Hey, y'all! It's almost my favorite time of year - Fall! All of the fashion mags, blogs, and websites have been previewing Fall fashions. And, all of the September issues of the fashion mags are about to come out! Ooh, I am so excited! So, for those of you that have yet to get acclimated with all things Fall for 2012, I am going to give you a short cheat sheet.
1. From what I have seen so far, color-blocking is going to be as huge in this season as it was in Spring and Summer.
2. The popular color is going to be burgandy/wine. (Pairs well with camel, gray, and navy.)
3. The shoes that I have been seeing everywhere are brogues. My favorites are two-toned or studded for a rock-n-roll edge.
And as a side-note, there is a new store in Mobile that I really think y'all will like. I have been shopping Maurice's since I discovered them across the bay in Spanish Fort a few years ago. They have opened a location in Colonial Mall Bel Air near the main entrance. I try to avoid the mall at all costs but if you are making a trip there, it is worth it to visit Maurice's.
That's it for this short and sweet installment! Stay tuned for more on Fall fashion!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
50 Shades of Pissed Off About Magic Mike
I tried to make that title sound clever, but it didn't work.
I have just read two blogs by women who are denouncing the popular book series 50 Shades of Grey and the movie Magic Mike. And let me tell you what... my blood is boiling!
This is the first blog I read: http://mrsgoresdiary.com/2012/07/08/magic-mike-who/. This woman goes on and on about how Magic Mike "cheapens masculinity and paints a deceptive picture of what women should get excited about in men". She goes on (still) to remind her female sisters of what "sexy and "manly" really look like. And while I agree with a FEW of the examples she lists, most of them remind me of qualities that I would never want in my husband. I would be remiss if I did not point out that this is the good ole USA and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Obviously, this is hers. And that is what makes it so great that I can share mine as well! Magic Mike was sorely lacking in plot and dialogue. But I will see it again because I enjoyed Channing Tatum's dance scenes immensely. I do not feel one ounce of shame admitting this to anyone. It is a freaking MOVIE, people. If seeing scantily clad men dance around in a movie makes you immediately leave the theater with intentions of divorcing your once-thought-of "manly" husband and shacking up with a male stripper, then you have other issues. I don't have those issues. My husband is what I define as sexy and manly. And I will tell you why - he works hard to provide for his family, he loves us unconditionally, he is kind-hearted, and he is hot! And that's all I have to say about that!
This is the second blog I read: http://melissajenna.com/2012/06/30/50-shades-of-magic-mike-in-which-i-am-very-uncool/. This woman is convinced that the 50 Shades books and the Magic Mike movie are works that women should stay away from as they are considered a path to temptation. She goes so far as to define these works as pornography. Pornography is defined as obscene writings, photographs, or the like, especially those having little or no artistic merit. I am of the opinion that these books and this movie are far-removed from that definition. There is nothing "obscene" about these works. The books may push the envelope a little, but the basis of the story is about a loving relationship between two people. And as for the movie, it was more cheesy than obscene! Give me a break! Her idea is to "wear something sexy to bed" instead of "lusting after celebrity strippers" or "reading pornography". Really? (SIDE NOTE: If you are seriously lusting after a celebrity stripper to the point that you are ruining your life and/or marriage, you have a different issue and most likely suffer from disillusionment!) And why should we not be holding the designers and manufacturers of these sexy duds to the same standards? After all, they could lead us down a path of temptation also. You know, if we decided to wear said sexy duds when we tie up our male strippers. Right. Because that could happen. (See the above side note regarding DISILLUSIONMENT.)
I will reiterate my point(s) - neither of these works "tempted" me to procure a male stripper that I could tie up and spank into submission. They were merely entertainment. The books helped me to realx and fall asleep at night and the movie was an excuse to hang out with friends and have fun. And if anyone has a problem with that, all I can say is...
Later's Baby! This Law Breaker is outta here!!!
Hahahahahahahahahaha! Now THAT was funny!
I have just read two blogs by women who are denouncing the popular book series 50 Shades of Grey and the movie Magic Mike. And let me tell you what... my blood is boiling!
