Pay day!

Oh no! The day before pay day and I found myself heading into town after work and spending nearly all of my monthly clothing budget before I've even been paid!! My only excuse is that I was consoling myself in the wake of a whole week alone in the flat as the boyf has gone off to sunny Barcelona with some friends and I have been left behind!!

So, what did I buy?

My first stop was Zara (up to 50% off sale signs in the window pulled me in!!). I picked up a gorgeous royal blue jersey dress that can be dressed up for dinner and drinks out or could be worn for chic work wear! (Photos to follow!) It only had a fiver off but I probably would have bought it for full price! I also grabbed a lovely oversized cream tee with an abstract octopus design on the front. It looks gorgeous casually chucked on over a pair of leggings with a blazer over.

Next I headed to Gap to grab a couple of rather less exciting t-shirts for work wear. Has anyone else noticed how difficult it is to find appropriate summer work wear that combines keeping cool with looking smart and respectable? Without looking boring it is very difficult!

I then headed to the Paperchase concession in Borders and indulged my other shopping addiction of stationary! Before I really became aware of fashion (I was a late starter) I kept Woolworths in business with my weekly purchases of pens, notebooks, etc. And this has carried on. I picked up a lovely photo album and some pretty notecards.

I had better save the rest of my pennies for my Topshop Style Advisor session on Thursday!! I'm thinking that I want to get a nice new outfit for my trip to Paris with my mum later this month. My criteria are for something ultra stylish, that will travel well and that will stay looking fresh after a day of sight-seeing and will keep me cool in the Paris summer weather. Not too much to ask, is it?! I would welcome any of your thoughts!

I'll write again soon, love, SG

BACK IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD

One of the great things about living in Philly is the array of fantastic food practically in our own backyard. We're just a few blocks from the Italian Market and shop there weekly. When visiting out-of-town friends and family I often bring an antipasto spread from the market--sweet and tangy sundried tomatoes, spicy poppers, luscious marinated artichokes, salty Kalamata olives, creamy Chevrion goat cheese and warm-from-the-oven Sarcone's bread. Just as often I pick up a few items for Kevin and I to enjoy. Here's one recipe for an easy, no-cook meal (and a shopping excursion that's so much better than a grocery store):

STEP ONE: Go to Claudio's (924 South Ninth Street), preferably on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Wander past the hanging provolone and racks of olive oil ...


... sample goodies from the olive bar ...


... while you wait for Sal to slice paper-thin prosciutto ...


... or Ben to scoop up mounds of pillowy soft fresh mozzarella (made on premises).


Before leaving, stock up on a hunk of parmigiano-reggiano for tomorrow night's dinner.


STEP TWO: Pick up a bag of baby arugula from the farmstand near Anthony's Coffee House (at a fraction of the cost of Whole Foods up the street).

STEP THREE: Stop by Sarcone's (758 South Ninth Street) for a seeded loaf.


Go early (they sell out every single day).



STEP FOUR: Once home, arrange the washed arugula in a bowl. Top with curls of prosciutto and slabs of mozzarella.


STEP FIVE: Crack open a bottle of J. Lohr chardonnay, grab the bread, head out to the backyard with someone you love and toast to a soft summer evening in the city.

Photos by Doreen Creede. Salad inspired by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers' Italian Two Easy cookbook.

Wimbledon

Pimms, strawberries and cream, and striped blazers, Wimbledon is officially here! I along with the rest of the nation catch Wimbledon fever at this time of the year, and took a trip to SW19 this weekend to see it live in action.

My chosen attire was smart casual with a blazer (with the sleeves turned up, of course), belted t-shirt dress, big sunglasses, gladiators and oversized shoulder bag. Preppy chic was, as to be expected, in full force at Wimbledon with fedoras, panamas, chinos, loafers and blazers leading the way. However rather than looking dated and elitist the look was undeniably cool. Think preppy with a twist: Russell & Bromley's tassled loafers, pegleg chinos, cropped fitted blazers and Gucci-inspired fedoras.

Short Textured Japanese Hairstyles

Short hairstyles have become popular these days and most of them follow as a tradition. Some guys believe that short haircuts make them look younger and also hot and masculine. In Japan many of them prefer to wear short hairstyle. These are not only easy to handle but also requires minimum amount of work to style them.

