Consumerism Killed my Soul

Three Little Things

2012-01-25T16:10:00.001-05:00

One Movie

I have seen many movies in my short lifetime, and many by Pixar, but Up will always be my favorite. An adorable movie with touching moments, it’s definitely one everyone should see before they die.

One Shirt

I’m really into printed shirts right now (and printed pants and printed jackets and printed dresses…) and how amazing is this butterfly shirt from Asos? If I weren’t saving up for a camera right now it would be mine! (As would those unicorn pants.)

One Picture

Saoirse Ronan for Vogue, by Steven Meisel via SEMI

I love this photo. In fact, I love this entire shoot. I love how it reminds me of a Waterhouse painting or a Grecian goddess. I love how the model has pink hair. I love love love love love it! (Was that enough loves? I don’t think so. Here’s some more: love love love love love!)

I Will Follow You Into the Dark

2012-01-24T16:33:00.001-05:00

It’s the return of the silver cross, and the introduction of two new, never-before-seen on CKMS articles of clothing – blue velvet skinnies and yellow JC Foxy knockoffs from Wet Seal. These shoes. Oh my God I am so in love. In fact, I’m convinced that I would marry them if only they were a smidge more comfortable. I almost sent these jeans back when I first got them, convincing myself that I would never wear them (since they were a little tight around the waist), and lo and behold I’ve worn them going on seven times now, at least. Shirt is gifted from Nasty Gal, and necklace is Forever 21.

One thing for spring: Printed pants

2012-01-23T22:24:00.001-05:00

I’m not sure if printed pants are particularly ‘in’ at the moment and I’m not giving a fuck whether they are or not; I simply can’t get enough. That floral blazer/pant combo from Asos? I’d never dare wear them together, but separately I’m completely smitten with them. Was initially iffy on the Motel Jordan Jean in Pink Baroque when I first saw it, but it has since grown on me, and those other pants from Motel – you know I could never resist anything that shows off my hourglass (yeah, right) figure, and these pants are high-waisted. And last but most certainly not least, we have the Unicorn pants from Topshop which, out of all of these, I am dying to have the and, were it not for an unhappy incident involving the loss of my credit card, they would most likely already be on their way to me. I’m always in need of more bottoms, and tops, and dresses. Okay, just tops and dresses. But they’re amazing pants!

Images via Asos, Motel and Topshop.

Mail Call

2012-01-21T20:26:00.001-05:00

Good news! You can now subscribe to the CKMS newsletter by email! It will be a bi-monthly mailing featuring the latest posts, and possibly even some exclusive content! Go ahead and subscribe to our newsletter!

Image via Weheartit

Just one thing: Wildfox Cat Swimsuit

2012-01-20T17:15:00.001-05:00

I love Wildfox – Whenever I discover a new collection by them I swoon from the beauty of it, and then die a little inside from the price of the pieces. Now, I’m not typically a fan of one-pieces, but this one is spectacular – almost enough to keep me swooning despite the hundred-fifty price tag. My mother’s always wanted me to get a one-piece… maybe I’ll be able to convince her to buy it for me? Doubtful.
Image via Wildfox

Just One Thing: Gold JC Creepers

2011-12-16T21:00:00.001-05:00

I never was a fan of creepers, but when I saw these Campbells I swooned. Am debating buying them versus Litas or a Dolce Vita heel – I certainly would wear them more often, so it’s worth the heavier price tag, no?

Image via Pixie Market

Label Love: Wolf & Moon

2011-12-02T20:35:00.001-05:00

Wolf & Moon is a jewelry label after my own heart. At times geometric, whimsical, and earthy, but always gorgeous. I especially love the rose necklace and the ballerina earrings, and will be sending the boyfriend a link to this page as a suggestion of something to get me for Christmas!

Wednesday Want : The Curl

2011-11-23T20:38:00.001-05:00

These LD Tuttle boots are too gorgeous for words, even if they’re a bit (okay, a MAJOR bit) out of my price range.

