Vogue France : what a shocking shooting !

To end with squeletton models, the magazine Vogue France decided, for its October, 2009 number, to appeal in to the German model, Lara Stone, considered as more "lavish" than these colleagues (gossip radio chorus girl, hello : she's one of the chief editor's favourite, Carine Roitfeld).

Up to there, nothing really nasty… Even if we could make controversy on the term of "lavish" (because already, magazines and us, women who do not fit into a 32 or 34, do not have the same definition of "round").

No, the problem is the shooting which surprised and shocked people. For a very good reason : the white model was painted in black, according to the photographer Steven Klein's will ! Why didn't they chose a black model instead of a white one ?

Naturally, we could think of racism, as the American blog Jezebel did by crying out that " Steven Klein and Carine Roitfeld should know that to paint a woman in black to amuse the white readers is offensive ". But it is not the LICRA's opinion* which considers that these pictures are rather artistic than racist.
* An association against racism

As I'm considered a part of "ethnic minorities" (if I may say things so), I'm not the one who shouts easily in the racism, even if I am sometimes entitled to make it when I hear racial insults against me - feel reassured, it is extremely rare !

If the fact of painting in black a white top creates debate today, why during the collection " Blackhole " spring-winter 2001-2002 parade, designed by stylists, Victor and Rolf, who had then made the same thing to their tops as Steven Klein, had not made scandal in this time ?

Provocation or not, I also believe that the obvious fashion magazine's and the photographer's will was purely artistic. However, it is important to note that when we read this kind of review, it is rare to see black models, whether it is their cover, in ads or shootings.

We had been able to notice, during the American presidential election campaign, a new craze by the black models, thanks to the enthusiasm and the popularity which aroused Barack Obama. But this trend didn't last so long. Naomi Campbell continues to militate so that magazines and creators stop this discrimination and show more black, asian etc models, reflection finally of our crossed society.

Budgetary restriction: 0 / Shopaholic: 1

Here is ! I couldn’t resist ! While I had promised to Grandbobun that I would spend nothing more in shopping, that I would content myself with my winter current clothes and pairs of shoes because this end of year is not pretty at all, financially speaking :
- Exaggerated income tax,
- local taxes which underwent too the inflation (apparently, once finished municipal elections, the elected representatives hurried well to increase everything to finance the projects expressed in their speech)
- to inflate a little my savings with the apartment purchase aim (which we have not found yet but in the meantime, have I to become as thrifty as the ant or the famous squirrel).

On Saturday, taking advantage of the good weather in spite of the cold and the North wind, I was wandering in town and I said to myself: " Hey ! A little fawning-shop window cannot hurt, eh ? It is not because we are on a diet that you cannot look at the menu, eh ? ".

I went into a shop of shoes, but I bought anything… A clothes store, idem, I went out stammers and especially tired to have been pushed aside by crazy shopping nutcases who would tear you away and pull off your hand or arm when you were stretched out to touch or look closer at the clothe.

I decided to stop at " Mango ", which opened since this summer. I had gone there only once and I believed that I was going to die crushed so there was crowd.

Strangely, contrary to Zara, clothes are automatically folded and tidied up on their place. That does not make flea market. I roam so-so between beams and there, I flashe on a black, long vest with sleeves ¾ and small pockets. Even if a couple stopped me (yes, yes, " we are alone in the world and we bother nobody "), I throw myself so-so on the desired object.

I hear the chick whispering to her man: " oh ! I like very much this cardigan ! "
(Mouhahaha !! I know, I have too much taste in fashion and I inspire the whole world ! Lol)

- Wait, I go to check it…
(he almost pushes me a bit, without a « sorry » nor « sh** » - how rude is he !)

- What size ? A "S", a "M" ? Wait, I check it if there is a "S"…
(Mouhahaha!!)
(I have THE last one in my hands which I return everywhere to see if there is no defect somewhere)

- Sorry, sweetheart, there is not any more…
(I can feel the chick’s murderer glance on me)
(I’m exulting !)

Thus me here is the buyer of a great black long vest which will be so glam with a wide belt !!

Well OK, along the way I off-loaded the moderate 40-euro sum…

But it is for a good cause ! The winter will be rough (I heard on the radio the meteorologists saying the just opposite : the ocean temperatures climb of 0,3°C or 0,5°C) and I thus needed NECESSARILY this clothe !
(So much bad faith)

Thermal shock

You certainly noticed it, we cannot say that it was a summer weather since a few days ! I still remember that the last weekend, I wore a docker and a jacket, pants and ballerinas without knee socks… Even if the weather was often covered, i twas quite good to be out !

