanted to keep one another in our sleeves as a reminder that we were never alone.
She got a tulip (her favourite flower), and the English translation of her Persian name, 'buttercup'.
There are so many more memories just racing through my mind. I'm trying to savour each and every one, never wanting to forget her.
She knew me inside out, she knew my beliefs, I knew hers. We knew each others fears and doubts, hopes and dreams.

I will miss her so much.

I still can't believe you're gone.
May your soul now rest in peace, Alaleh.
26/8/1984 - 29/1/2010
xx