I Heart Benefit

Different kind of post than usual today, but it's something I've been wanting to write about for a while now. You can blame all the beauty gurus I've been watching on YouTube and following here on Blogger!

A couple of months ago I was wandering around Meadowhall on one of my days off from uni when I decided to take a gander inside the giant Boots they have in there, and as usual, I got attracted to the bright colours and general prettiness that is the Benefit counter. I had been wanting to use foundation in my make up routine for a while now, but as I had never gone near it before, I had no idea what shade would suit me or how to even apply it (sounds silly saying that now!) I got talking to the make-up girl and so she sat me down and tried some of their products on me. I've had my make up done at the Benefit counter before (I must admit though, they do go a bit crazy and slap it on you sometimes) so I already had an idea of what I wanted, but it was great seeing a range of their products and how they looked on me.

I stuck with my mission of wanting to buy a foundation, but I also wanted a primer as well, so this is what I ended up with:

The foundation is Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup (that's a mouthful!) in the shade 'Honey'. It's not the lightest shade but I think it's the second or third along, and I was quite surprised that my skin has gone so pale. I think it's all these years living in England, I need a couple years in warmer, brighter climes to get my olive skin back! But I digress, the foundation is a perfect match for my skin tone, it has great coverage and, the best part, it brightens my eyes up so much! I know it's got 'brightening makeup' in the title, but I was still amazed at the results. I have a naturally quite dark eye area, not to mention prominent bags and lines, so this foundation does wonders in making me look more bright and awake, especially on days where I've had little or disrupted sleep, making the whole eye situation even worse.

Coupled with this I also bought The POREfessional PRO Balm Primer. I'll admit, I don't really have that visible pores, on the whole I think I actually have some pretty good skin, but as I've mentioned before I have quite a few lines under my eyes, and this does the trick. Though it doesn't eliminate them completely, it does give the appearance of a much smoother finish which you can't go wrong with. Not to mention that it really makes the make up stick, which is great since I'm a big fan of bronzer.

how it looks on (apologies for the vacant expression)

Two months down the line, and I am extremely happy with my purchases. In fact, I even know what my next one from Benefit will be! The make up girl used an amazing moisturiser on me before applying my make up, and slipped a sample of it my bag when we were at the counter. It's the b.right Triple Performing Facial Emulsion with SPF 15 (what is it with Benefit and their long names) and I must say, it's amazing. It feels so refreshing on my skin and not at all oily. Even under my make up it felt so fresh and wonderful, I was sad to see my sample run out. I really can't wait to finish my current moisturiser so I can run out and buy this!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Left: original cover published in 1999, Right: new cover 2012

"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.

Love always, 

Charlie"

All the best books have a line where they ponder infinity (see: The Fault In Our Stars), and this one is just something else. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age story written in an epistolary narrative, told through letters through the narrator to an anonymous person. The narrator in question, who goes by the alias 'Charlie', is a shy, introspective misfit who is about to embark on his freshman year of high school. And he is anxious to say the least, considering his only friend, Michael, committed suicide only a few months before. Charlie is our wallflower, standing by and watching others live their lives from the sidelines.

One thing I really loved about this book is Charlie's innocence. Surprisingly, I was unsure about it at first. All throughout the first part of the book I kept thinking, 'how can someone, who is nearly sixteen, be this sensitive and so... naïve?' I understood that Charlie was different from his peers, being someone who didn't fit in very well at school herself, I could relate to him, but I just couldn't wrap my head around how someone could be so mature, yet so child-like at the same time. But as I progressed through the novel and got to know Charlie, I started to 'get' him. I started to understand that he just thought differently to everyone else - he was kind, introspective, completely selfless, and just down right positive about life. I will admit that at certain points of the book, I started to question the way I looked at certain things in my life, mostly about the things I got angry at, and how there is no reason to hold onto anger.

As we reach the end of the novel, we start to realise why Charlie is the way he is, why he thinks and feels the way he does, and why he is not all that well. Reading this book was like going on a journey, and at various point I felt like I was living Charlie's life right with him. It was a pleasure watching him grow and adapt and 'participate' during this year of his life, and after a while, it kind of felt like the 'dear friend' he was writing t was me. That may sound completely pathetic and cliched but it did. In many ways, I felt like I connected with Charlie the way I haven't connected with other characters from books I love, but in other ways, I felt the complete opposite. I still haven't figured out if I have become 'a filter or a sponge' towards this book yet.

The supporting characters were all great too, although some were slightly forgettable even when I was glued to the book. Another thing Charlie and I seem to share in common is that we seem to connect better with older people, in his case seniors and step-siblings Sam and Patrick, and Charlie's English teacher Bill. Charlie's friendship with Sam and Patrick is the kind of friendship I wan to have in my life (minus the unrequited love, perhaps. And I really loved Charlie's relationship with Bill, it's not your standard student-teacher relationship, but they're not friends to the extent that it becomes weird or suspicious. We have to credit Bill for pushing Charlie to participate in life and to push him to think and write differently in his essays (and Chbosky for educating us with some fantastic literature).