Today, in view of these wintry temperatures, I resigned to release my winter clothes : pullover, polo-neck jumper, coat, scarf but I resist to the appeal of the down jacket and of the hat !

We cannot say that I would have worn for a long time my trench coat special « middle-season » and my brown imitation leather jacket. I can even estimate, at a rough guess, that I took on them during hardly two weeks and still, without counting the weekends, because these days are my special days to " Friday wear " or rather, " no suit up day ".

For two days, when I come home, I put the heating because I freeze in my apartment nevertheless well isolated. According to my man, my evening battle dress " winter mode " is sexy and glamorous as one pleases (wide pants on formless thick pullover = include rather : pajamas = Petitbobun looks like nothing = Petitbobun lost of her sex appeal).

(Fortunately, he does not take offence at it any more !)

The temperatures are cool certainly, but I do not manage to be used to it while under normal circumstances, I shall qualify in full winter that they are OK. They fell in a too rough way and my body is not used to it. It still stayed in mode "Indian summer" with its afternoons between 23°C and 28°C…

At home, I'm the weather mistress (individual heating rocks !), but in my office, it's another story ! The heating wasn't started yet. I'm thus frozed, even wrapped up in my scarf / shawl, my fingers become blue and are about to fall down.

And what about you ?

The one who's talking to much

(That reminds me Friends titles)
(Sigh)

(Nostalgia)

I had written, few days ago, a post on the new awareness in the fashion environment : showing " girls next door ", the true women of the true life !

Good news for us, women who do not wear size 34 (I suspect even these models of guzzling jeans size 32, so I have the impression that they have only skin on bones !). Youpi ! Hurrah ! Exit the lean ones !

But there's one who doesn't agree with that, the Fat Nazi, Karl Lagarfeld, or more known as the fashion guru, who comes down during an interview of the German magazine "Focus" in which he declares that the fashion exactly has to make dream and maintain " the illusion " (of what ? Of losing a bone ?) and that this debate of knowledge if the big women have their place in fashion environment does not take place. And to add that " nobody wants to see fat women there " and what they are " big good women sat with their chips package in front of television which say that the thin models are hideous ". He's totally kidding me or what ! Few years ago, this being had been a part of the fat guy category and he had had to make a draconian diet to have this weight to be credible in this environment where the thinness is the order.

First, I did not like him much because he was rather unpleasant me. His awful declarations on Audrey Tautou (it was shameless that this actress embodies Coco Chanel) and Heidi Klum (this " Secret's Victoria " top model is " too big " to be a real model) were only consolidating me in my feelings. And there, I find that he is even more pitiful than before, fashion kaiser or not.

Beyond these despicable comments, it is regrettable to notice that the models of Paris Fashion Week confirm the trend of the threadlike models. But good news ! During the Fashion Week in London, the stylist Mark Fast surprised everyone by making scroll on the podium, big models to present his summer collection, delivering a strong message : fashion is not only made for " thin and tall women but to all women ".

Uniqlo becomes established in France

Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing company, is already present everywhere in the world, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Singapore or New York and now, this firm wants to conquer the French market. Then to become established in one of the fashion city like Paris can be the success key !

On October 1st took place the store Uniqlo Paris Opéra * opening, which enticed the crowds, thanks to an important press campaign and a very targeted location, the retail selling in the same way as giants of the fashion cheap, like the Spanish Zara, the Swedish H&M and the American Gap, the international leader in this market.

Why such a success ? With jeans saled for10 euros and cashmere pullovers from 39,90 euros, these very attractive prices push necessarily the potential buyer to the consumption !

Furthermore, on contrary to its competitors, Uniqlo does not bet on the " total look " trend, but on "perennially fashionable" basics, declined in ranges of colors and varied forms. In the end, everybody has to find "normally" something to buy ! Moreover, if we go visit their French site, we discover a tonfof collections and very important colors !

Good to know : the Japanese giant opened his on-line store for lines HEATTECH for men and women (comfortable and pleasant materials to wear who holds well the heat - perfect for winter, isn't it ?).

In any case, the group has one year to make profitable its Parisian selling point, in the stemming from which, if the results are satisfactory, other stores will be appeared in the French capital.

And when will stores establish in the rest of France ?

The thin girls out, the real women in !

