Sunday 8 August 2010

Holiday shopping


This weekend has been Enforced Holiday Shopping Weekend.

Now, I do not, in any way, need to be encouraged to go shopping, but I hadn't quite budgeted for a big trip to the stores this month. However, I began to realise that gone are the sandals and bikinis only to be replaced by woolly hat, gloves and jumpers! Yes, that's right, the new season is here.

For someone who is only going on holiday at the end of August, this creates a problem. Shopping for the holiday must be done, but there is nothing left in the shops! I had intended to leave my shopping until next month, but it wasn't to be and I realised that in order to get anything summery I must get a move on and go and buy it before it is all gone. After seven hours on Oxford Street yesterday, I only managed to get two dresses, a bag, a pair of pumps and a few entirely un-holiday related items. A little more today in another location and I came out with a top, skirt, pair of shorts and a dress.

It really is rather short-sighted of retailers to stop stocking summery things in early August, when August in general is prime holiday season! Still, I suppose it wasn't a complete disaster - look how pretty!

Thursday 5 August 2010

Thursday Tip #2

Why has nobody ever told me about nail polish drying drops? You know the little bottles that come with a squeezy pipette thing? Possibly the best idea ever.

Yes, yes, ok, I am a recently reformed nail-biter and this is the first time in my life that I actually have long nails, so such products have rated low on the list of crucial cosmetic items. But now I found nail polish, I'm not going back. And really - waiting for your nails to dry is such a drag when there are important things to be doing.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Think pink (or yellow, or cobalt, or mint green...)

Some discussion on Corporette this week made me think about pink in the office. I wear it. Not all the time, but often enough. I have a fuschia pink shirt, a shift dress in the same colour and a fuschia coloured pashmina that often accompanies me on my travels around the office when the air conditioning is racked up to 'Arctic' and that short-sleeved shirt just won't do the job. I am generally a big fan of bright colours and also have various items in yellow, coral and bright blue. My choice of stores may sometimes be a little controversial (as in you wouldn't think one would buy work clothes from said stores), but I have learned to match slightly crazy pieces with old classics and nobody bats an eyelid now. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to shop for work clothes right now, but what is to stop me doing some window shopping.

Now, not everyone loves Express for office clothes, but I have several lovely pieces from there. One must, of course, steer clear of the low-cut sleeveless numbers, and get past the fact that all the models look like the Xeror repair man is about to appear any minute to ravage them. All that aside, I very much like this, for example. It would really just look gorgeous tucked into a lovely, black (knee-length) pencil skirt.

I saw this today and loved it - slight concern that the ruffle is too low down to tuck into a skirt (yes, yes, I'm a tucker), but I love the frill!

As dresses go, the colour here is lovely - perfect with black chunky necklace, shoes and cardi to tone it down a little.

Finally, if one is feeling a little unsure about going wild with the colours, shoes are always a great place to start. Funky coloured shoes with a plain black shift dress or black pencil skirt and neutral top give you that little something extra, don't you think? I have not (yet) been brave enough to wear pink shoes to the office, and amazingly I do not even own a pair, but a nice blue never went amiss!

Herein endeth the windowshopping. Now it is time to feel depressed about not having the money to buy any of the above!

Thursday 22 July 2010

Thursday Tip

Vaseline is magic for shoes that rub. I bought the cutest pair of flats a while back and they are just a little too tight (yes, I know, I should have bought the size up, but they were cheap so I thought the size up would strecth and fall off my feet immediately).

My best friend introduced me to the vaseline trick, and it really works! In case there is any confusion, you rub vaseline on your feet, put the shoes on and you're good to go!

This of course should not encourage me to buy shoes that are too small, but might help me break out a few discarded pairs that I love from the back of the wardrobe!

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Best home-made lunch ever - tons of vegetables, mushrooms and boiled eggs and soy sauce. This is the answer to those days in the office when you have tons to do but hunger drives you home much earlier than is good for your t0-do list. Usually I am hungry again after lunch around 3pm. Yesterday it wasn't until 7 and it's all thanks to my protein-packed new BFF.

