Hello, Oscar Morning 2011!

awards night 2011 by meimei96 on Polyvore.com

By the time you read this, I am either 1) watching the Oscars or 2) writing out lesson plans for the week. One is a grueling, time-sensitive task that must be done to get things in order... and the other involves writing out my lesson plans for the week. ZING! 

(...And such is the dichotomy of my life.) 

Oh, who am I kidding here? I'm a sucker for awards shows. Hell, I could be watching the 245th Annual Fungal Disease Awards and I'd still tear up while holding an imaginary trophy and whispering "thank you, thank you, thank you" in several different languages. The only time that I didn't enjoy an awards show was when I worked backstage at one during my past life as a PR minion... and even then, there were free cocktails and hors d'oeuvres all around, so it wasn't too bad. 

I don't have much at stake for this year's awards - well, except for my undying love for Colin Firth, which I inherited from Scribey and passed on to my mom (along with my squeeing over Phil Younghusband) - but I do know that I've been preparing that acceptance speech for a huge chunk of my life... along with my outfit, accessories, and possibly even my date. 

(Which reminds me: Hello, Jeremy Renner? My aunt lives in Modesto. You could pick me up at her house next year; I'm absolutely, positively sure that she won't mind. Kthxbai.) 

Anywho, for your consideration: this year's desperate plea heartfelt tribute to the Oscars, created with Polyvore.

Glosswatch 2011: Life Would Be a Party

This should teach me not to leave the house without makeup. (And/or take my picture in a moving vehicle.) 

The gloss: LORAC Multiplex 3-D Lip Gloss in Cliche

What Sephora says: The Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss features a viscosity that visually retextures the lips, and smoothes away imperfections allowing color to appear more vivid and luminous. The unique formula is infused with antioxidants to help nourish and protect, while the creamy, moist texture helps lips look silky-smooth and ultra-glossy. It combines a liquid lipstick and lip lacquer for high-impact color and the 3-D Holographic effect will make your pout stand out!

First impressions: Pink. Piiiiiiiiiink. PINK. And not just pink, but icy, blue-toned disco pink with blue glitter. And this is supposed to be popular how, Sephora?

Texture: Quite pleasant, actually - not too sticky, slippery, or creamy. As much as I wasn't crazy about the color, I actually loved touching this one up because I loved that texture.

Color saturation: A little sheer in person, but the blue does stand out. A LOT. (See picture above.) On the plus side, the blue frost does wear off eventually, leaving behind a nice pink base.

Minty-fresh factor: There's a bit of a tingle, but nothing too serious.

Hydration capacity: I wore this during a cold day in December and it did not dry my lips out one bit. That's another reason why I couldn't stop touching up my lips with this gloss.

Trendwatch 2011: When Kawaii Girls Grow Up

kawaii wallpaper by ~cupcake-bakery on deviantART

Before I start, let me make it very clear that I, as an Asian woman of a certain age, have no problem with cuteness in general, and everything that's considered kawaii in particular. In fact, if it were up to me, all of my bed linens and office supplies would be decorated with tons of tiny, happy, smiling Japanese cartoon characters, and be generously shameless about it as well.

I do, however, have a bit of a problem with the image of the Asian woman as the perpetual kawaii girl: slim build, pale skin, tiny high-pitched voice with matching giggle... and, yes, in certain instances, the occasional short skirt or low-cut top.

On one hand - and from an academic standpoint - there are some situations where the kawaii-ness actually works, especially when it involves a discussion of Asian culture. (I once had to use this line of reasoning to defend a colleague of mine who used her high-pitched kawaii voice in teaching Japanese.) That doesn't mean it can't be a problem for a grown woman; it's one thing to speak in a cutesy, high-pitched voice for cuteness' sake... but when you're, say, a news anchor in Honolulu reporting on a raging fire that has left several casualties in its wake, THAT might be a problem.

(No, I'm not naming names. For that, you will need to go to Scribey; just make sure to offer a week's worth of free babysitting in exchange for the information.)

Which is why I love watching the kawaii archetype getting turned on its own head by Asian women in mass media.

A Little Dispatch From New York Fashion Week

No pictures for now, but thought I'd share these anyway: The Best Beauty Looks From New York Fashion Week, now on nymag.com. The red lipstick from the Wes Gordon show is just. plain. gorgeous.

(I haven't followed fashion much since moving back to the Hacienda, but I do know that I'm in the market for a new coat for my trip. And, apropos of nothing, I still lurve Chris Benz.)

My Evening Purse

This, dear friends, is a genuine SM Parisian brand evening bag that I purchased for PhP599.

Sure, it holds nothing more than a camera, my iPod, some cash, and a teeny-tiny tube of Smashbox lip gloss, but that's beside the point. I love this bag. It's cute. Carrying it around makes me happy.

Video Style Moments, Part 4: Red and Blue and Retro All Over

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Why not celebrate the 14th of February with a funky jam about... righteous payback?

I am, no doubt, obsessed with this song.

And check out the video, too! The sharp suits and cocktail dresses! The monochrome filters! And a lead singer who looks like Bryan Ferry (circa 1985), if he had gone to whoever was styling David Bowie (circa 1985) and ran into Christian Siriano on the way to the barber shop! Totally awesome.

(Also: Is that drummer cute or what? *wink*)

Get to know Fitz and The Tantrums on their website, where you can go straight to the music. Good stuff.  

This Year's Semi-Obligatory V-Day Entry

So: Valentine's Day.

Five years ago, I wrote this entry to my Unnamed Prospective Valentine - which did not get anyone's attention, and perhaps for good reason. (Bear in mind that this happened in the early days of Teh Internets, when Facebook was just a "killer app" and beauty bloggers were not always obligated to post pictures of themselves.) A few great romantic moments have come and gone since then, but this sentiment remains:

I guess you might have gotten the memo by now that I've stopped waiting for you to come around, have you? It's not that I don't believe that you exist - come on, you're talking to a girl that still believes in Santa Claus[...] it's just that - well, let's face it, neither one of us is getting any younger, and a single girl's gotta start managing her expectations. 

Granted, that hasn't stopped me from doing a lot of stupid things in the name of love (and/or lust), and neither has it stopped me from wondering if I'm doomed to be judged as a neurotic old maid for the rest of my life. Still, the sentiment still stands, and - despite all my doubts, as much as it hurts - I must soldier on.

Which brings me back to the concept of Big, Scary Things.