We already notice it for a while, the nude pictures is fashion and the feminine press tries to show that the thinness dictat is over.

After the " American Glamour " which had published the pictures of a model with curvatures, Lizzie Miller (20 years), "it's now to Gala (number from 7 till 13 October), thanks to the impulse of its new chief editor, to post on the cover one, the representative glamour of the true big women, Marianne James, in Eve's dress, with a not ambiguous message : " Long live to big people ! ".

We discover a Marianne James beautiful, so glam and assuming perfectly his curvatures. She shows to everyone that we can be fat but beautiful and feel good in one's body. She denounces by these pictures the sufferings which women as them can undergo. The other people's opinion makes so many psychological damages as a gun can also make . She specifies that she tempted all her life to lose tons of weight but in vain ! Today, at the age of 47, she assumes her 107kg for 1,80m and shows them without complex thanks to this shooting.

To the detractors, you've to know that nobody used photoshop, except those classics on the luminosity, the make-up, the unification of the skin and the shadow set mask the intimate parts. The rest, it is the natural 100 %, the bourrelets also !

Other women magazines are not in rest, like the German biweekly "Brigitte" which does not appeal any more to the threadlike professional models for photos. The chief editor explained in an interview, as even these models so thin are systematically the object of retouch, as to mask the too visible bones for instance. He wishes to give another view angle, and shows the true life women, the girl to women of certain age, with personalities and forms so different but still beautiful. Moreover, those who will be pictured will be paid like professional model. But he specifies that the magazine will not be intended for all to fat women.

A huge bravo to Marianne James to have dared to show herself naked of a large-circulation weekly and to the magazines to show FINALLY the women of the life !

(So glad to live with neighbours around)

As you know, I dashed into cohabitation with my Man since last May (6 months already ?!!). Everything takes place, in spite of some false notes bound to my syndrôme "Monica Geller" (in Friends). I am a maniac cleaner (and since the beginning, I'm testing my the disorder and dirt limits - I don't have to exaggerate either, it is not for all that a garbage dump ! There're worse out there !) and Grandbobun is more or less shambolic, having a dish cleaning phobia (one of the characteristics of the male, isn't it ?). Set it apart, I'm flying in a clear sky without a cloud...

... Although if it is not our neighbours of the angle of the street (a bar and its customers, the crazy scooter running fellows in streets) and our "tremendous" upstairs neighbours.

First of all, the bar with its salsa atmosphere... With the smoke bannish law in public closed areas and badly aerated places (which between us is a good matter for the no-smokers), the customers smoke on the pavement and make so much loud, even more when they drink to much during evening. According to the bar opening hours laws, they have to close at 1 am - what is respected. On the other hand, the customers like hanging around and playing up or scolding (as long as to make) during some time still until they (finally!) decide to go back to home.I do not speak either about the scooter furious madmen gang which drive me so crazy that I just want to shot them if I could... These last ones feeling quite powerful (and invincible) aboard their machine, do not hesitate to make roar out their engine as soon as possible ! A noise which do I say ? An unbearable noise pollution for my small sensitive ears ! (Few days ago, I was almost overturned by crossing the street by one of these two-wheeled crazy dude driving in no-entry sign... I just had enough time to jump on the pavement before being touched by the machine... What idiot !)

Nevertheless we are lucky, even if we don't have double-glazed windows, we don't hear so much our neighbours. Except those above our apartment, who are very noisy. I really think they live at night... Although I often hear early in the morning the gril with its high heel shoes running through her flat before slamming the door to go to her office, to school, what can I know ?Why do I dare assert that they live at night ? Simply because from 10:30 pm or 11:00 pm, we intend them to bustle. Almost every evening. When I tell "bustle", it is that they are vacuuming (Are you Monica Geller ?), to move furniture to the right or to the left, to bring down something on the floor or to have sex and to share it with the neighborhood (that it is nice, huh ?)... And yesterday evening, they decided to make some noise and to hit something on the floor with a hammer from 9:30 pm till at least 11:30 pm (why so much hatred ?).We are lying towards midnight (oh the old men we are on Saturday evening ! !! Yes... Arf... I have never said that we were "night lads" !) and I enjoyed to intend them to bring something down on the floor 5 times in a row, in interval of 30 seconds... I almost believed that they made it on purpose (unless being ill from polio ?).I was ready to deceive it " sponge of the ceiling with a broom " and Grandbobun, to go downright to kick their butt...

