Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Matter Matters


While chilling on one of my favourite blogs ever, I ran into some amazing accessories form a brand called Matter Matters. This luxury and lifestyle brand, which is now based in Hong Kong after being originated in London, has the perfect promise: to be youthful, playful, and creative using unexpected combinations of materials and geometric shapes. Inspired by Art Deco and Mod couture, and artists such as Andy Warhol and Max Huber, Matter Matters has created bold, stylish, and fun fashion accessories. What’s not to love? 

How basic shapes can combine into a master piece?
Image from Matter Matters
They basically had just cloned me into a purse, seriously, it is like these guys are in my mind.
Image from Matter Matters

This tote, seems to be now, a must in every wardrobe. Or mine at least ;)
Image from Matter Matters
Love the chunky chain straps and bold colours.
Image from Matter Matters



So simple but genius, plus... isn't the styling super cool?
Image from Matter Matters



Don't forget to get on matterreallymatters.com to check this brand out. It's perfection!

Xx,
Elle

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The (Vegetarian, in my case) South Beach Diet. Can you not eat carbs and be perfectly happy?


I started the south beach diet two weeks ago with phase 1, in which you’re only allowed to eat protein, vegetables, legumes, and some fats. This phase lasts two weeks long (for most cases) and this is the time where you are supposed to shed most of your extra pounds. You had probably heard about it before, if not you can visit thesouthbeachdiet.com to learn more about it. 

At first I was really excited about this diet, especially because all the fuzz going on around it and the many many cases of people and celebrities who had gone on the diet and lost lots of weight. I decided to give it a go, I mean, what else could I loose except for a few pounds (15 to be exact), right? Let me first tell you that I’m not into the whole dieting thing, I do not like diets (who does?) and specially, I do not like the fact that the portions and combinations can sometimes be ridiculous. Anyway, this time I was up for it! And it turned out great! For the first 13 days at least… when then I decided to weight myself after more than one week on the diet and what happened? I didn’t loose a single gram. Sad, don’t you think? I had been restricting my body from carbs and more importantly FRUIT!! For almost two weeks by now and NOTHING happened. I was really disappointed and I got even more disappointed when I read other people’s experiences about how when they reintroduced carbs in their diet they gained all the weight back. It makes perfect sense though, when you take carbs and sugars off your intake, your metabolism ends up getting used to that, when you eat them back then it restocks from them just in case you decide to take them off your diet again, therefor you gain weight. 

Truth is that you body needs a little of everything, including carbs and sugar, of course I’m talking about the good ones only, like the ones in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Also let’s not forget about how these diets induce you to hypoglycemia and ketosis, which are some of the side effects of not eating carbs and sugar, not to mention fatigue, dehydration, muscle loss, and constipation. I know we all want to look like Alessandra Ambrosio (BTW she eats a little of everything and still looks fabulous) but not under the circumstances which not only will NOT make you loose weight but put your health in danger. Your body is wise and will tell you what it’s good and what it’s not for you, so listen carefully. 

I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t gonna keep up with the South Beach Diet and that I will make my own, based on what I know is healthy and works with my lifestyle (which by the way includes being happy, and desserts make me happy, so I need to figure out a way on making healthy versions of these too.) I’m still working on to improve this so I can find the right balance between diet and exercise to look and feel great! I’ll keep you posted on my new eating and working out habits and let you know how I feel.

Has anyone else had some experience with these types of diets, Atkins, South Beach, or any other carb-less diet? I would love to know!

Xx,
Elle

Sunday, July 28, 2013

John Galliano: I forgive you!


In order to start getting a little contentious here, I would like to talk a lot about Galliano and the whole fashion exile situation of his.
Image from nocigarmagazine.com


Ever since I can remember I had been in love with his work, in fact I think him and Valentino were the first designers I ever heard of when I was a kid, making them some sort of the key point for me wanting to become a fashion designer. I will always owe them for shaping me into who I am; they have all my respect as artists. Having said that, you can probably imagine what I’m about to say about Galliano then, but in case you didn’t here I come.

It was a cold night in almost the end of Vancouver's winter (yes, I use to live in Vancouver. Canada, no the other one), when I heard about former Dior’s creative director anti-Semitic rants. I would be lying if I had said I was surprised, not because I knew he had this racial “preferences” before, but honestly I wasn’t affected by his words, only disappointed. I know a lot of people can still feel hurt about comments of this nature but did he really deserve such a big punishment? Cause believe me, loosing your job is no joke, but to be margined from society by everyone, it’s even more humiliating.

