How curvy is curvy?

Spring seems to be here, which is great, but it also means all the 'how to get the perfect beach body' magazine issues are just around the corner. Before that happens, I need to rant about the word curvy. First some basic biology...

This is a boy ...

And this is a girl ... they look different and that's ok.

While I applaud the media to some extent for trying (and so very obviously failing) to make women feel ok about being curvy; I can't help but feel that the extreme overuse of the word isn't helping matter. If we strip it back to basics being curvy implies that your waist goes in a little bit more than your hips and that you have some form of breast and bum. Forgive me if I'm wrong but that's just a fairly standard female shape no? Even skinny girls go in and out slightly: its nature, it means you have estrogen. So to be perfectly honest opening a magazine and seeing stunning (and slim) Lucy Mecklenburg 'showing off her curves' makes me raise a sceptical, threaded eye brow. Her body is quite literally beautiful - but is it really curvy or just erm, you know, female??

Lucy Mec

I'm not hating on slim girls or curvy girls, everyone's different, I'm just saying all girls have curves to some extent so plastering the word curvy next to a picture of the most stunning, toned and perfectly proportioned girls in the world might be accurate but it isn't going to make anyone feel any better.

Beyonce: famous curves

I get the intention, (more realistic body image blah bullshit blah) but note to glossy magazines - it's not working. I know it's strange that I can't relate to someone famous 'ballooning' to a size 12 with one whole ripple of stomach fat, in their designer bikini, on their 7th Caribbean holiday of the year but I can't. Let me know when you've got a gorgeous girl with a minimum of three fat rolls and a bit of cellulite for good measure, eating a chippy on Bournemouth beach and you might get a smile out of me ;)

Love Sianie

Revamp Update

Hi All

Thought I'd write a review on my life revamp

• Weekly Blogging: Grade - C. As it is not far off 3 weeks since my last post, I can't call it a success but an improvement ... Rome wasn't built in a day people.
• Better Budgeting: Grade - F. Complete and utter fail. It was all going so well until my marketing mentor from the summer Carrie (http://www.carrieme.co.uk/) invited me to the Britain's and Ireland's Next Top Model trade show ...
• Better Time Management: Grade - B. I would say this has been a massive success, by student standards anyway. I was not only able to go out the night before an essay deadline (grime veteran D Double E was in Southampton) but I still uploaded said essay a whole 3 hours before the 10pm deadline. This is a first for me.
• Joining A Gym: Grade - A. Success! I joined! And I go! I don't look like Rihanna yet, but as cheesy as it sounds I actually feel better in myself. Don't get me wrong, I still resent paying money to be bored and sweaty but I have to admit I do feel a little better after a workout.
• Making the Most of Third Year: Grade - C. I haven't been out, not nearly enough. While I'm on the subject I want to urge the students of Southampton to have more house parties because this would help with my budgeting resolution. Plus we can go clubbing any time guys, but the fun will all stop when we move back to mum and dad's next summer.

Fashiony Things I'm Loving

Can't believe the the popularity of the 'Frankie' skater dresses, going strong into the winter months

When Frankie Sandford from the Saturdays first stepped out in a skater dress, she looked stunning and everyone followed suit. Problem is Frankie looks stunning in everything but fortunately for us, the skater dress is accessible for us mere mortals. They are flattering on just about everyone: they make waists look tiny and skim over any potential wobbly bits - perfection in a dress.

Events I've Loved

Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model Live: The Ultimate Girls Day Out.

When I was asked to work at CarrieMe's stand on the show, I couldn't say yes quick enough. There were shoes, clothes, bags, perfume, hair extensions and makeup galore. Aptly named The Ultimate Girls Day Out, it was basically everything a girlie girl could ever want all crammed under one roof with chart hits, cocktails and catwalks as extras. While the Top Model catwalk was exclusively for VIPs and press, there was the KISS open catwalk allowing guest to have a go at modelling; strutting their stuff to the sound of live DJs.

