If You've Got It, Flaunt It!

I am not a big action movie fan, but Paula Patton from Mission Impossible 4 (it recently came out in theatres) has definitely caught my eye lately.  Why?  Well not because she kicks ass with Tom Cruise in the 4th installment of the action series, but because she has shown up at almost all the press events for the movie in minidresses that show off her amazing legs:

It got me to thinking, sometimes in the doldrums of daily life, when we are really dressing for function more than style, we forget to flaunt our assets.  So, whether you have a teensy waist, or great cleavage, or fabulous legs or an amazing ass, when you ring in the new year tomorrow night, don't forget this one very important thing:  If you've got it, flaunt it!  If you can't do that on New Year's eve, when else can you do it?!

Happy New Year from Miss M!

Winter Wonderland

In a few days, I'm uber excited to be heading here to ring in the New Year:

Beautiful Whistler, BC

Now that the hotel is booked, travel arrangments are made and dinner reservations confirmed, it's time to decide what the heck to pack.  I am from Vancouver, but if you weren't aware, we aren't known for "real" winter weather.  In fact, we are called the "wet coast" because of the massive amounts of rain we get, not for the massive amounts of snow.  Given that, there is no necessity to really have a lot of winter clothing, so now I'm wondering what to wear.

My inspiration so far?  Lots of fabulous boots, grey tones, icy blues and a bit of brown too.

I've also just recently purchased these adorable hiking inspired booties in black.  I won't be hiking in them, but I will be looking fabulous in them!

Forgive and Forget

A few months back, a good friend said something that really offended me - it was a general statement based on her experience, but it is one of those things that when anybody heard it, they would think "how small minded of her".  What made that generalization even worse is that the group of people she generalized about was a group that I directly belong in - female managers.  When she said "I don't think women are good managers", I was so angry/shocked/hurt that I had to cut her off as she tried to explain why she felt this way.  I think that was wrong of me but I was on the edge of a) telling her off or b) storming out of the restaurant.

We haven't seen each other much since she made that statement, mostly because I have been avoiding her.  But I have been thinking about it a lot - why did she say this?  What made her say it again (since she had said this to me once about 5 years ago)?  How could she say this and think that I would not be offended?  Why had she not got past her bad feelings towards female managers after all these years?  It really was baffling.

We finally got together the other day for brunch.  I approached her to get together because I knew I didn't want to start 2012 with feelings of resentment towards anyone without them knowing it at least.  Things started off fine - we caught up on general things and by the time the food arrived I thought, ok, time to approach the subject.  I told her how hurt I was by what she said and how I could not understand why she would still think that way.  She apologized, but defended herself, saying that she always gives everyone an equal chance to make an impression and would never think that way without a good reason.  I said, regardless it isn't fair to lump everyone together and how can you know if you are giving someone a fair chance when you are coming into the relationship with that mindset?

Long story short...she apologized but was firm to point out that this is her experience. I appreciate the apology (and I told her this), but there are still lingering feelings of resentment there.  I'm finding it hard to let go of those feelings and move on.  Part of me thinks that perhaps we are just too different now to really understand each other's perspective anymore. I used to be able to give her the benefit of the doubt, but now it is getting much harder to understand why she feels the way she does about this, and lots of other things.

I suppose the best thing in this situation is to continue to remind myself that I have forgiven her for what she said and that isn't dependent on whether or not I understand or agree with her.  It is difficult but it is needed if I do want to salvage our friendship...which I guess is the next big question here.  Like anything in life, I suppose if our friendship is meant to be, it will last the test of disagreements and hurt feelings over time.  We will see what happens next.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season, from Miss M!

PS:  Contrary to what Charlize Theron believes, I totally think it is ok for grown ups to like Hello Kitty.  How can you not love that adorable little face??

Glymm Beauty Box: the Arrival!

A few weeks ago I wrote about the Glymm Beauty Box I signed up for.  I promised to share the contents of my box with you all, so here it is!

An adorable jar of white and red jellybeans, Lise Watier eye cream & "flash" radiance serum, AHAVA mineral handcream  , a YSL mini perfume and a full size Sula Natural lip gloss.  Love it all!

I am in love with the idea of receiving a little box of goodies each month for a mere $10.  I can see this (hopefully) helping me cut back on drugstore purchases that I don't need because I have the beauty box to look forward to.

I also have to share that my new rose gold watch came by courier today.  Nordstrom delivers at amazing speed!  Very impressed with this and that the watch is everything I wished for and more.  

My new baby!  So pretty.  Sigh.

Signature Scent

I have been a perfume "whore" for a long time.  What does that mean?  Well, I jump from one fragrance to the next without thinking and never seem to settle on just one.  That changed when I discovered Jo Malone fragrances last year.

