Could have been a good idea in Theory?

I got bit by the shopping bug yesterday afternoon. After cruising Saks, Mango and Neimans on my lunch hour and finding nothing that completely satisfied me, I thought some bargain hunting might do the trick. I stopped off at the Marshalls and Filenes Basement on Boylston Street in Boston. Although I found a few good buys for my work and casual wardrobe (a brown Vince tank for $8! a Red Sox sweatshirt for my brothers upcoming 19th birthday for $25! pink Vineyard Vines pants for $29! a wrap dress by Toast for $20!), I was moreso appalled by some of the heinous designs by some of my favorite designers.

Case in point. Theory. I love Theory. To me, it might be one of the most young professional, twenty-something, about to enter the job market appropriate brands that is available. To anyone who is trying to "mature" their wardrobe, I push them towards the Theory racks at Neimans or any major department store. I find steals (because really, what twenty-something who enters the job force can afford a $350 blazer by Theory when you can find it at Filenes Basement for $30?) at discount stores and wear them to pieces. I have blazers, skirts, tops -- oh and their stretchy tank tops? They're amazing. However, some of the pieces that I found on the racks yesterday hurt my heart -- maybe a little less because, I do understand, they're at Marshalls or wherever, but still, that means at one time, not too long ago (some of it as recently as this past summer, or still sold for full price online, because I remember seeing it then and saying 'ew'), they were on the racks of a Neimans, Saks, Bloomies. I tried on one purple blouse that looked like a Hefty bag that Barney threw up after a night of drinking. One dress looked like it belonged to a woman on the Mayflower (and not in that quasi-cute Blair Waldorf pilgrim bow way). One pair of pants looked like it was made out of my mothers' windbreaker, circa 1982. Ick. Ew. Gag.

It really does make me think, 'What were they thinking?' We all have questionable fashion moments - for me it was when I cut my hair short and went through a flowy skirt phase (but didn't we all?). I wore graphic tees and ripped jeans as an Abercrombie & Fitch employee, but still looked cute (I think?). My efforts don't go unnoticed, but I can't say the same for some of the designers I find while shopping on a Tuesday night. Please fashion world, hear my plea. Lose the bright fabrics, I don't want to look like Big Bird. Give me a top that makes me look like I have some sort of shape - don't just cut two squares and think I'm good to go. And please, please, please do something about these matronly collars. It's 2008 for crying out loud, I'm not looking to look like I just rolled onto Plymouth Rock for Thanksgiving.

-M

Newsflash!

Oh readers, it's been awhile. I'm back from vacay and in the office. Here are some links to satisfy you during your lunch hour.

It's Tuesday, and you know what this means. All hail the Daily Intel! Need another GG recap? Thank you Gawker!

No honestly, where do they find these people?

The economic situation hits privileged teenagers hard too -- welcome to real life kids. I heard that the Abercrombie I used to work at is hiring...

So either they're incredibly on, or really off? Can someone please clear this up?

I saw the sign in 1994, and will again in 2009.

YouTube doesn't heart Britney.

Another teen mag bites the dust.

Did you miss The Hills last night? That so means you missed Audrinas kind of sort of nip-slip!

You say I'm crazy, I got your crazy

I cannot lie. I have been waiting for this comeback for years. Since before the shaved head incident, and the disaster-ridden interview with Matt Lauer on Dateline NBC. I have been waiting for Brit-Brit to get her act together, get her hair looking good, and be the pop princess I idolized throughout my middle and high school years. Thank god, it seems like she's back (and I knock on wood as I say this).

Over the past few days, temporarily freed from the everyday tasks of my job, I found the new video for Womanizer on YouTube. I missed the premiere which was, oddly enough, on 20/20 the other night, but figured it's for the better since YouTube gives the extended, "uncensored" video. A few observations I have...

1.) P and I both agree that the video is Toxic version 2.0. Even the guy in the video (the womanizer, I assume), looks to be the same actor. Maybe the only way to truly get back into the swing of Brit's hayday is to actually go back in time. If the video seems oddly remincient of 2003 or so, then so can our memories -- to a time before Kevin Federline, babies, acting like white trash -- you get the jist.

