Tights 101

I'll start by saying that I know very well that I haven't posted in a few days. I thought that I would be able to write more now that I'm on winter break and free of the workload that comes with school, but it turns out that my school schedule gives structure to my life. Without that structure all I do is, well, nothing! I'm not even going to lie, all I've done is eat way too much chocolate and watch way too much Netflix.

Anyways, moving onto the subject of tights. Let me start by saying that I never really wear tights (probably because the only pair I own are fishnet ones I wore for Halloween once), but I've been wanting to change that. Recently I've seen lots of winter fashion posts featuring tights as a key accessory and I've come to notice that it really helps complete some looks. Also, now that the weather has grown colder, wearing dresses and skirts bare legged is kind of daring (and cold).

For Christmas I asked for tights and I received a few pairs, but much to my disappointment, none of them were black. I did receive grey and patterned ones though. It was then that I recognized the fact that unfortunately for me, I don't know much about tights in general. So what did I do? Turn to the Google of course (I don't know why, but saying 'the Google' is much more fun than just Google). A few questions I had in mind included: What colors should I own? How should I style them? ...

Here's what I've concluded.

• Black opaque tights. Everyone should own a pair. (If you want them to be more opaque or the weather outside is frightful, don't be afraid to layer on tights)

•  If you're going for a more serious or business-like look, it's recommended that you match the color of your tights to your belt, jacket, or sweater)

• If you're going for a slimmer look, match your tights to your shoes (you can't go wrong with the classic look of black tights and black shoes)

•  White tights aren't the most flattering piece, but there are exceptions for everything (they can add a few pounds)

• For a more durable wear... run tights under water, wring them out, place them in a bag, and place that bag in the freezer for 24 hours. 

• Better quality tights are at least 15% Lycra or Spandex

• And lastly, fishnet tights are fun, sexy, and reminiscent of the 1950s

So that's it! I'm so looking forward to trying out different variations :)

Please tell me any tight styling tips you may know of. I'd love to hear them and add them onto this post. 

XXX

- your friend, Estelle

Movie Spotlight: Twelve

Genre: Crime Film
Setting: New York, the Upper East Side
Time Period: Modern Day
Actors: Chace Crawford, Emma Roberts, 50 Cent

Oh my lord. I don't know if I was overreacting or if this movie was the most emotional thing ever, but I locked myself up in my room when watching it and bawled my eyes out. Dead serious. The award thing is that my mom walked in on me. I swear my face was all blotchy, my nose was stuffy, and I was trying to conceal what a mess I was by hiding underneath the covers. I tried to avoid eye contact and just take a quick peak at her when she spoke to me, but that was a fail. She noticed that my eyes were puffy, which was that obvious, and then she just laughed and said 'Oh honey. It was that bad?'

Yes! The movie was that depressing... at least I think it was. Please tell me if you've watched Twelve and if you have (watched it), did you cry? Please tell me you did. I just confessed what a wreck I was when watching the movie and it would be super awkward if I was the only one with similar thoughts.

First things first, in case you've seen the picture above, I must admit that one of the reasons I landed on this movie was Chace Crawford. Hello. My friends and I always fangirl over him and whenever someone mentions Gossip Girl (which you should all watch by the way) all I can think about is Nate. *sigh*

The movie itself has its ups and downs and it is most definitely not something you'd watch with your family. There was an ongoing presence of drugs, violence, sex, and alcohol. I guess that's to be expected since the main character, White Mike (aka Chace), is a drug dealer.

With a wise voice that narrates the characters' lives throughout the film, it really makes you think. Lots of subjects about death, copping, and remembrance were mentioned and there was some deep stuff going on beneath the surface. This includes characters having inner battles with themselves and other hardships we can relate to (at a certain extent).

The thing with the characters is that some were blinded by life (love and such things...) while others were so freaking annoying and manipulative, you just wished bad karma upon them.

