ASOS CURVE Jersey Top with Chiffon Sleeves Review

I bought this top more than a month ago, which is why I have the black version which is now sold out.  ASOS CURVE Jersey Top with Chiffon Sleeves

Colour: Currently the only colour available is the deep red.  I have the black version of this, so I cannot comment on the deep red one.

Material: Now this top has a combination of two materials.  It has a chiffon material on the sleeves which is quiet thick when considering it is chiffon, but still it is very comfy.  The rest of the top is made from viscose, which is stretchy and so one can risk taking a different size than their usual size since it stretches.

Style:  It is simple but yet fashionable.  The detail on the front is quiet cute.  I personally don't like frills but I find the detail on this top quiet tasteful, which in my opinion makes the top more versatile.  The sleeves are see-through as can be seen in the picture.  However, in my case the collar area seemed lower than as shown on the model. 

Fit: It is true to size, but due to being quiet stretchy one can play around with sizes but obviously one has to take into account their body shape.  The sleeves looked longer on me, but the end sleeve detail is quiet tight and so the sleeves didn't look frumpy but fashionable. Lenght-wise, the top is neither too short not too long, so covers the hip area nicely.  

Conclusion: This top is ideal for night outs, but if paired with certain pieces it can look quiet elegant such as if worn under a suit or blazer it would be good for work-wear or if one wears it with a tight pencil skirt or high waisted pants it would look great as lounge-wear.  As I said the top is very versatile, so it is up to you to use your fashion creativity.  My only disappointment with this top as again it doesn't come in a large variety of colours, lucky me I got the black one and all I can say is that this top will definitely be used well by me. 

Dear Asos,

After looking at the Asos Curve selection of dresses, I feel disappointed.  Although the dresses are gorgeous, not many in my opinion are flattering on a plus-size girl.  The great majority are too short and many plus-size women have huge thighs and would like them to be covered, even if one wears leggings they still wouldn't be very flattering.  Other dresses have high-waist details and girls with guts cannot wear such dresses as they wouldn't help to emphasise the good part of our curves but emphasise our flaws.
The following dresses are from the normal Asos selection which I think should be included in the Asos Curve catalog as these would be extremely flattering on the great majority of plus-size girls;
1. ASOS Midi Dress With Full Skirt

2. ASOS Pencil Dress with Square Neck

3. ASOS Midi Dress with Ruched Panels

4. ASOS Peterpan Collar Dress with Puffed Shoulders

5. ASOS Wrap Dress with Ruched Front

6. ASOS Midi Dress With Belt

7. ASOS Wrap Dress in Ponti Pencil

I have chosen these as some of the designs have ruching, which helps in hiding flaws and emphasise one's curves and which unfortunately not many dresses in the Asos Curve section have a lot of ruching detail.  Also I included a couple of midi-dress designs as a lot of dresses on Asos Curve are short and don't go beyond the knees.
Feel free to comment on whether you disagree or agree with these choices ;D

ASOS Curve Shirt With Super Long Pussybow Review

So it has been a while since I wrote a review, so recently I made a couple of purchases for the holiday season and I decided to review them to help out those who are still undecided on whether to purchase these items or not.  

This is a review for the ASOS Curve Shirt With Super Long Pussybow.

Colour: The site only offers one colour which is a wine/ deep red colour.  The colour of the actual item is almost as that shown in the picture, it is slightly lighter but still very close to the site images.

Material: It is very light fabric, so I wouldn't suggest wearing just this outside as you would end up freezing.  The fabric doesn't stretch so buy true to your size.  It also has a slight shine to it, not the glittery kind, but kind of the shine that satin has but way less shiney.  Also the fabric is very comfy and feels very nice on the skin.

Style: It is very low cut.  I had to wear a tank top underneath as my bra kept showing.  The bow didn't cover the low cut enough.  The bow as the product name states is very long, but it gives this shirt the extra fashionable factor which in my opinion makes it a more elegant piece of clothing.  The sleeves aren't as long as shown in the picture they are more 3/4 sleeves, but they are quiet baggier than that shown in the picture.  The length of the top is perfect, it is neither too long nor too short, so it covers the hips nicely.  

Fit: As I mentioned previously, the fabric doesn't allow for that much stretch.  The sizing, the bust area isn't that big.  In fact I being a small-chested girl and usually there would be still a lot of room to fill which would make certain tops very unflattering due to having so much room left in the chest area, this top had a right balance of chest area, i.e. if one is small-chested like me the top would still look good and if one has an average sized chest the shirt would look amazing, but I don't think it would fit very large-chested girls.  The tummy area was just right, in my case it was an exact fit and I would have liked a little more space.  While the hip area, since the shirt isn't very long and has a sort of a 'n' shape on the sides, the hip area wouldn't be very affected and so the fit is quiet comfy for those with large hips.

Conclusion: I suggest this top for office wear or lounge parties, but not for weddings or similar events.  It is elegant but not too elegant so it is best to be worn for those events which require some formality.  It looks great with high waisted skirts and pants and looks great when paired with a suit.  Fit is true to size so buy your size, but if you are large-chested I suggest to go a size up.  My only disappointment is that it doesn't come in other colours and styles.

99 Problems

It is a rarity when the original song sounds less awesome than the newer version sang by another artist, as it is in this case.  Enjoy ;D

Before getting a new pet.

Throughout my life, my little sister has brought a variety of animals into our house, ending up not lasting with us for a long time either because she is not capable of taking care of them or because they have escaped.  Fortunately we are lucky that our dog is a great match with our lifestyle and has been with us for already 7 years and hopefully for a 100 more years as he is very dear to us.

I decided to write this post to maybe be able to educate and help readers to decide and choose the ideal pet for them. 

Before we got our dog, we did a lot of research on his breed and after finding a reputable breeder we finally got him.  Unfortunately our breeder wasn't the reputable, she had neutered the dog without telling us and gave him to us within less than a month after his birth and we didn't know that he was that young and could have easily died, if we hadn't taken great care of him.  So my first advice would be check the breeder well and also if possible talk to previous customers as well as they would be your best source.

However, before choosing a reputable breeder choose the breed well to see if it matches your lifestyle well. I suggest websites such as wikipedia which maybe helpful, however as many know wikipedia isn't t your best source as users can go and change entries whenever they want.  Therefore wrong information may be found. 