I was in Ireland on an exchange program and after 15 heavily scheduled days of a 30 day, 11 stop exchange, I finally had an afternoon to myself in Limerick.  I ended up in the beauty section of a department store called Brown Thomas where I honed in on the large Jo Malone counter.  I had heard the name before and was curious to find out what Jo Malone was all about.   What I learned was that the scents in her collection are very unique - from Lime & Mandarin to Wild Fig & Cassis - and so are the recommended ways to pair two or more of the scents together.  I ended up buying two fragrances that day and I have been a devoted Jo Malone customer since.  I have my special scent and though I don't tell anyone what that is, I often hear "you smell amazing! what IS that?"

If you are looking for a "signature scent", Jo Malone is the place to find it.  The fragrances are categorized from Citrus to Light Floral to Spicy, and more.  There is definitely something for everyone.  You can shop Jo Malone on their website as well as most higher end department stores like Nordstrom in the states or Holt Renfrew in Canada. Or, if you are ever in London check out her luxe new store in the West Village.

Stocking Stuffer: Daily Diary

I am not one to give a lot of gifts around Christmas (except for my niece and nephew), but I thought I'd share for those doing some last minute shopping.  

Writing in a diary is pretty much reserved for 7th grade girls writing about their latest crush, however I think the Keel's Simple Diary is a pretty neat way to keep track of life's daily events.  Find it and other fun literary based gifts at Taschen.com 

Random Fashion Notes

Why does being a "diva" get translated into being tacky more often than not?  I love when people go over the top in one element of their outfit, but Jennifer Hudson took the cake for OTT in every aspect last night at the VH1 Divas Live show.

What, I repeat, WHAT, was she thinking?  My guesses at her inspiration, from left to right:  JLo,  Vegas showgirls, broken Christmas ornaments, Ice-capades.

The tragic story of Roy Halston Frowick, creator of Halston.  Read the full story at NY Mag's the Cut blog.  Will have to look out for the documentary on his life coming out soon.  Sounds like he had a fascinating life.

Kate Middleton sporting Alexander McQueen again yesterday at a ball honouring the Armed Forces in Britain.  Black velvet - very holiday appropriate, but again safe.  Can't wait until she has her rebelious Princess phase a la Fergie and Princess Di.  Maybe she'll cut her hair, show some cleavage and stop wearing pantyhose.  And soon hopefully, cause I'm getting bored with her fashion choices!

Favourite Things of 2011

Can you believe 2011 is almost over?  It's been a crazy, crazy year for me a in a lot of ways, but also a good one.  I'm pretty blessed in life and I try to remind myself of that when I get all whiney about stupid things like work or that I gained 2 pounds.  2011 was the year of spending more time enjoying my life and I hope that continues into 2012.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some of my favourite things about the year, since we are a mere two weeks away from it being over.  Also, it's fun to talk about favourite things!


1.  Nicki Minaj!  Drake!  Nicki and Drake in Moment for Life.  How kick-ass is she?  Love that she doesn't spend all her time talking about how hot she thinks she is, but has some pretty inspirational lyrics.  My fav line of the song:  "No I'm not lucky, I'm blessed."  True that.

And how smooth is Drake's voice?  Sigh.  Drake:  holla at your girl.  For real.

2.  Ryan Gosling.  If I have to explain why, please refer to evidence below:

3.  Grey/purple nails.  My favourite is Essie's Merino Cool.  So pretty and goes with everything.

4.  My iPhone!  Finally dove into the Iphone market in August and I can't believe how I lived without one before.   Now I fear losing it because my whole life is in that phone!

5.  I love my beauty products and discovering that mineral makeup can do amazing things for your skin was big time for me this year.  I always had acne here and there, but I am flabbergasted that now I almost never get breakouts.  My skin has never looked better.

Pur Minerals Mineral Glow Pressed Powder

6.  Bossypants by Tina Fey.  Laughing out loud literally when reading this book.  She is a master of comedy.  Would switch teams for that woman!

And what did I hate you ask?  Well, here is my list of thing I wish would go away in 2012:  Nude peeptoe pumps.  Kanye West.  Beyonce's baby bump.  Taylor Swift being girly (did you know she's 22?!?).  Bullies (see my post about annoying co-workers).  War.  Hunger.  Hate.

Hey, a girl can dream right??  Happy almost 2012!

Third Time is the Charm?

Brit Brit is engaged!  Yay!  So nice to see her hook up with a seemingly normal, stable man.  He seems like he adores her and her kids.  Hopefully third time is the charm for her when it comes to marriage and they are together for a long long time...like more than 55 hours.

Britney and her fiance Jason Trawick.  Don't they make a sweet couple?

$1 Shirt

What can you buy for a $1 these days?  A coffee?  Depends on where you go.  A pack of gum?  Probably.  A silky patterned tank top?  Apparently so.

Check out my bargain find from the other day.  Picture quality sucks, but you get the point.   Pretty sweet deal, huh?