Anyways, this film was melodramatic and all, but if you want something to cry about (like life in general and how the world sucks), Twelve is perfect for the next date you plan between you, your bed, and Netflix.

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

Candy Cane Cookie Recipe

It's the holiday season and I've been feeling really festive and what's the best way to get in the mood? Rewatch all the Glee Holiday episodes (they're always a noteworthy highlight)...and...bake!!! 

I had make Candy Cane cookies a long time ago with my mom, back when making Santa Claus special treats was key to having a successful Christmas, and I remember the process having been  fun and the outcome being adorable. I revisited the recipe and altered it a bit to make it even tastier, so here it is: 

Ingredients:

- 1 ¼ cups of unsalted butter

- 2 eggs

- 2 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

- ¼ cup milk

- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla

- 4 cups flour

- 1 tsp salt

- ½ tsp baking powder

- Desired food coloring (red if you want to make a traditional candy cane)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy

2. Beat in milk, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

3. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until it is well blended.

4. Divide dough in half

5. Blend food color into 1 half.

6. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

7. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

8. Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.

9. For each candy cane, form 4-inch long ‘worms’ out of 1 teaspoon of red dough and 1 teaspoon of white dough by rolling back and forth on floured surface.

10. Place 1 red and white rope side by side

11. Twist them together by lightly pressing the ends together and twisting

12. Roll them in sugar

13. Place on cookie sheet

14. Curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.

15. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

16. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

17. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In case you were wondering, an up side of this recipe is that the cookies aren't too sweet. This is why I decided to roll them in sugar. In the pictures you'll see that some cookies are topped with sprinkles, but they're a lot better with classic, plain old sugar. Also, I prefer them on them toastier side, which is why I tended to bake them for 11 minutes. 

Even though actually shaping the dough into candy canes was harder than I remembered it being (probably because my mom had done all of the work last time) the outcome was insanely cute. I gifted these cookies to my friends and they were really popular, receiving lots of ooohs and ahhhhs. 
What gets you in the holiday spirit? 

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

Advice: School Overload

Recently I've been really super busy what with finals and all. (ughhhh. just thinking about it is making my head spin!) Honestly, I'm kind of out of it. Like really out of it. Right now for example, I want to cry. For no reason! My eyes are welling up with tears and I can't seem to push the feelings down. Life is chaotic. The atmosphere is stressful. I went to sleep at 2AM last night and woke up at 6:30AM. That's 4 and a half hours. I'm running on fumes.

All anyone is talking about is grades, grades, and more grades.
The hallways are buzzing and I have never heard people's thoughts speak so loudly.
...My future is relying on these very tests... 
I know that class averages and GPA aren't the only thing that matters, but it's the only thing that people seem to pinpoint when it comes to the future.

My head is spinning and I think I'm going cross eyed because I'm seeing two of everything. I can't seem to focus on one thing. I have the crazy eyes thing going on and this morning there wan't enough concealer in the world to hide my under eye circles. If I close my eyes I know I'll fall asleep and I can't permit myself to.

And I'm procrastinating. I mean, what did you expect?

I'm trying to research ways to stay relax and keep things under control. I'll keep you guys updated though. But for now, my personal piece of advice? Sleep. Eat a nutritious meal to keep you going. Take deep breaths (inhale through your nose and exhale from your mouth). And once it's all over, treat yourself with doing nothing. Just hibernate. I know that everything is easier said than done, but once I click the orange 'Publish' button, I'm going to bed. 

Just remember, ignore this week's cruel torments because once the calender flips itself to Friday evening, it'll all be over. Once you conquer the bump that is finals, it's Winter break. And for those of you who celebrate Christmas, it's only 8 days from now :) 

What do you do to stay calm when your head is bursting with work related things? I'd love to know because trust me, everyone needs it. 