Guys who are busy or not interested to spend much time in styling their hair can go for short haircuts. At least when compared to medium and long haircut, these require less work. Even if you follow and style your hair like long or medium, they require high maintenance. For short hairstyle people, they only need to wash their hair and dry it to obtain the "clean short" look.

Modern japanese hairstyle

New Asian haircut

Latest Tokyo hairstyle

Trendy Guys hairstyle

Trendy tokyo hairstyle

Short Textured Japanese Hairstyles

Short hairstyles have become popular these days and most of them follow as a tradition. Some guys believe that short haircuts make them look younger and also hot and masculine. In Japan many of them prefer to wear short hairstyle. These are not only easy to handle but also requires minimum amount of work to style them.

Guys who are busy or not interested to spend much time in styling their hair can go for short haircuts. At least when compared to medium and long haircut, these require less work. Even if you follow and style your hair like long or medium, they require high maintenance. For short hairstyle people, they only need to wash their hair and dry it to obtain the "clean short" look.

Modern japanese hairstyle

New Asian haircut

Latest Tokyo hairstyle

Trendy Guys hairstyle

Trendy tokyo hairstyle

Celebrity Reviews Eugene Kim Yoo-jin

Kim Yoo-jin, professionally known in English as Eugene, is a South Korean singer and actress, known mostly for her musical career as part of the hit K-pop group S.E.S.. By way of an audition tape, Eugene was able to be part of a music group for SM Entertainment in South Korea, even though she was still in Guam. Debuting in 1997, S.E.S. became one of the biggest Korean groups of all time, having the record for biggest selling album by a female group in Korea. While in S.E.S., Eugene became known for her beauty and was part of the reason why S.E.S. had many advertising contracts. In fact, for certain print campaigns (like for Korean cosmetics company Etude), Eugene had the leading role, being the focus of the advertisements. After the split of S.E.S. in 2002, Kim has appeared in four Korean dramas: Loving You, Save The Last Dance, Wonderful Life, and I Really, Really Like You. She has also appeared in commercials and advertisements, most notably for Korean cosmetics company Cathy Cat. In addition, she has released two solo albums. My True Style, her first album, has sold nearly 65,000 records and had one hit ballad, “The Best”. Her second album 810303 sold a disappointing 19,000 copies. Although sales were low, Eugene still had a very successful single with “Windy”, mostly due to her new “sexy” image (compared to her previous girl next door image). This song was performed on all the music video programs in Korea for many months, in addition to her second single. Promotions were stopped near the end of the year. Eugene did some promotional work for Philippine tourism in mid-2006, having appointed spokesmodel of Philippine tourism for Korea in that year. In 2007, she was one of the co-hosts of KBS’s Happy Together: Friends, taking over from Lee Hyori, until the show was overhauled for a third season. Also, she has become part of the musical version of the film Innocent Steps. She also debuted as a film actress in Unstoppable Marriage (released on May 10, 2007). In March 2008, it was announced that she would take the lead role in the drama Three Daddies and One Mommy, to be aired starting in April.

Profile
Stage name: Eugene
Real name: 김유진 / Kim Yoo Jin (Gim Yu Jin) 金柳真
Nickname: Panda
Profession: Singer and actress
Date of birth: 1981-Mar-03
Place of birth: Seoul, South Korea
Height: 160cm
Weight: 47kg
Horoscope: Pisces
Blood type: A
Religion: Christian

Celebrity Reviews Uhm Jung Hwa

Uhm Jung-hwa is a South Korean female Korean pop artist and actress. Uhm is known for her roles in the films Marriage Is a Crazy Thing (which earned her a Best Actress Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards), All for Love and Princess Aurora. Actor Uhm Tae-woong is her younger brother. As a singer she is recognized as a 90s k-pop icon, and is one of the few Korean entertainers often referred to as a gay icon.[citation needed] Known as the "sexy queen" or as the "queen of charisma", Jung-hwa is signed with Trifecta Entertainment. In 2006, she courted controversy by wearing revealing outfits for her performances in support of her Prestige album, causing Netizens to heavily criticize her. On July 1, 2008, Uhm Jung Hwa released an EP titled D.I.S.C.O. It was entirely produced and marketed by YG Entertainment despite the fact that she is signed under a different management company. Uhm made her comeback on MBC's 쇼! 음학중심 (Show, Music Core) on July 5, 2008. She also held a pool party concert on July 13, 2008, performing live in front of 2,000 fans at the Walker Hill Hotel in Seoul. Apart from singing and acting, Uhm Jung-hwa launched a lingerie line, Zuhm in New York, which raked in over 10 million USD within months of its release.