This is the first blog I read: http://mrsgoresdiary.com/2012/07/08/magic-mike-who/. This woman goes on and on about how Magic Mike "cheapens masculinity and paints a deceptive picture of what women should get excited about in men". She goes on (still) to remind her female sisters of what "sexy and "manly" really look like. And while I agree with a FEW of the examples she lists, most of them remind me of qualities that I would never want in my husband. I would be remiss if I did not point out that this is the good ole USA and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Obviously, this is hers. And that is what makes it so great that I can share mine as well! Magic Mike was sorely lacking in plot and dialogue. But I will see it again because I enjoyed Channing Tatum's dance scenes immensely. I do not feel one ounce of shame admitting this to anyone. It is a freaking MOVIE, people. If seeing scantily clad men dance around in a movie makes you immediately leave the theater with intentions of divorcing your once-thought-of "manly" husband and shacking up with a male stripper, then you have other issues. I don't have those issues. My husband is what I define as sexy and manly. And I will tell you why - he works hard to provide for his family, he loves us unconditionally, he is kind-hearted, and he is hot! And that's all I have to say about that!
This is the second blog I read: http://melissajenna.com/2012/06/30/50-shades-of-magic-mike-in-which-i-am-very-uncool/. This woman is convinced that the 50 Shades books and the Magic Mike movie are works that women should stay away from as they are considered a path to temptation. She goes so far as to define these works as pornography. Pornography is defined as obscene writings, photographs, or the like, especially those having little or no artistic merit. I am of the opinion that these books and this movie are far-removed from that definition. There is nothing "obscene" about these works. The books may push the envelope a little, but the basis of the story is about a loving relationship between two people. And as for the movie, it was more cheesy than obscene! Give me a break! Her idea is to "wear something sexy to bed" instead of "lusting after celebrity strippers" or "reading pornography". Really? (SIDE NOTE: If you are seriously lusting after a celebrity stripper to the point that you are ruining your life and/or marriage, you have a different issue and most likely suffer from disillusionment!) And why should we not be holding the designers and manufacturers of these sexy duds to the same standards? After all, they could lead us down a path of temptation also. You know, if we decided to wear said sexy duds when we tie up our male strippers. Right. Because that could happen. (See the above side note regarding DISILLUSIONMENT.)
I will reiterate my point(s) - neither of these works "tempted" me to procure a male stripper that I could tie up and spank into submission. They were merely entertainment. The books helped me to realx and fall asleep at night and the movie was an excuse to hang out with friends and have fun. And if anyone has a problem with that, all I can say is...
Later's Baby! This Law Breaker is outta here!!!
Hahahahahahahahahaha! Now THAT was funny!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Surprise!! You're married!
In the dictionary, marriage is defined 10 different ways. I don't really relate to any of the definitions I found there and that's mostly because my marriage has always been somewhat of a surprise to me. I am fully aware of the weirdness of that statement, but let me explain.
About 16 years ago, Jerry and I were walking around at the mall and for some unknown reason found ourselves in a jewlery store looking at engagement rings. There was never any pretense to what we were doing. Never was there a conversation that started with "I want to marry you" or "Let's go look at engagement rings". Not even a "Do you WANT to marry me??" But on that particular day something unspoken led us to that jewelry store and it resulted in him purchasing an engagement ring for me. The ring was left there for re-sizing and we returned a week or so later to pick it up. The salesperson gave me the ring and I promptly put it in the box and gave it to Jerry. He gave me one of those confused, eye-brow raising looks that he gives and said, "You don't want to wear it?". To which I replied, "You haven't asked me to marry you." So, we promptly left the store and walked directly back out to our car. As soon as we settled in, Jerry took the ring out and said in an extremely condescending voice "Will you marry me?" and I replied in the same tone "Yes!". And THEN I let him put the ring on my finger.
I love telling that story!
Fifteen years ago today, we were married. We had a rough go of it at first and we each made a lot of mistakes. But as we got older and grew together, we got wiser. We have always taken pride in the fact that we, the unlikely couple, have made it as far as we have. I'm not sure that we had any real supporters when we decided to get married. I think most people made wagers as to how long it would last!
