The Beauty Deception

I had no idea Ayumi (Japanese + Korean singer) had that much surgery done...
But I think most of it is just weight loss --
Her in 2003:
Now:
Her eyes and nose are sure different though.

For those of you who don't understand what "double eyelid" surgery is, it makes eyes that look like this:
Into this:
A lot softer, less bored/angry looking, and easier on the eyes eh?
It's super popular in Korea. Girls get it as graduation presents. The average price is around $1,200USD and 3 months of swelling lol so a lot of them get it done in the summer.
There are surgeons trained in Korea that work in Shanghai that charge a lot less... and I've heard there are tons in the States that do it for only $900!

I (thankfully) don't need this done, but I'm definitely not against this. I think it's a lot like getting cosmetic braces -- altering one's features to make their life easier/more enjoyable/less self conscious. I'm tired of reading all those "inner beauty is more important than the outside" blah blah blah comments. Face it. We live in a materialistic and image-driven (plastic) world. People only take notice of you if you look a certain way and they seriously don't give a rat's bum what you're really like until they are somewhat attracted to your physical appearance. Personality is so important too, but it seems you need both personality and looks to be "happy" and personality can be developed moreso than looks; if you're not good looking, nothing (but surgery) can change that. "Looks aren't everything". True, but good looks = confidence. Confidence (people agree with) gets you everything you want, makes you feel better in general, and can even alter your personality for the better. Simple as that.
Natural beauty is best, but this is an unfair world - only some of us are lucky enough to have it and be happy with what we've got.
You only live once and if you think that a couple changes here and there will drastically improve your life, I say go for it... as long as you don't change everything...

It's just too bad you're that unhappy with yourself.

I was also browsing on Soompi and saw this thread called "Beauty Perception" which I thought interesting. The girl who started the thread was saying how she'd get a lot of compliments and is considered beautiful whenever she'd go to Asia, but back home in Australia, she's just considered average. Nothing special. Is it b/c the perception of what is beautiful different? Yes....?
"Just take Lucy Liu for a perfect example - Americans find her beautiful, Asians don't really find her attractive at all." Hm... I'd consider myself to be more Westernized and I still don't find her very pretty. Same with Sandra Oh. I don't know.. it's a bit confusing.

When I was in HK over the summer, I thought it was interesting how nobody really stares at each other. (Actually that's not true - there were these construction workers checking this lady out 'cause she was wearing a super short skirt) But anyway, both B and I thought it was so unlike here. Here, you'd get stares/glances (and I know you do it too!) if you were decently attractive (we're only going to talk about the attractive-stare here haha) and you'd know from that that you're not a plain Jane... but in Taiwan and HK, I never noticed the locals even glance in the corner of their eye.. or, you know, pretend not to look or be interested but turn their head to look just as you're walking by so that it's less obvious but you still catch them anyway.
BUT in HK, every single girl is constantly being called lang nui (meaning "pretty girl") everywhere they go... even if you're not remotely attractive, they'll call you that anyway. To be honest, I wasn't really used to that so at the beginning, I thought they were actually complimenting Bern and I 'cause I find true Asians to be quite blunt and honest (read, sometimes rude)... but then I realized that every girl is a lang nui so it's like.. ih. And plus, they're just saying that to get you to buy their things... and that's why they call you lang nui at the markets haha
I've heard stories on how people are called fat in China when they're actually so thin in Western standards!
And me - I think of myself as pretty normal and that's what I think a lot of people from here think too. As for my family, well, my family is quite westernized on both sides so I don't hear anything unflattering from them. Only probably my Grandpa (mom's dad) - but he doesn't say outright that I'm not thin, he says "I love food" and that "I look healthy" lol He's very amused that I'm so hoi sum (happy) when it comes to food lol. I am proud to be but sometimes I just pretend to love it so that he'd be happy. Butchea, I think it seems even more evident when we eat out 'cause he's picky when it comes to food so he only orders the better stuff so everything is good.

Speaking of which, we're going to Westward Ho for Dine Out Vancouver tonight with my grandparents!
And now I'm going to treadmill it up even though my contacts don't like my eyes so I have to wear my glasses if I want to watch TV and I have a sliver in my right toe that I can't get out.
Suck it up, princess, right?

Agree? Disagree? Here's your chance to rebuttal lol

Cakes

Super Mario cupcakes!
After looking at the cupcakes Martha made a long time ago, I really feel like making chocolate cupcakes with a huge smothering of light pink (sweet buttercream) frosting right now!!

Mmm maybe I'll just look online @ www.cupcakesonline.com for my visual fix.
Nevermind, they changed all their cupcakes to cartoons boo.
Disappointing.. can't find any yummy pics.