Tuesday 20 July 2010

What a nasty day at work. One of those vexing days where your inbox is bursting at the seams as it is and what you really want to do is lock yourself up in your office and get through the huge mountain of work, yet you can't even touch it on account of the unscheduled issues that need to be resolved immediately.

Vexed.

Saturday 17 July 2010

Yes woman

Remember that movie 'Yes, man'? As cinematographic masterpieces go, it was hardly top of the list, but the principle is pretty good.

In my attempt to de-tediumise my life, I've taken a leaf out of that book and decided I need to stop saying 'no' to things automatically because I am too lazy to do them.

So, despite the fact that tomorrow is Sunday (prime chilling out time) I have agreed to go and see a show my friend is in. Admittedly, I can't really afford it, but she doesn't need to know that.

Week 1

Week one of the life improvement and blogging about it hasn't exactly had a spectacular start.

Exercise levels are pretty much zero, unless you count the 15 minute walk each way to and from various bus stops (which, actually, isn't so bad as it adds up to 30 minutes of walking every day).

I have generally had pretty healthy lunches, except Thursday when I was starving and succumbed to the pasta bar at the office, returning to my desk with salami and mozzarella swimming in tomato sauce. I haven't bought any chocolate all week, and have switched my usual late afternoon sweet snack to fruit. Oh and last night, with it being Friday and all, I couldn't resist the obligatory glass of wine. Or two.

Reading that back now, it doesn't actually sound too bad, but certainly room for improvement. In particular with the blogging as this is my first post in a week and makes even me want to go to sleep... more later!

Monday 12 July 2010

Day 1

As discussed, I had great intentions. My lunch was super healthy - prawns and vegetables with soy sauce. Even during afternoon coffee break (or tea, since I don't drink coffee) I managed to resist the temptation of the vending machine.

Of course it all went horribly wrong when the cafeteria lady GAVE me free ice cream because it would melt and need to be thrown out.

Bikini campaign 0 - universe 1.

Sunday 11 July 2010

Inaugural edition

About once a year, around my birthday usually, I begin to question my satisfaction over my life. There are various things I don't like about it, yet despite having this same thought process a year ago, nothing has really changed. Now, having had my last birthday in my twenties, I'm starting to freak out a little and I think something's gotta give. So I figure I am going to take the opportunity to make some changes and I also figured why not write about it.

I have tried several times to start a blog and this attempt could be just as disastrous as those that came before it. But who knows. Maybe today really is the first day of the rest of my life and I can change something!

Thursday 27 May 2010

My own worst enemy

Gist of it being 'you're doing really well, we really had to dig deep to find a tiny bit of constructive critiscism'.

What I heard was 'blah blah blah ... basically you SUCK'

WHY am I so critical of myself?

Monday 24 May 2010

The long weekend is coming. I'm excited. I got plans. Important plans. For the last two weekends I have had no plans whatsoever.

Of course this would be the week when a client decides to do a placing that needs to close yesterday.

One must not get too upset - this is the path I chose, after all!

Sunday 23 May 2010

Summer in the City

Summer is here at last. With the temperatures soaring for the first time this year (about time, too), city dwellers are making the most of the sunshine with a mass exodus from the comfort of our homes to parks, gardens and patios for drinking, socialising and overall lounging around.

This I can get on board with. In fact, I spent most of yesterday firmly planted on a patch of grass near my apartment with my roommate, a magazine and a box of blueberries. The part that I am struggling with is the unexplicable temptation that some (most) parkgoers cannot seem to be able to resist: near nudity.

Somehow I am failing to understand why the park is an appropriate place to wear a bikini - it is swimwear after all and there is no water in sight. I understand it gets hot and the sun is very pleasant, but the park is not the beach! I understand that men get hot and sweaty in their t-shirts, yet I still do not wish to see most of them without their shirts on. No offence, guys, but pasty white moobs really do not do it for me, despite what you may think. Yes, yes, I know, it isn't for the women's benefit that men strip off in the park (most of the time), but it would certainly be for everyone's benefit if you covered up! I didn't really know where to look, when there was more flesh on show than there was clothing.

Perhaps I am too prudish to understand modern day park-goers, but seriously. It is in the middle of the city - would you walk down the street in your bikini?

Actually, don't answer that, I have seen people do this...