Also recently I have been watching a program on the Animal Planet Channel, called Dogs 101 and it has another one called Cats 101 and Pets 101.  Both shows talk about almost every breed out there of cats and dogs and other pet varieties and point out the features of such animals, such as their temper, the best environment for such breeds to live in, their health problems and so on; which is very helpful and it is correct as it practically nailed every pro and con of my dog's breed.  So how can you find these videos?  You don't need to have the channel, if you google or just go on youtube and type Cats 101 or Dogs 101 or Pets 101 (depending on what you are looking for) and also the specific breed you have in mind and you can easily find a video from the program of the breed you searched for. 

The series makes out a valid statement in every program they air, i.e. that not all dogs or cats from a certain breed will follow the points they mention on such breed throughout the program, there are always exceptions to the rule.  This doesn't mean it is a bad thing, if for e.g. breed X normally lives up to 10 years, it doesn't mean your dog won't live for up to 20 years if it is given the correct diet.  The same reasoning can be applied to other aspects such as temperament.  However, in regards to the grooming criteria I feel there cannot be exceptions to this rule.

And one final point, don't be deterred from what people say about certain breeds, such as pitbulls or bulldogs.  It is people who make such breeds behave like monsters, in reality they aren't monsters. If you treat such animals well and train them and don't provoke them, then they won't harm you and others. This video shows clearly my point;

Hope you found my post helpful in deciding in what pet you are going to get.  It is a great pity that people get pets and end up abandoning them or harming them because they are not capable of taking care of them.

Blast from the Past

RIP Amy Winehouse

Such a great singer, which makes it a great pity that we have lost her at such a young age. I hope her death can be seen as a lesson to addicts or anyone with a problem to seek any form of help, whether it is through an internet forum, a psychologist or a psychiatrist, family or friends or special groups. Don't be afraid to open up to someone you trust about your problems. No one is born perfect, so don't be afraid to take the first step in trying to better yourself.

ASOS CURVE Exclusive Jersey Wrap Top Review

Since this top first appeared in the catalog, I fell in love with it and finally after much deliberation I have bought one in black as it was on sale.

When it comes to fit, it is true to size, covers the back rolls quiet nicely and whether or not one has a small or big chest the top will fit like a glove. However, since my tummy is bigger than my chest, the top is not very flattering as it doesn't help in hiding such flaw; so don't buy such top if you are more of an apple shape. If you are pear shape, the top will definitely look flattering.

The material is quiet stretchy but it isn't that stretchy that it will show off your flaws, as some tops do even when they are true to your size. Due to it's jersey material, I think it can be worn all year round, in summers it is quiet light on it's own, while if one wears it during the winter under a thick jacket, it would still look season appropriate.

The top detail is very simple but makes the top look very elegant. However, there is one flaw. The ruched detail over the chest area is like a separate boob tube, it easily losses it's shape especially if you move around a lot and personally I got confused at one point while I was out how to get the original shape back as it lost the whole shape. So I suggest to either one use pins, but it wouldn't look very nice having a pin showing; or else sew the parts together if you are able to and if the material allows.

So, in conclusion I suggest this top to girls with a flat waistline or if you have a similar body shape as mine wear a cardigan or shrug over it as I did. Also if you have flabby big arms, I wouldn't suggest wearing the top on it's own, it doesn't help in enhancing one's arms at all, one needs great arms to wear this top on it's own.

I think the top can be worn for any occasion, whether it is for a casual look, or to go to work or for a night out with friends and even for a special occasion; the top is very versatile. I also think, but haven't actually tried it, the top would look really nice if it is tucked into a plain pencil skirt.

My tip for ASOS Curve, is to stitch the boob tube area with the rest of the top and to make this top in more colours as it is a definite classic for all year round.

Click here for more information or to buy the top:- Asos Curve Exclusive Jersey Wrap Top

How to look like a celeb - Lady Gaga edition

So I am not a Lady Gaga fan, but one has to acknowledge that she has a great influence when it comes to fashion.  In Sydney, it was one of those rare moments where Lady Gaga wore something which us girls can actually wear in real life and lucky for you dear readers I found a cheaper replica of the dress at Torrid, which can only be purchased online - Lucky 13 - Hells Bells Black Satin Dress.  It is important to note that the difference between the two dresses is that Lady Gaga's is a velvet dress, while the one from Torrid is satin.

How to look like a celeb - Kate Middleton edition

Kate Middleton or, as she is now officially known as, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; has become a fashion icon.  She keeps everything classy and chic.  Her looks are very easy to achieve without the need to break the bank and which are all available for us plus-size girls.

1. Kate wore a green silk Diane von Furstenberg dress during her California visit.  The only dress I found which looked very similar is this ASOS CURVE Ruched Waist Shift Dress.  Unfortunately it doesn't come in the same amazing green colour, but it does have the same exact style.  Another similar dress, is the Next Teal Jersey Wrap Dress (do not have a pic sorry), it is closer to the dress's original color, but ,unlike the original, it is a v-neck dress.

 

 

2.   Kate clearly loves Jenny Pachkam's dresses as she has been seen wearing many of her desings. The most similar in pattern and colour palette I could find is this Evans Floral Prom Dress. It is also quiet similar in style, but it doesn't have the slight freely sleeves as the original.

3.  This Malene Birger dress was worn by Kate during her Canada visit.  I couldn't find an exact match, but this Eucalyptus Shift Dress from Debenhams is very similar.  It doesn't come with sleeves and there is slight difference in colour.

4.   Kate's royal blue engagement dress, has became a hit worldwide and I think it is now one of the most memorable looks of this decade.  At Yours one can find the same exact dress at a fraction of the original price -> Blue Cross Over Dress.

5.  The Joseph Dress Kate wore, is ideal for a special occassions during the summer.  This ASOS CURVE Midi Dress is the closest I could find, it comes in the same exact style but the color isn't the same as the original.  However, it is on sale so it makes up for not being in Cream ;P

6. For a more casual look I decided to find a similar dress to the Issa bird-print dress Kate wore recently in Canada.  The New Look Inspire Range have two very similar dresses to Kate's, however none of them come in the bird print.  These are the Inspire Floral Tea Dress & the  Inspire Spotty Jersey Dress.

I hope you enjoyed my finds, feel free to post similar plus-size dresses to the one's shown.  You can also post pictures of outfits you would like me to find for you.