The ending made me feel sad, yet happy at the same time, which is quite confusing but I kind of like it. You really have to hand it to Chbosky, not every writer can make you feel content yet sad yet hopeful all at the same time. It takes a skilled writer, one who truly loves and cherishes his characters, to stir such emotions.

Perks is a tumultuous account of love, loss, family, sex, drugs, homosexuality and friendship. It's easy to read, thought-provoking and not too pretentious. It's definitely a book that caters to a more youthful market (perhaps 14 - 18/19), but I don't think that will stop someone who's a bit older from enjoying it too. I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a good read. And I will definitely go see the film and write a review in comparison (is it even in cinemas anymore? I haven't been in ages!)

Lastly, on a completely unrelated note, I'm so so sorry for the lack of posts! I keep meaning to update this blog but I've been so unbelievable busy in the past couple of months that it's overwhelmed me a bit. But writing this review (as an escape from all the work I should be doing and the stress I'm under, might I add), I've remembered how much I really love blogging, and actually how relaxing it is, so I will definitely be updating with new posts soon! I can't promise how regular they'll be (you know me), but Christmas holidays are just around the corner, so you never know!

1000 views!

My blog has recently hit 1000 views! Wow, that's really something. You might have noticed that I've changed my blog name, I thought it was only appropriate to mark the beginning of a new era... plus I prefer this name much better than the old one!

My blog isn't as popular as many blogs out there, and I'll admit I haven't always been the best at posting regularly, but I never thought I'd come this far when I started it up this little thing in January. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me come this far and make my mark on the interwebs, whether you're a regular reader or just a passerby. Every little helps, and it's knowing that there's an audience as amazing as you out there that motivates me to keep this thing going. So on to the next thousand!

I really wanted to commemorate this occasion by posting something, and since my other pieces I'm writing are still a work in progress, I've decided to do a small outfit post! Just a few of my favourite recently purchased items that I want to show you all. This is also very exciting for me, because it is my first outfit post shot in my very bright and spacious uni room at my new house! (Well, I've been living here since July, but you catch my drift...)

jumper - alice takes a trip... via freshman's vintage

floral headband - poppydaisy.com via ebay

cat ring - topshop

leggings - h&m

shoes - h&m

earrings - evolution

I am completely in love with this jumper! I bought it at a vintage shop called Freshman's when I was looking for some Levi shorts, it's so amazingly soft and comfortable, and I really adore the floral skull motif. After buying it I did some research and found Alice takes a trip's bigcartel store, which has many more amazing pieces that I'd definitely recommend taking a look at! I love all their various designs featuring animals with bows. I've also got mad love for my Native American-esque shoes (so so comfy!) and cute cat ring. I'm not much of a ring person - hell, I'm not much of an accessories person in general - but this cat ring is definitely my favourite piece of jewelry after I bought it almost two months ago.

This look is quite festival-y, which is ironic since I haven't ever been to a festival, unless you count Tramlines, the free weekend festival that takes places all over central Sheffield. But I'll carry on rocking this look regardless, at least while the weather stays more or less agreeable...

Naked Ambition...

It's no word of a lie when I say that I love Lana Del Rey. We saw it when I sang her praises in a review for Born To Die, and when I defended her questionable performance on Saturday Night Live. So when I found out that she was being featured in this year's GQ Men of the Year, I was over the moon.

She looks absolutely fierce on the cover, wearing nothing but jewels and red lips, and the rest of the shoot doesn't disappoint either, showing Del Rey at her best in her signature sophisticated Old Hollywood style. And at first, the nudity didn't bother me. I don't have a problem with anyone wanting to pose naked, it's their prerogative.

But upon further research on this issue, reading certain posts on Tumblr and following it up with articles on the internet, I sensed that something wasn't right. Let's take a look at all of the other winners of Men of the Year: comedian James Corden, rapper Tinie Tempah, pop-star Robbie Williams, and actor John Slatterly. With the addition of Lana, three Brits and two Americans, nothing strange there. But then you take a look at their covers...

Spot the odd one out...

Suited man, suited man, suited man, suited man... and naked woman.

Now, ignoring the New Statesman's argument that her cover looks suspiciously similar to a 70's porn poster, there are a lot of questions to be raised about why on Earth LDR, who happens to be the only female, is the only one to bare all. I'm not suggesting that they tied her down and forced her to shoot naked, if she didn't want to do it she could have just refused. But why didn't the Creative Directors at GQ suggest that their other cover stars strip down too?