No one laughs at God in a hospital; no one laughs at God in a war.

2011-11-20T21:13:00.001-05:00

Was inspired by the Rookie mag how-to do a pompadour, and the subsequent comment that quite simply stated what everybody else was thinking (‘That is not a pompadour’) to attempt my own. What do you think? These aren’t the best pictures of my hair, but I don’t really care. (Hey, that rhymed!) One of my friends asked me on facebook why I wear crosses all the time if I’m not Christian, to which I replied “I wear a cross now. Crosses are cool;” this was followed by another (very Christian) girl liking said reply, and I know she didn’t get the reference and thought I was serious. Ah well.

Shoe Love: Dolce Vita

2011-11-17T18:16:00.001-05:00

I have pretty much moved on from my obsession with JC Litas to bigger and better things – mainly the gorgeous Dolce Vita Jemma boots, and the lovely Joanna and Juliet. Now the question is – which ones do I get? The obvious answer before was Jemma… but what color? And now that I’ve seen the other beauties the brand has to offer, how could I possibly resist them?

New In: November 15

2011-11-15T18:41:00.001-05:00

So psyched to get two things I ordered in the mail the other day – loafers from Topshop and a beautiful kimono jacket by UNIF from Nasty Gal that I’ve been wanting since spring. It finally went on sale for about 50% off, so I just had to get it! Also ordered teal velvet jeans and am debating whether or not to keep them – they’re awfully tight on one hand, but on the other if I lose weight I’ll regret not keeping them, and they are gorgeous. But I could use that money to buy shoes – and I’ll never grow out of shoes!

The Empty Stage: Rants on Life, the Future, and where the hell I’ve been.

2011-11-13T00:04:00.001-05:00

‘Tis a sad day when one unforgettable experience ends. The stage is empty, the dressing rooms deserted.

I have been so fortunate to have been involved in a wonderful play written by four local girls and performed by local teenagers. It took three hectic weeks of 4-hour rehearsals six days a week, but we pulled it together.

Art is a wonderful thing. Creating art is the most wonderful experience that one can have, and whether it’s music, writing, painting, sculpting, or acting, there is a power behind it that draws us back to it.

So much has changed for me in the past few days. My entire hopes and dreams for the future have changed. I knew before that I wanted to go into theatre, but I was Hell-bent on musical theatre. I had dreams of my name in lights, of sold-out shows, of Broadway. Now I am not so sure. As an artist, it is not about having your art recognized so much as it is creating it.

My director told me something a few days ago that really began to change my mind about whether I wanted to restrict myself to a degree in musical theatre. One going for a degree in musical, rather than straight, theatre, receives a very specialized training, and many cannot make the transition from musicals to straight plays. Maybe I will be one of those who can, but I would rather not limit myself – I could be just as happy, perhaps even happier, in a small professional theatre like the one in my hometown rather than a large one on Broadway.

Today the costume designer told me she could imagine me doing Shakespeare. This is something I have never even considered, as it always seemed like it would be more difficult to memorize; then again, don’t knock it ‘till you try it. I realized then that as an actor trained in straight theatre you are much more versatile, especially if you can sing, as I can.

I still plan to audition for Musical Theatre programs, but I do not think that I will audition for ten, as I had previously planned – I think it would be a better idea to do three or four, and three or four straight theatre programs, and let destiny decide.

My experience doing this play has been so eye-opening and inspiring. I have been pushed into the (however shallow) pool of professional theatre, and I loved every minute of it! I feel so blessed to have worked with the people I have worked with, especially my director, who wrote me a lovely note that made me cry for the closing performance.

If you read this far, I thank you. If you didn’t, that’s okay too. My heart just feels full to bursting with these new discoveries, and I can’t help but think that destiny wanted me to do this show to put me on the right path (whether you believe in destiny or not, you cannot deny that there are crossroads in life and that the path that we choose may not be the best one for us.)

Now, I’d like to assure you that in the next few days, things will return to some sense of normalcy around here. Thank you for sticking with me through the thick and thin!