I resort to wedding cupcake pictures but they too don't totally meet my cupcake standards.
I have once (OK... maybe at least a dozen times) thought that I'd really suit being a wedding planner. Anyway, sort of off topic. I think these mini cakes are fantastic! Like this site said, usually wedding cakes are just for photo-ops and once they're cut up and distributed, they're hardly touched. Yet, with these mini cakes, people tend to eat the whole thing! Can't really cut them up though.
Anyway, don't get me started on wedding cakes/planning... I like/have so many ideas could probably write a book about it. I was even flipping through Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes book when I was at Chapters... so many nice cakes out there...
This post seems incomplete. I didn't put enough pictures, that's why. Unhappy.

Hot Chip - Shake A Fist

Urban Outfitters
If you ever get a chance, go to their site. (nevermind they changed their site now)
The mini clip they have on their main page is fantastic. It really captivates me.
I think the girl has SUCH nice facial features. Her whole face looks perfectly put together haha and she wears clothes really well too. So prettyyyy
Here's the clip here except it's low quality and you can't see all the details.
The song is Hot Chip - Shake A Fist
Click it if it doesn't work for you.
**
haha yea.. I really like it for some reason.

Nothing good that I haven't posted before from UO unfortch...
well maybe these Jinx Stone Sandals [$38] are alright.

AA Is Taking Over The World... I Mean, My World

Whoa the colours on my blog look so ugly on this computer! At home, the pink is a soft rose pink but on here, it's a peach!! And the grays are dull and icky... Does it look bad to you? HM what to do?

I checked out AA's gallery yesterday. They've got some interesting pics! I'm amazed and impressed with the kind of confidence the models exuberated in these shoots. Because of that, they all look beautiful.

The very very VERY tight Jersey Double U-neck Dress is not for the meek.
Again
Long U-neck beater. Nice colour on her.
This girl is a dancer. She's gorgeous + sososo flexible!
I've never noticed this dress before! I like it a lot!!!
AA kids!
Go means go... go get some AA clothes lol
haha this picture made me laugh
One of the "omg that totally doesn't go" pictures but as long as she feels confident I guess...
The yellow hoodie is looking very cute. The colour is Sunshine and it's for $45 - take a look!.
As is this long, unisex cardigan. Wish it was a bit longer though... and the buttons look cheap. Big armpits might be a problem.
Bathing suit or body suit?
Comfy lounge outift
Oh wow I love this dress/jumper suit thing! I love that colour too! Can't find it on their website though.....aw
Actually, I think it might be this Pique Cross-Front Jumper [$35] I'd only wear that around the house... well we'll see.
Those holey basketball tanks look like the high school volleyball/basketball team jerseys....
A neat way to wear one of those $15 jersey scarves! You can wear it as a dress and sew in some sort of white jersey material underneath. I actually like the petal rose colour too. Very pretty. haha the back of her sort of looks like a windup toy.
Nylon Tricot Figure Skater Dress [$55] A weird looking dress but cute on this girl.
This oversized red and white striped cardi looks great on this girl w/ her dark hair.
The shorts I'm gonna get multiple of =D so cute
This pic makes me want to get red!
Bright tights look fun if there are many girls wearing it at once. I saw this girl w/ dark dark dark solid + saturated teal tights and they looked really nice!
On my American Apparel Wishlist:

The CUTEST AA model! Unisex Sheer Jersey Loose Crew Summer T-Shirt in Silver [$21]
I like how the neck doesn't look as suffocating as other necks! I also like the folded short sleeve hem. I think this is the tee I saw on an AA employee on boxing day that I wanted. Perfecttt summer tee!
Ok I swear this is the same girl as the one above... just w/ longer hair. Probably an older picture, but she looks just as cute/pretty. I saw the AA employee wearing this Unisex Tri-Blend Short Sleeve Deep V-Neck [$21] yesterday. I loved how loose it was on her (but the SA was very thin) haha shows how much ppl can be influenced by what employees wear.


Unisex Sheer Jersey Short Sleeve Deep V-Neck [$21]
I actually really like this colour! This is the same as the tri-blend above. Yep I like the V-neck. Makes the tee look more girly. Don't be alarmed - the V isn't actually that low. It should be like the gray one. This AA model just chose to pull it down or wear a larger size.
I don't know what's w/ me and tees now... T-shirts are my least favourite top to wear.
There are also 3 packs of these tees w/ different colour combos [$51] but I want to choose my own. I'd pick heather gray, white, and that sea blue.

Unisex Solid Rib Oversized Pocket Cardigan [$42]
V. cute. I already have a long cardigan (which tooootally shrunk in the wash so it's not long at all) in this colour...I actually like the Navy just as much. Might be too wide... but yesterday Artemis showed me a pic of Miranda Kerr (Victoria's Secret Model) in a long cardi dress and it looked v. nice.
There's another Solid Rib Oversized Pocket Cardigan for $42 too with more fitted sleeves but the material looks a bit cheaper.