I'll tell you why, because GQ is a magazine for men made by men. It's the James Bond of men's magazines, suave and sophisticated, focusing on men's fashion and lifestyle, and not forgetting to sex up those ladies. The sexism is so casual that one of the shots in Lana's spread even shows a faceless man clutching at her breast like it's no big deal.

Easy there, fella, we're not groping produce at the supermarket here. Or are we?

What scares me most is that sexism has become so internalized. We are so used to seeing naked women in the media that we don't even bat an eyelid to it. I'm ashamed to say it, but I wouldn't have thought twice about it if I didn't find out about all the other covered-up male cover stars. Naked women have become the norm, and no one seems to care about this because no one seems to think that sexism and feminism is a 'thing' anymore.

Like I said early on in this post, I have no problem with anyone, male or female, wanting to pose naked for a photo shoot. I do, however, have a problem with the ideology that the more naked a woman is, the sexier she becomes, whereas men are sexy whether they're all bare or covered up - and more often than not we see them covered up. Women may have come a long way when it comes to equality in the past century, but most of those successes have been tangible - the right to vote, contraception, sexual health, equal pay (which FYI, still not equal)... but I think the real battle is changing people's mindsets of women being largely objectified and start treating them as true equals to men.

'Legitimate' Rape and the Republican

Republican Todd Akin

It's election year in the United States, and with November looming closer and closer, needless to say it's been... interesting. With the televised debates and conventions, we've been hearing all sorts of different arguments and opinions from both the Democrats and the Republicans. What's been revving many people's engines - and not in a good way - are some of the opinions the Republicans have voiced about rape, always a sensitive (see: controversial) subject. Here are the top five quotes, taken from AVG Notes, from various Republican candidates, past and present:

1. Todd Akin: "If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways of shutting that whole thing down" - mid 2012 Senate Campaign

2. Clayton Williams: “If it’s inevitable, just relax and enjoy it” - mid 1990 Gubernatorial race in Texas

3. Chuck Winder: “I would hope that when a woman goes in to a physician with a rape issue, that physician will indeed ask her about perhaps her marriage, was this pregnancy caused by normal relations in a marriage or was it truly caused by a rape. I assume that’s part of the counseling that goes on.” - March 2012

4. Ken Buck: “A jury could very well conclude that this is a case of buyer’s remorse … It appears to me … you invited him over… the appearance is of consent.” - October 2010

5. Rick Santorum: “I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created - in the sense of rape - but nevertheless a gift in a very broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given to you… rape victims should make the best of a bad situation.” - January, 2012

Let's see what we learnt from that shall we? Babies are a 'gift' despite their conception, forced or otherwise; women are essentially 'asking for it'; rape within marriage is okay; if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen; apparently there are distinctions between different types of rape ranging from 'legitimate' to 'forcible' (thanks Paul Ryan)... and oh yes, all of these statements are made by men.

First of all, can I ask, assuming there's such a thing as 'legitimate' rape, can someone please provided me a definition of illegitimate rape? Because I'm really interested on what that may be. Also, can someone please provide me with proof of Akin's qualifications in biological sciences? Because since he's such an expert on the female body, I would really be interested in finding out how it can distinguish between consented intercourse and rape, and just how the body can reject conception in the case of rape.

Here's the thing, men, especially white, upper-class, Republican men, know nothing about women because they don't believe we should have the same rights as they do. Though some of them supposedly agree that rape is wrong, they still don't believe that a woman has the right to an abortion if she falls pregnant from rape, because "human life is a gift." Even without rape being involved, nothing is done to help women when they fall pregnant. Republicans say, "No, you can't abort the baby you don't want/aren't ready for, because life is sacred. But don't think we'll be helping you with any of the childcare expenses when you do have the baby you aren't financially prepared for. Instead, we'll criticize you for not working because your job won't give you maternity leave and you need to look after the baby you didn't want." And you know what baffles me the most? The fact that there are women out there who have voted, and will vote again, for these men. How can any self-respecting woman stand by and listen to these ignorant and chauvinistic views, restricting our rights that we fought so hard for, and still agree with them?

As Obama so rightly put it, "We shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, the majority of whom are men, making healthcare decisions on behalf of women." Just like we shouldn't have these politicians make certain types of rape 'okay'. It saddens me that we live in a world where we don't teach our sons not to rape, but instead tell our daughters not to go out late at night, or not to wear the clothes she wants to wear because she'll be "asking for it". I don't claim to be an expert on politics, and I am not an American citizen, but any party behind a "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" loses my vote.

Outfit of the Day: Casual

Polo - River Island via eBay - £6

Shorts - Levi's via COW Vintage - £16

Black Lace-up Wedges - Zara, on sale - £40

Tights - Primark - £2

Ring - Topshop - £7.50

Wing Earrings - Topshop - £8.50

Eyelashes - Eyelure, 'Oh My!' from the Katy Perry collection - £5.99 (ish!)

