Seasonal Lust

umm...what?! Versace for H&M Cruise not available stateside

2012-01-20T01:20:00.001-05:00

I just saw this by chance because I am obsessed with Instagram and saw someone overseas showcasing their purchase. They made other prints, but I've taken a liking to this fruity Chiquita girl print of their's. So once again, the US gets left out of more cool shit, like the second release of Versace for H&M (Cruise Collection). It's not like I would even be able to get my hands on one of these because we all know the ebay hoarders (oh excuse me, and true fashionsitas) get in line about 50 hours before store opening and ebaying it later will just leave you dead broke. These stupid designer collections that are priced for the 99% of us are a test of dedication of how enslaved we are to labels and enthralled by the thought of "limited editions."

I digress. I'm just mad that label-whores stateside were not given the same opportunity to throw more money on useless overpriced clothing, all for a chance to wear the name Versace [for H&M].

Someone is winning today, and it's not US.

Winter is not cute

2012-01-20T00:40:00.001-05:00

It's nearly impossible for me to look stylish and nonchalant when I'm freezing my kneecaps off. So I opt for cute and cozy instead (or so I hope!). But seriously, mad props to those fashion bloggers in socks and open toes, or a mini and stockings, looking impeccable and unaffected by chilling winds. Fashion is pain, but they sure make it look effortless. Yea, not gonna happen here.

Spiked case

2012-01-19T20:10:00.001-05:00

Some say it may be hard to hold but honestly, does that really matter when it just looks tres badass? Testing out a few DIY spike cases.

rainbow hair

2012-01-19T15:24:00.001-05:00

Can I pull this off, even if I have a full time job? A girl can dream.

via

in case you missed this

2012-01-18T15:25:00.002-05:00

All the more reasons to get an iPhone if you don't have one.

I want just about every single one of these fantastically beautiful, often times simple, cases.

Available for purchase at Society6.

Best discovery I ever made.

noted

2012-01-10T13:35:00.000-05:00

take a look at Jason Wu for Target [hit stores February 5th]
iPhone cases that are as unique as you are
speaking of iPhones, we should at least be aware
my friends keep sending me these. are they trying to tell me something?
tired of post holiday engagement news? me too.

A simple reminder

2012-01-10T12:33:00.001-05:00

We are all born...

worth the waiting.

2012-01-09T19:34:00.001-05:00

Oh I was absolutely in love with these as soon as my eyes fell on them. Wrote about them back in March 2011, before my trip to Paris/Asia. Good thing I waited, because as I was updating my blog, the link for the old entry came up. Out of curiosity I clicked on the merchant link that I put up, and to my surprised the last shoes in my size were on sale for $37. Down from $122. On top of that, they have free shipping to all US destinations. How perfect was that.

[for sale] Burberry Haymarket Tall Equestrian print rainboots

2012-01-09T19:25:00.001-05:00

A classic staple in every girl's closet. I just bought a new pair of Hunters, so I'm selling these.

Gently pre-owned, worn probably a total of 10 times (only when it rains), these are in great condition. No stains, cuts, marks or odor. Inner soles are still intact, comes with original box.

Size 37 (Italian), 6US

Selling for $65. orginal price $185.

Email me seasonal.lust@gmail.com if serious. Paypal only. You pay for shipping.

Inner Ugly

2012-01-06T06:47:00.001-05:00

This post is not about inner beauty nor embracing it. It is about my encounter with someone with a [glaring] lack thereof. A note about your intuition; It is always right! I use to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and I hate that phrase because it falsely gives positive connotations to, essentially, ignoring your gut feelings. Don't do it.

Insecurity comes in many many forms. And if you have what they lack, they will be more attracted to you. We are drawn to those who have what we wish existed in ourselves. That and those with similar hurts. Sometimes contradictory, but never mutually exclusive. This one, came in the guise of unconditional encouragement and compliments.

Synopsis: Met the sweetest girl who sniffs me out from mutual friends and Facebook. She bestows and disarms with compliments upon compliments like it was as abundant as cheap wine. This should have been my first clue. But I give her the benefit of the doubt and try not to be that paranoid weirdo.

Fast forward to months later at a party she willingly offers her place for. But none of her friends are there, only mines. She showers them with affection like they had been her best friend all her life. Then as the night progresses, and an intensive amount of alcohol consumed, the veil slowly melts away like the heavy make up upon her face. Indescribable & indecent things occur. At first I turn away, but it quickly becomes apparent to everyone at the party and no one could overlook, no matter how hard they tried. there was no attempt at discretion.

I was shocked and appalled. Confused, I decided to sleep on it. Shocked that such behavior came from a woman, I lost just about all my respect for her. I do hold women to a certain standard and even higher ones of my friends. Needless to say, after much discussion I severed our ties. She promptly cancelled another party she was hosting just for me and my friends (sketchy much?) though there were still 3 other parties still for 3 others and just their friends...