Are You Kidding me Cher Lloyd?

If there was a Razzie for worst songs, this would definately get the top honour for the Biggest Mess!

I never personally liked Cher Lloyd from the X-factor.  She does have talent, but I find her over-rated, since there are better singers out there.  She is a mediocore rapper, especially when one compares her to Missy Elliot and Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj.  The girl's voice is ideal for pop music and sings better than her X-factor mentor Cheryl Cole.  However, this song is an utter mess, she tried to combine rap, pop and dance music all into one and the final mix didn't work at all, as they say less is more; too much is just bloody awful.   

Hopefully she comes up with better material for her sake, as her 15-minutes might be up soon.

P.S. Great freeze frame youtube, you were able to capture her beauty.

How to look like a celeb - Prada Multi-colored Stripe dress edition

The Prada Multicolored striped 2011 spring dress, has been making a number of rounds in a number of magazines and red-carpets.  Now us plus-size girls can also achieve achieve a similar look without spending our whole savings with this brand new ASOS CURVE Exclusive Stripe Fishtail Dress

This dress has the same colour scheme and design, but the stripes are narrower than the actual design, but they practically look identical.  From the material description and the video, one would need shapewear if they have a few bumps otherwise it will not flatter the said person.  I wouldn't suggest this dress for special occasions, it is more of a day dress in my opinion.  However, if one adds a nice belt + a black blazer, the dress would be ideal for a night out.

Here are some of the celebs who have worn this gorgeous Prada Dress and who might also help in inspiring you how to accessorize and do your make-up to achieve a certain look.

Blake Lively please learn how to cry! - Green Lantern Review

I just saw the new Green Lantern movie and I came out with mixed feelings about this movie, apart from the fact that I cannot understand the fuss about Blake Lively.

Story

The story line is easy to follow not too complicated, but personally I didn't find it gripping enough, i.e. it doesn't make you want to know more  about the story and keeps you guessing.  I personally like complicated movies and movies with unexpected twists, so this is probably why I didn't find the story that interesting. 

Acting and Characters in the movie

Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan; As always I find Ryan Reynolds doing a great job, although I was expecting more from him after seeing him in movies like Smokin Aces and Definately, Maybe.  But, over-all he did a good job and made the character likable and so he achieved the aim perfectly and I also found him to look a lot a like how Hal Jordan is portrayed in the comics, so looks-wise they were spot on.  On a different note, I would have looked more shirtless scenes from him :p

 

Blake Lively as Carol Ferris;  I have never seen Gossip Girl, but I did see the Sister Hood of the Travelling pants movies and didn't find her that bad, average when it comes to acting.  In this movie she was again average, which personally I felt a character like Carol Ferris required a stellar performance not an average performance.  In fact I don't know how she bet Eva Green, who is a fabulous actress!  She cannot even cry properly!  I laughed at the two instances where her character was supposed to cry. 

Peter Sarsgaard as Dr Hammond; I was disappointed with Peter's performance, as I found the villain he portrayed as extremely annoying and imo villains aren't supposed to be boring, but interesting.  I'm not sure if it was the directors who required him to act like this, but he left me disappointed especially after seeing such performances in An Education, Jarhead and Garden State.

Mark Strong as Sinestro; I wished that his character had more screen-time.  I felt Strong was under-used in the movie.  P.S. For those who don't remember him he was in Kick-ass, The Young Victoria and Sherlock Holmes.

Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clarke Duncan as Tomar-Re and Kilowog; they did the voice-over and I cannot complaining, their voices fit perfectly their characters.

Direction and Location

 

The great majority of the location is CGI, the CGI effects in regards to scenery were pretty good, but sometimes they did feel cheesy, but were still good.  How the movie was filmed and lightning etc... it was good and as colours go it fit well with the movie's tone.

Soundtrack

The movie didn't have much of a soundtrack, which could be noticed, so cannot comment on this.

Who should watch this?

According to a friend of mine, unlike other superhero movies it follows the comics well and so comic lovers would probably like this.  Also I think it is ideal for teens, as there is no nudity and if I recall no swearing either, just some action scenes, which weren't too bloody either.   

Conclusion

I wouldn't watch it again, as I expected it to be better.   It was an ok movie, but would have been better if I rented it rather than watched it at the cinema. It felt like as if the movie was missing something, I don't know what it is but I think who saw this movie also felt this.  I would rate it 3 out of 5.  Btw, when the movie ends, I suggest you sit through the credits as you might miss something out (although I doubt they will be making a sequel as it happened to The Golden Compass).  If they make a sequel I hope they replace Blake Lively as she clearly needs to take more acting/crying lessons. 

Feel free to add your thoughts and I hope you enjoyed this review.

New Look Inspire Review

So recently I purchased from New Look some tops and wasn't 100% satisfied as I usually am with my New Look purchases, which is why it prompted me to write not long  ago a post complaining about New Look's lack of models for their Inspire range.

1. Inspire Sequin Ethnic Kaftan

I bought this at the original price and have been eyeing this for ages since it first appeared in the catalog.  In fact, when it appeared on the Inspire Range pick of the week banner, it sold out within a few days.  Fortunately, enough it was brought back in stock and so I decided that since I had the chance I should buy it and so I did.  Well, I ended up disappointed.

It is exactly as seen on their site, with the very beautiful vivid summer colours.  

The bust area is very low cut, so one would need to wear another top underneath the kaftan.  I tried to align the stretchy band under the bust to look straight and when I aligned it, I looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame and so I had to lower the band in order to remove this 'hunch', which made the top look awkward and feel weird around the sleeves when I raised my hands.  

Also the kaftan made my belly look bigger than it does. Probably this top might look better on girls with bigger chests and smaller bellies, but on me it looked awful.  Also I have got quiet large hips and the top made them look larger as well, which I didn't like.  

When it comes to length it is quiet long and I think it would look nice with leggings or/and some shorts.

In regards to the fabric/material; at first it felt quiet itchy, probably because the gold detail is made from a different material and it kind of pokes out underneath, but probably after a wash this might soften and feel less itchy.  The good news is that it is very light and flowy and ideal for those hot summer days.  

My conclusion would be is that this kaftan is not flattering on girls with bodyshapes like mine, i.e. small chest and a larger belly.  The colours are beautiful and the length is great.  The fabric feels itchy, but it may eventually soften after some washes ( I personally didn't try it as I am returning it).  