Nails - Rimmel London 'I Heart Lasting Finish', Shade 193 'Black Cherries' - £2.99

Out of boredom from my regular routine of revising, browsing Tumblr, going to the gym and watching Lost (I'm on the final season now!), I thought I'd do a 'what I'm wearing today' post. Again, not something I'm planning to do regularly, just every now and then of outfits I really like. It also kind of doubles up as a 'favourite purchases' post as some of the items here I've bought fairly recently.

The polo shirt was a really nice eBay find, it's a good fit and navy blue is one of my favourite colours! I really like the Fred Perry brand, but of course cannot afford it on a student budget, so this 'imitation' by River Island is a great equivalent. The Levi's were bought a while back, sometime in October, but they are by far my favourite pair of denim shorts (and I own a lot!) as they go with pretty much everything. The black wedges have made an appearance before, I'm still not confident enough in heels to wear them day-to-day but they are my go-to shoe whenever I go out in the evenings. I love them a lot, as you can tell from the wear! 

I don't tend to wear accessories that often, but I really love the ring and earrings from Topshop, they are definitely my most worn pieces of jewelry at the moment. With nail colour, I usually stick to black or navy blue and tend to buy Barry M, but this time I thought I'd try something a bit different, brand and colour-wise. Still dark though because I don't think bright or pastel nail colours suit me very well! I do recommend Rimmel though, it dries really quickly and takes a while to chip, even if you don't apply a top or base coat.

Though the colours are a bit dark, I think this outfit is very summer appropriate and stays true to my style. Hopefully we'll at least get a few weeks of sunshine so I can utilise this outfit to it's full potential!

The Female Chauvinists? Anti-Feminism in Women's Magazines

With my first year of university almost over (yikes!), I still have one final essay to write for one of my modules: Communicating Sex and Gender. Out of the many choices of essay titles, I chose the question that explores the representation of women in magazines such as Glamour and Cosmopolitan.

My research consists of looking up academic texts on semiotics (the study of signs and their meaning), books on media representation, and of course, flipping through glossy magazines and taking in their contents. As I looked through the various magazines I have acquired over the years (which consist mainly of Glamour, with the occasional issue of Cosmo), I realised that despite their Girl Power mantras and their fearless female attitude, these magazines aren't very feminist at all. 

In Cosmo's recent 40th anniversary issue (featuring Holly Willoughby on the cover), columnist Suzanne Moore wrote an article titled "Why Cosmo Rocks!" and explained that when Cosmo first hit the newsstands in the early '70s, it was, at the time, seen as this radical and outrageous thing because its main USP was female pleasure. It was one of the first magazines to insist the right of women to talk openly about and enjoy sex, be in control of their own bodies, and to 'find joy' in clothes and beauty. It was a very sexually liberating time for women everywhere. However, fourty years later, this 'sexually liberating' thinking still seems to be on the top of the list for most of these magazines. Fashion and beauty ranks pretty highly on their list of priorities too. Very rarely do we see articles on female politicians (NOT including small segments on newly elected world leaders' wives), sportswomen, women in science or women who campaign for women's rights all around the world. Instead, the pages are filled with beauty ads, fashion tips, stick-thin models and celebrities and endless articles about how to drop a dress size and how to give him the best sex he's ever had.

With all the influence and impact these kind of magazines have on women, especially their younger readers, they have so much power to do so much good. Instead, they impose messages like, "you have to look like this, act like this, dress like this..." and rather than encouraging us embrace our bodies, they make us want to change and manipulate it, and making us feel like failures when we cannot do so. Whenever they do touch on serious subjects such as Equal Pay Acts, it always gets overshadowed by the abundance of beauty and fashion and relationship columns they provide us with each month. It's like saying, "Yeah, we're not happy, but there's nothing we can do about it. So let's just make a bit of noise, then sit down and look pretty." Not to mention how predominantly straight-orientated these magazines are. So many articles in women's magazines deal exclusively with heterosexual relationships and treat lesbian encounters as 'experimental' and 'crazy' and, in general, don't take same-sex relationships seriously. In this day and age, where campaigning for LGBT rights have come so far (but still have further to go), what kind of message is this sending to future generations?

When I was fourteen, I read an article in Glamour written by Claudia Winkleman in which she shared with us her 'tips' on how to land a husband. It basically was telling women to do everything in their power to change themselves and lie to their partners in order to get that ring on their finger. It included things like doing the washing up dressed in your best lingerie and pretending to like football whenever he was around - and once you're married to revert back to your usual self because "you've got him now." Unfortunately I no longer own that particular issue in order to reference from it in more detail (I imagine I threw it out in a fit of feminist anger), but it made an impression on me because I realised that some women will do anything to please men, just to get themselves a husband.