Magnetic Nails: the "new" Nail Art

Have you heard of magnetic nail polish yet?  It is so freakin' cool.  Basically, you paint your nails then hover the magnet in the cap of the nail polish bottle over your freshly painted nails to create a design.  Check out Sephora for the nail polishes from UK brand Nails Inc. and view the video to see the magnetic action.

Fabulous Falsies

I'm not a fake eyelash girl at all (I'm blessed with long eyelashes...thank you Mom & Dad for great genes!), but I am obsessed with these amazing false eyelashes made from 18k gold and rimmed with real diamonds.  Sigh.  Do you think it's too late to become a trophy wife?  I need these, now!

Kre-at Beauty false eyelashes, via Barneys.com (by special order only).

Fur Vest - Yes or JLo?

I recently bought a pair of super comfortable grey soft finish skinny cords.  They kind of look like this:

Now the dilemma is...what do I wear with them?  I think a fur vest (faux fur obviously) would look amazing, but I want to be sure that I don't end up looking like J-Lo in the process.  I don't know why I associate fur vests with J-Lo.  Perhaps because they are extravagant looking but are borderline over the top if you are not careful...just like J-Lo's style.

Anyhow, I'm going to step out of my comfort zone and jump into the fur vest world with reckless abandon.  I found some inspiration already, now it's time to hit the stores to see what I can find.

Fur vest inspiration, via ChellyWellz

Calvin Klein faux fur vest.  I like this because it looks real but still fake.  Does that make sense?  Via Style Find

Romeo & Juliet belted faux fur vest.  It's a bit funky, but I like that it's belted.  Via Style Find

This black Halston Heritage faux fur vest would look perfect with grey.  Via the Outnet

Holiday Gift Guide

For the person who has absolutely everything, how about this $14,000 Gucci bicycle?

This is what a $14,000 bike looks like.  I don't see any diamonds anywhere...

Or, if you are on a budget, the single speed model for urban biking is a mere $6,200.  Just sayin'.  Peruse this and other ostentatious holiday gift ideas at Gucci's website.

Happy holiday shopping!

Colours of 2012

Pantone named it's "Colour of 2012" today and it is called Tangerine Tango.  As strange as the name is, it is actually a gorgeous shade of orange, or as the press release says:  "Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy."  Hmm.  I think they are overselling it a bit, but I love the idea of a warm colour to ring in the new year.

Patone's colour of 2012

Now I am dreaming of 2012 in shades of Tangerine Tango and all the other great colours from Pantone's Spring 2012 Fashion Colour Trend report after looking at some of the creations inspired by them.

Tadashi Shoji dress in "Cabaret"

Lela Rose dress in Solar Power and Sweet Lilac

Barbara Tfank dress in Solar Power and Sodalite Blue

Indian Influence: Chanel

Last night Chanel put on a real show at their Indian inspired Pre-fall 2012 presentation.  You might not know this, but I am Indian, though most Indian people I know think I'm not into my culture enough.  I don't really speak my native language, I eat the food intermittently and I never watch Indian programs or movies.

The most Indian thing about me is that I love getting dressed up in the vibrant colours, rich fabrics and fabulous accessories that traditional Indian style is centred around.  I don't normally wear  bright colours or heavy jewelry, so it is fun to get "decked out" a few times a year for a wedding or other celebration.  The choices are diverse and numerous.  Below is a photo of one of my all time favourite Indian outfits: a cream coloured chiffon sari with fuschia threadwork, mirror detailing and scalloped edges.

Me in one of my favourite Indian outfits.

I was proud to see a brand like Chanel be influenced by Indian culture enough to create a whole runway show inspired by India.  You can go to  You Tube to see the Paris-Bombay Metier d’Art collection in full, as well as below for some of the designs up close.

Think Pink

Pink is one of my favourite colours, hands down.  I know that statement often makes people recoil because pink is such a "feminine" colour and being feminine is often associated with being weak.  We all know it's true, especially when we hear things like "oh, he runs like a girl" or other statements about women being the weaker sex.  I think being feminine is being strong.  We are made to give life, damnit.  There is nothing stronger than that!

Anyway...time to get off my soapbox and back on topic.  Wearing pink is an expression, just like wearing any other colour is.  A light shade represents a softer mood, a deep shade represents passion and lust, a bold shade represents fearlessness and vibrance.

I was inspired to write about pink after seeing Emily Blunt in this raspberry gown recently.  I think she looks amazing and it made me think, why do people put down the colour pink when it can look so good?

Emily Blunt in Notte by Marchesa.

Most definitely on my Christmas list:  Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch via Shop Bop

Carrie Bradshaw looking chic & sweet in pink trousers (from my Pinterest board called I Couldn't Help But Wonder...  )

Hello Kitty is a pink fan (pendant from Sanrio )

What girl wouldn't want these fabulous sequined magenta Louboutins in her shoe closet?