Between us, I have never known this kind of inconvenience because :1/when I lived at my parent's, it was in a house, 2/when I took my independence, I was lucky to acquire an appart in the last floor (thus it is rather me who could annoy my little old man who's living just downstair... But I pay great attention : I exchange my shoes for tslippers - even barefoot, and I walk of a light step. According to my neighbour, he still hears me but knows that I make of my possible to be discreet !).

And me here is thus to discover the enjoyments of this life in community !

We do not regrettably choose our neighbours, we live with them... I understand that when we are at home, we love to do whatever we want in our appart, even if it means saying " f ** k " to everyone and to remind them that we are free of any movement - and making noise, at home.
Yeah. OK. But just to remind it : the word "freedom" means " the absence of constraint and the independence. The law guarantees the principle according to which the personal freedom stops where begins the others' one. " And others, it is us, it is them... I believe that we can make what we want at home, as works or the household, at decent hours. Besides the fact of relieving me a bit my nerves, I do not write this note to say to the others what they have to do or not, but just to be civilized and to think a little of the others while we are taken by a "vital" need to annoy our downstairs neighbours and of close.

Here is it was my fit of sunday bad temper !... Good weekend to you !

Looking for a home sweet home

Today, Grandbobun and myself decided to look for our home sweet home. At present, we've got each an apartment - even if I live at him's since a few months, but we wish to invest in a house which belongs to us...

Above all, it is necessary to know that we are some kind of "looking for apartment tourists", that is to say we don't organize everything we decide to undertake. Grandbobun told me a few days previously, by looking on leaflets, that there was apartments to sell towards the Square Jean Macé (in the Lyon 7th district).

Me - OK super ! So let's go !
Him - Do you have the address ?
Me - Well... You told me that it was towards Jean Macé... I believed you knew where it was exactly !

Anyway, you see the kind of people we are !

While the Man was taking his shower, I was looking on the web for THE appartment we'd love to buy !

But honestly, between us, nothing of transcending. No lightning stroke. I shall say that sometimes, I think that people are kidding me when I see the astonishing prices of some apartments. You've got to forseen works of refreshment in addition ! What a kind of daylight robbery, isn't it ?

An agency went out because it puts several announcements which corresponded more to us... We went by subway up to the Square J. Macé to see what kind of appartment we could get in there.

But what a surprise ! Nobody there ! And we could read that the opening was from Monday till Saturday, from 9 am till 7 pm. We are on Saturday and it is 1 pm. Maybe do they left having lunch ?

Not important, we made of fawning-shop real estate agencies windows, situated in the surroundings (quite closed, naturally !). The same report : no particular love at first sight.

We returned to the estate agency at about 2:15 pm. Always closed.

(they were really kidding me or what ?)

Positive attitude : we went on the main avenue where we had seen 2 new apartments sales stands.

The 1st one presented so expensive apartments we couldn't pay, even in a million years. Plus the saler was an unwelcome lady so we didn't insist...

The 2nd one was... closed ! I thought that all the apartments were sold... and I was right.

We found nothing really interesting. But we're still looking for an appartment...

Get a pink ribbon on October !

For the sixteenth consecutive year in October, the association "The breast cancer, let's speak about it !" organizes events under the pink color sign as in France and in the world too, like balloon releases, pictures exhibitions, conferences, free screenings…

This campaign aim can be summed by two essential purposes : convincing women of premature screening importance and make progress the research.

At this moment, a mammography is planned every two years for women aged from 50 to 75 years old.

However, one of the association founders, the Marie-Claire magazine, militates on the necessity of advancing the fist screening age. Although the population at risk is effectively of 50 years old or more, nevertheless 30 % of breast cancers would declare themselves earlier.

In the meantime, feel your breast from time to time and in case of a slightest suspicious sign, it is necessary to consult quickly one's doctor (like an appearance of a ball, a redness, a flow of the nipple..). It is not a question here of activating a psychosis but simply of being watchful, because if it is about a cancer, the more a cancer is detected soon, the better cure chances are !

Then, do not hesitate to show your commitment with a pink ribbon !

(Personnally, I have some small balls in my breast, fibroids… Nothing really alarming. Just mild. My doctor practises palpation during my check up)

EllaOne, an efficient emergency pill

Now, after the morning-after pill, here is the Ella One two-days-later pill arrival in our pharmacies... for the moderate 30-euro sum (not given, huh !) and not paid off by the French public welfare system (or French national insurance). This emergency contraceptive, only accessible on prescription, can be taken in five days after a sex unsafe (contrary to the morning-after pill, effective only within 72 hours after the intercourse).