What's recently struck a chord with me is the aforementioned 40th anniversary issue of Cosmo, and their competition to find curvy girls to represent a new size campaign with Evans, a plus-size clothing store, and to sign a contract with model agency Excel Models 1. Though Evans is a plus-sized clothing shop, storing UK sizes 14-32, the five girls they picked as the winners were all on the smaller end of the 'plus-size' spectrum, all wearing dress sizes 14-16. First of all, I find it ridiculous that a size 14 is even considered a plus size, especially factoring in that the average British woman is a UK size 14-16. I don't think it's a cause of celebration that these girls got contracts, because then we are implying that a size 14/16 is fat, which it is not by any means. Surely, if they wanted to properly represent 'curvy' and 'plus-sized' women, they would have searched for body-confident women who wore sizes 20 and up?

But I don't know, maybe I'm expecting too much from these kind of magazines. Maybe if we want to read about powerful women in politics we should do a Google search or read the Guardian or watch the news instead (however, all of these mediums still undermine women a lot). Maybe women's weekly and monthly magazines should stick to what they're good at: telling us which shoes go with which handbags, what shade of lipstick best suits our skin tone and how to have a healthy sex life. Most women go to glossy magazines for light reading and pretty pictures of celebrities. But I still think people underestimate the power of these magazines, and that those two hundred-odd pages really have an impact on how women think of themselves and each other. If they don't change what they put within their pages and how they communicate it to us, then we're just going to carry on silently living in a man's world. But at least our hair will be perfect, right...?

Edit: I ended up getting a first in that essay :)

Film Review - Like Crazy (2011)

Like Crazy, winner of two awards at Sundance, is a romantic drama film directed by Drake Doremus about a British and American couple who are thrown into an emotionally straining long-distance relationship after problems arise with visas.

We are introduced to Anna (Felicity Jones), a British girl studying English in a college in Los Angeles, and Jacob (Anton Yelchin), a design student and LA native, and watch them meet and fall in love the only way an indie movie couple can: with a romantic montage of intense stares and hand holding accompanied by soft piano music being played over the top. They bond over their love for Paul Simon, Anna writes him letters and poems and complies scrapbooks of their relationship, Jacob designs and makes her a chair for her desk, and he even meets her parents when they come over to visit from the UK. Everything is blissful and effortless, until Anna decides that she doesn't want to spend the summer apart from Jacob, ends up overstaying her student visa and is in turn denied entry back into America after a quick trip back to England for a wedding.

The film feels so authentic when you watch it, like you're watching a real life couple in a documentary rather than two fictitious characters. Upon further research, I learned that a lot of the dialogue was improvised, which is why the whole thing felt so natural. Jones (who took home a Sundance special jury price) and Yelchin's performances were very believable, nothing appeared fake or forced and there was some real natural chemistry between the pair. The soundtrack was especially impressive, guiding you through the various emotional scenes of the film and picking you up when you needed it to.

What I liked about this film is how realistic it is of its portrayal of relationships. It's not like a Hollywood film, where boy meets girl, fall in love, problems arise, but then they live happily ever after. There's no special formula, just an accurate depiction of how relationships in the real world actually work. It's quite similar to (500) Days of Summer in that way, light in the right places but keeping you grounded on the reality of things. Things don't always go according to plan, sometimes you really have to fight hard for the person you love, and it does pay off, however it doesn't mean that cracks won't appear when things go wrong.

The only negative aspect I can really talk about is Anna's nonchalant approach to her visa. I know we all make mistakes when we're young, and love tends to cloud our judgement, but I don't see how someone can be so casual about something as serious as overstaying a visa. Did she not think about the implications? Visa laws are very strict, especially these days, and surely it would have been better to be apart from her boyfriend for three months, and then come back and apply for a work visa, rather than take the risk that she did and, consequently, hardly get to see him at all apart from a few sporadic visits from him over a couple of years. But that's just my opinion.

Regardless, I really did enjoy this film, and I really liked the appearances from Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games), Oliver Muirhead and Alex Kingston (Doctor Who). I understand why it wouldn't be to some people's tastes, but I would definitely recommend anyone to give it an open mind and watch it.

Coincidentally, this review also ties in with Song Friday, with a song from the film's soundtrack. The song is called IMpossible by Figurine, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since watching Like Crazy! I just love how upbeat and dancey it is without it being too in-your-face.

'Born To Die' Album Review

Lana Del Rey's highly anticipated debut album has finally been released. Del Rey says of her album, "I think it’s beautiful. This album is my self in song form," with the Telegraph backing her up, describing it as "a literate, emotional collection of beautifully crafted, pithily memorable songs."

The first track, fittingly, is Born to Die, the album's title and second released single. With haunting vocals and profound lyrics, the song speaks of a relationship doomed to fail, as well as hinting at some religious undertones. But mostly, it's about sitting back and enjoying the ride, because in the end, we are all 'born to die'. The next track, Off to the Races provides a refreshingly different sound. It is full of attitude and as the beat builds up, almost sounds like new-age 'white girl' rap. Having said that, she still manages to maintain her Old Hollywood in the sound, living up to her 'gangster Nancy Sinatra' image.

