Gossip Queens: Giving Girls a Bad Name?

"One Winds on the Distaff What the Other Spins"
by Pieter Bruegel the Elder
(Second Half of the Sixteenth Century)

I’ve had a similar post discussing this topic, but it is an issue that never seems to disappear. Despite this, I have found that consistently talking about the detriments of female gossip is a way to help overcome this toxic cycle. I’m sure, especially if you’re a girl, you’ve experienced being a target of slander and we all know it’s not a pretty feeling. What I’ve discovered, however, is that not all girls are mean or vicious. (Of course we’ve all been a little gossipy- even guys have their moments, but it is so, incredibly sad that some ladies think all women are like this.)

I truly value my friendships with girls and some, if not all, of my best friends are females. We don’t have toxic relationships, we don’t talk or bitch about each other behind our backs- we’re really honest with each other and we would never do or say anything deceitful. When you say something about a girl behind her back that you are not willing to say to her face, that’s when you know you’ve said something seriously fucked up.

So, I disagree with the notion that “all girls talk shit” because, no, they don’t. Of course we may say things about others in passing, but that’s not necessarily “gossip,” it may just be about wondering about how someone is doing, if they’re okay, or that you miss someone, for example. I’ve grown up in a household of girls, and I am a wholehearted girl’s girl inside and out, and I find it so pitiful that some women automatically assume that girls are awful people who just spread falsehoods about others. No, that’s not the case and girls who believe that are usually the ones who do the most gossiping, so we can just feel sorry for them...

My Infamous TuTu: Why Do Boys Hate It?

As most of you may know, I recently purchased the Karinska Tulle Skirt by Alexandra Grecco and I am absolutely fascinated by the fact that girls drool over it and guys are wholeheartedly repulsed by it. When I initially saw it in the November issue of the Anthropologie catalogue, I was crazy for it. I thought it was one of the most beautiful pieces I had seen in a while and I knew I would regret it if I didn’t get it. So, the next day at work, I came to find that so many of my co-workers ordered the same skirt. We all loved it. 

So I was out last night and I executed somewhat of an experiment. I had a picture on my phone with me wearing it, and I asked girls what they thought of it and I asked guys what they thought of it. Almost every girl thought it was the most adorable little skirt in the world, whereas guys had a more, how should I say, perplexed reaction. One of my good friends began ranting about how much he hated it, stating “You wore that out?! You look like an idiot, never wear it again...blah blah blah” He continued for a good 7 minutes. It was pretty humorous I have to admit, and there were a couple of other guys who felt the same. One claimed that I was trying to look like a Disney princess, which I adamantly denied (even though secretly I feel like a princess every time I wear it....).

But I’m just intrigued by the fact that guys really hate it and girls absolutely love it. Why is that? Why do boys think it’s the ugliest piece of clothing while girls think it’s the most amazing? So I began thinking and thinking and thinking. Yesterday, there were a couple of girls aged 4-7 years old who came in to work with their moms wearing similar ensembles, literally. There was one little girl who was wearing a red dress that looked exactly like mine, except my ensemble was white. All of those little girls absolutely loved my outfit, and I loved theirs. Do you think it’s because girls will never grow out of their princess obsession? Why do we love it? I even had a Sleeping Beauty princess theme for my 3rd birthday...

The Apron: Need a Fun Idea?

Fiammetta Apron

I work in retail and my absolute favorite part of the job is helping customers choose clothing that works for them. Finding the perfect outfit for a woman, making her feel beautiful, and providing the tools for some of our customers to reach their best selves, inside and out, make it all worth it! (It’s retail therapy for a reason...)

Anyway, yesterday a woman needed my aid in choosing the perfect gift for her friend’s bachelorette party, and, of course, I wasn’t going to let that lady leave the store without the most awesome gift a bride-to-be could ask for. So, we were looking at the aprons and other fun little potential gifts, and we came up with the cutest idea!! We found a cute little red apron- and keep in mind that aprons offer full coverage in the front, are completely open in the back, and usually have ties around the neck and waist to keep the garment secure. 

As an avid shoe person, I encouraged my customer to give this to her hottie-bride-to-be-friend, purchase matching lingerie, sparkly red or black heels, so this future bride could surprise her man in the kitchen when he gets home from whatever the hell guys do when they’re out.