Guest Post: outfit//florence (again)

2011-11-10T22:24:00.001-05:00

Poppy is the lovely blogger behind I Do Not Exist – I promise I’ll be back next week!

Here's what I wore today, the skirt and shirt are diy.

Doing a shirt like this is really simple:

1. get a can of spray paint from a hardware store (costs around 5€)

2. print whatever you want on your shirt in big letters (Arial or Arial Black work best) on paper or card

3. cut out the letters to make a stencil

4. spray spray spray!

The cardigan is my mums, it goes right down to my knees and i really love it. I also discovered I can do a small beehive sort of thing with my hair, even though it's only shoulder length and has a really awkward cut (I'm trying to grow it back after having short hair and an undercut last year) It's not too over the top, really simple and looks cute, I added eyeliner to give it a 1960s look. If you're interested in seeing how to do it, just comment and I'll make a post about it!

Guest Post: Trend I'm Loving - Layered Up Jewellery!

2011-11-08T13:43:00.001-05:00

Be sure to check out Pariss’s blog Forever the Romantic!

I have an obsession with stacking on more accessories at one time than is sometimes socially acceptable. I think it started when I began managing at (Australian jewellery chain-store) Diva. We had to be wearing 5 pieces of jewellery at all times during work - so I'd be stacked up to (literally) my elbows with colourful bangles, have a ring on almost every finger and layered necklaces like there was no tomorrow. And I haven't really changed much since! But these days I tend to live on Erin Wasson's accessory philosophy - she once said that she keeps her outfits simple but layers on the jewellery! Her jewellery range Low Luv is my go-to for accessory inspiration -next on my list is the Bone Armour ring (below).

Guest Post: Inspiration // Florence Welch

2011-11-07T11:52:00.001-05:00

Anther wonderful post by Poppy of I Do Not Exist.

Florence + the Machine's album Ceremonials was released a few days ago. Get it - it will make you the happiest person on earth, I promise.

There always seem to be some special artists who have the power to touch your soul at exactly the right places and cause thunderstorms in your heart. To me, Florence Welch is one of those artists.

Not only is she a great musician, but also hugely inspiring when it comes to fashion. I really admire her elegance and am insanely jealous of her wardrobe which is filled with vintage clothes and jewellery. She also has the greatest hair ever, do not deny it, you know it's true.

I will leave you with some pictures and get to work on some designs for oscar the cat ( I'm hosting a oscar the cat + Iloveyoulaugh giveaway here on my blog - SHAMELESS SELF-PROMO)

Guest Post: Great Buy - A Statement Scarlette Skirt!

2011-11-05T16:50:00.001-04:00

Another post by the lovely Pariss of Forever the Romantic.

Asymmetrical skirts are the it-skirt of the moment. And I love them for one main reason - they make your legs look amazing! If you're like me and don't usually like to show off your legs, this style of skirt is a good way to show a little more leg while keeping the imperfections you may not be proud of out of sight! I bought one exactley like this today -

Im in love! Only $35. Pretty happy with that bargain.

I love this style because the funky shape of the skirt draws the eye away from the legs when worn in a statement colour like red or blue. Black chiffon maxi skirts with an asymmetrical hem-line sweep over the legs so that you can only see the silhoutte of your legs - best way to create the illusion of Miranda Kerr-like pins!

Here are two tried and tested outfits Ive created with similar items of my own - dress up a neutral skirt like the one below with a loose white tee and coloured pumps to make it pop, or for a more casual look pair an oversize top and boots with a bright accessory.

Happy styling lovlies!

Photos via http://www.nitrolicious.com/ and http://www.lylalovesfashion.com/.

Guest Post: Comfort, Boys Clothes and Who is that girl anyway?

2011-11-03T22:43:00.001-04:00

My name is Poppy, I'm a sixteen-year old english girl living in Germany, the writer of I DO NOT EXIST, editor in chief of Project Quality, one of the two girls behind oscar the cat and now also a guest blogger here. I'll be posting on this blog for the next two weeks (Yay! More reasons to neglect school work haha) and if you have any suggestions, advice or questions, just leave a comment and I'll work on it.