Name:Uhm Jung Hwa (Eom Jeong Hwa)
Profession: Actress and singer
Born: 1971-Aug-17
Height: 164cm
Weight: 47kg
Star sign: Leo
Blood type: A
Family: Younger brother/actor Uhm Tae Woong
Talent agency: Sim Entertaiment

Celebrity Reviews Son Dam Bi

Son Dam Bi was Born September 25, 1983. Son Dam Bi is a South Korean singer who debuted in 2007. She has been the It Girl among many Korean netizens for several months after somebody accidentally uploaded her dance video online. Then, after her Samsung CF aired on TV, she officially become the “the female Rain". She made her first debut on June 29th on Channel V A-Live. Since then she has performed in concerts and music shows.

Top 10 Festival Must-Haves

It is that time of year, Glastonbury is finally here again! Sadly I won’t be there to join the festivities as I get my act together and purchase a ticket in time however I will be tuning in to all the coverage. I can’t wait to see Neil Young and my favourite Britpop boys Blur.

However I have compiled a top ten list of festival essentials for all of you going to Glasto or any other festival this summer:

1. Bright Nail Varnish preferable in bright orange or yellow. For the perfect shade of canary yellow try Nails Inc’s ‘Carnaby Street’ – easy to apply, chip resistant and the colour of the summer






2. Dry hair wash – the perfect solution to the non existent shower problem






3. Fedora – keep off the sun, rain and look effortlessly stylish in the meantime






4. Cut-off denim shorts – the epitome of festival chic






5. Over-sized sunglasses – the bigger the better, channel Jackie O, coloured frames are always a favourite






6. Jewellery – pile it on heavily for bohemian chic






7. Lip gloss – work bright pinks and reds






8. Wellies – a given for the British elements






9. Dry hand wash – essential for all festivals






10. Berocca – energy tablets to ensure you don’t miss a thing

What are your festival essentials?

The Michael Jackson Metamorphosis

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, and all I can think about is what he would've looked like had he not had all those surgeries.

I wonder if he would've gone through all the crap he went through had he seemed more "normal" to the outside world.

Why did he change his look so drastically? Why wasn't he happy with himself? Did his radical surgeries kill his career? Did people have a hard time looking directly at him?

At the end of the day, Michael Jackson was a man with feelings and emotions like the rest of us, but most people couldn't see it because they were so busy looking away in horror.

Michael Jackson was an amazing artist, a great dancer, and he did set the standard for most pop artists today. Unfortunately, he faded out in the late '90s and then became more famous for his personal life than his professional one.

I grew up on Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, and HIStory, so I know how amazing all his songs are, I just wish we could've seen the real Michael Jackson and appreciated him in all his glory.

Rest in peace, Michael Jackson, you will be missed.

The Michael Jackson Metamorphosis

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, and all I can think about is what he would've looked like had he not had all those surgeries.

I wonder if he would've gone through all the crap he went through had he seemed more "normal" to the outside world.

Why did he change his look so drastically? Why wasn't he happy with himself? Did his radical surgeries kill his career? Did people have a hard time looking directly at him?

At the end of the day, Michael Jackson was a man with feelings and emotions like the rest of us, but most people couldn't see it because they were so busy looking away in horror.

Michael Jackson was an amazing artist, a great dancer, and he did set the standard for most pop artists today. Unfortunately, he faded out in the late '90s and then became more famous for his personal life than his professional one.

I grew up on Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, and HIStory, so I know how amazing all his songs are, I just wish we could've seen the real Michael Jackson and appreciated him in all his glory.

Rest in peace, Michael Jackson, you will be missed.

WONDERFUL WORLD

What to wear to a summer wedding in the city if you're the bride? My philosophy: wear what you love. For my own wedding (exactly five years ago today!) I chose a simple shape in a bold color--my favorite, red.

(p.s. Happy anniversary, Kevin...xxoo...)