So I got a glimpse of the toothy drooling monster that was always there, right beneath the surface, and all I wanted to do was run. Something inside me felt disgusted at the sight of her glaring flaws rather than empathy. Sure, pity was an afternote, but I failed to understand her desperation and lack of self respect.

Had I just failed a friend? Did I abandon someone who was essentially crying out for help/attention? The truth is, I did myself a favor. At the end of the day, she was not a close friend/core member. For the sake of my own sanity and self preservation, I decided this was not a battle worth fighting. I am also not presumptuous enough to think that I could help her.

At the prime of our adulthood, we are all so busy with our own issues and projects that we just don't have time to sort out another person's baggage. I would like to think that most of us have learnt how to cope and evolve from our past hurts by now, but if we have not, I think insurance will cover therapy.

End point, no one has time to fix you. Learn or find a therapist.

2012: demon(s) free year. Theirs and mine.

Vanessa Carlton - I Don't Want To Be A Bride - HQ w/ Lyrics

2012-01-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

sweetest song ever. almost perfectly describes how much i love him and why i dont want a wedding. just a pretty pretty ring.

Soft as a baby's bottom

2012-01-05T13:17:00.001-05:00

Just treated my Olympus EPL-2 to a lovely handcrafted case. I am absolutely in love with the color, texture, and craftsmanship. The white body of the camera tends to get a bit dirty over time so this case is the perfect chic solution.

Case from www.kaza-deluxe.com

Reborn

2012-01-02T22:52:00.001-05:00

It's only been about 48 hours, but I hope the new year has been as eye-opening for you as it has been for me. I usually don't believe the inaugural resolutions but somehow the idea has adhere itself into my consciousness. Does calling them "goal"s change their function or improve their success rate? I digress.

So here I am, doing the cliche. Here are my new goals for 2012:

-To exorcise the ghosts of my past. I am a sentimental person, but sometimes I tend to dwell on past hurts a little too much. This unhealthy habit must go.

-To continue to read more.

-To fill that darn canvas.

-To finish every project that I start.

-To take more trips far away.

-To find that balance.

-To trim down that "friendslist" even more.

-To lose my yearning for material possessions. Or at lease lessen it.

I wish you all a love filled, prosperous and eventful 2012. Important lessons will be learned and mistakes be made. Just make sure they are new ones.

Xx

Beautiful sky

2011-12-28T14:22:00.001-05:00

Taken on my iPhone this morning.

magic. asian girl make up

2011-12-15T16:54:00.004-05:00

freaky, huh?

{for sale} My Tiffany's is your treasure

2011-12-14T23:38:00.001-05:00

Was cleaning the other day and found these two lovelies. I still have the dust bag for each and am getting them polished by Tiffany's this weekend. In excellent/like new condition. Hardly ever wore the necklace.

Selling for $150 each (+shipping). Last time I checked the site, the lock charm alone is $175. These are authentic, but I no longer have any use for them.

Email me at seasonal.lust@gmail.com. First come first serve. PayPal only.

Let's talk about Primers; Nepoleon Perdis Calming Pre-Foundation Primer

2011-12-12T16:25:00.001-05:00

I've heard the gushings around me about primers, specifically how it smooths out lines and helps prolong foundation and make-up. I've heard you all rave about Make Up Forever's life saving formula and so I decided to venture into the mysterious world of primers, knowing little to nothing about it. I tried the purple one (sorry, that's not very specific) from Make Up Forever, with disastrous peely results, and the one with SPF which made me break out. Their primers are silicone based, which is known to clog pores.

So I ran away fast and haven't looked back. Primers, I was fine before without them, why do I need to risk more heartache (and blemishes) for this supposed magical thing?

And then this past weekend, as I was getting touch-ups on my hair, flipping through an issue of Cosmo (I swear, I never read that trash), I see a feature on Nepolean Perdis' Set Calming Pre-Foundation Primer ($29 at Target). They said it was ideal for sensitive skin (which means it's safe for most skin types) and contains extracts of aloe, cucumber, and peppermint. It is also important to note that it is not silicone based, nor does it contain any parabens (as inferred from my amateur reading of the ingredients list).

Let's just say that I never knew how good this stuff was because I've never had a good primer before. I've been wearing this every day, since Saturday. Pros: My skin feels extremely soft and smooth. I feel like there is a buffer between my skin and my foundation, which keeps the foundation from sinking into my pores. Cons: There isn't much to be said in terms of oil control, unfortunately (which doesn't change much from before because I combat that with loose powder). But other than that, I have no complaints and welcome the addition of a new product into my make up routine since I enjoy the way it makes my skin fee.