So today I am showing you my 'comfortable outfit'. I have been really really tired in the last few days (this, of course, has nothing to do with the amazing halloween party I attended on Sunday..ahem), so this outfit was perfect. The jumper and shirt are both from H&M men's section. I really have a thing for men's clothes, it's always worth having a look if you like over-sized shirts, jumpers or cardigans . The leggins are my mum's, I hardly ever wear trousers, they just make me feel uncomfortable. No matter how cold it is, you are most likely to find me in a dress and tights or an over-sized jumper and leggins, so far I have not died of cold and I'm not intending to wear trousers this winter either...except, maybe, to build a snow man in... The shoes are my beloved wine red Vans. I bought them in Alexandria two weeks ago and wear them all the time, because a) the colour is great and b) they are so so comfy. To throw all my junk in I normally chose between a really tiny or a big cloth bag. Today it was Peter from oscar the cat, he was the first bag I made a sample of for the lable so, unlike the ones we sell, I sewed the bag together myself, which is why the shape is a little awkward. But I love this fox too much and it brightens up my day a little bit to have the bag with me.

Guest Post: November I'm In Love...

2011-11-01T15:07:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I have two lovely guest bloggers here to make some posts for me while I’m out rehearsing for my play. Today I bring you a post by Pariss of Forever the Romantic about what she’s craving for summer (Those lucky Australians get to have a warm holiday season!)

...With bright bursts of colour. I love that Australian fashion embraces electric colour in summer - right now I'm obsessed with cobalt, turquoise, scarlett and lime. I wore an electric blue Lollipop dress to a comedy performance on the weekend and paired it with a scarlett red lip - clashing brights is fun whether it's warm or cold outside so I say embrace it not matter what season you're in right now!

I have a few things on my November wish list right now, including an amazing asymmetrical Balmain mini (below). I fall in love all over again whenever I see it. I'd pair it with chunky combat boots for day and black wedges for night. A girl can dream, right?

Bandage Skirt - Carven
Wedges - Luichiny
Cuff - House Of Harlow
Satchel - Alexander McQueen
Hat - H&M
Skirt - Balmain

Picture source: Elle Tumblr

Want want want!

2011-10-29T11:55:00.001-04:00

Found these beautiful babies after The Q Project posted about a gorgeous dress by Miss Selfridge – so of course I had to check the website out. They’re about as expensive as the average Steve Madden or Aldo shoe, and cheaper than Litas (which I am over, anyway) and I know that I said I’d buy loafers, but my parents still owe me a birthday present (turns out we never got to see Les Miz.)

Attention Fellow Bloggers

2011-10-28T15:26:00.001-04:00

I probably won’t be posting much in the coming weeks as my life will be hectic in preparation for the show, so I would like to have some guest authors to write for my blog. I’m looking for anything fashion related, whether it’s a runway report (I don’t personally do them, but what the heck.) a wish list, an outfit post, or anything else you can think of.

If you are interested, please send ideas to my email, which is on the contact page, which is linked in the side bar.

IFB Links a la Mode

2011-10-27T16:00:00.001-04:00

Still Evolving

Edited by: Fajr Muhammad of Stylish Thought

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: OCTOBER 27TH

I love how multi-faceted fashion blogging has become. In the beginning it was mostly celebrity style driven but has evolved to include everything from personal style, social commentary, fun fashion trends and high fashion! While blogging is becoming a staple of our everyday world, fashion blogging is continuing to push the envelope.

Fashion is converging into lifestyle and we are defining the medium and what it means to be a fashion blogger. Check out the diverse links this week that our pushing our craft to new places.