2. Animal Burnout Top

On the site, the top looks like it has a shimmery effect and looks quiet elegant.  When it came in the post, it was of a more casual style and I wouldn't recommend this top for formal events.  The top is slightly see-though, so I suggest that one wears a tank top underneath it.  The neckline is very low but still sexy and tasteful and the sleeves are adorable.  It is very comfortable and hides my bumps.  My only complaint, as I said in the beginning, the picture doesn't show clearly the top's material, one would think it is elegant, rather than being casual.  I still kept this top, even though I wanted a more elegant looking one.

3.Burnout Pocket Top

This t-shirt, is also see-through, so one would also require a tank top underneath it.  The material isn't as light as normal summer t-shirts, but it is still very comfortable and quiet chic, especially when one considers the price.  The t-shirt's length is normal.  I do recommend this.

I hope you enjoyed this review, feel free to ask me any questions about these purchases or add your thoughts on these items :D

Thought of the day

So, lately I was thinking to myself about how on many shows, movies and stories, you have a magical being, such as a genie, fairy, witch, etc... who'll grant you 3 wishes.  How come no one ever wished to have an unlimited number of wishes?!

Dear New Look Inspire,

I was checking out your website, as I do so on a weekly-basis to check for new stock from your inspire range and decided to check out what there is in the normal range and well I realised that for the normal range all clothes are modelled, i.e. instead of shown on a "mannequin" like the Inspire, Tall and Teens range, the clothes are worn on a model and can be properly viewed.  

This led to feeling very disappointed with New Look, as I always thought that none of their clothes are modelled, except for those shown in their ads.  When I shop on the New Look site I find it extremely hard to decide on whether or not to buy something since I am always not sure of how it would look on me and whether they are sheer in a certain area, etc... especially when they photoshop the mannequin out which makes it more difficult to make a proper decision before purchasing.  In the case of dresses I never know the proper length of such dresses as the description usually doesn't say how long or short the dress is and so I never buy dresses from New Look.  Sometimes when it comes to tops and shirts, I don't know how long they are or how long their sleeves are.  So I end up spending weeks deciding on whether or not to buy as I am not always sure.

One may tell me, to go in store and try them on, well there is one problem we do have two large New Look stores but they only provide the normal range!  This is very disappointing especially when in Malta the choice of decent, affordable and fashionable plus size clothing for young woman my age is practically inexistant and in stores like Evans to buy just one decent outfit you need to spend more than 70 Euros, apart from the fact that they barely bring 1/4th of the range!  

So please New Look if you aren't planning to bring the Inspire range in my country, at least use proper plus size models to model the clothes and provide a better description of your products and stop photoshopping the mannequin out as sometimes white or sheer details aren't always seen!  Please consider my opinions, as the more surveys I do for you for free, the more I feel that I am wasting my time as you don't seem to take notice!

Love

Dysnomia

Emma Watson; What were you thinking?

So I just read an article on Emma Watson's tough struggle in trying to handle both a University life and a career; which she eventually failed miserably at as her career won.

I'm all for education as I am a student myself and even Miss Watson in her latest interview on Vogue.  

In this interview Emma discusses how she struggled with juggling her career and her education and she eventually dropped out of Brown because of work and how she wished she could continue in her education, bla bla bla.

The girl should just shut up;  if she wanted an education she should have either;

1. put her career on hold - In her interview she referred to James Franco and how he helped her.  The thing is, Franco as far as I know isn't involved in a billion dollar franchise, as she is, and so I would have been slightly easier for him to handle.
2. waited for the Harry potter films to end and then went to university.  There is no age limit for education, so she could have went later in life.
3. while still at university, apart from being still involved in acting I wouldn't have added another burden, ie modelling gigs. It's one thing when you can barely keep up with both acting and education and it is another thing when while you yourself are finding it extremely difficult to keep up then you stupidly add another 'career'.

I don't mind that she actually tried to juggle jobs, etc... but it's not like she was low on cash (she has millions in her bank account) unlike other students who have to take up loans and still pay even after they graduated. She could afford putting her career on hold.  Taking Natalie Portman as an example; when she was studying she wasn't involved in many projects and wasn't doing that many magazine covers and appearances, she kept the right balance of work and study.  

Emma Watson was being too ambitious and trying to impress everyone that she is like her character Hermoine, unfortunately unlike Hermoine she doesn't have a magic watch thingy.  Emma failed and instead of trying to blame her bosses she should blame her self and just shut up; the more she talks the more stupider she sounds and the more she shows she was only admitted to Brown University because of her money.  People would have been more impressed if she actually finished school and not dropped out.

Emma dear, you don't impress anyone by looking too ambitious and then falling flat on your bum for failing, because you are a famous actress earning more than what 50 million people put together earn doesn't make you a super being, we are all still human at the end of the day irrelevant of socials status and income.

Arriva! Arriva!

Within less than a month, Arriva will start operating on our small islands.  They have sent brochures and created a site/journey planner for us Maltese to help understand the new system better.  Well, from what I could get it is a recipe for disaster!

1. The fares - they are too expensive to begin with, when one takes into account the average income of a Maltese worker. For about 1.3 Euro 2-hour ticket, when compared to an average price of 47 - 58 cents for an average trip it's quiet expensive, if one is going to stay longer than two hours at their desired place.  The day ticket is a very good buy and also the saver cards.  
2. Saver cards - I am personally looking forward for the saver cards as I hate it that every time I have to search in my purse to pay the fare, in fact my purse is now heavy not because I have a lot of money (I wish) but because I have loads of 1 and 2 euro cents!  However, I find that the saver cards programme needs improvement, firstly from what I could understand (please feel free to correct me) if is Maltese and has a saver card on Malta it cannot be used in Gozo and it applies the same vice-versa; which I personally feel it is stupid especially when taking into account Gozitan workers/students/users who commute frequently to Malta would either have to buy a separate card or a ticket since one cannot use their card.  Also these cards cannot be used at night, so again if one decides to go out the card is useless to have to cough up the money; while in England the Oyster card (which is more or less the British equivalent to our new Arriva saver Cards) don't make such distinction at all!
3. The routes -  the direct routes from several areas in Malta to Mater Dei/University, have been removed, which I find it is an idiotic move from Arriva's part.  If these routes weren't used so frequently I would understand Arriva's decision to remove them, but it isn't the case!  These routes are usually the one's which end up with people standing up due to being used by a lot of people!  Also certain routes have now become longer, such as the one from Valletta to Cirkewwa, which now is going to pass through Bugibba, so that's an extra 15 minutes on the trip at least.  Also many villages according to people's comments seem to be excluded from Arriva's timetables, so it isn't that much of a good news.Also those routes which were left as they were seem to be much more infrequent, then they used to now.