For a second opinion, and fellow primer-convert, check out Le Belle Lumiere's post on this item.

cheer up

2011-12-07T20:52:00.001-05:00

had an especially tough day today. But these images make me smile.

follow me follow me; insta.gr

2011-12-06T00:36:00.001-05:00

here.

full disclosure: unabashedly narcissistic.

work for it

2011-12-05T15:44:00.001-05:00

A night among the stars...

2011-12-03T22:10:00.001-05:00

...was the theme for the evening's ball.

Things they never tell you: Do not apologize first

2011-12-01T12:34:00.001-05:00

Should we always apologize first or are we better off standing our ground?

We have always been taught, mostly by adults, that when it comes to altercations, it is always better to be the bigger person and apologize first in order to facilitate resolution. Ironically, this rule doesn't seem to always apply in the realms of adulthood. Sometimes apologizing first and accepting blame can actually hurt your credibility and your chance to be heard.

A recent intense spat (which escalated into a yelling match) between a friend who was a few years my senior taught me that age does not equate maturity, in which my willingness to concede to an apology only further validated his personal attacks. I have always been a believer that ego has no place in apologies and I am very quick to drop mines in exchange for understanding and resolution. I also am adverse to confrontations, contrary to popular belief. In a world where our peers are becoming increasingly self-centered and skeptical of everyone but themselves, my honest concessions are hard to swallow and are interpreted as superficial or mocking, instead. Funny how apologizing can rear the very opposite of a resolution.

When you are the prosecutor/instigator of an argument, you start off feeling justly provoked in your accusations from the beginning. In conceding to apologize first, the prosecuted unwittingly accepts blame and gives credence to the prosecutor's argument. But we all know that it takes two to tango, and the prosecutor can be just as guilty in their method of attack, in jumping to conclusions before proper discussion, or for missing the point altogether and escalating a neutral incident based on outside factors (they had a rough day) or prejudices. This does not mean that their emotions of hurt or betrayal aren't valid; it is, and very much so, but to apologize for this when the accused is not in the wrong will only hurt you in the end. In apologizing, you will never get the opportunity to point out the attacker's logical fallacies and explain yourself. You have just granted them permission to vilify you further. Any counter arguments that you may have had is rendered pointless.

In the end, the friend took my apology as mockery and admittance of guilt. It strengthened his attack to using ad hominem. Nothing was resolved. No apology was reciprocated.

So the question is, should you always be the first one to lay down the peace pipe? Sadly, human nature has taught me that the answer is no. Not at first. When someone is coming at you with guns flaring, the best solution is to acknowledge that they are upset (not apologize for it) and inform them that you would love to discuss this at a calmer time because you want to resolve the issue.

The silver lining to every altercation is that there is always a few lessons to be had. I know now how this person likes to argue (they let things build up), and that the root of the matter is not personal (due to the disproportionate degree in which this person reacted to the cause).

Relationships dissolve every day, and in this case, I'm glad it had to happen.

my turn at ombre hair

2011-11-28T19:38:00.001-05:00

I know, I know.... its so two/three seasons ago, but your girl isn't one to jump on trends as soon as they come out. I say I'm a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to these things. I am always aware of new trends, and when its a major one, like ombre hair, I like to wait it out to see if it has lasting powers beyond trend status before I adopt it as my own. Maybe it's because I've been watching too much Hart of Dixie lately (the one with Rachel Bilson) or I am in desperate need of a change as my hair is currently in that strange transitioning phase between short and long hair (It's not quite short, but not quite long yet.) but I definitely think ombre hair is here to stay. It's a great highlighting technique that really brightens up your face.

I'm a control freak, so I hate leaving the fate of my hair in a stranger's hand. Did this at home with Loreal's Frost & Design (make sure you pick the one compatible with your current hair color, ie for dark to light brown, etc). I split the mix in half and used the first half to highlight half of my ends, waited about half an hour, mixed the second half and applied to the lower half of my the already highlighted ends (if that makes any sense) to obtain a brighter blonde towards the bottom. The top image looks brassy due to the yellow lighting of my bedroom, but the package came with a purple toner, which is supposed to counter-act brassiness, and it did the trick. I'm so happy with the results, considering that I was pretty haphazard in my application. The whole process took me less than an hour.

It's a quick, effective and almost non-committal change because you can always dye your hair again. So far, I've been loving it! You can always send me an email or hit me up on formspring if you have any further questions.

xo

look at the skies

2011-11-28T15:39:00.001-05:00

“You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance and write and read and suffer and understand, for all that is life.”

- J. Krishnamurti

Monday Dreaming

2011-11-28T10:24:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday, everyone.