Blue Jeans, one of her more well-known songs that she performed at the infamous SNL show, has a very western feel to it, especially the opening guitar riff at the start. It has a quality that wouldn't be out of place in a Quentin Tarantino movie soundtrack. The lyrics highlight a quiet desperation, not wanting to lose the one see loves and wanting to wait it out ("I will love you till the end of time/I would wait a million years"), and yet still remaining true to her style and ("Love you more/Than those bitches before"). This song remains to be my favourite of hers. Fourth track, Video Games, is the song that catapulted her into the limelight, the video racking up over 21 million views on YouTube to date. The song is completely striped down in order to show off her vocals, with soft strings accompanying her in the background as she sings nostalgically about happier times.

Diet Mtn Dew is very reminiscent of hip hop, which is strange to hear after listening to Video Games, but it works surprisingly well. Having listened to the original demo, you can tell that Lana has become more daring with her sound. Her lyrics, however, remain true to herself, as she sings of the bad boys that she lusts after ("You're no good for me/But baby I want you"). You can tell that hip hop has been a big influence on Del Rey as National Anthem takes a similar turn in terms of the 'white girl rap' theme, but with a pleasant twist of a string procession (which is very 'Bitter Sweet Symphony') at the start of the song. Heavy themes of the American Dream and 'nouveau riche', with dark undertones and reckless abandon.

Dark Paradise is melancholia at its best. The combination of orchestral strings, rhythmic drums and haunting lyrics makes for a strong song which is both melodic and heartbreaking. Her songwriting really shines through and shows her off as the talent she really is. Next is Radio, which to me sounds like a bit of a 'fuck you' to those hating on her, vilifying her, and who didn't believe she would make it. "Now my life is sweet like cinnamon/Like a fucking dream I'm living in/Baby love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio/How do you like me now?" It's like a love song for chasing your dreams.

Carmen is a dreamy ode to a woman every girl wants to be, but with hints of dark secrets and emphasised with Lana's sultry voice. Towards the end of the track, you can hear a woman speaking French in a low voice, which adds to the mysterious quality of the song and who it is about. Another heartbreak ballad, Million Dollar Man, is another track that showcases Del Rey's soaring vocals. As always, her lyrics are sincere and melancholic, as well as reminiscent of Old Hollywood. "You're screwed up and brilliant/Look like a million dollar man."


Summertime Sadness differs from its live version, sounding a lot like Blue Jean's younger sibling in the opening refrain, then switching up to military inspired drums in the first verse. There is very strong lyrical imagery going on throughout, and also sounds like it should be its own film. It is definitely up there as one my favourite tracks on the album that haven't already been released as singles. This Is What Makes Us Girls recalls Lana's boarding school days in Connecticut when she was fifteen, and is a song about teenage rebellion and the feeling of being able to do anything ("Remember how we used to party up all night/ Sneaking out looking for a taste of real life").

The next few tracks are found on the Deluxe version of the album. Without You probably has my favourite opening verse out of all the songs on the album: "Everything I want I have/Money, notoriety, and rivieras/I even think I found God/In the flash bulbs of the pretty cameras/Pretty cameras, pretty cameras/Am I glamorous? Tell me, am I glamorous?" Beautifully written, this song fits very well with her general theme of nostalgia and 'what once was'. It's a poignant reach for something lost as she sings, "All my dreams and all the lights mean/Nothing without you." The penultimate track, Lolita, is much more upbeat as we head to a close. The lyrics are fun and lighthearted, and shows how versatile Del Rey can be while still being true to her 'Old Hollywood' style. Last but not least is Lucky Ones. Optimistic and heartfelt, it is definitely a great way to close a great album.

Born To Die is a brilliant album, which is sure to start off a great year for both Lana Del Rey and the music industry itself.

This Month's Favourite Purchases

Cream Grandad Top - Miss Selfridge - £18

Black Skull Print Top - Miss Selfridge - £20

Leopard Print Leggings - Republic - £10

Black Lace-up Ankle Boots - Zara - £40

Blue Chiffon Skirt - Miss Selfridge - £37

I'm not going to make this a regular thing as I don't plan on being a fashion blog, but I just wanted to share some of my favourite purchases I've made in the past month. The leggings were technically bought a little bit over a month ago, but it's one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe at the moment, and since it is a fairly recent buy I thought I may as well throw it in. It's odd because I don't usually like leggings, but I completely fell in love when I came across them through a friend of mine.