So, my prediction, it doesn't look good.  My main concern is with the routes, Arriva in their brochure advertised that it added a lot of new routes, when in reality it remove a lot of important routes and made such trips more infrequent, which will lead to a lot of people standing up on buses due to resulting in a lot of people waiting to catch the same bus, due to lack of different routes.  The current routes, from my experience, were perfect for the needs of the public, the only thing which they needed was to be more frequent and be punctual.   Arriva, in my opinion, hasn't clearly tried to understand the actual needs of the Maltese consumer and didn't carry out any proper analysis of our current situation otherwise they wouldn't have come up with such stupid routes!  The system may have worked for the English or in other European states, but it won't work here.

The current system isn't that bad, if only our government bothered to train our bus drivers properly and provide with newer air-conditioned buses and more frequent routes, we would have a purely LOCAL bus service to be proud of and we wouldn't have needed a foreign company to interfere in something where they clearly didn't carry out enough research!

Naomi Campell you are such a diva!

So there has been an uproar in regards to a Cadbury ad;

The ad has upset Naomi Campbell and other people apparantely as it is being considered as racist, because she is referred to and is compared with a chocolate. 

Well, personally I just don't see the so-called 'racism'.  The only thing which might be offensive and which only applies to Naomi is that she is being referred as a Diva + the advert features diamonds and we all know about Naomi's involvement in a blood diamond case. 

So I find it is ridiculous that this advert had to be pulled down as it is clear that it isn't racist, but just a reference to Naomi's famous attitude and not her race, skin colour, whatever you want to call it.  I actually feel sorry that people are becoming offended with just the slightest mention and automatically jump to the conclusion that it is racist, especially when in this case the only 'offensive' thing is that it is making a slight joke regarding a woman who is famous for her attitude and her lifestyle!

I guess people have lost their sense of humour, oh well whether the ad exists or not I hope the chocolate bar tastes good!

Blast from the Past

So I was playing this facebook game called Music Challenge and one of the songs that played was The Passenger by Iggy Pop.  I always loved the song, especially from when I heard it for the Up in the Air Movie trailer and so finally I found it and wanted to share it.  Great song, pity we don't get anymore songs like these.  Feel free to comment and if you know of more songs like these please share!
 

TIGI Love Peace & the Planet Eco Awesome Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner Review

I consider myself quiet a nutcase when it comes to purchasing skin and hair care products, as I am more of a natural remedies kind of gal rather than just purchasing what looks and smells pretty even if they are filled with chemicals.

After reading a number of articles on Shampoo having as one of their main ingredients Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, which roughly translates in lay-mans terms that our shampoos use the same ingredients as floor detergents use :-S (here is a good articles if you want to know more; Sodiun Lauryl Sulfate in Shampoos The Real Story); I decided to try and find an affordable Sulphate free shampoo and conditioner set.  The results were quiet disastrous.  Here in Malta apart from there not being a lot of health shops which can be easily accessed, the prices of such health products are too expensive for a full-time student; averagely such sulphate free shampoos cost approx 20 Euros for just the shampoo without the conditioner! When it came to searching on the Internet, well it wasn't better either, when one has to take into account shipping charges or the fact that many countries seem to forget Malta in their shipping list.

When I finally gave up hope to finding the perfectly priced Sulphate free shampoo and conditioner set, I googled shampoo recipes; the ingredients weren't that hard to find, however being the sceptical that I am didn't trust such recipes.

After months of searching, by purely mistake while I was looking for another product, I came across a good deal on ebay for the TIGI Eco Awesome Shampoo & Conditioner Set; which cost me about 10 Euros (including shipping) and both being full size.  This makes it my first time using a TIGI product and a Sulphate Free Shampoo.

So is there any actual difference to normal shampoos? Before I used Herbal Essence Shampoos, the new formula isn't in my opinion as good as the old formula in those clear bottles, rather than these funky looking ones. Anyways I usually wash my hair twice a week and I have a really oily scalp, that after the first two days of the wash (i.e. the day when I washed my hair and the day after) my hair would look really greasy, even though I shampoo my hair twice in one wash.  When I washed my hair with the TIGI shampoo, I already noticed a difference, it didn't lather and create as much foam on the first wash as the Herbal Essence Shampoo even with the same amount of product, in fact I usually would use less with Herbal Essence and I would have my hair all foamy.  However, after the second wash the TIGI shampoo did create a decent amount of foam and did feel my hair cleaner.  When it comes to the conditioner I found it to do as good as the Herbal Essence Conditioner, so didn't notice any differences there.

The end result; my hair looked clean and was slightly better manageable.  Many when using sulphate free shampoos are afraid that their hair gets dry, personally I didn't see that.  My hair feels soft to the touch and the good news for me is that two days after the wash my hair didn't look that greasy, in fact I can afford and wait another day before I wash my hair!  So it works great.

Now on to the smell; on the Shampoo it says that it is Cranberry Orange Mint, I found the smell to be kinda weird (my mother did like its smell though), but it smelt natural.  The conditioner also says that it is Cranberry Orange Mint, it smelt slightly more orangey than it's partner.  How did my hair smell?  It didn't have any weird or orangey smell, but my hair does smell nice and it isn't overpowering as my Herbal Essence Shampoo was.

The packaging;  both my shampoo and conditioner are in those 'toothpaste'-like packaging, I read that for the shampoo there is a larger version where you just pump out the product, but mine is the same packaging as the conditioner.  I found it quiet hard to open the cap and every time I fear that I am going to break a nail, so that is the only con in regards to this product.

Would I buy it again? For the same price as I found it definitely and I would even sacrifice a few more Euros to buy it again as it does a good job.  Hopefully I would find affordable prices here in Malta.

Hope you enjoyed your review and feel free to talk about Sulphate free shampoo or any shampoo for that matter. 

Blast from the Past

I saw the movie Jawbreaker (1999) and fell in love with this song and didn't realise that I heard it before in the movie Not another Teen movie.  Great song, love the intro and so I decided to share it with you the readers.

