Project Runway Episode Five aka Chelle RANTS

I can honestly say that I am not really a huge fan of this season of Project Runway. I have said before that I really miss the excitement of the first few seasons, where the designers were challenged to create dresses out of flowers, merchandise from Hershey Park, things found in a supermarket, design looks for Banana Republic, give one of the designers a makeover where you showcase their style and your design ascetic. THESE are the Project Runway days that I miss. Now it is filled with lame challenges, backstabbing, and whiny b1tches who cry because Tim tells them to rethink their directions. I have a few words for the current designers: GROW A SET! Do you think that Anna Wintor is going to hold your hand or pat your back while you cry because they don't like your dress? Fashion is a competitive business and it changes all the time. Yes, you have to be true to yourself but you also have to go with the trends. While you CAN be a trend setter, you have to be willing to go out on a limb and risk being ridiculed for that. I'm sure things weren't always easy for Michael Kors, Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel, or Alexander McQueen and yet they all have managed to make lasting impressions on us all. Even small town girls from southern Virginia.

Now, on to the actual episode. I was really excited when the episode started. This week was a team challenge, and those usually have all kinds of drama, more challenging challenges, and usually really show us what the designers are made of. Unfortunately, this team challenge left me wanting. Since Michael C was the winner last night he was allowed to first choice in a team member. Then April's name was drawn from a bag as the first member of the second team. At this point each person chosen picked the next member of their team. Team 1 aka Team Luxe consisted of Micheal C., Gretchen, A.J., Andy, Christopher, and Ivy. Team 2 aka Team Military/Lace was April, Peach, Michael D., Casanova, Valerie, and Mondo. The most interesting thing is that all of the challenge winners were on Team Luxe, while Team Military/Lace was made up of designers who have been consistently in the bottom three. Now, here is my problem with this. I don't believe in allowing the contestants to choose their own teams. I think things are MUCH more interesting when all names are drawn from a bag and assigned randomly. But that's just me.

THE CHALLENGE
The week's challenge was for each team to design a six-piece collection which would showcase an upcoming trend. Each team got to choose their look and also a fabric inspiration. Which brings me to my second problem. By allowing teams to choose the look/fabric inspiration they are allowed to pick items that they are comfortable with. Or at least flat out reject themes that are not part of their normal routine. I don't personally think that's challenging. That would be like one of you to challenge me to wear eyeshadow every day or to read a book over the weekend. It isn't a problem! Now, if you were to ask me to incorporate maroon eyeshadow into my daily make-up routine, that would be a little different. I digress, Team Luxe chooses to design a "Menswear for Women" collection with "camel" as their fabric inspiration. Team Military/Lace (obviously) decided to create a military inspired collection with lace accents.

INSIDE THE WORKROOM
The action inside the workroom wasn't really blog-worthy. The most exciting thing that happened was that Casanova had a complete breakdown where he wanted to quit because Tim said that his outfit looked "Old Lady." This isn't something Casanova hasn't heard before, but apparently he decided that with five other people depending on him he would not finish his garment. After multiple pep talks and a phone call to his auntie, his team mates and model were able to coax him back to finish his dress. During the coaxing Valerie had a particularly great zinger with "Casanova needs to put his panties back on and finish his dress." Casanova returned to the studio and promised his team mates he was back. He also had some words of comfort for himself, saying "I guess I design for sluts and old ladies." Sadly, these were the only two great lines in this episode. Usually there are many more *gigglesnort* moments for me when I watch this show. With little to no other drama in the workroom, I was a little bored and spent much of the episode looking longingly at "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins and wishing I was lost in Panem instead of watching this show. 

THE RUNWAY
I wasn't really overtly impressed with either team's collection. Team Luxe's collection was more cohesive, but many of the pieces looked like the model had overslept and just grabbed something off of their boyfriend's bedroom floor and rushed to Parsons. I know that a lot of times menswear inspired collections are composed of slightly over-sized pieces, but I felt like Team Luxe went a little too far. Also, I missed the cute details that menswear inspired collections have. There were no neckties, no mens watches, I don't recall seeing boots on the models. A.J. put an ascot on his model, but it was completely lost in the horror that was his "men's size 3X button down with the sleeves rolled up and a belt around it" dress. There were some really nice pants and one blazer that could have been good if it were a little smaller. Actually that's how most of the collection was, if it hadn't been SO over the top it may have worked.