Carrie with top models including BINTM winner Jade Thompson

me with top model Jessica Etonye

TOWIE star Amy Child's stand

Kiss Live Catwalk

Getting Pampered

Quotes I've Loved

From my housemate on the way to the library: "Sian, we haven't been out in so long. I don't think I know how to dance anymore."

So dramatic!

Pretty much everything Calvin Harris has ever said. I have recently discovered him on twitter - @CalvinHarris. Here are some of my favs from last Saturday night ...

"I hate sandwiches do you know that? If there's one thing I want you to know about me, it's that i hate sandwiches."

"I've blocked a couple of fucking sandwiches on here tonight."

"p.s regarding the shitting 5 times a day; doesn't count if you are SHITTING YOURSELF this is not healthy and u should see a doctor."

"@brandonroque dolphins + tequila !"

"Rolf Harris is not my dad."

Fixing Up For Third Year

New Term, New Blog

Ok so I have been so incredibly slack with blogging as of late. As I’ve recently entered my third year of uni, I decided to give my life a mini-revamp. This includes:

• weekly blogging
• better budgeting
• better time management
• joining a gym
• and finally to make the absolute most of my final year as a student (sob sob)

Uni is nearly over meaning the adult world isn’t far away. After a brief stint in this scary world of early morning commutes, coffes breaks, PR plans, and real deadlines as an intern for CarrieMe (http://www.carrieme.co.uk/, http://carriemelondon.blogspot.com/) I realised that time management is extremely important.

Also if I intend to make the most of my final uni year (eg party till I pass out), while still achieving good grades, weekly blogging, and getting a Rihanna esq (yeah right) body at the gym, then my time management skills are going to have to shape up fast. As for the budgeting … wish me luck; because as a self confessed fashion addict I feel this is going to be the hardest bullet point of all.

Music I’m Loving This Week





Drake has pushed back the release date of his new album Take Care. I really do not mind because I know he is more than worth the wait. From what I have heard of the album already, all I can say is Drizzy’s still doing it. (http://octobersveryown.blogspot.com/) While we’re on the subject how amazing would a Young Money tour with Drake, Nicki and Wayne be? Weezy if you’re reading, I would most definitely attend.

Fashiony Things I’m Loving This Week

Obviously snakeskin is one of the biggest trends for A/W 11-12, which is good news for me as I love animal inspired fashion of all kinds. Sheer shirts are easy to wear day or night and adding a python print is an instant update; which is why I decided I need this one from Next.




As a animal print obsessive, I naturally already own a few snakeskin pieces. My favs are these trousers that I
very nearly forgot I had. I will neglect you no more snakey harems.





Newest Purchases

I have had many leopard print shoes over the years but as they were all beyond battered, I decided to take advantage of New Look’s limited 20% student discount - which is sadly now over. Fear not fashion loving students, it will come again (just a heads up - it coincides with the start of every new term, which just happens to be when loans come in - I'm not suggesting anything, I'm just saying).
 



Other Things I Like This Week
 
Nicola Roberts. Her album that came out last month. Her being the cover star of September's Notion. Nic Rob has a cute, quirky swagger that is both street but girlie. Its a style I like to call cheppy (chavvy and preppy - it’s like hovis: the best of both worlds). Basically I just think she’s really cool. If her album Cinderella’s Eyes - which I haven't heard all of yet - is as good as her fashion sense then I'm sure it's a good time for listeners.








Things I’m Not Liking This Week

Sam and Billie Faiers from TOWIE getting beaten up. I don't know wether it was jealousy or over a guy but either way it's pathetic and disgusting.

Quotes I’ve Liked This Week

“I still don’t understand why he’s uploading daily pictures of his face?”

While talking about being skint “It’s funny because we’re students, but if we were proper adults we’d be suicidal.”

