Red and White and Black All Over

I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by Firmoo.com, and they offered to send me a pair of glasses. The trouble is, I actually have really good eyesight. While that isn't ordinarily troubling, it is when a glasses company offers you a free pair of glasses. Then, of course, I found out that they can tint lenses for any frames, and that the lenses don't even have to be special. Et viola, sunglasses.

Guys, I really, really love sunglasses.
Anyway, even though I got sunglasses, they do, in fact, offer glasses for people who actually require them. The best part: they're all really, really cute. There are colours and prints and good things all over the site, and I like all of that.

While I put in my order, there was a bit of trouble (entirely my doing, because half the time I don't pay enough attention to things), and they solved the problem instantly and politely, probably not even making fun of me in their heads. Since I got the lenses tinted, they took about a week and a half, and they were everything I could have hoped for. They came with a hard case, a soft case, a cloth, and a little repair kit in case I lose an arm (a glasses arm, not a real arm. I'd need a doctor for that, not tiny screws).

I've been wearing them nonstop because they're really cute, and they're just dark enough that the sun and I don't hate each other. Plus the arms are different colours, which is a detail that I really like.

And here's something really cool: they have this thing called the First Pair Free program. Basically, that means that your first pair is free with shipping. Like, you can get glasses for seven dollars. How awesome is that?

I'll tell you how awesome.

Very awesome.

Ignore the sunburn, but nothing else.

This has been a sponsored post. The product was provided for free, but the review was my own honest and unbiased opinion.

Lust List: Mermaids Are a Serious Problem

I've been really into mermaids lately. If I could, I'd be drawing them. As it is, I'm writing about them.

That's why this list is devoted to those fishy, mythological creatures. And while the connection might seem tenuous at best, I choose to believe that I am one with the merpeople. After all, when I was around five, I was fully convinced that I could be a mermaid when I grow up. Now, I'm going to be a marine biologist, and that's close enough for me.

Punk Rawk

You know how I like clothing challenges, right? Well, here's a new weekly one that I think I'm gonna love: Marvelous Monday! This is the third installment of it, but it's my first, and I'm excited.

This challenge is between myself and four amazing fatshion bloggers. Their links will be down below, and you really ought to check them out.

The philosophy of the challenge is this: Monday is nobody's favourite day of the week, but maybe its terrible reputation is a little undeserved. We're on a mission to make ours (and hopefully yours) a little less awful by dressing marvelously!

This week's theme: spikes and studs.

I like both of those things. Because of that, I put on my Tough Guy jacket, some purple lipstick, and funny faces. I've also realised that I really like putting my bangs in the middle like that. It makes me feel like a Teddy Boy, or Eddie Munster.

Anyway.

Jacket, boots: Forever 21 | Tee: Lane Bryant | Skirt: made by my mom | Stockings: Torrid | Necklace: DIY | Bracelet: vintage

Nails: "Sparkle Aplenty" by Revlon | Lipstick: "Violet Frenzy," also by Revlon. I like Revlon.

An added bonus:

Finally, be sure to check out the others!

Sian: Sort Life Out; Buy Milk

Jocelyn: Fat, Fashionable, and Feminist

Cheri: Cheri'z Angel and Style Luvin

L: goodbye hollywood

(We're still open to adding new participants, so get in touch with someone if you're interested!)

Spring Forward

Take my title as a gentle reminder that Daylight Savings is either starting or ending—either way, turn your clocks forward an hour, if you haven't already. Either that, or live in the past.

Today has basically involved groceries, Girl Scout cookies, and bees. No one got stung, but things are in bloom, and they're everywhere.

Tonight will be art homework and lots of Red Dwarf. I know, I'm excited too.

I was only mildly worried about all the bees.

Dress: eShakti | Sweater: thrifted | Cuff: vintage | Bag: Ross | Tights: WalMart | Boots: Forever

Daisies on my desk! It's that time of year.

Magic Lipstick

Yesterday was a good one. I spent the majority of the afternoon just entertaining my niece and nephews, and they are so easy to entertain. All Banana needs is a stuffed animal audience. The boys just need me to draw all the sharks their little hearts can handle.

I spent the evening with Erika and our friend Yesenia. Erika kind of spontaneously decided that it was a good night for Chinese, and so we went to the usual place. I showed them my magic lipstick, and they're converts. It's called Moodmatcher, and it's one colour in the tube, but shows up a completely different colour on skin. In addition to being a pretty colour, it lasts forever, and yes, it's magic.

After our kung pao shrimp and orange chicken, we made a quick run to the mall to get Erika and Yesenia some magic lipstick all for their very own.

Immediately after that, we went to pay a visit to the Kingyo boys while they practiced. I don't know why I always forget how good they are, because they are really good.

Erika tried to pressure/tease Beyrin into singing, and soon everyone in the room was doing the same. There was an impromptu show for us, and I was the only one to clap because I'm the only one with manners.

All in all, it was a great night, and I've converted my friends to the ways of magic lipstick.

Be Aware

I have a handful of posts lined up and in my head regarding body image, fat/body acceptance, body shaming,  and things of that nature. I'm letting you know in case you're not interested in reading them (don't worry, I'm not offended, clothes posts are nice too), or if they may somehow be triggering.