Team Military/Lace was ALL lace and very little military. Personally I don't think that tassel=military. They certainly help get the point across, but I don't think that it is possible to make a super cute v-necked top and add tassels to the shoulders and call it military (Mondo.)  I was really disappointed in the lack of military inspired jackets. The lace tops were COMPLETELY SEE THROUGH! I was horrified. I understand that lace is not opaque, but you need to put a nude liner underneath it. One nude bra does NOT make an outfit acceptable, Michael D! Modesty really is a virtue. I really did love Peach's outfit. I thought she absolutely shined in this challenge. Her high waisted skirt with brass buttons paired with her LINED lace top was spot on. Casanova's outfit was decent. White skinny pants with brass button detailing down the side and another mostly sheer lace top was what he managed to produce.

JUDGING
Team Military/Lace were declared the winner of this challenge and were praised for their accents and attention to detail. The judges were also impressed that they managed to showcase their individuality in the collection. Some of the team members were asked who they thought the challenge winner should be and Valerie and Mondo both said CASANOVA! I was completely and utterly disgusted. First, he tried to quit the competition and go home. Second, you had to take time away from your own work (both of which received some questionable comments from the judges) to talk him out of his funk. Third, his outfit wasn't really stellar. The judges did ask Casanova who he thought should win, and he had the decency to say Peach. The judges dismissed Team Military/Lace so that they could deliberate.

Before facing the judges Gretchen rallies her troops and has them pinky promise that they won't turn on each other and that they will support the vision of their team. I guess afterwards whoever was left would meet up to braid each others hair and whatnot. Team Luxe grimly filed out to face the firing squad and at first, they really did stick to their promise and didn't throw anyone under the bus. Gretchen gave a rousing speech to the judges about how they had decided as a team not to sell each other out, that they had formulated their designs together, and worked together 100% to complete the collection. She then asked the judges to base their decision on who the designers are and what they have seen so far. The team remained united as the judges criticized the fabric choices and discussed how the collection had no individuality. The judges also talked about how GIGANTIC everything in the collection was. Eventually the judges forced the team members to name their weakest link. Everyone but Michael C. (who wasn't asked) and A.J. (who said all he could say was that he did not stay true to himself as a designer) named Michael C. as the weakest team member. The judges weren't happy that everyone picked the Michael C. as the worst player, even prompting Heidi to say "It's always easy to blame the one person who can't go home." Eventually the disgusted judges sent Team Luxe away so they could decide who to send packing.

WINNERS AND LOSERS
Winner: Casanova. I was NOT happy with this choice. I thought that Pearl's outfit was more military inspired  and her lace was MUCH less tacky. I realize that the judges aren't necessarily aware of what goes on during the design process, but I think that it is terrible that someone who was willing to walk out on their team is deserving of a win and possible immunity in the next challenge.

Loser: A.J. Poor A.J. I really didn't expect him to get far in this competition, and his outfit was atrocious, but I think it's awful that he was the only person who admitted he didn't represent himself and he was also the only person who didn't point the finger of blame at a team member. I think that his integrity alone should have earned him a chance next week. Gretchen stated she loved their collection, then stated that it was a hot mess, she convinced everyone to be united, then turned on another team member. I don't like Gretchen, I don't particularly like her designs, and I certainly don't like the way she played A.J. in this week's episode.

BITS AND PIECES
I felt really bad for Michael C. after the judging session. His team mates slaughtered him in front of the judges. Not once during the creation process did any of them offer him help or tips on how to improve his work, yet they were willing to toss him to the wolves. He was genuinely upset that they other designers were so mean to him. I was really glad that the judges stood up for him on the runway, something that doesn't happen often. I think this episode will make Michael C. because he will have to prove himself next week.

Rarely does Tim comment on the judges decisions; however, this week he had PLENTY to say to the members of Team Luxe. Tim told the team that he was ashamed that they let Gretchen steam roll them all, and was disgusted that A.J. paid the price for that poor decision. I don't remember seeing Tim that angry before and I have watched almost every episode of Project Runway that has ever aired. I was really glad that he called Gretchen out and I was in no way fooled by her teary vlog afterwards about how she was trying to do her best.

I was also REALLY unimpressed with Ivy. I liked her when the show started, and I thought she had potential. However, as the show goes on her snarky attitude has grated on my nerves. This week took the cake though, when she did a vlog about how Tim was right and Gretchen did screw their team over. Ivy was one of Gretchen's biggest supporters. Actually, Team Luxe was behind Gretchen one hundred and seventy percent. They were so Team Gretchen that it wasn't funny. None of them bothered to contradict her and even when other team members tried to add ideas (Michael C.) they were ignored in favor of Gretchen. I don't really feel bad for Team Luxe for losing, I think they needed that wake up call. I do feel bad that A.J. was led like pig to slaughter and was forced to take the fall for his team's bad choices.

I'm really sorry this is so long! If you made it this far THANK YOU! Also, have some virtual cookies! A lot of things about this episode bothered me and I just felt like I had to get them out. 