XXX

- your friend, Estelle

Cara Delevingne's Staple Items

Recently I've been having a hard time deciding what I need most when it comes to shopping. Sweaters? Jeans? Skirts? Coats? Yeah it's fun to go on a huge shopping spree to buy a bunch of things you liked on the mannequin, but I wanted more of a game plan. At first I looked to google to find a list of items that were categorized as staple must haves, but I didn't find much, so I decided to go to the source. This is where Cara comes in.

Since I had already browsed through some of her outfits to find inspiration (you might've read my blog post about it, but if you haven't you can check it out here), I started taking notes. What items did she seem to use more than once? If not the same item, something of a similar sort. So gradually I came up with this list. 

Here are Cara's Delevingne's staple items:

Tops:
- black shirt w/ graphics
- white button up shirt
- black, short sleeve, scoop neck top
- heather grey, short sleeve, scoop neck top
- white, v-neck tank top
- white shirt w/ black graphics
- white, short sleeve, scoop neck top

**************************************************************

Bottoms:
- khaki tuxedo pants w/ black stripe on the side
- skinny black jeans
- skinny black leather pants
- light wash, high waisted denim shorts (Levi's)
- light wash jeans
- skinny, white high waisted pants
- grey jeans

rag and bone skinny khaki tuxedo pant

**************************************************************

Outerwear:
- black leather biker jacket w/ quilted sleeves
- fitted black blazer
- grey peppered hoodie
- navy button up sweater
- black trench/peacoat
- black hoodie

burberry prorsum quilted leather biker jacket

**************************************************************

Shoes:
- all black suede and textured leather high tops w/ studs
- all black boots w/ buckles
- all black boots w/ silver studs
- all black, suede, wedge sneakers/boots
- all black timberland boots
- all black Nike high top sneakers

 Burberry platform wedge trainers

see by Chloe gondola lace up wedge sneaker

mulberry studded suede and textured-leather sneakers

black timberland waterproof waterville boots

jeffrey campbell lee boot

ash leather square studded biker boot

**************************************************************

Bags:
- black leather backpack
- black leather tote bag
- navy canvas backpack w/ tan leather straps
- navy backpack w/ red straps
- black, over the shoulder suede bag w/ leather straps

mulberry croc and reptile print suede tillie

burberry london 'borsa baulet' tote bag

joshu+vela zip backpack

**************************************************************

Hats:
- black beanie
- red beanie
- eccentric blue beanie w/ white polka dots

**************************************************************

Other:
- black bralette

**************************************************************

Let's face it. These's items are wayyyy above anyone's price range, but it's nice to stay on the lookout for similar finds. My personal favorites are Cara's leather jacket (I found a really cute one at Express) and her shoe collection. You might've noticed that a trend in her shoes was all black, which I think is a clean, classy choice. I don't wear heels on a normal basis, but I must say that she has a great taste in boots.

I know this post was kinda long, but other people's styles are so intriguing! If you had to choose, what would your staple item be?


XXX
- your friend, Estelle

Netflix Spotlight: Sherlock

Genre: British Crime Drama
Setting: London
Time Period: Modern Day
Actors: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Andrew Scott

If anyone were to ask me what my favorite series is, I'd have to say Sherlock. No other show can compare to it. For months now I've been trying to convince my friend to watch it, but she won't listen to me! I don't think it's a matter of convincing her anymore, I think she just wants to prove to me that she doesn't need to watch it. But that's where she's wrong! My life wasn't complete until Sherlock because I had never watched a real good show. ... Grrrr

This contemporary adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes' follows the lives of Sherlock and his partner in crime Dr. John Watson. Together they form the best of friends and the greatest work partners ever. And I mean ever. Though their relationship has many, many ups and downs they always reunite, being their wonderfully weird selves.

Sherlock, a self entitled 'consulting detective', is hilarious, though not on purpose. His snide remarks are always on point being tremendously sharp, clever, and witty. Frankly, he couldn't care less that he's being rude because he's so caught up in his own world. Also, he's quite cocky, always bragging about his superior intellect and observational powers. John, Sherlock's flatmate and a retired army doctor, is the calmer one. At first he's wary of Sherlock's... uniqueness... but they get over their differences and realize that they're much similar than they are at first look. Neither one of them is social (they're both awkward beings), which makes them even more lovable.