Osama Bin Laden Dead?!

So it is all over the news Osama has been killed and straight away it has been buried.  I personally find it quiet fishy, when unlike when Sadam was killed no pictures or videos have been shown and he was buried at sea immediately within less than a few hours.  Do you believe the news? Do you think it is just BS and lies from the US? Do you think they might have made a mistake?  Feel free to express your views people.

Where is Jack White?

I am a White Stripes fan and was really disappointed when I heard that the White Stripes split up.  Well, yesterday I was reading an article about Jack White and what he is doing now and thought I would share what I read, since in order to read this article you have to buy TIME magazine.
From what I could understand from the article, we aren't going to hear Jack White's music for quiet some time, but we will hear his voice as he has many side projects; from The Raconteurs to The Death Weather to being featured in Danger Mouse latest album (see video below :D)



Apart from having various side projects, he is now a producer and is specialising in vinyl records and the recording of music directly to tape (pretty retro) at his Third Man Records store in Nashville. 
So unfortunately it is going to be a while until we hear similar music to that of the White Stripes, at least we can still appreciate such a great musician through his side projects.
Btw; here is the link for the article, it's just a few paragraphs but maybe in the future the whole article will appear; A Rock Star Changes His Stripes

Asos Curve Jeans Review

I just bought two pairs of jeans from Asos Curve, as they were on sale.  So I decided to review them and compare them to other jeans which I bought from other brands.

1. ASOS CURVE Black Overdyed Flare Jeans

2. ASOS CURVE Supersexy Skinny Flare Jean

So when it comes to size when comparing the same size to New Look Inspire Range and Yours clothing, Asos has a smaller waist, however, according to the size charts they are wider at the hips.  So I decided to go a size up in order to be safe since the waist is smaller. 

Now the black jeans (1) it didn't fit properly around the waist even though I usually wear jeans with slightly smaller waist.  However, the usual jeans I wear always have a slight elasticated fabric, and this pair didn't have any stretch to them.  So be sure if you intend to buy these, go a size up as they are slightly small.

The second pair (2), as the description says it is stretchy.  The fabric is thinner than the other pair, and very comfortable and they are what they description says they are.  Around the waist they fitted well and also made my legs look slightly thinner. 

Both jeans have the same length. I am about above average in height and they were both still very long and so if you are going to buy these, be sure to either wear heels or if you are going to wear flats then roll the bottom cuffs.  

So in conclusion; read the description carefully and be sure to check their size chart as compared to other brands when it comes to pants they seem to fit smaller; so if you are going to be a non-stretchy fit pant go for a size larger, if you are going to buy a stretchy fit pant then go for your usual size as they fit perfectly.  

My tip for Asos Curve, add different leg length options like New Look Inspire and Yours have as not every plus size girl is the height of an Amazon Warrior.  Also after closely examining their catalog when it comes to jeans the majority are skinny legged which in my opinion if one has huge hips/thighs they shouldn't wear them as they look awful on such body type and don't help to enhance one's figure at all, unlike flare and bootcut jeans/pants. Also the jeans in the catalog which aren't skinny legged, the majority aren't of a stretchy fit, in fact there are barely more than two in the whole catalog; which is a pity as at Yours and New Look such jeans sell within two months so it is clear that these sell well among the plus size community. So when it comes to the jeans department Asos Curve still needs some slight improvement in order to compete better with other plus size clothes manufacturers; although they still do have the advantage that they are the most fashion forward and don't provide plus size grandma clothes like other companies. 

Hope you enjoyed this review and feel free to add your thoughts when it comes to your jean purchases.

Easy Hairstyles for Long Hair - My YouTube Finds

I would categorise my hair as long, wavy and untamable and barely any hairstyle holds for more than one day and so I end up just always tieing my hair into a ponytail when I go out.  So for all the girls who have untamable hair like mine and want to change it; here are a few videos which I found on YouTube which might help in changing up your look.

I tried this tutorial out and it really does work, it really gives my waves a more defined look and apart from the fact that if you are practically incompetent when it comes to styling your hair like I am, then you will find this quiet easy to follow.


For those who don't want to spend money on a curling iron and have a straightener, then you can check out this video.  I personally tried to do a section of my hair and didn't come out very well, but I have to admit I barely can get my hair straight with a straightener, so if you know how to use your straightener (unlike moi) then I suggest you to follow this video;


If you like braided hairstyles, then this is the video for you.  I found these tutorials easy to follow and well explained and tried them out for myself and came out the same.  Pity they didn't stay long as my hair is layered :-(  So I suggest that you follow this video if your hair has a straight cut or know how to use bobby pins properly.

And if you don't have the time to straighten or curl your hair, then you'll like this video.  You can create a completely new look with just some accessories.


If you want a hairstyle for special occassions and/or celebrity inspired, then I found this YouTube user who does a fantastic job at this and explains them really well, apart from the fact I love her accent :D  Here is the link:- http://www.youtube.com/user/lilithedarkmoon

And speaking of celebrities, here is a tutorial which I love to achieve Kim Kardashian's hair look (the only good thing about Kim Kardashian).


Hope you enjoy these videos and feel free to share your YouTube finds :D

Blast from the Past.

Haven't heard this song for a long time and I still love it. Such a pity that today's music seems to consist mostly of just rap, hip hop and dance and good songs with good music and lyrics seem to have been forgotten.

Keep it Happy!

Just watched the musical/movie The Producers (2005) and I love the movie :D So here is a mini review and little surprise at the end.

Story
So mainly the story focuses on two characters, a producer and an accountant who together in order to evade taxes and earn millions at the same time they try and create a musical which will open and close on the same night (in other words it will flop).

Acting and Characters of the movie

Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock; previously I had only seen him on TV, such as in Sex and the City and 30 Rock.  I personally found him absolutely brilliant in this movie and would wish that he appeared in more movies and TV series.

Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom.  Personally I never was a fan of his, but he really impressed me in this movie.

Will Ferrell as Franz Liebkind.  I'm also not a huge fan of his, but Will Ferrell playing a German pigeon-loving Nazi, you cannot go wrong.  So please Will Ferrell, do more characters like these in your future movies.


Uma Thurman as Ula.  I prefer Uma in more serious roles, but loved her Swedish accent and didn't disappoint at all.