In Which Chelle Is a GROWN-UP

Seriously! I am an ADULT! I know I don't always act like it* and I know that my recent book purchases** CERTAINLY don't make me look like an adult, but I PROMISE that looking 27 in the face makes it apparent that I am, indeed, an adult! The fact that I spend the majority of my time with my eight year old, eleven year old, and two thirteen year old cousins, who all wear larger shoes than me isn't generally an issue. However, it is an issue at my new job. And by new job I mean same job, new school. Basically, seventh graders are HUGE! Like seriously huge. They tower over me ALL DAY LONG! The problem? Well, in seven days I have been mistaken for a seventh grade student on five of them. My boss thinks this is hilarious, my aunt (who works at the school) enjoys my stories with quiet disbelief, and the aforementioned cousins LOVE hearing the stories.

So it comes down to this. HOW do I look like an adult without turning to Teacher Jumpers? You all know what I'm talking about...those "dresses" that are hand sewn and are made of material that has building blocks and farm scenes on them. Because let me tell you. I will be mistaken for a middle schooler EVERY SINGLE DAY before I wear one of those things as anything other than a Halloween costume.*** I wear skirts, dresses, and dress pants with nice shirts or polos. I don't particularly look like the kids, but I also don't like the teachers. SUPER nice dress clothes aren't really and option either at my school, because then I would stick out like a sore thumb. So that is my dilemma. Any suggestions? We would LOVE to hear them!


*Example: Participating in water balloon fights, blowing bubbles, dancing in the rain...
**Linger, Mockingjay, The Iron Daughter, To Kill a Mockingbird, Demon's Lexicon, etc
***Seriously, mere words cannot express my hatred of these jumpers. Even worse? The matching Mother-Daughter ones! Do people hate their kids these days?

In Which We Attempt To Dress For Work

Hello!!! So as you probably already figured out. I have been a huge slacker lately.  I got really busy with the beginning of the school year and working on paper work, files, etc, and neglected by duties of blogging everyday in August. (maybe we’ll do better in April) We have also sort of been slacking on our beauty and fashion stuff. Although, I think any good blog has a little bit of everything! One thing that I look forward to when school starts is getting new fall clothes for work. This year one of my New Year’s resolutions was to dress in a way that looks more grown up and put together, but still quirky and fun. So I have been looking through a ton of magazines and fashion blogs to find things that are me but also work appropriate. The first trend I noticing is that menswear is coming back. I have seen so many cute blazers in the ads for Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. I really want a blazer to wear to work. In the newest issue of Glamour magazine, they show several blazers. Some are plaid, black, brown, even yellow…but the one thing they all have in common is they all have broaches on them. Most of the broaches have some kind of jewel element to them, but some just look like they were pulled out of Grandma’s jewelry box. I feel that it is a very cool way to add a feminine element to something otherwise a little manly. I also really love all the men’s vest I am seeing. I think they look great over tank tops and with button up shirts. I have also seen pictures where girls are wearing neckties with them. At first, they reminded me of the waitresses at Olive Garden, but now I am really enjoying them. I went and grabbed a bunch of my grandpa’s to try. Another trend I am liking is the revival of military jackets. Everything from soldier jackets, to Nutcracker type shorter jackets to Michael Jackson are coming back. I plan to try all three. I also love all the new fall lines at Target and Wal-mart. Gotta love cheap!!!! What are some trends you are excited about trying? What the heck do you wear to work? 

Mo Money-Mo Problems!

I was rummaging through all the magazines and I read and I decided I would start pulling pages for inspiration.  I found my collection of J. Crew catalogues and got pretty inspired. I loved all the layered necklaces over turtlenecks and high waisted plaid pants. And if these things sound crazy, you can always make them more wearable. You could do just the plaid pants, or turtleneck with necklaces-you don’t have to have all three. I get really excited about all the new fall catalogues I get from J. Crew, Anthropologie, Sephora and on and on, because I look at them for inspiration and the things  I can’t afford  I go and find and lower budget places like Ross, Marshalls, or T.J. Maxx. I buy a lot of things that look like what I see in the catalogues but are different and cheaper brands. One of the kids in my class knows I like fashion and today she came and showed me these really cute gladiator sandals (she has rockin style for a second grader) and said “Miss Anderson! I got these at Ross for four dollars!” I was so proud. It is also a good idea to do this for makeup. Look to magazines for ideas on trends you might want to try then go buy the stuff from the drugstore until you know it is something wearable and that you will wear it more than one time. I LOVE Sephora and Ulta and department store makeup, but I cannot justify paying for something I know I will only wear once. (Lesson learned=maroon eyeshadow) This afternoon is new magazine day and new catalogue day so I did my paperwork early so I can go home and pour over them and make lists of all the stuff to look for at the discount stores over the weekend!! Wish me luck, if I find anything awesome I will be sure to report back. Where do you draw inspiration from?