As the series progresses, John documents their adventures on his blog. which gains attention from the press. With his eccentric life being reported on, Sherlock then becomes a reluctant celebrity, developing his signature look. This new found popularity leads to more mysteries to be solved, not only from the general public, but from the British government as well.

Just saying... I've watched the first episode alone over five times. And the first episode is fine and all, but it only gets better. That says something. The only matter to complain about is that each episode is 1 hour and a half long (which is great because each one is like a mini movie), but there are only 3 episodes per season!!!

!!!Warning!!! It's really addictive and you'll be in a state of 'oh my god. WTF!? skdjnwefhuil' when you finish a season.

Also, for those of you who already watch the show, did you know that Sherlock and John's blogs actually exist!? Be sure to check out The Science of Deduction and John Watson's blog and browse through the articles and comments.

If you already have watched Sherlock, what's your favorite episode? It's close to impossible to choose just one, but I'd have to say mine is The Empty Hearse...or perhaps His Last Vow. Ahhh. The 3rd season is just incredible.

*****

Overall, do yourself a favor and just watch Sherlock. It definitely deserves a rating of five stars. And because I'm such an expert on the subject, you should take my word for it.

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

I had never made gingerbread cookies from scratch before today. Personally, these types of cookies aren't my favorite, but I thought I might as well give it a try. I'd say the best part is decorating them. You can make your cookies simple, patterned, abstract... the possibilities are endless! And you can't forget to mention the warm and delicious smell wafting out of the oven. Ahhhh. 

Ingredients;
- 4  cups all purpose flour

- 1 tsp Baking soda

- ¼ tsp salt

- 1 ½ tsp ginger

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- ¼ tsp nutmeg

- ¾ tsp ground allspice

- ½ tsp dried cloves

- 1 ½ stick of unsalted butter

- ¾ cup brown sugar

- 1 egg

- ¾ cup molasses

- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

2. Set aside.

3. Using a mixer beat softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy

4. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; mix well.

5. Gradually beat in flour mixture

6. Divide the dough into 3 pieces

7. Pat each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic

8. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours

9. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand at room temperate until it is just soft enough to roll smoothly. This should take about 10 minutes, depending on how long the dough was chilled. 

10. Heat oven to 350 F

11. On a lightly floured working surface, roll out dough. It should be about 6 cm or ¼ inch thick (the thicker the dough, the softer the cookie)

12. Using cookie cutters of your choice, cut into your desired shapes

13. Place cookies on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart from each other

14. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until they’re firm and edges just begin to darken

15. Cool on baking sheets 2 to 3 minutes.

16. Move them onto wire racks until they cool completely.

17. Decorate cooled cookies as desired.

18. Store cookies in airtight container up to 1 week.

To decorate your cookies with royal icing, check out this recipe: 

Much to my surprise, these cookies were a lot better than I expected them to be! Not only were they cute, but really yummy too. Plus, I think they'd be a great gift to give family, friends, teachers, neighbors and whoever else you want to treat this holiday season. 

What are your favorite holiday baked goods?

XXX

- your friend, Estelle

Royal Icing Recipe

Depending on what mood I'm in, I sometimes like being super artsy when decorating cookies. I'm not necessarily great at icing them, but I like to mess around with different patterns and ideas.

Ingredients:

- 4 cups powdered sugar

- 2 egg whites

- 1tsp vanilla extract or fresh lemon juice

- pinch of salt

- 1 tbs milk 

- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (can be omitted)

- food coloring (optional)

Directions: 

1. Using a mixer, combine powdered sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and egg whites until thick and shiny. 