Alex Drake Vintage: Vintage Photography Inspiration
Being Zhenya: Friday DIY
Beyond Fabric: Urban Menswear Myth #3
Brunette Blogging: The Blogger and the Brand
Cadence and Clementine: A Cut Above the Rest
Consider Me Lovely: Defying Expectations
Consumerism Killed My Soul: Arguing for Barbie
Ethical Fashion Blog: Ethical Fashion Conundrums
Fashion Dynamite: Soft Dressing
Fashion Tales: Game Art
Love at First Blush: In Her Closet- Print Designer
Oranges and Apples: Workwear, Women & Aging
Practically Spoiled: Closet Challenge- Lace and Lines
Shrimp Salad Circus: How to Day- Piano Clutch
Simply Frabulous: Spend or Save- Low Price High Style
Snapshot Fashion: Fashion Icons We Grew Up with
Style. Love. Repeat: The Printed Blouse
Stylish Thought: 33 Tips on Finding your Passion Today
The Chic Sheet: The New Geometrics
What 2 Wear Where: Day of the Dead Hulaween

SPONSOR:

New Jackets at Shopbop: Opening Ceremony, Add Down, RED Valentino, RLX Ralph Lauren, Mackage, Jen Kao, Vena Cava, Doma, Winter Kate, Halston Heritage, Veda, Gryphon, & Ella Moss.

Loafer Love

2011-10-23T19:01:00.001-04:00

Now, I certainly don’t think loafers are the best thing since sliced bread, but they’re definitely the best thing since Litas. And probably a lot comfier. Planning on buying a simple black pair with my next paycheck. Probably a simple black pair (or two… one to stud, of course!)

Images via Polyvore

Thoughtful Thursday: Arguing for Barbie.

2011-10-20T16:46:00.001-04:00

Barbie. The definition of an American girl’s childhood. Since her inception in 1959, Barbie has taken the world by storm. Many feminists, however, have been quick to hate on the plastic doll, saying that she gives little girls false expectations about their bodies, race, and teaches them to be vapid, vain, and selfish.

Argument 1: Barbie is too skinny.

I must give those who believe this to be true some (okay, a lot) of credit. She does promote an unrealistic, unhealthy image. But do little girls really care? I understand that Barbie helps to indoctrinate young children with the “thin is in” complex, as I call it, but by the time most girls start to care about their weight, Barbie’s been out of the picture for a while. Also, does Mattel send messages that Barbie’s success is all based on her body? I haven’t seen one.

Argument 2: Barbie sends bad messages about race.

Here’s a secret: Barbie is a blonde, blue-eyed teenage girl. Bet you didn’t know that! But in all seriousness, Barbie has a variety of friends, and they come in all different colors, they even have different head molds to better match some of the features of their respective races.

Argument 3: Barbie teaches girls to be vapid and vain.

The reasoning goes, “Barbie will teach girls to only care about their clothes, hair, and things they own!” Really? Barbie has been practically everything – doctor, teacher, even astronaut! And I don’t know about you, but I certainly didn’t get my love of material objects from Barbie. I think that just comes from being a seventeen-year-old girl. (Kidding! But not really.) Instead, Barbie taught me that I could be anyone I wanted to be.

So, do I think that Barbie is too thin? Yes. Do I think that makes her the epitome of all evil? No! There are many benefits to playing with dolls, including fostering a creative mind (mine still hasn’t gone away; I still regularly act out scenes from ‘books’ I’ve written in my head – shh, don’t tell anyone!). Barbie taught me that I could be anything I wanted to be. And that, as a woman, is the most important lesson to learn.

Freaking Awesome: Frizzy Hair

2011-10-16T11:55:00.001-04:00

Since the dawn of time, women have been cursed (or blessed, as you may feel) with the boringness of straight, flat hair. I don’t know about other girls with boring hair, but I’ve often dreamed of soft, manageable curls – until very recently, when I discovered the beauty of frizz! Oh, how I would die for hair like the girls in these pictures. Wild? Check. Unmanageable? Check. Amazing? Check check check!
Images via Weheartit.

Inspiration – week of 10/9

2011-10-15T19:54:00.001-04:00