BEDA August 17

So much for me rocking this blog entry. I have a ton of notes from the last two episodes of Project Runway, but with school starting tomorrow and the stress that comes with school starting, there is no such thing as a funny Chelle. So my Project Runway post will have to wait until Thursday, when hopefully I will be calmer.

On a school related note, today I went shopping for work clothes. That was a total fail. My question is this...when did simple clothes become SO expensive. Now, I don't actually have a problem paying for nice clothes, but I have a HUGE issue paying ten dollars for a white tee shirt. I mean, I can get cute printed shirts from Threadless for ten dollars. And they will totally work as work attire because they have like, flowers on them, which work well under a cardigan. And don't even get me started on pants. Where are simple black dress pants? I mean, I don't really want to wear mom pants, and even if high waisted pants are coming back in style, they don't really work for people who are kind of chubby and only five feet tall. So pants are almost impossible. This may be one reason that I am a big fan of YA author Maureen Johnson's "No Pants" regime. Or maybe it's just that dresses are more comfortable when it is nearly 100 degrees out each day.

Regardless of why I am Team No Pants, or how expensive clothes are in relation to my paycheck...the main point is that I will be spending the weekend scouring the internet for affordable clothes and my closet for various combinations so that I can be comfortable and profession during the upcoming school year.

Failing at BEDA

Ally and I failed BEDA. I'm actually surprised we lasted as long as we did. We will return Monday with regular Monday-Friday posts with the possibility of weekend blogs as well. We aren't sure what we will do when BEDA is over, blogging everyday is hard, even when there are two of us. We really intended this to be kind of a beauty blog, with small looks into our crazy lives and friendship...it kind of veered off course though. Not that we mind! We just aren't sure what direction this blog will take come September.

So I'm currently gearing up for tomorrow's double Project Runway entry, hopefully you are all gearing up to read it!

High Times at the Pretend Orthodontist

So today didn’t exactly go the way I had planned. I was going to go to the orthodontist out of state (long story) and go to the mall to buy some new fall clothes and accessories for work. First, I was up all night sick with my allergies. Then, my bosses decided to have a Staff Appreciation day, and we were afraid if we didn’t show up we would have to use sick time. So we went and they had us playing games and had hired a massage therapist for us. So that part was really cool and very thoughtful of them. While we were there the delivered some news about our job, including staff changes, work place changes, and the fact Rochelle will be in a totally new place, with new people she doesn’t know. FUN. So I left early and we headed to NC. On the way we stopped at Burger King and I got my usual kids meal. I was trying to put the toy in the backseat (it was a large plastic satellite from the movie “Planet 51”) and I whacked Rochelle so hard in the head with it that I left a mark. After leaving Burger King, we were on the interstate when I large piece of flying cardboard hit the windshield. We called the orthodontist to confirm my appointment and they told me it was NEXT Wednesday. So we just went to the mall. Upon arriving my favorite Toy Store had been turned into a Halloween store. We found the actual toy store somewhere else. We did however find a pet store that sold “quality ferrets.” Then I got really sick from allergies (so did Rochelle) and so I bought generic Sudafed which made me super high and semi incoherent. On top of that there was no affordable or cute fall stuff out yet. So back to school Fall Fun shopping day…was a massive allergy ridden fail. 

Haircuts and Emma Watson

Recently a picture of Emma Watson aka Hermione Granger circulated the web. All kinds of people were like "OH MY GOSH!!! Not her HAIR!" and completely freaked out. Rumors are circulating that she cut her hair for an audition, and maybe she did. Personally I think she needed a change. Emma Watson needed to say goodbye to Hermione Granger. I think she did a bang up job. Their is no doubt that Emma Watson is crazy pretty. Like so pretty that I am frequently in awe of her. I don't really get why people are so worked up about her lack of hair. Yeah, it's different, but it's her head. And it works for her. I wish I could pull that cut off.

Speaking of haircuts, I think we have ALL done something drastic to our hair at some point. I know that when I need a change I start with my hair. I mean, ultimately, it's just hair. It grows back, you can re-dye it, if it is truly horrible you can pay for extensions or wear a hat. I used to have long hair. I'm not really sure why I ever wanted long hair. I have super fine hair, but I have a LOT of hair. It tangles really badly and if it gets longer than my shoulders I have to wear it up all the time or brush it every fifteen minutes. However, a few years ago I thought I was going to get married, and I found this amazing hair style where the girl had a low, curly ponytail with an old broach in her hair instead of a veil. So, I decided that THIS would be my hair style for my wedding. Long story short, I didn't get married. Also, I hated my hair. It was a CONSTANT reminder of everything that I didn't want to remember. So I called my cousin (who cuts hair) and asked her if she could cut my hair. When I got to her house she asked me what I wanted and I said "I don't care as long as you cut it off. I don't care how short it is, I don't even care what it looks like. As long as it is easy to take care of it." She looked at me like I was crazy and tried to talk me out of a mental breakdown. Eventually I was able to explain that I didn't want long hair because it reminded me of the fact that I was growing my hair out for a wedding that didn't happen. Then she cut my hair.