2. Add lemon juice or vanilla and milk. If icing is too thin, add more sugar. 

3. Divide icing into portions, if desired, and add different food coloring to each.

4. Cover until ready to use.

If you want your baked goods to be adorned with more precise detailing, put some of the icing in a plastic Ziploc bag, press it closed, and snip one of the corners off (the bigger the hole, the more icing you'll squeeze out)

Happy decorating! 

XXX

- your friend, Estelle

Advice: Let it go

I'm not the sort of person to stay held up on something. I never have been. Don't get me wrong, I do get angry, but I can't seem to hold grudges (no matter how hard I try). Just yesterday I got in an argument with my dad. What we bickered about and disagreed on isn't of importance, it's the aftermath. I told him things I shouldn't have while he ignored me. I went to bed without wishing him goodnight. 

Now, 12 hours later I received a call.  

When I saw the ID, it wasn't like any of the movie scenes I'd ever watched in which you know something's wrong. I was happy, I was fine. I was in the car, talking to my mom about how my day went. Things were normal and I'd forgotten about last night. When I saw that the caller was my dad, I put it on loud speaker. I wasn't expecting it, especially since I thought he was still ignoring me, but I answered it, not knowing what I would hear. 

I didn't sense that anything was wrong. I didn't note the quiver in his voice. I said hello, but he didn't respond. 
Finally he spoke. 
I've been in an accident. He said. 
My mind went blank. What?

It turns out that everything was fine. Fine as in, his car was totaled because a stranger had lost control of the wheel, but my dad was okay. He was fine. 

All I have to say about this is...Let it go. Obviously I'll still get into arguments and people will say things they don't necessarily mean, but we should let it go. Forget our differences and appreciate the good. The company. Any former grudges, bad terms, conflict, let them melt away (even if it's only for a little while), because any second, the circumstances could change.  

So do me a favor and hug the people you love. Not because something might happen to them, but because you're both still human and we make mistakes and we all deserve a second chance.

Yeah. I hope I didn't end this on a grave note. All in all, be happy and enjoy life. (I know, easier said than done)

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

DIY Yummy Lip Scrub

A few months ago, my sister and I were in the mood for a relaxing, at home spa day. Someone had told me about Lush's lip scrubs so I was planning on purchasing that but it was $10 and I was on a budget... Instead of completely cutting it out of my plans, a friend told me about an easy recipe I could try out at home. I followed the instructions, tested it out, and it turned out great!

In case you were wondering, scrubs do wonders for your body. They're an excellent exfoliation product that you can use to eliminate your dead, unwanted skin cells. When lips get really dry, your dead skin can start flaking off, which results in lips peeling and being chapped. Gross, I know, but it happens.This one, as it's a lip scrub, helps prevent that and in turn makes your lips smooth.

In addition to making your lips look and feel as soft as a baby's bum, using lip scrubs can have other effects, such as increasing the staying power of other lip products. This includes lipsticks, lip liners, lip stains...

Ingredients:
- 1/4 tsp. Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp. brown Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Honey

Steps:
1. Blend all ingredients in a small container or bowl.
2. Gently rub your lips in a circular motion
3. Rinse thoroughly
4. Apply a moisturizer to protect your now baby soft lips

***If you want your exfoliate to be more grainy, add more sugar. If you want it to be smoother, add more olive oil or honey
***Also, you can easily save this scrub in a tightly sealed container or jar.

Regarding the ingredients and their uses, the sugar helps serves as an exfoliate and the oil as a moisturizer. Since this product contains only natural ingredients (because duh, it's homemade), it can be added onto your beauty regime.

Bonus-- it's edible! Very very sweet and sugary, but edible nonetheless.

Pucker up!

XXX
- your friend Estelle

Worldly Issue: Political Correctness

Since I had to write an essay about this a few days ago, the topic has been on my mind and it's a really good one! Despite all the controversy and opposing viewpoints. I would love to leave this out for question so feel more than welcome to comment on your personal opinions.