F/W 2011 RTW
John Galliano's last collection for his own brand.
Images from Style.com 


Truth is he made a mistake, he had had a difficult life (like most of us do under our own circumstances), we can’t possible quite get what’s going on in this genius’ mind, then who we are to judge the way we did?  Plus John Galliano isn’t John Galliano for being a nice and kind human being, but for being a fucking fashion legend, let’s let him stick what he does best, don’t we? His personal believes are secondary in this scenario, don’t you think? Let’s not exclude this world form his revolutionary vision just because the guy got drunk and spoke a little bit too much.
Christian Dior
F/W 2011 RTW
I would wear this head to toe, those booties are amazing!
Images from Style.com


On the other hand I understand why Dior and everyone else did what they did back then, what he said was truly hurtful and cruel of his. I also believe that with the same respect he should’ve shown for all people, no matter their race, we should feel for him too. We are all entitled to our own personal believes, as long as they do not harm others, which in this case John failed to avoid, but let’s not act the same to him.

Let’s not forget there’s a beautiful “thing” called Karma, which balances out the whole universe, so I think it’s time for everyone to forgive John Galliano. He deserves a second chance, don’t we all? I heard someone is giving him the opportunity to make amends; I would love to see that, especially if it translates into beautiful fashion.
John Galliano
F/W 2009 RTW
Can you tell I love his Fall collections?
Images from Style.com


So... Do you forgive him, Oscar de la Renta and I already did, will you?

PS: John, I love you and your art.

Xx,

Elle

I have no girl friends, just guy friends and no boyfriend.


Is this something that happens often to women? I’m having a hard time understanding this whole setting. The first thing that comes to my mind when I read this post title is: “She must be a slut, that’s the reason why” but believe me friends that’s definitely not the case here. So does it makes a bigger reason for me to worry about this? Rule #1 in my life: Do not worry, ever! It won’t change a damn thing; just make your life a whole lot more complicated. So now that has been taken out of the picture, what should I do about this? Or maybe I shouldn’t do anything at all? Ok, so let’s start by the beginning. How many bff do you have in life? Three tops? Maybe, but most likely it is only one who’s your true best friend, the one that knows every secret of yours, that could recognize your rants over a mile away, not the other two to whom you only say that they’re your bff because; a) she said it first and you don’t wanna hurt his/her feelings or b) you said it while you were drunk and now you can’t take it back. Having said that, why would you need any more friends? Girlfriends, for that matter, huh? One is enough don’t you think? So what could possibly be wrong about having the rest of your friends to be guys? Exactly, nothing! But what I really wonder here is… why would they want to be your friends? Ok, first things first, a statistic: 89% of men think being friendly and nice to them means “I’m flirting with you”, and that, gives them all the guts to hit on you back (according to them) and to believe that they might actually get a chance of getting into your pants (such idiots). With that last interesting fact in mind, maybe the reason behind guys being your “friends” is… sadly, sex. Or the hope of someday having sex, you know, leaving the doors open just in case. What do you girls think? I would love to know!
Example: My "friend", the greek, who texts me often, even though he lives in an whole different continent and has a girlfriend. What's in his head? Why he feels that he needs to keep communication going on between us? On what purpose?


NOTE: With this post I do not mean that there are no real guy friends out there, maybe your best friend is a guy, no argument on that! What I’m talking about here is merely, let’s say, sporadic friendships with guys, guys who text you often just to chat a little bit, that seem interested in what may be happening in your life, how’d you doing, etc.

Xx,
Elle

Friday, July 26, 2013

I don’t eat meat and I couldn’t feel better. The story on how I became a vegetarian.


I know for some of you this might be quite a cliché or even sound boring but you know what, I don’t eat meat and I really couldn’t feel better, it’s true! Let me give you a little bit of a background story about myself in this field.

I grew up with a vegetarian mother, who never asked me to be a vegetarian by the way. Although I always admired her conviction and determination to do it, I never even thought of becoming a vegetarian myself, I was one of those people who said something like “What about hot-dogs and burgers and buffalo chicken wings?” (I know now I can make veggie versions of all of them) To me it wasn’t an option to stop eating meat, it just wasn’t. Yup, I swallowed my own words later on. So you might be asking then, what made me change my mind? Well honestly it was something that happened naturally. One really hot day at work I just didn’t felt like eating meat and then the next day too, and the day after that until two weeks of shooting had passed when I realized I had stopped eating meat. Of course I wasn’t too excited about it, I thought it was just a funny coincidence and no big deal. That weekend after a party I was so hungry I could’ve eaten anything, seriously anything, a piece of cardboard or a pillow… seriously! But instead I eat tacos… yes, tacos!! And 8 of them… I know! I felt like such a horrible person that night, but not as bad as I felt the next morning. I am not kidding I thought I was gonna die. Period. I was sick and bloated and felt gross. The only thing I could think of was: “I’m never eating meat again, It’s from the devil” and so that’s what I did.

After that I got all conscious about animals and read about everything they go through just so we can eat them, so I decided not to keep being part of it, I guess this knowledge helped me be more convinced of what I was doing. Ironically (as many might think) ever since I stopped eating meat I feel better, my conscious is clean, and I’ve eaten the most delicious meals I’ve ever had in my life. Also this decision pushed me into not only eating healthier, but being healthier in every way. I’ve never enjoyed food so much as I do now and I highly recommend it to everyone. I will keep up posting tips on how to be a vegetarian and staying healthy so stay tuned.

Xx,
Elle