Which isn't really what this blog was supposed to be about. My main point is that sometimes you need to say goodbye, and sometimes you need to do something drastic in order to do that.

Old French Guys and A Pack of Rolaids

So Rochelle just wrote a really sweet and lovely blog about me. And how cool I am. I feel the same way about her, but I have decided to write about that when you are not expecting me to because writing it now would seem like I did it out of obligation, and that’s lame. Instead I am going to write about the end of my summer which has little to nothing to do with beauty. All of last week we were finishing up our summer camp that our super secret job has before school starts. It was very challenging. Rochelle and I came home and were completely exhausted every day. I was grumpy and did not want to talk to anyone but her or my boyfriend (and that’s a stretch!). After our program’s end and a field trip I went to a nearby city to visit my boyfriend where he lives. His brother and sister-in-law came and so we actually went out to restaurants for dinner and took them to the city’s sketchy Wal-Mart. This place is so bad they keep razor blades, condoms, and baby formula locked up. My first question is, what could you even do with all three of those things? I was happy to see everyone. I really like my boyfriend’s brother he is a really amazing guy. He has struggled with AIDS his whole life, due to a blood transfusion when he was much younger. You never hear him complain; he just lives life to the fullest and inspires everyone around him. I have learned a lot from him. He just looks at things in a different way than everyone else. He oozes compassion and understanding. He helps you to become closer to God through example. His wife is great too. She is a sweetheart. She helped a child who had her skull ripped off in a car accident they saw on the side of the road. She didn’t even flinch just ripped off her sweater and put it on the girls head and kept her calm. Talk about super woman!! And she’s fashionable too. She is always so put together and makes you want to immolate her style. And as if I didn’t like her enough the girl brought me Silly Bandz this weekend!! I don’t know if I have mentioned this or not, but I love silly bands. And she matched them to her outfit, which I had not even thought of yet!! We went to a really popular and trendy restaurant and all the waiters and waitresses were wearing bands.  AND I read about how Sarah Jessica Parker, Kelly Ripa, and Mary-Kate Olsen all wear them. Very cool. In other news, I was wearing my awesome silly bands when we went out on a speed boat in a lake. To most people this sounds fun. To me it is terrifying. I had kind of a messed up childhood, which we won’t get into yet because this is a fun blog, but I never learned how to swim or was on a boat. So deep choppy water freaks me out. And cruising fast in a tiny boat on choppy deep water-even worse. I am sure I made a tool of myself the whole time, holding on. Then I got sick and had to go throw up. LOL, I am beyond cool. And who do you think I was texting about my plight the whole time…..that’s right. Rochelle. And since I am already rambling, while with Rochelle today I adopted an orange kitten and named him Maurice Chevalier….now I am thinking I should have named him something for fallish. Haha obviously my brain is fried. 

Chelle Has BEDA-Block

What is BEDA-Block? Pretty much the same thing as writer's block, only BEDA based. I have certainly learned something this year, and that is NOT to do BEDA on two different blogs. I am OUT of topics! So maybe I'll just talk about Ally, myself, and our longtime friendship.

I can say I'm oddly melancholic right now because summer program is over and in little more than a week school will start. This means Ally and I will not be seeing each other everyday. Now, I know it isn't like she is moving across country or anything, but it will be a pretty big change. For the last six weeks we have spent every week day together, which hasn't happened since we worked at the library together. During the school year we tend to lose track of each other. We talk every day either via text or AIM, and last year it got to where she would call me a few days a week after school so we could just decompress. But that isn't the same as SEEING each other. We tried hard but with work, families, and her boyfriend, it was hard to get together a lot. So I'm really hopeful that this coming year we can do a better job of SEEING each other. I know it sounds silly. I know people who don't see their best friends like ever really, but it's hard for us. We have known each other since we were in fifth grade, which is when Ally moved to Wytheville. We became close friends in high school, and got extremely close in our junior year. We spent our first two years of college at community college together, taking most every class together or should I say passing notes and skipping to go buy magazines? That was probably what cemented our friendship. It has had its ups and downs. We have had small fights and HUGE fights, which have resulted in us not speaking for YEARS. However, we have loved each other for a LONG time, and we always overcome the bad stuff.