First things first, what is political correctness?
Well, political correctness in our everyday language means using words that are less likely to insult, misrepresent or offend groups of people. In other words, being politically incorrect includes falsely labeling people (whether it's ethnic, religious, gender based...) in a way that misidentifies them.

Words that are labeled as ‘loaded’can negatively influence the behavior of the people they’re targeting, which is why promoting correct terminology is crucial for our society. Yes, some people are outspoken, but having no filter can result in the use of words that have contradictory meanings. The Washington Redskins, an NFL team, is an example of a widespread name that has received lots of attention from the media and protesters because it originates from offensive terminology that refers to Native Americans. Like many other politically incorrect words and logos, it is struggling to be eliminated despite the negative connotations that pursue it. Of course we have freedom of expression,  but whether we have freedom or not, we should still be considerate. Being honest is one issue, but not to the extent that you’re so blunt you come off as rude.

Words can be used as weapons when we label unsuspecting people. At a certain extent, we should treat contradictory terms with caution because they can be hurtful. An example of political incorrectness is someone generalizing a race into one. I once had someone ask me if I spoke ‘Mexican’, to which I didn’t know how to respond to. I speak Spanish, but I had no idea that I spoke Mexican! I educated them in that department by telling them first off that I spoke Spanish, not Mexican, and that second of all, I’m wasn’t even Mexican. What bystanders misinterpret is that Spanish speakers are offended that they’re being called Mexican. If anything, Spanish speakers are annoyed that a multitude of Spanish speaking countries are being categorized into one. 

Though it must be acknowledged that changing our vocabulary won’t transform our views and turn our country into an all accepting community, it is definitely a step in the right direction. Sending a positive message can make a difference (small or large). 

In the present, we must be aware of the message we choose to emulate through the words we employ in our daily vocabulary. Using stereotypical or close minded labels as a means of identifying someone, whether you’re addressing ethics, religion, or sexuality should be handled with care because we should be mindful of other people’s values and beliefs. 

Sorry that was lengthy, but there is lots to be said :)

*** this is strictly an opinion, so feel free to disagree (but be respectful in the process)

XXX

- your friend, Estelle

DIY Baked Ornaments

I made these ornaments when I was in elementary school and I thought they were really fun to create and personalize, so why not share this simple project with you?

You can use these ornaments for anything whether it's Christmas decorations to hang around your house or artsy displays to adorn your room with yearlong. I made one set of festive cutouts (mostly gingerbread, snowmen, and snowflakes) and another for my bedroom (I chose to make stars and flowers). I'm probably going to hang them on a string of twine as a sort of garland.

Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 1/2 cup water
- oil (enough for your hands)
- clear polyurethane spray (optional, but recommended since it seals out moisture for the ornaments to last longer)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 F

2. In a large bowl, add together flour, salt, and water

3. Lightly lather your hands with oil to prevent the dough from sticking onto your fingers

4. Knead the ingredients together with your hands until they're well combined

5. On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it's about 0.6 cm thick

6. Using cookie cutters of your choice, create any desired shapes

7. Using a plastic straw, create a hole at the top of every ornament to allow for you to string the ribbon you'll use to hang it up

8. Move the ornaments onto a baking sheet

9. Bake for 30 minutes

10. Once you've allowed for them to cool, place the ornaments on a covered surface to prevent dirtying your workplace (I'd use wax paper or plastic wrap)

11. Decorate the ornaments however you may please by using paint, glitter... you name it!'

12. After they have dried, string the ornaments with string or ribbon.

13. All that's left to do is admire your final product

***To preserve, spray your ornament with clear polyurethane on both sides

Drum roll please.....

The finished products!!!

And... I forgot to poke holes through the ornaments. Oops. 

Well folks, learn from my mistake and DON'T FORGET THE HOLES!!!

Also, a fair warning is that you should wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty because I stained my new jeans. Double oops. 

XXX

-  your friend, Estelle