"I'm not hungary ... I'm still gunna eat it obviously"

Love Sianie aka Tad Dramatic

Riots: August 2011

Recently I tweeted that I hope people would look back at history and learn from previous riots, but it seems some people haven't done much swotting up. People are ranting and raving about 'mindless thuggery' and 'disgusting chavs'. It would be naive to suggest that there wasn't a high percentage of people who just 'jumped on the bandwagon' and rioted just for the sake it. But when have you ever heard of a random riot? In fact, I don't think that there is any event in history that hasn't had multiple factors, that hasn't had underlying issues or causes.

On Panorama tonight, a boy told the camera man that he hated everything about the police and the government. The government will always be critisised, because you can't please everyone all the time. There will always be tensions between youth and authority, be it the police or their parents but when someone is telling you that they hate everything about the running of their country then I hope those he is talking about aren't stupid enough to ignore it.

To refer back to the social soap box which is twitter: someone tweeted "Those Who Criticize Our Generation Forget Who Raised It." I'm not in favour of making excuses for any under the age of the 18. The whole 'they don't know any better' doesn't really cut it because everyone knows the difference between right and wrong. But the author of that tweet does have a point. Kids today are being born into problems that they didn't create. So when an 11 year old gets arrested for rioting, maybe think of something more articulate to say than 'chav' or 'thug.' If that 11 year old had had something productive to do that day maybe they wouldn't have been there. Surely you have to ask the question why kids that young are in that frame of mind in the first place? Some people are angered by the rioters, I'm angered by the response to the riots: the riots make me sad more than anything.

But don't get me wrong, I'm sad for the people who have been robbed and looted and beaten and I'm devastated for those who have died. I more than appreciate the fact that innocent lives have been destroyed and it's not right. I just don't think it's right either to dismiss these incidents, sweep it all under a huge carpet of ignorance and carry on until the next time social tension reaches boiling point.

Real As It Gets

"say you're looking for the real, hey well it's real as real as it gets,
as real as it gets" Jay Z

I like it when things are rough and gritty: fashion, films, music.


It will always be the Shameless of the time that gets me tuning in. The freestyle grime verse that gets me turning up; no chorus just bars upon bars. Art, in my opinion, is best when drawn from reality.
There's something so refreshing about things not being perfectly polished. My favourite films are the raw, real ones that kind of look a bit homemade but that's what makes them so great. Somehow when all the glamour is sucked out, stripped of pretence, everything just seems to become more appealing.


Not all the time. Yeah I love the glossy pages of Elle, an airbrushed Hollywood chick flick and a catchy pop chorus as much as the next girl but it's the raw stuff, the real stuff that grabs my interest and actually makes me think. Most of all I love real fashion ...

I love looking at people's style in the street, because that's often where you find the most creative ensembles. Sometimes I want to grab randomers and say let me photograph you so I can lust over your outfit forever, but I'd probably get arrested, so I don't. Luckily I have some highly creative friends and family who let me take pictures of them. There is no theme to these pictures, just real people and real places that I happen to think are really cool.

I feel like I know a very eclectic, interesting group of people, I'm no Corrine Day, but these pictures are just the tiniest snippet into all the different types of real styles that inspire me daily.

Summer Lessons

Having recently got back from Zante, I thought I would be kind and share some tips that I have learned both personally and from observing friend's experiences.

1. Wearing a playsuit when drunk can cause extreme difficulty when going to the toilet causing several catastrophic border line wetting yourself moments - cue screaming and jumping up and down on the spot

2. Leotards are easier to get out of when bursting for the toilet, but it's getting back in that's the trouble. There is only so many times your mate will fiddle around in your crotch region to do it back up for you

3. The bathroom floor is only a comfortable place to sleep until you sober up. Then it's cold and wet.

4. Just because shots are only one euro does not mean you have to get 5. In each bar.

5. Just because after one day, your boobs/back/legs are not as tanned as you want them to be, does not mean it's acceptable to just not put sun cream on them

6. If they are not the colour you want them to be on the last day, then it's acceptable: desperate times ...

 7. After you've pulled a guy, wait until he leaves the room to ask your friends what his name is.

8. Everyone thinks their hometown is the best, but the truth is no one actually cares where you're from, so if you want to make friends don't go round screaming your post code out/writing it on people at every possible opportunity. If you don't want to make friends then crack on.