Gary Beach as Roger De Bris.  It's such a pity that he doesn't appear in more movies, he is absolutely incredibly talented especially as a comedienne.  Love his facial expressions. 

Roger Bart as Carmen Ghia.  Loved him as well, he needs to appear in more comedy movies together with Gary Beach they would make a perfect comedic team.

To summarise; the cast was amazing together.

Direction and Location 

The movie was clearly filmed within a studio, but the color palette used was very beautiful and complemented well with the movie's tone/mood.

Soundtrack

Since it is a musical, then over half the movie consists of songs, which I absolutely loved.  They were catchy, not boring and absolutely funny.  Pity not all musicals have such a funny soundtrack.

Who should watch this?

I suggest that it is suitable for at least those over 13/15 years of age, there is some adult content but not too much.  And some of the comedy will only be understood by adults and personally I suggest that if you get the DVD put on the subtitles to follow the story better as in my musical movies when it comes to singing I don't always understand everything and would sometimes have to rewind a bit.

Conclusion

If you love musicals and love comedy and love Mel Brookes than this is the movie for you. I would rate it 4.5/5 as I would definitely watch it again and again and apart from the fact that I cannot stop thinking about it and how fun it was.  And as promised here is a video of one of my favourite scenes.  Keep it Happy everyone!

Unfortunately the video doesn't allow embedding and so here is the link, enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puAbM3QHvjw&feature=related

"Snap Out of IT" Lady Gaga

I have been for a long time debating with myself whether to post something about Gaga and now that I heard her latest single "Judas", I decided that I had to say something.

During the beginning of her career I was a huge fan of hers, her songs were fun and catchy (even though their lyrics were quiet ...).  Everything changed for me, from when she did the Paparazzi video and those after it.  The videos started to creep me out and were becoming darker and darker, from suicidal models to poisioning the gorgeous Alexander Skarsgård in Paparazzi; killing a guy in Bad Romance, poisoining a whole restaurant of people in Bad Romance (the only good thing about that video was borrowing Tarantino's prop - yes I am a Tarantino fan), creating a sort of Communist place where Gaga is controlloing a bunch of hot gay Hitlers (sans the mini moustache) and seeing throughout the video what resembles a heart with thorns (similar to that of Jesus Christ) in Aljeandro, and giving birth to something absolutely weird in Born this way and now we have Judas.

The timing seems to be perfect since it is Easter and the song refers to some events which led to many of us celebrating Easter; hopefully this won't become an official Easter song.

I admit I did read a bunch of articles on Lady Gaga being part of the Illuminati, but I'm not goign to go into this as I have mixed feelings about this, although the more time passes the more I am beleiving such articles.  Anyway the one thing which is evidently clear is that in these last 3 singles of hers she has made great reference to Catholic saints and symbols and now I am getting fed up of it.  Yes, I am Catholic I don't agree with everything with the church does and did, but yes I am a beleiver and now I am feeling offended, especially becuase of such 'usage' she is earning more money at the expense of us Catholics.

My point is, she needs to stop this, apart from offending Catholics, the act is now getting boring and predictable and also many of us are experiencing dejavu (remember Madonna?).  She doesn't need to mention and refer to such saints, etc... in her songs, they are unnecessary and such songs can still be hits without such references.  And I know some of you may argue that she has the right to her freedom of speech, but well personally I wouldn't I have minded if she did it once, but now that it is becoming more repatative and now I think she is abusing such right.

So please Lady Gaga snap out of it, you are better than that!

Dear Asos Curve,

I love your clothes and everything about them, as apart from offering clothes ideal for the young plus size girl, you also provide us with a great choice of fashion forward items.  My only complaint is that you don't seem to have a fixed  plus size basics 'section', which in my opinion such 'section' should always be present and should at least consist of basic plain; tank tops, t-shirts, cardigans and more.  Last year you had a few like these which were great, unfortunately currently you barely have anything like these, which are essential for any plus-size girl's wardrobe and will never run out of style.  So please Asos Curve consider my suggestion.
Love,
Dysnomia xxx

Thank you, but no thank you!

Within these past few weeks, many events have happened, from Charlie Sheen's continuous crazy moments to Japan's  3 in 1 catastrophe (Earthquake, Tsunami & Nuclear radiation).
Everyone seems to have forgotten about these.  I personally don't mind forgetting about Charlie Sheen's antics, but it is a pity that Japan which suffered a greater catastrophe is practically forgotten and from states to celebrities are barely offering any help to Japan due to the fact that Japan has an advanced economy, which in my opinion such economical facts should be irrelevant since people's lives are at stake. If Japan was another Haiti then everyone would be storming off the help, even when Haiti experienced a less serious earthquake and all the damage that happened there is due to the ignorance of the people and the incompetence of the government to build proper safe buildings and from being incapable of providing humanitarian aid to their own people! I know it is a poor country, but come on, after donating so much money throughout the years through humanitarian missions, etc... to these third world countries, I have barely seen any improvement in these countries, they just seem to be a lost cause.
Anyway this blog isn't about humanitarian aid, but about the events in Libya, which have overshadowed everything that is happening simultaneously in the world. 
After a lot of thinking between the major western states, it has been decided through a UN Security Council Resolution that Libya is officially a no-fly zone and that further action can be taken to 'protect' the civilians.  Weirdly enough France, who is usually the whiniest country with no balls and a lot of talk, has taken the first action against Libya.  Followed by the UK and the US, both of which should have learned from their previous utter failures (Afghanistan, Iran, Vietnam) and just don't interfere since instead of fixing they only make things worse.
It's not that I don't want the Libyan people to achieve their desired democracy.  However, when one is trying to overthrow a powerful ruler, like Gaddafi, one can expect trouble to follow when one takes it against such persons.
After these attacks, Gaddafi has threatened the Mediterranean, when lets be honest none of the main Mediterranean countries have attacked Gaddafi, but the UK and the US who are far far away from the Med and France who isn't that near to Libya and so isn't that threatened, unlike Italy, Sicily, Malta, Crete, Cyprus and other countries in the region who are literally next door to Libya.
So maybe Gaddafi is bluffing, no one knows as no one can actually read minds, otherwise these would have long been hired by the secret services to mind read Gaddafi and other leaders.  Still even if Gaddafi doesn't blow up any air and sea vessels, not many people are going to risk taking their holidays or send their cargo to the Med due to such threats and risks and who is going to be affected by this? Not the US, UK and France, that's for sure, while us who live in the Med who didn't involve ourselves at all, are now the one's who are threatened.
It is obvious that these 3 don't give a care in the world about the rebels and that their main purpose for such attacks is to eventually have easier access to Libyan oil.  If their intentions were to actually help people, then they would have also taken action when Egypt and Tunisia were at 'war', when Georgia was being attacked by Eastern countries, when Zimbabwe was having issues with their government and when Ukraine also had internal problems, but in none of these countries did any of these 3 involve themselves, coincedence? Yes, as none of these are known to have any oil.  
Another 'coincedence' about these 3 countries, is that their leaders, Sarkozy, Cameron and Obama have all gotten backlash from their people for being incompetent in doing their job, all talk no action.  Probably these 3 thought that by helping some poor rebels would help them to look good in the eyes of their people.  Unfortunately, they lost credibility in my opinion, especially Obama who should definately return that Noble Peace Prize he got, since he has just proven, that the Noble Committee were drunk when they decided to give him the Prize.   So yes, something is definately fishy about these 3 Amigos. 
Still from the bottom of my heart who lives in the Med I would like to thank you, Mr Sarkozy, Mr Cameron and Mr Obama for 'protecting' the Libyan people, but no thank you for putting us unnecessarily in danger due to your egoistic intentions.
Love Dysnomia