Jerry continues to surprise me. He has become a person that I never realized he had the potential to become. He owns and operates a successful business with the odds stacked against him. He gives of his time and money to those who he feels strongly are in need. He loves his children and strives to be a good example to them. And most surprising of all, he accepts me. Bitchy, lazy, mouthy me. (I can be a little hard to handle at times.) And don't get me wrong - he has his own undesireable qualities. But I choose to accept him as he is, also. I can only hope that I continue to be "surprised" by this marriage for many more years to come.
About 16 years ago, Jerry and I were walking around at the mall and for some unknown reason found ourselves in a jewlery store looking at engagement rings. There was never any pretense to what we were doing. Never was there a conversation that started with "I want to marry you" or "Let's go look at engagement rings". Not even a "Do you WANT to marry me??" But on that particular day something unspoken led us to that jewelry store and it resulted in him purchasing an engagement ring for me. The ring was left there for re-sizing and we returned a week or so later to pick it up. The salesperson gave me the ring and I promptly put it in the box and gave it to Jerry. He gave me one of those confused, eye-brow raising looks that he gives and said, "You don't want to wear it?". To which I replied, "You haven't asked me to marry you." So, we promptly left the store and walked directly back out to our car. As soon as we settled in, Jerry took the ring out and said in an extremely condescending voice "Will you marry me?" and I replied in the same tone "Yes!". And THEN I let him put the ring on my finger.
I love telling that story!
Fifteen years ago today, we were married. We had a rough go of it at first and we each made a lot of mistakes. But as we got older and grew together, we got wiser. We have always taken pride in the fact that we, the unlikely couple, have made it as far as we have. I'm not sure that we had any real supporters when we decided to get married. I think most people made wagers as to how long it would last!
Jerry continues to surprise me. He has become a person that I never realized he had the potential to become. He owns and operates a successful business with the odds stacked against him. He gives of his time and money to those who he feels strongly are in need. He loves his children and strives to be a good example to them. And most surprising of all, he accepts me. Bitchy, lazy, mouthy me. (I can be a little hard to handle at times.) And don't get me wrong - he has his own undesireable qualities. But I choose to accept him as he is, also. I can only hope that I continue to be "surprised" by this marriage for many more years to come.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
My Brother's Keepers
Today is going to be epic. My friend and favorite musician, Eric Erdman, releases his first solo album.
My first order of business today, as always, was to check my FB page while drinking my coffee. I was ecstatic to see that my news feed was bombarded with stories of Eric and his new CD as well as the big party that is happening at The Blue Gill on The Causeway tonight. I am so glad that he is receiving this much support from everyone. It is a testament to how fantastic he is.
Let me tell you a little about my friend Eric. He is from Mobile, Alabama. Dauphin Island Parkway to be exact. (If you ask him where he's from, he'll say D.I.P - as the song goes.) He grew up on Mobile Bay and he went to B.C. Rain High School, which is where I begin my fondest memories of him. If I close my eyes and concentrate real hard, I can see him standing in the hallway in front of Ms. Carter's class. And in true Eric fashion . . . he is cuttin' up! I can hear him before I see him - talking and laughing. And as I walk by with my friends he hollers out to me, "Heeeeyyyyy Nikki Nikki"! I turn to look at him and he gives me that big ole Eric Erdman grin and he waves at me. Of course I smiled and waved back but I also thought to myself . . . I like that guy!
I guess one of the first times I ever saw him perform was with the band Method To Madness at The Garage. I immediately became a fan. Soon thereafter, I began planning my weekend outings to include any show/venue where they were performing. I used to love to see them at Southside Music Hall because it was always a D.I.P reunion. Good times!
My favorite way to experience Eric in his element is when he performs solo. Some of my favorite past (way past) performances of his have been at house parties (D.I.P, baby!), the Holiday Inn in Tillman's Corner (a long ago birthday party of mine), and Copeland's restaurant (where he would ask the crowd for a word, any word, and incorporate it into a free-style rhyme). I recall a specific evening when I took a few coworkers with me to see him at Copeland's. This was a great place to see him solo as it was a small intimate venue outside on the patio. When he asked for words from the crowd so he could do a little free-stylin', I called out "indelible". (Others called out "dog" and "onomatopoeia"! WTF?) It was a word that arbitrarlily came to me. I hadn't ever used that word much so I was a little surprised when it came out of my mouth. But obviously, it was the perfect word to describe what I think and how I feel about him and his music. The definition of indelible is making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like; that which cannot be eliminated, forgotten, or changed. Pretty damn accurate.