2.) Also with the look of the video, Britney's look has somehow reverted back to 2003. How she can somehow look as good as she did four years ago, I do not know. The hair. The makeup. The body (has anyone else seen those sauna scenes?!). I can't even work off 5 freakin' pounds. Some people have all the luck.

3.) Britney with a black haired bob < href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1596736/20081009/spears_britney.jhtml">this in late November. An exclusive documentary? Britney finally talking about everything? Finally, the television special I've been waiting for. Let's hope she bashes her mother's tell-all book (I know I would).

-M

Staged Reality?

Now now, I'm not insulting anyone's intelligence. We're all aware of certain "reality" shows that aren't so much reality. When it comes to The Hills, I don't mind. But there is a crop of reality shows on MTV that I watch on these days off that I have, and, well, I'm confused as to how I could even possibly see these shows as real. I mention my most laughable, unrealistic, favorites here.

Parental Control. I would like to see any set of parents willing to sit down with a heinous boyfriend that they despise. I would like to see any boyfriend that's a total jackass (that's believeable) that's willing to sit down and watch me date, kiss (and probably do other stuff) with two other guys (not so believeable). I'd also like to see a slew of teenagers who all, somehow, break the news of choosing one of three partners in the exact same scripted fashion. Yes, complete with even the same dramatic sigh before saying the last eliminated name. Oh boy. What coincedence. Even it's participants admit it's staged. Whatever happened to NDA's???

The Ex-Factor. I will not lie. I am completely and totally sucked into this show. I dont know how anyone watching it can actually believe that these two couples ever thought that this was an actual 'resort' they were going to, or that we're supposed to believe that this ever-smiling woman that always brings bad news ("So, your partners are going pole dancing today as an afternoon activity!") is an actual resort worker. I also don't know how we are to believe that this resort never has anyone else around, actually has dinners set up on cheap patio furniture in the middle of an infinity pool, or actually somehow has such survillance for this spying on the ex'es. Regardless, the idea of this is absolutely killer. What would I do if I was with my ex for a weekend (and didn't think I was being spied on)? What would my boyfriend do with his ex? What would I do with the guy I'd be in the room with if I just saw my boyfriend cheat on me with his ex? Yeah -- I think the reality might be better than MTV's staged setup on this one. But wait, if this is staged - then was Temptation Island staged? I feel as though my entire television past as a child was all a sham. It's like realizing that the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny all don't exist. Who else brings me my Mini Eggs every Easter Sunday?!

Finally, the show I can't figure out if it's real or not. The new Dr. Drew hosted, Sex With Mom & Dad. I can't imagine: 1.) being on this show, 2.) telling the story of my sex life to my parents, 3.) my parents EVER reacting this calmly to such news -- we all can think of how my old-fashioned, conservative parents took the news when they found out I was having sex. Period. All of a sudden, these parents aren't about to strangle their kids when they find out that they have a million and one partners? Had sex in the back of their Jetta? Has an admitted 'hatred towards women?' How about the girl who is 19, is having sex with her boyfriend (no biggie) but has not used protection. First, is this girl stupid? Even the worst public school sex education show at least a condom? Doesn't it? Even Sarah Palin now endorses contraception -- although, she might not be the best expert of talking to your kids about sex...

Maybe the parents of today's teenagers have a much more relaxed mindset than my sixty-something year old parents, but I would not even want to think of my daddy's reaction if I had to play the 'What turns you on?' game with them on national television (as it is I got nervous talking about making out in elevators knowing P's mom reads the blog! [Sorry for any offense, by the way!]). No thank you, no. Although, I do give this show some major props for, staged or not, promoting such conversations within families. It can do some (or rather, most,) families some good, and might make talking about sex a bit more productive than it has been in the past. I know that I sure hope for more openness when it comes to my hypothetical children and I.

-M

Preachings of a 20-something...