A Serious Man - film review

It has been ages since I wrote something on my blog so I decided to write a film review as I thought it was about time that I share my thoughts on certain movies instead of keeping them to myself.

A Serious Man (2009)

Story
The story is about Larry Gopnik's journey into self-discovery and how is going to face his marital/family and job problems with the help of some Rabbi's.  I am not going to give out much as I don't wish to ruin the whole story.

Acting & Characters of the movie.


Larry Gopnik is played by Michael Stuhlbarg.  At first I thought Jaoquin Phoenix playing Larry, but I was wrong. Stuhlbarg isn't that famous, but in my opinion he deserves to be so and to appear in more movies. I thought he was brilliant and even by simply looking at his eyes one can immediately pity the main character and end up sympathising with Larry for what is happening to him.  Apart from conveying emotions perfectly, Stuhlbarg was incredibly funny.

Arthur Gopnik is played by Richard Kind. The first time I saw Kind was in the TV series 'Scrubs', so was quiet surprised when I saw him in this movie. He did quiet a good job and personally I thought that him and Stuhlbarg complemented each other very well as brothers.

Judith Gopnik is played by Sara Lennick.  Personally I thought she was very unlikable in the way she portrayed her character, although it worked for the movie since she was the 'mean' wife who cheater on her husband.

Danny and Sarah Gopnik played by Aaron Wolff and Jessica McManus. I hated these actors to be honest.  McManus was so annoying and even sometimes her facial expressions were too over the top when the rest of the cast played their characters more realistically.  Wolff wasn't that better either, his eyes are quiet dead and expressionless during most of the movie, his best scenes were when his character was stoned and didn't talk at all.

Mrs. Samsky played by Amy Landecker.  Landecker didn't have that many lines, but personally I feel the few scenes she was in, she was brilliant especially her eyes, apart from being beautiful her eyes literally oozed sex. She was perfect for the role and wished her character had a bigger role in the movie.

Sy Ableman played by Fred Melamend.  Did a good job especially in his parts during Larry's dreams.

The Rabbis played by Simon Helberg, George Wyner and Alan Mandell (in order of appearance).  Helberg is mostly known for his role as Howard in the TV series 'The Big Bang Theory', at the beginning of his scene I thought he was a bit weak but then as the scene progressed he really amazed me at how good he was and gave such great significance to 'a parking lot' ( you will get this when you see the movie).  Wyner was quiet funny especially when he was narrating a story to Larry.  Mandell, I thought was very fitting for the role, as he gave the character an air of mystery which was very fitting for the movie.

Clive played by David Kang. I felt that Kang did an amazing job and was really funny.



Direction & Locations


This movie is directed by the famous Coen Brothers. I have seen the Coen Brothers' take on comedies such as in 'The Ladykillers' ( I really love this movie) and 'Burn After Reading'.  Unlike their other comedies and more serious films (like 'No Country for Old Men' which I couldn't understand and ruined Javier Bardem's hotness for me), I thought this comedy was more relaxed and fast paced and the comedy was more natural so to speak.
The locations used for the movie were just beautiful and so peaceful, which led to many great scenes such as when Larry is on top of his roof fixing the tv anthena thing, I thought that even such a small insignificant scene where Larry is doing one simple task one could feel something special which I am finding it hard to describe what I felt when watching that scene.
I also thought it was brilliant how they connected the ending of one scene with the beginning of another scene, which I thought it was brilliant when from one scene we hear Judith cry and then it goes to Larry talking to Rabbi Nachtner.

Soundtrack


I blame this category on Wes Anderson, since I think that to have a good movie you not only need a great cast and a story but also a great soundtrack which creates the right atmosphere for every scene and Wes Anderson always has a great soundtrack in his movies!

Now onto this movie, I love this soundtrack from the beginning till the end! Jefferson Airplane's 'Somebody to Love' was perfect to start off the movie as I felt it set the whole film's story.  Also the other music used in many scenes created the perfect atmosphere for each scene.  I also absolutely loved how the music matched perfectly when the Dentist's story was being told.  The soundtrack was not overpowering and so created the right balance for great scenes.

Who should watch this?  

Probably this movie won't be everyone's cup of tea, and to appreciate it I feel one needs a certain level of maturity to understand it's humour.  If you find Jackass Movies as funny then this probably isn't the movie for your.  If you find Justin Bieber's as meaningful then this probably isn't the movie for you either.  I don't advise this movie to young kids due to some swearing and 'smoking' and also it is advisable that when you watch this you pay attention to the dialog as the humour in this movie isn't in your face comedy, so best to pay attention.

Conclusion

It was a very good movie, but probably I wouldn't see it again.  I would categorise it as one of those movies that you would see it once and that's it.  The moral of the story, I feel, is to live your life every moment the best as you can as you don't know what might happen to you and to not to worry too much as sometimes things seem to fix by themselves. (You'll understand this in one of the last scenes where Larry is on the phone)

So my finally rating for this movie would be 4/5.

Hope you enjoyed my review, feel free to write any comments.