Let me put it to you this way. . . he is DYNAMIC. I have never seen him give anything less than 100% at any of his shows. It is always rewarding to see him perform. His hard work and dedication to his craft is more than admirable. I would call it awe-inspiring. He is smart, well spoken, and extremely clever. He is friendly, kind-hearted and patient. And he is so interesting! He recently started his own blog and I have read every post at least 3 times. (I love big words and he uses them frequently - it makes me smile.) Here is the link to his blog: http://ericerdmanmusic.blogspot.com/. Go check it out!
I encourage all of you to go buy this album and to come out to The Blue Gill tonight to see him in what promises to be another epic Eric Erdman performance.
Way to go, buddy. I never doubted you.
My first order of business today, as always, was to check my FB page while drinking my coffee. I was ecstatic to see that my news feed was bombarded with stories of Eric and his new CD as well as the big party that is happening at The Blue Gill on The Causeway tonight. I am so glad that he is receiving this much support from everyone. It is a testament to how fantastic he is.
Let me tell you a little about my friend Eric. He is from Mobile, Alabama. Dauphin Island Parkway to be exact. (If you ask him where he's from, he'll say D.I.P - as the song goes.) He grew up on Mobile Bay and he went to B.C. Rain High School, which is where I begin my fondest memories of him. If I close my eyes and concentrate real hard, I can see him standing in the hallway in front of Ms. Carter's class. And in true Eric fashion . . . he is cuttin' up! I can hear him before I see him - talking and laughing. And as I walk by with my friends he hollers out to me, "Heeeeyyyyy Nikki Nikki"! I turn to look at him and he gives me that big ole Eric Erdman grin and he waves at me. Of course I smiled and waved back but I also thought to myself . . . I like that guy!
I guess one of the first times I ever saw him perform was with the band Method To Madness at The Garage. I immediately became a fan. Soon thereafter, I began planning my weekend outings to include any show/venue where they were performing. I used to love to see them at Southside Music Hall because it was always a D.I.P reunion. Good times!
My favorite way to experience Eric in his element is when he performs solo. Some of my favorite past (way past) performances of his have been at house parties (D.I.P, baby!), the Holiday Inn in Tillman's Corner (a long ago birthday party of mine), and Copeland's restaurant (where he would ask the crowd for a word, any word, and incorporate it into a free-style rhyme). I recall a specific evening when I took a few coworkers with me to see him at Copeland's. This was a great place to see him solo as it was a small intimate venue outside on the patio. When he asked for words from the crowd so he could do a little free-stylin', I called out "indelible". (Others called out "dog" and "onomatopoeia"! WTF?) It was a word that arbitrarlily came to me. I hadn't ever used that word much so I was a little surprised when it came out of my mouth. But obviously, it was the perfect word to describe what I think and how I feel about him and his music. The definition of indelible is making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like; that which cannot be eliminated, forgotten, or changed. Pretty damn accurate.
Let me put it to you this way. . . he is DYNAMIC. I have never seen him give anything less than 100% at any of his shows. It is always rewarding to see him perform. His hard work and dedication to his craft is more than admirable. I would call it awe-inspiring. He is smart, well spoken, and extremely clever. He is friendly, kind-hearted and patient. And he is so interesting! He recently started his own blog and I have read every post at least 3 times. (I love big words and he uses them frequently - it makes me smile.) Here is the link to his blog: http://ericerdmanmusic.blogspot.com/. Go check it out!
I encourage all of you to go buy this album and to come out to The Blue Gill tonight to see him in what promises to be another epic Eric Erdman performance.
Way to go, buddy. I never doubted you.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
50 Shades of . . . Eric Erdman?
Hey, y'all! So I hope I have garnered some attention with the title of this blog! Who is Eric Erdman, you ask? He is a singer/songwriter from Mobile, Alabama. (D.I.P. baby!) His first solo album is about to drop on June 21st and I couldn't be more excited about it.