On my way to work today, I saw an older man in a flashy red sports car. I always thought the whole buying a little red sports car during a mid-life crisis was one of those myths…you know, the kind that well-meaning aunts tell you, like when they warn you of the dangers of swallowing fruit-pits: “You don’t want a little tree growing in your belly, now do you?” (that one had me scared for years I tell you)
It got me thinking though, what exactly IS a mid-life crisis?
Sociologist Daniel Shek, in a 1996 study, defined (no, I am not making this up) a mid-life crisis as the desire to "reappraise previous life structures with an eye to making revisions while there is still time."…In that way, it is not momentary madness but rather, a moment of sudden clarity. The moment you realize…time is running out. I don't know about you, but that seems pretty scary to me.
Having just gone through a mini-crisis in my life (a quarter life crisis?) I have had some experience. As fresh graduates (can I still use that term 9 months later?) we often linger in a stage of constant indecision and ambivalence. After spending 4 (or 4 and 1/2) solid years at school doing everything with the main aim of graduating, I found myself at a thoroughly unclimatic and undramatic culmination to school-life. "That's it?' I wondered, tehtering on the cusp of entering the so-called "real world."
Maybe I had missed out on my epiphany, I thought. I still hadn't quite figured out "what to do with my life," so how could I be graduating already?

I moved back home and spent a few months living happily 'lost in transition,' the transition between full-time college student and full-time working woman.

It was good for the first few months...my most arduous task involved my movement out of bed and onto the couch. I loved it - catching up on months of trashy daytime television, having good food readily prepared (and not having to worry how it got there), clean clothes (and no need to do laundry myself)...I was surprisingly complacent living in limbo.

"Just waiting for my life to begin," I would laughing tell friends who would check in about my future job (and generally, life) prospects.

And therein lay my biggest problem - my crisis waiting to happen.

This is it guys, your life. You can't just sit around waiting for shit to happen - you have to make it happen. Sorry to go all Oprah on you. But this is my Miranda moment - I've seen the light and feel the need to spread the gospel. The way I see it, you can continue being passive about the things that are happening to you or you can just make the decisions you need to make and really start living your life.

Didn't Your Mom Teach You Better Than To Curse In Public?

I take a short, time out, from my days off from work (and supposedly away from the ever-needed technological needs from my life), to state something that oddly bothers me as I continue to age. Tonight, I saw courtside at the preseason opening game for the Boston Celtics. Behind me, sat a father (although could be grandfather), a child of about 14 and a child of about 7. All guys. The would-be fourteen year old, for the three hours that I sat there for, continued to use each four letter word that my mother still -- to this day -- tells her almost twenty-three year old to not use. Such four letter words, that although I use them, I do not type out here, in any other column I write, or say around younger, seven-year-old family members.

Now, I don't know if it's the maternal kick in my nudging through again or what, but I wanted to scold this kid so badly. I have the seven-year-old behind me screaming about twinkies (don't even get me started here - but am I that obvious??) and then a fourteen-year-old saying f-bombs right and left. I went to watch Paul Pierce. Not this. The father/grandfather/Santa Claus lookalike? Did not say anything. Do anything. No scolding. No nothing. Appalling.

Maybe my focus should be on all of the college aged students at tonight's game, being drunken fools, and also shouting the f-bomb, but it's not. I have low expectations for college-aged men (for good reason, I think). I cannot possibly think of a locale where my mom (or father) would see it as appropriate for me, circa age 14, to be dropping such vulgar language.

I wish I had a bar of soup with me in my Kate Spade bag tonight.
-M

On the interweb...

Would you like a side of chauvinism with that?


What kind of saree would a female gangsta wear? And now you know!


Are you a meat-eating vegetarian? This makes me think of Charlotte.


In a (hopefully true) new book, the author reveals what it was like to be a (fake) young male writer


Desis for Obama! I want a t-shirt!


Healthy debates on religion/politics are always welcome...such as this looking at facebook and Islam. But guess what is not okay...this!