I can't think of a single bad thing that I have dealt with since I was sixteen that Alissa wasn't there for. My grandmother's death, being locked out of my dad's father's house in the blazing heat, my granddaddy dying, The Big, Bad Breakup, deciding to quit my first real job...she's been there for it all. She is the person who told me that my first real boyfriend was seeing someone in town while I was away at college, even though at that point we hadn't spoke to each other for almost two years. She is my family. She's more than my best friend, and honestly even through the petty crap we deal with, I'm glad I have her.

Wow...sappiest blog post EVER! Obviously I shouldn't blog when I am full of ennui.

It's The Great Freakin' Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

So this year I feel like we got teased with a Spring that only lasted like a week. It went from snowing two week in February, to Dry Gulch heat starting in April. Spring is one of my two favorite seasons and I felt like I got scammed this year. I am a little bit fearful about my other favorite season, Fall. I LOVE fall. I start gearing up for fall mid-July. I love everything about it. I think the changing of the leaves is something only God could have designed. Just amazing. And here in VA, we have an especially beautiful transformation because of all the trees on the Mountains. I love fall colors, purples, dark greens, oranges, reds, golds, black. I love the return of turtleneck sweaters and cute over the jeans boots. I have these pirate ones that I am obsessed with! I love that Target gets exclusive fall flavored candy like Pumpkin Spice Hershey kisses!!! I am getting myself all excited. I also love Halloween. This year I am trying to decide whether to be Wednesday Addams or Teen Wolf. I have been Pippi Longtocking and Eddie Munster in the last two years, and people have come to expect greatness out of my Halloween costumes. It’s a lot of pressure. Another thing I love about fall is that all the new Fall makeup and nail collections come out. I actually just got my China Glaze Vintage Vixen nail polishes in the mail today! I will try to get a picture of them up soon. I ordered most of the OPI Switzerland collection too. I am loving the grays and teals that are in for fall. I am also really curious about two of the new Mac Collections coming up, Mac Fabulous Felines and Mac Disney Villains. The Fabulous Felines collection is filled with a lot of nice neutrals and a few surprise greens. And the Disney Villains has Cruella Devil, my all time favorite, so I am already on that. I cannot wait, all my hard earned money working for the school system will be spent on nail polish and makeup! I am also pumped to go to the Pumpkin patch again. They have this awesome tour where you get apple cider at the end and a ghost pumpkin. I am rambling tonight. LOL speaking of rambling, I also love to go apple picking, watch “Beetle juice” and my all time favorite “Addams Family Values.” I love that movie!! And you’re not cool unless you watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” gotta love Linus and his schizophrenia! What are some of your fall traditions?




EDIT: Let it be said that Rochelle is obviously NOT cool, because she only watches Charlie Brown when Alissa is driving and traps her in the car with no way out.

Fall, Fall, Fall

Maybe it's because I'm a September birthday girl, maybe it's because I live in the mountains and get to see the country side literally explode with colors, maybe it's because I love Halloween and boots, whatever the reason...I love fall. This year I am really looking forward to so many things. I have a Halloween costume in the works, my cousins are playing volleyball and football, and best of all I can wear jeans without dying of heat stroke. More so than most years, I am really ready for fall to start.

Besides sports, jeans, and Halloween, what else am I looking forward to this fall? New makeup trends? This summer I have been REALLY into fairy makeup. I know this sounds insane, but I've been using really shimmery pastels and bright colors. I've also been kind of risky/tacky and been blending various shades together. However, with all the crazy hot weather we have had this summer, I haven't really been wearing very much makeup at all. Usually it melts off in no time flat. So that's another reason to look forward to fall. Cool weather=actually being able to wear makeup.

Now, I know what you may be thinking..."How is it that two girls who live in a town where CVS sells the most expensive makeup EVER hope to predict makeup trends?"* Seriously, I can't blame you. But Ally and I have an uncanny act of predicting trends. I made grey nail polish winter before last because I couldn't find a color like what I wanted. This fall grey was in almost every collection. I'm not saying this makes us the next Anna Wintours, but generally the things we like end up being popular.