I also fell in love with the chiffon skirt and the boots. The skirt is cut just above the knee and has another layer of asymmetric drapery over it, and I simply adore the colour. I bought the boots on sale so couldn't find the original picture on the Zara website, but the picture I've used is pretty similar to what they look like. They are wonderful and I wish I could wear them every day, but unfortunately I'm still not so good with heels.

I've listed all items at their original price, except for the boots because I couldn't remember how much they used to cost, but I bought everything (bar the boots) with my 10% student discount. Thank God for NUS, eh?

The Lana Del Rey Saturday Night Live Debate

Internet sensation Lana Del Rey made her live US television debut as musical guest on the popular show Saturday Night Live on 14th January, and has since become the victim of ridicule and many criticisms, as the general consensus stated that the performances of her two songs, viral hit 'Video Games' and 'Blue Jeans', was "awful."

Daniel Radcliffe, who was hosting SNL that night, has defended her, mentioning that most of the complaints actually had nothing to do with her music. "It was unfortunate that people seemed to turn on her so quickly," Radcliffe said at the BAFTA award nominations, "If you read about what people are saying about her online, it's all about her past and her family, and stuff that's nobody else's business." Which is true, if you look up her name, you will find lots of speculations and criticisms about whether or not she's had plastic surgery, or if her family were as poor as she claimed. All of which do not mention her musical talent.

Now, I may be bias, being a huge Lana Del Rey fan myself, but I think people are being way too harsh on her. From video clips I've seen floating around on YouTube, Lana is a nervous performer when she is on stage faced with a large audience. In a lot of her live performances, she does not emulate her natural swagger and attitude that you hear on her tracks, and often over-plays her vocals a little bit out of said nerves. People forget that SNL was, after all, her first live performance on US television. Before that, she had only done live TV in Europe, and you could argue that collectively, the viewers who watch SNL are about the same amount who have ever watched her live TV appearances in Europe put together.

That is not to say that all of Del Rey's live performances lack her original quality, here, I have stumbled across a beautiful live rendition of her single Born To Die at Chateau Marmont:

So as we can see, she definitely can sing. Del Rey was probably nervous at the prospect of singing in front of such a large audience, and let it get into her head a bit. I'll admit, they weren't her best performances, but they were by no means 'disastrous'. What I think is that people aren't quite used to her style and a lot of them judged her too quickly on those two performances, without looking into others first. For example, Hollywood actress Juliette Lewis first tweeted about the performance: "Wow watching this ‘singer’ on SNL is like watching a 12 year old in their bedroom when they’re pretending to sing and perform #signofourtimes." But Lewis has since deleted the tweet, covering her tracks by saying that Lana has "great haunting melodies" and that she's a "fresh and yummy songwriter", which shows us that all everyone really needs to do is give her a chance.

Lana Del Rey is by no means a bad singer. In my opinion, it just seems that she was so under the radar for so long, with no-one really noticing her at all, then suddenly as if by magic, she became so popular and in-demand in such a short space of time that it overwhelmed her. Her stage-fright will fade with time, and until then, I'll leave you with one of my favourite songs by her, Blue Jeans:

Lana's single 'Born To Die' comes out on 23rd January, and debut album under the same title on 30th January.

Plastic Surgery: How far is too far?

Pushy & Proud is a reality show on Sky Living where we follow the lives of various families who each take on different parenting extremes, from parents ignoring health warnings and plying their kids with junk food, to mothers who encourage and condone their children to have cosmetic surgery. What I want to focus on in particular is the final episode, Botox Mum, in which we follow Sarah Burge (aka the Half a Million Pound Girl or The Human Barbie) and her family, and why she thinks that it is a good idea to give her seven year old child vouchers for a boob job.

Burge's youngest daughter, Poppy, presenting her voucher

Burge appeared on That Sunday Night Show to explain herself as to her reasoning behind giving a voucher for cosmetic surgery as a birthday present for her seven year old daughter. Burge's intent was for her daughter to cash it when she turns eighteen in order to get implants in her breasts. She defended that, "it's an investment. She doesn't have to spend it on breast implants, she can use it towards her education or whatever else she want to do with it." What I have a problem with this statement, though, is that the voucher clearly states that it is a coupon for PLASTIC SURGERY. Burge can defend it all she wants, acknowledge that it can be used for educational purposes instead, but she is setting it in her daughter's mind it's original message: when you are old enough, you should have implants in your breasts. Never mind that her daughter is only seven, that she hasn't gone through puberty or even started developing breasts yet. If a child grows up hearing one message, they are likely to grow up believing in it. What Burge is doing is not allowing her child to grow up with her own views and opinions on whether or not she actually wants plastic surgery, and instead, making it an inevitability like her own mother and sisters.

