Belle’s Weekly Reading: September 20, 2013
Sep 20, 2013
Over-thinking is like blowing air into a balloon. The more you think about something, the bigger the balloon gets. Until, eventually, it pops.
Last week, I was trying to sort out something I’ve been struggling with and ended up over-thinking it. Obsessing about it, really. And as a result, instead of pursuing the path of reason and patience, I ran at break neck pace down the road of drama and insecurity. Good job there, Belle, real good. So learn from my mistakes and heed the wisdom of Gaston from “Beauty and the Beast,” sometimes thinking is ‘a dangerous pastime.’
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1) You know what else is dangerous? The sleek lines and gorgeous cut of this Felicity & Coco Seamed Pencil Dress. I love the midnight navy color and the exposed zipper. The dress is reminiscent of Antonio Berardi or Black Halo, but the price, a cool $98, won’t spell danger for your bank account.
2) The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a Facebook ‘Like’ is protected speech under the First Amendment. The case involved a deputy who was allegedly fired for ‘liking’ a candidate for Sheriff who wasn’t his current boss.
3) This e-card made me laugh and cringe, but it also reminded me that I need to buy new tights. I’ve picked up several pairs to try including Donna Karan’s 70 denier opaque tights and Topshop’s 120 denier version. ASOS also makes a 120 denier tight that comes in plus-sizes.
But I am the most excited about Gipsy’s 200 denier tights ($15). Though I’m beginning to worry that nylon denier is becoming like the increasing number of blades in my razor.
4) Bloomingdale’s has unveiled a new plastic tag designed to prevent women from wearing an item once and then returning it to the store. The new tags cannot be re-attached, and will be applied to every dress costing over-$150.
5) What woman isn’t looking for a sexy, stylish and sophisticated black shoe for fall? Luckily, Topshop is hitting all the right notes with this suede, ankle-strap heel that literally stopped me in my tracks. Oh, and it’s budget-friendly.
6) Have you seen the Town & Country spread featuring Clint Eastwood’s genetically blessed son, Scott? Hottest thing since the blowtorch. It’s almost enough to make me forget that nonsense with the chair at last year’s RNC convention. Slow clap, Dirty Harry, slow clap.
7) Need a travel-size flat-iron that packs a real punch? At just six-inches long, the Cloud Nine Micro Iron is the tool you need. Want an in-depth review of its straightening power? Politics of Pretty has you covered.
8) The powers that be in the fashion world, namely editors at Vogue, Lucky and WhoWhatWear are determined to bring back Birkenstocks. They were promoting them this summer, but when I was in NYC last week, they were all still strolling around Lincoln Center in their best orthopedic sandals. I haven’t been this afraid of a footwear trend since Crocs started selling ballet flats.
9) The temps are dropping and the air is drying…naturally, so is my skin. To protect my face from the change-in-seasons dryness, I picked up a jar of Tammy Fender Intensive Repair Balm, which I will ration like bottled water on a stranded cruise ship.
If you need an intense moisturizer at drugstore prices, try Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Day Cream and Night Cream. And don’t forget to exfoliate the dead skin using your Clarisonic or a nubby washcloth.
10) Scientific American has a fascinating article about the politics of the ‘sell by date’. It’s pretty horrifying to hear that 40% of the food produced in the U.S. never gets eaten because it allegedly spoils on the shelves. The cause for this waste seems to be a lack of transparency and an abundance of confusion in the labeling process.
Holy mackerel, Scott Eastwood! Thanks for that 🙂
Birkenstocks are pretty much the best shoes ever invented. I’ll admit that the classic two-strap sandal isn’t super pretty, but there are a number of styles that are quite aesthetically pleasing (I’m thinking Gizeh among others). Don’t knock ’em til you’ve tried ’em.
Skip the Birkenstopcks, but wanting a Pendleton wool shirt since the Wool and Prince Kickstarter campaign. The shirt he used for his 100 day challenge was a Pendleton.
I read the Vogue article and … is it true that pretty dresses and ugly shoes pair well together? I always found the look a little unfortunate.
Just a random note on the food waste article you mention at the end of the list. I work for the organization that released the report, and the point isn’t that 40% of food is wasted because it spoils on the shelves — it’s that most of the food is actually NOT spoiled, but people throw it away anyhow because of confusion over sell-by/expiration dates.
Loved the report. That’s why it says “allegedly spoils”.
I bought a pair of the Gypsy 200 denier tights from ASOS recently and was not impressed when they arrived. The thicker thread seemed to spread apart more easily, letting skin show through, especially around the knees. They also looked rougher and less finished than I would like for work.
I ended up returning them and instead ordered some Heat Holder thermal tights from SockShop (https://www.sockshop.co.uk/products/ladies-1-pair-sockshop-heat-holder-thermal-tights/index).
These are amazing. They are smooth on the outside but have a fleecy lining and are incredibly warm as well as comfortable. They still have a little thinning/stretching around a bent knee if not adjusted, but are otherwise perfectly opaque and uniform in colour. I ended up getting two pairs of the tights and one of the leggings and highly recommend them. Also a very affordable.
Good to know. Thanks for the info.
I never throw stuff away just because of a best or sell by date, the sniff test has never let me down! Eggs are the exception because there’s no good way to check whether they’re still okay. So I was really happy to hear on a news story about that food waste article that eggs are good up to 2 weeks past the sell by date.
I believe you can check if an egg is good by dropping it in a bowl of cold water. If it sinks to the bottom, it’s good; if it floats, it’s bad.
Thankfully, a lot of the food that is still unsold but past “sell by” is given to food banks. I volunteered at a food bank, and it is absolutely amazing how much food is considered unsellable but is actually still good.