After seeing the girl wearing this dress up in the gallery section, I really really really like it!! Baby Rib Mini Shirt Dress [$30] I even like this ice powder blue one on the model but it's probably a bit darker and more baby blue in store. HMM which colour... Navy... do I even have a navy dress yet?! I think not! Naw I'm gonna do a summer colour. Raspberry! I think it'll need a belt for it. .. aw but I can wear this in the winter too w/ a turtle neck underneath.. HMMM Also seems like you'd definitely have to try it on w/ all them mixed reviews!
Anyway, I bought this dress (below) on boxing day but I still haven't worn it out or taken the tags off. I really like it 'cause I think it's flattering and I want to keep it, but it's hard to layer and you sort of just have to wear it sleeveless... and it's only good for the winter IMO but who's crazy enough to wear sleeveless in the Winter?! I do have a boat neck I can wear w/ it but I don't like the shoulder skin showing... and he colour is too dark for the spring/summer. I need some sort of Korean basic long sleeve to go with it. It's too bad... I might just exchange it for one of the items above.
From making this post, I want to go back to AA (even though I was just there yesterday) and try on a bunch of other stuff I've never given the time of day! Is there any AA store closeby???
I'm at the library... waiting for Diana to finish studying..... we're gonna eat sushi later. Yay.

N

The Thing You Carry Stuff In

Hand bags!! I'm not sure if they're as loved as shoes, but to me, they're almost on the same level. They both complete an outfit. The only difference is that you don't always need a bag whereas you always need to wear shoes. Yea. I believe they're so popular and loved because it doesn't matter if you gain/lose weight - they will always fit (well, unless your feet get fat).

New trend to make designer bags more athletic/casual-friendly: add a canvas strap.
I think it's a great idea. I have a couple bags I can change the straps for.. but it doesn't work for all bags.
Stella McCartney Appaloosa Shoulder Bag [$1,095.00]
This one has a canvas strap so it can be worn more casually.
Marc Jacobs Small Cecelia Tote [$1,275.00] on Net-A-Porter
Who else thinks this looks a bit off? That canvas strap is huge and looks horrible.
Marc Jacobs Cecelia Quilted Tote [$1,375.00] on Net-A-Porter
Marc Jacobs Stam bag is alright... I liked it before Aldo decided to make a cheap looking fake-but-similar-and-a-bit-exaggerated version. I like this one 'cause it still has the quiltedness and it's a bit different.
Alexander McQueen's Patent Leather Hobo Bag [$1,995.00]
I like how Net-A-Porter shows us how the bag looks on a person.. or mannequin. It's easier to see how big it is.Dolce & Gabbana Miss Romantic Bowler [$1,995.00]
My PADDY!!! Chloe Dark Brown Calf Small Paddington Bag [$1,144.00] on Bluefly
Dark brown or that ivory/beige one that lady had when I posted a while ago. So cute...
Chloe Paddington Capsule Dome Bag [$1,935.00]
Chloe Paddington Dome White [$2,115.00] @ Bergdorf Goodman
Oooooo prettyyyyyyyyy
Gucci Horsebit Nail Medium Boston [$1,696.00] @ Bergdorf Goodman
The all-leather version is $100 more.
This one reminds me of the DKNY bag Diana's sister has... that would be a perfect addition to my sad collection. The colours are the same as this Gucci one but I like the DKNY one much more.
Gucci Large Scarf Tote Bag [I'm not sure how much canvas is. All leather is $1,995.00]
The epitome of instant chic. I love scarves with gold chains on it.
Gucci Soft Shopper [$1,690.00] @ Bergdorf Goodman
I have no idea why it's a Gucci bag when it looks like the keychain says Dior... lol
Very versatile bag though! And it's not flashy at all.
Gucci Hysteria Medium Top Handle [$1,790.00] @ Bergdorf Goodman
This is a massive block of patent. A bit too much but I like the shape.
Marc Jacobs Quilted Classic Tote [$1,495.00]
I love the vintage feel this emits.
Juicy Couture Leather Bowling Bag [$525.00]
YSL Bag Downtown Tote [$1,495.00] from Ideeli... a giveaway =(
Some Chanel bags I have no idea how much they are.

The one I'm saving up for...Patent bags are still in style:
The one above looks like this bag but w/ more detail!
From Yesstyle almost a year ago xept they weren't selling this bag so I don't know how much it is. Nice though.
Common colour theme? haha yea... Black and white/cream/tan. I'm a boring Betsey when it comes to colours for expensive bags like these. I don't want them to go out of style and I want to use it a lot.