It's something that's become important to me in the past few years, and it's something I do like to talk about. So bear with me!

And if anyone would like to contribute anything to this discussion, let me know and we'll talk! I'd love for my fellow bloggers to join me in this. Heck, I'd love for readers to join in!

Let me know what you think, where you stand, or anything you'd like, really.

The F Word

What, exactly, is so toxic about the word fat? Why must we work so hard to "banish the belly" and go for a size two? Why do we allow ourselves to be guilted into hating our bodies?

Our bodies are something to loathe as they are. They're something to fix, something to improve, something that is quite obviously not your "Best Body Ever!" Anyone who decides that, hey, a burger sounds really good tonight is quite obviously unhealthy, doubly so if they're fat.

That's not to say that there aren't unhealthy fat people don't exist. Of course they do. But what people fail to realise is that healthy fat people do exist, just like unhealthy thin people. Several studies have been done to prove that size does not dictate health.

That terrible F word is not only dangerous as it stigmatizes fat people, but it wreaks havoc on the mental health of just about everyone. Yes, everyone, fat and skinny alike.

Eating disorders don't just affect skinny people, in the same way that they don't just affect women. But of course, once you reach a certain size, these dangerous behaviours—I mean physically dangerous—are applauded as an attempt to "Get your life back on track!" That's especially ambitious if you've kind of always been fat, or chubby, or simply Not Skinny.

Stigmatization against the word fat, not just fat on the body, but also fat in food, is detrimental. It makes something that occurs naturally, something that is actually vital for living, and makes it a dirty word. It manifests itself in such subtle ways as a girl like me, who's actually fairly confident, not owning any jeans because she doesn't like how they make her belly look. It manifests itself in my niece thinking that fat is the worst insult out there, on par with ugly, stupid, undesirable. It manifests itself in dangerous problems in people I love who are beautiful as they are.

Fat is a dirty word because accepting it means accepting your body, jiggly bits and all. In a world that is sort of run on body shaming, the person who actually accepts their body for what it is is revolutionary. The person who actually loves their body is radical!

I'm doing my best to teach my nieces and nephews, my friends, and myself that there are worse things in life than fat. I am not encouraging fatness, not by any means, but I am encouraging them to see that what they have is good, no matter what they're told.
And, if we're being honest, I'm doing the same for you and me both.

Waiting Game

While looking for inspiration for my pixie cut, I found a lot of comments along the lines of "Oh, I wish I could pull this off! I'm not pretty/thin/whatever enough! Woe is me!" Another common theme was, "I'll go do this once I lose all this weight!"

Okay, look. Self-control is a good thing. Otherwise, society wouldn't function. But come on guys, making excuses is just plain silly.

If you want a pixie cut, or a cute bathing suit, or a pair of jeans, go for it. Why make yourself wait for something you really, really want? Why attach an arbitrary amount of time to it, a hurdle you have to jump before you can reach the finish line and the bikini you've always wanted?

Having a reward system is good, but don't limit yourself! If you want a pixie cut, then go out and do some research and then chop it all off! The only thing stopping you should either be money (I know that feel) or just fear at having short hair. That's all good.

Whether you're skinny, fat, tall, short, purple, whatever, you can pull it off. No matter what it is.

No, go off my friends and cut your hair off like I did it's lonely over here enjoy your life!

Seriously.

Cherry Blossoms

I went to the mall today, but with a different person from the norm: my mom. It was pretty fun, and I made out like an earring bandit. Even though I can't even switch my earrings for another two weeks. Earring Purgatory, I'm tellin' ya.

I also wore a dress that decided to give me a ton of trouble, even though it doesn't usually. I need to figure out something to keep the bodice of this dress from gaping. Also, I wore shoes that were pinchy but cute, so they were ultimately worth it. I won't be wearing them for big adventures, though.

So, despite my troubles, it was a great day. Even the outside world was all kinds of cheerful. When we got home, we noticed that the cherry tree in the front yard was suddenly blooming, and it was wonderful.

Spring can totally make up for pinchy shoes and troublesome bodices.

Yeah, I took no time in going barefoot.

Dress: eShakti | Tights: WalMart | Shoes: Wanted | Bangles, clutch: Forever 21 | Sunglasses: Tilly's | Ring: vintage | Headband: Target

Till You Drop

My mom and I did a bit of shopping, which was nice. I think it was mostly to celebrate the fact that she's finally got her own car back (long story short: it didn't work, and now it does). We traipsed around town, bought a few things, and then came home.

The only real snafu was when we went to pay for a pair of shoes, only to discover that they were two different sizes. I would have gotten home, worn them, and been fully convinced that there was something wrong with my foot. I ended up getting a different pair, but still. Leave it to me to find a non-matching pair of shoes.

I also did quite a bit of driving! We're talking driving on the freeway, taking a roundabout (I hate roundabouts), and some three-point turns. I'm, like, a driving master now.

Which is a lie.

But just be cool and let me believe.

Top: Forever 21 | Skirt: Fashionbug | Tights: Hue | Shoes: DIY | Sunglasses: Tilly's | Watch: WalMart | Ring: Charming Charlie | Bag: MulberryxTarget