It didn't surprise me when I heard that Burge once again spent money on more vouchers for her daughter, only this time for liposuction. She claims that her daughter "asks for plastic surgery all the time. She wants to look good and lipo is one of those procedures that will always come in handy." The way I see it, Burge is setting her youngest daughter up for a lifetime of insecurity about her looks, constantly thinking she is not good enough the way she is, which could lead to conditions such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or even Anorexia. I understand that those are two extremes, but if as a child she is encouraged to modify herself, how is she ever going to be happy with what she sees in the mirror, with Mummy standing behind her telling her what could be improved?

Burge was "thrilled" when she found that her teenage daughter, Hannah, also wanted Botox

Funnily enough, I am not completely against cosmetic surgery. I understand that sometimes when you look in the mirror, you're not always happy with what you see. A lot of our discomfort towards our appearance has to do with how people have reacted towards us in the past. Whether you were teased at school for having ears that stuck out or a large nose, or a simple phrase from a relative such as, "guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses", it always comes from somewhere. I myself have always disliked my nose, as once when I was twelve was told by my mother's friend, "Oh, I used to have a little piggy nose like you when I was younger." Now, I understand that she did not mean it with malicious intent (at least I hope not!), and I know that my nose is far from pig-like, but it's always made me feel insecure about it and wonder whether people think the same as she did. Luckily, I managed to get over it, and though I am still not crazy about my nose, I wouldn't change it for the world, because it makes me who I am. For others though, no amount of positive thinking or counselling will help them with how they feel about the way they look. Sometimes, a little bit of cosmetic surgery to correct a lifelong insecurity will help on the road to a better life.

However, this can be dangerous, as we have seen in cases such as Pete Burns, the Dead Or Alive singer who modified his face beyond recognition, and has even had implants swell and lip fillers explode. I guess there is a thin line to tread on what is acceptable and what is borderline obsessive and extreme. At the end of the day, people can do as they wish with their own bodies, whether you want to nip, tuck, lift or plump... it's all up to you. But what I will never condone is parents encouraging their children on getting plastic surgery, constantly enforcing the message "you are not good enough." Let children be children, and let them decide what they want to do with their own future without any outside influence.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Cassius:
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."


Julius Caesar (Act 1, Scene 2)


The Fault In Our Stars is a poignant tale about sixteen year old cancer-suffer Hazel Grace Lancaster, who enjoys life's simple pleasures of reading poetry and watching trashy TV. All she wants is to be normal, and to not have others look at her like a 'cancer kid'. But since this is not possible, over the years she becomes somewhat of a homebody, staying indoors as often as possible, reading her favourite novel, An Imperial Affliction, over and over again. It is when she is encouraged to attend a Cancer Kid Support Group where she meets the mysterious and alluring Augustus Waters, who changes Hazel's life and perspective of it in the most wonderful ways.

John Green uses humour and philosophy to swiftly carry us through this journey of self-actualization, engaging the reader with his quick-witted dialogue, Venn diagram humour and profound outlooks on how we view the universe. He is one of those authors that can write the kind of books that make you feel ALL OF THE THINGS. You may not necessarily cry (I did), but you will certainly laugh, think and feel deeply for the story and all of the characters in it (which I certainly did). It is very rare to find a book that you want to read as soon as you finish it, and that stays with you long after the final page.

Whenever I read a John Green book, I always hear his voice narrating in my head, which made reading the first couple of chapters slightly challenging. But Hazel's voice becomes so clear throughout the story that it wasn't long before Green's voice slowly dissolved away (although I sincerely hope it comes back when reading his other books). Both Hazel's narration and dialogue, along with Augustus's, was real and unpatronising. I felt so invested and wrapped up in both Hazel and Augustus's lives, so much so that I felt as if I were a part of it all. I felt as I knew them as friends. Green paints such a brilliant picture throughout the novel, that I felt like I was right there with them, sitting with them at picnics, on Hazel's couch watching TV, amongst the circle in the Literal Heart of Jesus.

It's hard for me to pinpoint my favourite part of the book, because I think the whole thing is simply a work of genius, but I have to say, I did really like the philosophies and questions that were raised throughout the novel. John Green is a smart man, and unlike some adults out there, he acknowledges that teenagers are smart too, and therefore he isn't afraid to throw at us big topics such as death and oblivion and 'what happens after'. I find with some YA authors, they are maybe slightly afraid of overwhelming their readers, therefore simplifying things and and keeping it light. That is not to say that their books are not enjoyable, but it emphasises how much Green values his readers and does not undermine their intelligence.

The Fault In Our Stars is so much more than just a book about cancer. It's about a journey, both literal and metaphorical. It's about being realistic without being pessimistic. It's about wanting to be noticed by the universe, and noticing it back. It's about acceptance, longing and understanding. It's about family, friendship, love, and all of the things in between. It's about living your best life today.

Find out more about John Green through his twitter, website, and Vlogbrothers project on YouTube, where he collaborates with his brother, Hank, to create fun and informative videos with prevent the world from suck, and to make us laugh.