Needless to say, I thought it was a brilliant idea that any couple could use to spice things up a bit. I’ve said this in several of my dating blog posts before, but I’ll repeat it here- it’s so important for a girl’s self (and the well-being of a relationship she may be in) to make a little extra effort to show how much you appreciate someone in your life, especially if he does so much for you too. (And if he doesn’t, then why the hell are you still with him?)

Boy Problems: Why are they SO Mean?

I don’t know about you, and I’ll just put it simply, but it really hurts my feelings when boys are mean to me for no reason. About every girl I know has been there, so I want to get to the bottom of it once and for all answering the following question: why are boys just so, unnecessarily mean?

I’m a hard worker, I go to school, and I take pretty good care of myself. I’m not an awful person and I’m sure many of my female readers aren’t either. We definitely don’t deserve this type of treatment and we certainly don’t need an extra stressor in our already hectic lives. So I’ve really been trying to uncover the source of it all, leading me believe that it stems from their adaptation to our current social roles, with a need to adopt a strong, infallible image, which is fine, but it does not allow boys to treat girls with disrespect. 

I am telling you (and this is directed to my male readers), when you disrespect a girl, whether by the silent treatment or through explicit insults, it will come back to you, so just quit while you’re ahead and just try to play nice. You will not win someone over by being so mean, and I really don’t know why guys believe it’ll win anyone’s heart. It’s seriously just really annoying... (I tried to keep this post short and sweet, and I could definitely keep going, but I feel, especially regarding this situation, less is more-  just don’t be mean!!)

Eloise’s Essentials for the Holidays: What are the Basics?

With the holidays fast approaching, some girls are still unsure about what to look for when they go shopping. So, in order to save some time and money for my stylish little readers, I’ve devised a list of essential basics for the holidays. Please note that the items I’m listing are so basic, that they are likely found from thrift stores to TJ Max to Nordstrom to, of course, Anthropologie. I know I’ve said this in previous posts, but you do not need to spend more money to have more style, you just need to know what to look for. So here it goes...

Red Felt Skirt 

Okay, so this is a cute way to show off your legs and stay a little warm during the cold holiday months. Paired with some leggings, tights, boots, a navy or creme top, you'll have a basic that will last forever! (And one that you can dress up with some gold jewelry and heels for a night out, especially when those boring holiday parties become a little too much...) 

The Peasant Top

I have recently fallen in love with the peasant top, not only for its unique look, but also for its comfort. I usually wear this type of piece with skinny jeans, but it could also work tucked into some dress pants with a blazer, or even with a cute pencil skirt. (I actually have a white one that looks adorable tucked into my red felt skirt along with some brown boots...) 

Unique Outerwear

I understand that this an incredibly broad basic essential, but with the holidays, comes colder weather, which comes more creativity to express yourself through outerwear. I'm not saying, by any means, that you need this specific piece, but I'm just encouraging you to look for a jacket, or vest (I have a jean one!) that makes a style statement while keeping you warm. These items are my absolute favorite pieces of outerwear that I've ever owned and I wear them all the time!!

Flannel Top

This is a really basic style necessity as well, but the varying colors in these types of garments provides room to mix and match with scarves, jewelry, and other fun accessories, allowing it to look unique and new every time it is worn!

Jean Top

The jean top, similar to the flannel top, provides the opportunity to mix, match, and become a little creative with your own unique style. It is even more basic than the flannel, really allowing you to experiment with different types of looks. However, I would never wear this with a basic jean to avoid the risk of clashing, segueing into my next basic piece...

A Colored Pant

I have all different types of pants, but my absolute favorite are my red Stevie's. They are so adaptable and give me room to play around with awesome looks. Paired with either stilettos or boots (or even one of my peasant or jean tops) they still look so cute!! (My red Stevie's are currently in the laundry so I couldn't provide a picture, sorry...) Just imagine red pants...

Scarves

How can I have a list of basic fall and winter clothes without scarves? I swear by these accessories, and own scarves every color of the rainbow. Though they seem a little fragile, these pieces are a cheap and easy way in making an outfit look different every time!

My hanger of scarves...