The other part of this blog title comes from the extremely popular book 50 Shades of Grey. If you haven't heard of this book, I encourage you to research it. It is the first in a trilogy from author E.L. James. I have read all three books and am currently in the process of re-reading them.
So what do Eric Erdman and 50 Shades of Grey have in common? Absolutely nothing. But there is a song on Eric's new album that reminds ME of one part of the book. The name of the song is "Nothing Personal". I don't claim to know what or who Eric wrote the song about, but I relate it to the book. Specifically, the first verse. You can listen to the song here:
http://www.reverbnation.com/ericerdman#!/artist/artist_songs/2560238
Those of you that have read the book are familiar with the contract that Christian Grey wants Anastasia Steele to sign. And if you just listened to the song then you see how it sort of ties together. Here are the words to the first verse:
It was written in Aerial Bold, 20 point, double spaced font
Signed and notarized
Little room for misunderstanding
What else did she want
Surprising she'd act surprised
It was supposed to be
Two people together tonight
And that was all
He knew exactly what he said
She knew exactly what he meant
Nothing personal
Nothing personal, he'll never let her in
Nothing personal, but with him nothing ever is
Ironic, right? I love this man's music and I love that I have found a song that I can relate to this book. Every time I listen to this song I can see the scenes of the book played out like a movie. I LOVE IT! I know several people that are reading or have read this book and I thought it would be cool to share this with them. Let me know what you think!
Laters, baby. ;)
The other part of this blog title comes from the extremely popular book 50 Shades of Grey. If you haven't heard of this book, I encourage you to research it. It is the first in a trilogy from author E.L. James. I have read all three books and am currently in the process of re-reading them.
So what do Eric Erdman and 50 Shades of Grey have in common? Absolutely nothing. But there is a song on Eric's new album that reminds ME of one part of the book. The name of the song is "Nothing Personal". I don't claim to know what or who Eric wrote the song about, but I relate it to the book. Specifically, the first verse. You can listen to the song here:
http://www.reverbnation.com/ericerdman#!/artist/artist_songs/2560238
Those of you that have read the book are familiar with the contract that Christian Grey wants Anastasia Steele to sign. And if you just listened to the song then you see how it sort of ties together. Here are the words to the first verse:
It was written in Aerial Bold, 20 point, double spaced font
Signed and notarized
Little room for misunderstanding
What else did she want
Surprising she'd act surprised
It was supposed to be
Two people together tonight
And that was all
He knew exactly what he said
She knew exactly what he meant
Nothing personal
Nothing personal, he'll never let her in
Nothing personal, but with him nothing ever is
Ironic, right? I love this man's music and I love that I have found a song that I can relate to this book. Every time I listen to this song I can see the scenes of the book played out like a movie. I LOVE IT! I know several people that are reading or have read this book and I thought it would be cool to share this with them. Let me know what you think!
Laters, baby. ;)
Monday, November 14, 2011
New shopping Mecca's in Mobile
Hey, y'all! I just wanted to mention real quick the two newest shops in Mobile that you must visit.
Ulta - for every make-up loving, skin-care obsessed, beauty tool-toting fashionista! And Mobile happens to be super lucky because our Ulta has the Benefit Brow Bar!! For those of you that have no idea what that is, it's a "bar" set up in the store where you can get your brows waxed, plucked, arched, etc. and it is brought to you by Benefit Cosmetics. And, if you belong to the Ulta Beauty Club you can visit the brow bar for free on your birthday! This brow bar is very exclusive as it is only in select stores. Ulta also has a hair salon. It's a one stop shop folks! I love this place!
DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) - or as I like to call it, VFW!! (That's an inside joke between me and my Very Fashionable Sister.) They have tons of ladies tennis shoes, boots, heels, flats, etc. They also carry handbags, scarves, hats, and legwear. They have a great selection and the prices are reasonable. They also have great sale racks in the back of the store. Go check it out!!
That's it, Fashionista's! Have a wonderful day!