Its price is a bit prohibitive and the fact that it is only delivered on prescription can be a brake in the contraception and have limited effects on the decline of termination practised in case of accidental or unwanted pregnancies (today in France, abortions number approximately 200.000 per year).

Anyway there're good news : Ella One is free for minor girls and available in school infirmaries, pharmacies and family plannings.

It is necessary that this pill is prescribed at first by a doctor, because these molecules are tested at this time before that can be purchased without a prescription.

The laboratory made a request to the French sanitary authorities, so that this contraceptive is paid off in the same way as its "fellow" NorLevo (whose 1 million boxes were sold only over the 2008 year).

H&M does it again… with Sonya Rykiel

After Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Jimmy Choo (the last fashion star arrived in date), the extremely famous brand Hennes & Mauritz (alias H&M) teams up with another fashion icon, Sonya Rykiel.

This latter will sign a collection of lingerie and clothes for winter and sping collections. The 1th will come on December 5th in the 1.500 stores of the mark (in other words, H&M puts on a second "gold rush" after the launch of the collection by Jimmy Choo on November 14th, 2009!). These clothes will be also available in the stores of the brand Sonya Rykiel.

It will be necessary to wait on February 20th, 2010 to discover the new lines drawn by this stylist (clothes made of whool for women and children).

Then fashionistas, in your schedules (and get your credit cards ready) !

Friends, the screen adaptation ?

I’m not gonna repeat myself about the fact I’m such a huge fan of the mythic TV show Friends… (Well I’m still doing it, in case it’s not quite clear…).

I was EXTREMELY disappointed when the TV show stopped in 2004, after 10 years of good and loyal services (even more when I saw that the last season just counted less than 20 épisods ! What a daylight robbery !).

Anyway… I was regularly looking for some great news about an eventual rerun of the mythic TV show (hope gives you life !)… Well… nope !

But…

After many more and less crazy rumors, hope is rising again ! No the TV show won’t rerun, but there’ll be a movie project ! hoho !

Although the main actors always declare they never re-play their part in that show, James Michael Tyler, alias Gunther the barman of Central Perk, has just confirmed, in the opening of the famous coffee shop in Soho – London, that a project will come out and the Geller, Green, Bings, Tribiani and Buffay will be there too. « The only thing I can tell you, I’m in. There will be a movie and all the staff members of the TV Show of whom I’m still in contact are there too ! I really like this period when I was playing in that show and I can’t wait to work again with all the staff »*.

On top of that : the creators of Friends, Marta Kauffman et David Crane, agree too to write and produce the movie, which would come in 2011.

Isn’t it great ?

* Sorry for this horrible translation - it's a litteraly translation of french which is a translation of english (sounds ridiculous, doesn't it ?). I can't find the James M. Tyler's interview... So if you've got it, please just let me know by writting a comment in that blog ! Thanks !

Warning : handbags in danger !

This is the mail I received 2 or 3 times and which made me feel sick… My purse, the must-have accessory of the feminine and modern woman, a bacteria trap ?

A study about it was carried by a journalist, Shauna Lake, from the american channel KUTV, specialised in information documentaries on unknown bacteria risks exposed to consumers.

In 2006, Shauna Lake ordered test kits to the laboratory NELSON LAB and made test on about 50 handbags of volontary women in the street in Salt Lake City (US). Then those tests were sent to a microbiologist of this laboratory to be analysed.

Disastered result : our so lovely handbang is a bacteria bomb

How ?

As we don’t live in a sterile world (we’re not « bubble kids »), our environment is full of bacteria, our purses too.
Moreover, a lot of women put their handbags down on floor (the worst thing ever : on the WC floor, so as consequences, the E. coli, an intestinal bacterium), on tables, on beds… The latter become a real germ carrier

Is it so dangerous ?

Some pretend our handbags is more dangerous than mobile phones or even WC handles. According to Beau Rollins (NELSON LABS), « it’s typical : mobile phones rather bring skin germs like staphylocoques or coccidies. The WC handles are rich of bacteria too because they’re not cleaned… It’s purse materials which convey bacteria. The germs live longer on a handbag made of cloth than of vinyle or leather. Besides purses get these results because they’re in so much places and environments. »
However this study doesn’t permit to obtain a quantification of bacteria, so it is difficult to confirm at 100 % our purses are more dangerous than our mobile phone, mp3 player or cheese in our fridge...