Okay, so those are some of my favorite basic pieces for the holiday seasons. I know I left a few out (boots, skinny jeans, coats, holiday dresses, nude pumps etc.), but I'll list some of more of my favorites in another post! Promise!! (Don't wanna overwhelm anyone with all of this style info...)

Represent the LBD: Does Every Girl Need at Least One?

A few of my LBDs...The picture doesn't
really capture their detailing as closely as I would've liked,
but, from left to right,
the one on the far left is a simple slip,
then there's my birthday dress,
then a simple bandage dress,
and a diagonally layered one with delicate lacy fabric!
...ENJOY.
How would you dress them up? ..or down.

Yes, every girl does need at least one. For those of you who don’t know, the LBD, otherwise referred to as the little black dress, is a necessity for every complete wardrobe. You can get them as cheap as they come so I’m certainly not encouraging anyone to shell out the big bucks for such a basic piece. Originally, I was gonna blog about my favorite basic essentials for fall and winter, but since the LBD is in a class by itself, I thought it deserved its own post.

The history of the LBD began in the early 1920’s during the fashion reign of CoCo Chanel, who incorporated these pieces in her collections. It later became popularized by other fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, and, of course, Betty Boop. 

The LBD is not only adored for its simplicity, but for its adaptability. This type of piece may be worn formally or extremely casually, depending on the way one chooses to dress it up. For me, I could wear one to class with my hair up, a cardigan and flats, with extremely conservative jewelry, and then if I wanted to go out later I could just throw on a pair of pumps, statement jewelry, and let my hair down. 

The LBD is so simple, yet such a complex fashion staple for its evident flexible nature, allowing women to discover a different look every time it is worn. In addition, though it is such a solid and plain color, it truly provides women a blank canvas upon which several looks are procured. The LBD is not just a dress, it is a tool of expression and stylistic artistry, proving one of the most timeless essentials in anyone’s wardrobe.

The Mechanics of Fashion Design: A Severely Unrecognized Art?

An original CoCo Chanel gown from 1938.

The cost to make a piece of clothing is probably worth less than 50 cents. A cotton shirt, for example, an incredibly generic piece of clothing, is worth just as much as one of Diane von Furstenburg’s signature rap tops, which usually run for hundreds of dollars, depending on which item. These are factual statements that cannot be argued- cotton is cotton is cotton is cotton.

However, a sheet of canvas usually runs for about $6, and it is likely worth even less. Same goes for paint; you can get it as cheap as you want (if you know where to look!). Imagine I have my hands on both, and I paint, well, a painting. Now, let’s add a little bit more to the mix- say I’m in the same room as Leonardo Da Vinci, he has access to the same products, and we’re both painting our lives away. Now, let me ask you a question- we both have access to the same canvas, paint, and tools, but whose final piece of art would be worth more, even though we both invested the same amount of time, money, and effort into our respective works?

I’m certainly hoping you didn’t choose me for this hypothetical question, because we all know Leonardo would blow me out of the water. The point I’m trying to make is this (and this is just my own definition of art-and I’m sure it varies from individual to individual): artwork, from a painting, piece of music, or fashion design, is valued according to the artist’s innovative ability to create work that has a timeless capacity to aesthetically arouse its audience (whether it’s an art critic, a music enthusiast, or, in my case, a shopaholic...) Anyway, in this brief blog post, I plan to argue that exceptional pieces of clothing are priced based on the mind of the designer or artist, rather than an overall interest in gaining a profit from, and this is hypothetically speaking, a %5,000 mark-up.

Of course, we all know a piece of clothing is just a piece of fabric worn to keep us covered, and designers know this too. The central difference is that designers (really, really good designers) view fashion design as an art, a science, and everything in between. The level of precision in, for example, an original CoCo Chanel gown is absolutely, mind-blowing-ly, disgustingly perfect. Every atomic particle in her dresses had a purpose, and every fiber in her dresses’ construction was destined to make every woman they embraced feel and look like the most beautiful person in the world. Her dresses made a statement, encouraging women to feel empowered by their femininity, especially during a time of such gender inequality. 

And just think about it, though the types of fabrics used in a Diane von Furstenburg piece are similar, if not the same as those used in a plain T-Shirt you could get down the street, her mind surpasses so many in her field. When we purchase true artistic pieces of clothing, we are thanking their creators for their mind, their vision, and their genius.