THIS is a beauty expert

Since I generally look like this, I know it is especially hard to believe that I can be fashionable, and when it comes to clothes I'm really not. I am SUCH a jeans, t-shirt, Chuck Taylors kind of girl. Oh, but when it comes to makeup I get all kinds of giddy! I love eyeshadow, bright blush, and lip gloss. Outside of books, lip gloss is where most of money goes. Recently I have become a fan of bronzer. Mainly because my face refuses to not tan, and I am not about to buy four different shades of powder, especially since I can usually only use expensive brands, due to my insane allergies.** Needless to say you can imagine my surprise when I opened my new Sephora catalog early this week and realized that one of the models was wearing the exact same eyeshadow shades as me, kelly green and gold. She even had her makeup done the same way as I did, except since I don't live on a magazine page I had the gold shadow covering my lid and the green in the crease/lining my eye.*** There were a few more trends in that catalog that I really enjoyed. Mainly the purple smokey eye. I really enjoy having lighter smokey eyes, mainly because if the grey/black goes wrong you look like you were punched in the face. In January Alissa spent weeks looking for plum eyeshadow, with no luck whatsoever.

So there ya go. Even though ninety percent of the time I look like I just rolled out of a college dorm room bed, I still love my stuff. That is, I guess, my biggest point on this blog. Just because I don't spend hours getting ready each morning**** doesn't mean that I'm not interested in the trends. You don't have to look like Tyra, Heidi Klum, Emma Watson or Salma Hayek to be into beauty. And you don't have to wear makeup everyday to be interested in the trends.

*We ask ourselves this question all the time.
**Thanks a LOT skin chemistry/allergens.
***I may be fashion forward, but kelly green eyeshadow up to your brow bone is generally a NO!
****I work with kids who have severe behavioral issues, some days I need to sleep!

What I think about when Nickelodeon runs George Lopez instead of the Nanny, like I wish they would.

So tonight I forgot I had to blog for BEDA, and I was prepping to watch "The Nanny" on Nickeloden. Instead they were playing "The George Lopez show" which is/was a massive letdown. In my free time I was thinking about how I hadn't fully wiped off my beard from work today. That's right, I am a drag queen...no really....today was dress up day. I was a sexy cabin boy pirate and Rochelle was a gypsy. The kids thought we were a crack head and a pimp.The costumes made me think about how hundreds of years ago the standard of beauty was a lot different. Beauty trends and what is considered beautiful waxes and wanes like the moon (man, that was deep) one day thin is in, the next day they like big butts( and they cannot lie). I remembered  the movie “Amadeus” about  Mozart’s journey from musical genius to Mel Gibson alcoholic. All of the ladies in that movie have their breasteses pushed up as high as they can go in corsets.. They also painted their faces white and filled their hair/wigs with a white talc powder instead of washing them. A biology video we were shown in high school said that these wigs were often full of lice and sometimes even the occasional mouse. Can you imagine? That’s pretty freakin nasty.   A lot of women had to make their cosmetics at home. Lead based powders were used to whiten faces and rust was used to darken hair. Now if you do that, they assume the product came from China.  I also read about a book called "Secrets of a Ladies's Toilet" ( I don't think that is the exact title) which is a book about attracting a man by looking chesty, having a clear complexion, powdering your wig, etc. I just liked the title. Because lets face it, a lot of secret things can happen in a toilet. Anyways, these are just some things I was thinking about tonight. What are some crazy beauty rituals you have heard of? What is the craziest thing you have ever tried for beauty? (Mine was Sun-In, which turned my black hair Chester Cheeto Orange)

Sun Care Tips from Chelle

So, there are few things that I am like adamant about when it comes to my beauty routine, but one of them is without a doubt, sun care. Skin cancer TERRIFIES me, not to mention age spots, and having to buy new foundation and powder throughout the summer. Now, it is true that I tan. Not lay in the sun and bake, but if I am outside-even with sunblock on-for extended periods of time, my skin darkens. I wear sunscreen, I reapply, I even wear hats and the longest sleeves I can handle. I try to sit in the shade. The point is, you can't avoid the sun, or the shrinking ozone layer, but you can be as safe a possible. So here are some of my sun care favorites.




A cute hat is a must! These are both from Forever21. I have the Patriotic Floppy Hat, which has a great open weave so there is airflow. It may be a little loud, but I wore it to the pool on Friday for work and my face did not get sunburned.

This Straw Cloche is also available at Forever21, but they didn't have it last time I was there. You better believe I'll be purchasing it when I go with Ally to Forever21 next week!

Forever21 has a ton of cute hats, and they are pretty cheap actually. A hat is the number one way to protect your face in the sun! Hats also keep your scalp from burning, and honestly, no one wants a peeling scalp.

Now, my favorite sunblock is from Badger Balm. It is made from natural ingredients, so I don't have to worry about a freak allergic reaction, and I am comforted knowing I'm not polluting my body with freaky stuff. I also love Badger Balm's Bali Balm. It is a great after sun balm, and it smells AMAZING! So that is always nice. I hate when sun care stuff smells funky and you end up smelling like rotten beach. That's not cool, I don't care who you are!

A few other tips! 