Questionable Fashion Choices By The Boston Community

Yesterday, in light of the brisk fall weather, I channeled my inner Blair Waldorf into my outfit for work. Juicy Couture gold ballet flats. Black leggings. Deep purple knee length pleated skirt (satin! by The Limited!). Sleeveless Tahari black top and a black blazer. I threw a thick purple headband through my newly dyed jet black hair, grabbed my Coach suede gallery tote and left to make a Red Line subway to work. I am not two steps out of my front door when I see a construction worker, staring at me (and my Blair Waldorf outfit) -- and it wasn't a glance. It was a stare, as I walked, his head moved. Throughout my half a hour commute, I found that these stares came frequent and often. From men and women. Women looked at me almost in disgust. I was, and still am, kind of shocked by this.

Shocked, but unsurprising, maybe. After reading this article in Boston Magazine, I severely question the fashion choices that the Boston-area women (and men) are making. Case in point. This morning on the Green Line, I saw a girl no taller than I (I graze 5'0"), hop on the train in full emo gear. Pencil leg jeans - in black. Converse All Stars. Black jacket that looks like a five-year-old bought it. But the kicker of the outfit choice was the headband that she wore around her head. Kind of like a halo. It looked like the head decorations babies wear, because they have no hair to hold back an actual headband. No one (except for me) batted an eye at this girl as she stood on the T - complete with glistening silver headware. I've seen women wear those Asian slide on mesh slippers (you know what I'm talking about, right?) all over the city. Their cheap beads fall off as they walk -- at least they'll know their way home if they get lost. I've seen women wearing jeans that expose thongs of women too old to be wearing such undergarments. And yet. I get looks for my nice work appropriate outfit.

Call me an elitist, but I want to start yelling, 'MY SHIRT IS BY REBECCA BEESON' or 'THESE ARE LAST SEASON, CANNOT FIND AGAIN FLATS.' I've never been so amazed at the lack of fashion knowledge in a city before. The last time I felt as though I had to dress down was in college, where even then, girls could respect the meaning of Juicy Couture sweats. This city might be a historic one, but I think a small dose of New York wouldn't hurt in the couture department.
-M

Newsflash!

Now before I head out of town for the rest of the week (sorry lovely readers, but P's gonna have to be the source for writing for much of the next few days), I'll leave you with these few gems of stories.

Now, if they can only make this work for cell phones and text messages. I'm all set. Bring on another round!

Were you watching the Red Sox last night too? Here's what you missed on The Hills.

Wanna be a journalist? You know you want to be just like me and P.

It's true. This show taught me all I needed to ever know.

Yet another recession-friendly food that I've always liked to eat. What can I say, I'm a cheap date.

Missed SNL? Here you go, all hail Tina Fey.

-M

Mean Girls

Girl on girl crimes.

I stumbled across this a few days ago during my daily ritual of checking out websites for my early morning news fix. In short, it is a rambling monologue on "Why some women hate Sarah Palin."
Sure, I am no fan of Ms. Palin but this article just made me mad and reminded me of all the mean girls I've encountered in my life (not that many, thankfully!)

The writer lists three main reasons for why women hate Ms. Palin, and they are:

- She's too pretty
- She's too confident
- She could embarass us

Do I really need to say anything? The ridiculousness of the fact that she might be hated (as a politician) for being too pretty or too confident is simply beyond me.

"...never to discount the ability of women to open a robust, committed, well-thought-out vat of hatred for another girl."

"Women are weapons-grade haters. Hillary Clinton knows it. Palin knows it too. When women get their hate on, they don't just dislike, or find disfavor with, or sort of not really appreciate. They loathe — deeply, richly, sustainingly."

Now, I am not really sure who appointed this writer to be the rep. for all of womankind but her statements do not encapsulate my own personal reasons for my 'intense dislike' of Ms. Palin as a VP candidate. I am not a fan of her politics (surprise, surprise), and she is sorely mistaken if she believes she has foreign policy experience because she can "see Russia from Alaska!"
She was picked in a sexist attempt to appeal to women voters but guess what, if the race to the White House was anything like the Apprentice, she would have been FIRED!
This is one of those articles written simply in the hopes of making a splash...and it does (making headlines on cnn.com and yahoo.com)...but more in the way that one ungracefully belly-flops into the pool of serious news analysis.