DRESS: Summer Wedding in the City

Photo by Tony & Tracy Wood Photography

Farrah Fawcett Died at 62

Farrah Fawcett, 62, has died today, June 25, 2009. Her entire family was by her side and Ryan O'Neal is said to have married her before her passing.

Our thoughts and prayer go out to Farrah Fawcett and her family at this time.

No matter how old she got, we always looked at Farrah Fawcett as that sexy beauty on Charlie's Angels. Even when she had a moment of weirdness on Letterman, we still thought she was sexy.

Here's to you, Farrah Fawcett, you're everyone's angel now.

Farrah Fawcett Died at 62

Farrah Fawcett, 62, has died today, June 25, 2009. Her entire family was by her side and Ryan O'Neal is said to have married her before her passing.

Our thoughts and prayer go out to Farrah Fawcett and her family at this time.

No matter how old she got, we always looked at Farrah Fawcett as that sexy beauty on Charlie's Angels. Even when she had a moment of weirdness on Letterman, we still thought she was sexy.

Here's to you, Farrah Fawcett, you're everyone's angel now.

Perez Hilton is Secretly Straight

Perez Hilton, perhaps the most overated gossip blogger, has finally issued an apology for calling Will.i.am a faggot. Yes, Perez Hilton really did call Will.i.am a faggot. It's kind of weird, but I think that all this proves what I've always known to be true. Perez Hilton is straight. There, I said it.

I think that Perez Hilton is just acting gay so that he can get closer to women and then Bang! And he'll always say, "Wow, I don't know how that happened. I really did like penis, you know?"

But all kidding aside, or not, I think this might actually be the beginning of the official "We hate Perez Hilton" campaign. Forget Prop 8, Perez Hilton is the person we need to focus on here.

We all managed to slowly push Paris Hilton out of the mainstream media because she was so useless; now it's up to us to do the same with Perez Hilton.

Personally, I think Perez Hilton deserves a whole lot more than a black eye.

Perez Hilton is Secretly Straight

Perez Hilton, perhaps the most overated gossip blogger, has finally issued an apology for calling Will.i.am a faggot. Yes, Perez Hilton really did call Will.i.am a faggot. It's kind of weird, but I think that all this proves what I've always known to be true. Perez Hilton is straight. There, I said it.

I think that Perez Hilton is just acting gay so that he can get closer to women and then Bang! And he'll always say, "Wow, I don't know how that happened. I really did like penis, you know?"

But all kidding aside, or not, I think this might actually be the beginning of the official "We hate Perez Hilton" campaign. Forget Prop 8, Perez Hilton is the person we need to focus on here.

We all managed to slowly push Paris Hilton out of the mainstream media because she was so useless; now it's up to us to do the same with Perez Hilton.

Personally, I think Perez Hilton deserves a whole lot more than a black eye.

Funky knitwear, new clothes, shopping... just another standard Thursday afternoon!

I am currently resisting the urge to shop but have no idea how long I will be able to carry on before it becomes too much! I always find that after a stressful week at work shopping is the perfect therapy to relieve all of that. I can't go into a shop a see a beautiful dress or a cute top or gorgeous pair of shoes and not feel better… much, much better! It's the same feeling I get when I put on a new item of clothing for the first time. I saw a film recently starring Audrey Tautou, Priceless, in which she uses men to buy her gorgeous new designer clothes and there is a scene showing her getting up each morning and ripping the tags off a new outfit - including underwear - EVERY day. Obviously this is not a real possibility for mere mortals but it is a nice dream nonetheless!

I have just booked myself in for a Topshop Style Adviser session for a week's time which I am hoping might be a rather lovely shopping experience. I shall let you know!

I tried to find some good photos on my camera from the Graduate Fashion Shows two weeks ago but alas my camera is not very good with distance so none of them were really good enough to be showcased on here. However, I have found a few photos to accompany my comments below about the winner, Myrto Stamou. I love the way in which they are so beautifully put together and create gorgeous lines on the models.

Hannah Taylor of Ravensbourne University created a fun and quirky knitwear collection which was highly commended for the River Island Gold Award. Despite the designs being far less commercially viable than those of Myrto Stamou, they are nonetheless eyecatching and creative and certainly brightened my day during the show. They are, perhaps, the perfect antidote to the current economic climate whilst Myrto Stamou's collection is more modest.

Hope these pics brighten your day.

I'll write again soon, love, SG