• REAPPLY! I don't care if you think it's overrated, it is IMPORTANT! 
• Keep aloe vera gel in your refrigerator, by keeping it cool it will help draw out a sunburn. 
• If you have a really bad burn, don't peel the skin off. Use an exfoliating scrub in the shower. Personally, I love these felted soaps from Lucky LouLou at Etsy. 
• Oatmeal lotion is great for itchy skin. If you have a sunburn, use it with the cool aloe gel to keep from peeling and damaging the raw skin under your burn.
• When applying sunblock don't forget your ears or the back of your neck! They are two of the most commonly missed places!

I know it is later in the summer, but sun care is a year round task! Be safe, and stay cancer free!

Shameful Impulsive Buys-We've all given in to the temptation

So for whatever reason. despite the fact I make less money in the summer...I have been spending more of it. But not for things you have to pay for like your phone bill, or car insurance, instead I have been buying just random stupid stuff. So today Rochelle and I went out on yet another trip to Walmart...which is like the mall when you live in a small town. We had to get a few things for work. My game plan was JUST to get work things. I did okay until we got the toy aisle to look at more work things. (we work for the school system) Then I saw a knock off of "Silly Bands" and it just so happened they have a bag of dragon ones...which I do not own yet. So of course I NEEDED those. Later we went to the Dollar General and as we were leaving I had done so well not to buy anything, and then I saw it....Michael Jackson school supplies....so I felt it was important that I get some of those too. You need school supplies..and I feel like it is my civic duty to pay homage to the kind of pop. There was like 8 dollars spent. Why do they put the coolest silliest stuff right up front, I am telling you marketers are smart. I rarely leave a store without gum, Tic-Tacs, an Us Weekly....or Michael Jackson school supplies....What are some of your favorite or most embarrassing impulse purchases?

Project Runway

The new season of Project Runway premiered last week, and over the weekend I had the chance to watch the first episode. I love fashion, and I really used to love this show. When it first started on Bravo I thought that it was so awesome. The challenges were HARD! The designers had to construct items out of the outfit they had on, make a garden party dress solely out of items from a garden supply store, and so on. I felt like the viewer really got a chance to see how talented the designers actually were. The first few season I really felt like the best designers made it to Fashion Week. However, last season I was completely unimpressed. I don't even know who won. I was really disappointed. I wondered if maybe moving to Lifetime meant that Project Runway had jumped the shark. I wasn't even sure if I was going to bother trying to watch this season. I decided I'd watch the season premiere online and see where it went from there.

So far I really enjoy A.J., Andy, Christopher, both Michaels, and Nicolas. I'm not sure if I like any of the girls or not. Which is odd, generally there is one who stands out. I'm sure that all of these people will be eliminated jiffy quick. That's generally how things go, if I like them it's the kiss of death. Case in point...Spain won the World Cup, not the US, England, Mexico, Uruguay, or the Netherlands. Every team I cheered for dropped like flies.

I am interested in Gretchen, because she works with sustainable materials, dyes her own fabrics, and is basically a green designer. I love that concept, and her work is beautiful and intricate. However, I wonder if the monetary and time constraints of this show are going to compromise her design philosophy. That happens a lot on Project Runway. A designer comes in and is so sure of who they are that he/she has difficulties meeting the challenges. So I hope that Gretchen sticks around. I'd like to see her at Fashion Week so that I can see her process when she designs. I think that it would be different than what we have seen in the last few seasons.

Also, I love the judges. Nina Garcia is a beautiful woman, and I loved Elle when she was the editor there. Michael Kors is a fabulous designer and he knows what he is talking about when it comes to high end and ready to wear designs. I like that they are both firm, and usually aren't mean. It proves that there doesn't have to be a Simon Cowell to get the point across. I also adore Tim Gunn. He is the perfect mentor, and his advice is always spot on.

All in all, I'm looking forward to this season. For now I'm going to continue watching and I'll post my thoughts and feeling here. If you are watching along with me feel free to let us know what you think in the comments!

BEDA=Blog Every Day in August

Hello readers! So, last year Maureen Johnson, YA writer extraordinaire started this thing called BEDA, which means Blog Every Day in April. For some reason this year they did that in April and now they are doing it again in August. Well, MJ isn't doing it, but a lot of the BEDA-ers are. Since Alissa and I just started this blog we thought it would be cool to participate. Our main goal for this blog was to talk about all the random beauty things we are obsessed with: nail polish, makeup, purses, giant earrings, etc. However, we are obsessed with a LOT of random things. Disney, books, classic TV, Harry Potter, road trips, malls...there are a lot of random things that we talk about...and now we have decided to share them all with YOU! I know you are all excited. I mean...I certainly would be if I were you! So here it is...roughly 31 days of getting to know Ally and Chelle. Hopefully we won't scare you away!