And the conclusion is ?

Don’t panic ! Our lovely friend is still a bacteria bearer. But you have just to make attention of the places you put it down and to clean it regularly.

Pour plus d’info, c’est par ici.
(Here for more information)

Fashion and health, incompatible ?

When I was reading news on Web (as you guess, this is one of my favorite hobbies), I was stunned by one on « the danger to be fashion ». That means : fashion is not good for health !

The Dr Shazia Khan, from the specialized Loyola University of Chicago, advices women to adopt a healthier behaviour not to undergo the bad consequences of fashion on our health.
Handbags

(Arf ! One of my weaknesses)

One of our feminine attribute implicated ! Holding heavy handbags (like more than 4,5kg… It’s amazing how much you can put stuffs in it !) can cause some body aches like back, neck and shoulders.
(That’s my case… that’s why I choose now light purses)
The Dr Khan recommands small handbags (so we’re not tempted to put in it so much useless things) or backpacks which is healthier for our back and shoulders (but I don’t like it…).
She reminds the fact that purses are full of bacteria (like E. coli, an intestinal bacterium, or staphylococcus aureus) as women put it down everywhere instead of hanging it up. You’ve got to clean it regularly.
(Most of ours have certainly received an email on the frigtening stuffs conveyed by this accessory although so feminine… Since, I hang it up on the back of my chair and I clean it regularly).

High heel shoes

Those women who’s got back ache or « oignons » on their feet know it well : wearing high heel shoes, even they make our outfit so glam and sexy, is really not good for our health !
The pressure made on the arch gives some pain (feet, back, ankles, calf muscles and knees).
The Dr Khan is certainly not a « stiletto nazi », and recommands to change the height of heels everyday and to chose it square.
(I love high heel shoes but since I wear ballet shoes, I don’t often wear it – Actually I’ve only got it when I’m sure I’m not going to walk a lot with it !)

Costume jewels

(And I’ve just bought it some…)

We’re only talking here about potential nickel allergy. The solution if we are allergic is to make our costume jewels recovered by palladium nickel or we can simply buy jewel made of steel for instance.

French manucure

(I’m not a huge fan of « fake nails »)

The acrylic nails can provide bacteria and fungus which could infect you. So nails have to be moised and polished.

After reading this, will you change your habits ?

Train for the Earth

Today the train to the Earth will stop at noon at the Perrache Station in Lyon.

This migrant exhibition (23 stopping places, from September 15th to October 11th) is a unique and free event with its magnificient sounds, videos and pictures.

The aim : to answer questions about how the Earth works and to raise public awareness of the environment protection.

This exhibition tackles 4 big questions :
- climate,
- water,
- energy,
- ressources management by mankind.

The visit is fun and makes learn a lot : the visitor is making a trip in space and has got a magnifient vue of the planet. Then he’s diving inside the Earth and is surfacing on a ice field to get a better understanding about the global warming. Next he’s visiting mines and will learn about fossile energies and is ending his run in the middle of fields to discover « green » powers.

But the visitor won’t stop there. The final stopping place is a tropical greenhouse in where he gets a better understanding about the ressources management by mankind.

Pour plus d’info, c’est par ici.
(Here for more information)

Am I a Bridget Jones ?

One the first chick lit I bought is certainly the « Birdget Jones’ Diary »… the 2nd volume « The Edge of Reason », written by Helen Fielding. I vaguely knew the first one's story so why not buying directly the 2nd one ? After all, I thought it was a little bit stupid to read the 2nd although I didn’t read the 1st, so I bought the 1st book !

Verdict : I LOVED it ! I think it was original to write a story on a diary model, and so as the annotations on the top of each chapter, like a follow-up of consommation and weight due to the « good resolutions » of the year. Humour and hilarious situations are the success key of this story, which is a special dedidace to all the 30 years old women looking for the True Love.

Synopsis :

Bridget Jones is a 30 year old single woman who’s got some
too much weight, drinks a lot and smokes too much. Her mother always criticizes her and looks desesperatly for a man for her and why not introducing her the neighbours’ son, Marc Darcy, a brilliant lawyer specialised in human rights ? But Bridget’s got a crush on her boss, Daniel Cleaver. And all that creates a lot of hilarious situations…

Last night, like millions viewers, I watched the Bridget Jones' movie on channel 1. I’ve already seen it at cinema but I don’t really remember it… except the fact I spent good times...