Ulta - for every make-up loving, skin-care obsessed, beauty tool-toting fashionista! And Mobile happens to be super lucky because our Ulta has the Benefit Brow Bar!! For those of you that have no idea what that is, it's a "bar" set up in the store where you can get your brows waxed, plucked, arched, etc. and it is brought to you by Benefit Cosmetics. And, if you belong to the Ulta Beauty Club you can visit the brow bar for free on your birthday! This brow bar is very exclusive as it is only in select stores. Ulta also has a hair salon. It's a one stop shop folks! I love this place!
DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) - or as I like to call it, VFW!! (That's an inside joke between me and my Very Fashionable Sister.) They have tons of ladies tennis shoes, boots, heels, flats, etc. They also carry handbags, scarves, hats, and legwear. They have a great selection and the prices are reasonable. They also have great sale racks in the back of the store. Go check it out!!
That's it, Fashionista's! Have a wonderful day!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Things I'm Loving . . . And Hating
Hello my fellow fashionista's! I know it has been a minute since I have blogged about anything but I now have a memory bank full of things to tell y'all about. Let's start with the things I'm hating. I always like to get the negative out of the way first, ya know?
So . . . I have observed a few fashion no-no's this week that were so tasteless that I feel I have to share them with y'all. Ladies, I realize we live in the south and the weather can be a bit unpredictable, but never is it ok for you to pair a sweater with flip flops. You would think that this is obvious, right? Yeah, notsomuch. Also, please refrain from wearing your (hideous) Uggs with your Nike running shorts. Again, you would think this would be obvious but apparently not. And I'll go one further for the fellows - don't wear jeans and flip flops. It's not a good look on anyone. Ok! That's it for the mean stuff . . . Onward and upward, ladies!
Have you ever repeatedly seen an item in a magazine or on a commercial and, at first glance, thought you didn't like it? Only to realize later that you actually love it? Well, that has happened to me! I have seen a pair of boots in several magazines lately that I L-O-V-E. Here they are:
The red laces give them a rugged edge that I'm loving right now. And they are affordable, too. They sell them at JCPenney and they retail for $80. And, they are on sale right now for $39!! These would look so cute with baggy, rolled-up boyfriend jeans and a sweater. So cute!
I have been on the look-out for a red infinity scarf. Like this one:
I haven't been able to find one yet, but I'm not giving up. I need it to complete my outfit that consists of an oatmeal colored sweater and jeans that I will pair with leopard flats. I did, however, find a leopard-print infinity scarf today and I bought it simply because it is fab! I can't wait to wear it!
Lastly, I am in love with the Betsey Johnson line of fashion jewelry. If you are not familiar with it, you can find it at Dillards. I am especially loving her Dark Forest line. My favorite pieces are these:
Obviously, you wouldn't wear all of these at one time. And the pictures do not do them justice. They are exquisite! So fun and whimsical! But, very expensive. The earrings retail for $75, bracelet for $125 and necklace for $150. Ugh. Go take a look at her other jewelry items. I'm sure you will fall in love like I have.
That's it for now, fashionista's! Until next time, stay fun and fashionable!
So . . . I have observed a few fashion no-no's this week that were so tasteless that I feel I have to share them with y'all. Ladies, I realize we live in the south and the weather can be a bit unpredictable, but never is it ok for you to pair a sweater with flip flops. You would think that this is obvious, right? Yeah, notsomuch. Also, please refrain from wearing your (hideous) Uggs with your Nike running shorts. Again, you would think this would be obvious but apparently not. And I'll go one further for the fellows - don't wear jeans and flip flops. It's not a good look on anyone. Ok! That's it for the mean stuff . . . Onward and upward, ladies!
Have you ever repeatedly seen an item in a magazine or on a commercial and, at first glance, thought you didn't like it? Only to realize later that you actually love it? Well, that has happened to me! I have seen a pair of boots in several magazines lately that I L-O-V-E. Here they are:
I have been on the look-out for a red infinity scarf. Like this one:
Lastly, I am in love with the Betsey Johnson line of fashion jewelry. If you are not familiar with it, you can find it at Dillards. I am especially loving her Dark Forest line. My favorite pieces are these:
That's it for now, fashionista's! Until next time, stay fun and fashionable!
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