9. When you get back to England, you will need to ween yourself off of sun and alcohol. I suggest a glass of wine in the morning and standing next to a heated oven or maybe even in the boiler cupboard, it depends how bad your withdrawal symptoms are

10. When you are feeling at your lowest, just remembered that there at least 3/4 days of British summertime to look forward to every year

Enjoy your summer hols! :)

Fashion is for Fools (apparently)

As a self confessed fashion addict; a girl who would spend her last hope of paying rent on time for those shoes she reeeally wants; a girl who turned down a History degree at a fairly good university to do fashion journalism at a new and not yet critically acclaimed one, (much to the dismay of every adult around me): I started to wonder if I was a little shallow. I sometimes feel guilty for my passion, but then I thought why should I? If science was my thing, and I spent all day flicking through encyclopedias and I sacrificed other things to indulge in experiments people would applaud. Even when kids start collecting stamps and Pokemon cards that's OK; but when I start collecting dresses, oh no, that's another story ...

Why do some people have such a problem with fashion? They sneer at it, look down their nose at it or disregard it completely. But why is one of the largest, most influential and most profitable industries in the entire world seen as such a joke? The words 'Mickey Mouse' subject springs to mind. Shallow and stupid come shortly after. Just because fashion occupies a part of the brain doesn't mean there's nothing going on in the rest of it. Fashion writing is the absolute lowest form of writing imaginable but is read by billions. A little ironic don’t you think?

As much as I love fashion and following trends, ‘fashion’ in itself is much deeper than that. Take away fashion and just look at clothing. It can be a uniform, a status symbol, or just a tiny snippet of you mood/personality/music taste. Clothing is an outer representation of the inner. It shouldn’t be the only point of judgement but it’s still an important one. If you have an interview in an office, a suit would be appropriate: because you want to give the impression of smartness and reliability. Showing that you take pride in your appearance, will be judged by your potential employers as an indication that you take pride in other aspects of your life, eg your job. And of course they will speak to you, read your CV, ring previous employers, but that first impression is key, and you wouldn’t want that impression to be spoilt be a bad outfit choice now would you? Clothes present to people the impression that you want to give them, whether you do it consciously or not.

Culture is made up of many things: art, history, music, politics … fashion. All of the elements that make up a particular culture are interlinked. They all influence each other. Music and fashion are probably the most closely related, having recently done research into British subcultures, every fashion fade has had a music genre to match or vice versa. Take the Teddy Boys and Girls, who put a fashionable finger up to strict 1950's society, creating the 'teenager' as we know it. Telling me that fashion has not helped shape society is like telling me that Martin Luther King had no impact on Black History.

Ted Girl

I’m not saying that every t-shirt tells a story, but the majority of fashion trends happen for a reason. There are reasons for why everyone wears everything, nothing is by accident. Even if you genuinely don’t care about fashion and choose not to indulge in it, it's still a conscious choice to wear a plain t shirt and un-branded shoes. Even the choice NOT to be fashionable is still an indication of how you feel about it. Everything in life is a choice. Including what you wear when you wake up in the morning, which is why fashion fascinates me.

I’m a little bit protective of fashion, I feel like I constantly have to prove my self and defend my hobby and ultimately my career choice. When I asked my boyfriend if he thought I was shallow and if I should have done history instead. He replied that wouldn’t it have been much more shallow to do something that I didn’t love for fear of not impressing other people? Fashion lovers: hold your head up high, because I think he makes a very valid point.