I think René Zwelleger is playing this part perfectly : heavy-handed and totally lunatic at the same time. Hugh Grant is sexy, charming… and a real bastard in that Daniel Cleaver part. Colin Firth is a good performer as Mark Darcy, shy and heavy-handed, so in love with Bridget, this « old drunk and smoker lady ».

However screen adaptations always are underwhelming. Of course you can’t make everything written in the book in the scenario but still, I’m often disappointed. Reading the book worths it even if the movie is quite good… I simply regret that we don’t see a lot her friends and her psycho books on men and women relationship addiction which shows her self-confident lack.

What’s a « dedipix » ?

These last years, writting a blog is as trendy as thigh boots this winter : teens, adults whatever their age give themselves over the joys of blogging ! Besides I began one since january 2009 (one of my good resolutions for this year !) and I surprise myself to state that I write articles regularly and I become addicted (who could believe that ?) !

Reading articles in Web, I was stunned by one about "dedipix". I don't know if you know what it is but I've got absolutely no idea about that !(Oh the old lady who doesn't know that !)(Yeah, maybe... but I live with it !)

It's a fashionable phenomenon among teenagers, and particularly young girls, who create for most of them their blog on Skyblog or Overblog. At this age (and not only...), we often want to be liked and there's a kind of tacit and fiercely competition to get the biggest com' number.

So the target for a pervert blogger is to get pictures of these girl teens in exchange for writting x com' on their blog. For instance :
- 75 com' in return for a picture of her hand with the skyblogger's name (not really bad, isn't it ?),

- 100 com' for one of their belly (the guy becomes mischievous),

- 200 com' for one of their breast (ouh la la !! He's getting excited !),

- etc.

Some associations like Action Innocence (Innocence Action) and some bloggers and journalists are trying to alert people to those unhealthy pedophile practices ! They point the fact that these teens, looking for a good popularity rating, aren't really conscious about the consequences of their acts because most of them don't mask their face.

When you read that, you could just be revolted and insult these pervert disgusting people !

How do those blogs like Skyblog or Overblog react ? A priori Skyblog's doing nothing since this is a free ad for them !

"Damn it !"

"Nothing at all !". Unlike what people say, most of girl teens chose the option "write his name on my hand" (there's still exception, but these girls aren't so stupid to take pictures of their breast AND their face ! It's like pushing granny in brambles... but still a little bit ?). And concerning the rest, it's fake pictures...

Moreover, we often forget that these web sites have a kind of board of censors, which censors all types of pornographic pictures (you'll never see a napple or pubic hair !).

For my part, com' is a good mean to communicate and share with bloggers, but I'm not such a crazy girl to accept this kind of an unknown pervert blogger's deal (in the same time, that's not going to happen to me ! I'm not so fresh as I'll turn 30 soon). I'm not judging these teens. They do whatever they want and I believe they're conscious enough not to cross the lines or falling into this stupid trap (but we never know...).

And you, have you ever heard about that, seen it ?

I love NYC

My dream : visiting the Big Apple, with its famous Statue of Liberty, its skycrapers, its huge Central Park, its yellow taxi cabs…

Why ?
May be because my oncle lived in Bronx for about 10 years and came back to his born country (Cambodia). He told us, when we were young, some fun or frightening stories (ex : he used to have a gun at home cause of gangs…).
Or because I’m such a huge fan of american TV shows like Friends, Sex & The City or HIMYM whose story is in New-York…
My brothers' enthusiastic comments when they visited this city last year, totally amazed (and I, horribly envious).

But I was not the only one of dreaming of that : my Best Friend Forever too (BFF) !

It’s been years we were talking about that and we decided that would happen for celebrating our friendship 10 years anniversary (this year) or our 30 years old birthday (next year) – I know I’ll be definitively hysterical !

An evening, we decided to plan to go there at the end of October. His guy was OK. Mine too, even he would prefer discover this city just the two of us (he’s not keen on NYC but he knows it’s one of my dreams to go over there… Do I write a lot « dream », don't I ?).

Unfortunately, we don’t do whatever we want. Even we planned a date, even my BFF looked for the best prices, I had to cancel it. Why ? Simply because I had others priorities (like the deadly appointment which was canceled, my stressful study thing, my job…).

My BFF was a bit mad at me.

I totally understand her disappointment. She’s actually unemployed since few months. She goes every week to her association but sometimes she feels like a marginal : people’s got a job and go every day to work (even we wish sometimes stay at home instead…). Each day is the same day : she meets the association members and looks for a job. So the opportunity to be involved in this project was exciting for her and broke her routine !

I’m lucky as I never know how it feels to be unemployed. Even if I’m trying to understand her feelings about this situation, I’ll never know how hard it can be !

She apoligized to me few days later when she realised she was a bit rude with me. I wasn’t mad at her at all because I totally undestood her disappointment.

Anyway I think my book « be terrified but dare ! » (sorry for the litteral translation) is right : we built ourselves walls, we find excuses not to dive in the unknown !

May be I was afraid to be involved in this project, to make come to true this dream.

But… I won’t give up to make this trip next year. I’ve got to celebrate my 30 years old birthday, haven’t I ?

Accessory fan ?

In my last article, I wrote that I was unable to resist to the shopping call and I couldn’t stop myself from buying stuffs.

I bought cheap pointless things but I think that they’ll make my dress a pretty good style !

I’m not an accessory fan (except for shoes and handbags), simply because I don’t know what to do with it and mostly because I don’t know how to wear it and to match with. It’s been just 2 years from now that I bought fantasy jewelry like long necklaces (I’ve got around 10 ones).

And I decided to test bracelets in a Camaieu store (I didn’t really look for it but I just liked them when I saw them) :
- 2 steel bracelets (a large one, a thin one),
- 1 gold large one,
which cost about 9 euros.

And that looks pretty good on me (as I’m kind of « out of fashion », my look is casual and I was afraid these accessories didn’t match with my clothes).

Shopaholic is back !

This summer, I was proud of me : I didn't go shopping ! And most of all I didn't buy any shoes (I love this season and I used to offer me 2 or 3 pairs of shoes !). Result : any shoes shopping (even when my Roxy thongs were broken) !

But after 2 months of budgetary restrictions, I wasn't able to resist to shopping call anymore !

It's been months that I was looking for a really awesome purse : middle size, chocolat brown or bloody red or why not in dark purple ? There were so few handbags which matched with my endpoints and those weren't cheap (budget max : 100 euros - which I think is quite a lot) !

In July, wandering in Edouard Herriot street in Lyon, we went in a Esprit store and what did I see ? A great purse (colors : black and brown), with a small cute silver bukle where was writting the brand name. But arf ! 79,90 euros wasn't offered and plus : it was not made of leather (100% polyesther - isn't it a daylight robbery ?) !

Anyway I decided to think about it... and in September, I couldn't resist anymore ! I didn't bought the one I saw first in July but another handbag (I liked pretty much more its shape than the other) ! But I regret they didn't make it in chocolate brown or in this gorgeous purple rain, much funnier than the black one, too classic !

That was too bad ! Still I love my new handbag : its great shape and style, its size and its light weight (as I suffer from a shoulder tendonitis, there's no way for me to hold heavy bags !)

A fashion blog

It’s been a long time that I haven’t made shopping on those private sales web sites. By the way, I didn’t buy anything even when one of those famous web sites sold articles from Sonya Rikiel (to be honest, I couldn’t offer myself one of the so awesome purses even there were great sales like from 30 to 60 % off… And I almost bought some little cute underwears but unfortunately the stock were completely depleted !)

By the way, the Sonya Rikiel’s daughter (Nathalie) decided to create a blog to be more close to her customers and fashionistas (http://www.rykielles.com/). You can visit it on September 14th.

People can exchanges points of vue or so, new creations etc. Of course, Nathalie Rikiel will write some articles about fashion, but also exhibitions, movies and books, and will be recognized by the signature of « Dita du Flore ». For the absolute stylist fans, documents about fashion, videos and also advices from Sonya Rikiel will be abled to be consulted on line.

Another detail : "surprise" guests will write articles about their favourite trends. And Garance Doré will be the first one to inaugurate this blog.

This is it !

Ok I hesitated a long time before opening this blog in english. First, because I already have a blog in french and second, I don't speak english fluently. May be it's the most important reason of my doubts. I don't want to be ridiculous but if I don't try, who knows if I can do it or not ?

I really want to improve my english level. 10 years ago, I studied english and german but ince I forgot a lot.

So that's it !

This can be an opening door to my little world to... THE big world !

So I'll translate some articles from my french blog in here. I hope you'll enjoy... Thanks for leaving comments. I'd really love to read you !